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Michigan State's Successful Crowdfunding Campaigns
I was interviewed by Justin Ware of Bentz Whaley Flessner to discuss crowdfunding and the potential impact on philanthropy for higher education. I cannot say it better than Justin, "crowdfunding is helping the University identify more new donors and communicate the impact of philanthropy to all donors, big and small". Check out Justin's story and the interview to learn more about MSU's success with crowdfunding.
Sparty kick starts Crowdfunding at Michigan State University
Earlier this month our beloved mascot, Sparty, helped us launch the first successful crowdfunding project at Michigan State University. Sparty has helped us explore the new trending fundraising opportunity known as crowdfunding (sites like: Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Petridish, etc.) that has quickly taken the nation and higher education by storm.
Now What? About Social Media at Michigan State University
I was interviewed by Matt Klawitter in Nov. 2011 for his blog series on "hiring trends and possibilities in higher education and digital marketing". I cannot say it better than Matt, "MSU is an example of social media success". Check out Matt's story and the interview to learn more about what makes MSU a social media success.
Keeping Up With Graduating Students
Today I'd like to share with you a project, that was started exactly one year ago, the Graduating Student T-Shirt or "My Name Is On Senior Walk" t-shirt program. In short it's the number one way we have found to keep up with our graduating students and get their information before we lose touch with them.
Social Media Integration Strategy Improves the 2010 Pride of Arkansas Tour
Unlike what you typically find when someone is talking about social media integration/marketing campaign I'm not referring to the act of putting your message everywhere and simply shouting it to the world. This is quite a common tactic for marketing groups to say that they have done a social media campaign simply by pushing their message everywhere they possibly can. Yet, if you've spent a little time in the social media world you know that simply won't suffice anymore. Instead, I took this opportunity to help the Association integrate the true value of social media, one-to-one connections, into the event and increase the understanding of why we've been taking this "everyone is a person" approach to our social media marketing efforts. I'm glad to say that all our efforts are continuing to pay off.


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You do not need diet supplements to lose weight. Period, end of story.
The key to weight loss is the depletion of the body's short term energy supply so that you can begin to burn off the long term storage supply (called fat). If you do that consistently, you will lose weight over time.
That's it, that is the secret to weight loss (in a nutshell).
There are some other things that can be very helpful and should be taken into consideration, but diet supplements are not one of them. Ultimately the above statement is revealing what you really need to understand and put into practice to lose weight. (the key concept)
You also need to exercise in order to conserve your muscle tissue during weight loss. It is helpful to know how to eat properly too. Ok, there are a few more things to know about weight loss, but it really isn't that hard.
As I mentioned before you don't need diet supplements, but some people are probably going to want to know about them anyway.
Instead, I would focus on the SOLID information that actually works. I have two resources for that.
One is by a body builder but it is not just for body builders. It has real science in it and not many 'weight loss' resources do. Get past the body builder image – this has the information for non body builders to help them lose weight the right way: https://www.Tobeinformed.com/burnfat
The second resource I wrote myself. It is a bit crude but it tells you everything you need to know in about 9 pages –
You can find it at https://www.WeightLossSimplePlan.com
Some people have probably been taking diet supplements and might want to know what works and what does not work. This book will fill you in.
If I were taking diet supplements I would tell myself to stop. I would get serious about consistently burning my fat reserves (far easier than you might think) and enjoy normal long-term weight loss.
I think we should have a free forum for weight loss. I have a place in mind. if you are interested in discussing weight loss experiences (or lack thereof) let me know and I will tell you how to get there.
*Remember to check with your doctor before attempting to lose weight or begin exercising
So, did you like this post or did you hate it. Either way comment below. JUST SAY SOMETHING SO THAT I KNOW YOU ARE ALIVE!
PS. I have a weight loss email list you can join for free.

subset: commoncrawl


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Former Arsenal star Martin Keown has urged manager Arsene Wenger to deploy Mesut Ozil back in the number 10 role, rather than on the flank, to get the best out of him.
Following his £42.5m move from Real Madrid, the German international had a promising start to life at the Emirates Stadium during the first part of last season, but has since struggled to replicate his best form in La Liga.
Ozil returned to North London this summer with his reputation burnished as a World Cup winner, but has been questioned again after his erratic performances during the Premier League clash against Manchester City on Saturday and the Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, Keown suggests that Ozil is not the only one to blame as Wenger is deploying him out of his preferred position to accommodate Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey.
"I'm beginning to wonder whether he has to play in the middle to get back to his best. He was much more involved in a central role at Real Madrid and his assist rate was among the best in Europe. So you have to wonder if Arsene Wenger might want to think about moving him back into the middle," Keown said during a question and answer session with fans in the Daily Mail.
"But it wasn't a great team performance on Tuesday, so it's not fair to single out any one individual player. People will say it's another indifferent game from him but to be fair it has been a tough few games against City and Dortmund, two top sides."
When questioned about where should play Sanchez, Keown said: "I think he looks more effective coming in from a wide position.
"But he needs to simplify certain elements of his play and he and Danny Welbeck need time to build up their relationship on the training pitch. Sanchez takes a lot of touches of the ball and the team copy his enthusiasm. But I think I'd like him to slow it down just a little.
"If Arsenal go with one up front, then Sanchez should be the wide man. Then the combination play needs to be worked on. Theo Walcott likes to go for the line, but Sanchez has the same pace and likes to run inside with and without the ball. When he does come inside, Welbeck needs to stretch defences more.
"Sanchez will chip in with his fair share, but not in the same way as [Diego] Costa. At the moment it's more about the relationship between Sanchez and the players around him. He gets smothered by defences sometimes."


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SilverSounds Northwest's 'B-Town Bandstand' will be Sunday, April 21
SilverSounds Northwest will pay tribute to the long-running TV show 'American Bandstand' with their own Rockin' version called B-Town Bandstand at the Highline Performing Arts Center at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 21.
"SilverSounds Northwest salutes American popular music from the sixties through today by performing hits like, Help Me Rhonda, Fire and Rain, The Man in the Mirror, and Don't Stop Believin'," reads an announcement.
SilverSounds is a group of retired folks who believe "You're never too old to rock 'n roll." Under the direction of Paula Hawkins, SilverSounds delights audiences of all ages. With this, their third concert ever, the ensemble combines energetic singing with clever staging and choreography to create a fun-filled show.
Families hunting for affordable entertainment will delight and parents looking for a risk-free way to introduce their children to the joys of choral music can rest easy because Northwest Associated Arts youth ticket program lets young people 17 and under in free with a paid adult ticket.
SilverSounds Northwest, a Burien-based chorus of 40 men and women, has developed a loyal and growing following with family-friendly shows that offer much more than the usual "choral concert." SilverSounds Northwest is part of Northwest Associated Arts, which includes ChoralSounds Northwest KidSounds Northwest, YouthSounds Northwest, and TeenSounds Northwest.
WHEN: Sunday, April 21 @ 2 p.m.
WHERE: Highline Performing Arts Center – Burien
TICKETS: $15 (17 & under free with a paid adult ticket) www.northwestassociatedarts.org or 206-246-6040.


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Illinois competes at League of Legends College Championship
By Gavin Good, Staff writer
June 9, 2018
Filed under Club Sports, Sports
Coming into this week's League of Legends College Championship, few would have expected No. 8 seed Illinois to make much noise. The Illini came in rather unheralded and without the funding or scholarships many national e-sport powers have, but that hasn't affected the team's ability to get result...
Illinois club baseball looking to make postseason run
By Gavin Good, Staff writer
May 12, 2018
Filed under Baseball, Club Sports, Men's Sports, Sports
Payton Lykins won't be at his college graduation. It's not because he failed a class or for any academic purpose. It's because he'll be in Battle Creek, Michigan, with the Illinois club baseball team playing for an NCBA Regional title. After going 20-2 and winning the Great Lakes South Con...
Illini fall short in ACHA title game
March 15, 2018
Filed under Club Sports, Hockey, Men's Sports, Sports, Top Stories
For a moment it seemed like the roller coaster season of the Illinois men's hockey team had one last thrill in it against Adrian College. Instead, the ride was over, and the Illini will return home with a second place finish in the ACHA national tournament after falling 8-1. David Kellner scored...
Fabbrini leads Illini back to ACHA playoffs
By Brian Binz, Staff writer
March 8, 2018
Filed under Club Sports, Hockey, Men's Sports, Sports, Top Stories
The last time the Illinois men's hockey team made the CSCHL title game, Nick Fabbrini wasn't the main man behind the boards. Back in 2009, Fabbrini was a graduate assistant the year after they won the CSCHL when he was a senior on the team. Now it's just him behind the Illini's first trip...
Helping the Illini battle the best
By Meghan Rest, Staff writer
November 6, 2017
Filed under Club Sports, Sports, Volleyball
Big Ten volleyball, like many Big Ten sports, is a battle of the best. With three of the top-five teams in the country battling for the conference title, teams have to use all of their resources to win. A big secret behind Illinois' 9-5 conference record isn't a special food or workout plan – it's ...
A day in the life of Lindsey Cusack and the Illinois rowing team
By Will Gerard, Staff writer
October 9, 2017
Filed under Club Sports, Sports, Top Stories
Lindsey Cusack pulled up in her midsize car at 5 a.m. on a rainy morning. The only other sign of life on Armory Avenue is a sanitation worker, who drove away just before Cusack's prompt arrival. It is Cusack's fourth year with the Illinois rowing team, which sets her apart from the rest of her...
Illinois hockey team prepping for preseason matchup against Springfield Blues
September 7, 2017
Filed under Club Sports, Hockey, Men's Sports, Sports
Illinois head coach Nick Fabbrini will not be worried about the results of the Illinois hockey team's preseason matchup against the Springfield Blues this weekend. "This weekend isn't so much results oriented. Obviously, we want to win, we want to win every time we step on the ice," Fabbrini...
Illinois Ice Arena renovations needed to get done, according to players
By Erich Fisher, Staff writer
August 28, 2017
Filed under Club Sports, Hockey, Sports
After three months of renovations, the University of Illinois Ice Arena officially reopened on Aug. 21. With these renovations comes excitement for Illinois' Division I hockey club team. Before the renovations, the Big Pond, as the arena is known by its frequent attendants, possessed boards and glass that...
Wheeler wants progress from Illinois women's wheelchair basketball team
By Ryan Wilson, Staff writer
February 3, 2017
Filed under Club Sports, Sports, Wheelchair Basketball, Women's Sports
The Illinois women's wheelchair basketball team is coming off a tournament in which players' mistakes were audibled. During the team's second game against the Canadian Academy Team last weekend, freshman Erica Wilson and senior Chelsea McClammer were yelled at by either senior leader Kaitlyn...
Heflin's big weekend leads Illinois hockey to sweep
By Stephen Cohn, Staff writer
January 17, 2017
Filed under Club Sports, Hockey, Men's Sports, Sports
Illinois hockey goalie David Heflin tallied his second shutout of the season Saturday night against Iowa State. Junior center Eric Cruickshank was only able to describe Heflin's performance with one word: swagger. "He's sucking up pucks when they're coming in," Cruickshank said. ...
Illinois hockey looking for winning streak after weekend split
By Stephen Cohn, Staff writer
January 12, 2017
Filed under Club Sports, Hockey, Men's Sports, Sports, Top Stories
While Illinois students have been enjoying winter break, the Illinois hockey team has been trying to catch up in the CSCHL standings. No. 15 Illinois (13-6-3) got a jump on its spring semester last weekend by splitting a series with Robert Morris (19-4-2) in Bensenville, Illinois. Two early...
Sporting goals beyond sports
By Ryan Wilson, Staff writer
November 8, 2016
Filed under Club Sports, Men's Sports, Sports, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball, Women's Sports
When Adam Bleakney first walked into an Iowa driver's license facility, everything seemed normal. A month and a half later, though, he returned to the facility and talked with the same employee. But this time, she looked at him completely differently, Bleankey said. "From my personal experience,...


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Browse our collection of handpicked valentines poems for friends here. Send the best valentines poems for friends to your loved ones!
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A friend, another reason,
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Join Travel in Med online community !
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Travel in Med is a social network and an online platform for (travel and) tourism professionals. The website - www.travelinmed.com - is edited by "Travel in Med s.a.r.l." , company with a €. 15,000 capital, with its head office in 57 rue Grimaldi, MC- 98000 Monaco, registered in the Principality of Monaco under number : 15S06631.
Hereafter "Travel in Med" will be referred to as "TIM".
"Client" : refers to the signatory of this contract
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Dress unsuitably and it may take you a lifetime to live down 10 minutes on the red carpet, writes Jan Phyland on the eve of the Logies.
On the surface, walking the red carpet looks so simple. After all, what's difficult about popping on a pretty frock, stepping out of a limousine, posing for a few pictures, tossing the odd wave to the crowd and walking to your destination? Plenty, actually.
It may sound simple, but the reality is anything but. Get it right, and you are remembered for being gorgeous, glamorous and a leader of the style pack. Get it wrong, and you are dubbed a serial fashion victim, your faux pas on pictorial file to be trotted out whenever magazine editors need to illustrate a "what not to wear" story. Which brings us to Australia's night of red carpet-walking glamour - the Logies.
No longer just a television event acknowledging local talent, in recent years, the Logies has gone the way of other star-studded events (think Oscars, Emmys, the Brownlow) where tracking the glamorous arrivals is as important as the awards themselves.
However, one red carpet mistake could make for a lifetime of reminding. Is Lisa McCune remembered for her four gold Logies, or that head of tragic ringlets she wore in 1997? Will Susie Elelman ever live down that shocking black and white striped dress she (almost) wore to the 1995 Logies?
So what to wear to the Logies? We enlisted the help of two stars from the Channel Nine series Stingers to model some great glamour options.
Katrina Milosevic is nominated for most popular new female talent, while Kate Kendall is nominated for most outstanding actress in a drama series.
When it comes to selecting the perfect Logies outfit, both Milosevic and Kendall agree that dressing to be elegant and comfortable far outweighs the "knock 'em dead" option.
Kendall, a veteran of four Logies, recalls a rather unfortunate outfit one year that comprised a "really bright red, shiny fake leather skirt and plunging black top" and says this year she will be settling on something more subdued - "more Grace Kelly-like".
"You really do want to avoid people remembering you for the shocking outfit you wore," she laughs. And to ensure she makes only the "best dressed" list, Kendall has chosen a simple, but elegant, full-length, slate grey gown by Australian designer Lisa Ho.
"The whole red carpet thing can be quite confronting," says Kendall. "I want what I wear to represent who I am. It's got to be elegant and sexy - and comfortable."
Comfort is also high on Milosevic's list - "I wanted something that would suit me and make me feel special." Adding that simple, classic pieces looked best on her, Milosevic will hit the red carpet wearing a gown designed specially for her by Channel Nine's wardrobe department.
The full-length, black velvet dress will feature a lace and sequin trim and small train at the back.
Stylist Melissa Gadsden has been dressing Logie red carpet arrivals for three years and says nothing strikes fear into a star's heart more than making a fashion faux pas, adding that no one wants to see themselves in a magazine pictorial round-up of the night under the heading "worst dressed".
"Getting the look right on the night is so important," says Gadsden. "The celebrity needs to wear an individually styled piece that will work for them, not against them. It needs to be something they look and feel comfortable in. If you're large breasted, don't wear a tube-style corset dress - no one wants to see you hiking it up over your bosoms all night."
While Gadsden agrees that playing it safe can mean sticking to something sensible, she says that doesn't have to translate as boring.
"To give what you're wearing that wow factor, look for a dress with a classic cut in the body with perhaps a bit of structural difference in a gorgeous rich fabric. Alternatively, you can simply add some beautiful beading to a gown.
"It's just so much fun turning princesses into the belles of the ball."


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Charming, If A Little Creepy.Reviewing: Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa Hotel Stay | Rating:
Originally, I was excited about the thought of staying in a 100 year old hotel. It sounded romantic and charming. I love history too, so the idea just fascinated me. Unfortunately, this beautiful building has not been kept up as it should.
It wasn't all bad. The grounds are really beautiful and the historic details in this hotel, especially the ballrooms, are magnificent. Our room had the most charming view of a garden and a gazeebo. At my first glance out our window, I saw a bunny hopping across the lawn. It was idyllic and beautiful. Our room was nice enough, with soaring ceilings and nice furniture. Although we did find a bug on the ceiling, and the way the plumbing was set up in the bathtub (sticking out in the middle of the long wall instead of at one end of the tub, as you would normally see). The room was also quite small, but it was fine for us. I did really appreciate the Rosemary Mint-scented Aveda bath products. Nice touch!
At night, this place takes on a rather creepy air. I've heard that the hotel is haunted and I would not be surprised. It has that aura of a once-beautiful Victornian resort that has been allowed to deteriorate with age. With some TLC, this place could be top-notch again. It's sad to see it in its current state, and I probably would not stay here again the way it is now, but at the same time, I would be crushed if I heard that it had been torn down (I have heard rumors that this might happen).


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Issue: 331
Sent: 14-04-2009 13:01:01
In this issue:
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Reducing Debt, Good or Bad? - Part 2
Lester Wills
Last time I explained how US consumer spending had fueled economic growth in that country and as a result had a major impact on global growth. As the analysis from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) noted, the US accounted for one third of the total growth in global private consumption since 1990. Between 2000 & 2007 the growth in US imports increased aggregate global demand by almost US$1 trillion
But, as I pointed out last time, things changed dramatically in 2008. Household wealth fell as home values declined. This was exacerbated by declines in stock prices and easy credit was replaced by much more stringent lending standards, lower lending limits on credit cards and cancelled home equity lines of credit. Unemployment is continuing to rise causing widespread fear amongst even traditionally safe occupations such as nurses! Not surprisingly, consumer spending is falling rapidly and people are trying to save what they can.
I have personally witnessed this lack of consumer activity when I recently visited the outskirts of Philadelphia. I had some time on my hands so I went to a large shopping mall. I can honestly say I have never seen a shopping center so devoid of shoppers. It was literally spot the shopper. The staff at the big stores were standing, around talking, trying to look busy but actually looking lost and concerned (no doubt for their own jobs). Given that it was lunchtime one would have expected the food court to be busy, especially as the center services a number of very large business parks. But no, it was also nearly empty and eerily quiet.
One would think this is unsurprising given the economic downturn, but it is actually symptomatic of something far more serious.
According to the MGI, the value of US household net worth has fallen by almost US$13 trillion from its peak in 2007. That represents a drop of 23%, greater than the decline during the Great Depression!
This has effectively erased any gains since the mid 1990s and is more devastating than previous recessions as asset values have fallen across the board. During the dot com bust in 2000 for example, equity market declines were offset by rapidly appreciating home values. Not surprisingly, with falling wealth, growing unemployment and little credit available, consumer confidence is at a 41 year low. People are simply using what money they have to pay off debt as fast as they can rather than buy new goods.
Going forward, this debt reduction could have an enormous impact given that by 2007, the US household debt to income ratio was 27 percentage points above its long term trend. Now you start to get some idea of the magnitude of the situation.
The impact of the household debt reduction will be determined by just how it is financed. It may come about as a result of income growth or through higher savings, or some combination of the two.
If incomes stagnate for example, households can only reduce their debt levels by saving more. The MGI calculate that every percentage point reduction in the debt to income ratio would require nearly a one percentage point increase in the savings rate.
The US personal savings rate reached 5% in January, 2009 (from a low of -0.7% in 2005), if this level is maintained with little or no income growth, this would reduce the household debt to income ratio by five percentage points. Sounds like a lot but unfortunately it would not be enough to restore the levels of debt prevailing in 2000, before borrowing started to accelerate.
But if incomes rose, households could both reduce their debt burden significantly over time and continue to consume. By way of example, if US incomes grew by 2% a year, households could reduce their debt to income ratio by the same level but with a personal savings rate of only 2.3%.
Doesn't sound too bad, accept, as they say, the devil is in the detail.
If incomes do not grow, each percentage point increase in the savings rate translates into approximately US$100 billion less in consumer spending. So a 5% savings rate would mean in excess of US$500 billion less in consumer spending each year in the US.
If incomes rise by 2% a year, a 2.3 percent savings rate would mean something like $250 billion less spending, all else being equal.
In other words, it is incredibly important that incomes grow so that households can continue to reduce their debt burden and rebuild savings, and more importantly, allow some increase in consumption. But without significant income gains, reducing US household debt could undermine consumption and the global economy for years to come.
So this is one of those times when reducing debt could actually make things worse!
A Condensed version of the McKinsey report can be found at http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Economic_Studies/Country_Reports/The_economic_impact_of_increased_US_savings_2327
This email is general in nature only and does not constitute or convey specific or professional advice. Legislation changes may occur quickly. Formal advice should be sought before acting in any of the areas discussed. Be aware that the information in these articles may become innaccurate with time. Responsibility is disclaimed for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions. Particular investments are neither invited nor recommended and hence this publication is not "financial product advice" as defined in Section 766B of the above legislation. All expressions of opinion by contributors are published on the basis that they are not to be regarded as expressing the official opinion of any other person or entity unless expressly stated. No responsibility for the accuracy of the opinions or information contained in the contributor's articles is accepted by any other person or entity. Copyright: This publication is copyright. If you wish to reproduce this article you require a license, which can be purchased here, to do so.


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For the past six months, my family and I have been waiting, as patiently as possible, to find out if my mom had cancer. Back in September she had to have a chest x-ray before she could switch to a new RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) medication, and to everyone's surprise, something showed up on the x-ray. A very tiny spot on one of her lungs. It is common for RA patients to have nodules grow on their lungs because of the medication that they have to take, and because of this fact, the nodule wasn't all that alarming. They told her that because it was so small and because she has RA, they weren't super concerned with it and she would just need a follow-up x-ray in six months.
Waiting those six months was very hard on my mom. She could not shake the bad feeling she had. Finally after waiting six months, she had her second chest x-ray to see if the spot had grown. It had in fact grown ever so slightly. The next step was to do a PET scan to determine if it was cancer. She had to wait two more weeks. Once the PET scan was completed, she had to wait some more for the results. Four very long days. It turned out that the scan showed a slight glow that could possibly indicate cancer.
My mom was devastated. We were all devastated. The next step was to have it removed immediately. She had surgery last Friday and during the surgery they dissected the lump, sent it to the lab and found out that it was definitely cancer, so they removed the entire thing. It was a major surgery and the recovery is long and painful, but she's doing pretty good.
It's been very hard on everyone and I don't think I realized just how much it was affecting me until after I found out she made it through surgery and was okay. I hadn't cried at all, not the entire time, until I hung up the phone with my dad. Then I broke down. I couldn't stop crying. My mom had cancer. It was gone, but it was real. It was so hard to wrap my head around, so I think I powered through as best I could with the information I had. But once I knew she was going to be okay…well I couldn't hold it in any longer. I haven't felt much like myself since Friday. I'm still trying to work through all my feelings. I'm so relieved that the cancer is out. I can't believe how lucky she was and is. If she didn't have RA, she wouldn't have needed a chest x-ray and if she hadn't had that x-ray, she wouldn't have found out about the cancer. Her cancer was stage 1-A, which means they found it the earliest they could have possibly found it. For that reason, I'm so thankful that she has RA. Her cancer could have gone unnoticed until it was too late. Instead they found it early and removed it before it could spread anywhere else in her body. She is now cancer free!
I still need some time to heal emotionally. We all do. Especially my mom. So, I'm going to spend some time with her and I know that will make all the difference (I didn't get to be there for her surgery). Hopefully by next week, I'll be feeling back to my normal self and be able to focus attention on other things again, but for now, I'm giving all my attention to my mom.
This is my mom with my uncle at Christmas. She will say she looks terrible in this photo. She always says that, but I think she looks happy.
Love you Mom!
See you next week!


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Experiment with smaller bus on Route 16
Mountain Metro Transit has been experimenting this month with smaller buses on Route 16 (which includes connections to the Westside Wal-Mart and Uintah Gardens shopping center).
Although additional testing may still take place in February, no permanent changes to a smaller bus are anticipated on the route at this time, according to Andy Garton, the Mountain Metro business adminstrator.
Between Jan. 9 and 20, Route 16 was one of four in Colorado Springs in which a 20-seat Startrans bus was tried out, handling about a third of the passengers overall.
The normal, full-sized city transit buses are 36- or 39-seat Gilligs.
Mountain Metro, a division of the city, owns two Startrans buses. They're left over from the former ōDashö shuttle service that ran downtown a few years ago.
Studies have shown such buses get better miles per gallon (7 as opposed to 4 on the Gilligs) and are about five times cheaper. However, they wear out about three times faster, according to Mountain Metro statistics.
A Startrans has been able to handle the ridership on Route 16 (which runs daytimes hourly, Monday-Friday). But because Mountain Metro ōinterlinesö Route 16 with Route 15 (Pikes Peak Community College/Las Vegas Street) to accomplish other driving efficiencies, the smaller bus had to be used on both. And on Route 15 there have been two instances in which, because the Startrans reached capacity, ōwe had to leave passengers behind,ö Garton said.
After the termination of Dash, Mountain Metro had initially deployed the two smaller buses to Route 31 in Fountain. They became available recently when Fountain decided to run its own bus service and Route 31 was cancelled, Garton said.
The small-bus test project was organized in conjunction with Mayor Steve Bach's Transit Solutions Team - comprised of citizens, city officials and Mountain Metro staff - which is looking for ways to improve transit efficiency.
Route 16 includes the streets of Eighth, Moreno, 21st, Bott, 26th, Colorado, 30th, Uintah, 19th, Mesa, Fontmore and King.
Westside Pioneer article


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Zulmat Kadah By Kashif Zubair
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Did MBIA Get the Upper Hand on B of A?
Last week, the New York Attorney General disclosed that it would be investigating securitization and underwriting practices by Countrywide, which was acquired in 2008 by Bank of America . In this video, Motley Fool financial analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss why this may push BAC to settle in its lawsuit with MBIA . MBIA claims that Bank of America still owes the company billions over bad mortgages that it wants the bank to buy back; allowing the case to continue might strengthen the Attorney General's case against BAC. Matt and David also talk about the dire straights MBIA is facing financially, and why this settlement might be life or death for the company.
Many investors are also hoping to see Bank of America settle, and move one step closer to putting its legal troubles behind it. Bank of America's stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it's critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool's premium research report on B of A, analysts Anand Chokkavelu, CFA, and Matt Koppenheffer, Financials bureau chief, lift the veil on the bank's operations, including detailing three reasons to buy and three reasons to sell. Click here now to claim your copy, and as an added bonus, you'll receive a full year of FREE updates and expert guidance as key news breaks.
The article Did MBIA Get the Upper Hand on B of A? originally appeared on Fool.com.David Hanson has no position in any stocks mentioned. Matt Koppenheffer owns shares of Bank of America. The Motley Fool owns shares of Bank of America. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Grace was about to publish a coloring book as a fundraiser for Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary which she recognized was also an opportunity to advertise her artwork.
We created a website for for Grace, GraceKingArt.com, featuring her artwork and included the URL on the published book.
This is a WordPress-based site that will allow her to update her gallery and content at any time. Since the initial launch of this site in 2010, we have now added functionality so that Grace is able to sell her adorable Art Cards by Grace King for sale on the site.


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This blog was contributed by Jill Mortimer, Policy Adviser at Age UK
When we first started our research for the Age UK Care in Crisis 2014 briefing, we expected to find that there had been some reduction in funding for older people's social care services, given the continued pressure on public funding.
However, we had hopes that the Better Care Fund announced by the Government last year would put the system on a better financial basis, as well as improve the system by encouraging more joint working between health and social care locally.
And we were encouraged by the Care Bill's emphasis on health and wellbeing as providing a really good starting point for better supporting older people's aspirations and needs.
However, our research has shown us that the current social care system is in even deeper crisis than it was when we published our last briefing in 2012.
There have been even more dramatic real-term cuts in the funding available to social care services, despite transfers from the NHS to try and protect services.
At the same time, the older population continues to grow, especially people aged 85 and over who are the most likely to need care. Specifically:
- The overall funding for social care has decreased by more than £750 million in real terms since 2010. That's a reduction of 10%.
- In the last nine years the number of people using local authority supported services has decreased by 334,000. Taking account of the growth in the population that means there are 35% fewer older people getting any help from public funding with their care.
- Day care and home care have seen the biggest reductions, with more and more resources focused on residential and nursing care.
- Most councils only provide support to people with 'substantial' requirements. Most people who need help bathing, or getting out of bed, or getting out of the house won't receive any publicly funded help.
Our analysis shows that, although welcome, the Better Care Fund will do little to reverse these trends.
Unless there is a radical increase in money for the system, all the good features introduced by the Care Bill will be ineffective. We need politician of all parties to think again about ways to fund the system!
Care in Crisis is Age UK's campaign to ensure that every older person is able to get the care they need. Find out more about the campaign at www.ageuk.org.uk/careincrisis


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Joyeaux Cafe & Restaurant, from the outside, looks like one of those places that serves everything but doesn't seem to focus on anything. Going from what you can read when you pass the outside you can get: breakfast, lunch, snacks, salad bar, dinner, all day breakfast and authentic Vietnamese. I am a bit wary of the serve everything under the sun places as but, I heard this was the closest soup restaurant and I was looking for some pho.
The inside was much bigger than I had expected with giant arches on the ceiling. It gives the impression that it was some sort of Italian restaurant before Joyeaux moved in and they didn't do much redecorating. There is seating for groups plus seating at a communal type table in the middle with about 5 single seats by the door. There is a small balcony outside that would be lovely in the summer but is too cold for now.
It was a bit confusing on my first visit. You have to walk all the way through the restaurant to the back to do your ordering. The menu is printed on the wall in pictures and a chalkboard with specials. They really try to move you quickly through the line up. And boy, is there ever a line up. Even at my early lunch at 11:30, there was a line up that made it to the door and stayed there for most of the lunch hour. The cashier even has two debit machines running at once to try and move the line quickly. You are then given a tray with a number and then you need to find a place to sit.
There are no "wait to be seated" signs, but they are very specific about seating here. There is a host who will seat you. If you are a party of two, they will not let you sit at a table for four. They seem to have a complicated system, and there are always people waiting for tables, but I would say that is really a sign of how yummy the food is. I have mostly come here as a single diner and I wouldn't recommend larger groups between 11:30 and 1:00 as you will have a hard time getting a table together.
The menu focuses on Vietnamese food with some all day breakfast thrown in. I do like the option for pancakes whenever I want them, but I have yet to order them. My first visit I got the rare beef and beef ball pho.
I know it is not a very adventurous dish, but it is my favorite. I was really happy with the amount of beef and balls in the soup. The beef was rare and very tender. The broth was great and the perfect temperature. I was a bit surprised that the bean sprouts were under the noodles. I have a tendency to eat in layers so at the end of my first bowl I had a big pile of sprouts left. I have learned to stir it up a bit now.
My other favorite is the Wonton Noodle Soup. They give you the choice of "meat" wontons or shrimp. I went with meat.
I love the amount of wontons in the soup. My guess was that the "meat" was pork, but it could be a mixture. Either way they have a nice spice to them. I would top everything with those fried onions, given a choice. This seemed to be the same broth as in the pho and I again enjoyed it.
Both of these options run about $8.00 and I think they are the perfect size. The service here is efficient but not attentive. Once they serve your food, they are done with you. There is some self serve water available near the register.
Soup is one of my favorite things, especially in the fall and winter, so I know I will be fighting my way through the line-up here quite regularly.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Joyeaux Cafe & Restaurant
3 comments:
I just went here today! Pretty spot on review!ReplyDelete
- HeatherNovember 22, 2011 at 9:22 PM
Hey Diana, thanks! I saw your tweet that you were there. I almost went today as well. Again, we *almost* meet...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 5, 2012 at 2:49 AM
This is one of my favourite places to go eat. I feel like it was my second home when I was working in the area. If you are looking for something more adventurous try out Number 3 soup. Daikon, Carrot and Beef Brisket. It can be a oily but is intense on flavours.ReplyDelete
And I've learned never to go hear at lunch...way too busy.
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- Research
- Open Access
Serum HER-2 concentration is associated with insulin resistance and decreases after weight loss
© Fernández-Real et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010
- Received: 3 December 2009
- Accepted: 25 February 2010
- Published: 25 February 2010
HER2/neu is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family easily detectable in the serum of cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate circulating HER-2 concentrations in association with insulin resistance in healthy and obese subjects.
Insulin sensitivity (minimal model) and serum HER-2 concentrations were evaluated in a cross sectional study in men (cohort 1, n = 167) and longitudinally after weight loss in obese subjects (cohort 2, n = 30).
Serum HER-2 concentrations were positively associated with BMI and waist circumference (both r = 0.18, p = 0.02), post-load glucose (r = 0.28, p = 0.001) and fasting triglycerides (r = 0.26, p = 0.001); and negatively associated with insulin sensitivity (r = -0.29, p = 0.002, n = 109). Subjects with type 2 diabetes showed significantly increased soluble serum HER-2 concentrations. In different multivariate regression models, fasting triglycerides emerged as the factor that independently contributed to 10-11% of serum HER-2 variance.
Serum HER-2 concentrations correlated significantly with fasting triglycerides and insulin sensitivity index in subjects from cohort 2. Weight loss led to a significant decrease of serum HER-2 concentrations. The change in serum HER-2 concentrations were significantly associated with the change in percent body fat and fasting triglycerides in young (below the median age of the cohort) subjects.
Serum HER-2 concentrations might be implicated in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and associated comorbidities.
- Insulin Resistance
- Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor
- Metformin
- Breast Cancer Risk
- Fasting Triglyceride
Some cancers -including those of the breast [1], colorectum [2], endometrium [3], liver [4], and pancreas [5] occur more commonly in individuals with diabetes. A recent meta-analysis of 20 studies showed that women with (versus without) diabetes had a statistically significant 20% increased risk of breast cancer (RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.12-1.28) [6].
The mechanisms underlying the relation between type 2 diabetes and breast cancer risk may be related to alterations in circulating concentrations of insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). It is well known that insulin resistance and increased insulin secretion for long periods are characteristics of type 2 diabetes both before and after disease onset. Insulin has been demonstrated to have mitogenic effects on breast tissue [7, 8], and insulin receptors are frequently over-expressed in breast cancer cells [9, 10]. A positive association between circulating concentrations of insulin or C-peptide and breast cancer risk has been observed in several [11–15], but not in all epidemiologic studies [16–18]. Elevated insulin concentrations may also stimulate tumor growth by increasing bioavailable IGF-I [19]. High circulating IGF-I concentrations have been shown to predict premenopausal breast cancer risk [20].
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family was the first growth factor receptor to be identified in cancer cells [21]. There are four members of the EGFR family: EGFR, c-erbB-2 (HER2), erbB3 and erbB4. The unligated, monomeric receptor does not appear capable of signalling. The receptors need to oligomerize -usually in response to ligands- before intracellular signalling is initiated. Each family member has unique characteristics: the EGFR binds ligands and its kinase is activated by asymmetric interactions with the other family members [22].
HER2 (also known as neu and as c-erbB-2, which encodes a Mr185,000 transmembrane glycoprotein receptor) is a proto-oncogene of the EGF receptor family of receptor tyrosine kinases that does not bind ligands but is poised to associate with ligand-activated forms of the other family members [22]. These receptors are composed of an extracellular binding domain, a transmembrane lipophilic segment, and an intracellular protein tyrosine kinase domain with a regulatory carboxyl terminal segment [23]. Full-length HER2 undergoes a proteolytic event that results in the release of the soluble ECD/HER-2 fragment and, concomitantly, in the production of an amino-terminally truncated, cell-associated, HER2 fragment that contains the kinase domain (designated as HER2 p95 because of its molecular weight) with enhanced signaling activity [24].
ECD/HER-2 can be released by proteolytic cleavage from the full-length HER2 receptor. Like EGFR, it is a tyrosine kinase receptor whose activation leads to proliferative signals within the cells. Because HER-2 is the preferred dimerization partner when heterodimers are formed, it is important for signaling through ligands specific for any members of the family. Levels of circulating ECD/HER-2 are easily detectable in the serum of breast cancer patients and its measurement has been proved useful to monitor women with metastatic breast cancer, to detect the early appearance of recurrent breast cancer and to predict response to hormonal therapy or chemotherapy [25, 26]. Recently, we have found that metformin led to down-regulation of HER-2 expression in in vitro models [27]. We hypothesised that the change in insulin action induced by metformin was behind this observation. If this was the case, systemic insulin action might interact with circulating HER-2 concentration. We thus aimed to evaluate circulating HER-2 concentration in association with insulin sensitivity in a cross-sectional study in healthy men, and in a longitudinal study in obese subjects.
Cohort 1 Subjects
One hundred and seventy-seven consecutive men fulfilling inclusion criteria and enrolled in a cross-sectional, population-based study on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy subjects in Northern Spain were studied. All subjects were of Caucasian origin and reported that their body weight had been stable for at least three months before the study. None of the patients were taking any medication or had any evidence of metabolic disease other than obesity. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test according to the American Diabetes Association Criteria was performed in all subjects. Of these subjects, 100 had strictly normal glucose tolerance, 38 showed impaired glucose tolerance and 29 had previously unknown type 2 diabetes (either in fasting conditions or during the oral glucose tolerance test).
Inclusion criteria for all subjects were: 1) body mass index (BMI) < 40 kg/m2, 2) absence of any systemic disease, 3) alcohol intake less than 40 g a day. Informed written consent was obtained after the purpose, nature, and potential risks were explained to the subjects. The protocol was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee.
Each subject was studied in the research laboratory in the fasting state. Patients were requested to withhold alcohol and caffeine during at least 12 h prior to the insulin sensitivity test. Insulin sensitivity was measured using the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test in those subjects who agreed (n = 109 of Cohort 1 subjects), as previously described [28].
Study of the effects of weight loss
Forty-two Caucasian obese volunteers (22 females, 20 males) attending the Endocrinology Department at the University Clinic of Navarra were recruited. Patients underwent a clinical assessment including medical history, physical examination, body composition analysis, co-morbidity evaluation as well as nutritional interviews performed by a multidisciplinary consultation team. All subjects were non-smokers. Patients with signs of infection were excluded. Obese patients were not receiving statins or antidiabetic medication.
Weight loss was achieved by prescription of a diet providing a daily energy deficit of 500-1000 kcal/d as calculated from the determination of the resting energy expenditure through indirect calorimetry (Vmax29, SensorMedics Corporation, Yorba Linda, California) and multiplication by 1.4 as indicated for sedentary individual's to obtain the patient's total energy expenditure. This hypocaloric regime allows a safe and steady weight loss of 0.5-1.0 kg/wk when followed and supplied 30, 54 and 16% of energy requirements in the form of fat, carbohydrates and protein, respectively.
In this study, body weight was measured with a digital scale to the nearest 0.1 kg, and height was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm with a Holtain stadiometer (Holtain Ltd., Crymych, UK). Body fat was estimated by air-displacement-plethysmography (Bod-Pod®, Life Measurements, Concord, California, USA). Data for estimation of body fat by this plethysmographic method has been reported to agree closely with the traditional gold standard hydrodensitometry (underwater weighing).
The institutional review board of the participant institutions approved the protocol, so we certify that all applicable institutional regulations concerning the ethical use of information and samples from human volunteers were followed during this research.
Analytical determinations
The serum glucose concentrations were measured in duplicate by the glucose oxidase method with the use of a Beckman Glucose Analyzer II (Beckman Instruments, Brea, Calif). Total serum cholesterol was measured through the reaction of cholesterol esterase/cholesterol oxidase/peroxidase, using a BM/Hitachi 747. HDL cholesterol was quantified after precipitation with polyethylene glycol at room temperature. Total serum triglycerides were measured through the reaction of glycerol-phosphate-oxidase and peroxidase. HbA1c was measured by the high-performance liquid chromatography method (Bio-Rad, Muenchen, Germany, and autoanalyser Jokoh HS-10, respectively). Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 4% for all these tests.
Serum insulin was measured in duplicate by monoclonal immunoradiometric assay (Medgenix Diagnostics, Fleunes, Belgium). The intra-assay coefficient of variation was 5.2% at a concentration of 10 mU/l and 3.4% at 130 mU/l. The inter-assay coefficients of variation were 6.9% and 4.5% at 14 and 89 mU/l, respectively.
In the effects of weight loss study, plasma glucose was analyzed by an automated analyzer (Roche/Hitachi Modular P800) as previously described [29] Insulin was measured by means of an enzyme-amplified chemilumi-nescence assay (IMMULITE®, Diagnostic Products Corp., Los Angeles, CA, USA). To estimate insulin resistance, the HOMA index was calculated as fasting insulin concentration (μU/mL) × fasting glucose concentration (mmol/L)/22.5.
HER2-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Determinations of circulating HER2 concentrations were centralized in a single laboratory and performed with a commercially available quantitative ELISA (Oncogene Science, Bayer Diagnostics) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Intra- and interassays coefficients of variation were lower than 8%. Two controls (high and low, as provided by the manufacturer) were run in each assay to confirm that recoveries fell within the expected ranges (9.8 ± 0.69 and 3.3 ± 0.34 ng/ml, respectively) for each level. Free IGF-I was determined using a 2-site immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) kit (Diagnostic Systems Laboratories; Webster, TX). The detection limit was 0.03 ng/mL, with an intra-assay variation less than 10% for concentrations below 2 ng/mL.
Statistical methods
Descriptive results of continuous variables are expressed as mean ± SD. Before statistical analysis, normal distribution and homogeneity of the variances were evaluated using Levene's test and then variables were given a log-transformation if necessary. These parameters (triglycerides, insulin sensitivity, and serum HER-2) were analyzed on a log scale and tested for significance on that scale. Relation between variables were tested using Pearson's test and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. We used chi-square test for comparisons of proportions, and ANOVA test with post-hoc Sheffé's test for comparisons of quantitative variables across categories of glucose tolerance. For a given value of p = 0.05, the study had a 99% power to detect significant correlations between parameters in the whole sample of subjects in a bilateral test (n = 167). The analysis were performed using the program SPSS (version 14.0).
Cohort 1 subjects
Clinical and biochemical variables of Cohort 1 subjects
Normal glucose tolerance
Impaired glucose tolerance
Type 2 diabetes
ANOVA p
Age [years]
50.7 ± 13
59.6 ± 10.2
58 ± 12.1
BMI [kg/m 2 ]
26.8 ± 3.3
28.3 ± 3.4
31.8 ± 6.9
Waist [cm]
90.4 ± 8.6
94.3 ± 9.1
104.6 ± 15.3
Systolic blood pressure [mm Hg]
124.7 ± 13
132.4 ± 17.3
138.8 ± 16.4
Diastolic blood pressure [mm Hg]
79 ± 9.1
83 ± 10.4
84.2 ± 11
Cholesterol [mg/dl]
205.5 ± 40.3
227.4 ± 41.7
211.8 ± 34.8
LDL-cholesterol [mg/dl]
132.8 ± 37.2
149.2 ± 34.6
129.3 ± 37.8
HDL- cholesterol [mg/dl]
53 ± 12.4
51.4 ± 11.5
47.3 ± 12
Log-Triglycerides [mg/dl]
1.94 ± 0.21
2.06 ± 0.21
2.13 ± 0.25
Fasting glucose [mg/dl]
95 ± 9.8
102.3 ± 11.5
138.5 ± 23
Fasting insulin [mU/l]
8 ± 4
12.1 ± 6.2
14.3 ± 9.7
HbA 1c [%]
4.8 ± 0.55
4.9 ± 0.4
5.9 ± 1
120' OGTT glucose [mg/dl]
108.3 ± 19.3
164.4 ± 19.4
233.2 ± 21.7
Log Insulin sensitivity [min -1 *10 -4 *mU/L]*
0.58 ± 0.19
0.38 ± 0.17
0.16 ± 0.16
Free IGF-I [ng/ml]
1.51 ± 1.13
1.20 ± 1.05
0.47 ± 0.56†
HER-2 [ng/ml]
9.6 ± 2.2
10.4 ± 1.8
11.4 ± 1.9†
Multiple linear regression analyses with circulating HER-2 as dependent variable Serum glucose 120'OGTT, serum glucose at 120 mins of the oral glucose tolerance test
Dependent variable CIRCULATING HER-2
Independent Variables
Serum glucose at 120' OGTT
Log insulin sensitivity
Fasting triglycerides
Adjusted R 2
Cohort 2. Weight loss study
Subjects' characteristics in the weight loss study
Post-weight loss
Number of participants
30 [15 men, 15 women]
Age [years]
45.1 ± 14.9
BMI [kg/m 2 ]
36.6 ± 9.5
30.3 ± 5.4
Percent body fat [%]
43.7 ± 8.6
35 ± 9.6
0.96 ± 0.09
0.93 ± 0.07
SBP [mmHg]
128.2 ± 17.7
122 ± 14.9
DBP [mmHg]
81.8 ± 10.1
77.2 ± 7.5
Fasting glucose [mg/dl]
96 ± 11.9
89.8 ± 8.3
Insulin [mU/l]
18 ± 13
12 ± 6.1
Total cholesterol [mg/dl]
204.4 ± 35.7
175.6 ± 25.3
HDL-cholesterol [mg/dl]
53.2 ± 13.7
51.4 ± 12.8
LDL-cholesterol [mg/dl]
125.6 ± 32.8
108.6 ± 22
Log 10 Fasting Triglycerides
2.00 ± 0.17
1.87 ± 0.16
4.1 ± 3.4
2.5 ± 1.3
HER-2 [ng/ml]
10.2 ± 2.6
8.2 ± 1.8
Serum HER-2 concentrations are proportional to tissue HER-2 signalling activity [24]. We here describe that circulating HER-2 concentrations were positively associated with insulin resistance and fasting triglycerides in 2 cohorts of subjects. In different multiple linear regression analyses, fasting triglycerides constituted and independent factor that best explained the variance of circulating HER-2 in cohort 1 subjects. Furthermore, weight loss led to significantly decreased serum HER-2 concentrations. This decrease was especially remarkable in young subjects (arbitrarily defined as those below the median age of the cohort studied) in whom serum HER-2 concentration decreased from 11.1 ± 2.9 to 7.8 ± 1.7 ng/ml (p < 0.0001), while this decrease did not reach statistical significance in older subjects (9.77 ± 2.3 vs. 8.7 ± 1.6 ng/ml, p = 0.09). The decrease in young subjects was in parallel to decreased body fat and fasting triglycerides. The significance of this age-discordant effects remains to be established in a larger cohort of subjects. It should be recognized that the number of subjects studied is relatively small and the findings observed might be limited by study size. In cancer patients, the association between hormonal receptors and HER2/neu overexpression also varies with age. The hormone receptors are not an independent predictor for the HER2/neu status in young women while they are in elder patients [30].
A positive association between circulating concentrations of insulin or C-peptide and breast cancer risk has been observed in several [11–15], but not in all epidemiologic studies [16–18]. Type 2 diabetic patients in the present study showed both increased fasting insulin and serum HER-2 concentrations, two factors that may potentially increase cancer risk.
The mechanism behind the associations described here should be explored further. In this sense, it is important to note that Hsp90 regulates the intracellular trafficking and stability of both nascent HER-2 [31] and insulin and IGF-I receptors [19]. On the other hand, in patients with leprechaunism there are functional abnormalities of the EGF receptor, as well as of the insulin receptor, coined as multiple growth factor-resistant syndrome, that may contribute to the severity of the syndrome [32]. An interesting question raised by these studies was whether insulin resistance could lead to modulation of other receptors' function. In fact, evidence of EGF receptor abnormalities in several animal models of diabetes has been reported. Ob/ob and db/db mice were found to have a 70-80% decrease in EGF binding in liver membranes associated with decreased EGF receptor phosphorylation and decreased EGF receptor mRNA levels [33]. EGF binding and receptor phosphorylation was observed to be reduced in liver membranes from streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats [34]. The meaning of increased circulating HER-2 in a scenario of insulin resistance (current findings) should be explored further.
Metformin led to down-regulation of HER-2 in in vitro models [27], and overexpression of fatty acid synthase gene (implicated in the synthesis of endogenous fatty acids and triglycerides) activated HER1/HER2 tyrosine kinase receptors in human breast epithelial cells [35].
Regarding other potential mechanisms, cleavage of the HER2 ectodomain is a process that is inhibited by the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases-1 [24]. Taking into account this information, we explored the association of circulating HER-2 with other circulating molecules whose concentrations are dependent on the activity of metalloproteases. Interestingly, in patients with type 2 diabetes, serum HER-2 concentrations were positively associated with serum soluble tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) receptor 1 [r = 0.65, p = 0.001, n = 21] and serum DLK-1 (r = 0.81, p = 0.007, n = 9) (data not shown). In fact, TNF-α caused a dose-dependent decrease in insulin-stimulated IRS-1 phosphorylation and EGF-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation to 47-50% of control in in vitro studies. It could be speculated that TNF-α might be behind concomitant insulin resistance and EGF resistance, leading to increased circulating HER-2 levels [36].
Other members of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family (neuregulins, which bind erb3 and erb4 receptors) modulate muscle metabolism by inducing glucose uptake, independently of insulin [37], and by regulating glucose transporter expression [38]. In fact, anti-neuregulin receptor-blocking antibodies impair contraction-induced glucose uptake [39]. Betacellulin-delta4 also ameliorates glucose intolerance in streptozotocin-treated rats [40].
The strenghts of this manuscript are the study of an homogenous sample of subjects and the use of a strong measure of insulin sensitivity (minimal model method) in cohort 1's subjects. Limitations include the evaluation of men in cohort 1 and of men and women in cohort 2.
In summary, circulating HER-2 concentrations were associated with insulin resistance in healthy subjects, significantly increased in patients with type 2 diabetes and decreased after weight loss in obese subjects. The role of serum HER-2 concentrations in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and associated co-morbidities should be explored further.
This study was partly funded by grant SAF2008-02073 (to J.M.F-R.) and by CIBERobn Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición from the Ministry of Science and Innovation from Spain.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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With every one of the advertising showing for ionized www.reviewzrock.com/tyent-water-filtration-systems-a-consumer-backed-company-review/ drinking water filters 1 needs to question the issue, is alkaline drinking water fantastic for you? These solutions are claimed to supply you with water which is rich in anti-oxidants, is superb for neutralizing the negative outcome of extremely acidic foodstuff, as well as may possibly play a job in helping to continue to keep you from building cancer. Can this seemingly miraculous filter do, actually do these points?
The best way that an ionizer works is thru electrolysis, or the introduction of an electrical demand to the water. The end result of including this electric cost is alleged for being which the alkalinity on the dealt with drinking water climbs as substantial as 12. The "experts" express that such substantial alkalinity is essential when the aim of raising the body's blood alkalinity degrees and it is actually in this particular large array which the ionized h2o is best in increasing your wellbeing.
Now, to obtain back into the answer on the dilemma is alkaline h2o excellent in your case.
The answer to put it briefly isn't any, because the health and fitness claims companies are earning about the health benefits of ingesting ionized drinking water are according to no credible scientific proof. What you're fundamentally performing after you order considered one of these very pricey ionizing techniques is throwing very good income down the drain.
The fact is that it is impossible to raise your blood alkalinity degree towards the unbelievable heights that ionizer manufacturers declare it is possible to, and when it was probable doing so would incredibly probably eliminate you. Take into consideration the statements of ionized drinking water for a cancer preventative, which can be according to laboratory (not clinical) proof that cancer cells can not endure inside of a superior alkaline natural environment. This is often incredibly accurate, but none of the other cells inside your entire body can survive in such an ecosystem possibly.
If it would not in fact enhance your blood alkalinity amounts and act as a cancer preventative, is alkaline water superior for you due to the anti-oxidants it provides? Anti-oxidants are vitamins and minerals necessary for neutralizing unsafe absolutely free radical molecules made by means of the oxidation process. However, ionized water does not supply you with these worthwhile vitamins, and in alone has an oxidizing outcome around the system.
Now, we transfer into the closing declare that ionized water neutralizes belly acid, and is needed for counteracting the outcome of remarkably acidic foods. Your body quickly reacts to neutralize higher acid concentrations from the body, by releasing far more bicarbonate and less carbon dioxide. Should the human body were to become too alkaline your body would deliver less bicarbonate, and even more carbon dioxide.
Is alkaline water superior for you because of the reality that the filter eliminates hazardous contaminants from the ingesting h2o? The solution to this concern isn't any, for the reason that we've been referring to an electrolysis system rather than an real drinking water filter. Merely a water filter that features activated granular carbon, ion trade, plus a sub micron filter gets rid of contaminants from ingesting water, and an ionizing machine functions none of those people.


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Pearson is the "800-pound gorilla" in state testing. -- Barry Topol, the managing partner for the Assessment Solutions Group,EdWeek reports:
Two of the biggest names in testing are locked in a dispute over one of the most coveted jewels in the K-12 market: the right to oversee a suite of assessments in California, a state with about one-eighth of the country's students.$1.2 Billion Market
California is one of 18 states giving tests created by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, a group of states that has designed exams aligned with the common-core standards.
Smarter Balanced is leaving the administration of those tests to individual states. California asked vendors to bid to administer its common-core exams in English/language arts and math, and for testing work in science and other subjects over the next three academic years, starting in 2015-16.
The overall market for summative assessment—typically defined as tests designed to measure student academic progress at the end of a school year or a course—stands at about $1.2 billion a year, said a Danville, Calif.-based company that consults with states on testing. So a California contract potentially worth up to $80 million a year represents a big piece of that pie.


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After the biographies written by Bruno Jaffré, La patrie ou la mort and Ndongo Samba Sylla's Rediscovering Sankara, Martyr de la liberté, and several hours spent on Thomas Sankara site, I came across the book written by Sennen Andriamirado. Sankara, le rebelle is one of the first biographies ever written on Sankara, but I could not get my hands on it for the simple reason that … it is no longer published!
Sennen Andriamirado tries to depict a man driven by an ideal – the Revolution – but with its faults and shortcomings. Together with his three sidekicks, Jean-Baptiste Lingani, Henri Zongo and Blaise Compaoré, Thomas Sankara with his famous shocking saying "Woe to those who gag the people!", would live and would bring this dear revolution to life to his compatriots.
Sankara, le rebelle is a must-read and to be recommended to others! Sennen Andriamirado, who was also taken in his prime, did a superb job of memory recollection!


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Every spring I have such great hopes of an apartment Deck Garden, but some years I just drop the ball entirely and don't get my seeds started in time.
Not this year though! (Well, I've made a start, anyway)
I had a couple of cardboard egg cartons that I didn't want to toss, and thought, "why don't I turn you guys in to seed starter pots?!" Much more economical that buying those peat-pots, which are great, but any time I can use something I have on-hand, I'm gonna.
So, not that an idea this simple needs a step-by-step….I'm gonna do just that!
So I took my lovely egg cartons and cut the tops off at the hinge. I also removed the little flappy bit at the front. Originally I was thinking I'd use the carton top as a tray, but changed my mind, as you'll see.
So logically, I took my cartons out to my deck, where I have a bag of dirt left over from some other planting project. I discovered that along with the dirt inside, it also had a whole colony of these teeny annoying fungus gnats! *Scoff of frustration*
Well, right then and there, I knew i wouldn't be bringing my seeding pots back inside – I didn't want to expose my indoor plants to these little pests!
So taking my chances that these stupid bugs will disperse once the dirt is out of the closed-up bag and not harm my seedlings, I went ahead and filled my egg cartons with dirt and sprinkled in my seeds.
I'm starting slow, but plan to plant more seeds. Right now I'm just starting with LOTS of basil, and some fun decorative greenry and chinese lanterns (we'll see if they sprout).
So I'm leaving my seed pots outdoors – it's well past the danger of frost here. And just to give my seeds a little bit more security/cover I decided to use the egg carton lids as…well, lids.
Not very attractive, I know! But perhaps the added cover will act like a slight greenhouse when the sun shines and will warm up the seeds, and they'll think it's time to grow.
If anyone else wants to try out the egg-carton method of seed pots, and you don't have the problem of pests in your soil, you can definitely do this indoors until your sprouts are ready to transplant. Just be sure you have a water-proof tray underneath, because the cartons will absorb the water and get pretty soggy. You don't want to damage your furniture!
The absorbent nature of the egg cartons will make sure your soil stays nice and moist, incase you forget to water them for a couple of days…I'm sure this will be the case with me!
Hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll be seeing something like this:
pretty basil picture from here!
Fingers crossed. I'll let you know how it goes!
Anyone else getting their planting on? What do you plan to have in your garden this year?


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By: Jake Peroni (Three Beers) –
Odds are you're not aching to see this one. In fact, if you don't have kids you might not have even heard of this movie. Those of us "lucky" enough to fall victim to the absolute dribble being marketed to our kids as entertainment these days are forced to take notice. Fortunately for us, the door swings the other way as well. The higher budget computer animated kids movies are being stuffed like a prom queen with jokes aimed to elude the child and make the parents laugh.
How to Train Your Dragon is your typical misfit kid story. Struggling to fit in, he eventually learns that being unique is the greatest prize of all. Jay Baruchel (otherwise known as the "only not famous guy" from Tropic Thunder), voices the lead character named Hiccup. Hiccup is a scrawny, awkward teenager with a smug Joel McHale-type personality. So much so that to prepare for the role all Jay did was watch Christian Slater in Kuffs over and over again. The problem is that Hiccup is a Viking. As we all know, Vikings are burly, mean, and completely obsessed with killing dragons.
You're all under arrest, now lay on the ground or something
At first Hiccup wants to be just like all the other Vikings, but after failing to kill the most mysterious dragon of all, the "Night Fury", he ends up befriending it instead. In no time Hiccup and his dragon are as tight as Turner and Hooch. But, Hiccup is leading a double life. When he is not frolicking with his dragon friend, he is being trained along with the other Viking youth, to kill dragons. It eventually all comes to a boil and Hiccup is forced to defy his Viking beliefs and unify the two enemies for a common good.
A Toast
This film is very well thought out. Although we couldn't care less about the multiple species of dragons and their special abilities, there was plenty of family friendly action mixed with subtle comedy. Hiccup's quest to win over his peers and challenge authority led to an E.T.-like climax that kept my interest enough to not turn it off even after my kids fell asleep. Although this movie was not loaded with adult humor like Shrek for example, it did keep the audience engaged throughout the evolving story.
Beer Two
Vikings didn't have to worry about Craig Hanson
Hiccup's love interest Astrid (voiced by Ugly Betty's America Ferrera) has a forced chemistry with Hiccup. There was simply no need for a love story to be mixed into this. This was an obvious studio requirement for just another movie glorifying what in reality was a monstrous culture of men, magically morphed into an enchanting time of existence for our children. (Case in point, my nephew wants to go searching for Captain Jack Sparrow off the coast ofSomalia.) Although, watching a film about Vikings without the constant anxiety of the female lead being raped must be what makes it a family movie.
The real life Viking Captain Smoot on the prowl once again
Beer Three
For those watching with children, there will always be plenty of questions from the peanut gallery. This movie seems to spoon feed them to our children. (And for those not watching with children, stop being weird and watch a real movie.)
"Why does everyone have a Scottish Accent and Hiccup Doesn't?"
"Why do the dragons eat all the sheep but not the people?"
"Why won't he just tell them the dragons are good?"
"How does that thing make him fly?"
Just imagine every sip of this beer accompanied by an "I don't know" because you've exhausted every other answer for them.
This movie doesn't quite reach the level of entertainment we have come to expect from movies like Megamind, but its story is enough to allow us to sit and "bond" with our children, while not having to talk to them. A decent waste of 98 minutes.
Bonus Drinking Game
Take a Drink: whenever a dragon breaths fire
Take a Drink: whenever Hiccup is referred to as "this"
Take a Drink: every time a Viking connects a punch.