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Abstract Identifying and developing emerging biotechnologies is important in improving health in the poorest nations because current health products and practices are not suited for their underdeveloped economies, their inadequate transport and power infrastructures, their largely rural populace, and their rugged, often tropical environments. Advances in biotechnology will more likely be valued and adopted as innovations in developing countries if they meet these challenging criteria. These innovations in health will favor a shift away from a centralized, curative-based framework towards a decentralized, prevention-based paradigm. In this article, advances in microfluidics and in vaccine delivery and storage are highlighted in the context of disease diagnosis and prevention in the developing world.
What is the link between scientific discovery, biotechnology, and innovation, and why is biotechnology particularly important for improving health in the world's poorest nations?
One can think of scientific discovery and innovation as being on two opposite sides of a continuum. Scientific discovery deals with acquiring new knowledge and correcting and integrating previous knowledge by formulating testable hypotheses, conducting experiments, collecting data, and interpreting results to form conclusions. Scientific discovery is largely carried out in universities and is often characterized by academic freedom and intellectualism. On the other end of that continuum lies innovation, which introduces a new product or process that is both valuable to adopters and disruptive to the status quo. Unlike scientific discovery, innovation is driven by economic and social pressures, and creates wealth or social welfare to a group of people, an organization, or a society, by improving quality, efficiency, and productivity.
In the middle of the continuum lies translational research, where discoveries with the potential of creating value are identified and pursued, and is conducted largely by the private sector. In the context of health products and practices, this middle ground is the domain of biotechnology. Innovations in products (such as drugs, vaccines, medical devices and equipment) start from scientific discoveries in genomics-related sciences (such as molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology) and in applied sciences or engineering (such as bioengineering and biomedical engineering). Advances in biotechnology become innovations if they are considered valuable (in demonstrating clinical efficacy, ease of administration/use, reducing costs, etc.) and are adopted by health workers, health ministries, companies and organizations.
Unlike scientific discovery, which is a long-term investment associated with high-risks, advances in biotechnology may directly lead to innovation and therefore contribute value to health sooner rather than later. But more importantly, underdeveloped countries cannot sustain the adoption of conventional medical products (in developed countries). Most conventional products and practices are incompatible with their weak economies, with their underdeveloped transport and power infrastructures, with their largely poor and rural populations, and with their rugged and often tropical environments.
Despite these challenges, developing countries are perhaps best positioned to adopt innovations due to developments in biotechnology. Not only do their circumstances pose significant challenges that demand creative and valuable solutions, but also the significant gains over current health products and practices in underdeveloped countries (which may be inadequate or nonexistent) may accentuate an innovation's value from an advancement in biotechnology. Specifically, this value can range from reducing early mortality and burden of disease (with more effective recombinant vaccines), and to preventing degradation of vaccines (by creating/optimizing techniques for stable formulations that withstand large fluctuations in heat and humidity), to increasing portability and capability of diagnostic devices (with miniaturized lab-on-a-chip technology).
In short, the impetus for innovation in health is huge. Already there have been instances of widespread adoption of relevant (non-health) innovations. For example, the adoption of cell phones and wireless internet in sub-Saharan Africa bypassed the historical precedent of developing landlines, thereby allowing quick communication to rugged and remote places without developing significant infrastructure,But mere adoption of technology may not be enough in developing appropriate health products; tuning promising biotechnologies and even developing new ones may be needed. By doing so, developing countries may be able to "leapfrog" over conventional medical technologies which exist in centralized health systems (such as hospitals for healthcare and labs for diagnostic results), to innovations in health which are suited for decentralized health networks (such as point-of-care diagnosis and at-village/home healthcare) and that emphasize cost-effective public health strategies (such as disease prevention and epidemiological surveillance)
In identifying and developing promising biotechnologies, it is important to first understand the limitations of conventional health products in meeting the unique challenges in underdeveloped settings. These limitations can be divided into several major categories: (1) power (e.g. lack of ground electricity, lack of refrigeration), (2) ease of use/administration (e.g. lack of skilled workers), (3) efficacy (e.g. sensitivity and specificity for diagnostics, development of immunity for vaccines), (4) portability (e.g. potential for use at rural villages or at point-of-care), (5) cost (e.g. costs associated with the product itself versus those for peripherals), and (6) safety.
This article focuses on identifying two active areas of biotechnology research relevant to health in developing countries: vaccines (for building immunity against infectious diseases) and microfluidics (for point-of-care diagnostics). Each section highlights the limitations of current products in the settings of developing countries, and discusses what advantages (and possible disadvantages) emerging biotechnologies have in these areas.
Vaccines – Novel storage and delivery strategies
Vaccines for childhood illnesses – widely considered as essential in any strategy for disease prevention in developing and developed countries alike – have benefited greatly from recombinant DNA technologies. Not only are recombinant vaccinesalready proving to be cheaper (in testing and scale-up of production) and safer (particularly in immunocompromised individuals) than inactivated or attenuated vaccines, they also may address problems with vaccine storage and delivery. Normally, vaccines require refrigeration, needles, and multiple administrations to fortify or refresh immunity. But in much of the developing world, refrigeration is unavailable – and when available, refrigeration can constitute up to 80% of the total cost of vaccine delivery. Additionally, needles are often misused by inexperienced personnel in unsanitary conditions, leading to transmission of bloodborne pathogens such as HIV, HBV, and HCV. Patient noncompliance is commonplace as well with poor rates of return visits, thereby making multiple vaccine administrations difficult.
These issues can be addressed partially by developing novel storage techniques (often by using/optimizing established processes with new formulations) in order to increase vaccine viability, and by researching different ways of administering vaccines (to reduce the need for intravenous immunizations). For example, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG) currently is prepared commercially by freeze-drying, which is known to significantly reduce BCG viability after freezing. Researchers at Harvard University hypothesized that the presence of nonvolatile salts and cryoprotectants during normal droplet drying raised osmotic pressures high enough to damage bacterial membranes which yielded low vaccine viability and stability at room temperature. They discovered that spray drying (another dehydration method) with a special protein matrix without salts and cryprotectants yielded improved viability and stability. This is promising given the potential of spray dried vaccines to be inhaled (instead of delivered intravenously which is invasive) and scaled-up in sterile conditions with lower operating costs as compared to freeze-drying methods,. Already, Medicine in Needplans to develop stable cell dry powder vaccine formulations for efficient and noninvasive inhaled delivery. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of porous particles and nanoparticles in efficiently delivering therapeutic aerosols with the potential for larger dose delivery,,.
Besides pulmonary vaccine delivery, other methods of needleless immunizations in development include liquid-jet injection, epidermal powder immunization, and topical application (through cutaneous routes), and oral and nasal immunizations (through mucosal routes) have been proposed as alternatives to intravenous immunizations. Liquid-jet injections use the kinetic energy from a high velocity vaccine jet (typically up to 100 m/s, with a microneedle tip) to penetrate the skin and deliver the vaccine intradermally, subcutaneously, or intramuscularly. Targeting the skin promotes its contact with Langerhans cells, which initiate specific immune responses by processing and presenting antigen fragments to naïve T cells in the lymph nodes. Vaccines delivered by liquid-jet usually spread over a larger tissue area than vaccines administered with needles, and may allow more contact with antigen-presenting cells before being degraded. While many vaccines (e.g. influenza and hepatitis B) have been successfully delivered using liquid-jets, cross-contamination and cost are major limitations. The development of disposable-cartridge jet injectors and single-use, pre-filled disposable devices have sought to alleviate concerns about contamination.
Epidermal powder immunizations facilitate storage of vaccine powders and there is strong clinical evidence for DNA vaccines; however, non-DNA vaccines have enjoyed little commercial success. Topical vaccine application, like liquid-jet and epidermal powder immunizations, naturally target Langerhans cells and are cheaper and easier to use (with high patient compliance); however, simple topical delivery yields an inadequate immune response due to the low permeability of the stratum corenum, the outer layer of the skin. Current research includes using topically applied adjuvants, colloidal carriers, and physical methods (such as microneedles, ultrasound, and electroporation) with topical application,.Oral vaccine delivery has been used for live attenuated pathogens, such as polio and typhoid, and is attractive because of its simplicity and ease of administration. However, vaccines are degraded and deactivated in the acidic gastrointestinal environment and high doses are required for adequate immune responses; improving response variability is an active area of research. Nasal delivery allows easier access to mucosal membranes than does oral delivery, but the short contact time and enzymatic activity (while less relative to that in gastrointestinal tract) poses considerable challenges which have yet to be overcome.
A subset of oral vaccine delivery is temperature-stable formulations of vaccines expressed in transgenic organisms such as plants or crops,. Edible vaccines are attractive because they are easy to administer; they are also theoretically cheap to produce because no protein purification steps are needed. Studies on edible plant vaccines have shown to stimulate immunogenic responses against the hepatitis B virus and Norwalk virus (which causes diarrhea). They also have protective capacity against pathogens causing bacterial diarrhea (such as cholera and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli), and tetanus toxin (produced by bacterium Clostridium tetani). The latter is a common childhood vaccination target along with diptheria and pertussis. Ongoing research aims to (1) understand variations in vaccine stability and immunogenicity in mucosal delivery, (2) express higher levels of antigen, (3) guard against degradation of protein components in the stomach and gut before they can elicit an immune response, and (4) understand the risks of genetic contamination of foodstuffs and the threats to biodiversity.
Diagnostics – Microfluidic devices
Another promising biotechnology is microfluidics for development of portable and cheap health diagnostics,. Microfluidics deals with the behavior and precise manipulation of small volumes of liquids and gases moving through microchannels embedded in a chip. Also known as "lab-on-a-chip", microfluidic devices have the potential to automate complex laboratory tasks such as sample preparation, pre-concentration, and analyte detection (i.e. detection of desired biomarkers, such as antibodies against hepatitis B, conserved nucleic acid sequences in malaria parasites, T-cells for monitoring HIV/AIDS, etc.) on a chip. Usually, these laboratory tasks require bulky, mechanically complex, expensive, power-draining instruments, such as centrifuges (e.g. for sample preconcentration), vortexes and spinners (e.g. for mixing liquids), liquid-handling robots (e.g. for quantifying protein in benchtop immunoassays), thermocyclers (e.g. for amplifying nucleic acids), flow cytometers (e.g. for counting and sorting cells), and high-powered microscopes (e.g. for visualizing cells). A true "lab-on-a-chip" would allow health workers in developing countries to run common lab tests with greater accuracy and throughput without significant prior training (Figure 1).
Furthermore, miniaturizing onto a battery-powered or even solar-powered handheld device would allow health workers to diagnose at point-of-care, reducing time spent waiting for results and the number of patient visits to the clinic (Figure 1A). The time saved is on the order of days in situations where samples need to be sent to national/regional testing centers for processing. Clinics with poor patient compliance in follow-up visits may particularly benefit because diagnosis and treatment prescriptions can be done on a single visit. Additionally, microfluidic diagnostic devices could be employed in a decentralized health care system where health workers travel to the village or rural home to deliver care.
Figure 1: Microfluidics: an emerging technology in portable, low-cost diagnostics. A: Proposed intervention of device in workflow. B: Ability of microfluidics to do multiple tests rapidly. Cells, metabolites, nucleic acids, and proteins can all be analyzed to give a complete diagnosis.
Even in situations where the testing center has the capacity to run the desired assay, microfluidic diagnostics still save time by integrating multiple tasks and by processing microliter to nanoliter volumes. At these small volumes, reactions are rarely diffusion-limited, allowing for faster kinetics particularly when catalysts are involved, and thermal mass is minimized, allowing quicker responses to heat changes e.g. in thermocycling for PCR . The ability to process small volumes also allows for less invasive patient sampling procedures such as fingerpricks as compared to more invasive techniques such as intravenous blood draws (Figure 1A).
Most studies to date have focused on particular microfluidic procedures such as fluid actuation, mixing, sample preparation, analyte detection, because each poses tremendous scientific and technical challenges and depends on the physical, chemical, and biological makeup of the analyte. With extensive work on new strategies and characterization, researchers are looking to integrate multiple procedures in order to be able to detect multiple analytes on a single chip (as illustrated in Figure 1B). Analytes are divided roughly into four classes: (1) cells, (2) metabolites, (3) nucleic acids, and (4) proteins . Each class of biomarker is described in terms of its importance in diagnosing infections and health conditions, and significant research advances relevant to the advancement of global health are identified.
Cell counts are important measures in addressing anemia and hematology via red blood cell and complete blood counts, as well as in monitoring HIV-infected patients for structuring antiretroviral treatment regimens via CD4+ T-cells. One study suggests that differential shear flows on antibody-functionalized surfaces can selectively capture CD4+ T-cells without labeling in a simple microfluidic format . Cell analysis via microscopic examination is important for parasitology (e.g. blood smears for malaria). Additionally, microbiological culture is important for determining drug-resistant strains of bacteria (e.g. tuberculosis, Staph A), because culture is still considered the "gold standard" relative to newer molecular-based techniques detecting nucleic acids.
Small Molecules
Detection of small molecules is important for monitoring blood chemistries. Common targets include bicarbonate for regulating pH, sodium and potassium for maintaining specific electrolyte levels in nerve and muscle function, oxygen and carbon dioxide for determining respiratory and/or metabolic problems, and glucose for metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Vitamins and minerals are also relevant targets for detection, as they allow for the diagnosis and monitoring of nutritional deficiencies. Popular techniques include electrochemical detection using thin-film patterned electrodes. iSTAT, a current commercial product produced by Abbot Diagnostics, employs this specific technique.
Nucleic Acids
Conserved DNA or viral RNA sequences are often targets for detecting specific infectious diseases and for determining the stage of a disease (e.g. HIV RNA viral load). Genotyping is also common for distinguishing between pathogen strains (e.g. Hepatitis C). The most popular techniques are PCR and RT-PCR, due to their intrinsic specificity and signal amplification. Certain technical challenges include the need for sample pre-treatment of lysed cells and low-cost methods for portable signal amplification and detection. One study demonstrates that oligonucleotide-conjugated nanoparticle probes coupled with silver reduction amplification can yield a low-cost and sensitive system.
Antibody and antigen markers can indicate infections predominant in developing countries (such as anti-HIV antibodies, gp41 and gp120 antigens for HIV). One study uses a gold-silver sandwich immunoassay for detecting αHIV-1 antibodies in a microfluidic setup. The opacity of the solution due to silver reduction correlated with the amount of antibody in patient serum and was read by a simple, low-cost absorbance reader.
Cost-reduction is perhaps the most attractive quality of microfluidic diagnostic devices. Typically, one-time purchases of fixed instruments range from tens to hundreds of thousands of US dollars. For example, the cost of reagents is $5 for immunoassays and $50-300 for nucleic acid tests in a typical in-house hospital laboratory in the developed world. In contrast, microfluidic devices in the developing world would need fixed instrument costs at tens of dollars, and per-assay costs on the order of pennies, which would include both chips and reagents. By scaling down reagent volumes hundred- to thousand-fold and by using cheaper materials, such as injection-moulded plastics instead of glass, quartz, and silicon, and electrical components (Figure 1A), the costs associated to fixed instrument and assay are reasonable for device deployment in limited-resource settings.
Implementing an appropriate intervention of microfluidic diagnostics, or of any new technology, in the health networks of developing countries is far from trivial. Figure 1A illustrates some of the considerations for a lab-on-a-chip both in and out of the clinic. For instance, it is necessary to minimize the number of moving parts needed on the chip and in the reader in order to design an easily operated device. Also, a minimal user interface consisting of a few buttons for powering and operation, and signal lights for showing status of test, on the reader itself may make the device easier for an untrained health worker to operate.
Considerations downstream of the microfluidic assay include recording, storing, and communicating results (Figure 1A). Typically, most centralized testing sites and practically all rural testing sites rely solely on written records, but digital records could improve quality of care (by assuring evidence-based medicine) and expedite communication, particularly in disease surveillance, where communication of results between clinics is vital . Results that are typed, synced via USB storage key, or uploaded via wireless transmission to a computer can then be collected and stored locally on a clinic-level network database. Periodically, local networks of electronic records can communicate periodically with other clinics through syncing or internet upload.
D-Tree International, a non-governmental organization dedicated to improving medical records management in developing countries, plans to train and equip frontline providers with personal digital assistants, smart cards, and back up systems for sending data in real-time. This non-profit organization also develops evidence-based, standardized diagnostic and treatment protocols customized for local cultural conditions such as language, epidemiological patterns, and drug lists, also taking into account resources by calculating drug dosage based on patient statistics.
Technology is one part of the solution and must be designed appropriately to its settings (Figure 2). For example, backup batteries and dust covers (Figure 2A) are common in many regional and rural testing centers. This highlights performance and design considerations in alternative power, using backup batteries which may be rechargeable or even solar-powered, and dusty environments. Bench-top units are fine in centralized testing centers but cannot be transported to rural sites. Flow cytometers (Figure 2B) are bulky and expensive, complicated to use, and are often in English instead of native languages. It is also clear that many diagnostic tests require significant training and are inadequate due to their lack of specificity. For instance, malaria blood smears are widely performed, and yet are difficult to read due to the subtle differences in phenotype between erythrocytes infected with different Plasmodium species. One alternative to microscopes and blood smears may be detecting differences in cell deformability, or electrical properties by using microfluidic setups ,.
Figure 2. Design constraints depend on circumstances in the developing world (pictures of labs). A: Lab at Kicukiro (outside Kigali, Rwanda) relies on backup batteries and dust covers. B: Flow cytometer at Gisenyi (regional test center in Rwanda) is bulky, expensive, difficult to easy, and does not read in local language (English instead of French or Kinyarwanda). C: Malaria blood smears are commonplace yet difficult to read, requiring trained personnel.
There is a need for scientific innovation in global health, and the identification of key emerging technologies in diagnosis and prevention are the first steps. Technologies need to be relevant to local conditions, and developing countries have a unique set of challenges that advances in biotechnology need to address before they become valuable as innovations. The need for biotechnologies that can be compatible to a decentralized, prevention-based health paradigm is evident because a conventional health system is unsustainable and incompatible with a developing nation's budget, environment, and demographics.
Beyond identifying key biotechnologies, their development goes hand in hand with other efforts for improving health infrastructures. Training programs are critical for improving skills of health workers, particularly in rural areas, and new technologies intended to work in these circumstances need to be introduced and involved at an early stage. Faster and reliable communication and data storage systems will improve epidemiological surveillance and allow health workers to better customize diagnoses and treatments based on statistics pertinent to specific patients, as well as the local population as a whole. Health education and awareness programs are important cost-effective interventions for stressing disease prevention and healthy lifestyles, and new technologies need to be understood by the populations they serve, in terms of access, changes in healthcare, and the potential positive and negative health side effects. A multidisciplinary approach with biotechnology is important for sustained and comprehensive improvements in health infrastructures and quality of care in developing countries.
Acknowledgement I thank Samuel Sia for his research mentorship, Eileen Sun for helpful comments on manuscript, and the Frank H. Buck Foundation for financial support in graduate studies.
Curtis Chin is a PhD student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. His research interests include microtechnologies for global health diagnostics and tissue engineering. He obtained his BS in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
UNDP, Human Development Report 2001: Making New Technologies Work for Human Development. 2001, United Nations Development Programme: New York.
Chin, C.D., V. Linder, and S.K. Sia, Lab-on-a-chip devices for global health: past studies and future opportunities. Lab Chip, 2007. 7(1): p. 41-57.
Alwan, A. and B. Modell, Recommendations for introducing genetics services in developing countries. Nat Rev Genet, 2003. 4(1): p. 61-8.
Recombinant vaccines are created by genetically modifying microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast and stimulating them to produce large quantities of immunogenic proteins.
Daar, A.S., et al., Top ten biotechnologies for improving health in developing countries. Nat Genet, 2002. 32(2): p. 229-32.
Mitragotri, S., Immunization without needles. Nat Rev Immunol, 2005. 5(12): p. 905-16.
BCG vaccine is against tuberculosis which is prepared from a strain of the attenuated live bovine tuberculosis bacillus.
Freeze-drying (also known as lyophilization) is a common dehydration process used to preserve a sensitive material and make transport convenient. Freeze-drying involves a two-step process: 1) freezing below the lowest temperature at which solid and liquid phases can coexist (eutectic point), and 2) sublimination of ice crystals to water vapor.
Wong, Y.L., et al., Drying a tuberculosis vaccine without freezing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2007. 104(8): p. 2591-5.
Millqvist-Fureby, A., M. Malmsten, and B. Bergenstahl, An aqueous polymer two-phase system as carrier in the spray-drying of biological material. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2000. 225(1): p. 54-61.
Vanbever, R., et al., Formulation and physical characterization of large porous particles for inhalation. Pharm Res, 1999. 16(11): p. 1735-42.
Medicine in Need is a non-governmental organization founded by David Edwards, the principal investigator of the aforementioned study.
Edwards, D.A., et al., Large porous particles for pulmonary drug delivery. Science, 1997. 276(5320): p. 1868-71.
Pulliam, B., J.C. Sung, and D.A. Edwards, Design of nanoparticle-based dry powder pulmonary vaccines. Expert Opin Drug Deliv, 2007. 4(6): p. 651-663.
Tsapis, N., et al., Trojan particles: large porous carriers of nanoparticles for drug delivery. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2002. 99(19): p. 12001-5.
An adjuvant is an agent that is mixed with an antigen and increases the immune response to that antigen following immunization6
A colloidal carrier is a stable system of small particles of lipds, polymers or any other material that encapsulate a vaccine6
Guy, B., The perfect mix: recent progress in adjuvant research. Nat Rev Microbiol, 2007. 5(7): p. 505
Acharya, T., A.S. Daar, and P.A. Singer, Biotechnology and the UN's Millennium Development Goals. Nat Biotechnol, 2003. 21(12): p. 1434-6.
Acharya, T., et al., Strengthening the role of genomics in global health. PLoS Med, 2004. 1(3): p. e40.
Mason, H.S., et al., Edible plant vaccines: applications for prophylactic and therapeutic molecular medicine. Trends Mol Med, 2002. 8(7): p. 324-9.
Daniell, H., S.J. Streatfield, and K. Wycoff, Medical molecular farming: production of antibodies, biopharmaceuticals and edible vaccines in plants. Trends Plant Sci, 2001. 6(5): p. 219-26.
Tregoning, J.S., et al., Protection against tetanus toxin using a plant-based vaccine. Eur J Immunol, 2005. 35(4): p. 1320-6.
Yager, P., et al., Microfluidic diagnostic technologies for global public health. Nature, 2006. 442(7101): p. 412-8.
The quality, conditions, and types of tests performed at health centers usually correlates with degree of urban development2.
PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, is a technique used for detection of nucleic acids (PCR for DNA, RT-PCR for RNA), typically for determining infection and pathogen strain or subtype identification. A section of target DNA is marked off with flanking DNA primers and amplified exponentially with repeated heating and cooling patterns (thermocycles).
For a more detailed discussion on microfluidic diagnostic technologies for global health, see references 8 and 21.
Cheng, X., et al., A microfluidic device for practical label-free CD4(+) T cell counting of HIV-infected subjects. Lab Chip, 2007. 7(2): p. 170-8.
Taton, T.A., C.A. Mirkin, and R.L. Letsinger, Scanometric DNA array detection with nanoparticle probes. Science, 2000. 289(5485): p. 1757-1760.
Sia, S.K., et al., An integrated approach to a portable and low-cost immunoassay for resource-poor settings. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 2004. 43(4): p. 498-502.
Fixed instrument consists of hardware components for analyte detection, fluid actuation, power, and electronics for signal enhancement, user interfacing, and data tranmission.
Assay components include chips (which can be reused depending on the material and application) and reagents.
Initiatives such as One Laptop Per Child (headed by John Negroponte, head of MIT's Media Lab) may also help close the digital divide.
Shelby, J.P., et al., A microfluidic model for single-cell capillary obstruction by Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2003. 100(25): p. 14618-22.
Gascoyne, P., J. Satayavivad, and M. Ruchirawat, Microfluidic approaches to malaria detection. Acta Tropica, 2004. 89(3): p. 357-369.
Acharya, T., et al., Strengthening the role of genomics in global health. PLoS Med, 2004. 1(3): p. e40.
Acharya, T., A.S. Daar, and P.A. Singer, Biotechnology and the UN's Millennium Development Goals. Nat Biotechnol, 2003. 21(12): p. 1434-6.
Alwan, A. and B. Modell, Recommendations for introducing genetics services in developing countries. Nat Rev Genet, 2003. 4(1): p. 61-8.
Cheng, X., et al., A microfluidic device for practical label-free CD4(+) T cell counting of HIV-infected subjects. Lab Chip, 2007. 7(2): p. 170-8.
Chin, C.D., V. Linder, and S.K. Sia, Lab-on-a-chip devices for global health: past studies and future opportunities. Lab Chip, 2007. 7(1): p. 41-57.
Daniell, H., S.J. Streatfield, and K. Wycoff, Medical molecular farming: production of antibodies, biopharmaceuticals and edible vaccines in plants. Trends Plant Sci, 2001. 6(5): p. 219-26. Daar, A.S., et al., Top ten biotechnologies for improving health in developing countries. Nat Genet, 2002. 32(2): p. 229-32.
Edwards, D.A., et al., Large porous particles for pulmonary drug delivery. Science, 1997. 276(5320): p. 1868-71.
Gascoyne, P., J. Satayavivad, and M. Ruchirawat, Microfluidic approaches to malaria detection. Acta Tropica, 2004. 89(3): p. 357-369.
Guy, B., The perfect mix: recent progress in adjuvant research. Nat Rev Microbiol, 2007. 5(7): p. 505 Mason, H.S., et al., Edible plant vaccines: applications for prophylactic and therapeutic molecular medicine. Trends Mol Med, 2002. 8(7): p. 324-9.
Millqvist-Fureby, A., M. Malmsten, and B. Bergenstahl, An aqueous polymer two-phase system as carrier in the spray-drying of biological material. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2000. 225(1): p. 54-61.
Mitragotri, S., Immunization without needles. Nat Rev Immunol, 2005. 5(12): p. 905-16. Pulliam, B., J.C. Sung, and D.A. Edwards, Design of nanoparticle-based dry powder pulmonary vaccines. Expert Opin Drug Deliv, 2007. 4(6): p. 651-663.
Shelby, J.P., et al., A microfluidic model for single-cell capillary obstruction by Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2003. 100(25): p. 14618-22. Sia, S.K., et al., An integrated approach to a portable and low-cost immunoassay for resource-poor settings. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 2004. 43(4): p. 498-502.
Taton, T.A., C.A. Mirkin, and R.L. Letsinger, Scanometric DNA array detection with nanoparticle probes. Science, 2000. 289(5485): p. 1757-1760.
Tregoning, J.S., et al., Protection against tetanus toxin using a plant-based vaccine. Eur J Immunol, 2005. 35(4): p. 1320-6.
Tsapis, N., et al., Trojan particles: large porous carriers of nanoparticles for drug delivery. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2002. 99(19): p. 12001-5.
UNDP, Human Development Report 2001: Making New Technologies Work for Human Development. 2001, United Nations Development Programme: New York. Vanbever, R., et al., Formulation and physical characterization of large porous particles for inhalation. Pharm Res, 1999. 16(11): p. 1735-42.
Wong, Y.L., et al., Drying a tuberculosis vaccine without freezing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2007. 104(8): p. 2591-5.
Yager, P., et al., Microfluidic diagnostic technologies for global public health. Nature, 2006. 442(7101): p. 412-8.
Acknowledgements I thank Samuel Sia for his research mentorship, Eileen Sun for helpful comments on manuscript, and the Frank H. Buck Foundation for financial support in graduate studies.


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Think your ready to advance your skills? The Duncan® Advanced Yo-Yo & Skill Toy Set will take your skills to the top! Featuring high performance yo-yos, footbags, juggling balls, spin tops, instructional cd-roms, trick book, and DVD!!
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Duncan Advanced Yo-Yo & Skill Toy Set - 9 pc.
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Replacement yo-yo string, juggling instructional CD-Rom, yo-yo trick book and yo-yo instructional DVD are included!
Replacement yo-yo string, juggling instructional CD-Rom, yo-yo trick book and yo-yo instructional DVD are included!
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2013 (3 of 3) Triple Threat Match
by, 04-03-2013 at 09:09 AM (2830 Views)
Hi Everybody! In the two previous parts of this series, I changed the outcomes of selected matches at the Royal Rumble and the Elimination Chamber in hopes of getting at a Wrestlemania card people will think is better than the actual one. Part one didn't really do a lot and it seems part two has fallen on deaf ears. Oh well, try, try again. In the third and final part, I'll use the actual happenings from both events. I will also book the outcomes of the WM matches. So let's get right to…
Your Neeeeeew Wrestlemania 29!(You're Welcome…Yet Again)
-The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler
Yep, I'm going to bring this one back from part one, only this time not for the Heavyweight Championship. It'd be something like Ziggler trying to steal the show at WM by upstaging a former WM main eventer, and both of them being money in the bank winners. Dolph Ziggler still has his money in the bank at this point. These two could put on a great match. I think Miz vs Barrett could be pretty good, but I'd rather see this. I'd much rather see this than Hell No vs Ziggler and Langston. I wouldn't use any special stipulations, as this match needs to appear rather innocuous. Ziggler gets the W.
-Randy Orton and Sheamus vs The Big Show and Mark Henry
On its face, it'd be a very easy to use this as a way to turn Orton heel and start a feud with Sheamus, but I'm not going to do that here for reasons which become clear later. Honestly, these were the four guys left without anything meaningful to do. I guess I'll take some flack for not being able to properly use established talent. They could be put into a fatal four way for a #1 contender slot but I already did that in part one. How about a special stipulation where the winning team gets something or other? Ugh, in my opinion the worse match I probably came up with in this series. Orton and Sheamus win. Let's move on…
-US Title: Antonio Cesaro vs Ryback
Ryback is the proud patriot that comes along to challenge Antonio Cesaro's claim no American can beat him. Cesaro could carry Ryback to a really good match. It could be a sleeper. Ryback scores gold.
-Winner controls Tag Team Championship: Kane vs Daniel Bryan
I haven't had a chance to do this match in parts one or two, and really think this is how it should've gone down. I like Hell No and their skits have been hilarious but its time to let Daniel Bryan become a serious singles player. Or after the winner picks a new partner, quickly becomes tired of them and attempts to reunite the team. I'm sure these two could tear it up at WM. Daniel Bryan takes it down. He'd run the suggested storyline better.
-Intercontinental Title: Wade Barrett vs Y2J
This one could be built around how Jericho was Barrett's pro from back in the NXT days or Jericho trying to break his own record of IC titles at WM. What better way for Barrett to make a name for himself than to beat Jericho at WM? Y2J can prove he still has it and the IC belt is still a big deal and hopefully make everyone forget about Rhodes and Big Show from last year. Y2J is a pro. He knows how big of a win it would be for Barrett. He does the right thing and puts Barrett over.
-World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio vs Jack Swagger
I stuck myself with the actual RR and EC bookings, so I'm stuck with this match. I think Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter was an interesting direction to go in creative-wise but they have not been able to pull it off. Someone, either one wins this marathon match then Dolph Ziggler comes in and cashes in Money in the Bank so somebody finally does it at Wrestlemania.
-Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker
While I'm not sure the actual match product would be totally spectacular, the build up would be outstanding. With their history including their stare down at the UFC fight, it could be hyped easily. Brock Lesnar is a legitimate threat to the streak. I'm really looking forward to Punk vs Taker but after his two losses to the Rock and his loss to Cena, I don't see Punk beating the streak as believable. Triple H could be used in this feud whether it being a ref, or from an executive standpoint, he's concerned about the Undertaker's legacy or something. Brock and Undertaker trade threatening promos. Is Brock afraid of the Undertaker? How can the Undertaker possibly beat Brock Lesnar? Of course The Undertaker goes 21-0
-WWE Title Triple Threat Match: The Rock vs CM Punk vs John Cena
After everything that went down in the two matches between Rock and Punk and the fact Cena won the Rumble, these three are thrown into one match where there is no excuses and there must be a winner and winner takes all. John Cena can avenge his losses to both men and win the WWE title. CM Punk can beat the two guys from last year's main event and prove once and for all he is the best in the world. The Rock can prove he's the best ever after winning two straight WM main events and beating the two top guys of this era. The match goes on until the Shield arrives. First they take out the Rock. Obviously they are here to help CM Punk, right? WRONG!!! After laying waste to the Rock, they then turn on CM Punk. Meanwhile John Cena hits the AA on the Rock and does the people's elbow on the Rock just like he tried last year, only this time the Rock doesn't pop up. John Cena wins the match and the title, turns heel and reveals himself to be the leader of the Shield!!! Cena grabs the mic and says, "Suck it Aces & 8s! I'll show you a heel turn!"
Ok, maybe I went a little too far with that last line but I think you get the picture.
In conclusion, over this three part series I think I've put a little bit of everything out there and hopefully there was something intriguing. I'm just one guy with a computer and some spare time. They pay several people thousands upon thousands of dollars to come up with this stuff. When put side by side, the cards I put together and the actual one are not far off. That's my opinion. I could be completely wrong but I doubt it. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed.
Which Wrestlemania 29 would you rather watch? This one or the one this April 7th?


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Last month, Domino's Pizza shareholders stood against the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) by voting against a resolution requiring pork suppliers to stop housing gestating sows in stalls. Despite pressure from the HSUS, Domino's opted to consult animal behaviorists and husbandry experts to determine the best care for the animals.
Now, a group of farmers is urging agriculture supporters to join an industry-wide pizza party this coming weekend to "pay it forward" by purchasing a pizza from Domino's and leaving a note of appreciation with the manager.
"Domino's decision speaks volumes to me as a farmer," Missouri hog farmer Chris Chinn, wrote in her blog. "It shows they trust the experts I trust. It shows they trust me. I appreciate that."
Those interested in paying it forward are encouraged to join the Ag Pizza Party Facebook event page, where more information will be made available throughout the week.
So far, nearly 400 people have signed up to purchase a pizza from Domino's, and support has been pouring in:
- "ABSOLUTELY YES!! I have to drive 45 miles to get to Domino's, but we'll do it this weekend! Thanks for the organization of this event!" – Debbie Lyons-Blythe
- "I'm not sure where the closest Domino's is, but by golly I'm going to find it." – Zac Bray
- "Oh yeah! Gonna be serving Domino's on the farm on Friday night! What a great way to recycle...by Friday we'll be planting the soybeans that feed the cows that make the milk that makes the cheese for the pizza to feed the farmers :) I'd say this is a win-win :)" – Sarah Bedgar Wilson
Find out more about the event through Facebook, The Truth About Agriculture and Chinn's blog.


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Key Findings Report: Harnessing the Power of Newer Media Platforms for More Effective Marketing, Third Edition Survey Results
September 1, 2011
This Key Findings Report includes highlights of an ANA survey which focuses on the use of newer media platforms such as search, social networks, podcasts, blogging, and more. Insights include marketers' usage of new media, spending, measurement/ROI, resource allocation, and integration with other elements of the communications mix.
Restricted Content
Access to this content item is restricted to:
- ANA Corporate Marketer Members
Please login below or create an account.
You may already be a member. Find out if your company is already an ANA member.


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There's only one thing you can do when you beat the Flames 5-0
February 04 2008 10:26PM
Ghost ride the whip! Click on the movie and turn up the sound and your life will be changed forever.
I love that ghost riding is back! GO OILERS!
Comments are closed for this article.


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CRIME has fallen slightly in North Yorkshire, with the region declared among the safest in the United Kingdom.
Figures released yesterday by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), showed there had been 34,462 crimes (excluding fraud), reported to North Yorkshire Police in 2013/14, down from the previous year by 0.1 per cent, but down from 47,940 in 2009, a fall of 13,478 in five years,
Including fraud, crime had fallen by two per cent.
The figures showed increases in violence, sexual offences, shoplifting and public order offences, but drops in robbery, domestic burglaries, vehicle crime and drug offences.
Sexual offences in North Yorkshire reported increased by 14 per cent, with 84 more victims coming forward than in the previous year, but police said that this was down to greater confidence of victims in reporting incidents, and easier ways for them to do so.
Chief Constable Dave Jones, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Once again the official figures show that, overall, North Yorkshire is one of the safest places in the country in which to live, work and visit, and we will keep working hard at North Yorkshire Police to make sure it stays that way.
"These are encouraging statistics which mean that the people of North Yorkshire can have confidence in their police service, but we are far from complacent.
"There are some challenging issues to deal with in parts of our county, and we are forging close links with other local agencies to tackle these.
"The Office of National Statistics figures are based on reported crime, and we know that some crimes – particularly sexual or domestic abuse and hate crime – does not always get reported.
"That is starting to change, but we still have more to do to give victims the confidence to come forward."
In Humberside, crime has risen by five per cent, with 65,908 reported crimes, and rises in violence, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, shoplifting and possession of weapons.
Vehicle offences, theft from the person, and public order offences all fell slightly in Humberside, and crime remains lower in the area than it was ten years ago.
Deputy Chief Constable David Griffin of Humberside Police said the force was working hard to address the increase.


text:
The Ong Center
Mission Statement:
The Walter J. Ong, S.J., Center for Language, Culture, and Media Studies has a two-fold mission: to promote interdisciplinary research in the Humanities at Saint Louis University, and to make it possible for scholars to assess and use the works of Fr. Ong.
The primary mission of the Center is to foster innovative research and scholarship in all the fields in which Fr. Ong had an impact, including English, Communication, History, Theology, Modern and Classical Languages, and Philosophy. By supporting faculty, students, conferences, speakers, and visiting scholars, the Ong Center enriches the intellectual environment at Saint Louis University. The Ong Center fosters inquiry into works of the human intellect and imagination, and brings together members of the academic community for interdisciplinary analyses and discoveries. The Ong Center encourages original research in the Humanities. In fulfilling this mission, the Ong Center continues the Jesuit tradition of open, rigorous intellectual inquiry.
Walter J. Ong, S.J., (1912-2003) was a pre-eminent Humanities scholar at Saint Louis University and an internationally renowned visionary intellectual. He made lasting contributions to a number of fields, including orality and literacy studies, literary criticism, communication theory, religious studies, theories of cultural and technological change, the history of rhetoric, and media studies. His work has been influential in exploring how human beings organize knowledge, language, and identity. In partnership with the Department of Special Collections in Pius XII memorial Library, the Center provides access to Fr. Ong's scholarship, correspondence, and other archival materials. Some of these materials are available online through the Digital Collection.


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Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Discusses Results of Regional Transportation Survey
Fairfax County Office of Public
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Aug. 12, 2005
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
Discusses Results of Regional Transportation Survey
At its August meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors discussed the results of a recent public opinion poll on transportation in Northern Virginia.
The board discussed the survey results because they indicate that Fairfax County residents, along with other Northern Virginia communities, are frustrated by traffic. Two-thirds of survey respondents are frustrated with the trips they take and of those, nine in 10 expressed frustration with traffic as the reason.
The poll was commissioned by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. The authority surveyed 1,263 residents of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax City, Manassas and Manassas Park. Full results can be found online at www.transaction2030.com.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly, a Northern Virginia Transportation Authority member, stated, "This survey clearly shows that citizens are frustrated with an inadequate transportation network and are not only strongly supportive of investments that will provide relief, but also willing to pay to make those investments happen."
The authority, which was created by the Virginia
General Assembly in 2002, is responsible for long-range transportation
planning for regional transportation projects in Northern Virginia. The
authority has 16 members representing the cities of Fairfax, Manassas
Park, Manassas, Falls Church and Alexandria, the counties of Fairfax and
Loudoun, the House of Delegates and the Senate, as well as two citizens
who reside in counties and cities which make up the authority and are
appointed by the governor. For more information about the authority,
visit www.novaregion.org/novatrans/index.html
or call 703-642-0700, TTY 703-642-8061.
Fairfax County is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in all county programs, services and activities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. To request special accommodations, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711. Please allow five working days in advance of events in order to make the necessary arrangements


text: Chicago Auto Show offers Innovative Texting Program for Exhibitors December 29, 2010 02:18 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Chicago Automobile Trade Association renews with Text2Drive to power its Mobile Marketing Campaign for the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. Chicago Ill. - December 28, 2010 - Texting has become the most powerful and effective communication tool in use today. There are more text messages sent each month than phone calls placed. With more than over 270 million mobile phones in the United States and 100 billion texts sent each month, text messaging has become the preferred form of communication for millions of consumers. Recognizing this shift in consumer behavior, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) has partnered with Text2Drive to harness the power of this communication channel throughout this year's Chicago Auto Show. CATA will incorporate the Text2Drive Mobile Marketing platform to collect opt-in mobile numbers through campaigns that will be incorporated in the CATA's promotional advertising campaigns leading up to the show. The innovative Text2Drive Platform will be used to drive show attendance and increase attendee's participation by raising awareness and creating a "buzz" around special events, featured vehicles and show promotions. "The best part about Text2Drive is that it provides multiple benefits to our attendees and exhibitors," said Dave Sloan, president of CATA. "Not only can we leverage this technology to help us promote the show and use it throughout the show for marketing, our exhibitors can use it to uniquely promote their brands. Imagine someone at the show looking at the new Chevy Camaro and wanting more information, using Text2Drive they can immediately receive pictures and all the important information about the vehicle right to their phone." Text2Drive offers car shoppers a very quick, easy and hassle-free method of obtaining vehicle information without the need of the Internet on their phones. "According to Nielsen only 30-40% of consumers have Internet connectivity on their phones. Text2Drive allows car shoppers to search inventory, receive vehicle information including photos and special incentives, and communicate instantly with sellers via text messaging from their cell phones," said Gregg Owen, CEO & Co-Founder of Text2Drive. "Text2Drive offers many compelling reasons for consumers to opt-in, resulting in our clients being able to create large mobile networks. Once the network is created we afford our clients the ability to easily collect, track, and organize this data so they can continue to remarket their products and services to interested consumers." In addition to the auto show campaign, the CATA has created an introductory Text2Drive program for their dealer members. This program provides tools for the dealer's website while incorporating the Text2Drive online mobile number collection widget on Drivechicago.com. About the Chicago Auto Show Sanctioned by International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, the Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America and has been held more times than any other auto exposition on the continent. First staged in 1901, 2011 will mark the 103rd edition of the show. The Chicago Auto Show will open to the public Feb. 11-20. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Feb. 11-19) and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Feb. 20). For additional information visit: http://www.chicagoautoshow.com. About the Chicago Automobile Trade Association Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) is the nation's oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization. The CATA is comprised of nearly 500 franchised new car dealers and allied members, employing 46,000 people in the metropolitan area. For additional information visit: http://www.cata.info. About DriveChicago.com A pioneer in the online vehicle listings marketplace, DriveChicago.com serves as the largest local listing of new and used vehicles in Chicagoland. Owned by the Chicago Auto Trade Association, DriveChicago.com lists the inventory of its 400-plus members at no charge. It's also home to authoritative new-car reviews by automotive experts and a great source local car shows dates and locations. For additional information, visit: http://www.drivechicago.com. About Text2Drive Text2Drive is a pioneer in providing the automotive industry with exclusive tools to leverage the most powerful, efficient, and most popular communication channel ever created. Text2Drive provides its clients with platform to build their own mobile network and maximize the value of that network. The Text2Drive platform has greater reach and appeal because it is the only solution that allows the consumer to search dealer inventory, receive information and photos, receive coupons and instantly connect with the client via chatting/texting, all this without the consumer needing the internet on their phones. For additional information please text "INFO" to DRIVE (37483) or call 800-219-8504. You can also email email@example.com or visit www.text2drive.com. Back to News


text:
Probiotic for the Prevention of Functional Disorders in Childhood
The recruitment status of this study is unknown. The completion date has passed and the status has not been verified in more than two years.
Verified August 2012 by Ruggiero Francavilla, University of Bari.
Recruitment status was: Not yet recruiting
Recruitment status was: Not yet recruiting
University of Bari
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Ruggiero Francavilla, University of Bari
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: August 16, 2012
Last updated: August 20, 2012
Last verified: August 2012
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Show Detailed Description
The present study has several aims:
- Establish whether Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG is able to prevent the onset of IBS in a high risk group of children enrolled after an acute gastroenteritis (the study has been powered to this aim).
- Establish whether Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG is able to stabilize the intestinal microbiota after an acute gastroenteritis.
- Define the intestinal microbiota of children following an acute gastroenteritis and identify, if possible, a modification of the microbiota that can predict the emergence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
|Other: Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Prevention
|Official Title:
|A Randomized Controlled Trial of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG for The Prevention of Functional Abdominal Pain Children After Acute Gastroenteritis
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: Abdominal Pain Gastroenteritis
Drug Information available for: LactobacillusU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Ruggiero Francavilla, University of Bari:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Prevention of Abdominal pain [ Time Frame: 18 months ]
Primary outcome will be the incidence in IBS in children receiving LGG as compared to those receiving placebo. We have chosen pain as the primary outcome measure, in line with the proposed points-toconsider for IBS trials (Corazziari E. Consensus report: Clinical trial guidelines for pharmacological treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmcol Ther 2003;18:569).
IBS or chronic abdominal pain will be diagnosed and categorised according to ROME III criteria (Rasquin A, Di Lorenzo C, Forbes D, et al. Childhood functional gastrointestinal disorders: child/adolescent. Gastroenterology. 2006;130).
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Incidence of IBS [ Time Frame: 6 months ]Evaluation of frequency/severity of symptoms according to treatment arm;
- Children's health [ Time Frame: 24 months ]Evaluation of perception of children's health according to parents
- Intestinal microbiota [ Time Frame: 24 months ]Investigate the modification of intestinal microbiota.
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|September 2012
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|September 2014
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|July 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Active Comparator: Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG
LGG (6 × 109 colony forming units)
Other: Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG
Other Name: LGG
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Other: Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Strain GG
Other Name: LGG
Show Detailed Description
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|3 Years to 16 Years (Child)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Children of 3 - 16 years of age;
- Either sex.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Chronic disease,
- Clinical history of abdominal pain history suggestive for functional dyspepsia/aerophagia/abdominal migraine
- Growth failure,
- Alarm signs of organic conditions.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01671137
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01671137
|Contact: Ruggiero Francavilla
|Clinica Pediatrica
|Active, not recruiting
|Bari, Puglia, Italy, 70125
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of Bari
|Principal Investigator:
|Ruggiero Francavilla
|University of Bari
|Principal Investigator:
|Ruggiero FRANCAVILLA
More Information
Keywords provided by Ruggiero Francavilla, University of Bari:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|Ruggiero Francavilla, MD, PhD, University of Bari
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01671137 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
Prevent-001 ( Other Grant/Funding Number: Uniba001 )
|Study First Received:
|August 16, 2012
|Last Updated:
|August 20, 2012
Keywords provided by Ruggiero Francavilla, University of Bari:
Lactobacillus GG
Functional Abdominal Pain
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Abdominal Pain
Neurologic Manifestations
Nervous System Diseases
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and Symptoms, Digestive
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Digestive System Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
Note: This item is more than 12 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
Print – Plain Text – Permalink
News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
Nov. 8, 2004
Red Drum Donated to TPWD and Are Being Stocked in Lakes
ATHENS, Texas — Texas anglers received an early holiday gift: 50,000 red drum, donated by the largest commercial red drum farm in Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department stocked the 10-14-inch fish into lakes Victor Braunig, Calaveras, and Fairfield. *
"We are in the business of producing redfish for the retail market," explained John Turner, managing partner of Lonestar Aquafarms, Ltd., of Palacios. "We have to produce fish of a certain size, and sometimes we have a surplus of a particular size. If the community at large can benefit from having them, I think that's a really good deal."
In 2002, while Turner was managing another aquaculture operation, he donated about 100,000 6-inch red drum fingerlings to TPWD.
"We really appreciate Mr. Turner's continuing support of our programs to provide quality red drum fishing in several of our lakes," said Phil Durocher, director of TPWD's Inland Fisheries division. "When a commercial grower is willing to donate part of his production to the state, it is a direct benefit to the anglers who fish these lakes and a great assist to our stocking program."
Although red drum is a saltwater species, TPWD stocks them into selected lakes to provide increased angler opportunity for this popular sportfish. Lakes stocked with red drum are power plant lakes, which have the warmer water temperature the fish need to survive.
"The fish Mr. Turner donated in 2002 did really well in the lakes," said Todd Engeling, TPWD's hatchery program manager. "Lakes Braunig, Calaveras and Fairfield already have redfish, and typically we stock them every year. These freshwater red drum fisheries have become very popular, and the fish stocked this week will probably be legal to catch a year from now." All three lakes have a 20-inch minimum length requirement, no maximum size limit and a daily bag limit of three fish.
Turner said Lonestar Aquafarms sells about 25,000 pounds of fresh fish per week. "Sometimes survival is higher than expected, and we also stock our ponds to make sure we have plenty of fish. We take the risk to produce more and give them away, because that's better than not having them."
* Correction, Nov. 15, 2004: The original version of this news release incorrectly listed Lake Victor. There is no Lake Victor in Texas. (Return to corrected item.)
Publication — Permission is granted to publish, in whole or in part, any news releases on this page.
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(5.4.16 i)


text:
The outbreak of school shootings brought to light another form of teen-on-teen violence that has been allowed to go virtually unchecked: bullying. It turns out that many of these adolescent gunmen had been ostracized or actively bullied by their fellow students for much of their young lives. The killings awakened adults' sensitivity to the torment that many kids are subjected to at the hands of their peers and the possible measures children may take if they are in deep emotional pain (for whatever reason) and have access to firearms.
According to one 1999 survey of a midwestern junior high school, four in five students admitted to some form of bullying behavior at least once a month, ranging from name-calling, to verbal threats, to physical violence. Another 1999 study, of children aged fourteen to sixteen, found that schoolyard bullies were prone to psychological problems such as depression and thoughts of suicide, just like the kids they pick on. As many as half also find themselves on the receiving end of taunts from other children.
The first step
is for adults to dispense with the conventional wisdom that teasing is a harmless ritual of youth. Mild teasing may be harmless, but ridicule should not be tolerated. Let's teach our children that it is wrong to hurt other people's feelings. Ask them to remember an incident where someone made fun of them and how it made them feel.
Encourage youngsters to defend those who get picked on.
If more bystanders had the courage to intervene ("Why don't you leave him alone? No one thinks this is 'cool.' "), most tormenters would probably slink off down the hallway, their deflated ego dragging behind them. At the very least, the right thing to do is to inform a teacher of the harassment and let him or her deal with the matter.
Look for the silent signs that a teenager is being bullied.
A youngster may be too embarrassed to admit to Mom and Dad that someone is badgering him. Among the behaviors that often indicate a problem are a sudden lack of interest in school; a drop in grades; not wanting to go to school; and morning-time complaints of psychosomatic symptoms such as stomachaches and headaches. Unexplained bruises and other physical injuries should also nab a parent's attention. These symptoms are important, because they may also indicate depression or other significant problems.
If you suspect that your teen is being victimized,
coach him on how to assert himself without resorting to violence. Anytime a confrontation seems potentially dangerous, he should walk away and alert a school official.
What if the bullying continues? Let's say that a sophomore boy repeatedly makes pig grunts and assorted hurtful comments to an overweight girl whenever she walks into homeroom. The situation should be brought to the administrative office's attention right away. The girl's mother and father can offer to either contact the principal or advise their daughter on how to handle the situation herself if their involvement would make her uncomfortable. Always give youngsters that option.
The National Parent-Teacher Association recommends that victims of bullying (or their parents) keep written records of each incident, including names, date, time, place and circumstances. Then submit a copy of the report to the principal.
Sometimes merely separating the two adversaries puts an end to the matter. Perhaps the boy in the above example is transferred to another homeroom. He and the girl rarely cross paths for the rest of the term. By their junior year, he's matured and is no longer given to making cruel remarks. More severe measures include suspension and expulsion.
A number of schools have instituted counseling programs intended to help antisocial students control their anger and learn to resolve conflicts peacefully. The four most popular approaches are
peer mediation, process curriculum, peaceable classroom
peaceable school.
If your attempts to get the school to take action fail, keep your teenager home while you pursue a hearing with the school board addressing his safety. Yes, this is a drastic step, but it may be necessary to force school administrators to understand the seriousness of the situation. Some parents have had to resort to legal measures in order to protect their youngster from being victimized, although usually these problems are resolved long before anyone is considering litigation.
Finally, throughout this process, explain to your teenager that she has done nothing wrong; it's the other person who is at fault. Give her your patience and full support. Her self-esteem could probably use a boost, so remind her how terrific she is in so many ways.


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(UPDATED COVERAGE, 12:13 p.m., Dec. 6) Tom Tjerandsen is stepping down as North American managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, and Karen Brux is succeeding him.
Tjerandsen, who has represented several fresh produce marketing boards in a career starting in the 1970s, will formally step down from the Sonoma, Calif.-based association Jan. 1, said Linda Low, an account manager with the Santa Rosa, Calif.-based MacKenzie Agency, which represents the association.
Brux will join the association the first week of January. She was offered the job in October by Ronald Bown, chairman of the Santiago-based Chilean Fresh Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX), said Jay Bell, MacKenzie's commodities project supervisor. She accepted the job in November.
Tjerandsen said he wasn't retiring entirely from the produce industry.
"I'll continue working for some other commodity organizations, as well as help Karen with the transition."
Tjerandsen joined the association in 2004 as interim director. Soon after that, he assumed the permanent title of North American marketing manager.
As a partner in San Francisco-based McClure and Tjerandsen, Tjerandsen helped established many of the first marketing programs for Chilean fruit exported to North America with Barney McClure.
Tjerandsen also has worked on behalf of the apricot, pomegranate, papaya, prune and other fruit industries. More recently, he has worked as a marketing consultant for the El Centro-based California Asparagus Commission.
In a news release, Bown praised Brux's experience and Tjerandsen's service to the association.
"We are delighted to find someone whose background and talents so closely match the needs of the Chilean fresh fruit industry," Bown said. "We appreciate Tom Tjerandsen's many contributions to the Chilean fresh fruit program. Tom has been a crucial part of the trade development between Chile and the U.S. fruit industry. We will be forever indebted to his loyal work and he will be truly missed. We wish him well with the next phase of his life."
After a 15-year career working for Tauranga, New Zealand-based Zespri International, the exclusive marketer of New Zealand kiwifruit exported to North America, Brux joined the Fresno-based California Table Grape Commission in October 2011 as vice president of marketing communications.
"I believe there are significant growth opportunities for Chilean fresh fruit in North America," Brux said. "I look forward to utilizing my trade, consumer and foodservice marketing experience to further enhance the great work already being done by the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association."


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10 More Time Travelers Appear In Charlie Chaplin's Films
If you've been paying any attention to the Internet over the past few days, then you've probably gotten wind of the Earth-shattering news broken by Irish filmmaker George Clarke, who discovered the shocking footage of what he believes to be a time traveler at the 1928 premiere of Charlie Chaplin's The Circus, handily identified by the fact that she's chatting away on a cell phone.
Sure, the so-called "experts" may have allegedly "debunked" the time travel theory by explaining it's actually an old-style hearing aid, but that just means that this conspiracy goes deeper than anyone imagined. We here at ComicsAlliance have been trained by years of super-hero stories to keep an open mind about this sort of thing, so we went back through our own copies of Chaplin's features to see if there was any other evidence for time travel. And we didn't just discover one more, we found that there was undeniable proof of at least ten more time travelers in Chaplin's films!


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In-custody death: 'the people who were supposed to help him were the ones killing him'
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) David Silva's brother, Christopher Silva, is in mourning. But, that has not stopped him from speaking out.
He said his brother was murdered at the hands of those who should have been fighting to save him.
David Silva died in a struggle with Kern County deputies and California Highway Patrol officers Tuesday night near Kern Medical Center. Law enforcement officers initially responded to reports that David Silva was intoxicated in public. Christopher Silva said Thursday that his brother did struggle with substance abuse, but he was not a dangerous person.
"He was my hero in a sense, growing up," said Christopher Silva of his brother. "He was bigger than me, better than me at sports. He was someone I just admired."
David Silva's death has generated a great deal of buzz, both outrage against the deputies and criticism of the suspect's intoxication. Some say Silva deserved to die.
Christopher Silva said his brother is nothing like the person people believe him to be.
"My brother wasn't a person that was violent, he wasn't anyone that would hurt anyone, he didn't deserve to have his life threatened," he said.
David Silva is survived by four children, ranging from ages 2 to 10. They haven't yet learned of their father's death, but when they do, Christopher Silva wants them to hear what he said is the right story.
"I feel so sorry for them," said Christopher Silva, "because they won't get to know who he is or who he was. I don't want them thinking my brother was just a bum on a street lying face down in a pool of his own blood. He was much more than that. If anything, I want them to know their father meant a lot more to a lot of people."
Christopher Silva said the memory of his brother will encourage him and his family to fight for justice.
They've hired an attorney.
"He asked for help, he was yelling for help," said Christopher Silva. "He was begging for help, and no one came, because the people who were supposed to help him were the ones killing him."
The coroner's office completed an autopsy on Thursday. In the meantime, the family has not yet been allowed to view the body.
Christopher Silva said all he wants is to say good-bye, one last time.
"All I ask is to see my brother's body," said Christopher Silva. "I want to see what they did to my brother before anything is hidden or made up, just let me in there to see my brother's body."


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Pet column: Kind gifts to be opened again and again
December 11, 2012
George Angell founded the Humane Education Society in 1889, believing that reaching out to youth with stories of courage and compassion was one of the most powerful ways to help build character. By 1909, he distributed the classic Ann Sewell book about a horse, Black Beauty, to 3 million youth, many of whom become involved in animal protection as a result. Angell then held a writing contest and the winner, "Beautiful Joe" by Margaret Saunders, helped create widespread sympathy for mistreated dogs as well. Not long after, the national Parent Teacher Association embraced the idea of character education in schools and "Be Kind to Animals" became a familiar theme.Animal stories in particular have wide appeal and hold reader interest, from youth to adult, including reluctant readers. The giving season offers an opportunity to choose these literary gifts that are opened again and again, each time strengthening the human-animal bond and the connection with the earth and all living things. Here is a short list of award-winning and educator-recommended titles. Subjects cover empathy, bullying, loss, diversity and tolerance, friendship, peace, respect, responsibility, violence prevention and more. These books are just a sampling of the kind of literature available from pre-K to adult. Full descriptions are readily available with an internet title search. Interest ages are general suggestions.
"Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times," Zoe Weil; "Animals Make Us Human," Temple Grandin; "Dog Sense," John Bradshaw; "Dominion," Matthew Scully; "For the Love of a Dog," Patricia McConnell, Ph.D.; "Grieving the Death of a Pet," Betty Jo Carmack; "Last Child in the Woods," Richard Louv; Pleasurable Kingdom, Jonathan Balcombe; "Reason for Hope," Jane Goodall; "The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats," Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson.
"Because of Winn Dixie," Kate DiCamillo; "Ghost of Cutler Creek," Cynthia DeFelice; "High in the Clouds," Paul McCartney, Geoff Dunbar and Philip Ardagh; "Shadow Horse," Alison Hart; "Shiloh," Phyllis Reynolds Naylor; "Star in the Storm," Joan Hiatt Harlow; "Straydog," Kathe Koja Strider, Beverly Cleary; "The Cat Who Came for Christmas," Cleveland Amory; "The World According to Dog," Joyce Sidman and Doug Mindell.
"Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog," Sandra J. Gerencher and Virginia Cody; "The Very Best of Friends," Margaret Wild; "Hachiko Waits," Leslea Newman and Machiyo Kodaira; "Phantom Stallion," Terri Farley; "Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends," Carol Buckley; "Lucky the Lorikeet," Monica Engebretson; "A Home for Dakota," Jan Grover and Nancy Lane; "Charlotte's Web," E. B. White; "Fun Stuff to Do with Your Best Friend," Nancy Furstinger; "ER Vets," Donna M. Jackson; "Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship," Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, Dr. Paula Kahumbu, Peter Greste; "Rickie & Henri: A True Story," Jane Goodall and Alan Marks.
"A Home for Nathan" by Claudia M. Roll; "The Great Kapok," Lynne Cherry; "Hey, Little Ant," Phillip and Hannah Hoose; "Jasper's Day" by Marjorie Blain Parker; "Madeline's Miracles" by Loren Spiotta-DiMare; "Mutt Dog," Stephen Michael King; "Stellaluna," Janell Cannon; "Dogku," Andrew Clements and Tim Bowers; "Fred Stays With Me!," Nancy Coffelt, and Tricia Tusa; "Max Talks to Me," Claire Buchwald and Karen Ritz; "Oh, Theodore!," Susan Katz and Stacey Schuett; "Not Afraid of Dogs," Susanna Pitzer and Larry Day; "Buddy Unchained," Daisy Bix and Joe Hyatt; "Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina," Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery.
"A Kid's Best Friend," Maya Ajmera and Alex Fisher; "Chewy Louie," Howie Schneider; "Goyangi Means Cat," Christine Duncan; "Nico & Lola," Meggan Hill and Susan M. Graunke; "The Way I Love You," David Bedford and Ann James; "Each Living Thing," Joanne Ryder and Ashley Wolff; "Before You Were Mine," Maribeth Boelts and David Walker; "Ginger Finds a Home," Charlotte Voakel; "Don't Lick the Dog," Wendy Wahman; "'The Trouble with Dogs,' said Dad," Bob Graham; "The Stray Kitten," Judy Waite and Gavin Rowe; "Each Living Thing," Joanne Ryder and Ashley Wolff.There are many more titles which enthrall, entertain and nurture core values in readers of all ages. For more complete lists call 530-542-2857.— Provided by the Lake Tahoe Humane Society and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to help "Keep Tahoe Kind." Dawn Armstrong is the executive director.


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SALT LAKE CITY — Overstock.com has announced the unveiling of the O.co Coliseum, the new name of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, home to the NFL Oakland Raiders and the MLB Oakland Athletics. The O.co Coliseum signage will make its debut on June 7 when U2 performs in the facility.
According to Overstock.com, the company is using the naming of the coliseum to promote its transition to a .co domain name.
"Our customers associate 'O' with Overstock.com, which made the transition to O.co seamless. As a savings engine, this is the next step in adding more visibility to our shortcut," said Overstock.com Chairman and CEO Patrick Byrne. "Naming the facility O.co Coliseum demonstrates our commitment to seeing through the execution of the new domain."


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RSPCA officers are hunting a man who attacked his dog in the grounds of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Blackburn.
The incident happened in an area between West Park Road and Dukes Brow, when the man punched the dog several times and whipped it with its lead.
The man was described as Asian, in his late teens, and stocky.
He was approximately 5ft 10ins tall, and at the time he was wearing a turquoise hoody.
His dog was a 'blue' Staffordshire bull terrier, which looks grey .
The owner was seen punching the dog on the top of the head three times, which caused the dog to cower and urinate in fear.
He was also seen whipping the dog once down its side with a lead.
RSPCA inspectors are now trying to track down the man and the dog after the incident which happened at just after 3pm on Wednesday.
Inspector Kat Hamblin said: "We are concerned for the dog's safety, given the way the owner has treated it in a public place.
"We would like to follow up to check the dog is okay and give the owner appropriate advice and make him aware of his responsibilities under the law.
"We need people to come forward if they have know who it might be and have an address for this man."
Inspectors have asked for anyone with an address for the man to get in touch.
Anyone with information about the man is asked to call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.


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Palliative care helps patients get the most out of life, whether they're newly diagnosed, a survivor, or nearing the end of their journey. UAB's palliative care pioneers provide a fresh look at the fast-growing specialty and its emphasis on listening, choices, patient goals, and quality of life.
Cynthia J. Brown, M.D., MSPH, studies what factors keep older hospital patients in bed.


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What really grinds my gears? Episode 12 - Vanilla Midgets
by, 08-09-2013 at 10:06 AM (5493 Views)
625488_400350853399824_1626032927_n.jpgUsually I would go into a Peter Griffin style rant here, over the particular subject matter, and have some fun for the sake of having a lighthearted beginning to my blogs.
Episode 12 - Vanilla Midgets
However this time I am not in the mood. This subject has somehow slipped through my thought process til just recently, after reading some typical.. cynical wrestling fans comments.
I always try my best to look at other people's points of view, so much that I try to make sense of some truly outrageous perspectives. However this time, it really does grind my gears. It makes me want to slap somebody through my computer screen. It makes me want to wield my mighty sledgehammer, and go out into the world a true keyboard warrior, seeking out the idiocy and stubbornness, so I can smash all their computers into dust.
This blog is all about Vanilla Midgets. What the hell is a Vanilla Midget you ask?? And what does a cool looking Kevin Nash have to do with anything?
Well, let me explain.
Vanilla Midgets, is a term created by Kevin Nash, and was popularized by him and the Klique to describe workers who were good technical wrestlers but believed to be too small and/or boring to ever succeed on a large stage (Dean Malenko, Chris Benoit, Lance Storm.). Signs of a wrestler being a vanilla midget are small stature, good technical wrestling, poor mic skills, and a rabid stubborn internet fandom.
Although in the past I have admitted to seeing Big Daddy Cools way of thinking to be acceptable, I feel like his logic is flawed.
- First of all, labeling anybody in such a manner is detrimental all around. It constitutes to a form of bullying, as any wrestler under the height of 6 Foot is definitely not a midget. Those wrestlers are of average size for most males, and it would be naive to assume in any sport that the biggest men win everything.
- Being Vanilla is a funny one. On one hand, you could be a wrestler who is technically gifted, and you entertain the fans in the ring. However on the other hand, people say they are boring because of how they talk or look. Just like any fighting sport across the world, whether it is boxing or martial arts, you never see fighters cutting an epic promo to get themselves over. If they are athletic enough, and win continuously, then they will get over. In "Sports Entertainment", it seems like wrestlers are required to have graduated from acting school before attempting. It's funny, because wrestling used to entertain people enough just by having two guys in a ring. Now we need fireworks, and tables, and hot divas, and epic promos, and muscular guys who can show their strength. Apparently in this world, being an athlete is "Vanilla"??
- Many wrestlers, past and present, who were 6 foot or less (real heights) have gone on to become World Champions: Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Chris Jericho, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Bret Hart, Christian, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, John Morrison, Matt Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Austin Aries, AJ Styles, Jerry Lynn, Raven, Rhino, Taz and the list goes on and on.
- Nash is amongst the list of the tallest wrestlers ever. Unlike smaller wrestlers, the most popular of the taller wrestlers are normally used as an attraction (like a circus), displaying their power. There are some exceptions to the rule, there are some big guys who can wrestle and be popular. Big guys include: The Undertaker, The Big Show, Andre The Giant, Giant Baba, Kane, Akebono, Giant Haystacks, Sid Vicious, Big John Studd, Kevin Nash and Abyss.
You can see the sheer numbers confirm that the majority of World Champions were not the size of Kevin Nash. Even wrestlers such as The Undertaker, Big Show and Kane were never known as "The Man" like a Ric Flair or a Steve Austin.
Now we look at the current World Champions in WWE and TNA. John Cena, Alberto Del Rio and Chris Sabin. None of them are "big", and if any big guys did challenge them (like Mark Henry or Big Show), nine times out of ten, you would see the smaller guy win.
- Kevin Nash has never been a good wrestler. However he is a great heel, and in wrestling, telling the story is just as important as a good match. However, can anybody say .. "Hey! Do you remember that epic match with Kevin Nash and so-and-so??". More than likely, people would remember the finger poke of death moment, and Nash burying the entire WCW roster before remembering any of his matches
Do people remember the matches first? Or the classic moments? A true legend in the business makes you remember both. A true legend notices the heart and determination of other wrestlers, and praises them no matter how big or small they are.
However, Kevin Nash probably never meant it to be as much of an insult as it appeared. He does respect smaller guys who can entertain (like his buddies HBK and X-Pac) but he was pointing out that the wrestling business had always put the main titles on the "most over" star at the time. He is referring to the most entertaining guys who could legitimately hold a World "Heavyweight" title, walk down a street, and garner all the attention from passers by.
However, the world changed. Wrestling changed dramatically after the 90s. The industry changed, the world changed, and wrestling was focused on less and less. The wrestling industry was already going down well before Benoit and Guerrero were champions, and it was mostly due to the lack of competition, and the loss of the biggest stars of The Attitude Era.
When Eddie came back from rehab and working the independents, he showed his wrestling talent and charisma, and he was getting more over every single week. He earned the right to become World Champion, because of the sheer support by fans. The fans got behind Eddie Guerrero a lot more then they ever got behind Kevin Nash, and the same goes for Chris Benoit.
Whether you like Benoit or not, he spent over twenty years of his career putting on some of the greatest and most memorable matches, and I can guarantee that any wrestling fan who wants to watch an old classic, would much rather see a Benoit vs "Vanilla Midget", then a "Big slow man" vs "Big slow man" strength fest.
Try watching Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks. I am English and my mother told me all the stories about World of Sport back in the day. People went nuts over these two huge men, but seriously, try watching a match right now. I dare you.
I showed this video to some on the Facebook page, and some of the Americans couldn't understand it. They said it was absolutely terrible, and they just didn't get it. Back in those days, the suspension of disbelief was very high, and the old grannies and grandads truly thought wrestling was legit, so to see these two huge mammoths go at it was extremely entertaining. This is where I can see Nash's comments as being right, because back in those days, you would never expect a Chris Sabin to stand a chance against one of those guys, he would have been flattened within seconds.
So what about today's wrestling?
When the internet really kicked off, the old statement of "Wrestling isn't real", became a much more widespread message. Of course, not saying people before the internet didn't know it wasn't real, but I can guarantee you that a lot of people felt that wrestling was either a sport, or just didn't think about it. You didn't have the chance to micro analyze every single little thing after a show, because there was no internet, no blogs, no Facebook, no nothing. The only way you could talk about wrestling was with your friends, and that was always about "the good stuff", not the botches and slip ups.
This led to wrestling fans becoming a lot more knowledgeable about how moves are performed, sequences in matches, spots, how promos work and so on. They became a lot more interested in seeing competitive matches, and the illusion that power triumphs over all was completely shattered.
Fans turned to guys like Daniel Bryan, Austin Aries, CM Punk, AJ Styles and many other smaller wrestlers competing in TNA, ROH and the Independents. Wrestlers were made famous down to their pure athleticism and being able to put on a good match with anybody over who could cut the best promo. This is what some fans may refer to as the real sport of wrestling. Just like Ballet (but a hell of a lot more manly), wrestling requires pure teamwork, trust, chemistry, and the ability to get the audience connected to what you are doing.
These wrestlers do that so well. Since Eddie and Benoit broke that glass ceiling, we have seen the true athletes rise to the top. People are hoping that Daniel Bryan will be the next WWE Champion, and not just because he will take the belt off Cena, but because he is a true Wrestler.
People are tired of sports entertainment, they want to see epic matches, they want a match that will grip them for 15-30 minutes, instead of a squash match that lasts a minute. This leads me to the biggest reason why I wrote this blog ...... Chris Sabin.
Ok, what seriously angers me, is seeing fans comments over Chris Sabin. I am not sure whether these idiots are just TNA haters or what, but I see these kinds of comments.
"Chris Sabin is boring, he does not deserve to be champion."
"He is tiny, why can't someone like Jeff Hardy or AJ Styles be the Champ?"
"He is made to look so weak, he won't hold it for long."
I have to say that these types of comments hit a nerve with me for many reasons. Chris Sabin is a 13 year pro, and was one of the main pioneers (and most successful) of the X-Divison, winning the title six times and holding it longer than anyone.
He also competed in the first Ultimate X, and won the Super X Cup, and two World X Cups. Also with Alex Shelley, they put on some of the greatest tag team matches ever against Beer Money, which can be regarded as (arguably) the greatest tag team feud in recent memory.
He has worked all over the world, and although he may be a "Vanilla Midget", he has been very successful, and continues to be at the age of 31. To come back to full time wrestling after spending two years on the sidelines from two separate knee injuries, to win the World title from one of the most hated guys in the business, to have people say he "doesn't deserve it"???
Are people smoking crack or something? Sabin has defeated Bully Ray many times before, well before he changed his persona. When AJ Styles was champion for ages, did people complain and say he couldn't cut a decent promo to save his life? There may have been the odd person who did, but overall, people embraced AJ Styles as Champion. Now we have a true TNA original as Champion, after people complained and complained and complained that TNA were only pushing former WWE guys (Angle, Hardy, RVD, Bully Ray etc), so they put the belt on Sabin and people ain't happy about that?
Also Jeff Hardy, he is one of the worst when it comes to promos. However his "look" and unique offense is what the girls (and guys, but mostly girls) love. He is called "The Charismatic Enigma", because of the way he looks, rather then the things that he says.
Personally, whenever I see someone like Chris Sabin, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, Austin Aries and Dolph Ziggler, that is when I pay any real interest to the products, because you know that they are going to be putting on the best wrestling you can see today, and as a wrestling fan ... one would assume that I tune in to watch wrestling??
I do have to admit though. The way Sabin won the title was pretty weak, and is continued to be billed as the underdog. The stipulation that Bully will never get another world title shot if he loses stacks the deck against him even more. To be honest, TNA must be doing the right thing with Sabin, they have given him the ball, they are giving him a chance to show us what he can do with it. Let's see how it all plays out before we criticize the little man.
Who would go nuts if Daniel Bryan defeats Cena at Summerslam? I know I will. Just because he deserves to be the number one man. Just because one little word, coming out of one little man, sends an entire audience into a frenzy. It's never about the size of the dog, it's about the size of the fight.
With as much "charisma" as a snail entertaining the bottom of your shoe, the vanilla midgets will continue to pick up those World titles, and that is because they entertain between the ropes. That's all anyone should really care about.
Wrestling needs your help! Stop being an idiot, show respect, and give credit where credit is due. Until next time.. don't forget to give me a nice rating and a comment, because I too, am a Vanilla Midget!
AUSTIN ARIES! *Clap Clap Clap*
LET'S GO ZIGGLER! *Clap Clap Clap*
5583 - ric_flair smiling summerslam wwf.jpg


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A mashup of cute animals hiccuping.
The Best Reasons to Travel in the Fall
'Will & Grace' Cast Reveals Best Moments
Baby Rhino Wants Mom's Attention
How Chores Could Save Your Life
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