text:
Process and apparatus for preparing baked products in tray-shaped cans, whereby venting means are provided as part of the baking apparatus for transfer of generated steam and gases from the inside of the can. Covers are provided with channels for directing the outflow of steam and gases through a partially clinched lid of a tray-shaped baking can, while the baking is taking place. The baked product is permitted to rise uniformly, with no deformation that would normally occur when the steam and gases act to depress the baked product if they are confined to the baking can. Because a lighter, lower water-active batter is required for the process of the invention, the resulting baked product is light and evenly baked and has a substantially extended shelf-life.
1. A method of preparing baked items in rigid, large lid containers, comprising:
forming a bakery product batter wherein the water activity of the product remains below 0.95% relative humidity;
placing an amount of said batter in said large lid container, said amount being less than the volume of said container to allow for expansion of said batter during cooking;
partially sealing said lid to said container prior to baking;
heating said batter within said partially sealed container until said batter is baked;
directing steam and gases generated during baking from the central area of said container to the periphery of said container through passageways formed with said lid and preventing batter rising during said baking operation from obstructing said passageways such that steam and gas evacuation through said partially sealed container continues unobstructed even after said batter initially rises into close proximity with said lid internal to said rigid container;
cooling said cooked batter to approximately 180� F.; and hermetically sealing said container.
2. Method according to claim 1, including placing a semi-rigid sheet for directing evacuating gases on top of said batter after said batter is placed in said container and before said container is partially sealed.
3. Method according to claim 1, including placing a corrugated sheet for directing evacuating gases on top of said batter after said batter is placed in said container and before said container is partially sealed.
4. Method according to claim 1, including placing one or more corrugated strips for directing evacuating gases on top of said batter after said batter is placed in said container and before said container is partially sealed.
5. A large-size baking can for venting steam and gases during baking, comprising:
said can;
a cover extending over the area of the top of said baking can;
means located on said cover extending from the center area of said cover to the periphery for transferring steam and gases generated along said transferring means during baking to the outer periphery of said cover; and
means for preventing batter contained in said can rising during said baking operation from obstructing said steam and gas transferring means.
6. The can according to claim 5, wherein said cover comprises a lid for said baking can, said steam and gas transferring means are raised channels that are an integral part of said lid, projecting in a direction away from the center area of said baking can, and said means for preventing obstruction of said channels comprises a sheet of food-approved material, heat resistant up to at least 250� F., containing openings for passage of steam and gas.
7. The can according to claim 5, wherein said cover comprises a lid for said baking cans, said steam and gas transferring means are raised channels that are an integral part of said lid, projecting in a direction away from the center area of said baking can; and said means for preventing obstruction of said channels comprises a flap for covering each channel such that the length of said flap approximates the length of said channel, at least one side of the longitudinal dimension of said flap is attached to said lid adjacent one edge of said channel, and said flap is provided with a fluted edge generally perpendicular to said raised channel to allow for passage of steam and gases into said channel.
8. The can according to claim 5, wherein said baking can is provided with a ledge to support said cover above said batter.
9. The can according to claim 5, wherein said steam and gas transferring means are comprised of a multiplicity of tubular members projecting in a direction away from the center area of said cover to its outer periphery, said tubular members being flexible to pressure caused by rising batter, each of said tubular members being opened along its longitudinal axis and attached on one side of said longitudinal opening to said cover to allow for passage of steam and gas through said tubular member.
10. The can according to claim 9, wherein said means for preventing obstruction comprises a flexible flap integral with said tubular member, located on the end of said tubular member nearest said center area for maintaining the transfer of steam and gas from said center area to said outer periphery.
11. The can according to claim 9, wherein the side of said tubular member that is unattached to said cover has a serrated edge.
12. A large size baking can for venting steam and gases during baking comprising:
said can;
a sheet extending over the area defined by batter placed in said baking can with sufficient clearance from the inside edges of said baking can to allow vertical movement of said sheet within said baking can;
steam and gas transferring means comprising multiple channels integral with said sheet, located on said sheet such that said channels project in a direction away from the center area of said baking can, the cross-section of said channels oriented downwardly into said baking can and being configured to provide a space between said channel and the interior side of said sheet so that batter rising into contact with said sheet will not enter said space, said space remaining unobstructed; and
said sheet containing openings along said channels to provide communication adjacent said space for venting of steam and gases from said baking can;
a cover extending over the area of the top of said baking can and said sheet.
13. The can according to claim 12, wherein said baking can is provided with a ledge to support said sheet above said batter.
14. A large-size baking can for venting steam and gases during baking, comprising:
said can;
a multi-perforated, corrugated food-approved material of sufficient dimensions such that said corrugations extend substantially across the central area of a batter placed in said baking can, said perforations and said corrugations of said material providing paths for transferring steam and gases evolving from said batter as it is baked from along said corrugations to the periphery of said baking can;
a cover extending over the area of the top of said baking can and said material.
15. The can according to claim 14, wherein said corrugated material comprises a corrugated sheet which extends over the area defined by batter placed in said baking can, with sufficient clearance to allow vertical movement of said sheet within said baking can, and openings are provided in said sheet for transfer of steam and gases from the interior of said baking can to its exterior.
16. The can according to claim 15, wherein said baking can is provided with a ledge to support said sheet above said batter.
17. The can according to claim 14, wherein said corrugated material comprises one or more corrugated strips, each of at least two corrugations.
18. The can according to claim 17, including openings in said corrugated strips for transfer of steam and gases from the interior of said baking can.
19. The can according to claim 17, wherein said baking can is provided with a ledge to support said strips above said batter.
This invention relates to the process of preparing canned baked items. The process described can be used for all types of cakes, sweet breads, breads, or any other baked product, and primarily relates to the use of tray-shaped cans. Bread and cakes have been baked in standard round cans for many years as may be seen in the many military specifications relative to canned cakes and bread, and also to U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,356 by Donald A. Battiste, July 29, 1958.
It is well known in the prior art that when preparing baked goods for commercial use, it is necessary to make allowances for the escape of steam and gases during the cooking process if the baked goods are subsequently sealed in the package. Richardson, et al describes a process in U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,984 for allowing steam to escape through perforations or vents in a container, which perforations or vents are then sealed at the conclusion of baking. This sealing is accomplished by utilizing a heat sensitive flexible packaging material and applying heat to the vented portion. Battiste accomplishes the same venting process by merely allowing the overlapping edges of the metal cans described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,356 to be partially clinched until final baking. After complete clinching, a vacuum of between 261/2 and 291/2 inches of Hg is imposed on the metal can because of the effect of condensation.
The problem of generated steam and gases acting to deform and alter the baked product where no provision is made for their release is well recognized, and in fact is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,028, Katz, et al. Therein, flexible pouches are utilized for baking and one of the problems discussed is that the materials contained in the pouches normally become misshapen because of internal pressure. The solution described in Katz, et al includes a special cooking vessel and pressure and temperature sensing cells to maintain the external pressure on the pouches such that product deformation will not occur.
Davis, et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,483, recognizes the problem of cooking in hermetically sealed containers because of the internal generation of steam and gases which would tend to make the resulting product rubbery and undesirable. In Davis, et al, the problem is attempted to be solved by carefully controlling the formula used for the product to control moisture content and the leavening agent and sealing the can under a vacuum before baking takes place.
Although Battiste indicates that pH and moisture control are critical when sealing baked products in containers, work done at the National Food Processors Association Laboratory in Washington, D.C. has indicated that pH and moisture control are not necessary to the preservation of canned baked items as long as the water activity of the product remains below 0.95% relative humidity.
Tray-shaped cans, or large-lid cans have introduced new problems to the canned baked goods industry. With the average round can, the surface area of the top is not so large as to present any problem in the escape of gases. The batter is filled into the can in an amount which will result in a full can after normal baking. As the baked product rises either due to yeast or chemical leavening action, gases escape through the loosely clinched lid as described by Battiste.
However, in a can with a large flat top, such as a 1/2 steam table tray can, or other large surface area cans, this internally generated gas and steam becomes entrapped within the covered area and cannot escape through loosely clinched lids. These gases build up an internal pressure on the product center which causes the product to fall. Where the goods being baked in a tray can container have a large surface area, gases evolve from the large flat bottom area and push their way up through the soft center area which is the last portion to be baked since it is most distant from oven heat. The outer periphery of the product is the first to heat and set by coagulation of protein and swelling of starches and therefore pushes up against the top of the container essentially forming a peripheral seal against gases trapped in the center area. These gases then become pressurized, and because the batter on the periphery has already set, they begin to exert their force on the least resistant mass, the center soft area of the baked product, thus causing a depression in the center of the baked product.
Resistance to this internal pressure can be obtained to a degree by using more of the common toughening ingredients used in baking such as flour, eggs, and milk, but the effect cannot be totally overcome and the resulting imbalance in formulation produces an undesirable baked product, with a much decreased shelf life.
Because the edge portion of the product being baked rises much sooner than the middle portion placing pressure upon the lid, the middle portion of the baked product is effectively sealed off from the outside. Gases subsequently evolve from the as yet unbaked center portion, create an internal pressure in the center, and push on the center of the baked item, causing it to lose its leavening and fall in the center. Simple perforations in the lid or in any batter covering device such as those described in Richardson, et al become obstructed on rising of the batter and are of little or no effect in venting steam and gases.
It is further known that volatile by-products of yeast fermentation retained within the container through the baking and sealing operations cause undesirable flavors and dark color upon storage. Proper venting of the can as provided by the invention minimizes this effect.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process of preparing canned cake, sweet dough, and bread items in a tray-shaped can or other large-size cans such that the sealing takes place after the baking operation and the water activity of the product can remain below 0.95% relative humidity.
Another object of this invention is to prevent the falling and depression caused by the gases trapped in the center of a container, by a mechanical means so as not to interfere with the delicate formulation of the product which is required to obtain extended shelf life.
It is a further object of the invention to provide venting means in tray-shaped cans or other large-lid cans so that steam and gases may be allowed to escape from the baking container during baking operations such that deformation of the baked product by internally generated steam and gases is discouraged, even though portions of the container lid may be otherwise sealed off by rising dough.
It is still a further object of this invention to minimize or virtually eliminate the undesirable flavors and dark colors caused by bi-products of yeast fermentation, by properly venting gases during the baking and sealing operation.
According to the present invention, a process is provided for preparing canned cake, sweet dough, and bread items in tray-shaped or other large-size cans with venting means specially adapted to the tray-shaped or large-size cans to allow for the escape of steam and gases during the baking operation so that the baked product does not become deformed by the pressure generated from steam and gases.
Essentially the process involves the mechanical evacuation of gases as they are generated, thus preventing the pressure sufficient to cause the center depressions to form. Evacuation of the steam and gases is effected by providing channels in the lid or cover, which would bring the gases to the outer edge of the can and through unclinched or partially clinched seams. Since these channels would normally fill with raised baking products, they may also become blocked and lose their effectiveness. This may be offset by various means, such as providing a perforated sheet of food-approved parchment or other approved sheet material to allow the gases to follow the channels in the lid.
FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned view of one embodiment of the baking can of the invention. FIGS. 2, 2a, and 2b show views of venting tubes that may be attached to a baking can lid to implement the invention. FIGS. 3 and 3a show another embodiment of a venting device that may be a part of a baking can lid. FIGS. 4 and 4a show still another embodiment of a venting device that may be attached to a conventional baking can lid. FIGS. 5 and 5a show a baking can sheet that may be placed over batter for allowing venting to occur. FIGS. 6, 6a, and 6b show an embodiment of the invention utilizing corrugated sheets or strips to accomplish venting.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a lid 10 of a typical tray-shaped baking can 12 with outer edges 14 suitable for crimping. Raised channels 16 may be provided in lid 10 as venting means to provide a path for the gases A to move from the center of baking area (not shown) to the outer periphery 20 of the can 12 so that the gases A may be vented as shown by the arrow. In order to prevent these channels 16 from becoming filled with baked product 22 as the product arises, the channels 16 may be separated from baked product 22 by the placement of a perforated sheet 24 of food-approved parchment or other approved sheet material to permit the gases A to follow the channels 16 in the lid 10.
Perforated sheet 24 may be made of such dimensions as will allow ledge 28 to support perforated sheet 24 at its outer edge. However, perforated sheet 24 works equally well if it is dimensioned to rest on the batter after it is placed in baking can 12 so that, as baking progresses, perforated sheet 24 rises with baked product 22 Channels 16 remain unobstructed as gases A evolve as shown in FIG. 1.
Because the obstruction boundary 26 caused by a product 22 rising is along the outer periphery 20, it is not necessary for the channels 16 to extend all the way to the center of the lid 10. It is only necessary that the channels 16 project sufficiently far into the center area 11 to terminate inside the area eventually defined by the product rising to contact the periphery 20 of the lid 10 of the baking can 12. Although a particular orientation of channels 16 has been illustrated in FIG. 1, this is by way of illustration only. Channels 16 may be oriented in any manner that will provide venting paths from the center area 11 of baking can 10 to its outer periphery 20.
Another effective method of removing the entrapped pressure of the central area 11 of the baking can 12 is to provide cylindrical, flexible tubes 30 as shown in FIG. 2 as an alternative means to the channels 16 described in FIG. 1. Tube 30 can be provided with end 32 open such that a flap 34 is provided at end 32. As seen in FIG. 2a, tubes 30 are unattached to lid 10 along longitudinal edge 36 to provide flexibility. Longitudinal edge 36 may be ridged or serrated as shown in FIG. 2a to facilitate entry of steam and gases into tube 30. Tubes 30 may be of random length and may be attached only along one side 38 to lid 10 in a manner as shown in FIG. 2a or in any other manner such that venting means are provided from the center area 11 of the lid 10 to its outer periphery 20. Tubes 30 may be permanently attached by means such as gluing or soldering, or may be temporarily attached to lid 10. As baked product 22 (batter) rises, serrated longitudinal edge 36 is forced upward and comes in contact with lid 10. Further, flap 34 is disposed in such a way that flap 34 may also be pushed up by the batter pressure thus effectively sealing cylindrical tubes 30 from filling with the batter while at the same time allowing gases A and steam to enter the tubes 30 through an opening between flap 34 and lid 10 and through the longitudinal serrations along edge 36, as shown in FIG. 2b. Tubes 30 may be secured to lid 10 by attaching either along edge 36 or edge 38 of the tubes 30 thereby allowing gas to enter through edge 36 as well as around flap 34. Edge 36 may be provided with serrated, sawtooth or other roughened edges to allow easier entrance of gases and guard against obstruction by batter. Flexible tubes 30 may be incorporated into lid 10 during manufacture or may be attached as an add-on to conventional lids.
Many variations of the invention are possible. Typical variations would include a flap 40 as shown in FIG. 3. Flap 40 may be provided attached in a permanent manner to a lid 10 with raised channel 16, distributed for instance as is shown in FIG. 1.
Flap 40 may be provided with fluted edge 42 along its longitudinal axis so as to maintain an air space between it and lid 10. Flap 40 may be attached at 44 (shown in FIG. 3a) by adhesive or some other permanent means. Flap 40 may be provided at each of the channels 16 in lid 10. Edge 46 of flap 40 would remain free to move. Fluted edge 42 maintains an air space, thus permitting entrance of gases A into channels 16 even after the batter pressure has caused flap 40 to come in contact at edge 46 with lid 10.
Another variation of the invention can be shown by referring to FIG. 4 wherein tube 50 is shown attached to lid 10, the channels being distributed as hereinbefore shown as in FIG. 1 or in any manner so that communication or channels are established for venting means from the center area 11 of lid 10 to its outer periphery 20, outside the sealed-off area caused by batter rising at 26 on the periphery of the baking can 12. Tube 50 may be attached at 52, either by temporary or permanent means. Tube 50 is typically a flexible member, made out of flexible metal, plastic, synthetic or other food-approved material. Flexibility is necessary to allow tube 50 to be pressed up by baked product 22 (batter) rising while still retaining opening 54 between edge 56 and lid 10 to allow the entrance of gases A or steam to be vented. Curved or convex edge 56 is required to maintain an opening at area 58 for entrance of gases A. Tube 50 may be incorporated into lid 10 during manufacture or may be used as an add-on device with convention baking and PG,10 lids. The tubes may be of random lengths, as necessary to provide the necessary venting paths from the center area 11 of a baking can lid 10 to its outer periphery. To aid in the entrance of gases A into tube 50, tube 50 may be provided with a roughened or serrated edge 60 along free edge 56, as shown in FIG. 4a. The serrated edge 60 facilitates gas or steam passage through area 58 (FIG. 4) and out tube 50, through unclinched or partially clinched edge 14 of lid 10. As shown in FIG. 4a, tube 50 remains attached to lid 10 along edge 52.
Still another variation of the invention can be illustrated by reference to FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, a sheet 70 is shown with channels 72 located thereon. Multiple channels 72 may be distributed in the manner as shown, or in any manner to establish communication between the inner or central area 71 of sheet 70 and its outer periphery 74. Each channel 72 is shaped as shown in FIG. 5a, in a circular or other manner so that opening 76 is left between the underside of sheet 70 and either side of channel 72. The underside of sheet 70 is designed to come into contact with baked product 22 (batter) placed in a baking can, while the outside or topside of sheet 70 faces lid 10 of baking can 12 shown in FIG. 1.
Sheet 70 is manufactured from rigid or semi-rigid material so that the shape as indicated in FIG. 5 is at all times maintained. Each channel 72 is also rigid or semi-rigid, so that opening 76 is at all times maintained.
One preferred embodiment of operation using sheet 70 is as follows, referring also to FIG. 1: Baking can 12 is arranged with ledge 28 to support sheet 70. Space 78 is left above sheet 70 to allow for rising of the baked product 22 placed in can 12. Baked product 22 (batter) is placed in can 12 and sheet 70 is put in place, resting on and supported by ledge 28. Lid 10 is then placed on can 12 in such a manner that its edges are left unclinched or partially clenched at 14.
As baking proceeds, baked product 22 rises into contact with sheet 70. Sheet 70 then rises with baked product 22, all the while venting steam and gas through channels 72. Venting is accomplished because at the juncture of channels 72 with sheet 70, perforations 80 are provided in sheet 70. As batter rises into contact with channel 72, opening 76 is maintained and it is not covered by batter because of the shape of channel 72, so that steam and gases escape through openings 80 and through unclinched lid 10, thus allowing the center area of baked product 22 to rise at the same rate as the outer periphery 26 of the baked product 22.
The venting means may be formed from any food-approved material which is structurally strong enough to maintain a rigid or semi-rigid shape, and heat resistant enough to maintain its function at temperatures up to approximately 250� F.
Another preferred method of operation of the invention involves sheet 90 of corrugated material as shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, there is shown baking can 92 with lid 94. Baking can 92 is provided with ledge 96, which may be used for instance to support sheet 90. Sheet 90 is a corrugated material made of parchment, plastic, metal, or other food-approved semi-rigid material. The corrugations formed in sheet 90 are necessary to allow passage of gases A from center area 91 of baking can 92 as baking progresses through unclinched outer edge 98. The gases are of course evolved from baked product 22 as baking occurs.
If corrugated sheet 90 extends across the entire surface of baking can 92 as is shown in FIG. 6, means must be provided to allow for entrance of gases A from center area 91 to the volume defined by lid 94 and the upper side of sheet 90. One method of providing this passage is to perforate sheet 90, such as is shown in FIG. 6a. The corrugations in sheet 90 prevent baked product 22 from plugging the passages provided for exit of gases A and perforations 102 provide for exit of gases from the entire central area of 91 over obstruction boundary 26 caused by baked product 22 rising into contact with the underside of sheet 90.
Although sheet 90 may be placed in baking can 92 so as to rest on ledge 96, the objects of the invention are also accomplished by placing sheet 90 directly on baked product 22 (batter) after the batter is placed in baking can 92. Thus, as baked product 22 rises, sheet 90 rises and gases A exit as heretofore described.
If it is not desired that sheet 90 be dimensioned so as to cover the entire surface of baking can 92, corrugated strips 110 may be utilized as indicated in FIG. 6b. Strips 110 may be of sufficient length to rest on ledge 96, or may simply be placed on baked product 22 (batter) and rise with baked product 22 as baking progresses. The dimensions of corrugated strips 110 must be sufficient to extend through central area 91 and extend beyond obstruction boundary 26, so that gases A may be allowed to exit as shown in FIG. 6b. Corrugated strips 110 need be no more than two or more complete corrugations; that is, two peaks, and exit of gases is facilitated by placing of one strip 110 in generally the central area of baking can 92, extending across the length or width of baking can 92. However, more than one corrugated strip 110, placed generally in the central area of baking can 92 and extending across its length or width will improve the exit of gases A.
Although not necessary to achieve the exit of gases A with strip 110, a further improvement in the exit of gases occurs if perforations, such as those shown in FIG. 6a, are placed in the corrugation of strips 110.
The following examples describe the mixtures attainable according to the present invention. The mixes given contain lower amounts of flour, eggs and milk than would normally be required for the extended shelf lives obtained. The resultant products are light, evenly baked with an even, moist texture.
______________________________________DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE Fresh Cake Long Shelf Life Formulation FormulationIngredient (Parts by Weight) (Parts by Weight)______________________________________Sugar 41.8 48Shortening 9.0 12Polysorbate 60 0.10 0.1Sorbitan monostearate 0.40 0.4Hard Monoglycerides 0.25 0.25Plastic monoglycerides 0.25 0.25Salt 0.75 0.75Cake Flour 36.5 40Lecithin 0.1 0.1Cocoa (Dutch process) 4.0 4.0Nonfat dried milk 0.70 1.5Dried whole eggs 4.0 5Bicarbonate of soda 1.15 1.15Water (Variable) 40 40______________________________________
______________________________________GINGERBREAD Fresh Cake Long Shelf Life Formulation FormulationIngredient (Parts by Weight) (Parts by Weight)______________________________________Sugar 40.0 45.0Shortening 8.0 10.0Dried Molasses 9.0 9.0Salt 0.7 0.7Bread flour 18.0 15.0Cake flour 20.0 25.0Caramel color 0.1 0.1Spice mix 2.0 2.0Nonfat dried milk 1.2 3.0Bicarbonate of soda 1.0 1.0Water (Variable) 40.0 40.0______________________________________
______________________________________ROLLS & BREAD Long Shelf Life Fresh Formulation FormulationIngredient (Parts by Weight) (Parts by Weight)______________________________________Bread flour 84.0 84.0Sugar 4.20 16.0Shortening 4.25 16.0Nonfat dried milk 4.25 6.0Salt 2.00 2.0Sodium Stearoyl-2- 0.50 0.50lactylateCalcium propionate 0.25 0.25Mono-diglycerides 1 0.55 0.55Yeast 2.0 2.0Water (Variable) 42.0 36.0Lactic Acid -- Variable to PH 4.5______________________________________
______________________________________SWEET DOUGH Long Shelf Life Fresh Formulation FormulationIngredient (Parts by Weight) (Parts by Weight)______________________________________Bread flour 66.50 70.0Sugar 12.0 14.0Shortening 12.0 14.0Nonfat dried milk 3.5 5.0Dried whole eggs 3.25 5.0Salt 1.25 1.25Mono-diglycerides 1 1.0 1.0Sodium stearoyl-2- 0.5 0.5lactylateYeast 2.0 2.0Water (Variable) 32.0 28.0Lactic Acid -- Variable to PH 4.5______________________________________
Although various embodiments and examples of the invention have been described herein, they are intended to be merely illustrative, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as hereinafter defined in the following claims.
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What the hell have y'all won?
... Only thing you can identify with is losing
from Jay Z – Reminder Lyrics on Genius
Nobody could say shit about Jay-Z if they haven't had the type of success that Jay has had.
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53 year old man | Chicago, IL, USA | Seeking men 40-55 within 20 miles
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Thanks for taking a look! Looking for someone who is emotionally mature, vibrant in personality, has a sense of adventure, equally comfortable being both festive and quiet. If you have cowboy and hiking boots along with a fancy pair of tux shoes, you get my drift! I get along best with someone who is comfortable in his skin, wants to be in a relationship but not clingy. Affectionate, romantic yet also real.. I'm out everywhere. Live downtown Chicago. I'm an educator, so I love trying new things and especially learning new things with and alongside you. Compassionate, generous and can be both silly and serious. Not hung up on race nor religion, and hope you're the same. Let's have some fun!
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text:
Gunmetal Black Ep 01
episode 14.25 / 5.00 4,307 Views
Lucina's First Day
A look at the first day of Lucina in Super Smash4.24 / 5.00 13,713 Views
BATMAN v SUPERMAN final showdown
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oh great! new TNA!
Amazing as always and up to date :)
I enjoy everyone of these ! Keep it up, you always leave off with me wanting more !
they come across a witches shack.... I pity them.
The animation was the same as always, it could be better, but it's still alright. The sounds and voices are amazing and the storyline is perfect. The ideas that you come up with are great but it's like the episodes are getting a bit shorter. Thanks for uploading to newgrounds, i already checked it on youtube but i waited for you to upload it to post a review. Keep it up!


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Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) Ex-Dividend Date Scheduled for March 27, 2014
Permian Basin Royalty Trust ( PBT ) will begin trading ex-dividend on March 27, 2014. A cash dividend payment of $0.108529 per share is scheduled to be paid on April 14, 2014. Shareholders who purchased PBT stock prior to the ex-dividend date are eligible for the cash dividend payment. This represents an 18.36% increase over the prior month. At the current stock price of $13.27, the dividend yield is 9.81%.
The previous trading day's last sale of PBT was $13.27, representing a -18.44% decrease from the 52 week high of $16.27 and a 9.76% increase over the 52 week low of $12.09.
PBT is a part of the Energy sector, which includes companies such as PetroChina Company Limited ( PTR ) and TotalFinaElf, S.A. ( TOT ). PBT's current earnings per share, an indicator of a company's profitability, is $.84.
For more information on the declaration, record and payment dates, visit the PBT Dividend History page. Our Dividend Calendar has the full list of stocks that have an ex-dividend today.


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Santa Fe, NMUSA
Hometown: Santa Fe
January 1, 2013
I love hiking and the outdoors.
Great! Thank you Dave and everyone... It's good to be back. xxo/Amy
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No. 9 Amherst Falls to No. 11 Williams 72-69 in Thriller
Rookie Willy Workman had a breakout performance
in his first career Amherst-Williams game.
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The 9th-ranked Amherst College men's basketball team traveled to face Little Three and NESCAC archrival Williams College in a matchup of national powers. The Lord Jeffs erased a double-digit deficit in the second half, but ultimately fell to the 11th-ranked Ephs 72-69 in front of a capacity crowd at Chandler Gymnasium.
After three minutes of action, Amherst sophomore Taylor Barrise (Allendale, NJ) made a three from left corner off a feed from junior tri-captain Conor Meehan (Meriden, CT) to put Amherst on top 7-4. After Eph sophomore James Wang scored his third basket of the early going, Meehan found senior tri-captain Steven Wheeler on a fast break for a score. The Ephs responded with a transition dunk by Joe Geoghegan to take a 12-11 lead and send the Williams student section into a frenzy. The Williams lead hit five points at 16-11, forcing Lord Jeff head coach David Hixon '75 to call a timeout with 13:38 to play.
Coming out of the stoppage, Amherst scored back-to-back buckets inside to tie the game at 16-16. Williams answered with consecutive scores of its own, before a Harlan Dodson three opened up a 23-16 lead. Amherst rookie Willy Workman (Northampton, MA) scored on a drive to the left to stop the Williams scoring run.
After Workman turned away a Wang shot with an emphatic block, he found classmate Peter Kaasila (Plastow, NH) with a nice feed that sparked a run for the Amherst offense that closed the gap to 23-22 with just under seven minutes to play. The Ephs scored the next seven points to take a 30-22 lead on a three from Alex Rubin. With 3:32 to play, Workman finished off a drive through traffic with a tough scoop shot for Amherst.
The Williams lead swelled to 33-24 with an and-one dunk by Geoghegan. Despite some great effort from Workman on the defensive end, including a very impressive block from behind on a would-be dunk by Troy Whittington, Amherst was unable to cool the hot Williams shooters. At the break, the Ephs held a 43-30 lead.
Amherst was led offensively by Wheeler with 10 points and Meehan with eight points in the frame. Wang paced the Ephs with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists in the half. Amherst made just 3-of-10 three pointers, while the Ephs made 5-of-8 attempts from long range.
By the 17:08 mark of the second half, Amherst had closed the gap to 45-38 on a triple by Barrise, after a missed second free throw by Jeff Holmes (Saunderstown, RI). Amherst got a score from Holmes in the paint, and then Workman in transition after a steal and assist by Meehan. The consecutive scores closed the gap to 49-46 with just over 14 minutes to play. After another Workman finger roll in traffic, Amherst had a chance to take the lead when Wheeler was fouled on a three and the Jeffs trailing 49-48. The 83% career free throw shooter went to the line and missed all three.
Amherst finally drew even at 53-53 with 9:26 remaining in the second half on a Meehan three pointer, but on Williams' next possession, Whittington had a three-point play on a dunk over Kaasila. The next points of the game came over two minutes later on a three-point play by Geoghegan. Neither team scored until the 4:55 mark when a Whittington reverse layup opened back up a 61-53 lead for Williams.
Meehan led Amherst with 21 points, eight assists
and seven rebounds at Williams.
The Eph lead grew back to 66-55 on a pair of Wang free throws, before Meehan answered with a score an assist to Workman for back-to-back buckets. Following the Workman basket, Hixon called a timeout with 2:31 to play and Amherst trailing 66-59. Coming out of the timeout, Meehan scored for Amherst once again following a stop on the defensive end. Williams called the next timeout with 1:25 to play and the lead down to 66-61.
After a long offensive set, Williams got a three from Alex Rubin and the Jeffs answered with a Kaasila bucket off a nice dish by Workman. With 45.1 seconds to play, Amherst trailed 69-63, and was forced to go into a full court press. Following a foul and a missed free throw by Wang, Kaasila was the unlikely shooter of a three from the left corner. The long ball went in with 26.2 to close the gap to 69-66.
Amherst again fouled Geoghegan before the inbound, and he missed the first foul shot to set up an Amherst attempt at a three to tie. Meehan missed a triple form the right wing, and Geoghegan made both free throws after being fouled on the rebound. With less than ten seconds to play, Wheeler made a deep triple to cut the deficit to 71-69. Once again, Geohegan was fouled before the inbound and made one-of-two free throws.
With no timeouts remaining, Amherst took the rebound and pushed the ball up court in Meehan's hands. Meehan used a pick from Barrise, and then handed the ball back to Barrise who put up a deep three from the left wing. The shot was perfectly on line, but came up just inches short as the buzzer sounded. With the miss, Williams won the first of two meetings this season 72-69.
Meehan led Amherst with 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals. Workman was very impressive in his first Amherst-Williams game, setting or tying career-highs in points (14), rebounds (7), blocks (3) and steals (2). Wang led the Ephs with 19 points, while Geoghegan and Whittington combined for 27 points and 12 rebounds. Amherst shot just 27% (4-for-15) from the free throw line in the loss, and missed nine straight at one point in the second half.
Amherst will return to action at Babson on Monday night, but will have to wait until February 12 to get another shot at Williams in the final weekend of the regular season.


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5342 Santa Teresita Drive
Santa Teresa
Commute to Downtown El Paso
42 min 60+ min 60+ min View Routes
Almost all errands require a car.
Score Details
Something missing? Add a place
5342 Santa Teresita Drive has a Walk Score of 21 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so almost all errands require a car.
The closest park is City Of Sunland Sports Complex.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from 5342 Santa Teresita Drive.


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Things to see and do - Ottawa
Leaving for Canada
Ottawa :
Unmissable tourist sites
Where to sleep?
Ottawa Hotel tips
Fairmont Chateau Laurier from195 CADBook
Arc The Hotel from142 CADBook
Capital Hill Hotel & Suites from106 CADBook
Ottawa Leisure tips
Ottawa City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
- 30.0 €
- Book
Discover the Capital Hop On Hop Off Tour
- 27.0 €
- Book
Ottawa City Tour by Land and Water
- 27.0 €
- Book
Ottawa Travel guide
Ottawa : Michelin's recommendations
Situated at the convergence of the Ottawa, Tideau and Gatineau rivers, this seat of national government charms visitors with its handsome waterways, expansive parklands, mils of bicycle paths, colourful springtime tulips and the world's longest skating rink. As many Quebecois work in Ottawa but live in Quebec, French is even more present in Ottawa than the statistics indicate. The capital area is bilingual, with 50 percent of the population speaking English, 32 percent French.
Tourist attractions Ottawa : Things to see and do
National Gallery of Canada
380 Sussex Dr. CDN - Ottawa K1N 9N4
Capped by prismatic glass "turrets," the museum rises on the banks of the Ottawa River across from the Gothic parliament buildings. Its bold beauty, light and airy exhibit spaces and tranquil interior courtyards provide a unique setting for..
Canada Aviation Museum
11 Aviation Parkway CDN - Ottawa K1K 4R3
During World War II, Canada was known as the "Aerodrome for Democracy." Fitting then, that this museum, opened in 1988, is devoted to the history of aviation from pioneer days to the present, with special emphasis on Canadian contributions...
Parliament Hill
90 Wellington St. CDN - Ottawa K1A 0A9
Three Gothic-style parliament buildings dominate the northern side of Confederation Square, a triangular-shaped "island." In the middle of the square stands the towering granite archway of the National War Memorial, which was dedicated in 1..
Hotels Ottawa
Sheraton Ottawa Hotel
150 Albert Street CDN - Ottawa ON K1P 5G2
Prix Prices from : 119 CAD
Near attractions such as Parliament Hill and ByWard Market, this hotel in downtown Ottawa, Ontario offers enjoyable facilities, comfortable guestrooms and on-site dining options. Sheraton Ottawa Hotel features an indoor pool and fitness center. Afte..
Lord Elgin Hotel
100 Elgin Street CDN - Ottawa ON K1P 5K8
Prix Prices from : 139 CAD
Directly across from the National Arts Center, this non-smoking, landmark hotel is only steps from major attractions, and offers spacious accommodations with 42-inch TVs and first-class amenities in the city centre of Canada's capital. The Lord Elgi..
Hotel Indigo Ottawa Downtown Parliament Hill
123 Metcalfe Street CDN - Ottawa ON K1P 5L9
Prix Prices from : 135 CAD
Set in Ottawa, Ontario's city center, within a 5 minutes' walk from Parliament Hill, this hotel features an indoor pool with hot tub. Guest rooms enjoy a cable flat-screen TV and offer free Wi-Fi and wired internet access. Hotel Indigo Ottawa Downto..
Leisure activities Ottawa
Prices from : 22 €
Skip the stress and confusion of finding a taxi upon arrival at the Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. Instead, book this private airport transfer service and enjoy convenient, reliable, comfortable private transportation from the airp..
Ottawa City Sightseeing Tour
Prices from : 30 €
Perfect for first-time visitors, this city tour is a well-rounded introduction to Ottawa's attractions, leaving you with time in the day free to explore the city on your own. This 50-minute tour, on either a double decker, trolley or first-class, ai..
Prices from : 22 €
Avoid the stress of waiting for taxis or shuttle transfers and instead ensure peace of mind with this convenient private transfer from your hotel to the Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. This airport transportation service operates f..


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Vicky Pattison wants to get engaged
Vicky Pattison wants to get engaged.
The 'Geordie Shore' star - who was previously engaged to former co-star Ricci Guarnaccio - has revealed that although her previous engagement ended badly, it hasn't put her off the idea of tying the knot with new boyfriend James Morgan.
She told Yahoo Celebrity: ''I would get engaged tomorrow, truth be told, and we will get engaged sooner rather than later because we're both very passionate. I think when you know, you know.''
However, the 25-year-old beauty admits that although she knows the ice-hockey player is ''the one'', the breakdown of her relationship with Ricci - who is currently appearing on 'Celebrity Big Brother' - has left her with some commitment issues.
She added: ''I am very apprehensive, I've jumped into getting engaged a bit early before and that ended up being a right punch in the d**k! But James is a bit more measured and a bit more realistic than anyone I've gone out with in the past.''
Meanwhile, Vicky recently revealed she fell out with her mum over her on-screen romps with Ricci on the MTV reality series.
She said previously: ''The worst thing about having sex on TV was that my mam stopped speaking to me for ages when she found out.
''Yes, sometimes my language is appalling. I can be violent but those things mam can overlook. But having sex on TV is very different.''
More news
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- Simon Cowell wants Olly and Caroline to create se-X Factor


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Are you Jennifer Harrow?Claim your profile
Publications (92)1213.55 Total impact
Article: Ensembl 2015.[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Ensembl (http://www.ensembl.org) is a genomic interpretation system providing the most up-to-date annotations, querying tools and access methods for chordates and key model organisms. This year we released updated annotation (gene models, comparative genomics, regulatory regions and variation) on the new human assembly, GRCh38, although we continue to support researchers using the GRCh37.p13 assembly through a dedicated site (http://grch37.ensembl.org). Our Regulatory Build has been revamped to identify regulatory regions of interest and to efficiently highlight their activity across disparate epigenetic data sets. A number of new interfaces allow users to perform large-scale comparisons of their data against our annotations. The REST server (http://rest.ensembl.org), which allows programs written in any language to query our databases, has moved to a full service alongside our upgraded website tools. Our online Variant Effect Predictor tool has been updated to process more variants and calculate summary statistics. Lastly, the WiggleTools package enables users to summarize large collections of data sets and view them as single tracks in Ensembl. The Ensembl code base itself is more accessible: it is now hosted on our GitHub organization page (https://github.com/Ensembl) under an Apache 2.0 open source license.Nucleic Acids Research 10/2014; DOI:10.1093/nar/gku1010 · 9.11 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Pseudogenes are degraded fossil copies of genes. Here, we report a comparison of pseudogenes spanning three phyla, leveraging the completed annotations of the human, worm, and fly genomes, which we make available as an online resource. We find that pseudogenes are lineage specific, much more so than protein-coding genes, reflecting the different remodeling processes marking each organism's genome evolution. The majority of human pseudogenes are processed, resulting from a retrotranspositional burst at the dawn of the primate lineage. This burst can be seen in the largely uniform distribution of pseudogenes across the genome, their preservation in areas with low recombination rates, and their preponderance in highly expressed gene families. In contrast, worm and fly pseudogenes tell a story of numerous duplication events. In worm, these duplications have been preserved through selective sweeps, so we see a large number of pseudogenes associated with highly duplicated families such as chemoreceptors. However, in fly, the large effective population size and high deletion rate resulted in a depletion of the pseudogene complement. Despite large variations between these species, we also find notable similarities. Overall, we identify a broad spectrum of biochemical activity for pseudogenes, with the majority in each organism exhibiting varying degrees of partial activity. In particular, we identify a consistent amount of transcription (∼15%) across all species, suggesting a uniform degradation process. Also, we see a uniform decay of pseudogene promoter activity relative to their coding counterparts and identify a number of pseudogenes with conserved upstream sequences and activity, hinting at potential regulatory roles.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 08/2014; 111(37). DOI:10.1073/pnas.1407293111 · 9.81 Impact Factor
Article: Multiple evidence strands suggest that there may be as few as 19 000 human protein-coding genes[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Determining the full complement of protein-coding genes is a key goal of genome annotation. The most powerful approach for confirming protein coding potential is the detection of cellular protein expression through peptide mass spectrometry experiments. Here we mapped peptides detected in 7 large-scale proteomics studies to almost 60% of the protein coding genes in the GENCODE annotation of the human genome. We found a strong relationship between detection in proteomics experiments and both gene family age and cross-species conservation. Most of the genes for which we detected peptides were highly conserved. We found peptides for more than 96% of genes that evolved before bilateria. At the opposite end of the scale we identified almost no peptides for genes that have appeared since primates, for genes that did not have any protein-like features or for genes with poor cross-species conservation. These results motivated us to describe a set of 2,001 potentially non-coding genes based on features such as weak conservation, a lack of protein features, or ambiguous annotations from major databases, all of which correlated with low peptide detection across the seven experiments. We identified peptides for just 3% of these genes. We show that many of these genes behave more like non-coding genes than protein-coding genes, and suggest that most are unlikely to code for proteins under normal circumstances. We believe that their inclusion in the human protein coding gene catalogue should be revised as part of the ongoing human genome annotation effort.Human Molecular Genetics 06/2014; 23(22). DOI:10.1093/hmg/ddu309 · 6.68 Impact Factor
Conference Paper: The GENCODE Gene Set - where does a gene start and stop?[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Background / Purpose: Improving the manual annotation of the GENCODE geneset using RNAseq, CAGE and polyAseq data. Main conclusion: GENCODE now has more complete gene models with confident support for the transcription start site and the polyA tail (s). We are now supporting the new H38 gene build.Biocuration 2014; 04/2014
Dataset: Genome-wide association meta-analysis of human longevity identifies a novel locus conferring survival beyond 90 years of age - Supplementary Material
Article: Genome-wide association meta-analysis of human longevity identifies a novel locus conferring survival beyond 90 years of age[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The genetic contribution to the variation in human lifespan is approximately 25%. Despite the large number of identified disease-susceptibility loci, it is not known which loci influence population mortality.We performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis of 7729 long-lived individuals of European descent (≥ 85 years) and 16121 younger controls (< 65 years) followed by replication in an additional set of 13060 long-lived individuals and 61156 controls. In addition, we performed a subset analysis in cases≥90 years.We observed genome-wide significant association with longevity, as reflected by survival to ages beyond 90 years, at a novel locus, rs2149954, on chromosome 5q33.3 (OR=1.10, P =1.74 x 10(-8)). We also confirmed association of rs4420638 on chromosome 19q13.32 (OR=0.72, P=3.40 x 10(-36)), representing the TOMM40/APOE/APOC1 locus. In a prospective meta-analysis (n=34103) the minor allele of rs2149954 (T) on chromosome 5q33.3 associates with increased survival (HR=0.95, P=0.003). This allele has previously been reported to associate with low blood pressure in middle age. Interestingly, the minor allele (T) associates with decreased cardiovascular mortality risk, independent of blood pressure.We report on the first GWAS-identified longevity locus on chromosome 5q33.3 influencing survival in the general European population. The minor allele of this locus associates with low blood pressure in middle age, although the contribution of this allele to survival may be less dependent on blood pressure. Hence, the pleiotropic mechanisms by which this intragenic variation contributes to lifespan regulation have to be elucidated.Human Molecular Genetics 03/2014; 23(16). DOI:10.1093/hmg/ddu139 · 6.68 Impact Factor
Article: GENCODE Pseudogenes.[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Historically pseudogenes were believed to represent nonfunctional genomic fossils; however, there is emerging evidence that many of them could be biologically active. This possibility has ignited interest in pseudogene loci and made the need for their high-quality annotation more pressing as an accurate knowledge of all pseudogenes in the human reference genome sequence facilitates confident functional analysis. GENCODE have undertaken the first genome-wide pseudogene assignment for protein-coding genes combining both large-scale manual annotation and computational pseudogene prediction pipelines. Multiple computational predictions provide an unbiased set of hints for manual annotators to investigate, both during first-pass annotation and as part of QC to identify any potential missing pseudogene loci. Where a pseudogene is identified, the extent of its homology to the parent locus is fully investigated by a manual annotator; a pseudogene model is built and assigned to one of eight pseudogene biotypes depending on the mechanism of creation and on the presence of locus-specific transcriptional or proteomic data. The high-quality, information-rich set of pseudogenes created has been integrated with ENCODE functional genomics data, specifically expression level, transcription factor and RNA polymerase II binding, and chromatin marks. In this way we have been able to identify some pseudogenes that possess conventional characteristics of functionality as well as others with interesting patterns of partial activity, which might suggest that putatively inactive loci could be gaining a novel function, for example as long noncoding RNAs. The activity data associated with every pseudogene is stored in the psiDR resource.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 01/2014; 1167:129-55. DOI:10.1007/978-1-4939-0835-6_10 · 1.29 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The determination of whether a gene is protein coding or not is a key goal of genome annotation projects. Peptide mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for detecting cellular expression of proteins and therefore is an attractive approach for verifying the protein coding potential of genes. However, a range of technical difficulties limit the coverage from proteomics experiments, with the highest recorded coverage of the human proteome being approximately 50% of human genes. Here we map the peptides detected in 7 large-scale proteomics studies to the GENCODE v12 annotation of the human genome and identify almost 60% of the protein coding genes. We find that there are surprisingly strong correlations between peptide detection and cross-species conservation, gene age and the presence of protein-like features. The age of the gene and its conservation across vertebrate species are key indicators of whether a peptide will be detected in proteomics experiments. We find peptides for most highly conserved genes and for practically all genes that evolved before bilateria. At the same time there is little or no evidence for protein expression for genes that have appeared since primates or that do not have any protein-like features or conservation. Based on our results we describe a set of 2,001 genes that have no protein features and poor conservation, or have ambiguous annotations in gene or protein databases. We suggest that many of the genes that lack supporting evidence and that are not detected in proteomics experiments, do not code for proteins under normal circumstances and that they should not be included in the human protein coding gene catalogue.
Article: Ensembl 2014[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Ensembl (http://www.ensembl.org) creates tools and data resources to facilitate genomic analysis in chordate species with an emphasis on human, major vertebrate model organisms and farm animals. Over the past year we have increased the number of species that we support to 77 and expanded our genome browser with a new scrollable overview and improved variation and phenotype views. We also report updates to our core datasets and improvements to our gene homology relationships from the addition of new species. Our REST service has been extended with additional support for comparative genomics and ontology information. Finally, we provide updated information about our methods for data access and resources for user training.Nucleic Acids Research 12/2013; 42(Database issue). DOI:10.1093/nar/gkt1196 · 9.11 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The Vertebrate Genome Annotation (VEGA) database (http://vega.sanger.ac.uk), initially designed as a community resource for browsing manual annotation of the human genome project, now contains five reference genomes (human, mouse, zebrafish, pig and rat). Its introduction pages have been redesigned to enable the user to easily navigate between whole genomes and smaller multi-species haplotypic regions of interest such as the major histocompatibility complex. The VEGA browser is unique in that annotation is updated via the Human And Vertebrate Analysis aNd Annotation (HAVANA) update track every 2 weeks, allowing single gene updates to be made publicly available to the research community quickly. The user can now access different haplotypic subregions more easily, such as those from the non-obese diabetic mouse, and display them in a more intuitive way using the comparative tools. We also highlight how the user can browse manually annotated updated patches from the Genome Reference Consortium (GRC).Nucleic Acids Research 12/2013; 42(Database issue). DOI:10.1093/nar/gkt1241 · 9.11 Impact Factor
Dataset: Supplementary material
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ABSTRACT: The Consensus Coding Sequence (CCDS) project (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/) is a collaborative effort to maintain a dataset of protein-coding regions that are identically annotated on the human and mouse reference genome assemblies by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and Ensembl genome annotation pipelines. Identical annotations that pass quality assurance tests are tracked with a stable identifier (CCDS ID). Members of the collaboration, who are from NCBI, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of California Santa Cruz, provide coordinated and continuous review of the dataset to ensure high-quality CCDS representations. We describe here the current status and recent growth in the CCDS dataset, as well as recent changes to the CCDS web and FTP sites. These changes include more explicit reporting about the NCBI and Ensembl annotation releases being compared, new search and display options, the addition of biologically descriptive information and our approach to representing genes for which support evidence is incomplete. We also present a summary of recent and future curation targets.Nucleic Acids Research 11/2013; DOI:10.1093/nar/gkt1059 · 9.11 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We evaluated 25 protocol variants of 14 independent computational methods for exon identification, transcript reconstruction and expression-level quantification from RNA-seq data. Our results show that most algorithms are able to identify discrete transcript components with high success rates but that assembly of complete isoform structures poses a major challenge even when all constituent elements are identified. Expression-level estimates also varied widely across methods, even when based on similar transcript models. Consequently, the complexity of higher eukaryotic genomes imposes severe limitations on transcript recall and splice product discrimination that are likely to remain limiting factors for the analysis of current-generation RNA-seq data.Nature Methods 11/2013; advance online publication. DOI:10.1038/nmeth.2714 · 25.95 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: High-throughput RNA sequencing is an increasingly accessible method for studying gene structure and activity on a genome-wide scale. A critical step in RNA-seq data analysis is the alignment of partial transcript reads to a reference genome sequence. To assess the performance of current mapping software, we invited developers of RNA-seq aligners to process four large human and mouse RNA-seq data sets. In total, we compared 26 mapping protocols based on 11 programs and pipelines and found major performance differences between methods on numerous benchmarks, including alignment yield, basewise accuracy, mismatch and gap placement, exon junction discovery and suitability of alignments for transcript reconstruction. We observed concordant results on real and simulated RNA-seq data, confirming the relevance of the metrics employed. Future developments in RNA-seq alignment methods would benefit from improved placement of multimapped reads, balanced utilization of existing gene annotation and a reduced false discovery rate for splice junctions.Nature Methods 11/2013; DOI:10.1038/nmeth.2722 · 25.95 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The last decade has seen tremendous effort committed to the annotation of the human genome sequence, most notably perhaps in the form of the ENCODE project. One of the major findings of ENCODE, and other genome analysis projects, is that the human transcriptome is far larger and more complex than previously thought. This complexity manifests, for example, as alternative splicing within protein-coding genes, as well as in the discovery of thousands of long noncoding RNAs. It is also possible that significant numbers of human transcripts have not yet been described by annotation projects, while existing transcript models are frequently incomplete. The question as to what proportion of this complexity is truly functional remains open, however, and this ambiguity presents a serious challenge to genome scientists. In this article, we will discuss the current state of human transcriptome annotation, drawing on our experience gained in generating the GENCODE gene annotation set. We highlight the gaps in our knowledge of transcript functionality that remain, and consider the potential computational and experimental strategies that can be used to help close them. We propose that an understanding of the true overlap between transcriptional complexity and functionality will not be gained in the short term. However, significant steps toward obtaining this knowledge can now be taken by using an integrated strategy, combining all of the experimental resources at our disposal.Genome Research 10/2013; DOI:10.1101/gr.161315.113 · 13.85 Impact Factor
Article: Transcriptome analysis of human tissues and cell lines reveals one dominant transcript per gene[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: RNA sequencing has opened new avenues for the study of transcriptome composition. Significant evidence has accumulated showing that the human transcriptome contains in excess of a hundred thousand different transcripts. However, it is still not clear to what extent this diversity prevails when considering the relative abundances of different transcripts from the same gene. Here we show that, in a given condition, most protein coding genes have one major transcript expressed at significantly higher level than others, that in human tissues the major transcripts contribute almost 85 percent to the total mRNA from protein coding loci, and that often the same major transcript is expressed in many tissues. We detect a high degree of overlap between the set of major transcripts and a recently published set of alternatively spliced transcripts that are predicted to be translated utilizing proteomic data. Thus, we hypothesize that although some minor transcripts may play a functional role, the major ones are likely to be the main contributors to the proteome. However, we still detect a non-negligible fraction of protein coding genes for which the major transcript does not code a protein. Overall, our findings suggest that the transcriptome from protein coding loci is dominated by one transcript per gene and that not all the transcripts that contribute to transcriptome diversity are equally likely to contribute to protein diversity. This observation can help to prioritize candidate targets in proteomics research and to predict the functional impact of the detected changes in variation studies.Genome biology 07/2013; 14(7):R70. DOI:10.1186/gb-2013-14-7-r70 · 10.47 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The domestic pig is known as an excellent model for human immunology and the two species share many pathogens. Susceptibility to infectious disease is one of the major constraints on swine performance, yet the structure and function of genes comprising the pig immunome are not well-characterized. The completion of the pig genome provides the opportunity to annotate the pig immunome, and compare and contrast pig and human immune systems. RESULTS: The Immune Response Annotation Group (IRAG) used computational curation and manual annotation of the swine genome assembly 10.2 (Sscrofa10.2) to refine the currently available automated annotation of 1,369 immunity-related genes through sequence-based comparison to genes in other species. Within these genes, we annotated 3,472 transcripts. Annotation provided evidence for gene expansions in several immune response families, and identified artiodactyl-specific expansions in the cathelicidin and type 1 Interferon families. We found gene duplications for 18 genes, including 13 immune response genes and five non-immune response genes discovered in the annotation process. Manual annotation provided evidence for many new alternative splice variants and 8 gene duplications. Over 1,100 transcripts without porcine sequence evidence were detected using cross-species annotation. We used a functional approach to discover and accurately annotate porcine immune response genes. A co-expression clustering analysis of transcriptomic data from selected experimental infections or immune stimulations of blood, macrophages or lymph nodes identified a large cluster of genes that exhibited a correlated positive response upon infection across multiple pathogens or immune stimuli. Interestingly, this gene cluster (cluster 4) is enriched for known general human immune response genes, yet contains many un-annotated porcine genes. A phylogenetic analysis of the encoded proteins of cluster 4 genes showed that 15% exhibited an accelerated evolution as compared to 4.1% across the entire genome. CONCLUSIONS: This extensive annotation dramatically extends the genome-based knowledge of the molecular genetics and structure of a major portion of the porcine immunome. Our complementary functional approach using co-expression during immune response has provided new putative immune response annotation for over 500 porcine genes. Our phylogenetic analysis of this core immunome cluster confirms rapid evolutionary change in this set of genes, and that, as in other species, such genes are important components of the pig's adaptation to pathogen challenge over evolutionary time. These comprehensive and integrated analyses increase the value of the porcine genome sequence and provide important tools for global analyses and data-mining of the porcine immune response.BMC Genomics 05/2013; 14(1):332. DOI:10.1186/1471-2164-14-332 · 4.04 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Zebrafish have become a popular organism for the study of vertebrate gene function. The virtually transparent embryos of this species, and the ability to accelerate genetic studies by gene knockdown or overexpression, have led to the widespread use of zebrafish in the detailed investigation of vertebrate gene function and increasingly, the study of human genetic disease. However, for effective modelling of human genetic disease it is important to understand the extent to which zebrafish genes and gene structures are related to orthologous human genes. To examine this, we generated a high-quality sequence assembly of the zebrafish genome, made up of an overlapping set of completely sequenced large-insert clones that were ordered and oriented using a high-resolution high-density meiotic map. Detailed automatic and manual annotation provides evidence of more than 26,000 protein-coding genes, the largest gene set of any vertebrate so far sequenced. Comparison to the human reference genome shows that approximately 70% of human genes have at least one obvious zebrafish orthologue. In addition, the high quality of this genome assembly provides a clearer understanding of key genomic features such as a unique repeat content, a scarcity of pseudogenes, an enrichment of zebrafish-specific genes on chromosome 4 and chromosomal regions that influence sex determination.Nature 04/2013; 496(7446). DOI:10.1038/nature12111 · 42.35 Impact Factor
Dataset: Comparative Proteomics reveals a significant bias toward alternative protein isoforms with conserved structure and function
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ABSTRACT: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes play a critical role in vertebrate immune response and because the MHC is linked to a significant number of auto-immune and other diseases it is of great medical interest. Here we describe the clone-based sequencing and subsequent annotation of the MHC region of the gorilla genome. Because the MHC is subject to extensive variation, both structural and sequence-wise, it is not readily amenable to study in whole genome shotgun sequence such as the recently published gorilla genome. The variation of the MHC also makes it of evolutionary interest and therefore we analyse the sequence in the context of human and chimpanzee. In our comparisons with human and re-annotated chimpanzee MHC sequence we find that gorilla has a trimodular RCCX cluster, versus the reference human bimodular cluster, and additional copies of Class I (pseudo)genes between Gogo-K and Gogo-A (the orthologues of HLA-K and -A). We also find that Gogo-H (and Patr-H) is coding versus the HLA-H pseudogene and, conversely, there is a Gogo-DQB2 pseudogene versus the HLA-DQB2 coding gene. Our analysis, which is freely available through the VEGA genome browser, provides the research community with a comprehensive dataset for comparative and evolutionary research of the MHC.Database The Journal of Biological Databases and Curation 01/2013; 2013:bat011. DOI:10.1093/database/bat011 · 4.46 Impact Factor
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Wellcome Trust Sanger InstituteCambridge, England, United Kingdom
Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Programme
University of Lausanne
Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Center for Integrative Genomics (CIG)
The University of Manchester
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Life Sciences


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Andalou Naturals Refreshing Body Lotion Travel Size Lavender Thyme -- 2 fl oz
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59 year old man | Canyon Country, CA, USA | Seeking women 46-60 within 30 miles
Looking for someone to share my life with!
i don't like to play games... and it's not like I "need" someone in my life, but if I find the right person, I'd like to share each others life and live happily ever after... I like to be with someone who has common interests and viewpoints, so we can share with each other after our days work, and then go out and do fun stuff when we're not working... and hopefully we both like the same "fun stuff" Although the calendar says I'm 57, I sure don't feel like it! And people say I look like I'm in my mid-40's. I guess it's a good thing that I've been blessed with good genes and no gray hair! I really love technology, especially mac computers and iphones and ipads and that sort of thing, so if you also like those things that's very cool! I tend to be very "tuned in" to the world around me, sonically-speaking, that is. I've been involved in doing something with audio for my entire life, so I'm rather sound sensitive. That is, I hear all the sounds around me and then mean more to me than the average person. I'm a big believer in the golden rule. I try as much as I can to live by it. And as Ellen says, "Be kind to one another" I also try to avoid having regrets. My life has been one big series of very lucky events, and I hope to keep that going for a long time!
Dining out , Movies/Videos , Music and concerts , Performing arts , Travel/Sightseeing
Bowling, Walking / Hiking
I exercise 1-2 times per week.
I have Dogs
I have 3 dogs... small, medium and large :)
San Juan Islands, Grand Canyon, Yosemite
riding my motorcycle on long windy roads, with someone I love on the back, going to the movies, watching tv in my living room, well-written sitcoms and movies, the today show with breakfast, oh so many more
watch tv, surf the Internet, go to the movies, go for a ride, go out to eat, go shopping (especially the Apple store)
trade magazine, Mac magazine
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Chuck Davis, left, and Bill Tite, both of Clawson, look over the city's new Web site Tuesday. Tite built the site with the help of Davis and others.
- Filed Under
With just under 13,000 residents and a stretched-thin budget of $6.85 million, Clawson's officials have to set priorities.
And improving the city's rudimentary Web site hasn't been high on the list, even though newly hired City Manager Richard Haberman said he found the site distressingly difficult to manage and not terribly informative when he was considering coming to Clawson from Arkansas late last year.
But Haberman also found a healthy spirit of volunteerism in the Oakland County city. ...


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This letter together with the others in the serie"letters for press" will be part of a personal project I'm working on. It's a typographic poster containing the 26 letters of the basic alphabet, all custom designed for it and in 26 different styles.
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Sisters of the Humility of Mary
We are a group of women religious dedicated to works of peacemaking, justice and care for Earth through education, health care, social service and pastoral ministry. We currently serve in Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and Haiti.
We share in Jesus' mission of bringing more abundant life to God's people, especially to those who are poor, by announcing the liberating message of the gospel and by the witness of your lives.
-HM Constitutions No. 3
The Graduates: In honor of graduation season, here is a picture of the five 1926 Villa Maria High School graduates (holding flowers). The first graduation ceremony was held in 1925 to honor three young women. A photo of that inaugural event could not be found.
The Summer HM Voice is now available. Click on Publications at left to check it out.
Called to Carry the Charism: A Gathering of Associate Communities Sept. 25&26 sponsored by NACAR and the Humility of Mary Associate Community. For complete details, click on the HM Associate Community Page at left.
Villa Farm Greenhouse Open and Now Accepting Credit Cards: Get all the details by clicking the The Villa Farm page at left
Home | Who We Are | Our History | Prayer Request | Support Us | HM Volunteer Service | Contact Us
Ministries | Join Us | Villa Maria Community Center | Photo Gallery | News & Press Releases | Events
© 2013 Copyright Sisters of the Humility of Mary. All Rights Reserved
Phone: 724-964-8861 • Fax: 724-964-8082 • Email: email@example.com


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In a large frying pan, heat ghee on medium-hi.
Add garlic and green chillies and brown for about 15 seconds.
Add cumin seed.
As soon as seeds start to pop, add tomatoes and saute for a few minutes until tomatoes break down into a sauce.
Mix in coriander, chili powder and salt.
Stir in zucchini, coating all the pieces with tomato sauce mixture.
Cover and check back in 5-8 minutes.
Uncover and stir, repeating step 7 two or three more times or until zucchini looks mostly translucent (but be careful not to overcook).
Add juice of half a lemon, stir in pan, serve and enjoy!


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Are you Verena K Burg?Claim your profile
Publications (7)25.45 Total impact
- SourceAvailable from: Oliver Weingärtner[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Amyloid-β (Aβ), major constituent of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD), is generated by proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β- and γ-secretase. Several lipids, especially cholesterol, are associated with AD. Phytosterols are naturally occurring cholesterol plant equivalents, recently been shown to cross the blood-brain-barrier accumulating in brain. Here, we investigated the effect of the most nutritional prevalent phytosterols and cholesterol on APP processing. In general, phytosterols are less amyloidogenic than cholesterol. However, only one phytosterol, stigmasterol, reduced Aβ generation by (1) directly decreasing β-secretase activity, (2) reducing expression of all γ-secretase components, (3) reducing cholesterol and presenilin distribution in lipid rafts implicated in amyloidogenic APP cleavage, and by (4) decreasing BACE1 internalization to endosomal compartments, involved in APP β-secretase cleavage. Mice fed with stigmasterol-enriched diets confirmed protective effects in vivo, suggesting that dietary intake of phytosterol blends mainly containing stigmasterol might be beneficial in preventing AD.The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience 10/2013; 33(41):16072-16087. DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1506-13.2013 · 6.75 Impact Factor
Article: Plasmalogens Inhibit APP Processing by Directly Affecting γ-Secretase Activity in Alzheimer's Disease[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Lipids play an important role as risk or protective factors in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previously it has been shown that plasmalogens, the major brain phospholipids, are altered in AD. However, it remained unclear whether plasmalogens themselves are able to modulate amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing or if the reduced plasmalogen level is a consequence of AD. Here we identify the plasmalogens which are altered in human AD postmortem brains and investigate their impact on APP processing resulting in Aβ production. All tested plasmalogen species showed a reduction in γ-secretase activity whereas β- and α-secretase activity mainly remained unchanged. Plasmalogens directly affected γ-secretase activity, protein and RNA level of the secretases were unaffected, pointing towards a direct influence of plasmalogens on γ-secretase activity. Plasmalogens were also able to decrease γ-secretase activity in human postmortem AD brains emphasizing the impact of plasmalogens in AD. In summary our findings show that decreased plasmalogen levels are not only a consequence of AD but that plasmalogens also decrease APP processing by directly affecting γ-secretase activity, resulting in a vicious cycle: Aβ reduces plasmalogen levels and reduced plasmalogen levels directly increase γ-secretase activity leading to an even stronger production of Aβ peptides.The Scientific World Journal 04/2012; 2012:141240. DOI:10.1100/2012/141240 · 1.73 Impact Factor
Article: Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) Mediated Regulation of Ganglioside Homeostasis Linking Alzheimer's Disease Pathology with Ganglioside Metabolism[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Gangliosides are important players for controlling neuronal function and are directly involved in AD pathology. They are among the most potent stimulators of Aβ production, are enriched in amyloid plaques and bind amyloid beta (Aβ). However, the molecular mechanisms linking gangliosides with AD are unknown. Here we identified the previously unknown function of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), specifically its cleavage products Aβ and the APP intracellular domain (AICD), of regulating GD3-synthase (GD3S). Since GD3S is the key enzyme converting a- to b-series gangliosides, it therefore plays a major role in controlling the levels of major brain gangliosides. This regulation occurs by two separate and additive mechanisms. The first mechanism directly targets the enzymatic activity of GD3S: Upon binding of Aβ to the ganglioside GM3, the immediate substrate of the GD3S, enzymatic turnover of GM3 by GD3S was strongly reduced. The second mechanism targets GD3S expression. APP cleavage results, in addition to Aβ release, in the release of AICD, a known candidate for gene transcriptional regulation. AICD strongly down regulated GD3S transcription and knock-in of an AICD deletion mutant of APP in vivo, or knock-down of Fe65 in neuroblastoma cells, was sufficient to abrogate normal GD3S functionality. Equally, knock-out of the presenilin genes, presenilin 1 and presenilin 2, essential for Aβ and AICD production, or of APP itself, increased GD3S activity and expression and consequently resulted in a major shift of a- to b-series gangliosides. In addition to GD3S regulation by APP processing, gangliosides in turn altered APP cleavage. GM3 decreased, whereas the ganglioside GD3, the GD3S product, increased Aβ production, resulting in a regulatory feedback cycle, directly linking ganglioside metabolism with APP processing and Aβ generation. A central aspect of this homeostatic control is the reduction of GD3S activity via an Aβ-GM3 complex and AICD-mediated repression of GD3S transcription.PLoS ONE 03/2012; 7(3):e34095. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0034095 · 3.53 Impact Factor
Article: Trans fatty acids enhance amyloidogenic processing of the Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP)[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Hydrogenation of oils and diary products of ruminant animals leads to an increasing amount of trans fatty acids in the human diet. Trans fatty acids are incorporated in several lipids and accumulate in the membrane of cells. Here we systematically investigate whether the regulated intramembrane proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is affected by trans fatty acids compared to the cis conformation. Our experiments clearly show that trans fatty acids compared to cis fatty acids increase amyloidogenic and decrease nonamyloidogenic processing of APP, resulting in an increased production of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides, main components of senile plaques, which are a characteristic neuropathological hallmark for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, our results show that oligomerization and aggregation of Aβ are increased by trans fatty acids. The mechanisms identified by this in vitro study suggest that the intake of trans fatty acids potentially increases the AD risk or causes an earlier onset of the disease.The Journal of nutritional biochemistry 12/2011; 23(10):1214-23. DOI:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2011.06.015 · 4.59 Impact Factor
Article: Intracellular APP Domain Regulates Serine-Palmitoyl-CoA Transferase Expression and Is Affected in Alzheimer's Disease[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Lipids play an important role as risk or protective factors in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a disease biochemically characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta peptides (Aβ), released by proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Changes in sphingolipid metabolism have been associated to the development of AD. The key enzyme in sphingolipid de novo synthesis is serine-palmitoyl-CoA transferase (SPT). In the present study we identified a new physiological function of APP in sphingolipid synthesis. The APP intracellular domain (AICD) was found to decrease the expression of the SPT subunit SPTLC2, the catalytic subunit of the SPT heterodimer, resulting in that decreased SPT activity. AICD function was dependent on Fe65 and SPTLC2 levels are increased in APP knock-in mice missing a functional AICD domain. SPTLC2 levels are also increased in familial and sporadic AD postmortem brains, suggesting that SPT is involved in AD pathology.05/2011; 695413(8). DOI:10.4061/2011/695413
Article: Plasmalogen synthesis is regulated via alkyl-dihydroxyacetonephosphate-synthase by amyloid precursor protein processing and is affected in Alzheimer's disease.[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Lipids play an important role as risk or protective factors in Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by amyloid plaques composed of aggregated amyloid-beta. Plasmalogens are major brain lipids and controversially discussed to be altered in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and whether changes in plasmalogens are cause or consequence of AD pathology. Here, we reveal a new physiological function of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) in plasmalogen metabolism. The APP intracellular domain was found in vivo and in vitro to increase the expression of the alkyl-dihydroxyacetonephosphate-synthase (AGPS), a rate limiting enzyme in plasmalogen synthesis. Alterations in APP dependent changes of AGPS expression result in reduced protein and plasmalogen levels. Under the pathological situation of AD, increased amyloid-beta level lead to increased reactive oxidative species production, reduced AGPS protein and plasmalogen level. Accordingly, phosphatidylethanol plasmalogen was decreased in the frontal cortex of AD compared to age matched controls. Our findings elucidate that plasmalogens are decreased as a consequence of AD and regulated by APP processing under physiological conditions.Journal of Neurochemistry 03/2011; 116(5):916-25. DOI:10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.07070.x · 4.24 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Alzheimer disease is characterized by accumulation of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) generated by β- and γ-secretase processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). The intake of the polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been associated with decreased amyloid deposition and a reduced risk in Alzheimer disease in several epidemiological trials; however, the exact underlying molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here, we systematically investigate the effect of DHA on amyloidogenic and nonamyloidogenic APP processing and the potential cross-links to cholesterol metabolism in vivo and in vitro. DHA reduces amyloidogenic processing by decreasing β- and γ-secretase activity, whereas the expression and protein levels of BACE1 and presenilin1 remain unchanged. In addition, DHA increases protein stability of α-secretase resulting in increased nonamyloidogenic processing. Besides the known effect of DHA to decrease cholesterol de novo synthesis, we found cholesterol distribution in plasma membrane to be altered. In the presence of DHA, cholesterol shifts from raft to non-raft domains, and this is accompanied by a shift in γ-secretase activity and presenilin1 protein levels. Taken together, DHA directs amyloidogenic processing of APP toward nonamyloidogenic processing, effectively reducing Aβ release. DHA has a typical pleiotropic effect; DHA-mediated Aβ reduction is not the consequence of a single major mechanism but is the result of combined multiple effects.Journal of Biological Chemistry 02/2011; 286(16):14028-39. DOI:10.1074/jbc.M110.182329 · 4.60 Impact Factor
Top Journals
Universität des Saarlandes
Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany
- DIDP - Deutsches Institut für Demenzprävention