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Famed lawyer and liberal icon Alan Dershowitz, a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School, is blasting Barack Obama as an "appalling president" for stabbing Israel in the back, with his decision to allow the U.S. to abstain from, and essentially support, a U.N. resolution last week. In an interview with Fox News, Dershowitz said: "What he (Obama) did was so nasty. He pulled a bait-and-switch. He said to the American public: This is all about the settlements deep in the West Bank. And yet he allowed his representative to the U.N. abstain, which is really [support] for, a resolution that says the Jews can't pray at the Western Wall, Jewish … students can't go to Hebrew University, Jewish and Arab patients can't go to Hadassah hospital, Jews can't live in the Jewish Quarter, where they've lived for thousands of years, and he's going to say, 'Whoops, I didn't mean that.' "Well, read the resolution!" he said. "You're a lawyer!"
On Friday, Obama had his U.N. representative abstain from a vote on a resolution that demands Israel "immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem." t also calls for the Jewish state to be restricted to the borders it had before the 1967 war, when it was attacked by its Arab neighbors. Critics said it effectively strips Israel of any bargaining power in any future peace negotiations by forcing the state to forfeit its biggest bargaining chip. The resolution was approved 14 to 0, with the United States abstaining. To pass, a U.N. resolution requires approval by 9 out of 15 members of the Security Council, and no vetoes by any of the five permanent members, including the U.S. Since the U.S. didn't veto the plan, the Obama administration effectively endorsed it. Dershowitz said he had met with Obama at one point, and Obama had assured him that he would always have Israel's back. "I didn't realize what [Obama] meant is that he would have their back to stab them," Dershowitz said. He explained a Middle East peace now will be much harder to achieve because Arab interests will believe they have to make no accommodations, that the international processes such as those at the U.N. will give them a nation on their own terms. The result? Obama will be considered "one of the worst foreign policy presidents ever," he said. He described Obama as an "appalling, appalling president."


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518er OF THE YEAR
I spent more time thinking about this award than any other. Would I give it to someone who was a local celebrity? Perhaps the person who was most newsworthy? Maybe, I thought, I should give it to someone who it might not be known to many residents does a lot of good for the area?
In thinking of all three, though, one name came up every time – News10 anchor Lydia Kulbida.
Beyond being arguably the biggest name in local news, Lydia is a tireless philanthropist. I didn't hear any other name associated more frequently with charity work and contributions in the area, and yet she carries herself with a rare dignity and approachability.
Beyond being a face on the TV screen, she's someone who gives back to the area. And, after all the drama from her departure with WNYT, we're lucky to still have her.
Lydia also blogs for the Times Union here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Lisé Freking is our resident Warehouse member blog writer. When she isn't in the "member trenches" in Zumba, Bootcamp, Insanity, Tank Top Arms and more, Lisé enjoys time with her husband and their three children. Lisé has been involved in sports as long as she can remember: tennis, swimming, track (including shot and discus) and softball. Most recently, in addition to Warehouse classes, Lisé enjoys at least one good mud run obstacle course challenge a year! Lisé also enjoys a hot beach, a good book, and a cold drink in her spare time. She earned her undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Spanish at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Go Badgers!) and her law degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
December 2019


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This wonderful Scripture passage is one of my life verses. The Lord gave it to me a few years ago during a particularly difficult time in my life and I will forever cling to it. The words are faithful and true and immediately calm me down when I start feeling anxious or upset about something.
How about you? What are some of your favorite Bible verses and how do they impact your life?


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I've been learning to sew on-and-off for close to 2 years now, and it never fails to give me a sense of pride and achievement every time I create something new. They may be far from perfect, but to get there with just guts and give it your best to try, has always been an exhilarating experience. I think this is one of the reasons why DIY masters and home couture sewers never stop doing what they love. The experience, while time-consuming at times, is so addicting.
I have no teachers except that my mother taught me how to do several hand stitches when I was little (I hated sewing back then). I learn machine sewing and fabric treating all from the machine's manuals and sewing books. But this way of learning isn't for everyone. Some of us prefer to have guidance on how to start and making sense of sewing. There's why you should check out workshop.
This 800 sq.ft. of creative space host one-time and series classes of affordable DIY. From sewing basics, alterations, quilting, screen printing, there's no shortage of classes to get your creative blood boiling. Checkout their website and attend a class or two, and you'll be sewing (and more) in no time.
Fast forward several months. Let's say you're so on a roll, make a few garment pieces, and then one day….you decide that you want to create your own fashion line. Well, well, well….then go over to The Factory. This collaborative space that supports local emerging designers and specializes in high-designs can get you moving. Exciting, right?
Too much too soon? But want to keep pushing the boundary of high designs past basic pieces? I thing I always recommend is getting a Japanese pattern book or two (one of my favorites is Koko Yamase's Kakkoii Couture Remake). The pictures are basically the instructions, so you won't have to worry about your Japanese language capability. Plus, some of them are now translated in English, like this Tomoko Nakamichi's Pattern Magic series. You can also hone your sewing quality by reading books like Claire Shaeffer's Couture Sewing Techniques.
And last but not least, download these free patterns from the likes of Alexander McQueen, Yohji Yamamoto, and John Galliano. When I visited one of the high-end boutiques at Fillmore neighborhood, the store salesperson asked me if I'm a designer after seeing me observing a Yohji Yamamoto piece's construction. So thank you, lady, for referring me to this SHOWStudio site! I'm so excited to do these pieces soon :)
Have fun sewing,


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Welcome Reader, to November's Second Saturday Author Interview.
My guests today are the mother-daughter team who write as Maureen K. Howard, Maureen Kovach and Brigette Howard.
Thank you for joining us today, Maureen and Brigette. I know my readers are eager to learn more about you and how you create your charming characters. Just to give our readers who may not have read your books an idea of your style, here's an excerpt from my review of Sunny Side Up from this past March:
Sunny Side Up lives up to its title, as the main characters are indefatigably cheerful, even when enmeshed in the most devastating situations.
Fans of zany, madcap female amateur detectives will love boating on Lake Erie with BFF's Francie and June, an unlikely match-up whose friendship holds fast as they leap into one ill-advised adventure after another.
Now, let's learn more about this dynamic duo:
Maureen and Brigette, when did you publish your first book, Sunny Side Up?
Sunny Side Up was published on November 21, 2014, just in time for the holidays.
How long did it take from the first glimmer of an idea until publication?
Brigette and I toyed around with the idea of writing a book for about three years before we finally decided to quit talking about it and do it. Once we got it going, the actual writing took about six months, and then we had to figure out how to get it published. That was probably more work than the writing because it was all brand new territory. I Skyped with my sister's friend in England who gave me a road map for the journey. From there, we joined lots of online author support groups and asked lots of questions. All told, I'd say close to four years. Seeing that first novel in print and holding it in my hands was unlike any feeling I've had since Christmas Day when I was four years old.
I know exactly how you felt, Maureen. You and your daughter write as a team. I'm curious about how this duet of words works. Can you explain the process?
It's unusual, or so they tell me, but to us it's the most natural thing. I can't imagine doing this on my own. Brigette is the idea girl. We plot out a rough outline together. She comes up with so many creative scenes and puts her thoughts down in a shared Google Doc. I then stretch, expand, and polish the material. We both go over and over the whole thing, adding and refining all the time. I love writing the scenic descriptions and creating realistic dialogue. We've been told we have a unique voice, and I suppose that's due to two voices melding into one.
As a retired English teacher, what are your thoughts on the current crop of independent authors, as far as grammar, punctuation and the mechanics of the written word are concerned?
I am proud to be in the company of so many independent authors who are meticulous about what they publish, but as in all fields, there are those who are in a rush and will sacrifice quality for quantity. I love to promote other independent authors who exemplify superior skill and craftsmanship. If an author writes a good story, her readers won't care who published the book.
Do you think your teaching background helps in the editing process?
Without a doubt! I am obsessive when it comes to sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. (Notice the Oxford comma-LOL). I see errors even when I'm not looking for them. They're everywhere. They haunt my dreams. After I have edited our manuscripts to death, I do it again, and then send it to a professional editor.
I noticed your publisher is listed as Silver Phoenix Publishing. Is this the same Silver Phoenix Publishing best known for comic books and trading cards? If so, how did you make the connection to have them publish your cozy mystery book?
There is no connection, darn it. I checked out the name when we were forming our partnership and since there wasn't one in Ohio, we used it. It was the code name for my youngest daughter's unborn child-but that's a story for another day. (She since gave birth to my wonderful granddaughter, Evelyn Lilith.)
You bring the Lake Erie neighborhoods to life in your stories. Have you lived in Ohio all your life?
No. I lived in Michigan for my first forty years. I now reside in Ohio, and my family has been enjoying the beautiful shores and islands of Lake Erie for over twenty years.
Do you have an agent?
No. We are doing the Indie thing.
Is Francie's personality a combination of yours and your daughter's?
I have pondered this question myself. She definitely has personality traits that we share, such as fierce loyalty, a sense of humor in the face of adversity, and the love of all cheese and fine wine.
Do you have a work in progress or new release you would like to tell us about?
Yes! We are so excited for the release of Deviled. Book 2 in the Lake Erie Mysteries series will be available for purchase any day now.
Where can readers learn more about you and your books?
Please visit (the sites below). We love interacting with our readers!
Twitter: @mhowardbooks
At left is a photo of Brigette with her dog, Isabelle, and me with Joe, the golden doodle.
It was a pleasure answering your questions, Jonna. I can't wait to read all your other author interviews and gaining insight into their lives and writing process.
Hugs, Maureen
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Maureen. I'm sure we all look forward to more entertaining, egg-titled adventures with Francie and her friends.


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People think being a cook or a postman is a weird profession to pursue but the truth is far from reality. We bring to you the really weird jobs which have the most unusual job description attached to them.
Professional Apologizers
Ever been in a place where you have to say sorry for something bad you did but can't stand the person? Then hire a professional apologizer who will say sorry, and even cry for your behalf.
Professional apologizers will listen to all the complaints of the person, comfort them, tell them it's your fault, and maybe even offend them more when they realize what you just did to them. A face-to-face apology costs you a bomb while a phone apology is relatively cheaper.
Since you have already decided to offend your friend or family by doing this, then why not commit to it and take the phone package… it's cheaper anyway.
Firing Consultants
Yes, George Clooney's Up in the Air was based on this actual profession. Companies often hire 'firing consultants' to get their employees fired as it is often tough for the existing management to layoff people who have worked for them.
They are known as Corporate Downsizing Consultants or sometimes as the 'Hatchet Man.' We wonder who would fire the hatchet man or would that just become a loop and we would have to call Bruce Willis to get that fixed?
Virtual Gold Farmers
Virtual Gold Farmers are people who collect in-game currencies by sitting and playing games on the computer all day long. Sounds Fun? Then imagine somebody leveling up your character or collecting rare items for you by doing the same map over and over again.
It may seem like that this job would be paying pennies… but apparently, a company in China named Wow7gold made over $1.5 million dollars just by selling the in-game currency they farmed through their employees.
Spin Doctors
Spin Doctors are people who intentionally misinterpret facts to make it beneficial for their company. Literally, every company has them and uses them in PR disasters.
The industry which often uses them the most are the tobacco companies. These people constantly add deceptive yet believable elements to case studies to discredit reports. Making sure that tobacco companies keep on selling cigarettes to the consumers, without the buyers getting worried about the consequences.
Teddy Bear Repair Doctors
If your teddy is worn out and you are attached to it in an obsessive way, then do know that there are places and specialists who can help you fix it. We are not kidding… Teddy Bear Repair Doctor is a real job and there is even a hospital – 'Teddy Bear Hospital of Pittsburg' which will admit patients.
There are Teddy Bear Clinics too, even in the US which will treat your teddy bear for both acute and chronic problems. Well, if you weren't able to get into med school, then maybe you can still call yourself a doctor by pursuing this.
Professional Hitchhikers
Professional Hitchhikers are a real thing in Jakarta and you have to pay them to avail their services. This stems from the law created by Indonesian government which allows you to use the faster lane only if three or more passengers are traveling together. It was done to tackle the road congestion nightmare due to a huge spike in people owning car.
This led to the need for picking random strangers to make sure that the commuter reaches work on time. The hitchhikers are usually women with child so as to pass off as a family traveling together. If caught, they stand to be fined over $100 which is a lot since the average Indonesian earns less than a dollar a day, the hitchhiker though, earn $7.5.
Currently, the 30 million people strong capital city of Indonesia has 20 million cars. With the law getting exploited, there is no end to the ever-increasing congestion of the city.
Garbage Detectives
True to its name, the role of a Garbage Detector is to find illegal garbage and trace it them back to its owners who are then fined… heavily. The Swiss take garbage disposal rules very seriously which is what Judith Schulte found out when she disposed the garbage on a Sunday.
The police told her to either spend two nights in jail (yes, really!) or pay a 250-franc ($280) fine. Of course, she reluctantly paid the fine. Swiss municipal laws also ban mowing the lawn on Sundays and hires Garbage Detectives who works in pairs and investigate trash bags for wrongful item disposal.
Among other things, the Garbage Detectives look for clues of ownership such as medicine packaging, whether the garbage was put in their correct bags and even the day and time when the garbage was put out. You can't even put the garbage out too early otherwise you will have to incur a 50 franc penalty.
Professional Snugglers
Cuddling for money is a real thing and if you think it's something that happens in Japan, then think again. Professional cuddlers have been operating in at least 16 states in the US with thousands of clients. This isn't some shady escort service we are talking about. Apparently, cuddling releases feel good hormones which makes it therapeutic.
Cuddlers earn around $400 per session in which they have to bear hug, tickle or just plain go off to sleep. Clothing should remain on during the entire session but boners are considered normal.
Airplane Repo Man
Ever wondered who goes to collect the plane when their mortgage expires? That is a job reserved for an Airplane Repo Man. While the average bank collectors just send notice to the defaulters, this job requires the person to travel across the world and collect the airplane whose payments have been defaulted.
The job is not as easy as it sounds. Rich people usually tend to be crankier and don't care for the laws especially in under developed countries. This means that you might be beaten, chased or even have a gun pointed at you. Think we are kidding? Then meet Nick who even spent a week in a Haitian jail while he was doing his job. Another repo man, Ken, has a death warrant for him in Central Africa.
The job also requires the guy who repossesses the plane to sell it to some other customer. Wonder why anyone would take such a risky job? Well… because you can earn almost a million dollars from each repo!
Karleen Howden is a professional sex toy tester and her 8 hour job involves using these sex toys on herself and rating them. Karleen believes that she has the best job in the world and we agree. She even gives some of the toys to her mother to try them out which we are guessing would someday make for a really awkward conversation during family dinner.


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If you are within Coconut Creek or the larger South Florida region, then the Wow Factory offers the best location for your kid's party. Whether you are having a birthday party, a family get-together or just want to give your kids and their friends a fun day out; the Wow Factory offers the best value for money and an enjoyable experience. What would you, and your kids, experience at the Wow Factory? Read on to find out.
- An awesome party venue with Lots of fun activities
The Wow Factory offers more than just bowling, there are numerous fun activities for your kids to enjoy. There are more than enough bowling alleys so you can reserve as many as you want to ensure that your party enjoys their bowling uninterrupted. Apart from the bowling, there is a well-stocked arcade games section with many new and retro arcade games available. There is a laser tag arena within the complex as well as a rock climbing wall and a rope course. To have access to any, or all, of these facilities, all you have to do is book them in advance.
- Kids birthday party packages
If you are holding a birthday party for your child, and their friends, then the Wow factory has a number of special party packages for you. Starting at $399, your kids will enjoy bowling and any of the other fun activities within the complex. They will get pizza and sodas as well as a complimentary Wow Factory gift bag. The Wow Factory can also send branded paper or electronic invitations to your party attendants. The birthday girl or boy will also be given points that can be redeemed at any of the fun activities for free as a birthday gift. If you have more than 12 guests or want a more customized party experience (such as a special menu), then all you need is to inform the Wow factory in advance and your child's party can be customized to suit your preference.
- An affordable and safe experience.
All our party packages, activities and food and beverage items are priced affordably to ensure that your kids can have fun without denting your budget. The Wow factory prides itself in being a responsible member of the Coconut Creek community and wants its services to be within the price range that can be enjoyed by all. All the activities that are held at the Wow factory are also adequately supervised by well-trained staff to ensure that your children will be safe as they enjoy themselves. From the rock climbing wall to the kitchen, you can be guaranteed that all safety measures are adhered to.
- Something for the parents
While the kids have fun, the Wow factory has something for the parents and chaperones to enjoy. Adults can enjoy bowling; have some snacks or sample from our wide selection of wines and craft beers. We have an impressively wide menu that includes tacos, burgers, steaks, tex-mex and quesadillas.
The Wow Factory has all the ingredients for a truly fun and unforgettable kids' party. Bring your kids and let them discover the 'wow' effect of the Wow Factory.
Call to plan your next event with The Wow Factory! (954) 380-8600
For more information about The Wow Factory and The Wow Alley fun, visit our website at
Connect with us on social media at
and https://twitter.com/wowfactoryfun


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Nepal is a landlocked country located in the Himalayas and sharing its borders with India in the east (state of Sikkim), south (states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh) and west (state of Uttarakhand). In the north Nepal is bordered by the autonomous region of Tibet, People's Republic of China. That unique geographical location gave Nepal its rich cultural heritage and three main elevation zones. Regarded as the highest country on Earth, Nepal is commonly referred to as the "roof of the world. Nepal is a multi-ethnic and multilingual country with vast stretches of grasslands, meadows and tropical rain-forest. The Himalayas can get to sub-zero temperatures, but the sun blaze can bring some warmth during the day, even in the mountains. Nepal's climate varies with its topography and altitude which ranges from the tropical to the arctic. The white snow-capped Himalayan mountains vanishes into the clouds like stairways to heaven.
Mount Everest
The country contains the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. The mountain attracts a large number of tourists and climbers, for hiking or just admiring the world's tallest peak located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas, often disappearing in the clouds at 8,848m (29,029ft). Even though Nepal is home to 8 of the 10 highest mountains on earth, this charming country is much more than just mountains.
Nepalese people are one of friendliest and accommodating people in the world and don't be surprised if you got invited into local's home for tea. Sitting "above" the world, Nepal is just one step away from heaven. The mix of dumbfounding landscapes, stunning architectures, and colorful cities makes this outlandish locale a great destination for tourists and trekkers.
Religion & Temples
Nepal boasts a large number of temples and is home to the birthplace of Gautama Buddha (Maya Devi Temple), the UNESCO world heritage site located in Lumbini visited every year by millions of Buddhists. Nepal hosts famous Buddhist temples such as Kathmandu's Kopan Monastery, Budhanilkantha, Swayambhunath Stupa(known as the Monkey Temple founded about 2,000 years ago). Holy places are not just limited to the Buddhist faith; Hinduism is also have deep root in the country's make up as well with many Hindu temples across the country such as the magnificent Pashupatinath Temple situated 5km from Kathmandu, Gorkha's 17th century Manakamana Temple renowned for its quintessential Nepalese architecture; some in Kathmandu have been severely damaged by the 2015 earthquakes.
Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal; the beautiful, bustling city stands at a cultural crossroads between China and India, whose influences is notable on the city's architecture's and cuisine. Despite some damage from the 2015 earthquake, the spectacularly restored Garden of dreams or Swapna Bagaicha remains one of the most beautiful enclaves in Kathmandu and also the city's ancient royal palace, Hanuman Dhoka, built within 4th – 8th century during the Licchavi period is an example of the architectural excellence of the Nepalese people.
Nepal is a mountainous country with best trekking routes and abundant water hence the ideal place for white water rafting and kayaking. The hippie destination of the 60's is now natural destination where the natural environment can be best experienced, not only in the Himalayas but at Chitwan National Park in the southern part of the country which houses 68 species of mammals, about 130 species of fish, 50 species reptiles and amphibians and about 560 species of birds which makes it one of the best place for bird watching in the world. The Park is renowned for its protection of the endangered Bengali tiger, One horned rhino and the Gharial crocodile. Hunting is allowed in Dhorpaxtan Reserve.
Pokhara is the favorite adventure and leisure city in Nepal and the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit. The town is characterized by spectacular scenery, adventure activities, awesome accommodation and food choices galore which makes international Mountain Museum Pokhara, Peace Temple Gurkha Memorial Museum, Annapurna Butterfly Museum a must visit for travelers. One of the most popular town in the country is Thamel, the commercial neighborhood in Kathmandu inject western life with numerous bars and clubs for a better nightlife into the capital city.
Mustang, formerly Kingdom of Lo, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal and has been part of the country since the 18th century. Its traditional Tibetan culture has survived in Himalayan isolation. To trek in Upper Mustang is a rare privilege. Here you will experience the way of life of true mountain people. You will be amazed to find a medieval kingdom with a lifestyle, preserved culture and heritage from centuries of isolation. In Lower Mustang you will find the amazing Marsyangdi River, one of the world's deepest gorge. Seasoned rafters from around the globe consider the Marsyangdi one of the best rafting river in the world.
Explore mother nature at its peak while you wander through the Himalayas. Welcome to Nepal.


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On Tuesday 23 May, a little less than five years after the completion of a prototype, the last of 35 CNIM-produced radial plates left La Seyne-sur-Mer for the facility in Italy, where the jacketed cable will be inserted into the plate's groves. © CNIM
23 May 2017Download
The European Domestic Agency, Fusion for Energy, was responsible for the procurement of 70 radial plates, needed for the fabrication of the ten toroidal field coils under its responsibility. Manufacturing was shared equally by CNIM (France) and SIMIC (Italy). On 23 May, representatives of the European Domestic Agency and the two companies gathered at La Seyne-sur-Mer to celebrate the completion of CNIM's 35th radial plate. © CNIM
23 May 2017Download
The manufacturing of 35 radial plates represents 300,000 working hours by a CNIM team of 60. "Programs like this one are great accelerators of innovation," said Philippe Lazare, the CEO of CNIM's Industrial Systems Division.
28 February 2017Download


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During this exceptional period, we guarantee you that we have taken all emergency measures to guarantee your security in all our establishments and grant you maximum flexibility within the framework of our cancellation policy.
More information
Bed and Breakfast hotel Campanile Northampton
About the hotel
Campanile Northampton Bed and Breakfast hotel is conveniently located at Junction 15 of the M1 Motorway with easy access to many parts of the county and within touching distance of several large business centres.
This B&B hotel is an ideal location for both Business and Leisure travellers. The 87 bedroom hotel opened in 2008 and offers guests a wide range of facilities including the A la Catre restaurant serving seasonal menus as well as a lounge menu for those seeking a light meal.
A highlight of the Campanile Hotel Northampton is definitely its contemporary restaurant featuring delicious and healthy buffets that have been inspired by 3-Michelin starred chef, Pierre Gagnaire. The internationally-renowned chef has been working with Campanile's own team of chefs to develop a new range of generous, fresh buffets offering seasonal food in a congenial atmosphere.
Campanile Northampton hotel also provides paying WIFI, Free parking, a 24 Hour Reception, Fully Air-conditioned rooms with Wall mounted LCD TVs giving you access to Free View Channels.
The Bar offers a wide range of drinks and snacks and with Satellite Television avalaible offering Live Sports and up to date news.
The Campanile Northampton hotel has 5 Conference rooms offering a full range of state of the art facilities. Conference delegates will be accommodated in the purpose built 210sqm of conference space including five fully equipped meeting rooms with paying Wi-Fi connection, flip charts and data projectors with sound system.
Campanile Northampton is ideally located for guests planning to attend the British Grand Prix at Silverstone or the Crick Boat Show, Towcester Race-course, Milton Keynes Shopping Centre and Althorp's open gardens & house are also within a short driving distance.
Campanile Northampton hotel accomodation has 87 modern bedrooms situated over 3 floors. The hotel offers Double, Twin, Family Rooms and accessible rooms.
Modern, functional bedrooms with wall mounted televisions offering Freeview channels. All rooms are fully air-conditioned and offer Tea & Coffee making facilities, telephone service and modern lighting.
The stylish yet functional bathrooms combine elegant wood with luminous clarity in an easy-access layout. The hotel offers guests a sophisticated range of natural care products under the badge "Good Night & Good Day Collection by Campanile".
Paying Wi-Fi is available across the hotel, iron and ironing boards are available on request and the hotel also offers the same day laundry service at an extra cost.
The B&B hotel has 4 accessible rooms which are all fitted with the necessary equipment to ensure a comfortable stay.
From 6:30 am to 11am (and from 8am to 12pm on Saturdays-Sundays & Public holidays),top up on vitamins in the morning with our all-you-can-eat Continental buffet : fresh fruits, yoghurts, cereals, pastries, cheese, ham, fruit juices and a selection of teas and coffees; in addition to traditional cooked breakfast.
Our Eatery
Everyday choices… Fantastic Value!
Our informal dining area has something for everyone.
If you're looking for somewhere to get good-value food, join us for one of our fantastic food offers. Fancy a bite? The Daily Menu offers you everyday choices for great value!
Check out our daily menu for the offers available.
If you're looking for somewhere to chill out, after a hard day's work, why not relax with a bottle of wine or a beer? If it's sports you're into, then, join us in selected destinations.
By day, you can relax with a pint and enjoy the days sporting events; by night and come the weekend, you can feel the passion, with rugby and football fixtures.
All our dishes are available from 12.00pm till 9.45pm unless otherwise stated.
Services and conditions
For your business trips or family holidays, your B&B hotel in Northampton offers you all the services to facilitate your stay:
- Facilities for guests with reduced mobility
- Paying WIFI in all rooms
- Parking
- Complimentary tray with kettle, tea, coffee
- Hairdryer and iron available at the reception
Starting from GBP 35
- Mini counter
- Free WIFI
- Room service
- Meeting rooms
- Air conditionned lobby
- Pets accepted
NN4 5EZ NORTHAMPTON, United Kingdom


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Army Briefs Camouflage Speedos are sexy low rise swim trunks that emphasise your masculinity and power. Perfect tight fit in the right places, and a camouflage coloured waistband make you the sexy attraction at every beach.
Fits smaller than usual, please check your size in the chart.
Material: Nylon, Spandex
Size CM INCHES
S 60-69cm 23"-27"
M 70-78cm 27"-31"
L 78-86cm 31"-34"
XL 87-97cm 34"-38"


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Hi, I guess this is a question that applies to all AGEOD games ...
I wanted to see if I can merge Murat's corps with Napo's La Grande Armee and of course, the provided command points were not enough for both. My question "how can I un-merge the two armies ? Because I'm not sure exactly which card was originally with Murat and which one with Napo ?
The only solution I found is to reload the latest save, which is far from a good solution. I'm afraid there's no solution and that's it's a flaw of the game but would be happy to read your thoughts about this, just in case.


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Supreme Court decisions of June 27, 2016.
French companies should take precautionary action now in order to claim the French corporate income tax surcharge of 3% paid in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Specialized in international tax and legal strategies, Taj is one of France's leading law and advisory firms. Our firm currently employs more than 567 professionals including 65 partners.
Taj is a Deloitte network entity, one of the world's leading professional services organisations and, as such, works with 44,000 Deloitte tax and law specialists located in 150 countries.
Taj uses cookies to provide you with the best service. By browsing through our website, you accept the use of cookies on this website.


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I had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled on Wednesday. Needless to say, I'm not really up to doing anything more than watching Planet Earth and napping. Sorry, but you all are going to have to wait until Monday for the cool catacombs post. Them's the breaks.
Have some cat videos instead. As always, Simon's Cat is a favorite.


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Paper Presentation
August 11-14, 2018
LSA Paper Presentation and Junior Scholar Preconference
June 5-10, 2018
Law and
Society Grad Conference in Paris
December 2017
EASA LawNet
September 19-21, 2017
Panelist for Curt's Café Junior Board Fundraiser
May 24, 2017
Winner of 2017 Karpf
Peace Prize
May 2017
Manuscript Accepted at Theory and Society
April 2017
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I look forward to presenting work from my dissertation project at the annual American Sociological Association conference this year, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I will also be presiding over a roundtable. Excited to see many friends and colleagues over the course of the event.
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Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases by digital size selection and relative mutation dosage on DNA in maternal plasma
Contributed by Charles R. Cantor, October 15, 2008
↵1F.M.F.L. and N.B.Y.T. contributed equally to this work. (received for review September 18, 2008)
Prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and β-thalassemia, is currently offered as part of public health programs. However, current methods based on chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis for obtaining fetal genetic material pose a risk to the fetus. Since the discovery of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma, the noninvasive prenatal assessment of paternally inherited traits or mutations has been achieved. Due to the presence of background maternal DNA, which interferes with the analysis of fetal DNA in maternal plasma, noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of maternally inherited mutations has not been possible. Here we describe a digital relative mutation dosage (RMD) approach that determines if the dosages of the mutant and wild-type alleles of a disease-causing gene are balanced or unbalanced in maternal plasma. When applied to the testing of women heterozygous for the CD41/42 (–CTTT) and hemoglobin E mutations on HBB, digital RMD allows the fetal genotype to be deduced. The diagnostic performance of digital RMD is dependent on interplay between the fractional fetal DNA concentration and number of DNA molecules in maternal plasma. To achieve fetal genotype diagnosis at lower volumes of maternal plasma, fetal DNA enrichment is desired. We thus developed a digital nucleic acid size selection (NASS) strategy that effectively enriches the fetal DNA without additional plasma sampling or experimental time. We show that digital NASS can work in concert with digital RMD to increase the proportion of cases with classifiable fetal genotypes and to bring noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases closer to reality.
Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal genetic diseases would obviate the risk of fetal miscarriage associated with current invasive procedures such as chorionic villus sampling. The discovery of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma has offered new avenues for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (1). Reliable noninvasive assessment of paternally inherited traits such as fetal sex and RHD status for the management of sex-linked disorders and RhD incompatibility, respectively, by circulating fetal DNA analysis has been achieved (2) and implemented for clinical use (3). Recently, noninvasive prenatal detection of fetal trisomy 21 has also been achieved (4, 5). Monogenic diseases, such as β-thalassemia and cystic fibrosis, are the other main conditions for which prenatal diagnosis is considered (6). However, a number of issues have hindered development in this area.
First, fetal DNA circulates in maternal plasma within a high background of maternal DNA (7). The maternally inherited fetal alleles present in maternal plasma are therefore difficult to discern from the background DNA of the mother. Thus, investigators have so far focused on the plasma detection of paternally inherited fetal alleles that are not present in the maternal genome (8). By detecting the presence of fetal-specific paternally inherited mutant alleles in maternal plasma, diagnosis of autosomal dominant diseases transmitted by the father could be made noninvasively (9–11), whereas the absence of such alleles could be used to exclude the fetal inheritance of autosomal recessive diseases (12, 13). These strategies have been applied to achondroplasia, myotonic dystrophy, Huntington chorea, and β-thalassemia (9–13). However, those approaches could not be applied to situations where the mother has an autosomal dominant mutation or when the mother and father are both carriers for the same autosomal recessive mutation (13).
Another issue that hindered research on circulating fetal DNA is its low concentration in maternal plasma. Although we recently showed that cell-free fetal DNA is present at higher concentrations than previously thought, it still amounts to only ≈10% to 20% of all DNA in maternal plasma (7, 14). Low fetal DNA concentration in maternal plasma has led to false-negative results and wrong diagnoses (15). Quantitative analysis of circulating fetal DNA is also less precise at low concentrations (5). Hence, researchers have been investigating methods for circulating fetal DNA enrichment. DNA molecules in maternal plasma are fragmented, with the fetal ones shorter than the background maternal ones (16). Li et al. (17) used gel electrophoresis to select for short DNA molecules in maternal plasma for enriching fetal DNA and reported improved sensitivities in detecting paternally inherited fetal β-thalassemia point mutations. Researchers have also attempted to suppress the amount of maternal background DNA (18). However, the gel electrophoresis technique may be prone to DNA contamination, and the suppression technique has not been universally reproducible (19–21).
Although the background maternal DNA interferes with the analysis of fetal DNA in maternal plasma, we recently developed methods for the noninvasive detection of fetal trisomy 21 (5). We applied digital PCR (22) and developed two approaches, namely digital RNA-SNP and digital relative chromosome dosage (RCD) for fetal aneuploidy detection. Both methods exploit the high analytical precision of digital PCR to detect the presence of an overrepresentation of chromosome 21 sequences in maternal plasma for pregnancies involving a trisomy 21 fetus. Digital RNA-SNP determines if an imbalance between heterozygous alleles of a fetal-derived placentally expressed RNA transcript originating from chromosome 21 exists in maternal plasma. Digital RCD determines if there exists an overrepresentation of the total (maternal + fetal) amount of DNA sequences from a chromosome 21 locus with reference to one on another chromosome. Digital RCD is feasible in theory, but fetal DNA enrichment would be needed to enhance its practicality.
Here we propose to adopt the principles of both digital RNA-SNP and digital RCD to develop a digital relative mutation dosage (RMD) approach for the noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases. Digital RMD allows one to determine if the fetus has inherited the maternal mutant allele despite the coexistence of the background maternal DNA in maternal plasma. To enhance the efficiency of digital RMD and digital RCD, we developed a molecular enrichment strategy, termed digital nucleic acid size selection (NASS), which increases the fractional DNA concentration of the fetal loci of interest and thus helps to overcome the challenge posed by low fetal-DNA concentrations.
Digital RMD.
The principles of digital RMD are schematically illustrated in Fig. 1A. Clinically, digital RMD is required when a female heterozygous for the locus of interest is pregnant. Similar to digital RNA-SNP (5), digital real-time PCR assays were developed to discriminate the mutant from wild-type alleles of the gene locus. We determine if the amounts of mutant and wild-type alleles in a maternal plasma sample are in allelic balance or imbalance. Allelic balance is expected when the fetal genotype is identical to that of the mother (i.e., heterozygous). Allelic imbalance occurs if there is an under- or overrepresentation of the mutant allele with respect to the wild-type allele—underrepresentation would suggest a homozygous normal fetus, while overrepresentation would indicate a fetus homozygous for the mutant allele.
Digital RMD is similar to digital RCD (5) in that the allelic ratio between the mutant and wild-type alleles is determined by counting both the maternal and fetal contributions. Thus, the fractional fetal DNA concentration directly influences the expected extent of allelic imbalance when the fetus is homozygous for either allele. For example, in a maternal plasma sample containing 100 genome equivalents (GE) of DNA with 10% fetal DNA, the maternal compartment would contribute 90 GE of DNA. When the pregnancy involves a heterozygous mother and a homozygously affected fetus, the mother contributes 90 copies of each of the mutant and wild-type alleles; the fetus contributes 20 (2 × 10) copies of the mutant allele. Hence, there would be a total of 110 (90 + 20) copies of the mutant allele and 90 copies of the wild-type allele. The mutant allele is overrepresented by a ratio of 11:9 with respect to the wild-type allele. The expected allelic ratio is given by (1 + fetal DNA fraction)/(1 − fetal DNA fraction).
We apply a statistical approach termed sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) to objectively determine if allelic imbalance is present (5, 23). Imbalance suggests that the fetus is homozygous for the allele (mutant or wild-type). Balance suggests that the fetus is heterozygous. Alternatively, the SPRT analysis may indicate that there is inadequate statistical evidence for genotype classification (i.e., unclassifiable) and more digital PCR runs would be needed for the sample until statistical confidence could be reached for genotype classification.
Model System.
We assessed the RMD concept in a model system involving mixtures of male and female DNA. We obtained blood cell samples from 12 male and 12 female subjects. We mixed each of the female blood cell DNA (genotype XX, to denote the sex chromosome status) with a 3-fold excess of male blood cell DNA (genotype XY), thus producing 12 DNA mixtures with 25% of DNA with the XX genotype in a background of 75% DNA with the XY genotype. We determined the amounts of sequences from chromosomes X and Y by a reported digital real-time PCR assay targeting the homologous ZFX and ZFY genes, respectively (7). Genotype classification findings are shown in supporting information (SI) Table S1. SPRT analysis assessed if ZFX was equally represented or overrepresented with respect to ZFY. As shown in Table S1, the XX genotype in the minor DNA population was correctly classified in all 12 DNA mixtures.
Digital RMD Analysis of Hemoglobinopathy-Causing Mutations in DNA Mixtures.
We developed digital real-time allelic discrimination PCR assays to target two mutations on HBB, namely a β-thalassemia mutation, CD41/42 (–CTTT) (12), and the hemoglobin E (HbE) (G → A) mutation (24). We assessed the use of digital RMD in determining the genotype of the minority DNA population in genomic DNA mixtures comprised of ≈5% to ≈50% minor DNA in a heterozygous background. Heterozygous maternal blood cell DNA was mixed with blood cell DNA from heterozygous males, or males homozygous for the mutant or wild-type alleles. We used the ZFY/X digital assays to measure the actual male DNA fractional concentration in the DNA mixtures (7). We defined the reference allele as the allele with the lesser count in each digital PCR experiment. For digital PCR data interpretation, we defined the average template concentration per well of each experiment based on that of the reference allele (mr). SPRT curves relevant for the mr and male DNA concentration of each specific sample was used for genotype classification of that sample. Digital RMD results for the CD41/42 genotyping are shown in Table S2. All samples were correctly classified.
Blood cell DNA from nine males with different genotypes with respect to the HbE mutation were each mixed at proportions ranging from ≈10% to ≈50% in a background of female heterozygous DNA. We used the ZFY/X digital assays to measure the actual male DNA fractional concentration in the DNA mixtures. Digital RMD results for HbE genotyping are shown in Table S3. Case 2 at <10% male DNA was misclassified. All other cases were correctly classified over the full range of tested male DNA concentrations.
Fetal HBB Genotyping by Digital RMD in Maternal Plasma.
We applied digital RMD to determine the fetal genotype in maternal plasma samples collected from second-trimester (median gestational age [GA]: 19 weeks; range: 18–20 weeks) pregnant women who were carriers for the CD41/42 or HbE mutations. All cases involved male fetuses. Digital PCR analysis was performed until genotype classification by SPRT was possible or until the maternal plasma was exhausted. Findings are shown in Table 1 and Table S4. The fetal genotypes were correctly classified in 5 of 10 cases. There was an incorrect classification for case M74. Cases M99, M53, M56, and M86, all with fetal DNA concentrations <10%, remained unclassified after 11–24 panels of 765-well digital PCR analysis.
Computer Simulation of Digital RMD.
Computer simulation was performed to estimate the accuracy of fetal genotyping by digital RMD and SPRT. Separate simulations were performed for three reference template concentrations, namely at mr = 0.5 (Table S5), mr = 0.1 (Table S6), and mr = 0.05 (Table S7). Simulations were done for fetal DNA concentrations ranging from 5% to 50% and digital PCR runs ranging from 765 wells to 15,300 wells. We performed simulations for the testing of 5,000 heterozygous and 5,000 homozygous fetuses at each combination of mr, fetal DNA concentration, and digital PCR well number. The percentages of fetuses correctly and incorrectly classified as homozygous or heterozygous and those not classifiable were determined (Tables S4–S7).
According to Table S5, at mr = 0.5 and a fetal DNA concentration of 10% with 1,530 wells of digital PCR analysis, 0.8% of homozygous fetuses would be incorrectly classified, and this may explain the misclassified result of case 2 at 10% concentration in the HbE genomic DNA mixtures (Table S3). According to Table S7, at mr = 0.05 and a fetal DNA concentration of 10% with 7,650 wells of digital PCR analysis, 3.5% of heterozygous fetuses would be incorrectly classified, and this may explain the misclassified result of the maternal plasma case M74 (Table 1). Based on computer simulation, 22.9% and 50.8% of homozygous and heterozygous fetuses, respectively, would remain unclassified even after 7,650 wells of digital PCR analysis at a fetal DNA concentration of 10% and mr = 0.05 (Table S7). Thus, the unclassified cases seen in the digital RMD analyses for maternal plasma (Tables 1 and S4) were comparable to the simulation results.
Digital NASS.
The digital RMD findings suggest that when the volume of maternal plasma is limited, which prohibits the continued addition of digital PCR data, a proportion of cases (4 of 10 in Table 1 and Table S4) at the typical fetal DNA concentrations in early pregnancy, i.e., median concentration of ≈10% (7), would remain unclassified (Table 1 and Tables S4–S7). To increase the proportion of classifiable results, one could obtain more maternal plasma for additional digital PCR analysis. Alternatively, one could increase the fractional fetal DNA concentration by physical enrichment of fetal DNA (17, 18). However, here we develop and use a locus-specific method for fetal DNA enrichment, termed digital NASS.
Digital NASS exploits the fact that fetal DNA molecules are shorter than the maternal DNA fragments in maternal plasma (16). Digital NASS involves the performance of duplex digital PCR for the analysis of single DNA molecules. Its principles are schematically illustrated in Fig. 1B. Digital PCR is performed using two forward primers and one reverse primer, or vice versa, that are oriented to produce a short amplicon overlapping with a long amplicon. When a single DNA molecule at least as long as that specified by the long amplicon is captured in the reaction well, both the long and short PCR products are generated. When a single DNA molecule shorter than the span of the long amplicon is captured, only the short amplicon is generated. The presence of the long and/or short amplicons can be detected by strategically located hybridization probes or extension primers. We used the latter in our digital NASS assays. An extension primer, L (Fig. 1B), is designed to detect the presence of the long amplicon only. Another extension primer is located within the short amplicon and would detect the presence of both the short and long amplicons. This primer extension reaction further discriminates between the alleles tested. In summary, a short molecule is indicated when the L extension product is not detected. As fetal DNA is shorter than its maternal background, it would be more highly represented among the short DNA pool. By focusing on the counting of the short DNA molecules only, a higher effective fetal DNA fraction would be obtained for digital RMD analysis.
Digital NASS Analysis of Sonicated DNA.
We obtained a male buffy coat sample and sonicated half of the DNA. The absence of high molecular-weight DNA after sonication was confirmed by running on a Bioanalyzer (Agilent Technologies). The male DNA aliquots with and without sonication were each mixed with a female buffy coat DNA (not sonicated) to produce mixtures containing 15%, 25%, and 50% male DNA. Portions of the sonicated and nonsonicated male DNA were also analyzed individually and unmixed. The samples were analyzed using a digital NASS assay targeting ZFX and ZFY. Findings are shown in Fig. S1 and Table S8. The digital NASS assay indicated that less than 5% of all DNA in the samples without sonication were short, whereas the short DNA counts increased with the increasing concentration of sonicated male DNA.
Optimal Size Window Assessment.
To achieve the optimal discrimination of short fetal DNA molecules among the long maternal DNA molecules in maternal plasma and to achieve the greatest degree of locus-specific fetal DNA enrichment, we investigated various combinations of PCR amplicon sizes for constructing the digital NASS assays. Six digital NASS assays using a combination of amplicon sizes ranging from 51 bp to 213 bp (Table S9) were designed for ZFX and ZFY and aimed at the testing of maternal plasma from pregnancies with male fetuses.
Three third-trimester maternal plasma samples were analyzed. The male fetal DNA fractional concentrations were calculated twice, with and without consideration of the amplicon sizes. We first calculated the concentrations using all wells containing only ZFX or only ZFY signals regardless of whether the signal was obtained from a long or short molecule. We then recalculated the concentrations using the wells showing signals of the short ZFX and ZFY amplicons only. As shown in Fig. S2A, the calculated fractional fetal DNA concentrations were higher by using only the short DNA molecules, compared with those calculated using both the long and short molecules. The increments in the fractional fetal DNA concentrations achieved were further calculated as percentage enrichment. According to the averaged results of the tested plasma samples (Fig. S2A), assays 179_64 and 213_82 showed the greatest enrichments, and assay 213_51 showed the highest fetal DNA percentage. These three assays were selected for further study in four first-trimester maternal plasma samples.
The fractional fetal DNA concentrations and the percentage enrichment in first-trimester maternal plasma samples are shown in Fig. S2B. The combination of 179 bp and 64 bp amplicons showed the greatest power to discriminate between maternal and fetal molecules in maternal plasma and thus resulted in the highest degree of fetal DNA enrichment.
Digital NASS Measurement of Fetal DNA Concentrations in Maternal Plasma.
The ZFY/X 179_64 digital NASS assay was applied to 10 first-trimester maternal plasma samples (median GA: 13 weeks; range: 12–13 weeks) of women pregnant with male fetuses (Table S10). The median fetal DNA concentrations of counting all molecules and that of the short molecules were 18.1% and 22.9%, respectively. The median enrichment in fetal DNA attained was 38%.
We also designed a digital NASS assay to target a polymorphic SNP (rs8130833) on PLAC4. Such an assay would allow the measurement of circulating fetal DNA for both male and female fetuses when the mother is homozygous and the fetus is heterozygous. Fetal DNA concentration could be determined by counting signals from the paternal allele. We designed a duplex PCR assay with amplicon sizes of 179 bp and 63 bp. For 10 first-trimester pregnancies (median GA: 12 weeks; range: 12–13 weeks), the median fetal DNA concentrations counting all molecules and only short molecules were 9.6% and 12.5%, respectively (Table S11). The median enrichment in fetal DNA attained was 32.6%.
Combination of Digital RMD and NASS.
Any increment in fetal DNA concentration should improve the percentage of classifiable cases for a given number of digital PCR analysis (Tables S5–S7). Using digital NASS assays for digital RMD would allow two chances of genotype classification from the same dataset. For example, genotype classification could be based on the mutant and wild-type allele counts of all DNA molecules. In addition, genotype classification could also be based on the allele counts from just the short DNA molecules. Because of the effective enrichment in fetal DNA achievable by interpreting the short DNA molecules only, the combination of NASS with RMD should allow more cases to be classifiable for a given total number of DNA molecules analyzed.
We analyzed maternal plasma samples from five pregnancies (median GA: 13; range: 12–17 weeks) where the mother was heterozygous for the PLAC4 SNP and the fetus was a male. The plasma samples were analyzed with the PLAC4 (Table 2) and ZFY/X (Table 3) digital NASS assays. The latter was used to determine the fractional fetal DNA concentration in the sample. PLAC4 SNP genotype classification by SPRT analysis using informative counts from the long and short DNA molecules was based on the fetal DNA concentration derived from all ZFY and ZFX counts. Similarly, we also determined the PLAC4 SNP genotype in each case using the informative short DNA counts only. The SPRT analysis was based on the fetal DNA concentration derived from the ZFY and ZFX short DNA counts only. The correct fetal genotype was determined for four of the five cases when the SPRT analysis was based on all DNA molecules (Table 2). For case M2098P, the fetal genotype was unclassified when all informative DNA molecules were considered, but was correctly classified when the short DNA counts were used for SPRT classification. Hence, by using a digital NASS assay, RMD classification was made possible for one case, out of the currently tested five cases, that would otherwise be unclassified.
Computer Simulation for Combined Digital RMD and NASS.
We performed a computer simulation to determine the genotyping efficiency of combining digital NASS with digital RMD. We modeled the simulation against the data of the five maternal plasma samples shown in Tables 2 and 3. The parameters used included the median fetal DNA concentration without specifying for the short DNA molecules (15%), the median average reference template concentration per well of 0.08 copy/ml, the long fetal DNA fraction of 7%, and the long maternal DNA fraction of 30%. These figures translated to percentage enrichment in fetal DNA of 27% (SI Text). Using these parameters, we simulated the testing of 5,000 each of heterozygous and homozygous fetuses. As shown in Table S12, at any given number of digital PCR analyses, a proportion of cases that would otherwise be unclassified using information from all DNA molecules would become correctly classifiable when focusing on the short DNA molecules. For example, when classifying a heterozygous fetus with 3,456 wells of digital PCR, NASS adds 10% of correctly genotyped cases to the 74% correctly classified by RMD alone. When classifying homozygous fetuses with 2,304 digital PCRs, NASS adds 10% of cases correctly genotyped to the 75% of cases correctly classified by RMD alone. In short, NASS allows more cases to be classifiable by RMD when a limited amount of maternal plasma prevents the continual addition and accumulation of digital PCR data.
Digital RMD may bring noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases closer to clinical applicability. Previously, this area of research has been limited by the inability to assess the fetal inheritance of maternally transmitted disease-causing mutations (13). Researchers have exploited epigenetic differences, such as in DNA methylation, between maternal and fetal tissues to develop markers that allow the discrimination of fetal from maternal sequences despite their sharing the same primary genetic sequence (25–27). However, such differentially methylated regions may not coincide with loci harboring disease-causing mutations. In conjunction with previous approaches of the detection of paternally inherited mutations in maternal plasma, the development of digital RMD may allow noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases achievable for all pregnancies.
Digital RMD is based on the quantitative discrimination of small imbalances in concentrations between the mutant and wild-type alleles in maternal plasma. It is therefore in principle similar to the digital RCD approach for the noninvasive detection of fetal trisomy 21 (5). The main distinction between RCD and RMD lies in the nature of the allelic imbalance that needs to be detected. For Down syndrome detection, RCD aims to assess the change from two copies of chromosome 21 to three copies. RMD aims to assess the change from one copy of the mutant/wild-type allele in the heterozygote to two copies of the allele in a homozygote. Theoretically, RMD interrogates a larger degree of allelic imbalance than for RCD and should be more easily achievable.
To improve the precision and reliability for detecting the imbalance between mutant and wild-type alleles when present, allelic ratio cutoff points for segregating and classifying fetal genotypes are specifically selected for each case based on the experimentally observed digital PCR average template concentration per well and the fractional fetal DNA concentration. As the absolute amount of DNA molecules present in maternal plasma tends to be limiting, we continued to use SPRT statistics for data interpretation, as we did for digital RCD previously (5). SPRT is a Bayesian type of statistics that allows the testing of hypotheses as data accumulate and could thus save unnecessary testing when evidence is sufficient for genotype classification (23). We have previously shown that greater diagnostic efficiency and efficacy is achieved by using SPRT curves and cutoff values specific for the data of each case, i.e., case-specific SPRT (5), as opposed to fixed cutoff values (23). For this approach to be applicable to female fetuses also, we have shown that a SNP assay on PLAC4 (Table S11) and certainly other SNPs, could be used for fetal DNA quantification in informative fetal-maternal pairs (mother homozygous and fetus heterozygous). Future studies could explore the diagnostic performance of non-SPRT statistics or effects of increasing the stringency of the SPRT statistics.
Though digital RMD widens the spectrum of pregnancies at risk for monogenic diseases assessable by noninvasive means, genotype classification is more difficult at low fractional fetal DNA concentrations (7). We developed the digital NASS approach by exploiting the shorter size of fetal DNA compared with maternal DNA in maternal plasma. NASS differs from nested PCR because the amplicons are generated at the same time in NASS but sequentially in nested PCR. The NASS system works only in a digital PCR format because when more than one DNA molecule is captured in a reaction well the presence of both the long and short amplicons may indicate the presence of both long and short DNA fragments, instead of just one long DNA molecule. Thus, NASS represents a duplex/multiplex PCR assay conducted on a single DNA molecule. The advantage of NASS is that it allows locus-specific enrichment of fetal DNA without the need for extra sampling of maternal plasma or additional experimental time. Furthermore, it is complementary to other means that physically enrich fetal DNA. For example, digital NASS assays could be used to analyze size fractionated maternal plasma samples to provide further fetal DNA enrichment.
In this study, we used a microfluidics platform (7) for the performance of digital RMD. Much operational ease is offered by such systems when compared with the manual performance of digital PCR (5). Other platforms are also available (28). However, for digital NASS, because of the need to discriminate multiple amplicons in each digital PCR and the need for precise allelic discrimination, the NASS assays are based on performing conventional digital PCR followed by multiplexed primer extension reactions and product identification by mass spectrometry. The specificity of the NASS assay configuration and analytical system is supported by the lack of occurrence of the long amplicon, L, alone. Besides digital PCR, other methods of single molecule analysis, such as sequencing (29), visualization, or physical detection, could be adapted for digital RMD and digital size selection.
Though digital RMD and digital NASS each solve different but complementary bottlenecks in plasma nucleic acids research, it is of significance that they could be combined to work synergistically (Tables 2 and 3), bringing noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases closer to practical feasibility. With the gradual dismantling of the obstacles to noninvasive prenatal diagnosis, clinical trials could be set up to investigate the clinical performance of these new tests.
Materials and Methods
Details are in SI Text and Tables S13–S15.
Digital Relative Mutation Dosage (RMD).
All experiments were carried out on the BioMarkTM System (Fluidigm) using the 12.765 Digital Arrays (Fluidigm), which consists of 12 panels, each of 765 wells. A total of six panels were used for fetal DNA quantification using the ZFY/X assay (7). For digital RMD, at least one reaction panel was used for each case, and data were aggregated from extra panels for samples that remained unclassified until a genotype classified or when we exhausted the sample (Tables 1 and 2).
Digital Nucleic Acid Size Selection (NASS).
Except specifically stated in the experiment conducted to select the optimal combination of amplicon sizes for discriminating fetal from maternal DNA, the ZFY/X digital NASS assay used in all other NASS experiments was the one that generated amplicons of 179 bp and 64 bp. The digital NASS assay targeting the polymorphic SNP (rs8130833) on PLAC4 generates amplicons of 179 bp and 63 bp. All digital NASS assays were performed using MassARRAY hME reagents (Sequenom) with essentially the same protocol. A total of 384 wells were analyzed in each digital PCR run. One of a number of outcomes could be scored for each digital PCR after digital NASS analysis, and details of the scoring are described in Fig. 1B and SI Text.
SPRT Analysis.
We constructed SPRT curves on a case-specific basis by calculating the expected degree of allelic imbalance based on the experimentally derived average template concentration per well and fetal DNA proportion for genotype classification of each assessed case.
Computer Simulation of Classification Accuracy by SPRT.
The computer simulations were performed with the Microsoft Excel 2003 software (Microsoft Corp.) and SAS 9.1 for Windows software (SAS Institute, Inc.).
This study was supported by the University Grants Committee of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China, under the Areas of Excellence Scheme (AoE/M-04/06). Y.M.D.L. was supported by the Chair Professorship scheme of the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
- 2To whom correspondence may be addressed. E-mail: ccantor{at}sequenom.com or loym{at}cuhk.edu.hk
Author contributions: R.W.K.C. and Y.M.D.L. designed research; F.M.F.L., N.B.Y.T., K.C.A.C., T.Y.L., T.K.L., P.C., K.C.K.C., W.Y.W.L., C.W., and T.S. performed research; F.M.F.L., N.B.Y.T., K.C.A.C., C.R.C., R.W.K.C., and Y.M.D.L. analyzed data; and R.W.K.C. and Y.M.D.L. wrote the paper.
Conflict of interest statement: F.M.F.L., N.B.Y.T., K.C.A.C., C.R.C., R.W.K.C., and Y.M.D.L. have filed patent applications on the detection of fetal nucleic acids in maternal plasma for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Part of this patent portfolio has been licensed to Sequenom. C.R.C. is chief scientific officer of and holds equities in Sequenom. Y.M.D.L is a consultant to and holds equities in Sequenom.
This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/0810373105/DCSupplemental.
Freely available online through the PNAS open access option.
- © 2008 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA
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text:
Chronicling two decades of cultural exchange between Mexico and the U.S., the exhibition Mexico Modern: Art, Commerce, and Cultural Exchange, 1920–1945 showcases examples of modern Mexican art and design. Through exhibitions, books and articles, it also documents the ways this art was broadcast to new audiences, primarily in the U.S. The exhibition demonstrates how, in the 1920s and 1930s, Mexican art that was initially received as avant-garde gained mainstream acceptance.
The exhibition highlights the important history of 20th-century art and how artists, museum curators, gallery owners, journalists and publishers in both countries instigated a cultural phenomenon by creating and promoting art that pioneered a synthesis of indigenous traditions and international aesthetics.
The more than 200 items in the exhibition, drawn primarily from the Ransom Center's collections, reveal the importance of the transnational networks of individuals and institutions that sought, championed and interpreted many great, often radically new, works of art. The materials include paintings, photographs, jewelry and decorative arts, as well as correspondence, periodicals and exhibition brochures.
"'Mexico Modern' provides a unique opportunity to showcase the Ransom Center's remarkable collections to present a memorable cast of characters, whose connectedness is revealed not only through great works of art, but also via intimate media such as letters and snapshots," notes guest curator Thomas Mellins.
The popularity and prestige of Mexican art throughout the 1920s and 1930s was the direct result of a dynamic exchange between Mexico and the U.S., where New York, Chicago and Los Angeles served as epicenters of cultural activism.
This Mexican moment encompassed artists such as painters Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Jean Charlot; graphic designer and art historian Miguel Covarrubias; photographers Nickolas Muray, Tina Modotti, Edward Weston and Manuel Álvarez Bravo; and jewelry designer William Spratling. Their work was championed by journalist and writer Anita Brenner, curator René d'Harnoncourt and publishers Frances Toor and Alfred and Blanche Knopf, among others. These individuals, many of whom traveled back and forth between the two nations, collectively became an important part of the historical narrative.
Accompanying the exhibition is the book "Mexico Modern," which will be published by the Museum of the City of New York and the Ransom Center in conjunction with Hirmer. The book
features essays from the curators and profiles of leading figures showcased in the exhibition, as well as an introductory essay by George F. Flaherty, assistant professor of Latin American and U.S. Latino art history at UT Austin.
The "Mexico Modern" exhibition is on display from September 11 through January 1 in the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. For more information, visit hrc.utexas.edu.


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IVD Test Reagent/Kits, Molecular Assay, Gene Anomaly, Mutation, CNGB1
Definition : Molecular assay reagents intended to identify mutations in the cyclic nucleotide gated channel beta 1 (CNGB1) gene, located at chromosome 16q13, which encodes for cyclic guanine nucleotide-gated channel (cGMP) rod photoreceptor that plays a role in photoreceptor cell generation. Mutations at this locus have been identified in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
Entry Terms : "Retinitis Pigmentosa Gene Mutation Detection Reagents" , "CNGB1 Gene Mutation Detection Reagents" , "Reagents, Molecular Assay, Gene Anomaly, Mutation, CNGB1"
UMDC code : 24351


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Description of Taxidermy For Sale
This is a fantastic life-size North American Beaver taxidermy mount, posed in the classic "harvest pose". This beaver has soft fur, good taxidermy craftsmanship, and would be perfect for a movie prop. All of this combined has helped this item earn our Excellent™ overall quality rating. All applicable dimensions are included to help ensure this item will fit within your intended display space.
- Great for a movie prop!
About the Beaver (Castor Canadensis)
The beaver is a large, semi-aquatic rodent that can be found in North America and northern Europe. These herbivores are nocturnal and infamous for building dams in rivers and streams in order to create still bodies of water for their homes. The beaver is probably most well-known (and instantly recognized) for its paddle-shaped tail. They use these leather tails for swimming, as well as slapping against the surface of the water, serving as a warning to predators and fellow beavers alike.
5 lbs
This item ships FREE via Standard Delivery to the lower 48 states.
We use a variety of carriers, including USPS, FedEx, UPS & Spee-Dee Delivery, choosing each carrier based on the weight, dimensions and destination of your order.
We pack and ship all of our items with a dedication to safe and secure transit, and over 40 years of taxidermy-shipping experience, utilizing innovative new ways to pack your order (box or crate), ensuring it arrives to you in the exact same conditon that it left our store.
*Delivery to Alaska or Hawaii may incur an additional shipping surcharge based on the weight and dimension of the item purchased.
The Specifications of each item, including dimensions and unique characteristics, are recorded on each GSC Card. We include the Depth, Height, Width and Weight of every item when possible. We also include other features such as horn and antler length (when applicable) as well as any other key attributes and descriptions to better identify each items unique characteristics. Below is a sample GSC card. The Specifications and Grade information are provided in each listing.


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Friday 25 January
|Astacus (1)
This crustacean varies in colour from green or blue to brown and sometimes black. The undersides of the claws are dark red (2). The head and internal organs of all crayfish are protected by the carapace and the six segments of the abdomen are individually encased with a flexible membrane between them to allow movement. Crayfish have a pair of large claws at the front end, followed by four pairs of walking legs and then four pairs of small swimming legs called swimmerets. These swimmerets are covered with fine hairs to which the female attaches her eggs. A central tail flap is surrounded by four other flaps that are used to move the crayfish rapidly through the water, as well as curling up to form a brood chamber. There are two eyes on the end of eyestalks, but the senses of touch and taste are far more important, and are perceived using a pair of large feelers (or antennae) and a pair of small, fine, centrally located feelers (or antennules).
Feeding at night on worms, aquatic insects, molluscs and plants, the noble crayfish spends the day resting in a burrow. It undergoes periodic moults, shedding the hard exoskeleton in order to grow slightly larger, and then forming a new shell. Sexual maturity is reached during the fourth year of life, and breeding takes place between October and November. The fertilised eggs are carried by the female, attached to her legs, over the winter until May, when they hatch and disperse. Both juvenile and adult noble crayfish are preyed upon by mink, eel, perch, pike, otter, and muskrat (2).
Previously prolific throughout Europe, the noble crayfish now has a scattered distribution through northern Europe and western Russia (1) (2).
A freshwater invertebrate, the noble crayfish is found along the banks of well oxygenated streams, rivers, lakes and ponds (2).
Considered to be the finest edible crayfish, the noble crayfish was once abundant in Europe, but was expensive to buy. The American 'signal crayfish' (Pacifastacus leniusculus) was introduced to European waterways as a cheaper alternative, but the presence of this species was to have disastrous effects on the noble crayfish. An outbreak of crayfish plague, carried by the signal crayfish, spread through populations of all of Europe's Astacus species. Caused by the freshwater fungus Aphanomyces astaci, crayfish plague infects and kills the noble crayfish, leaving the resistant signal crayfish unharmed (3).
Dredging of waterways has further threatened Astacus crayfish species as it leaves the water cloudy and disturbs the habitat. Acid rain, also causing a decrease in water quality, is thought to be responsible for a decline in breeding success, as the egg cases of young crayfish are unable to form properly (2).
Efforts to reintroduce the noble crayfish have been hindered by the presence of the signal crayfish, which competes for food resources, although in Norway some recent reintroductions look promising (5). In most European countries limits have been set for the trapping of noble crayfish, including restricting trapping to a period of about three months, and setting a minimum crayfish length of 10 cm. In some areas, trapping is completely prohibited. Elimination, or at least reduction, of signal crayfish populations, and protection of crayfish habitat are required to allow the noble crayfish to recover (2).
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Must love water views & extreme privacy! South Carolina's most desired waterfront property, this compound is at the end of a peninsula with 270 degree water views . Self-sufficient and gated within the exclusive member-owned community of Spanish Wells, it boasts a magnificent home that's designed for entertaining, relaxing and activities. A Kohler 100KW generator serves the entire estate, with its own deep water dock and RV hook ups. Land your helicopter on the point or dock your 100' yacht at one of two docks. This is 2 lots: #82 with the home and the point is #83 to build a guest house to complete the compound or as a second property.
Boat Dock, Clubhouse, Dock, Pool, Security/Guard, Tennis Court(s), Trail(s)
Heated, Private, Salt Water, Community, Electric Heat
Attic, Wet Bar, Bookcases, Built-in Features, Tray Ceiling(s), Ceiling Fan(s), Cathedral Ceiling(s), Fireplace, High Speed Internet, Jetted Tub, Multiple Master Suites, Pull Down Attic Stairs, Smooth Ceilings, Separate Shower, Upper Level Master, Wired for Sound, Entrance Foyer, Eat-in Kitchen, Wine Cellar
Double Oven, Dryer, Dishwasher, Freezer, Disposal, Gas Range, Indoor Grill, Ice Maker, Microwave, Range, Refrigerator, Trash Compactor, Washer, Water Softener, Tankless Water Heater
Balcony, Deck, Dock, Enclosed Porch, Hot Tub/Spa, Sprinkler/Irrigation, Outdoor Shower, Propane Tank - Owned, Paved Driveway, Porch, Patio, Rain Gutters, Storage, Outdoor Grill, Dog Run
Celia Dunn Sotheby's International Realty
We do not attempt to independently verify the currency, completeness, accuracy or authenticity of the data contained herein. It may be subject to transcription and transmission errors. Accordingly, the data is provided on an "as is," "as available" basis only and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. © 2020 Multiple Listing Service of Hilton Head Island, Inc. All rights reserved. Certain information contained herein is derived from information which is the licensed property of, and copyrighted by, Multiple Listing Service of Hilton Head Island, Inc.


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So one of my all time favorite foods is…peanut butter. If there's one food I couldn't live without it would be peanut butter. A few months back this amazing brand that goes by the name of Crazy Richards were kind enough to send me a box of samples to review. This peanut butter is hands down some of the best peanut butter I have ever had. The only ingredient used in their products is peanuts. No added oils or sweeteners and it is incredibly creamy, probably the creamiest, smoothest peanut butter I ever had. I was sent a jar of creamy, crunchy and pure, powdered peanut butter. I was also sent a jar of their almond and cashew butter as well…absolutely delicious. I wasted no time putting these samples to use. I topped my oatmeal, toast, bananas and yogurt with stuff for weeks. If you're all for eating one hundred percent natural peanut butter I highly suggest trying Crazy Richards, you won't be disappointed I promise. Check them out at www.crazyrichards.com
NaturAlmond Review3 Nov
A few days ago I received a tiny little package in the mail from Jaime at NaturAlmond. I was lucky enough to sample a jar of their maple caramel almond butter. Let me tell you this stuff is absolute heaven in a jar! It's rich and full of flavor. Great paired with fruit, toast, waffles, crackers, yogurt you name it! Not only is it delicious but it's loaded with nutrition. All of their products are made with no added sugars or preservatives.
I've always been a big peanut butter fan but over the last year I have discovered many healthy alternatives, one of them being almond butter. Almond butter is equally as delicious and much more nutritious. Almonds are great for your heart, lower blood pressure, control blood sugar, are rich in antioxidants, and help with weight control. NaturAlmond is hands down of the best all natural nut butters I have tried and I highly recommend their product. They offer four flavors including; original, honey roasted, maple caramel, and salt free. All of their products can be purchased online at www.naturalmond.com . So head over to their website and check them out, I promise you won't be disappointed!


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I bought a pair of Vibram FiveFingers about a year ago to participate in the popular sport of barefoot running. I can't say they have changed my life, but they have certainly changed my running. Plus they get you some pretty funny stares when wearing them to the local discount store.
Popularity of Barefoot Running
The popularity of barefoot running exploded in the summer of 2009 after the release of an inspirational, if not a bit controversial, book called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. The book has two main themes woven together. One is the science and philosophy behind barefoot running. The second is a real-life story involving the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico. This is an indigenous tribe of athletes who are known for their endurance. The book follows a group of ultramarathon runners from around the world who challenge the Tarahumara to a footrace in the Copper Canyon of Mexico.
The word that comes to mind every time I think of this book is: Inspirational!
Of course, barefoot running has been around ever since man has been running. But the reason the book was written was to raise questions as to whether we are being helped or harmed by running shoe companies and their footwear.
Some people have claimed that barefoot running has been the answer to all of their running injuries from the past. Others have never suffered more injuries than they have since starting to run barefoot. I think that some people can be helped by it, while others probably should not participate. I am a casual participator hoping for the benefits, but I am not throwing out my traditional running shoes.
Vibram FiveFingers
"If you are running barefoot, why are you wearing shoes?" That is a fair question. The idea of barefoot running is that you avoid shoes that interfere with the way your foot naturally operates. By doing this you allow your foot to work with the physical mechanics your body was given at birth. This allows you to run with fewer injuries. However, if you have weak foot muscles because of running in traditional running shoes your whole life, then your foot mechanics may be different than the way your body was originally formed.
In the process of transitioning from shod feet to completely bare feet (if you ever get there at all), it is nice to have a layer of protection between your skin and the ground. There are many people who run completely barefoot, but most will have some type of non-restricting shoe, like the Vibran FiveFingers, or a thin soled sandal called huaraches like the Tarahumara wear. Our ancestors running with bare feet did not have to worry about asphalt, concrete and broken glass when running
Vibram FiveFingers are simply a layer of rubber Vibram soles held onto the foot with a stretchy cloth, neoprene or even kangaroo leather. Besides being extremely minimalist shoes, they are unique in that they have individual toe pockets, hence the name FiveFingers. Vibram is an Italian company and the word for finger and toe in Italian is dito. Therefore five toes is the same as five fingers.
Are Vibram FiveFingers Revolutionary?
While I have had the shoes for about a year, I have really only been running in them regularly the last couple of months. Previously I ran in them once or twice a month, but recently I have been running 20% to 25% of my weekly miles in them.
I can always tell when I have run in them because of the achy calves the next day. The FiveFingers work different muscles than running in regular shoes. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting to run in them is to think that you can substitute a run in these shoes for any normal length run in your traditional running shoes. You will quickly regret that decision. It is recommended that you start with running just 1 mile in them and slowly build up your distance over time. Your calves and feet will thank you for that.
One of the supposed advantages to running barefoot is that it will strengthen the bottom of your feet and you will have fewer arch and plantar problems. I don't know that my feet are any stronger, but I have never had these types of problems to begin with. It has changed my running style a bit, something I was wanting to do anyway. While barefoot running, you should land on your mid-foot, or forefoot, instead of your heel. It only takes two or three strides landing on your heel before you learn to never do that again. With the help of barefoot running I have been able to change my running style while wearing shoes.
Vibram FiveFingers For Everyone?
While I really like my Five Finger Sprints, I don't know that everyone would benefit from them. However, even if you get them and don't use them for running, they are great shoes for water sports. They were originally designed for boating purposes. The soles look smooth, but actually have a razor-cut pattern in them that open up to grip the wet deck of the boat much better than a standard pair of tennis shoes do.
There are many models to choose from. Don't think of them as slippers though. If you do, the $80 price tag will send you into serious sticker shock.
You probably won't find Vibrams in your local running store. There is a lot of polarity surrounding the barefoot running phenomenon. Running shoe companies exist because they have convinced us that we need over-priced specialty shoes. A running store has to make a decision as to whether they need their customers coming back and buying shoes, or if they want the customer to be less dependent on the commercialization of our simple sport. Some running stores will carry the FiveFingers as a running accessory, but many won't. You are more likely to find them in a store that sells outdoor and camping gear. Or, you can find them on line.


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Average Turnkey Package: $35,000-45,000 CAD
The MultiCam V-Series CNC Plasma is designed for companies looking for maximum value in a CNC plasma machine. It's ideal for entry-level manufacturers and anyone on a budget. Capable of cutting mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum and brass, we offer the V-Series Plasma in a variety of popular table formats. It comes standard with Hypertherm plasma cutting torch technology. The CNC EZ Control system is extraordinarily easy to use.
Visit our customer installations and learn how MultiCam Canada added value to their business.
V-Series CNC Plasma Standard Features:
The MultiCam V-Series CNC Plasma offers a wide variety of standard features.
- The 2545 EZ Control features a four-axis motion control system complete with EZ Suite application software.
- MultiCam EZ G Code programming software
- Standard Ethernet or RS232 direct connections
- Custom-engineered extruded-aluminum frame with steel leg supports for high strength and rigidity
- Automatic Torch Height (ATH)
- Powerful dual X-axis digital high-speed drive motors
- Integral V-cam roller bearings for maximum stiffness and contamination resistance
- Hypertherm PowerMax plasma torches
MultiCam EZ Control
All MultiCam V-Series Plasma systems come standard with EZ Control, our easy-to-use handheld operator interface. It features graphic icons for all machine functions. With a few minutes of training, any employee can operate a MultiCam V-Series Plasma.
Integrated Material Database
When you change material type, material thickness, or arc current many parameters such as feedrate, pierce delay, pierce height, etc. all need to be adjusted. MultiCam has made this process simple by integrating all of these cutting values into a simple to use menu driven database on our hand held controller. The user simply selects material type, thickness, and arc current and all of the settings are adjusted automatically.
Versatile platform for the HVAC industry
Get the most out of your V-Series CNC Plasma cutter by combining the power of the MultiCam plasma machine and ShopData Systems software allowing metal cutting for HVAC applications to be done with ease and efficiency making the V-Series Plasma an affordable, easy to use HVAC cutting system.
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Fill out the form to download the brochure and V-Series Plasma Case Study
Contact us today for more information and to request a free demo


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Anthony Morrow, Dion Waiters
Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Dion Waiters, right, is fouled by New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard Anthony Morrow, left, while driving to the basket in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
(AP Photo)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After missing three games with tendinitis in his right wrist, Dion Waiters returned to the Cavaliers lineup for Thursday's game against the Atlanta Hawks at The Q.
"I'm feeling better than I did,'' he said after warming up on Thursday.
Waiters said he wasn't sure how he hurt the wrist, but that it started to swell and feel worse and worse.
"I couldn't shoot the ball or dribble the ball or pass,'' Waiters said. "It started about two weeks ago and I shook it off, but it got worse.''
Waiters has been wearing a hard cast on the wrist, and he made it clear he was not 100 percent.
"It's going to linger, but it's way better,'' he said. "I can do things I couldn't do before. It will bother me a little bit, but nothing that will keep me out.''
Waiters will be wearing some padding to cover the wrist.
"But if I miss, this might come off,'' he said with a smile.
Special guests: Rookie Sergey Karasev's parents and 16-year-old sister have spent the last week with him in Cleveland. His father, Vasily, is a coach in Russia and just happened to have a break in his schedule. Back in Russia, his dad is a bigger star than the Cavs rookie.
"I can say he's one of the biggest stars,'' Sergey Karasev said. "He was around 11 years on the national team, eight or nine years captain of the national team. He played in Greece, Turkey. He won two silver medals in [FIBA] world championships.''
Sergey Karasev has played for his dad on a number of teams where his dad was either the head coach or an assistant coach. But he learned a lot from his dad while he was still playing, too.
"He helped me a lot,'' Sergey Karasev said. "He didn't have a lot of time to teach me when he was playing. Sometimes we'd go shoot somewhere or go play one-on-one, or he'd show me a shooting drill. He'd try to teach me, explain to me everything. Then he started to coach, he was coaching me three years.
"First time he was my coach, I was on second team, a couple years. Then he moved to assistant coach first team, and he started being head coach. I started playing for him when he was a coach when I was 16. I started playing 16 professional, so this is my fourth year professional. It's not like here where you must play in college, can't get money, can't play professionally.''
Sergey Karasev thinks his dad could have played in the NBA, but the time was never right.
"He can play in the NBA,'' Karasev said. "A lot of teams want to take him, but it was like when he was 23 or 24 years old. His mind was first of all he must play for the Russian national team. Everybody wanted him to come to preseason and summer camp, and he said, 'I want to be first of all with the Russian team.' He wanted to be Russian. But he can really play here. He was very smart point guard. So I think he can have a lot of minutes if he came.''


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Holiday Review
today's reading.
Luke 1-6:5
the blog.
Since many of us are celebrating Memorial Day today, we're having a review day on P4. Let us know what you've learned so far after reading Luke 1-6:5. What has stood out or challenged you in a new way? Take a minute and let us know. It's encouraging for all of us to hear what God is doing in your life! Tami
Join the discussion on the P4 Blog
Listen to Back to the Bible
Powered by 4 is all about engaging God's Word and living it out--in community. So if it's encouragement you want or motivation you need, join the discussion on the P4 Blog--a place to weigh in on the daily scripture as well as share thoughts & questions. And, for a more in-depth look at Scripture, tune in to the daily Back to the Bible radio program with John Munro.


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This is the 13th Testing Tuesday episode. Every week we will share our insights and opinions on the software testing space. Drop by every Tuesday to learn more! Last week was a special episode about Euruko 2013 with statements from many of the speakers.
hbspt.cta.load(1169977, '964db6a6-69da-4366-afea-b129019aff07', {});
Let Bogus check your contracts
If you have not seen our previous screencast on Bogus I would suggest that you have a look at episode 11, where we already had a look at it. There we found out that Bogus checks that your mocked classes and your stubbed methods actually exist. This way Bogus made sure that we didn't stub any method calls that weren't implemented. We ended up having empty method stubs for all our mocked behavior, but Bogus can do more: Bogus implements a concept called contract tests.
Whenever you stub a method with certain arguments and return values, Bogus can remember it and remind you to implement tests for your stubbed methods with exactly these arguments and return values. Bogus verifies that you only stub real method calls. There must be a context in which the stubbed method acts the way you stubbed it, or Bogus will fail your tests. Therefore Bogus checks the contract between mocked components – something that you would usually use integration tests for.
In this screencast we get started with Bogus' contract testing. We walk step by step through implementing stubbed methods the way Bogus tells us too, and we will evaluate if Bogus can replace your integration tests. By the way: James Bond graces us with his presence again (!)
Have you done contract tests with Bogus before? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments and share your experience!
Up next Testing Tuesday: How to set up RSpec
One thing we've always taken for granted in previous episodes was that our Ruby application was already set up with Cucumber and RSpec. In next week's episode we will show you how you can integrate Cucumber and RSpec into your existing Ruby applications.