text:
Gay Hanging in Iran: Atrocities and Impersonations
Everybody on earth knows that a deal on Iran's nuclear program was announced in mid-July. Everybody also knows that this apparent step toward peace launched a new stage in an old war: of propaganda.Proponents praise the possibility of a historic opening. Opponents—who include Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Republican Party—warn of disaster. Both sides want to expand their constituencies. In Western countries, gay communities—small but politically influential—are more and more the target for just this courtship and recruitment.
The right-wing pundit Amir Taheri greeted the nuclear deal with a storm of tweets and screeds condemning it. One 140-character charge drew special attention.
Anyone's first reaction would be some version of "My God." It sounded horrible. I wrote to Taheri asking for more information—and so, judging from Twitter, did at least three other people.
But the story quickly began to show cracks. Taheri didn't reply to me, or anybody. I sat down that night with a Farsi-speaking friend and began searching for the story in the Iranian press: under the youth's name, under various other key words. It didn't turn up anywhere. I wrote to the Toronto-based Iranian Queer Organization (IRQO), a diaspora-based group of LGBT Iranian activists with which I've worked closely over the years. They searched the media as well and found no sign of it. They also reached out to contacts in Isfahan. On Friday morning, they told me no one there had heard of the story, either.
[Taheri on Fox News]
Amir Taheri lies a lot. Eight years ago, Jonathan Schwartz called him "one of the strangest ingredients in America's media soup," adding, "There may not be anyone else who simply makes things up as regularly as he does, with so few consequences." An arch-conservative protege of the Pahlavis and an editor of the Tehran daily Kayhan under the Shah, he repeatedly fabricates stories about Iran to please right-wingers in his adoptive West. Most famously, in 2006 he claimed in Canada's National Post that a new dress-code law in Iran would impose special clothes on religious minorities, including yellow badges for Jews. Many conservatives swallowed the story; even the Canadian Prime Minister repeated it. But it was a complete falsehood, and after a huge furor the National Post retracted it and apologized: "It is now clear the story is not true. . . . We apologize for the mistake and for the consternation it has caused." (The Post also noted that Taheri went "unreachable" after his fiction was exposed, rather as he did on Twitter.) Undeterred, in 2008 Taheri concocted a quote from Ayatollah Khomeini, complete with a fake citation of an invented source; American neoconservative luminaries duly repeated it. In 2002, Taheri claimed that "Osama bin Laden is dead . . . the fugitive died in December and was buried in the mountains of southeast Afghanistan." The list of his duplicities goes on and on. In 1989, an academic reviewing one of Taheri's books
detailed case after case in which Taheri cited nonexistent sources, concocted nonexistent substance in cases where the sources existed and distorted the substance beyond recognition when it was present. … [The reviewer] concluded that Nest of Spies was "the sort of book that gives contemporary history a bad name."
Larry Cohler-Esses condemns Taheri as a "journalistic felon," part of a "media machine intent on priming the public for war with Iran."
There are ample grounds for skepticism about stories Taheri spreads. But skepticism doesn't make headlines. Propaganda's best friend is the ambition of the press. On Thursday, a reporter for the UK-based Gay Star News also tweeted to Taheri.
Taheri did not answer him, either. I know this because the reporter didn't wait for a source. About twenty-five minutes later, his story—"GAY TEEN, 14, 'HANGED FROM TREE`"—topped the website of Gay Star News, and it said Taheri hadn't told them anything. In other words, their entire account was based on one single tweet with no evidence behind it. This tweet was special, though. The topic of gay killings in Iran has shown its passionate drawing power over a decade, its ability to keep queers clicking. Gay Star News wanted the clicks for itself.
The reporter clearly never asked Iranian LGBT activists or groups for their take. It was more important to get the headline out there. I wrote to Tris Reid-Smith, Gay Star News's editor, and asked, "Is this standard practice — to run a story based on a single, unsourced, unconfirmed tweet from someone who declines to answer follow-up questions?" Tris rather cannily refused to reply in writing; he wanted to talk by phone. My phone in Cairo is tapped; I declined. I wanted this on the record, but not State Security's record. If Tris still wants to answer my question, he is welcome to do so here. Gay Star News has since added a few sentences to its story, saying:
we should note Iranian LGBTI networks have not confirmed the story. Some critics have questioned Taheri's reliability. … UPDATE: For clarity, GSN has noted from the outset this report has not been independently verified. Taheri is yet to reply to our questions seeking to substantiate his claims. We urge caution but feel it is in the public interest to report the claims, given they are gaining traction on social media.
Let that final sentence revolve in your mind. What defines news these days isn't truth. It's traffic. (I have saved a screenshot of Gay Star News's original article, prior to the caution-urging, here.)
And of course the story spread. Neoconservative propagandist Ben Weinthal tweeted it no fewer than five times:
Weinthal is a lobbyist for the right-wing, pro-Israel Foundation for Defense of Democracies. One of his jobs is to drum up support in gay communities for hardline policies against Iran. I have detailed some of his many misrepresentations here. His desperate drive to ensure Taheri's tweet gets coverage suggests what the motives at work are.
No one should ever minimize the real, documented, and terrible human rights abuses in Iran. But credulity for suspicious stories devalues the true ones. Given Taheri's record, and the tangled political context, there is no reason to credit this tale without corroboration.
And here's the thing: we have been through this before, and learned nothing. Look at the photo Gay Star News attached to its article.
[From Gay Star News, 17 July 2015]
That famous image, exactly ten years old, reverberates with misery and horror. And cynics and opportunists know it as proven clickbait. In fact, the two youths were not executed simply for "being gay." They were convicted of the rape, at knifepoint, of a thirteen-year-old boy. Claims that they were gay lovers circulated widely among Western activists; but no clear evidence materialized to confirm them.
International tension shaped the context, then as now. In June 2005, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected President of Iran. The religious hardliner's victory intensified foreign fears of Iran's nuclear plans; Ahmadinejad moved quickly to quash negotiations with European powers and smear reformists as appeasers. Western conservatives stoked those fears, and rumors roiled. Immediately after the vote, a website affiliated with the Mujahedin e Khalq claimed Ahmadinejad had participated in the 1979 seizure of the US embassy in Tehran. The Mujahedin is a wealthy, cult-like Iranian exile group widely despised in the diaspora, but closely tied to many Western politicians. Amir Taheri leapt in; he alleged in print that Javad Zarif—then Iran's UN ambassador, now its foreign minister—had joined the hostage-taking. (Another fabrication: Zarif was studying in the US at the time.) That summer, a charged, familiar storm-cloud of fact, anxiety, and speculation swirled round the subject of Iran.
On 19 July 2005, the two teenagers were hanged in Mashhad. Reports in the local and national Iranian media said clearly they had been tried for tajavoz (rape) or lavat beh onf ("sodomy by force," or male rape); the Quds newspaper in Mashhad quoted both the thirteen-year-old victim and his father. Another website of the Mujahedin e Khalq, however, published a piece on the execution aimed at Western audiences, and omitted the rape charge. It was almost certainly the Mujahedin who pointed out the story to UK lone-ranger activist Peter Tatchell -- who had a record of publicity-seeking animosity to both Iran and political Islam -- and suggested a "gay" angle. On July 21, Tatchell's OutRage website blared, "IRAN EXECUTES GAY TEENAGERS," above the pictures taken from the Iranian press. Tatchell claimed, falsely, that Iranian media had not mentioned the rape, and that the pair were originally charged with consensual sex: setting in motion a stream of fictions that didn't stop for months.
[Mr. DeMille? Mr. DeMille? TV crew films Peter Tatchell at a demo over the Mashhad case, 2005. Photo by UK Gay News]
With panic over Iran already in the air, the photos went vastly viral. If politics motivated some to promote the story, for others it was publicity. (Doug Ireland, a US gay writer with no prior knowledge of Iran who nonetheless rode the story to a new journalistic job, told me his blog got 60,000 hits the first day he carried the pictures.) As more facts came out and the tale seemed less plausible, its proponents got aggressive: not only with doubters, but with the protagonists. Tatchell, for instance, belittled the alleged rape and suggested the victim wanted it: "It could be the thirteen-year-old was a willing participant." Meanwhile, the story's popularity led to a desperate search for sequels, for new "gay victims," that stretched for years. Virtually any execution for rape reported in the Iranian media—even of male rapists of women—could be arrogated or mistranslated as a punishment for consensual gay sex. In a grim and grotesque irony, the quest helped produce the dead. In 2007, Tatchell intervened in the last-ditch appeal of an Iranian prisoner on death row, also for the rape of a thirteen-year-old. Makwan Mouloudzadeh had been framed in a village vendetta; there was no real evidence he'd had sexual relations with the child, much less any other male. Instead of maintaining Makwan's innocence, though, Tatchell falsely alleged the child was Makwan's "partner." Allies of Tatchell started a letter-writing campaign to Ahmadeinjad pleading for the "young homosexual Makvan," arguing explicitly that he was "'guilty' of having loved a peer when he was thirteen and having sexual intercourse with him." They incriminated the man they were trying to save. Makwan, neither homosexual nor a rapist, was hanged.
The Mashhad story survives, immune to its malign consequences. Taheri certainly knows it—he surely suspected a fourteen-year-old victim would make his tweet go viral. The youths' images are memed and manipulated everywhere. Sometimes the uses are political:
Sometimes they are mythological figures, as if the kitsch of Shi'ite religious iconography melded with the preoccupations of San Francisco.
[The Ultimate Penalty: painting by Miguel Tió]
But they remain, always, "the sacred gay martyrs of Iran."
An hour or two after the Gay Star News story appeared, Tatchell seized the opportunity, announcing a "vigil" to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the youth's deaths.
"On 19 July, we stand for life, liberty and love," Tatchell said at the demo. But think what that rhetoric obliterates. If their thirteen-year-old victim's story was true, what would he say about those words? Most human rights activists know that you can oppose grave abuses, like the appalling execution of children, without spinning narratives of absolute innocence or "love." But to do that requires abjuring sentimentality, and acquiring maturity.
A deep narcissism lies pooled here. What does "never forget" them mean, when you never knew anything about them in the first place? No one has ever seriously sought to learn facts (rather than weave romances) about the youths' lives; no one ever showed the least interest in the thirteen-year-old they allegedly brutalized; no one has ever tried to find their families, and hear what they think of their sons' pictures being broadcast in this way, or inserted into a foreign story about "gayness." The boys are silent. Their muteness is their appeal. They offer a clean field for Western political and erotic fantasies; they've withered to ventriloquist's dolls for Western voices. The indignities they suffered before death have been succeeded by a further descent, the indignity of being erased in the imperial name of memory. What Tatchell wants remembered is not the murdered youths. It's himself.
Strangely, I took two different tacks with Amir Taheri. The day after I politely asked him for information, you could have found me on Twitter writing in quite a different tone:
Except that was not me. It was an account someone set up under my name about a week ago, which has been firing off tweets to Egyptians and various right-wing Westerners ever since. It says I'm a pro-Iran Islamist. It uses an old picture of me, and the inevitable photo of the hanged Iranian youth.
The account is not a "parody." Not just that it is not funny: it is trying to get me arrested. It makes out that I support banned insurgent movements and want the Egyptian government overthrown. These messages it forwards to Egyptian tweeters, including government accounts.
That one tweet could easily lead to a few decades in prison here. And the person who put my name to it appears quite conscious of the fact.
Who is behind this thing? I have no idea. But I know who likes it. Here are the account's followers when I checked it on 16 July:
The third person who followed the account—out of seven at the time—was "All Equal." That is the Twitter of Pliny Soocoormanee, who happens to be the personal assistant of Peter Tatchell, director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. How he found out about this obscure account when no one else knew of it, and why it interested him so much, is a fascinating question. I cannot imagine the answer.
The morning after I criticized the Taheri story on Twitter, the account exploded with vengeful drivel, directed at people inside and outside Egypt (the one at top went to the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
But this BS is merely typical. Apparently I work for the Brotherhood, an illegal organization here:
My motives appear to be erotic as well as pecuniary.
I am also an informer.
But mostly the account just strives to identify me with vicious anti-Semitic ravings, marking the intrinsic fascism of its maker's mind. (Fascism is the politics of a cynical, corrosive narcissism. The mark of fascism is that it imagines all other opinions are as fascist as itself.)
The account is pretty much coeval with the nuclear deal with Iran. Its first three tweets:
I would not pay attention to this crude fakery if it were not trying explicitly to incriminate me to Egypt's government—which is arresting gay foreigners, and may not know the difference, or want to. I never cease to be surprised by the retributory malice of the Iran- and Islam-obsessed crowd, whether driven by ideology or the sheer love of headlines. They never stop.
Back in 2006, when Amir Taheri's lies about Iran's dress-code law were exposed, The Nation spoke to his PR agent. Accuracy on Iran is "a luxury," she said. "As much as being accurate is important, in the end it's important to side with what is right. What's wrong is siding with the terrorists." You see? It is us or them. Loyalty trumps truth. To expose useful lies is to take the terrorists' side. And by that standard I am, of course, a terrorist.
Why does it matter? Because LGBT Iranians shouldn't be exploited for propaganda. They lead lives seamed by danger, distinguished by courage; they deserve better than to be backgammon pieces, passive tokens stacked and shifted in a great-power political game. LGBT people should speak in their own voices, be masters and heroes of their own lives. That is what the liberation struggle is about.
The fact that nobody—not Tatchell, not Ben Weinthal, not Gay Star News—bothered to ask LGBT Iranian activists or groups what the truth was, or whether they wanted a demonstration, is appalling. But it is typical. The story of Western engagement with LGBT rights in Iran has been one of occupation and ventriloquism, not freedom. It's long past time for the sick game to stop.
Postscript: The fake account seems to have been taken down not long after I first posted this. I do not know whether by its maker or by Twitter (of course I complained). But, in some form or another, they will be back.
[This article was originally published A Paper Bird and is re-posted with permission.]
Sunday, July 26, 2015 - 7:32:00 AM


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The Second Niger bridge is a Nigerian Federal Government project that is  long and furnished with other ancillary infrastructure including a  highway, Owerri interchange and a toll station all at Obosi city, inaugurated in March 2022. It opened for local traffic on December 15th, 2022.

Location and situation
The Second Niger Bridge crosses the Niger between the cities of Asaba the capital  of Delta State which is rich in oil in the west and Onitsha in the east. When completed, it will be the last bridge over the Niger River before it branches into its delta arms. The Niger is the third longest river in Africa after the Nile and the Congo. It moves 7,000 m3/s water at Onitsha, which is more than a hundred times as much as the Thames in London (65 m3/s) and almost three times as much as the Missouri river (2,450 m3/s) before reaching St. Louis. The Niger also separates Nigeria's populous southwest from the oil-rich southeast. The currently only bridge at Onitsha, a 1960s steel truss structure with two lanes, is hopelessly overloaded, due in no small part to the fact that it must accommodate flying traders, handcart drivers, cargo-carrying people and the occasional herd of goats in addition to (and between) cars.

The phrase "Second Niger Bridge", which has been used as an established term in Nigerian politics since the 1980s, is misleading. In fact, there are already seven major bridges over the Niger in Nigeria alone (not to mention in countries like Niger or Benin). It is therefore correct to speak of the "Second Niger Bridge at Onitsha".

Financing
The project is being funded through the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) created by President Muhammadu Buhari and managed by the NSIA.

PIDF is also used to fund the construction of Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano-Road

Statistics
For the almost completed bridge (as of June 2022),

 14,000 tonnes of steel were processed (which is nearly double as much iron as in the Eiffel tower),
 250,000 tonnes of concrete were poured (which is a little less than Trump tower in Chicago at 310,000 tons),
 1,468 workers were employed on the construction site itself (on site) and another 8,000 elsewhere,
 8,700,000 man-hours were accounted for and yet 2.5 years were worked without an accident.

The structure, 1,590 m long in total, consists of two parallel prestressed concrete box girder bridges, each 14.5 m wide. The current bridges will have a length of 630 m with 5 spans with span widths of 150 m maximum. The western ramp bridge will be 755 m long and the eastern ramp bridge will be 205 m long. The bridge has been constructed using the cantilever method, while the ramp bridges will be constructed using the incremental launching method.

History

The Second Niger Bridge was first proposed during the 1958/69 political campaign by then candidate Shehu Francis pastor  of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

In 1987, after warning about the state of the existing River Niger Bridge  by the then Minister for Works and Housing Abubakar Umar, General Ibrahim Babangida challenged the local engineers to design The Second Niger Bridge, rising to the challenge, The Nigerian Society of Engineers called NSE Prems Limited, which subsequently delivered a masterplan. The addition of east–west railway line to the project, unfortunately the turmoil that precipitated the end of Babangida's administration stalled the plan.

Under the subsequent military governments, the projects received little attention. Upon the return to civilian rule, President Olusegun Obasanjo  promised to deliver a second Niger River bridge. However his administration did not carry out any major activity on the project until five days before he handed over to the then incoming administration of Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, when Obasanjo flagged off the project in Asaba.

The incoming administration effectively inherited a ₦58.6 billion proposed cost for a six lane, 1.8 km tolled bridge, which was to be completed in three-and-half years. The bridge was to be financed under a public private partnership (PPP) with 60 per cent of the funding coming from the contractor, Gitto Group; 20 per cent from the Federal Government of Nigeria, and 10 per cent from the Anambra and Delta State Governments. Unfortunately the subsequent death of President Yar'adua marred the progress of the project.

However, in August 2012, the Federal Executive Council under Jonathan's administration, approved a contract worth ₦325 million for the final planning and design of the bridge. During the 2011 Nigerian general election campaign period, Jonathan has promised that if elected, he would deliver the project before the end of his term in 2015. At an Onitsha town hall meeting on August 30, 2012, he promised to go into exile if he did not deliver on the project by 2015.

The rigmarole continued under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, who first cancelled the earlier contract in August 2015.

On December 15, 2022, at 9:50 local time, the bridge was opened to local traffic. Since not all connecting roads have been completed yet, makeshift roads have been created to allow the bridge to be used during the Christmas holidays. Crossing the bridge is free of charge for the time being.

References

Bridges in Nigeria
Niger River
Government of Nigeria

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Global Village Space
Home Global Village Why do Intelligence chiefs contradict Trump?
Why do Intelligence chiefs contradict Trump?
Imran Jan
Imran Jan |
This is a battle between "America First" and what should be called orthodox America. Listening to the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, CIA Director Gina Haspel, and other Intelligence officials is like watching a movie from those old times when people still hung a calendar on their walls with certain dates encircled or when FBI officials wore suits and hats and delivered full sentences without shaking their heads or shoulders.
The old guard is speaking the old language where Russia is a threat, China is a threat, and keeping the European and Asian alliances as well as the American bases there are important for maintaining the global power of imperial America. The new annual report "Worldwide Threat Assessment" released on Tuesday believes that North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear stockpiles.
The Intelligence community doesn't want the framework of things to be shaken since it has worked for them for decades now.
And that Iran, at least for now, is not going to "breakout" toward making a bomb. Gina Haspel said that the government in Pyongyang "is committed to developing a long-range nuclear-armed missile that would pose a direct threat to the United States." Now, that is the opposite of what Trump believes; that "there is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea."
However, Dan Coats said that inside North Korea there is "some activity that is inconsistent with full denuclearization." Regardless, Trump believes North Korea can be tamed with his charm offensive and Iran cannot be trusted and left alone, which Trump warned about that it would "be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons".
Read more: Trump campaign chief wanted polling data to go to Ukrainian oligarchs:…
My suspicion is that Iran is spared not because the Ayatollahs are embraced by Washington overnight, but rather that it is an attempt to appease the European allies of the United States because Trump exited the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (J.C.P.O.A) or what's called the Iran deal, which was signed by the Europeans too. Europeans had been very upset by this move of Trump.
French leader Emmanuel Macron had been trying hard along with Angela Merkel to keep the deal alive. With Merkel exiting the political stage soon, Macron is the only influential leader left in Europe that Washington would need for diplomacy around the world. Similarly, last month Trump had abruptly ordered the withdrawal of US troops from Syria claiming "we have won against ISIS; we've beaten them, and we've beaten them badly".
The new annual report "Worldwide Threat Assessment" released on Tuesday believes that North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear stockpiles.
While that announcement may have been the product of Trump's show skills he honed at The Apprentice or may be one of his countless early morning outbursts expressed on Twitter, the critique of that decision, however, is disingenuous too. Orthodox America represented by these old-time Washington insiders strongly believe in keeping tabs on Russian presence in Syria, the only Russian outpost in the Middle East.
Syria to Orthodox America is less about IS and much more about the Russian base in Latakia. I can bet on this that if IS were in let us say Tuvalu– where Russia has no influence and there are no oil fields– the American intelligence chiefs wouldn't have contradicted Trump's withdrawal from Tuvalu. Trump called America's intelligence agencies and officials "passive and naive". In a ritualistic early morning, angry tweet Trump said, "Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!"
Read more: Trump wages war against intelligence agencies: How far will it go?
Either the president wants them to learn tradecraft or he is giving them a curse to be in a condemned place such as a school. The latter explanation holds more water because Trump is notoriously bookless despite his large houses and offices, which would have sufficient space for bookshelves. The naiveté of the US Intelligence community is really a doubtful phenomenon given their global missions, global activities, and politicized intelligence.
Here is the funny part: Both Trump and the American Intelligence community are wrong. Both are pursuing their own agendas. Trump wants to be able to say in the next presidential campaign that he fulfilled his previous campaign promise; that he brought the soldiers home, yet he is also tough on terrorism by being tough on Iran, which also shines his pro-Israel credentials.
The Intelligence community doesn't want the framework of things to be shaken since it has worked for them for decades now. The fear of what might be on the other side of a different approach leads to sticking to the status quo, which is what Trump wants to shake. In a nutshell, either one, doesn't have the American people in mind while pursuing their different and conflicting agendas.
The writer is a political analyst. He can be reached at imran.jan@gmail.com. Twitter @Imran_Jan. The views expressed in this article are author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


UCC Disaster Ministries, in partnership with the UCC Southern and Florida Conferences, is in the midst of planning for long-term recovery from Hurricanes Florence and Michael, including hiring of an Eastern Regional Disaster Recovery Specialist. That specialist will play an important role in coordinating response to these two large-scale disasters, challenging UCC volunteers and donors "don't get weary" in the face of what may feel like overwhelming challenges from this - and last - year's storms.
Leadership of the United Church of Christ reaches out with love as they condemn attack on the Jewish community in a deadly mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue during Shabbat services.
UCC Disaster Ministries is hiring!
UCC Disaster Ministries is hiring a Construction Manager for its Port Arthur, Texas, work site to assist with long-term recovery from Hurricane Harvey.
The national leadership of the United Church of Christ is condemning a government attempt to define gender as a biological fact determined at birth.
A "love line,' check-in partners on site, prayer partners back home, daily devotions and debriefing - these are key elements in the support system for volunteer disaster recovery work teams deployed by St. James United Church of Christ in Havertown, Pa.


"We remain deeply skeptical of the state's proposal to transfer the lottery enterprise into state pension systems. While the treasurer presented an unrealistically rosy picture of what could happen under the proposal, there is little reason to trust his projections. His projections assume significant additional funding by the state in future years, but the proposal does not provide for any additional revenue to support that funding. Further, there is no mechanism to ensure that the future funding levels assumed in the treasurer's projections are honored by future legislatures. Those factors cause us to question the viability of the proposal as a whole.
"We intend to carefully study and fully understand the proposal using our own actuaries. Based on the preliminary analysis by our actuaries, the state's belief that this will improve the bond rating may be unfounded. It is also unclear whether the action the state proposes can actually be used to lower the net pension liability under GASB rules. Those issues require more study, which we will undertake. We will not rely on any assurances from the Christie administration because the administration has been consistently dishonest and unreliable when it comes to pensions.
"We also remain adamant that there will be no discussion or negotiation of benefit cuts for public school employees, regardless of any position we take on the lottery proposal. Our members have already had deep cuts imposed on them by this administration, which then deliberately refused to live up to its pension funding obligations. We will not make concessions in exchange for a proposal that does little more than attempt to get the state to meet those obligations. That has been our clear and unwavering position, and if the administration made this proposal expecting any other response, it was a naïve mistake.
"One thing must remain at the center of any pension funding discussion: The state's failure to fund its share of pension costs is the only reason for pension crisis faced by the state. The only solution to that crisis is for the state to meet its obligations every year, without exception.


text:
require 'sinatra'
require 'slidedown'

slide_path = File.join File.dirname(__FILE__), 'slides.md'

get '/' do
  SlideDown.new(File.read(slide_path), :stylesheets => ['slides.css']).render('default')
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Is Now the Right Time to Buy American Eagle Outfitters Stock?
Leo Sun, The Motley Fool
November 25, 2022, 9:15 a.m. ·4 min read
American Eagle Outfitters' (NYSE: AEO) stock price surged 18% on Nov. 22 in response to the company's third-quarter earnings report. The apparel retailer's revenue declined 3% year over year to $1.24 billion, but still beat analysts' estimates by $40 million. American Eagle Outfitters' (AEO) headline numbers cleared Wall Street's low bar, but its stock price remains down nearly 40% for the year after its latest rally.
Insurance Bureau of Canada statement: Alberta government's decision to freeze auto insurance rates
Today's announcement of the government's decision to freeze insurance rate filings for private passenger vehicles is disappointing for insurers and, most importantly, for consumers. A rate freeze does nothing to improve the affordability of auto insurance in the near term and only pushes today's challenges down the road.
Capital Group, one of the world's largest and most experienced active investment managers, today announced its board of directors has approved the election of leaders to new roles that will assume the management responsibilities of Tim Armour, Chairman and CEO and Rob Lovelace, Vice-Chair and President. Armour and Lovelace will both step down from Capital Group's management committee in October of this year.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk met two top White House officials on Friday in Washington to discuss how the car maker and Democratic President Joe Biden could work together to advance electric vehicle production and speed electrification of U.S. vehicle networks. Musk met John Podesta, a Democratic stalwart who serves as Biden's senior adviser for clean energy innovation, and Mitch Landrieu, who oversees infrastructure spending, the White House said.
Got $5,000? Buy and Hold These 2 Value Stocks for Years
Restaurant Brands International (TSX:QSR) stock and another value play are getting too cheap in January 2023. The post Got $5,000? Buy and Hold These 2 Value Stocks for Years appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
Opinion: Fiscal and monetary policy need to work together
Bank of Canada should continue do what is necessary to get inflation back to target
Surging demand leads to tightening of Canada's rental markets
Despite a marked increase in rental supply in many of Canada's largest cities, surging demand pushed the national vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments down from 3.1% to 1.9% in 2022, according to the latest Rental Market Report released by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
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Monica strives to connect women to their bodies and their babies in a safe space where feelings of excitement, fear, nervousness, and all the natural emotions felt can be met with love. As an experienced yoga instructor, Monica believes in building the connection between mind, body, and spirit. As a doula she incorporates visualization, presence, breath, and hands-on techniques in order to help people draw upon their inherent intuition.
She values being inclusive and respectful to every birthing person, no matter what they decide their best form of care is. Every birth is so different, and she is dedicated to creating unique and empowering experiences for every client and their loved ones.
Monica grew up in Southern California, but moved to Fort Collins where she studied Nutrition and Food Science at Colorado State University. As her studies progressed, she became inspired by the potential of nutrition as a form of preventative medicine. One of her classes, Nutrition in the Life Cycle, drew her attention to all of the intricate and miraculous physiological events that occur before conception, during pregnancy, and throughout the first years of life. Monica realized that working within maternal health would lend itself to not only preventative care, but creating meaningful connections with clients and supporting them during one of the most amazing transformations of their lives.
After graduating, she spent a few years traveling and teaching English and Yoga internationally. During this time she met a group of midwives and doulas in Mexico. Their passion and reverence for birth inspired her to look into doula trainings. She completed her training with a DONA certified organization in Costa Rica, and then proceeded to intern at South Coast Midwifery as both a doula and midwife assistant. She had the opportunity to be apart of amazing synchronicity and healing through births in homes, birthing centers, and hospitals. Monica is thrilled to be serving the Albuquerque community, and humbled to work alongside such an amazing team of birth workers!


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Relationship between Systemic Inflammation and Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity Response to Candida Antigen in Older Adults
Brandt D. Pence,
Affiliations Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, Integrative Immunology and Behavior Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
Thomas W. Lowder,
Affiliation Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
K. Todd Keylock,
Victoria J. Vieira Potter,
Affiliations Integrative Immunology and Behavior Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
Marc D. Cook,
Edward McAuley,
Affiliations Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
Jeffrey A. Woods
* E-mail: woods1@illinois.edu
Affiliations Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, Integrative Immunology and Behavior Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America, Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
Brandt D. Pence Thomas W. Lowder ... Jeffrey A. Woods
Research has shown that aging is associated with increased systemic inflammation as well as a reduction in the strength of immune responses. However, little evidence exists linking the decrease in cell-mediated immunity in older adults with other health parameters. We sought to examine the relationship between cell-mediated immunity as measured in vivo by the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to candida antigen and demographic and physiological variables in older (65–80 y.o.) adults. Candida antigen response was not related to gender or obesity, or to a number of other physiological variables including fitness and body composition. However, positive responders had significantly lower serum C-reactive protein levels (CRP, p<0.05) vs. non-responders. Furthermore, subjects with CRP<4.75 mg•L−1 had greater odds of developing a positive response compared to those with CRP>4.75 mg•L−1. Therefore, positive responses to candida antigen in older adults appears to be related to lower levels of systemic inflammation.
Citation: Pence BD, Lowder TW, Keylock KT, Vieira Potter VJ, Cook MD, McAuley E, et al. (2012) Relationship between Systemic Inflammation and Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity Response to Candida Antigen in Older Adults. PLoS ONE 7(5): e36403. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036403
Editor: R. Lee Mosley, University of Nebraska Medical Center, United States of America
Received: November 28, 2011; Accepted: April 6, 2012; Published: May 2, 2012
Copyright: © 2012 Pence et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (nih.gov, grant number R01 AG18861) to JAW. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
A large amount of evidence indicates that chronological aging is associated with immune system dysfunction. This progressive loss of immune function is termed immunosenescence [1] and includes changes in function in innate, humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Aging is associated with a decline in the number and function of circulating dendritic cells [2] as well as a decrease in diversity and antigen-specificity of circulating B cells [3]. Changes in immune function of this type likely play a major role in the general decrease in immune response to vaccination in older adults, as these individuals are less likely to develop or maintain protective antibody responses against influenza virus [4] and hepatitis A and B viruses [5], among others.
In addition to the evidence for a progressive age-related decrease in humoral immune responses to vaccination, there is a considerable body of literature demonstrating that cell-mediated immune responses are impaired in elderly individuals. In this population, circulating numbers of naïve CD8+ cytotoxic T cells are reduced with a concordant increase in memory T cell numbers, thereby decreasing the diversity of T-cell receptors (TCR) available for pathogen defense [6]. Impaired T cell responses have been associated with high morbidity and mortality in older adults [7]. One study showed an association between non-reaction to delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), a global measure of cell-mediated immunity [8] and an increase in incidence of hospital mortality in surgical patients [9], and declining DTH responses have also been shown to correlated with increased disease burden in older adults [10], but little additional evidence for an association between DTH responses and other health parameters in older adults currently exists.
Aging is also known to negatively affect innate immunity and inflammation. Increased circulating cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 as well as increased circulating levels of acute phase protein C-reactive protein (CRP) have been demonstrated in elderly individuals and associated with impaired inflammatory responses to vaccination [1], [11]. Increased inflammation, along with impairment in immune responses, is associated with an immune risk phenotype that has been shown to be correlated with mortality in older adults [7].
As noted above, circulating inflammatory markers are known to be associated with poor vaccine responses in the elderly [11]. Additionally, in the aged population, obesity [12] and moderate physical activity [13] are known to be pro- and anti-inflammatory, respectively, and thus may regulate inflammation and, by extension, immune responses in an elderly population. Thus, we examined the relationships between inflammation, body composition, and physical fitness and association with cell-mediated immunity using the DTH response to intradermal injection of antigen purified from Candida albicans. We hypothesized that a positive DTH response to candida antigen would be related to higher levels of baseline physical fitness, to lack of obesity, and to reduced inflammation in these subjects.
Differences in DTH Response Due to Classification
Pearson chi-squared statistics were calculated to determine if the percentages of responders to DTH induced by candida antigen were different when subjects were classified according to distinguishing characteristics. The percentage of males that responded to the DTH test was not different than the percentage of females that responded to the test (Χ2(df = 1) = 0.128, p = 0.712, Figure 1). Likewise, the percentage of obese (BMI≥30) subjects who responded to the DTH test was not different when compared to the percentage of non-obese subjects (BMI<30) who responded to the DTH test (Χ2(df = 1) = 1.978, p = 0.160, Figure 2). Analysis of classification differences in only the positive responders revealed no difference in mean induration between males and females (t(df = 26) = 0.868, p = 0.393, Figure 2) or between obese and non-obese subjects (t(df = 26) = 0.904, p = 0.375, Figure 2). With no significant differences in either response rate or mean response to induction of DTH in the subjects, we collapsed all subjects into responders and non-responders groups and examined the differences in anthropometric characteristics between groups.
Figure 1. Percentage of subjects responding to DTH induced by candida antigen.
Bar insets represent number of positive responders (numerator) over total number of subjects (denominator) in each group.
Figure 2. Magnitude of DTH response among positive responders to candida antigen.
Values are mean ± SEM.
Anthropometric Differences between Responders and Non-Responders to Candida Antigen
Independent samples t-tests were performed to assess the differences in anthropometric characteristics between responders and non-responders to DTH induced by injection of candida antigen. We assessed between-group differences in age as well as in markers of body composition (body mass index, body weight, body fat percentage) and cardiovascular fitness (VO2 peak, resting heart rate). We also assessed between group differences in number of anti-inflammatory medicines taken as well as in basal levels of systemic inflammation (serum C-reactive protein). Table 1 shows the differences in these characteristics between responders and non-responders. No difference (p>0.05) in mean age, VO2 peak, body mass index (BMI), body weight, body fat percentage, resting heart rate (RHR), or anti-inflammatory medication usage were found between responders and non-responders to DTH (Table 1). However, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly lower in responders (2.7±0.3 mg·L−1) than in non-responders (3.8±0.3 mg·L−1, t(df = 72.077) = 2.583, p = 0.012, Figure 3). Therefore, we sought to further characterize the relationship between serum CRP levels and DTH response to candida antigen.
Figure 3. CRP values among responders and non-responders to DTH induced by candida antigen.
*Significantly different compared to non-responders (p<0.05). Values are mean ± SEM.
Table 1. Baseline characteristics.
Relationship between Serum CRP and DTH Response to Candida Antigen
In order to assess the relationship between serum CRP and DTH response to candida antigen, we collapsed responders and non-responders into a single group, broke the resulting data into quartiles based on serum CRP level, and performed multinomial logistic regression to establish the odds ratios for the development of a positive response, comparing each quartile to the highest quartile (serum CRP≥4.76 mg·L−1). Those in the 2nd quartile (serum CRP 1.87–3.08 mg·L−1) had 6.94× greater odds (p = 0.020) of developing a positive response compared to subjects in the highest quartile (Table 2). Subjects in the 1st (serum CRP 0–1.86 mg·L−1) and 3rd quartile (serum CRP 3.09–4.75 mg·L−1) had, respectively, 4.38× (p = 0.085) and 5.00× (p = 0.057) greater odds of developing a positive response compared to those in the highest quartile, although these ratios were not statistically significant (Table 2). Additionally, the percentage of responders was relatively consistent between the 1st–3rd quartiles, while only 2 of the 28 responders (7.1%) came from the 4th and highest quartile (Table 2). Therefore, we concluded that serum CRP>4.75 mg·L−1 is related to impairment in the ability of an individual to mount a DTH response to candida antigen, a finding that may indicate a general dysregulation of cell-mediated immunity in this group.
Table 2. Odds ratios for positive DTH response by CRP level.
Characteristics of Positive Responders
We then sought to determine if any of our predictor variables had a significant relationship with magnitude of the DTH induration response to candida antigen in those subjects who had a positive response to the test. We began with an analysis of the correlations between predictor variables and induration response in these subjects. Magnitude of induration was not significantly correlated with any of the predictor variables in positive responders, including CRP (Table 3). Among predictor variables, age was significantly correlated to both body fat percentage and BMI, while BMI was significantly correlated to body weight and body fat percentage (Table 3), findings that were not surprising. This suggested that the magnitude of the DTH response to candida antigen among positive responders was not related to our predictor variables.
Table 3. Correlation between DTH response to candida antigen and predictor variables in positive responders.
Aging is associated with a decrease in the ability of the immune system to respond effectively to various stimuli, a phenomenon which has been termed immunosenescence [1]. Despite much research in this area, little is known about the mechanisms which underlie this state. Paradoxically, while immune status is impaired in the elderly, there also exists a state of chronic low-level inflammation in the same population which includes higher-than-normal circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines when compared to younger subjects [14]. Additionally, obesity [12], gender [15], and physical activity status [13] are known to impact inflammation and immunity in older adults. Thus, we sought to examine the roles of inflammation, body composition, gender, and fitness on an in vivo marker of cell-mediated immunity - the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to antigen purified from Candida albicans.
There was no impact of gender on the proportion of subjects who responded to candida antigen injection. This was not surprising, as all women in the study were post-menopausal, and removal of the estrogen stimulus abrogates the enhanced immunity seen in females when compared to males [15]. More interestingly, a higher proportion of non-obese subjects responded to candida antigen, although this result was non-significant. This finding suggests that further investigation along this line may be of interest.
The main finding in this study was that responders to candida antigen had lower systemic inflammation as measured by serum CRP levels when compared to subjects who did not respond to candida antigen. Due to the unbalanced numbers of subjects in each group (28 responders, 82 non-responders), we also examined the rates of response by quartile of CRP. Those subjects in the lower 3 quartiles of CRP (≤4.75 mg•L−1) had a 4.38–6.94× higher likelihood of responding positively to candida antigen when compared to those in the highest quartile (>4.75 mg•L−1) of CRP level. Because 10 subjects in the second quartile had positive responses compared to 8 subjects in each of quartiles 1 and 3, only the second quartile had significantly greater odds of developing a positive response compared to the fourth quartile. However, the odds ratios approached significance for quartiles 1 and 3 (p<0.10). Interestingly, CRP levels were not related to the magnitude of response in individuals who did respond to candida antigen, suggesting that systemic inflammation in those who do mount a successful T cell response to candida antigen may not play a role in the strength of that response.
The results of this study suggest that higher systemic inflammation may be associated with poorer immune responses. This has been previously demonstrated in vaccine studies in which subjects with increased inflammation have reduced antibody responses to vaccination [11]. Further, the age-related increase in circulating inflammatory markers is related to the development of other diseases and disorders that are associated with aging, including Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and others [16], [17], [18], [19]. However, to our knowledge this study is the first to link age-related systemic increases in CRP, a clinically-important measure of inflammation [20] to a decreased T cell-mediated immune response to a skin test antigen.
There are several potential limitations to the study described herein. First, our subject population excluded a number of individuals, primarily for the presence of conditions which might affect inflammatory or immune responses. These include autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, smoking (within 10 years prior to the study), use of strong anti-inflammatory medications, and a number of others. This was done primarily to reduce the number of confounding factors which might affect the primary outcomes in the ImFIT trial. However, such exclusions may limit the generalizability of the results present here in the population at large.
Another major limitation is the use of only one measure of cell-mediated immune response, namely the DTH response to candida antigen. As there may be a number of mitigating factors which impact the odds of a positive response in any individual (including lack of prior exposure to the antigen), additional work is necessary to be able to make conclusions about the link between inflammation and global cell-mediated immune responses. These studies should use a number of additional DTH measures in concert and could be further strengthened by the examination of other circulating inflammatory markers as well as in vitro measures of cell-mediated immunity.
Further study is needed to test potential mechanisms for this observation. A number of theories as to the cause of age-related immunosenescence have been postulated in recent years. Perhaps the most well-established is the increase in cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific senescent memory T cells in older adults [21]. CMV seropositivity and a T cell CD4∶CD8 ratio of <1 are the chief markers in the immune risk profile which predicts mortality in adults >85 years of age [1], [22]. It has been shown that aging is associated with a reduction in circulating naïve CD8+ T cells along with a concomitant increase in memory T cells, a phenomenon that reduces the diversity of T cell antigen receptors (TCR) in the circulating T cell pool and is thought to be the driving force behind reductions in T cell function with novel infection in older adults [1], [6]. Whether this observation is related to the increase in inflammation seen in aging ("inflammaging" [14]) is unknown, but our findings represent a potential link between inflammaging and immunosenescence.
Of major interest is the question of whether increased inflammation in itself is a driver of immunosenescence, or whether immunosenescence and inflammaging are both symptomatic of the same underlying cause. One potential link, as stated above, is CMV status. Frequent reactivation of chronic viral infections such as CMV are thought to induce immunosenescence and, speculatively, may also induce frequent activation of viral-specific T cells and increase circulating inflammation. Of course, associative studies such as this cannot prove causality, and further mechanistic studies are need to demonstrably link, whether directly or indirectly, the decreased T cell function and the increased systemic inflammation seen our aged subjects.
Of additional interest is the study of therapies which may reduce systemic inflammation and, potentially, improve cell-mediated immune responses in older adults. A variety of potential strategies ranging from pharmaceutical to nutritional in nature could be conceived that may have some benefit in improving immune responses. Previous research in our laboratory demonstrates that exercise decreases inflammation [23], [24] and improves immunity [25], [26], [27], [28] in older adults as well as in aged mice. A previous study has shown that exercise training can reverse the age-associated decrease in delayed-type hypersensitivity to the novel antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin [29]; however, inflammation was not assessed in this study. These results are in line with a number of other studies which have shown decreases in inflammation and improvements in immunity with exercise training. This literature has been addressed comprehensively in several recent reviews [13], [30], [31]. We suggest that physical exercise may be an ideal therapy to improve cell-mediated immunity in older adults, and that it may act by reducing systemic inflammation. Future studies will be necessary to characterize the relationship between inflammation and cell-mediated immunity in older adults and to test potential therapies for improving both measures, including exercise.
We have found that older adults who are positive responders to a delayed-type hypersensitivity test have, on average, lower circulating levels of the inflammatory marker CRP than those who do not respond to the injection. Further, CRP levels >4.75 mg•L−1 are associated with an increased risk of non-responsiveness. However, no relationship existed between CRP and strength of response in the responder group. Future research is necessary to characterize the relationship between inflammation and cell-mediated immunity in older adults.
Subjects were recruited as part of the Immune Function Intervention Trial (ImFIT), a randomized clinical exercise intervention trial examining the impact of exercise on immunological parameters primarily including vaccine response, the results of which have been published elsewhere [32]. The cross-sectional analyses reported here were performed on baseline data collected as part of the ImFIT study in order to determine the factors which influence DTH response in sedentary older adults. Sedentary older adults (60–83 yr) were recruited from the Urbana/Champaign area (pop. 168,000) via advertisement in local media as well as public places including local senior citizen centers. Subjects included in the study must have been sedentary for at least 6 months prior to the beginning of the study. Exclusion criteria used in the telephone pre-screening included recent (<1 yr) history of cancer, inflammatory disease (such as asthma, autoimmune disease, etc.), chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, recent illness, recent vaccination, smoking (within 10 years prior to enrollment), or use of strong anti-inflammatory medications such as corticosteroids. Subjects not excluded by the telephone pre-screening reported to the laboratory for baseline fasting blood and graded exercise testing. Abnormal results from complete blood counts and comprehensive metabolic panels performed on the subjects resulted in exclusion from the study. Subjects who passed the screening phase were accepted into the study. Subjects with missing baseline candida antigen test results were excluded from analysis. In total, 110 of 161 subjects had complete data sets and were included for analysis. A CONSORT diagram (Figure 4) outlines the process of recruitment, screening, and testing.
Figure 4. Immune Function Intervention Trial CONSORT diagram.
Graded Exercise Testing
Subjects reported to the laboratory to undergo a preliminary evaluation of cardiovascular fitness via a graded walking exercise test (GXT) to volitional fatigue. All GXT were performed under the supervision of a physician as required by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Illinois for studies utilizing subjects from older populations. The initial treadmill speed was set according to each subject's brisk, comfortable walking speed and ranged from 3.2–6.4 km/hr. Grade, or in some cases speed, was increased every 2 minutes until volitional fatigue. An indirect calorimetry system (ParvoMedics, Sandy, UT) was utilized to measure volume of oxygen consumption (VO2), volume of carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and ventilation (VE) during the test. Respiratory exchange ratio and blood pressure were measured at the end of each stage, and heart rate was assessed continuously during the test by 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. Subjects with abnormal responses to the GXT were excluded from the study and referred to their personal physician for follow-up. The highest VO2 attained during testing was recorded as VO2 peak and used in further analyses as an indicator of cardiovascular fitness. Baseline resting heart rate was also recorded and used as a further indicator of the fitness of subjects as this variable is easier to measure clinically.
Body composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA, Hologic QDR 4500A, Waltham, MA) according to manufacturer's instructions. Whole body scans were used to provide fat mass measures. Body weight and body mass index (BMI) were also recorded as supplementary measures of body composition.
Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity to Candida Antigen
Intradermal injections (0.1 ml) of skin test antigen purified from Candida albicans (Candin, Allermed, San Diego, CA) were used to quantify the delayed-type hypersensitivity response (DTH) as a measure of strength of cell-mediated immunity in sedentary older adults. Induration >5 mm at 2 days post-injection was recorded as a positive response, and induration induced by the antigen was subtracted from that induced by a negative saline control, if any. Subjects were asked to refrain from use of anti-histamines and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 4 days prior-to and 2 days after the injection. Baseline responders made up 25% (28/110) of the total subject pool, and the characteristics of these individuals were compared to non-responders to determine if differences in predictor variables including inflammatory status, cardiovascular fitness, and/or body composition might predict a positive response in this subject population. Percentage of responders in this study was somewhat lower than has been reported in this age group in studies using the multi-antigen injections [33], which may be partially explained by the greater induration (5 mm vs. 2 mm) necessary to be classified as a positive score in our study.
C-Reactive Protein and Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Blood was drawn from subjects following an overnight fast and centrifuged at 1200×g for 15 minutes at 4°C. Following centrifugation, serum was removed and stored at −80°C until analysis. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was quantified as a measure of systemic inflammation via high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) according to manufacturer's instructions (Diagnostic Automation, Calabasas, CA). Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 4.4% and 3.3% respectively. Anti-inflammatory medication use was also assessed from subject screening data. Number of anti-inflammatory medications (including aspirin, statins) was recorded and used in analyses as a potential predictor of DTH response.
All data were analyzed using SPSS 19 (IBM, Somers, NY). Gender and obesity between-group differences in percentages of DTH responders and non-responders were assessed using Pearson chi-squared statistics. Anthropometric differences in predictor variables between DTH responders and non-responders were determined using independent-samples Student's t-tests. For stratification of CRP levels, quartiles of serum CRP were analyzed for odds ratios of positive response to DTH using multinomial logistic regression. Among positive responders, potential predictor variables were correlated with each other and with magnitude of the DTH response using Pearson's bivariate correlations. An α of 0.05 was used to determine significance in all statistical tests, and all tests were two-tailed.
The authors would like to acknowledge Ms. Susan Herrel for her role in this research. TWL is currently an assistant professor at the University of Houston, Houston, TX. KTK is currently an assistant professor at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH. VJVP is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Tufts University, Boston, MA.
Conceived and designed the experiments: JAW EM. Performed the experiments: TWL KTK VJVP MDC. Analyzed the data: BDP. Wrote the paper: BDP JAW.
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30. Gleeson M, Bishop NC, Stensel DJ, Lindley MR, Mastana SS, et al. (2011) The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise: mechanisms and implications for the prevention and treatment of disease. Nat Rev Immunol 11: 607–615.
31. Walsh NP, Gleeson M, Shephard RJ, Woods JA, Bishop NC, et al. (2011) Position statement. Part one: Immune function and exercise. Exerc Immunol Rev 17: 6–63.
32. Woods JA, Keylock KT, Lowder T, Vieira VJ, Zelkovich W, et al. (2009) Cardiovascular exercise training extends influenza vaccine seroprotection in sedentary older adults: the immune function intervention trial. J Am Geriatr Soc 57: 2183–2191.
33. Fietta A, Merlini C, Dos Santos C, Rovida S, Grassi C (1994) Influence of aging on some specific and nonspecific mechanisms of the host defense system in 146 healthy subjects. Gerontology 40: 237–245.
Is the Subject Area "Inflammation" applicable to this article?
Is the Subject Area "Candida" applicable to this article?
Is the Subject Area "Immune response" applicable to this article?
Is the Subject Area "Elderly" applicable to this article?
Cell-mediated immunity
Is the Subject Area "Cell-mediated immunity" applicable to this article?
Is the Subject Area "Exercise" applicable to this article?
Is the Subject Area "Hypersensitivity" applicable to this article?


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The value of visits to non‐involved and single‐handed practices from a primary care audit group
John D. Holden
Two series of visits to practices in a district in north west England were undertaken to encourage significant event review. The first was to non‐participants in audit…
Two series of visits to practices in a district in north west England were undertaken to encourage significant event review. The first was to non‐participants in audit projects who discussed lumbar‐sacral spine X‐rays and deaths with the GP facilitator. The second was to single‐handed GPs who discussed new diagnoses. Levels of participation and completion were high and there was a significant fall in the number of X‐rays requested compared with neighbouring controls. This method of influencing professional performance is compared with others. An evaluation questionnaire suggested that the method was acceptable and useful. It is suggested that academic detailing/practice visiting has a vital place in developing clinical governance in primary care, especially in recruiting those who have seldom been involved in audit activities in the past.
Clinical Governance: An International Journal, vol. 8 no. 1
Audit as a method of reducing benzodiazepine prescribing in general practice
Ian M. Hughes, John D. Holden and Andrea M. Tree
Background: Many audits in primary care can be criticized because of the absence of verifiable data to measure outcomes, and the lack of a non‐participating group against…
Background: Many audits in primary care can be criticized because of the absence of verifiable data to measure outcomes, and the lack of a non‐participating group against which to compare results. Objective: Using Prescribing Analyses and Cost (PACT) data to quantify the effect of an audit in 15 practices. We sought to quantify the effect of the audit of benzodiazepine prescribing in a district by measuring the detailed changes in prescribing in participating practices before, during and after audit, and by comparing the volume of prescribing of these drugs in participating and neighbouring non‐participating practices. Methods: At the start of the audit, 291 993 patients in the Sefton district of North West England were registered with 55 general practices. Fifteen practices, caring for 87 902 patients, took part in an audit of benzodiazepine prescribing. We analysed routinely‐collected prescribing data to assess trends in benzodiazepine prescribing for those practices which took part in the audit and the remaining (non‐participatory) practices in the district. Main measures: The number of defined daily doses of benzodiazepine prescribed by those general practitioners auditing their prescribing of these drugs during the audit. The volume of benzodiazepines prescribed by all general practitioners in Sefton during the quarter immediately before and the quarter immediately after the audit. Results: There was a significant reduction in the number of defined daily doses dispensed for temazepam, nitrazepam, and lorazepam during the audit. There was a significantly greater reduction in the number of items prescribed by those doctors who took part in the audit than their colleagues who did not. Conclusions: An audit of benzodiazepine prescribing achieved a significant reduction in the volume of these drugs dispensed. An analysis of routinely‐collected data can usefully measure the result of an audit of prescribing.
Journal of Clinical Effectiveness, vol. 2 no. 3
The transition from higher education into work: tales of cohesion and fragmentation
Rick Holden and John Hamblett
This series of papers aims to explore the transition from higher education into work. It reports on research undertaken over a period of two years and which sought to…
This series of papers aims to explore the transition from higher education into work. It reports on research undertaken over a period of two years and which sought to track a number of young graduates as they completed their studies and embarked upon career of choice.
The approach adopted is defined and discussed as one of "common sense". Alongside the notion of "common sense" the paper deploys two further concepts, "convention" and "faith" necessary to complete a rudimentary methodological framework. The narratives which are at the heart of the papers are built in such a way as to contain not only the most significant substantive issues raised by the graduates themselves but also the tone of voice specific to each.
Five cases are presented; the stories of five of the graduates over the course of one year. Story lines that speak of learning about the job, learning about the organisation and learning about self are identified. An uneven journey into a workplace community is evident. "Fragmentation" and "cohesion" are the constructs developed to reflect the conflicting dynamics that formed the lived experience of the transitional journeys experienced by each graduate.
Whilst the longitudinal perspective adopted overcomes some of the major difficulties inherent in studies which simply use "snap shot" data, the natural limits of the "common sense" approach restrict theoretical development. Practically speaking, however, the papers identify issues for reflection for those within higher education and the workplace concerned with developing practical interventions in the areas of graduate employability, reflective practice and initial/continuous professional development.
The series of papers offers an alternative to orthodox studies within the broader context of graduate skills and graduate employment. The papers set this debate in a more illuminating context.
Education + Training, vol. 49 no. 7
Structural deficits and the politics of balancing the budget: the case of missouri fy 2004 budget
Yuhua Qiao
This paper uses the Missouri Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 budget as a case study to illustrate two aspects of the recent state budgetary problems: its structural budget deficits…
This paper uses the Missouri Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 budget as a case study to illustrate two aspects of the recent state budgetary problems: its structural budget deficits and the politics involved in balancing a budget. The paper also highlights the dilemma that government faces in meeting constant public demand for services while revenue sources are restrained.
Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 18 no. 3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBAFM-18-03-2006-B002
Consumer Information Acquisition
Lan Xia and Kent B. Monroe
Review of Marketing Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1548-6435(2004)0000001007
Recession: a chance for hospitality SMEs?
Stefanos Nachmias, Brendan Paddison and Chris Mortimer
The research takes a comprehensive evaluation of hospitality students' perceptions towards small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) employment and explores whether the…
The research takes a comprehensive evaluation of hospitality students' perceptions towards small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) employment and explores whether the current recession and labour market changes influence hospitality students career-related decisions. Such exploration would provide vital information as to how the new economic environment has modified the nature and context of hospitality students perceptions towards SMEs. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
The research focuses on a constructionist philosophy in order to interpret how hospitality students construct of career choice. The qualitative methodology adopts semi-structured interviews in order to explore the socially constructed views of hospitality students' perception of SMEs employment.
In spite of recessional challenges which particularly affect the graduate labour market, the research confirms the original academic arguments that socially constructed barriers and influencing factors do not highlight SMEs as an attractive first employment destination.
This research recognises the need to reconsider the curriculum for hospitality students to embed the notion of SMEs as a possible career choice.
Socially SMEs have not either historically or in the present day been seen as providing adequate resources for graduates entering the world of work. Such an implication has a considerably impact upon the supply and demand side of SMEs graduate labour market.
The economic downturn now poses a real challenge for new graduates as it is difficult to predict and discuss future labour market issues and trends. The research allows key stakeholders in graduate employment to understand the effects of the economic environment to graduate SMEs perceptions and take measures in improving SMEs-graduate employment in hospitality.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-04-2013-0056
Career perception
Management: A Selected Annotated Bibliography, Volume II
In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This…
PDF (14.7 MB)
In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.
Management Decision, vol. 21 no. 5
Management Literature
Content available
Publication date: 14 January 2019
Morgan R. Clevenger and Cynthia J. MacGregor
EPUB (3.2 MB)
Business and Corporation Engagement with Higher Education
The Library World Volume 53 Issue 2
THE centenary celebration is that of the apparently prosaic public library acts ; it is not the centenary of libraries which are as old as civilization. That is a…
THE centenary celebration is that of the apparently prosaic public library acts ; it is not the centenary of libraries which are as old as civilization. That is a circumstance which some may have overlooked in their pride and enthusiasm for the public library. But no real librarian of any type will fail to rejoice in the progress to which the celebration is witness. For that has been immense. We are to have a centenary history of the Public Library Movement—that is not its title—from the Library Association. We do not know if it will be available in London this month; we fear it will not. We do know its author, Mr. W. A. Munford, has spent many months in research for it and that he is a writer with a lucid and individual Style. We contemplate his task with a certain nervousness. Could anyone less than a Carlyle impart into the dry bones of municipal library history that Strew these hundred years, the bones by the wayside that mark out the way, the breath of the spirit that will make them live ? For even Edward Edwards, whose name should be much in the minds and perhaps on the lips of library lovers this month, could scarcely have foreseen the contemporary position ; nor perhaps could Carlyle who asked before our genesis why there should not be in every county town a county library as well as a county gaol. How remote the days when such a question was cogent seem to be now! It behoves us, indeed it honours us, to recall the work of Edwards, of Ewart, Brotherton, Thomas Greenwood, Nicholson, Peter Cowell, Crestadoro, Francis Barrett, Thomas Lyster, J. Y. M. MacAlister, James Duff Brown and, in a later day without mentioning the living, John Ballinger, Ernest A. Baker, L. Stanley Jast, and Potter Briscoe—the list is long. All served the movement we celebrate and all faced a community which had to be convinced. It still has, of course, but our people do now allow libraries a place, more or less respected, in the life of the people. Librarians no longer face the corpse‐cold incredulity of the so‐called educated classes, the indifference of the masses and the actively vicious hostility of local legislators. Except the illuminated few that existed. These were the men who had the faith that an informed people was a happier, more efficient one and that books in widest commonalty spread were the best means of producing such a people. These, with a succession of believing, enduring librarians, persisted in their Struggle with cynic and opponent and brought about the system and the technique we use, modified of course and extended to meet a changing world, but essentially the same. Three names we may especially honour this September, Edward Edwards, who was the sower of the seed; MacAlister, who gained us our Royal Charter ; and John Ballinger, who was the person who most influenced the introduction of the liberating Libraries Act of 1919.
New Library World, vol. 53 no. 2
PART I LIST OF MEMBERS
Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).
Aslib Proceedings, vol. 6 no. 1
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Book part (167)


Getting a new roofing can be an amazing experience. Kids and animals might see amazed as they observe roofing professionals tearing, tearing, transporting, and also nailing– they may also want to sneak as close as possible to the action. That, of course is exceptionally hazardous. Once the roofing company shows up, your house is a job zone. Work areas, as you can envision, posture unforeseen threats.
Lengthy Roof covering focuses on making roof covering replacement hassle-free as well as smooth. However, there are significant safety and security precautions as well as prep work you can make so you're 100% prepared.
Below are 10 pointers to aid make your roof substitute go as efficiently as feasible. At the end of the day, we desire you and also your family members to remain risk-free when the roof shingles begin to fly.
1. Think about youngsters as well as family pets.
Loud noises originating from the home may raise anxiousness or disturb sleep routines. While it might be exciting to enjoy from a risk-free distance, work areas are exceptionally unsafe for kids as well as pet dogs.
Talk with your kids to describe that certain locations of the house or lawn will certainly be off-limits until the task is total. Given that young children as well as pet dogs might not comprehend these dangers, you might be more comfortable going to friend or family while your roofing system is changed.
Sorry, papa– offering your professional roofer your prime garage is a must.
Service providers need fast accessibility to their devices as well as vehicles throughout the day. They require a location to load shingles as well as debris. You'll wish to keep your cars a secure distance from this location until job is completed.
You need to also maintain your garage doors closed during building to shut out dust and particles.
The vibrations from hammers and also equipment on your roof may travel through some wall surfaces of your house, specifically if repairs to the existing deck are required.
Go through the spaces on the degree below your roof.
Take into consideration any kind of knick-knacks, pictures or various other items that are hanging from your ceiling or wall surfaces.
As a precaution, get rid of any kind of designs that aren't completely secured with screws.
You might also select to eliminate attractive lights like light fixtures to play it safe.
4. Cover items in the attic room.
Throughout a roof covering substitute, various installers will certainly be walking on your roof, battering it with hammers. Dust or tiny particles will certainly fall in attic room areas throughout a brand-new roofing system installation.
You can keep individual items cleaner by covering them with old sheets or drop cloths until the roof business is ended up. Be prepared to do some light vacuuming in these areas after building is total.
5. Relocate grills and outdoor patio furniture away from the work zone.
A shed or garage is the very best place to shop outside items like grills, patio area furniture, grass accessories, and also potted plants while your brand-new roofing system is installed.
If you do not have on-site storage space, you might intend to put these things together in a location of the lawn that is a risk-free distance from the work zone.
Keep in mind that a lot of specialists will certainly not aid you move any individual things inside or outside the house.
6. Trim trees and cut turf prior to building and construction starts.
Any tree branches that hang reduced near your roofing will certainly require to be trimmed prior to your service provider can start work.
Your professional should utilize ground cloth to safeguard plants and grass in the immediate perimeter of your home, but you require to cut lawn a day prior to construction starts.
Short grass will certainly aid keep fallen particles from concealing in your yard, making clean-up quicker as well as much more complete. For more roofing tips, go to the website of Advanced Roofing MN.
7. Identify a number of accessible power electrical outlets.
Your service providers will require access to electrical outlets while they are working. Exterior outlets are preferred, yet if your residence does not have any type of, a garage electrical outlet is the second-best selection.
If you don't have an outlet outside or in a garage, remember that expansion cords may need to run through a home window or door to obtain power outside. Expansion cords can present a tripping danger, so pick an electrical outlet in an area that does not obtain a lot of foot website traffic.
8. Get rid of antennas or satellite dishes.
If you have any antennas or dish antenna found on or really close to your roof covering, you'll wish to have them gotten rid of. Call your cable television or satellite carrier to make plans prior to roof job begins.
If it is an old, non-working unit, the majority of roofing contractors will certainly be happy to get rid of as well as dispose of it for you.
9. Speak with your next-door neighbors.
Allow your next-door neighbors find out about the intended job. Give them an awaited duration throughout. They will certainly thanks! This will certainly give them a chance to adjust their schedules and also situations to ensure that they can be most comfy while the job is taking place.
10. Understand your environments throughout building and construction.
Building at your home can create unanticipated barriers. Extension cables or various other building and construction tools that isn't normally there supply some fine opportunities to truly hurt on your own. Stay additional alert during this time around to avoid avoidable injuries.
Ultimately, it is always best to connect with your roof covering company throughout the roofing installation process. Ask if they have any other suggestions to make this work smoother for their crew and your family.
Most importantly, remember that this building and construction and any kind of inconvenience it brings is short-term. Soon you will have the new roofing system that you have actually been waiting on.


9843552667 | 19843552667 whose phone number?
You received a call from 19843552667 or 9843552667? Maybe they tried to scam, cheat or bothered you with unnecessary services or even attacked you with constant calls? Share it with everyone!
I was looking for home rentals in the Wilmington area. This person hi jacked a previous home rental page and re posted with this number. They only texted, said they were out of town as a nurse and could not show house. They wanted me to send them the lease agreement(which was misspelled and had grammar errors) and the first month's rent with deposit. They said they could meet me with keys on first day of move in. Total Scam. Never pay someone especially for a house if they can't show it to you or meet you.


The Obama administration had indicated that it would consider the partial lifting of sanctions and should Sudan facilitate South Sudan's referendum on independence in January 2011 and abide by the result.
Sudan, was the first nation to recognise South Sudan's after it gained independence in July 2011 but the outbreak of fighting in South Kordofan and Blue Nile that year caused Washington to further its demands, to the anger of Khartoum. The Obama administration has also demanded that humanitarian access be granted to rebel held areas.
Despite South Sudan president Salva Kiir sending a congratulatory cable to his United States counterpart Barack Obama on his re-election for a second and last term in November 2012 some South Sudanese officials had privately expressed hope that the US Republican challenger Mitt Romney would beat Obama.
The Obama administration made its top priority to ensure the success of the referendum that took place in January 2011 by which South Sudanese were to decide on whether they want to establish their own country or remain with the north as one nation.
The result of the vote came almost unanimously in favor of secession and Khartoum swiftly recognized the new state when it officially came into existence on July 2011. The peaceful divorce between North and South Sudan was hailed as an accomplishment of the Obama administration which went as far as promising Khartoum the partial lifting of sanctions in return for allowing the partition to take place without issues.
But relations between Washington and Juba has been marked by silent tensions as the former watched with dissatisfaction what they saw as bad decisions by the new state.
The first time the leaders of the two countries met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last year, Kiir was thirty minutes late according to a report that appeared on McClatchy Newspapers.
During the discussions Obama pressed Kiir on ending support for the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) rebels fighting Khartoum in the border states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
Kiir denied backing the rebels, angering the White House, which had strong intelligence linking South Sudan's army to the SPLM-N. Washington was concerned that the fighting could reignite the civil war which came to a halt in 2005.
Weeks later, during a follow-up phone call, Kiir again denied his military's support for the rebels. The South Sudanese leader then followed up with a personal letter to Obama that a former US official familiar with its contents described as an "apology letter."
In that letter, Kiir wrote that he did know about his military's support to the Sudanese rebels, but he could not admit that to Obama because his advisers were in the room and they did not know he was aware of that support. Kiir said he was working to lessen the support.
A former US official said the letter was received "incredibly poorly" by the White House. Things got worse when the US felt again it was lied to last April during an Obama-Kiir phone call following days of border clashes between South Sudan and Sudan.
In that call, Kiir told Obama that South Sudan would not send forces north to seize Heglig/Panthou, a Sudanese-controlled oilfield. Eight days later, South Sudanese forces overran the area and held Heglig/Panthou for 10 days amid international condemnation.
The US has also been pressing South Sudan both privately and publicly on issues of transparency, human rights, corruption and good governance.