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New York Needs $50 Billion to Keep Waters Clean
ALBANY, New York, September 2, 2008 (ENS) – New York Governor David Paterson is calling on the federal government to help New York's municipalities maintain lakes, rivers and streams.
Federal support for water infrastructure has plummeted roughly 70 percent over the last two decades, delaying critical maintenance and contributing to Clean Water Act violations.
Due to decreasing federal aid, New York communities will have to spend in excess of $50 billion over the next 20 years to make required upgrades to meet federal requirements.
"Under any economic conditions, the fiscal burden of rebuilding our water infrastructure would be daunting. Rather than wait until they are handed the bill for these required repairs, we need to support New York's municipalities in getting federal funding for needed repairs and upgrades," said Governor Paterson.
"This has been ignored for too long; water quality, public health and municipal finances are all at risk," he said. "Systems are failing and often municipalities do not have the resources to do repairs or upgrades."
In August, the governor formed an environmental and government collaborative to help tackle the water infrastructure crisis facing New York state.
The Clean Water Collaborative will focus on funding solutions for the state's mounting wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs.
The Department of Environmental Conservation estimates that repairs for municipal wastewater treatment systems statewide will be $36.2 billion over the next 20 years, while repairs for drinking water infrastructure could exceed $20 billion over the same period.
The Clean Water Collaborative panel will be co-chaired by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. – known for his work on environmental issues, particularly those dealing with clean water – and Ross Pepe, the executive director of the Construction Industry Council and Building Contractors Association. The panel includes representatives from environmental groups, business, and labor, as well as state and local government.
Winning poster from the 2007 New York
Dept. of Environmental Conservation
wastewater poster contest by Sarah
Kuzmack, Comsewogue High School
Aging wastewater infrastructure is tied directly to the quality of New York State's waters. A study by the Department of Environmental Conservation documented the correlation between wastewater infrastructure and water quality, finding that water quality declines when infrastructure is kept in place beyond its design life or is inadequately maintained.
Many of New York's sewage and wastewater facilities are past their design lives; 30 percent of the sewer pipes across the state were installed just after World War II and a quarter of wastewater treatment plants are more than 30 years old.
More than 200 state municipalities are facing federal Clean Water Act violations because of sewage overflows and other problems often related to aging infrastructure.
Senator CarlMarcellino, chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, said, "Last year, I held a hearing to investigate the issue of sewage wastewater management and planning in our state. I came away from that day knowing, more than ever, that New York State needs a comprehensive water infrastructure plan."
Assemblyman Bob Sweeney, who chairs the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, said, "The DEC study is a loud wake-up call. The effects of not funding these needs are already being felt – the environment is degraded, beaches are closed and economic development is being stifled. New York State cannot fund these improvements alone."
Meanwhile, federal assistance has plummeted. In 1987, the federal government provided $2.4 billion in loans to states for wastewater infrastructure projects. By 2008, that support plunged to $687 million.
In New York, federal assistance fell from $227 million in 1991 to $75.1 million in 2007.
A recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report stated that funding for the loan program is set to end in 2011. Earlier this year, Governor Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote to U.S. Senate and House leaders to urge them to continue support of the loan fund.
DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said, "We've come a long way from the days when the Hudson River was referred to as an open sewer. The last thing we want to do is turn the clock back to those days. That's why we have to take action. This is a statewide issue, impacting municipalities and water bodies in every corner of New York. And we need a statewide effort, spearheaded by this collaborative, to raise awareness about the need for action and the costs of inaction."


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Welcome To Edugyan Learning
Edugyan Learning is India's widely acknowledged and highly praised leading high-end skill development and training organization, offering PMKVY Training, ESDM, NULM and Industrial Training Solutions to corporate houses, government bodies, academic institutions and working professionals and to the upcoming generation of youth.
After successfully completing many years of highly acclaimed operations, Edugayn Team has emerged as an innovator in skill development and vocational trainings and globally recognized for its innovative and comprehensive training methodology.
Edugyan Learning primarily focuses on producing industry ready manpower and comprehends the significance of teaching conceptual knowledge and also to incorporate and implement it into the technology trends of today. Edugyan provide ample opportunities to its students to work live industry projects during the sessions that enable them to take up challenges and tackle the hurdles that may encounter in their path of career growth.Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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I am looking forward to the little dancing dolls tonight. They are a joy to watch.
I am looking forward to the little dancing dolls tonight. They are a joy to watch.
Yay! Congrats to the kids for a perfect score of 30!
Now here's what's weird: First of all, I love them to death, you know I do, and I thought they danced great, and of COURSE I'm still rooting for them. With that said, I must be honest and add that I really didn't see 30 points happen out there on the dance floor.
,,, and I think I know why
I believe my reactions have been tempered by their earlier fine performances. The Cha-cha brought me to my feet because it showed that Apolo could indeed dance. The Quick-step was breath taking because it showed that he could effectively transition from fast and spicy to refined and elegant. But now that I know all those things, part of me is expecting a bit more.
I guess that's what happens when you come charging out the starting gate so strong. But what else could I possibly ask for? Cool stuff like lifts aren't allowed, and the perfect score has already been hit.
Well, I still have faith in Apolo's ability to wow me, and Julianne has proven herself quite the choreographer, so I'm sure together they will find a way to leave me breathless again.
Until then, BOY am I loving those rehearsal scenes! If only I could be a fly on the wall.
Last edited by Thyme; 04-17-2007 at 12:53 PM.
They were terrific, but then they are my favorites, so I'm partial going in. Their chemistry is palpable and if I were his girlfriend, I would be a little worried.
I thought they deserved 30. I loved that dance! They made me want to get up and dance! It was entertaining and they just always look like they have so much fun dancing.
I love Julianna... she is a fantastic dancer... but 30? Her "illusion" was terrible (the part where her leg went over his head) It was better in the practice video.)
I think the scores are all over the place. I thought Ian and Joey's scores were too low and Laila's scores were a tad too high. Are they trying to keep some people in and force others out? I mean would they really try and manipulate things so as to keep certain celebrities around
Wonderfull dance
up until this dance i never took dancing with the stars seriously. mainly because of the b-list talent that usually comes on this show, but apolo and julianne did amazingly well, it looked professional to me and it was fun to watch.
I find myself going to the ABC site and playing that dance during the day (and not watching any else of it - although I thought Ian did great)
it was just so fun and cute and brightens my day.
Originally Posted by schmoo2;2337367;
They are so adorable and seem so compatible. I look forward the most to their dance. I hope they win. Of course, that would be an upset if that little 18 year old girl wins.
Originally Posted by aname;2337679;
Yeah, I imagine the other pro's wouldn't like that too much, but the girls got skill. She is perfect now...can you imagine her in 5 years? Holy Cow!
Note: Julianne wears the rooster do and it looks cute as a button on her...Sanjaya wears it and I have nightmares involving Foghorn Leghorn...


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Russian Army Chief: Decision On Iran Attack To Be Made By Summer
Expand Messages
- Russian Army Chief: Decision On Iran Attack To Be Made By Summer
S&P says Iran will disrupt Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil to $150Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Tuesday, February 14, 2012Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Nikolai Makarov says that a decision by the U.S. and Israel on whether or not to launch a military attack on Iran will be taken before the summer.------------------------------------------------------------------------------TURN ON, TUNE IN, WAKE UP. Join the community at Prison Planet.tv! Click here to subscribe.
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You've gotta believe, right?
The Packers have had an up-and-down season long before Aaron Rodgers went down to injury. Since losing their best player, the Packers have established that their basement without Rodgers is pretty low and their best without him, surprisingly, can resemble something of a competent football team. Matt Flynn, the quarterback that nobody wants, really seems to excel with the green and gold. Is he inching towards his second big contract or does he come with an additional buyer beware this go round?
Much like their Super Bowl winning season in 2010, the Packers are in a situation where their back is against the wall and the only way out is straight ahead. If they want to make the playoffs, they have to win. The last two weeks, it looked bleak at times. Down 26-3 at the half to the Dallas Cowboys, the Packers outscored Dallas 34-10 in the second half to manage an improbable 37-36 win on-the-road. Down 21-10 at the half the previous week to the Atlanta Falcons, a 12-0 second half gave them a 22-21 win. The Packers are a +2 in point differential the past two weeks and in spite of it all, I'm surprisingly impressed.
I've long since felt that point differential is a great measure of a team and with enough of a sample size, it gives a better read on the measure of a team more so than their record. The New York Jets are 6-8 this year, need I say more? With that said, it doesn't exactly shine a light on the Packers.
In the time since Aaron Rodgers went down to injury, the Packers have managed a -63 point differential. In seven weeks. Only nine teams in the league have amassed a worse point differential on the full season, a real who's who including Jacksonville, Washington, Oakland, New York Jets and Giants. In the weeks leading up to the Rodgers injury, the Packers were an impressive +54 in their point differential. Considering the swing in their point differential, it is amazing that they have managed to stay in the playoff race.
Packers Nation may not want to get ahead of themselves too quickly though, ESPN has reported that Rodgers is still not cleared to play. If he cannot return in time for this weeks' game, the Packers remain with a punchers shot with backup QB Matt Flynn, however if they can hold on long enough for #12 to be back under center, the team may quickly go from pretender-to-contender. The team was 5-2 at the time of Rodgers' injury and an argument could be made they were not far from being a perfect 7-0.
With remaining games against the Steelers and Bears, the Packers still have a tall order ahead of themselves. But this team in Green Bay has consistently excelled when it was win-or-go-home. When they won the Super Bowl in 2010, it was the Chicago Bears who had a chance to eliminate them in the final week of the regular season. Jump ahead three years and we just might find ourselves in the same spot next week, the Bears with an opportunity to eliminate the Packers from the playoffs.
I think Packers fans are more than comfortable with that scenario.
The Packers, are they too legit to quit? Or just walking a little bow-legged with a horse shoe nowhere to be seen?
You can follow me @LastWordRick on twitter for your NFL tweets, and the follow the site @lastwordonsport while you are at it and please take a moment to like our Facebook Page.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our "Join Our Team" page to find out how.
Football fans…check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
Photo: (Creative Commons)


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WALNUT CREEK– A Northern California man has been charged with defrauding Contra Costa homeowners whose properties were underwater out of more than $100,000, the District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.
Prosecutors say Marc Stanley Cooper, 60, of Rocklin, ran a company called "Keeping My Property" that targeted homeowners who were having a hard time making their mortgage payments and promised to negotiate a mortgage payment reduction with their bank. Instead, Cooper kept the funds, defrauding 15 people in Contra Costa, authorities said.
"He is an experienced con man who promised individuals who were suffering with overly large mortgages that he could reduce their mortgages as well as modify their loans," said Deputy District Attorney Ken McCormick, of the District Attorney's real estate fraud unit. "In reality, he was embezzling and defrauding them."
Last November, the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office served a search warrant on Cooper's home and located additional evidence. He has been charged with 21 counts of financial elder abuse, foreclosure fraud and grand theft.
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of Cooper or has information about his company is asked to contact the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Unit at 925-957-8604.
Follow Karina Ioffee at Twitter.com/kioffee.


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Environments of the Poor in the context of Climate Change and the Green Economy
Government of Nepal , 2011by: Nepal
This report explores the environmental issues experienced by the poor in Nepal, and identifies links to resource constraints faced in their everyday lives. With this consideration, the government held a national workshop with experts and academics to discuss specific research and policy in the context of climate change and the green economy. In particular, they aimed to identify what is needed to protect natural resources whilst improving the livelihood of the rural poor.
Following the workshop, a series of papers exploring different areas of the green economy were presented on the following topics: "Integrating Environment, Poverty and Green Economy into National Planning Process", "Climate Screening, Adaption Actions, Financing and Policies: Essentials for Improving the Livelihoods of the Poor", "Upland Poverty: Examining Causes, Identifying Solutions", "Economic Analysis of Local Government Investments in Rural Roads: Reducing Poverty through Managing Climate and Environment Risks", ""Local Government Revenue Raising from Natural Resources", "Alternative Energy Linking Climate and Environment Consideration", "Community Based Forestry and Climate Change: Implications for Environment and People Living in Poverty in Nepal". The document reports on each of the papers.


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Is there something wrong with me? Am I really that pathetic or am I just so in love?
I don't even know myself anymore.
Also, you're never here than I am. You don't need an answer yet. I don't want to be divorced. What I'm not sure of yet, is if being with him is preferable. So I told him on DDay that I'm not making a decision yet. I will spend this year trying to heal myself, trying to get a handle on how he is changing, and deciding not to decide for now. In the mean time, we are 'together' because I'm not sure how else to work on us and determine if it's worth fighting for.
Divorce is freaking scary, difficult, exhausting, and plain horrible.
The best advice I can give you is to get IC if you have not already. You will find the answers and yourself again only by taking care of number one.
I am too early in my own process to give you any other real answers. Just know you are not alone.
And you're grieving the loss of the man you thought your husband was (not who he turned out to be).
And lastly, you're grieving the loss of the dream of a lifetime of happiness together.
Some say that in essence, it's like grieving a death and in a way, it is.
Be well.
What I eventually realized was that I already was doing almost everything without his help. He wasn't the safety net I thought he was. Instead, he was the one causing me all of the grief, pain and stress that I had in my life.
I've been divorced for 11 years now. Things haven't been bad at all. I've managed just fine without my ex. You can too.
If someone keeps stabbing you in the back, then quit handing them the knife.


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do you know which typ file is used in V5.43 seems to show ok in 14xx so i can put them in new version?
First post updated with the latest version of the map: Greek Anavasi 5.49.
Don't forget to change TYP file with one of these in first post, depending what device you own, or you won't be able to see all off road categories.
do you know which typ file is used in V5.43 seems to show ok in 14xx so i can put them in new version?
First, second & fourth links have TYP files for Nuvi series, try these. If you want to use exactly the same and an easy way out then drag & drop the map into GMapTool, select "Split", choose destination of the file with "Directory", a folder to your desktop, then in "Create" tab select "TYP files", then hit "Split all" or "Split selected" that's it ...
Do i need any of the TYP files for a Etrex 20?
Could you upload the v.5.50 in a MapSource version?
I've installed the MapSource version as the readme file says but I can't see the map. Only in Menu - Utilities - Manage Map Products... I see Anadigit Anavasi 5.5.1
What went wrong?
May be you have set Mapsource in menu "View" to show "Basemap only", check it. If it's a Gmaptool created MS version put also "Details" at MAX and zoom in
You have to navigate to get to the good.
Galaxy S5 Kitkat 4.4.2 / Nuvi1200->1250 / Nuvi3790T->34xx / Nuvi 2200 / Nuvi 66 / Oregon 600


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New people
Brightest Blessings Fae Aarionna Rosebud
I so miss my Tuesday night Gilmore Girls. Thank God I own all 7 seasons. I used to make my husband leave the house on Tuesday nights because NO ONE could interupt me. I wouldn't even answer the phone or door. I still remember watching the next to last episode. They had not anouced yet that season 7 was the final season. I was in the hospital after having my daughter (via c-section, so I was good a drugged) and my husband brought in the VHS of the taped next to last episode. He also didn't tell me that he saw the end and that the next week's episode was the last EVER new episode. When it got to the part that the next week's episode was the series finale I was crushed. I was also bawling my eyes out. I called my husband crying. My favorite episode is Rory graduating from high school. I ALWAYS cry at that one. I have even cried at work over it. I had a tv in my office and would watch the 11:00 am episodes on ABC Family.
Hi my name is Vicki and I am a proud mommy to 2 great babies. My DD is 18 months old and my DS is only 2 months old. I am a huge fan of Gilmore Girls and try to watch it every day, it is hard b/c I am trying to cut TV out of my DD's daily habits, but it does come on at 11am which is close to nap time and I can sneek it in while I breastfeed or when my DD is distracted by something else. I cant wait for season 7 to start up. I started watching it late so ABC Family channel has been my best friend for catching up. I think that I have finally seen all the episodes!!! Can't wait to have fun with all of you.
Hi there, both my hubby and I are big fans of the GG!!! Have been for at least 5 yrs. now! (And ppl always give my DH crap for admitting he likes it!!) Its one thing that if we're in a bad mood, we can sit down and watch and by the time ONE show is over, we are happy and ready to go again!! We love everything about it.....the freak-outs, the dumb humor, the drama, the over the top sarcasm.....its awesome!! We took like 4 seasons with us when we were in the hospital when I had my DD!! There was a couple nurses who would sit down and watch with us sometimes too! ;) Anyhow, as time went by, Maddy grew up and when we watched it Tuesday nights, she'd hear the intro music and come runnin to the living room, stand in front of the tv and just stare like she was in awe!!! When the music was over, she take off and go about her business!! Even now, at 3 yrs. old, when we have a GG's Saturday Marathon, she will come runnin in and dance to the music and hang out with us while we watch!! **sigh**We've introduced so many other friends to the show thru the years....its crazy!
Oh, and we were both completely bummed that they stopped running (what is it with tv series and 7 seasons?!?!) and bummed with the way they ended it too. Blah!!
Anyhow, glad to see so many other ppl are just as GG happy as we are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dude I swear I searched for GG group before and didn't find anything!
Anywhozill, I'm Ericka, GG is my all time fave show, I own all seasons and I spend my spare time postulating about things like why we never got to see Kirk and LuLu get married.
Hello all just found this group and I am a huge fan of gilmore girls and fell in love with the name Lorelai and decided that when the show started that if I had a baby girl someday I would name her Lorelai. Well now I am the proud mom to my one month old baby girl Lorelai I dropped the victoria and changed her middle name cause I thought that Rose sounds better with it :-) look foward to meeting new people
Hi Ladies...
My name is Bobbi & I just got hooked on Gilmore Girls after borrowing season 1 from my sister. I am happy to say I did because I am already addicted & I have just started on Season 2!! I look forward to chatting with you all!


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Koehl named Minnesota FFA Outstanding Young Alumni
MORRIS, Minn. - Esther Koehl, of Hancock, was named the 2013 Minnesota FFA Alumni's Outstanding Young Alumni.
The award gives recognition to an individual who is new to the FFA Alumni Association and recently graduated from high school or college.
Koehl is a 2010 graduate of Morris Area High School and a 2012 graduate of Alexandria Community and Technical College. She is currently working at Koehl Excavating.
The award was presented during the Minnesota FFA Alumni annual conference, held Saturday at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris.


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Sequim motorcyclist's status serious after I-5 crash
By Arwyn Rice
Peninsula Daily News
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Eric T. Thomas, 50, lost control of the 1998 Honda GL 1500 motorcycle he was riding at about 1:15 p.m. Sunday, when traffic ahead of him slowed on northbound Interstate 5 about a mile south of Chehalis, the State Patrol reported.
Both the motorcycle and Thomas came to rest in the center lane.
Thomas suffered a shoulder injury and facial lacerations, said Capt. Ted McCarty of the Chehalis Fire Department.
He was flown to Harborview, the region's advanced trauma center, as a precaution in case of internal injuries.
A spokeswoman for the hospital said Thomas remained in the ICU unit Tuesday afternoon.
Thomas was wearing a helmet, and drugs or alcohol were not involved, the State Patrol said.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at email@example.com.
Last modified: July 29. 2014 5:52PM


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Modern Seating: Modern lounge furniture seating for every room. We have a wide selection of modern seating that includes dining chairs, counter stools, bar stools, contemporary sofas and other seating options by Vitra, Eames & more!
The Cork Stool from Jasper Morrison and Vitra Design Museum is an enormously tough modern stool with a pleasant soft feel made from turned natural cork. Versatile use as a side table or stool. Size: 12.25"W x 13"H inches


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Cyber Crime
Stuart Miller Solicitors have an experienced team of Fraud Lawyers dedicated to defending those accused of Cybercrime offences. We have successfully challenged accusations of Computer Misuse and Online Fraud and we are supported by phenomenal Barristers, able to understand this technologically and strategically complex field.
Cybercrime is regularly featuring in the headlines. The government's frustration with the loss of tens of billions of pounds each year is leading to an aggressive stance being taken against those accused of Cybercrime.
In 2015, The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched a highly publicised attack attack against cyber-criminals and the National Security Council described cybercrime as a 'Tier 1' risk to national security, alongside terrorism and international conflict.
Whether you are accused of a simple offence such as unlawfully accessing a computer or you are accused of more serious matters such as developing and executing malware attacks; you cannot face the prosecution without Lawyers with genuine experience of defending such cases.
The Cybercrime Solicitors at Stuart Miller have defended Cybercrime cases, have been successful in defending these cases, have sufficient technological knowledge to understand your IT jargon, have been developed to appreciate your likely profile and interests, have researched the legal and illegal uses of software used in Cybercrime matters.
We have access to a wide variety of hardware and software experts who can be called to give expert evidence in your favour. We have the resources and the skill to handle substantial volumes of evidence which is likely to be served in your case. It is our job to scrutinise the evidence and identify weaknesses in the prosecution's case and we will do it without compromise.
Our Cybercrime Lawyers have won cases involving simple mobile phone hacks on a large scale, high profile television set-top box hacks, devious hardware distributors placing Viruses, Trojans and Worms in newly supplied machines. We have specialist expertise in defending those accused of online fraud and the malware employed to exploit weaknesses in the subject's computers. We have developed specialisms in defending Intellectual Property and Copyright prosecutions relating to file-sharing.
We offer a free initial consultation for you to discuss your case with a specialist Cybercrime Solicitor. We can act for you at the police station for free and thereafter, we can help assess your financial eligibility for legal aid. We believe, no matter what your financial position, if you are prosecuted by the State, you must also be defended with funds by the State. Please contact the Fraud team to arrange your meeting, whether face to face, online or by telephone.


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Washington, D.C., rules in favor of full disclosure of Energy Star scores
The DC Council unanimously passed the Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008, which includes the benchmarking mandate that building owners annually reveal Energy Star scores.
The DC Council unanimously passed the Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008, which includes the benchmarking mandate that building owners annually reveal Energy Star scores. The mandate officially makes the District of Columbia the first U.S. city to require annual energy benchmarking in buildings.
The mandate will require commercial property owners to generate and Energy Star efficiency score for their building using free online tools. The District Dept. of the Environment then makes the score available to the public.
"It's the old Peter Drucker quote:'You can't manage what you don't measure,'" said Cliff Majersik, the program director for the Institute for Market Transformation, Washington, D.C.
In 2010, the benchmarking provision will take effect. Commercial buildings of 200,000 sq ft or more will report Energy Star scores, and the size requirement will drop each year by 50,000 sq. ft until 2013, when all commercial buildings of at least 50,000 sq ft will require benchmarking. All district-owned buildings of at least 10,000 sq ft will begin reporting scores next year.
Now, with escalating energy prices and a slumping economy, Washington's benchmarking provision could be a harbinger of a greater national focus on energy efficiency, Majersik said.
New York City is considering standard benchmarking legislation for commercial buildings, while Minnesota recently set a statewide goal to earn the Energy Star label for 1,000 commercial buildings in the next two years. Ohio and Denver, have both pledged to benchmark municipal facilities. And about the same time the Washington provision kicks in, California will require property owners to disclose Energy Star scores to prospective buyers, lessees, or lenders prior to a building sale or other transaction involving their property.
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Annual Salary Survey
Before the calendar turned, 2016 already had the makings of a pivotal year for manufacturing, and for the world.
There were the big events for the year, including the United States as Partner Country at Hannover Messe in April and the 2016 International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago in September. There's also the matter of the U.S. presidential elections in November, which promise to shape policy in manufacturing for years to come.
But the year started with global economic turmoil, as a slowdown in Chinese manufacturing triggered a worldwide stock hiccup that sent values plummeting. The continued plunge in world oil prices has resulted in a slowdown in exploration and, by extension, the manufacture of exploration equipment.
Read more: 2015 Salary Survey


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First Team News
Mixed injury news for Blues
Manuel Pellegrini says there is mixed news on the injury front for the Blues ahead of a huge week for the Club.
City will be without five key players for the visit of Sunderland, but Pellegrini is hopeful that the prospects of having a full squad to choose from will be better within a week to ten days.
"The injury situation is difficult," he said. "Samir Nasri and Javi Garcia have returned to training but Matija Nastasic has slight knee injury and is out. Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero would normally need one week more before returning to training.
"As for Nastasic I don't think will be out for very long as it is only a small problem."
Pellegrini maintained recent results haven't changed his opinion on the title race. The top positions may have switched around in the past seven days, but the Blues' boss says there is a long way to go.
"The favourites for the title are the same favourites as three weeks ago - Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and ourselves are all in the title race," he said.
"Our recent displays are partly down to injury problems – we also have had Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko playing while not fully fit. I am not concerned that we haven't scored in past two games. I have no doubt we will begin scoring goals again soon.
"It's normal that every team will drop points. For us, we have taken 34 out of a possible 39 points – it's an important amount of points.
Of course, it is a very important week for us because we have three tough games in three different competitions and we are not in our best moment because we still have a number of players unavailable
...Manuel Pellegrini...
"This week will not make or break our season. We need three points against Sunderland, a good first leg against Barcelona and a win in the FA Cup - but we must play very well in all of those games to get the results we want.
"It's going to be very hard but the team with the strongest mentality is the one that will win the title.
"I maintain the race for the Premier League will go to last game or two – nobody knows what will happen but that's my opinion."
Finally, in response to Press questions about Yaya Toure and the FA review panel's decision to clear him of violent conduct in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Norwich, Pellegrini added: "If the FA acts as it has done regarding Yaya Toure, I think it is better for every team. I trust in the FA and the in the referees."


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Soda goes pop! And Scarlett Johansson
Blood bubbles is the new blood libel.
That's the going description of the fizzy liquid produced by SodaStream International, a company that manufactures a home carbonation device in the occupied West Bank and whose creators are Israeli.
Earlier this month, The New York Times announced that actress Scarlett Johansson would become the company's first-ever brand ambassador and "bring some heat" to a Super Bowl ad for the company as part of a multiyear, worldwide endorsement deal; they weren't kidding. Fox has since pulled the ad, allegedly for offending competitors (again), but not before a whole imbroglio ignited around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Before Scarlett could make a sparkling spritzer, critics went in for the buzz-kill.
"Guilt-Free Seltzer or Blood Bubbles?" asked a cheeky New York Magazine headline. The article's author limned a lengthy piece about the politicized potation, recalling a holiday party at which one of her guests used a SodaStream device to make a vodka tonic. "Enjoy your Palestinian blood cocktails," another partygoer admonished.
It is a sign of how utterly hopeless an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord seems when a commonplace kitchen device becomes a flashpoint in a geopolitical impasse. Since when is club soda as corrosive as yellow cake?
Let us, for a moment, admire the alliterative allure of blood bubbles, and what a marvelous misnomer they are. Hardly a company that depends on the blood of Palestinians, SodaStream is actually responsibly employing many of them. And its CEO, Daniel Birnbaum, is an outspoken critic of Israeli policy regarding occupation.
Last year, when SodaStream was awarded the Outstanding Exporter Award at the residence of Israeli President Shimon Peres, Birnbaum brought Palestinian employees to the reception. When an advance inquiry confirmed his fear that his workers would have to undergo embarrassing security checks "down to their underwear," he insisted Israeli security give him the same treatment. When the government failed to comply, Birnbaum used his award acceptance speech to publicly rebuke the process, describing in full detail what his workers had gone through. "I must tell you, Mr. President, about something that raised a question for me," he said, according to a report in Al-Monitor, "a question that I consider far more important than industry or exports. The question, which I am asking here today, is how we relate to each other as human beings."
Not that Birnbaum is entirely altruistic. SodaStream has reportedly profited from Israeli occupation by receiving tax breaks to develop its manufacturing plant in Mishor Adumim, located near a large settlement block in the West Bank just12 miles from Jerusalem. (The company has two more plants in Israel proper — one in Ashkelon, which was subject to rocket attacks from Gaza during Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, and another in Alon Tabor, in the Galilee.)
Birnbaum is keenly aware of his controversial position. "Some retailers have protested that we should label our products as 'Made in Palestine,' " he told Al-Monitor, although he insisted that the company's factories are "apolitical." "We don't take sides in this conflict," he said.
But SodaStream's choice to locate in the West Bank is a complicated matter. The company is said to employ some 900 Arabs; half of them Palestinians living in the West Bank and the other half Arab-Israelis living in East Jerusalem. It also employs 200 Israeli Jews, as well as oft-marginalized African refugees. In what sounds like the Holy Land's version of a Google campus, the plant has an on-site mosque, a synagogue and a "Harry Potter"-style dining hall where everyone eats together (though it is fair to assume that between the dietary restrictions of kashrut, halal and some Israelis' appetite for treif, almost no one actually eats the same things). Birnbaum has also said that the company purchased private Israeli health insurance for its Palestinian employees, because he "wasn't confident" that the Palestinian Authority would use the medical subsidies as intended.
The company's good intentions have not softened censure of its sultry spokesmodel: The pressure cooker created by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement seemed harsh enough, but, in addition, the Jewish Daily Forward saw fit to warn Johansson that " 'normalizing' the Israeli occupation is a bad use of her celebrity."
The protest raises some fair questions about the responsibility celebrity endorsers have when choosing to align themselves with various industries and products. Despite Internet uproar and pressure from the international development organization Oxfam, for whom Johansson is an ambassador, the stubborn Jewish star is sticking with SodaStream.
"I never intended on being the face of any social or political movement," she said in a statement Jan. 24. "I remain a supporter of economic cooperation and social interaction between a democratic Israel and Palestine. … I have witnessed firsthand that progress is made when communities join together and work alongside one another."
Celebrities rarely defy popular opinion for fear of compromising their image. For a star like Johansson, who told Harper's Bazaar last fall that she is open to a future political career and, according to The New Yorker, has campaigned for Democratic presidential candidates in the last three elections, there is even more at stake. Johansson's desire to use her fame responsibly has led some to wonder whether her shidduch with SodaStream was a serious mistake.
So far, Johansson has been anything but predictable. Her refusal to acquiesce to international opprobrium has cast the actress as a courageous leader. Before her public statement, The New Yorker suggested she was not prepared for the role of company ambassador because she has no diplomatic experience, noting instead that she "has spent her career in ball gowns and lace, Vermeeresque pearls, and cat suits." But the magazine underestimated what was to come: The actress known for her beauty and brains would also prove brave.


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Responses of electromyogram (EMG) in soleus muscle and both afferent and efferent neurograms at the fifth lumbar (L5) segmental level of spinal cord were investigated during acute and chronic unloading induced by hindlimb suspension and/or tenotomy in adult rats. The soleus EMG and afferent neurogram decreased 88 and 37%, respectively, relative to those at quadrupedal posture on the floor after acute hindlimb suspension that causes passive shortening of soleus due to ankle plantarflexion. However, the afferent neurogram (P < 0.05) and soleus EMG (P > 0.05) recorded on the floor increased after tenotomy of synergists. Furthermore, the afferent input was inhibited when the soleus EMG disappeared after tenotomy of soleus. The afferent neurogram and EMG of the soleus showed correlated responses to a variety of treatments, suggesting that the afferent neurogram recorded at the L5 segmental level reflects the neural input associated with the activity level of the soleus predominantly. The level of efferent neurogram decreased after acute hindlimb suspension but was not influenced significantly by tenotomy of synergists and/or soleus itself. The EMG and afferent neurograms remained low up to the 4th day but recovered to the preexperimental levels within 14 days, due to reorganization of sarcomere number and length, as well as the shortening of muscle fiber length and recovery of tension development. It is suggested that the levels of EMG and afferent neurogram associated with antigravity muscle are closely related to the tension development of the muscle.
- soleus muscle
- afferent and efferent neurogram
- tension development
- sarcomere remodeling
slow-twitch antigravity soleus muscle atrophies during exposure to microgravity environment (5, 22) or its simulation models such as hindlimb suspension in rats (19, 22, 24, 25). The electromyogram (EMG) of soleus disappears immediately in response to unloading by hindlimb suspension of rats (1, 19, 20, 24, 26, 28) and by exposure to actual microgravity environment, created by a parabolic flight of a jet airplane (12, 13). However, the EMG is increased gradually to the control level after 7–10 days of continuous hindlimb suspension (1, 20, 21, 24), although muscle atrophy is still induced (24, 34). Blewett and Elder (4), on the contrary, reported that suspension-related decrease in EMG did not recover during 28 days of continuous hindlimb suspension. Thus it is still controversial how the muscular activity is influenced by gravitational unloading.
It is also reported that the activities of the oxidative enzyme succinate dehydrogenase of motoneurons in the ventral horn of the spinal cord, which presumably innervate slow-twitch fibers, and of sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion were decreased after 2 wk of spaceflight in rats (10, 11). We also reported that the afferent neurogram level recorded at the fifth lumbar (L5) segmental level of the spinal cord decreased when the rats were exposed to actual microgravity environment during a parabolic flight (12). These phenomena suggest that muscular adaptation to microgravity environment is closely associated with the response of nervous system. However, it is still unclear how the levels of afferent and efferent neurograms recorded at the L5 segmental level of spinal cord are associated with the loading or unloading of soleus muscle because the neurogram recorded at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord does not necessarily reflect the afferent input from the soleus muscle only (16, 27). The EMG levels of an ankle plantarflexor lateral gastrocnemius (LG) did not change significantly during a parabolic flight (12). In addition, the EMG activity of a dorsiflexor tibialis anterior (TA) tended to be even increased (P > 0.05) when the rat was exposed to 20 s of microgravity. Therefore, the distribution of motoneurons innervating hindlimb muscles was investigated in the present study.
Baker and Hall-Craggs (2) reported that tenotomy of the proximal and distal tendons of rat soleus caused shortening of muscle bellies and sarcomere length. However, the sarcomere length became comparable with that of control muscle after 4 wk. Reduction of sarcomere length after division of the proximal tendon of mouse soleus was also reported elsewhere (15). It was, however, normalized 7 days later. The authors suggested that afferent nervous pathways are involved in the short-term adjustment of sarcomere length to fiber length. Furthermore, it is not clear how the loading or unloading of muscle is associated the afferent and/or efferent neural input either. Elder and Toner (7) reported that the EMG levels in rat soleus were influenced by tenotomy compared with those before tenotomy.
Therefore, the mechanisms responsible for the acute and chronic adaptation of soleus EMG and neurogram to unloading and/or shortening of muscle fiber length were investigated in rats using hindlimb suspension model in the current study. Furthermore, effects of functional overload on soleus by tenotomy of synergists (14) or of decreased load, but with intact neural connection, by tenotomy of soleus itself were studied. The effects of tension development and/or sarcomere length on the neuromuscular activities were also investigated.
All experimental procedures were conducted in accordance with the Japanese Physiological Society Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the American Physiological Society "Guiding Principles for Research Involving Animals and Human Beings" (1a). This study was also approved by the Committee on the Animal Care and Use at the University and National Space Development Agency of Japan.
Animal Care
Male Wistar rats (Kyudo, Kumamoto, Japan) with mean body weight of ∼300 g were used. The experiments were performed to investigate 1) the localization of motoneurons, which innervate various hindlimb muscles, at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord; 2) the effects of loading or activity levels of various hindlimb muscles on the afferent and efferent neurograms recorded at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord; 3) the responses of soleus EMG and afferent and efferent neurograms to a continuous 14-day hindlimb suspension; 4) the effects of acute change in ankle joint angle on the soleus muscle length, tension development, and sarcomere length in control rats; and 5) the responses of the soleus muscle fiber length, sarcomere length and number, and tension development to 14 days of hindlimb suspension. Different rats were used for each investigation. A commercial solid diet (CE-2, Nihon CLEA, Tokyo) and water were supplied ad libitum. Temperature and humidity in the animal room with 12:12-h light-dark cycle were maintained at ∼23°C and ∼55%, respectively.
Experiment 1: Motoneuron Labeling
To map the muscle-specific motoneurons at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord, intramuscular injections of nuclear yellow (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) were performed in 15 rats. The rats were anesthetized by injection of pentobarbital sodium (5 mg/100 g body wt ip). In five rats, 30 μl of 1% nuclear yellow was injected using a microsyringe into the left extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and the right medial gastrocnemius (MG). The same tracer was injected into the left TA and the right LG of five other rats. The left plantaris (Pl) and the right soleus in the remaining five rats were also injected with nuclear yellow. Care was taken to inject the fluorescent tracer slowly and prevent leakage. One day after the injection, the rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium, and the spinal cord and the muscles in which the nuclear yellow was injected were removed and frozen immediately in isopentane cooled with liquid nitrogen.
Serial longitudinal sections, 10 μm thick, of the spinal cord were cut in a cryostat set at −20°C. The motoneurons innervating each hindlimb muscle were identified by a golden-yellow fluorescence of the nucleus with nuclear yellow on the untreated sections using a fluorescent microscope. All labeled motoneurons were counted and their positions were plotted.
Experiment 2: Effects of Hindlimb Muscle Activities on the Neurograms
Electrode implantation.
Effects of hindlimb muscle activities on the EMG and neurograms were studied in five rats. Detailed descriptions of the implant procedures for EMG (12, 24) and neurogram electrodes (12) were published previously. Briefly, the rat was anesthetized with intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium, and then a skin incision was made along the sagittal suture of the skull after shaving and cleaning with betadine. The exposed skull was dried and a head plug connector was firmly anchored to the skull using both screws and dental cement. Eleven enamel-coated constantan wires, 80 μm in diameter, were led subcutaneously from the connector to the back region and/or left hindlimb.
The left soleus, MG, and TA were exposed, keeping the blood and nerve supplies intact. Bipolar electrodes were implanted into each muscle. The wires were inserted by threading individually through a 26-gauge hypodermic needle being passed through the muscle individually. The needle was carefully withdrawn and the insulated wire was stripped (∼0.5 mm). The section of the wire with the insulation removed was implanted into the midbelly of the muscle. Two wires were inserted in parallel with the muscle fibers (∼2 mm apart). The location of the wires was checked by X-ray filming for some rats in a pilot study. Furthermore, the location of electrode was checked at the end of experiment as stated below. Each wire was secured with a suture at its entry and exit from the muscle so that the stripped portion of the wire in the muscle was fixed.
A set of bipolar electrodes for recording of neurogram was made using Tygon tubing and enamel-coated constantan wires 80 μm in diameter (12). A portion of Tygon tubing of 2 mm length and 1 mm inner diameter was cut longitudinally. The wires were inserted into the Tygon tubing, and the insulation-removed portions (∼2.5 mm) were placed on the inner wall of the tubing. The end of each wire was coiled and secured using glue so that the stripped portion of the wire was fixed inside the tubing.
Both ventral and dorsal roots were carefully exposed at the left L5 segmental level of the spinal cord. The afferent and efferent fibers were separated at the posterior root ganglion. The electrode apparatus was placed around the nerve fibers, keeping the stripped two wires on the neuron longitudinally (∼1 mm apart), for recording of either the afferent or efferent neurogram. The end of each wire was connected to the wire that led from the head plug using solder. The connected portion was insulated using enamel. A wire for the common ground was also implanted at the lower back region. A topical antiseptic (nitrofurazone, Furacin) was applied to the incision area, and tetracycline was added to the drinking water (50 mg/100 ml) on the day before surgery and for 2 days to prevent infection.
Recordings and tenotomy.
After 2 days of complete recovery from the surgery, the recordings of soleus, MG, and TA EMG and afferent and efferent neurograms were performed in five rats at quadrupedal posture on the floor (∼20 s) and during 20-s hindlimb unloading by tail suspension followed by reloading on the floor (∼20 s). Because the period of microgravity, which was created within each parabola, was ∼20 s in our parabolic flight experiment (12), 20 s was chosen for the time period of acute hindlimb suspension. These recordings were performed during the same time of the day (light period, 10 AM–1 PM). They were repeated at least five times, and the data were averaged. At first, the EMG and neurogram recordings were performed in rats with intact tendons of hindlimb muscles. After the recording, the rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium, and the distal tendons of the synergists of left soleus (MG, LG, and Pl) were transected keeping the blood and nerve supplies intact. On the next day, the EMG and neurogram were recorded as explained above. The rats were then anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, and tenotomy of the antagonists (TA and EDL) of left soleus was performed additionally. The EMG and neurogram were recorded the next day after the rats recovered completely from the anesthesia. Tenotomy of the left soleus itself was further performed in the anesthetized rats. The final recordings of neuromuscular activities were performed in the same way on the next day. All recordings on the floor were performed keeping the ankle joint at dorsiflexed position with manipulation, if necessary. Although the rats did not appear to favor the affected leg, the ankle joint was dorsiflexed after the tenotomy of MG, LG, and Pl. The rats could not dorsiflex the ankle joint by themselves after additional tenotomy of TA and EDL followed by that of soleus. At the end of experiment, spinal transection at the L3 and L6 segmental levels, including dorsal and ventral roots, was performed, and these neuromuscular activities were recorded to detect the baseline levels. The locations of electrodes for EMGs and neurograms were also checked.
Effects of repeated anesthesia and surgeries on the EMGs and neurograms were also investigated. Responses of neuromuscular activities to each experimental condition were also studied using one rat for each situation. In this investigation, the responses of EMGs and neurograms were studied after a single surgery (either tenotomy of MG, LG, and Pl; tenotomy of MG, LG, Pl, TA, and EDL; or tenotomy of MG, LG, Pl, TA, EDL, and soleus). The baseline levels were also checked by spinal transection at L3 segmental level. The data obtained were identical to the results from the rats with multiple surgeries, suggesting that clear effects of multiple treatments, stress, or overloading were not observed. However, the amplitudes and patterns of EMGs and neurograms were not exactly the same for each situation, and this may be due to the slight differences in the location of electrodes, which result in different sensitivity, for example. Therefore, the data repeatedly obtained from the same rats were used to make the effects of electrodes constant and to correlate the responses to each experimental condition. Furthermore, only 1 day was allowed for recovery from the surgery to avoid effects of sarcomere remodeling. It was reported that sarcomere length, which was shortened after division of the proximal tendon, was normalized 7 days after tenotomy (15).
Effects of repeated anesthesia and multiple surgeries on body weight and daily food intake were also studied (Table 1). No treatments were performed on the day before the electrode implantation. The control rats were also anesthetized by injection of pentobarbital sodium (5 mg/100 g body wt ip), although no surgeries were performed, and they were not used for the analyses of EMGs and neurograms in the current investigation. The rats generally aroused within ∼2 h after the anesthesia. It was indicated that the body weight and the amount of food intake were not reduced in response to repeated anesthesia and surgeries during the experimental period, although significant growth-related gains were not seen either.
Analyses of data.
Experiment 3: Neuromuscular Activities During 2 wk of Hindlimb Suspension
The EMG of left soleus and afferent and efferent neurograms were recorded during 2 wk of continuous hindlimb suspension (n = 10). Electrode implantation for EMG and neurogram was performed as mentioned above. After 2 days of complete recovery from the surgery, a sticky thick tape (∼5 mm width and 3 cm length) with good cushion was placed longitudinally on the dorsal and ventral sides of the midtail of the rats. These tapes were further surrounded cross-sectionally by a tape. Such treatment was performed loosely to keep the blood flow intact. A string was inserted through the gap between the tail and tape and fastened to the roof of cage at a height allowing the forelimbs to support the weight, yet prevent the hindlimbs from touching the floor or the wall of the cage. The rats could reach the food and water freely by using their forelimbs.
Before the initiation of hindlimb suspension, soleus EMG and afferent and efferent neurograms in conscious rats were recorded at quadrupedal posture on the floor for 2 h. The integrated EMG level throughout the 2-h period was used as the presuspension control level. Even though rats moved occasionally, they were generally sedentary. Subsequently, hindlimb suspension was started while the recordings were continued. The recordings of EMG and neurograms during suspension were performed for 8 consecutive hours during the light period everyday (8 AM–4 PM). The raw signals were analyzed as described for experiment 2. The total mean integrated neural activities per hour were calculated, and the data were presented as the percentages relative to the presuspension control. The ranges of the ankle joint angle on the floor and during hindlimb suspension were also analyzed by video filming.
Experiment 4: Relationship Between Muscle Fiber Length and Tension Development
Muscle fiber length and tension development.
The effects of changes in the ankle joint angle on the length of soleus muscle fibers and both inherent (passive) tension of a relaxed (inactivated) muscle under anesthesia and in vivo (active) tension developed by conscious rats were analyzed in rats before and after 14-day hindlimb suspension (n = 5 each). The left soleus muscle was carefully exposed. A force transducer made of golden buckle with strain gauge was placed at the distal tendon of soleus muscle. The tension at either 30°, 90°, 120°, 140°, or 160° of ankle joint angle in anesthetized rats was measured using a strain meter (PCD-30A, Kyowa, Tokyo) calibrated using an isometric force transducer (TB-654T, Nihon Kohden, Tokyo). The knee angle does not influence the soleus length, but all measurements were performed keeping the knee angle at ∼90°. After the rats aroused, the development of in vivo tension was also recorded at rest on the floor with or without body movement, for example, for postural adjustment.
The sarcomere number per fiber was also measured in the same rats. After the determination of tension development, the contralateral soleus muscle was removed, cleaned of excess fat and connective tissue, and was weighed immediately. The muscle was then carefully torn into longitudinal muscle fiber segments under the microscope, and the middle (longest) segment was stored in cellbanker (Nihon Zenyaku, Tokyo) at −80°C until analyzed.
The muscle fiber segments stored in the cellbanker were instantly thawed at 35°C. Collagens were digested in DMEM (Invitrogen) containing 0.2% type I collagenase, 0.2% type IV collagenase, 1% antibiotics, and 10% newborn calf serum for 4 h at 35°C. The collagenase-treated segments were fixed in 4% buffered formaldehyde for 30 min. Whole single muscle fibers, sampled from tendon to tendon, were isolated using fine needles. They were carefully collected by using pipette to avoid scratching the fibers, and 60 fibers per muscle were mounted on a slide glass with coverslips with "struts" of hardened nail polish on the corners to minimize fiber compression. Working solution of both type I and IV collagenase was gel-purified to remove the clostripain, which supposedly strips the basal lamina of the fibers (3).
A Fluoview confocal microscope with an argon laser (488 nm of mean wavelength, Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) was used to analyze the muscle fiber and sarcomere length. The fiber length and the length of 10 consecutive sarcomeres, randomly chosen from three nonoverlapping regions along the fiber length, were measured in each fiber by Nomarski optic scan using calibrated measurement software (Olympus, Tokyo). The levels of fiber length were calculated by multiplying the measured fiber length by 2.5 μm and then dividing by the measured single sarcomere length. Furthermore, the total sarcomere number per fiber was also calculated.
Mean length of sarcomere at a certain ankle joint angle.
The in vivo mean length of sarcomere at a certain ankle joint angle was also measured in the soleus muscle fibers with or without 14 days of hindlimb suspension (n = 10 each). The whole hindlimbs were isolated from both sides and submerged in 4% buffered formaldehyde, keeping the anterior angle of ankle joint at either ∼30°, 120°, 140°, or 160° (n = 5 for each angle). The soleus muscle was removed after 30 min. Subsequently, single muscle fibers were isolated from the middle portion of the muscle using fine tweezers under a microscope. Thirty fibers per muscle were mounted on a slide glass with coverslip with struts of hardened nail polish on the corners to minimize fiber compression. The length of 10 consecutive sarcomeres was measured in three different sites, and the mean sarcomere length was calculated.
Statistical Analyses
All data are presented as means ± SE. The EMGs and neurograms (mV/s) were used for analyses in experiment 2. In experiment 3, the percent changes of neuromuscular activities relative to those recorded during normal ground support before suspension were compared. In experiment 4, the level of passive tension development at a given ankle joint was compared between the soleus muscle with or without 14 days of hindlimb suspension. Furthermore, the mean sarcomere length at a given ankle joint obtained from 30 fibers for each muscle (n = 5) was also compared between these groups (10 rats per each group). The effects of 14 days of hindlimb suspension on the mean sarcomere number per whole fiber were studied using the mean value obtained from 60 fibers for each muscle (n = 5). Statistical significance was examined by repeated measures of ANOVA followed by Scheffé's post hoc test in experiments 2 and 4 (passive tension production and sarcomere length). Sarcomere number per fiber in experiment 4 was compared by unpaired t-test. Paired t-test was used to compare with the respective control in experiment 3. Differences were considered significant at the 0.05 level of confidence.
Experiment 1: Motoneuron Labeling
Figure 1 shows the location of nuclear yellow-labeled motoneurons in the longitudinal section from the L4 through L6 segmental levels of the rat spinal cord. Although the motoneurons innervating the specific muscle were labeled in five rats for each muscle, the location of motoneurons was distributed in the same area in all rats. Therefore, the distribution in one rat is illustrated in Fig. 1. Motoneurons associated with ankle plantarflexors (soleus, Pl, MG, and LG) and dorsiflexors (TA and EDL) were distributed between the L4 and L5 segmental levels of the spinal cord. Motoneurons innervating EDL, TA, and Pl were distributed between the middle of L4 and the middle of L5 segment. Motoneurons innervating LG were distributed between the lower L4 and lower L5 segment. Furthermore, the motoneurons associated with MG and soleus were observed mainly at the L5 segment.
Experiment 2: Effects of Hindlimb Muscle Activities on the Neurograms
The activity levels of afferent and efferent neurograms decreased ∼37 and 20% after an acute hindlimb suspension, respectively, when the tendons of all hindlimb muscles were intact (Figs. 2 and 3, P < 0.05). However, those activities were normalized after the termination of the hindlimb suspension. Soleus EMG activity decreased in response to an acute unloading to ∼12% of the level at quadrupedal posture on the floor (P < 0.05). Its activity was restored when the muscles were loaded again. The EMG activities of MG and TA did not significantly change during an acute hindlimb suspension.
After tenotomy of MG, LG, and Pl, the level of afferent neurogram recorded at quadrupedal posture on the floor increased ∼70% compared with that before tenotomy (Figs. 2 and 3, P < 0.05). Although it was decreased ∼53% from the level on the floor in response to an acute unloading (P < 0.05), the afferent neurogram returned to the presuspension level when the hindlimb suspension was terminated. The levels of efferent input were not significantly affected by tenotomy of soleus synergists and unloading. The EMG activity of soleus recorded at quadrupedal posture on the floor did not significantly change after the tenotomy of synergists but decreased (84%) in response to an acute unloading (P < 0.05). The soleus EMG immediately recovered to presuspension level when the muscle was loaded on the floor again. The EMG activity of MG at quadrupedal posture on the floor decreased to 61% of the pretenotomy level after the tenotomy of MG itself. The EMG activity of MG, in which the distal tendon was tenotomized, did not respond to hindlimb suspension and reloading on the floor. The TA EMG was not affected by tenotomy of plantarflexors.
The afferent neurograms that were recorded when the rat was on the floor decreased toward the control level (before tenotomy of any muscles) after further tenotomy of TA and EDL in addition to MG, LG, and Pl (Figs. 2 and 3, P > 0.05). The afferent neurogram was lowered ∼62% in response to hindlimb suspension (P < 0.05) and returned to presuspension level when the hindlimbs were returned to the floor. The level of efferent neurogram was not influenced at all. Soleus EMG recorded during quadrupedal posture on the floor did not change by the additional tenotomy of TA and EDL. However, it was still inhibited in response to suspension (∼86%, P < 0.05). The EMG activities of MG and TA were similar to the levels observed after tenotomy of MG, LG, and Pl.
Finally, the activity levels of afferent and efferent neurograms and soleus EMG during quadrupedal posture on the floor were decreased ∼63 (P < 0.05), ∼27 (P > 0.05), and ∼91% (P < 0.05) when the distal tendon of soleus itself was tenotomized (Figs. 2 and 3). None of these levels was influenced by hindlimb suspension and reloading on the floor. The EMG activities of MG and TA were not affected either.
The baseline levels of these neuromuscular activities are also shown in Figure 3. All of the neuromuscular activities were reduced after the spinal transection at the L3 and L6 segmental levels, including dorsal and ventral roots. Although the soleus EMG and afferent neurogram decreased after hindlimb suspension or tenotomy of soleus as was stated above, those values were still greater than the baseline levels by 300 and 23%, respectively. The lowest levels of EMGs in MG and TA and efferent neurogram were 126, 241, and 73% greater than the baseline activities, respectively. All of the values shown in Fig. 3 were significantly greater than the baseline levels, indicating that the data shown above reflect the actual neuromuscular activity levels.
Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between the integrated soleus EMG and afferent neurogram (Fig. 4), suggesting that the afferent neurogram recorded at the L5 segmental level of spinal cord may generally reflect the activity of soleus muscle. Some neurogram activity, which could be originated from tissue other than soleus, was also noted when soleus EMG was silent after tenotomy of the soleus itself (Fig. 2, bottom right). However, the patterns of responses were generally similar for EMG and afferent neurogram. Significant correlation was not observed between the levels of soleus EMG and efferent neurogram (r = 0.36, P = 0.60).
Experiment 3: Neuromuscular Activities During 2 wk of Hindlimb Suspension
Soleus EMG activity decreased immediately after hindlimb suspension to ∼12% of the presuspension level on the floor (Fig. 5). Even though the lower EMG levels were maintained during 4 days, the level gradually increased thereafter and reached the presuspension level after 14 days. The afferent neurogram decreased ∼37% from the presuspension level after hindlimb suspension (P < 0.05). The lower activities (60–68% of the presuspension level) were maintained during 8 days of suspension. However, the activity gradually increased after the 9th day and reached levels even greater than before suspension (P > 0.05). The efferent neurogram also decreased immediately after suspension (∼20%, P < 0.05). Generally, the level was maintained low up to the 8th day but was elevated to ∼125 and 130% of presuspension level after 10 days of suspension (P < 0.05). The recordings of EMG and neurograms during suspension were performed for eight consecutive hours during the light period everyday (8 AM–4 PM) as was explained in experimental procedures.
The ranges of the ankle joint angle on the floor and during hindlimb suspension were ∼30–90° and ∼90–160°, respectively. Higher EMG levels of soleus were maintained when the ankle joint angle was maintained between ∼30 and 90° on the floor. However, those levels were, on the contrary, reduced once the ankle joints were plantarflexed after an acute hindlimb suspension of rat. The EMG activities at ∼90° of ankle joint on the floor and during suspension were completely different. Even though the degree of ankle joint was approximately identical at ∼90°, the EMG level was significantly less during hindlimb suspension due to the lack of external load.
Experiment 4: Relationship Between Muscle Fiber Length and Tension Development
In the control rats, the critical level of ankle joint angle for passive tension development was ∼120°. No passive tension was detected when the angle of ankle joint was >120°. The mean levels of passive tension at 90° and 30° ankle joint angle were 16.4 and 43.6 g, respectively. The critical angle of ankle joint for development of passive tension after 14 days of hindlimb suspension was ∼140°. The mean passive tensions detected at 120°, 90°, and 30° ankle joint angle were 2.5, 7.0, and 21.5 g, respectively. The tensions developed at 90° and 30° ankle joint angle after suspension were significantly less than those before suspension (P < 0.05) and may be due to muscle atrophy. Mean muscle weight of the suspended group was ∼43% less than the presuspension level (P < 0.05, data not shown). The arrows in Fig. 6A indicate that some degrees of active tensions were detected, when EMGs were present in aroused rats. The active tension in the presuspension controls was not detected at 160° and 140°. Some degrees of development were noted at 140°, but not at 160°, in the suspended group. However, the levels of active tension development and EMG were variable because the muscle contraction was voluntary.
The mean sarcomere lengths at 30°, 120°, 140°, and 160° ankle joint angle in control rats were 3.03, 2.16, 2.05, and 2.05 μm, respectively (Fig. 6B). The sarcomeres were passively stretched at 30°, and the mean length was >2.5 μm. The sarcomeres were shortened at 120° (P < 0.05). The mean length was further reduced due to hyperextension of ankle joint (P < 0.05), even though the values at 140° and 160° were identical. The mean sarcomere length at a given ankle joint angle was increased after 14 days of hindlimb suspension. The length at 120° and 30° ankle joint angle was significantly longer than that of the presuspension level (P < 0.05). This phenomenon was related to the decreased sarcomere number (Fig. 6C) and muscle fiber length (Fig. 7). The mean sarcomere number per fiber was 3,869 relative to 5,331 in the presuspension control (Fig. 6C, P < 0.05). The distribution of muscle fibers with various lengths is shown in Fig. 7. Shorter fibers were noted in the postsuspension group. The mean lengths before and after 14-day suspension were 13.3 ± 0.2 and 9.7 ± 0.2 mm, respectively (P < 0.05).
The distribution of muscle fibers with various mean sarcomere lengths is illustrated in Fig. 8. Because plantarflexion of ankle joint at 160° caused passive shortening of sarcomeres as is shown in Fig. 6B, the mean length of all fibers analyzed was <2.4 μm in the presuspension group and the mean length was 2.05 (±0.02) μm. However, fibers with longer sarcomeres were noted in the postsuspension group, and the mean length was 2.15 (±0.03) μm.
Acute and chronic responses of EMG in hindlimb muscles and both afferent and efferent neurograms, recorded at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord, to hindlimb suspension and/or tenotomy were investigated in adult rats. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the relationship between the EMG, neurogram, sarcomere length, and tension development of soleus in response to gravitational unloading.
Distribution of Motoneurons Innervating Soleus
Motoneurons innervating major hindlimb muscles were distributed between the L4 and L5 segmental levels. Especially those innervating soleus, MG, and LG were observed at the L5 segmental level, where the neurograms were recorded. This observation generally agrees with the previous studies (16, 27). Therefore, the neurogram activities recorded at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord may reflect the activity patterns of MG and LG. However, the afferent neurogram recorded at quadrupedal posture on the floor was even increased significantly, when MG and LG, as well as Pl, were tenotomized. The level of EMG in MG, on the contrary, was significantly decreased by tenotomy of MG. It is suggested that soleus muscle was overloaded in response to the tenotomy of the synergists because soleus EMG was also increased (∼16%, P > 0.05). The afferent input was inhibited, when the soleus EMG was decreased after tenotomy of soleus itself. The patterns observed in response to various treatments were similar for the afferent neurogram and soleus EMG with a significant positive correlation. However, the patterns observed in MG EMG were completely different and the absolute activity level of MG EMG at quadrupedal posture on the floor in control situation was 87% less than that of soleus. These results suggest that the level of afferent neurogram recorded at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord may reflect the activity level of soleus mainly.
Acute Responses of Neuromuscular Activities
Responses to unloading.
The levels of soleus EMG and afferent neurogram decreased after acute hindlimb suspension of rats in the present study. The decrease of soleus EMG in response to hindlimb suspension agrees with the results observed elsewhere (1, 19, 20, 24, 26, 28). We also reported that both soleus EMG and afferent neurogram recorded at the L5 segmental level of the spinal cord of rat were increased gradually when the gravity level was increased from 1 G to 2 G during the ascending phase of a parabolic flight of a jet airplane (12). However, they were suddenly decreased when the rat was exposed to microgravity. Those levels were maintained low during the 20-s exposure to microgravity environment.
Hindlimb suspension and exposure to microgravity generally cause plantarflexion of ankle joints, which then results in passive shortening of ankle plantarflexors, such as soleus (12, 19). The tension development of soleus was inhibited when the lengths of muscle, muscle fibers, or sarcomeres were shortened in response to acute hindlimb suspension. The results in the present investigation suggested that the suspension-related decreases in EMG and afferent neurogram were closely associated with the passive reduction of sarcomere length and inhibition of tension development caused by plantarflexion of ankle joints.
The levels of soleus EMG and afferent neurogram during hindlimb suspension were not influenced significantly by additional tenotomy of synergists and/or soleus itself. Ohara et al. (18) reported that suspension-related atrophy of soleus muscle was not promoted when tenotomy of ankle extensors, denervation, or both tenotomy and denervation were performed in addition to hindlimb suspension. These data suggest that the decreases of EMG and afferent neurogram associated with the passive shortening of soleus, which inhibits tension development and afferent input, reach the maximum levels by plantarflexion of ankle joint alone during hindlimb suspension.
The precise mechanism responsible for the greater increase in the afferent neurogram than EMG level in response to tenotomy of synergists is unclear. However, one possibility might be that the mechanical stretch due to overloading may increase the discharges of Ia and II fibers (6). Furthermore, the results from our recent study showed that the growth-related increase of soleus muscle of rats was not enhanced significantly by exposure to 2-G environment during postnatal day 4 and month 3 relative to the growth of the cage-control rats (32). It was speculated that the load on the soleus muscle during centrifugation at 2-G may be greater than that at 1-G environment, but the effects on soleus may be minor if the rat is sedentary. If a similar ankle joint angle is maintained at a fully dorsiflexed position, soleus length is identical regardless of the environmental gravity level.
The level of efferent neurogram decreased after acute hindlimb suspension in the present study. However, it was not influenced significantly by tenotomy of synergists and/or soleus itself, in general. Efferent neurogram, as well as the afferent neurogram and EMG, decreased after spinal transection at the L3 and L6 levels. It is indicated that efferent neurogram recorded at the L5 segmental level does not necessarily reflect the neural input associated with activity of soleus predominantly, even though the neurons that innervate soleus distributed at that segmental level. It is also indicated that the neurons distributed at the L5 may also innervate other muscles and/or tissues. For example, the EMG activity of MG did not change and that of TA was even increased slightly (P > 0.05) in response to unloading, as was mentioned above (12, 18, 22). Thus the responses of soleus EMG and the efferent neurogram recorded at the L5 may not be correlated.
Responses to loading.
The dorsiflexion of ankle joints at ∼30° on the floor caused a passive stretching of soleus fibers with mean sarcomere length of 3.03 μm, and active EMG was maintained in the presuspension control rats. The level of afferent neurogram at quadrupedal posture on the floor was also significantly increased 1.7-fold after functional overload for soleus relative to the pretenotomy control level. Furthermore, these neural activities were increased when the rats were exposed to hypergravity during the ascending phase of parabolic flight (12) as was stated above, suggesting that the responses of these neuromuscular activities are load dependent. Development of both passive and active tension was noted in muscles at dorsiflexed position, suggesting that the muscles were loaded. The soleus EMG on the floor was further increased (∼16%, P > 0.05), when additional load was applied by the tenotomy of the synergists (MG, LG, and Pl). Soleus EMG and afferent neurogram during hindlimb suspension were also increased, if soleus muscle was stretched by joint immobilization at a dorsiflexed position (unpublished observation).
Chronic Responses of Neuromuscular Activities
Decreased levels of soleus EMG and afferent and efferent neurograms were generally maintained low up to the 4th day during hindlimb suspension. Although Blewett and Elder (4) reported that the EMGs of both soleus and Pl were maintained low during 28 days of suspension, the soleus EMG level was gradually recovered during suspension in the current study as was observed previously (1, 19, 26). Blewett and Elder (4) analyzed the number and amplitude of turns, and they checked the body weight every 4th day of hindlimb suspension. We analyzed the integrated area of EMG, and hindlimb suspension was continuous. The level of soleus EMG also remained low during the first 4 days of suspension even in our study. The ground support activity performed every 4th day in the study by Blewett and Elder (4) may be one of the causes for the inhibition of EMG recovery.
Alford et al. (1) also reported that the soleus EMG activity was recovered during suspension. Generally, voluntary activity level of rat on the floor is increased during the dark period (23). However, typical differences were not observed in the EMG levels during light and dark period (1). Therefore, the changes in the total activity during the 24-h period were compared, and the level was increased to the presuspension level within 14 days of suspension. These results may suggest that the neuromuscular activities during hindlimb suspension were restored during both the light and the dark period, although those levels were analyzed only during the light period in the current study.
It was reported that immobilization of skeletal muscle in stretched or shortened position induces increase or decrease of sarcomere numbers (29, 30, 33). Shah et al. (29) reported that sarcomere numbers in soleus muscle fibers were reduced after 28 days of immobilization of the ankle joint at a maximally plantarflexed position. The joints were not immobilized in the present study, but the ankle joints were kept plantarflexed at 90–160° during suspension. Passive tension development of the soleus muscle was decreased in response to plantarflexion of the ankle joint (Fig. 6A), which has a direct influence on the muscle length (12, 19). Even though the tension development was still very low when the ankle joint angle was 160o, it became capable at 140o of ankle joint after 14 days of suspension (Fig. 6). Furthermore, the mean level of EMG, as well as afferent input, during hindlimb suspension after 14 days of suspension was generally identical to that of cage control, even if the normal ground support is still inhibited and external gravitational load is essentially zero.
It was clear that the number of sarcomeres was decreased in response to chronic shortening of the muscle length, and sarcomere length at a given angle of ankle joint was increased. Therefore, the soleus muscle fibers were slightly stretched even though the ankle joints were still plantarflexed during suspension. The mean sarcomere lengths at ∼60° on the floor before suspension and at ∼90° during suspension after 14 days of unloading were similar, suggesting that force could be produced due to the suspension-related sarcomere remodeling even without an external load.
It was also shown that the discharges of Ia and II fibers in response to a given stretch of rat soleus muscle fibers were increased after 14 days of hindlimb suspension, suggesting that increased connective tissues could contribute to a better transmission of passive mechanical stretch to muscle spindles (6). Increased afferent discharges may also contribute to the elevated efferent neurogram. Furthermore, effects of gravitational unloading on the elasticity of muscle fibers were recently studied elsewhere. The relative proportion of type III collagen, which is more elastic than type I, was increased in response to 14 and 28 days of hindlimb suspension of rats (17). Toursel et al. (31) reported that passive tension of soleus fibers, atrophied after 14 days of hindlimb suspension, increased less steeply in response to stretch than that of control fibers. Although they concluded that such phenomenon may be due to the decreased amount of connectin, reduction of fiber diameter (∼54 and 47% in slow and fast fibers, respectively) could be another factor. However, Goto et al. (8) reported that elasticity of connectin (titin) filaments in the I-band region of atrophied soleus muscle fibers was reduced after hindlimb suspension. The recovery of neuromuscular activities during hindlimb suspension may be related to these phenomena.
In conclusion, responses of EMG in soleus and both afferent and efferent neurograms at the L5 segmental level of spinal cord were investigated during acute and chronic unloading in adult rats. It was suggested that the level of the afferent, not always the efferent, neurogram recorded at the L5 segmental level reflects the neural input associated with the activity level of soleus predominantly. The EMG and neurograms remained low up to the 4th day but recovered to the preexperimental levels within 14 days due to reorganization of sarcomere number and length, as well as the shortening of muscle fiber length and increased tension development. It is indicated that the levels of EMG and afferent neurogram associated with antigravity muscle are closely related to the tension development of the muscle. It is further suggested that force can be produced without an external load.
This study was carried out as a part of "Ground-Based Research Announcement for Space Utilization" promoted by Japan Space Forum, Tokyo, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A, 15200049) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and Grant-in Aid for Young Scientists (B, 15700417) from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
- Copyright © 2004 the American Physiological Society


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Artist description:
(2nd drawing in what turned into a sleep series) :-)
Java Draw Created Oct 13, 2010 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2010 AuroraSkye.
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you've been busy when the sleepness is not with u
Looks very nice ^_^ 5h
It would be IMPOSSIBLE for you to draw a boring drawing Anniebee!!! TY everyone for your encouragement and neat comments on this series! :-D
girl i am going to have to draw you something so boring you will look at it and just fall right to sleep... and when you find these sleep less nights well you will know
Looked liek a flower in the ref...:)
It's great to see more users exploring abstract art lately ... I'm enjoying this! I can see the idea of restlessness in all the movement of the lines :) 5 ♥s
nice idea and abstract:)
Cool series...I can relate to this! restless sleep is what I had last night! grr. Great abstract Aurora. 5♥s
Great idea!


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Pick me to read! Pick me!
- 2007 Apr 04
Cool! You did it. You picked me!
I won't let you down, man. I take doing this blob very seriously.
Blob. Sorry. I mean glob.
Wait. Glog?
Blog! I take doing this blog very seriously.
Okay, so the first thing to do is to make sure that I never, ever write here again until I've had my morning coffee.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by.
Okay, so the main thing to know about me is that I am (and duhr, I know, given this particular meeting place) a Christian.
I am a Christian.
Man. You know, that still sounds a little weird to me. Bound to forever, I suppose.
I guess there are two kinds of Christians: those essentially born and raised in the faith, and those born and raised outside of the faith who, at some point in their lives, got swept down upon and clobbered by God with the arrestingly benevolent bat of his nearly inconceivable grace.
I belong to the latter group.
Boy. Talk about getting … completely and divinely mugged. One second I'm a Happy Heathen; the next I'm … well, among other things, wondering how it is that I'm going to adjust to suddenly having to be somewhere every Sunday morning.
And now here I am, where so many Actual and Important Christians do their thing.
Life. It's so ... different from whatever you actually plan.
As, God knows, I, for one, have learned.TOMORROW: I, born again in (of all places) a supply closet at my job.


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NFC integrated circuits shipments to reach 920 Million in 2015
1 Comment
IMS Research issued a survey focusing on the evolution of three promising markets, which are projected to experience strong growth in the coming years: NFC, secure payments and digital security. According to Senior Market Analyst, Don Tait, "2011 looks like being the year when NFC finally comes good and takes-off.
The NFC market has encountered many false dawns from its inception almost seven years ago. NFC credentials (mainly NFC-enabled handsets) are projected to increase dramatically in the next five years to reach 920 million shipments in 2015. The launch of a number of NFC-enabled smartphones in 2011 is helping the market to gain traction. Also, use of NFC-enabled phones for payment, mass transit & ticketing and access is also projected to boost market development over the next few years."
Tait continues "it has taken a number of years to resolve some of the major issues surrounding NFC. Some of the main issues included lack of available handsets, limited contactless terminals and infrastructure to support the technology and unclear business models and disagreements between different stakeholders of the ecosystem. Most of these issues are being resolved and have improved significantly over the last twelve months."
According to Don Tait, "NFC is not the only secure digital sector that is forecast to experience good growth in the next few years. Payment and banking cards are also projected to show good growth over the next five years. Payment and banking smart card shipments are projected to be 2.65 billion in 2015. Smart card shipments in the payment and banking sector are to be considerably boosted by People's Bank of China's decision to convert all payment cards into smart cards by 2015. The payment and banking sector is forecast to be driven by the migration towards EMV and contactless deployments."
Tait continues "digital security solutions (including conditional access, government & healthcare ID, physical access control and M2M) are projected to increase from around 600 million units in 2010 to over 1.2 billion units in 2014. National ID is estimated to be by far the largest potential application within the government & healthcare ID sector. Asia is the largest contributor to this, accounting for over half the national ID cards in circulation."
Visit IMS Research at http://www.imsresearch.com.
This article originally appeared on EE Times Europe.


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POWEB HOSTING for WORDPRESS
I joined and paid for POWEB hosting for one reason and one reason only … for the advertisment by WordPress that said POWEB had a one button install -Now, let me tell you, I think that POWEB offers GREAT Hosting – but to say that wordpress is a push one button installation is the grossest overstatement I could imagine, in fact, if yyou go to their user forums, it is clear that many appear to have as yet unresolved issues in getting wordpress up and running – can someone at wordpress speak to POWEB and get my wordpress installation set up?? PLEASE??
I managed to set up a photo album site at POWEB – not that I needed one, but it seemed like I should do something with the hosting given I was unable to get WORDPRESS up and running!
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This Black Friday, retailers in the eastern part of the Metroplex are gearing up for the first full holiday shopping season since the President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension opened last year.
It's the first full holiday shopping season for the Firewheel Town Center and shopping area since the turnpike opened only a few days before Christmas 2011. The opening has given surrounding areas a development momentum they haven't seen for years.
Normally Black Friday shoppers dread the crowds coming, but on the busiest shopping day of the year more people will have better access to the dealsc with the Eastern Extension.
Koltain Leszcynski has been camping out for days.
"There's a lot of people here since the Bush Turnpike opened, there's more traffic, it's easier to get here for more people," said Leszcynski.
Retailers said the turnpike's impact has been huge.
"We've definitely seen sales and traffic increase over the past few months. Our retailers are reporting that for the first time they've seen shoppers from the Mesquite area, Rockwall, Rowlett," said director of marketing Glenda Garcia. "Even Murphy, Wylie, Sachse, so it's really connected the Eastern half of the Dallas Metroplex that never had easy access to the property."
Sabina Virk drove from Murphy to take advantage of open stores.
"It has really helped people connect and come here more. I have never seen so many crowds here, ever since the George Bush Turnpike got built, people are pouring from all directions," said Virk.
The turnpike has also spurred more development at the mall, Firewheel is about to double the number of apartments at the town center to 600, and add more stores.
Residents said it's a way to keep their tax dollars local.
"It was tough because the gas to get to Plano or Town East was pretty expensive," added Leszcynski.
"The people of Murphy, Garland, Sachse would have to travel 10, 15, 20 minutes to access the nearest shopping center, they don't have to do that anymore," said Garcia.


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ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - The attorney for a priest accused of promoting prostitution wants the case made public.
Ray Twohig is asking the state Supreme Court to open up the information, which includes the legal justifications for search warrants executed on the Rev. Bob Malloy's house.
He said state District Judge James F. Blackmer acted illegally in sealing the information used to charge the Roman Catholic priest, making it impossible for him to defend his client.
The court order partially sealed the search warrant listing what evidence was seized and sealed an affidavit that describes reasons for the arrest.
"Rumors, speculation and pure fantasy have substituted for justice for a priest who has served many people well," Twohig said Monday.
Malloy, 41, was arrested Dec. 17 and is charged with one count of promoting prostitution and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The charges are felonies.
In a court order, Blackmer wrote that publicity and substantial numbers of people expressing their outrage in the media created the possibility "highly opinionated persons may obstruct justice."
or "intimidate or interfere with witnesses."
Secrecy is necessary to ensure a fair trial and to protect the privacy of witnesses and the alleged victims, he said.
The judge said Twohig can have access to the documents by Jan. 15 - but does not want to release names of witnesses and alleged victims even then.
A preliminary hearing for Malloy is set for Jan. 16.
Lt. Gene Halliburton of the Albuquerque Police Department's crimes against children unit said information is sealed to protect victims.
Neither the police nor the district attorney have detailed the charges or the events leading to the arrest of Malloy, a priest at Queen of Heaven Catholic Church and a longtime volunteer chaplain for the police department. Authorities have said only that the alleged victims were three high school-age boys.
"Father Malloy is the victim of some of the worst treatment we have seen lately by those in New Mexico's criminal justice system," Twohig said. "He had been the victim of unlawful searches ... and of secrecy in judicial proceedings previously seen (only) in Franz Kafka's fiction."
He said neither he nor Malloy knows the names of those who have accused the priest.
Twohig also said his client is not a pedophile - a sensitive subject in New Mexico's Archdiocese of Santa Fe, where allegations of sexual abuse involving dozens of priests over three decades surfaced several years ago.
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In light of Monday's post, I found this article from 2010 from the CBC News: Poor and Fat: the link between poverty and fat.
"Many of these factors are also linked to poverty, however. A 2009 study in Montreal, for example, demonstrated that low-income areas have less access to quality food than their high-income equivalents. The prevalence of fast-food restaurants has been shown in other studies to be greater in low-income neighbourhoods. As well, the cost of high-quality food is generally higher than the cost of pop, chips and other high calorie snacks.
Put simply, for those who are poor, it is easier and cheaper to buy junk than it is to buy real food for your kids. Vendors that sell quality food are harder to find and reach, and wise food choices take a bigger chunk of your annual income in the process."
I highly recommend the whole thing, and bookmark it for the next time someone wants to tell you that fresh food is cheaper than fast food (nevermind the time it takes to prep and serve) and so everybody should just stop eating junk already.


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I was given a wooden TV tray on Tuesday, and tonight I turned it into an ironing board courtesy of the postings on the Quilting Board. I used a layer of warm and natural scrap and some other batting peice that looks like warm and natural but is white and then a double layer of flannel fabric all of it was from that fabric stash I got recently. So the total cost of the ironing table ZERO NADA. My neighbor even let me borrow her staple gun WITH STAPLES. lol
My husband doing the last of the stapling...man that thing is hard to use.
The finished ironing table.


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Inexact title. See the list below. We don't have an article named Analysis/AztecMythology, exactly. We do have:
- Characters/Aztec Mythology
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If you meant one of those, just click and go. If you want to start a Analysis/AztecMythology page, just click the edit button above. Be careful, though, the only things that go in the Main namespace are tropes and should be created through the YKTTW system. Don't put in redirects for shows, books, etc.. Use the right namespace for those.