Guan, L., Tian, J., Cao, R., Li, M., Wu, Z., Nilghaz, A., Shen, W. (2015). "Surface modification of cellulose paper for quantum dot-based sensing applications," BioRes. 10(1), 1587-1598.
Cellulose paper specimens with and without surface modification were compared in order to study their physicochemical compatibility with quantum dots (QDs) for biochemical sensing applications. Silane and chitosan modification methods were applied. The distribution of QDs deposited on untreated paper and papers modified with silane and chitosan were investigated in order to understand the interaction between QDs and fibre. Modified papers were shown to significantly reduce the undesirable redistribution of QDs during paper drying. The retention ability and thermal resistance of QDs to the loss of fluorescence on modified papers were also studied for the purpose of determining the most suitable paper surface modification for developing QD-Paper-based analytical devices (QD-PADs). Furthermore, chitosan-modified paper was used to design QD-PADs to quantify glucose concentration in aqueous samples; the quenching effect of the enzymatic product on the fluorescent emission of QDs was used as the indicator system. The change of fluorescence of QDs was measured by a simple in-house constructed fluorescence imaging system. The detection limit of glucose was 5 mg/dL, which is comparable with other reported paper sensors for detection of glucose.
In recent years cellulose paper has attracted the interest of those working in the field of developing paper-based analytical devices (PADs) for diagnostics applications (Balu et al. 2009; He et al. 2013). Made of cheap and widely available cellulose fibre (Hubbe et al. 2008), paper is a suitable material for manufacturing analytical sensors on a large scale to meet the demand of diagnostics from human populations living in developing regions. The rapid advancement of PADs research can be attributed to the unique physicochemical properties of paper including: compatibility with biological samples (Tan et al. 2012); easy surface modification to immobilize proteins, DNA, and other molecules (Xiao and Huang 2011; Araujo et al. 2012); and controllable wettability for transporting fluids (Tian et al. 2010). Historically, concepts of using paper for chemical assay tests have been explored from as early as 1937 (Yagoda 1937). Since 2007, paper-based diagnostics have been re-discovered and pursued by many research groups globally; a trend initiated by the Whitesides Group (Martinez et al. 2007).
During the development of PADs, several techniques have been reported for qualitative or semi-quantitative sensing applications, such as colorimetric (Xiao et al. 2013), electrochemical (Dungchai et al. 2009), chemiluminescent (Liu et al. 2013), and fluorescent methods (Ma et al. 2012). At the same time, a variety of sensor probes, whose properties change when they interact with analytes, have been adapted to these methods and used to indicate the functions of paper sensors (Li et al. 2012; Liu et al. 2013). The performances of probes applied in PADs are extremely important for obtaining accurate assay results. Quantum dots (QDs) have been considered to have great potential as fluorescence probes for biosensing (Hai et al. 2013; Chen et al. 2013). In particular, the comparable dimensions of QDs and biomolecules, such as proteins and DNA, enable the preparation of biocompatible QD-bioconjugates with special recognition functions (Li et al. 2011). Their excellent properties such as photo-stability and broad absorption spectra, together with high surface activity, make QDs advantageous probes in the development of biochemical sensors (Li et al. 2011).
Recently, a few studies have been published about the combination of QD probes with cellulose paper for sensing applications (Niu et al. 2011; Yuan et al. 2012; Noor et al. 2013). Yuan et al. reported the use of polymer QD-enzyme hybrids on PADs to detect the presence of a substrate with corresponding enzymes (Yuan et al. 2012). Noor et al. proposed a paper-based solid phase nucleic acid hybridization assay using immobilized QDs as donors in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (Noor et al. 2013). The QDs and QD conjugates were immobilized onto the surface of paper through imidazole ligands modification chemistry. These works successfully demonstrated applications of PADs using QDs as sensing probes. In this study, we further investigated the physicochemical compatibility between cellulose paper and QDs. Different surface modifications of cellulose paper were studied to evaluate their effects on QD particles distribution, retention ability, and thermal stability for sensing applications. A simple fluorescence imaging system has been constructed in-house in order to obtain the fluorescence characteristics of the QDs on cellulose paper. Furthermore, QD-Paper-based analytical devices (QD-PADs) based on these studies have been successfully developed for glucose detection with fluorescence intensity change of QD probes.
Chitosan (medium molecular weight) and 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS, >97%) were purchased from Sigma Aldrich. Phosphate buffer solution (PBS) tablets and Tween 20 were obtained from Sigma Aldrich. Tween-20 (0.5%, v/v) was spiked into 0.01 mol/L pH 7.4 PBS solutions as wash buffer (PBST). Ultra-pure water (>18.0 MΩ) was obtained from a Milli-Q integral water purification system. All reagents were used without further purification. Carboxyl group functionalized CdSxSe1-x/ZnS alloyed quantum dots (QDs) (λem = 630 nm) were acquired from Sigma Aldrich.
Whatman No.1 filter paper (diameter = 20 mm) was obtained from Sigma Aldrich; this grade of filter paper is made of pure cellulose fibres. The paper was cut into different sizes for further use. K1050X Plasma Asher (Quorum Emitech, U.K.) was used for plasma treatment. The vacuum level for the treatment was 0.6 mbar and the paper was placed in the center of the chamber for 30 s of treatment.
The preparation procedures for silane modified paper can be summarized as follows (Li et al. 2010; Koga et al. 2011; Jin et al. 2011, 2012): a volume of 3 mL 2.5% (v/v) 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) was prepared using 80% (v/v) ethanol solvent, and thus was hydrolyzed to form reactive silanol groups. Then 20 pieces of paper squares (1 cm × 1 cm), after plasma treatment, were immersed in the resulting solution for 2 h, followed by thorough washing with ethanol. Subsequently, the solvent was evaporated in the fume hood at room temperature for 10 min. The obtained paper squares were thermally treated at 110 °C for 3 h.
To prepare chitosan modified paper, a volume of 10 mL 0.1% (w/v) chitosan was freshly prepared using a weak acid solution. Then 20 µL of chitosan solution were uniformly deposited on 1 cm × 1 cm paper squares, and then dried at room temperature for 1 h. Subsequently, each paper square was washed three times with 20 µL of ultrapure water, and then dried at room temperature. The chitosan retention was reported to be strong, due to the opposite charges of the chitosan and cellulose with the former being cationic and the latter being anionic (Wang et al. 2012; Xiao et al. 2013).
Papers with APTMS- and chitosan-modification were prepared following the above procedures in Section "Surface Modification of Cellulose Paper". Untreated filter paper, APTMS- and chitosan-modified filter papers were cut into 1 cm × 1 cm squares for further QDs compatibility studies. Then 4 µL of 0.02 mg/mL QDs were dropped into the center of each paper square and allowed to dry at room temperature for 20 min.
For the purpose of collecting the fluorescence signals of QDs on the paper, a simple fluorescent imaging system (Fig. 1) was constructed in-house to capture the fluorescence signals.
Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the fluorescence imaging system assembled in-house.
The in-house built fluorescent imaging system was comprised of a 365 nm emission UV-lamp, a sample stage, and a digital camera. The UV-lamp, used as an excitation light source, was placed at the bottom of a dark chamber and the sample stage was fixed above the UV-lamp. After turning on the light source, the UV light passed through the optically transparent sample stage and excited the fluorescence of the samples. The fluorescence signals emitted from the samples were captured by the camera right on the top of the sample stage. Before each fluorescence test, the light source was turned on and warmed up for 15 min to allow the stabilization of the radiation intensity.
The cellulose papers with and without QDs were further investigated by a MECM Nova NanoSEM scanning electron microscope (SEM) in order to observe the morphology of cellulose paper and the distribution of QDs on the cellulosic structure of paper. A volume of 4 µL 1 mg/mL, instead of 0.02 mg/mL QDs, was dropped onto each paper square for preparing samples for SEM study.
The retention ability of QDs on APTMS- and chitosan-modified cellulose papers was also investigated following the procedures below: three aliquots of 40 μL 0.5% PBST solution were introduced onto each testing paper, while standard blotting papers (drink coaster blotting, 280 g/m2) were used to remove liquid during the washing process. The fluorescence of QDs on paper squares before and after washing were measured using the above in-house built fluorescence imaging system.
The quantitative analyses were carried out following the description in Section "The Quantitative Analysis Technique".
Immediately after preparation, three groups of paper squares loaded with QDs were treated at temperatures of 4 °C, 25 °C, and 45 °C. The fluorescence signals of these paper squares were respectively measured after 0 h, 24 h, 36 h, and 60 h of treatment. The quantitative analyses were performed following the procedures described in Section "The Quantitative Analysis Technique".
Chitosan-modified paper squares (0.5 cm × 0.5 cm) were employed to make QD-PADs for detecting glucose. Five hundred microliters of QD suspension (0.04 mg/mL) was mixed with 500 µL of glucose oxidase (100 U/mL). A volume of 2 µL of the above suspension was dropped onto the center of each chitosan-modified paper square and allowed to dry for 15 min under room temperature (Gill et al. 2008). Then several 1.2 µL volumes of glucose solution, with concentrations of 0, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/dL, were respectively introduced onto each paper square, and then allowed to react for 15 min under a controlled high humidity.
The fluorescence images of all the paper squares were captured by the in-house built fluorescence imaging system. Quantitative analyses were performed following the descriptions in Section "The Quantitative Analysis Technique".
The test paper squares with QDs fluorescence images were imported into Adobe Photoshop. The mean red intensity of the reaction spot was obtained using the histogram function of the software. Error bars (standard deviation) were obtained from five repeats of all the tests.
The fluorescence emission performance of QDs on cellulose paper, with and without modification, was investigated using the above system (Fig. 1). Figure 2 shows the fluorescence images of untreated paper (Fig. 2, b1), APTMS- (Fig. 2, b2), and chitosan-modified paper (Fig. 2, b3). The blue color in these images was the background UV light source, and the red color is the fluorescence of QDs. In Fig. 2, b1, an extremely weak red color spread around the edge of the paper surface and could be easily observed by the naked eye. This was because QD nanoparticles dried on the untreated cellulose paper tend to migrate with the solvent phase (PBS solutions). In contrast to this, clear red fluorescence signals of QDs were captured in the center of both APTMS- (Fig. 2, b2) and chitosan-modified papers (Fig. 2, b3), which indicates that QDs were well restricted within the center range of modified papers. Whatman #1 filter paper used in this study was made of pure cellulose fibres with no additives such as strengthening or whitening agents. The basic structure of untreated paper is composed of cellulose fibers that are firmly bond together through hydrogen bonding (Sahin and Arslan 2008). This kind of paper has inactive, slightly anionic surface with a low, negative, surface-charge density (Wang et al. 2012). In this situation, negative-charged COOH─QDs particles have a weak tendency to strongly attach to the paper surface by the physical immobilization method. Therefore, when QDs particles were dropped onto the untreated cellulose paper, QDs will be carried by the mobile phase (PBS solution) wicking front and spread to the edge of the paper. However, the surface chemistry property of paper will change after modification processes due to the introduction of active functional groups, which enhance the charge interaction between QDs particles and the paper surface. Hence, QD particles will be left behind from the solvent phase wicking front and immobilized in the center area of paper (Fig. 2, b2 and b3).
It was observed that the average size of the formed colored QD spots on APTMS-modified paper was larger than that on chitosan-modified paper. Additionally, the size of QDs on APTMS-modified papers was less uniform than that on chitosan-modified papers, and thus the reproducibility of QD spot sizes on APTMS-modified papers was not as consistent (not presented). The APTMS modification method in this study applied a silane coupling technique through the reaction between silanol groups (Si─OH) of APTMS and groups (mainly hydroxyl groups C─OH) of cellulose paper.
The relatively low reactivity of existing groups (mainly C─OH groups) on paper will greatly affect the amount of introduced groups with ATPMS treatment processes (Pelton 2009). However, as a physical modification approach, the chitosan modification method can be applied reproducibly with uniform coating on the surface of paper. As a result, the outsourcing active groups in the cellulosic network of APTMS-modified paper are less densely distributed compared to that of chitosan-modified paper. Therefore, QD particles have a stronger interaction with chitosan modified paper; this difference is the main reason for the difference of QD spots between the two modified papers.
The porous fibre network structures of papers remained after modification with APTMS and chitosan (Fig. 3). Figure 3 shows the SEM images of untreated papers, papers with APTMS-modification, and papers with chitosan-modification loaded with QDs. QD particles show different distributions on non-modified and modified papers (Fig. 3). Abundant QD particles were observed around the edges of untreated paper (Fig. 3, a2) while very a small quantity of particles could be observed around the center of the paper (Fig. 3, a1). However, the distribution of QDs was the opposite in the cases of APTMS- and chitosan-modified papers; most QD particles gathered around the center of the modified papers (Fig. 3, b1 and c1). The results are consistent with the above fluorescence characterization studies, indicating that surface modification can result in immobilization of QD particles to any point of interest on paper (e.g. to the center area of the paper square in this study).
In addition, particles tend to attach to the cellulose fibres rather than stay in pores of fibre network (Fig. 3, b1 and c1), suggesting that most of the active groups of APTMS and chitosan have been modified onto the fibres. Furthermore, QD particles have been found to be more closely packed on chitosan-modified paper (Fig. 3, c1) than that on APTMS-modified paper (Fig. 3, b2). The results illustrate that the charge interaction between QD particles and a chitosan-modified fibre surface was stronger than their interaction with a fibre surface modified with APTMS. The former captured more QD particles at points of interest.
QD particle aggregates were observed on modified paper. Their sizes were greater than separate QD particles (about 6 nm), and they lose the ability to produce fluorescence signals (Liu et al. 2012). One reason for the formation of large particles could be that a part of the original aqueous QD suspension had started to form aggregates, which has been observed and reported previously (Noh et al. 2010). Another reason, which is more likely, is that the high concentration of QD suspension applied to the paper surface for SEM tests had aggregated during the drying process.
Fig. 3. SEM images of the (a1) center and (a2) edge areas of untreated cellulose paper; (b1) center and (b2) edge areas of APTMS-modified paper; (c1) center and (c2) edge areas of chitosan-modified paper. All the papers were loaded with QDs particles for SEM tests.
The retention ability of QD probes on a paper substrate is critical to the performance of QD-PADs. This is because when an analyte solution is introduced onto the detection point of the sensor, QD probes with weak bonding to fibres could be eluted away from the detection point, leading to signal distortion in the detection zone. To study the retention of QDs on the two modified papers, 0.5% PBST solutions were applied to wash modified papers loaded with QDs. The more QD particles retained after washing means the stronger interaction between QDs and paper. In this study, the red intensity measured from the QD spots is the fluorescence intensity of QDs. Figure 4 shows the fluorescence intensity changes of modified papers with QDs after washing. The fluorescence intensity decreased by 26.5% on APTMS-modified paper (Fig. 4, left), while for QDs on chitosan-modified paper (Fig. 4, right), the intensity dropped by 18.2%. This result indicates that the retention ability of QDs on chitosan-modified paper was greater than that on APTMS-modified paper, which was further evidence that the interaction between QDs and chitosan-modified paper is stronger.
Since thermal stability is a very important performance indicator of PADs for sensor applications (Guan et al. 2014), both APTMS- and chitosan-modified papers loaded with QDs were aged at different temperatures to test their thermal stability. Thermal stability was evaluated by measuring the red intensities of QDs spots formed in the center of the paper before and after aging. Figure 5 shows little intensity change of QDs bounded to both modified papers after aging at 4 °C; in contrast to this, a significant decrease in fluorescent intensity was observed when the papers were treated at 45 °C. Intensity decrease of QD spots on papers also occurred with a treatment temperature of 25 °C, however, it was less than that with the treatment temperature of 45 °C. The results indicate that QDs fixed in a cellulosic network could remain relatively stable at low temperatures, but a rise of temperature will lead to partial loss of fluorescence. Moreover, the results showed that the intensity decrease of QDs on APTMS-modified paper (Fig. 5a) was much greater than that on chitosan-modified paper (Fig. 5b) after aging at 45 °C. It is therefore most likely that the temperature-driven fluorescence loss of QDs on chitosan-modified paper is slower than that on APTMS-modified paper because of the stronger interaction between QD particles and the former paper.
To design practical QD-PADs, the primary consideration is immobilizing QDs in the detection zones of the paper to reduce QD migration. However, QDs deposited on untreated cellulose filter paper will migrate with the solvent and mostly gather around the edge of the paper. These migrated QDs were no longer suitable for any sensor applications. Yuan et al. (2012) attempted to solve this problem by encapsulating QDs with opposite-charged polymer. The present study shows that suitably modified papers could well solve the migration problem of QDs. Therefore in this study, chitosan-modified paper was selected to fabricate QD-PADs for demonstrating sensor application.
QDs have been reported as a sensitive probe for hydrogen peroxide, and further used in the detection of glucose with glucose oxidase as the catalyst to produce hydrogen peroxide (Wu et al. 2010). The possible mechanism that stimulates the fluorescence quenching of QDs is the oxidation of S2- surface states, which presumably yields Zn2+ surface traps for the electrons (Gill et al. 2008). Figure 6a shows the fluorescence quenching effect of the QDs on the chitosan-modified paper by different concentrations of glucose. The calibration curve (Fig. 6a) represents the quenching effect of glucose yields , where I0 is the mean red intensity of QD-PADs when the concentration of glucose is 0, and I is the measured mean red intensity for the target sample. The detection limit of glucose is 5 mg/dL and the detection linear range is between 20 mg/dL and 200 mg/dL. Compared with the previous methods utilizing the glucose oxidase and QDs-polymer co-immobilization method in normal filter paper (Yuan et al. 2012), a lower detection limit of glucose was obtained in this study. Also in comparison to the solution-based method, this study largely reduces the usage of QDs and other reagents.
This study investigated the physicochemical compatibility between QD particles and cellulose papers for the purpose of developing reproducible QD-PADs. The migration problem of QDs moving with the solvent phase in the fibre network structure of paper was greatly reduced by modifying the surface of cellulose. The retention ability and thermal stability of QD probes on paper have been studied as critical performance indicators of QD-PADs.
QD-PADs using chitosan-modified paper was demonstrated for glucose detection and the detection limit is comparable with reported paper-based glucose sensors.
This work provides an important framework for the development of QD-PADs and it is expected that QD-PADs can lay a foundation for further developing practical and stable sensor for diagnostic and analytical applications.
This work is supported by Australian Research Council Grant (ARC DP1094179 and LP 110200973). Authors thank Mr. Hansen Shen for proof reading the manuscript. Postgraduate research scholarships from Monash University of Graduate Research and Faculty of Engineering are also gratefully acknowledged.
Hubbe, M. A., Pawlak, J. J., and Koukoulas, A. A. (2008). "Paper's appearance: A review," BioResources. 3(2), 627-665.
Article submitted: November 13, 2014; Peer review completed: January 3, 2015; Revised version received and accepted: January 19, 2015; Published: January 23, 2015.


It was created using the Easy Java Simulations modeling tool.
Brothersoft Editor: The Colliding Galaxies Model is an implementation of Alar and Juri Toomres' 1972 super computer model showing the formation of galactic bridges and tails under the assumption that galactic cores are point masses and that one galactic core is surrounded by 2D concentric rings of orbiting stars. The model assumes is that the stars (test particles) orbiting the galactic cores are non-interacting. When the two galaxies pass one another, tidal forces deform the Star distribution into classic tidal features. Our EJS model reproduces this result showing that there is a long curving Tail and that only the outermost ring of stars is affected by its companion galaxy. A thin bridge is also formed and some of the stars are captured by the companion galactic core.
The Colliding Galaxies Model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) modeling tool. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive. Double clicking the ejs_mech_orbits_CollidingGalaxies.jar file will run the program if Java is installed. you can free download Colliding Galaxies now.
Please be aware that Brothersoft do not supply any crack, patches, serial numbers or keygen for Colliding Galaxies,and please consult directly with program authors for any problem with Colliding Galaxies.


text:
Taylor Shellfish recovery fueled by Asian markets, online sales
Brian Hagenbuch
The coronavirus pandemic nearly folded Taylor Shellfish, one of the largest producers of farmed shellfish in the country.
Last March, as the virus began spreading across the United States, foodservice shutdowns and plummeting exports had Taylor on the ropes. Sales plummeted to around one-quarter of normal and over two-thirds of the 700 employees working for the Shelton, Washington, U.S.A.-based company were either laid off or placed on standby.
But in recent months, Taylor's fortunes have drastically improved.
"Our low point was March, and thankfully things have gradually crept back since then," Taylor's Bill Dewey told SeafoodSource.
Dewey, Taylor's head of public relations, said the company's Q4 earnings were just three percent off 2019's number during the same period, with a strong recovery fueled largely on the strength of resurrected markets in Asia.
"The export markets in China – and Hong Kong as well – have recovered nicely, and we're very thankful that we have those markets. They have been instrumental to our bounceback," Dewey told SeafoodSource.
Dewey did not have the latest figures on employment, but said Taylor was already over 500 employees in September, on the heels of a summer that saw total production and sales bounce back to around 70 to 80 percent of normal business.
Soon after the pandemic struck the U.S., Taylor made a quick decision to strip down to a barebones operation. Top executives, many of them in the Taylor family, began working without pay for the company, which has an annual average revenue around USD 60 million (EUR 49.4 million).
The first round of government aid, provided through the Paycheck Protection Program, commonly referred to as PPP, helped the company pull through the lean, early days of the pandemic, Dewey said.
"The PPP loans were fundamental to the fact that we're still here, frankly. I don't know if we would have made it without them," Dewey said. "In the long-term, [the loans] will keep this from being a multiple-year disaster because they allowed us to get our crops planted."
Taylor's turnaround should not necessarily be taken as a sign that the shellfish industry at large has made a comeback, Dewey cautioned. He said Asian exports made up 40 percent of Taylor's pre-COVID business, a share in the sector that many other companies do not have.
"I'm afraid a lot of others in the industry who don't have those strong export markets aren't experiencing the magnitude of recovery that we are," Dewey said.
E-commerce has been another key component to Taylor's resurgence. Last month, online sales hit USD 580,000 (EUR 477,000), five times greater than sales in December 2019.
"Our online sales are up dramatically. We'd been actively promoting our online sales for a couple years and it really took off with the pandemic," Dewey said.
This again might favor Taylor more than some other companies, Dewey said, since the company had been working on promoting its e-commerce sales previous to the pandemic.
"Fortunately for us, we didn't have to stand up a whole new program like so many have. That's been a real challenge for a lot of companies," he said.
Dewey said that, like many seafood companies, Taylor has joined in the push to make people feel more comfortable preparing shellfish at home, with recipe and cooking technique campaigns disseminated through email and social media.
The shift from restaurant markets to home cooking has bumped up demand for large oysters that lend to easy barbecuing, grilling, or baking, and sustained the strong demand for shucked meat oysters.
"The demand for large oysters has overrun our supply … and the shucked meat sales are right on par with what they've been traditionally," Dewey said.
Photo courtesy of Taylor Shellfish
Contributing Editor reporting from Seattle, USA
US resumes bilateral mollusk trade with EU after 10-year ban
Fresh seafood the retail star in April
Shucked by the pandemic, oyster market begins to open up
Texas launches oyster mariculture program, while Florida closes Apalachicola oyster fishery

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
MK Ibrahim Abdullah criticizes Hanegby's invitation to resume assassinations of Hamas leaders
The head of the Islamic Movement and the Chairman of the Arab Consolidated List, Ibrahim Abdullah, on Friday condemned the statements of the Minister for Internal Security, Tsahi Hanegby, who invited the Israeli cabinet to resume the "systematic assassinations" of the Hamas political leadership.
Hanegby said he considered any distinction between the military and political arms of the movement to be "artificial" and unreal.
He added that Hamas' policy of the past few years of not carrying out attacks inside Israel has changed since the recent bombing in Dimona. "This is why we must also change the policy of the Israeli government and stop allowing the Hamas leadership to enjoy immunity," he explained.
"Hanegby's statements revealed what a sadist their author is and will inevitably open the doors of hell on all sides," Ibrahim Abdullah responded.
"These threats of terrorism make up part of Israel's continuous crimes, by which they attempt to achieve political gains," he said. Nevertheless, Abdullah added that the Israelis "would not frighten the Palestinian leadership working for the elimination of the occupation, the cause of all evil in the region."
"All Israeli assassinations carried out against the Palestinian leadership over the years of occupation have not broken the will of the Palestinian people," he continued, "but have increased their determination to continue to resist the occupation. Having tasted defeat in Lebanon, Israel should know that the solution to the crises will not be solved through the use of violence, but through recognition of the right of the other party to live freely in their homeland."
Abdullah stressed that Israel could very well fall for this "foolish move" proposed by Hanegby. If, he continued, Israel precipitates the region into a new phase of mutual assassinations, "then no one would be able to predict what destructive results could ensue."
It is significant to note that Israel assassinated the chief leaders of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi, in the Gaza Strip in 2004. Shortly before, Hanegby had described them as having a direct impact on the motives of the leadership of Hamas to continue suicide attacks. The Israeli army has refrained since then from targeting the political wing of Hamas.
Palestinian shot and wounded by Israeli kibbutz guard in north Israel
Israeli sources said that a security guard working at a Kibbutz in northern Israel shot at two Palestinians on Friday, injuring one of them.
The incident happened at the Has kibbutz. One of the Palestinians suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, the other escaped without injury.
The sources added that the Israeli police are investigating claims the Palestinians were trying to attack the kibbutz guards.
Six injured at mass demonstration against Israeli separation wall near Bethlehem
About 500 Palestinian demonstrators, joined by a handful of Israeli and international supporters, marched towards the construction site of Israel's separation wall in the village of Al-Khadr on Friday, in what organizers say is one of the largest weekly demonstrations in the West Bank.
At least 30 heavily armed Israeli soldiers and riot police in six jeeps had already blocked the road with barbed wire. At the conclusion of the Friday prayer and just two minutes into the demonstration, the soldiers fired tear gas and sound grenades, dispersing the vast majority of the protesters and injuring six people.
Among the injured was 60-year-old Khalil Salah, who was hospitalized after a sound grenade exploded next to him. Abdullah Khalil was also injured by a sound grenade. Witnesses said three young children were hit by teargas canisters. Their names could not be confirmed at the time of writing.
Organizer Samer Jaber said that his intention was to keep the march peaceful, so as to avoid a confrontation with the Israeli military, but, he said, "[the soldiers] don't even need an excuse," to start shooting.
The Israeli government says the wall is intended to keep Palestinians out of Israel for security reasons, but in many cases, the 8-meter concrete barrier keeps Palestinians from other Palestinians, and from their own land. In 2004 the International Court of Justice ruled the wall illegal under international law.
Al-Khadr's mayor, Ramzi Salah said that the completion of the Israeli wall will be devastating, resulting in the confiscation of 90% of the village's land. Salah said 65% of Al-Khadr residents rely on farming for their livelihood. The wall will also cut off the main road linking Bethlehem to Hebron, affecting a half million Palestinians in both cities, by Salah's estimate.
Salah said he is proud of the people of his village for "defending our land. Land represents something major for us-something sacred."
The mayor estimates that the barrier is about one month away from completion in Al-Khadr.
Asked whether he thinks peaceful demonstrations will succeed in stopping the wall, organizer Jaber paused for a second, then answered, "We will do whatever we can-it is a duty."
Earlier, men and boys from Al-Kadr attended the Friday Muslim prayer on the road leading to the construction site. In a passionate sermon, the Imam denounced Israeli occupation, and also called on the Palestinian Authority leadership, who are currently engaged in peace negotiations with Israel, to visit the village and witness the confiscation of their land. He also chided Arab leaders for "staying silent" in the face of the oppression of Palestinians.
Dany, a 27-year old Jewish Israeli from Tel Aviv said that he and 10 other Israelis attended the protest because "we feel that what is happening in the Occupied Territories is cruel and wrong."
Israeli raids near Salfit and Nablus
Israeli forces overran the village of Deir Estayah, north of Salfit on Friday, raiding many houses.
Ma'an's correspondent said that Israeli forces seized 17-year-old Amer Muhamad, before withdrawing from the area.
He added that several military vehicles also went into the village of Orta, east Nablus, ransacking homes houses and firing a barrage of sound bombs at local residents.
The Israeli soldiers prevented people from going to mosques and moving through the streets of the village.
Resistance factions continue rocket attacks on Sderot and Negev
Israel to further reduce power supply to the Gaza Strip
Israel will further reduce power supplies to the electricity-starved Gaza Strip on Thursday.
The Israeli High Court of Justice upheld ongoing fuel cuts and deeper power cuts in what human rights groups are calling an 'escalation' of collective punishment of the 1.5 million residents of the besieged strip.
The deputy chair of the power authority in the Gaza Strip, Kan'an 'Ubeid said that Israel is reducing the capacity 12 high tension lines capacity from 12 mega watts to 11.3 megawatts.
"Currently, there are 8-hour regular power cuts per day across the Gaza Strip in addition to cuts which result from technical [problems] that stem from the frequent cuts," 'Ubeid explained.
'Ubeid said that a plan to bring in more electricity from Egypt will take at least 20 months to complete.
The Gaza Strip's only power plant is already working at a much-reduced capacity due to Israel's ongoing reduction in industrial fuel supplies.
The Israeli military claims the measure is intended to reduce Palestinian homemade projectile attacks (so-called "Qassam Rockets).
The coalition of 10 Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations that are fighting the sanctions in court said: "This new cut in electricity supplies will exacerbate the punitive measures directed against civilians in Gaza, in violation of international law.
"The fuel and electricity cuts already applied are disrupting the ability of Gaza Strip residents to receive medical care, access clean water, pump sewage, heat and light their homes, and lead normal lives - with no valid security rationale but rather to exert political pressure," the groups said.
Meanwhile, because of the electricity shortfall and the lack of ordinary diesel fuel to operate back-up and stand-by generators, 40 million liters of sewage a day have been emptied directly into the Mediterranean Sea, to avoid catastrophic flooding that could endanger human lives in Gaza.
Dr. Rafiq Maliha, project manager of the Gaza Power Plant, and Engineer Nedal Toman, project manager of GEDCO, were informed that they would be given permits to participate in the Supreme Court hearing on Sunday. They arrived at the Erez terminal at 7 am. But, they said, they were not actually given the permits until the court session started at 10 am.
Despite their best efforts, and a frantic taxi ride from the Gaza border to the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, the two Gazans arrived about 20 minutes after the hearing was concluded by the judges, who decided not to wait for their arrival.
Israeli forces raid Qabatiya detaining 6 Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists
Israeli military forces launched a major incursion the West Bank town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, shooting one civilian and seizing six Islamic Jihad and Hamas activists.
Witnesses said that at least 20 Israeli military vehicles, including a bulldozer, invaded the town with a helicopter hovering overhead. Israeli troops forcibly searched the houses belonging to the six activists.
Local sources named the arrestees as: 20-old Husam Abu Ar-Rub, 24-year-old Iyad Abdul-Latif Abu Ar-Rub, 22-year-old Muhammad Zakarna, 23-year-old Adnan Kameel, 21-year-old Mu'adh Abu zeid and 22-year-old Awni Kameel.
Local residents also told Ma'an's reporter that Israeli soldiers shot and injured 51-year-old Tayseer Nazzal, who is mentally disabled. He received a gunshot to his foot and was evacuated to the government hospital in Jenin.
Separately, Israeli forces raided Jenin on Wednesday evening, firing in the air and detonating sonic bombs. No arrests or casualties were reported.
7 Palestinians killed in Gaza since Wednesday evening
The funeral of teacher Hani Na'im, killed by Israeli artillery fire on Thursday
Seven Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air raids in several parts of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Thursday.
Five of the victims were activists affiliated to Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, one was affiliated to the military wing of Islamic Jihad, the Al-Quds Brigades. All six were killed on Wednesday evening.
Palestinian medical sources named Wednesday's victims as Mahmoud Al-Mutawwaq, Saed Nabhan and his brother Jawdat. They were killed as Israeli warplanes launched an attack on Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.
Muawiya Hassanein, the director of ambulance and emergency services in the Palestinian health ministry said that four people injured in the attack were taken to local hospitals. He named them as Nihad Abu Sido, 'Omar Al-Hasanat, Mahir Ta'alsa and Salih An-Nabhan.
Hammuda Ash-Sharafa, Ahmad Abu Hmaid and Jamal Assaf were killed in a separate Israeli raid on the northern Gaza Strip also on Wednesday evening.
On Thursday morning, a school teacher from the Agricultural School in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip was killed when Israeli artillery fired a missile at the school. He was taken to hospital in Beit Hanoun where he was pronounced dead. The director of the hospital, Jamil Sulaiman, named the teacher as Hani Na'im. Five other people were injured in the attack on the school.
The Israeli air force launched two other raids at Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip and An-Nuseirat refugee camp in the centre. As a result, three Palestinians were injured.
Ma'an's reporter said that one of the targets was a car in Khan Younis in which Palestinian activists were traveling. They survived the attack but a woman bystander was injured.
The other raid was against a blacksmith workshop in the middle of an orange grove in in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, in which a man and his son were injured.
Hamas' spokesperson in Khan Younis Hammad Ar-Ruqab threatened on Wednesday to conduct more bombing operations inside Israel as long as Israeli forces continue to commit atrocities against the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
"The Israeli occupation should await messages everywhere similar to the Dimona bombing," he said.
Fatah, Hamas military wings 'launch projectiles at Israel'
Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades claim projectile attack
Israeli army considering more targeted assassinations of Palestinian faction leaders
The Israeli army is considering more targeted assassinations against leaders of Palestinian factions in the aftermath of the Dimona bombing, the Israeli daily newspaper Maariv said on Wednesday.
According to the newspaper the Israeli security cabinet which convened on Wednesday morning has not decided to undertake a wide-scale military incursion in the Gaza Strip, as they are fearful that captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit may then be killed.
According to a high-ranking Israeli official, the security cabinet decided to give the army more space for maneuvering, yet without using ground incursions.
Funeral for seven police officers killed in Israeli raid on Gaza Strip
Crowds of Palestinians in Khan Younis took part in the funeral processsion on Wednesday for seven police officers affiliated to the Hamas-run de facto government who were killed yesterday in Israeli raids on the southern Gaza Strip.
Several gunmen led the procession, firing into the air to express their anger. The mourners shouted slogans condemning Israeli acts against Palestinian resistance fighters.
Hamas spokesman, Salih Ar-Ruqab, emphasized during the funeral procession that Palestinian resistance will continue. "These Israeli atrocities will not deter or scare us because we are not afraid of death. Neither are we afraid of Israel and its allies in the US," he said.
He called on Palestinian military groups affiliated to different factions to join ranks and take revenge for the death of the "martyrs."
The seven policemen were killed and 13 others injured in an Israeli helicopter attack on the police headquarters in eastern Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon.
Israel denies electricity to West Bank village
The Israeli government has turned down dozens of applications by the local council of the West Bank village of Salem, east of Nablus, to increase electricity supply to the village, councilmember Ja'far Shtaya told Ma'an on Tuesday.
He explained that the electricity supply to the village has remained the same since 1982, when the village was first connected to the electricity grid. The village then had 1500 residents. Salem has since grown into a town of 8000.
The residents are having serious troubles with electricity as there have been recently more than ten power cuts every day due to the low capacity of electricity supplied to the village.
"The village needs 1000 kilowatts per day, while the Israeli electricity company supplies it with 400 watts what results in frequent power cuts, especially during cold weather." Shtaya said. He added that frequent power cuts have resulted in damaging dozens of electricity transformers.
Islamic Jihad guns down 2 Israeli soldiers
Mother of alleged Dimona bomber wants him to come home
Three projectiles fired at Israeli cities
7 killed, 13 injured in Israeli attack on police headquarters in Khan Younis
Seven Palestinian policemen affiliated to the Gaza-based de facto government were killed and 13 others injured in an Israeli helicopter attack on the police headquarters in eastern Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon.
Muawiya Hassanein, the director of ambulance and emergency services in the Palestinian health, ministry named the victims as Raefat Qdeih,
Ahmad Musbih,
Abdul-Nasir Abu Nasr,
Mu'taz Abu Shahla,
Sami Abu Sa'adah and
Rami Abu Younis.
He also said that six of those injured were taken to the European hospital in Khan Younis. Three of them are seriously injured.
Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli raid came as the police officers were conducting afternoon prayers. Local Palestinian residents took the victims to hospital in private cars.
Separately, four other policemen affiliated to the de facto government were injured as the Israeli naval squadron targeted a headquarters affiliated to the Palestinian coastal police in western Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian medical sources said three of the wounded sustained moderate injuried.
For his part, the spokesperson of the de facto government's interior ministry Eyhab Al-Ghusayn said that his ministry has declared a state of emergency and ordered partial evacuation of all police headquarters in the Gaza Strip.
He told Ma'an, "The Israeli occupation was sending a message to the interior ministry telling them that the Israelis want security services which protect the occupation rather than protecting the resistance. However, we are announcing from the outset that our goal is to protect the Palestinian resistance and that is why the Israelis target the security services."
Two Al-Qassam activists killed in ongoing Israeli incursion in Rafah
Two Hamas Al-Qassam activists were killed by Israeli fire at Ash-Shuka area east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, Palestinian medical sources said.
Mahmoud Abu Taha and Bakir Abu Rijal were killed by an undercover Israeli forces that is still conducting searches in the area. Several Palestinians have also been seized.
Medical sources said the bodies were taken to a local hospital riddled with bullets. Two other wounded Palestinians were also taken to hospital.
The Israeli military operation is still ongoing.
Hamas claims 'full responsiblity' for Dimona bombing 'Attackers were from Hebron', Al-Qassam Brigades say
Hamas in northern Gaza Strip praise Dimona bombing
Two Palestinian projectiles hit Israeli factories in Sderot
Popular Resistance Committees leader Abu As-Sa'id killed in Israeli attack
Abu As-Sa'id's Funeral
Israeli military forces assassinated the number one leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, 'Amir Qarmoot Abu As-Sa'id, in the Gaza Strip on Monday morning.
An Israeli warplane fired a missile at Abu As-Sa'id's car in the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian medical sources said that three other people have been injured in the attack.
DFLP's military wing clashes with undercover Israeli forces in Gaza Strip
The military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the National Resistance Brigades, claimed on Monday that their fighters clashed with an undercover Israeli force that invaded in the Gaza Strip near the abandoned Gaza international airport and surrounded a house belonging to one of the group's fighters.
Israeli forces kill two Islamic Jihad activists near Jenin
Israeli forces invade Jenin
Two Palestinian activists affiliated to the military wing of Islamic Jihad, the Al-Quds Brigades, were killed in an Israeli ambush on Monday morning in the northern West Bank town of Qabatia, south of Jenin.
Palestinian medical sources said that 32-year-old Ahmad Abu Zeid and 20-year-old Ammar Zakarna were killed, while 21-year-old Neji Nazzal was seriously injured and was sent to the government hospital in Jenin.
Sources in the Al-Quds Brigades said the activists were sitting under the trees in the western neighborhood of the town after blocking the access road to the area with rocks to impede potential Israeli patrols. When they rose to move, they were surprised by an Israeli infantry unit, who ordered them to surrender.
According to the Al-Quds Brigades sources, after they refusing to surrender, they exchanged fire with the Israeli troops and Nazzal was injured in the thigh. The two other fighters tried to rescue him, even though they were also injured by this time, however, they managed to run away.
"Ammar was found bleeding after the Israeli soldiers prevented ambulances from evacuating him. He continued bleeding until he died," the source said. Ahamad and Neji were also trapped in the western neighborhood, bleeding while ambulances were barred from the area. "Finally, medics in an ambulance were able to evacuate Neji Nazzal, while Ahmad Abu Zeid died of his wound," the source added
Ahmad Abu Zeid left behind a wife, an eight-year-old daughter, and a five-year-old son. He joined Islamic Jihad three years ago. The Israeli military has pursued him for two years, raiding his home several times.
Ammar Zakarna, the Al-Quds Brigades said, had managed to conceal his affiliation with the group, and had not been pursued by the Israeli military.
Two leaders of al Quds Brigades assassinated in special Israeli operation in Qabatiya
Israeli forces assassinated two leaders and injured one of the al Quds brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, in a special Israeli operation in the Qabatiya town, south of Jenin in the early hours of Monday morning. It is has been reported that the Qabatiya residents' Ahmad Abu al Rab, 31 and Ammar Zakarna, 23 were assassinated early Monday morning when special forces of the Israeli army ambushed Qabatiya town and invaded several civilian homes, where they set up positions on their rooftops, residents reported that they army randomly rained the area with heavy gunfire.
According to eyewitnesses the Special Forces ambushed a group of al Quds brigades in one of Qabatiya neighborhoods and rained them with fire, injuring Abu al Rab and Zakarna and a third one with several rounds in his hand and stomach.
They added that Israeli army forces invaded the town after the operation to support the Special Forces. The reinforcements reached the two injured leaders in the area of the operation and according to the Islamic Jihad they refused to give them treatment.
Medics in Qabatiya reported that Israeli forces detained the ambulance and the medical crew for more than two hours, preventing them from reaching the area. Later when they were allowed access to them, the medics found a huge amount of blood and both were dead.
Medical sources reported that the assassinated Palestinians were shot with several rounds of ammunition in separate parts of their bodies from a close distance.
One injured Palestinian was transferred to the hospital for receiving treatment as he received moderate injuries.
Palestinian fighters fire projectiles at Israeli targets
Three killed in bombing of Israeli shopping mall in Dimona
Israeli soldiers expose themselves to Palestinian farmers near Hebron
Israeli soldiers have been filmed exposing their rear ends to Palestinian farmers in order to force them off their land near the West Bank city of Hebron, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday.
The newspaper obtained the film from international peace activists who were escorting the farmers to their grazing fields near an Israeli settler outpost.
"It was around noon; we were accompanying shepherds from the village of Tuba to a nearby Wadi, because the settlers regularly hassle them and throw stones in our direction," said an activist named Sean.
"The settlers demanded that the shepherds evacuate the area, and IDF soldiers who arrived at the scene also attempted to clear the Palestinian shepherds from their grazing fields; then, in the middle of the argument and for no apparent reason, the soldiers pulled down their pants and exposed their rear ends to us."
MK Ahmad Tibi condemned the act, which took place on January 11th, calling it "Abu Ghraib prison IDF-style. the soldiers of any occupation are immoral by definition, but the IDF soldiers who exposed themselves have long been stripped of their humane values."
Three Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers in Al-Khadr
Three young Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the southern West Bank town of Al-Khadr, south of Bethlehem, on Sunday night, Palestinian security sources said.
The sources named the injured as 16-year-old Khalid Salah, 20-year-old Muhammad Issa and 22-year-old Ahmad Sbeih. They were evacuated to Al-Husssein hospital in the neighboring town of Beit Jala for treatment. They reportedly sustained slight injuries in their feet.
Eyewitnesses said that an Israeli patrol invaded the old city of Al-Khadr near the football stadium and ransacked several shops and houses. No arrests have been reported.
Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades claim projectile attack on Sderot
Palestinian patient dies due to the Israeli siege on Gaza
Palestinian medical sources reported that one Palestinian man died on Saturday after he was denied by the Israeli army to leave the Gaza strip from treatment. Ahmad Al Shareef, 80, was pronounced died on Satruday morning, after his heart failed, the sources said.
Al Shareef is patient number 90 who died in Gaza due to the Israeli siege on the coastal region.
Israel has placed the Gaza Strip under siege since June 2007; two weeks ago the Israeli army stepped up the Siege and sealed off the Gaza strip borders totally, leaving the 1.5 million residents lacking food, medicine, and fuel supplies.
Israeli forces kill 96 Palestinians in January, report says
Ninety-six Palestinians, including ten children, were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during January 2008, according to a monthly report by the International Solidarity Foundation for Human Rights.
Seventy-one of the eighty-seven people who lost their lives in Israeli assassination operations in the Gaza Strip were civilians, the report concluded. The Foundation's report attributed the high number of deaths in the sector to the resumption of the Israeli policy of targeted assassinations of resistance fighters and activists.
Of the nine people killed in the West Bank, three were civilians. The number of civilian deaths "clearly demonstrates the continued Israeli occupation and escalation in aggression has initiated methods that are beyond the scope of the law. The policy of executions and assassinations against Palestinians is proscribed by the international agreements and conventions, and international humanitarian law," the report said.
The report added, "Even though Israel is an occupying country it has obligations to the Occupied Territories and populations under international law, which emphasizes the protection of Palestinian civilians and care for their administrative and civil rights. However, Israel ignores all of these duties and obligations, but they are trying to devote security precedents in dealing with the inhabitants of the Occupied Territories through laws and resolutions issued by the highest judicial authorities to legitimize their crimes against Palestinians."
Israeli forces also escalated their arrest campaigns during January, seizing more than 540 Palestinians, including more than 50 children under the age of eighteen.
Al-Aqsa leader survives assassination attempt
An Al-Aqsa Brigades leader surivived an assassination attempt in the West Bank town of Jenin on Friday.
The Al-Aqsa Brigades announced that General Abu Uday Al-Mansour had surivived the Israeli army attempt on his life.
Brigades media spokesman, Abu Alyasser, said in a statement that "Abu Uday Al-Mansour was present in a building located in the city of Jenin when the occupation forces tried to assassinate him, but he managed to escape safely."
Abu Alyasser said that the commander was in the building for a meeting with a number of Brigades members. He realized the existence of military jeeps surrounding the area and so managed to escape.
"Even if they were able to assassinate him we have hundreds of people whom are ready to continue our path and our way of resistance," Abu Alyasser added.
Al-Quds Brigades bombard Sderot sparking alert
Soldiers terrify family, force father and children under the rain for several hours
Local sources in Jenin, in the northern part of the West Bank, reported on Thursday that Israeli soldiers broke into the house of Sami Hasan Al Sous, in Jenin refugee camp, and forced him and his children into the rain and cold winter night. Meanwhile, the soldiers took their time to thoroughly search and damage the house, before arresting four family members. Sources stated that at approximately 2 a.m on Thursday morning, soldiers surrounded several houses and starting knocking on, and hitting, his door while loudly ordering him to open it.
"I looked through the window as I initially thought it was the wind hitting our doors and windows, but when i looked carefully I found out the the house is totally surrounded by soldiers", Al Sous stated, "my whole family was scared, the children were crying and screaming, as I opened the door, ten soldiers jumped in and ordered me to bring everybody to the main door".
He added that he told the soldiers that his children were sleeping and it was too cold to bring them near the door, but the soldiers forced him to wake his family and ordered everybody to step out, under the rain and cold winter wind.
Al Sous stated that he asked the soldiers to allow the children back inside but they rejected his request and continued their search inside the house for "wanted resistance fighters".
When the soldiers found no fighters hiding in the house, they arrested the three sons of Al Sous; Ahmad, Salim and Samer, soldiers also arrested Ali, a relative who was spending the night at the house of Al Sous.
After several hours, the soldiers evacuated the area leaving the family soaked due to their enforced wait in the rain.
Meanwhile, Israeli military sources claimed that the army arrested four Palestinians, including a leader of the Islamic Jihad movement.
Israel cuts off electricity in Gaza; thousands plunged into darkness
Israel cut off part of the electricity supply to Gaza City on Friday evening, plunging thousands of people into darkness, according to Jamal Al-Dardasawi, the head of public relations and information at the electricity company in Gaza.
Israel cut off the vital electricity supply line, known as the 'Baghdad line', claiming there are problems with that particular line.
Al-Dardasawi pointed out that the Israeli electiricity supply company have ben intermittently cutting off electricity since last Tuesday morning, leaving thousands of Gaza City residents battling bitter cold weather, without any means of heating.
He added that the Baghdad line is particularly important for dozens of health centres, primarily Al-Shifaa Hospital in Gaza City.
Al-Dardasawi appealed to humanitarian and international human rights organizations to intervention before lives are lost.
The tiny Strip is one of the most densely populated places in the world, and already endures power outages up to 24 hours a day. Gaza's electric transformers have been bombed by the Israeli military.
5 injured at funeral for Palestinian resistance fighters in Beit Ummar
Five Palestinians were injured by Israeli army gunfire in the West Bank town of Beit Ummar on Friday during clashes at the funeral procession of two Palestinians killed last week in the Israeli settlement of Kfar Etzion, south of Bethlehem.
Medical sources said the injured, one of whom is in a serious condition, were taken to Hebron Government Hospital.
The clashes occurred during the funeral of twenty-one-year-old Muhammad Fathi Sabarna and twenty-year-old Mahmoud Khaled Sabarna from Beit Ummar, who were shot dead after allegedly entering the Kfar Etzion settlement carrying knives and stabbing three Israeli settlers.
At least 20 Israeli military vehicles were present, as the funeral procession began at the town's mosque and attempted to proceede to the nearby cemetery along the main street.
Eye witnesses said the clashes started after Israeli forces prevented the funeral procession from reaching the cemetery through the main Bethlehem-Hebron road, trying to force the mourners to take a different route.
During the ensuing fighting, twenty-year-old Ibrahim Hasan Al Alam was shot in the thigh, suffering broken bones and severe bleeding. He is in a critical condition. Forty-two-year-old Hisham Khalil Abu Mariya was hit in the head by a rubber bullet. Thirty-seven-year-old Saqar Sader Abu Mariya was shot in the foot. Twenty-seven-year-old Ahmad Ali Akil Khalil was hit in the hand by a rubber bullet. Twenty-year-old Anwar Ahmad Khamees was hit with a gas grenade in the head.
Although Israeli forces had handed over the deceased's bodies to their relatives on Wednesday evening, their burial was not possible until Friday due to the bad weather conditions over the past few days.
Both men had recently been released from an Israeli prison. They had each served a year after being found guilty of beating up an Israeli settler and taking his gun.
Al-Mujahidin Brigades clash with Israeli force in eastern Gaza Strip
Two bombs explode near Israeli settlement in West Bank
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Mint salaries Phlebotomist Jefferson County, KY
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The average salary for a Phlebotomist in Jefferson County, KY is $30,500 per year. These insights are exclusive to Mint Salary and are based on 36 tax returns from TurboTax customers who reported this type of occupation. Phlebotomist salaries in Jefferson County, KY can vary between $19,500 to $44,000 and depend on various factors, including skills, experience, employer, bonuses, and more. Read more
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Nurse Technician
Certified Surgical Technologist
$101,500/yr
Certified Medication Technician
Phlebotomist demographics in Jefferson County, KY
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What is the average salary for a phlebotomist in Jefferson County, KY?
The average salary for a phlebotomist in Jefferson County, KY is $30,500 per year. Phlebotomist salaries in Jefferson County, KY can vary between $19,500 to $44,000 and depend on various factors, including skills, experience, employer, bonuses, tips, and more.
This data is exclusive to Mint Salary and is based on 36 tax returns from TurboTax customers who reported their occupation as phlebotomist.
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The following cities offer the highest salaries for phlebotomists in Jefferson County, KY: Indianapolis, IN ($30,500 a year), Louisville, KY ($30,500 a year), and Nashville, TN ($30,500 a year).
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Are you going gluten-free? Perhaps you're doing an elimination diet to see if you have a gluten sensitivity. Or maybe you've been diagnosed with celiac disease. No matter what the reason, going gluten-free can be daunting.
I gave up gluten in 2006 at the recommendation of my naturopath to improve my fertility. When she asked me to cut it out of my diet, I couldn't stop thinking about the cupcakes at my favorite bakery. But I put my love of all things gluten-ous aside and jumped in with both feet. Not only did my fertility improve, but I felt so much better — my headaches disappeared, my skin cleared up, my mood improved, and my digestion regulated.
As a health coach, I have helped dozens of people adopt a gluten-free diet. Through my work I have discovered a few tips to make the transition easier.
1. Don't try to replace all of your wheat-filled favorites.
It is very tempting to whip up a gluten-free cupcake mix or pick up some frozen gluten-free soft pretzels. If your goal is to improve your health, I suggest skipping the processed boxes of replacement foods. They are often higher in sugar and lack nutritional value. If you're craving baked goods or your favorite morning pancakes, the healthiest way to get them is to bake them at home from scratch. There are numerous gluten-free recipes here on Natural Fertility and Wellness. For example, check out Donielle's recipe for Gluten-Free Bread or this tasty recipe for Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes.
Get creative with omelettes. Toss in your favorite vegetables and serve with a side of fruit. Need something quick? Top plain whole milk greek yogurt with blueberries, a handful of chopped walnuts and a dash of cinnamon. Or make a nutrient dense smoothie to take on the go, like this Green Breakfast Smoothie.
3. Discover delicious gluten-free whole grains.
By going gluten-free you give up wheat, barley, and rye. But you also have a lot to gain. There are plenty of delicious gluten-free grains to try. Gluten-Free whole grains include amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa and teff, just to name a few. Oats are also naturally gluten-free, but are often processed in facilities alongside of gluten-containing grains. So be sure to buy oats that are labeled gluten-free.
Whole grains are excellent sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. One of my favorite go-to grains is quinoa. Not only does it pack a nutritional punch, but it also is a complete protein, making it an excellent grain for vegetarians and vegans who need plant-based sources of protein. You can add quinoa to salads, make it as a side dish, or create hearty one-bowl meals with diced vegetables, beans, and a drizzle of olive oil. I even love it for breakfast.
Whenever I make quinoa for dinner, I always cook a little extra to save for the following day's breakfast. I serve it cold topped with diced apples, pecans, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Another breakfast option is Quinoa Granola, grain free and a much healthier option than overly sweetened cereals.
If you are currently transitioning to a gluten-free diet, I hope you found these tips helpful. If you've been eating gluten-free for a while, I would love for you to share your favorite gluten-free foods in the comments below.
Jess is an artist, musician, writer, and lover of clean eating. She is also a health coach specializing in helping women with unexplained infertility, PCOS, and hormone imbalances discover a holistic approach to improving their fertility and ability to conceive. Through her personal struggles with infertility and pregnancy loss, Jess has discovered her life's purpose and is compassionate toward women who face the same uncertainty regarding their ability to have a family.


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Le parc solaire de Livada est un grand parc photovoltaïque à couche mince, construit sur un terrain de 135 ha situé entre Livada et Drăguşeni en Roumanie. Le parc compte environ 230 000 panneaux photovoltaïques à couche mince pour une capacité nominale totale de 56 mégawatts et a été achevé en novembre 2013. Le parc solaire devrait fournir environ 33,6 GWh d'électricité par an suffisant pour alimenter 60 000 foyers moyens.

L'installation est située dans le comté de Satu Mare, dans le nord-ouest de la Roumanie, entre la ville de Livada et le village de Drăguşeni. Le coût d'investissement pour le parc solaire de Livada s'élève à environ 65 millions d'euros.

Voir aussi

 Politique énergétique de l'Union européenne
 Photovoltaïque
 Énergie solaire en Roumanie

Notes et références

Livada

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
https://avmajournals.avma.org/search?access=user&f_0=author&pageSize=10&q_0=Eva+M.+McElligott&sort=relevance
Author or Editor: Eva M. McElligott x
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Pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol base after oral administration in adult horses
Eva M. McElligott
Carla S. Sommardahl
Sherry K. Cox
OBJECTIVE To determine the pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol base after PO administration at a dose of SO mg/kg (22.7 mg/lb) in adult horses from which food was not withheld.
DESIGN Prospective crossover study.
ANIMALS 5 adult mares.
PROCEDURES Chloramphenicol base (SO mg/kg) was administered PO to each horse, and blood samples were collected prior to administration (0 minutes) and at 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes and 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours thereafter. Following a washout period, chloramphenicol sodium succinate (25 mg/kg [11.4 mg/lb]) was administered IV to each horse, and blood samples were collected prior to administration (0 minutes) and at 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 45 minutes and 1, 2, 4, and 8 hours thereafter.
RESULTS In horses, plasma half-life, volume of distribution at steady state, clearance, and area under the plasma concentration-time curve for chloramphenicol after IV administration ranged from 0.65 to 1.20 hours, 0.51 to 0.78 L/kg, 0.78 to 1.22 L/h/kg, and 20.5 to 32.1 h·μg/mL, respectively. The elimination half-life, time to maximum plasma concentration, maximum plasma concentration, and area under the plasma concentration-time curve after PO administration ranged from 1.7 to 7.4 hours, 0.25 to 2.00 hours, 1.52 to 5.45 μg/mL, and 10.3 to 21.6 h·μg/mL, respectively. Mean ± SD chloramphenicol bioavailability was 28 ± 10% and terminal half-life was 2.85 ± 1.32 hours following PO administration.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Given that the maximum plasma chloramphenicol concentration in this study was lower than previously reported values, it is recommended to determine the drug's MIC for target bacteria before administration of chloramphenicol in adult horses.


As important to capturing the emotions of the day, are the little details – the wedding flowers, the brides shoes, the wedding rings, the place settings at the wedding venue as examples. These all help create the fabric of a strong story. A key takeaway for the bride to be and the groom, is that a wedding event has a flow to it, and our job as wedding photographers is to be there to capture the flow with creativity and flair without being intrusive.
Having said that there are times when some direction is required to organise wedding groups and that is where our experience and personality shines through by involving the guests and capturing them in a fun way, so that you can look back at your treasured images fondly many years from now.
If you are looking for creative wedding photography in Edinburgh, or across the whole of Scotland including Dundee and Glasgow. then look no further than Blackfox Photography. Have a look at our showreel video at the foot of this page and see in 60 seconds some of the exciting photographic images we can deliver.
After what can be years of planning, the wedding day flashes by in spectacular fashion. It is one of the most important days of any bride and grooms life, and is something worth remembering in detail. The problem is that over time we forget those details. You have come to our page because you are looking for a wedding photographer in Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and further surrounding areas Scotland, and therefore realise why it is so important to have someone to capture those magical moments, allowing you to share your treasured images, and allow generations in the future to take a trip back in time and be part of this special moment.
Our approach to wedding photography in begins with understanding the bride and grooms vision for the day – the wedding venue, the bridal dress, the family members that will surround them and what matters to them most. This helps us build the storyline and will drive our approach to your wedding day shoot. The key is being able to capture moments that truly reflect the day by capturing the emotions and drama of what unfolds with authenticity and love such as those shown in the video showreel at the foot of this page. That is our mission – to deliver wedding photography images that evoke an emotional reaction in the viewer for many years to come. Covering Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and further surrounding areas in Scotland, contact us today for more information.


Earlier this week Bitcoinist reported that Bitcoin 00 is in for volatile days ahead. As outlined, the key levels to keep an eye for during the week will be Bitcoin trading over $3,500 and what happens if Bitcoin crashes towards low $3,000's.
The last 24 hours saw the cryptocurrency lose another 2 percent of its value, bringing it down to its lowest point since the mid-December 2018.
At the same time, though, Bitcoin transaction metrics are providing strong hints that we may be close to the bottom of the current bear cycle.
There appears to be more demand than supply at $3,000, though it remains to be seen if this key psychological support will hold.
At the same time, USD exchange volume is also at its lowest point since May 2017. This was the point which marked a massive build-up to Bitcoin's all-time high of about $20,000 in January 2018.
It's not unlike Bitcoin to go through solid run-ups to new ATH values, crash severely and slowly build-up to new highs afterward.
The post Bitcoin Slides to Lowest Price Since Mid-December appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.