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Many of you in the childhood liked to swarm up trees and, likely, broke sometimes from them. Recollect, how once in such situation your hand unexpectedly and sharply suddenly by itself was extended in the necessary direction and has grasped a branch. This instinctive movement has gained you because it has been made much faster and more precisely, than all those actions that you have got used to make meaningly. Ability to develop in itself ability to rash free movements, in my opinion, is key for the person who prepares itself for real fight. For in the course of fight already there is no time to reflect: as properly to do.
Usually the signal from touch system arrives in human consciousness, and it processes this signal and takes out any conclusion. On all it, undoubtedly, is spent some time. In case of spontaneous action of a body a picture another. The signal does not need to pass through all layers of consciousness, through these powerful obstacles; directly in the heart of a subcortex reciprocal action which in this case will be much more effective is defined. To turn out skill of spontaneous action very much and very simply. For this purpose it is possible to use exercise on self-coding which I have offered in the previous chapter. I mean the elementary installation: Through five beating of the pulse my hand will move in itself. I remind, then it is necessary to realise an emptiness status immediately.
It is possible to work and with other installation, more clear in practical sense: When any heavy and firm subject will quickly come nearer to my person, the head itself will shake aside it without my participation. Installation is fixed in a subcortex in an emptiness status, and your body gets ability independently to react to subjects coming nearer to it.
Spontaneous actions of a body will be much faster, rather than considered, and absolutely unexpected, it even for this purpose who makes them, it that is why very effective. Remember: all movements should be absolutely natural it the body moves itself, having got out of hand reason.
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Ian Larson
In 2009, Ian received the faculty of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences teaching excellence award in recognition of his contribution to quality learning and teaching. Faced with the need to engage students in developing higher-order thinking and analysis skills, Ian employed an active student-centered approach to teaching, where the teacher takes the role of facilitator rather than authority, and students have the opportunity to discover knowledge. Ian's achievements were recognised by Monash University in 2010, receiving the Vice Chancellor's award for Teaching Excellence. His passion and expertise in active learning lead to his appointment as Director, learning and teaching where he is co-leading his faculty's transition to active learning and implementation of the university BLBT agenda.
His 3D virtual laboratory, Pharmatopia, is used in pharmacy schools around the world and has been implemented internationally by GSK's Global Manufacturing and Supply network. Ian is an inaugural member of the Australian Pharmacy Council's Editorial Group and is the International Pharmacy Federation's Education Domain Lead for E-platforms and IT-based learning.
In his spare time, Ian supports his two teenage boys learning the skills to overcome a zombie invasion and with his 15 year old daughter enjoys learning of the latest life difficulties facing the Kardashian family.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our Deluxe Wooden Blind is by far the best wooden blind available in our extensive range.
This blind is custom made to suit the size of your window, unlike other wooden blinds which are trimmed to suit the size of your window. As a result, we can ensure that the distance from the edge of the slat to the ladder braid positions are consistent across all blinds. This is especially desirable where you have multiple windows close to each other and of a different size.
The wood is lightweight and stable, providing a finish that is noticeably different to other wooden blinds.
The privacy feature of this blind helps to eliminate direct light when the blinds are closed, and provide a tighter closure of slats.
Visit our showroom to see the difference for yourself!
Unique to the market, our Deluxe Wooden Venetian Blind range has a patent pending system for securing the slat to the cord.
Pure Deluxe Wooden Venetian Blinds are our highest quality wooden blind offering. Simply better than anything else on the market, and at a reasonable cost, you should alway choose to install this Wooden Venetian Blind over any other should your budget allow.
The special privacy hole system gives a reduced light intake and allows for a tighter closure of slat. Visit our showroom and take a closer look at what makes this blind different to other wooden venetian blinds.


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Help, Hope & Healing at Ahava Village
Residential Center Designed to Help Children Overcome Severely Dysfunctional Backgrounds
Our Mission
Nestled in a quiet residential area of the northern town Kiryat Bialik, Ahava is a center for children ages six to eighteen removed by court order from high-risk home situations.
Comprised of fifteen apartments, educational facilities and leisure areas, the campus is home to two hundred children, who receive personalized care, therapy, support and training.
The children live in apartments with foster parents who provide a loving and family-oriented environment, and they attend school at the village.


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RaeAnne Thayne Q&A–Snowfall on Haven Point
My latest release SNOWFALL ON HAVEN POINT features Andie Montgomery and Marshall Bailey, two characters who played big roles in the previous book RIVERBEND ROAD. Andie is a young widow trying to make a new start in Haven Point. Marshall, the sheriff of Lake Haven County, represents everything she tells herself she doesn't want in...Read More ➝


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Apologizing does not always mean you're wrong and the other person is right. It just means you value your relationship more than your ego.
– Mark Matthews
This was yesterday's daily quote. It struck a chord with me and reminded me how hard it used to be to apologize because of the stigma of being wrong. It also reminded me of how stubborn or argumentative I used to be. I'll be honest, there are times I will argue just for the sake of playing devil's advocate. However, I'm not talking about those instances here. I'm talking about the times I would dig my heels in because I was right and I needed to convince the other person of that fact. It wasn't until someone offered up this little nugget of wisdom that I changed that behavior – "Would you rather be happy or right?" It's nice to be right, but I'd rather be happy.
If we stop worrying about being wrong, what's does apologizing cost? Nothing.


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A Queens-based bank focused on small businesses will be expanding into the Bronx soon.
Alma Bank, which has its headquarters in Astoria, is planning to open its first branch in the borough at 1705 Crosby Avenue next month. It will be part of a limited number of small banks that focus on small business in the area, and the bank's officials are hoping it will translate to big business.
"We are a commercial bank and we think we can make a meaningful contribution in Pelham Bay because we have an emphasis on small businesses while the other banks represent larger, multinational institutions," chief planning officer Renos Kourtides said. "Big banks look at a one million or two million dollar loan as being small, but we as a community bank think this is a very big loan," he added as an example.
While the facility still needs to be renovated and outfitted with banking equipment like computers, desks and phones, officials are planning a soft opening to work the kinks out of the system in late August. There will be a grand opening celebration in early September.
The roughly 20,000-square foot facility will include ATM services, several multi-lingual employees and a small parking lot, Kourtides said.
The company already has four locations in Queens and three in Brooklyn. The Bronx branch will be the eighth location, but the company is looking to continue expansion into Manhattan and New Jersey.
Since opening in 2007, the bank has focused on providing retailers, manufacturers and small businessowners with loans between $20,000 and $5 million. Kourtides said starting a bank after the country's economic meltdown helped it to avoid the debts and bad loans that brought down many other banks in the past few years.
"We started in 2007, so we came into the field after the crisis had become apparent," he said. "We remained unscathed, so we didn't have any problem loans or sub-prime loans. In that sense we were lucky."
Kourtides said he expects the new branch will be successful because it fits a need in a busy part of the borough.
"We know that it's a business hub because the subway line starts from that area," he said. "Our branch is going to have a small parking lot."
For Kenneth Kearns, district manager of Community Board 10, a new bank opening up in Pelham Bay is a good omen.
"It shows that financial institutions believe it is commercially viable to operate in Pelham Bay, and that there's a good base for business here," he said. "It's an indication that the area can support a bank, and the bank realizes that there is business to be had in the community. Another lender in the area is always positive."
The bank, which is replacing a 99-cent store, will join CitiBank, HSBC and Ridgewood Savings Bank on Crosby Avenue.


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Here, we have come up with the list of best books for GATE CE 2020 exam. GATE syllabus for Civil engineering is having hundreds of topics including 14-16 subjects and also there are plenty of books available in the market for the same subject. It is vital to select books which are exam-oriented, syllabus optimized and comprehensive to help you in your GATE 2020 preparation. Hence to cater your needs, we have jotted down the list of best books available for GATE 2019 along with the name of authors & other details based on the following important considerations.
- Popularity and Standard book
- Strictly covers the GATE syllabus
- Easy to learn and understand the concepts
- Recommended by GATE Toppers
Best GATE CE Books 2020
Book Name
|Strength of Materials
Strength of Materials (Edition 2)
U.C Jindal
|Structural Analysis
Basic Structural Analysis (Edition 3)
|R.C.C. Design
R.C.C. Designs (Reinforced Concrete Structures) (Edition 3)
B.C.Punmia, Ashok Kumar Jain, Arun Jain
|Design Of Steel Structures
Design Of Steel Structures (Edition 3)
S.K Duggal
|Environmental Engineering
Water Supply Engineering(Environmental Engineering Vol.1) (Edition 28)
S.K Duggal
Sewage Disposal and Air Pollution Engineering( Environmental Engineering Vol. 2) (Edition 3)
S.K Duggal
|Soil Mechanics & Foundation Engineering
Basics and Applied Soil mechanics (Edition 2)
Gopal Ranjan, A.S.R.Rao
|Fluid Mechanics & Fluid Machines
Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics (Edition 14)
Dr. P.N.Modi, Dr. S.M Seth
|Highway Engineering
Highway Engineering
S.K.Khanna, C.E.G.Justo
Surveying (vol. 1,2,3)
B.C.Punia, Askok jain, Arun Jain
|Engineering Hydrology
Engineering Hydrology (Edition 4)
K Subramanya
|Irrigation Engineering
Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures (Edition 1)
S.K Garg
|Engineering Mathematics
Higher Engineering Mathematics (Edition 43)
B.S. Grewal
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning (Edition: Revised)
R.S. Aggarwal
Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations (Edition 7)
R.S. Aggarwal
Highlights of GATE Civil Engineering Books
1) Strength of Materials
- Book Name: Strength of Materials
The book consists of chapter wise exercises to help understand the concepts better. This book is essential for civil engineers preparing for competitive examinations like GATE and IES.
2) Structural Analysis
- Book Name: Basic Structural Analysis
this book offers complete coverage with respect to both classical and matrix approaches. The scope of fixed beams is enlarged by including a large number of worked-out examples covering point loads, uniform and varying loads, applied couples and effect of sinking and rotation of supports.
3) R.C.C Design
- Book Name: R.C.C. Designs (Reinforced Concrete Structures)
In this book, every chapter begins with detailed definitions and clear statements, along with design principles, design procedures, and theories. All the definitions come with various design examples and illustrations.
4) Design Of Steel Structures
- Book Name: Design Of Steel Structures
The book covers the topics in depth, yet at the same time in a concise and student-friendly way. The content has been arranged in a very organised and graded manner. The flow is very well structured and topics have been broken into subtopics.
5) Environmental Engineering
- Book Name: Water Supply Engineering (Environmental Engineering Vol.1)
Multiple choice questions are provided for each chapter, and the book also has separate chapters that cover questions for Engineering Service Exams and the Civil Services Examination. For purposes of practical understanding, the book has a chapter dedicated for laboratory experiments in Water Supply Engineering.
- Book Name: Sewage Disposal and Air Pollution Engineering (Environmental Engineering Vol. 2)
This Book is divided into 28 chapters and has a bank of over 600 questions along with the answer key. These questions are the ones that a student is most likely to come across in the Engineering Services competitive exams. It is a handy reference for students in the fields of civil, environmental engineering.
6) Soil Mechanics & Foundation Engineering
- Book Name: Basics and Applied Soil mechanics
Modern coverage of the engineering properties of soils and makes extensive reference to the Indian Standard Codes of Practice while discussing practices in Foundation Engineering.
7) Fluid Mechanics & Fluid Machines
- Book Name: Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics
Several new problems from the latest question papers of the different competitive examinations have been incorporated. Thus, it may be emphatically stated that the book is complete in all respects and it covers the entire syllabus in the subject for students in the different branches of engineering Therefore this fulfills the entire needs of the students intending to appear at the various Examinations
8) Highway Engineering
- Book Name: Highway Engineering
9) Surveying
- Book Name: Surveying (vol. 1,2,3)
Every topic is comprehensively explained and is accompanied by relevant examples of their practical use. Furthermore, they have included a wide range of numerical examples for the benefit of the readers.
10) Engineering Hydrology
- Book Name: Engineering Hydrology
The book emphasizes the current water-resources scenario in India with updated statistical data.
11) Irrigation Engineering
- Book Name: Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures
The techniques which are employed for development and management of water resources become vitally important in this context and have been lucidly explained.
12) Engineering Mathematics
- Book Name: Higher Engineering Mathematics
The ultimate book for basic understanding and approaching problems. For GATE exam preparation, this book enough. Thoroughly explained the proofs of concepts and the number of solved examples.
13) Aptitude
- Book Name: A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
The primary reasons for students to use this book is that it contains a great deal of practice questions, some of which come with the hints needed for solving problems. The book also contains solved problems.
- Book Name: Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations
This book covers every aspect of the numerical ability section of many competitive tests. Numerous examples have been used throughout the book to illustrate the concepts and problem-solving techniques. This book gives the students or candidates a good idea about the kind of questions asked in these exams.
- Gradeup is also launching the GATE 2020 test series. It helps you to practice the GATE exam level questions along with the GATE Champion Study Plan. Candidates can attempt FREE mock test for GATE 2020 from the following link :
GATE CE 2020 Test Series, Attempt Free Mock Now!
GATE Civil Engineering(CE) 2020 Champion Study Plan
Prep Smart. Score Better. Go Gradeup!


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Urban City Real Liptone Tint No.3 Mandarin Red
A water drop formula with various essence ingredients to prevent dryness.No stickiness and you can keep color for a long time with one touch.
How to use
Use a tip to gently apply spread from inside to outside.
# Please Bear in Mind That Photo May Slightly Different From Actual Item in Terms of ColorDue to the Lighting During Photo Shooting or the Monitor's Display
Urban City Real Liptone Tint No.1 Fuchsia Pink
Urban City Real Liptone Tint No.2 Scarlet Orange
Urban City Real Liptone Tint No.4 Blood Red
Urban City Real Liptone Tint No.5 Rose Wood
We believe to create great products we have to start with a simple idea and then craft around that intention.
Copyright © 2020 Shins Corporation Sdn Bhd. All rights reserved.
Peninsular Malaysia
-for purchase RM100 above.
East Malaysia
-for purchase RM150 above.
-for purchase RM300 above.


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A Red Flag Warning has been issued for 11 p.m. Monday, October 19th to 8 a.m. Wednesday, October 21st
All City facilities are currently closed for walk-in service. Please click here to find out more details about the services you are interested in.
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Forums › Help & support › Fist 30 dayx with free premium account › Reply To: Fist 30 dayx with free premium account
Hello Xavier,
You're right – it's a bit confusing, and doesn't feel that welcome. It's because there are various ways to sign up, you presumably did so via the webb. When you sign up via the AxCrypt App, it's a little more clear. And that's also where you start your trial period. We'll improve that, thanks for pointing it out to us!
Anyway, I've extended your Premium to include the Trial month as well.


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Trichomoniasis is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, with a prevalence of 180 million infections worldwide per year, which is higher than the number of reported cases of syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea (Aggarwal & Shier 2008). This cosmopolitan parasite can cause a wide range of clinical symptoms in the genitourinary tract, including vaginitis, cervicitis, endometritis and vulvitis in women and urethritis and prostatitis in men (Ali & Nozaki 2007). However, the infection in males is generally asymptomatic and they are typically considered silent carriers of the disease (Cudmore et al. 2004).
Metronidazole and related 5-nitroimidazole derivatives are potent drugs used to treat infections caused by anaerobic or microaerophilic protozoa and bacteria, although resistance to these drugs has been demonstrated both in Trichomonas vaginalis isolates sampled from patients refractory to treatment (Wendel & Workowski 2007, Aggarwal & Shier 2008, Kissinger et al. 2008) and in laboratory-developed resistant isolates (Dunne et al. 2003). When the trichomonacide metronidazole was first introduced in 1959, its reported cure rate was approximately 95%, but within two years of its introduction, the first case of metronidazole resistance was reported in Canada (Lossick 1990). Clinical resistance has now been reported in most areas of the world (Dunne et al. 2003, Wendel & Workowski 2007). Metronidazole is classified by the Food and Drug Administration as pregnancy category B, therefore some clinicians have used clotrimazole as an alternative treatment for trichomoniasis in pregnant women concerned about the possible foetal damaged caused by trichomoniasis (Swygard et al. 2004).
Recently, our group developed a quantitative structure-activity relationship model for the in silico prediction of new tricomonacidal products. However, experimental corroboration in vitro relies on the haemocytometer count (Marrero-Ponce et al. 2009), which is a laborious, time consuming, insensitive and subjective procedure.
Alamar Blue® has been used as a rapid, efficient and sensitive method for the antibacterial screening of new compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bacillus spp and Staphylococcus spp (Barrow et al. 2007, Daryaee et al. 2009, Flemming et al. 2009), the determination of antifungal activity (Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus) (Bowman et al. 2002, Repp et al. 2007), the screening of antiviral compounds (influenza virus) (Mo et al. 2008) and the screening of antiprotozoal drugs (T. vaginalis, Giardia duodenalis, Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania spp, Acanthamoeba spp) (Raz et al. 1997, Mikus & Steverding 2000, Campos Aldrete et al. 2005, McBride et al. 2005).
Alamar Blue® and its major component, resazurin, are blue and non-fluorescent dyes that become pink and fluorescent (resorufin) due to the chemical reduction of oxidoreductases present in viable cells (O'Brien et al. 2000).
The fluorescence method with Alamar Blue® was first described by Campos Aldrete et al., in 2005. More recently, a resazurin-based method was described by Duarte et al. (2009b). We have been able to reproduce this resazurin-based method, but have observed interference between our culture media and the resazurin dye. Thus, we have modified the experimental conditions to increase the sensitivity of the method. Different drugs have been screened to validate the new protocol.
The aim of this study was the development and validation of a simple, rapid (one-step), sensitive and reliable method for use in our laboratory to screen new tricomonacidal drugs based on the fluorescence emitted by the redox indicator (resazurin) as it is reduced by viable protozoa. The results presented here enable the replacement of microscope-based methodologies with spectrofluorimetric assays.
T. vaginalis - T. vaginalis (isolate JH31A #4, ref. 30326; ATCC, MD, USA) was cultured in vitro in trypticose-yeast-maltose (TYM) media (6.4 pH) supplemented with 10% (v/v) heat-inactivated bovine serum. Cultures were incubated at 37ºC in 5% CO2 and subcultured every two-three days. Samples of the isolate were conserved in liquid N2 using TYM containing 10% heat-inactivated foetal bovine serum and 10% of the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (Sigma Chemical Co, St. Louis, MO).
Drugs - The drugs assayed during the method validation were the 5-nitroimidazoles metronidazole and secnidazole; clotrimazole, an antifungal compound used by some clinicians if the reference drugs, are contraindicated and new synthetic products. The compounds were dissolved in DMSO to measure their effectiveness against T. vaginalis via different methods. The final DMSO concentration in the culture media never exceeded 0.2% (v/v). Previous studies with 0.2% (v/v) DMSO in T. vaginalis cultures were performed to confirm the absence of cytotoxic effects of the dissolvent in the cultures. All cultures (with and without DMSO) had the same growth rate (GR) (data not shown). The synthetic compound G-1 was previously evaluated by our laboratory (Meneses-Marcel et al. 2008).
Resazurin preparation - Resazurin sodium salt (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) was stored at 4ºC and protected from light until use. Several resazurin stock solutions (1, 2, 3 and 4 mM) were prepared in 0.1% phosphate buffered saline/glucose (PBS/G) (Bénéré et al. 2007) and filter-sterilised prior to use. The reduction of resazurin by reductase activity was measured by fluorimetric readings taken in a plate fluorometer (Infinite 200, TECAN) at ?excitation 535 nm and ?emission 590 nm after performing the Alamar Blue® Assay (US Patent 5,501,959). Because carbohydrates are the main source of energy in T. vaginalis, glucose was added to the PBS/G solution.
Assay optimisation - Before further optimisation, the spontaneous reduction of the resazurin in the culture media was demonstrated. Our results corroborate those described by other authors (Bénéré et al. 2007, Borra et al. 2009). TYM media without T. vaginalis and modified media lacking the reducing compounds ascorbic acid and L-cysteine were compared with PBS/G. The fluorescence of the plate was measured at different times and compared between these different media and non-resazurin media. The effect of the addition of 1 mg/mL glucose was also studied.
A similar experimental design was used after the addition of resazurin (1, 2, 3 and 4 mM/ 20 µL/ well) with fluorimetric readings at regular time intervals to determine the optimal endpoint reading. A suspension of washed trophozoites (log-phase culture) was serially diluted two-fold in PBS in a 96-well microplate (Costar, NY, USA) (200 ?L/ well) at a concentration between 6 x 104-4 x 106 trophozoites/mL. Then, the plates were incubated at 37ºC (5% CO2) for 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 5 h and 6 h. At each time point, a fluorescence intensity reading was performed for the experimental media and the PBS/G with resazurin control. The variation, correlation coefficients and other statistical parameters were calculated to adjust for the number of parasites, time of reading and resazurin concentration.
In vitro assay and experimental corroboration - The in vitro activity of metronidazole, secnidazole, clotrimazole, G-1 and the synthetic derivatives of 5-nitroindazoles and 5-nitroindazolinones were compared via a microscope-based count in a Neubauer chamber and by the fluorescent method using resazurin. The tricomonacidal activity of metronidazole and secnidazole was studied at 0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 µg/mL. G-1 was studied at 5, 10 and 20 µg/mL. Clotrimazole was studied at concentrations ranging from 0.625-10 µg/mL and the synthetic drugs were screened at 1, 10 and 100 µg/mL.
A logarithmic phase culture of T. vaginalis was seeded in 15 x 150-mm glass tubes. After 6-h incubation (0 h), the compounds were added to cultures containing 105 protozoa/mL in a final volume of 2 mL at the indicated concentrations. Three replicate experiments for each drug concentration were performed. A non-treated control (100% growth) and culture medium control (0% growth) were also used. After incubating for 24 h at 37ºC in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere, 200 µL from each tube was seeded in sterile 96-well flat-bottomed microplates and centrifuged at 300 g for 5 min to eliminate the media. The parasites were resuspended in 200 µL PBS/G and 20 µL resazurin (stock solution at 3 mM). After 1 h of incubation, the fluorescence was measured (?ex 535 nm - ?em 590 nm). The microscope-based haemocytometer count of viable flagellates was simultaneously assessed. At least three independent experiments were performed for each in vitro assay.
Expression of antiprotozoal activity - The percentage of growth inhibition (% GI) was calculated over GR, which is the relation between the number of viable protozoa at 24 h and the number counted at 0 h (Muelas-Serrano et al. 2000):
% GI = [1- (GR drug/GR control)] x 100
Spontaneous reduction of TYM media - A spontaneous reduction of resazurin and an accompanying increase in the fluorescence intensity of the TYM media used for the culture of T. vaginalis were observed (Fig. 1). Even TYM media without the reducing compounds L-cysteine and ascorbic acid (modified media) was fluorescent. The fluorescence units value recorded in the wells containing media was higher than those with viable parasites. The wells from which media had been removed had lower fluorescence than the wells containing trophozoites in PBS/G (Fig. 2). After taking these results into account, the protocol was changed for the subsequent experiments. Under the new protocol, after 24 h of drug exposure, 200 µL of each culture was added into the wells and the media was removed before the addition of the resazurin solution. No fluorescence variation was noted at any resazurin concentration when using PBS/G (1 mg/mL) to replace the media. These results indicate that PBS is useful as an alternative, non-fluorescent medium.
Optimisation of the assay - Resazurin is an oxidation-reduction dye that turns into a fluorescent compound (resorufin) after a reduction process caused by viable trophozoites. The intensity of fluorescence measured is proportional to parasite growth and can be quantified by fluorescence spectroscopy.
To optimise the method, the experimental parameters, such as the resazurin concentration, media used in the probe, inoculum of parasites and time of incubation with the redox dye, were adjusted.
Different concentrations of resazurin were tested, allowing us to obtain the smallest variation coefficient (Table I). The strongest linear correlation between the fluorescence percentage and protozoan density (Fig. 3) was noted at 3 mM (R2 = 0.9916).
A standard curve for T. vaginalis at different incubation times with a 10% solution of 3 mM resazurin is shown in Fig. 4. An optimum linearity was achieved after 1 h of incubation and the highest coefficient of linear determination (R2 = 0.9983) was observed for 6 x 104-4 x 106 trophozoites/mL.
In vitro drug susceptibility assay - To determine the reliability of this fluorescence method for the screening of new products against T. vaginalis, reference drugs, alternative drugs for trichomoniasis treatment (metro- nidazole, secnidazole and clotrimazole) and synthetic compounds (G-1, 5-nitroindazole and 5-nitroindazolinone derivatives) were tested using the resazurin assay and the microscope-based counting method simultaneously. No relevant difference between the % GI was observed when comparing both methods (Tables II, III). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed using SPSS software (v.20, IBM) on the data collected using both methods. There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) between the resazurin and the microscope-based assays. The quality of the resazurin-based method presented here for use in high-throughput screening assays has been estimated using the Z´-factor (Zhang et al. 1999). The obtained result [Z´= 0.8 (1 > Z´ ? 0.5)] suggests that the resazurin assay has excellent potential for screening.
Each plate should include control wells without parasites to avoid false negative results that could occur if any of the assayed products reduce the resazurin or produce fluorescence. In addition, growth and metronidazole control wells should be included.
Our results demonstrate that the resazurin-based fluorimetric method is a fast, non-subjective, reliable, sensitive and affordable assay for in vitro drug screening against the human protozoan T. vaginalis.
The traditional method used for testing new compounds against this flagellate is based on microscope-based counting of viable trophozoites with a haemocytometer (Muelas-Serrano et al. 2000, Gomez Barrio et al. 2004, Tiwari et al. 2008). This technique has several drawbacks: it is time consuming, laborious and a highly dependent on the observer. Several drug sensitivity assays for this parasite have been described using radiolabelled nucleotides (Adagu et al. 2002) or colourimetric assays utilising p-nitrophenyl phosphate (Martinez-Grueiro et al. 2003) or tetrazolium salts (Zhang et al. 2009) as chromogenic substrates. These screening tests have been proposed as alternatives to microscope-based counting; however, the fluorescent and colorimetric dye Alamar Blue® permits the development of a non-radioactive, sensitive and one-step assay (Raz et al. 1997). In the years following the development of the fluorescent technique, resazurin, which is the major constituent of the Alamar Blue®, started to be used in many assays due to lower cost. Resazurin is currently being used instead of Alamar Blue® to evaluate natural and synthetic products against bacteria, fungi and parasites (Rolon et al. 2006, Bénéré et al. 2007, Sarker et al. 2007, Duarte et al. 2009a, b, Mirza et al. 2011) and to study the proliferation of mammalian cells (O'Brien et al. 2000). A fluorescence screening method for T. vaginalis has already been developed (Campos Aldrete et al. 2005, Duarte et al. 2009b). The main differences between the different fluorescent assays are the number of trophozoites per well, the excitation and emission wavelength for the fluorimetric determination and the choice of redox indicator. Although Campos Aldrete et al. (2005) developed a screening test using Alamar Blue®, Duarte et al. (2009b) used the more affordable resazurin dye. In both cases, the media used for the culture of the trophozoites is not removed.
In accordance with the results of a 2007 study by Bénéré et al. and a 2009 study by Borra et al., our group observed a spontaneous reduction of resazurin by trichomonadid culture media (Fig. 1). These results suggest that one or more compounds in the TYM medium reduce the fluorescent substrate. A modified medium lacking L-cysteine and ascorbic acid was studied, revealing the reductive behaviour of both components, though at a lower reduction percentage than the complete fresh media. As shown in Fig. 2, media lacking parasites had higher fluorescence than the complete fresh media with trophozoites. This effect is likely the result of the consumption of nutrients in the TYM media by viable flagellates, resulting in the reduction of resazurin. The reductive effect of yeast extract was not confirmed, because media without this component would not have sufficient nutrients for the correct maintenance and growth of the isolate. Yeast extract and vitamins are present in the different trichomonadid culture media (Petrin et al. 1998) used by different research groups (Campos Aldrete et al. 2005, Duarte et al. 2009b). Our study presents a modified protocol that removes the reductive media, guaranteeing that resorufin can only be generated by the metabolic activity of viable T. vaginalis. This, in turn, lowers the possibility of false negatives caused by spontaneous media-related reduction.
Standard curves for T. vaginalis (Figs 3, 4) indicate a correlation between the fluorescence emitted by resorufin and the quantity of viable flagellates in the logarithmic growth phase. These curves allowed the direct in vitro determination of the trichomonacidal effect of different compounds added to the parasite cultures. The addition of 1 mg/mL glucose did not have any marked influence on the reduction of resazurin (data not shown) as was observed with other research groups (Bénéré et al. 2007). Different 5-nitroimidazole drugs, the antifungal clotrimazole and synthetic products were tested to confirm the effectiveness of this modified assay. The results obtained by both screening procedures (microscope-based counting vs. fluorimetric assay) corroborate the reliability of this resazurin-based assay (Tables II, III). The comparison of the population average of the two methodologies with the ANOVA test also indicated no divergence between results. Although resazurin is a fluorimetric and colourimetric redox indicator, this research was developed using fluorescence measurements. Previous studies indicate that fluorescence readings are more sensitive than spectrophotometry (O'Brien et al. 2000).
Overall, we conclude that the media used for the in vitro culture of T. vaginalis can reduce the fluorescent dye resazurin, thus increasing the fluorescence background of the probe. Therefore, it is essential to remove the culture media from the wells to increase the accuracy of the assay. The modified fluorimetric method described in this study could be easily automated for high-throughput screening.
Adagu IS, Nolder D, Warhurst DC, Rossignol JF 2002. In vitro activity of nitazoxanide and related compounds against strains of Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis. J Antimicrob Chemoth 49: 103-111.
Aggarwal A, Shier RM 2008. Recalcitrant Trichomonas vaginalis infections successfully treated with vaginal acidification. J Obstet Gynaecol Can 30: 55-58.
Ali V, Nozaki T 2007. Current therapeutics, their problems and sulfur-containing-amino-acid metabolism as a novel target against infections by "amitochondriate"protozoan parasites. Clin Microbiol Rev 20: 164-187.
Barrow EW, Dreier J, Reinelt S, Bourne PC, Barrow WW 2007. In vitro efficacy of new antifolates against trimethoprim-resistant Bacillus anthracis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 51: 4447-4452.
Bénéré E, da Luz RA, Vermeersch M, Cos P, Maes L 2007. A new quantitative in vitro microculture method for Giardia duodenalis trophozoites. J Microbiol Methods 71: 101-106.
Borra RC, Lotufo MA, Gagioti SM, Barros Fde M, Andrade PM 2009. A simple method to measure cell viability in proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. Braz Oral Res 23: 255-262.
Bowman JC, Hicks PS, Kurtz MB, Rosen H, Schmatz DM, Liberator PA, Douglas CM 2002. The antifungal echinocandin caspofungin acetate kills growing cells of Aspergillus fumigatus in vitro. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 46: 3001-3012.
Campos Aldrete ME, Salgado-Zamora H, Luna J, Melendez E, Meraz-Rios, MA 2005. A high-throughput colorimetric and fluorometric microassay for the evaluation of nitroimidazole derivatives anti-trichomonas activity. Toxicol in Vitro 19: 1045-1050.
Cudmore SL, Delgaty, KL, Hayward-McClell SF, Petrin DP, Garber GE 2004. Treatment of infections caused by metronidazole-resistant Trichomonas vaginalis. Clin Microbiol Rev 17: 783-793.
Daryaee F, Kobarfard F, Khalaj A, Farnia P 2009. Synthesis and evaluation of in vitro anti-tuberculosis activity of N-substituted glycolamides. Eur J Med Chem 44: 289-295.
Duarte M, Giordani RB, Carli GA, Zuanazzi JA, Macedo AJ, Tasca T 2009a. Cytotoxicity of solubilization vehicles for Trichomonas gallinae and Tritrichomonas foetus measured by the resazurin microtiter assay. Vet Parasitol 166: 167-170.
Duarte M, Giordani RB, De Carli GA, Zuanazzi JA, Macedo AJ, Tasca T 2009b. A quantitative resazurin assay to determinate the viability of Trichomonas vaginalis and the cytotoxicity of organic solvents and surfactant agents. Exp Parasitol 123: 195-198.
Dunne RL, Dunn LA, Upcroft P, O'Donoghue PJ, Upcroft JA 2003. Drug resistance in the sexually transmitted protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. Cell Res 13: 239-249.
Flemming K, Klingenberg C, Cavanagh JP, Sletteng M, Stensen W, Svendsen JS, Flaegstad T 2009. High in vitro antimicrobial activity of synthetic antimicrobial peptidomimetics against staphylococcal biofilms. J Antimicrob Chemother 63: 136-145.
Gomez Barrio A, Martinez Grueiro MM, Montero D, Nogal JJ, Escario JA, Muelas S, Fernandez C, Vega C, Rolon M, Martinez Fernandez AR, Solis PN, Gupta MP 2004. In vitro antiparasitic activity of plant extracts from Panama. Pharm Biol 42: 332-337.
Kissinger P, Secor WE, Leichliter JS, Clark RA, Schmidt N, Curtin E, Martin DH 2008. Early repeated infections with Trichomonas vaginalis among HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. Clin Infect Dis 46: 994-999.
Lossick JG 1990. Treatment of urogenital trichomoniasis. In BM Honigberg, Trichomonads parasitic in human, Springer Verlag, New York, p. 324-341.
Marrero-Ponce Y, Rivera-Borroto OM, Meneses-Marcel A, Escario JA, Gomez Barrio A, Aran VJ, Alho MAM, Pereira DM, Nogal JJ, Torrens F, Ibarra-Velarde F, Montenegro YV, Huesca-Guillen A, Rivera N, Vogel C 2009. Discovery of novel trichomonacidals using LDA-Driven QSAR models and bond-based bilinear indices as molecular descriptors. Qsar Comb Sci 28: 9-26.
Martinez-Grueiro MM, Montero-Pereira D, Gimenez-Pardo C, Nogal-Ruiz JJ, Escario JA, Gomez-Barrio A 2003. Trichomonas vaginalis: determination of acid phosphatase activity as a pharmacological screening procedure. J Parasitol 89: 1076-1077.
McBride J, Ingram PR, Henriquez FL, Roberts CW 2005. Development of colorimetric microtiter plate assay for assessment of antimicrobials against Acanthamoeba. J Clin Microbiol 43: 629-634.
Meneses-Marcel A, Rivera-Borroto OM, Marrero-Ponce Y, Montero A, Machado Tugores Y, Escario JA, Gomez Barrio A, Montero Pereira D, Nogal JJ, Kouznetsov VV, Ochoa Puentes C, Bohorquez AR, Grau R, Torrens F, Ibarra-Velarde F, Aran VJ 2008. New antitrichomonal drug-like chemicals selected by bond (edge)-based TOMOCOMD-CARDD descriptors. J Biomol Screen 13: 785-794.
Mikus J, Steverding D 2000. A simple colorimetric method to screen drug cytotoxicity against Leishmania using the dye Alamar Blue. Parasitol Int 48: 265-269.
Mirza H, Teo JD, Upcroft J, Tan KS 2011. A rapid, high-throughput viability assay for Blastocystis spp reveals metronidazole resistance and extensive subtype-dependent variations in drug susceptibilities. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 55: 637-648.
Mo C, Yamagata R, Pan A, Reddy J, Hazari N, Duke G 2008. Development of a high-throughput Alamar Blue assay for the determination of influenza virus infectious dose, serum antivirus neutralization titer and virus ca/ts phenotype. J Virol Methods 150: 63-69.
Muelas-Serrano S, Nogal J, Martínez-Díaz RA, Escario JA, Martínez-Fernández R, Gómez-Barrio A 2000. In vitro screening of American plant extracts on Trypanosoma cruzi and Trichomonas vaginalis. J Ethnopharmacol 71: 101-107.
O'Brien J, Wilson I, Orton T, Pognan F 2000. Investigation of the Alamar Blue (resazurin) fluorescent dye for the assessment of mammalian cell cytotoxicity. Eur J Biochem 267: 5421-5426.
Petrin D, Delgaty K, Bhatt R, Garber G 1998. Clinical and microbiological aspects of Trichomonas vaginalis. Clin Microbiol Rev 11: 300-317.
Raz B, Iten M, Grether-Buhler Y, Kaminsky R, Brun R 1997. The Alamar Blue assay to determine drug sensitivity of African trypanosomes (T.b. rhodesiense and T.b. gambiense) in vitro. Acta Trop 68: 139-147.
Repp KK, Menor SA, Pettit RK 2007. Microplate Alamar Blue assay for susceptibility testing of Candida albicans biofilms. Med Mycol 45: 603-607.
Rolon M, Vega C, Escario JA, Gomez-Barrio A 2006. Development of resazurin microtiter assay for drug sensibility testing of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Parasitol Res 99: 103-107.
Sarker SD, Nahar L, Kumarasamy Y 2007. Microtitre plate-based antibacterial assay incorporating resazurin as an indicator of cell growth and its application in the in vitro antibacterial screening of phytochemicals. Methods 42: 321-324.
Swygard H, Sena AC, Hobbs MM, Cohen MS 2004. Trichomoniasis: clinical manifestations, diagnosis and management. Sex Transm Infect 80: 91-95.
Tiwari P, Singh D, Singh MM 2008. Anti-trichomonas activity of Sapindus saponins, a candidate for development as microbicidal contraceptive. J Antimicrob Chemother 62: 526-534.
Wendel KA, Workowski KA 2007. Trichomoniasis: challenges to appropriate management. Clin Infect Dis 44: S123-S129.
Zhang J, Chung TDY, Oldenburg KR 1999. A simple statistical parameter for use in evaluation and validation of high throughput screening assays. J Biomol Screen 4: 67-73.
Zhang XX, Zheng SS, Zhu MM 2009. In vitro effect of secnidazole benzoate on Trichomonas vaginalis. Chinese Journal of Parasitology & Parasitic Diseases 27: 111-114.


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'Manual testing' as a term used to describe testing is extremely confusing. What exactly are they attempting to describe? What do people believe is happening?
I believe 'Manual testing' displays a lack of consideration of the work, thinking and effort that goes into testing. However this depends who is using the term and why.
If testing consists of point and click, then 'Manual testing' may be apt.
If testing consists of test ideas, prep and experimentation, I don't believe the term 'Manual testing' suits.
We need to address this and clarify there is no automation testing or manual testing. There is testing.
This talk will be about testing and the need to be able to discuss it more clearly.
Tags: Agile Testing, Manual Testing, Automated Testing


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Jake was just what the doctor ordered for our annual team meeting this year. His message was clear and energizing! Our team is still Competing Everyday thanks to Jake and his time with us. If you want your team to get the mindset needed to elevate their game, then I would highly recommend having Jake come talk to them. Money well spent!
Jake was one of the best speakers we've ever had. It was fresh and very effective - he provided a million dollar presentation for our franchise owners! His presentation provided daily takeaways that we implemented the following Monday. His content was big picture with daily takeaways (not a traditional 'fluff' motivational talk)! Our ROI on his talk is going to be really good!
Jake kicked off our conference by bringing our theme of storytelling to life. Not only did he give our members valuable takeaways for everyday tasks, he inspired us to look inward to identify the makings of our own great stories. Jake's motivational messages aren't exclusive to any one field and the passion he has for what he does is contagious! Don't hesitate in booking him for your next event!
Jake was fully engaged, entertaining, and committed to presenting a unique approach to being successful in a competitive industry! He provided several action items for each of us to take away with and help focus on the daily grind. Jake exceeded expectations. I would highly recommend Jake Thompson for any event needing a motivational speaker!"
I hired Jake to capstone an all-day business event with a small live audience but a livestream audience of thousands. We added him to the agenda late in the process, but working with Jake proved to be one of the easiest parts of the project. His presentation was creative and directly on point with our audience, and the feedback we received has been very positive!"
Jake was a HOMERUN with our team. He did his homework and had us captivated from the start. To win over a group of restless sales professionals in itself is a miracle, but to hold their attention, spark interaction and elicit laughter – all while making excellent points about mindset, intentionality, and focus was outstanding to watch. I would recommend him to present at any event!
Jake recently spoke to the transitioning military and spouses at Fort Sill, OK via an American Dream U event. He had a powerful message that resinated with the crowd. The audience left with key takeaways that they could take action on immediately. I've worked with over two hundred different speakers over the years, I would definitely recommend Jake!
Great quality and love the slogan! I would buy the whole store if I could!
I love my shirt! Easy to order and it arrived fast. I love my shirt. It's so soft & comfortable. I love the inspirational quotes.
I love the women's muscle T's!! I must have at least 6 in different designs! Don't stop making these and I'll keep buying them! 🤗
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Fit-speration! I love being able to put on a favorite tank top and head to the gym thinking "yeah like the shirt says! I am going to kill this!" This is going to be my new favorite!
Love these shirts! CED continues to put out amazing products that inspire me and those around me.


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Workplace seminars for dads and mums
The Fatherhood Institute (www.fatherhoodinstitute.org) is the world's leading independent 'think tank' on fatherhood. We support both mothers and fathers as earners and carers.
Schools – boost your results by becoming a FRED provider
'When I see my children at the weekend they say, "We don't want to go to McDonald's – can we read stories instead?".'
You probably already know how important dads can be to their children's learning – and if you don't, you can find out here.
Creating father-inclusive health and social services: one-day course
The government's Healthy Child programme says:
"The contribution that fathers make to their children's development, health and wellbeing is important, but services do not do enough to recognise or support them.
New data shows men's childcare is up 58% during lockdown
The COVID-19 lockdown has led to a dramatic 58 per cent
increase in unpaid childcare undertaken by men, according to data gathered by
the Government's
Office for National Statistics[1].
Why should we care about locked down dads?
Adrienne Burgess writes…
Reflecting on the process of industrialisation in Britain from the mid-nineteenth century, the historical demographer Peter Laslett wrote: "The most important of all the effects on the family group of the process of modernisation has undoubtedly been the physical removal from the household of the father and other earners for all of every working day .
Sources of help during the Covid-19 crisis
Families in the UK, and around the world, are experiencing unprecedented challenges, ranging from enforced proximity to enforced separation, not to mention coping with financial stress and the difficulties of keeping small children entertained.


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4445 S. 74th E. Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74145
Phone: 918.627.3188
Fax: 918.627.2676
1415 FM 1960 East
Houston, TX 77073
Phone: 281.445.8700
Fax: 281.445.8880
12441 Business Highway 287N
Ft. Worth, TX 76179
Phone: 817.230.4249
Fax: 817.350.4537
5116 NW 3rd Street,
Oklahoma City, OK 73128
Phone: 405.603.6722
Fax: 405.603.6737
4390 Reynolds Dr.
Hilliard, OH 43026
Phone: 614.503.1700
Fax: 866.515.7548
3519 W. Beal City Road,
Weidman, MI 48893
Phone: 989.441.1500
Fax: 989.441.1505
19501 East 23rd Avenue
Aurora, CO 80011
Phone: 720.833.7032
Fax: 303.344.1525
3180 Industry Drive - Unit "C"
North Charleston, SC 29418
Phone: 843.628.1342
Fax: 866.594.3233
1400 Metropolitan Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: 850.893.9366
Fax: 850.893.9434
12521 Evergreen Dr., Suite A
Mukilteo, WA 98275
Phone: 425.903.4850
Fax: 425.903.4347
6711 NE 58th Ave
Vancouver, WA 98661
Phone: 360.694.6242
Fax: 360.737.3766
17902 Georgetown Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Phone: 714.963.6202
Fax: 714.963.6360
14538-121A Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5L 4L2
Phone: 780.453.6677
Fax: 780.482.4356
CEO Program does not apply to:
Claim submission exceeding 5 business days from delivery, damage is not noted on the carrier delivery receipt, proof of delivery based on delivery receipt, expedited or custom orders, 3rd party arranged shipments, interline shipments, drop shipments, hazardous materials, delivery requiring lift gate or other specialized equipment, residential or arranged deliveries, special requirements, secured facility, uncontrollable work stoppage, defect or inherent vice in the goods, non-stock items, international shipments, acts of God or any cause beyond MESA's control.
MESA quote/order form promised date supersedes all other documented promised dates when disputing a claim.
Shipments containing any item exceeding 8 feet in length.
Incomplete information could delay claim.
CEO Asurance Program
MESA is proud to introduce another industry-leading customer satisfaction initiative showcasing our commitment to value-added services. We call it our CEO Assurance Program, and are so confident in our products and customer service, we want to guarantee them! With this program, we warranty that our material orders are:
If we fall short, we will make things right with a full refund of freight charges (some exclusions apply). As an ISO 9001 certified organization and recipient of two Malcolm Baldrige Quality awards, expect nothing less than exceptional quality & value. For more information, visit us online @ mesaproducts.com or call 1.888.800.MESA(6372).


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Buy organic seeds & other garden goods and start your eco-friendly garden today!
Associated Campaigns
011 042 0000
Climate change is the most widespread & complex problem humanity has ever faced! There is no time to waste and we need to turn green talk into profound green action. This is the intention of the GREEN TIMES.


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Kinshasa and Brazzaville on Opposite Banks of Congo River, DRC and Congo – January 14th, 20124.3S 15.9E
This orthorectified wide-swath ASAR image shows the braided Congo River flowing towards Kinshasa, the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Brazzaville, the capital of the neighbouring Republic of Congo.
The two cities are located on opposite sides of the river, with Kinshasa on the southern banks and Brazzaville on the northern. This is the only place in the world where two national capital cities are facing one another and in sight of each other on opposite banks of a river.
The Congo River is the second longest river in Africa, with an overall length of 4,700 km (2,920 mi), and the ninth longest river in the world. It is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of 230 m (750 ft). The river and its tributaries flow through the Congo rainforest.


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There's still time to donate to Presents 4 Pets campaign
Mandy Oram of Paws and Kisses Pet Sitting Service in Shelton is organizing the 2014 Presents 4 Pets campaign in southern Connecticut to benefit homeless animals in the community.
The event is held in support of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week from Nov. 2 to 8.
Professional pet-sitters across the country sponsor local campaigns in coordination with the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.
Pet-care items are collected to help keep animal shelters. Needed are pet food, treats, toys, blankets, towels, rugs, beds, leashes, collars and cat litter.
A donation box during business hours is at the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce office, 10 Progress Drive, Shelton. Go to www.p4pct.org for details.


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Though hearing aids that attach to glasses do exist, advancements in "in the canal" (ITC) technology and design improvements to behind the ear (BTE) devices make this option obsolete. This type of technology was first developed in the 1950s, when frames were bulkier and the hearing aids were much larger.
With the small size of today's hearing aid technology, many styles can be comfortably worn in conjunction with glasses, such as mini BTEs, mini RICs, and, of course, ITCs and ITEs.
Schedule an appointment with a certified professional to learn what hearing aids best fit your hearing, budget, and lifestyle requirements.


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Certified Holistic Practitioners (CHPs) are qualified professionals who are trained to guide you in making nutrition and lifestyle choices that will benefit you in preventing disease and getting to the root cause of an illness or imbalance. We take a holistic approach by dealing with the whole person (body, mind and spirit). We assess dietary needs, symptoms, stress levels, exercise, and lifestyle choices when consulting with each client as everyone is biochemically unique.
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Weight loss/weight gain
- Food allergies/sensitivities
- Paediatric nutrition
- Cardiovascular health
- Women's issues (PMS, pre & postnatal pregnancy, menopause, etc)
- Inflammatory disorders (arthritis, asthma, IBS, fibromyalgia, etc)
- Mental health issues (autism, ADD, depression, Alzheimer's, etc)
- Detoxification
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Thyroid & adrenal fatigue
Gift Certificates
- Can be purchased for any denomination.
- Give the gift of good health to someone you love today!!


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Aeration---getting pure oxygen
Buying, building and using brewing equipment and apparatus. Product reviews and questions.
Moderator: slothrob
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2 posts • Page 1 of 1
- Strong Ale
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2001 11:33 pm
- Location: Hummelstown, PA, US
Aeration---getting pure oxygen
I was thinking of getting a SS aeration stone, and dont want to mess around with aerating with a pump for 30-40 minutes and making a ton of foam, so where can I buy/get some oxygen????
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2 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Embedded from media.mtvnservices.com.
The ladies of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta have been through the ringer together but who is really loyal to who and what does loyalty even mean to these women anyway? In an exclusive chat with VH1, Karlie Redd, Tommie Lee, Tiarra, Karen "KK" King, and more define loyalty and friendship, according to them. As Karlie says, "Relationships, friendships, anything that has the end word of 'ship,' [she] takes seriously."
Watch the interview to see what the ladies say, and hear how they apply it to their real life relationships and then vote in our poll for the most loyal cast member.
Don't miss new episodes of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta every Monday at 8/7c!


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Help & Information
The quality of care which we provide is central to all that we do at Tilsley House. In order to continuously improve our service we encourage feedback from all those associated with our home. As part of this evaluation we would like to consult with you and your family to obtain information regarding your opinions and impressions of the Home, the staff and other aspects of your care and residence here.
We would be grateful to hear your comments and feedback either by post, telephone or e-mail.
Please see the 'Contact Us' page to see how you can reach us.
We would also like to encourage friends, relatives and others to engage with us via social media. Please see below how you can get in contact with us.
- Facebook: facebook.com/solomoncare
- Twitter: twitter.com/tilsleyhouse
- Blog: tilsleyhouse.blogspot.co.uk
- E-mail: [email protected]


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The total solar eclipse of 2017 was an underwhelming experience in our part of the country. From what I saw on the live streaming of the eclipse, for folks who experienced it first hand, it was spectacular and profound – the temporary darkness smack in the middle of the day, the sudden chilling of the air, and the realization that we are all connected by this cosmic energy. I can only imagine!
We too had our share of fun. Yesterday, Da had made a contraption out of a carton for our viewing. It was super fun parading in and out of the house to catch a glimpse of the sun and the moon playing tango.
I hear we will be in the path for the next total solar eclipse in 2024, so better luck to us then.


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Get Started With Ingram
From authors to publishers, retailers to libraries, manufacturers to printers—if books are your passion, Ingram helps you keep the whole world reading.
Because they all serve different communities with unique qualities and preferences, no two libraries are the same. Outside of the handful of books that are guaranteed high levels of circulation it takes a large effort on your part to filter out the books that speak most to your patrons from the rest.
For a more flexible and customizable approach to curation and collection development consider what Ingram can do for you. We offer a suite of practical library services customizable to your workflow, matching the unique needs of your patrons so you always have the right titles, at the right price, at the right time.
Before opening day and throughout the life of your library, you can depend on Ingram to provide the title selection and programs customized to fit your operation, your needs, your budget, and your individual patrons.
Trust in our team of library professionals to have your books ready to hit the shelves as soon as they arrive and save time on those routine collection development tasks.
With speed and accuracy we match the precise specifications of your own catalog using an authoritative bibliographic database along with additional customized services to create a consistent model of your current cataloging and processing workflow.
Ingram provides more than 100 different processing options customized to your requirements.
Ingram and Better World Books have come together to help libraries turn old books into new books. As you weed your collection, Better World Books assists in surplus removal and sells or recycles those materials--nothing goes to waste. Better World Books then issues a credit towards the purchase of new books from Ingram for your library.
This service is not available to K-12 Libraries.
Our goal is to help you create a library that is as unique as your community. With our inventory and expertise, Ingram provides a balanced collection ready for your shelves. We also have customizable processing and cataloging services designed to save time on routine collection development functions.
Collection Development
Having a huge selection of books offers a huge advantage to helping start you off in the right direction, but it means nothing if we can't point you to the right titles. Our profiling program provides a clear picture of your collection needs while considering your timeline and budget.
Powered by our authoritative cataloging database and supported by our team of MLS-degreed librarians, plus with more than 100 different processing options for books, audio books, video, and DVDs, we can create the perfect custom program to meet your opening day requirements.
Options include:
Shelf Ready
Ingram's shelf-ready collections include not only processing but also storage and shipment in Rough or Strict Dewey Sort. Your profiles are closely followed so that your collection arrives ready to be placed on the shelves in time for opening day.


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Gaza Video Supplier Responds
This is an email sent to us by Paul Martin, who supplied Western media with that Gaza hospital video. Martin demands an apology from bloggers, and insists that we have no reason to be suspicious of video footage that comes from a Hamas-linked photographer and a radical Marxist doctor. We created an LGF account for him to post comments, but he apparently decided not to jump into the pool with the lizard army.
In the email, all eight paragraphs are in bold text; I'll spare you that.
WORLD NEWS & FEATURES, which has been operating in zones of conflict since 2001, is responsible for the supply of video material to a number of major television stations during this Gaza conflict, and we are very careful to ensure we work only with people we know and trust in the Gaza Strip. Ashraf Mashharawi is probably the most respected independent producer in the Gaza Strip. We have worked with him, and with his late brother Ahmed, an excellent cameraman, on and off there for at least five years, and throughout the Mashharawis have been fair and accurate. We would expect even the most objective Western journalist to be somewhat upset when he has to carry his own 12-year-old brother to hospital, fatally wounded by a rocket while playing on the roof of his own home. No-one in their right mind would suggest that any person would allow doctors to play games with a dying or dead younger brother. The idea is bizarre and deeply insulting, and actually damages the credibility of your blogger's scrutiny of TV output in general - a scrutiny which in principle we would strongly applaud.
The tape was fed to London and used by several outlets, without WNF itself actually having the facility to watch it beforehand. But having now done so we continue to stand by the complete genuineness of the footage. What is shown is just the very final stage of doctors' failed efforts to save Mahmoud. I suppose the reason their effort as shown is so gentle is that they have already in effect concluded that it is futile. And I think your blogger's understanding of TV is somewhat flawed in this respect: no-one would need to 'dramatize' any such death, gently or vigorously. The death itself and the fact that Ashraf's cameraman had filmed all the PREVIOUS events, and the subsequent return to the home with the body, and the funeral, would have been dramatic enough… in fact the hospital post-death concluding effort by the doctor(s) in no way enhanced the power of the filming - if anything it weakened it… just a body lying there and Ashraf mourning over his dead brother's lifeless corpse would have been more powerful.
So there is absolutely no reason to suspect this doctor was playing to the camera - let alone that Ashraf would have asked him to do so. The hospital has confirmed that Mahmoud Mashharawi, aged 12, was brought in still breathing but subsequently was pronounced dead. There is therefore not the slightest indication of any faking.
I think a decent apology to Ashraf might be in order.
I might also add that trying to suggest Ashraf has some political agenda is also a false trail. He does not. He was (but is no longer) employed by a company that produced the .ps suffix, and just as anyone can sign up for a .com or a .info or a.tv suffix on payment of a small fee, so can anyone buy a .ps suffix - even Little Green Footballs. All Palestinians like the .ps suffix so anyone can sign up, including affiliates of Hamas. So what WNF has also used this company's services, because it has a big US-based server that can contain a lot of video, and it is quite cheap! We are happy with this web hosting service - which has no influence at all on our editorial output - we can switch to any commercial provider whenever we wish. The fact that we have had both a personal and a commercial relationship with Ashraf Mashharawi is one good reason why we are relying ONLY on his services during this current conflict while I myself and our other people cannot enter Gaza itself. We have other Palestinians offering to work for us there but have turned all of them down so we can rely only on someone about whose integrity we have certainty.
Finally, an attempt was made by one of your bloggers to show that one of the doctors wanted to make a film with Ashraf. His brother, who died in a car crash, was hosted by a family in Norway and that is probably how he came to know about Ashraf's production services. The idea that this somehow resulted in this same doctor and Ashraf acting out some faked scene over his dying or dead youngest brother is ludicrous and sickening. Ashraf's father, who is a medical doctor too by the way, deserves better than to have the death of his child portrayed in any way other than the truth - Mahmoud died because a rocket hit him while he was playing on the roof of his apartment. It is a legitimate story for the media to cover.
I would however suggest that it is vital for the media also to cover why such events occur, and to give balanced and fair overall coverage. Some filmed reports may show one aspect of the complex events, while another should show another side. For example, WNF is investigating whether unmanned drones have cameras which produce only fuzzy pictures and therefore cannot or did not distinguish whether figures moving on a roof are fighter or just kids. That may well be the case. WNF is proud to be a very independent producer of news and current affairs from ALL sides of a conflict. Presently I am in Israel filming with the Israeli medical teams who go to the sites of rocket attacks, for example.
Finally, we welcome and encourage and salute scrutiny of the media, but we urge bloggers first to think before they leap to the keyboard, and then to be moderate and considerate, especially when alleging things that will be hurtful to other human beings. Anyone with further queries (or apologies) is welcome to contact me on firstname.lastname@example.com.
This point really strikes me:
The tape was fed to London and used by several outlets, without WNF itself actually having the facility to watch it beforehand.
So the supplier of video from a war zone governed by a terrorist organization did not even look at it before it was sold to and used by Western sources? Wow. And we wonder why there's so much Hamas propaganda in the media.
The most important question, though, and the one that started this whole controversy, is whether the "CPR" shown in the video is genuine, or whether it was cynical propaganda — a fake "resuscitation" attempt. This is Martin's explanation:
What is shown is just the very final stage of doctors' failed efforts to save Mahmoud. I suppose the reason their effort as shown is so gentle is that they have already in effect concluded that it is futile.
I'll let the doctors among us weigh in on this, but it seems ridiculous beyond belief to say that once you've decided a patient is dead, it's a good idea to gently massage his abdomen with the tips of your fingers — and call it CPR.
There are other serious questions that have been raised about the video as well. This CNN article claims that the boy suffered shrapnel wounds in his head and all over his body:
Raafat Hamdouna, administrative director at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, said Friday that "Mahmoud Khalil Mashharawi, a 12-year-old, was brought to the hospital, and he was breathing, but he was hit in the head and all over his body by shrapnel."
But in the video shown on Channel 4, we see the child's head from several angles in several different scenes and there is absolutely no sign of wounds or blood. For example, this is the photo on that CNN page:
Given the background and the situation, it's completely justified to suspect staging in videos such as this, and the terrorist groups who run Gaza have demonstrated over and over that they are willing and able to engage in it.
As I've written previously, the death of a child is a terrible thing — but groups like Hamas are not above using their own children to manipulate the feelings of Western audiences.


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WWDC 16: Apple Details Game Center Changes in iOS 10, Introduces Sessions
Apple introduced its Sessions API, which will add support for iCloud-based multiplayer to Game Center.
During WWDC 16 last week, Apple unveiled a number of changes coming to Game Center in iOS 10. Game Center is Apple's social gaming platform, which allows developers to add achievements, leader boards and multiplayer functionality to iOS games.
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Lastly, Sessions will support "assisted single-player games." With this feature, when a user is stuck on a level in a game, he or she will be able to invite a friend to help them complete the level. Developers will have the option to introduce cooperative elements for the two players to complete the level together, or, they can allow the second player to simply complete the level for the first player.
iOS 10 will launch this fall.
Readers: What do you think of these Game Center changes?


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Wednesday, February 03, 2016
Our "Spiritual" Problem
I've appreciated some of these memes, and have been happy to share them in various places.
But then there are others like the one above. And while I just ignore most of those that have made me cringe or with which I've disagreed, this one caused a pretty strong reaction within me because it reflects several things about the UCC--and perhaps by extension most mainline denominations--that I just can't shake off.
Granted, I am not the target audience for these. I admit that. And it may be that those for whom this is meant find it intriguing, or meaningful, or inviting. If that is the case, I am glad.
But this particular meme has also set off an internal conversation among colleagues and laypeople alike, and all of it seems to center on the word "spiritual." At least two problems within the UCC have been exposed thanks to the above graphic, which have caused no small amount of impassioned debate.
First, a little background. Some readers know that I am a certified spiritual director. I've long been nurturing an interest in spiritual practices and traditions and in sharing them in both local and wider church settings. For a long time, I've credited a class that I took my very first semester at a UCC seminary for planting these seeds of interest within me.
It occurred to me just this week that those seeds were actually planted slightly earlier, during the few years that I participated in evangelical and non-denominational groups and was heavily influenced by the beliefs and practices of those communities. These settings were expressive, allowed for the showing of and tapping into emotion, and encouraged forms of personal prayer and devotion that I hadn't experienced prior to that. During these years I discovered an entire realm of possibility for faith development and discerning God's presence I wasn't aware existed.
I have been a member of the UCC my entire life. I was born and raised in this tradition. Both my parents have ministered in local churches and volunteered in judicatory settings. I attended UCC-affiliated schools for my undergrad and graduate degrees. I've been a part of many different churches in this denomination that have nurtured, supported, and influenced me in so many life-affirming ways.
But I had to go outside the tradition to discover forms of prayer, worship, and practice that weren't intellect-based and liturgically verbose. As much of a mixed bag as those years were for me, I can see that that is where my interest in spirituality began. A single elective class at my denominational school watered the seeds, but they were planted elsewhere.
This has been my experience of how the mainline church approaches spirituality: a single course here, a token nod there. But for the most part, the spirit that carries the day in most of our settings is if it doesn't originate from the mind or can't be expressed verbally or in print at great length, it can't be trusted. The truth is that the methods available to us to grow in our relationship with God as known uniquely in Jesus are far more numerous than many have considered.
The second problem I see reflected by this meme is our misunderstanding of "spiritual" people in general, and it flows from the first problem. Many have reacted to the above picture due to its use of "spiritual" in place of "Christ." My colleague Emily Heath has laid out the case for not replacing it, and I think that statement is a fine one. She makes some great points about foundational identity that we as a denomination should be talking about.
But my concern here is how, in reacting to this replacement, we risk identifying those we're trying to reach. Many within the church assume that to be spiritual is to not really believe anything. Such an accusation has been leveled at the "spiritual but not religious" (SBNR) for years now, and some of my UCC colleagues have helped encourage that narrative. Because the SBNR category can be so diverse and difficult to define, many assume that it must just be the adopted moniker of the lazy. Can't be bothered to get up early enough on Sunday morning? Call yourself SBNR. Can't bring yourself to really think all that hard about your beliefs about God? Call yourself SBNR.
A certain percentage of those identifying as SBNR may truly take this route. But you don't know until you go one person to the next and ask. And if you do, prepare to be surprised by the knowledge and stories they may end up sharing with you. Their experiences of the divine may be rich, deep, diverse, and outside the church norm, from which we may greatly benefit from hearing.
Maybe clinging to these assumptions about SBNR people is the truly lazy option.
Beyond that, people from within the church are offering up this meme in an attempt to appeal to those who claim the statement "I'm a very spiritual person." As such, it doesn't seem very genuine. I don't think that we on the inside, particularly with the traditions and sets of assumptions with which we've operated since our inception nearly 60 years ago, really know what people mean when they say this.
How committed are we to finding out?
We in the UCC have often exhibited an aversion to and misunderstanding of the term "spiritual" as it has been used throughout Christian history and as it is now used by non-churched people. There isn't an easy solution, but recognizing that there's a problem is a good first step.
I still don't like the meme, but I'm glad for the possibilities for denomination-wide conversation and transformation it now presents for us.
3 comments:
- Unknown said...
In my teens, twenties and most of my thirties I was quite spiritual and very much turned off by the many churches I tried out as a youth. So I avoided church for a score of years precisely because I did not find them spiritual. It was their non-loved practices (real or perceived) that kept me away. Then in my late thirties I wandered into a UCC church-- and it was precisely because I found deep spiritual power and resonance in the UCC's open and intelligent and relentless aim toward love that I returned the next Sunday and got involved and eventually gave up an entire life to go to seminary and become ordained. Love wins in the UCC, and there is nothing more spiritual or holy in community for me. So I think the meme is an effective messages to those outside the church. It says "Spiritual person you are welcome in a church." I find that true of most UCC churches. And if I'd seen that ad while I was wandering unchurched, I might very well have wandered into a UCC much sooner.
- Luke said...
Thank you for this Jeff. I'm thankful for the conversation that this meme (and others) have generated. We're talking, and that's not a bad thing.
I'm listening to the positives and negatives and land in the same place you are, "I still don't like the meme, but I'm glad for the possibilities for denomination-wide conversation and transformation it now presents for us."
Thanks always for your thoughts.
- Jeff Nelson said...
Thank you for sharing your experience, "Unknown." I've been very interested in hearing how this meme speaks to different people and, again, I admit I'm not the intended audience. I do hope that it gets us talking more about how we understand what we do to be spiritual, as well as what possibilities and people outside of that understanding can teach us.


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Mindset is not something that changes easily and is not "concentrated" in a single point, so to speak. Instead our mindset is "scattered" across the various practices we use and skills we posses. This requires appropriate treatment of the mindset as part of the the transformation. Over-reliance on Training brings in formal awareness but is incapable of creating any new instincts. This leads to a problem: when the organization runs into its first roadblock as part of the adoption process, they immediately fall back into their old thinking.
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