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|Sarcoscypha austriaca
Sarcoscypha austriaca
|Scientific classification
Ascomycota is a Division/Phylum of Fungi, and subkingdom Dikarya, whose members are commonly known as the Sac Fungi. Characteristically, when reproducing sexually, they produce nonmotile spores in a distinctive type of microscopic cell called an "ascus" (from Greek: ἀσκός (askos), meaning "sac" or "wineskin"). These spores are called ascospores. However, some members of the Ascomycota do not reproduce sexually and do not form asci or ascospores. These members are assigned to Ascomycota based upon morphological and/or physiological similarities to ascus-bearing taxa, and in particular by phylogenetic comparisons of DNA sequences.[2][3]
This monophyletic grouping is an extremely significant and successful group of organisms. Familiar examples of sac fungi include morels, truffles, Baker's yeast, Dead Man's Fingers, cup fungi, and the majority of lichens (loosely termed "ascolichens") such as Cladonia. Many plant-pathogenic fungi belong to the Ascomycota. Commonly seen examples include apple scab, ergot, black knot, and the powdery mildews. Species of ascomycetes are also popular in the laboratory. Sordaria fimicola, Neurospora crassa and several species of yeasts are used in many genetics and cell biology experiments. Penicillium species on cheeses and in the antibiotic industry are examples of asexual taxa, otherwise known as anamorphs, that belong in the Ascomycota. Prior to definitive phylogenetic research, molds such as Penicillium were sometimes classified in an artificial phylum, called the Deuteromycota.
- 1 Ascomycetes versus Ascomycota [4]
- 2 Modern classification of Ascomycota
- 3 Commonly used but obsolete morphologically defined class names
- 4 Physical make-up
- 5 Metabolism
- 6 Distribution and living environment
- 7 Reproduction
- 8 Ecology
- 9 Importance for humans
- 10 Notes
- 11 Linked references
- 12 Unlinked references
Ascomycetes versus Ascomycota [4]
In the past, before the recognition of the fungal kingdom, the sac fungi were considered to be a Class, not a Phylum. The original collective term for them was "Ascomycetes", a label first coined in the 1800s for a rankless nonlichenized taxon based upon the presence of asci. "Ascomycetes" was soon used to include lichenized taxa, and became the standard term, at the class level, for all ascus-bearing species, just as the term "Basidiomycetes" became used for their basidium-bearing counterparts. Elevation of the taxonomic rank of the Ascomycetes resulted in the names Ascomycetae, Ascomycotina, and finally Ascomycota. The names Ascomycota, Ascomycetes, etc. are based upon the term "ascus". Together, the Ascomycota and the Basidiomycota form the subkingdom Dikarya. The more familiar term, Ascomycetes, is still loosely used, e.g. at fungal forays it is often said of a fungus, such as Peziza, "It is an ascomycete, not a basidiomycete" in reference to their sexual reproductive mode. The terms are further abbreviated to "ascos" and "basidos" which are not officially sanctioned technical names.
Modern classification of Ascomycota
There are 3 subphyla:
- The subphylum Pezizomycotina is the largest subphylum and contains all the Ascomycota that produce ascocarps (fruiting bodies), except for one genus, Neolecta, in the Taphrinomycotina. Therefore, it includes virtually all macroscopic "ascos" such as truffles, ergot, ascolichens, cup fungi (discomycetes), pyrenomycetes, lorchels, and caterpillar fungus[1], as well as many microscopic fungi, e.g. powdery mildews, ring worm fungi, chalkbrood fungus[2], Laboulbeniales, and most black molds around sinks and tubs. The older named taxon Euascomycetes is roughly equivalent.
- The subphylum Saccharomycotina comprises most of the "true" yeasts, such as Baker's yeast and Candida which are in general single-celled, or short chains of cells, and reproduce vegetatively by budding rather than by the production of hyphae. As a result, most were classified in a vaguely defined taxon with the older name Hemiascomycetes.
- The subphylum Taphrinomycotina includes a disparate group of Ascomycota and were only recognized as a distinctive group after the advent of molecular (DNA) analyses. The group is basal to the other subphyla and hence is considered to be more primitive. Consequently the taxon was originally named Archiascomycetes alternatively spelled Archaeascomycetes. It includes both hyphal fungi (Neolecta, Taphrina), and fission yeasts Schizosaccharomyces and the peculiar mammalian lung parasite, Pneumocystis that was originally believed to be a protozoan.
Commonly used but obsolete morphologically defined class names
Several obsolete class names, based upon morphology, are still used in informal or introductory discussions. Among those based upon the sexual fruitbodies (teleomorphs) are: the Discomycetes which included all species forming apothecia; the Pyrenomycetes which included all sac fungi that formed perithecia or even pseudothecia, or any structure approaching these morphological structures; and the Plectomycetes which included those Ascomycota that formed cleistothecia. Hemiascomycetes included the yeasts and yeast-like fungi that are now split between Saccharomycotina and Taphrinomycotina, while the Euascomycetes covered the rest of the Ascomycota, now in the Pezizomycotina and Neolecta in the Taphrinomycotina.
Some Ascomycota never reproduce sexually, or are not known to produce asci. These are sometimes called "Mitosporic Ascomycota" because of the production of conidia otherwise known as mitospores, and other asexual structures, all collectively called anamorphic taxa. In some classifications these would have been placed in a separate artificial phylum, the Deuteromycota (also known as Fungi Imperfecti). Molecular analyses can now be used to place these genera and species among ascus-bearing taxa (if they are Ascomycota), or amongst other phyla such as the Basidiomycota (if related to them). No mitosporic taxa have been found that form a phylum distinct from the other major phyla of Fungi. Anamorphs are discussed below. However, it is extremely difficult in the absence of molecular analysis to link most anamorphic (asexual morphs) fungi to their teleomorphs (sexual counterparts). There are over 250 years of names available (since Linnaeus' Species Plantarum, 1753) for both asexual and sexual components of the same fungi. For instance the sexual form of the kerosene fungus is known as Amorphotheca resinae while the asexual stage is called Hormoconis resinae. Most anamorphic fungi are Ascomycota, and therefore the obsolete classification of the Deuteromycota is largely that of Ascomycota anamorphs.
The Deuteromycota were classified as Coelomycetes if they produced their conidia in small seed-like, fly-speck sized, flask-shaped conidiomata, or structures resembling or approximating them in structure. The Hyphomycetes were those species where the conidiophores (i.e. the hyphae which carry conidia-forming cells on the end) are free or loosely organized. They are mostly isolated but sometimes also appear as bundles of cells aligned in parallel (described as synnematal) or as cushion-shaped masses (described as sporodochial).
Physical make-up
The adjective which describes these fungi is "ascomycetous". The majority of ascomycetous fungi grow as a thallus, called a mycelium, consisting of many hyphae which are microscopic multi-branched filaments. If the hyphae of some typical mycelia were laid end to end, they could reach a length of several kilometers. Ascomycota typically produce great numbers of asci at any one time, and these may be contained in a multicellular, often readily visible structure called an "ascocarp" (also called an "ascoma", the fruiting body of ascomycetes). Many exceptions to the structure described above occur, for example in one extreme these fungi are single celled yeasts, and there is no mycelium, no fruitbody, and the entire cell is converted into an ascus in such ascomycetous yeasts such as Baker's Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).
In the case of lichenized species, the thallus of the fungus defines the shape of the symbiotic colony. Other Ascomycota are dimorphic, which can mean that they can appear either in single- or multi-cellular form. Other species are pleomorphic, exhibiting multiple asexual forms (i.e. anamorphs detailed below) as well as a sexual form (a teleomorph). The ascoma come in multiple forms: cup-shaped, club-shaped, potato-like, spongy, seed-like, oozing and pimple-like, coral-like, nit-like, golf-ball-shaped, perforated tennis ball-like, cushion-shaped, plated and feathered in miniature (Laboulbeniales), microscopic classic Greek shield-shaped, stalked or sessile, solitary or clustered, etc. They can be fleshy or carbonaceous (like charcoal), leathery, rubbery, gelatinous, slimy, powdery, or cob-web-like, etc. They come in multiple colors such as red, orange, yellow, and rarely green or blue, although brown or black are more common.
Except for lichens, the mycelium (if produced) is usually inconspicuous because it is subterranean or embedded in the substrate, and only the ascoma is seen in season. But spectacular, bizarre, or otherwise noteworthy exceptions occur. Many ascomatous fungi have melanized hyphal walls (referred to as dematiaceous walls) and therefore are black or brown. Black spots on bathroom caulking are often colonies of Ascomycota, e.g. Cladosporium. Many molds that grow on spoiled foods are Ascomycota, and therefore the pellicles or skins that develop on jams, juices, and other foods in containers at home are in fact the thalli of Ascomycota (occasionally Mucoromycotina, and almost never Basidiomycota). Sooty molds that develop on plants, especially in the tropics are the thalli of many species.
Sometimes it is the mass of asci or ascus-like cells, or conidia or yeast cells that are the conspicuous elements. Pneumocystis species fill lung cavities causing a form of pneumonia (visible in x-rays). Ascosphaera cysts (asci) fill honey bee larvae and pupae making them appear mummified and chalk-like, hence the name "chalkbrood". Free living yeasts form yeast colonies. Excessive Candida yeast growth in the mouth or vagina is called "thrush" or candidiasis.
The cell walls of these fungi are almost always formed of Chitin and β-Glucans; individual cells are formed from divisions of the hyphae called "septa". These give stability to the hyphae and prevent a great loss of cytoplasm in the event that the cell membrane should be locally damaged. Mostly the cell divisions are centrally perforated, so they have a small opening in the middle, through which cytoplasm and also nuclei can move more or less freely throughout the system of hyphae. Often hyphae have only one nucleus per cell, and are therefore described as uninucleate, but some ascomycetous fungi can also be multinucleate at times.
Like most fungi the Ascomycota principally digest living or dead biomass. To achieve this, they secrete into their surroundings powerful digestive enzymes which break down organic substances into small molecules, which are then absorbed through the cell wall. Many species live on dead plant material such as fallen leaves, twigs, or logs. Others attack plants, animals, or other fungi as parasites and derive their metabolic energy, as well as all the nutrients they need, from the cell tissue of their hosts. Especially in this group extreme specialization appears; for instance certain species of Laboulbeniales attack only one particular leg of one particular insect species. The Ascomycota also often take up symbiotic relationships – for instance some combine with green algae or cyanobacteria, from which they obtain photosynthetic nutrients, to form lichens; others form symbioses with tree roots as mycorrhizal fungi. There are also carnivorous fungi, which have developed hyphal traps in which they can catch small protists such as amoebae, as well as roundworms (Nematoda), rotifers, tardigrades, and small arthropods such as springtails (Collembola).
Through their long evolutionary history the Ascomycota have developed the capability to break down almost every organic substance. Unlike most organisms they are able to use their own enzymes to digest plant cellulose and the lignin contained in wood. Collagen, an abundant structural protein in animals, and keratin (which hair is made of), can also serve as food sources. Exotic examples are given by the ascomycete Aureobasidium pullulans, which metabolizes wall paint, and the kerosene fungus Amorphotheca resinae, which (to the misfortune of the airline industry) feeds on aircraft fuel, and in tropical regions sometimes blocks fuel pipes. Others resist osmotic stress to grow on salted fish, and a few live in water.
Distribution and living environment
The Ascomycota are present in all land ecosystems world-wide – they even occur in Antarctica – and their spores and hyphal fragments are distributed through the atmosphere and fresh water environments, as well as ocean beaches and tidal zones. The distribution of individual species is very variable: some are found on all continents, while for example the white truffle Tuber magnatum, which is much sought after for culinary purposes, only appears in isolated locations in Italy and France. Plant parasitic species are often restricted by their host distributions. Cyttaria is only found on Nothofagus (Southern Beech) in the Southern Hemisphere.
Asexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction is the dominant form of propagation in the Ascomycota, and is responsible for the rapid expansion of these fungi into areas which were previously not colonized. It occurs through reproductive structures, the "conidiospores" (or "conidia"), which are genetically identical to the parent and mostly have just one nucleus. They are also called "mitospores" due to the way they are generated through the cellular process of mitosis. They are generally formed on the ends of specialized hyphae, the "conidiophores". Depending on the species they may be dispersed by wind or water, or also by animals.
Asexual spores
In order to further classify the Ascomycota in the asexual stages, it is important to consider the spores, which can be distinguished by colour, form and the way they are separated into cells. The most frequent types are the single-celled spores which are designated amerospores. If the spore is divided into two by a cross-wall (septum), it is a didymospore.
When there are two or more cross-walls the classification depends on the shape. If the septa are transversal, like the rungs of a ladder, it is a phragmospore whilst if they form a net-like structure it is a dictyospore. In staurospores ray-like "arms" radiate from a central body; in others (helicospores) the entire spore is wound up in a spiral like a spring. Finally very long worm-like spores, of which the ratio length:diameter is more than 15:1, are called scolecospores.
Conidiogenesis and dehiscence
One distinguishes:
- acervular conidiomata, or acervuli, which develop in the host and can thus be:
- Mostly they develop a flat layer of relatively short conidiophores which then produce masses of spores. The increasing pressure finally leads to the splitting of the epidermis and cuticle and so allows the conidia to escape.
- pycnidial conidiomata or pycnidia, which unlike the acervuli form in the fungal tissue itself, and which are generally shaped like a bulging vase. The spores are released through a small opening at the apex, the ostiole.
Two further important characteristics of the anamorphs of the Ascomycota are the conidiogenesis, the fashion in which the spores are formed, and their dehiscence, i.e. how they separate from the parent structures. The former corresponds to Embryology in animals and plants and can be divided into two fundamental forms of development: blastic conidiogenesis, where the spore is already evident before it separates from the conidiogenic hypha which is giving rise to it, and thallic conidiogenesis, where first a cross-wall appears and then the thus created cell develops into a spore.
These two basic types can be further classified as follows.
- blastic-acropetal (repeated budding at the tip of the conidiogenic hypha, so that a chain of spores is formed with the youngest at the tip),
- blastic-synchronous (simultaneous spore formation from a central cell, sometimes with secondary acropetal chains forming from the initial spores),
- blastic-sympodial (repeated sideways spore formation from behind the leading spore, so that the oldest spore is at the main tip),
- blastic-annellidic (each spore separates and leaves a ring-shaped scar which is concentrically inside the scar left by the previous spore),
- blastic-phialidic (the spores arise and are ejected from the open ends of special conidiogenic cells called phialides which remain constant in length; an example is the anamorph of Penicillium),
- basauxic (where a chain of conidia, in successively younger stages of development, is emitted from the mother cell),
- blastic-retrogressive (spores separate off by formation of crosswalls near the tip of the conidiogenic hypha, which thus becomes progressively shorter),
- thallic-arthric (double cell walls split the conidiogenic hypha into cells which develop into short, cylindrical spores called arthroconidia; sometimes every second cell dies off, leaving the arthroconidia free),
- thallic-solitary (a large bulging cell separates from the conidiogenic hypha, forms internal walls, and develops to a phragmospore).
Essentially dehiscence can happen in two different ways. In the schizolytic variant a double dividing wall with a central lamella (layer) forms between the cells; the central layer dissolves to release the spores. In the case of rhexolytic dehiscence on the other hand the cell wall which joins the spores on the outside simply degenerates and sets free the conidia.
Heterocaryosis and parasexuality
A significant number of Ascomycota species either have no sexual stage or none is known. In spite of this, there are two ways in which they can conserve their genetic diversity: Heterocaryosis and Parasexuality.
The former happens simply through the merging of two hyphae belonging to different individuals, a process known as anastomosis. As a result there are more cell nuclei than normal in the mycelium and they come from genetically different parent organisms.
Parasexuality, on the other hand, refers to a phenomenon where two cell nuclei merge without any sexual process and the chromosome count is doubled. This involves a complex form of the type of cell division called mitosis, where there is crossing over or recombination, i.e. an exchange of genetic material between corresponding pairs of chromosomes. In sexual reproduction, in contrast, crossing over occurs only during meiosis. Finally the chromosome count will be restored to normal by haploidization, whereby the nucleus splits into two parts each having a single set of chromosomes, with each daughter genetically different from the original parents.
Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction in the Ascomycota is marked by a characteristic structure, the ascus, which distinguishes these fungi from all others. An ascus is a tube-shaped vessel, a meiosporangium, which contains the sexual spores produced by meiosis. The latter are called ascospores in contrast to the asexual conidiospores.
Apart from exceptions such as Baker's Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), almost all fungi of the Ascomycota are haploid, so their nuclei only contain one set of chromosomes, which makes them especially susceptible to mutations. During sexual reproduction there is a diploid phase (with two sets of chromosomes), which as a rule is very short. Then meiosis occurs, generally very soon, so that the haploid state is re-established.
The formation of sexual spores
The sexual part of the life cycle commences when two suitable hyphae meet each other. These come from the same web of hyphae which can also generate asexual spores. The first deciding factor as to whether conjugation - that is, sexual merging - will occur, is whether the hyphae belong to the same organism, or whether they come from different individual fungi. Whilst many species are thoroughly capable of self-propagation, i.e. they are homothallic, others need non-identical partners and so are heterothallic. Besides this, the two hyphae in question must also belong to the same mating type. Mating types are a peculiarity of the fungi and correspond roughly to the sexes in plants and animals; however one species may have more than two mating types.
In the case of compatibility, gametangia form on the hyphae; these are the generative cells for the gametes, in which numerous nuclei gather. A very fine hypha, called the trichogyne, which grows out of one gametangium, now termed the ascogonium, makes a passage to a gametangium of the other individual, which is then the antheridium. Nuclei then pass from the antheridium (playing a 'male' role) to the ascogonium (playing a 'female' role).
Unlike the process in animals and plants, after the union of the cytoplasms of the two gametangia (plasmogamy), the merging of the nuclei (karyogamy) does not usually occur immediately. Instead, the nuclei which have migrated in from the antheridium pair up with the nuclei of the ascogonium, but remain separate next to their partners. With this the dikaryophase of the life cycle begins; during this time the pairs of nuclei repeatedly synchronously divide, so that a great number are produced. In all probability the dikaryophase is an evolutionary adaptation which serves to exploit the potential of sexual reproduction to the full in circumstances where it is a rare event for different individuals to meet each other. After the genetic raw material has been increased by repeated division, recombination will take place independently in each pair during meiosis, so that the greatest possible quantity of genetically different spores will arise. In the red algae (Rhodophyta) a similar solution to the corresponding problem evolved independently.
Next millions of new dinucleate hyphae, into each of which two nuclei migrate, emerge from the fertilized ascogonium. They are also called ascogenous or fertile. They are fed by ordinary uni- or mononucleate hyphae (with only one nucleus), which are also called sterile. The tissue of sterile and fertile hyphae now grows in many cases into a macroscopically visible fruiting body, the ascocarp, which may contain millions of fertile hyphae.
In the actual fruiting layer, the hymenium, the asci now appear. At one end of an ascogenous hypha, there develops a U-shaped hook, which points back opposite to the general growth direction. The two nuclei contained in the terminal cell then divide in such a way that the threads of their mitotic spindles run parallel, and thus two pairs of genetically different daughter nuclei arise, with one daughter of each pair near the point of the hook, and the other in the base part of the hypha. Then two parallel cross-walls appear, dividing the hypha into three sections: that at the point of the hook with one nucleus, that at the base of the original hypha with one nucleus, and the middle U-shaped part with two nuclei.
If the positioning in the fruiting layer is right, the karyogamic fusion of the nuclei finally takes place in the U-shaped cell, creating the diploid zygote. It lengthens to form an elongated tube-shaped or cylinder-shaped capsule, the actual ascus. Then meiosis occurs, giving rise to four haploid nuclei. This is almost always followed by a further mitotic division, so that the ascus ultimately has eight daughter nuclei. These become enclosed, together with some of the cell plasma, each by their own membranes, and generally with a hard cell wall. Thus the dissemination cells (the ascospores) develop, lying initially like peas in a pod inside the ascus. Later, when an appropriate opportunity presents itself, they are liberated.
Not having flagella, ascospores are disseminated in various other ways: some are spread by wind and with others the ripe ascus breaks open on contact with water to set free the spores. Certain species have evolved regular 'spore cannons' which can eject them up to 30 cm. away. When the spores reach a suitable substrate, they germinate, form new hyphae, and so restart their life cycle, which has come full circle.
The form of the ascus is important for classification and is divided into four basic types: unitunicate-operculate, unitunicate-inoperculate, bitunicate, or prototunicate. See the article on asci for further details.
The Ascomycota fulfil a central role in most land-based ecosystems. They are important decomposers which break down such organic materials as dead leaves, twigs, fallen trees, etc. and help the detritivores (animals which live off this decomposing material) to obtain their nutrients. By processing substances like cellulose or lignin, which are otherwise difficult to exploit, they take on an important place in the natural nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle.
Inversely the fruiting bodies of the Ascomycota provide food for a very diverse set of animals from insects and slugs and snails (Gastropoda) to rodents and larger mammals such as deer and wild boars.
Fungi of the Ascomycota are also known for their numerous symbiotic relationships with other organisms.
Probably since early in their evolutionary history the Ascomycota have "domesticated" green algae (Chlorophyta), as well as occasionally other types of algae and cyanobacteria. Together they form the mutualistic associations known as lichens, which can survive in the least hospitable regions of the earth, including the Arctic, the Antarctic, deserts and mountaintops, and can withstand temperature extremes from -40°C to +80°C. While the photoautotrophic algal partner creates metabolic energy through photosynthesis, the fungus offers a stable supportive framework and protects from radiation and drying out. Around 42% of the Ascomycota (numerically about 18,000 species) form lichens, and almost all the fungal partners of lichens belong to the Ascomycota - the proportion of Basidiomycota is probably only two to three percent.
Mycorrhizal fungi and endophytes
Members of the Ascomycota make two particularly important types of relationship with plants: as mycorrhizal fungi and as endophytes. The former make symbiotic associations with the root systems of the plants, which for some trees, especially conifers, can be of vital importance, enabling the uptake of mineral salts from the soil. The fungal partner is in a much better position to absorb minerals due to its finely divided mycelium, whilst the plant provides it with metabolic energy in the form of photosynthetic products. Cases are even known where mycorrhizal fungi can transport nutrients from one plant to another, stabilizing the recipient. It is likely that mycorrhizal associations enabled the conquest of the land by plants - in any case the earliest known fossils of land plants have mycorrhizae.
Endophytes on the other hand live inside plants, especially in the stem and leaves, but generally do not damage their hosts. The exact nature of the relationship between endophytic fungus and host is not yet well understood, but it seems that this form of colonization can bestow a higher resistance against insects, roundworms (nematodes), and bacteria; also it can enable or augment the production of poisonous alkaloids, chemicals which can affect the health of plant-eating mammals.
Symbiotic relationships with animals
A series of Ascomycota species from the genus Xylaria are found in the nests of leafcutter ants and other fungus-growing ants of the tribe Attini and in the fungal gardens of termites (Isoptera). Since they do not generate fruiting bodies until the insects have left the nests, it is suspected that, as confirmed in several cases of Basidiomycota species, they may be cultivated.
On the other hand bark beetles (Scolytidae) are certainly important symbiotic partners. The female beetles transport the spores to new hosts in characteristic tucks in their skin, the mycetangia. There they eat tunnels in the wood, which lead into large chambers in which they lay their eggs. At this time the spores are released and give rise to hyphae which unlike the beetles can digest the wood. The beetle larvae feed on the fungus and after they have metamorphosed into the adult state they again carry spores with them to renew the cycle of infection. A well-known example of this is Dutch elm disease, caused by fungus Ophiostoma ulmi, being carried by the European elm bark beetle Scolytus multistriatus.
Importance for humans
Ascomycetes make many contributions to the good of humanity, and also have many ill effects.
Harmful interactions
One of their most harmful roles is as the agent of many plant diseases. For instance:
- Dutch Elm Disease, caused by the closely related species Ophiostoma ulmi and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, has led to the death of many elms in Europe and North America.
- The originally Asian Cryphonectria parasitica is responsible for attacking Sweet Chestnuts (Castanea sativa), and virtually eliminated the once-widespread American Chestnut (Castanea dentata),
- A disease of Maize (Zea mays), which is especially prevalent in North America, is brought about by Cochliobolus heterostrophus.
- Taphrina deformans causes leaf curl of peach.
- Uncinula necator is responsible for the disease Powdery mildew, which attacks grapevines.
- Species of Monilia cause brown rot of stone fruit such as peaches (Prunus persica) and sour cherries (Prunus ceranus).
- Members of the Ascomycota such as Stachybotrys chartarum are responsible for fading of woollen textiles, which is a great problem especially in the tropics.
- Blue-green, red and brown moulds attack and spoil foodstuffs - for instance Penicillium italicum rots oranges.
- Cereals infected with Fusarium graminearum contain mycotoxins like deoxynivalenol (DON), which can lead to skin and mucous membrane lesions when eaten by pigs.
- Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) is a direct menace to humans when it attacks wheat or rye and produces highly poisonous and carcinogenic alkaloids, causing ergotism if consumed. Symptoms include hallucinations, stomach cramp, and a burning sensation in the limbs ("Saint Anthony's Fire").
- Aspergillus flavus, which grows on peanuts and other hosts, generates aflatoxin, which damages the liver and is highly carcinogenic.
- Candida albicans, a yeast which attacks the mucous membranes, can cause an infection of the mouth or vagina called thrush or candidiasis, and is also blamed for "yeast allergies".
- Fungi like Epidermophyton cause skin infections but are not very dangerous for people with healthy immune systems. However if the immune system is damaged they can be life-threatening; for instance, Pneumocystis jiroveci is responsible for severe lung infections which occur in AIDS patients.
Positive effects
On the other hand, ascus fungi have brought some important benefits to humanity.
- The most famous case may be that of the mould Penicillium chrysogenum (formerly Penicillium notatum), which, probably to attack competing bacteria, produces an antibiotic which, under the name of Penicillin, triggered a revolution in the treatment of bacterial infectious diseases in the 20th century.
- The medical importance of Tolypocladium niveum as an immunosuppressor can hardly be exaggerated. It excretes Ciclosporin, which, as well as being given during organ transplants to prevent rejection, is also prescribed for auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, although there is some doubt over the long-term side-effects of the treatment.
- Some ascomycete fungi can be altered relatively easily through genetic engineering procedures. They can then produce useful proteins such as insulin, human growth hormone, or TPa, which is employed to dissolve blood clots.
- The red bread mould Neurospora crassa is an important model organism in biology, of which the genome has now been fully sequenced.
- Baker's Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used to make bread, beer and wine, during which process sugars such as glucose or sucrose are fermented to make alcohol and carbon dioxide. In the case of bread-making, the alcohol disappears and the carbon dioxide serves to make the dough rise.
- Enzymes of penicillium camemberti play a role in the manufacture of the cheeses Camembert and Brie, while those of Penicillium roqueforti do the same for Gorgonzola, Roquefort and Stilton.
- In Asia Aspergillus oryzae is added to a pulp of soaked soya beans to make soy sauce.
- Finally, some members of the Ascomycota are eaten with relish; morels (Morchella) and truffles (Tuber) are some of the most sought-after fungus delicacies.
- a (Taylor, Spatafora & Berbee 1996) and reference 4.
- b The taxonomic system used here (based on reference 1) is only one among several; another authoritative one is given by references 2 & 3.
- d See reference 5.
Linked references
- All but the first 2 sections are translated from the German article.
- ↑ Cavalier-Smith, T. (1998). "A revised six-kingdom system of Life". Biol. Rev. Camb. Philos. Soc. 73 (3): 203–266.
- ↑ Lutzoni F; et al. (2004). "Assembling the fungal tree of life: progress, classification, and evolution of subcellular traits". Amer J Bot. 91: 1446–1480.
- ↑ James TY; et al. (2006). "Reconstructing the early evolution of Fungi using a six-gene phylogeny". Nature. 443: 818–822. PMID 17051209.
Unlinked references
- Taylor, John W.; Joey Spatafora & Mary Berbee (March 11, 1996), "Ascomycota", Tree of Life.
- Ainsworth and Bisby's Dictionary of the Fungi, 9th Edition, see here for more details.
- See the Index Fungorum (Hierarchy Search) for a web search based on the previous reference.
- Outline of Ascomycota - 2001
- Palæos Fungi
- C. J. Alexopoulos, M. Blackwell, C. W. Mims: Introductory Mycology, 4th Ed., 1996, ISBN 0-471-52229-5
- B. Kendrick: "The Fifth Kingdom, 3rd Ed., 2001, Kapitel 4, ISBN 1-58510-022-6
- G. J. Krieglsteiner: Verbreitungsatlas der Großpilze Deutschlands (West), Volume 2: Schlauchpilze, Ulmer Verlag, 1993
- F. Breitenbach, J. Kränzlin: Pilze der Schweiz, Volume 1, Ascomycetes, Mykologia Luzern, 1984
- Anamorph-Teleomorph-Datenbank
- Fotografien einiger Fruchtkörper (Ascomata)
an:Ascomycota cs:Vřeckovýtrusné houby da:Ascomycota de:Schlauchpilze eo:Askofungoj is:Asksveppir it:Ascomycota lv:Asku sēnes lt:Aukšliagrybūnai hu:Tömlősgombák mk:Торбести габи nl:Ascomyceten sv:Sporsäcksvampar wa:Ascomicete


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Inspiration, ideas and information to help women build public speaking content, confidence and credibility. Denise Graveline is a Washington, DC-based speaker coach who has coached nearly 200 TEDMED and TEDx speakers--including one of 2016's most popular TED talks. She also has prepared speakers for presentations, testimony, and keynotes. She offers 1:1 coaching and group workshops in public speaking, presentation and media interview skills to both men and women.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Who are you? What are you looking for on this blog?
(This post is an update of one from 2010 that asked the same questions and got some great answers--including some that went on to be the basis for the blog's most-read posts to date. I'm looking forward to more of the same from you this time.)
When I started this blog, it was to fill a niche I kept stumbling over, in which women in search of good public speaking advice also could find research and information about why, sometimes, their public speaking challenges were different than those that men face.
The blog was still in the think stage when a longtime friend said to me, "I hope you make it a blog for anyone who might have to get up and talk--at a local club or committee, at a funeral or a wedding--and not just in a huge-audience formal speech, although that will be useful, too."
What's happened since is that men tell me, "That's just great advice for everyone," and "I am dealing differently with men and women and presentations at the office now that I've read about those issues on your blog." And women say, "I shared that video with my husband" or "I'm so glad I found this--I thought it was just me." People have been more forthcoming than I could hope about the speaking problems they are encountering. I knew we were all in the right place when a reader wrote in to ask how she should handle speaking at her mother's funeral--and was able to share readers' advice as well as my own. All that is more than I expected.
Now, I want to know more about you. I'm guessing that, too, will be more than I expected.
I'm inviting you to share in the comments your answers to two questions: Who are you? and What are you looking for here?
I'd like to know whether you're already a frequent speaker, or haven't yet walked up to a microphone; an introverted speaker or one who's at ease with speaking; what motivates you to learn about speaking; whether you're like a friend of mine whose public speaking mostly consists of talking into a speakerphone on hours-long conference calls on which no one can see her. Don't forget to add what you're looking for, please. Asking what you need to know is what has kept this blog on track for a long time now.
Knowing some of the readers, I will guess that the most valuable part of this exercise will be learning--all of us, together--what's out there in terms of people's hopes and aspirations about speaking.
Now it's your turn: Who are you? Share who you are and why you're here in the comments. And thanks for reading.
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Browsing by Author "Kahle, Lynn"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
A Methodical Inquiry Into Practice and TheoryKahle, Lynn (Frederiksberg, 2012)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The subject of this thesis is the experiential discourse in marketing: how experience is researched by scholars as well as understood and delivered by practitioners. While experience-based approaches have been accepted and implemented by consultants, scholars have yet to comprehensively embrace experience as an academically robust concept (Holbrook, 2007; Palmer, 2010). An experiential perspective seeks to delve deeper into cognitive and emotional levels concerning consumption (Holbrook & Hirschman, 1982). In order to gain insight into the intricacies of experience, a large data set consisting of conference speeches and interviews was qualitatively analyzed, applying content analysis (Kassarjian, 1977). The findings reveal that there are many lessons to be learned about how practitioners design and deliver experiential offers. Compared to the cases often cited as part of the experience economy, which are typically manifested in retail environments, consumer products and staged events, the findings reveal a more nuanced discourse and a broader range of experience offerings representing many industries, including: hospitality, software, documentary film making, science, gaming, banking, and environmental design. The data shed light on several aspects worthy of further research. How an experience adds value, supports values, and is meaningful to the user is crucial. Understanding a user's goals is important in order to be able to design appropriate interaction touch points yet allow fluid engagement. In addition to shaping experience environments, whether physical or virtual, the findings reveal that practitioners exhibit an astute sensitivity to context and process. Moreover they are concerned with affording "flow," meaning optimal experiences (Csikszentmihalyi, 2003): not only for users but also for themselves. The focus on purposeful activity and change suggests that experience is part of an innovation discourse, potentially creating better offers and relationships. This resonates with academic and business communities alike. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8408
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Stevan Ridley's career night stained by fumble
FOXBOROUGH — With the Patriots salting away the final 3 minutes, 42 seconds of a 31-21 win over the Broncos on Sunday, Stevan Ridley wasn't on the field, capping a career day with a few more clock-killing first downs, as a featured back typically would.
Ridley was on the sideline, helmet off, silently stewing over the fumble he lost on the previous possession, which kept Denver's dim comeback light flickering for a few more snaps.
Those hopes were extinguished when the Patriots forced a fumble from Willis McGahee, but it was Ridley's turnover that soured a day unlike any the second-year running back has had in the NFL, at least numbers-wise.
For the second straight week, and third time in five games this season, Ridley topped 100 rushing yards, gaining a career-high 151. His 28 carries were also the most he's had as a Patriot, and he scored a third-quarter touchdown that helped give New England a 31-7 lead.
There was plenty to like about Ridley's night, but also one miscue, which he had a hard time forgetting after the game. In fact, he kept bringing it up.
"The fumble at the end, that kills me. That's my low of the night,'' Ridley said. "I don't want to take anything from my offensive line, they did a tremendous job up front, but me as an individual, I have to improve on holding on to that football in the fourth quarter. Can't feel sorry for yourself, just have to improve and focus.''
Ridley's emergence has provided the Patriots the kind of offensive balance that's allowed them to win games. In their three victories, the Patriots have rushed for 162, 247, and now 251 yards. The back-to-back 200-yard games mark the first time the Patriots have done that since December 1978.
In their two losses, the Patriots have failed to rush for 100 yards: 90 against Arizona, and 77 at Baltimore.
"Any offense is better when it's balanced,'' Ridley said. "We're just trying to take as much pressure off [quarterback] Tom [Brady] and the receivers. When Tom's back there, who isn't looking at Tom? It's our job to go out and run the football.''
It hasn't all been Ridley; Brandon Bolden gave the Patriots a pair of 100-yard rushers at Buffalo last week, and Danny Woodhead added a season-high 47 yards against the Broncos.
"We're getting a lot of nickel defense,'' Brady said. "When they put little guys out there, we have to take advantage of it. I think we're playing definitely a more physical style and controlling the tempo of the game by running the football. We have to keep doing it.''
Ridley, with 102 carries for 490 yards through five games, has already eclipsed his rushes (87) and yards (441) from his rookie season. But ball-control problems — he also lost a fumble last season against the Broncos in the playoffs, which led to his being benched for the AFC Championship game — can impact outcomes if they come at the wrong time. What upset Ridley the most is that he knew what the Broncos, who trailed by 10 points with less than six minutes left, would be trying to do on defense.
"I told myself before the play I've got to hold on to the football,'' said Ridley, who was hit by Von Miller and lost the ball, which was recovered by Mike Adams. "You can't make any excuses. I messed up. I'm sure Coach [Bill Belichick] will have something to say about it.''
He did.
"Every player is responsible for taking care of the ball, whoever it is. That's always No. 1,'' Belichick said. "Stevan ran hard. I think all our backs ran hard and were productive. We're confident in all of them.''
That confidence should be building. A team that has done most of its damage over the years through the air is finding ways to move the ball on the ground, and it's played a key role in all five results this season. When the Patriots have rushed it well, they've won. When they haven't, they've lost.
"Last week we emphasized the run, this week we emphasized the run, and the offensive line is getting good push up front, so we're just hitting the holes that are there and trying to get downhill and make yards fast,'' Ridley said. "It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but besides that, I'm just thankful to be out there.
"Some things are going in my favor, some things aren't. I just have to come in on Monday and get back to work. That's the only way they do it around here. That's the team way.''
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Ellen Port wins USGA Senior Women's Amateur
HERSHEY, Pa. – Ellen Port won the USGA Senior Women's Amateur on Thursday, beating Jane Fitzgerald 4 and 3 on Hershey Country Club's West Course.
The 50-year-old Port, from St. Louis, won her fifth career USGA women's title.
"It's an honor to be another USGA champion," said Port, who won her fourth U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur title last September. "I have a medal and a flag in the same (calendar) year that I won the Mid-Am. I am so shocked and ecstatic."
Port overcame a one-hole deficit, winning five consecutive holes on the back nine.
The 50-year-old Fitzgerald, from Kensington, Md., is a former Penn State player.


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Couples Q&A
Marriage Advice from Tim and Darcy Kimmel
This is one of the most popular sections on the Family Matters website. The questions below were asked by couples like you. If you have a question and would like to get some advise please Contact Us by email. Not all questions will be posted on this page but there is a good chance that it will. We respect your privacy and anonymity and will not use your name if your question gets posted.


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We all know the Olympic folk are very touchy about their trademarks. No non-sponsor companies allowed in the Olympic village. No posting Facebook photos or Youtube videos from the games. No small businesses using any two of the terms "Olympic, London, 2012, summer, or games."
But you'd think the Middletons, the family of the woman married to the future King, might escape the watchful eye of the London Organising Committee's lawyers. Nope: the Middletons' party product business Party Pieces has come under scrutiny for a pair of images on their website: a silhouette of the city with the text "Let the Games Begin," and a page headlined "Celebrate the Games."
The Middletons could have faced a $30,000 fine and criminal charges under the 2006 Olympic Act, legislation passed specifically to protect Olympic trademarks. But Committee lawyers investigated, and will not pursue legal action.
A Locog official said: "There are no infringements and the products are fine. We will ask them to make minor changes to some copy."
Oh thank god. Don't want people thinking those disposable plastic cups and plates were going to be awarded to the 100m winners.


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TORONTO - Toronto police said Thursday they have obtained a video that appears to show Mayor Rob Ford smoking a crack pipe - a video that Ford had claimed didn't exist and has been at the core of a scandal that has embarrassed and gripped Canada for months.
Police Chief Bill Blair said the video, recovered after being deleted from a computer hard drive, did not provide grounds to press charges. Ford, a populist mayor who has repeatedly made headlines for his bizarre behavior, vowed not to resign.
Speaking outside the door his office, where visitors were free to check out the Halloween decorations, Ford said with a smile: "I have no reason to resign." He said he couldn't defend himself because the affair is part of a criminal investigation involving an associate, adding: "That's all I can say right now." Toronto police discovered the video while conducting a huge surveillance operation into a friend and sometimes driver suspected of providing Ford with drugs.
Ford faced allegations in May that he had been caught on video puffing from a glass crack pipe. Two reporters with the Toronto Star said they saw the video, but it has not been released publicly. Ford maintained he does not smoke crack and that the video did not exist.
The scandal has been the fodder of jokes on U.S. late night television and has cast Canada's largest city and financial capital in an unflattering light.
Ford was elected mayor three years ago on a wave of discontent simmering in the city's outlying suburbs. Since then he has survived an attempt to remove him from office on conflict-of-interest charges and has appeared in the news for his increasingly odd behavior. Through it all, the mayor has repeatedly refused to resign and pledged to run for re-election next year.
But the pressure ramped up on Thursday with all four major dailies in the city calling on Ford to resign.
Cheri DiNovo, a member of Ontario's parliament, tweeted: "Ford video nothing to celebrate Addiction is illness. Mayor please step down and get help?"
On Thursday, Blair said the video of the mayor "depicts images that are consistent with those previously reported in the press."
"As a citizen of Toronto I'm disappointed," Blair said. "This is a traumatic issue for citizens of this city and the reputation of this city."
Blair said the video will come out when Ford's associate and occasional driver, Alexander Lisi, goes to trial on drug charges. Lisi now also faces extortion charges for trying to retrieve the recording from an unidentified person. Blair did not say who owned the computer containing the video.
Blair said authorities believed the video is linked to a home in Toronto, referred to by a confidential informant as a "crack house" in court documents in Lisi's drug case.
The prosecutor in the Lisi case released documents Thursday showing they had rummaged through Ford's garbage in search of evidence of drug use. They show that they conducted a massive surveillance operation monitoring the mayor and Lisi following drug use allegations.
The documents show that friends and former staffers of Ford were concerned that Lisi was "fuelling" the Toronto mayor's alleged drug use.
The police documents, ordered released by a judge, show Ford receiving packages from Lisi on several occasions.
"Lisi approached the driver's side of the Mayor's vehicle with a small white gift bag in hand; he then walked around to the passenger side and got on board," reads one document dated July 30, 2013. "After a few minutes Lisi exited the Escalade empty handed and walked back to his Range Rover."
Another dated July 28 says Lisi "constantly used counter surveillance techniques" when he met with Ford that day.
On August 13 documents say Lisi and Ford met and "made their way into a secluded area of the adjacent woods where they were obscured from surveillance efforts and stayed for approximately one hour."
Ford recently vouched for Lisi in a separate criminal case, praising his leadership skills and hard work in a letter filed with the court. The letter was part of a report prepared by a probation officer after Lisi was convicted of threatening to kill a woman.
Ford said previously that he was shocked when Lisi was arrested earlier this month, calling him a "good guy" and saying he doesn't abandon his friends.
The documents also say that Ford met Lisi through Payman Aboodowleh, a volunteer football coach at Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School, where Ford coached the team while also serving as mayor. He told police he was "mad at Lisi because he was fuelling the mayor's drug abuse," the document says.
Ford's controversies range from the trivial to the serious: Walking face-first into a TV camera. Falling down during a photo op while pretending to play football. Being asked to leave an event for wounded war vets because he appeared intoxicated, according to the Toronto Star. Being forced to admit he was busted for marijuana possession in Florida in 1999, after repeated denials. Making rude gestures at Torontonians from his car.
Ford was fired earlier this year from his beloved volunteer job coaching football over disparaging remarks he made to a TV network about parents and their kids at the school.
"The mayor has said there wasn't a video," Toronto councilor Paula Fletcher said. "He has said there is a conspiracy against him. With Chief's Blair's press conference I think that's put to rest."


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PALM: Oh face, come closer. I've needed your touch since I heard that fundamentalist Christians were being stupid again.FACE: Not again! Quickly Palm, come to me!
I hate all movies that have ripped the "little dead girl" since her first English-language appearance.She is the most over used gimmick in horror movies now.Sick Freddy Krueger on her! 0.0
sure, little dead girl like in The Ring and The Grudge.
But we see her everywhere now! She is over used. Beaten to death!(no pun intended) I don't just mean in the ring series, I see another dead little girl in almost every horror movie commercial! It is really annoying. And the Freddy Krueger joke, isnt a "who is scarier" comment.And I would rather not explain why Freddy is a natural antagonist of a dead little girl here...
Quote from: Manna on October 18, 2006, 10:10:10 pmsure, little dead girl like in The Ring and The Grudge.Ah I havent seent the ring or the grudge.
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animegaijingirl wrote:
BTW, my friends and neighbours and I are cracking up that I now live between a prostitute downstairs (well, I could say alleged, but come on people, we ALL know) and (now that he's done with training) a policeman upstairs!! J and I are in the sandwich of lawful and lawlessness hahaha
Talk about getting caught between a rock and a "hard" place.
LMAO---I kill me.


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
When marketers think of social media as a promotional channel, Facebook continues to be the network of choice. Of course, this trend may be the result of people sticking to a platform that feels safe. After all, Facebook remains the largest and most influential social platform on the web today, so much so that it claimed the most-searched term award for the fourth year in a row.
But other social networks shouldn't be ignored, especially with sites like Twitter implementing new features regularly. According to eMarketer's "US Digital Media Usage: A Snapshot of 2013," Twitter user-ship grew significantly in 2012, but only 15 percent of the U.S. online population will engage on Twitter next year. Therefore, brands that want to drive traffic from a variety of social channels must learn how to engage users on whatever network they prefer. For many people, Twitter remains the most influential social hub, and brands may discover that video content thrives on this platform.
According to the source, Twitter's user base increased by 14.2 percent in 2012 to reach 36.3 million monthly active members. To reach those prospective and current customers, brands must develop social media marketing campaigns that make branded content enjoyable and simple. With Twitter Cards, video marketing may be the easy solution.
According to eMarketer, online view viewership reached 178.7 million people in 2012 to make up 56 percent of the nation's population, and 73 percent of American internet users. As for mobile video viewers, 73.3 million people watched video content via their mobile devices in 2012, reaching 22.9 percent of the country's population and 29.6 percent of mobile phone users. Thirty-one percent of the U.S. population and 40.4 percent of U.S. internet users viewed visual media from their tablet devices this year, making video content marketing a necessary practice for many brands.
With Americans using Twitter more often this year and video media becoming a prominent marketing material, businesses that want to build brand exposure and grab consumers' attention must produce consistent visual content, and publish output on the microblogging site. Together, video marketing and social media marketing may drive higher conversions in the new year, and help marketers reach new audience segments online.
Edited from a Brafton Editorial, Published on December 27, 2012.
Views: 317
Good stuff Joe. As we've talked about previously, especially with video, the ability to interact socially is important for SEO, as well. Pushing video content to social networks, Likes, Recommendations, etc. act as social signals and something Google measures as part of their indexing equation. That's not going to stop anytime in the future. In my opinion, it's going to overtake the importance of inbound / back links. There's a reason most SEO CRMs measure social signals.
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Lady Jane Grey: London Leaders
A relocation to London isn't just about finding a job in London or a London apartment rental—it's about understanding the history and culture of your international relocation's point of destination. Welcome back, then, to another installment of our Weekend Warrior Sunday series that seeks to give you bite-sized bits of British history in following the sequence of Britain's monarchy.
Last week, we saw the short reign of King Edward VI, only son of Henry VIII. Declaring his two sisters (Mary and Elizabeth) illegitimate, Edward VI had agreed to pass his throne on to Lady Jane Grey, which is where we will pick up today.


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The Fountainhead Notes & Analysis
The free The Fountainhead notes include comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. These free notes consist of about 105 pages (31,227 words) and contain the following sections:
These free notes also contain Quotes and Themes & Topics on The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.
The Fountainhead Plot Summary
The novel begins as Howard Roark is expelled from Stanton and Peter Keating graduates. They both go to New York City to begin their careers - Keating to a firm with a good reputation, Francon & Heyer, and Roark to work with a man that he knows understands his mission, Henry Cameron. At first, Keating is the successful one; he climbs high in his firm by pushing out those whose positions he wants, and gains commissions for his firm such as the Cosmo-Slotnik Building. He makes his buildings for no other purpose than to please his clients and gain prestige, which he does completely, because not one of his clients is interested in quality. They are just interested in impressing their friends or the public. Ellsworth Toohey, a journalist who seems to be in charge unofficially of many organizations in the city, praises Keating highly. Roark, on the other hand, cannot get work because he refuses to compromise and put useless features on his buildings. His goal is tostick with his own design and strives to make structures more efficient. Broke, he must get a job in a quarry owned by Guy Francon, doing manual labor. There he meets Dominique Francon, his female equivalent, and starts a love affair with her that is painful for both of them; she wishes to destroy him because he represents her "ideal" and no one deserves to have him in their world. Roark cannot ask her to stop. Not only does she get jobs for Peter Keating that might have gone to Roark, she marries Keating, Roark's competitor, and later marries Gail Wynand, and joins his plot to destroy Roark, although their motivations are quite different.
Peter Keating begins to feel empty even though he is very successful. Toohey assures him that to be truly happy, one must do away with the desire to be happy. One must be completely selfless. Dominique meets with Gail Wynand, the owner of a very powerful chain of newspapers, to discuss a building he is planning. She gets the commission for Keating, and in the process marries Wynand, because he is even more an enemy to Roark. However, Wynand is not as shallow as Keating; he knows what is right, but has taken another road for the purpose of gaining power over people. When he decides to build a home for himself and Dominique, he asks Roark to be the architect and finds the one person he could not and would not want to corrupt. The two become friends. Dominique watches from a distance, not allowing herself to get close to Roark, knowing that nothing can change how they feel about each other.
Keating has lost his sense of how to design anything. He asks Roark to design the Cortlandt Homes project for him, and he accepts on the condition that he will have complete control over design and construction. However, the homes are not built as Roark wanted, so Roark dynamites the project as it is being completed. He stands trial and is found not guilty; he and Dominique come together and leave Wynand, giving Wynand a moral issue which he can use to boost circulation of his New York Banner, which has all but gone under. He closes the paper anyway, and asks Roark to build the Wynand Building, as they had discussed when they were friends. Howard Roark, the hero of the Fountainhead, triumphs.


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Engineered wood flooring is a highly versatile, stylish and durable flooring option. Available in pretty much every grade, colour and finish you would expect from solid wood, engineered wood flooring is a man-made product, made from natural ingredients. An amalgamation of plywood, topped with a solid oak lamella or top layer, engineered wood flooring, unlike solid wood flooring, can be installed successfully over under floor heating. What's more, because engineered wood flooring doesn't expand and contract to the same extent as solid wood, it lends itself perfectly to any areas of the home where moisture and, or temperature fluctuations might be anticipated.
180mm, or just over 7 inch wide engineered wood flooring is today a highly sought after flooring solution. In contrast to recent decades, when floorboards tended to be narrow, fashion has reverted back to the wider boards of many, many years ago. Typically, if you look at photographs of very old houses, you'll see that floorboards were very wide and then became narrower when machines were introduced into the floorboard manufacturing process.
Because the width of your engineered wood flooring can be purely based on choice (there is no restriction from an effectiveness point of view), there is no reason why you can't opt for a nice wide, 180mm, or just over 7 inch wide engineered wood flooring solution for your project.


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A new study says that about half of teens have an iPhone and more than half want to buy one in the future.
The biannual teen survey by Piper Jaffray showed that teens are embracing smartphones and seem to want iPhones, according to Fortune. About 48 percent of teens in the survey own an iPhone, up from 40 percent last fall, and 62 percent plan on buying an iPhone in the future, the same as last fall.
The numbers are slightly higher for higher-income teens than average-income teens, according to the survey. However, this doesn't mean that Android is completely ignored. Approximately 23 percent expect to buy an Android phone, up from 22 percent last fall.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Teens also said they expected to buy a tablet in the next six months (17 percent, down from 20 percent) and the majority (68 percent) plan to buy an iPad.
The survey was conducted from electronic surveys and classroom visits of 1,600 teens from high-income homes of $104,000 or more and 3,600 teens from average-income homes of around $54,000.
While we don't usually doubt the numbers, we are a bit more skeptical of numbers coming from an investment bank, especially one whose analyst Gene Munster is such an Apple booster. Still the survey does give an insight to other trends, from eateries to skinny jeans, so it's a good read.


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News stories
Iconic British fishing brand sold to international buyer
03rd July 2013
LAW firm Ward Hadaway has advised on the sale of iconic Northumberland fishing equipment maker Hardy & Greys to a leading global provider of fishing tackle, Pure Fishing, Inc.
The Alnwick-based company, whose equipment has been used by anglers across the world for over a century, and its subsidiary Hardy Advanced Composites have been bought by Pure Fishing, Inc. for an undisclosed sum.
Lawyers from Ward Hadaway in Newcastle and corporate finance specialists at Grant Thornton in Newcastle and Birmingham advised Hardy & Greys' owner, the Harris & Sheldon Group Ltd, on the sale of the businesses.
Hardy & Greys Ltd has been based in Alnwick since its formation in 1872. It was acquired by the Harris & Sheldon Group Limited from the Hardy family in 1967.
It became Hardy & Greys Ltd in 2004 – the change of name reflecting its acquisition of fellow fishing tackle brand Greys, later followed by the acquisition of Chub – and set up subsidiaries in Germany and the USA which are now key markets. Across its brands, it covers all branches of recreational fishing.
The company has been at the forefront of the fishing tackle market since being awarded its first patent in 1880. It developed the first carbon fibre fishing rods and, thanks to work with researchers at Cambridge University and 3M, recently created rods made from the new SINTRIX™ carbon fibre material that have won a string of awards and are recognised as the finest fly rods in the world.
Hardy & Greys' subsidiary, Hardy Advanced Composites Ltd, supplies not only advanced composite blanks for Hardy fishing rods but also custom-made composite tubes for a variety of customers in the defence, medical, sporting and consumer product markets.
The two businesses employ around 100 people.
Richard Maudslay, deputy chairman of Hardy & Greys, said: "Hardy & Greys has found a buyer who shares the company's vision to develop its strong operations not just in the UK, continental Europe and North America but around the globe which is very good news.
"Pure Fishing recognises the importance of Hardy's Alnwick heritage and the skills and expertise of the Alnwick-based employees."
Zara Lane, who leads Grant Thornton's Newcastle Corporate Finance offering, said: "Grant Thornton's corporate finance team's depth and breadth was invaluable in thoroughly analysing potential purchasers to ascertain those which represented a truly strategic fit for the businesses, could build on the considerable heritage of the brands and take them forward into the future.
"This latest deal highlights an increasing trend for overseas buyers keen to acquire strong British brands across a range of sectors."
Katherine Hay-Heddle, partner in the Corporate team at Ward Hadaway, led the firm's team advising on the sale.
Katherine said: "Hardy & Greys is a truly iconic name in the world of fishing as well as a long-standing client of Ward Hadaway so it was important for us to be able to secure a successful sale of the business.
"We are delighted to have assisted the team at the company on this deal which will see Hardy & Greys become part of a major global consumer group."
Richard Maudslay, of Hardy & Greys, said:"Grant Thornton's international experience was hugely beneficial, with the team not only understanding the nature of US acquirers and their corporate finance practices, but also managing the deal process efficiently despite time differences.
"Ward Hadaway's assistance was invaluable in ensuring that the deal progressed smoothly to a successful conclusion."


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Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Giving the Girl Scouts a run for their money...
The bottom of these sturdy bars is a rich, chewy blondie-like base that is threaded with bits of toasted coconut. The dough is not dry and crumbly like some bar cookies, but it is not super sticky either - I found it to be too stiff to spread with a spatula and a bit too soft to use my fingers. When I make a dough like this, I prefer to cover the top with a piece of plastic wrap once it is in the pan and use a measuring cup to push and level the dough out. Much less messy!
Midway through baking, the pan is taken out and the hot partially-baked crust is strewn with chunky bits of caramel. The crust goes back to finish baking and melt the caramel. If I were to make this again, I would probably add a few more ounces worth of the caramel as the amount called for created a fairly thin layer. Chopped bittersweet chocolate is then added on top and after a few minutes of sitting on the counter, the chocolate has softened enough to create a smooth layer on top. The finishing touch is a scattering of toasted coconut to give a hint of what's to come.
With a dense thin base, a slick of hidden caramel and layer of chocolate on top, these neat and tidy bars are sure to please coconut lovers with a flavor somewhat reminiscent of those infamous Girl Scout Samoas.
Just a couple days ago, we used carrots as a starting point of thick dressing for a quinoa salad - the bright orange vegetable was once again highlighted tonight with this Carrot Orzo dish we made for dinner.
The carrots need to be finely chopped (to about the same size of the rice-shaped pasta), so to make quick work of them, they are roughly chopped and then pulsed in a food processor. The orzo and carrots are then briefly toasted for a few minutes in a couple knobs of butter. The liquid used to cook the orzo is heavy on the broth and light on the water, but you can play around with those ratios to suit your taste - the original called for much more water, but we just prefer the extra flavor. Once the orzo has absorbed the liquid, the pasta gains a creamy element by adding a handful of fresh grated Parmesan cheese. While a few chopped green minced onions brought a pleasant note at the end, what we thought really set this dish apart was the addition of fragrant fresh rosemary that brought this pasta dish to life.
6 comments:
Another happy wednesday for Jeff :-) The bars look so good, more caramel can never hurt. The girl scouts should be worried -- just let us know when we can start ordering your goodies online!ReplyDelete
Good idea, Joe could start a business. It's too bad I can't find caramel around these days. Also I love coconut but I'm the only one that likes it in the family. I think those treats will go pretty fast tomorrow.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous2/06/2008 05:13:00 AM
Mmmm, those bars look heavenly Joe! I love anything with chocolate and coconut. Allen has a great idea! Let us know when we can place online orders ;-)ReplyDelete
That Jeff must be very popular at work. Those look wonderful. I have about 3 bags of coconut on my shelf right now -- I'm not sure how or why they got there. This sounds like a great use for them.ReplyDelete
You'd have an online community ready to order if you ever went commercial with this stuff :) These looks YUUUUUMMY!ReplyDelete
Allen - Yes, he was quite the happy one!ReplyDelete
Helene - It's not too hard to make though, you should give caramel a try!
Val - Maybe someday!
Tracy - He likes to think it's his charming personality, but we all know it is the treats!
Lori - Thanks!


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