text:
The Top 10 City Hotels in Central & South America
If you want to start your day on a beach and end it on a mountaintop, or grab lunch at one of the best restaurants on the globe and then venture out to... Read More
These $212 Round-trip Flights to South America Are a Holiday Miracle
Flights to South America are almost never cheap, which makes $200 round-trip flights to Colombia especially exciting.Over the weekend, Scott's Cheap... Read More
5 Surprisingly Affordable — and Warm — Winter Escapes
Exotic vacations don't need to be expensive.Travelers who want to escape this winter can opt for a vacation a bit off the beaten path. Quicken found... Read More
Cartagena's Old City Is Magical, but Don't Miss What's New
Cartagena's stark architectural contrast comes as a shock to most. The ancient-walled city — with its palm-filled plazas, ice cream... Read More
JetBlue's Flash Sale Has $59 Flights to the Caribbean
JetBlue wants you to "fall head over deals" in one of its punniest flash sales to date. The autumn travel deals are available until 11:59 p.m. on... Read More
13 Incredible Secret Alleys Around The World
Back alleys can be some of the most unexpectedly lush, intimate spaces in cities around the world. Once home to Dumpsters and deliveries, these small... Read More
Visit These Famous Sites Before They Disappear Forever
Venice, the Statue of Liberty, the Galapagos Islands, and Stonehenge are all at risk of disappearing due to climate change, according to a frightening... Read More
Viceroy Hotels' CEO on Oxygen Bars, Flight Attendants, and Travel's 'Next Big Thing'
What destination are you obsessed with right now?I was just in Cartagena—my current favorite place in the world. We're converting a 14th-century... Read More
10 Rooms or Less: the Very Best of Tiny Hotels
Related: World's Top 50 HotelsChoosing a tiny hotel will certainly ensure you with that extra attention (or in the case of The 404 in Nashville, extra... Read More
T+L's Definitive Guide to Cartagena
Lay of the LandBocagrande: This narrow peninsula south of the old town draws visitors for its high-rise hotels and Caribbean beaches.El Centro: Largely... Read More
Hot New Food Trends Worth Trying
Rotisserie Chicken: The seductive aroma of spit-roasted chicken has three food capitals in a spin. On Manhattan's Upper East Side, at the new Rôtisserie... Read More
New Cruise Finder Launches on TravelandLeisure.com
This week, TravelandLeisure.com debuts the T+L Cruise Finder.With more than 70 percent of the world covered in water, it's no surprise the cruise... Read More
Lauren Santo Domingo's Guide to Cartagena
Lauren Santo Domingo, the founder of online fashion boutique Moda Operandi, considers herself an unofficial guide to Cartagena, Colombia (her... Read More
World's Most Beautiful Clock Towers
Telling time is hardly the role of clock towers anymore. But they can still draw a crowd. Take the face of Chicago's Wrigley Building. While there are... Read More
Vacationist Hotel Deals: Florida, Rhode Island + Cartagena
Vacationist: On Sale NOWSale ends in 3 days!The Shores - up to 41% offDaytona Beach, FloridaLocated on a peaceful, uncrowded stretch of beach in a... Read More


text:
Connect to your colleagues through the cloud, no matter where you are
Most of us cannot imagine our lives without our smartphones. When it comes to business, it's no secret that most employees consider their smartphone their alternative to access work resources when away from their laptop or desktop. With this in mind, Cisco extends a number of additional services through HCS including one of the more popular collaboration features, enterprise dial, through something we've just added to our HCS portfolio called IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) integration.
Through this network integration of fixed to mobile, service providers offering our HCS portfolio can leverage their own infrastructure to differentiate and drive fixed mobile convergence and thus extend enterprise dial to its customers' end users.
So what does this all mean?
Mobile Service Providers will now be enabled to deliver business call features onto all mobile devices, without being dependent upon the device being 'smart' or 'client enabled'. These features include, single number reach, seamless call transfer and mid call transfer.
Another valuable benefit from IMS integration is that it facilitates access of multimedia and voice applications from wireless and wireline terminals. For example, this means if you are a smartphone and traditional mobile phone user away on business in China, and someone rings your desk-line, the call will now transcend through the network seamlessly and reach your mobile.
As the workforce continues to mobilize, and breakaway from the traditional office environment, enhancements such are these are necessary in order to maintain effective and productive workers. Smartphone or not, workers are free to operate beyond their office boundaries, knowing that if anyone tries to reach them, they won't miss any crucial calls while they tend to business beyond their desk.
Below are the services Mobile Service Providers can now offer with this new version of HCS:
• Enterprise dial plan and calling policy without special client: same dialing policy, call barring as your desk (including ext dialing)
• Enterprise Caller-ID: replace mobile number with enterprise caller ID
• Single Number Reach via both Fixed or Mobile DN: simultaneous ring all shared-devices regardless of identity
• Seamless handoff between devices: seamless transition of active call between mobile and desk or soft phone
• True Single Business Voicemail: single voice mailbox across multiple phone numbers
• Native Message Waiting Indicator (MWI): MWI for business voicemail
• DTMF-based Mid-Call features: music-on-hold, conference, transfer, call park and call move can be invoked via DTMF star codes
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Here's a simple card using a rainbow of colors:
I stamped the sentiment from SP&Company's Mustache Madness set. That mustache in the set is so wonderful, but the set has so many other uses as well!
I stamped in ROYGBIV order and ended in black.
A touch of rainbow ribbon and that's it!
Thanks for looking!!
For more inspiration using SP stamps head over to the blog at http://sp.thescrapmaster.com/.


text:
MacArthur may not be a military genius but he did understood the Japanese. Remember the shock the Japanese people experienced when they heard the Emperor surrendered. Most Japanese never seen the Emperor except on movie screens and he dwarfed the others by riding on a horse or others were bowing before him. The Emperor can do no wrong. Here you have this one picture where MacArthur dwarfed Hirehito and dictating terms. Shintoism died that day and was replaced by MacArthurism. The God Emperor was dwarfed and subserved to Douglas MacArthur.
Hirehito dared not ask MacArthur for an nuclear apology. Neither did anyone else.


text:
Journey: The Heart of Gaia is a well-crafted and fantastical journey that hits all the sweet spots
A stranger arrives at the museum one evening, but he's not there to look at artifacts. Before Liz can react, the man kidnaps her and escapes into the night. The kidnapping doesn't go according to plan, though, and Liz soon finds herself trapped in a mysterious world filled with colorful plants and unusual creatures. So begins the strange but extremely enjoyable steampunk fantasy adventure Journey: The Heart of Gaia.
At its core, Journey: Heart of Gaia is an adventure game, not a hidden object game, and it keeps most of its puzzles focused on inventory items and repairing broken machines with the power of technology or the mysterious ways of magic. It all begins in the Mushroom Forest, the first of seven chapters that set a playful sort of tone for the game to come. Each section is comprised of a handful of scenes you can travel between freely, utilizing a map to hop from area to area. You'll move around a lot, searching the landscape for items to grab, things to interact with, and new areas to explore.
Mini-games are a big part of Heart of Gaia, and just about every time you complete an objective you'll need to solve one to progress. They're mostly confined to familiar brain teasers such as tile swapping, jigsaw puzzles, or tangrams, and the challenge level is just right to give you something to think about without leaving you stuck. A skip button slowly charges at the top of the screen, so even if you can't solve the mini-game, there's an escape route!
One of the best features of Journey: Heart of Gaia is the skill system it employs early on. Unlike some adventure game heroes, Liz doesn't have the strength of a thousand bears or the telekinetic powers of a mental master. To make up for her lack of supernatural talents, you'll come across three characters in the game that will lend a hand. Using these skills is a lot like activating abilities in a role playing game. If something looks too heavy for Liz to lift, for example, click on Grump's Strength icon and have him lift it for you. It adds a nice feeling of teamwork to the game, but more importantly it makes Liz more charismatic, and her plight of being trapped in a weird world pursued by a madman more relatable.
The hint system in Heart of Gaia leaves a little to be desired, but the game makes up for those shortcomings by including icons on the fast travel map to show you where to go next as well as handy "location complete" markers that let you know when you can pass by a scene. If you choose Advanced mode, however, the puzzles will be more difficult, hints limited and slower to recharge, and locations won't inform you when you've completed them. Good for some extra challenge, but even Casual mode will have you scratching your head from time to time.
Journey: Heart of Gaia is simply a delightful game. The story is well-developed, the setting is creative and fun, and the puzzles are designed to be challenging without resorting to obtuse solutions. And big bonus points for being one of the daring casual adventure games to ditch the doom and gloom haunted house atmosphere!


text:
Let's go Fish'n is a very popular 25 payline online slot and it comes with a 97% payout. This slot machine has a bonus game called Pick-a-fisherman which awards 3-10 free spins.
When the player triggers 3 or more Fisherman symbols the bonus feature will be activated. During the free spins 4 regular symbols may be replaced with up to 3 Gold Wild symbols to create high win opportunities.
|Online available at
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Play Lets go Fishn slot
When the reward slot is triggered sometimes it can be a small disappointing when you are just awarded the least expensive number of totally free spins, however mainly because this is a certified random slot machine, after that anything could and will happen during the totally free spins around!
Attempt and provide this Let's Go Fishing online slot a new try quickly, as presently there is a new great deal to such as in relation to it, and when the free of charge spins carry out begin to result in after that those Crazy icons really may increase you being successful chances!
When three or even more Let's Go Fish'n logo design icons land anyplace about the reels, participants will win in between three and ten totally free spins. Whenever you result in the reward round, you will possess to select your angler, a choice that can either create you wealthy, either deliver you house with nothing at all in the handbag. The chosen angler will after that become precious metal and take action as a crazy during the free of charge games. Re-triggering the function will allow you select another angler symbol therefore there can become up to three fantastic wild symbols for every spin.
Lets go Fishn slot machine Screenshots
Let's Go Fish'n is a new enjoyment and entertaining slot machine from Aristocrat. If you would like to take pleasure in an angling kind of program, angling for free of charge moves and additional wilds can become very exciting. If you are usually into on the internet slot machines, there are usually plenty probabilities of earning in Let's Proceed Fish'n as you possess the possible to re-trigger the free of charge spins reward around. This will be an enjoyment must have fun with game!
There is a lot to like in relation to this slot machine, although at very first glance you may be thinking that the absence of a Wild symbol about the base sport is going to result in fewer money payouts and winning combinations being formed, this is offset enormously thanks to the additional Wild symbols that come into play during the bonus spins feature around.


text:
Time to pre-order another figure!
We first found out about the Ultimate Image Omegamon Merciful Mode from Digimon Adventure tri. awhile ago, but with no information about what line it would be in. We only got more details about a week or so ago, and a reveal that pre-orders would be now a couple days ago, so getting a bunch of info and images all at once, with pre-orders is a nice thing.
Ultimate Image is the newest expansion of Capsule Mascot Collection, under the new branding of Art Figurations.
The first figure in the Ultimate Image line, being shown off properly for the first time today as pre-orders open is Omegamon Merciful Mode from Digimon Adventure tri.Wings of determination, dancing in the silver light.
Based on the official Merciful Mode illustration by Kenji Watanabe, the figure also has illustration and model supervision by Watanabe.
In addition, the model direction is by As'maria.
Merciful Mode's mighty power is reproduced by giving it a giant height of roughly 12.9 inches. (Agumon isn't included, he is included for scale.)
Pearl coloring and metallic paint is used throughout the body to give it a sophisticated look that almost glows.
The blue light emitting lines are also clear which causes light to make them glow, while the metallic surfaces enhance the coloring.
The essence and look of the wings are reproduced with clear parts and a careful paint gradient.
Early purchase bonus!
You get the official profile art of Omegamon Merciful Mode by Kenji Watanabe, on an A4 size art board (8.27 × 11.69 inches.)
A duplicate of Kenji Watanabe's signature is on the board, and a stand is also included.
They plan to have an interview with Kenji Watanabe about this figure in the future on Gashapon Blog.
And we finish with a small gallery that shows aspects of the figure in more detail...
The Ultimate Image figure of Omegamon Merciful Mode will is up pre-order at Premium Bandai. It's 6,500 yen and pre-orders close December 24th. It will ship in April 2019.
Once they hit a certain number of orders, pre-orders will close, and then re-open when they can re-adjust for more stock.
You'll want to contact an intermediary to get these items sent to you. WtW is not affiliated with any, but here are a selection of intermediaries that have worked well for various WtWers and their friends in the past:
From Japan
Rider Proxy
The Bandai Premium store has also chosen to affiliate themselves/recommend a few potential shops to be used as intermediaries for non-Japanese buyers:
From Japan (this From Japan link shows various items that they waive commission fees for.)
Samurai Buyer
You'll want to provide your chosen intermediary with the link to the item. Just copy paste the link to the product pages for what you want and send them a message about it and they'll take care of it after they discuss pricing and their policies with you. The links embedded in the news article for the products are exactly what you'll need to send them.
Some of the intermediaries have a full storefront and may have the item listed, so you may want to check that first.
It is also always possible that Premium Bandai USA or another shop may open pre-orders, so if you don't care about the early purchase bonus, it may be worth waiting.


text: I've never been particularly comfortable in my own skin. Never liking what I saw in the mirror or felt through my clothes. Always pointing out my own imperfections. I'm not entirely sure when that all started but I was young. I don't even know why it started but I have some theories. I sit here in the middle of my 38th year and I'm just barely comfortable with this body. It's such a shame to have lived most of my life feeling ashamed of it. I hope I finally find solid comfort for the remainder of my days. It was be awful not to.


text:
Tres de las principales potencias militares del planeta (los EEUU, el Reino Unido y Francia) lanzaron anoche tres oleadas sucesivas de misiles contra Siria, en particular contra su capital, Damasco. Según dichos del Secretario de Seguridad de los EEUU, el ataque terminó. Se arrojaron alrededor de cien misiles. Algunos fueron derribados, otros cayeron en las afueras de las ciudades de Damasco y Homs. Algún edificio gubernamental dedicado a la investigación militar fue alcanzado. Las radios sirias hablan de siete heridos. Seguramente habrá más según pasen las horas y se informe en detalle de lo ocurrido.
Como lo sugerimos anteayer, da la impresión de que el ataque fue llevado a cabo (1) para joder un rato nomás, sin demasiadas consecuencias (por ahora), y que (2) fue pautado con Rusia para asegurar que no se tocaran instalaciones o personal de ese país. Putin dijo "dale nomás pero rajen pronto". Bien mirado, podría ocurrir que el día de mañana agradezcamos a Trump y Mattis haber evitado la Tercera Guerra Mundial, al menos el día de hoy. Leemos en el sitio web Moon of Alabama:
Título: Syria - Manipulated Videos Fail To Launch World War III
[Update April 14, 5:00 UCT]
Texto: Last night the U.S., UK and France launched a symbolic attack on Syria. It was not intended to hurt the Syrian government, its people or its allies. It did not hit any of Syria's allies. So far there is no report of anyone being killed or wounded.
The only purpose of the attack was to do 'something' and to somewhat calm down the warmongers within those three countries. It was probably insufficient for that.
As we wrote yesterday in the piece below. World War III has been called off.
A report from an observer on the ground in Syria:
Elijah J. Magnier @ejmalrai - 4:22 UTC - 14 Apr 2018
#USA #France #UK: 3 countries to bomb 3 #Syria/n objectives in #Homs #Damascus? A centre of research, a Control & command and an ammunition warehouse? And before the OPCW investigation expected today?
A say In ME: Huge mountains moving to give a birth to a small mouse!<
No "Political hits: (Presidential Palace or gov or security HQ)
No #Iranian objectives hits
No #Hezbollah objectives hit
No Syrian Army key capabilities hit.#
And of course no #Russian deployment w/ #SAA hit
#USA looks weaker than ever with this "strike".
The giants trio hit (#USA #UK #France) fired from US base in #Qatar is celebrated in #Damascus government controlled area with #Russian #Iranian #Syrian and #Hezbollah flags, dancing and mocking @realRonaldTrump's strike
This is the 1st time in history where a capital, #Damascus, is hit by foreign power and people celebrate it in the street few hours later, challenging the attackers and expressing their solidarity with the government by dancing in the street: #USA #UK #France boosted #Assad today<
#USA #UK #France targeted empty objectives in #Syria since the entire #SAA was dislocated. @realDonaldTrump wanted to save his image: the Syria people's reaction (1000s in the street expressing solidarity with Assad) to the hit is seriously damaging him.
To limit the attack to the absolute minimum was a wise decision by U.S. President Donald Trump. The people who had faked the 'chemical attack' in Douma on April 7 wanted to pull the U.S. into a wider war with Syria and Russia. They failed. Secretary of Defense Mattis saved the situation when he publicly doubted the evidence and held Trump back from a spontaneous 'revenge' response. Netanyahoo will be furious and the neocons will try to kick Mattis out.
La nota original, antes del ataque, decía lo siguiente:
It seems to me that World War III has been called off - for now. Sanity prevailed over a stampede of warmongering which erupted after dubious but well timed claims of a 'chemical attack' in Syria.
Secretary of Defense Mattis let know of his doubts about the alleged 'chemical attack' in Douma which the 'rebels' attributed to the Syrian government. This changed the tone of Donald Trump's tweets and the international conversations on the issue. Several NATO countries, including Germany and Canada, said they would not take part in any threatened 'revenge' operation.
Today the Russian Defense Ministry accused Britain of having directed the staged attack:
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, released statements by medics from Douma's hospital who said a group of people toting video cameras entered the hospital, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons and causing panic. The medics said none of the patients were hurt by chemicals.
Here are videos of that hospital scenes from the 'rebel' propaganda outlets. The 'treatment' by the 'rebels', dousing with water and administering some asthma spray, is unprofessional and many of the 'patients' seem to have no real problem. It is theater. The real medical personal is seen in the background working on a real patient.
The people in the video scenes were "rent-a-mob" actors which the Russians say they have found. They also found the medics and videotaped their statements. They Russian government claims to know the main culprit:
"Today, the Russian defense ministry has other evidence proving the United Kingdom's direct involvement in the organization of this provocation in Eastern Ghouta," [Igor Konashenkov, the defense ministry's spokesman] said.
An OPCW technical team has arrived in Damascus. It will investigate the scene and talk to the witnesses.
Cause of the recent panic were a few videos by several propaganda outlets associated with Takfiri 'rebels' in Ghouta. These videos immediately looked staged to me. Yes, they showed dead people - mainly children - in a basement or apartment. But the bodies were not in the place where they had died and were probably not, as was claimed, killed by chemical weapons.
In the videos some 20 dead children and a few women lie on the floor as if they were thrown in there. The scene was obviously manipulated several times. The various videos show the bodies in different positions. They have been moved around for presentation. Later videos show, for example, a baby in diapers on top of two older kids. In an earlier video that baby is not there.
The 'rebel' claim that the people were killed by chlorine and a nerve agent: "Look, the dead have foam at their mouth." (Foam at the mouth is wrongly assumed to be a sure symptom of exposure to a nerve agent.)
Yes, they have foam at their mouth. But it seems to be shaving foam and/or some white gel, not a human secretion. We have seen this trick before.
Compare for example this video from the scene uploaded by فادي عبد الله on Apr 7, 2018 at 20:49:26 UTC with this video from the same scene by Yaser AlDoumani2 uploaded on Apr 7, 2018 at 22:43:16 UTC.
A screenshot from the first video (graphic):
The corridor where the cameraman stands at that moment is filled with dead bodies. The body with the white bonnet on its head lies in a backroom. The detail picture below is turned 180 degree:
A screenshot from the second video. The body with the white bonnet has been moved from the backroom to the corridor and added to a pile of other bodies.
Detail of the body with the white bonnet turned 180 degree:
It is the same body with the same cloth in a different position. It seems obvious that shaving cream or something similar has been added to the body after it was moved. The shaving cream simulates "foaming at the mouth".
Stephen McIntyre found and collected several other discrepancies between the various videos from the scene.
The people shown have died. They probably suffocated after a shelter collapsed as the Syrian Observatory reported on that day. But the videos were likely not made at the scene of that incident. The bodies had been moved and manipulated. There were likely no chemical weapons involved in their death.
It would have made no sense at all for the Syrian government to launch a 'chemical attack' on a nonmilitary target in the Douma situation. Its imminent victory was already guaranteed. The 'rebels' and their supporters had their reasons to fake such an 'attack'. It was an attempt to drag the U.S. into destroying the Syrian government and its army. It nearly succeeded.
The various 'leaks' and media claims around the staged 'attack' have reached comical grounds.
CNN headlined today: Biological samples from Syria attack site test positive for chlorine and nerve agent, official says:
Biological samples from the area of the alleged chemical attack in Syria have tested positive for chlorine and a sarin-like nerve agent, according to a US official familiar with the US analysis of the test results.
Medical sources and activists in Syria said blood, urine and hair follicle samples were smuggled in batches to Turkey after rebel groups and their families were pushed out of the area by the Assad regime, CNN reported earlier on Friday.
The sources did not know what happened to the samples after they reached Turkey.
That chain of evidence is joke and the claim is nonsense. There is simply no way to diagnose chlorine exposure in blood, urine or hair samples.
The Center of Disease Control notes of Chlorine exposure:
Laboratory criteria for diagnosis:
Biologic: No biologic marker for chlorine exposure is readily available.
Chlorine is highly reactive. When it enters the bloodstream it turns into chloride and associates with sodium and potassium and other basic elements. The natural chloride level in a body is already quite high and changes often. We all eat and naturally dispose of table salt, aka sodium chloride, each and every day. The chloride level in a body can be measured but it is not a criterion for chlorine exposure. The 'official' who made those claims to CNN is lying.
The evidence for a 'chemical attack' in Douma is simply not there. The videos provided by the 'rebel' propaganda outlets are manipulated. Medical personal in Douma dispute their propaganda claims.
Secretary of Defense Mattis spoke out and U.S. allies refused to swallow the faked evidence. Donald Trump pulled back from his earlier aggressive threats. There will likely be no bombing of Syria and in consequence no violent conflict with Russia.
Trump already began to change the headlines. He just pardoned Dick Cheney's former errant boy Scooter Libby. He is preparing the grounds for pardoning his own staff should they be caught up in the Mueller investigation.
This will give the media enough material to cover throughout the weekend and to forget about attacking Syria.
The staged 'chemical attack' was designed to draw Trump back into the conflict over Syria after he announced that he wants the U.S. military to pull out. Has it changed his mind? Will those who initiated this stunt, probably the Brits, try again?
Will Russia be able to prove its claim of British involvement? If so could it free Yulia Scripal?


text: In Chapter 14 of 22 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, innovation strategist Hammans Stallings answers "Why Do You Believe the Best Stories Solve Multiple Problems?" Stallings shares how story form and story end, typically resolution of a conflict, are natural ways to communicate complex problems. He adds how story allows you to simplify complex problems and break down the story meaning in ways that can connect differently with different audiences. This is Hammans Stallings' Year 2 CYF interview. Stallings is currently a Senior Strategist at frog design. Previously he worked in business strategy at Dell and investment banking at Stephens. He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, a MS in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Virginia.


text:
Recently I had a great four weeks in the USA where the vast majority of my time was spent around Tucson in Southern Arizona. I took my usual systematic approach to trying to see as much of the bouldering as possible, ticking the best problems along the way, and I feel I did pretty well during my short time. It was a blast and the bouldering actually blew away my expectations and I'll venture to say this corner of Arizona should be a winter destination. Seriously, there is so much good bouldering already established (and other climbing for that matter) and the locals have only scratched the surface. There is tons of development to do and not just in the remote areas as several of the best problems I did were FAs in well established areas with easy access. The climate, quality/quantity of climbing, and the convenience of having family in the area will likely make Tucson my new winter spot. Good times.
Until I get around to going through all my photos/videos from the trip here are a few things to consider if you decide to take a bouldering trip to Tucson.
- Mt Lemmon and the Catalina Hwy. Mt Lemmon technically refers to the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains just north of Tucson but is it used more broadly by climbers to reference the area that holds the majority of the bouldering (and rope climbing). The Catalina Hwy is what makes much of the climbing in this area possible as it winds up the mountain, gaining several thousand feet in the process and providing access to the bouldering on "Lemmon". Looking down on Tucson from Wilderness of Rocks up towards the top of Mt Lemmon
- Lots of bouldering but widely dispersed. While the total amount of bouldering around Tucson is impressive, most of the individual areas are quite small and cater more to the cherry-picking hard-man than the high volume moderate climber. The exception to this rule is Wilderness of Rocks which is an expansive area where you could post up for days. Unfortunately W.o.R requires an hour plus approach and is mostly underdeveloped.
- Adjustable Climate. Tucson is an ideal winter spot as you can expect to climb in a t-shirt in the dead of winter. You also can "pick your conditions" to a degree as the climbing high up in the Catalinas is considerably cooler if things get too warm at the lower areas. We were pretty lucky as the higher stuff (like Wilderness of Rocks) was climbable most days but in some years snow levels might limit climbing to the lower elevations.Only a 30ish minute drive separated our snowman and sandcastle
- Variety of climbing. The bouldering around Tucson is actually quite varied as you can pull on steep pocketed volcanic, thrash your tips on granite, or slap some water-polished gneiss. The rock on Mt Lemmon alone varies between areas so don't get discouraged if you visit one place and decide it's not for you. In general I'd say Wilderness of Rocks offers some of the best stone if you don't count the water-polished stuff in the narrow canyons. And of course there is heaps of rope climbing which is meant to be pretty good (if you're into that kind of thing).
- Potential. Those that know me are aware that I like having the option to find new stuff and areas with potential have massive appeal to me. The developed climbing around Tucson will keep most people entertained for a fair amount of time but the surface has only been scratched, especially if you are willing to hike. Hopefully the locals are getting after it as I'm excite to see what they have found for my return next winter.
- Old Pueblo Bouldering. I almost forgot to mention a great resource for Tucson bouldering. Old Pueblo Boulder (www.oldpueblobouldering.com) is a database for the bouldering around Tucson and while it is far from complete it still provides loads of good information with the map feature and photos of boulders being particularly useful. The site has over 1600 boulder problems thus far and while there are some glaring omissions (like the Dog Park and Gnarnia) it is quite an undertaking and I found the site very helpful and would like to extend a big THANK YOU to those that created Old Pueblo.
This shot only shows a few of the boulders to be found at Cochise Stronghold, a little over 1 hour from Tucson.


text:
As parents we want to teach our children the importance of giving to charities. There is a lot to be said for raising children so that they understand that there is always a way to help out others. But often our own charitable giving take a back burner to our families and their needs. This is where organizations like Giveback.org come in.
Founded by Stephen Paletta, the winner of Oprah's Big Give contest in 2008, GiveBack is a digital platform that lets you organize all your donations in one place. The funds that accumulate in your account are part of the Give Back Foundation. Each member has the ability to direct the funds from their account to any charity in good standing with the United States Internal Revenue Service.
What that means for you is that when you make a purchase at one of over 400 merchants you can earn up to 15% cash back. This cash is then applied to your Foundation or account at Giveback.org. From there you can donate to the charity of your choice. For example, next time you have shopping to do at Target, you can earn up to 4% cash back and then donate it to Autism Speaks.
The list of merchants is at over 400 now and growing all the time. Even more impressive is the list of charities you can donate to. From the American Cancer Society, to ASPCA to The American Red Cross there is bound to be a charity you are passionate about.
For an extra incentive to sign up now, GiveBack has kicked off the "100 Days of Giving" Contest – one member will win $1,000 for his/her foundation every day until July 16. If you have been trying to find a way to get involved, teach your family about giving back and really making a difference, https://www.giveback.org makes it easy.


text:
Destination Gippsland evaluates consumer show opportunities throughout the year and where this is an appropriate fit, extends the invitation to industry to partner as a cooperative marketing exercise.
Currently, Destination Gippsland in partnership with Gippsland's six shire councils is exhibiting at the Leisurefest Camping and Caravan Show.
Taking place 8-11 October 2015 at Sandown Raceway, this event provides the platform to engage with the caravan, camping, touring and four wheel drive markets. For those businesses that have partnered in our maps and guide based brochures will benefit from this show.
August 27, 2015
Consumer Marketing


text:
Hoppy Birthday!
Yes, I know it is Thanksgiving tomorrow....followed shortly by Christmas, but people are still celebrating their birthdays right? ;) I created this card for the SRM blog using this adorable set by Jane's Doodles called, Garden Friends. I stamped the frogs in a light brown ink by Tim Holtz and water colored them using my Zig Clean Brush markers.
For a finishing touch I added pretty silk ribbon from the Stamp Simply Store. I love leaving the ribbon long and flowing....it's kind of my "thing" right now! ;)
Thanks so much for stopping! I am off to the kitchen to start my Thanksgiving preparations! Have a lovely day!


text: Time for some comedy. Pollution was originally appeared on the American version of That Was The Week That Was and was included on the 1965 album That Was The Year That Was. It is a satirical view of the environmental pollution in the USA at the time, and is still applicable today. This


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It can be hard to talk about wealth management competition in Swansea, when you're the lone discretionary fund management firm in the city, writes Alex Foster. When Brewin Dolphin moved out of the city in 2013, Walker Crips saw an opportunity in the region, forging the distinctly Welsh identity of Walker Cambria.
Having operated out of Swansea now for four and a half years, Walker Cambria remains fairly new to the regional landscape. But for Andrew Morgan, portfolio manager and head of Swansea office, and most of their humble team of eight, they know the area a great deal better.
'We've been in Swansea for four and a half years but the vast majority of us were part of Brewin Dolphin in Swansea, before they decided to close in 2013 and merge with their Cardiff office', Morgan remarks. 'Swansea, very much the second city of Wales was left with no DFM presence whatsoever. If you look at the similar populations of Cardiff and Bristol compared to Swansea, it seemed a pretty good landscape for us to stay in under the premise of a different company.'
With the opportunity left begging, it simply became about finding the right wealth management firm to best represent the region, and Morgan felt Walker Crips were the most suited for this unique role.
'Walker Crips were keen to expand here, and we felt their provenance and reputation was something that we could make our mark on in the region', explains Morgan, evidently stressing the importance that this particular office had in regard to being illustrative of people and pride of South Wales. The 'Cambria' part was an example of this, it was about forging a Welsh identity and a distinctly Welsh division, and a new entrant into the local market was very well received.'
It is more than understandable that clients could be grumbled when their wealth management firm leaves their immediate locality, and Morgan knows first-hand the desire for a local provider.
The blossoming Welsh identity of Walker Cambria clearly has had a gravitational effect on the local environment, Morgan remarking that at least three quarters of the offices clients are based within South Wales, boasting an assets under management figure of over £100 million.
With their sights set of increasing their assets under management in the next couple of years, Walker Cambria clearly think there is scope for growth within South Wales, and according to Morgan most of this has been through the outsourcing of the IFA firms which hold a firm grip on South Wales' wealth market.
Yet whilst opportunity is rife, the lack of wealth management presence in Swansea has its negatives too.
'We love seeing the fund houses when they come here to see us, however most will only go as far west as Bristol or Cardiff', Morgan says. 'We find we have to commonly travel to Bristol or even London to see them instead.'
The same problem can be said of the sourcing staff, and Morgan himself is no stranger to the London centric pull of the industry, having spent a great deal of his career in London forging his path in the wealth management world.
'We only have a small team and we are very lucky with who we have got. However if we were wanting to build a team of 20/30 people it might be a little more difficult.'
The same can be said of the pool of young talent in the region, though Walker Cambria have just taken on a talented accountancy graduate trainee from Swansea University. Morgan expresses how this is down to the structure they provide for young talent coming through their ranks.
'The key for us is very much about offering a defined career plan and assuring them that their first three years are going to be years of progression,' Morgan remarks. 'It's less about the starting salary and more about where am I going to be in five years.'
Also we definitely have a much better work/life balance here than I had in London too,' Morgan adds. 'Combined with the opportunities in South Wales, these were the two drivers for coming back here for myself.'
Being a Welshman, Morgan's commitment to South Wales extends beyond just business and he goes onto to reveal the charitable activity that he and Walker Cambria undertake in the region.
'We sponsored a dinner with a charity called headway in Cardiff last week. They help people with brain injuries rebuild their lives,' Morgan explains. ' Additionally I'm chairman of a charity called Prime Cymru, focusing on getting economically inactive people over the age of 50 back into employment, and Walker Cambria is a patron of that charity.'


text: So, I was rooting my friend's Tmobile Samsung Vibrant, and started renaming some of the bloatware on it. I renamed the .apk files to .apk.bak. I was thinking, when the 2.2 update comes around, I could just do: mv *.apk.bak *.apk So that it'll rename all of the uninstalled apps back to .apk, thus reinstalling them. Well, this ended up removing ALL of the .apk files! Now his phone is bricked, and I don't have root access anymore? How can I get all of the phone's .apk files back? This is a time-sensitive problem, so I need help ASAP! Thanks!


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Adam Dillon. Photographer. Adventurer.
Adam Dillon is a San Francisco based photographer who specializes in Lifetsyle photography. In a short period of time he has gained recognition and started building his client list and agency connections. His work is bright and colorful and showcases the beautfilul California feel.
Today we follow Adam around San Francisco to shoot some Editorial images featuring a couple talented models. Through the heart of SoMa in San Francisco to Ocean Beach – Adam shoots in a variety of locations using the fading light to his advantage to create some solid images.
Be sure to check out the Premium content to find additional tips and unseen footage!
Framed Show – Adam Dillon – Lifestyle Photographer
Adam Dillon. Photographer. Adventurer.


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North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper and Swim Drink Fish Canada are pleased to announce that our new water quality monitoring program on the North Saskatchewan River is now underway!
The program features weekly water sampling at the Laurier and Capilano boat launches and the first public results will be available as early as next week on our Swim Guide website and app. The monitoring program makes recreational water quality data available to the public on an ongoing basis as soon as results are available each week (samples take up to 48 hours to process). Monitoring is conducted throughout the summer months and provides water quality information to recreational water users on the North Saskatchewan River including swimmers, boaters, rowers, paddleboarders, anglers, and others – all of whom are encouraged to use and enjoy the river when conditions are suitable and with the proper safety precautions, including the use of a life-jacket.
Results are posted weekly to the Laurier and Capilano pages on the Swim Guide website and app (you can also follow us on facebook and twitter). The green and red Swim Guide symbols reflect the water quality at the time of sampling and can be interpreted as follows:
Water quality guidelines vary among jurisdictions. Beaches included in the North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper monitoring program are tested for E. coli in accordance with Health Canada's recreational water quality guidelines and are compared against a standard of 200 CFU/100ml (colony forming units of E. coli per 100 ml of water). Five samples are taken at each beach and used to determine the average (geometric mean) level of E. coli at the time of sampling. If the result is less than or equal to 200 CFU/100ml, the beach is considered to have met water quality standards, which aim to limit waterborne illnesses to 1-2%, or 10-20 people for every 1,000 swimmers. Levels above 200 fail to meet the standards and the risk of contracting a waterborne illness increases.
These results provide reference points for a wide range of river recreation activities and our test results are equally intended for boaters, anglers, rowers, and others who might not be swimming, but come in contact with the water all the same.
Note that while this data serves as a helpful reference point, it does not provide a comprehensive assessment of all of the risk factors that affect swimming safety. Furthermore, because water quality changes quickly in a river environment, test results only reflect water quality at the time of sampling. To determine the level of risk associated with swimming in the North Saskatchewan River on a given day, recreational users should consider a wide range of risk factors before entering the water.
Rules of thumb: When is the water quality best?
In moving water, the quality can change very quickly and while our test results serve as a helpful reference point, additional judgement is essential.
Delay swimming for 48 hours following a moderate or heavy rainfall.
Much like spring runoff, rainfall causes higher discharges of storm-water, which can lead to poorer water quality and can elevate the risk of contracting an illness and infection through recreational water activities. At certain places downstream of the Rossdale water treatment plant, heavy rainfalls can also lead to discharges of raw sewage directly into the river.
Choose a swimming location away from any stormwater or combined sewer outfalls.
Water quality can also be poorer near the mouths of tributary creeks due to stormwater discharges into these smaller waterways – if swimming near a creek mouth, it is usually best to enter the river on the upstream side of the creek.
Swim when river flow levels are moderate.
High flow levels sometimes lead to poorer water quality and more floating debris (such as large logs), while extremely low levels can make it difficult to swim in shallower parts of the river.
Choose an upstream location for your swimming activities.
Generally, the further upstream you go, the cleaner the water will be. Our test results will help determine the particular levels of risk posed by water quality at upstream and downstream locations within the City of Edmonton and will help us advocate for water management strategies that ensure the river is just as clean when it leaves the city as when it enters.
With the right precautions, swimming in the North Saskatchewan River can make for a safe and enjoyable recreation experience!
The water quality considerations listed here are not exhaustive and recreational water users should ensure suitable conditions and take all safety precautions before entering the water. Click below to learn more about how to mitigate the physical risks inherent in swimming activities.
In addition to the risks associated with water quality, there are a number of physical risks inherent to swimming in moving water. Some of these risks can be mitigated by wearing a life jacket with a whistle and swimming with a partner. Level of swimming ability also significantly affects the severity of some risks. Be sure to inform a friend of your swimming or water recreation plans and at what time you will return.
Be aware of floating debris such as large logs and avoid swimming when river levels are higher. At these times the water quality may be poorer, there is often more floating debris, and the current is generally stronger.
While higher flow levels can elevate the risks of swimming, lower levels can also present risks due to protruding rocks and insufficient water for swimming.
Avoid standing on the river bottom in deeper moving water where there is a risk of foot entrapment (this is where a swimmer's foot is caught beneath a rock or in a crevice on the river bottom and is pushed underwater by the current).
Be aware of power boats moving at high speeds.
Note that the considerations listed here may not address all safety risks and given the inherent nature of recreational water activities, North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper cannot assume liability for any injuries or damages suffered as a result of these activities.
North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper is a strong advocate for water recreation under suitable conditions and with the proper safety precautions. We are equally an advocate for improving water quality and reducing negative environmental impacts. Our water monitoring program connects these mandates and, together with Swim Drink Fish Canada, we are working toward a day when all people in Canada can swim, drink, and fish in the waterbodies where they live.
What are we testing for?
Within city limits, one of the greatest water quality concerns is the discharge of untreated sewage and stormwater directly into the river and its tributaries. With this in mind, our testing targets E. coli as a bacteria indicator of fecal contamination. If E. coli is present, many other contaminants are in the water too and in cases where a beach fails to meet federal guidelines, the risk of illness or infection increases above 1-2%, or 10-20 illnesses for every 1,000 swimmers. Note that guidelines in some jurisdictions are much more stringent and are designed to protect more vulnerable demographics including children, who often swallow more water and play in the shallower, more contaminated areas of a beach. Click below to read about our testing methods in detail.
At each beach in the monitoring program, North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper collects five 100ml samples for processing at a private environmental lab, Exova Group. Depending on flow levels, samples are collected at a depth of approximately 30 cm in at least 60 cm of water using standard methods including the use of sanitized bottles and preservatives. Exova Group uses a standard membrane filtration method to process the samples and determine the number of colony forming units of E. coli per 100 ml of water (CFU/100ml) in each sample.
Five samples from each beach are used to calculate the average (geometric mean) level of E. coli and a beach is posted red if the result exceeds 200 CFU per 100 ml of water. If the result is less than or equal to 200 CFU/100ml, the beach is posted green.
Any questions regarding our monitoring protocols can be directed to Hans Asfeldt (reach him directly via the contact page).
Waterborne Illnesses
Why is this information important? Water pollution can have adverse effects on aquatic life and human health. Swimming in contaminated water can lead to a variety of illnesses showing symptoms from vomiting and diarrhea to skin, ear, and eye infections. More serious afflictions are also cause for concern due to parasites, bacteria, and viruses that can be introduced by sewage discharges. Read more.
Promoting an active community of river enthusiasts!
This program is part of a broader effort to promote a vibrant community of watershed stewards who can enjoy recreation activities on rivers and lakes now and into the future. We are out sampling every Tuesday morning and already it is great to see so many Edmontonians enjoying the river! See you next week?


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#OCEANS8 MET Ball in Lagos!!! See all the very best Red Carpet looks
Lagos never sleeps and it definitely never passes up on an opportunity to dress up or party, because like you know…ain't no party like a Lagos party! Tonight, all glam…
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While other digital game companies have had rocky growth, Turkey's Peak Games has had a remarkable run in the past three years. The mobile, social, and online game publisher has more than 11.8 million daily active players, and it dominates the markets for such titles in Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa.
That regional audience is so big that Peak Games has become one of the world's biggest social-and-mobile game companies. Peak has done that by tailoring content to players in the Middle East, with titles such as Okey, an online version of a traditional board game that is popular in the region.
And while other social game companies like Zynga have faltered, Peak Games has made the leap into mobile and scored a hit with its mid-core, cross-platform title (or a hardcore game that can you can play in short mobile sessions), War Mercenaries. With these games, Peak is one of the new companies competing on a global stage with the likes of Electronic Arts, Disney, and King. War Mercenaries, for instance, has a following in the U.S., Western Europe, and East Asia.
"Three years ago, we said we were going to dominate this region. We are very much focused on the Turkish and Arabic regions because we believe there is a lot of untapped opportunity here with the hyper growth of mobile," said Rina Onur, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Peak Games, in an interview with GamesBeat. "We started to invest in mobile not for short-term profit but because we knew it was the future. We began investing when there were only 2 million mobile devices in the region, and we had 10 million customers on Facebook. That strategy is paying off."
The 300-percent sales growth per year is remarkable for a free-to-play gaming company that started in Nov., 2010. Peak Games now has 150 employees across multiple offices, and it has more than 25 million monthly active players.
Key to the firm's growth is the Plus franchise, which are digital renditions of popular board, card, and tabletop games. People have played these games offline for generations, and the plus versions encourage multiple players to sit at virtual tables for long sessions with their friends. Six titles are available in the genre: Okey, Okey Plus, 101 Plus, Tavla Plus, Batak, and Pool Plus. The Okey Plus and 101 Plus titles are consistently in top-grossing lists, generating half their revenues from mobile.
"Our business is sustainable and profitable," Onur said. "That's a blessing these days. We were lucky in some sense. Not all mouse-clicking games translated well to mobile. But our multiplayer, synchronous titles (with simultaneous play) worked well on mobile. It's like four people sitting at a table, playing cards or tiles."
The Istanbul-based startup has more than 300,000 concurrent users, compared to 128,000 in June, 2012. It started with parlor games that are appropriate for the region. Now, it has expanded so that more than 50 percent of its revenue comes from mobile. The company focuses on community-driven multiplayer and synchronous releases. Peak Games tries to turn its offerings into staples of everyday life, and it services repeat players.
Peak started out on Facebook, but as that channel slowed, the developer began investing in mobile games about 18 months ago. Now, all of its flagship titles have launched on mobile. Apple's iOS generated more revenue in the past, but Android has now surpassed iOS growth in terms of players. The iOS revenue metrics are better than Android. Facebook is still the largest platform, but mobile is growing rapidly.
"Now, we're bringing our games out on iOS, Android, and Facebook simultaneously," Onur said.
The company remains platform agnostic, and it has only just started to reach a global audience for its releases like War Mercenaries, which resembles Supercell's Clash of Clans. The company plans to take War Mercenaries to mobile soon. Some of Peak's games, such as Okey Plus, come embedded on the home screens of Middle Eastern wireless phone carriers.
"That is where the industry is going," Onur said.
Peak Games will launch a series of new mobile and online titles in the fourth quarter. Over time, the company might move into other emerging markets. In-app purchases generate about 95 percent of revenue now, and ads account for 5 percent.
The startup has raised $30 million to date. The company's investors include Earlybird Venture Capital, Hummingbird Ventures, and Endeavor Catalyst. For now, the developer can sustain itself and doesn't need to raise money. But Onur said the firm might do some "acqui-hire" acquisitions, where it acquires companies to get more talent.


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21 Super Sexy Soap Opera CouplesChristine Orlando at . Updated at . Comments
The term first caught fire with the popularity of General Hospital's Luke and Laura and it quickly took off from there.
At a time when romance was a daytime drama's bread and butter, every soap opera had its super couples, sometimes several airing at one time.
Check out our 21 Most Memorable Soap Opera Super Couples. From Bo and Hope to Tad and Dixie, we took a look at the soaps still on the air and those we still tear up over now that they're gone.
When we first dove into this topic, we soon realized there were more remarkable couples on soaps than we could cover in just one article... so you'll have to check back in the coming weeks for part 2!
1. Luke and Laura - General Hospital
2. Cruz and Eden - Santa Barbara
3. Bo and Hope - Days of Our Lives
4. Tad and Dixie - All My Children
5. Josh and Reva - Guilding Light
6. Kimberly and Shane - Days of Our Lives
Wait! There's more Super Sexy Soap Opera Couples! Just click "Next" below:Next
- Tags:
- Soap Operas, Throwback Thursday
- Shows:
- Days of Our Lives, All My Children, General Hospital, One Life To Live, Guiding Light, The Young and the Restless
- Related Photos:
- Soap Operas Slideshows, Days of Our Lives Slideshows, All My Children Slideshows, Throwback Thursday Slideshows, General Hospital Slideshows, One Life To Live Slideshows, Guiding Light Slideshows, The Young and the Restless Slideshows
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- Christine Orlando
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- Research
- Open Access
A bovine viral diarrhea virus type 1a strain in China: isolation, identification, and experimental infection in calves
© Wang et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014
- Received: 24 October 2013
- Accepted: 17 January 2014
- Published: 20 January 2014
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most important pathogens in cattle. Previously, BVDV sub-genotypes of 1b, 1c, 1d, and 1 m were detected in China. However, isolation of BVDV type 1a from cattle has not been reported in China. In 2010, twenty nasal swabs and blood samples were collected from the cattle suspected BVDV infection in Henan province, China. A BVDV isolate was isolated using cell culture, and the pathogenesis of the virus isolate was studied.
Virus isolation was performed on MDBK cells. The virus identification was conducted by RT-PCR, neutralization test and immunofluorescence assay. In order to determine the genotype of the newly isolated virus, the 5′ un-translated region (5′UTR) of the virus isolate was cloned, sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. To evaluate the virulence of the virus isolate, four BVDV sero-negative calves were intranasally inoculated with the virus suspension. Rectal temperatures and clinical signs were recorded daily. Blood samples were analyzed for changes in white blood cell counts, and tissue samples were taken for histopathology analysis.
A new isolate of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), named HN01, was isolated from the nasal swabs using MDBK cell culture. The HN01 strain caused cytopathic effect (CPE) in MDBK cell cultures after two passages. The virus specifically reacted to BVDV1-specific monoclonal antibody in an immunofluorescence assay. A fragment of 288 bp of genome from this isolate was amplified by the RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis of 5′UTR indicated that the virus was BVDV 1a. In the pathogenesis study, four calves experimentally infected with the BVDV strain developed depression, cough and other clinical signs. Calves showed high temperature over 40°C, and white blood cell counts dropped more than 40%.
A new subgenotype 1a strain of BVDV was firstly isolated from dairy cattle in China. The experimental infection showed that the virus was moderate pathogenic to cattle and can be used as a BVDV challenge virus to evaluate the efficacy of BVDV vaccines in the target animals.
- Bovine viral diarrhea virus
- Cattle
- Phylogenetic analysis
- Pathogenesis
- China
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a great economically pathogen in cattle and other ruminants in the world [1–10]. The virus is associated with several clinical symptoms, including diarrhea, respiratory disease, congenital malformations, reproductive disorders and mucosal disease [9, 11–14].
BVDV belongs to the genus pestivirus with classical swine fever virus and border disease virus in the family Flaviviridae. The genome of the BVDV consists of a single positive-stranded RNA, which usually have a length of 12.3 kb [15]. Two biotypes of BVDV categorized as cytopathogenic or noncytopathogenic based on their activity in cell culture have been recognized in the past years [16, 17]. Based on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of 5′-untranslated region (5′UTR), Npro or E2 gene, BVDV strains can be divided into two different genotypes, BVDV1 and BVDV2 [18]. Each genotype can be further divided into different subgroups, and currently at least 11 genetic subgroups of BVDV1 and three genetic subgroups of BVDV2 are identified [3, 6, 18–24]. Recently, a new virus referred to as HoBi-like BVDV3 was identified in Europe, the virus can be divided into two sub-groups, Thai origin and Brazilian origin [25]. BVDV1 spreads worldwide in cattle population [22, 23, 26, 27]. In the case of BVDV2 species, the highest occurrence is reported in the USA and Canada [25, 28], partially in Japan [29–31], Indian [3], South America [19], and occasionally in some European countries [6, 15, 32–35].
Virulence is both important to understanding the mechanisms of pathology and selecting the challenge strains for evaluation of a vaccine. Variation in virulence among BVDV2 strains has been extensively reported [36–38], but much less information is available on variation in virulence among BVDV1 strains. To date, the strain NY-1 has been used as a challenge strain for evaluating efficacy of vaccine protection against BVDV1. While it is well characterized, the clinical presentation infected with NY-1 indicates it is more likely a low virulence strain [39]. So investigating an efficacious challenge virus to access the vaccine efficacy is very important.
To the present, many subgenotypes of BVDV1 have been isolated and detected in China [27, 40, 41]. Based on the phylogenetic tree, the clustering of BVDV1b and BVDV 1 m were the major prevalent subgenotypes in China [27, 41, 42]. However, BVDV subgenotype 1a was not isolated from cattle in China. Moreover, pathogenesis of above all strains was seldom reported.
In this study, one virus was isolated from nasal swabs of cattle using MDBK cell cultures, and identified as a BVDV isolate by the virus neutralization test, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method and immunofluorescence assay. To investigate the genetic subgroup of the strain, the 5′UTR gene of the virus was sequenced and compared with other 13 reference BVDV strains by phylogenetic analysis. The pathogenesis of the virus was evaluated by intranasally inoculating to four susceptible calves to assess the potential endemic risk to the cattle herd in China.
Virus isolation
In virus neutralization assay using BVDV anti-sera, results revealed that the inoculated MDBK cells did not show CPE after mix of the virus fluids with BVDV1 positive serum, but cells inoculated with virus fluid only developed CPE. These results indicate that the virus isolate was a BVDV 1 strain.
Amplification, sequencing, and analysis of 5′UTR
The fragment of 288 bp of 5′UTR gene was amplified from the isolated virus by RT-PCR. The amplified product was purified, cloned and sequenced. The sequence of the isolated BVDV1 strain was compared to the reference sequences using BLAST program. Result revealed that the isolated BVDV 1 strain was similar with the BVDV strains Singer, with sequence identity about 95%. The sequence of 5′UTR has been deposited in GenBank with the accession No.JX878887.
Phylogenetic analysis
Experimental infection
WBC counts of challenged calves started decreasing from day 2 post-challenge. The WBC counts of 655# dropped significantly from 8.6 (1000 per mm3) at day 0 to 3.6 (1000 per mm3) at 4 dpi, a 58% reduction to the initial number. 642# decreased from 7.2 (1000 per mm3) (0 day) to 3.0 (1000 per mm3) (6 dpi), a 58% reduction to the initial number. The cattle of 675# decreased from 10.3 (1000 per mm3) (0 day) to 4.8 (1000 per mm3) (2 dpi), a 53% reduction to the initial number. The cattle of 666# decreased from 10.1 (1000 per mm3) (0 day) to 4.6 (1000 per mm3) (6 dpi), a 54.5% reduction to the initial number. Average greatest decline of WBC counts among the control animal group was less than 20%, which were significantly less (P < 0.05) than those of the challenge group (Figure 3B).
Viral detection was positive from 2 dpi to 8dpi in nasal samples. Viral shedding was detected by virus isolating in MDBK cells from nasal swabs. Two infected cattle had viral shedding as early as 2 dpi. The long shedding period reached to 8 days after inoculation, and the highest shedding peak was reached at 4-8 dpi.
Reference sequences from GenBank
S. No
Isolate name
Accession number in GenBank
The subgroup of BVDV might be correlated with the geographical origin [47]. Previous study indicated that the BVDV 1a subtype was predominant and widespread in neighboring countries, such as Korea and Japan [47, 48]. In China and India, BVDV 1b was the predominant subgenotypes [27, 49]. Hence, the isolated BVDV1a strain in this study may be originated from the import of infected livestock. The findings of the current study also suggest a possible role of BVDV in the etiology of diarrhea and bovine respiratory disease. In addition, the presence of BVDV could represent a clinical threat to diary and cattle industry in China.
In this study, calves infected strain HN01 of BVDV1a showed the mild clinical signs, high rectal temperature and lymphopenia, which suggested that the strain had the moderate virulence to cattle. Previous studies on the pathogenesis of BVDV1 and BVDV2 demonstrated that the low virulent strains were characterized with a subclinical course, a mild short-term pyrexia, rectal temperatures between 39.2°C and 40.0°C for 1-2 days, and a drop in circulating lymphocytes ranging between 20% and 40% [50]. In contrast, clinical signs infected with a high virulent strain were severe with a longer term and more severe pyrexia, temperatures above 40°C, ranging upwards to 41.7°C for 3 or more days, decreases of greater than 40% in circulating lymphocytes and decreases of greater than 40% in platelets. Death losses ranging between 20% and 50% have been observed in field outbreaks associated with highly virulent BVDV2 strains [36, 39, 51]. Although the experimental animals showed over 40°C for 2 days, over 40% WBC drop, the virus was categorized as moderate virulence due to the lack of severe clinical signs. This study demonstrated that strain HN01 was an alternate challenge strain in addition to the currently available strain NY-1 for vaccine efficacy test from the USDA [39]. Furthermore, much of the research on BVDV virulence demonstrated that the clinical signs, such as depression, febrile response and excessive lacrimation were more reproducible than hemorrhage or diarrhea. It may be suggested that low virulence strains were more dominant in nature [52–54]. Despite the lack of severe clinical signs, infection with BVDV may transiently compromise the immune system and thus possibly predisposes cattle to secondary infections [52]. Measures such as vaccination should be taken to control BVDV1 infection.
In this study, a BVDV strain genotype 1a was firstly isolated from cattle herd in China. The study carried out a molecular epidemiology and pathogenesis on the strain. Calves inoculated with the isolate developed clinical signs, including high temperature, depression, cough and nasal discharge. The results confirmed the existence of the BVDV type 1a in China, and it may be helpful in preventing the BVD in China and a challenge virus strain for efficacy evaluations of vaccines.
Materials and methods
Samples and virus isolation
Twenty nasal swabs and blood samples were collected from the cattle that showed mild respiratory clinical signs, such as nasal discharge and cough in Henan province, China in 2010. The nasal swab samples were collected and put into a tube containing 2 ml DMEM (HyClone, USA) supplemented with 10% horse serum (Hyclone, USA), 150 μg/ml gentamicin sulfate (Sigma, USA), 7.5 μg/ml fungizone (Sigma, USA), and Streptomycin at 100 μg/ml. Three milliliter (3 ml) blood samples were collected using an EDTA vacuum blood tube from the jugular vein. All the samples were kept at 2-8°C and quickly transferred to the laboratory. Nasal swabs were inoculated into MDBK cell monolayers in 24-well tissue culture plates for virus isolation. Briefly, following centrifugation at 1500 rpm for 10 min, the samples were filtered through 0.45 μm membrane (Sigma, USA) and then inoculated onto the MDBK cell monolayer cultured in 0.5 ml DMEM (HyClone, USA) supplemented with 6% horse serum (Hyclone, USA) in 24-well cell culture plates, and incubated at 37°C, with 5% CO2 for 2 hours. Then, the supernatants were discarded, and plates were rinsed twice with PBS (pH7.2, 0.01 mol/L), and 1 ml DMEM (HyClone, USA), with 3.5% horse serum was added. The infected-MDBK cell plates were checked daily and appearance of cytopathic effects (CPE) was observed and recorded. If the CPE was not found, the cultures were frozen and thawed twice and the clarified supernatant was passaged three times in MDBK cells. Un-infected MDBK cultures were included as negative controls and MDBK cells inoculated with BVDV NM01 strain, which was previously isolated and identified by our laboratory, was used as positive control. After 3-4 days of incubation at 37°C, with 5% CO2 supply, the virus was confirmed by immunofluorescence on cell monolayers as described below.
Virus neutralization test
To identify the isolated virus, virus neutralization (VN) test was conducted using antisera raised in cattle against BVDV1a NM01, a vaccine strain in our laboratory. Briefly, virus fluids were mixed with the equal volume hyperimmune antisera (antibody VN titer ≥ 1∶64) and incubated at 37°C for one hour, and then the mixture was transferred into MDBK cell cultures in the 96-well tissue culture plates. After 4 days of incubation at 37°C, with 5% CO2 supply, the plates were observed for CPE to determine if the virus isolate was neutralized by the BVDV antisera. The antisera positive control and negative control were also included in this test.
Immunofluorescence assay
To detect the BVDV in the infected-MDBK culture, an immunofluorescent assay (IFA) was conducted as follows. Briefly, cell lysate was added to each of four wells of a 96-well MDBK tissue culture plate. Positive virus (NM01 strain) and DMEM media (negative control) were also added to 4 wells respectively in the test. Then plates were incubated for 4 days at 37°C, with 5% CO2 supply. Then, the supernatants were dumped and plates were fixed with the mixture of 80% acetone and 20% methyl alcohol; the fixed plates were incubated with monoclonal antibody specific to anti-BVDV1 (E2/gp53 IgG2a Isotype, VMRD, USA). Finally, the rabbit anti-mouse fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated immunoglobulin G (IgG) (Sigma, USA) was added to the plates, then incubated in a 37°C humid box for an hour. The plates were examined for fluorescence under a fluorescent microscope (Zeiss Axioskop-40, Germany).
PCR amplification and sequencing
Primers (Forward: 5′ATGCCCTTAGTAGGACTAGCA3′; Reverse: 5′TCAACTCCATGTGCCATGTAC3′) for 5′UTR gene sequence of BVDV were designed according to the BVDV strain Singer (GenBank accession number L32875) and strain NADL (GenBank accession number M31182). Total BVDV RNA was extracted from infected MDBK cell fluids using Trizol reagent (Invitrogen, China) according to the manufacturer′s instructions. The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out using 5 μl of RNA extraction samples and 1 μl of BVDV reverse primer as reverse transcription primer in a 0.2 ml tube for 5 min at 70°C; and the tube was added with 1 μl (200U) M-MLV reverse transcriptase RNase inhibitor and 2 μl RNAse-free water, and then was incubated for one hour at 42°C. The amplification of cDNA by PCR was carried out in a total volume of 50 μl solution containing 1 μl cDNA, 5 μl 10 × Buffer, 3 μl 2.5 mmol/L dNTP, 0.5 μl each primer, 0.5 μl Platinum Pfx DNA polymerase and 39.5 μl sterile water. Amplification was performed as follows: 95°C for 5 min, and then submitted to 30 cycles of amplification. The conditions for the amplification were 1 min at 94°C, 1 min at 55°C, and 1 min at 72°C, then with a final extension at 72°C for 10 min. The PCR products were detected by electrophoresis through a 1% agarose gel stained with ethydium bromide and visualized under UV light. The target fragment of PCR products were purified and cloned into pMD18-T vector (TaKaRa, Japan), and then transfected into E.coli DH5α cells. The positive clones were selected for sequencing by Shanghai Invitrogen Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Sequences analysis
The sequence analysis was performed by computer software DNASTAR (Madison, Wis USA) and MEGA5.1. The 5′UTR gene sequence of the virus isolate was evaluated for further sub-genotype classification and compared to 13 BVDV reference sequences (Table 1) from NCBI database information to develop a phylogenetic tree. Percent identities and divergences were calculated using Neighbor-Joining method of Mega5.1 software.
Experimentally infection
Calves and housing
Six 4-month old calves were obtained from a calf farm in Inner Mongolian, China. All animals were negative to BVDV and apparently healthy, presenting no signs of depression, cough or other health disorders. The selected animals were transported to an animal facility in Inner Mongolian. All animal experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Jilin University.
Virus infection and temperature recording
Three days prior to challenge, all animals were transferred to a bio-level 3 safety facility. Four calves were intranasally inoculated with 6 ml of cell culture medium containing 106.8TCID50 per milliliter of the HN01 strain, and other two calves were inoculated with the cell culture medium to serve as the controls. All the culture medium were demonstrated free of adventitious pathogens. The challenge procedure was performed by spraying 3 ml of virus samples into each nostril, using an atomizer, and then the calves were monitored for 8 days. The temperature was taken two times at the same time every day by investigators who were unaware of the treatment codes in each study. Three randomly chosen calves were euthanized at 8 dpi for histopathology analysis.
Clinical assessment
Calves were clinically observed daily from 1 to 8 days post-challenge. Clinical signs including depression, cough, asthma, and other respiratory disease were recorded and scored using a scale of 0 – 3 (0 = absence; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe).
Sample collection
White blood cell (WBC) counts were conducted from 2 days pre-challenge through 8 days post-challenge and white blood cell (WBC) counts were conducted by a Vetscan HM5 veterinary hematology system (Abaxis, USA). Deep nasal swab specimens were collected at 1 day prior to challenge through 8 days post-challenge. After collection, swabs were placed into a tube containing 3 ml of transport medium, consisting of DMEM (HyClone, USA) supplemented with 10% horse serum (Hyclone, USA), 150 μg/ml gentamicin sulfate (Sigma, USA), 7.5 μg/ml fungizone and streptomycin at 100 μg/ml. The samples were kept at 2-8°C and quickly transferred to the laboratory. Upon arriving in laboratory, all swab specimens were stored at -70°C or below until they were cultured for virus isolation.
Histopathologic study
On days 8 dpi, two calves in the infected group and one in the control group were euthanized; tissue samples of liver, spleen, lung, heart, kidney, intestine, mandibular lymph node, and mesenteric lymph node were collected and fixed in 10% buffered formalin for histopathologic analysis in Inner Mongolia agricultural university.
I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who supported and assisted us in conducting this study. This work was performed under the auspices of the "Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest project, No. 201003060" and we are thankful to SINOVET (BEIJING) BIOTHCHNOLOGY CO., LTD for providing the necessary facilities to carry out this work.
Authors' Affiliations
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Fall Foliage Photography
Fall is one of the most exciting times to be out shooting landscape images because of the spectacular color found in the trees dotting the hillsides. Here′s one tip for getting a great photograph when you get out there.
When you are surveying the opportunities while you are hiking or driving, look for situations where the trees are backlit. That′s because the added contrast of the leaves being lit from behind will make them more luminous, adds more depth, and makes the color pop off the page. Just look at this example to see what I mean:
© Allen Birnbach


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Dr. Bree is one of 326 board-certified pediatric dermatologists in the US and is uniquely trained to diagnosis and treat skin conditions and birthmarks in children, 0-18 years of age.
Alanna F. Bree, MD, FAAD, is a board certified Pediatric Dermatologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital. She is also the Executive Director of a non-profit organization, A Children's House for the Soul, which was formed to provide support for children and teens with skin conditions and birthmarks. As well, she is the owner and solo physician of A Children's House for Pediatric Dermatology.
She graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, IL. She completed her residency training in Dermatology at Saint Louis University, with fellowship training in Pediatric Dermatology at Northwestern University/Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL. She is board certified in Dermatology and Pediatric Dermatology through the American Board of Dermatology. Her special interests in pediatric dermatology include pediatric dermatologic surgery & laser treatments, birthmarks, and genetic skin diseases, as well as the social, emotional and spiritual impact of skin disease.
Dr. Bree has been actively involved in the American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Pediatric Dermatology where she has participated in several leadership roles & given many nationally invited lectures. She has been involved in national and international pediatric dermatology research, has several scientific publications and is co-author of The Illustrated Manual of Pediatric Dermatology. She is on the leadership team for the American Academy of Dermatology's Camp Discovery-TX camp. She is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Council for the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias and is co-chair for the Dermatology Advisory Group for the World Health Organization.
As well, she is actively involved in her community, both locally and globally. She is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church Downtown where she is member of the Mission Ministry Action Team and Health Cabinet (. She is also a past Girl Scout co-leader and a member of National Charity League. She has participated in several short-term mission trips to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Kenya and Tanzania. She is also the wife to her medical school sweetheart and mom to two busy young adult children who she adores. Most importantly, she desires to live out her faith each and every day by sharing the love and compassion of Jesus through helping others with her God-given gifts and talents.
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Blaire is positively thrilled to be joining the team at A Children's House. Her background in multiple medical offices and her passion for patient care make her the perfect fit. Throughout her career she has found that helping patients through difficult diagnoses or obtaining laborious insurance authorizations is extremely gratifying. Blaire understands how skin can play a role in our self-confidence and being a part of patient transformations over time is very fulfilling. She looks forward to spending more time with children and volunteering for A Children's House for the Soul.
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110, Rue des Rosiers - 93400 Saint Ouen
Tel: +33 (0)6 60 62 61 90
- Opening times :
Friday 8am-12am
Saturday 9.30am-6pm
Sunday 9.30am-6pm
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That's easy ! We are only 4 miles (6km) due north of Notre Dame – in the heart of Paris. Marché Serpette is only a short drive or taxi ride from downtown Paris and just a few stops on the métro.
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Porte de Clignancourt then take rue de Rosiers.
Serpette has its own carpark .
All taxi drivers know Marché Serpette in the Puces de Paris-St Ouen (Paris Fleamarket)
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2 of the Paris métro lines stop near the Market. On line 13 you can get off at 'Garibaldi' and then walk 5 minutes. On line 4 'Porte de Clignancourt' is about 10 minutes on foot.
Dealers association: AMBPS firstname.lastname@example.com


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The story behind Beyoncé' s Fela Kuti inspired album revealed
If you can remember, sometime ago, Beyonce released 4, she recorded a whole album that was inspired by singer – late Fela Kuti that was never unveiled but inspired another single, confirmed The-Dream.
The person behind Queen Bry's hit single "Single Ladies" shared the tale in a Genius.com blog about "End of Time." He stated that they did a whole Fela album which did not go up. It was just before they did 4. They did a whole different sounding thing, around twenty songs. She said she wanted to do something that sounds like Fela. That is why there is so much of that sound in the 'End of Time.'
A whole album inspired by the Afrobeat pioneer is one of many of her projects that they have not heard. The-Dream added that there are always several albums being made. Most of the time they were just being creative, period. The were talking about B, somebody who sings all day long and somebody who writes all day long. There are probably a hundred records just sitting around.
The Houston native sees inspiration around the world. Apart from collaborations with Aussie singer/songwriter Sia, Beyonce called on Mozambican dance trio Tofo Tofo for Who Run the World (Girls) music video. In fact, she also features a speech on feminism from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the Nigerian author, on the single "Flawless."


text: Plot Summary:Set in the late 19th century, monster hunter Dr. Abraham Van Helsing (Jackman) is summoned to a mysterious land in East Europe to vanquish evil forces... evil forces with names like Count Dracula (Roxburgh), the Wolf Man (Kemp), and Frankenstein's Monster (Hensley). Assisting him once he gets there is Anna (Beckinsale), the heir of a long-running family committed to hunting down and destroying Dracula. (Anaya, Colloca and Maran play Dracula's brides; Wenham plays a friar, Carl, who escorts Van Helsing through the dangerous wilderness) The movie gets its start as Dr. Van Helsing is hunting down a mysterious monster called Mr. Hyde who has some sort of tie to a chemist, Dr. Jekyll.