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21 Signs That Global Financial Markets Could Be In For A Long Summer (XLF, FAS, FAZ, SKF, JPM, BAC, C, MS)
June 4, 2012 10:11pm NYSE:FAS NYSE:FAZ
Michael Snyder: The summer of 2012 is shaping up to be very similar to the summer of 2008. Things look incredibly bleak for the global economy right now.
Economic activity and lending are slowing down all over the planet, and fear is starting to paralyze the entire global financial system. Things did not look this bad back in the summer of 2011 and things certainly did not look this bad back in the summer of 2010. It is almost as if a "perfect storm" is brewing. Today, the global financial system is a finely balanced pyramid of risk, debt and leverage. Such a system requires a high degree of confidence and stability. But when confidence disappears and fear and panic take over, the house of cards can literally start collapsing at any time. Right now we are watching a slow-motion train wreck unfold and nobody seems to know how to stop it. Unless some kind of a miracle happens, things are going to look much different when we reach the start of 2013 than they do today.
The following are 21 signs that this could be a long, hot, crazy summer for the global financial system….
#1 There are rumors that major financial institutions are cancelling employee vacations in anticipation of a major financial crisis this summer. The following are a couple of tweets quoted in a recent article by Kenneth Schortgen Jr….
Todd Harrison tweet: Hearing (not confirmed) @PIMCO asked employees to cancel vacations to have "all hands on deck" for a Lehman-type tail event. Confirm?
Todd M. Schoenberger tweet: @todd_harrison @pimco I heard the same thing, but I also heard the same for "some" at JPM. Heard it today at a hedge fund luncheon.
As Schortgen points out, these are not just your average Twitter users….
Todd Harrison is the CEO of the award winning internet media company Minyanville, while Todd Shoenberger is a managing principal at the Blackbay Group, and an adjunct professor of Finance at Cecil College.
#2 The Bank for International Settlements is warning that global lending is contracting at the fastest pace since the financial crisis of 2008.
#3 Unemployment in the eurozone has hit a brand new all-time record high.
#4 The government of Portugal has just announced that it will be bailing out three major banks.
#5 Many U.S. banking stocks (NYSEARCA:XLF) are being hit extremely hard. For example, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) stock has declined by 40 percent over the past four months.
#6 Yields on Spanish debt and yields on Italian debt have been absolutely soaring.
#7 10 year U.S. Treasury notes hit a record low on Friday because investors are scared and they are looking for safety. The following is from a recent USA Today article….
"Treasuries are at 1.46 because people are freaking out," says Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wells Fargo Economics.
#8 New orders for factory goods in the United States have declined three times in the last four months. That is a sign that the "economic recovery" in the U.S. has clearly stalled.
#9 U.S. job growth in May was well below expectations and the unemployment rate has increased to 8.2 percent.
#10 Economies all over the developed world are seriously slowing down right now. The following is from a recent article by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard….
Brazil wilted in the first quarter. India grew at the slowest pace in nine years. China's HSBC manufacturing index fell further into contraction in May, with new orders dropping sharply and inventories rising.
#11 Stocks in Japan hit a 28 year low on Monday.
#12 Over the past five years, the stock markets of Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and Cyprus have all fallen by more than 50 percent. Will we soon see similar results all over the rest of Europe?
#13 The Greek economy is literally shutting down. Just check out the chaos that unpaid bills are already causing….
And unpaid bills are now threatening Greece's electricity supply. State-owned Electricity Market Operator (LAGIE), a clearing house for power transactions, hasn't paid independent power producers for electricity it bought from them. They, in turn, haven't paid their natural gas supplier, Public Gas Corporation (Depa), which now doesn't have the money to pay its supplier. Payment is due on June 22. Alas, its supplier is Gazprom in Russia, and they insist on getting paid. If not, they will shut the valve, and Depa won't get the gas to supply the independent producers, which will have to take their power plants off line, removing about a third of the country's electricity production.
#14 It is estimated that there are 273 billion dollars of failed real estate loans in the Spanish banking system.
#15 In March, 66 billion euros was pulled out of Spanish banks and sent out of the country. That was an all-time record and that was before we even knew the results of the recent elections in Greece and France. The numbers for April and May will almost certainly be even worse.
#16 The unemployment rate in Spain is 24.4 percent and for those under the age of 25 it is over 50 percent.
#17 Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is warning that Italy may have to take drastic actions if something is not done soon….
"People are in shock. Confidence has collapsed. We have never had such a dark future," he said. Indeed, the jobless rate for youth has jumped from 27pc to 35pc in a year. Terrorism has returned. Anarchists knee-capped the head of Ansaldo Nucleare last month. Italy's tax office chief was nearly blinded by a letter bomb.
"If Europe refuses to listen to our demands, we should say 'bye, bye' and leave the euro. Or tell the Germans to leave the euro if they are not happy," he said.
#18 It now looks like Cyprus is going to be the next European nation to need a bailout.
#19 Switzerland is threatening to implement capital controls in order to stop the massive flow of money that is coming in from banks around the rest of Europe.
#20 As I wrote about the other day, World Bank President Robert Zoellick is warning that "the summer of 2012" could end up being very similar to what we experienced back in 2008….
"Events in Greece could trigger financial fright in Spain, Italy and across the eurozone. The summer of 2012 offers an eerie echo of 2008."
#21 Germany's former vice-Chancellor, Joschka Fischer, is warning that the entire EU could fall apart over this crisis….
"Let's not delude ourselves: If the euro falls apart, so will the European Union, triggering a global economic crisis on a scale that most people alive today have never experienced"
When was the last time that we saw so much bad economic news come out all at once?
2008 perhaps?
We truly live in unprecedented times.
It will be exciting to watch what happens, but it is also important to keep in mind that the coming economic crisis will cause extreme pain for millions upon millions of people.
For example, the suicide of a mother and a son due to the deteriorating economy has absolutely shocked the entire nation of Greece….
A 60-year-old Greek musician and his 91-year-old mother jumped to their deaths from their 5th floor apartment, driven to despair by financial woes. This double death is the latest in a rising epidemic of crisis-induced suicides in Greece.
Witness accounts vary – some say the mother, who suffered from Alzheimer's, jumped first, screaming a prayer as she plummeted to her death. Other neighbors say the mother and her son jumped together, holding hands.
But the one thing everyone seems to agree on is that the family had been struggling for a long time. The night before, Antonis Perris posted a suicide note of sorts on a popular Greek forum, saying he had no way of resolving the family's financial issues.
"The problem is that I didn't realize that I would need to have cash, because the economic crisis came so suddenly. Even though I have been selling our possessions, we have no cash flow, we have no money to buy food anymore and my credit card is maxed out with 22% interest rate."
Perris continued to say that both his and his mother's health deteriorated, and that he saw no solution to his most basic problems – getting food and medical help.
This is why it is so incredibly important to get prepared.
You don't want something like that happening to you or anyone in your family.
Related: Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (NYSEARCA:FAZ), Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA:FAS), UltraShort Financials ETF (NYSEARCA:SKF), Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Citigroup (NYSE:C), JP Morgan (NYSE:JPM).
Written By Michael Snyder From The Economic Collapse
Michael has an undergraduate degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Florida law school. He also has an LLM from the University of Florida law school. Michael has worked for some of the largest law firms in Washington D.C., but now is mostly focus on trying to make a difference in the world.
9 "Must Own" Growth Stocks For 2019
Tags: 2012 BAC banks C debt Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares economic activity economics employees to cancel vacations European nation fear financial financial crisis financial system financials global economy Global Financial global financial system Greece Ireland a Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Italy Joschka Fischer JPM Lehman-type tail event leverage major banks Michael Snyder MS NYSE:BAC NYSE:C NYSE:FAS NYSE:JPM NYSE:MS NYSE:SKF NYSE:XLF NYSEARCA:FAS NYSEARCA:FAZ NYSEARCA:SKF NYSEARCA:XLF Panic Paralyze perfect storm Pimco Tweet Portugal Risk Spain Spanish banking system Summer Switzerland Todd Harrison tweet Todd M. Schoenberger tweet UltraShort Financials ETF Unemployment in the eurozone unemployment rate
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au:"Tang, An" (233)
Imagem por Ressonância Magnética (37)
Neoplasias Hepáticas (32)
Carcinoma Hepatocelular (28)
Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X (19)
Fígado (15)
Algoritmos (11)
Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas (11)
Cirrose Hepática (11)
Sistemas de Informação em Radiologia (10)
Meios de Contraste (8)
Guia de prática clínica (14)
Estudo de prevalência (12)
Revisão sistemática (9)
Estudo diagnóstico (6)
Relato de casos (5)
Estudo prognóstico (5)
Avaliação econômica em saúde (4)
Estudo observacional (3)
MRI-based R2* mapping in patients with suspected or known iron overload.
Aslan, Emre; Luo, Jack W; Lesage, An; Paquin, Philippe; Cerny, Milena; Chin, Anne Shu-Lei; Olivié, Damien; Gilbert, Guillaume; Soulières, Denis; Tang, An.
Abdom Radiol (NY) ; 2021 Jan 02.
PURPOSE: R2* relaxometry is a quantitative method for assessment of iron overload. The purpose is to analyze the cross-sectional relationships between R2* in organs across patients with primary and secondary iron overload. Secondary analyses were conducted to analyze R2* according to treatment regimen. METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, institutional review board-approved study of eighty-one adult patients with known or suspected iron overload. R2* was measured by segmenting the liver, spleen, bone marrow, pancreas, renal cortex, renal medulla, and myocardium using breath-hold multi-echo gradient-recalled echo imaging at 1.5 T. Phlebotomy, transfusion, and chelation therapy were documented. Analyses included correlation, Kruskal-Wallis, and post hoc Dunn tests. p < 0.01 was considered significant. RESULTS: Correlations between liver R2* and that of the spleen, bone marrow, pancreas, and heart were respectively 0.49, 0.33, 0.27, and 0.34. R2* differed between patients with primary and secondary overload in the liver (p < 0.001), spleen (p < 0.001), bone marrow (p < 0.01), renal cortex (p < 0.001), and renal medulla (p < 0.001). Liver, spleen, and bone marrow R2* were higher in thalassemia than in hereditary hemochromatosis (all p < 0.01). Renal cortex R2* was higher in sickle cell disease than in hereditary hemochromatosis (p < 0.001) and in thalassemia (p < 0.001). Overall, there was a trend toward lower liver R2* in patients assigned to phlebotomy and higher liver R2* in patients assigned to transfusion and chelation therapy. CONCLUSION: R2* relaxometry revealed differences in degree or distribution of iron overload between organs, underlying etiologies, and treatment.
[Occurrence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Bacterial Community Structure of Different Sludge Samples During Microwave Pretreatment-Anaerobic Digestion].
Li, Hui-Li; Wu, Cai-Yun; Tang, An-Ping; Tong, Juan; Wei, Yuan-Song.
Huan Jing Ke Xue ; 42(1): 323-332, 2021 Jan 08.
Artigo em Chinês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33372484
The waste sludge of municipal wastewater treatment plants is an important reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes (ARG). It is necessary to explore the fate of ARG, microbial community succession, and the correlations between them. Therefore, the distribution of ARG and the microbial community structure of waste sludge from wastewater treatment plants with A2O and A2O-MBR processes during microwave pretreatment and anaerobic digestion were studied in this research. The results showed that the occurrence of ARG and the microbial community structure were quite different in the waste sludge of A2O and A2O-MBR processes. The microwave pretreatment did not change the microbial community much, whereas the community structure of the digested sludge with pretreatment showed significant differences. Anaerobic digestion had a conformity effect on the distribution of ARG and MGE in the digested sludge with or without pretreatment. Among genes, ermF, qnrS, and blaNDM-1 were the most difficult to be reduced ARG and were prone to propagation during anaerobic digestion. The influence of biomass, ammonia nitrogen, and phosphorus on the distribution of ARG and MGE was higher than that of other environmental factors. The sludge characteristics also showed important impacts on the microbial community, especially on some genera with specific functions. These results could help people to better understand the spread and control of ARG during sludge anaerobic digestion.
Micro-Ondas , Esgotos , Anaerobiose , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Resistência Microbiana a Medicamentos/genética , Genes Bacterianos , Humanos , Eliminação de Resíduos Líquidos
Epidemiological Investigation and Virus Tracing of a Measles Outbreak in Zhoushan Islands, China, 2019.
Zhang, Hui; Chen, Can; Tang, An; Wu, Bing; Liu, Leijie; Wu, Mingyu; Wang, Hongling.
Front Public Health ; 8: 600196, 2020.
Background: Measles transmissions due to case importations challenge public health systems globally and herd immunities in all countries. In 2019, an imported measles case and its subsequently outbreak was found in the Zhoushan Islands. Here, the process of epidemiological investigation and virus tracing were summarized to provide references for the prevention and control of measles in the future. Materials and methods: The data on the demographic, epidemiological, and clinical manifestation of measles cases in this outbreak were collected. The 450 bp fragments of the measles virus (MeV) N gene were amplified and sequenced. The genome of the first imported case was further isolated. Then, the maximum-likelihood and time-scaled phylogenetic analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 28 measles cases were confirmed. Their onsets were between March 13 and May 18, 2019. The first patient was from the Ukraine. He was confirmed at the Fever Clinic in Zhoushan hospital on March 15, 2019 and at the same time, another patient had visited the hospital due to another illness and 10 days later, this second case had onset (March 25, 2019). The epidemic curve shows sustained community transmission. The majority of the following cases (19/26) were clustered on the Donggang street which was close to where the second case worked. The 22 measles virus strains successfully isolated from this outbreak all belonged to the D8.2a sub-cluster and clustered with the KY120864/MVs/GirSomnath.IND/42.16/[D8] which was the predominant genotype in the Ukraine during 2018-2019. The analysis of the complete D8 genotype genome pointed to the fact that this prevailing strain originated from India in 2015 and its substitution rate was estimated as 6.91 × 10-4 (5.64-7.98 × 10-4) nucleotide substitutions/site/year. Conclusion: This outbreak was caused by an imported case from the Ukraine. There was a possible nosocomial infection between the first case and the second case. Then, the second case played an important role in the spread of virus due to her occupation. The molecular phylogenetic analysis could help to track the origin of the virus. Increasing and maintaining the high level of vaccination coverage (≥95%) and an efficient response to imported cases are essential to prevent and control the recurrence and outbreak of measles virus.
Current State of Bibliometric Research on the Scholarly Activity of Academic Radiologists.
Lungu, Eugen; Tang, An; Trop, Isabelle; Soulez, Gilles; Bureau, Nathalie J.
Acad Radiol ; 2020 Nov 03.
In this review article, we discuss the literature pertaining to the bibliometric analysis of academic radiologists' scholarly activity in order to identify current trends, knowledge gaps, and potential future directions. Current research provides cross-sectional analyses of bibliometrics on three main themes: academic ranking, gender disparity, and research funding. The most commonly used parameters are the publication and the citation counts, the h-index and the number of years in academia. The h-index correlates positively with academic ranking and, in the case of editorial board members, with the journal's impact factor. Scholars who have secured National Institutes of Health funding tend to have higher h-indexes than those who have not. Whereas gender balance has been achieved in medical school and in several medical specialties, women remain significantly fewer than men in most areas of radiology. The underrepresentation of women is particularly noticeable at higher academic ranks and in leadership positions, suggesting that significant barriers to female radiologists' career advancement exist. Scholarly productivity of radiology residents and the impact of research on academic productivity are subjects that have received less attention in the published literature. Future studies should focus on whether bibliometric parameters can be used as reliable measurements of scholarly activity to help determine appointments, promotions and grant allocations, and to assess interventions that promote gender parity.
The loss-of-function PCSK9Q152H variant increases ER chaperones GRP78 and GRP94 and protects against liver injury.
Lebeau, Paul F; Wassef, Hanny; Byun, Jae Hyun; Platko, Khrystyna; Ason, Brandon; Jackson, Simon; Dobroff, Joshua; Shetterly, Susan; Richards, William G; Al-Hashimi, Ali A; Won, Kevin D; Mbikay, Majambu; Prat, Annik; Tang, An; Paré, Guillaume; Pasqualini, Renata; Seidah, Nabil G; Arap, Wadih; Chretien, Michel; Austin, Richard C.
J Clin Invest ; 2020 Nov 19.
ABSTRACTIndividuals harboring the loss-of-function (LOF) proprotein convertase subtilising/kexin type 9 Gln152His variation (PCSK9Q152H) have low circulating low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and are therefore protected against cardiovascular disease (CVD). This uncleavable form of pro-PCSK9, however, is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of liver hepatocytes where it would be expected to contribute to ER storage disease (ERSD); a heritable condition known to cause systemic ER stress and liver injury. Here, we examined liver function in members of several French-Canadian families known to carry the PCSK9Q152H variation. We report that PCSK9Q152H carriers exhibited marked hypocholesterolemia and normal liver function despite their lifelong state of ER PCSK9 retention. Mechanistically, hepatic overexpression of PCSK9Q152H using adeno-associated viruses in male mice greatly increased the stability of key ER stress response chaperones in liver hepatocytes and unexpectedly protected against ER stress and liver injury rather than to induce them. Our findings show that ER retention of PCSK9 not only reduced CVD risk in patients but may also protect against ERSD and other ER stress-driven conditions of the liver. In summary, we have uncovered a co-chaperone function for PCSK9Q152H that explains its hepatoprotective effects and generated a translational mouse model for further mechanistic insights into this clinically relevant LOF PCSK9 variant.
Canadian Association of Radiologists White Paper on De-Identification of Medical Imaging: Part 1, General Principles.
Parker, William; Jaremko, Jacob L; Cicero, Mark; Azar, Marleine; El-Emam, Khaled; Gray, Bruce G; Hurrell, Casey; Lavoie-Cardinal, Flavie; Desjardins, Benoit; Lum, Andrea; Sheremeta, Lori; Lee, Emil; Reinhold, Caroline; Tang, An; Bromwich, Rebecca.
Can Assoc Radiol J ; : 846537120967349, 2020 Nov 03.
The application of big data, radiomics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in radiology requires access to large data sets containing personal health information. Because machine learning projects often require collaboration between different sites or data transfer to a third party, precautions are required to safeguard patient privacy. Safety measures are required to prevent inadvertent access to and transfer of identifiable information. The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) is the national voice of radiology committed to promoting the highest standards in patient-centered imaging, lifelong learning, and research. The CAR has created an AI Ethical and Legal standing committee with the mandate to guide the medical imaging community in terms of best practices in data management, access to health care data, de-identification, and accountability practices. Part 1 of this article will inform CAR members on principles of de-identification, pseudonymization, encryption, direct and indirect identifiers, k-anonymization, risks of reidentification, implementations, data set release models, and validation of AI algorithms, with a view to developing appropriate standards to safeguard patient information effectively.
Canadian Association of Radiologists White Paper on De-identification of Medical Imaging: Part 2, Practical Considerations.
The application of big data, radiomics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in radiology requires access to large data sets containing personal health information. Because machine learning projects often require collaboration between different sites or data transfer to a third party, precautions are required to safeguard patient privacy. Safety measures are required to prevent inadvertent access to and transfer of identifiable information. The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) is the national voice of radiology committed to promoting the highest standards in patient-centered imaging, lifelong learning, and research. The CAR has created an AI Ethical and Legal standing committee with the mandate to guide the medical imaging community in terms of best practices in data management, access to health care data, de-identification, and accountability practices. Part 2 of this article will inform CAR members on the practical aspects of medical imaging de-identification, strengths and limitations of de-identification approaches, list of de-identification software and tools available, and perspectives on future directions.
Imaging Database Preparation for Machine Learning.
van der Pol, Christian B; Tang, An.
Can Assoc Radiol J ; : 846537120967720, 2020 Oct 16.
Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MRI for the characterization of inflammation in chronic liver disease.
Lefebvre, Thierry; Hébert, Mélanie; Bilodeau, Laurent; Sebastiani, Giada; Cerny, Milena; Olivié, Damien; Gao, Zu-Hua; Sylvestre, Marie-Pierre; Cloutier, Guy; Nguyen, Bich N; Gilbert, Guillaume; Tang, An.
Eur Radiol ; 2020 Sep 02.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for grading hepatic inflammation. METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional dual-center study, 91 patients with chronic liver disease were recruited between September 2014 and September 2018. Patients underwent 3.0-T MRI examinations within 6 weeks from a liver biopsy. IVIM parameters, perfusion fraction (f), diffusion coefficient (D), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), were estimated using a voxel-wise nonlinear regression on DWI series (10 b-values from 0 to 800 s/mm2). The reference standard was histopathological analysis of hepatic inflammation grade, steatosis grade, and fibrosis stage. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), univariate and multivariate correlation analyses, and areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were assessed. RESULTS: Parameters f, D, and D* had ICCs of 0.860, 0.839, and 0.916, respectively. Correlations of f, D, and D* with inflammation grade were ρ = - 0.70, p < 0.0001; ρ = 0.10, p = 0.35; and ρ = - 0.27, p = 0.010, respectively. When adjusting for fibrosis and steatosis, the correlation between f and inflammation (p < 0.0001) remained, and that between f and fibrosis was also significant to a lesser extent (p = 0.002). AUCs of f, D, and D* for distinguishing inflammation grades 0 vs. ≥ 1 were 0.84, 0.53, and 0.70; ≤ 1 vs. ≥ 2 were 0.88, 0.57, and 0.60; and ≤ 2 vs. 3 were 0.86, 0.54, and 0.65, respectively. CONCLUSION: Perfusion fraction f strongly correlated, D very weakly correlated, and D* weakly correlated with inflammation. Among all IVIM parameters, f accurately graded inflammation and showed promise as a biomarker of hepatic inflammation. KEY POINTS: • IVIM parameters derived from DWI series with 10 b-values are reproducible for liver tissue characterization. • This retrospective two-center study showed that perfusion fraction provided good diagnostic performance for distinguishing dichotomized grades of inflammation. • Fibrosis is a significant confounder on the association between inflammation and perfusion fraction.
CRISPR/Cas12a-based dual amplified biosensing system for sensitive and rapid detection of polynucleotide kinase/phosphatase.
Wang, Dong-Xia; Wang, Jing; Du, Yi-Chen; Ma, Jia-Yi; Wang, Si-Yuan; Tang, An-Na; Kong, De-Ming.
Biosens Bioelectron ; 168: 112556, 2020 Nov 15.
We reported a CRISPR/Cas-based dual amplified sensing strategy for rapid, sensitive and selective detection of polynucleotide kinase/phosphatase (PNKP), a DNA damage repair-related biological enzyme. In this strategy, a PNKP-triggered nicking enzyme-mediated strand displacement amplification reaction was introduced to enrich the activator DNA strands for CRISPR/Cas. Such an isothermal DNA amplification step, together with subsequent activated CRISPR/Cas-catalyzed cleavage of fluorescent-labeled short-stranded DNA probes, enable synergetic signal amplification for sensitive PNKP detection. The proposed strategy showed a wide linear detection range (more than 3 orders of magnitude ranging from 1× 10-5 to 2.5 × 10-2 U/mL T4 PNKP) and a detection limit as low as 3.3 × 10-6 U/mL. It was successfully used for the PNKP activity detection in cell extracts with high fidelity and displayed great potential for enzyme inhibitor screening and inhibitory capability evaluation. This work broadens the applications of CRISPR/Cas12a-based sensors to biological enzymes and provides a way to improve the sensitivity by introducing an isothermal signal amplification step. Such an isothermal DNA amplification-CRISPR/Cas-combined biosensor design concept might expand CRISPR/Cas-based sensing systems and promote their applications in various fields such as disease diagnosis and drug screening.
Using MRI to Assess Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Tang, An.
Radiology ; 297(3): 582-583, 2020 12.
Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/diagnóstico por imagem , Gadolínio DTPA , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico por imagem , Imagem por Ressonância Magnética , Variações Dependentes do Observador
Plasma volume, cell volume, total blood volume and F factor in the tree shrew.
Xia, Wei; Huang, Zong-Jian; Guo, Zhao-Liang; Feng, Yi-Wei; Zhang, Chao-Yin; He, Guang-Yao; Tang, An-Zhou.
In this study, the physiological values of volumes of plasma, cells, total blood and the F blood factors were identified in 24 adult tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri; 12 male and 12 female; average BW of 123.9±19.19 g). The two-compartment model method of Evans Blue dye was used to obtain the plasma volume and the venous hematocrit was measured by microhematocrit method. To establish the relationship between body weight (BW) and blood volume of tree shrews, We performed linear fitting for these two datasets. Results were analyzed according to gender and weight (<120g vs.>120g). Statistical significance was assessed using the unpaired student t test and one-way ANOVA. The average volumes per 100g body weight of plasma, red blood cell (RBC) and total blood were 5.42±0.543, 3.24±0.445, and 8.66±0.680ml respectively. The mean body hematocrit, cardiac hematocrit, jugular vein hematocrit, femoral vein hematocrit, and tail vein hematocrit was 37.43±4.096, 39.72±3.219, 43.04±4.717, 40.84±3.041, and 38.71±3.442% respectively. The F cardiac was 0.94±0.072, F jugular vein 0.88±0.118, F femoral vein 0.92±0.111, and the F tail vein 0.97±0.117. Blood volume (ml) was 85.89103×BW (kg). This is the first study to provide the parameters of plasma volume, cell volume, total blood volume and F factor and a baseline for future research on blood physiology of tree shrews.
Tupaiidae/sangue , Animais , Volume Sanguíneo , Peso Corporal , Tamanho Celular , Feminino , Hematócrito , Masculino , Volume Plasmático , Tupaiidae/fisiologia
LI-RADS ancillary features on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.
Dietrich, Christoph F; Dong, Yi; Kono, Yuko; Caraiani, Cosmin; Sirlin, Claude B; Cui, Xin-Wu; Tang, An.
Ultrasonography ; 39(3): 221-228, 2020 Jul.
The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) was created to standardize liver imaging in patients at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and it uses a diagnostic algorithm to assign categories that reflect the relative probability of HCC, non-HCC malignancies, or benign focal liver lesions. In addition to major imaging features, ancillary features (AFs) are used by radiologists to refine the categorization of liver nodules. In the present document, we discuss and explain the application of AFs currently defined within the LI-RADS guidelines. We also explore possible additional AFs visible on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). Finally, we summarize the management of CEUS LI-RADS features, including the role of current and potential future AFs.
Imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma: a pilot international survey.
Tang, An; Abukasm, Karma; Moura Cunha, Guilherme; Song, Bin; Wang, Jin; Wagner, Mathilde; Dietrich, Christoph F; Brancatelli, Giuseppe; Ueda, Kazuhiko; Choi, Jin-Young; Aguirre, Diego; Sirlin, Claude B.
Abdom Radiol (NY) ; 2020 Jun 01.
PURPOSE: To perform an international survey on current practices in imaging-based surveillance, diagnosis, staging, and assessment of treatment response for HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three themes were covered in this international survey: demographics of respondents and liver imaging expertise; imaging practices for screening, surveillance, diagnosis, staging, and assessment of treatment response for HCC; and diagnostic imaging systems used. Descriptive summaries were created. RESULTS: Of 151 respondents, 22.5% were from Asia, 6.0% from Europe, 19.9% from North America, 26.5% from South America, and 25.2% from Australasia; 57.0% respondents worked in academic and 34.4% in private or mixed settings. Non-contrast ultrasound was most commonly used for screening and surveillance of HCC (90.7%), and multiphase computed tomography was used for diagnosis (96.0%). Extracellular contrast agents (69.5%) were the most commonly used MRI contrast agents and Lumason/SonoVue (31.1%) is the most commonly used contrast-enhanced ultrasound contrast agent. A majority (94.0%) of respondents use ancillary imaging features for assessment of liver lesions in at-risk patients. Usage of diagnostic imaging systems for HCC varied by region. RECIST or mRECIST criteria were most commonly used for assessing HCC treatment response (48.3%). Most respondents agreed that a standardized classification for the diagnosis of HCC is needed (68.9%) and that an atlas and lexicon would help improve inter-reader agreement (71.5%). CONCLUSION: Practices and recommendations for imaging of HCC vary between geographical regions. Future efforts to develop a unified system should address regional differences and potential barriers for adoption of a standardized diagnostic system for HCC.
Do Women Have Equal Chances for an Academic Career in Radiation Oncology in Canada? A Comparison With Related Specialties.
Taussky, Leah; Harmouch, Sabrina; Delouya, Guila; Lambert, Carole; Bahary, Jean-Paul; Lambert, Louise; Masucci, Laura; Blais, Normand; Tang, An; Liberman, Daniel; Zorn, Kevin C; Taussky, Daniel.
Adv Radiat Oncol ; 5(3): 313-317, 2020.
Purpose: The progress of women in academic medicine appears to be curtailed. We evaluated gender differences in academia for residents in radiation oncology compared with 2 of its related specialties, radiology and medical oncology, across Canada. Methods and Materials: We analyzed abstracts presented between 2013 and 2016 at the annual meetings of the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncologists and compared it to the corresponding data for the meetings of the Canadian Association of Radiologists and Canadian Association of Medical Oncology. We further evaluated gender composition of abstracts, presentations, and publications available on PubMed. Conversion rates according to gender and to medical specialties were assessed. Proportions were compared using Fisher exact test or the chi-squared test. Results: Among the 198 presented abstracts, 103 (52%) were published. Radiation oncology had the highest publishing rate with 90% (oncology 56%, radiology 40%). The publication rate between the medical specialties was significantly different (P < .001).Fifty-seven percent of abstracts presented by women were published versus 48% of abstracts presented by men. Overall, there was no significant difference between genders in terms of subsequent conversions into a scientific publication within each specialty (P = .25-1.0).In radiation oncology, women presented 67% of abstracts and published 95% of their presented abstracts, and in medical oncology, 66% of abstracts were from women and 57% of the presented abstracts were published. Among the published abstracts, 83% had the same first author in the abstract and the publication. Among those who lost their first-authorship status, 59% were women. However, there was no statistically significant difference between specialties for loss of first-author status. Conclusions: We observed that from 2013 to 2016, women had the highest presentation and publication rate in radiation oncology. More prospective data are needed to monitor the progress of women in all specialties and their specific needs.
In vivo Ultrafast Quantitative Ultrasound and Shear Wave Elastography Imaging on Farm-Raised Duck Livers during Force Feeding.
Gesnik, Marc; Bhatt, Manish; Roy Cardinal, Marie-Hélène; Destrempes, François; Allard, Louise; Nguyen, Bich N; Alquier, Thierry; Giroux, Jean-François; Tang, An; Cloutier, Guy.
Ultrasound Med Biol ; 46(7): 1715-1726, 2020 Jul.
Shear wave elastography (speed and dispersion), local attenuation coefficient slope and homodyned-K parametric imaging were used for liver steatosis grading. These ultrasound biomarkers rely on physical interactions between shear and compression waves with tissues at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. These techniques were applied in a context not yet studied with ultrasound imaging, that is, monitoring steatosis of force-fed duck livers from pre-force-fed to foie gras stages. Each estimated feature presented a statistically significant trend along the feeding process (p values <10-3). However, whereas a monotonic increase in the shear wave speed was observed along the process, most quantitative ultrasound features exhibited an absolute maximum value halfway through the process. As the liver fat fraction in foie gras is much higher than that seen clinically, we hypothesized that a change in the ultrasound scattering regime is encountered for high-fat fractions, and consequently, care has to be taken when applying ultrasound biomarkers to grading of severe states of steatosis.
Hepatic enhancement in cirrhosis in the portal venous phase: what are the differences between gadoxetate disodium and gadobenate dimeglumine?
Vernuccio, Federica; Cannella, Roberto; Gozzo, Cecilia; Greco, Valeria; Midiri, Massimo; Furlan, Alessandro; Tang, An; Brancatelli, Giuseppe.
Abdom Radiol (NY) ; 45(8): 2409-2417, 2020 08.
PURPOSE: To compare the level of parenchymal and portal venous enhancement in the portal venous phase (PVP) in cirrhotic patients undergoing gadoxetate disodium- and gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 84 cirrhotic patients (mean age ± SD: 66 ± 13 years) who underwent contrast-enhanced MRI with both gadoxetate disodium and gadobenate dimeglumine between 2012 and 2018 were included. Two readers measured signal intensities of hepatic parenchyma, portal vein and psoas muscle on precontrast and PVP. Relative enhancement (RE), image contrast, and portal vein-to-liver contrast difference were calculated. Intraindividual differences were compared with the Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test and inter-reader differences with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: In PVP, gadoxetate disodium provided lower RE than gadobenate dimeglumine (Reader 1: 42.4 ± 44.6 vs. 56.1 ± 58.8, p = 0.044; Reader 2: 42.4 ± 42.9 vs. 57.7 ± 60.5, p = 0.027;), lower image contrast (Reader 1: 0.27 ± 0.11 vs. 0.35 ± 0.11, respectively; p < 0.001; Reader 2: 0.29 ± 0.10 vs. 0.37 ± 0.07, respectively; p < 0.001), and lower portal vein-to-liver contrast difference (Reader 1: 0.89 ± 0.39 vs. 1.42 ± 0.90, p < 0.001; Reader 2: 0.95 ± 0.40 vs. 1.28 ± 0.37, p < 0.001). ICC was 0.94, 0.79, and 0.69 for RE, image contrast, and portal vein-to-liver contrast difference, respectively. CONCLUSION: In cirrhotic patients, gadoxetate disodium yielded lower enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma and lower contrast of the portal vein than gadobenate dimeglumine in PVP.
Isothermal cross-boosting extension-nicking reaction mediated exponential signal amplification for ultrasensitive detection of polynucleotide kinase.
Li, Xiao-Yu; Cui, Yun-Xi; Du, Yi-Chen; Tang, An-Na; Kong, De-Ming.
Analyst ; 145(10): 3742-3748, 2020 May 21.
A novel nucleic acid-based isothermal signal amplification strategy, named cross-boosting extension-nicking reaction (CBENR) is developed and successfully used for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of polynucleotide kinase (PNK) activity. Only two simple oligonucleotides (recognition substrate (RS) and TaqMan probe) are applied to construct the PNK-sensing platform. In the presence of PNK, the 3'-phosphate end of RS will be converted to the 3'-hydroxyl one, and then extended to a long poly-adenine (poly-A) sequence under the catalysis of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). The poly-A sequence provides multiple binding sites for the TaqMan probe to form multiple DNA duplexes. Subsequently, ribonuclease HII (RNase HII) cuts the TaqMan probe into two parts at the pre-set uracil site, generating a fluorescence signal and providing new substrates for TdT elongation. The TdT-catalyzed substrate extension and RNase HII-catalyzed probe nicking are boosted by each other, resulting in persistent enlargement of these two reactions and thus giving ultrahigh signal amplification efficiency. Utilizing the CBENR-based PNK sensor, ultrasensitive detection of PNK activity was achieved with a detection limit as low as 3.0 × 10-6 U mL-1. Quantification of endogenous PNK activity at the single-cell level and the screening/evaluation of PNK inhibitors were also achieved.
Chiral Interaction Is a Decisive Factor To Replace d-DNA with l-DNA Aptamers.
Feng, Xue-Nan; Cui, Yun-Xi; Zhang, Jing; Tang, An-Na; Mao, Han-Bin; Kong, De-Ming.
Anal Chem ; 92(9): 6470-6477, 2020 05 05.
Nucleic acid aptamers have been widely used in various fields such as biosensing, DNA chip, and medical diagnosis. However, the high susceptibility of nucleic acids to ubiquitous nucleases reduces the biostability of aptamers and limits their applications in biological contexts. Therefore, improving the biostability of aptamers becomes an urgent need. Herein, we present a simple strategy to resolve this problem by directly replacing the d-DNA-based aptamers with left-handed l-DNA. By testing several reported aptamers against respective targets, we found that our proposed strategy stood up well for nonchiral small molecule targets (e.g., Hemin and cationic porphyrin) and chiral targets whose interactions with aptamers are chirality-independent (e.g., ATP). We also found that the l-DNA aptamers were indeed endowed with greatly improved biostability due to the extraordinary resistance of l-DNA to nuclease digestion. With respect to other small-molecule targets whose interactions with aptamers are chirality-dependent (e.g., kanamycin) and biomacromolecules (e.g., tyrosine kinase-7), however, the proposed strategy was not entirely effective likely due to the participation of the DNA backbone chirality into the target recognition. In spite of this limitation, this strategy indeed paves an easy way to screen highly biostable aptamers important for the applications in many fields.
Facile Removal of Phytochromes and Efficient Recovery of Pesticides Using Heteropore Covalent Organic Framework-Based Magnetic Nanospheres and Electrospun Films.
Li, Wei; Jiang, Hong-Xin; Geng, Yue; Wang, Xiao-Han; Gao, Rong-Zhi; Tang, An-Na; Kong, De-Ming.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 12(18): 20922-20932, 2020 May 06.
Nontargeted analysis of food safety requires selective removal of interference matrices and highly efficient recovery of chemical hazards. Porous materials such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs) show great promise in selective adsorption of matrix molecules via size selectivity. Considering the complexity of interference matrices, we prepared crystalline heteropore COFs whose two kinds of pores have comparable sizes to those of several common phytochromes, main interference matrices in vegetable sample analysis. By controlling the growth of COFs on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles or by utilizing a facile co-electrospinning method, heteropore COF-based magnetic nanospheres or electrospun nanofiber films were prepared, respectively. Both the nanospheres and the films maintain the dual-pore structures of COFs and show good stability and excellent reusability. Via simple magnetic separation or immersion operation, respectively, they were successfully used for the complete removal of phytochromes and highly efficient recovery of 15 pesticides from the extracts of four vegetable samples, and the recoveries are in the range of 83.10-114.00 and 60.52-107.35%, respectively. Film-based immersion operation gives better sample pretreatment performance than the film-based filtration one. This work highlights the great application potentials of heteropore COFs in sample pretreatment for nontargeted analysis, thus opening up a new way to achieve high-performance sample preparation in many fields such as food safety analysis, environment monitoring, and so on.
au:"Tang, An"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The South's Shocking Hidden History: Thousands of Blacks Forced Into Slavery Until WW2
Jan 16, 2013 Source: alternet.org
The horrifying, little-known story of how hundreds of thousands of blacks worked in brutal bondage right up to the middle of the 20th century.
On July 31, 1903, a letter addressed to President Theodore Roosevelt arrived at the White House. It had been mailed from the town of Bainbridge, Georgia, the prosperous seat of a cotton county perched on the Florida state line.
The sender was a barely literate African American woman named Carrie Kinsey. With little punctuation and few capital letters, she penned the bare facts of the abduction of her fourteen-year-old brother, James Robinson, who a year earlier had been sold into involuntary servitude.
Kinsey had already asked for help from the powerful white people in her world. She knew where her brother had been taken—a vast plantation not far away called Kinderlou. There, hundreds of black men and boys were held in chains and forced to labor in the fields or in one of several factories owned by the McRee family, one of the wealthiest and most powerful in Georgia. No white official in this corner of the state would take an interest in the abduction and enslavement of a black teenager.
Confronted with a world of indifferent white people, Mrs. Kinsey did the only remaining thing she could think of. Newspapers across the country had recently reported on a speech by Roosevelt promising a "square deal" for black Americans. Mrs. Kinsey decided that her only remaining hope was to beg the president of the United States to help her brother.
"Mr. Prassident," she wrote. "They wont let me have him.… He hase not don nothing for them to have him in chanes so I rite to you for your help."
Considered more than a century later, her letter courses with desperation and submerged outrage. Yet when received at the White House, it was slipped into a small rectangular folder and forwarded to the Department of Justice. There, it was tagged with a reference number, 12007, and filed away. Teddy Roosevelt never saw it. No action was taken. Her words lie still at the National Archives just outside Washington, D.C.
As dumbfounding as the story told by the Carrie Kinsey letter is, far more remarkable is what surrounds that letter at the National Archives. In the same box that holds her grief-stricken missive are at least half a dozen other pieces of correspondence recounting other stories of kidnapping, perversion of the courts, or human trafficking—as horrifying as, or worse than, Carrie Kinsey's tale. It is the same in the next box on the shelf. And the one before. And the ones on either side of those. And the next and the next. And on and on. Thousands and thousands of plaintive letters and grimly bureaucratic responses—altogether at least 30,000 pages of original material—chronicle cases of forced labor and involuntary servitude in the South decades after the end of the Civil War.
"i have a little girl that has been kidnapped from me … and i cant get her out," wrote Reverend L. R. Farmer, pastor of a black Baptist church in Morganton, North Carolina. "i want ask you is it law for people to whip (col) people and keep them and not allow them to leave without a pass."
A farmer near Pine Apple, Alabama, named J. R. Adams, writing of terrible abuses by the dominant landowning family in the county, was one of the astonishingly few white southerners who also complained to the Department of Justice. "They have held negroes … for years," Adams wrote. "It is a very rare thing that a negro escapes."
A similar body of material rests in the files of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the one institution that undertook any sustained effort to address at least the most terrible cases. Dwarfing everything at those repositories are the still largely unexamined collections of local records in courthouses across the South. In dank basements, abandoned buildings, and local archives, seemingly endless numbers of files contain hundreds of thousands of handwritten entries documenting in monotonous granularity the details of an immense, metastasizing horror that stretched well into the twentieth century.
Read the full article at: alternet.org
Police To Pursue Online Trolls And Receive Hidden Browser History From Internet Providers
The Thracians, a Hidden History


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Milwaukee band Dead Horses' van totaled, slammed by hit-and-run driver
Just five days after playing one of the biggest shows of their career — opening for the Who at Alpine Valley Music Theatre — Milwaukee band Dead Horses had a frightening car crash coming home from a gig.
The acclaimed Americana group played the Hideout in Chicago Thursday night, and was returning back to Milwaukee when they were struck by a reckless driver on I-94 who fled the scene, according to the band's Facebook post Friday night.
"Thankful to be alive," the band wrote. "Thankful to only suffer from cuts and bruises."
The band's van, dubbed Shirley, was flipped on its right side and totaled. Footage of the aftermath was posted on Facebook; several windows were shattered and the whole right side of the van is badly damaged.
In the Facebook post, the band thanked Good Samaritans who stopped and helped get Dead Horses out of the van on the highway. And they asked for "(gentle) high fives and hugs" from friends and fans seeing their Wisconsin shows this month.
"Be safe out there," the band wrote.
In another Facebook post Saturday afternoon, the band also thanked "our friends in the local scene who have been reaching out offering vehicles and gear! When you're on the road a bit, you sometimes forget you still exist as part of a larger community. We're all leaning on and appreciating that support right now."
The band also mentioned the possibility of a GoFundMe campaign once they sort out details with their insurance provider.
Dead Horses is continuing with its tour, including the band's first headlining appearance at the Pabst Theater Saturday night. They're scheduled to play the Pablo Center at the Confluence in Eau Claire Sunday, and Pierce Hill Performing Arts in Viroqua Sept. 21.
RELATED:Review of the Who and Dead Horses at Alpine Valley Music Theatre
RELATED:'It was a rush': Dead Horses reflect on opening for the Who at Alpine Valley
RELATED:Dead Horses' "My Mother The Moon" one of the 10 best Milwaukee albums of 2018


1.2.1 Alcatel 1 is set to be the latest budget smartphone in the company's lineup. When Alcatel 1X debuted at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in Barcelona, it was one of the first Android Go smartphones. The smartphone, which was announced at CES 2018 alongside the new Alcatel 3V and Alcatel 5, features Android Oreo (Go edition) alongside a suite of pre-installed Google apps that are designed to deliver an optimised user experience despite using budget hardware. Similarly, the Alcatel 1 is said to be arriving with identical features for the most part.
1.3.1 The new Alcatel 1 recently popped up in Russia, but we do not have too many details regarding the price and availability of the smartphone. As per the Russian site Helpix, the Alcatel 1 runs Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition), which is very good considering the lowly specifications at play. The Alcatel 1 sports a 5-inch (480×960 pixels) 18:9 touchscreen, a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front camera (neither with autofocus), and a 2000mAh battery. On the bright side, the Alcatel 1 offers LTE support and dual-SIM functionality.
1.3.2 Alcatel 1 will be powered by the MediaTek MT6739 SoC, which has a 1.3 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU. Other specifications include, users also get just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage, which you should find barely workable with the special Go apps suite that takes up less space than you'd expect. The phone has LTE connectivity, although only up to Cat.4 (150Mbps down, 50Mbps up), GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and dual-SIM functionality. Its dimensions are 137.6×65.7×9.8mm and it weighs 134g. The Alcatel 1 will be available in Black, Blue, and Gold.
1.3.3 Notably, Alcatel has not announced any official details of the smartphone yet. It is apparently free, by announcing how much its newest Android Go smartphone costs, but if you're thinking of getting one when it goes on sale in your country, then you might want to know it will be available.
Alcatel 1 is set to be the latest budget smartphone in the company's lineup. When Alcatel 1X debuted at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in Barcelona, it was one of the first Android Go smartphones. The smartphone, which was announced at CES 2018 alongside the new Alcatel 3V and Alcatel 5, features Android Oreo (Go edition) alongside a suite of pre-installed Google apps that are designed to deliver an optimised user experience despite using budget hardware. Similarly, the Alcatel 1 is said to be arriving with identical features for the most part.
The new Alcatel 1 recently popped up in Russia, but we do not have too many details regarding the price and availability of the smartphone. As per the Russian site Helpix, the Alcatel 1 runs Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition), which is very good considering the lowly specifications at play. The Alcatel 1 sports a 5-inch (480×960 pixels) 18:9 touchscreen, a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front camera (neither with autofocus), and a 2000mAh battery. On the bright side, the Alcatel 1 offers LTE support and dual-SIM functionality.
Alcatel 1 will be powered by the MediaTek MT6739 SoC, which has a 1.3 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU. Other specifications include, users also get just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage, which you should find barely workable with the special Go apps suite that takes up less space than you'd expect. The phone has LTE connectivity, although only up to Cat.4 (150Mbps down, 50Mbps up), GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and dual-SIM functionality. Its dimensions are 137.6×65.7×9.8mm and it weighs 134g. The Alcatel 1 will be available in Black, Blue, and Gold.
Notably, Alcatel has not announced any official details of the smartphone yet. It is apparently free, by announcing how much its newest Android Go smartphone costs, but if you're thinking of getting one when it goes on sale in your country, then you might want to know it will be available.


The Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) promotes student achievement by providing professional development opportunities based on state and national standards in art, dance, music, and theatre.
art, music, theatre, and dance education in K-12 Texas schools. The Center for Educator Development in the Fine Arts (CEDFA) promotes student achievement in the fine arts by defining and supporting quality TEKS-based professional development for Texas educators.
Guided by its Task Force, CEDFA has identified the following four goals and corresponding achievement strategies to direct the Center's actions.
assisting policymakers in using the Fine Arts TEKS when designing and implementing a restructured teacher licensure system and the resulting teacher education programs.
working with professional associations to ensure that their professional development offerings are aligned with the TEKS.
demonstrating problem-focused models for implementing the TEKS.
using references and resources to assist them in further exploration and inquiry.


I'm Megan Dunagan, an artist and illustrator specializing in feminine and moody artwork. My favorite markets to design for are Greetings, Home Décor, and Gift.
I'm proudly self-taught in art with schooling in photography and 10 years as a professional designer in the textile industry.
The iPad is where I create most of my work nowadays. I feel the most freedom with it and have seen my style coalesce into something I love. What can I say, the Undo option is a life-changer!
I grew up and spent my first 30 years in Southern California, but am currently on the Space Coast in Florida. I make a home with my engineer and our torbie cat whom we call Kitty. I enjoy enchiladas, practicing yoga, historical dramas, knitting, (time)traveling, reading, and spreadsheets; definitely spreadsheets.
TJX, Mpix, Design House Greetings, Carson, and more.
Included in Make it in Design. March 2015.
Featured in Tigerprint. April 2015.
Included in Make Art that Sells. October 2015.
Featured in Pattern Observer. August 2015.
Homepage feature on They Draw and Cook. October 2016.
Featured on Rise Design & Shine. May 2018.


The fun and festivities of the All-Star Break are officially over, which means it's time to get back to the real business of baseball. And with a great weekend ahead of us, we've selected the top MLB betting series to start the second half of the baseball season. The second half gets started on Friday night, and we are going to be treated to some great series to get the ball rolling. The second half is a chance for the top teams to continue to dominate, while the chasing pack can feel as though they are starting fresh in their hunt to get back in the race. Over the years, we have seen big leads wiped out coming down the stretch, so this is a time when hope blooms eternal for the chasing pack. Without further ado, let's take a closer look at the weekend MLB series that should grab your betting attention.
When: Friday, 7:10 PM ET; Saturday, 4:05 p.m. ET; Sunday Game 1, 1:05 p.m. ET; Sunday Game 2, 8:05 p.m. ET Where: Fenway Park, Boston TV: MLB Network (Friday), Fox Sports 1 (Saturday), TBS (Sunday Game 1), ESPN (Sunday Game 2) Radio: WFAN 660 (NY), WCEC 1490 AM (Boston) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Betting Odds: TBA Given the state of these two teams over the last few season, this great rivalry has lost some of its spark. The great news for baseball fans is that the hate is back again in a big way, as these two are once again battling it out for top spot in the AL East. The Yankees probably needed the break that came this week, as they ended the first half on a bit of a skid. The performance of Aaron Judge in the Home Run Derby is sure to have him and his teammates fired up and ready to go, which they will need to be if they want to start making some inroads in the 3.5-game lead that the Red Sox have in the division.
When: Friday 7:10pm CT; Saturday 6:10pm CT; Sunday 1:10pm CT Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas TV: FSNO, ROOTSW (Friday) / FSNO, ROOTSW (Saturday) / FSNO, ROOTSW (Sunday) Radio: Go 96.3 (Minnesota) / KBME 790 (Houston) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Betting Odds: TBA There were a couple of surprise teams that performed really well through the first half of the season, perhaps none more surprising than the Minnesota Twins. They had the lead atop the Central Division for a good portion of the season before being passed by the Cleveland Indians, but at just 2.5 games out of first, they are still very much in the hunt. Their second half is about to get off to a very tough start, as they need to go on the road to face a Houston Astros team that was about as good as it gets in the first half of the season. Houston, who are 60-29 right now, will be looking to pick up right where they left off.
When: Friday & Saturday, 7:05 PM ET; Sunday, 1:35 PM ET Where: Camden Yards, Baltimore TV: CSN-C, MASN (Friday), ABC 7, MASN (Saturday), ABC 7, MASN (Sunday) Radio: 670 The Score (Chicago) / 105.7 The Fan (Baltimore) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Betting Odds: TBA The current world champions had a first half to forget, which went against everything that baseball pundits believed would happen. Most baseball fans believed that the Cubs would roll to another division crown, another 100+ wins, and potentially another World Series, but they finished the first half an unbelievable 2 games under .500. The Cubs are not in a particularly strong division, though, and are just 5.5 games out of first, which is a number they should be good enough to overcome. The Cubs will start their second half with a tricky visit to Baltimore to face the Orioles.
When: Friday 10:07pm ET; Saturday 9:07pm ET; Sunday Where: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California TV: Fox Sports Sun (Friday) / Fox Sports Sun (Saturday) / Fox Sports Sun (Sunday) Radio: WDAE 620 AM (Tampa Bay) / (LA) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Betting Odds: TBA While all the attention in the AL East has gone to the Yankees and the Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays have quietly put together a solid run of games that has pulled them to within 3.5 games of Boston at the top. Even if they are not able to make up all the ground in the second half, they are still a legitimate contender for a Wild Card spot, which they would have landed in with the Yankees had the season ended with the first half. Realistically, the only way into the postseason for the Angels is through the Wild Card. They find themselves in second in the AL West, but they are 16.5 games back of the Astros, which seems like way too much to overcome. They are, though, just 3 games out of the Wild Card, so this series becomes a little more important than most.


Miracle Noodle Auto Delivery is a service we developed for you, so that you'll never be left without your favorite healthy noodles. This program is designed to help you stay healthy and cut calories in the most convenient way! You tell us what noodles you want and how often you would like them shipped when you are checking out on Miraclenoodle.com, then we ship you your favorite noodles automatically. The best part is that with each Auto Delivery order you always receive 15% off and we send you an exclusive gift! Our easy-to-use customer interface allows you to make changes, postpone deliveries, or change intervals with the click of a button!


Royale Lacroix certainly has the solution.
Royale Lacroix is one of the European market's biggest players in its segment, and its products are designed especially for food sector professionals.
In this context, our privileged partners are small companies as well as famous corporate groups, integrating our margarines or fats in their recipes. From margarine of incorporation (sauces and prepared dishes) to the more specific margarines that are our speciality (for croissants and puff pastry), we cover all sectors of the agri-food industry.
In most cases we propose customized solutions to meet our customers' specific needs (specifications, composition requirements, process requirements, and so on).
In addition to a whole range of easy-to-pump liquid emulsions, we are also able to present shortenings adapted to every use.
Perfect for the preparation of the best puff pastries, our margarine and fats have been selected to meet all your specifications. These products, with a pleasant color and a delicious flavour, will be the perfect solution for your favourite recipe!
Like our puff pastry margarine range, our margarines and fats for croissants (or crescent rolls) have been developed to meet your process needs and end-product expectations.
The choice of our raw materials, coupled to rigorous crystallization, will guarantee excellence in terms of plasticity and the dough's development.
In addition to paying special attention to nutritional concepts, our recipes are adapted to various work environments (cool environment, etc.) for making succulent Danish pastries.
Ideal for the preparation of the best yeast dough, short crust pastries, and so on, our margarines and fats have been selected to meet all your specifications.
With their pleasant colour and delicious flavour, these margarines can be included in many bakery and pastry applications.
With remarkable expansion coefficients, our various ranges of margarines will guarantee the best performances for your light garnishes, "butter" creams, and pastes.
Whether for making your most unctuous white and other sauces or for cooking and roasting, this range will delight the finest gourmets.
Made of carefully selected raw materials, our organic margarine range covers various appplication.
We are concerned about the environment, that's why we are part of the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) and we buy RSPO certified Palm Oil.
This means that we support sustainable production that respects environmental, social and economic requirements (RSPO Website – Member : Royale Lacroix).
For more information, do not hesitate to contact us !


Our products' high quality standard forms the basis for economic security of our company, our competitiveness and constant expansion in market share. Quality to us means fulfilling our customers desires and requirements in the best possible way--if possible, to exceed them.
Therefore our company's quality policy is a component of our strategic corporate planning. The central point is successful and long-term work with our customers. Ensuring high quality standards for our products for aerospace and industry, military technology and traffic is an important criterion for our customers' decision to buy, and is a significant contributor to our market success. Our framework is built on a trouble-free organization and the use of our quality management system.
The quality of our products is our first priority for us to remain competitive.
We protect the environment by applying the DIN ISO 14001 environmental management system.
The Board appoints the Head of the Quality Department as the Quality Officer who ensures the creation, development and maintenance of the quality management system in accordance with DIN EN 9100. All employees are responsible in their area of responsibility for the application of quality management activities in order to achieve customer satisfaction and thereby to ensure the continuing success of our company.


When will the selection of a avatar from iOS be available?
This option is still under development, it will be available soon, please use the option from the web version to upload and change your avatar until than.
Ok thank you! I look forward to it.


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Tag: 2019December
WILDFIRE by Ilona Andrews
Just when Nevada Baylor has finally come to accept the depths of her magical powers, she also realizes she's fallen in love. Connor "Mad" Rogan is in many ways her equal when it comes to magic, but she's completely out of her elements when it comes to her feelings for him. To make matters more complicated, an old flame comes back into Rogan's life…
Rogan knows there's nothing between him and his ex-fiance, Rynda Sherwood. But as Nevada begins to learn more about her past, her power, and her potential future, he knows she will be faced with choices she never dreamed of and the promise of a life spent without him.
As Nevada and Rogan race to discover the whereabouts of Rynda's kidnapped husband and are forced to confront Nevada's grandmother, who may or may not have evil motives, these two people must decide if they can trust in each other or allow everything to go up in smoke.
Title : Wildfire
Author : Ilona Andrews
Series : Hidden Legacy #3
Format : ebook
Genre : Urban fantasy
Publisher : Avon
Release Date : July 25, 2017
Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ .5
Micky's 4.5 star review
I love that this Hidden Legacy series is paced a little faster than the Kate Daniels series, what I mean is that the longer storylines are happening over less books. Its not that I don't appreciate all ten books and novellas of the KD series, but I was ready for a little less commitment. WILDFIRE moved Nevada into a new position in this book, secure in her relationship and becoming the leader of her family in a more formal way. Both these elements made me love this book.
First and foremost for me in this series, is the Nevgan (awful 'ship' name alert). These two continued to dig through who they were together and where their boundaries sat. What I love about Connor (Rogan) is how he was selfless and both selfish in his love, that said, he had the balance just right as situations presented. These two got to have a date in this book and I lived for that experience. I think I am possibly too hung up on these two…
"I'm starving. I haven't had anything to eat since I stole a bear claw from your kitchen this morning."
"You didn't steal it. All my bear claws are yours."
The whole storyline about the becoming of a House was fascinating and the reveals about the youngest Baylor sister and Leon were pretty wow. The baddies were fierce and I definitely saw parallels between Grandma Tremaine and Kate Daniels father – the strong, evil patriach/matriach but with a dose of they might care a bit.
I am hugely excited for where the next book goes. I need more of this family but more importantly more of 'Nevgan' (sorry). They're not quite Kate and Curran but probably only because I don't know them quite as well. Ilona Andrews know how to create a story, a couple to last and cheer for.
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 16, 2019 December 7, 2019 Categories Blog, reviewsTags 2019December, 2019Reads, IlonaAndrews, ReviewsByMicky, UrbanFantasy, Wildfire2 Comments on WILDFIRE by Ilona Andrews
WHEN THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens
A novel about a young woman determined to make her way in the wilds of North Carolina, and the two men that will break her isolation open.
For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark.
But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world–until the unthinkable happens.
Title : Where The Crawdads Sing
Author : Delia Owens
Format : Paperback Arc
Genre : Literary Fiction
Publisher : Corsair/Little Brown
Release Date : December 12, 2019
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING was a singular story, carried by a cast of many in the background but only Kya in the foreground. It was a story evoking strong emotion, anger and empathy and I experienced all of these feelings many times whilst reading. It was also a tough reading experience from a contextual perspective in a number of way and therefore there may be trigger themes for some readers.
Kya was a young girl, a 'marsh girl' abandoned by first her mother, then her siblings and finally by her father. She resided in a shack in the marshlands and learnt how to live. This aspect was much of the early book and my heart ached on reading. Kya was vulnerable, naive but a survivor with the kind of resilience that was hewn out of circumstance; it was do or die. Seeing Kya's unfulfilled longing for love and relationships was distressing. There were themes of racism, prejudice and extreme poverty. I felt that these aspects were written exceptionally well with such tangibility.
There were people who came into Kya's life and made it bearable, Jumpin', Mable and Tate. I adored Jumpin' and I loved Tate's desire to help Kya without wanting anything from her. The lack of plain sailing was inevitable but it stung to read how things turned out. Chase was rotten from the first encounter and it was hard to see Kya's naivety lead her in a sticky direction. The mystery that later unfolded was fascinating in a painful way.
The narrative and description in this book was decadent in terms of the flora and fauna but there were no holds barred in terms of the reality of marsh and shack life. Delia Owens had a way of bringing nature to life, birds, trees and feathers, through their sights and sounds. My visualisation was vivid and that was down to the descriptive prose.
I was grateful for the time frame and the journey in this book. I was relieved to have answers at the end and some surprises. This book has the kind of story that would appeal widely, regardless of what genre you might prefer; it is worth any reader's time. WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING was a rare case of a book that lasts a lifetime and I sense it could also stay with me as long.
Thank you to Corsair and Little Brown for the proof copy for review.
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 14, 2019 January 6, 2020 Categories Blog, reviewsTags 2019December, 2019Reads, ARC, DeliaOwens, LiteraryFiction, LittleBrown, ReviewsByMicky, WhereTheCrawdadsSing3 Comments on WHEN THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens
SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY by Emma Scott
How long would you wait for love?
Max Kaufman was kicked out of his home as a teen and his life has been an uphill battle ever since. From addiction and living on the streets, to recovery and putting himself through nursing school, he's spent the last ten years rebuilding his shattered sense of self. Now he's taken a job as a private caretaker to Edward Marsh III, the president and CEO of one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Max soon learns Marsh's multi-billion-dollar empire is a gold and diamond-encrusted web of secrets and lies.
The longer Max works and lives with the Marsh family, the tighter the secrets tangle around him. And his heart—that he's worked so hard to protect—falls straight into the hands of the distant, cold, and beautiful son of a dynasty…
Silas Marsh is set to inherit the family fortune, but his father is determined his heir be the "perfect" son. Before Silas can take over the company and end its shady business practices, he must prove himself worthy…and deny his true nature.
Silas must choose: stand up to his father by being true to himself and his undeniable feelings for Max. Or pretend to be someone he is not in order to inherit everything. Even if it means sacrificing a chance at happiness and real love.
Title : Someday, Someday
Author : Emma Scott
Format : eARC
Genre : LGBTQIA+ romance
Publisher : indie
Release Date : November 24, 2019
Rating : ★ ★
So, I want to be clear, that I respect what the author set out to do with this story. With the subject matter, the redemption, the healing.. even dragging something as relevant to our every day as the opioid crisis into the spotlight. But..
.. but. This story feels a lot like it's trying very hard for me to feel things. For me to be heartbroken, or angry, and to champion the MCs, to rage against the villains. All of which, like, valid. The material is there. I just didn't quite sink into any of it. Probably because so much of it is melodramatic, or manufactured, and also just vacillating between different extremes to the point that things felt a little (a lot) unbelievable and hard to hold onto.
I'll say it again. I appreciate some of the topics, I appreciate the representation, but this was just a little too OTT for me whilst also not being enough for me to feel much of anything. But hey, what do I know, this is beloved by almost everyone, so, hey. Grain of salty salted salt.
This was my first Scott, despite having bought up most of her books during one kindle sale or another, and I would like to give her other works a try. This is definitely not the worst 'romance author tries m/m' foray I've ever read. I think I've just read too many better ones to think much of this one. But a lot of potential was here so I definitely won't be deleting her off my kindle. I might even finally read those other books! Sounds like a good 2020 goal.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 12, 2019 December 7, 2019 Categories Blog, reviewsTags 2019December, 2019Reads, Contemporary, eARC, LGBTQIAP+, M/M, ReviewsByHollis, Romance3 Comments on SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY by Emma Scott
REGRETTING YOU by Colleen Hoover – review and giveaway!
Title : Regretting You
Author : Colleen Hoover
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Publisher : Montlake Romance
Rating : ★ ★ ★
Micky's 3 star reciew
I know this opinion will separate me from the populous but for me, this was a very run-of-the-mill read. I didn't hate it, I kind of liked it but I definitely didn't love it even though I wanted to.
I found the start to this story interesting with the four characters of the past, I liked that more than the present, initially. However, by 22% I was finding it so slow that I was willing SOMETHING to happen. I actually got my wish with the dropping of an emotional bomb. Am I sadistic that I was grateful for that? Whatever, I welcomed it and enjoyed the story a bit more from there.
This was a story of families and relationships intertwined and connected in the most complex way, a really unsatisfying way. It was about two generations, mother and daughter, father and son, sister and sister and husband and wife. I hated some of the characters, and I was supposed to. I much preferred the narrative around Morgan and Jonah than I did of Clara and Miller. I felt frustrated with Clara and Miller but I know their actions and behaviours were fitting for 17/18 year olds.
I struggled with some of the instant connections, some of which were supposedly built on older feelings but I didn't buy into the elements of this, especially with the younger characters. There were other parts of the story that I wanted more of, like Gramps.
Overall, I've come out of REGRETTING YOU feeling a bit 'what was that explosion and why is everything now peachy'. I needed more tangibility in the longer term but I appreciated some of the elements of the grief narrative which really hit the spot.
Thank you to Montlake Romance for the early review copy.
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the bestselling women's fiction novel It Ends with Us and the bestselling psychological thriller Verity. She has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance three years in a row—for Confess (2015), It Ends with Us (2016), and Without Merit (2017). Confess was adapted into a seven-episode online series. In 2015, Hoover and her family founded the Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly subscription service that offers signed novels donated by authors. All profits go to various charities each month to help those in need. Hoover lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.
Visit www.colleenhoover.com.
Website: http://www.colleenhoover.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorColleenHoover/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/colleenhoover
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
You can win a $100 giftcard and a copy of Regretting You. Go, go, go and click the link underneath!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f256
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 11, 2019 December 11, 2019 Categories Blog, reviewsTags 2019December, 2019Reads, ColleenHoover, ContemporaryRomance, MontlakeRomance, RegrettingYou, ReviewsByMicky2 Comments on REGRETTING YOU by Colleen Hoover – review and giveaway!
NEW RELEASE TUESDAY – DECEMBER 10, 2019
Happy "where'd all my money go?" new release Tuesday, everyone!
As you know, the most exciting day of the week in this community is the day that follows the one we all dread (Mondays for the nope) and today we're going to highlight some of the new books chipping away at our bank accounts — but each one is so worth it.
REGRETTING YOU by Colleen Hoover takes two generations of inter-related characters, twists them up and throws them into a shaker and spills them out. Keep an eye out for Micky's review!
Also out this week is MEET ME ON LOVE LANE by Nina Bocci. This is the second in her series set in a small town. This story features a NY city girl returning to her home town where two golden 'boys' are vying for her affection.
Are there any titles out today you're excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 10, 2019 December 10, 2019 Categories Blog, book birthdayTags 2019December, BookBirthdayLeave a comment on NEW RELEASE TUESDAY – DECEMBER 10, 2019
THE PLACES I'VE CRIED IN PUBLIC by Holly Bourne
Amelie loved Reese. And she thought he loved her. But she's starting to realise love isn't supposed to hurt like this. So now she's retracing their story and untangling what happened by revisiting all the places he made her cry.
Because if she works out what went wrong, perhaps she can finally learn to get over him
Title : The Places I've Cried In Public
Author : Holly Bourne
Format : Paperback
Genre : Contemporary
Publisher : Usbourne Publishing
Release Date : October 3, 2019
This was my first Holly Bourne read but I have come away a little unsure if her writing style is for me. I am a stalwart fan of British contemporary YA, some of my favourite YA is UK written and based, because of course I want that real connection with my culture.
It took me a good third of the book to really get settled into the story and the characters. Overall, I didn't really connect with any character in the book and I feel that I should have connected with Amelie. She irritated me on and off. Needless to say, I hated Reese, however I did like her friends, Hannah, Archie and Jessa. I would have loved more about these friendships.
Bourne narrates some important themes in this book in the form of insidious and manipulative behaviour in a significant other. In fact the behaviour was much more than that. There was a slow reveal of what that 'more' is and some of the handling of how that reveal happened was a little messy in execution for me, losing some clarity of the severity and wrongness of the behaviour. I also struggled with the past and present timelines, they just didn't flow well in and out of one another but I did get used to the framing eventually. I don't normally struggle with this approach but there was just something about the chop and change that made it difficult to stay inside the story.
There were some strong elements that really captured me but they were small parts of the story. I thought how the counsellor and counselling was represented was realistic and positive. I thought the assault element took an less talked-about path that was good to have out there in literature without being too graphic. I also liked the music teacher and the tentative confidante that was offered and appreciated.
I am left with questions however, why was there no mention of reporting this heinous crime? This was a problematic big hole in this story that is meant to and will influence young people having some similar experiences told in this story.
I have rated this 3 stars for the important themes, but I do feel it could have been executed better both in writing dealing with such sensitive topics.
Thank you to the publisher and Amazon Vine for the finished review copy.
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 9, 2019 December 9, 2019 Categories Blog, reviewsTags 2019December, 2019Reads, HollyBourne, ReviewsByMicky, ThePlacesIveCriedInPublic, YAContemporaryLeave a comment on THE PLACES I'VE CRIED IN PUBLIC by Holly Bourne
ANNIE'S SONG by Catherine Anderson
Annie Trimble lives in a solitary world that no one enters or understands. As delicate and beautiful as the tender blossoms of the Oregon spring, she is shunned by a town that misinterprets her affliction. But cruelty cannot destroy the love Annie holds in her heart.
Alex Montgomery is horrified to learn his wild younger brother forced himself on a helpless "idiot girl." Tormented by guilt, Alex agrees to marry her and raise the babe she carries as his own. But he never dreams he will grow to cherish his lovely, mute, misjudged Annie and her childlike innocence, her womanly charms and the wondrous way she views her world. And he becomes determined to break through the wall of silence surrounding her; to heal…and to be healed by Annie's sweet song of love.
Title : Annie's Song
Author : Catherine Anderson
Format : Mass Market Paperback
Genre : Historical Romance
Release Date : August 27, 2013
Rating : ★ ★ ★ .5
Micky's 3.5 star read
ANNIE'S SONG was an enjoyable read and a breath of fresh in terms of uniqueness of story, I've not read the like before, particularly not in the historical romance genre.
Firstly, this book starts out with an incredibly difficult first chapter, there are triggers here front and centre for some people. The issue wasn't exactly a trigger for me but it still took me aback and felt an abrupt and brutal start.
Annie had a disability and much of the early story is about misconceptions and misunderstandings about her disability. I struggled a little with where the story went in terms of consent issues to decisions made. I really hated observing some of what happened there. Added onto this, Annie had horrendous parents and what she had suffered in her childhood home was difficult to see recounted.
Alex was a man of integrity and I admired his actions on the one hand but I also wanted to knock some sense into him as he navigated decisions, their life and future direction. However, where would Annie have been without him? In a much worse situation is the answer. Alex did learn and grow as a man and partner, he was also a quite a forward thinker for the era.
Their romantic connection was a slow burn but even the were both adults, Annie's innocence made me feel like my skin was crawling as Alex tried to coax Annie into intimacy. So while I was enjoying much of the story, this element just took the rating down a little for me.
I'm grateful for the rec on this unusual story and I would definitely read Catherine Anderson again.
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 8, 2019 December 8, 2019 Categories BlogTags 2019December, 2019Reads, DisabilityRep, HistoricalRomance, ReviewsByMicky, TriggerWarningsLeave a comment on ANNIE'S SONG by Catherine Anderson
A SCARCITY OF CONDORS by Suanne Laqueur – double review!
Juleón "Jude" Tholet has survival in his DNA. His father, Cleón, lived through imprisonment and torture during Pinochet's military coup in Chile. His mother, Penny, risked everything to gain her husband's freedom and flee the country with their newborn son. But as a closeted gay teenager growing up in Vancouver, Jude is targeted by a neighborhood bully called El Cóndor, culminating in a vicious hate crime that forces the Tholets to flee their country again.
Jude cautiously rebuilds his life in Seattle, becoming an accomplished pianist, but his his wings have been clipped and he cannot seem to soar in his relationships. Only family remains a constant source of strength and joy, until a DNA test reveals something that shocks all the Tholets: Jude is not their child.
Stunned by the test results, the Tholets must dig into their painful past, re-examine their lives in 1973 Santiago and the events surrounding Jude's birth story. It's a tale rooted in South America's Operation Condor. It spreads through Pinochet's terrifying regime of detention camps, torture, disappeared civilians and stolen children. The journey forces Penny Tholet to confront the gaps in her memory while Cleón must re-live an ordeal he's long kept hidden away in a secret world. The tale ends with Jude digging through his genetic code in a quest to find his biological parents. Are they alive? Or are they among Los Desaparecidos—the Disappeared Ones?
Suanne Laqueur's third book in the Venery series explores the desperate acts of love made in times of war, and the many ways family can be defined.
Title : A Scarcity of Condors
Author : Suanne Laqueur
Series : Venery (book three)
Genre : contemporary fiction
Reviewer : Hollis / Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ / ★ ★ ★
This rating might surprise people who know how much I love this author, and this series, but my problem with this story is that, for the most part, I didn't really find myself connecting to these characters. For me, they would come alive in family or group setting moments, not always but often, or in the cheeky sizzle of chemistry-infused interactions leading upto the romance, but overall I didn't fall in love with these people or places the way I have in other Laqueur — specifically, Venery — books.
"Rosie, I need a favour."
"What, baby?"
"I'm attempting to seduce this gorgeous gentleman and he's wisely being prudent about consorting with arrogant and audacious men he doesn't know."
"In other words, Tuesday."
This particular installment feels like a big epilogue, and then some, to a story that started in AN EXALATION OF LARKS and, to a certain point, somewhat in the background, continued in A CHARM OF FINCHES. This is a conclusion that part of me thinks would've made a great novella or short story to wrap up certain questions from the first book. Because while some of this touched me, I mostly felt myself just going through the motions of the EMOtions without ever really being bowled over by them. Which makes for a lot of page time where I just wasn't really immersed in it all.
Having said that, the events, the horrible situations, they were treated with the usual care of all the author's other works. Without shying away from the stark harsh reality but equally without being gratuitous about it, either. Two very different scenes in particular come to mind where it's a retelling of second-hand events, from the perspective of someone they knew, but without putting the elements and experiences on page in all their gory or brutal glory. Which, considering the telling, was a relief. But it wasn't without impact. Which I think shows how masterful the author is. She knows when to push and when to pull back, all without losing the gravity of the moment.
"When I wasn't hiding in the closet, I was hiding under the piano."
"Well, there's a Freudian analyst's wet dream. The strong, solid barrier of wood and ivory hiding your genitals with definitive black-and-white distinctions of tone and.. sorry, I forgot where I was going with that."
And that applies to so much of this story. The introspection, the therapy, even just random events. She broke them down, processed them, likened them to other feelings or images for the characters and the readers to meet halfway and experience. Some times it was so achingly beautiful. But in this particular story I did feel a lot of it was repetitive, redundant, or rehashed.. sometimes almost word for word. I could understand revisiting some things but I think I expected to learn or see a new perspective when it was brought up again. And rarely did we get that kind of pivot.
Everything Laqueur did in this story had echoes of her other works in the sense that you know you're in the same world, with characters that connect in some ways, even only in the periphery, so things feel similar — and I mean that in a positive way. Each story handles something important, critical, pivotal, necessary. Often hard, but without flinching. Often beautiful, but also heartbreaking. This one still did all those things. Just not with the same impact on me as a reader. This had all the things I loved from other Venery books. But just didn't hit the same way.
[it] was untrue and unfair. Irrational. But sometimes you felt what you felt and nothing could assuage it.
Ultimately, I think my enjoyment of this story was less about the big picture, big connections, and more about the little ones. Quiet moments, devastating moments, which caught me in my feels, whereas the big tie-ins and some of the backstory just didn't do as much. But I suspect, and expect (and know) many people, fans or newbies alike, will love this. I will forever, and always, recommend the Venery series and my feelings on this book hasn't changed that one bit.
As per usual, I read this with my Laqueur buddy (and blog buddy!) Micky and we had a great time reading, discussing, speculating, breaking things down over the course of our Condor-ified weekend.
Micky's 3 star review
This book had atmosphere, emotion and a family saga to end all sagas. A SCARCITY OF CONDORS was a complex read but then I expect complexity from Suanne Laqueur. If you are fan of the Venery series, you will feel the intertwining of these books, but in particular, there was a strong connection to book one, AN EXALTATION OF LARKS.
The third book returned fans to Chile, Pinochet's heinous regime but it also opened that Pandora's box wider and invited the reader to witness some of the atrocities. I say go with trepidation and that there may be themes that are difficult for some.
The book had a slow start for me, taking some time to get into the context and characters. Things I enjoyed included Penny, she was the shining light for me, easy to get to know, easy to empathsise with and admire. What was unusual for me was that I didn't really connect fully with some of the other characters.
Jude was a character I liked but didn't love. His repetitive reliving of past events with his psychotherapist was a bit overkill for me. I was ready for him to set down events of the past. So, imagine my delight, truly, when we got to the meet, greet and connection between Jude and Tej. These two connected at a time I just needed some levity in the heavy within these pages. All that said about this relationship, when it came to toils and troubles, there hadn't been enough narrative for me to feel what they were feeling and so instead I felt like an outsider looking in. I loved these two the most in their early days when they were all playful banter.
The card has some digits on it. If you punch them into your phone, magic things will happen.
The themes of being disappeared, lost babies, torture and reconnecting with unknown loved ones carried gravity of emotion. There was so much going on, almost all of it was incredibly serious as you would imagine and I felt the weight of that. However, there were only a few moments of real emotional connection with the story for me and I am sad about that. Without wanting the spoil, I loved the reappearance of the character who I knew would reappear because of the context and from 70% to the end was a more avid reading experience. I struggled with Cleon's short chapters throughout. Hollis and I buddy read this and we agreed that in some ways, parts of this book would have made a great novella to book one.
If you know me, you know that I recommend the Venery series to many and all, that hasn't changed. This hasn't been my favourite read but it does add to the overall narrative of these characters and context. I don't know why some elements missed the mark for me but they did and I can't change that. I have learnt historical detail from this book and what has been translated through human stories in this world. I am the richer for that.
** We received an ARC from the author (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 6, 2019 February 13, 2020 Categories Blog, reviewsTags 2019December, 2019Reads, eARC, ReviewsByHollis, ReviewsByMickyLeave a comment on A SCARCITY OF CONDORS by Suanne Laqueur – double review!
WOULD LIKE TO MEET by Rachel Winters
In this charming, feel-good debut novel, a cynical assistant at a screenwriting agency must reenact the meet-cute scenes from classic romantic comedy movies in order to help her #1 client get his scriptwriting mojo back–but can a real-life meet-cute be in store for someone who doesn't believe in happily ever after?
After seven years as an assistant, 29-year-old Evie Summers is ready to finally get the promotion she deserves. But now the TV and film agency she's been running behind the scenes is in trouble, and Evie will lose her job unless she can convince the agency's biggest and most arrogant client, Ezra Chester, to finish writing the script for a Hollywood romantic comedy.
The catch? Ezra is suffering from writer's block–and he'll only put pen to paper if singleton Evie can prove to him that you can fall in love like they do in the movies. With the future of the agency in jeopardy, Evie embarks on a mission to meet a man the way Sally met Harry or Hugh Grant met Julia Roberts.
But in the course of testing out the meet-cute scenes from classic romantic comedies IRL, not only will Evie encounter one humiliating situation after another, but she'll have to confront the romantic past that soured her on love. In a novel as hilarious as it is heartwarming, debut author Rachel Winters proves that sometimes real life is better than the movies–and that the best kind of meet-cutes happen when you least expect them.
Title : Would Like To Meet
Author : Rachel Winters
Publisher : G.P. Putnam's Sons
Release Date : December 3, 2019
This read is sort've hard to pin down for me. It has everything you could possible want in a rom-com : an imperfect heroine who messes up but you still want to root for, a hilarious friend group you would totally go drinking with, a hero (or two!) who might be the one, and a meet cute (or twelve hundred). I loved so much of it. Some of it, both dialogue and situations, were great. Other moments just.. maybe dragged on or, just due to circumstance, frustrated me.
This is definitely an author I would read again. It's a pretty great debut. There's a lot of heart here, a lot of greatness, but I do feel like it's also just trying to do a little too much. And that's not counting all the big movie moment recreations.
I honestly don't have much more to say. I will point out there are a few bits in the summary that don't quite jive with the plot itself, or feel a little misleading in hindsight, but not necessarily in a bad way? I would just recommend you go in with a vague or general idea of what to expect and ride it out.
Also? This would make a great movie. I'd definitely watch it.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 4, 2019 November 7, 2019 Categories Blog, reviewsTags 2019December, 2019Reads, Contemporary, eARC, RomanceLeave a comment on WOULD LIKE TO MEET by Rachel Winters
NEW RELEASE TUESDAY – DECEMBER 3, 2019
WOULD LIKE TO MEET by Rachel Winters is perfect for anyone who loves a meet cute. Or twelve. Or twelve hundred. Like meet cuts? You'll love this one!
BLITZED by Alexa Martin is the third book in her Playbook series and it seems to be one that features much groveling. The hero makes a mistake (fumbles, even, hah!) and tries to convince the heroine he's worth a second chance and win her over.
One we're sure many are excited for is the much anticipated sequel CHILDREN OF VIRTUE AND VENGEANCE by Toni Adeyemi. We haven't started this series but we hope this release is everything the fans are wanting!
Author atakefromtwocitiesPosted on December 3, 2019 December 2, 2019 Categories Blog, book birthdayTags 2019December, BookBirthdayLeave a comment on NEW RELEASE TUESDAY – DECEMBER 3, 2019