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Natural Products for MedicineView this Special Issue
Structural Characterization and Antioxidative Activity of Low-Molecular-Weights Beta-1,3-Glucan from the Residue of Extracted Ganoderma lucidum Fruiting Bodies
The major cell wall constituent of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) is β-1,3-glucan. This study examined the polysaccharide from the residues of alkaline-extracted fruiting bodies using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC), and it employed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) to confirm the structures. We have successfully isolated low-molecular-weight β-1,3-glucan (LMG), in high yields, from the waste residue of extracted fruiting bodies of G. lucidum. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay evaluated the capability of LMG to suppress H2O2-induced cell death in RAW264.7 cells, identifying that LMG protected cells from H2O2-induced damage. LMG treatment decreased H2O2-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. LMG also influenced sphingomyelinase (SMase) activity, stimulated by cell death to induce ceramide formation, and then increase cell ROS production. Estimation of the activities of neutral and acid SMases in vitro showed that LMG suppressed the activities of both neutral and acid SMases in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that LMG, a water-soluble β-1,3-glucan recycled from extracted residue of G. lucidum, possesses antioxidant capability against H2O2-induced cell death by attenuating intracellular ROS and inhibiting SMase activity.
1. Introduction
Beta-1,3-D-glucans are constituents of fungi, algae, and higher plants. These glucans exhibit different solubility in water-based solutions [1, 2]. G. lucidum is the most popular medicinal mushroom, with immunomodulating activity, applied in the treatment of a variety of diseases, including cancer, in numerous Asian countries [3–5]. Previous research has isolated several major substances with potent bioactivities, such as polysaccharides (in particular, β-1,3-glucan) or protein-conjugated β-1,3-glucan [1, 6–8]. Polysaccharides from G. lucidum are not linear in structure, comprising β-(1→6)-D-glucosyl-linked side chains on a β-1,3-D-glucan backbone. Numerous studies have described their functions [9–12].
Beta-1,3-D-glucans in G. lucidum have high molecular weights and low solubility in neutral water solutions. This creates the need to degrade glucan into smaller sizes for further application. Polysaccharide extraction from G. lucidum produces a large amount of residue as waste material. Therefore, the development of a "green" method of production, which recycles used materials and low volumes of waste, is of high importance. The present study's methods for isolating β-1,3-D-glucan are efficient and low cost when compared with other extraction methods, providing high-quality products from the residue of G. lucidum, which may be useful in commercial applications.
Oxidative stress is implicated in the production of superoxide radicals in biological systems. ROS released from phagocytic cells initiates a wide range of toxic oxidative reactions and excessive formation of ROS causes cell apoptosis. Administration of antioxidants, such as medicinal herbs, can protect cells by attenuating injury caused by oxidative stress [13]. Almost all cell types express sphingomyelinase (SMase). Intracellular ceramide production increases the hydrolytic activity of SMases [14]. Ceramide is an intracellular lipid mediator that responds to various stimuli including stress. The inflammatory oxidant, H2O2, induces rapid increases in ceramide levels because of hydrolysis of sphingomyelin (SM) in plasma membranes, which contributes to the induction of various types of cell death. This study demonstrates that β-1,3-glucan activity is capable of interfering with SMases, and identifies β-1,3-glucan deriving from G. lucidum as a potential antioxidant source.
This study expanded the application of G. lucidum, reusing the waste materials from the extracted residue of fruiting bodies to obtain high-purity β-1,3-glucan in high yields. We also explored the biofunctions of low-molecular-weight-G. lucidum β-1,3-glucan; an efficient antioxidative agent that eliminates ROS in H2O2-treated cells by interfering with SMases. Results indicated that low-molecular-weight β-1,3-glucan has potential future use as a biomedicine. The technology used during polysaccharide degradation might also have potential application on other medicinal herbs to release various glycans for biological assay.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Recycling and Isolation of β-1,3-Glucans from Extracted Residue of G. lucidum
The dried fruiting bodies of G. lucidum were ground and extracted using dilute NaOH solution at 50°C for 12 h. The extract was centrifuged to provide water-insoluble part (waste residue, 80 to 89%) and water-soluble part (soluble heteroglycan extracts, 11 to 20%) [15]. The waste residue was further degraded by 2 N HCl at 50°C for 4 h to provide hydrolysate (45%) and insoluble residue (55%). This glucan-containing hydrolysate underwent purification by gel-filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-15) to obtain three fractions; named high-molecular-weight-glucan (HMG) in 18%, low-molecular-weight-glucan (LMG) in 60% and oligosaccharide of glucose (OSG) in 22% yield, respectively. Figure 1 displays the chromatographic diagram of recycled β-1,3-glucan from the waste residue of G. lucidum.
2.2. Instruments in Structural Determination of β-1,3-Glucan
High-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) was used for the composition analysis of β-1,3-glucans. Glucose released by the acidic hydrolysis of LMG (4 N TFA 113°C 6 h) and characterized using HPAEC-PAD with known monosaccharides as standard, a Dionex BioLC system (Dionex, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) with a CarboPac PA10 analytical column () and a CarboPac PA10 guard column () was used. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) was used for analysis of saccharide composition and linkages according to the methods described by Hakomori et al. [16]. The alditol acetates and partially methylated alditol acetates were separated by GC-MS using a HP1 capillary column (dimethyl siloxane, from Hewlett Packard) and a BPX-70 column (SGE Analytical Science Pty Ltd., Victoria 3134, Australia) on PolarisQ Ion Trap GC-MS/MS System (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Waltham, MA 024253, USA). The oven temperature was increased from 38°C to 150°C at 50°C per min, then to 230°C at 3°C per min and to 260°C for 5 min, with carrier gas (He) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. NMR studies, 1H/13C NMR, and other 1D and 2D experiments were performed on a Bruker Fourier transform spectrometer (AV-600) equipped with a 5 mm DCI dual cryoprobe. Spectra were obtained at 298 K with solutions of polysaccharide in D2O. The HOD signal was achieved by a presaturation for 0.5 s. NMR diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments were carried out using the standard pulse sequence on the same AV-600 NB spectrometer for determination of molecular weight. The equation for DOSY experiments was as follows [17];
Mass spectrometry was used for analyses of molecular weight and linkages. The molecular weights of the sodium adducts of oligosaccharides []+ were determined using MALDI-TOF MS (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA. USA). The glycan was mixed with 10 mg/mL of 2, 5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHB) and 10 mM NaCl in the ratio of 5 : 5 : 3. In MS mode, the spectra were accumulated at an average of 1,000 to 2,000 shuts at a sample concentration of 1 mg/mL.
2.3. Cell Culture
The mouse monocyte-macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, was cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS, 100 U/mL penicillin, and 100 mg/mL streptomycin. Conditions were maintained in a humidified incubator (95% air with 5% CO2) at 37°C.
2.4. Cell Viability Assay
MTT assay was conducted to assay cytotoxicity and cell viability, as described previously [18], dependent on the conversion of yellow tetrazolium salt to purple formazan product. Cells ( cells/mL) were grown on a 96-well plate. Cells were treated with LMG (0–200 g/mL) or LMG (0–150 g/mL) combined with 200M H2O2 for 24 h, after which an MTT solution (1 mg/mL in PBS) was added, and cells were incubated for 2 h. After the supernatant was discarded and DMSO was added to the well, the absorbance at 570 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer (Thermo Varioskan Flash, Vantaa, Finland).
2.5. Detection of Intracellular ROS Formation
Levels of cellular oxidative stress were detected using the fluorescent probe, DCFDA, as described previously [19]. After being treated with 20M H2O2 in the absence or presence of LMG (100g/mL), RAW264.7 cells were treated with 20M DCFDA for 30 min and then washed in PBS. DCFDA is mainly trapped in the cytoplasm and is oxidized to the highly fluorescent dichlorofluorescein (DCF) by intracellular ROS. DCF fluorescence intensities in cells were observed using fluorescence microscopy (Olympus IX71, Tokyo, Japan).
2.6. Suppression of Neutral and Acid SMase Activities by LMG
Neutral SMase (nSMase) activity was estimated using an Amplex Red SMase assay kit (Invitrogen), as described previously [20]. Briefly, the assay mixture contained the following components in a total volume of 200L. The enzyme source (0.04 U/mL SMase, 1 U/mL HRP, 0.2 U/mL choline oxidase, 8 U/mL alkaline phosphatase, and 500 M SM at pH 7.4) in the absence or presence of LMG (0–200 g/mL) was prepared. For the nSMase assay, assay mixtures were incubated at 37°C for 30 min. Assay of acid SMase (aSMase) activity was performed at pH 5.0. The reaction mixture contained 0.4 U/mL SMase, LMG (0–200 g/mL), and 500 M SM in 100 L of 50 mM sodium acetate, pH 5.0, and cell samples were incubated at 37°C for 30 min. A 100 L working solution (consisting of 100 M Amplex Red, 1 U/mL HRP, 0.2 U/mL choline oxidase, and 8 U/mL alkaline phosphatase in 100 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0) was added, and cells were incubated at 37°C for 30 min. Fluorescence was measured using a microplate reader (Thermo Varioskan Flash) with excitation at 545 nm and emission at 590 nm.
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Isolation of β-1,3-Glucans from Extracted Residue of G. Lucidum
This study's aim was to obtain LMG from the extracted residue of G. lucidum and to examine its antioxidative activities. Alkaline extracted the ground fruiting bodies of G. lucidum to release a water-soluble component (20%) and a water-insoluble residue (80%). The water-soluble component contained heteroglycan, glycoprotein and others, and earlier studies have reported its immunomodulating function [3, 6, 10]. The recycling of β-1,3-glucan from the residue of G. lucidum was of interest due to the abundance of β-1,3-glucan in the cell walls of fungi and wide application in medicinal food [1, 2, 4]. Hydrolysis of the waste material, a water-insoluble residue, by strong acidic degradation (2 M HCl, 50°C, 4 h) obtained LMG as low molecular weight glucans. This process provided smaller sized beta-glucans by narrowing down the high-molecular-weight-polyglycans, with the hydrolyzed glucans becoming water soluble. Further purification of the hydrolysate using size-exclusion chromatography (Sephadex G-15) provided three fractions; named HMG, LMG, and OSG. The isolated process is shown in Figure 1. The LMG is also obtained from the hydrolysate by ethanol precipitation (EtOH/H2O 5/1) or by ultrafiltration (UF) with a molecular cutoff 500 Da to remove low-molecular-weight-components for large-scale isolation. Structural analyses and biological assays used the prepared LMG following collection and lyophilization.
3.2. Structural Analysis of LMG
The isolated β-1,3-glucan from the residue of extracted G. lucidum fruiting bodies was a white powder and relatively pure, despite containing compounds of various sizes due to chemical degradation producing a variety of molecular weights. For composition analysis, acidic hydrolysis (4 N TFA, 110°C, 4 h) further degraded LMG and determined the monosaccharide construct in HPAEC. Procedures identified the only glucose present in the LMG fraction, suggesting that LMG is a glucan from the cell wall of G. lucidum. Linkages analysis used GC-MS according to the methods described by Hakomori et al. [16]. Results showed that LMG contains a high ratio of 2,4,6-trimethyl acetyl glucitol (1→3 linked glucose) and trace amounts of 2,3,4,6-tetramethyl acetyl glucitol (terminal glucose) and 2,4-dimethyl acetyl glucitol (1→6 linked glucose). NMR (Figure 2), at 298 K, elucidated the structure of LMG is β-1,3-glucan. The 1H NMR spectrum of LMG protons H1–H6 appeared at 4.82, 3.59, 3.82, 3.55, 3.50, , and ppms, and its 13C NMR spectrum appeared at 103.0 (C-1), 73.2 (C-2), 85.2 (C-3), 68.4 (C-4), 76.3 (C-5), and 60.9 (C-6) ppms, respectively. These signals are in agreement with results from previous analyses [11, 21]. As shown in Figure 2, the tiny signals of β-1,6-glucan appeared at 102.2 (C-1), 73.9 (C-2), 76.5 (C-3), 70.4 (C-4), 76.8 (C-5), and 69.7 (C-6) ppms and the protons H1–H6 at 4.70, 3.40, 4.15, 4.05, 3.90, , and ppms [22].
3.3. Molecular Weights of LMG as Determined Using NMR and MALDI-TOF MS
Recently, investigators developed NMR DOSY as a useful tool for measurement of molecular weights, including those of polysaccharides [17, 23]. Using the equation in the experimental section, the estimated molecular weight of LMG is 3979 Da. The signal at 4.8 ppm, , is H2O with molecular (Figure 3). The signal of anomeric protons on LMG merged in the HOD at 4.8 ppm. The convergent dots in the same horizontal, at , indicated that LMG has a narrow range in terms of size. Excepting the HOD signal, no dots appeared in the parallel line in the DOSY spectrum indicating that protons in LMG are connected, and LMG is a homogeneous glucan with differences in narrow range sizes.
MALDI-TOF MS analysis confirmed the presence of β-1,3-glucan in LMG. Figure 4 shows the molecular mass of LMG with gaps as 162 Da (one hexose unit) between peaks to peaks. Use of 2,5-DHB as a matrix substantially enhanced polysaccharide signals in the MALDI mass spectrometry [24]. This study obtained positive ions of glucan with unambiguous signals, observing LMG as sodiated ions ([]+) where n is the number of glucose units (6~15). The mass region of ion peaks had a peak-to-peak mass difference of 162.1 Da, consistent with the repeating unit of the β-(1→3)-glucan. For example, when determining the degree of polymerization (DP) of LMG using MALDI-TOF, the average LMG mass appeared at (1499.1 Da, []+) as a base peak. The molecular weights of LMG showed an average of 1,500 Da in MALDI-TOF MS, with slight differences from those obtained using the DOSY experiment. Based on these results, this study aimed to recover low molecular weight β-1,3-glucan from waste materials of G. lucidum residue. These recycled β-1,3-glucans might have potential commercial application as low-cost medicinal food.
Although some β-D-glucans are commercially available, they have different molecular weights, biological activities, and structures. Previous studies have identified the biological activities of β-1,3-glucan containing G. lucidum [5–8]. However, the antioxidative activities of low molecular weight glucans have yet to be fully understood. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) of LMG when exerting antioxidative effects was of interest. Using intracellular ceramide as a marker to determine the hydrolytic activity of SMases evaluated the antioxidative activity of isolated LMG, and also indicated if LMGs exerts protective effects on cells by attenuating injury under oxidative stress. Inflammatory oxidants cause this injury by inducing rapid increases in ceramide levels due to the hydrolysis of SM in plasma membranes. The study findings showed that LMG is capable of protecting cells against H2O2-induced apoptosis. LMG inhibited the activity of SMases to decrease the levels of intracellular ceramides, which may provide a useful indicator of the antioxidative activity of β-(1→3)-D-glucan.
3.4. Protective Effects of LMG against H2O2-Induced Macrophage Death
Beta-(1→3)-D-glucan is the one of the major components of polysaccharide from G. lucidum, and has anti-inflammatory properties [5]. This study examined the antioxidant effects of LMG. MTT assay evaluated the cytotoxicity of LMG to RAW264.7 cells (Figure 5(a)), indicating that LMG is not meaningfully cytotoxic to RAW264.7 macrophages when LMG was added at 0–200 g/mL for 24 h. Procedures also evaluated the protective ability of LMG against H2O2-induced injury. After 24 h H2O2 (20 M) treatment, MTT assay revealed 40% cell viability, which increased to over 80% after cotreatment of cells with LMG (100 g/mL; Figure 5(b)). Results showed that LMG exerts dose-dependent protective effects against H2O2-induced cell death in RAW264.7 cells. The antioxidative activities of the other acidic hydrolyzed fractions, HMG and LMG, showed similar potency, but OSG (wich contains monosaccharide) demonstrated reduced antioxidative activity. This finding suggests that the molecular weights of beta-1,3-glucan plays important roles in determining its biological activity.
3.5. LMG Reduced H2O2-Induced Intracellular ROS Levels
H2O2 medication induces intracellular oxidative stress by increasing ROS production. This study estimated intracellular ROS in exogenous H2O2-injured (20 M) macrophage cells. Fluorescence microscopy with DCFDA, a redox-sensitive fluorescent dye, visualized ROS production. In cells treated with H2O2 alone (Figure 6(b)), the oxidized DCF fluorescent intensity was significantly greater than in untreated control RAW264.7 cells (Figure 6(a)). Cotreatment with LMG (100 g/mL) provided markedly reduced DCF fluorescence compared with fluorescence after addition of H2O2 only (Figure 6(c)). Increasing LMG decreased ROS production induced by addition of H2O2 to RAW264.7 cells.
3.6. LMG Inhibited SMase Activity
In previous studies, factors of inflammation, including TNF-, ROS, LPS, amyloid-β, IL-1β, and LDL, stimulated SMase activation activity, which then produced ceramide and initiated ceramide signal pathways to transfer death signaling [25–27]. This study evaluated the effects of LMG on bacterial SMase activity in vitro. Increasing LMG (0–200 g/mL) reduced the activity of nSMase, with an IC50 value of approximately 120 g/mL (Figure 7(a)). LMG also had inhibitory effects on aSMase activity (Figure 7(b)). These data suggest that LMG has the potential to act as a SMase inhibitor. In Our previous research identified that a polysaccharide from Cordyceps mycelia possessed antioxidative ability and associated with SMase inhibitory effects, thus reducing levels of ceramides produced from hydrolysis of sphingomyelin [20]. Although findings did not fully elucidate the mechanism by which LMG exerts antioxidative effects, LMG's potential as a SMase inhibitor may be of importance for its future applications.
4. Conclusion
This study successfully isolated LMG, a low molecular weight β-1,3-glucan fraction, from the extracted residue of G. lucidum in high yields. A chemical method degraded the high-molecular-weight insoluble cell wall glucans into smaller sized compounds. This study also investigated the antioxidant activity of isolated LMG β-1,3-glucan to indicate the potential commercial value of G. lucidum glucans. LMG can protect cells by attenuating injury under oxidative stress caused by inflammatory oxidants. The study finding show that LMG, a water-soluble β-1,3-glucan with low molecular weight, recycled from extracted residue of G. lucidum, has activity against H2O2-induced apoptosis. LMG, therefore, is capable of exerting antioxidant effects by inhibiting SMases. The recycling of β-1,3-glucan from the remains of fruiting bodies could potentially provide a food supplement source of antioxidants for maintenance of body health. This is the first study to report the antioxidative effects of low molecular weight β-1,3-glucan from G. lucidum. The methods used have potential application in the isolation of antioxidative polysaccharides from other medicinal herbs.
This paper was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for scientific research from Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan R.O.C., and a grant from Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C. (100TMU-WFH-01-3). P. F. Kao and S. H. wang are contributed equally to this work.
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2016-2018: Alberto Campagnolo
CLIR/Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow
Educational Background:
University of the Arts London: Ph.D. (AHRC funded), Digital Humanities, Ligatus Research Centre, 2015
King's College London: MA (AHRC funded), Digital Culture and Technology, Department of Digital Humanities, 2009
Ca' Foscari University (Venice, Italy): BA (Hons. - equivalent), Conservation of Cultural Heritage (Library and Archive Materials), 2006
Foundation for the Preservation and Conservation of Library Materials (Spoleto, Italy): DipHE (equivalent), Conservation of Library and Archive Materials, 2001
Past Experience:
University College London – Digital Humanities: Honorary research fellow, 2016-current
Marbach Weimar Wolfenbüttel Research Association: Digital Humanities Fellow, Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel, 2016
R. B. Toth Associates: Independent contractor (Conservation and Digital Humanities Specialist), 2015-current
University of the Arts London, Ligatus Research Centre: Digital Humanities research fellow, 2015
Vatican Library: Book conservator, 2013-2015
King's College London, Department of Digital Humanities: Visiting researcher, 2010-2012
Guildhall Library & London Metropolitan Archives, City of London Corporation: Book conservator, 2007-2010
Published work includes: Campagnolo, A., Giacometti, A., MacDonald, L., Mahony, S., Terras, M., Gibson, A., "Cultural Heritage Destruction: Experiments with Parchment and Multispectral Imaging" in Bodard, G. & Romanello, M. (Eds.), Digital Classics Outside the Echo-Chamber, London: Ubiquity Press, 2016.
LC Project: (conducted under the Council on Library Information Resources/Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Data Curation for Medieval Studies
Focusing on linking digitally rendered data and information of select medieval objects from the Library's collections with the original object through an integrated approach to data and software management and preservation.
2016-2017: Elham Bakhtary
CLIR/Mellon Fellow
Educational Background:
George Washington University: Ph.D. candidate, History, expected Spring 2018.
San Francisco State University: M.A., History, with emphasis on Islamic political philosophies, 2010.
Univeristy of California Davis: B.A., History, 2007.
Past Experience:
George Washington University, Graduate Teaching Assistant: Courses in world history and U.S. diplomatic history
Archival research at: National Archives of India (New Delhi), Kitabkhanah-i Milli (Kabul), British Library (London), National Archives of the United Kingdom (London)
Papers presented include: "Official, Subaltern, and Islamic Modernist Narratives of the First Anglo-Afghan War." The 44th Annual Conference on South Asia. Madison, Wisconsin: Center for South Asia-University of Wisconsin Madison, October 25, 2015.
LC Project: (conducted under the Council on Library Information Resources/Library of Congress Mellon Fellowship ):
Conducting comparative analysis of nineteenth century Afghan lithographs with counterparts in neighboring countries using the environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM), hyperspectral imaging (HSI), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to reveal information concerning the inks, papers, and other components to better understand how lithographic technology and materials traveled with ideas across different spaces.
2014: Bradley Scates
Visiting Scientist
Educational Background:
Washington University in St. Louis: Ph.D., Chemistry, 2006.
Washington University in St. Louis: M.A., Chemistry, 2001.
University of Maryland, Baltimore County: B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1999.
Past Experience:
Synthesis and characterization of organic compounds.
Obiter Research, LLC, Research Chemist.
Indiana State University, Post-Doctoral Fellow.
LC Project:
Monitor acid catalyzed degradation of cellulose polymers in paper fibers by gel permeation chromatography to develop a paper-based version of the Oddy Test to detect off-gassing of acidic compounds.
2013: Gwenaelle Kavich
Visiting Scientist
Educational Background:
University of Pisa (Italy): PhD, Scienze Chimiche, 2007.
Past Experience:
Art Conservation Research Center of the Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh): Characterization of volatile organic compounds in paper tubes using solid phase microextraction - gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS).
Art Institute of Chicago: Multi-disciplinary research project on Picasso's use of oil-based house paint.
University of Pisa (Italy) and Getty Conservation Institute (Los Angeles): Characterization of proteinaceous binders in wall paintings by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
LC Project:
Focus on identification of copper proteinates in Renaissance maps. Evidence gathered by Raman spectroscopic examination of the Library's hand-colored 1513 Ptolemy Geographia Atlas suggests that the verdigris pigment used in this volume is now in the form of a copper proteinate.
2012-2013: Stephanie Stillo
CLIR/Mellon Fellow
Educational Background:
University of Kansas, Ph.D. candidate: Atlantic world history, degree expected Fall 2013
Western Washington University, M.A.: History, emphasis on Early Modern Iberia, 2009
Past Experience:
University of Kansas: Associate Instructor for a course on Colonial Latin America and Graduate Teaching Assistant for topics ranging from the Spanish Inquisition to Modern European Revolutions
Archival research at: Newberry Library (Chicago); Archivo Histórico (Madrid); Biblioteca Colombina (Seville); Archivo General de Indias (Seville); Universidad de Sevilla (Seville)
Published work includes: "Forging Imperial Cities: Seville and the Creation of Civic Order in the Spanish Empire," in European Studies Forum, Spring 2012
LC Project (conducted under the Council on Library Information Resources/Library of Congress Mellon Fellowship ):
Analysis of cartographic materials in the Kislak and Rosenwald Collections using a combination of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), focusing on the dissemination of geographic knowledge in the early modern period through the popular practice of hand-coloring printed maps.
2012: Gemma Mitchell
Kluge Fellow, Preservation Research and Testing Division
Educational Background:
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Ph.D. candidate: Pure and Applied Chemistry, degree expected September 2013
Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M.S.: Chemistry, 2010
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, B.S. (honors): Chemistry, 2009
Past Experience:
Project Scientist (Liquid Innovation) at Diageo Plc, Technical Supply Centre for Europe, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2007.
PhD research to develop a handheld, non-invasive diagnostic device that will enable accurate, rapid, cheap, non-destructive and in situ sampling of plastic museum objects. The olfactory device will be used to examine an object's chemical smell and identify key markers that indicate the state of decay of the given artifact.
Examined and characterized ancient Egyptian faience by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray fluorescence.
Assessed volatile organic compounds by direct sampling of paper in books using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME).
LC Projects:
Examination of volatiles released during degradation of polymers in museum and library collections; characterization of plastic objects using techniques such as optical spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry; accelerated aging trials to allow the examination of chemical deterioration pathways under various conditions: subjecting sacrificial samples to high temperature, high relative humidity, and exposure to UV light to collect emissive volatiles; comparative studies include the collection of emissive volatiles from Library of Congress archival material that has been aged naturally (The Impact of AHRC [Arts & Humanities Research Council] Research 2011/12, p. 6. ).
2011 – 2012: Amy Brady
CLIR/Mellon Fellow
Educational Background:
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Ph.D. candidate: English, degree expected Spring 2013
University of Missouri - Kansas City, M.A.: Language and Literature, with emphasis in Composition and Rhetoric, 2007
University of Kansas, B.A.: English, 2003
Past Experience:
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Graduate Teaching Associate: Courses in contemporary and historical American drama and drama.
Conducted archival research at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Smith College Archives.
Author of "They Worked Hard for No Money: Women, Labor, and Working-class Politics in the Writing of Meridel Le Sueur."
LC Project (conducted under the Council on Library Information Resources/Library of Congress Mellon Fellowship ):
Use imaging technologies to uncover previously obscured marginalia on original sources from the Federal Theatre Project collection, so as to elicit new insights into where and how the proletarian avant-garde contributed to the shaping of America's Federal Theatre.
2011-2012: Christina Bisulca
Visiting Scientist
Educational Background:
University of Arizona, Ph.D. candidate: Materials Science and Engineering
Winterthur Museum/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, M.S.: Objects Conservation, 2005
Rutgers University, B.A.: Chemistry and Art History, 1999
Past Experience:
Conservator, Arizona State Museum, Tucson, AZ
Research Fellow (Fulbright), Istituto di Fisica Applicata –"N. Carrara", Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Research Chemist, Department of Conservation and Scientific Research, Freer | Sackler Galleries (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, DC
LC Project:
Research conservation and preservation of the Kislak collections through rehousing projects, assessment, and identification of pigments and of other materials utilizing ESEM and other techniques for inorganic and organic analyses.
2010: Chandra L. Reedy
Educational Background:
UCLA, Ph.D.: Archaeology
Professor, Public Policy and Administration, Center for Historic Architecture and Design, University of Delaware
Professor of Art History and Asian Studies, University of Delaware
Director, Laboratory for Analysis of Cultural Materials, University of Delaware
Editor-in-Chief, Studies in Conservation
Director, Ph.D. Program in Art Conservation Research, University of Delaware
Conservation Scientist, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
LC Projects:
Present a workshop on experimental design for Preservation staff and consult with preservation science and conservation staff on the design of several projects, including research on daguerreotypes, solvent treatments of photographs, parchment deterioriation, sticky shed, and on iron gall ink.
2009: Jordan Brough
Recipient of the Harper-Inglis Memorial Trust Fellowship
George Washington University, Masters of Forensic Science
University of Utah, B.S.: Art Direction
Cincinnati State College, chemistry and biology courses
Past Experience:
Contractor with the United States Secret Service in the Forensic Automation Branch
Presented workshops on forensic document examination, including demonstrations of a range of instrumentation and discussions of forensic issues of obliterated and indented writing.
LC Projects:
Assess the capacity of various imaging systems to determine the long-term changes in historic inks and the benefits of a range of preservation treatments and develop additional applications for the Image Xpert system in the Library's Optical Properties Laboratory.
2009: Charles Tilford
Past Experience:
Dr. Tilford holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Iowa State University. His specialized expertise in ultra high vacuum technology, vacuum and pressure measurements, precision instrumentation, and anoxic encasement development and monitoring led him to work at the National Bureau of Standards/National Institute of Standards and Technology from 1970 to 2000, where his primary activity was the organization, leadership, and management of an effort to develop national standards and calibration services for vacuum and low-pressure measurements. Since 1999, he has served as a consultant to the National Archives Charters of Freedom project. He has broad experience in high accuracy measurements, primary standards development, calibration service development and management, uncertainty analysis, and quality control.
LC Projects:
Consultation on anoxic cases, visual storage cases at the Library of Congress, including the Waldseemuller 1507 world map case, particularly as regards hermetic seals, material properties to create such a seal and interpreting data from sensors monitoring conditions within the anoxic cases.
Michele Derrick
2008: Michele Derrick
Past Experience:
Ms. Derrick has been a Conservation Scientist in the Scientific Research Division of Conservation and Collections Management at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston since 1995. She served as the compiler, editor, and principal investor for the Conservation Artist Materials Encyclopedia Online (CAMEO) database. Prior to 1995, she worked at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles for 12 years. A chemist by training, Ms. Derrick's expertise is in infrared microspectroscopy; she is the author of Infrared Spectroscopy in Conservation Science (Los Angeles: Getty Conservation Institute, 1999). She is also currently the editor–in–chief of the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation.
LC projects:
Consultation on FTIR and Raman spectroscopic techniques, as well as development of the Library of Congress' collection of scientific reference samples.
2008: Chandra L. Reedy
Past Experience:
Dr. Reedy is currently a Professor in the Center for Historic Architecture and Design at the University of Delaware, where she serves as director of its Laboratory for Analysis of Cultural Materials. She also holds secondary appointments in Material Culture Studies, Art History, and East Asian Studies. She received her Ph.D. degree from UCLA, and worked as a conservation scientist at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art before moving to Delaware to direct the Ph.D. Program in Art Conservation Research from 1989-2003. She was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works for 8 years, and also served a term on the AIC's Board of Directors. She is the author or co-author of five books and more than 50 research articles, and has presented workshops and professional papers at more than 100 venues nationally and internationally.
LC Projects:
Consult on several projects (e.g. daguerreotype research) and teach a workshop for staff and DC colleagues on experimental design.
2008: Velson Horie
Past Experience:
Since 2007, Mr. Horie has been the Research Project Manager at The British Library, coordinating a 2½ year research project on the condition and smell of books in the 6 UK legal deposit libraries and 2 major UK archives. For the previous 28 years, he was Keeper of Conservation at The Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, responsible for improving care and storage conditions of approximately 5 million objects in archaeology to zoology collections, and latterly running a £21m capital re-development project. He has carried out conservation, research, and professional coordination, especially on organic materials - with 80+ publications, and has done a variety of teaching, including Chemistry for Conservators distance learning course and courses both UK and abroad.
LC projects:
Collaborative studies on the release of volatile organic compounds during paper degradation, environmental storage of books, the Library of Congress' collection of scientific reference samples, and the Identical Book Project.
2008: Ralph Wiegandt and Patrick Ravines
Mr. Wiegandt is the Assistant Director of Conservation Education at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film. He brings a background in objects conservation and applied optics to the field of photograph conservation. Prior to his current position, Mr. Wiegandt was the Andrew W. Mellon Senior Research Fellow at George Eastman House. He was also Conservator at the Rochester Museum & Science Center in Rochester, New York, Conservator at the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan, and a conservator in private practice. Before pursuing a career in conservation, Mr. Wiegandt worked in the optical thin film industry, and in the production and replication of ruled diffraction gratings.
Mr. Ravines received his B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Washington, Seattle in 1978. He received an M.S. in physical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in 1981, and was a Research Specialist at UWM in surface science from 1981-82. He received an Advanced Certificate in Conservation and an M.L.S. from Columbia University in 1985 in the conservation of paper-based collections found in museums, libraries and archives. From 2005 to 2007 he was an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow. Prior to joining the Eastman House, he was chief of the Conservation Office, Baha'i World Centre, Haifa, Israel. Mr. Ravines is currently a Senior Research Fellow in the Conservation Department at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, undertaking research in physical and chemical characterization of historic and artistic photographs using non-perturbing optical metrology, optical and electron microscopy techniques.
LC Projects:
Consultation on daguerreotype plate-making process, as well as plate housings and exhibit-related image deterioration.
2008: Mike Toth and Hyperspectral Imaging Team
Past Experience:
The hyperspectral imaging team represents a range of institutions and disciplines in one of the most advanced cultural imaging and technical integration capabilities. Imaging scientists include Dr. Roger Easton Jr. from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Dr. Keith Knox from Boeing Corporation, and Dr. Bill Christens-Barry from Equipoise Imaging, with Doug Emery from Emery IT supporting the data management and Ken Boydston of MegaVision Inc. providing cameras and engineering, all under the systems integration and program management of Michael B. Toth of R.B. Toth Associates.
Recent projects by Team Members include imaging the oldest known copy of Archimedes work, The Archimedes Palimpsest, Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland; processing the Temple Scroll, the longest of the Dead Sea Scrolls; digital imaging consultation and support for a range of U.S. Government applications.
LC Projects:
Hyperspectral imaging with LED lighting in 12 spectral bands and raking light for preservation studies to enhance the visibility of any "topographic" features relating to printing techniques to create pseudocolor images to map specific components.
2008: Karen Motylewski
Educational Background:
Theatre Arts and English, Boston University, 1965-1968
Ed.M., Adult Learning, Harvard University, 1976
Past Experience:
Special Project Liaison to Library of Congress Preservation Directorate, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2008-present.
Evaluation Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Washington, DC. 1999-present.
Director, Preservation and Conservation Studies and Senior Lecturer for Preservation Administration, Information School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 1995-1999.
Director of Field Service, Northeast Document Conservation Center, Andover, MA, 1986-1995.
Conservation Apprentice, Dennis and Craine Associates, Cambridge, MA, 1984-1986.
Division Manager and Research Technician, Division of Planetary Sciences, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA, 1973-1984.
LC Projects:
Special Project Liaison detailed to the Library of Congress Preservation Directorate by the Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) to develop partnership activities to meet complementary goals of the IMLS Connecting to Collections initiative and the Library of Congress Preservation Directorate strategic plan, with particular emphasis on preservation and conservation education and outreach.
2008: Jae R. Anderson
Educational Background:
B.S, Mathematics, University of Arizona, 2006
A.S., Computer Science, Pima Community College, 2001
Past Experience:
Contract Researcher, Smithsonian Institute National Museum of the American Indian, 2006-Present
Webmaster, University of Arizona-Social and Behavior Science Department, 2004-2006
LC Projects:
Conducting comparative deterioration studies on an array of media for the Preservation Research and Testing Division.
2007: Fenella France
Educational Background:
Ph.D., Textile Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ
MBA,Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
Past Experience:
Scientific Analyst and Project Manager, World Trade Center 9/11 Project, Port Authority of New York/New Jersey.
Preservation Scientist, Star-Spangled Banner Project, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D. C.
Textile Analyst, American Museum of Natural History, New York.
Research Scientist, Treasures Gallery Rehabilitation Project, National Park Service, Ellis Island, New York.
Environmental Researcher and Analyst, 1812 Period Flags, Peebles Island, New York.
Environmental and Lighting Researcher, Historic House Trust of New York.
Data Manager, Web-Accessible Fiber Reference Imaging Library, National Park Service
Research & International Postgraduate Research Manager/Research Fellow, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
LC Projects:
Scientific analysis of preservation techniques for document anoxic environments, especially for the Waldseemuller 1507 Map.
This includes:
Assisting with the creation of the oxygen-free environment of the Waldseemuller 1507 World Map encasement, monitoring the environment, and training LOC staff in the monitoring procedures.
Analyzing the current state of the Top Treasures cases in the custodianship of the Conservation Division, such as checking the oxygen levels, reporting on next steps, and assisting with the remedy of any malfunctioning encasements.
Conducting comparative research into the various available low-oxygen storage systems. This will comprise reviewing existing systems, and designing research proposals for investigating low-oxygen storage systems including tests on the longevity of various substances in low oxygen systems.
2007: Blake Hannaford
Educational Background:
Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley 1985
M.S., University of California, Berkeley 1982
B.S., Yale University 1977
Past Experience:
1986 to 1989: Man-Machine Systems Group in the Automated Systems Section of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech.
1989 - present: University of Washington in Seattle, where he has been Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering since 1993, and is currently Director of the Biorobotics Laboratory.
He was awarded the National Science Foundation's Presidential Young Investigator Award and the Early Career Achievement Award from the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.
LC Projects:
Using haptic technology to capture conservation hand skills for the purpose of advance training in conservation.
2007: Sergey Alyukov
Muskie Fellow
Educational Background:
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Vladimir State Technical University, Vladimir, Russia.
M.S., Engineering, South Ural State University, Department of Automobiles and Tractors, Chelyabinsk, Russia.
M.A., Economics, Bowling Green State University.
M.S., Mathematics, Ural State University, Department of Mathematics and Mechanics, Yekateriburg, Russia.
Past Experience:
Professor, South Ural State University, Department of Higher Mathematics, Chelyabinsk, Russia, Doctor of Science.
Director, "Splain" Ltd. (Research-and-Production Company) Chelyabinsk, Russia.
LC Projects:
Statistical modeling of collections growth dynamics, with a focus on forecasting future space and preservation needs of the Library's diverse collection formats. Application of a newly-developed mathematical formula to interpolation of optical data points for the IRENE project.
2007: Mary T. Baker
Educational Background:
Ph.D., Polymer Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 1986
Past Experience:
Research Chemist, Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, 1987–2000.
Associate Professor of Chemistry, American University in Cairo, 2001–2004. Chemistry Teacher and Curriculum Developer, Montgomery Public School System, 2006-present.
LC Projects:
Analysis of 1507 Waldseemuller map, including calculating reduction of fading rates of colorants exhibited in argon encasement; consulting on
sticky shed audio and video tapes; and advising on Haptic Project to mathematically measure conservation hand skills.
2007: Andre M. Striegel
Educational Background:
Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry, University of New Orleans. 1996.
B.S., Chemistry, University of New Orleans, 1991.
Past Experience:
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University. 2004-Present.
Research Specialist and Senior Research Chemist, Solutia Inc., 1998-2004.
Postdoctoral Research Chemist, USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, 1996-1998.
LC Projects:
Studying the mechanochemical degradation of cellulose in transient elongational flows.
2007: Noreen Tuross
Educational Background:
B.A., Boston University.
B.S., Trinity College.
M.A., Bryn Mawr College.
Ph.D., Brown University.
Past Experience:
Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health.
Research Associate, Carnegie Institution of Washington.
Senior Research Biochemist and Director, Laboratories of Analytical Biology, Smithsonian Institution.
Landon T. Clay Professor, Department of Anthropology, Harvard University.
LC Projects:
Oversight on installation and training for new state-of-the-art instrumentation for the Preservation Directorate.
2005- Lambertus (Bert) van Zelst
Educational Background:
Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Amsterdam.
Past Experience:
Research Associate, Institute for Nuclear Physics Research, Amsterdam.
Research Associate, Brookhaven National Laboratory. Research Chemist, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Director of Research, Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Director, Conservation Analytical Laboratory/Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education, Smithsonian Institution.
LC Projects:
Characterization of the "Sticky Shed" phenomenon in magnetic tapes; development/evaluation of appropriate remedial techniques.
2003: Carl Haber
Past Experience:
Carl Haber is a Senior Scientist, Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Columbia University and is a Senior Scientist in the Physics Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California. Most of his research interest involves the development of instrumentation and methods for detecting and measuring particles created at high energy colliders such as the facility at Fermilab near Chicago. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
LC Projects:
Since 2003, the Preservation Directorate of the Library of Congress has engaged in a research collaboration with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to study the application of digital imaging to the extraction of sound from phonograph records and other grooved media. This non-invasive approach protects delicate or damaged historical items, and offers a direction toward large-scale digitization of recorded sound collections.
I.R.E.N.E. (Image, Reconstruct, Erase Noise, etc.) is a system that rapidly makes a digital image of a disc record. It can efficiently extract sound from an image of a fragile or damaged disc, "heal" scratches or digitally "reassemble" a broken phonograph record. The extracted sound is converted to standard digital files and stored for purposes of digital access and preservation. The prototype was delivered for evaluation in 2006. Among the future directions for this research are applications of high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) surface profiling methods.
The research has been supported by the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Department of Energy, the University of California, the Andrew P. Mellon Foundation and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory and is located in Berkeley, California. It conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed by the University of California. Its Web site is www.lbl.gov. The Berkeley-Library of Congress research Web site, which includes sound files and links to publications, is http://irene.lbl.gov.

subset: commoncrawl


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Montana's roadkill bill
I remember when a doe collided with my mom's tank-like 1973 Chrysler Newport, an earwax gold car we eventually dubbed the "the deer slayer." Mom trudged to a neighbor's and called my dad, who came out to dispatch the unfortunate animal, and take it home to eat. It became a family joke to tease Dad about the origins of our venison dinners, but no one seemed to mind dining at our roadkill café.
Those childhood memories of how my family put the car in carnivore returned when I read that Montana's legislature passed a bill aimed to legalize scavenging the elk, deer, antelope and moose people cream with their vehicles. It's now awaiting the governor's signature, and Wyoming is considering a similar law.
I was surprised that my adopted state of Montana didn't already allow roadkill salvaging. After all, it's long been okay to scrape up dead deer in big-government Maryland, where I was raised. Not so long ago you could even do a little drinking and driving in Montana, so why not let people do something so harmless as grill what they kill? Plus, as I learned as a kid, eating roadkill is a great expression of self-determination: with a little skill (and minimal government oversight), you can turn an unfortunate death into a free meal (minus the cost of vehicle damage).
But some Montana lawmakers, like state Senator Kendall Van Dyk, questioned eating roadside cuisine from a food safety standpoint. "Despite it's good intention, it doesn't pass the smell test for me," he said in an AP story. Har. Har. Representative Bill Lavin, the bill's sponsor, countered with the point that Montanans have good common sense. It doesn't take USDA training to know what fresh meat looks and smells like. Then there's the question of people trying to use their Dodge Rams to take out bambi, or trying to mow down animals for which hunting tags are expensive and rare, like bison. Hitting those could be deadly for the driver too. I can almost see the cartoon thought bubble over Senator Larry Jent's head reading, "How dumb to you think we are?" What he said instead: "We don't have very many suicidal drivers."
Meanwhile, some reports make it sound like eating roadkill is a shocking idea invented in Montana, with Fox News headlining the AP's story with "Montana Wants to Eat Roadkill." At least a Bloomberg article and a blogger at the Atlantic recognized that it's not novel for states to permit salvaging animals—there are at least 14 that allow it. But the Atlantic writer couldn't resist comparing residents of those states, like Alaska and Colorado, to the Georgia beauty-pageant family from the reality television show Honey Boo-Boo. You'd think with all the attention lavished on locavorism and freeganism, the roadkill crowd would be as popular with the mainstream media as urban chicken owners. But instead of seeing roadkill as good meat gone to waste, like Montana Rep. Steve Lavin does, they imply that roadkill dining is vile and low class. The Christian Science Monitor began their story on the Montana bill with "It sounds gross but…."
At risk of being on the receiving end of some "You Might Be a Redneck" jokes, I think it's nice that Montana's state government could allow us to eat what we hit. After all, it's a rare example of state legislators aligning the law with their stated values of government staying out of our business. But if the state is serious about making Montana as free its Big Sky motto says, they need to begin by jettisoning another outdated, and much more hurtful law before the legislature this session. As the Supreme Court hears cases on Proposition 8 (the California gay marriage ban) and the Defense of Marriage Act, and Montana Senator John Tester has voiced his support for gay marriage, the state legislature is deciding if it should strike down its 1973 law that makes same-sex sexual contact a felony. Repealing the "deviate sex act" law has failed before in Helena. State representatives are also trying to make up their minds about whether or not to support an LGBT anti-discrimination bill in the state.
To truly live and let live, Montana should join its senator and nine other states in supporting marriage equality. That includes my birth state, Maryland, where taxes are high and public land is scant, but at least you have the freedom to legally dine on rigor mortise tortoise with your same-sex spouse. If the national media is going to poke fun at rural and Western states, it should be over hateful and bigoted laws that really do make us look like backwoods ignoramuses—not eating road kill.
Sarah Jane Keller is an intern at High Country News.
1950's roadkill photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.


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February 7, 2011
Gastritis Natural Cure
The natural genuine care of your digestive health can and will cure gastritis. All you really need to know is that your natural healing intelligence is waiting for you to help.
Americans are raised by a dysfunctional educational system based on memorizing data, rather than based on the encouragement and development of introspective research skills.
By simply beginning to question all things you can reverse your gastritis and you can prevent gastritis from ever recurring again.
Another innate problem with American education is that it's always biased, or slanted toward whomever or whatever is funding it.
Unfortunately the fact is global pharmaceutical companies are funding most all of our top institutions and universities to ultimately help serve their own special interests . . . not yours.
A natural cure for gastritis should not be a mystery to the modern man or woman. It seems the more technologically advanced America becomes, the less informed its citizens become.
Gastritis has a natural cure, but first you need to learn what the main cause of gastritis is. Everyone wants a magical silver bullet pill that makes everything all right. Well, living against the grain of Mama Nature isn't all right, it's all wrong and no pill will ever change that fact.
I know if Big Pharma told Americans that there is a magic 'bluepill' that will allow them to continue to live the wrong way; most people would take the 'bluepill' rather than change.
The terms bluepill and its opposite, redpill, are pop culture terms that have become a common metaphor for the choice between the blissful ignorance of illusion (bluepill) and embracing the sometimes painful truth of reality (redpill).
The truth is gastritis cannot happen as long as you maintain a natural alkaline pH.
You see excessive alcohol consumption and pharmaceutical dependency are the main culprits behind gastritis; well that and an acid producing diet.
Helicobacter pylori are blamed as the bacteria causing gastritis, yet no one ever points out that there are beneficial bacteria that help your immune system prevent bad bacteria from thriving. All you have to do is help provide a natural alkaline pH balance between 7.25 and 7.4 and Helicobacter pylori can't even live, let along thrive.
Gastritis is a symptom of acidosis, which is an imbalance of the quality of terrain inside you. Gastritis needs a sick terrain to develop in.
Everything in your body, every cell, tissue and organ except your digestive juices is alkaline . . . the opposite of acidic. When your tissue becomes burdened with acid wastes from poor diet, ONLY then gastritis can develop, along with a host of other unwanted health issues and degenerative diseases.
The natural cure for gastritis is to refuse the metaphorical bluepill of ignorant bliss and take responsibility for helping restore balance through genuine care.
You were born to heal,
Todd M. Faass
Health Advocate
Filed under Gastritis Diet by admin


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3mm Women's XCEL THERMOFLEX SCUBA Wetsuit
The 3mm ThermoFlex dive wetsuit keeps you warm, flexible, and super comfortable by integrating lots of high end features. 100% superstretch neoprene gives you maximum freedom of movement in and out of the water, while sealed seams keep cold water from flushing the suit. The warm and fuzzy ThermoBamboo poly fleece lining wicks moisture from the skin while retaining valuable body heat. The convenient ankle zippers also have an integrated anti-flush dam to ensure a good seal. Also features duraflex kneepads, and an adjustable collar.
XCEL Wetsuits are environmentally conscious, featuring limestone based neoprene and glue. This green approach to wetsuit development eliminates oil-consuming processes, using hydro-electric power and waste energy instead. 1 year warranty on wetsuits. 3 month warranty on lycra, boots, gloves, and hoods.


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 3, 2008) - Last season the ETSU softball team piled up 48 runs on 47 hits against the conference rivals from Nashville and this weekend the Lady Bucs could use some of that offensive explosion to get themselves back in the Atlantic Sun race when they travel to the Music City. Should the rains hold off, ETSU will begin its two-day, four-game trip with Lipscomb Friday evening at 6 p.m. EST from Draper Diamond. However, local weather forecasts are predicting over two inches of rain in
The Softball Bucs have lost six straight games but have shown some signs of busting out of this slump last night at
Despite standing 16-24, 3-7 in the conference, ETSU still holds the No. 5 seed in next month's Atlantic Sun Tournament. However, a big weekend in
Lipscomb enters play 15-20, 6-4 in the conference and has two of the leagues top-10 hitters. Sophomore infielder Kellie Sirus ranks seventh with her .377 batting average and fellow sophomore Abby Keese is 10th as she is batting .367. Keese is also tied for fifth with 10 home runs and ranks sixth in slugging percentage (.706). The Lady Bisons have been fueled by their hitting, because Lipscomb's pitching staff ranks last with a team ERA of 4.20.
Belmont - who was scheduled to begin play with
Fans unable to make the trip to the state's capitol can view Friday's action against Lipscomb live on ASun.TV. Live stats will also be provided the entire weekend, courtesy of ETSU athletics.
For more information on Lady Buccaneer softball, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


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Dean S. Potter, Sky Flier
2009 Adventurers of the Year
See the next 2009 Adventurer of the Year >>
Video: Watch video of Dean Potter's incredible feats >>
On a sunny afternoon in mid-August, Dean Potter stepped onto a tongue of rock just below the summit of Switzerland's Eiger and jumped off. At first he plunged toward a ledge 600 feet below, then air gathered in his wingsuit, his forward trajectory kicked in, and he began to fly.
Speeding three feet ahead for every one he dropped, Potter, 37, watched as ice slopes gave way to talus, then to fields, then cabins, then houses, restaurants, and eventually a town, which he veered away from to avoid the power lines. By the time he pulled his chute and drifted to Earth, Potter had spent two minutes and 50 seconds in flight. It was the longest BASE jump ever, covering some 9,000 vertical feet and nearly four miles.
In the rarefied world of BASE jumping, this was big news, but to Potter it was just another step in an ongoing transition. He is one of the best known rock climbers on the planet, renowned for daring free solos (no rope, no harness) up some of the world's tallest rock faces. But this year, Potter made headlines with hardly any climbs at all. Instead he free soloed a hundred-foot slackline over the yawning abyss at Yosemite's Taft Point. He pushed his new sports of BASE lining and free BASE (slacklining and climbing, respectively, while wearing only a parachute as protection from a fall). In short, this was the year that Dean Potter outgrew the title of climber and became something other, something that defies definition—awe-inspiring, maybe crazy, and most definitely badass.
Originally published in the December 2009/January 2010 edition of National Geographic Adventure
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New York, 1 February 2013 – Secretary-General's message for Interfaith Harmony Week
For billions of people around the world, faith is an essential foundation of life.
It provides strength in times of difficulty and an important sense of community. The vast majority of people of faith live in harmony with their neighbours, whatever their creed, but each religion also harbours a strident minority prepared to assert fundamentalist doctrines through bigotry and extreme violence.
These acts are an affront to the heritage and teachings of all major religions. They also contravene the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right of all to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It is imperative that the moderate majority is empowered to stand firm against the forces of extremism. But, this can only be achieved through strong leadership.
Next month at its forum in Vienna, the Alliance of Civilizations will continue its efforts to unite faiths and cultures. Whether on the world stage or in their communities, religious and cultural leaders have a responsibility to speak the language of tolerance and respect. This is a central message of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
We must also reach out to young people with a message of hope. Too often marginalized, jobless and facing a future of uncertainty, youth can be easy prey for fanatics offering a sense of cause and community. We need to expose the invalidity of this lure and offer a compelling alternative.
This cannot be achieved by words alone. Young people need jobs and a meaningful stake in a future that they can believe in. The United Nations is currently engaged in defining a post-2015 sustainable development agenda. Our goal is to eradicate extreme poverty in our lifetime and promote equitable economic opportunity for all while protecting the environment. To do that, we need the engagement of all actors – including young people and communities of faith.
We live in times of turmoil and transformation – economic, environmental, demographic and political. These transitions bring both hope and uncertainty. Our job is to ensure that hope wins, and our task will be made easier if the followers of all faiths collaborate in common cause. Let us never forget that what divides us is minuscule compared with what unites us. Working together, we can achieve all our goals for peace, prosperity and physical and spiritual well-being.
Ban Ki-moon


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UnBooks:My First Necronomicon
"What do you mean, Mad Arab?"
My First Necronomicon was written by beloved children's writer Abdul Alhazred to teach reading and prepare the souls of children for consumption by Cthulhu. The book was first printed by the Pressworks of Madness in 1973. A recent reprint has been ordered by UnBooks from Miskatonic Press and is available through the internet.
About the Book
My First Necronomicon is designed to introduce the dark, unspeakable knowledge of the Elder Gods Yog Sothoth and Cthulhu to the beginning reader.
The book does so by employing large print, bold color schemes (primarily black and blood red), and engaging pictures of Cthulhu dreaming dark designs in his crypt outside of time, before rising and consuming the souls of happy, smiling, doomed mortals. It is written in a way easy for the young mind to understand, and even features age-appropriate chants to employ. Alhazred wrote the book because he felt that the children's books of the time were boring, and did too little to promote insanity and evil.
The book was nominated for the American Library Association's Caldecott medal. After My First Necronomicon was beaten out by Chris Van Allsburg's Polar Express, several members of the American Library Association suddenly disappeared, spontaneously burst into flames, or were consumed alive from the inside by centipedes.
An excerpt from "My First Necronomicon"
See Dick read. Dick is reading the twisted wisdom of the Elder Gods.
Read read read. Read, Dick, read!
See Dick invoke. Dick is invoking the unholy names of the Dark Old Ones. Invoke, Dick, invoke.
Tsathoggua! Cthulhu! Yog-Sothoth! Daemon-Sultan Azathoth!
Dick has a vision of Azathoth. Azathoth is the Blind Idiot God. He rules over the insane spaces of chaos far beyond mortal comprehension. See him rule!
Dagon! Mother Hydra! Ithaqua! Hastur! Iä! Iä! Shub-Niggurath!
Shub-Niggurath is the Black Goat in the Woods with a Thousand Young. Goat goat goat.
The Entities give Dick knowledge of horror and evil. Spells write themselves in fiery letters in his head. Dick chants the spells. See Dick chant. Chant, Dick, chant!
Un'guarh Kinuas h'uynia Py'olthu Quar'es'hu!
P'ynugai aru ia oai'u.
U'ru aka a'alu Uigua.
Kryaas u'lsaja tyrrq.
R'lyeh onj'ua wqasrra tak Cthulu py'gnai!
Srrai d'a ala Tak iq rrs...d'anupai....
T'quai si ju ret i'n karr.
Ku'io dwq fsj'aniu urin'onuai hrrgiu asli junbgsqq porthuniai l'lla i'uaoe uqqque h'ululuh locnuqrrx tjl'llua'aaa! Iä!!!
See Spot whimper in terror. Spot does not like the spells. What is happening to Spot? Oh no, Spot has burst into flames! See Spot burn. Burn, Spot, burn!
See Jane run. She is afraid of Dick. She does not want to receive the knowledge which will rend her fragile mind like a claw tears at a veil. Run, Jane, run!
Dick does not care. Dick is a Follower of Cthulhu. The souls of the Followers will be eaten first. His suffering will be short.
My First Necronomicon has been accused of causing madness in children, and its author has been labelled "demented and dangerously unstable". In an interview with The New York Times Review of Books, Abdul Alhazred said of his alleged insanity and the supposed madness-causing properties of his books, "It is of no use! The Old Ones will claim the world of men! Tak! Nub-Allagossth!" before ripping out his own tongue. The first printing of My First Necronomicon has been subsequently blamed for causing the 1980s; some recent studies show a link between the recent reprint and the rise of emo culture.
Other Works
Alhazred went on to write several other books for children. "The Cephalopod-Headed God in the Hat" tells the story of a brother and sister left home on a boring rainy day. Cthulhu stops by to liven up the day with his assistants Thing One and Thing Two, his eldritch magic, and abhorrent rituals designed to contact the dark outer realms of existence. His crazy antics make a mess of the house, but the scorch marks, black ectoplasmic slime and goat's blood are all cleaned up by the time the children's mom gets home. She suspects nothing, until she notices that the girl is catatonic with fear and the boy is an insane, cackling idiot.
The book was followed up by "The Cephalopod-Headed God in the Hat Comes Back", "A is for Azathoth" and "The Littlest Shoggoth," plus the doo-wop song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Yog-Sothoth".
See Also
- My Neighbor Cthulhu
- Cthulhu
- Cthulhu Day
- Making up Cthulhu quotes
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Necronomicon
|Featured Article (read another featured article)
|Featured version: 23 August 2006
|This article has been featured on the main page. — You can vote for or nominate your favourite articles at Uncyclopedia:VFH.


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Mercer Mayer's
Book Giveaway
Thanks to Online-Sweepstakes.com for listing this contest in their directory of current giveaways.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided the book to me to facilitate this review and also is providing the prize and shipping for this giveaway. MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.


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Lionel Messi has admitted he wanted to leave Barcelona when he was under investigation from the Spanish tax authorities but insists now he intends to finish his career at the club.
In an interview with Catalan radio station RAC1, Messi also said he had expected Neymar to sign for Real Madrid last summer after Barca failed to strike an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain.
"With the mess of the treasury, I wanted to leave, not for wanting to leave Barça but wanting to leave Spain, I felt that I was being very mistreated & I didn't want to stay here." – Lionel Messi on how his tax fraud case almost drove him away from Barcelona. [RAC1] pic.twitter.com/22lDr4AsZE
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) October 9, 2019
Messi and his father Jorge were found guilty of defrauding Spain of 4.1 million euros in taxes between 2007 and 2009, for which they paid close to 10 million euros and Messi was handed a 21-month suspended prison sentence.
Asked on Tuesday night if he had ever wanted to leave Barcelona, Messi said: "In 2013-14, when I started having the tax problems, it was very difficult for me and my family."
Messi scored his first goal of the season in a 4-0 thrashing of Sevilla on Sunday, after two months spoiled by calf and thigh injuries.
"My children were young and we had a very bad time. At that time, I had it in mind to leave, not because I wanted to leave Barca but because I wanted to leave Spain. I felt mistreated and I didn't want to be here anymore."
The 32-year-old's current contract expires in 2021 and Messi believes extending his deal "will not be a problem".
"Today it is clearer that my idea is to finish here," Messi said. "For how I am at the club, for what I feel, and for the family and the children and how settled we are in this city. I would not like to disrupt that.
"Of course anything can happen but in principle, the idea is to stay here."
Messi began playing football aged six for Newell's Old Boys, the Rosario club he supports in Argentina.
Read more: Messi banned for three months after 'corruption' outburst
"I always dreamed of being able to play again for Newell's and to have the experience of playing football in Argentina," he said.
"But I have already told them that sometimes you have to think about what is best for your family."
No Rift with Griezmann
Messi was keen to be reunited with Neymar last summer but Barcelona were unable to agree a fee with PSG.
"I honestly thought at one time, especially in this market, that if he did not come here, he would go to Real Madrid because I thought he wanted to leave," Messi said.
"I wanted Ney to come because as a footballer, he is one of the best in the world. He is unpredictable, different and having him in our team would have given us more options."
Read more: Messi will play for Argentina till his country needs him
Barcelona did sign Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid, despite him rejecting the Catalans the year before. Messi denies suggestions of a rift between him and the Frenchman.
🗣 — Messi: "Griezmann's coming from a playing a different way to how we play here but we have no doubt he will adapt because he has quality and he is intelligent." pic.twitter.com/POZmJlzhNa
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) October 9, 2019
"The first year when we wanted to sign Griezmann, I said he was one of the best and that the best are always welcome," Messi said. "I have never had problem with him coming. So it's a lie."
Messi also offered his support to Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde, who has been under pressure after a bumpy start to the season followed the team's Champions League collapse against Liverpool in May.
"It was not the coach's fault but it was also not my decision for him to stay," Messi said. "The club decided Valverde would continue and for me that was a joy, good for stability and he is a coach we support and love.
Read more: Messi has 'made me a better player', says Cristiano Ronaldo
"If another coach comes, we will be with him. To achieve success, we all have to be united."
Messi scored his first goal of the season in a 4-0 thrashing of Sevilla on Sunday, after two months spoiled by calf and thigh injuries.
"I'm still a bit short but I'm feeling better," Messi said. "My legs hurt against Sevilla but it's what happens when you come back. I'm getting closer."
AFP with additional input from GVS News Desk


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By DONNA CASSATA Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) – Roughly five months until across-the-board budget reductions, known as sequestration, are set to kick in, the Aerospace Industries Association unveiled a new report Tuesday that warned of jobs losses, billions in losses to the economy and a blow to wages from the $1.2 trillion, 10-year cuts in defense and domestic programs.
The trade group that represents manufacturers, New Hampshire's two senators and the mayors of Phoenix and San Diego cited the report in arguing that it was imperative that Congress act before the November election to avoid the cuts.
The report by Dr. Stephen Fuller of George Mason University and Chmura Economics and Analytics estimated that the cuts would reduce the nation's gross domestic product by $215 billion next year while consumer confidence would plummet. The analysis is similar to other cautionary reports that have emerged in recent months from independent organizations that analyze federal spending. All the reports carry a degree of uncertainty since the government hasn't spelled out where it would make the cuts.
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Marion Blakey, president and chief executive officer of the Aerospace Industries Association, told a news conference that the cuts would result in an employment "Armageddon" and stands as a "genuine catastrophe waiting to happen," with the potential of 175,000 jobs losses per month next year.
Not far from where she spoke, a countdown clock marked the days, hours and minutes to the automatic cuts on Jan. 2 — 168 days.
Flurry of activity to avert cuts
The report comes amid a cacophony of election-year demands and partisan backbiting over how to avert the impending cuts that will only grow louder in the coming weeks.
Former Vice President and onetime Defense Secretary Dick Cheney was meeting with Senate and House Republicans Tuesday to discuss the cuts. The House is scheduled to vote this week on legislation forcing the Obama administration to explain how it will impose the automatic cuts. Top officials from major defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, EADS, Pratt and Whitney and Williams-Pyro are slated to testify before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday as they clamor for Congress to avoid the cuts.
Then, on Aug. 1, Jeffrey Zients, acting head of the Office of Management and Budget, and Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will be questioned by the panel on how the administration plans to make $55 billion in defense cuts next year.
Unless Obama and congressional Republicans and Democrats can agree on a plan to stave off the cuts, the military will face a reduction of $492 billion over a decade, with a $55 billion cut beginning in January, three months into the fiscal year. Domestic programs also would be reduced by $492 billion over 10 years.
Agencies left without many options
Read more: All News
The automatic cuts are the result of the failure last year of a bipartisan congressional panel to come up with a plan to cut the deficit by $1.2 trillion over 10 years. The panel had been created in the hard-fought budget law passed last summer that reduced government spending while raising the nation's borrowing authority. Decisions on across-the-board reductions, the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts and another effort to increase the country's borrowing authority are part of a packed congressional agenda after the November elections.
Based on analyses by the Congressional Research Service and other data, the report estimated that the automatic cuts would translate into a 1.5 percentage point increase in unemployment, which now stands at 8.2 percent in a sluggish economic recovery.
The report estimated a loss of 1.09 million jobs from the defense cuts next year, with almost 70 percent from manufacturing and professional and business service jobs. Cuts in domestic spending would result in 1.05 million jobs lost, the report estimated.
"The federal agencies haven't said what they would cut back," Fuller said in an interview on the domestic cuts. "They don't have too many choices because most of their budget is payroll, where the Defense Department has more choices because most of its budget isn't payroll."
Lawmakers disagree on solutions
Republican Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen, both members of the Armed Services Committee, agreed that it was imperative that Congress move swiftly before the November election to avert the cuts, but they offered variations on a solution.
Ayotte favored a one-year, stop-gap effort to come up with $109 billion in cuts, giving lawmakers more time to produce a long-term solution that involves closing tax loopholes. Shaheen said a far-reaching solution is needed now that deals with all issues, including spending, entitlement programs and taxes, although she signaled a willingness to consider a short-term plan.
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"We do need to do a large agreement that deals fundamentally with the drivers of our debt, which would include a tax reform model that would simplify and lower rates with looking at deficit reduction, entitlement reform, all of it together," Ayotte said. "But I don't see that happening realistically before the election." Shaheen said, "You can't get there unless revenue is on the table. … You got to put aside these sacred cows or you're not going to get a deal."
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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