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Tagged 'Resistance'
Whiteness & Aversive Racism
Agriculture Black Liberation Black Panthers Party Ecology John Brown John Deere Marilyn Buck Resistance
WATCH: FROM ALLY TO ACCOMPLICE
Another experimental animated short from Indie Grits alum (and 2014 Helen Hill award winner) Kelly Gallagher:
"'To-day at last we know: John Brown was right.' -W.E.B. Du Bois. This film is an experimental essay in three movements that explores the importance of being more than an 'ally' in struggle, by sharing histories of committed accomplices John Brown, Marilyn Buck, and others. The film also delves into the history of the landscape and former prairie that was the earth on which Brown's militants trained. In the face of exploitation of people and destruction of land, radical struggle cultivates new life."
Accomplices Not Allies: Abolishing the Ally Industrial Complex
Neo-Liberalism and the Defanging of Feminism, Pacifism as Pathology, Social Engineering, Whiteness & Aversive Racism
International Working Women's Day Resistance
WATCH: More Dangerous Than a Thousand Rioters: The Revolutionary Life of Lucy Parsons
An experimental animated short from Indie Grits alum (and 2014 Helen Hill award winner) Kelly Gallagher:
"In these difficult times, I find myself turning to a woefully underappreciated and under-studied woman named Lucy Parsons.
Parsons was an organizer first and foremost, and she led an inspiring life of revolutionary struggle and solidarity. As a woman of color who was married to a famous white male anarchist, she is often unfairly and frustratingly overlooked in many labor histories. Born in the early 1850s, Parsons moved to Chicago as an adult, where her politics radicalized as she witnessed the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. Parsons began writing for several socialist and anarchist publications while supporting her family as a dressmaker, while also organizing garment workers across Chicago. Parsons would go on to become one of the most powerful voices in the labor movement, helping to found the legendary Industrial Workers of the World. She spent her entire life fighting for the rights of the disenfranchised.
I made this short animated-documentary, as a celebration for and appreciation of Lucy Parsons—but mostly I made it because if we are to find a way forward out of the mess that is coming our way, we will need to actively seek out revolutionary heroes who struggled before us. Those who risked their lives for struggle every day—those who fought tirelessly against the ruling class and the rule of capital." [Source: The Nation]
Neo-Liberalism and the Defanging of Feminism, Pacifism as Pathology, Social Engineering
Co-optation Direct Action Resistance Squamish Five The Liberalization of the Left
WATCH: Direct Action: Ann Hansen and the Squamish Five
Thirty-five years ago, in 1982, the financialization and pacification of "movements" was already well underway. The Squamish Five was a group that resisted this co-optation.
The Fifth Estate: "From 2002 our profile of the Squamish Five. Direct Action, or the Squamish Five as dubbed by the media, was a group of self-proclaimed 'urban guerillas,' active in the 1980s. These activists were not motivated by any political ideology but rather had become frustrated with traditional methods of activism which they saw as inefficient and futile. The group was implicated in a series of spectacular bombings which made them both wanted outlaws and symbols of protest. Their first target was B.C. Hydro, which had come under fire for spraying pesticides. Second, they bombed Litton Systems, a manufacturer of American cruise missile components. Unfortunately, this operation went horribly wrong; bombs went off before all employees could be evacuated. Ten employees were injured, some seriously. Third, the group bombed Red Hot Video, a pornographic video store which carried overly violent films. Eventually, the group was captured by police in a dramatic confrontation and all were sent to jail. Their sentences varied from six years to life, although all were out of prison by the early 1990s. Twenty years later, Ann Hansen, perhaps the toughest and most committed of them all, reflects on the decisions they made and the consequences that arose."
Further reading & free download: Direct action: memoirs of an urban guerrilla – Ann Hansen
"From its origins in the Canadian anarchist and counter-cultural milieu of the late 70s/early 80s; to going underground into a clandestine life of arms drills, explosive practice, stealing cars, and (failed) armored car heists; to the massive reaction and surveillance of a State that felt (understandably) very much under attack; to the subsequent "trial by media" of those involved—this is very real, incredible revolutionary "true-crime" tale of unrepentant action.
Four hundred, eighty pages of fast-paced narrative are topped off with Communiqués issued for all the actions and Ann Hansen's "Statement To The Court Before Sentencing."
A triumph of storytelling, history, and a very real debate about movement tactics, goals, and vision.
"Hansen's story is an intense, articulate rendering of her motivations and desire to be part of an effective revolutionary force for social justice."
Review via AK Press
http://libcom.org/library/direct-action-memoirs-urban-guerrilla
Pacifism as Pathology, Whiteness & Aversive Racism
Assimilation Bakken Pipeline Capitalism Colonialism Decolonization Genocide NODAPL Nuclear Resistance Standing Rock Sioux reservation
The North Dakota Frontlines: Between A Standing Rock And A Hard Place
by Forrest Palmer
On the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota, an indigenous uprising which captured national attention in August 2016 that those in power hope will be naturally extinguished due to time and conventional society's short attention span on matters such as this (this characteristic best represented by the Occupy movement of a few years ago). The outward reason for the present uproar is the passage of North Dakota portion of the Bakken pipeline through the Standing Rock Sioux reservation that will intersect the area's sacred burial grounds, and, critically, could pollute the freshwater source of the region's inhabitants. As the American populace is wholly averse to addressing this to any great degree, the cause of the indigenous being cloistered in these remote, isolated and destitute lands is our desire to not recognize the last remaining reminders of the price that was paid in order to establish this so-called 'land of the free and home of the brave'. In particular, this movement has brought to light the fact that the mainstream public is totally ignorant about this particular reservation and the reservation system in general when it comes to the atrocious living conditions of the descendants of those domestically colonized in this country.
To understand the base of the anger residing in the participants of the uprising, it is necessary to take a closer look at the lifestyle of the people on the Standing Rock Reservation
A high school graduation rate of 14%
An unemployment rate of 86%
A poverty rate of over 40% for families and individuals
Entrenched alcohol and drug use
Lack of basic resources
These are all the endemic signs of a people who are wholly broken due to centuries of systemic abuses by their conquerors. Therefore, the question isn't why are the Standing Rock Sioux citizens involved in this rebellion. The question is why is anyone shocked when being pushed past this limit has led to this inevitable outcome. But, just like the proverbial straw that has broken the camel's back, this current injustice is the catalyst for pushing the rightly aggrieved people past their breaking point as a community.
As detailed above, what is being unreported and overlooked in this uprising (which is one of the first steps to any revolution, with it yet to be determined if this will be the end result in this occasion) is the fact that life on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation is insufferably toxic and this current maneuver by the state at the behest of private industry will make it worse in the present and increasingly so in the future. But in order to truly ascertain the level of disinterest shown by the United States in its dealings with the government's internally colonized descendants that currently reside in the grey area between ethnic cleansing and outright genocide, any unbiased individual need look no further than the behavior of United States in its dealings with defeated foes domestically and the ones internationally. As a specific case, the response by the United States in its treaties with the defeated foes of the Third Axis externally after World War II is the direct opposite of that implemented with the internal First Nations tribes. The treaties entered into by the United States with the defeated Axis powers and the resulting policies were totally in line with the promise to rebuild infrastructure that would be installed in the charred remains of Europe due to the war's decimating effects, even those of its former enemies during the war. As the current successful state of the defeated combatants is a testament to the United States keeping its promise subsequent to its victory, it must be asked why is it that Nazi Germany, Imperialist Japan and Fascist Italy were given preferable treaty terms and the promises held fast to by the United States, which is in stark contrast to the historical treatment of a full-out genocide executed upon the remaining indigenous in this country, who are purported sovereign citizens of the United States.
The reason being is that the Marshall Plan, the United States economic framework of rebuilding Western Europe and Southeast Asia, and its attending policies were beneficial to the economic strength and growth of power of the United States, which allowed it to become the present and primary global entity. Hence, the United States had an economic reason to rebuild the broken shards of these areas that comprised the war theaters. Oppositely, there never has been and never will be an economic incentive for the United States to invest and fortify the reservations or support the people who inhabit them since their prosperity will never be a benefit to capitalism, but a drain on its precarious and ever dwindling resources.
Photo: Terray Sylvester
To further illustrate the removal of the indigenous from the consciousness of almost all the people internal to the country who aren't a part of the First Nation communities, the invisibility of the native in comparison to every other non-anglo furthers their collective removal from any discussion in terms of white supremacy and its deleterious effects on internal non-European populations. The closest in proximity to the tangible aspects of impoverishment and oppression of the indigenous in the U.S. would be the black and brown communities, identified as the descendants of the formally enslaved Africans and Latins from south of the U.S. border, respectively. Yet, in this particular instance, the black and brown U.S. citizens reside in a much better position due to the necessity of their particular existences in comparison to the decimated First Nation populations, who are congregated in the farthest outposts of the United States. The fact that black and brown people exist in areas close to the hubs of capitalism of major cities in the United States (as they always have been) and still are a necessary form of labor in an expression of white supremacy by historically doing jobs that anglos were and are unwilling to do means that any uprising these communities participated in would be disruptive to the economic system of capitalism that is the foundation of national prosperity. As the First Nations people reside in land that is far removed from the primary places and industries of which commerce is reliant upon, any comparable disruption in their present areas will have no effect upon the everyday ability of capitalism to function.
Therefore, unlike every other non-anglo ethnicity in the country that can have some type of effect on the system, the indigenous population can remain isolated and unheard with no means of popular acknowledgement in terms of its ever present painful condition. Tragically, the only reason that this agony is heard to any degree presently and any problems addressed to any facile measure is to allow the dominant culture to not acknowledge that it has effectively decimated the entirety of the indigenous population while at the same time not deal with the guilt (if there would be any) of delivering the final death blow of genocide that has always been the unspoken threat directed at the relative handful of people still residing in the United States. Ultimately, if it wasn't for this piece of pipeline that will only stretch a few miles into the region of the Standing Rock Reservation, there would be no reason whatsoever to even acknowledge their present protest, let alone do anything about it.
So, the presence of this seemingly spontaneous protest has dual layers to it. On the surface, it is about this singular pipeline and the possible problems that may arise due to its placement in close proximity to their living area. However, in the same vein as non-violent direct action (NVDA) is based on the civil rights movement in the United States and its perceived success here in this country (although all evidence points to the contrary), many of the singular atrocities that galvanized the black community to utilize this particular means of protest, such as the murder of Emmitt Till and the arrest of Rosa Parks for not sitting in the back of the bus, were mere sparks that set off the powder keg that was already present in society due to the centuries long oppression that preceded them.
Similarly, the pipeline is just the catalyst for addressing inequities that have laid dormant for far too long. This is the layer beneath the surface where the righteous anger residing on the reservation has been fomenting since the natives were forced into this open air prison by the barrel of a gun decades ago. Whether it was this pipeline or some other form of intrusion on the land that the state said was theirs after surrendering as an entire ethnic group in order to not be fully exterminated, the need for capitalism to continuously gobble up everything in its path inevitably led to this current situation, where the natives are a harbinger for all of mankind as the extremities of needed energy accumulation will close on all of us more and more with each passing day whether we choose to accept it or not. And as current flow always follows the path of least resistance, the state has always looked first to the reservation system and its inhabitants to appropriate anything it may need to survive since the continued existence of the indigenous is seen as an inconvenience rather than a necessity by most non-indigenous citizens in this country.
As NVDA is a remnant of the aforementioned much ballyhooed civil rights movement, the response by the state has advanced and evolved while the tactics employed by the ethnic victims in regards to white supremacy has stagnated and remained the same. This is no more apparent than in the current actions by private interests regarding the indigenous uprising. During the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, the state employed attack dogs on protestors as a response to their marches. In the present iteration of the response, it isn't the state that has employed these abusive tactics, it is the corporation that now has its paid minions to deliver counterattacks to the movement. ICYMI, a private security company, was employed by the manufacturers of the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, to confront the protesters by employing attack dogs to disperse the crowd and put a final end to this perceived effrontery to the dominant culture.
As this is a new wrinkle in the oppression of the masses, the million-dollar question is who or what is supposed to be held accountable for any injuries caused by the use of these tactics by private interests? Is it now a civil matter, even though the state is saying that it is in the public interest to have this land for the pipeline, as the term "eminent domain" is as nebulous term imaginable in masking the interest of private corporations by way of determining land appropriation as an expression of the public good. Can the corporation be taken to civil court for these attacks? As the land is in the grey area of appropriation, is it public or private land at this juncture? These are all legal questions that aren't being addressed because the hope was that this endeavor would cease all of the ongoing uproar in North Dakota. In addition, these ill-defined forms of accountability make it much more difficult for the aggrieved to seek redress from those in power.
In the end, the most important thing for this uprising is to not just relegate the movement to this pipeline and the leaders must speak honestly about the need to attend to all the inequalities that have been imposed on the natives on this particular reservation and the reservation system as a whole. Of the over 500 treaties that have been entered into between the government and the First Nations people, all have been broken in some form or fashion by the U.S. government. And these acts of broken treaties have been deemed legal by the same justice system that is supposed to be fair and balanced in its decision making as it purports to be based on an eponymous "rule of law", something not reliant on the arbitrary positions of man. Yet, the U.S. populace readily believes this when all empirical evidence shows that this is anything but the case. Either the "rule of law" is faulty or our implementation of it is at issue. More than likely, it is just a nice term utilized by the powers that be to inculcate people into an imaginary belief that when the outcome of a particular case is not to their well being or liking it is because of the weakness of the case and not due to systemic biases related to the arbiters culturally inculcated belief that anglo ethnicity and the attending economic system is more important than any aggrievement of the indigenous.
Whatever the reason for these decisions, the fact of the matter is that Einstein once famously said that "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results". As such, there can be nothing more insane than expecting redress from the same justice system that has deemed 500 instances of broken treaties over a span of centuries to all of a sudden change course in this given instance regarding the ongoing pipeline conflict. Hence, this movement must be utilized as a tool to recognize, respect and ultimately implement the indigenous stated goals of self-determination, decolonization and self-government.
It is going to take a concerted effort that goes beyond a simplified NVDA that was used to allow black people the "privilege" of doing acts that are in hindsight trivial things, such using the same bathrooms as white people. The old stale tactics of the past can't be used as the goals aren't the same in this instance (self-determination from people who aren't looking for integration as they want to be recognized as a sovereign nation within a nation) as those previously attempting to be obtained during the civil rights movement (an assimilationist integration based off of a wholly acknowledged acceptance regarding non-anglo inferiority by both oppressors and oppressed). To use sports as an analogy, this is akin to using a baseball bat on a soccer field or utilizing a hockey stick during a basketball game.
As this is the case, the strategy employed by the modern indigenous can't be the same as those who preceded them in this country. As Cuba famously utilized its guerrilla strategy in assisting African nations in their battles to end European colonialism, the devices employed by the First Nation members must be different than anything ever employed previously. What is to stop the indigenous from aligning their interests with MEND in the Niger River Delta, whose enemy is also the multinational corporations trespassing on its land? This is another organization that is going through the same issues as the Standing River Sioux and numerous other tribes, like the Black Hill Sioux and their land being destroyed by uranium mining and coal mining on the Black Mesa plateau that has disaffected the water source of the Hopi and Navajo tribes. In addition, there needs to be a network of groups who have the same interests who must now band together with a common goal which is to stop the continuous encroachment of private interests in their particular domains at one level, as well as to address the fact that this will invariably be all of us.
When all is said and done, this protest in North Dakota is the only portion of this conflict that is for the good of the public as the pipeline itself is anything but a benefit to humans or any other life form, no matter what portions of the mainstream society profess in this regard. By any measurement of what is beneficial to the continuance of sentient beings on this Earth, the uprising in North Dakota is one of the few relevant ongoing acts presently. Although near-term human extinction (NTHE) is almost a certainty at this point, whatever portion of life that can be salvaged, be it human or otherwise, must start somewhere and it has to be at the grassroots level since the expectation that any portion of the establishment will save us is beyond insane when all evidence to this juncture has proven otherwise.
Ultimately, the First Nation members need to use this as a catalyst for an overall change in their collective living circumstances. Their problems reside in having their entire existence totally dependent on the goodwill of a white power structure that still sees them as savages. This structure, whose continuance is dependent on institutional racism, only gives a nod to the indigenous when they dress like them, use them as mascots or talk about the fact that their members' great, great, great grandma was a First Nation member or something to that effect. Other than those few useless nods to the people and culture, the systemic need is to keep them isolated, weak and emaciated on a reservation where the only thing to be done is take the resources under their feet and relegate them to eternal impoverishment and disenfranchisement.
As the pipeline is a mere conduit of the resource that flows through its vessels, the uproarious response by the First Nations community is the conduit of the centuries long anger which as has been internalized on these outposts of human despair. We can only hope that the rupture of First Nation emotions will make all of the previous pipeline fissures pale in comparison.
[Forrest Palmer is an electrical engineer residing in Texas. He is a part-time blogger and writer and can be found on Facebook. You may reach him at forrest_palmer@yahoo.com.]
Pacifism as Pathology
Buck Up, Revolutionary Soldier
SKEWEDNews
by Stephanie McMillan
Last week an alcoholic stood up in a sweltering meeting hall and promised his fellow workers that he'd stop drinking, so he could participate more effectively in the class struggle. He asked them to hold him to account, and they agreed to do so.
The pain of living under capitalism is bad. The eviction notice, the shocking price of food, the backstabbing among so-called friends, the humiliation at work, the pavement-melting heat, sadistic badge-wearers, torn screaming bodies, and so much blood.
For those who take on the battle against it, it can get worse. Revolutionaries always know they're on borrowed time. Every moment not dead or in prison is to be used wisely, for these may be limited.
Meanwhile there is trouble, heartache, loneliness. We get fired. Our spouses leave us. Our kids go without. Our mothers fret.
We know that numbing our pain is self-destructive, but sometimes the choice feels like self-medication or breakdown. Still, even as we lift the bottle or pop the pill, we can't help being aware that these temporary escapes help the capitalists disorganize and dominate us. We're never more thoroughly pacified than when we're out of our right minds, perceiving reality in a distorted fashion and unable to marshal a coherent response to it.
When we can, we face our fears and sorrows with clarity. Moments of resolve contend with moments of weakness, over and over and over in a constant internal struggle.
Mutual support allows us to make progress, and collective political practice offers transcendence. Like the Coup lyric goes, "power is the most effective anti-drug."
That's how it gets better.
A few days ago after discussing the recent decades of setbacks, the degeneration of the left and the absence of an autonomous workers movement, someone asked me: "What keeps you going?" The answer is simple: It's the hand of a comrade from the distant past, still reaching toward a classless future. It's the millions of us who are everywhere, getting ready. It's Fred Hampton saying he's not going to die by slipping on a piece of ice. It's the stubborn refusal to submit. It's that one worker in that meeting hall, suffering dependency, making the decision to emancipate himself in order to better serve the interests of his class as a whole.
Tensions are tightening between what is and what needs to be. Many of us sense it: a period of intense battles is at hand. We need to gather our strength, set aside distractions, wean ourselves from addictions, make ourselves fit to face the coming firestorm.
The worker who cast off his liquid crutch last week doesn't know me, but perhaps he will read this: Comrade, your example strengthens us all. May we help keep you strong in turn. Our hands are joined in common cause.
[Stephanie McMillan's daily comic strip "Minimum Security" is syndicated online at Universal Uclick's gocomics.com. She also draws and self-syndicates a weekly editorial cartoon, "Code Green." Her website is minimumsecurity.net.]
Arts Black Liberation Struggle. Malcolm X Culture Islam Muslim Resistance The Behavioral Economics of Hatred
Islam, Hip Hop and the Liberation Struggle w/ Daulatzai & Almustafa
Islam, Hip Hop, and the Black liberation struggle as discussed with acclaimed author and professor, Dr. Sohail Doulatzi. Plus the People's Poet, Kahlil Almustafa. teleSUR
Non-Profit Industrial Complex
Co-optation Resistance
Peter Gelderloos Author of "The Failure of Non-Violence" Schools Cornell West & Tavis Smiley
Foundations, Non-Profit Industrial Complex, Pacifism as Pathology, Whiteness & Aversive Racism
Malcolm X Pacifism as Pathology Resistance Whiteness & Aversive Racism
Malcolm X: Do Not March With Your Oppressors
mickeyzvegan
asymmetric warfare Decisive Ecological Warfare Resistance
Decisive Ecological Warfare
Decisive Ecological Warfare (DEW) is the strategy of a movement that has too long been on the defensive. It is the war cry of a people who refuse to lose any more battles, the last resort of a movement isolated, co-opted, and weary from never-ending legal battles and blockades.
The information in the DEW strategy is derived from military strategy and tactics manuals, analysis of historic resistances, insurgencies, and national liberation movements. The principles laid out within these pages are accepted around the world as sound principles of asymmetric warfare, where one party is more powerful than the other. If any fight was ever asymmetric, this one is.
The strategies and tactics explained in DEW are taught to military officers at places like the Military Academy at West Point for a simple reason: they are extremely effective.
When he was on trial in South Africa in 1964 for his crimes against the apartheid regime, Nelson Mandela said: "I do not deny that I planned sabotage. I did not do this in a spirit of recklessness. I planned it as a result of a long and sober assessment of the political situation after many years of oppression of my people by the whites."
We invite you to read this strategy, and to undertake that same long and sober assessment of the situation we face.
Time is short.
Download the entire DEW strategy (PDF)
or browse the three subsections:
1. DEW Three Scenarios: What can we expect of the future if the Decisive Ecological Warfare strategy is implemented? What can we expect if industrial civilization is allowed to continue?
Read the Webpage | Download PDF | Listen to audio
2. The Four Phases of DEW: The Decisive Ecological Warfare strategy is divided into four phases of escalating intensity. Learn about each phase here.
Read the Webpage | Download PDF | Listen to audio — Phase I — II — III — IV
3. Implementing DEW: Learn more about the difficulties and possibilities of actually implementing the Decisive Ecological Warfare strategy.
Canada First Nations Fracking Mi'kmaq Mi'kmaq Warrior Society Pacifism as Pathology Resistance
Statement of Solidarity with the Mi'kmaq Warriors
Warrior Publications
by Zig Zag
Since the spring of 2013, the Mi'kmaq, along with Native and non-Native allies, have been resisting exploratory testing by SWN Resources Canada in New Brunswick. SWN, a Houston, Texas-based company, is searching for deposits of natural gas in shale rock formations. If they are successful and find significant deposits, they will then attempt to extract this gas using the process of fracking. →


What follows below is a list of contents for all our TfT! Newsletters, issue 20 onwards, as shown here on the website. If you are looking for something in particular, e.g. information regarding the errors of Calvinism, hit Ctrl + F on your keyboard, and type in the word 'Calvin', to find the relevant issue and page number.


BagsUnderEyesCauses is an informative project and portal which focuses on writing about different conditions like droopy eyelids and eye bag removal and the associated treatments of each. There is a lot of confusion on the internet surrounding these topics so this is a place where you can find accurate and current data on working methods, reviews and news.
We keep ourselves constantly updated with the latest developments and treatments and break them down in simple terms in our articles so they can be understood easily in order to make fast choice about which new option is the best for your particular case and condition. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can use our contact page to get in touch with us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!


The Good Shepherd's students – all from families with socioeconomic challenges – are increasingly victims of many social forces that negatively affect their role as students. Their families are very often in a state of change and until these changes become stabilized, in whatever form, the child's unmet physical and emotional needs will continue to interfere with their ability to learn and adjust in school.
How the Social Services Support Program Works: With the student primarily in mind, the Good Shepherd Social Services Program works to address many of the barriers to a child's ability to learn – including mental and/or physical challenges experienced by the student, family issues, housing issues, and safety issues.
Services to Students with Special Needs: Facilitating special education assessments and educational planning meetings; working with families to address living situations that negatively affect a child's adjustment to school; preparing social and developmental histories on children with disabilities; counseling; referral (and follow-up) for community services; and any assistance for the child and faculty in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies.
Services to Students: Provision of crisis intervention, development of interventions to increase academic success; assisting with conflict resolution and anger management; helping the child develop appropriate social interaction skills and assisting the child in understanding and accepting self and others.
Services to Parents and Families: Working with families to facilitate their support in their children's school adjustment; alleviating family stressors to enable the child to function more effectively in school and community; assisting family to access programs available to students with special needs; and assisting family in accessing and utilizing community resources.
Services to School Personnel: Providing staff with essential information to better understand factors affecting a student's performance and behavior (cultural, societal, economic, familial, health, etc.); assessing students with mental health concerns, developing staff in-service training programs, assisting teachers with behavior management; and providing direct support to staff.
Services to the Good Shepherd School: Identification and coordination of community resources to meet students' needs; advocating for improved community services; helping the school respond effectively to each child's need.
Direction of the Good Shepherd School's Social Services Program: Mr. Thomas Moran, Jr., President of the Good Shepherd School, supervises the Good Shepherd Social Services Program which is under the direction of Ms. Catherine Hauth, a Licensed Master Social Worker (License Number 13273). Ms. Hauth earned both a BS in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Social Work – with a Child and Youth Certificate from Louisiana State University. In college Ms. Hauth was an advocate for students with disabilities and students against sexual assault. She is working toward clinical licensure and is trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, anger management, mindfulness, and general cognitive behavioral techniques.


text:
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, center, was taken into custody as his attorney, Eric Nelson, left, looks on, after the verdicts were read in April. Chauvin, convicted of murder in the death of Floyd, is asking for his sentence to be minimized. (Associated Press)
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, center, was taken into custody as his attorney, Eric Nelson, left, looks on, after the verdicts were read in April. Chauvin, convicted of murder in the death of Floyd, is asking for his sentence to be minimized.
Chauvin sentencing: State seeks 30 years
Defense seeks time served.
AMY FORLITI, Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — Prosecutors are seeking a 30-year sentence for the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in George Floyd's death.
Chauvin is scheduled to be sentenced June 25 following his conviction on murder and manslaughter charges. Judge Peter Cahill previously ruled there were aggravating factors in Floyd's death. That gives him the discretion to sentence Chauvin above the range recommended by state guidelines, which top out at 15 years.
Prosecutors said Chauvin's actions were egregious and a sentence of 30 years would "properly account for the profound impact of Defendant's conduct on the victim, the victim's family, and the community."
They said that Chauvin's actions "shocked the nation's conscience."
Mr. Chauvin respectfully requests that the Court… pronounce a strict probationary sentence, along with a period of incarceration equal to the time he has already served."
— Defense attorney Eric Nelson
"No sentence can undo Mr. Floyd's death, and no sentence can undo the trauma Defendant's actions have inflicted. But the sentence the Court imposes must show that no one is above the law, and no one is below it," prosecutors wrote. "Defendant's sentence must hold him fully accountable for his reprehensible conduct."
According to court documents filed Wednesday, defense attorney Eric Nelson cited Chauvin's age, lack of a criminal record, and the support from family and friends when he requested a sentence of probation and time served. He said Chauvin, 45, was the product of a broken system.
Derek Chauvin makes first appearance on federal charges in George Floyd's death
Sen. Ted Cruz speaks out on George Floyd case
Texas police, city leaders respond to George Floyd protests (Gallery)
Global protests demand justice for George Floyd
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text:
The Sisters' Song
By: Louise Allan
Narrated by: Arianwen Parkes-Lockwood
Set in rural Tasmania from the 1920s to the 1990s, The Sisters' Song traces the lives of two very different sisters. One for whom giving and loving are her most natural qualities and the other who cannot forgive and forget.
As children, Ida loves looking after her younger sister, Nora, but when their beloved father dies in 1926, everything changes. The two young girls move in with their grandmother who is particularly encouraging of Nora's musical talent. Nora eventually follows her dream of a brilliant musical career while Ida takes a job as a nanny, and their lives become quite separate.
The two sisters are reunited when Nora's life takes an unwelcome direction and she finds herself, embittered and resentful, isolated in the Tasmanian bush with a husband and children.
Ida longs passionately for a family, and when she marries Len, a reliable and good man, she hopes to soon become a mother. Over time, it becomes clear that this is never likely to happen. In Ida's eyes, it seems that Nora possesses everything in life that could possibly matter, yet she values none of it.
Set in rural Tasmania over a span of 70 years, the strengths and flaws of motherhood are revealed through the mercurial relationship of these two very different sisters. The Sisters' Song speaks of dreams, children and family, all entwined with a musical thread that binds them together.
©2018 Louise Allan (P)2018 Audible, Ltd
The Girl from Munich
Suitcase of Dreams
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What listeners say about The Sisters' Song
Loved this novel. Tender, insightful, relatable and totally unputdownable. Highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a lovely down to earth read that is still not too predictable.
Beautiful Story
Such a beautiful story of two sisters. Set in Tasmania this wonderful story follows the lives of the two sisters, through all the highs and lows that life throws their way. As with all relationships there are periods of anger, frustration, hate but also love, caring, pride and sorrow. No character is without fault but the writing handles their lives with dignity and care. I absolutely loved this novel and the narration was also wonderful.
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Neal founded leapSTONE, which specialises in strategic design management and service design innovation – helping organisations unlock innovation using the power of effective design. He is based in London and a fellow of the RSA and visiting lecturer at the Royal College of Art. Neal was formerly the Head of Design for British Airways where among other projects, he led the design of the world's first flat beds in business class (Club World).


Comedian Tommy Tiernan was reported to police over political jokes he made during his Belfast show on Sunday night.
Actor Ardal O'Hanlon has revealed how people genuinely think he is as stupid as his hapless Father Ted character.
Laura Whitmore has been going out with boyfriend Iain Stirling for over a year, but having him perform his stand-up act in front of her family still made her nervy.
English comedian Jimmy Carr has announced a date at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin.
Tommy Tiernan will host an evening with the legendary Roddy Doyle for a special charity event in November.
Comedy kings Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart have announced a Dublin show at the 3Arena on Wednesday October 17.
Bill Bailey has announced two dates for this side of the pond on his upcoming Larks in Transit Tour.
This summer's Kilkenny Cat Laughs boasts a diverse line up of top notch talent as well as several new strands of entertainment for fervent comedy fans.
British comedian Michael McIntyre has added a fourth and final 3Arena date to his upcoming tour.


My PhD thesis is now available online including all the data-sets, videos and ancillary material.
This website has been updated with my publication record in a vain attempt at boosting my citation indices. My work is transitioning to new fields involving wearable electronic sensors–a field I have followed with great interest and taught to undergraduate students.
This website is going through a quick refresh in time for the next Silicon Milkroundabout.


Investment decisions for the best-fit content collaboration platform solutions are complex.
Organizations should use the 2018 Gartner Magic Quadrant to identify a shortlist of viable content collaboration players that can meet their requirements and plans and to assess these players' offerings against specific use cases.
Do the content collaboration platform vendors you want to evaluate offer technical superiority, strong product vision, and the ability to deliver an unparalleled customer experience?


Joselyn Lopez of North Lauderdale, Florida was taken into police custody on October 26 for allegedly causing a car crash over a year ago that led to the death Christopher Sheehan and injured Jacob Snowhite.
Lopez, 30, faces eight charges, including DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, reckless driving and causing serious bodily harm. During a bond court hearing on Friday, a judge set her bond at $47,000 and ordered her not to drive a vehicle under any circumstances. If she manages to post bail, Lopez is to be placed on house arrest with an ankle monitor and will have to submit to weekly drug and alcohol testing.
According to the arrest report, the alleged crash occurred at 2:30 a.m. on August 20, 2016 along State Road 7 in Coral Springs. Sheehan was driving home with Snowhite after spending the day hunting alligators in the Everglades when Lopez rear-ended his vehicle, causing a fiery crash, the report said. Sheehan, a Fort Lauderdale detective, was killed in the crash, and Snowhite, a Fort Lauderdale firefighter, suffered non-life threatening injuries. Lopez was not injured.
Lopez had reportedly been drinking at a bar earlier that night and was driving at a high rate of speed while under the influence. Investigators determined that she was driving at 75 mph on a 45 mph road when she crashed into Sheehan's vehicle. Her blood alcohol level less than three hours after the crash was .08, which is Florida's legal limit. She reportedly showed classic signs of impairment, including slurred speech and the odor of alcohol emitting from her breath.
DUI manslaughter occurs when a person drives a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, has a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher, and either directly or indirectly causes the death of another person. The charge is a second-degree penalty punishable by up to 15 years in prison, 15 years probation, and $10,000 in fines.
Florida has some of the toughest DUI laws in the U.S. because of all the deaths caused by drunk driving. Law enforcement are required to have a zero tolerance standard for DUI cases, and as a result, Florida's courts prosecute a large number of such cases every year.
DUI cases carry several penalties in addition to fines and possible jail time, including driver's license suspension, vehicle impoundment, classes on drunk driving, community service, psychosocial evaluation followed by any recommended treatment, and restitution when appropriate.


Press Release: Khaadi launches Lawn Volume 2 Collection...!!!
Pakistan's premium clothing and lifestyle brand Khaadi, has launched their Lawn Volume 2 worldwide via Khaadi's retail network and e-store.
The new collection offers a range of designs inspired by the refreshing summer breeze and the cheerful sun in the latest Lawn Volume 2 collection. Infused with vibrant colours and designs, it features a wide range with a fusion of ethnic and modern unstitched garments, giving women the perfect feel for the season.
The catalogue displays clothes stitched in an array of styles to inspire our customers, keeping in mind the latest trends. Whether one is looking for modern or traditional, bright or subtle designs, Khaadi introduces a versatile range of prints in different styles and colours to offer something for everyone.
Khaadi first opened its doors in 1998 in Karachi, Pakistan offering customers kurtas and loose fabric made from hand-woven fabric. Shamoon Sultan, the chairman and founder, had the intent of reviving the ancient craft of the handloom and popularizing the traditional medium in a contemporary manner.
Khaadi defines its lines as Concepts and initially had Prêt (Ready-to-Wear), Unstitched (Fabric) and Man (Eastern Wear). Over the years, Khaadi has introduced a number of new Concepts including Khaas (featuring exclusive and limited-edition pieces), Kids (for 2-12 year olds), Accessories (jewellery, stoles and handbags) and Home (featuring furniture, bedding and bath items).


Search For "Professional Services" Companies in Portland, Oregon - Click Here Now!
PREVMED CONSULTING LLC in Portland is a company that specializes in Management Consulting. Our records show it was established in Oregon.


text:
Nicholas Tonks named 2019 AAAS Fellow
Nicholas Tonks
Professor Nicholas Tonks has been named a 2019 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Tonks is being honored in the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences for his contributions to our understanding of signal transduction, through the discovery of protein tyrosine phosphatases and the characterization of their structure, regulation, and function. In recent years, he has obtained promising results aimed at devising new therapeutic strategies for diseases, including breast cancer, diabetes, Rett syndrome, and Alzheimer's.
The AAAS Fellowship program celebrates researchers and scientists who have made distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications across its 24 different fields. The new AAAS Fellows will be celebrated on February 15th during the 2020 AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Faculty Awards Nicholas Tonks
Professor Adrian Krainer was awarded the Peter Speiser Award for advances in the pharmaceutical sciences. Read more »


Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Jelfy ., Edited By - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - Tim Geelan, Composer - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Branford Marsalis, Performer - B. Marsalis, Composer - B. Marsalis, Lyricist Copyright : (P) 1989 CBS Records Inc.
Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Jelfy ., Edited By - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - Tim Geelan, Composer - Ned Washington, Composer - Ned Washington, Lyricist - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Hoagy Carmichael, Composer - Hoagy Carmichael, Lyricist - Branford Marsalis, Performer Copyright : (P) 1989 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Jelfy ., Edited By - W. Donaldson, Composer - W. Donaldson, Lyricist - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - G. Kahn, Composer - G. Kahn, Lyricist - Tim Geelan, Composer - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Branford Marsalis, Performer Copyright : (P) 1989 CBS Records Inc.
Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Jelfy ., Edited By - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - Tim Geelan, Composer - B. Strayhorn, Composer - B. Strayhorn, Lyricist - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Branford Marsalis, Performer Copyright : (P) 1989 CBS Records Inc.
Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Jelfy ., Edited By - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - Tim Geelan, Composer - J. Watts, Composer - J. Watts, Lyricist - M. Hinton, Composer - M. Hinton, Lyricist - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Branford Marsalis, Performer - B. Marsalis, Composer - B. Marsalis, Lyricist Copyright : (P) 1989 CBS Records Inc.
Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Jelfy ., Edited By - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - Tim Geelan, Composer - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Branford Marsalis, Performer - S. Rollins, Composer - S. Rollins, Lyricist Copyright : (P) 1989 CBS Records Inc.
Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Jelfy ., Edited By - W. Donaldson, Composer - W. Donaldson, Lyricist - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - G. Kahn, Composer - G. Kahn, Lyricist - Tim Geelan, Composer - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Branford Marsalis, Performer Copyright : (P) 1989 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Delfeayo Marsalis, Producer - Ben Rizzi, Engineer - Jelfy ., Edited By - Pat "E.Q." Smith, Mixing Engineer - Tim Geelan, Composer - O. Coleman, Composer - O. Coleman, Lyricist - Bernie Grundman, Mastering Engineer - George Butler, Executive Producer - Branford Marsalis, Performer Copyright : (P) 1989 CBS Records Inc.


This video is called Brazil Accuses U.S. Of Using NSA For Industrial Espionage.
"If there's information at Siemens that's beneficial to US national interests – even if it doesn't have anything to do with national security – then they'll take that information nevertheless," Snowden said, according to ARD, which recorded the interview in Russia, where Snowden has claimed asylum.
Snowden also told the German public broadcasting network he no longer has possession of any documents or information on NSA activities and has turned everything he had over to select journalists. He said he did not have any control over the publication of the information, ARD said.
Snowden's claim the NSA is engaged in industrial espionage follows a New York Times report earlier this month that the NSA put software in almost 100,000 computers around the world, allowing it to carry out surveillance on those devices and could provide a digital highway for cyberattacks.
The NSA planted most of the software after gaining access to computer networks, but has also used a secret technology that allows it entry even to computers not connected to the internet, the newspaper said, citing US officials, computer experts and documents leaked by Snowden.
The newspaper said the technology had been in use since at least 2008 and relied on a covert channel of radio waves transmitted from tiny circuit boards and USB cards secretly inserted in the computers. Frequent targets of the programme, code-named Quantum, included units of the Chinese military and industrial targets.
"Collect It All": Glenn Greenwald on NSA Bugging Tech Hardware, Economic Espionage & Spying on U.N.
This entry was posted in Computers, Internet, Crime, Economic, social, trade union, etc., Human rights and tagged Brazil, Edward Snowden, Germany by petrel41. Bookmark the permalink.
The NSA, ultimate direction is to spy on all countries and all individuals, with the exception of the Rothschilds, and Rockefeller, and the financiers that surround this enclave, the NSA, are employees, and have no choice that they know of, and have to obey orders, they are slaves to their masters.


We have the opportunity to teach the Gospel in our Public Schools. God has opened a door for us to schedule weekly classes with schools all over the city for Bible Classes. Our Bible College ladies are prepared with songs, memory verses, and well planned lessons. They are scheduled in each class once a week.
We are currently reaching over 8000 students with the gospel each and every week.


text:
Introducing the latest idea for sleeping on a plan …
Google goes up river, up the Danube
What's the world's busiest airport?
› Latest news › What's the world's busiest airport?
The busiest passenger airport in the world also happens to be the birthplace of Coca-Cola and Martin Luther King Jr. With an impressive 96 million passengers in 2014, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport takes the top spot.
ATL had an increase of passenger traffic of 1.9% in 2014 compared to the previous year, according to the newest preliminary passenger traffic data from Airports Council International. In second place was Beijing Capital International Airport, with 86 million passengers. And in third place was our very own London Heathrow Airport, with an increase in passenger traffic of 1.4%, bringing it to 73 million passengers last year.
World's busiest airports
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport
Tokyo Haneda Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport
The busiest cargo airport is still Hong Kong, transporting more than 4.4 million metric tons of cargo last year!
Img: visualistimages / Flickr cc.
Top 10 countries most susceptible to climate change
Ryanair bans duty-free booze on Ibiza flights
Virgin Galactic flights delayed again
Hong Kong's tourist numbers dropping


Tomas Junior Albarez, age 30 of San Marcos, Texas passed away on October 27, 2017. He was born in Dallas, Texas on January 7, 1987. He loved being outside among nature and was a landscaper by trade.
He is survived by his parents, Jose Alfredo Barba and Maria DeJesus Barba; his brothers, Angel Barba and Alfredo Barba; and his sister, Angelica Hernandez.


text:
Plasma fibroblast growth factor 21 levels increase with ectopic fat accumulation and its receptor levels are decreased in the visceral fat of patients with type 2 diabetes
Eun Shil Hong1,2,
Cheong Lim3,4,
Hye Yeon Choi5,
Yun Kyung Lee5,
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5533-4989Eu Jeong Ku6,
Jae Hoon Moon5,7,
Kyong Soo Park7,
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4188-6536Hak Chul Jang5,7,
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0740-8116Sung Hee Choi5,7
1Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
2Internal Medicine, Konkuk University Chungju Hospital, Chungju, South Korea
3Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
4Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
5Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
6Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, South Korea
7Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Correspondence to Dr Sung Hee Choi; shchoimd{at}gmail.com
Background Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a novel metabolic regulator that has beneficial effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. However, plasma FGF21 levels are paradoxically increased in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity, suggesting resistance to this ligand. FGF21 acts mainly on adipose tissue and ectopic fat accumulation is a typical feature in metabolic deterioration such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease.
Objective To investigate the relationship between FGF21 resistance and ectopic fat accumulation.
Research design and methods Subjects who underwent 64-slice multidetector CT (MDCT) were enrolled (n=190). Plasma FGF21 levels and MDCT data of ectopic fats at various sites were analyzed. Human visceral and subcutaneous fat tissues from abdominal and coronary artery bypass surgery were obtained. FGF21 receptor expression and postreceptor signaling in different fat deposits of both control and T2DM subjects were analyzed.
Results Plasma FGF21 levels were significantly associated with body mass index, triglyceride, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and Matsuda index. Plasma FGF21 levels were significantly higher in patients with T2DM than in the pre-diabetes and normal glucose tolerance groups. The ectopic fat phenotypes (visceral, epicardial, intrahepatic, and intramuscular fat) of T2DM were significantly higher than controls. Plasma FGF21 levels were elevated and exhibited a strong positive correlation with ectopic fat accumulation in T2DM. The expression of genes comprising the FGF21 signaling pathway was also lower in visceral fat than in subcutaneous fat in this disease.
Conclusions Human FGF21 resistance in T2DM could result from increases in FGF21-resistant ectopic fat accumulation. Our study provides novel clinical evidence linking FGF21 resistance and T2DM pathogenesis.
adipocytokine
body fat distribution
This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000776
Significance of this study
What is already known about this subject?
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolic regulator that has beneficial effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. However, plasma FGF21 levels are paradoxically increased in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity, suggesting resistance to this ligand.
What are the new findings?
Various types of ectopic fat, especially epicardial fat, were positively associated with plasma FGF21 levels in patients with T2DM.
Protein expression of the FGF21 receptor dimer (FGFR1, β-klotho) and postreceptor signaling pathway-related proteins (p-P38, p-ERK) was not significantly different between the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in normal glucose tolerance subjects.
The expression of FGFR1, β-klotho, and p-P38 was lower in VAT than in SAT in subjects with T2DM, suggesting that in T2DM, visceral fat is more resistant to FGF21 signaling than subcutaneous fat.
How might these results change the focus of research or clinical practice?
An increase in the amount of 'FGF21-resistant' visceral fat in patients with T2DM could be one of the mechanisms explaining the observed paradoxical elevations in plasma FGF21.
Our study provides novel clinical evidence linking FGF21 resistance and T2DM pathogenesis.
These findings could provide novel insights for FGF21-related therapeutics.
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolic regulator produced primarily by the liver that acts mainly through white adipose tissue.1 2 FGF21 treatment reduces plasma glucose, insulin, and lipid levels, as well as hepatic steatosis, in murine models of diabetes.3–5 Accordingly, FGF21 transgenic mice are resistant to diet-induced obesity (DIO) and fat accumulation.3 These beneficial effects of FGF21 suggest that FGF21 or an agonist could be a potential therapeutic agent for diabetes. In fact, drug discovery efforts have yielded an FGF21 analog,6 but its effect on glycemic control was not as robust as anticipated based on prior experiments using diabetic rodents. Another FGF21 analog was shown to decrease body weight and improve lipid profiles in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without significant effects on glycemic control.7
Several human studies have revealed that plasma FGF21 levels are paradoxically increased in T2DM8 9 and insulin-resistant states such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.10 Furthermore, FGF21 concentrations are positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) or triglyceride (TG) levels in obese non-diabetic individuals.11 Serum FGF21 levels were also found to be significantly higher in patients with end-stage renal disease and coronary heart disease.12 13
It has been suggested that this paradoxical increase in plasma FGF21 levels could be a result of 'FGF21 resistance'.14 In a previous study, the effect of FGF21 on signaling responses and target gene expression was attenuated in mice with DIO.15 The results of this animal study and the paradoxical increase in plasma FGF21 in patients with T2DM support the hypothesis that FGF21 resistance might play a role in obesity and T2DM. Further, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and β-klotho dimers function as a receptor for FGF21.16 Accordingly, the suppression of FGFR1 and β-klotho expression has been suggested as a plausible mechanism underlying this FGF21 resistance.17 Among intracellular signaling pathways, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)15 and mitogen-activated protein kinases have also been suggested to be downstream of FGF21.18
In contrast to orthotopic subcutaneous fat, ectopic fat is defined as the deposition of TGs in ectopic sites or within cells of non-adipose tissue. Fat tissues in ectopic sites include visceral and epicardial fat and fat depositions in non-adipose tissue cells include intrahepatic and intramuscular fat.19 It is evident that ectopic fat is strongly associated with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease.20–23 These observations suggest that ectopic fat plays a major pathogenic role in T2DM. However, little is known regarding the relationship between FGF21 and ectopic fat or the role of ectopic fat in FGF21 metabolism.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between FGF21 concentrations and various types of ectopic fat accumulation. Furthermore, to identify the mechanism underlying paradoxical FGF21 elevation in T2DM subjects, we tested FGF21 receptor expression and postreceptor signaling in different fat deposits of both control and T2DM subjects.
Research design and methods
Three independent cohorts were investigated. Cohort 1 was enrolled to investigate the association between plasma FGF21 levels and ectopic fat phenotypes. Cohorts 2 and 3 were enrolled to investigate fat tissue FGF21 signaling-related gene expression profiles. Cohorts are described as follows.
Cohort 1: Subjects referred to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from a routine physical check-up center and patients who received regular follow-up for pre-diabetes and drug-naive patients with T2DM were screened. Among them, subjects over 30 years of age who underwent 64-slice multidetector CT (MDCT) for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) were enrolled. We excluded patients with malignant disease, chronic wasting diseases such as tuberculosis or malabsorption syndrome, advanced liver disease, and advanced renal disease. We excluded patients with cocaine consumption, chronic steroid use, or anabolic drug use. Finally, 190 unrelated subjects were enrolled in the study. We identified risk factors based on medical history, demographics, baseline clinical profiles, and concomitant medications. We analyzed plasma FGF21 levels and MDCT data for this cohort.
Cohort 2: Subjects who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were enrolled. Plasma FGF21 levels were analyzed in 40 subjects. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) (intrathoracic preperitoneal) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) samples were obtained from eight non-diabetic controls and eight patients with diabetes.
Cohort 3: Subjects who underwent general abdominal surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were enrolled. For an additional non-diabetic control group, we obtained VAT and SAT from the eight non-diabetic subjects.
Measurement of anthropometric and biochemical parameters
Body weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured when subjects were enrolled. BMI was calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters (kg/m2). Total cholesterol, TG, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), plasma insulin and C peptide levels were measured after at least a 12-hour fasting period. Postprandial 30 min and 2-hour glucose (PP2) levels were sampled during a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in cohort 1. We defined T2DM as FPG≥126 mg/dL or PP2≥200 mg/dL, normal glucose tolerance (NGT) as FPG<100 mg/dL or PP2<140 mg/dL, and the remaining subjects as prediabetic. We calculated insulin resistance with the homeostasis model using the following validated formula: homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)=(fasting glucose (mg/dL)×fasting insulin (µIU/mL))/(22.5×18).24 In subjects with OGTT, Matsuda index (10 000/square root of [fasting glucose×fasting insulin]×[mean glucose×mean insulin during OGTT]) was used as the insulin sensitivity index.25 Plasma FGF21 levels were measured using an ELISA kit (BioVendor, Germany) with samples frozen at −80°C until the assay was performed.
CT protocol
A 64-slice MDCT was used to detect CAD during a routine health examination. Subjects with a heart rate >70 beats per minute received 10–30 mg of intravenous esmolol (Jeil Pharma, Seoul, Korea) before MDCT imaging. CT angiography was performed with a 64-slice MDCT scanner (Brilliance 64, Philips Medical Systems, Best, Netherlands). A standard scanning protocol described previously was employed.26 A 10 mm CT slice image of the abdomen (L4–L5) and a mid-thigh level were added to this protocol to assess other ectopic fat accumulation.
Fat assessment
Abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat areas were assessed at the L4–L5 intervertebral disc space within a threshold of −250 to −50 Hounsfield units (HU) with a dedicated computer 3D workstation (Rapidia V.2.8, Infinitt, Seoul, Korea).27
Epicardial fat volume was measured by a single observer with the same software. Epicardial fat volume was segmented by isolating the epicardial fat and heart from the thorax using specific anatomical landmarks. The superior extent of the volume was determined by the point initiating the division of the main pulmonary artery. Inferiorly, the analysis volume was segmented from the liver and abdominal cavity by manually tracing the pericardium in the axial view every 5 mm from the top to bottom with software that automatically interpolated between the user-defined traces.28 After segmentation of the heart and epicardial adipose tissue from the remainder of the thorax, a threshold of −190 to −30 HU was applied to isolate adipose tissue-containing voxels. The adipose tissue voxels were then summed to provide an epicardial fat volume value in milliliters. The examinations were placed in random order with the observer blinded to other participant information.
Non-contrast CT was used to measure intrahepatic fat. Images were reviewed by a single observer blinded to other data. CT attenuation of three distinct circular areas was measured in addition to the spleen to generate mean values. Care was taken to avoid the inclusion of visually distinct vasculature and biliary structures in the regions of interest. Liver–spleen HU differences were calculated as the mean hepatic HU–mean splenic HU.29 Lower liver–spleen HU differences were considered to indicate higher intrahepatic fat accumulation.
Skeletal muscle attenuation was determined by measuring the mean value of all pixels within the range of 0 to +100 HU. The mid-thigh skeletal muscle area was compartmentalized into a normal density muscle area (+31 to +100 HU) and a low-density muscle area (0 to +30 HU).27 The low-density muscle area indicated an intramuscular fat area.
Fat tissue samples
During surgery, biopsies of adipose tissues were obtained after an overnight fast, washed in 9 g/L NaCl solution, sectioned into pieces, immediately frozen in a deep freezer, and stored −40°C. In cohort 2, visceral fat sample was obtained from the intrathoracic preperitoneal fat which is located in the fat compartment under xiphoid process from the anterior surface of the left lobe of the liver. Subcutaneous fat sample was obtained from the incision field. In cohort 3, visceral fat sample was obtained during laparoscopic surgery. Subcutaneous fat sample was obtained from the incision field. The surgeon aimed to obtain the samples from similar anatomical locations in all the subjects.
RNA isolation and quantitative real-time PCR
Total RNA was extracted from frozen tissue samples using TRIzol (Ambion, CA, USA). For quantitative real-time PCR analysis, 3 µg of total RNA was reverse-transcribed using a High Capacity cDNA Reverse Transcription Kit (Thermo Scientific, CA, USA). SYBR Green reactions using the SYBR Green PCR Master mix (Enzynomics, Korea) were assembled along with 10 pM primers according to the manufacturer's instructions and reactions were performed using the Applied Biosystems ViiA7 system (Thermo Scientific). Relative mRNA levels were calculated using the comparative CT method and normalized to cyclophilin mRNA. mRNA expression levels are displayed relative to those in visceral fat as a control. The sequences of all primers used are listed in online supplementary table 1.
[bmjdrc-2019-000776supp002.pdf]
In brief, tissues were homogenized in tissue lysis buffer (Cell Signaling, MA, USA) supplemented with 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. Protein concentrations were determined with the Bradford protein assay (Amresco, OH, USA). Then, 20 µg of protein was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis on a 10% Tris/HCl gel and transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes (Whatman, USA). Blotting with anti-FGFR1 (Abcam, UK), anti-β-klotho (R&D, MN, USA), anti-p-ERK (Cell Signaling), anti-p-P38 (Santa Cruz, Germany), and anti-β-actin (Sigma-Aldrich, MO, USA) antibodies was performed and the blots were developed with ECL prime (Amersham, USA). Results are expressed as fold change compared with data from visceral fat.
All values are expressed as means±SD or medians (IQR). For the analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests, clinical parameters and regional fat distribution that were not normally distributed were log-transformed to reduce skewedness; we presented the results by taking the antilogarithm for simple interpretation. Differences in parameters among groups were analyzed by one-way ANOVA or t-tests. When significantly different values were observed, a Bonferroni post hoc analysis was applied to determine the significance of the relationship between the means. Associations between parameters were identified using Pearson correlations. A p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. All analyses were performed using SPSS V.18.0 for Windows.
Study population and clinical characteristics
According to glucose tolerance, the subjects in cohort 1 were divided three groups as follows: NGT, pre-diabetes, and T2DM. The clinical characteristics for the groups are shown in table 1. Eighty-nine (47%) subjects were classified as having T2DM, 53 (28%) subjects were classified as having pre-diabetes, and 48 (25%) subjects were in the NGT group. Age and blood pressure were similar but sex was significantly different among the three groups. BMI was significantly higher in the T2DM and pre-diabetes groups than in the NGT group. Based on lipid profiles, TG levels were significantly higher and HDL-C levels were significantly lower in the T2DM groups than in the NGT group. All glucose metabolic parameters including FPG, PP2, HbA1c, fasting insulin, fasting C peptide, and HOMA-IR levels were significantly higher for patients with T2DM and pre-diabetes compared with those in the NGT groups. The Matsuda index was significantly lower in the T2DM and pre-diabetes groups than in the NGT group.
Basal characteristics of subjects
Relationship between FGF21 and the clinical parameters
Cohort 1: Plasma FGF21 levels were significantly associated with BMI, TG, HOMA-IR, and Matsuda index (r=0.212, p=0.008; r=0.292, p=0.001; r=0.246, p=0.004; r=−0.240, p=0.015, respectively; online supplementary table 2). The relationships between plasma FGF21 levels and serum glycemic variables such as FPG, PP2, and HbA1c were not significant. However, plasma FGF21 levels were significantly higher in patients with T2DM than in the pre-diabetes and NGT groups (161.2±152.2 pg/mL vs 114.7±107.5 and 102.2±90.6 pg/mL, respectively; p=0.041; table 1 and online supplementary figure 1A). Plasma FGF21 levels were not significantly different between males and females (129.8±123.1 pg/mL vs 137.4±137.6 pg/mL; p=0.862).
Protein expression of the FGFR dimer and signaling components in visceral and subcutaneous fat tissue of the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) group of subjects who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (cohort 2). (A) Western blot analysis. (B) FGFR1. (C) β-klotho. (D) p-P38. (E) p-ERK. n=5/group. a,bSignificant differences (p<0.05). FGFR, fibroblast growth factor receptor; NS, non-significant; SAT, subcutaneous adipose tissue (S); VAT, visceral adipose tissue (V).
Cohort 2: The clinical characteristics of this cohort are shown in online supplementary table 3. Similar to the results of cohort 1, plasma FGF21 levels were significantly higher in the T2DM group than in the NGT group (431.6±371.1 pg/mL vs 178.4±169.4 pg/mL; p=0.009; online supplementary figure 1B).
Ectopic fat accumulation
The ectopic fat phenotypes (visceral, epicardial, intrahepatic, and intramuscular fats) of cohort 1 are presented in the online supplementary table 4. Abdominal visceral fat area was significantly greater in T2DM and pre-diabetes groups than in subjects with NGT. Epicardial fat volume was significantly greater in subjects with T2DM than in subjects with NGT. Liver–spleen HU differences (intrahepatic fat) were marginally lower in the T2DM group than in NGT subjects, representing higher fat accumulation. Mid-thigh low-density muscle area (intramuscular fat) was also significantly greater in patients with T2DM than in subjects with NGT. However, abdominal subcutaneous fat was not significantly different between the groups. Further, each ectopic fat phenotype was strongly associated with each other (online supplementary figure 2).
Correlation between plasma FGF21 and ectopic fat accumulation
Among regional fat amounts, only epicardial fat was significantly associated with plasma FGF21 levels (r=0.189, p=0.019; online supplementary figure 2A). Based on subgroup analysis of patients with T2DM, all ectopic fat amounts were highly correlated with plasma FGF21 levels including visceral (r=0.240, p=0.046), epicardial (r=0.336, p=0.004), intrahepatic (r=0.308, p=0.028), and intramuscular (r=0.282, p=0.017) fats (online supplementary figure 2D and 3). However, subcutaneous fat and plasma FGF21 levels were not significantly associated (r=0.197, p=0.102). There were no significant correlations between plasma FGF21 levels and the indices of ectopic fat based on subgroup analysis with NGT and prediabetic subjects (online supplementary figure 2B,C).
Alterations in FGF receptor and signaling components in adipose tissue
We next investigated protein and RNA levels of FGF21 receptors and postreceptor signaling components in human VAT and SAT. In cohort 3 (control), protein expression of the FGF21 receptor dimer (FGFR1, β-klotho) and postreceptor signaling pathway-related proteins (p-P38, p-ERK) was not significantly different between the VAT and SAT (online supplementary figure 4). Similar results were found for the adipose tissues of the non-diabetic control group in cohort 2 (online supplementary figure 5). However, the protein expression of FGFR1, β -klotho, and p-P38 was significantly lower in the VAT than in the SAT of patients with T2DM in cohort 2 (figure 1). The expression of p-ERK was variable and not statistically different in each T2DM subject. The gene expression of FGF21 receptor dimer and PPARγ signaling components was not reached to statistical significance between VAT and SAT (online supplementary figure 6). However, it showed similar pattern of changes with respect to the protein expression of FGF21 receptors and postreceptor signaling in patients with T2DM.
The main findings of the present study are as follows: (1) plasma FGF21 levels are elevated in patients with T2DM; specifically plasma FGF21 was strongly associated with TG, BMI, and insulin resistance; (2) various types of ectopic fat, especially epicardial fat, were positively associated with plasma FGF21 levels in patients with T2DM; (3) the expression of FGFR1, β-klotho, and p-P38 was lower in VAT than in SAT in subjects with T2DM, suggesting that in T2DM, visceral fat is more resistant to FGF21 signaling than subcutaneous fat. Together, an increase in the amount of 'FGF21-resistant' visceral fat in patients with T2DM could be one mechanism explaining the observed paradoxical elevations in plasma FGF21.
In a previous study based on 76 healthy individuals, serum FGF21 levels were highly variable and did not strongly correlate with age, BMI, or sex.30 Further, FGF21 levels in 17 anorexic women (mean BMI, 16 kg/m2) were significantly lower than those in age-matched controls.31 Another study based on 232 Chinese subjects and our group also showed that FGF21 concentrations were significantly higher in obese subjects and correlated positively with adiposity, serum insulin, and TGs.11 32 In concordance with these previous studies, our clinical data also showed that plasma FGF21 levels are positively correlated with BMI, insulin resistance, and hypertriglyceridemia. These results suggest that adipose tissue might contribute to increased plasma FGF21 levels.
Ectopic fat has been suggested to play a key role in the development of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.33–35 Therefore, the quantification of ectopic fat accumulation could have a substantial role in risk stratification for metabolic syndrome. Nevertheless, it is difficult to obtain an accurate measurement of ectopic fat. Visceral fat amounts are relatively easy to measure using CT. Epicardial fat can also be measured by CT; however, more effort is required because of its three-dimensional shape. The gold standard of estimating intrahepatic fat and intramuscular fat is MR spectrometry. However, because this technique is not commonly applicable, these types of fat could be measured by CT.36 37 Few studies have comprehensively measured ectopic fat accumulation in various sites in a single subject. In this study, we evaluated ectopic fat accumulation comprehensively at four different sites in each individual subject.
Similar to a previous study,33 our data showed that all types of ectopic fat, and especially epicardial fat, are higher in subjects with T2DM. Further, plasma FGF21 levels were positively correlated with all four ectopic fat accumulation indices in patients with T2DM, but not in non-diabetic subjects. This result suggests that the cause of paradoxical elevated plasma FGF21 levels in T2DM could be a combination of two factors, specifically decreased ectopic fat FGF21 sensitivity ('FGF21 resistance') and increased amounts of FGF21-resistant ectopic fat tissue.
In animal studies, the systemic administration of FGF21 was found to result in a sustained decrease in blood glucose/TGs, improved insulin sensitivity, the amelioration of obesity/hepatosteatosis,1 4 5 decreased LDL-C, and elevated HDL-C,38 suggesting that FGF21 might have beneficial effects on metabolic diseases. However, ob/ob and DIO mice exhibit elevated FGF21 blood levels and are less sensitive to acute FGF21 administration.15 39 Such results suggest that these animals exhibit 'FGF21 resistance' resulting in a paradoxical FGF21 increase. Mechanistically, a reduced response to FGF21 treatment in a metabolically compromised state can be explained at the FGF21 receptor level, as FGFR1 and β-klotho transcripts are reduced in FGF21-responsive tissues in ob/ob and DIO mice, as compared with those in normal animals.15
Here, we analyzed human fat tissue grouped based on NGT and T2DM subjects. Components of the FGF21 receptor (FGFR1 and β-klotho) and proteins involved in postreceptor signaling (p-P38) were lower in visceral fat than in subcutaneous fat, suggesting that in T2DM, visceral fat is more resistant to FGF21 signaling. These results suggest that excessive ectopic fat accumulation, which is easily detected in patients with obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes, could contribute to the exaggeration of FGF21 resistance. A previous study found that β-klotho levels were reduced in the visceral fat of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.40 Further, a study on monkeys chronically fed an HFD demonstrated that HFD-resistant monkeys exhibited increased β-klotho levels in subcutaneous fat compared with those in HFD-sensitive monkeys.41 Moreover, elevated FGF21 in circulation and its action on adipose tissue lead to the accumulation of subcutaneous fat mass during DIO.42 The increase in β-klotho in subcutaneous fat and its decrease in visceral fat suggest that FGF21 preserves insulin sensitivity via its action on subcutaneous fat.42 FGF21 also acts in an autocrine fashion in white adipose tissue to stimulate PPARγ activity.43
In conclusion, plasma FGF21 levels are higher in patients with T2DM. Plasma FGF21 is also positively correlated with ectopic fat accumulation in this disease and FGF21 signaling in visceral fat is attenuated. Thus, 'FGF21 resistance' in T2DM could be a result of a combination of two factors, specifically decreased ectopic fat tissue FGF21 sensitivity ('increased fat tissue FGF21 resistance') and increased amounts of FGF21-resistant ectopic fat tissue. However, our study was performed in relatively small numbers of Asian control and patients with T2DM. Large human studies in various ethnic backgrounds are required to generalize this concept in human metabolic diseases. Our study supports to understand the mechanisms regulating FGF21 resistance and provides clinical insights to discovery of FGF21 therapeutics.
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Contributors ESH designed the study, carried out the research, analyzed and interpreted the results, and wrote the manuscript. CL contributed to obtaining tissue samples and for study design. HYC and YKL carried out sample preparation and the laboratory work. EJK, JHM, KSP, and HCJ helped plan the study and data analysis. SHC designed the study, contributed to the clinical research (patient enrollment, sample collection, and data analysis), and reviewed the manuscript.
Funding This study is funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2018R1A5A2024425) to SHC.
Disclaimer The funder had no involvement in study design, analysis of data, writing the report, and publication.
Patient consent for publication Not required.
Ethics approval This study was approved by the local ethics committee (SNUBH IRB number B-1203/147-006, number A111218-CP02) and all subjects provided written informed consent.
Data availability statement All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.
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