a. To encourage and develop the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary study of the relations between law and society.
b. To promote the development of new socio-legal scholars through the Corporation's activities.
c. To hold conferences, lectures and meetings for the promotion and discussion of research in law and society.
d. To award grants, scholarships, fellowships and/or awards to deserving individuals, groups of individuals or organizations in pursuance of the objects of the Corporation.
e. To publish journals (in particular, the Canadian Journal of Law & Society), newspapers, newsletters, books and/or monographs relating to the study of law and society issues.
Subject to the provisions of these by-laws pertaining to banking arrangements, deeds, transfers, assignments, contracts, obligations and other instruments in writing requiring execution by the Corporation must be signed by two (2) of its officers or directors, at least one of whom must be a board member who is also an officer. In addition, the board of directors may from time to time direct the manner in which and the person or persons by whom a particular document or type of document shall be executed. Any person authorized to sign any document may affix the corporate seal (if any) to the document. Any signing officer may certify a copy of any instrument, resolution, by-law or other document of the Corporation to be a true copy thereof.
Unless otherwise determined by the board of directors, the financial year end of the Corporation shall be December 31.
Expenditures shall be authorized in writing (including by electronic means) by the treasurer and the president or, in the event of conflict of interest affecting one of them, by a vice president and the officer not in conflict of interest. Two signatures shall be required to authorize expenditures. Signatories shall be the treasurer and two signing officers, appointed for this purpose from time to time by resolution of the board of directors, at least one of whom shall be a director.
d. mortgage, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise create a security interest in all or any property of the Corporation, owned or subsequently acquired, to secure any debt obligation of the Corporation.
The Corporation may, instead of sending copies of the annual financial statements and other documents referred to in subsection 172(1) (Annual Financial Statements) of the Act to the members, publish a notice to its members stating that the annual financial statements and documents provided in subsection 172(1) are available at the registered office of the Corporation and any member may, on request, obtain a copy free of charge via electronic mail or other means.
Subject to the articles, there shall be one class of members in the Corporation. Membership in the Corporation shall be available only to individuals interested in furthering the Corporation's purposes who have paid the annual membership fee or for whom the directors have waived such a fee. Each member shall be entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at all meetings of the members of the Corporation.
A membership may only be transferred to the Corporation.
Pursuant to Section 197(1) (Fundamental Change) of the Act, a special resolution of the members is required to make any amendment to add, change or delete this section of the by-laws.
Notice of the time and place of a meeting of members shall be given to each member entitled to vote at the meeting by electronic or other means of communication, during a period of twenty-one (21) to thirty-five (35) days before the day on which the meeting is to be held.
The board of directors or the president or vice-president shall have power to call, at any time, a general meeting of the members of the Corporation.
The board of directors shall call a special meeting of members in accordance with Section 167 of the Act, on written requisition of members carrying not less than five (5) per cent of the voting rights. If the directors do not call a meeting within twenty-one (21) days of receiving the requisition, any member who signed the requisition may call the meeting.
Annual membership fees shall be set by the board of directors from time to time. Membership fees may include reduced rates for emeritus, student, under-waged or unwaged members, but all members shall be eligible to vote, to hold office in the Corporation, and to receive all regular publications of the Corporation.
d. the Corporation is liquidated and dissolved under the Act.
The president of the Corporation, in consultation with the board of directors, shall appoint a nominating committee to solicit nominations to fill vacancies in the office of president and among directors. The nominating committee shall be named following an annual meeting of the membership, and shall serve one (1) year, until the close of the following annual meeting. The committee shall normally be composed of two directors plus either the president or one vice-president.
Subject to the Regulations under the Act, any member may nominate one or more candidates for the board of directors by notifying in writing the nominating committee or other committee or director authorized by the board of directors to receive nominations.
At every annual meeting, in addition to any other business that may be transacted, reports of the officers of the Corporation and the financial statements shall be presented. The members may consider and transact any business either special or general at any meeting of the members.
Subject to compliance with section 159 (Place of Members' Meetings) of the Act, meetings of the members may be held at any place within Canada determined by the board of directors or, if all of the members entitled to vote at such meeting so agree, outside Canada.
The only persons entitled to be present at a meeting of members shall be those entitled to vote at the meeting, the directors, officers and the public accountant of the Corporation and such other persons who are entitled or required under any provision of the Act, articles or by-laws of the Corporation to be present at the meeting. Any other person may be admitted on the invitation of the chair of the meeting or by resolution of the members.
Meetings of members shall be chaired by the president of the Corporation or, in the absence of the president, by the past president or a vice-president of the Corporation. In the event that neither the president, the past president nor a vice-president is present, the members who are present and entitled to vote at the meeting shall choose one of their number to chair the meeting.
A quorum at any meeting of the members (unless a greater number of members are required to be present by the Act) shall be ten (10) percent of the members entitled to vote at the meeting. If a quorum is present at the opening of a meeting of members, the members present may proceed with the business of the meeting even if a quorum is not present throughout the meeting.
Each voting member present at a meeting shall have the right to exercise one (1) vote.
d. a proxy holder has the same rights as the member by whom they were appointed, including the right to speak at a meeting of members in respect of any matter, to vote by way of ballot at the meeting, to demand a ballot at the meeting and to vote at the meeting by way of a show of hands.
The board of directors shall consist of a minimum of eleven (11) directors and a maximum of twenty-two (22) directors. At least two (2) of the positions must at all times be held by directors who are not officers or employees of the Corporation.
All directors other than the president and the graduate student representatives shall be elected for a term of three (3) years by the members at an annual meeting of members.
Two (2) directors of the Corporation shall be graduate student representatives, who will serve staggered terms of two (2) years; each year one (1) graduate student representative shall normally be elected. Prior to the annual meeting of members, the graduate students of the Corporation shall select one or more candidates to put forward for election to the board of directors at the annual meeting of members.
A director whose term is ending shall remain in office until the dissolution or adjournment of the meeting at which his or her retirement is accepted or a successor is elected.
In order to achieve representativeness, once elected, directors who do not hold offices within the Corporation may adopt portfolios associated with British Columbia, the prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), Ontario, Quebec, the North, the Atlantic provinces, and Indigenous communities. The nominating committee shall be directed to encourage nominations of candidates whose efforts on the board of directors would focus on the organization's activities in these communities.
provided that if any vacancy shall occur for any reason in this paragraph contained, the board of directors may appoint a director from among the membership to fill the vacated position for a term expiring not later than the close of the next annual general meeting of members. In such case, the total number of directors so appointed may not exceed one-third (1/3) of the number of directors elected at the previous annual general meeting of members.
A graduate student representative who ceases to be a graduate student may be, but need not be, replaced at the next annual meeting of members.
Meetings of the board of directors may be held at any time and place to be determined by the directors. There shall be at least one (1) meeting each year, which shall normally take place in conjunction with the annual meeting of members of the Corporation.
No error or omission in giving notice of any meeting of the board of directors or any adjourned meeting of the board of directors of the Corporation shall invalidate such meeting or make void any proceedings taken thereat.
Notice of the time and place for the holding of a meeting of the board of directors shall be given by electronic or other means to every director and officer of the Corporation not less than thirty (30) days before the time when the meeting is to be held. No notice of meeting need specify the purpose or the business to be transacted at the meeting except that a notice of meeting of the board of directors shall specify any matter referred to in subsection 138(2) (Limits on Authority) of the Act that is to be dealt with at the meeting.
Meetings of the board of directors shall be chaired by the president of the Corporation or, in the absence of the president, by a vice-president of the Corporation. In the event that neither the president nor a vice-president is present, the directors who are present and entitled to vote at the meeting shall choose one of their number to chair the meeting.
At all meetings of the board of directors, every question shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast on the question. In case of an equality of votes, the chair of the meeting in addition to an original vote shall have a second or casting vote.
Only directors are entitled to vote at meetings of the board of directors. Each director shall be entitled to one (1) vote.
A quorum at any meeting of the board of directors shall be one-third (1/3) of the directors entitled to vote at the meeting. Any meeting of the board of directors at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all or any of the authorities, powers and discretions by or under the by-laws of the Corporation. If a quorum is present at the opening of a meeting of the board of directors, the directors and officers present may proceed with the business of the meeting even if a quorum is not present throughout the meeting.
Subject to these by-laws, a member of the board of directors participating by telephone or other electronic means shall be considered to be present for the purposes of quorum.
b. all other costs, charges and expenses which he sustains or incurs in or about or in relation to the affairs thereof, except such costs, charges or expenses as are occasioned by his own wilful neglect or default.
The board of directors, in consultation with the president, may from time to time appoint any committee or other advisory body, as it deems necessary or appropriate for such purposes and, subject to the Act, with such powers as the board of directors shall see fit. Any such committee may formulate its own rules of procedure, subject to such regulations or directions as the board of directors may from time to time make. Any committee member may be removed by resolution of the board of directors.
The president shall be elected at an annual meeting of members of the Corporation. The president shall serve as a voting member of the board of directors but may not hold any other office concurrently with the office of president. The president shall serve for a term of two (2) years and shall be eligible for re-election for a second term at the end of the first. No president shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
Subject to the Act and these by-laws, the board of directors may designate the offices of the Corporation, appoint officers, specify their duties and delegate to such officers the power to manage the affairs of the Corporation. Officers shall normally be appointed from among the directors of the Corporation. Up to two (2) offices may be held by the same individual.
a. President – The president shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, and shall have the general and active management of the affairs of the Corporation. The president shall see that all orders and resolutions of the board of directors are carried into effect.
b. Past President – Following the expiry of the president's term, he or she shall serve one (1) year as past president. The past president is not a director and does not have voting rights at any meeting of the board of directors, but shall be entitled to attend meetings of the board of directors.
c. Vice-President – The Corporation shall have two (2) vice-presidents. Each vice-president shall normally be appointed from among the directors by resolution of the board of directors. A vice-president whose term as director expires may continue to serve as vice-president until the expiry of his or her term as vice-president but shall not vote at meetings of the board of directors unless appointed director subject to the Articles and these by-laws. Vice-presidents shall have powers and duties as determined from time to time by the president in consultation with the board of directors.
d. Treasurer – The treasurer shall be appointed by resolution of the board of directors and have such powers and duties as the board of directors may specify. The treasurer need not be a director but shall have voting rights on the board of directors only if he or she is a director.
e. Secretary – The secretary shall be appointed by resolution of the board of directors and shall normally attend all meetings of the board of directors and of the members of the Corporation. The secretary shall keep minutes of all proceedings at such meetings, and present such minutes to the board of directors at such time and in such form as the board of directors shall from time to time determine. The secretary shall be the custodian of all books, papers, records, documents and other instruments belonging to the Corporation. The secretary need not be a director but shall have voting rights on the board of directors only if he or she is a director.
f. Communications Officer and Bulletin Editor – The communications officer and bulletin editor shall be responsible for the Corporation's communications, including maintaining the Corporation's website, editing the newsletter or bulletin, and coordinating communications with the membership. The communications officer and bulletin editor need not be a director but shall have voting rights on the board of directors only if he or she is a director.
g. A Program Coordinator and a Local Arrangement Coordinator shall be appointed to terms of no more than one (1) year by the president in consultation with the board of directors. They shall be responsible for planning the annual conference. They shall be entitled to attend meetings of the board of directors but shall have voting rights on the board of directors only if they are also directors.
Subject to these by-laws, other officers of the Corporation may be appointed from time to time and for such purposes and terms as the board of directors shall determine by resolution.
Subject to the Act and these by-laws, all officers may attend meetings of the board of directors, but may not vote unless they concurrently serve as directors.
All officers of the Corporation must be members of the Corporation.
Subject to these by-laws, officers of the Corporation shall normally hold office for two (2) years from the date of their appointment or until their successors assume office in their stead. However, the term of office of any officer other than the president and past-president may be extended by resolution of the board of directors at any time.
If any office of the Corporation shall be or become vacant, the directors may, by resolution, appoint a director or member to fill such vacancy, either as a new appointment or, in the case of a vacancy in the office of program coordinator or local arrangements coordinator, for the remainder of the term.
Notwithstanding sections 37, 38 and 39, two (2) editors of the Canadian Journal of Law & Society / Revue canadienne droit et société ("the Journal") shall be entitled to attend meetings of the board of directors but shall not have voting rights in that capacity. These two editors shall be selected by a process determined by the Journal.
The board of directors may appoint such agents and engage such employees as it shall deem necessary from time to time and such persons shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the board of directors at the time of such appointment.
The accidental omission to give any notice to any member, director, officer, member of a committee or public accountant, or the non-receipt of any notice by any such person where the Corporation has provided notice in accordance with the by-laws or any error in any notice not affecting its substance shall not invalidate any action taken at any meeting to which the notice pertained or otherwise founded on such notice.
All directors and officers elected or appointed under previous by-laws to terms continuing after the adoption of the present by-laws shall continue in office until the expiry of their terms. No terms shall be shortened or extended by the coming into force of the present by-laws.
The office of newsletter editor under the previous by-laws shall be renamed communications officer and bulletin editor, with duties as defined by the present by-laws.
Subject to the Act, these by-laws shall enter into force upon issuance of the Articles of Continuance (transition).
Upon adoption and entry into force, the present by-laws will apply to all future business of the Corporation, and all previous by-laws will cease to have force or effect.


text:
Q: X-SuperObject thinks that non existent keys exists There's code a minimum reproducible example in my previous question. Please let me know if you want it copied here.
Basically, I noticed that this code:
if Assigned(job['Employer.Name.Normalized']) then
   Memo1.Lines.Add('Employer name = ' + job['Employer.Name.Normalized'].AsString);

was adding an empty string to the memo.
Hardly surprising, as the JSON looks like this:
                    "Id": "POS-10",
                    "Employer": {
                        "Location": {
                            "CountryCode": "UK",
                            "Municipality": "Bradford"
                        }
                    },
                    "IsSelfEmployed": false,
                    "IsCurrent": false,
                    ... etc

So, why does Assigned(job['Employer.Name.Normalized']) evaluate to true?
Note that Assigned(job.O['Employer'].O['Name'].O['Normalized']) gives the same result, but, AFIAK, it's just syntactic sugar as how it is written.
So, I tried random keys: Assigned(job['StackOverlow]) evaluates to true, as does Assigned(job['Why is this not false???'])
What am I doing wrongly? And how to I detect if a key actually exists in the ISuperObject which was obtained from my JSON?

A: This is working as designed.
Looking at XSuperObject's source code, it turns out that when you reference a member object or array, and that member doesn't exist, XSuperObject creates a new member. This lets users easily create new JSON documents.
To search for a member without creating it, you can use the Contains() method instead, eg:
if job.Contains('Employer') then
begin
  emp := job.O['Employer'];
  if emp.Contains('Name') then
  begin
    nam := emp.O['Name'];
    if nam.Contains('Normalized') then
      Memo1.Lines.Add('Employer name = ' + nam.S['Normalized']);
  end;
end;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Highlands Current (https://highlandscurrent.org/2021/05/18/putnam-deputy-seriously-injured-in-crash/)
Putnam Deputy Seriously Injured in Crash
By Staff | May 18, 2021
Squad car and truck collide on Route 301
A Putnam County Sheriff's deputy was seriously injured in a crash on Route 301 near Canopus Lake in Fahnestock State Park on Monday afternoon (May 17), the Sheriff's Department reported.
The crash occurred at about 12:40 p.m. The deputy, who was not identified, was traveling west on Route 301 when his vehicle collided with a truck traveling east.
The deputy was extricated from his squad car with the Jaws of Life by the Kent Fire Department and airlifted to the Westchester Medical Center. The driver of the truck, who had been ejected from his vehicle, was transported by ambulance to the same medical facility, the Sheriff's Department said.
Articles attributed to "staff" are written by the editor or a senior editor. This is typically because they are brief items based on a single source, such as a press release, or there are multiple contributors, such as a collection of photos.
More by Staff

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The National Association of Teachers of Singing is a non-profit organization dedicated to the encouragement of the highest standards of the vocal art and of ethical principles in the teaching of singing; and the promotion of vocal education and research at all levels, both for the enrichment of the general public and for the professional advancement of the talented.
Join us for a full day dedicated to the physical and mental wellness of voice users. Presentations on Speech Therapy, Health and Fitness, Performance Psychology and Feldenkrais along with a performance from the 2018 Manitoba NATS Competition Winners.
Speech Pathologist, Lisa Hyska - presentation on care of the singing voice - Private 1-1 mini sessions also available as well!
Health Coach - Elizabeth Rotoff - How YOUR Health affects your voice.
Recital featuring winners of the Manitoba NATS Scholarship Competition.


Samsung recently unveiled a shocking investment plan that will add 180 trillion won (about 1 trillion yuan) and 40,000 new employees worldwide over the next three years. This is a large-scale investment plan of single conglomerates in Korea.
The author learns that Samsung's trillion-dollar investment plan is mainly divided into two parts: one is to further invest in its existing advantages - semiconductors and displays; the other is to make strategic investments in future emerging industries, including the four emerging industries of 5G, artificial intelligence, automotive semiconductor and biotechnology.
More specifically, Samsung wants to be an active participant in 5G chipsets and related devices worldwide; Samsung plans to increase the number of senior researchers in artificial intelligence worldwide to 1,000; Samsung hopes to build a self-driving chip system in automotive electronics; and Samsung wants to be an active participant in biotechnology. Italy continues to invest heavily in developing and manufacturing biopharmaceuticals for fighting chronic diseases and difficult diseases.
Samsung has been at the forefront of the world in R&D investment and is truly a global innovation-driven company. As of January 1 this year, Samsung Electronics held 75,596 U.S. proprietary technologies, becoming one of the largest number of companies holding U.S. proprietary technologies.
In the 5G area, Samsung's most notable recent news is the announcement on August 15 that it has launched Exynos modem 5100 for the 5G standard. At present, the 5G field has formed the situation of the four big tycoons of Samsung, Qualcomm, Intel and HUAWEI. Samsung made this remarkable achievement, because the baseband chip (that is, modem) is an important part of the smartphone CPU processor, mainly responsible for the communication between the phone and the nearby base station, that is, the baseband chip is the core component to determine the signal quality of the mobile phone.
Samsung, Ericsson and Nokia have announced that they will supply 5G network equipment to the leading U.S. Telecom operators, AT& T. This is another exciting news for Samsung.
Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia and ZTE were among the top four manufacturers in the global telecommunications equipment market. Now, the major U.S. carriers choose to import Samsung's 5G communications equipment, is bound to significantly increase Samsung's share of the global communications equipment market.
The 5G topic most concerned by ordinary consumers is probably the battle for the world's first 5G phone. At present, the world's top smartphones Apple, Huawei, Samsung, OPPO, vivo, millet, etc. have announced in the first half of 2009 will have their own 5G mobile phone. But in terms of timing, Samsung said it would launch its first 5G handset as soon as February 2019, which could be said to be the first.
Samsung has been involved in everything from the upstream 5G chips to networking devices in the upstream to downstream 5G handsets. If Samsung continues to invest heavily in the 5G field, it is no surprise that it will achieve its goal of becoming an active participant in the global 5G chipsets and related equipment.
In the field of artificial intelligence, Samsung is also a force to be reckoned with, because in the field of artificial intelligence to promote the fastest smartphone, Samsung is still in the forefront of the world.
At the same time, companies including Amazon and Alibaba want to connect all the appliances in the user's home through smart voice assistants to achieve "smart home". In fact, Samsung is easier to implement this strategy, because Samsung not only has mobile phones, but also has occupied the user's living room white appliances products. The realization of "smart home" through artificial intelligence is a good example for Samsung.
In fact, Samsung has long been in the field of AI. As early as 2012, Samsung chose to break through in the field of smart voice assistants, with the introduction of S Voice, a voice assistant similar to Apple's Siri, which allows users to make phone calls and send text messages via voice commands. But S Voice is only used on Samsung's flagship mobile phones, and can not be popularized.
Then, in October 2016, Samsung acquired Viv Labs, a co-founder of Siri, in October 2016, dedicated to building an open AI assistant platform, and left to build a new company because Siri was acquired by Apple. After acquiring the startup, Samsung launched a new voice assistant, Bixby, at its Galaxy S8 launch in the first half of 2017. Now, Bixby has been promoted on Samsung smartphones and has become the core platform of Samsung's "smart home" strategy.
Maja Pantic, Samsung's head of electronic artificial intelligence (AI) business, has said recently that by 2020, AI technology will be applied to all Samsung's electronics. Bixby will become an important platform for carrying out Samsung AI technology.
It is understood that Maja Pantic was originally a professor at Imperial College London. On May 22, Samsung set up the Cambridge Center for Artificial Intelligence. Maja Pantic became one of the two main leaders of the center. Another leader of the center, Andrew Blake, was originally the director of Microsoft research laboratory in Cambridge.
Only with talent can technological innovation be achieved. So, from acquiring Viv Labs startups to setting up AI centers, Samsung's AI strategy is to recruit talent. On Sept. 7, Samsung officially opened the New York Center for Artificial Intelligence, the world's sixth artificial intelligence research center, and Maja Pantic made the announcement at the center's inauguration ceremony. At Samsung's New York Artificial Intelligence Center, Daniel Lee, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, is currently in charge of the operation. The center's chief research scientist, H. Sebastian Seung) was also a famous AI scholar in the field of neuroengineering.
In addition to the artificial intelligence centers in London and New York, Samsung also has four other artificial intelligence research centers in South Korea, Silicon Valley, Canada and Russia. Under the trillion-dollar investment plan, Samsung plans to hire more than 1,000 senior AI researchers by 2020.
Besides 5G and AI, Samsung also has two key areas of investment in automotive electronics and biotechnology. Why is automobile electronics? Because in the field of artificial intelligence, autopilot is the hottest and most promising subdivision area. The leading edge of autopilot is undoubtedly Samsung focused autopilot chip system. In fact, the world's leading semiconductor giants are already stepping up their chips in the field of autopilot chip systems.
As an upstart in the field of AI chips, NVIDIA not only supplied autopilot chip system to Tesla, but also launched a proprietary AI vehicle platform to develop advanced automatic driving system capable of mass production. PC chip giant Intel spent $15 billion 300 million in March 2017 to acquire Tesla automation. Mobileye, the driver system supplier, and Qualcomm, the smartphone chip giant, launched a $44 billion century acquisition of automotive electronics giant NXP in June 2017, but the acquisition failed. At the same time, Samsung has also spared no effort in the field of autopilot.
According to public information, Samsung set up its auto parts division in February 2015 and has been expanding the business. In 2016, Samsung spent about $10 billion to acquire the US audio and information entertainment giant Haman International Industries Inc. as the world's leading Internet automotive solutions provider, Haman International installed its own Internet car and audio system on more than 30 million vehicles worldwide, including embedded letters. Information entertainment, vehicle information, Internet security services, etc. After the acquisition of Haman International, Samsung and Haman have assembled more than 1,000 employees to form R&D teams to conduct research and development on technologies related to automatic driving. In 2017, Samsung and Haman spent $8 billion on acquisitions of other related companies and $100 million on R&D funds to accelerate their work on the "Partner Ecosystem" of automatic driving. Speed of progress.
According to the latest news from South Korean media, Samsung recently set up a new team at its Advanced Technology Research Institute to study automatic driving. The team will work with the auto parts business department to lead Samsung's R & D in the field of automatic driving.
It is not clear to many that Samsung is also ambitious in biotechnology, nor is it clear that Samsung has a single facility with world-class pharmaceutical capabilities. Foreign media generally believe that biotechnology is an area of development that can help boost Samsung's rapid profit growth.
In biotechnology, Samsung has set a goal of becoming the world's leading manufacturer of biopharmaceuticals (CMO) by 2020, and hopes to replicate its successful experience in the semiconductor sector, eventually moving from being one of the world's largest manufacturers of biopharmaceuticals to having an industry-wide chain. Technological innovation capability of bio pharmaceutical leading enterprises.


Sidney Matthew Sweet (born October 6, 1964) is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician. He was part of the burgeoning music scene in Athens, Georgia, during the 1980s before gaining commercial success in the 1990s. His most recent album, Tomorrow Forever, is set for release in 2017.


text:
"use strict";
var assert = require('assert');

var Suit = {
  Spades: 1,
  Diamonds: 2,
  Clubs: 3,
  Hearts: 4
};

var Stack = function() {

  Stack.prototype._cards = [];

  Stack.prototype.empty = function() {
    return true;
  };

  Stack.prototype.add = function(card) {
    this._cards.push(card);
  };

  Stack.prototype.top = function() {
    return this._cards[this._cards.length - 1];
  };

  Stack.prototype.pop = function() {
    return this._cards.pop();
  };

  return this;
};

var Card = function(suit,value) {
  this._suit = suit;
  this._value = value;

  Card.prototype.suit = function() {
    return this._suit;
  };

  Card.prototype.value = function() {
    return this._value;
  };

  return this;
};

var Foundation = function() {
  this[Suit.Spades] = new Stack();
  this[Suit.Clubs] = new Stack();
  this[Suit.Hearts] = new Stack();
  this[Suit.Diamonds] = new Stack();

  Foundation.prototype.raise = function(card) {
    var stack = this[card.suit()];

    if (stack.empty() && card.value() === 1) {
      return true;
    }

    return false;
  };

  return this;
};

describe('klondike', function() {
  describe('card', function() {
    it('has a suit and a value', function() {
      var card = new Card(Suit.Spades,1);
      assert.equal(Suit.Spades, card.suit());
      assert.equal(1, card.value());
    });
  });

  describe('foundation', function() {
    it('has four stacks', function() {
      var foundation = new Foundation();
      assert(foundation[Suit.Spades].empty());
      assert(foundation[Suit.Hearts].empty());
      assert(foundation[Suit.Diamonds].empty());
      assert(foundation[Suit.Clubs].empty());
    });

    it('must start with aces', function() {
      var foundation = new Foundation();
      assert(!foundation.raise(new Card(Suit.Spades, 2)));
    });

    it('raises an ace to an empty stack', function() {
      var foundation = new Foundation();
      assert(foundation.raise(new Card(Suit.Spades, 1)));
    });

    it('raises multiple cards', function() {
      var foundation = new Foundation();
      assert(foundation.raise(new Card(Suit.Spades, 1)));
      assert(foundation.raise(new Card(Suit.Spades, 2)));
    });
  });

  describe('stack', function() {
    it('is a concept', function() {
      assert(new Stack().empty());
    });

    it('can add card', function() {
      var stack = new Stack();
      stack.add(new Card(Suit.Spades, 1));

      assert.deepEqual(new Card(Suit.Spades, 1), stack.top());
    });

    var stackWithTwoCards = function() {
      var stack = new Stack();
      stack.add(new Card(Suit.Spades, 1));
      stack.add(new Card(Suit.Hearts, 2));

      return stack;
    };

    it('can add multiple cards', function() {
      var stack = stackWithTwoCards();
      assert.deepEqual(new Card(Suit.Hearts, 2), stack.top());
    });

    it('can pop cards', function() {
      var stack = stackWithTwoCards();
      stack.pop();
      assert.deepEqual(new Card(Suit.Spades, 1), stack.top());
    });
  });

});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Basic salary plus doctor sharing.
Please apply with full resume with current and expected salary to Precious Blood Hospital (Caritas), Administration Office, 5/F, 113 Castle Peak Road, Shamshuipo, Kowloon or send email to jobs@pbh.hk or fax 2728 4290.
Information provided by applicants will be treated in strict confidence and will only be used for recruitment related purpose.


text:
Jezioro poljowe – rodzaj jeziora krasowego powstającego w obrębie polja, wskutek niedostatecznego odwadniania go przez ponor.

Zobacz też
 jezioro krasowe

Przypisy

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Ovarian HMW adiponectin is associated with folliculogenesis in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Tao Tao1,
Bing Xu2 &
Wei Liu1
Adiponectin may regulate ovarian steroidogenesis, folliculogenesis and ovulation. The alterations in the distribution of adiponectin multimers in follicular fluid (FF) and the relationship between adiponectin multimers and folliculogenesis in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between the levels of total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin in serum and FF and folliculogenesis in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
This prospective study included ten Chinese women with PCOS and ten controls undergoing IVF. The levels of the total and HMW adiponectin in serum and FF were determined by ELISA. Insulin resistance (IR) was estimated using the homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR).
After controlling for the body mass index (BMI), the levels of the total, and the HMW adiponectin in the serum and FF were significantly lower in the women with PCOS compared with the normovulatory women undergoing IVF (P < 0.05). The levels of the HMW adiponectin were significantly lower in the FF than in the serum (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found in the total adiponectin levels in the serum and in the FF (P > 0.05). Decreased HMW adiponectin in the FF was associated with an increased number of follicles and decreased follicular diameters in the normovulatory and PCOS women, and this association was independent of the overall adiposity. A strong positive linear correlation was observed between the number of the follicles and the IR estimated by HOMA-IR (r = 0.784, P < 0.0001). We found that the larger follicular diameters had a negative relationship with the IR estimated by HOMA-IR (r = −0.445, P < 0.05). A strong negative linear correlation was observed between HOMA-IR and the HMW adiponectin levels (r = −0.726, P < 0.001) and the total adiponectin levels (r = −0.759, P < 0.001) in the FF.
The levels of the total adiponectin and the HMW adiponectin in the FF and serum were decreased in the Chinese women with PCOS compared with the normovulatory women undergoing IVF, and the differences persisted after controlling for the BMI. Ovarian HMW adiponectin is negatively correlated to folliculogenesis.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of menstrual dysfunction, infertility, and hyperandrogenism, and it affects between 6 and 10% of reproductive-age women [1]. Insulin resistance (IR) has been considered to be the most important aetiological aspect of the reproductive and metabolic abnormalities in PCOS [2, 3]. The pathophysiology of the ovulatory disorder remains unclear. Our previous study [4] and other [5, 6] evidence of hypoadiponectinaemia are strongly associated with the occurrence of PCOS, suggesting that deficiency in adiponectin may play a role in this ovarian disorder.
Adiponectin, a glycoprotein hormone, is mainly produced by adipocytes [7], and it circulates in different multimer complexes specifically classified as high molecular weight (HMW) multimers, medium molecular weight hexamers (MMW), and low molecular weight (LMW) trimers [8]. Recent clinical studies have revealed that the HMW complex is the most biologically potent form, and it plays a key role in the regulation of IR [9, 10]. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that adiponectin has beneficial effects on the reproductive processes and an important relationship with the gonadotropins and other hormones [11–13]. In animal models, adiponectin appears to influence ovarian steroidogenesis, folliculogenesis, and ovulation. Tabandeh et al. [14, 15] reported that changes in the adiponectin system gene expression in bovine ovarian cells during their morphological and physiological development may be under the influence of hormonal or biological factors associated with follicular development. They found a novel association of adiponectin and its receptor genes with follicular dominance and oocyte competence and suggested the putative role of the adiponectin system as a novel regulator of folliculogenesis. In support of a role for adiponectin in human folliculogenesis and ovulation, circulating adiponectin positively correlates with the number of oocytes retrieved in women treated with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to induce superovulation for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) [16]. Taken together, these findings suggest that the adiponectin system may be associated with the changes in folliculogenesis events during the final maturation of the follicles after selection.
The role of serum and FF adiponectin and its multimers levels in PCOS women under controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and their possible predictive value for the IVF outcome remain unclear. We conducted this study to investigate the correlation of the total adiponectin and the HMW adiponectin levels in the serum and follicular fluid (FF) with a number of follicles and larger follicular diameters in Chinese women with PCOS compared with the age and body mass index (BMI)-matched normovulatory women who were undergoing IVF.
This prospective study included ten patients with PCOS and ten women with normal ovulatory function undergoing IVF for treatment of tubal and/or male infertility. The women were between 20 and 40 years old. The patients with elevated FSH levels (≥12 mIU/mL) and women >42 years of age were excluded. The study required no modification of our routine IVF protocol.
The PCOS diagnosis was based on the National Institutes of Health 1990 criteria, which include the following: i) clinical evidence of hyperandrogenism and/or hyperandrogenaemia, ii) oligo-ovulation, and iii) the exclusion of related disorders including nonclassical 21-hydroxylase-deficient adrenal hyperplasia, hyperprolactinaemia, thyroid dysfunction, Cushing's syndrome, or androgen-producing tumours [17]. The control women was referred to the Shanghai Renji hospital Reproductive Health and Fertility Centre for IVF because of tubal and/or male infertility. The exclusion criteria were a history of menstrual disturbances (i.e., cycle length <25 d or >35 d), hirsutism, an abnormal serum level of prolactin or androgens (i.e., serum testosterone above 0.6 ng/ml), and PCO at ultrasonography. All the study evaluations and procedures were conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration on human experimentation. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Shanghai Renji Hospital, and all the subjects provided written informed consent.
Ovarian stimulation
Pituitary desensitisation was started with GnRH agonist triptorelin at 0.1 mg/day (Decapeptyl; Ferring, Sweden) during the luteal phase before the IVF treatment or after 15 days of oral contraceptives for the patients with dysovulation. The follicle growth was stimulated after 12 d of desensitisation by injecting recombinant FSH (rFSH; Puregon; Organon Laboratories, Saint-Denis, France) at 150–450 IU/d. The follicle growth was monitored by the serum estradiol levels and transvaginal ultrasound. A 5000 IU dose of human chorionic gonadotropin (Profasi, Serono, Switzerland) was administered when the leading follicle reached 18–20 mm in diameter with at least three follicles greater than 16 mm detected by ultrasonography. The oocyte retrieval was performed 36 h later under transvaginal ultrasound guidance.
Collection of the follicular fluids
The follicle size was determined immediately before retrieval under ultrasound, and the FF from the larger follicles (17–22 mm) was collected in tubes. We calculated the number of follicles (>12 mm) for each patient. The size of the larger follicles was chosen to be similar to that of a previous study of Fanchin et al. [18]. Nonbloody pooled FF was used and was centrifuged (800 g at 10 min) and an aliquot of the supernatant was stored at - 80°C until assayed.
Anthropometric measurements
The height and weight of each subject wearing light clothing was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm and 0.1 kg, respectively, using a digital scale and stadiometer. On each patient's baseline evaluation day after pituitary suppression with GnRH agonist triptorelin and prior to the start of gonadotropin stimulation, the BMI was calculated as the body weight (kg) divided by the height (m) squared.
All the laboratory evaluations were performed in the fasting state between 7:00 am and 8:00 am on the day of the oocyte retrieval. The fasting glucose and insulin samples were stored at 4°C and analysed on the day of the analysis. All the serum samples for the total adiponectin and the adiponectin multimeric forms were stored at 80°C until assayed. The plasma glucose was determined using the glucose oxidase methodology. All the measurements were performed with Roche reagents (D 2400 and E 170 Modular Analytics modules with Roche/Hitachi analysers; Roche Diagnostics). The insulin levels were measured by Radioimmunoassay (RIA). The intra-assay CV of the insulin and of the steroid hormone assays were 5.5 and <10%, respectively. To estimate the IR, the homeostasis model assessment IR index (HOMA-IR) was calculated according to the following formula: fasting serum insulin (mUI/ml) × fasting plasma glucose (mmol/l)/22.5 [19]. Competitive electrochemiluminescence immunoassays on the Elecsys autoanalyser 2010 (Roche Diagnostics) were used to quantify the serum estradiol levels. The follicular fluid levels of the total and HMW adiponectin were measured for each patient on the day of the oocyte retrieval. All the vaginal oocyte retrievals occurred between 7:00 am and 10:00 am.
The concentration of the total adiponectin and the HMW adiponectin in the serum and FF were assayed directly in the identical plate using the double-monoclonal sandwich ELISA method (Daiichi Pure Chemicals, Tokyo, Japan, distributed by ALPCO diagnostics). To detect the HMW adiponectin, the serum samples were pretreated with a protease that selectively digested the MMW and LMW adiponectin species. This specific assay for the adiponectin multimers demonstrates a sensitivity of 0.04 ng/ml; an inter-assay CV < 15%; and an intra-assay CV of 5.3% and 3.3% for the total and the HMW-adiponectin, respectively [20]. The assays were read on a plate reader using the standard curves that were created using a blank medium as the diluent. All the samples and standards were assayed in triplicate.
All the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 17.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, USA). The data were considered statistically significant at P < 0.05. The distributions of the continuous variables were tested for normality with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The portions of the results not normally distributed based on the normal quartile plot were log-transformed for all the statistical analyses and reported back transformed in their original units. All the results were reported as the means with SD or 95% confidence intervals (CIs) or as geometric means for the log-transformed variables relative or not to the basal state, which are representative of at least three independent experiments. For the normally distributed data, a t-test was used to compare the mean values between the two groups. For the data that were not normally distributed, a Mann–Whitney rank sum test was used to compare the mean values between the two groups. The relationships between the levels of the total and the HMW adiponectin in the FF and a number of follicles and larger follicular diameters and IR were evaluated by Spearman's correlation tests.
The clinical, hormonal and metabolic features of the subjects
The clinical characteristics and biochemical variables in the normovulatory women and the women with PCOS are summarised in Table 1. No differences between the two groups were found for the age, mean BMI, estradiol levels at HCG day,started dose of rFSH and the total dose of rFSH received by each patient (all P > 0.05). The fasting glucose and insulin level, HOMA-IR and number of follicles were significantly higher in the PCOS group (all P < 0.05). The larger follicular diameters were significantly lower in the PCOS group compared with the BMI-matched normovulatory women (P < 0.001).
Table 1 The clinical and biochemical variables in the women with and without PCOS undergoing IVF
Low levels of total and HMW adiponectin in the serum and FF in women with PCOS undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation
As shown in Figure 1, the mean total adiponectin values were significantly lower in the serum (6.74 ± 0.40 vs. 9.88 ± 0.93 ug/ml, P = 0.011) and FF (7.35 ± 0.43 vs. 11.93 ± 0.76 ug/ml, P = 0.000)in the women with PCOS undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. The mean HMW adiponectin values were significantly lower in the serum (2.95 ± 0.21 vs. 4.59 ± 0.39 ug/ml, P = 0.000) and FF (1.57 ± 0.13 vs. 2.68 ± 0.19 ug/ml, P = 0.002) in the women with PCOS undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Compared with the serum HMW adiponectin levels, the HMW adiponectin levels in the FF were significantly lower in the PCOS group and control group (P = 0.007 and P = 0.002, respectively). There were no significant differences in the mean total adiponectin values in the serum and the FF between the women with and without PCOS undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (P = 0.105 and P = 0.316, respectively).
The levels of the total and HMW adiponectin in the plasma and FF in the IVF women with PCOS and the controls. A demonstrates the total adiponectin and B demonstrates the HMW adiponectin levels; overall, among the women with PCOS, both were significantly decreased in the plasma (White Box) and the FF (Black box) (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively) in comparison to controls. Compared with the plasma HMW adiponectin levels (White Box), the HMW adiponectin levels in FF (Black box) were significantly lower in the PCOS group and the control group (P = 0.007 and P = 0.002, respectively). The data are the means ± SEM. The P-value for the Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney U tests for the difference between the two groups.
Correlation between HOMA-IR and the number of follicles and the larger follicular diameters
As shown in Table 2, considering all the women with and without PCOS undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, a strong positive linear correlation was observed between the number of follicles and the insulin resistance estimated by HOMA-IR (r = 0.784, P < 0.0001), and the larger follicular diameters had a negative relationship with the insulin resistance estimated by HOMA-IR (r = −0.445, P < 0.05). A strong negative linear correlation was observed between the HOMA-IR and HMW adiponectin levels (r = −0.726, P < 0.001) and the total adiponectin levels (r = −0.759, P < 0.001) in the FF.
Table 2 The correlation between HOMA-IR and total and HMW adiponectin and the number of follicles and larger follicular diameters among the women with and without PCOS undergoing IVF
Correlation between the levels of the total and HMW adiponectin in the FF and the number of follicles and larger follicular diameters
As shown in Figure 2, considering all the women with and without PCOS undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, a positive linear correlation was observed between the larger follicular diameters and the HMW adiponectin levels in the FF (r = 0.474, P < 0.05). We did not find that the total adiponectin levels in the FF have strong linear relationships with larger follicular diameters (r = 0.431, P = 0.058). We found that the number of follicles had a strong negative relationship with the HMW adiponectin levels (r = −0.629, P = 0.003) and the total adiponectin levels (r = −0.679, P = 0.001) in the FF.
Correlation between the levels of the HMW adiponectin and the total adiponectin in the FF and the number of follicles and larger follicular diameters among the women with and without PCOS undergoing IVF. The number of follicles had a strong negative relationship with the HMW adiponectin levels (r = −0.629, P = 0.003) (A) and the total adiponectin levels (r = −0.679, P = 0.001) (C) in the FF. B demonstrates that a positive linear correlation was observed between larger follicular diameters and HMW adiponectin levels in the FF (r = 0.474, P < 0.05). We did not find that the total adiponectin levels in the FF have strong linear relationships with larger follicular diameters (r = 0.431, P = 0.058) (D). The P-value for Spearman's correlation tests.
Correlation between the levels of the total and the HMW adiponectin in the serum and the number of follicles and larger follicular diameters
As shown in Figure 3, considering all the women with and without PCOS undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, a strong negative linear correlation was observed between the number of follicles and the HMW adiponectin levels (r = −0.574, P = 0.008) and the total adiponectin levels (r = −0.522, P = 0.018) in the serum. We did not find that the total adiponectin and the HMW adiponectin levels in the serum have strong linear relationships with larger follicular diameters (P > 0.05 for both).
The correlation between the levels of HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin in the serum and the number of follicles among the women with and without PCOS undergoing IVF. A strong negative linear correlation was observed between the number of follicles and (A) the HMW adiponectin levels (r = −0.574, P = 0.008) and (B) the total adiponectin levels (r = −0.522, P = 0.018) in the serum. The P-value for Spearman's correlation test.
The major finding of this study is the demonstration that lower HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin levels in FF and serum was an important feature in gonadotropin stimulated PCOS patients. Decreased HMW adiponectin levels in the FF was associated with decreased larger follicular diameters in normovulatory and PCOS women under IVF, and this association is independent of overall adiposity. The HMW adiponectin provided a stronger relationship with larger follicular diameters than the total adiponectin among all the women under IVF. Our data suggested that IR, estimated by HOMA-IR, at least partially predicts a reflection of ovarian stimulation in IVF patients.
Findings from previous animal studies show that adiponectin provokes the expression of genes associated with peri-ovulatory remodelling of the ovarian follicle and may be involved in the regulation of follicle maturation and ovulation [12, 21, 22]. Multiple endocrine and intraovarian paracrine interactions may influence the intrafollicular microenvironment for appropriate oocyte development. The concentrations of adipokines in FF correlate with folliculogenesis and oocytes more than with implantation and embryonic development. Recent studies showed that endocrine/paracrine abnormalities and metabolic dysfunction impaired folliculogenesis in PCOS patients and determined the outcome of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) [23]. The findings of our previous study suggested that it is possible that alterations in the adiponectin multimers may contribute to the phenotypic presentation of PCOS via metabolic pathways independent of IR [4]. We suggested that the potential contributions of the alterations in the adiponectin multimers such as HMW adiponectin in FF are implicated in the pathogenesis of ovulatory dysfunction in PCOS women.
Our study directly compared the two compartments (serum and FF) in the same patients at the same time. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that the levels of HMW adiponectin in FF were significantly lower in the women with PCOS undergoing IVF compared with the BMI-matched normovulatory women. The HMW adiponectin was approximately two times lower in the FF than in the serum (Figure 1). The follicular fluid HMW adiponectin levels, but not the total adiponectin levels, had a significant positive correlation with larger follicular diameters. These findings suggest that the change in an intrafollicular HMW adiponectin environment plays a potential role in folliculogenesis in women undergoing IVF. We did not find that the total adiponectin levels in FF have strong linear relationships with larger follicular diameters. This finding seems to suggest that intrafollicular HMW adiponectin may be more important than total adiponectin in predicting larger follicular diameters in PCOS and non-PCOS women undergoing IVF. Based on our data, causality cannot be established. There should be further investigation of the potential mechanisms of the intrafollicular HMW adiponectin levels that predicted a reflection of ovarian stimulation in IVF patients.
We hypothesize that the detected amount of HMW adiponectin, with its even lower FF-to-serum concentration ratio of 0.5 in the FF, may not be the result of passive diffusion but could be the combination effect of endocrine factors, including those of insulin and the gonadotropins. This finding is further strengthened by the result of this study [24], which was the presence of a high concentration of insulin in the FF in the non-pregnant cycles of patients with PCOS. It is regretted that we did not detect the concentration of insulin in the FF in the present study. The levels of HOMA-IR demonstrated a strong inverse linear relationship with the HMW adiponectin levels in the FF. The precise mechanisms are unclear, and the lower intrafollicular HMW adiponectin levels should be further investigated.
Previous studies that assessed the relationships of FF and serum total adiponectin levels with the IVF outcomes in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation have yielded conflicting results [24–27]. Findings of Bersinger NA [25] showed higher levels of total adiponectin in serum on the day of oocyte pick-up (OPU) but not in the FF leading to pregnancy, compared with unsuccessful cycles. A recent study [26] showed that no correlations were observed for total adiponectin or its isoforms in the serum and the FF with estradiol, progesterone, anti-Mullerian hormone, inhibin B, or the total FSH dose administered during the ovarian stimulation phase. They observed a trend towards higher HMW adiponectin serum levels in successful ICSI cycles compared to implantation failure cycles. Takikawa et al. [24] reported that there was no significant difference in the concentration of adiponectin in the FF between pregnant and non-pregnant cycles; they did find high concentrations of insulin in the FF in non-pregnant cycles of patients with PCOS that suggested the possible involvement of intrafollicular insulin in folliculogenesis. This finding is in contrast to other studies, which found that the leptin to adiponectin ratio (L: A ratio) in the follicular fluid of the preovulatory follicle is related to successful in vitro embryo development and that this action may be independent of FF insulin [27].
Some findings of the present study contrast with the results of two of these reports [24, 26]. Several explanations for the alleged disparity in these findings can be hypothesised, including differences in the study subject demographics (specifically ethnicity and different PCOS criteria) and different ART and clinical characteristics (i.e., a higher prevalence of obesity in the present study). The indexes for the ART outcome and the methodology used to quantify the adiponectin multimers differed among the studies.
Several limitations of our study should be considered, and the primary weakness was the relatively small sample size. We based the diagnosis of PCOS on the 1990 NIH criteria, and thus the study represents a less heterogeneous group of women. The strengths of our study included its prospective design. All the samples were batched, frozen, and run together in triplicate to minimise error.
The current data demonstrate that low levels of total adiponectin and HMW adiponectin in the serum and FF of PCOS women undergoing IVF and intrafollicular HMW adiponectin had a significant positive correlation with larger follicular diameters. Our results support the possible involvement of intrafollicular HMW adiponectin in folliculogenesis. Further investigation is warranted to determine the mechanisms of the potential contributions of alterations in HMW adiponectin on ovulatory dysfunction in PCOS women.
Assisted reproductive technology
FF:
Follicular fluid
FSH:
Follicle-stimulating hormone
HOMA-IR:
Homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index
HMW:
High molecular weight
IR:
LMW:
Low molecular weight
MMW:
Medium molecular weight
Oocyte pick-up
PCOS:
RIA:
Radioimmunoassay
In vitro fertilisation.
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This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China 81200628 to TT and 8127085 to LW, the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai, China (12ZR1417800 to TT, 2012), and the Shanghai Science and Technology Development Fund (08411953000 to TT, 2008). We thank the women who participated in the study and gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the nursing staff at Shanghai Renji Hospital and of the technical assistants who performed the biochemical analyses. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the English language professional service: [http://webshop.elsevier.com/languageediting/].
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University,, Dongfang Road, 1630, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Tao Tao & Wei Liu
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Reproductive Medical Research Centre, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University,, Dongfang Road, 1630, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Bing Xu
Tao Tao
Correspondence to Wei Liu.
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.
TT contributed to the study design, the data acquisition, the data analysis and interpretation, and the writing of the manuscript. BX participated in the data acquisition and interpretation. As the principal investigator, WL was involved in the intellectual and experimental programming of the study, the assays, the data interpretation, and the revision of the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Tao, T., Xu, B. & Liu, W. Ovarian HMW adiponectin is associated with folliculogenesis in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 11, 99 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-11-99
Adiponectin multimers
Folliculogenesis


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Here comes a racing game filled with adrenalin! So if you are up for some crazy driving, Drag Race Demon 2 is ready for you! As you move through the game you earn cash and later you can buy some useful upgrades for your car and make it more powerful! You will purchase in the Parts Shop. There you will find different upgrades, like tires, engine, nitro and other. First you have an option for a test drive to note your dragster time. Later you will be racing against other racer and this is where you need to show all your racing skills! To control it you will use your arrow keys and "shift" key to boost your speed. You can also customize your dragster and change his appearance. There will be 12 races for you to complete and if you win them you become a champion! So try this game and get excited!
Here comes a hilarious game for speed lovers! It is also very cute. There are various characters in the game, and the great thing is that they are totally customizable. You can combine different body parts and change the color of each body part. You can also adjust their speed, the height of their jump. Here are different items on the game that can help you progress. If you use wing, you will fly, laser gun will help you destroy some objects, but the rocket launcher can destroy everything! Then there will be speed burst to make run way faster and one more amazing feature is teleport! It can teleport you 2 blocks ahead. A feature you will love is that there is a possibility to race against other racers. The Platform Racing 3 has single player and multi player mode. So you can compete with your friends and show what you can do!
The Sun is considered the largest star in the universe. This great ball of fire is essential on Earth because of many reasons. One is because it gives light and sunshine to humankind. It also gives heat and warmth. It also generates power and electricity. Humankind gets many benefits from the Sun. As a sign of appreciation, game creators are able to incorporate the sun in flash games like those that the one called Fix the Sun.
It just shows that the Sun should be appreciated and give importance too even if it is unreachable and untouchable. To further get details about this game, just continue reading the whole article. The objective of the game Fix the Sun is to maintain the light created by the sun even if the darkness is lurking and trying to dim the light. The player will have to collect the sparks by leaping in their orbits using the arrow keys and hit them using the space bar. Just be careful and aware about the angry meteors that might hinder your mission.


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Abstracts tagged "Thrombosis"
Pediatric Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Clinical Features and Therapeutic Interventions in a Series of 22 Cases
Jacqueline Madison1 and Jason Knight 1, 1University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Background/Purpose: Pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a thromboinflammatory disease classically defined by the presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies and either thrombotic events or pregnancy morbidity.…
Abstract Number: 129 • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
Surface Proteins on Exosomes Derived from Plasma of APS Patients Indicate an Altered Immune, Cell Adhesion and Coagulation Profile
Ula Štok 1, Elizabeta blokar 1, Aleš Ambrožič 1, Matija Tomsic 1, Snezna Sodin-Semrl 2, Saša Čučnik 1 and Polona Žigon3, 1Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 3Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Slovenia, Ljubljana
Background/Purpose: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by thromboses and/or obstetric complications in presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Extracellular vesicles have been suggested to play a…
Anti-β2GPI Domain 1 Antibodies Stratify High Risk of Thrombosis and Pregnancy Morbidity in a Large Cohort of Chinese Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Tingting Liu1, Jieyu Gu 1, Liyan Wan 1, Gary L. Norman 2, Hui Shi 1 and Chengde Yang 1, 1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (People's Republic), 2INOVA Diagnostics, Inc., CA 92131
Background/Purpose: Anti-β2GPI-Domain 1 (β2GPI -D1) antibodies are currently considered to be a pathogenic subset of anti-β2GPI antibodies and have been strongly associated with thrombosis and…
Risk of Subsequent Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease After the First Unprovoked Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Gulsen Ozen1, Sofia Pedro 2, Rebecca Schumacher 2, Teresa Simon 3 and Kaleb Michaud 1, 1University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 2Forward, The National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases, Wichita, KS, 3Bristol-Myers Squibb*, Princeton, NJ
Background/Purpose: With the advent of JAK inhibitors has come increased concerns for the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which was already known to be increased…
Real-World Evidence: Clinical and Economic Burden of Anemia, Venous Thromboembolism, and Malignancy Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Switching from First Biologic DMARD to Another Treatment in the US
Robin Dore1, Jenya Antonova 2, Magdaliz Gorritz 3, Lawrence Chang 2, Jing He 3 and Mark Genovese 4, 1Private practice, Tustin, CA, 2Gilead Sciences, Foster City, CA, 3IQVIA, Plymouth meeting, PA, 4Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Background/Purpose: RA patients have an increased risk of malignancy1 and deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (DVT/PE)2 and high prevalence of anemia.3 The risks of anemia…
How Often Should SLE Patients Be Tested for Lupus Anticoagulant?
Laurence Magder1 and Michelle Petri 2, 1University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 2Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Background/Purpose: SLE patients with persistent lupus anticoagulant (LAC) have been observed to be at significantly higher risk of thrombosis. A common clinical definition of persistent…
First Cardiovascular Event in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Do Patients with Venous Thromboembolism Have a Different Risk Profile Than Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease?
Background/Purpose: Chronic inflammation is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in RA that may manifest as venous thromboembolism (VTE) or atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD).…
Persistency in Platelet C4d and Thrombosis Risk Score Associate with Thrombosis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Michelle Petri1, John Conklin 2, Tyler O'Malley 3, Jo-Anne Ligayon 2, Leilani Wolover 2 and Thierry Dervieux 2, 1Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 2Exagen, Vista, CA, 3Exagen, Oceanside, CA
Background/Purpose: A thrombosis risk score containing abnormal Platelet-bound C4d (PC4d), low complement C3 and abnormal anti-phosphatidyl serine prothrombin (PS/PT) IgG antibody has been shown to…
Comparison of the Thrombosis Risk Score with Triple Positivity in SLE Thrombosis
Michelle Petri1, Jessica Li 1, John Conklin 2, Tyler O'Malley 3, Jo-Anne Ligayon 2, Leilani Wolover 2 and Thierry Dervieux 2, 1Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 2Exagen, Vista, CA, 3Exagen, Oceanside, CA
Background/Purpose: We previously developed a Thrombosis Risk Score, a sum of three factors: lupus anticoagulant (by RVVT confirm); low C3; and C4d bound to platelets.…
Thromboangiitis Obliterans (Buerger's disease) : An Observational Study of 174 Patients
Alexandre LE JONCOUR1, Simon Soudet2, Hélène Maillard2, Fabien Koskas3, Philippe Cluzel4, Eric Hachulla5, Pierre-Yves Hatron5, Patrice Cacoub1, Marc Lambert2 and David Saadoun1, 1Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département de Médecine Interne et d'Immunologie clinique, DHU i2B, Inflammation, Immunopathologie, Biothérapie, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 6, Paris, France, Paris, France, 2Department of internal medecine, Hôpital Claude Huriez, CHRU Lille, France, Lille, France, 3Department of vascular surgery, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France, 4Department of cardiovascular imagery, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Groupe Hospitalier Pitié Salpétrière, 83 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France., Paris, France, 5CHU Lille, Département de Médecine Interne et Immunologie Clinique, F-59000 Lille, France, Lille, France
Background/Purpose: Buerger's disease or thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) is a nonatherosclerotic segmental inflammatory disease of small- and medium-sized arteries of the distal extremities. This disease mainly…
Clinical Variables Associated with Thrombosis At Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Diagnosis. Differences Between Patients with Positive/Negative Lupus Anticoagulant
Andrea Hinojosa-Azaola1, Alba Cicero-Casarrubias1, Mario César Ocampo-Torres1, Juanita Romero-Díaz1 and Jorge Sánchez-Guerrero2, 1Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico, 2Rheumatology, Mount Sinai Hospital and University Health Network, Toronto Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
Background/Purpose: Thrombosis in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a major cause of morbidity, it occurs in 9-37%, at younger age, and it represents…
There Is an Association Between Disease Activity and Risk of Thromboembolism in SLE
Reem Jan1, Emily E. Lewis2, Ting Ting Lu1, Emily Siegwald1 and W. Joseph McCune3, 1Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2Internal Medicine/Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 3Int Med/ Rheum, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Background/Purpose: Venous thromboembolism is a recognized complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in thrombogenesis is well documented; much less…


Short takes before vacation ... short takes after vacation. It's not that I've been short of time, just short of any long-term news analysis.
The trade deadline is yet another reason why I've grown to love baseball again.
Deadline deals in football, basketball and hockey just don't measure up. The football deadline is too early in the season and football trades rarely happen anyway. Too many teams make the playoffs in basketball and hockey for the last-minute trades to have the impact that they can in baseball.
In baseball, you at least get a sense that one deal can put a team over the top. And some of the biggest names in the game are traded at the baseball deadline, as evidenced by Nomar Garciaparra's move to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
With only four teams making the playoffs in each league, it's fun to sit back and watch the final two months of the season unfold and see which moves were brilliant and which were simply done in desperation.
By the way, I think the Nomar trade helps both Boston and Chicago.
n Upon further review, Nick Adenhart's signing with the Anaheim Angels this week makes perfect sense.
Adenhart will still get four years of college paid for. He'll still get his arm rehabbed, only now it will be done by the Angels' doctors and trainers. And he's got $710,000 in the bank to boot.
He'll get to pursue his dream of pitching in the majors, and do it with an organization just two years removed from a World Series title.
Good call, Nick. Given the choices, few would have done anything differently.
n Here we go again with the spoiled athletes. This time, it's Kellen Winslow.
The Cleveland Browns offered Winslow a deal that would have made him the highest paid tight end in league history ... before he ever set foot on a field.
Winslow said, 'No, thanks.' Oh, and he's not reporting to camp, either.
I understand the situation Winslow puts the Browns in. They not only used the No. 6 pick in the draft on the tight end, but they also gave up a second-round pick in order to move up one spot to get him.
The Browns are counting on Winslow to help them on offense, something he obviously can't do unless he reports.
But wouldn't it be nice - just once - for a team to tell a Kellen Winslow to take it or leave it?
Here's our offer. It's the best we can do. Not good enough? Well, I'm sorry. We'll just hold onto your rights until you're willing to take a measly $40 million.
And then let him sit and rot.


Litecoin has been the crème of the crop in the cryptocurrency ecosystem this year with its recent associations and brand promotions with various high profile corporations. In the recent price valuation pump, Litecoin led the way with the highest percentage growth in price, about 30%, which has now made it the 4th largest cryptocurrency in the market.
The virtual currency was developed by Charlie Lee, of the Litecoin Foundation, who recently announced on Twitter regarding the implementation of MimbleWimble protocol to improve the virtual asset's confidential transactions.
The announcement of MimbleWimble to be administered as an extension block in the Bitcoin blockchain was met by widespread appreciation by the community. It is in this light that Charlie Lee recently tweeted about extension blocks and compared the concept to that of sidechains.
Sidechains are security mechanisms that allow tokens and other digital assets from one blockchain to be securely used in a separate blockchain and then be moved back to the original blockchain if need be. Sidechain functionality holds tremendous potential to enhance the capabilities of existing blockchains.
Sidechains allow cryptocurrencies to interact with one another. They add flexibility and traditional banking functions like issuing and tracking ownership of shares can be verified on sidechains before moving them back onto the main chains. This reduces the use of block and makes the verification process much faster.
The MimbleWimble extension block is based on the same lines. MimbleWimble is a blockchain-based privacy protocol with a focus on scalability and adding the confidential transaction in the network. The benefit of the protocol is that it doesn't relay any form of traceable information within a given transaction, while also verifying both the sender and receiver's signature on the block.
The protocol is currently accessed by the recently launched Grincoin and Beam. The Litecoin foundation stated that the cooperation with Beam will allow on-chain conversion of regular LTC into a Mimblewimble variant of LTC and vice versa. Upon such conversion, it will be possible to transact with Mimblewimble LTC in complete confidentiality which further improves the privacy and fungibility of the system.


On the 22nd September 2017, Devin Townsend Project played a special show at the Ancient Roman Theater in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the landmark Ocean Machine album in full, as well as a set of fan-requested tracks alongside the Orchestra and Choir of Plovdiv State Opera. This concert was filmed and released as 'Ocean Machine – Live at the Ancient Theater'. Devin comments: "Plovdiv and this live package represents a lot to me, it signifies the end of one era, and the celebration of another. Amidst a gruelling touring year, this show came together with much blood, sweat, and tears, and the result is the culmination of many aspects of my work on one stage.
The team of individuals who contributed to this project, from the musicians in the band and orchestra, to the crews locally and with this, management, artists, filmographers and most importantly, the audience… made this night a powerful and strangely bittersweet moment I am proud to have documented with this work.


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Pretzels are the fastest growing snack food in the United States. Most products are almost fat-free.
Popcorn, in its natural state, is a whole grain food.
The Aztecs were the first to pop corn and use it as a decoration.
Movie theaters that were offering popcorn popped in both coconut oil and canola dropped the coconut oil popcorn completely after sales dropped below 10 percent of all sales.
Canola oil is now used in almost all movie theaters, meaning we now get oil that is high in monounsaturated fat (better) instead of saturated fat (bad).
Use herbs to replace salt on popcorn. Garlic powder, chili powder, basil and oregano work well.
There is no nutritional difference between regular popcorn and Gourmet Popcorn. There is only a variation in size.
Corn used for popcorn needs to contain enough moisture to puff up the starches when it is heated. The hull is thick enough to contain steam, yet is easily able to explode.
Air poppers make the popcorn pop into larger blossoms, but they are usually tougher and less crisp.
Jasmine rice has an aroma and flavor similar to popcorn or roasted nuts. Makes a great side dish.
Buttered flavored popcorn may be real butter, margarine, butter-flavored oil or a soy-based artificial concoction. Ask the theater, they may know!
To restore moisture to those unpopped kernels, fill a one-quart jar three quarters full of unpopped kernels, add one tablespoon of water, cover the jar and shake for two to three minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Store the container in a cool place (not the refrigerator) for two to three days before popping. See also: Popcorn: A Whole Grain Snack .
Wheat berries (cracked wheat) are made from toasted grain keeping the bran and germ intact. It is usually prepared by grinding it into coarse, medium, or fine granulations for faster cooking. Cracked wheat can replace rice in most recipes but it is a little crunchier.
To make an exceptional dessert from leftover rice, try folding stiffly beaten whipped cream, and then add fresh fruit.
Many hot cereal products are degerminated, reducing their nutritional quality to make them more palatable. These include Cream of Wheat and Farina.
Some cereals have changed their names so that you will not see the sugar. Super Sugar Crisp by Post is now Super Golden Crisp. Sugar Frosted Flakes by Kellogg's is now simply Frosted Flakes.
A peanut butter sandwich without jelly will last for two to three days without refrigeration.
One of the best cereals on the market is Cheerios. It has an excellent nutrient content and is low in sugar.
If you run out of chopped nuts, try using coarse bran. You will hardly notice the difference. If you run out of coarse bran, use chopped nuts.
To shell nuts more easily, store them in the freezer.
Brown rice is only available in small boxes because the bran portion is higher in fat which may cause the rice to go rancid if not used in a short period of time.
Corn chips in all colors have the same amount of fat and calories, unless they are labeled fat-free or baked.
Blue corn chips are made from blue corn instead of yellow corn.
Remember one-half cup of rice is only equivalent to two to three heaping tablespoons.
Twice as much of our protein was coming from grains and cereals in the early 1900's.
Natural peanut butter will remain fresh longer if you store the bottle or jar upside down in the refrigerator.
Enriched rice has a few of the vitamins that were lost in the milling process added back. As the rice is washed and cooked it will be lost again, for the most part.
Six tortillas plus one-quarter cup of beans equals 14 grams of top quality protein, contains good fiber and is high in vitamins and minerals. Corn tortillas have less fat than flour ones.
1-1/2 cup beans plus 4 cups of rice equals the protein in a 19 ounce steak.
One-half cup of peanut butter plus 100 percent whole wheat bread, made with 3 cups of whole wheat flour and one-quarter cup of skimmed milk equals the protein of a 16 ounce steak.
Wheat flour is not as good as whole wheat flour, and that is not as good as 100 percent whole wheat flour or whole grain flour.
When we process bread, we throw away 86 percent of the niacin, 73 percent of the pyridoxine, 50 percent of the pantothenic acid, 42 percent of the riboflavin, 33 percent of the thiamin and 20 percent of the protein.
Whole wheat flour is more difficult to digest than white flour. It may also cause gas and intestinal upsets in susceptible persons.
A good test for the nutritive quality of grains: Pour a quantity of the grain into a pot of water. If the majority of the grain sinks to the bottom, they still contain most of their nutrients.
The higher the percentage of sugar in cereals the less room for nutrients. Some cereals can have as much as 56 percent sugar.
Spaghetti products that are advertised as light are lower in calories due to their ability to absorb more water.
Nuts, beans, whole grain, corn and peanut butter should be thrown out if there is the slightest sign of mold or unusual odor. They may contain dangerous aflatoxins (aflatoxins are a group of structurally related toxic compounds produced by certain strains of fungi. Under favorable conditions of temperature and humidity, these fungi grow on certain foods and feeds, resulting in the production of aflatoxins. The most pronounced contamination has been encountered in tree nuts, peanuts, and other oilseeds, including corn and cottonseed).
Triticale is a man-made hybrid grain. It is a cross between rye and wheat and has a higher protein biologic value than even soy beans which contains all the essential amino acids.
If you eat pasta without a protein dish you may feel sluggish one to two hours later. This is related to a blood sugar level change in some individuals.
Oriental noodle soups and many of your popular soups usually contain MSG.
Oats have the highest fat content of any grain.
Corn is one of the least nutritionally complete grains.
Long grain rice contains more protein, but has fewer minerals than most standard rice.
Converted rice is actually parboiled rice; rice which has been soaked, steamed and dried in such a way as to make it fluffier instead of mushier.
Granola bars, when they first arrived on the scene, contained 50 to 60 percent sweeteners and fat. The present bar averages 70 to 80 percent sweeteners and fat and only have a slight edge over a candy bar.
Eating whole black poppy seeds may cause you to have a positive urine test for drugs. Poppy seeds are a relative of morphine and codeine.
Natural raw sunflower seeds produce a similar action on the body as smoking a cigarette. It causes the body to produce adrenalin, which will go to the brain, resulting in a pleasant feeling. The seeds must, however, be raw, not toasted.
Millet is one of the highest nutritional quality grains.
Amaranth, originally an Aztec grain unlike other grains, is not deficient in the amino acid lysine. When this grain is eaten with rice, wheat or barely it can provide a complete protein containing all amino acids.
There are 70,000 seeds in one pound of amaranth.
Amaranth can be popped like popcorn.
The majority of barely grown in the United States is used to produce alcoholic beverages. The malt is made by soaking whole barley seeds until they convert to sugar.
Buckwheat is not related to the wheat or grain family, but is actually a fruit and a relative of rhubarb.
Minute and instant rice have the lowest nutritional content of any rice.
Never rinse packaged domestic rice before cooking. It is not necessary and may wash away some of the nutrients that were added as an enrichment. The cooking removes enough anyway.
Pasta products can be considered a low fat food; home made is best.
Avoid any pasta product that lists disodium phosphate on the label. It is a chemical softening agent that helps the pasta cook faster.
Serotonin, a chemical produced by the body that helps you relax, can be increased by a complex carbohydrate (pasta) meal.
Whole wheat flour should be used within two months of purchase to avoid rancidity. Refrigeration, however, will delay the rancidity for up to four months.
Pasta products are easily digested due to their low fiber content. This makes them an ideal food for young children, infants and the elderly.
Most pasta has a protein content of approximately 12 percent, which is equal to 3.4 grams per a three-quarter cup serving.
Triticale is made from wheat and rye bread and is more nutritious than wheat. One of the highest nutrient flours. Highly recommended.
Be aware that your favorite brand of grain cereal may contain so many additives that it may not be as healthy a product as you are made to believe.
The best quality pasta is made from amber durum wheat which comes from Russia.
Ninety percent of all durum wheat grown in the U.S. is grown in Northeastern North Dakota. This area is known as the durum triangle.
When durum wheat is cooked it is always tender and does not become mushy or pasty.
If you use durum wheat pasta it is not necessary to rinse it before using.
To remove the burnt taste from rice, try placing a piece of very fresh white bread on top of the rice, then cover the pot. It should only take a few minutes for the burnt taste to disappear.
Never add salt to rice until fully cooked; it will toughen the rice.
When making lasagna, use a small amount of olive oil in the water to prevent the sections from saing together.
To keep rice white while cooking, add a few drops of lemon juice to the water.
A few minutes before your rice is done, place a double paper towel just under the lid and finish cooking. The rice will come out more fluffy and dry.
To obtain the right amount of water to cook rice without measuring, place a quantity of rice in a pot, shake the pot to smooth out and settle the rice, then place your index finger lightly on top of the rice (do not make a dent), add water until your first knuckle is covered (about 1 inch above the surface of the rice).
Arkansas is the largest rice producer in the United States.
One cup uncooked pasta equals two cups cooked pasta.
Pasta made from durum flour and whole eggs is naturally a golden-yellow color. When spinach is added, you will get green. Blend tomato paste into the dough and you will come out with a salmon colored pasta.
Pasta should be cooked firm and slightly chewy. Excess cooking decreases the nutrient content.
Pasta will not get say if you place it in a warm colander then into a warm dish. The cold colander causes the starch to get say.
There are over 300 types of pasta.
When cooking pasta, cover the pot after you place the pasta into the boiling water. The water should be kept boiling and not cool down to any great degree for the best results.
Italians consume an average of 60 pounds of pasta annually.
Any pasta that is packaged in clear plastic containers are subject to nutrient loss from the lights in the market. Purchase pasta in boxes whenever possible.
Noodles must contain five to six percent egg solids.
Do not purchase any grains that are not whole. If you see numerous broken pieces, do not buy the grains.
Cooked wild rice will only keep in the refrigerator for one week.
Bulgur wheat is not a good quality nutritious whole wheat product unless their granules still have their dark brown coating.
Bulgur should be steamed, then dried and cracked into three different granulations. The coarsest is used for pilaf; the medium is used for cereals; the finest for tabbouleh.
Bulgur requires less cooking time than cracked wheat.
Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern dish made from cracked wheat or bulgur, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, dill or mint, plum tomatoes, scallions, minced garlic, salt, pepper and other cold vegetables if desired.
Use your frying basket or a large metal strainer when cooking pasta. This will save you the trouble of draining.
After opening pasta, save the unused portion in a glass jar.
Rice was first cultivated in Thailand in 3500 B.C.
Asia produces over 90 percent of the world's rice.
Rice is the staple grain of over 60 percent of the people of the world.
Brown rice is rice with only the husk removed.
Converted rice has been parboiled to remove the surface starch.
Unopened packages of rice should be stored at a cool room temperature.
To tenderize brown rice, allow rice to soak for an hour or two before cooking.
To cook rice, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat 35 minutes, turn off heat and let stand covered for ten minutes.
To make an exceptional dessert from leftover rice, try folding in stiffly beaten whipped cream, and then add fresh fruit.
Always wash rice before using. This cleans out the hulls and other debris.
Whole grain products should be stored in solid tightly covered containers.
Macadamia nuts have more fat and calories than any other nut.
Before measuring whole grain flour, sift it with a coarse sifter. Avoid the squeeze handle types. Sifting will make a difference of up to two tablespoons per cup.
Kasha (buckwheat groats) is the fruit of the buckwheat plant. Prepare the same as rice. This is very healthy.