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Seal Information
Index of All Seals
True Seals
Southern Elephant Seal
Baikal Seal
Caribbean Monk Seal
Caspian Seal
Hooded Seal
Mediterranean Monk Seal
Northern Elephant Seal
Ross Seal
Sea Lions / Fur Seals
Juan Fernandez Fur Seal
South African Fur Seal
Subantarctic Fur Seal
Californian Sea Lion
New Zealand Sea Lion
South American Seal Lion
New Zealand fur seal
Rehabilitation and captivity
Seal pup rehabilitation
Pinnipeds in captivity
Rehab centres worldwide
Orphan pup rehab workshop Dunedin Dec 2013
Seal Research
Pup Development Project
Site Inventory Project
Site Monitoring Project
Causes of pup stranding
Welfare in captivity
(Monachus monachus)
This page is currently (August 2011) being updated
IUCN STATUS (2010) CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Distribution and Numbers
The Mediterranean monk seal is the most endangered pinniped species worldwide and is currently on the brink of extinction. Although formerly found all over the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and northwest African coast, the species' numbers have now been reduced to perhaps less than 600. Whereas the former distribution was continuous throughout its range, the present distribution is discontinuous, with probably little exhange between the separated populations (Johnson et al., 2006). The remaining seals are found in remote and undisturbed areas around the north-east Mediterranean Sea (Greece and Turkey) and northwest African coast (Mauritania), with a few individuals along the Mediterranean coast of Morocco and the Portuguese Desertas Islands of Madeira (Johnson et al., 2006).
Photo: Matthias Schnellmann,
The Monachus Guardian
For centuries Mediterranean monk seals have been killed by fishermen who see the seals as competitors or accuse them of destroying their fishing gear. In the past the seals were also killed by those who believed that sealskin and seal parts were able to provide protection from a variety of medical problems. When European explorers discovered the monk seal colonies off the NW coast of Africa, they made short work of them to lucrative advantage. In the Mediterranean, sustained persecution coupled with disturbance and habitat degradation appears to have suppressed colony formation and led to fragmentation of relict populations. A 'naturally gregarious and beach-dwelling species' became transformed into 'a less social and reclusive inhabiter of caves' (Johnson et al., 2006). The final demise of the monk seal in the Black Sea may have been accelerated by the repeated capture of individuals for zoos and outdoor fairs in the 1970s (Öztürk, 1993). The mortality of monk seals by entanglement in fishing gear is still a problem, while over-fishing has also resulted in a general lack of food resources. The continually increasing use of motor vessels, expansion of fishing effort and areas, coastal construction and increased tourism have all contributed to difficulty in protecting monk seal habitat and preventing recovery of monk seal colonies.
The colony of monk seals on the Cap Blanc peninsula in Mauritania, NW Africa numbered ~270 individuals, incuding ~50% adults and 50% subadults, juveniles and pups (Jiddou et al., 1997). It was therefore the largest surviving population of Mediterranean monk seals by the mid 1990s and the only one to possess the actual social and numerical structure of a colony. However, in May-June 1997 there was a mass mortality of seals at this important colony. The mortality was first noted on May 05, and ended ~02 June. 47% of the population died, including 74% of adults. An initial diagnosis based on 4 of 17 of the dead seals and from blood samples taken from five live seals suggested the presence of a morbillivirus infection, probably from a small cetacean carrier (Osterhaus et al., 1997). However, there was also strong evidence for a toxic algae bloom in the Cape Blanc region at this time, and the dead seals were exposed to this, and the conclusion was that the algae bloom was probably the main cause of the mortality (Harwood et al., 1998). Fortunately the colony is now recovering, and believed to number about 200 individuals as of 2011 (Monachus Guardian, personal comunication).
Four pups whose mothers were presumed to have died durng the 1997 mortality were taken from caves on May 24–25, rehabilitated and released again, fitted with satellite tags, on September 20 and December 23 (Jiddou et al., 1997). They were apparently released some distance from the colony. The signal from one of the first two pups was lost after two days, while the other pup did not return to the coony but remained some 50 km suth of the release point (Harwood et al., 1998). The development of a protocol for rescue, rehabilitation and release of monk seals, in conjunction with the IUCN Re-introduction Specialist Group, was therefore recommended (Harwood et al., 1998).
The species is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List (Aguilar and Lowry, 2008) and as an Appendix I species under CITES. It is also listed as an Appendix II species under the Bern Convention, as an Appendix I and Appendix II species under the Bonn Convention, and as an Annex II and Annex IV species under the European Community's Habitats Directive. In Greece the Meditereanean monk seal was given complete protection in law in 1981, and a Strategy for the protection of the monk seal in Greece was published by Mom (the Hellenic Socity for the study and protection of the monk seal) in 1996 and revised in 2009.
Pup - photo : Cem O. Kiraç, SAD-AFAG
Pup - Photo: Alexandros Karamanlidis, MOm
Photo : Cem O. Kiraç, SAD-AFAG
Various protected areas have been created by diferent countries with the aim of protecting the Mediterranean monk seal within its present limited range. The difficulty of creating protected areas with boundaries is that the present distribution of monk seals is highly fragmented and discontinuous, and a protected area should be large enough to contain a Minimum Viable Population (MVP) (Durant and Harwood, 1992). To date, Marine Protected Areas for monk seals have been established at the Desertas Islands in Madeira, the National Marine Park of Alonnissos Northern Sporades in Greece, on the Aegean (at Foça and Yalikavak) and the Mediterranean cost of Turkey, and along the Côte des Phoques (Cap Blanc) in Mauritania/Western Sahara. In addition, Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the EU Habitats Directive have been proposed to initiate a wider network of protected areas. Conservation measures within each of these protected areas differ according to national laws and programmes (e.g. Wilson et al., 2001). Along the Turkish Mediterranean coast the establishent of several no-fishing zones has reduced entanglement and thus improved pup survival (Johnson et al., 2006). In March 2001, Mauritania announced a ban on all fishing, except traditional non-motorised fishing by local communities, along the Cap Blanc coast, and also strict protection of the caves used by the colony and surrounding beaches. Until then, the beaches had only been used by a few adult males.Since 2006 the beaches have been used by all classes of seals, including mothers and pups, and this important population is now believed to be recovering from its low point following the 1997 mortality. Nevertheless, the practices of artisanal fishermen continue to pose a threat to the seals (Johnson et al., 2006; Monachus Guardian, 2007, and seals are still being deliberately shot by fishermen, especially in parts of the Greek Aegean sea. Because the relict populations in each of the protected areas is so small, and probably well below the MVP, the potential survival of the population will depend heavily on variation in the inherent properties of individuals, eg fecundity, foraging ability, behavioural adaptibility etc, and also on environmental factors, including disease outbreaks, pollution events or hunting/fishing mortality (Durant and Harwood, 1992).
A computer simulation study of the extinction risks for monk seals suggests that population size within a reserve should be monitored by means of analysis of the number of sightings of identifiable animals, which should be observed directly on beaches or by using 'camera traps' placed at resting sites, including cave entrances (Durant and Harwod, 1992). Where there is a predictor of extinction (these are defined for small populatons of different sizes, and include measures such as zero pups born, low % of breeding adults, low % juveniles observed in a population), then every effort should be made to increase both juvenile and adult survival. Juvenile survival may be increased by rescue of abandoned pups and of seals entangled in fishing gear (Durant and Harwood, 1992).
Mediterranean monk seal pups are generally born in September and October in a black or chocolate-brown lanugo coat with a creamy-white patch on their belly. The variation in the features of this patch, which frequently has black spots, allows non-invasive individual and gender identification of pups (Badosa et al., 1998). The pups moult from about 8 weeks of age (64 days in females, 82 days in males), its black coat replaced by a silvery dark-grey coat (Badosa et al., 2006). The adult coat varies but is generally a smooth dark brown dorsally. The name originated from an observation by J. Hermann (author of the first scientific description of the species in 1779), who wryly likened the shape of the head and shoulders of the seal when hauling out to a monk's habit. During the annual moult throughout life, sheets of epidermis are shed along with the hair, and the shedding period lasts about 15 days (Badosa et al., 2006).
Pups are nursed for a period now known to be about four months - a study of 9 pups at Cap Blanc found lactation lasted 103–149 days (Pastor and Aguilar, 2003; Aguilar et al., 2007), which is almost twice as long as any other phocid seal, and more than twice as long as the 5–6 week lactation of the Hawaiian monk seal. Pups sometimes suckle from females other than their mothers, and fostering - long term or short term -may sometimes occur (Aguilar et al., 2007). After the first week, the mothers of two pairs observed, along with a few other seals, in a Turkish cave (Mursaloglu, 1986) left the pup for some hours at a time to go fishing. When the mother was away, the pup mostly slept, and if hungry, would start to bleat, eventually producing a wailing cry if the mother did not soon return. Mother and pup communicated vocally and by close physical contact when reunited (Mursaloglu, 1986). While the mother was away, the pup was often washed to and fro by the sea flooding the cave, and the pup often responded by curling into an 'egg' shape, thus floating passively for some hours. The pup also learned to swim in quiet water, gradually gaining sufficient motor control. The pup showed no interest in fish swimming in the waters of the cave. About two months after moulting, the pup followed its mother out of the cave. Soon after the pup moulted, all the seals deserted the cave, including the mother and pup (Mursaloglu, 1986). More recent observations of a cave containing a mother-pup pair, three other adult females and a juvenile were achieved using a surveillance infrared camera system (Dendrinos et al., 2007). The mother and pup always occupied one section of the beach, while the other seals occupied the other section; the juvenile twice tried to approach the newborn pup, but was aggressively repelled by the mother. The surveillance system also recorded the date and hour of each seal's entry and exit to and from the cave. Using this monitoring system, two births were recorded in the cave in 2007 (Karamandilis et al., 2010). In both cases the birth was immediately followed by a period of intense nuzzling and vocalisations. The pup remained in close body contact for ~5h after birth before moving ~1adult body length away. The first suckling occurred ~6hr post-partum, and thereafter about every 4h for the next 4–5 days, after which the mother left the pup for the first time. A storm occurred when the pup was two days old, and the mother manoeuvred it back to the beach and placed herself between the pup and the waves. The 2nd mother simlarly stayed with her pup for 4–5 days before leaving it for the first time. In a study in Madeira, a mother was observed to protect a neighbouring pup from being swept away by the waves while its own mother was away fishing (Pires, 2004).The 2nd mother in the Greek study was scared away by a human intruder into the cave and did not return for 7h. The authors point out that the disturbance might have led to permanent separation and death of the pup (although in this case mother and pup were successfully reunited). Effective protection of pupping sites against disturbance is considered to be one of the outstanding conservation prioriities for the monk seal.
The principal mating season of the Mediterranean monk seal is from October to November. At Cap Blanc, several adult males display underwater territorial behaviour, with the apparent aim of gaining and maintaining access to females (Johnson et al., 2006).
Studies of diving, both by means of time depth recorders (TDRs) attached to the seals' backs and by direct observation, have identified two distinct types of dives, i.e. 'spot feeding dives' where the seal dives continuously, perhaps for several hours, in the same spot, and 'transit feeding dives' where the seals cover some distance along the shoreline (Kiraç et al., 2002). Monk seal dives recorded have been relatively shallow, with most dives of one adult male being <8m and only 5% exceeding 50m (Gazo, 1997). Pups develop their divng capacity while still nursing, but increase their diving activity after weaning. Nearly half the dives of newly weaned pups were U-shaped, with a mean depth of 11m, maximum depth of just over 20m and mean duration 150s. The long bottom times (mean 100s) suggested the pups were feeding. Older pups had a higher proportion of u-shaped dives in deeper water up to 40m (Gazo et al, 2006). One rehabilitated female pup (Artemis) aged about 5 months was recorded diving to 117m (Monachus Guardian 2009) while a male rehabilitated pup (Dimitris) was recorded diving to 180m (Monachus Guardian 2004). However, these were maximum dives, and the diving behaviour of rehabilitated pups may not be typical of the species.
Mediterranean monk seals are opportunistic feeders, mainly foraging close to the shore near shallow reefs. They seem to prefer bony fish such as mullet and sea bream, but also take benthic cephalopods (such as octopus) and crustaceans (such as lobster). Usually monk seals are considered to be relatively sedentary, with adult males having a home range of up to ~50km (Johnson et al., 2006). When facing a food scarcity, however, adults may travel considerable distances, 65–159nm Adamantopoulos et al., 1999), and these longer-range movements need to be considered when designing conservation measures (Wilson et al., 2001).
Mediterranean monk seals are relatively large seals, with an adult nose-to-tail length of ~280cm and weighing up to about 300kg or more, with adult males being slightly larger than females (King, 1983; Johnson, et al., 2006). The breeding season is not well defined, but most pups in the current distribution range are born in the autumn (Johnson et al., 2006). Pups are born measuring 88-103cm in length and weighing ~15-20kg. Nutritional weaning age is uncertain, being given at about 6 weeks (King, 1983), which would be similar to Hawaiian monk seals. More recently it has been observed that pups may be nursed for as long as 16–17 weeks. This is much longer than in any other phocid seal (Pastor and Aguilar, 2003; Aguilar et al., 2007). Weaning weight seems not to be known. Sexual maturity is usually reached at the age of 5-6 years, and it is thought that individuals can live up to 20-30 years of age (Johnson et al., 2006).
A plan by the French government in 1990–94 to start a captive breeding project at Antibes Marineland with individuals captured from the wild failed after opposition from the scientific and conservation community (Johnson and Lavigne, 1994). Reasons include the negative impact on existing small populations of taking individuals, the stress on those seals, the poor track record of aquaria for maintaining monk seals in captivity, and no record of successful captve breeding. The possibility of relocating monk seals from Mauritania to parts of the species' former range, such as the Canary Islands or the Black Sea, or to reinforce the small Madeira population, have been considered, but not carried out because of the risks involved (Harwood et al. 1978). Rescue and rehabilitation of 'orphan' pups is considered to be a valuable conservation tool for this species because of the very low numbers of pups born and surviving to maturity and the development of a protocol for the rescue, rehablitation and release of monk seas, in conjunction with the IUCN re-introduction specialist group,was recommended Harwood et al., 1998).
Rehabilitation of orphan pups
Because of the potential importance to the species of successful rehabilitation of orphan pups, the available information on the behaviour and survival of pups after release will be gradually assembled in this section. Information on all rehabilitation efforts between 1990 and 2004 are presented in a summary paper by Mom (Hellenic Society for the study and protection of the monk seal), 2005.
Four pups whose mothers were presumed to have died durng the 1997 mortality were taken from caves on May 24–25, rehabilitated and released again, fitted with satellite tags, on September 20 and December 23 (Jiddou et al., 1997). They were apparently released some distance from the colony. The signal from one of the first two pups was lost after two days, while the other pup did not return to the colony but remained some 50 km suth of the release point. This falure was the trigger for the recommendation of a rehabilitation protocol (Harwood et al., 1998).
Since then there have been a number of pup rehabilitation instances after which the pup has been released.
The growth of six pups (Theo, Dimitris, Theodore, Stelios, Efstratia and Katerina) rehabilitated at the Alonissos centre is described by (Androukaki et al, 2002). The pups were initially tube fed on fish porridge, then fed on dead fish, first by force-feeding, then hand-feeding and then self feeding from fish thrown into a pool .
A male pup Dimitris was rescued from the Island of Karpathos in the eastern Aegean on December 29 2004. He was estimated to be about 3 weeks old, and thought to have been separated from his mother duDring a severe storm three days earlier. A news update on March 5 indicated that he was doing well in rehabilitation. Dimitris was released on May 22, fitted wth a satellite transmitter and a time-depth recorder (TDR). Four months later he was found to be alive and well, moving around the entire Sporades national marine park area. He was twice found to be sleeping in a well-known monk seal cave in the area.
On December 5 2006 a female pup Badem was found on the Turkish Aegean coast. She was taken to Foça, where a dedicated rehabilitation centre was immediately equipped appropriately for her care. Badem was released on April 28 2007. She was not fitted with a satellite tag, but was fitted with a small plastic tag on her hind-flipper. Following her release, she was monitored daily, and found to be interacting frequently with people along the shore. Because of this, the monitoring group (SAD-AFAG) issued an information brochure asking people not to interact with her. However, despite this, after a group of students tried to pick her up she apparently bit six people. A week later, she was reported to have bitten ten people who tried to play with her. She also apparently initiated interactions with people who were not trying to interact with her, scratching some people and almost causing one man to drown. In February 2008 she was investigating the cages of a fish farm, but this problem was solved by installing a renforced outer net of the cage. On June 15 2008 a person spear-fishing threatened to harpoon her, and three gendarmes were assigned to protect her. In early July 2008 she was taken into custody until the end of the tourist season, for her own safety and that of human swimmers. She was held in a 50x50m enclosure of depth 22m within a bay on the Turkish coast. She was released again in September. From December 2008 she started to spend less tme along the shore seeking human contact and more time sleeping in inflatable boats offshore. However further raids on fish farms were reported, and in January 2009 she was found to have an eye infection apparently caused by an injury from a sharp object. Badem was again brought into the bay enclosure, with the intention of releasing her after recovery of her eye. A report dated December 2010 suggested she had been in captivity again during the summer of 2010.
In October 2008 a nursing pup with an infected eye was noted in a cave on the island of Piperi. The pup was briefly caught, long-acting antibiotic administered, and the pup's progress monitored for the next two days. The pup appeared to be otherwise healthy, and the eye was beginning to heal.
A female pup Artemis was rescued in December 2008 on the Greek Island of Leros. She was rehabilitated at the Alonissos centre, and was released, wearing a satellite transmitter with time-depth recorder, in April 2009 at Piperi Island, within the core zone of the protected area of the Marine Park of the Sporades. Sadly she died one month later, while diving to feed at ~25m in Skiathos harbour, an area lying outside the protected (fisheries exclusion) zone. The necropsy indicated that the cause of death was pulmonary oedema, suggesting that she was trapped in fishing gear. She had travelled a total of about 150km from Piperi island, migrating from Piperi island to the mainland coast, along the coast and the out to Skiathos. It is not known how this long dispersal movement would compare with post-weaning dispersal of a wild post-weaning pup born in this area.
Two pups were rescued from the Turkish Aegean coast on 18 December 2010, having apparently been separated from their mothers during a storm. The pups were cared for at the Foça centre and apparently (from photos) housed together. They were initially fed from a bowl instead of being tube fed. They were deemed to be ready for release on April 2nd 2011, having attained weights of 34 and 37kg, and their release on April 2nd, in a remote part of Turkey's monk seal habitat area, was confirmed. SCS note: We do not know the sexes and 'names' of these two pups, but the fact that they seemed to have been housed together during rehabilitation should benefit the development of their normal socialisation and enable them to integrate readily with the wild seal population rather than to seek human company. Their relatively early release should also benefit their normal behaviour development in the wild.
A pup Nereus was found stranded and apparently weak on the island of Kythira in February 2011. The pup was taken to the Alonissos centre, where he was diagnosed with a heavy internal parasite load and skin problems. He was released at Alonissos on March 19th, but without any tracking devices.
Rehabilitation means reintroduction, with external help, to the normal ways of life of the species – a return to the population (T. Schultze-Westrum, 2001). From the experience of rehabilitation over the past 10 years, it seems that some review and refinement of the rehabilitation protocol may help to achieve this aim with a greater number of monk seal orphans. Although Badem seems to have been an extreme example, monk seals do seem present several challenges to be overcome which include their natural 'tameness', their sociality and and their assertive and extrovert nature. An ideal rehabilitation procedure might be to try to mimic the natural behaviour, nutrition and the natural developmental timetable of the wild pup as closely as possible. More observational field studies of wild pups from birth to a few months of age would inform this process: studies could include the natural nursing and weaning periods, pup behaviour, social environment, interactions with mother and other seals and the development of swimming and diving behaviour.
Mom (Hellenic Society for the study and protection of the monk seal)
CBD Habitat monk seals
The Mediterranean monk seal research group (Turkey) (SAD-AFAG)
Watch a monk seal birth, filmed in a cave in October 2007
A monk seal pup in a cave, filmed in November 2009
A monk seal spotted on the Mani coast of Greece
Monk seal pup Badem in rehabilitation at Foça, Turkey
Rehabilitated monk seal juvenile 'Badem' interacting with divers
A beach habitat for monk seals in Greece recently discovered (December 2010)
Aguilar, A, Cappozzo, L.H., Gazo, M, Pastor, T., Forcada, J. and Grau, E. (2007). Lactation and mother-pup behaviour in the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus: an unusual pattern for a phocid. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. UK. 87: 93–99. doi:10.1017/S0025315407056147.
Aguilar, A. & Lowry, L. 2008. Monachus monachus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.
Androukaki, E., Fatsea, E., 't Hart, L., Osterhaus, A.D.M.E., Tounta, E. and Kotomatas, S. (2002). Growth and development of Mediterranean monk seal pups during rehabilitation. Poster paper presented at the 16th ECS Conference, 7–11 April 2002, Liege, Belgium.
Badosa E., Grau, E, Aparicio,F. Layna,J.F.and Cedenilla, M.A. (1998). Individual variation and sexual dimorphism of coloration in Mediterranean
monk seal pups (Monachus monachus). Marine Mammal Science 14:390-393.
Badosa, E., Pastor, T., Gazo, M. and Aguilar, A. (2006). Moult in the Mediterranean monk seal from Cap Blanc, western Sahara. African Zoology 41(2): 183–192
Dendrinos, P., Tounta, E., Karamanlidis, A.A., Legakis, A. and Kotomatas, S. (2007). A video surveillance system for monitoring the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). Aquatic Mammals 33(2): 179–184.
Durant, S.M. and Harwood, J. (1992). Assessment of monitoring and management strategies for local populations of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus. Biol. Conserv. 61: 81–92.
Gazo, M. 1997. Diving activity data on one of the most endangered divers: an adult male Mediterranean monk seal. How to obtain the information without disturbing the diver. In: P.G.H. Evans, E.C.M. Parsons & S.L. Clark [eds.]. Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Strasund, Germany, 10-12 March 1997: 302.
Gazo, M., Lydersen, C. and Aguilar, A. (2006). Diving behaviour of Mediterranean monk seal pups during lactation and postweaning. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 308:303–309.
Harwood, J., Lavigne, D. and Reijnders, P. (1998). Workshop on the causes and consequences of the 1997 mass mortality of Mediterranean monk seals in the western Sahara. Amsterdam 11–14 Dec., 1997. IBN Sci. Contrib. 11. DLO Institute for Forestry and Nature Research (IBN-DLO), Wageningen, 1998. 32pp.
Jiddou, A.M., Vedder, E., Martina, B., Dedaii, S., Soueilem, M M, Diop, M, Ba, A.S. and Osterhaus, A. (1997). Memorandum on the mass die-off of monk seals on the Cap Blanc peninsula. CNROP/SRRC December 1997; 22pp.
Johnson, W.M. and D.M. Lavigne. 1994. Captive Breeding and the Mediterranean Monk Seal – A Focus on Antibes Marineland. International Marine Mammal Association Inc., Guelph, Canada: 1-44.
Johnson, W.J., Karamanlidis, A.A., Dendrinos, P., Larrinoa, P.F., Gazo, M., González, L.M., Güçlüsoy, H., Pires, R. and Schnellman, M. (2006). Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). Monk seal fact files. Monachus Guardian.
Karamanlidis, Alexandros A.; Paravas, Vangelis; Trillmich, Fritz; Dendrinos, Panagiotis (2010) First Observations of Parturition and Postpartum Behavior in the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aquatic Mammals. 36(1): 27-32.
King, J.E. (1983). Seals of the World, 2nd ed. British Museum (Natural History). Cornell University Press, Ithaca, N.Y. ISBN 0-8014-1568-3. 240pp.
Kiraç, C.O., Savas, Y., Güçlüsoy, H and Veryeri, N.O. (2002). Observations of diving behaiour of free-ranging Mediterranean monk seals Monachus monachus on Turkish coasts. The Monachus Guardian 5(1): May 2002.
MOm (2005). Mediterranean monk seal rehabilitation in Greece 1990–2004: 15 years of action. Hellenic Society for the study and protection of the monk seal. Athens, 2005.
Mom (2009). National strategy and action plan for the conservation of the Mediterranean monk seal in Greece, 2009–2015. Hellenic Society for the study and protection of the monk seal. Athens, 70pp.
Mursaloglu, B. (1986). Pup-mother-environment relations in the Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus (Hermann 1779), on Turkish coasts. Commun. Fac. Sci. Univ. Ank. Ser. C. 4:1–8.
Osterhaus, A., Groen, J., Niesters, H., Bildt, M. van de, Martina, B., Vedder, L. Vos, J., Egmond, H. van, Sidi, B.A. and Barham, M.E.O. (1997). Morbillivirus in monk seal mass mortality. Nature (Lond.) 388: 838–839.
Öztürk, B. (1993). Investigation on the distrbution of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779) in the Black Sea. Instanbul Universiy Journal of Aquatic Products 1-2: 95–104.
Pastor, T. and Aguilar, A. (2003). Reproductive cycle of the female Mediterranean monk seal in the western Sahara. Mar. Mamm. Sci. 19: 318–330.
Pires, R. (2004). One pup –three 'mothers'. The Monachus Guardian 7(1): June 2004.
Wilson, S.C., Mo, G. and Sipilä, T. (2001). Legal protection for seals in small populations in European community and Mediterranean coastal waters. Mammalia 65(3): 335–348.
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taken from the plane back to san diego from boston. now i've already started thinking about next destination.
great shot tomo – it looks so tranquil. funny – i'll be in SD next week and BOS the week after also. your other NE photos look great as well.
wow, that is amazing. i leave in 1 week for tokyo , any cool places you could recomend?


Are there diagnostic alternatives to the IQ-reading discrepancy? : evaluation of assessment techniques for identifying reading disabled college students.
Cisero, Cheryl A., "Are there diagnostic alternatives to the IQ-reading discrepancy? : evaluation of assessment techniques for identifying reading disabled college students." (1996). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 3258.


It's difficult to turn on the TV or scroll through social media without seeing another breaking news story about sexual assault and someone in a position of power. If your mind is full of questions and frustrations, ours is too. In this sermon, we're joining the conversation about God's heart for the abused and how to get help when it feels like life is anything but good. If you know someone eager for answers about where God is in all of this, invite them to watch. Pastor Matt Brown will be facilitating an essential conversation about sexual abuse with his wife Tammy Brown and Sandals Church worship leader Christina Crowley.


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Do we have the best mortgage rates?
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Mortgage Brokers have many unique advantages. Since a Mortgage Broker typically only offers home loans, they usually have less overhead expenses. Therefore, they are able to offer more flexibility in their pricing. That may mean they can offer you the best mortgage rates!
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We review lenders with faster turn-times, for those loans that need to close quickly. Want to pay off the loan faster? We look at custom loan options, such as a 27-year loan instead of a 30-year one.
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Is there anything else that effects the best mortgage rates?
In theory, if you pay your closing costs upfront, you have a better chance of receiving the best mortgage rates for your situation.
But, many companies (not us!) are compensated both from you at closing and from a higher interest rate. The higher the interest rate, the higher their compensation will be.
As mentioned, large banks usually have high overhead so their rates are generally higher. There are possible exceptions with niche/portfolio programs that may offer the best mortgage rates. Since Credit Unions are owned by their members, their fees are generally lower since it goes back to the owners. A Mortgage Broker may have a little more flexibility in their pricing and have access to wholesale pricing, which may or may not be advantageous for your pricing, depending on the company and their extension of that pricing to you.
How do I know if I'm being offered the best mortgage rates?
Lenders sometimes offer "discount" points to lower the interest rate. It looks like they have the best mortgage rates.
Enter APR. Regulators established the "Annual Percentage Rate" (APR) to help consumers compare loan options. APR is required wherever mortgage rates are quoted.
APR is calculated by spreading those charges over the life of the loan. That results in a rate generally higher than the interest rate (shown on your Mortgage/Deed of Trust Note). If interest was the only Finance Charge, then the interest rate and the Annual Percentage Rate would be the same.
The APR was designed so borrowers could look at two or more different loan options, and see the annualized costs associated with a certain interest rate.
In theory, borrowers are able to easily see if a lower interest rate is actually costing more. The issue with this is that the lender is able to select which fees are included in the Annual Percentage Rate. Although the specified charges are regulated, there is inconsistency in the industry on the utilized charges.
For more information on Mortgage APR, see APR.MLSMtg.com.
Is APR the only tool for comparing mortgage rates?
So while this is one tool, it is not a perfect calculation. It's also no longer your only comparison option.
When comparing, keep in mind: It may make sense to pay more upfront to have a lower rate over the loan period.
Only you are able to decide on the best mortgage rate for you.
Aside from informing yourself to make knowledgeable decisions, what can you do to improve your pricing to help obtain the best mortgage rates for you?
Larger down payments (up to 25-30%) generally improve your interest rate. The only exception is if you lower your loan amount below a pricing threshold. Lenders make more money on $250k loans than $50k loans, so will usually offer better pricing accordingly.
The best way to receive the best home loan rates for you, is to improve your credit.
The first step to improve your credit is to make sure everything is correct. Checkout http://annualcreditreport.com to order your free annual report. In addition to making sure that info is correct, make sure you continue paying on time. If you can, try to pay down (and/or keep) balances to below 30% of their credit limit.
One common mistake is closing old accounts. Old accounts showcase your established credit. Close them and you take away that history – that can largely negatively impact your credit.
For more information on how to get the best mortgage for your situation, check out the CFPB's Home Loan Toolkit.
Want the best mortgage rates for you? The lowest rate is not the only factor to take into consideration.
There may be a company that offers low pricing, but is unable to process your file in a timely manner. You could lose your locked rate, and end up with a higher interest rate, or worse!
Buying a house? You could lose your desired home by not meeting deadlines agreed to in the purchase contract.
Deciding on a mortgage company? Consider their reputation. You can often find online reviews on mortgage companies to see if they're reputable. Better Business Bureau, Angie's List, Yelp, and Google often have helpful reviews.
Did you know? We offer complimentary loan comparisons! Have a Loan Estimate from another company? We will review it line-by-line, comparing apples-to-apples (even if they look like oranges or lemons). We'll let you know what we can offer you, and, as we have done in the past, we'll tell you honestly if you already have a better deal.
In conclusion, if you'd like to make sure you're getting the best mortgage rates for you – whether it is looking to buy in 6 months to two or more years awaym or if you already have an accepted offer on a home; contact us. We're happy to help you with whatever step you are in the process.
Posted in Buying a House, Mortgage, Mortgage Questions, Mortgage Rates, Refinance and tagged APR, Bank, Best Mortgage Rates, Closing Costs, Compare Mortgage Rates, Credit Union, Down Payment, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Companies, Mortgage Interest Rates, Mortgage Lenders, Mortgage Questions, Refinance Rates.


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text:
Q: Can Service return types be mixed, using both START_STICKY and START_REDELIVER_INTENT depending on action? Can onStartCommand() return types be mixed depending on the action? For example, a Service that stays started with START_STICKY, but always gets the first intent redelivered to maintain state.
This would be especially useful when the initial intent contains things that aren't easily persisted such as a PendingIntent.
It seems to work but I can't find documentation and I worry there could be unexpected behavior. The documentation does suggest that a service using START_REDELIVER_INTENT may not be kept running in the same way as one using START_STICKY, but its a bit unclear.

START_STICKY is used for services that are explicitly started and
  stopped as needed, while START_NOT_STICKY or START_REDELIVER_INTENT
  are used for services that should only remain running while processing
  any commands sent to them

Here is an example of a service that could handle various requests without providing the initial state, but making sure its available.
private PendingIntent pendingIntent;
private Config config;

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    if (intent != null) {
        switch (intent.getAction()) {

            case ACTION_START:
                // save state
                config = intent.getParcelableExtra("config");
                pendingIntent = intent.getParcelableExtra("pendingIntent");
                return START_REDELIVER_INTENT;

            case ACTION_STOP:
                stopSelf();
                return START_NOT_STICKY;

            case ACTION_SOME_TASK:
                // caller does not have state but it needs to be loaded here
                doSomething();
                break;

            case ACTION_SOME_OTHER_TASK:
                doSomethingElse();
                break;
        }
    }
    return START_STICKY;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Cut Your Bills
[ January 13, 2021 ] What is a Roth IRA	Investments
[ January 9, 2021 ] Which markets can you trade using short-term techniques?	Investments
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HomePensionsThe Top Scams to Watch Out For During the COVID-19 Crisis
The Top Scams to Watch Out For During the COVID-19 Crisis
April 30, 2020 webdev Pensions 0
For scammers and con artists, where there's a crisis there's an opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has unfortunately been no exception, as an upswing of online scams has seen Brits conned out of about £1.6M so far. The rise has been cause for extra vigilance to ensure ourselves and our loved ones are not falling victim to these unfortunate crimes.
While we may think we know a bogus email when we see one, experts in the field have warned us that scammers are inventing new ways to target people which could catch the best of us off guard. Just by knowing the types of scams going around, you will have a more trained eye for spotting these sorts of things as soon as they happen.
Manchester-based company Expert Pension Claims – who specialise in pension mis-selling & SIPP claims, has put together a guide on what to look for during this time, to help you and yours stay safe. Take a look…
TV Licensing fraud
As you may have seen in the news, there is a particular issue currently with TV licensing fraud, to the point where certain police forces have issued press releases, warning us all to stay safe. You may receive an email saying you have an overdue balance of £12 or a similar amount, with a message to say your licence has been cancelled. Ultimately you are being asked to part with your money, having been led to believe you are in debt to the official TV licensing authorities. It may look something like this.
Max, from Manchester, received such an email and said he knew immediately that it was fake. He said: "My spam filters didn't catch this email – but I knew it was a scam email from the get go as my TV License is registered with another email.
"I took a closer look at the email and noticed the account number was different to the one I had. I also found it "fishy" the fact that instead of saying my name at the start of the email it had my email address.
"I hovered my cursor over the CTA button which revealed the URL and saw it went to a different URL from the official TV licensing website.
"With so many scam emails and as they're getting harder to identify, I find myself checking a number of emails on a daily basis to double check them. A number of websites also have guidance on their emails and how to spot a scam email which can be useful to use as a reference if you're unsure."
Pension scams
Pension-related scams are nothing new – but they are certainly on the rise during these times, as scammers look to target the vulnerable. Sadly, to them, this means targeting those who are a little older, as they are assumed to be less tech-savvy or not as vigilant as someone younger and more aware of the cyber world.
Get help for pension or investment mis-selling
If you think you were given bad advice or pressured into a decision with your pension, a SIPP product, or with a high risk investment, there's every chance you could be entitled to a payout. Whether this has taken place during the pandemic or not, you are quite within your rights to find out what you are entitled to.
Get in touch with Expert Pension Claims today and they'll be able to tell you if you are able to proceed.
Note: This guide is not necessarily a reflection of services offered by Expert Pension Claims
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Pesticides and food production in Africa- What do you think?
Building international networks to help improve pesticide use across Africa
Given RECIRCULATE's focus on the circular water economy, you may be asking how a blog about pesticides belongs in The FLOW? Well, there are a number of reasons for that. One is that while the circular water economy may not fit my own scientific and commercial interests, RECIRCULATE's focus on eco-innovation and building networks certainly do. Beyond that, there is the project's focus this month on food security. That, especially the discussion around the topic in the PARTICIPATE Whatspp group, was the real stimulus for me wanting to write this piece. So what can someone from a UK-based SME (small-medium sized enterprise) bring to this discussion?
Let's start with eco-innovation and building networks. To give you a potted biography, I did my Masters and PhD at Lancaster University. My PhD was in plant-pest interactions but then I took a side-ways step to research how crops grown in polytunnels respond to different types of cladding material. That led me to join another ex-Lancaster researcher, Dr Wagdy Sobeih, in his company Arid Agritech, which specialises in light-based eco-innovations for sustainable food production. Arid Agritech greatly values its long-term link with Lancaster University. We are co-located in the Lancaster Environment Centre and we have worked closely with Lancaster's flagship Centre for Global Eco-Innovation (CGE) on collaborations with several Lancaster researchers.
So, in a sense, I have lived the 'journey' between research and research exploitation that RECIRCULATE has explored with its partners across Africa. I know first-hand the immense value of effective dialogue between researchers and research users. I see technically-aware SMEs, like Arid Agritech, as key mediators in that dialogue. I also know first- hand how being co-located on the Lancaster campus brings many benefits to an SME like Arid Agritech. It's a great way to stay up-to-date with the relevant research environment and to link to the University's wider networks. That's how I became aware of RECIRCULATE, and that's what brings us back to pesticides.
Being based in LEC gave me the opportunity to meet with some of the RECIRCULATE residents when they were based at Lancaster. That was a huge opportunity for Arid to learn more about the challenges facing food production in sub-Saharan Africa. One thing I learned about was the pressing need for effective pest control. That's partly driven by the current major multi-national challenges of the worst locust outbreaks in decades and the scourge of armyworm. Related to that was the concern that chemical pesticides although vital, may be being used inappropriately in some situations. That last point brought a new understanding of a challenge that I had heard about before from Prof Cris Halsall, one of LEC's environmental chemists.
Arid Agritech has been developing a new collaboration with Cris that's focussed on how pesticides break-down in different locations with contrasting levels of sunlight. We want to apply that knowledge to develop a web-based "pesticide break-down tool". As the name suggests, this will predict how quickly a pesticide will be broken-down on crops- which we see as having great commercial potential for farmers. It will allow them to more accurately understand the safe period between pesticide application and harvesting to avoid unwanted residues in their crops, especially fresh produce like fruit, vegetables and salads.
What my meetings with the RECIRCULATE residents brought in to sharp focus was what Cris had told me about his long-standing collaboration with Dr Justina Ukpebor at University of Benin. University of Benin is a key partner in the RECIRCULATE project, and through the project, Cris also developed links with Dr Edu Iman at Oyo University. Working together, and with Ekeoma Ogwo, a PhD student at Lancaster University, the team surveyed hundreds of smallholder farmers in southern Nigeria to understand the type of pesticides used and how they are applied and stored. Whilst the results of the survey are complex, they confirm that smallholder farmers are increasingly using a wide variety of chemicals (insecticides, herbicides etc.) often sourced from local markets. As others have found, it also seems that unintentional misuse is commonplace and that label instructions regarding correct application and dose are not always followed. That's a worry, because if not used or stored properly, these chemicals can lead to health problems for farm workers and their families, with residues ending up on foodstuffs as well as contaminating the environment.
With that in mind, my discussions with the RECIRCULATE residents were something of a 'Eureka moment' for me. We'd been thinking about our pesticide break-down tool as useful mostly to large scale growers, particularly in greenhouses and polytunnels. That's always going to be important for us- Arid Agritech is a business and that will be our commercial product. But what if we could also make some form of the tool available to help small-holders use pesticides more efficiently and more safely? What if could make a simple version of the tool available free to anyone with a mobile phone or via a text messaging service? Would that help 'make a difference' to pesticide use in African countries?
That's not a rhetorical question: Cris and I would really like to know what you think. The excellent recent contribution to The Flow by Stephen Yeboah and Patricia Oteng-Darko highlights that "its good to listen".We agree- so we are listening. Do you agree that pesticide misuse is a problem? Would a mobile phone based "information system" be accessible and useful "in, with and for" the communities that you work with? It's also a real question because I think there are opportunities to make this technology real. It seems likely that UK funding might become available to allow a company like Arid Agritech to work with research partners in the UK and in Africa on new technologies that would have commercial value, but much more than just that. Your insights will help us work out the best way to put this technology into the hands of the people who need it most across the African continent.
Dr Jason Moore is Research Director Arid Agritec based at Lancaster Environment Centre where he's also an Honorary Researcher. His commercial interests are focused on developing transformative technologies for increasing yields / quality and reducing chemical inputs in global agri-hort. Jason has a BA(hons) in Economics from Leeds University and an MSc (Environmental and Ecological Science) and PhD (Plant Science) from Lancaster University. He developed links with a number of RECIRCULATE Fellows when, during their visit last year, they became interested in a technology he developed with his PhD supervisors for a radical approach to protecting major food crops from pest attack which could offer farmers around the globe an environmentally sustainable approach to crop protection. Alongside the project detailed in this blog he is currently working with those Fellows to test that technology against Armyworm which is becoming a major problem in the region.
Categories: KE, The Flow
Spotlight Inverview – Sylvia B Mwansa
Sylvia B Mwansa holds a Master of Business Administration International (MBA(I) from Edith Cowan University, Australia. Her Unique Value Proposition is that, she is [...]
Published On: January 31, 2022Categories: Spotlight, The Flow


text:
Armies of Heaven The First Crusade & the Quest for Apocalypse
by Jay Rubenstein
New Hardcover
At Moson, the river Danube ran red with blood. At Antioch, the Crusadersand#151; their saddles freshly decorated with sawed-off headsand#151;indiscriminately clogged the streets with the bodies of eastern Christians and Turks. At Maand#8217;arra, they cooked children on spits and ate them. By the time the Crusaders reached Jerusalem, their questand#151;and their violenceand#151; had become distinctly otherworldly: blood literally ran shin-deep through the streets as the Crusaders overran the sacred city.
Beginning in 1095 and culminating four bloody years later, the First Crusade represented a new kind of warfare: holy, unrestrained, and apocalyptic. In Armies of Heaven, medieval historian Jay Rubenstein tells the story of this cataclysmic event through the eyes of those who witnessed it, emphasizing the fundamental role that apocalyptic thought played in motivating the Crusaders. A thrilling work of military and religious history, Armies of Heaven will revolutionize our understanding of the Crusades.
Jonathan Phillips, Professor of Crusading History, Royal Holloway, University of London, and author of Holy Warriors: A Modern History of the Crusades
and#147;Impressive storytellingand#151;Rubenstein carries the reader through this epic with real panache, lucidly conveying the giddying ebb and flow of faith, emotion, politics and brutality that so characterized the First Crusade. A powerfully argued contribution to our understanding of the people and the times of this landmark event.and#8221;
Terry Jones, director of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Pythonand#8217;s Life of Brian, and Monty Pythonand#8217;s The Meaning of Life, and author of Terry Jonesand#8217; Medieval Lives and Who Murdered Chaucer: A Medieval History
and#147;The most fascinating and readable book about the Crusades I have read.and#160; Jay Rubenstein gets into the heads of the Crusaders in a way no other book has.and#160; And itand#8217;s a page-turner.and#8221;
Tom Bissell, author of The Father of All Things and Extra Lives
and#147;Jay Rubenstein is a MacArthur Fellow, brilliant scholar, and genuine writer, and he knows this material inside and out. What this means is that the First Crusadeand#151;the weirdest and most historically contested crusadeand#151;has the chronicler it has long deserved. This is a story about how some adventure-seeking, religiously sincere human beings managed to create a catastrophe of hitherto unknown proportions. No book so sad should be so fascinating, and no book so serious should be such fun to read.and#8221;
Mark Gregory Pegg, author of A Most Holy War: The Albigensian Crusade and the Battle for Christendom
and#147;In 1099 a ragtag Christian army captured the city of Jerusalem from its Muslim rulers.and#160; These warriors were the surviving remnant of thousands of other Europeans who four years earlier began an extraordinary pilgrimage to the Holy Land now known as the First Crusade.and#160; Jay Rubenstein evocatively tells the story of this apocalyptic journey in a narrative bristling with sharp erudition and exhilarating prose.and#160; Armies of Heaven is the most intelligent, thought-provoking, and enthralling history of the First Crusade written in the last fifty years.and#160; A marvelous achievement.and#8221;
and#147;An engaging, cautionary account emphasizing the consequences of untrammeled irrationalism.and#8221;
Christopher MacEvitt, author of Crusades and the Christian World of the East: Rough Tolerance
and#147;Rubensteinand#8217;s book is a thrill to the casual reader and to the scholar alike. His prose carries the reader along with the extraordinary events of the First Crusade, effortlessly integrating the bloody realities of the battlefield, astute portraits of the leaders, and a convincing historical argument about the nature of the First Crusade. Armies of Heaven shows how easily piety, violence, and political scheming intermesh, but also warns against facile comparisons of medieval crusades to contemporary conflicts, the rhetoric of al-Qaeda notwithstanding. Steven Runcimanand#8217;s account of the First Crusade provided a standard of eloquence for the last fifty years; Jay Rubensteinand#8217;s matches Runciman for style, and surpasses with a discerning eye and a sly but scathing wit.and#8221;
Robert Chazan, New York University
and#147;The First Crusade has been a source of fascination from the late eleventh century down to the present.and#160; Recent historians have analyzed this epochal event in terms of demography, economics, secular politics, ecclesiastical politics, and ecclesiastical theory.and#160; Jay Rubenstein asks a refreshing question:and#160; How did the thousands and tens of thousands who joined the sacred undertaking view it?and#160; Hisand#160;fascinating answer is that most of these crusadersand#160;were convinced that they were living at theand#160;cusp of the end of days, at the point in time when the world order would change dramatically.and#160; Rubensteinand#8217;s insights will profoundly enrich ourand#160;understanding of the First Crusade, its glories, and its horrors.and#8221;
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
and#147;[A] rich harvest of legends and writings from the period, often apocalyptic in nature, that give us a keener insight into the minds of those who lived these tumultuous years. Rubenstein offers up a heady mix of soldiers and prophets, militants and supplicants, weaving it all into a wonderfully readable account that puts flesh on the story. A satisfying and highly recommended read in every respect.and#8221;
James Reston Jr., BookForum
and#147;Jay Rubensteinand#8217;s Armies of Heaven is a beautifully researched, well written, and highly accessible account of the first Holy Crusade, recounting it through the lens of eschatological theory.... In unflinching detail, Armies of Heaven walks us step by step through the process of and#145;taking the crossand#8217;: the preliminary pogroms against Jews, the mobilization of the armies, and their ever more violent and uncontrolled adventure to Constantinople and beyond.and#8221;
and#147;The book is about as raw as the stories beginning told. Rubenstein found a great way to tell an exciting story built on an extensive historical foundation.... This work is a perfect blend of military and religious history, with some great inner politics on the side. It is a brilliant piece of work and would be the shining jewel to a historianand#8217;s shelf.and#8221;
and#147;[A] well-written account that relies on primary sources to describe one of the seminal episodes in world history.and#8221;
and#147;A vivid writer, Rubenstein describes the apocalyptic mythologies, supernatural beliefs, and religious fervor that led tens of thousands of Christian zealots into what was arguably the worldand#8217;s first holy warand#151;a war so gory and brutal that even after Jesus failed to appear as predicted many people wondered whether they had in fact witnessed the apocalypse.and#8221;
and#147;Armies of Heaven: The First Crusade and the Quest for Apocalypse is a surprise delight, rich in firsthand narrative and detail that will inform and charm both the casual and the demanding reader.... [An] accomplished medieval historian has done all the hard work so anyone can enjoy the narrative. And what a narrative it is!and#8221;
Washington Independent Review of Books
and#147;Rubenstein has accomplished something rare among historians residing in academia. His crisp writing has resulted in a book that is accessible to any intelligent reader, not just to other historians. As he says, the military events of the First Crusade have been known for a long time.and#160; He has taken something much more abstract and#151; the Christian mysticism that compelled and impelled these soldiers and pilgrims, mostly tribesmen from what is now France and Germany, and Normans who earlier had invaded and settled in France and southern Italy, to do glorious battle on their way to Jerusalem and#151; and skillfully makes these concepts concrete for the reader.and#160;Armies of Heaven is a book well worth a campaign through its pages.and#8221;
Dallas Morning Newsand#160;
and#147;This is a page-turning narrative of adventure. There are pauses just long enough to deal with the readerand#8217;s disbelief and amazement at the successes of a holy war that should have failed. Itand#8217;s a good story, with plenty of characters, suspense and action.... Even from a distance of a thousand years, it stings the conscience to realize what lies beneath our relationships with the Middle East.and#8221;
American Interestand#160;
and#147;Evocative, compelling and thoroughly researched.... Rubensteinand#8217;s account maps the emergence of the strongly supernatural millennial worldview as the Christian armies crossed cultures.and#8221;
Christian Century
and#147;A lively, engaging, well-researched, beautifully written book that explores the history of the First Crusade. Rubenstein has a gift for making thousand-year-old history both exciting and relevant. The world of the crusaders was very different from our own, and yet some of the major issues driving their quest resonate today.and#8221;
Jay Rubenstein is an Associate Professor of Medieval History at the University of Tennessee. A former Rhodes Scholar and MacArthur Fellow, he lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.
BASIC BOOKS
Jay Rubenstein
Jay. Rubenstein
World History-European History General


text:
Cristóbal Suárez de Figueroa (1571 in Valladolid, Spain – after 1644) was a Spanish writer and jurist.

Sources
 Cristobal Suarez de Figueroa,  HECHOS DE DON GARCÍA HURTADO DE MENDOZA, Imprenta Real, Madrid, 1616. Texto preparado por ENRIQUE SUÁREZ FIGAREDO

External links
Vida y obras de Cristóbal Suárez de Figueroa por J. P. Wickersham Crawford
Edición crítica de La constante Amarilis de Suárez de Figueroa
Edición electrónica del Pusílipo o ratos de conversación en lo que dura el paseo
Edición electrónica de El pasajero
Edición electrónica de Varias noticias importantes a la humana comunicación

1571 births
1644 deaths
17th-century Spanish historians

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Brazil nuts are calorie and nutrient dense. High in mono- and polyunsaturated fats, including omega-6 fatty acids, a one-ounce (6-7 nuts) serving provides about 185 calories, 5 grams of protein, and a rich supply of magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and selenium. In fact, Brazil nuts are the highest natural source of selenium (543 mcg in 1 oz.).
A potent micronutrient, scientific evidence to date suggests that selenium might play a role in the prevention or treatment of heart disease, cognitive decline, liver disease, some types of cancer, and thyroid disease. Selenium concentrations are highest in the thyroid gland, and it has a vital role in its function.
Just two Brazil nuts a day make it easy for most people to meet their daily selenium requirement. But it's important to work with a clinical nutritionist to assess your individual need for selenium if you suspect a deficiency to ensure you're getting the right amount.
Because it is possible to get too much selenium, The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences advises a maximum limit of 45 mcg of selenium for kids and 400 mcg for adults daily. The best way to enjoy Brazil nuts is to combine a few with other types of nuts, seeds, and raisins. Sprinkle on salad, yogurt, or blend into a smoothie.
Homemade nut butters is a great opportunity to enjoy these nutritious spreads without added sugar, salt, or preservatives often found in store-bought varieties.
(optional) To add a distinctive, warm flavor, toast the nuts before grinding. Toast nuts on a dry baking sheet at 400°F until nuts are fragrant and lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch closely; nuts easily scorch. Nuts should be cool to the touch before grinding.
Place nuts into a food processor and start blending, leaving out the optional flavor add-ins. Blend for 11-12 minutes. You may need to grind at various speeds or intervals until you reach the consistency that meets your taste preferences. The nuts will go through several stages and you'll need to keep pressing the contents into the center of the blender as you go through the process: The nuts will crumble, clump, ball, redistribute, and then finally … the oils will release, and you'll have a nice spread.


I'm sure you've seen the Nokia Plan B and all the follow-ups. There's certainly not a lack of creativity out there.
It begs the question: what if Nokia, instead of selling their soul to Microsoft, simply would have asked their fans for help?
Yes, I know. Crazy. But, what if…?


text:
Posted on May 23, 2014. Written by Rachel Levine
In Memory of a Tree. Blood and Glass Thomas LeSourd
Lisa Iwanycki-Moore has a poetic soul. Not only does she write poetry, but she brings it to her music. Her latest project, Blood and Glass, is a baroque pop journey into the heart of this artsy, dreamy soul. Iwanycki-Moore didn't want to have a conventional show in Montreal, but is creating an immersive experience with her latest Blood and Glass show entitled In Memory of a Tree.
The idea for a show comes from one of her songs is about a girl who runs free in a forest, gets hit by an arrow, and when she wakes up all the trees are cut down. "It's my environmental song, and I dedicated it to my sister who is a botanical scientist, a tree doctor," she says. When she began looking at the props and set for the upcoming show, it occurred to her, "I think we're having a funeral for a tree." There is no particular tree that she has in mind though. "It's a concert, but dedicated to anyone's favorite tree. It's a night in commemoration, in a poetic way, of your personal connection with at tree from your past or mine."
Blood and Glass. Andy State
The symbolism of the tree is very much in keeping with Blood and Glass' overall ethos. "My idea is that Blood and Glass is storytelling almost of another world. There's a song about a world made out of origami. One song is about a girl who can't get off a merry-go-round. It's a metaphor for addiction. We always have these things, interludes, where I go off and tell a story."
For this show, Iwanycki-Moore wanted to break the convention of having the audience separate from the performers. "How can we make it so the audience members are actual members. People walk in and they're immersed in my world. They're part of it. That's the reason I write a song is to share and hope that someone can go 'I feel like that sometimes.' It's an important relationship. The listener and the musicians. I've been to shows where I'm two feet from the drummer and it's an incredible experience."
To do this, Iwanycki-Moore created an immersive environment for the show. One person involved in Alexis O'Hara, an installation artist. "She built a speaker igloo at Place des Arts. It's a tripping thing. What if Alexis O'Hara built a tree that I can sing into? We exchanged some ideas. Blood and Glass always had stage props. I painted birds and bird cages with fluorescent paints and shown black lights on them, making this glow in this dark forest thing. Sidney Krause is hanging electronic clouds. Some dude I meet in the street, I was telling him about the show, and he brought 6 tree stumps. I'm trying to get the audience around a band. There's not a stage. There's couches and tree stumps for people to sit on."
Blood and Glass Lisa Iwanycki. Thomas LeSourd
One feature of the band is that though it is at heart a duo, consisting of Iwanycki-Moore and her husband Morgan Moore (of Thus: Owls) on bass and samples, it has been collaborating with many musicians for its upcoming album to be released in the fall: Robbie Kuster (drums), Melanie Belair (violin), Erika Angell (vocals), Simon Angell (guitar), Brad Barr (voice), Patrick Watson (voice), Jocelyn Vielleux (French horn). "[Morgan] just knows all these wonderful musicians who were super happy to come on board. It feels like a band, but it's like a tribe. It's a collective almost." As for the show, the band, aside from Iwanycki-Moore and Morgan Moore, includes Robbie Kuster, Melanie Belair, Alexis O'Hara, and Frank Lafontaine. Iwanycki-Moore says there will be some surprise guests at the show, she is keeping their name secret. All she reveals is that "almost everyone seemed to be free this weekend" and "my band is incredible."
What should people expect? Blood and Glass is a bit like Sigur Ros or Bjork with its combination of baroque pop and experimentation. As for the whole experience, Moore says that it will start out quite intimate with the opening act, 10,00 horses. "Be prepared to be at home in this arty loft space environment. Go find a couch and grab a drink. When we come on, it'll be crazy lights and psychedelia."
In Memory of a Tree by Blood and Glass plays at Nomad Nation (129 Van Horne W) May 23 and 24th. 9 p.m. $10.
baroque pop
blood and glass
brad barr
erika angell
jocelyn vielleux
lisa inwanycki-moore
lisa iwanycki
loft space
melanie belair
morgan moore
nomad nation
poetic music
robbie kuster
simon angell
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Public transportation is an economical form of travel that provides personal mobility and freedom, especially for those who do not drive or have access to a vehicle. It helps the environment and with energy conservation by reducing the number of vehicles on the road.
Prairie Hills Transit provides these services in the Black Hills with buses, vans, and a trolley. Vanpool options for employees who travel long distances to work each day are in the works as well. The majority of our vehicles are lift-equipped to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Anyone can ride. There are no age or income restrictions or requirements. Students from pre-school to college can ride the bus … whether it's to and from home or daycare for the pre-school students, or to and from neighboring towns for college and university students.
Seniors and the general public can ride to medical and social appointments or volunteer opportunities. And employees can travel to and from work (including between towns in some counties).
What are the bus routes/schedules?
Service varies widely between towns (see Schedules under Request-A-Ride on website home page). While there are some scheduled trips – such as medical trips between communities, and group shopping trips, most service is demand-response (meaning riders get picked up at their home, office, or other desired location and are dropped off directly at their destination, based on when they need to be there.) Schedule at least a day in advance.
How do I schedule/cancel a ride?
All calls are dispatched through the regional administrative office in Spearfish. Riders can call 642-6668, or toll-free 1-877-673-3687 during business hours (7 a.m.-5 p.m.). Rides can also be booked online (see Request a Ride on the website home page), although riders should be aware that weekend bookings and messages are not retrieved until Monday morning.
If a trip is urgent, be sure to confirm arrangements by phone if you have booked a ride online. Rides should be scheduled by 3 p.m. the day before.
Costs vary by town and distance traveled; and out-of-town trips depend on miles traveled and if they are regular scheduled routes or outside the regular route, which is called a special trips. Call 605-642-6668 (or toll-free 1-877-673-3687) for details.
How/where do I buy a ticket?
Currently, tickets are available at the Prairie Hills Transit office, 2015 Tumble Weed Trail in Spearfish, or at the Lead City Hall for travel in Deadwood and Lead. Payment can also be accepted by phone with check or credit card.
Riders can also pay the driver for individual rides by using the fare box (exact amount is required as the drivers do not carry change).
Prairie Hills Transit currently has tokens that are equivalent to a one-way fare, as well as semester and yearly passes for students. Stop by our office to purchase or call 605-642-6668 for more information.
What happens if I have to cancel my ride, or my appointment changes?
Call the dispatch center at 605-642-6668 (or toll-free 1-877-673-3687) at least one hour in advance, or as soon as you know of the change. If you need to cancel a ride after the dispatch office has closed, call 642-6668 and leave a message (clearly stating rider name, the scheduled pickup date and time, your contact phone number and your desire to cancel the ride. For rescheduling a ride, contact dispatch during business hours).
Can I ride to Rapid City?
Yes. Prairie Hills Transit has service from the Northern Hills as well as from Southern Hills communities to and from Rapid City for medical trips, shopping or social trips. Schedules vary by town and by day. See the schedules page or call the dispatch center for more information at 605-642-6668, or toll-free 1-877-673-3687.
Can I get a ride to church on Sundays?
Prairie Hills Transit has service on Sundays in Spearfish, as well as having Sunday service hours in Deadwood and Lead. Rides must be scheduled before 3 p.m. Friday while a dispatcher is available to take the call to ensure you are on that Sunday's pickup schedule. Pick-up times will depend on how many riders there are and what time church services are held. Call 605-642-6668 for details on which towns offer rides on Sundays.
Yes, on all of our vehicles except the trolley.
What if weather cancels service?
Prairie Hills Transit notifies local media (radio, television, websites and newspapers) of any weather cancellations. Check closure listings or call the office at 642-6668 if you have questions about service.
Do buses run on holidays?
Prairie Hills Transit is closed on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Due to the critical needs of dialysis patients with regularly scheduled appointments, however, Prairie Hills Transit operates for that purpose on occasional holidays when dialysis centers are open.
Do buses run 24 hours a day/7 days a week?
How many people can the buses hold?
Vehicles range from 6-passenger vans to 24-passenger buses, and depend on how many riders have mobility devices.
Who is eligible to ride on group shopping trips?
Anyone is eligible, as long as rides are scheduled in advance. By grouping shopping rides to the same locations, Prairie Hills Transit, a nonprofit organization, is able to keep its expenses at a minimum in order to provide additional services such as for medical appointments and other transportation needs … for all generations for years to come.
Yes, as long as they are contained in a pet carrier. Service animals are permitted to accompany individuals with disabilities.
What if I miss my scheduled pick-up time? Will the driver come back for me?
Bus operators will wait 3 minutes past the scheduled pick-up time before leaving without the passenger. If you have an unexpected delay, call dispatch as soon as possible to make new arrangements, subject to availability.
Prairie Hills Transit is a nonprofit organization that receives partial funding from state, local and federal grants. Other operating income is from passenger fares, donations, and in-kind contributions. Each community is responsible for raising a local-match percentage in order to qualify for state and federal funds. And PHT is a United Way Agency.
Donations are essential for continuation of the transportation service program. Provide someone with transportation today by donating to PHT.
If you have additional questions, contact us by phone at 605-642-6668; by mail at 2015 Tumble Weed Trail, Spearfish, SD 57783; or by e-mail at ljohnson@prairiehillstransit.com.


text:
Why I will not celebrate Mumtaz Qadri's execution
By Danyal Adam Khan Published: March 2, 2016
The rumours had been floating around since the beginning of the year, but not many outside a close-knit group really knew when it would happen, if at all. Then, before his crusaders could get a whiff of what was on the cards, his family was called in one last time, and at some ungodly hour before dawn on Monday, the patron saint of religious violence – Mumtaz Qadri – was hung at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
As a recap for those of you who don't know (and I suspect there will not be many): the man in question killed Salmaan Taseer – the Governor of Punjab whom he had sworn to protect as a bodyguard – over five years ago because of his stance on reviewing Pakistan's oft-misused blasphemy laws. Mumtaz Qadri gloatingly stood around to be put behind bars, but support for him poured in from every corner of the country as he sat around with that signature smug look. His case took several controversial turns in this time — not least when the Islamabad High Court dropped charges of terrorism against him. Ultimately, though, his sentence was upheld by the apex court, much to the outrage of those venerating him as a ghazi.
Mumtaz Qadri was, by every definition, a cold-blooded killer. So why, then, will I not celebrate his execution? In the straightest words: because an execution is not something to be celebrated. Whether Baloch youths dumped off helicopters, beheaded army officers in Waziristan or guillotined terrorists in Rawalpindi — there is no heart-warming festivity to be found in death.
Bear in mind that this is not a debate about whether the moratorium on the death penalty should be restored or not (which I am personally in favour of, but let's save that for another time). This is about the abhorrent bloodlust that has taken root in our society.
Hanging bodies – to whomever they may have once belonged – are not a medieval spectacle for frolicking. They should not be a source of pleasure; they are definitely not a sign of progress, but could be indicative of us suffering from a collective ailment. And it is not something that Pakistan, well into the 21st century, should aspire to, either. If we visualise a just, humane, progressive society, we are going to have to start believing that violence will always, and only, beget more violence. A desensitised and bloodthirsty population is not the hallmark of a civilised nation (I'm looking at you, Saudi).
Now, while I understand the need to give in to passionate emotions at a time like this – especially for those who have personally suffered from such atrocities – how about instead of wanting to rip more people limb from limb and parade them in gory victory, we observe a moment of silence. Not for respect, but for introspection.
While there was one man who put 28 bullets in Salman Taseer's body, there were tens of thousands gushing to the streets in their zealous mania yesterday. Don't jump for joy, Pakistan. Deliberate over why monsters like Mumtaz Qadri are allowed to germinate in your country at an alarming rate in the first place. Ask yourself why the bar association in our capital led the charge in calling for the protests, or why our information minister was assailed by angry "clerics" at an airport, or why – and this one is my favourite – the head of the largest Islamic party in Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami, personally led Mumtaz Qadri's funeral prayers in absentia.
We must ask tough questions of our representatives in the government, armed forces, bureaucracy, judiciary, and perhaps most importantly, ourselves. Why do we consistently receive impressive, yet unverifiable, statistics from the battlefront in the tribal areas, while the man who openly lends allegiance to our opponents, Abdul Aziz, is allowed to thrive in Islamabad? Why have we promoted Mumtaz Qadri from "ghazi" to "shaheed" while his mentor and inspiration, Hanif Qureshi, roams scot-free? Why do we condemn the terrorists' means but can't bring ourselves to publicly denounce their ends?
For all those concerned (you know who you are), it has been said time and time again, and I will repeat it for good measure: Outwardly battling terrorism while inwardly nurturing extremism will only make things worse — also known as the curious case of fighting the symptoms while ignoring (at best) the disease.
Perhaps we could exert more pressure on our representatives in Parliament to retake control of the narrative of religion that has been so carelessly handed over to any cleric with a red mosque. Maybe they could cut short their nap to make some advances on the National Action Plan (NAP) by, say, actually regulating madrassahs as planned, or not allowing banned outfits to resurface under different names. Stricter and swifter action could be taken against individuals like Mumtaz Qadri who take the law in their hands under the cloak of religiosity, while somebody could once and for all earnestly tackle the dismal state of our school curriculum.
Fortunately or otherwise, being citizens of Pakistan, it falls on us to remind our representatives of their duties when they forget them and push them to completion. Otherwise, at least as individual members of civil society, promoting a culture of tolerance, human dignity and plurality might be a better use of our time than drawing sadistic pleasure out of frenzied calls for blood. That's what the Taliban do.
Do you think Mumtaz Qadri should have been executed?
Not executed, but severely punished
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Danyal Adam Khan
A freelance journalist, writer and actor, he tweets as @DanyalAdamKhan (twitter.com/DanyalAdamKhan)
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The Express Tribune.
Hangu drone strike: Broken American promises, dead Pakistani citizens
well written piece … talks senseRecommend
Because you sympathize with terroristsRecommend
Hameed
> Why I will not celebrate Mumtaz Qadri's execution
You want to support a convicted killer and still want to be considered a liberal. We get it. The rest is hogwash.Recommend
salman
I will not celebrate his death (or any death), but I will not mourn it either.
He was basically a criminal who committed murder, and he got his punishment. Incidentally, the penalty for murder in Islam is death (unless the deceased's family forgives).Recommend
wow, did you even read the article?Recommend
Zahoorul Haq
Express tribune! you seem to be allergic to Islam and constantly promoting the liberal anti Islamic agenda. Not long ago you published a XXX story about a love affair in Saudi Arabia. This shows clearly what kind of ideology are you supporting. Remember ! This country was created in the name of Islam and you will never be successful in your mission.Recommend
Umm e Sarah
Yes,and when we go against the ruling of Islam,more murder and mayhem occur. Juse today on Sahiwal ,a man who had been pardoned by his family for killing his own mother killed his two sisters .
What does the writer have to say about that?Let's give him one more chance to kill the rest of his family.
Mumtaz Qadri got what he truly deserved,please don't question Islam's ruling because no matter how literate we are,we still cannot get the wisdom behind Allah's commands. Recommend
Sir, please read the whole thing, please. And no, the rest is not hogwash because nuance is a thing and the world is not black and white.Recommend
Nida Ali
Sorry Daniyal, but your attempts at exercising liberal set pieces fail to take into account the Pakistani context. Death penalty may be unnecessary in most parts of the world, but this was an ideological stand. His hanging removes the doubt on whether Pakistan thinks of Qadri as a criminal or a man of religion.Recommend
Eddie Khan
1 gone and 100,000 more to go! So no point to celebrate!Recommend
Mahmud Majeed
A criminal got his due punishment. Never was a Prophet lover. Prophet would never approved killing of an innocent human being.Recommend
siesmann
Hardly anybody is celebrating the hanging of a self-confessed murderer.Many are satisfied with the triumph of the law,and its not succumbing to ignorant Mullahs.It is the Mullahs and their brain-washed followers who celebrated the killer's deed,and now his death as Shahaadat.(Shaheed has hardly any meaning these days.Anybody dead is a shaheed in Pakistan.Even dead dogs are shaheeds to certain national leaders)Recommend
I have read the whole thing its hogwash. A lot of words to hide the original motive.Recommend
Mansoor Ali Ghanghro
Pakistan was created "in the name of Islam"? Really? Kindly educate the ignorant. Also which school of thought (since you are of the view that Pakistan is a theo8cratic state)?Recommend
Naveed Ahmed
Salam to all readers, In my opinion YES, yes we have to mourn on his death and cannot forget him, because we can not forget the cause which he did better than you and me and we can not forget also his funeral prayer congregation. I am not capable to raise my voice or do it but true love with Our Prophet P.B.U.H. can described well by him. what kind of pressure Govt. had ??? Govt. / establishment can remain him in jail as (UmerQaid) prisoner, because he had different school of thoughts and unique super cause to save the face of ISLAM. Because we are nothing without Our Prophet P.B.U.H. (like when we were child, our parents taught us how Islam did spread by Our Prophet P.B.U.H. actually we proud to be a Muslim but where is our Love with Our Prophet P.B.U.H.?).Recommend
To clarify, I'm not questioning the ruling or the sentence. Qadri was a criminal who got the punishment he deserved, according to Islamic and constitutional law.Recommend
Nishikant
Religion should be separated from state . He was a criminal , got the punishment .
Whats the big issue in that .Recommend
Nouman Ahmed
Don't make such sarial comments without reading.Recommend
Why should have Government kept him in jail? If you follow Quran that much, you must also know that in Islam the punishment for murder is death. So why the fuss?Recommend
Sad that your self declared love for the Holy Prophet has blinded you to his teachings. The prophet doesn't need you and anyone else to defend him by killing people or taking the law in your hands. I am sure the Holy Prophet would be ashamed of people like you.The Holy prophet stood for justice, rule of law and forgiveness. He suffered the worst abuse with people literally cursing him and throwing garbage at him but he forgave them all. How can you love the Holy Prophet if you can't follow his example of tolerance?Recommend
Guarav Bandernaike.
Ask the family, the near and dear ones of Governor Taseer,
how they feel about all this. And what they went through.Recommend
Patwari
Agree. A closet sympathizer. Need to come out in the open.Recommend
Hameedullah
This is very unfair. The right wingers have already blamed the left for celebrating the death of Qadri. This is false. I don't see liberals out in the streets dancing. Now this blogger has done the same (mind you i agree on all his points) and paints the situation as we are celebrating his death. This is completely untrue. This coming from a liberal writer is even more problematic. Celebrating death and hate is the specialty of religious right wing in this country.Recommend
My cousin is actually friends with one of Taseer's daughters, so I know somewhat of what they went through and are indeed still going through.Recommend
Zahoorul Haq seems to be inspire from Zia ul HaqRecommend
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Over the past three days


text:
Calling all male MSers
In Lab Lessons
By BartsMSBlog
Do men with MS deserve to be offered higher efficacy DMTs earlier than women?
When you do a baseline prognostic profile of someone with MS, being female is a good prognostic factor compared to being a male. Men have a worse outcome. This study below shows men do worse when it comes to poor cognition compared to women (#ThinkCognition).
The question of why women do better cognitively may relate to hormonal factors being neuroprotective, i.e. there is a large body of literature showing that oestrogens are neuroprotective. Another factor that is poorly studies are social factors, i.e. women tend to have larger social networks, which may improve their outcomes (#ThinkSocial).
Another factor is age; men get MS on average 3 years later than women. With ageing, you have less reserve capacity and less ability to repair your brain. Could this explain the poorer outcomes for men with MS?
Finally, men are more likely to have PPMS and hence have had subclinical MS for longer. People with relapsing MS are more likely to get diagnosed and treated earlier in comparison with PPMS, which is typically diagnosed 10 years later than relapsing MS and until recently was not treated. Please note in the NHS PPMS is still not treated with DMTs.
Donaldson et al. Why Sex Matters: A Cognitive Study of People With Multiple Sclerosis. Cogn Behav Neurol. 2019 Mar;32(1):39-45.
BACKGROUND: Cognitive dysfunction affects 40% to 70% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Sex may influence a person's cognition. Although a few studies have reported greater cognitive deficits in men than women, it is unclear whether specific cognitive domains are more vulnerable than others to the effects of sex or whether cognition is influenced by neurologic or psychiatric variables.
METHODS: A chart review was undertaken of 408 people with MS referred to neuropsychological services. Demographic and MS-related variables were extracted from the patients' records. We used the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Functioning in Multiple Sclerosis for the neuropsychological assessment. Raw test scores were converted to z scores using Canadian regression-based normative means. A general linear model was conducted on the adjusted scores, controlling for age; years of education; disease course; illness duration; and disability, anxiety, and depression scores.
RESULTS: Men were more likely than women to have primary progressive MS (χ=6.415, P=0.011). There were no other sex differences with respect to demographic, neurologic, or psychiatric data. Women performed significantly better than men on the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition Total Learning index (F=7.846, P=0.006).
CONCLUSIONS: An analysis of a large, consecutive sample of people with MS demonstrated that sex, independent of demographic, neurologic, or psychiatric factors, is an important determinant in cognitive impairment, with men being more impaired than women on tests of verbal learning and memory.
#ThinkSocial cognition men women
BartsMSBlog
Stavros says:
I am a male, aged 56, with MS, diagnosed in 2000, with disease activity 8 years prior. I was going to make a comment on this article about cognition in men, but I forgot what I was going to say…
David Hurst says:
Love the response
From..articles lately… I thought MS has
been reclassified as a female disease and there
is no cure because of this and the fact that there
are fewer MS female researchers…..Oh how
I long/dream of the glory days of the old blog
where the text didn't wrap itself right off the page…
and the focus was on scientific research…Boom..
PPMS is more likely diagnosed in men? Prof G has been advocating for MS as one disease, RRMS, SPMS, PPMS and relapsing progressive are all just MS. The questions are: why does MS progress more rapidly in men and why are men diagnosed at a later age?
"Please note in the NHS PPMS is still not treated with DMTs."
And why should it be…?
Placebo vs Ocrevus in ppms…….CAUTION: graph image may shock you
https://www.neurologia.com/img/imagenes/2018132_2018132_01%20ENGLISH.jpg
Ocrevus was approved in Canada for only early PPMS.
It's a progressive disease so what good is that.
I have a good anti-cancer therapy…only problem is it
doesn't do so good after age 50.
Average doesn't cut it for the individual, a doctor once said to me.
How true. I am female, and started with PPMS (slow, thankfully) when in 20s.
So I'm suspicious of "in general", "usually", "on average", "tend to"…
So many unknowns in MS.
"How true. I am female, and started with PPMS (slow, thankfully) when in 20s. "
Your lucky to have it now as opposed to 20 years ago.
Legit therapies for progressive ms on the near horizon.
Recruiting now for the Atara ATA 188 trial…people with
ppms and spms age 60 even improved EDSS scores.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03283826
https://soundcloud.com/bioanalysis-zone/nctalks-at-aan-2017-michael-pender-on-a-new-multiple-sclerosis-treatment
Still dont like the anonymous author
Sébastien Jodoin says:
I would be curious to see a study like this also control for lifestyle factors and co-morbidities that are associated with progression in MS and cognitive decline in the general population. There is a lot of research showing that men engage in a number of behaviours that are detrimental to their health at a greater rates than women (e.g. smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise), which are associated with greater rates of cognitive decline. In addition, men also have a greater susceptibility to conditions such as type-2 diabetes, which is a well-recognized risk factor for cognitive impairment. I wonder whether this might make a difference in the gender differences observed in the population with relapsing MS. (Note – I am not seeking to blame or place any responsibility on men with MS here – I am just asking a scientific question about additional risk factors).
Luís fernando says:
This is truth not only in ms
By BartsMSBlog March 24, 2019
Trying to understand whether a sneaky fag is bad for you?
Is it B and/or T cells and which ones?
Matt Piper on The war on sugar (more posts below today)
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