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I received this e-mail recently from a Chinese writer: "I just found out you're from Perfect Sound Forever! Kudos for your work! I love the Vinyl Anachronist column. Sadly, the site is blocked in mainland China so we can only access it via proxy." I'm gratified that someone overseas likes my work and maybe I should even be flattered that an authoritarian government thinks that my work is "dangerous" enough to be banned. But it also opens up a few unanswered questions.
Why, I wonder, would I get banned in the first place? As far as I know, the Chinese government only provides general rules to the outside world as to why a site is unacceptable. Usually, it's the excuse that it's 'political' and will lead to 'instability' (which means that it's outside of the Party doctrine and might make people think or act independently).
Also, another less obvious reason that some material isn't acceptible to the Chinese govt is economic: see China hardens censorship rules on TV news, dramas. If a company or publication wants to be there, they have to play ball with investment and ownership so that the money flow doesn't just go out of the country (which is understandable to some degree). A popular theory is that this is one of the things that did in the Chinese version of Rolling Stone.
I also wonder about companies like Yahoo that say that the price of doing business in China is that they have to follow their laws, no matter how morally repugnant they may be. Lately, Reporters Without Borders have rightfully taken them to task for this, basically telling Yahoo that they are directly responsible for the fate of several reporters whose information was handed over to the Chinese government by the search engine people.
As for someone like the Chinese writer who contacted me, he's not entirely out in the cold but pretty close to it. He might have to jump hurdles to find my site or other music sites but how long is it going to be before the authorities plug up that option? And how many millions of Chinese don't know how to get around censors in the first place? Their lives is limited to what their government decides they should see or hear, including five Rolling Stones songs that the band were banned from planning there (as Mick quipped, that left 100's of other depraved Stones songs for them to play).
But before we feel all high and mighty about our own free societies, Jagger also reminds us that the Stones were also banned at the Superbowl broadcast for some of their lyrics. And with a President and Attorney General who think civil liberties are subject to their own interpretations and an FCC that cowers networks and stations into self-censorship thanks to heavy fines and unclear standards, we ourselves should also be vigilant about how much we're able to see and hear.
Legendary Shack Shakers "After You've Gone" (audio) (premiere) // Music
Brad Peterson "What the Open Heart Allows" (audio) (premiere) // Music
Arcade Fire "Creature Comfort" (Singles Going Steady) // Music
'The Female Animal' Is Better Than She Seems
// Short Ends and Leader
"Independent producer Albert Zugsmith specialized in what were regarded as trashy exploitation pictures during the '50s and '60s, yet he managed to…READ the article


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Natural Wood Tables – live edge wood slab tables are designed and crafted around natural, recovered or salvaged live edge wood slabs. Wood species such as redwood burl, maple burl, black walnut, cherry, pine, cedar, oak and more are cut into natural live edge wood slabs. We use only high grade burl wood slabs in all of our projects. The live edge edge wood slabs are selected based on shape, size, color tones and burl, curl and other movement patterns in the wood. This organic wood combined with natural root systems, twisted juniper and driftwood create a classic burl table. A contemporary natural wood table or contemporary burl table by adding a sleek wood or metal base. Each of these tables were custom designed and are sold, we can craft any rustic table to meet your rustic furniture needs. The master craftsman at Littlebranch Farm with be happy to design and crafted any piece to meet your needs. For some of our current in stock items Click here or fill out a request information form (also at bottom of page) and we will be glad to answer your questions and walk you through the design process.
Natural wood tables

subset: commoncrawl


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 4/4/2014 (1206 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The top prize at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair's penultimate jumping competition went to a rider not only new to the fair, but new to Canada.
Marion Ostmeyer, originally from northwest Germany, moved to Alberta in October to ride at Calgary's Creekside Farms equestrian facility.
And all of her horses went along for the intercontinental trip, including 13-year-old Roulett, the horse that helped her nab the top placing in the RBC Cup last night.
Ostmeyer had long known a fellow rider in Calgary, Linda Ackermann, who convinced her to make the move to train in Canada.
"And I thought, why not? I thought it was a good idea to do something new in life and I always wanted to come to Canada and see how life is here, so I cleaned up a bit at home and made the move," Ostmeyer said moments after exiting the course at the Keystone Centre and putting her steed away, already with a celebratory glass of wine in her hand.
Aside from riding in a fair in the Toronto area in 2001, she had never been to Canada before she moved last fall.
"It's been wonderful, the people in Canada have just taken me in," she said. "When you come, you don't know many people, but it was so easy to get connected and life is great. I love it.
"Everyone warned me about the winter, but even that was fine!"
Her winning horse had her own challenges getting to Canada from overseas. The trip included two weeks in quarantine in Germany before Roulett was flown to Calgary, where she remained in quarantine again for another month.
"The good thing was we could do the quarantine at our barn, so there was a chance to ride the horse, so she wasn't totally out of training," Ostmeyer said.
She started training Roulett at five years old and the horse has been by Ostmeyer's side ever since.
"That horse is my friend," Ostmeyer said.
After he was unable to place during Thursday night's Atco Cup event, Oakbank's Eric Martin — the only Manitoban in last night's event — took home fourth place.
Martin rode two horses last night and each time he took to the course, he drew a huge roar of applause from the fair crowd — adding to the pressure to perform.
"There's a lot of pressure, but the crowd is really quite supportive and the community is really good," he said, "Everybody watches you."
On Thursday and last night, Martin was up against riders mostly from Alberta he hopes to best at the final event this evening.
"I hate losing, even today I'd rather be first than fourth," he joked. "I'm happy for them, but it's great to steal money from Alberta and everywhere else."
D'artagnan, the eight-year-old Czech warm blood that carried Martin to his prize, is "an ADD kid," Martin said, and is one of the youngest horses in competition.
The MTS Grand Prix is tonight — the final showdown for the jumper class of the fair.
» email@example.com
» Twitter: @grjbruce


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April Fuel's Day! (Bonnie's blog 4/1/14)
It was great to meet all of you who came thru either the Mills Civic Hy-Vee Gas Station for $1.99 E-85 or the Krueger BP in Grimes for the Soy BioDiesel at a discounted rate. Sorry, the great prices ended at 9AM. However, you can still stop by your Hy-Vee Store today and for every $10.00 you spend on meat, you'll get $.10 per gallon on your Hy-Vee Fuel Saver Card which you can spend on whatever kind of fuel you need for your vehicle!
Tomorrow on Van and Bonnie, we'll have Des Moines Symphony tickets to give away...Simon Estes will be joining us just after the 7:30 news and Bruce Lambert of Lambert & Ewers will be joining us just after the 8:30 news.
Have a wonderful day!


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Arctic Strike
The Arctic Strike DLC is the first DLC package from Ubisoft. It costs 800MSP/$10 and includes the following:
- 3 New MP Maps: Evicted, Skyline, and Riot
- 1 Guerilla Map, Arctic Base
- New MP Mode Stockade
- 3 New Team Ghost Weapons (MP only):
Scout: MP9 (aka BT MP9)
Engineer: Mk17
Rifleman: F2000
- 3 New Team Bodark Weapons (MP only):
Scout: Type 05 (aka Type 05 JS)
Engineer: OCP 11
Rifleman: S805 (aka CZS805)
- +10 Level Cap
Top Wiki Contributors
Need assistance with editing this wiki? Check out these resources:


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Man Offers an Undercover Policeman a Toke of His Joint
A 27-year-old man was issued a citation after he allegedly offered an undercover police officer a puff of marijuana. According to Boston.com, transit police detectives and officers were at the Andrew MBTA station "as a direct result of community complaints of drugs and related issues."
An undercover officer was seated on a bench, when the 27-year-old sat down next to him. He removed what appeared to be a joint from his pocket and began to smoke it. Then, he offered the undercover officer a "toke" of marijuana cigarette. The officer declined the offer, but other officers were notified. Officers approached the man, who was cooperative and handed over two bags of marijuana. The police confiscated the marijuana and issued him a $100 citation.
- Item Tag: marijuana


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So you've decided you'd like a Birth Attendant or Doula to support you for your upcoming birth – congratulations! It's a big step for some couples to decide that they need extra support, but rest assured, this kind of support is one you will be very glad you called upon.
Most of us probably haven't had to interview anyone before, even if we have, it's hard to know what questions to ask a potential Birth Attendant. If you are a first time mum (or even second or third or more!), perhaps you aren't sure what you might need to find out from Birth Attendant or what is most important to ask. So we've come to the rescue and created an interview sheet for you, which you can download and print, ready to use! The questions will also be displayed below for those who don't have access to a printer.
Apart from the questions you might ask, your own observations and feelings about this person is also very important. Both parties might be nervous about meeting someone for the first time, however do try to gauge how you feel around this person. Ask yourself:
- Do you feel relaxed in her presence?
- Does your partner feel relaxed in her presence?
- Does she listen to you and your partner?
- Does she have soft, understanding eyes?
- Does she have a warm, nurturing personality?
- Do you think you would feel comfortable with her touch when you reach out for support or reassurance?
- Do you feel that you could spend up to 24-48 hours straight with this woman while you are in labour?
Just like childbirth, use your instincts when choosing a Birth Attendant. Ask as many questions as you can, no matter how silly you think they might be. You need to be able to connect with the woman who will support you during such an intimate time. You will share a special relationship, so if it feels right, and you are happy with the answers to her questions, she may be the right Attendant for you! Don't be afraid to interview several Attendants as it will help you compare what others have to offer and find what you really want.
Enjoy the wonderful benefits of having an Attendant by your side and here's to a wonderful birth!
Click HERE to download the printable Birth Attendant interview questions. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it.
Birth Attendant Interview Questions
Initial questions prior to meeting a Birth Attendant or Doula – e.g. over the phone
- Are you available around my due date (from 38-42wks)? Are there any birthdays, holidays or events which will prevent you from attending the birth?
- How long have you been a Birth Attendant for and how many births have you attended? What sort of births have you supported, e.g. caesarean, natural birth, waterbirth etc.
- Where and when did you do your training? How many hours and births did it involve?
- Do you attend the birth only or are there pre-natal and post-natal visits? Do you offer packages?
- What do you charge and when is payment required? Do you have a non-refundable booking fee or 'retainer'? Under which circumstances do you offer a refund?
- Do you have any back-up Birth Attendants and if so will I get to meet them?
- What happens if you don't make it for the birth, for example in a fast labour or if we cannot contact you? What happens if we haven't called you in time for the birth? What happens if we decide prior to the birth that we no longer require a Birth Attendant?
Birth Attendant Interview Questions
Questions to ask upon meeting a Birth Attendant or Doula
- Why did you become a Birth Attendant? What do you love most about being a Birth Attendant?
- What skills, qualities and abilities do you feel you have to offer us?
- What are your philosophies and beliefs about childbirth?
- How do Midwives and Obstetricians usually react to your presence? Have you ever experienced any tension with family members or medical professionals? If so how did you handle this?
- Do you have children? Do you have childcare arrangements if I go into labour at anytime of day or night?
- What were your own birth experience(s)?
- What are your beliefs about pain relief?
- What do you see as my partner's role during labour?
- Will you support my partner too? If so, how?
- What are your thoughts about my Midwife or Obstetrician? Have you worked with them before?
- Will you attend a pre-natal appointment with us to meet our Midwife or Obstetrician?
- Can you help us write our Birth Preferences (aka birth plan)?
- How many births per month do you attend? Do you have any other births due around the same time as us? If so, when are they due?
- How far away are you from the place of birth?
- What will happen when I am in early labour? When should I inform you that things are happening? Will you come to my home in labour (if not homebirth) or will you meet me in hospital?
- Are we able to contact you anytime with questions by phone or email? Will you be uncontactable at any times? How do I contact you and when can I contact you when I am in labour, day and night?
- Have you worked in our chosen hospital or birth centre before? What are your thoughts about it?
- How long do you stay for after the birth?
- What are your experiences with breastfeeding and what are your philosophies?
- Are there any books or workshops that you recommend to pregnant couples and / or new parents?
- Do you have any references? Can I call one or two of them?
Click HERE to download the printable Birth Attendant interview questions. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it.


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2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off Road trail review... First Drives
July 22, 2017
July 22, 2017
Ford GT40 teaches Dodge Hellcat a thing or two... Motorsports
July 21, 2017
July 21, 2017
First Drives
Auto Shows
Spy Shots
Car Tech
Today at Motor Authority, we spied the 2014 BMW M3 and 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport testing. The last Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion is up for sale and more CVT transmissions are in the future. All this and more in today's car news, right here on Motor Authority. Ford announced it's donating... read more
The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302, like most other new Ford vehicles, comes from the factory with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile... read more October 24, 2011 by Nelson Ireson
How would you like to own a car that's produced in an edition of one, while helping to support the Henry Ford Health System? You'll get a chance to do just that... read more October 14, 2011 by Kurt Ernst
The new 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 starts from a reasonable--given its level of performance--$40,995, but the heart of the car, its mighty 5.0-liter V-8, can be all yours for... read more May 2, 2011 by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
It's not unusual for dealerships to mark up the sticker price on limited-production models, but a mark-up of more than 100 percent strikes us as a little daring. The 2012... read more April 5, 2011 by Tim Healey
Enthusiast publication Motor Trend put the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 through its paces and came up with a quarter-mile time of 12.3 seconds at 115.8 miles per hour. But one... read more March 30, 2011 by Tim Healey
So just how fast is the 2012 Mustang Boss 302? Very fast, for a production muscle car priced around $41,000. In fact, if you slap a set of drag radials on the car you can... read more March 29, 2011 by Nelson Ireson
Ford Racing offers buyers of the 5.0-liter Mustang a chance to buy and install a Boss intake manifold as an aftermarket upgrade. Aftermarket tuner has gone one step further... read more March 28, 2011 by Tim Healey
Ford's 2012 Mustang Boss 302S is meant to be a track-day warrior, slotting in between the street-legal Boss 302 Laguna Seca and the race-dedicated Boss 302R. There will be... read more March 15, 2011 by Tim Healey
Online price configurators are nothing new at Ford, which uses them to allow consumers to build and price their potential new-car purchase before heading to the showroom... read more March 14, 2011 by Tim Healey
Muscle car fans and revheads in general now have another reason to salivate over the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 as Ford has established a dedicated section on its main... read more March 10, 2011 by Viknesh Vijayenthiran


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PencePointers Issue Number 4: Spring 2014
Dean's Corner
We've almost survived winter - I hope. Many of you have expressed your appreciation that the Pence Law Library offers 24/7 access with your AU ID during weather closures and after normal library closure.
Library faculty and staff worked with the SBA several years ago to create this special service for our community. We know some of you just need a study space; others need access to databases; and some of you need print materials for cite-checking or research efforts. We are always glad to speak to you about creating new services or service adjustments to provide more flexibility and convenience.
The library belongs to a number of consortia. These agreements allow for interlibrary loan and document delivery services, consortia pricing for databases, and training. NELLCO, the Northern New England Law Library Consortium, is the consortium that gave us the special pricing that allowed the library to provide the New York Times to the WCL Community.
We have two great events coming up this spring. The Student Author Reception on March 24 will honor students and recent alums for their scholarship efforts. On April 14, Finding the Founders will present a panel discussion about the WCL Founders and other leading women legal pioneers. We'd love for you to join these outstanding legal scholars, moderated by our own Professor Mary L. Clark, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Finals will be coming up soon. We will do everything possible to provide the best study atmosphere possible.
Best of luck on exams and in your celebration of spring events. And for those of you graduating and taking the bar - do your best!
Do let us know if you have suggestions or new ideas for services or materials. We're happy to help!
~Billie Jo Kaufman, Associate Dean for Library and Information Resources
Pence Law Library Announcements
Finding the Founders
The Pence Law Library will sponsor a panel discussion, Finding the Founders, about the founders of the Washington College of Law, Ellen Spencer Mussey and Emma Gillett, and other early women legal pioneers. WCL faculty member Mary Clark, author of The Founding of the Washington College of Law: The First Law School Established by Women for Women, will moderate women's legal history scholars Jill Norgren, author of Rebels at the Bar: The Fascinating, Forgotten Stories of America's First Women Lawyers, Barabara Babcock, author of Woman Lawyer: The Trials of Clara Foltz and Mary Jane Mossman, author of The First Women Lawyers: A Comparative Study of Gender, Law and the Legal Professions.
The panel will discuss their books, the history of women in the legal profession in America, the role that the law school's founders played in the early women lawyers' movement and in advancing other women's rights causes, such as women's suffrage and the Equal Rights Amendment. The program is part of the WCL Founders' Celebration 2014. A display of early photos and other artifacts from the WCL archives will accompany the program. The program will take place at WCL on Monday, April 14 from 2:00-5:00 in Room 603. Click here to register.
Student Author Reception
The Pence Law Library will sponsor the 9th Annual Student Author Reception on Monday, March 24 from 2:30-3:30 in the 6th Floor Student Lounges. The event honors all Washington College of Law students for their published scholarship and celebrates the students' efforts and hard work. Click here to register.
Heywood Coaches Winning Moot Court Team
John Heywood, Foreign & International Law Librarian, recently coached the big winners of the Niagara International Moot Court Competition. Team members Lauren Talerman and Samantha Serna won First Place overall in the competition, as well as the awards for Best Applicant Argument and Best Respondent Argument. In addition, Lauren won the award for Best Oralist. They competed as a two-person team against the other four- and five-person teams and they still swamped the competition! The Pence Law Library congratulates Lauren and Samantha (and John!) for their exciting victory!
Spring Library Hours
Monday - Friday: 8am-12am
Saturday - Sunday: 9am - 12am
WCL students, faculty and staff may access the Library 24/7 using their AU ID cards. Access is granted by swiping a current AU ID in the card reader to the left of the Library's entrance. Library services are not available outside of regular Library hours. Users without AU ID cards must sign in with Security in the lobby prior to using the Library and exit at the designated closing time.
Contact the Library
Reference Services: email@example.com
Instant Message:
Chat with a reference librarian: http://library.wcl.american.edu/ask.cfm
Pence People
Deputy Director Adeen Postar has been appointed Director of the Law Library at the University of Baltimore. Associate Dean Billie Jo Kaufman announced the appointment by saying that "Adeen has worked tirelessly wearing many different hats here at WCL. She has contributed enormously to the vision and success of the Pence Law Library. Her work on the Admissions Committee and Student Services Working Group has been stellar. Our huge loss is University of Baltimore's huge gain." Deans Claudio Grossman and Kaufman will host a special farewell event to honor Adeen on April 23 at 4:00. Her final day at WCL will be April 30.
Christine Dulaney, Assoc. Law Librarian for Technical and Metadata, was recently appointed to a new position at the AU Bender Library as Director of the Technical Services Division. She will provide strategic direction for the Library's Acquisitions, Cataloging and Electronic Resource Management Units. Christine began her new position at the Bender Library on February 3. The Pence Law Library held a farewell event for her on February 12.
Featured Services
Mobile Apps
New mobile apps keep sprouting, so the Pence Law Library has revised its popular Mobile Apps for Law Students guide. It includes free and paid legal, law school-related, and productivity apps for iOS, Android and Windows.
New E-Journals and E-Books Finder
The Pence Law Library has a new way for you to browse and search for electronic journals, newspapers and BNA publications. It's the E-Journals Finder, located on the Pence website's sidebar menu. Now you can search by periodical title or browse to find any electronic periodical held by either AU library, the Pence Law Library or the Bender Library. What's more, you can also now search and browse for e-books held by the Pence Law Library by switching to the E-Books tab. It's never been easier to find the resources you need at the Pence Law Library.
Contact Us
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Library Services


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Construction Worker Dies When He Leans Out of the Protective Cage of A Skid Steer Forklift and Is Crushed
Investigation: # 03-OR-015-01
The OR FACE program received notice of this workplace fatality from a news service. The employer declined a site visit and interview. This report is based on information obtained from the local police report of the incident, information from the loss control specialist of a building trade association and various news reports.
- Never modify, defeat, or override safety features. Similarly, never operate equipment in which safety systems or features have been modified or are not working properly.
- Do not leave the protective operators enclosure while operating equipment. Turn off the equipment before exiting the enclosure.
- Only trained skid steer operators should be allowed to operate equipment.
- Take care to remove or properly stow items that could interfere with the safe operation of equipment. (e.g., loose clothing, tool belts, etc.)
On June 3, 2003, a 32-year old construction worker was killed while operating a skid steer forklift, when the lift assembly came down and crushed him. OR FACE received notification of this incident on June 16, 2003.
The employer declined an onsite evaluation and interview. This report was compiled from secondary sources including interviews with emergency responders, local police reports, the Medical Examiners report and death certificate, and reports and photographs from other official investigations.
The incident occurred in the parking lot of an active construction site. The victim worked for his father, the employer. On the day of the incident the victim and a co-worker were preparing to unload siding from the front of a skid steer. The siding was to be installed on a building under construction. The skid steer was parked in the parking lot and immediately adjacent to the building under construction. The parking lot was in the final stages of preparation for paving.
The victim is reported to have told a coworker that he would, "get in and move the skid steer" to facilitate the parking lot surface preparation. The victim, while still wearing his tool belt, entered the operator's area to move the skid steer. According to an investigative report, the employer did have a policy of not operating equipment while wearing tool belts. The victim presumably was aware of this company policy, and a coworker saw that the victim was wearing his tool belt while operating the equipment, but did not intervene.
Photo 2. Position of safety bar following the incident.
Once the victim was in the operator's seat, he realized that a 2X4 was still under the load and that it needed to be removed before moving the skid steer. The victim leaned forward while still in the seat in an attempt to knock the 2X4 out, from under the load, with the claw end of his hammer. The hammer, however, was too short. According to those on scene, he next lifted the safety bar up and out of his way and either got on his knees, or stood up, in the operator's cage and extended himself out of the protective operator's enclosure to a point where he was actually under the lift assembly. When he moved to this position, his tool belt caught on an actuator causing the lift assembly to lower on him. His head was crushed between the forklift assembly and the frame of the machine. Photo 2. Position of safety bar following the incident.
Local police and EMS were called to the scene. The victim was entangled in the fork assembly and EMS crew had to extricate him to perform advanced life support. The victim was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival. A representative of the equipment manufacturer stated that the seat and the safety bar had an interlock function that should have prevented the lift mechanism from raising or lowering. Interviews with witnesses suggest that the safety interlock was not functioning properly at the time of the incident and may have been deactivated.
Severe head injury.
- Never modify, defeat, or override safety features. Similarly, never operate equipment in which safety systems or features have been modified or are not working properly.
Discussion: Check all equipment and ensure that all safety systems are operational. All safety features that are not working properly should be reported and the equipment should not be used until repaired. Before returning equipment to service, check to ensure that all systems are operational and functioning as intended.
- Do not leave the protective operators enclosure while operating equipment. Turn off the equipment before exiting the enclosure.
Discussion: The protective cage is designed to keep the operator safe while operating the skid steer loader. The front of the cage is open to maximize visibility from the operator's seat. The safety bar is designed to deactivate the hydraulic systems if the worker leaves the seat and to remind the operator to stay seated inside the protective cage when operating the equipment. If an activity needs to be performed outside of the protective enclosure, the operator must turn off the equipment before exiting the enclosure.
- Only trained skid steer operators should be allowed to operate equipment.
Discussion: Skid steer operators should have training to ensure that they can operate the equipment safely. Only certified employees should operate equipment. Classroom training should be augmented with hands on sessions where skills can be observed. Periodic reassessment of skills should be done to ensure that equipment is being used safely.
- Take care to remove or properly stow items that could interfere with the safe operation of equipment. (e.g., loose clothing, tool belts, etc.)
Discussion: The company is reported to have a policy requiring employees to remove tool belts before operating equipment. The victim was wearing his tool belt while he was operating this equipment. The tool belt is depicted in Photo1. The tool belt is large and bulky and could easily interfere with safe operation or egress in the cramped operator's cage.
The Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology at Oregon Health & Science University performs Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) investigations through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Division of Safety Research (DSR). The goal of these evaluations is to prevent fatal work injuries in the future by studying the working environment, the worker, the task the worker was performing, the tools the worker was using, the energy exchange resulting in fatal injury, and the role of management in controlling how these factors interact.
To contact Oregon State FACE program personnel regarding State-based FACE reports, please use information listed on the Contact Sheet on the NIOSH FACE web site. Please contact In-house FACE program personnel regarding In-house FACE reports and to gain assistance when State-FACE program personnel cannot be reached.
Oregon FACE reports are for information, research, or occupational injury control only. Safety and health practices may have changed since the investigation was conducted and the report was completed. Persons needing regulatory compliance information should consult the appropriate regulatory agency.
Back to NIOSH FACE Web
- Page last reviewed: November 18, 2015
- Page last updated: October 15, 2014
- Content source:
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Division of Safety Research


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The Westerner
For just $10, you can hear country traditionalist Mark Chesnutt, who has charted eight No. 1 country singles. Let's hope he doesn't perform one of his signature songs, "It Sure Is Monday," because on a Friday, no one should be reminded that Monday exists. Purchase tickets through SmithsTix.
When •Friday, Sept. 14, at 10 p.m.
Where •The Westerner Dance Hall, Bar & Grill, 3360 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City
Southern X-Posure
The strip club is holding its fourth annual Red Out Party, with all ladies dressed (or undressed?) in Ute gear. All drinks will be served in red Solo cups. All pints and well drinks are $3. What more could you want except for full nudity.
When • Friday, Sept. 14, noon to 5 a.m.
Where • Southern X-Posure Showclub, 3420 S. State St., South Salt Lake
Devil's Daughter Bar & Grill
With 12 flat-screens positioned around the watering hole, this is a prime place to watch a football game. The $7.50 steak dinner is available all day on Fridays.
When • Open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Where • Devil's Daughter Bar & Grill, 533 S. 500 West, Salt Lake City
Oscars Social Club
D.J. Ultrafit a name also used by Paul Ryan when he goes clubbing will spin after a day of college football at this south-valley bar. Specials include $3.50 Ute shots and $5 Watermelon Mind Erasers which could come in handy if the Cougars win. No cover.
When • Saturday, until 1 a.m.
Where • Oscars Social Club, 8136 S. State St., Midvale
Canyon Inn
Voted one of the top 25 ski bars by Ski Magazine, the restaurant and lounge sells beer pitchers for $6 and reportedly serves great Chicago-style pizza.
When • Open seven days a week, 12:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where • Canyon Inn, 3700 Fort Union Blvd., Salt Lake City
Send nightlife news to David Burger at firstname.lastname@example.com or 801-257-8620.


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By Ms. Rachel E Parks (IMCOM)August 3, 2009
CHIAfE+VRES, Belgium Aca,!" Military family members of deployed servicemembers or Warriors in Transition occasionally need a break, especially if they have children they are looking after. The Respite Child Care program helps fill that need. The program has become a life-line Army wide and is gaining momentum in the U.S. Army Garrison Benelux and SHAPE communities as well.
Respite Child Care is a Child, Youth and School Services program, but Army Community Services also takes a major role within the community. The program allows children of a deployed servicemember or a Warrior in Transition 16 free hours of child care, per child, each month.
ACS Director Vicki Hamlin said the local respite child care program has already seen some great success.
"We had a Warrior in Transition a few months ago sent to the US quickly, leaving his wife to outprocess. She had two young children and CYS was able to provide respite child care while she took care of clearing. It worked perfectly and that family appreciated the support," said Hamlin.
CYS Director John Orme agreed with Hamlin about the success of the program. "It's going very well here. I can't think of an instance where CYS or ACS has not been able to help a family," he said.
Orme noted that there are not a large number of deployed servicemembers or Warriors in Transition within the Benelux area, but there are some and he hopes they take advantage of the program if needed.
Orme said the majority of people using respite child care have elementary school aged children or very young children. "The parents are very receptive to the program," he said.
Hamlin said that the service is also open to families with older children but so far there hasn't been much need for that locally.
"This whole program is really a holistic approach; it's not just a voucher and telling someone good luck. We want to reach out and help the people who come to us, but not suffocate them," said Hamlin. She said when people visit ACS to learn more about the respite program, it's often possible to find other resources within the community that they may not even know about.
Within the Benelux, the program has also been used by member of the Family Advocacy Program for temporary short-term childcare.
"We estimate that we've spent about $3000 this year for respite child care. That works out to about 500 or 600 hours of care. For a small community that's very impressive," said Hamlin.
The respite care option is also open to families that are part of the Exceptional Family Member Program but there has been a limited use in the past two years. However, Hamlin said it's good that families know the option is there.
Orme said the most important thing that people should know about the program is that it provides the occasional necessary break for families already coping with an increased level of stress. "The program is here, it's working well and we're taking full advantage of it," he said.
If you would like more information about the respite care program and eligibility criteria for respite care, you can contact ACS or CYS.


text:
Results for (208)-748-6000
Phone Number Details
Phone Number: 2087486000
Due to number portability, some numbers may have been transferred to a new service provider and nearby city.
Premium Information is up to date and includes owner name, most recent address, and much more.
About LEWISTON, ID
Location Type: City
Complaints about 208-748-6000
Caller Type: No Complaints
File a Complaint About 208-748-6000
No complaints filed for 208-748-6000.


text:
Some finer points of high commerce can seem opaque even to the Prince, let alone the honest toilers from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
What a mercy that God created senior counsel to dispel all our confusion, beginning with what makes a "binding contract". ASIC's Neil Young revisited this subject in an appeal before the Federal Court over the dismissal of ASIC's case against
David Jackson and John Karkar, for Fortescue, along with some eye-wateringly dense legal arguments, kindly explained that these were clearly binding agreements because there was a party and photographs had been taken.
There were also "dispute-resolution mechanisms" in place – a sure sign it was a contract, Fortescue claimed.
After an exchange with the Full Bench, it emerged the mechanism effectively gave Fortescue, not the Chinese contractors, the right to appoint someone to resolve a disagreement.
That's the sort of dispute resolution mechanism the Prince likes to see. It's almost as if it was designed by Fortescue itself.
The Australian Financial Review


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A Guide to the Jerry Seltzer Collection, 1942-1997
Biographical Note
Jerry Seltzer works as a promoter, movie producer, and ticket entrepreneur with his company Bay Area Seating Systems (BASS).
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of a photograph, newspaper clippings, programs, and a scrapbook containing photographs, clippings, movie reviews, and a letter, all concerning the career of Jerry Seltzer and his father's (Leo A. Seltzer) development of the Roller Derby.
Use Restrictions
Unrestricted Access
Related Material
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Jerry Seltzer Collection, 1942-1997, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin
Detailed Description of the Papers


text:
Photo © Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by Ilan Sztulman
Figurine from Berekhat Ram
Berekhat Ram, Golan Heights
Lower Paleolithic 233,000 BP
Volcanic material
3.5 x 2.5 x 2.1 cm
Israel Antiquities Authority
Accession number: IAA 1993-492
Rare objects recently found at prehistoric sites in Israel may herald a revolution in the current approach to the origins of art. These finds suggest that art began hundreds of thousand of years earlier than scholars had believed, and that the creators of this art belonged to an extinct human species that preceded modern humans, Homo sapiens sapiens, the latest stage in the development of humanity. The most remarkable find is a 233,000-year-old female figurine from Berekhat Ram in the Golan. Made of local volcanic material, this pebble is 3.5 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, and 2.1 cm thick. Microscopic analyses have proved that it was shaped by human hands, rendering it the oldest work of art ever found. It was incised with a flint tool, which was also used to shape the head, arms, and ample bosom. This very ancient object is the oldest creation of local artists, who were apparently the first artists in the world.
From the Israel Museum publications:
The Israel Museum, Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2005
Zalmona, Yigal, ed., The Israel Museum at 40: Masterworks of Beauty and Sanctity, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2005
Digital presentation of this object was made possible by: The Ridgefield Foundation, New York, in memory of Henry J. and Erna D. Leir
Israel Museum Exhibition Online |
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem |
Copyright © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem 1995-


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This unlined flannel sport coat features a large navy-on-blue windowpane check. It's complete with all the soft touches, including an unstructured chest and natural shoulders. Tailored with true Neapolitan tradition, this sport coat looks great when worn with other casual clothing such as denim, chinos, and knit ties. Made with cloth by Vitale Barberis Canonico.- Super 110's Vitalie Barberis Canonico Italian flannel
Recommended sizing
Size 48 Euro (~38 US)
Size 50 Euro (~40 US)
Size 52 Euro (~42 US)
Size 54 Euro (~44 US)
The short version:
- Avoid dry cleaners; they'll ruin your tailored clothing.
- Spot treat when possible.
- A little TLC goes a long way.
- Taking the time to care for your fine clothing carefully will maximize the (long) life well-made garments should have.
The longer version: Click here
This pure linen single breasted sport coat is the ideal sport coat for summer. Cut from linen by the Italian mill, Angelico, it's unlined and unstructured, providing even more breathability to its already lightweight cloth. Designed as a casual sport coat, this jacket features an unstructured chest and natural shoulders, as well as other causal details such as patch pockets and contrasting horn buttons. - Unstructured chest- Natural shoulder construction (no padding)- 3.5" (9 cm)... View full product details
Inspired by the rich heritage of classic British hunting, we created this Tweed Hunting Jacket. Built with all things British-inspired, this jacket is the epitome of vintage British sportswear. Designed as a single breasted, two-button sports coat, this jacket boasts classic flapped bellows pockets as well as solid green tween elbow patches. The back of the jacket includes a center vent and a half belt detail. At 370 grams (13 oz) this jacket wears heavy... View full product details
This unlined flannel sport coat features a large chalk windowpane. Made with an unstructured chest and natural shoulders, this jacket wears more like a sweatshirt than it does a sport coat. Its white corozo buttons add a strong, complimentary contrast without taking focus away from the jacket's natural drape and wide lapels. Made with Vitale Barberis Canonico cloth. - 340 gram Vitalie Barberis Canonico Italian flannel- Unstructured chest- Unlined- Natural shoulders (no padding)- 3.5" wide notch... View full product details


text:
Poor or deficient color vision is an inability to see the difference between certain colors, but color is still seen. Many people commonly use the term "colorblind" for this condition. But true colorblindness — in which everything is seen in shades of black and white — is rare.
Poor color vision is usually inherited. Men are more likely to be born with poor color vision. Most people with poor color vision can't distinguish between certain shades of red and green. Less commonly, people with poor color vision can't distinguish between shades of blue and yellow.
Certain eye diseases and some medications also can cause poor color vision.
Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised.
A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.


text:
ST. ALBANS — A St. Albans man was charged with robbery and criminal possession of a weapon last week after he allegedly forced a woman from her car at gunpoint, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Shaboo McBrayer, 34, allegedly approached the victim, who was parked at the intersection of 208th Street and 111th Avenue a little after 1:40 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008, in St. Albans, pointed a firearm at her and demanded she get out of her green Mazda Protege, according to the DA.
As the woman was getting out of her car, McBrayer allegedly pushed her, causing the victim to stumble and fall out of the vehicle. McBrayer and an unapprehended female then allegedly drove off in the stolen vehicle, Brown said.
Police were able to retrieve a bottle from the scene, which the city chief medical examiner's office tested and found a single source male DNA profile, which they linked to McBrayer, according to the DA.
©2010 Community News Group
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Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Helium Stewardship Act of 2012, along with my cosponsors, Senators Barrasso, Wyden, and Enzi. This bipartisan bill addresses the need for ongoing stewardship of the nation's helium reserve in Amarillo, Texas. The helium reserve is not only a domestic treasure, but it also provides nearly 30 percent of the world's helium.
Helium is a commodity that is frequently overlooked and often only considered when you are going to the florist to purchase party balloons for your child's birthday party. I want to take a moment and highlight the importance of this commodity, as well as the importance of the U.S. helium reserve in the world's helium market.
Helium is critical to a wide range of industrial, scientific, and medical markets, including medical devices such as MRIs, industrial welding, high tech manufacturing of microchips and fiber optic cables, manufacturing magnets for wind turbines, space exploration at NASA, and other important scientific research that is conducted at national laboratories like those in my State.
The current sales and management structure for the helium reserve is distorting the private helium market and threatening helium supplies for Federal medical and scientific research, and other private commercial applications. The low government sales price is also a barrier to the development of private sources of helium. But more importantly, if Congress does not act, the helium program will disappear altogether in less than three years, leaving our hospitals, national labs, domestic manufacturers, and helium producers high and dry.
This bipartisan bill will address these issues by authorizing prudent helium sales and management beyond 2015 and securing private access to Federal supplies. It will also allow for the continued repayment of the national debt by selling helium at fair market prices--providing a good return on investment to the American taxpayer. This will bolster the private helium sector, and help to create long-term jobs in this American resource sector, as well as ensure the continued success of domestic manufacturers that utilize helium in their manufacturing process.
Finally, this bill will ensure secure access to helium for our national labs, scientific researchers, NASA, medical institutions, and universities, who rely on helium to push the boundaries of science and technology here in the USA. In particular, as the reserve is sold off, a 15 year supply of helium will be set aside exclusively for Federal researchers to guarantee continuity of our research programs as we transition to purely private sources of helium.
The bill is based on stakeholder input of the National Academies of Science, Bureau of Land Management staff, scientific researchers, high-tech manufacturers, and the private helium industry to address the most pressing problems facing Federal helium users and the helium industry today.
I would like to conclude by taking a moment to acknowledge the exceptional efforts of Dr. Marcius Extavour who was the AAAS Science policy fellow and physicist working on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year. He worked diligently to help craft this important piece of legislation and I thank him for his efforts.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Act which will designate approximately 45,000 acres in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico as wilderness. I am pleased that my colleague, Senator Tom Udall, is a cosponsor of this legislation.
Located in the Carson National Forest in Taos County, the Columbine-Hondo is one of the last remaining segments of this high alpine ecosystem to receive permanent wilderness protection. The concept of wilderness has deep roots and a long history in the Carson National Forest. For example, in the early 1900s, Aldo Leopold, known as the father of wilderness, spent his early career in the Forest Service in the Carson where he quickly reached the post of Forest Supervisor. There is no doubt that he spent much time traveling through this landscape that likely helped cultivate his thoughts on the importance of wilderness.
Leopold's concept of wilderness evolved over time and heavily influenced policy makers and the growing conservation community. He wrote, ``Wilderness is the raw material out of which man has hammered the artifact called civilization....... To the laborer in the sweat of his labor, the raw stuff on his anvil is an adversary to be conquered. So was wilderness an adversary to the pioneer. But to the laborer in repose, able for the moment to cast a philosophical eye on his world, that same raw stuff is something to be loved and cherished, because it gives definition and meaning to his life.'' One person who shared that definition and meaning with Aldo Leopold was former New Mexico Senator Clinton P. Anderson. In fact, due in large part to the conversations he had with Leopold forty years earlier, Senator Anderson led the effort in Congress to pass the Wilderness Act of 1964.
In that 1964 Act, the Wheeler Peak Wilderness became the first wilderness area in the Carson National Forest, which lies just south of the Columbine-Hondo area. Shortly thereafter in 1970, the Taos Pueblo-Blue Lake Wilderness, adjacent to Wheeler Peak, was established, further demonstrating that the idea of wilderness is a valuable concept to Indian tribes wishing to protect their most sacred sites for future generations. Another decade had to pass before Congress protected additional lands in New Mexico as wilderness in 1980, including the Latir Peak Wilderness, north of the Columbine-Hondo. In that same Act, the Columbine-Hondo was designated as a Wilderness Study Area to allow Congress further time to review the merits of designating this area as wilderness.
Aldo Leopold laments in A Sand County Almanac that progress in conservation is slow--a fact that hasn't changed much in modern times. ``Despite nearly a century of propaganda,'' he wrote, ``conservation still proceeds at a snail's pace.'' In this context, it is unfortunately not surprising that it has taken Congress over 30 years to review the merits of the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study Area.
But the time to permanently protect the Columbine-Hondo is now before us. After many years of hard work by local community leaders, a nearly unanimous consensus has formed in support of protecting this landscape as wilderness. This is due to the longstanding recognition by the surrounding communities and their residents of the benefits that wilderness provides them. The mountains provide communities with clean air and act as a watershed, providing them with fresh and clean water. Sportsmen benefit from the protection of quality habitat that will ensure the elk, deer, and antelope found in the mountains and the fish in the mountain streams will continue to thrive. Communities like the Towns of Taos and Red River and the Villages of Questa and Taos Ski Valley can find economic benefits by attracting visitors seeking opportunities for solitude and quiet recreation, including hiking, birding, horseback riding, and even the occasional llama trekking. And community members can create job opportunities through outfitting and other service industries to assist residents and visitors alike explore these gateways to a more primitive era.
Wilderness also ensures that the way of life of many local ranchers will remain protected from threats like mining or disruptive off-road vehicle use. Local mountain biking coalitions have also recognized that a balance can be reached to protect wilderness values while making practical and common sense boundary adjustments that will help promote sustainable mountain biking opportunities in the region.
During my tenure in the Senate, it has been relatively uncommon to find such overwhelming support for the establishment of a new wilderness area. I commend the dedication and perseverance exhibited by the many local wilderness advocates who have devoted many years to see this effort come to fruition. Without their help, it may have taken another decade before Congress addressed this long outstanding matter. Congress has had 32 years now to review the designation of the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness. With such broad support having been developed, I urge my colleagues to support this initiative to protect this area without further delay.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record,
Source: http://thomas.loc.gov


text:
Is he not twice and thrice wicked, and to be branded with malediction deeper still?
Jeff thought of Yuba Bill's malediction, and understood it as he gazed.
And if you be born, you shall be born in malediction: and if you die, in malediction shall be your portion.
If only my malediction is needed for that, I bestow it upon him!
He was often heard to utter a malediction against the law of heredity.
The Juez is there, and I call the malediction of the priests on my head if you, too, are not doomed.
malediction to the Mamelukes and good luck to the people of Egypt.
It is the malediction of mortals to want what they lack until they get it, when they want it no more.
Be it understood that these religionists live in Ireland and date their malediction from Coleraine.
Reproof and punishment greatly differ from cursing and malediction.
mid-15c., from Old French maledicion "a curse" (15c.), from Latin maledictionem (nominative maledictio) "the action of speaking evil of, slander," in Late Latin "a curse," noun of action from past participle stem of maledicere "to speak badly or evil of, slander," from male "badly" (see mal-) + dicere "to say" (see diction).


text:
The UNI African-American read-in is a special community outreach project of the Multicultural Teaching Alliance (MTA) student organization in collaboration with UNI's College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and Rod Library.
For the full page http://www.uni.edu/coe/about/conference-african-american-children-and-families.
This conference will be held on Friday Febuary 22nd in the Schindler Education Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We hope that you will join in our efforts to help make the lives of children and families brighter through education and advocacy.
For registration, hotel accommodations and more information, visit www.vpaf.uni.edu/aac.


text:
This property has been removed by the agent. It may be sold or temporarily removed from the market
3 bedroom terraced house for saleLondon, SE27
Property Description
Full description
A delightful three bedroom house located between West Dulwich and Tulse Hill train stations to London Bridge and Victoria. within close proximity of Dulwich College and Dulwich Preparatory School. Features include feature fireplaces, gas central heating and double glazing.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) graphs
Listing History
Map & Street View
View in fullscreenView in fullscreen
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Market Info
Disclaimer - Property reference NRB100542. The information displayed about this property comprises a property advertisement. Rightmove.co.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the advertisement or any linked or associated information, and Rightmove has no control over the content. This property advertisement does not constitute property particulars. The information is provided and maintained by Bairstow Eves, Norbury. Please contact the selling agent or developer directly to obtain any information which may be available under the terms of The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 or the Home Report if in relation to a residential property in Scotland.
Map data ©OpenStreetMap contributors.


text:
X3D Example Archives: X3D for Web Authors, Kelp Forest Exhibit, Circle Fish Prototype
This is a prototype for a CircleFish, which is also used by CircleFishLod. Default fish size: length is 1 m (Y-axis), max Height is 1 m (Z-axis), max Width is 10 cm (X-axis).
Your browser might not support all features required by Cobweb!
Javadoc and .java source


text:
OH-CLEVELAND-IRISH-L ArchivesArchiver > OH-CLEVELAND-IRISH > 2012-01 > 1326574710
From: "Dennis Murphy" <>
Subject: [OH-CLEVELAND-IRISH] marriage index
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:58:30 -0500
References: <email@example.com>
Am I the only one who is having trouble with the Cuyahoga County Probate
Court Marriage Index?
Is the site down or did the URL change?
Please advise
This thread:
|[OH-CLEVELAND-IRISH] marriage index by "Dennis Murphy" <>


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Neil and Susan Greenberg of Feasterville announce the engagement of their daughter, Ariel Hope Greenberg, to Richard Seth Bronstein, son of Bill and Sharon Bronstein of Cherry Hill, N.J.
Ariel is a graduate of Ohio State University with Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. She is a sales representative at the Sporting Club at the Bellevue.
Richard is a graduate of Hofstra University, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, as well as the Temple University School of Film. He is currently the corporate vice president of International Lease Consultants, a transportation consulting firm.
Ariel is the granddaughter of Ruth Greenberg and Ruth Tygel, and the late Marvin Greenberg and Leonard Tygel. Richard is the grandson of the late David and Fania Rotman, and Morris and Anna Bronstein.
Sharing in the couple's happiness are siblings Dani Greenberg, and Jason and Lisa Ravitz.
The couple, who lives in Center City, is planning an October wedding at the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing.


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During every legislative session, my goal is to enable the use of our state's valuable natural resources. By working with my colleagues I have been able to achieve this goal, while ensuring private citizens are protected against unnecessary regulations. That means protecting farmers' ability to farm and protecting forest landowners' ability to grow and harvest timber.
Source: http://www.repedorcutt.com/issues.php


text:
Superannuation reviewer
Vandals who damage graves, war memorials and places of worship would face up to seven years' jail under new laws in Queensland designed to reflect community outrage. Attorney-General
changes followed a case in April in which charges
against four people accused of damaging gravestones were dismissed. The new legislation was expected to be introduced in State Parliament by the end of the year.
Lawyers for the former independent directors of the Melbourne Storm were due in court today with their case against the National Rugby League in limbo following the directors' sacking. The directors were seeking a Victorian Supreme Court injunction restraining the NRL from imposing salary cap penalties, which included stripping it of the 2007 and 2009 premierships and preventing it from earning points this season.AAP
Placing a pathology clinic in the same building as a doctor's practice does not lead GPs to order more blood tests, research has found. The findings showed there
was no basis to concerns that doctors were influenced unduly by the co-location of services, said professor David Studdert from the School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne. "The federal government
has been worried that the kinds of inappropriate influences and conflicts of interest we've seen infect doctors' relationships with the pharmaceutical
industry also exist in the pathology sector," he said. AAP
More than half of Australian parents with children using online social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter said they distracted their kids from their studies. The survey of parents with children aged 10 to 17 years by Newspoll showed the problem was worst for 14 to 17 year olds. A quarter of parents said their children spent an hour a day on such sites. Staff reporter
Major cinema chains agreed to provide captioning and audio descriptions at movie sessions by 2014, improving access for those with disabilities. The agreement was welcomed by federal disability discrimination commissioner Graeme Innes yesterday. Staff reporter
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has offered her condolences
to the family and friends of a 53-year-old South Australian man who was killed in a hotel fire in Iraq that left
30 people dead. Australian authorities have
confirmed the man was a long-term resident of
Thailand and was employed by the company Terraseis.
The Australian Financial Review


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CNN, Rolling Stone, MTV Get Trademark Story Completely Wrong
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
- 10.23.12 at 6:44 pm
I am the founder of Blue Ivy. Sorry to burst your bubble but here are some facts for you: I didnt call Rolling Stone, they called me – nice guess though… in my industry, we were on the top of our game without the eXtra fame. I dont need Rolling Stones. 2) The writer extrapolated what I said to him, so NO, I did NOT say any of the above exactly the way it was written above, except that I did feel it was a very large compliment. That part, sure. But the point of mentioning SHAME ON THEM <– the writer took it out of context – what I did say was an answer to the writer's question which was, "Do you think they knew about you before hand?" And I said, "Originally I totally thought they knew I existed since all they had to do was google the name while pregnant and waiting, but instead, it looks like they have had to deal with trademarking issues on whatever classes they could obtain after learning others existed, so if they decided to name their child without googling it, shame on them if they are unhappy with this situation that could have been avoidable …that's all. I will say it again like Ive said all along – I like both B & J a LOT. 3) You are wrong again. It IS a rollercoaster for me. What do you possibly know about my company's situation/experience except for the classic protocol of trademarking? The skinny point I'm going to make here is that B&J applied for classes that my company would have easily been focusing on in a few years for our own purposes that have nothing to do with their daughter or their industries; we were making our own path at our own pace and it didnt even dawn of me personally that this would ever happen… I have had to react when not wanting to, pay what I dont want to pay, talk to folks I could care less to waste time on vs. evolving organically. And now its become way more challenging to decide on the business plans. This is also a roller coaster for someone like me who was a young entreprenser at the time, naive enough to just role with the punches and unaware of the risks in not trademarking. Sorry we are not B & J with lawyers babysitting our every step… and no one in my exact career-choice, except for a FEW celebs, have trademarks for their company name. Really. 4) I didnt say that I learned "money doesnt by everything", quit wasting your time writing about someone's writing who you perfectly well know chops up news for a living to make you sound like solid chatachter. I said, it's nice to show the country that having money doesnt mean you can buy everything. And for the record, that statement does not reflect anything that I have learned from this, as I have been fearless all along. Like you said, I knew from the start I would be fine. I was told this from my lawyers. This was not the concern. The concern really is more for me about the fact that I cant evolve my company with the same name and ways I would have, and YES I AM THRILLED that I at least have the terf that my company does work and actively run on everyday – but the classes that have been (in theory) taken away from me/snatched up, that is very upsetting. On that note – there are 2 sides to every story and Im surprised you wasted your time disecting anything that has to do with this topic as we all know the scenario that no one is willing to release. I have mentioned countless times that this is not a law suit to every reporter but they still make it sound like that because….drum roll….FOX NEWS grabbed that word out of thin air. There was no judge, no court, no legal battle. It's on our FB. May the world continue.
- 10.27.12 at 5:13 pm
I just think that it's cool that the Real Veronica actually came on this site to comment – and it was DEFINITELY good to hear this story from another angle.
Clifford, your article was great as well – you definitely seemed to stick to more factual points versus what the major media outlets are doing, and your response to Veronica seemed pretty heartfelt and genuine.
At the end of the day, hopefully Veronica's business continues to grow and prosper – and perhaps Cliff's points about the products and classes possibly being dropped will prove to be true and by that time Veronica can… pick them up? if she's interested in them.
It's pretty disappointing to see how certain media outlets continue to just misquote people just to garner more comments and views on their news outlet website… smh.
Good luck Veronica!
Thanks for the article Cliff!
Leave a Comment


text:
Medical device manufacturer Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) is a gift that just keeps on giving for a financial writer. With a long history of recalls, controversies, strategic shifts, and promising new technologies, to say nothing of a free cash history that reminds one of the Rocky Mountains, there is almost always something to say about Boston Scientific. While investors seem relieved that Boston Scientific reported a basically in-line quarter, the underlying results show that there's still a lot of work left to make this into a truly competitive company.
Low Expectations Key To A "Good" Quarter
Boston Scientific's quarter was good in the sense that expectations and reality have finally synced up, but the results weren't so good in absolute terms.
Revenue fell 3% this quarter, with CRM revenue falling another 11% and cardiovascular revenue falling 2% leading the decline. Neuromodulation was a relative bright spot (up 8%) and endosurgery did alright (up 4%).
Boston Scientific also did a little better than expected on its operating items. Gross margin slipped about a point, but actually surpassed most sell-side estimates. BSX outspent expectations on SG&A, but made up some of it with lower R&D spending. All in all, operating income fell 29%, but still exceeded expectations.
No Joy In CRM Yet
Boston Scientific's performance in CRM, particularly ICDs, is going to remain a talking point. Remember, Guidant was the #2 player when Boston Scientific bought them, but St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) has since surpassed them and BSX is struggling to regain momentum.
US CRM sales were down 14% this quarter, worse than St. Jude's (-7%) performance (and Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) won't report for a while). ICD revenue fell 12% (St. Jude's fell 2%), indicating that BSX continues to lose share despite some controversy with St. Jude's leads.
BSX isn't giving up the ship yet. Earlier in the quarter, the company exercised its option to buy Cameron Health - a small development-stage company with a leadless sub-q ICD about to go in front of the FDA. Data on this device has been mixed, but there's a definite niche out there (maybe 10%-15% of the present ICD market) for patients who can't, for whatever reasons, tolerate the transvenous leads that conventional ICDs require.
The purchase price was relatively modest - $150 million up front, another $150 million on approval, and up to $1.05 billion in revenue-tied milestones. This could be an interesting first-mover product, though I find it a little ironic that Boston Scientific is moving this technology forward when faulty ICD leads is one of the seemingly few problems that the company has not had.
Mixed Messages In Other Businesses
The drug-coated stent market continues to be a tough one; while the revenue declines reported by BSX and Abbott Labs (NYSE:ABT) look similar, Abbott had on-the-ground growth as much of the decline in reported revenue was tied to the disappearance of BSX royalties. Said differently, Abbott and Medtronic appear to be chipping away at Boston Scientific's drug-coated stent share.
While neuromodulation was up, it was up less than St. Jude's and a lot of the future growth of this business seems pinned on high-risk/high-reward opportunities like deep brain stimulation. Endosurgery was mixed, with 4% overall growth. Boston Scientific did a little better than Stryker (NYSE:SYK) in endoscopy, but weakness in urology/gynecology was disappointing.
A Better Future … If Management Can Deliver
A big part of what gives hope to this story is the fact that Boston Scientific has an interesting pipeline. The biggest caveat here, though, is that BSX won't be first to market in many of these markets (unless competitors see trial failures).
Boston Scientific will likely be fourth to market in transcatheter heart valves (with Sadra), with no particular product advantages (unlike St. Jude) that suggest it will grab real share from Medtronic or Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW). Likewise, while Boston Scientific is developing its own renal denervation approach, this is going to be a crowded market where Medtronic and St. Jude also appear to be meaningfully ahead.
Elsewhere, the company is also hoping to enter the LAA closure market and become a bigger player in atrial fibrilation; a market that Medtronic, St. Jude, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), and Atricure (NASDAQ:ATRC) are also targeting. The company's bronchial thermoplasty product for asthma (Alair) is already on the market and could be a winner with time.
The Bottom Line
I wish I could be more positive on Boston Scientific, but the company's history is against it. What's more, while the company has some real opportunities in its pipeline, the company also has real risks to existing businesses (including CRM, drug-coated stents, and intravascular imaging). Worse still, the company has had to buy a lot of that promise with M&A and that isn't a sustainable model for this company.
All of that said, modest revenue growth assumptions (just 2% compounded from 2011 through 2017) and improved, but still below-peer, cash flow conversion suggests these shares are undervalued. Fair value could well be above $8, but investors need to understand that this bargain comes at the cost of a great deal more risk than with many of its peers.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.


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September 6, 2005
Leadership Thought: The Essence of Leadership
From HBS WorkingKnowledge this week:
by Jonathan Byrnes
What are the essential qualities of an effective leader? Can these be recognized in young people? Can they be developed?
These questions were the topic of a meeting I recently had with a top admissions officer of a leading graduate school of business. This official was reflecting on the profile of applicants to be accepted in the school. She wanted to be sure that this profile was the most appropriate one, and not take anything for granted.
Great leadership seems easy to recognize, and you usually can tell when someone is lacking in leadership qualities. But how do you define it? This is a critical question both for selecting and developing your subordinates, and for developing your own leadership capabilities.
Here's a definition of leadership that has stuck with me: Leaders are "people who leave their footprints in their areas of passion."
LINK to rest of article
Posted by Becky at September 6, 2005 1:38 PM Posted to Leadership Thought


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Balanced Arch Wind Sculpture
Justin Kelchak discovered his passion for creating metal art in 2003 when he began working for a local bronze art casting foundry. His passion and creativity quickly advanced him to the shop foreman position, which gave him the opportunity to personally build small intricate sculptures to massive 30 foot monuments for many world famous Artists such as Lorenzo Ghiglieri, Lawrence Stoller and Barry Stein. Weekends spent camping, hiking and exploring the many amazing waterfalls in Oregon instilled a desire to bring the beauty of nature indoors. When he began designing and building custom fountains and home decor in 2005, it quickly became obvious that he found his niche. He now creates a wide variety of art such as wall sculptures, tabletop sculptures, mood lighting, candle holders and wine racks.


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This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
Hepatic fibrosis is a wound-healing response to various chronic stimuli, including viral hepatitis B or C infection. Activated myofibroblasts, predominantly derived from the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), regulate the balance between matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors to maintain extracellular matrix homeostasis. Transforming growth factor-β and platelet-derived growth factor are classic profibrogenic signals that activate HSC proliferation. In addition, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines coordinate macrophages, T cells, NK/NKT cells, and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in complex fibrogenic and regression processes. In addition, fibrogenesis involves angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, autophagy, microRNA, and epigenetic regulations. Hepatic inflammation is the driving force behind liver fibrosis; however, host single nucleotide polymorphisms and viral factors, including the genotype, viral load, viral mutation, and viral proteins, have been associated with fibrosis progression. Eliminating the underlying etiology is the most crucial antifibrotic therapy. Growing evidence has indicated that persistent viral suppression with antiviral therapy can result in fibrosis regression, reduced liver disease progression, decreased hepatocellular carcinoma, and improved chances of survival. Preclinical studies and clinical trials are currently examining several investigational agents that target key fibrogenic pathways; the results are promising and shed light on this debilitating illness.
Fibrotic diseases account for up to 45% of the total deaths in developed countries [
Chronic hepatitis B and C are major causes of liver fibrosis progression and cirrhosis worldwide. Long-term hepatic necroinflammation is the main contributor to both fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis of the liver. However, growing lines of evidence indicate that successful antiviral therapy may halt or reverse liver fibrosis, especially in the early stages. Several molecular target agents (e.g., sorafenib) have been shown to improve experimental liver fibrosis. Targeted therapies using these agents against fibrogenesis may be the next step in the discovery of an antifibrotic treatment.
In this paper, we review and discuss the pathobiology of liver fibrosis, the clinical aspects and molecular mechanisms of viral-hepatitis-related fibrosis and cirrhosis, and the benefits of antiviral therapy. Finally, we evaluate and explore potential molecular target therapies for liver fibrosis.
Hepatic fibrosis is a wound-healing response to various chronic stimuli, including hepatitis viral infection, metabolic disorders, alcohol abuse, and autoimmune attacks in liver (
Causes of fibrosis and specific therapies for underlying etiology.
|Causes of Fibrosis
|Specific Therapies for Underlying Etiology
|Hepatitis B
|Conventional and pegylated interferon, lamivudine, adefovir, telbivudine, entecavir, tenofovir
|Hepatitis C
|Conventional and pegylated interferon/ribavirin, boceprevir, telaprevir, simeprevir, sofosbuvir, daclatasvir/asunaprevir
|Lifestyle modification, obeticholic acid
|Alcohol abstinence
|Prednisolone, azathioprine
|Primary biliary cirrhosis
|Ursodeoxycholic acid
|Primary sclerosing cholangitis
|Ursodeoxycholic acid
|Therapeutic phlebotomy, deferoxamine
|Wilson's disease
|Penicillamine, trientine hydrochloride, zinc
The key factor of fibrogenesis, myofibroblasts, are highly proliferative cells that exhibit enhanced survival and migrate to and accumulate at sites of liver injury in response to the autocrine and paracrine stimuli of various growth factors, cytokines, lipid mediators, or adipokines produced by the injured liver [
HSCs account for 5% to 8% of total liver cells [
Responding to various stimuli from parenchymal injury, the inflammatory reaction generates large panels of profibrogenic signals (transcriptional factors and morphogens), and, subsequently, quiescent HSCs are primed and activated by the signals of persistent tissue injury [
Interaction with macrophages and inflammatory signals drives HSC activation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) originating from intestinal microflora can activate HSCs through the toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathway, [
HSCs reside within the perisinusoidal space of Disse in close proximity to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), Kupffer cells, and dendritic cells; therefore, HSCs may indirectly influence the antigen-presenting function. Prior studies have demonstrated that HSCs express MHC-class II molecules and may present antigens to induce T-cell responses [
TGF-β1 is a common major profibrogenic cytokine in liver disease, promoting HSC activation, hepatocyte apoptosis, and ECM formation and inducing several profibrogenic mediators such as TIMP-1 [
The PDGF receptor pathway is another key mitogen in HSC proliferation [
Resident and recruited macrophages, which are key components in the liver homeostasis process, have dual roles in matrix deposition and remodeling, and regulate activated myofibroblasts (and their precursor populations) and endothelial cells [
Previous studies have demonstrated that the phagocytosis of apoptotic hepatocytes and cholangiocytes by macrophages can eliminate fibrosis [
The key regulator of macrophage polarization belongs to the interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-suppressor of cytokine signaling (IRF-STAT-SOCS) families. Interferon-γ and the TLR-activated IRF-STAT signaling pathway activate the M1 phenotype through STAT1. IL-4 and IL-13 mediate STAT6 activation, and IL-3 mediates STAT5 activation to promote M2 polarization. IL-10 activates the M2-like phenotype through STAT3 [
Hepatic macrophages enhance myofibroblast survival in a manner dependent on nuclear factor (NF)-κB, thereby promoting liver fibrosis [
CD4+ lymphocytes, including Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells, play vital roles in immune responses controlling fibrogenesis. Th1 cells release IFN-γ, reducing liver fibrogenesis by inhibiting the TGF-β-induced transduction cascade [
In addition to antiviral and antitumor properties, liver-specific NK and NKT cells exhibit antifibrotic effects. For example, NK cells can induce apoptosis in early-activated HSCs or promote senescence through a TRAIL-medicated pathway [
The early activation of LSECs with loss of fenestration, production of TGF-β or PDGF-BB, and secretion of ECM proteins (e.g., type 1 collagen) contributes to HSC activation [
In the microenvironment of liver fibrosis with hepatic vasculature and tissue hypoxia alterations, HSCs produce multiple angiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), PDGF-BB, and angiopoietin 1 or 2, and express angiopoietin 1 receptors [
Quiescent HSCs are similar to differentiated adipocytes in that they have abundant lipid droplets and they express lipogenic genes and transcriptional factors, which are downregulated upon HSC activation [
The activation of HSCs induces the loss of intracellular lipid droplets, the autophagic digestion of which may provide energy for cellular functions. A recent study demonstrated that hepatic fibrogenesis in mice requires the autophagy of activated HSCs [
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a family of small noncoding RNAs that control the translation and transcription of various genes. Recently, researchers have suggested that miRNAs modulate cellular processes in the liver, such as hepatocarcinogenesis. Several miRNAs are expressed in HSCs, controlling the fibrogenic process. The miR-29 family is significantly downregulated in mice with experimental fibrosis and in patients with advanced fibrosis [
Studies have indicated that the DNA methylation of genes expressed in quiescent HSCs contributes to maintenance of the quiescent phenotype [
Microvesicles (MVs) are 0.1- to 1.0-μm vesicles containing lipids, proteins, RNAs, and miRNAs that, which are formed by budding from the cellular plasma membrane. MVs have been implicated in many stages of liver disease, including liver fibrogenesis [
Studies on rodent models have demonstrated that, once a liver injury is eliminated, fibrosis regression occurs. The restoration of fibrinolytic activities, such as the up-regulation of MMPs and downregulation of TIMPs, drives the reversal of fibrosis [
Monocytes can promote resolution of fibrotic disease by (1) differentiating into regulatory macrophages that produce suppressor cytokines (e.g., IL-10); (2) producing MMPs that can degrade interstitial collagen directly; (3) locally depleting essential amino acids required for T-cell and myofibroblast proliferation; (4) actively promoting the apoptosis of myofibroblasts; and (5) phagocytosing ECM and cellular debris that would otherwise stimulate inflammatory and fibrogenic cell activation [
Several mechanisms have been implicated in the apoptosis of active HSCs: (1) the activation of death-receptor-mediated pathways (Fas or TNFR-1 receptors) and caspases 3 and 8; (2) the up-regulation of proapoptotic proteins (p53, Bax, caspase 9); and (3) the reduction of prosurvival genes (Bcl-2) [
During the course of fibrosis regression, the apoptosis of previously activated fibrogenic cells, which promote a favorable shift in the balance between fibrolytic MMPs and their profibrotic inhibitors within the microenvironment, leads to partial or even complete resolution of excess ECM accumulation [
Several studies have reviewed the natural history of fibrosis progression. In two longitudinal observational studies in the late 1970s, of women who were infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV)-contaminated anti-D immune globulin, more than 95% of the patients exhibited mild to moderate hepatic inflammation according to liver biopsies 17 to 20 years postinfection. Approximately 55% of the patients were free of HCV infection, half exhibited evidence of fibrosis, and 2% to 4% had liver cirrhosis [
Few studies have provided data on the natural course of fibrosis progression in hepatitis B. In a study of 57 patients in the immune-tolerant phase of the disease, the median rate of fibrosis progression was 0 fibrosis units/year in those with normal liver function and 0.21 fibrosis unit/year in patients with high alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (progression into the immune clearance phase) [
Two factors contribute to liver cirrhosis induced by HBV: an HBV viral factor and HBV-induced hepatic inflammation (
Vial factors associated with viral hepatitis related fibrosis and cirrhosis.
|Viral Factors
|Hepatitis B
|Hepatitis C
|Viral genotypes
|Genotype C associated with cirrhosis compared with genotype B
|Genotype 1 associated with cirrhosis
|Viral load
|Higher viral load associated with fibrogenesis and HCC
|Higher viral load associated with HCC
|Viral mutation
|Basal core mutation
|Viral proteins
|HBx protein
In addition, the HBV viral protein correlates with fibrosis progression. Martin-Vilchez
In addition to the HBV viral factors, hepatic inflammation is another key factor in fibrogenesis. Chronic inflammation leads to fibrosis and cirrhosis [
In chronic hepatitis C, the roles of HCV genotypes and HCV RNA levels in predicting disease progression are less clear than those in chronic hepatitis B (
A recent study investigated TGF-β1 and IL-13 signaling in various chronic liver diseases and determined that phospho-Smad3 staining correlated significantly with the fibrotic stage in patients with chronic HBV infection and steatohepatitis, whereas IL-13 positive immunostaining correlated with the fibrotic stage in those with HCV infection and steatosis/steatohepatitis. Compared with healthy controls, HCV patients exhibited significantly elevated levels of the hepatic IL-13 protein and serum IL-13. Therefore, depending on the cause of liver damage, TGF-β or IL-13 signaling are predominant factors of HBV- and HCV-related liver fibrogenesis, respectively [
In addition to viral factors, several host factors are associated with liver cirrhosis and HCC progression. Several genetic studies have identified that a high-risk single nucleotide polymorphism predicts fibrosis progression. A cirrhosis risk score (CRS) signature consisting of seven markers more accurately differentiates high- and low-risk cirrhosis in Caucasian CHC patients than clinical factors do [
Risk factors that accelerate the clinical progression of HCV include alcohol intake, coinfection with HIV or HBV, the male sex, and an older age at infection. Once cirrhosis is established, the risk of HCC increases approximately 1% to 4% per year [
Several therapeutic strategies can be applied to treat hepatic fibrosis: eliminating the causes of injury and their mediators; reducing inflammation and the immune response; targeting specific signaling: receptor–ligand interaction and intracellular signaling; inhibiting matrix synthesis and increasing scar matrix degradation; and stimulating HSC apoptosis and providing bone marrow or cell transplantation [
Because viral infection is critical in the progression of liver disease, antiviral therapy is crucial to successfully preventing diseases of the liver. Cirrhosis can even regress as long as the etiologic agent can be cleared (HCV) or the disease process can be controlled (HBV) (
Beneficial results of successful antiviral therapy in viral hepatitis.
|Hepatitis B
|Hepatitis C
|Fibrosis regression
|Reduction of liver disease progression
|HCC reduction
|Reduction of liver related mortality
Five oral nucleos(t)ide analogs (lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil, entecavir, telbivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and two immunomodulators (conventional and pegylated interferons) can facilitate HBV treatment. Short-term treatment goals include ALT normalization (biochemical response), HBeAg seroconversion, HBV DNA negativity (virological response), and improvement of hepatitis activity or fibrosis (histological response). Medium-term treatment goal are HBsAg loss and seroconversion, and the long-term goal is liver cirrhosis, HCC, and liver-related death minimization. The current criteria for initiating anti-HBV therapy include having active hepatitis (abnormal ALT levels) and compensated or decompensated cirrhosis with HBV viremia [
Growing evidence has indicated that prolonged oral anti-HBV therapy may stop liver inflammation, reduce fibrogenesis, and even reverse fibrosis. Paired liver biopsy before and after therapy of 57 patients who received entecavir for more than three years indicated that 96% of the patients histologically improved (a greater than 2-point decrease in the Knodell necroinflammatory score and no increase in the Knodell fibrosis score), and 88% of the patients, including all 10 patients with baseline advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis, exhibited fibrosis improvement (a greater than 1-point improvement in the Ishak fibrosis score) [
Interferon-based therapy was the mainstay of HCV therapy before the era of direct antiviral agents. In one study, interferon-α therapy exhibited antifibrotic activity by inhibiting the production of TGF-β, reducing HSC activation, and stimulating HSC apoptosis
These effective antiviral agents for hepatitis B and hepatitis C can persistently suppress viral replication and even cure the disease [
A clinical trial by Liaw
In a recently published large-scale study conducted in Japan, 472 patients treated with entecavir and 1143 treatment-naïve controls were enrolled. After matched propensity score analysis, the cumulative HCC incidence rates at 5 years were 3.7% and 13.7% for the entecavir and control groups, respectively (
Statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARB), and pioglitazone have antifibrotic properties. A previous study indicated that early atorvastatin treatment inhibited HSC activation and fibrosis in a rat model of bile-duct-ligation-induced fibrosis, whereas late treatment reduced HSC turnover and activity [
Sorafenib is a small-molecule inhibitor of tumor-cell proliferation and angiogenesis that induces apoptosis in various tumor cells [
Several humanized antibodies against the TGF-β family have been evaluated, including fresolimumab (GC1008, Genzyme), which is undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and myelofibrosis. STX-100 (Stromedix) is a humanized anti-αvβ6 integrin antibody, inhibiting the latent precursor form of TGF-β activation and currently undergoing phase II clinical trials for treating IPF. The lysyl oxidase 2 (LoxL2) belongs to a family of matrix enzymes responsible for collagen cross-linking. The blocking of LoxL2 activity in murine models reduces myofibroblast levels, ECM production, and TGF-β expression [
Pirfenidone (InterMune) inhibits the proliferation of HSC induced by PDGF in rats through the inhibition of PKC-mediated Na+/H+ exchange activation and significantly suppresses TGF-β-induced type I collagen production [
Several anti-IL-13 antibodies, including tralokinumab (MedImmune) and SAR156597 (Sanofi; targeting both IL-13 and IL-4), are undergoing investigation in IPF studies. PRM-151 (Promediator) is a human recombinant form of pentraxin-2 (serum amyloid P) that regulates innate immune responses and inhibits the differentiation of monocytes into M2 macrophages [
Nintedanib (BIBF 1120, Boehringer Ingelheim) is a multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR). Nintedanib showed promise in treating IPF patients in a phase II and III trial [
Targeting the core pathway in hepatic fibrogenesis is possible; however, researchers have been cautious because of the potential off-target effects in nonfibrotic or unaffected tissues. For example, targeting the TGF-β pathway would inhibit fibrogenesis, but could also cause chronic inflammation and even impair tumor suppression [
Various causes of hepatic fibrogenesis have been identified, including viral infection, alcohol abuse, steatohepatitis, metabolic disorders, and immune attack. The simplest approach to targeting liver fibrosis is disease prevention. For example, immunization can prevent hepatitis B, transmission precautions can be taken for hepatitis C, abstinence from alcohol can prevent alcoholic hepatitis, and a healthy diet, lifestyle modification and body weight reduction can prevent steatohepatitis. The next step in combatting liver diseases is to eliminate the underlying causes through medical control methods, such as antiviral therapy, which can control HBV or even eradicate HCV. Recently, the FLINT trial reported that NASH was successfully treated using obeticholic acid, reducing the NAFLD Activity Score by at least 2 points and yielding no exacerbation of fibrosis (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01265498).
For established cirrhosis or diseases without a standardized therapy (e.g., alcoholic cirrhosis and cryptogenic cirrhosis), antifibrotic therapies targeting the central pathway of fibrogenesis are the only potential treatment. Although numerous studies have investigated the pathobiology of fibrogenesis and identified potential therapeutic targets, there is still a large gap between the bench and the bedside, and few clinical trials have explored positive preclinical signals. Several major obstacles to developing antifibrotic therapies include slow fibrogenesis progression, lacking validated biomarkers, and insensitive clinical endpoints [
Viral hepatitis B and hepatitis C are major health problems worldwide that result in critical liver fibrosis or cirrhosis after long-term infection. Several viral and host factors have been identified to predict the disease progression. Growing evidence has suggested that current antiviral therapies can effectively control or even eradicate HBV and HCV, and subsequently ameliorate or even reverse cirrhosis, cirrhotic complications, and HCC. However, more effort should be exerted in developing direct antifibrotic agents for patients with established cirrhosis who cannot benefit from antiviral therapies.
The work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (102-2325-B-002-079); the Executive Yuan, Taiwan; and National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan (VN103-06).
Tung-Hung Su: draft of the manuscript, concept, and acquisition and interpretation of data; Jia-Horng Kao: concept and supervision; Chun-Jen Liu: concept, supervision, and critical revision.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.