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Caithness Glass Ruby Heart - Special Moments Paperweight
- $27.10
This romantic Ruby Heart glass paperweight from Caithness Glass would make a lovely gifts for the home or office. More »
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A tiny heart on a ruby background.
|50mm (h) x 50mm (d)


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A New Trigger, A Surprise and Success
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My Current Struggle With Triggers And Anger
I want to do an update on how my own personal recovery is going.
I mentioned on a previous podcast that I am in my angry stage. For a long time I was just super sad, and now I am very angry. It's mostly being triggered by my children, which I feel terrible about. They are immature because they are 8, 5, and 3 years old; they are children! For example, I'll say to my son, "You need to do this." He'll ignore me and walk around so I'll tell him again and he'll continue to ignore me. Then I'll say again that he really needs to do it and he'll argue that I didn't tell him to do it before. I know he is lying and that he heard me. This really triggers me as it's the same types of things that happened with my ex. This feeling that I'm saying something but it isn't registering, he isn't hearing me, he isn't taking me seriously…it's very similar to what happened with my ex.
Addict Behavior Is Immature
Last night I was talking to a friend and she said, "You know, this is very common with all children. He's not acting like an addict." I told her that wasn't actually true because addicts act like five year olds! They are immature. So basically I am face-to-face with the same types of behavior of my addict spouse…except that for 3, 5, and 8-year old children, this is appropriate behavior. They are learning how to tell the truth. They are learning how to listen and interact with people. This is appropriate for an 8-year-old but NOT for a 40-year-old man! Not at all!
So I'm seeing that these immature, age appropriate behaviors from my very young children are triggering the trauma of the same exact behaviors from my immature addict lying ex-husband who is almost 40 years old. This continues to come up for me. Previously in my parenting, I have been relatively patient and kind and understanding, so this is an entirely new place for me. I am working weekly with a coach right now, taking a 6-week break while I do so, and then I will check in with my therapist. I'm working the 12 steps to really focus in on these behaviors and help me with them.
12 Step And Betrayal Trauma Recovery
I want to do an update about the 12 Step Program and how we view it at Betrayal Trauma Recovery. When I first began podcasting, I was attending (and continue to attend) a 12 Step Betrayal Trauma meeting with SA Lifeline, which I love. I now attend monthly. For 18 months or so I, attended weekly. We do not talk a lot about 12 Step on Betrayal Trauma Recovery because the 12 steps don't fit in with the trauma model. This does not mean they aren't both very beneficial, nor does it mean I would discourage someone from attending a meeting. It has helped me immensely to draw closer to God and improve my life and to change. I'm so grateful for this.
Telling You To Work On Your Contribution To The Problem, While Still Being Abused, Is Counterproductive And Unethical
When a woman first discovers she has been lied to, that she is being abused, manipulated, and so forth, we at Betrayal Trauma Recovery don't feel like it's the exact right time to say things we often hear at a 12 Step meeting such as, "You need to clean up your side of the street, " or "You need to learn to accept the things you cannot change." I say this because when taken out of context or when these values or principles are applied incorrectly, they lead women to become stuck in the abuse cycle.
Boundaries And Safety First
Once they know how to set boundaries, once they realize they are victims, and once they realize these things are happening, the woman may recognize there are things she has to work on that has nothing to do with her spouse (either current or ex). She may find that in relation to the unhealthy abuse she has been experiencing, she herself has chosen unhealthy behaviors, and this may also be something she wants to look at. At BTR our first goal is safety. Boundaries are the only way to create that safety. So we aren't going to tell a woman at this point to take a deep breath and "accept the things she cannot change" because we do not think that women should be okay with abuse while they "clean up their side of the street."
In defense of 12 Step, I think they believe this as well. When a person is new to recovery and 12 Step, it can be common to believe that if they focus on themselves they can make things better….when in reality they are still being abused. This is one point I wanted to discuss today…why we don't completely promote 12 Step. It's not because I don't personally work the steps, because I do. We believe that it is unethical for professionals to tell a woman to work on herself in the face of abuse.
Choosing The Right Professional For Your Healing
When looking for a professional, if they suggest there is anything that you can do to stop the abuse besides boundaries–such as being kinder or communicating better or explaining your feelings–we would not recommend that type of therapist. This will just keep a woman in the abuse cycle over and over again. We believe this is unethical; it's why APSATS was started–so that the professional teaches there is nothing the woman did to cause it, there is nothing she can do to change it, and she needs to establish safety for herself. This is the first line of defense when going to a coach who is APSATS certified. This is our philosophy at Betrayal Trauma Recovery. All of our coaches have this philosophy.
You Are Amazing And Deserve To Be Treated With Respect
In Lundy Bancroft's book Why Does He Do That, he asks: "How can I support a woman who has been abused?" The author's advice is what we use and recommend everyone use. That is to tell the woman she is amazing, she is strong, she has not done anything wrong or anything to deserve it, and she deserves to be treated with respect. We truly believe this about you.
At BTR we believe there is nothing pathologically wrong with you. You are a healthy person who is sometimes reacting in unhealthy ways to abuse, which is completely normal! All of us go through a phase of this–a phase of denial, of not understanding what is happening, of anger, of sadness, of depression…these are the normal, healthy reactions to abuse. It's all part of the phases of healing.
We recommend Covenant Eyes Internet Filtering & Accountability On Every Device
From my personal experience, if you are wondering if you should get a betrayal trauma recovery coach, or join a support group with an APSATS coach, or if you should join a SA Lifeline group or a S-Anon meeting, you will find your way. Personally for me, my healing includes both – a SA Lifeline betrayal trauma meeting and working with a coach and therapist who understand betrayal trauma and abandonment grief. They understand abuse recovery. With my therapist and with my coach there has never been a time when they have suggested that improved communication skills or more love or forgiveness could have stopped the abuse from occurring. This has been so validating.
My Goal Is To Heal But I'm A Work In Progress
My goal in working with my coach and therapist and by continuing to work the 12 Steps is that eventually God will heal me and I will be better. In the meantime, I have to learn new tools so that when I am triggered I can keep my children emotionally safe so they know they are loved and cared for. I really appreciate your support. My betrayal trauma recovery journey is still in process. There are days that are really hard. The other night I ate potato chips for dinner…I couldn't bring myself to do anything else. It's not easy and I've been doing this for two years now.
I still feel in progress. I definitely feel more happy and peaceful than when I started. I definitely feel safer. My safety level has gone from 0 to 10. I feel supported and loved. The things I struggle with now are financial issues, parenting issues…things that will be difficult for a really long time. There is no quick fix with betrayal trauma. I think this is part of where the anger comes from. I feel like I'm left dealing with the consequences of my ex-husband's terrible choices–not just for the night he sprained my fingers and was arrested–but from before we were married and he lied, from when he chose to watch porn and continued to decide to lie to me and abuse me and to manipulate rather than live in the truth.
Sudden And Unexpected Contact In My No-Contact Ordered Life
There is something interesting that happened this week that shows how much I have changed in the past two years. My ex showed up for our kids' parent teacher conference. It was my appointment that I scheduled. (He looked on line at their account and found out when it was.) When I took my 8-year-old into his classroom for the meeting with his teacher, my ex was sitting right there! I did not want to sit in a meeting with him unless the first thing out of his mouth would have been, "I have made 9 years of terrible mistakes, one right after another, and I now understand how my actions have harmed you, and this is what I am going to do to make restitution, and this is how I am going to continue to make living amends to you until you feel safe." Unless this was the first thing out of his mouth, I could not bear to be in his presence. I could not abide any small talk.
So I told my son that I wasn't expecting his dad to be there but he should go ahead and talk to his teacher with his dad.
I would take his 5-year-old brother to another meeting and then we would switch. So I took my 5-year-old to his kindergarten meeting and as I was walking out, my ex came in. I walked straight up to him and said, "You need to make your own appointments." He looked at my face and, either he isn't very smart or he was lying, he said, "Oh, I thought the school sent this for me and I didn't realize it was your appointment."
Staying On My Side Of The Street
My gut told me this wasn't true so I told him this was my appointment and he needed to make his own from now on. I left and we switched kids. He brought our son back to the other room and as we were leaving, I didn't acknowledge him but told my sons they could get their books from the book fair and then we would head home…I was just going to leave. My ex said, "Wait, wait. You've been coming to my appointments." I told him this wasn't true. He then brought up an appointment from last year with our son's preschool…which was false…I did not show up for my ex's appointment. I told him that if he wanted to argue about it, he could email my dad who we have third party contact through so that I can be safe…and I walked off.
My ex then put his hand on my shoulder and said something like he hopes that someday we can get along. I told him something like, "You have hurt me so much. You filed for divorce. You abandoned your family. Unless you admit your abuse and admit the things you have done and clean up your mess, we will never get along. You need to leave."
Change Can Happen And I'm Proof
It was amazing because I said my peace. I asked him to leave and he left, which was a miracle. I didn't want a fight in front of the kids. This is what I need in order to get along with him. Anything less than this I will not tolerate, because I do not "get along" with psychopaths or "get along" with people who lie continually to my face or to other people about what I have done. I don't "get along" with people like that and I'm never going to. I don't choose friends like that; I avoid them at all cost which is what I am doing with him. That I was able to speak and not break down, and not start screaming and yelling, and really going into it, and really giving him the "what for," the fact that I could say a short statement and ask him to leave, is a sign to me that my recovery is working.
God's Will, Gratitude, And Hope
Now what I need to work on is the ruminating that happened over and over again afterwards! I wondered about using different words, etc, but really what I did was perfect for the time and in line with God's will, even though I am second-guessing myself. I still have work to do but I love that I saw progress.
I'm so grateful for the changes that have taken place in my life and for the friends and family and professionals in my life that have facilitated my growth. I'm also grateful for you for being here with me through my recovery journey. I hope we have many years of beautiful recovery together and that as all of us women across the world become more and more healthy, we can be a great change for good in the world. I hope that all of us together can find peace and friendship and safety.
#GivingTuesday At Betrayal Trauma Recovery
Giving Tuesday is coming up–the Tuesday after Black Friday. It was designed for people who have really gone to town on shopping and capitalism so that they turn their hearts to non-profits and donate. As you know, Betrayal Trauma Recovery is a non-profit and we operate on your donations. We would really appreciate a donation from you! There is an option on our site to be a recurring donor. If you have the ability to set and forget a donation, even just $1/month, we would really appreciate it! It enables us to educate more and more women. Just a $10 donation helps us reach 100 more women. We are so glad you found us here at Betrayal Trauma Recovery! As you know, trying to navigate this topic on your own without the education and understanding is extremely difficult. We've been there. Please donate! Consider setting a recurring donation that can help us all year long.
If this article is helpful to you, please comment here. Every comment increases our ranking on search engines and helps women in isolation find us. Your comments help women to know that others are experiencing similar situations.
Until next week, stay safe out there!

subset: commoncrawl


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Shivani is a Punjabi from the holy city of Amritsar, in northern India, and her husband Kapil is a Peshawari who settled in Delhi after the partition. Shivani has been cooking since she was a teenager and has inherited all her Amritsari recipes and cooking techniques from her mother. Her biggest passion is to cook for her family, and both her husband and daughter relish good food. After marrying Shivani's passion for cooking grew and she started to develop new recipes. She now runs a catering company that provides wholesome and delicious home cooked food for parties, gatherings and office lunches. Shivani will welcome guests into their family's Delhi home and provide a welcome drink, after which guests will enjoy a traditional Amritsari meal. The menu might include dishes like rajma chawal (red beans in a thick, spiced gravy served with rice), gobi aloo (cauliflower and potato), chole (chickpea curry), sarson da saag with makki di roti (a seasonal winter dish of mustard leaves and spices served on corn flatbreads), or her mother's special Amritsari mutton (goat) curry. The menu is customizable based on traveler's preferences and any dietary restrictions. If you book a cooking lesson, travelers will learn how to make 2-3 of the dishes during a 1-hour cooking lesson, after which they will sit and enjoy their meal (with other dishes preparated by Shivani in advance). An optional market tour is also available as an add-on, during which Shivani will take travelers to the Kailash Colony Market nearby.
Supplier: Traveling Spoon
Delhi (New Delhi)
Delhi is the third largest city and consists of Old Delhi and New Delhi. Old Delhi was the capital of India Between 17th and 19th centuries and now contains many mosques, monuments and forts relating to India's muslim history. The other Delhi is the imperial city created as the capital of India by the British. In addition to its historic interest and role as government center, Delhi is a major travel gateway. The architectural designs and sophistication that buildings in Delhi like Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Connaught Place and various administrative buildings like the South and North blocks along the breathtaking view available from Raj Path, show British influence. Modern Delhi has a cosmopolitan culture that nurtures festivals of all faiths and religions. Theatre, drama and entertainment of all sorts including discotheques are there.
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CTCIS2019: 13th Chinese Conference on Trusted Computing and Information Security
Fudan University
Shanghai, China, October 24-27, 2019
|Conference website
|Submission link
|Abstract registration deadline
|June 23, 2019
|Submission deadline
|June 23, 2019
CTCIS2019 is a leading conference of cyberspace security and trusted computing technologies in China. In 2019, it will be held at Fudan University, Shanghai. The date is at October but not sure.
Program Committee
- Weili Han, Fudan University
- Liehuang Zhu, Beijing Institute of Technology
- Fei Yan, Wuhan University
Organizing committee
- Chen Chen, Fudan University
- Dingjie Chen, Fudan University
- Zhenxuan Yu, Fudan University
The conference will be held in Handan Campus at Fudan University


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Das Sri Lanta ist ideal gelegen, um als Ausgangspunkt für Tauch- und Schnorchelausflüge zu den benachbarten Inseln Koh Rok, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Haa, Hin Muang, Hin Daeng, Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, Koh Kradan Chuek und Koh Kradan zu dienen. Das Resort vermittelt eine dezente Schlichtheit und bietet eine Atmosphäre, um sich zu entspannen, zu nähren und revitalisieren. Erholung beinhaltet Sport und Spiele sowie sanfte Abenteuer an Land und auf dem Meer.
Sri Lanta zeigt sicm70 strohgedeckten Villen mit Garten- und/oder Bergblick und einem Strandhaus. Im minimalistischen Stil mit sorgfältig gestaltetem, natürlichem Mobiliar und ausgestattet mit unerlässlichen Annehmlichkeiten, bietet jede Villa den Gästen eine rustikale Form der traditionellen, thailändischen Lebensart.
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Your E-mail:
only ONE email address!
Check-in NAME:
as written in passport
City / Zip:
city of residence
country of residence
country of citizenship
Mobile phone:
optional, used for SMS*
Notes & requests:
Discount coupons:
Terms & conditions
Hotel facilities
Room facilities
in style, an ambience has been created fully in tune with its tranquil island surroundings. The resorts approach is one of subtle simplicity, offering an atmosphere to relax, nourish and revitalize. Recreation includes sports and games and on- and offshore soft adventure.
The resort
is ideally located as a base for diving and snorkeling excursions to the neighboring islands of Koh Rok, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Haa, Hin Muang, Hin Daeng, Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, Koh Chuek and Koh Kradan.
takes the form of 49 thatched villas offering garden and/or mountain views and one Beach House. Minimalist in style with thoughtfully designed natural furnishings and equipped with essential amenities, each villa presents guests with a rustic form of traditional Thai living.
:: Veranda Villa (40 sq.m.) - 43 units, Double Bed ::
Thai style villas with balconies. Each Veranda villa is located on the hillside surrounded by tropical vegetation and temple trees.
:: The Plantation by Srilanta (42 sq.m.) - 20 units ::
Located on the hillside are 20 garden view villas with open plan (en-suite) bathrooms. Soft tones of wood and natural fabrics used in the design help create a soothing relaxed atmosphere. Each villa features both a bathtub and a balcony.
:: The Myth by SriLanta (48 sq.m.) - 17 units, Double Bed ::
Perched on the hillside amidst the forest, these 17 rooms have views of Koh Lanta's surrounding tropical vegetation and are all located in a 3 story dwelling joined by a labyrinth of pathways that meander through the jungle. Together with a touch of art, inspired by Thai mythology, the soft tones of natural wood and bamboo used in the design help create a soothing relaxed atmosphere. Each of the seventeen units has its own unique furnishings that feature a bathtub with views of the surrounding vegetation, an open plan ensuite/bedroom, a terrace & more.
:: Star Path Sea View (54 sq.m.) - 2 units, Double Bed ::
SriLanta's two hilltop Star Path Villas feature large private verandas with a gazebo, a living area and a small pantry. The bathroom includes a bath tub (with jungle views).
:: Mandara (A) (70 sq.m.) ::
* This room is ideal for a 'small' family.
Mandara A (1 Bedroom) is located in the center of our tropical hillside property (a short walk from the beach front) with a full-size master bedroom, small fridge and en suite, separate living room, open plan bathroom (with bathtub and shower), and a veranda with garden views.
:: Mandara (B) (70 sq.m., for 4 persons) ::
* This room is ideal for a family.
Mandara B (2 Bedroom) is located in the center of our tropical hillside property (a short walk from the beach front) with a full-size master bedroom and en suite, a smaller room with twin beds, separate living room, large open plan bathroom (with bathtub and shower) and a veranda with garden views.
:: Beach House (Low) (72 sq.m., for 4 persons) ::
Set beautifully amongst the lush landscape and tropical vegetation at the front of SriLanta Resort (on the beach front) the Beach House is a glorious two storied house that offers two choices of accommodation on either the 1st or 2nd floor, with two bedrooms, a kitchen and lounge in each.
With 2 full-size bedrooms, mosquito nets, separate living room, mini-kitchen, large open plan bathroom (with both a bathtub and separate shower) and stunning views over the Andaman Sea; this is ideally suited to both families and honeymooners.
:: Earth Suite (46 sq.m.) / Forest Suite (52 sq.m.) ::
:: Cloud Suite (46 sq.m.) ::
Cloud Suite hillside accommodation are designed identically to the Earth Suite but with a view towards to sea (partial sea views). Bamboo and natural timber has been stylishly used in the design to compliment the rain forest surrounds. These exquisite rooms feature natural furnishings along with air-conditioning, personal bedside reading light, hot/cold shower and bath tub, telephone, TV, twin or king size beds & a safety deposit box.
:: Moonlight Suite with Spa Bath (Jacuzzi) (52 sq.m.) ::
Designed identically to the Forest Suite but with views towards the sea (partial sea views), our Moonlight Suites offer an awe-inspiring escape with vast generous personal spaces and an open air Jacuzzi. Natural materials used in the contemporary architecture, with SriLanta's beautiful island style setting and friendly service; help deliver an entirely original experience on Koh Lanta. All rooms feature a day bed, personal bedside reading light, air-conditioning, hot/cold shower, telephone, TV, twin or king size beds and a safety deposit box.
Surya Chandra Restaurant:
has 60 indoor and 40 outdoor seats, and features Thai and International cuisine.
The Chedi beach bar:
offers drinks and light meals on the beach front.
Sri Spa
- The resort's spa features a variety of nourishing treatments in an open-air setting by the beach. On offer are a wide range of massage techniques, body scrubs, body wraps, facials as well as a herbal steam bath, manicures and pedicures.
Meetings & Conferences
- Sri Lanta offers facilities for executive conferences and meetings for up to 40 persons.
:: Facilities ::
2 Swimming pool
Sri Spa
3 Restaurants
Chedi beach bar
Satellite TV
In Room Safe
Coffee and tea making facilities
Dual pressure hot shower
Hair Dryer
Individually controlled Air-con
Gift shop
Facsimile & e-mail
Books & magazines
:: Tours / Activities ::
Jungle trekking
Island package tours
Snorkeling and diving tours
Yoga & Meditation
Sea kayaking
:: Services ::
Visa / Master card and Amex accepted
Laundry service
Rental of Bike, Motorbike & Jeep
Airport arrival / departure service
The Boutique SriLanta resort
is located on the west coast of the island of Koh Lanta Yai. Occupying 12 acres of landscaped hillside and beachfront by the Andaman Sea, the island is part of Krabi province, Southwest Thailand and is located approx. 75 km south of Krabi City.
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Asian Tribune is published by E-LANKA MEDIA(PVT)Ltd. Vol. 20 No. 103
Ravi Shastri To Continue As The Head Coach Of India Cricket Team For Another Two Years
: Ravi Shastri will continue as the head coach of India cricket team for another two years as the Cricket Advisory Committee, headed by Kapil Dev picked the former India captain for the role after conducting interviews in Mumbai on Friday.
Ravi Shastri's tenure has been extended till the T20 World Cup in 2021, Kapil Dev said after the CAC interviewed 5 candidates at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters.
The former India captain also gave out the top 3 candidates after the interview. The panel rated Ravi Shastri at No. 1, Mike Hesson at No. 2 and Tom Moody at No. 3.
The three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) instituted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), comprising Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy, announced the decision after conducting interviews with the prime candidates.
This will be Shastri's fourth stint with the national team, having served briefly as the Cricket Manager (2007 tour of Bangladesh), Team Director (2014-2016) and head coach (2017-2019).
Apart from Ravi Shastri who was handed an automatic entry into the interview process, former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson, former Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody, Robin Singh and Lalchand Rajput were in the fray. Former Afghanistan coach Phil Simmons, who was among the 6 shortlisted candidates, pulled out in the eleventh hour, citing personal reasons.
Ravi Shastri, who is currently with the Indian team in the West Indies, gave his interview via video calling platform, Skype.
Robin Singh, Lalchand Rajput and Mike Hesson attended the interview in person at the BCCI headquarters while Tom Moody also gave a Skype interview from Australia.
Notably, Ravi Shastri's contract expired after India's World Cup 2019 campaign but he was handed a 45-day extension to be with the team on their tour to West Indies. Batting coach Sanjay Bangar, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar's contracts were also extended for the said period.
Ravi Shastri was the frontrunner to retain his job as the head coach of the senior men's cricket team as the former India captain established a close working relationship with Virat Kohli. The India captain had even said that his team will be happy if Shastri continued as the head coach.
Amid a lot of hype, Shastri had beaten the likes of Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody among others to the job in 2017. Shastri was appointed as the head coach of the team after interviews conducted by CAC comprising sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman after Anil Kumble stepped down from the role following a rift with captain Virat Kohli.
Under Ravi Shastri, India won their first-ever Test series in Australia earlier this year, after missing out on opportunities to beat England and South Africa on the road. Shastri's side also became the first-ever Indian team to win an ODI series in South Africa when they beat the Proteas 2-1 in 2018.
India, under Shastri, also reached the semi-final of World Cup 2019. Despite coming up with dominant performances in the group stages, India were knocked out in the semi-final of the quadrennial tournament by New Zealand earlier this year.
- Asian Tribune –


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Our Weekly Top Ten Tracks Were Spoiled With The Pop Music World
Here are the songs that took hold of the week and made it to our list of the Top Ten Tracks. They are all different and unique, showcasing each artist's style and talent. Any listener can find a gem of beauty in each track whether it is a favorite verse, beat, or rhyme. Ultimately, the songs on our Weekly Top Ten create an excellent mixture to carry into the weekend.
#10. 'Lime Green' by Glass Battles
LA-based Pop singer rewinds time by bringing forward Britney Spears old style-. Lime Green has a thrilling and intense element with a sensual feel.
#9. 'Eyes Shut' by Jameson Tabor
Another West Coast native is Jameson Tabor who is a Bluestep inspired singer. Eyes Shut has an emotional influence with honest and emotional darkness.
#8. 'Flipside' by The Keymakers
The duo is back for another fun track called Flipside. The Keymakers as a mellow introduction but with an electro pop drop vibrant enough for a beach party.
#7. 'Venus Fly Trap' by Matt Easton
The fast-rising melodic singer Matt Easton landed on our charts with yet, another alternative pop single. Venus Fly Trap has a Hip-Hop vocal element almost giving a feel to the darker side of pop.
#6. 'Pomeroy' by JXSH
With an introduction almost digital who wouldn't want to listen to Pomeroy. JXSH vocals remain light as their layered on top of an energetic bumpy baseline.
#5. 'You Were The One' by Mario Jose
You Were The One has a slow introduction with Mario's soft vocals and sensitive lyrics. Without any expectation, it skyrockets to a major big-room beat drop with his singing maximized to space.
#4. 'Make A Move' by ChrisLee
The stapled artist who has been able to remain in our Weekly Top Ten Charts is no other than ChrisLee. The young pop artist comes through again with the single 'Make A Move,' a perfect romance song for a beach or picnic with a love one.
#3. 'Encore' by Luvabstract
Ohio native is Luvabstract with Encore- a traditional indie single pulling vocal influences like Adam Levine.
#2. 'Pray To You (with Niko The Kid) by ChrisLee
ChrisLee is back on the Top Ten with his brand new single "Pray To You" featuring Niko The Kid. His smooth voice vibes with the electronic house beats. The song has a touch of romance in the and revitalizing party force.
#1. 'Say Something' by Keith Cullen
The Irish singer Keith Cullen has landed our number one spot with an energetic single called 'Say Something.' Inspired by real past experiences, Keith Cullen has strong emotion and infuses realness through lyrics.


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Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine), a naturally occurring dipeptide, has been characterized as a putative neurotransmitter and serves as a reservoir for brain histamine, which could act on histaminergic neurons system to relieve stress-induced damages. However, understanding of the role of carnosine in stress-evoked immunocompromise is limited. In this study, results showed that when mice were subjected to restraint stress, spleen index and the number of spleen lymphocytes including Natural Killer (NK) cells were obviously decreased. Results also demonstrated that restraint stress decreased the cytotoxic activity of NK cells per spleen (LU10/spleen) while the activity of a single NK cell (LU10/106 cells) was not changed. However, oral administration of carnosine (150 and 300 mg/kg) increased spleen index and number of spleen lymphocytes (including NK cells), and elevated the cytotoxic activity of NK cells per spleen in restraint-stressed mice. These results indicated that carnosine ameliorated stress-evoked immunocompromise through spleen lymphocyte number maintenance. Carnosine was further found to reduce stress-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone level. On the other hand, results showed that carnosine and RU486 (a glucocorticoids receptor antagonist) treatment prevented the reduction in mitochondrion membrane potential and the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm, increased Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio, as well as decreased terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in spleen lymphocytes of stressed mice. The results above suggested that the maintenance of spleen lymphocyte number by carnosine was related with the inhibition of lymphocytes apoptosis caused by glucocorticoids overflow. The stimulation of lymphocyte proliferation by carnosine also contributed to the maintenance of spleen lymphocyte number in stressed mice. In view of the elevated histamine level, the anti-stress effects of carnosine on restraint-evoked immunocompromise might be via carnosine-histamine metabolic pathway. Taken together, carnosine maintained spleen lymphocyte number by inhibiting lymphocyte apoptosis and stimulating lymphocyte proliferation, thus prevented immunocompromise in restraint-stressed mice.
Citation: Li Y-F, He R-R, Tsoi B, Li X-D, Li W-X, Abe K, et al. (2012) Anti-Stress Effects of Carnosine on Restraint-Evoked Immunocompromise in Mice through Spleen Lymphocyte Number Maintenance. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33190. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033190
Editor: Martin Gerbert Frasch, Université de Montréal, Canada
Received: October 12, 2011; Accepted: February 5, 2012; Published: April 12, 2012
Copyright: © 2012 Li et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (no.21611396 and 21611316) and by NSFC of China (no.81102485). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine), a naturally occurring dipeptide, is mainly distributed in the brain, muscles, and other innervated tissues [1], [2]. Numerous studies have shown that long-lived cells, such as neurons and myocytes, contain high level of carnosine [3]. Many biological effects of carnosine have been reported. It has been shown to prevent bleomycin-induced lung injury [4], inhibit the growth of neoplastic cells [5], delay diabetic deterioration [6], [7], contribute to the improvement of Alzheimer's disease (AD) [8], and possess anti-aging activities [3], [9], [10]. Earlier reports also indicated that carnosine supplementation could regulate immune function, such as extending the lifespan of human CD4+ T cells [11], modulating immune response of rabbits against Schistosoma mansoni antigens and regulating the functions of neutrophils [12], [13]. Underlying mechanism of these effects was suggested to be related with the antioxidative property of carnosine [14]. However, recent studies found that carnosine could exert anti-stress effects through histamine metabolic pathway [15]. Carnosine can be degraded by carnosinase and the resultant histidine is then converted into histamine by histidine decarboxylase [16]. Earlier studies indicated that histamine plays an important role in the alleviation of stress-caused adverse effects [17].
Stress is a familiar aspect of life, being a stimulant for some individuals, but a burden for many others. Stress has long been suspected to play a role in the etiology of many diseases, and numerous studies have shown that stress affects the secretion of neuroendocrine hormones [18], particularly glucocorticoids, to suppress immune system [19], and cause acute organ dysfunction [20]. The reduction of spleen lymphocyte number is an important implication for stress-induced immunocompromise [21]. It may result in disordered homeostasis of immune function which will lead to cancer, neurodegenerative or autoimmune diseases [22]. Previously, carnosine was indicated to possess immune regulation and anti-stress effects [11], [12], [13], [15]. However, effect of carnosine on stress-induced immunocompromise remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study we employed restraint, a common stress-causing factor, to investigate the protective effects of carnosine against stress-induced immunocompromise in mice.
Carnosine increased spleen index and spleen lymphocyte number in restraint-stressed mice
As shown in Table 1, restraint stress significantly reduced spleen index and spleen lymphocyte number by about 52% and 61% respectively (p<0.01). However, oral administration of carnosine (150, 300 mg/kg) significantly recovered spleen index and lymphocyte number in stressed mice (p<0.05 or p<0.01).
Carnosine elevated the cytotoxic activity of NK cells per spleen by increasing NK cell number in restraint-stressed mice
As NK cells are important population of lymphocytes and are pivotal players in immune responses against pathogens and tumors. We evaluated the effects of carnosine on NK cell number and cytotoxic activity in spleen by flow cytometry. As shown in Table 2, restraint stress obviously reduced NK cell number (p<0.01). Moreover, results also showed that restraint stress had no obvious effect on the cytotoxic activity of a single NK cell (LU10/106 cells), while NK cell activity per spleen (LU10/spleen) was remarkably suppressed by restraint stress (p<0.01). However, oral administration of carnosine (150, 300 mg/kg) significantly elevated spleen NK cell number (p<0.01), and improved the suppressed NK cell activity per spleen in stressed mice (p<0.05 or p<0.01).
Carnosine reduced plasma corticosterone level in restraint-stressed mice
Glucocorticoids overflow is an indicator for the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) caused by stress. Plasma corticosterone level was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at 254 nm. As shown in Figure 1, restraint stress induced a 2-fold increase in plasma corticosterone level when compared with normal control (p<0.01). However, oral administration of carnosine (150, 300 mg/kg) obviously decreased corticosterone level by 51% and 60% respectively in restraint-stressed mice (p<0.01).
Blood containing heparin was centrifuged to obtain plasma. Corticosterone was extracted from plasma by acetic ether, and its content was determined by HPLC with a UV detector at 254 nm. Data represented mean ± S.E.M. obtained from 10 animals in each group. The significance of differences from normal group is at ##p<0.01, and from model group at **p<0.01.
Carnosine elevated brain histamine levels in restraint-stressed mice
We investigated the effect of carnosine on histamine levels in brain regions by HPLC with an electrochemical detector (ECD). As shown in Table 3, the basal histamine level in normal mice was 110.39±15.17, 89.81±17.95, and 62.07±10.45 pmol/g tissue in hypothalamus, hippocampus and cortex, respectively. When mice were exposed to restraint stress for 18 h, the average histamine level was significantly increased to 345.96±23.12, 149.60±21.24, and 168.49±15.21 pmol/g tissue in hypothalamus, hippocampus and cortex, respectively (p<0.01), indicating histamine play an important role in stress response. On the other hand, when compared with model group, oral administration of carnosine (150 and 300 mg/kg) markedly elevated histamine levels in brain regions of stressed mice (p<0.01).
Carnosine inhibited the decrease in mitochondria membrane potentials (ΔΨm) of spleen lymphocytes in restraint-stressed mice
One of the best indicators of mitochondria function is the ΔΨm. If mitochondrial membrane is destructed, ΔΨm will be reduced. The ΔΨm of spleen lymphocytes was measured by flow cytometry. As shown in Figure 2, a huge decrease of fluorescence intensity in restraint stress group was observed when compared with normal control group (p<0.01). Data also demonstrated that RU486, a glucocorticoids receptor antagonist, could elevate the fluorescence intensity in stressed mice (p<0.05). Besides, oral administration of carnosine (150, 300 mg/kg) to stressed mice significantly prevented the decrease of ΔΨm (p<0.01).
Spleen lymphocyte samples containing 5×105 cells were stained with rhodamine-123. After incubation and wash, cells were resuspended in PBS. ΔΨm was determined using a flow cytometer. Data represented mean ± S.E.M. obtained from 10 animals in each group. The significance of differences from normal group is at ##p<0.01, and from model group at *p<0.05, **p<0.01.
Carnosine prevented the leakage of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm in spleen lymphocytes of restraint-stressed mice
The decrease in ΔΨm implies an alteration of mitochondrial membrane structure, which might result in the release of cytochrome c into cytoplasm. The accumulation of cytochrome c in cytoplasm will activate caspase and eventually lead to cell apoptosis. As shown in Table 4, when compared with normal control, the content of cytochrome c was obviously decreased in mitochondria and increased in cytoplasm in restraint stress group (p<0.01). RU486 could inhibit the leakage of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm (p<0.01) in stressed mice. Besides, oral administration of carnosine (150, 300 mg/kg) to stressed mice also showed the effect on preventing leakages of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm (p<0.01).
Carnosine decreased GR mRNA level, and increased Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio in spleen lymphocytes of restraint-stressed mice
As shown in Figure 3, restraint stress significantly decreased GR mRNA expression (p<0.01). Moreover, restraint stress markedly up-regulated Bax mRNA expression while down-regulated Bcl-2 mRNA expression (p<0.01), leading to the decrease in mRNA ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax (1.00 vs 0.21). Oral administration of carnosine (150, 300 mg/kg) could evidently reverse the changes in the above gene expressions caused by restraint stress. Besides, RU486 demonstrated an inhibitory effect on stress-induced changes in Bax and Bcl-2 gene expression.
RT-PCR was employed to determine the effect of carnosine on the expression of GR, Bax and Bcl-2 mRNAs. Relative expression values for each target gene were expressed as a ratio of target gene expression level to 18S expression level. Data represented mean ± S.E.M. obtained from 10 animals in each group. The significance of differences from normal is at ##p<0.01, and from model at *p<0.05, **p<0.01.
Carnosine decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells in spleen of restraint-stressed mice
There were few TUNEL-positive cells in normal mice (Figure 4). By contrast, the ratio of TUNEL-positive cells increased obviously in restraint-stress mice (p<0.01). However, RU486 and carnosine (150, 300 mg/kg) treatment could evidently decrease the number of TUNEL-positive cells in stressed mice (p<0.01).
(A) The TUNEL assay was carried out by One Step TUNEL Apoptosis Assay Kit. The images of TUNEL positive cells were captured by a fluorescence microscope (200×). (B) Quantitative result of TUNEL assay was analyzed. Data represented mean ± S.E.M. obtained from 10 animals in each group. The significance of differences from normal is at ##p<0.01, and from model at **p<0.01.
Carnosine had no tendency to inhibit the reduction of spleen lymphocytes (including NK cells) caused by corticosterone treatment in vitro
As shown in Figure 5, total spleen lymphocytes number and NK cell number were significantly decreased by corticosterone (10 µM) treatment in vitro (p<0.01), while carnosine (1, 5, 10, 20 µM) had no obvious effect on the number of lymphocytes (including NK cells) treated with corticosterone. These results indicated that carnosine had no direct effect on lymphocyte death induced by corticosterone.
Carnosine had no tendency to inhibit the reduction of total lymphocytes (A) and NK cells (B) induced by corticosterone in vitro. Data represented mean ± S.E.M. of triplicate assays. The significance of differences from untreated cells is at ##p<0.01.
Carnosine increased spleen lymphocyte proliferation in restraint-stressed mice by administration in vivo and treatment in vitro
The in vivo and in vitro effects of carnosine on spleen lymphocyte proliferation were evaluated by MTT method. As shown in Figure 6, restraint stress obviously inhibited the proliferative response (stimulation index) of spleen lymphocytes stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA) (p<0.01). However, carnosine markedly increased ConA-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation in stressed mice whether by administration (150 and 300 mg/kg) in vivo or treatment in vitro (5, 10, 20 µM).
(A) Carnosine increased ConA-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation in vivo. Data represented mean ± S.E.M. obtained from 10 animals in each group. The significance of differences from normal is at ##p<0.01, and from model at *p<0.05, **p<0.01. (B) Carnosine increased ConA-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation by treatment in vitro. Data represented mean ± S.E.M. of triplicate assays. The significance of differences from normal is at ##p<0.01, and from model at *p<0.05, **p<0.01.
Previously, studies suggested that the maintenance of spleen lymphocyte number was important for normal immune function [23], [24], [25], [26]. Our research found that restraint stress markedly reduced spleen lymphocyte number and caused spleen atrophy. These results are identical with our previous reports [27], [28]. Results also demonstrated that oral administration of carnosine (150 and 300 mg/kg) to stressed mice could prevent the reduction of spleen lymphocyte number and spleen atrophy.
It is well-known that NK cells are important population of lymphocytes and have key roles in innate immunity and adaptive immunity. They are pivotal players in immune responses against pathogens and tumors [29]. Previous studies have reported that stress suppressed the functions of NK cells, leading to an increased vulnerability of animals to infections or occurrence of malignant tumors [27]. Therefore, we further determined the number and the cytotoxic activity of NK cells in spleen by flow cytometry. Results showed that restraint stress significantly decreased the total number of NK cells in spleen. Besides, we found that restraint stress had no tendency to suppress the cytotoxic activity of a single NK (LU10/106 cells). However, the activity of NK cells per spleen (LU10/spleen) was markedly reduced. These results indicated that the reduction of total NK cell number resulted in the decrease of the activity of NK cells per spleen, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining lymphocyte number to ensure normal immune function. Oral administration of carnosine (150 and 300 mg/kg) obviously increased NK cell number and then elevated the activity of NK cells per spleen in stressed mice, suggesting that carnosine had protective effects against restraint stress-induced immunocompromise in mice by maintaining spleen lymphocytes number.
It is well-known that HPA axis activation and glucocorticoids overflow are key components of the physiological response to stress [30]. Our results showed that restraint stress markedly increased plasma corticosterone level. Previous reports suggested that glucocorticoids overflow triggered spleen lymphocyte apoptosis, which may account for lymphocytes reduction and spleen atrophy [21]. Glucocorticoids-evoked apoptosis is believed to be mediated by glucocorticoids receptor (GR) [22], [31]. GR is activated by overflowed glucocorticoids and translocates into nucleus to regulate some apoptosis-related genes expression [32], among which Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA expression and their corresponding proteins are particularly important [33], 34. Under normal conditions, Bax is present in monomeric form in the cytosol or loosely attached to mitochondrial outer membranes. After activation, Bax combines with mitochondria and becomes a cross-linkable integral membrane protein as a homodimer. Bax may then form channels allowing the release of several apoptosis-related proteins from the mitochondria to propagate the apoptotic pathway [35]. Unlike Bax, Bcl-2 is mainly localized as an integral mitochondrial membrane protein, and forms heterodimers with Bax to prevent mitochondrial changes in apoptosis [36], [37]. Thus the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 plays an important role in determining cell apoptosis. Moreover, mitochondria have shown to play a key role in glucocorticiods-evoked apoptosis. Alterations in the function of mitochondria could be triggered by the imbalance of Bax/Bcl-2 or other factors and results in a membrane permeability transition (PT) [38]. PT provokes a decline in ΔΨm and the release of proapoptotic agents, notably cytochrome c, into the cytoplasm which will activate caspases and eventually cause apoptosis. Our data demonstrated that mRNA ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax was obviously lowered by restraint stress, accompanied with reduced ΔΨm, decreased mitochondrial cytochrome c and increased cytoplasm cytochrome c. Further, results of TUNEL experiment showed that restraint stress markedly increased TUNEL-positive cells in spleen. However, RU486, a GR antagonist [31], was found to inhibit these changes in stressed mice. All the above indicated that stress-induced glucocorticoids overflow triggered spleen lymphocyte apoptosis via activating GR and resulted in the reduction of spleen lymphocyte number. Although our results showed that GR mRNA expression was down-regulated in stressed mice, earlier reports indicated that its sensitivity to glucocorticoids and the efficiency of GR-mediated signal transduction were enhanced [32]. In order to confirm the direct effect of glucocorticoids on lymphocytes, spleen lymphocytes were treated with corticosterone (20 µM) in vitro and results demonstrated that it obviously decreased the number of lymphocytes (including NK cells). The current findings also showed oral administration of carnosine (150 and 300 mg/kg) to restraint-stressed mice could evidently decrease plasma corticosterone level while up-regulate GR mRNA expression, inhibit the imbalance of Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression, elevated ΔΨm, prevent the leakage of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytoplasm, and decrease TUNEL-positive cells in spleen. Theses results demonstrate that the protective effects of carnosine against stress-induced reduction of spleen lymphocyte number correlate with regulating glucocorticoids level to prevent cell apoptosis. However, we did not observe the protective effect of carnosine on the reduction of spleen lymphocytes (including NK cells) caused by corticosterone in vitro, indicating that carnosine may not play direct role in protecting lymphocyte from death induced by glucocorticoids.
Previous researches demonstrated that glucocorticoids overflow not only caused lymphocyte apoptosis, but also suppressed lymphocyte proliferation [39], [40]. Results of the present study found that restraint stress obviously inhibited ConA-stimulated spleen lymphocyte proliferation. However, carnosine markedly increased lymphocyte proliferation in stressed mice whether by administration (150 and 300 mg/kg) in vivo or treatment in vitro (5, 10, 20 µM).
It is reported that carnosine could readily pass through the blood brain barrier (BBB), and acts as the precursor of transmitter of histaminergic neuron system and effectively regulate brain histamine level [16], [41], [42]. The role of brain histamine in regulating stress response has recently been documented [43], [44], and the anti-stress action of exogenous histamine has been demonstrated [17]. Sakai et al. also reported that fluoromethylhistidine (FMH), a histidine decarboxylase inhibitor, reduced the histaminergic nerve metabolism and increased the locomotor activity in rats exposed to stress [45]. However, histamine cannot cross BBB and may be involved in brain inflammation [46]. The infusion of histamine into rat substantia nigra results in an acute inflammatory response manifested by a loss of glial fibrillary acidic protein-immunolabeled astrocytes [47]. Nevertheless, carnosine could serve as a reservoir for histamine with few side effects. Recent studies by Zhu et al. demonstrated that carnosine activated histamine neurons in histidine decarboxylase knock-out mice [48]. Our results showed that carnosine administration significantly elevated brain histamine level in restraint-stressed mice. Taken together, it can be inferred that the anti-stress effect of carnosine on restraint-evoked immunocompromise might be mediated via carnosine-histamine metabolic pathway.
In conclusion, restraint stress triggered responses in HPA axis and caused glucocorticoids overflow, which induced the reduction of spleen lymphocytes number and caused immunocompromise by evoking lymphocyte apoptosis and inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation. Carnosine could maintain spleen lymphocyte number to prevent immunocompromise caused by restraint stress. The mechanism may be mediated via its anti-stress action through carnosine-histamine metabolic pathway. By this mechanism, carnosine inhibited lymphocyte apoptosis and stimulated lymphocyte proliferation to maintain spleen lymphocytes number and prevent immunocompromise caused by stress.
Materials and Methods
Ethics Statement
This study was conducted in strict accordance with the "Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals" published by the National Institutes of Health and the ethical guidelines of the International Association for the Study of Pain. The protocol was approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, China (Permit Number: 20100927).
Animals and treatment
Seven-week-old male Kunming and C57BL/6 mice were purchased from Guangdong Medical Laboratory Animal Center, Guangzhou, China. All mice were kept in a specific pathogen-free animal room under controlled conditions at the temperature (23±1°C) with a 12-h light-dark cycle (lights on from 06:00 to 18:00). The animals were allowed to acclimatize to the environment for 1 week before experiment. In this study, carnosine was dissolved in drinking water and orally administered to animals at dosages of 150 and 300 mg/kg body weight daily for continuous 7 d [15]. Mice in normal control and restraint stress model groups were administrated with the same volume of water. On the 7th day of the experiment, all mice except normal control were physically restrained in a 50 ml polypropylene centrifuge tube with holes for 18 h [28], [49]. Mice in normal group were allowed to move freely, but neither food nor water was given as restraint-stressed mice. After restraint, mice were weighted and anesthetized by diethyl ether. Blood was obtained by cardiac puncture and, brain and spleen were removed and weighed. Besides, in order to investigate the mechanism responsible for stress-induced reduction of spleen lymphocyte number, an extra RU486 (a glucocorticoids receptor antagonist) group was added in some experiments. RU486 (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to mice 30 min before restraint stress. All experiments were conducted with Kunming mice except the determination of NK cell number and the assay of NK cytotoxic activity. L-carnosine and RU486 were purchased from Sigma (St. Louis, USA).
Cell cultures
YAC-1 tumor cell line, a Moloney virus induced mouse T cell lymphoma of A/SN origin, was obtained from Institute of Health Care Science (Suntory Ltd., Japan). The YAC-1 cell was used to test the NK cytotoxic activity for its noted sensitivity to NK cells. Cell line was cultured in RPMI-1640 containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) at 37°C in a 5% CO2 humidified atmosphere before testing.
Plasma corticosterone assay
Blood containing 100 U/mL heparin was transferred into 1.5 mL centrifuge tubes and plasma was collected after centrifugation at 7 000 rpm for 10 min. Corticosterone was extracted from plasma and quantified by HPLC using a modification of the method reported by Woodward and Emery [50]. Plasma (0.5 mL) was mixed with 30 µL of cortisone solution (0.125 mg/mL methanol-water (60∶40 v/v)) as an internal standard. Steroids were extracted by adding 2 mL of acetic ether and mixing thoroughly. The mixture was immediately centrifuged at 1 500 rpm for 5 min. The organic phase was washed twice with 1 mL of HPLC-grade water and centrifuged. The organic phase was then evaporated at room temperature under nitrogen. The residue was re-dissolved in 100 µL of methanol-water (60∶40 v/v) to measure corticosterone level using HPLC with a UV detector at 254 nm (Hitachi, Japan). The column (5C18, 4.6×100 mm; particle size 5 µm; Waters Corp., Milford, Massachusetts) was equilibrated using HPLC grade acetonitrile-water (38∶72 v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Corticosterone and cortisone standards were purchased from Sigma (St. Louis, USA).
Brain histamine assay
Brain regions including cerebral cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus were rapidly dissected on ice. The tissues were weighed and soaked in PBS solution containing 3% perchloric acid (1 g tissue/mL). The tissues were homogenized with a homogenizer (IKA Labortechnik, Germany) at maximum setting for 30 s under an ice-cold condition. Then the homogenate was centrifuged at 15 000 rpm for 20 min at 4°C. Supernatant was filtered through a 0.45 µm membrane filter to obtain brain samples. The concentrations of histamine in brain regions were determined by HPLC-ECD, using the derivation method. The system consists of model 582 infusion pump, model 542 automatic sampler, model 5600A CoulArray electrochemical detector (ESA Company, USA). The HPLC was controlled and the data was acquired using CoulArray® software. Brain samples were reacted with the derivate o-phthalaldehyde, and analytes were separated on a chromatographic column (Develosil ODS-UG-5, 4.6 mm×150 mm, Nomura Chemical). The mobile phase contained 100 mM Na2HPO4 (pH 6.8), 13% acetonitrile, and 22% methanol. The flow rate was set to 0.75 mL/min. The temperature of column was maintained at 38°C. Electrochemical detection was designed using two-way electrode potentials (passage I: −150 mV; passage IV: +550 mV). Histamine standard was obtained from Sigma (St. Louis, USA).
Spleen lymphocytes preparation
The spleens were collected and splenocytes were prepared by disrupting the spleen with a grinder in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). After a 10 min centrifugation at 1 500 rpm to separate debris, erythrocytes were lysed using ammonium chloride reagent. The cells were washed twice with PBS and suspended in 0.5 mL of cold RPMI-1640 medium with 10% FBS. Spleen lymphocyte number was determined with a blood-cell counting chamber (Erma, Japan) [28]. The viability of lymphocytes was determined by trypan blue exclusion.
Determination of NK cell number
Spleen lymphocyte samples containing 1×106 cells in RPMI-1640 medium were treated with selected monoclonal antibodies conjugated with FITC or PE (Beckman, USA). We used the following double-staining combinations: anti-CD3 (FITC)/anti-NK1.1 (PE). Mouse IgG1-FITC and -PE were used as control staining. After 15 min incubation at room temperature in the dark, cells were washed with PBS and resuspended in 0.5 mL of PBS and analyzed using a flow cytometer (Beckman, USA). Usually, 10 000 cells were scanned for each sample, and their results are expressed as the percentage of cells yielding a specific fluorescence in a gated lymphocyte region. NK cell number in each spleen was calculated according to NK cell percentage and total spleen lymphocyte number.
In vitro effect of carnosine on NK cell number in spleen lymphocytes treated with corticosterone was also evaluated. In this experiment, spleen lymphocytes were obtained from 5 mice as described above and cultured in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 µg/mL streptomycin, and 10% heat inactivated FBS. Cells (1×106/well) were cultured in 96-well plates at 37°C in 5% CO2. Cells were treated with different concentrations of carnosine (1, 5, 10, 20 µM) and incubated for 24 h, and then added with corticosterone (10 µM) and incubated for 12 h. Cells were collected by centrifugation and resuspended in PBS, followed by staining with antibodies to determine NK cell number. Besides, in vitro effect of carnosine on the number of total spleen lymphocytes treated with corticosterone was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Briefly, an MTT stock solution (5 mg/mL in PBS) was added to each well (15 µL/well) and incubated for 4 h. The formed formazan was then dissolved by adding 200 µL DMSO per well and shake gently. The absorbance was read on a spectrophotometer at 570 nm. Cell viability was expressed as the percentage of MTT reduction, assuming that the absorbance of control cells was 100%. Total lymphocyte number in each group was calculated according to cell viability.
Cytotoxic activity of NK cells assay
The experiments employed two fluorescent stains as Piriou [51] reported, 3,3′-dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (DiO, from Sigma) which is stably integrated into the cell membrane and stains the intended cell population homogeneously, and propidium iodide (PI, from Sigma) which passes rapidly through damaged cell membranes and binds with very high affinity to the DNA. NK cell activity was detected with the freshly isolated spleen lymphocytes [28]. Target cells for detection of NK cell cytotoxicity were YAC-1 cells. The YAC-1 cells were maintained in continuous suspension and cultured in the complete culture medium at a concentration of about 1×106 cells/mL at 37°C in a 5% CO2 humidified incubator. All cultures were split 24 h before use to ensure that the YAC-1 cells were in an exponential growth phase during the assays. DiO was firstly added to the YAC-1 cells at a concentration of 30 µM, which was incubated for 15 min at 37°C in 5% CO2. After labeling, the YAC-1 cells were washed twice, counted and adjusted to 1×105 cells/mL. Mixtures of the stained YAC-1 cells (0.1 mL of 1×105 cells/mL) and spleen lymphocytes (0.1 mL of 1×107, 5×106, and 1.25×106 cells/mL) were incubated at 37°C in a 5% CO2 humidified incubator for 4 h. Another mixture of the stained YAC-1 cells (0.1 mL) and the complete culture medium (0.1 mL) were performed in parallel to serve as control for assessment of spontaneously dead YAC-1 cells. Then PI was added to the mixtures at a concentration of 5 mg/mL for 15 min at room temperature. NK cell activity of the above was thus determined. Intact NK cells were non-fluorescent, dead NK cells emitted red fluorescence, living YAC-1 cells exhibited green fluorescence and dead YAC-1 cells were characterized by double (green-red) fluorescence. Flow cytometry was performed with a FACS Epics XL (Beckman, USA) equipped with an argon laser operating at 488 nm. Two parameter dot plots were obtained with Cell Quest software (Beckman, USA). In these plots the abscissa was log scale green fluorescence and the ordinate log scale red fluorescence. In each tested sample, spontaneously dead YAC-1 cells were subtracted from total dead YAC-1 cells and NK cell cytotoxicity was expressed as the percentage of dead YAC-1 cells in total YAC-1 cells. Results were plotted, and the number of cells required to produce 10% specific cytotoxicity (one lytic unit, 1 LU10) was established from the best fit of the curve. The number of LU10 per spleen (LU10/spleen) was thus calculated and used to express final results. Assays for each effector/target cell ratio were performed in triplicate. After incubation for 4 h at 37°C under a 5% CO2 atmosphere, lysis of target cells was calculated using formula 1.(formula 1)
The maximum release referred to the lysis obtained after adding Triton X-100 (final concentration 1%). Spontaneous release was determined by the incubation of labeled target cells in the absence of effector cells.
Determination of mitochondria membrane potentials
In this experiment, mitochondria membrane potentials (ΔΨm) of spleen lymphocytes were determined using a fluorescent probe, rhodamine-123 (Sigma, USA), a lipophilic cation that accumulates in the mitochondrial matrix in proportion to mitochondrial membrane potential. Spleen lymphocytes suspensions (5×105) were incubated with 10 µM rhodamine-123 at 37°C for 30 min and then thoroughly washed three times with PBS. The fluorescence was determined using a flow cytometer.
Measurement of cytochrome c contents in mitochondria and cytoplasm
Spleen lymphocytes (2×106) were collected, washed once with PBS and gently lysed for 2 min in 80 µL lysis buffer (250 mM sucrose, 1 mM EDTA, 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.2, 1 mM DTT, 10 mM KCl, 1.5 mM MgCl2, 5 µg/mL pepstatin A, 10 µg/mL leupeptin, 2 µg/mL aprotinin). Lysates were centrifuged at 12 000 rpm for 10 min to obtain supernatants (cytosolic extracts free of mitochondria) and the pellets (fraction that contains mitochondria). These two fractions were adjusted to 2 mg protein/mL in the buffer. Contents of cytochrome c (Cyt c) were calculated from difference spectra at the wavelength pairs of 550∼535, 554∼540 and 563∼577 respectively (shown in formula 2).(formula 2)
Measurement of GR, Bax, and Bcl-2 mRNA expression
Gene expression was determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method using Maxima™ SYBR Green/Fluorescein qPCR Master Mix (Fermentas, Hanover, MD, USA) via IQ™5 real-time PCR detection system (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA). Spleen lymphocytes (5×107) were centrifuged at 6 000 rpm. The upper water layer was removed carefully and cells were added with 1 mL Trizol (Invitrogen, CA) to extract total RNA. Total RNA (3 µg) was reverse-transcribed at 42°C for 1 h in 20 mL reaction mixture containing mouse Moloney leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (Tiangen, Germany) with oligo (dT) primers (Tiangen, Germany) followed by RT-PCR amplification. The mRNA primers for mouse GR (GenBank acc.no. X04435, F: 5′-TGGTGTGCTCCGATGA-3′, R: 5′-AGGGTAGGGGTAAGC-3′, bp: 294), Bax (GenBank acc.no. NM_007527, F: 5′-TCCCACATAACTCCCTCGACA-3′, R: 5′-GGCGAAGCCAGCGAGAAGTCCC-3′, bp: 228), Bcl-2 (GenBank acc.no. NM_009741, F: 5′-CTGGAGGTCTGAAGCG-3′, R: 5′-ATGAATCGGGAGTTGG-3′, bp: 301), and 18S (GenBank acc.no. K01364, F: 5′-AGGGGAGAGCGGGTAAGAGA-3′, R: 5′-GGACAGGACTAGGCGGAACA -3′, bp: 241) were used. The final products were analyzed by Ct method.
TUNEL assay
The TUNEL method was performed to label 3′-end of fragmented DNA of the apoptotic spleen lymphocytes. Spleens were fleshly removed and frozen in Tissue-Tek OCT Compound (Miles, Elkhart, IN) by immersion in a 2-methylbutane bath on dry ice. 5 µm sections were cut using a Leica CM1900 cryostat, and stained by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method, using an apoptosis in situ detection kit (Wako Pure Chemical, Osaka, Japan), according to the instruction. The FITC-labeled TUNEL-positive cells were imaged under a fluorescent microscopy by using 488 nm excitation and 530 nm emission. After four cortical fields were randomly selected from each section, 100 cells were successively counted for each field by an observer who did not identify the slides. The ratio of TUNEL-positive cell number to the total cell number is shown.
Spleen lymphocyte proliferation assay
In vivo and in vitro effects of carnosine on spleen lymphocyte proliferation in stressed mice were evaluated. For the in vivo experiment, spleen lymphocytes isolated from mice in normal control group, model group, RU486 treatment and carnosine treatment groups (150 and 300 mg/kg) were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium with 2 mM L-glutamine, 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 µg/mL streptomycin, and 10% heat inactivated FBS. Cells (5×105/well) were cultured in 96-well plates and stimulated with ConA (5 µg/mL) for 48 h. The proliferative response of spleen lymphocytes was determined by MTT assay as previously described [52]. The absorbance of each sample and control (ConA-free medium, with DMSO) was read on a spectrophotometer at 570 nm. Stimulation index (SI) was calculated as formula 3 and expressed as percentage of the control.(formula 3)
For the in vitro experiment, spleen lymphocytes isolated from normal mice and restraint-stressed mice were cultured in 96-well plates. Cells (5×105/well) were stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA, 5 µg/mL) for 48 h. Then different concentrations of carnosine (1, 5, 10, 20 µM) were added to cells obtained from restraint-stressed mice, while the same volume of medium was added to cells obtained from normal mice. After incubation for 12 h, spleen lymphocyte proliferation was determined by MTT assay and SI was calculated as formula 2.
Statistical analysis
The data were presented as mean ± S.E.M. Statistical analysis of data was performed using SPSS 13.0 statistical package. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to analyze for difference in data of biochemical parameters among the different groups, followed by Dunnett's significant post-hoc test for pair-wise multiple comparisons. Differences were considered as statistically significant at p<0.05.
Author Contributions
Conceived and designed the experiments: HK RRH YFL. Performed the experiments: YFL BT XDL WXL. Analyzed the data: YFL RRH. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: HK KA. Wrote the paper: YFL RRH BT HK.
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- 32. Boldizsar F, Palinkas L, Czompoly T, Bartis D, Nemeth P, et al. (2006) Low glucocorticoid receptor (GR), high Dig2 and low Bcl-2 expression in double positive thymocytes of BALB/c mice indicates their endogenous glucocorticoid hormone exposure. Immunobiology 211: 785–796.
- 33. Planey SL, Derfoul A, Steplewski A, Robertson NM, Litwack G (2002) Inhibition of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in 697 pre-B lymphocytes by the mineralocorticoid receptor N-terminal domain. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277: 42188–42196.
- 34. Amaral JD, Sola S, Steer CJ, Rodrigues CMP (2009) Role of Nuclear Steroid Receptors in Apoptosis. Current Medicinal Chemistry 16: 3886–3902.
- 35. Wolter KG, Hsu YT, Smith CL, Nechushtan A, Xi XG, et al. (1997) Movement of Bax from the cytosol to mitochondria during apoptosis. Journal of Cell Biology 139: 1281–1292.
- 36. Gross A, McDonnell JM, Korsmeyer SJ (1999) BCL-2 family members and the mitochondria in apoptosis. Genes & Development 13: 1899–1911.
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- 39. Silberman DM, Wald M, Genaro AM (2002) Effects of chronic mild stress on lymphocyte proliferative response. Participation of serum thyroid hormones and corticosterone. International immunopharmacology 2: 487–497.
- 40. Webster Marketon JI, Glaser R (2008) Stress hormones and immune function. Cellular Immunology 252: 16–26.
- 41. Kozan R, Sefil F, Baginci F (2008) Anticonvulsant effect of carnosine on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats. Brain Research 1239: 249–255.
- 42. Otani H, Okumura A, Nagai K, Okumura N (2008) Colocalization of a carnosine-splitting enzyme, tissue carnosinase (CN2)/cytosolic non-specific dipeptidase 2 (CNDP2), with histidine decarboxylase in the tuberomammillary nucleus of the hypothalamus. Neuroscience letters 445: 166–169.
- 43. Mazurkiewicz-Kwilecki I, Taub H (1978) Effect of stress on brain histamine. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 9: 465–468.
- 44. Ito C (2000) The role of brain histamine in acute and chronic stresses. Biomedecine & Pharmacotherapy 54: 263–267.
- 45. Sakai N, Onodera K, Maeyama K, Yanai K, Watanabe T (1991) Effects of thioperamide, a histamine H3 receptor antagonist, on locomotor activity and brain histamine content in mast cell-deficient mice. Life Sciences 48: 2397–2404.
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- 49. Zhang J, Wu Z, Zhou L, Li H, Teng H, et al. (2011) Deficiency of antinociception and excessive grooming induced by acute immobilization stress in per1 mutant mice. PloS one 6: e16212.
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- 51. Piriou L, Chilmonczyk S, Genetet N, Albina E (2000) Design of a flow cytometric assay for the determination of natural killer and cytotoxic T\lymphocyte activity in human and in different animal species. Cytometry 41: 289–297.
- 52. Jan TR, Su ST, Wu HY, Liao MH (2007) Suppressive effects of cannabidiol on antigen-specific antibody production and functional activity of splenocytes in ovalbumin-sensitized BALB/c mice. International immunopharmacology 7: 773–780.


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2017 Pinot Noir "HRW" (Hendry Ranch)
Hendry, PInot Noir "HRW", Napa Valley, CA 2017100% Pinot Noir LIGHT SMOKY & FLORAL AROMAS, VIBRANT LIGHT CHERRY FRUIT Hendry Ranch lies in the "transitional" climate area between cool Carneros and the sun-baked plains of the lower Napa Valley. This lovely wine lies - quite appropriately - in the transitional spectrum between the bright acidity of Burgundy and the full-fruit approach of Californian pinot noir. Brimming with vibrant acidity underscored by rich cherry and smoke, this wine is so, so fine. Serving Suggestion: Rigatoni with cauliflower and mild sausage "al forno." Late afternoon spreads of pimento cheese and charcuterie.
$23.99 each


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Gluten-free, Vegan Asparagus Mushroom Lunch Bowl
Single? Busy? Don't like to cook? This dish is for you. Two main ingredients. Fast. One pan. Complete meal. Packed with nutritional benefits. There, I even made the intro to the recipe fast!Read More
Caramelized Onion and Tomato Tart
In this savory tart – aka quiche – the flaky pastry crust is filled with an egg and non-dairy cream base, then embellished with caramelized onions, herbs, and sweet, ripe tomatoes. It's a perfect light meal or side dish in a brunch spread. By substituting cream or milk with canned coconut milk, the texture is perfect!, without any coconut flavor! Oh, it smells so good when baking too!Read More
Gluten Free Vegan Lentil Soup
This gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan lentil soup recipe is easy to prepare and delivers loads of nutritious benefits in a delicious meal, appetizer, or side dish. Coriander enhances the carrots, lentils, and sherry wine flavors.Read More


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Simon Parmet
Finnish conductor and composer. His life is a research specialism of Dr Simo Muir
|1914 / Saint Petersburg Conservatory
|1897 / Helsinki
Simon Parmet (earlier Pergament; 1897-1969) was a Finnish conductor and composer. Born in Helsinki, he studied piano under Alexander Glazunov at the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1914. During the Russian Revolution he returned to Helsinki where he established Jewish Choir Association (Judiska Sångföreningen –Juutalainen Laulukuoro) together with his colleagues. Parmet arranged several dozens of traditional East-European Yiddish folksongs for the choir he conducted. He also composed original music, including the choral piece Eyli, Eyli (My God, my God), marked as opus 5, from 1919. Parmet continued his studies in Berlin at the Stern Conservatory and worked several years as a conductor in Kiel.
Parmet returned to Helsinki in 1928 to become the conductor of the Finnish Opera in Helsinki. Two years later he arranged a third collection of ten Yiddish folksongs for the Jewish Choir Association.
During winter 1940 Parmet composed music for Bertold Brecht's play Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder. Brecht at the time was living in Exile in Helsinki. In 1941 Parmet traveled with his family to the U.S. where he stayed the rest of the war and returned to Finland in 1949 after receiving a post as the conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Parmet was considered by some of his contemporaries as the best conductor in Finland, but despite receiving such high posts, he never managed to make a successful career. Parmet himself considered this to be because of his Jewish background, though he also had a reputation for a quick-tempered personality. Only during his later years did he receive recognition, especially for his interpretations and analyses of Sibelius's symphonies.
Parmet's archive has been lost, but the Yiddish folksong arrangements and some other choir pieces have been preserved by the Jewish Choir Association in Helsinki.


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Your shopping cart is currently empty.
Item: 87242
Design: Nils Strinning
To Build your own String System, simply add the component parts to the cart. All parts you will need are included as separate products at the bottom of this page.
Magazine Shelf 58x30
W 58cm D 30cm | W 22.8" D 11.8"
Fits: String System
Only with 30cm deep string side-panels. Not with string plex.


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|For an overview of sledgehammers found in other Fallout games, see Sledgehammer.
Infobox incomplete
The infobox template in this article is missing some required data. You can help Nukapedia by filling it in.
The sledgehammer is a weapon in Fallout 76.
A wooden handle with a blunt, steel head, the sledgehammer has a high damage per strike, but a slow swing speed.
Weapon modificationsEdit
- Upgrade
- One can be found at the Charleston trainyard on a cart with a red toolbox on the upper level, near a yellow power loader.
- One can be found in Poseidon Energy Plant WV-06 in the south expansion, past the flooded room and behind a wooden crate near a red tool chest before going down the stairs.
- One can be found in a basement room of the Charleston Capitol Building, on a wooden shelf behind a maglocked door in the room with a fusion core generator and armor workbench.
- One can be found on a desk on a platform above the third-floor office at the converted munitions factory.
- Carried by Scorched that use melee weapons.
- One can be found at New Gad.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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For an everyday sweater that is perfect for creating fun layered looks while keeping warm, make this Irish Aran Wool Lumber Jacket Cardigan Sweater a go-to classic!
This piece is made of fine Merino wool that offers warmth, softness, and moisture-wicking ability.
Striking Aran stitching that features the beloved cable and honeycomb patterns adds texture and dimension.
Contrasting nicely with the Aran stitching is ribbed trimming on the collar, pockets, cuffs of the sleeves, and hem.
Finished off with traditional football buttons and practical pockets on the front, this cardigan is a beauty and a must-have!


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Virgo Love And Relationship Horoscope 2020
Virgo Love And Relationship Horoscope 2020: Take A Leap Of Faith
According to the Virgo love and relationship Horoscope 2020, Married couples will enjoy a great bond with their spouse. The warmth and understanding in your relationship will cause people to be envious of you. However, it would help to be calm and patient while tackling a tricky situation. Petty issues may hamper your peace of mind. However, the love you have for each other will overcome all other issues. Things could difficult sometime in October. However, you will be able to deal with it with confidence and poise. As per Virgo love Horoscope 2020, those of you looking to marry are more than likely to meet a prospective suitor. Ganesha believes this match is made in heaven. You must put all your differences aside and take the leap of faith.
2020 Virgo Love And Relationship Horoscope: Meaningful Relationships Start Developing.
For most of the year, Jupiter has its eyes on the eleventh house, which deals with relationships. Meaningful relationships seem to be on the cards. Those who are single shall soon find someone with whom they can relate to, as per what is mentioned in your Virgo love and relationship Horoscope 2020. Single people will desire love and warmth from the opposite person. Even those in relationships also share a loving phase with their significant other. According to the Virgo love astrology 2020 prediction, your relationship will be able to help you enhance your prospects in general as well.
With Ganesha's Grace,
The GaneshaSpeaks.com Team
With Ganesha's Grace,
Day Guide
Comprises of events likely to happen, hourly guidance & precise timeframes
Life Meter
Know the percentages of different aspects of your physical and mental state
Check out how well will your wavelengths with others match


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Filed under: Top Chef | Tags: entertainment, Gossip, I wish they would have cooked the zoo animals, Padma, Reality, Reviews, that would have been a challenge, Top Chef Chicago, TV
Now on to my favorite show on television. And since I'm fat as can be, I am a licensed authority on food and watching people cook on TV. I burn more calories sitting here thinking about eating the food than jogging. Trust me. This week's show started off with an Quick Fire challenge at a Chicago Farmers Market. The challenge was that the chef's could only use five ingredients from the market or the kitchen (along with salt, pepper, butter, and oil). Last week, it looked like my sleeper pick, Mark, would be headed back down under, but he redeemed himself with a win in the Quick Fire despite leaving ingredients behind. One of my top picks, Richard, failed to impress one of his molecular gastronomy idols, Wylie Dufresne, with a eucalyptus-scented chicken leg.
There seemed to be a focus on both Chicagoans, Stephanie and Valerie, as they headed into the Elimination Challenge. They end up on the same team for the Zoo Challenge, which consisted of six teams of three. Each team had a different animal named assigned to them – Bear, Vulture, Penguin, Gorilla, – and they had to cook using the diet of their animals. They were to make four courses and cater a cocktail reception at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Andrew from Team Penguin won the Elimination Challenge with his yuzu glacier gelee and squid dish (which impressed Mr. Dufresne). Team Vulture also stepped it up as we saw Mark shine once again. His anchovie dish was easily the second favorite among the judges. The hometown girls failed to impress on Team Gorilla except for Antonia's dish. Team Bear also suffered with another one of my favorites, Dale, on the team; however, his dish was the only good thing to come out of that team.
The judges decided to send Valerie home for her horrendous blini dish. So now with the total down to 14 contestants, here are how my favorites stack up:
– Mark
– Andrew
– Antonia
– Manuel
– Dale
– Richard
– Stephanie (even though she had a bad week)
During next week's preview, we learn the contestants will go on a field trip. And yes, Tom Colicchio does resemble a bear. A bald bear. Like in "The Great Outdoors".
Filed under: Padma Lakshmi, Top Chef | Tags: Bravo, Chicago, entertainment, Gossip, I think Richard is a real contender, Mark will make a comeback, News, Padma Lakshmi scar makes her even hotter, Season 4, Television, Top Chef
Thank god this show came back on TV. And its in Chicago so you know its going to be good. They started off this season with having everyone meet at Pizzeria Uno (not my favorite Chicago-style deep dish, but it'll do) and sample some of their pizza. Then the first Quick Fire Challenge is to have them create their own versions of deep dish pizza.
My first reaction is that there is no way they can make the dough the right way, but then they have a pile of dough on a table so this is going to be easy. Ummmm not so. Some of the pizza's that come out look absolutely atrocious. And the pizza made by Richard actually had peaches in it. Judge Rocco DiSpirito actually ended up liking it, but I was only appreciating anyone that had sausage on their pies. This is Chicago, baby. Not California or Georgia.
They moved on to an Elimination Challenge where the winners of the Quick Fire got to pick who they went up against head-to-head, but then the losers of the Quick Fire get to pick which dish to cook. The challenge was to pick a classic dish off of a chalkboard that the lovely Padma Lakshmi flipped over for us. Did you see that dress she was wearing? Damn, girl.
Anyways, I was just amazed by how many people were on this show and didn't know how to cook these classic dishes. How the hell do you not know what Chicken Piccata is? I did really feel for the people who got stuck with the souffle though. And I just felt bad for the girl, Nimma, who couldn't make shrimp scampi. She just looked like a lost deer. You have to have confidence on these shows, Nimma. And a faux hawk apparently.
The big conspiracy in the first episode happens to be that two of the contestants, Jennifer and Zoi, are actually lesbian lovers. I think that actually makes it harder for them because they have to compete against each other. And girls are so catty and bitchy. Are lesbians catty and bitchy? I'd assume the ones that don't look like boys are. Hmmmm…..
Anywho, here are my early predictions for contestants who will make it into the Top 7:
– Richard
– Stephanie
– Antonia
– Andrew
– Dale
– Jennifer
– Mark
This season will definitely be just as exciting as Season 3. Lots of pottymouths though. I hope my mommy doesn't hear the bleeps on the TV and turn it off. I gotta move out of the parent's house. Just for Top Chef.
If you want to check out a Season 4 Preview or a recap of this week's show, visit BravoTV.com.
Filed under: Padma Lakshmi, Top Chef | Tags: Chicago, girl can cook, I don't know how to pronounce her name either, old fat guys, Padma Lakshmi, that scar on her arm was from an accident, Top Chef
Top Chef's new season is being shot in Chicago, so let's hope we see drunken pictures of the host Padma Lakshmi around town. There is something about her that sort of puts me off until I see pictures like this:
I'm a bit of a bit food nut and I can normally watch cooking shows without bringing sex into them (unless Giada DeLaurentiis is on), but now I get to enjoy both on Top Chef. And not only can the girl look incredibly hot when she wants to, but she's also got a brain, she can cook, and she likes old fat guys. Now all I need to do is get old and I'll have a perfect little woman to take care of me. That and make a couple million dollars.
Bonus pic:


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On this day in Lewis & Clark history...
Just above the Cascades of the Columbia, the Expedition sees a forest inundated by a sudden rise in the water level. Clark scouts the rapids and makes plans for the portage around them. Lewis visits a nearby village.
From the journals...
Wednesday 30th Oct. 1805.
cloudy. the river verry Strait and wide.
October 30th Wednesday 1805
Saw 4 Cascades caused by Small Streams falling from the mountains on the Lard. Side...
Columbia River Gorge
Painted in 1857 by James W. Alden.
October 30th Wednesday 1805
a remarkable circumstance in this part of the river is, the Stumps of pine trees are in maney places are at Some distance in the river, and give every appearance of the rivers being damed up below from Some cause which I am not at this time acquanted with...
Sunken forest
Photo by G.K. Gilbert of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1899.
October 30th Wednesday 1805
passed Several places where the rocks projected into the river & have the appearance of haveing Seperated from the mountains and fallen promiscuisly into the river, Small nitches are formed in the banks below those projecting rocks which is comon in this part of the river
Oneonta Gorge
Unknown photographer.
October 30th Wednesday 1805
we call this little river New Timbered river from a Speces of Ash which grows on its banks of a verry large and different from any we had before Seen
Oregon ash, Fraxinus latifolia
October 30th Wednesday 1805
a timber resembling the beech in bark but different in its leaf which is Smaller and the tree smaller.


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Hi, my name is Susanne and I am a sound designer, field recordist and composer for media. I am currently studying for a PhD in 'Sound-based Music Composition for Film' at De Montfort University in Leicester, UK. Drop me a line if you have any comments or suggetions.
Author's posts
Aug 27
Buddhism In Vietnam
Sounds around the World Series
Today I want to give a brief overview of the two main Buddhist schools in Vietnam. Because of its history, the country knows two main directions: Mahayana and Theravada. Several smaller sects of Buddhism can be found, too.… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/sounds-around-the-world/buddhism-in-vietnam/
Aug 27
Caodaism In Vietnam
Sounds around the World Series
Another very interesting and colourful religion with its seat in the south of Vietnam is the Caodaism believe (Cao Đài). Founded in 1926 in Tây Ninh (approx. 60 km north west of Ho Chi Minh City) the relatively young religion was recognised and allowed by the Vietnamese government only in 1997.… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/sounds-around-the-world/caodaism-in-vietnam/
Aug 27
Vietnam's Four Magical Animals
Sounds around the World Series
I had almost given up of finding some of my older blog posts which I lost after changing the provider, but 'luck' is on my side. 🙂
Tonight I was able to retrieve a few older posts from my travels in Vietnam.… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/sounds-around-the-world/vietnams-four-magical-animals/
Jul 08
Connector Cable for Stereo Microphones
DIY—Audio Series
In my last post I wrote a little about the different connectors and wirings for audio cables. Today I want to share another type of cable I soldered for myself recently: a y-splitter which divides a stereo audio signal from a (stereo) microphone so I can recored it with an audio interface or field recorder.… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/diy-audio-electronics/connector-cable-for-stereo-microphones/
Jul 06
Connectors for Audio
DIY—Audio Series
Being able to customise audio cable is vital for field recordists or techs in a studio environment. If you don't like soldering or manipulating cables no worries, I am sure you quickly start getting hung up on it just as I did.… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/diy-audio-electronics/connectors-for-audio/
Dec 29
DIY—Audio Series
Inspired by Diego Stocco's stethoscope microphone, I bought myself a stethoscope and a couple of electronic parts and built one on my own.
List of Parts
- stethoscope
- 1x male XLR plug
[Alternatively any other connector able to 'carry' phantom power from the recording device to the condenser microphones can be used.]
- 2x 6mm (omnidirectional) condenser microphone elements
- audio cable
- short piece of thin, two wire cable
- heatshrink
Prepare the audio cable on each of its ends by stripping off a short part of the protection around the wires, leaving the bare copper of the positive and negatire wire free, while cutting off the wire of the ground/shield.… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/diy-audio-electronics/stethoscope-microphone/
Dec 29
DIY Pick-ups from Piezo Disks
DIY—Audio Series
Here is a quick and easy construction plan for pick-ups made from piezo buzzers or disks.
Piezo disks can be optained as single disks in various shapes and sizes or can be taken out of buzzers for example. Both piezo elements can either be acquired at electronic stores or possibly stripped out of older electronics such as old, sound producing toys or door buzzers.… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/diy-audio-electronics/diy-pick-ups-from-piezo-disks/
Dec 27
UNDER CONSTRUCTION… Read the rest
Permanent link to this article: http://www.suzannesoundcreations.com/news/hello-world/


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