text:
Pediatric Nevirapine Resistance Study
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
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- How to Read a Study Record
|AIDS HIV Infections
|Drug: nevirapine
|Phase 3
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Clinical Relevance of Nevirapine Resistance
- Virologic suppression at 6 months after randomization
- To compare the time to virologic failure up to 18 months post randomization
- to examine the associations between detection of drug resistance mutation and virologic response to treatment
- to compare the toxicity profiles and adherence in the two groups
- to describe the emergence of genotypic resistance in the two groups
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|April 2005
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|September 2010
The wide use of NVP in pMTCT-prophylaxis may result in resistance to NNRTI and concomitantly limits the use of these drugs for the treatment of HIV-infected children. To avoid restricting treatment options for children, it is desirable to preserve NVP for both pMTCT and first line treatment. This study will therefore test whether resistance-caused treatment failures of HIV-infected and previously NVP-exposed children can be avoided if the NVP treatment is preceded by an initial PI-based regimen.
Comparison: HIV-infected children less than 24 months of age, exposed to any pMTCT regimen that included NVP and who achieve and maintain viral suppression for at least 3 months with a PI-based regimen will be randomized to one of the two groups: (1) to continue on PI-containing regimen or (2) to be switched off the PI-containing regimen onto the NVP-containing regimen. The study outcome will be proportions in the two groups who have complete virologic suppression at 6 months after randomization.
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|up to 24 Months (Child)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- NVP-exposure as part of pMTCT-prophylaxis around delivery
- HIV-positive
- Eligible for treatment
- Plans to stay in the area for the next 6 months
Exclusion Criteria:
- Already on anti-retroviral treatment
- History of toxicity to perinatal NVP
- Grade 3 or greater elevation of liver function tests
- Being treated for a severe acute opportunistic infection or tumor
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00117728
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00117728
|South Africa
|Coronation Hospital
|Johannesburg, South Africa
|Contact: Ashraf Coovadia, MD +27 (0) 11 470 9290/9317 firstname.lastname@example.com
|Principal Investigator:
|Louise Kuhn, Ph.D.
|Columbia University
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00117728 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
5R01HD047177 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
|First Submitted:
|July 6, 2005
|First Posted:
|July 8, 2005
|Last Update Posted:
|June 29, 2007
|Last Verified:
|January 2006
Keywords provided by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD):
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor
Drug Resistance
HIV Seronegativity
Treatment Naive
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Anti-Retroviral Agents
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Anti-HIV Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inducers
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inducers


text:
The Fiber Disease
Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Medicine. Anything human!
Moderator: BioTeam
Thanks Nadas, to awake my stultified mind, I have made a glossary of the terms used in MF's Find. I do this to learn, and also, dive us all, a "building blocks" understanding, of a very complex issue, with plentiful tangential diversion. All definitions are from Biology Onlines Dictionary
Plasmid :
(Science: molecular biology) A small, independently replicating, piece of extrachromosomal cytoplasmic dNA that can be transferred from one organism to another. linear or circular DNA molecules found in both pro and eukaryotes capable of autonomous replication.
stringent plasmids occur at low copy number in cells, relaxed plasmids at high copy number, ca 10 to 30. plasmids can become incorporated into the genome of the host or can remain independent. An example is the f factor of e. Coli. May transfer genes and plasmids carrying antibiotic resistant genes can spread this trait rapidly through the population.
Described largely from bacteria and protozoa. Some plasmids are capable of integrating into the host genome. A number of artificially constructed plasmids are used as cloning vectors
restriction enzyme.
Restriction endonuclease:
(Science: enzyme molecular biology) class of bacterial enzymes that cut dNA at specific sites. In bacteria their function is to destroy foreign DNA, such as that of bacteriophages (host DNA is specifically modified at these sites).
type I restriction endonucleases occur as a complex with the methylase and a polypeptide that binds to the recognition site on dNA. They are often not very specific and cut at a remote site.
type II restriction endonucleases are the classic experimental tools. They have very specific recognition and cutting sites. The recognition sites are short, 4-8 nucleotides and are usually palindromic sequences. Because both strands have the same sequence running in opposite directions the enzymes make double stranded breaks, which, if the site of cleavage is off centre, generates fragments with short single stranded tails, these can hybridise to the tails of other fragments and are called sticky ends.
They are generally named according to the bacterium from which they were isolated (first letter of genus name and the first two letters of the specific name). The bacterial strain is identified next and multiple enzymes are given roman numerals. For example the two enzymes isolated from the R strain of e. Coli are designated eco RI and eco RII.
Retrieved from "http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Restriction_enzymes"
The sustained heating of a material such as steel or glass at aspecific high temperature, followed by gradual cooling, this is done to eliminate weakness or to produce other qualities.
The pairing of complementary dna or rna sequences, via hydrogenbonding, to form a double-stranded molecule. Mostoften used to describe the binding of a short primer or probe.
Enzyme :
(Science: biochemistry) a protein molecule produced by living organisms that catalyses chemical reactions of other substances without itself being destroyed or altered upon completion of the reactions.They are also called organic catalyst.Enzymes are found in saliva and salivary glands.
enzymes are classified according to the recommendations of the nomenclature Committee of the international union of biochemistry. Each enzyme is assigned a recommended name and an enzyme Commission (EC) number.
They are divided into six main groups, oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases and ligases. Any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions.A type of protein that catalyses biological reactions. enzymes have to operate in certain environment conditions (such as a thirty seven degree Celsius temperature in humans) to operate optimally.There can be factors, like a change in temperature or the absence of a coenzyme that will reduce the effectiveness of an enzymes reaction.
long story short, enzymes speed up chemical reactions. however, substrates, the reactants that change inside the enzyme, must fit like a lock and key: only certain amounts and kinds of substrates fit inside an enzyme. Things like high temperature and ph not of the optimal amount can change the shape of the enzyme and the substrates wont fit perfectly anymore, which is why extremely high temperatures can be dangerous to people and other organisms.
basic amino acid
An amino acid containing a second basic group (usually an amino group); e.g., lysine, arginine, ornithine.
Synonym: dibasic amino acid.
Retrieved from "http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Basic_amino_acids"
Al, I actually have a copy of the book that your link refers to, (The Kybalion). Yes, I agree it is rather intriguing and enlightening. Here is an Amazon link to a couple of other books I have which just might make you go "hmmmmm".
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1585090 ... eader-link
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0521398 ... eader-link
What a wide scope this encompasses, the depths are staggering. . .
now I'm very afraid:
http://www.us-government-torture.com/La ... 20Edit.pdf
thanks for the proper term index...
i coming at this from arcana .. its a another world in it self with
"pig iron"
being out of context but in perceptive range.
and while "Things like high temperature and ph not of the optimal amount can change the shape of the enzyme and the substrates"
under many conditions .... FIRE / MAKES
toast that localized pseudomold biofilm
creat some instant aerobic mold spores dispersing
recommended classic
"Godel Escher Bach"
by D. Hoffstader
Here's one for you guys:
On page 649 of my Tormont Webster's Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary, I find the third definition for the word, "Fodder" as follows:
3. People viewed as raw material for the achievement of a specified commercial, political, or military end. See cannon fodder.
What the &$#! Yes, there it is folks, spelled out in plain English by none other than good ole' Webster himself.
So, I gather that must be what they consider us; nothing more than cannon fodder. That really sucks.
Thanks for input.
Thanks for reminding me of this. Excellent.
To Print: Click your browser's PRINT button.
NOTE: To view the article with Web enhancements, go to:
Rhinosporidium seeberi: A Human Pathogen From a Novel Group of Aquatic Protistan Parasites
David N. Fredricks,*†Jennifer A. Jolley,* Paul W. Lepp,* Jon C. Kosek,†David A. Relman*†
* Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
† Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, USA
Emerg Infect Dis 6(3), 2000. © 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Abstract and Introduction
Rhinosporidium seeberi, a microorganism that can infect the mucosal surfaces of humans and animals, has been classified as a fungus on the basis of morphologic and histochemical characteristics. Using consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we amplified a portion of the R. seeberi 18S rRNA gene directly from infected tissue. Analysis of the aligned sequence and inference of phylogenetic relationships showed that R. seeberi is a protist from a novel clade of parasites that infect fish and amphibians. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and R. seeberi-specific PCR showed that this unique 18S rRNA sequence is also present in other tissues infected with R. seeberi. Our data support the R. seeberi phylogeny recently suggested by another group. R. seeberi is not a classic fungus, but rather the first known human pathogen from the DRIPs clade, a novel clade of aquatic protistan parasites (Ichthyosporea).
Rhinosporidiosis manifests as slow-growing, tumorlike masses, usually of the nasal mucosa or ocular conjunctivae of humans and animals. Patients with nasal involvement often have unilateral nasal obstruction or bleeding due to polyp formation. The diagnosis is established by observing the characteristic appearance of the organism in tissue biopsies (Figure 1). Treatment consists of surgical excision, but relapse occurs in approximately 10% of patients[1]; antimicrobial therapy is not effective[2]. Rhinosporidiosis occurs in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia but is most common in the tropics, with the highest prevalence in southern India and Sri Lanka. A survey of schoolchildren from Pallam, India, found 11 cases in 781 children examined (prevalence 1.4%)[3]. Autochthonous cases have been reported from the southeastern United States[4]. Studies have linked infection to swimming or bathing in freshwater ponds, lakes, or rivers[2,5].
Figure 1. Histology of rhinosporidiosis. A formaldehyde-fixed section of human nasal polyp was stained with Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and visualized by bright-field microscopy at 400X magnification. The thick walls of immature R. seeberi trophocytes stain with PAS (pink), and the spherical organisms are surrounded by inflammatory cells.*
The etiologic agent of rhinosporidiosis, Rhinosporidium seeberi, is an enigmatic microbe that has been difficult to classify. Recently, R. seeberi has been considered a fungus, but it was originally thought to be a protozoan parasite[2]. Its morphologic characteristics resemble those of Coccidioides immitis: both organisms have mature stages that consist of large, thick-walled, spherical structures containing smaller daughter cells (endospores). In addition, R. seeberi is visualized with fungal stains such as methenamine silver and Periodic acid-Schiff, as well as mucicarmine, which stains the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. R. seeberi has not been detected in the environment, and its natural host or reservoir is unknown. Attempts to propagate this organism on artificial media have failed, as has continuous cocultivation with human cell lines[6].
We report a molecular approach for establishing the phylogenetic relationships R. seeberi to other eukaryotes. This approach is based on amplification of the small subunit rRNA gene sequence from infected tissue, as in the method used to identify the culture-resistant bacillus of Whipple disease[7]. The sequence of the small subunit rRNA gene has proven to be a useful gauge of evolutionary relationships for many organisms from diverse taxonomic groups[8].
Materials and Methods
We obtained a sample of frozen, minced, infected canine nasal polyp in tissue culture media that had been used for the limited propagation of R. seeberi in cell culture[6]. After thawing and a 1-minute centrifugation at 500 x g, approximately 0.2 g of the tissue pellet was digested by mechanical disruption and the DNA was purified by adsorption to glass milk in the presence of a chaotropic agent, according to the manufacturer's instructions (Fast Prep, Bio 101, Vista, CA). The DNA was resuspended in 100µL of 10 mM Tris, 1 mM EDTA buffer at pH 8.5.
Three blocks of fixed, paraffin-embedded nasal polyps from unrelated patients with histologically confirmed rhinosporidiosis were obtained. One tissue sample came from a patient born in southern Asia but living in the United States, and two samples came from patients living in Spain. Twenty-three blocks of fixed, paraffin-embedded nasal polyps from patients without rhinosporidiosis were obtained from 12 consecutive patients at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital who had undergone nasal polypectomy. Two 25-µm sections were cut from each block, and the sections were deparaffinized and digested[5]. DNA from the digests was then purified by the Isoquick method (ORCA Research, Inc., Bothell, WA), and the DNA was resuspended in 25µL of Tris/EDTA buffer. Sections from a block of fixed, paraffin-embedded human lymph node (histologically normal) were also used in some experiments as negative controls. Tissue sections of C. immitis in bone were obtained from a patient with disseminated coccidioidomycosis at the Palo Alto VA hospital and used for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Samples of Rosette agent and Dermocystidium salmonis DNA were obtained from the Bodega Marine Laboratory of the University of California, Davis.
Fungal specimens in culture were obtained from laboratories at Stanford University and the Palo Alto VA Health Care System. A cotton swab was used to transfer fungal cells from agar into a 1.5-mL microfuge tube containing 0.5 mL digestion buffer[9] and 0.1 mL glass beads. Samples were incubated at 55°C overnight, and the proteinase k was inactivated at 95°C for 10 minutes and then subjected to two freeze-thaw cycles by immersing tubes in a dry ice-isopropranol bath followed by vortex mixing.
Consensus Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of the 18S rRNA Gene
Broad-range fungal PCR primers were designed from a database of >4,000 small subunit rDNA sequences, with the ARB software package (Technical University, Munich, Germany). Primers were selected that would anneal to most fungal and some protist 18S rDNA but not to 18S rDNA from the chordata (F1-fw, F2-rev, F3-rev) (Table). When the specificity of the primer pairs was tested by using human lymphocyte DNA, no amplification was observed (data not shown). The broad range of primers F1-fw/F2-rev was tested by using DNA from several diverse fungi. Amplification products of the expected size were produced by using DNA from Aspergillus oryzae, Alternaria alternata, Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichyphyton rubrum, Panus rudis, Neurospora crassa, Fusarium solani, Beauveria bassiana, Flammulina velutipes, Gibberella zeae, and Pleurotus ostreatus (data not shown).
PCR consisted of 40 cycles of amplification on a Perkin-Elmer GeneAmp 2400 thermal cycler. After an initial activation of Taq gold at 94°C for 10 minutes, each cycle consisted of 30 seconds of melting at 94°C, 30 seconds of annealing at 56°C, and 30 seconds of extension at 72°C. The last cycle was followed by an extension step at 72°C for 7 minutes. Amplification products were detected by electrophoresis on 2% agarose gels stained with ethidium bromide and visualized with a UV transilluminator.
On the basis of the sequences obtained by consensus PCR with primers F1-fw/F2-rev (~500 bp) and F1-fw/F3-rev (~1000 bp), primers Dermo-fw and Dermo-rev were designed (Table) and used in a PCR to amplify a more complete 18S rDNA sequence of R. seeberi.
Rhinosporidium-Specific PCR
A pair of PCR primers was designed from unique regions of the R. seeberi 18S rRNA gene sequence (Rhino-fw and Rhino-rev) (Table). These primers were used in a 50-µL PCR as described, except that AmpliTaq DNA polymerase (PE-ABI) was used at 1 unit per reaction, no dimethyl sulfoxide was added, 50 cycles of PCR were run with a 3-minute pre-melt at 94°C, and the annealing temperature was 55°C. To each 50-µL PCR reaction, 1µL or 5µL of purified DNA were added.
ß-Globin PCR
ß-globin PCR was performed on control tissues as described previously[9].
DNA Cloning, Sequencing, and Phylogenetic Analysis
Amplification products were cloned by using the Topo-TA cloning kit (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA), and three clones were sequenced. Each clone consisted of 1,750 bp of 18S rDNA. Priming sequences were removed for further analysis, yielding 1,699 bp of meaningful sequence. DNA sequencing was performed as described[10]. A consensus sequence from the three clones was made to correct for any Taq polymerase incorporation errors. The 18S rDNA primers (Table) were used as sequencing primers.
The R. seeberi 18S rDNA sequence was aligned by using the automated aligner of the ARB software package. Ambiguously and incorrectly aligned positions were manually aligned on the basis of the conserved primary sequence and secondary structure. The phylogenetic relationship of R. seeberi to other eukaryotes was inferred from 1,350 unambiguously aligned (masked) positions with a maximum-likelihood algorithm[11,12], on the basis of a previously aligned dataset of the DRIPs clade (named after the organisms Dermocystidium, the Rosette agent, Ichthyophonus, and Psorospermium)[13]. The dataset was used to empirically determine nucleotide frequencies and instantaneous substitution rates with the restriction of a 2:1 transition to transversion ratio. The organisms used in our tree and the accession numbers for their small subunit rRNA sequences include Artemia salina (X01723), Xenopus laevis (X04025), Mytilus edulis (L24489), Tripedalia cystophora (L10829), Microciona prolifera (L10825), Diaphanoeca grandis (L10824), Rosette agent (L29455), R. seeberi (AF158369), Dermocystidium species (U21336), Dermocystidium salmonis (U21337), Psorospermium haeckelii (U33180), Ichthyophonus hoferi (D14358), Aspergillus fumagatus (M60300), Chytridium confervae (M59758), Mucor racemosus (X54863), Acanthamoeba castellanii (U07413), Zamia pumila (M20017), Porphyra spiralis (L26177), Lagenidium giganteum (X54266), Labyrinthuloides minuta (L27634), Perkinsus marinus (X75762), Sarcocystis muris (M64244). The tree topology was confirmed by using a neighbor-joining algorithm with Jukes-Cantor corrected distance values and a maximum-parsimony algorithm (ARB). The nucleotide sequence for the partial 18S rRNA gene of R. seeberi has been deposited in GenBank (accession number AF158369).
Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH)
Tissue sections on slides were dewaxed by immersion in 99% octane (Sigma, St. Louis, MO). Samples subjected to FISH included R. seeberi-infected human nasal polyps, C. immitis-infected bone, a Rosette agent-infected cell line, and smears of C. albicans. The Rhinosporidium probe was based on the Rhino-rev 18S rDNA primer and was biotinylated at both the 5' and 3' ends (Table). The control probe, which consisted of the complement of the Rhinosporidium probe, was also biotinylated at both ends. To each slide, 50 ng of biotinylated probe in 30 µL of hybridization buffer was added. Cover slips were placed, and the slides were incubated at 40°C overnight in a humid chamber. The hybridization buffer consisted of 10% dextran, 0.2% bovine serum albumin, and 0.01% polyadenosine, in 5X SET buffer; the 25X SET buffer consisted of 3.75M sodium chloride, 25 mM EDTA, and 0.5M Tris at pH 7.8. Cover slips were removed by immersion in 5X SET buffer at 4°C, and the slides were washed for 10 minutes per cycle, twice in 0.2X SET buffer at 25°C and once at 40°C. The slides were then subjected to tyramide signal amplification according to the manufacturer's instructions (TSA indirect, NEN Life Sciences, Boston, MA). Cy5-streptavidin (Amersham, Piscataway, NJ) at 1 mg/mL was diluted 1:500 and added to the slides for fluorescence signal detection. Tissue sections were visualized on a Bio Rad confocal microscope at 200X magnification after the application of 15-20µL of Vectashield mountant (Sigma) and a cover slip.
Electron Microscopy
A portion of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded nasal polyp from a patient with rhinosporidiosis was removed from the block, dewaxed with xylene, rehydrated with ethanol, post-stained with 1.5% osmium tetroxide, then dehydrated with ethanol, transferred to propylene oxide followed by Epon 12 resin, heat-catalyzed at 65°C, and ultrasectioned at 50 nm. The grid-mounted sections were then serially stained with lead hydroxide and uranyl acetate and examined with a Phillips 201 electron microscope at 75KV.
Phylogenetic Classification of R. seeberi Inferred from the 18S rRNA Gene
Consensus PCR of the 18S rRNA gene with DNA from a digest of an R. seeberi-infected canine nasal polyp produced amplification products of the expected size visible on gel electrophoresis (primer pairs F1-fw/F2-rev = ~500 bp and F1-fw/F3-rev = ~1000 bp) (data not shown). No amplification product was detected by using control tissue and reagents. On the basis of the initial phylogenetic assessment of these sequences, primers Dermo-fw and Dermo-rev were designed for amplification of a more complete portion of the R. seeberi 18S rRNA gene. Our phylogenetic analysis of this gene suggests that R. seeberi is a member of the DRIPs clade of aquatic protistan parasites (Figure 2). The nearest evolutionary neighbors of R. seeberi for which a sequence is available are members of the Dermocystidium genus, which infect salmon and trout.
Figure 2A, 2B. Phylogeny of Rhinosporidium seeberi and the DRIPs clade of protists (Ichthyosporea). A. Phylogenetic tree inferred from the 18S rDNA sequences of R. seeberi and other selected eukaryotes by using a maximum likelihood algorithm; 1,350 masked positions were used for analysis. Bootstrap values were generated from 100 resamplings. The bar, which represents 0.1 base changes per nucleotide position, is a measure of evolutionary distance. B. Phylogenetic tree using the data from A, but with pruning and grouping to show the broader evolutionary position of the DRIPs clade.
Development and Use of a Rhinosporidium-Specific PCR Assay
A PCR assay specific for R. seeberi was developed. Primers were created by aligning 18S rDNA sequences from R. seeberi, members of the DRIPs clade, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and humans. The Rhinosporidium primers (Rhino-fw, Rhino-rev) each have three nucleotide mismatches with the sequences from the nearest phylogenetic relatives in the Dermocystidium genus and multiple other mismatches with fungal and human 18S rDNA sequences. An assay sensitivity of 1-10 gene copies was demonstrated by using a dilution series of cloned R. seeberi 18S rDNA. The specificity of the assay was assessed with DNA from human lymphocytes, S. cerevisiae, D. salmonis, and the Rosette agent. No amplification was detected when these DNA samples were used in the specific PCR assay, although product was amplified from these samples with either ß-globin primers (lymphocytes) or broad-range 18S rDNA primers (F1-fw/F2-rev) (Table).
The original DNA sample from the infected canine nasal polyp yielded a product of the expected size with the Rhinosporidium-specific PCR assay (Figure 3). Purified DNA from the tissue blocks of human nasal polyps resected from three patients with rhinosporidiosis also yielded positive results in this PCR assay, with visible bands seen on gel electrophoresis (RS 1-3) (Figure 3). Direct sequencing of these PCR products demonstrated complete identity over the 377 bp with the cloned sequence from the canine polyp. DNA samples from 23 nasal polyp specimens resected from 12 patients without rhinosporidiosis were subjected to both Rhinosporidium-specific and ß-globin PCR assays. These uninfected polyps failed to yield visible amplicons after gel electrophoresis of the Rhinosporidium-specific PCR reactions (data not shown). However, all these samples yielded visible amplification products after ß-globin PCR, demonstrating that amplifiable DNA was present, without substantial PCR inhibition. These results confirmed that the presence of the putative R. seeberi 18S rDNA sequence correlated with the presence of disease (rhinosporidiosis).
Figure 3. Agarose gel electrophoresis of Rhinosporidium-specific PCR products. The specific amplification product is 377 bp. No amplification product is seen in the negative control samples consisting of water (reagent-only control), digestion buffer (DB), or lymph node tissue control (Tis Cnt). The human rhinosporidiosis samples (RS1-3) and the original canine nasal polyp show visible amplification products.
Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization
We sought to determine by using FISH if the R. seeberi 18S rDNA sequence was linked to visible pathology in tissue. The Rhinosporidium 18S rRNA probe but not the control probe bound to R. seeberi organisms in tissue, providing further evidence that the putative R. seeberi 18S rRNA sequence is present in R. seeberi organisms (Figure 4). To test the specificity of the hybridization, smears of the fungus C. albicans, cells infected with the Rosette agent, and tissue sections of C. immitis were subjected to FISH. No specific hybridization to these organisms was detected by using the Rhinosporidium 18S rRNA probe compared with the control probe (data not shown).
Figure 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D. An oligonucleotide probe complementary to a unique region of the Rhinosporidium seeberi 18S rRNA sequence localizes to visible organisms in human nasal tissue by using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Confocal micrographs at 200X magnification. The Cy-5-labeled Rhinosporidium probe (blue) hybridizes to spherical R. seeberi trophocytes (A) and a sporangium with endospores (B). A control probe consisting of the complement of the Rhinosporidium probe labeled with Cy-5 does not hybridize to the trophocytes (C) or a sporangium with endospores (D). Images were collected in two wave-length channels: the first for Texas Red (red) or FITC (green) displays tissue architecture through autofluorescence, and the second channel for Cy-5 (blue pseudocolor) displays the probe signal.
Electron Microscopy
Transmission electron micrographs were taken of R. seeberi trophocytes in a human nasal polyp. Multiple mitochondria were visualized, showing that the cristae had tubulovesicular morphology (Figure 5), unlike the flat cristae found in fungi.
Figure 5. Transmission electron micrograph of a mitochondrion from Rhinosporidium seeberi. The cristae of this mitochondrion (arrows) have tubulovesicular morphology. Magnification 195,000X.
In the 1890s, first Malbran and then Seeber[14] described an apparent sporozoan parasite in nasal polyps from patients living in Argentina. Seeber's teacher, Wernicke, named the organism Coccidium seeberia after the protozoal subdivision Coccidia and his pupil, Guillermo Seeber[2]. In 1923, Ashworth described the life cycle of the organism, argued that it is a fungus, and proposed the name R. seeberi[15]. Since then, the microbe has been considered a fungus by most microbiologists, although its taxonomy has been debated[1,2,16]. Using a consensus PCR approach, we amplified a unique 18S rDNA sequence from a canine nasal polyp infected with R. seeberi. To prove that this unique 18S rDNA sequence came from R. seeberi, we sought to fulfill sequence-based guidelines for microbial disease causation, since Koch's postulates cannot be fulfilled for uncultivated microbes[17]. Using a Rhinosporidium-specific PCR assay, we showed that the unique rDNA sequence present in the canine polyp was also present in three human polyp samples from patients with rhinosporidiosis. We showed the specificity of this association by demonstrating that this rDNA sequence was not present in control nasal polyps from 12 patients without rhinosporidiosis. We also used FISH to link the putative R. seeberi 18S rRNA sequence to organisms visible in tissue. Although the Rhinosporidium probe localized to R. seeberi organisms in tissue using FISH, the probe did not localize to two fungal organisms or another member of the DRIPs clade (Rosette agent), suggesting some specificity to the hybridization.
Sequence-based data also provide support for a causal relationship when a microbial genotype (e.g., phylogenetic placement) correctly predicts microbial phenotype and host response[17]. In other words, the nature of the pathogen inferred from phylogenetic analysis of its nucleic acid sequence should be consistent with the known biologic characteristics of closely related microbes and with the nature of the disease. Therefore, the nearest phylogenetic neighbors to R. seeberi could be predicted to have similarities in morphology, tissue histology, and pathogenesis. D. salmonis, the closest known relative to R. seeberi, has a large spherical structure containing endospore-like daughter cells[18]. Histology of infected hosts shows gill inflammation and epithelial hyperplasia. The resemblance between R. seeberi and fish pathogens has been noted before. In 1960, Satyanarayana wrote in his review of 255 cases of rhinosporidiosis[1] that since R. seeberi has a morphology similar to those of some fish parasites, it "..may also be a parasite or saprophyte of fish and that man, equines, and cattle obtain the infection through water in which fish harbouring the parasite live."
A recent independent report based on amplification of 18S rDNA from two human rhinosporidiosis tissue samples also concludes that R. seeberi is a member of the DRIPs clade of microbes[19]. Our data support this conclusion and provide more evidence for a causal relationship. In addition, we describe a Rhinosporidium-specific PCR assay that can be used for detecting this organism in clinical and environmental samples. Our 18S rDNA sequence differs from the sequence determined by these investigators (GenBank AF118851) at a single position out of 1,699 common bases. We excluded from analysis sequence derived from our PCR primers, as amplicons will contain the primer sequences regardless of the target sequence as long as there is partial annealing during PCR, leading to potentially spurious conclusions about sequence in these regions. The 18S rDNA sequence of R. seeberi determined by this group includes the primer sequences.
Although we describe early trophocytes with mitochondrial cristae having vesicular ultrastructure, other investigators have found sporangia with mitochondrial cristae having a flat ultrastructure[19]. The different mitochondrial morphologies observed may be due to differences in developmental stage of the organism or in methods of tissue preparation for electron microscopy. Nevertheless, another member of the DRIPs clade, Ichthyophonus hoferi, has vesicular mitochondrial cristae. Classic fungi (Eumycota) have flat mitochondrial cristae.
Knowledge of the molecular phylogeny of R. seeberi is more than an exercise in taxonomy. For organisms such as R. seeberi, which are difficult to grow in the laboratory, phylogenetic analysis provides some insight into the characteristics of the organism that can be used to further our understanding of disease pathogenesis and epidemiology, as well as to improve diagnosis and treatment. Knowing that R. seeberi is a member of the DRIPs clade of microbes allows hypotheses to be generated about how it causes human disease by analogy, drawing on the knowledge and experience of the veterinary sciences. The separate but linked observations that rhinosporidiosis in humans is associated with exposure to water and that R. seeberi belongs to a clade of aquatic parasites lead to a testable hypothesis: the natural hosts of R. seeberi are fish or other aquatic animals, and humans acquire infection when they come into contact with water containing these fish and their parasites. Investigators should therefore look for evidence of infection in fish in ponds and rivers in disease-endemic areas. From a public health perspective, the R. seeberi-specific PCR assay can be used to study environmental sources of infection (e.g., specific bodies of water) and may provide a means of preventing disease through identification of infected water.
Conversely, knowing that R. seeberi is a member of the DRIPs clade may help us understand this important, distinct group of microbes that appear to form the deepest branch in the animal lineage. R. seeberi is a member of a newly recognized group of human and animal pathogens; the name Ichthyosporea has been proposed for this expanding taxon of microbes[20]. Little information is available about these organisms and how they cause disease. We hope that collaborations between researchers in human and animal medicine will correct this deficiency.
Multiple antimicrobials, including antifungal agents, have been used in the treatment of rhinosporidiosis, based on the belief that R. seeberi is a fungus. However, no antimicrobial agent is clearly effective. The medical treatment of rhinosporidiosis may be improved through screening antiparasitic drugs for an effect on disease in Dermocystidium-infected fish or infected cell lines.
In conclusion, phylogenetic analysis of the R. seeberi 18S rRNA gene suggests that this culture-resistant organism is not a member of the Eumycota, but rather is the first known human pathogen from a novel clade of aquatic protistan parasites that form a branch in the evolutionary tree near the animal-fungal divergence. R. seeberi-specific PCR and FISH confirm the association of this unique 18S rDNA sequence with the presence of rhinosporidiosis. This knowledge can be used to further our understanding of the natural reservoir of this organism and the risk factors, pathogenesis, and treatment of this disease. This discovery also expands our appreciation of the diversity among eukaryotic organisms that are pathogenic to humans and highlights the limitations of basing phylogenetic classification on morphology alone.
We thank Josh Fierer and Jesus Gonzales for providing human Rhinosporidium tissue blocks, Mike Levy for the canine nasal polyp used for consensus PCR, Kristin Arkush for the Dermocystidium salmonis and Rosette agent DNA, and Robin Gutell for the mask used for phylogenetic analysis of the DRIPs clade. Bob Metzenberg, Sara Fulz, Larry Mirels, and the staff of the clinical microbiology laboratories at Stanford and the Palo Alto VA hospitals supplied fungal isolates for testing broad-range 18S rDNA primers.
Table. Polymerase chain reaction primers, sequencing primers, and fluorescence in situ hybridization probes
Primer/Probe Nucleotide sequence (5'->3') SSU rRNA Positiona
F1-fwb CAAGTCTGGTGCCAGCAGCC 554-573
F2-revc GATTTCTCGTAAGGTGCCGA 1068-1087
F3-rev AATGCTCTATCCCCAMCACG 1531-1550
Dermo-fw CTGCCAGTAGTCATATGCTTG
Dermo-rev GATCAAGTTTGATCAACTTTTCGGCA
Rhino-fw GGCGTGTGCGCTTAACTGTC
Rhino-rev TGCTGATAGAGTCATTGAAT
Rhino FISH probe BTGCTGATAGAGTCATTGAATTAACATCTACB
Control FISH probe BACGACTATCTCAGTAACTTAATTGTAGATGB
a SSU rRNA position based on S. cerevisiae 18S rRNA (GenBank JO1353).
b fw = forward primer.
c rev = reverse primer.
Satyanarayana C. Rhinosporidiosis with a record of 255 cases. Acta Oto-Laryng 1960;51:348-66.
Kwon-Chung KJ, Bennett JE. Rhinosporidiosis. In: Medical mycology. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1992. p. 695-706.
Moses JS, Shanmugham A. Epidemiological survey of rhinosporidiosis in man--a sample survey in a high school located in a hyperendemic area. Indian Vet J 1987;64:34-8.
Gaines JJ, Clay JR, Chandler FW, Powell ME, Sheffield PA, Keller A. Rhinosporidiosis: three domestic cases. South Med J 1996;89:65-7.
Kennedy FA, Buggage RR, Ajello L. Rhinosporidiosis: a description of an unprecedented outbreak in captive swans (Cygnus spp.) and a proposal for revision of the ontogenic nomenclature of Rhinosporidium seeberi. J Med Vet Mycol 1995;33:157-65.
Levy MG, Meuten DJ, Breitschwerdt EB. Cultivation of Rhinosporidium seeberi in vitro: interaction with epithelial cells. Science 1986;234:474-6.
Relman DA, Schmidt TM, MacDermott RP, Falkow S. Identification of the uncultured bacillus of Whipple's disease. N Engl J Med 1992; 327:293-301.
Pace NR. A molecular view of microbial diversity in the biosphere. Science 1997;276:734-40.
Fredricks DN, Relman DA. Paraffin removal from tissue sections for digestion and PCR analysis. Biotechniques 1999;26:198-200.
Fredricks DN, Relman DA. Improved amplification of microbial DNA from blood cultures by removal of the PCR inhibitor sodium polyanetholesulfonate. J Clin Microbiol 1998;36:2810-6.
Olsen GJ, Matsuda H, Hagstrom R, Overbeek R. fastDNAmL: a tool for construction of phylogenetic trees of DNA sequences using maximum likelihood. Comput Appl Biosci 1994;10:41-8.
Felsenstein J. Evolutionary trees from DNA sequences: a maximum likelihood approach. J Mol Evol 1981;17:368-76.
Ragan MA, Goggin CL, Cawthorn RJ, Cerenius L, Jamieson AV, Plourde SM, et al. A novel clade of protistan parasites near the animal-fungal divergence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1996;93:11907-12.
Seeber G. Un nuevo esporozuario parasito del hombre: dos casos encontrados en polipos nasales. Thesis, Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, 1900.
Ashworth JH. On Rhinosporidium seeberi with special reference to its sporulation and affinities. Trans R Soc Edinburgh 1923;53:302-42.
Kwon-Chung KJ. Phylogenetic spectrum of fungi that are pathogenic to humans. Clin Infect Dis 1994;19 Suppl 1:S1-7.
Fredricks DN, Relman DA. Sequence-based identification of microbial pathogens: a reconsideration of Koch's postulates. Clin Microbiol Rev 1996;9:18-33.
Olson RE, Dungan CF, Holt RA. Water-borne transmission of Dermocystidium salmonis in the laboratory. Dis Aquat Org 1991;12:41-8.
Herr RA, Ajello L, Taylor JW, Arseculeratne SN, Mendoza L. Phylogenetic analysis of Rhinosporidium seeberi's 18S small-subunit ribosomal DNA groups this pathogen among members of the protoctistan Mesomycetozoa clade. J Clin Microbiol 1999;37:2750-4.
Cavalier-Smith T. Neomonada and the origin of animals and fungi. In: Coombs G, Vickerman K, Sleigh M, Warren A, editors. Evolutionary relationships among protozoa. London: Chapman and Hall; 1998. p. 375-407.
Funding Information
This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (K11-AI01360 D.N.F.) and the Donald B. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation (D.A.R).
Dr. Fredricks is a research associate in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University. He studies the use of nucleic acid sequences to detect and identify microbial pathogens, including those that are novel or uncultivated. Address for correspondence: David N. Fredricks, Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto Health Care System, 154-T, 3801 Miranda Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA; fax: 650-852-3291; e-mail: [email protected].
Great links, Al. Nice follow up to Tamtam's post.
Very interesting material, which leaves me curious as to whether anyone has had close contact with fish; i.e. aquariums or preparing fresh fish for consumption?
Personally, I owned and operated a large pet store for 5 years before contacting this "disease". The store specialized in aquarium fish, mainly marine fish. My husband, at that time, developed Hepatitis from contaminated water containing snails. Plus one employee was hospitalized after his arm became infected while cleaning various customer's aquariums.
At that time, I had a 240 gallon marine tank at my home, along with a 110 gallon brackish tank. Although my husband helped with the major water changes, I was the one who did the regular maintenance and feeding which included live tubifex worms which smelled terrible.
Anyway, I sold my tanks soon after I began getting ill, since I had gotten a divorce and they were too much work for me to do alone. However, now I am wondering if there is some relevancy to my current condition. So if anyone has had close contact now, or in the past, with fish please post it for reference.
I realize there is probably nothing to this fish thing, but I can't help but continue searching for answers. . .
anyone know where Deena and Skytroll hauled off to? Hey you two, we miss you, please check in....it's the least you could do...worried about you guys here......
Look what I got for Christmas....
and this is on my Santa's list for next year.....
http://astore.amazon.com/solgelgateway/ ... 32-6403031
MSC, wanna read it??
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Death notices for Dec. 9, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
William H. Crandall, 72, Janesville, died Saturday at home. No services are planned. Schneider Apfel Schneider & Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Janesville, is assisting the family.
Norman L. Lancaster, 75, Brodhead, died Sunday at home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Brodhead. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at D.L. Newcomer Funeral Home, Brodhead.
Mary Joan O'Leary, 87, Janesville, died Sunday at Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center, Janesville. Arrangements are pending at Schneider Apfel Schneider & Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Janesville.


text:
John W. Eyster: When it comes to chemo pill bill, something better than nothing
Reviewing Jason Stein's news article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Odds are now good that Wisconsin chemo drug bill will become law" and the Wisconsin State Journal's editorial, "Co-pay OK for chemo pill bill," I agree with the appeal of the Wisconsin State Journal's editorial, "The Senate should accept the Assembly's change so this important legislation can move forward."� I understand that something is better than nothing.
Every report now indicates that our WI STATE SENATE will pass the AMENDED bill as part of its last floor session this year next Tuesday, April 1, 2014.� Alert:� It is APRIL FOOLS' DAY, so be careful!
The strong appeal by the Senate's lead sponsor for the bill, Sen. Alberta Darling is telling, "The state Senate should concur on the amendment as soon as possible. Cancer patients and their families shouldn't have to wait for help any longer."� She called the change in the assembly "reasonable."
I appreciated our Senator Cullen's critique of the Assembly's amendment which scaled back the benefits in the nearly UNANIMOUSLY passed Senate Bill.
Jason Stein reports, "That doesn't mean everyone is happy with it."� He writes about our State Senator Tim Cullen (D-Janesville), " a cancer survivor and former insurance executive, criticized the amendment Monday as 'absurd and unreasonable' for a bill that had already passed the Senate nearly unanimously. Cullen stopped short of saying he would oppose the amended bill. He added that he would elaborate on his position Tuesday after he gathered more information on the issue."
I look forward to hearing Senator Cullen's statement on this CHEMO PILL BILL in the debate of our WI State Senate next Tuesday.� In spite of the reduction of benefits in the Assembly AMENDED bill, I HOPE Sen. Cullen will vote FOR the bill unless due to OVERWHELMING YES VOTE, he chooses to vote NO to express his DISagreement with reducing the benefits!� He himself knows the TRUTH as a cancer survivor and a former health insurance executive.� I anticipate hearing TRUTH from Senator Cullen!
At the same time, I think WE THE PEOPLE of WI need to keep aware of the reasons for the way Majority Leader Vos in the Assembly tried to STONEWALL this bill because of his concern to keep the support of the health insurers who contribute to REPUBLICAN campaigns.� We also had the scandal that Senate Majority Leader Fitzgerald tried to stonewall this bill until the pressures of WE THE PEOPLE of WI persuaded REPUBLICAN SENATORS to vote FOR the Chemo Pill Bill.� Forewarned is forearmed!� I discussed the ways in which Fitzgerald and Vos were stonewalling the bill 1-week ago, on Tuesday, March 18, "Speak up for cancer therapy coverage."
The turnaround by Fitzgerald and subsequently Vos to allow a VOTE in each chamber is clearly due to the SUPPORT for the bill by WE THE PEOPLE of WI!� What do YOU think?
SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING – I hope our WI State Senate passes the Assembly amended bill in spite of its REDUCTION of benefits for cancer victims.� What do YOU hope?
Last updated: 3:33 pm Tuesday, March 25, 2014
John W. Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor assigned with the online/distance education faculty of Viterbo University, LaCrosse. He continues his personal mission supporting democracy/civics education in Wisconsin K-12 schools through Project Citizen, We the People, Discovering Democracy (Milton HS). John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff or management.


text:
James F. Mulligan, Dubuque, IA, (1922-2013)
May 18, 1922 - November 20, 2013
James F. Mulligan, 91, of Dubuque, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, at Luther Manor. Jim was born on May 18, 1922, in Janesville, WI, the son of Roy and Vera (Lawver) Mulligan. He married Marion Kjornes on Nov. 28, 1942, at St. Patrick Catholic Church. He graduated from General Motors Technical School in Engineering. Jim served his country with the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II, during which time he piloted a B-26. After his honorable discharge from active duty, Jim served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve for 20 years, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel.
Jim was employed for 35 years as an engineering supervisor at John Deere Dubuque Works and in Monterrey, Mexico. His last assignment at John Deere was as Division Engineer of Weld Engineering, and he served a three year assignment as Mechanical Superintendent at John Deere S.A. in Monterrey, Mexico.
Jim was a member of Church of the Nativity and St. Anthony Catholic Church. He volunteered at the Tri State Independent Blind Society bookstore. Jim was an avid walleye fisherman, and also enjoyed motorcycling. He went on RAGBRAI multiple times, either as a rider or a driver. He enjoyed spending winters with Marion in Weslaco, TX. Jim will be remembered for his generous spirit and his constant willingness to help other people.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of nearly 71 years, Marion of Dubuque; two sons, Michael (Ann) Mulligan of Dubuque, and Patrick (Sarah) Mulligan of Iowa City; his grandchildren: Dan (Kelly) Mulligan of Dubuque, and their children, Eli and Jacob; Brian (Jody) Mulligan of Salt Lake City, UT, and their daughter, Emmy; Lucie Mulligan of Minneapolis, MN; and Felix and Henry Mulligan, both of Iowa City; brothers and sister-in-law, Betty Oretel of Racine, WI, Ruthie (Bernie) Stewart of Bloomfield Hills, MI, Eddie (Priscilla) Kjornes of Casanova, WI, Don Kjornes of Janesville, WI, Tom (June) Kjornes of Janesville, WI, Sonja Dowdy of Laguna Hills, CA, Carrie (Dwayne) Rose of Janesville, WI; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Catherine (Ralph) Kingsley; his sister-in-law, Eleanor Shultis; and his brother-in-law, Gerald Kjornes.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Dubuque; the Dubuque Humane Society; or Church of the Nativity. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013, at ST. ANTHONY CATHOLIC CHURCH. Rev. Steven Rosonke will officiate. Burial will be in Linwood Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by the American Legion Post #6. Friends may greet the family from 3:30 until 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at HOFFMANN SCHNEIDER & KITCHEN FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICE, 3860 Asbury Rd., Dubuque, IA.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Luther Manor, especially Diane; and the staff of Hospice of Dubuque, especially Jenny, Chuck, and Jenny.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hoffmannschneiderfuneralhomes.com


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After rehab, houses help addicts learn to live sober
JANESVILLE—Beth Bruhn wouldn't always relapse immediately after getting out of rehab.
Sometimes she did, sure, but other times Bruhn could go months without falling back into the addiction that started with sips of Jim Beam when she was 11.
Despite decades bouncing between rehab clinics, psych wards and support groups, the story always ended the same—with Bruhn relapsing and getting drunk.
"All it took was something in life that I couldn't handle," she said. "Mostly, it was (that) I didn't know how to live."
In 2011, a counselor at Rosecrance rehabilitation clinic in Rockford, Ill., found her a spot at the Red Road House—a continuing care home in Janesville for people recovering from addictions to alcohol and drugs.
"Being here," Bruhn said, "is where you start learning."
Officials and addiction experts say Rock County could use more places like the Red Road House.
With small capacities and long recovery times, there aren't enough sober living houses in Rock County to meet the needs of people trying to stay clean, said Rebecca Rudolph, who coordinates addiction services for the county.
"There's probably four or five different options in the area, but out of that there may be only 15 or 20 beds available," Rudolph said. "I don't think that's enough."
The popular stories of addiction have rehab as their happy endings. Family members and friends show up for an intervention, the addict sees the harm they've done, and he heads off to a stint at rehab and a bright, clean future.
"People think in their mind, '28-day treatment is going to fix me and make me better,'" Rudolph said.
In reality, though, the residential or in-patient settings known as "rehab" are far from the end of an addict's path toward recovery, and it's easy to slip up the moment you leave that clinic.
"It's not a 30-day fix," Rudolph said.
That's where places such as the Red Road House come in.
The home offers addicts a place to stay and a supportive and motivating environment that helps them not just get clean, residents said, but learn to live their lives without drugs.
It's a crucial step in the recovery process—a relatively inexpensive, long-term treatment option that could succeed where intense, pricey and short-term treatment failed, experts said.
But despite its potential, there are only a few sober living homes available to addicts in Rock County, and experts want to see more.
Staying sober in the real world
One thing Billy Bob Grahn emphasizes when he talks about all the times he relapsed is how great the people at rehab clinics are.
They're working hard, he said, and do a great job.
But when Grahn—a Rock County Board supervisor and the Red Road House's founder and director—would get released from a rehab stay, he knew it wouldn't take long for him to start drinking again.
He wound up getting treatment, and relapsing, more than 20 times.
"As much as I wanted to be sober, as much as the people that were helping me out at the treatment center did their best," he said, "I was being released to the streets."
While in-patient and residential treatment can help people get clean, Rudolph said, they do so in controlled environments.
After a few weeks, residents go back to the homes and streets they came from and must face the prospect of living sober every day.
"It isn't real life," Rudolph said of residential treatment. "So you're there for a certain period of time, you stop using, you start to gain these little bits of coping skills—then you have to go back home and look at what real life is.
"We see significant problems in that transition"
In 1990, with the hours ticking down before Grahn would be released from his last treatment stay, a friend from rehab could see Grahn wasn't going to make it on the streets. The friend had secured a spot at the big, white home in Janesville's Fourth Ward where the Red Road House now operates, but gave it to Grahn so he could stand a chance.
He hasn't gone back to drinking or using drugs since.
Independence with accountability
Today, the Red Road House has space for as many as eight people in recovery, many of whom are coming out of rehab or from living homeless, Grahn said.
Grahn and live-in volunteer Mark Bumpus operate the house as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, providing a place to stay and helping put recovering addicts in touch with local services to get them back on track.
Residents have to stay sober and submit to Breathalyzer or urine tests.
House rules also state they must work, attend classes or volunteer at least 20 hours each week, and attend a minimum of five 12-step meetings.
The environment isn't so loose that addicts can fall back into their old habits, clients said, nor is it so strict that residents can't make their own decisions.
Residents are independent, they said, but ultimately accountable.
"They're really teaching you how to do it for yourself," resident Claire Thomas said.
And while Grahn recognizes the importance of doctors and professionals in the recovery system, at places such as the Red Road House residents are learning from other people who have been through the same experiences.
Thomas is a 22-year-old recovering from addictions to heroin and alcohol. She's entering her third week at Red Road House, learning from residents who have been at the home for years.
"If I'm having issues, I can go to people and talk about it, and they know what I'm talking about," Thomas said.
Ultimately, the goal is to teach residents life skills they'll need and set them on a path toward a sober life.
Too few options, experts say
"It's not about the intensity of treatment," Rudolph said, "it's about the duration."
Sober living homes offer lengthy treatment—the average stay at the Red Road House is 90 days, while Dick Lynes from Lazarus House, a similar Janesville facility, said clients typically stay there about 18 months. In-patient rehab might last only a couple weeks.
The houses also offer treatment at far less of a cost to clients: The price per day at Red Road House is $35, Grahn said, while Lazarus House charges $360 a month.
Intensive treatment at a rehab facility can cost thousands of dollars per day.
Despite their effectiveness and low price tags, though, experts such as Rudolph believe Rock County doesn't have nearly as many options for sober living homes as it should.
Besides Red Road House and Lazarus House, Living Waters Ministries operates a sober living home. Those three are it for Janesville.
"We wish that we could have 20 of these houses," Lynes said. "Unfortunately, financing … makes it impossible to do so."
Like the Red Road House, Lazarus House operates on a mix of donations, grants and rent from residents who can pay it, Lynes said.
With only a few rooms available and residents who spend months or years in the house, Grahn said he regularly has to turn people away.
Though county officials would like to see more beds and more houses, Rudolph said, there doesn't seem to be an easy answer for how to accomplish that.
Rock County could open a big sober-living house of its own, she said, but the homes are more effective when they're based in the community and involve a small group of recovering addicts.
"It wouldn't work if it were a big facility with lots of people because it's not what they do," Rudolph said. "We could just really, really use more."
Trying to start over
Bruhn knows what would have happened if she hadn't gotten into the Red Road House.
"I would have gone out and drunk, and I probably would not be alive," she said.
After spending about six months at the house in 2011, though, Bruhn has stayed sober. Today, she's got a stable home where she pays rent, a car and renewed confidence.
Thomas has only begun her journey on the road to recovery.
Addiction left her with a huge debt she hasn't yet tallied—she guesses it's more than $100,000.
It's mostly medical bills—ambulance rides and hospital stays from the times she overdosed—plus student loans. Despite using drugs through college, she earned a bachelor's degree at age 20 from Chatham University.
Like plenty of 22-year-olds, Thomas is not sure she's ready for a career.
Unlike a lot of 22-year-olds, she's fighting addiction while trying to piece her life back together and considering bankruptcy.
"It's kind of a daunting thing for me now," Thomas said. "You only care about one thing—and then it's like all this stuff is in front of you."
But that's why living at a place such as the Red Road House helps, she said.
"If I was alone, if I was still in my car, I'd be using. It's just as simple as that," Thomas said. "I would not be able to make it on my own. I wouldn't even know where to begin."
Thomas has signed up to get out-patient drug treatment while she's living at the home, and tries to attend two 12-step meetings every day.
She's been clean since Oct. 18.


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Our Views: Penney's closing could boost Janesville business in long run
Sad news hit home Wednesday when word emerged that JCPenney would close its Janesville Mall store in May.
It's especially sad for about 70 workers who, unless they relocate to other Penney's stores or quickly find new work, will lose their jobs and income that helps support families.
It's also sad given Penney's history here. Longtime residents recall shopping at Penney's when it, Sears and Bostwick's clothing store lured throngs during downtown Janesville's halcyon days. Penney's occupied the spot that Rock County Appliance and TV Sales took over when Penney's, in 1975, became the new Janesville Mall's northern anchor store.
But the retail chain that James Cash Penney launched in 1913 fell on hard times in recent years. In 2011, Penney's announced it would drop its familiar catalog business and hired Ron Johnson as CEO. In 2012, Johnson announced a new "Every Day" pricing strategy in which merchandise on most days reflected what used to be sale prices. That and other marketing methods failed to lure customers accustomed to retail discounts. By year's end, sales were off 25 percent. Penney's fired Johnson in 2013.
Struggles continued, and the company reported a 2013 third-quarter earnings loss of $457 million. Penney's stock plummeted almost 80 percent the past two years. Even this week's announcement that Penney's would close 33 stores nationwide—including four in Wisconsin—and shed 2,000 jobs did nothing to inspire investors.
Outside of the loss of jobs and this local history, given Penney's dismal track record of late, perhaps good will rise from this bad news. Gale Price, the city's building and development services manager, pointed to redevelopment activity along Milton Avenue and expects interest in filling the mall vacancy to come sooner rather than later.
Dan Summerlin of mall owner CBL & Associates Properties also sounded hopeful. He said CBL has added or redeveloped 75 mall anchors and "junior anchors" the past three years. That record bodes well for filling the vacancy. He says his company has ideas for either replacing the retailer or retrofitting the space for multiple stores.
You would expect Price and Summerlin to express optimism. You don't stir interest with negativity that leads companies to believe the supply of retail space outstrips demand.
However, the timing of this closing is better than it would have been five years ago right after General Motors shut its Janesville factory. Developments are occurring on the Milton Avenue/Highway 14 business corridor. Small shopping centers have popped up in big-box parking lots in recent years. Before Scott Acker opened a Quaker Steak & Lube last year off Highway 14, he visited Janesville and found that corridor vibrant, and he saw little of the destitution he expected given GM's closing. Friday's Gazette reported that the popular Panera Bread will open a restaurant in Janesville this year.
A retail anchor that struggles to attract customers does little to create spillover traffic for neighboring stores and restaurants. Maybe the loss of Penney's, while sad, will benefit Janesville business in the long run.


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Lockdown at Janesville school after bomb threat
JANESVILLE—Marshall Middle School on the city's east side was locked down for much of the day Thursday after receiving what police called a "veiled bomb threat."
The message was left as a voice mail about 8:20 a.m. but wasn't discovered until later, said Dan Davis, deputy police chief.
Police have information about a possible suspect and are investigating, Davis said. No arrest was reported as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
School officials initiated a soft lockdown, in which students and staff are locked in their rooms but instruction and activities continue.
Parents were alerted about the lockdown with an automated phone message. A subsequent message Thursday afternoon said that the lockdown was called to allow school officials and police to investigate.
"All students were safe during this event," the message stated.
Making a false bomb threat is a felony under Wisconsin law.
Last updated: 12:30 pm Thursday, December 12, 2013


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Your views: 97 percent of scientists make for settled science
Responding to "Settled Science" opinion piece in the Feb 20 edition of the Gazette:
I am glad Charles Krauthammer agrees with scientists that the increase of human caused CO2 in our atmosphere is not a good thing. Ice core CO2 records extend almost 1 million years and CO2 has never gone higher than 280 parts per million. We are now approaching 400 ppm. They also show a very tight correlation between CO2 and temperature; they rise and fall in lock step, like a pair of Olympic skaters.
Krauthammer refers to McNider and Christy, who say climate models are wrong. True, but only in a very narrow space, the mid-to upper troposphere. The models underestimate the warming at 70,000 feet. Eventually, the reason for this will also become settled climate science.
What wasn't said is that all the dozen or so climate models are very accurate when predicting surface temperature, where we all live. Run them backwards and they match very closely to actual temperature readings. Run them forward for 40 years, all dozen models agree very closely (predicting Janesville will experience, on average, 30 days above 90 in the summer, 40 years from now).
In 1896, one scientist, Arrhenius, made the first prediction of rising CO2 and a warming Earth. After a century of scientific questioning, counter-theory, challenges, and testing, that one man is joined by 97 percent of the world's scientists who say that humans are warming our planet. That sounds pretty well settled to me.


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Benchmarking is a popular way for companies to measure their performance, and technology is expediting the practice. For example, the Hackett Group now offers a dashboard that automatically pulls data out of a company's ERP system to track processes that a company is working to improve.
The tool, the Hackett Performance Exchange, addresses one of the basic challenges of benchmarking, "the level of time and effort it takes to get the information," said Jeffrey Rosengard, a principal and global finance advisory practice leader at Hackett, a Miami-based strategic advisory and operations improvement consulting firm.
Performance Exchange connects to companies' Oracle and SAP systems to extract data on costs, cycle times, and error rates, as well as information around working capital management, like order-to-cash and purchase-to-pay. "This is a very efficient and effective way our clients are able to extract their own information and then also do comparisons against Hackett's broad database," Rosengard said.
The information is pulled every month, much more frequently than a company would perform a traditional benchmark, he added. "This way you can track not only how you're performing but the progress you're making, in a very live manner," Rosengard said.
Bain & Co.'s annual survey of the popularity of various management tools showed benchmarking tied with strategic planning for second place among North American executives this year, with employee engagement surveys taking first place. Eighty percent of the executives surveyed said they planned to benchmark in 2013, while 40% said they benchmarked last year.
"Companies are always comparing themselves, it's just how they can do it in the easiest fashion," Rosengard said. "How can I go through the data collection effort, and not make it as intrusive and time-consuming as it has been in the past?"
Similarly, companies are beginning to use their XBRL-tagged financial data as a way to do quick comparisons of their financials with those of their peers. And executives at Citi say they've seen great interest in Citi Treasury Diagnostics, which provides online benchmarking of treasury processes.
"We've got literally hundreds of clients that access this database and use it continually," said Michael Fossaceca, managing director and North America region head corporates for Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions. "It's a self-assessment tool online."
The diagnostics platform includes metrics on payments, technology, governance and risk, Fossaceca said. And the online nature of the tool means a treasurer at a multinational company can reach out to co-workers around the world and ask them to input certain information. "As soon as it goes in the system, we can begin to generate those reports with lots of analytics," he said. "We can turn that around within a week.
However, Dennis Gannon, an executive advisor at CEB, an Arlington, Va.-based advisory company, said that benchmarking treasury processes isn't likely to be expedited by technology because of all the judgment that's involved. "You have to find good comparisons, peers that are like you in the right way, similar challenges and processes," Gannon said. "The technological evolution, it's just inherently more difficult to apply to something that's more talent-based and influence-based."
Rosengard linked the corporate interest in an easier benchmarking process with the results of Hackett's recently released finance benchmarking survey, which showed finance teams remain under pressure to become more productive.
While companies expect "fairly positive" growth in revenue this year, "the expectation is that costs will go down in [general and administrative] areas as well as staffing levels," he said. "This is putting increased pressure on companies to increase their productivity. It's not about doing more with less, it's about how can I truly increase my efficiency."
CEB's Gannon also sees treasuries "driven by an expanding mandate combined with a constrained set of resources.
"We haven't seen treasury budgets increase substantially post-crisis," Rosengard said. "The median increase has been modest, in the 1% to 2% range annually."
While the recession generated considerable interest in cost-related benchmarking, treasury departments had more urgent tasks to attend to in the wake of the financial crisis, Gannon said. But he has seen corporate treasuries' interest in benchmarking revived in the last year or so, with concerns varying from company to company.
"For quite a few folks, there's an interest in learning more about cash visibility and cash mobilization as their companies expand into new markets," he said. "For others, there's an increased interest in risk management, as they're looking to protect earnings and protect tight margins. Others are focused on systems, on forecasting."


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Large Cut Pad, 5mm, 14" x 36", Hatteras White - SeaDek
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SeaDek offers a complete line of cut pads that are perfect for any area on a boat that requires improved non-skid or padding in areas frequently used for sitting or kneeling. These products protect boats' surfaces, preventing scratching and chipping. They also cover up surface imperfections, helping it look brand new. Made from soft, durable, UV resistant EVA foam specifically designed for the marine environment, they can be easily installed with SeaDek's marine grad, peel-and-stick adhesive backing. These products can be purchased individually or in multi-sheet kits and can be easily trimmed to fit. Note: 3mm cut pads have radiused corners. 5mm cut pads are beveled with radiused corners.
My cold beer is 15 foot long is there anyway you can tell me how much of this padding I need for the floor?
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Police investigating death on Janesville's north side
Sunday, October 20, 2013
JANESVILLE—Janesville police are investigating a death in the 4100 block of Kennedy Road on Janesville's north side, according to Rock County Communications.
Police were called to the area at 5:25 p.m. Sunday, said Shelley Schmidt, Rock County Communications shift supervisor.
Police blocked off nearly a mile of Kennedy Road from Highway 14 to Terapin Trail.
Officials at the Janesville Police Department were not releasing any information at press time.


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Chrubix transforms your ARM-based Chromebook into a fully functional, more secure laptop. The OS is installed on a removable MultiMediaCard (MMC). You can choose between ArchLinux, Debian, Fedora, Kali, SuSE, and Ubuntu for the underlying OS. Chrubix supplies Guest Mode, full-disk encryption, a Windows XP lookalike mode, MAC address randomizing, a panic button, additional checksums, and a variety of important security-oriented software applications such as Freenet, I2P, Tor, GPG, and LEAP-Bitmask. In addition, Chrubix offers you the option to tweak the software so that it will run on no hardware but yours (MMC and laptop must match).
BitNami ThinkUp Stack is an easy-to-install distribution of the ThinkUp application. It includes pre-configured, ready-to-run versions of Apache, MySQL, PHP, and phpMyAdmin so users can get ThinkUp running in minutes after answering a few questions. ThinkUp is a Web application that captures all your activity on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. It allows you to store your social activity in a database that you control, making it easy to search, sort, analyze, publish, and display activity from your network.
Ctcompare allows you to compare several sets of C, Java, Python, or Perl code trees on a token basis, rather than on a line by line basis. These programs help to identify code copying and similarities between snippets of code in both trees, even if the actual lines are dissimilar.
WilsonTechnology Flash Applications is a collection of Flash applications that make your Web site more interactive, and help to build online communities. The scripts are customisable and easy to install and include a phpBB shoutbox, FLV and SWF player, user counter, Flash video recorder, and MP3 player.


text: You can use Archive Favorites to keep track of your favorite items and share them with others. To add a favorite, simply visit an item's details page and click the star favorite link in the upper right side of the page. If you are already an active favoriter, you can visit your favorites page. You can also explore other interesting favorites using the Favorites Explorer.


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Your Views: Janesville Mobilizing 4 Change backs separate alcohol sales in stores
In response to a recent opinion piece, I would like to provide some clarification.
First, regarding Class A licenses, Janesville Mobilizing 4 Change does not believe that increasing licenses alone will impact underage drinking. Janesville's current carryout liquor stores pass compliance checks, check IDs and refuse sales to underage buyers.
JM4C's mission is to create a safer, healthier community, and we support responsible economic development. JM4C is working collaboratively, through a series of community forums, to find ways to allow business expansion and development while maintaining community safety and health. We don't oppose increasing Class A licenses but encourage the city council to do so thoughtfully.
Second, JM4C strongly opposes changing the separation of retail alcohol sales. We believe this ordinance is the reason for significantly lower rates of underage drinking in Janesville compared with the rest of Rock County. Research shows retailers with mixed sales fail compliance checks at higher rates (evidenced by checks throughout Rock County).
National studies show exposure to alcohol and related advertising when out shopping is tied to an earlier onset of drinking and higher amounts of youth alcohol consumption. Our children don't need to see beer directly next to the soda and juice. In an effort to combat underage and problem drinking in Ireland, a separation law, similar to Janesville's ordinance, was included in their 2008 Intoxicating Liquors Act.
Separation of sales is responsible, and it's working—Janesville needs to keep this ordinance!
Board chairwoman


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Dick Polman: Fox News fan says Obamacare saved his life
Dean Angstadt, a self-employed logger with a bad heart, says it's really quite simple: If he hadn't signed up for Obamacare when his life was on the line, if instead he had continued to heed the lies on Fox News, he "probably would have ended up falling over dead."
For the Obamacare haters, this kind of real-life success story is the ultimate nightmare—because the story is told in the patient's own words. This is a guy who had adamantly refused to sign up for Obamacare, taking his cues from the disinformation haters on Fox News—until he realized his clueless conservatism would put him 6 feet under.
In other words, this story—which has gone national, after first appearing in The Philadelphia Inquirer—is diametrically different from the typical Obamacare horror story ginned up by the Republican Right. The Dean Angstadt story comes directly from Dean Angstadt. It's not a story spun by the Koch brothers (like the Julie Boonstra ad in Michigan, now debunked), or filtered through a Republican politician (like Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers' claim that "Bette in Spokane" was hit with a premium hike of $700 a month, thanks to Obamacare; then it turned out that Bette Grenier in Spokane could get cheaper and better coverage on the state's health exchange, thanks to Obamacare).
Angstadt, who lives in a town north of Philadelphia and works in the woods, had a bum ticker that was dangerously ticking down. He could barely walk 50 feet without gasping for breath. This winter, his doctor told him he needed valve-replacement surgery. Problem was, Angstadt didn't have health insurance. A friend of his, retired firefighter Bob Leinhauser, urged him to sign up for Obamacare so he could get the life-saving procedure.
But for months, Angstadt refused to do it. Why? Because, in his words, "I don't read what the Democrats have to say about (the health reform law) because they're full of it. … I didn't trust this Obamacare."
And why didn't he trust it? Because, as he later told The Washington Post, he got his regular infauxtainment from "Fox News, of course, that's basically what I watch on TV. … I like some of those radicals." Did Fox News condition him to boycott Obamacare? "Yeah, yeah—they get people fired up."
Rather than sign up, "I was going to die. I was preparing myself." But his persistent friend finally prompted him to change his mind. Angstadt did the online procedure in less than an hour and paid his first monthly premium of $26.11. He says, "I got my card, and it was actually all legitimate." The coverage kicked in March 1. He got the valve-replacement surgery March 31. He's alive and recovering.
And gee, listen to him now: "A lot of people I talk to are so misinformed about the ACA. … Not only did it save my life, it's going to give me a better quality of life. … I'm trying to help other people who are like me, stubborn and bullheaded, who refuse to even look (at Obamacare). From my own experience, the ACA is everything it's supposed to be, and, in fact, better than it's made out to be."
He later told The Post, "I didn't care for Obama. I can't say nothing bad about him now, because it was his plan that probably saved my life."
Unless the haters and trolls can come up with something, we're left with the story just as it is: An average Joe says in his own words that if he had hewed to the right-wing con job, "I probably would have ended up falling over dead."
And we'll be hearing many more such testimonials in the years ahead, as the law is further woven into our fabric. In future town hall meetings, rest assured, the Dean Angstatds of this world will be telling their politicians, "Keep your government hands off my Obamacare!"
Dick Polman is the national political columnist at NewsWorks/WHYY in Philadelphia and a "Writer in Residence" at the University of Philadelphia. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com. His columns are distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.


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Pottawattomie Park
7340 N. Rogers Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60626
(773) 262-5835
Fee: free
Age Range: Family-Friendly
Sharing a good home-cooked dinner is a great way to connect with the family. The Pottawattomie Park Wellness Center is hosting a family night of fun activities, conversation, and food.
Nutritionally balanced meal, games, and lots of fun! The evening/dinner is sponsored by the Great Chicago Food Depository.


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Cable home improvement shows are incredibly popular in Hanamaulu, especially among DIY homeowners who want to improve the look of their lawns. Though they can be helpful in supplying people with recommendations and an idea of what it requires to get the job done, they can also be misleading.
The work is still being done by professionals or under the supervision of professionals. Before you think about starting a lawn care or yard project all on your own consider the following factors:
- Equipment needed
- Time involved
- Expertise required
If you happen to be limited in any of these three areas it is probably best to hire a lawn care professional. When you have to purchase equipment or take time away from your friends and family it's usually worth it to hand the responsibility to somebody that can get the job done for you.
What Type of Lawn Care Do You Need?
Basic Lawn Care – If you just need upkeep for your yard then most likely you can get by with just basic lawn care. Basic lawn care generally includes mowing, watering and weeding to keep your yard looking clean and well kept.
Gardener – If you are interested in planting flowers, vegetables, trees or other plants you might want to consider enlisting the aid of a gardener. Gardeners specialize in bringing plants into your yard and making them flourish. Gardeners provide more than just basic lawn care and should have a firm understanding of native plants that will thrive in Hanamaulu.
Landscaper – If you are wanting to complete more complex projects, like changing the design of the outdoor space or adding construction elements such as rock walls or a pond then a landscaper is going to be the best professional to hire. Landscapers are skilled in redesigning the look and feel of a yard and bringing the creativity and management needed to get a major project done on time and within budget.
Organic Lawn Care in Hanamaulu
Recently many organic lawn care services have cropped up in Hanamaulu, HI. Today, we are more aware of the surplus amount of chemicals and toxins that are released into our environment including your very own yard. Over time we have seen that it isn't the healthiest choice for our lawn, pets or our family.
Organic lawn care services in Hanamaulu are exactly the same as traditional lawn care with the exception that they use techniques and products that are devoid of harmful chemicals. If you're interested in organic lawn care take note of every product used in your yard to verify that it is certified as organic. This is especially important if you have a garden or flower beds that produce veggies and fruits that will be brought into your home.


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Janesville man hospitalized after hit-and-run
JANESVILLE—A Janesville man was in serious condition at Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center, Janesville, after being found in the road with "significant injuries" to his lower body, according to a Janesville Police Department news release.
The driver of the vehicle that hit Ricardo Moreno, 31, at 2 a.m. Wednesday left the scene at Pontiac Drive and Mount Zion Ave., police said.
Moreno was unable to provide officers with a description of the vehicle, they said.
He is the second pedestrian injured by a hit-and-run driver in two weeks in Janesville.
Darren K. Hayes, 46, of no fixed address, Beloit, was walking near BMO Harris Bank, 2608 S. Highway 51, on Feb. 12 when he was hit by a southbound vehicle.
Hayes also did not see the vehicle, which he said continued south without stopping. He suffered a "substantial injury" to his leg, was able to call 911 from his cell phone but couldn't move from the road until first responders arrived. Police are still looking for the driver of the vehicle involved in the Feb. 12 incident.
Anyone with information about either hit-and-run can call Janesville police at 608-755-3100.


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Contact us for all of your Chicago Jazz Orchestra tickets. We stock tickets in all locations for every Chicago Jazz Orchestra event!
Go to the Source!!!! Ticketsource.com
Ticketsource.com is an independent ticket brokerage engaged in buying and selling Dallas Cowboys tickets, Cowboys Stadium tickets and Dallas Mavericks tickets at a premium. Ticketsource.com is not affiliated with any box office or TicketMaster


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You know you're "addicted" to tea when ....
Looking for tea every time the post comes. Finding fun excuses to drink to, like trying to see what tea goes with Stargate SG-1.
The fandom teas from Adagio gave me the idea. There is not one for my favourite show, so I want to make one.
I got banned from drinking tea while watching Stargate SG-1. :( I got so scared that Teal'c was going to die in one episode that I knocked my cup over and spilled tea all over the couch.
You FINALLY get yourself a Breville One Touch tea maker and scour the forums for the appropriate thread to get your brag on. I love it! I just love it! I've wanted one for so long…it was a total fluke that we could afford it.
Yup, totally jealous!!
Ummm… I just googled that after reading this comment. Holy cow! Now I have to have one. Thanks a lot! ;)
Rachel, I do not regret this purchase one bit. It is my favorite kitchen appliance and it gets a lot of use! Check around for good prices…Amazon has a refurbished one for $179, if you like to gamble…
That's awesome! It's on my 'maybe someday' list.
You inventory your tea and realize you have about two times more than you thought you had.
After realizing how much tea you have, you decide not to buy more tea for a while. But then buy other tea related things like pots and cups.
When you spot some small cast iron bubble mugs & say you want them, even your 6 year old tells you "Mom, you already have some!"
Ummm no kid, not these ones!!
What a cute discussion :D
… your friends roll their eyes at you as you speak "tea" to them.
… your appetite for tea comes before your appetite for food.
… half of your pantry consists of tea.
… half of your kitchen equipment is dedicated to tea.
… you carry a thermometer and a teaspoon on the go.
… you have two thermometers: one on the kettle and one in your mug.
You know you spend too much time on Steepster when you habitually copy (aka command-A, command-C) every written comment you make, anywhere, on any site (and even sometimes in non-Internet applications), before you hit "post". Because Steepster eats things often enough that this is necessary, and therefore it is now ingrained in your habits. (cue highlight all, copy)
I feel like a newbie to the whole tea world compared to most of you here. Then moments happen and you realize that while I may not have the knowledge, experience, or cupboard that most here have, I defiantly have the addiction.
I was in two tea shops today. I bought nine different flavors of tea (I also have an online order due any day now). I got home, was trying to fit all the new packages onto my tea shelf, when I moved the tin of chai. My first thought was OMG I'm almost out of chai. How am I going to get through the week without chai. What I meant was how am I going to get through the week without Marsala chai. I do have coffee chai, pumpkin chai, and samples of chocolate chili chai, and coco chai rooibos.
You know you're addicted when four varieties of chai aren't enough…..
I can identify with the obsessing over chai, especially in winter!(though right now most of mine are sample size)
I LOVE chai, I like a lot of flavored black/oolong/or rooibos teas, but chai is my favorite. Do you have a black chai that you would recommend? Not pumpkin or flavored, just straight black chai? Thanks.
Water is refreshing, but it lacks flavour. It's better hot with rooibos.
Saw this shirt and instantly thought of this thread :-)
Never mind I found it GAWD what is WRONG with me?
lol Don't answer that question was rhetorical!
Haha. Oh and this is my other favorite tea shirt they've had http://shirt.woot.com/offers/tea
No problem I love woot but love them even more now that you can print to order the older shirts. There were several I missed the first time around.


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Carl Pettit
Carl Pettit is a writer and editor with interests ranging from international relations and political humor to the arts and modern media.
If you still haven't had your fill of Halloween trivia, we have a few more fun and eyebrow-raising spooky holiday facts for you. October 31 is a day—and especially a night—full of spine-tingling surprises. With a bit of Halloween knowledge under your belt, you can impress your friends, as well as the ghost and ghouls wandering around your neighborhood, with your detailed knowledge of jack-o'-lanterns and creepy, All Hallows' Eve history.
Everyone knows that vampires suck … your blood!!!! Seriously though, do you know the history behind modern vampire lore? These creatures of the night have been lurking around for a very long time, although the princes and princesses of darkness have taken on different guises and mythologies throughout the ages.
These days Halloween is all Naughty This and Sexy That, but the roots of our spookiest holiday's traditions—from pumpkins to trick-or-treating—run deep, their origins reaching back thousands of years to pre-Christian pagan festivals and superstitions. These quirky bits of trivia about the history of Halloween should help you better appreciate all the ghouls and witches wandering about (and your hoard of candy):
Telling time is something we all do, usually everyday. How you go about telling time is a different matter. Some folks opt for a clock on their cell phone or a simple watch, while other spend thousands of dollars on an expensive Rolex.
Car designers are hard at work coming up with some incredible, futuristic-looking automotive designs, some of which may be racing down your street in the years ahead.
Life is an amazing gift when you stop and think about it. Out of all the things that are living, you get to be you—which is a lot better than being a sea slug, for example. In order to ensure that you get the most out this life and as many years as you possibly can, you need to take good care of your body—that vessel that lets you breathe air, eat food, meet your friends at restaurants and get about in general.
There are all kinds of strange eateries out there, ranging from opera-themed bistros to cafes swarming with cats, as well as diners built inside of the fuselages of old airplanes. While we understand that some people just want a simple, peaceful meal when they head out, others like a little something extra special.
Cats and dogs, while extremely lovable, are not the only choices out there when it comes to selecting a household pet. There are quite a few unusual animals in existence that actually make good, even great companions for their human owners. We're not talking man-eating tigers or wild boars here—there are some limits to just how exotic you should go.
For a country as obsessed with weight and food production as ours is, there tends to be a lot of conflicting information, health-food fads and dietary gimmicks circulating about what and how we should eat.
Some people don't mind handing over their hard-earned cash for some very expensive jewelry. While we have nothing against treating yourself to pricey ornaments on occasion, there are more economical ways to go about procuring a vast inventory of fashionable accessories.
If you want to add a touch of class, mixed in with a natural rustic look to your garden, you might want to think about building, buying or carving out (with a chainsaw) an assortment of furniture made from, or at least incorporating, tree trunks.
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Going to a restaurant in Chertsey was never that easy. Book your table online and enjoy your dinner or lunch in Chertsey. Haven't found your preferred restaurants in Chertsey? Search for restaurant nearby Chertsey using the search field.
Have you been on the hunt for the perfect restaurant in Chertsey? With so many Chertsey restaurants to choose from, it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Have no fear – Quandoo is here to help! Browse through some of the best restaurants in Chertsey using a variety of filters to help you narrow down your search. View opening hours, take a peek at menus and read other Quandoo users' reviews. Once you've made your decision, book online in just a few clicks. It's that simple. Reserving a table in Chertsey couldn't get any easier!