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The Rise of a Jerusalem Army
On March 6, 2012 By Faithwalker
by Gary Stearman
Like the jaws of an enormous vise, a Pan-Arab force is consolidating with the single, driving obsession of erasing Israel from the face of the Earth … forever! Something new is happening in the Middle East that tempts us to say Old Testament prophecy is being fulfilled now, at the present historical moment.
However, in our Bible studies, we dare not go that far. Still, you can compare the late news from the region with Scripture and draw your own conclusions. Among other startling developments from Israel is a Hamas initiative for an army custom tailored for battle in a "holy war" against Jerusalem. Hamas, headquartered in Gaza, is at war with Israel. Its charter calls for the total destruction of both the Jews and any trace of their culture. In the years since Israel abandoned Gaza, this coastal region has become the launching pad for the thousands of rockets, set off by a variety of neighborhood terrorist groups.
Hamas now has a Prime Minister whose vitriol is daily becoming more and more shrill. He is Ismail Haniyeh, who constantly reaffirms his oath to capture Jerusalem. From the January 1st edition of Arutz Sheva, we read the following: "Hamas' Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, reiterated on Saturday that his organization will never recognize Israel and will never give up on Jerusalem …
"Haniyeh made the comments during talks in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where he several days ago met President Omar al-Bashir. The visit to Sudan is part of Haniyeh's first official regional tour since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007."
At this point, it should be noted that in this state visit, Haniyeh was cultivating a relationship with the Islamic militants of Sudan, which comprises much of the territory known in the Bible as "Cush." In the ancient world, this region also included today's Ethiopia. Of course, in the Ezekiel 38 description of Gog invading Israel, this territory forms part of the southern flank of the invading force: "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet" (Ezek. 38:5).
It has become obvious that Haniyeh is laying down lines of cooperation with the very people named as Israel's future invaders. This, of course, makes a great deal of sense in the larger prophetic picture of the coming Mideast war.
A Jerusalem Army
But when combined with a statement made by Haniyeh to the Sudanese government, it fairly leaps off the page. Arutz Sheva adds this note: "He also called for the establishment of a 'Jerusalem Army,' an army of Arab nations who will conquer Jerusalem from the Jews.
"Haniyeh's remarks were reportedly made in a forum entitled 'The Jerusalem Forum' being held in Khartoum."
It was reported that, "… during the discussions, Haniyeh's men met with senior members of the extremist Muslim Brotherhood movement. According to the report, the purpose of the meetings was to look into the possibility of having Hamas join the Muslim Brotherhood."
The "Arab Spring" of 2011, has become the Muslim Brotherhood Movement of 2012. It appear that in a short time, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and perhaps, Turkey will unite under the Brotherhood. Until now, these countries have been surprisingly disorganized. Far from unity, they displayed internecine strife. That condition is now in the process of being swiftly replaced by a powerful, goal-oriented drive to wipe out Israel, exactly as in the prophecy of Zechariah 12:
"The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it" (Zech. 12:1-3).
Here, we have a prophecy that has virtually universal acknowledgment among scholars as an account of latter-day events in Israel. In it, an army lays siege to both Judah and Jerusalem. This would include the now-contested area of East Jerusalem and Judea, including territory all the way east to the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.
It now appears that the Muslim Brotherhood is quickly coalescing into Israel's major opposition in the Middle East. It is useful to recall that the last great siege of Jerusalem was put in place by the Romans, beginning in AD 68, under the direction of Vespasian. Two years later, in AD 70, the Romans broke through and wiped out all resistance in Jerusalem. Sixty-five years later, in AD 135, Jewish opposition was ended when the forces of Simeon bar Kochba were defeated.
From that time until the present era, Jerusalem was a city of ruins and changing cultures. Now, however, with its Jewish presence, it is once again a booming and attractive location that arouses covetousness in every country on earth. It is a place to be desired, particularly by the forces of Islam.
Once again, according to Zechariah, the great city is destined to be the target of another great siege. Only this time things will end up a little differently. In the following continuation of the verses above, the Lord tells Israel what He will do to those involved in the siege:
"In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God. In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem" (Zech. 12:4-9).
Although this is a well-known prophecy, there is a point in the above text that should not be overlooked. It is the word, "governors" which is a translation of the Hebrew, eluf, meaning "brigadier." In today's Israel Defense Force [IDF], the term denotes a brigadier general. Once we know this, it is easy to say that these "governors" are the leaders of the modern IDF.
Zechariah's prophecy, then, is speaking of a situation that exists in today's Israel. Some have said that the current Islamic Brotherhood's call for a "Jerusalem Army" could fulfill Zechariah's scenario.
Notice also the telltale phrase, "in that day." Usually, when these words appear in the prophecies of the Old Testament, they refer to the Tribulation, or Day of the Lord. One of many good examples that illuminate this idea can be found in Ezekiel 38:19:
"For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel." Of course, the setting of this statement is the attack of Gog on Israel at the beginning of the Tribulation. Both here and in Ezekiel's account, the Israeli forces are shown to be victorious over the invading forces.
In Luke 21, there is the account of the siege of Jerusalem, which many interpret as having occurred in the period just prior to the Roman assault of AD 70. It is said that many faithful early Christians heeded these words, and when Vespasian temporarily lifted his final siege, they fled to the territories northeast, in the Decapolis region.
"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" (Lk. 21:20-22).
Thousands of lives were saved when the Jews escaped in a first-century exodus from Jerusalem. However, it must be said that Luke's quotation of Jesus' words are also given in Matthew's version of the Olivet Discourse, where they are obviously meant to apply also to the horrific days of the Great Tribulation.
So a past prophecy becomes a future prophecy. As they were once saved from the Romans, they will be saved from a future army. In any case, prophecy tells Israel that they should be on the lookout for the forces surrounding Israel, regarding them as a sign of things soon to come.
The Consolidation of the Brotherhood
The phenomenal rise of the Islamic Brotherhood is viewed by many Western experts as an encouraging development. They see the possibility of democratic governments springing up in various regimes throughout the Middle East.
But the true analysis of this trend is gloomily realistic. The Israeli government's position was recently laid out in blunt language. In the Israel Today magazine of January 3rd, we find the Jewish view:
"In the West, the 'Arab Spring' has been hailed as the rise of democracy and personal freedom in the Arab Middle East. But in reality, the Arab Spring has given rise to the kind of Islamist forces that seized power in Iran's ostensibly pro-democracy movement in 1979."
Israel's deputy prime minister and former army chief, Moshe Ya'alon, told reporters last month that the problem is Western powers instinctively promote and support pro-democracy movement as though elections alone will give birth to democratic freedoms.
"'We believe you cannot reach democracy by elections,' said Ya'alon. 'We believe it is a long process that should start with education.'"
"Ya'alon pointed out that it took Europe hundreds of years to fully develop real democracy. But for some reason, the West believes that the Arab world will transition from totalitarianism to that same real democracy overnight.
"As evidence that this is simply the wrong approach, Middle East expert Dr. Mordechai Kedar of Bar-Ilan University told Israel National News that it is precisely this ill-advised rush to elections that has now given rise to Islamists across the region.
"What was once a problem confined to Iran has now spread to Lebanon with the rise to power of Hizbollah, to the Palestinian-controlled territories with the landslide electoral victory of Hamas in 2006 and to Egypt with the Muslim Brotherhood's current success at the polls."
Israel is acutely aware of the growing power that surrounds them. Its viselike grip is increasing from every point of the compass. From the military perspective, it almost looks like they're defeated already. God's perspective is the only thing that gives them hope.
"Gather Yourselves Together"
There is an often-cited prophecy in the little book of Zephaniah that lends some perspective to Israel's current situation.
In the context of the Tribulation, the prophet urges Israel to become spiritually aware, and to conduct itself in faith. After an initial series of warnings about coming global judgment, it issues specific direction to an Israel described as a "nation not desired:"
"Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD's anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger" (Zeph. 2:1-3).
The prophet's cry is to a nation under siege. Here, Zephaniah urges Israel to unify itself (pull itself together) and begin to act in faith before the prophesied events of the judgment come to pass. Today's Israel – the product of many Jewish cultures gathered from all over the world – is far from unified about how to react under enemy attack. Its Knesset has a mix of secular, liberal and Orthodox Jews … even Arabs!
That attack seems imminent. In the verses that come after the introduction above, Zephaniah mentions Gaza to the west, Moab and Ammon to the east, Ethiopia to the south and Assyria to the north. They invade Israel from the four points of the compass and are, in turn, destroyed. By the time these assaults come, the church will most probably have been removed from the Earth, hidden in heaven until the time comes to return with Christ to receive the Kingdom of David.
But in the midst of the Tribulation, Israel will be hidden, too. The Lord will take His people to a place of hiding. Given today's situation in the Holy Land, it appears that Prime Minister Haniyeh of Gaza should heed the Lord's words. Judgment will come first to his regime. Remember the prophecy of Zephaniah:
"For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant" (Zeph. 2:4, 5).
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One thought on "The Rise of a Jerusalem Army"
Mary Bricker-Stuart
Wonderful awesome article!! Praise Jesus! Praise Jesus!


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Cobhams Asuquo; He May be Blind, But He's Got It Going!!!
Jennifer Nkem-Eneanya
As a child, I watched Stevie Wonder play his piano, and sing his soulful music, and I was genuinely perplexed. 'How can he do this if he is as blind as they say?' I wondered to myself. Perhaps he opens his eyes behind his very dark shades, and then shuts them again to make us think he is something special!!! Hilarious right? Of course Stevie Wonder is blind, but while he chose to keep his sightless eyes behind his dark shades, Cobhams Asuquo has no such qualms; born blind, the award winning music producer, songwriter and musician is putting his prodigious talent to awesome use, producing and writing for Nigeria's top musicians like Asa and Darey, nurturing fresh musical talent and expanding the African music scene. Truth is, every Nigerian musician would like some Cobham flavour infused in their mix!
Born in 1981 to a military family of six children, raised in the downside of a military barracks, Cobhams never knew sight, so he never missed it. He was encouraged to be independent by his very patient mother who won the celebrity edition of SuperMom, a reality TV Show centered on Mothers and the sacrifices they undergo to build their homes.
Moving on, Cobhams talent and love for music was palpable from early childhood. As a young teenager, he organised 'concerts' in his neighbourhood, while employing his mother's water barrels as drums. In another place and another time, Cobhams would have been enrolled in a music class, but he wasn't, and yet!
Popular opinion in Nigeria in the 90's didn't give room for too much experimenting, especially with recourse to tertiary education. It had to be a 'professional' course or nothing, and so Cobhams was shipped off to study Law in the University, which is amazing in itself because, [I stand to be corrected] how many Universities can provide Law texts in braille? And I never met a blind lawyer either.
Anyways, so persuaded was our Superstar, so passionate was he about making music that he, wait for it…dropped out of school!!! Oh yes he did!!! The truly great ones seem to have no use for structured tertiary schooling!!! [Big chuckle]
Of his foray into the music industry, bereft of his mother's barrels, Cobhams recalls; "(I had to) sleep on studio floors all across Lagos, worked at different studios, worked without pay, I've been out on the road, out on the streets, doing my thing. I had to convince people that I could do it — I had sessions that were cancelled because they weren't sure I could deliver either because they thought I was too young or maybe as a blind person, 'how do we trust our music which is our future and investment?"
His persistence and passion paid off, and in 2005, Cobhams signed on with Sony ATV London as a songwriter, moved on from his job as Head of Audio Productions at a local label, Questionmark Entertainment, and set up his own recording facility in 2006, Cobhams Asuquo Music Productions [CAMP], an all-encompassing entertainment company that discovers, nurtures and exposes great talents.
Many successes, awards and years later, Cobhams stands tall on the African music scene. So tall that the World Economic Forum awarded him 'Young Global Leader' in 2013. So tall that CNN interviews him, and he is sought after as a Speaker in high and lofty gatherings like the TEDxEuston conferences. I watched him speak [on Youtube] and it was phenomenal!
Cobhams was married in 2010 to a former classmate of mine, Yetunde Olukanni and the union has been blessed with a son.
Cobhams stated in a CNN interview, "Being blind has played an integral role in forming who I am and I think to some extent is responsible for my optimism; When you feel there's nothing more to lose — if you want to work towards anything, you probably will want to work towards gaining and I think that's what being blind has done for me."
Cobhams says he is a dreamer; he is not incapacitated or inferior because of his blindness; and he has a swell sense of humour too!
So is he saying that his blindness is a gift? What?!
Have a great week ahead, let those talents shine!!!
http://jennyuncensored.wordpress.com
5 Things You Didn't Know About Jennifer in 2015: 1. Her newest collection of short stories, 'The Curious Case of the Small Pikin & Other Stories' is available on okadabooks.com 2. She ported from Blogger to WordPress and shares her uncensored thoughts on jennyuncensored.wordpress.com 3. She is an aspiring Filmmaker & Talk-show Host[ess] 4. She's a mother of two, wife of one and daughter of God. 5. She plans to travel around the world in less than 80 days... Now you Know! Find me on Twitter: @jennynkem
The UBA Story As A Metaphor For African Unity – Tony Elumelu

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


you stored up water in the lower pool.
you did not depend on 6 the one who formed it long ago!
5 tn The antecedent of the third feminine singular suffix here and in the next line is unclear. The closest feminine noun is "pool" in the first half of the verse. Perhaps this "old pool" symbolizes the entire city, which had prospered because of God's provision and protection through the years.


This past weekend we had Monday off, so we decided to take a little family trip. Last year, we went to Milwaukee to visit the art museum. This year, we went to Wisconsin to visit The House On The Rock. If you haven't been here, I strongly suggest that you make it a destination. We spent three hours inside on Saturday exploring, it was so awesome.
There is so much to see here. The "house" itself is a really fun architectural piece (sorry I forgot to take photos there!) and there's a room called the "Infinity Room" which is a long hallway with glass windows out both sides that juts out from the house over the valley... far...far...below. I made it about 2/3 of the way out before having to turn back.
But the most time is spent in the "collections" areas. There is a HUGE amount of stuff. Some of it is real antiques, but some of it is newer or re-assembled and re-imagined from other things. Like the music machines that play. A couple of photos down you can see a photo of what looks like a tiny orchestra. It was actually full sized mannequins positioned in front of mechanical "instruments" that played a song when you put a token into the machine. Kind of amazing.
I know I won't do the story behind The House On The Rock justice... so read here for more info.
Even the bathrooms had stuff in them. Collections. See? Too bad I couldn't see the taxidermy Todd told me about in the men's room.
One of the things I found most fascinating about the collections were the creepiness of most of it. Circuses, dolls, armor, weapons... everything has a very steampunk/old fashioned/haunted house feel to it.
I saved two of my most awesome favorite things for last. One is this old hearse that looks all goth. The second is a sculpture from Alex Jordan's "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" series. If it's hard to tell, it's a skeleton riding a skeleton horse. Yep. Awesome.
After we left this place, I felt pretty inspired artistically. Have you ever been anywhere that makes you feel inspired? Tell me about it!
i've been to the house on the rock! i thought the house itself was really awesome! and i had never heard of this place when we went, so i was pleasantly surprised of all the collections, it just kept going and going and going! there is so much! awesome destination!
Yeah I'm kind of surprised that there's such a lack of advertising about it, but amongst those who know or have been there, everyone seems to think it's awesome!


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Q: Principal directions from a set of vectors I have M 3D vectors, all with origin (0,0,0). They all have different directions and lengths.
How can I find the N principal directions? By principal directions I mean the vectors with biggest length, but also different orientations.
I found that calculating the eigenvectors I can get the 3 first directions, but I can't get more.
Any ideas?
Thanks

A: I guess you are doing principle component analysis of these M 3D vectors,
since you are doing the Eigen-Decomposition of their Covariance matrix, which is a symmetric matrix, the eigen vectors are orthogonal to each others,
And you can only find at most 3 nonzero distinct vectors that is orthogonal to each other in a 3D space.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Mantova, between history, culture and nature
During this season it's pleasant to do excursions in one of the wonderful Italian towns rich in history or diving into the nature that surrounds them…
Mantova is the combination of both things: a town with a historic center which is a real jewel, then it's in turn surrounded by the nature of the Mincio Park… So it's the ideal destination for a trip that satisfies everyone!
In ancient times the first inhabitants of the town were Etruscans to which followed before the Celts and then the Romans. Romans began the first works of fortification; this is the period that the poet Virgil Publius Marone, known simply as Virgilio, was born in Mantova.
There are a lot of monuments and places that enchant visitors walking in the streets of the historical center…Palazzo Te, Basilica of Saint Andrea, Palazzo Ducale, the Cathedral of Saint Peter…. in 2008, UNESCO has placed the entire city on the World Heritage Sites List!
There are also many other historical buildings to admire, from the characteristic Casa del Mercante of the XV century, the Podesta Palace also called "Palazzo del Broletto" dating back to 1227, the Clock Tower erected in 1472, the Podestà's Tower that is part of the Podesta Palace…. and we stop here, not because the others aren't important but only because otherwise we'd finish to transform this article in a simple list…
Furthermore in 2016, Mantova has received by Italian Government, the title of "Italian Capital of Culture" a well-deserved honor! You can check with a simple visit to the beautifully frescoed rooms of Palazzo Te or the architectural complex of the Palazzo Ducale which for extension of roofs is second in Europe only to the Vatican.
It is very pleasant to sit in one of the characteristic coffee bars and restaurants in the center surrounded by these buildings … a mix of history and culture…. as the artist Andrea Mantegna's house or Rigoletto's house. Rigoletto is the famous character about which Giuseppe Verdi told his history with the homonymous opera.
Mantova has a third component that makes it really special: the nature that surrounds its fascinating historical center. A series of lakes formed by waters of Mincio River: Upper Lake, Lake half, Lower Lake and Vallazza. They protect Mantova with a hug. You can admire them, by a tour with one of the boats that depart from the small pier located near the impressive San Giorgio Castle.
T H E V I D E O S
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Tagged holiday, Holidays, Italy, Mantova, tour, tourism, tourists, tours, travel, traveler, travelers, traveling, traveller, travellers, travelling, travels, Unesco, UNESCO World Heritage Sites List, vacation, Vacations, wander, wanderer, wandering, wanderlust
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America's strangest restaurants
Going to eat at a restaurant is quite nice, as you don't have to cook, wash the dishes and worry about entertaining your dinner companion(s) with music,
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today The Golden Scope back in Africa and more precisely in a country very little known: Uganda. It's located in the interior of East Africa and it
Malindi: where to go for an authentic experience
Have you always wanted to go to Africa and experience a real adventure? If so, then you should have a read at this article.
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WeWorking Hard To Make Sure WeRich. WeWork Co-Founder Adam Neumann Got The Ball Rolling On SPAC IPO With One Phone Call.
When an ousted CEO gets on a Zoom call with the owner of a National Basketball Association team, anything can happen.
It turns out Adam Neumann helped his former company, WeWork, into what could be billions in profits because Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, the head of a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called BowX, green-lighted a deal.
That interaction last November led to SoftBank Group's $9 billion deal to take WeWork public.
Neumann, who co-founded WeWork in 2010 before being ousted in September 2019, had been fighting a legal battle with SoftBank over a $3 billion deal for a portion of his and other investors' stake in the shared-workspace company.
The Zoom call, according to sources in a Reuters report, preceded discussions Ranadive had with WeWork.
Neumann promoted WeWork's credentials during the call, raising Ranadive's interest, the sources said, but had nothing to do with the SPAC deal after that.
Ranadive and his team began discussions with WeWork in December.
And Ranadive's SPAC was the only one willing to target WeWork, after raising $420 million in an IPO in August.
The deal announced on Friday helps out SoftBank, which put $18.5 billion into WeWork since 2017.
The pandemic caused WeWork fortunes to drift south, given the shift to remote work due to the outbreak. WeWork runs 800 shared work spaces across 152 cities.
SoftBank reached a settlement with Neumann and other investors in February to pay out about half of its original commitment, according to Reuters.
Neumann will be fine, as well. He has about a 10% stake in WeWork, worth around $790 million.
BowX shares were up 20% following the merger's announcement Friday.
Ranadive and BowX's senior team will receive WeWork shares worth almost $90 million after investing $11.7 million of their own money.
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For his new solo exhibition, Thibaud Tchertchian interpreted landscape into the expressionist topic. The pre-war movement is still alive for him which influents not only the American school but also the imagery of contemporary cinema especially horror movies. "Degenerate" is a continuation of his previous exhibition "blackwhite" and analyzes the mechanic of the controversy as an expression of personalities committed through classical subjects such as landscapes.
Thibaud Tchertchian (1983) is a french artist from parisian suburb. He started to paint with a spray can in 2000 with the fatsk crew and through out Europe with Dks Mts Vmd Oneup writers. He continued to find his way of painting on canvas. He finally synthesized the academic art and the street art with the black spray can that he sprays directly on the white canvas, which allows him to paint with spontaneity and intensity. By erasing colours, he studies lines, gestures, and aesthetic qualities inherited from graffiti, working his way toward a form of expressionism. The white canvas provides a virginal, neutral, and industrially impeccable backdrop, on which a line of black paint is «spit». This rough line suggests an ample and physical gesture that uncovers a form of figuration borrowed from an abstract aesthetic. This «spit paint» technique is the result of a long technical study of the handling of the spray can. This technique enables the artist to change the instrument's primary function, what it produces and what it signifies on the canvas. Thus the artist draws forth paintings that are at the same time sober and romantic, and which thoroughly detail a generations lag. In 2014, he decided to stay in Bangkok.
"Some painters visit a country foreign to them and paint what the locals want to see. Others paint what they actually see and want to show." written by Julie Camdessus for L'Officiel magazine Thaïland.
RSVP for นิทรรศการ "Degenerate" to add comments!


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The consequences of poverty are far-reaching and long-lasting, including child deaths, lack of access to education and food insecurity, all of which can be caused by poverty and in turn can perpetuate it.
LEFT: Streetscapes of Jaipur, India, May 2013. RIGHT: A garbage tip, where people live, in South Delhi, India.
Poverty is responsible for the deaths of more than six million children before their fifth birthdays, and a child under 15 dies every five seconds around the world. Poverty contributes to a lack of access to healthcare and immunisations, as well as to proper nutrition, leaving children vulnerable to mostly preventable illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria. Malnutrition is responsible for 45 percent of all deaths in children aged under five.
The situation is improving, and the number of deaths has fallen. In the late 1960s, 20 million children under the age of five died every year. In 1990 it was 12 million. However, almost 805 million people in the world – one in nine – don't have enough access to food.
Drought, a lack of money, low productivity and poor health and limited education among farmers all contribute to food insecurity. A natural disaster or conflict, like the current situation facing Rohingya people who fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh, can further exacerbate an inability to access food, and families living in poverty are less able to make up the shortfall when markets change dramatically.
World Vision addresses both the short-term and long-term causes of hunger and food insecurity in many countries around the world, by teaching farmers how to nurture their land, prevent soil degradation and increase sustainability and productivity. We also provide farmers with new varieties of seed that are both more productive and nutritious, and training in improved agricultural techniques.
When food is assured and children don't have to contribute to providing food, water and firewood to a household, they can focus on the education that will help lift them and their own children out of poverty.
Educated mothers, for example, are better informed about healthcare and appropriate nutrition, and raise healthier children. Education also results in higher wages and economic growth, with each additional year of schooling equating to a 10 percent increase in wages.
Poverty and its effects
child mortality rate
Malnutrition is responsible for 45 percent of all deaths in children aged under five
Almost 805 million people in the world – one in nine – don't have access to enough food
living cost per day
People living in extreme poverty live on less than $1.90 a day
What is World Vision doing?
Education supports the growth of civil society, democracy and political stability, allowing people to learn about their rights and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to exercise them.
Once educated, opening up economic opportunities for people living in poverty is a fundamental step in helping them transform their lives. By identifying the ways incomes can be improved, communities can begin the process of wealth creation – an integral part of reducing poverty.
Higher incomes give children better opportunities to access education and healthcare, ensuring the cycle of poverty is broken.
World Vision works with communities by providing small loans to create and expand businesses, and help improve access to local and international markets. We also establish community savings groups and provide education and training to foster entrepreneurship.
World Vision also supports proven, cost-effective solutions that improve children's health: immunisation, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, exclusive breastfeeding, oral rehydration to prevent death from diarrhoea, more skilled birth attendants, nutrition programs, and access to programs to learn improved hygiene practices.
children worldwide
The number of children who have received short-term and long-term assistance
Break the cycle of poverty You can help children live life in all its fullness.
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There is a tomorrow, but, yes, I'm putting more on my blog about my discoveries than before.
No surprise here, but according to The Washington Post, there is a huge underground world to our/my/the US government.
It is so big that these government agencies are out of sync. Information is not shared between agencies and there is lots of overlap in the intel gathered.
And in overlap there is waste.
As you can read in a previous post, I am very against government waste. I'm not paying taxes other than sales/consumption taxes right now, but I will be in the future. I don't want to see waste.
You can read more about this from the link above, and come back after you're done.
I propose a plan to reduce and eventually eliminate waste coming from these sources.
Step #1: create a central server that all governments (non-US) and agencies can access, containing intel gathered about possible terrorist attacks and allowing the submission of intel relating to possible terrorist attacks.
Step #2: make a website [public beta] posting all general data (being expected date and location, weapon type[s]) of possible terrorist attacks, accessible by anyone with an internet connection. Allow connection with social media to raise public awareness of potential events.
Step #3: develop and deploy algorithms assessing threat of attacks based on intel. Things that should make events rank higher or more "critical"; # of potential casualties/target size/target type, intel that states an attack may happen on or close to a specific date/holiday like Christmas or national holidays like various countries' Independence Days, executer and affiliated organization (is the executer part of a major terrorist organization or even a higher-up in one?) etc.
Step #4: take public website out of beta and use algorithms of step #3 to organize data. Further organize data by HTML5 location detection. i.e. If user is detected to be accessing website from Frankfurt, Germany, relevant information relating to potential terrorist attacks in Germany is put on top of website and furthermore those relating to Frankfurt are prioritized.
With the first step waste is reduced to improve inter-agency cooperation and synchronization.
The second step raises public awareness.
The third filters threats and organizes them, boosting productivity.
The fourth takes the second step further and optimizes public awareness.
The power is with the people. The government can't stop everything. Empower the people, and prevent attacks.
^ That paragraph just used 3 blacklisted phrases.
And this blog post, and this whole blog maybe, is going to end up in the pile of intel of "beginning terrorists". Oh well.


text:
Commentary OpinionREAL AMERICA
Thank God? It's about time
Exclusive: Patrice Lewis applauds Trump's expression of heartfelt gratitude to Christ
By Patrice Lewis
As you read this, Thanksgiving has come and gone and people are back about their business. But this Thanksgiving represented a huge shift in national attitude of gratitude. For the first time in nearly a decade, our nation's top leader gave thanks where thanks were due.
And what a rare thing it is for God to be brought forth so prominently by a government official.
Thanksgiving, as you know, is the one time of year we are legally permitted to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy in this country. Oddly, what is no longer specified (or even permitted) in many cases is exactly to whom those thanks should be directed. It's all become rather vague. Whom (or what) are we thanking?
Those folks who actually have to ask this question (the rest of us are sure) give mixed answers. Some say we should give thanks to "the universe." Some say we should give thanks to our inner selves. Then there's always the cosmic consciousness or the solar logos. And let's not forget Gaia. Me, I think they should thank the turkey. Sure, the turkey. At least he gave his life so that they may eat, right? (Vegans should insert kale or tofu here.)
Public schools have become clever at leading the way into this new and nebulous form of celebration. The original story of the Pilgrims commemorating a bountiful harvest is being made over to purge it of any offensive references to the Deity. "We teach about Thanksgiving from a purely historical perspective, not from a religious perspective," Charles Ridgell, a St. Mary's County (Maryland) Public Schools curriculum and instruction director, said in 2004.
Sandra Grulich, the school's curriculum coordinator, added, "We don't focus on religion, because it is not a part of our curriculum."
Of course it isn't. To hear educrats talk, it's pretty obvious that religion had no benign influence whatever on any human being at any time in world history. Ever. After all, it's well known that the Pilgrims came to the New World on a lark. Just for fun. What the heck, honey, I'm bored – let's leave our secure homes and all our beloved friends and relatives, and go starve and die of cold or disease in an unknown land. Why not?
Learn how to achieve a simple lifestyle without "going green" or joining a monastery. Read Patrice Lewis' helpful book, "The Simplicity Primer: 365 Ideas for Making Life more Livable"
Thanks to the humanistic revisionism of the first Thanksgiving, school textbooks discuss at great length the diversity of attendees (Europeans and Native Americans), the harvest, the food, the weather and the sports. They discuss everything, in fact, except why these deeply religious people proclaimed a general thanksgiving to begin with.
But schools aren't alone. The verbal gymnastics necessary to exclude all mention of God in popular culture can get pretty wacky. In an effort to purge references to a Supreme Being who might be at least partially responsible for our blessings, the holiday has now descended to jokes about turkeys running from hatchets or the weight we'll gain.
Which is why it was nothing short of shocking to hear Trump give thanks to God. Unlike Obama – who danced coyly around the troublesome issue of Deity – Trump got right down to business in his first line: "On Thanksgiving Day, as we have for nearly four centuries, Americans give thanks to Almighty God for our abundant blessings." What a concept.
"Trump invoked God six times in his first proclamation," reported Joseph Farah, "emphasizing an American tradition whose inspiration comes from the Bible. … By contrast, Obama's eight annual separate proclamations during his years in office referenced God a total of five times, excluding quotes he referenced from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln."
America is still one of the most sought-after nations on the planet in which to live. The godly blessings in our country – guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights – have allowed us to flourish with freedoms that astound the rest of the world. Untold millions of immigrants seek to reach our shores to set up new lives of freedom and opportunity, including my three foreign-born sisters-in-law, both sets of my grandparents and endless friends.
But some liberals, sometimes even those whose ancestors arrived with the Mayflower, don't believe that opportunity is enough. Those progressives don't want equality of opportunity. They want equality of outcome. They believe the Founding Fathers were misguided and their work should be rewritten along collectivist and atheist guidelines. America as founded was all a great big mistake, especially that silly religious stuff.
Those who celebrate Thanksgiving without God often pause before their meal to give "secular" thanks. "While secular grace addresses no deity and involves no spirituality, those who say it say it still fulfills a need," notes Kimberly Winston in Religious News.
A need for what?
Atheists immediately state they're filling that God-shaped hole in their hearts by giving thanks to the people around them, the community that supports them and, yes, the turkey that feeds them. (I guess it's the best they can do.)
Atheists use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to reflect upon and appreciate the gift of life, wonder, family, etc., "without believing that these gifts require some all-powerful, invisible force to bestow them upon us." Those of us who rely upon the Deity apparently "lack the intellectual ability, the moral imagination, the cognitive courage to accept that one can be thankful for the wondrous gifts and challenges life provides, without also believing that there must be some invisible force doing the providing and giving."
Then they give the obligatory reminder of how much religion has declined in the last few decades – which is why it's such a daring and wonderful thing for America's president to boldly and proudly thank God.
So for the head of the house when he (or zhe) stands up at the table before everyone partakes of holiday feasting, I humbly suggest the following prayer:
"We thank you, O Turkey, for our blessings. May your flesh feed our inner universe and nurture the cosmic consciousness within us. May we grow in non-specific, non-gendered spiritual understanding as we strive to become more diversified and inclusive of everyone except the right-wing religious whack-job nut-cases. As our life energy waits for the harmonic convergence, may we endeavor to tread lightly on Gaia in the future by going vegan. Now please pass the kale."
Patrice Lewis is a freelance writer whose latest book is "The Simplicity Primer: 365 Ideas for Making Life more Livable." She is co-founder (with her husband) of a home woodcraft business. The Lewises live on 20 acres in north Idaho with their two homeschooled children, assorted livestock, and a shop that overflows into the house with depressing regularity. Visit her blog at www.rural-revolution.com.
The left's vindictiveness: From erasing truth to criminalizing it
Mourning in America
When smart technology becomes stupid … and invasive
Christmas is a message of feminist empowerment?
Will America split in half?


I was only in London for 4 days …. but after I tasted my first Snowflake Gelato on day 1 at Selfridges …. I paid a visit to their counter at least once a day….. everyday until I left. They were the perfect way to deal with the heat. I am in love with their Double Chocolate Sorbeto!!! The Mango, Pear, or Watermelon Sorbetos are also amazing. I really need to start a petition to get them to open up to Scotland asap. Maybe for the Edinburgh Festival?
5* Fifi Friendly dairy free product!!! #inlove #doyoudeliver?


text:
80% shortfall of medical specialists in villages: Government, Health News, ET HealthWorld
New Delhi: There is an 80 per cent shortfall of specialists at community health centres (CHCs) in India. This includes surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians and paediatricians.
Community health centres are an important pillar of the primary health care infrastructure that serves as referral centres for primary health centres (PHCs). It has 30 in-door beds with one OT, X-ray, labour room and laboratory facilities.
As per minimum norms, a CHC is required to be manned by four medical specialists i.e. surgeon, physician, obstetrician/gynaecologist and paediatrician.
As on March 31, 2022, the Rural Health Statistics 2021-22 released by the government shows, there are 6,064 CHCs – 5,480 in rural areas and 584 in urban areas – functional in the country. Though the number of specialist doctors at CHCs have increased from 3,550 in 2005 to 4,485 in 2022, the document reveals, there remains a shortfall of 83 per cent of surgeons, 74 per cent of obstetricians and gynaecologists, 79 per cent of physicians and 82 per cent of paediatricians.
"Overall, there is a shortfall of 79.5 per cent specialists at CHCs as compared to the requirement for existing CHCs," it states.
The PHCs are the first contact point between the village community and the medical officer. According to the Rural Health Statistics 2021-22 report, manpower in PHC includes a medical officer supported by paramedical and other staff. In the case of PHC, for health assistants (male + female), the shortfall is 74.2 per cent , the report says.
"For allopathic doctors at PHC, there is a shortfall of 3.1 per cent of the total requirement at all India levels. This is again mainly due to a significant shortfall of doctors at PHCs in the States of Odisha (298), Chhattisgarh (279) and Karnataka (60). Apart from allopathic doctors, there are 8,473 Ayush doctors available at PHCs," it adds.
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text:
In the prostatic epithelium, dietary isoflavones from red clover significantly increase estrogen receptor β and E-cadherin expression but decrease transforming growth factor β1
M Slater1,
D Brown2 &
A Husband2,3
Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 5, pages16–21(2002)Cite this article
In mice fed a diet supplemented with red clover isoflavones the prostatic epithelium displays a significant increase in the production of estrogen receptor β and the adhesion protein E-cadherin but a decrease in transforming growth factor β1. These proteins are estrogenically-induced markers of proliferation, maintenance of histological architecture, preservation of cell phenotype and reduction of the potential for neoplastic and metastatic transformation. This study suggests that red clover isoflavones represent a non-toxic dietary treatment for prostatic hyperplasia and a reduction in the potential for neoplastic transformation.
Both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer are processes of excessive and uncontrolled growth.1 BPH is a very common condition in middle aged men and has also been observed in mature rats.2,3 BPH is currently thought not to be a precursor of prostate cancer, but the two conditions are often found together. In the Western world, the incidence of prostate cancer is increasing at an alarming rate, having more than doubled in the past 5 y. In Australia, prostate cancer has overtaken lung cancer as the biggest cancer killer of men4 with 4150 new cases and 817 deaths (1995 data) in NSW alone. This disease is characterised by a striking racial variation. It is most prevalent in African-Americans, intermediate in Caucasians, slightly lower in Latinos and has the lowest incidence in Asians. For instance, in the West the annual incidence of prostate cancer is 91.2 per 100 000 people (age standardised) but in China it is only 1.8 per 100 000.5 United Nations data from 59 countries have shown that diet, not racial predisposition, is the primary influencing factor. Western-style diets contain increased fat, low calcium and vitamin D which contribute to the induction of epithelial cell hyperproliferation.6 Asian diets however, contain a high proportion of legumes which confer health benefits including a lower incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease.4,7,8,9 The reason for this is thought to be that legumes are a rich source of the isoflavonic phytoestrogens: daidzein, genistein, formononetin and biochanin and produce bioactive metabolites such as equol. Isoflavones inhibit cellular proliferation, protect against reactive oxygen species and loss of cell adhesion in a variety of prostate carcinoma cell lines.10,11 These compounds are converted by intestinal bacteria into weakly estrogenic diphenols which act as weak estrogens, influencing androgen and estrogen production, altering metabolism, protein synthesis and growth factor expression. They also retard some of the most important characteristics of cancer cell function including proliferation, de-differentiation, loss of cell adhesion, tumour angiogenesis, apoptosis and metastatic invasion.4,12
Hormone-related cancers, namely breast, endometrium, ovary, prostate, testis, thyroid and osteosarcoma, share a unique mechanism of carcinogenesis. Endogenous and exogenous hormones drive cell proliferation, and therefore the opportunity for the accumulation of random genetic errors.13 While the androgen-dependence of the prostate gland has long been accepted, the participation of estrogen in BPH has only recently been recognised. Early hyperplasia is particularly sensitive to estrogenic stimulation.14 In the castrated dog, estradiol also causes marked dose-dependent hyperplasia of the prostate.15
Estrogens exert their actions via specific nuclear receptors that are members of the steroid/thyroid receptor superfamily of transcription factors.16 After ligand binding, these receptors become transcriptionally active in the nucleus.17 Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is not expressed anywhere in the prostate.18 Instead, in normal human and rat prostate epithelial cells, estrogenic action is signalled exclusively by ERβ which regulates growth-inhibition.19 The ERα and ERβ receptor subtypes are regulated by separate mechanisms and have distinct biological roles.20 Based on this information, it would seem logical to use exogenous estrogen as a treatment for BPH and prostate cancer. The use of synthetic estrogen (DES) in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer was pioneered by Charles Huggins in the early 1940s.21 Recent investigations have demonstrated that DES exerts growth-inhibitory effects on prostatic cancer cells via mitotic arrest or apoptosis.22 Unfortunately, because of serious side effects such as feminisation, exacerbation of heart failure, vascular complications, gynecomastia and impotence, this treatment has lost favour.23
Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) is a potent inhibitor of proliferation and is expressed as a response to the excessive growth that is characteristic of both BPH and prostate cancer.24,25,26 It is found in the hyperplasic basal prostatic epithelium of middle aged men and is also increased in prostate cancer.27,28 Estrogen receptor-mediated mechanisms are known to regulate both TGFα and TGFβ1 expression.29 Androgens also regulate TGFβ1 expression. Estrogen (and phytoestrogens) are also thought to cause an 'anti-androgenic effect' which reduces TGFβ1 expression.25,26,30
E-cadherin is a calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule that plays a crucial role in maintaining tissue architecture. This protein anchors cells to their surrounding extracellular matrix by expressing immediately adjacent to the plasma membrane.31 E-cadherin is known to be a suppressor of de-differentiation, neoplastic change,32,33 phenotypic transformation and tumour progression.34 In both prostate cancer and transitional cell neoplasia of the urinary bladder, loss of E-cadherin has also been associated with invasion and metastasis.35,36 Estrogen modulates E-cadherin levels in vivo and may promote breast, uterine and ovarian cancer by down-regulating E-cadherin levels in these tissues.37
This study tests the hypothesis that isoflavones have a similar anti-proliferative and anti-cancer activity to that of estrogen, but without the undesirable side effects. Three hormonally-modulated proteins that play a role in both BPH and cancer, ERβ, TGFβ1 and E-cadherin, were selected as markers for this study.
Fifteen male Wistar rats approximately 12 weeks of age were divided at random into three groups of five. The animals were housed in plastic cages under a controlled 12 h:12 h light:dark cycle and given food and tap water ad libitum. The first group was fed a diet containing 5% of a proprietary red clover isoflavone extract (Novogen Ltd) red clover, providing a rich source of all four important dietary isoflavones, namely formononetin biochanin, genistein and daidzein. The second group was fed a diet containing no isoflavones (by exclusion of soya and alfalfa from the diet formulation), while the third was fed a diet of normal rat pellets.
At the end of 14 months, the animals were killed with an intraperitoneal injection of 0.3 ml sodium pentabarbitone (Nembutal, Boehringer, Ingelheim, Germany). Approved ethical guidelines were followed. The entire prostate was removed in each case, cut in half and placed in 4% paraformaldehyde for 6 h. At the end of this period the specimens were washed in buffer, dehydrated, cleared in xylene, infiltrated in paraffin wax at 58°C and embedded. The entire cross-sectional area of each embedded prostate was sectioned at a thickness of 7–10 µm and placed on 'Superfrost plus' microscope slides (Selby, Sydney, Australia).
Table 1 Redclover diet (Isoflavones constitute 1.26% of the diet)
Phytoestrogen-free diet
No isoflavones.
Each block representing one half of the prostate from each rat was sectioned twice, at different depths. The first series of sections were taken near the surface of one paraffin block and the second series approximately 10 sections (100 µm) into the block. Ten acini were selected at random from sections taken from each series. This process was repeated with the other block, resulting in a total of 40 determinations of labelling intensity per rat. As there were five rats in each group ('n'), this equalled (40 determinations per rat multiplied by five rats) 200 determinations per treatment group. The acini to be photographed were chosen at random from those present on the slides, which averaged 249±90 acini per slide. Random selection was carried out as follows: using the 10× objective, the acinus nearest to the center of the each field of view (FOV) was identified and then photographed using the 25× objective. Replacing the 10× objective, the stage was moved one entire FOV in the X-axis and the procedure repeated. At the lateral margins of the tissue section, the stage was moved one FOV in the Y-axis and then moved in the opposite direction along the X-axis, repeating the procedure. This process was continued in a chequerboard pattern until 10 acini had been photographed. This system ensured coverage of most of the section on each slide.
The sections were de-waxed in two changes of fresh Histoclear for 10 min each and then rehydrated. Antigen retrieval was achieved by a 30 min incubation in Target Retrieval Solution, DAKO (DAKO, Carpenteria, CA, USA), at 95°C in a 2 l beaker using metal slide racks. The slides were allowed to cool to room temperature by placing the 2 l beaker in a water bath at room temperature. To block non-specific binding, the sections were incubated for 5 min in 1% hydrogen peroxide in 1% bovine serum albumin in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and washed in PBS for 3×5 min. They were then incubated with 5% horse serum for 5 min. At this stage they were not washed. Instead the horse serum was drained off and replaced by the primary antibody.
The slides were then immunolabelled using an avidin-HRP-tyramide amplification protocol using a TSA-indirect tyramide signal amplification kit (NEN Life Science, Boston, MA, USA). Sections from each of the five blocks from each treatment group were incubated with the following antibodies respectively: chicken anti-human TGFβ1, (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA), mouse anti-human E-cadherin (Zymed Laboratories, San Fransisco, CA, UAS), and rabbit anti-human estrogen receptor β (Affinity Bioreagents, Golden, CO, USA). Each antibody was used at a concentration of 1:100 with PBS for 30 min.
The sections were first incubated in TNB Block buffer (a supplied kit component) for 30 min at room temperature. The slides were drained and incubated with primary antibody diluted 1:100 with TNB Block. They were then washed for 3×5 min with TNT buffer (supplied) and incubated with secondary antibody diluted 1:100 with TNB Block. After a 3×5 min wash in TNT buffer, the sections were incubated with biotinyl tyramide working solution (supplied) for 10 min at room temperature. Following this step, they were washed for a further 3×5 min with TNT buffer and incubated with streptavidin-HRP working solution (supplied) for 30 min at room temperature. The slides were then washed three times in PBS for 10 min each, visualised using a 0.05% solution of diamino benzidine (DAB) for 10 min, washed, dried and mounted in Entellin mounting medium (Merck).
Method controls
Tissue that was previously known to stain positively for each respective antibody was used as a positive control. Negative controls for each labelling parameter were established by incubation with normal chicken, mouse or rabbit pre-immune serum (1:25 dilution) in bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PBS and also by omission of the primary antibody. In each case, this procedure resulted in no labelling. The sections were also incubated with a monoclonal antibody of the IGM isotype, which does not react with any known rat protein (Silenus), as IGM aggregates may sometimes cause non-specific labelling. This procedure also resulted in no apparent labelling.
Antigen retrieval and signal enhancement controls
Tissue from each rat in each group was also labelled with a routine immunoperoxidase (IPX) protocol only, an antigen retrieval (AR) protocol followed by IPX, a tyramide signal enhancement (TSA) protocol (that included IPX labelling) and an AR plus a TSA protocol.
Immunoabsorption controls
One microgram of human TGFβ1 (Sigma, MO, USA) was mixed with 30 µl of distilled water. This was thoroughly mixed with 30 µl of a 1 in 50 dilution of TGFβ1 antibody, and incubated with the prostate tissue sections as previously described. No labelling resulted. Estrogen receptor β and E-cadherin are not available commercially as proteins.
Labelling intensity quantification
Actual levels of antigen were not quantified in this study, but rather relative differences in labelling intensity using a standardised protocol. Differences in relative labelling density were measured using previously published methods.3,38,39,40 In short, sections to be compared were labelled at the same time, using a single protocol. A Leica DC 200 digital camera using Leica 'DC Image' capture software was mounted on a Letiz Diaplan research microscope. The microscope illumination was set on 5 volts and was not altered. The exposure compensation option of the camera was deactivated and the resolution set at 1798×1438 ppi. These precautions ensured that all the images were taken under the same conditions and could therefore be validly compared. The images were saved in the TIFF image format, transferred to a Macintosh G4 computer (Macintosh, Eupertino, CA, USA), and opened without alteration directly into the NIH Image 1.6 application (written by Wayne Rasband and available on the Internet at http://rsb.info.nih.gov/nih-image/). This resulted in image of each acinus that occupied approximately half of the area of the computer monitor screen. Using the freehand selection tool, the prostatic epithelium (only) of each acinus was selected and the labelling intensity of the image was analysed, resulting in a mean and standard deviation value. Epithelial selection reproducibility was tested by outlining a single defined area of epithelium 10 times, resulting in a variation coefficient of only 1.0%. The Alternative Welch t-test (two tailed P value) was chosen for analysis of the data because it does not rely on the assumption that the sampled populations have equal standard deviations. It is more conservative than Student's t-test and results in a higher P-value and wider confidence interval. The null hypothesis was that the two population means were equal.
The prostatic stroma did not label using any of the antibodies. The label for TGFβ1 appeared to be punctal in nature and located in the basal epithelium (Figure 1a). The most dense label was present in the phytoestrogen-free treatment group (Figure 1a), the least intense label was present in the red-clover treatment group (Figure 1b), while the normal rat cubes (Figure 1c) showed a slightly greater intensity than the red clover group. Quantification of these labelling densities revealed that the mean labeling intensity of TGFβ1 was 160.4±32.8 in the group fed an isoflavone-free diet, 82.9±17.1 in the group fed normal rat cubes and 44.9±9.5 in the group fed a diet supplemented with 5% red clover extract. The units given are arbitrary, in that they represent pixel intensity values as assigned by the NIH Image application. These data represent a 3.6-fold decrease (P<0.0016) caused by a diet of 5% red clover, compared to an isoflavone-free diet. There was also a 1.9-fold TGFβ1 decrease (P<0.0034) in animals fed normal rat cubes, compared to those fed a isoflavone-free diet. Similarly, a 1.8-fold decrease (P<0.0049) was observed in red clover-treated animals compared to those fed normal rat cubes.
(a) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-TGFb1. Phytoestrogen-free diet. A strong label was observed in the basal epithelium. No stromal labelling was seen for any of the antibodies used. (b) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-TGFβ1. 5% red clover diet. A relatively weak label was observed in the basal epithelium. (c) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-TGFβ1. Normal rat pellet diet. A Normal rat pellet diet. A relatively weak label for TGFβ 1 was observed in the basal epithelium. Bar=μ20 mm.
The label for anti-estrogen receptor β (ERβ) also appeared to be punctal in nature and located in the basal epithelium (Figure 1a). The least intense label was present in the isoflavone-free treatment group (Figure 2a). The most dense label was seen in the red clover treatment group (Figure 2b). The normal rat pellet treatment group label (Figure 2c) appeared to be of a similar intensity to that of the isoflavone-free treatment group. Not only was the labelling intensity different between the groups, but the location aswell. In the red clover group the label was nuclear whereas in the normal and isoflavone-free groups the label was cytoplasmic, the nuclei being devoid of label. Quantification of these labelling densities revealed that the mean labelling intensity of anti-ERβ was 15.8±9.0 in the isoflavone-free group, 27.9±17.3 in the group fed normal rat cubes and 158.7±66.5 in the group treated with 5% red clover. These data represent a labelling intensity increase of 9.9-fold (P<0.0089) resulting from a diet of 5% red clover, compared to an isoflavone-free diet. There was also a 1.7-fold increase, although not significant (P<0.2146), in ERβ in animals fed normal rat cubes compared to those fed an isoflavone-free diet. A significant increase (P<0.0131) of 5.7-fold was observed in red clover-treated animals compared with those fed normal rat cubes.
(a) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-estrogen receptor β. Phytoestrogen-free diet. No significant label. (b) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-estrogen receptor β. 5% red clover diet. A strong label was observed in the nuclei of the basal epithelial cells. (c) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-estrogen receptor β Normal rat pellet diet. No significant label.
The label for the calcium-mediated, cell adhesion protein E-cadherin was located immediately adjacent to the plasma membrane of the prostate epithelial cells, forming an interconnecting meshwork. The least intense label was that of the isoflavone-free treatment group (Figure 3a). The most intense label, resulting in the most intense cell outlines, was seen in the red clover diet group (Figure 3b). While the normal rat pellet diet group appeared to have a slightly greater labelling intensity than that of the red clover group, statistical analysis demonstrated that this difference was insignificant (Figure 3c). Quantification of these labelling densities revealed that the mean labelling intensity for anti-E-cadherin was 9.9±5.8 in the phytoestrogen-free group, 15.5±13.3 in the group fed normal rat cubes and 53.9±10.5 in the group treated with 5% red clover. These data indicate an increase of 5.4-fold (P<0.0002) resulting from a diet of 5% red clover, compared to an isoflavone-free diet. Similarly, there was a 3.5-fold increase (P<0.0015) in E-cadherin levels in red clover-treated animals compared to those fed normal rat cubes. There was an 1.6-fold increase (not significant, P<0.4276) between the E-cadherin levels resulting from a diet of normal rat cubes compared to a phytoestrogen-free diet.
(a) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-E-cadherin. Phytoestrogen-free diet. No significant label. (b) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-Ecadherin. 5% red clover diet. Strong label adjacent to plasma membranes of all epithelial cells. (c) Transverse section of a prostatic acinus. Immunoperoxidase label for anti-E-cadherin. Normal rat pellet diet. Weak label adjacent to plasma membranes of all epithelial cells. Bar=μ20 mm.
The controls in which the primary antibody was omitted from the IPX protocol were virtually transparent and difficult to distinguish from the glass of the microscope slide. The haematoxylin and eosin-stained slides of the prostatic epithelium were similar in appearance for each group. The control sections in which pre-immune serum was substituted for the primary antibody in an antigen retrieval (AR) IPX protocol, were not labelled. The addition of Tyramide Signal Amplification (TSA) to the AR IPX pre-immune serum controls also resulted in no labelling. Routine IPX labelling using the relevant antibodies without AR or TSA also resulted in no label. The addition of TSA but with no AR also resulted in no label. The use of AR followed by IPX but no TSA did result in a faint but definite label. Maximal labelling was achieved by AR followed by IPX followed by TSA. This proved to be the case for both anti-TGFβ1 and anti-ERβ receptor. Anti-E-cadherin labelled satisfactorily with AR retrieval and IPX alone, but TSA enhancement improved the clarity and intensity of the label without any increase in non-specific background.
In the this study, a diet supplemented with red clover isoflavones caused ERβ receptor components to express as functional receptors in the nucleus. ERβ is known to inhibit excessive cell proliferation, a process that is characteristic of both BPH and prostate cancer. Both the isoflavone-free and normal rat pellet diets failed to cause expression of ERβ in the nucleus. In the rats fed normal rat pellets and an isoflavone-free diet, the ERβ label was entirely cytoplasmic indicating that the ERβ receptor components had not been activated.
Similarly, in animals fed a diet containing 5% red clover extract the increased labelling intensity of the adhesion protein E-cadherin was observed along the plasma membranes of all prostatic epithelial cells. This indicates an increase in the expression of cell adhesion proteins between adjacent cells resulting in the preservation of histological architecture, prostatic epithelial phenotype and a reduction of the potential for neoplastic transformation.
A diet supplemented with red clover isoflavones (and to a lesser extent a normal rat cube diet containing low isoflavone levels) resulted in a significant reduction in TGFβ1 expression in the basal prostatic epithelium, compared to an isoflavone-free diet. This finding suggests that isoflavones in the diet decrease pathological proliferation of the prostatic epithelium and reduce the need for the (anti-proliferative) expression of TGFβ1. It has been reported that dietary genistein can down-regulate epidermal growth factor (EGF) which also has an anti-proliferative effect in the rat prostate. No apparent adverse toxicity was observed in the host.41 Another study has shown that genistein induces prostate cancer cell adhesion (thereby reducing metastatic potential) and growth inhibition (thereby counteracting hyperplasia) by acting as a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor.42
This study demonstrates that, in the prostatic epithelium, red clover isoflavones in the diet produce a significant increase in the production of ERβ and the adhesion protein E-cadherin but a decrease in the label for TGFβ1. These proteins are estrogenically-modulated markers for proliferation, maintenance of histological architecture, preservation of cell phenotype and reduction of the potential for neoplastic and metastatic transformation. This study suggests that dietary supplementation with red clover isoflavones may provide a non-toxic dietary treatment for prostatic hyperplasia with a concomitant reduction in the potential for development of prostate cancer.
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Institute for Biomedical Research, The University of Sydney, Australia
M Slater
Novogen Ltd, North Ryde, Australia
D Brown & A Husband
Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Pathology, The University of Sydney, Australia
A Husband
D Brown
Correspondence to M Slater.
Slater, M., Brown, D. & Husband, A. In the prostatic epithelium, dietary isoflavones from red clover significantly increase estrogen receptor β and E-cadherin expression but decrease transforming growth factor β1. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 5, 16–21 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500546
Issue Date: 01 March 2002
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500546
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Life on the Ranch: Let the War Begin . . .
Let the War Begin . . .
After spraying and drowning many of the bugs, the war seemed to be over for the moment . . . until the next funky bug shows up, barging into my garden space.
R is for . . . Rabbit!


text:
how did the crocodiles survive the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs?
How did the crocodiles survive the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs? – Éamonn, 5 years old, Western Australia
Hey Éamonn! This is a good question, and one that many researchers have asked.
There are two main reasons. First, crocodiles can live for a very long time without food. Second, they lived in places least affected when the asteroid hit Earth.
A battle-torn saltwater crocodile is resting near the Daintree River in northern Queensland.
When the asteroid hit Earth
About 66 million years ago, dinosaurs ruled Earth. But then a massive asteroid, more than 9 kilometers wide, crashed into the shallow sea near present-day Mexico.
The explosion from this was so huge that it led to global earthquakes, tidal waves, bush fires and even toxic rain.
The asteroid also hit one of the worst places imaginable, where the rocks could easily be "exploded" (or evaporated). This threw huge amounts of dust up into the sky, blocked the Sun out for many months and sent the Earth into a long, dark and icy winter.
Without sunlight, the green plants died, followed by the herbivores that ate them to survive, and the carnivores that ate the herbivores.
Read more: Curious children: What effect did the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs have on plants and trees?
Scientists believe that three-quarters of all the different kinds (species) of animals on Earth were extinct – including most dinosaurs.
But some managed to survive for a number of reasons.
An important group of dinosaurs sailed through, aided by their ability to fly and find food in distant places. Their feathers protected them from the cold, and their beaks allowed them to eat buried seeds found near dead plants.
Incredibly, these dinosaur survivors are still with us today. We call them birds!
Read more: How small birds evolved from giant meats that ate dinosaurs
Crocodiles had some keys to survival
Crocodiles were another group that famously survived the asteroid. It is clear that they can not fly, do not have feathers and do not eat seeds! But they had other secrets to success.
First, crocodile bodies use very little energy. They lie around a lot, breathe slowly and even have a very slow heartbeat. This is how they can hold their breath underwater for more than an hour.
It also means they can go without food for months, and sometimes more than a year. This would have been very useful when food (such as other animals) became difficult to find once the asteroid hit.
Dinosaurs, on the other hand, were generally more active, which means that they needed more energy – especially meat eaters such as Velociraptor. Without food, they would have died quickly.
Dinosaurs like Velociraptor would have struggled to survive without much food after the asteroid hit. That is, if they survived in the first place.
Crocodiles also lived in places where it did not make much difference to lose green plants. Think of a forest or a meadow (where many dinosaurs lived): if the plants die, all the animals that need them die, too, including the carnivores that are not left without food.
But crocodile survivors mostly lived in places like rivers, lakes and coasts. The animals that live in these places do not need green plants that much. Dead plants and animal material are washed in from the surrounding land, which are eaten by tiny creatures, which are then eaten by larger creatures including crocodiles.
So unlike dinosaurs that live on earth, crocodiles in a river would not have starved as soon as the green plants died.
The ancestors of our mammals also survived
A similar reason helps explain why human ancestors also survived the asteroid impact. It was the small mammals that lived near the end of the age of the dinosaurs that eventually gave rise to all the different kinds of mammals today (including humans).
It was mostly small, rat-like things buzzing around in the dead leaf litter on the ground, eating insects and worms. These tiny creatures were not dependent on living green plants, but on dead leaves and bark that fell from the trees or were blown and washed in from elsewhere.
So like the crocodiles, our little ancestors survived the asteroid, in part because they were not heavily dependent on living plants. One good thing too: these lucky survivors are the reason you and I are here today!
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