Friday, November 30, 2012

Self Improvement Times: 3 Simple Steps For Spiritual And Financial ...

Are you living in a state of debt? It's not just about the money. Even the richest people are in a state of debt. Prosperity and abundance are the new wealth. You can get out of debt, and all it takes is a shift in your thoughts. It's time to create balance, banish negative thinking, and work on your spiritual fitness. Debt is a state of mind created by erroneous thoughts about people around us, or connected to us, and situations we usually can't control.

In order for anything to change at all, you have to change your way of thinking. Norman Vincent Peale said, "Change your thoughts and you change your world." You have all the abundance you need right now. You just have to access that abundance. It is not easy, but what worth doing ever is? You have to do the work to change your mindset because this is a shift that starts internally. You can make external shifts to manage debt, but if you don't make internal, more pragmatic shifts, it is all for naught; you cannot make lasting change without a change in consciousness.

It may surprise you to learn that debt is not just about money. Debt occurs when we hold on to negative, unforgiving thoughts about people and situations, thoughts that actually block our prosperity and keep us in a state of lack. Abundance on the other hand, is a state of consciousness that acknowledges that we have many, many resources that we can use. It all starts up top… from your mind down. This article details step one in eliminating your debt mindset and creating spiritual and financial fitness, so read on, my friend.

The first step for attaining spiritual and financial fitness is TO RELEASE THE OLD--mentally, emotionally and physically-- and make space for what is for your highest good. You must get rid of clutter, which is a block for your energy, and let go of things and thought patterns you no longer need.

First things first--Do some forgiveness work. Make a list of people you need to forgive… and who you think need to forgive you, and work with that list. Do some sort of ritual or visualization to forgive or write out forgiveness statements. I know forgivness work isn't exactly the most fun activity, probably far from it in fact, but this is a necessary step to your abundant life.

The unforgiving energy you are holding against these people drains your energy. You're giving them permission to hang out in your mind; in fact, you're giving them a guest room there! You're making them comfortable, offering them a comforter, a cup of cocoa, your HARD-EARNED ENERGY that is stuck in unforgiveness. It's time to let go of that mental junk--for yourself, not them!

On a physical level, it's time for you to clear out the clutter in your living and work space. In the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui, clutter is a block for your energy. If you have piles of stuff in your living room, hallway, and bedroom, it's hard for you to move around your house. It's blocking you and your energy from flowing well. Get rid of the stuff you don't need and the stuff you don't even like. If you don't like it, why on earth are you keeping it?

Give all that extra stuff away to someone else who will cherish it. If you look around, you will see things you've outgrown or things you didn't really need in the first place. What about that old tea set that doesn't match your decor? Or that paisley print top you bought because it was on sale? Think of someone else it would be perfect for and give it to them. They will feel abundant because you thought of them--and you will be free of extra "stuff" that is taking up room you could use for something you truly love.

Remember that there are also numerous charities you can donate to. You can even increase your prosperity by writing off these things on your taxes. You can sell items on Craig's List and donate the money to charity. You can keep the money and tithe it back to something that nourishes you… life coaching, your church, or even your fitness organization or instructor. Wouldn't your yoga instructor love that paisley-print top stuck in the back of your closet by the way?

There is something else that impedes our spiritual and financial fitness. In fact, the first thing people give up when they get too busy is their "me time." They forfeit the time they spent walking or meditating or praying in order to take stock of their dis-order. You have to take a mental break or you just might have a mental break. There's no reason you would give up the food that supports your body. Why give up the "food" that supports your soul?

Whether you are sitting still or exercising, use meditation or prayer to push away the mental clutter. No matter what, I practice the Reiki Method of Natural Stress and Pain Relief every morning. I've been practicing for twenty years now and I can't start the day without it. I'm not a morning person, so my Reiki practice helps get me out of bed and start my day off on the right foot.

So here are your action steps, friend. For the first step of releasing the old, I want you to focus on clearing the clutter, on all levels, and start in the right direction. Make your forgiveness list. Forgive the people on it. De-clutter your house. Purge your closet, your house, your garage, your car, your cubby, whatever! And remember to take care of you. After all, you must take care of yourself before you take care of everyone else. Trust me on this one; you will feel better and be better for it.

Don't forget to stay tuned for the next article in this series in which you will find out about another vital step to your spiritual and financial fitness. Let's get you trained and ready for a prosperity marathon, shall we?

----------------------------------------------------
Want to have more time, energy, and money right now? Find out how with Dr. Barnsley's fantabulous, must-read report, "How to Overcome Overwhelm in Seven Easy Steps." Click: http://spirited-solutions.com/freebies/reports/

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=281931

Source: http://selfimprovementtimes.blogspot.com/2012/11/3-simple-steps-for-spiritual-and.html

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Friday, November 16, 2012

And that kiddies, is where glue comes from :)

You are here: Home ? News ? And that kiddies, is where glue comes from :)

Animal activists have secretly filmed horses being shot at a knackery, a fate shared by an estimated 10,000 racehorses around the country each year.

The majority are used for pet food, and horse sales around the country are attended by meat buyers.

Welfare groups say racing has an appalling attrition rate and more needs to be done to find a suitable life after the track for thoroughbreds.

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Source: http://www.zgeek.com/and-that-kiddies-is-where-glue-comes-from/

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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Gift Guide: The UpDesk Standing Desk Video Review

giftguide12-updeskAs a connoisseur of the standing desk, I can honestly say that the UpDesk is one of the best I've tried. Sure you can get them more cheaply, but this desk uses a built-in, electronic lifting system to allow you to set the perfect height and it can lift 300 pounds with nary a whimper.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/_uweSVkw4aA/

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Friday, November 9, 2012

Tim Hortons profit up but shares fall as traffic slips

TORONTO (Reuters) - Tim Hortons Inc reported an increase in quarterly profit and sales on Thursday, but its share price fell as the results showed traffic in Canada and the United States was hit by a tougher economic environment.

Sales at established stores rose by 1.9 percent in Canada, where Tim Hortons is the dominant coffee-and-snacks chain, and by 2.3 percent in the United States in the third quarter as customers spent more during each visit, but those figures were lower than in previous quarters.

"I'm not overly concerned, but definitely we would like to see same-store sales...re-accelerate back to that kind of 3 percent plus level, longer term," Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said of the Canadian numbers.

Same-store traffic dropped as fragile consumer confidence held back discretionary spending, the company said, noting that "the challenging economic conditions led to an intensified competitive environment".

The comments recalled competitor McDonald's Corp's last quarterly earnings report, when t he U.S. chain's chief executive attributed weak sales growth to a tough battle for customers in a fragile economy. On Thursday, McDonald's reported its first decline in monthly same-store sales since 2003.

COMPETITION IN CANADA

Yarbrough said the prospect of tougher competition from McDonald's has been weighing on Tim Hortons' stock.

McDonald's has been touting recent market share gains in Canada, and in October its Canadian chief told Reuters that his division is stepping up its expansion after holding back for more than five years.

Analysts are watching restaurant traffic in Canada closely to gauge whether Tim Hortons can hold off competitors and keep growing in its home market. It is selling more products that carry premium prices, such as lattes and panini sandwiches, and that helped support third-quarter profit and sales.

The chain is ubiquitous in Canada, claiming eight of every 10 cups of coffee sold. But as it expands its food offerings, especially at lunch, it is increasingly going head to head with McDonald's and its fast-food peers.

McDonald's has been promoting its coffee aggressively in Canada, with giveaways and remodeled stores that are more cafe than burger joint, featuring soft seating and even fireplaces.

SAME-STORE SALES TREND

Tim Hortons said same-store sales growth is trending a bit below its full-year target of 3 to 5 percent, but it expects new products to help offset weak consumer confidence in the current quarter.

Tim Hortons' net income rose to C$105.7 million ($106.2 million), or 68 Canadian cents a share, from C$103.6 million, or 65 Canadian cents, a year earlier.

Earnings were hurt by a charge of C$8.6 million, or 4 Canadian cents a share, related to a previously announced executive shuffle.

Analysts, on average, had been expecting 72 Canadian cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue rose 10.3 percent to C$802.0 million, compared with analysts' average forecast of C$794.6 million.

The company's effective tax rate fell to 26.7 percent from 29.0 percent in the year-earlier quarter.

Shares were down 3.1 percent at C$47.95 on Thursday morning on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

($1=$1.00 Canadian) (Reporting by Allison Martell; Editing by Janet Guttsman, Gerald E. McCormick, John Wallace, Andrew Hay and Peter Galloway)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tim-hortons-quarterly-profit-sales-rise-124501348--finance.html

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Astro Journal Portal into the Cosmos # 18 11/11 by anpu heru | Blog ...

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    On his show, Comedian Rodney Perry covers arts and entertainment, everything from comedy and politics to music and acting, with his signature comedic slant.

  • MashUp Radio is a 30-minute podcast that discusses the fusion of technology, life, culture and science. Host Peter Biddle, engineer and executive for Intel?s Atom Software, dishes up a thought-provoking discussion.

  • Deepak Chopra Radio provides an online forum for compelling and thought provoking conversations on success, love, sexuality and relationships, well-being and spirituality.

  • The Bottom Line Sports Show is hosted by former NBA stars Penny Hardaway, Charles Oakley, Mateen Cleaves. Tune in to get the inside scoop on what's happening in sports today.

  • Joy Keys provides her listeners with insight to improve their lives mentally, physically, monetarily and emotionally. Past guests on the show have included Meshell Nedegeocello, Blair Underwood, in addition to an impressive list of CEOs, humanitarians and authors.

  • Hits Radio covers basketball, sports culture and entertainment with past guests including Jason Kidd, Robin Lundberg and Chris Herren.

  • Listeners get an earful on The Halli Casser-Jayne Show, Talk Radio for Fine Minds. Whether it?s the current political cocktail or the latest must-read award-winning book, Halli tackles all topics and likes to stir ? and sometimes shakes ? things up.

  • Award-winning World Footprints is a leading voice in socially responsible travel and lifestyle. Hosts Ian & Tonya celebrate culture and heritage and bring a unique voice to the world of travel.

  • Football Reporters Online is a group of veteran football experts in the fields of coaching, scouting, talent evaluation, and writing/broadcasting/media placement. Combined, the group brings well over 100 years of expertise in sports.

  • Host John Martin interviews the nation's leading entrepreneurs and small biz experts to educate small business owners on how to be successful. Past guests have included Emeril Lagasse and Guy Kawasaki.

  • The Movie Geeks share their passion for the art through interviews with the stars of and creative minds behind your favorite flicks and pay tribute to big-screen legends. From James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola to Ellen Burstyn and Robert Duvall, The Geeks have got'em all.

  • Sylvia Global presents global conversations pertaining to women, wealth, business, faith and philanthropy. Sylvia has interviewed an eclectic mix from CEOs and musicians to fashion designers and philanthropists including Randolph Duke and Ne-Yo.

  • Seasoned entertainment reporter Robin Milling gets up close and personal with the world's most compelling celebs. From Michael Douglas to Katie Holmes to Kevin Kline to Ashley Judd to America Ferrera, she sits down in person each week with each and every A-lister.

  • Mr. Media host Bob Andelman goes one-on-one with the hottest, most influential minds from the worlds of film, TV, music, comedy, journalism and literature. That means A-listers like Kirk Douglas, Christian Slater, Kathy Ireland, Rick Fox, Chris Hansen and Jackie Collins.

  • Paula Begoun, best-selling author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, separates fact from fiction on achieving a radiant, youthful complexion at any age. She?s regularly joined by health and beauty experts who offer the latest on keeping your skin in tip-top shape.

  • Source: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/anpuastrology/2012/11/11/astro-journal-portal-into-the-cosmos-18

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    Thursday, November 8, 2012

    Millwall ban 13-year-old fan for racist abuse

    Associated Press Sports

    updated 8:56 a.m. ET Nov. 7, 2012

    LONDON (AP) -Millwall football club has banned a 13-year-old supporter indefinitely after he admitted racially abusing Bolton striker Marvin Sordell.

    The fan has issued a written apology for abusing Sordell during the English second-tier club's 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers on Oct. 6.

    The incident led to investigations by the Football Association and both clubs, and came just one week after former England captain John Terry was banned by the FA for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in the Premier League.

    Because of the fan's age, Millwall decided not to issue a life ban, only "for the forseeable future," and offered him a place on the "Millwall for All" educational program.

    ? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


    advertisement

    Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49724119/ns/sports-soccer/

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    Magma Fincorp acquires GE Capital India's Housing Finance ...

    Magma Fincorp Ltd has signed definitive agreements for the acquisition of 100% equity share capital of GE Money Housing Finance (?GEMHF?) ? GEMHF is an affiliate of GE Capital India engaged in housing finance (?Housing Finance?) in India with amount Rs 660 crores loan assets and about Rs 193 crores net worth as at March 31, 2012 and entire home equity loans portfolio of GE Money Financial Services Pvt Ltd (?GEMFSPL?) with about Rs 940 crores loan assets at May 31, 2012.

    Consummation of the acquisition is subject to standard conditions precedents including relevant regulatory approvals.

    The Magma Fincorp stock was trading at Rs.67.85, up by Rs.2.40 or 3.67%. The stock hit an intraday high of Rs.68.95 and low of Rs.66.25.

    The total traded quantity was 0.20 lakhs compared to 2 week average of 0.16 lakhs.

    Source: http://www.bizxwires.com/?p=27043

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    Wednesday, November 7, 2012

    How to Get Apple Products for Less Money

    You may want an iPhone, an iPad, or maybe a new Mac, but Apple products always seem pricier than their competition. Still, if you know a few secrets, you can get yourself a deal.

    Apple is a very powerful company. They control the supply chain tightly and don't have rolling sales like other retailers and manufacturers. They also know that their reputation leads to a level of demand that justifies their relatively high prices. But that doesn't mean you have to pay the list price.

    The One Day Apple Discounts its Products
    Apple regularly discounts its products on Black Friday ? the day after Thanksgiving. Both in store and online, they offer 7-10% off popular items. That's about? $100 off laptops, $40 off the iPad, and $10 off the iPod nano. Best Buy usually discounts its Apple products, just a little more than the company itself. Last year, for example, they offered $45 off the iPad. But even those aren't always the best Black Friday deals for this gear.

    Gift Card Deals
    This holiday season, don't just look at the straight discounts advertised. Instead, look for gift card deals. Last year, if you bought an iPad at Meijer, they gave you an $80 store gift card with your purchase. If you bought an iPod touch at Toys R Us, they gave you a $50 store card. When you factor that in, these incentives may just save you more than a straight discount.

    Student / Teacher Discounts
    If you can prove that you are a teacher or a college student, Apple discounts its gear by about 10%. Start by finding the Education Pricing section of their website. Also, between June and September, Apple usually bundles products for students. For example, you might be able to buy a new Mac and get an iPod touch for free.

    Older Models
    Apple always marks down its products when a new one is announced. As soon as the iPhone 5 was announced, they cut the iPhone 4S from $199 to $99. When the new Macbook Pro came out, the previous model got a $100 discount right away. Sure, you may feel you have to have the latest model, but you also have to ask yourself: did the value to you of the previous model really drop by $100 overnight?

    [Related: Is iPad Mini Worth Buying?]

    As for year-round discounts, your best bet is buying refurbished from Apple.

    Go to the Certified Refurbished section of their website, and find laptops and iPods for about 15% off, iPads for as much as 30% off, and more. Apple certifies these used products have been tested ? and they come with a one-year warranty.

    Other Online Outlets
    Sites like Amazon and Macmall offer everyday low prices that may end up beating other deals simply because they don't include sales tax. So be sure to factor that into your decision making.
    [Related: iPhone 5 ? Worth the Money?]

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upgrade-your-life/apple-products-less-money-183903936.html

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    280 daring, silly videos in 1 human highlight reel

    By Kurt Schlosser, TODAY

    If you're a fan of wasting time while watching other people do fun stuff,?you'll want check out this video compilation of some of the Internet's more daring types.

    We like to think we see just about everything that warrants "viral" status when it comes to web video, but YouTube user Zapatou proves just how much is out there with his third Best of Web mash-up. Snippets of 280 videos are pulled together and edited in fancy fashion with dancy dubstep music.

    The compilation?serves as a vivid examination of how crazy and how silly we can be as a helmet-cammed species. And how much we love animals. Especially ones on their hind legs.

    And the video is loaded with real-life tips. Your parking garage is flooded? You're gonna want to wakeboard through that. Gotta get down off that mountain? Better use a unicycle. Skydiving or flying or driving way too fast? Hope you're sponsored by Red Bull.

    In his YouTube profile, Zapatou says, "I really love to discover other people. I'm the kind of person who thinks that you can grow up from other people's experience. I have an unconditional passion for video editing, because by this medium I can share my emotions, my feeling to my audiences. By this medium, I can get you into my world."

    If you really want to kill some time, links to the original versions of all 280 videos can be found here.

    And when you're done with that, get outside and pet a shark or something.

    More Entertainment news:

    Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/11/06/14968949-video-compilation-captures-the-daring-the-dangerous-the-dogs?lite

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    UFC schedule notes: Early wake-up call and fights set for Chicago, New Jersey

    -- If you're lucky enough to have Fuel, you're going to have to set your alarm clock to see Saturday's fights live from Macau. The preliminary card starts at 7:15 a.m. ET, and the main card with Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le as the main event starts at 9 a.m. ET. However, there are worse ways to start your day than with some fights.

    -- The UFC and Fox announced part of their 2013 schedule. The first network fights for 2013 will be on Jan. 26 in Chicago. Donald Cerrone's bout with Anthony Pettis is expected to be on that card. The dates they announced are below. If you're as Type-A as I am, you'll immediately put these dates in your calendar:

    Saturday, Jan. 19?? ?Brazil?? ?UFC on FX: BELFORT vs. BISPING
    Saturday, Jan. 26?? ?United Center, Chicago, Ill.?? ?UFC on FOX
    Saturday, Feb. 2?? ?Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nev.?? ?UFC 156: ALDO vs. EDGAR (pay-per-view)
    Saturday, Feb. 16?? ?International Event?? ?UFC on FUEL TV
    Saturday, April 20?? ?City to be announced ?? ?UFC on FOX
    Saturday, April 27?? ?Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.?? ?UFC: JONES vs. SONNEN (pay-per-view)
    Saturday, July 27?? ?City to be announced ?? ?UFC on FOX
    Saturday, Dec. 14?? ?City to be announced ?? ?UFC on FOX

    Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-schedule-notes-early-wake-call-fights-set-141220942--mma.html

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    Consultation opens on energy plan | Isle News : Jersey

    Islanders are being asked for their views on a new Energy Plan for Jersey. The Department of the Environment?s consultation document, ?Pathway 2050: An Energy Plan for Jersey?, sets out a long term plan to achieve both energy saving and a reduction of carbon emissions through to 2050.

    The plan, which is the culmination of a number of pieces of work, follows on from the green paper ?Fuel for Thought? published in 2008. It is based on the three principles of making sure energy is secure, affordable and sustainable for all.

    The document sets out a series of 30 key actions with ten year rolling targets for reducing the energy (and consequent greenhouse gas emissions) that we all use at home, at work, and for transport. One third of greenhouse gases in Jersey come from the energy used to fuel cars and other transport, another third is used for domestic heating and power within the home, and the remaining amount is for running essential services, powering businesses and manufacturing activities.

    Since the publication of the green paper in 2008, there have been a number of changes. In 2009, the Energy Efficiency Service was set up with support from Jersey Electricity PLC. The service has insulated 1,300 homes, providing 100% grants to vulnerable members of society, and improved living conditions. For every pound spent by the service on energy efficiency measures, the consumer saves ?5.40 in lower energy bills. The Plan proposes developing and extending the reach of this service.

    The Plan?s long term targets are set by our International agreements. As a signatory, through the UK, to the Kyoto protocol, Jersey is proposing the target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 against 1990 levels. Achieving this target will be challenging but it will be assisted by technological developments, so the Plan will evolve and be reviewed every five years to see whether a change of direction or emphasis is needed.

    Minister for the Department of the Environment, Deputy Rob Duhamel, said: ?Pathway 2050 presents a route to a sustainable, affordable, secure energy future. It may change as technology develops, but it is a big step towards Jersey?s energy future.

    ? Recent power outages and fires at Gas Place and the fuel farm have highlighted issues of ensuring energy security and resilience to factors outside our control.?

    The Renewable Energy Commission has also been looking at the potential for offshore tidal and wind power which could play a significant role in improving the Island?s energy security in the future. They are now working on a Channel Island basis with Guernsey.

    The Energy Plan will be managed by a proposed new Energy Partnership. This will be set up as a multi agency group with representatives from the States of Jersey, Energy companies and third sector organisations.

    The consultation documents are available on www.gov.je . The deadline for comments is 31 January 2013.

    Tags: department of the Environment, Energy Plan for Jersey, States of Jersey

    Category: Community, Environment

    Source: http://jersey.isle-news.com/archives/consultation-opens-on-energy-plan/14636/

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    Obummer vs. Mittens

    It?s not an election year without name-calling. The 2012 race has featured a particularly rich crop of presidential insults, fueled perhaps in equal measure by social media and the candidates? highly punnable names. Obama haters call the commander-in-chief Nobama, Obozo, and Obummer, among many other pejoratives. Anti-Romneyites call the GOP nominee Mittens, R-Money, and Mitt the Twit. Which of these nicknames is the most popular? To find out, we scanned Twitter for six and a half hours last week in search of Barry, Mittens, and 11 other election-related taunts. We then checked those tweets for political keywords to ensure that we weren?t pulling in, say, advertisements for mittens. In the interactive below, you can mouse over the individual squares to read each nickname-containing tweet.

    Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=f44337a0f9ae6906964b986645ab9d40

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    Tuesday, November 6, 2012

    SPECIAL REPORT: Breast cancer patients cope with self-esteem issues, sense of disconnection from their bodies

    VANCOUVER - At her lowest low in the months spent recovering from having her breasts removed and reconstructed, Carol Thorbes says she felt she had nothing left to live for.

    ?I was on a lot of painkillers, antidepressants,? said the Vancouver woman. ?I had to see a psychologist because I was starting to get suicidal. It was really tough.?

    Emotional distress, a sense of disconnection from one?s body, and a diminished sense of femininity are shared experiences amongst many breast-cancer patients who have undergone mastectomies. Studies show that, for women who have lost their breasts to cancer, reconstruction can improve their body image and their sense of well-being.

    But it?s not a magic cure for everyone.

    ?It?s been very hard for me to deal with not having real breasts,? Thorbes said. ?I look down, it?s kind of like a stranger that I don?t really like that?s with me.?

    Some women who get reconstruction are left with mixed feelings about the surgery. They say it leaves them feeling disconnected from their own bodies, with new breasts that look, feel and respond differently. They describe battles with depression, a loss of self-esteem, and a starkly diminished sex drive.

    For these women, it?s another, unexpected challenge on their breast cancer journey.

    CULTURAL FIXATION ON WOMEN'S BREASTS

    Throughout history, the female figure has had an almost hypnotic effect over society, with womanly curves playing the role of muse to artists, said Queen?s University art history professor Stephanie Dickey.

    While the evolutionary purpose of breasts has always been to provide important nourishment to infants, their erotic nature also blossomed early on in history, said Dickey.

    In Greek mythology, the goddess of love, Aphrodite, was always depicted in the nude with her breasts exposed, she said.

    Over time, the female body has been ?stretched and pushed and squeezed and contorted into all sorts of ideal shapes depending on what?s the fashion of the time,? said Dickey. Society?s obsession with beauty and bra size has seemingly never been more amplified than it is today.

    The world watched in awe in the 1990s as Pamela Anderson?s breasts ballooned to almost cartoon-like proportions. In 2012, bigger seemingly continues to be better as the latest reality TV stars, especially of the Real Housewives variety, appear to be going for gold in the plastic surgery Olympics.

    With popular culture seemingly fixated on women?s breasts, it?s no surprise then that losing them can have a devastating effect on a sense of self-worth.

    DIFFICULT DIAGNOSIS TO ACCEPT

    A cancer diagnosis alone can be terrifying, but finding out that the treatment will leave behind a disfiguring scar is, for many, a difficult thing to accept.

    ?Breasts are a presentation of our femininity. It?s a part of the face we present to the world,? said Anne Katz, Winnipeg-based nurse, sex counsellor and author of the self-help book Women Cancer Sex.

    Katz helps both men and women deal with the side effects of cancer treatment that affect their sex lives. After being poked and prodded by doctors throughout cancer treatment, many women feel exposed, vulnerable, and often dissociate from their bodies, said Katz.

    ?I find that women who have been through breast cancer treatment, the world and its dog has been looking at her breasts,? she explained. ?In order to survive that exposure, she kind of disconnects from her body. But in order to be sexually healthy, you have to be really connected with your body.?

    Even years after their treatment has ended, Katz said she has encountered women who tell how drugs, such as Tamoxifen ? taken to reduce the risk of recurrence ? cause a host of menopause-like symptoms, including a loss of sex drive.

    ?For women, body image is often the problem they present with,? she explained. ?They feel guilty and sometimes say silly things like, ?I told my husband to get someone on the side.? That is heartbreaking. They don?t want that.?

    Part of the problem is that women are ?socially conditioned? to believe they need to look and feel sexy in order to be desirous of sex, said Katz. Libido is a ?very fragile phenomenon,? she added.

    With breast cancer patients, Katz said she works ?on reconnecting women with their body as a source of pleasure instead of a source of pain.?

    ?The answer is not always Victoria?s Secret,? she said.

    SIX-YEAR JOURNEY

    The pain of cancer, both emotional and physical, is an experience with which Thorbes, 56, said she is all too familiar.

    In September 2005, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, a year after her younger sister Dawn died from the same disease. The 49-year-old opted for the most radical treatment: a bilateral mastectomy.

    ?My attitude was very aggressive,? said Thorbes. ?I just said, ?Screw that, take it all off.??

    The silver lining, she said, was the option of immediate breast reconstruction.

    Since undergoing a mastectomy and breast reconstruction, she has had ongoing issues with pain, likely from nerve damage and scar tissue buildup, she said.

    ?After six years, it?s still there,? said Thorbes, who has managed to keep working as a communications officer for Simon Fraser University throughout her ordeal.

    The sensation of her chest being stretched over implants is also bothersome, she said.

    ?The implants, because they?re under the pectoral muscles, it feels like a tight band around your chest all the time,? she explained. ?That whole area, if you were to take your finger and circle it around your breast at the base, it feels like there?s a suction cup stuck to your chest 24 hours a day on both breasts.?

    The pain was the worst in the first few months after Thorbes had her expanders removed and replaced with saline implants, she said.

    Thorbes, who was once a CBC News journalist, said she had once reported on the U.S. silicone implant scandal and wanted nothing to do with it. In 1992, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration put a moratorium on silicone implants due to safety concerns after thousands of women complained of illness related to burst or leaky implants.

    However, saline implants are much heavier than silicone, and the weight was hard to ignore, said Thorbes. She eventually opted to have the implants replaced with silicone.

    ?I was living constantly on a pain scale of about seven or eight out of 10,? she said.

    After getting the lighter implants, Thorbes said, the pain has improved somewhat, to what she describes as a Level 4.

    Aside from physical pain, Thorbes deals with emotional turmoil relating to her breast reconstruction.

    For most of her adult life, she said, she has dealt with body image issues. Part of it is the result of a difficult upbringing that involved some abuse, she said. ?

    Being small breasted, Thorbes thought breast reconstruction would be the single positive aspect of her cancer diagnosis.

    ?It was like, rightly or wrongly, maybe gullible or too wishful of me, I thought, in a funny sort of way, breast cancer was going to give me a second lease on my body,? she explained.

    AFFECTS CONFIDENCE, RELATIONSHIPS

    From the beginning, Thorbes said she had little support going through treatment and reconstruction.

    Her partner of eight years left when she told him she had breast cancer.

    ?It was too much for him to handle,? she said. ?He wasn?t even with me when I went for the surgery. He was gone by then.?

    Since her reconstruction, Thorbes said she has dated other men and is now in a relationship.

    But the foreign feeling of her new breasts has affected her self-confidence, which she said has in turn affected her relationships.

    ?With these silicone implants, you touch your breast and it?s like touching a dead body,? she said. ?It?s totally cold because there is no blood flowing through there.?

    When she began her new relationship, Thorbes said she didn?t inform her partner that she has no sensation on her breasts, which she described as having a ?big zipper scar that runs straight across? her chest.

    ?It?s very difficult for men to deal with,? she said. ?They look at you, and it?s kind of Frankenstein-like.?

    About a month after her mastectomy and reconstruction, Thorbes decided to also undergo a full hysterectomy to eliminate the risk of developing ovarian cancer, in case she did carry the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 genes that increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.

    That surgery catapulted her into menopause, she said. Combined with the stress of the past six years?her sister?s death, the cancer diagnosis, physical pain after the reconstruction, and the impact on her relationships?Thorbes said she feels as if she has aged rapidly.

    She tries to approach the situation with a sense of humour, describing how she has to regularly self-massage, or ?manhandle,? her new breasts to prevent build-up of scar tissue and to help improve blood flow.

    But at times, she said the anguish is hard to bear despite being invisible to those around her.

    ?It?s weird having something that is totally consuming and affecting your life in terms of pain and mental health. When people look at you, they can?t see it,? she said. ?With my clothes on I look normal.?

    Although she has mixed emotions about reconstruction, Thorbes said that if she had to do it again she would likely make the same decision.

    As she has a propensity toward depression?, she said she feels she would be in a worse psychological state if she had woken up from her mastectomy surgery and looked down to see a scarred, empty chest wall.

    ?In the grand scheme of things, all I lost was my breasts,? she said. ?I get to go on with my life.?

    thandi@thandifletcher.com

    Twitter.com/ThandiFletcher

    Source: http://feeds.canada.com/~r/canwest/F233/~3/KT5pslWumuY/story.html

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    Top 10 Tips for Choosing the Right Business ISP

    If you are a company of any kind, then your Internet connection will likely be a business broadband service, which will be provided by a specific ISP, or internet service provider. With such a huge range of options available, choosing the right service provider for your business can seem overwhelming, but it is crucial to your business to select the best service possible. This article will detail and highlight the top ten tips to help you choose the best possible ISP for your business, and in doing so, seek to help you resolve your internet connection woes.

    1. Package

    Most ISPs offer lots more than just an active internet connection. Depending on your business needs, it is necessary that you choose according to both the service provider and the internet package. For instance, if what you need is just an internet connection to send emails and carry out some basic online research, you should not waste your resources on a package that offers ultra?high?speed internet connection. On the other hand, if what you need is super?high?speed connection for streaming HD movies or extra services like broadband internet and phone bundle, then you should invest more into a package that offers the service you require.

    2. Usage

    You need to categorize yourself as per the usage you?ll be making on the internet. Typically, lower usage leads to lower bills. You can be a heavy, medium or a light user according to the criteria below:

    • Heavy users are those who constantly make use of online services. The bandwidth requirement for this category is over 50GB. An unlimited package is the most appropriate choice for those under this category.
    • Medium users use provisions like video streaming, multiplayer gaming, social networking, etc. which are real bandwidth hogs. The monthly bandwidth requirement for this category is about 30GB.
    • Light users are those who don?t use online provisions frequently. For example, they would only use web browsing and email for about one or two hours a day. The bandwidth requirement for this category is usually 5GB a month.

    3. Speed

    ISPs provide users with different service levels or plans for every connection type. The major point of difference between the service levels is the bandwidth speed. Since high?speed internet connection is essential?in any business environment, choosing the right speed is one of the major decisions a business owner must make.

    4. Connection Ratio

    An internet connection might become congested if shared with and used by too many users at a time. The number of users you share your connection with is your connection ratio. Many residential connections might be a 50:1 ratio (that means 50 users sharing the same connection), while a business connection might have as low as a 20:1 ratio.

    5. Network Priority

    Depending on whether you require your internet data for additional services such as domestic?oriented applications, including video streaming and online gaming, some ISPs deprioritize applications like these (on request) to keep connection speeds up. If, however you require these services, you can prioritize your network to include them.

    6. Equipment and Cost of Installation

    Consider the equipment each service provider offers. Some services offer a basic modem, while others give gateways including a router with firewall protection, Ethernet ports, or even a built?in Wi?Fi router. Cost of installation or activation is another variable. Some ISPs provide free installation and activation, while others charge a waiving fee for the service depending on your contract.

    7. Cost

    You probably want to pay some attention to price as well. Just like other business sectors, ISPs vary in price as to the service they provide. Though you may want to consider price, you might want to avoid making it the prime factor in your decision. Just ensure the internet connects at your desired speed and loads webpages quickly and efficiently.

    8. Spam Protection

    A good business ISP will offer strong protection against spam, viruses, spyware, abuse control and backup protection. If you pay good money for your internet connection, you wouldn?t want it to work against your business by delivering spam, viruses, spyware and other distractions. Therefore, choose a supplier with a good track record and reputation.

    9. Upload and Download Speeds

    If you need faster upload and/or download speeds, look for a supplier with a broadband connection that allows uploads to be much faster than a normal connection. For instance, Annex M technology allows uploads at up to 3MB, which is more than what a normal line offers.

    10. Customer Support

    Ensure that the ISP you choose has a good customer help line and support system. The last situation you want to find yourself in is having a deadline and not being able to access the required information simply because the internet is down, and you?re wasting valuable time trying to get through on the phone or waiting for an agent to come around. Dedication and consistency are the key factors when searching for the right ISP for your business.

    Finally, the best ISP is the one that works the best for your business needs. Take your time to research the services, software and costs available through each supplier. Think about your business needs and match them up. Once you are satisfied with all these factors, relax and enjoy your internet access.

    This post about 10 tips for choosing the right business ISP was written by Joe Linford of www.broadbandgenie.co.uk. The next step is to select the best deal for you through Broadband Genie?s business broadband page.?

    Source: http://www.blogtrepreneur.com/2012/11/05/top-10-tips-for-choosing-the-right-business-isp/

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    Sunday, November 4, 2012

    A Romney presidency: 'Bringing people together' faces reality check (CNN)

    Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

    Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/260359297?client_source=feed&format=rss

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    Niger aid group: Kidnappers kill 1, release 5

    {ttle}

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    Family Tree Maker Exporting Question - Message Boards - Ancestry ...

    Try it and see what happens!

    In Windows, if you put misc stuff into "Research Notes" and mark all Research Notes as Private, or mark any other note private, you can unselect the option to:

    __ Include Private Notes

    You can also unselect:

    __ Include Private Facts

    to get rid of your copy and paste of database items you have imported, like census transcriptions and such.

    Otherwise, notes will be exported and you'll have to go to the exported file to erase them.

    Source: http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/topics.software.famtreemaker/9137.4/mb.ashx

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    Saturday, November 3, 2012

    NJ residents displaced by storm can vote by email

    {ttle}

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    Today is Learn to Homebrew Day: The Brew Site

    Posted on by Jon

    Learn to Homebrew DayToday is ?Learn to Homebrew Day,? a day of education and beer established by the American Homebrewers Association back in 1999 dedicated to helping people learn to brew their own beer. All around the country (and even in a few other countries!) there are Learn to Homebrew events being held to teach the art of homebrewing.

    Here is Oregon there are a number of events being held by homebrew clubs of course, and there are also several being put on by some of the big guys:

    • F.H. Steinbart in Portland, one of the biggest homebrewing supply and education stores around, is hosting an all-day LTHD event starting at 10am: ?F.H. Steinbart Co. is happy to invite anyone interested in homebrewing to stop by from 10am to 4pm?on Saturday, November 3, 2012 to join the fun! There will be a free brewing demonstration as well as?question and answer time with one of our Homebrew experts and refreshments.?
    • Oakshire Brewing in Eugene is teaming up with the?Cascade Brewers Society homebrew club to?demonstrate both beginning and advanced homebrewing techniques from 11am to 5pm. In addition, Oakshire?s beers will be available for sampling, and the?Delacata food truck will be on hand to feed hungry brewers.
    • Wakonda Brewing in Florence is hosting their LTHD event from noon to 7pm: ?We will open our doors at noon and our brewer, Richard, will be making two different batches on his system throughout the day. We?ll have your favorite college football games on and a fresh batch of Timber Beast on tap.?

    Happy homebrewing!

    Source: http://www.thebrewsite.com/today-learn-homebrew-day/

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    Apple posts revised 'Samsung did not copy' statement

    Apple posts revised 'Samsung did not copy' statement

    Apple has just reposted its statement acknowledging that Samsung did not copy its tablet design, after its initial wording wasn't deemed unacceptable by the UK courts. The new version is a lot shorter, and simply states that the court did not find Samsung to be in breach of Apple's registered design No. 0000181607-0001, reminding us that it was also upheld by the Court of Appeal, providing links to the appropriate patent and judgement documents online. The mention of the same case going in Apple'd favor in Germany has been removed completely. Will this be enough to appease the UK courts? We'll just have to wait and see.

    Filed under: , ,

    Apple posts revised 'Samsung did not copy' statement originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 05:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink   |  sourceApple  | Email this | Comments


    Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/PvfAz4-H28g/

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    Friday, November 2, 2012

    Elazar Stern Joins Amsellem's Party - Yeshiva World News

    Elazar Stern Joins Amsellem?s Party

    (Thursday, November 1st, 2012)

    Rabbi Chaim Amsellem, who heads the Am Shalem Party told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) on Thursday morning that former IDF Chief of Personnel Branch Major-General (Retired) Elazar Stern has joined his party and he will receive the number two position.

    The former senior officer, who sports a kippa sruga, was tenacious in his battle to end draft deferments for bnei yeshiva as well as trying to end the Hesder yeshiva program.

    The news of Stern joining ranks with Amsellem, who broke away from Shas to launch his own party, has taken the political community by surprise and the news is too fresh to quote polls citing if Stern?s prominent slot on the party lineup will be viewed as a plus by Amsellem supporters.

    (YWN ? Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

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    Source: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/?p=143466

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    Toronto Skyline Holds Hazards for Migratory Birds

    TORONTO ? In the shadow of the massive black towers of a bank?s downtown headquarters here was an almost indistinguishable puff of dark gray fluff on the sidewalk.

    It was the body of a golden-crowned kinglet, an unlucky one, that had crashed into the iconic Toronto-Dominion Center building somewhere above.

    There is no precise ranking of the world?s most deadly cities for migratory birds, but Toronto is considered a top contender for the title. When a British nature documentary crew wanted to film birds killed by crashes into glass, Daniel Klem Jr., an ornithologist at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., who has been studying the issue for about 40 years, directed them here, where huge numbers of birds streaking through the skies one moment can be plummeting toward the concrete the next.

    ?They?re getting killed everywhere and anywhere where there?s even the smallest garage window,? Professor Klem said. ?In the case of Toronto, perhaps because of the number of buildings and the number of birds, it?s more dramatic.?

    So many birds hit the glass towers of Canada?s most populous city that volunteers scour the ground of the financial district for them in the predawn darkness each morning. They carry paper bags and butterfly nets to rescue injured birds from the impending stampede of pedestrian feet or, all too often, to pick up the bodies of dead ones.

    The group behind the bird patrol, the Fatal Light Awareness Program, known as FLAP, estimates that one million to nine million birds die every year from impact with buildings in the Toronto area. The group?s founder once single-handedly recovered about 500 dead birds in one morning.

    Toronto?s modern skyline began to rise in the 1960s, giving it a high proportion of modern, glass-clad structures, forming a long wall along the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. That barrier crosses several major migratory flight paths, the first large structures birds would encounter coming south from the northern wilderness.

    Though those factors make Toronto?s buildings particularly lethal, Professor Klem was quick to say that the city also leads North America when it comes to addressing the problem.

    After years of conducting rescue and recovery missions and prodding the city to include bird safety in its design code for new buildings, FLAP has recently begun using the courts to help keep birds alive. It is participating in two legal cases using laws normally meant to protect migratory birds from hunting and industrial hazards to prosecute the owners of two particularly problematic buildings.

    Briskly walking on a recent morning with a volunteer bird patrol, Michael Mesure, who founded FLAP 19 years ago, pointed out many examples of killer buildings. As he neared one particularly troublesome spot, on the eastern edge of the financial district, he pointed to a gaggle of sea gulls sitting in trees across the street from an office building. They were waiting, he said, to dine on the smaller birds maimed or killed by the building.

    The building has a glass facade that disorients birds by reflecting the surrounding trees. Perceiving the reflection as habitat, birds zoom at it full throttle without regard for the danger.

    The victims are largely songbirds. Perhaps because of familiarity, the urbanites of the bird world, like house sparrows, pigeons and gulls, are much less prone to crashing into glass, Professor Klem said.

    All the birds collected by FLAP, dead or alive, go into paper bags. Though there were no survivors that recent morning, the merely stunned or frightened would have been released in a park near the shore of Lake Ontario. The injured would have been taken to one of two animal rehabilitation centers outside the city.

    The dead birds, with the location of their deaths marked on their bags, first end up in a freezer at FLAP?s headquarters, which is part of a sympathetic city councilor?s offices. Although the autumn migration was barely under way, the freezer was already close to full. Its contents ranged from owls to hummingbirds, and the vividness of their plumage was generally offset by the gruesomeness of their smashed heads.

    ?If the people were colliding with buildings at the same rate birds are, this issue would have been dealt with a long time ago,? Mr. Mesure said. ?There?s a detachment in society about this.?

    One especially effective, if unpopular, method of reducing the threat to birds, Mr. Mesure said, is simply to cover the outside of windows up to the height of adjacent trees with the finely perforated plastic film often used to turn transit buses into rolling billboards. The film can be printed with advertising or decorative patterns, although the group has found that a repetitive pattern of small circles made from the same adhesive plastic is both effective and less likely to prompt aesthetic objections.

    For new buildings, the solution can be as simple as etching patterns into its glass. A German glass company is also developing windows that it hopes can take advantage of the ability of birds to see ultraviolet light, by including warning patterns that are invisible to humans.

    Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/world/americas/casualties-of-torontos-urban-skies.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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    Developmental bait and switch: Enzyme responsible for neural crest cell development discovered

    ScienceDaily (Nov. 1, 2012) ? During the early developmental stages of vertebrates -- animals that have a backbone and spinal column, including humans -- cells undergo extensive rearrangements, and some cells migrate over large distances to populate particular areas and assume novel roles as differentiated cell types. Understanding how and when such cells switch their purpose in an embryo is an important and complex goal for developmental biologists. A recent study, led by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), provides new clues about this process -- at least in the case of neural crest cells, which give rise to most of the peripheral nervous system, to pigment cells, and to large portions of the facial skeleton.

    "There has been a long-standing mystery regarding why some cells in the developing embryo start out as part of the future central nervous system, but leave to populate peripheral parts of the body," says Marianne Bronner, the Albert Billings Ruddock Professor of Biology at Caltech and corresponding author of the paper, published in the November 1 issue of the journal Genes & Development. "In this paper, we find that an important type of enzyme called DNA-methyltransferase, or DNMT, acts as a switch, determining which cells will remain part of the central nervous system, and which will become neural crest cells."

    According to Bronner, DNMT arranges this transition by silencing expression of the genes that promote central nervous system (CNS) identity, thereby giving the cells the green light to become neural crest, migrate, and do new things, like help build a jaw bone. The team came to this conclusion after analyzing the actions of one type of DNMT -- DNMT3A -- at different stages of development in a chicken embryo.

    This is important, says Bronner, because while most scientists who study the function of DNMTs use embryonic stem cells that can be maintained in culture, her team is "studying events that occur in living embryos as opposed to cells grown under artificial conditions," she explains.

    "It is somewhat counterintuitive that this kind of shutting off of genes is essential for promoting neural crest cell fate," she says. "Embryonic development often involves switches in the types of inputs that a cell receives. This is an example of a case where a negative factor must be turned off -- essentially a double negative -- in order to achieve a positive outcome."

    Bronner says it was also surprising to see that an enzyme like DNMT has such a specific function at a specific time. DNMTs are sometimes thought to act in every cell, she says, yet the researchers have discovered a function for this enzyme that is exquisitely controlled in space and time.

    "It is amazing how an enzyme, at a given time point during development, can play such a specific role of making a key developmental decision within the embryo," says Na Hu, a graduate student in Bronner's lab and lead author of the paper. "Our findings can be applied to stem cell therapy, by giving clues about how to engineer other cell types or stem cells to become neural crest cells."

    Bronner points out that their work relates to the discovery, which won a recent Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology, that it is possible to "reprogram" cells taken from adult tissue. These induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are similar to embryonic stem cells, and many investigators are attempting to define the conditions needed for them to differentiate into particular cell types, including neural crest derivatives.

    "Our results showing that DNMT is important for converting CNS cells to neural crest cells will be useful in defining the steps needed to reprogram such iPS cells," she says. "The iPS cells may in turn be useful for repair in human diseases such as familial dysautonomia, a disease in which there is depletion of autonomic and sensory neurons that are neural crest-derived; for repair of jaw bones lost in osteonecrosis; and for many other potential treatments."

    In the short term, the team will explore the notion that DNMT enzymes may have different functions in the embryo at different places and times. That's why the next step in their research, says Bronner, is to examine the later role of these enzymes in nervous-system development, like whether or not they effect the length of time during which the CNS is able to produce neural crest cells.

    Additional authors on the paper, titled "DNA methyltransferase3A as a molecular switch mediating the neural tube-to-neural crest fate transition," are Pablo Strobl-Mazzulla from the Laboratorio de Biolog?a del Desarrollo in Chascom?s, Argentina, and Tatjana Sauka-Spengler from the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the United States Public Health Service.

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    Story Source:

    The above story is reprinted from materials provided by California Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Katie Neith.

    Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


    Journal Reference:

    1. N. Hu, P. Strobl-Mazzulla, T. Sauka-Spengler, M. E. Bronner. DNA methyltransferase3A as a molecular switch mediating the neural tube-to-neural crest fate transition. Genes & Development, 2012; 26 (21): 2380 DOI: 10.1101/gad.198747.112

    Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

    Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/xmgfVda4Jhk/121102115437.htm

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