DNA Tags Help the Hunt for Drugs
Drug discovery is a daunting process that requires chemists to sift through millions of chemicals to find a single hit. DNA technology can dramatically speed up the search
By Asher Mullard, Nature magazine on February 22, 2016
Drug discovery often starts with researchers assembling large libraries of chemicals and then testing them against a target protein. Credit: ©iStock
Nestled in a plastic box, in an ordinary laboratory freezer on the second floor of a concrete building in Waltham, Massachusetts, is a clear test tube that contains a concoction of astronomical proportions. The library frozen within, a collection of chemical compounds owned by London-based pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), contains as many as 1 trillion unique DNA-tagged molecules — ten times the number of stars in the Milky Way.
This and other such libraries are helping pharma companies and biotechnology firms to quickly identify candidate drugs that can latch onto the proteins involved in disease, especially those proteins that have proved difficult to target. They enable screening to be performed much more rapidly and cheaply than with conventional methods. And academic scientists can also use them to probe basic biology questions and investigate enzymes, receptors and cellular pathways.
Drug discovery often starts with researchers assembling large libraries of chemicals and then testing them against a target protein. Compounds are added individually to wells that contain the target to see whether they affect its activity. This approach, known as high-throughput screening (HTS), is automated using robotic equipment to test millions of chemicals, but it's still laborious, expensive and not always successful.
Over the past few years, medicinal chemists have been increasing the odds of finding potentially useful compounds by labelling chemical compounds with bits of barcode-like DNA. These DNA-encoded libraries — which can dwarf conventional small-molecule libraries — offer all sorts of advantages to drug discovery. For a start, rather than testing each compound individually, researchers can put all of the DNA-tagged small molecules into a single mixture and then introduce the target protein. Any compounds that bind with the target can be identified easily thanks to their DNA barcodes.
DNA-encoded libraries were first proposed in 1992, in a thought experiment by molecular biologist Sydney Brenner and chemist Richard Lerner, who were then at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. They have been gaining momentum ever since. In 2007, GSK acquired one of the firms that pioneered these libraries, Praecis Pharmaceuticals in Waltham, for $55 million. The drug firms Novartis and Roche, both in Basel, Switzerland, have started their own in-house DNA-encoded-library programmes. A burgeoning group of biotech companies — including X-Chem in Waltham; Vipergen in Copenhagen; Ensemble Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Philochem in Zurich, Switzerland — has meanwhile built up a who's who list of industry and academic partners that are eager to use the technology.
"People understand now that this is not a fad," says Robert Goodnow, executive director of the Chemistry Innovation Center at AstraZeneca in Boston, Massachusetts, which collaborates with X-Chem. "It's for real."
DNA-encoded libraries will not replace HTS: companies have already invested heavily in HTS screening, and there are some compounds that cannot be synthesized using DNA-encoding technologies. Rather, they offer a complementary way to quickly, efficiently and cheaply find chemical structures that bind to new or historically challenging targets, such as ubiquitin ligases, which flag proteins for disposal and could be targeted in cancer therapy.
Big is beautiful
GSK currently has the world's biggest DNA-encoded library: it is an impressive 500,000 times larger than the company's 2-million-compound HTS library.
There are several ways to build DNA-encoded libraries: the biggest ones, like GSK's, are made using an approach called 'DNA recording'. Chemical building blocks, such as amino acids, amines and carboxylic acids, are synthesized and then tagged with a unique DNA barcode through a chemical reaction. A second building block is added to the mix to make a new small molecule, and the DNA barcode is then lengthened. By joining up to four blocks, chemists can create drug-like molecules. And because they have thousands of building blocks to play with, the number of potential combinations is enormous.
Compared with conventional HTS libraries, for which chemists have to test each compound individually, DNA-encoded libraries are easier to maintain and use. A DNA-encoded library can be stored in a single test tube, whereas an HTS library requires robot-filled facilities that are large enough to store each compound individually.
But the true beauty of DNA-encoded libraries, says Chris Arico-Muendel, a manager at GSK in Waltham, is the sheer number of chemical structures it is possible to synthesize. The company's drug-discovery team now uses the DNA-encoded library as frequently, if not more frequently, than the HTS library for new and difficult protein targets. The most advanced compound to emerge from the company's DNA-encoded library so far is GSK2256294, which blocks epoxide hydrolase, an enzyme that is involved in breaking down lipids. This drug candidate came out of GSK's collaboration with Praecis and has completed first-in-human safety studies that may support further evaluation of its use in diabetes, wound healing or as a therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. "We are pleased with how things are going with DNA-encoded libraries within GSK," says Arico-Muendel.
And as more chemical building blocks are created, along with extra ways to attach them to one another, the breadth of these libraries will continue to expand.
In the near future, DNA-encoded libraries will not only become bigger and broader but might also provide hits that can quickly be moved into the clinic, says X-Chem chief executive Richard Wagner. With conventional screening, medicinal chemists sometimes have to spend many years tweaking compounds to make them specific, potent and safe enough to enter the clinic. "This is just a game of odds," says Wagner. By contrast, the large size of DNA-encoded libraries means that, by chance, some of the compounds they include will be more clinic-ready than others. Although the compounds will still require optimization, "we can get things that are pretty close", he says.
X-Chem, which holds 120 billion compounds in its DNA-encoded library, is already starting to see this in practice. It took just one year to move its most advanced candidate — an autotaxin inhibitor that blocks the conversion of one phospholipid into another — from a screening hit to a clinical candidate. A spin-off company of X-Chem, X-Rx in Wilmington, North Carolina, now plans to start clinical trials of the compound for fibrosis in 2017. Interest in X-Chem's library is spreading across the industry: in the past five years, the company has forged collaborations and licensing agreements with several major pharmaceutical firms — including Roche, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Sanofi — as well as with a host of biotech and academic partners.
Other biotech firms have added an interesting twist. They use the DNA tag not only to identify a compound but also as a template to make it. David Liu, a chemist at Harvard University in Cambridge, and his students developed this 'DNA-templated' approach and used it to build a library of circular molecules called macrocyles. These larger, more-stable, ring-shaped molecules interact with the target at multiple sites, boosting the specificity of the binding reaction. (GSK and X-Chem also have extensive macrocycle collections in their DNA-encoded libraries.)
Liu first creates single-stranded DNA templates that act as guides — these consist of several regions that are complementary to the DNA tags on his chemical building blocks. He then sequentially adds the DNA-tagged building blocks into a reaction vessel, relying on DNA base pairing to physically bring the tagged building blocks close enough together to bind to one another. A final reaction then converts the strings of building blocks into rings, producing macrocycles that are each tethered to a unique DNA barcode.
Constructing a DNA-templated library involves a hefty workload because researchers must design a template for each molecule as well as tagging thousands of building blocks with DNA. As a result, DNA-templated libraries are smaller than DNA-recorded ones, but they still eclipse HTS libraries in terms of size — and they have other advantages, too. Because scientists know at the outset what compounds they are producing, they can purify the DNA-templated libraries to remove compounds that are tagged inaccurately. This step translates into a high degree of confidence in the hits. By contrast, colossal DNA-recorded libraries may still contain wrongly tagged compounds, and thus might yield hits that will send researchers on wild goose chases.
Liu's 14,000-strong library has already led to a few triumphs. In 2014, his team reported that it had solved a problem that researchers had been struggling with for decades when it found a specific and stable small molecule that can block insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), which has been linked with type 2 diabetes. He and others have started to unravel the role of IDE in both health and disease, which has led to the identification of other IDE inhibitors. Discussions are under way to develop these into drugs.
Liu has also screened more than 100 other targets, many brought to him by academic collaborators who need small-molecule inhibitors of their pet proteins. "I never would have thought seven years later that this first-generation library would still be providing us with interesting biological discoveries," he says. "But it has proved to be very fruitful. We have had more hits against targets from our first library than we can follow up on."
He is nevertheless putting the finishing touches to a second-generation, 256,000-macrocycle library that could open up even more biology. Ensemble Therapeutics, which Liu founded in 2004, now has more than 10 million macrocycles in its library. The company is focusing on targets among the immune checkpoint proteins, which modulate the immune system, and the ubiquitin ligases. It has also granted a license to Novartis to develop one of its finds, a molecule that targets the inflammation-linked protein interleukin-17.
Sweet screens
Once the library is built, the fun of identifying which molecules stick to a target begins. Most researchers rely on 'affinity-based screening' to find those compounds. For this, they engineer the protein target to include a purification tag. They then pass the mixture containing the library and target through a purification column, using the purification tag to pull out the bound pairs. The last step is to read the DNA identifiers linked to the small molecules using a DNA sequencer.
This method can yield results even with minute amounts of a target protein. In one project, remembers Arico-Muendel, academic collaborators wanted to screen an unstable protein that they could produce only in tiny quantities. "They flew it here on dry ice overnight, and we immediately did the entire screen on it," he says. "And that actually gave some really good hits." Such experiments are impossible with HTS, because the target protein must be stable and abundant enough to be added into millions of wells before the experiment can begin.
But affinity-based screening has its shortfalls. The clunky DNA tag can sometimes impede interaction with the target, and some potential candidates may be lost. But because the DNA-encoded libraries are so big, screeners are not typically too concerned with these losses. More problematically, small molecules and their tags can bind to the purification column and generate false-positive hits. The purification tag can also interfere with the structure of the target protein, introducing confusion in the data.
Several groups have developed solutions for this problem. Vipergen, a biotech firm that has a DNA-templated library with 50 million molecules, has put its hope in a 'binder trap enrichment' strategy.
Imagine, says Nils Hansen, the company's chief executive, that you could freeze your protein–library mixture and cut it into super-small ice cubes. If the ice cubes are small enough, each will be able to contain only a single target protein. At this size, small molecules that bind to the target will be consistently overrepresented in ice cubes that contain targets, even without a purification strategy. Vipergen has achieved the same effect by putting its screens into water-and-oil emulsions, in which minuscule water droplets stand in for ice cubes. "It's pretty cool," says Hansen.
Currently, screens of DNA-encoded libraries work best with free-floating, soluble proteins. But many appealing drug targets are embedded in the cell surface, making them impossible to probe with traditional affinity-based screening. For example, an estimated 40% of approved drugs target membrane-bound G-protein-coupled receptors, which sense molecules outside the cell. The technology for screening membrane-bound proteins is evolving, says Goodnow, "but is still kind of a challenge".
One way forward is to mix a DNA-encoded library with intact cells that overexpress a membrane-bound target. The small molecules can then bind to the targets on the surface of the cell. After the researchers wash away the unbound library, they can identify the bound small-molecule hits by heating up the cells and reading the eluted DNA tags. GSK has used this approach to identify potent inhibitors of a receptor that has been implicated in schizophrenia and disorders of the central nervous system.
X-Chem, too, is starting to see success with screens of membrane-bound proteins. "Historically, the majority of our programmes were on soluble proteins. But there is shift given the recent data we've been able to generate with really difficult membrane-bound proteins," says Wagner.
With DNA-encoded libraries continuing to expand, and new screening approaches opening up uncharted biological space, he adds, "DNA-encoded libraries are set to become one of the pillars of discovery in the pharmaceutical industry."
This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on February 18, 2016.
Asher Mullard
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Become a leader in curriculum transformation
Education today is a dynamic process that must respond quickly to changes in cultural, demographic, technological and other forces. The William Woods University Education Specialist in Curriculum Leadership degree prepares you to respond to these challenges through an understanding of transformative curriculum design and its implication for learning. This program outlines effective practices for curriculum leadership and will help you clarify your educational values while emphasizing the critical interrelationship of curriculum, instruction and assessment. You will be exposed to various means of curriculum reform, as well as a variety of reform initiatives. The Education specialist program is designed to correlate with the Missouri Superintendent Standards as the focal point of curriculum leadership, focusing on pedagogy, current research and educational trends.
At William Woods, you'll be participating in an Education graduate program known for its excellence and for providing a significant number of the leaders in Missouri's state school system. As one of these students, you will have the opportunity to learn from active practitioners in the field and make the connections you need for leadership and career growth.
This degree is designed to fit the schedules of working PreK-12 teachers and can be completed in two years or less through evening courses taught in convenient locations around the state. You can expect rigorous coursework with real-world relevance, designed and taught by professionals who have proven their expertise. We structure the schedule intentionally to keep students together, allowing you to develop lasting relationships with peers focused on similar career goals. And, to make this an investment you can count on, your tuition will not go up as long as you stay continuously enrolled.
Your education specialist degree at work
This program is designed for teachers, instructional coaches, curriculum directors and principals with an interest in staying current in instructional and circular issues in PreK-12 schools. As a graduate, you will be trained as a leader in the areas of curriculum construction, instructional development and assessment. You may become a curriculum, instruction or assessment leader within a school district; or a master teacher or teacher leader.
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You will earn the degree by completing ten three-credit courses including a capstone practicum course, 40 hours of field work and a final curriculum project.
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EDU 603 - Curriculum Auditing & Mapping - 3.00
This is a class in curriculum mapping and auditing (evaluation). It is designed to provide the learner with knowledge of the connection of mapping and auditing to improve student achievement. During the course students will learn the necessary steps to follow to successfully implement change in curriculum writing. Students will also map a subject/course using the studied method.
EDU 605 - Issues in Curriculum Leadership - 3.00
Philosophical foundations of K-12 curriculum, and its design, implementation and evaluation are examined. Basic principles of curricular theory are introduced and applied to an examination of current curriculum issues and trends.
EDU 610 - Utilizing Statistical Procedures in Educational Research & Evaluation - 3.00
This course will focus on the knowledge, skills, and techniques necessary to effectively collect and interpret data related to school improvement issues. The course will include a discussion of basic statistical concepts that form the foundation for interpreting and analyzing the results of standardized tests and in using the results of this analysis for school improvement purposes. The course will also include procedures and skills necessary for critical review of educational research. Finally, the course will address specific assessment and research data relevant to the state of Missouri and provide the student the opportunity to implement knowledge and skills through case-based practice.
EDU 635 - Curriculum Leadership - 3.00
Leadership skills needed to promote an active, accessible, relevant and rigorous K-12 curriculum are introduced. Students will build the capacity to transform existing curricula into one that is multicultural, diversified and inquiry-based.
EDU 645 - Application of Learning Frameworks - 3.00
Using foundations of instructional theory and the essentials of K-12 curriculum design, the student will apply learning framework models to result ina connected, active and aligned curriculum that can be applied to instructional delivery. Frameworks of inquiry, problem solving, differentiation, and core curriculum are examined for application to future design and implementation.
EDU 655 - Instruction and Assessment Design - 3.00
This course presents a dual focus on the philosophical and practical aspects of curriculum construction. Students will develop instruction that delivers understanding of content through varied processes in several context and conceptual frameworks. Understanding of course content is developed through a variety of readings, presentations, projects, and class discussion. Key topics include developing curriculum aligned to Missouri's Show-Me Standards, the historical bases for traditional subject-area curricula, alternative curriculum standards, philosophical bases of curriculum development, social and cultural issues, and future trends.
EDU 673 - Educational Reform and Urban Educational Issues - 3.00
This course will help developing district leaders understand, facilitate and be proactive to the rapidly expanding scope of changes that are taking place in schooling and education. Basic principles of change, diffusion of innovations and research findings with case studies will be examined. Systemic change and leadership during times of change will be emphasized as well. School district leaders will study how the achievement gap, poverty and other urban educational issues impact student improvement, community perception and school reform. The course will also examine how social dynamics, cultural differences, pedagogy, physical/social environments and student resiliency play a part in making achievement gaps a lingering issue for educators.
EDU 680 - Advanced School Law and Policy Development - 3.00
The course provides advanced information, perspective, and knowledge to educational administrators, including experienced principals and superintendents of schools. It provides administrators with the necessary state and federal legal and practical operational background that will enable them to effectively conduct school business and to operate school organizations and related environments within the constraints of the law (including constitutional, statutory, administrative, and case law). This course also provides a basic understanding of educational policy and how it is made. It focuses on the proactive requirements necessary for school administrators to be effective leaders in policy development and implementation.
EDU 690 - Differentiated & Supplemental Program - 3.00
This course is designed to expose the student to the many specialized state and federal programs currently in place to assist public schools. The history and purpose of each program will be examined. Specific program requirements will be detailed for each of the major differentiated programs. Programs reviewed will include the Federal Title programs, special education/at-risk; professional development; technology integration and grant-based initiatives. Upon completion of this course, students should possess the knowledge to effectively evaluate, select and administer differentiated and supplemental programs common to school districts.
EDU 696 - Curriculum Leadership Practicum - 3.00
This 3-credit hour (six week) capstone course is designed to provide the student with application and reflective opportunities using those attitudes, skills, and behaviors learned in previous Ed.S program curricular design and instructional leadership skills necessary for success at the central school district and administrative office and building levels. All written work will be developed individually, although required textbooks for this course. Rather, all the textbooks and references (i.e. APA Manual, 5th edition) used earlier in the other Ed.S. program courses will be referred to, as needed to complete to assignments in EDU 696. During the practicum, while the student completes the required assignments, they will simultaneously be completing activities (estimated to total about fifteen hours) that can be counted toward completion of the 40 total experience hours required for the Ed.S. program. The students will be in the "field" observing, interviewing and gathering information from instructional staff in a school building and from the administrative staff at the central office of a school district. With the guidance of the university facilitator for EDU696, the student will be exposed to, and produce, assignments involving concepts of administrative management of instructional programs and the development and moitoring of a school or district written curricula with student assessment. The final curriculum project (which will be developed during this course via several sub-assignments) will be submitted at the end of this six-week course. This final project is a requirement for graduation and will apply previous learning and skills developed throughout this Ed.S. program for Instructional Leadership. The final product will be archived by the University (for accreditation review) for a period of seven years.
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Curriculum reform: Can a higher-quality textbook alone improve student achievement?
According to a recent policy paper published by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, switching to a higher-quality math textbook did not improve student achievement across the six Common Core states that were studied. These findings refute the notion that curriculum alone — namely textbooks and supporting instruction materials — is enough […]
Making literacy programs work
According to the 2019 Reading Report Card by the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), the average reading score has dropped since 2017. 65 percent of fourth- and eighth-grade students perform below the NAEP Proficient achievement level. The NAEP defines its proficient level as a "solid academic performance" where students "have demonstrated competency over challenging […]
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Redding horse neglect case held up another day
A Redding woman was scheduled for court Tuesday, Jan. 26, and was nearly rearrested after failing to make an appearance. She had been scheduled for a trial by jury on charges of animal cruelty for neglecting two horses, Chinook and Cheyenne. Lisa Lind-Larsen was on the docket at 9:30 in Danbury's Superior Court for jury selection in front of Judge Kevin Russo.
At 10:40 Lind-Larsen, 76, had not shown up in court, and Judge Russo promptly directed her rearrest. Perhaps someone notified her about the rearrest possibility but, in any case, Lind-Larsen avoided rearrest when she appeared in court Tuesday afternoon. By that time, jury selection was postponed to Wednesday morning.
Lind-Larsen is "representing herself in criminal and civil court cases." This charge stems from two counts of animal cruelty dating to July 2014 when she was charged for the emaciated, neglected condition of two horses. Per the legal records, there was "scarce" food for the horses, and stalls were deep in manure, the available drinking water was "scant" and "unclean" and both horses were emaciated with ribs, hips and backbones clearly showing. Both Chinook and Cheyenne, Mustangs, were removed from her property and placed with the Department of Agriculture. Lind-Larsen has battled in civil court for the return of her horses and appealed the decision to keep the horses with the state. A decision from Connecticut's Appellate Court has not yet been released.
According to supervisor Ray Connors, Animal Control Division, both Chinook and Cheyenne are doing very well now at Connecticut's large animal rehabilitation facility in Niantic and will be kept there until a decision by the Appellate Court is made. Connecticut has been unable to permit the adoption of the two horses because Lind-Larsen has the pending civil case.
Lind-Larsen has owned the horses since 2004. In past court proceedings, Lind-Larsen claimed that her farm was not unsanitary. Besides, she claimed per source Danbury NewsTimes, that "it is a common practice to protect stalls from flooding by letting manure build up on the floor." Court records also show she testified that roof shingles were "placed" in the water trough to "help squirrels climb out in case they fell into the water."
Said Lind-Larsen, she "had not been notified about the court appearance" adding the she just recently moved for dismissal due to statutory grounds. However, she gave no details.
More detail about Chinook and Cheyenne and their abuse by accused Lind-Larsen are available on this Facebook link.
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NEW BOARD OF GOVERNORS UNVEILED FOR SALESIAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, PALLASKENRY
The Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry, Co Limerick recently unveiled its new Board of Governors in advance of the upcoming academic year. Pictured are (front row from left) Fr. Paddy Hennessy, Provincial Economer, Salesians of Don Bosco, Chairman Dr. Edmond Harty, Dairymaster, Dr. Doreen Corridan, Munster AI, Mr. John Donworth, Teagasc, (back row from left) Mr. Derek O'Donoghue, Principal, Salesian Agricultural College, Mr. John Mullins, Dairy farmer & Macra representative, Mr. John Furey, Salesian Agricultural College Staff Representative, Mr. Richard Kennedy, Dairy Farmer, Ms. Aisling Meehan, Agri Solicitor & Fr. Dan Carroll, Rector Salesian Agricultural College. Photo O'Gorman Photography. No reproduction fee.
The Salesian Agricultural College recently unveiled its new Board of Governors in advance of the upcoming academic year.
The nine member board is chaired by Dr. Edmond Harty of Dairymaster and also includes Dr. Doreen Corridan, Munster AI; Ms. Aisling Meehan, Agri Solicitor; Mr. Richard Kennedy, Dairy Farmer; Mr. John Mullins, Dairy farmer and Macra repre-sentative; Mr. John Furey, Salesian Agricul-tural College Staff Represen-tative; Mr. John Don-worth, Teagasc; Fr. Dan Carroll, Rector Salesian Agricultural College and Fr. Paddy Hennessy, Provincial Economer, Salesians of Don Bosco.
The Rector of the Salesian Agricultural College, Fr. Dan Carroll welcomed all the new members and thanked them for their commitment to agricultural education.
Speaking at the inaugural Board Meeting, Dr. Edmond Harty welcomed the new board members and said: 'Ireland can go a long way towards feeding the growing world population, not alone by what product we produce but by placing well educa-ted agriculturalists assisted by modern farming tech-nologies worldwide. We have the best farmers, we produce the best farmers, and some of the best far-mers operating worldwide are Irish.'
Mr. Derek O'Donoghue, College Principal, said he looked forward to working with the new board, and that the diversity and range of experience amongst board members would be an invaluable asset to the management team of the Salesian Agricultural College.
The Board of Directors of Cunamh Teoranta are responsible for the operation of the Salesian Agricultural College and Farm in Pallaskenry which has been in Salesian own-ership since 1922. Being conscious of the need to plan for the future the services of Deloitte were engaged to provide a critical evaluation of the present structures for the operation of the Agricul-tural College and Farm.
The report from Deloitte provided a set of recom-mendations which when implemented will ensure the viability of the Agricul-tural College and Farm for the future.
Among the most important recommendations brought forward in the Deloitte Report was the appoint-ment of an Advisory Board of Governors whose mem-bership would be drawn from those with a wide range of experience and with particular links to the farming sector to advise and assist the management of the Agricultural College and Farm in the operation and effective management of both and to report periodically to the Board of Cunamh Teoranta.


Inadequate Zoological Park, Parque de las Ciencias, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
by: Julia Feliz
recipient: Ramon Luis Rivera, Alcalde de Bayamon, Parque de las Ciencias, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
THREE YEARS LATER and the animals are STILL living in filth:
http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Parks-Co-Any-problems-at-zoo-will-be-fixed
Problems at zoo to be fixed? No. The article did not address a single way that anything will be fixed for the animal's sake. It's time for the Mayor of Bayamon to CLOSE DOWN the zoo and SEND the animals to sanctuaries! Please sign in support for these animals!
A video documenting the lives of animals in el Parque de las Ciencias in Bayamon, Puerto Rico... See it with your own eyes (click play on the icon to the left)!!!!
Vea a estos animales y las condiciones en las que son forzados a vivir aqui:
Click here to watch the video/Haz click para ver el video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqVOpqi0UPI
Primates, Jaguar, raccoons, deer, hippopotamus, and other animals are being kept in primordial cement slabs within a park otherwise known as the Science Park (el Parque de las Ciencias). Many of the animals were placed within a section of this park in the 80s. Other animals have arrived at the park throughout the years due to their confiscation by the Department of Natural Resources (Dept. de Recursos Naturales).
Los Animales en el Parque de las Ciencias son forzados a vivir en condiciones de puro cemento y sumamente minimas. Hoy en dia se reconoce que los animales tienen necesidades como todo humano. Es hora de cuidar a los animales en Puerto Rico.
Pictures of the zoo taken March 30th, 2007, February 24, 2008, and September 2008.
Fotos del zoologico fueron tomadas el 30 de Marzo de 2007, el 24 de Febrero del 2008 y el 11 de Septiembre de 2008.
See http://www.myspace.com/pranimalhelp
I have increased the signature goal for this petition now that the Mayor of Bayamon has stated that, although he does not have any real plans for these animals, there is a possibility to move them to spaces around the city or use them within a fun park that has not even been planned yet. He said that this would possibly happen in 2 years. This interview was reported by the newspaper "Primera Hora"
See: http://www.primerahora.com/noticia/otras_panorama/noticias/cirugia_para_darle__una_nueva_imagen/50347
Although I am appreciative of a response, the mayor still does not understand the basic requirements that animals such as a Jaguar, alligator, and pretty much any other animal that they keep needs biologically, ecologically, and just out of common sense.
Bayamon is a city made up almost entirely by cement, roads, highways, and buildings. There is no acceptable place to keep these animals around the city. Two years for any action to be taken is unacceptable when these animals need help Now! The mayors plans have not even made it onto paper and are just quick responses to appease the masses.
Why should the animals have to keep living in filth and in horrible conditions with barely any space to move WHILE the mayor allows a new HOLIDAY INN (see picture to the left of this petition) to build over 100 rooms, a CASINO, RESTAURANTS, a GYM, Pool, and a CONVENTION ROOMS in the SAME PARK where these animals are kept. He says it will bring TOURISM to the park and the city of BAYAMON...as stated by newspapers in PR. If they have room to build all this, why do they not have room to build modern and spacious enclosures for these animals?
The following links and quotes state that this Hotel is a reality....
As quoted on wikipedia, " Bayam%uFFFDn Holiday Inn Hotel & Tropical Casino at Science Park - Pr%uFFFDximamente se estar%uFFFD comenzando la construcci%uFFFDn en los predios del Parque de las Ciencias, seria el primer hotel con casino en Bayam%uFFFDn y segundo hotel del mismo.Consta con 118 habitaciones, un casino de 10,000 pies cuadrados, tres salones de actividades, un sal%uFFFDn de negocios, gimnasio, dos restaurantes y piscina."
Summary article from El Nuevo Dia on the same hotel:
"Bayam%uFFFDn se apunta un Holiday Inn"
"Nueva hospeder%uFFFDa forma parte del redise%uFFFDo del Parque de las Ciencias Bayam%uFFFDn Holiday Inn Hotel & Tropical Casino at Science Park es el nombre del segundo hotel que se construir%uFFFD en los pr%uFFFDximos a%uFFFDos en la Ciudad del Chicharr%uFFFDn, a un costo de $23.8 millones. Ayer el municipio y la cadena hotelera Holiday Inn firmaron un acuerdo para desarrollar este hotel de 118 habitaciones en los predios del Parque de las Ciencias, el cual cuenta con 43 cuerdas de terreno. La firma del acuerdo se..."
mar, 14 de noviembre de 2006
Will these animals have to face the same conditions for the rest of their lives? It is up to YOU to help and have your voice heard on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves...
I know that these photos and the conditions in which these animals are in are horrible, but I ask that if you leave a comment, Please do not write any threats or use vulgar language.
Also, if you don't want to write your real name, consider writing your initials or set to sign under anonymous.
Vulgar language, fake names, and threats hinder our work to help these animals.
To See More Pictures of the Zoo, visit this site:
Para ver m%uFFFDs Fotos de los Animales, Vean esta Pagina:
http://www.myspace.com/pranimalhelp
These animals deserve better.
Estos animales merecen una vida mejor.
Please Sign This Petition For These Animals!
What else can you do to help?
read petition letter ▾
As a child I visited el Parque de las Ciencias during school field trips. I had fond memories of a place where you could learn about space, see the stars and planets within a planetarium, and even look at animals all in one day.
About a year ago, I returned to the same park. I was very disappointed when I got to the zoological portion and saw animals within cement enclosures with barely any room to move in.
El Parque de las Ciencias is top 3 on the list of recreations within the city of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. I do commend the city of Bayamon, Puerto Rico for establishing a park where future generations can learn about the sciences. However, the conditions of the animals that are being kept are unacceptable.
Today, as a concerned animal advocate, I, along the undersigned concerned public, call upon Mayor (Alcalde) Ramon Luis Rivera:
- To explain all the claims that have been brought about the conditions that these animals are being kept in.
-To explain and address why el Parque de las Ciencias's zoological portion remains open when the park cannot obviously provide spacious enclosures and are kept in filth.
-To explain and address why the zoological portion of the park remains open when the Parque de las Ciencias has been repeatedly described for all the violations reported by the USDA continuously for more than 10 years, such as:
It's inability unable to provide adequate food or water sources for the animals.
Its inabiliy to provide enclosures that are clean and safe for animals to live in.
Its failure to provide public barriers keeping the visitors from being able to come in contact with the animals.
Its failure to provide environment enrichment to its primates, including failure to provide proper social groups for primates.
Above all, We the undersigned ask for Mayor (Alcalde) Ramon Luis Rivera:
-To explain why the Mayor feels that the animals should just be "left to die off" in el Parque de las Ciencias and to explain why these animals have been kept in filth and in inappropriate and unnatural habitats for so long. The use of bare cement slab cages and enclosures with trash and nothing but bare ground covered in dried up leaves is unacceptable.
-To work along el Parque de las Ciencias and unaffiliated biologists to establish whether or not these animals are receiving sufficient social, mental, and physical stimulation.
-Above all, we call upon Mayor Ramon Luis Rivera to order the closure of the zoological portion of the park and to send the animals to sanctuaries or to establishments that are more suited to attend to these animals.
For more detailed descriptions of descriptions of this "mini-zoo" by the USDA, please visit:
http://www.wildlifepimps.com/ParqueDe.html
We, the undersigned, will not visit or let our children visit the park until these issues are resolved.


Roar Omega Roar: Monsters University
Posted by Tristian on Sep 28, 2015 in Feature Articles, Uncategorized | No Comments
It's my job to make great students greater, not make mediocre students less mediocre.
– Dean Hardscrabble, SVA Film Chair (J/k!) Monsters University (2013)
Dean Hardscrabble [photo source: http://moviemansguide.com]
It's the second annual "After School Special," the School of Visual Art's Alumni Film and Animation Festival. In a weekend of free public screenings ranging from premieres to classics to behind-the-scenes, today we examine Monsters University and a small group of SVA alumni who participated in Pixar's production. Ye Won Cho (MFA 2002 Computer Art), Andrew Dayton (BFA 1998 Computer Art), Christian Haniszewski (BFA 2009 Computer Art, Computer Animation and Visual Effects), Nancy Kato (MFA 1991 Computer Art), and Maria Lee (BFA 1988 Media Arts). The Q&A was moderated by current SVA student Jaime Klein (MFA 2016 Computer Art). I received an invitation to talk with the panelists prior to their Q&A.
Monsters University represents many important firsts for Pixar. It was their first prequel, after significant shake-ups on sequel ideas for Monsters Inc, with Circle-7 Animation and Disney's purchase of the Pixar company. It was the first Pixar film to use "global illumination," a ray-tracing lighting style for 3d animation that accurately simulates lights, shadows, and reflections. It was the birth of "Presto," Pixar's proprietary software that plays back rough animation in real time so that animators and directors can make adjustments to the first draft of a scene without rendering. And it was the first time a Pixar movie used a techno track, with "Roar" by Swedish House Mafia. Let's see what else we can learn about the movie from SVA's former students.
Ye Won Cho
Lighting Technical Director, Pixar (2004 – present)
Before earning a MFA in SVA's Computer Arts program, studying 'time-based moving images,' Ye Won Cho studied sculpture and visual communication in Seoul National University, in her home country of Korea. Cho started off with an internship at MTV-LOGO assisting on Daria, and as a intern/lighter at Curious Pictures. She recommends that students take internships to get exposure (and to give exposure). Cho also spent a short amount of time at Eyebeam right here in Brooklyn and just a year at Dreamworks and Shrek 2. Her thesis film Trilemma was nominated for a Student Academy Award (regional finalist) and screened on PBS's Reel New York. With her diverse background, Cho believes her role as a lighting director is to direct the attention of the audience with lights and darks, and support the vision of the movie's director. She also credits New York City for its great access to superb art, and to SVA for showing her lots of installation and video art.
Light and Dark in Monsters University. [photo source: http://pixartconception.tumblr.com]
Lighting can create a subtle storytelling atmosphere. Regarding Mike and Sully, Cho says that the relationship between the two was played with "the choreography of shadows." Since this movie was a prequel, they have not become good friends yet. The best way to play Mike's and Sully's friendship was:
"when they were fighting, one was in light and the other was in shadow… towards to the end, when they get together, they are in shadow or light together. We used trees and moved things around to create the look. … we used dapple shadows for transition." ~ YWC
Cho also described a "dingy green" that is slowly introduced into the movie. It's a color that makes people feel uncomfortable, and signifies a really low moment. The color becomes more prominent over time to build tension during the 'reverse monster movie' section of Monsters University. The scary human world that Mike and Sully run through is more black & white, lit with flashlights, and as the climax builds, the lighting becomes more dingy. There were deliberate choices made in 'color metaphors' to distinguish Monsters University from Monsters Inc. ranging from saturation levels, to monochromatic colors, and 'emotional colors.' [Editor's note: a theme that would reach its eventual conclusion in Inside Out, which very specifically matches colors to emotion.]
Mike and Sully in the Human World [photo source http://pixarplanet.com]
Andrew Dayton
Senior Technical Director, Pixar (2002-2014)
As a TD, Dayton works on sets, models, and lighting. After graduating SVA in 1998 with a BFA in computer art, he spent some years freelancing at various studios such as Curious Pictures and TapeHouse/BlackLogic. He even received an offer from ILM, but he turned it down because he is NOT a fan of Star Wars Episode 1. While at Pixar, Dayton was awarded a technical patent on semi-sharp crease modulation, which gives the modeler control over sharp edges. Real world edges are never infinitely sharp, particularly when viewed up close (for subdivsion surfaces the sharpness value ranges from 1-10, where infinitely sharp is >=10).
An example of semi-sharp creases [photo source: http://graphics.pixar.com]
In Monsters Univesity, many of the buildings and sets were designed with subtle 'monster faces.' And within the architecture, many objects such as doorframes were weighted top or bottom heavy as trapezoids to accent various characters. For Dayton, the general shape and structure of an object comes easily, but it is the last 10% of polishing that is key. Again, the pre-visualization software Presto comes into play, making it easy for the director to lock down the best camera angles, and therefore directing the modelers to the part of the object that needs the most amount of detail. This came into play strongly during the Scare Games Tunnel Sequence, since while as a whole the tunnel structure was complex, details such as bricks or erosion only had to appear where the camera was pointed. They always ask, "where can we up-rez the quality?"
When Dayton was working at Pixar, it didn't matter what software people used, whether it was Maya, Mudbox, Modo, or Z-Brush, just as long as the end result looked good. And if, when you finally finished that model, the director decided the movie didn't really need that scene, you don't take it personally. It's all for the sake of the story, and you still get a paycheck.
Presto Visualization Software – https://vimeo.com/90687696
Christian Haniszewski
Character Technical Director, Pixar (2010-2012)
A native of Connecticut, Haniszewski started working at great New York studios such as Nathan Love Aardman Nathan Love and Framestore even before he graduated from SVA in 2009. At Pixar he was responsible for modeling props for main characters and for all 'tertiary [character] hand articulation,' amongst other things. Haniszewski incorporated Z-brush into the production process to speed up the pipeline. Apparently there were lots of challenges in Monsters University that required updates in technology, but the challenges of sculpting, modeling, and rigging believable creations is what he loves to overcome.
While he was at school, Haniszewski engaged in friendly competition with classmates to see who was the better artist, or the better modeler. When the teacher asked for a model of chess pieces, he made monsters (playing chess probably). He recommends that students constantly push themselves. The two years of fine art that SVA offered were very helpful, especially in a world where animation software changes all the time. Haniszewski currently works at Blue Sky as a Character TD, and co-teaches a class at SVA of advanced model rigging. His students are hungry… to learn!
Allegedly he hates milk.
Nancy Kato
Animator, Pixar (2000 – present)
When you work at Pixar for over ten years, you get a little bronze statuette of Buzz Lightyear. Nancy Kato graduated from SVA's graduate computer art's program in 1991, and spent several years freelancing at Wild Brain Inc, 8 years on staff at Rhythm & Hues, and for one year at Pixar itself before joining staff. She has received a Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Film (Cars – Mater) in February, 2007. Kato was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and likes to visit her homeland every year. Outside of Pixar she has worked on Babe, the original Coca-Cola Bears commercial campaign, and Waterworld. She was an Animation Mentor, and teaches at the California College of Arts (as a visiting artist). Kato worked on the animation of Merida in Brave, and is animating on Finding Dory. In Monsters University she animated the 6-year old version of Mike Wazowski.
Young Mike [photo source: http://www.hypable.com]
Kato believes that each new character animation builds on your previous work, one on top of another. Animating a human character in the movie Brave just before Monsters University was the most challenging, as people tend to recognize more details in a human, rather than a monster or toy. Describing her transition from Maya to Pixar's unique animation software, it was 'like from driving a jeep to riding a limo.'
Kato brings out a character through their movements, creating a unique personality to go along with a pre-designed model and a solid story. Her inspirations include Wallace & Gromit and Miyazaki. She loves to use reference material for character animation, and frequently uses her 'opinionated' husband in video reference, who will act it out over and over until it is just right.
Maria Lee
Character Shader, Pixar (2005 – present)
Maria Lee developed a heavy background in advertising as an art-director and graphics before she learned the skills she needed to work at Pixar. Emigrating from Hong Kong as a young girl, Lee used drawing as a way to over come culture-shock. She studied illustration and media arts as an undergrad at SVA in 1988, and eventually earned an MFA in computer arts at the Academy of Art University in the year 2000. She loves to create oil paintings that give a 'lustrous quality' to her subjects, and frequently Instagrams her work from Pixar's weekly life-drawing class.
Oil Painting by Maria Lee [photo credit: https://instagram.com/marialeecollections/]
As a character painter and shader, Lee's responsible not only for the color of a characters surface, but for the specular maps and the displacement maps. She says that the art teams love it when the designs get abstract or when evidence of brush strokes end up in the design; they encourage "stylization." During the production of Monsters University she used MARI 3D Painting Texture Software (famous for its use in Cameron's Avatar) and in later movie-productions used Katana Lighting & Look Development Software. Lee believes her background in illustration helps her make better decisions in shading, and while other colleges may have stronger technical emphasis ("learn C++") its important to have a balance of both, which you can find at SVA.
Lee thinks that her student thesis film was one of the greatest things that she ever did for herself. It's an abstract film involving a beating heart in a paper bag… 'It's about the deconstruction of love…' she said waving her hands. "Women would get it." When asked what the boys on the panel did for their thesis films, they had two short answers. Guns and Aliens.
There are so many more interesting things to discuss about Monsters University's production, not the least of which is the fact that Pixar kept an Amazonian Giant Centipede in a box until a visiting zoologist told them it was hideously poisonous. I encourage you to dive into the director's commentary on DVD and read more on the web, including a Youtube video demonstrating the "Presto" software. Director Dan Scanlon has said of Monsters University that it's a story to inspire people who have been through a failure in life. That may be true, but the School of Visual Arts certainly did not fail to educate these great students, who went on to join one of the world's best animation studios, at Pixar.
"After School Special," the School of Visual Art's Alumni Film and Animation Festival, occurs every year in September. Screenings are free and open to the public. Monsters University is available on Netflix DVD.


FBI Reports that Firearm Background Checks Continue to Set New Highs
Bob Adelmann
When the National Instant Criminal Background Check System – NICS – was inflicted on the American people as part of the Brady Bill passed under President Clinton in 1993, it was sold as a means to reduce gun violence by keeping firearms out of the hands of those who shouldn't have them.
But now it turns out that another force – a profound cultural change – has been quietly at work accomplishing what the NICS demonstrably didn't: the increasing freedom being enjoyed by law-abiding citizens "to keep and bear arms."
Whenever the FBI updates its monthly report on NICS firearm background checks (BGCs) it notes that the numbers "do not represent the number of firearms sold." That's because the BGCs are performed on people attempting to purchase a firearm and not on the number he or she might be buying at that moment in time.
So, a fair question to ask, in light of the record-setting two million background checks every month for the first six months of 2019, is: what is driving those numbers to new highs?
There have been more than two million BGCs every month for the last nine months straight, a record going back to the start of the NICS as part of the Brady Bill. The same question applies: what's going on to drive BGCs to more than two million a month?
There is some political influence, of course. BGCs jumped in November of 2008 when it became clear that Barack Obama was going to be president. They jumped again in November 2012 when he won reelection. He has been tagged as "America's No. 1 Gun Salesman" as citizens rushed to purchase firearms before new restrictions on their right to do so were enacted. BGCs also jumped just prior to the November 2016 election when nearly every poll showed anti-gun Hillary Clinton winning the presidential election.
Outside events also impacted BGCs. For instance, during the month of December 2015 the San Bernardino attack by two Muslims (that left 14 people dead and another 22 seriously injured – the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting) raised concerns about more restrictions on gun owners coming as a result. That month BGCs jumped to 3.3 million.
Part of the answer must be the number of firearm owners who are seeking concealed carry permits, known as CCW or "concealed carry weapons" permits. As of 2018 there have been more than 17 million permits issued in the U.S.
If you like this kind of hard-hitting news – info you won't get from the major media – sign up for our intel service, G2 (military-speak for the high-level staff member responsible for intelligence gathering). For only $7/quarter you'll have links to the most critical news of the day delivered right to your inbox. Sign up here.
And that counts only those who must follow state requirements for background checks as part of the permitting process. An increasing number of states are repealing or setting aside the requirement for concealed carry permits in order for citizens to carry firearms in public.
Irrefutable is the conclusion that John Lott, founder and president of the Crime Prevention Research Center and author of "More Guns, Less Crime," arrived at in 1998. He has updated his work in subsequent issuances of his book, which confirmed his conclusions. Those conclusions have been confirmed and validated elsewhere.
Using FBI numbers, the violent crime rate in the U.S. fell by 49 percent between 1993 and 2017. Using data from Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the rate fell by 74 percent during that period. And the impact on property crimes has been equally impressive, falling from 351 property crimes per household (using BJS data) in 1993 to 108 in 2017 (the last full year for which data is available).
In total there have been more than 230 million BGCs initiated since 1998, with just 1.6 million denials, or less than seven-tenths of one percent. This leads one to ask: just what impact on that decline have those BGCs had? Lott answered that question, writing at TheHill.com in 2017: "Research looking at U.S. data has consistently found no evidence that any type of background checks reduce rates of violent crime." Lott expanded on his theme a few months later: BGC denials might actually result in increased violent crime. In his opinion piece published by the New York Times, Lott criticized the NICS for the thousands of denials based on "false positives" – those with names similar to those legitimately denied. Lott also noted that fees charged applicants in some areas of the country are so high that they keep lower income individuals from applying for their CCW permit, thus exposing them to criminal elements.
The irony is somehow satisfying: what government promised to do it failed to do. Instead private individuals increasingly exercising their rights are accomplishing it.
An Ivy League graduate and former investment advisor, Bob is a regular contributor to The New American primarily on economics and politics. He can be reached at bobadelmann@msn.com.
Breitbart.com: Gun Background Check Record: 2+ Million Checks Each Month of 2019
FBI.gov: NICS Firearm Checks: Month/Year
MyFox8.com: NICS firearm background checks surpass 2 million every month for first 6 months of 2019
FBI.gov: History of background checks
More history on background checks
The New York Times: Background Checks Are Not the Answer to Gun Violence, by John Lott
TheHill.com: Background checks do not diminish crime rates, but can increase them
Concealed carry in the United States
The San Bernardino, California shooting in 2015
Pew Research: 5 facts about crime in the U.S.


City Room | New York Today: City of Stunts
New York Today: City of Stunts
By Annie Correal
August 14, 2014 6:07 am August 14, 2014 6:07 am
Left to right: A water tower speakeasy; white flags on the Brooklyn Bridge; and a Banksy on the Hustler Club.Credit Benjamin Norman/The New York Times; Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times; Carlo Allegri/Reuters
Updated 10:01 a.m.
Good morning on this cool Thursday.
This week, two German artists said they were the ones who planted the mystery white flags on the Brooklyn Bridge last month.
And they provided The Times with a video that seemed to prove it.
In the interview, they said they were inspired by what the reporter called the history of "uncommissioned actions in and around the streets of New York."
Some incidents in that history are well-known:
Banksy's one-month residency, the Freedom Tower parachute jump, The New York Times Building climbers, Philippe Petit's tightrope walk.
Here are some you might not have heard about:
• The Brooklyn Griffin: Two British artists built a nine-foot griffin robot in Williamsburg in 2010. It was partly destroyed when they were caught.
• The Night Heron: A group built a speakeasy in a Chelsea water tower in 2013.
• The "Empty Vessel" of Gowanus: Artists turned a decommissioned Fire Island Ferry into an arts venue in 2006.
• The Rubik's Cube: The black cube at Astor Place got a 24-hour makeover in 2003.
• The (Botched) Statue of Liberty Leap: A French daredevil's parachute got caught on the flame in 2001.
• The (Foiled) Flying Squirrel of the Empire State: The man wore a parachute and an aerodynamic suit. He was arrested before jumping, in 2006.
Let us know about other capers in the comments, on Twitter using #nytoday or by emailing nytoday@nytimes.com.
Here are a few that readers have sent in:
• The Bridge Jump Bet: In 1886, a young man jumped off of the Brooklyn Bridge. He survived and won the $200 bet.
• The Human Fly: A man named George Willig scaled one of the twin towers using climbing gear in 1977. He was fined $1.10 by the city, a penny per story.
• Charging Bull: In 1989 an Italian sculptor dropped off a 3.5 ton bronze bull on Wall Street, where it remains today.
• The B-Thing: An arts collective from Vienna may have built – then quickly dismantled – a balcony off the 91st floor of one of the twin towers in 2000.
• The Big Popsicle: It was 17.5 tons and made of Snapple. It melted.
• The Wooden Submarine: A replica of America's first submarine, "an oak sphere called the Turtle," surfaced in Red Hook in 2007.
• The Echo Vault: A group led 200 people into an abandoned subway station for a dance party this summer.
Here's what else you need to know.
Septemberish. Sunny but cool, with a high of 79.
Possible showers after lunch and thunder after dinner.
COMING UP TODAY
• Six members of Congress call for a federal inquiry into the chokehold death of Eric Garner, at Police Headquarters downtown. 11:45 a.m.
• On the 69th anniversary of Japan's surrender, World War II veterans pose beside a six-foot statue depicting the famous kissing sailor photograph in Times Square. 10 a.m.
• If you like fake snow, the Rockettes and Santa Claus perform "Christmas in August" outside Radio City Music Hall. 11 a.m.
• The owners of the Subway Inn, an Upper East dive bar dating to 1937, announce plans to challenge the landlord who is ending their lease. 11 a.m.
• An Intergalactic Travel Bureau opens in Midtown. It's a crowd-funded "interactive, science-theater experience" simulating space tourism. Noon. [Free]
• The public has written music to accompany the Brooklyn Museum fountain. Come listen at 6:30 p.m. [Free]
• A Dum Dum Girls drum solo set at a party for the latest issue of "The Pitchfork Review" at Housing Works in SoHo. 7 p.m. [Free]
• "Mainstreaming Psychedelia," a talk on "the revival of hallucinogen research since the decade of the brain," at the Swiss Institute. 7 p.m. [Free]
• Free outdoor movies include "Midnight Cowboy" at Tompkins Square Park, and "Captain Phillips" aboard the Intrepid. See more listings.
• Mets host Nationals, 7:10 p.m. (SNY).
• For more events, see The New York Times Arts & Entertainment guide.
• Subway and PATH
• L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak
• Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s.
• Alternate-side parking: in effect till Friday.
• Air travel: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark.
• Guards' violence toward young inmates at Rikers Island grew substantially under the administration of Mayor Bloomberg. [New York Times]
• Broadway dimmed its lights in memory of Robin Williams. [Theater Mania]
• Police began a two-week cycling safety crackdown. [CBS]
• Governor Cuomo joined a long list of politicians visiting Israel this summer to make a political statement. [New York Times]
• The World Trade Center's new logo captures its present and its past. [New York Times]
• Bedbugs were said to have been found on a No. 7 subway train. Last week, the bugs rode the N. [Business Insider]
• Two 600-pound, 100-year-old tortoises went on display at the Bronx Zoo. They're named Rocket and Abdul. [Daily News]
• Brooklyn Heights Cinema closes this month but it may relocate to a former restaurant space nearby. [Brooklyn Paper]
• Scoreboard: Orioles fly over Yankees, 5-3. Nationals tax Mets, 3-2.
AND FINALLY …
Lauren Bacall, who died on Tuesday at 89, was the image of Hollywood in its prime.
But she never stopped sounding like a New Yorker.
"She could talk the language of a longshoreman, which I always found at odds with her appearance," said Stephen Birmingham, who wrote about the illustrious residents of the Dakota, off Central Park.
When she walked her dog, she talked to a neighbor's Pekingese "in her husky voice, not her imperious voice," the neighbor told The Times this week.
And when she opened the door to Halloween trick-or-treaters, "I don't think I got any candy; I think I just got fashion advice," remembered Jennifer LeRoy.
She had knocked on Ms. Bacall's door while dressed as a vampire along with some friends.
"She was like, 'You all need to put on red lipstick,' and we did."
Kenneth Rosen contributed reporting.
New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email.
What would you like to see here to start your day? Post a comment, email us at nytoday@nytimes.com, or reach us via Twitter using #NYToday.
Follow the New York Today columnists, Annie Correal and Andy Newman, on Twitter.
You can always find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com.
A version of this article appears in print on 08/15/2014, on page A18 of the NewYork edition with the headline: In City, Stunts Are Done on a Larger Scale.
Smacked by a Car Door
An Art Project on Wheels


Karen Dershem
Karen Dershem, 64 of Avis, passed away Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, at UPMC Williamsport Hospital surrounded by her family.
Born July 30, 1957 in Beech Creek, she was the daughter of the late Robert Ream and Marilyn Leathers Ream, who survives in Lock Haven.
Karen was a Christian by faith and was a stay-at-home mother where she cared for her loving family for over 40 years.
She enjoyed spending time with her family and grandchildren outdoors and would often go camping. She loved creating her own arts and crafts, especially painting. Karen loved watching her grandchildren play sports and never missed a school activity.
On Dec. 31, 1980, Karen married the love of her life, David Dershem, Sr. They shared 32 years of marriage together.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by a son, David (Lisa Brule) Dershem, Jr. of Jersey Shore; her daughters, Christina (Charles) Etters of Rauchtown and Heather (Corey Bailey) Bower of Jersey Shore; her loving grandchildren, Justin Etters, Emily Etters, Kayla Rossman, Gavin Bower, Charlie Etters, Bryce Bower and Ahna Dershem; and a great-grandchild, Xylina Tome.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later time.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Clinton County SPCA, c/o Donald G. Walker Funeral Home, Inc., 231 High St., Flemington, PA 17745.
Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.donaldwalkerfuneral
Texas wildfire no longer growing, some evacuations lifted


Aricoma Group Acqusition
Seavus has been acquired by the Czech ARICOMA Group. With this change, Seavus gets access to a broader range of solutions to offer its clients.
– "With a new, strong owner we can focus more on our consulting services, and we have a better opportunity to accept larger clients while offering better solutions to our existing clients", says Kocha Boshku, CEO of Seavus.
Recently, it was also announced that ARICOMA GROUP is acquiring the Swedish IT consulting firm Stratiteq in order to strengthen its presence in the Nordic countries. Seavus is a software development and consulting firm with more than 20 years of experience in providing advanced business solutions in IT.
The company, which was founded in Malmö and Skopje, has more than 800 IT experts and offers a variety of different solutions and service options, focusing on the Northern European and American markets.
In December of last year, it was announced that ARICOMA Group, which is a part of the Czech conglomerate Karel Komárek's KKCG, was going to acquire Seavus.
Within ARICOMA Group, there are other software development and consulting firms focusing on the Central European market.
– "Now, we suddenly have 3500 employees in what constitutes the IT part of KKCG Group. We can utilize this and offer better solutions to our clients", says Kocha Boshku.
Challenging Global Giants
At the same time, they can take on larger projects and seriously challenge bigger competitors, who are primarily based in the U.S. and India.
– "We're becoming a major player, but with a European profile. That will fit many clients here", he says.
Seavus has put a big emphasis on the banking, finance and telecommunications sector. Now, they will be able to put a bigger emphasis on building and offering a larger selection of even better consulting services. Together with other companies in ARICOMA Group, Seavus will now be able to offer solutions in adjacent fields, such as cloud services and data center solutions.
Another Company in the Group Specializes in Security
– "This is a really hot topic. Now we'll be able to offer this as well to our own, existing clients", says Kocha Boshku.
At ARICOMA Group, they see the acquisition of Seavus as a way to reach several markets in Europe, but also as a way to strengthen its position in the U.S.
Ludovic Gaudé is a Custom Software Development Operations Manager at ARICOMA Group.
– "In the coming years, Seavus will keep its own identity and brand. One goal is to expand as a part of ARICOMA Group, both through acquisitions and organic growth, and within five years become a European Unicorn", he says.
Swedish Stratiteq is Another Acquisition
At the start of September, ARICOMA Group also finalized its acquisition of the Swedish IT company Stratiteq, with offices in both Malmö and Stockholm, and more than 100 employees.
Stratiteq helps its clients develop their data-driven capabilities by delivering digital solutions and implementing strategies. Their areas of expertise are mass transportation, service companies, and the manufacturing industry.
– "In Stratiteq we have found a real piece of gold. Their merits are impressive, with many innovative projects with both regional and international businesses. They will strengthen our group and we will accelerate their growth. It's a perfect mix", says Ludovic Gaudé.
The article was originally published on Dagens Industri.


Matt Rasmussen
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7303 N 151st Circle Bennington, NE 68007 $665,000 | MLS# 21912561 5 Beds	| 6 Baths	| 6,285 SqFt	Listing Courtesty of: BHHS Ambassador Real Estate
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Former Street of Dreams home backing to water & trees! The backyard has multiple covered living spaces, wood burning FP, firepit, ground level trampoline, waterfall & pool. Kitchen remodel features re-finished cabinets with a rare & gorgeous granite. Remodeled LL has new carpet, stone bar, new carpet & exercise room. Two exec offices. 4 floor-ceiling stone FPs. New int. paint. Roof '13. A/C '14. $200k+ in recent improvements!
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This listing 7303 N 151st Circle Bennington, NE 68007 is a residential listing with 2 full baths, 2 three quarter baths, 2 half baths, 5 bedrooms	and approximately 6285 square feet.	7303 N 151st Circle was built in 2001.	7303 N 151st Circle is located in Bennington and in ZIP Code 68007. It has been listed on our site since Jun 15, 2019.
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7114 N 152nd Street
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You are here: Home > Books > Weird Horrors and Daring Adventures
Weird Horrors and Daring Adventures
The Joe Kubert Archives
By Joe Kubert
Edited by Bill Schelly
Thirty-three of Sgt. Rock cartoonist Joe Kubert's crime and horror comics, collected in one volume.
Joe Kubert sealed his reputation as one of the greatest American comic-book cartoonists of all time with the four-color adventures of Sgt. Rock of Easy Company, Enemy Ace, and Tarzan, all done for DC Comics during the 1960s and 1970s (themselves already the subject of archival editions)… but he had been working in comics since the 1940s. In fact, young Kubert produced an exciting, significant body of work as a freelance artist for a variety of comic book publishers in the postwar era, in a glorious variety of non-super hero genres: horror, crime, science fiction, western, romance, humor, and more. For the first time, 33 of the best of these stories have been collected in one full-color volume, with a special emphasis on horror and crime. The Kubert work in this book is that of a burgeoning talent attacking the work with tremendous panache, and in the process, developing a style that became one of the most distinctive in the medium. Since these stories were written and drawn in the pre-Comics Code era, they are more thrilling, violent and sexy (by contemporary standards) than much of his later, Code-constrained work. And just the titles of the comic books from which these stories are taken are wonderfully evocative of a bygone era of four-color fun: Cowpuncher, Abbott and Costello Comics, Three Stooges, Eerie, Planet Comics, Meet Miss Pepper, Strange Terrors, Green Hornet Comics, Whack, Jesse James, Out of This World, Crime Does Not Pay, Weird Thrillers, Police Lineup, and Hollywood Confessions. As with Fantagraphics' acclaimed Steve Ditko and Bill Everett Archives series, Weird Horrors and Daring Adventures boasts state-of-the-art restoration and retouching, and historical notes by the book's editor Bill Schelly, author of the Art of Joe Kubert art book and Man of Rock Kubert biography.
Publisher: Fantagraphics; 1 edition (January 18, 2013)
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Home » The Joint Commission Update for Infection Control: Joint Commission, CDC to study rapid flu test use
The Joint Commission Update for Infection Control: Joint Commission, CDC to study rapid flu test use
The Joint Commission Update for Infection Control: Joint Commission, CDC to study rapid flu test use | Single Article
The Joint Commission Update for Infection Control: As flu season hits, remember new Joint Commission immunization standard for healt | Single Article
The Joint Commission Update for Infection Control: Joint Commission ups the ante on infection prevention | Single Article
The Joint Commission Update for Infection Control
Joint Commission, CDC to study rapid flu test use
Study targets outpatient settings, EDs, doc offices
The Joint Commission recently announced that its Division of Quality Research and Measurement will study how rapid tests for influenza are implemented in outpatient medical settings including solo and group practice physician offices, community health centers, and acute care hospital emergency departments throughout the United States.
The study is funded by a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with Nancy Kupka, DNSc, MPH, RN, designated as the principal investigator. Influenza kills approximately 36,000 people in the United States each year. Rapid diagnostic tests have been developed to test for influenza outside of the clinical laboratory. However, the current extent and quality of testing for influenza outside the clinical laboratory is unknown, especially in places such as physicians' offices, emergency departments, and community health centers. "Surveillance is the most important tool for identifying new or reemerging infectious diseases or pandemics and establishes the scientific foundation for a public health response," says Jerod M. Loeb, PhD, executive vice president, Division of Quality Research and Measurement.
The project will examine outpatient settings that have adopted the use of rapid tests for influenza, including the types of rapid tests in use and how they are selected; the training and competency of individuals performing testing; the extent to which good laboratory practices and testing guidelines are being followed; the impact of use of the rapid tests on antiviral and antibiotic prescribing practices; and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of using rapid influenza testing. The first phase of the three-year project began in October 2007 plans to survey 5,000 outpatient medical settings to determine how rapid tests for influenza are being implemented. Later in the study, 300 survey participants will be interviewed to identify the factors that influence the adoption of rapid testing for influenza, barriers to implementation and strategies to overcome the barriers in outpatient settings. This study is completely independent from The Joint Commission accreditation process.
"Many rapid influenza tests are available for widespread use in outpatient settings such as physician's offices, clinics and emergency rooms, but the reliability of results from these tests is influenced by a number of variables that deserve examination," says Devery Howerton, PhD, chief of laboratory practice evaluation in the CDC's National Center for Preparedness, Detection and Control of Infectious Diseases. "We are also interested in evaluating the extent to which these testing sites are linked to their local public health system," he adds.
The Joint Commission requires accredited organizations to meet both federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment of 1988 (CLIA) requirements and Joint Commission standards regarding the use of waived tests such as rapid influenza tests. Accreditation surveys conducted by The Joint Commission in hospitals and ambulatory facilities, including physician offices and community health centers, in 2005, 2006, and the first quarter of 2007 found that test controls are not always used as directed by the manufacturer; test kits are improperly stored and sometimes used past their expiration date; individuals conducting the tests are not always trained to use the test or evaluated and deemed to be competent to conduct or interpret the test; staff within organizations are confused about the use of confirmatory tests and whether the waived test is done for screening purposes or for definitive diagnosis; and there were insufficient policies and procedures in place to support conducting the tests.
The Joint Commission will convene a technical advisory panel to assist with the study, composed of public health officials and representatives from the following professional associations: The American Public Health Association, American Medical Association, National Association of Community Health Centers, American College of Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians and the Association of Public Health Laboratories.
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Jewish Studies 9780691174013-01-000 9780691174013-01-000 9780691174013
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/historical-atlas-of-hasidism/marcin-wodzinski/hardback/9780691174013-01-000.html
Historical Atlas of Hasidism
By Marcin Wodzinski (Author)
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/historical-atlas-of-hasidism/marcin-wodzinski/hardback/9780691174013-01-000.html £49.60 rrp £62.00 Save £12.40 (20%)
The first cartographic reference book on one of today's most important religious movements Historical Atlas of Hasidism is the very first cartographic reference book on one of the modern era's most vibrant and important mystical movements. Featuring seventy-four large-format maps and a wealth of illustrations, charts, and tables, this one-of-a-kind atlas charts Hasidism's emergence and expansion; its dynasties, courts, and prayer houses; its spread to the New World; the crisis of the two world wars and the Holocaust; and Hasidism's remarkable postwar rebirth. Historical Atlas of Hasidism demonstrates how geography has influenced not only the social organization of Hasidism but also its spiritual life, types of religious leadership, and cultural articulation. It focuses not only on Hasidic leaders but also on their thousands of followers living far from Hasidic centers. It examines Hasidism in its historical entirety, from its beginnings in the eighteenth century until today, and draws on extensive GIS-processed databases of historical and contemporary records to present the most complete picture yet of this thriving and diverse religious movement. Historical Atlas of Hasidism is visually stunning and easy to use, a magnificent resource for anyone seeking to understand Hasidism's spatial and spiritual dimensions, or indeed anybody interested in geographies of religious movements past and present. Provides the first cartographic interpretation of Hasidism Features seventy-four maps and numerous illustrations Covers Hasidism in its historical entirety, from its eighteenth-century origins to today Charts Hasidism's emergence and expansion, courts and prayer houses, modern resurgence, and much more Offers the first in-depth analysis of Hasidism's egalitarian-not elitist-dimensions Draws on extensive GIS-processed databases of historical and contemporary records 62 color + 39 b/w illus., 6 tables, 74 maps
Marcin Wodzinski is professor of Jewish studies at the University of Wroclaw in Poland. His many books include Hasidism: A New History (Princeton) and Hasidism and Politics: The Kingdom of Poland, 1815-1864. Waldemar Spallek is assistant professor of geographic information systems and cartography at the University of Wroclaw in Poland.
Contributor: Marcin Wodzinski
Biography: Marcin Wodzinski is professor of Jewish studies at the University of Wroclaw in Poland. His many books include Hasidism: A New History (Princeton) and Hasidism and Politics: The Kingdom of Poland, 1815-1864. Waldemar Spallek is assistant professor of geographic information systems and cartography at the University of Wroclaw in Poland.
Marcin Wodzinski
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/historical-atlas-of-hasidism/marcin-wodzinski/hardback/9780691174013.html £49.60 rrp £62.00 Save £12.40 (20%)


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