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What Employee-Engagement Surveys Really Tell Us
A recent journal article has harsh words for the way employee engagement surveys are commonly conducted, claiming they can do more harm than good when done improperly. Nevertheless, the author and others still see value in administering engagement surveys, so long as organizations and HR leaders are able to craft them in ways that elicit honest, useful feedback.
By Mark McGraw
In a recent article in the American Society for Quality's Journal for Quality and Participation, author, consultant and statistician Robert Gerst notes that American companies are spending $720 million annually on improving employee engagement, according to Deloitte by Bersin research.
Much of that money and effort, he writes, is thrown into creating and administering employee-engagement surveys, a practice Gerst says yields very little -- if any -- useful information for the organization.
"The dirty little secret of employee engagement surveys," he writes, "is that they're largely junk science -- placing the marketing objective of telling and selling a good story above the practical and ethical objective of telling the truth."
Gerst, partner in charge of operational excellence and statistical methods at Calgary, Alberta-based Converge Consulting Group Inc., goes on to outline what he sees as the flawed methods many organizations rely on to craft engagement surveys.
For example, he says, the use of statistical significance to identify "important findings" really only uncovers "trivial differences of no practical importance."
In a recent interview with HRE, Gerst elaborated on his theory that conducting the surveys can actually hamper engagement, and create employee issues where none previously existed.
Say, for example, an engagement survey reveals a 5 percent difference in engagement-level scores between two given departments within an organization. Such a differential may be noticeable, but not necessarily significant, he says.
"When we try to sell the notion that [these numbers] mean there's an important difference between those two departments, bad things happen. Let's say a department gets branded as having a low engagement score, but in fact isn't lower. All of a sudden, morale [takes a hit]. People look around and wonder, 'What are we doing wrong? We thought everything was great, but now we're being told we're somehow deficient.' "
In his article, Gerst also claims the common practice of building regression models of employee engagement creates "statistical fairy tales ... composed of cherry-picked engagement drivers, ensuring employees are held accountable for the failings of executives."
"It gets even worse," he continues, noting that organizations wind up basing compensation and other critical decisions on misleading data gleaned from engagement surveys.
"We've seen quite a bit of the practice in which managers' or executives' bonuses or promotions are being based on [their teams'] engagement scores -- dependent on some kind of positive score that is in fact based on a fallacy; a simple scientific miscalculation. So I wouldn't blame managers for being upset over [not getting a bonus] because of a low engagement score."
Add to this "the belief that complex concepts such as employee engagement can be reduced to a single number," he says, "and the result eliminates any hope of understanding or improving the employer-employee relationship."
Adam Zuckerman, global practice leader for employee surveys with New York-based Towers Watson, takes a different view.
"This article is essentially saying [employee engagement] is too complex to measure," says Zuckerman. "And that's patently absurd. It is complex, but that doesn't mean that it's impossible to measure or meaningless.
"Employee engagement is nothing more than an attitude an employee holds about his or her relationship with the employer," he continues. "Since at least the 1950s, the psychology of attitudes -- including their formation, change and link to behavior -- has been the subject of comprehensive academic scholarship. These are social scientists using the scientific method -- empirical, systematic observation, description, and measurement, as well as experimentation and statistical analysis -- to inform the development and testing of falsifiable hypotheses."
Researchers regularly document and share methodologies and results, he says, making them available for scrutiny by other scientists, "who can verify or refute their findings," says Zuckerman. "The field of psychology has clearly demonstrated that attitudes can be reliably measured over time, and that we can identify the factors that influence their development and their connection to behavior."
Engagement is "no doubt a complex subject," says Mark Royal, senior principal at Philadelphia-based Hay Group Insight. "But," he asks, "is it any more complex than emotional intelligence, leadership effectiveness or personality?"
Researchers commonly develop and use surveys and tests in an effort to understand those concepts and the dynamics associated with them, he says, adding that "employee engagement surveys reflect a similar attempt to apply social science techniques to a topic widely seen as critical to business success."
A common concern for employers is that engagement surveys may motivate employees to respond negatively in an effort to further their own interests. For example, employees angling for a raise may indicate feeling they're not adequately compensated. As such, a survey's success largely hinges on employers' and HR leaders' ability to craft surveys that elicit honest and useful employee feedback, says Royal.
"The emphasis on careful communication describing survey objectives, how data will and will not be used, and the protections in place to ensure anonymity and confidentiality in responses is all driven by a worry that -- absent these reassurances -- employees may not be willing to be fully candid in sharing unfavorable opinions of the organization and their work environments."
Royal does note that employee responses to compensation and rewards are "generally among the least favorable," saying it's "quite likely" there's an element of self-interest behind many employees' tendency to indicate through surveys they feel underpaid.
"In any social science, you have to think about the mindset of respondents," adds Zuckerman. "But that's what makes benchmarking data extremely valuable, because you can essentially take into account or control for that exact influence."
Savvy organizations and HR leaders make use of both internal and external benchmarks to put results in an appropriate context, allowing leaders to understand the significance of concerns about compensation and rewards and respond accordingly, says Royal.
"Given that [HR] teams generally have access to adequate information about the true competitiveness of the pay, benefits and perquisites they offer, unfavorable responses in these areas are often seen as a signal that communications need to be enhanced related to company practices and offerings."
Organizations are increasingly turning to surveys as strategic tools, he continues, leveraging employee input in order to drive organizational performance.
This strategy "reflects a growing recognition of the critical link between people and strategy, and the extent to which human capital provides the most sustainable source of competitive differentiation for organizations," says Royal. "Accordingly, organizations are using surveys to gauge clarity regarding organizational and individual objectives, the quality of collaboration within and across teams in highly interdependent environments, perceived support for innovation and risk taking, and the effectiveness of work structures."
Despite seeing flaws in how engagement surveys are often created and administered, Gerst agrees they can be valuable in measuring employee engagement; provided the surveys are used as just one piece of the puzzle.
"I think employee engagement surveys are an absolutely critical tool to get feedback, in conjunction with other methods," says Gerst. "Your people are taking time to give feedback. If we're going to take in that information, we deserve to treat that feedback with a level of respect, and to analyze it properly."
"Employee surveys are never the only source of information leaders have about employee engagement levels," adds Royal.
"There are a variety of employee touch points -- performance discussions, team meetings, focus group discussions -- that can inform an understanding of motivation and commitment. The employee survey, however, offers leaders a unique opportunity to supplement anecdotal information with a representative look across the whole organization."


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ANGEL NUMBERS - A Guide to Repeating Number Sequences and their Messages and Meanings. You are most welcome to share these Angel Number messages with others, although I do request that you include this website address, credit your source/page links and author. All postings by Joanne Walmsley - Sacred Scribes may be used for personal, not-for-profit purposes only. firstname.lastname@example.com Joanne Walmsley Sacred Scribes Australia
Sunday, October 04, 2015
Number 2350 is a blend of the energies of number 2, the vibrations of number 3, the attributes of number 5 and the influences of number 0. Number 2 brings its vibrations of diplomacy and co-operation, consideration for others, finding balance and harmony, duality, devotion and selflessness, faith and trust and serving your life purpose and soul mission. Number 3 resonates with energy, growth and expansion, spontaneity, self-expression, encouragement and assistance, talent and skills, joy and enthusiasm. Number 3 indicates that the Ascended Masters are around you, assisting when asked. The Ascended Masters help you to focus on the Divine spark within yourself and others, and assist with manifesting your desires. They are helping you to find peace, clarity and love within. Number 5 relates to major life changes, making positive choices and decisions, promotion and advancements, adaptability and versatility, personal freedom and individuality, life lessons learned through experience and resourcefulness. Number 0 relates to developing one's spiritual aspects and carries the vibration of the 'God force' and Universal Energies, eternity, infinity, oneness, wholeness, continuing cycles and flow, and the beginning point, and its energies emphasize the attributes of the numbers it appears with.
Angel Number 2350 indicates that the life choices and changes you are making (or considering making) are the right ones for you and are in-line with your life purpose and mission. Making changes can bring about fear of the unknown, but trust that these changes are necessary and promise to bring improvements, advancements and favourable opportunities into your life. These changes may seem challenging, but rest assured that they are necessary and will prove to be most beneficial in the long-term. Allow your angels to guide you through any transitions and remember that there is nothing to fear. Your angels encourage you to release the 'old' and embrace the 'new', and live your soul purpose with confidence and enthusiasm. Trust that your prayers and positive affirmations have been heard and are being responded to by the spiritual realm and are manifesting in your life as positive changes and wonderful new opportunities. If you can learn to enjoy life's changes, you will enjoy life itself much more.
Angel Number 2350 may also suggest that you are feeling confused and/or indecisive because you do not have enough information needed to make a conclusive decision and/or choice. Listen to your inner-wisdom and intuition, do research and/or seek expert advice before making a final decision, and trust that you have all the skills, talents and abilities needed to find success with new opportunities presented through your final choices.
A happy and positive move of residence and/or place of employment may be in the works and this movement will usher in positive new energies and will bring about wonderful new opportunities for you.
Number 2350 relates to number 1 (2+3+5+0=10, 1+0=1) and Angel Number 1.
Sacred Scribes
NUMEROLOGY - The Vibration and Energy of Numbers
Posted by Joanne Sacred Scribes at 4:41 PM
Labels: 2350, 2350 angel number, 2350 meaning, angel number 2350, angel numbers, Joanne, meaning of 2350, repeating number 2350, sacred scribes, seeing 2350, spiritual meaning of 2350, what does 2350 mean
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ICC proposals criticised by former cricket chiefs
Former cricket chiefs have criticised ICC's proposal to hand greater decision making powers to a three-strong group.
Last Updated: 26/01/14 4:32pm
The trio concerned are India's BCCI, Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board, who represent the game's three wealthiest nations.
The ICC is due to discuss the controversial plan - which has been drafted because of an apparent threat by India to withdraw from major global events unless there is radical reform of the ICC - in Dubai on Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, a growing number of former cricket chiefs have expressed their alarm at the proposals which would also include a two-tier Test league with Australia, India and England being protected from relegation owing to their financial weight.
Pakistan's former ICC president Ehsan Mani has written a letter to the ICC - co-signed by Australian duo Malcolm Speed and Malcolm Gray who are both former senior administrators with the ICC - saying the paper should be withdrawn.
Mani and the other signatories, who also include former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, believe the ICC needs to re-examine the conclusions of the 2012 Woolf Report into ICC governance, which recommended, among other things, an improvement in governance standards, the appointment of independent board directors and greater transparency.
"The biggest gainers are BCCI, ECB and CA," Mani wrote.
"In addition, ICC events for the period 2015-2023 will be held only in India, England and Australia.
"These Boards will receive hosting fees for the events in addition to the ICC Distributions they propose.
"A point that also needs to be addressed is; why does BCCI need more money at the expense of other countries?
"The domestic and international media fees that BCCI receives from playing with other members are massive and underpin BCCI's financial position. It is the richest cricket board in the world.
"If cricket is to grow and develop around the world more investment is required in the Associate & Affiliate countries, not less.
"The Associate & Affiliate countries represent some of the biggest economies in the world.
"If cricket could be established properly in the United States of America and China and become an Olympic sport, the ICC could double its revenues in real terms over the next 10-15 years.
"This requires vision and a less parochial approach."


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Frogs have more fun than anybody, we see from Glenn Hopkins' good-natured cautionary fable. That is, they did. But times are tough for frogs and getting tougher. They're dying all over the world--and if you think it doesn't matter, listen to Grandfama, the wise old Indian Spirit of Hopkins' play. She puts it bluntly: "You'd better watch the frogs. When they die, you die. The frog is the canary in the mineshaft." Hopkins writes his plays, his music, lives his life, to say something. The program for Mark and Barbara Frog ("a Green Musical") bears the legend: "Celebrating 25 years of theatre-making in Los Angeles." Those years and plays have been dedicated to making points about which he cares passionately.
However desperate their plight, Hopkins' froggy lovebirds are irrepressible in their insouciance and joie de vivre. Come what may, they're jolly. We would hate to see such fun-loving creatures disappear from the earth, especially as played by Melissa Baer and Alison Bock, respectively loving hubby Mark and his showgirl-gorgeous batrachian bride Barbara. Hopkins wrote book, music, lyrics, arrangements; he directed and (declaring himself "sick of this macho thing," an advocate of "feminine energy") makes this an all-female production--aside from his auteur self, Ernest Harding as designer of lights, set, and costumes, and Harris Smith of Masquer's Cabaret, who provided wonderful frog sound effects.
Delightful frog impersonators Baer and Bock speak the language of croaks and ribbits like natives. Jumping their rubber-legged way into our hearts, they smooch and sing and deliver a web-footed soft-shoe number wearing bottle-cap berets. Their rather elegant frog costumes were sewn by Barbara Frog herself.
Debbie Elliott as Grandfama, soothsayer in the corner, dispenses stoic wisdom and irony, like: "The white man took our land. We gave you tobacco. Great gift, huh?" Candice Walker is sassy Tadpole, Mark and Barbara's polliwog progeny. On opening night at Venice Mootney, Chihiro Kawamura stood in for Sharon King as Snake/Scientist. King's day job with the Reptile and Amphibian Rescue Network absolves her, but Scientist is a snake in the grass for sending our trusting couple on a journey from which there's no return and causing Mark Frog's sad conclusion: "I don't think they have very big hearts."
Hopkins' new play has heart. Set to his froggy, Gershwin-influenced music, it combines fable, fantasy, and fact with a light touch and a somber warning: "The heart of the living world is beating out a danger signal."


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Forget for a moment that unfortunate addiction to smartphones. We remain a nation of radioheads, with 91.7% of the UK adult population tuning in every week.
The joy of radio is that we can listen to it while doing other things – playing on our smartphone for instance – and it has proved remarkably resilient in the digital era, even if it is still getting to grips with how to make the digital transition itself.
Commercial radio is enjoying a boom, as Grant Goddard notes, reaching more than 65% of the population for the last two quarters in a row, higher than it has been since 2003.
But Goddard sounds a note of caution. As the BBC's Tim Davie has previously highlighted – not just for commercial radio but the entire industry – the average amount of time people spend listening to the wireless is on the decline.
And when "listen again" and podcasts are taken into account – an area the BBC dominates, despite the sterling efforts of Absolute Radio – the BBC's lead over commercial radio would be even higher than it already is.
Commercial radio has been busy turning its local brands into national ones, although as Matt Deegan points out Global Radio's Capital – one of the new "quasi-national" stations – has been less successful in some markets than others.
South Wales in particular has been a weak spot, where the station formerly known as Red Dragon saw its reach drop by 15% and its listening hours by 20%.
But Capital Birmingham – previously Galaxy (and before that Choice) – has added 20% to its hours. "Is this the benefit of ditching the legacy of being an urban station and being reborn as a pop one?" Deegan asks.
Deegan also highlights plenty of digital trends, including the rebirth of Absolute Radio. As the main station has struggled post-Virgin Radio, so its digital offshoots have flourished.
For Adam Bowie, the big story nationally was BBC Radio 4 Extra, and the half million or so listeners it has added since it changed its name from BBC Radio 7. Those BBC radio types know a thing or two about marketing.
Plus Bowie points out the oddity that in the quarter that the online Radioplayer was launched, internet listening actually fell. A statistical blip, he suggests. The joy of Rajar.
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Round 'em up: listen to more Six Shooter episodes, and pick them up in collected editions.
© and (P)2006 Radio Spirits Inc.
"In his many radio jobs, the one Stewart most enjoyed was the one-season series The Six Shooter." (Tony Thomas, A Wonderful Life: The Films and Career of James Stewart)
"James Stewart was a superb radio actor in various anthology appearances and in his own series, The Six Shooter." (Jim Harmon, Radio Mystery and Adventure)
"Classic James Stewart Western"
Definitely, loved the reading of this book.
I liked hearing James Stewart's voice telling the story. The story has a twist that makes it very humorous which is classic for James Stewart's works.
James Stewart was a wonderful actor and a great narrator for this story.
Yes, I wanted to know how it ended.
Suspense and humor in a well written western story.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


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Everyone here has seen Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), the annual classic film that airs every December. The question is, is it worth paying for something that you can see for free. Since Rudolph is so entertaining and well-done the answer is yes. I watched the film on a balmy April evening for this review and, while it felt a little funny, I was quickly drawn into the story, regardless of the fact that I've already seen it a hundred times. Taking off from the then-recent song of the same title, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer features all of the key ingredients: The very shiny nose, reindeer games, the foggy Christmas eve, and the triumphant ending with Rudolph going down in history. It also adds a number of new elements, hinting at the sly wit of the film's creators: Herbie the Elf is also a reject from his peer group since, rather than build toys he would like to be a dentist. After his anti-dentite elf boss dresses him down Herbie joins up with Rudolph for a dramatic trek across the northern tundra that introduces them to Yukon Cornelius, the Island of Misfit Toys, and the Bumble, an abominable snowman.
The story obviously goes off on tangents, but the jokes are funny, the songs great, and the lesson - tolerance and understanding - meaningful. There is even a thrillingly suspenseful twist when a sorrowful Rudolph basically sacrifices his life to save his friends. Of course everything works out, the the journey is a great one.
The disc also features a ReadSpeak version of the film that runs the dialog on the screen next to the mouths of the characters. This is more dynamic than subtitles and is supposed to help with "whole word" learning, a relatively new way of learning to read that uses worlds more for their symbolic value than grammatical relevance. I can't vouch for the effectiveness of this method, but it is an interesting extra. This is a separate version of the film and this feature cannot be accessed on the fly from the regular version.
The song "Fame and Fortune", which was used to replace another song in the film for some re-releases is included here as an extra, as is a trivia game.
Additionally a lengthy montage of footage from other children's video releases is included (sadly, not Rankin-Bass' bizarre Mad Monster Party). Most of the programs previewed do not match the artistry or cleverness of Rudolph.
Gil Jawetz is a graphic designer, video director, and t-shirt designer. He lives in Brooklyn.


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Lisa Brooking »
Video interview: Lisa Brooking – 2017 BC Cross Country Championships
© Copyright – 2017 – Athletics Illustrated Post-race interviews: Luc Bruchet Natasha Wodak Sarah Inglis Rob Denault Tyler Dozzi Lisa Brooking Theo Hunt Mens race video Womens race videoRead More »
Video interview: Lisa Brooking – 2017 GoodLife Fitness Victoria Half Marathon
© Copyright – 2017 – Athletics IllustratedRead More »
U Sport Cross Country Championships: Trinity Western University's inspired performance
© Copyright – 2016 – Athletics Illustrated It is rather poignant that the Plains of Abraham, which lie in the heart of Quebec, are referred to as the lungs of the City by the NationalRead More »
Lisa Brooking interview – 2016 BC Cross Country Champion
© Copyright – 2016 – Athletics Illustrated Link to see all 2016 BC Cross Country Championships videos.Read More »
BC Cross Country Championships Proudfoot and Brooking dominate
© Copyright – 2016 – Athletics Illustrated The British Columbia Cross Country Championships took place Saturday in Nanaimo's Beban Park under classic racing conditions with plenty of rain and mud. The men's senior race was wonRead More »
GoodLife Fitness Victoria Half Marathon: Women's Race Will Be Close
© Copyright – 2014 – Athletics Illustrated Of the three events at this Sunday's GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon weekend it appears that the women's half-marathon may be the most competitive, as the top five athletesRead More »
Doerksen, O'Connor Prevail at BMO Sunshine Coast Half Marathon
© Copyright – 2014 – Athletics Illustrated The 37th running of the BMO Sunshine Coast April Fool's Half Marathon took place Sunday under partially sunny skies and mild temperatures. The winners were David Jackson ofRead More »
BC Cross Country Championships: Bruchet and Cliff win
Join the cross-country discussion here. © Copyright – 2013 – Athletics Illustrated The 2013 BC Cross Country Championships took place Saturday, October 26th in Abbotsford BC, under variable skies, with calm and dry conditions. Luc Bruchet wonRead More »


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Thank you for your interest in the services of Patent Search International. We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to be of help to you toward the possible patenting and development of your idea.
We have posted (AS SAMPLES) our four page form which includes your record of invention, as well as our statement of confidentiality and nonuse. These forms can be easily downloaded. These forms can also be mailed to you when you visit Send Info Page and fill out address form. The first step in processing an invention, and one which can not be circumvented, is to conduct a preliminary patent search. Upon receipt of the completed form, we will conduct a search of the United States Patent Office records in order to ascertain whether or not your idea is new and patentable. Within seven to ten business days, we will send you those patents that we have found to be similar to your idea, along with the opinion of an independent registered patent professional as to whether or not your invention is patentable.
Along with your completed form, please send us your check in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) for payment in full of all the above-mentioned services. We also accept Master Card, Visa, Discovery & American Express.
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Lindsey E. Kincaid grew up in Radford, Virginia. She received her B.A. in studio art with a focus in ceramics from Emory & Henry in 2009. After Graduation she moved to Damascus, where she focused on oil paintings as her creative outlet. In July 2011 she set up a ceramics studio at her home and has been happily sculpting ever since. Kincaid was the interim-curator and arts assistant at the 1912 Gallery. Kincaid is now the Arts & Marketing Coordinator at the Woodrow W. McGlothlin Center for the Arts. She currently lives in Abingdon.
I'm excited to be working at one of the best art centers in Virginia—the McGlothlin Center for the Arts! We have a great season lined up. A little something for everyone. Come join us.


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Dual Degree Program: MS in Engineering Systems (MSES) and MBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management
The Department of Engineering Technology at the University of North Texas, in partnership with the College of Business, offers a dual degree program leading to both a Master of Science in Engineering Systems (MSES) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Business Operations and Supply Chain Management.
MSES candidates can choose a thesis plan or a non-thesis plan:
- The 30-semester-hour thesis option consists of six semester hours of thesis credit and 24 semester hours of graduate course work. View MSES thesis degree requirements in the UNT Catalog.
- The 33-semester-hour non-thesis options consist of three semester hours of project-in-lieu-of-thesis and 30 semester hours of graduate course work. View MSES non-thesis degree requirements in the UNT Catalog.
The MSES degree offers the following concentrations:
Construction Management
Electrical Systems
Engineering Management
Mechanical Systems
Each student's program is planned under the direction of a chosen major professor prior to completion of the first semester of graduate study. The student will be admitted to candidacy when the degree plan is approved by the graduate dean.
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We love our house and hope to live in it until we can't anymore. That is what drives a lot of our design decisions and certainly that's what's driving this house renovation. We still need to crunch all the numbers to make sure we can afford to make this all a reality, but it's so nice to see it on paper.
I'll get into more detail about the project when it becomes final and these are just preliminary plans that will be tweaked a bit (I already have a few tweaks in the works and the plans have only been in my hands for a few hours). I'll just quickly tell you what we're trying to accomplish, and not accomplish with this reno. First of all, we're not adding square footage. I know that sounds strange, especially when your house is somewhere in the 1,300 square foot range, but I'm OK with the size for the most part, and adding on square footage would be such a huge undertaking from a financial and red tape (our proximity to Lake Michigan and the charming "creek" that runs through our back yard complicates permitting issues) perspective that it would make more sense to move. This project started with a desire to fix a faulty roof design. We have these odd little dormers that are set into the peak of the roof next to it. As it turns out, they are a breeding ground for ice dams and roof issues. Every time it snows we have to shovel our roof or else it will leak. We've had new waterproofing stuff put up there, had multiple roofers and insulation people come look and they all say the same thing ... we can fix it temporarily, but the only way to really fix it is to change the roof design.
And you know how projects go: you said "As long as we're ......" a lot. And we have. So as long as we're fixing the roof (which also needs to be done because we need a new roof anyway), we're making a few modications. The biggest is adding in a second bathroom so that we have one upstairs. We're also adding in a shed dormer on the east side to get more usable space in the bedrooms (which currently have a knee wall so the edges of the roof aren't good for much). And as long as we're doing all that ... well why not knock out a window in our little den/office/family room and put in glass doors going out to a deck. And as long as we're building a deck ... why not put up a pergola? Well, you get the point.
Anyway, enough babbling. If we can make this work there will be plenty of time to talk about all that stuff and show you the interiors.
So, here's the house in it's currently configuration (sorry that I don't have any straight-on shots).
So what do you think? Not a bad birthday gift, huh? Of course the flowers my awesome husband got me are pretty great too, but the poor things have a lot to live up to with these plans in my hands.


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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Even organizers have canceled a professional basketball tournament in Las Vegas hosted by former NBA star Allen Iverson after the league resolved its lockout.
Organizers said Friday they would refund tickets to the two-day event that would have featured Kevin Durant, Al Harrington and others.
The tournament was scheduled for Jan. 6-7 at the Thomas and Mack Center.
Iverson has been out of the NBA since 2010 and spent part of last year playing in Turkey. He was the NBA MVP in 2001, when he led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA finals.
© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Gouged woman beaten nine times by boyfriend in just one year
A woman whose eyes were gouged out by her abusive boyfriend in a "silent, prolonged attack" had been assaulted nine times in one year by him, it emerged yesterday as he was jailed for life.
Tina Nash, who was blinded during the gouging attack by Shane Jenkin, urged other victims of domestic abuse not to suffer in silence.
Ms Nash, speaking after today's sentencing of Jenkin, said that she could now begin rebuilding her life, adding: "I want to provide a future for my kids and be a good mum."
Andrew Macfarlane, for the prosecution, told Truro Crown Court that in the 12 months before Jenkin's attack on Ms Nash, 31, in April last year, there had been nine reports of domestic violence.
On one…


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The Tilt Table range has numerous applications in both examination and treatment procedures.
Tilt tables are used extensively in the area of functional rehabilitation for the handicapped and disabled patient where the requirement to stand or be upright is of paramount importance.The couch assists the natural gravitational functions of the body, re-educates the balance mechanisms affected by long periods of lying and gives a degree of independence.
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Backwardation in Oil Futures Markets: Theory and Empirical Evidence
Oil futures prices are often below spot prices. This phenomenon, known as strong backwardation, is inconsistent with Hotelling's theory under certainty that the net price of an exhaustible resource rises over time at the rate of interest. The authors introduce uncertainty and characterize oil wells as call options. They show that production occurs only if discounted futures are below spot prices, production is nonincreasing in the riskiness of future prices, and strong backwardation emerges if the riskiness of future prices is sufficiently high. The empirical analysis indicates that U.S. oil production is inversely related and backwardation is directly related to implied volatility. Copyright 1995 by American Finance Association.
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Volume (Year): 50 (1995)
Issue (Month): 5 (December)
Pages: 1517-1545
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|November 24, 2011, 01:01 AM
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To understand the Nagant, you have to understand the school of thought regarding handguns in late 19th Century Europe. First of all, the handgun was viewed more as an officer's badge of rank rather than a serious fighting tool by most powers at the time. The revolver was, at most, a last ditch self-defense weapon and/or a tool for shooting deserters as they tried to flee the battle. As such, so long as the Nagant's trigger still allowed for "minute of Cossack" accuracy it was plenty good enough.
As to the cartridge, it was actually not substantially more underpowered than most of its contemporaries such as 7.5 Swiss Ordinance, 7.5 Swedish Nagant, 8mm Gasser, or 8mm Lebel Revolver. One must understand that ideas about handgun effectiveness were quite different in the 19th Century than they were today. In a time before antibiotics and modern medicine, getting shot with anything was far more likely to be fatal. During this time period, cartridges like .32 S&W Long were quite popular for police use here in the U.S. Probably the two most powerful military handguns in use at the time were the British .455 Webley revolvers which, while much better than most of their contemporaries, are no power-houses by today's standards and the American .45 Long Colt which was chosen primarily for its ability to take down an enemy's horse. Once you understand the thoughts and ideas of the time, 7.62 Nagant seems like a perfectly suitable cartridge.
In today's world, the only purposes for which the Nagant is particularly well suited are historical interest and fun at the range. With exponentially better handguns available chambered for far more effective cartridges, choosing a Nagant for anything but the two previously mentioned purposes makes little sense to me.
Smith, and Wesson, and Me. -H. Callahan
Well waddaya know, one buwwet weft! -E. Fudd
All bad precedents begin as justifiable measures. -J. Caesar
|November 24, 2011, 07:51 AM
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Definetly agree with Kraigwy
|ishevsk , m1895 , nagant , revolver , tula
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Primary Teacher, Doha, Qatar
9 candidates have viewed this job in the past 24 hours
Job details
|Swiss International School of Qatar
|Doha, Qatar
|Starting between 131,000 and 225,000 QAR per annum, Tax Free
|Contract type
|Full Time
|Contract term
|Fixed Term
|Closing date
|Job starts
The new Swiss International School of Qatar is seeking dynamic Primary Teachers (at all levels) for September 2018. This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to be part of the founding team of educators that is establishing the IB PYP at SISQ, and taking the school through IB authorisation.
SISQ will be a full IB school and has the ambition of becoming one of the leading educational institutions in the region.
The successful candidate will have the following essential qualities:
- PYP experience and/or training
- Ability to cope in a start-up environment
- Curriculum-writing skills and experience
- A collaborative style and a good sense of humour
- A commitment to continuous improvement
- A commitment to student learning and safeguarding
The following qualities would be an advantage:
- Experience in an international setting
- Experience with EAL students
Applications for this position are through Schrole. Please apply early, as SISQ may make an appointment before the closing date if an exceptional candidate is found.
About the employer
|Org type
|Mainstream School
|All-through with sixth form
|Funding status
|Age range
|3 - 18 years
1 / 15
Locations and contacts
Al Madeena Street
Al Luqta


text: Sentry Sen"try, n.; pl. Sentires. [Probably from OF. senteret a little patch; cf. F. sentier path, and OF. sente. See Sentinel.] 1. (Mil.) A soldier placed on guard; a sentinel. 2. Guard; watch, as by a sentinel. Here toils, and death, and death's half-brother, sleep, Forms terrible to view, their sentry keep. --Dryden. Sentry box, a small house or box to cover a sentinel at his post, and shelter him from the weather.


text:
Street Rockin'
Credits & Info
- Uploaded
- Apr 21, 2007 | 8:06 PM EDT
- File Info
- Song
- 4 min 3 sec
- Score
- 4.35 / 5.00
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Please contact me if you would like to use this in a project. We can discuss the details.
- Score:
- Rated 4.35 / 5 stars
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Author Comments
Rated 5 / 5 stars
just wonderfull
this took me back to sitting in a friends basemint.it was wonderfull
Rated 3.5 / 5 stars
This song is really good for a cloudy day, it lifts you up a bit. This is good for just a test, it made me think it was really official.
Keep up the good work.
Rated 5 / 5 stars
That felt good.
Man, this is incredible. Echoing some of the previous reviews, it's great to have another skilled jazz musician on NG. The song really made me feel good. If this is just a test, I can't wait to see what you bring in the future.
Thanks, it's a test, yes. I have 2 more test songs in the works so I can get a feel for what kinds of songs I can do with this keyboard. With the first one I'm already feeling a much better quality than this piece.
Glad you liked it. It's pretty funny cause I wouldn't have thought of myself as a skilled jazz musician, so thanks!
Rated 3.5 / 5 stars
It was ok not the best i've heard. the way u bring in the drums nd piano is kinda bad but dont let this get u down its a good song. keep up the good work.
sry bout spelling...
Rated 4.5 / 5 stars
this is great!
its defintely a pleasant surprise to hear a (good) jazz submission to the portal
Great playing and everything
u should defintely submit more like this
haha nice glissandos
oh and good job ongetting weekly top 5 like me
check out my pieces/tracks wen u get some time
i would really appreciate it
again great job brosef


text:
The role of glucagon in the pathological condition of diabetes is gaining interest, and it has been recently reported that its action is essential for hyperglycemia to occur. Glucagon levels, which are elevated in some diabetic models, are reduced following leptin therapy. Likewise, hyperglycemia is corrected in type 1 diabetic mice treated with leptin, although the mechanisms have not been fully determined. A direct inhibitory effect of leptin on mouse and human α-cells has been demonstrated at the levels of electrical activity, calcium signaling, and glucagon secretion. In the present study we employed the Cre-loxP strategy to generate Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice, which specifically lack leptin receptors in glucagon-secreting α-cells, to determine whether leptin resistance in α-cells contributes to hyperglucagonemia, and also whether leptin action in α-cells is required to improve glycemia in type 1 diabetes with leptin therapy. Immunohistochemical analysis of pancreas sections revealed Cre-mediated recombination in ∼43% of the α-cells. We observed that in vivo Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice display normal glucose and lipid homeostasis. In addition, leptin administration in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice restored euglycemia similarly to control mice. These findings suggest that loss of leptin receptor signaling in close to one-half of α-cells does not alter glucose metabolism in vivo, nor is it sufficient to prevent the therapeutic action of leptin in type 1 diabetes.
- diabetes
- leptin signaling
- leptin therapy
the insulin-counteracting hormone glucagon, secreted from pancreatic α-cells, plays a crucial role in regulating blood glucose levels. While insulin is secreted after meal ingestion and stimulates glucose uptake (11, 35), glucagon is secreted in conditions of fuel demand and promotes hepatic glucose production by activating glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis (19, 44). Hence, the finely tuned secretion and action of these two antagonistic hormones maintain glycemia within physiological levels. Some humans with diabetes (31), as well as diabetic animal models, including alloxan-treated dogs (32), leptin-deficient ob/ob mice (17), leptin receptor-deficient db/db mice (26), nonobese diabetic NOD mice (47), and streptozotocin (STZ)-treated mice (14), display hyperglucagonemia, a condition that worsens hyperglycemia. Treatments including neutralizing antibodies against glucagon (6, 7, 41) or glucagon receptor blocking agents (12, 23) have been reported to improve glucose homeostasis in diabetic models (8). Moreover, glucagon action is required for diabetes to develop in insulin-deficient mice (27). Remarkably, glucagon receptor knockout (GcgR−/−) mice displayed normoglycemia and glucose tolerance after receiving a double dose of STZ that destroyed the majority of their insulin-secreting β-cells (27). Thus, a better understanding of the mechanisms that regulate glucagon secretion from pancreatic α-cells may aid in the development of therapeutic strategies to control glucagon release and thereby lower blood glucose levels in individuals with diabetes.
An endogenous molecule that can inhibit glucagon release is the adipose-derived hormone leptin. Leptin is well-known for reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure upon activation of its receptor in the hypothalamus (38). However, leptin receptors are expressed in additional tissues, including α- and β-cells of the endocrine pancreas (24, 42). Leptin directly acts on pancreatic β-cells to suppress insulin synthesis and release (25, 39, 40). In addition to its action on β-cells, leptin also directly inhibits glucagon secretion from α-cells (42). Moreover, leptin therapy has been shown to reduce glucagon levels in rodent models of type 1 diabetes, which may contribute to the improvements in glycemia (14, 47). In addition, leptin replacement has been reported to decrease circulating glucagon levels in ob/ob mice (13). Thus, leptin regulation of glucagon secretion through direct action on α-cells might contribute to leptin-mediated control of glucose homeostasis.
Despite the hyperleptinemia displayed by obese rodents and humans, leptin often fails to cease the progress of obesity (9, 18, 45). Such a failure of leptin to suppress appetite is considered evidence for leptin resistance in the hypothalamus (3, 34). We have previously shown that the specific disruption of leptin receptors in β-cells results in several features, including increased body weight and adiposity, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and insulin resistance (10). These observations suggest that leptin resistance in β-cells may contribute to obesity-related diabetes. Likewise, impaired leptin signaling in glucagon-secreting α-cells may contribute to the development of hyperglucagonemia in this disease. To explore this hypothesis we generated mice that specifically lack leptin receptors in pancreatic α-cells, referred to as Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice. We have analyzed the phenotype of this model at the level of both glucose and lipid metabolism. In addition, we induced diabetes in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice by administration of STZ and tracked fasting blood glucose levels after leptin treatment to determine whether leptin action on glucagon-secreting α-cells is involved in the improvement of glycemia observed during leptin treatment of type 1 diabetes.
Ethics statement.
All procedures with animals were approved by the University of British Columbia Animal Care Committee and carried out in accordance with the Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines.
B6.Cg-Tg(Gcg-cre)1Herr/Mmnc (referred to as Gcg-cre) mouse embryos were purchased from the Mutant Mouse Regional Resource Center and implanted into C57BL/6 surrogate mice at the Centre for Disease Modeling (Vancouver, Canada). Gcg-cre mice were crossed with Leprflox/flox mice (30) to generate Leprflox/+ and Leprflox/+ Gcg-cre mice, which were subsequently crossed to generate Leprflox/flox littermate controls and Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice for our studies. In addition, Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice were crossed with homozygous reporter mT/mG (33) to finally generate Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre;mT/mG for Cre recombination immunohistochemistry analysis. The primers employed for genotyping the Gcg-cre transgene are 5′-CAG ATG AGA AAT TTA TAT TGT CAG CG-3′ (forward) and 5′-TCC ATG GTG ATA CAA GGG AC-3′ (reverse), which give an amplicon of ∼300 bp. In our studies we employed both males and females. All mice were housed with a 12:12-h light-dark cycle and had ad libitum access to chow diet (2918; Harlan Laboratories, Madison, WI) and water.
Islet isolation, dispersion, and cell culture.
Pancreases were injected with Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) containing 1,000 U/ml of type XI collagenase (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) by the duct before their removal and digested at 37°C for 12 min. Islets were then washed with iced-cold HBSS and handpicked under a microscope. One hour after recovery at 37°C and 5% CO2, freshly isolated islets were dispersed into single cells by trypsin enzymatic digestion and cultured in RPMI containing 10% FBS, 100 IU/ml penicillin, 0.1 mg/ml streptomycin, and 1% Glutamax 100X.
To assess Leprflox recombination, tissues from 6-wk-old Leprflox/flox and Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre female mice were harvested and homogenized in salt homogenization buffer (0.4 M NaCl, 10 mM Tris·HCl, pH 8.0, 2 mM EDTA, 1% SDS, and 0.25 mg/ml proteinase K), and DNA was extracted as previously described (1). For PCR reactions, 2 μl of genomic DNA were added to a 20-μl reaction containing 1× Accuprime Buffer II (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA), 1 U/μl Accuprime Taq polymerase (Invitrogen), and 1 μM of each primer Lepr105 (reverse): 5′-ACA GGC TTG AGA ACA TGA ACA C-3′ and 15369 (forward): 5′-TGG CTT TTA AGC TCT GCA GTC-3′ (Integrated DNA Technologies).
Immunohistochemical analysis.
Pancreata were harvested and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde overnight. After fixation, pancreases were washed in 70% ethanol and embedded in paraffin for subsequent sectioning. Primary antibodies against glucagon (1:1,000; Sigma-Aldrich), enhanced green fluorescent protein [EGFP, 1:500 (Clontech) or 1:500 (Life Technology)], and insulin (1:200; Cell Signaling) were used for an overnight incubation at 4°C. For secondary antibodies, goat anti-mouse Alexa 594 (1:1,000; Life Technology), goat anti-mouse Alexa 488 (1:1,000; Life Technology), goat anti-rabbit Alexa 488 (1:1,000; Life Technology), or goat anti-rabbit 594 (1:1,000; Life Technology) were added and incubated for 1 h at room temperature. Whole pancreas sections was scanned using the ImageXpress Micro Imaging System, and images were stitched together and analyzed using MetaXpress Software (Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA).
Plasma analyte measurements.
Blood glucose, body weight, and plasma analytes were typically measured after 4 h fasting unless specified otherwise. Random-fed samples were collected at 11:00 P.M., 5 h into the dark cycle. Blood glucose was monitored from the saphenous vein via a One Touch Ultra Glucometer (Life Scan, Burnaby, Canada). Plasma glucagon levels were measured by a Glucagon RIA (Millipore), plasma insulin levels were determined by an Insulin Mouse Ultrasensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (ALPCO Diagnostics, Salem, NH), and plasma leptin levels were measured using a mouse leptin ELISA (Crystal Chem, Downers Grove, IL). Free fatty acids (HR Series NEFA HR Kit; Wako Chemical), cholesterol (Cholesterol E kit; Wako Chemical, Richmond, VA), triglycerides (Serum Triglyceride kit; Sigma-Aldrich), and β-hydroxybutyrate (β-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor Test; Stanbio) were also measured from plasma.
Oral glucose tolerance test and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
Mice were fasted for 4 h and then given an oral glucose gavage (2 g/kg body wt) of a 30% glucose solution. Blood was sampled from the saphenous vein and measured for glucose or insulin before (0 min) and at different time points. Blood glucose levels and plasma insulin levels were measured as described above.
STZ treatment and leptin therapy.
Mice received a single dose of 160 mg/kg body wt of STZ (Sigma-Aldrich) prepared in acetate buffer, pH 4.5, by intraperitoneal administration on day 0. Seven days later, when diabetes had been confirmed (fasting blood glucose ≥16 mmol/l on two consecutive days), STZ-leptin mice received 20 μg/day mouse recombinant leptin (PeproTech, Rocky Hill, NJ) dissolved in H2O via Alzet 7-day pumps (DURECT) implanted subcutaneously. STZ-vehicle control mice received pumps loaded with H2O only.
Statistical analysis.
Data are expressed as means ± SE. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test or two-way repeated-measures ANOVA (GraphPad Prism; GraphPad Software, La Jolla, CA). P values ≤0.05 were considered significant.
Generation of mice with specific disruption of leptin receptors in pancreatic α-cells.
To generate mice with α-cell-specific disruption of leptin signaling we employed the Cre-loxP strategy (Fig. 1A). Leprflox/flox mice carry loxP sites flanking the exon 17 of the leptin receptor, which encodes the Janus kinase (JAK) binding site of the long isoform of Lepr-b (30). Excision of the exon 17 by Cre-mediated recombination at the loxP sites results in an allele with an altered 3′-terminus (LeprΔ17) (30) no longer encoding tyrosine-985 and tyrosine-1138 [sites of JAK-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation (4)]. Therefore, mice homozygous for the LeprΔ17 allele lack leptin-stimulated JAK/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling. Leprflox/flox mice were crossed with Gcg-cre mice, which express Cre recombinase under the rat proglucagon promoter, conferring α-cell-specific expression of Cre (21), to generate both Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre and Leprflox/flox control mice.
We next analyzed Cre recombination in the α-cells of Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice by means of PCR and immunostaining. First, genomic DNA was extracted from several tissues of Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice and their control Leprflox/flox littermates. With the primers used we were able to detect the recombined amplicon of the leptin receptor gene (411 bp) only in islet samples from Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice, not in brain or gut samples where there is also proglucagon promoter activity, and the nonrecombined wild-type amplicon (823 bp) was detected in all the samples tested in Leprflox/flox and Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice (Fig. 1B). The nonrecombined amplicon present in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre islets is likely in part due to the presence of β-cells, which are the most prominent cell population within the islets. In addition to assessing leptin receptor gene recombination by PCR, we also crossed Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice with reporter mT/mG mice. In this double-fluorescent reporter model, a chicken β-actin core promoter with a CMV enhancer (pCA) drives a loxP-flanked coding sequence of membrane-targeted tandem dimer Tomato (mT), which results in mT expression. Upon Cre recombination, the mT sequence is excised allowing the pCA promoter to drive expression of membrane-targeted EGFP (mG) (33). Hence, by analyzing the pancreata of Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre;mT/mG mice we were able to determine whether Cre expression is confined to the α-cell population and the extent of Cre recombination within the α-cells. Immunostaining was carried out in pancreas sections (Fig. 1C) and also in dispersed islet cells (Fig. 1D), for accurate quantification. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that EGFP immunoreactivity was detectable in the membrane of ∼43% of the glucagon-positive cells (Fig. 1E), which demonstrated that the Gcg-cre mice used in this study permitted only a partial recombination. EGFP immunoreactivity was otherwise only detected in very rare non-α-cells.
Glucose and lipid homeostasis is not altered in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice.
Glucagon plays an essential role in maintaining blood glucose levels within a physiological range. Leptin exerts a direct inhibitory effect on α-cells at the levels of electrical activity, calcium signaling, and glucagon secretion in mouse and human isolated islets (42). To assess whether partial ablation of leptin signaling in glucagon-secreting α-cells could lead to abnormalities in glucose homeostasis we performed a series of in vivo studies in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice and in control Leprflox/flox littermates. First, we monitored 4 h fasting body weight and blood glucose levels in age-matched female and male Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre and Leprflox/flox mice and did not observe differences between genotypes (Fig. 2A). Similarly, no differences between genotypes were detected in glycemia (Fig. 2B) or insulin (Fig. 2C) secretion when the same animals underwent an oral glucose tolerance test.
Aside from its well-known effects on glucose metabolism, glucagon plays an important role in regulating lipid metabolism, since it inhibits triglyceride synthesis and secretion, and stimulates fatty acid oxidation in mouse hepatocytes (28). However, there are some discrepancies in studies carried out in humans (20). In the present study we also measured plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and free fatty acids and did not find differences between Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice and their control Leprflox/flox littermates (Fig. 3).
Given that leptin stimulation decreases glucagon secretion in mouse islets (42), plasma samples were analyzed for glucagon in the overnight-fasted and random-fed states (Fig. 4A) in both Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre and Leprflox/flox mice. No differences in circulating glucagon levels were detected between genotypes during either state. In addition, Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice had unaltered fasted plasma insulin levels (Fig. 4B). Analysis of fed plasma leptin levels revealed a trend toward increased leptin concentrations in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre male mice compared with control males, although this did not reach statistical significance (Fig. 4C). It is plausible that elevated plasma leptin levels along with the remaining population of α-cells with intact leptin signaling maintain normal glucose homeostasis in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice.
STZ-induced diabetic Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice have a normal response to leptin therapy.
Leptin therapy has been shown to reverse hyperglycemia in STZ-induced diabetic mice (14, 15) although the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In addition, leptin treatment in STZ-diabetic mice notably decreases circulating glucagon levels (14), which may mediate glucose lowering. To determine whether the beneficial effect of leptin on glucose metabolism in STZ-treated mice occurs through a direct inhibitory action of leptin on the α-cells we administered a single high dose of STZ in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre and Leprflox/flox mice. Following development of hyperglycemia, both Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre and Leprflox/flox control mice received 20 μg/day leptin, and an additional group of Leprflox/flox control mice received vehicle (diabetic control group), via subcutaneous miniosmotic pumps. As expected from previous observations (14, 15), leptin ameliorated hyperglycemia in the leptin-treated control Leprflox/flox mice within a few days, whereas vehicle-treated Leprflox/flox mice remained hyperglycemic for the study duration (Fig. 5A). Leptin therapy also ameliorated hyperglycemia in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice. Interestingly, however, there was a trend toward higher blood glucose levels under leptin treatment in the Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre group compared with leptin-treated Leprflox/flox mice, although this did not reach statistical significance. We also analyzed plasma glucagon levels in Leprflox/flox and Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice before and 7 days after the implantation of leptin/vehicle pumps (Fig. 5B). Leptin similarly reduced plasma glucagon levels in both groups, whereas glucagon levels remained elevated in diabetic vehicle-treated Leprflox/flox mice. Likewise, leptin treatment also reduced the plasma levels of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate in a similar manner in both Leprflox/flox and Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice (Fig. 5C).
In the present study we aimed to unravel the in vivo metabolic consequences of disrupting leptin signaling in glucagon-secreting α-cells and to determine whether leptin action in this cell population contributes to the metabolic improvement observed in type 1 diabetic models following leptin treatment. For this purpose, we employed the Cre-loxP strategy and crossed Leprflox/flox mice, which have loxP sites flanking the exon 17 of the leptin receptor gene (30), with Gcg-cre mice, which express Cre recombinase under the glucagon promoter (21). Thus, the resulting Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice specifically lack the long isoform of the leptin receptor in α-cells. Whereas short isoforms of the leptin receptor are also expressed in glucagon-secreting α-cells (42), these receptors are believed to have little effect on signaling, whereas they are involved in processes, including leptin internalization, clearance, or transport through the blood-brain barrier (5, 43). Similarly to other studies, where PCR is employed to detect recombination in specific tissues, we showed recombination of the leptin receptor in islet samples from Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice. In contrast, we did not observe recombination of the leptin receptor in brain stem, hypothalamus, or gut samples, tissues known to possess proglucagon promoter activity (16, 22). In addition, to determine the extent of Cre recombination in the α-cell population, we crossed our model with the double-fluorescent reporter strain mT/mG, such that Cre recombination could be analyzed by detection of EGFP immunoreactivity in cell membranes. Unexpectedly, the immunohistochemical analysis of Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre;mT/mG islet cells showed recombination in only ∼43% of the α-cells. Although some studies that employed the same Gcg-cre mice reported recombination in ∼70% of the glucagon-secreting cells (2, 36), others reported just 13% of Cre-mediated recombination (46). The reason for obtaining different degrees of Cre recombination is not known but may be due to strain differences.
Like leptin action on β-cells, evidence suggests that leptin may inhibit glucagon secretion by direct action on α-cells. Mouse models that lack leptin or leptin signaling, ob/ob and db/db mice, respectively, exhibit high circulating glucagon levels (17, 26), which, in the ob/ob model, can be reduced by leptin administration (13). Pancreatic α-cells express leptin receptors (42), and we and others have seen a decrease in glucagon secretion (14, 42, 47) as well as a reduction in glucagon expression (29) as a result of leptin treatment. Together, these results suggest that direct leptin action on glucagon suppression plays an important role in regulating glucose homeostasis. Hence, despite having a partial conditional knockout, we studied whether Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice might display altered glucose metabolism. We found that glucagon levels in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice did not differ from those in the control Leprflox/flox group, and we believe that is most probably due to the still abundant number of α-cells that express functional leptin receptors in this model. Consequently, we did not observe alterations in fasting blood glucose levels or glucose tolerance. Likewise, we did not observe differences in other plasma metabolites, including insulin, leptin, cholesterol, FFA, and triglycerides.
Leptin therapy ameliorates hyperglycemia and hyperglucagonemia in models of type 1 diabetes (14, 47), yet the mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs remains unknown. Although insulin has an inhibitory action on glucagon secretion (37), most likely insulin-secreting β-cells are not the target tissue by which leptin exerts its favorable effects in type 1 diabetic rodents. First, leptin is known to inhibit insulin release from β-cells (25, 39, 40), and second, in models of type 1 diabetes, the majority of β-cells are destroyed. The liver was also considered a key candidate in mediating the antidiabetic effects of leptin; however, we already ruled out this tissue as a direct mediator of the therapeutic actions of leptin (14). The fact that hyperleptinemia leads to a reduction in the circulating glucagon levels (14, 47), which in turn might reduce hepatic glucose production, points to the α-cells as key candidates for leptin to mediate beneficial effects in the context of diabetes. We induced diabetes in Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice and studied the effects of leptin treatment in this model that lacks leptin receptor signaling in ∼43% of α-cells. Following treatment with leptin at a dose of 20 μg/day via miniosmotic pumps, both STZ-treated Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre and control Leprflox/flox mice displayed reduced glucagon levels and improved glycemia. The trend toward lower glucose levels in the Leprflox/flox control group could reflect the partial ablation of leptin receptors in the Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre α-cells. Therefore, although the model here employed does not permit clear conclusions, it remains possible that direct leptin signaling in α-cells contributes to leptin-mediated glucose lowering in type 1 diabetes. Alternatively, the suppressive effects of leptin therapy on hyperglucagonemia in diabetes may be mediated through indirect action on α-cells, for example, through the brain.
Together these results indicate that deletion of leptin receptors in approximately one-half of the α-cell population is not sufficient to determine whether lack of leptin signaling in glucagon-secreting α-cells may lead to hyperglucagonemia and possible alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism. Similarly, the model employed in this study does not allow for determining whether direct leptin action in the α-cells may mediate beneficial effects in the context of type 1 diabetes. Given the major hurdle in achieving Cre recombination in the α-cells of Leprflox/flox Gcg-cre mice, we highlight the importance of developing more efficient Gcg-cre driver models and emphasize that it is critical to thoroughly analyze the efficiency of Cre recombination in the target tissue when the Cre-loxP strategy is employed.
This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA). T. J. Kieffer is grateful for a senior scholarship from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR). E. Tudurí was supported by MSFHR and CDA postdoctoral fellowships. H. C. Denroche received a studentship from the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors.
Author contributions: E.T., H.C.D., and T.J.K. conception and design of research; E.T., H.C.D., J.A.K., and J.K.F. performed experiments; E.T., H.C.D., and A.A. analyzed data; E.T., H.C.D., and T.J.K. interpreted results of experiments; E.T. prepared figures; E.T. drafted manuscript; E.T., H.C.D., and T.J.K. edited and revised manuscript; E.T., H.C.D., J.A.K., A.A., J.K.F., and T.J.K. approved final version of manuscript.
We thank Streamson Chua of Columbia University for providing Leprflox/flox mice and Robert K. Baker and Shannon O'Dwyer from the University of British Columbia for technical assistance.
- Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society


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Once Upon a Time and Grimm
The first thing that should be said about these similar series is... Bill Willingham's "Fables." Okay. Now that proper credit is out of the way, let's talk about the almost simultaneous emergence of Once Upon a Time and Grimm, two shows that use fairy tales bleeding into the real world as the main conceit. ABC's OUAT premiered on October 23, 2011, a whole five days before Grimm, and uses popular fairy tale characters to tell a more traditional Disney-ish fantasy, while the latter folds in famous fables as part of a darker police procedural. Both of the dramas have achieved some success and second season renewals so there is certainly hope for the survival of TV series no matter how similar they seem. We'll have to wait and see what happens with The Following and Cult but something tells me The CW serial killer drama might struggle simply by being second out of the gate. And lacking the star power of the Bacon.
Cult premieres tonight with "You're Next" at 9.00 p.m. ET on The CW. Or watch the first episode here.
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Zierke Ver Steeg wed
Leah Zierke, daughter of Bennett and Wendy Zierke of Hancock, and Chad Ver Steeg
son of Jerry and Carol Ver Steeg of Hancock and the late Christine Ver Steeg were married
on May 11, 2013, at the Christian Reformed Church in Hancock. A reception, dinner, and dance followed at Lakeside in Glenwood.
Special guests were their grandparents Orville and Darlene Koosmann of Hancock, Robert and Betty Zierke of Morris, and Rose Nelson of Menahga.
Matron of honor was Jamie Shelley, sister of the bride. Bridesmaids included Keri Abi-Saleh, sister of the bride; Courtney Zierke, sister-in-law of the bride; and Allison Koosmann and Christine Ayala-Zierke, cousins of the bride. Personal attendant was Brooke Malek, friend of the bride. Flower girls were Mila Ver Steeg, niece of the groom, and Mattia Nelson, friend of the couple.
Best man was Scott Ver Steeg, brother of the groom. Groomsmen included Kyle Zierke, brother of the bride; and Brett Nelson, Duane Malo, and Mike Jost, friends of the groom. Ring bearer was Joseph Abi-Saleh, nephew of the bride. Ushers were Caleb Zierke, brother of the bride; Jeremy Ver Steeg, cousin of the groom; and Micah Grafenstein-Kinzel and Scott Seeger, friends of the groom.
Leah is employed at Image Xperts in Morris and Chad is employed with the United States Air Force Reserve in Minneapolis and the owner of On Freedom's Wing, LLC, a business offering pilot contract services. Following a honeymoon on Sanibel Island, Chad and Leah have made their home in Hancock.


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Your welcome, Jiggy! Most of the buttons were painted by our daughter, back in her button-painting days!
Wonderful stockings! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Sunshine!
How cute! Thanks.


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Submit News
Game Consoles Experience Increased Video Streaming Usage
Tiffany Kaiser
December 15, 2011 9:33 AM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Video game console usage is on the rise in general, up 7 percent from the first half of 2010
A new Nielsen study shows that video game console use is alive and well, despite what Angry Birds creator and Rovio CEO Peter Vesterbacka predicted back in March regarding
the death of console games for mobile games
According to the report, use of the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii gaming consoles combined rose 7 percent from the first half of 2010 to the first half of 2011.
An important question aside from the amount of use is what exactly these consoles are being used for. Nielsen says each console has its own niche, where 34 percent of Xbox 360 owners commonly use it for online gaming, 22 percent of
PlayStation 3
owners use it for DVD/Blu-ray, and 55 percent of Wii owners use it for offline gaming.
But the use of these consoles stretches beyond just gaming, DVDs and Blu-ray. The report also found that consoles are increasingly being used for video streaming from services such as Netflix and Hulu.
According to the study, video streaming accounts for 14 percent of Xbox 360 usage, 15 percent of PlayStation 3 usage, and 33 percent of Wii usage.
Increased use of video streaming hardly seems surprising for the first half of 2011, since Netflix was still a growing hit at that time. In Q1 2011 and Q2 2011, Netflix had 3.3 million and 1.8 million net subscriber additions respectively. However, after raising prices, changing plans, limiting streams per account, and announcing (then killing off) the separate Qwikster DVD spinoff, Netflix ended up
losing 810,000 customers during Q3
. This could likely affect the above-mentioned percentages for console streaming usage later in the year.
"We shipped it on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we rested." -- Steve Jobs on the iPad launch
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March 14, 2011, 10:05 AM
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Plants also need to adapt to their environment. Grasses can survive fires because they start growing from deep down so when the stem is burned off then it can grow again. Grasses have long roots and they can store water supply for long times because droughts are common. They also have long roots for animals not to pull out the whole plant.
Milkweed is a flexible plant. It can grow in dry, wet, moist, cold or hot conditions. Milkweed has flexible stems so that if it is a windy day, the stem doesn't break. It has fuzzy leaves so that it can sustain water and it reflects the sun's rays so that it minimizes the evaporation. It is poisonous and therefore doesn't get eaten by any animal. Milkweed can grow in sand.
Big Blue Grass
This plant is strong. It can survive through very cold winters and a couple fires to grow again. This plant has deep roots so if it gets trampled on or eaten by other animals, it will be able to grow again. If there is a fire then the bottom part is the only part to survive. This grass is the tallest grass in the temperate grassland. It grows from 3 to 12 feet tall. It's roots are very organized. They are 4 to 8 feet deep to get the water. This helps the plant survive droughts. This plant has flexible stems so that the wind won't break it.
Tumbleweed can grow in almost every soil. When the tumbleweed is fully grown, it detaches itself from the ground and lets the wind carry it around. While it is doing this, it lets go of its seeds and spreads them around the grassland.


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Meet Mariah Fisher, a talented fashion illustrator. She contacted us with these Ruche outfit illustrations and we're so excited to share them here! ♥ The artwork features our Botanical Expedition Button Dress and our Boardwalk Stroll Coral Skinnies!
After our recent Art Contest, we realized how many talented Ruchettes are out there! To all artists, send your artwork to firstname.lastname@example.com for your chance to be featured!


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EM™ is a natural and probiotic technology developed, 28 years ago, in Japan, by Dr. Teruo Higa, who is the author of the famous book series "An EARTH Saving Revolution".
EM™ means "Effective Microorganisms™" and it is made up of beneficial and highly efficient organisms. These microorganisms are not harmful, non pathogenic, not genetically modified, nor chemically synthesized.
Originally, it was developed as alternative for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, however, the use of EM technology™ in the last two decades, has expanded from agriculture to effluent and waste water treatments, control of foul odors, farms and animal health, human health and innumerable industrial treatments. At present, EM™ is used in more than 120 countries and there are over 54 manufacturers in the world. More than 30 research centers, across various countries, create and analyze new alternatives daily to increase and expand the range of this technology.
".. if EM™ is made naturally as time passes just as the air and water. In other words, if we practice our life style base on the use of EM™ in all aspects of our lives, we will inevitably "Leave a clean planet for our children and grandchildren"."
For more information contact one of our representatives.