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No one likes to talk about it outrightly, but deep down we all have some doubtful opinions on the subject. Especially within the past decade the question of Hell has become quite controversial in popular culture and within the church. Many have either tried to redefine it, rethink it, or repaint it altogether from the traditional stance. Some have outrightly denied its existence because of its incapability to reconcile with God's characteristics of being benevolent, loving, forgiving, and all merciful. Still, others hold on to their unchallenged view that stands to be "what the Bible teaches," without any further or need of continual quest to reread scripture on the subject. Bestselling author Francis Chan with co-author Preston Sprinkle takes on the touchy subject hiding in the closet.
"Let us be eager to leave what is familiar for what is true."
― Francis Chan, Erasing Hell
Erasing Hell was such a good book about Hell & Eternity because it did two things for me. First, it was very truthful in looking at all the perspectives and contrasting them to the narrative of what the scriptures teach within their context. Secondly, Erasing Hell was also very honest as the heart of the author Francis Chan is laid out in wanting to know the truth, but not wanting to condemn but rather free people by knowing the truth. One of the sincerest things Francis Chan says in the book,
"In my desire to distance myself from sadistic Christians who revel in the idea of wrath and punishment, I may have crossed a line. Refusing to teach a passage of Scripture is just as wrong as abusing it. ― Francis Chan, Erasing Hell.
I think many of us feel the same way among congregants and clergy. But what Erasing Hell sets out to unveil is to get down to the heart of what a view of Hell would look like if we simply read to understand the topic through the narrative of the Bible. Reading Erasing Hell will challenge everyone's views and be an eye opener for both traditional and liberal-minded thinkers. It's the best book on the subject, so jump in and find out why Erasing Hell is a must read.
Click Here to Order the hard copy
Click Here to order the audio Book


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Fantastic Interview Friday…Merline Lovelace
Well, since I ran out of locations (at least until I visit another fun/weird one *g*), I'm going to slip to something a bit different. In my monthly newsletter (Musings from the Blonde Side), I interview folks whose stuff I've enjoyed tremendously. This week, I'll be replaying Merline Lovelace's interview. Merline is a fantastic friend, mentor and chapter sister! And for those of you who haven't signed up for my newsletter…you get not only this cool insight into an author's work/thoughts, but also a chance to win a $10 Amazon or Fictionwise Gift Certificate every month!!
Wow…this month I'm totally honored to have author extraordinaire Merline Lovelace visit with us. Merline writes about pretty much everything, from her totally true-to-life depictions of modern-day military heroes to "oh my gosh" historicals. I can guarantee that you'll adore any book you pick up by Merline, and her newest trilogy, centered around PI Cleo North is no exception. As a retired Air Force Colonel, Merline obviously knows her stuff, and it comes through so vividly in her writing that it's enthralling. Ladies and Gentlemen…Merline!
MftBS: What's the coolest thing that's happened to you as an author? Well, let's see. This is sorta cool… When I was researching my military thriller LINE OF DUTY, the local base invited me along on an orientation flight aboard an AWACS. Just after we took off there was an electrical fire aboard the aircraft. The pilot declared an in-flight emergency, had to jettison fuel, and brought us down on a runway packed with crash vehicles. I admit to being just a tad nervous, but took LOTS of notes. Even managed to use most of them in the book! On a more positive note, the neatest thing about being a writer is the ability to travel to the most exotic spots in the States and around the world researching. I've set stories in Malta, Copenhagen, Panama, Bermuda, Hawaii – just about every place we've visited.
MftBS: If you were trying to describe your work to a new reader, what would you say? I'd say I write books that feature men and women who understand the concept of Duty, Honor, Country – whether they're wearing the short skirts of a Roman Centurion or a USAF flight suit.
MftBS: Who are three of your favorite writers & why? Only three? Goan!!!! How to choose… I love Georgette Heyer for her fantastic character studies. I first read her in 1967, during summer break from college. My older sister was home with her kids while her husband was in VN. I got her hooked on GH, too, and she and I drove to all the libraries in western Massachusetts hunting down books, which we'd read while curled up in a booth at the local pizza joint. That summer was wonderful!!! I also love Mary Stewart. I think My Brother Michael is one of the best romantic suspense novels of all time. Of course, I devour every Nora Roberts book as soon as it comes out. That woman can create knuckle-biting tension with just a few well-chosen words and, oh, those steamy love scenes!!!!
MftBS: What is your oddest habit while writing? Actually, my oddest habit comes after writing. When I'm in the last phase of a book, research material, correspondence, and just about everything else gets stacked up to the rafters. So after I pop a manuscript in the mail, I have this ritual office-cleaning. I never dreamed I'd look forward to — or enjoy – cleaning so much!
MftBS: Last but not least…what tidbit of BSP (Blatant Self Promotion) would you like to share with my devoted, die-hard fans?
Only that I'm thrilled the Cleo trilogy is doing so well. I had such from with her and Jack and very much enjoyed returning to my air force roots. It's great to know other folks are enjoying the series, too.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ottery Strongman competition raises £700 for Tar Barrels
PUBLISHED: 07:00 12 September 2018
Chels Underhill
Entrants had to lift a car, concrete weights and a barrel
Seventeen muscly males gathered at Canaan Way for the annual Ottery Strongman Competition on Saturday, August 25.
And while demonstrating their prowess in a series of weightlifting challenges, they were also raising money for the Ottery Tar Barrels.
The five gruelling events included deadlifting a car which weighed 250kg, an overhead lifting medley which included a barrel, and the classic Atlas stones, which are used in the official World's Strongest Man competitions.
The winner in the novice category was Matt Dicker from Cullompton, and in the Intermediate class was Jordan Davies from Yeovil, aged just 21 and having never entered a Strongman contest before.
Local man Paul Harradence from Ottery came ninth.
The event was sponsored by local companies Strawbridge & Sons builders and JPC Tree Care.
It has raised £700 for the Tar Barrels fund, with the money coming from competitors' fees, a barbecue and a share of the bar takings.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Sidmouth Herald. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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Delta Plus (VENITEX) VE712GR
Delta Plus (VENITEX) VE712GR
Seamless 100% polyester knitted glove. Nitril-coated palm and fingertips (ventilated back). Elasticated cuff.
Advantages Strong points Examples of use Excellent dexterity. Lightweight. Comfortable gloves. Flexibility. Protection of the handled object. Slip-resistant. Abrasion resistance. Protection against oils. Smooth nitrile coating on palm and fingertips. Anatomically designed. Protection against micro cuts. Precision and delicate handling. Assembly and packaging.
<< Previous


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Accession Number:
Spacecraft Protection against Electrostatic Discharge Application to the Arabsat Spacecraft,
Descriptive Note:
Corporate Author:
Personal Author(s):
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This paper summarizes the protections against ESD effects which were implemented on the ARABSAT spacecraft, and their results after about one year of operational lifetime. AEROSPATIALE, as prime contractor of the ARABSAT spacecraft, has taken advantage of past and recent experience of ESD adverse effects on other spacecraft, to further improve the ARABSAT design in this matter. This paper first recalls the origins of ESD phenomena on geostationary spacecraft and which kinds of effects may be observed in flight. The METEOSAT spacecraft, also built under AEROSPATIALE prime contract, is taken as an example. Next, the ARABSAT spacecraft mission and main features are summarized. This paper then gives a list of the basic design rules concerning ESD which were applied on ARABSAT these rules were established taking into account not only AEROSPATIALEs own experience, but also by consulting various specialists of ESA, CNES and DERTS. Finally, the in-flight experience of the two ARABSAT spacecraft is presented, starting from the two launches. The extreme scarcity of events which might be attributed to ESD phenomena one single event per spacecraft in the first year allows us to think that the overall ARABSAT design is satisfactory as far as ESD is concerned.
Subject Categories:
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Unmanned Spacecraft


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Goldfish have a fascinating history that begins
in China at least a thousand years ago. First,
people in China began to domesticate wild
carp, a bigger and silver colored fish.
People would take care of the fish, providing them
with food and protecting them. Every now and then,
carp would be born that were gold or orange
instead of silver, because of a mutation, or a
random genetic change.
People liked the gold-colored fish, and enjoyed
raising them in gardens and ponds, much as we
display them in aquariums. Through a process
called artificial selection, people were
able to choose the colors and shapes they desired
in the fish. In short, we created goldfish to look
like they do.
This was the case with the fantail goldfish,
which was developed by the 1700s. This breed, or
type, of goldfish originated in China and then
was brought to Japan by the 1880s, and then to
the rest of the world shortly after. So
the fantail goldfish, while Chinese in origin,
now lives in fishbowls and aquariums all over the


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There are some people who just get under one's skin and the BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg - the first woman to hold the role - seems to aggravate many. But interestingly she seems to rile all political parties. She is not afraid to be critical if she thinks there is a case to answer, regardless of her own safety.
It is her job to ask difficult questions and to be sceptical about everything our politicians say. But the level of abuse she receives does not reflect well upon our society. The BBC even arranged for Laura to have a bodyguard during party conference season because of the level of online abuse.
Surely we want a society that questions, challenges and holds our politicians to account? Did Nick Robinson receive the same level of abuse I wonder? Or is this another example of bias? Social media has many merits but trolling is unacceptable and those that run Twitter and Facebook surely are innovative enough to find a way to encourage dialogue and debate but to clamp down on unacceptable abuse.
Sir David Clementi said some of the abuse occurred in "plain sight" at press conferences. "Politicians cannot stand by and watch – they must confront any abuse, and make it clear that it is intolerable," he said. "The journalists of the BBC, when abused simply for doing their job, should know they have the determined support of the board to stamp it out."He called for Facebook and Twitter to do more. "These days, there is much more abuse. It is increasingly explicit and aggressive, and much of it occurs online," Clementi said. "I welcome the work the government is doing to tackle this, and I'm following closely the efforts of Twitter and Facebook, amongst others, to clamp down on the perpetrators. I hope the social media platforms do even more."


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Rehabilitation of 32" Gas Pipeline in a most Cost Effective ways
Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) is one of the leading crude oil producing countries in the Middle East. It was established in the year 1934 and is estimated to hold 9.5% of the world's oil reserve.
As a part of Pipelines Integrity Assessment Programs, the intelligent ultrasonic inspection pigging of the 32" HP gas transmission pipeline (built in the year 1979) was conducted in the year 2002. This was first of its kind in KOC and it revealed significant external corrosion especially at the bottom portion of the pipeline making the operation of the pipeline at its maximum operating pressure unsafe. In order to ensure the integrity of the pipeline and its safe operation, it became necessary for the Company to either replace the pipeline or rehabilitate the pipeline.
The subject case study highlights the following aspects:
- Analysis of the options: Replacement vs. Rehabilitation.
- Adoption of the most economical methods for prolonging the life of the pipeline.
- Minimizing the down time of pipeline.
- Rehabilitation of the pipeline in a safe way under extreme and adverse weather conditions prevailing in the Middle East.


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Product Description
The Corrib six seater dining set is ideal for any outdoor dining occasion. The round table is a very sociable design and any extra guests can be accommodated around it! The chairs contemporary in design and very comfortable. The lazy Susan is not only attractive it is also very practical when sharing food and drink with friends and family. The hardwood dining table and rattan dining chairs make light work of any maintenance!


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2021 ECW Symposium Early Bird Ticket – $155
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Tag Archives: high water mark
"Come on You Wolverines": Remembering the Fight at East Cavalry Field
Today, East Cavalry Field is a relatively quiet place on an otherwise busy battlefield. I have been there many times and often spending a few hours on each visit. It is indeed rare to encounter anyone there, compared to the … Continue reading
Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Battles, Campaigns, Cavalry, Civil War Events, Common Soldier, Leadership--Confederate, Leadership--Federal, Memory, Personalities Tagged 13th Virginia Cavalry, 14th Virginia Cavalry, 16th Virginia Cavalry, 1st Michigan Cavalry, 1st North Carolina Cavalry, 1st Virginia Cavalry, 34th Virginia Cavalry, 5th Michigan Cavalry, 7th Michigan Cavalry, 9th Virginia Cavalry, Alanson Randol, Alexander Pennington, Batteries E/G 1st U.S. Artillery, Battery M 2nd U.S. Artillery, Charlottesville Horse Artillery, Cress' Ridge, David M. Gregg, Fitzhugh Lee, George Custer, high water mark, J.E.B. Stuart, Jeff Davis Legion, John Chambliss, John McIntosh, Little Round Top, Michigan Cavalry Brigade, Purnell Legion, Vincent Witcher, Wade Hampton, Yellow Tavern 10 Comments
Save the Western High-Water Mark
The Civil War Trust released its latest appeal today, for 70 acres at Perryville. Here's the link: http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/perryville/perryville-2016/. (Go ahead, look; I'll wait.) This is an essential piece of ground for three major reasons.


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In its statement of responsibility, the Islamic State described Paris as "the capital of abominations and perversions," leading the organization to attack the place where the city's residents go to enjoy themselves, wrote French newspaper 20minutes.
By carrying out shootings at bars and restaurants in the popular 10th and 11th districts of Paris on Friday evening, the attackers aimed their fire at young people who were enjoying themselves.
"The Bataclan, the restaurant Le Petit Cambodia and the bar Le Belle Equipe are all located within a radius of less than 1.5 km from the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo. The 11th district had since become one of the main places of Parisian memory, including Republic Square, covered with messages for the victims."
"The area, including the synagogues was also under military surveillance day and night since the events of last January. But neighborhood life, festive weekends, had reasserted itself."
"The suicide bombers wanted to show that they could still touch a symbolic place that was under police control, at least in appearance."
The newspaper explains that the Bataclan concert hall, where a metal band was playing, has previously been the target of threats from Islamic militants; in August a 30-year-old Frenchman who had returned from Syria was arrested, and later admitted during questioning that a commander there had asked him to carry out an attack on one or more concert halls when he returned to France.
"The Islamic State called it 'A party of perversion for hundreds of idolators.' In the past, the hall had already been targeted by threats from radical Islamists. In 2011 one militant told the French intelligence services of an intention to target the venue 'because its owners are Jewish.' In the mid-2000s it was used as a place of meeting for Jewish organizations, which earned it numerous threats."
Three suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the Stade de France football stadium, after one of them had been denied entry to the France – Germany friendly football match to be played there.
Manu Saadia writes in Fusion magazine that the choice of the Stade de France is also symbolic, an attack on modern France and attempts at national unity and pluralism.
"That particular stadium is one of the few places where the promise of a more integrated France is realized, if only intermittently."
"The French soccer team, known as 'Les Bleus,' is the paragon of the 'black-blanc-beur' ideal (black, white, arab). The national team is republican meritocracy in action, and it works. The Stade de France is where a French team led by the Algerian-Frenchman Zinedine Zidane won the greatest trophy in sports, the FIFA World Cup, in 1998," said Saadia, a former resident of Paris, who described the stadium as a monument to multi-ethnic success.


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Please login to access to your Digital Dharma subscription, member resources, or programs you've previously registered for.
These 72 weekly Sunday teachings by Gelek Rimpoche on the Essence of Tibetan Buddhism span the period from February 2015 to December 2016.
Putting Wisdom to Work
With the right mindset, doing our regular job can be constructive spiritual practice. Even if there are harmful aspects to the work, we can turn it into good karma by focusing on its helpful aspects.
Become a Subscriber:
To become a Digital Dharma On Demand Subscriber and enjoy this and many other teachings, please visit:


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Hire Products – FAQ
This page contains all the questions we are commonly asked about our mobility and medical equipment hire service. If you can't find the answer to your question then please contact us and we'll be happy to help.
NOTE: Please click here if you wish to view FAQ relating to purchased products.
1.) Do you offer other equipment for hire not listed here?
Yes, we have a large pool of hire product and can generally source any product to meet your hire needs. Please don't hesitate to contact us.
2.) Can you collect and deliver equipment for hire?
Yes. One of our service technicians will happily collect or deliver hire equipment to and from you. The fee for this will depend on the item and your location. Our serviceable regions are from Mossman to Innisfail and the Atherton Tablelands.
3.) Can you set up equipment for me and show me how to use it?
Yes, absolutely. We regularly set up hire equipment for people and we can train you to use it correctly.
4.) Do you have a hire to buy option?
Yes, we will happily to provide a discount on hire equipment that you may decide to purchase.
5.) Can I book online?
Absolutely, just choose the dates you require, fill out the online form and we will deliver your item as soon as possible.


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The Inspiration for the Strong Athletic Mom Shirts
Strong Athletic founder Nadia Kean created the first Strong Athletic Mom shirt in 2016 as a nod to her mom, sisters and best friends who were moms. Nadia and her sister were raised by their Mom and have a lot of pride when it comes to Strong Mamas! Eventually Nadia's sister Lisa also became a Mom and then one by one many of the best friends she grew up with also became parents.
As many of Nadia's friends became moms, they slowly started putting their hobbies and sports to the side so that they could prioritize their children. In most countries in the world, women are not expected to play sports past high school and college. If women do play sports beyond their early 20s, it is not likely that they will make their income from playing sports. The same can not be said for men. Men are more likely to make a living playing sports, or if not making a living, playing on some type of sports team recreationally. This means that a high number of children grow up watching dad play sports, but they don't see mom plays sports.
Playing sports, being on a team and being physically active and strong are important factors to a person's personal self image and self worth. It's important that women not only play sports and remain physically active into their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond but it's also important that children see women playing sports. Women in athletics needs to be normalized. It should not be something that girls and women sometimes do, it needs to be something that is expected. There are still come countries in the world where a woman playing sports or doing something physically active is still considered a sign of defiance. For men, it is not the same. It is because of this that Strong Athletic wants to put women forward in sports. This is the exact reason that we want to support Moms in sports and athletics.
Being a parent is highly romanticized, but it's not always a walk in the part. As we write this, it is April 2020, and the world is dealing with the most impactful pandemic in 100 years. How does this have to do with Motherhood? Many Moms are finding that not only can they no longer play their sport and see their teammates, but they are also isolated to staying at home. Many moms are working from home and also they are taking the role of teacher because schools are closed down. These means that many moms (and parents in general) are taking on responsibilities that they've never had to do before, such as being the key teacher for their child, while also juggling full time jobs. It takes a dedicated parent, with a lot of love to do all of the jobs they are now responsible for.
Are you a parent, but not a mom? Perhaps you're a dad or you're a nonbinary parent? Keep your eyes out for announcements about the release of our Strong Athletic Dad and our Strong Athletic Parent shirts!
The words "Strong Athletic Mom" and the Strong Athletic logo are printed on the front, the logo is also printed on the back. The are for this design is based on the original art work by Cristen Perks. Angel Ortega of Garzig design, based in South Austin, Texas, designed the Strong Athletic logo.
These shirts are screen printed by hand in Austin, Texas by Amanda at the Artists Screen Printing Coop.


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Region 9 girls basketball: Tight games across the board
ST. GEORGE — While top-ranked Cedar High sat out with a bye on Tuesday, the rest of Region 9's teams played close games, with no margin of victory higher than 4 points. Desert Hills traveled to Snow Canyon and handed the Warriors their first loss in region play. Canyon View notched its first win by knocking off Pine View in Cedar City, and Dixie evened its record with a win over visiting Hurricane.
Canyon View 48, Pine View 46
In a back-and-forth battle that came down to a couple key plays in the final minute, Canyon View picked up its first region win of the season with a 48-46 home victory over the Pine View Lady Panthers.
With just under two minutes to play in the fourth period, Pine View's Sophia Jensen swished a 3-pointer from the right wing to put the Panthers ahead by one point, 42-41. Canyon View's next two possessions ended in a missed shot and a blocked shot, after which sophomore center Averi Papa scored inside to put Pine View ahead by three, 44-41, with 55 seconds remaining.
Canyon View senior guard Jordan Nielson then swished a pair of free throws with 42 seconds left to bring the Lady Falcons within one point again, 44-43.
On Pine View's ensuing possession, Jensen missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity, after which Nielson drove the ball the length of the court and scored, getting fouled in the process. She made the ensuing free throw to complete a three-point play that put Canyon View ahead 46-44 with 30 seconds left.
Pine View head coach Chris Brinagh said after the game that he didn't agree with the call the referees made on that play.
"Not to take anything away from Canyon View, but that should have been an offensive foul," Brinagh said. "It blew my mind."
Jensen then took the ball inside for Pine View and drew a foul. This time, she made both free throw shots to tie the game 46-46 with 24 seconds left.
After taking a pass in the backcourt, Canyon View's Addison Newman drove down the right side of the court and went all the way to the basket for a go-ahead layup that put the Falcons up 48-46 with about 14 seconds left.
Pine View called time out to set up a chance to tie the game, but the Panthers' baseline shot attempt came up short. Newman rebounded the ball in the final seconds, sealing the win for Canyon View.
"It was a good matchup. We stayed close the whole game," Canyon View head coach Jaycee Barnhurst said. "We really encouraged the girls coming in today to come out and have a great first quarter and find a way to stay within three or four points the whole game. And we did that. It was back and forth … they were up and we were up."
The game featured numerous ties and lead changes, with neither team leading by more than five points throughout.
Canyon View had led 6-1 in the opening minutes of the game, but Pine View went on an 8-0 run to go ahead 9-6 by the end of the first quarter. After a closely fought second quarter, the Falcons posted a 23-22 halftime lead.
Canyon View pushed its lead back up to five at the end of the third, 36-31, but a pair of inside baskets by Papa, along with a bucket by Jensen in between, gave Pine View the lead again, 37-36, with just under 5:45 remaining in the fourth.
Papa finished with 17 points to lead the Panthers, while Alex Olson added 11.
Canyon View was led by Nielson's 21 points, while Newman contributed 8 points, including the game-winning basket. The Falcons played without their usual starting center and leading scorer Ashlyn Banks, who was out of town.
Canyon View improved its Region 9 record to 1-4 with the win, while Pine View dropped to 0-4. Pine View next plays at Hurricane on Thursday at 7 p.m. Canyon View has a bye Thursday and will next play at Dixie on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
— Written by Jeff Richards
Desert Hills 46, Snow Canyon 42
In a battle of top Region 9 teams, visiting Desert Hills Thunder beat the Snow Canyon Warriors on Tuesday night, knocking off one of the region's two undefeated teams.
The game was close throughout, with the Warriors holding a slim 1-point advantage at halftime.
After the break, the Thunder outscored the Snow Canyon 14-8 in the third quarter, which is all they needed to pull out a close win in the end.
Samantha Crane led Desert Hills with 17 points, and Kellie Nance scored 10 points.
For the Warriors, Tylei Jensen scored 15 points and Braillen Halalilo chipped in with 12.
With the win, the Thunder improves to 3-1 in Region 9 play, while the Warriors drop to 4-1 with the loss.
Up next, Desert Hills takes on Dixie on Thursday at 7 p.m. Snow Canyon will take on the lone unbeaten team in Region 9, the Cedar Lady Reds at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
— Written by Spencer Rodak
Dixie 47, Hurricane 45
The Dixie Flyers eked out a win Tuesday over the visiting Hurricane Tigers, 47-45.
With the win, Dixie improves to 2-2 in region play, while the loss drops Hurricane to 1-3 in region.
The Flyers were led on offense by Mel Alo and Joslyn Bundy, who each scored 13 points. Sina Tapasa added 9 points in the win.
The Tigers were led by Hailey Homer, who scored 11 points. Madi Hirschi added 10.
Hurricane will aim to get back in the win column on Thursday, when they host Pine View at 7 p.m.
Up next, Dixie will look to build a winning streak when they play Thursday at Desert Hills at 7 p.m.
— Written by Spencer Rodak
Region 9 standings
Cedar 4-0 (13-0)
Snow Canyon 4-1 (7-9)
Desert Hills 3-1 (8-4)
Dixie 2-2 (8-6)
Hurricane 1-3 (5-9)
Canyon View 1-4 (6-9)
Pine View 0-4 (2-9)
Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.


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Painters in Naperville, IL
Ready to make a change?
Professional Painters in Naperville, IL
CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL offers high quality and professional interior and exterior services. We understand that owning a home can be one of the largest investments you will ever make in your lifetime and we want to ensure that your home and business always looks its best. Our residential painting services will add significant value to your home. Ready to make a change to your home?
Click the the form below for a free estimate today or you can call us at 630-541-9055
Interior Painting
CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL offers professional interior painting services to the Naperville area.
Interior Painting
Exterior Painting
CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL offers professional exterior painting services to the Naperville area.
Exterior Painting
Work was done in a professional manner and on time. Communication from the crew foreman was very good. He kept me informed and asked for my feedback during the job.
- Mike Z. | Naperville, IL
Projects in the Naperville Area
See below for the examples of projects we completed in the Naperville Area
They came the day before and powerwashed everything. They were on time. They were very diligent about everything they did. Neatly done.
- Joe S. | Naperville, IL
Services we offer in Naperville, IL
At CertaPro Naperville, IL we offer more than just professional painting services, down below are all of the additional services that we offer. Click any of the links to find out more information about the services
Cabinet Refinishing and Repainting
Your cabinets are perhaps one of the most touched surfaces in your home, so it's no surprise that they wind up with a little wear and tear. At CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL we'll work with you to find a finish or paint that meets the needs of your home and daily routine.
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Color Consultation
Not sure which shade to choose? Struggling to differentiate matte, satin and gloss? We'll help you navigate the sea of options to find a color that matches your home's interior aesthetic and stands up to your family's daily routine.
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Drywall Repair
Whether your home has water damage that requires drywall repair or your walls have medium-to-large holes that need patching, the CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL crew will patch, sand and prime, to create a flawless surface to paint on.
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Painting and Staining
At CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL we offer a variety of interior and exterior home painting and staining services, including your home's deck and fencing. Regardless of the room inside your home that needs an update or the area of your home's exterior that needs protection from Mother Nature, our team works with you to determine the best plan of action for your home.
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Popcorn Ceiling Removal
While popcorn ceilings had their time on top trends lists, they are rarely seen in modern homes. Removing a popcorn ceiling yourself can be extremely difficult. The crew at CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, ILis trained to remove popcorn ceilings in an effective way that will leave your ceilings feeling fresh.
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Power Washing
Power washing is a vital step in painting the exterior of your home. CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL uses the process to remove mold, oil and old paint so new paint absorbs into your surface better.
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Stucco Repairs and Painting
As with any other home exterior, it's important to maintain the stucco or EIFS (also known as synthetic stucco) covering your home. The CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL team is very knowledgeable in both repairs and painting related to these two materials and will work alongside you to determine what services your home needs.
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Vinyl and Aluminum Siding Painting
Whether you have high-tech vinyl siding or a more traditional siding, CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL knows how to restore them. Our team has the right approach to add new life to your exteriors.
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Wallpaper Removal and Installation
Removing and applying wallpaper can be a tricky task. The crew at CertaPro Painters® of Naperville, IL is skilled in removing wallpaper and will make this time-consuming task, hassle-free for you. We will work with you to help you choose a wallcoverings style that's perfect for your home, and then apply it to your walls. All you'll have to do is enjoy the final look.
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I was pleased timeliness of the crew. They did a wonderful job, they were respectful left no mess and everything looks great. I am very happy with what they did on our project.
- Katherine D. | Naperville, IL
Why choose CertaPro?
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Shells of the bivalve Arctica islandica are used to reconstruct paleo-environmental conditions (e.g. temperature) via biogeochemical proxies, i.e. biogenic components that are related closely to environmental parameters at the time of shell formation. Several studies have shown that proxies like element and isotope-ratios can be affected by shell growth and microstructure. Thus it is essential to evaluate the impact of changing environmental parameters such as high pCO2 and consequent changes in carbonate chemistry on shell properties to validate these biogeochemical proxies for a wider range of environmental conditions. Growth experiments with Arctica islandica from the Western Baltic Sea kept under different pCO2 levels (from 380 to 1120 µatm) indicate no affect of elevated pCO2 on shell growth or crystal microstructure, indicating that A. islandica shows an adaptation to a wider range of pCO2 levels than reported for other species. Accordingly, proxy information derived from A. islandica shells of this region contains no pCO2 related bias.
Citation: Stemmer K, Nehrke G, Brey T (2013) Elevated CO2 Levels do not Affect the Shell Structure of the Bivalve Arctica islandica from the Western Baltic. PLoS ONE 8(7): e70106. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0070106
Editor: Anna Stepanova, Texas A&M University, United States of America
Received: December 26, 2012; Accepted: June 17, 2013; Published: July 29, 2013
Copyright: © 2013 Stemmer et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: This work was funded by the bmbf (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung/Federal Ministry of Education and Research) in the framework of the project BIOACID. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Marine biogenic carbonates such as bivalve shells represent complex composites of organic and inorganic phases [1], [2], [3]. Fossil and recent shells are valuable bioarchives for paleo-climate reconstructions [4], [5], [6] and environmental monitoring purposes [7]. Furthermore, bivalve shells provide information on environmental conditions at times of shell formation in the form of structural and biogeochemical properties [8], [9], [10]. However, in bivalve shells, some of the "classic" proxy systems (e.g. trace elements) developed for paleo-temperature, salinity and food availability have been shown to be affected by growth patterns, crystal fabric structure [11], the organic and the mineral phase of the biogenic carbonate (calcite, the more soluble aragonite or both) [11], [12], [13].
Increased seawater pCO2 and therefore decreased pH leads to a reduced saturation level for calcium carbonates [14] and therefore hampers shell or skeleton formation [15], [16]. Apparently, several species of marine calcifiers can cope with such conditions [16], [17], [18], [19] albeit this adaptation may coincide with changes in shell microstructure and chemistry [18], [19], [20], [21]. Raising atmospheric CO2 and the corresponding decrease in ocean pH represents a challenge for marine calcifiers on a global scale (e.g. [22]).
A number of studies evaluated the impact of high pCO2 and low pH on marine bivalve shells (e.g. [15], [16], [23], [24]) but just a few of these took a closer look on shell growth in height or thickness and on internal shell crystal fabrics [18], [20], [21]. In the North Atlantic bivalve A. islandica, Hiebenthal et al. [25] found shell stability, shell growth and tissue lipofuscin accumulation (indicating stress levels) to be unaffected by high pCO2 (up to 1700 µatm), indicating that this species may be less vulnerable to ocean acidification.
Due to its longevity (up to several centuries, [26], [27], [28]), its distinct internal growth band pattern [29], [30], its wide distribution in the northern Atlantic [31], [32], and its long fossil record A. islandica represents a valuable bioarchive [33], [34], [35]. Wanamaker et al. [36] e.g. used shell-derived temperature proxies (δ18Oc) of A. islandica to reconstruct ocean temperature variability over the last millennium.
The mineral phase present within the shell of A. islandica is aragonite with an outer shell layer (OSL) comprising the outer shell margin and forming the distinct shell increments and growth checks, and an inner shell layer (ISL) extending from the oldest part of the shell, the umbo, to the pallial line [37], [38], [39]. Both layers are separated by a thin myostracum. In addition, a protective organic layer, the periostracum, covers the outer shell. The shell is formed at the inner shell surface (growth in thickness) and the shell margin (growth in height), i.e. at two separate locations of precipitation divided by the attachment of the mantle tissue at the pallial line: The inner extrapallial fluid (EPF) is in contact with the ISL that is not yet formed outward the pallial line where the outer EPF is in contact with the OSL. It is suggested that shell precipitates directly from the EPF situated in space between secretory mantle tissue and shell surface [40], [41], [42]. However, to what extent the EPF is involved in shell formation is not clear and subject of current research. Outer and inner shell layer are composed of distinct crystal morphotypes that can be differentiated in shell cross-sections, with different affinities to the uptake of elements [11], . Irregular simple prisms, irregular complex crossed lamellar and crossed acicular-crossed lamellar microstructures have been described by Ropes et al. [39] and are also observed in A. islandica shells from the North Sea [11], whereas the shells from the Kiel Bight (Western Baltic Sea) mostly display homogeneous crystals in the outer shell layer and simple crossed lamellar structures in the inner shell layer [37].
There is substantial evidence that element and isotope signatures of biogenic carbonates used as proxy data are affected by the crystal fabric structure of the biogenic carbonate to some extent [43], [44]. Crystal growth rate, size and crystal fabric structure within bivalve shells can strongly influence trace element concentrations, as shown by, e.g., Carré et al. [45]; Freitas et al. [46]. Regarding A. islandica, Schoene et al. [11] recommends to restrict sampling for geochemical analysis to one type of shell crystal fabric to avoid structure related bias.
In Kiel Bight, Arctica islandica lives below the thermohaline pycnocline (>15 m), and is thus exposed to strong environmental fluctuations, i.e. low and variable salinity (18–23), periods of low oxygen availability during summer stratification and correspondingly, fluctuating pCO2 levels with peaks over 1000 µatm (Boknis Eck Time Series Station, [47]. Shell growth and shell crystal fabric structure represent an integrated response of the physiological and biochemical activities in the organism to the surrounding environmental conditions [48]. Compared to A. islandica from fully marine environments, the life span of Kiel Bight animals is distinctly shorter, the shells are generally thinner [32] and smaller and show a less organized microstructure [37] than A. islandica from the North Sea or Iceland. Nevertheless, A. islandica is a prominent and abundant key species in Western Baltic benthic communities [49].
The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of pCO2 on the shell microstructure of A. islandica from the Kiel Bight, in order to evaluate the possible impact such changes would have on shell based proxies.
Materials and Methods
Ethics Statement
Field sampling did not require specific permissions but was in accordance with general governmental regulations. No endangered or protected species were involved.
Specimens of Arctica islandica were collected in February 2010 from the "Süderfahrt" location (N 54°31′–32′ E 10°41′–48′) in Kiel Bight, Western Baltic. Samples were dredged from the seafloor in 20 m water depth. Quahogs were transported to the AWI Wadden Sea Station Sylt and kept in an aerated flow-through tank with natural sediment for an acclimation time of 3 months. A. islandica is a high saline species and shows optimum growth at between 6 and 10°C [25], [50], [51]. Therefore, salinity and temperature of experimental seawater were slowly increased to experimental starting conditions with salinity of 29 and a temperature of 10°C. Small animals of 15 to 25 mm height were chosen for this study. The ontogenetic age of A. islandica from Kiel Bight in that size range (15–25 mm) is about 4–5 years [49], [52]. According to the A. islandica growth model of Begum et al. [52], shell production for the size range 15–25 mm amounts to 0.18 to 0.46 g calcium carbonate (CaCO3) y−1. This seems to be a comparatively narrow range compared to lifetime range in shell production (up to 1.27 g y−1). Shell sizes were distributed randomly over treatments. Initial shell size did not differ significantly between treatments (ANOVA, p = 0.288).
During the experiments, artificial calcium carbonate free sediment (Vitakraft® quarz gravel 1−2 mm grain size) was used to avoid pH buffering. Food supply (DT's Premium Blend, T's Plankton Farm, Sycamore, IL, containing Nannochloropsis oculata, Phaeodactylum tricorutum and Chrorella sp.), 3 ml was added every two days.
Calcein Staining
To mark the start of the experiment the animals were immersed for 4½ hours in a calcein solution (100 mg/l seawater) followed by two washing steps as described in Riascos et al. [53]. Calcein is a fluorescent dye with an excitation and emission wavelength of 495/515 nm respectively. It is incorporated in biogenic calcium carbonate at the actual location of carbonate growth [54], i.e. the outer shell margin in bivalves [53] and was shown not to alter the element signature of the carbonate [55]. All clams were pumping water (shell open and siphons visible) during the staining period and were therefore exposed to the fluorochrome. No animal died during the staining. The perturbation experiment started immediately after the staining procedure.
CO2 Perturbation Experiment
A. islandica were kept at three different pCO2 - gas-levels for 90 days: The control group at 380 µatm (ambient atmospheric CO2 level) and experimental groups at 760 µatm (2x actual pCO2) and 1120 µatm (4x preindustrial pCO2), respectively. CO2 concentrations of the experimental water were maintained by a gas mixing system (HTK, Hamburg, Germany). Experimental temperature was set to 10°C but showed slight fluctuations over the 90 days owing to North Sea warming as well as slight differences between incubations related to technical conditions (Table 1).
The experimental setup is shown in Figure 1.
The temperature controlled room was supplied with one filter-tank (sediment filter and UV-sterilization), one 250 l perturbation tank and one 30 l perturbed header tank per pCO2-level. From the header tanks the CO2-enriched water and the control water flowed down to triplicates of 4 l incubation tanks. In each tank 10 animals were incubated, i.e. a total of 30 clams per pCO2-level. A plastic lid sealed all tanks to prevent gas exchange with the atmosphere. Seawater-flow rate from header to incubation tank was 150 ml/min.
Water Chemistry and Calculations
pH, salinity and temperature of the treatment tanks were measured once a day. To determine the total alkalinity, water samples (25 ml) (AT, determined by means of potentiometric titration using the Gran method) were collected once a week. The pH electrode (WTW 3310 pH meter with SenTix Mic electrode, Weilheim, Germany) was calibrated with NBS buffers before each measurement. Carbonate chemistry was calculated using the program CO2SYS [56] with the input of pH (NBS scale), AT and the constants of Mehrbach et al. [57]. Measured and calculated water parameters from our controlled perturbation experiment under different pCO2 conditions are listed in Table 1.
Shell Material
After 90 days experimental exposition, the quahogs were chucked and the soft tissues removed. Shells were carefully cleaned by hand and air-dried. From each treatment, 15 shells (5 per replicate) were randomly chosen for growth analysis. The staining with the fluorochrome calcein marked the start of the pCO2 incubation and allowed to identify shell material grown under experimental conditions.
Growth Analysis
Shells were submerged in NaOCl (13%) solution for 1 h to remove the organic layer (periostracum) and subsequently rinsed twice with de-ionisized water. Shells were checked for calcein marks using a fluorescence stereoscope (Olympus SZX12, Figure 2). In most shells, the calcein mark was not found along the whole shell edge, but only intermittently. If the mark was detectable at the line of strongest growth (LSG, Fig. 1), the shell was cross-sectioned along the LSG, if not, along a line through the calcein mark closest to the LSG. To prevent shell damage during cutting, metal epoxy (Toolcraft) was applied to the marked shell area one day before sectioning. Cross-sections were ground using grinding paper (Buehler) with grit sizes of P1200/P2400/P4000 followed by a polishing step with Buehler diamond polycrystalline suspensions (3 µm) and a final polish with aluminum oxide suspension (1 µm). The samples were then carefully rinsed using de-ionized water and air-dried.
New grown shell was measured at the line of strongest growth (LSG). Arrows indicate the direction of growth (dog).
Shell growth in height, i.e. addition of incremental growth, was measured from the end of the calcein mark (start of pCO2 incubation) to the outer shell margin (end of pCO2 incubation). If growth could not be measured directly on the LSG trajectory, the measurement was transformed to growth at LSG assuming isometric shell growth in all directions. Shell growth in thickness (i.e. the distance between inner and outer valve surface) was measured at the end of the calcein mark perpendicular to the direction of growth (Figure 3). All measurements were performed under a fluorescence stereoscope (Olympus SZX12) using the program ANALYSIS.
(A) Sketch of shell-cross-section with major shell structures. (B) Magnification of outer shell margin from the cross-section showing calcein mark and additional shell growth in height and thickness.
Differences in shell growth in height and thickness between treatments were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and subsequent TUKEY HSD post-hoc tests (significance level alpha = 0.05).
Structural Analysis
Shell microstructures were studied by scanning electron microscopy (XL30 ESEM, Philips) of shell cross-sections. Polished samples were coated with gold and scanned with an accelerating Voltage of 10 kV and a beam current of 1.7 nA. Shell-layers chosen for analysis are shown in Figure 4 A, B, C.
(A) Transition zone of shell material grown under normal and pCO2 perturbated conditions in the outer shell layer (OSL) (green line = calcein mark). (B) Inner shell layer (ISL). (C) Last precipitated shell material at the very tip of the shell.
Shell Staining
The calcein mark used to mark the start of the experiment could be detected in 80% of the shells (Table 2) etched with NaOCl. Within most shells the calcein mark did not appear along the whole shell margin but only in the fastest growing segments (Figure 2). This indicates asynchronous shell growth of Arctica islandica during short time periods (4½ h calcein immersion). However, since this finding is outside the scope of this study we will not pursue it further here.
Growth Rate
pCO2 level had no significant effect on shell growth in height and thickness (one-way ANOVA, height: F = 0.503, p = 0.609; thickness: F = 1.227, p = 0.306). Growth varied between 0.96 µm/day and 9.14 µm/day in height and between 0.70 µm/day and 2.88 µm/day in thickness (Figure 5A, B respectively; Table 2).
Shell Microstructure
Shell crystal fabrics of A. islandica formed during the pCO2 incubations did not differ between exposures to pCO2 levels ranging from 380 to 1120 µatm (Figure 6). In the cross-sections, the outer and inner shell layers (OSL/ISL) were clearly distinguishable by their crystal fabrics: The shell region of the OSL is characterized by a homogeneous distribution of irregular shaped crystals with an average diameter of 1.5 µm (Figure 6A). The inner shell layer was build from distinct crossed-lamellar crystal fabrics [11], [37] (Figure 4B; Figure 6B). The tips of the very recently formed shell, i.e. the latest formed crystal fabrics are also similar in all experimental animals: They consist of homogeneously distributed but irregularly shaped crystals with an average diameter of 5 µm (Figure 4C; Figure 6C).
Crystal fabrics of new shell material grown under different pCO2 levels. (A) The growth line (gl) stained with calcein at starter point of the pCO2 incubation is visible due to smaller crystals. HOM = homogeneous crystal fabric. (B) Inner shell layer (ISL) with distinct crossed-acicular crystal fabric. (C) Latest formed crystal fabric.
Our study indicates that shell growth and crystal microstructure of Arctica islandica from Kiel Bight are not altered by pCO2 in the range of 380–1120 µatm.
Individual shell growth rates varied over a wide range (0.96–9.14 µm/day in height and 0.70–2.88 µm/day in thickness) but were not affected by the pCO2 treatment. Each shell formed new shell material with distinct and specific crystal fabrics in the outer and inner shell layers. The widely accepted concept of extracellular matrix mediated mineralization in bivalves [1], [58] suggests that mineral formation requires a microenvironment that provides and maintains a sufficient supersaturation for nucleation and growth of the mineral phase. Our results indicate that A. islandica possesses a high physiological control over the chemical composition at the site of calcification, even when exposed to elevated proton concentrations, i.e. low pH.
Current implications suggest that elevated pCO2 and lowered pH can have various effects on bivalve species and other marine calcifiers, apparently depending on species and experimental conditions [15], [20], [21], [23], [59]. Accordingly, we are still far from a consistent picture of the cause-and-effect mechanisms involved.
To our knowledge there are few studies of pCO2 effects on newly grown bivalve shell material. Hahn et al. [20] report changes in shell ultrastructure of the Mediterranean Mytilus galloprovincialis that were transplanted in the field from normal to a high pCO2 level site with a pH of 8.1 and 7.3 respectively. However, it remains unclear to which extent other (uncontrolled) environmental factors may have also affected shell properties. Melzner et al. [21] observed dissolution of the internal aragonite (nacre) layer in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis from Kiel Fjord under exposition to pCO2>2000 µatm. These mussels experience seasonal pCO2 peaks of >4000 µatm and corresponding pH values as low as 7.1 and thus are presumed to be adapted to such conditions [18], [25]. However, a direct comparison with our findings is difficult because (i) the shell of M. edulis consists of two calcium carbonate polymorphs, calcite on the outside and aragonite on the inside and (ii) pCO2 impact on newly grown shell material in shell regions comparable to those investigated in our study was not analyzed.
What makes Arctica Islandica so Special?
The findings that elevated pCO2 levels neither affect shell growth rate ([25], this study) nor shell microstructure (this study) indicate that A. islandica is in full physiological and chemical control of the shell formation process, including carbonate precipitation. This tolerance can have two possible explanations: (a) pre-adaptation through species-specific lifestyle; (b) pre-adaptation to regularly enhanced pCO2 levels in Kiel Bight.
- A. islandica is unique among bivalves as the deliberate exposition to high pCO2 and low pH conditions is part of its life strategy: A. islandica can perform extreme "metabolic rate depression" (MDR), i.e. animals may stop water pumping and bury deeper into the sediment for several days, while reducing metabolic activity to very low levels [26], [60]. These sediments are often hypercapnic (physiological effects of elevated pCO2) and can be undersaturated with respect to aragonite [61], whereas body fluids, i.e. haemolymph, mantle water, and extrapallial fluid are naturally acidified and may become even more acidic under anaerobic conditions [62], [63]. Our findings support the hypothesis of Hiebenthal et al. [25] that the specific lifestyle of A. islandica may serve as a pre-adaptation to forthcoming elevated ocean pCO2. This feature may have also added to the long-term success of A. islandica. A. islandica is the only remnant of an ancient genus of the once diverse Arcticidae [32] and apparently was able to survive major past climatic oscillations, showing a high abundance through geological times and a wide distribution in the Northern Atlantic. Presence of the genus Arctica during the high CO2 Cretaceous epoch (3.7 to 14.7 times the modern pre-industrial value of 285 ppm) [64], [65] indicates that this species may be pre-adapted to high pCO2 levels in general and not only in a Baltic sub-population.
- An alternative explanation would be that A. islandica from Kiel Bight are well adapted to the strongly fluctuating conditions (salinity, temperature, oxygen availability, pCO2) at this locality. As a consequence this population can tolerate also elevated pCO2 levels. Adaption to fluctuating and increased pCO2 may add to the general expression of pronounced stress response at the expense of lifespan [66] with that of Kiel Bight animals of ∼40 yrs [67] compared to A. islandica from Iceland populations living up to 400 yrs in fully marine environment [34], [36]. The robustness towards changing conditions of Kiel Bight animals is also reflected in our experiment where A. islandica was not affected by fully saline North Sea water used during the experiment.
Future research on A. islandica from different localities (Iceland, Kattegat, White Sea, ect.), possibly in combination with genetic approaches (e.g. transcriptomics) [66] will show whether or not the observed pCO2 tolerance of this bivalve is unique for the Kiel Bight population or if represents a species-specific feature.
However, synergistic effects of pCO2 and other parameters such as temperature, food availability and salinity have not been considered yet. Furthermore, we still lack a detailed understanding of the mechanisms and controls of shell formation, which are a matter of ongoing and future research. We need to uncover the processes involved in biomineralization and before resolving this interdisciplinary enigma we can only report species-specific responses and hypothesize the processes behind it.
Our study shows that shell growth and shell microstructure of young Arctica islandica from Kiel Bight are not affected by the pCO2 up to 1120 µatm. Correspondingly, isotope and element-based proxies derived from A. islandica shells are unbiased regarding changes in shell crystal fabric structure caused by varying environmental pCO2 levels. Whether or not this robustness applies to all A. islandica populations or just to the one from the Western Baltic remains to be seen.
Author Contributions
Conceived and designed the experiments: KS TB GN. Performed the experiments: KS. Analyzed the data: KS TB GN. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: TB GN. Wrote the paper: KS TB GN.
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- 35. Weidman CR, Jones GA (1994) Kyger (1994) The long-lived mollusk Arctica islandica - a new paleoceanographic tool for the reconstruction of bottom temperatures for the continental shelves of the northern North-Atlantic ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans 99: 18305–18314.
- 36. Wanamaker AD Jr, Kreutz KJ, Schoene BR, Pettigrew N, Borns HW, et al. (2008) Coupled North Atlantic slope water forcing on Gulf of Maine temperatures over the past millennium. Climate Dynamics 31: 183–194.
- 37. Dunca E, Mutvei H, Goransson P, Morth C-M, Schoene BR, et al. (2009) Using ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) shells to reconstruct palaeoenvironment in A-resund, Kattegat and Skagerrak, Sweden. International Journal of Earth Sciences 98: 3–17.
- 38. Morton B (2011) The biology and functional morphology of Arctica islandica (Bivalvia: Arcticidae): A gerontophilic living fossil. Marine Biology Research 7: 540–553.
- 39. Ropes JW, Jones DS, Murawski SA, Serchuk FM, Jearld A (1984) Documentation of annual growth lines in ocean quahogs, Arctica islandica L.. Fishery Bulletin 82: 1–19.
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Wheeler AP (1992) Mechanisms of molluscan shell formation. In: Calcification in Biological Systems. ed. E. Bonucci, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 179–215.
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- 43. Dauphin Y, Guzman N, Denis A, Cuif JP, Ortlieb L (2003) Microstructure, nanostructure and composition of the shell of Concholepas concholepas (Gastropoda, Muricidae). Aquatic Living Resources 16: 95–103.
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Meibom A, Cuif JP, Hillion FO, Constantz BR, Juillet-Leclerc A, et al.. (2004) Distribution of magnesium in coral skeleton. Geophysical Research Letters 31.
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- 46. Freitas PS, Clarke LJ, Kennedy H, Richardson CA (2009) Ion microprobe assessment of the heterogeneity of Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios in Pecten maximus and Mytilus edulis (bivalvia) shell calcite precipitated at constant temperature. Biogeosciences 6: 1209–1227.
- 47. Hansen HP, Giesenhagen HC, Behrends G (1999) Seasonal and long-term control of bottom-water oxygen deficiency in a stratified shallow-water coastal system. Ices Journal of Marine Science 56: 65–71.
- 48. Riisgard HU, Randlov A (1981) Energy budgets, growth and filtration-rates in Mytilus edulis at different algal concentrations Marine Biology. 61: 227–234.
- 49. Brey T, Arntz WE, Pauly D, Rumohr H (1990) Arctica (Cyprina) islandica in Kiel Bay (western Baltic) - growth, production and ecological significance Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 136: 217–235.
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- 51. Mann R (1982) The seasonal cycle of gonadal development in Arctica islandica from the southern New England shelf. U S Fish and Wildlife Service Fishery Bulletin 80: 315–326.
- 52. Begum S, Basova L, Heilmayer O, Philipp EER, Abele D, et al. (2010) Growth and energy budget models of the bivalve Arctica islandica at six different sites in the Northeast Atlantic realm Journal of Shellfish Research. 29: 107–115.
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Dissard D, Nehrke G, Reichart GJ, Nouet J, Bijma J (2009) Effect of the fluorescent indicator calcein on Mg and Sr incorporation into foraminiferal calcite. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 10 (1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GC002417.
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Lewis Wallace (1998) Basic program for CO2 system in seawater. Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
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Weiner S, Dove P (2003) An Overview on Biomineralization Processes and the Problem of the Vital Effect. In Biomineralization. Eds. P.M. Dove, S. Weiner and J.J. De Yoreo. Mineralogical Society of America, Washington, D.C., v. 54, p. 1–31.
- 59. Berge JA, Bjerkeng B, Pettersen O, Schaanning MT, Oxnevad S (2006) Effects of increased sea water concentrations of CO2 on growth of the bivalve Mytilus edulis L. Chemosphere. 62: 681–687.
- 60. Strahl J, Brey T, Philipp EER, Thorarinsdottir G, Fischer N, et al. (2011) Physiological responses to self-induced burrowing and metabolic rate depression in the ocean quahog Arctica islandica. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 4223–4233.
- 61. Green MA, Jones ME, Boudreau CL, Moore RL, Westman BA (2004) Dissolution mortality of juvenile bivalves in coastal marine deposits. Limnology and Oceanography 49: 727–734.
- 62. Crenshaw MA (1972) Inorganic composition of molluskan extrapallial fluid. Biological Bulletin 143: 506–512.
- 63.
Melzner F, Thomsen J, Koeve W, Oschlies A, Gutowska MA, et al.. (2012) Future ocean acidification will be amplified by hypoxia in coastal habitats. Marine Biology: doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-00012-01954-00221.
- 64. Lutz RA, Mann R, Goodsell JG, Castagna M (1982) Larval and early post-larval development of Arctica islandica. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 62: 745–769.
- 65. Caldeira K, Rampino MR (1991) The Mid-Cretaceous Super Plume, carbon dioxide, and global warming. Geophysical Research Letters 18: 987–990.
- 66. Philipp EER, Wessels W, Gruber H, Strahl J, Wagner AE, et al. (2012) Gene Expression and Physiological Changes of Different Populations of the Long-Lived Bivalve Arctica islandica under Low Oxygen Conditions. Plos One 7: e44621
- 67. Begum S, Basova L, Strahl J, Sukhotin A, Heilmayer O, et al. (2009) A metabolic model for the ocean quahog Arctica islandica - effects of animal mass and age, temperature, salinity, and geography on respiration rate. Journal of Shellfish Research 28: 533–539.


text: Notification Alerts – It's simple to answer calls, control your music, and more??all without opening the cover. Tap and swipe as needed, and even read important information like time, date, weather, and battery level.Pocket Screen Protection – Guard the back of your phone, while the attached flap covers the front to help prevent screen scratches when it's in your bag or pocket.Ultra-Slim – Shield your phone from all sides with this shell-type design that still easily fits in your pockets and hand.US Version: Comes with Quick Start Guide, and 1 Year Product Warranty (information on the retail package)


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It is the gesture of gratitude that matters, and this hamper is just perfect to express your gratitude to your clients or to someone you love.
This hamper includes:
- Butter Shortbread Biscuits by Ogilvie & Co.
- Oud Wood Classic Candle by Mrs.Nargar & Co.
- Black Raspberry Sugar Shower Steamer by Mrs.Nargar & Co. in floral wrap.
All beautifully packed in a keepsake box with a handwritten notecard.


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LongevityMap Gene
Gene details
- HGNC symbol
- Aliases
- Common name
- adenosine deaminase, RNA specific B2 (inactive)
- Description
- This gene encodes a member of the double-stranded RNA adenosine deaminase family of RNA-editing enzymes and may play a regulatory role in RNA editing. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
- Cytogenetic Location
- 10p15.3
- UCSC Genome Browser
- View 10p15.3 on the UCSC genome browser
- 602065
- Ensembl
- UniProt/Swiss-Prot
- Entrez Gene
- 105
- UniGene
- 586663
- 1000 Genomes
- 1000 Genomes
Homologs in model organisms
- Caenorhabditis elegans
- adr-2
- Danio rerio
- si:dkey-255g15.1
- Drosophila melanogaster
- Adar
- Mus musculus
- Adarb2
- Rattus norvegicus
- Adarb2
In other databases
- GenAge model organism genes
- A homolog of this gene for Caenorhabditis elegans is present as adr-2
Studies (1)
Significant/Non-significant: 1/0
- Longevity Association
- Significant
- Population
- Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish and Japanese
- Study Design
- Association study of RNA editing genes ADARB1 and ADARB2 with exceptional longevity in the New England Centenarian Study (NECS), with more than 1,500 US individuals of primarily North European ancestry, the Southern Italian Centenarian Study (SICS), the Ashkenazi Jewish Centenarian Study (AJCS), a study of approximately 300 nonagenarians and centenarians, and the Japanese Centenarian Study (JCS), a study of Japanese centenarians which focuses on \semi-supercentenarians\" subjects living past 105 years"
- Conclusions
- SNPs in the RNA editing genes ADARB1 and ADARB2 were significantly associated with extreme old age in the New England Centenarian Study. These findings were replicated in different genetic backgrounds (Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish and Japanese) with mixed results.
- Indentifier
- rs10903420
- Reference


text: benedika 77 Posted July 19, 2018 Hi, what is this or what is it going to transform?I have found this, about 5mm small critter, on a river dive in Switzerland. on the next day i have found another one twice as big.The pic is a screenshot from a video i took from the 5mm one. the critter in action: or here https://youtu.be/_bsIOvnkBuE Alex Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Drum roll, please… The WINNER of our 'Name The Bear' Competition is David Smith from York who chose the name JACK. We think it really suits our furry friend, don't you?! Hi Jack!
Here's Jack heading off to his new home…
The competition was run at the Balloon Fiesta in York, where we had a great day running our specialist bushcraft and bubble football sessions as part of the York Mumbler activity programme (oh as well as searching for a name for our Bear too, of course!).
Thank you to everyone that entered and if you're looking for alternative and adventurous childcare for your 3-16 year olds during the school holidays, check our multi-activity holiday day camps in York and Leeds – you can join the adventure here.


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By Sunil Dang
The recent US-Israel tango in the Middle East and the US president Donald Trump pulling out of the Iran deal hasn't gone down well among the closest of allies of the US. The UK, France and Germany have condemned the US decision on Iran deal in a joint press release citing, the decision may 'tantamount to war.' As expected Iran has retaliated vehemently against the US and announced to continue its nuke program without the US support. The Iranian President Hasan Rohani went one step ahead and announced that Iran doesn't need US support for its nuclear programs aimed at the wellbeing of its citizens.
My suggestion for Tehran is not to become hostile with whole of the USA. It's Trump who has taken this decision not the whole US. Rather than antagonizing with the US, Hasan Rohani should wait for change in US leadership because in diplomacy, you can't afford to take instant decisions. Today, it would be easy for Iran to form alliances with China and Russia resulting in an effective safety net against the US just as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. But, taking cue from Kim Jong-un, Rohani should assess how difficult it would be for the people of Iran to cope with sanctions after sanctions. From Iran's perspective, except the US, majority of the other nations are in Iran's favour. So, to score over the US on diplomatic front, Iran should behave like a responsible nation. It would help supporting nations deepen their faith in Tehran. Any step that pushes in the direction of an arms race in the region would be hazardous for both Iran and the global community. From the US perspective, re-imposing sanctions on Iran would be Trump's most consequential foreign policy maneuver yet, having said that a meeting with Kim Jong-un looms large. Since Iran was, by all accounts, complying with the agreed tenets of the negotiated deal, USA'S pulling out of the deal could have serious consequences over engagement with North Korea and any agreement with the Hermit Nation. Trump has used every superlative in the book in criticizing the Iran deal. If he wants to broker an agreement that would result in the denuclearization of North Korea, he's going to have to devise something even more advantageous for the US than the Iran deal. Making the Koreans agree to any such lopsided deal might prove to be very difficult and hence far-fetched, to say the least.
Apart from US-North Korea Summit, the impact of this decision on world oil prices will be the immediately visible.. Iran is presently India's third biggest supplier (after Iraq and Saudi Arabia), and any increase in prices will hit both inflation levels and the Indian rupee, which has already breached Rs 67 to US dollar mark. In the wake of Indian promise to Iran during Hasan Rohani's visit to India in February 2018, it would be interesting to see how New Delhi doubles its oil imports from Iran. From India's perspective, it would also be important to see how Iran takes stands on Chabhar port and its proposed road map to India regarding Ashgawat port in the Baltic region. India's strategy over the last few years was to develop berths at the Shahid Beheshti port in Chabaharas a way to circumvent Pakistan's blocks on trade with Afghanistan. The new US sanctions could slow or even bring these plans to a halt depending on how strictly they are implemented. India has already committed about $85 million for Chabahar development with plans for a total of $500 million to be invested in the port, while a railway line to Afghanistan could cost as much as $1.6 billion. Last year, the US took a lenient line on India's wheat consignment of 1.1 million tonnes sent via Chabahar, with the former US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, saying the US wanted to target the regime, not the Iranian people. His replacement, Mike Pompeo, and the new US National Security Adviser, John Bolton, have a much tougher line on Iran and any further restrictions they place will make India's Chabahar plans more expensive or worse even unviable.


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President Donald Trump, who's famous for his restless Twitter fingers, hasn't said a thing about Saturday's horrific terrorist attack in Somalia.
At least 300 people were killed and roughly 300 more injured in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, by two devastating car bombs. The Somali government has blamed the incident—which represents the deadliest terrorist attack in the country's history—on Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate.
Trump is often among the first to publicly react to terrorist attacks in the Western world, in many cases without first having the full details (his recent speculatory tweets about an attack in London angered British leaders). Indeed, Trump seemingly goes out of his way to comment on such attacks. But after hundreds were killed by an attack that featured dual car bombings in the Horn of Africa, one could hear proverbial crickets chirping at the White House.
Perhaps this is simply because Trump is aware the Mogadishu attack will likely not matter to his electoral base, which is seemingly more likely to be enraged by black NFL players protesting systemic racism than an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group murdering hundreds in a predominantly Muslim country. Or perhaps there is another reason. Newsweek reached out to the White House to give Trump an opportunity to respond, but didn't hear back by the time of publication.
The State Department did release a statement that offered America's condolences to the victims, and said the U.S. "will continue to stand with the Somali government." But America's apparent ambivalent stance toward Somalia, which is one of the countries on Trump's travel-ban list, makes it difficult to see these words as anything but a formulaic response.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military remains quite active in Somalia, conducting drone strikes against Al-Shabab and advising the Somali military. A U.S. Navy SEAL was killed in Somalia in May while on a mission advising Somali National Army forces.
Saturday's attack, which occurred just two days after the head of the United States Africa Command was in Mogadishu to visit Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, could potentially spark the U.S. to increase its military presence in the country.
Should the president comment on a terror attack reportedly conducted by a group that U.S. troops are currently risking their lives to help combat? It could be argued that he should. But the man currently inhabiting the White House apparently doesn't agree. Instead, Trump used his weekend tweeting time to attack the press and Democrats, and to brag about the supposed progress the U.S. economy has made since he entered the White House.


text:
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
|Protective effect of resveratrol and vitamin E against ethanol-induced oxidative damage in mice: Biochemical and immunological basis
|Das, Subir Kumar
Mukherjee, Sukhes
Gupta, Geetanjali
Rao, D N
Vasudevan, D M
|Cytokines;Ethanol;Oxidative stress;Resveratrol;Vitamin E
|Issue Date:
|The metabolism of ethanol gives rise to the generation of excess amounts of reactive oxygen species and is also associated with immune dysfunction. We examined the efficacy of resveratrol and vitamin E on the immunomodulatory activity and vascular function in mice with liver abnormalities induced by chronic ethanol consumption by measuring the protein, liver-specific transaminase enzymes, antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymes such as reduced glutathione (GSH) content, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) level, nitrite level, and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-, gamma interferon (IFN-), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and transforming growth factor (TGF)-1 in mice blood. Ethanol (1.6 g/kg body wt/day) exposure for 12 wks significantly increased TBARS and nitrite levels and GST activity, and significantly decreased GSH content and the activities of SOD, CAT, GR and GPx in whole blood hemolyzate of 8-10 wks-old male BALB/c mice (weighing 20-30 g). Ethanol exposure also elevated the activities of transaminase enzymes (AST and ALT), IL-10, TNF-, IFN-, VEGF-A and TGF-1, while decreasing the albumin concentration and IL-4 activity in the serum. Both resveratrol (5 mg kg-1 day-1) and vitamin E (80 mg kg-1 day-1) treatment significantly reduced AST, ALT, GST, IL-10, TNF-, IFN-, VEGF-A and TGF-1 activities and levels of TBARS and nitrite, and elevated albumin content, GSH level and activities of SOD, CAT, GR and GPx, compared to ethanol-treated group. Thus, results from the study demonstrated that both resveratrol (5 mg kg-1 day-1) and vitamin E (80 mg kg-1 day-1) can effectively ameliorate ethanol (1.6 g kg-1 day-1)-induced oxidative challenges, immunomodulatory activity and angiogenesis processes.
|0975-0959 (Online); 0301-1208 (Print)
|Appears in Collections:
|IJBB Vol.47(1) [February 2010]
Files in This Item:
|IJBB 47(1) 32-37.pdf
|89.35 kB
|Adobe PDF
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Arrives in 3-7 Business Days
Two seven-year-old girls find themselves smothered in sunshine, and knee deep in sand, during their family vacations. Prudence Parker is an imaginative and excitable seven-year-old, whose encounters with physically disabled children make way for valuable lessons in communication and empathy. Haley is deaf. Frustration turns to triumph when Prudence uses her limited knowledge of sign language as the segue for a new friendship with Haley. Flattered by Prudence's animated enthusiasm, Haley graciously uses a follow the leader type game to teach Prudence a new vocabulary.


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An Oregon Odyssey and Bandon Dunes
By John Ehle
In 1999 Bandon Dunes Golf Resort opened along on the Oregon coast in south-central Oregon. It has grown from 18 to 54 holes and the newest course there, Bandon Trails, has been named Golfweek's "Best New Course of 2007". This article, will offer some insights into why it has become such a desirable golf destination and why the area has so much more to offer.
The Oregon coastline stretches more than 400 miles from its northern boundary near the Lewis and Clark Center at Illwaco,WA to the southern terminus near Brookings, where the stands of redwoods begin. In between lies the most beautiful, rugged and diverse array of landscapes, seascapes, geologic formations, water bodies and climates in the continental U.S. and much of this beauty is accessible to the Bandon-bound traveler who is willing to jump on Hwy. 101 west of Portland and head south.
Ballybunion is considered to be the finest links golf course in Ireland and some golfers, if asked "what is the difference between Bandon Dunes and Ballybunion?", respond by saying "It's easier to get to Ballybunion!" Perhaps.
Geologists tell us that the building of the Coast and Cascade Mountain Ranges began about 55 million years ago. Following the mountains' formation, glaciers, rivers, rainfall and wind began to work their magic and the eroded mountains found their way to the ocean as sand. While the headlands are made primarily of basalt and so hard that they resist even the constant, powerful pounding of the waves, the sand originates in the sedimentary rock of the mountain ranges and it gives way to the erosive forces of wind and water, ultimately finding its way to the shore; only to be rebuffed and tossed back landward by wind and waves. The constant give and take of wind, waves and ocean currents ultimately have their way with the sand and in a stand-off of Herculean proportion, dunes are piled up which reach heights of nearly 200' or nearly 500' above sea level. Closer to the beach, the wind drops the sand into the European beachgrass, forming low-lying foredunes and beyond them the wind picks up speed and creates a deflation plain which the wind can scour all the way down to the water table. This is where quicksand can be created giving the term "hazard" great import.
Beyond the deflation plain the wind once more loses velocity and this is where the large, oblique dunes are created. Since this land is a literal "link" to the ocean it has become known as "linksland", the source of what we know as links golf. The bunkers we know as golfers are not naturally occurring events like the oblique dunes. True bunkers, as seen on the Old Course at St. Andrews, were originally formed by the sheep which were allowed to graze on the public land. In their need to seek shelter from the coastal winds, they dug out depressions (bunkers) and hunkered down. Where the term "traps" originated, I haven't a clue.
The land at Bandon Dunes lies in what might be called a transitional area as it is not officially part of what the Forest Service calls the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. It is, however, very similar to the Dunes in that it has the dramatic rise and fall associated with true dunesland. While Oregon has some of the most stringent land-use legislation in the country, they have made provisions for the use of ATVs and dune buggies and beach/boat launch access to the estuaries and the ocean. Provisions for camping, hiking and other non-motorized beach and trail use is very explicit and Oregonians, while they tend to mispronounce "Organ", do a great service to those of us who are drawn to the shore.
Given the exacting land use provisions which Oregonians had crafted in the 60's (the result of occasionally acrimonious debates between environmentalists and developers) the purchase of the original 1200 acres which would become Bandon Dunes left much work to do regarding the licensing required to develop the land. Enter Mike Keiser.
Mike Keiser is a Chicago businessman who may be most identifiable as the co-founder of RPG (Recycled Paper Greetingcards). The cartoonist "Boynton" has created many of the successful cards and this "green" company has been wildly successful; enough for Mike Keiser to branch out into the golf resort business which he eventually named Bandon Dunes.
Mike Keiser was a serious enough golfer but what he really wanted to do was to build a golf course. His success in the greeting card business had been huge and his financial situation would allow it. The short version is that he purchased some property on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in an area called the Michigan Dunes. It was there that he built his first golf course; a 9 hole beauty called the Dunes Club which was a throwback design that immediately joined the top 100 courses in the country; as a 9 hole track! Ron Whitten, the golf architecture editor for Golf Digest, anointed it in Golf World and from then on, the word was out. (Whitten co-designed Erin Hills with Dana Fry and Mike Hurdzan) Comparisons with Pine Valley, Merion and other classic design creations followed, evoking names such as Ross, Tillinghast, Crump and MacKenzie. Keiser became a classic design, minimalist convert and the search was on for a piece of property which would lend itself to that design philosophy. Find the golf course in a piece of land and let it emerge. Don't succumb to what minimalist aficionados refer to as "yellow fever"; the gross over-use of the Caterpillar D7.
Article Tags: Bandon Dunes, Oregon Golf
Revised: 11/08/2010 - Article Viewed 23,825 Times
About: John Ehle
John Ehle writes for GolfWisconsin.com, GolfTrips,com and other golf-related sites in the US. He has attended 6 Open Championships in the British Isles and many men's and women's US Opens and PGA Championships as well as Ryder Cups and President's Cups.
His primary international writing is golf course reviews and travel articles. He also writes about golf equipment and other golf-related products. Most recently he traveled to Cuba and will be in SE Asia for 6 weeks in February and March, 2012.
He writes a weekly column for a metropolitan newspaper in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. He is a 10 handicap golfer and has competed in many Wisconsin State Golf Association events.


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Our Mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals in Ireland: by keeping individuals healthy; offering the healthcare people want; delivering prime quality companies and getting finest worth from health system sources. So, the healthy would have the best of each worlds–low-cost and even arguably attractive coverage whereas still being assured to be able to decide into a way more complete Obamacare policy each January 1st if they acquired sick. West's Health Advocate Options makes healthcare simpler for over 12,000 organizations and their members by leveraging a mix of private assist, data and technology to engage individuals of their health and effectively-being. Bob Laszewski has been named a "Top 5 Speaker" on health care in a survey involving 13,000 business leaders, educators, association members, and others.
…must stop paying for wasteful procedures…and empower medical doctors, nurses and hospitals to provide increased-quality and extra environment friendly care… these reforms permit bundled payments…based mostly totally on the variety of patients cared for and the standard of that care reasonably than on the quantity of services offered and might eradicate spending on medical assessments, therapies and procedures that don't work — or that price considerably greater than different remedies whereas delivering no higher health outcomes. And they are often made without shortchanging patients…Good cuts may also be achieved by means of better coordination of affected person care.
It's been more than 30 years since our authorities first endorsed a low-fat, low-ldl cholesterol, low-salt, high-carbohydrate weight loss plan. The vast majority of us turned fat making an attempt to follow this recommendation, however now, for the first time, the overweight outnumber the merely chubby and chronic ailments have reached epidemic proportions. We obviously have a giant problem in America and the rest of the developed world has foolishly adopted our lead with the same unhappy results. We need to discard every part we thought we knew about vitamin and start over.
This web site is coordinated by the Workplace of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Providers. IT and Software – In IT and Software, you learn about Network and Safety, Working Techniques, Hardware, IT Certifications, and many others. These are wanted to safe a very good job in an IT firm as these days they go for people who are skilled in all types of subjects that their company shall be coping with. The specification needs to be followed by a comprehensive information of different subjects as nicely.
Based on a University of Minnesota division directory, Parente continues to be listed as the director of the small heart, which he helped launch greater than a decade ago and had led since 2006. Faculty officials say he's now not leading the center. The middle additionally has a staffer who handles administrative duties, however the institute has been viewed as 'a one-man shop' run by Parente for years, according to two individuals who've information of its operations. Eight other individuals, three of whom either beforehand worked for UnitedHealth or presently work there, are listed as part-time instructors at MILI.