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The mating system of eastern mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki) is dominated by male sexual coercion, where all matings are forced and females never appear to cooperate and actively avoid all attempts. Previous research has shown that male G. holbrooki offer a model system for examining the benefits of reversible thermal acclimation for reproductive success, but examining the benefits to female avoidance behaviour has been difficult. In this study, we examined the ability of non-male-deprived female G. holbrooki to avoid forced–coercive matings following acclimation to either 18 or 30°C for six weeks (12 h light : 12 h dark photoperiod). Thermal acclimation of burst and sustained swimming performance was also assessed, as these traits are likely to underlie their ability to avoid forced matings. There was no influence of thermal acclimation on the burst swimming performance of female G. holbrooki over the range 18–30°C; however, sustained swimming performance was significantly lower in the warm- than the cool-acclimation group. For mating behaviour, we tested the hypothesis that acclimation would enhance the ability of female G. holbrooki to avoid forced matings at their host acclimation temperature relative to females acclimated to another environment. However, our hypothesis was not supported. The rate of copulations was almost three times greater for females acclimated to 30°C than 18°C when tested at 30°C, indicating that they possess the ability to alter their avoidance behaviour to 'allow' more copulations in some environments. Coupled with previous studies, female G. holbrooki appear to have greater control on the outcome of coercive mating attempts than previously considered and can alter their propensity to receive forced matings following thermal acclimation. The significance of this change in female mating-avoidance behaviours with thermal acclimation remains to be explored.
1. Introduction
Biological processes are temperature-sensitive and the performance of all physiological traits is affected by changes in body temperature (Prosser 1979; Angilletta et al. 2003). In aquatic ectotherms, acute changes in body temperature can affect numerous factors that are likely to be critical for both survival and reproduction (Angilletta et al. 2003). Studies investigating the ecological consequences of temperature variation often use measures of whole-animal performance because it links lower-level physiological, morphological and biochemical traits with the behavioural performance and fitness of the organism (Arnold 1983; Bennett & Huey 1990; Garland & Losos 1994b). Despite the wide range of studies describing both the functional consequences of environmental temperature variation on whole-animal traits and their underlying mechanisms, few studies have examined the reproductive- and fitness-consequences of temperature-induced performance variation (Garland & Carter 1994a; Irschick & Garland 2001; Wilson 2005).
Seasonal temperature cycles may result in predictable and reversible modifications in physiological function (reversible acclimation), while variation in the thermal environment during ontogeny can lead to irreversible changes in the adult phenotype (irreversible acclimation; Piersma & Drent 2003; Angilletta et al. 2006). The ability to respond to long-term changes in environmental temperature by modifying underlying physiological state is a process known as thermal acclimation. The range of acclimation responses to seasonal changes in environmental temperature have been well studied; particularly, the functional responses of the locomotor system of fish (see Johnston & Temple (2002), for a review) and amphibians (Wilson et al. 2000). Many species of fish can modify their fast-start and sustained swimming performance following several weeks of exposure to a new thermal environment (Fry & Hart 1948; Beddow et al. 1995; Johnson & Bennett 1995). Temperature acclimation modifies the thermal optimum for various locomotory behaviours, allowing function at high performance levels across the range of environmental temperatures experienced during the year (see Johnston & Temple (2002) for review). The proximal mechanisms of thermal acclimation of locomotory performance includes changes in the proportion of muscle fibre types (Johnston & Lucking 1978; Hammill et al. 2004), the relative amounts of cellular organelles (Johnston & Maitland 1980) and altered expression of hundreds of genes (Gracey et al. 2004; Podrabsky & Somero 2004), including isoforms of class II myosins (Watabe 2002). Extensive changes in gene expression with thermal acclimation ultimately result in enhanced metabolic power and contractile function at the temperature of the new environment (Johnston et al. 1975, 1990; Wakeling et al. 2000; Rome & Swank 2001). Previous studies examining the ecological significance of seasonal acclimation responses have primarily used measures of locomotor performance owing to its presumed importance in predator–prey interactions. However, the link between locomotion and fitness is somewhat tenuous and is often assumed rather than tested (Angilletta et al. 2003), particularly for studies of reversible acclimation responses. Recent discussions have suggested that more direct correlates of fitness are required to investigate the adaptive benefits of acclimation responses, especially using traits closely associated with reproductive behaviour (Wilson & Franklin 2002; Johnston & Wilson 2005).
The mating behaviour of the eastern mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki) is ideal for examining questions related to the reproductive consequences of variation in body temperature (Wilson 2005). Mosquito fish possess one of the broadest reproductively active temperature ranges for any ectotherm and obtain copulations across a range of at least 14–38°C (Wilson 2005). The mating system of the eastern mosquito fish is dominated by male sexual coercion (Bisazza et al. 1989; McPeek 1992). Copulations only occur when males approach females with stealth and rapidly thrust their gonopodium (modified anal fin) into the female genital pore to release their spermatozoa (Farr 1989; McPeek 1992; Bisazza et al. 1996; Pilastro et al. 1997). Females are assumed to never cooperate but attempt to avoid mating by strategies including fleeing, lying against an object and adopting a position to thwart an attempt or attacking (Bisazza et al. 1996; Pilastro et al. 1997, 2003). Males, best able to compete against female avoidance, achieve the greatest number of copulations and increase their chances of producing more offspring (Cunningham & Birkhead 1998). In one of the first studies to examine the effects of temperature on reproductive behaviour, Wilson (2005) reported that temperature markedly affected both the propensity of male G. holbrooki to follow females and their ability to obtain coercive matings. Eastern mosquito fish also experience wide seasonal variation in temperature across their native and introduced distribution (Wilson & Johnston 2004). Hammill et al. (2004) reported that male G. holbrooki possessed the capacity to acclimate their maximum sustainable swimming performance over the range 18–30°C. In a recent study, Wilson et al. (2007) also reported that thermal acclimation influenced both the competitive ability of male G. holbrooki during aggressive interactions and their ability to obtain coercive matings across different thermal environments.
Although most studies of thermal acclimation have focused on its expression and underlying physiological mechanisms, research is increasingly becoming directed towards understanding the ecological consequences of these plastic modifications for interactions between both species and individuals within a species (e.g. sexual conflict; Miner et al. 2005). The thermal acclimation of male coercive mating ability suggests that female G. holbrooki may also respond to long-term changes in environmental temperature by acclimating their ability to avoid unwanted copulations (an acclimation 'arms race' between sexes). Clearly, females must receive at least some copulations for successful reproduction, but increased avoidance ability with acclimation would serve to reduce: (i) the number of copulations from males less adept at sneaky copulations (genetic benefits), (ii) physical damage to the female genital tract from the barbed male gonopodium (physical benefits), and (iii) the time/energetic costs associated with avoiding mating attempts (energetic benefits). In contrast with these expectations, Condon & Wilson (2006) found virgin female G. holbrooki acclimated to high temperatures actually received a greater number of copulations at their host acclimation temperature. Given that these females were virgins and required at least some initial matings to reproduce, the increased number of coercive matings for the warm-acclimated females may be due to their exposure to environmental conditions optimal for reproduction and their immediate requirement for sperm to reproduce (Condon & Wilson 2006). Although females were never observed to cooperate with coercive mating attempts, tacit compliance or a reduced keenness to escape violates the assumption that only the fittest males who are best able to 'beat' female avoidance strategies will achieve the most copulations. Thus, studies examining the benefits of thermal acclimation to the mating behaviour of female G. holbrooki may profit from examining the behaviour of non-male-deprived (experienced) females.
In this study, we examined the influence of thermal acclimation on the reproductive behaviour and swimming performance of experienced female G. holbrooki. As seasonal acclimation significantly influences mating behaviour, swimming performance and proportion of muscle fibre types of male G. holbrooki (Hammill et al. 2004; Wilson 2005), it is likely that whole-animal performance traits that underlie the ability of females to avoid unwanted coercive copulations may also be influenced by thermal variation. We hypothesized that acclimation would enhance the ability of sexually experienced female G. holbrooki to more effectively avoid coercive matings in a new thermal environment. As maximum swimming capacity probably underlies the ability of females to avoid unwanted coercive copulations, we also investigated the thermal acclimation of fast-start behaviour. Sustained swimming performance was also studied to provide a measure of aerobic ability. Finally, we also investigated the mating behaviour of female G. holbrooki over an extended period while being exposed to an environment where there was a high cost for receiving coercive matings (sex ratio of five males to one female). We predicted that over an extended period the cool-acclimated females would find it increasingly difficult to avoid unwanted copulations at a high test temperature, reflecting a reduction in aerobic metabolic capacity and sustained swimming performance.
2. Material and methods
Adult eastern mosquito fish (G. holbrooki) were collected using long-handled dip nets and box-traps in March 2005 from 18 Mile Swamp on North Stradbroke Island, Australia. Bait traps were checked every 20 min and fish were placed in aerated 100 l containers in which they were transported to the University of Queensland (4 h) at densities no greater than 0.5 fish per litre. In the laboratory, one male and one female (40 pairs) were introduced to 12 l plastic aquaria (31×22×15 cm deep) provided with gravel, a box filter and a small amount of Java moss weed (Vesicularia dubyana). One male was acclimated with each female to preclude any influence of male-deprivation on female mating behaviour (Pilastro et al. 2003). Aquaria were randomly assigned a thermal acclimation treatment (range: 18±0.5°C (N=18) or 30±0.5°C (N=18)) for six weeks. Temperature was maintained within a constant room temperature at 18±0.5°C and 30°C-treatment tanks were supplied with 55 W aquarium heaters (AquaOne, N2867) set at 30±0.5°C. Acclimation temperatures were chosen to approximate the maximum daily summer and winter conditions of North Stradbroke Island waterways and are within the natural range of G. holbrooki (Arthington & Lloyd 1989; Wilson 2005). Fish did not display any adverse reactions to acclimation or acute changes in temperature throughout this study and were fed daily with commercially supplied flakes (Wardleys, Sydney, Australia) or newly hatched brine shrimp.
Eighty adult male mosquito fish were maintained in 40 l aquaria at densities of 0.5 per litre at 26.0±0.5°C for one month prior to experiments. Since male mating success is size dependent (Bisazza & Marin 1995; Pilastro et al. 1997), males were divided into four size classes (20±0.5; 21±0.5; 22±0.5; 24±0.5 mm; (N=20 per group)). Total length of the fish was measured from still images captured by a Nikon digital camera and morphometric data obtained using the SigmaScan 5.0. At the termination of the experiment, mosquito fish were placed in mixed-sexed groups in the laboratory. This research was approved by the University of Queensland Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee (ZOO/ENT/485/04/ARC), and collections of fish were approved by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI) (PRM04626D).
After six weeks of acclimation, the mating behaviour and swimming performance of each female mosquito fish was examined at 18 and 30°C. Mating behaviour was initially examined and was followed by burst and then sustained swimming performance. Females were assessed at both their acclimation temperature and the alternate environment and the order of testing was randomized (18°C acclimated/18°C initial test temperature, N=13; 18°C/30°C, N=13; 30°C/18°C, N=18; 30°C/30°C, N=18). All mating trials at a single test temperature for each individual female were completed before changing to the next temperature. Acute changes in water temperature occurred within each individual's 12 l aquarium and the final temperature was reached at least 15 h prior to trials. Water temperature was gradually altered at a rate not exceeding 4°C h−1 (Wilson 2005). The initial test temperature remained the same for each individual in both the mating behaviour and swimming experiments. There was no significant difference between total female body length between acclimation treatments (two-way ANOVA; F=2.046, p=0.16; range: 28.3–35.7 mm) or initial test temperature groups (two-way ANOVA; F=0.419, p=0.523).
(a) Mating behaviour
Females were introduced into the observation tank 30 min prior to the start of an experiment to minimize stress. Each female was then exposed to a single male introduced into the observation aquarium and the behaviour of both the male and female was observed over a 10 min period. Data recording commenced when the male displayed sexual interest in the female or when 2 min had elapsed. Observation trials were repeated four times (with different males), 30 min apart, using one male from each of the four size groups at both test temperatures of 18 and 30°C. All males were rested for at least 24 h between trials. Observation tanks were of dimension 45×45×20 cm, containing aged tap water, gravel bed, aerator, a small quantity of java moss weed and a submersed aquarium heater (AquaOne 250 W). Black plastic was taped to the sides of each tank to reduce external stimuli. Test temperature of the aquaria was maintained by air temperature in a controlled temperature room at 18±0.5°C or using aquarium heaters set to 30±0.5°C.
During the 10 min observation period, female and male behaviours were recorded and entered into the behavioural software program Ethom v. 1.0 using a laptop computer (His-Te Shih, http://www.mbi.nsysu.edu.tw/~fiddler/ethom/intro_e.htm). The total time males spent following females, the number of coercive mating attempts made and the number of copulations were recorded for each individual female. Mating attempts were defined as when a male swum alongside a female and made a gonopodial swing greater than 90° from the lateral axis of the body towards the female. Total number of mating attempts included both successful copulations and unsuccessful mating attempts. Copulations were deemed to have occurred when a gonopodial swing was followed by the characteristic twisting motion made by the male following successful insertion to remove the barbed gonopodium from the female genital opening (Wilson 2005).
(b) Swimming performance
Burst swimming performance was assessed by filming at least five startle responses for each individual with a high speed digital camera at 18 and 30°C (N=13 for all acclimation groups at both 18 and 30°C except for N=10 for 18°C-acclimated tested initially at 18°C). Swimming responses were elicited by placing the fish into a swimming arena (0.3× 0.2×0.05 m deep glass aquarium) and tapping the side of the tank. Only burst swimming responses that consisted of a C-start reaction involving initial contraction of all muscle fibres on one side of the fish followed by one or more propulsive tail strokes were analysed (Eaton et al. 1977; Temple & Johnston 1998). C-start responses are used most often during escape from predators (Beddow et al. 1995) and only those from a stationary position with limited vertical movement were analysed. Swimming responses were filmed ventrally from 2 m away, capturing the image from a mirror at 45° beneath the glass bottomed arena and recorded using a high-speed 200 Hz digital camera (Redlake Imaging Cooperation, USA). The accompanying Redlake software package was used for analysis of the swimming sequences. Sequences were replayed frame-by-frame and the centre region of the head was digitized as it was the easiest and most consistent point of reference. Temperature was maintained by the flow of heated or cooled water from a controlled temperature water bath (Heto, CB 8-30E) through a submersed metal rod.
The first 40 ms of swimming sequences were analysed to determine the distance moved by each female between successive frames. Instantaneous measures of velocity were then calculated by differentiating distance data that was previously subjected to a three-point moving average filter (Walker 1998; Wilson & Franklin 1999). Measures of maximum burst swimming velocity were calculated from data obtained after the initial turning stage of a startle response (Ustart) and the first propulsive tail beat (Umax). The fastest of the swimming sequences analysed for each individual was used as a measure of their maximum burst swimming performance. All females were rested after initial mating behaviour observations for at least one week before swimming performance tests, and at least 48 h was given between burst recordings at each test temperature.
(i) Sustained swimming performance
The sustained swimming capacity of each individual female G. holbrooki was determined at both 18 and 30°C. Fish were assessed only once at each experimental temperature (N=13 for all acclimation groups at both 18 and 30°C except for N=10 for 18°C-acclimated tested initially at 18°C). Females were transferred to the test temperature at least 20 h before experiments begun and the order of test temperature for each individual remained the same as behavioural experiments. Sustained swimming capacity was measured in a swimming flume (Brett 1964) that consisted of a swimming chamber 15 cm long and 5.5 cm diameter. Fish were introduced into the flume at a water velocity of 16 cm s−1 and the current was increased by 3 cm s−1 every 3 min until the fish was fatigued, which was defined as when it was swept back by the current against the grid. Total time and the water velocity at exhaustion were recorded and used to calculate Ucrit using the equation (Brett 1964): Ucrit=Uf+((Tf/Ti)Ui), where Uf is the highest speed maintained for a 3 min interval; Tf is the time taken to exhaustion in the final speed interval; Ti is the time-interval length (3 min); and Ui is the speed increment.
(ii) Sustained mating behaviour
The sustained mating behaviour of female mosquito fish was assessed one month following the initial mating trials, with females kept at their host acclimation temperatures during this period. Experimental aquaria, data collection and the order of testing in thermal environments remained unchanged for each individual. One female was introduced to the observation aquaria 30 min before the experiment began and five males kept at 26±0.5°C were placed into the test arena. Once introduced to the tank the 10 min observation trial begun when one of the five males began following the female or after 2 min had elapsed. At the conclusion of the 10 min trial, the five males were left in the observation tank with the female. After 50 min had elapsed, mating behaviour data was collected again over a 10 min period. Fish were fed a small amount of newly hatched brine shrimp 30 min after the commencement of the initial observation.
(iii) Statistical analyses
All data were analysed using the statistical programming package R or SigmaStat v. 3.0. For behavioural data, the effects of acute change in temperature and acclimation group were analysed using a generalized linear model assuming a Poisson distribution (due to the inclusion of 'count' data). The behavioural data were not normally distributed but satisfied the assumptions of a Poisson distribution. Swimming performance data were normally distributed and the influence of temperature and acclimation treatment was tested using two-way ANOVAs. Post hoc Holm–Sidak multiple comparison testing was used to test for significant effects between test temperatures. Total body lengths of males and females between acclimation groups and initial test temperature were tested for significance using a two-way ANOVA. All results are presented as means ±s.e. Significance was taken at the level of p<0.05.
3. Results
(a) Mating behaviour
Both the total number of male sneaky-mating attempts and the total time males spent following females was significantly influenced by test temperature (F1,59=81.4; p<0.001; F1,59=19.7; p<0.001; figure 1a,b). However, no significant differences were detected in total following time or the total number of mating attempts between males tested with females acclimated to either 18 or 30°C (F1,59=0.98; p>0.05; F1,59=3.5; p>0.05; figure 1a,b). The total number of male sneaky-mating attempts per minute of time spent following females (A min−1) was also significantly influenced by test temperature (F1,59=47.6; p<0.001; figure 1c). However, 30°C-acclimated females were exposed to a significantly greater number of mating attempts per minute of male interest than the 18°C-acclimated females (F1,59=4.8; p>0.05; figure 1c). Total number of copulation attempts made by males towards 30°C-acclimated females was 1.02±0.10 A min−1 at 30°C, which was 50% greater than that experienced by the 18°C-acclimated females (0.68±0.15 A min−1). Thus, acclimation of female G. holbrooki to different thermal regimes seemed to alter the coercive mating interest of the males at high temperatures.
Test temperature significantly influenced the total number of copulations that female G. holbrooki received over the total combined observation period (F1,59=12.0; p<0.01; figure 2a), but this was due to the substantial increase in the number of copulations received by the 30°C-acclimated females. In addition, there was a significant interaction between test temperature and acclimation treatment for the total number of copulations received (F1,59=12.0; p<0.01), indicating acclimation influenced effect of temperature on copulation number. When tested at 30°C, warm-acclimated females received 2.0±0.1 copulations during the total observation period, which was significantly greater than that experienced by the cool-acclimated females (0.4±0.1; figure 2a). Similarly, the test temperature and the acclimation treatment both significantly influenced the total number of copulations received by the females per minute of male interest (A min−1) over the entire observation period (F1,60=6.4; p<0.05; F1,59=7.4; p<0.05; figure 2b). Warm-acclimated females received a total of 0.1±0.02 A min−1, which was approximately 10 times greater than that received by the cool-acclimated females (0.01±0.008 C min−1; figure 2b). For all females from both treatment groups, approximately 25% of all copulation attempts resulted in a coercive mating at the lowest test temperature, which was significantly higher than the avoidance ability observed at 30°C (less than 10% of attempted matings; F1,56=8.1; p<0.01). However, there was no influence of acclimation group on the avoidance ability (proportion of attempts resulting in copulations) of the female G. holbrooki (F1,56=0.001; p>0.05).
We also examined the mating behaviour of female G. holbrooki over an extended period in an environment where there was a high cost for receiving coercive matings. When tested at 30°C, we found no significant differences in total following time between males tested with females acclimated to either 18 or 30°C (F1,48=0.85; p>0.05; figure 3a). In contrast, there was a significant influence of female-acclimation group on the total number of coercive mating attempts made by male G. holbrooki (F1,48=6.9; p<0.05; figure 3b), with the warm-acclimated females experiencing approximately 50% more mating attempts during both observation periods. The total number of coercive mating attempts was lower 1 h after the males were initially introduced and decreased for both female-acclimation groups (F1,47=7.2; p<0.01; figure 3b). Similarly, warm-acclimated females received a greater number of coercive matings than the cool-acclimated females during both observation periods (F1,48=8.4; p<0.01; figure 3c). For example, the 30°C-acclimated females received 2.0±0.5 copulations during the initial 10 min observation period, which was more than double that experienced by the 18°C-acclimated females (0.7±0.2; figure 3c).
(b) Swimming performance
The effects of temperature on the burst and sustained swimming performance of female G. holbrooki were compared between individuals exposed to 18 and 30°C for six weeks. The maximum velocity attained by female G. holbrooki during the first full tail-beat following the initial C-start response (Umax) was not influenced by either acclimation treatment (F1,47=0.13; p>0.05; two-way ANOVA) or test temperature over the range studied (F1,46=0.51; p>0.05; two-way ANOVA; figure 4a). In contrast, the maximum sustainable swimming speed (Ucrit) of female G. holbrooki was significantly influenced by test temperature; indicating greater endurance at 18°C following acclimation to 18°C (F1,38=11.31; p<0.01; two-way ANOVA). In addition, there was a significant interaction between test temperature and acclimation treatment (F1,37=6.16; p<0.05; two-way ANOVA; figure 4b), indicating long-term exposure of the fish to different thermal regimes influenced the effects of temperature on performance. Although Ucrit was approximately 60% greater for the cool-acclimated females than the warm-acclimated fish when tested at 18°C, there was no difference between the acclimation groups when tested at 30°C.
4. Discussion
Male mosquito fish do not display courting behaviours to females but use only a coercive mating strategy to achieve copulations. However, most coercive mating attempts are unsuccessful as females do not appear receptive to male sexual activity and efficiently avoid most attempts (Bisazza et al. 1989; McPeek 1992; Pilastro et al. 1997, 2003; Bisazza & Pilastro 2000). Although we found females were more efficient at avoiding coercive mating attempts at the highest test temperature, when averaged across both test temperatures females successfully avoided more than 80% of all coercive mating attempts. Based on these aspects of the mating system of G. holbrooki, we predicted that acclimation of female G. holbrooki to different thermal environments would increase their ability to avoid forced mating attempts at their host acclimation temperature. In contrast, we found that neither warm nor cool acclimation resulted in an increase in the ability of female G. holbrooki to avoid sneaky matings at their respective acclimation temperature. There was no difference in mating avoidance between acclimation groups when tested at 18°C. However, when females were tested at 30°C, warm-acclimated females were found to receive more 'forced' copulations and thus actually be poorer at avoiding male sneaky-matings than cool-acclimated females. The rate of copulations received by warm-acclimated females was three times greater than that of cool-acclimated females when both groups were tested at 30°C. This result was in direct contrast with our initial hypothesis that acclimation would produce an increase in sneaky-mating avoidance ability and thus a reduction in the number of copulations a female received.
An increase in the rate of coercive matings for warm-acclimated females is surprising given the wide-spread assumption that female mosquito fish always seek to avoid matings (Bisazza et al. 1989; McPeek 1992; Pilastro et al. 1997, 2003; Bisazza & Pilastro 2000) and there are probably genetic, physical and energetic benefits for greater control of the number of forced copulations received. Furthermore, we also found that warm-acclimated females received a greater number of coercive matings over an extended period while being exposed to an environment where there were probably high physical and energetic costs for receiving coercive matings (sex ratio of five males to one female). In contrast, we predicted that over an extended period the cool-acclimated females would find it increasingly difficult to avoid unwanted copulations at high test temperatures. Although Condon & Wilson (2006) also found warm acclimation increased the number of coercive copulations received by virgin female G. holbrooki at high temperatures, this was interpreted as a response by the virgin females to obtain initial sperm stores for reproduction in an optimal environment. Thus, it seems warm acclimation induces a change in the mating behaviour of both male-deprived and non-male-deprived female G. holbrooki that essentially modifies their propensity to avoid unwanted 'forced' copulations. In contrast, in a recent study of the benefits of thermal acclimation to the mating behaviour of male G. holbrooki, Wilson et al. (2007) found both sneaky-mating attempts and successful copulations were higher for males in both their cool- and warm-acclimated environment relative to males acutely transferred from the alternate acclimation temperature. This suggests that thermal acclimation provides a benefit for male mating performance across a range of thermal regimes; possibly linked to adaptive changes in the muscoskeletal system (Wilson 2005). A detailed kinematic analysis of forced copulations for both cool- and warm-acclimated fish may reveal subtle modifications in either male or female behaviour that are responsible for changes in copulation rate.
Although the ability of female G. holbrooki to avoid unwanted copulations is extremely efficient (approx. 80%), studies of females that are male-deprived for extended periods suggest that female avoidance behaviour is modified for a short period immediately after the reintroduction of males, increasing the probability of a successful copulation (Pilastro et al. 1997; Bisazza et al. 2001). As the length of male deprivation increased, the likelihood that females were inseminated in the 48 h following male reintroduction also increased, even though all mating attempts were coercive and females were never observed to cooperate (Pilastro et al. 1997). When deprived of males, female G. holbrooki possess reduced sperm stores and exhibit an increased tendency to associate with males (Bisazza et al. 2001; Pilastro et al. 2003). Additionally, the behaviour of non-deprived females that had just given birth was found to be indiscernible from male-deprived females when males were introduced to the observation tank (Bisazza et al. 2001). These studies suggest that female mosquito fish associate more often with males when sperm stores are reduced and when received sperm is likely to be used soon after in the fertilization of new ova (Bisazza et al. 2001). While females never appear to cooperate with mating attempts, results from our study along with previous research on virgin female G. holbrooki suggest females may play a greater role in the success of coercive mating attempts than previously considered. Females may modify their avoidance behaviour to increase the likelihood of a successful copulation. Although an increase in the number of forced matings may increase the immediate physical and energetic costs of reproduction for female mosquito fish, these costs may be outweighed by the potential genetic benefits that could occur through the promotion of greater sperm competition within the female reproductive tract.
While there was no apparent benefit to the 'avoidance behaviour' of female G. holbrooki with acclimation, females did possess the capacity to acclimate their sustained swimming performance across the test temperature range. Thermal acclimation of sustained and burst swimming ability has been demonstrated in a variety of fish (Fry & Hart 1948; Rome et al. 1985; Sisson & Sidell 1987; Beddow et al. 1995; Johnson & Bennett 1995; Temple & Johnston 1998) and amphibian taxa (Wilson et al. 2000). For example, Fry & Hart (1948) found that acclimation of goldfish (Carassius auratus) to cool or warm temperatures for several weeks increased their maximum cruising speeds at their acclimation temperatures relative to fish acclimated to other temperatures. Similarly, long-term exposure of male G. holbrooki to 18°C resulted in an Ucrit 20% higher than for 30°C-acclimated fish when tested at 18°C, and vice-versa when tested at 30°C. Similar to these previous studies, we found the Ucrit of cool-acclimated female G. holbrooki was approximately 60% greater at the test temperature of 18°C when compared with the warm-acclimation group, while no differences between the groups were detected at the highest test temperature. However, we found no influence of thermal acclimation on the burst swimming performance of female G. holbrooki when tested between 18 and 30°C; the relevant temperature range for mating behaviour. As burst swimming performance is likely to be a critical determinant of the ability of females to avoid unwanted copulations, the lack of alteration of this trait with acclimation suggests the changes in female mating behaviour with acclimation are the results of behavioural alterations rather than changes in physical capacity.
We found that the behaviour of the male G. holbrooki was largely independent of whether the males were tested with warm- or cool-acclimated females, suggesting acclimation of females to different thermal environments did not influence their attractiveness to males. There was no difference in the total number of mating attempts or total interest time between males tested with cool- or warm-acclimated females. However, males exposed to warm-acclimated females obtained more coercive matings per minute of following the females at 30°C than males exposed to the cool-acclimated females. This increase in mating attempts per minute of sexual interest was not great enough to explain an increase in the number of coercive copulations that the warm-acclimated females received at the high test temperature. Male reproductive behaviour was also influenced by test temperature. Within the time period that males were interested in sexual activity, male G. holbrooki attempted sneaky copulations at a rate of one attempt per minute at 30°C and attempted approximately 0.2 sneaky-matings per minute at 18°C, values similar to those previously reported (Wilson 2005). It has also been estimated that in wild populations male G. holbrooki make approximately one copulation attempt per minute, corresponding to several hundred throughout the day (Bisazza & Marin 1995).
Interest in the ecological consequences of phenotypic plasticity, and the more specific case of thermal acclimation, is rapidly expanding (Miner et al. 2005). The mating behaviour of the eastern mosquito fish offers a unique study system for examining questions directly related to the ecological consequences of phenotypic plasticity. In this study, we found that female G. holbrooki modify their mating behaviour following thermal acclimation so that the propensity to receive forced matings is greater for warm-acclimated females in the warmer environments. This contrasts with the alterations in the mating behaviour of male G. holbrooki with thermal acclimation, which results in improved coercive mating abilities of the males in their host acclimation environment (Wilson et al. 2007). Conflict between the sexes in mating behaviour with thermal acclimation offers a range of future questions addressing the ecological implications of phenotypic plasticity and their consequences for sexual interactions in nature.
R.S.W. thanks the Australian Research Council for financial support and Amanda Niehaus for logistical support. R.S.W. was supported by an ARC Postdoctoral Fellow at UQ. We also thank Mike Bennett for the loan of the high speed digital camera system.
One contribution of 18 to a Theme Issue 'Environmental constraints upon locomotion and predator–prey interactions in aquatic organisms'.
- © 2007 The Royal Society


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President Sebastian Pinera is reportedly pressuring rescuers to get the miners out before September 18, the bicentennial anniversary of Chile's independence from Spanish colonial rule.
"Plan B has already been designed," Health Minister Jaime Manalich said Saturday, adding that details of the alternative plan would be released soon.
Under current plans, an Australian-made hydraulic bore will drill a hole 66 centimeters (26 inches) wide to pull the miners out one at a time from the hot and damp shelter where they are huddled underground.
"The shaft we're drilling to the shelter will go down 702 meters (2,303 feet) in a straight line" to the trapped miners, the engineer in charge of the rescue operation, Andre Sougarret, said.
Mr Sougarret said the drilling operation was expected to last three to four months, in line with previous estimates.
Pope Benedict XVI says he is praying constantly for the miners trapped underground and has urged them to remain calm as efforts continue to free them.
The Pontiff assured the 33 men and their families that he was spiritually close to them and was praying for a "happy conclusion" to their ordeal.
The hydraulic bore drills at a maximum rate of 20 meters (66 feet) per day. The initial narrow shaft it will dig will have to be doubled in diameter to allow a man to pass through, Sougarret explained.
Officials are also considering drilling where the main entrance ramp to the San Jose gold and silver mine collapsed on August 5, though some engineers fear the site remains unstable.
A third option being tabled suggests broadening an already existing shaft some 12 centimeters (five inches) in diameter, about 300 meters (985 feet) from the emergency shelter where the miners are confined.
According to Geotec, the company owning the drilling equipment, expanding that shaft could free the men in about 60 days, two whole months ahead of early estimates.
Geotec manager Walter Herrera said government experts were studying this proposal. But Mining Minister Laurence Golborne earlier rejected reports of a possible rescue within the next month.
"We have reviewed 10 different options," he told Radio Cooperativa. "Up to now there is no alternative... that would allow us to get them out in 30 days."
Mr Golborne said that while the Australian-made bore went to work, engineers would also be widening a third existing access shaft to the miners' shelter from 10.2 centimeters to 30.5 centimeters (four-12 inches) so bigger objects can be sent down to them.
He added that on Sunday the trapped miners will be allowed to talk to one family member by telephone "for at least one minute."
Mr Golborne said miners would also receive over the next few days audio-visual equipment including MP3 players with speakers, a small video projector with a collection of DVDs with recorded soccer games, dice and clothes.
He said special folding cots would also be lowered to the shelter to provide more comfortable sleeping arrangements for the workers.
Rescuers contacted the miners through a narrow shaft a week ago and have been sending them fresh water, messages and supplies ever since.
Most were shown in good spirits in a video they sent to their families at the surface on Thursday, but a handful of them appeared to be struggling psychologically.
Yet Mr Manalich said five depressed miners were doing much better after receiving food, vitamins and communicating with friends and relatives, who sent them a video recording earlier Saturday.
Chilean authorities have already taken steps to boost the men's mental resilience for the struggle that still lays ahead, notably by reaching out to organisations and individuals with experience in long isolation.
Four officials from the US space agency NASA were due to arrive Sunday or Monday in Chile to provide expertise, while submarine commanders in Chile's navy have already given advice.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Icos said yesterday it expects worldwide sales of Cialis to climb between 40 percent and 54 percent this year, even as doubts are rising...
Icos said yesterday it expects worldwide sales of Cialis to climb between 40 percent and 54 percent this year, even as doubts are rising about the potential size of the market for erectile-dysfunction drugs.
The Bothell biotech company, which co-markets Cialis with Eli Lilly, said yesterday it expects to sell $775 million to $850 million worth of the little yellow pill around the world this year, up from $552 million in 2004. The company aims to achieve that sales growth with lower marketing and administrative costs than the $606 million it spent in 2004.
In the company's year-end conference call with analysts, Chief Financial Officer Michael Stein largely repeated guidance that Icos gave a year ago. The Cialis joint venture is expected to become profitable by the third quarter of 2005, and to finish 2005 $40 million to $70 million in the black.
Stein said Icos, after taking its cut from the joint venture and continuing to fund its own research and development, should become profitable in the second half of 2006. This year, it expects to lose $57 million to $77 million.
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Icos itself had a record loss of $198 million in 2004, as it invested in the initial Cialis marketing blitz.
"Icos could achieve the 'P' word, profitability, on a quarterly basis in the second half of 2006," Stein said.
If it did, that first quarterly profit would come during its 16th year in business.
The company projects that it can do that even if the drug doesn't live up to the loftiest of projections. The company has said in the past that 70 million men in North America and Europe have suffered from erectile dysfunction. In December, it said 3 million men worldwide have tried Cialis.
When Levitra and Cialis joined the battle with Viagra in 2003, some analysts predicted Cialis would quickly become a $1 billion molecule. No one is saying that now.
The company disappointed many a week ago, when it said its fourth quarter U.S. sales declined by about $15 million because some wholesalers built up their inventories just before a Sept. 30 price increase.
Instead, Stein said the growth and profitability formula for Cialis depends on a combination of overall market growth in use of the drugs, increasing gains in market share, price increases, and controlling of expenses.
Icos said more price increases can be expected for Cialis, which now wholesales for $9.02 per pill, the highest in its class. Leonard Blum, Icos vice president of sales and marketing, said the overall market grew by 11 percent in the U.S. in 2004, based on prescription data from IMS Health.
He said domestic market growth will probably diminish into "single digits" this year, but that in Europe, Canada and Mexico, overall market growth will remain in the double-digit percentages.
Blum also said the percentage of patients getting Cialis through free samples is on the decline. The company is continuing to invest in clinical studies of Cialis as a treatment for enlarged prostate, and it hopes to bring one or two new molecules into clinical development this year.
Luke Timmerman: 206-515-5644 or firstname.lastname@example.com
|Icos results
|Figures in parentheses are losses.
|Dec. 31
|4th QTR
|Per share
|Annual 2004
|Per share


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November 2017 S M T W T F S « Apr 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Currently Reading
The Considered Kula
Tag Archives: Merton
An Older Unity
The Dalai Lama visits Thomas Merton's grave in 1997 at the Abbey of Gethsemani "And the deepest level of communication is not communication, but communion. It is wordless. It is beyond words, and it is beyond speech,and it is beyond … Continue reading
Posted in Quotations Tagged Anusara, controversy, inspiration, Merton, quotations, unity, writing 1 Comment
Canticle, "Grace's House"
O paradise, O child's world! Where all the grass lives And all the animals are aware! The huge sun, bigger than the house Stands and dreams with life in the east While in the west a thunder cloud Moves away … Continue reading
Posted in Discoveries, Quotations Tagged inspiration, Merton, nature, poetry, seasons, Summer 2 Comments
"The Useless Tree" – Chuang Tzu – Inspiration Pointe
Last week I was making small talk with a student about another class in which I had seen her taking a test. "Social psychology. It's very practical." she quipped. I tried not to take this as a comment upon the … Continue reading
Posted in Discoveries, Experiences, Quotations Tagged AGIL, Chuang Tzu, Merton, Michael Burawoy, public sociology, Talcott Parsons, Taoism, teaching, utility 4 Comments
Working vacation
It's Spring Break for both of the colleges at which I teach, but for me it's time to get caught up on grading and other course tasks that fall off the map when one is in the thick of it. … Continue reading
Posted in Discoveries, Experiences, Quotations Tagged Becker, disenchantment of the world, Gilbert, immanence, inspiration, intimacy, Merton, panentheism, rituals, tantra, teaching, transcendence, ultimacy, Weber, writing Leave a comment


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Christmas SALE Now On: Up to 20% Off Everything!
Curated collection of ceramic artists from the porcelain capital Jingdezhen and their handmade ceramics representing the intersection of contemporary artistic expression and traditional craftsmanship.
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Chen Chen
"Capturing expression in everyday wares." Ceramics artist Chen Chen's mission is to replace the mass produced factory china in people's homes with high quality porcelain pieces that have been made to last. Her sense of fun is apparent in her unique and playful creatures that adorn her cups, plates and bowls. "I hope people will appreciate the fine quality and craftsmanship and that our pieces will bring joy and warmth into their lives."Discover more
Pengfei Chen
"Combining innovation and tradition to create beautiful ceramics." Pengfei Chen left his job as a product designer with Sony to pursue his dream of being an artisan ceramicist in Jingdezhen. He set up a studio there and established "Finethingwow" with his wife, a successful ceramics studio producing the finest quality pieces from high grade porcelain. His passion is for integrating traditional ceramic techniques with new technology. "Making ceramics by hand needn't exclude modern techniques. To me, innovation is the spirit of traditional Chinese ceramics."Discover more
Shaomin Huang
"Life inspires design; design inspires life." Shaomin Huang and Duo Chen established their studio, Haoli, in Jingdezhen, China's ceramic capital. The words "hao" and "li" were both tiny units of measurement in ancient China, and Shaomin and Duo chose the name Haoli to represent their passion for the beautiful details of life. They are innovative young designers whose philosophy is to create striking pieces that will add beauty to the small details of day-to-day living.Discover more
Xiangfei Ran
'Capturing the essence of life in ceramics.' Talented designer and maker Xiangfei Ran owns Yang, a studio in Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital. Winner of several international awards for his classically beautiful pieces, including the Red-Dot Award's Best of Best and Elle Decoration Magazine's Best Tableware Design, Xiangfei's work reflects his deep attachment to traditional Chinese culture and art. He uses clean modern lines with traditional and innovative decoration to create striking and evocative work. One of the signature pieces from his most recent collection, a simple, classic mug, reflects the existence of time and is brushed with silver to produce an exquisite finish that will age subtly over the years.Discover more
Xinghua Wang
"Beautiful ceramics that will last a lifetime." Xinghua Wang produces the beautiful yet practical ceramics for which he has become known. He has a talent for creating subtle touches of colour on his pieces giving them a soft, organic and rustic feel. His pieces are designed to be functional and to fit perfectly into our modern everyday life. He believes passionately that the bowls, cups and plates he makes should be used every day.Discover more
Yaoyao Xin
"Celebrating the fragility in ceramics." Yaoyao Xin's work is modern and distinctive. She is a Red-Dot Award winner and one of the most outstanding young ceramic artists in China. Her pieces are cutting edge and she is always looking for ways to make porcelain appear delicate and fragile. Tall slender vases appear almost made from origami paper and geometric cut brooches look like jewels. She is also the first Chinese artist that Hermès partnered with and her most recent exhibition, "Light of Water, Lustre of Porcelain", was held at Hermès Maison in Shanghai.Discover more
Come and chat with us at Reed Gift Fair in Sydney!
As part of Reed Gift Fair at ICC Sydney this February (18/02/2017 to 22/02/2017), Delain has been...Event
Xinghua Wang – The timeless folk crafts
Like many of the world's finest cermaicists, Xinghua Wang studied his craft at Jingdezhen at the city's...Artist
Ceramic and porcelain
The term ceramic can be applied to many forms of hard non-metallic materials. Traditional use of the...Product


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Designer's Comments
Look carefully for specific instructions
2. Copy&paste the code.
3. Replace ALL of the XXXXXXXX with your friend ID!!!
Redistribute and I'll shoot you. :]
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Markster Studios | the-markster.net
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ha ha! Cute. You have very original concepts & ideas.
How do i put my default pic on the layout??????
bp3291: Hit Ctrl+F and type in XXXXXXXX. Noob, lmao.
ns 1..NOT I CANT EVEN GET IT TO WORK....WER TF ARE TH XXXXX SO I CAN REPLACE HEM WITH FRIEND ID..GAY
wow everything came out REALLY AWESOME!! GREAT WORK!
This design is incredible I been looking for a breakdance layout for ages cause I am one and I feel it necessary to have a layout for it..!!
I love this combination. Red and grey compliment eachother so well.
lyke da lyt im usen
Wow I really like this! It's cool. =]


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Posts Tagged 'Jasper Lim'
MRMW: Some New Options For Remote Participation & My Thanks To All Who HelpedFriday, July 13, 2012, 12:11 pm 1 Comment
The MRMW conference in Cincinnati next week is SOLD OUT at +300 attendees, so due to overwhelming demand we've negotiated a special opportunity for anyone else in that wanted to attend but didn't make it in in time, or couldn't make it for other reasons.
Announcing the Market Research in the Mobile World Conferences in Europe, the U.S., and Asia Pac in 2012!Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 6:00 am No Comments
Announcing the Market Research in the Mobile World Conferences in Europe, the U.S., and Asia Pac in 2012! Starting with the European Conference in April, Merlien, GreenBook, & our sponsors will be conducting a series of MRMW conferences in each of these global regions, with each designed to address the specific needs of each market. All of the events will be tied together by the common theme of MRMW and great team we have in place, but each will be unique in content and context. It's all very exciting!
Don't Let Mobile Research Leave You Behind!Thursday, June 9, 2011, 17:00 pm No Comments
Mobile research is moving fast, re-shaping research and opening up new and valuable opportunities. As a sponsor of the 2nd International Conference on Market Research in the Mobile World (July 19-20 in Atlanta), Qualvu has created an exclusive online community for everyone registered or interested in participating in the conference. It's a way for you to join the conversation on the future of mobile research so you can hit the ground running.


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SentryTurbo update 3 or 4 i have no fucking idea which update it is why am i allowed to type like this
Contact Info / Websites
- none
All 3 game Reviews
collision detection tut.
Rated 4 / 5 stars
good tutorial but would be better if u put the
action script in a text box so ppl could cut and paste.
Powerpuff Character Maker
Rated 3.5 / 5 stars
IT was ok for a dress up kinda game
but dress up games arnt that much fun
Skears 2 (v0.36)
Rated 5 / 5 stars
great concept, could become a classic like tetris
great game
AcidDimensions responds:
Obviously it won't reach the same status as Tetris - after all, that was practically the original and also it's score-based rather than level-based, meaning that folk who like it play it for longer.
However, thank you very much.


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While I was at the AWP conference, a ton of interesting books arrived in our offices, all worth writing about. I'll try and cover more of these over the next few weeks, but for now, I thought I'd look at the three titles translated from Spanish that caught my eye.
Rex by Jose Manuel Prieto is one of the spring books that I'm most excited about. Prieto's first book — Nocturnal Butterflies of the Russian Empire — earned him comparisons to Vladimir Nabokov, and it sounds like Rex is working in that same vein, as a "sexy and zany literary game rife with allusions to Proust, Homer, Pushkin, and even Star Wars, set in a world of wealthy Russian expats and Mafiosos who have settled in Western Europe." I talked to Esther Allen at some point when she was working on this translation, and I remember her recommending it highly. Even from the first paragraph it's evident Prieto has a special command:
I've been reading it for years, the one Book. Over and over without stopping. Beginning again whenever I reach the final description of the vast party, the inaugural ball, returning immediately to the first words, when he's dozing off in the house in Combray and dreams of stopping time in its tracks, solidifying it. I've opened it at random in ship terminals (Helsinki), English pubs, Istanbul cafes. Each and every time, without fail, I've been stunned by the intelligence, the penetration, the unique capacity to perceive things that escape every other writer. Always the right words, flowing out miraculously, as if he never had to stop and think about them, as easily and naturally as someone randomly humming syllables, nonsense noises, tra-la-la-ing a tune.
It's thanks to Monica Carter that I recently found out about Scarletta Press. (That and the fact that the director came to the panel I was on at AWP.) A relatively young press, Scarletta is doing a couple of translations this season, including Ignacio Solares's Yankee Invasion, a historical novel about life in Mexico under U.S. rule. The novel is written as a memoir-in-process by an old Mexican man haunted by his experiences during the "Yankee Invasion." Carlos Fuentes wrote an introduction for this novel, and Solares is one of Mexico's most respected — and prolific — contemporary writers, so this should be worth checking out.
And speaking of contemporary Mexican writers, I also received a finished copy of the Best of Contemporary Mexican Fiction anthology that Dalkey Archive is putting out thanks to a National Endowment for the Arts cultural exchange project. Edited by Alvaro Uribe (with the translations edited by Olivia Sears), this volume collects stories from sixteen Mexican writers born after 1945, including Cristina Rivera-Garza, Rosa Beltran, Juan Villoro, Daniel Sada, Guillermo Samperio, and Hector Manjarrez. I've heard elsewhere that a lot of these stories are Bonsai-esque, and I've been waiting to read a number of these authors for years, so I have big hopes for this book. The only thing that sucks (aside from the fact that Open Letter couldn't apply for this project) is the interior design: I'm all for bilingual poetry collections, but printing prose on bilingual facing pages—especially when the text on the two pages in no way matches up—is sort of bizarre and hard to read. Probably would've been cooler to have the English in the front and Spanish in the back, and vice-versa for the Mexican edition.
Mario Benedetti (1920-2009), Uruguay's most beloved writer, was a man who loved to bend the rules. He gave his haikus as many syllables as fit his mood, and wrote a play divided into sections instead of acts. In his country,. . .
Kim Kyung Ju's I Am a Season That Does Not Exist in the World, translated from the Korean by Jake Levine, is a wonderful absurdist poetry collection. It's a mix of verse and prose poems, or even poems in the. . .
Yuri Herrera is overwhelming in the way that he sucks readers into his worlds, transporting them to a borderland that is at once mythical in its construction and powerfully recognizable as a reflection of its modern-day counterpart. Kingdom Cons, originally. . .
Imagine reading a work that suddenly and very accurately calls out you, the reader, for not providing your full attention to the act of reading. Imagine how embarrassing it is when you, the reader, believe that you are engrossed in. . .
Leila Guerriero's A Simple Story: The Last Malambo chronicles the unique ferocity of a national dance competition in Argentina. The dance, called the malambo, pushes the physical and mental limits of male competitors striving to become champions of not only. . .
Aira continues to surprise and delight in his latest release from New Directions, which collects two novellas: the first, The Little Buddhist Monk, a fairly recent work from 2005, and The Proof, an earlier work from 1989. There are a. . .
The narrator of Peter Stamm's first novel, Agnes, originally published in 1998 and now available in the U.S. in an able translation by Michael Hofmann, is a young Swiss writer who has come to Chicago to research a book on. . .
The thing about Class is that I don't know what the hell to think about it, yet I can't stop thinking about it. I'll begin by dispensing with the usual info that one may want to know when considering adding. . .
To be, or not to be?
Hamlet's enduring question is one that Szilárd Borbély, acclaimed Hungarian poet, verse-playwright, librettist, essayist, literary critic, short-story writer, and, finally, novelist, answered sadly in the negative, through his suicide in 2014, at the. . .
A Greater Music is the first in a line of steady and much-anticipated releases by Bae Suah from key indie presses (this one published by Open Letter). Building off of the interest of 2016 Best Translated Book Award longlist nominee. . .


text:
The Original Online Wake Shop
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Deck7 maple plies. Wood material comes from sustainable sources of supply. Wood byproduct is reclaimed for use in other products. Decks are produced using Eco-friendly water-based sanding sealers.
WheelsArbor Sucrose Initiative - Outlook Series. Designed for carving and cruising the streets. Fun for all around town performance. 70 mm, 78a durometer, 36 mm contact patch, 0 mm offset. Low-profile Momentum core for a smoother ride. Fusion formula for performance, durability, and reduced petroleum.
Lucid GripClear spray-on grip made from crushed recycled glass.
The Timeless is a classic pintail carver designed for smooth, open stance skating and maximum push and speed stability.
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- English
- français
Quantitative Rietveld phase analysis of calcium aluminate cements
Rietveld analysis is a powerful technique for obtaining quantitative data on the relative amounts of phases in a mixture of phases, such as cement. However, a good knowledge of crystallography and the development of a refinement strategy with synthetic phase mixtures are essential to obtain reliable results. This paper describes the use of Rietveld analysis for a range of calcium aluminate cements. The series of cements studied illustrates well how complexity of analysis and the level of accuracy attainable depends on the complexity of the cement. In cements of high Al2O3 content, with very low concentrations of minor elements, the analysis is relatively straightforward and high levels of accuracy can be obtained. In cements of intermediate Al2O3 content the analysis is complicated by the formation of solid solutions, but good results are still achievable after development and testing of the refinement strategy with phase mixtures. In cement of lower Al2O3 content the mineralogy is complex due to the presence of significant amounts of iron. Nevertheless, the phases which have most impact on the reactivity of the cement can still be determined with a good level of precision.
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Cited By (since 1996): 5
Export Date: 1 June 2011
Source: Scopus
Record created on 2011-06-06, modified on 2017-05-10
- There is no available fulltext. Please contact the lab or the authors.


text:
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Sacramento Bee health reporter Sammy Caiola worked quickly to give her readers the story about the death of a young California father from complications of a dental infection.
Her reporting began at 10 a.m. on Jan. 31 when she found the kernel of the story in an email. By that afternoon, Caiola had tracked down and visited with the man's grieving widow, interviewed a knowledgeable local dentist on the causes of dental deaths and located peer-reviewed research that added depth and context to her piece. Continue reading


text: The elephant & pennant banners are simple to make and work up quickly. The bright and colorful felt shapes will make a fun addition to a child's room. The patterns can be reduced to make mini elephants and pennants that can be draped across a table for a baby shower - the mini elephants will also make adorable cupcake toppers. You can make a banner of marching elephants, or triangle pennants, or combine them. You can leave as much thread between the felt shapes as you want. The felt shapes are stitched and then cut around the stitching - it saves a lot of time and each shape will turn out exactly the same. This five page PDF e-pattern includes full size patterns to make the elephants and pennants, a materials list, detailed instructions written in English, and clear step-by-step photos. Copyrights protect this pattern from being reproduced in any media format to be resold. Permission is given for the pattern to be used to make and sell the finished banners in limited quantities. BASIC SKILLS NECESSARY Use a sewing machine SIZING / FINISHED MEASUREMENTS The finished elephants are 3 1/2" x 5 1/2". The finished pennants are 4 1/4" x 5 1/4".


text:
It has been 12 years since the dead began to walk. The Earth is overrun with the rotting corpses of humanity that swarm through the lands and devour everything in their path. The cities have become graveyards, their tall buildings morphing into giant, crumbling tombstones that watch over the carcasses of civilization while small clusters of the living hide amongst the ruins.
The base is surrounded and running low on supplies, ammunition, and, above all, hope. As the people within the fortress walls slowly suffer the same fate that has befallen the rest of the world, they realize that the time has come for them to leave. Under the leadership of Tina, the survivors must confront their worst fears and venture out into the infested wasteland to find a new place to live before it is too late.
Stan and his men are also searching for a new beginning. With virtually nothing left for them to scavenge during their raiding parties to the shore, they need to look elsewhere, but they cannot do it alone. Seeing no other choice, they launch one final and daring mission to the mainland in a bid to ensure their continued survival.
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worst English accent ever
Did not read print
none other. The guy doing the reading is impossible to ignore
His terrible accent
It angered me that the audible people could not be bothered to find someone competent to do the reading
Story is ok
- Damon
Entertaining Classic Zombie Story
This is book 4 in the series, I have not listened to the previous installments of the series. While it wasn't really a problem to follow the story line, I think my enjoyment of the story would have been that much more had I read the previous installments and had more of a connection to the characters through their backstories. At some point I would like to read the previous books in the series.
Entertaining and enjoyable classic zombie apocalypse story that is in it's 12th year after the collapse of civilization. This story happens to take place in and around England. The pockets of humanity that have managed to survive this far are struggling even more as time goes by. The situations the survivors find themselves in are realistic. In a constant struggle to survive can they find any place that is safe?
What an epilogue.
Andrew B. Wherlen did a great job with the narration. Nice voice, easy to listen to for hours on end. Smooth even pace of narration. Great character voices. Always enjoyable listening to his narration.
Repeated line in chapter 6, about 38 min in.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom
- Lori


text:
Owner involvement is what makes Boldt's different from other HVAC companies. Throughout their history, Boldt's has been managed by the very people who care most about their customer's satisfaction. From it's humble beginnings in the early 1950's, Boldt's has emphasized a dedication to service and availability. Today, Boldt's has one of the largest service staff in the area, with NATE certified technicians and licensed plumbers available 24 hours a day for both residential homes and businesses.
Our Company and Founder,
Everett Boldt...
In Memory of our founder, Everett Boldt, May 4, 1921 to April 28, 2011
A Brief History
After serving his country in World War II, Everett Boldt began his work as a plumbing, sheet metal / heating installer & serviceman in the very same building that Boldt's is located today. Everett's starting wage was $18 per week. In 1960, Everett added business partner, 'Perk' Gregerson and the business was called Boldt & Gregerson Hardware until 1977, when the partnership split and the company name was changed to its current Boldt's Plumbing & Heating. In 1948, Everett, along with his wife Eleanor, built their first and only home in Baldwin, where they raised four children and celebrated nearly 65 years of marriage. Everett instilled a strong work ethic and sense of community to his family, as they remember most holidays and celebrations being interrupted by Everett going out on a service call to restore someone's heat or fix a frozen pipe or plugged sewer.
In 1973, daughter Jule offered to help her father with his bookwork, resulting in a lifelong commitment to the business. Jule continued to work with her father all through college and the raising of three daughters. In 1976, Everett approached Jule's husband, Dale Hudson, asking him to join the company as his apprentice plumber. After securing his Journeyman Plumber's title, Dale went on to receive his Master Plumber Certification in 1985, Certified Soil Tester License and continued on to HVAC design.
As current owner's, Jule & Dale take a very hands-on approach to managing the business and still personally answer the after hours emergency calls, continuing the company's tradition of service and availability to their customers.
In more recent years, Boldt's has been joined by a third generation with son-in-law, Michael Blasing, joining the team as comfort specialist for residential heating and cooling systems, and daughter, Kellie, working in dispatch.
With over 50 years of service to the West Central Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota areas, you can always depend on us for quality service, installations and repairs anytime of the day or night.
Come see us on Main Street in Baldwin, Wisconsin or call to schedule appointments at our Hudson affiliated plumbing showroom.


text:
TATA La Vida – Spaci...
₹ 16,600,000.00
₹ 3,000,000.00
The Nirala aspire allocate the playing area for the children which step up to spend the evening time by playing number games in safe manner. This it built with the help of the current floor plan and site, which deliver the modern look on you and the people who hand eyes on it. It built with comfortable landscape, which steps up get fresh air outside. Then it built with major units, which allow picking wish room so it will be more comfortable for the customer who is searching the apartment. Therefore, you can choose such amazing apartment to stay.
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Published date:
21/07/2016 5:23 pm
Expiration date:
Uttar Pradesh
City area:
Noida Extension
Noida Extension
|For sale
|New construction
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Suno Boots
Goodyear welted boots, light weight and soft for long walkings.
- Heavy weight Suede
- Calf Lining
- Vegetable tanned leather insole
- Vibram Composition Midsole
- Vibram Outsole
- Waxed Cotton Laces
- Hand made brogue detailed
- Brass Eyelets
- Fair Payment for workers
Note: This Boots fit True to Size. IF YOU WEAR BETWEEN SIZES LIKE 9.5 WE STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU TO SELECT 9. The boots process will take up to 10 days to be shipped, The boots are maintained on the last for 3 days to have a perfect and long lasting shape. SHIPPING FROM MEXICO. Free of import taxes for USA & Canada, European Union, Israel, Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay, Australia and Japan. if your Country is not listed import fees may be applied, unfortunately we cannot be responsible for those fees.


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Ashley Village
[, ] rental, properti, for, rent, hous, leas, ashlei, villag
(800) 430-4158 2272 Sunshine Place, Columbus, OH 43232 Official site
Categories: Apartments
The Details
You will find the size and a style of apartment home at this gated community to fit your needs and your budget. The convenient location is within one mile of everyday dining, entertainment and shopping. Treat yourself to Ashley Village and live in comfort and style.
Directions Nearby Hype
Managed on Fave by Marchex2


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Search Vervet-AGM
What's New in Vervet-AGM release 90
Genome assembly: ChlSab1.1 (GCA_000409795.2)
More information and statistics
Download DNA sequence (FASTA)
Gene annotation
What can I find? Protein-coding and non-coding genes, splice variants, cDNA and protein sequences, non-coding RNAs.
Download genes, cDNAs, ncRNA, proteins (FASTA)
Comparative genomics
What can I find? Homologues, gene trees, and whole genome alignments across multiple species.
More about comparative analysis
Download alignments (EMF)
This species currently has no variation database. However you can process your own variants using the Variant Effect Predictor:


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Derek (Rubs One Off)
Category: Amateur, Solos Only
Pornstars: Derek (SW)
20 y/o Derek belongs to a fraternity at one of the local colleges. He'd actually come over and done a solo a few months ago that I've been holding onto. But when he got in touch again recently, asking about doing another shoot, he'd shaved off the beard he had last time and looked different enough that I thought it'd be worth shooting a second j/o scene (plus, he was on the fence about doing anything more "interactive" on camera and I thought this might help grease the proverbial wheels a little.)Read more »


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Tumor is an abnormal growth or mass of tissue. A tumor can be either malignant or benign.
A polyp is benign growth on the body. A small stalk-shaped growth sticking out from the skin (or from a mucous membrane). Polyps are usually benign, but some polyps become malignant.
Cyst is a closed sac with a distinct membrane and devolution on the nearby tissue. Cyst may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material.
Healtone sound formulas (HTSF) for Polyp, Tumor and cyst are designed to specifically balance the frequencies of each particular Polyp, Tumor or cyst listed below, and bring it to a normal balanced stage enabling the body to restore its healthy balance.Using HTSF for 5 minutes, twice daily, will, in most cases, start bringing about the desirable balancing effect within a few days.
An email with links to download your sound formula and user instructions will follow the purchase.
We wish you full recovery.


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A look at movies releasing this Friday
Jon Favreau's Chef and Sajid Khan's Humshakals are locking horns at the box office this Friday. Here is a look at what both the movies have to offer to the audience. Read before you book your tickets!bollywood Updated: Jun 19, 2014 20:04 IST
Jon Favreau's
and Sajid Khan's
are locking horns at the box office this Friday. Here is a look at what both the movies have to offer to the audience. Read before you book your tickets!
Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson
Jon Favreau
Carl Casper is an acclaimed chef with a family life that seems as decaying as his artistic freedom. Those frustrations boil over into a raucous viral-videoed public confrontation against a restaurant critic who panned his cooking of food that his boss ordered him to make. Now with his career ruined, Carl's ex-wife offers an unorthodox solution: refit an old food truck to offer quality cooking on his own terms. Now with his young son, Percy, and old colleague, Tony helping, Carl takes a working trip across America with that truck to rediscover his gastronomic passion. With Percy's tech expertise and Tony's enthusiasm, Carl finds that he is creating a travelling sensation. In doing so, Carl discovers that he is serving up not just food, but also a deeper connection with his life and his family that is truly delicious in its own way.Humshakals
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Ram Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Esha Gupta, Tamannaah
Director: Sajid Khan
Synopsis: The plot of the film revolves around three Ashoks (Saif Ali Khan), three Kumars (Riteish Deshmukh) and three Mamajis (Ram Kapoor). The first pairing has Saif playing a billionaire industrialist with a passion for stand-up comedy, while Riteish plays his close friend. The second pairing has both Saif and Riteish playing adults who behave like kids, while the third pairing has both of them enacting roles with slight effeminate touch. Ram Kapoor completes the madness with three different characters. Bipasha, Tamannaah and Esha add some romance to the highly complicated plot.


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Palo Alto, CA (PressExposure) August 19, 2009 -- Public relations practitioners have overtaken marketers in utilizing social media, but they still lag behind in managing email communication, revealed new research this week. Email marketing expert David Kearney, CEO of email marketing firm Boomerang.com, noted that social media indeed supports an organization's relations with its many publics, and that email communication is complementary. Some PR practitioners, according to Kearney, may recognize customer relationship management as being in ways synonymous with the management of communication with constituencies, the objective of the public relations function. He pointed out that Boomerang's email hosting tool BlastWizard was voted in 2008 as "Best Mass Email Tool" by users of salesforce.com.
"In many ways, customer relationship management is synonymous not so much with the management of news media relations, but with the broader activity of public relations management itself--which encompasses all of an organization's constituencies," said Kearney. "Email communication is a key way to manage relations with any 'public,' and with the growth in social media as a tool for not only marketing, but even more so for PR, the overlap is apparent."
A veteran of MIPS Computer Systems and now CEO of Boomerang, Kearney has filled many roles in marketing and engineering for the high-tech industry. Before co-founding the award-winning email marketing firm Boomerang in 1991, he earned an MBA from Cornell University's S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management. Kearney's articles on email marketing have appeared in business periodicals such as DM News, and publications such as AllBusiness have quoted him on his email marketing expertise.
Public relations professionals are taking the lead in managing their organizations' use of social media communications channels, according to a new study released by iPressroom, Trendstream, the Public Relations Society of America and Korn/Ferry International; the same study, however, found that marketers have the edge over PR practitioners in effectively managing some types of email communication, even as email has become increasingly complementary to social media.
"Marketers' edge over public relations practitioners in the use of email communication doesn't have to exist," said Kearney. "Email is intuitive to the PR function. Email is an incredibly effective way to engage target audiences. A well-managed email campaign can work wonders for the public relations objective."
A free email marketing trial of BlastWizard is available. In 2008, users of salesforce.com gave BlastWizard the most four-star and five-star ratings of any email hosting tool, qualifying Boomerang's product to receive that CRM provider's award of "Best Mass Email Tool." Boomerang's consultants are able to draw on a legacy of experience that the company has with enterprise clients, whose needs for email marketing campaigns have imbued Boomerang with the kind of institutional knowledge that yields best practices.
Boomerang's email marketing videos are available for free to anyone at any time, and BlastWizard itself is available for a free email marketing trial. Several companies offer small business email campaign tools; among them, however, Boomerang is alone in approaching email marketing for small business in a customized, tailored way to create individualized email campaigns for clients.


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Punjabs first ever clean, green, International Business Park being developed by Krishna Infrastructure Projects. The perfect future business address for all small to medium size businesses. This 20 acre sprawling business park out of a total of 42 acres, offers a host of ultra modern amenities, excellent communication support and scenic beauty. Surely, starting/shifting your industry to Hampton Court Business Park will enable your company to get quality approvals and compliance from national as well as international bodies. This place is best suited for textile, hosiery, apparel, hand tools, cycle, auto parts, consumer durables, sports goods, IT industries etc. So, get ready to give a clean and fresh outlook to your business and make the ultimate professional statement to your national as well as global associates.
Locational Advantage:-
A brilliantly located housing project amidst the green environment of beautiful Ludhiana, the Hampton Court boasts of an integrated premium complex built spread over 18 acres of land area. With 570 apartments, including penthouses, sprawling across the estate and only 4 apartments to each floor with 2 elevators, the Hampton Court will be the next big thing in town, offering ultra-modern and high quality community living.
A bit of green is good for your health. And at Hampton Court weve taken extra care that it isnt missing. Over 80% of the 18 acre out of a total of 42 acres area is covered with landscaped gardens, water bodies and fountains. Here, at the Hampton Court we make sure that even though you remain aloof from the din of the city, the prime locations remain just round the corner.


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13 Basics of the contract of sale of businesses
What it is the essential content of a contract of sale of businesses?
The companies purchase agreement allowing a natural or legal person, acquiring ownership of a company in exchange for a price.
Is a contrato consensual, that is perfected by the competition of consent of the parties. This agreement should be on two fundamental aspects: price and item for sale.
Also, is a atypical contract, whose contents vary, depending on the characteristics of buyer and seller: Typically, the preparation of a "tailor-made" to meet the claims of both, the mode of payment agreed, or to the liability regime, inter alia.
If the buyer is a venture capital company, sellers often hold part of the capital, the management team is maintained and formalized the "exit mechanisms" investor. Industrial buyers, often they prioritize issues such as brand or customers.
The contracts for the sale of businesses, usually quite extensive, but its structure usually contains the contents indicated below.
1.- Las partes
Besides buying and selling, guarantors of the transaction is identified.
2.- Expository
The intentions of the parties and the cause of the contract are expressed. They serve the interpretation thereof if doubt exists in the future.
This mention of "due diligence" is made, but the buyer will try to avoid such a reference serves to the seller can escape liability if.
3.- Object
Detailed description of what you are buying, be they stocks or shares or assets. In any case, it is customary to attach a balance sheet of the company and mention that consents have been obtained of possible holders of preferential rights, to avoid future problems.
4.- Conditions to closing
You can set conditions precedent for closing, as the approval of the transaction by the organs of society or obtaining the relevant administrative authorizations.
5.- Price
Amount, payment and price adjustments based on the achievement of certain milestones. Recourse to these adjustments, It may be deposited in the notary before whom the deed is signed until compliance is justified.
6.- Adjusting the interim period
Since there is agreement until the date on which effectively runs the operation passes a period in which the seller is imperative that direct the company as it has often done: Namely, can not be made "extraordinary" operations, or substantially alter relationships with managers or employees or set charges, leases or other commitments that may impair the position of the buyer.
7.- Hours trading
On the closing date, They should change the administrative and revoke the powers of the former directors.
Also, there may be cancellations of mortgage guarantees so if, must involve the financial institutions concerned.
8.- Representations and Warranties
They are a set of statements, primarily by the seller, breach of which will determine the consequences to be established, such as the contractual responsibility, the application of adjustment mechanisms, or even contract termination.
9.- Liability regime
Here is regulated in detail both the consequences of failure by the seller indicated in the previous section, as cases in which a third party liability requires the new owner. It is very common to be established which will be responsible seller, in the event that for a certain period, labor or tax claims arise.
10.- Warranties
To ensure the former regime of responsibility, are set for the buyer as collateral security devices, bank deposit guarantee, or withholding the price for a period of time or until certain fulfillment of one of the milestones is justified.
11.- Confidentiality clauses
The obligation not to report the contract or its terms is agreed and where there may be exceptions established.
12.- Other clauses
"Standard" clauses as the impossibility of establishing contract assignment, payment of taxes, Notifications, applicable law and jurisdiction and dispute resolution systems.
13.- Attachments
To contract a number of documents annexed, containing essential information for determining non-compliance where appropriate, as the balance sheets, Key Employee relations, or customers that may be relevant to have established non-compete clauses.
Ultimately, the companies purchase agreement You can avoid many future problems, or facilitate are resolved in a manner favorable to the party.


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News and Events
*astTECS News and Media:
Select the duration to see all the related events.
India Connect 2011
International Exhibition on Telecommunication & IT
29th July to 1st August 2011
Venue : Palace Grounds, Bangalore
*astTECS participated in the above event.
Medicals 2011
12th to 14th August 2011
Venue : Chennai Trade Center
*astTECS participated in the above event.
Yourstory.com – Interview of Mr. Kurian
Date: Feb 06, 2017
*IP PBX to emerge as centre piece of work flow automation.
Date: Jan 2017
*astTECS has been recognized as "Brand of the Year 2016" by Silicon India Magazine.
Date: Jan 27, 2017
*astTECS to Showcase Enterprise Telecom Offerings at Convergence India 2017
Date: Jan 06, 2017
African market has great potential in driving key sectors to enhance growth
*astTECS appoints Distributors for Telecom Accessories
Date: Nov 02, 2016
*astTECS Announces Integration of its Voice Logger with Matrix Eternity Range of IP-PBXs
Date: Sep 2016
"The wide spread availability of IP network has fuelled the growth of Video Conferencing among enterprises and SMBs"
Date: Aug 01, 2016
*astTECS Expands Operations in Africa
Date: Jun 15, 2016
advance telecom solution for Educational Institutions
Date: May 2016
SME Channel Interview – Partner Programmes are our Success Mantra
Date: May 23, 2016
"*astTECS launches Cloud based Video Conferencing Solution"
Date: April 19, 2016
"We are working towards an expansion plan…"
Date: April 2016
*astTECS recognized among '20 Most promising Call Center Technology Providers'
*astTECS launches *ast510, *ast550 and *ast580 enterprise IP phones
Date: November 18, 2015
*astTECS to demonstrate Asterisk Capabilities for Enterprises at the Open Source India 2015
Date: April 30, 2015
Make Your Own IVR with Asterisk
Date: April 09, 2015
The Many Telecom Applications of Asterisk
Date: January 12, 2015
*astTECS to showcase cutting-edge Telecom and IP PBX solution at Convergence India 2015
Date: November 30, 2014
Creating a basic IP PBX with Asterisk
Date: October 30, 2014
Make Your Own PBX with Asterisk A Collage of Multiple Hardware Equipment
Date: September 30, 2014
Make Your Own PBX with Asterisk – The Background
Date: September 22, 2014
astTECS Expands Global Operations – Appoints Partner in Fiji
Date: June 30, 2014
*astTECS Launches Advance Telecom Solution for Hospitality Industry
Date: April 18, 2014
Trends in IP Convergence
Date: April 16, 2014
Open Source Telecom
|Date: Nov 29, 2013
*astTECS Bags Red Herring 2013 Top 100 Global Award
|Date: Nov 05, 2013
*astTECS selected as Finalist for the 2013 Red Herring 100 Global Award
|Date: Oct 10, 2013
*astTECS at Astricon-2013
|Date: Sept 30, 2013
To Lead in Open Source Platform
|Date: Sept 13, 2013
astTECS Honoured with Red Herring 2013 Top 100 Asia Award
|Date: Sept 9, 2013
One day seminar organised at PIET on Asterisk IP-Telephony Systems
|Date: Aug 5, 2013
astTECS Announces Opening of Asterisk Training Facility at Nagpur
|Date: July 25, 2013
*ast Vseries Video Conferencing Solution Launched
|Date: February 18, 2013
In an interview – Mr. Devasia Kurian, MD, *astTECS tells how the brand's franchise model will enable the budding Indian entrepreneurs to make easy entry into the country's emerging IP PBX market.
Click to read the Interview
|The Open Source IP Telephony Advantage
Read more…
|*astTECS launches video conferencing solution integrated in *astTECS IP-PBX
Read more…
|astTECS plans to conduct partner meets, road show
Read more…
|Article on "Social Media", published in Communication Today
Read more…
|Channel Partners are the building blocks for *astTECS
Read more…
|Voice Solutions: Gearing Up for Supporting Next-Gen Communications
Read more…
|astTECS redefining The future of Telephony
Read more…
|*astTECS- A quick look on the Company
Read more…
|*astTECS to Launch FMC Gateway on 25th Feb 2011
Read more…
is a complete telephone solutions platform. *astTECS offers open source asterisk solutions in India, addressing a wide range of call center / contact center solutions & enterprises solutions including –asterisk based IP PBX, IVR systems, asterisk dialer, hosted dialer, asterisk predictive dialer systems, GSM card for asterisk, GSM & SMS integration, VoIP call recording, customized line call recording / monitoring / tracking & FMC gateway..
For more details on Asterisk Systems & SolutionsContact usToday!


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Niki Lauda has said that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was proof in itself that Nico Rosberg deserves the 2016 world championship.
As the controversy about Lewis Hamilton's 'backing up' tactics continues, Mercedes's team chairman said how the Briton and German Rosberg handled it is crucial to interpreting the outcome of their title battle.
"If Lewis had gone out the front and left everyone behind, everyone would have said 'That was the real world champion', " the triple world champion and F1 legend is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport.
"But he put Nico on a pedestal that was as high as if he had won the race. Nico defended madly under enormous pressure.
"We offered to him that Vettel could pass him, because third place would have been enough. But Nico decided to fight. He showed that he is the right world champion."
Rosberg ended the championship with 385 points to Hamilton's 380.


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Thanks for your interest in my repatriation survey. The responses to these questions will be raw material for a book on overcoming repatriation challenges. Please feel free to overshare. Your wisdom may help someone else's re-entry go a little more smoothly.
You can access the survey in two ways:
1. You can complete it online, by heading over to the I Was An Expat Wife Repatriation Survey at SurveyMonkey.
2. You can also download the repatriation survey in Word format and return your completed survey to me at firstname.lastname@example.com
Thanks again for your support.


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Follow these instructions, if you do not have Material Editor installed already.
(If you have Material Editor setup on your PC please go to the update page.)
Installation of Material Editor is a simple process.
1) download the ZIP file to a temporary location on your PC
2) extract the files
3) run the Installer.exe
then follow the on screen instructions
download Material Editor v1.1.8 [2017-06]
Copy the license file LINOS_3D.LIC to the Material Editor folder.
(Please note: A single license will activate all four programs.)
To order your own inexpensive license, please click on 'Registration'.


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Property Description
Beautiful unit completely remodeled: Kitchen with custom cabinets, top of the line Stainless steel appliances, bath rooms, floors, high end fans, custom interior doors and much more... Located in the most desirable gated community in Hollywood beach. Direct access to west lake state park. Community has a state of the arts club house with full gym, pool table, Jacuzzi, pool and kids play ground. EXTRA 2,000 BONUS FOR BUYER AGENT with acceptable offer before February 28!!!


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When you are taking a bath, you are centered, you have found your place of zen and you have arrived at your small corner of heaven. Because the amount of water that your bathtub can hold will remove all toxins from your body, also water will refresh you as well allow you to re-connect with the perfect moment when you entered this world after your mother's water was broken. And so every time you take a bath, you are rejuvenated, you are reborn and you can solve every problem that you face while you are meditating in the bathtub water. And so I hope that you are beginning to see just how important it is for you to have the right bathtub in your little home, also this is why today I am sharing these 10 beautiful and elegant bathtubs that will never clog up like your sink does
1. This is as elegant as a bathtub gets
2. What is that, a granite bathtub?
3. It's the little things that make life worth living, like this welcoming floor bathtub
4. Just let your bathtub rejuvenates you
5. Amazing bathtub with a waterfall -- see the other side below
6. Is this type of bathtub possible yet?
7. After a long day at work, you just need your tub and a good movie
8. His and hers bathtub. I don't know, I still like to touch my sweetheart.
9. This bathtub is all you need with all the accessories
10. Now this bathtub is taking you to another place in the universe, a peaceful place.
Some things to consider when you want to have a great bathtub in your home:
- Think about hot water. - The bigger your tub the more hot water you'll need. So think about the size of your water heater.
- Consider weight. - Because a bathtub can weigh a lot, so if you have wood floors, make sure it can hold the weight.
- Materials costs. - And that is important, because you have to decorate around the tub and accessorize the room to have the full relaxation effect.
- Look at the construction. - How was the tub built, plastic, porcelain, cast iron?
- Durability is important. - You want a bathtub that will last you a good 10 years, because remodeling your bathroom is not something you are going to do every year.
- Check the warranty. - Make sure they give you a long term warranty, because you don't want leaks, cracks or for the paint to start peeling
- Know your drain placement. - Because you may have to reroute it to fit your tub, but keep in mind that all drains must be pointing downward
- Consider the rim. - Because with you new bathtub, you may need extra space for you to put your lotions, your soap, your music etc..
- Can you refinish or reline your tub? - And as the tub gets old, can you spruce it up, can you re-glaze it and can you add a new rubber layer to it?
- Want a shower, too?. - Because there are times you and your sweetheart may engage in extra curricular activity in the tub and you may want to take a quick shower afterward just to rinse off.
So go ahead and get your own bathtub that fits your needs best, so you can begin to relax every time you take a bath, just like you used to when you were a little baby having fun taking a bath, when life was perfect. James Dazouloute
Don't Forget To Visit Our Other Sites So You Can Be A Winner In All Areas Of Your Life:
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Facebook Founder/CEO Mark Zuckerberg has one more reason to be happy. He has married his long time girlfriend Priscilla Chan.
One day after Zuckerberg took his company, Facebook, public, the couple tied the know at his Palo Alto, California home on Saturday. He even updated his Facebook relationship status from "In A Relationship" to "Married" following the nuptials.
The intimate ceremony was orchestrated in front of a group of less than 100 guests. They'd led attendees to believe they were coming over for a party celebrating Chan's graduation from USCF medical school. They had been planning the nuptials these last four months.
Chan and Zuckerberg met nine years ago as students at Harvard University. Congratulations!
Source: People