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|Attenuation of MPTP/MPP(+) Toxicity in vivo and in vitro by an 18-mer Peptide Derived from Prosaposin.
MedLine Citation:
|PMID: 23321539 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher
|Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic progressive neurological disorder with an increasing incidence in the aging population. Neuroprotective and/or neuroregenerative strategies remain critical in the treatment of this increasingly prevalent disease. Prosaposin is a neurotrophic factor whose neurotrophic activity is attributed to a stretch of 12 amino acids located at the N-terminal region of saposin C. The present study was performed to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of action of a prosaposin-derived 18-mer peptide (PS18: LSELIINNATEELLIKGL) in Parkinson's disease models. We used 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) or 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+)-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity in C57BL/6J mice or SH-SY5Y cells and explored the protective effect and mechanisms of action of PS18 on dopaminergic neurons. Treatment with 2.0 mg/kg PS18 significantly improved behavioural deficits, enhanced the survival of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons, and decreased the activity of astrocytes in the substantia nigra and striatum in MPTP-induced PD model mice. In vitro, a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and Hoechst 33258 staining revealed that co-treatment with 300 ng/mL PS18 and 5 mM MPP+ protected against MPP+-induced nuclear morphological changes and attenuated cell death induced by MPP+. We also found that PS18-FAM entered the cells, and the retention time of PS18-FAM in the cytoplasm of MPP+-treated cells was shorter than that of untreated cells. In addition, PS18 showed protection from MPP+/MPTP-induced apoptosis in the SH-SY5Y cells and dopaminergic neurons in the PD model mice via suppression of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/c-Jun pathway; upregulation of Bcl-2; downregulation of BAX, attenuating mitochondrial damage; and inhibition of caspase-3. These findings suggest that PS18 may provide a valuable therapeutic strategy for the treatment of progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as PD.
|Hui-Ling Gao; Cheng Li; Hiroaki Nabeka; Tetsuya Shimokawa; Shouichiro Saito; Zhan-You Wang; Ya-Ming Cao; Seiji Matsuda
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Publication Detail:
|Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2013-1-12
Journal Detail:
|Title: Neuroscience Volume: - ISSN: 1873-7544 ISO Abbreviation: Neuroscience Publication Date: 2013 Jan
Date Detail:
|Created Date: 2013-1-16 Completed Date: - Revised Date: -
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|Nlm Unique ID: 7605074 Medline TA: Neuroscience Country: -
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|Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: -
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|Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan; College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China.
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Whole Wheat Dosa | How to make Whole Wheat Dosa
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About Whole Wheat Dosa Recipe
Packed with the goodness of whole wheat this is an easy recipe which can be made in no time.
The delicious and mouthwatering Whole Wheat Dosa is enjoyed by all. This dish is often prepared for special occasions including parties or festivals. Whole Wheat Dosa is a good option when you want to cook something different . It is an amazing dish which is liked by people of all age groups. The flavourful ingredients are the key to the amazing taste of Whole Wheat Dosa. sanju priya shared Whole Wheat Dosa recipe which can serve 4 people. The step by step process with pictures will help you learn how to make the delicious Whole Wheat Dosa. Try this delicious Whole Wheat Dosa recipe at home and surprise your family and friends. You can connect with the sanju priya of Whole Wheat Dosa by commenting on the page. In case you have any questions around the ingredients or cooking process. The Whole Wheat Dosa can also be given a rating. The "What's cooking" feature can be used to share your experience when you make Whole Wheat Dosa with other users
Ingredients to make Whole Wheat Dosa
- Whole wheat flour 1 cup
- sugar 1 tbsp
- salt a pinch
- water 2 cups
- oil for applying on dosa

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Stem Cell Information
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HomeInfo CenterStem Cell Reports7. Stem Cells and Diabetes
Diabetes exacts its toll on many Americans, young and old. For years, researchers have painstakingly dissected this complicated disease caused by the destruction of insulin producing islet cells of the pancreas. Despite progress in understanding the underlying disease mechanisms for diabetes, there is still a paucity of effective therapies. For years investigators have been making slow, but steady, progress on experimental strategies for pancreatic transplantation and islet cell replacement. Now, researchers have turned their attention to adult stem cells that appear to be precursors to islet cells and embryonic stem cells that produce insulin.
For decades, diabetes researchers have been searching for ways to replace the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas that are destroyed by a patient's own immune system. Now it appears that this may be possible. Each year, diabetes affects more people and causes more deaths than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States today, with nearly 200,000 deaths reported each year. The American Diabetes Association estimates that nearly 16 million people, or 5.9 percent of the United States population, currently have diabetes.
Diabetes is actually a group of diseases characterized by abnormally high levels of the sugar glucose in the bloodstream. This excess glucose is responsible for most of the complications of diabetes, which include blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, neuropathy, and amputations. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, typically affects children and young adults. Diabetes develops when the body's immune system sees its own cells as foreign and attacks and destroys them. As a result, the islet cells of the pancreas, which normally produce insulin, are destroyed. In the absence of insulin, glucose cannot enter the cell and glucose accumulates in the blood. Type 2 diabetes, also called adult-onset diabetes, tends to affect older, sedentary, and overweight individuals with a family history of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cannot use insulin effectively. This is called insulin resistance and the result is the same as with type 1 diabetes—a build up of glucose in the blood.
There is currently no cure for diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin several times a day and test their blood glucose concentration three to four times a day throughout their entire lives. Frequent monitoring is important because patients who keep their blood glucose concentrations as close to normal as possible can significantly reduce many of the complications of diabetes, such as retinopathy (a disease of the small blood vessels of the eye which can lead to blindness) and heart disease, that tend to develop over time. People with type 2 diabetes can often control their blood glucose concentrations through a combination of diet, exercise, and oral medication. Type 2 diabetes often progresses to the point where only insulin therapy will control blood glucose concentrations.
Each year, approximately 1,300 people with type 1 diabetes receive whole-organ pancreas transplants. After a year, 83 percent of these patients, on average, have no symptoms of diabetes and do not have to take insulin to maintain normal glucose concentrations in the blood. However, the demand for transplantable pancreases outweighs their availability. To prevent the body from rejecting the transplanted pancreas, patients must take powerful drugs that suppress the immune system for their entire lives, a regimen that makes them susceptible to a host of other diseases. Many hospitals will not perform a pancreas transplant unless the patient also needs a kidney transplant. That is because the risk of infection due to immunosuppressant therapy can be a greater health threat than the diabetes itself. But if a patient is also receiving a new kidney and will require immunosuppressant drugs anyway, many hospitals will perform the pancreas transplant.
Over the past several years, doctors have attempted to cure diabetes by injecting patients with pancreatic islet cells—the cells of the pancreas that secrete insulin and other hormones. However, the requirement for steroid immunosuppressant therapy to prevent rejection of the cells increases the metabolic demand on insulin-producing cells and eventually they may exhaust their capacity to produce insulin. The deleterious effect of steroids is greater for islet cell transplants than for whole-organ transplants. As a result, less than 8 percent of islet cell transplants performed before last year had been successful.
More recently, James Shapiro and his colleagues in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, have developed an experimental protocol for transplanting islet cells that involves using a much larger amount of islet cells and a different type of immunosuppressant therapy. In a recent study, they report that [17], seven of seven patients who received islet cell transplants no longer needed to take insulin, and their blood glucose concentrations were normal a year after surgery. The success of the Edmonton protocol is now being tested at 10 centers around the world.
If the success of the Edmonton protocol can be duplicated, many hurdles still remain in using this approach on a wide scale to treat diabetes. First, donor tissue is not readily available. Islet cells used in transplants are obtained from cadavers, and the procedure requires at least two cadavers per transplant. The islet cells must be immunologically compatible, and the tissue must be freshly obtained—within eight hours of death. Because of the shortage of organ donors, these requirements are difficult to meet and the waiting list is expected to far exceed available tissue, especially if the procedure becomes widely accepted and available. Further, islet cell transplant recipients face a lifetime of immunosuppressant therapy, which makes them susceptible to other serious infections and diseases.
Before discussing cell-based therapies for diabetes, it is important to understand how the pancreas develops. In mammals, the pancreas contains three classes of cell types: the ductal cells, the acinar cells, and the endocrine cells. The endocrine cells produce the hormones glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and insulin, which are secreted into the blood stream and help the body regulate sugar metabolism. The acinar cells are part of the exocrine system, which manufactures digestive enzymes, and ductal cells from the pancreatic ducts, which connect the acinar cells to digestive organs.
In humans, the pancreas develops as an outgrowth of the duodenum, a part of the small intestine. The cells of both the exocrine system—the acinar cells—and of the endocrine system—the islet cells—seem to originate from the ductal cells during development. During development these endocrine cells emerge from the pancreatic ducts and form aggregates that eventually form what is known as Islets of Langerhans. In humans, there are four types of islet cells: the insulin-producing beta cells; the alpha cells, which produce glucagon; the delta cells, which secrete somatostatin; and the PP-cells, which produce pancreatic polypeptide. The hormones released from each type of islet cell have a role in regulating hormones released from other islet cells. In the human pancreas, 65 to 90 percent of islet cells are beta cells, 15 to 20 percent are alpha-cells, 3 to 10 percent are delta cells, and one percent is PP cells. Acinar cells form small lobules contiguous with the ducts (see Figure 7.1. Insulin Production in the Human Pancreas). The resulting pancreas is a combination of a lobulated, branched acinar gland that forms the exocrine pancreas, and, embedded in the acinar gland, the Islets of Langerhans, which constitute the endocrine pancreas.
Figure 7.1. Insulin Production in the Human Pancreas. The pancreas is located in the abdomen, adjacent to the duodenum (the first portion of the small intestine). A cross-section of the pancreas shows the islet of Langerhans which is the functional unit of the endocrine pancreas. Encircled is the beta cell that synthesizes and secretes insulin. Beta cells are located adjacent to blood vessels and can easily respond to changes in blood glucose concentration by adjusting insulin production. Insulin facilitates uptake of glucose, the main fuel source, into cells of tissues such as muscle.
(© 2001 Terese Winslow, Lydia Kibiuk)
During fetal development, new endocrine cells appear to arise from progenitor cells in the pancreatic ducts. Many researchers maintain that some sort of islet stem cell can be found intermingled with ductal cells during fetal development and that these stem cells give rise to new endocrine cells as the fetus develops. Ductal cells can be distinguished from endocrine cells by their structure and by the genes they express. For example, ductal cells typically express a gene known as cytokeratin-9 (CK-9), which encodes a structural protein. Beta islet cells, on the other hand, express a gene called PDX-1, which encodes a protein that initiates transcription from the insulin gene. These genes, called cell markers, are useful in identifying particular cell types.
Following birth and into adulthood, the source of new islet cells is not clear, and some controversy exists over whether adult stem cells exist in the pancreas. Some researchers believe that islet stem cell-like cells can be found in the pancreatic ducts and even in the islets themselves. Others maintain that the ductal cells can differentiate into islet precursor cells, while others hold that new islet cells arise from stem cells in the blood. Researchers are using several approaches for isolating and cultivating stem cells or islet precursor cells from fetal and adult pancreatic tissue. In addition, several new promising studies indicate that insulin-producing cells can be cultivated from embryonic stem cell lines.
In developing a potential therapy for patients with diabetes, researchers hope to develop a system that meets several criteria. Ideally, stem cells should be able to multiply in culture and reproduce themselves exactly. That is, the cells should be self-renewing. Stem cells should also be able to differentiate in vivo to produce the desired kind of cell. For diabetes therapy, it is not clear whether it will be desirable to produce only beta cells—the islet cells that manufacture insulin—or whether other types of pancreatic islet cells are also necessary. Studies by Bernat Soria and colleagues, for example, indicate that isolated beta cells—those cultured in the absence of the other types of islet cells—are less responsive to changes in glucose concentration than intact islet clusters made up of all islet cell types. Islet cell clusters typically respond to higher-than-normal concentrations of glucose by releasing insulin in two phases: a quick release of high concentrations of insulin and a slower release of lower concentrations of insulin. In this manner the beta cells can fine-tune their response to glucose. Extremely high concentrations of glucose may require that more insulin be released quickly, while intermediate concentrations of glucose can be handled by a balance of quickly and slowly released insulin.
Isolated beta cells, as well as islet clusters with lower-than-normal amounts of non-beta cells, do not release insulin in this biphasic manner. Instead insulin is released in an all-or-nothing manner, with no fine-tuning for intermediate concentrations of glucose in the blood [5, 18]. Therefore, many researchers believe that it will be preferable to develop a system in which stem or precursor cell types can be cultured to produce all the cells of the islet cluster in order to generate a population of cells that will be able to coordinate the release of the appropriate amount of insulin to the physiologically relevant concentrations of glucose in the blood.
Several groups of researchers are investigating the use of fetal tissue as a potential source of islet progenitor cells. For example, using mice, researchers have compared the insulin content of implants from several sources of stem cells—fresh human fetal pancreatic tissue, purified human islets, and cultured islet tissue [2]. They found that insulin content was initially higher in the fresh tissue and purified islets. However, with time, insulin concentration decreased in the whole tissue grafts, while it remained the same in the purified islet grafts. When cultured islets were implanted, however, their insulin content increased over the course of three months. The researchers concluded that precursor cells within the cultured islets were able to proliferate (continue to replicate) and differentiate (specialize) into functioning islet tissue, but that the purified islet cells (already differentiated) could not further proliferate when grafted. Importantly, the researchers found, however, that it was also difficult to expand cultures of fetal islet progenitor cells in culture [7].
Many researchers have focused on culturing islet cells from human adult cadavers for use in developing transplantable material. Although differentiated beta cells are difficult to proliferate and culture, some researchers have had success in engineering such cells to do this. For example, Fred Levine and his colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, have engineered islet cells isolated from human cadavers by adding to the cells' DNA special genes that stimulate cell proliferation. However, because once such cell lines that can proliferate in culture are established, they no longer produce insulin. The cell lines are further engineered to express the beta islet cell gene, PDX-1, which stimulates the expression of the insulin gene. Such cell lines have been shown to propagate in culture and can be induced to differentiate to cells, which produce insulin. When transplanted into immune-deficient mice, the cells secrete insulin in response to glucose. The researchers are currently investigating whether these cells will reverse diabetes in an experimental diabetes model in mice [6, 8].
These investigators report that these cells do not produce as much insulin as normal islets, but it is within an order of magnitude. The major problem in dealing with these cells is maintaining the delicate balance between growth and differentiation. Cells that proliferate well do not produce insulin efficiently, and those that do produce insulin do not proliferate well. According to the researchers, the major issue is developing the technology to be able to grow large numbers of these cells that will reproducibly produce normal amounts of insulin [9].
Another promising source of islet progenitor cells lies in the cells that line the pancreatic ducts. Some researchers believe that multipotent (capable of forming cells from more than one germ layer) stem cells are intermingled with mature, differentiated duct cells, while others believe that the duct cells themselves can undergo a differentiation, or a reversal to a less mature type of cell, which can then differentiate into an insulin-producing islet cell.
Susan Bonner-Weir and her colleagues reported last year that when ductal cells isolated from adult human pancreatic tissue were cultured, they could be induced to differentiate into clusters that contained both ductal and endocrine cells. Over the course of three to four weeks in culture, the cells secreted low amounts of insulin when exposed to low concentrations of glucose, and higher amounts of insulin when exposed to higher glucose concentrations. The researchers have determined by immunochemistry and ultrastructural analysis that these clusters contain all of the endocrine cells of the islet [4].
Bonner-Weir and her colleagues are working with primary cell cultures from duct cells and have not established cells lines that can grow indefinitely. However the cells can be expanded. According to the researchers, it might be possible in principle to do a biopsy and remove duct cells from a patient and then proliferate the cells in culture and give the patient back his or her own islets. This would work with patients who have type 1 diabetes and who lack functioning beta cells, but their duct cells remain intact. However, the autoimmune destruction would still be a problem and potentially lead to destruction of these transplanted cells [3]. Type 2 diabetes patients might benefit from the transplantation of cells expanded from their own duct cells since they would not need any immunosuppression. However, many researchers believe that if there is a genetic component to the death of beta cells, then beta cells derived from ductal cells of the same individual would also be susceptible to autoimmune attack.
Some researchers question whether the ductal cells are indeed undergoing a dedifferentiation or whether a subset of stem-like or islet progenitors populate the pancreatic ducts and may be co-cultured along with the ductal cells. If ductal cells die off but islet precursors proliferate, it is possible that the islet precursor cells may overtake the ductal cells in culture and make it appear that the ductal cells are dedifferentiating into stem cells. According to Bonner-Weir, both dedifferentiated ductal cells and islet progenitor cells may occur in pancreatic ducts.
Ammon Peck of the University of Florida, Vijayakumar Ramiya of Ixion Biotechnology in Alachua, FL, and their colleagues [13, 14] have also cultured cells from the pancreatic ducts from both humans and mice. Last year, they reported that pancreatic ductal epithelial cells from adult mice could be cultured to yield islet-like structures similar to the cluster of cells found by Bonner-Weir. Using a host of islet-cell markers they identified cells that produced insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide. When the cells were implanted into diabetic mice, the diabetes was reversed.
Joel Habener has also looked for islet-like stem cells from adult pancreatic tissue. He and his colleagues have discovered a population of stem-like cells within both the adult pancreas islets and pancreatic ducts. These cells do not express the marker typical of ductal cells, so they are unlikely to be ductal cells, according to Habener. Instead, they express a marker called nestin, which is typically found in developing neural cells. The nestin-positive cells do not express markers typically found in mature islet cells. However, depending upon the growth factors added, the cells can differentiate into different types of cells, including liver, neural, exocrine pancreas, and endocrine pancreas, judged by the markers they express, and can be maintained in culture for up to eight months [20].
The discovery of methods to isolate and grow human embryonic stem cells in 1998 renewed the hopes of doctors, researchers, and diabetes patients and their families that a cure for type 1 diabetes, and perhaps type 2 diabetes as well, may be within striking distance. In theory, embryonic stem cells could be cultivated and coaxed into developing into the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas. With a ready supply of cultured stem cells at hand, the theory is that a line of embryonic stem cells could be grown up as needed for anyone requiring a transplant. The cells could be engineered to avoid immune rejection. Before transplantation, they could be placed into nonimmunogenic material so that they would not be rejected and the patient would avoid the devastating effects of immunosuppressant drugs. There is also some evidence that differentiated cells derived from embryonic stem cells might be less likely to cause immune rejection (see Chapter 10. Assessing Human Stem Cell Safety). Although having a replenishable supply of insulin-producing cells for transplant into humans may be a long way off, researchers have been making remarkable progress in their quest for it. While some researchers have pursued the research on embryonic stem cells, other researchers have focused on insulin-producing precursor cells that occur naturally in adult and fetal tissues.
Since their discovery three years ago, several teams of researchers have been investigating the possibility that human embryonic stem cells could be developed as a therapy for treating diabetes. Recent studies in mice show that embryonic stem cells can be coaxed into differentiating into insulin-producing beta cells, and new reports indicate that this strategy may be possible using human embryonic cells as well.
Last year, researchers in Spain reported using mouse embryonic stem cells that were engineered to allow researchers to select for cells that were differentiating into insulin-producing cells [19]. Bernat Soria and his colleagues at the Universidad Miguel Hernandez in San Juan, Alicante, Spain, added DNA containing part of the insulin gene to embryonic cells from mice. The insulin gene was linked to another gene that rendered the mice resistant to an antibiotic drug. By growing the cells in the presence of an antibiotic, only those cells that were activating the insulin promoter were able to survive. The cells were cloned and then cultured under varying conditions. Cells cultured in the presence of low concentrations of glucose differentiated and were able to respond to changes in glucose concentration by increasing insulin secretion nearly sevenfold. The researchers then implanted the cells into the spleens of diabetic mice and found that symptoms of diabetes were reversed.
Manfred Ruediger of Cardion, Inc., in Erkrath, Germany, is using the approach developed by Soria and his colleagues to develop insulin-producing human cells derived from embryonic stem cells. By using this method, the non-insulin-producing cells will be killed off and only insulin-producing cells should survive. This is important in ensuring that undifferentiated cells are not implanted that could give rise to tumors [15]. However, some researchers believe that it will be important to engineer systems in which all the components of a functioning pancreatic islet are allowed to develop.
Recently Ron McKay and his colleagues described a series of experiments in which they induced mouse embryonic cells to differentiate into insulin-secreting structures that resembled pancreatic islets [10]. McKay and his colleagues started with embryonic stem cells and let them form embryoid bodies—an aggregate of cells containing all three embryonic germ layers. They then selected a population of cells from the embryoid bodies that expressed the neural marker nestin (see Appendix B. Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells). Using a sophisticated five-stage culturing technique, the researchers were able to induce the cells to form islet-like clusters that resembled those found in native pancreatic islets. The cells responded to normal glucose concentrations by secreting insulin, although insulin amounts were lower than those secreted by normal islet cells (see Figure 7.2. Development of Insulin-Secreting Pancreatic-Like Cells From Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells). When the cells were injected into diabetic mice, they survived, although they did not reverse the symptoms of diabetes.
Figure 7.2. Development of Insulin-Secreting Pancreatic-Like Cells From Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. Mouse embryonic stem cells were derived from the inner cell mass of the early embryo (blastocyst) and cultured under specific conditions. The embryonic stem cells (in blue) were then expanded and differentiated. Cells with markers consistent with islet cells were selected for further differentiation and characterization. When these cells (in purple) were grown in culture, they spontaneously formed three-dimentional clusters similar in structure to normal pancreatic islets. The cells produced and secreted insulin. As depicted in the chart, the pancreatic islet-like cells showed an increase in release of insulin as the glucose concentration of the culture media was increased. When the pancreatic islet-like cells were implanted in the shoulder of diabetic mice, the cells became vascularized, synthesized insulin, and maintained physical characteristics similar to pancreatic islets.
(© 2001 Terese Winslow, Caitlin Duckwall)
According to McKay, this system is unique in that the embryonic cells form a functioning pancreatic islet, complete with all the major cell types. The cells assemble into islet-like structures that contain another layer, which contains neurons and is similar to intact islets from the pancreas [11]. Several research groups are trying to apply McKay's results with mice to induce human embryonic stem cells to differentiate into insulin-producing islets.
Recent research has also provided more evidence that human embryonic cells can develop into cells that can and do produce insulin. Last year, Melton, Nissim Benvinisty of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and Josef Itskovitz-Eldor of the Technion in Haifa, Israel, reported that human embryonic stem cells could be manipulated in culture to express the PDX-1 gene, a gene that controls insulin transcription [16]. In these experiments, researchers cultured human embryonic stem cells and allowed them to spontaneously form embryoid bodies (clumps of embryonic stem cells composed of many types of cells from all three germ layers). The embryoid bodies were then treated with various growth factors, including nerve growth factor. The researchers found that both untreated embryoid bodies and those treated with nerve growth factor expressed PDX-1. Embryonic stem cells prior to formation of the aggregated embryoid bodies did not express PDX-1. Because expression of the PDX-1 gene is associated with the formation of beta islet cells, these results suggest that beta islet cells may be one of the cell types that spontaneously differentiate in the embryoid bodies. The researchers now think that nerve growth factor may be one of the key signals for inducing the differentiation of beta islet cells and can be exploited to direct differentiation in the laboratory. Complementing these findings is work done by Jon Odorico of the University of Wisconsin in Madison using human embryonic cells of the same source. In preliminary findings, he has shown that human embryonic stem cells can differentiate and express the insulin gene [12].
More recently, Itskovitz-Eldor and his Technion colleagues further characterized insulin-producing cells in embryoid bodies [1]. The researchers found that embryonic stem cells that were allowed to spontaneously form embryoid bodies contained a significant percentage of cells that express insulin. Based on the binding of antibodies to the insulin protein, Itskovitz-Eldor estimates that 1 to 3 percent of the cells in embryoid bodies are insulin-producing beta-islet cells. The researchers also found that cells in the embryoid bodies express glut-2 and islet-specific glucokinase, genes important for beta cell function and insulin secretion. Although the researchers did not measure a time-dependent response to glucose, they did find that cells cultured in the presence of glucose secrete insulin into the culture medium. The researchers concluded that embryoid bodies contain a subset of cells that appear to function as beta cells and that the refining of culture conditions may soon yield a viable method for inducing the differentiation of beta cells and, possibly, pancreatic islets.
Taken together, these results indicate that the development of a human embryonic stem cell system that can be coaxed into differentiating into functioning insulin-producing islets may soon be possible.
Ultimately, type 1 diabetes may prove to be especially difficult to cure, because the cells are destroyed when the body's own immune system attacks and destroys them. This autoimmunity must be overcome if researchers hope to use transplanted cells to replace the damaged ones. Many researchers believe that at least initially, immunosuppressive therapy similar to that used in the Edmonton protocol will be beneficial. A potential advantage of embryonic cells is that, in theory, they could be engineered to express the appropriate genes that would allow them to escape or reduce detection by the immune system. Others have suggested that a technology should be developed to encapsulate or embed islet cells derived from islet stem or progenitor cells in a material that would allow small molecules such as insulin to pass through freely, but would not allow interactions between the islet cells and cells of the immune system. Such encapsulated cells could secrete insulin into the blood stream, but remain inaccessible to the immune system.
Before any cell-based therapy to treat diabetes makes it to the clinic, many safety issues must be addressed (see Chapter 10. Assessing Human Stem Cell Safety). A major consideration is whether any precursor or stem-like cells transplanted into the body might revert to a more pluripotent state and induce the formation of tumors. These risks would seemingly be lessened if fully differentiated cells are used in transplantation.
But before any kind of human islet-precursor cells can be used therapeutically, a renewable source of human stem cells must be developed. Although many progenitor cells have been identified in adult tissue, few of these cells can be cultured for multiple generations. Embryonic stem cells show the greatest promise for generating cell lines that will be free of contaminants and that can self renew. However, most researchers agree that until a therapeutically useful source of human islet cells is developed, all avenues of research should be exhaustively investigated, including both adult and embryonic sources of tissue.
Chapter 6 | Table of Contents | Chapter 8
Historical content: June 17, 2001
Page citation: 7. Stem Cells and Diabetes . In Stem Cell Information [World Wide Web site]. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2006 [cited Tuesday, January 13, 2009] Available at <http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/scireport/chapter7>


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It's time for my top three games of 2016. We're starting off with a sequel to one of my favorite titles in recent years and proof that the developer didn't get lucky with their first run.
Today's Critical Thought is on the importance of gameplay feedback. Feedback, whether for action or abstracted titles, is a vital component of learning and growing. Without it, we're not able to process what our actions are doing. I talked about some major examples of why you need feedback and how it relates to UI design.
It's almost time for my top three games of 2016. For #4 this year, we have a game that transformed from a passion project to one of the most memorable games released.
Today's Critical Thought is on the concept of the flow state: A Period of absolute concentration and focus on a task. I talked about what is and isn't considered flow, and if we can look at examples of the flow state in video games.
For more on the topic, here's the wikipedia page that I referenced


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Eric is the only person to have skied across the world's four largest icecaps - Antarctica to the South Pole, Greenland, the South Patagonian Icecap and Ellesmere Island. His 84-day journey to the South Pole - chronicled in his book, ICETREK-, pioneered a new route through the Transantarctic mountains. His expeditions have produced three internationally screened documentaries, most notably, the Emmy Award-winning Greenland film, Chasing the Midnight Sun. Most recently he became the first Australian, along with Jon Muir, to reach the North Pole unsupported. Eric is now based in Hobart with his family, where he operates his company, IceTrek.
Tim first came to know Eric while he was living in Finland preparing for the cycling adventure. Tim had been told by many people that making a life out of adventure was almost impossible. Eric was living proof that it could be done. Since then Eric has helped provide invaluable assurance, encouragement and knowledge, steering Tim down the path he now follows. Contact Eric and find out more
Interview with Eric Phillips, Polar Explorer Extrordinaire...
1. Where did you grow up and what did you get up to as a kid?
I was born in Melbourne but grew up in Adelaide. We lived next to a gully and that provided me with lots of adventures. Swinging, and falling, off trees, shimmying through storm water drain pipes, riding my bike on the rough tracks. With 6 kids in my family and lots of friends in the neighbourhood every day was jam packed. But I was also into sport - soccer, judo, volleyball and later, triathlons. Anything physical was good.
2. How did you find your senior years of School? Did you know what you wanted to do?
Schooling was pretty tiring as I wasn't that academic. I was truly a slacker at school, preferred to go on school camps, play sport and be naughty. I knew I wanted to get a tertiary degree but wasn't keen on my options after I flunked matriculation. Ended up going to teachers college and studying Geology and Physical Education. Wasn't that rapt in either but the former took me on field trips into the bush and the latter was to be the springboard into Outdoor Education.
3. What was something important that sparked your decision to launch into dreams of adventure and exploration?
There was no defining moment that led me to dream about being adventurous. I always dreamed I was. As a 12 year old a book about Antarctic in my parents bookshelf sparked my interest in Antarctica, and as a 30 year old the outdoor achievements of the students I taught at Timbertop inspired me to take up adventuring as a profession.
4. What is it that makes you come alive the most?
Being wild in the wilds in wild weather.
5. Any advice for young people who are wondering how they can aim for their own dreams?
Listen to the advice of others but if it really cuts against the grain follow your instincts. Find what it is that really makes your stomach knot up in both fear and passion and, if you can forge a way through social, family, peer, and financial constraints, follow it like a guiding light.
6. What do your parents think about your adventures?
They wax and wane depending on what I'm up to. If I'm planning another trip they are concerned, when I'm on the ice they are concerned but excited by the journey, when I get back they are proud and relieved and when I'm dormant they speak not of new projects. I think they wish I'd "settle down" to family life, something I did seven years ago when Mardi was born.
7. What would you say are the low points and high points of your adventure travel lifestyle?
Low points - being destitute and strapped for cash when my belief in what I wanted to do was not generating any revenue. Also, the time away from my family takes its toll on both me and them. Lucky it's a temporary thing. Highlights - Freedom from regimentation. Making a living from what I dearly love to do, I work from home and have the opportunity to pursue whatever strikes a chord.
8. In really hard times what is it that gives you the motivation to go on?
My family, unquestionably.
9. What is the worst situation you have encountered and how did you get out of it?
When Jon went though the ice into the Arctic Ocean. It was -29C, he went in up to his chest and we only had a few minutes to get him out and into the tent and sleeping bag. We both clicked into auto-pilot, if we didn't Jon would now be dead. He grabbed a thin line I had strung across the lead in preparation to pull the sleds across and and pulled on that. It was too thin to get a good grip but I think it provided a semblance of security. He managed to break through the ice in front of him and reached the pack ice where I could physically help him. I immediately pulled the sleds across and got him to tow his onto a flat pan where we would set up camp. He didn't realise the sleds were still connected together and towed the 220kg weight over a 3 metre-high pressure ridge. Within minutes I had him under cover and in his bag with hot water flasks. It took him 5 days to recover properly from the dunking.
10. Any views on Tim's journeys, or do you have any dirt to share (stuff that Tim isn't willing to bring up himself)?
Tim's not daunted by the big picture - adventure, culture, commitment and companionship are all bundled together. His love for long journeys in the Arctic is evident in his films, his writing and his character. He has what so many young people have - exuberance, energy, vision - but has the passion to etch a lifestyle and living from it. I admire that.
11. Ultimately, what do you love about adventure travel?
The lifestyle, visiting remote places, meeting locals who forge a living from these inhospitable places, sharing the yarns when I get back.
12. What was one of the funniest moments you have shared during a journey?
Jon and I had obviously gone a little stir crazy on the Arctic Ocean. We heard U2 songs coming from the MSR stove then pondered whether U2 were indeed inside the stove. Laugh, I nearly shat!
13. If you had to pick one highlight to date what would it be?
Reaching the North Pole. It's such a difficult point to reach and is the culmination of not only a successful expedition but a successful life journey of ice adventuring.
14. Any views on Tim's journeys, or do you have any dirt to share (stuff that Tim isn't willing to bring up himself)?
Tim's not daunted by the big picture - adventure, culture, commitment and companionship are all bundled together. His love for long journeys in the Arctic is evident in his films, his writing and his character. He has what so many young people have - exuberance, energy, vision - but has the passion to etch a lifestyle and living from it. I admire that.
Thanks Eric, and good luck! More about Eric


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HIV/AIDS News
NIAID AIDS RESEARCH: OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS: AIDS-Related Fungal Illnesses
Opportunistic Infections Research - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a life-threatening disease of the immune system, has become a worldwide epidemic since 1981, the year it was first identified. In the United States alone, an estimated 1 million Americans are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS; more than 150,000 persons have been diagnosed with AIDS, and more than 100,000 deaths have been attributed to it.
Persons infected with HIV may have no symptoms for years, but the eventual destruction of the immune system by HIV makes them vulnerable to infectious agents that rarely cause illness in individuals with intact immune defenses. As a result, HIV-infected persons are particularly susceptible to the development of opportunistic infections (OIs), which include a variety of viral, fungal, bacterial, and protozoal diseases. Fungal OIs are common and some can be life-threatening for those with advanced HIV infection. AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir, the only approved anti-HIV drug, can delay the onset of these infections, but does not prevent them. Consequently, safe and effective therapies are needed to prevent and treat OIs.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has the principal responsibility in the federal government for research on AIDS. A major focus of the NIAID program is the development and evaluation of promising drugs for treating and preventing the OIs associated with AIDS, including various fungal infections.
One of the most frequently occurring fungal diseases in persons with HIV infection is thrush, or candidiasis, caused by the organism Candida albicans. The appearance of thrush is the most common sign that HIV infection is entering an advanced symptomatic stage and is predictive of the development of AIDS. One form of candidiasis, which affects the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat, produces a sore throat. Women with HIV infection may experience vaginal candidiasis, which causes a discharge and local discomfort. Infants may experience candidiasis as a severe form of diaper rash. A more serious form of candidiasis is esophageal candidiasis, which causes pain and difficulty in swallowing, and interferes with eating. While debilitating and uncomfortable, candidiasis is rarely a life-threatening complication of HIV infection.
Cryptococcus neoformans, a yeastlike fungus, can cause infections of the skin, lungs, and meninges (the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord). The most common form of cryptococcal infection in AIDS patients is meningitis, a life-threatening infection of the central nervous system.
Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection commonly acquired in the midwestern United States and the Caribbean. In persons with AIDS, inhaled or ingested spores of Histoplasma capsulatum can cause symptoms of an acute pneumonia or influenza-like illness. Infection can spread throughout the body, especially to the meninges, the heart, and the adrenal glands.
Persons with AIDS are also susceptible to infections caused by various other fungal organisms. Among these infections, which occur less frequently than those described above are coccidioidomycosis and aspergillosis.
Serious, life-threatening fungal infections eventually affect between 10 and 20 percent of all persons with AIDS. To date, few therapies are effective in preventing such infections.
Thrush, or oral candidiasis, is found in almost all persons with advanced HIV infection and my lead to esophageal candidiasis.
Cryptococcal infections have been reported in 2 to 13 percent of persons with AIDS. Cryptococcal meningitis accounts for two-thirds of these cases. If untreated, cryptococcal meningitis is fatal, and 50 to 90 percent of the individuals who respond to treatment subsequently relapse if treatment is not maintained for life.
In midwestern areas of the United States, 5 to 10 percent of persons with AIDS develop disseminated histoplasmosis. In the Southwest, coccidioidomycosis is the third most common OI in AIDS patients.
Persons with fungal diseases often respond initially to standard therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unfortunately, the fungal infection frequently recurs in these persons treatment is continued indefinitely (lifelong maintenance or suppressive therapy).
Clotrimazole (Mycelex, as a slow-dissolving tablet held in the mouth, or mycostatin, as a solution that is swished around in the mouth and then swallowed, have each been used to combat oral candidiasis. Possible side effects of clotrimazole include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and an increase in liver enzymes; possible side effects of mycostatin include diarrhea gastrointestinal upset, nausea, and vomiting.
Ketoconazole, a drug that can be taken by mouth, has been given for esophageal candidiasis but may not be well absorbed by persons with AIDS, who often have decreased stomach acid. Ketoconazole also has been used to prevent recurrence of disseminated histoplasmosis in persons with AIDS, but the relapse rate (50 percent) was unacceptably high. Side effects include hepatitis (abnormalities of liver function) and interference with production of the male hormone testosterone.
Amphotericin B (Fungizone) has been used successfully in treating patients infected with various serious fungal diseases and has also been somewhat effective in preventing recurrences. Amphotericin B has several drawbacks, however. It must be given intravenously, and serious side effects are quite common. These include high fever, shaking chills, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle and joint pain, suppression of blood-producing cells in the bone marrow, loss of serum potassium, and abnormal kidney function. Cardiac problems and changes in blood pressure may also occur. Persons taking the drug must be carefully monitored and may have to discontinue treatment because of the side effects. Amphotericin B is sometimes administered with oral flucytosine (Ancobon) for initial therapy of cryptococcal meningitis. Flucytosine can cause a significant decrease in the number of white blood cells and can also cause rash, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort.
Fluconazole, another antifungal drug, has recently been approved for treatment of several fungal diseases, including cryptococcal meningitis and severe candidiasis. In a study sponsored by NIAID and the drug manufacturer, investigators found that fluconazole was as effective as or superior to amphotericin B in preventing recurrences of cryptococcal meningitis in AIDS patients who had been treated with amphotericin B for the acute phase of the disease. Another study showed that fluconazole can be used to treat acute cryptococcal meningitis. The advantages of fluconazole are that it can be taken by mouth or intravenously and does not require an acid environment for absorption. The most frequent side effects observed in trials of fluconazole have been rash, nausea, and hepatitis.
Itraconazole, a drug now being studied, appears to be more effective than ketoconazole against various fungal organisms,including Histoplasma. The drug appears to be tolerated well; side effects may include nausea, headache, fatigue, abdominal cramps, rash, loss of potassium, and edema (excess fluid in skin and subcutaneous tissue). In preliminary studies, itraconazole has not shown any adverse effects on testosterone.
SCH 39304 is another new antifungal drug that has shown activity against a wide range of systemic fungal infections in animal studies. It can be taken orally and has been shown to penetrate the central nervous system.
The NIAID research effort to develop new therapeutic approaches for HIV-related OIs ranges from preclinical studies to clinical investigations in HIV-infected persons. NIAID has also given a high priority to basic research on the various organisms that cause opportunistic infections associated with HIV. Through its grant program, NIAID has established several new National Cooperative Drug Discovery Groups (NCDDGs), specifically to identify and develop treatments for HIV-related opportunistic infections. Like NIAID's existing NCDDGs that focus on anti-HIV therapies, each NCDDG-OI consists of a multidisciplinary team with the skills needed to design, synthesize, and evaluate, at the preclinical level, potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of HIV-related OIs, including fungal diseases.
NIAID conducts a number of clinical studies designed to evaluate agents for the prevention and treatment of several serious opportunistic infections, including fungal infections. These studies are being conducted by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) and the Mycoses Study Group (MSG) at sites located at academic research centers throughout the country.
NIAID supports the following clinical studies through the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) and the Mycoses Study Group (MSG) to evaluate drugs for the treatment and prevention of fungal diseases in persons with HIV infection.
- A study of fluconazole compared with amphotericin B as maintenance therapy for the prevention of relapse of AIDS- associated cryptococcal meningitis (MSG trial and ACTG 026). The published results of this study showed that fluconazole at a dose of 200 mg per day is at least as effective, and possibly more effective, and is less toxic than amphotericin B in preventing relapse of cryptococcal meningitis in patients with AIDS.
- A comparison of fluconazole and amphotericin B as treatment for acute cryptococcal meningitis (ACTG 050 and MSG trial). This study is closed to enrollment and its data are being analyzed.
- Studies of itraconazole to treat acute histoplasmosis (ACTG 120) and prevent its recurrence (ACTG 084, 120).
- Study of SCH 39304 to treat acute cryptococcal meningitis and prevent its recurrence (MSG trial and ACTG 125). This trial is closed to enrollment and its data are being analyzed.
- Comparison of fluconazole and clotrimazole for the prevention of serious fungal diseases in persons with low T4 cell counts (less than 200 per cubic millimeter) who are receiving AZT and preventive therapy for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (ACTG 981).
MSG studies on fungal infections include the following (these studies accept persons with or without AIDS):
- Study of fluconazole in persons with coccidioidal meningitis.
- A dose-finding study of SCH 39304 for the treatment of progressive forms of coccidioidomycosis.
March 1991


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Allure Transitional Shades
A Google Review January 2017:
I'm a single guy with an 11 year old so my schedule is very hectic and I have no clue about window dressings. I just built a house and was referred to these guys by some folks in the real estate business and new residential construction business. These guys are the real deal! They worked with me on trying to find a style that would fit my modern contemporary look that would be essentially maintenance free. They worked with me to stay within my budget yet maintain that sleek look I was looking for. When the blinds came in they were prompt to call and set up a reasonable time. They installed them in a much shorter time frame than I would have ever imagined. Heck they even worked with me so I could take my son his orthodontist appointment while they installed the blinds. They blinds look amazing and I couldn't be happier! I would recommend Andy and his team to anyone and suggest that if you're shopping around, put these guys on your list. My neighbors and I thank them! - Creighton R
Call (402) 250-1333
Experience transitional shades - Let us dress your windows with these beautiful contemporary shades.


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Hey dolls ♥
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hey! I'm Rika, or better known as WongWing on stardoll! I'm 15 years old, and have played stardoll since 2009! In truth, Stardoll has aged and so have I. My interests are shaped around the world of Stardoll, including fashion and art. I'm from England but I'm half Russian half Korean :) I speak English, Russian, Lithuanian and Korean, but I usually only use English and Korean to communicate with my friends on Stardoll xox I have a deep passion for dolly like things, and if you visit my suite or even my facebook page you will tell! I'm a very girly person, and I strive to become a cute doll (but not in a creepy way, I guess you could say it's always been a dream of mine to have the looks of one) Another passion is obviously stardoll. I like to create suites and create wigs for my doll, unfortunately I am non ss which means I cannot sell them. Oh well! :D
Your sketches are so beautiful and unique. What inspired you to start drawing them?
Thank you very much, I'm flattered! I only started drawing them recently, around 3 months ago. Before that, I hadn't even drawn a stick figure with clothes on. I had been wanting to start out something different before school would start again (Y'know, so that I could keep myself occupied) and that's when I found out about fashion illustration on computers. I had seen artists like Hayden Williams do this before, but it felt wrong to draw them out as we have slightly similar tastes in drawing and in fashion. It would feel copied. As a fashion enthusiast there was only one way I could combine my love of art/fashion and computers together . Graphic! I used Pixlr photo editor as my canvas. Pixlr is free, safe and is online which makes it easy and everyone can use it. A few professional graphic designers on stardoll had mocked me for it, as I did not have Adobe Photoshop or any expensive equipment. Not even a tablet to draw. But that didn't give my hope up. Using limited pixles and brushes, limited colours and tools I was on a mission! Stardoll influenced me to make my drawings look cartoon like, and I used some of my favorite users on stardoll to create these new faces on my models. I got inspired by outfits and limited edition clothing on stardoll to design new collections and inspire myself for my next project(s). My family played a big part in it, too. They saw that what I was doing was interesting, and they became very supportive. Since then I've been doing so many drawings and even do commissions both on Stardoll and in real life!
If I wanted you to sketch my doll, how would I go about it?
There are a few ways to get the job done. The first way is if I stumble upon your suite and your doll inspires me. Stardoll has a huge choice of beautifully crafted dolls and sometimes it can't go unnoticed. I will just take your dolls face, plop it onto my drawings and tag you on facebook! :D Surprise The second is if YOU as a customer wanted something from me, just ask! If its something simple, in most cases I do everything for free in my free time. It's just a drawing, and even though it does take quite some time, the feeling of accomplishment and a happy friend is much better than money :) I have done many portraits of users for free as presents and usually you just have to give me your username and the rest will be done! Thirdly, large projects include a small fee! I usually charge two or three wishlist items or 1/2 wigs :) Since I am non ss, its pretty difficult to earn money haha. But its no big deal. Big projects take up to a week to finish, but you are in control of what happens. The look, the inspiration, the models...everything! :) Those are the ways :) If you do however want something to be created, contact me on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cupcakerika OR WongWing on stardoll x
Finally, is there anything else you'd like to say to our readers?
Everything aside I really want everyone who is reading this to know you have unearthed talents. Even though I don't count drawing simple pictures as a talent, the joy it gives people makes me carry on. This is the best kind of accomplishment anybody could have as a designer. I want to inspire others to find their own passions and interests and make others happy using it. Find a hobby to do, even if it is not stardoll related. You never know what it could be! You are unique, you are beautiful and you have the opportunity to find yourself :) Cheesy lines come with a cheesy quote: "Appreciate everything that you have and work hard to appreciate the things that you wanted and eventually got." Thank you, much love! Rika x


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Core publications so far from the Bennett Lab:
Root density sensing allows pro-active modulation of shoot growth to avoid future resource limitation.
Walker C, Bennett T (2018). Forbidden fruit: dominance relationships and the control of shoot architecture. Annual Plant Reviews Online, Article 640
Walker C, Bennett T (2017). Re-assessing the evolution of strigolactone synthesis and signalling. BioRxiv,
Bythell-Douglas R, Rothfels CJ, Stevenson DWD, Graham SW, Wong GK, Nelson DC, Bennett T (2017). Evolution of strigolactone receptors by gradual neo-functionalization of KAI2 paralogues. BMC Biology 15, 52
Waters M, Gutjahr C, Bennett T, Nelson D. (2017). Strigolactone signalling and evolution. Annual Review of Plant Biology 68, 291-322
Bennett T. (2015). PIN proteins and the evolution of plant development. Trends in Plant Science 20, 498-507.


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I've been friends with the very much talented Melo-X for a minute now and have seen his success grow rapidly. I'm thrilled to say he now has collaborated with LeMerch for his "It's des God, God" collection. I was the first ever to get this black on white beanie and it's only available for 24 hours starting March 4th at 12pm EST. Make sure you cop that. I'm off to Canada on Tuesday for the grand opening of Addition Elle in Toronto. I'm pretty sure I want to ride around in a white car with the top down, then jump out in the street while it's snowing while rapping Drake's Started From the Bottom song. Basically reenact his entire video. I'm excited about the release of my pictures with Addition Elle and can't wait for everyone to see them. I bleached pieces of my hair and made it this caramel color, pretty sure everyone can see in the pictures.
wearing: Melo-X White Tiger skully available exclusively on LeMerch.com; black long sleeve crop top; ASOS black mini skirt; peplum belt from Addition Elle; black strappy platforms (similar); gold link chain watch
White Tiger - It's Des God, God
9 comments
I love your big ol' hoops! They're bigger than mine... and mine are BIG! :DReplyDelete
Also, who's the guy, Nadia? Look at you cheesin' in that last shot :)
I love your outfit! <3ReplyDelete
I like the beanie! :)
Fabulous !!ReplyDelete
Lovely combo. I lust after those shoes.ReplyDelete
- Well WisherMarch 5, 2013 at 12:05 AM
Astounding figure ! Truly obsessed.ReplyDelete
I need that peplum belt in my life !!ReplyDelete
nice 90's vibe in the outfit ... hot as usual...
- BritneyApril 13, 2013 at 1:32 AM
Your body is AMAZING!ReplyDelete
Your outfit is sick and your body is beautiful! I can't stop reading your posts!!! Completely inspirational.ReplyDelete
Nikki x
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Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I Didn't Die
I apologize to all of my friends who have been wondering where the heck I've been and especially to my Fun Monday friends, whom I totally deserted!
I have no real excuse. I have not been sick, nor has anyone in my family. None of my dogs had any horrendous and/or amusing ailment. I have not discovered a cure for cancer nor have I devoted myself to caring for the poor and afflicted.
I have just been busy.
I'm not even sure what I have been busy with, but I have just been busy.
I am still working full time and discovering muscles that I am not sure that I have ever used. Shorty says they all used to work, but I just can't remember that far back.
My lovely daughter gave blood for the very first time a week ago tomorrow. Those of you who know Julie know what an amazing thing this was for my needle-phobic, keeping her own blood child. She did it so that her son would know that it was a good thing to do. She rocks.
I won a propane powered grill (3 burner grill plus a side burner) at a charity event for Relay for Life from the company for which I work. This was awesome because I gave away my husband's grill 2 years ago when I was going to buy him a new one for Father's Day. I bought tires instead. Oops.
Lil Man got his first swats at school for disobedience. We were so not proud.
We have not had any severe weather here unless you count the 60MPH+ straight line winds that came though on Saturday night. Yeah, the hanging plants turned themselves into missiles.
The transmission on my car died. It's a front wheel drive. I did not know how much of a difference that made. I do now. Waiting to see if the loan (hubby's MC as collateral) goes through. I wish I was kidding about that last part.
The electricity went out today while I was taking the Dingo's trivia contest. It really did. That's why my time was in excess of 1000 seconds. Honest.
All in all, a lovely mix of good and bad. I still just don't where the time went.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Fun Monday - Accomplishments
What have you done in your life that was worth doing? I want to know the moments in your life that you hope will be the ones to pass through your mind when your time comes. I hope that doesn't sound too morbid. This doesn't necessarily have to be items you have checked off your Bucket List, it can be those small moments that made you smile, or the time you got that huge promotion you deserved, or the first time your baby smiled at you out of pure joy. I want to know all the moments, big and small, that make life sweet! If you don't already have a running list of these in your mind, you should! These moments help you remember how much your life is worth living, and we all deserve to enjoy it.
I have done a lot of thinking about this one and I have truly been amazed at some of the things that I have done. This is due, in part, to one of my previous jobs. I was a police dispatcher for a number of years and have had some truly life-saving and life-ending calls. My favorite, though, is just about a little girl.
I was working afternoons when a little girl called and said, "My name is Sally Sue Schimmelpennick* and I just got home from kindergarten and my mommy is not home". I asked if she had looked in the house and she said yes. I asked if she had looked at the neighbors and, in that voice that children reserve for stupid adults, she said, "I am not allowed to leave the house without my mommy's permission and I can't ask my mommy because she is not here". I acknowledged that she was right and asked her if she knew her address (this was pre-911 and addresses were not hooked to computers and phone numbers). She told me what street she lived on and said she did not know the number. I asked if there was a piece of paper or something in the house with her address on it. She asked me if I could hold on for a minute and she would go out on the porch and look at the numbers on the front of her house. I said that I would. She came back on the phone and gave me the numbers. I dispatched an officer to check on the child and see if he could help her find her mommy, staying on the phone with her until he got there.
Several minutes passed after the officer arrived at the address. He came on the radio and said, laughter in his voice, that Mrs. Schimmelpennick wanted to thank the very nice lady on the phone and that if Sally Sue had bothered to look in her own back yard, she would have found her mommy gardening. Mrs. Schimmelpennick called me later to apologize. I told her that it was unnecessary and that Sally Sue had done exactly what she was supposed to do. All in all, just a nice call with a terrific outcome.
I believe that it is in the little things that we make the greatest difference. Sally Sue, at a time in my life when I was in danger of becoming cynical and jaded, reminded me that there are those moments when everything does go right and there is a happy ending.
*names have been changed because I am old and cannot remember the child's name and because the name Sally Sue Schimmelpennick amuses me.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Thankful Thursday
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Fun Monday - The Nekked Edition
The Greatest Dane Ever Born
Leather and Lace. Oh, Yeah.
A Dark and Stormy Afternoon
Navy - Present, Future, and Past
How Could You Not Smile?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Me and my Buddy
It is Saturday today. Buddy went back to the vet this morning. The swelling is down. There are no fractures. There is still a little blood behind his retina but not as much as there was. He is doing much better.
I worked yesterday and today, even though I look like a plague carrer. We are starting to look less alike. I, for one, am glad.
Friday, April 11, 2008
PPL - Haiku
Fragrance fills the air
Cherry blossoms everywhere
Breezes lofting fair
Bags of steer manure
Roses, fuchsias, bulbs galore
Feeding future dreams
Sprinklers on the lawn
Droplets sparkling in the air
Shaking dogs drenching
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thankful Thursday - God's Purpose
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Fun Monday - Celebrity Crush
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Slacker Sunday
Created by OnePlusYou
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Thanks for the Easy Out
The rules are:
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
What I was doing 10 years ago: Ten years ago my husband and I had just started our own trucking company and purchased our own truck and trailer. We hauled produce from the west coast to Houston, TX, delivering every Sunday morning. We then hauled something (usually frozen chicken) back to California. Our very favorite backhaul to CA was fortune cookies. There is a marvelous little fortune cookie company on Dowling Street in Houston that makes the absolute best fortune cookies ever! Added bonus? frozen chicken weighs 45,000 pounds. Fortune cookies? right around 12,000 pounds. Can you say better mileage, less wear and tear on your tires, better speeds and oh yeah, the smell inside your trailer 1800 miles later - cookies are much, much better.
Five things on my To Do List today (Actually Thursday when I was off): (not in any particular order)
1. Hope that the plumber shows up since I have NO water, no clean clothes for work tomorrow and very few clean dishes.
2. Take Shorty to work and lil man to school.
3. Help Julie take 13 puppies to the vet to get their dew claws removed.
4. Hopefully, shower and wash hair and then sink into bubble bath with Antony and Cleopatra.
5. Spend evening home alone with hubby and Survivor.
Snacks I enjoy: Lemon bars, ginger snaps and any kind of cheesecake.
Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Buy a home in the hill country of Texas. Endow a library. Retire well.
Three of my bad habits:
I am an impulse shopper.
I get too many projects going at one time.
I am a sarcastic witch.
Five places I have lived:
Northern CA
Mojave Desert
New Mexico
Texas (home, sweet home)
Five jobs I've had:
Community Service Officer
Law Enforcement Dispatcher
Matron (doesn't that just sound kinky?)
Truck Driver
Scrap Yard Manager
TAG - you're it!
I'm thinking Julie, Holly, Meg, Alison, and Kim…just might join in. If you read this, consider yourself TAGGED - and leave me a comment so I can read yours!
Friday, April 4, 2008
6 Word Autobiographies
Here are the rules:
1. Write your own six word memoir
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you'd like
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post
4. Tag five or more blogs with links
5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.
I did a little research and here is the history of the idea:
Six-Word Memoirs: The Legend
Legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Last year, SMITH Magazine re-ignited the recountre by asking our readers for their own six-word memoirs. They sent in short life stories in droves, from the bittersweet ("Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends") and poignant ("I still make coffee for two") to the inspirational ("Business school? Bah! Pop music? Hurrah") and hilarious ("I like big butts, can't lie").
So, some people have been listing 6 words that describe them and some people have been writing 6 word sentences that describe their lives.
My memoir? Little Mary Sunshine: Alive and Well
I am just gonna throw this tag out there. It's fun. It's easy. It's thought-provoking. It's a cool thing to do when your brain refuses to think an original thought.


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Sony Announces New Cyber-shot Digital Cameras
Sony has announced three new Cyber-shot point-and-shoot camera models, bringing the total number of new cameras in 2012 to six. The DSC-WX50, DSC-WX70, and DSC-TX200V, all of which will be available for purchase in March, all feature 5x zoom lenses and Exmor R CMOS sensors. They will be available in March, a month after the DSC-W610, DSC-W620, and DSC-W650 cameras that were announced at CES.
The WX50 and WX70 are almost identical in form and function. Both slim shooters feature a 25-125mm f/2.6-6.3 (35mm equivalent) Carl Zeiss zoom lens, a 16-megapixel image sensor, 1080i60 video capture, and optical image stabilization. The WX50 features a 2.7-inch, 460k dot screen, while the WX70 has a larger, sharper 3-inch, 921k dot touch-screen LCD. The WX50 will sell for $199.99 and the WX70 for $229.99.
The DSC-TX200V is a completely new camera, rather than an upgrade of an existing model. It features a glass front plate and an ultra-slim body. The 18-megapixel point-and-shoot features a 5x (26-130mm) zoom lens, 1080i60 movie capture, GPS, optical image stabilization, and Carl Zeiss optics. Its 3.3-inch touch screen features OLED technology for a clear and bright image with deep blacks, and the camera itself is sealed against water and dust. It can autofocus in as little as 0.1 second in bright light and manages an impressive 0.2 second focus speed in dim conditions. The camera is compatible with Memory Stick Micro and microSD memory, and is set to retail for $499.99.
The W610, W620, and W650, announced at CES and scheduled to hit stores in February, are entry-level models. The W610 features a 14-megapixel CCD image sensor, a 230k-dot 2.7-inch LCD, a 4x (26-104mm) zoom lens, and VGA video recording. It is set to sell for $109.99. The W620 is almost identical, save for its ability to record video in 720p HD resolution and 5x (28-140mm) lens. It will sell for $119.99. The W650 steps things up a bit with a 16-megapixel CCD sensor, 5x (25-125mm) Carl Zeiss zoom lens, and a 3-inch 230k dot LCD—all for $139.99.


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Legacy Brands
Sometimes a food can bring up a memory and take you back in time The brands you loved as a child are only available at Food City, and we are pleased to offer a tasty trip down Memory Lane.
Sometimes a food can bring up a memory and take you back in time The brands you loved as a child are only available at Food City, and we are pleased to offer a tasty trip down Memory Lane.
The original Kern's bakery was founded in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1864 by Peter Kern, former mayor of Knoxville. Kern's became known as one of the finest bakeries in the South. Now, these top-quality bread and bakery products are back at Food City, including a complete line of white, whole wheat, honey wheat and lite wheat breads and buns, along with single-serve snack cakes, angel food and pound cakes.
Kay's Ice Cream was originally based in Knoxville, TN, and was well-known for introducing a wide variety of flavors. In a world previously dominated by chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, Kay's made flavors like butter pecan a household name. Food City has brought back a full line of classic, novelties, and all-natural Kay's Ice Cream flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, double fudge, mint chocolate chip, butter pecan, neapolitan, black raspberry, strawberry and coffee.
Lay Classic Meats began in 1921, when the company was founded by the Lay family in Knoxville, Tennessee. Their meat plant enjoyed great success for over 80 years. Food City has brought a full line of Lay meat products back by popular demand - including sliced luncheon meats, bacon, ham, chili, sloppy joe, Three Pigs Wieners, Touchdown Beef Franks, QuickStart Wieners, Ole Timer Sausage and Lay Bologna.
Terry's Snacks, originally based in Bristol, Virginia, is perhaps best known for their product freshness and unique flavors of Cheese Puffs, Dill Pickle and Ketchup Potato Chips. Food City has brought these traditional favorites back along with several new flavors.
Thumbs up taste...Moore's has been great snacking since 1924. How do they do it? By using only the best ingredients money can buy, keeping a real close eye on cooking and packaging and then "kid testing" every product. But all of the ingredients, the most important one is pride. The Moore's motto is to make snacks the whole gang will love, at a fair price.


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Most Popular Products
|» Products
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Product Description
Our enterprise has gained immense recognition in manufacturing and supplying quality assured array Hockey Goal Post. This is manufactured by our adept professionals with immense perfection and dedication using quality assured materials and the latest technologies. It is widely used by hockey players and is highly cherished by clients for its flawless finish and light weight. Moreover, the provided Hockey Goal Post can be availed from us in various sizes at industry leading prices.
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Stainless steel fasteners , bolts , nuts , screws , washers and pop rivets are used to fight corrosion. Contrary to popular belief stainless steel fasteners are not stronger but they do provide superior resistance to rust, staining and corrosion. VIGRUE M2-M3-M4-1080PCS Stainless Steel Screws and Nuts 1080 Pcs Hex Socket Head Cap, Silver. by VIGRUE. 4.4 out of 5 stars 107. $22.99 $ 22. 99. 18-8 (304) Stainless Steel Screws by Bolt Dropper. by Bolt Dropper. 4.6 out of 5 stars 132. $7.27 $ 7. 27. Get it as soon as Mon, Mar 4. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. 18-8 stainless steel hex head cap screw / bolts . 18-8 stainless steel uss flat washer. 18-8 stainless steel hex nuts . 18-8 stainless steel lock washers. looking for another size or quantity ?.
19 rows Metric hex nuts . A standard six sided nut . Hex machine screw nuts, Stainless steel 316. A … American Fastener offers this information on our industrial stainless steel fasteners including stainless steel bolts , nuts , screws , machine screws . American Fastener Technologies Corporation. 1-800-466-9780. Search for: . Stainless Steel Fasteners Corrosion Resistant Fasteners . Large selection of nuts and bolts as well as other fasteners online. Nuts , bolts , and screws in stainless steel , bronze, galvanized and more including metric bolts . Buy individual nuts and bolts with no minimum order, fast shipping and a 100% guarantee
Shop our selection of Stainless Steel, Nuts in the Hardware Department at The Home Depot. Stainless steel hex socket all head cap bolt Wholesales din580 T Slot Extruded Aluminum T Sliding Nut for 30 Series air condition bellows/copper bellows ripple pipe DIN933 nut and bolts grade 8.8 hex bolts and nuts Washer. $1.00 - $2.00 / Piece. 1 Piece (Min. Order) China factory supplier All kind of Metric steel T-head bolts . High quality SAE J429 GR.8 Hex Head Cap Screw Inch steel Hex bolts . $1.00 - $2.00 / Piece. 1 Piece (Min. Order) Zinc Plated Carbon Steel DIN 934 grade 5 gr.8 Hex Nuts . $1.00 - $
Jiaxing Goshen Hardware CO.,LTD is Located at Economic Development Area,Jiaxing City,Zhejiang Province,China. We specialise in suppling kinds of stainless steel ,high strength and low carbon steel fasteners with excellent quality and reliable price.


text: Sarah Jane Morris with her unique and powerful voice celebrates John Martyn illuminating his life and art in her new show Sweet Little Mystery. Directed by writer and comedian Mark Thomas this event includes unreleased footage of Martyn and interviews with his close friends and family. Sarah Jane topped the charts in the 80s with the Communards and has become one of Britain's most accomplished and celebrated singers. She and her outrageously talented band with arrangements and sublime guitar playing by Tony Rémy bring to Edinburgh one of the highlights of the musical year.


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Eyelid Lifts Encinitas
For a refreshed, rested, more youthful appearance, many patients opt for a simple eyelid lift, rather than a full facelift. In fact, eyelid lifts are becoming the most popular facial cosmetic surgery procedure for both men and women.
View more before and after photos
Your eyes are the focal point of your face. Over time, your eyelids begin to develop wrinkles, deep lines and puffiness. In addition, you may have problems with allergies or have a genetic predisposition as contributing factors, all resulting in a marked change in the range of your facial expressiveness and a tired, older appearance. These physical changes can also produce actual visual impairment, as when eyes appear "hooded" your peripheral vision may actually be affected.
— Susan W., Del Mar, CA
Today, a remarkable surgical treatment known as blepharoplasty can eliminate many of these problems.
Blepharoplasty can correct sagging eyelids, pouches beneath your eyes, and excess folds around the eyes.
During this surgical procedure, Dr. Kaestner can reshape your upper lid by removing excess skin and fat, or pull an overhanging lid upward.
View more before and after photos
She can also give your eyes a more almond shape by doing a "corner lift." The lower lid can also be reshaped by removing skin and fat, as well as tightening the thin tissue under the skin. When you come in for your initial consultation, we suggest you bring a younger photo of yourself that clearly shows your eyes, so you and Dr. Kaestner can decide which areas need the most work.
Whether you want to rid yourself of your "sagging eyelid" genetic legacy, or reverse eye bags and smooth out upper lids, a blepharoplasty eyelid lift may be an excellent choice.
How can you protect your vision? If you are age 60 or older, you should have your eyes examined through dilated pupils at least once a year. In addition, be sure to wear sunglasses when exposed to the sun to prevent sun damage to the front of the eyes, cataracts, and macular degeneration.


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Michael Mastromarino, a former dental surgeon who became a tabloid sensation when he was charged with running a $4.6 million enterprise that plundered tissue and bone from corpses at funeral homes and sold them for transplants and research, died on Sunday at St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, N.Y. He was 49 and still serving a prison term.
The cause was complications of metastatic liver cancer, Mario Gallucci, Dr. Mastromarino's lawyer, said.
The technology that allows the transplantation of critical organs also enables the far more common transplantation of tissue: bone can be used to repair fractures, veins for heart bypass surgery, and tendons and ligaments can restore mobility. Harvesting organs is allowed in New York State, provided the donor does not carry a potentially communicable disease, the survivors approve and the person is not too old. But there are nowhere near enough willing donors to meet the demand for tissue, so the profit from one body can reach six figures.
Dr. Mastromarino became licensed by New York State to supply tissue banks and manufacturers of biological surgical instruments after his dental license was suspended in 2002 because of a drug addiction. He established a network of undertakers, whom he paid up to $1,000 per corpse, and soon took on assistants and formed a business based in New Jersey, Biomedical Tissue Services. He reportedly made $10,000 to $15,000 per body.
But Dr. Mastromarino harvested organs and tissue from bodies without consent from the survivors, the authorities said, and removed material from people with cancer, H.I.V. and other diseases. He then forged paperwork, including consent forms and death certificates, to make the cause of death and age acceptable.
The police began investigating irregularities at the Daniel George & Son Funeral Home in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, in 2005. News reports included lurid details, like what the police called a secret room in the funeral home equipped with specialized surgical equipment; leg bones replaced by PVC pipe so bodies would appear intact at viewings (this procedure is common in lawful bone removal); and the fact that one of the victims was Alistair Cooke, the British journalist and former host of "Masterpiece Theater," whose arm and leg bones were taken even though he had had cancer.
Dr. Mastromarino was charged in 2006, along with two of his workers and an embalmer. He pleaded guilty in 2008 to numerous charges of enterprise corruption, reckless endangerment and body stealing and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison. He and his wife, Barbara, agreed to pay $4.6 million to the district attorney's office, to be distributed among the victims' relatives.
Michael Mastromarino was born in Brooklyn on Sept. 16, 1963. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and the New York University College of Dentistry.
Dr. Mastromarino had surgical offices in New Jersey and Manhattan. He was a co-author, with Michael R. Wiland, of the book "Smile: How Dental Implants Can Transform Your Life." Dr. Mastromarino, who was divorced, is survived by two sons, Michael and Jerry.
As for Mr. Cooke, his daughter, Susan Cooke Kittredge, said in an article in New York magazine that "he would have been just horrified" by the illegal harvesting. But, she said, "at the same time, he would have appreciated the Dickensian nature of it."


text: Deprecated: Methods with the same name as their class will not be constructors in a future version of PHP; usersOnline has a deprecated constructor in /home/czoot/public_html/includes/inc.php on line 101 czoot - just games - Search Results for brick Home / Download / Forum / Most Played / Newest / Top Rated Facebook / Twitter czoot - just games Action | Adventure | Arcade | Casino | Dressup | Other | Puzzle | Shooter | Sports | Strategy | Forgot Password / Register Newest Games Escape from Treasure Castle Kitchen Hidden Objects Future Car Parking Jam Rescue Girl from Theme Park Ninja Turtle Spinal Surgery Country Farm House Escape Mostplayed Games Asterix Hidden Spots Fantasy Solitaire Escape From Pub House Egyptian Golden Flower Palace Escape Barbie Valentine Ninja Turtle Spinal Surgery Random Games Platform Combat Rescue The Mermaid Highway Mayhem Bus House Escape Atomic Puzzle 2 Granny Strikes Back Search Results for brick 99 Bricks Brick House Esca... Arkanoid Defender Christmas Crush ... Cube Crush HD Orbular Login Username: Password: Remember me: Search Recent Searches Brain-teaser kissing Anime Messy House Objects Mushroom Ironing play games online Creator Almighty Shoot 592 Snow Forest-Hidden Targets traffic Dark Fairy Stars direction puzzle game New Hidden Object games New Puzzle games Surgery 882 block Girls Room Objects wizardry bungalow escape game online 694 race horror 822 EscapeGames Shooting Garfield UFO text adventure Monster Trucks witch facebook Makeup Room Objects alien building Hidden Objects-Underwater World Emily Ratajkowski Jigsaw 454 Number Games soccer 442 cloud 8bgames Easter Games Fairy New hidden object game mouse only basketballgame 392 delivery New deep pinken magic christmas eve Makeup FPS Touch rescue my mom NewEscapeGames. stickman pink New Hidden Objects game talking games x-mas 74 the giant yellow wall bikes Christmas Games thinking Fun Ajaz dressup game NewEscapeGames landing Halloween Ajaz escape games. Point and Click Games Hidden Objects christmas Point And Click Games threatening house escape game online Pink Room Objects Mouse Interaction racing 750 Matching games management escape from drummer house game online Point and click Games Mahjong New Games minecraft education wood sling puzzle escape games Escape games skills dinosaurs rpg brick Advertisement Stats Game Plays Today: 2320 Total Game Plays: 10394 Total Games: 1200 visitors online: 6 Bots online: Member Stats Members - 0Members Online- 0New Members: Home Contact-Us Links Link Exchange Rss-Arcade Sitemap Tell A Friend Terms Copyright © 2018 - 2019 czoot - just games Powered by YourArcadeScript 2.6.1


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Love On the Seas — Celebrating Wedding Anniversaries on a Cruise
Are you celebrating your wedding anniversary soon? Congratulations! Maybe you're thinking of going on a cruise? Well, you've certainly decided on the right way to celebrate. This is especially true if you're a good old-fashioned romantic with a penchant for leisurely exploration of the seas, which you can do with Celebrity Cruises and a host of other cruise operators. Here are a few good reasons why a cruise is the finest way to celebrate those happy years together:
A few good reasons
Married life is wonderful, but it can also get quite hectic, especially once you have children. At some point between juggling a household and your work life, you may feel that you don't really have that much quality time available to spend alone with your spouse. That's probably the number one reason why a cruise can be your best bet for a wedding anniversary celebration.
Is there a better way to relax with your spouse than going on board a ship where you know there will be no pending issues or distractions from romance? All that remains is to celebrate the wonderful years you've spent together, and there's no shortage of diverse activities to partake in on a cruise. You can go on romantic dates in the evening, enjoy variety shows together, spend time relaxing by the ship's pool, or just contemplate the open sea together.
There's more to a cruise than just open sea
Not only that, but you'll also enjoy visiting the different port cities during the cruise. You get a chance to explore the area and experience new cultures, do a bit of shopping, and create memories together with your spouse. The mood on a cruise is naturally romantic. For a couple looking to spend some quality time together, it's one of the most perfect settings available.
It doesn't mean you'll have to be all alone during the entire holidays, though. No matter if you join popular cruises or just a peaceful low-profile cruise, there will be many interesting people to interact and get to know. There's actually a surprising statistic: many people who go on cruises tend to be of a similar mindset, so they'll easily mingle and make friends with one another. It's very common for people to get together several times over the years by going on cruises as groups of couples.
If you've never before considered joining a cruise to celebrate your wedding anniversary, maybe this is the right time! Of course, it's always the right time to see the world. After all, you only get one shot at life. It's up to us to grab it.
If you could do a cruise to any where in the world where would you go? My dream cruise would be an Alaskan one!


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Eastwell Ironworks has been established since 1997 and have a wealth of experience in the metal working industry. We are a dedicated team of English craftsmen who take great pride in our work and guarantee to meet our client's expectations.
We have been producing bespoke metalwork for both domestic and commercial clients for many years now. From structural steel works to drive gates, railings, staircases, balconies, security fencing/grills, restoration and sculptural works of art. Working with mild and stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminium and cast iron we can also incorporate other mediums such as glass, wood and stone. We also offer a free no obligation quotation.
We have a wealth of knowledge about our industry so are happy to help with any advice we can.
Services Provided
Blacksmith, Metal Fabrication, Steel Fabrication, Welding, Wrought Iron Fence Installation, Wrought Iron Fence Repair, Bespoke Metal Gates, Security Gates, Garden Sculptures, Bespoke Furniture, Staircases and Balustrades, Balconies, Railings
Areas Served
Mainly covering London and the South East
Certifications and Awards
Best of Houzz in Service – 2016, 2017 & 2018
Recommended By Kent Trading Standards


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Monday, March 16, 2009
What if...
9 comments:
depends on the use needed. Are there traveling bands of mutants and zombies? Is it just my tribe trying to create a peaceful utopia?ReplyDelete
Wing Chun was created as a system of Kung Fu that could be quickly taught to get people fighting fast. Something like that might be step one. Strip whatever you are doing to three moves.
I think the quickest to translate would be the aiki brushoff if i HAD to pick one thing.ReplyDelete
Aikido would be much more evasive without holds or throws or anything that would "end" the encounter but given timing and space an aikidoka could theoretically keep off a single person or group of opponents off them for a long time untill the aikidoka was able to get away.
The rest of the things i learn at the dojo just help me better accomidate the "what ifs".
2. weapons
3.first aid
If the world falls apart, those few people who believe in the fantasy of "practical unarmed self-defense" will receive a painful reality check.ReplyDelete
The martial arts I have studied are systems of interdependence. No single aspect of them is particularly worth learning in isolation, much less rushing through quickly on the brink of a global holocaust.
All that aside and to answer your question, I would teach standing meditation--as preventative medicine, and NOT as a martial art.
I know how to hit somebody with a stick!ReplyDelete
This is very interesting. After class last week, a student started a discussion about preparing for that type of disaster. He went through the "What if's". The conversation quickly turned to farming and the availability of seeds.ReplyDelete
Strange: you know, your response is really interesting in a couple of ways. I've wondered where the preoccupation with mutants and zombies has come from and how it has worked its way into our collective unconscious. Sure, the movies like 28 days later are cool and scary, but how did we get to a point where people consider (even half-seriously and in passing) how to defend themselves agaist waves of undead?ReplyDelete
Andy, I agree that the aiki brushoff is probably the easiest-to-teach and most foundational part of what we do - but the problem with it is it doesn't stop any sort of conflicts. But then, you might reasonably build a real, practical clan-fighting system off of that aiki instinct... interesting.
DR, Chris, Rick, I didn't necessarily say 'unarmed' I agree with Rick that stick whacking is pretty quick and easy to teach and practical. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of quickly teachable and ultimately practical in such a scenario is the Bram Frank CSSD Modular knife stuff.
I agree that farming and first aid would be immediate concerns.
Michele, Regarding seed availability - it's hard to imagine seed availability becoming a problem (at least where I live) but I did read (maybe in National Geo) a while back about some Nordic scientists preserving tons of plant seeds in a lab under the permafrost in case of some terrible global catastrophe. I thought that was cool. I wonder how many growing seasons it would take to propogate corn (for instance) around the world from a lab in Scandinavia.
As it is, I keep my white oak bokken in the closet by the door.ReplyDelete
I guess really the question is, what is the threat? Saber tooth tigers? Other people? Armies of other people? Boredom? Laziness?ReplyDelete
What are the conditions? Does the new world dictate carrying weapons? Do people have time to train? Is there a warrior class? Are you training warriors, police or common folk?
Some fodder for thought.
Here is a good example of one phenomenon that I talked about at the seminar this past weekend. In these film clips, the point of view...
Someone asked me a while back to post what I consider to be pros and cons of aikido and judo – sort of what I like and dislike about aiki...
People often ask me at what age should they start their kids in martial arts. I will occasionally take kids as young as 3-4 as long as the p...
Another thing that Chad asked for the other day in his comment to my post about teaching kids judo was some description of our favorite ...
So many readers have enjoyed my aikido vs. judo article from last year that I figured I'd try my hand at doing a comparison between ...


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Elan presents the project for a Power 30 model. This new addition to the Elan motor boat range will be the entry level of its now well established Power line up, which currently features three models from 35 up to 48 feet. As all the other models the 30 Power is to be designed by renowned British architect Tony Castro. The 30 will measure an over all length of close to 33 feet, with a beam of over eleven feet, that is without the extended bathing platform option. This size is representative to the spacious accommodation of the boat which features two separate cabins, a saloon and galley. On the plans the interior of the Elan 30 Power looks to offer nearly the space as the larger 35 model, taking advantage of modern latest generation smaller diesel engines. Various options are also to be available on the Elan 30 Power from an extended bathing platform, fiberglass or canvas hard top, different hull color choices, and stern drive joystick. Engines will be Volvo twin diesel from 170 up to 220hp, or a single 370hp choices.
May 25, 2011
Project: Elan Power 30
Posted by PowerYacht at 20:08
Labels: Elan, Project, Sport Cruiser
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What do you want to publish?
When it's time to publish your research, the library has multiple services depending on what you want to publish. Here we have collected all services and in the entries below you will find the most common ones.
If you do not know where to start, we recommend the entry Strategic publishing where you get an overview of various advice on scientific publishing. In the left-hand column you can also immerse yourself in bibliometry, open access, copyright and how to register in DiVA.
For those who want to print your dissertation or want to digitize an old dissertation.
Stockholm University Press
For those who want to publish open access, peer reviewed material with Stockholm University Press.
Other publishing support
For those who want to publish non-peer reviewed or self-published material, or need advice on academic publishing in general.
Research data
For those who want to save and/or publish research datan, and learn more about the available alternatives.
Last updated:
November 19, 2019
Source: Stockholm University Library