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|Human Immunology News 6.27 July 10, 2018
Genetic Determinants of Co-Accessible Chromatin Regions in Activated T Cells across Humans
Investigators analyzed ATAC-seq and RNA-seq profiles from stimulated primary CD4+ T cells in up to 105 healthy donors. They found that regions of accessible chromatin are co-accessible at kilobase and megabase resolution, consistent with the three-dimensional chromatin organization measured by in situ Hi-C in T cells. [Nat Genet] Abstract
(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)
Priming of Dendritic Cells by DNA-Containing Extracellular Vesicles from Activated T Cells through Antigen-Driven Contacts
Researchers showed that when antigen-bearing dendritic cells (DCs) contacted T cells, DCs initiated anti-pathogenic programs. Signals of this interaction were transmitted from the T cell to the DC, through extracellular vesicles that contain genomic and mitochondrial DNA, to induce antiviral responses via the cGAS/STING cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway and expression of IRF3-dependent interferon regulated genes. [Nat Commun] Full Article
Tomosyn Functions as a PKCδ-Regulated Fusion Clamp in Mast Cell Degranulation
Scientists found that the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) binding protein tomosyn-1 inhibited Fce receptor I-stimulated degranulation of mast cells. After mast cell activation, tomosyn-1 was phosphorylated on serine and threonine residues, dissociated from the SNARE protein syntaxin (STX) 4, and associated with STX3. [Sci Signal] Abstract
The Costimulatory Molecule CD226 Signals through VAV1 to Amplify TCR Signals and Promote IL-17 Production by CD4+ T Cells
Engagement of CD226 induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of VAV1 and synergized with T cell receptor (TCR) signals to specifically enhance the production of interleukin-17 (IL-17) by primary human CD4+ T cells. [Sci Signal] Abstract
CD45+CD33lowCD11bdim Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Suppress CD8+ T Cell Activity via the IL-6/IL-8-Arginase I Axis in Human Gastric Cancer
The authors identified a novel subset of CD45+CD33lowCD11bdim myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the peripheral blood of gastric cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article
Naturally Derived Heme-Oxygenase 1 Inducers Attenuate Inflammatory Responses in Human Dendritic Cells and T Cells: Relevance for Psoriasis Treatment
Investigators demonstrated that treatment of human dendritic cell (DC) with polyphenols limited DC maturation, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and prevented induction of allospecific T cell responses, in a manner partially dependent on carbon monoxide. [Sci Rep] Full Article
Innate and Adaptive Immune Dysregulation in Critically Ill ICU Patients
The authors evaluated whether ICU patients who developed persistent critical illness displayed an immune profile similar to an aged immune phenotype and any associations with patient outcomes. [Sci Rep] Full Article
Reprogramming of Th1 Cells into Regulatory T Cells through Rewiring of the Metabolic Status
Researchers established a culture method for inducing Foxp3 from mouse and human T helper 1 (Th1) cells. This was achieved simply by resting Th1 cells without TCR ligation before stimulation in the presence of transforming growth factor beta. [Int Immunol] Abstract
Rituximab Modulates T- and B-Lymphocyte Subsets and Urinary CD80 Excretion in Patients with Steroid-Dependent Nephrotic Syndrome
Blood and urine samples were collected from 18 steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome patients before rituximab, and after one month and one year or at first relapse. T and B lymphocytes and urinary CD80 excretion were determined by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. [Pediatr Res] Abstract
B Lymphocytes Can Be Activated to Act as Antigen Presenting Cells to Promote Anti-Tumor Responses
Scientists showed that B lymphocytes from cervical cancer patients responded to treatment with sCD40L and IL-4 by increasing the CD80+CD86+ population, therefore potentially increasing their ability to activate T cells. [PLoS One] Full Article
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The Elusive Case of Human Intraepithelial T Cells in Gut Homeostasis and Inflammation
Investigators review the literature on the involvement of human intraepithelial T cells in gut homeostasis and inflammation, and how these cells are influenced by the microbiota and dietary antigens. [Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol] Abstract
Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the human immunology research field.
Thomas Jefferson University and BioVaxys LLC Enter into Exclusive Worldwide License for Immunotherapeutic Cancer Vaccines
Thomas Jefferson University and BioVaxys LLC announced that they have entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement for a technology comprising highly-targeted, patient-specific, immunotherapeutic vaccines to treat ovarian cancer, melanoma, and other solid tumor types. [Thomas Jefferson University (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release
TxCell Exercises In-License Option to the University of British Columbia's Intellectual Property Rights of the HLA-A2 CAR-Treg Program
TxCell SA announced it has exercised its exclusive option to in-license the intellectual property rights of one of its academic partners, the University of British Columbia, onto the HLA-A2 CAR-regulatory T cell (Treg) program. [TxCell SA] Press Release
Report Advocates Broader Return of Research Results
A 335-page report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine urges researchers and regulators to return more biological data to the people whose samples yielded it in the first place. [ScienceInsider] Editorial
New Scheme for Overseas Researchers to Come to the UK
The new 'UKRI Science, Research and Academia' scheme, which allows non-EEA researchers, scientists and academics to come to the UK for up to 2 years, opened on Friday 6 July, the Immigration Minister announced. The new scheme, which is being added to the Tier 5 visa route, has been introduced to reflect and encourage the ongoing growth of the research sector in the UK. [UK Visas and Immigration] Editorial
Germany's Prestigious Max Planck Society Investigates New Allegations of Abuse
The Max Planck Society, one of Germany's wealthiest and most prestigious research organizations, is investigating fresh allegations of bullying and sexual harassment following an anonymous survey at one of its institutes. [Nature News] Editorial
NEW 2nd AACR International Conference: Translational Cancer Medicine
Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunotherapy (California Institute for Biomedical Research)
NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship Position – Innate Immunity and Neurodegeneration (The Mount Sinai Health System)
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Patrick Murphy had been juggling his lineup, in large part to find some production in the No. 2 spot in the batting order.
TUSCALOOSA | Patrick Murphy had been juggling his lineup, in large part to find some production in the No. 2 spot in the batting order.
Center fielder Jennifer Fenton took that mandate to heart Friday night, but not in the way her coach expected. Fenton hit two home runs, including a grand slam, to drive in six runs and lead the top-ranked University of Alabama softball team to a 10-1 mercy-rule victory over Arkansas.
Today's second game of the series has been moved to noon at Rhoads Stadium due to weather concerns.
Alabama (31-2, 7-1 in Southeastern Conference) bounced back from its first league defeat — a midweek loss at 11th-ranked Tennessee in the second game of a doubleheader — by making short work of the Lady Razorbacks (10-22, 1-10 SEC). The Crimson Tide pounded out 10 hits, including three homers and three doubles, to return to form.
"The best way to respect your opponent is to come out and be ready to play, play your hardest and give it your best, play great defense and hit the ball," said Murphy, Alabama's head coach. "I thought we did that."
Nobody did it better than Fenton. Her instructions are to get leadoff batter Kayla Braud over and in, but Fenton didn't do it the way most No. 2 hitters do.
In the third inning, after Braud led off with a double, Fenton banged a home run off the light pole in right field.
"I told her to bunt twice," Murphy said. "Whatever works. Score some runs. I don't care."
Nor does Fenton.
"I feel like I'm seeing the ball hitting-wise, so I'm trying to stick to that," Fenton said. "He called the bunt and she threw a changeup and it was a strike. With two strikes I just went up there and hit it.
"I need to work on getting the bunts down. Execution is what we really need. That's going to help us win games."
In the fourth, Alabama loaded the bases with two outs on a single and two walks, bringing up Fenton.
This time there was no call for the bunt. She hit a sky-high shot that sailed just over the fence in center field to clear the bases.
"The grand slam was all her," Murphy said.
Murphy may want to think about calling off the bunt when Fenton is up.
"I might be thinking more about it now," he said. "She definitely has pop. When she gets the barrel (on the ball), she hits it as hard as anybody else."
Alabama wasn't done after the grand slam. A Whitney Larsen single sparked a continuing rally that saw UA plate three more runs to extend its lead to 10-1. All seven runs came with two outs. Jackie Traina doubled in a run and third baseman Courtney Conley doubled in two more.
"I guess we had the right people up at the right time," Murphy said.
Amanda Locke started at first base and hit her fourth home run of the season, the first since March 11. She was starting for just the 13th time after a slow recovery from offseason foot surgery to repair a torn tendon.
"It's just a little setback," she said.
Traina (13-1) yielded just two hits in four innings for the pitching win. Hope McLemore (4-8) gave up three runs on five hits in two innings to take the loss for Arkansas.
Reach Tommy Deas at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 205-722-0224.

subset: commoncrawl


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A new addition to Old Amersham's line up of eateries, Cote Brasserie has taken over the former Chimichanga site, so it's farewell Tex-Mex and hello modern european dining. We decided to pay a weekend morning visit to see how the newcomer compares with the other brunch options in Amersham and to check out its family friendly credentials.
Cote Brasserie has a sophisticated style that suits Old Amersham very well. As we arrived, well-dressed people were sipping coffee and browsing the Sunday papers at the window tables; no one was quite brave enough to go al fresco on a chillier than normal July morning. No other children were present, so we were keen to see how we'd get on with toddler Tilly.
There's not a children's menu at breakfast time but we picked the french toast for Tilly, which came with fruit salad, while we both opted for Eggs Royale, which is our weekend brunch staple. At over £5, the french toast isn't a cheap children's option but we thought it would well suit Tilly's current fussiness with food. Pastries, yoghurt and a stand-alone fruit salad could have served as cheaper alternatives from the menu.
Service was attentive if a touch nervous, not helped with Tilly hiding away every time the young waiter approached and to be fair they've only been open for three weeks. Although we didn't use a high chair, one wasn't offered, which would have been welcome.
Coffee and complimentary water came quickly enough and even Tilly didn't get impatient waiting for the food to arrive. The eggs royale weren't the most generous we've encountered; featuring just half a muffin compared to a full muffin at other establishments. Both ShireWife and I commented that the application hollandaise sauce was a touch on the heavy side but otherwise it was a fine if unremarkable eggs royale.
Tilly's fruit salad and french toast were met with a warm reception, which was welcome given how picky she's chosen to be with food of late. She merrily munched her way though kiwi, mango, melon and grapes before moving on to the french toast itself when it had cooled. No complaints about quantity here. Note the french toast does come with maple syrup, however we hid this away to keep it a low sugar meal.
The verdict
Cote Brasserie is another chain on the Broadway but one that undoubtedly well suits Old Amersham. The food is typical of the genre but with plenty of options that we'd try out on future visits and although a children's menu is absent for breakfast, there's a decent variety that might appeal. I've seen mention online of a children's menu for later in the day but it's not available on the Cote website. High chairs are available; we didn't check the availability of baby change facilities on this trip.
I expect Cote will present some competition to the Grocer at 15 a couple of doors down, which offers some similar breakfast and brunch options, although the Grocer's chorizo breakfast and coffee is unsurpassed. For family dining, the likes of Ask and Prezzo opposite will probably make for a more relaxed experience, however we didn't feel uneasy during our visit. Cote is one of those venues where children are catered for but it's primarily an adult dining experience.
I imagine we'd visit Cote again, probably for another Sunday brunch as a family (when the Grocer at 15 is closed and parking is free) or if we're without Tilly for a mid-priced lunch or dinner out.


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Doug Polk RESPONDS to Alec Torelli's VIRAL VIDEO!!! (REAL & UNEDITED!)
July 5, 2017
Doug Polk is back on the podcast today to talk about Alec Torelli's latest viral video, upcoming Upswing Poker party on Friday at Surrender, our out of line 1/1 PLO game, the GIVEAWAY, and much more!!!! Wisdom is shared by Doug at the end of the podcast!!!


text: HOSPITALITY: COST-CUTTING MEASURES ARE BALANCED WITH ADEQUATE GUEST SERVICES, PERKS Hoteliers Hustle to Generate New, Repeat Business By Lou Hirsh Monday, September 13, 2010 Tweet Michael Slosser is a vice president and managing director with Destination Hotels & Resorts, a Colorado-based company that manages L'Auberge Del Mar and other local luxury properties. Photo by Stephen Whalen. The recession was officially over months ago, but the hospitality industry is feeling the effects of an economy that still has consumers watching their wallets... Take 1 minute to subscribe and you'll get this story immediately, plus: Already a subscriber? Sign in 52 weekly issues Subscriber-only digital content every business day, plus full access to SDBJ.com archives Book of Lists — the most comprehensive business resource in San Diego San Diego 500 — influential business leaders you need to know Yours for only $99 First name: Last name: Email: Address: Zip: CC Number: Cvv: Exp Month: Exp Year:


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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.
SUSAN GOTTLIEB has always considered herself a friend to animals, but her idea of friendship may go beyond the norm. She does not have a mere cat or dog padding around the 1960s house here that she shares with her husband, Dan. Her one-acre backyard is a haven for animals that most people would not consider appealing guests, including bobcats, gopher snakes, cottontail rabbits, bats, honeybees and the occasional coyote.
She attracted the animals by putting in plants that are inviting to them as food or habitat. Her property has been certified as wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation, one of the country's biggest environmental groups. The federation has certified more than 100,000 habitats, including 153 acres of woods and fields owned by Martha Stewart in Katonah, N.Y., Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida and more than a few city window boxes. While most certified habitats are in outer suburbia or in the country, the Gottliebs are just a five-minute drive from downtown Beverly Hills.
When she and her husband bought the house 22 years ago, Ms. Gottlieb was determined to transform the backyard into a home for native birds. "I love watching birds," she said. "That's how it all started. I wanted to attract native birds to the yard and conserve water." Ms. Gottlieb, who is 61 and a retired nurse, had never been a gardener, but she had been interested in birds since her childhood in rural Ontario, where her mother gardened in summer and put food out for birds in winter.
While her husband went off to work every day he is a partner in a real estate company she took charge of the garden, reading as much as she could about native plants.
In redoing the land, her first priority was to use less water. "The yard was not a mess," she said. "It just had a lot of ivy in it and was landscaped with tropical plants. So, if you like that kind of thing and don't mind a lot of water usage, it works." She, however, does not like that kind of thing. "I have a friend I call the Ornamental Queen," Ms. Gottlieb said. "She has tons of exotic ornamental plants in her garden, and she waters them every morning at 6 a.m. It just doesn't appeal to me."
Initially, building a wildlife habitat wasn't part of her plan. But she soon realized that native plants, while using very little water, would also attract wildlife far beyond the birds that prompted her initial interest.
Exotic plants don't attract native insects, and insects, Ms. Gottlieb notes, "are the basis for everything," helping to pollinate the plants while offering sustenance for birds and small animals. Plants that are not native "just don't provide enough food for them, and without the insects, we wouldn't have the birds and other animals they draw to the yard."
She remade the garden slowly, learning not only from books but also from other enthusiasts for native gardening. She started by replacing most of the azaleas and roses near her house with succulents, including cactuses, agaves and mesquite trees. She left some roses, and soon found they could survive without much water. Now, when she wants them pruned, she just opens the garden gate, and the deer do the work.
Designed as a series of spaces, the Gottliebs' yard includes native grasses, a rock garden and several spare-looking areas planted with cactuses, as well as the rose garden, thick with flowers. In one section, bluebird nesting boxes line a trail; in another, hummingbird feeding bottles hang from a pole. Water moves through fountains and birdbaths, to attract birds and small animals. A steep hillside covered with shrubs and grasses faces the mountains in the distance.
Just last summer, she spotted her first western bluebirds, which are native to the region, but haven't been seen much for decades. The new bluebird trail with its native grasses attracted them, she said. "They like grassy meadows to hunt for bugs and worms," she said.
Of course, having bobcats visit one's backyard can create difficult conditions for the family pet. To make the outdoors accessible but safe for their four cats Spike, Shadow, Angel and Cleopatra the Gottliebs built a large enclosed cat run. It goes over the roof and into the garden, sheltering the cats from the bobcats that occasionally prowl the yard, while also protecting the birds from the cats.
For the most part, it has worked, although there was a day when the Gottliebs heard loud hisses coming from the entrance hall of the house and found all four cats surrounding a three-foot gopher snake on the tiled floor.
"Gopher snakes look a lot like rattlesnakes without the rattles and venom," Ms. Gottlieb said. "It was a bit alarming." Using a big stick, Mr. Gottlieb picked it up, placed it in the garden and watched it slither away. "Gopher snakes are actually good," Ms. Gottlieb said. "While we don't want them in our house, it's good to see them in the garden because they keep rattlesnakes away."
While a backyard filled with insects may not seem desirable to most people, she finds bugs wonderful to watch, and there are benefits other than visual. The bees are so small that they are not intimidating, and the mosquitoes are basically nonexistent. "Mosquitoes and other insects are eaten by the birds, lizards and bats that inhabit the garden," she said.
Defining "natural" is a continuing process. She doesn't leave nature entirely alone. She fills her hummingbird feeders with sugar water, using up to 25 pounds of sugar a week. She also leaves out small dishes filled with mealworms and larvae for bluebirds and other bug-eating birds. She says the birds could survive on the native plants alone, but "you get more birds and a better variety by putting out food." Still, the purist in her is thinking about cutting back on the snacks, to encourage the birds to be self-sufficient. (David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation said that the organization accepts "moderate, responsible bird feeding, but we really emphasize that a feeder doesn't equal habitat.")
Now that most of the groundwork is done, she spends about 10 to 12 hours a week in the garden, with part-time help from two gardeners. They mostly do maintenance work, spending 10 hours each week in the garden. Most of the work consists of pruning, cleaning up and labeling plants for the local gardening tours that come through.
This year the couple's environmental efforts have taken a new direction. In March they opened G2 Gallery in nearby Venice, Calif., selling photographs of nature and wildlife and donating the proceeds to conservation groups.
Looking back on the nearly two decades it took to create her backyard habitat, she considers how much she has learned about the plants and animals that populated the area in the centuries before "90210." "It's been a real education," she said.
Want to Attract a Wilder Crowd?
Since 1973, the National Wildlife Federation has issued nearly 110,000 certificates for wild habitat. The program is designed to be more educational than rigorous. Fill out a quick questionnaire on the Web site, pay a $15 fee and get a "personalized certificate" along with membership in the organization.
To be certified, a gardener must report that the habitat offers at least three forms of food for wildlife including water, insects and plants. Flowers that pollinate, for example, are a good source of food for many insects. Even window boxes can receive certification because they have water from the rain and flowers that attract insects, and the insects that visit are a good source of food for the birds. Wildlife sites also must provide shelter for visitors. Shelter can take the form of small plants and trees.
The gardener must also practice at least two forms of sustainable gardening, whether conserving soil and water, controlling exotic species or using organic gardening.
"Even in cities, people can create wildlife areas," says David Mizejewski, a naturalist and spokesman for the organization. "A window box even though it's small can provide food and shelter to insects and birds," and the gardener can choose plants that don't require much watering.
For information on native plants, and on the certificate program: www.nwf.org.


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Why you'll love the
This charming Child's Log Cabin playhouse offers a perfect cottage style building for your child to relax or play in and is sure to enhance play times outside!
At the heart of this fantastic playhouse is second to none craftsmanship, highlighted by the use of a solid 19mm tongue and groove construction, which maximises the structural integrity of the build.
Whimsical features such as the cottage style windows and door, complete with shutters and flower boxes, make this playhouse a fun and exciting place for any child to spend time in!
The Child's Log Cabin has been designed in a single storey cottage style that will make your child feel like they've been transported to one of the cottages in their favourite fairytale stories!
The cottage style door with a built in window, gives a real country look, perfect for dreaming up their own fairytale world to play in. This single storey playhouse is built using high-quality materials and will provide hours of fun, making it a truly worthwhile investment for your garden for years to come.
The two cottage style windows come with authentic shutters and flower boxes. This enhances the the look of the exterior to the playhouse, as well as providing charming features your children will love. Two windows creates a light and airy space for your child to play.
The Child's Log Cabin includes with two sets of shutters and two window boxes which all add charm and character to the build. The flower boxes look great planted up with flowers and your children will have fun watering them!
The Child's Log Cabin is constructed using our incredibly popular tongue and groove construction. This design gives the unit it's great strength, as well as providing a rustic, all-round smooth finish.
The panels are all pre-cut to length and the interlocking style of this construction makes each board hold the previous board securely in place.
As the panels interlock together, they give the Child's Log Cabin great protection against the elements. With no water entry, rain can run off the side of the building, which ultimately stops the joints being damaged and prevents long term rot issues.
Also provided is a solid sheet roof. We supply the solid sheet for you, which is pre-cut to size and ready to assemble for a simple and easy installation.
The green mineral felt which is supplied with the playhouse is a premium roofing felt which gives the building substantial protection from the elements. Be rest assured, this playhouse won't suffer from dripping rain water!
1) For domestic use only
2) Outdoor use only
3) Not suitable for children under 36 months - small parts. Choking Hazard
4) Maximum user weight is 50kg
1) Adult assembly is required minimum of 2 people.
2) Children require adult supervision when using this product.
3) This product is safety tested to British standards BS-EN71 for domestic use.
4) A minimum clearance of 2m from obstructions or structures is recommended.
5) Building is assembled on a level surface with a minimum clearance of 2m from obstructions or structures.
|5 x 5
|Eaves Height (Inc Floor)
|Ridge Height (Inc Floor)
|Width (Internal)
|Depth (Internal)
|Eaves Height (Internal)
|Ridge Height (Internal)
|Window Dimensions
|41.8cm x 54cm
|Door Opening Size (w x h)
|54cm x 95cm
|Frame Thickness (w x d)
|3.2cm x 2.7cm
|5 x 5
|Glazing Material
|Roof Material
|Floor Material
|Roof Covering Material
|Felt Roofing
|5 x 5
|Whats in the Box?
|Instructions, Felt & Fixings Supplied
|2 side windows (fixed)
|1 x Half Glazed Door
|Suitable Age Range:
|Not suitable for children under 36 months
|Cladding Style
|Tongue and Groove Interlocking Boards
|Locking System
|Magnetic Safety Catch
|Factory Basecoat Treatment
|Supplied with Fixtures and Fittings
|Safety Approved
|EN71 - For Domestic Use Only
|Max User Weight


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It's only fitting that my first blog entry should be about Laini Taylor, because her website is what inspired me to create this blog in the first place. I discovered Laini Taylor via Robin McKinley's blog (she's also a favourite author), because someone on her forum recommended the book Blackbringer. My library didn't have it, but they did have Lips Touch Three Times, and this book hooked me from the first taste.
It's a beautiful book: the cover is evocative and striking, everything about the design is enticing, but then you turn past the title page and you get a gorgeous illustration by Jim Di Bartolo (Ms. Taylor's husband). He reminds me of Trina Schart Hyman. And then you turn the page and there's another one. In fact, a whole little story told only in pictures. Then Taylor's story begins, and it's juicy and spicy and surprising and delicious. It's like eating a summer-ripe peach, one that's so exquisitely flavoured it gives you shivers.
And that's just the first story. Lips Touch Three Times is a collection of three novellas, each entirely different, each set in a differently-flavoured fantasy world, all centering around a kiss. What a brilliant concept! And these worlds: Taylor borrows from Slavic and Hindu and Roma and I don't know what other mythologies to create her very own fully-realized universes. Which Di Bartolo illustrates perfectly with his introductory graphic stories. You could set ten-volume fantasy epics in each world. Yet this sense of depth, of excess, of reality makes each story completely satisfying. You don't need more: each story is exactly the story that needed to be told.
My favourite of the three stories is "Spicy Little Curses Such as These." It has the best title, ever, don't you think? The first chapter is called "The Demon and the Old Bitch," and it just gets better from there.
I'm not going to say more because my words aren't doing Taylor justice. I've ordered Blackbringer from my local bookstore, and I can't wait until it comes in. Taylor joins the list of writers I'll buy instantly, no questions asked.


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The other day an article came out on Social Commerce Today discussing the power of a co-buy, which is just another way of saying a group buy or �Groupon.� After we got to thinking about it we realized that this was something that could be utilized inside a Facebook store. It just takes a little bit of effort on your end, some creative thinking, and you can create very own group buy.
Here is a simple way of starting a group buy. First, you need to decide on how many �likes� or �shares� you want to reach before you give away the offer. Once you have a number decided upon, start your promotion through social announcements. For example, �The first 20 to like our new body lotion will receive a coupon code for a free travel size with their purchase.� Or, �If you can get 10 of your friends to tell us why they love our new candles, you and your friends will get 30% off your entire purchase with an exclusive coupon code.� Now your offers don�t have to be that generous, we wanted to make sure you get the picture.
[slideshare id=13066280&doc=groupbuys-120524165504-phpapp01]
You can utilize the new function in ShopTab called �Featured Item� for an even bigger call to action to your fans. This time you can use other social channels like Twitter, and Pinterest. Ask your fans to tweet or pin the item a certain amount of times to receive something in return.
You can also have a Facebook store strictly for group buy items. Instead of having the �Buy Now� button you can have a �Group Buy� button to take them back to special landing pages on your website or checkout page.
Now it�s your turn to get creative, go forth and group buy.


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An exhibition showcasing contemporary art works created from waste opened in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on February 8.
The event, entitled "Moiland chapter 1", features works by artist Dae-Hong Kim from the Republic of Korea, Hoang Anh, an artist living and working in Da Lat, and Le Phi Long, who comes from Ho Chi Minh City.
All the works are created from waste such as water pipes and bottles, pieces of wood, dry leaves and roots, with a message that everything has its feeling and human beings should not ignore it.
This is the first time such form of art has been introduced to the public in Da Lat, but drawn much attention from artists, locals and tourists during the first days of the lunar year.
The exhibition will last until March 3.


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text: UKChatBox Network Was Created in 2013 to provide you a safe place to create your IRC channel to chat and make new friends. UKChatBox is your network we do not charge for you using our website all that we ask if you can post a link on your website to our website and we add your link to ours here if you speak with one of the staff in #Help The goal here is to create a place where all will want to enjoy a friendly environment and have a safe place to create their very own IRC channel as a chat room. All rooms are governed by their own rules and the room must comply to this network rules and Guidelines. Please remember to keep it clean and safe. Inputs are always welcome


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The svelte Eleonora (Falco eleonorae) is the most remarkable species of bird that come to the islands. The Falcons nest on the cliffs of the coast and the shrill cry is heard from afar. It is a rare sight until thirty hawks together as a group tend to hunt in flocks.
The rarest of bird of prey nesting in the cliffs even the Northern Sporades is the Bonelli's eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus). In form and shape resembles a large kite, and if you are among the lucky, you can enjoy the spectacular sight of a Bonelli's eagle that chases rabbits.
Bonelli's eagles were found near the park especially in the islands Yioura and pepper. Still, the park can see buzzards (Buteo buteo) and kestrels (Falco tinnunculus).
Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) and dendrogeraka (Falco subbuteo) go where and where the maquis to hunt small birds and can see some of them in one of your walks. Society of birds belonging to the Sporades and the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus). He has a round head and owl-like, as denoted by its name, specializes in capturing snakes, who grabs the cutting of nails. The short-toed eagle is a migratory bird that winters in western and northeastern Africa. The rare peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) nesting on the steep shores of the islands. Owl those found in the Northern Sporades is the owl (Athene noctua) and scops owl (Otus scops), the characteristic of voice fills the spring twilight.
Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)
Appearance: slender than peregrine
Colour: Varies from pale to dark, with many intermediate steps ¬ like. Rarely will see two identical birds. In the pale phase resemble dendrogerako (Falco subbuteo), except that the backs closer to the brown-gray and belly with brown rust. In the dark phase of the color is brown to black and resembles the male mafrokirkinezo (Falco vespertinus), but the legs are yellow.
Length: 38 cm
Habitat: frequented rocks and the rocky coast is the place where klossaei egg.
Reproduction: In late summer, when migratory season begins. Then hunt mainly small birds passing with which feed their young.
Winter: Madagascar
Food: Small birds, insects, or who hunt near the coast either on the open sea. Birds in the maquis, in shrubland and farmland
Has verified the presence of the following items make their nests here: Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), kokkinokefalas (Lanius senator), koufaidoni (Cercotrichas galactotes), nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), ochrostritsida (Hippolais pallida), stachtomygochaftis (Muscicapa striata).
Especially for the various types Soulis the heaths and firewood are the ideal habitat. The following items have been found to nest here: stafidotsirovakos (Sylvia atricapilla), dentrotsirovakos (Sylvia hortensis), thamnotsirovakos (Sylvia communis), mafrotsirovakos (Sylvia melanocephala), kokkinotsirovakos (Sylvia cantillans) and moustakotsirovakos (Sylvia rueppelli).
The vounofylloskopos (Phylloscopus bonelli), the mikrogaliantra (Calandrella brachydactyla), the Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) and gidovyzastra (Caprimulgus europaeus) find the environment that suits them in open areas with sparse vegetation. Other birds that nest here is hooded (Corvus corone cornix), the grower (Emberiza melanocephala), the sirlotsichlono (Emberiza cirlus), the Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica), the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the willow sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis).
In the pine lives and coal tits (Parus ater). The livadoperdikes (Perdix perdix) and pheasants (Phasianus colchicus), birds are a popular target for hunters, attracted by the forest authorities.
Birds of rocks and steep coasts
Besides the Falcons, among the birds that live in rocks and craggy coastline is the Common Swift (Apus apus), the vounostachtara (Apus melba), the blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius), as the vrachotsopanakos (Sitta neumayer), the martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris), the dendrochelidono (Cirundo daurica) and stately raven (Corvus corax), with its characteristic deep cry.
Very interesting is the Sporades, the presence of the rare Audouin's Gull (Larus audouinii), which nests and breeds in only a few particular points throughout the Mediterranean. Creates colonies on rocky islands, which we call here as the Audouin's Gull is a protected species. While visiting the park with a boat, armed with patience and try to notice with your binoculars and the Aegean Seagull flying or resting on the rocks. Especially at the end of the breeding season, Audouin's Gull to see make their appearance in the small fishing ports.
Top Water
This time we have reached the sea very rough trip in our boat in the park. San nutshell shakes the boat over the waves and it is difficult to identify with binoculars different species of birds that fly out there, usually near the water surface. Distinguish Muxou (Puffinus puffinus) to fly in flocks and forth in a seemingly pointless flying. They are like seagulls at a mini-version, only the flying is much more nervous. Sailing sometimes and sometimes beating their wings without being removed far from the surface, like a commando formations, stroll from side to side following the movement of waves. Lowered again just touching the sea and quickly getting up again to go below. The gulf nest in caves in the cliffs of the coast and often you will hear screams coming from there, strong and shrill. Similar behavior in the nest has a shearwater (Colonectris diomedea), which are scarce and somewhat larger in size. And this is one of the birds that might come and sail the boat between the islands.
A rare winged inhabitant of the sea area of North Sporades is petrilos (Hydrobates pelagicus). More often you will see flying Syriza water - or even swim - cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) and shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). The shag, which is a mini version "of cormorants are more connected with the sea than the cormorant and lives on rocky shores on islands with steep cliffs and caves carved by the sea. Both types will often have the opportunity to observe in the National Marine Park.
Migratory birds
A large number of small birds, the Northern Sporades are an important link in the international network of stations resting migratory birds. In addition, some species of birds come here to winter. Among them are many dendrofylloskopoi (Phylloscopus collybita) and thamnopsaltes (Prunella modularis). But not only small birds that use the Sporades islands as a stopover. Large birds, such as lefkotsiknias (Egretta garzetta), the egret (Casmerodius albus), the kryptotsiknias (Ardeola ralloides), the purple (Ardea purpurea) and mikrotsiknias (Ixobrychus minutus), often seen here during the migratory period in spring and autumn. The "way" and visitors are birds of prey such as sfikiaris (Penis apivorus), the lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina) and the imposing thalassaetos (Haliaeetus albicilla).
Bibliography Sporades - National Marine Park (Gerald Hau-Claus Peter Hutter)


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North Korea has slammed the US for bringing the father of late former prisoner Otto Warmbier to the Winter Olympics in the South, accusing it of waging a "defamation campaign" against Pyongyang.
North Korea has slammed the US for bringing the father of late former prisoner Otto Warmbier to the Winter Olympics in the South, accusing it of waging a "defamation campaign" against Pyongyang. Warmbier, a US college student, was arrested for stealing propaganda material during a 2016 trip to Pyongyang and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour for "hostile acts" against the hermit state. He was held for more than a year before being released in a comatose state, but died shortly after arriving in the US.
US Vice President Mike Pence, who led the American delegation to the Games, travelled with Fred Warmbier to the South to "remind the world of the atrocities happening in North Korea". "The United States is again kicking up a defamation campaign against the DPRK, intentionally attributing Warmbiers death to the latter," state-run news agency KCNA said late Thursday, using the initials of the Norths official name.
Quoting the press director of the Institute for American Studies at Pyongyangs foreign ministry, it accused Washington of highlighting Warmbiers death to step up pressure on the nuclear-armed North. "It is a manifestation of crafty intention aimed at… stirring up an international pressure and vindicating its attempt to stifle us by force, as Trump… is terrified at the strength of the DPRK that has made a dignified rise to the status of strategic state," it said.
The Kim family has ruled the impoverished, isolated nation for three generations with an iron fist and pervasive personality cult. During their trip, Pence and Warmbier also met several North Korean refugees who urged efforts to expose widely condemned rights abuses under the regime. The North lashed out at Pence's meeting with what it described as "human scum who committed crimes of treason against the nation".
It said the US should "mind its own miserable human rights record" including "bloody tragic events caused by Trump's unbridled remarks of advocating for white supremacy and racism". Tensions have ratcheted since last year when the North staged its most powerful nuclear test and test-fired several missiles, some capable of reaching the US mainland. But the North sent its athletes and high-level delegates including leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, to the Olympics after months of cajoling from Seoul, which has has tried to use what it calls a "peace Olympics" to defuse tension.
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I'm getting closer to finishing the first draft of my novel Sky High and I couldn't help but notice that it's almost time for NaNoWriMo again. For those of you who have not heard of NaNoWriMo before, here a brief definition, taken from their website:
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.
Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel.
You can find a more detailed description of how it works here: http://nanowrimo.org/how-it-works
Sky High was my NaNoWriMo 2014 project and made me reach the 50000 words goal for the first time. It was a huge rush, but it also took a toll on my private life. With a 40 hours day job, a pregnant wife and Japanese classes on Saturday mornings, there was little time left for writing. However, to get to 50000 words in 30 days you need to average 1667 words a day – that's almost two hours of daily writing time for me.
One of the cool and motivating things about NaNoWriMo is the stats that they provide. Take a look at my 2014 progress:
As you can see, I got off to a great start, but was struggling to keep up. Around the two-weeks mark I didn't get to write for a couple of days, but still managed to be right on schedule. However, a week later, things got really out of control.
I still remember my worry about not hitting 50000 words. NaNoWriMo was a constant companion that month, always present in my head. My wife complained that I stressed myself out too much, but at the same time she was really supportive. Because of that stress, I have been saying that I would not participate in NaNoWriMo 2015 – and my wife happily approved of that decision.
But now the date is getting closer and ideas for new stories are popping up in my head. I feel the temptation: Yes, it was hard. Yes, I put myself under a lot of pressure. But man, I can't begin to describe how incredible it felt to rush along the words, almost as fast as I could think of them, and discover my own novel.
I've said it before: When I read a good book, I eventually stop noticing the words and I just "see" the images they create in my mind. While writing Sky High, something similar happened a couple of times: I stopped noticing that I was typing and just observed how my story unfolded. The experience was quite like reading, but so much more intensive. I guess that, because it was my mind spinning up these images, my immersion was a lot stronger.
I want this rush, I want to ride this wave of creativity again…
But I also have to be realistic. I should not start a new project before at least finishing the first draft of Sky High. After winning NaNoWriMo in November last year, I needed a rest. And then there was Christmas. And then some other things happened in my life. In the end, I did not get back to working on Sky High until July-August this year.
It was hard to get into the project again. Really hard. It had become stale and I had to reread everything that I had written so far. I had already forgotten about important details and had lost the feeling for the story, which made it really hard to find the motivation to go on. (Although it made for an interesting and surprising read. "Oh, cool, I didn't remember that," or "What, really?" were just some of my reactions) But I remembered something that Brandon Sanderson said – I think it was in one of the Write About Dragons recordings: The main reason it took him so many years to get published was that he did not edit his books. Back then he would finish writing a story and then start a new project. I didn't want to commit the same error, so I pushed through and built up some momentum again – although it is weaker now than it was during NaNoWriMo.
That's why I don't want to lose that momentum again, so finishing the first draft of Sky High is a prerequisite for participating. But I also do not want to repeat my error from 2013: I got to know about NaNoWriMo very late – maybe 5 days into the competition – and started writing without any idea of what it was going to be. I managed a promising start, but about 5000 words later I hit a wall. I reached the end of the few ideas that I had and wasn't sure how to continue. So I stalled and the number of words I had to catch up kept adding up. The amount became staggering and eventually I lost all motivation, so I abandoned the project.
In my opinion, for a successful NaNoWriMo, you should start worldbuilding your novel in October already. Think about the setting. Create some history. Invent some conflicts. Build the fabric of your world. All these will work as fertilizers when you start writing in November and grow your characters and story. Every minute spent thinking and plotting in October will pay off tenfold.
So, I should get back to writing. And maybe, maybe, I'll be able to be part of this great wonderful experience that is NaNoWriMo again.
What about you? I would love to hear your NaNoWriMo stories. What has your experience been like? Is it the first time to participate? Let me know in the comments, or drop me an email.


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On July 29, Mayor Tom Leppert, Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and Dallas Police Chief David Brown issued the joint press release calling for the ban on synthetic marijuana and salvia divinorum. The mayor got the so-called K2 ban on the fast track: The council's scheduled to make selling it or smoking it a crime punishable with a $2,000 fine on Wednesday.
But that's not all: The press release also said, at the very end, that the mayor's proposal to end the sale of fake weed would also ban the "paraphernalia used to smoke them." But it didn't specify what it meant by "paraphernalia"; neither did the vague PowerPoint presented to the council's Public Safety Committee on Monday, August 2. But a copy of the ordinance dated August 3 (scroll down to Page 31) is very specific -- and it bans the use or possession of, well, pretty much anything for sale behind the counter or behind glass at your finer smoke shops.
The City Attorney's Office wants to add Section 31-32.1 to the Dallas City Code: "Illegal Smoking Products and Related Paraphernalia Prohibited." And the products listed include, but aren't limited to:
... a metal, wooden, acrylic, glass, stone, plastic, or ceramic pipe with or without a screen, permanent screen, hashish head, or punctured metal bowl; a water pipe; a carburetion tube or device; a smoking or carburetion mask; a chamber pipe; a carburetor pipe; an electric pipe; an air-driven pipe; a chillum; a bong; or an ice pipe or chiller.
In other words, everything but rolling papers. According to the ordinance, "A person commits an offense if, in the city, he ... uses or possesses with the intent to use any illegal smoking paraphernalia to inhale, ingest, or otherwise introduce into his body any illegal smoking product." I've got calls into and e-mails out to city attorneys and law enforcement officials to clarify. Because according to one officer with whom I spoke this morning, this is no different than outlawing bongs and pipes for pot use -- as in, if an officer pulls you over and there's a water pipe in the front seat, you're good to go so long as there's no marijuana or other illegal-drug residue. The new ordinance adds synthetic cannabinoids and salvia to the outlawed list. But another officer to whom I spoke this morning says the inclusion of the word "intent" does indeed allow this to be interpreted as an attempt to ban the bong.
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The ordinance, if it passes council, would go into effect August 15.


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I woke up at 6 am this morning. That's shameful. It's like I still have a job.
If the copywriters selling flirt-chat lines at 3:30 am can't count on the eyeballs of the unemployed – not to mention that extra scent of desperation – who can they count on? I'm not holding up my end of the bargain.
I blame Vermont. It gets dark very early. There's nothing to do. If you're still up at midnight, it feels like you're the only one. It feels like the whole night has already passed.
And it doesn't help that the flirt-chat line commercials start at 10. Vermont's early country.
Well, I'll be moving down to cheap family rent in the city soon enough. I hope to improve my lack of schedule then.
And today, I was able to roll back over and nap until 9:30. That's something. It's something dammit!


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It was an eventful Sunday afternoon for Torrey Smith — and his dreadlocks.
The fleet-footed wide receiver set new career highs in catches (six) and receiving yards (165). He established a new Ravens franchise record for rookie receiving yards with 590 in just 10 games. And his 38-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter ended up being the difference as the Ravens held off the pesky Cincinnati Bengals, 31-24, at M&T Bank Stadium.
But after the game, the thing that everyone wanted to talk about most was his hair.
As the Ravens drove down the field in the final minutes of the first half, Smith hauled in a quick slant from quarterback Joe Flacco and sprinted through the heart of Cincinnati's defense. After a few long strides, no Bengals stood between Smith and the end zone. But cornerback Adam Jones reached out from behind and yanked the rookie down by his long dreadlocks.
"That was my first time having that happen. I was in shock," Smith said. "I started to pull away. I thought I was going to score, and next thing I know, I was getting dragged down by my dreads."
Incredulous fans, looking for a penalty, threw their hands up in the air. However, defenders are allowed to pull the ball-carrier down by their hair as the NFL considers it part of the uniform.
"He just has to run faster," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, "to outrun the dreads."
Smith said he didn't feel any pain on the play. He added that earlier he saw dreadlocks lying on the turf, but they weren't his (he guessed that they belonged to Cincinnati back Bernard Scott).
"We were actually standing by it, and they were like, 'Torrey, did you lose a few dreads?' No, I didn't lose any," he said, drawing chuckles from reporters, many of them follically-challenged.
Including that hair-raising 28-yard catch and run, he had three receptions longer than 25 yards. His 49-yard catch down the right sideline in the second quarter set up the first of Ray Rice's two touchdowns. And somehow, the Bengals let him slip behind them again for the game-sealing score, with Smith tapping two feet down in the back of the end zone to complete the catch.
After the game, Smith, Flacco and Harbaugh all spoke about the 2011 second-round draft pick's evolution. Smith exploded onto the scene in Week 3, catching two long bombs from Flacco and totaling three touchdowns in a win over the St. Louis Rams. He is still beating teams deep, but he has improved his route-running and is now grabbing passes underneath the coverage, too.
"He's becoming a good one," Flacco said. "He is going to continue to get better and better as the year goes on. Part of that is dealing with a little bit of growing pains and having a breakout."
Smith said the game has slowed down, allowing him to make more of an impact. He said he was going "100 miles per hour" in the preseason, and when he looks at the tape now, he noticed that he was often off-balance and out of control, which is why he struggled to get out of his breaks.
"I can run the whole route tree with confidence," Smith said.
Smith blazed past Mark Clayton, who had 471 yards in 2005, for the team's single-season rookie receiving mark. And his 165 yards on Sunday was the third-highest single-game total ever for a Ravens receiver. Qadry Ismail had 258 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1999 season.
Smith likely would have tacked on an extra 59 yards to that total had Jones not tackled him by his hair. However, at the moment, Smith has no plans to cut off his now-signature dreadlocks.
"I honestly thought about it," he said. "But my grandma likes it a little too much."
It was an eventful Sunday afternoon for Torrey Smith — and his dreadlocks.


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Latin Moonlight Cruise Aboard the Spirit of New York
Saturday, Aug 24, 10:55pm
The Spirit of New York
About event
Spirit Cruises and Piel Canela team up to bring you a high-energy Latin dance experience on New York Harbor!
During this cruise, you'll enjoy a sizzling mix of popular Bachata, Salsa and Merengue hits along with free salsa lessons. Enjoy unbeatable views as you sip creative cocktails and sample tasty bites from our open air rooftop lounge.
Included with base price:
A two-and-a-half-hour late night cruise on the Hudson and East Rivers
Salsa lessons from New York's hottest international Latin dance company, Piel Canela
Non-stop salsa, bachata and merengue music from our live DJ
Amazing views of the iconic Manhattan skyline
Boarding: 11:55PM
Departing: 12:30AM
Returning: 3:00AM
Are Requirement: 21+


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The new Ram 1500 has been named 2013 North American Truck/Utility of the Year by a panel of automotive experts. The winners were announced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The award is unique and considered by many to be one of the world's most prestigious based on its diverse mix of 49 automotive journalists from the U.S. and Canada who serve as the voting jurors. This is the 20th year of the awards. The Ram has won North American Truck of the Year honors just once: in the award's inaugural year 1994.
For 2013, the new Ram 1500 offers buyers best-in-class 25 MPG fuel efficiency, new technology and new features without sacrificing capability. Ram 1500 – the most recognizable pickup on the road–marks a milestone for Ram as this truck delivers a truckload of pioneering and fuel-saving systems. Equipped with a choice of engines, including the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine or the award-winning Pentastar V-6, the Ram 1500 offers the best powertrains in the industry and are known for their reliability.
The 2013 Ram 1500 features first-in-segment technologies: eight-speed automatic transmission, stop- start system, thermal management system, pulse-width modulation and active aerodynamics, including grille shutters and active air suspension. The 2013 Ram 1500 is available in nine trim levels.
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Something sweet for sugar reformulation? Challenges in the reduced-sugar space, while stevia reigns supreme
23 Apr 2019 --- Over the years, consumers have increasingly demanded reduced-sugar foods and beverages which taste good. As a result, sugar reformulation has been top-of-mind for many key players in the sugar and natural sweetener space. Often seen in the food industry as the "bad guy" – sugar has taken some stick in recent years, but it does offer more than taste, and when removed, can be challenging for the end-product. With health on the tip of the tongue of many consumers, there has been an abundance of new natural ingredients and sweeteners hoping to compete in the sweetening stakes.
A 2018 Innova Market Insights Consumer Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey revealed that nearly seven out of ten consumers across the countries surveyed (US, UK, France, Germany, China and Brazil) had reduced their sugar intake. Many consumers are looking for natural ingredients and the substitution of artificial sweeteners. They are highly attentive towards the type of sugar substitution used in reformulated products and are very likely to accept a combination of less sugar and natural sweeteners over a sugar-free, but artificially-sweetened formula.
Cargill has been working with customers on reduced-sugar formulations across the full spectrum of food and beverage applications, according to Andy Ohmes, Global Director for High-Intensity Sweeteners at the company.
"Initially, much of our work was in the beverage space, but today, improvements in sweetener options have opened the door to sugar reduction in all kinds of products, including bakery, convenience, snacks, sports nutrition and confectionery. Most recently, we've seen heightened interest in reducing sugar in dairy products like ice cream, along with flavored milk and yogurts," he tells FoodIngredientsFirst.
As a general rule, Ohmes says he is seeing two approaches designed to influence consumers' food choices: changes to food labeling requirements and added taxes to certain foods or beverages based on sugar content. "Both initiatives attempt to address improving consumer health," he notes. "We all have a stake in improving consumer health and if we work collectively to understand better the root causes that are driven by science, not unsubstantiated opinions, we can create transparent solutions that lead to sustained improvements in health.
The fundamental forces driving consumer demand for reduced sugar options show no sign of abating, according to Ohmes. "At the same time, we can't lose sight of the importance of taste. Consumers want reduced-sugar foods and beverages made with simple ingredients – but not at the expense of great taste. Taste is – and will remain – the single biggest driver of purchase intent. Fortunately, formulators have more tools available today than ever before, as brands strive to balance consumer demand for products that enable sweetness and still deliver on taste," he explains.
For Abigail Storm, VP for Marketing and Sweeteners at Tate & Lyle, today's food industry has a greater sense of urgency around sugar and calorie reduction, as obesity levels continue to rise at a worrying pace.
"We have already seen a progression in the beverage category with growth in functional and flavored waters and ready-to-drink (RTD) tea. Elsewhere, there's been innovation in the ice cream category, as well as a growth in bakery and confectionery – with low and no-calorie sweeteners, including stevia which continues to grow in popularity, helping brands to meet the sugar reduction challenges," she tells FoodIngredientsFirst.
"The larger established food and beverage companies are also being challenged by the challengers – the start-ups with healthier product propositions. We know that it's not just about the sugar you take out, but what you replace it with – whether that be fibers, sweeteners or texturants to build back the full taste experience of the full sugar equivalent," she explains.
Click to EnlargeReformulation challenges
Reformulation of foods and beverages to reduce sugar without sacrificing flavor, physical and textural attributes, cost, functionality, sustainability and addressing the clean trend is challenging, Ohmes continues. "The reality is that sugar plays many roles. In addition to providing sweetness, it also acts as a preservative – helping to extend the shelf life of foods and as a fermentation substrate. It is also important in the texture, structure, color, mouthfeel, viscosity and flavoring of foods."
"This is why reformulation of foods to reduce sugar is such a challenge – it doesn't simply involve the removal of a single nutrient and, in fact, more often than not the nutrient removed will have to be replaced with other ingredients."
For Storm, the most significant challenges are being able to replace the full functionality of sugar, not just the sweetness. "With the portfolio of ingredients that we have to offer, we're able to deliver on that 'sweet spot,' so to speak. Take a chocolate chip cookie for example – Tate & Lyle fibers can build back the bulk while providing fiber enrichment, our texturants can maintain the same spread and texture of the cookie, and our sweetener portfolio of ingredients, where permitted, can provide the sweetness, or the browning, texture and mouthfeel with the use of allulose, for example."
Thomas Schmidt, Marketing Director at Beneo, agrees with this notion: "As with any product reformulation that involves cutting out sugar or fat, the main challenge is to maintain the same sweetness, mouthfeel and texture that is given by the original ingredient, while reducing its use."
For PureCircle CEO Maga Malsagov, the situation is much better and easier for food and beverage companies today than it was in the past. "Not long ago, stevia was viewed as a plant-based, zero-calorie, single-ingredient sweetener which worked well in some beverage and food applications. But much has changed," he claims.
"We have since addressed the challenge associated with first generation stevia ingredients. Today we offer a range of new generation stevia leaf sweetener ingredients, including Reb M, with sugar-like taste and zero calories. Our Reb M stevia leaf sweetener works well across all major food and beverage categories," he notes.
Until recently, a challenge has been that Reb M was present only in relatively small amounts in conventional stevia plants. "Recent PureCircle advances enable us to significantly boost production of new generation stevia sweeteners like Reb M," Malsagov continues. "This means we can supply stevia sweeteners in amounts that customers need as they expand the use of stevia ingredients. Depending on amounts purchased and terms of purchase, companies buying Reb M from PureCircle will find the cost of using it to sweeten a beverage or food, equivalent to their cost of using sugar to achieve the same level of sweetening."
"Everyone would love to have a 'magic bullet,' a zero-calorie, natural sweetener that tastes exactly like a full-sugar version and mimics sugar's functionality, says Ohmes from Cargill. "The reality is product developers need to use multiple tools to create successful reduced-sugar food and beverage products."
"We believe stevia and erythritol, often used in combination, are two of the best tools currently available for sugar reduction, across food and beverage applications," he adds. In the case of stevia, product launches containing the high-intensity sweetener reached more than 4,300 new products globally in 2017, according to Innova Market Insights data.
Consumers' positive perceptions of the plant-based sweetener clearly contributed to that growth. According to Cargill's proprietary online research of 13,000 consumers, when compared to 12 of the leading low/no-calorie sweeteners, consumers ranked stevia leaf extract as the most healthful, as well as having the most positive perception on the label, according to Cargill's IngredienTracker.
"Erythritol is also enjoying an uptick in use, with launches using the ingredient doubling since 2012. Erythritol, which looks and tastes like sugar, is often paired with high-intensity sweeteners because it has a sugar-like aftertaste, helps mask off-notes and replaces sugar's bulk," he notes.
Tate & Lyle is continuing to innovate in the stevia space with its partner Sweet Green Fields. "We want to provide the best tasting, lower-cost solutions that make it as easy as possible for our customers to reformulate with stevia," says Storm. "We are also pushing forward with innovation on our rare sugar pillar, providing allulose in different formats and at different levels of cost in use to again broaden the use of that breakthrough ingredient given the range of benefits it can deliver in food and beverage applications."
"There are a few trends I see gaining traction with thought leaders in this space that will likely impact on our customers and their consumers. Those being the interest in reducing sweetness levels in final products, retraining ourselves to demand less sweetness. In addition, I see consumer demand for added benefits, such as added fiber – a genuine way to build back positive nutrition benefits when taking sugar out of a formulation," she explains.
"Speaking of the calories of sugar, some people could be radical but we do not think removing sugar from a formulation is rational or pragmatic. What sugar can provide to food and beverages is more than sweetness. And steviol glycosides perform well with sugar. With the presence of sugar, steviol glycosides could achieve a more satisfying overall taste and enhance the sweetness," Dean Francis, CEO of Sweet Green Fields tells FoodIngredientsFirst.
All steviol glycosides from the stevia plant have been approved, he says. "It echoes to our initial standing that the underdeveloped steviol glycosides have their unique value that may improve the taste profile, solubility and cost-in-use of the mainstream steviol glycosides. We have new stevia products being developed in this direction that allows us to bring stevia more acceptable and sustainable to consumers."
"In the area of sweetener of zero calories and natural sources, we don't see scalable and commercially viable sweeteners coming in the way of stevia," adds Francis. Click to Enlarge
What's next?
PureCircle is expanding its offerings of stevia leaf ingredients to include, not just sweeteners and flavors, but also protein, fiber and antioxidant ingredients – all from the stevia plant. According to the company, this development will enable PureCircle to utilize much more of each stevia leaf. As such, the company will be able to make each leaf "work harder."
Additionally, continued demand for bulk replacement of sugar will remain a priority. For Storm at Tate & Lyle, "no single ingredient that can replace sugar and all its functionality and the company will continue to innovate around combinatorial pillars for sugar and calorie reduction – through sensory expertise and ingredient development to provide our customers with the best combinations of our ingredients to deliver solutions for sugar and calorie reduction across categories," she says.
Several countries, including the UK, have introduced a sugar tax and other countries may also follow suit, in this respect. Sugar reduction and reformulation is expected to remain pivotal in 2019 and beyond while 2020 will be the year when targets will be scrutinized even further.
By Elizabeth Green
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