text:
The control of highly infectious diseases of livestock such as classical swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, and avian influenza is fraught with ethical, economic, and public health dilemmas. Attempts to control outbreaks of these pathogens rely on massive culling of infected farms, and farms deemed to be at risk of infection. Conventional approaches usually involve the preventive culling of all farms within a certain radius of an infected farm. Here we propose a novel culling strategy that is based on the idea that farms that have the highest expected number of secondary infections should be culled first. We show that, in comparison with conventional approaches (ring culling), our new method of risk based culling can reduce the total number of farms that need to be culled, the number of culled infected farms (and thus the expected number of human infections in case of a zoonosis), and the duration of the epidemic. Our novel risk based culling strategy requires three pieces of information, viz. the location of all farms in the area at risk, the moments when infected farms are detected, and an estimate of the distance-dependent probability of transmission.
Epidemics of infectious diseases such as classical swine fever, food-and-mouth, and avian influenza continue to wreak havoc in commercial livestock [1-6]. Efforts to control such outbreaks rely heavily on culling of infected farms, and farms in the vicinity of infected farms. This approach induces massive economic costs and leads to great animal suffering. It is therefore desirable to make as efficient as possible use of the available resources, and to spare as many animals as possible. Furthermore, in case of diseases that have zoonotic potential, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza A viruses of the H5 and H7 subtypes, it is also important to minimize the risk of human exposure [7-11].
The aim of preventive culling in outbreaks of commercial livestock is to contain the epidemic by removing susceptible flocks in the vicinity of infected farms; a typical strategy used for this is ring culling. In this strategy all farms within a certain radius of an infected farm are culled, typically starting close to the infected farm(s). The distance to an infected farm is related to the probability of a farm becoming infected. Ring culling therefore essentially involves culling the farms with the highest probability of becoming infected. We argue that, in addition to the distance to infected farms, another factor that is important is the local density of neighbouring farms. The local density determines how an epidemic is likely to develop, e.g.: a farm in an area with high density will likely cause more new infections than a farm in area with a low density; this implicitly follows from the relationship between distance and risk. In previous work the number of new infections that each infected farm is expected to cause was quantified by a farm reproduction number (R) and they were used to create risk maps that indicated areas with potential for high epidemic spread [12].
In this paper a novel culling strategy is introduced that takes into account not only the distance of susceptible farms to the infected farms, but also the number of secondary infections that a susceptible farm is expected to produce should it become infected. Specifically, we calculated for each farm not yet (known to be) infected a so-called risk value, which represents the number of infections the farm is expected to produce given current information on the unfolding of the epidemic. We argue that farms which rank highest in the risk based ordering should be culled first, thereby achieving an efficient allocation of resources (i.e. time, money, equipment). In practice, the risk value of each susceptible farm is given by the probability that a farm will become infected in a certain time span multiplied by the reproduction number of the farm once it is infected. Similar ideas that incorporate the connectivity of farms or individuals in applying an intervention measure have been suggested before in (non-spatial) network models of infectious disease spread [13]. For example by vaccinating friends' of friends which proved to be more effective than vaccinating people at random [14]. Similar is also the strategy to vaccinate children with the aim to reduce disease transmission [15] or to preferentially vaccinate large urban centres to reduce their role as disease reservoirs [16].
Our risk based culling scheme works with three pieces of information. First the locations of all farms in the area at risk need to be known. Second, an assessment of the current state of the epidemic should be available, in particular which farms are infected, and which farms are still susceptible. Third, an estimate of how the transmission probability depends on the distance between infected and susceptible farms should be at hand. The first two pieces are usually readily available during an epidemic. For the third piece of information estimates from past epidemics can usually be used [1,4,12,17].
We evaluate the performance of the risk based culling strategy in a simulation study that is loosely based on a large outbreak of highly pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza in the Netherlands. Parameter values and the transmission hazard are based on experience with this outbreak [6,12]. Throughout we systematically compare the effectiveness of our risk based culling strategy with the traditional approach that relies on the culling of farms in a ring (1-3 km) around infected premises. The comparisons are based on (1) the number of infected farms culled, which is related to the expected number of human infections, (2) the duration of the epidemic, and (3), the total number of farms culled.
Materials and methods
The spread between farms was modelled with a stochastic SEIR model (Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Removed) that operates with fixed time steps of 1 day. The probability qi that a susceptible farm i is infected on a particular day t is given by:
where λi(t), the force of infection on farm i at day t, is calculated according to:
The function h(rij) is called the transmission kernel. It is defined as the infection hazard posed by farm j to farm i as a function of the inter-farm distance rij [12], 1 is an indicator function that is 1 if j is infected (Figure 1) and 0 otherwise. In equation 2 it is assumed that transmission between farms is distance dependent, which for many outbreaks provided a satisfactory description of the data [1,4,12,17]. A number of mechanisms may be able to cause spread from farm to farm. Virus may for example be carried over by people, vehicles, or wind. In our model we adopt a phenomenological approach, and do not explicitly model different transmission mechanisms.
Figure 1. Classification of the farms in the model. Farms are either susceptible to infection, infected but not yet infectious (exposed), infected and infectious, detected and not infectious anymore, or removed from the system by culling.
Although it is our goal to investigate the efficiency of risk based culling strategies in general, the parameters are specifically tailored to mimic the spatial spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in densely populated poultry areas. The shape of the hazard and estimates of the parameters to scale the hazard were estimated from the outbreak of highly pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza in the Netherlands [12]. The shape that fitted best was of the form:
where h0, r0, and α are parameters of the hazard function (Table 1), and r is the distance between farms.
Table 1. Settings of the hazard kernel (equation 3) as used in the base scenario and the scenarios of the sensitivity analyses
We assume that upon infection each farm first becomes exposed (i.e. infected but not yet infectious) for a period of two days (Figure 1) [12,18]. After the exposed period has elapsed the farm is assumed to be infectious until it is detected. Here we assume for simplicity that upon detection the farm immediately ceases to be infectious to other farms, e.g., due to appropriate biosafety measures. In our simulation the time between becoming infectious to becoming detected is drawn from a gamma distribution with a mean (T) of 7 days and a shape parameter (c) of 100 (Figures 1 and 2a). Culling in the model is done (as in reality) with limited daily capacity. Farms that are culled are removed from the system, and cease to play a role in the infection dynamics. The culling capacity is assumed to be low at start of the epidemic and then increases quickly reaching a maximum after 11 days (Figure 2b) and is based on the situation of 2003 [6]. We assume that culling of detected infected farms is given priority above preventive culling. Each time step all detected infected farms are therefore culled first providing capacity is available (Figure 1 and Figure 2b). If the number of infected farms is larger than the culling capacity on a particular day then the infected farms detected last are culled the next day(s). If the culling capacity is greater than the number of detected infected farms then the remaining culling capacity is used for preventive culling. Preventively culled farms, whether they were susceptible, exposed or infected, become removed (Figure 1).
Figure 2. Overview of model parameters. (a) Distribution of the days to detection of an infected farm, (b) Culling capacity as a function of the time since detection of the outbreak, (c) Hazard kernels with an increased and decreased tail, and the misspecified kernel, (d) Hazard kernels with increased and decreased capacity.
Culling strategies
We now define in more detail the two culling strategies considered in this paper: ring culling and risk based culling. With ring culling all farms within a certain radius of any of the farms where an infection was detected are preventively culled. Culling is then continued until there are no more farms present in any of the (possibly overlapping) rings around infected farms. Ring culling is typically carried out inside-out, i.e. starting near the infected farm on the inside of the ring. In our model this is mimicked by consistently selecting the farm that is closest to a farm where an infection has been detected. An alternative ring culling strategy works from the outside of the ring to the inside. The rationale for this strategy is that it may help contain the infection within the culling ring. In this strategy the farm that is furthest away (but within the ring) of any farm where an infection was detected is culled first. In The Netherlands in 2003 culling was started on the inside of the ring close to the infected farms. At the start of the epidemic a 1 km ring was used, and later in the epidemic 3 km rings were used. In our analysis we consider both these radii. In our calculations for outside-in ring culling we considered a scenario with a ring radius of 3 km.
With risk based culling the estimated number of infections each farm is expected to create is used as culling criterion. The candidate farm with the highest expected number of new infections is then preventively culled first. The expected number of infections Ei for farm i is given by the product of the probability that farm i is infected (qi, equation 1) and its reproduction number (Ri, equation 7):
Assuming a gamma distributed infectious period with mean T and a shape parameter (c) of 100, the reproduction value (Ri) is calculated for each remaining farm (not detected, not culled), only taking into account all other remaining farms, as follows [12]:
where i and j run through all farms that are not detected and that not have been culled.
The exact probability for a farm to become infected (qi, equation 1) can in practise not be calculated during the epidemic as this would require complete knowledge on which farms are currently infected (also the ones that are yet undetected). However, it is possible to approximately calculate the risk that farms were infected in the past based on knowledge of the detected infections. In this calculation, we first assume that all detected farms have been infectious for exactly T days (mean infectious period, seven days). We note that this assumption could be dropped if detailed knowledge on the infectious period of the source were available during the epidemic. Then we approximate how much exposure each farm has had in the past T days. Suppose one particular farm j is detected as infected at time tjd. This means that all neighbouring farms have been exposed to this infected farm for the previous T days. If on one particular neighbouring farm no infection is detected up until x days after the detection of its infected neighbour (with x smaller than or equal to T) it should have escaped infection by that infected neighbour for at least T-x days (Figure 3). In agreement with this we estimate an approximate cumulative hazard λi* of infection for each farm i where no infection was detected up until time t according to:
Figure 3. Overview of how to calculate the approximate risk that farms were infected in the past based on knowledge of the detected infections (equation 8). In the example below, at day 7 an infected farm is identified as being infected. On day 7 a neighboring farm has on average been exposed to the infected farm for the last 7 days. If the susceptible farm was not detected as being infected then on day 8, it has been on average exposed for 6 days. And so on, until day 14 when on average there is no further exposure. In equation 5 at, for example, day 9, t = 9, tjd = 7, and T = 7 which results in 5 days exposure.
The hazard is approximate (as indicated with the *) because farms that are infected but have not been yet been detected are not taken into account because these are unknown at that point in time. The approximate probability (qi*) that farm i was infected in the past based can be calculated according to
This probability is used to calculate the approximate expected number of infections caused by farm i:
is used to rank the farms according to risk in order to determine the order for risk based preventive culling. In our model we used a risk threshold ("thr") below which farms are not culled anymore. In our model calculations we analyze the sensitivity of our results to changes in the threshold value.
Simulation details
The efficiency of various conventional ring culling strategies and the novel risk based culling strategy were assessed using simulations of outbreaks on maps with randomly generated farm locations (see Additional file 1, Supplementary text and Additional file 2, Figure S1). Each map consisted of a circular inner area of 1000 farms with a density of 3.8 farms per m2 and an outer (ring-shaped) area of 1000 farms with a density of 0.5 farms per m2. The density assumed in the inner area is equal to the density in the largest poultry area of the Netherlands which is where most of the 2003 epidemic of avian influenza occurred. The density of the outer area is the density observed in the remainder of The Netherlands.
Additional file 1. Supplementary text: Description of random map generation.
Format: DOC Size: 33KB Download file
This file can be viewed with: Microsoft Word Viewer
Additional file 2. Figure S1: Border corrected Ripley's K for random maps.
Format: DOC Size: 40KB Download file
This file can be viewed with: Microsoft Word Viewer
To prevent early stochastic fade-out, and to condition on a large epidemic, all simulations were seeded with 10 infectious and 10 exposed farms (Figure 4). The starting configuration of the 10 infectious and 10 exposed farms was itself created with the transmission model (equations 1-3 and Figure 1). The first infected farm was randomly selected. The start-up simulation was run until 10 farms were infectious and 10 farms were exposed. In this manner we generated 50 different random starting configurations. For each culling scenario considered we did 400 simulations in which we used each map 8 times. For base-line values for the kernel parameters (Table 1) we carried out 2000 additional simulations (40 per map) for three of the culling strategies to evaluate the performance of these culling strategies per map.
Figure 4. Examples of outbreaks (a) homogeneous Poisson clustered, (b) moderately clustered (base scenario), and (c) clustered map. Left graph shows a starting position with infected farms in red, the right graph shows an end situation with culled farms in blue.
In a future epidemic the exact shape of the hazard kernel of the disease spread is likely to be unknown. We therefore tested the sensitivity of the results to changes in the hazard kernel (Table 1), while the kernel to calculate the risk as a basis for preventive culling was left unchanged. Specifically, we considered two additional scenarios, one with a heavy-tailed kernel, and one in which the tail of the kernel falls of more quickly than in the default scenario (Figure 2d). We also investigated a situation with a more extensive difference between the hazard kernel used to calculate the disease risk and the actual hazard kernel of the disease spread (i.e. a misspecified kernel). For this we used a kernel that has equal disease spread disease up to 10 km (Figure 2c). The hazard kernels were adjusted so that the average reproduction number across all maps was the same for all three scenarios (i.e. R = 1.65) (Table 1). We furthermore considered scenarios with a high (R = 2.1) and low (R = 1.2) reproduction number (Table 1 and Figure 2d). Finally, in the base scenario the maximum culling capacity was fixed at 24 farms per day. To investigate the robustness of our results to the exact culling capacity we investigated scenarios with an increased (32 farms per day) or decreased (16 farms per day) culling capacity.
The relevant outputs of the model are the total number of farms culled, the number of infectious farms culled, and the duration of the epidemic (defined as the time from the first detection until the last culling of an infected farm). The total number of farms that are culled and the duration of the epidemic are both measures with economic relevance, not only because of the direct costs of culling, but also because under EU regulations borders will be closed for export during (an for some period after) an epidemic of avian influenza. Furthermore, minimizing animal suffering in itself is a worthy goal. The number of farms that are culled while being infectious is relevant because it determines the level of human exposure to an agent with zoonotic potential [7-11].
The simulation results obtained contain three sources of variation, i.e. (1) the culling strategy, (2) the random maps, and (3) the stochastic epidemic process. To separate these variances, and to single out the effect of the culling strategy, we analyzed the simulation results with a linear mixed model that used the maps as a random effect and the culling strategy as a fixed effect. The mixed model was used to estimate confidence bounds for the effect of the various culling strategies.
Risk based culling reduced the number of infected farms culled compared to both 1 and 3 km ring culling strategies, and thereby should be able to reduce the number of human infections (Table 2). Of three criteria by which we tested the control strategies, (1) number of infected farms culled, (2) total number of farms culled, and (3) duration of the epidemic, risk based culling outperformed ring culling always on two out of three criteria. On the third criterion it typically performs either equally well or slightly better (Tables 2 and 3). Risk based culling has a much lower number of infected and total number of farms culled compared to 3 km ring culling, and usually shortens the length of the epidemic (depending on the risk threshold). Compared to 1 km ring culling, risk based culling has a lower number of infected farms culled, and the duration of the epidemic is shorter. The total number of farms culled is either equal or lower (depending on the risk threshold).
Table 2. Simulation results for the various risk based and ring culling strategies in the base scenario
Table 3. Overview of results obtained with various scenarios used in the sensitivity analysis
There was substantial variation between the maps. Per map the relative improvement of risk based culling over ring culling remained approximately the same. The mean number of infected farms per map culled (across the three main strategies) ranged from 82 to 474, the total number of farms culled ranged from 956 to 1423, and the duration of the epidemic ranged from 53 to 64. The performance of each strategy per map was studied by carrying out an additional 2000 simulations per strategy, i.e. 40 for each map. On 6 out of 50 maps 1 km ring culling had a lower total number of farms culled than risk based culling, and 3 km ring culling gave a shorter epidemic on 5 maps. With the exception of these, risk based culling consistently outperformed 1 km and 3 km ring culling.
In the sensitivity analyses we investigated the effect of changes in culling capacity, reproduction number, tail of the hazard kernel, the level of clustering of farms, and a misspecified hazard kernel (Table 3). Qualitatively, the results remained the same in all sensitivity analyses. In all scenarios risk based culling outperformed ring culling on two or three criteria. Quantitatively, the total or infected number of farms culled, and the length of the epidemic varied greatly between the scenarios. The relative improvement of risk based culling over ring culling, however, remained approximately the same.
Preventive culling of farms is an important control measure to halt epidemics of highly infectious diseases of livestock such as classical swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, and avian influenza. This paper introduces a novel prioritization scheme for culling of farms that is based on the idea that farms with the highest expected number of secondary infections should be culled first. Our simulations show that risk based culling outperforms ring culling in terms of the number of infected farms culled, the total number of farms culled, and the duration of the epidemic. As risk based culling reduced the number of infected farms that are culled it is therefore also expected to reduce the number of human infections. We find substantial variation in the outcome between different maps but for a given map risk based culling consistently outperformed ring culling. This indicates that the spatial structure has a large influence on the outcome of an epidemic, which is supported by previous research [4,17,19-21].
Although the model presented here is parameterised for the avian influenza epidemic that occurred in The Netherlands in 2003, the methodology of risk based culling is more generally applicable to other infectious diseases controlled by culling. The only information needed are the locations of the farms, the moments at which infected farms were culled (both essential for any control and usually available from surveillance), and an estimate of the distance-dependent probability of transmission. An extension of our method that could potentially further improve risk based culling would be to not only focus on the expected number of infections within one infection generation, but try to estimate the expected number of infections in second and perhaps even third infection generations in the future.
We assumed that all farms are equally infectious which is reasonable for avian influenza [12] but for other diseases this may be different. Variability in susceptibility and infectivity can also be taken into account in risk based culling, proving estimates are available. One example where such variability existed is foot-and-mouth outbreak in the UK. For this epidemic a model was derived that is similar to the model used in this paper [3,4,17] and it can be used to calculate the probability of infection and reproduction number per farm as needed for risk based culling.
It is possible with an extensive misspecification in, for example, the infectivity of farms that risk based culling would be less effective. Note though that alternative strategies (such as ring culling) may suffer similarly. The challenge here is to have a good epidemiological understanding of how a disease spreads and incorporate this knowledge into the calculations. We believe that if misspecifications are minor, the reproductive number still identifies patches of farms that are close together weighted by their distance to infected farms. Quantitatively the outcomes may differ to some extent but qualitatively (risk based culling is about prioritizing) they may still be accurate. The effectiveness of risk based culling also depends on the culling capacity relative to the spread of disease. If the culling capacity is too low any control is impossible. If the culling capacity is very high then the order of culling becomes irrelevant. In between these extremes, culling resources need to be used efficiently and risk based culling can aid in this.
One advantage of risk based culling is that it does not require a certain arbitrary ring to be set. It can be argued however that the threshold needed in risk based culling to set the minimum risk level for culling is also arbitrary, and there is indeed not one clear risk based threshold (thr) that achieves the best results across all three criteria. If the threshold is decreased, the number of farms culled is increased and the pool of susceptible farms depletes quicker, which means an epidemic is stopped earlier. An epidemic that stops more rapidly is likely going to have less infected farms culled, and thus less human infections. Vice versa, if the threshold is increased, the total number of farms culled decreases but the length of the epidemic and the number of infected farms culled increase. Which strategy is best thus depends what goals decision makers want to achieve. Economically the cost of the total number of farms culled and the cost of a longer epidemic can be weighted. The impact on public health (human casualties) is however difficult to weigh and are dependent on the disease. With a disease like avian influenza which has a clear zoonotic potential reducing the public health impact is arguably the most important.
For policy makers our risk based culling policy may be more difficult to justify to stake holders and the public than the simple traditional ring culling strategy. In addition, to be acceptable any culling strategy would have to satisfy the requirements of regulatory bodies. An intuitively appealing strategy may be to apply a risk based prioritization scheme within a culling ring. In our results this proved to be quite efficient (as shown in Table 2), primarily because most farms that are selected in a risk based prioritization scheme are located within a ring of 3 km from an infected farm (Table 2).
In the past mainly ring culling strategies have been considered in practice and literature [3,4,20,22]. In [20,22] a strategy was modelled that prioritised farms with high probability of infection. In this work the probability of infection per farm was based on the distance to the infected farms weighted by the number of sheep and cows. In risk based culling selection of farms is done by combining the probability of infection (dependent on distance to the infected farms) with the reproduction number (dependent on the local density of farms). Our results demonstrate that including the local density of farms to determine the order of preventive culling to control an epidemic is a promising strategy. This paper provides a guideline that could help improve the effectiveness of culling.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
DB, JS, MK, MB conceived the study, TH, MB, DB formulated the model equations, DB programmed the model, carried out the simulations, and drafted the manuscript. All authors read, amended and approved the final manuscript.
This work was supported by CDC under the grant agreement U19 CI000404-01, Avian influenza collaborative research centers, Studies at the human animal interface, by the "Impulse Veterinary Avian Influenza Research in The Netherlands" program of the Dutch government, and by the Strategic Research theme Infectious Disease Dynamics of the Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the Environment. We would like to thank Jacco Wallinga for his input, and Jan van de Kassteele for his statistical advice.
Stegeman A, Elbers AR, Smak J, de Jong MC: Quantification of the transmission of classical swine fever virus between herds during the 1997-1998 epidemic in The Netherlands.
Prev Vet Med 1999, 42:219-234. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Capua I, Marangon S: The avian influenza epidemic in Italy, 1999-2000: a review.
Avian Pathol 2000, 29:289-294. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Ferguson NM, Donnelly CA, Anderson RM: The foot-and-mouth epidemic in Great Britain: pattern of spread and impact of interventions.
Science 2001, 292:1155-1160. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Keeling MJ, Woolhouse ME, Shaw DJ, Matthews L, Chase-Topping M, Haydon DT, Cornell SJ, Kappey J, Wilesmith J, Grenfell BT: Dynamics of the 2001 UK foot and mouth epidemic: stochastic dispersal in a heterogeneous landscape.
Science 2001, 294:813-817. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Bouma A, Elbers ARW, Dekker A, de Koeijer A, Bartels C, Vellema P, van der Wal P, van Rooij EMA, Pluimers FH, de Jong MCM: The foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in The Netherlands in 2001.
Prev Vet Med 2003, 57:155-166. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Stegeman A, Bouma A, Elbers AR, de Jong MC, Nodelijk G, de Klerk F, Koch G, van Boven M: Avian influenza A virus (H7N7) epidemic in The Netherlands in 2003: course of the epidemic and effectiveness of control measures.
J Infect Dis 2004, 190:2088-2095. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Claas EC, Osterhaus AD, van Beek R, De Jong JC, Rimmelzwaan GF, Senne DA, Krauss S, Shortridge KF, Webster RG: Human influenza A H5N1 virus related to a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus.
Lancet 1998, 351:472-477. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Fouchier RA, Schneeberger PM, Rozendaal FW, Broekman JM, Kemink SA, Munster V, Kuiken T, Rimmelzwaan GF, Schutten M, Van Doornum GJ, et al.: Avian influenza A virus (H7N7) associated with human conjunctivitis and a fatal case of acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2004, 101:1356-1361. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | PubMed Central Full Text
Koopmans M, Wilbrink B, Conyn M, Natrop G, van der Nat H, Vennema H, Meijer A, van Steenbergen J, Fouchier R, Osterhaus A, Bosman A: Transmission of H7N7 avian influenza A virus to human beings during a large outbreak in commercial poultry farms in The Netherlands.
Lancet 2004, 363:587-593. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Bos ME, te Beest Dennis E, van Boven M, van Beest Holle Mirna RDu R, Meijer A, Bosman A, Mulder M, Koopmans PG, Stegeman A: High probability of avian influenza virus (H7N7) transmission from poultry to humans active in disease control on infected farms.
J Infect Dis 2010, 201:1390-1396. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
te Beest DE, van Boven M, Bos ME, Stegeman A, Koopmans M: The efficacy of personal protective equipment and oseltamivir in the H7N7 avian influenza A epidemic in The Netherlands in 2003.
Emerg Infect Dis 2010, 16:1562-1568. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Boender GJ, Hagenaars TJ, Bouma A, Nodelijk G, Elbers AR, de Jong MC, van Boven M: Risk maps for the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry.
PLoS Comput Biol 2007, 3:e71. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | PubMed Central Full Text
Chen Y, Paul G, Havlin S, Liljeros F, Stanley HE: Finding a better immunization strategy.
Phys Rev Lett 2008, 101:058701. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Britton T, Janson S, Martin-Löf A: Graphs with specified degree distributions, simple epidemics, and local vaccination strategies.
Adv Appl Prob 2007, 39:922-948. Publisher Full Text
Galvani AP, Reluga TC, Chapman GB: Long-standing influenza vaccination policy is in accord with individual self-interest but not with the utilitarian optimum.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2007, 104:5692-5697. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | PubMed Central Full Text
Grenfell BT, Bolker BM: Cities and villages: infection hierarchies in a measles metapopulation.
Ecol Lett 1998, 1:63-70. Publisher Full Text
Ferguson NM, Donnelly CA, Anderson RM: Transmission intensity and impact of control policies on the foot and mouth epidemic in Great Britain.
Nature 2001, 413:542-548. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Elbers ARW, Koch G, Bouma A: Performance of clinical signs in poultry for the detection of outbreaks during the avian influenza A (H7N7) epidemic in The Netherlands in 2003.
Avian Pathol 2005, 34:181-187. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Tildesley M, House T, Bruhn M, Curry R, O'Neil M, Allpress J, Smith G, Keeling M: Impact of spatial clustering on disease transmission and optimal control.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2010, 107:1041-1046. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | PubMed Central Full Text
Tildesley MJ, Bessell PR, Keeling MJ, Woolhouse ME: The role of pre-emptive culling in the control of foot-and-mouth disease.
Proc Biol Sci 2009, 276:3239-3248. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | PubMed Central Full Text
Tildesley MJ, Keeling MJ: Is R0 a good predictor of final epidemic size: Foot-and-mouth disease in the UK.
J Theor Biol 2009, 258:623-629. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | PubMed Central Full Text
Kao RR: The impact of local heterogeneity on alternative control strategies for foot-and-mouth disease.
Proc Biol Sci 2003, 270:2557-2564. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | PubMed Central Full Text


text:
They may have walked into the Crispus Attucks Community Center wearing black leather vests, but the motorcycle club members soon donned hairnets and plastic gloves to serve breakfast to those gathered in the auditorium.
The York clubs were organized by Stephani Brown, of the women biker group, Ladyz of Empowerment, to help with the center's Martin Luther King Jr. event on Monday.
"I've gathered all of my brothers and sisters ... We're out to do community service," Brown said. "There's a lot of negativity (associated with) motorcycle clubs - that's not what we're about."
Among the groups were the York-based American Indian Bikers Alliance motorcycle club.
Member Eric Sterner said the club had been contacted by Brown and that they were there "Trying to give back to the community."
Brown said that after the morning's event in the auditorium, she planned to pick up trash in York's neighborhoods.
"We don't need our streets looking like that," she said.
Everyone who volunteered for the 32nd Annual MLK Day of Service in honor of the slain civil rights leader received a free T-shirt. It featured King's image, along with words from the 1954 landmark Supreme Court Case, Brown v. Board of Education, which declared unconstitutional state laws that established separate public schools for black and white students.
Georgina Garnett, 39, of York, was among those who picked up a shirt. She said she planned to help out at her son's school, Helen Thackston Charter School.
Garnett said she had been at Crispus Attucks for a Kwanzaa celebration, but never for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
"This is a pretty cool event," she said. "It's a day of service and positivity and giving back."
To gain inspiration for their respective community service work, those who packed the auditorium were treated to some entertainment.
Community pillar Voni Grimes, 91, played "God Bless America" on his harmonica. He also carried with him a photo of himself and five other York men, taken in 1963. The six organized as many buses to carry participants from York to Washington, D.C. for the Civil Rights March on Washington, at which King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
"Man made the plan, but God made the decision - that's why we're here," he said.
Grimes said that when people approach him and say they want to be just like him, he tells them, "No, be better than me. Take it to another level. That's how we grow."
William Penn Senior Jada Wright, 18, delivered a speech she wrote called "A Dream," about King.
"He believed that ethnicity had no link to the capacity of your intelligence or speech," she said. "Despite the hatred upon him his dream he still preached."
Wright said that she was motivated to write and read her poem for the young members of the crowd, "and realize how much we need to make a change, based on another youth's perspective. Not just how things are, but how things need to be."
Video from this morning's event:
If video does not display in your browser try this link
AlsoTen honored with MLK Image Award.
View a photo gallery of those honored.
Educators and clergy call for parent involvement, at MLK supper.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
The NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms features 7,863 terms related to cancer and medicine.
Browse the dictionary by selecting a letter of the alphabet or by entering a cancer-related word or phrase in the search box.
The search textbox has an autosuggest feature. When you enter three or more characters, a list of up to 10 suggestions will popup under the textbox. Use the arrow keys to move through the suggestions. To select a suggestion, hit the enter key. Using the escape key closes the listbox and puts you back at the textbox. The radio buttons allow you to toggle between having all search items start with or contain the text you entered in the search box.
- opiate
- listen (OH-pee-ut)
- A substance used to treat pain or cause sleep. Opiates are made from opium or have opium in them. Opiates bind to opioid receptors in the central nervous system. Examples of opiates are codeine, heroin, and morphine. An opiate is a type of analgesic agent.


text:
- A Safe World For Women
Safe World is a global women's rights and advocacy organization which works to bring awareness of all forms of abuse against women and girls.
- Adios, Barbie
The mission of adiosbarbie.com is to promote healthy body image and self-image for people of all cultures and sizes. They are dedicated to giving you the tools and inspiration to love yourself through thick and thin.
- Advocates for Youth
Advocates for Youth champions efforts that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health.
- Alliance for International Women's Rights
Alliance for International Women's Rights is a U.S. non-profit organization with a mission of supporting women leaders and future women leaders in Central Asia.
- Amplify
Amplify is an online community dedicated to sexual health, reproductive justice, and youth-led grassroots movement building. It's about change, about standing up for what we believe in.
- Body Positive
Body Positive looks at ways we can feel good in the bodies we have. Remember, your body hears everything you think.
- Body-Mind Queendom
Queendom is the land of tests … so many of them that the sheer choice of topics will inspire you to take a wonderful journey inside yourself. The site creates an interactive venue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun.
- Catalyst
Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business.
- Conversations for a Better World
This is a shared blog about the burning issues of our time, especially population, health and gender. The idea is to get people talking about how we can co-create a better world.
- Equality NOW
Equality Now was founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world.
- Feminism & Women Studies
Currently one of the most popular women's studies web sites in the world, publishing documents to approximately 25,000 readers per month.
- Feminist Collections
Reviews the latest print, electronic, and audiovisual resources for research and teaching in women's studies
- Feminist Majority
Sister site to Ms Magazine
- Global Issues: Women's Rights
A list of areas of interest to women's rights activists
- Institute for Research on Women & Gender
Stanford University is one of the most distinguished research organizations devoted to the study of gender. The Clayman Institute creates knowledge and seeks to implement change that promotes gender equality.
- International Indigenous Women's Forum
FIMI is a network of strong Indigenous women leaders from Asia, Africa, and the Americas, whose purpose is to strengthen Indigenous women's networks, increase their participation and visibility in the international arena, and build capacity.
- International Labour Organization
ILO is devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.
- International Museum of Women
I.M.O.W. is a groundbreaking social change museum that inspires global action, connects people across borders and transforms hearts and minds by amplifying the voices of women worldwide.
- International Women's Health Coalition
Advocating for women's rights and health in nations' capitals and the UN.
- International Women's Media Foundation
International Women's Media Foundation is a vibrant global network dedicated to strengthening the role of women in the news media worldwide as a means to further freedom of the press.
- Love your body
Creates media and educational programs promoting healthy body image for people of all cultures and sizes.
- Mind on the Media
Raise public awareness about the negative effects of images in the media.
- Ms Magazine
Ms. was the first national U.S. magazine to make feminist voices audible, feminist journalism tenable, and a feminist worldview available to the public.
- Ms. Foundation
The Ms. Foundation for Women, a social justice foundation, delivers strategic grants, capacity building and leadership development to over 150 grassroots and national advocacy organizations throughout the U.S.
- National Council for Research on Women
NCRW is a network of more than 100 U.S. research, advocacy, and policy centers. It harnesses the resources of its network to ensure informed debate, policies, and practices to build a more inclusive and equitable world for women and girls.
- National Council of Women's Organisation (USA)
Is ia not-for-profit coalition with over 200 member organizations that collaborate through substantive policy work and grass roots activism to address issues of concern to women,
- National Organisation For Women (NOW)
NOW is the largest, most comprehensive feminist advocacy group in the United States.
- SIECUS – Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States
SIECUS affirms that sexuality is a fundamental part of being human, one that is worthy of dignity and respect. SIECUS advocates for the right of all people to accurate information, comprehensive education about sexuality, and sexual health services.
- The Change agency
Is an independent activist education initiative that works with community organisers and activists in the Australia Pacific region to help people win social and environmental change.
- The F-Bomb
The FBomb.org is a blog/community created for teenage girls who care about their rights as women and want to be heard.
- The Feminist Ezine
1001 Feminist links & other interesting topics
- The World's Women Online
Electronically art networking project. It focuses on the vast resource of women's experience & culture. Showcases imagery by over 1,000 professional artiste from 64 different countries.
- United Nations Development Fund for Women
Provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women's empowerment and gender equality.
- United Nations WomenWatch
WomenWatch is the central gateway to information and resources on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women throughout the United Nations system.
- Women For Women International
Provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. Changing the world one woman at a time!
- Women, Law & Development International
Based in the U.S., WLDI promotes women's full and equal participation in nations around the world.
- WomenKIND
WOMANKIND Worldwide is the only UK development agency that has at its heart support for women's economic, social and political equality.
- Women's Human Rights Resource Program
WHRR collects, organizes and disseminates information on women's human rights law to facilitate research, teaching and cooperation.
- Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice
The Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice is an international women's human rights organization advocating for gender-inclusive justice and working towards an effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC).
- Women's institute for Leadership Development in Human Rights
Through the leadership of women, it engages in documentation and advocacy, training, and partner with individuals, communities and institutions to implement human rights standards in order to address multiple forms of discrimination.
- Women's International Perspective
WIP is the global source for women's perspectives. It reports news, world opinion, and commentary and community blog. Hoping to provide quality articles from the unique perspectives of women, accessible worldwide, and free to readers.
- Young Feminist Wire
The Wire is a space for young feminists – especially young women – working on women's rights and gender equality around the world to connect, learn and share information.
Local Resources
- A state of ambivalence: the feminist movement in Singapore
This Book looks at feminism in Singapore and AWARE
- Action For AIDS
Formed in 1988, AFA is a voluntary community based organisation dedicated to providing support and assistance to People living with HIV and AIDS and also increasing awareness and education about HIV/AIDS-related issues.
Inspired by UNIFEM's National Committee, Singapore, aidha is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to 'enriching lives through financial education
- American Women's Association
Founded in 1935, the American Women's Association is a vibrant and active women's group for all nationalities which provides a wide variety of activities and events for approximately 1200 members, and join with the wider Singapore community through our vo
- Asian Women's Welfare Association
AWWA was established in 1970 to empower the disadvantaged through programmes for the elderly, disabled & families
- Association of Women Doctors (Singapore)
Aiming to enhance the professional development and well-being of its members in the medical and dental profession by providing a social platform for networking and communication.
- Breastfeeding Mother's Support Group
The only organization in Singapore that promotes, supports and protects breastfeeding by mothers to mothers
- Careermums
- Financial Women's Association of Singapore
To promote and advance the standard of professionalism in the financial service industry with special emphasis on the role and development of women.
- Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME)
HOME attends to the special needs of foreign communities
- Indian Women's Association
IWA of Singapore is a non-profit organization under the patronage of the High Commission of India. Founded in 1998, it comprises of a large exclusive member body representative of both the expatriate and the local Indian Community.
- International Business Women's Association
Helps working women in Singapore to advance their careers and professions.
- MARUAH Singapore
To inform and facilitate, from a Singaporean perspective, the establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
- Primetime Business & Professional Women's Association
To enhance the personal and professional growth of our members.
- Singapore Association of Social Workers
To advance social work as a profession and foster a high standard of social work in the country.
- Singapore Association of Women's Lawyers
To advance opportunities for women in industry, business, education and the professions; To press for laws for the advancement and protection of women and children.
- Singapore Council of Women's Organisation
Coordinating body for women's associations in Singapore.
- TWC2 – Transient Workers Count Too
TWC2 is committed to encouraging greater consideration for migrant workers in Singapore and promoting good employer-employee relations
- United Nations Development Fund for Women (Singapore Chapter)
UNIFEM focuses its work at the country level within the context of the United Nations Resident Coordinator System. Playing a strong advocacy role, the Fund concentrates on fostering a multilateral policy dialogue on women's empowerment.
- We Are Aware
Community site run by AWARE volunteers
- Women's Initiative for Ageing Successfully (WINGS)
WINGS is a non-profit centre especially for women aged 40 and older.
An independent feminist organisation committed to improving the lives of women in Malaysia
- Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
ARHP is a different kind of medical association. Our members define reproductive health in broad terms and recognize that the best health care is delivered through a team of professionals partnering with an informed patient.
- Center for Reproductive Rights
The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill.
- Centre for Asia Pacific Women in Politics
The Center for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) is a non-partisan, non-profit and non-governmental regional organization (NGO) dedicated to promoting equal participation of women in politics and decision-making. CAPWIP was established in 1992 by a
- Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action
CREA is a feminist human rights organization based in the global South and led by women from the global South. CREA promotes, protects, and advances women's human rights and the sexual rights of all people.
Based in the Philippines, ISIS is a feminist NGO committed to creating spaces within information and communications structures and systems, that promote the many voices of women.
- IWRAW Asia Pacific
By making the link with activism taking place at the international level, IWRAW Asia Pacific expected to promote an effective flow of information on the CEDAW Convention between the local and the global levels.
- Malaysian AIDS Council
The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) was established in 1992 to serve as an umbrella organisation to support and coordinate the efforts of organisations working on HIV/AIDS issues in Malaysia. MAC, in partnership with government agencies, private sector
- Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia
RRAAM was formed in 2007 to inform, educate and advocate on these reproductive rights. It comprises of NGOs and individuals committed to promoting women´s access to reproductive rights and services.
- Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN)
SWAN is a founding member of the Women's League of Burma (WLB), an umbrella women's organization comprising eleven women's groups from Burma.
- Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues
TARSHI works towards expanding sexual and reproductive choices in people's lives in an effort to enable them to enjoy lives of dignity, freedom from fear, infection and reproductive and sexual health problems.
- Tenaganita
The main activities of Tenaganita are aimed at empowering sex workers, migrants, and female workers in plantations and factories in Malaysia.
- The Asian Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW)
Based in Kuala Lumpur, ARROW is a regional non-profit and non-governmental organisation concerned with ensuring that development policies and plans influencing women's health status included women's and gender perspectives.
- TWC2 – Transient Workers Count Too
TWC2 is committed to encouraging greater consideration for migrant workers in Singapore and promoting good employer-employee relations
- Women's Aid Organization
An independent, non-religious, non-governmental organization committed to confronting violence against women in Malaysia.
- Women's Education for Advancement and Empowerment (WEAVE)
WEAVE works in partnership with ethnic minority people on Thai-Burma border believing that the empowerment of women and development of their status benefits the whole community.
Websites in Chinese
- All Eye Shot 两性视野
All Eye Shot brings together domestic and overseas female and male scholars to share their concerns and insights on topics such as global changes in gender relations and development of gender culture locally in China.
- China Women's Net 中国妇女网
This is the official website of the All China Women's Federation, the main national machinery for women.
- Equal Opportunities Commission website 平等机会委员会(香港)
EOC is committed to promoting diversity, equality and fostering an inclusive society where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
- Gender and Development in China Network 社会性别与发展在中国
The Gender and Development (GAD) in China Network formed in 2000, and set up this website in 2001.
- State Council National Working Committee on Women and Children 国务院妇女儿童工作委员会
An official government website on women and gender. Its contents include the national mechanism for women's advancement, official documents, policy and law, China Women's Development Program and its implementation and monitoring database.
- The Association for the Advancement of Feminism 新妇女协进会
A non-profit organization started in 1984, its main activities are: Policy Advocacy and Networking, Resources Development, Research and Publication, and Sex Discrimination Hotline for Women.
- Western Women (Women of Western China) 西部女性
The Shaanxi Research Association for Women and Family, an NGO founded in 1986, established this site. The four fields the Association focuses on are: rural women's development, legal aid, domestic violence, and gender training.
- Women and Gender Research Net 妇女与社会性别研究网
The project on 'Developing Chinese Women's and Gender Studies', run by the Women's Studies Centre of Tianjin Normal University established this website. It shows the situation of curriculum development of women's and gender Studies in mainland China.
- Women's Watch China 妇女观察网
It promotes gender mainstreaming into law-making through law review and thematic study, strategic law suits to promote legal reforms, and training and advocacy of relevant groups. It also presents news of such work, and notable cases and issues.


text:
Rushmore Academy director Frank Volenik, who retired in June, was appointed to the Marion City Schools Board of Education in August.
- Filed Under
The county's largest school district has mostly former teachers on its board of education, while two other districts now have retired teachers on their boards.
At least one refers to it as "paying it forward." Several others say their expertise can help the boards make decisions with students' best interest in mind.
The River Valley Local Schools Board of Education appointed Cheryl Slack, who retired in 2012 after 31 years as a River Valley teacher, to fill the vacant seat of Katie Chivington. ...


text:
I can't think of a better day to acknowledge just some of the great achievements of African American inventors.
Otis Boykin
A prolific inventor throughout the 50's, 60's, 70's and until the day he died in 1982. Boykin specialized in electronics, earning several patents in the development of resistors. His 1961 electrical resistor was a breakthrough for IBM, hearty enough and reliable enough to be used in computing. Perahps his greatest invention was the control unit used in pacemakers. Ironically, Boykin died of a heart attack.
Mark Dean
Dean is one of the most prominent black inventors in modern technology. Out of the original nine patents IBM filed in the invention of the PC, Dean holds three of them.
Shirley Jackson
Her patents were instrumental in the development of such breakthrough technologies as the touch tone phone, caller ID and call waiting.
John Henry Thompson
First there were only programming languages in computing that enabled white fonts on a black screen, later a blue screen. Thompson's invention of the programming language "Lingo" enabled those first generations of graphics and animations that made computers a visual medium. Without Thompson, the Internet would be a very boring place today.
Lonnie Johnson
Johnson accumulated more than 40 patents during his years working for the U.S. Air Force and Nasa. He worked on both the Mars Observer project and Galileo Jupiter Probe. However, his more lucrative and most famous claim to fame is undoubtedly an invention we've all heard of: the Super Soaker.
Charles Richard Drew
Drew co-founded the first U.S. blood bank and developed standards for international blood donation and storage.
Rufus Weaver
Weaver invented a wheelchair that climbs stairs.
L.P. Ray
Back in 1897, Ray invented something called a dustpan. That's right! Before Ray, everyone just swept their dirt out the door.
A.C. Richardson
Richardson filed his most famous patents back in the 1890's: the butter churn and a casket lowering device still used in the funeral business today.
If you're looking for a dose of good ole American entrepreneurship and the inspiring dogged pursuit to achieve, look no further than the list above.
Happy Birthday, Dr. King. We'll keep dreaming.


text:
The grilled salmon at Logans is on its two-for-$14.99 menu. / Logans Roadhouse Communications
Age: 59
Occupation: Missouri State University custodian
Dish nominated: Salmon
Quote: They seem to get it just right.
Chew on this
What: Logans Roadhouse
Address: 1110 E. Battlefield Road
Phone: 417-882-0494
Cuisine: Steakhouse/roadhouse
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Price range: under $20
Accepts: Cash, major credit cards
Reservations: not necessary
Services: takeout
Parking: on-site
Seating capacity: 237
Family friendly: kids menu, high chairs, booster seats
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Alcohol: full bar
Smoking: no
The American roadhouse has a distinct feel, and most patrons know what to expect: the peanuts on the floor, the delicious, warm rolls and meat galore.
Reader Debra Wolfe, though, appreciates Logans Roadhouses salmon dish and its special pricing of two entrees for $14.99.
Debra's Take
Logans $14.99 deal works well for Debra, because she and her daughter have a tradition of eating at Logans when her son-in-law works late.
Her daughter comes over, and the meal deal is the best dinner for them. Shes enjoyed the dish for over two years.
Shes also a part of a singles group that frequents Logans on Friday nights. They usually have a pretty good turnout when its scheduled here, she says.
A creature of habit, Debra always gets the salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, a flavor her daughter introduced to her. Its got a tang to it, she says of the dressing. She asks for balsamic vinaigrette at other restaurants now, too.
For an appetizer, Debra chooses the Southwest Shrimp ($7.99). The appetizer comes with a skewer of seasoned, blackened shrimp, bean and corn salsa and tortilla chips. Shes surprised at how spicy the shrimp is.
It does have a kick to it, but its good, she says. The shrimp is kind of a wake-up.
The salsa and tortilla chips are an unexpected treat, and Debra enjoys the salsas fresh flavor.
Debras a fan of salmon, but the grilled flavor of Logans makes it a favorite. I automatically get it every time I come here, she says.
On another visit, she saw large bags of wood that her server confirmed were for cooking. That gives it its flavor, she tells me.
Though she often orders her salmon with a sweet potato as a side, tonight she decides on the grilled vegetable skewer, which also has the signature Logans grill flavor.
For dessert, Debra chooses the strawberry cheesecake mini bucket. This dessert comes in a small Logans Roadhouse peanut bucket.
Getting cheesecake is a no-brainer. I like cheesecake too well, she jokes. And the Logans mini bucket gives her flavor without too much. This is just the right size.
Katie's Take
When I leave Logans Roadhouse after our meal, Im shocked to think that the theme for my three-course meal could easily be healthy fare.
At a roadhouse? Yep.
I know. Those places tend to fill me up so much that I need a wheelbarrow to get out the door, but tonights selections were actually quite light.
The shrimp appetizer isnt large, and were each able to enjoy three spicy shrimp. I cant believe how much a little shrimp has me reaching for my water glass. Those things really do have a kick.
The best part of the appetizer is the bean and corn salsa, as it has chunks of fresh avocados. Id be happy with just an appetizer of the salsa with chips.
Off the two-for-$14.99 menu, I opt for the teriyaki sirloin with grilled vegetable skewers and sweet potato fries. When the meal arrives, I see its just the right size, and I wont stuff myself.
The 6-ounce steak has great grill flavor, and I especially love the sweet teriyaki sauce and pineapple that cover it. I get grilled onions over my steak and decide that was the right choice. I could easily eat a bowl of these onions; they give the meal so much flavor.
My grilled vegetables also have the same grilled flavor that Debra raves about. The sweet and crispy sweet potato fries are a highlight of the meal, and I find that I eat them all, simply because theyre delicious. Id recommend ordering the sweet potato fries with any of Logans dishes.
We ate light, but I still want a little something sweet, so the mini buckets call to me. I choose the Nutter Butter one.
What could possibly be better than chocolate mousse covered with a Nutter Butter filling?
Not much, I find out.
The chocolate and peanut butter dessert hits the spot, and for $2.29, a meal at Logans Roadhouse isnt complete without one.
The dish, the restaurant
Heather MacDonald, of Logans Roadhouse Communications, says that many customers enjoy the two-for-$14.99 menu, like Debra and I did.
Our two full meals offer can be a better value than dining at home, she says. This meal offer reflects our companys purpose of creating a unique experience that is so great and affordable that our guests will want to eat with us more often.
Though there are other roadhouses in the area, MacDonald says Logans is known for its mesquite-grilled steaks and a moderately priced menu.
Steaks are hand-cut on site, and Logans has other specialties like baby-back ribs and freshly ground steak burgers as well.
MacDonald also cites the restaurants lively atmosphere, via email: Logans Roadhouse revisits the classic roadhouse from days past and brings it to life in a modern way through its welcoming hospitality, attentive service and kickin upbeat atmosphere.
Roadhouses can be expensive, and if youre short on cash or searching for a deal, Logans menu fits the bill.


text:
Contribution of transcriptional regulation to natural variations in Arabidopsis
1 Torrey Mesa Research Institute, Syngenta Research and Technology, 3115 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
2 Diversa Corporation, 4955 Directors Place, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
3 Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, 1101 W. Peabody, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
4 Syngenta Biotechnology, 3054 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
5 Institut für Allgemeine Botanik, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany
Genome Biology 2005, 6:R32 doi:10.1186/gb-2005-6-4-r32Published: 15 March 2005
Genetic control of gene transcription is a key component in genome evolution. To understand the transcriptional basis of natural variation, we have studied genome-wide variations in transcription and characterized the genetic variations in regulatory elements among Arabidopsis accessions.
Among five accessions (Col-0, C24, Ler, WS-2, and NO-0) 7,508 probe sets with no detectable genomic sequence variations were identified on the basis of the comparative genomic hybridization to the Arabidopsis GeneChip microarray, and used for accession-specific transcriptome analysis. Two-way ANOVA analysis has identified 60 genes whose mRNA levels differed in different accession backgrounds in an organ-dependent manner. Most of these genes were involved in stress responses and late stages of plant development, such as seed development. Correlation analysis of expression patterns of these 7,508 genes between pairs of accessions identified a group of 65 highly plastic genes with distinct expression patterns in each accession.
Genes that show substantial genetic variation in mRNA level are those with functions in signal transduction, transcription and stress response, suggesting the existence of variations in the regulatory mechanisms for these genes among different accessions. This is in contrast to those genes with significant polymorphisms in the coding regions identified by genomic hybridization, which include genes encoding transposon-related proteins, kinases and disease-resistance proteins. While relatively fewer sequence variations were detected on average in the coding regions of these genes, a number of differences were identified from the upstream regions, several of which alter potential cis-regulatory elements. Our results suggest that nucleotide polymorphisms in regulatory elements of genes encoding controlling factors could be primary targets of natural selection and a driving force behind the evolution of Arabidopsis accessions.


text:
Home |
Contact |
Join Us |
This hotel enjoys a fantastic setting just off Barcelona?s focal point of Plaça Catalunya, on the grand, chic thoroughfare of Passeig de Gracia. It is designed for the young, international traveller. The central location allows you to easily explore this bustling city with its unique attractions. Two of Gaudís?s most famous works ? Casa Battló and La Pedrera ? are found on the same street as the hostel and friendly staff can provide information on whichever of the city?s sights you would like to see. The hotel itself is housed in an example of the city?s ?Modernisme? style. Onsite you will find a large bar area where you will meet many other fellow travellers.
Book Online - No Booking Fee Book online pay at the hotel Instant Confirmation
Barcelona Int.
8.26 miles
Barcelona Hotels © 2015 hotelandguesthouse.com
Home |
Spain | Europe | All Hotels in Barcelona


text:
November 28, 2015
Boris, the Dallas Zoo's only lion, dies at 17
DALLAS (AP) - Dallas Zoo officials say Boris, a 415-pound
African lion, has died.
The 17-year-old animal died yesterday. He was the only lion at
the zoo.
X-rays showed multiple growth's in the lion's chest cavity, and
the zoo's veterinary staff spotted what they think was a large
cancerous mass pressing against his stomach and lungs.
A necropsy will determine the official cause of death.
Boris was born at the Houston Zoo in June 1990 and moved to the
Dallas Zoo in 1997. Lions live an average of 15 years in the wild.
The zoo plans to show lions in the future but have no immediate
plans to replace Boris.
Information from The Dallas Morning News: www.dallasnews.com
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
- Be the first to Review
Your rating for Minopolis
Review of Minopolis
Family Review of Minopolis
Editor Tips & Helpful Hints
- Amazing fun for kids, where they can immerse themselves in a virtual city with real jobs as anything from a bank teller, fireman, or pizza chef. German is the main language here, but most jobs are language-independent (plus trained supervisors often speak some English).
- Adults are not allowed to enter the different work zones but can supervise from the sidelines (or kick back with a coffee and bagel in the adjoining snack bars). A great way for kids to explore, play, and learn freely,
- Minopolis is closed on Mondays and reserved for school groups on other weekday mornings.
Cineplexx Reichsbrücke, Wagramerstraße 2
Cineplexx Reichsbrücke, Wagramerstraße 2
Parking: 2pm to 7pm weekdays, 10am to 7pm weekends.
Price: Weekdays: Children: 8 euro, adults: 4 euros; Weekends - Children 10 euros, adults 5 euros (prices vary)
Visitor Information
Telephone Number: 0810 970 270
Website: http://www.minopolis.at
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Transportation: U1 subway line, Donauinsel stop
Price Information: Weekdays: Children: 8 euro, adults: 4 euros; Weekends - Children 10 euros, adults 5 euros (prices vary)
The details, dates, and prices mentioned here were accurate at the time of publication.
Review by Away Copyright © 2010 Away.com all rights reserved.
- Vienna, Austria Hotel Prices Made Easy
Orbitz.com - Just Orbitz and go!
- Hotel Deals in Vienna, Austria
Expedia.com - Don't just travel. Travel right!
- Book Now with Cheap Tickets and Save on Vienna, Austria Hotels!
CheapTickets.com - Just click. You're there.
- Find the best rates for hotels in Vienna, Austria
Kayak.com - Life's a trip.


text: At Mor Art you will find a large exclusive selection of fine digital and photographic canvas art prints in a wide variety of colours to suit any setting. If we dont have what you are looking for please contact us and we will try our best to accommodate you. Enjoy your browsing experience. ;-)


text:
From Joe Lambe and Bob Cronkleton:
One person is dead following a physical altercation at an Olathe park this morning. It happened at about 5:30 a.m. at Mill Creek Park at North Woodland and East Poplar streets.
When police arrived, they found two men injured. Both were taken to a hospital, where one, a 53-year-old Olathe resident, was pronounced dead. Police have the other person, a 43-year-old Kansas City man, in custody.
Police ask anyone with information to call 913-782-0720 or the TIPS hotline at 816-474-8477.


text:
Please take time to see if you can give me advise on how to incorporate my zoom g2.1dm pedal into my pedal board. I love some of the patches on The zoom,problem being there is no bypass on the zoom to take it out of the loop, should I used a A/B switch or do you have a better suggestion.Also if I put the pedal into my pedal train ,where should this be placed . Any suggestions ,help will be greatly appreciated . Thanks. Shane
I'd build my total sound around it, adding additional pedals as needed. I see units like the Zoom as the effects hub of a signal chain, the spot where you organize the sounds you need and call them up with the stomp of a foot, rather than hitting multiple pedals.
You can switch the unit in and out of your pedal chain using a true bypass loop box.
Take a look at the switch boxes here:
Here's one I covered for 30 Pedals in 30 Days : The Noose by Vein-Tap.com
Another company I go to for switching gear is Radial:
http://www.tonebone.com/tb-loopbone.htm or
And VoodooLab:
I happen to own all of the above - and they all work equally well.
Vein-Tap for quick simple & affordable. Radial for pro gear - simple Loop. Voodoo for multi-loop functionality (turn on/off up to 4 loops).
Hope that helps!
Most Users Ever Online: 307
Currently Online:
9 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
Bruce: 1185
The Tone King: 1070
The Grin: 462
nght5tlkr: 410
Snake_bite75: 324
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 2
Members: 704
Moderators: 0
Admins: 1
Forum Stats:
Groups: 5
Forums: 23
Topics: 1380
Posts: 9826
Newest Members: Chebon, BobZilla, 3Eyed, DMichaelJohnson, vaultpress, battbren
Administrators: admin: 129


text:
Academic Departments
Below is a list of Academic Departments websites maintained by faculty members and providing a look inside our Academic Program. This list does not represent all of our Academic Departments, nor all of our Majors and Minors. For a complete list and further information on all Academic Programs, please visit Majors, Minors and Special Academic Offerings.


text:
Replacing Lost Abilities with a Robot
Page 2 of 2
But despite getting a lot out of using the robot, Evans cannot yet be left alone with PR2. "The first time that he wanted to scratch his nose, we were scared," admits Cousins. Engineers need to be on hand at all times, he says, because of the robot's rudimentary awareness and Evans's vulnerability if something went wrong. "There's a lot more work to do there to get it to a point where he could do things like scratch or shave on his own," he says.
Making the robot safe enough to be left alone with Evans will require it to respond to commands more intelligently, and to cope with unexpected problems—such as a person getting in its way.
Some of these refinements are already in development. Willow Garage engineers, and a researcher from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, recently developed software that enables the robot to figure out for itself how to best grasp an object (see video).
Despite the challenges, Willow Garage's state-of-the-art hardware shows the potential of robots as helpers for disabled people, says Rajiv Dubey, a professor in the Rehabilitation Robotics group at the University of South Florida. His research group is working on a robotic arm that attaches to a wheelchair and has experimented with allowing completely paralyzed people to operate robots using brain-computer interfaces.
Fortunately, robots don't need to have human-level intelligence to help people like Evans. "You don't need everything to be autonomous," says Dubey. "You have a human in the loop, and you can combine that person's cognitive abilities with the robot's computational ones."
In the future, this could mean that the person in charge of a robot will help it by indicating exactly where it should stand, or how to grip something. Other times, the robot will help—for instance, by preventing liquid from being spilled when the person takes direct control of the robot's arm in order to sip from a cup.


text:
For years, cruise ships have offered nearly free cruises to presentable men who know how to dance. They're often called "gentlemen hosts," and their obligation is to dance with unaccompanied women aboard the ship each evening. Now women have been invited to join the club, at least at one cruise line.
Crystal Cruises is adding two women hosts to the four male hosts it usually has aboard its ships. A sailing of the Crystal Symphony from Lisbon to Miami will offer a "Ballroom at Sea" cruise departing Oct. 5th. That'll be the first cruise with co-ed hosts.
The cruise line knows there are always more single women aboard then single men, but Crystal tested out the concept of having a woman or two available to dance or participate in on-board dancing lessons. And the cruise line found it worked.
Want to be a host? You might want to start by talking with a company called Compass Speakers. It seeks men between the ages of 40 and 68 who know how to dance and who are good "minglers," as the company calls them.
For a nominal fee of $30 a day, you'll receive accommodations and food, laundry privileges, and other benefits including permission to accept tips. You'll undergo a battery of interviews. No one with two, left feed need apply, and no after-hours fraternizing with the guests is permitted.


text:
Jan 2, 2012 11:45 AM
Well, if you couldn't be bothered to write the whole word, at least we'll give you props for sending a card and not a text.
Thx Note Card ($3).
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us, sign up for email updates, grab our RSS feed, and check out:


text:
So Shimon Peres has supposedly sent a "peace message" to Iran - the same Iran he characterized as "spoiled" and "morally corrupt" just a couple months ago. And at the same time, he threatens to bomb the very same people unless they give up their sovereign rights, and he has his agents in AIPAC pushing for sanctions that have to date prevented Iranians from getting cancer treatment or flying safely in their airliners, and he has also been recruiting terrorists to murder innocent people in Iran.
Sorry Shimon, I don't think the "elder statesman" schtick is working.
What chutzpa.


text:
Gini, you are fantastic! You are always at the top of my go-to list; whether for professional and/or personal guidance. If not for Twitter, I might have never had the pleasure of meeting you. Though life keeps us busy, I truly enjoy meeting up IRL. It's always a great time!
Each day, I look forward to reading your tweets and blog posts, as so many of your loyal followers do. Your perspective is top notch and we all have learned a lot from you. You've certainly raised my street cred exponentially! ;) Thank you, friend. Your kind words mean a lot.


text:
Secrets of the Southern Bell, Phaedra Parks
Celebrities have seen more, dated more, experienced more and suffered more than the average person, so who better to write advice books than those who have come away from fame relatively unscathed?
Our roundup starts with Atlanta's resident southern belle, Phaedra Parks. In her new book, out Nov. 12, the Real Housewives of Atlanta star offers her quintessential tips on everything from fashion tips to what to look for in a gentleman suitor. Don't be surprised if you pick up her sweet, southern drawl by the time you finish reading.
The Message: With the right preparation, you'll never have an off-moment.
(Photo: Gallery Books)
Soulful Holiday Recipes Brought to you by Glory Foods11/19/2015
Picture Perfect: Evan's and Ashlee's Love Story11/17/2015
Undercover Lovers: FKA Twigs and Robert Pattinson11/16/2015
When Stars and Their Kids Hit the Pumpkin Patch10/23/2015
For The Love of You: Relationship Goals09/20/2015
Snapshot: How Stars Spent Their Summer Vacation08/26/2015
Beyoncé Flash Tattoos Are the New Ink08/09/2015
Stars Who've Posed for PETA07/27/2015
Celebrity Diner's Club: Instagram Edition07/27/2015
Lawry's Does Summer Flavor Right07/27/2015
Make Bolder Chicken With Help From Lawry's07/27/2015
Lawry's Does Summer: Fast, Easy, Flavorful07/27/2015
Michelle Obama Takes Let Girls Learn Initiative to Europe06/22/2015
Give Large: Most Epic Celebrity Gifts06/14/2015
Forbes Names World's Most Powerful Women05/27/2015
7 Ways to Feel Yourself05/25/2015
Top 10 Hottest Summer Travel Apps05/20/2015
Kim, North and Kanye West Take Armenia04/13/2015
8 Reasons to Love Spring03/31/2015
Michelle Obama Goes Global for Let Girls Learn Initiative03/23/2015
Big Sean and Ariana Grande's Cutest Couple Moments03/10/2015
Draya Michele Takes Jamaica02/04/2015
Wanderlust: 2015 Top Travel Destinations02/02/2015
Bobbi Kristina and Nick: Their Relationship in Photos02/01/2015
Stars Light Up Sundance Film Festival01/28/2015
VIP Scene: Art Basel Miami12/08/2014
Solange Knowles Shares Photos From Brazilian Honeymoon12/01/2014
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend Take South Africa11/25/2014
8 Things to Know About a New Orleans Second Line Parade11/24/2014
What's Cooking With Chrissy Teigen?11/20/2014
Celebs Celebrate Fall With Their Adorable Little Pumpkins10/27/2014
How the Carters Do the Louvre10/14/2014
A Look Back at North West's First Year09/25/2014
Straight Chillin': Stars Take On the Ice Bucket Challenge08/25/2014
Celebrities Support 'Because of Them, We Can' Movement08/23/2014
Sun Worshippers: Celebs Share Their Summer Getaways08/18/2014


text:
The Bots are looking to establish rock cred with their new album
LOS ANGELES — The Bots aren't old enough to drink, but they've already played some of the biggest festivals in the world, including the Warped Tour, Glastonbury, South by Southwest, CMJ and, most recently, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Brothers Mikaiah, 20, and Anaiah, 17, Lei may still live with their parents, but that doesn't mean this Glendale, Calif., skate punk outfit hasn't paid its dues.
Since forming in 2006 — Anaiah was in the fifth grade — the brothers have issued an album and three EPs, opened for Bad Brains, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Tenacious D, and had Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz namedrop them as one of his favorites.
Currently in the studio finishing up their debut album on the Fader label — they hope to release it as early as May, but likely summer — the Leis will play Bonnaroo in June before a European trek.
We sat down with the Bots, who just wrapped a day of recording in Hollywood, for a conversation about rock ambitions, perceptions and touring.
Q: How is the record coming along?
Mikaiah: It's been a long four months. We've taken our time. If we worked on things, like straight music. ... We goof off and watch YouTube videos between songs.
Anaiah: (Laughs) Or we're eating a lot of food. And going to the corner store.
Q: You guys started a band in grade school. What was the goal then?
A: There was no goal at the time; I liked the idea that I wanted to become a musician.
M: I wanted to be a musician too.
A: (Interrupts) Yeah, we thought it would happen someday ... but it became a lot more serious. We weren't keeping up with it. I didn't realize we were doing what we were doing until we were on tour already doing shows.
Q: The attention must have been unnerving as the gigs got bigger. How did you deal?
M: It hit me a bit weird. But I say it's a natural flow to things. It happened within the time it should have. If things happened faster, I don't know, things would be different.
Q: Ever feel overwhelmed by it all?
M: (Pauses) It's good to have a team of people to organize things. I'm very thankful for it. It's amazing to have a bunch of people to help make things easier. It's a lot different from when we first started. We never envisioned such a grand outcome, and we are only at the very bottom of things.
Q: Have nerves ever gotten the best of you?
A: The only time we felt ... not nervous, but weird, was playing that hip-hop show. We were on a complete hip-hop bill opening up for ASAP Mob, Casey Veggies and Schoolboy Q. We were like, "Wait a minute, what are we doing here?"
Q: Is that common, people making an assumption that you're rappers?
M: We'd show up to venues and people would ask, "Are you guys rappers? You do hip-hop?" And we'd say no, we're a band. (It's) racist. It's an issue of people judging your music off your color. We're half-Chinese, half-black. I don't think people should look at your color and say, "You're going to play this kind of music because you're a little bit browner than me and you wear a baseball cap or something."
Q: What about when you play rock shows?
M: We've also showed up at a metal fest and been the only rock band. But even then, people have really great response. We were two brown kids and they probably thought we were gonna rap.
Q: What does the new album mean for the Bots? Have you thought about that?
A: I hope it takes us to new ground. That it opens up new crowds and different doors to new places ...
M: (Finishing his brother's thought) ... and age groups. I'm very proud of the music on the new album. It's got so much more than we thought we could produce ourselves and that's a big jump from what we first cut. I feel like this is a good launch for us.
A: For a while people would just categorize us into a certain genre. They'd say we're just punk-blues or a punk-rock band. We may play punk, but we are a rock band. It's definitely going to change the way people assume.
M: It will be a proper rock 'n' roll album.
Subscribe to the San Angelo Standard-Times
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-304-7763.
Monday-Friday: 6am-8pm / Saturday: 6am-12pm / Sunday: 6am-1pm


text:
Digital detox
If the Caribbean is more your scene, you can enjoy a "digital detox" holiday on the island of St Vincent and the Grenadines through the tour company Black Tomato. You will be relieved of any phones, laptops and iPads on the boat to your hotel and be urged to "tune out and switch off, de-stress and de-tech". The only thing that might put you off (or count as a plus, for that matter) is the presence of a life coach – in case you find the adjustment too difficult to cope with.
From £2,967 per person for nine days; blacktomato.com
Suggested by Dan Kieran


text:
SMASH! is available for private parties and events
SMASH! is available for private functions and ping pong themed parties. Contact us today to schedule your next company outing or fundraiser.
The best ping pong Denver has to offer
SMASH! is Denver's - and perhaps the nation's - biggest ping pong party. In addition to having over 26 tables available for recreational and tournament play there are plenty of paddles, balls, sweatbands, beer and cocktails for all to be had. Bring friends, book a party, play at one of our singles' tables or challenge the SMASH! pros for a bar tab.
Complete with Denver's premier sound and light system (and a great soundtrack), SMASH! is a rock-n-roll ping pong experience unlike any other.
Get your weekly ping pong fix at Zing
For you hardcore ping-pong enthusiasts you can still get your your weekly ping-pong fix at Zing, located at the EXDO Hall. Visit Zing's website for more information.


text:
Just because of the functionality provided by the modern kitchen table, many families want to have it these days. Modern kitchen tables can be used for dining as well as preparing food and these two things cause too much of wear and tear. This is the reason why your kitchen table looks old and ugly after some time. To restore the beauty of your table, refinishing would be a great idea. This will also save your money since you won't need to purchase another new table. All you got to do is refinish it perfectly to make it look beautiful one again. The old small kitchen table can become a modern kitchen table and give a new look to your kitchen.
When you start refinishing your kitchen table you need to have a chemical stripper first. You should gently brush thick chemical stripper on the table's surface. Before applying the stripper you should read the instruction first carefully, so that you know how much is right for your modern kitchen table. Let it be on the table for a couple of minutes. After a while, you should take it out using paint scraper or a knife. You should continue this process until the chemical stripper completely goes off your table.
After that process, you should sand the surface of the table carefully with a grit fine sand paper and a sanding block. This will make your table smooth again. You can wipe your table with a soft cloth to clean the surface, once you are done with sanding. Finally, use a wood stain to paint your modern kitchen table and you will see the beauty of your table back. You can use polyurethane on your table for the finishing touch to make it look shiny and new again. Let the table dry completely, before you make use of it. A few days ago your table was like an eyesore in the corner of your kitchen but today it is a great modern kitchen table for your breakfast and meal and the whole family will definitely love the new look and feel.
Modern kitchen tables are beneficial to your home in many ways. They are comparatively inexpensive and give a cozy look at the same time. They just fit into any corner of your kitchen, your family can sit together on this table for eating and it can also be an excellent working space.


text:
The Outdoor Program
Vantage Rock Climbing Trip
Let's climb! Seasoned climbers and folks brand new to the sport alike will love escaping the overcast Olympia weather to head east of the mountains and spend a long weekend rock climbing and soaking up the sun at one of Washington's premier rock climbing locations! TOP staff will ensure a safe, comfortable experience for all skill levels, no experience is necessary. Equipment provided by TOP. Bring a sack lunch for the drive up and snacks for the weekend. All other meals are provided.
Mandatory Pre-Trip Meeting: 11/6/12
Instructors: TBA
Date: 11/10/12 - 11/12/12
Location: Vantage, WA
Time: 6am (Saturday) - 8pm (Monday)
Itinerary: We will depart the F- Lot at 6 AM, arriving in Vantage by around 10 AM. We will set up camp and orient everyone to the area, then break off into groups depending on interest and skill level and climb and relax for the rest of the weekend. We will depart Vantage by around 4 PM, arriving back on campus at or before 8 PM.
Participant Limits: 9
Expenses and Fees: $100
Registration Cutoff: 11/6/12


text:
Northern Lights Cedar Saunas
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Ph: 1-800-759-8990
Europe: +32 32487611
Email: email@example.com
Ph: 1-800-759-8990
Europe: +32 32487611
Request More Info
Indoor Saunas - Pre Fab Saunas
Our modular Indoor Sauna or also know as Hybrid SaunaTM use both a convection heater & infared heater to provide the most effective indoor sauna heating room on the market. This indoor sauna is ideal for 2-4 person's and because of its modular fabrication design, it can be assembled and disassembled very quickly. The Pre-Fab Sauna design uses the same cooperage ball and socket design that we use in all our barrel saunas and uses no screws. A Set of brushed stainless steel straps set this indoor sauna apart from the rest!!
Hybrid Indoor Sauna uses the benefits of infrared sauna heaters to directly heat the body while the convection heater causes the surrounding air to be heated. The radiant heating + convection heating warm the sauna bather and cause the body skin temperature to rise much quicker that both types of sauna methods would on their own. Optionally by adding steam to the rocks the sauna bather will further increases the humanity causing the bodies poors to open and sweat profusely.
A Hybrid SaunaTM will accomplish the same healing benefit of tractional saunas or infrared sauna in about 1/2 the time.
- indoor Sauna Seats 2-4 person
- 100% Clear Western Red Cedar from Canada 1 1/2" thick!
- Carbon Fiber Infrared panels for deep body tissue penetration
- Regular Finnish heaters to maintain ideal sauna temperature
- Can be used as a dry indoor sauna or a wet indoor sauna
- Quick modular assembly
Infrared Sauna Heater
Hybrid Heater Combo
Electric Sauna Heater
Recent Blogs
Feb 20, 2014
Message: We have an existing gas sauna but have had too many problems with it. Is it possible to turn it into an infrared sauna? Da Read More...
Jan 21, 2014
Message: We have an existing gas sauna but have had too many problems with it. Is it possible to turn it into an infrared sauna? Da Read More...
Jan 14, 2014
Message: Hi there, I have been looking at buying an outdoor sauna for our lake. I really like the style of you saunas. My questi Read More...
Nov 26, 2013
Message: Hi, we are thinking about getting a barrel sauna for our camp in the Adirondacks of NY. We are off the grid. Have a gene Read More...
Jul 26, 2013
Message: Hello, I'm wondering if you have a gas fired sauna stove? If not I think it would be a great idea. LP gas is readily available Read More...


text:
Allow Myself to Introduce...Myself
View Single Post
March 15 2006, 01:12 PM
Rear Admiral
Location: Citizen of the Kingdom of God (Living in Bargersville, IN)
Re: Allow Myself to Introduce...Myself
Hi, all... what can I say...
I got hooked on spaceflight thanks to my uncle, who worked on the IU (Instrument Unit) on the Saturn IB and Saturn V boosters for NASA. He lived on the Banana River and I got to go over as a child and watch mission launches. I was there for STS-7 (Sally Ride's first mission).
I have been a lifelong space-nut and am an amature astronomer with Binoculars, though I am looking to get a new telescope at some point (neither of my current units work worth a darn).
I am also here to worship the glory that is
, but if we can all keep that to ourselves, it would be less embarassing when she rejects me
"Purity in doctrine... Compassion in application."
View Public Profile
Send a private message to FatherRob
Visit FatherRob's homepage!
Find More Posts by FatherRob


text:
City starts clock on Hideaway removal
September 4, 2013 — By Dave Schultz
The owner of the former Hideaway Lounge has until Sept. 12 to remove the debris from the site of the Nov. 14, 2011, fire.
The owner of a building to the west of the former bar has until Oct. 15 to prepare his structure to stand without support from what's left of the Hideaway.
Want to read the full article online? You may either:
- Login to your Bluffton News Banner account with a subscription
- Signup for an account and purchase a subscription from your profile.


text:
Modeling Skill level
- Beginner (5)
- Intermediate (1)
Modeling Software
- AutoCAD (6)
- Autodesk (6)
- AutoCAD LT (1)
Modeling Author
More options
Kicks off the AutoCAD 2014 Essentials series with a complete tour of the interface and the drawing features.
Start incorporating all the new features from AutoCAD 2014 into your CAD workflow, including command-line data access, georeferencing, and reality capture.
Explore the world of references—a tool that allows you to link and reuse external content in AutoCAD.
Shows how to create and edit text and dimensions in your drawings, and control the appearance of those annotations using styles.
Concentrates on the AutoCAD tools and features dedicated to organizing and editing geometry in this design program.
Concentrates on the particulars of creating basic geometry in AutoCAD, including drawing and editing lines and shapes.
"Your website has become a verb. I had a client tell me today that they were lynda.comming their way through learning new software. You've joined the ranks of Googling, Photoshopping, and Skyping!" —Jill W.
more from our members »


text:
A new irrigation system in Cao Bang Province, Viet Nam has transformed once dry fields into lush crops of maize and rice; a significant achievement in a place where people can go hungry for much of the year.
Without this New Zealand Aid Programme-funded irrigation system crops could not be watered during the dry season meaning only a single crop was grown annually as a result food supplies were scarce and children suffered high rates of malnutrition.
Farmers in Cao Bang would have to sell firewood or seek casual labour during the dry season to supplement their annual supply of maize and rice. Now, the completion of almost 3,500 metres of canals in the villages has allowed these farmers to grow a second crop during the dry season each year.
The New Zealand Aid Programme has contributed $1,374,782 to the three year Sustainable Development Fund grant for ChildFund New Zealand to partner with ChildFund Viet Nam and local community-based organisations in Cao Bang Province.
ChildFund Viet Nam is also collaborating with several Vietnamese research institutes, including the Maize Research Institute, the Rice Research Institution of the University of Agriculture, and the National Institute of Livestock Husbandry. In addition to the irrigation system Childfund Viet Nam is working with agriculture extension officers to teach almost 900 farmers in Cao Bang Province modern farming techniques.
In the first year of the project, trials of improved rice and maize cultivation increased yields by 40% and 50%, respectively. All households that tried the improved models for growing maize, rice and chickens decided to expand following the positive results.
Twenty-year-old Tam, one of the many young farmers who have tried new techniques on her family's land, said: "There are six people in my family. I joined ChildFund's agriculture training to learn new things. This year the project taught us how to grow rice. It was pretty hard for me at the beginning as I was not familiar with the techniques, and had limited knowledge. In the past, farmers like me did not know to transplant rice seedlings into rows; everyone used the local rice variety, which had low productivity. The results so far are quite positive. Although the harvest is not finished yet, I expect rice production to double. Garden chickens have helped increase my family income and our life is improving."
In the second and third years of the New Zealand Aid Programme funded activity, farmers will be taught improved practices for rearing pigs, and 420 young people will enter training courses following a local job market survey.


text:
Japanese financial institutions are snapping up overseas fund-management companies, as they search for ways to generate fee income with less risk than their traditional businesses.
Although Japan is a nation of savers, trillions of dollars are squirreled away in savings accounts, out of reach of fund-management companies. Financial companies are increasingly partnering with foreign companies to beef up their range of asset-management products in hopes of capturing those funds.
Tokyo-based Orix Corp.'s $2.6 billion purchase of Robeco NV from Dutch lender Rabobank, while the biggest acquisition of a foreign money manager by a Japanese company, is just the latest in a string of aggressive deal-making in the sector over the past two years.
Orix Corp. has just struck another deal in the U.S., a market no stranger to the Japanese financial services firm.
On Tuesday, Orix, the country's largest financial services and leasing company, said it has agreed to buy Rabobank Group's asset management unit, US.-listed Robeco, for about 1.94 billion euros ($2.6 billion).
Orix is known in the U.S. for acquiring boutique investment bank Houlihan Lokey in 2005 for around Y50 billion yen ($539 million). In 2010 it bought an 83% stake in Ohio-based Red Capital Group, a commercial-mortgage originator, as well as Mariner Investment Group, a hedge fund and alternative investment manager based in Harrison, N.Y.
Deal Journal is an up-to-the-minute take on the deals and deal makers that shape the landscape of Wall Street, including mergers and acquisitions, capital-raising, private equity and bankruptcy. In short, wherever money changes hands. Deal Journal is updated throughout each trading day with exclusive commentary, analysis, data, news flashes and profiles. The Wall Street Journal's David Benoit is the lead writer, with contributions from other Journal reporters and editors. Send news items, comments and questions to firstname.lastname@example.com.
In Asia, Deal Journal writers include Isabella Steger in Hong Kong and Gillian Tan in Sydney. They can be reached at email@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.com
Dealpolitik is Ronald Barusch's strategic look at deals currently making the headlines as well as the major forces at work in the deal-making world. He was a M&A lawyer with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom for over 30 years. He retired in 2010 after 25 years as a partner at the firm. Click here for his current and archived columns.
Content engaging our readers now, with additional prominence accorded if the story is rapidly gaining attention. Our WSJ algorithm comprises 30% page views, 20% Facebook, 20% Twitter, 20% email shares and 10% comments.