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The Southeastern Virginia Arts Association's (SEVAA) First Annual Black-Tie Honors Gala on March 26th in downtown Norfolk should be a lively affair.
("You say controversial, I say inspirational")
From the SEVAA's press release on the black tie affar:
This year also marks the first year of SEVAA's Annual Black Tie Honors Gala, which is organized to honor those individuals that have made significant contributions to the positive image and progress of African-American culture in the Hampton Roads community.
We are extremely proud to honor Attorney Carl C. La Mondue and NFL Superstar Michael D. Vick as our first annual honorees. Michael D. Vick has epitomized the meaning of "hero" not only by his unparalleled accomplishments on the gridiron, but more importantly, by his relentless resilience in overcoming the obstacles he has faced in his career, defying the odds and nay Sayers, and becoming a true example of life success for all to emulate.
So what's SEVAA's motivation for honoring such a controversial figure?
SEVAA President Michael Muhammad told WTKR-TV's Jummy Olabanji that he doesn't consider Vick controversial.
"Since he was released from federal custody, Michael has been more than an example of how to redirect your life after troubled times.
"You say controversial, I say inspirational."Â
But from additional details provided by WVEC-TV in Norfolk and WTKR, SEVAA's first-ever 'Black-Tie Honors Gala' might not be all about the appreciation of the arts - with the "inspirational" Vick merely a sidelight.
It turns out, the event is actually a direct response to local police officers demanding the $33,000 SEVAA owes them for past security services.
WVEC's Sula Kim: "This is SEVAA's first-ever black tie gala, the organization fizzled out after last year's Afr' Am Fest. SEVAA was in doubt, it owed money to Norfolk police officers who provided security for the Afr' Am Fest."
SEVAA Chairman Muhammad to Kim: "The debt stands at around $33,000 dollars at this time, to the public safety officers."
Considering the likelihood that the SEVAA won't be staging future local arts festivals until Norfolk police officers are paid the money SEVAA owes them, is it unreasonable to think Vick's name is being used to get the cops to … forgive me … call off the dogs?
Follow Brooks on Twitter and join him on Facebook for real-time updates.


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I pride myself in being the mistress of the grill in our house. Steak, chops, burgers, and brats all are within my domain, not Gavin's. He has no shortage of opinions about how he wants things grilled, but still usually leaves the job up to me. When it was time to upgrade our grill, about four years ago, that job was mine too.
I researched grills online and in my favorite food magazines. When it came down to the best grill for our money, the Weber Genesis won out. It had stainless-steel grates, three burners and 40,000 BTUs. This baby was exactly what I wanted. Gavin questioned my decision to not get a side-burner, but I was quick to ask, "Who uses those things anyways?" I didn't think I would. I didn't have marinades simmering alongside while I grilled. I couldn't imagine boiling corn outside when we had a perfectly good stove inside.
Fast-forward to today. It's warm and sunny, and Seattleites are enjoying being on the water, camping trips, outdoor concerts, and more. We, on the other hand, are still up to our eyeballs in the remodel of our home. We are living in the basement, surrounded by boxes of our junk, using our laundry room as a makeshift kitchen and our grill on nights when it's actually warm enough outside. Cooking is otherwise almost non-existent since it isn't very appetizing in our dark, dusty, cramped basement.
On the menu for tonight – and probably the next several nights – are bratwurst. They're cheap, easy, salty, and satisfying. The thing is, we like to boil our brats in bath of beer and onions prior to grilling. Boil. In a pot. On a burner. I've tried to deny it before – that a side-burner would have been a nice thing to have on our grill. I've pulled a one-burner unit out on the deck to steam oysters – but still didn't admit defeat. In the last several weeks, we've boiled pasta on that unit as well.
But tonight, I'm feeling weak. I give up. I can't deny it anymore. I made a mistake. I should have bought a grill with a sideburner.

subset: commoncrawl


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9 pounds in size 62-68 sizes newborn
Size medium
Baby can move in any direction with nothing binding. Just softness. You can see that it is a bit bulky under clothes. Below is a large on a 1 year old who is about 23 pounds. It's a bit big now, but it will fit for a long time.
Soft and comfortable for mom to hold, too.
7 months in size small 74-80
You'd have to hold a baby with soft wool on to appreciate it. It's so soft and comfy! I just love these covers! Of course, some of her clothes won't fit over this, but that's a detail that can be worked out with some carefully selected outfits, or in some climates, baby might not even need anything but a little shirt and some booties or socks.
Disana fits above the top of her pants. This is wonderful for preventing the top of her pants from sinking down into the diaper area. Have I mentioned how comfy this cover is? Yes, it's really comfortable.
No bumps or bindings or anything. Just soft and comfy wool. No red marks with wool. Plenty of room inside to fit lots of cotton for plenty of absorbency which means no leaks during long sleeps.
Newborn size 62-68 on a 7 pound 14 ounce baby
size small 74-80 on 7 month old over red edge medium Workhorse diaper. Nothing binding at the legs or waist to restrict movement. So wonderfully comfortable for baby and for you holding baby.
age 9 months in medium size 86-92 with the top folded down
size small 74-80 on a petite 9 month old who weighs about 15 pounds. See the medium Workhorse underneath.
size large 98-104 on a toddler
size XLarge 110-116 on a toddler. This one is still new and hasn't felted yet. It will shrink a bit with more use.
A brand new Disana with tags size medium
Once properly broken in, lanolized and slightly felted, you never get leg or waist leaks out of this one because it has such high on the waist and low on the leg coverage. It will shrink up in the width. It will naturally felt with use, too.
Disana wool is the is purest! People with chemically sensitivities often are ok with Disana wool in natural even when other wools bother them. The standards for Disana wool are even purer than other pure wool projects. It is washed only in natural soap, but not detergent. The wool products produced by the Disana company are so nice. The quality of the wool is very high, and the quality of the workmanship and the product is also outstanding. Disana Double Knit Pull-On Wool Pant is a Green Mountain Diapers top pick!
This is what mine looks like after I hand wash it and hand felt it just the wet zone. Now it is ready to use. The pictures of the wide-looking ones that show the color choices are what they look like when brand new, right out of the package. But after proper preparation they will look like the this green one. They will continue to change and felt naturally with normal use. This is normal for knit merino wool. They don't have any elastic which is part of their natural beauty. Don't yank and pull on them. Pilling is normal for soft wool and is part of the character of this lovely, breathable natural fiber.
How does wool work? See it demonstrated:
Click the picture below to see wool work. This link takes you to You Tube as a popup. See wool work
The video shows the Disana Leggings but the wool cover works the in the same manner but even better because it is 2 layers. Wool resists moisture but the cotton absorbs moisture quickly. Then when the diaper is soaked and pressed onto the wool cover, the wool will become damp. That is great! The wool will take up the extra moisture INSTEAD of the moisture coming out and leaking. Then, just air out the wool and let it dry. It will be ready to use again soon and will air out to fresh. After a while (usually 1 week or several weeks or more depending on use, age of baby and how wet you let them get between diaper changes,) you hand wash it gently. It's easy.
Please note that they do shrink with use. Please use a good woolwash such as Imse Vimse or Eucalan Woolwash (not Woolite or Ecover). Do not machine wash. Hand wash only with gentle wool wash. Do not dry them in a dryer. Press between two towels to remove excess moisture and lay flat to dry. They take about a day to dry depending on local humidity levels. Complete instructions will come with your purchase of wool from Green Mountain Diapers. It is easy and you do not need to wash often.
View our video of how to lanolize wool here. To wash wool, it's just the same but omit the lanolin.
Sizing note - We don't agree with the labelled tag suggested ages, so wrote out below our own suggested pound ranges which we feel is more accurate in our experience, because of the normal and expected shrinkage of the wool. Notice the overlap of weights.
Size 62-68, We say newborn, 6 - 13 pounds (tag says 3-6 months)
Size 74-80, Small, 11 - 18 pounds (tag says 6-12 months)
Size 86-92, Medium, 17 - 26 pounds (tag says 12-24 months)
Size 98-104, Large, 21 - 35 pounds (tag says 2-3 years)
Size 110-116 X-Large, 30- 40+ pounds (tag says 4-5 years)


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Re: Tancredo on Gonzales
One of the reasons that Alberto Gonzales has no street cred as a whatever-ethnographic-epithet-you-want-to-call-him-American is because of the widespread impression/understanding that the President installed him on the basis of precisely that status. A worse -- meaning more potent -- reason is the impression/understanding that the President picked Gonzales because of the unique confluence of that status and Gonzales' status as Pal of the President.
Both these factors -- whether 100% true or only 50% true -- reverberate across the entire irritating panorama of one of this Administration's most irritating traits -- sticking friends in high places. What's so irritating about it has nothing to do with any particular friend or any particular place, but rather the total package, which has time and again taken the form of an apparently total obliviousness to the toll that loyalism as a habit takes on perceptions of legitimacy. When things are good, no one cares, but when things turn, which they always do during presidencies, the weak point that it is cries out for a good hammering.
This is dumbell politics, pure and simple, if nothing else. It zonked out Harriet Miers in the incredibly narrow window of zonkability that opens between nomination and hearings. It zonked out Kerik (sigh). And it's what'll zonk out Gonzales. Nobody, not nobody, has any reason to go to the mat for Al. And building that dynamic into your party, against what will always be their wishes (for partisans like nothing better, and deserve nothing sweeter, than to be justifiably partisan), is a wretched, needless misfortune -- one which seems likely to jaundice Bush's afterimage among Republicans for a long time to come. What's worse, beyond intra-party politics it plays into the hands of partisan Democrats, muddling the difference between legitimate Congressional inquiry and fish hunts-and-witching expeditions. I think for thoughtful rank-and-filers it's that which is probably the unforgivable part.
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MidWest Region
The MidWest Region of KM Terminals primarily services the Midwestern chemical industries and refineries. The majority of these services reside with Chicago-area industrial support. In addition, these facilities provide products to end-user markets in high population areas along the Ohio River.
Regional Office
8500 West 68th St.
Argo, IL 60501
(708) 458-1330
General Manager
James Hill
(708) 496-2857
Commercial Director
Scott Thompson
(708) 496-2863
|Locations in this region
|Location Brochure
|Google Map
|Cincinnati - Queen City *
|Cincinnati (River T)
Bulk/Liquid Terminal
* Can handle bulk & liquids products


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Tonks by anxiouspineapplesWatch
©2011-2015 anxiouspineapples
Nymphadora Tonks. Requested by Safaristeve29.
Right when I saw this, the line, "Because Tonks is the kind of girl who does sh**" popped into my head. I don't even know where my brain got the idea from! Anyway, I love this picture!
love your tonks
DONT CALL ME NYMPHADORA XD she is awsome!!
Oh my gosh, you drew her exactly how I've always pictured her!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!
This is really good love the clothes!
I love her pose and hair and clothes. Brilliant!
Wow awesome! Really good work, I like the outfit!
Great image of Tonks. I felt that she was a character who had potential, then JKR reduced her relevance. I love her pose, clothes and of course hair!
She did have a lot of potential, I agree. She had a very tragic story line. Glad you like the picture!
THIS is the tonks i always imagined! usually people make great pictures but her clothes dont seem to suit her in them. she looks great here though!
she's amazing!!!
Awesome work! I love your style! It really fits Tonks


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Otitis media (OM) is a common worldwide pediatric health care problem that is known to be influenced by genetics. The objective of our study was to use linkage analysis to map possible OM susceptibility genes.
Using a stringent diagnostic model in which only those who underwent tympanostomy tube insertion at least once for recurrent/persistent OM are considered affected, we have carried out a genome-wide linkage scan using the 10K Affymetrix SNP panel. We genotyped 403 Caucasian families containing 1,431 genotyped individuals and 377 genotyped affected sib pairs, and 26 African American families containing 75 genotyped individuals and 27 genotyped affected sib pairs. After careful quality control, non-parametric linkage analysis was carried out using 8,802 SNPs.
In the Caucasian-only data set, our most significant linkage peak is on chromosome 17q12 at rs226088 with a p-value of 0.00007. Other peaks of potential interest are on 10q22.3 (0.00181 at rs1878001), 7q33 (0.00105 at rs958408), 6p25.1 (0.00261 at rs554653), and 4p15.2 (0.00301 at rs2133507). In the combined Caucasian and African American dataset, the 10q22.3 peak becomes more significant, with a minimal p-value of 0.00026 at rs719871. Family-based association testing reveals signals near previously implicated genes: 513 kb from SFTPA2 (10q22.3), 48 kb from IFNG (12q14), and 870 kb from TNF (6p21.3).
Our scan does not provide evidence for linkage in the previously reported regions of 10q26.3 and 19q13.43. Our best-supported linkage regions may contain susceptibility genes that influence the risk for recurrent/persistent OM. Plausible candidates in 17q12 include AP2B1, CCL5, and a cluster of other CCL genes, and in 10q22.3, SFTPA2.
Otitis media (OM [MIM 166760]) is a worldwide pediatric health care problem. Nearly all children experience at least one episode of acute OM (AOM). Otitis media, particularly in children who experience recurrent/persistent disease, in addition to the short- and long-term effect on the child places considerable financial burden on the families (parental time, transportation, medications) and on the health-care system (clinic visits, medical and surgical therapies, complications). In 1996, Gates [1] estimated the costs for AOM and chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) in the U.S. at approximately 3 billion and 2 billion dollars, respectively. Today the annual cost can be expected to be much higher [2]. In addition to the financial burden, the psychosocial impact of OM on the child and the family is tremendous, but has not been well studied.
Epidemiologic studies using various methodologies have demonstrated evidence that genetics plays an important role in recurrent and persistent OM: population studies [3-10]; adoption study [11]; familial aggregation studies [12-16]; and twin and triplet studies. The estimated otitis media heritability in the retrospective twin study by Kvaerner et al [17] was 0.74 in females and 0.45 in males, and in the prospective twin and triplet study of children followed from birth to 2 years of age by Casselbrant et al [18] the heritability of time with middle ear effusion was 0.79 in females and 0.64 in males. Similarly, a prospective study of a community sample of twins estimated heritability of total OM symptom scores as 0.49 to 0.71, depending on age [19].
While there is substantial evidence that genetics plays a role in OM, there has been only one genome-wide linkage scan to date by Daly et al [20] that provided evidence of linkage of COME and recurrent OM (ROM) to 10q26.3 and to 19q13.43. Subsequent multipoint linkage analysis of both regions further strengthened the evidence of linkage [21].
Otitis media is a complex disease with contributions from immunocompetence, inflammatory regulation and craniofacial abnormalities that could lead to Eustachian tube dysfunction; therefore, the underlying genetic determinants are likely to be complex and involve several loci. Ilia et al [22] in a recent review describe how case-control studies and animal studies have implicated genes involved in non-specific immunity (epithelial barriers and mucins), innate immunity (toll-like receptors, mannose-binding lectin, surfactant proteins, cytokines), and adaptive immunity (Fc-γ receptors, immunoglobins).
Our present study aims to localize genes that contribute to susceptibility to recurrent/persistent middle ear disease by carrying out a genome-wide screen for linkage using families containing at least two affected siblings. The identification of susceptibility genes may enable us to better understand the pathogenesis of OM leading to development of better and more innovative methods for prevention and treatment, which is especially important in this era of multi-drug resistant bacteria.
Population, Enrollment and Assessment
Full siblings, two or more, who had a history of tympanostomy tube insertion due to a significant history of OM, their parent(s) and other full sibling(s) with no history of tympanostomy tube insertion were eligible for the study. There was no exclusion of subjects based on gender or race. The study was explained in detail to the parent(s) and children, and informed consent was obtained prior to enrollment. This study was approved by the Human Rights Committee of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) and by the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board.
The study required only one visit to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Research Center at CHP. A detailed history regarding recurrent/persistent OM was obtained for each enrolled family member, as well as history regarding risk factors such as breast-feeding, day care attendance, siblings, and exposure to smoking for the enrolled children. Medical records of enrolled children were obtained for review whenever possible. When feasible, children and parent(s) had an ear examination using pneumatic otoscopy by the study physicians (MC and EM) who are validated otoscopists [23]. Tympanograms were obtained using a GSI-38 middle ear analyzer (Lucas-Grason-Stadler, INC). Children were excluded for the following reasons: major congenital malformations, medical conditions with a predisposition for OM (e.g. cleft palate, Down syndrome, or other craniofacial malformations), cared for in the Intensive Care Unit as a neonate; been on assisted ventilation, or known sensorineural hearing loss. The subjects were selected from patients who presented to the ENT Research Center from several sources: the ENT Clinic at the CHP and satellite clinics, subjects who were in other studies at the ENT Research Center, or from physician- or self-referral.
Phenotype definition
In order to assure a history of significant ear disease, two or more full siblings who both or all had undergone tympanostomy tube insertion were enrolled. While still recording each subject's medical history, the need for tympanostomy tube insertion established that the subject's history of middle ear disease was truly significant, resulting in the need for a surgical procedure. A subject was only considered "affected" if he/she had undergone tympanostomy tube insertion at least once for recurrent/persistent OM, while a subject was considered "unaffected" if he/she had never had tympanostomy tubes and had no known history of recurrent/persistent OM. The remaining subjects were considered as having "unknown" disease status.
DNA isolation and genotyping
EDTA anticoagulated whole blood (5 cc if less than 5 years old; 5-10 cc if 5 years or older; 10-20 cc from parents) was collected from an arm vein in the Pediatric General Clinical Research Center or in the ENT Research Center or in satellite clinics and transferred to the Human Genetics Laboratory within 48 hours. High molecular weight DNA was isolated by the method of Miller et al [24]. Following re-suspension, the DNA was quantitated by fluorometry, diluted to 50 ng/μl, arrayed in a standard 96 well format and stored at -80°C.
Genotyping was carried out using Affymetrix's GeneChip® Human Mapping 10K Array in two different versions: 1) the original GeneChip® Human Mapping 10K Array Xba 131 with 11,560 SNPs with a mean intermarker distance of 210 kb and an average heterozygosity of 0.37, and 2) the newer GeneChip® Human Mapping 10K Array Xba 142 2.0 with 10,204 SNPs with a mean intermarker distance of 258 kb and an average heterozygosity of 0.38. These two chips are very similar to each other: the newer SNP chip was created by removing 1,400 SNPs from the original SNP list and adding approximately 70 new SNPs. Samples were processed according to the GeneChip Mapping Assay Manual (Affymetrix) hybridized at 48°C for 16 hours in an Affymetrix GeneChip Hybridization Oven. After 16 hours the probe arrays were washed and stained according to the GeneChip Mapping Assay Manual using the DNAARRAY_WS2 protocol on the Affymetrix Fluidics Station 400. Arrays were scanned once with the Agilent GeneArray 2500 scanner and analyzed with Affymetrix GeneChip DNA Analysis Software (GDAS) to generate genotype calls for each of the SNP probes on the array. In this study we used the older Xba 131 SNP chip to genotype 515 people, and the newer Xba 142 2.0 SNP chip to genotype 1,216 people.
Genetic maps
Starting with the available annotation from Affymetrix, we carefully updated it, as a fair number of SNPs are actually bad, hybridizing to multiple positions in the genome. To detect these, we took the primer sequence for each SNP and used BLAST to find its position(s) in the genome, carefully identifying poor multi-hit SNPs, as well as verifying the current best physical position for each good SNP in the data set. After careful resolution of reference sequence (rs) numbers, current physical map positions were retrieved from Ensembl and used to linearly interpolate genetic map positions based on the Rutgers Combined Linkage-Physical Map [25].
Quality Control
To verify the stated pedigree structures, we carried out relationship testing using a subset of 1,534 well-typed informative autosomal SNPs (with MAF > = 0.40 and > = 99% genotyping rate) and then made a number of changes to the structures to minimize the number of relationship errors while keeping as many people as possible.
PREST identified 73 within-family pairs with p-values < 0.001 [26,27]. Similarly, RELPAIR examined 1,287,210 genotyped relative pairs, and identified 70 within-family pairs whose inferred relationship was > 1,000 times more likely than the putative relationship [28,29]. Checking for relationships between putative families with RELPAIR revealed two families that had entered the study twice.
Gender checking based on PLINK's algorithm led to the removal of genotypes for 6 people because of unresolved gender errors [30]. We replaced the stated gender with the inferred gender in 4 cases where such a change was symmetric in terms of relationship and OM affection status, and so would not alter the linkage results.
A number of conservative changes were made in response to the relationship testing results, including the following: To resolve the 10 putative monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs identified, from the larger families, we removed the least typed member of an MZ pair 6 times, and we completely removed 2 families that each contained only a single inferred MZ pair. To resolve putative half-sib (HS) families, we removed 6 families containing only a single inferred HS pair, and from larger families, we removed a single person to eliminate the putative HS pair 4 times. To resolve the two families that had participated twice in our study, in both cases, only the more completely typed family was kept.
After resolving the relationship errors, we then removed all genotypes for the 250 individuals with a per person genotyping success rate less than 90%.
Identity-by-state cluster analysis based on PLINK's hierarchical clustering algorithm was used to verify that the self-reported ethnicities were consistent with the clusters generated from the SNP marker data.
Consistent with the ethnicity distribution in our sampling area, the majority of our families, 403, were Caucasian, while there were only 26 African American families. For the purposes of analyses, the larger Caucasian data set was first analyzed by itself. Here, 147 SNPs were excluded due to a HWE p-value < = 0.001 (computed by PLINK using only founder genotypes); 1,936 SNPs were excluded because their genotyping success rate across all individuals was less than 90%; 999 SNPs were excluded due to an MAF < 0.05; leaving 8,802 SNPs that were used in the linkage analyses.
Allele frequencies
For the initial analyses using Merlin [31], allele frequencies were estimated from the data, ignoring family structure, by simple gene counting. On small nuclear families such as we have here, this approach results in unbiased estimates [32]. For the subsequent analyses using Mendel [33], allele frequencies were estimated by maximizing the pedigree likelihood while properly taking the family structures into account.
Linkage Analysis
We used PedCheck [34] to detect Mendelian inconsistencies; all genotypes at each problematic SNP were zeroed out within each family containing a Mendelian inconsistency. We used Merlin [31] to carry out non-parametric linkage analyses using the Sall statistic using sex-averaged genetic maps and allele-counting allele frequency estimates; Minx was used to analyze the X-linked data. Summary statistics were computed using Pedstats [35]. File-format conversions were done using Mega2 [36].
To assay the effects of SNP-SNP linkage disequilibrium, we recomputed the LOD scores using Merlin's LD modeling (--rsq 0.1) option [37]. To examine robustness to other modeling assumptions, we also analyzed the data using the Mendel v.9.0.0 package [33] in a series of three steps: (a) We used Mendel's mistyping option to zero out all genotypes at each problematic SNP within each family containing a Mendelian inconsistency; (b) We used Mendel's allele frequency option to estimate the allele frequencies at each SNP while properly taking the family structures into account; (c) We used Mendel's non-parametric linkage (NPL) option to compute an 'additive all' linkage statistic, using the replicate pool method with 50 replicates and 100,000 samples to generate accurate empirical P-values. These analyses used sex-specific genetic maps for the autosomes, and the female map for the X chromosome.
Combined linkage analyses
After the initial analyses using the Caucasian-only data set, we carried out additional linkage analyses of the combined Caucasian and African American data set. For these analyses, we used Mendel's options for estimating and using ethnic-group specific allele frequencies. We did not analyze the African American families by themselves, as the sample size was too small by itself to have adequate power: only 26 African American families containing 27 genotyped affected sib pairs.
Candidate gene prediction
We used the GRAIL "Gene Relationships Across Implicated Loci" software to search our linkage peaks for possible candidate genes based on similarity to a set of previously implicated OM candidate genes [38]. Similarity is measured using automated statistical text mining of 250,000 PubMed abstracts. GRAIL can identify relatedness between genes even when there are no published co-citations or established pathways in common. GRAIL was run using a seed list of previously implicated candidate genes. While the GRAIL results do depend on the seed list, the GRAIL approach does avoid circular reasoning when assigning a score to each query region by not considering any seed regions that share genes with the query region.
Association analyses
Using the Caucasian-only data set, we tested for association of 8,585 autosomal SNPs (which met our quality control criteria) using the gamete competition statistic implemented in Mendel [33]. This statistic, which tests the null hypothesis of no linkage and no association, uses all the family information to test for over-transmission of a specific SNP allele to affecteds with complementary under-transmission to unaffecteds. These results were annotated using the WGA Viewer program [39].
Using a stringent diagnostic model in which only those who underwent tympanostomy tube insertion at least once for recurrent/persistent OM are considered affected, we have carried out a genome-wide linkage scan using the 10K Affymetrix SNP panel. We genotyped a panel of 403 Caucasian families containing 1,431 genotyped individuals, and 26 African American families containing 75 genotyped individuals. For the purposes of analyses, the larger Caucasian data set was first analyzed by itself. After careful quality control, non-parametric linkage analysis was carried out using 8,802 SNPs; the cleaned Caucasian data contained 377 genotyped affected sib pairs (ASPs) (89 female-female ASPs, 110 male-male ASPs, and 178 male-female ASPs). Initial linkage analyses with Merlin found two regions with linkage peaks with linear Sall LOD scores > 2.0 with a maximum LOD of (a) 2.83 on chromosome 17q12 at rs226088 and (b) 2.25 on 6p25.1 at rs554653 (Additional file 1). When marker-to-marker linkage disequilibrium (LD) is modeled, we obtain a maximum LOD of 2.85 at rs226088, and of 2.16 at rs554653. Additionally, we observed a maximum LOD of 2.00 on chromosome 7q33 at rs1343697 (increased from 1.96 previously). Sensitivity to marker-to-marker LD should be modest, as 57.6% of the families have both founders genotyped, and 38.5% have one founder genotyped.
Additional file 1. Supplemental Figure S1. This file provides multipoint linkage curves as computed by Merlin with and without linkage disequilibrium.
Format: PDF Size: 5.7MB Download file
This file can be viewed with: Adobe Acrobat Reader
Mendel-based linkage results, which use better allele-frequency estimates, sex-specific maps, and empirical P-values, are summarized in Table 1 and Figure 1. For the Caucasian-only data set, the most significant empirical p-value on chromosome 17q12 is 0.00007 at rs226088. There are four other peaks with suggestive p-values: chromosome 10q22.3 with a minimal p-value of 0.00181 at rs1878001; chromosome 7q33 with a minimal p-value of 0.00105 at rs958408; chromosome 6p25.1 with a minimal empirical p-value of 0.00261 at rs554653; and chromosome 4p15.2 with a minimal p-value of 0.00301 at rs2133507.
Table 1. Additive ALL linkage statistics as computed by Mendel, grouped by peak, for the Caucasian-only data set and for the combined Caucasian and African American data set.
Figure 1. The empirical -log10(p-values) for the Additive ALL statistics for the five highest peaks. Solid line: Caucasian-only results; dashed line: combined Caucasian and African American results. The horizontal reference line indicates a nominal P-value of 0.003.
When we carried out analyses of the combined Caucasian and African American sample, using group-specific allele frequency estimates, three of the peaks (on chromosomes 17, 6, 4) became a bit less significant, while the chromosome 7 peak significance level stayed essentially the same and the chromosome 10 peak became more significant, with a minimal p-value of 0.00026 at rs719871 (Table 1 and Figure 1). As mentioned above, the combined sample adds 26 African American families containing 75 genotyped individuals. This African American sample contains 27 genotyped affected sib pairs (ASPs) (5 female-female ASPs, 8 male-male ASPs, and 14 male-female ASPs).
We used the GRAIL "Gene Relationships Across Implicated Loci" software to search our linkage peaks for possible candidate genes based on similarity to a 'seed' set of previously implicated OM candidate genes [38]. To do this, we used a seed list of 36 candidate genes (ADAMTS13, BCL6, CD14, DNAH5, EVI1, EYA4, FBXO11, FCGR2A, GJB2, GJB6, HLA-A, IFNG, IL10, IL13, IL1A, IL1RN, IL4R, IL6, MAPK14, MAPK8, MBL2, MMP2, MMP9, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, SERPINE1, SERPING1, SFTPA1B, SFTPA2B, SFTPD, TGFB1, TLR2, TLR4, TNF). For the chromosome 17 linkage peak, the most significant candidate genes with p-values < 10-13 are CCL5, CCL18, CCL3, and CCL4. For the chromosome 10 peak, the most significant candidate genes with p-values < 10-13 are SFTPA1B, SFTPA2, SFTPD, and PLAU. For the chromosome 7 peak, the most significant candidate gene EPHB6 had a p-value of 2.6 × 10-6. For the chromosome 6 peak, the most significant candidate genes with p-values < 10-11 are LY86, SERPINB9, and F13A1. For the chromosome 4 peak, the most significant candidate gene with p-values < 10-11 was SOD3.
Using the Caucasian-only data set, we tested for association of 8,585 autosomal SNPs (which met our quality control criteria) using the gamete competition statistic implemented in Mendel [33]. The most significant association signals are listed in Additional file 2. While none of these are significant after Bonferroni or false discovery rate correction for multiple testing, there are a few highly ranked signals that are near previously implicated candidate genes. One SNP (rs1437803, P-value 0.0005, rank 5) is 513 kb from SFTPA2 on chromosome 10. Two SNPs (rs722749, P-value 0.0009, rank 11 and rs722748, P-value 0.0013, rank 15) are 48 kb from IFNG on chromosome 12. Two SNPs (rs2213584, P-value 0.0021, rank 22 and rs2227139, P-value 0.0021, rank 23) are 870 kb from TNF on chromosome 6. Note that the gamete competition test should detect association signals at much larger distances than a regular case/control association test in unrelateds because the gamete competition test relies on measuring transmission distortion within families.
Additional file 2. Supplemental Table S1. This file provides the gamete competition results in the Caucasian families for those SNPs with p-values < 0.01.
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While there is fairly strong evidence that otitis media has a strong genetic component, to our knowledge there has been only one prior family-based linkage study of otitis media. This first study provided evidence of linkage of COME/ROM to chromosome 10q26.3 at marker D10S212 and to chromosome 19q13.43 at marker D19S254 [20]. We report here on our genome-wide linkage scan for risk genes for otitis media. In our study, we chose to focus on severe disease, collecting affected sib pair families where at least two full siblings had undergone tympanostomy tube insertion. By narrowing the disease definition, we hoped to identify a more severe form of OM that is perhaps due to a small number of loci. This approach has proven remarkably successful in several complex diseases, such as breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease, where subdivision according to age of onset contributed to the mapping and cloning disease genes [40,41]. Additionally, it has been shown that there are statistical advantages in using a "narrow-phenotype" approach [42], because the power of an affected sib pair approach increases as the population prevalence of the trait decreases.
The rate of tympanostomy tube insertion in second siblings may be increased due to the parents' wishes to have the procedure performed earlier or for less significant disease than the first child because of prior positive experiences in the first sibling. This could potentially make it difficult to separate the genetic effect of OM from the parents' influence on the treatment. However, we have reason to believe such an effect, if it exists, will be small in our sample. Firstly, the majority of our sample was treated at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where our criteria for insertion for tubes are consistent and very stringent. Secondly, at entry we obtained, for each subject, a history of middle-ear disease prior to tube insertion to assess the subject's eligibility.
Since the majority of our families were Caucasian, we present two linkage analyses, one where we analyzed only the 403 Caucasian families by themselves, and a combined analysis where we jointly analyzed both the 403 Caucasian and 26 African American families (Table 1 and Figure 1). The Caucasian-only analyses generate a strong linkage signal on chromosome 17q12, as well as four other potentially interesting peaks (10q22.3, 7q33, 6p25.1, 4p15.2). The combined analyses strengthen the evidence for the 10q22.3 peak. Our scan does not provide evidence for linkage in the previously reported regions of 10q26.3 and 19q13.43 [20,21].
The very tip of our 17q12 linkage peak occurs in AP2B1 (adaptor-related protein complex 2, beta 1 subunit), which plays a role in Nef-mediated CD8 down-regulation [43], and children with recurrent otitis media had low numbers of CD8+-producing IFN g cells in adenoids [44]. However, the chromosome 17 peak also contains a cluster of CCL (chemokine C-C motif ligand) genes, several of which were highlighted as possible candidates by the GRAIL analyses. CCL5, also known as RANTES, is 18 kb from the linkage peak, and has been previously associated with otitis media [45-52]. CCL5 is an eosinophil chemoattactrant that is thought to play a role in the accumulation of eosinophils often observed in middle ear effusions of OM with allergy.
The combined 10q22.3 linkage peak is 1.2 Mb from a previously implicated candidate gene SFTPA2. This peak also contains a strongly associated SNP rs1437803 (Additional file 2, P-value 0.0005, rank 5), which is 513 kb from SFTPA2. The human surfactant protein A (SP-A) is expressed in the Eustachian tube, plays a role in innate host defense, upregulates phagocytosis of many OM risk pathogens (including Streptococus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and respiratory syncytial virus), and consists of two very similar functional genes SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 located 5 kb apart on chromosome 10. Ramet et al [53] reported that the frequency of specific SP-A haplotypes and genotypes differ between children who experience their first episode of acute otitis before age 6 months and the general population. Pettigrew et al [54] also found that polymorphisms within the SP-A loci were protective for otitis media among white infants at risk for asthma.
In the remaining linkage peaks, the majority of the genes highlighted by GRAIL as possible candidates do not have prior evidence of involvement with OM.
While none of the association results (Additional file 2) are significant after correction for multiple testing, the level of evidence required is less for previously implicated genes. Thus, in addition to the associated SNP 513 kb from SFTPA2 mentioned above, it is noteworthy that we have associated SNPs 48 kb from interferon-γ (IFNG) on chromosome 12. Genetic variants at IFNG are associated with risk for otitis media in infants infected with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) [55]. When RSV-induced and non-RSV-induced otitis media cases were compared, significantly higher levels of IFNG were found in the RSV-induced cases [56]. We also observed two associated SNPs 870 kb from tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on chromosome 6. A TNF -308 polymorphism was associated with both otitis media susceptibility and placement of tympanostomy tubes [57]. Variants in the promoter region of TNF were associated with being otitis-prone [58].
The gamete competition test of association used here relies on transmission distortion within families, and so should detect association signals at larger distances than the conventional case/control association test in unrelateds. Even so, the proximity of some association signals to previously implicated candidate genes mentioned above may not be that meaningful, as these regions contain many other plausible candidate genes.
Our linkage scan, the largest to date, has identified two strong linkage peaks, on 17q12 and 10q22.3 that are likely to contain genes which influence risk for severe OM. While both of these peaks contain intriguing and plausible candidate genes, further fine-mapping, replication, and functional studies are required to reach more firm conclusions. We also find association signals near previously implicated risk genes (SFTPA2, IFNG, and TNF). Our hope is that our genetic results will help contribute to an enhanced understanding of the etiology of otitis media that ultimately may help lead to improved treatment and prevention of this extremely common childhood disease.
The URLs for data presented herein are as follows:
PREST, http://fisher.utstat.toronto.edu/sun/Software/Prest/ webcite
RELPAIR, http://csg.sph.umich.edu/boehnke/relpair.php webcite
PLINK, http://pngu.mgh.harvard.edu/~purcell/plink/ webcite
Ensembl, http://www.ensembl.org/index.html webcite
Rutgers Combined Linkage-Physical Map, http://compgen.rutgers.edu/maps/ webcite
PedCheck, http://watson.hgen.pitt.edu/register/ webcite
Pedstats, http://www.sph.umich.edu/csg/abecasis/PedStats/ webcite
Merlin, http://www.sph.umich.edu/csg/abecasis/merlin/ webcite
Mega2, http://watson.hgen.pitt.edu/register/ webcite
Mendel, http://www.genetics.ucla.edu/software/ webcite
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=omim webcite
WGA Viewer, http://www.genome.duke.edu/centers/pg2/downloads/wgaviewer.php webcite
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
MLC, EMM, REF, and DEW conceived of the study and obtained funding; KT, EMM, and MLC carried out the clinical work; REF supervised the genotyping; JPS, JJ, AR, and DEW carried out the statistical analyses; DEW, MLC, REF, and EMM wrote the initial draft of the manuscript; all authors read and approved the manuscript.
Authors' information
Current affiliations: JJ: Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; JPS: Eating Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; AR: Statistics, reporting, and analysis (Cardiac Rhythm Management division), St. Jude Medical, Sunnyvale, CA, 94086, USA.
We would like to thank all of our families for participating in our research study, and James Seroky, MA, for help in data management. We would like to thank the University of Pittsburgh Genomics and Proteomics Core Laboratories for carrying out the genotyping. Our research was supported primarily by the National Institutes of Health grant R01DC005630 [to M.L.C.], as well as by the National Institutes of Health General Clinical Research Center grant M01RR000084, National Institutes of Health Clinical and Translational Science Award UL1RR024153, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, and the University of Pittsburgh. Amrita Ray was supported by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) grant D43TW006180 "India-US Research Training Program in Genetics" [to D.E.W.]. Jin Szatkiewicz was supported by the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental Health training grant "Discovering Genes for Mental Health" [T32MH020053 to D.E.W.]. Jeesun Jung was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant R01MH064205 [to D.E.W.].
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Pre-publication history
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text:
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Saturday couldn't have started much worse for Wojtek Wolski. And it couldn't have ended much better.
The 26-year-old forward started the day as a New York Ranger, unable to get in the lineup with the best team in the Eastern Conference. So he did what he could as a healthy extra following a groin injury, wearing himself out in a late-morning conditioning skate, followed by a heavy lift.
Finally exhausted, he got word that he had been traded to the Florida Panthers. So he dragged his weary body onto a plane, arrived in Raleigh at 5:15 then scored a decisive goal with his new Panthers teammates.
"It was a crazy day, but it worked out," he said.
For most of the game, it didn't appear the Panthers would win, let alone have Wolski set up the happy ending. Held scoreless on 30 shots through two periods, Florida seemed down to its last chances.
But with 6:02 remaining, Kris Versteeg found Tomas Fleischmann on a cross-ice pass, good for Fleischmann's 20th of the season. Then with less than two minutes remaining, Wolski, who skated with Shawn Matthias and Mike Santorelli, cut from the left wing to the middle of the ice and slipped a shot under screened Carolina goaltender Justin Peters.
After an end-to-end overtime, Michal Samuelsson and Stephen Weiss scored in the shootout for a 3-2 win. The Hurricanes fell to 0-6 in shootouts. The Panthers have won all three contests against the Carolina this season.
"You're looking up at the clock -- 35, 40 shots -- and nothing's going in," said Weiss. "Then you get that first goal and it gives you a big boost and it starts snowballing in the right direction."
For more than two periods, it looked like the Panthers might be the hard-luck loser. Justin Faulk staked the Hurricanes to a 1-0 lead in the first period, one-timing a pass from Eric Staal.
In the second, Jussi Jokinen was left alone in the slot to extend the lead to 2-0. Jeff Skinner set up the play by stripping the puck from Florida defenseman Mike Weaver before feeding Jokinen in front.
For the Panthers, who climbed back into first place with 68 points, the quick-hitting goals might be just what they need. They had scored just five in the previous four games.
"We were really aggressive in a lot of aspects of the game," said Florida coach Kevin Dineen. "I made up a word called 'stickwithitness.' It doesn't make a lot of sense, but that's what we did tonight. We kept pushing."
And it didn't hurt that the Panthers' banged-up lineup got a boost from a new teammate with a scoring touch -- a guy who had spent all of his energy early in the day, never expecting to play a game.
"The bag skate was obviously really tough. It takes a lot of energy." said Wolski, who played a conditioning stint with the AHL's Connecticut Whale in early February but hasn't played an NHL game since Jan. 15. "And the lift, you're working your nervous system a lot. I was doing hang cleans and squats, so it is tiring. But I was very excited to be here. I've been really itching to get into a game."
For the Hurricanes, it was the second straight shootout loss, coming two nights after another 3-2 decision to Anaheim.
"I don't think it's a mental thing right now," said Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller. "I don't think we feel like we're going into them with no chance of winning. We have to keep grinding it out."
Hurricanes defensemen Bryan Allen, who has been steady on the Hurricanes blue line all season, took the loss hard.
"When it's 2-0 like that, it's just tough to take right now and it's tough to give an answer of why (we lost)," Allen said. "They pressed and got lucky and scored two goals. I can't look any further myself. I was on the ice for both goals."
With the schedule winding down and the playoff race remaining tight, the Panthers will take wins however they can get them. And they know it will take a variety of contributions.
"This time of year, you look at the standings and the number of games left," said goaltender Jose Theodore, who earned the win with a 26-save performance. "Everybody's got to play their best hockey, and it starts with the goalie. So every time I'm out there, I want to give my team a chance to win."
Now the Panthers have one more guy they can count on.


text:
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A Malaysia Airlines jet carrying nearly 300 people crashed near the border between Russia and Ukraine, according to Reuters and Interfax. The airline company has confirmed that it has lost contact with the plane, a Boeing 777.
New Movies This Week: 'Maleficent,' 'A Million Ways to Die in the West'
This weekend we get a fresh interpretation of a classic fairy tale, along with a wacky-looking western comedy from the guy who made 2012's hit about a foul-mouthed stuffed animal, 'Ted.'


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|Key Info
A stunning, penthouse apartment in an MGM chalet located in the centre of Les Carroz, over looking the village square (Place de l'Ambiance) - the apartment is surrounded by an excellent selection of shops and restaurants. The main telecabine is about 800m from the apartment and is easily reached by the frequent (approx every 10mins or less) free bus service from the village square - journey time of approx. 2 minutes.
This spacious (62m2) two bedroom (one en-suite) apartment accommodates up to six guests. The main living area benefits from a double height (4.5m) pitched ceiling with large picture windows. The large balcony faces south and has a sunny aspect with views across the village centre to the ski slopes and mountains. It is an ideal spot for apres ski refreshment in the spring, and eating outside in the summer. Finished to the usual high MGM standards the apartment is well furnished in a contemporary alpine style. The apartment also benefits from private underground parking.
|Sleeps up to 6, 2 bedrooms
|2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms of which 1 Family bathrooms and 1 En suites
|Car not necessary
|Nearest travel links
|Nearest airport: Geneva 60 km, Nearest railway: Cluses 10 km
|Family friendly
|Great for children of all ages
|No pets allowed, No smoking at this property
|DVD player
|Central heating, TV, CD player
|Kettle, Toaster, Iron
|Clothes dryer, Dishwasher, Cooker, Fridge
|1 Sofa beds, Double beds (1), Single beds (2), Dining seats for 6, Lounge seats for 6
|Linen provided
|Balcony or terrace, Shared garden
|Secure parking, Not suitable for wheelchair users
|Further details indoors
Fully fitted kitchen: Built in appliances including hob, oven, fridge and dishwasher.
Living / dining area: Large dining table (seating 6 comfortably) four dining chairs and bench. Seating area including two sofas(one 3 seater which converts to a double bed with mattress), storage / coffee table, 26" Sony LCD TV, DVD player and high quality hi-fi with a connection for your i-pod/MP3 player.
Main bedroom: Double bed and bedside tables, large fitted wardrobe.
En suite shower room: From main bedroom comprising shower, wash basin and storage.
Second bedroom: Two single beds and bedside tables, large fitted wardrobe.
Bathroom: Directly opposite bedroom two, comprising bath with wall mounted shower, basin and storage.
Separate WC: opposite the bedrooms.
Secure underground parking and ski locker: located in basement
Large south facing balcony with table & chairs, stunning views across the town to the mountains.
|Further details outdoors
Located in the centre of the village close to shops, cafes, restaurants and ski hire (all literally a minutes walk from the front door), so there is much of interest when not skiing. It is also close to the children's' playground, the ice rink and cinema; and there is a weekly market on Tuesdays selling local produce.
Easy access to the main telecabine (access to main ski area) - approx 800m from the apartment. During the ski season there are free buses from the village square - buses run every 10 minutes and take approx. 2 minutes to reach the telecabine. For those that prefer to drive there is also ample parking at the telecabine.
The nursery slopes are located on the edge of the village a short walk or free bus ride. Other winter activities include cross country and telemark skiing,dog sledding, and snow mobiling.
Les Carroz has a huge range of outdoor activities in summer; hiking, mountain biking (bike hire available from several shops in town), fishing, paragliding, 'go ape' in the trees,horse and pony riding, white water rafting,and canyoning. The excellent sports centre is nearby with tennis courts, sauna and outdoor swimming pools (available all year round). There is a full 18 hole golf course in nearby Flaine. There are many well marked paths throughout the region.
|Further details
- Accommodation must be vacated by 10am on the day of departure.
- Key collection between 4 and 6pm on day of arrival - please ask for more details.
- Full payment in euros by bank transfer due 4 weeks before holiday start date.
- A refundable 400 euro damages deposit is required with final balance payment.
The Haute-Savoie is truly beautiful region with many spectacular mountains and lakes. There is something to see and do all year round - whether you want some culture and gastronomy or excitement and adrenaline.
Les Carroz is a charming authentic alpine village, which, due to a resident population, remains open all year round. As one of the 5 resorts that make up the Grand Massif (Flaine, Samoens, Morillon and Sixt being the other 4) there is an abundance of high quality skiing right on your doorstep, with 300 km of pistes on offer.
Apart from being one of the most snow-sure regions in the Alps, Les Carroz also benefits from its prime location, close to Geneva, Chamonix and Annecy with its historic town and wonderful lake.
Les Carroz is also one of the closest resorts to the UK being less than 8 hrs drive from Calais.


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300+ Rentals · Durham
300+ Rentals · Durham
Duke Tower is a lovely condo complex with historic charm and modern conveniences. This unit is poolside AND just a 5-minute walk to 2 of Durham's most popular neighborhoods, so no matter why you're here, it'll feel like a vacation.
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Quiet apartment with many amenities in the 9th street district. The complex is just a couple minutes walk to campus and all that Durham has to offer. Many restaurants and shopping options just steps from our door. Perfectly situated for exploring the Triangle.
A large quiet bedroom suite with private attached bathroom. New queen sized bed and large windows with lots of light, WiFi. The bathroom is stocked with all the necessities and complimentary snacks are available. Coffee/hot tea is available in the apartment or at the complex coffee bar. All community amenities including pool, gym, indoor basketball court, screening room, complimentary gourmet coffee bar, internet work/print station, pool table, dog spa and secured parking garage. Use of t...
Separate cottage with private entrance in garden setting, close to Duke and downtown. Bathroom in main house. Have coffee on the patio, listen to the birds & waterfall near the rock pond. Loaner bikes and cheap $5 car rides offered to guests.
This is a former freestanding art studio that we've turned into a comfortable, private room with a private entrance separate from the rest of the house. It has many advantages over our other airbnb room in the house, but its disadvantage is that you have to walk 10 steps across our patio to enter the house to use the bathroom/shower. Its main advantages are its privacy, larger size (15 x 21 feet) and amenities including a queen bed, a couch/single bed, fridge/microwave, electric kettle, lib...
Our renovated home is quietly tucked away in a Durham neighborhood just southwest of the city center where a sunny room, cozy bed and full, private bathroom await you. From here, it's a 15-minute walk to Downtown, DPAC, & Duke East (see map below).
Our historic home built around 1905 has been completely renovated and updated. The home is located a diverse, emerging, historic neighborhood called Morehead Hill. It is very safe, active, and near everything if you're willing to walk (we and our neighbors walk just about everywhere). People spend a lot of time outside enjoying the beautiful North Carolina weather and our neighborhood is no different. There is a large front porch for sipping some tea and a wonderful screened in back de...
Feel the history of Durham in this ornate 1910 Victorian home! Take a short walk through historic Old North Durham to Fullsteam, Cocoa Cinnamon, Motorco and more. Our rooms are spacious and sun-filled on the second floor with a private entrance.
Enter your space through a private side door with keypad entry on the wrap-around porch. You'll go upstairs to the second story living space which is closed off from our primary home. We have three guest rooms upstairs; your bedroom is South-Eastern facing with lots of morning light, Levolor blinds on the windows, a nice pillow top Queen sized mattress, and fresh bedding. There is a breakfast station in the grand hall complete with cereals, yogurt, milk, 1/2 & 1/2 and Coffee to start...
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Well-furnished and clean private bedroom with a queen bed and private en-suite full bath in an apartment complex that's perfectly located for easy access to anything in the Durham-Chapel Hill area!
Private bedroom with a queen bed located in an apartment complex just 2 minutes off I-40. Everything comes nicely furnished and stocked to make your stay just like home. Enjoy your private room just off the entrance to the apartment, complete with your own private, en-suite bathroom with shower and tub. There is plenty of storage in your room with a tall chest, two nightstands, and even a walk in closet! This room is part of a 2 bedroom/2 bath apartment, so you will have access to the...
Private room and bath in 2bd/2bth. Do you have your hotel booked for graduation yet? Do you have any last minute guests that need a place to stay? I have an available room in my apartment and would love to host your special guests!
Third floor two bedroom/two bathroom apartment with large balcony overlooking the pool. Guests will have a private room and bathroom. This has been my home for the last year and I would love to share it with you. Guests will have access to everything in the apartment outside of my private bedroom and bathroom. This includes: -Full kitchen access including use of any spices or staples. -Washer and Dryer -Desk/office space -Keurig Coffee Maker Guests will also have access to the amenities...
Conveniently located 1 mile to downtown, 10 minutes to Duke, and 15 minutes to RTP, this is a great base to explore Durham. This newly renovated 1933 home in a transitioning, diverse neighborhood is bright and cozy.
Built in the 1930s, this 1,100 sq ft house has historic charm: refinished original hardwood floors, high exposed pine ceilings, and decorative fireplaces. The bedroom has two large windows, a closet, queen bed, laundry hamper, two nightstands and lamps, a dresser and a mirror. I also have a second bedroom for rent in this house, https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/8978549. Or you can rent the whole house for short stays: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9078706. Large windows offer lots of light th...
You'll sleep in a loft nestled in the trees, and wake up to the songs of the morning birds. Super comfy and country casual, the tiny house has everything you'll need in 150 square feet of charm, right in our backyard in case you need anything at all.
Our Tiny House in the Trees is for whimsical and playful folks who like things intimate and cozy. You'll be charmed by how comfy and relaxed it feels to nest in an itty bitty home. (Super itty bitty.) Enjoy your morning coffee on the porch and sleep snuggled up in the loft. The Tiny House is in the backyard of our home. You'll come in and go out through a a big red fence at the top of the driveway. There's a latch on the fence that stays closed. While there is enough loft space to techni...
1 private bedrooms available and bath in 3 bedroom house very close to Duke, 15-501 and UNC.
Close to Duke, UNC and 15-501. Backyard, gas grill, deck, close guest parking, laundry and washer dryer, TV. As often as necessary. Quiet, congenial, wooded area in between Durham and Chapel Hill Less than 3 miles to Duke.6 miles to UNC Private room and full bath. Use of laundry,cooking,front and back yards,gas grill,back deck. Uber,bus,bike.
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Close to Downtown/Duke/RTP, your cozy private bedroom and bathroom are conveniently 15 minutes north of Durham's city center in a peaceful neighborhood with a big backyard, deck and gazebo. Free wifi. Two guests can have both bedrooms for $5 more.
Two bedrooms plus nursery with crib are all available upstairs and private living room with tv downstairs. The rate showing is for one bedroom, but you can request both bedrooms for an extra $5 if only 2 guests total. Fridge/freezer space and washing machine/dryer. The kitchen area is shared, with breakfast table and gas cooktop stove. We love Durham and are available for any local questions/directions/suggestions. We are family friendly. :) We have a foster kitty, Hughes, which st...
Bedroom has private bath, 2 door ref and microwave oven. Room has own heating and cooling system and private lock. Place is 3 minute walk to bus line #3 in Durham NC close to Duke University, NCCU, Durham Tech and RTP. House is by hwy 70 & I-85
The room is about 160 sq ft., has three windows, a 4.3 cubic feet two door refrigerator, microwave oven, hi-speed wi-fi, office chair, table, twin bed, and portable heating and cooling system. Access to laundry room. Private full bath in the room. Guests can pass through the front or back of the house. There are two entrances and exits. I live off site, but am available if guests have any questions or needs. Room is designed for guests who wish to live in independently in private without...
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This is the Downtown Durham spot you've been looking for! Sleep well on a TEMPUR-PEDIC King Bed, and enjoy Main St and Geer St just steps away! Relax poolside and enjoy on- site gardens. Includes internet, 2 TV's, and a full kitchen with DW.
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Enjoy exclusive use of downstairs living space all to yourself. 1 bdrm., private bathroom connected to bdrm, pool table, living room. w/fireplace, kitchen, dishwsher, cvt. oven, frig. If you need 2nd bedroom see our other listing. Non smokers only.
It is like having your own private apartment, complete with kitchen, private bathroom & shower, plenty of space to relax or enjoy a game of pool or foosball, not to mention a cozy fire while enjoying a movie on the widescreen tv. You enter through our front door and head downstairs to your private apartment. Hulu+ and Netflix included. Close to Duke, Carolina and NC Central. Minutes from downtown Durham and it's growing host of restaurants, theaters, sporting events and more. We are here ...
Stay in comfort in a 1920's historic home in beautiful Trinity Park. We're a block from Duke East Campus, and a 15 minute walk or 5 minute bike ride to both downtown and the shops of eclectic 9th St. Nothing's closer to the heart of Durham!
Our house is in Trinity Park Neighbourhood, one of Durham's beautiful historic neighborhoods. It's a neighborhood full of old trees and long front porches. The location is perfect if you're in town visiting the Bull city. We're a block from East Campus of Duke, an 8 minute walk to the Duke University Campus connecting shuttles and the Bull City Connector, about a 15 minute walk to both 9th street and the Brightleaf/Downtown area, and are steps away from the DATA bus 11 bus line to Duke Hos...
Conveniently located off the Durham Freeway (NC-147). Private room with queen bed and en-suite bathroom with double vanity and walk-in closet.
Room is furnished with a comfortable queen bed, dresser, and television. Guests have full access to the kitchen, dining room, living room, patio, and laundry room. I work both day and night shifts as a nurse at Duke Hospital, so I am home very little. However, I am always a text/phone call away for questions and tips! The complex is called Colonial Grand and consists of both apartments and townhomes. We are just a quarter mile off Durham Freeway NC147 and directly across the street from...
Beautiful remolded home in serene nature setting neighborhood less than 5 miles from Duke. With in walking distance of two of the top 10 hike in NC and the Eno State Park. Large back yard and patio. All the comforts of home and more.
This is my little homestead dream home. I put everything I ever wanted in a home in this place. Because of this I feel it is very welcoming and cozy for those the visit it. The house has a separate, lock-out studio unit attached to on the South side. The separate house and studio have separate parking, entrances and HVAC and have no shared living spaces but please be mindful that at times there is a person living there. Common laundry area is shared in basement. You can see the listin...
Durham is the place to be right now! Our 3BR/2BA house is in a friendly, safe, and quiet neighborhood. You'll be within walking distance of Duke, downtown Durham, Fullsteam Brewery, the Farmer's Market, and many of Durham's best restaurants.
Visit Durham and enjoy the sunny and spacious front bedroom. The room includes a great full bed and space for sitting. The bathroom is shared only if we have multiple guests. You can come and go with easy access to the front door. The rest of the house is available to you, too. Please see our other listing if you prefer a smaller space and a shared bathroom. We can also make the entire house available on weekends. Guests are encouraged to make themselves at home in the kitchen. The kitch...
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What to TiVo: Sunday
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- NBC has The Golden Globe Awards
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Philadelphia's Subway Trains Are Becoming Rolling Power Factories
The transportation sector accounts for nearly half of United State's total energy consumption. With fuel prices continually climbing, those energy costs are cutting into already-strained state budgets. To combat its carbon footprint, the South East Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) has outfitted its light-rail… »


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I'm going to tell another family Christmas story this week and then, I promise, I'll get back to fishing on New Year's Day.
It's not about the money; it's about the memories.
I absolutely love this time of the year. I'm not going to tell you that I do a lot of fishing because I don't.
It's December and everybody's thinking about Christmas. That's the most important thing. I'll give you that. But there's something else that's just around the corner that you might want to start thinking about — the 2013 fishing season.
Has this ever been a busy week! I've been working on nailing down all my sponsorship deals as well as making travel and lodging plans for next year. I'm glad I have all this stuff to do — not having it would be worse — but it can still be a hassle. I'd rather be fishing.
Few things excite me as much as fishing a tournament on my home lake, Lake Guntersville. In February of 2014, when we fish the Bassmaster Classic here, you'll get a taste of what I mean and why I like this place so much.
Now's the time to take advantage of the last of the grass that's still around.
If you're going to get better in this sport you have to practice.
Several years ago I fished a tournament out of Guntersville and was really impressed with what I saw.
Florida is a great training ground for a bass angler. I definitely helped to shape my skills and understanding of the sport.


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Dear Cheebs,
Too late & too tired to be really chatty (2:45 a.m. after having worked 2nd shift @ the "salt mine" & then going out to unbury my poor old car so I could drive home in the snow) but had to send you a "shout out" since your picture popped up again under potential friends. Hope you are staying healthy and are enjoying your work & life in general! Have a wonderful holiday season.
Cold & tired,
✘ About: Just who is Chibi Halo you might wonder? I'm a thirty something amature photographer and graphic artist. I prefer going by Halo but I'll also answer to Chibi or Cheebs. I live in Illinois outside of Chicago and am currently an unattached part time bookkeeper. Aside from photography and graphics, my creative interests also lay in writing. I also enjoy biking, inline skating, swimming, hiking, and reading.
I bet you find me interesting so far. If you want to chat with me here are some of the things I enjoy that we might have in common. My musical preferences lay in British pop and rock, Irish rock, 80s new wave, alternative, and modern rock. Some of my favorite groups include Coldplay, Fitz and the Tantrums, U2, REM, Duran Duran, Beatles, and George Harrison.
I'm into British comedies, light action flicks, and animated features. I'm into anime, mangas, and Japanese novels and like to roleplay on occasion. I'm also a Disney buff and my favorite western animated franchise of the last ten years is Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. I like playing puzzle games and own an iPhone, an iPad Mini, a Wii, and a DS.
Around Gaia I run the Gaia Casimir Allince, or GCA, a group of airship captains, casimir tree growers, and their supporters that was founded back in May of 2010 during the initial stages of the Airship Saga on Gaia. The GCA is first and foremost fans of the airships, casimir trees Gino, Overseer (AKA Marius), Sentinel, Ladyhands, and Edmund. We are also followers of the teachings of the patron goddess Gaia. The Alliance is a plot discussion, role-play, and hangout group through both our GCD thread and our guild. If you are interested in becoming a member of the GCA you can check out our GCD thread and our guild by clicking on the banners below.
So where can you check out more stuff from me? Here's where I can usually be found on the net.
✘ Currently Playing: Spellfall, Folt, Threes, Bonza, and har•mo•ny 2 on the iOS Devices.
✘ Currently Watching: NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, The Legend of Korra, Sailor Moon Crystal, Sword Art Online II, Ultimate Spider Man
✘ Currently Reading: Sword Art Online Light Novels
Viewing 12 of 104 friends
Random Thoughts
Random thoughts from a random mind. That's what you'll find within this journal. Random thoughts on the random goings on of a random Gaian.
Viewing 10 of 20 comments.
GCA | Photography | BFAA


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|Intestinal angiodysplasia: an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in children.
MedLine Citation:
|PMID: 21835367 Owner: NLM Status: In-Data-Review
|BACKGROUND: Angiodysplasia of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is recognized as an important cause of lower GI bleeding in elderly. It usually involves the cecum and right colon in adults. Unlike the adult group, there has been little experience with the pediatric population.
METHODS: From July 2004 to October 2008, patients presenting at the Mackay Memorial Hospital with GI hemorrhage diagnosed as angiodysplasia by helical computed tomographic angiography were reviewed.
RESULTS: Eighteen patients (14 boys and 4 girls) with mean age of 7.1 years (range, 1 month to 17 years) were diagnosed. The time from initial clinical onset to diagnosis of angiodysplasia ranged from 1 week to 11 years, most around 1-2 weeks. All patients except one had anemia and an average hemoglobin level of 7.9±2.1g/dL. The most commonly involved areas were ascending colon and terminal ileum. Four patients received surgery treatment with resection of affected segments.
CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric patients, angiodysplasia is a rare cause of GI bleeding and may be delayed in diagnosis. This diagnosis should be considered when patients have recurrent GI bleeding. In this study, the final surgical and pathological diagnosis was made in 6 of 18 patients. In six patients, computed tomographic angiography had 66% diagnostic accuracy for angiodysplasia (four of six patients who received operation were compatible with angiodysplasia by confirmation of histology).
|Feng-Ju Chuang; Jen-Shyang Lin; Chun-Yan Yeung; Wai-Tao Chan; Chuen-Bin Jiang; Hung-Chang Lee
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24951337 - Pulmonary embolism in elderly patients: prognostic impact of the cumulative illness rat...
Publication Detail:
|Type: Journal Article Date: 2011-06-11
Journal Detail:
|Title: Pediatrics and neonatology Volume: 52 ISSN: 1875-9572 ISO Abbreviation: Pediatr Neonatol Publication Date: 2011 Aug
Date Detail:
|Created Date: 2011-08-12 Completed Date: - Revised Date: -
Medline Journal Info:
|Nlm Unique ID: 101484755 Medline TA: Pediatr Neonatol Country: Singapore
Other Details:
|Languages: eng Pagination: 214-8 Citation Subset: IM
Copyright Information:
|Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.
|Department of Pediatrics, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Export Citation:
|APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex
|MeSH Terms
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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To provide some perhaps necessary back story; the toy that I am reviewing here is the first toy that I ever used, let alone bought, let alone reviewed, so please forgive me if there is anything amiss about the review, or if it is just not that good. However, now that has been said, ON WITH THE REVIEW:
Toy: Anthro Dragon
Size: Small
Firmness: Cored (3/8)
Colour: Pearly White
Extras: None
Ordered: 11.10.11
Arrived: 09.12.11
(DD/MM/YY format)
Ordering: 5/5
I ordered this toy whilst the old website was still in use, so thankfully I didn't encounter any change-over problems or anything. I found the ordering process rather straightforward overall, and thus unable to be faulted. The hardest part - as is often with this sort of thing - was choosing what to get, and unless you class that as being because there's 'too much choice', you cannot really fault Bad-Dragon for it
Shipping: 4/5
Due to the tragic events that happened around the time of ordering, Bad-Dragon can hardly be faulted for the somewhat longer-than-estimated delivery of my toy, and I would never dream of blaming them for the 4/5 mark I have given for shipping (For all intensive purposes, BD have 5/5). However, it is due to silly customs and UK delivery troubles, completely out of the control of BD, that lead me to dock the score I know that is not necessarily fair, but dang it I wasn't wanting to pay more money for customs, AND wait longer. But oh well.
The Toy (All But Use): 5/5
The toy arrived in an adequately sized box with the item description as 'Silicone Sculpture', which made the confrontation with the postman all the more interesting. Once I had snatched my package out of the postman's hands, I ran away and proceeded to admire my delivery. Upon opening the box I found lots of purple tissue-y paper-y stuff, which contained a grey 5 firmness silicone disk, and a Big White Dragon Dong... okay, it may not necessarily be 'big' to some, but shush. No care sheet was included, however I found cleaning instructions on the forums and so forth, so I guess I didn't miss out much.
Apart from a few 'skin tags' that other people have also indicated on their toys, I have not found any faults with mine. Of course, given that I have not ordered previously, I cannot tell how 'cored' my cored toy is, however it seems pretty damn cored to me. Long story short; he's glorious.
The Toy (In Use): 6/5
Forgive me if this section is awkward or tmi, I am somewhat timid about describing this sort of thing, but I shall do my best to be informative and suitably review-y)
Upon opening the box and seeing the toy, I had an immediate desire to fellate him, and I confess I still have this desire whenever I get him out, and even if I just leave him out for myself to see). So I guess he rates highly in the 'oral' part of this section.
Yet to say he 'rates highly' in the oral part implies that he does not rate highly elsewhere, surely...? No. Not at all. While I may not have toyed before, this does not mean that I was previously inexperienced, and I did have an idea in mind as to how the toy would feel, given that I could possibly compare it to previous encounters. However, just as it did orally, he exceeded all my expectations. I was originally worried that he would be too 'girthy' for myself, however this was not the case, and the girth only added to the pleasure. Whilst others have (if I remember rightly) mentioned that he is too short, or that the balls/curve limit the length that can be experienced, I found no fault with the length, but I guess it may be a preference thing.. that and I am short anyway.
Overall: 20/20
In appearance and in use, he makes up for any possible shortfall, be it annoying customs charges, delivery times, awkward conversations with postmen, or whatever. He is a brilliant purchase, and I am extremely happy with him. Thanks, Bad-Dragon! (And BD forum users for helping me choose )
Pictures: (My apologies for the poor quality)
For now, all pictures are SFW and show nothing but the unboxing and the toy itself, however if my arm is twisted sufficiently or if I feel particularly rambunctious at some point, NSFW pictures may surface... of course this can be prevented if people request that none are uploaded, and I would not blame anyone for making such requests
Big White Dragon Dong review (AD, SFW)
Share the Bad Dragon experience - post tales of their use (and videos, and images....) here!
BE ADVISED this section (and all posts therein) are considered NSFW!
BE ADVISED this section (and all posts therein) are considered NSFW!
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: Big White Dragon Dong review (AD, SFW)
Quail wrote:Glad you like him, it's the exact same thing I ordered, color and everything, a while ago.
You should get a Duke in black and have yin yang dicks.
In actual fact I went browsing Anthro Dragon reviews in the 'Toy Review Database' thread, and yours and others convinced me of the colour etc
And I am certainly tempted to get something else in black at some point just because.
Always happy to chat
Owner of:
PearlyWhiteAnthroDragon(3/8/S) - Review
Adopted OnyxBlackUnflaredChance(5/S) - Review
Bad-Dragon Bio
Owner of:
PearlyWhiteAnthroDragon(3/8/S) - Review
Adopted OnyxBlackUnflaredChance(5/S) - Review
Bad-Dragon Bio
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