text:
Reserve online or call 01993 824 252
Start your shortlist by clicking on the icon next to any property
Sleeps 10
This is a lovely 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom villa situated in a quiet position overlooking the 1st Green on the South golf course, with views across the Mar Menor. The pool area is in its own courtyard making it very private. Pool heating is optional at £225 per week or part thereof. The villa is fully air conditioned/heated. Please note that car hire is essential. The villa benefits from free wi-fi.
Living Room – with sofas, coffee table, TV, DVD, CD player, with access to outside patio with table and chairs. Separate dining area with table and chairs.
Kitchen – Modern kitchen with two ovens, hob, two built in microwaves, American style fridge freezer, dishwasher, washing machine and dining table.
Bedroom One: Double bed with built in wardrobes, bedside cabinets, en-suite bathroom: Walk in shower, twin washbasins and WC.
Bedroom Two: Twin beds with bedside cabinets, built in wardrobes, en-suite bathroom: shower, washbasin and WC.
Bedroom Three: Double bed with beside cabinets, built in wardrobes,
Bedroom Four: Double bed, bedside cabinets built in wardrobes. En-suite bathroom: Walk-in shower, washbasin and WC.
Bedroom Five : Twin beds and beside cabinets.
Bathroom Four: Shower, washbasin and WC.
Additional Cloakroom with WC and washbasin.
Outside: Ample parking. Gardens and private pool.
Please note this villa is only available from Early June to the End of September. Saturday to Saturday bookings in July and August.


text:
The article starts with explaining that while Sun may have patents covering Java, and while IBM may have patents covering C compilers, Microsoft is the only large software company that "has declared itself the enemy of GNU/Linux and stated its intention to attack our community with patents". A sensible conclusion here is that Microsoft can certainly pose a threat to the GNU/Linux community.
So, does the Community Promise do anything to mitigate the threat from Microsoft? According to the Free Software Foundation, it does not. According to the FSF, there are several libraries included with Mono and used by applications like TomBoy that are not covered by the ECMA standards - and therefore, not covered by the Community Promise. They explicitly state that they are not referring to the Windows-specific parts like ASP.Net and Windows Forms. "Instead, we're talking about libraries under the System namespace that provide common functionality programmers expect in modern programming languages: binary object serialization, regular expressions, XPath and XSLT, and more," the FSF writes.
There is an additional problem with the Community Promise, the FSF explains. The Community Promise only covers claims on Microsoft patents that are necessary to implement the ECMA specifications. "Judging just by the size of its patent portfolio, it's likely that Microsoft holds patents which a complete standard implementation probably infringes even if it's not strictly necessary - maybe the patent covers a straightforward speed optimization, or some common way of performing some task," the FSF writes, "The Community Promise doesn't say anything about these patents, and so Microsoft can still use them to threaten standard implementations."
The FSF also details what Microsoft should do in order to quell any concerns the Free software community might have when it comes to Mono and C#: "If Microsoft genuinely wants to reassure free software users that it does not intend to sue them for using Mono, it should grant the public an irrevocable patent license for all of its patents that Mono actually exercises."
While I generally find the FSF over-the-top and out of touch with reality, I think they have raised some very serious concerns here, concerns Microsoft should address. It seems like Microsoft is more interested in keeping the patent situation a grey area, instead of actually removing all the fog around Mono.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|2009-06-07, 15:41
|Link #1
Mahjong Triple Pro
Join Date: Sep 2006
Japanese Mahjong Thread
By popular demand, this shall be AnimeSuki's mahjong thread. Feel free to ask questions or stage games from here.
This is going to be rather haphazard at first given that I've got finals later this week, but here are some helpful topics for the beginner and expert alike. I'm going to edit it through the day today.
There are 4 players to each Japanese mahjong game. The players sit at each side of a square table, designated as a house, which come in four flavours ordered as such -
The houses are the Ton (東), Nan (南), Xia (西), and Pei(北). The order is read from the 東 and proceeds clockwise (i.e., after 東 discards a tile, 南 is the second house to draw). The dealer, or person who gives out the tiles and draws first, is always the 東 house. There are two types of rounds. In a tonpuusen, each player gets one chance at dealer, with the houses rotating clockwise after someone who is not dealer wins. If the dealer wins, he/she has an option to exercise renchan, which is where the dealer donates 100 points to the point pond to remain as dealer for another round. A hanchan is basically two tonpuusen back to back, but in the second tonpuusen the round wind tile rotates to the next house in the sequence (usually 南).
By convention in English-speaking communities, instead of referring to the houses as "Ton House" or "Nan House" we just call them East, South, West and North. This is to reduce confusion since each house has an associated wind tile which is called by the names Ton, Nan, Xia, Pei.
Japanese mahjong is played with 136 tiles rather than 144, meaning unlike Chinese, Hong Kong, and other variants there are no flower bonus tiles. The tiles are all arranged in 4 walls of 2 stacks consisting of 17 tiles, and are placed in front of the players. Tiles are organized into four suits: Pin (circles), Sou (bamboo), Man (characters), and the Honour tiles. The formal name for Man tiles is Wan, and they are used interchangeable. Honours are officially called juhai but more often than not they're called either fanpai or yakuhai, which actually refers to a specific subset of juhai and specific han, which will be discussed later.
Where can I play?
Last edited by Malintex_Terek; 2009-06-18 at 03:48.
|2009-06-07, 16:08
|Link #2
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 61
I've got this book: The Red Dragon and the West Wind, which focuses on Chinese and American Mahjong but also discusses Japanese-style Mahjong. I've not yet found a book in english that focuses on Japanese-style rules.
So any book recommendations for Japanese rules would be appreciated. My son happened to trip across a year 1924 wooden tile set of mahjong from China ($1 garage sale) -- so we're mucking with that before we decide whether to shell out the big bucks for a modern set.
|2009-06-07, 16:42
|Link #3
Mahjong Triple Pro
Join Date: Sep 2006
There are no good Japanese mahjong books in English, nor strategy guides for that matter. This is because there are very few cultural centers for Japanese immigrants that maintain traditions from the first immigrants - people forget the game or have no opportunity to play and introduce new people. Since the vast majority of people who play in English-speaking countries are Chinese or Jewish, very little material has been published in English for that sort of material.
Dutch is a different story, though.
|2009-06-07, 16:47
|Link #4
~ You're dead ^__^* ~
Graphic Designer
$1 for something as ancient as that? *Faints*
I myself has only picked up on Chinese mahjong after begging my friends to teach me how to play. Such an addictive game too as once I got the hang of things we just carried on playing for 10 hours straight.
The japanese version seems to have a lot more rules than the chinese version (making it more complicated with the amount of hands allowed) and quite a nightmare of a scoring system too...I still need to learn it myself but there's noone to teach me this time round
|2009-06-07, 17:25
|Link #6
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
|2009-06-07, 17:38
|Link #7
Mahjong Triple Pro
Join Date: Sep 2006
Typically, the more complex the rules are, the less of a factor luck is and so the "easier" the game is.
In my view -
Chinese Classic: 90% skill, 10% luck
Chinese Modern: 75% skill, 25% luck.
Japanese Classic: 50% skill, 50% luck.
Japanese Modern: 40% skill, 60% luck.
Hong Kong: 10% skill, 90% luck.
Hence, why I prefer the "Japanese Classic" style of mahjong (pre-Red 5's, Head Bump versus Double Ron) seen in Akagi and Tetsuya. It allows for all players to have a random chance of winning, and their skill make up the difference from there.
Japanese style is the most balanced between rules/luck.
The only advantage MahjongTime offers over Tenhou is in-game chat, which is why #mahjong was founded.
You're playing against real people in Tenhou.
|2009-06-07, 17:39
|Link #8
Endless Nine
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: In a certain tropical island
Age: 33
Should be able to get you started if you don't know how to play yet. Everything else will be experience.
|2009-06-07, 17:54
|Link #10
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
Japanese Mahjong set,
. .
. . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
(images use imageshack links so easy copy/paste)
Gamplay Combinations
Gameplay winning hands
The last tile when you complete your hand will not require a discard so even though you have 13 tiles, you will have combinations equivalent to 14 (if not more with Kon's).
Disclaimer: I'm very much unexperienced so if I goofed it please correct me. Thankyou.
|2009-06-07, 17:56
|Link #11
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
*oh great now I forgot what I really wanted to ask*
Oh right, umm,
1. Is there a difference in value between the three 1-9 sets?
2. Is there a basic hint as to what I need so as to not be forced to fully conceal the hand and call riichi to win with a 1 toitsu 4 set?
|2009-06-07, 18:10
|Link #12
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
|2009-06-07, 18:48
|Link #13
Mahjong Triple Pro
Join Date: Sep 2006
Thanks Cats, I have some smaller tile graphics stored away somewhere.
Hong Kong almost has no rules. When there are fewer rules, there's more possible winning hands so the game becomes more unpredictable and one has less control over the flow. In terms of winning, I think of HK as just a step up from slot machines.
You can Riichi if your hand is completely closed (no calls), you have enough points, the game isn't in its last round and you're in Tenpai. You can't Riichi any other way, the hand must be completely closed.
|2009-06-07, 19:13
|Link #14
~ You're dead ^__^* ~
Graphic Designer
Also what comes into play are a lot of special rules such as those which determine how one should play a hand when sitting in "x" wind of "y" round so potentially there is a lot of chaos and additional information to remember ie if you are sitting in east seat and the round is east and you have a pon of east tiles then that is 2 fans added to the winning hand.
HK style doesn't allow for a combination that consists of pons and chows in different suits so that again makes it more difficult to play and a winning hand of only chows of different suits are given 1 fan (meaning you are still missing 2 for a winning hand).
And I don't think there are more possible winning hands in HK mahjong than Japanese mahjong...the options available to HK players aren't that many when you play with the "3 fan minimum" rule so there is hard to win with quick, cheap hands unlike the Japanese counterpart.
It is a little unfair to say that it is pure luck and lol at the slot machine comparison
|2009-06-07, 19:31
|Link #15
Mahjong Triple Pro
Join Date: Sep 2006
Increasing the fan requires more skill and patience, but the game as a whole becomes easier since it becomes a lot more predictable to figure out what people are aiming for.
Example, if we set the minimum fan to 13, what would everyone be aiming for?
|2009-06-07, 19:37
|Link #16
Honyaku no Hime
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
I dunno if it's cause of "Saki" that has brought Japanese Mahjong to light, but I've been caught up in this world a little bit over late 2007/early 2008, when trying to fansub a anime series called
"Lengendary Gambler Testsuya"
We got ep 1 and 2 tl'ed, edited and TS'ed but after months of searching I couldn't find a TC'er who was incredbly knowledable about the game and could interpret between the two languages.
Then luck had it, I find a TC'er but no longer have a translator, we we have all the raws and kara and scripts and I've made a .pdf file explaining the rules
"Mahjong for Idiots" basically xD
Page 1 is here:
(was needed for myself as well tbh, lol - Feel free to criticise M Terek if there are some off points, although this had been run past another professional Japanese Mahjong player when i was designing this page)
- But at present that project is stalled, it may resume if I find the "one" to help get us back on track someday.
Anyways, I played a children's version of this (Pahjang?) - using the Disney set back in October xD
Gave me a simple rundown of what this game is about, on a basic level in terms of concept, it's not too dificult ^^
Just when they start using all kinds of 'sets' when they wanna 'tsumo' (draw) - theeeeen it begins to get complicated
Last edited by Mystique; 2009-06-07 at 19:54.
|2009-06-07, 19:59
|Link #17
Mahjong Triple Pro
Join Date: Sep 2006
Wei-Hwa Huang's website was what I originally used to learn, but as one would expect there are some errors and it's very out of date. It's still a good reference site, though.
As for Yakitori Online, it went down because the owner wasn't getting loads of cash from would-be Japanese mahjong players. It wasn't a very helpful website either, partly because most of the "meets" were conducted at ron2. I only attended one of those "meets"...and ended up winning.
|2009-06-07, 20:01
|Link #18
~ You're dead ^__^* ~
Graphic Designer
And I'm talking about a sensible minimum which seems to be the norm
ps...saiGAR 2008? you need a new message change
|2009-06-07, 20:05
|Link #19
Honyaku no Hime
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
Especially when one begins hearing fun things like:
Tsumo! Rokusen toushi!
Tsumo! Baiman!
Chii Toitsu Tenpai
- To name but a few
Thanks for the update on the yakitori website tho. ^^
|2009-06-07, 20:24
|Link #20
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
a) What the point payout score is (Usually 30000(30) for 4, 40000(40) for 3)
b) What the first place bonus is (Usually +20000(20))
c) Any rank based penalty or bonuses (Ex: Gamedesign uses a +/-10000(+/-10) penalty/bonus. First gets a +20000(+20) bonus, Second +10000(+10), Third -10000(-10) penalty, Fourth -20000(-20))
Calculation is very easy:
(Variation a: )
Round your points to the nearest thousand and divide by one thousand.
Subtract the payout score (/1000) from that value.
Apply any penalties or bonuses.
(Variation b: )
Round your points to the nearest thousand.
Subtract the payout score from it.
Apply any penalties and bonuses.
Divide by 1000.
|Thread Tools


text:
Property auctions
June 23, at 3pm, at the Greene County Courthouse
Property: 3.06 acres at 326 New Life Road, Ruckersville
Debtor: unknown
Amount owing: $118,700
Bidder brings: $10,000 or 10 percent of the sales price
Info: Glasser & Glasser 757-321-6465
June 24, at 9am, at the Nelson County Courthouse
Property: 10 Cary Lane, Amherst, Nelson County
Debtor: Stuart A. and Felicia D. Harris
Amount owing: $110,000
Bidder brings: $10,000
Info: Samuel I. White 757-457-1460
June 24, at 9am, at the Nelson County Courthouse
Property: 43 Farrar Lane, Arrington
Debtor: Shelly J., Jeffrey L., and Bernice G. White
Amount owing: $65,066.
Bidder brings: $5,000
Info: Samuel I. White 757-457-1460
July 2, at 10:15am, at the Albemarle County Courthouse
Property: 3545 Martin Kings Road
Debtor: Tiffany B. Dettor
Original amount: $150,000.
Bidder brings: $15,000 or 10 percent
Info: Shapiro & Burson 757-687-8822
July 15, at 4:30pm, at the Nelson County Courthouse
Property: 1275 Adial Road
Debtor: Jaqueline H. Crawford
Original amount: $134,455.
Bidder brings: $14,000 or 10 percent
Info: Draper & Goldberg 703-777-2448
[This compilation was culled from published accounts of auctions scheduled by creditors. Such plans may change if the alleged debt is satisfied.]


text:
Meizu has always been an ambitious company, releasing surprisingly high-end smartphones for fairly low prices in China. The latest device, the Meizu MX3, was a powerhouse with an Exynos Octa processor. The MX3 was just released in late September, but Meizu is already talking about its successor just two months later.
Jack Wong, Meizu CEO, announced one of the features of the next device, called the Meizu MX4G. The device will feature a 5.5-inch screen like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, but with a resolution of 2560×1536. That's over 540 pixels per inch, which is an incredibly dense panel. They better make it beautiful!
Obviously, such a panel will have many drawbacks. Power consumption must be really high when boosting the resolution by that much. Plus, the GPU will need to be quite strong to display content at that resolution. Because this device won't come out until late next year, it will be using something next gen so that shouldn't be an issue.
But my biggest concern is that people won't be able to tell the difference between 1080p and 1536p. It's already very difficult to see individual pixels in displays when you try, but during normal viewing habits, I don't know what kind of difference it will make. Will it be worth the downsides? We'll see. But I'm still excited for technological innovation. Do you want a phone with a 2560×1536 display?


text:
The proprietor of this Marais shop yelled at me for taking a picture of her sign.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Paris ♥ Lunettes
The proprietor of this Marais shop yelled at me for taking a picture of her sign.
18 comments:
Imagine closing the shop on you like that! Perhaps she saw the classy ones you were wearing and felt embarrassed.ReplyDelete
Wow, that is amazing - how do you manage to take so many photos of such specific things?? How long did it take you to get all of these shots?ReplyDelete
Btw, when do you arrive in Paris?
Hope all is well in your corner of the world!
What a show, Carol!, Au Clair de Lunettes!ReplyDelete
You changed over to the new Blogger interface? Love the slide show!
great idea ! unusual and interestingReplyDelete
Smart you.I think it is an adult shrunk as a child..Or she is a Tiara baby:(ReplyDelete
Poor kids ..make up and tiaras at 2:(And stage moms.
I love your collections..
You wear very cool glasses:)
It's funny how one can be inspired by so many things here..
With my amazon.ca gift voucher I ordered a white watch:) I needed a watch and you said:)
Omg i loved the photos, i found them very funny and unique (; This is the first time I enter here, i'll come back i love your blog! (; xoReplyDelete
The photo of the little girl is quite unsettling....but even worse, the shopkeeper turning off her lights! Ha! You beat her!ReplyDelete
I giggled out loud imagining the final scene. I appreciate your dedication to "je fais cque je veux!" on behalf of your readers. Merci!ReplyDelete
How do you find so many interesting subjects to photograph? Do you see them at the time or later on when looking at your photos? So many 'themes' in Paris. Boggles the mind.ReplyDeleteReplies
'themes' in ParisDelete
if I see something like 3X I figure it's a pattern and put a POSTIT up inside my head to keep on the lookout.
It's like a scavinger hunt.
Basically I think I make up these patterns, but I don't see them in NYC
Maybe I would if I was NYTimes Bill Cunningham...
I hate getting yelled at in French. How do you risk it over and over again?!ReplyDeleteReplies
Hey yr in France bebe
it's de rigueur
I just shoot and run.
It makes the times when people are extremement gentil all the more preciousIMHO.


text:
1. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??DaneelJ Apr 14, 2011 6:35 AM (in response to DaneelJ)
Any ideas, anyone...?
2. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??
Unfortunately I have no answer. I am seeing the same problem with 2 Dell laptop models- E4310 and E6510
Windows XP Pro
Intel HD Graphics
i5 Intel Core Processor
Installed graphics driver from both Dell and Intel's website
Upgraded BIOS to latest
Downgraded Windows Intaller 4 (we have seen some issues with resolution when displaying over projector with version 4)
Not sure what causes it and the resolutions above have been hit or miss- sometimes one or more of these fix the problem, other times not.
Good luck.
3. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??DaneelJ Apr 21, 2011 5:11 AM (in response to VJ )
Hi VJ
Thanks for your response! At least I know I'm not the only one...
I have subsequently had a further 4Gb RAM installed, and it has not resolved the problem.
Have now asked that the entire motherboard be replaced (at the notebook is still under warranty) in the last hope that this is simply a hardware problem or pending failure.
Not sure if anyone else has had a similar problem?
4. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??
I can report the same problem, but only while running on batteries. I think it has been that way since I got the PC a year ago. Installed most recent Intel drivers - didn't help. Any fixes?
Dell Latitude E6510. Windows XP SP2. 4 Gb memory.
5. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??
Unfortunately I don't have a solution for this, but I'm also one of those suffering from this.
I have a brand new Lenovo T420 and it's pretty much unusable because of this problem.
I really hope that Intel would wake up and do something about this.
6. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??DaneelJ May 9, 2011 2:36 AM (in response to Mikko Koivisto )
Sadly, the RAM upgrade made no difference.
About two weeks ago, a HP technical consultant from the UK advised me that this is a problem caused by MS Office (i.e. this is a software issue). He advised me to uninstall Office completely (including Outlook) and re-install.
I did this, and since I was due for the upgrade anyway, Office 2010 was installed in place of 2007, after uninstalling 2007 completely.
And guess what, the problem is back with a vengeance. I am now reasonably convinced that this is a hardware failure of some description, particularly after other replies to this post, which are not limited to any specific manufacturer, other than the common denominator of having Intel onboard graphics...
I've asked our IT department to replace the laptop or the motherboard entirely, whichever comes first.
7. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??
It appears Intel Graphic accelator driver problem. I had similar problem with some video playback. New driver released April-2011 should help.
8. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??
Try this (I had the same problem on my laptop):
Go to the video control panel (Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel) and click on the Power tab
Under "Power Plans" select "Maximum Performance" button - make sure you do this for both "Plugged In" and "Battery" options.
Click Apply
Hope this helps...
9. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??
I have a staff member with this exact problem. None of the potential solutions in this topic have provided relief.
Has anyone solved this conclusively yet?
10. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??
Same Problem here - tried many actions, no result.
Grahics Modes, Updates, Power Arrangements etc.
Use Win7 SP1 on a Motion Tablett J3500
Hope somebody cracks this soon because it is very annoying. My dealer says to reinstall - but this takes much time.
Has somebdy had a positive result after setting up the ystem new?
11. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??VJ Aug 17, 2011 8:12 AM (in response to DaneelJ)
just an update (no solution)
We've also tried the following:
rebuilding the harrdrive
replacing the motherboard
replacing the entire computer with a a new one of the same make and model and rebuilding the harddrive
upgrading the graphics driver
downgrading the graphics driver
We are seeing two manifestations of this issue. The one is as described in this original post, the other is that entire horizontal sections of a window remain behind when another application is maximized. Sometimes refreshing the screen works, sometimes not. In some cases the machine performance degrades to the point that it has to be hard booted, in other cases if you leave the machine alone for 10 minutes or so, it will recover. CPU and Page File Usage looks fine during these episodes.
The issue occurs in and out of the dock though I've only personally seen it while in the dock. I can't say if in all cases only a single external monitor is attached or if it occurs with dual monitors.
It looks like a screen refresh problem but we just have not been able to duplicate the issue in a test environment. I can't say for certain it is hardware or software since, on the one hand no matter what we've attempted software-wise it hasn't resolved it, and replacing hardware hasn't resolved it either.
We do not see this on all machines of this make and model, just a small population.
We now have a person on point in our organization who will be working with Dell and Intel to hopefully find a resolution.
12. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??cyber-guy Nov 14, 2011 8:09 AM (in response to DaneelJ)
Hi all,
I have a similar situation what I have figured is that uninstalling the Intel driver and leaving the Windows generic VGA driver works better. Anyway's in my situation works fine as the computer is only used for limited software use, no real graphics needed works fine.
13. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??VJ Nov 14, 2011 8:59 AM (in response to cong_99 )
This helped immensely! Thanks!!
14. Re: Intel HD Graphics display refresh problem??VJ Nov 14, 2011 8:59 AM (in response to cyber-guy)
Cong_99 had the solution that worked for our PCs.


text:
Tyranids (often abbreviated Nids) are eusocial aliens invading the Milky Way in the Warhammer 40,000 setting. Unlike most other Warhammer 40,000 factions, the Tyrands aren't a futuristic version of a faction in Warhammer Fantasy Battle. They can trace their origins back to the Arachnids of Starship Troopers.
Tyranids are a group of organisms that come in a wide variety of forms, from worm-like scavengers to multi-kilometer-long creatures capable of interstellar travel. Many ground combat vectors of Tyranids are bilaterally symmetrical with six appendages, but there is a lot of variety among the many Tyranid strains.
Most Tyranids are not sapient and don't make use of technology, although they have at their disposal various organs and organisms to serve as weaponry. Combat vectors generally have a carapace comparable in durability to armor typically found in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
The typical behavior of Tyranids is for large groups of space-based organisms (known has Hive Fleets) to move from star system to star system in search of inhabited planets. Upon discovery of suitable planets, the Hive Fleet will deploy large numbers of fighting creatures to destroy any threats while other organisms devour all of the planet's useful resources (consisting primarily of the planet's biosphere, but including the atmosphere and crust minerals). The fleet then reabsorbs its creatures and all of the material they have consumed through links known as capillary towers. When the the operation is complete, the hive fleet moves on in search of other worlds on which to feed, leaving the formerly habitable planet barren and lifeless.
Tyranid Strains
- Hive Tyrants: Primary "synapse" creatures (command and control)
- Tyranid warriors-Elite soldiers and secondary "synapse" creatures
- Gaunts : Standard Tyranid infantry with many variants (Termagaunts, Hormagaunts, etc.)
- Genestealers: Elite infantry and biological infiltrators
- Carnifex: Heavy assault
- Zoanthropes: Psionic artillery
The true origin of the Tyranids is unknown; they are invaders from outside the Milky Way galaxy. They might have somehow evolved naturally, been created like the Orks as biological weapons gone wrong, or actually be the agents of some other alien power.
The first major incursion of Tyranids was Hive Fleet Behemoth. Behemoth hit hard, devouring systems one at a time, including a few Imperial Worlds, before entering the territory of the Ultramarine Chapter of Space Marines, known as Ultramar. The fleet eventually decended upon the Capital of Macragge, where the Ultramarines managed to destroy the hive fleet, albeit with a massive losses of personnel and equipment.
The second major incursion of Tyranids was Hive Fleet Kraken. Unlike Behemoth, Kraken broke up into numerous smaller fleets to attack multiple worlds at once, augmenting it's forces with Genestealer cults, allowing it to more quickly devastate large swaths of Imperial space, although the smaller forces were easier to resist. The ravaging stopped when the majority of Kraken's forces descended upon the Eldar Craftworld of Iyanden: much of the Craftworld was devastated, and millions of Eldar were killed, but the attacking Tyranids were eventually repulsed. Most of the shattered remains of Hive Fleet Kraken are currently moving upon the fringes of the Tau Empire.
The most recent Tyranid incursion is Hive Fleet Leviathan, which is far larger than the previous two hive fleets. Leviathan approached from "beneath" the galactic disc, rather than from the edge, striking deep in the heart of the Imperium without warning. Much of the fleet is currently moving towards Holy Terra. Whether this is the entirety of the Tyranid forces or there are other (and possibly larger) Tyranid fleets outside the Milky Way is unknown.
All Tyranids possess some level of psionic ability and follow the telepathic instructions of a collective consciousness known as the "Hive Mind". Particularly advanced Tyranid forms --known as "synapse creatures" --serve as command hubs for less intelligent Tyranid variants. Destruction of synapse creatures in an area can cause lesser strains to lose coordination, go insane, and even turn on each other and rip themselves to pieces.
Threat Assessment
Tyranids regard all other forms of organic life as sources of food and genetic material that they can potentially incorporate into their gene pool. Various Tyranid weapon creatures can expel projectiles or energy bursts as effectively as an advanced assault rifle or laser weapon. These weapons scale up much as technological weapons do, ranging in size and effect from small arms to ship-to-ship combat weapons. Tyranid synapse creatures and lesser Tyranids under their influence are completely fearless, fighting to the death on behalf of the Tyranid hive mind. While individual Tyranid creatures may be unintelligent, the hive mind is highly intelligent, directing its resources to execute a well-planned strategy. Tyranid hive fleets can consist of hundreds of space-faring life forms and billions of smaller Tyranid forms.
Tyranids bear a resemblance to the Zerg from Starcraft, although they technically predate that game. The first publication of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader included Tyranids, although the nature of the army has changed considerably over time.


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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Chris Wondolowski scored a pair of goals to pull into a tie for the league lead and guide the visiting San Jose Earthquakes to a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.
Wondolowski scored his 13th and 14th goals of the season in the eighth and 82nd minutes, sandwiched around Benny Feilhaber's fourth goal of the season which temporarily brought the Revolution level in the 55th minute. Both the Revs (5-15-12, 27 pts.) and Earthquakes (7-11-14, 35 pts.) had been eliminated from postseason contention prior to the contest.
The Revs were without starting goalkeeper Matt Reis (R hamstring strain) and rookie center back A.J. Soares (L ankle surgery), with the duo replaced in the starting lineup by Bobby Shuttleworth and Darrius Barnes, respectively.
San Jose raced out to an early 1-0 lead as Wondolowski displayed his predatory instincts in the eighth minute. Rookie goalkeeper David Bingham's long drive from inside his own box found Wondolowski as he streaked into the right side of the box and the 2010 MLS Golden Boot winner used his first touch to settle and his second to lash a shot inside the far post from a tight angle.
Wondolowski almost grabbed a second in the 18th minute, this time from distance as his 25-yard drive flashed inches wide of the right post just moments after Monsef Zerka had a shot blocked at the other end.
The Revs generated a series of half chances in the first half, but the best effort – Feilhaber's 30-yard blast in the 36th minute – flew wide of the left post without testing Bingham.
It didn't take the home side long to break through for the equalizing goal in the second half, however, as Feilhaber finished off a hectic sequence with an acrobatic finish in the 55th minute. Ryan Guy's long-range drive was pushed away by Bingham and a follow-up header from Milton Caraglio hit the crossbar. Feilhaber was quickest to react as the ball came down, going airborne to blast a scissor kick into the roof of the net.
Caraglio almost got on the board himself in the 61st minute, but his firm header was well saved by Bingham. Just one minute later, Diego Fagundez had a shot blocked as the Revs continued to press forward.
The Earthquakes responded with a quality chance of their own in the 81st minute when Khari Stephenson was slipped into the right side of the box only to see his rising drive pushed away by Shuttleworth.
Shuttleworth could do nothing to stop Wondolowski from striking again in the 82nd minute, however, as San Jose regained its lead at 2-1. Sam Cronin was the set-up man with a right-wing cross floated to the back post, where Wondolowski rose highest to nod home from close range.
The Revs had a glorious chance to snatch a late equalizer when Feilhaber set up Caraglio in stoppage time, but the Argentine striker's close-range effort popped over the crossbar.
Next up for the Revs is their 2011 home finale against the Columbus Crew on Saturday, Oct. 15. Kickoff from Gillette Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.
New England Revolution vs. San Jose Earthquakes
October 8, 2011 – Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
San Jose Earthquakes 2, New England Revolution 1
Scoring Summary:
SJ: Chris Wondolowski (David Bingham) 8
NE: Benny Feilhaber (unassisted) 55
SJ: Chris Wondolowski (Sam Cronin, Simon Dawkins) 82
New England Revolution: Bobby Shuttleworth, Chris Tierney, Ryan Cochrane (Kheli Dube 86), Darrius Barnes, Monsef Zerka (Zack Schilawski 74), Shalrie Joseph ©, Benny Feilhaber, Ryan Guy, Diego Fagundez, Milton Caraglio
Substitutes Not Used: Tim Murray, Franco Coria, Otto Loewy, Pat Phelan, Andrew Sousa
STATS*: Shots: 18; Shots on Goal: 7; Saves: 6; Corner Kicks: 7; Offside: 5; Fouls Committed: 8
San Jose Earthquakes: David Bingham, Steven Beitashour, Jason Hernandez, Bobby Burling, Justin Morrow, Rafael Baca, Ramiro Corrales (Brad Ring 79), Sam Cronin, Simon Dawkins (Ellis McLoughlin 87) Khari Stephenson, Chris Wondolowski
Substitutes Not Used: Jon Busch, Joey Gjertsen, Maxwell Griffin, Chris Leitch, Matt Luzunaris
STATS*: Shots: 14; Shots on Goal: 8; Saves: 6; Corner Kicks: 4; Offside: 3; Fouls Committed: 14
* Note that all statistics are unofficial
Misconduct Summary:
NE: Feilhaber (caution) 34
SJ: Cronin (caution) 39
NE: Cochrane (caution) 54
SJ: Corrales (caution) 54
SJ: Wondolowski (caution) 58
Referee: Silviu Petrescu
Assistant Referees: James Conlee, Eric Proctor
Fourth Official: Jose Carlos Rivero
Weather: Clear and 68 degrees
Attendance: 9,111
Team Records
New England Revolution: 5-15-12 (27 pts.)
San Jose Earthquakes 7-11-14 (35 pts.)
- Tonight's match marked the 35th all-time meeting between two of the original MLS teams
- With the loss, San Jose leads the all-time, regular-season series between the two clubs, 19-11-5 … since the Earthquakes returned to MLS after a two-year hiatus (2006-07), the Revs are 3-4-1 against San Jose
- The loss gives San Jose the win in the season series between the two teams … San Jose took the first match with a 2-1 win on May 21 at Buck Shaw Stadium
- The Revolution is 6-10-2 in home matches against San Jose, including a 2-6-2 mark at Gillette Stadium while being out-scored 14-6 … the loss snapped the Revs' three-game undefeated streak (2-0-1) at home which dated back to 2008 when San Jose returned to MLS
- In the 35 all-time meetings between the two clubs, San Jose has outscored New England, 65-44 … there have been 12 shutouts recorded in the series, with six posted by each club
- For the first time since the 2008 season, New England has failed to shut out San Jose at least once during the two-game season series … New England had shut out San Jose in a 2-0 win in Foxborough on May 17, 2008, a 1-0 win at San Jose on March 21, 2009, and a 0-0 draw at home on May 15, 2010
- Five of the last six meetings between the clubs have resulted in a scoreless draw or a one-goal game … San Jose earned a 2-0 win at Buck Shaw Stadium on April 17, 2010, marking the first time either team had won by multiple goals since the Earthquakes earned a 4-0 home win on August 16, 2008
- The Revs entered the 75th minute tied for just the ninth time this season but were unable to come away with a point as they conceded an 82nd-minute goal … the Revs are now 1-2-6 when tied at the 75th-minute mark
- With a goal allowed in the 82nd minute the Revs have now conceded a goal in the final 15 minutes of a match an MLS-leading 14 times, two more than Vancouver
- For the third consecutive match the Revs have outshot their opponent and have failed to secure a point … the Revs are 0-6-5 this season when out-shooting their opponents
- Benny Feilhaber scored his fourth goal of the season on a volley in the 55th minute … the goal was his first since September 7 against Philadelphia … his four goals are good for third on the club behind Rajko Lekic and Shalrie Joseph
- With his 55th –minute goal, Benny Feilhaber has now been a part of the scoring line in the past three home matches … after notching an assist on Sept. 10 against FC Dallas, he earned his club-high fifth assist on Diego Fagundez's 35th-minute goal last Saturday night against Seattle
- Diego Fagundez made his second consecutive start tonight, the first time he has done so … Fagundez now has two starts in five appearances on the season
- Bobby Shuttleworth earned his fifth start of the season tonight, but falls to 0-3-2 on the year


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IMLS Press Contact
Giuliana Bullard, email@example.com
Call for Applications: 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards
Washington, DC—The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is accepting applications for the 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.
The twelve winning programs will receive $10,000 and the opportunity to accept their awards from First Lady Michelle Obama, the President's Committee's Honorary Chairman, at a ceremony at the White House. In addition, winners will receive an award plaque, the opportunity to attend the Annual Awardee Conference in Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2013, and recognition on the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award website.
Afterschool and out-of-school time arts and humanities programs sponsored by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, educational institutions, arts centers, community service organizations, businesses, and eligible government entities are encouraged to consider submitting an application. Programs applying for the award must meet all of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards eligibility criteria.
Completed applications will only be accepted via the online process. The deadline for application submissions is Monday, February 4, 2013, 5:00 p.m. PST.
Please click the following link to access the online national Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards Application: http://www.nahyp.org/how-to-apply/.
Prospective applicants with questions should e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com or call 202-682-5575.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit http://www.imls.gov or follow @US_IMLS on Twitter.


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Quote from: this little pendens on May 06, 2007, 10:21:17 PMthe early cretaceous period.RAWR! You're a dinosaur!
the early cretaceous period.
take the test yet, Liz?
funny, I still broke 170 in such a position...Et tu?
Did vaginal sex with hot girls stop counting as losing your virginity when I wasn't paying attention.Awesome!


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Calorie Charts
Eight Calorie and Carb charts: fruits and veggies, meat, dairy, and more.
200 Snacks Under 100 Calories Overcome those in-between-meal cravings with tasty low-calories snacks -- all under 100 calories.
Fruits and Vegetables The truth about fruit and veggies: Sure they're healthy, but too much of a good thing can be bad. Follow suggested serving sizes and enjoy these treats.
Carb Counts of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Find out how these healthy snacks and sides measure up when counting carbs. Some servings may surprise you.
(Downloading calorie charts requires Adobe Acrobat software.)
Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Seafood For all of you meat-lovers out there, this is your one-stop reference guide to the food you crave. Cutting the meat out of your diet isn't the answer; the key is in the portion size.
Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, and Frozen Desserts Dairy foods are often rich and...well, amazing. You can still enjoy indulging in your favorite cheesy toppings, ice cream, and shakes if you learn how to moderate.
Bread, Cereal, Pasta, Rice, and Snack Foods These foods are a favorite for anyone, especially those people who are constantly on the go. Even with a busy schedule you can grab snacks and fast breakfast foods that have fewer calories than the rest.
Beans, Eggs, Nuts, and Seeds Be kind to your waistline by going easy on the nuts you use as toppers, the spread you glop on sandwiches, and the oil with which you cook.
Alcoholic and Other Beverages Some people may hesitate to have a glass of wine or a cold beer with their meal. Abstaining from all drinks to avoid extra calories isn't always necessary. If you choose wisely, a serving of most beverages is under 100 calories.


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Spira: Besaid is a map/mod for Battlefront 2 that brings a level of gameplay previously unseen to the game. Instead of a first-person shooter, Spira: Besaid is an RPG/Action-Adventure game. It features many "rarely seen" or "firsts" into SWBF2, including: Full RPG mode (gameplay 2-4 hours), Final Fantasy music, leveling-up system, weakness/resistance system, game save function, interactive puzzles (not just battling), and multiple sidequests. It also features, as a bonus mode, KotOR conquest. While unrelated to RPG mode and only a small part of this, KotOR conquest is unique in and of itself. It includes full KotOR sides with custom KotOR heroes (as seen in previous maps Sullust: Jedi Conclave or Ralltiir: Swoop Circuit) and has AI Hero functionality. Much more information about this mod may be found at Gametoast.com
No videos were found in the gallery requested. Upload some media to liven this place up.


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Would You Use Plywood as a Design Element?
In the past, plywood has carried with it the connotation of being unsophisticated and unfinished but as it happens so often in the design world, a traditional idea is turned on its head and creative designers show us, with the right styling and in the right environment, that the familiar can take on a whole new look.
Using plywood on entire walls can be difficult to pull off unless you are paneling a Scandinavian woodland retreat, but in small doses it can be quite approachable.
According to the EFPI (European Federation of Plywood Industry) it can even be green.
Not only standing trees, but also timber products, like PLYWOOD, act as a CO2-sink. Wood is an organic material with a carbon content of about 50%. A tonne of wood is therefore equivalent to 1.8 tonnes of CO2. Each tonne of wood reduces the atmospheric CO2-content by 1.8 tonnes! Therefore, not only afforestation, but timber products, like wooden panels, are very beneficial for the CO2 reduction. Therefore, an increased use of plywood helps to meet the objectives of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change!
Regardless of its potential green appeal, would you use plywood in your home? Does it feel right in a city apartment or should this look be relegated to the woods?
• Plywood Walls Around the Home?
(Image: 1. Design Shimmer; 2. At Casa Corriere; 3. Dwell; 4. Remodelista)


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Protesters are set to gather outside the Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) meeting to press the US to ensure human rights are protected in the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
Turning out for this will be Amnesty International Oxfam, Act for Peace, ActionAid and Medical Association for Prevention of War.
"They will lie on a carpet of red fabric with a backdrop of tombstones, to demonstrate the lives lost every year to the arms trade," organisers said in a statement.
"Participants will aim to send a powerful message to President Obama: step up and show that the US administration is serious when it comes to protecting human rights."
The US was among 157 countries at the United Nations General Assembly's First Committee last week that voted in favour of finalising the ATT next March.
But there's concern that the US has previously tried to weaken the human rights rules and the scope of the treaty, in particular by excluding ammunition.
Richard Tanter, a spokesman for Independent and Peaceful Australian Network (IPAN), which opposes the US military presence in Australia, said his group was concerned that a regional arms race was beginning.
"With no threat from any foreign power, it is not clear why an apparent urgent buildup of US military might is taking place on Australian soil," Professor Tanter said in a statement.
"Australia has a track record of fighting wars on behalf of the superpower of the day, with disastrous results from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan."


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Sabathia, Yankees shut out Tigers
Detroit, MI – CC Sabathia outpitched Justin Verlander in a showdown of aces, and the New York Yankees avoided a three-game sweep with a 7-0 win over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
Sabathia (1-1) turned in seven stellar innings. The left-hander held the Tigers to four singles, walked three and struck out four.
"CC really has a lot of pride in what he does and understands the ace role and that we needed to win a game today," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi.
Jayson Nix hit a two-run homer for New York, while Francisco Cervelli and Kevin Youkilis also knocked in two runs apiece.
Verlander (1-1) tossed 7 1/3 innings against the Yankees, with his lone hiccup coming in a three-run second.
The frame began with Verlander issuing a leadoff walk to Vernon Wells, who was erased on a fielder' choice. Cervelli then doubled home Ichiro Suzuki and scored on Nix's two-out blast to left field.
"(Verlander) gave us a chance. We just didn't do much with CC today," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland.
Detroit's No. 1 and 2 hitters, Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter each reached base two times, but the trio of Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez went a combined 1-for-12.
With Verlander out of the game, New York victimized Detroit's bullpen for four runs.
Phil Coke succeeded Verlander in the eighth and gave up hits to the first two batters he faced. Travis Hafner singled and Wells ripped a ball down the left- field line that resulted in a ground-rule double because of fan interference.
Suzuki's sacrifice fly plated pinch-runner Eduardo Nunez and Cervelli followed with a run-scoring single.
Youkilis singled home a pair in the ninth against Octavio Dotel.
Game Notes
Detroit hasn't posted a three-game home sweep of the Yankees since May 12-14, 2000 ... Verlander had won each of his previous seven decisions at home ... Before his home run off Verlander, Nix had been 1-for-11 with five strikeouts vs. the Detroit right-hander ... Suzuki snapped an 0-for-14 at the plate with an infield single in the sixth.


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Lindsay Lohan, Christian Lacroix, And Every Celebrity Clothing Line Known To Man: Fashion Failures And Successes Of 2009
Be thankful if you still have a job: After the hell year that was 2009, a lot of fashion people don't. Many designers were fired, some were hired, and plenty lost their businesses altogether. An overview of the tumult:


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Expedia-Verified Reviews
Don't miss out on a lower price on this property
Get an overview of this hotelBed & breakfast with free breakfast, near Bathhouse Row
Popular property highlights
Situated in the historical district, this bed & breakfast is within a 15-minute walk of Mountain Valley Spring Water Visitor Center and Bathhouse Row. Hot Springs National Park Aquarium and Hot Springs Wax Museum are also within 10 minutes.
Property Features
Laundry facilities, free breakfast, and free self parking are available at this bed & breakfast. WiFi in public areas is free.
Room Amenities
All 5 rooms provide conveniences like refrigerators and microwaves, plus free WiFi and cable TV.
Languages Spoken
The B Inn
Bed & Breakfast Amenities
Bed & Breakfast Amenities
A complimentary breakfast is offered. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Laundry facilities
- Free breakfast
- Total number of rooms - 5
- Free self parking
- Free WiFi
Family Friendly Amenities
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Languages Spoken
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Private bathroom
- Cable TV service
- Number of bathrooms -
- Individually furnished
- Individually decorated
- Free WiFi
Where to Eat
A complimentary breakfast is offered.
Bed & Breakfast Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Pets allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
- The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation. Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited.
Bed & Breakfast Name
- B Hot Springs
- B Inn
- B Inn Hot Springs


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Works on: iPhone and iPad
Cost: $1.99
For: Little helpers around the house
Don't you just love looking over at your kin and seeing them mimic whatever you're doing around the house, whether it's washing dishes, sweeping the floor or mowing the lawn? Kids do as they see and it's adorable to observe them getting a jumpstart on the concept of chores. What's even more adorable is this week's app pick, Toca House, from one of my favorite app developers Toca Boca.
Toca Boca has a knack for designing incredible apps for kids and Toca House is another winner. Launching today, Toca House offers kids the opportunity to help five whimsical characters around the house, doing a wide array of activities including washing windows, sorting mail, ironing and more. There's an assortment of fun games and activities for kids to play, until of course, nighttime falls and it's time to go to bed. The sun rises and a whole new day of chores awaits!
Just like previous Toca Boca apps (Toca Doctor, Toca Hair Salon, Toca Kitchen, to name a few) the graphics and attention to detail are top notch. The app is sure to be a hit with the kids and one that they will return to over and over again. Now if only we could get them to do their chores this eagerly in the real world…
(Full disclosure: These apps were developed by Toca Boca, a division of our parent company Bonnier in Sweden.)
If you have an app that you'd like considered for Screen Play, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Collaborations for Sustainability
Dickinson's commitment to sustainability encompasses investments and collaborations that promote sustainability goals in the local community, the region, the nation and internationally. For example, Dickinson, a tax-exempt nonprofit institution, makes voluntary tax and other payments of $400,000 per year to the Borough of Carlisle, the Carlisle school district, Cumberland County and other local agencies. These payments help provide infrastructure and services that are vital for a sustainable community. In addition, Dickinson works with local partners to build and sustain a robust local economy, make Carlisle more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, improve access to health care, promote sustainable farming, provide food and clothing to neighbors in need, protect local streams and protect local air quality.
Reaching out to communities beyond Carlisle, Dickinson collaborates to protect watersheds across the state of Pennsylvania, promote sustainability in higher education nationally, improve resource management in and outside of the United States and advocate nationally and internationally for greenhouse-gas emission reduction.


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Rokita Announces Settlement of Election Machine Enforcement Hearing
Contact: AJ Freeney-Ruiz
Election Vendor to Contribute Funds to State Program to Update Election Laws and Assist and Train Counties in the Use and Maintenance of Election Equipment
Indianapolis, IN - Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita today announced the settlement of an enforcement proceeding concerning voting equipment vendor Election Systems & Software (ES&S). ES&S agreed to contribute $245,000 to help the State fund the Voting System Technical Oversight Program (VSTOP). That program will provide counties and the State with much needed technical support in the use of election equipment and the establishment of voting system standards. In addition to the VSTOP contribution, ES&S has agreed to provide, at no charge, each of the counties it services in Indiana with ballot layout assistance and voter and poll worker outreach through 2007.
"Hoosiers deserve voting systems that comply with the high standards mandated by Indiana law," said Rokita. "This settlement will give counties additional support and provide the Secretary of State's office with the resources it needs to better protect voters, election administrators, and vendors. Working together, we can help ensure that Indiana has some of the best run elections in the country." Rokita added that "ES&S has been very professional in its handling of the enforcement proceeding and I am confident that future elections will be better."
Under a recently enacted law, the Secretary of State's office is authorized to impose civil penalties for each finding that a voting machine vendor knowingly, negligently or recklessly sold, leased or allowed equipment to be used in violation of Indiana law. Over the last few months, as the state's Chief Election officer, Rokita personally conducted a public investigative hearing of the Nebraska-based firm to determine whether complaints reported in the popular press would be substantiated. The agreement settles the matter in full without any formal judgments on the merits of the proceeding. However, ES&S had denied that its equipment violated Indiana law.
"We commend the Secretary for his leadership and we are glad to have this matter behind us," stated John Groh, Senior Vice President of ES&S. "ES&S prides itself on providing first rate election systems and service to county clerks across the country. Compliance with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) has been challenging for election officials and vendors. While aspects of our past performance have not met our own high standards and expectations, we believe that the stress of complying with HAVA has amplified inherent issues associated with implementation of new voting technology. We appreciate that the Secretary is only striving for the best possible elections."


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Style # 214154
With stand-out style, elegantly wrapped design with a self-tie at the side and iconic leopard print, this bebe dress is polished enough for the office and playful enough for cocktail hour. Try it with a classic black pump and statement necklace.
- 100% polyester
- Center back to hem: 35" (89 cm)
- Machine wash according to care label
- Imported
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size 6
Leopard Print Wrap Dress is rated out of 5 by 4.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Rerun4life from Love! I love this dress! The material is really nice and it feels great against the skin. Really comfortable and since its a wrap dress it can tightened or loosened however you like. I took my normal size.
Date published: 2013-05-11
Rated 5 out of 5 by rugrat from summer dress I bought this dress today and it looks much better in person. The online picture does not do it any justice. Cute dress for summer outings.
Date published: 2013-05-08
Rated 2 out of 5 by Shellie from Runs large This dress runs large. I am very petite and ordered the xxs, whick usually fits me in BEBE dresses, and this dress was swimming on me.
Date published: 2013-04-29
Rated 3 out of 5 by Tina123456789 from Cute but front opens up I'm 5'2" and 118lbs, i tried a size 2 and 0 and feel that the 0 fits better. The length of the size 2 hit my knees or a bit below it which was long for my taste, but the size 0 lands just above my knees. The dress flows well and gives you an hour glass figure because of the tie at the waist. The only draw back is the front is cut very low and you can see your bra/cleavage if you turn or lean over so i would recommend either wearing a cami underneath or a bralet.
Date published: 2013-04-22


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As Deontay Wilder prepared for Saturday's fight with Kelvin Price (13-0), he enlisted the services of his close friend Malik Scott as well as Nathaniel Heaven as sparring partners to help simulate the styles of the 6-foot-7 Price.
NORTHPORT | Friends don't usually spend countless hours beating on each other, circling each other with jabs and trying to send the other sprawling on the canvas. Most friends aren't professional heavyweight boxers either.
As Deontay Wilder prepared for Saturday's fight with Kelvin Price (13-0), he enlisted the services of his close friend Malik Scott as well as Nathaniel Heaven as sparring partners to help simulate the styles of the 6-foot-7 Price.
Wilder (25-0) and Scott (35-0, 12 knockouts) met a few years ago, and a fast friendship developed.
"The first time we met we clicked," Scott said. "He met my son. My son loves him and still asks about him to this day. My mom and everybody loves him. We've just been tight ever since. When he's out in Cali(fornia) we hang together, we go shoot at the gun range together, we go get tattoos together. He's met my daughter. He's one of the few guys in boxing that I consider a friend of mine."
It's a big fight for Wilder — a co-main event in his first bout on Showtime against an unbeaten opponent.
Wilder, who expects to be anywhere from 233 to 235 pounds, said Scott's experience has helped him prepare for the bigger Price.
"Malik is helping me with a lot of movement. He has nice speed as well," Wilder said. "He's giving me the different looks that we're looking for to set my opponent up because my opponent likes to drop his hands a lot. We noticed that when he punched he likes to come to his left all the time. Malik is emulating him and doing a great job. I think Malik is faster than him and a little bit more technically sound than him.
"Nate helped me with his height as far as snapping that jab off. It's all about the look. I've been going for three and a half months strong for different camps. Every camp I've done been in during that period of time has been guys over 6-6, 6-6 and higher. It's been great for me. Right now I'm looking forward to it and ready to go.
"It's always great to be overprepared for an opponent."
Scott has been in the ring with the heaviest hitters in the division. He said Wilder can match up with any fighter in that regard.
"He's a strong young lion. He's definitely gonna make a run in the heavyweight division," Scott said. "I'm a firm believer in, I don't believe somebody has punching power until they've hit me because I've been hit by the biggest punchers, from Lennox Lewis to Wladimir Klitchsko. And Deontay is definitely one of the most natural hardest punchers I've ever been in the ring with.
"This fight should be a good test for him, a so-called step up. But I can't wait to see how Kelvin Price reacts after Deontay hits him with a right hand."
Scott has used his speed and reflexes to help Wilder stop overreaching.
"The more and more time that goes on the more his timing is getting better," Scott said. "He's not reaching as much. Whatever knowledge that I have ... me and Deontay are closer more outside the ring than in the ring. We actually have a personal relationship. Whatever tips I can give him I do, and the times I need help with stuff he gives to me.
"Whatever jagged edges Deontay has I'm here to smooth them. Right now he's going 100 mph. He's got a good work ethic. He works extremely hard. He's big. He's fast. He's strong. He's a lion. He's a force to be reckoned with. No matter what people try to say, he's a force to be reckoned with. I'm here to tell you."
Reach Aaron Suttles at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 205-722-0229.


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The long-term impacts on marine ecosystems of the recent dramatic worldwide increase in the incidence of coastal hypoxia are unknown. Here, we show widespread reproductive disruption in Atlantic croakers collected from hypoxic sites approximately 120 km apart in the extensive northern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf hypoxic zone. Gonadal growth and gamete production were impaired in croakers from hypoxic sites compared with fish from reference normoxic sites east of the Mississippi River Delta. Male germ cells were detected in approximately 19 per cent of croaker ovaries collected in the hypoxic region, but were absent in ovaries from normoxic sites. In addition, the sex ratio was skewed towards males at the hypoxic sites. The masculinization and other reproductive disruptions were associated with declines in neuroendocrine function, as well as ovarian and brain expression of aromatase (the enzyme that converts androgens to oestrogens). A similar incidence of ovarian masculinization and decline in ovarian aromatase expression were observed in croaker after chronic laboratory hypoxia exposure, indicating that ovarian masculinization is a specific hypoxia response and is due to decreased aromatase activity. The results suggest severe reproductive impairment can occur over large coastal regions in marine fish populations exposed to seasonal hypoxia, with potential long-term impacts on population abundance.
1. Introduction
One of the most dramatic global changes owing to human activities over the last half-century has been the marked increase in the incidence and the duration of seasonal hypoxia in estuarine and coastal marine environments. Over 400 coastal hypoxic zones (dissolved oxygen, DO: less than 2 mg l−1) covering a total area of approximately 250 000 km2 have been identified throughout the world, many of them in regions that until recently had normal DO levels (normoxic, approx. 7 mg l−1) in their bottom waters [1]. This spread in coastal hypoxia is primarily owing to eutrophication caused by increased anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus into coastal watersheds, resulting in greater amounts of organic material sinking into bottom waters where increased aerobic microbial decomposition leads to depletion of DO [2]. It is predicted that the extent of coastal seasonal hypoxia throughout the world will continue to increase with the growth of human coastal populations and expansion of intense agricultural practices, and potentially also with global warming [1,3]. Therefore, it is important to determine the long-term impacts of recurring seasonal hypoxia on the resilience of coastal marine ecosystems and the maintenance of fishery resources [4,5]. However, there have been relatively few studies on the chronic effects of sublethal hypoxia stress on processes in marine organisms that affect population abundance, such as reproduction [6,7].
Reproduction is one of the most critical life-history stages that is disrupted by environmental stressors because even minor persistent declines in gamete production (fecundity) by individuals can have long-term impacts at higher levels of biological organization, leading to population declines and community disturbance [8]. The timing and the regulation of gonadal differentiation, the reproductive cycle and gamete production in fish are under precise endocrine control by a suite of hormones secreted by the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal axis [9]. Gonadal differentiation and gamete production are especially susceptible to interference by a wide range of sublethal chemical and physical environmental stressors that affect reproductive endocrine function [9,10]. Recent laboratory experiments and two field studies have shown marked impairment of reproduction and endocrine function in the Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) and several other teleost species chronically exposed to hypoxia [7,11–13]. Gametogenesis and endocrine function were impaired in both male and female croakers chronically exposed to hypoxia in East Bay, a Florida estuary, whereas croakers in the adjoining normoxic Pensacola Bay showed normal reproductive development and endocrine signalling [7]. The patterns of reproductive and endocrine impairment in croakers from East Bay were very similar to those in croakers in the laboratory hypoxia study, suggesting that these responses are highly specific to hypoxia. However, it is not known whether environmental hypoxia in more open coastal marine environments (where fish can readily avoid low DO areas) causes reproductive impairment, nor whether it occurs over the larger spatial scales in these regions, where hypoxia has the potential to have much greater ecological and population impacts.
The aim of the present study was to determine whether reproductive and endocrine impairment occurs in croakers collected over a broad region in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) continental shelf hypoxic zone, the second largest seasonal hypoxic zone in the world. Six hypoxic sites were sampled along two transects approximately 120 km apart (which included most of the eastern half of the hypoxic zone off the Louisiana coast) and three reference sites were sampled east of the Mississippi River Delta (which are usually normoxic during the summer months) [14,15]. A long-term goal of this research is to provide data that can be used to predict the population impacts of persistent recurring seasonal hypoxia in the nGOM.
2. Material and methods
(a) Description of field sites
The nGOM off the Louisiana coastline experiences widespread seasonal hypoxia each year from late May until the end of September, with considerable interannual temporal and spatial variation [14]. Hypoxia occurs in shallow (5–60 m) bottom waters, but is most common in the depth range of 5–30 m [14]. The extent of seasonal hypoxia in the nGOM has increased from an average area of 8300 km2 during the late 1980s to over 16 000 km2 in 1990s, and has averaged 16 700 km2 since then [14,15]. Hypoxic sites (20–33 m deep) were selected along two transects (three per transect) that had been regularly monitored for bottom DO on a monthly (transect C) or bimonthly (transect F) basis over several years and were found to be frequently hypoxic during the summer months [14]. Twenty years of monitoring data for transect C off Terrebonne Bay show that hypoxia occurs as early as late February and lasts until early October, with continuous low DO typically observed from the middle of May until the middle of September [14]. The more limited monitoring data for transect F off Atchafalaya Bay collected from 2001 onwards show hypoxia typically develops later in the spring and ceases one month earlier than at transect C, and is also less persistent and frequently moderately hypoxic (DO: 2–3.5 mg l−1) [14]. These two areas of the Louisiana coastal region are influenced by different riverine inputs—the Mississippi River (transect C) and Atachafalaya River (transect F)—and comprise distinct hypoxic regions [15]. Reference sites less than 30 m deep and approximately 180 km from the nearest hypoxic zone site, which are usually normoxic, were selected east of the Mississippi Delta because hypoxia there is sporadic, covers a limited area and is short-lived (electronic supplementary material, figure S1) [14,15].
(b) Collection of field samples
Twenty adult young-of-the-year (yr1) Atlantic croakers (both sexes; mean length: 15.7 cm) were collected with 15 min bottom trawls from the RV Pelican from 27 September to 2 October 2007 from the three normoxic sites east of the Mississippi River Delta and the six sites in the hypoxic zone along the C and F transects (electronic supplementary material, figure S1). Fish were held in running sea water 5–10 min after capture, prior to blood collection from the caudal vein with a heparinized syringe containing aprotonin (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA), and removal of brain, liver and gonadal tissues. Plasma and tissues were rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen, shipped to the laboratory, and stored at −80°C until analysed. Another 30–40 fish (size range: 15–18 cm) were collected at each sampling site and their gonads were examined to estimate the sex ratio. The sex ratio was also determined for croakers collected during October 2007 by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and during October–November 2007 by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
(c) Laboratory hypoxia experiments
For one month prior to experimentation, approximately seven-month-old croakers (mean length: 10.7 cm, body weight, BW: 13.7 g) obtained from local fishermen in May 2007 were acclimated to laboratory conditions in recirculating sea water tanks at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) and fed chopped shrimp (3.5% BW d−1). Fish were transferred in June into nine 1650 l recirculating tanks (30 fish per tank) and continuously exposed to normoxia (DO: 6.5 mg l−1; three tanks) or hypoxia (DO: 2.0 mg l−1; six tanks) conditions for 15 weeks. After the 15-week exposure period, the DO in three hypoxic tanks was adjusted to 2.7 mg l−1 (moderate hypoxia) to maintain food consumption, while the DO in the remainder was adjusted to 6.5 mg l−1 (normoxia) and the exposure continued for an additional five weeks. The DO levels in the hypoxia exposure tanks were lowered by reducing the aeration gradually, as described previously (electronic supplementary material, figure S2) [7]. At the end of the experiments, the fish were sacrificed under deep anaesthesia using quinaldine sulphate (20 mg l−1), following guidelines approved by the University of Texas at Austin Animal Care and Use Committee. Tissues were rapidly excised, frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80°C until analysed.
(d) Gonadosomatic index and gonadal histology
Total length, BW and gonad weight (GW) were measured, and gonadosomatic index (GSI) was calculated from the formula GW(BW − GW)−1 × 100. The proportion of oocytes at each developmental stage was determined in fixed ovarian sections, as described previously [7]. Criteria for positive identification of male germ cells in ovaries included clear identification of several spermatogenic stages and/or the diameter of spermatogenic areas greater than or equal to 10 µm.
(e) Fecundity
Fecundity was calculated from estimates of the number of fully grown vitellogenic oocytes (diameter: greater than 350 µm), obtained by counting the oocytes in aliquots of dissociated ovarian tissue, as described previously [16].
(f) Plasma vitellogenin and testosterone
Plasma vitellogenin (VTG) and testosterone (T) concentrations were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay, respectively [7].
(g) Quantification of oestrogen receptor alpha, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-I, gonadal aromatase and brain aromatase mRNA levels
Total RNA was extracted from liver, ovary and brain tissues using TRI reagent (Sigma) and treated with DNase I (Promega, Madison, WI, USA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Gene-specific primers for oestrogen receptor alpha (erα), gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-I (gnrh-I) and gonadal aromatase (cyp19a1a) and brain aromatase (cyp19a1b) were designed from the nucleotide sequences of croaker erα, gnrh-I, cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b (electronic supplementary material, table S1). Croaker 18S rRNA was used as an internal control. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to determine the relative gene expression. The analysis of relative mRNA expression results was performed using the 2−ΔΔCt method [17].
(h) Aromatase activity
Aromatase activity in the ovary was measured by a radioenzymatic assay as described previously [18].
(i) Statistical analysis
Significant differences between field data for normoxic and hypoxic sites were analysed by nested ANOVA, and laboratory data by one-way ANOVA. Where significant interactions were found, this was followed by Fisher's protected least-significant difference (PLSD) test for multiple comparisons and Student's t-test for paired comparisons. For the sex ratio estimation, UTMSI and NOAA data were analysed by nested ANOVA, and LDWF data were analysed by a binomial test.
3. Results
(a) Dissolved oxygen values at the sampling sites
The bottom waters at sites C5, C6 and C7 had become hypoxic by May 2007, whereas on transect F only site F3 was hypoxic at this time (F4 was moderately hypoxic), similar to the findings in previous years (electronic supplementary material, table S2) [14]. In July, all the C sites and F3 site were hypoxic, and F4 and F5 sites were moderately hypoxic (electronic supplementary material, table S3). Similarly, during our 11–13 August cruise, the F4 and F5 sites were moderately hypoxic (DO 2.4 and 3.2 mg l−1, respectively; electronic supplementary material, table S4). During the 20 August cruise (electronic supplementary material, table S2), all the sites on transect C and F3 and F5 were hypoxic (F4 was not monitored). On 12 September, the bottom DO at C5, C6 and C7 was less than 1.0 mg l−1, whereas sites F3, F4 and F5 had become moderately hypoxic to normoxic (DO: 6.1, 2.3 and 4.5 mg l−1 respectively; electronic supplementary material, table S3). Thus, the data suggest that the three sites along the C transect remained hypoxic throughout the summer until mid-September, whereas the DO in the bottom waters at the F transect sites fluctuated and hypoxia was intermittent. In contrast, all three reference sites east of the Mississippi River Delta were normoxic in August, when the extent of the hypoxia region along the western Louisiana coast is maximal (electronic supplementary material, figure S1 and table S4). A similar summer pattern of normoxic bottom water (DO: 4.3–4.6 mg l−1) was seen at the reference sites in July 2008 [19].
(b) Ovarian growth and oogenesis
Gross examination indicated that the ovaries of croakers collected from the hypoxic sites were at an early stage of vitellogenic growth, whereas the ovaries collected from the reference sites were at a medium to advanced stage of ovarian growth (figure 1a). The GSI of females collected from the six hypoxic sites on transects C and F were similar (mean 1.46 ± 0.1), and less than 50 per cent of those at the three reference sites (mean 4.64 ± 0.79, p < 0.001; figure 1b). There was a dramatic reduction in the production of fully grown oocytes (oocyte diameter: greater than 350 µm) at the hypoxic sites (mean: less than 1300 eggs fish−1) compared with the reference sites (7700–124 600 eggs fish−1; figure 1c). The ovaries were at early stages of oogenesis in fish from the hypoxic sites and contained relatively few fully grown tertiary yolk stage vitellogenic oocytes, whereas the ovaries obtained at the reference sites were full of large tertiary yolk stage oocytes (figure 1e–g). Histological examination of ovarian sections revealed that 80 to 90 per cent of the oocytes were arrested at the peri-nucleolar stage in fish at the hypoxic sites, and only 10 to 20 per cent were at primary, secondary or tertiary yolk stages (figure 1d). By contrast, 40 to 70 per cent of the oocytes were at various stages of vitellogenic growth in fish from the reference sites, and 18 to 35 per cent had reached the tertiary yolk stage.
(c) Testicular growth and spermatogenesis
There was a marked impairment of testicular growth and spermatogenesis in croakers at the hypoxic sites compared with that observed at the normoxic sites (figure 2a–f). No milt was released from males upon applying gentle pressure to the abdomen, whereas milt flowed freely from most of the males at the reference sites. The mean GSI of males from the hypoxic sites were uniformly low (mean 0.6 ± 0.04), less than half of those at the three reference sites (mean 2.29 ± 0.53; figure 2b). Relative sperm production was also significantly lower (figure 2c). The tubules of testes collected at the reference sites had large lumens (mean diameter: 406 ± 18 µm), full of spermatozoa, which were surrounded by a single layer of cysts containing earlier spermatogenic stages (figure 2d), whereas the testicular tubules of males from the hypoxic sites had much smaller lumens (mean diameter: 185 ± 19 µm) containing only a few spermatozoa (figure 2e,f).
(d) Ovarian masculinization
Histological examination of the ovarian sections of croakers collected from the hypoxic sites revealed that 19.6 per cent (n = 71) of them contained groups of male germ cells at several different stages of development, ranging from spermatocytes to fully developed spermatozoa (figure 3a,f). Most of these spermatogenic regions contained spermatozoa. Only one or two small spermatogenic regions of male germ cells (diameter: 15–20 µm) were detected in each ovarian section and they were limited to the periphery of the ovary. Spermatogenic cyst-like structures containing male germ cells at the same developmental stage were observed in some ovarian sections, but none of the testicular tissues had well-defined tubular structures characteristic of the normal testis. None of the ovarian sections from fish collected at the reference sites contained any male germ cells (figure 3f). Examination of croaker ovaries from a preliminary field study conducted in the nGOM in 2006 [20] revealed that male germ cells were detected in 14.3 per cent of the females collected from the hypoxic sites (n = 49), whereas none of the ovarian samples collected from the normoxic site contained spermatogenic tissue (figure 3b,f). The specificity of the ovarian masculinization response to hypoxia exposure was evaluated in a controlled laboratory study. Chronic exposure of croakers to low DO for 20 weeks during the period of ovarian crudescence resulted in masculinization, with male germ cells in 16.7 per cent of the ovarian sections, whereas none of the ovarian sections obtained from the normoxic control fish contained any male germ cells (figure 3c,d,g). The percentage of ovaries containing male germ cells had not changed five weeks after the fish had been returned to normoxic conditions (figure 3e,g).
(e) Sex ratio
The sex ratio was determined for fish we collected from the six hypoxic and three normoxic sites (UTMSI; black, figure 4a,b), for fish collected from 13 hypoxic sites sampled in 8–11 October 2007 by LDWF (blue, figure 4a,c), and for fish from 12 hypoxic and six normoxic sites sampled in 10 October–11 November 2007 by NOAA (red, figure 4a,d). The combined sex ratio of the fish we collected from the hypoxic sites was 61 per cent males to 39 per cent females—significantly different (p < 0.05, n = 119) from that at the reference sites (males: 52%, females: 48%; n = 61; figure 4b). The fish (n = 274) collected from the 13 hypoxic sites by LDWF showed a similar sex ratio skewed towards males (58 per cent), which was significantly different from a 50 per cent sex ratio (p < 0.01; figure 4c). The sex ratios of fish (n = 356) collected from the 18 NOAA sites were more variable but showed the same male bias at the hypoxic sites overall, with a mean of 63 per cent males at the hypoxic sites and approximately 50 per cent males at the six sites outside the hypoxic zone (p < 0.05; figure 4d).
(f) Reproductive endocrine function
Hypothalamic gnrh-I mRNA concentrations, a measure of neuroendocrine function, were significantly reduced compared with reference site controls in fish collected from the C and F transects (figure 5a). Hepatic erα mRNA levels, an index of oestrogen signalling, were also significantly reduced in fish from these sites and were less than a third that of the reference controls (figure 5b). A similar trend was observed with plasma VTG levels, which were significantly lower in fish collected from the hypoxic sites (figure 5c). In addition, plasma T levels, an indication of ovarian steroidogenic capacity, were significantly decreased in fish collected from the hypoxic sites (figure 5d).
(g) Aromatase mRNA expression and activity
Transcript levels of both brain and ovarian aromatase subtypes were significantly decreased in fish collected from the hypoxic sites compared with those at the reference sites (figure 6a,b). Similarly, chronic exposure to hypoxia in the laboratory experiment caused a marked decline in ovarian aromatase mRNA levels (figure 6c). Ovarian aromatase activity was also significantly decreased after chronic laboratory exposure to hypoxia (figure 6d). Both aromatase mRNA levels and enzyme activities had partially recovered five weeks after the fish had been returned to normoxic conditions and were no longer significantly different from controls (figure 6c,d).
4. Discussion
The present results provide the first evidence of region-wide impairment of reproductive output in a fish population inhabiting a hypoxic coastal zone. Gonadal growth and gametogenesis were significantly decreased in Atlantic croakers of both sexes collected at the end of September and beginning of October in 2007 from sites approximately 120 km apart that experience chronic seasonal moderate or severe hypoxia compared with fish collected from the reference sites. The production of fully mature eggs and sperm capable of fertilization was less than 20 per cent of that at the reference sites, suggesting that the reproductive output of croakers was severely decreased over a large area of approximately 3000 km2 in the nGOM. Recovery of gamete production after this sampling date is highly unlikely because ichthyoplankton surveys indicate that the majority of the croakers in the nGOM spawn in October [21]. A similar impairment of reproductive output was observed in this species exposed to hypoxia in a Florida estuary [7]. However, chronic and repeated decreased reproductive output owing to recurring hypoxia every year over the much larger coastal area investigated in the present study has a much greater potential long-term impact on the size of croaker populations. Atlantic croaker populations have decreased to less than 20 per cent of their historical levels in the nGOM and the croaker commercial fishery has declined dramatically [22], but it is unclear to what extent this decline is due to hypoxia-induced reproductive impairment, because a variety of other contributing factors (such as an increase in bycatch-related mortality) are likely to have major impacts on croaker population abundance in the region [22,23]. Hypoxia-related decreases in the population abundance of fisheries have been reported in a few hypoxic regions such as the Black Sea [24], Baltic Sea [25] and Tokyo Bay [26], but elsewhere seasonal coastal hypoxia has not been associated to date with declines in the population abundance of fishes [5,27]. Nevertheless, the finding that environmental hypoxia exposure severely disrupts the reproduction of a coastal teleost species is a cause for concern because it probably compounds the stress on fish populations in coastal ecosystems associated with other deleterious changes, such as increased fishing pressure, pollution and global warming.
It is not surprising that fish reproduction is susceptible to hypoxia stress, since it is one of the most sensitive stages of an organism's life cycle to stressors, and requires large amounts of energy in excess of that needed for survival [20]. Organisms reduce their energy and ATP use under hypoxic conditions by metabolic suppression in order to compensate for the reduced efficiency and increased energy requirements for anaerobic metabolism, enabling them to survive until normoxic conditions return [6,28]. Most of a fish's available energy is diverted to the production of gametes during the reproductive season. Therefore, a reduction in gonadal growth and gamete production is a highly effective strategy to reduce the energy requirements of fishes during hypoxia exposure and has been observed in iteroparous estuarine fishes such as croakers collected from hypoxic environments [7,13,20,29]. The croaker is a short-lived species [30], so that an individual typically only produces offspring over a few reproductive seasons. Therefore, if large areas of adult fish habitat are subjected to recurring seasonal hypoxia over several years, the reproductive strategy of delaying reproduction may become maladaptive because it could prevent short-lived species such as the croaker from reproducing during their lifetimes, potentially leading to local extinctions of exposed populations.
An unexpected finding of the present study was evidence of gonadal masculinization in approximately 19 per cent of the female fish collected from the hypoxic sites, but not from the reference sites, as indicated by the presence of groups of male germ cells at all stages of development in their ovaries. The specificity of this response was confirmed in the controlled hypoxia laboratory study in which a similar pattern of ovarian masculinization was observed in female croakers. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ovarian masculinization (i.e. the presence of male germ cells) in female fish exposed to hypoxia. The laboratory results indicate that chronic exposure of approximately 7-month-old croakers to hypoxia beginning in June is sufficient to induce ovarian masculinization, consistent with the period when the nGOM coastal region becomes hypoxic and juvenile croakers move into these offshore regions on the continental shelf [14,27]. This sensitivity to environmental induction of intersex at a relatively late developmental stage, presumably after the period of sexual differentiation in croaker, is consistent with reports that the treatment of Nile tilapia with an aromatase inhibitor after the period of gonadal differentiation caused partial ovarian masculinization [31]. These results suggest that continued oestrogen exposure after the period of sexual differentiation is required for normal ovarian development in fish [32]. The presence of spermatogenic tissue in only a proportion of the females in the nGOM is unlikely to be primarily related to differences in their hypoxia exposure histories, because similar results were obtained in the laboratory studies after exposure to a single hypoxia regime. These results instead may indicate differing susceptibilities of a portion of the females to the gonad masculinizing effects of chronic hypoxia exposure.
The marked decrease in expression of aromatase, the key enzyme regulating oestrogen production, is a likely cause of the masculinization of croaker ovaries and the male-biased sex ratio observed in the present study. Aromatase is critical for normal differentiation of the teleost ovary [33], and inhibition of aromatase activity causes ovarian masculinization [32] and can result in the production of phenotypic males from genotypic females [34]. Hypoxia-induced decreases in aromatase activity during gonadal differentiation and at a later gonad-sensitive stage would provide a plausible explanation for the sex ratio being skewed towards males and the presence of testicular tissues in some individuals. Our field results are consistent with laboratory studies in another teleost species, zebrafish, which showed that the sex ratio is skewed towards males and gonadal aromatase activity is inhibited after chronic hypoxia exposure [35]. The decrease in ovarian aromatase activity also probably contributes to the marked decreases in ovarian growth and the production of fully grown oocytes observed in croakers. Oocyte growth is largely dependent on sequestration of VTG, which is synthesized in the liver in response to oestrogen stimulation. The reduction in hepatic erα mRNA expression and circulating levels of VTG indicate oestrogen signalling is impaired in croakers from the hypoxic sites. This decline in oestrogen signalling is probably associated with reduced oestrogen precursor availability in addition to decreased aromatase activity, since plasma T levels were significantly decreased in croakers at the hypoxic sites. Laboratory studies have shown that decreased gonadal steroid production in croakers after hypoxia exposure is due to declines in gonadotrophin secretion, which in turn is associated with downregulation of gnrh-I mRNA levels and neuroendocrine function [7]. Therefore, the downregulation of neuroendocrine function in females from the hypoxic sites also probably contributes to the reduced oestrogen signalling, impairment of oocyte growth and gonadal masculinization observed. Aromatase expression in the teleost brain is sexually dimorphic, with twofold higher aromatase activity and mRNA levels in the brains of adult female fish than in males [36,37]. Thus, the marked decrease in brain aromatase mRNA levels in female fish collected from the hypoxic sites suggests that the female brain may also have become masculinized, although the reproductive effects of this are unknown.
There is an urgent need to accurately assess the exposure of ecologically and commercially important pelagic species in the nGOM and other coastal regions to hypoxia and its impacts in order to effectively manage these valuable fishery resources. However, characterizing the exposure of motile species such as croakers to hypoxia in coastal environments is a major technical challenge. Croakers are relatively hypoxia-tolerant demersal (benthopelagic) fishes that feed on benthic organisms and can be captured throughout the summer by trawling in the bottom hypoxic and moderately hypoxic waters (DO: 1.8–3.5 mg l−1), but not in anoxic areas [38]. However, the hypoxic waters in the nGOM are confined to the bottom few metres of the water column, so it is unclear whether croakers remain on the bottom or make brief forays into it for feeding. Hypoxia-inducible factors (hif-1α and hif-2α) regulate the many genes involved in adaptation to low oxygen levels and the switch to anaerobic metabolism [39–41]. Croakers collected from currently hypoxic sites in East Bay and the nGOM had elevated tissue expression of hif-αs [7,20], which indicated that they had been exposed to hypoxic bottom waters over a period of at least 3–7 days, the time required to upregulate hif-αs in laboratory hypoxia experiments [40]. Thus, although the duration of croaker exposure to hypoxia during a 24 h period in the nGOM hypoxic region remains unknown, the available evidence indicates it is sufficient to induce molecular responses to hypoxia stress, which probably lead to major physiological changes such as metabolic suppression.
Several lines of evidence clearly indicate that the reproductive disruption observed in croakers in the nGOM is primarily associated with chronic hypoxia exposure. The reproductive output of croakers from the reference sites was consistently greater than that from the hypoxic sites over the three sampling seasons conducted to date in 2007, 2008 [29] and 2010 (P. Thomas & M. S. Rahman, unpublished observation). Similar dramatic impairments of ovarian growth, oogenesis and endocrine function have been observed in croakers chronically exposed to hypoxia in controlled laboratory experiments and in hypoxic regions of East Bay [7], as well as in other teleost species [11,13]. In contrast, only moderate inhibition of gonadal growth and oogenesis was observed after exposure of croakers to high sublethal concentrations of Aroclor 1254, benzo[a]pyrene and lead [42]. The pattern of reproductive impairment induced by hypoxia stress in croakers of both sexes, involving masculinization of female gonads, suppression of male and female gametogenesis, inhibition of brain and gonadal aromatase and inhibition of hypothalamic serotonergic function [7], has not been observed to our knowledge with any major environmental contaminant or other physical stressor. It is concluded from these studies that the masculinization and decreased reproductive and endocrine functions observed in croakers collected from hypoxic regions in the nGOM are largely owing to exposure to hypoxia.
The present finding of severe reproductive disruption in an ecologically important fish species throughout a large area in the nGOM hypoxic region has important implications for the management of renewable fishery resources, since it could potentially lead to a gradual decline in the size of croaker populations. In order to restore key components of the ecosystem such as the benthic communities, the goal of the 2001 and 2008 Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force Action Plans is to reduce the average size of the hypoxic zone in the nGOM to 5000 km2 by reducing nutrient inputs [43]. Although successful implementation of these plans would restore large areas in the nGOM coastal zone to suitable habitats for benthic and demersal benthopelagic organisms, it remains unclear whether it will significantly reduce croaker population hazards owing to other hypoxia effects such as decreased reproductive output. Therefore, it will be necessary to develop population models that predict what size reductions of the nGOM hypoxic zone would protect croaker stocks. Fishery resources in other coastal regions may also become threatened by long-term reductions in reproductive output owing to recurring hypoxia. These effects are not be confined to finfishes, since reproductive impairment was observed in harpactacoid copepods collected from the same hypoxic areas (transects C and F) in the nGOM in 2007 [19]. Human activities are projected to have major impacts this century on our planet, especially on coastal regions. In addition to increases in temperature and sea levels, another major global change, the increased extent of seasonal hypoxia, now extending to 250 000 km2 worldwide, could dramatically affect fishery resources in coastal regions and the livelihoods of people that depend upon them. Therefore, reproductive output of fish inhabiting other coastal regions experiencing recurring seasonal hypoxia should be investigated for evidence of hypoxia-related declines.
This research was supported by grants from the NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Gulf of Mexico GOMEX grant nos. NA06NOS4780131 and NA09NOS4780179 (to P.T.). Publication no. NGOMEX 146. We thank Marine Fisheries Division, LDWF, and scientists and crew aboard the NOAA ship Oregon II on the SEAMAP cruise for providing croaker samples. We also thank Nancy Rabalais of Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) in Louisiana and Michael C. Murrell of US EPA Marine Ecology Division in Florida for providing bottom physio-chemical parameters. The help of the crew of the RV Pelican is appreciated.
- Received March 10, 2011.
- Accepted May 4, 2011.
- This journal is © 2011 The Royal Society
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