text:
Can apparent diffusion coefficient predict the grade, genotype, or proliferation index of oligodendrogliomas
Laghari Altaf Ali1, Khalid Muhammad Usman1, Mubarak Fatima2, Alvi Amna2, Ali Tazeen Saeed3, Shaikh Namra Qadeer1, Shamim Muhammad Shahzad1, Enam Syed Ather1
1 Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan
2 Department of Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan
3 School of Nursing and Midwifery, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
Date of Submission 02-Dec-2020
Dr. Mubarak Fatima
Department of Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800
Background: Genetic subsets of oligodendrogliomas (OD) have distinct chromosomal and biophysical profiles. Pretherapeutic tumor grade and genotype analysis is a challenging aspect of management, with 1p/19q codeletion status and grade of oligodendroglioma among the most important considerations for clinical decision making. Methodology: Seventy-three patients with histopathological diagnosis of oligodendroglioma were selected, and their preoperative 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were reviewed through parameters including diffusion weighted image, susceptibility-weighted imaging, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). These images were correlated with patients' histopathological and chromosomal testing. Tumor border irregularity, homogeneity, contrast enhancement, and other MRI characteristics were also studied. For analysis, descriptive statistics were generated, and normality was evaluated for ADC value, age, and Ki-67 tumor proliferation index. Objectives: The study aimed to determine the correlation of ADC with Ki-67, grade, and 1p/19q co-deletion in oligodendroglioma at a tertiary care hospital within a low-middle income country. Results: Ki-67 tumor proliferation index was high in 33 tumors. It was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.048) with respect to ADC, showing that 1p/19q co-deleted tumors have a difference in their Ki-67 index. Ki-67 also showed a significant relationship (P < 0.05) with grade of OD. However, there was no statistically significant relationship between 1p19q chromosomal co-deletion and ADC. Linear regression was carried out as the data set was continuous. Univariate analysis showed no significant result with all P values above 0.10. Conclusion: Mean ADC is a viable tool to predict Ki-67 and assist prognostic clinical decisions. However, mean ADC alone cannot predict 1p/19q codeletion and tumor grades in OD. Further supplementation with other radiological modalities may provide greater yield and positive results.
Keywords: Apparent diffusion coefficient, glioblastoma, magnetic resonance imaging
Ali LA, Usman KM, Fatima M, Amna A, Saeed AT, Qadeer SN, Shahzad SM, Ather ES. Can apparent diffusion coefficient predict the grade, genotype, or proliferation index of oligodendrogliomas. Asian J Neurosurg 2021;16:752-8
Ali LA, Usman KM, Fatima M, Amna A, Saeed AT, Qadeer SN, Shahzad SM, Ather ES. Can apparent diffusion coefficient predict the grade, genotype, or proliferation index of oligodendrogliomas. Asian J Neurosurg [serial online] 2021 [cited 2022 Jan 28];16:752-8. Available from: https://www.asianjns.org/text.asp?2021/16/4/752/332843
Gliomas are tumors of the white matter that are diffusely infiltrative and constitute approximately 80% of all brain tumors.[1],[2] Oligodendrogliomas (OD) are a subtype of gliomas (according to the World Health Organization [WHO] 2016 classification of brain tumors), that are associated with a better prognosis, especially if associated with chromosome 1p/19q co-deletion.[3],[4],[5],[6],[7] The prevalence of this mutation is similar in both anaplastic (WHO grade 3) and low-grade OD[8] and the presence of this co-deletion is an independent predictor of remarkably better progression-free survival and overall survival.[9] The gold standard for diagnosis of OD and 1p/19q deletion status remains a biopsy for histopathology and gene analysis. However, more recently, several radiological features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have been reported that are suggestive of diagnosis of OD and the co-deletion status.[4],[10] This radiological differentiation is important for several reasons; it provides the treating physician a high index of suspicion prior to a formal biopsy, as despite significant advances in intraoperative aids and operative techniques, around 5% of biopsies yield tissue specimen that is insufficient in size or quality to demonstrate 1p/19q loss.[10] It may assist in the choice of tissue for sampling in case of difficult-to-access tumors. It may allow us a better understanding of the morphological differences between various types of OD, allowing a more elaborate classification system. Finally, in low-middle income countries, where genetic analysis is not widely available (there is only one center in our country of more than 200 million that performs genetic analysis on brain tumor specimen), an MRI scan may be the only aid to histopathology for subclassifying these tumors.
This, however, may only be possible if we can establish reliable radiological features that can predict the 1p/19q status of the OD, with high sensitivity and specificity. Megyesi et al. studied 33 patients and concluded that 1p/19q co-deletion OD stratification based on grading is possible through MRI alone.[11] This reflected that 1p/19q co-deleted tumors have distinct radiological features and this finding was further validated by Preusser et al. in their study of 67 patients with histological and molecular diagnosis of gliomas.[12] Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was found to be the best differentiating characteristic between the different genetic subtypes of gliomas as also outlined in the 2016 WHO guidelines.[6],[7] ADC is a measure of the magnitude of diffusion of water molecules found within the tissue. Values of ADC are automatically calculated, using a diffusion-weighted image (DWI), by software and displayed in the form of a parametric map highlighting the degree of diffusion of molecules of water through different types of tissues. Regions of Interest (ROIs) are used to define the region for which ADC values are being calculated. In addition, new modalities such as diffusion tensor magnetic resonance-derived metrics and arterial spin labeling are rapidly increasing the options available for precise, non-invasive testing based on radiological parameters.[13],[14],[15],[16],[17]
Based on these studies, we hypothesize that OD with 1p/19q chromosomal deletion is radiologically distinct from OD without 1p/19q loss. In this study, we attempted to explore whether 1p/19q codeletion, Ki-67, and tumor grade in OD can be reliably predicted based on mean ADC volumes on MRI scans in conjunction with other radiological features.
Since the study was retrospective in nature, hospital records were reviewed and patients with biopsy-proven ODs were selected. The cohort was further narrowed by isolating patients with pre-surgery MRI scan, done using the in-house 1.5 Tesla scanner, and a biopsy specimen confirming the diagnosis of OD. The selected patients were then divided into those with 1p19q co-deletion and those without 1p19q co-deletion. The World Health Organization 2016 central nervous system tumor grading criteria were used to determine the grade of tumors.
Apart from ADC and grade, six additional parameters were investigated. Homogeneity within the tumors, regularity of tumor edge, necrosis, hemorrhage, calcification, and contrast enhancement were also reviewed in the MRIs. These were used to identify aggressive features in high-grade gliomas, aggressive features were classified as extensive necrosis, indeterminate edges, presence of hemorrhage, calcification, and strong contrast enhancement. Tumor location was decided to be set as the region or lobe containing the bulk (more than 80% of mass) of tumor. The corpus callosum was set as the point to distinguish unilateral and bilateral tumors, with OD traversing the corpus callosum considered to be bilateral. Allelic loss of chromosome was determined through loss of heterozygosity assays in tumor DNA pair. Microsatellite markers were used on chromosomes 1p36 and 19q13.
MRI imaging was done using a 1.5 Tesla (T) clinical MR imaging system (General Electric Signa HD MRI systems) using an eight-channel phased-array breast coil. A sample of these images is shown in [Figure 1] and [Figure 2]. A T2-weighted transverse pulse sequence was performed with 60/5600/180 (echo time/repetition time/inversion time) ms, 4 mm thickness, a field of view of 36 cm × 36 cm, and a matrix of 316 × 320. An axial plane was used to acquire DWI images and ADC maps were automatically created by the system using the trace-weighted images with b values of 0 and 1000. ADC values were calculated using the following formula: ADC = -(1/b) ln (S2/S1), where S2 and S1 are the intensity of signals at a b value of 1000 and 0, respectively. A sample of the imaging and some data generated are present in [Figure 1] and [Figure 2].
Figure 1: Sample of magnetic resonance imaging in a patient without 1p/19q codeletion
Figure 2: Sample of magnetic resonance imaging in a patient with 1p/19q codeletion
The study underwent ethical review by the Aga Khan University Hospital Ethical Review Committee before data collection and analysis was done. No human interventions were involved throughout the study; no financial compensations were made to study participants. Data were stored in a secure password-protected folder on an encrypted computer accessible by the primary investigator.
Data analysis was divided into the three steps. First, we generated descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation for continuous variables and frequency and proportions for categorical variables). Second, we evaluated normality for variables such as ADC value, Age, and Ki-67 tumor proliferation index (Histogram, Smirnov test of hypothesis for normality). Lastly, since the data were not normally distributed, we applied nonparametric tests to assess the relationship between predictors of ADC inferential statistics with a P value of alpha <0.05 set as a level of significance.
For our primary objectives, ADC was correlated with 1p19q codeletion, grade of tumor, and Ki-67 value. For our secondary objectives, MRI features were also correlated with tumor grade and 1p19q co-deletion separately. Details of each step are discussed in the results section below.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of participants
A total of 73 patients participated in this study. The mean age of the patients was 38.86 years. The average value of ADC was found to be 1286.0. The study revealed that the majority of 49 (67.1%) patients were male; whereas, 24 (32.9%) were female. On histopathology, 39 (53.4%) were Grade II and 34 (46.6%) OD were grade III. Around 34 (46.6%) were co-deleted tumors and 39 (53.4%) were non co-deleted tumors in 1p19q genetic testing. [summarized in [Table 1]]
Table 1: Descriptive Statistics of ADC among patients with Oligodendroglioma
Forty-three (59%) tumors were located predominantly in the frontal lobe, 20 (27.3%) in the temporal lobe and 10 (13.7%) in the parietal lobe. Among Grade III OD, 2 (6.9%) showed no contrast enhancement, 23 (79.3%) showed some contrast enhancement and 4 (13.8%) showed homogenous contrast enhancement. Eighteen Grade II OD (72%) had shown no contrast enhancement, 6 (24%) showed some contrast enhancement, and 1 (4%) showed homogenous contrast enhancement.
Forty (54.8%) of the tumors had irregular margins, with 4 (5.5%) having smooth margins and 29 (39.7%) having indeterminate margins. Thirty-three (45.2%) of the tumors had cystic or necrotic changes visible while 40 (54.8%) did not.
Ki 67, an alternative assay of cellular proliferation, was identified for all 73 tumors and was found to be high in 33 (45.2%) tumors, low index in 25 (34.2%) and it was not available for 15 (20.5%) samples.
Sixty-five (89%) of the tumors were unilateral and 8 (11%) were bilateral. Forty-three (58.9%) tumors were located predominantly in the frontal lobe, 20 (27.4%) in the temporal lobe, and 10 (13.7%) in the parietal lobe as shown in [Table 1].
We determined the predictors of ADC among patients with oligodendroglioma. The normality test showed that the data are not normal as shown in [Table 2]; therefore, we applied non-parametric tests.
Table 2: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test statistics for normality testing
In order to assess the relationship between predictors of ADC, inferential statistics such as Mann –Whitney test, Kruskal Wallis, and Spearman rank Correlation tests were run to analyze the dataset as shown in [Table 3]. P value of alpha less than 0.05 was set as level of significance.
Table 3: Inferential Test statistics according to types of variables
[Table 4] shows that only one variable, Ki-67 tumor proliferation index, was statistically associated with ADC level among patients with oligodendroglioma. Since P value (0.048) was <0.05 for Ki-67 tumor proliferation index and ADC. We conclude that there is a significant relationship between these two variables.
Table 4: Inferential Statistics of ADC among patients with Oligodendroglioma
Linear regression analysis
Since the outcome variables were continuous in nature, linear regression analysis was carried out for the inferential statistics. Beta coefficient and their confidence intervals were computed as mean estimated change in ADC with one-unit change in the predictor variable.
Univariate analysis
Univariate analysis was run to analyze the independent effect of each independent variable with ADC. Each individual variable was individually regressed against ADC level. The results are shown in [Table 5].
Table 5: Univariate Analysis of Determinants
Our results highlight that ADC is a good indicator of Ki-67. However, ADC alone is a weak indicator of 1p/19q co-deletion and tumor grade. Limitations based on population characteristics, sample size, and using one radiological parameter may be a possible reason for our results.
1p/19q co-deletion and apparent diffusion coefficient
The mean value of ADC of 1p/19q co-deleted tumors was not statistically significant (as P value was >0.05) from the mean ADC of non-co-deleted tumors in our study. This reflects literature which shows increased cellularity in 1p/19q co-deleted tumors in some cases but no significant difference in mean value of ADC alone.[10],[18],[19],[20],[21] This finding corresponds with Fellah et al. who reported a similar finding in 270 patients in their study on a single-center experience.[22] However, Jenkinson et al. report that tumors with 1p/19q loss are more likely to have a smaller mean ADC compared with tumors that do not have 1p/19q chromosomal deletion.[23] In our results, we see a trend similar to that found by Fellah et al. which concluded that mean ADC alone is not sufficient as a modality to distinguish between 1p/19q co-deleted and non-co-deleted tumors. Other modalities such as cerebral blood volume might serve as an adjunct parameter to introduce significance for a radiological testing modality.[22] Moreover, Abdel Razzak et al. have demonstrated the advent of new modalities such as arterial spin imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and their respectively derived metrics as viable alternatives to conventional DWI based metrics.[14],[15],[17]
Ki-67 and apparent diffusion coefficient
In a study by Preusser et al. in 2012, Ki-67 was evaluated as a clinical and prognostic tool and was found to have a strong prognostic impact.[12] In our study, the OD with the lowest Ki-67 index were all non 1p/19q co-deleted tumors, while the 1p/19q co-deleted tumors had a higher ratio of tumors with a high Ki-67 index. Ki-67 values were also significantly different (with P = 0.048) between different tumor grades making Ki-67 a viable predictor for tumor grades. Studies by Pouget et al. and Duregon et al. both investigate the prognostic impact of Ki-67 in OD with 1p/19q codeletion and both conclude that Ki-67 is a strong predictor of prognosis.[24],[25] This conclusion correlates with other literature, pointing towards the idea that Ki-67 could be used to support prognostic and therapeutic clinical decisions.[26],[27]
Tumor grade and apparent diffusion coefficient
Mean ADC for grade III OD, irrespective of 1p/19q co-deletion, was 1273, while mean ADC for grade II OD was 1300. A lower mean ADC is a marker of higher cellularity that corresponds with the histological grade of the tumors. Latysheva et al. reported in 2019 that Histogram derived ADC parameters could successfully distinguish between OD and oligoastrocytoma.[28] Similarly, Anwar et al. report a significant difference in ADC mapping for different tumors.[29] However, data in our study does not demonstrate a significant (P < 0.05) difference between mean ADC of OD Grade II and III. These findings are reflected in literature by Hilario et al. and Fellah et al. who also found no significant correlation between grade of OD and the mean value of ADC.[18],[22] Naveed et al. who further explored grading of OD through MRI concluded that ADC values when combined with relative cerebral blood volume and MR spectroscopy is sufficient in differentiating groups of OD.[30] Thus, a study combining mean ADC with other radiological parameters[19],[31] such as MR spectroscopy[32] or rCBV may yield a significant result in distinguishing grades of OD based purely on radiological characteristics.
Other radiological characteristics and 1p/19q co-deletion
Co-deletion of 1p19q in OD is likely due to recurring translocation and may be a marker of therapeutic response to chemotherapy and overall long-term survival. Some basis for radiological distinction between OD based on 1p/19q loss has already been reported in literature. Megyesi et al. showed that OD with 1p/19q loss showed indistinct borders, paramagnetic susceptibility, and calcification more commonly than their counterparts.[11] In our data, almost half (54.7%) of the tumors had irregular borders, while 39.4% had indeterminate borders. None of the tumors with 1p/19q co-deletion were found to have smooth borders, the majority having indeterminate borders. Homogenous signal intensity was also found more commonly in tumors with higher ADC, and tumors with noncircumscribed borders were found only above a mean ADC of 1000 mm2/s.
A study published as far back as 2001 showed that bi-hemispherical growth patterns and peripheral tumor location had a significant correlation with chromosomal 1p/19q codeletion.[33] Our data showed that 59% of our subjects had the tumor present in the frontal lobe, with the second most common site being the temporal lobe. 1p/19q co-deleted OD had twenty-three (67.6%) tumors present in the frontal lobe, seven (20.6%) in the parietal lobe and four (11.8%) in the temporal lobe. In contrast, 1p/19q non-co-deleted OD had 18 (50%) tumors in the frontal lobe, 12 (33.3%) in the parietal lobe, and six (16.7%) tumors in the temporal lobe.
Other radiological characteristics and grade of tumor
Grade III tumors in our study showed significant partial or homogenous contrast enhancement when compared with Grade II OD. Similarly, Grade III tumors showed a greater ratio of indeterminate edges, necrosis, and cystic changes. In Grade III OD, 1p/19q codeletion has been associated with distinct radiological characteristics,[20] particularly blurred tumor borders, frontal lobe location, and intra-tumoral signal heterogeneity.[34]
Quantitative analysis of MRI has demonstrated a high sensitivity and specificity to 1p/19q chromosomal codeletion.[10] Another research has shown that angiogenic subtypes of OD that are distinguishable on MRI can also be indicative of 1p/19q loss and other chromosomal deletions.[35] This research is aided by the fact that sufficient advances in MRI techniques and analytical tools have also allowed for more introspective analysis and quantitative logging of features extracted from images of tumors.[17],[21]
Currently, diagnostic testing of OD tumors for chromosomal deletions such as 1p/19q is not widely available even in more developed regions. In a low-resource and population intensive region, there are very limited centers where chromosomal testing is available, and even where available the cost is prohibitive. The technical expertise required to analyze and correctly interpret the data are often lacking. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and loss of heterozygosity studies present an appealing alternative but hold their own drawbacks. Inherent sampling errors and difficulty in residual tumor evaluation are two major ones.
An alternative method of predicting molecular and pathological patterns in OD is emerging with the evolution of radiological techniques. MRI studies, which are done for the diagnosis of all ODs, can serve as an analytical tool based on software analysis and mapping techniques. This would further aid clinical and surgical decision-making in providing a patient-oriented approach with each case.
We conclude that mean ADC is a useful diagnostic tool in predicting Ki-67 values of OD and thus overall prognosis. However, mean ADC alone would not improve prebiopsy discrimination of 1p/19q co-deleted tumors from 1p/19q nonco-deleted tumors at the moment. Histopathological examination remains the gold standard for classification and grading of brain tumors. Even though radiological features may be suggestive of certain grades and genotypes, with the technology currently available in developing countries, it continues to show low sensitivity and specificity.
Ostrom QT, Bauchet L, Davis FG, Deltour I, Fisher JL, Langer CE, et al. The epidemiology of glioma in adults: A 'state of the science' review. Neuro Oncol 2014;16:896-913. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24842956/
Komori T. The 2016 WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System: The Major Points of Revision. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 2017;57:301-11.
Jenkins RB, Blair H, Ballman KV, Giannini C, Arusell RM, Law M, et al. A t (1;19)(q10;p10) mediates the combined deletions of 1p and 19q and predicts a better prognosis of patients with oligodendroglioma. Cancer Res 2006;66:9852-61. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22207304/.
Ducray F, Idbaih A, de Reyniès A, Bièche I, Thillet J, Mokhtari K, et al. Anaplastic oligodendrogliomas with 1p19q codeletion have a proneural gene expression profile. Mol Cancer 2008;7:41.
Ręcławowicz D, Stempniewicz M, Biernat W, Limon J, Słoniewski P. Loss of genetic material within 1p and 19q chromosomal arms in low grade gliomas of central nervous system. Folia Neuropathol 2013;51:26-32.
Hoshide R, Jandial R. 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Central Nervous System Tumors: An era of molecular biology. World Neurosurg 2016;94:561-2.
Louis DN, Perry A, Reifenberger G, von Deimling A, Figarella-Branger D, Cavenee WK, et al. The 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: A summary. Acta Neuropathol 2016;131:803-20.
van den Bent MJ, Looijenga LH, Langenberg K, Dinjens W, Graveland W, Uytdewilligen L, et al. Chromosomal anomalies in oligodendroglial tumors are correlated with clinical features. Cancer 2003;97:1276-84.
Laghari AA, Khalid MU, Qadeer N, Shamim MS. Prognostic value of 1p/19q chromosomal codeletion in patients with oligodendroglioma. J Pak Med Assoc 2019;69:132-4.
Brown R, Zlatescu M, Sijben A, Roldan G, Easaw J, Forsyth P, et al. The use of magnetic resonance imaging to noninvasively detect genetic signatures in oligodendroglioma. Clin Cancer Res 2008;14:2357-62.
Megyesi JF, Kachur E, Lee DH, Zlatescu MC, Betensky RA, Forsyth PA et al. Imaging correlates of molecular signatures in oligodendrogliomas. Clin Cancer Res 2004;10:4303-6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15240515/.
Preusser M, Hoeftberger R, Woehrer A, Gelpi E, Kouwenhoven M, Kros JM, et al. Prognostic value of Ki67 index in anaplastic oligodendroglial tumours – A translational study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Brain Tumor Group. Histopathology 2012;60:885-94.
Abdel Razek AA, El-Serougy L, Abdelsalam M, Gaballa G, Talaat M. Differentiation of primary central nervous system lymphoma from glioblastoma: Quantitative analysis using arterial spin labeling and diffusion tensor imaging. World Neurosurg 2019;123:e303-9.
Abdel Razek AA, Talaat M, El-Serougy L, Gaballa G, Abdelsalam M. Clinical applications of arterial spin labeling in brain tumors. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2019;43:525-32.
Razek AA, El-Serougy LG, Abdelsalam MA, Gaballa GM, Talaat MM. Multi-parametric arterial spin labelling and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in differentiation of grade II and grade III gliomas. Pol J Radiol 2020;85:e110-7.
Razek AA, El-Serougy L, Abdelsalam M, Gaballa G, Talaat M. Differentiation of residual/recurrent gliomas from postradiation necrosis with arterial spin labeling and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging-derived metrics. Neuroradiology 2018;60:169-77.
El-Serougy L, Abdel Razek AA, Ezzat A, Eldawoody H, El-Morsy A. Assessment of diffusion tensor imaging metrics in differentiating low-grade from high-grade gliomas. Neuroradiol J 2016;29:400-7.
Hilario A, Ramos A, Perez-Nuñez A, Salvador E, Millan JM, Lagares A, et al. The added value of apparent diffusion coefficient to cerebral blood volume in the preoperative grading of diffuse gliomas. Am J Neuroradiol 2012;33:701.
Law M, Yang S, Wang H, Babb JS, Johnson G, Cha S, et al. Glioma grading: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of perfusion MR imaging and proton MR spectroscopic imaging compared with conventional MR imaging. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2003;24:1989-98.
Lin Y, Xing Z, She D, Yang X, Zheng Y, Xiao Z, et al. IDH mutant and 1p/19q co-deleted oligodendrogliomas: Tumor grade stratification using diffusion-, susceptibility-, and perfusion-weighted MRI. Neuroradiology 2017;59:555-62.
Castellano G, Bonilha L, Li LM, Cendes F. Texture analysis of medical images. Clin Radiol 2004;59:1061-9.
Fellah S, Caudal D, De Paula AM, Dory-Lautrec P, Figarella-Branger D, Chinot O, et al. Multimodal MR imaging (diffusion, perfusion, and spectroscopy): Is it possible to distinguish oligodendroglial tumor grade and 1p/19q codeletion in the pretherapeutic diagnosis? AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2013;34:1326-33.
Jenkinson MD, Smith TS, Brodbelt AR, Joyce KA, Warnke PC, Walker C. Apparent diffusion coefficients in oligodendroglial tumors characterized by genotype. J Magn Reson Imaging 2007;26:1405-12.
Pouget C, Hergalant S, Lardenois E, Lacomme S, Houlgatte R, Carpentier C, et al. Ki-67 and MCM6 labeling indices are correlated with overall survival in anaplastic oligodendroglioma, IDH1-mutant and 1p/19q-codeleted: A multicenter study from the French POLA network. Brain Pathol 2020;30:465-78. https://doi.org/10.1111/bpa.12788. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31561286/.
Duregon E, Bertero L, Pittaro A, Soffietti R, Rudà R, Trevisan M, et al. Ki-67 proliferation index but not mitotic thresholds integrates the molecular prognostic stratification of lower grade gliomas. Oncotarget 2016;7:21190-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5008278/.
Coons SW, Johnson PC, Pearl DK. The prognostic significance of Ki-67 labeling indices for oligodendrogliomas. Neurosurgery 1997;41:878-85.
Liang J, Lv X, Lu C, Ye X, Chen X, Fu J. et al. Prognostic factors of patients with Gliomas- A n analysis on 335 patients with glioblastoma and other forms of gliomas. BMC Cancer 2020;20:1-7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31941467/.
Latysheva A, Emblem KE, Brandal P, Vik-Mo EO, Pahnke J, Røysland K et al. Dynamic susceptibility contrast and diffusion MR imaging identify oligodendroglioma as defined by the 2016 WHO classification for brain tumors: Histogram analysis approach. Neuroradiology61(5), 545–555. [doi: 10.1007/s00234-019-02173-5]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30712139/.
Anwar SS, Baig MZ, Laghari AA, Mubarak F, Shamim MS, Jilani UA, et al. Accuracy of apparent diffusion coefficients and enhancement ratios on magnetic resonance imaging in differentiating primary cerebral lymphomas from glioblastoma. Neuroradiol J 2019;32:328-34.
Naveed MA, Goyal P. Grading of oligodendroglial tumors of the brain with apparent diffusion coefficient, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and dynamic susceptibility contrast imaging. The neuroradiology journal, 31(4), 379–385.
Knopp EA, Cha S, Johnson G, Mazumdar A, Golfinos JG, Zagzag D, et al. Glial neoplasms: Dynamic contrast-enhanced T2*-weighted MR imaging. Radiology 1999;211:791-8.
McKnight TR, Lamborn KR, Love TD, Berger MS, Chang S, Dillon WP, et al. Correlation of magnetic resonance spectroscopic and growth characteristics within Grades II and III gliomas. J Neurosurg 2007;106:660-6.
Zlatescu MC, TehraniYazdi A, Sasaki H, Megyesi JF, Betensky RA, Louis DN, et al. Tumor location and growth pattern correlate with genetic signature in oligodendroglial neoplasms. Cancer Res 2001;61:6713-5.
Reyes-Botero G, Dehais C, Idbaih A, Martin-Duverneuil N, Lahutte M, Carpentier C, et al. Contrast enhancement in 1p/19q-codeleted anaplastic oligodendrogliomas is associated with 9p loss, genomic instability, and angiogenic gene expression. Neuro Oncol 2014;16:662-70.
Kapoor GS, Gocke TA, Chawla S, Whitmore RG, Nabavizadeh A, Krejza J, et al. Magnetic resonance perfusion-weighted imaging defines angiogenic subtypes of oligodendroglioma according to 1p19q and EGFR status. J Neurooncol 2009;92:373-86.
Ali LA
Usman KM
Fatima M
Amna A
Saeed AT
Qadeer SN
Shahzad SM
Ather ES
Apparent diffusion coefficient


text:
Category / Theatre
New Directors/New Films: Every Little Step (2008)
Broadway, Film, New Directors/New Films, Theatre
a chorus line, adam del deo, bob avian, every little step, james stern, marvin hamlisch, michael bennett, new directors, new films, tyce diorio
[This is the third in a series of dispatches relating to the New Directors/New Films series, running between March 25 and April 5 at MOMA and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.]
An actor friend and I recently entered into a heated but civil disagreement about his career. My friend insisted that it was now the time to self-promote and self-aggrandize like there was no tomorrow. I pointed out to my pal that he had talents that simply hadn't yet been recognized by the right people, and that getting noticed simply wasn't something he could calculate. He had the goods, but I had grave concerns that his work would be marred by solipsism, whether real or perceived. He had the obligation to stay working — whether it be dinner theater, off-Broadway, or top-notch production — and to practice as much humility and tenacity and dignity as he could under the circumstances. The acting business involves a lot of waiting, many nos, and an array of judgments which simply do not exist in any other occupation. Small wonder then that, when an actor does manage to secure himself a top perch, he is granted an unprecedented amount of assistants and press protection. For by the time an actor has made it this far, the relatively anonymous artist who struggled for years has capitulated his relative obscurity. But isn't the acting profession something of a devil's bargain? You entertain a crowd, but you do so at the expense of presenting your true self. And you do so knowing that you will have to fight tooth and nail to keep the rent paid and the work coming. Not many people can do this, but so many are driven to expend every ounce of spare energy into seizing a small scrap of the stage.
The documentary Every Little Step examines these often underreported realities with the casting sessions for the 2006 A Chorus Line revival. Filmmakers James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo were apparently granted backstage access as the casting stretched into endless callbacks over many months. I do not know if there were any quids pro quo arrived at during this documentary journey, but there's certainly a meta irony given the show in question. As audience-friendly as A Chorus Line and Every Little Step both are, Stern and Del Deo are to be commended for exposing a handful of the profession's ugly little truths. There is, for example, some concern about an actress up for the role of Connie. She was born in Japan, but can she nail the right dialect if she wasn't born in the States? A cocky dancer and choreographer named Tyce Diorio boasts to the camera that he wants his own television show. But his clear hubris is immediately observed by the casting team and he is dumped. One dancer is asked to reproduce what she did last summer, but cannot recall specifically what it was and is too nervous and shell-shocked to ask.
The film is careful to expose what lies in the future for these young and hungry gypsy aspirants, but it doesn't always present its mini-narratives holistically. One dancer's father describes a moment in his early forties when both of his knees blew out. He still tried to dance anyway and found himself backstage with his boots soaked in blood. But what did he do when he knew he couldn't dance? That might have been another documentary altogether, but this intriguing yet unfulfilled story demonstrates the film's weakness in trying to tackle too much.
Of course, as every good Broadway aficionado knows, A Chorus Line was one of the first major Broadway productions to be workshopped, with Michael Bennett leading a recorded series of confessions after midnight that served as the transcribed template. The film does not quibble with the controversial claim that Bennett was the sole man behind the show, nor does it quite expose Bennett's tendency to control every project that he was involved with.
I likewise found myself wondering how much Bob Avian (the revival's director) was playing up his kindness before the cameras. He is presented here as a gruff, no-nonsense, barrel-chested administrator, his team shuttling around and encouraging prospective applicants. But Avian is capable of being genuinely moved. When Jason Tam delivers his gut-wrenching monologue as Paul, both the show's production team and the audience watching this film know that he will get the part. So perhaps Every Little Step functions on three levels: the Broadway audience who will see the show is "entertained" by dancers begging for their parts (lightened somewhat by the Marvlin Hamlisch's famous bouncer, "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three"), the audience who will see this film is "entertained" by dancers begging for their parts (lightened somewhat by crowd favorites getting the role), and the director being photographed is "entertained" by prospective dancers while making often brutal decisions (his duties lightened somewhat by a few on-camera moments that suggest he's not that bad of a guy).
I was less taken with the film's clear promotion of A Chorus Line, but quite engaged by the process of auditioning itself. Hearing a director describe the ideal Val as someone with "a truck driver's mouth, but who's really a sweetheart" is a sentiment you might find on any promotional pamphlet, as is Hamlisch himself describing yet again how the title "Tits and Ass" transmuted into "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three." But seeing a director quietly beseech an actor on stage to get a performance right, because there may very well be some rejection that he must uncomfortably come to terms with, is the mark of a decent documentary. I wished Every Little Step had pursued more moments in the latter category. But a struggling actor may find some of the film's quiet revelations engaging — in large part because the actor doesn't always see himself from a camera's third-person perspective.
January 27, 2009 January 27, 2009 by Edward Champion
Theater Review: Queens Girl
queens girl, Theatre
Queens Girl is a one-woman show written and performed by Lauren LoGuidice. It is playing here in New York at a venue called Stage Left on January 29, 30, and 31st. From there, it moves on to San Francisco. I was contacted out of the blue by a publicist and opted to attend. My +1 had to back out. My alternate +1 likewise found himself busy. I was frankly too lazy to enlist a third +1. So I attended alone. I was one of two press members in the audience. I am still not entirely sure why I was contacted.
I am informed by Ms. LoGuidice's website that the show was once called Skinny Girl, but there is no specific reason given for this title change. My own titular preference is Queens Girl. And having seen the show, my own preference would have involved less multimedia and more performance. I suppose the idea here was to suggest distractions which present one from being true to one's self, but bombarding the audience with often needless visual information and regrettably obvious musical cues (e.g., The Godfather theme playing when we learn about the Italian neighborhood Ms. LoGuidice grew up in) only succeeded in this reviewer wondering why the real Ms. LoGuidice was still hiding, and why she cared so much about appealing to the crowd. The show's truest moment came with Ms. LoGuidice impersonating a homophobic ruffian shrieking at "Ms. LoGuidice" to leave the neighborhood. That such a moment comes from the portrayal of another figure reveals the show's central problem. We learn that Ms. LoGuidice has spent all of her adult life running to other places. Bombay, San Francisco, the Meatpacking District. But to what end? We never know. The multimedia proves too intoxicating.
Now ancillary information is sometimes a regrettable obstacle that hinders an individual from telling the truth. I can tell you that the show's running time was sometime between 32 and 37 minutes. Had my cell phone battery not expired, I would be able to give you a precise figure. The other journalist attending the show, who was diffident about revealing his name and outlet to me, informed me that the show was 37 minutes. But he had determined this fact from looking at his own cell phone once the show had concluded. It read 8:37 PM. There was then a minor but conciliatory point of argument between us in the elevator ride down over whether the show started at 8:00 PM or 8:05 PM. I advocated the latter time, even though I truthfully wasn't paying attention and suspected I was wrong. This was not what I would call a prevarication. I was merely being jocose. The idea here was to present a possibly erroneous piece of temporal information for this gentleman to correct me on. But I apparently conveyed my position to him with some entirely unintentional authority, a deadpan confidence that had him believing that the show had started at 8:05 PM. And even though I began to get the sense that I was probably wrong, I politely agreed that the running time might possibly be 32 minutes instead of the 37 minutes he had initially estimated. We both agreed that it was a bit unusual to attend a theatrical presentation that lasted considerably shorter than our subway ride to Stage Left.
Stage Left itself is located on the fifth floor of an edifice located on West 37th Street. There is nothing, aside from the space's proximity on the western side of the building, that suggested a possible origin for the name. Perhaps there was another imputation behind the name: fringe theater that came out of left-field. But none of this really matters.
I can also report that I was one of only five men in the audience. My audience estimate was 25 people, most appearing to be friends of Ms. LoGuidice. I took notes in a five subject notebook — a knockoff that I had purchased two nights before for $2.79 from a small shop in Tribeca that was something between a bodega and a pharmacy. The pen I used to take notes — a black Uniball — was on its last legs. In looking at the eight pages of notes I took, I am struck by two things: the gradual waning of the ink and my own fierce efforts in the dark to force more ink on the pages. Given that I also took notes on Wednesday night during the Barnes and Noble New York Times event and did not use any of them, I think that I will do the same for this piece. But I will present one note, picked entirely at random, that might give you some sense of my theatergoing experience: "Relies too much on music."
Those last three paragraphs may be interesting to my friends, but they don't really tell you anything.
Fringe on the Horizon
About three years ago, when I talked with fellow theatrical producers at the San Francisco Fringe Festival, many of them told me that they had serious reservations about the New York Fringe scene.
"It's all money over there," said one. "They're just looking for the next Urinetown."
I was a bit skeptical about this charge back then — perhaps because I'm naive or perhaps because, if you have any ambition, it's extremely difficult to make money at micro-theatre. (It's worth noting that my own show cost around $3,000 to make, which I was able to generate after selling off most of my music collection — and that's not even counting volunteer time. Even if I had filled every seat, there was simply no way to break even. But it was worth it.)
But next month, I'll be able to confirm the veracity (or paucity) of these charges at the New York Fringe Festival, which occurs between August 10th and August 26th. Are these shows designed to catch the eye of off-off-Broadway producers? I'd like to think — at $15 per show — that the Fringe scenario here is fairly comparable to what I experienced in San Francisco.
I'm hoping to offer some coverage here.
Mike Daisey Update
The Boston Globe's Geoff Edgers has done some reporting on the Mike Daisey walkout mentioned here on Saturday. It seems that, contrary to Daisey's claims, there was no religious affiliation with the group. As Edgers reports (in a message received from Principal John Johnson of Norco High School):
It is a choir made up of 15-to-17 year-old students who were in town singing at a festival. As for the chaperone who poured water on Daisey's notes… Johnson flat out apologizes. "I agree with Mike Daisey," says Johnson. "With everything that's going on in the world today, to have somebody come up on stage and take the water and pour it on his script was very inappropriate. I want to make this very clear, I apologize for that happening."
Now by Johnson's own admission, we still only have third-hand information to go upon here. But Johnson claims that Daisey's show was intended as a theatrical experience for these kids and that Daisey's ample use of "fuck" was one of the motivating factors behind the walkout. But if this is the case, I find it highly implausible that these kids have lived such sheltered lives that they haven't heard profanity.
As for the man who poured water onto Daisey's script, he was apparently one of the adult chaperones.
(Thanks, Geoff, for the update.)
[UPDATE: Mike Daisey offers an explanation on his blog:
The group responsible for the incident is from a public high school, though they identified themselves to me as a Christian group as they fled the theater–it's barely audible on the YouTube clip, as an adult tells me they are a Christian group, then flees for the door, refusing to engage with me. Then in the lobby of the theater and on the phone to the box office they identified themselves again and again as a Christian group–I don't know what that says about the division of church and state in Norco, California. As a group, the people in charge freely identified themselves as a Christian group, until reporters call and they remember they are from a public high school.
He's also talked with the man who destroyed his outline.]
Mike Daisey Hijacked Mid-Show
I briefly interrupt my two and a half day hiatus with some important and shocking news:
If you care about the arts, and if you want to see how truly despicable some purported "Christians" are, check out Mike Daisey's blog. Apparently, as Daisey was in the middle of performing, eighty-seven members of a Christian group walked out en masse and spilled water on Daisey's ONLY copy of his outline.
Daisey also has a YouTube video of this.
As a person who has written, staged and performed theatre, my greatest empathy goes out to Mike Daisey, who should never have experienced such rampant cruelty. The faceless cowards who did this are no better than the ghouls who burned the Great Library of Alexandria. And I hope that he can comes to terms with this horrible event in the best manner possible. Fortunately, as seen on the YouTube video, he responded to this incident with good humor.
[UPDATE: The Boston Globe's Geoff Edgers has done additional reporting. Contrary to Daisey's assertions, the group was not a Christian one.]
Central Arbiter, My Ass
New York Times, Theatre
Robert Brustein: "I realize the changes at the Times are part of its effort to keep financially afloat when the print media are failing to attract enough readers. And yet, despite its abject bow to cultural illiteracy, The New York Times continues to regard itself as the maker of theatrical standards. The New York Post recently reported an angry encounter between the playwright David Hare (whose The Vertical Hour was recently backhanded by the Times) and the paper's managing director, Jill Abramson. Hare accused the Times (correctly in my opinion) of having little interest in theatre, and even less in plays. Ms. Abramson allegedly replied, "Listen, it is not our obligation to like or care about the theater. It is our obligation to arbitrate it. We are the central arbiter of taste and culture in the city of New York."
Much as Sam Tanenhaus corrupted the idea of the New York Times Book Review as a "central arbiter of taste and culture" and litblogs have, to some degree, picked up the slack (although the recent "Fiction in Translation" issue was a welcome aberration), perhaps theatre blogs might do the same for New York. I must confess that I'm not entirely familiar with the Broadway blog scene (this will change soon), but Terry Teachout's theatrical riffs at About Last Night, Broadway Abridged, Broadway and Me and Off, Off Blogway are some blogs I've encountered that come to mind. And, of course, here in my town, nobody can touch Michael Rice's Cool as Hell Theatre, recently picked up by KQED, for in-depth theatrical coverage (116 podcasts!) of the Bay Area theatre scene.
Some newspapers seem to be going well out of their way to make their positions as arbiter…well, less central.
February 21, 2007 February 21, 2007 by Edward Champion
Broadway's Racial Divide
Racism, Theatre
New York Times: "Urban theater — or what has been called over the years inspirational theater, black Broadway, gospel theater and the chitlin circuit — has been thriving for decades, selling out some of the biggest theaters across the country and grossing millions of dollars a year….The word in the industry is that urban theater is about to go mainstream."
So let me get this straight. Theater that has proven consistently popular among audiences and that has consistently sold out theaters is not considered mainstream? Simply because of the race of its cast and theatergoers? I have to ask: What does African American-based theater have to do in order to be recognized as "mainstream?" Or perhaps the answer is more ingenuous: Great Jumping Jehosophat! Black people attend the theater too!
In fact, the Times, reporting on New Brunswick theatrical developments (including an all-black version of David Mamet's American Buffalo), published more or less the same article nearly twenty years ago. Great Jumping Jehosophat! Black people attend the theater too!
A few weeks ago, I attended a revival of Follies, now playing in New York City Center. And one of the things that troubled me about the Follies show was that not one of the theatergoers was African-American. Every single person was white. The only black people in the room were the ushers directing septuagenarians to their seats. And it had me wondering whether I was living in 1957 or 2007.
Granted, one does not attend a Stephen Sondheim revival to find black people. But just as Hollywood continues to remain baffled that black people see movies, Broadway (or, more specifically, the New York Times) does not seem to understand that black people do indeed attend theater and that, heaven forfend, there may be something to this so-called "urban theater" after all! Yes, darling, this "urban theater" is something we simply muuuuuuuust bring up at the next neighborhood association meeting! But we muuuuuuuust see Follies first!
Why this ridiculous categorization of "urban theater?" I certainly don't call Zora Neale Hurston an "urban writer," Tupac Shakur an "urban rapper," Paul Laurence Dunbar an "urban poet" or Scott Joplin an "urban pianist" (although at the 1893 World's Fair, Joplin was banned from performing ragtime inside the Midway, presumably because he was considered too "urban"). I admire an artist great not because she is "urban" or because she has a darker skin color, but because she produces great art.
December 4, 2006 by Edward Champion
A Problem from Hare
Is Julianne Moore's Nadia Blye (a character in David Hare's The Vertical Hour) a dead ringer for Samantha Power? The L.A. Times' Charles McNulty seems to think so. My future poker-playing buddy John Freeman also has thoughts.
Let This Serve As A Lesson to Writers Who Insist On Naming Their Towns After Food
BBC: "A newly-published play by a man acknowledged to be one of the world's worst poets has been savaged by literary historians….When the hero Jack reveals himself he refers to the Kent town of which he comes and says 'I am Jack of Sandwich',' Dr Carruthers said. 'It's pure Crackerjack.'"
San Franciso Fringe Festival
San Francisco, Theatre
As a man who has volunteered his services in the past for various Fringe plays and who even wrote and directed one (and who is, in fact, working on another), it would be unconscionable of me not to point out that this year's San Francisco Fringe Festival starts tonight.
There are a few things to observe here:
First off, that sexy podcaster Michael Rice has interviewed many of the Fringe participants (and recently reached his 100th show; congrats Mike!).
Second, a number of regulars return to the Exit's three stages (and beyond). Jeremy Jorgenson, who put on The Thrilling Adventures of Elvis in Space back in 2004 (the year Wrestling went on), returns with a stirring sequel. The nEO sURREALISTS return with Yeastboy and PigKnuckle. Noah Kelly, a cool cat I know, is one of the talents involved in RIPE Theater's @Six, performed, believe it or not, at Original Joe's. And if restaurant cabaret rooms weren't enough to tickle your fancy, why not try out the play performed on The Mexican Bus?
Jimmy Hogg's Curriculum Vitae is a one-man show outlining Hogg's employment history. John Rackham's Exiles, a play outlining a world without bars, cinemas, theatres and other pleasures, looks interesting. Theatre Tremendo offers a Twilight Zone-style play. There's even a rock opera called Thanatics.
And I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that the excellent Banana, Bag & Bodice has returned with a new play entitled The Fall and Rise of the Rising Fallen, in which Jason Craig and Jessica Jelliffe will not be present, but contacted from the dead.
I hope to catch at least a few of these plays next week and I will report back some of my findings.
Come for the Streep, Stay for the Kline?
New Yorker: "While it is no shock that Streep and Wolfe are faithful to Brecht's theatrical philosophy, it comes as a pleasant surprise to see Kevin Kline invest himself to a similar degree. Kline—who was the terrifying Nathan in 'Sophie's Choice,' and Trigorin to Streep's Arkadina in Mike Nichols's 2001 production of 'The Seagull'—is, quite possibly, the best partner Streep has had onstage or onscreen."
Running Away from Michael Rice
Podcasting, Theatre
Well, this is certainly a first. Not only has Cool as Hell Theatre hit Show #80 (to which I offer my whole-hearted congratulations), but one of his guests ran away in the middle of the interview. Was it something Michael said?
July 31, 2006 by Edward Champion
The Best Desire Andrew Lloyd Webber Has Felt in Years
BBC: "Speaking to the Radio Times, the Evita composer said he did not have 'a huge desire' to write another musical."
Jonathan Larson is No Sondheim
The Village Voice's Izzy Grinspan offers an interesting dichotomy: do people prefer Rent or The Warriors? He has a point. I'm a huge fan of The Warriors, but if I hear "We won't be back before it's Christmas day / Take me out tonight" one more time, I may have to hole myself up in the apartment with AC/DC and bust out the bourbon.
Whose Game Is It Anyway?
Back in 1993, when I had grand plans of forming an improvisational troupe in Sacramento that fizzled, I wrote down a list of all of the games in Whose Line Is It Anyway? that I used for auditioning potential actors. I lost the list many years ago, which is just as well, seeing how terrible my handwriting is. Thankfully, Wikipedia ha a list of nearly all of the games used on both the UK and the US incarnations of the program.
Also, if this is true, I had no idea that Tony Slattery went through a midlife crisis where he refused to answer the door and the telephone for six months.
June 2, 2006 by Edward Champion
Cool As Hell Juggernaut
I've been catching up on the excellent Cool as Hell podcasts. Of particular interest: Denotay Wilson and Norman Gee discussing their riff on Dante's Inferno (with some interesting remarks on how Wilson convinced the Magic to take on the play) and this really zany conversation.
May 6, 2006 by Edward Champion
Cool as Hell Gets All Hard-Core Stainslavsky On Your Ass
Acting, Theatre
Michael Rice's latest podcast offers tips on how to be a great actor.
Can There Be a John Osborne Today?
Next Monday is the 50th anniversary of the opening of John Osborne's Look Back in Anger. And a new Osborne bio is just out. But is Osborne's seminal play, with its kitchen sink realism and its Angry Young Man archetype, as influential as people made it out to be at the time? I would argue yes, with the stipulation that if Osborne had not come along, someone else would have. Theatre was intended to break out of its decorum at some point and Osborne's work, even if you view it as one-note, certainly fits the bill, paving the way for later work by David Mamet, Edward Albee, David Storey, Harold Pinter and David Hare (the latter, incidentally, is one of Osborne's great champions).
The question of whether Osborne is a seminal figure or not has me wondering whether theatre is still something of a troubled medium. I've remarked upon this before, but, here in San Francisco, I find it particularly disheartening to see a lot of theatre people catering to audiences, resorting to staged adaptations of films (Evil Dead Live) and even television (the Dark Room's Twilight Zone productions) to get young people into the seats.
What this suggests to me is that something which confronts will be either viewed as bad performance art (and let's face it: much of it is) or it will be ignored by audiences looking for some comfort zone: essentially, a reproduction of something that can be seen on their televisions at home. Because of this, I wonder if an Albee or an Osborne is even possible outside of New York. Then again, perhaps not. When the top Broadway draws are The Producers, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Spamalot, what hope is there for the next wave of brash young playwrights who hope to present original material?
It's a troubling thing to think about fifty years after Osborne stirred the stage and I hope theatre, in all of its many venues, stumbles upon an answer.
March 27, 2006 by Edward Champion
Angry Young Jedi
Speculative Fiction, Theatre
Lucas Back in Anger (nominated for a Hugo!) (via Locus)
Oedipus the Chat King
Relationships, Theatre
[EDITOR'S NOTE: A team of archeologists have unearthed an unfinished work from Sophocles entitled Oedipus the Chat King. What is particularly amazing about this excerpt is that it seems to closely match recent, but by no means confirmed, events. Return of the Reluctant has obtained an exclusive translation of Sophocles' one act play. Please bear in mind that this is very rough and by no means a complete portrayal of Sophocles' text. But we offer the rough translation in an effort to promote the humanities and give scholars a first look at this astonishing discovery.]
Here too my dialup has often lagged, for twice
At Creon's instance have I called tech support
When losing a flirtatious email
My liege, beware! The prophecy! The prophecy!
These warnings I disregard, for she is sensuous
Well prepared to wear a hot pink tank top
To match the noble lips, two sets I'll kiss upon the beach.
Her name: the beautiful Jocasta, jumpy and jocose
Willing to hole up in a Ramada Inn with room service
A fan of reenacting scenes from pornographic pay-per-view
With the nimblest fingers and a malleable mouth
How can I, Oedipus the Great Chat King, lose in the deal?
I know not her age, but she says she's older
Experience, let us not forget, is a virtue.
Methinks he walks into the Venus Flytrap of anonymity
Whom thou art be careful with, given trannies
Sad sacks, stalkers, DSM-IV exemplars and liars
But this, O Noble Chat King, is not worth your while
Do not be blinded by a titilating faceless JPEG
Thou hath not seen her visage nor engaged in real-world chitchat
Beware, your highness! You'll never live this down!
The chorus, despite my many bribes, is stentorian
Have they no respect for royalty?
It took me five years and many X-rays
To become the Great Chat King
This woman then, who hopes to shift in the sands
Is the most flawless type I have come across
But no more! Hark! She comes near now
Yoohoo! Chat King? Come closer so we might liplock
And take our sandy tangos to a hotel suite
The girl of my dreams! See her white shorts
Her trim legs. I cannot wait to sink my teeth
Into her bosom. Come nearer, Jocasta!
Let me taste your saliva and stroke your thighs
O Chat King! Your talk pumps the blood
In my varicose veins. I want you, Chat King.
I want to smell you and feel you close to my —
Dear lord!
But what is this astonishment, my love?
My — oh fuck! I wanted pizzazz, but —
Mom, could it be you? Ewwwwwwwwwww.
Let us speak nothing of this, son. It never happened.
It can never be uttered by —
The lights! The black and whites on the beach!
We're done for!
Now, son, before you were born, I did many things
To talk my way out of a ticket. Indeed, talking was
The least of my worries.
Mother! Stop! They're leading us away!
This terrible tale, foretold by the soothsayers,
Will be spread across the Internet!
I'll never date again!
Hush hush, dear son. One-time Prince of Pleasure.
You trusted my poetry. Now trust my gift of gab.
[Here, the text ends. We leave our audience to judge what any of this means.]
Pinter Bags Nobel
Awards, Theatre
And the cause of dissension and delay? Apparently, Harold Pinter. Let us hope that this encourages Mr. Pinter to pen more plays rather than poetry.
Genuine and Cool as Hell
Michael Rice keeps up the pace with yet another fascinating interview with Brian Copeland. Copeland's theatrical one-man show, Not a Genuine Black Man, is now the longest running solo show in San Francisco history. Which is interesting, given that Copeland was initially told that black people aren't interested in theatre. Copeland talks about race, San Leandro being named one of the most racist suburbs in America, and on being considered a sellout, among many other things.
San Francisco Theatre Podcasts
Podcasting, San Francisco, Theatre
The San Francisco Fringe Festival started this week. We've been so busy that, disgracefully, we haven't yet seen any of the shows, but plan on attending a few this weekend and next week. (And if you're in the San Francisco area, this is a great way to load up on cheap indie theatre. Each show is no more then $9.) Fortunately, the SFist has an early report and there should be more from Chronicle theatre critic Robert Hurwitt over the weekend.
But here's the really cool thing: This year, the Fringe (or, rather, the fantastic Michael Rice) is offering podcasts with many of the performers, which can be accessed on the main Fringe page and found at the Cool As Hell Theatre Podcast. Among the highlights: El Camino Loco, Show Me Where It Hurts and, in particular, this brilliant podcast about failed artistry with Kirk White.
March 1, 2005 August 16, 2005 by DrMabuse
Pinter to Quit. Do You Think Pinter Will Quit? Yeah, Pinter Will Quit.
Harold Pinter is cashing in his chips? Say it ain't so! (via the Literary Saloon)
February 11, 2005 September 7, 2005 by DrMabuse
Miller Gone
Obits, Theatre
Arthur Miller has passed away. He was 89.
I have a tremendous amount of words to unload for just how important Miller was to me, along with considering the influence of The Crucible and Death of a Salesman. But it will have to wait until I get some time.
For now, all that needs to be said is that another genius has left the world, and we are all the lesser because of it.
January 1, 2005 September 7, 2005 by DrMabuse
"Wrestling an Alligator", Theatre
Ladies and gentlemen, our research is done. The writing has begun. Very soon, the beta testing will begin on the next play (tenatively entitled Four Square). This one's quite different from the last one, inspired very much by Chekhov's underrated play, Ivanov. If you're interested in completely decimating theatrical narrative with the most brutal of constructive criticism, feel free to email me at ed @ edrants.com with your qualifications. I anticipate a release of Version 1.0 around the beginning of February.
February 20, 2004 July 27, 2006 by DrMabuse
Mergers, Revelations and Glorious Kooks
Allende, Isabel, Chekhov, Fry, Stephen, Publishing Industry, Roundup, Theatre
The Independent notes that separate literary entities are being killed by their corporate parents. HarperCollins recently killed off Flamingo (home to Ballard, Lessing & Coupland) and Random House threw Harvill into Secker & Warburg, turning it into "Secker Harvill" and forever expunging Warburg, Orwell's publisher, from the label. When asked about how this will alter diversity, a HarperCollins rep replied, "What do you think literary fiction is? Some kind of affirmative action?" In unrelated news, Bell Curve authors Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray are said to be at work on a new book, The Book Curve, whereby 1,000 pages are devoted to explaining why popular fiction sells more than literary fiction, and proving that some publishing executives have less attention span than the average reader. (via Literary Saloon)
Maud has been interviewed by the Gothamist. Among some of the more interesting revelations: Maud turned down the lead in an Off Broadway revival of The Verdict. Every morning, Maud practices her jujitsu on waterbugs that have a mean height of six feet. (Mr. Maud apparently cowers from anything remotely entomological.) Maud also single-handedly disarmed a posse of Remington-firing Confederates in Brooklyn. She reports that her combat moves were inspired by Carrie-Anne Moss kicking butt in The Matrix.
The Sydney Morning Herald interviews Isabel Allende. Allende's quite the eccentric: She starts all of her books on January 8, she thinks about Zorro while having sex with her husband, and holes up in her office writing for 8 to 10 hours a day without speaking to a single soul. She also dresses funky, though the Herald couldn't get specific answers on this end. I wish I was making this paragraph up, but I'm not.
In one of the most anticlimactic journalism moves seen from the Grey Lady this month, the Times reports that the Doyle-Joyce fracas is simmering. Really? 1,000 words to state the obvious in a major newspaper? Sign me up.
The Independent talks to Marjorie Blackman. Her Noughts & Crosses children's book trilogy examines race relations in an unknown country.
Regina Taylor's Drowning Crow looks like a fascinating update of Chekhov's The Seagull. If you're in New York, it's playing at the Biltmore. The Times also has a 26-second video excerpt of Alfre Woodard giving Anthony Mackie hell.
And Stephen Fry goes nuts: He's called the Hilton sisters "a pair of bloody whippets," Sting "false," and damns Americans for believing that the key to happiness is thinking about themselves. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortuantely, given the recent Dean demise), Fry wasn't running for public office.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
West Chester downs Bloomsburg to clinch playoff spot with third straight win
The West Chester University men's soccer team capped off an impressive week on Saturday with a resounding 3-1 victory over Bloomsburg at the South Campus soccer fields.
Kevin McCann, Alex Caplan, and Alex Badulak all got onto the score sheet in a comprehensive win for the Golden Rams, who clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2007.
After an uneventful first ten minutes or so, West Chester struck first as Conor Malarney found McCann, who beat the Bloomsburg goalkeeper to put the Rams up 1-0.
West Chester then played outstanding defense to preserve the one-goal lead, and did not allow Bloomsburg to get off a single shot for the rest of the first half.
With moments remaining in the first half, the Rams were rewarded for their hard work with another goal, as an accurate pass from Neil Gallagher set up Caplan, and the freshman slotted it home to double West Chester's lead.
Bloomsburg, down two goals, came out with a new tenacity in the second half, and the Huskies scored through Fran Miller in the 58th minute to cut the score to 2-1.
Both teams then traded shots throughout the next twenty minutes, with both goalkeepers making saves. In the 80th minute, Bloomsburg's Spencer Conrad came close, but WCU's Garrett Bleiler was there to make the save.
In the 86th minute, West Chester put the game to rest when freshman Alex Badulak finished off a breakaway with a goal. It stretched the Rams' lead to 3-1, and Bloomsburg was unable to come back from the two-goal deficit.
With the win, West Chester took sole possession of third place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, and also clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2007. Only Gannon and Mercyhurst have a better PSAC record than the Golden Rams, who have already eclipsed their record from 2011 and have tied the six wins they recorded in 2010 and 2009. With two games remaining, including one against PSAC foe Millersville, West Chester has a chance to post its best record in half a decade.
Before defeating Bloomsburg, West Chester started the week off strong with a 2-1 victory on the road over East Stroudsburg on Tuesday.
The result could have gone West Chester's way even more, but ESU's goalkeeper Callum Hampson made seven saves to keep the game close.
Sophomore Tommy Ryan scored three minutes before halftime to put West Chester up a goal. And after fifteen minutes of back-and-forth action, the Rams were given the chance to go up 2-0 when the referee awarded the team a penalty kick.
It did not go the way the Rams would have liked, though, as defender Dan Venuto skied the spot kick over the crossbar. But instead of losing momentum after the miss, West Chester maintained control of the game and was quickly rewarded.
Just three minutes after Venuto's miss, Conor Malarney found an open Christian Benner, who scored to make it 2-0.
East Stroudsburg was given a chance from the penalty kick as well when the Rams were whistled for a foul in the box. ESU did not miss, as Nick Fischer scored from the spot to cut the score to 2-1. West Chester, however, was the team that seemed more likely to score another goal in the final 15 minutes and ESU never came close to tying the game.
"The team played with a lot of heart and are playing together," Dan DeMasters told the WCU athletic website. "It's a great thing to see, and they deserve it with the effort that they are putting forth."
The wins over ESU and Bloomsburg marked the first time this season that West Chester had won two games in a row, and it stretched the team's winning streak to three games. The Rams will get a short break from conference play on Monday when they host Felician.
Then, on Saturday, WCU finishes off the regular season with a trip to Millersville. That game could end up deciding what seed the Rams occupy in the PSAC playoffs, and whether or not their opening game will be at home or on the road.
Joey Samuel is a fourth-year student majoring in political science and Spanish. He can be reached at JS719745@wcupa.edu.
Second-ranked West Chester continues strong play with win at Millersville
Balanced attack, disciplined approach propel WCU to pair of wins


text:
Boston Consulting Group | Global news | Blockchain
An overview of Boston Consulting Group global news on Blockchain:
Decentralised finance a tremendous opportunity for Europe Although limited in its value for financial services so far, blockchain-based decentralised finance might be a boon for Europe's small and medium enterprise (SME) segment. BCG Platinion and Crypto.
Nestlé joins OpenSC platform for more transparent supply chain Nestlé has become the first sizeable food & beverage (F&B) company to try its hand at the OpenSC blockchain platform, developed as a collaborative effort between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the
How blockchain can drive transportation and logistics forward The much-hyped innovation of blockchain has been said to have a myriad of possibilities, as companies across the industrial spectrum seek to safeguard their supply chains and increase efficiency.
WWF's OpenSC platform aims for better food chain transparency Ever wanted to run a background check on food consumed? With the World Wildlife Fund's new tech, developed in collaboration with BCG Digital Ventures, consumers can do just that.
Blockchain startup appoints former BCG Partner as new CEO British blockchain firm Setl has brought a Senior Partner from the Boston Consulting Group on-board as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Blockchain benefits remain murky for most commodities trading While blockchain technology continues to be viewed as a key piece of future infrastructure across many industries, a new report has cautioned against it being viewed by traders as a silver bullet.


Last year we are proud to have won; Most Effective Agency at the Performance Marketing Awards and Search Agency of the Year at the Northern Digital Awards.We are looking for an experienced SEO Strategist to join our team of experienced Organic Search experts to help define our clients SEO strategies and drive organic performance.
Working alongside our account management and content marketing teams you will be responsible for defining SEO strategies and delivering workflow on a portfolio of clients in a timely manner, whilst adhering to our high quality standards.
The industry is very fast paced and the ability to learn quickly and adapt to company and marketplace changes is key. We work as a team to ensure what we deliver is best in class and need someone that can share in our values and success.
This is an autonomous role that will suit an individual with a passion for SEO and the drive to push our clients organic performance.
* Complete in depth reviews of our clients' content creating a gap analysis and recommending detailed content plan.
If you feel you have what it takes to make the most of this opportunity and be part of our expert SEO team we want to hear from you!


text:
RIM offers sneak preview of new BlackBerry 10
Iain Marlow
TECHNOLOGY REPORTER
Research in Motion Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins speaks at the BlackBerry World event in Orlando.DAVID MANNING
Research In Motion Ltd.'s new CEO Thorsten Heins unveiled an early version of the long-awaited BlackBerry 10 platform, but investors signalled the new software may not be the desperately needed breakthrough to help RIM reverse its steep slide.
RIM has poured vast resources into BlackBerry 10, essentially betting the company's future on the new platform's ability to win back market share lost to Apple Inc.'s iPhone and other high-end smartphones.
Providing a glimpse of a version of the new operating system, Mr. Heins made it clear that RIM hopes to position the new BlackBerrys as the smartphone for serious people, a device running over RIM's secure network that makes communication efficient and effortless.
In a presentation that featured video clips of busy professionals using BlackBerrys in the workplace and cameos by senior executives from Cisco Systems Inc. and SalesForce, Mr. Heins stressed that BlackBerry 10 is a tool to boost productivity.
Investors, however, were not impressed, and pushed RIM shares down nearly 6 per cent after the unveiling of the new device.
The prototype touch-screen device was released early to help software developers build apps for the new platform, due out later this year. In a brief demonstration, Mr. Heins emphasized the software's sleek interface, which integrates various messaging functions, a new digital keyboard that adapts to how users type, and the fact that it will save busy people some very precious time.
"I'm so excited to have this in my hand and show it to you, because I know how much work has gone into it," Mr. Heins told an audience at the BlackBerry World conference in Orlando, Florida. As a RIM employee demonstrated the new features – and showed a video in which a user can zoom in within a photo and wind back the image to open a subject's eyes – Mr. Heins gushed, "I love it, I love it. This is so cool."
Reactions to the software varied. National Bank Financial analyst Kris Thompson said the new functionality was "intriguing," but said a lack of hard partnership announcements in Mr. Heins's address contributed to the stock's decline.
Mr. Heins, who took over from RIM's long-time co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie in January, has rallied the company behind this project at a crucial time in RIM's history. Plummeting market share, a collapsed stock price and a lagging product portfolio have turned the Waterloo, Ont.-based technology giant from a leader into a laggard – and the fast-paced nature of the consumer technology industry means there isn't much time left to orchestrate a turnaround.
Though clearly a vast improvement over RIM's previous software, its still unclear whether RIM can bring out the actual devices fast enough, without any missteps and with a support structure of third-party apps that would help convince current BlackBerry users to upgrade – and undecided smartphone buyers to pick RIM's platform.
"These are for people who are hyper communicators, who are trying to get things done, whether you're a mom or a business professional," says Maribel Lopez, a mobile industry consultant based in San Francisco who was at the conference. "There's a great international audience here. Globally, people care about this platform. The message, I think, was a good message – it was a clearer message than in the past. Now it's just, 'Can you execute on it?' "
One of RIM's most noticeable problems has been a dearth of quality apps – from popular games to news applications – that are available on Apple Inc.'s iOS and Google Inc.'s Android. The problem originated with RIM's operating system, with architecture that wasn't designed with apps in mind, but was complicated by RIM's numerous devices, which all had varying screen sizes and processing power.
RIM is trying to change all of that with a unified operating system, better tools for developers, and a certification process that guarantees certain developers will make at least $10,000 in their app's first year – or RIM will pay the difference.
And though it will be tough to recreate the scale of apps that has come from Apple's success with the iPhone, early signs from developers at the conference seemed positive.Madhu Kesavan, who founded Card2Contact – an app that allows users to upload a picture of a business card and have outsourced employees in India digitize the information – said he and others at BlackBerry World were excited about the platform. "I can see the traction here – (developers) want to touch the device, they want to develop apps for the device," Mr. Kesavan said. He added developers have long had problems with RIM's previous operating systems, which were simply incremental improvements on the previous version. "Here, with BlackBerry 10, it is a complete break."
Follow Iain Marlow on Twitter: @iainmarlowOpens in a new window
At the open: RIM slides after unveiling new platform
RIM's share of smartphone market could dip below 5%: analyst
Hey Ottawa: If RIM goes on sale, get out of the way
RIM turnaround likely to take years: Fairfax chief
RIM hires law firm for restructuring plan aimed at boosting revenue
PlayBook update makes tablet an easier sell
In Asia, RIM sees a glimmer of hope with new BlackBerry launch


text:
« Vegan Travel | Main | Auto features on a subscription basis »
Exciting nuclear fusion progress
"The JET experiments put us a step closer to fusion power," said Dr Joe Milnes, the head of operations at the reactor lab. "We've demonstrated that we can create a mini star inside of our machine and hold it there for five seconds and get high performance, which really takes us into a new realm."
The ITER facility in southern France is supported by a consortium of world governments, including from EU member states, the US, China and Russia. It is expected to be the last step in proving nuclear fusion can become a reliable energy provider in the second half of this century.
Operating the power plants of the future based on fusion would produce no greenhouse gases and only very small amounts of short-lived radioactive waste.
BBC News Thanks to Frank Scavo for pointer
February 28, 2022 in Alternative Fuels | Permalink


text:
Devils Business
The New Jersey Devils Will Possibly Have New Ownership Soon
Ownership of the New Jersey Devils returned to the news today due to a bold claim by a Forbes article. Subsequent reporting revealed that the Devils could be sold to a new buyer soon. These are my thoughts on all that was reported today.
By John Fischer Aug 8, 2013, 6:59pm EDT
Share All sharing options for: The New Jersey Devils Will Possibly Have New Ownership Soon
As long as this man continues to run the team and there's more stable funding, I'm not terribly concerned.
Andy Marlin
Today's big event involving the New Jersey Devils was originally going to be nothing more than a press conference at Yankee Stadium. This was to formally announce the outdoor game between the Devils and Our Hated Rivals on January 26, 2014. Bryce Salvador and Andy Greene - sporting an "A" on his jersey, I guess that means he got Kovalchuk's spot - were present as was Lou. Of course, a morning news report popped up to add some more drama.
This morning, Mike Ozanian of Forbes wrote that the National Hockey League was going to take over the Devils. Citing past Forbes articles and ace reporter Josh Kosman at the New York Post, the team's debt has ballooned and so therefore Jeff Vanderbeek would not have the funding to keep up with the team. Instead of declaring bankruptcy, Ozanian's sources claim the league would take control in September until a buyer is sought out in the following month. Strong stuff, right? The uproar on Twitter at least was, well, what one would expect from a Twitter outrage.
A little more than an hour later, at the presser, the outrage and Ozanian's article got severely dented. These two posts by Tom Gulitti at Fire & Ice and David Giambusso of NJ.com contain the meat of the response. Bill Daly and Gary Bettman both rejected the notion of a league takeover. According to Gulitti's reporting, he Commissioner said any suggestion of the league taking over the Devils "is not accurate" and the deputy commissioner not only said he doesn't believe they will take over the team but he doesn't think they'll go bankrupt.
The latter shouldn't be a surprise as both Gulitti and Giambusso reported that the team will be sold in the coming days. Gulitti stated there are two groups involved: one led by attorney Andrew Barroway and Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris. Giambusso noted that the AP reported that apparently Bill Gallacher may be in the mix. It's been over a month since Barroway was initially brought up as a potential new owner of the team. Gulitti actually reported that his group was in discussions way back on June 28. Ozanian's article claims he was out. Apparently not. Given he's apparently floated money to the team, I'd be surprise he would just let that go without coming away with something. Harris was reported as a potential buyer just yesterday, as reported in this post by Gulitti at F&I. Harris is massively rich, he owns a professional team so he understands the costs involved, and I presume his group is stepping in now since Barroway didn't get a deal done within a month. However, Barroway's still involved so it should be an interesting approval process over the next few days.
I highly doubt two separate reporters for papers who cover the local team would say a deal could be coming soon if it wasn't. That said, I'm not particularly concerned or even favor who it is. I wasn't even hot and bothered or warm and slightly-miffed when Ozanian's post spread throughout social media. No matter who owns the team, the Devils will still be at the Rock for decades to come. No matter who owns the team, Lou is still going to budget himself under the cap. No matter who owns the team, the Devils will remain the Devils. Whether the sale's pushed up to allay concerns or just to get them done, I don't know or even care. I don't think it matters much. As long as the new owner has the funds and let's Lou be Lou, then I'm fine with it. I have little reason to believe either owner would stray from that. That's why my feelings on this news is at the corner of Sure, OK Drive and Whatever Avenue.
I do have some further thoughts relevant. I can't say with a straight face that it affected what the team did in free agency. I highly doubt a team in truly dire financial straits throws nearly $25 million at a man coming off three concussions and a three goal season. However, I must admit that it's clear that Jeff Vanderbeek cannot be the long-time owner of this franchise. The finances just aren't there to pay off the debts. That may not really news to those who have followed this off and on, but I have to say it. It also seems to me there really isn't anyone who's willing to just be a holder of a small percentage of the team and fund enough money to address all of this. That shouldn't be a surprise; why throw a lot of money at an organization you don't have a majority stake in? Therefore, I would think either Barroway's or Harris' groups will take over and Jeff might - emphasis on might - maintain a small stake if he's still involved. Both Gulitti and Giambusso note that possibility, and it's just that - a possibility. We shall know soon what will happen. Hold the outrage in the meantime.
Clearly, the new owner won't be the NHL. Why did Ozanian write what he wrote? Possibly on the basis of possibilities per his sources. If there's no new owner and if Vanderbeek doesn't make the debt payments and if payroll can't be met on top of it, then it could be a situation that would lead to a league takeover. There are multiple "if"s with one giant "could" in that statement. Given Gulitti's and Giambusso's reports, though, it appears the first one will be dealt with. I can't imagine the league would approve a new owner that wouldn't be able to make payments or other bills, so the rest would be eliminated. So much for the big scoop, I suppose.
It will be of interest to see what happens as this gets sorted. Perhaps the potential of a new buyer was holding up some final moves to be made this summer. Will we finally see Adam Henrique signed? Will this mean Damien Brunner puts pen to paper making him a Devil? Will it mean the Devils get to do something else? As always with this organization, we'll know it when it happens.


Nearly every college student, at one time or another, has lived off Ramen Noodles. Perhaps you weren't in college; Perhaps you just got your first apartment and had to make every penny count. Here are several recipes to add flavor, zest & variety into a super fast, extra cheap meal- be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert!


There's no need to sacrifice fashion for fitness. In fact, sometimes a great new pair of sneakers is all the inspiration I need to get off the couch and into the gym. Check out a few of my favorite fitness picks, as they will help you maintain your healthy habits in style!
This gorgeous fitness tracker doubles as a great statement cuff fit for the office, gym, and everywhere in between. Designed with busy women in mind, it tracks your steps, calories, distance, and elevation. It also includes an app so you can journal your healthy choices and celebrate your fit moments, inspiring you to do a little more each day.
Not only do these tops from Emi Jay include fun sayings like Professional Bruncher (a personal favorite) and See You at the Barre, but the material is soft and the cut just perfect for sweating it out at the gym.
The peplum detail on this fitted jacket takes active outerwear to a whole new and stylish level! And it works just as well for running errands as it does for running on the treadmill.
I love the unique color and metallic sparkles of these trainers from Nike so much that I might spend an extra 10 minutes on the elliptical just so I don't have to take these beauties off.
Free People's activewear line is so incredibly beautiful and well made it was hard to pick just one. Pair this sports bra with an open-back tank to show off the gorgeous details.
Outdoor Voices has some seriously fun and unique workout options. Between the chic colorblock pattern and the indescribable comfort, we never want to take these off.
RunPhones are perfect headphones option for running and exercising. The over the ear design features ultra-slim headphones embedded inside of a sporty, moisture-wicking, machine-washable band. Even better? It's doubles as a sleek headband during your workout.
These space-dye patterned leggings are created from natural antimicrobial particles to keep you fresh, while quick-dry wicking fabric pulls moisture away from the skin. All in all, it's the perfect combination of form, function, and fitness.
This classic but bold racerback has a mix of drape-y modal and breathable micromesh so it will keep you cool and comfortable during your entire workout.
We love how simply chic this water bottle is and that it is eco-friendly. The blush color can take you straight from the gym to the office and everywhere in between.
Every single piece in the Live in Process line is stunning. Their pieces are incredibly fashionable, made with quality materials and comfortable for working out, or running errands.
Fun prints at affordable prices make Old Navy a great option for stylish activewear. The simple cutout in this loose-fitting tank makes this dry-fit top a solid option for your next sweat session.
A great workout bag makes all the difference – and one with this many compartments for everything from shoes to clothes to yoga mat makes the perfect stylish catch all for your next sweat session. It doesn't look your standard workout bag so you can run to work or dinner and no one will know.
Which activewear style is your favorite? Tell us!
Shop Shoe Wedges On Sale, Silver Sandal Heels, White Sleeveless Blouse, Gold Pumps Shoes and more. Get this widget.


So a girlfriend of mine asked me in December what my goals were for 2015, project wise. She asked if there was any big home project that we wanted to finish at Casa M by the end of 2015. Well I thought to myself, what is it that we have been putting off and wanting to do around here, nothing too major or time consuming. I truly am amazed how people with kids get stuff done. SERIOUSLY how do you do it?
The first one is our "College Dorm" master bedroom! I am not kidding people, we are talking: a 42 inch flat screen on top of a highboy dresser with the cords streaming down the side of it, two cheap laundry baskets that my high school self would be proud of, over-flowing clutter, and clothes everywhere.
This is not my idea of a "Master Suite" The pros of the room are: we finally obtained the Hemnes bedframe we have had on our MUST get list for the last 2 years... Thank you Bidding Wars!! The second is Mr. M was able to paint the room in "Decorators White" by Benjamin Moore.
The goal is to create a space that when entered, you immediately feel calm and relaxed.
Here are some pics of our Master bedroom inspiration!!!
I am so excited to be working on this room FINALLY!!
These "Driftwood" colours are so soothing to me. I just wish the ocean came with them too. Oh to wake up to the sounds of the ocean hitting the shore.... but for now I will have to live with Miss E's sound lamby to create that ambiance.
The colour combo in this room is perfect- the white of the dresser combined with the rustic flooring and the sand walls with the stone coloured curtains is a perfect west coast colour palette!!
This bed makes me want to curl up inside it and have the best nap EVER!!!
sand my bedside table and decide if I should leave it neutral or paint it.
And their you have it loves our first Project at Casa M for 2015!!
I am excited to share our progress with you. What about you? What is it about your Master Bedroom that makes you feel at peace?


A collocation method based on the Bernstein polynomials defined on the interval is developed for approximate solutions of the Fredholm-Volterra integrodifferential equation (FVIDE) in the most general form. This method is reduced to linear FVIDE via the collocation points and quasilinearization technique. Some numerical examples are also given to demonstrate the applicability, accuracy, and efficiency of the proposed method.


Brian Cronin doesn't know it, but I've been nursing a Hulk sized crush on him for years. Each week he tackles geektastic myths and mysteries in his Comic Book Urban Legends Friday column. I, like many folks, am addicted.
This week Brian tackled the question of whether it's true that Mickey Mouse once fought the Nazis during World War II. The answer was a surprising yes!
Click the strips for a full size read. And check out the entire series of Nazi-busting Mickey at Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed.
Are you happy to see Mickey fighting the good fight? A bit freaked out?


text:
Is inverted yield curve harbinger of economic recession?
Seen above is an empty shopping street in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
With the three-year treasury yield here surpassing that of the 10-year yield, concerns are rising that the economy is entering a phase of recession.
According to data from the Korea Financial Investment Association, the three-year treasury yield came in at 3.669 percent on Monday, up 0.025 percentage point from a day earlier. But the 10-year yield reached 3.606 percent, down by 0.017 percent during the same period.
It is a rare case for the three-year yield to top the 10-year figure. Of particular note is that this has stayed in place for six consecutive days since Nov. 21.
Given that the phenomenon is often considered a sign of recession, market analysts said the economy is on track to enter a downturn.
"Monetary authorities here and abroad are still paying special attention to stabilizing prices, but even after taking into consideration that they will stay in a cycle of rate hikes until the first quarter of next year, the long-term yield's fall appears too steep," Gong Dong-rak, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said.
"The inverted yield curve looks sharper than expected, which shows that expectations for recession are deeply reflected," the analyst said.
The three-year yield has been on the rise on hopes for additional rate hikes, while that of the 10-year yield declined in reflection of the dim outlook for the economy.
The first time when the yield curves started inverting was on Sept. 22, July 2008. At that time, the three-year yield soared to more than 4 percent, topping that of the 10-year yield by 0.107 of a percentage point. This overlaps the timeline when the U.S. Fed pushed for its third giant rate hike of 75 basis points.
The curves had been inverted from time to time for about two weeks since then. But this took place again recently.
Monetary authorities and financial institutions are also revising down Korea's GDP growth forecast. The Bank of Korea cut Korea's 2023 GDP growth projection down to 1.7 percent from an earlier forecast of 2.1 percent, citing global economic slowdown and the effect from a steep set of rate hikes.
Other authorities and private financial institutions are also sending a more conservative forecast on the nation's economic growth next year. The OECD also recently revised the GDP forecast down to 1.8 percent from an earlier outlook of 2.2 percent. The Korea Development Institute also expected the figure to reach 1.8 percent next year, cutting down its earlier forecast by 0.5 of a percentage point.
Fitch Ratings also forecast the economy to grow by 1.9 percent in 2023, and Hana Institute of Finance presented the GDP growth forecast at 1.8 percent.
"Chances are the long-term yield may extend additional losses on growing fears of recession," Kim Wan-joong, a researcher at Hana Institute of Finance, said.


Anderson is projected as an early second-round draft choice by DraftExpress.com, a leading NBA Draft website.
Junior Justin Anderson will enter the NBA draft and may ultimately skip his senior season at Virginia, according to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Anderson is projected as an early second-round draft choice by DraftExpress.com, a leading NBA Draft website, and earlier projections had him as a first-round choice.
The 6-foot-6, 228-pound wing was having his best season at Virginia before breaking the pinkie on his shooting hand on Feb. 7 and then needing an appendectomy three weeks later. After working with basketball trainer Steve Pratt on his shot over the summer, Anderson's three-point shooting percentage led the ACC (48.4 percent) before his injuries. He averaged about 30 percent from three-point range his first two seasons with the Cavaliers. He was a second-team all-ACC selection in the coaches vote despite missing eight games with injuries.
Anderson averaged 12.2 points per game, the second-leading scorer on the team. He missed the last eight regular-season games, and though the Cavaliers won the first seven without Anderson in the lineup, the offense struggled when the team ran into better competition in the postseason and Anderson wasn't back at full health. After Virginia's loss to Michigan State in the round of 32, Anderson declined to answer if he would be back for the Cavaliers next season.
"I know this team's going to be really good next year," he said then.
Virginia will return three starters in guard Malcolm Brogdon, point guard London Perrantes and forward Anthony Gill. When Anderson was still expected to return for his senior season, several early 2015-16 projections listed the Cavaliers as the preseason No. 1 team. With his potential departure, that likely won't hold, but the Cavaliers are still expected to garner a preseason top-25 ranking.
Evan Nolte started in place of Anderson when he was injured, and guards Darius Thompson, who sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules, and Marial Shayok, will also get consideration for the starting job in the back court should he leave. Along with guard B.J. Stith's transfer, Anderson's projected departure would leave Virginia with two open scholarships for next season, as the current incoming recruiting class has just one signee.
Monday morning, Anderson appeared to express some confusion about the attention he was receiving over social media following the Yahoo! report.