(Ends first round) NEW YORK, April 25 (Reuters) - Selections in the first roundof the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday (picknumber, NFL team, player, position, college): 1-Kansas City, Eric Fisher, offensive tackle, Central Michigan 2-Jacksonville, Luke Joeckel, offensive tackle, Texas A&M 3-Miami (from Oakland), Dion Jordan, defensive tackle, Oregon 4-Philadelphia, Lane Johnson, offensive tackle, Oklahoma 5-Detroit, Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, Brigham Young 6-Cleveland, Barkevious Mingo, linebacker, LSU 7-Arizona, Jonathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina 8-St. ...
I haven't done a roleplay fight in a very long time and would like to try it again. I would like a melee fight with realistic human or humanlike characters.
Any weapon type from any culture is okay as long as it's reasonable and realistic. I will be using a katana for this fight.
Apr. 25, 2013 ? Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, have shown in a mouse model that infection with nematodes (also known as roundworms) can not only combat obesity but ameliorate related metabolic disorders. Their research is published ahead of print online in the journal Infection and Immunity.
Gastrointestinal nematodes infect approximately 2 billion people worldwide, and some researchers believe up until the 20th century almost everyone had worms. In developed countries there is a decreasing incidence of nematode infection but a rising prevalence of certain types of autoimmunity, suggesting a relationship between the two. Nematode infection has been purported to have therapeutic effects and currently clinical trials are underway to examine worms as a treatment for diseases associated with the relevant cytokines, including inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and allergies.
In the study researchers tested the effect of nematode infection on mice fed a high-fat diet. Infected mice of normal girth gained 15 percent less weight than those that were not infected. Mice that were already obese when infected lost roughly 13 percent of their body weight within 10 days. Infection also drastically lowered fasting blood glucose, a risk factor for diabetes, and reduced fatty liver disease, decreasing liver fat by ~25 percent, and the weight of the liver by 30 percent.
The levels of insulin and leptin also dropped, "indicating that the mice restored their sensitivities to both hormones," says corresponding author Aiping Zhao of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. Leptin moderates appetite. As with too much insulin, too high a level of leptin results in insensitivity, thus contributing to obesity and metabolic syndrome, Zhao explains.
The mechanism of the moderation of these hormones "was associated with a parasite-induced reduction in glucose absorption in the intestine, reduced liver triglycerides, and an increase in the population of cells called "alternatively activated macrophages," which regulate glucose metabolism and inflammation," says coauthor Joe Urban of the United States Department of Agriculture. Some of these changes involved "a protein called interleukin-13 and related intracellular signaling mechanisms," he says. "This suggests that there are immune related shifts in metabolism that can alter expression of obesity and related metabolic syndrome."
The incidence of obesity has been climbing dramatically, worldwide. It is a key risk factor for many metabolic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Recent studies indicate that it is accompanied by chronic low-grade inflammation in adipose tissues, causing the release of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines that contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.
Parasitic nematode infection induces a marked elevation in host immune Th2-cells and related type 2 cytokines which, besides combating the infection, also have potent anti-inflammatory activity, according to the report.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society for Microbiology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Z. Yang, V. Grinchuk, A. Smith, B. Qin, J. A. Bohl, R. Sun, L. Notari, Z. Zhang, H. Sesaki, J. F. Urban, T. Shea-Donohue, A. Zhao. Parasitic Nematode-Induced Modulation of Body Weight and Associated Metabolic Dysfunction in Mouse Models of Obesity. Infection and Immunity, 2013; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00053-13
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
A big step up in Kodak's scanner line in both price and capability from the Editors' Choice Kodak i2600 that I reviewed in late 2011, the Kodak i2900 rotary scanner offers a slightly faster rated speed, at 60 pages per minute (ppm) and 120 images per minute (ipm) with one image on each side of the page; a letter-size flatbed to supplement the automatic document feeder (ADF); and a book scan feature, with the flatbed platen right at the edge of the scan bed. The result is an impressively capable scanner suitable for a large workgroup or office with relatively heavy-duty scan needs.
At a quick glance, the i2900 looks more like a mono laser printer than a scanner. Black, with gray and silver highlights, it has the right proportions for a laser, at 9.4 by 17.0 by 14.6 inches (HWD) with the front input tray closed, and it weights a substantial 35 pounds. The resemblance is also enhanced by the output bin molded into the top and the 250-sheet input tray that pivots down in front to add another roughly 6 inches to the depth.
Even the front-panel LCD and control buttons add to the laser-printer look, at least until you turn the scanner on and read the LCD, which happens to be one of the scanner's nicer touches. The LCD is backlit so it's easy to read. It also has room for three rows of 18 characters, which lets it show descriptive profile names when you scroll through the choices with the front panel buttons.
Descriptive names are a big improvement on the more typical arbitrary numbers from 1 to 9. They make it far easier to take advantage of one-button scanning, because it's easier to find the right profile before you press the Scan button. The only quibble I have with the feature is that Kodak's software limits you to the usual maximum of 9 profiles. That's a reasonable limit when you identify profiles by number. With descriptive text, however, you should have the option to define more.
More Basics and Setup Another departure from the laser-printer look is the flatbed hidden underneath the output tray. Lifting the lid reveals a letter-size platen with the edge of the glass right at the front edge of the platform. The flatbed not only lets you scan originals that you don't want to risk damaging with the ADF, it lets you position open books with the spine at the edge of the platen, the facing page hanging over the side, and the page you want to scan flat against the glass, so you can get a good-quality scan without risking damage to the book.
Not so incidentally, if you need a larger than letter-size flatbed, Kodak says it will soon offer an optional A3-size (11.69 by 17 inch) flatbed accessory. (The price hasn't been determined at this writing.) Although the accessory flatbed will connect directly to your computer by USB cable, it won't operate unless you also have the i2900 or another supported scanner also installed on that computer.
Setting up the i2900 is absolutely standard for a document scanner. Simply install the software from the supplied disc and then connect the scanner by USB cable. As is typical for scanners in this price range, Kodak doesn't supply any application software, like a separate document management or optical character recognition program, on the grounds that most offices will likely already have the software they need. However the scanner comes with Twain, ISIS, and WIA drivers, and at least one of them will work with virtually any Windows program that includes a scan command.
Kodak also supplies two scan utilities, which will be familiar to anyone who has used the i2600. The one I used for all of my tests installs along with the drivers. The other is on a separate disc. Choosing between the two depends on which one fits your particular scan needs, with the disc sleeve offering some information that can help you choose between them.
Performance Kodak rates the i2900 at 60 ppm and 120 ipm in both black and white and color modes at both 200 and 300 pixels per inch (ppi). And although it wasn't quite that fast in my tests, it was fast enough for speed to count as a strong point.
For my tests, I used the default settings for documents of 200 ppi and black and white mode. Using our standard 25-sheet test document, the i2900 came in at 42.9 ppm for simplex scanning to a PDF image file, and just a touch slower, at 41.7 ppm, or 83.3 ipm, for duplex scans. That makes it a bit faster in both cases than the Editors' Choice Xerox DocuMate 5445, at 38.5 ppm and 75 ipm, but a bit slower than the Editors' ChoiceXerox DocuMate 5460, at 46.9 ppm and 92.3 ipm.
Keep in mind that as with the Xerox scanners the total time for the scan includes a few seconds of overhead, both between giving the scan command and the scan actually starting, and between the scan finishing and the file being written to disk. Subtract that extra time, and the scan speed in ppm is much closer to the rated speed. More significantly, if you scan documents with more pages, the overhead works out to less time per page, so the overall speed in ppm will be faster.
Very much on the plus side, the Kodak scanner adds less time for optical character recognition (OCR) than the Xerox scanners. Scanning our standard test document to a searchable PDF file, which is generally the more useful format for document management applications, the i2900 took just 1 minute 9 seconds, making it a touch faster than either Xerox scanner.
The i2900 also handled our OCR tests reasonably well, reading both our Times New Roman and Arial test pages at sizes as small as 10 points without a mistake.
Other Issues The only real complaint I have about the i2900 is the same one I had with the i2600, which is that too many options in the driver aren't self explanatory. The example I gave for the i2600 was the option for skipping blank pages, which will let you scan both one- and two-sided documents without having to change settings and without winding up with blank pages when you scan a one-sided original.
In the version of software that came with the i2600, the option was labeled Blank Image, which I called unnecessarily obscure when I reviewed the scanner. In the version that comes with the i2900, it's been changed to Blank Image Detection, which is a little better, I suppose, but still not as clear as Skip Blank Pages would be. The good news is that once you get familiar with the driver choices, the options let you control just about anything you need to.
As should be obvious, the Kodak i2900 is a highly capable beast. It delivers fast speed, good OCR accuracy, and the potential for heavy-duty scanning, with a 250-sheet ADF tray and a maximum 10,000 page-per-day duty cycle. Its natural home is in a large workgroup or office, but no matter what size office you're in, if you need relatively heavy-duty ADF-based document scanning, letter-size flatbed scanning, and book scanning, the Kodak i2900 can do it all and do all of it well.
One of the biggest spa trends right now is splurging on beauty treatments that are good enough to eat. Think: pineapple scrubs, milk-and-honey pedicures, and yogurt masks, to name a few.
But there?s no need to shell out big bucks for a pricey spa visit. You can still get the same benefits at home for a fraction of the price and just a few minutes in the kitchen.
Stylists, dermatologists, and other experts say there?s a wealth of inexpensive, but effective, beauty treatments right inside your fridge.
What?s your favorite foodie beauty fix? Here are 10 to try:
Apple Cider Vinegar
?It clarifies the scalp by unclogging hair follicles that hinder hair growth and create build up,? says celebrity hairstylist Ron King, owner of Ron King Salon in Austin, Texas.
To use, mix equal parts water and apple cider vinegar and rinse hair with it.
Avocado
?This delicious food is actually a great beauty remedy for dry ?skin because it is rich in natural oils, proteins, and vitamins,? says? Gina DeBacker, the associate editor for Mother Earth Living.
To make an avocado facial mask, blend an? avocado with one or two teaspoons honey. Apply the mixture to your ?face. Leave it on for 20 minutes and rinse with a warm washcloth.
Cornmeal
It?s an inexpensive, but effective, natural exfoliant, says Jackie Keller, the founding director of NutriFit.
?Moisten your face, put a small amount of ?cornmeal in your palm, and gently scrub your cheeks, forehead, nose, and ?chin,? she says. ?Then follow your usual moisturizing protocol.?
Eggs
For super shiny hair, use egg yolks as hair conditioner.
?Yes, it?s smelly, but you?re going to? simply massage egg yolks into your wet hair, let sit for at least an hour, ?and then wash out,? Keller says.
Honey
Use as a spot treatment to fight blemishes, says Dr. Jessica Krant, a dermatologist and founder of Art of Dermatology in New York.
?Honey has natural moisturizing, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties, so it can help smooth and freshen skin as it?s killing bacteria and helping improve acne,? she says.
Any kind of honey will work, but Dr. Krant says pure manuka honey is the most effective.
Lemon
?The acids and the vitamin C help exfoliate,? says Dr. Vicki Rapaport, a Beverly Hills-based dermatologist.
Lemons can also help fight free radical damage to skin. ?The more ?you dilute [lemon juice] with other ingredients, the less potent and pure it becomes,? so just squeeze it on the skin, wash in circular motions and rinse off,? she says.
Milk
?The enzymes in milk can tone down brassiness most often seen in blonde hues,? says King.
His treatment: Heat a half-cup milk until it is warm to the touch. Pour on hair in the shower and let sit for 10 minutes before rinsing.
Olive oil
Running low on make up remover? ?Simply blot some [olive oil] onto a cotton ball and ?wipe off your make up,? Keller says.
?Most cosmetics are oil-based, so a quick light wipe ?will do,? she adds.
Turmeric
Turmeric can treat inflammatory skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, or it can be used as an exfoliant, says DeBacker.
Combine one part turmeric with? two parts water and heat in a saucepan over low heat until ?it forms a paste. Then scrub the paste into your skin and rinse.
?Turmeric has the potential to stain, so be sure to wash your hands? thoroughly after using it,? she warns.
Yogurt
?Plain yogurt straight out of the refrigerator can be used as a softening, smoothing facial mask,? says Dr. Krant.
?The lactic acid in the yogurt not only works as a mild refreshing chemical peel, but also has anti-inflammatory effects that can help soothe breakouts.?
Frugal Foodie is a journalist based in New York City who spends her days writing about personal finance and obsessing about what she?ll have for dinner. Chat with her on Twitter through @MintFoodie.
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