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Introduction and Design
With the introduction of the ASUS G751JT-CH71, we've now got our first look at the newest ROG notebook design revision. The celebrated design language remains the same, and the machine's lineage is immediately discernible. However, unlike the $2,000 G750JX-DB71 unit we reviewed a year and a half ago, this particular G751JT configuration is 25% less expensive at just $1,500. So first off, what's changed on the inside?
(Editor's Note: This is NOT the recent G-Sync version of the ASUS G751 notebook that was announced at Computex. This is the previously released version, one that I am told will continue to sell for the foreseeable future and one that will come at a lower overall price than the G-Sync enabled model. Expect a review on the G-Sync derivative very soon!)
Quite a lot, as it turns out. For starters, we've moved all the way from the 700M series to the 900M series—a leap which clearly ought to pay off in spades in terms of GPU performance. The CPU and RAM remain virtually equivalent, while the battery has migrated from external to internal and enjoyed a 100 mAh bump in the process (from 5900 to 6000 mAh). So what's with the lower price then? Well, apart from the age difference, it's the storage: the G750JX featured both a 1 TB storage drive and a 256 GB SSD, while the G751JT-CH71 drops the SSD. That's a small sacrifice in our book, especially when an SSD is so easily added thereafter. By the way, if you'd rather simply have ASUS handle that part of the equation for you, you can score a virtually equivalent configuration (chipset and design evolutions notwithstanding) in the G751JT-DH72 for $1750—still $250 less than the G750JX we reviewed.
Computex 2015: ASUS Announces ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti
Subject: Graphics Cards | June 1, 2015 - 02:00 AM | Sebastian Peak
Tagged: computex, Poseidon GTX 980 Ti, GTX 980 Ti, gpu, ASUS ROG, computex 2015
ASUS has already announced a Poseidon version of the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, which is part of the company's Republic of Gamers (ROG) lineup.
No photo of the GTX 980 Ti available yet, so here's the GTX 980 version for reference
From ASUS:
"ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti incorporates the DirectCU H2O hybrid cooling solution with a combined vapor chamber and water channels to give users cooler temperatures along with improved noise reduction for 3x quieter performance. ASUS graphics cards are produced via exclusive Auto-Extreme technology, an industry-first 100% automated process, and feature aerospace-grade Super Alloy Power II components for unsurpassed quality and reliability. ROG Poseidon GTX 980Ti also features GPU Tweak II with XSplit Gamecaster for intuitive performance tweaks and gameplay streaming."
We'll keep you posted on pricing and availability (and actual product photos) once they're available!
Introduction and First Impressions
The ASUS ROG Gladius mouse features sleek styling and customizable lighting effects, but the biggest aspect is the underlying technology. With socketed Omron switches designed to be easily swapped and an adjustable 6400dpi optical sensor this gaming mouse offers a lot on paper. So how does it feel? Let's find out.
There are a few aspects to the way a mouse feels, including the shape, surface material, and overall weight. Beyond the physical properties there is the speed and accuracy of the sensor (which also affects hand movement) and of course the mouse buttons and scroll wheel. Really, there's a lot going on with a modern gaming mouse - a far cry from the "X-Y position indicator" that the inventors had nicknamed "mouse" in the 1960s.
One of the hallmarks of the ASUS ROG (Republic of Gamers) lineup is the sheer amount of additional features the products tend to have. I use an ROG motherboard in my personal system, and even my micro-ATX board is stuffed with additional functionality (and the box is loaded with accessories). So it came as no surprise to me when I opened the Gladius mouse and began to look it over. Sure, the box contents aren't as numerous as one of the Maximus motherboards, but there's still quite a bit more than I've encountered with a mouse before.
Continue reading our review of the ASUS ROG Gladius Gaming Mouse!!
Asus Launches Premium ROG G501 Gaming Laptop
Subject: General Tech, Mobile | March 13, 2015 - 09:00 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: haswell, GTX 960M, gaming laptop, g501, ASUS ROG, asus
Today Asus unveiled the Republic of Gamers (ROG) G501 gaming laptop. The G501 is a 4.54 pound 15.6" laptop that packs high end hardware into a thin aluminum shell.
The ROG G501 features a dark gray 0.81" thick aluminum chassis with a brushed metal finish and red bezel accents. A 15.6" matte IPS display dominates the top half of the PC with a resolution of 3840x2160 (UHD). The lower half includes a red backlit keyboard (1.6mm key travel) with colored WASD keys and a number pad as well as a large trackpad.
External I/O on this gaming machine is extensive and includes:
- 1 x Thunderbolt
- 3 x USB 3.0
- 1 x HDMI
- 1 x Audio combo jack
- 1 x SD
- 1 x 1.2MP webcam
- Wi-Fi 802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.0
Asus is using the latest mobile technology with the G501 including a 47W Intel Haswell Core i7-4720HQ (4c/8t) processor, NVIDIA GTX 960M (4GB) graphics card, up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, and an impressive 512GB PCI-E x4 solid state drive (rated at 1,400MB/s reads). The laptop also supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Asus claims that its Hyper Cool technology will keep the system running cool by using copper heatpipes and giving the CPU and GPU their own heatsink and fan which can be independently controlled to maintain a balance of heat and noise. The laptop is powered by a 96Wh Lithium Polymer battery.
This beastly gaming laptop will be available next month with an MSRP of $1,999 (with the configuration listed above). More information can be found at gseries.asus.com
In addition to the ROG G501, Asus' GL551 and G751 series are also being refreshed to include NVIDIA's new GTX 900 series graphics. The GL551JW will get the GTX 960M while the G751JL will use the GTX 965M.
The ASUS ROG Gladius, the mouse you can disembowl
Subject: General Tech | November 21, 2014 - 01:55 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: gladius, ASUS ROG, gaming mouse
ASUS has tried something new with their Gladius mouse, detachable USB cables and swappable switches. The mouse ships with a 2 meter braided cable and a 1 meter rubber cable which uas a standard microUSB connector to connect to the mouse, theoretically allowing a wide variety of other possible cabling choices. As well the switches for the top and side buttons are also changeable, you can replace them with a variety of Omron D2F and D3FC Series switches if you so desire. This is definitely aimed at games, the mouse supports 2000Hz USB polling rates and the Pixart 3988 optical sensor has a 6400dpi resolution. Read Benchmark Reviews article here to see what they thought of this mouse that should fit most right hands.
"The ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) line of products is no stranger to gaming peripherals, however recently, ASUS has turned to it's newer product line, Strix, to release most of it's gaming oriented products. This made the release of the ASUS ROG Gladius mouse confusing at first, but after realizing that this is ASUS' premium mouse option it only made sense to put it in ASUS' most prominent line of products. In this article, Benchmark Reviews takes a look at the ASUS ROG Gladius Gaming Mouse."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- ASUS Strix Claw gaming mouse and Strix Glide Speed mat @ eTeknix
- Cooler Master Mizar Gaming Mouse Review @ OCC
- Zowie FK1 gaming mouse @ Kitguru
- Aorus Thunder M7 MMO Gaming Mouse Review @ Modders-Inc
- GAMDIAS Aegis Multi-Function Gaming Set @ eTeknix
- Tesoro Tizona Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review @ OCC
The new flagship of ASUS ROG, the Rampage V Extreme
Subject: Motherboards | November 18, 2014 - 01:57 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: asus, Rampage V Extreme, X99, ASUS ROG
The Rampage V Extreme is the new high end X99 board in ASUS' Republic of Gamers series and carries a very high price. The list of extras that are included are impressive, ranging from T-Topology to minimize electrical crosstalk to an ASUS OC socket and LN2 mode as well as physical extras such as the ROG OC panel which allows you to adjust voltages and frequencies via manual controls as well as adjusting fan speeds and other system variables. The output options are very impressive, a dozen SATA ports and two SATA Express ports, ten USB 3.0 ports, 3 WiFi antenna connections as well as optical audio output and gold plated mini-stereo jacks for use with the SupremeFX 8 channel audio codec. [H]ard|OCP takes you on a tour of this incredible board, the overclocking software and more in their latest motherboard review.
"The Rampage V Extreme needs no introduction. It is the flagship of the ASUS Republic of Gamers aka ROG product line. If the pattern of previous Rampage motherboards holds it should be one of the best motherboards money can buy. Is the new ROG crown jewel still worthy of the crown at its $475 price point?"
Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:
- ASUS X99-A @ Benchmark Reviews
- ASRock X99 Extreme11 @ Kitguru
- Gigabyte X99-UD4 @ Kitguru
- ASUS Maximus VII Hero mainboard @ HardwareOverclock
- Biostar Hi-Fi Z97Z7 Motherboard Review @ Modders-Inc
- ASUS Z97-PRO LGA1150 @ Silent PC Review
- MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC Motherboard Review @ Techgage
- ASUS Crossblade Ranger (FM2+) @ eTeknix
ASUS RT-AC87U Is First Wave 2 802.11ac Router Supporting MU-MIMO Technology
Subject: Networking | August 14, 2014 - 11:47 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: wireless router, wave 2, rt-ac87u, rt-ac87r, qsr1000, mu-mimo, ASUS ROG, asus, 802.11ac
ASUS recently launched the RT-AC87U which is the first "wave 2" 802.11ac wireless router to support multi user MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology. Although the initial launch happened at the end of last month, the RT-AC87U and RT-AC87R (a variant exclusive to Best Buy) will finally be avaiable for purchase starting August 26th for around $279.99.
The RT-AC87U is a monster matte black router with four large external antennas and sleek fighter jet angles. I/O is mostly clustered on the rear of the router and includes four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, one GbE WAN port, and one USB 2.0 port. In addition to the rear I/O, ASUS has positioned a USB 3.0 port on the front of the router (specifically the right corner of the front panel hidden behind a removeable rubber port cover).
On the wireless front, the RT-AC87U and RT-AC87R supports the latest 802.11ac and newer 256QAM (600Mbps) 802.11n specification as well as legacy 802.11g/b/a Wi-Fi networks. The router supports simultaneous dual band operation, which results in maximum throughput of 1.73 Gbps on the 5GHz 802.11ac band (4 x 433 Mbps streams) and 600 Mbps on the 2.4GHz 802.11n band.
The new and interesting bit about the RT-AC87 is the MU-MIMO support. MU-MIMO, which stands for Multi-User Multple Input Multiple Output, is the evolution of MIMO technology which debuted with wireless N routers. The ASUS router is able to use multiple anntennas to communicate with a client device to increase bandwidth. Beamforming is used to focus the signal in the direction of the client to get better range and a stronger signal for that specific client. MU-MIMO builds on this technology by allowing the router to track, beamform, and employ multiple transmit and recieve antennas to talk to multiple clients simultaneously. Previously, routers were limited to communicating with a single client at a time (see the diagram below for an example).
Multi-User MIMO will benefit those users that choose to connect the majority of their networked devices via Wi-Fi. However, the technology will be especially noticeable in areas flooded with various Wi-Fi networks such as apartments. According to Matthew Gast of Aerohive Networks, MU-MIMO will allow all wireless clients to get an acceptable data rate in crowded wireless areas at the expense of being able to deliver the highest data rate to a single client device. Especially when competing Wi-Fi networks are involved and fighting for channels, MU-MIMO will shine at keeping devices connected and talking to the access point.
ASUS has chosen the Quantenna QSR100 chipset to handle the 802.11ac duties while a Broadcom BCM4709 chipset handles the 256QAM wireless N bands. Additionally, the RT-AC87 routers have 128MB of flash memory and 256MB of DDR3 RAM. According to ASUS, the router draws slightly over 45W.
On the software side of things, ASUS has chosen its own ASUSWRT firmware which includes parental controls, Time Machine backup support, VPN support, security software from TrendMicro (AiProtection), and AiCloud 2.0. USB support includes storage sharing as well as 3G/4G cellular modem internet connectivity.
In all, the ASUS RT-AC87U looks to be new home router champion packing quite a bit of hardware and leading the charge of Wave 2 802.11ac wireless routers. This all comes at a cost, however. The RT-AC87U and RT-AC87R will be available on August 26 with a MSRP of $269.99 and e-tail prices currently around $279.99.
For all the nitty-gritty details, check out this ASUS PCDIY blog post!
ASUS Republic of Gamers Announces the Crossblade Ranger
Subject: Motherboards | August 7, 2014 - 02:14 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: SupremeFX 2014, LANGuard, KeyBot, GameFirst III, FM2+, crossblade ranger, ASUS ROG, asus, amd
ASUS Republic of Gamers have just released their first FM2+ board, the Crossblade Ranger which should be available for ~$160 in the next few days, a perfect base for the A10-7800 and A6-7400K which Josh just reviewed. There is a host of features on this board, from an updated SupremeFX 2014 audio system to eliminate interference and adjust impedance to the LANGuard and GameFirst III networking enhancements. KeyBot is also new, it allows you to program macros on any USB keyboard regardless of the capabilities of the keyboard itself. Check out the full release for a breakdown of the features.
Fremont, CA (6th August, 2014) - ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the Crossblade Ranger, the first AMD FM2+ motherboard to carry the revered ROG brand name, packed with game-boosting features for an AMD-based gaming powerhouse that is beyond compare. The Crossblade Ranger's core benefits include the best gaming networking with Intel Gigabit Ethernet, the best gaming audio from SupremeFX 2014, the best gaming interface with KeyBot and the best gaming performance.
Best gaming networking
The Crossblade Ranger is fitted with state-of-the-art Intel Gigabit Ethernet that delivers better throughput and lower power consumption than competing solutions from other vendors.
The new motherboard's networking capabilities additionally benefit from ROG-exclusive GameFirst III technology for optimal online gameplay. This advanced network-optimization software assigns top priority to game-data packets, allocating them more bandwidth to ensure the best online-gaming experience and clear, stutter-free online team-chat — all controlled with ROG's usual intuitive flair.
These features are coupled with LANGuard Ethernet socket technology. LANGuard works by employing advanced filtering components with low impedance capacitors to reduce noise and improve throughput and also includes ESD and surge-protection to prevent damage from lightning strikes and static-electricity discharges.
Best gaming audio
Immersive audio is essential for gaming, so the Crossblade Ranger is engineered with SupremeFX 2014. At its core the SupremeFX 2014 solution uses PCB isolation techniques to minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI) and premium ELNA audio capacitors to provide precise 7.1 channel audio that's on par with the best soundcards.
SupremeFX 2014 features dedicated hardware for features such as Sonic SenseAmp and Sonic SoundStage. Sonic SenseAmp automatically detects analog-audio front-panel (AAFP) headphone impedance and adjusts the amp gain to provide the best volume control range - taking the guesswork and hassle out of setting gain manually.
Sonic Soundstage is a hardware based solution that features preset audio profiles for a variety of gaming genres. First-person shooter (FPS), racing, combat and sports games presets are available via an onboard hardware switch or via the included (Windows) driver package. The benefit of including an onboard hardware switch is that the Sonic Soundstage presets can be applied without needing a driver – so works with any operating system. For Windows users, the presets are fully customizable via software, allowing one to tailor sound to personal preference.
SupremeFX 2014 also includes additional software features to provide a competitive gaming edge and improve immersion.
Designed for first-person shooters (FPS), Sonic Radar II displays a stealthy overlay that shows what opponents and teammates are up to. Players see the precise direction and origin of in-game sounds such as gunshots, footsteps and call-outs, enabling them to hone enemy-pinpointing skills.
Sonic Studio can be used to create virtual surround modes for stereo headsets, provides EQ controls to tune various parts of the audio spectrum and includes noise reduction algorithms for microphones – this all adds up to make SupremeFX 2014 the complete gaming audio solution.
Best gaming interface
The Crossblade Ranger includes KeyBot, a clever tool that lets users instantly 'upgrade' an existing keyboard simply by attaching it to the dedicated USB socket.
Once connected, the KeyBot microprocessor is activated and the user is able to use their current keyboard to control multimedia playback, launch favorite applications or assign macros to specific keys —perfect for automating complicated in-game key sequences without the need for an expensive gaming keyboard.
Best gaming performance and experience
Being an ROG motherboard, the Crossblade Ranger is infused with core ROG DNA.
Overclocking Features
ROG's Auto-Tuning technology enables the Crossblade Ranger to unleash the true power of AMD APUs with just few mouse clicks. Thanks to the TPU microprocessor (Turbo Processing Unit), the Auto-Tuning routine applies a CPU overclock without need to enter UEFI - perfect for users that are new to the platform.
For users that prefer manual control, the TPU microprocessor and bundled Turbo-V application allows real-time voltage adjustments within the Windows operating system to simplify the process of overclocking a system. Naturally, the ROG UEFI is also chock-full of overclocking functions that help squeeze every ounce of performance from the AMD FM2+ platform.
Fan Controls
To keep things cool and quiet, we've included five onboard fan headers – each with PWM (4-pin) or DC (3-pin) control. Extensive fan control options are available within UEFI or the automated Fan Xpert 3 calibration utility. Using either method, anyone can customize fan profiles in order to maximize cooling efficiency and eliminate unnecessary fan noise. The level of control on offer here sets a new standard for the FM2+ platform and completely negates the need for using a dedicated and expensive fan controller.
ROG Accessories
The Crossblade Ranger is also compatible with the ROG Front Base dual-bay gaming panel. The ROG Front Base enables one-click performance boosting, fan-controls, shielded front audio input/outputs, audio profile selection, volume control and real-time system monitoring to provide everything a gamer needs within a single unit.
The ASUS ROG Crossblade Ranger lands with an MSRP of $159.99 and will be available at all major online retailers in August.
Computex 2014: ASUS ROG Announces GX500 Ultra Thin 15.6" 4K Gaming Notebook
Subject: Mobile | June 2, 2014 - 11:46 PM | Sebastian Peak
Tagged: UHD, M.2, gaming laptop, core i7, computex 2014, computex, ASUS ROG, asus, 4k, 15.6 inch
The GX500 is ASUS's new ultrabook-thin 15.6" gaming laptop from the ROG series, and it features a very impressive 4K screen.
This...isn't your average gaming laptop
Just 0.75" thick (but weighing a robust 4.85lbs - though not bad for a 15.6" gaming machine) the GX500 has some very impressive specs. Running up to an Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M graphics, and what sounds like an awesome UHD 3840 x 2160-pixel display with ASUS "VisualMaster technology" for a claimed 100% NTSC wide color gamut, which is a world-first on a notebook according to ASUS.
The GX500 also includes a M.2 SSD running on a full PCIe x4 connection, and features a dual-fan cooling system to keep thermals in check in what ASUS says is the worlds thinnest 15" gaming notebook.
ASUS has not announced pricing, but states that it will be dependent upon configuration. The ASUS ROG GX500 will be available in Q3 2014.
For more Computex 2014 coverage, please check out our feed!
Computex 2014: ASUS Announces ROG ARES III Water-Cooled Gaming Graphics Card
Subject: Graphics Cards | June 2, 2014 - 11:41 PM | Sebastian Peak
Tagged: computex, radeon, r9 295x2, Hawaii XT, dual gpu, computex 2014, ASUS ROG, asus, Ares, amd
The latest installment in the ASUS ARES series of ultra-powerful, limited-edition graphics cards has been announced, and the Ares III is set to be the "world's fastest" video card.
The dual-GPU powerhouse is driven by two "hand-selected" Radeon Hawaii XT GPUs (R9 290X cores) with 8GB of GDDR5 memory. The card is overclockable according to ASUS, and will likely arrive factory overclocked as they claim it will be faster out of the box than the reference R9-295x2. The ARES III features a custom-designed EK water block, so unlike the R9 295x2 the end user will need to supply the liquid cooling loop.
ASUS claims that the ARES III will "deliver 25% cooler performance than reference R9 295X designs", but to achieve this ASUS "highly" recommends a high flow rate loop with at least a 120x3 radiator "to extract maximum performance from the card," and they "will provide a recommended list of water cooling systems at launch".
Only 500 of the ARES III will be made, and are individually numbered. No pricing has been announced, but ASUS says to expect it to be more than a 295x2 ($1499) - but less than a TITAN Z ($2999). The ASUS ROG ARES III will be available in Q3 2014.
For more Computex 2014 coverage, please check out our feed!
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text:
Basic sciences
Language(s): English
Professor Richard R. Ernst, 1991 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his methodological developments within nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, discribes science as "the best way to educate people by doing". He adds "Research is important to get honesty into people. And honesty is a basis [...] of peace
Place/country: Switzerland,
Series: Great Minds Speak at UNESCO
Type: Interview
Credits: Neil Ford (interviewer), Richard Ernst (interviewee),
UNESCO TV (publisher),
Published in: 2011

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Place of origin:
Great Britain, Uk (made)
- Date:
ca. 1825-1835 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Leather, with raised cork sole
- Credit Line:
Given by Messrs Faulkner and Son
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
In Storage
Only one overshoe of the pair survives. Overshoes of this type were known as 'promenade' or 'carriage' clogs. The leather straps and square toe cap would have fitted over a woman's shoe or boot, protecting the fragile silks and kid leathers from dirt and damp. As the sole was made of cork, the carriage clog would have been light to wear.
Physical description
Overshoe known as a ''promenade' or 'carriage clog' of leather with cork sole
Place of Origin
Great Britain, Uk (made)
ca. 1825-1835 (made)
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Leather, with raised cork sole
Length: 21.5 cm, Width: 8.25 cm of sole, maximum, Height: 3.0 cm at heel, Width: 6.6 cm, Height: 7.9 cm
Leather; Cork
Accessories; Fashion; Footwear; Europeana Fashion Project
Collection code


text:
The Style Gallery is a great new way for you to view, love, and share outfit photos. It's meant to showcase
all the expressive, creative, and inspirational personalities of our community!
Love you too!
Your email has been sent!
The town hall enlivens with the strawberry, limeade, and white hues of this plaid A-line - especially when you start movin'! Frilled up with vented cap sleeves, red-and-black rickrack, and decorative buttons along its V-neck, this cotton frock is just too much fun to dance in.
Final Sale: This item cannot be returned or exchanged.
All measurements in inches.
Sorry this item isn't available anymore


text:
16 posts tagged with Canada and education.
Displaying 1 through 16 of 16. Subscribe:
Online listings for academic education technology jobs in North America
A UK colleague, who has worked for about a decade at various management and director levels in the UK academic sector (Education technology projects and services) is starting to consider moving abroad, but continuing the same line of work. His contact network in the education/academic sector outside of the UK is weak, and he doesn't know where to start looking online for positions in USA or Canadian Universities, Colleges, and Education Technology services and businesses that serve academia. Which are the good websites, and online listings, for these kinds of positions?
I want to go into Marketing Communications. Good idea?
Is Marketing Communications a good fit for me? Career advice appreciated, especially from people with experience in the industry. [more inside]
How can I pursue a masters or pHD in Canada if I'm working a 9-5 job?
It's a huge hassle for anyone who has a 9-5 job and no savings to pursue a masters or a pHD in a reputable/respectable college or university, no matter what country s/he's in. If that's my case, how can I make it work if I live in Toronto, Canada? (I'm interested in reading your thoughts and experiences even if they're not about Toronto per se).
What's fun, French, and on Netflix?
Here's a question that I think a lot of Ottawa-area Anglophones would appreciate an answer to: Are there any good French television shows or films available via the Canadian version of Netflix streaming?
Best Canadian/North American Schools for Electronic Composition
What are some of the leading computer music (electronic composition) schools in Canada? What about North America? [more inside]
Tell me about professional development for teachers in Canada
Help me learn more about teaching in Ontario, please. I'm looking for information about continuing education/professional development for teachers in Ontario. [more inside]
What are the holistic set of learning outcomes for Grade 2 in BC?
Looking for help with British Columbia Ministry of Education Integrated Resource Package for Grade 2 curriculum. Is there a single document that outlines all of the learning outcomes for Grade 2? [more inside]
Help my daughter choose a Vancouver school or institute of design...
Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Product Design. These are areas of interest for my 16 year old daughter. She will be visiting Vancouver, Canada for two weeks beginning tomorrow in part to explore institutes of higher learning she might like to attend following graduation from high school...what schools should she see while there? [more inside]
Hey! I could be Canadian! I love ketchup chips and sodas made with real sugar!
What are my prospects as an American (and American-trained) history teacher for moving up to Canada? [more inside]
Cultural learnings of America for make benefit of self: How can an Asian girl gain some North American experience?
I'm a Malaysian in my mid-twenties looking for non-academic opportunities to live in North America on a short-term basis. How can I do this? [more inside]
Help me spend my loonies wisely.
Help me learn about personal finances... Canadian style. [more inside]
RESP...still don't know what it means for me
College savings: Does the government care how you spend a college savings plan in Canada? [more inside]
Studies options for a foreign medical doctor in Canada
As medical doctor I want to follow some postgraduate studies related to health (good if in research) so I can be in tracks in two or three years [more inside]
Planning now for better opportunities for my daughter
When it came time for me to think about where my life was going, my parents let me know a couple things: - they made enough money that the Canadian government wouldn't let them off the hook for helping to pay for my education, so student loans were reduced. - they weren't going to/weren't able to help me with paying for my education anyway. Consequently I never went to college or university. I've managed all right without any training or degrees, though not as well as I likely would have. I suspect I will never have time/opportunity/money to fix this. My daughter will be born in late June. What can I do now (in Canada) to make sure she has better opportunities than I did?
RESP...tell me what it means to me...
CanadaFinancialFilter: What's the best way to invest in an RESP? [more inside]
Job prospects in Canada?
Is Canada a good place to go if you want a decent job and a good place to go for college?
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There is an increasingly prevalent theme to the radio ads that I hear during my commute this week.
I ought to buy a new Toyota before August 1, when the Massachusetts sales tax is 'set to increase by twenty-five percent!' Ernie Boch tells me, in his Ernie Boch way.
Now is a great time to get myself a Seeley Posturepedic, but I'd better hurry to 'beat the Massachusetts sales tax hike!'
Bernie and Phyl remind me that they always have low, low prices - but their prices won't be quite so low after August 1, when the 25 percent sales tax increase goes into effect. So I'd better get myself in to pick up a comfy recliner with built-in cup holders now, before the price goes up.
One after another, retailers admonish me to do the smart thing and make my purchases this week, before they are forced to raise prices. It is the perfect kind of 'sale' for the seller: they do not have to actually reduce prices, just make us understand that the price this week is considerably lower than it will be next week.
Call it economic stimulus - Massachusetts style. Spur spending not by injecting capital into the marketplace, but by threat of a certain increase in cost in the near future.
Here's a prediction. Look for consumer activity - and therefore tax revenue - in the state to spike in July. When those numbers come out there will be much back-slapping and self-congratulation on Beacon Hill. All will ignore the inconvenient fact that the revenue improvement will register before the effective date of the tax increase. Then look for consumer activity and tax revenues to tank again in August. When they do, you will not hear a single Democrat in the State House discussing the real, obvious reason: the disincentive to spending created by the tax increase, coupled with front-loading of consumer activity in July to 'beat the Massachusetts sales tax hike.'
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Economic stimulus - Massachusetts style
2 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2009 at 2:32 PM
I just purchased an entire house worth of appliances...online...no sales tax at all for Massachusetts.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 29, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Ron, Shewsbury, MA.ReplyDelete
Although the new alcohol sales tax doesn't start until Sat 8/1, I'm heading to NH today and stocking up! I'll make sure and fill my tank and pick up all my other tax free items too.
It's one thing to have an increase on items currently taxed, but completely outrageous to now include alcohol.
No spamming, flaming, cursing, or other such nonsense tolerated. Thanks for engaging on those terms - Greg
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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For the first time since 2009, the Jets are headed into this season as underdogs, thanks to a quarterback who is coming of a year of regression with a backup quarterback who has a religious following.
Most of the negativity surrounding the team does not stem from the holes on the roster or lack of elite talent. Instead, most point to the unparalleled media spotlight as the Achilles' heel of the New York Jets.
Most assume that the acquisition of Tim Tebow will spell doom for the Jets. Tebow became a media sensation in the Rocky Mountains. Who knows what kind of damage he will do in the media capital of the world?
However, headlines and back-page real estate is not always the nuisance that coaches assume it is. If handled correctly, the Jets can take what most teams view as a obstacle into a motivational tool they can use to their advantage.
Good vs. Bad Publicity
It is not only the amount of publicity a team gets that matters—it is the type of publicity that makes the difference.
Just look at the 2011 Eagles—they were clearly affected by the amount of praise they got for being a "Dream Team" and probably took their team's talent for granted. The team stumbled to an 8-8 finish, missing the playoffs.
The kind of publicity a coach is looking for attacks the team's perceived talent and potential for the season, because it makes for excellent bulletin-board material. When a team is counted out before they can take the field, coaches can easily turn it into motivation, just like the 2009 Jets did.
In 2009, just about everyone in the NFL, including most Jets fans, counted out the team that was starting a rookie quarterback and was 4-6 at one point. But the Jets clearly took issue with their lack of respect, evidenced in Rex Ryan's postgame speech after beating the heavily favored Chargers in the AFC Divisional game:
Maintaining Confidence
While a team can certainly use negative publicity to its advantage, too much negative talk can actually shake a team's confidence, especially when a team's starting quarterback has come into question.
Take this year's Jaguars: Some are predicting them to be picking first overall in next year's draft, with Blaine Gabbert in the cross-hairs of every negative article written about the team.
Coach Mike Mularkey could possibly use this negative perception of his team to his advantage and get his team to put out extra effort for being disrespected. However, his ridiculous policy of not allowing his players to talk about personal injuries to the media at a cost of $10,000 is a total confidence killer for his team.
In essence, Mularkey is telling his team that they are so much worse than every other team that they have to go to extreme measures to gain every advantage possible to win games. How can a team expect to compete for anything beyond mediocrity with any kind of doubt in their mind that they can play up to the level of competition?
While some may view this as a fault because it can put a target on the team's back, during lean times, confident talk is just what a team needs to get back to where they want to be.
There is no doubt that the Jets are down right now after going 8-8 and missing the playoffs. If Rex was anything but his normal self, his players would start to think that his first three years were nothing but an act and see anything else he does as phony.
All Rex has to do is keep being himself to get the Jets back to the mentality they rode in 2009 all the way to the AFC Championship game.
The Right Coach for New York
There are some players, in all sports, that simply cannot play in New York. The intense scrutiny can destroy a player's confidence and crush a player's career.
While he has not quite brought home the championship he promised, the man has not had a losing season as head coach. While he may have lost because of the way he manages his quarterback or a (rare) incorrect defensive call, he has never let the media change the way he goes about his business.
Of course, none of this will matter if the Jets don't get the job done on the field. Ryan could use all of his motivational plays perfectly, but it will be all in vain if his players don't execute.
Nonetheless, playing in New York with the full attention of the media is not always a bad thing. In fact, if handled correctly, it could be the final piece of the puzzle that puts the Jets over the top.


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Bouazza, Naïma,b; Tréluyer, Jean-Marca,b,c,d; Msellati, Philippee; Van de Perre, Philippef,g,h; Diagbouga, Sergei; Nacro, Boubacarj; Hien, Hervéi; Zoure, Emmanuellej; Rouet, Françoisi; Ouiminga, Adamai; Blanche, Stephanea,c,k; Hirt, Déboraha,b; Urien, Saika,b,c
aEA 3620, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité
bUnité de Recherche clinique, AP-HP, Hôpital Tarnier
cCIC-0901 Inserm, Cochin-Necker
dService de Pharmacologie Clinique, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin-Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Université Paris – Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris
eUMI 233, IRD-Université de Montpellier I-Université de Yaoundé 1, Montpellier
fINSERM U 1058
gUniversité Montpellier 1
hCHU Montpellier, Département de bactériologie-virologie et Département d'Information Médicale, Montpellier, France
iCentre Muraz
jService de Pédiatrie, CHU Sourô Sanou, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
kUnité d'Immunologie, Hématologie et Rhumatologie Pédiatriques, AP-HP, Hôpital Necker Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
Correspondence to Naïm Bouazza, Unité de Recherche Clinique, Hôpital Tarnier, 89 rue d'Assas, 75006 Paris, France. Tel: +33158412884; fax: +33158411183; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Received 14 March, 2012
Revised 23 October, 2012
Accepted 15 November, 2012
Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's Website (http://www.AIDSonline.com).
Objective: The objective of this study was to develop in children an HIV dynamic model able to predict simultaneously the viral load and CD4+ lymphocyte evolutions, and to take into account, through a composite inhibition score, the relative contribution of each drug of the combination efavirenz–didanosine–lamivudine and use this score as a predictor of treatment failure in a multidrug therapy.
Design: Open phase II trial (BURKINAME – ANRS 12103) registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov database (http://clinicaltrials.gov) with the no. NCT00122538.
Methods: Forty-nine children aged from 2.5 to 15 years were administered once-daily dose of lamivudine, didanosine and efavirenz. The three drugs effect was then characterized by a composite inhibition score combining the effect of each drug, according to their site and mechanism of action and their relative contribution.
Results: Efavirenz was the most potent antiretroviral and was responsible for 65% of the total effect, and then didanosine for 23% and lamivudine was the less potent with 12% of the total observed effect. An EC90 for efavirenz was determined (3.3 mg/l). AUC90 was estimated for lamivudine and didanosine: 8.4 and 1.5 mg h/l, respectively. The composite inhibition score was the best predictor of virologic failure compared with the concentrations of each drug taken independently [hazard ratio (HR) 0.6 per 10% increase, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41–0.88].
Conclusion: The relative contributions of three combined drugs were assessed on plasma viral load and CD4+ lymphocyte count kinetics in HIV-1-infected children. Pharmacokinetics targets have been suggested for lamivudine and didanosine. A composite inhibition score has been determined to be a high predictor of treatment failure in a multidrug therapy.
HAART has been shown to be effective in children from industrialized countries [1] and feasible in developing countries [2,3] where 90% of infected children are living. As compliance is essential for individual efficacy [4], a once-daily administration of HAART could further decrease treatment failure, especially in children from developing countries. The once-a-day combination of didanosine (ddI), lamivudine (3TC) and efavirenz (EFV) has been successfully applied to adults [5,6], improving compliance, antiretroviral efficacy [7] and long-term tolerance [5,6]. However, in children, the efficacy and tolerance of the combination ddI, 3TC, EFV remained to be investigated. The BURKINAME/ANRS 12103 trial aimed to study the combination ddI–3TC–EFV given once daily in children aged from 30 months to 15 years and evaluate the efficacy of this treatment. Until now, HIV dynamic models have only considered the effect of the most potent drug of the combination [8,9]. Therefore, the relative contribution of each drug in the global efficacy remains to be determined. Generally, drug monitoring is only focused on protease inhibitor or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) concentration, which may lead to a biased appreciation of efficacy, as the other antiretroviral drugs, that is nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), were not taken into account. Relationships between EFV antiretroviral efficacy/toxicity and plasma concentrations have been previously established in adults [10]. Few pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic relationships have been reported in children [11] and no target exposure value has been reported for ddI or 3TC. Thus, in children, reproducing adult exposure is thought to ensure efficacy.
In this study, we analysed simultaneously the viral load and CD4+ lymphocyte evolutions and estimated the relative contributions of efavirenz, didanosine and lamivudine in the treatment of HIV-1-infected children by using an HIV dynamic model. Pharmacokinetic targets for lamivudine and didanosine were deduced from this model. A composite inhibition score (CIS) has been determined and tested as a predictor of treatment failure in a multidrug therapy.
The BURKINAME – ANRS 12103 study was an open phase II trial evaluating the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and toxicity of the ddI–3TC–EFV once-daily combination in HIV-infected children. It was conducted in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. The study was approved by the National Ethics Committee Health Research from Burkina Faso and was registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov database (http://clinicaltrials.gov) with the no. NCT00122538.
The patients enrolled in this study included children aged from 30 months to 15 years, weighting at least 10 kg, infected by HIV-1 and naive to all antiretroviral treatments (except a treatment preventing mother-to-child transmission). They were eligible if their HIV disease was classified, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as clinical category:
1. C and/or CD4 cell count 15% or less for children aged 5 years or less or CD4 cell count 200 cells/μl or less for children aged more than 5 years
2. B, A or N and 15 ≤ CD4 cell count ≤ 20% for children aged 5 years or less or 200 ≤ CD4 cell count ≤ 350 cells/μl for children aged more than 5 years and a viral load greater than 100 000 copies/ml.
The following baseline laboratory values were required: haemoglobin concentration of 7 g/dl or greater, a platelet count of at least 50 000 cells/μl, amylase less than 2.5 times the upper limit of normal and aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase lower than five times the upper limit of normal. The mother or the legal guardian provided informed consent.
Clinical evaluations were carried out each month during the follow-up period. Children were also seen for any intercurrent diseases if necessary. Consultations, hospitalizations, treatments and tests were free of charge.
Children were administered a once-daily 8 mg/kg dose of 3TC, as tablets (150 mg) or oral solution (10 mg/ml). Children were also given a once-daily 240 mg/m2 of ddI and the recommended bodyweight-dependent dose of efavirenz (200 mg from 13 to <15 kg, 250 mg from 15 to <20 kg, 300 mg from 20 to <25 kg, 350 mg from 25 to <32.5 kg, 400 mg from 32.5 to <40 kg and 600 mg above 40 kg).
All parents were instructed to administer all the treatment every day at 1800 h without food.
The pharmacokinetic study was performed after 15 days of treatment in 38 children and between 2 and 5 months of treatment in 11 children. Time elapsed between administration, and sampling time, age, bodyweight and size were carefully recorded. Blood samples were centrifuged at 3000g for 10 min. Plasma samples were aliquoted and stored at −70°C until assayed for drug concentrations. Virological and biochemical measurements were performed, before treatment and every 3 months up to 1 year after the beginning of the treatment. Adherence to the study treatment was assessed by the trial physician and the pharmacist monthly and a quarterly caregiver questionnaire. The questionnaire characterized the child's primary caregiver, documented the caregivers' and child's knowledge of the diagnosis, the difficulties in administering the drugs, the disruption of daily life by the treatment, the importance of the treatment, the extent to which the suggested pill administration protocol was followed and the reasons for missed doses.
Plasma HIV-RNA viral load was determined using a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR targeted to the long-terminal repeat of HIV-1 (Generic HIV Viral Load assay; Biocentric, Bandol, France). The detection threshold of this assay was 300 copies/ml using 0.2 ml plasma [12]. Biochemistry analysis were performed by using the Lisa 300 Plus machine (Hycel Diagnostics, Massy, France). CD4 cell counting was performed using Becton Dickinson flow cytometry. Concentration measurements of efavirenz, didanosine and lamivudine in plasma were previously described. [11,13,14]. HIV-1 resistance testing was based on AC11 Resistance Group recommendations (French National Agency for AIDS Research, ANRS). RNA was extracted with the MagNa pure compact apparatus (Roche Applied Science, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA) from samples containing more than 1000 HIV-1 RNA copies per millimetre. Drug susceptibility was deduced from ANRS algorithm (http://www.hivfrenchresistance.org).
A dynamic model with antiviral treatments was considered as follows:
These three differential equations represent three compartments: uninfected target cells (TC), infected cells (IC) and free virions (VL) (Fig. 1). The model assumes that target cells are produced at a constant rate So. These cells die at rate Td and are infected according to infection rate constant β. Infected cells are eliminated at a rate δ. Viral particles (virions) are produced at rate p per infected cell and cleared at rate c. The CIS stands for the resulting effect of the three reverse transcriptase inhibitors and coded as follows:
This mechanistically based equation was established according to pharmacodynamic principles. As didanosine and lamivudine are both within a same class of antiretroviral, same mechanism of action and same target, their effect has been combined according to the first part of the equation as previously described [15]. By contrast, the effect of efavirenz has been added as an independent equation.
CssmEFV, CssmddI and Cssm3TC are the mean steady-state concentrations for the three drugs calculated as dose divided by clearance and administration interval. The individual clearances of each drug were obtained from the three different population pharmacokinetic models previously published [11,13,14]. C503TC, C50ddI and C50EFV were concentrations at which the drug effect reaches 50% of its maximum, when viral resistance had not occurred. In the model, if resistances occurred during follow-up time, the C50 for each drug was estimated before resistance mutation appeared. When a resistance occurred for a drug, the corresponding C50 was set to infinity, that is the inhibition effect was close to zero. Imax3TC, Imaxddi and ImaxEFV were the maximum responses produced by lamivudine, didanosine and efavirenz, respectively.
To have a consistent effect equation, the accumulated maximum response produced by the three drugs association should not exceed 1; thus, the sum of Imax3TC, Imaxddi and ImaxEFV was constrained to the value of 1 as follows:
E3TC and EddI were then two parameters estimated from the model. By this way, the composite score varies from 0 to 1.
If we assume a system at a steady state before initiating antiretroviral treatment, the initial conditions of the system are:
Initial conditions were then reformulated in order to estimate viral load and CD4+ lymphocyte counts as baseline parameters, allowing the determination of the corresponding between-subject variabilities (BSVs). Thus, β and Td were derived from viral load and CD4+ lymphocyte count baselines according to the following equations:
Data were analysed using the nonlinear mixed effect modelling software program Monolix version 31s (http://wfn.software.monolix.org) [16]. Due to the wide range of viral load values, these were log10 transformed for the analysis. Parameters were estimated by computing the maximum likelihood estimator of the parameters without any approximation of the model (no linearization) using the stochastic approximation expectation maximization (SAEM) algorithm combined to a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) procedure. BSVs were ascribed to an exponential model. The likelihood ratio test (LRT) including the log-likelihood, the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) were used to test different hypotheses regarding the final model, covariate effect(s) on parameter(s), residual variability model (proportional versus proportional along with additive error model) and structure of the variance–covariance matrix for the BSV parameters. Viral load data below the limit of quantification (LOQ) were treated as left-censored data by the program.
Plasma virions concentration profiles and CD4+ lymphocytes kinetics were simulated and compared with the observed data to evaluate the predictive performance of the model. The vector of pharmacokinetic parameters from 400 patients was simulated using the final model. Each vector parameter was drawn in a log-normal distribution with a variance corresponding to the BSV previously estimated. A simulated residual error was added to each simulated concentration. The fifth, 50th and 95th percentiles of the simulated concentrations at each time were then overlaid on the observed concentration data and a visual inspection was performed.
Forty-nine children (19 girls and 30 boys) from 2.5 to 15 years old, 285 plasma virions concentrations and 287 CD4+ lymphocyte counts were available for evaluation. Table 1 summarizes patients' characteristics.
Clinically, 16 children were at stage A, 28 at stage B and five at stage C of HIV infection, according to the CDC clinical category [6]. Before treatment, the mean percentage of CD4 cell count was 8.62% (median 8%, from 0.4 to >26%) and the average CD4 lymphocytes count was 336 cells/μl (median 257, from 2 to 1513 cells/μl). Median viral load was 5.5 log10 copies/ml (from 4.6 to 6.7 copies/ml). Patients with this high degree of infection severity were included in this trial, because this was the inclusion criteria for HAART in Burkina Faso. Eleven patients developed resistance with a cumulative rate of 22% at 12 months. Resistance to both EFV and 3TC occurred in six patients, to both EFV and ddI in one patient, to 3TC alone in two patients, to EFV alone in one patient and finally one patient developed resistance to the three drugs.
The average yearly adherence for all patients was 97.3% (range: 88.5–99.8%)
The HIV dynamic model adequately described the data with the use of the pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs published previously [11,13,14]. The parameters of the model (see figure, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/QAD/A279) were the production rate constant of uninfected target cells (So), elimination rate constant of infected cells (δ), production rate constant of free virions (p), elimination rate constant of free virions (c), free virions at baseline (VL0), CD4 cell count at baseline (CD40) and C503TC, C50ddI, C50EFV. As δ and c were inaccurately estimated from the model, these two parameters were fixed to previously reported values, 15.2 and 91.5 per month, respectively [17]. Residual variabilities were best described by an additive error model. Interindividual variability was retained for p, So, C50EFV, VL0 and CD40 and described by exponential error model.
Table 2 summarizes the final population parameter estimates. All the parameters were well estimated, given their relative standard error (RSE%). The model assumes a maximum effect of 1 (Imax) obtained from the combination of the three drugs; thus, the Imax of each drug has been derived from the model (as described in the Materials and Methods part) and efavirenz was the most potent antiretroviral and responsible for 65% of the maximum total effect, then didanosine for 23% and lamivudine was the less potent with 12% of the total effect.
Our model provided good fits of both viral load and CD4+ lymphocytes as shown on some individual fits for different patients (Fig. 1) and on the visual predictive checks (see figure, Supplemental Digital Content 2, http://links.lww.com/QAD/A279), which shows that the average prediction matches the observations and that the variability is reasonably estimated.
According to the concentration–effect relationship (see figure, Supplemental Digital Content 3, http://links.lww.com/QAD/A279), an EC90 of 3.3 mg/l for efavirenz was determined. The current recommendation for efavirenz is to obtain a Cmin from 1 to 4 mg/l: this range appears to guarantee an optimal efficacy for this drug.
For the two NRTIs, the area under the curve (AUC) effect relationship was performed. AUC50 for lamivudine and didanosine was derived from C503TC and C50ddI (multiplication by administration interval) and AUC90 was then deduced (see figure, Supplemental Digital Content 3, http://links.lww.com/QAD/A279): 8.4 and 1.5 mg h/l, respectively. These values could be taken as pharmacokinetic targets to ensure optimal efficacy for these drugs.
The three mean drug concentrations and the CIS (calculated for each patient from the equation defined in the Materials and Methods part) were compared between patients with or without virologic failure (>300 copies/ml) during the year of treatment to assess which was the best to discriminate the two groups (Table 3). Virologic failure has been defined as a single free virion more than 300 copies/ml during the year of follow-up; however, the same results regarding the predictivity of the score have been obtained if virologic failure was defined as two successive free virions more than 300 copies/ml. In that case, six children could be considered as blippers. The mean concentrations of the three drugs were not significantly different in the two groups; however, the CIS was significantly lower in patient with virologic failure [mean (SD): 0.45 (0.20) vs. 0.63 (0.10), P < 10−3].
The risk of treatment failure was compared between the patients who reach a CIS lower than 50% and those who reached a score greater than 50% (Fig. 2). The risk of failure was significantly higher in patient with a score less than 50% (log-rank test: P = 0.003). A multivariate Cox analysis was performed in order to obtain the hazard ratio adjusted by viral resistances. Taking into account drug resistances, the risk of failure was significantly lower when the CIS increases with an adjusted hazard ratio (per 10% increase) of 0.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41–0.88, P = 0.008)]. The adjusted hazard ratio of viral resistances was 5.2 (95% CI 1.7–15.9, P = 0.004).
Modelling of viral dynamics in HIV-1-infected patients has played an important role to describe and understand the effect of antiretroviral drugs on HIV-1 RNA production. However, all of these models were performed either on a monotherapy or on a multidrug therapy but only by taking into account the effect of the most potent drug that was assumed to be 100% effective. In this study, we established the virologic and CD4+ cells responses as a function of the three drug exposures (efavirenz, didanosine and lamivudine) and characterized the relative weight of each drug on the total effect in 49 children aged from 2.5 to 15 years. This model has been successfully developed, thanks to the variability of the viral and CD4 cell responses. This dataset including responders and nonresponders was allowed to perform this modelling and relate these different responses to the drug exposures. The HIV dynamic model used has been previously described [18] and usually used for the characterization of one drug effect [8,9]. The physiological mechanism of the three drugs has been taken into account, as the effect of the two NRTIs (3TC + ddI) has been combined contrary to the NRTI (EFV) effect that has been characterized as an independent equation. The sum of these three effects was equal to 1. The estimation of all HIV dynamic parameters has been performed using SAEM algorithm, which is computationally efficient on dynamic models and is able to handle correctly the censored data from viral load, which are the main source of biased estimates of the parameters [19]. A comparison with classic methods of handling censored data shows that the extended SAEM algorithm was the less biased method [20].
Efavirenz and didanosine concentrations were modelled by a one-compartment model with first-order elimination. Lamivudine concentrations were described by a two-compartment model with first-order elimination where the fast distribution rate constant is assumed to be equal to the absorption rate constant. These models have been established in the same paediatric patients and detailed in previous published studies [11,13,14]. These models were used to obtain the individual exposure to each drug for each patient.
The pharmacological active form for lamivudine and didanosine is the triphosphate anabolite, and no link between plasma concentrations and effect has been already shown. Exposures defined as AUC to these drugs appear to be more effective than concentrations to reflect the link to efficacy; thus, 24-h exposures were chosen as targets in stade of mean concentrations as made for efavirenz, which does not need to be converted to an active form.
According to our modelling, the order of potency of the three drugs was as follows: efavirenz (65% of the total effect), then didanosine (23%) and finally lamivudine was the less potent with 12% of the total effect. Regarding the estimated potency of each drug, it was expected that the NNRTI drug (EFV) would be responsible of the most part of the effect compared with the NRTI backbone. If we focus on the monotherapy efficacy studies of the two NRTIs, we notice that after 48 weeks of treatment, the mean change from baseline for viral load was −0.62 and −0.42 for ddI [21] and 3TC [22], respectively. These results suggest a higher potency of ddI than 3TC as shown in our findings. However, at this time, there are no published data on how these three drugs contribute to the resulting response.
The model allowed us to determine pharmacokinetic targets (AUC90) for the two NRTIs: didanosine and lamivudine (1.5 and 8.4 mg h/l, respectively). AUC90 found for lamivudine and didanosine was closed to adult exposure reported with the standard dose [23–26]. EC90 found for efavirenz was between 1 and 4 mg/l, which is the reported range of efficacy for efavirenz [10]. The CIS determined in this study was the best predictor of virologic failure compared with the concentrations of each drug taken independently. In the multivariate Cox analysis, viral resistance was the major determinant of virologic failure (hazard ratio 5.2, 95% CI 1.7–15.9). However, taking into account viral resistances, the time to virologic failure analysis has shown that the increase of CIS in patients leads to decrease in the risk of failure with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.6 (95% CI 0.41–0.88).
The average yearly level of adherence in the first year of this once-daily dose of antiretroviral therapy combination was very high for all patients (97.5%) probably due to the fact that caregivers were regularly reminded to provide the medication during all the trials.
In conclusion, this study reports, for the first time, the relative contributions of three combined drugs, thanks to a population modelling of their effects on plasma virions and CD4+ lymphocyte counts kinetics in HIV-1-infected children. A CIS based upon pharmacodynamic principles was determined from the concentrations of the three drugs and measured the total effect of the multidrug therapy. This score was the best predictor of virologic failure compared with the concentrations of each drug taken independently. New pharmacokinetic targets have been derived and proposed for lamivudine and didanosine. The EC90 for efavirenz derived from the model was well in the range of previously recommended concentrations values.
We acknowledge the French 'Agence Nationale de Recherche contre le VIH/SIDA et les hepatitis virales' (ANRS) for sponsoring the trial and the children of the study and their parents. We acknowledge Pediatric European Network Treatment AIDS Laboratory Network (PENTA-LABNET) for financial support.
N.B., J.M.T., P.M., P.V.P. and S.U. designed research; P.M., P.V.P., S.D., B.N., H.H., E.Z., F.R., A.O. and S.B. conducted research; N.B., S.U., D.H. and J.M.T. analysed data; N.B. and S.U. wrote the article; N.B., J.M.T. and S.U. had primary responsibility for the final content.
There are no conflicts of interest.
children; dynamic model; HIV; population pharmacokinetics
© 2013 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
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February 2009 // Volume 47 // Number 1
Editor's Page
JOE by the Numbers 2008
In "JOE by the Numbers 2008" I report on the 2008 submission and readership rates and announce JOE's current acceptance rate: 32.4%. I also highlight yet again the Top 50 Most Read Articles lists. In "JOE Redesign" I flag the obvious-JOE's new look-and explain that its beauty is more than skin deep. In "February JOE" I spend just a few more words urging you to read this month's issue.
Are Accents One of the Last Acceptable Areas for Discrimination?
The use of language and the ability to speak "Standard English" in America can have serious consequences for people in this country. One's intellectual ability is often judged on the basis of how well one speaks English. Foreign accents and accents related to variation in style and pronunciation of native English speech can be subject to negative evaluation and discrimination. As America becomes an increasingly multicultural nation, it is to be hoped that we will become increasingly skilled in communicating with those who speak English with various accents as well as tolerant in our attitudes toward all accents.
Participate in the JOE Discussion Forum on "Are Accents One of the Last Acceptable Areas for Discrimination? "


text:
Tremont 8-5-2011
I had a great solo trip for Brookies on Friday. Ran by LRO to find the whole family working and used up my gift card I got for Father's Day. Arrived at the creek and got rigged up. While rigging, I ran into some tourists who were looking for Spruce Flat Falls. I gave them directions then they walked up to check out the river. As I finished getting everything together, I realized I forgot a water bottle. Luckily the people I gave directions to came back and had a cooler full, and kindly gave me one. I thanked them and headed up the trail. Just as I started I noticed a bait bucket at the bridge I looked for people fishing close by (right next to clsed for fishing sign), and even spoke with a group of hikers that were coming back who hadn't seen anyone. I put it in my trunk and headed out. I joined the I-phone club several months back, and now have a MP3 player in my pocket so I have been listening to some music while I hike in and out in familiar places. Usually I just it on established trails, then it goes into my pocket when I'm in the stream or off-trail, but this manway I'm intimately familar with so I felt plenty comfortable with it on (Although I did take them off while passing Rattlesnake Rock). On the hike in it was apparent the stream had flash flooded recently. It's amazing what mother nature can do in a brief few hours. I took a few pics, but nothing that really shows what it looks like. I usually hike up a lot further, but today tried some of the lower stretches. The fishing was great for this time of the year. This year, the mountains have had frequent enough rain to extend the good fishing which in my opinion is usually getting slow this time of year. I also found out the hard way that the Brookies were indeed spawning. I only took a couple more males after that. I fished for about 5 hours when I realized that with all the plants laid down from the flood I missed my last crossing and didn't realize the trail switched sides and spent about 15 minutes looking for the trail on the wrong side of the creek. After a short hike downstream to find the next crossing, I easily found the trail out. On when the I-phone and I started my hike out. In a half mile or so I ran across a steaming (yes at 90 degrees out) pile of bear crap. This should have clued me in, but I just sunk into my music and had a lovely walk out. That was until a 300 pound Bear scared the living Sh*t out of me as it was 10 yard away Luckily he ran the other way. I quickly pulled off my headphones and continued my hike as I hope he didn't want the 4 fish I had with me. I went without the phones for the rest of the trip to the car
Another great day in the Smokies
Pics - http://www.duckypaddler.com/sams-creek-8-5-2011.html
Nice report. The bear would have scared me, too.
Wild troutin, blue linin, fly flingin, camo wearin, redneckin elitist.
Quite an outing, dp. Thanks for reporting. Fortunately the story didn't end with the big bear grinnin' and pickin' his teeth and sayin' "can you hear me now?" I couldn't resist, friend.
Joe Fred Turner
Southern Appalachian Stream Maps
Formerly SmokyStreams.com
Scary experience!
The wife and I were up on Middle Prong above the last bridge and before the trailhead on Saturday morning. Surprisingly only saw one other fisherman along the road on the drive out. I did see two guys fishing off one of the bridges with some saltwater spinning rods while driving in, maybe they were the owners of the bait bucket. I didn't see them with one when I passed, but figure they are as good of a suspect as anybody else up there.
I saw the signs of the recent flash flood down lower as well. Water level had recently been about 3' higher than the current level, and my 8.5 month wife had some concerns about sitting down there and seeing that water level. Fishing for me was a little slower. Only landed one small bow, and had one other get off. Missed probably a dozen strikes on the dry, but still a slower day than I am used to.
My Blog --> http://tnfishingfanatic.blogspot.com/
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Email ChemEAngler
Wow, Ducky that's a good day! Congrats...I had a big bear coming down the hill on me at the first bridge on the MP and he ran as well...he was larger than any bear I've ever seen in the park.
So I take it after that there were hot steaming piles of crap on the trail?
Awesome report, that is my favorite area to fish as well, my go to stream usually, funny that we have never bumped into each other up there. I have yet to see a bear in that area, but have sometimes seen evidence of their presence. Thanks to the report from last year, I am extra cautious around 'rattlesnake rock' now i'm going to looking all over for bears now, too.
The bait bucket- do you think that could have been accidentally left by a group from the tremont institute? I have seen them up there twice in the past month with groups of people and lots of different buckets collecting insects and aquatic invertebrates in them.
I'm more worried about people than bears. I talked with a retired USFS employee that stated at least one person is murdered every year on the AT for food, money, cothes, credit cards, or whatever. He added that doesn't get a lot of publicity.
John Torchick
I have really wanted to fish up there as well. With all these reports of bears and rattlers... it sounds like this area has a large concentration of both! Is this any different than other areas of the park? Just curious...
I have never run into either so I guess I should just consider myself lucky...
Tight Lines,
Love it James! The deal with that area is it isn't very hard to get too but feels very remote at the same time. Something about the area once you make the last crossing of Thunderhead on the way to Sams kind of gives me the creeps.
Adam Beal
Hey Jack (JAB)...
I know what you mean when - you can't hardly hear the creek anymore for that flat stretch above both creeks, but I realized that that's just because you're being watched
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Brooks Furniture Glider Rocker Style 1529P
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Brooks Furniture Glider Rocker Style 1529V-LM
Brooks Furniture Glider Rockers
The spindles in the glider base can separate while rocking, posing a fall hazard to the user.
Brooks Furniture at (800) 427-6657 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET or online at www.brooksfurnitureonline.com and click on "Recall" for more information.
About 350
The recall includes two styles of Brooks Furniture glider rockers 1529P and 1529V-LM. The 1529P glider rocker has a maple wood frame with blue fabric upholstery. The 1529V-LM glider rocker has a maple wood frame with beige vinyl upholstery and a locking mechanism to disengage the glider. Both recalled chairs have the style number and manufacture date between 1/1/2011 and 12/31/2012 printed under the chair's seat. Brooks Furniture is printed on a label attached to the seat cushions.
The firm has received 29 reports of the chair's spindles separating or loosening on the base of the glider rockers. No injuries have been reported.
Consumers should stop using the glider rocker and contact Brooks Furniture to receive a free replacement base.
Kaplan Early Learning Co .nationwide from October 2011 to December 2012 for about $390 to $540 depending on style.
Brooks Furniture Mfg. Inc. of Tazewell, Tenn.
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ELN (Electronic Laboratory Notebook) for QC and R&DiLAB LES (previously known as the Nexxis ELN) is an electronic notebook software solution that meets the needs of both routine QC/QA requirements as well as the unstructured requirements of an R&D group. One electronic lab notebook will meet all your needs. Go Paperless in MinutesPerkinElmer's ReDI™ technology is the industry's fastest ELN deployment technology for converting your labs paper-based forms into electronic notebooks. iLAB LES delivers immediate returns to the laboratory by going paperless. Electronic lab notebooks will: • Eliminate illegibility problems created by hard to read hand writing. • Eliminate problems due to lost or damaged paper forms or paper notebooks. • Eliminate the waiting while someone else uses your paper notebook.• Eliminate paper storage and retrieval costs. iLAB LES with ReDI is the e-notebook that provides instant relief from the headaches of paper management.
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News Release
Release No. 0366.11
George Thomas (573) 876-9326
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USDA Official Highlights Renewable Fuel Choices for Missouri Drivers
Installation of Flexible Fuel Pumps Boosts Renewable Fuels Industry, Creates Jobs
Kearney, MO, August 17, 2011 – USDA Rural Development Administrator Judith Canales saw first-hand today how flexible fuel pumps are providing Missouri drivers with more choices when they pull up to the fuel pump. With support from the Obama Administration, USDA is helping to fund the installation of flex-fuel pumps through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Canales visited two sites today that now have pumps funded, in part, by the program.
"The installation of these pumps will help Missouri businesses, residents and motorists in many ways," said Canales, Administrator of USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. "It will help businesses that install them create jobs, and it will spur economic activity in the renewable energy industry. This effort builds on the Obama Administration's commitment to 'Win the Future' by developing innovative ways to meet our future energy needs."
Flexible fuel pumps are specifically designed to dispense ethanol-gasoline blends that contain up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. In addition, they may also dispense mid-level blends, such as E15 and E30. USDA Rural Development provided funding to assist in the installation of the pumps at Platte-Clay Fuels LLC, an affiliate of Platte –Clay Electric Cooperative, through REAP.
Canales' trip was a follow-up to her May 2011 visit to the "Show Me State" when she kicked off a series of workshops USDA Rural Development held around the country to highlight financing available for flexible-fuel pumps at gas stations and to highlight USDA support for renewable energy. The workshops focused on changes to the Rural Energy for America Program that make agriculture producers in non-rural areas also eligible for REAP assistance. REAP grants can be used for renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements, energy audits and studies to determine the feasibility of renewable energy systems.
In addition to other energy conserving and producing activities, REAP provides grants and loan guarantees for the installation of retail flexible fuel pumps and related equipment and the retrofitting of existing pumps to dispense E85. Grant awards are limited to no more than 25 percent of total eligible project costs, with a minimum grant of $2,500 and a maximum grant of $500,000. Loan guarantees are available for up to 75 percent of total eligible project costs.
In June, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing the first White House Rural Council, chaired by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The Council will work throughout government to create policies to promote economic prosperity and a high quality of life in our rural communities.
Since taking office, President Obama's Administration has taken significant steps to improve the lives of rural Americans and has provided broad support for rural communities. The Obama Administration has set goals of modernizing infrastructure by providing broadband access to 10 million Americans, expanding educational opportunities for students in rural areas, and providing affordable health care. In the long term, these unparalleled rural investments will help ensure that America's rural communities are repopulating, self-sustaining and thriving economically.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).


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Roberts, Russel PharmD; Ruthazer, Robin MPH; Chi, Amy MD; Grover, Aarti MD; Newman, Matthew; Bhat, Shubha; Benotti, Stacey PharmD; Garpestad, Erik MD; Nasraway, Stanley A. MD, FCCM; Howard, William RRT; Devlin, John W. PharmD, FCCM
Objective: To measure the impact of a national propofol shortage on the duration of mechanical ventilation.
Design: Before–after study.
Setting: Three, noncardiac surgery, adult intensive care units at a 320-bed academic medical center.
Patients: Consecutive patients requiring mechanical ventilation ≥48 hrs, administered a continuously infused sedative ≥24 hrs, extubated, and successfully discharged from the intensive care unit were compared between before (December 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009) and after (December 1, 2009, to May 31, 2010) a propofol shortage.
Intervention: None.
Measurements and Main Results: Sedation drug use and common factors affecting time on mechanical ventilation were collected and if found either to differ significantly (p ≤ .10) between the two groups or to have an unadjusted significant association (p ≤ .10) with time on mechanical ventilation were included in a multivariable model. The unadjusted analyses revealed that the median (interquartile range) duration of mechanical ventilation increased from 6.7 (9.8; n = 153) to 9.6 (9.5; n = 128) days (p = .02). Fewer after-group patients received ≥24 hrs of continuously infused propofol (94% vs. 15%, p < .0001); more received ≥24 hrs of continuously infused lorazepam (7% vs. 15%, p = .037) and midazolam (30% vs. 81%, p < .0001). Compared with the before group, the after group was younger, had a higher admission Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, was more likely to be admitted by a surgical service, have acute alcohol withdrawal, and be managed with pressure-controlled ventilation as the primary mode of mechanical ventilation. Of these five factors, only the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, admission service, and use of a pressure-controlled ventilation affected duration of mechanical ventilation across both groups. Although a regression model revealed that Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (p < .0001), admission by a medical service (p = .009), and use of pressure-controlled ventilation (p = .02) each affected duration of mechanical ventilation in both groups, inclusion in either the before- or after-propofol shortage groups (i.e., high vs. low use of propofol) did not affect duration of mechanical ventilation (p = .35).
Conclusions: An 84% decrease in propofol use in the adult intensive care units at our academic institution as a result of a national shortage did not affect duration of mechanical ventilation.
© 2012 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
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Indians' Perez (shoulder strain) out 3-4 weeksThe Indians said Perez will take a break of seven to 10 days before starting a throwing program. Indians All-Star closer Chris Perez could be sidelined one month because of a strained shoulder. Indians manager Terry Francona didn't want to set a timetable… (more)
Perez added to Dominican Republic teamNationals outfielder Eury Perez is taking the place of Melky Mesa on the Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic team. The announcement came shortly after Perez and the Nationals wrapped up a 6-2 win against the Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla., on Saturd…Source: MLB.com


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I love braids. Really I do! I wear a lot of braided hairstyles at the moment. It has something romantic and I think it's very feminine. I have found 10 really great tutorials for braided hairstyles that I want to share with you. I really like the first one with the big bun with the braid wrapped around it. Which one is your favorite? XO Wilma.
See 10 fabulous braided hairstyle tutorials after the jump. . .
This big bun with a braid wrapped around it is just fabulous! It would be great for a wedding too. You can find the tutorial at Circle And Hemisphere.
This braided updo by Keiko Lynn is really cute. I really like the volume at the back of the head.
This fabulous braided bun is made out of five braids. The tutorial is from ModCloth.
A Beautiful Mess is one of my favorite blogs. I really like this maiden braid tutorial because of it's messiness.
This pretty side french braid from …love Maegan is perfect for a summer party.
Crochet Clouds has a great braided bun tutorial. Love her hair color by the way…
This French braid bun from The Shine Project looks easy to do and to wear!
This milkmaid braid from Sweet Nothings looks really cute. I'm not sure yet if this would look cute on me.
You will need some Google translate for this one because it's in Thai. I like the messy bun at the end of the french braid. I found this one at N3K.
The Letter 4 has a great tutorial on how to create this double braided crown.


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Romania is set for a period of political uncertainty following the shock victory of liberal Klaus Iohannis (pictured) in a presidential election on Sunday. With 96 per cent of the votes counted, Iohannis was in the lead with nearly 55 per cent, an unexpected triumph over Prime Minister Victor Ponta of the ruling Social Democrats (PSD).
Ponta will now face calls to stand down from the premiership, even though he has said he is determined to stay on as Romania prepares to draw up its 2015 budget, paying for a pre-election splurge. Read more


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Pop singer Noriko Sakai, 39, who was convicted of stimulant drug use and possession last year, has divorced Yuichi Takaso, 42, who was also convicted on the same charges… J-pop superstars Smap will perform in Shanghai in October, making their first overseas appearance as a group… Exotic dancer Minako Komukai, 25, performed a bondage show ...Read more »
It's easy to get distracted by all the new things going on in your life. There are changes running in every direction this week as the past gets unearthed. While joint accounts, shared expenses and inheritances may still be a mystery, follow your instincts at all times. The planet governing communication is retrograde. What you ...Read more »
The never-ending bustle of Shinjuku. By Adrian Kumarasingham.Read more »
As mainland Japan braces itself for typhoon season, we cast our eye back on the most notorious storms in the country's history… Name: "Vera" (a.k.a. "Isewan") Date: September 26, 1959 Worst hit: Nagoya area Casualties: Over 5,000 dead or missing, 39,000 injured Name: "Kathleen" Date: September 14-16, 1947 Worst hit: Kanto Casualties: Approx 1,900 dead ...Read more »
Oops, spoke too soon. After announcing in January that she was hoping to tie the knot with her veterinarian boyfriend, actress Yumiko Shaku (The Divorce Syndrome), 32, is single again. Sources close to the couple said that the pair decided to split because they were too busy and barely had time to see each other. ...Read more »
This week's required readingRead more »
As the Sun leaves your Sign, Leos get a bonus or a boost. This places your ruling planet in the area of money. Having it may not bring happiness, but it's a good substitute. Planning your weekend, career or future on what you do or do not have shows you where you are right now, ...Read more »
If you're prepared and ready to go… then go! Mercury is retrograde, so it's possible you'll experience delays (a.k.a. windows of reassessment). You're on a positive track. Your ideas are sound, your instincts are in high gear, and you are destined for success. If you're not prepared, do the math, get the maps, and dream ...Read more »
When standard diplomacy fails, there's always manga. The US military is attempting to win over the Japanese public with a slice of comic-book propaganda entitled Our Alliance—A Lasting Partnership (available at www.usfj.mil/manga). In the premiere edition, a bunny-eared tyke named Usa-kun squishes a cockroach to teach his Japanese friend Arai Anzu about the benefits of ...Read more »
No need to hold your breath, or maybe you think the sky is falling? It's simply a matter of your ruling planet neatly backing out of where it placed itself recently. With Mercury retrograde, you get to rethink all those wonderful plans that would have thrown your life into disarray. No one would dispute that ...Read more »
Cookies and charity keep Wally Amos a busy manRead more »
While you may be raring to make an investment, astrological motivation says "Wait." With Mercury retrograde, there are all kinds of little details that someone forgot to include. Go with your gut reactions, and don't let anyone sway you once your mind is made up (as if that needs to be said to a Taurus). ...Read more »
Giving yourself a chance to take a second look provides a smoother ride this week. With your ruling planet Mercury currently retrograde, delays are the norm (so bring a crossword puzzle or a Kindle, and your phone). Romance in the air? Without question! Saturn, Vesta, Venus and Mars in your house of love affairs beckon. ...Read more »
Generally, Scorpios are behind-the-scenes players. You're the astrological version of a stealth fighter. No one knows what you are planning until it's happening. This week, another part of your makeup may be crying out a completely different tune: "Notice me—for I have power unimagined!" Pluto, your ruling planet, will back you up here. You have ...Read more »
Designer Serge Mouangue is reinventing the kimonoRead more »
Your talent in the balancing act department shows this week. You can hardly blame Mercury for being retrograde in your solar twelfth house. Before this planet resumes its course into Libra, it's giving you time to consider the long-range effects of your plans. Do you really want to place yourself in the situation you long ...Read more »
Things are not as impossible as they may seem. Your nerves may be rattled by not getting where you want to be (or with whom you might want to be). This is all part of Pluto's plan. In order to reach personal and professional goals, all the extraneous possibilities have to be shaken out. Saturday, ...Read more »
Or, the curious case of the missing centenariansRead more »
See yourself in the future as you would like your life to be. Then see yourself in that future now. The two will meld into reality before you know it. Don't worry about past disappointments or losses. What you have now will grow into beauty before your eyes. Get ready for a trip. Take a ...Read more »
You have a special skill to manifest what you desire. Your ability to daydream is what gives you so much power. Sometimes people think Pisces isn't "concrete," as there is so much feeling associated with this Water Sign. However, the opposite is true. Pisces is all the stronger for emotion, which provides motivation. All the ...Read more »
Even when the economy's in the doldrums, there are some places that consumers just won't go. When online magazine Business Media conducted a survey of ¥100 shop habits, the respondents reeled off a familiar list of frequently purchased items, with stationery (53.1 percent), kitchenware (43.1 percent) and candy (32 percent) scoring highest. But what about ...Read more »
Japanese porn stars fight HIV infection with a 24-hour telethonRead more »
What everyone thinks this week may not necessarily be the truth. What is true is that Pluto connects to the transit of the Moon on Friday and Saturday, and deep feelings could be unearthed. A question: if you only had so much time to live, would you be doing something different right now? And how ...Read more »
Things guys do that make you suspect a hidden agenda He gets really touchy-feely all of a sudden He pretends not to notice that it's almost last train When walking me home, he asks if he can use my bathroom He says, "Next time, will you cook for me?" He wants to be alone with ...Read more »
What: Midtown Water Works 2010 Where: Tokyo Midtown When: Nightly through August 29, 7:30 & 8:30pm How much: Free Why: The hanabi-inspired show "feature(s) spectacular streams of water with laser-light, mirror and smoke effects. Plus this year, a new splash area is open." For more info, see http://meturl.com/waterworksRead more »
Capcom CEO Kenzo Tsujimoto spent $100 million on his very own Napa Valley winery, enlisting the top-shelf talents of consulting winemaker Heidi Barrett and vineyard manager David Abreu to ensure the quality of the plonk. Kenzo Estate had its grand opening on July 1, and the general consensus seems to be that it's really rather ...Read more »
Non-alcoholic "beer taste drinks" were one of the big success stories of 2009, and consultants Fuji Keizai are predicting that the market will swell to ¥21 billion this year. Suntory and Asahi have just upped the stakes with their latest abominations—sorry, creations: All-Free (¥143) and W-Zero (¥138) both manage to cut not just alcohol but ...Read more »
A century and a half after it was first created, Campari remains one of the most divisive drinks in the liquor cabinet. The bitter aperitif, prepared to a formula so secret that only three people know it, is celebrating its 150th anniversary in style this year. Get into the swing of things with one of ...Read more »
Tokyo is far too short on outdoor drinking spaces, especially once the beer garden season has drawn to a close. So we can't get enough of the seventh floor terrace at the Shin-Marunouchi Building, which draws a healthy mix of office workers, couples and out-of-towners to gaze out over the neighborhood's latest construction projects. Order ...Read more »
Suntory's beer division had been in the red for 45 years when the company decided to release a brew that was more expensive than anything else in the conbini chiller cabinet. Even more surprising was that people actually bought it. So business journalist Osamu Katayama probably isn't alone in asking, as he does in the ...Read more »
Vegetables play a starring role at this Kagurazaka hideawayRead more »
Ginza's atmosphere of recession-proof extravagance is perfectly suited to our destination tonight: Itamae Sushi. This well-known chain has several locations around town, but the new shop is all about the mariage of sushi and champagne. The menu features a range of bottles starting from ¥790 a glass all the way up to the venerable Krug ...Read more »
Four indie boys are out to prove that rock doesn't have to be "pretty"Read more »
When Karl Hyde isn't bringing down dancefloors as part of UK rave stalwarts Underworld, he's busy churning out large-scale abstract paintings. The latest in a long line of cross-genre artists, Hyde has actually been active in visual arts for years as part of Underworld's design collective, Tomato. "What's Going on in Your Head When You're ...Read more »
Function has always trumped form in Japanese architecture, but young talents are now creating spaces freed of purely practical demands. The new generation employs futuristic materials in a way that restores Japanese architecture's traditional respect for nature. Intended to provoke debate about the future of Tokyo, this exhibition is the brainchild of emerging architect Sou ...Read more »
After decades of planning, the government is finally set to drive a stake through the heart of Shimokitazawa in the form of a major new roadway. "Shimokita Is Dead?" is a two-day last-ditch effort to preserve the bohemian area's charming warren of alleys and shops, with a talk featuring academics, activists and writers scheduled for ...Read more »
Local ballers struggle to stand tallRead more »
Four years after bringing its offbeat ethnic-dub fusion to the world, Oki Dub Ainu Band now returns with a follow-up album and tour. Bandleader Oki is not only a highly educated ambassador for the tonkori, the three-stringed instrument of northern Japan's aborigines, but also an outspoken voice for their traditions. His latest, Sakhalin Rock, sees ...Read more »
Set in a Dominican neighborhood in New York, In The Heights is Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway exploration of the trials and tribulations of working-class Latinos. The show won Best Musical at the 2008 Tony Awards and is slated for a movie adaptation next year, and the Japan production is its first foray overseas. In The Heights ...Read more »
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The plot barely exists, the dialogue's dumb, the characters are shallow, the action's pointless, and it lacks the smallest trace of intellectual stimulation. Hey—it's Sex and the City for males! This mildly entertaining two hours of preposterone-fuelled, compacted trash is based, of course, on the cheeseball '80s TV show starring George Peppard and Mr. T. ...Read more »
She hasn't appeared in a film since 1973, but Brigitte Bardot's blonde tresses and alluring pout are still inextricably linked with classic French cinema. From August 28 through September 28—the actress' 74th birthday—Shinjuku theater Musashino-kan (3-27-10 Shinjuku; http://shinjuku.musashino-k.jp) pays tribute with screenings of five Bardot films from her heyday in the '50s. Highlights include …And ...Read more »
The original movie, a 2001 CG-lips-on-talking-animals flick, was so forgettable that I recently watched the entire thing on DVD, thinking it was this charmless sequel, and not a single frame rang a bell. This ain't no Babe. I'm not even going to go into the plot, since there's nothing here for adults save numerous 007 ...Read more »
Koji Wakamatsu's films from the 1960s were plotless orgies of sex and violence (and sexual violence). They shocked, mystified and scandalized the entire country, never more so than when Affairs within Walls (1965) became one of the first Japanese films to be accepted at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival. In fact, Wakamatsu's entire oeuvre reflects ...Read more »
Actress Miki Nakatani, 34, will once again play the role of an "unfortunate woman" in the upcoming movie Hankyu Densha, which deals with people whose lives intersect on the Hankyu Imazu railway in Hyogo. Nakatani's character is a 30-something OL whose fiancé is stolen by a younger coworker. The actress played a similar role in ...Read more »