Esophageal peristalsis results from sequential contraction of circular muscle, which serves to push the ingested food bolus toward the stomach. Esophageal longitudinal muscle may also play a role in peristalsis.
Swallow-induced peristalsis is called primary peristalsis, and the peristalsis elicited by esophageal distention is called secondary peristalsis.
Peristaltic contractions are always preceded by inhibition that, in the case of primary peristalsis, is called deglutitive inhibition.
Peristalsis in the striated muscle part of the esophagus is dependent on central mechanisms, involving sequential activation of vagal lower motor neurons in the vagal nucleus ambiguus.
Peristalsis in the smooth muscle of the esophagus is dependent on both central and peripheral mechanisms.
The central mechanism involves patterned activation of the preganglionic neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus that project onto inhibitory and excitatory neurons in the esophageal myenteric plexus.
The peripheral mechanism involves regional differences in the inhibitory and excitatory intramural nerves and intrinsic properties of the muscle.
Intramural inhibitory nerves act by releasing nitric oxide (NO) and vasoactive intestinal peptide, whereas the excitatory nerves release acetylcholine and substance P.
The esophagus is a hollow muscular tube, closed proximally and distally by muscular sphincters.1 The esophageal wall is composed of distinct layers. The inner mucosal layer consists of squamous epithelium and underlying connective tissue, within which lies a longitudinally oriented muscle layer called the muscularis mucosa. The function of this muscle layer is unclear, but it likely is involved in mucosal movement. The outer muscular coat, known as the muscularis propria, is involved in bolus transport and consists of an inner layer of circularly oriented muscle fibers and an outer layer of longitudinally oriented fibers. In between these two muscle layers lies the myenteric plexus, which controls the motor function of these muscles. The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) and proximal one third of esophageal body is composed of striated muscle. There is then a transition zone where striated and smooth muscle intermix. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and the distal one half to two thirds of the esophageal body are composed of smooth muscle.
The main function of the esophagus is to propel swallowed food or fluid into the stomach. This occurs through sequential or "peristaltic" contraction of circular muscle in the esophageal body, in concert with appropriately timed relaxation of the upper and lower esophageal sphincters. The esophagus also must clear any refluxed gastric contents back into the stomach and takes part in vomiting and belching.
Esophageal peristalsis can be initiated by deglutition ("primary" peristalsis) or local distention ("secondary" peristalsis). Deglutition is one of the most complex reflex neural activities. The initial phase is voluntary when food is chewed, mixed with saliva and formed into a bolus before being pushed to the posterior pharynx by the tongue. Receptors in the posterior pharynx are then activated to initiate the involuntary phase of deglutition, which involves carefully sequenced contraction of numerous head and neck muscles. The food bolus is rapidly pushed toward the esophagus by the pharyngeal constrictor muscles. Concurrently, there is activation of muscles that lift the palate and close off and elevate the larynx in order to prevent misdirection of the bolus into the nasopharynx and larynx, respectively. The UES opens almost immediately upon activation of the deglutition reflex, allowing the food bolus to pass through. It then rapidly shuts to prevent retrograde passage of the bolus. Once this oropharyngeal phase has served to propel the bolus into the esophagus, the esophageal phase of deglutition takes over. This involves two major phenomena, namely the sequential contraction of circular muscle of the esophageal body, which results in a peristaltic wave that pushes the food toward the stomach, and relaxation and opening of the LES.
A number of methodologies have been used to study motility of the esophagus. Perhaps the simplest technique is to observe the transport of a swallowed barium bolus using videofluoroscopy (Video 1). This technique has been particularly useful to assess function and dysfunction of the oropharyngeal phase of swallowing. Esophageal manometry has been used in humans and animal models to measure contraction of the circular muscle layer of the esophagus. Catheters with either perfused side holes or strain gauge transducers can be placed intraluminally to record pressure transients caused by circular muscle contraction. These pressure sensors are spaced at fixed distances along the catheter; therefore, it is possible to record pressure transients associated with the peristaltic wave as it moves down the esophagus (Figure 1). Much of what we know now about the physiology and pharmacology of the esophagus in humans has been dependent on the use of intraluminal manometry; however, recently introduced techniques have enhanced our understanding of esophageal peristaltic function and dysfunction in humans. For instance, intraluminal impedance recording has been used to assess esophageal bolus transit in humans.7 This technique is based on monitoring changes in impedance between a series of paired electrodes spaced at predetermined intervals along an intraluminal catheter. Air, solids, and liquids each produce their own characteristic change in interelectrode impedance; therefore, the technique is capable of determining either antegrade or retrograde movement of any of these substances within the esophageal lumen. High-frequency intraluminal ultrasound has also been introduced as a novel means of monitoring contraction of different muscle layers during peristalsis by recording changes in the thickness of the muscle layer.8, 9 This may be particularly useful to record contraction of longitudinally oriented muscle, because contraction of these muscle layers does not result in a detectable change in intraluminal pressure.
Figure 1: Primary peristalsis as recorded by an intraluminal manometry catheter.
Video 1: Videofluoroscopy of deglutition and primary peristalsis.
The subject swallows a mouthful of barium sulfate, which is then propelled down the esophagus and into the stomach by a peristaltic contraction wave.
View movie file : Video 1: Videofluoroscopy of deglutition and primary peristalsis.
For more in-depth study of the neuromuscular physiology of the esophagus, in vitro studies are performed. Much has been learned by stimulating intramural nerves of muscle strips in tissue baths and recording the motor response. In addition, single smooth muscle contraction studies and intracellular electrophysiologic recordings or patch clamp recordings from single cells have been used to elucidate important information regarding the physiology of peristalsis.
When pharyngeal swallows are well spaced, the esophagus responds on a one-to-one basis. However, if swallows are taken in rapid succession, esophageal activity is inhibited until the last swallow in a series.22, 23 This phenomenon is called deglutitive inhibition and reflects the predominant inhibitory discharge to the esophageal musculature, or the central inhibitory phenomenon that occurs with each swallow (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Diagrammatic representation of deglutitive inhibition.
Like striated muscle in other parts of the body, the striated muscle segment of the esophagus is dependent on excitatory nerve activity from lower motor neurons. The striated muscle of the esophagus is innervated by myelinated vagal lower motor neurons whose cell bodies are located in the nucleus ambiguus and nucleus retrofacialis.24, 25 A small number of cell bodies may also arise in the dorsal motor nucleus (DMN) of the vagus. These nerve fibers contain choline acetyltransferase and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and synapse directly on the motor end plates. Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter involved in activation of esophageal striated muscle. The role of CGRP is unknown. Bilateral cervical vagotomy above the origin of the pharyngoesophageal branches abolishes peristalsis in the striated muscle esophagus.1, 26 However, unilateral vagotomy has no effect on peristalsis, presumably because of extensive crossover of vagal innervation within the esophageal wall.27 Innovative experiments performed by Roman27 established that vagal efferent neurons destined for the striated muscle esophagus fire sequentially. They used the central portion of the sectioned vagus in sheep to reinnervate the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles from which they were able to record electrical activity. Activation of deglutition induced sequential contraction of the reinnervated muscles that coincided with peristaltic contractions simultaneously measured by intraluminal manometry.
The observation that either bilateral cervical vagotomy or vagal cooling abolishes swallow-induced peristalsis in the smooth muscle esophagus clearly demonstrates that input from the central nervous system is required to initiate the primary peristaltic wave.32, 33, 34 In addition, Tieffenbach and Roman34 suggested that primary peristalsis in the esophageal smooth muscle is mediated by sequential activation of vagal efferent fibers. This was based on electromyographic recordings from baboon skeletal muscle that had been reinnervated by vagal efferent fibers, in which muscle spike bursts that coincided with peristaltic activity in the smooth muscle esophagus were recorded. The pattern of this muscle discharge was sequential, indicating that vagal preganglionic fibers destined for the smooth muscle esophagus were being activated by a central sequencing mechanism. It was suggested that these vagal preganglionic efferent fibers synapse on postganglionic cholinergic fibers, which in turn sequentially activate the smooth muscle. However, these studies do not explain the initial inhibitory discharge that occurs prior to peristaltic contraction in response to deglutition. Gidda and Goyal35 recorded swallow-evoked potentials from single cervical vagal efferent fibers in the opossum and were able to distinguish two types of efferent discharge based on the latency to firing. Short latency fibers begin firing within 1 second of the onset of swallowing, whereas long latency fibers had latencies ranging between 1 and 5 seconds. It was postulated that short latency discharges correlated with the initial inhibition to the esophagus and that long latency discharges correlated with peristaltic contractions. These experimental data suggested that in addition to initiating primary peristalsis, vagal efferent discharge might also modulate the speed, amplitude, and duration of the peristaltic wave.
The peripheral neuromuscular control mechanisms involved in peristalsis of the esophageal circular smooth muscle has been an area of intense interest and investigation for many years. A number of observations clearly establish the importance of intrinsic neuromuscular mechanisms in the generation of the peristaltic wave. As mentioned above, sequential firing does occur in vagal efferent nerves, and the vagus is needed for initiation of primary peristalsis. However, peristalsis can be induced by local distention and electrical stimulation of an esophagus devoid of extrinsic innervation. Furthermore, simultaneous electrical activation of all vagal efferent nerve fibers induces peristalsis after a variable delay, rather than an immediate simultaneous contraction36, 37, 38, 39 (Figure 3). This indicates the prime importance of peripheral neuromuscular mechanisms in the generation of peristalsis.
Figure 3: Schematic representation of esophageal contractions.
Tension recording studies of isolated circular smooth muscle strips that have intrinsic but not extrinsic innervation have elegantly demonstrated an intrinsic "latency gradient" of contraction along the esophagus that appears to contribute to the generation of the peristaltic wave.40 Most of these studies have been performed in the opossum model. Short-duration electrical stimulation of the intrinsic nerves of a circular smooth muscle strip results in a contraction that occurs after the stimulus has ended (the so-called off response). The onset of this contraction relative to the stimulus increases in strips taken from more aboral segments of the smooth muscle esophagus (Figure 4). This latency gradient has been shown to relate to the initial inhibition or hyperpolarization that occurs upon nerve stimulation. In other words, with nerve stimulation there is first release of an inhibitory neurotransmitter that causes hyperpolarization of the membrane. The duration of this hyperpolarization is longer aborally,41 so that the ensuing contraction is delayed aborally. This initial hyperpolarization of the circular smooth muscle membrane potential has also been recorded in the opossum in vivo in response to swallows.42 Furthermore, a wave of initial inhibition can be recorded in humans by creating an artificial high-pressure zone using a partially distended balloon.43 The reason for the progressive increase in duration of the initial hyperpolarization in the proximal versus distal smooth muscle esophagus is unclear. It could represent a relative increase in the release or local effects of inhibitory neurotransmitter distally, or alternatively, a relative increase in excitatory neurotransmitter release or effects proximally. There is no direct evidence in support of either of these possibilities, but studies in several species44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 have shown that atropine delays the onset of peristaltic contractions, with a greater effect in the proximal than distal esophagus, whereas inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) shortens the latency of contraction, with a more pronounced effect distally than proximally (see below). To date, there has been no morphologic evidence of a gradient in the density of cholinergic or nitrergic innervation along the esophagus. This raises the possibility that intrinsic differences in smooth muscle responses along the esophagus may result in a varied response to the same quantum of released neurotransmitter. There is some evidence in support of this hypothesis. Decktor and Ryan56 noted a decrease in resting membrane potential along the smooth muscle portion of the opossum esophagus, with resting membrane potential being less negative distally. A gradient in potassium content along the opossum smooth muscle esophagus has also been reported.57 A subsequent study, however, failed to show differences in resting membrane potential at different sites along the esophagus.58 Furthermore, the electrical properties of the smooth muscle cell membrane were no different at proximal versus distal sites. More recently, Diamant and colleagues59, 60, 61, 62, 63 have reported a number of regional myogenic differences along the feline smooth muscle esophagus, which may contribute to different responses to neurotransmitters. These differences include the following: (1) A more depolarized resting membrane potential was found at 4 cm as compared to 2 cm above the LES, owing at least partly to higher sodium permeability distally.59 In addition, an increased density of voltage-dependent potassium channels was noted at the 4 cm site. (2) Regional differences in the soluble N-ethylenemaleimide sensitive factors attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein SNAP-25 61, which appears to regulate potassium channels.62 (3) There are differences in the esophageal circular smooth muscle response to stretch and cholinergic stimulation, with strips from more proximal regions being more responsive.60 (4) There is an increased expression and current density of L-type calcium channels in the proximal versus the distal smooth muscle esophagus.61 These interesting observations explain some of the differences in contractile patterns along the esophagus and may also explain regional differences in response to neurotransmitters.
Figure 4: Electrical stimulation of intrinsic nerves in circular smooth muscle strips.
Stimulation results in phasic contraction after a variable delay. The latency to onset of this contraction increase progressively in strips taken from more aboral segments of the smooth muscle esophagus. This demonstrates the existence of an "intrinsic latency gradient" of contraction along the esophagus, which contributes to the generation of a peristaltic wave.
Although an aborally increasing gradient in the duration of the initial inhibition is an attractive model to explain peristalsis, the calculated speed of peristalsis based on intrinsic differences in the initial inhibition along the esophagus is on the order of 10 cm/sec,41 which is much faster than peristalsis in vivo. Thus, there must be mechanisms other than the intrinsic latency gradient to explain peristalsis. Experiments in which simultaneous electrical and mechanical activity were recorded in both the proximal and distal opossum smooth muscle esophagus have helped clarify the discrepancy between the in vitro and in vivo observations.42 In this study, it was shown that an initial monophasic inhibitory potential occurs along the esophagus with either swallowing or balloon distention. In keeping with the electrophysiologic and muscle strip studies, the duration of the initial hyperpolarization was slightly longer distally than proximally, but this difference was insufficient to explain the marked delay of esophageal contraction in the distal versus the proximal smooth muscle esophagus. Rather, in the distal esophagus the initial monophasic inhibitory potential was followed by a second wave of hyperpolarization before the membrane potential rebounded into depolarization and initiation of spike potentials (Figure 5). It was suggested that this secondary hyperpolarization is likely due to reactivation of descending inhibitory neurons by distention or contraction of the more proximal esophagus in the course of peristalsis (Figure 6). This suggests that intramural descending inhibitory pathways are crucial in generating the peristaltic wave. Subsequent studies in the opossum have demonstrated that localized distention appears to directly activate intrinsic nitrergic inhibitory neurons that send long aboral projections.64 In these experiments, a triple chamber organ bath was used to chemically and electrically isolate the intact opossum smooth muscle esophagus into proximal, middle, and distal segments. The peristaltic reflex was then activated by distending an intraluminal balloon in the proximal segment, whereas electrical and mechanical responses were recorded in the distal segment. Interestingly, whereas tetrodotoxin placed in the intermediate chamber abolished the descending peristaltic reflex, removing calcium and adding high concentrations of magnesium to the intermediate chamber, which blocks synaptic transmission, had no effect, indicating that the intramural neurons mediating this response traveled for at least 3 cm without synapsing on interneurons. Furthermore, although removing calcium from the distending chamber inhibited the response, this was likely due to an effect on muscle tension generation in response to stretch, as application of antagonists of all known esophageal neurotransmitters to the distending chamber had no effect. Also, the calcium channel blocker nifedipine, when placed in the oral (distending) chamber, decreased the muscle tension generated in response to distention and also inhibited the distal response.65 These long tension-activated descending neurons provide an important intrinsic mechanism to ensure that the distal esophagus remains inhibited as the bolus traverses the esophagus, irrespective of the speed of bolus transit.
Figure 5: Simultaneous recording of electrical and mechanical activity in opossum smooth muscle esophagus.
Figure 6: Model showing the marked delay in onset of distal esophageal contractions during peristalsis.
With the initial stimulation, be it swallowing or distention, there is a short-lived hyperpolarization that is slightly longer in more aboral region of the esophagus. Intrinsic descending inhibitory neurons can then be continuously reactivated by contraction or bolus distention as it migrates down the esophagus.
These observations are supported by studies using vagal efferent nerve stimulation.39, 51, 53 With a short train of nerve stimulation, contractions are induced along the smooth muscle esophagus after the stimulus is over. These are often peristaltic in nature, but this can be influenced by adjusting the electrical stimulus parameters. If a long stimulus train is used, however, both an intrastimulus contraction (A wave) and a poststimulus contraction (B wave) are frequently observed.39, 51, 53 The intrastimulus contraction is usually peristaltic and is blocked by atropine, whereas the poststimulus contraction is blocked by a NOS inhibitor and is either simultaneous in onset or has a very rapid peristaltic velocity. Whether A waves, B waves, or both are induced by long train vagal efferent stimulation depends on the stimulus frequency used. Low-frequency stimulation favors A waves, whereas high-frequency stimulation favors B waves, implying that intrinsic cholinergic and nitrergic neurons respond differently to different intensity stimuli. Interestingly, administration of atropine not only blocks A waves, but also unmasks or enhances B waves, whereas NOS inhibition does the opposite (Figure 7). When both atropine and a NOS inhibitor are applied together, both A and B waves are abolished.51 Similarly, both antagonists are required to completely abolish swallow-induced peristalsis in the opossum model.51 These studies provide support for the concept that vagal efferent nerve fibers innervate both inhibitory (nitrergic) and excitatory (cholinergic) neurons. It thus appears that the normal peristaltic wave is a result of blended innervation that may vary along the esophagus. Cholinergic neurons activate contraction by directly depolarizing the muscle. On the other hand, nitrergic neurons presumably cause contraction through a "rebound" depolarization following an initial hyperpolarization; that is, NO serves as both an inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter.
Figure 7: Evidence of dual innervation of esophageal peristalsis.
In recent years there has been considerable interest in the role of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the control of gastrointestinal GI motility. These cells are believed to be the pacemakers for the stomach and intestine. There is also evidence that they are intercalated between nerves and muscle, and therefore serve as relay stations in neuromuscular transmission. Spontaneous rhythmic contractions have been recorded from esophageal longitudinal smooth muscle at rest,85, 86 but these contractions are nifedipine-sensitive and unlikely to be due to pacing by ICCs. However, morphologic studies have reported intercalation of ICCs between nerve endings and esophageal smooth muscle cells in the opossum.87, 88 Unlike the LES and other regions of the GI tract, there is as yet no physiologic evidence that ICCs are involved in neuromuscular transmission in the esophageal body. This is largely because the ICC-deficient mouse, which has been used for physiologic studies, does not have a smooth muscle esophageal body. It has been speculated that esophageal body ICCs are involved in neuromuscular transmission, or serve as tension receptors that then relay information to intrinsic or extrinsic neurons.
From the above discussion it is clear that both NO and acetylcholine are crucial neurotransmitters in generation of the peristaltic wave. Nitric oxide produces hyperpolarization of the circular smooth muscle cell membrane via a cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent pathway,89, 90 thereby causing inhibition of voltage-dependent calcium entry. There has been considerable controversy surrounding the mechanisms whereby NO induces membrane hyperpolarization.91, 92 It was initially proposed that the nitrergic inhibitory junction potential (IJP) in esophageal circular smooth muscle was due to opening of potassium channels.93, 94, 95 This was based on indirect studies, which explored the effect of altering potassium gradients across the cell membrane on the IJPs. In further support of this, NO donors were reported to activate multiple types of potassium channels and whole cell potassium currents in different smooth muscles, including esophageal.96, 97, 98, 99 These currents were sensitive to tetraethylammonium, apamin, quinine, or 4-aminopyridine. However, selective potassium channel blockers failed to abolish the nitrergic IJP in opossum esophageal circular smooth muscle,93, 94 suggesting that opening of potassium channels may not underlie the hyperpolarization caused by neurally released NO. Based on experiments utilizing chloride substitution and application of the anion channel blocker 4,4'–diisothiocyanostilbine–2,2'–disulfonic acid, Crist et al.100 proposed that the nitrergic IJP was due to closing of calcium-activated chloride channels. Subsequently, Zhang et al.,101 using the patch clamp technique, provided further evidence that NO blocks calcium-activated chloride currents in esophageal circular smooth muscle. More recently, Zhang and Paterson102 reported that the nitrergic IJP could be blocked by two different calcium-activated chloride channel blockers, namely niflumic acid and 9-anthroic acid. Furthermore, they provided evidence that the nitrergic IJP is dependent on activation of myosin light chain kinase. At rest, the membrane potential of esophageal circular smooth muscle cells shows apparently random membrane potential fluctuations of 1 to 3 mV. Inhibitors of sarcoplasmic reticulum function or blockers of chloride channels markedly attenuate these random fluctuations, suggesting that they are due to spontaneous activation of chloride channels, primed by calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.103 This data provide further support for the hypothesis that the nitrergic IJP involves blockade of chloride currents.
The second messenger pathways involved in acetylcholine-induced contraction are complex, and have recently been reviewed107 (Figure 8). Acetylcholine acts on muscarinic type 2 (M2) receptors that are linked to Gi3-type G proteins within the muscle membrane.108 These G proteins then activate phosphatidylcholine–specific phospholipase C and D to generate diacylglycerol, which interacts with arachidonic acid to activate protein kinase (PK) C .109 Calcium is required for activation of phospholipase and production of diacylglycerol and arachidonic acid, but PKC activity is calcium-independent.108, 110, 111 PKC is linked to two separate mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways; one involves extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and the other heat shock protein-27 linked to P38 kinase.111, 112 Either of these pathways can then ultimately lead, via activation of a series of intermediate proteins, to phosphorylation of myosin light chain kinase (MLC20), which triggers actin-myosin cross bridge cycling.
Figure 8: Pathways involved in acetylcholine-induced contraction of esophageal circular smooth muscle.
Of interest, esophageal peristalsis can be induced in the smooth muscle esophagus in the presence of tetrodotoxin, which blocks all sodium channel–mediated action potentials in neurons.85, 113, 114 This can be evoked by long pulse duration electrical current that directly activates the muscle, esophageal distention, muscle membrane depolarization using high concentrations of K+, or pharmacologic stimulation. It is believed that there is polarization of the muscle-to-muscle communication such that depolarization of one smooth muscle cell will result in electrotonic spread of current to adjacent muscle cells in an aboral direction.115 These observations highlight the redundancy in physiologic control mechanisms in esophageal motility.
Understandably, investigators have focused on the role of the circular smooth muscle in esophageal peristalsis; however, the longitudinal muscle also contracts in sequential fashion during peristalsis and appears to play a role in bolus transport. To date, studies on the physiology of the longitudinal muscle have focused entirely on the smooth muscle esophagus.
Whereas it is easy to conceptualize how aborally progressive lumen occluding contractions of the circular muscle serve to push the bolus toward the stomach, it is less obvious how longitudinal muscle contraction might be involved in this process. It has been proposed that the longitudinal smooth muscle contraction may facilitate peristalsis by two mechanisms: (1) by shortening the esophagus, the esophageal radius must increase, thereby increasing the lumen size ahead of the oncoming bolus123; (2) longitudinal contractions tend to slide the esophagus over the bolus and increase the density of the circular muscle fibers orad to the bolus, which in turn increase the efficiency of the circular muscle contraction2. Recent studies using a mathematical model based on fluid theory have provided evidence that local longitudinal muscle contraction results in marked reduction in local pressure and shear stress in the zone of circular muscle contraction, thereby reducing the peak contractile pressure required for bolus transit.124 In addition, observations in humans125 suggest that the magnitude of the propulsive force generated on an intraluminal bolus correlates with the degree of esophageal shortening during peristalsis.
Unlike the adjacent circular smooth muscle, at rest the longitudinal smooth muscle may contract in a cyclical pattern, and intracellular recordings have revealed rhythmic depolarization-repolarization with a frequency of 2 to 3/min.85, 86 This cyclic electrical activity is abolished by nifedipine.86 The physiologic significance, if any, of this cyclical activity is unknown.
Esophageal peristalsis, which can be triggered by either swallowing or local esophageal distention, serves to propel esophageal contents into the stomach. This is orchestrated by a complicated interaction between the central nervous system and the myenteric plexus, with the latter predominating in the smooth muscle esophagus. Esophageal peristalsis consists of sequential contraction of the circular muscles of the muscularis propria, which is largely mediated by acetylcholine. This sequential contraction serves to occlude the esophageal lumen and push the bolus aborally. An important component in this process is the nitrergic inhibition of the circular smooth muscle that occurs aboral to the oncoming bolus. In addition, sequential contraction of longitudinal muscle also occurs during peristalsis. This serves to shorten the esophagus and increase the cross-sectional diameter, thereby facilitating bolus transport. There remains much to be learned about the physiologic control of esophageal peristalsis, including (1) the precise mechanisms whereby cholinergic and noncholinergic (mainly nitrergic) innervations interact to generate a peristaltic wave; (2) the cellular mechanisms involved in the nitrergic inhibition of esophageal circular smooth muscle; (3) the role of interstitial cells of Cajal in coordinating esophageal peristalsis; and (4) the role of other neurotransmitters in modulating peristalsis. Further understanding of the basic physiology underlying esophageal peristalsis will serve as a foundation for improved treatment of patients with dysphagia and chest pain due to esophageal motor dysfunction.
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Posted November 21, 2007 in Real life.
Are there any others who've been unstuck by this, or am I the only one?
Also, is there a way to change the dictionary? I've seen reports of it being in: c:\system\data\predic\10xxxxx.dat, but I don't have that folder, at least browsing via bluetooth.
Think yourself lucky – my wife's name is Peta which every time I get a new phone defaults to retard.
Yup I've got this problem too. Words that I've only used once have replaced words that I use all the time. Strange. I found the predictive dictionary in c:\Predic\ but remember that when browsing the file from the computer it often just shows you the memory card, not the internal memory. I googled about a bit but can't find any way to edit this dictionary file. You could always delete it and start again though.
Change that back to "see" the same way changed see to "pdf".
Another thing: I think(repeat: I think) that Nokia phones look for the frequncy of your word use. So if you use "see" more, it will become the default.
I'm afraid not, once I typed 'see', then taught it 'pdf' (because that was not an option), it defaulted to that from then on, regardless of usage.
Why there is an exception for things you put in yourself I don't know, but thankfully I'm on a new (less functional, easier to use) phone I won't make the same mistake again.


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      <resource path="~/content/bootstrap.css" />
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Confirmed Issue #18438862 • Assigned to Utkarsh P.
Currently trying to port an extension to edge. All of this works perfectly in Chrome and Firefox.
When I try to make a link to an extension page e.g. <a href="import.html" target="_blank"> it just won't open and silently fails. You can right click and copy the link just fine.


text:
By Jeff Bahr
jeff.bahr@theindependent.com
The Grand Island Police Department, in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations, today arrested a 17-year-old male and 37-year-old Brian Mohr of Grand Island. The 17-year-old is a student at Northwest High School, where Mohr is a teacher.
"The arrests are in relation to a case in which the 17-year-old male obtained illicit images of minors via a social media ruse, and used some of those images to coerce them into performing sexual acts," says a release from the Grand Island Police Department. "Those images were shared with Mohr. Numerous images have been identified as students at the school where Mohr is employed and the 17-year-old attends."
The 17-year-old suspect was arrested as a suspect in the investigation of first-degree sexual assault, human trafficking of a minor, unlawful intrusion, and multiple counts of distribution of sexually explicit material (child pornography).
Mohr was arrested as a suspect in multiple counts of possession of sexually explicit material (child pornography). All crimes listed are classified as felonies.
"This is an ongoing investigation, and is being worked with the full cooperation of the Northwest School District," the news release says. "If you, or someone you know is affected by this case or as a part of any online exploitation, it is important that you know you are not alone, and that you can contact the Grand Island Police Department at (308) 385-5400 or the HSI anonymous tip line at 866-DHS-2-ICE or https://www.ice.gov/tipline.
"It is important to know that potential victims in this activity are not alone. The Grand Island Police Department and HSI will continue to work toward keeping the youth of our community safe, and will have victim advocates in place to assist persons affected by this case."
Bond set at $750,000 for GI Northwest student
Hall County Judge Alfred Corey set bond at $750,000 today for the Northwest High School student accused of engaging in human trafficking and child pornography.
Sign up for Kearney Hub news alerts
Brian Mohr

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Myanmar: Invest here, please. Don't mind the insurgents.
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's state councilor and political leader, is struggling to lure global investment to Rakhine.
A spoken word poet in Myanmar speaks out against hate and injustice
Than Toe Aung faced years of discrimination and harassment as a Muslim in Myanmar. When he discovered the power of slam poetry, he decided to use it as a tool to speak out, unite and fight for justice.
10 defining global security questions of 2018
North Korea, Russia, Ukraine and Myanmar are all countries that led to questions of global security.
Lawyers of jailed reporters in Myanmar appeal case, citing police setup
Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were found guilty and sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of violating Myanmar's Official Secrets Act. Their lawyers say courts lack proof of 'intent to harm.'
Rohingya survivors face a new indignity: Banishment to a half-sunken island
The Rohingya may be pushed even farther from home: banished to a remote island off the coast of Bangladesh. There are nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Officials there are planning to relocate many of them to this tiny island as soon as next year.
Bangladesh pauses Rohingya repatriation plans amid refugee protests
Around 2,200 refugees slated to return to Myanmar on Nov. 15 protested the move, saying none agreed to return if their demands for justice, citizenship and the ability to go back to their original villages and lands were not met.
How to deal when politics divide your family
Aye Aye Dun says her parents told her to ignore what was happening to Rohingya in Myanmar. So she got organized.
In symbolic move, Canada votes to strip Suu Kyi of citizenship
Canadian legislators, in a symbolic move, on Thursday voted unanimously to strip Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary citizenship in response to crimes committed against the Rohingya minority.
Youth activists and journalists in Myanmar call for release of two jailed Reuters reporters
Demonstrators including high-school students gathered peacefully in the heart of Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, held signs and chanted slogans denouncing the guilty verdict against the two journalists.
Myanmar sentences Reuters journalists to seven years in prison
The two reporters, who were investigating the killing by the security forces of Rohingya villagers at the time of their arrest, had pleaded not guilty.
Stopping Human Trafficking on the Home Front
Environmental Protests Yield Results
From Myanmar to Bolivia, popular protests are derailing or delaying huge infrastructure projects.
Aung San Suu Kyi to Run for Parliament in Myanmar
Top of the Hour: Clinton to Visit Myanmar, Morning Headlines
Clinton Visits Myanmar After Political Reforms
Music Heard on Air for November 30, 2011
Looking at the Future of US-Myanmar Relations
Top of the Hour: US to Loosen Aid Restrictions on Myanmar, Morning Headlines
Secretary of State Clinton Announces Easing of Sanctions in Myanmar
Top of the Hour: US Ready to Begin Easing Sanctions Against Myanmar, Morning Headlines


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Scottish class of 2020's dismay over 'baffling and demoralising' Highers results
Sarah Rodrigues
students finding out results - PA
Scottish students have taken to social media to protest the results of their Highers - announced yesterday - calling them "baffling" and "demoralising", with around a quarter (124,000) of results thought to have been lowered by the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) due to a national moderation system.
This is the first year since 1888 in which exams in Scotland have been cancelled - thanks of course to Covid-19. Instead, results have been awarded on performance over the academic year, with the schools' own records taken into account when moderation took place.
As a result, many young people - and their parents - have branded the grading process 'classist', with many believing that their results have been adversely affected because they are from less affluent areas.
Eighteen-year-old Darren, from Clydebank, was originally delighted to know that exams were to be cancelled.
"Exams are a huge source of stress for people,"he says, "so I personally was relieved.
"In my circles at least, I think we were thinking along the lines of 'we've been doing well throughout the year, so our grades will be good and we have nothing to worry about'."
Yet despite consistently getting low As and high Bs in Psychology throughout his course, yesterday Darren was awarded an F.
"I'm definitely going to request a review,," he says, "but the fact that I got a score like this in the first place baffles me."
He adds: "I'm taking a writing course at college, so the grade doesn't affect where I'm going, but it's really demoralising to have worked so hard all year and then be faced with an F."
And, as many students are doing online, Darren points out that his result is probably connected to where he lives.
"I definitely think location is a factor," he says. "My school is about 240th in Scotland for exam results and passes, so I'm almost certain that it would have been in the range of those that had their grades lowered. It's unfair that someone gifted can be punished for going to a 'bad' school but that someone else can be rewarded simply for going to a 'good' one."
However, Jules, the mother of Elliot, a 17-year-old boy from Bridge of Weir, is not convinced that location was a factor in her son's disappointing marks.
"Elliot went to a private school," Jules points out, "and in any case, the local state school is a good one." Her son's school plans to appeal his marks in English and Geography, in which his grades were significantly lower than expected.
However, she is still frustrated. "It means that he will have to achieve certain results to meet the criteria for his university course," says Jules, "when in normal circumstances he would have achieved that this year.
"The system was ridiculous – and it's an additional kick in the teeth because he won't be able to apply to his first choice of university – St Andrews – as they don't accept results achieved over the course of two years."
It's not been the best week. First I'm forced to leave my beloved career at British Airways and then my son's exam results are downgraded because that was the daft system somebody came up with. @GavNewlandsSNP . Why?#SQAResults #SQAdisgrace https://t.co/XLr1cZhCh9
— Jules (@springbok19755) August 5, 2020
These complaints are being played out across Twitter and Instagram - and, like Darren and Jules, most students and their families are wary to go on the record in case it affects the outcome of any appeals.
One 17-year-old student from Aberdeenshire, who goes by the Twitter handle @hiirouii, appealed almost as soon as receiving her results.
"My school was listed quite low on the official ranking," she explains, "so I think that was a factor. If grades are awarded on how schools have previously performed in exams, then if you're from a poorer area, you're going to have limited access to resources and, consequently, lower pass rates."
With a final grade of C in Art & Design – far below the grade predicted by her teacher – she won't be able to get into her college of choice as things stand.
"I'm currently discussing my options," she says. "Luckily, the college is being very supportive and sympathetic."
This is distasteful. It's blatant lies. Hard work alone doesn't get you your dreams. I completely sympathise with what she's saying, however to say your background and family situation doesn't influence is a lie. If you're poor, you have less access to resources. #ResignSturgeon https://t.co/Tq2rC9rqxJ
— Sales (@hiirouii) August 5, 2020
Despite the furore, the Equality Impact Assessment, published by SQA on Tuesday tells a different story. According to this paper, attainment across all socio-economic levels was up this year: in the "Most Deprived" groups, 2020 results 69.9% of grades at Higher level were at A-C, up from 65.3% last year, while the "Least Deprived" achieved 84.6%, up from 81.7% last year. The paper also shows that the predictions submitted by teachers from the underprivileged areas tended to be over-estimates: hence the disparity between expected and ultimate grades. It's worth noting, too, that the grades in the "Least Deprived" group also fell significantly short of estimates.
In any case, many students had cause to celebrate yesterday – as one Twitter user, a self-proclaimed '17-year-old Gypsy communist' from Aberdeen exclaimed: "Local gypsy who grew up on benefits gets 4 As in her Highers."
Breaking news: local gypsy who grew up on benefits gets 4 As in her highers 👁👄👁 pic.twitter.com/Jh8M5qNtXn
— Grace (@xgracetorrancex) August 4, 2020
Another, Natasha Gills from Saltcoats tweeted: "Hard work pays off!", with five As at National 5 level. Responding to Tweets from other users, accusing her of being 'obnoxious' and 'upper class' she replied: "I'm really sad to see that people are attacking me without an understanding of my life. I live in a children's home and go to a deprived school (ranked 253rd in national rankings) … Maybe this is an example of how sweeping generalisations don't work in every case."
Sixth-formers in England and Wales will be watching the drama unfold with grim fascination; they are bracing themselves to receive A-Level results next week - and no doubt preparing to tweet.
Argentina's president sits for Russian Covid jab
Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez was injected Thursday with a dose of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, still undergoing Phase 3 trails.
The Democratic-controlled Congress is moving quickly to install retired Gen. Lloyd Austin as President Joe Biden's secretary of defense, brushing aside concerns about his retirement inside the seven-year window that safeguards civilian leadership of the military. All signs point to quick action in the Senate after that, putting Austin on track to be confirmed as secretary by week's end. Austin, a 41-year veteran of the Army, has promised to surround himself with qualified civilians and include them in policy decisions.
Hostess Is Launching 'Ghostbusters'-Inspired Twinkies That Are Stuffed With Fruit-Flavored Filling
"That's a big Twinkie."
Tom Hanks' Sci-Fi Film 'Bios' Pushed From April to August
Tom Hanks' "Bios" will move from April 16 to August 13, Universal Pictures announced on Thursday. Amblin Entertainment's film will take the place of an untitled Blumhouse film on Universal's release calendar. Miguel Sapochnik ("Game of Thrones," "True Detective") will direct, from an original screenplay by Craig Luck, who will be making his feature-film writing debut, and Ivor Powell. Also Read: Meet Helena Zengel, Tom Hanks' Scene-Stealing 'News of the World' Co-Star "Bios" follows an ailing inventor, the last man on Earth, who builds an android to keep him and his dog company as he goes on a journey across the country. Caleb Landry Jones, Samira Wiley, Laura Harrier and Skeet Ulrich also star. Also Read: Tom Hanks Says Movie Theaters Will 'Absolutely' Survive - But Marvel-Like Franchises Will Dominate The film is produced by Kevin Misher ("Public Enemies," "Fighting With My Family"), Jack Rapke ("Cast Away," "Flight"), Jacqueline Levine ("Allied," "The Walk"), and Powell. Robert Zemeckis, Craig Luck, Miguel Sapochnik, Andy Berman and Adam Merims are executive producing. Currently, the Aretha Franklin biopic "Respect" will hit theaters on August 13, as well as Ben Affleck's "Deep Water." Read original story Tom Hanks' Sci-Fi Film 'Bios' Pushed From April to August At TheWrap
WME Signs Bloomberg Media to Develop Film, TV Projects
William Morris Endeavor (WME) has signed business news agency Bloomberg Media for representation, according to a spokesperson. WME will work with Bloomberg Media to translate the media brand's journalism and news franchises into film and television projects for third-party platforms. Bloomberg Media is a global multi-platform news brand providing news, analysis and intelligence on business, finance, technology, climate change, politics and more. Reaching influential audiences worldwide, it consists of properties like Bloomberg Quicktake and Bloomberg Businessweek magazine, as well as editorial brands such as Bloomberg Green and most recently Bloomberg CityLab, which it acquired in 2019. Also Read: WME Partner Tanya Cohen Joins Management Firm Range Media Partners Bloomberg Media is now the latest media company to sign with a Hollywood agency. In recent years, The Atlantic and the New York Times signed with management and production company Anonymous Content, while WME previously signed New York Magazine. Bloomberg's reporting has earned the company a Pulitzer Prize, George Polk awards, Loeb awards and other distinguished honors. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news about the signing. Read original story WME Signs Bloomberg Media to Develop Film, TV Projects At TheWrap
SNP in 'humiliating climbdown' after deciding to embrace UK's Brexit freeports plan
SNP ministers have embarked on a "humiliating climbdown" after signing up to the UK's Brexit freeports plan just weeks after it was condemned by party activists. The Scottish Government had repeatedly expressed skepticism over proposals to offer special tax breaks and develop streamlined customs procedures at at least seven Singapore-style ports in England, and had refused to agree to calls to adopt them north of the border. However, Ivan McKee, the SNP trade minister, on Thursday said that a version of freeports would be delivered, despite describing them in October as a "shiny squirrel" designed to distract from the damage of Brexit. He claimed the Scottish version of freeports would be different, rebranding them "greenports" which would have a focus on reducing carbon emissions and protecting working conditions.


Range & Habitat: The icy, clean waters of Alaska are home to some of the most treasured species of sole. Alaska Sole is responsibly harvested by the trawl fleet and is available fresh and frozen year-round.
Identification & Biology: Commonly referred to as flatfish because of their distinctive shape, Alaska Sole are an asymmetrical fish with both eyes on one side of their head. The different speices vary in size and thickness.
Market Description: All of the flatfish harvested in Alaska are a great choice if you're looking for a mild, tender, easy to cook wild fish. Even people who shy away from fish will love these delicious, slightly sweet fillets. Also great for kids.
Recommended Preparation: This versatile, lean fish does need to be handeled carefully but it cooks up firm and can star in classic recipes like sole meunière (Julia Child's favorite!) or work with a variety of international flavors and techniques. If you have customers looking for a low-cal option, pair sole with fresh herbs and citrus and some whole grains.


text:
Existing protected areas provide a poor safety-net for threatened Amazonian fish species
Dagosta, Fernando C. P., de Pinna, Mário, Peres, Carlos A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1588-8765 and Tagliacollo, Victor A. (2021) Existing protected areas provide a poor safety-net for threatened Amazonian fish species. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 31 (5). 1167–1189. ISSN 1052-7613
Freshwater ecosystems represent less than 0.01% of Earth's surface water but proportionately encompass the most species-rich environment on the planet, including nearly one-third of all vertebrate species. Even though inland continental waters are widely regarded as highly endangered ecosystems, their species assemblages are mostly ignored in conservation plans, largely because spatial patterns of freshwater species remain poorly understood. This is particularly severe throughout the Neotropics, most notably in the Amazon superbasin, where the sheer biotic diversity is coupled with a severe lack of biodiversity knowledge at several levels. Spatial patterns of Neotropical freshwater fishes focusing mainly on the Amazon superbasin were investigated. First, Endemic Amazonian Fish Areas (EAFAs) representing central units for the conservation of continental fishes were delimited. Interpolated maps were then analysed using alternative methodologies to delimit spatial patterns of diversity and endemicity across the Amazon superbasin. Several biogeographical analyses used a comprehensive dataset of species and geographical coordinates of Amazonian fishes. The results reveal well-defined spatial patterns of species richness and endemicity in the Amazonian fish fauna, showing that most protected areas are concentrated in a single bioregion (Amazon lowlands). Those areas are incongruent and insufficient to protect endemic and threatened species, which are mostly distributed in upland regions. Effective conservation of the Amazonian fish fauna should include EAFAs within protected areas, especially those undergoing deforestation and hydropower development pressure and containing a high concentration of threatened species. The following EAFAs should be considered as conservation priorities: Upper Araguaia, Upper Tocantins, Lower Teles Pires/Serra do Cachimbo, Chapada dos Parecis and Upper Marañon. These regions should be urgently protected to avert the loss of important trophic relationships and unique elements of the Amazonian fish fauna.
biogeography,conservation priority,deforestation,fish,hydropower,river,aquatic science,ecology,nature and landscape conservation,sdg 1 - no poverty,sdg 15 - life on land ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1104
Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
10.1002/aqc.3461


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Mountain Gorilla Deaths Linked to Human Virus
For the first time, a virus that causes respiratory disease in humans has been linked to the deaths of wild mountain gorillas, a team of researchers in the United States and Africa reported this week in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The finding confirms that serious diseases can pass from people to these endangered animals," the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project said in a statement about the research.
The study, which reports the 2009 deaths of two mountain gorillas that were infected with a human virus, was a collaboration of the nonprofit Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project; the Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, Davis; the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University; and the Rwanda Development Board.
"Mountain gorillas are surrounded by people, and this discovery makes it clear that living in protected national parks is not a barrier to human diseases."
"Because there are fewer than 800 living mountain gorillas, each individual is critically important to the survival of their species," said Mike Cranfield, executive director of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project and a UC Davis wildlife veterinarian. "But mountain gorillas are surrounded by people, and this discovery makes it clear that living in protected national parks is not a barrier to human diseases."
The Critically Endangered mountain gorillas live in central Africa, with about 480 individuals in the 173-square-mile Virunga Volcanoes Massif, which combines Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. The remaining population of about 300 gorillas lives within the 128-square-mile Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
Humans and Gorillas Share 98 Percent of Their DNA
Humans and gorillas share approximately 98 percent of their DNA, the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project said in its statement.
"This close genetic relatedness has led to concerns that gorillas may be susceptible to many of the infectious diseases that affect people.
"The potential for disease transmission between humans and mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) is of particular concern because over the past 100 years, mountain gorillas have come into increasing contact with humans. In fact, the national parks where the gorillas are protected in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo
are surrounded by the densest human populations in continental Africa.
"Also, gorilla tourism — while helping the gorillas survive by funding the national parks that shelter them — brings thousands of people from local communities and around the world into contact with mountain gorillas annually," the Project added.
The veterinarians of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, who monitor the health of the gorillas and treat individuals suffering from life-threatening or human-caused trauma and disease, have observed an increase in the frequency and severity of respiratory
disease outbreaks in the mountain gorilla population in recent years, the news statement added.
Infectious Disease Common Cause of Gorilla Death
"Infectious disease is the second most common cause of death in mountain gorillas (traumatic injury is the first). The type of infection we see most frequently is respiratory, which can range from mild colds to severe pneumonia," said co-author Linda Lowenstine, a
veterinary pathologist with the UC Davis Mountain Gorilla One Health Program who has studied gorilla diseases for more than 25 years.
The two gorillas described in the new study were members of the Hirwa group living in Rwanda. In 2008 and 2009, this group experienced outbreaks of respiratory disease, with various amounts of coughing, eye and nose discharge, and lethargy. In the 2009 outbreak, the Hirwa group consisted of 12 animals: one adult male, six adult females, three juveniles and two infants. All but one were sick. Two died: an adult female and a newborn infant.
Tissue analyses showed the biochemical signature of an RNA virus called human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infecting both animals that had died. While the adult female gorilla ultimately died as a result of a secondary bacterial pneumonia infection, HMPV infection likely predisposed her to pneumonia. HMPV was also found in the infant gorilla, which was born to a female gorilla that showed symptoms of respiratory disease.
The study's UC Davis authors are Cranfield, Lowenstine and Kirsten Gilardi, co-director of the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center's Mountain Gorilla One Health Program. The lead author is Gustavo Palacios, a virologist at the Center for Infection and Immunity at
Columbia University in New York. Other authors are from the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, Columbia University and the Rwanda Development Board.
David Braun is director of outreach with the digital and social media team illuminating the National Geographic Society's explorer, science, and education programs.
He edits National Geographic Voices, hosting a global discussion on issues resonating with the Society's mission and major initiatives. Contributors include grantees and Society partners, as well as universities, foundations, interest groups, and individuals dedicated to a sustainable world. More than 50,000 readers have participated in 10,000 conversations.
Braun also directs the Society side of the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship.
Follow David on Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
Tags David Maxwell Braun
More than forty years in U.S., UK, and South African media gives David Max Braun global perspective and experience across multiple storytelling platforms. His coverage of science, nature, politics, and technology has been published/broadcast by the BBC, CNN, NPR, AP, UPI, National Geographic, TechWeb, De Telegraaf, Travel World, and Argus South African Newspapers. He has published two books and won several journalism awards. In his 22-year career at National Geographic he was VP and editor in chief of National Geographic Digital Media, and the founding editor of the National Geographic Society blog, hosting a global discussion on issues resonating with the Society's mission and initiatives. He also directed the Society side of the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship, awarded to Americans seeking the opportunity to spend nine months abroad, engaging local communities and sharing stories from the field with a global audience. A regular expert on National Geographic Expeditions, David also lectures on storytelling for impact. He has 120,000 followers on social media: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
English in Action: Mobile Learning in Bangladesh
Behold: The First Picture of Mercury Taken From Orbit


Program Goals: To develop employment skills so one day we might be ready for full time employment. We also try to educate consumers and their family members on their mental illness and their medications.
Program Mission Statement: Helping the consumers have a more postive outlook on their mental health, through our resources and our encouragement.
Additional Information: Weekly Recovery Session with Dr Fred Frese. Office personal out on speaking in engagements both in and out of town. Some of our office staff are officers in other mental health organizations.


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Home News Coolie No 1 Trailer Released, Movie to Stream Online on Amazon Prime...
Coolie No 1 Trailer Released, Movie to Stream Online on Amazon Prime Video on December 25
Asid Warsi
Coolie No 1 movie is one of the biggest comedy entertainers in Bollywood and Govinda excelled in it with his comedy timing. After nearly 25 years, Coolie No 1 is making its way back to entertain with Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan playing the lead roles in the film. The trailer of Coolie No 1 has been released today and the movie will stream on Amazon Prime Video starting December 25.
The trailer gives us a glimpse of what the movie is about and we can for sure believe it is going to offer a top-notch comedy to the audience. The trailer begins with Paresh Rawal searching for a richest groom for his daughter, Sara Ali Khan. He then finds Varun Dhawan, who plays the character of new-age coolie and dons multiple avatars. The comedy scenes between Varun Dhawan and Paresh will for sure be going to be the best in the recent times and have to be watched in the movie next month.
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text:
Warning over Christmas spending
More than six million Britons will not be able to pay their bills because of excessive spending this Christmas, according to new research.
The insolvency body, R3, said about three million people were still trying to pay for what they spent in Christmas 2008 let alone this year.
Chris Williams, of Norwich-based insolvency firm McTear, Williams & Wood and a council member of R3 in the East of England, said: ""Christmas can be a treacherous time for those who are already struggling to make ends meet. While many people have been careful in their spending throughout the year, worrying numbers are set to break these good habits, resulting in a financial nightmare for the New Year."
Mr Williams added: "R3 members are expecting 154,355 personal insolvencies in 2010 for the UK, and the first few months of the year are likely to see the greatest number of casualties.
"We're urging people not to spend more than they're earning and to seek professional advice as soon as possible if debts start mounting up."
According to a GfK NOP poll of 1,000 people, commissioned by R3, 8pc of people said they have borrowed money either from a bank, friends or family to pay for Christmas.
Thirteen per cent said they do not think they will have enough money left over after paying for Christmas to comfortably pay their other household bills.
Eastern Daily Press


text:
Aksaj (kazakiska: Aqsay, ryska: Аксай) är en ort i Kazakstan.   Den ligger i oblystet Västkazakstan, i den västra delen av landet,  km väster om huvudstaden Astana. Aksaj ligger  meter över havet och antalet invånare är .

Terrängen runt Aksaj är platt. Den högsta punkten i närheten är  meter över havet,  km nordost om Aksaj. Runt Aksaj är det mycket glesbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer. Det finns inga andra samhällen i närheten. Trakten runt Aksaj består i huvudsak av gräsmarker.

Inlandsklimat råder i trakten. Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är juli, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är februari, med  °C.

Kommentarer

Källor

Externa länkar

Orter i Batys Ḱazaḱstan oblysy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Thanks for showing this Marc, as an Engineer this is one of the biggest challenges I also face.
Keeping it technical enough to be credible and simple enough to be grasped. So it was good to see it handled so well here by Steven Cowley as explained nuclear fusion, its importance to our future and also how big the challenge still is.
Until nuclear fusion becomes mainstream we are focusing on the other half of the equation; reducing energy requirements through low power electronics design that can drop the power consumption by over 99% of existing products.


text:
Threat Levels, Day Two
There are more developments in the Secret Service situation today, and I'm not talking about the contractor with the criminal record who somehow got hired as a security dude at the CDC. What we are seeing now is an ensemble performance of the wingnut chorus on the theme of how the problems with his security detail are actually the president's fault, because of "political correctness" (Morning Squint), or because he's lazy, or because he thinks he's sooooooo smart. If somebody makes a try, I guarantee you, these people will wait a decent interval of, say, 17 hours, before blaming the president for his own wounds. But the prize package was presented to us by those hepcats 'n kittenz at Tiger Beat On The Potomac, who won the morning (!) by trotting out veteran ratfking author Ron Kessler to sing a remarkable solo, possibly because Gary Aldrich's line was busy. Kessler makes it plain -- if the worst happens, the president is his own worst Czolgosz.
Agents tell me it's a miracle an assassination has not already occurred.
Sadly, given Obama's colossal lack of management judgment, that
calamity may be the only catalyst that will reform the Secret Service.
Fk Ronald Kessler eternally, and fk also eternally every nitwit at TBOTP who green-lighted this mess. I know Bill Clinton had it tough, but dammit, it is different with this president. It is more virulent, more inherently violent, and a goddamn sight more dangerous, for reasons that are obvious and terrifying. Shall we see why? Let's move along down my personal resume to The Boston Herald, where the current editors, whom I know well, today made me ashamed ever to have set foot in the place, let alone worked there for six years. They ran an editorial cartoon by someone named Jerry Holbert. In the cartoon, to which I nearly declined to link because, fk them all eternally, the White House intruder is in the bathtub while the president is brushing his teeth. The caption reads: "White House Invader Got Farther Than Originally Thought." This is what the cartoonist, Holbert, has the intruder saying from the tub.
"Have you tried the new watermelon-flavored toothpaste?"
For a brief moment, I wondered if, perhaps, the cartoonist was 12-years old and, therefore, ignorant of what he'd done. Nope. Holbert's bio says he was born in 1958, so fk him eternally, and his editors, and the entire squid-cloud of weaselspeak that they threw up in their own defense.
Holbert said he used the watermelon flavor because he found "kids Colgate watermelon flavor" toothpaste in his bathroom at home. "I want to apologize to
anyone I offended who was hurt by the cartoon," Holbert said. "It was
certainly, absolutely, not my intention."
Nobody is that stupid -- not Holbert, not his editors, and not the people to whom this weak tea is offered as an explanation.
"His cartoon satirizing the U.S. Secret Service breach at the White
House has offended some people and to them we apologize. His choice of
imagery was absolutely not meant to be hurtful. We stand by Jerry, who
is a veteran cartoonist with the utmost integrity."
Of course, it was not meant to offend anyone. That was just a bonus. What it was meant to do was to appeal to the base prejudices of the elderly white suburban demographic to which the Herald has been pitching itself for three decades. It is racist hooey pitched to fans of racist hooey. Period. And, like so many other things, it is different with this president. It is different because there are no rules.
UPDATE -- Perhaps because the Herald was the leader of the clubhouse in today's Lame-Ass Walk Back Competition, TBOTP made a late bid to get into that game, too. Kessler's piece no longer ends the way it used to end because TBOTP was afraid the original ending may have been misunderstood by some people, especially those who speak English and know what words mean, so we get this.
Agents tell me it's a miracle an assassination has not already
occurred. In typical Washington fashion, nothing gets reformed until a
disaster happens. If anything unites Republicans and Democrats, it is
that nobody wants to see a tragedy: We all just want the Secret Service
fixed. Editor's note: Some readers have misinterpreted the
original last line of Kessler's article as somehow suggesting that the
president should be held responsible in the event of his own
assassination. That couldn't be further from the truth, and we're sorry
if anyone interpreted Kessler's meaning in any other way.
Also UPDATE: as Top Commenter Darrin Burnett was quick to point out, absent the watermelon reference, the Herald cartoon is pretty funny. The watermelon reference was gratuitous, and William of Ockham would conclude that it was deliberate. no matterwhat Jonathan Chait believes.
Two Days In Gun America
Charlottesville Schools Closed After Online Threat
Alright, We Are Two Nations
A Tale Of Two Conspiracy Theories
Two Cheers For Martha


You must make reservations at least 5 minutes in advance of the time at Blackstone Steakhouse.
Blackstone Steakhouse features a dazzling array of cuisine, from prime dry aged steaks to amazing sushi and fresh seafood. We also have our own authentic sushi chef, a fabulous raw bar and award winning wine list. All complemented by spectacular decor with a great bar are and ambient outdoor lounge that invites great times.
Service was great, it was as if they knew us for years. Everything was on point!
The food and the drinks were outrageous as always. Service was impeccable. We've been here numerous times and will definitely be back again.
Great steak, great service and a great atmosphere.
Very disappointed. Swordfish paper thin. The waitress said she never saw it that thin! So tough we hit it with a knife and was like rubber. Returned for filet. The mashed potatoes were cold. Was not my first choice of steakhouse, unfortunately no reservations available at Tellers.
Great experience and complementary birthday desert was great. Thank you Blackstone.
Blackstone does a great job of providing a beautiful location with excellent food. The staff is well trained and takes great care in treating you very well. Management is always around and checks on each and every table to make certain you had a great experience.
Although as most steak houses are, it is quite pricey, it is a great experience all around. The only thing that would make it better would be if they started to offer half-sized sides as an option. A lot of steak houses are now doing this and it is great for smaller groups of 2-3.
I would highly recommend Blackstone to anyone.
The staff was attentive and friendly. Steak came out undercooked to our order, but they fixed that, of course.
The food is always great at Blackstone. Perfect Birthday celebration and the dessert was insane.
As usual, everything was prepared to perfection. Three in the party ordered the filet and each came out a perfect medium rare. The other order was for Sea Bass and it also was described as absolutely delicious. Service always is very professional. These are the reasons we keep returning.
We had been coming here fairly regularly at one point and noticed a change in quality both in service and food. It was my husband's birthday and his choice. We had a $300 dinner which I don't mind paying if you get what you paid for. Blackstone is off our dining list.
Food was excellent as always. Only objection is that service was a little fast. Banana cream pie delicious!
Sushi rolls are always great. The steak is never as good as some other steakhouses. Something is lacking. We also had the sea bass and that was smothered in unnecessary sauce. So much better when i's simple.
Great food, great service always a fun night out!
My favorite restaurant. Each experience is better than the last.
Having taken several large business parties here I can only say that we'll be back from minute one they make your party feel welcome and know how treat a guest.
I've been to the restaurant a fair amount and have never experienced the bad service like we did this evening. We barely had anyone pay attention toon to us and barely came over to check. They even forgot one of our apps. It was very concerning considering the price we paid.
Have had better lunches. No pasta appetizer special today which I always love and made some bad choices. Wouldn't recommend the Lobster Roll. The sushi and meat were the highlights as always.
Staff is extremely attentive, efficient and professional. They handled our business lunch perfectly and timed everything nicely. The wine selections are well curated and served professionally as well. Excellent experience!
It's Blackstone. A top tier steak house, expect the best every time, and they deliver. Not the place to go for a cheap meal, but you get good value for the $ you will spend. Always recommend it.
Skilled wait staff! Never had to ask for anything. They attended to table well, predicted when drink refills were needed, brought food just as ordered and cleared empty dishes all while never making us feel rushed.
Our wait staff was wonderful, however experience was underwhelming. Food was ok and verrrry slow to come out.
Definitely will not be back. Have been to sister restaurants Rare650 & Insignia which were wonderful.
Service at Blackstone was extremely rushed (and that was even with my starting the meal by specifically asking the courses not overlap one another). Didn't feel genuine, servers seemed like robots.
Food left much to be desired, no real flavor in the waygu sliders or filet mignon. Mac and cheese barely tasted like it had cheese in it.
Had gone to celebrate a special person's birthday and was very disappointed. Very expensive for the quality of food and service given.
Perfect table to celebrate our anniversary. Service was fantastic! Food was deelish!
Innatentive service. My apologies to the staff for interrupting their afternoon.
I was looking forward to dinner at Blackstone to celebrate a new business relationship with a large client. I couldn't have been more disappointed! The steaks were tough and lacked flavor, the side dishes were small and luke-warm as opposed to HOT and there were too many servers to know who was the head waiter. When i told the manager of my disappointment he looked at me like I was crazy. I assure you the quality of the food was not worth the $700 bill for 5 people. For a place requested so enthusiastically by my client it was a very sub-standard experience.
Birthday celebration with a party of 10, all enjoyed. Seated promptly, food excellent with exceptional attentive service. Always a good choice for a special event or everyday dining.
After hearing how amazing this steakhouse was from 2 of my closest friends and knowing the quality of any Anthony Scotto restaurant- it was beyond disappointing when the experience just didn't meet the recommendations. I was hoping to have a romantic evening with my wife at a beautiful place and it fell short. Not only did I have reservations and have to wait an additional 45 minutes, I felt the attention of the staff was lacking. When my dinner order was placed - I realized I had ordered the wrong item. I quickly asked my server to change my order and she said it was placed already. Had this been a steak order I might have understood but risotto? We did order dessert and it was fantastic. All we expected. However, we did ask to have what we couldn't finish wrapped up and later found out they were discarded. Although they did make us new desserts to take home it was an uncomfortable experience that took 25 minutes. The food was delicious and the ambience is nice but when you pay top dollar - you expect top service.
Pros: Nice place, Service was great! sides and apps were good.
Cons: Steaks no big deal! Cuts are not the best. I shouldn't have to order a $280 dollar Kobe Steak to get a good cut of meat! They say 14oz Filet Mignon? more like 8oz! 26oz Rib eye? more like 20 oz, Thin cut and chewy! Salmon was dry then manager brought a new piece and it was raw! They tried to make us happy though and removed the charge for Salmon and presented a plate of different desserts for my Wife. Nice place but the food is Meh, maybe an off night? George Martin Strip Steak in Great River and Vintage Steak house in St. James seriously blows Blackstone away in food quality! I take my family out a lot and for the money Blackstone charges for their food I SHOULD GET MUCH BETTER! I have had better meals at Blackstone in the past. Last night I was very disappointed in food quality.
Run of the mill steakhouse...service was ok but not memorable.
Food was good and pricey.
Made a birthday very special! Accommodated a dessert. Great service. Delicious food.


text:
layout: sub
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About SciGSA

Science Graduate Student Association (SciGSA) originally started with a small group
of enthusiastic graduate students from the the Faculty of Science that came
together to address the concerns and interest of graduate students from the
Faculty of Science.

History of SciGSA

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Develop a consistent and distinct look for all of your advertising and marketing. If you can afford it, have it professionally done. If not, pick a distinctive border from a book of borders obtainable at a local book store. Use an unusual typeface or layout.
Develop a computerized database of all your clients which captures their travel preferences, demographic and psycho-graphic data, hobbies and other relevant facts. Use it!
Send clients an 'advance notice' postcard reminding them to book peak season or popular vacation packages early.
When clients return from their honeymoon, send the a certificate good for $50 off on their first anniversary trip. Follow up with them about six months later to encourage them to use it.
Have every employee who is on a fam tour send 15 postcards to clients from the destination they are visiting.
Include a colorful, high impact ticket stuffer featuring a preferred supplier stuffer in every corporate ticket envelope.
Create a colorful, professionally done, quarterly flyer featuring the latest travel specials and unique trips. Distribute these flyers to all corporate accounts, to neighboring businesses, etc. The nicer and more interesting they are, the more companies will be willing to distribute them for you.
Write a manual offering tips for mature travelers, prospective group leaders, and so on. Enter the names and addresses of all respondents into your database.
Advertise a special in a special 'boxed' panel on all of your faxes.
Create news releases on late breaking travel-related stories and send them regularly to all local media. If you get quoted or interviewed, the visibility is tremendous.
Use 'tag ads' but consider taking a double size ad so that yours will stand out.
Consider the use of color in your ads. It costs more but it increases readership by 41%.
Cut out engagement, anniversary and retirement announcements in he newspapers. Laminate them and send them to the individuals featured with a letter of congratulations.
Look for businesses in your local community with whom you can cross-market. Sun tanning studios, dress shops, camera shops, health clubs... all offer natural synergies.
Co-op mailings with businesses who have the same target markets as you do.
Advertise cruises and tours with a per Diem rate. Just $149 a day.
Select some kind of an icon to represent your agency (an animal, your logo, etc.). Invest in producing that image in a folding 2 by 3-foot color poster. Give one to each client going on a vacation and tell them to take a picture of themselves with the icon (the unfolded poster) at famous landmarks like the Sphinx, the Eiffel Tower, etc. Then, dedicate a wall of your agency and start collecting and framing the most interesting ones.


Thank you. I know. They seem so happy when they're blooming, it's sad to see them drooping like that.
The composition and the colors are nice, I think the focus is a little off, and I like the black background.
Thanks, focus was ok, noise reduction (due to low light) softened the image.


Canon's EOS 4000D is an entry-level DSLR aimed at beginners, students and those upgrading from smartphone photograph. For those camera professsionals who spend a lots of money in their first interchangeable lens, DSLR is still cheapest option, and with the EOS 4000D, also known as the Rebel T100. Canon has aimed to get the price down this year. Canon hopes the less priced EOS Rebel T100/EOS 4000D will appeal to new users who have been drawn into photography via smartphones and other devices, hence they are ready to take next step.
Canon has given it the same 18MP APS-C format sensor and DIGIC 4+ processing engine as the 1300D / Rebel T6. These feature allowing it to film 1080p video up to 30p. In addition, the lens mount is made of plastic rather than metal. Continuous shooting is available up to 3fps through the viewfinder that is JPEG limited by memory and it can capture six frames per seconds. There's an optional guided interface for beginners, and also built-in Wifi for wireless remote control and transfer of images.
Apart from the different sensors and lens mount material, the 4000D has a lots of features common as compared to 2000D camera. The camera controls and button placements is good. At 129mm wide, 101.6mm high and 77.1mm deep, the 4000D has almost exactly the same dimensions, although it does weigh a little less at 436g ready to shoot, a whole 39g lighter than the 1300D/2000D. That also makes it ever so slightly lighter than a Nikon D3400, although the Nikon is still smaller than the 4000D in every dimension, measuring 124 x 98 x 75.5 mm.
The DIGiC 4+ processing engine also enable a maximum shooting rate of 3fps continuously. Full HD (1920×1080) video can be recorded at 30,25 or 24fps (frames per second) in a clip of 30 minutes. As compared to EOS 2000D which contain 24.1MP APS sensor, however canon has opted for an 18MP APS-C sensor here. The camera has been designed with Wi-Fi, though without NFC, and while it can shoot unlimited JPEGs, it can only capture six Raw files in a burst. It's offered with an 18-55mm III kit lens that has no image stabilisation, one that sadly doesn't employ Canon's quiet USM or STM autofocus motors.
The optical viewfinder delivers 95% coverage, which is pretty typical on a entry-level DSLR. CIPA testing rates the 4000D battery life at 500 shots or 1 Hour 15 mins of HD video recording. Many mirrorless camera users would be quite envious of that longevity.
Canon has built the 4000D to a price with the aim making its with very comfortable model of DSLR. It is also not very high weighted camera and it has a body of polycarbonate (plastic) body and controls. The EOS 4000D has also done away with a dedicated on/off switch – instead there's now an 'off' setting on the mode dial on the top of the camera. Speaking of the mode dial, the normally green-labelled 'Scene Intelligent Auto' mode is now the same color as all the other settings, allowing Canon to cut costs further, and yet more penny pinching has been carried out at the rear, with the icons for the controls printed on the body, rather than on each individual button. Autofocus has a features of 9-point AF system, coverage biased towards centre of frame, sluggish live view performance.
The Canon EOS 4000D has the same sensor and processing engine as the 1300D / Rebel T6 and this means that its images don't hold any surprises. The best performance with pixel count high by smartphone and the most compact camera standard sensors. Small noise in the camera doesnot affect sensitivity of the camera. The extra expensive lens kit delivers pretty good experinace with sharp images. The EOS Rebel T100/ EOS 4000D's metering is handled by a 63-zone dual-layer metering sensor that's linked to all AF points, which we found to be pretty consistent for most situations, although it tended to overexpose the scene when presented with high-contrast lighting.
The price of this camera is around $429 in US(appox 35000Rs ) with body. if you want to buy 18-55mm IS lens than price will be high.