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Polyelectrolyte Multilayers
What is a Polyelectolyte Multilayer (PEM)?
PEMs are composed of alternating layers of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes (PEs) (synthetic PEs or biomolecules), which are generally built up based on the Layer-by-Layer technique. [1,2] Due to their potential applications as membrane, encapsulation and matrix materials, and for enzymes and proteins in sensor applications, PEMs have stimulated great interests from both academic researchers and industries.[3] See also a PEM website. Despite the large number of experimental works, theoretical and computational studies toward understanding the microscopic structure of PEMs are scarce.[4]
Our Research
In close collaboration with experimental investigations from groups of Prof. von Klitzing and Prof. Hugel, we are currently working to investigate the inner structure and dynamics of a small layer number of PEMs via all-atom (AA) and coarse-grained (CG) simulations. The project is funded by the DFG SPP 1369: Polymer-Solid Contacts: Interfaces and Interphases
The AA level simulations proved to be consistent with existing experimental data on chain conformation of adsorbed poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) in PSS monolayer systems, dielectric permittivity and diffusion constant of water in PSS/PDADMA polyelectrolyte complexes (PDADMA stand for poly(diallyldimethylammonium)).
So far, we are building the PSS/PDADMA bilayers based on the previously obtained PSS monolayers and we are expecting to extract exciting information from these studies. The simulation of a bilayer represents our final goal for atomistic simulations of PMEs so far, due to the high requirement of computer resources (ca. 1000 000 cpu hours in total).
Due to the limitations of atomistic simulations, further insight into structure and dynamics of PEMs can be achieved only with simulations at CG level. Qualitative understanding and agreement with experiments has been obtained by us using the already existing generic bead-spring PE model. However, a refined CG PE model is needed in order to be quantitatively predictive. This is part of our next working program.
Some selected results obtained during the last 2.5 years are:
a) Bilayer thermodynamical instability
Our CG level simulations have shown that depending on the relative strength of the monomer-monomer and monomer-surface interaction energies, a progressive redissolution of the first bilayer or a partial dewetting resulting in a disordered melt can happen.
We have shown that a fast enough deposition of the third layer -- before the aging process -- can prevent such redissolution or partial dewetting and provide the stability needed to form a PEM. We have checked that the deposition of further layers is a stable process. This suggests that the first PE bilayer is not thermodynamically stable, while tri-layers and higher layers are stable, at least within the long run time of our simulations.
b) Charge compensation mechanism
In our AA level simulations on PSS/PDADMA complexes, intrinsic (polyanions pair with polycations) and extrinsic (polyions pair with salt ions) charge compensation mechanisms have been found to co-exist, although the intrinsic one is predominant in the investigated salt (NaCl) concentration range from 0.17 to 1.00 mol/L.
Furthermore, the relative scale of the interaction energy of the ion-pairs in such PSS/PDADMA mixture is calculated to follow (in kJ/mol): Na-Cl (-520) > PSS-Na (-420) > PDADMA-Cl (-280) ~ PSS-PDADMA (-270). The relative scale of the interaction energy can be very useful to explain some experimental finding, such as PSS is found to be in a higher concentration than PDADMA in PSS/ PDADMA complexes [5]. This information is also valuable to properly model the interactions between ion-pairs in the upcoming refined CG model.
c) PSS adsorption monolayer
The PSS monolayer is diposited from a PSS solution via atomistic simulations. Our results demonstrate that short-range interactions of van der Waals origin from the adsorbing substrate play a significant role in the layer structure of the adsorbed PSS, and they alone are already sufficient to induce a stable PSS adsorption layer. The PSS chains are found to behave as hydrophilic PEs, two kinds of conformations of which are observed: flat PSS adsorption layer dominates with some adsorbed PSS chains dangling into the above PSS solution.
d) PE chain pulling experiment
The present, non-refined CG model yields a qualitative agreement with the experiments by the Hugel group. This makes us confident that maybe even a quantitative comparison might be obtainable once the refined coarse-grained model will be ready.
In the computer simulations on PE pulling experiments, a PE chain, which is similar to the PE chains of the capping layer, is introduced with the corresponding counterions. The averaged force, that is needed to keep one of the chain ends fixed at a given point Z_{tip}, is measured by performing several independent runs. The position of the chain tip is slowly increased to a new value where a new measurement was performed.
René Messina, Christian Holm, Kurt Kremer.
Polyelectrolyte Multilayering in Spherical Geometry.
Langmuir 19:4473–4482, 2003.
[PDF] (963 KB) [Preprint]
René Messina, Christian Holm, Kurt Kremer.
Polyelectrolyte Adsorption and Multilayering on Charged Colloidal particles.
Journal of Polymer Science, Part B: Polymer Physics 42:3557, 2004.
Juan J. Cerdà, Baofu Qiao, Christian Holm.
Understanding polyelectrolyte multilayers: an open challenge for simulations.
Soft Matter 5:4412–4425, 2009.
Juan J. Cerdà, Baofu Qiao, Christian Holm.
Modeling strategies for polyelectrolyte multilayers.
European Journal of Physics Special Topics 177(1):129–148, 2009.
Baofu Qiao, Juan J. Cerdà, Christian Holm.
Poly(styrenesulfonate)-Poly(diallyldimethylammonium) Mixtures: Toward the Understanding of Polyelectrolyte Complexes and Multilayers via Atomistic Simulations.
Macromolecules 43(18):7828–7838, 2010.
Baofu Qiao, Juan J. Cerdà, Christian Holm.
Atomistic Study of Surface Effects on Polyelectrolyte Adsorption: Case Study of a Poly(styrenesulfonate) Monolayer.
Macromolecules 44(6):1707–1718, 2011.
[1] J. Schmitt, G. Decher and G. Hong. Thin Solid Films, 1992, 210/211, 831.URL
[2] G. Decher, Science,1997, 277, 1232. URL
[3] J. B. Schlenoff, Langmuir, 2009, 25, 14007.URL
[4] A. V. Dobrynin. Curr. Opin. Colloid Interface Sci, 2008, 13, 376.URL
[5] H. H. Hariri, and J. B. Schlenoff, Macromolecules, 2010, DOI: 10.1021/ma1012978. URL


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It's winter in North America; is that going to keep an intrepid adventure from leaving the house and getting out for some urban adventures? No, no it is not. Because we know that if we bundle up good, we will be rewarded with hot chocolate in cozy cafes, sparkling conversation while looking at art in uncrowded galleries, and a certain self satisfaction for not caving in and staying home when it's 36 and raining (or worse) in our favorite cities. All that's ours because we have wrapped up in a very good coat.
Nau's Radiant Trench fits the bill for winter travel and sightseeing. This trench style coat with a full (zip-off) hood and down fill works great for fighting the weather as you go about your city touring. You'll stay dry and warm and look good in even a Seattle December squall. (I know, that's the weather I tested this thing in.)
The coat has your classic trench coat styling – knee length, belted waist – but the fabric has a nice subtle gray on gray plaid pattern. It's got a slightly narrow fit so you don't look like nothing but giant coat when you're wearing it. It's got a skirt slash in the back that snaps shut (if you're that kind of skinny) and a two-way zipper with a snap over flap in the front to keep the weather out. The hood – it zips off – is adjustable for fit and holds its shape so you can see out. And you can snap the cuffs to a slightly more narrow fit to keep the wind out of your sleeves, too. Pair it with some excellent winter boots, you'll look great and be weatherproofed, big time.
I wanted the pockets to be configured slightly differently. I like the two big flap pockets on the front, but they don't work well as hand warmer pockets. I'd have liked slash pockets at the waist or underneath the flap pockets. I pulled the sleeves down over the backs of my hands to stay warm. There's an inside pocket with a pass-through for your headphones and that's nice, but given all the coat real estate you have, it might have been nice to have an additional inside pocket for… stuff.
The down fill on this thing is great; it's very warm without being heavy. It's a lot of coat, you're going to want to wear it instead of packing it because it doesn't smash down to super small, but hey, it's winter, you're going to sacrifice some space and pack a bit heavier than usual so you'll stay warm. I usually lean towards wool for winter wear – outer, too – but I like the water repellant fabric this coat is made from.
The Radiant Trench is completely wind and waterproof and keeps you warm and dry in very nasty weather. No matter how much I love this city in the off-season, downtown Seattle in darkest winter is cold and wet. If you're of the bold sort that likes city travel in more challenging weather (think Vienna Christmas markets or New York shopping, for example) you absolutely need a good coat. Ladies, this one's for you.
Not cheap at $399, but built to last with a generous warranty. Add it to your winter wish list along with a winter trip to… well, you decide.

subset: commoncrawl


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Cochin PackagingCochin Packaging is providing significant help in choosing the right company of reliable packers and movers in Cochin Kerala that cares about your relocation requirements, with personal attention. We are providing their services not only for home shifting aka residential relocation but also for office shifting, corporate relocation, commercial goods shifting, and vehicle transportation. Additionally, they also provide some value-added services, such as warehousing & storage, pet moving, house plants moving, bike shifting, fragile items moving, specialty items and a lot more.
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Fatal error: Uncaught DivisionByZeroError: Modulo by zero in /home/movingsolutions/public_html/company/home.php:794 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/movingsolutions/public_html/company/home.php on line 794


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Ohio now bans abusive dog breeding practices that previously earned the state a reputation as one of the laxest for dog breeding rules in the nation. With the new rules, dog breeders must maintain improved living conditions for the dogs, including standards for cage size, regular grooming, veterinary examinations and socialization. The rules earned praise from many animal activists as a step forward, but some say the bill should act as a start that leads to even stronger regulations.
City Council advanced a largely progressive agenda that moves forward with initiatives aimed at job training, homelessness and inclusion. Specifically, the Democratic majority on council acted as the foundation in keeping controversial contracting rules for sewer contracts, continuing support for a permanent supportive housing facility in Avondale and approving a new study that will look into potential race- and gender-based disparities in how the city awards business contracts. With the Democratic coalition seemingly established on most issues facing the city, it's now much clearer what direction council will take the city over the next four years.
Hamilton County commissioners yesterday proposed a compromise with the city over controversial contracting rules for Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) and Greater Cincinnati Water Works projects. Although both sides agree the issue must be resolved soon to avoid a costly legal battle and allow MSD to carry on with work on a federally mandated overhaul of the local sewer system, the Democratic-controlled city and Republican-controlled county have failed to reach a resolution. Since the county put MSD projects on hold in protest of the city's rules, $152 million worth of sewer projects and 649 potential jobs have been put on hold, according to data from Councilman Charlie Winburn, a Republican who opposes the rules.
Councilmen P.G. Sittenfeld and Chris Seelbach questioned whether recent personnel changes at City Hall violated the city charter. The concern is whether Mayor John Cranley pushed Interim City Manager Scott Stiles to move John Curp from his previous role as city solicitor to chief counsel of the city's utilities. Sittenfeld and Seelbach noted the charter prevents the mayor and council members from interfering with personnel decisions. But Stiles declined to answer and sidestepped Seelbach and Sittenfeld's questions.
Commentary: "Republicans Continue Hindering Access to the Ballot."
Cincy Bike Share still needs more funds to launch.
Cincinnati has the most unhappy employees in the country, according to an analysis by CareerBliss.
Ohio Democrats and Republicans have begun a push for a May 6 ballot initiative that would expand state spending on road, bridge, water, sewer and other local public works projects.
Micah Kamrass yesterday filed petition signatures with the Hamilton County Board of Elections, making him the likely Democratic candidate to replace State Rep. Connie Pillich, a Democrat, as she runs for state treasurer. Kamrass will likely face off against Republican Rick Bryan.
A condemned Ohio killer will be executed with a new, never-tried lethal injection method adopted after the state's previous drug supplies dried up.
Ohio high-school students could receive some school credit for off-campus religious education attended during regular school hours, thanks to a new bill passed by the Republican-controlled Ohio House of Representatives.
If damage related to potholes is $10,000 or less, drivers can file a complaint at the little-known Ohio Court of Claims and get their money back. In the past five years, reimbursements for more than 1,300 Ohioans cost the state nearly half a million dollars.
The secretary of state's office announced early voting hours for the upcoming primary election here. If Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune decides to stay in the gubernatorial race and challenge Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, the primary election would decide which Democrat will face off against Republican Gov. Kasich in November.
Most Americans avoided vaccinations during the previous flu season — a trend experts attribute to increased complacency toward the virus.
University of Cincinnati researchers say they wants to dispel the belief that drones are only used to kill.
For example, a collapsible, camera-toting drone currently in development could be used just to spy on people.
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• Music: @CityBeatMusic
• German Lopez: @germanrlopez


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Akaroa Museum has a complete run of the Akaroa Mail, beginning with the first issue published on 21/07/1876.
This newspaper is available digitally between the years 1877 to 1939 on the National Library's website Papers Past. Researchers needing to access the years 1876 or 1940 onwards may utilise the museum's collection by appointment.
Within the museum's archives are minute books, letter books, statements of accounts, and lists of ratepayers related to the Akaroa Borough Council, Akaroa County Council, and the four Roads Boards [PDF 30KB].
A variety of historic maps, charts and plans are held by the museum. The photograph collection contains a large number of identified individual and group portraits, and also photographs of particular buildings, locations and occasions.
A smaller collection of paintings may also provide a useful record. Staff can usually supply a date or date range for individual photographs.
Researchers may request a digital copy for a standard fee although copyright restrictions may apply. Additional fees apply when publishing images of Akaroa Museum collections for commercial purposes.
Published and unpublished books, articles, theses and family histories related to Banks Peninsula.
School rolls and attendance registers for the following schools:
School reunion records, school photographs, teaching diaries, and other associated material also accompany some of these archives.
10.30am to 4.30pm,
seven days a week.


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Massachusetts would levy fines on supermarkets and restaurants that mislabel seafood and become the first state in the nation to ban the sale of escolar, an oily species known as the "ex-lax" fish that is often served as sushi, under legislation expected to be filed Friday.
The bill, proposed by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, comes more than a year after a Boston Globe report revealed widespread seafood substitution in restaurants across Massachusetts. In many instances, less desirable and cheaper species took the place of fresh local fish. A follow-up investigation published last fall found most of those restaurants were still mislabeling seafood.
Businesses caught misrepresenting fish such as Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, red snapper, or grey sole could face fines of up to $800 and have their license to operate suspended or revoked after repeat offenses, according to the legislation.
"We want to make sure if you're led to believe that you're eating fish off the bay, it really is off the bay in Massachusetts, and not 3,000 miles or 6,000 miles away," said state Representative Ted Speliotis, a Danvers Democrat and cochairman of the joint committee. "It's an attempt on a statewide level to bring some standards to the fish industry."
The law would also prohibit the sale of escolar, frequently mislabeled as white tuna or albacore at sushi restaurants, and punish first-time violators with a minimum $400 fine or license suspension. Albacore, a white tuna desired for its mild taste, is not related to escolar and typically costs 20 percent more.
Escolar, a fast-growing fish found in tropical and temperate waters around the world, is banned in Italy and Japan but is legally available across the United States.
The Food and Drug Administration, which oversees the labeling of imported and domestically shipped fish, advises against the sale of escolar because it contains an oil that sometimes triggers severe gastrointestinal distress.
After the Globe's five-month investigation in 2011, several restaurants — including Kowloon in Saugus, Oishii Sushi Bar in Chestnut Hill, and Skipjack's in Foxborough — stopped selling escolar they had sold as white tuna or super white tuna. But other restaurants, such as Mr. Sushi in Brookline, continued to substitute escolar for white tuna without telling their diners.
Stephen Yung, the owner of Seiyo Sushi & Fine Wine in Boston's South End, serves escolar labeled "white tuna (escolar)."
"I've used it for eight years, and I haven't had one person complain,'' said Yung, who opposes a ban on escolar. "Most customers who order it just have a couple of pieces, not a pound of it. It's extremely popular."
State officials pledged to improve the oversight of seafood sales in Massachusetts after the Globe found nearly half of the fish tested at 134 restaurants and supermarkets was mislabeled — and that few controls were in place to protect diners from potential health risks and overpaying for fish.
Nationwide, mislabeled seafood, which includes substituted species and fish with inaccurate weight labeling, is estimated to cost consumers and the industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually, according to industry groups.
Massachusetts already has some rules against the sale of misleading seafood that carry potential fines of $500, but state lawmakers said there is apparently no agency charged with enforcement.
The bill would give the Department of Public Health and the Department of Fish and Game authority to penalize businesses for mislabeling fish.
Peter Christie, president of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said he opposes the proposed escolar ban and fines for first-time mislabeling offenders.
"If there are some people who enjoy escolar, they should be able to have it," he said. "But it should be called escolar. I believe in truth in menu. There should be a warning period, not fines, on first offenses when it's an innocent mistake being made. Education is needed, and distributors need to be more forthcoming with details."
But Beth Lowell, a campaign director for Oceana, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on fighting seafood fraud, applauded the proposed legislation.
"Fines and penalties are good first steps to addressing seafood fraud. And we're supportive of the escolar ban given the high levels of mislabeling the health impacts of eating the fish," Lowell said.
"The ideal long-term solution to is to track fish from bait to plate so that all fish, whether local or imported, is safe, legal, and honestly labeled," she added.
Last summer, US representatives Edward Markey and Barney Frank, Democrats of Massachusetts, filed a bill that would force the fishing industry to publicly track seafood from the time it is caught and impose hefty fines for violators.
Markey plans in February to submit the legislation to the House of Representatives.
Beth Daley of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Jenn Abelson can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @jennabelson.


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I find it pretty rich that Rupert Murdoch, who could out-sinister Dick Cheney and Karl Rove, is attacking Scientology but whatever, that's another conversation. Murdoch, who is very, very close with Nicole Kidman, which is why none of his tabloids ever sh-t on her, was tweeting this weekend about Scientology. Here's what he wrote:
Scientology back in news. Very weird cult, but big, big money involved with Tom Cruise either number two or three in hiearchy.
Watch Katie Holmes and Scientology story develop. Something creepy, maybe even evil, about these people.
Maybe? Please. As IF he doesn't know. As IF they didn't try to recruit him at some point. But will this help Katie? Katie Holmes doesn't need his help. She's doing a great job helping herself.
Katie Holmes is the courageous mother who will fight to protect her child!
Katie Holmes staged a daring escape to save Suri from Scientology!
Katie Holmes is risking it all for the sake of her daughter!
Did Nicole?
Nicole Kidman has previously said that her children chose to stay with their father and therefore spending not too much time with their mother. Isabella and Connor have been raised as Scientologists. Theirs is the path that Katie doesn't want for Suri. Katie is taking on the Church so that Suri doesn't have their lives. Katie is doing what Nicole couldn't...or wouldn't?
In fairness, Tom Cruise was a lot more powerful when he and Nicole broke up. I'm sure she was extremely intimidated. But she was also protecting her own career. That's one of the ways he could have threatened her. And she made her choices accordingly. What's the answer though if you were to ask - did Nicole Kidman do EVERYTHING, sacrifice ANYTHING, for the wellbeing of her children?
The Katie Holmes-Tom Cruise split has dominated discussion the last 4 days. Those conversations have included Nicole and her kids and Tom Cruise's custody of those two kids - which is what Katie's trying to prevent. Of course the comparisons are inevitable. And because Katie's such a f-ckin' baller now, with nothing to lose, really, and not even a career because, let's face it, she's not winning an Oscar in 2 years the way Nicole did, in those comparisons, Nicole comes out wanting. To some it looks like Katie's throwing down against Xenu but Nicole, Nicole she just walked away...
So why is Rupert Murdoch getting all up in Katie's business? Well, the old bitch loves the attention, obviously, but he's also doing it for his friend. To remind us that his friend, the poor frail Nicole Kidman, faced an evil foe, a seemingly insurmountable one, and therefore should not be blamed for not standing up to it...


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Animals have been found to have infected humans sometime in the past with the common respiratory disease Chlamydia pneumoniae, according to Queensland University of Technology infectious disease expert Professor Peter Timms.
Unlike the sexually-transmitted form of chlamydia, Chlamydia pneumoniae is a major bacterial germ that causes widespread respiratory disease in humans.
The discovery was made by an international team of scientists from QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation and the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who used koalas to prove the link between Chlamydia pneumoniae in animals and humans.
"We were able to sequence the genome (an organism's hereditary information) of Chlamydia pneumoniae obtained from an Australian koala and found evidence that human Chlamydia pneumoniae was originally derived from an animal source," Professor Timms said.
"Infections acquired from wildlife, known as zoonotic infections, are one of the most significant growing threats to global human health.
"We've already seen the impact of zoonotic infections with the H1N1 influenza pandemic which spread worldwide and originated from swines/pigs."
Professor Timms said the research revealed evidence that humans were originally infected zoonotically by animal isolates of Chlamydia pneumoniae which have adapted to humans primarily through the processes of gene decay.
He said Chlamydia pneumoniae was originally an animal pathogen that crossed the species barrier to humans and had adapted to the point where it could now be transmitted between humans.
"What we think now is that Chlamydia pneumoniae originated from amphibians such as frogs," he said.
Professor Timms said it was important to understand the origins of zoonotic infections to know the risk animal infections have to humans.
"It means we can look for solutions such as developing improved diagnostic tests, ensuring people take appropriate precautions to prevent the disease spreading and also develop vaccines," he said.
Assistant Professor Garry Myers from the Institute for Genome Sciences said the findings indicated that the high disease burden of Chlamydia pneumoniae in humans may represent a major public health corollary of zoonotic infections.
The findings from the study have been published in the international Journal of Bacteriology.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Queensland University of Technology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Bombing suspect can be brought out of sedation to answer questions
BOSTON (CNN) -- Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, lies in a hospital with a gunshot wound to the side of his neck -- sedated and intubated, sources say.
But he could be brought out of sedation in minutes so he could answer questions from law enforcement officials, doctors tell CNN.
Intubated and sedated patients are often put on "sedation holidays."
Under normal circumstances, doctors use these holidays, which last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, so they can ask patients questions to assess neurological and cognitive functioning.
The patients can't talk - they have a tube down their throats - but they can write.
"They're still pretty out of it on these holidays, pretty confused and sleepy, but they could be able to understand what's being said to them," said Dr. Albert Wu, an internist and attending physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
While many patients are groggy during these holidays, others are quite awake and thoughtful.
Dr. Corey Siegel, a gastroenterologist and professor at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, remembers visiting his grandmother in the intensive care unit while she was intubated and sedated.
Fearing she might be dying, he asked her physicians to decrease her sedation so he could have one last conversation with her. She still couldn't talk but she could write on a notepad.
"She woke up in five minutes and had a conversation. It was March, and she told me where her tax materials were so she could file her taxes," Siegel remembers.
After a "sedation holiday" patients are put back under full sedation.
"It's like these patients are asleep," said Wu, a professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "They can't hold a conversation. They're really out of it."
Despite the sedation, some patients do respond a bit to what's going on around them.
They might, for example, grunt if a doctor taps them on the shoulder or says their name.
"They might squeeze your hand in response to a command or move their heads to a sound, but they can't answer questions," said Dr. Athos Rassias, associate professor of anesthesia and critical care at Dartmouth.
Doctors sedate intubated patients because it's uncomfortable and painful to have a tube down the throat and a machine forcing air into the lungs.


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Sell your Flower Mound house to NTX Home Buyers, and you get to choose the closing date! We buy houses in Flower Mound NOW!
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Our team is committed to helping you get out of your current situation. This is the easiest and fastest process EVER, and the best part is you'll get a cash offer for your house in just a few hours. What are you waiting for? Start the process now!
We're local Flower Mound home buyers that are wanting to go the extra mile for our clients. When someone reaches out to us, we're ready to help them out regardless of their current situation. We want to be there for you, which is why we have created the easiest 3 step process to help you sell your house on YOUR timeline. All you have to do is tell us all the details about your property, submit your information, and we will be contacting you back with an ALL CASH offer. If you've been thinking "who can buy my house in Flower Mound quickly?" here we are!
We're built on trust and integrity, which is why we want to help you and your family overcome this tough situation and get a quick and easy solution that will help you. We don't want to just pay cash for your house in Flower Mound, we want to help YOU.
Sometimes, working with a realtor just doesn't work with homeowners that are looking to sell their house in Flower Mound. We're home buyers that are ready to help homeowners in Flower Mound to sell their homes on their timeline with zero stress and zero commissions. We're not realtors, which is why our process is faster and doesn't involve any hard-to-read contracts or extra fees. We're ready to buy your property as-is and no renovations are needed. No process has ever been this easy! Start by filling out our form and then we'll contact you with an ALL-CASH offer for your house.
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We want to hear ALL the details about the property so we can help you better.
We are in the business of buying houses, not listing them. We buy houses in Flower Mound that meet our buying criteria and from there we either make the repairs needed and resell the property or keep it as a rental.
The houses that we purchase are below market value (we do this so we can resell for a profit). In our experience, homeowners looking to sell their home fast and for an all cash offer are willing to take a discount for the speed and flexibility we offer. Our goal is to be transparent along the entire process and we will lay all the numbers out so you know exactly how we got to our offer. Our goal is to come up with a win-win situation for all parties. (Besides, our no-obligation pricing commitment means that you do not have to move forward with the offer we give… but it's good to know what we offer.
Real estate agents list properties in hopes that someone will buy them. The agent shows the property to prospective buyers if there are any (the average time to sell a property in many markets is 6-12 months) and then they take a percentage of the sales price if they find a buyer. Oftentimes, the agent's commission is 3-6% of the sale price of your house (so if it's a $100,000 house, you'll pay between $3,000 – $6,000 in commissions to an agent). Agents provide a great service for those that can wait 6-12 months to sell, do the necessary work to get the home "market ready", and you don't want to have a set moving date, and don't mind giving up some of that sales price to pay for the commissions. AND that's how we're different: We're not agents, we're home buyers. Our company actually buys houses. We don't list houses. Since we're actually the one buying the house from you, and we pay with all cash… we can make a decision to buy your house within a couple of days(sometimes the same day), you don't have to make any repairs, and you get to choose when you move. Again, we make our living by taking the risk to buy the house with our own cash, repair the house, and market it ourselves to find a buyer (which is the hard part depending on the market).
This is what makes us different from the traditional method of selling your house: There are NO fees or commissions when you sell your house to us. We'll make you an offer, and if it's a fit then we'll buy your house (and we'll often pay for the closing costs too!). No hassle. No fees. We make our money after we pay for repairs on the house (if any) and sell it for a profit (we're taking the risks here on whether we can sell it for a profit or not, once we buy the house from you… the responsibility is ours and you walk away without the burden of the property and its payments… and often with cash in your hand).
Great question, and we're an open book: Our process is very straightforward and transparent. We look at the location of the property, what repairs are needed, the current condition of the property, values of comparable houses sold in the area recently., and the time it takes for those comparable homes to sell. We take many pieces of information into consideration… and come up with a win-win solution that makes all parties happy.
There is absolutely zero obligation for you. it's 100% your decision on whether or not you'd like to sell your house to us… and we won't hassle you, won't harass you… it's 100% your decision and we'll let you decide what's right for you.
1st, one of our team members will answer the phone or give you a call once you fill out the form. We will ask some questions about the property and your situation.
2nd, if the home fits our buying criteria, we will schedule a time to come out and look at the property and discuss your options and give you an offer.
3rd, if you agree to our offer, we schedule a date and time to close and get you paid!
This is important: WE NEVER EVER EVER give away or sell your information. We value and prioritize your privacy, and only essential personnel have access to these forms.


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Mt. Juliet, Tenn – Three shoplifters, who continue to strike area retailers, are wanted by Mt. Juliet Police. On Friday, December 6, the group targeted Best Buy in the Providence MarketPlace development and stole over $1000.00 in merchandise. Officers were able to gather their getaway vehicle description, and it was relayed to surrounding agencies. The following day a vigilant Franklin Police Officer stopped the getaway vehicle, and it led to the shoplifting trio's identity. Courtney Brown, 30, of Madison, Charlotte Hartsell, 26, of Nashville, and Robert Hartsell, 31, of Woodbury, are all wanted by Mt. Juliet Police for Theft of Merchandise from Best Buy.
"We take crime in our city very seriously, and we have an extremely low tolerance for criminals who chose to operate in our area," said Police Chief James Hambrick. "When criminals flee our city, we do everything we can to ensure they are apprehended and placed behind bars."
Surveillance video captures Courtney Brown and Charlotte Hartsell walking through the store and placing merchandise in shopping baskets. As they completed their selection, they both moved closer to the front doors for a quick exit. They are captured on video darting out the front doors. Brown nearly tramples over a child during his escape. Robert Hartsell remained out in front of the store, and he ensured the automatic doors were open so a quick escape could be made.
"Criminals can flee out of our city, but that does not mean we stop at our city boundaries," stated Police Captain Michael Mullins. "We make every attempt to apprehend criminals who commit crimes in our community."
Anyone with any information regarding this crime is encouraged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/ .


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Delivery Hours
We do daily deliveries in KL & PJ between 10am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday. WhichKrafters need their beauty sleep on Sundays!
We can still do deliveries outside our usual hours but an additional fee will be charged. Contact us to check on rates.
Same Day Deliveries
For same-day delivery, you will need to confirm your order by 10am and your order will be delivered between 12pm-6pm.
Delivery Fees
Different delivery charges apply to different areas in the Klang Valley. It will also depend on the total amount spent.
For bulky items such as our Mini Balloon Garland and furniture, free delivery does not apply for these orders.
Delivery Areas
We only deliver to selected areas in the Klang Valley. You will be prompted to do a postcode check in the Cart drawer before proceeding to Checkout.
Delivery Time
If you've given a specific delivery time, we will deliver the order within 30 minutes before or after your specified time.
If you have not provided a delivery time, we will deliver your order anytime between 12pm-6pm on the specified date.
We ship certain products nationwide. Your parcel will take approximately 3-7 working days. Please expect delays during lockdown and national festive occasions.
>> If you have any questions or issues with placing your order, please contact us via WhatsApp at +6012-807 2131 or fill in the Ask A Question form below.
Please read our full delivery terms on our FAQ and Terms & Conditions pages.


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Made to fit a standard double mattress 135 x 190cm (4ft 6 x 6ft 3ins).
All duvet covers are made to order - please allow up to 4 weeks for delivery.
Please check out the rest of our bedding section for more double bed linen and bedding sets.
Available in any colour you can find a picture of! Please contact us for more details.
Made of 100% Silk.
Silk is a naturally hypo-allergenic material which means it is the best cloth of choice for those with skin conditions.
Full care instructions included and completely machine washable.
For more information about Silk Double Duvet Cover from our Silk Double Bedding range, please contact us by filling out our online form and starting the enquiry with Silk Double Duvet Cover


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Back to Result List
Efficacy and safety of TDF/FTC-containing first-line HAART in clinical practice – 2-year data from the German Outpatient Cohort
- Poster presentation: Purpose of the study First-line HAART with tenofovir DF (TDF) and FTC in pivotal trials has been associated with high efficacy and good tolerability. However, real-life clinical practice often differs from clinical trials due to co-morbidities, co-infections, and less intensive clinical monitoring. To evaluate efficacy and safety of first-line HAART in a day-to-day setting, this Gilead-sponsored non-interventional cohort was established. Methods Between July 2005 and August 2006, 533 HIV-1 infected antiretroviral-naïve patients from 50 German centres enrolled in this non-interventional cohort. All patients were followed every 3 months for 3 years to monitor efficacy (viral load [VL], CD4), tolerability, renal safety, regimen changes and resistance profile. All patients received TDF+FTC as a single tablet (Truvada, TVD) in combination with either an NNRTI or PI/r as their first antiretroviral regimen. Summary of results As of June 2008, 2 years of therapy have been documented for 330/533 (62%) patients. At treatment initiation, 81% were male; median age was 39 years; clinical AIDS diagnosis was documented in 22%; 47% started therapy with CD4 <200 cells/mm3. TVD was combined with an NNRTI (43%) or a PI/r (57%). After 24 months, in an As-Treated (AT) analysis, 85% patients achieved a VL <50 copies/ml (VL <500 copies/ml: 97%), median CD4 count increased from 217 at baseline to 450 cells/mm3 (IQR: 325–608). Truvada showed a good safety profile; 76 adverse events (AEs) of any grade were reported in 66/533 patients (12%); six of these were judged serious. Fourteen (2.6%) patients discontinued TVD due to AEs. Renal abnormalities of any grade were reported in 10 patients (1.9%). Virological failure was documented in nine patients, of which eight were genotyped; M184V/I was detected in three, K65R in two patients. Conclusion During 2 years of follow-up, the overall safety of TVD was good; renal AEs of any grade were reported in 1.9% of patients. K65R was detected in two patients. First-line HAART with TVD plus an NNRTI or PI/r in clinical practice showed comparable efficacy to that observed in controlled clinical trials.
|Jan Van Lunzen, Gerd FätkenheuerORCiDGND, Thomas Lutz, Stefan Klauke, Stefan Mauß, Heribert Knechten, Patrick Braun, Lothar Gallo, Britta Ranneberg
|Parent Title (English):
|Journal of the International AIDS Society
|Place of publication:
|Berlin ; Heidelberg
|Document Type:
|Date of Publication (online):
|Date of first Publication:
|Publishing Institution:
|Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
|Contributing Corporation:
|Ninth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection Glasgow, UK. 9–13 November 2008
|Release Date:
|11(Suppl 1)
|Page Number:
|First Page:
|Last Page:
© 2008 van Lunzen et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
|Journal of the International AIDS Society 2008, 11(Suppl 1):P12 ; doi:10.1186/1758-2652-11-S1-P12 ; from Ninth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection Glasgow, UK. 9–13 November 2008
|Medizin / Medizin
|Dewey Decimal Classification:
|6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
|Licence (German):
|Deutsches Urheberrecht


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Limelight (1952)
Directed by Charlie Chaplin
Share on
Synopsis by Hal Erickson
London, 1914. Calvero (Charles Chaplin), a once-great music hall comedian, weaves drunkenly home to his shabby flat. As he arrives home, he is suddenly sobered by a bad smell. It isn't his shoes, as he originally assumes, but the smell of gas, emanating from behind a locked door. Calvero smashes his way in, finding the unconscious Terry (Claire Bloom). Carrying the girl to his attic apartment, Calvero revives Terry, then asks why she is so determined to kill herself. The girl explains that she has always dreamed of becoming a great dancer, but her legs are paralyzed. Calvero vows to raise enough money to help the girl. He goes back on stage, where his old-fashioned act is greeted with a riot of silence. Now it is Terry's turn to encourage Calvero to go on living-and in so doing, she regains the use of her legs. Hired by the Empire theatre corps de ballet, Terry arranges for the management to hire Calvero as a supernumerary. Impresario Postant (Nigel Bruce), not recognizing the famous Calvero in clown makeup, fires him. Only after Terry pleads with Postant to give Calvero another chance does the producer relent, securing a comeback appearance for the ageing comedian and his old partner (Buster Keaton). Calvero's antics bring down the house, just like the old days, but the effort is too much for the old fellow, and he collapses backstage. As Calvero dies, he proudly watches his protegee Terry carry on the "show must go on tradition" by dancing for the crowd. Thanks to the political climate of the time, Limelight was denied a wide distribution; in fact, it didn't play Los Angeles until 1972, twenty years after its completion. At that time, Chaplin's theme music, which had gained popularity on the "hit parade," was honored with an Academy Award. While the film has moments of unmatched hilarity (especially during the fabled Chaplin-Keaton teaming towards the end), the elegiac tone of Limelight was best summed up by critic Andrew Sarris: "To imagine one's own death, one must imagine the death of the world, that world which has always dangled so helplessly from the tips of Chaplin's eloquent fingers."
aging, ballet-dance, behind-the-scenes, clown, confidence, dance [art], friendship, music-hall, suicide
High Artistic Quality, High Production Values


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Mötley Crüe's Titty-Cam
Ian Gittins, The Guardian, May 2005
I HAVE JUST SPENT two weeks on the road with Mötley Crüe. Our sweep through Canada and the US Midwest took in Edmonton, Des Moines, Omaha, Oklahoma and Grand Forks, North Dakota, a locale so obscure that band bassist and founder Nikki Sixx greeted our arrival there with a heartfelt cry of "What the fuck IS this place?"
Total word count of piece: 497


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The Daily's Terrible Circulation Can't Stop Romance
Yesterday Bloomberg reported that The Daily was averaging just 120,000 readers per week, well short of Rupert Murdoch's 500,000 reader goal for the iPad newspaper. But we're told the situation is worse than that.
A source familiar with News Corp.'s numbers said that, on a day to day basis, The Daily typically engages just 10,000 paying subscribers. That's a joltingly low number even if, like us, you forecast The Daily's downfall 10 months ago. Unpaid readers apparently inflate the e-tabloid's numbers quite a bit; our mole scoffed at a recent report that fully two thirds of The Daily's readers pay out of pocket, as opposed to being on a trial or freebie sub, and said the real percentage is much lower. That would help explain the discrepancy between Bloomberg's report of 120,000 unique weekly visitors to the publication and the figure we heard of 10,000 daily subs. In contrast, the New York Times, a competitor to several Murdoch properties and a favorite whipping boy for the mogul, has accumulated 224,000 paying, online only subscribers (excluding people on freebie accounts sponsored by Lincoln).
As if the reader shortage wasn't headache enough for The Daily's well stocked newsroom, the paper's in house publishing platform is said to be a complete pain in the ass. Close to useless, even. But disgruntled staffers have reportedly found a distraction: A blossoming romance between managing editor Mike Nizza and arts editor Claire Howorth. Nothing scandalous, just more brazen and undisguised than some resident journalists would like. (Nizza couldn't be reached for comment.) Is newsroom smooching really so terrible, guys? Besides, newsroom hanky panky certainly sounds less demoralizing to gossip about than The Daily's business numbers. And best not to get too bogged down in those details anyway - from what we hear, it's clear Murdoch isn't letting the statistics phase him.
Update: Nizza and Howorth were apparently among the names on the lesser know sequel to the New York Observer's endless and endlessly corrected list of media power couples. We're also told Howorth goes not report to Nizza, and have changed our wording accordingly.
[Photo of Murdoch at The Daily launch in February via Getty Images]


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Bob Riley on Health Care
Republican Governor; previously GOP Representative (AL-3)
LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary; never called for a House vote.
NIH, as well as the indirect job benefits of laboratories needing space, supplies, services, and equipment. We are also deeply aware that NIH-funded discoveries are the basis of new companies and even new industries in our communities.
NIH research is an instrumental part of the success of the US life sciences industry and its 6 million high-wage US jobs. Moreover, follow-on life science research advances are now stimulating new jobs and new solutions in green energy, agriculture, the environment and industrial manufacturing. NIH funding enables the scientific talent and discoveries that are at the heart of this vast array of economic activity.
As you develop the Congressional Budget Resolution, we urge you to enable the 3.2% funding increase for NIH contained in the President's budget request. We thank you for your past support for biomedical research and ask you to craft a budget resolution that accommodates the President's $32.2 billion FY 2011 NIH budget request.
The greatest contribution NIH makes is to the health and well-being of Americans. Past federal investments in medical research, combined with those from the private sector, have led to improved health, better quality of life, and improved productivity of millions of patients and their families.
But NIH is also an important national, regional, and local economic engine. Together, our states received more than $19 billion from the NIH last year for promising research efforts. NIH funding directly supports 350,000 jobs across the US. In our states, we see firsthand the world class research institutions and scientific teams enabled by
As Governors, we are writing to you regarding the excessive constraints placed on us by healthcare-related federal mandates. One of our biggest concerns continues to be the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which prevent states from managing their Medicaid programs for their unique Medicaid populations. We ask for your immediate action to remove these MOE requirements so that states are once again granted the flexibility to control their program costs and make necessary budget decisions.
Every Governor, Republican and Democrat, will face unprecedented budget challenges in the coming months. Efforts to regulate state operations impose greater uncertainty on our budgets for oncoming years and create a perfect storm when coupled with the current state of the economy.
Health and education are the primary cost drivers for most state budgets. Medicaid enrollment is up. Revenues are down. States are unable to afford the current Medicaid program, yet our hands are tied by the MOE requirements. The effect of the federal requirements is unconscionable; the federal requirements force Governors to cut other critical state programs, such as education, in order to fund a "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid. Again, we ask you to lift the MOE requirements so that states may make difficult budget decisions in ways that reflect the needs of their residents.
|Other governors on Health Care:
|Bob Riley on other issues:
AL Gubernatorial:
Robert Bentley
AL Senatorial:
Jeff Sessions
Richard Shelby
Newly seated 2010:
NJ Chris Christie
VA Bob McDonnell
Term-limited as of Jan. 2011:
AL Bob Riley
CA Arnold Schwarzenegger
GA Sonny Perdue
HI Linda Lingle
ME John Baldacci
MI Jennifer Granholm
NM Bill Richardson
OK Brad Henry
OR Ted Kulongoski
PA Ed Rendell
RI Donald Carcieri
SC Mark Sanford
SD Mike Rounds
TN Phil Bredesen
WY Dave Freudenthal
Newly Elected Nov. 2010:
AL: Robert Bentley (R)
CA: Jerry Brown (D)
CO: John Hickenlooper (D)
CT: Dan Malloy (D)
FL: Rick Scott (R)
GA: Nathan Deal (R)
HI: Neil Abercrombie (D)
IA: Terry Branstad (R)
KS: Sam Brownback (R)
ME: Paul LePage (R)
MI: Rick Snyder (R)
MN: Mark Dayton (D)
ND: Jack Dalrymple (R)
NM: Susana Martinez (R)
NV: Brian Sandoval (R)
NY: Andrew Cuomo (D)
OH: John Kasich (R)
OK: Mary Fallin (R)
PA: Tom Corbett (R)
RI: Lincoln Chafee (I)
SC: Nikki Haley (R)
SD: Dennis Daugaard (R)
TN: Bill Haslam (R)
VT: Peter Shumlin (D)
WI: Scott Walker (R)
WY: Matt Mead (R)
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For a relaxing time, sit back and watch this terrific PBS short documentary on the artistic merits of video games. The video runs only about 7 minutes, and features NYU's Eric Zimmerman, game designer and researcher Jesper Juul, Kotaku contributor and secret nerdcore superstar Leigh Alexander, and Babycastles curator and designer Syed Salahuddin.
"Even though games are ancient," says Zimmerman, "there is something about this moment in history that is special. We are now entering a ludic age, an age of play."
"Every game you play," he continues, "it's like a little laboratory for understanding how systems work."
Juul points to some examples of how simpler games have become more prevalent lately, using Minecraft as his main example. Leigh talks about the journeys that games can take us on, as well as the ways they subvert our expectations of narrative, using Bioshock and Portal as examples (while the video's editor sneaks in a quick Grim Fandango shout-out, which I aprpeciated).
Salahuddin discusses the offbeat indie developer Cactus, pointing to Hot Throttle, as well as Jason Rohrer's Passage.
It's a remarkably convincing video, mainly because of how matter-of-fact it is. Four experts talking about the things they value in independent, experimental game design, and doing so in a way that even the skeptical can understand. Good stuff.
You can contact Kirk Hamilton, the author of this post, at email@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


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PARIS – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed a renewed economic partnership to boost growth, jobs and investments in their two countries.
In a joint news conference in Paris, Trudeau praised the "benefits" of a trade deal between Canada and the European Union that came largely into effect last September.
Trudeau said "we already see the results" of the new trade rules, called the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CETA).
Canadian imports from France have increased 4 percent last year and Canadian investments in France have jumped 23 percent, he said.
Trudeau insists the deal included rules to protect workers' rights and the environment, but CETA had triggered many protests across Europe, with critics arguing it weakens European labor laws.


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Swiss Chard Cabbage Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Broccoli Stems, and Cottage Cheese
Wednesday, July 3
Recipe: Confetti Crunch Coleslaw with Creamy Lemon Caper Dressing
Swiss Chard Cabbage Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Broccoli Stems, and Cottage Cheese
7 comments:
This looks good! I've lost count of how many of your recipes I've kept over the years! I've never been disappointed!ReplyDelete
Lemon caper dressing- I am so having this!!! Sounds devine!ReplyDelete
Oh Susan this is sooooo good! I just wolfed down half of the bowl :) Thanks for a great recipe for the 4th!ReplyDelete
xo, AndreaReplies
Hi Andrea,Delete
Yeah, that may have happened to me the first time I made this. ;) So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the feedback.!
- Anonymous7/05/2013 7:26 AM
how is this 'light' and/or 'low-fat'?ReplyDeleteReplies
Many traditional coleslaw recipes call for a lot more mayonnaise and/or sour cream. I've seen coleslaw recipes that call for as much as two cups (!) of mayonnaise.Delete
My version has a little over 1 cup of dressing that is made with yogurt and just 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and is tossed with over 10 cups of vegetables, so it's definitely lighter and lower in fat than many coleslaws. :)
oooh! You had me at crunch! I love cole slaw and this looks like nice fancy cole slawReplyDelete
December 2015 update: Hi! For some reason I can't figure out, Blogger hasn't been letting me leave comments on my own blog (!) for the last several months, so I've been unable to respond to your comments and questions. My apologies for any inconvenience! You're always welcome to email me: farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com.
Hi! Thanks for visiting Farmgirl Fare and taking the time to write. While I'm not always able to reply to every comment, I receive and enjoy reading them all.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I especially love hearing about your experiences with my recipes. Comments on older posts are always welcome!
Please note that I moderate comments, so if I'm away from the computer it may be a while before yours appears.
I try my best to answer all questions, though sometimes it takes me a few days. And sometimes, I'm sorry to say, they fall through the cracks, and for that I sincerely apologize.
I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy your e-visits to our farm!


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Zabriskie Point
Not for the faint of heart, Death Valley National Park, in California and Nevada, is hot and dry. Temperatures in the park once hit 134°F (57°C) in July 1913. Zabriskie Point, seen here, offers a spectacular view of the badlands.
Death Valley National Park
Location: California & Nevada
Established: October 31, 1994
Size: About 3.4 million acres
The largest national park south of Alaska, Death Valley is known for extremes: It is North America's driest and hottest spot (with fewer than two inches/five centimeters of rainfall annually and a record high of 134°F), and has the lowest elevation on the continent—282 feet below sea level. Even with its extremes, the park still receives nearly a million visitors each year.
In 1849 emigrants bound for California's gold fields strayed into the 120-mile long basin, enduring a two-month ordeal of "hunger and thirst and an awful silence." One of the last to leave looked down from a mountain at the narrow valley and said, "Good-bye, Death Valley."
The moniker belies the beauty in this vast graben, the geological term for a sunken fragment of the Earth's crust. Here are rocks sculptured by erosion, richly tinted mudstone hills and canyons, luminous sand dunes, lush oases, and a 200-square-mile salt pan surrounded by mountains, one of America's greatest vertical rises. In some years spring rains trigger wildflower blooms amid more than a thousand varieties of plants.
Native Americans, most recently the Shoshone, found ways to adapt to the more recent and forbidding desert conditions that exist here now. Rock art and artifacts indicate a human presence dating back at least 9,000 years.
From 1883 to 1889, wagon teams hauled powdery white borax from mines since fallen to ruin, an enterprise that spread word of Death Valley's striking landscapes, deep solitude, and crystalline air.
As night falls, Death Valley's elusive populations of bobcats, kit foxes, and rodents venture out. Far above on steep mountain slopes, desert bighorn sheep forage among Joshua trees, scrubby junipers, and pines, while hawks soar on thermals rising into vivid blue, cloudless skies.
Did You Know?
The highest mountain in the park, 11,049-foot Telescope Peak, lies only 15 miles from Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the U.S. The vertical drop from the peak to Badwater Basin is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon.
- Nat Geo Expeditions
Named by gold prospectors struggling through the area in 1849, Death Valley has been inhabited by Timbisha Shoshone Native Americans; gold prospectors, including slaves; Chinese immigrants mining for silver and borax; Basque immigrants who settled here at the turn of the 20th century; and Japanese Americans temporarily interned here during World War II.


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Friday, 14 January 2011 02:35 PM EST
U.S. retail sales of new video games dropped in 2010, but revenue from mobile game "apps" and other new formats helped keep the total amount spent on video game content unchanged from a year ago, according to market researchers NPD Group Inc.
NPD said Thursday that sales of video games made for consoles, portable gaming devices and personal computers dropped 5 percent to $10.1 billion.
However, NPD said increased sales of used games, digital downloads, games for smart phones and games played over social networks kept video game content sales at $15.4 billion to $15.6 billion for 2010 — about flat with 2009.
The numbers underscore the growing role of mobile devices and social networks such as Facebook.
"The dynamics of games-content purchasing changed dramatically in 2010," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement.
Frazier said she expects game sales to increase again in 2011.
Video game console sales slipped 13 percent to $6.3 billion in the U.S. in 2010, NPD said. Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 was the only console to sell more units than it did in 2009.
In December, traditionally the biggest month for video game sales, console sales declined 9 percent to $5.1 billion. Total sales of video game software at retail, which includes PC games, slipped 5 percent to $2.5 billion during the month, compared with the same month in 2009.
The best-selling hardware system in December was the Nintendo DS, a handheld gaming system. Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo's of America, called the holiday shopping season "exceptional" for the company.
David Dennis, a Microsoft spokesman, said the company couldn't keep up with demand for Xbox 360 consoles in December, but despite shortfalls Xbox had its biggest month to date, with 1.9 million units sold.
Video game accessory sales rose 10 percent to $778.4 million in December, led by sales of Microsoft's $150 Kinect motion-sensing controller. Microsoft would not say how many consoles were bought together with Kinect in December, but has said it sold 8 million Kinect units in November and December.
The top-selling game in December was "Call of Duty: Black Ops," the shooter from Activision Blizzard Inc., which has versions for all the consoles and for the PC. The game broke entertainment records after its November launch, bringing in $1 billion in worldwide revenue in its first six weeks in stores.
"Just Dance 2" from Ubisoft Entertainment for Nintendo's Wii and "World of Warcraft: Cataclysm" from Activision Blizzard for the PC were the second and third biggest selling games in December.
For all of 2010, "Black Ops" was the top-selling video game. The No. 2 game was "Madden NFL 11" from Electronic Arts Inc., followed by "Halo: Reach" from Microsoft for the Xbox 360.
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The Legend And Myths Of 'Orick Johnny' Antonioli – August 10, 2012
Note: A discussion about the "grumpy old man" who used to hitchhike from Arcata to Orick cropped up on a Facebook page titled "Remember In Arcata When…" The grump was Johnny Antonioli, who passed away Feb. 24, 2003. Here's a profile of "Orick Johnny," which first appeared in the July 5, 1995 Arcata Union newspaper and was later updated and reprinted in the Arcata Eye on his 80th birthday.
Kevin L. Hoover
Arcata Union/Eye
ARCATA – Frequently sighted as a sprawled heap on a roadside lawn, or waddling backwards up a freeway onramp with his thumb out, the Arcata fixture known to many as "Orick Johnny" or "The Mayor of Orick" is a man of myth, mystery and misunderstanding.
John Antonioli's gruff demeanor and soiled garb keep most at a distance. His apparent distaste for casual chat has fostered an air of enigma around the grizzled octagenarian.
Rumors of vast wealth and dreaded disease abound. Even friends and associates around town fill in the blanks with speculation and imagination. "He's very affluent," said one unofficial town historian and Johnny-watcher, reflecting a common belief.
"Looking at him you'd never know, you'd think he was the town scrounge." More conventional wisdom ties Antonioli's supposed fortune to extensive land holdings, while he wanders the streets homeless.
Still another of the oft-told tales apparently stems from Antonioli's gnome-like stature and labored gait, the supposed legacy of a ruinous disease contracted as an infant. Antonioli does nothing to feed or deny the speculation.
"I don't like to be bothered," he says with his characteristic croaking growl. For Johnny, the truth is as simple as the life of a child born into a rural logging community in the 1920s.
A miserable storm was pounding Orick in April, 1921, recalled a family member, when Johnny fought his way into the world. A city doctor could not be summoned to the Antonioli's remote Orick farmhouse in the hazardous travel conditions, so an inexperienced midwife got the call. "She wasn't skilled," said the relative.
"Mother labored too long. When Dr. Purlenky drove up from Arcata he was mad. He said, 'John will always be slow.'" Johnny's early years were spent with his parents, two sisters and a brother toiling on the family's dairy farm.
A working childhood included the clearing of rangeland for pasture and other chores. Reading, a lifelong passion, was cultivated early at Orick School and by home tutors. When he was just 10 years old, an accident with a double-handled draw knife changed Johnny's life.
"He was whittling and he cut his knee," and Antonioli's sister, Elsie Pialorsi. "After that, he couldn't do too much." Permanently severed tendons hobbled the youth, imparting Johnny the exaggerated saunter he has become known for.
Through the Depression and war years, Antonioli labored in and around Orick, at one point working as a logger for the Arcata-based California Barrel Co. "The barrel factory set Arcata up," he said. "There was a lot more money around, a lot more going on."
Friends recalled Antonioli's yellow Studebaker pickup, in which he regularly traveled up and down the Redwood highway. A favorite destination in post-war times was a long-gone beer and burger joint called the Little Red Hen near Freshwater Lagoon.
The Studebaker ended and the hitchhiking began with the flood of '55. "He went driving and got stuck," said a relative, who did not want to be identified. "I think he panicked when the water got too high. Dirt got in the motor."
He still speaks of the truck and wishes to acquire another, said Pialorsi, but that's not likely. In the '60s, Antonioli took up residence in Arcata, living in a home owned jointly by relatives. A small trust fund, not a real estate empire, makes ends meet.
"He's comfortable," said lifelong friend Lily Ghidinelli. Through decades he has pursued his regular routine of downtown stoop-sitting, roadside napping and near-daily hitchhikes to Orick. "He just keeps going back and forth, back and forth," said Ghidinelli. "Everybody seems to pick him up," said Pialorsie.
"They know he's not harmful." Johnny's social skills fall into the "charmingly rough hewn" category. One helpful driver reported being rewarded for a lift to Orick with a cigarette ground out in his seat upholstery at journey's end.
Antonioli's unkempt appearance may inspire sympathy, but for Johnny, any attention is a nuisance. "He's not a very clean-cut guy," said Ghidinelli. "They've tried to make him change, but he won't." "I've known him since 1949 and he looks the same," said friend Don Kolshinski.
"He's got more gray hair now, but he really hasn't changed," said Ghidinelli. His apparent timelessness and steady routine seem to comfort townspeople. "We can usually tell what time it is by seeing him on the lawn out here," said one City Hall worker of Antonioli's napping regimen.
"The town wouldn't be the same without him." "Persons that aren't familiar with him call him in as a dead body," said Arcata Police Officer Martin Bence. "Occasionally he gets into a fight on the Plaza with 'the hippies' as he calls them."
The opinionated Antonioli recalls a prettier Plaza in a booming Arcata, and cares little for the change from logging capital to college town. As far as Johnny's concerned, Humboldt State University is the town's biggest problem. "The college ruined Arcata," he said.
"It was ruined before, but after they got the college it got a damn sight worse." Nor are other public institutions much help. Police and politicians are "working against the working people with red tape, competition and propaganda," said Antonioli. "They're all up to no good."
Antonioli surveys the town from various curbside vantages and keeps tabs on world affairs. "He's smarter than you think he is," said Pialorsi. Also fluent in Italian, the inveterate reader consumes several papers daily.
"He used to come into my store all the time," said Ghidinelli, who for decades ran the Northtown Five and Dime store at 16th and G streets. "If I had a paper, he always read it."
Antonioli keeps his own counsel, asking nothing but to be left alone to make his own way through he bustle and haste. "People slap him down," said another relative," but that's made him stick to his course."
"I don't know why he's that way," said Pialorsi. "He just has that within himself. It's his way."


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Getting a Credit Card at Age 18 Isn't Easy
Dear Opening Credits,
I am an 18-year-old soon-to-be college student applying for a credit card (unique, right?), or rather applying for many credit cards, because I keep getting declined. I don't understand what they are looking for -- I have more money than the average teenager, and my household income is higher than average as well. They don't ask for any other significant information, generally, and if those two facts are the main criteria, why am I getting declined? Is there anything I can do to remedy the situation? For reference, thus far I have applied for a Capital One Journey card, a Bank of America Student Visa Platinum Plus and an American Express Blue Card, all of which are billed as cards for students with no credit. I've taken a look at secured cards, but the high fees and interest charges are more than I'm willing to bargain for.
Dear Amanda,
There are so many wonderful things about being a teenager, and each is tempered by the bad as well as the good: college is both fun and stressful; autonomy is right up ahead, but so is greater responsibility. And as for credit, it puts you in an interesting place. You want it and the banks can give it, but you have to convince them to offer it to you.
The most important factor here is your tender age. According to federal law, banks can only offer credit to people under the age of 21 if the applicant proves that he or she can pay the debt that's incurred on the card. This leaves you with three options:
Your parents can help you out. Assuming they have good credit, your mom or dad can co-sign on a new credit card account for you. The bank has the assurance that if you let the account descend into default, the other signing party will step up and pay. Another way you can get a card in your name is by being an authorized user on your parent's new or existing account. This way, you'd be a guest user, but the bank would not be able to come to you for payment (your parents certainly can, though). For both co-signer and authorized user options, the credit activity will show up on the credit reports of all cardholders. If everyone uses the card well, terrific. If not? Not so terrific.
You get a job with an even better income. Now, you say that you do have some money -- and yeah, it may be more than your average student, but what a credit issuer really cares about is your earnings. There is a certain amount of subjectivity here, but even if you do make more than a lot of other people your age, it still may not be enough. Think of it this way: A lender will want to be sure that you have the means to repay what you charge. Trust me. If you've been pulling in $5,000 a month for years, proving stability, you'd look pretty appealing to a creditor.
Revisit the secured credit card idea. You have the cash, so why not put a few hundred of it into a bank to guarantee a credit line of your very own? It's true that these products often come with an annual fee, but it may be worth it for the short term. As for the interest rate, they could be charging an APR in the triple digits -- they won't -- but it wouldn't matter if you always pay your balance in full, which is what you should do. Remember: A finance charge on zero is ... zero.
Two more quick things: Pull your credit reports to check for errors or fraud. You are allowed, by law, to get a free copy of your report from AnnualCreditReport.com from each of the three credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. You'll have to pay a small amount to get your FICO score, though. And don't apply for multiple credit cards in quick succession. Each time you apply, your credit score gets dinged as the issuer checks your credit. Space your applications out over several months to allow your credit score to recover.
Whichever way you get a card, as long as it has your name on it and the activity is being reported to the credit bureaus, you'll be building a credit history and score. The longer you can demonstrate good credit usage by having no debt and making on-time payments, the better types of credit you'll qualify for -- such as an unsecured card with great terms that is not connected in any way to your parents.
More from CreditCards.com:


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How to start online giving: Visit https://www.osvhub.com/stthomaselkhart/giving/funds to sign up.
What is Online Giving?
Online Giving is a direct payment program whereby your contribution is debited automatically from your checking, savings, or credit card account into your church's bank account.
What are the advantages of Online Giving?
It makes it easy to fulfill stewardship commitments, even when you can't attend church. You never have to bring cash or checks to church. Giving electronically also helps the church save money and improve its budget!
How are my contributions automatically deducted from my account?
Once you complete the online registration form, the contribution amount you specify will automatically be transferred from your bank account to the church's bank account.
When will my contribution be deducted from my account?
Your electronic contribution will be debited on the date you specify on the donation form.
If I do not write checks, how do I keep my checkbook balance straight?
Since your contribution is made at a pre-established time, you simply record it in your check register on the appropriate date. Electronic contributions are recorded for you on your bank statement as well as your online reports.
Without a canceled check, how can I prove I made my contribution?
Your bank statement gives you an itemized list of electronic transactions as well as your online reports.
Can I put different amounts in offerings and have all of them withdrawn at different times?
You can set up to contribute to different offerings at different times; HOWEVER you will have to do each one separately. You will receive a receipt for each one.
What if I change bank accounts?
Login and update your account information.
Is Online Giving risky?
It's less risky than writing checks or bringing cash to church. Electronic contributions cannot be lost, stolen, or destroyed and have an extremely high rate of accuracy.
What if I try Online Giving and don't like it?
You can cancel your authorization by deleting your accounts and donation dates.
How do I sign up for Online Giving?
Complete the online registration form and select the donations and the amount you would like to donate along with your credit or debit card information. It's that easy!


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Jump to navigation Jump to search
disbelief (usually uncountable, plural disbeliefs)
- Unpreparedness, unwillingness, or inability to believe that something is the case.
- She cried out in disbelief on hearing that terrorists had crashed an airplane into the World Trade Center in New York City.
- Astonishment.
- I stared in disbelief at the Grand Canyon.
- The loss or abandonment of a belief; cessation of belief.
- 1885, H. J. Hardwicke, "The God Idea", in The Agnostic: A Monthly Journal of Liberal Thought, volume 1, page 239:
- There is an agony of suffering in that lingering doubt which haunts the human soul in the beginnings of disbelief.
- 1927, Gilbert W. Gabriel, "Male, Female and American Drama", in Vanity Fair, volume 27, number 4, page 73:
- No adolescent can achieve disbelief in the stork without an eruption of young oaths and cynicisms.
- Laikwan Pang (2002) Building a New China in Cinema: The Chinese Left-wing Cinema Movement, 1932-1937, →ISBN, page 99: "His later left-wing films prevented any pure and strong emotional attachment between the two sexes from gaining narrative momentum, which might reflect his gradual disbelief in romantic love."
- Gloria Neufeld Redekop (2012) Bad Girls and Boys Go to Hell (or not): Engaging Fundamentalist Evangelicalism, →ISBN, page 246: "Just like the disbelief in Santa Claus happens gradually, I wondered if it was similar for people leaving their faith."
Derived terms[edit]
Related terms[edit]
unpreparedness, unwillingness, or inability to believe that something is the case
- disbelief in An American Dictionary of the English Language, by Noah Webster, 1828.
- "disbelief", in Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- "disbelief", in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.


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Title and statement of responsibility area
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The York pioneer vol. 71, no. 1
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- Textual record
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CA CoV Archives Ref.19
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1976 (Creation)
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Ca. 0.5 cm of textual records: 48 p.
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Item consists of an article on the Patterson family, firm and village.
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- English
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Reading Room
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- Patterson (family) (Subject)
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- English


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Tea for Two Teapot Tea Infuser
Two for tea and tea for two—what a perfect way to say Thank you!" The warmth and coziness of Kate Aspen's charming tea infuser is precisely the feeling you'll bring to your guests when you choose this enchanting favor for your event. It's imaginatively created, whimsical elegance, gorgeously gift-boxed and ready to share.
Features and facts:


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Vuvuzelas have been all the buzz at the 2010 World Cup, but not in a good way. The incessant beehive sound created by the long plastic instruments has saturated entire stadiums, indiscriminately drowning out players trying to coordinate strategy, sportscasters trying to call plays and fans trying to cheer on their team. The horn-blowing tradition first came into vogue in South African soccer during the 1990s and has been part of its sporting culture ever since. Of the vuvuzelas, FIFA president Sepp Blatter had this to say via Twitter: "I don't see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country. Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country?" Sepp, we can live with nixing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" for a few baseball games if you'll just silence those blasted horns for the remainder of the World Cup. Until then, viewers at home should press mute and players on the field should pick up sign language.
Top 10 Most Annoying Sounds
The use of vuvuzelas a long plastic horn popular with South African soccer fans at the World Cup has sparked debate about the level of tolerable noise at a sporting event. Here's a look at some other sounds that are not music to our ears


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Author Mark Hertsgaard Discusses Reversing Climate Change
- When:
- Location:
- Learning Commons
- Description:
Author Mark Hertsgaard will discuss how we can reverse climate change—the topic of his latest book, Hot—on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the University of Baltimore. Hertsgaard, a journalist and advocate for environmental action, is especially concerned about climate change's effect on the two billion young people he calls "Generation Hot": the generation that will live most of their lives in an era of rapid, often unpredictable environmental extremes. Hertsgaard's talk will take place at 7 p.m. in the UB Learning Commons, 1415 Maryland Ave. It is free and open to the public.
Learn more about Hertsgaard and his talk at UB.
- Contact Name:
- Chris Hart
- Contact Email:
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request 10 days prior to a campus event and 30 days prior to an event requiring travel.


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Caltrans Releases New Safety Guidance for Land Use Projects Statewide: Consider Bikes and Peds
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City has committed to building protected bike lanes on the east side of Lake Merritt
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Gov. Ned Lamont will spend $315 million investment on new rail cars — but they're not going anywhere near Grand Central.
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Monday's Headlines
Update on the status of the bike path on the RSR bridge; Santa Cruz transit about to get a lot better; Headstone could delay Metro expansion; Free transit on Clean Air Day (this Wednesday); More
Caltrans Readies Guidance for Complete Streets, with a Giant Exemption
Somewhere along the way, highway interchanges - roads crossing and going under and over freeways and highways - were exempted from the guidelines
Guest Opinion: Ten Years In, CA Active Transportation Program Lays Bare a Tale of Two Agencies
L.A. County needs to embrace physically-protected bikeways, robust traffic calming around schools, and similarly transformative, safety-focused projects


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June 3, 2014 – BRONX, NY – A test that counts the number of locations in tumor specimens where tumor cells may invade blood vessels predicted the risk of distant spread, or metastasis, for the most common type of breast cancer.
Thomas Rohan, M.D., Ph.D., Joan Jones, M.D.The study was led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI)—designated Albert Einstein Cancer Center of Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care and was published online today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).
"Tests assessing metastatic risk can help doctors identify which patients should receive aggressive therapy and which patients should be spared," said Thomas Rohan, M.D., Ph.D., the lead and corresponding author of the study and professor and chair of epidemiology & population health at Einstein and Montefiore.
To measure the test's effectiveness, the researchers used it on about 500 breast tumor specimens that had been collected over a 20-year period. The test proved more accurate in predicting the risk of distant tumor spread than a test closely resembling the leading breast cancer prognostic indicator on the market.
According to the NCI, 232,340 American women developed breast cancer last year and 39,620 women died from the disease. It is the most common cancer among women in the United States. Death from breast cancer is mainly due to distant metastasis, when cancer cells in the primary tumor invade blood vessels and travel via the bloodstream to form tumors elsewhere in the body.
"Currently marketed tests assess risk for breast cancer metastasis by looking for changes in gene expression or in levels of proteins associated with growth of tumor cells," said Joan Jones, M.D., senior author of the JNCI paper, professor of pathology, of anatomy and structural biology and of epidemiology & population health at Einstein and attending pathologist at Montefiore Medical Center. "But those changes don't reflect the mechanism by which individual tumor cells invade blood vessels, a necessary step for metastasis. By contrast, our test is based on what Einstein researchers learned from intravital imaging, which reveals biological processes deep within the tissues of a living animal. Using this technology, they determined how breast cancer tumor cells spread in rodents."
"We're pleased we found a strong and statistically significant association between TMEM score and risk of metastasis in the most common type of breast cancer."– Thomas Rohan, M.D., Ph.D.
Those observations showed that primary breast cancers metastasize when a specific trio of cells is present together in the same microanatomic site: an endothelial cell (a type of cell that lines the blood vessels), a perivascular macrophage (a type of immune cell found near blood vessels) and a tumor cell that produces high levels of Mena, a protein that enhances a cancer cell's ability to spread. A site where these three cells touch is where tumor cells can enter blood vessels. That site is called a tumor microenvironment of metastasis, or TMEM (see accompanying figure).
Dr. Jones, who is also director of clinical imaging applications in Einstein's Integrated Imaging Program (IIP), led a team of pathologists who applied the intravital imaging observations in living rodents to identify TMEMs in human breast biopsy specimens. The scientists developed a test that uses a triple immunostain containing antibodies to the three cell types that make up a TMEM. The test was then optimized using resources in the IIP, established with the support of benefactor Evelyn Gruss Lipper, M.D., an Einstein alumna ('71) and honorary Einstein Overseer.
The IIP combines the attributes of several different imaging technologies to reveal in great detail how cancer and other complex diseases get started and progress in the body, permitting the translation of basic-science observations into relevant clinical applications. The pioneering intravital imaging that made these discoveries possible was developed in the Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center at Einstein.
The JNCI paper describes results from a case-control study that evaluated tumor samples from a subset of women in the Kaiser Permanente Northwest health plan who were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast between 1980 and 2000. TMEM testing was carried out on specimens from 259 women who later developed a distant metastasis (the cases) and on specimens from women who were alive and had not developed a distant metastasis (the controls). Controls were individually matched with cases so that women in each pair were the same age and were diagnosed with breast cancer in the same year.
The pathology team applied the triple immunostain to specimens and counted the TMEMs. The team members did not know whether the specimens came from breast tumors that remained localized or from those that had metastasized to distant sites. The final TMEM score for each specimen was calculated by counting the total number of TMEMs observed within ten 400x magnification fields.
Metastasis requires the presence of three cells in direct contact on a blood vessel wall... The TMEM test performed well at assessing metastatic risk for the study's most populous cancer subgroup: women with estrogen receptor positive/HER2- disease (i.e., their cancer cells possess estrogen receptors but lack HER2 protein). Women with estrogen receptor positive/HER2- disease account for about 60 percent of all cases of breast cancer. When women with this common type of breast cancer were divided into three groups based on the distribution of TMEM scores in the control group, the risk of distant metastasis turned out to be 2.7 times higher for women with tumors in the high-score TMEM group compared with women with tumors in the low-score TMEM group.
For comparison, all tumor specimens included in the study were also analyzed by the IHC4 test. This previously validated test assesses metastatic risk by measuring levels of several proteins in breast-tumor tissue. The IHC4 test is known to provide prognostic information comparable to the Oncotype DX test—a gene-expression test that is the most commonly used test for calculating metastatic risk in breast tumors.
Overall, there was little agreement between the TMEM test and the IHC4 test regarding prediction of metastatic risk. As for assessing metastatic risk in the study's most common type of breast cancer (ER+/HER2-), TMEM results were highly statistically significant while IHC4 scores were borderline significant at best. The findings confirmed results from a smaller study of the TMEM test (involving 30 pairs of tumor specimens) that was published by researchers from Einstein and other institutions in 2009.
"This assay could eventually reduce overtreatment of early stage breast cancer, which remains a major problem despite extensive use of other prognostic assays," added study co-author Joseph Sparano, M.D., associate director for clinical research at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center, professor in the departments of medicine (oncology) and of obstetrics & gynecology and women's health at Einstein and vice chair of medical oncology, Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care.
"We're pleased we found a strong and statistically significant association between TMEM score and risk of metastasis in the most common type of breast cancer," said Dr. Rohan, who is also associate director for population sciences and leader of the cancer epidemiology program at Albert Einstein Cancer Center and the Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Epidemiology & Population Health at Einstein. "Further studies will certainly be needed to validate our test, but our findings suggest that it might prove useful for guiding treatment decisions in women with breast cancer."
The paper is titled "Tumor Microenvironment of Metastasis and Risk of Distant Metastasis of Breast Cancer." Additional Einstein authors of the study are John Condeelis, Ph.D., Xiaonan Xue, Ph.D., and Mindy Ginsberg, B.A. Additional Einstein-Montefiore authors are Maja Oktay, M.D., Ph.D., and Joseph Sparano, M.D. Other authors are Hung-Mo Lin, Sc.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Frank B. Gertler, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Andrew G. Glass, M.D., of Kaiser Permanente Northwest. The pathology team also includes Timothy D'Alfonso, M.D., Paula Ginter, M.D., and Brian Robinson, M.D. of Weill Cornell Medical College.
The research was supported by MetaStat, Inc., a company that is developing a commercial TMEM test. MetaStat had no role in designing the study or writing the manuscript. Dr. Oktay is supported by NCI grant RO1 CA170507. Dr. Condeelis is supported by NCI grant PO1 CA 100324. Dr. Jones is supported by Einstein's Integrated Imaging Program. Dr. Gertler is supported by NCI grant U54-CA112967. This work was also supported in part by Jane A. and Myles P. Dempsey.
The following authors affiliated with Einstein and/or Montefiore are shareholders in MetaStat and receive compensation as consultants to the company: Drs. Condeelis, Jones, Rohan and Sparano. Drs. Oktay, D'Alfonso, and Robinson are also consultants for MetaStat.
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MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) — Police arrested 13 protesters in Alabama's capital Tuesday as they demonstrated against the state's strict new law clamping down on illegal immigrants.
About 100 people, most of them Hispanic and college-aged, chanted slogans as they marched in light rain around the state Capitol and to the adjacent Statehouse where the legislature works.
"Undocumented, unafraid," "No papers, no fear, immigrants are marching here," and "Ain't no power like the power of the people," were among the slogans the protesters chanted as they marched. Later, some were hauled off to jail in a yellow bus normally used by the city parks and recreation department.
Some sat down on Union Street between the Statehouse and the Capitol when police approached and warned them in English and Spanish that they would be arrested if they didn't move.
None did and police arrested 11 demonstrators, tying their hand with yellow straps and loading them into the bus.
Federal courts have blocked parts of the Republican-backed law from taking effect, but both supporters and critics still call it the nation's toughest state law against illegal immigration. The Obama administration opposes the law, which is calls an overreach by the state.
One of those arrested was 19-year-old Catalina Rios, a student at Henry Ford Community College in Detroit. She identified herself an illegal immigrant from Mexico.
Looking like a typical American teenager with her long dark hair in a ponytail, Rios said she knew there was a possibility she might be deported as she sat in the street waiting to be arrested.
"I know that I live in fear every single day of that, so this is no different," Rios said. "I'm doing this for all the immigrant students who struggle every day."
A Montgomery attorney who volunteered to represent those arrested, Mike Winter, said he understood they were mostly being charged with disturbing the peace, but also could be held for immigration officials.
After walking all the way around the Capitol one time, about 20 protesters entered the Statehouse and went up to the seventh-floor office of state Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, a key proponent of the law.
Once downstairs, two of the demonstrators — college students Ernesto Zumaya, 24, of Los Angeles and Caesar Marroquin, 21, of Philadelphia — linked arms and sat down on the floor of the main lobby. They vowed not to leave until Beason responded to their concerns. Beason did not respond to the protest and Zumaya and Marroquin were arrested peacefully when the building closed for the day.
Both said they are immigrants from Mexico without papers who have lived in the U.S. most of their lives. Marroquin said he always wanted to be a U.S. Marine.
Beason said later that he was not in his office Tuesday afternoon and did not immediately get the message except being told there were people at the Statehouse to see him.
Beason defended the law when asked about the protest.
"My intention is to enforce what's already in place in federal law," Beason said. "I make no apologies. I'm trying to do what I feel is best for the people of Alabama."
A leader of the protest, Mohammad Abdollahi, who said he was an immigrant without papers from Iran who lives in Bessemer, explained that the purpose of the demonstration was for their voice "to be heard."