title: Oswestry

text: Old Oswestry, situated on the northern edge of the town, dominates the northern and eastern approaches. The 3,000-year-old settlement is one of the most spectacular and best preserved Iron Age hill forts in Britain, with evidence of construction and occupation between 800 BC and AD 43.


title: Oswestry

text: Other attractions in and around Oswestry include: Park, Shelf Bank, Wilfred Owen Green, Saint Oswald's Well at Maserfield, Oswestry Castle, and the Cambrian Railway Museum located near the former railway station. Oswestry Guildhall, the meeting place of Oswestry Town Council, was completed in 1893.


title: Oswestry

text: A story incorporating the names of all of the many pubs once open in Oswestry can be found hanging on a wall inside The Oak Inn on Church Street. There is a tapestry of 40 Oswestry pub signs on display in Oswestry Guildhall on the Bailey Head. The Stonehouse Brewery was opened in 2007, on the site of the former Weston Wharf railway station at Weston, in nearby Oswestry Rural; Stonehouse Brewery supplies many of the pubs with real ale.


title: Oswestry

text: Brogyntyn Hall, which belonged until recently to the Lords Harlech, lies just outside the town. Brogyntyn Park is five and a half acres of parkland occupying the southern slope of the Grade II listed Brogyntyn Estate. It was gifted to Oswestry Town Council by the fourth Lord Harlech, William Ormsby-Gore, on 11 August 1952.


title: Oswestry

text: In the 2011 Census, 68.7% of the population of Shropshire stated that their religion was 'Christian'. The second largest group (22.8%) stated that they had 'no religion'.


title: Oswestry

text: Oswestry is divided into two Church of England parishes, which are part of the Diocese of Lichfield: Holy Trinity, which encompasses Oswestry East and eastern part of Oswestry Rural; and St. Oswald, which encompasses Oswestry South, Oswestry West and the western part of Oswestry Rural. Each parish has its own parish church.


title: Oswestry

text: St Oswald's Church was first mentioned in the 1085 Domesday book and a tithe document in Shrewsbury the same year. St Oswald's Church is Grade II* listed, having a tower dating from late 12th or early 13th century and later additions particularly in the 17th and 19th centuries. There is a new window in the east nave, designed by stained glass artist Jane Gray in 2004.


title: Oswestry

text: In June 2022, it was announced that, from January 2023, oversight of traditional Catholics within the Anglican Church in the west of Province of Canterbury (formerly the Bishop of Ebbsfleet's area) would be taken by a new Bishop of Oswestry, suffragan to the Bishop of Lichfield. The Bishop of Oswestry is to serve the western 13 dioceses of the southern province (Bath and Wells, Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, Oxford, Salisbury, Truro, and Worcester).


title: Oswestry

text: The town of Oswestry and surrounding villages fall into the parish of Our Lady Help of Christians and St Oswald, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury. The single Catholic church is Our Lady and St Oswald's Catholic Church. There is an associated primary school.


title: Oswestry

text: There are two Methodist churches: the Horeb Church on Victoria Road and the Oswestry Methodist Church. Cornerstone Baptist Church is on the corner of Lower Brook Street and Roft Street in a modern 1970s building. Other Nonconformist churches include the Albert Road Evangelical Church, Hope Church (formerly Church, ), founded in 1964, and the Cabin Lane Church, established by members of the Hope Church in 1991 following the eastern expansion of Oswestry.


title: Oswestry

text: Christ Church, formerly Congregationalist but now shared by the United Reformed Church and the Presbyterian Church of Wales, was the home church of the composer Walford Davies, who sang in the choir. There is a Welsh-speaking church, the Church, and the Holy Anglican Church, a Western Rite Anglican establishment. Coney Green has a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall. The Religious Society of Friends also holds meetings in Oswestry. The Grade II* star Hermon Chapel, by chapel architect Thomas Thomas, was a Welsh-speaking Congregational church and is now an arts and community centre.


title: Oswestry

text: A small Muslim community exists in the town. A plan to transform a 19th-century former Presbyterian church on Oswald Road into a permanent base for meetings and prayer services fell through in March 2013 due to cost. New plans were submitted to Shropshire Council for approval in 2019, to convert the former Salvation Army citadel in King Street into an Islamic Prayer Centre. These plans were eventually approved by Shropshire Council.


title: Oswestry

text: There is a small Orthodox Christian community in Oswestry, which has increased in size over years due to the town's growing Bulgarian community. There is no Orthodox church in Oswestry, however, so congregants have to travel to the Greek Orthodox Community of the Holy Fathers of Nicaea, Shrewsbury, to worship. There used to be an Orthodox outreach at Holy Trinity Church for a few years, but a disagreement over the church layout brought this service to an end. Congregants also used to benefit from a Greek Orthodox priest at Weston Rhyn, who left the area in the 1990s.


title: Oswestry

text: The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust in Oswestry provides elective orthopaedic surgery and musculoskeletal medical services. The hospital is located towards Gobowen.


title: Oswestry

text: There is a Health Centre on Thomas Savin Road, next to Shelf Bank and opposite the bus station. Within the Health Centre is the Oswestry Minor Injuries Unit, Cambrian Medical Centre and a range of services run by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust. There are three other GP surgeries situated within the town, and numerous opticians, pharmacists and dentists.


title: Oswestry

text: Oswestry is home to the second oldest 'free' (which in this context means not linked to any ecclesiastical foundation) school in the country, Oswestry School, which was founded in 1407. (The oldest, Winchester College, was founded in 1382.) Oswestry School's 15th century site, adjacent to St Oswald's Parish Church, is now a heritage centre, housing the Tourist Information Centre, Shropshire Poacher Coffee Shop, and exhibitions.


title: Oswestry

text: There are four state primary schools in Oswestry: The Meadows Primary School, Cabin Lane; Woodside Primary School, Gittin Street; Holy Trinity C.E. Primary Academy & Nursery, Beech Grove and Middleton Road; and Our Lady & St. Oswald's Catholic Primary School, Upper Brook Street. There is also an independent co-educational preparatory school in Church Street, Bellan House, which is run by Oswestry School.


title: Oswestry

text: Secondary education is provided by both Oswestry School and the state secondary school with academy status: The Marches School, Morda Road.


title: Oswestry

text: Further education is provided by The Marches School's Sixth Form and the North Shropshire College which is situated in the town at Shrewsbury Road and at the Walford Campus near Baschurch.


title: Oswestry

text: Oswestry is at the junction of the A5 with the A483 and A495. The A5 continues from Shrewsbury to the north, passing the town, before turning west near Chirk and entering Wales.


title: Oswestry

text: Bus services are operated by Arriva Midlands and local independents Tanat Valley Coaches, Lakeside Coaches and Owen's Travelmaster. The town has regular bus routes that link nearby villages and towns including Wrexham and Shrewsbury.


title: Oswestry

text: Gobowen railway station is 2 miles from the northern edge of Oswestry. It has direct services to Birmingham, Cardiff, Chester and North Wales.


title: Oswestry

text: The original station name board 'Gobowen for Oswestry' is permanently displayed on the station platform.


title: Oswestry

text: The Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal runs from Ellesmere to Llangollen, running east of the town at Hindford and on through Chirk, north. A navigable section of the partially restored Montgomery Canal, runs from Frankton Junction (connecting to the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal) to Newtown.


title: Oswestry

text: The railway station, once on the main line of the Cambrian Railways, was closed in 1966 as a consequence of the Beeching cuts. Opened in 1840, the section from Whitchurch to Welshpool (Buttington Junction), via Ellesmere, Whittington, Oswestry and Llanymynech, closed on 18 January 1965, leaving only a short branch line from to continue to serve Oswestry – but only until 7 November 1966. This former Great Western Railway (GWR) branch had once run into a separate GWR Oswestry terminus, but this has long since disappeared and the land redeveloped as a bus station and supermarket. Trains were re-routed into the main Cambrian station from 7 July 1924.


title: Oswestry

text: The main building of the Cambrian station is still a prominent landmark in the town centre: it once housed the headquarters of the Cambrian Railways company. After restoration, this building was reopened as the Cambrian Visitor Centre in June 2006 but closed on 11 January 2008. It later reopened, and has since evolved into the headquarters of the Cambrian Heritage Railways (CHR) and a small catering establishment known as "Buffers"; other parts of the building have been converted into retail and office units to contribute to the upkeep of the building.


title: Oswestry

text: A single railway track still runs through the station, once overgrown and rusting, it has been cleared and repaired and is the subject of an ambitious plan to reopen the line as a steam heritage railway between Oswestry and Llanyblodwel and Pant (to link with the restored Montgomery Canal – see above), and as a sustainable community transport rail link from Oswestry to the National Rail railway station at Gobowen.


title: Oswestry

text: By 2013, the main "up" platform at Oswestry station had been reconstructed and some new semaphore signalling installed. The branch-line track-bed from south of Gobowen to Llanyblodwel is now owned by Shropshire Council, who lease the land to CHR, a registered charity. Work is advancing in securing the transfer of the existing Transport & Works Act Order (TWAO) from Network Rail to CHR. The aim was for this transfer to be completed by 2014, and for the railway line between Gobowen and Oswestry to be fully re-instated and operational by 2017; however the legal process of the TWAO Unit administering a form of written debate between the proposer and objectors with a guided number of exchanges, was still ongoing in mid 2016. CHR purchase of the final section of the Oswestry to Gobowen railway branch line was completed in April 2016; nevertheless, other hurdles to becoming operational, such as permissions and finances to reinstate the level crossings on the main A5/A483 Trunk Roads, will also need to be overcome.


title: Oswestry

text: Immediately to the south of Oswestry Railway Station is the Cambrian Railways Museum; while a short distance to the north are the "listed" Works Bridge and the former Cambrian Railways works, which are now occupied by a variety of local commerce concerns and Oswestry's Community Health Centre and ambulance facility.


title: Oswestry

text: Since 2013, the town has been represented in football by F.C. Oswestry Town, who are currently members of the North West Counties Football League Division One South. The former local football club, Oswestry Town F.C., was one of the few English teams to compete in the League of Wales. It also won the Welsh Cup in 1884, 1901 and 1907. The club folded due to financial difficulties in 2003 and merged with Total Network Solutions F.C. of Llansantffraid, a village eight miles (13 km) away on the Welsh side of the border. Following the takeover of the club's sponsor in 2006, the club was renamed as The New Saints. They moved to the redeveloped Park Hall Stadium on the outskirts of the town in September 2007. The New Saints or TNS is a full-time-professional football club that play in the Welsh Premier League, which they have won a record twelve times.


title: Oswestry

text: From the 1700s to 1848, there was a popular racecourse outside the town. Known as (), the site was chosen on this high hilltop because of its location between the Kingdom of England and the Principality of Wales, and the aim was to bring together the local landowners and gentry of Wales and England. Remnants of the old grandstand and figure-of-eight racetrack can still be seen.


title: Oswestry

text: Nowadays, Oswestry Race Course is common land, registered under the Commons Act 1899 and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, with a number of rights of way on the South Common including Offa's Dyke Path and Bridleway. Also designated as a publicly accessible open space and a Wildlife Site in the 1999 Local Plan, it is an area reserved for:


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa () is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language anthology series, consisting of five episodes directed by Balaji Mohan, Halitha Shameem, Madhumitha, Surya Krishna and Richard Anthony. The series feature an ensemble cast of Aishwarya Lekshmi, Arjun Das, Dhilip Subbarayan, Gouri G. Kishan, Joju George, Lijomol Jose, Nadhiya, Nirmal Pillai, Sananth and Teejay Arunasalam.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: A spiritual successor to the Tamil anthology film "Putham Pudhu Kaalai" (2020), the series was set and shot during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The series premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 14 January 2022, coinciding with the Pongal festival.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: The five-episode series, shares stories of love, hope, resilience, and humanity set during the lockdown restrictions, followed by the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: Mugakavasa Mutham - Police constables Murugan (Teejay Arunasalam) and Kuyuli ( Gouri G. Kishan ) undertake a heart warming adventure to reunite two lovers. This adventure gives Murugan an opportunity to pursue his own love interest.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: Loners - After going through a breakup in the pandemic, Nalla ( Lijomol Jose ) serendipitously meets Dheeran ( Arjun Das ) on a virtual wedding together. What follows is a series of deep meaningful conversations that enables them to develop a bond virtually and be alone together.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: Mouname Paarvayaai - Yashoda ( Nadhiya ) and Murali ( Joju George ) haven't spoken in years despite living in the same house, in the shadow of their unforgotten love. When Yashoda begins to show symptoms of the virus, Murali helps her in taking care which gets them togethe"r."


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: The Mask - Arjun ( Sanath ) a work from home IT professional, struggles to tell his overbearing parents about his secret relationship. An out-of-the-blue rendezvous with an old friend, Velu ( Dhilip Subbarayan ), alters the course of both their lives and inspires self acceptance like never before.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: Nizhal Tharum Idham - When 30-year-old Shobi ( Aishwarya Lekshmi ), receives the news of the father's death, she travels to Pondicherry, her hometown. There she discovers what it means to feel alive again, through the redemptive power of the acceptance of grief.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: A spiritual successor to the Tamil-language anthology drama "Putham Pudhu Kaalai" (2020) was announced on 30 December 2021, by Amazon Prime Video, which exclusively produced and distributed the film to the streaming platform. It was titled as "Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaathaa", whose teaser being released on the same day. The anthology consisted of five short films directed by Balaji Mohan, Halitha Shameem, Madhumitha, Surya Krishna and Richard Anthony. Unlike its predecessor, which was made as a feature film format, the anthology was made as a five-episode web television series. Aparna Purohit, creative head of Amazon Prime Video had stated that "This anthology tells deeper, personal stories. Both the anthologies prove that art can thrive in the toughest of periods".


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: The music and original score for the short films is composed by Sean Roldan, Goutham Vasu Venkatesan, Karthikeya Murthy, Kaber Vasuki and Pradeep Kumar. G. V. Prakash Kumar who worked on its predecessor, scored music for the title track of the film. It was released on 10 January 2022, with a promotional music video being uploaded to YouTube. The soundtrack album consisting of six tracks were released on the same day. It featured lyrics written by Kaber Vasuki, Halitha Shameem, Balaji Mohan and Sabarivasan Shanmugam.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: "The New Indian Express" stated that "the album brings out the essence of the anthology of five heartwarming and buoyant stories". A cover version of the title track was performed by the students of IIT Madras, during the annual cultural festival Saarang. Their rendition was individually released on 12 January.


title: Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

text: "Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa" premiered through the streaming platform Amazon Prime Video, on the occasion of Pongal festival (14 January 2022).


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells and built-up dirt from the skin's surface. The term comes from the Latin word "exfoliare" (to strip off leaves). This is a regular practice within the cosmetic industry, both for its outcome of promoting skin regeneration as well as providing a deep cleanse of the skin barrier. Being used in facials, this process can be achieved by mechanical or chemical means, such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels. Exfoliants are advertised as treatments that enhance beauty and promote a youthful and healthy appearance.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Exfoliation was first practiced among the ancient Egyptians. This was also used in Asia, specifically in China, during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1944).


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Mechanical exfoliation methods involve physically scrubbing the skin with an abrasive material. These types of exfoliants include microfiber cloths, adhesive exfoliation sheets, micro-bead facial scrubs, crêpe paper, crushed apricot kernel or almond shells, sugar or salt crystals, pumice, and abrasive materials such as sponges, loofahs, brushes, and fingernails. A variety of facial scrubs are available in over-the-counter products for application by the user. People with dry skin should avoid exfoliants which have a significant portion of pumice, or crushed volcanic rock. Pumice is known as a material to exfoliate the skin of the feet.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Loofahs are shower accessories that are commonly used for a dual purpose of cleaning and exfoliating the skin. Loofahs are named for the tropical and subtropical gourd within the cucumber family that is used as the material to make the shower sponges. As the loofah plant matures, its fibers dry out, allowing the shell left over to be used as the spongy material for the exfoliation tool after their seeds are removed and the gourd is sliced and shaped.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Loofahs offer benefits beyond exfoliation: they effectively spread soap around the body to cleanse and they stimulate blood circulation during use.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Because loofahs are porous, they are more susceptible to harboring bacteria and fungal organisms that could be harmful and cause infections. Proper care for the loofah includes rinsing and drying the loofah after each use and soaking the loofah in a diluted solution of bleach to clean it weekly. It is also recommended to replace a loofah every 3 to 4 weeks.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Exfoliation nets are shower accessories used for exfoliation and lathering that are composed of nylon material in the form of knotted mesh nets. Exfoliation nets are native to Ghana, but they are a familiar shower accessory in numerous countries in West Africa. The shape and material allow exfoliation nets to dry quicker than typical sponges, so there is less accumulation of bacteria in the accessory.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Proper care for exfoliation nets includes leaving the net to hang dry between uses and cleaning it using a washing machine or hand-wash method weekly. It is recommended that exfoliation nets are replaced every 1 to 2 years.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Micro-bead scrubs are cosmetic products that contain small plastic spheres that act as exfoliating components when scrubbed against skin. The plastic beads act as alternatives for natural, eco-friendly exfoliating agents such as pumice, oatmeal, and walnut husks. Microbeads are commonly composed of the material polyethylene terephthalate, or PET; however, they can also be made with other plastic materials as well.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: When scrubbed against the skin, the beads polish the skin by removing the dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin. The steps involved to use a micro-bead scrub include softening the skin using lukewarm water, gently scrubbing the product against the skin in circular motions, and rinsing the product off the skin.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Pumice, which is an igneous rock that is composed of solidified lava that rapidly cools with gas bubbles being trapped inside of it, is commonly used as an exfoliating material. Pumice is a decently abrasive material, making it useful as an exfoliating agent.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Pumice stone can be effectively used as an exfoliation tool on calluses or corns, often found on feet, to remove the dead skin cells.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: To effectively use a pumice stone as an exfoliation tool, soaking the affected area in warm water until the skin begins to soften is a recommended first step. The pumice stone then must be wet before rubbing against the affected area with moderate pressure for about 2 to 3 minutes.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: The exfoliating process of dermaplaning requires a single blade razor resembling a scalpel called a dermatome. The dermatome is gently dragged across the skin on the face to remove the top layer of dead skin cells and peach fuzz. This process helps the skin to absorb products better and boost the production of collagen, which improves the texture and tightness of the skin.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: A common misconception is that the peach fuzz that is removed via dermaplaning will grow back thicker and darker, giving the appearance of a beard. This has been denied by dermaplaning specialists, who state that the removal of the dead skin and peach fuzz does not impact growth, color, or texture of facial hair.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: The procedure is recommended to be performed by an aesthetician. In most cases, the blade must be used on clean, dry skin and covers the forehead, cheeks, chin, nose, and neck. However, dermaplaning can also be performed on skin that has oil applied to it.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Methods of chemical exfoliation for aesthetic enhancement of the skin have dated back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians, who used a combination of animal oils, alabaster, salt, and sour milk as an exfoliant to improve skin quality. Various other chemical exfoliation techniques were developed in multiple other civilizations, such as Greek, Roman, Turkish, Indian, and Hungarian peoples.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Chemical exfoliation to lessen the appearance of freckles with phenol peeling was a method developed by Tilbury Fox in 1871, and from there the use of phenol peeling increased in popularity.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Chemical exfoliation methods, also known as chemical peeling, utilizes chemical substances in order to remove dead skin cells from the face. These types of exfoliants contain alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and citric acid), beta hydroxy acids (salicylic acid), polyhydroxy acids (lactobionic acid, gluconolactone, and galactose) or enzymes (trypsin or collagenase). These chemicals weaken cell adhesion, allowing them to ease away. Out of these, only AHAs (alpha-hydroxyl acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxyl acids) are available on the market for daily use. While AHAs are applied to clear the outer layer of the skin, BHAs penetrate and clean it from within. These scrubs may be applied in high concentrations by medical professionals, or provided in lower concentrations via over-the-counter products. This type of exfoliation is recommended for people treating acne. In Continental European beauty spa treatments, wine-producing grapes are considered to have exfoliating properties and are used in the practice of vinotherapy.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Technological advances in the cosmetics industry have led to innovative exfoliation techniques, such as laser resurfacing.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Most commonly used for facial rejuvenation, this exfoliation process utilizes a laser to treat flaws on the skin surface. This method of exfoliation is most effective for treating wrinkles and discoloration. Carbon dioxide lasers, erbium lasers, and combinations of these are examples of the types of ablative lasers that are used in the resurfacing process.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: The top outer layer of the skin is removed by the laser, which simultaneously heats the layer of skin lying beneath it. This process encourages collagen growth, which will improve the texture and tightness of the skin for a younger, rejuvenated look. The top layer of the skin will continue to heal and grow back to reveal a smoother and tighter appearance.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Fractional versions of ablative lasers have also recently been developed. These are designed to leave minimal amounts of untreated tissue on the skin to ensure quicker healing time and less side effects.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Ablative laser resurfacing has multiple risks associated with the exfoliation process. These risks include: redness, swelling, itching, pain, acne, infection, skin discoloration, and scarring.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: To have ablative laser resurfacing performed, one must consult with a doctor to review suitability of the procedure.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Dermabrasion is used to reduce the appearance of flaws on facial skin, such as facial lines, wrinkles, scars, and discoloration. In this exfoliation process, a rapidly rotating device is used to remove the outermost layer of facial skin.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Dermabrasion requires anesthetics to numb the skin before the procedure. Depending on the extent of the treatment, further numbing medication might be provided to limit the amount of pain felt from the treatment.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: There are multiple risks associating with dermabrasion. These risks include: redness, swelling, acne, enlarged pores, skin discoloration, infection, scarring, or rashes. In most cases, skin that is treated with dermabrasion will be sensitive with splotches of redness and discoloration for weeks following the procedure.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: According to dermatologists, chemical or manual exfoliation is not medically necessary, as dead skin cells already exfoliate naturally, and excessive artificial exfoliation can break the skin's barrier against microorganisms and lead to infection, as well as tightness and sensitivity in the skin. Artificial exfoliation can exacerbate dry, flaky skin, which needs moisturization for repair, and can result in some initial redness to the skin. Near the end of chemical peels, the skin frosts, with colors varying from a bright white to grey on the skin surface.


title: Exfoliation (cosmetology)

text: Microbead particles used in mechanical exfoliation are too small (less than 1 mm) to be caught by sewage works, so large amounts of microbeads are released into the environment, which damage marine ecosystems. Consequently, in June 2014, Illinois became the first American state to ban the use of microbeads, and cosmetics manufacturers such as L'Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, and Colgate agreed to use more natural ingredients.


title: Fungicide

text: Fungicides are biocidal chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. A fungistatic inhibits their growth. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality, and profit. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals. Chemicals used to control oomycetes, which are not fungi, are also referred to as fungicides, as oomycetes use the same mechanisms as fungi to infect plants.


title: Fungicide

text: Fungicides can either be contact, translaminar or systemic. Contact fungicides are not taken up into the plant tissue and protect only the plant where the spray is deposited. Translaminar fungicides redistribute the fungicide from the upper, sprayed leaf surface to the lower, unsprayed surface. Systemic fungicides are taken up and redistributed through the xylem vessels. Few fungicides move to all parts of a plant. Some are locally systemic, and some move upwardly.


title: Fungicide

text: Most fungicides that can be bought retail are sold in a liquid form. A very common active ingredient is sulfur, present at 0.08% in weaker concentrates, and as high as 0.5% for more potent fungicides. Fungicides in powdered form are usually around 90% sulfur and are very toxic. Other active ingredients in fungicides include neem oil, rosemary oil, jojoba oil, the bacterium "Bacillus subtilis", and the beneficial fungus "Ulocladium oudemansii".


title: Fungicide

text: Fungicide residues have been found on food for human consumption, mostly from post-harvest treatments. Some fungicides are dangerous to human health, such as vinclozolin, which has now been removed from use. Ziram is also a fungicide that is toxic to humans with long-term exposure, and fatal if ingested. A number of fungicides are also used in human health care.


title: Fungicide

text: Some of the most common fungal crop pathogens are known to suffer from mycoviruses, and it is likely that they are as common as for plant and animal viruses, although not as well studied. Given the obligately parasitic nature of mycoviruses, it is likely that all of these are detrimental to their hosts, and thus are potential biocontrols/biofungicides.


title: Fungicide

text: Proponents of natural pest management claim that certain plant-based chemical have fungicidal activity. Plants and other organisms have chemical defenses that give them an advantage against microorganisms such as fungi. Some of these compounds are used as fungicides, although their efficacy is doubted:


title: Fungicide

text: Pathogens respond to the use of fungicides by evolving resistance. In the field several mechanisms of resistance have been identified. The evolution of fungicide resistance can be gradual or sudden. In qualitative or discrete resistance, a mutation (normally to a single gene) produces a race of a fungus with a high degree of resistance. Such resistant varieties also tend to show stability, persisting after the fungicide has been removed from the market. For example, sugar beet leaf blotch remains resistant to azoles years after they were no longer used for control of the disease. This is because such mutations have a high selection pressure when the fungicide is used, but there is low selection pressure to remove them in the absence of the fungicide.


title: Fungicide

text: In instances where resistance occurs more gradually, a shift in sensitivity in the pathogen to the fungicide can be seen. Such resistance is polygenic – an accumulation of many mutations in different genes, each having a small additive effect. This type of resistance is known as quantitative or continuous resistance. In this kind of resistance, the pathogen population will revert to a sensitive state if the fungicide is no longer applied.


title: Fungicide

text: Little is known about how variations in fungicide treatment affect the selection pressure to evolve resistance to that fungicide. Evidence shows that the doses that provide the most control of the disease also provide the largest selection pressure to acquire resistance, and that lower doses decrease the selection pressure.


title: Fungicide

text: In some cases when a pathogen evolves resistance to one fungicide, it automatically obtains resistance to others – a phenomenon known as cross resistance. These additional fungicides are normally of the same chemical family or have the same mode of action, or can be detoxified by the same mechanism. Sometimes negative cross resistance occurs, where resistance to one chemical class of fungicides leads to an increase in sensitivity to a different chemical class of fungicides. This has been seen with carbendazim and diethofencarb.


title: Fungicide

text: There are also recorded incidences of the evolution of multiple drug resistance by pathogens – resistance to two chemically different fungicides by separate mutation events. For example, "Botrytis cinerea" is resistant to both azoles and dicarboximide fungicides.


title: Fungicide

text: There are several routes by which pathogens can evolve fungicide resistance. The most common mechanism appears to be alteration of the target site, in particular as a defence against single site of action fungicides. For example, Black Sigatoka, an economically important pathogen of banana, is resistant to the QoI fungicides, due to a single nucleotide change resulting in the replacement of one amino acid (glycine) by another (alanine) in the target protein of the QoI fungicides, cytochrome b. It is presumed that this disrupts the binding of the fungicide to the protein, rendering the fungicide ineffective. Upregulation of target genes can also render the fungicide ineffective. This is seen in DMI-resistant strains of "Venturia inaequalis".


title: Fungicide

text: Resistance to fungicides can also be developed by efficient efflux of the fungicide out of the cell. "Septoria tritici" has developed multiple drug resistance using this mechanism. The pathogen had five ABC-type transporters with overlapping substrate specificities that together work to pump toxic chemicals out of the cell.


title: Fungicide

text: In addition to the mechanisms outlined above, fungi may also develop metabolic pathways that circumvent the target protein, or acquire enzymes that enable metabolism of the fungicide to a harmless substance.


title: Fungicide

text: The Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) has several recommended practices to try to avoid the development of fungicide resistance, especially in at-risk fungicides including "Strobilurins" such as azoxystrobin. FRAC assigns groups of fungicides into classes where cross-resistance is likely, usually because the active ingredients share a common mode of action. FRAC is organized by CropLife International.


title: Fungicide

text: Products should not always be used in isolation, but rather as mixture, or alternate sprays, with another fungicide with a different mechanism of action. The likelihood of the pathogen's developing resistance is greatly decreased by the fact that any resistant isolates to one fungicide will be killed by the other; in other words, two mutations would be required rather than just one. The effectiveness of this technique can be demonstrated by Metalaxyl, a phenylamide fungicide. When used as the sole product in Ireland to control potato blight ("Phytophthora infestans"), resistance developed within one growing season. However, in countries like the UK where it was marketed only as a mixture, resistance problems developed more slowly.


title: Fungicide

text: Fungicides should be applied only when absolutely necessary, especially if they are in an at-risk group. Lowering the amount of fungicide in the environment lowers the selection pressure for resistance to develop.


title: Fungicide

text: Manufacturers’ doses should always be followed. These doses are normally designed to give the right balance between controlling the disease and limiting the risk of resistance development. Higher doses increase the selection pressure for single-site mutations that confer resistance, as all strains but those that carry the mutation will be eliminated, and thus the resistant strain will propagate. Lower doses greatly increase the risk of polygenic resistance, as strains that are slightly less sensitive to the fungicide may survive.


title: Fungicide

text: It is better to use an integrative pest management approach to disease control rather than relying on fungicides alone. This involves the use of resistant varieties and hygienic practices, such as the removal of potato discard piles and stubble on which the pathogen can overwinter, greatly reducing the titre of the pathogen and thus the risk of fungicide resistance development.


title: Franz Marc

text: Franz Moritz Wilhelm Marc (8 February 1880 – 4 March 1916) was a German painter and printmaker, one of the key figures of German Expressionism. He was a founding member of "Der Blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider), a journal whose name later became synonymous with the circle of artists collaborating in it.


title: Franz Marc

text: His mature works mostly depict animals, and are known for bright colouration. He was drafted to serve in the German Army at the beginning of World War I, and died two years later at the Battle of Verdun.


title: Franz Marc

text: In the 1930s, the Nazis named him a degenerate artist as part of their suppression of modern art. However, most of his work survived World War II, securing his legacy. His work is now exhibited in many eminent galleries and museums. When up for auction, his major paintings attract large sums, with a record of £42,654,500 for "Die Füchse" ("The Foxes").


title: Franz Marc

text: Franz Marc was born in 1880 in Munich, the then capital of the Kingdom of Bavaria. His father, Wilhelm Marc, was a professional landscape painter; his mother, Sophie, was a homemaker and a devout, socially liberal Calvinist. At the age of 17 Marc wanted to study theology, as his older brother Paul had. Two years later, however, he enrolled in the arts program of Munich University. He was first required to serve in the military for a year, after which, in 1900, he began studies instead at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, where his teachers included Gabriel von Hackl and Wilhelm von Diez. In 1903 and 1907, he spent time in France, particularly in Paris, visiting the museums in the city and copying many paintings, a traditional way for artists to study and develop technique. In Paris, Marc frequented artistic circles, meeting numerous artists and the actress Sarah Bernhardt. He discovered a strong affinity for the work of painter Vincent van Gogh. After the 1903 trip, he ceased attending the Academy of Fine Arts.


title: Franz Marc

text: During his 20s, Marc was involved in a number of stormy relationships, including an affair lasting for many years with Annette Von Eckardt, a married antique dealer nine years his senior. He married twice, first to Marie Schnür, then to Maria Franck; both were artists.


title: Franz Marc

text: In 1906, Marc traveled with his elder brother Paul, a Byzantine expert, to Thessaloniki, Mount Athos, and various other Greek locations. A few years later, in 1910, Marc developed an important friendship with the artist August Macke. In 1910 Marc painted "Nude with Cat" and "Grazing Horses", and showed works in the second exhibition of the "Neue Künstlervereinigung" (New Artists' Association, of which Marc was briefly a member) at the Thannhauser Galleries in Munich.


title: Franz Marc

text: In 1911, Marc founded the "Der Blaue Reiter" journal, which became the center of an artist circle, along with Macke, Wassily Kandinsky, and others who had decided to split off from the "Neue Künstlervereinigung" movement. Though Marc showed several of his works in the first "Der Blaue Reiter" exhibition at the Thannhauser Galleries in Munich between December 1911 and January 1912, as it was the apex of the German expressionist movement, the exhibit also showed in Berlin, Cologne, Hagen, and Frankfurt. In 1912, Marc met Robert Delaunay, whose use of color and the futurist method was a major influence on Marc's work; fascinated by futurism and cubism, Marc created art that increasingly was stark in nature, painting natural abstract forms which found spiritual value in color. He painted "The Tiger" and "Red Deer" in 1912 and "The Tower of Blue Horses", "The Foxes", and "Fate of the Animals" in 1913.


title: Franz Marc

text: With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Marc was drafted into the Imperial German Army as a cavalryman. By February 1916, as shown in a letter to his wife, he had gravitated to military camouflage. His technique for hiding artillery from aerial observation was to paint canvas covers in broadly pointillist style. He took pleasure in creating a series of nine such tarpaulin covers in styles varying "from Manet to Kandinsky", suspecting that the latter could be the most effective against aircraft flying at or higher.


title: Franz Marc

text: After mobilization of the German Army, the government identified notable artists to be withdrawn from combat for their own safety. Marc was on the list but was struck in the head and killed instantly by a shell splinter during the Battle of Verdun in 1916 before orders for reassignment could reach him.


title: Franz Marc

text: Marc made some sixty prints in woodcut and lithography. Most of his mature work portrays animals, usually in natural settings. His work is characterized by bright primary color, an almost cubist portrayal of animals, stark simplicity and a profound sense of emotion. Even in his own time, his work attracted notice in influential circles. Marc gave an emotional meaning or purpose to the colors he used in his work: blue was used to portray masculinity and spirituality, yellow represented feminine joy, and red encased the sound of violence.


title: Franz Marc

text: One of Marc's best-known paintings is "Tierschicksale" ("Animal Destinies" or "Fate of the Animals"), which hangs in the Kunstmuseum Basel. Marc had completed the work in 1913, when "the tension of impending cataclysm had pervaded society", as one art historian noted. On the rear of the canvas, Marc wrote, "Und Alles Sein ist flammend Leid" ("And all being is flaming agony"). Serving in World War I, Marc wrote to his wife about the painting, "[it] is like a premonition of this warhorrible and shattering. I can hardly conceive that I painted it."


title: Franz Marc

text: After the National Socialists took power, they suppressed modern art; in 1936 and 1937, the Nazis condemned the late Marc as an "entarteter Künstler" (degenerate artist) and ordered approximately 130 of his works removed from exhibition in German museums. The "Blue Horses" was auctioned off at the infamous Theodor Fischer gallery "degenerate art" sale in Lucerne, on 29 June 1939, and acquired by the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Liège. His painting "Landscape With Horses" was discovered in 2012 along with more than a thousand other paintings, in the Munich apartment of Cornelius Gurlitt whose father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, was one of Hitler's four official art dealers of Modernist art the Nazis called "degenerate" which the Nazis sold or traded to raise cash for the Third Reich.


title: Franz Marc

text: In 2017, the family of Kurt Grawi demanded the restitution of Marc's painting "The Foxes" (1913) from Düsseldorf's Kunstpalast. Grawi, a German Jewish banker who had owned the painting before the Nazis rose to power was arrested on Kristallnacht and incarcerated in Sachsenhausen concentration camp in 1938, before he managed to flee to Chile in 1939. The painting passed through Galerie Nierendorf, and William and Charlotte Dieterle, according to the German Lost Art Foundation. In 2021, the German Advisory Commission recommended that the city of Düsseldorf restitute the painting to Grawi's heirs; this was done, and the painting was sold at Christie's by Grawi's heirs in 2022.


title: Franz Marc

text: Marc's family house in Munich is marked with a historical plaque. The Franz Marc Museum which is located in Kochel am See, opened in 1986 and is dedicated to the artist's life and work. It houses many of his paintings, and also works by other contemporary artists.


title: Franz Marc

text: In October 1998, several of Marc's paintings garnered record prices at Christie's art auction house in London, including "Rote Rehe I" ("Red Deer I"), which sold for $3.3 million. In October 1999, his "Der Wasserfall" ("The Waterfall") was sold by Sotheby's in London for $5.06 million. This price set a record for Franz Marc's work and for twentieth-century German painting. In 2008, the former record was again broken when Marc's "Weidende Pferde III" ("Grazing Horses III") was sold for £12,340,500 ($24,376,190) at Sotheby's. This record was again beaten by the £42.6m sale of "The Foxes" in 2022.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: Grolsch Brewery (Koninklijke Grolsch N.V. - "Royal Grolsch"), known simply as Grolsch (), is a Dutch brewery founded in 1615 by Willem Neerfeldt in Groenlo. In 1895 the de Groen family bought the brewery. They had started their own brewery in Enschede the Netherlands in the early 19th century. It held a significant stake until November 2007. Today the main brewery is located in Enschede.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: It was awarded the "Koninklijk" (Royal) title in 1995. The Grolsch brand became a part of the SABMiller group in March 2008.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: As part of the agreements made with regulators before Anheuser-Busch InBev was allowed to acquire SABMiller, the company sold Grolsch to Asahi Breweries in late 2016. The deal was expected to close during the first half of 2017.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: The Grolsch brewery was founded in 1615 in Groenlo. The city of Groenlo was then known as Grolle, hence the name Grolsch, meaning 'of Grolle'. Grolsch is best known for its 5% abv pale lager, Grolsch Premium Pilsner. The brewery was first operated by Willem Neerfeldt. Neerfeldt's son-in-law, Peter Sanford Kuyper, later took over. Grolsch was, as of February 2006, the second largest brewer in the Netherlands (after Heineken) with annual production of 320 million litres. The domestic market comprises fifty-one per cent of total production.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: On 19 November 2007 the board of Royal Grolsch NV accepted an €816 million offer for the company by SABMiller. The takeover was completed with the delisting of Grolsch's shares on 20 March 2008.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: SABMiller subsequently sold the company to Anheuser-Busch InBev and in April 2016, the latter accepted Asahi Group Holdings Ltd.’s offer to buy not only Grolsch but also the Peroni and Meantime beer brands for €2.55 billion (US $2.9 billion).


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: Grolsch is the 21st largest provider of beer in the world, and is available in 70 countries. Grolsch focuses primarily on the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These primary markets make up 78 per cent of Grolsch's international sales (by volume). Grolsch Premium Pilsner is by far the most important beer in its international profile, while its Amsterdam brand grew by 40 per cent in 2006, primarily in Russia and France.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: For 25 years Grolsch Premium Pilsner was brewed under licence in the UK by Grolsch (UK) Ltd., a joint venture with Coors Brewers Ltd until November 2019. It was no longer available in the UK after Asahi ended the JV. However, it was reintroduced into the UK in late October 2020 with a lower ABV recipe at 4%.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: In 2006, Grolsch ended its five-year relationship with importer United States Beverage, LLC, and signed a distribution agreement with Anheuser-Busch effective 1 April 2006, which was terminated following the SABMiller acquisition as A-B did not want to promote a rival's product.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: Five beers are featured in the US market: Grolsch Lager, Grolsch Amber, Grolsch Blonde and Grolsch Light. Grolsch Premium Pilsner is available in a wide variety of serving sizes, including swing-top bottles, mini-kegs and half-barrels. The others have only been confirmed available in 6 pack, 12 oz bottles.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: Though built as a secondary facility, the Enschede brewery over the years became the main producer of Grolsch. This brewery was heavily damaged during a fireworks explosion on 13 May 2000. The brewery in Groenlo has closed and a new brewery in Boekelo, near Enschede (replacing both the Groenlo and the old Enschede affiliate) was opened in 2004.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: To underline their ties with Enschede and the whole region Grolsch signed a deal with professional football club FC Twente to sponsor their stadium starting the 2008–2009 season. The stadium is named De Grolsch Veste (Grolsch Fortress), a reference to the history of fortified city Grol, the hometown of Grolsch.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: On 18 April 2007, the European Commission imposed fines on Heineken International of €219.3m, Grolsch of €31.65m and Bavaria of €22.85m for operating a price-fixing cartel in the Netherlands, totalling €273.7m. InBev, (formerly Interbrew), escaped without a penalty because it provided "decisive information" about the cartel which operated between 1996 and 1999 with others in the EU market. The brewers controlled 95% of the Dutch market, with Heineken claiming a half and the three others 15% each.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: Former EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said, at the time, that she was "very disappointed" that the collusion took place at the very highest (boardroom) level. She added, Heineken, Grolsch, Bavaria and InBev tried to cover their tracks by using code names and abbreviations for secret meetings to carve up the market for beer sold to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafes. The price fixing extended to cheaper own-brand labels and rebates for bars.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: Grolsch also produces the Amsterdam brand of low-priced, mainly strong lagers for the European market. It is also sold in Singapore and Australia.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: In addition to the 'new' bottle, Grolsch uses a distinctively shaped bottle for some of its products, known as "de beugel" or '"swingtop"'. Bottles of this type use a flip-top cap, eliminating the need for an opener. The brown domestic bottle contains 450ml, which is over one-third more than the capacity of the average Dutch beer bottle, while the green export bottle is slightly larger, at 467 mL. In 2008, the brewery introduced a slimmer design that is a consistent 450ml for both the domestic market and export. The new bottles can be opened by hand, using a lever at the side of the bottleneck. The label is applied over the lever in order to make any tampering evident. The top used to be made of porcelain, but is now made of plastic. Bottles with porcelain tops are still in circulation in the Netherlands. They are popular with homebrewers, as they are very robust and can easily be sealed by hand without the expense of new crown seals.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: Occasionally Grolsch will use different color bottles, depending on the brew, e.g. the bottle for blonde lager is yellow, while the 2.5 lemon variety came in a clear 250 mL bottle.


title: Grolsch Brewery

text: In 2007, Grolsch also started using green bottles for the home market. Grolsch was the first major brewery to stop using the brown refillable bottles which were used by nearly every brewery in the Netherlands. The new green bottles have the Grolsch logo marked in the glass and come in a new package. The label is now placed higher at the neck of the bottle, and the bottles contain 10% more beer (now 330ml). The new bottle was introduced through the slogan 'Bier mag weer gezien worden', which translates roughly as, "Beer that is fit to be seen again." In November 2014, the brewery changed to new, smaller bottles that contain 300 mL for Grolsch Premium Pilsner, Grolsch Stender, Grolsch Radler and Kornuit.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Human serum albumin is the serum albumin found in human blood. It is the most abundant protein in human blood plasma; it constitutes about half of serum protein. It is produced in the liver. It is soluble in water, and it is monomeric.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Albumin transports hormones, fatty acids, and other compounds, buffers pH, and maintains oncotic pressure, among other functions.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Albumin is synthesized in the liver as preproalbumin, which has an N-terminal peptide that is removed before the nascent protein is released from the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The product, proalbumin, is in turn cleaved in the Golgi apparatus to produce the secreted albumin.


title: Human serum albumin

text: The reference range for albumin concentrations in serum is approximately 35–50 g/L (3.5–5.0 g/dL). It has a serum half-life of approximately 21 days. It has a molecular mass of 66.5 kDa.


title: Human serum albumin

text: The gene for albumin is located on chromosome 4 in locus 4q13.3 and mutations in this gene can result in anomalous proteins. The human albumin gene is 16,961 nucleotides long from the putative 'cap' site to the first poly(A) addition site. It is split into 15 exons that are symmetrically placed within the 3 domains thought to have arisen by triplication of a single primordial domain.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Human serum albumin (HSA) is a highly water-soluble globular monomeric plasma protein with a relative molecular weight of 67 KDa, consisting of 585 amino acid residues, one sulfhydryl group and 17 disulfide bridges. Among nanoparticulate carriers, HSA nanoparticles have long been the center of attention in the pharmaceutical industry due to their ability to bind to various drug molecules, great stability during storage and in vivo usage, no toxicity and antigenicity, biodegradability, reproducibility, scale up of the production process and a better control over release properties. In addition, significant amounts of drug can be incorporated into the particle matrix because of the large number of drug binding sites on the albumin molecule.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Serum albumin is commonly measured by recording the change in absorbance upon binding to a dye such as bromocresol green or bromocresol purple.


title: Human serum albumin

text: The normal range of human serum albumin in adults (> 3 y.o.) is 3.5–5.0  g/dL (35–50 g/L). For children less than three years of age, the normal range is broader, 2.9–5.5 g/dL.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Low albumin (hypoalbuminemia) may be caused by liver disease, nephrotic syndrome, burns, protein-losing enteropathy, malabsorption, malnutrition, late pregnancy, artefact, genetic variations and malignancy.


title: Human serum albumin

text: High albumin (hyperalbuminemia) is almost always caused by dehydration. In some cases of retinol (Vitamin A) deficiency, the albumin level can be elevated to high-normal values (e.g., 4.9 g/dL) because retinol causes cells to swell with water. (This is also the reason too much Vitamin A is toxic.)


title: Human serum albumin

text: This swelling also likely occurs during treatment with 13-cis retinoic acid (isotretnoin), a pharmaceutical for treating severe acne, amongst other conditions. In lab experiments it has been shown that all-trans retinoic acid down regulates human albumin production.


title: Human serum albumin

text: In clinical medicine, hypoalbuminemia significantly correlates with a higher mortality rates in several conditions such as heart failure, post-surgery, COVID-19.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Hyperalbuminemia is an increased concentration of albumin in the blood. Typically, this condition is due to dehydration. Hyperalbuminemia has also been associated with high protein diets.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Human albumin is often used to replace lost fluid and help restore blood volume in trauma, burns and surgery patients. There is no strong medical evidence that albumin administration (compared to saline) saves lives for people who have hypovolaemia or for those who are critically ill due to burns or hypoalbuminaemia. It is also not known if there are people who are critically ill that may benefit from albumin. Therefore, the Cochrane Collaboration recommends that it should not be used, except in clinical trials.


title: Human serum albumin

text: In acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV), albumin is sometimes used as a surfactant. ADV has been proposed as a cancer treatment by means of occlusion therapy.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Human serum albumin may be used to potentially reverse drug/chemical toxicity by binding to free drug/agent.


title: Human serum albumin

text: It has been known for a long time that human blood proteins like hemoglobin and serum albumin may undergo a slow non-enzymatic glycation, mainly by formation of a Schiff base between ε-amino groups of lysine (and sometimes arginine) residues and glucose molecules in blood (Maillard reaction). This reaction can be inhibited in the presence of antioxidant agents. Although this reaction may happen normally, elevated glycoalbumin is observed in diabetes mellitus.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Glycation has the potential to alter the biological structure and function of the serum albumin protein.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Moreover, the glycation can result in the formation of Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGE), which result in abnormal biological effects. Accumulation of AGEs leads to tissue damage via alteration of the structures and functions of tissue proteins, stimulation of cellular responses, through receptors specific for AGE-proteins, and generation of reactive oxygen intermediates. AGEs also react with DNA, thus causing mutations and DNA transposition. Thermal processing of proteins and carbohydrates brings major changes in allergenicity. AGEs are antigenic and represent many of the important neoantigens found in cooked or stored foods. They also interfere with the normal product of nitric oxide in cells.


title: Human serum albumin

text: Although there are several lysine and arginine residues in the serum albumin structure, very few of them can take part in the glycation reaction.


title: Human serum albumin

text: The albumin is the predominant protein in most body fluids, its Cys34 represents the largest fraction of free thiols within body. The albumin Cys34 thiol exists in both reduced and oxidized forms. In plasma of healthy young adults, 70–80% of total HSA contains the free sulfhydryl group of Cys34 in a reduced form or mercaptoalbumin (HSA-SH). However, in pathological states characterized by oxidative stress and during the aging process, the oxidized form, or non-mercaptoalbumin (HNA), could predominate. The albumin thiol reacts with radical hydroxyl (.OH), hydrogen peroxide (HO) and the reactive nitrogen species as peroxynitrite (ONOO.), and have been shown to oxidize Cys34 to sulfenic acid derivate (HSA-SOH), it can be recycled to mercapto-albumin; however at high concentrations of reactive species leads to the irreversible oxidation to sulfinic (HSA-SO2H) or sulfonic acid (HSA-SO3H) affecting its structure. Presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS), can induce irreversible structural damage and alter protein activities.


title: Human serum albumin

text: In the healthy kidney, albumin's size and negative electric charge exclude it from excretion in the glomerulus. This is not always the case, as in some diseases including diabetic nephropathy, which can sometimes be a complication of uncontrolled or of longer term diabetes in which proteins can cross the glomerulus. The lost albumin can be detected by a simple urine test. Depending on the amount of albumin lost, a patient may have normal renal function, microalbuminuria, or albuminuria.


title: Human serum albumin

text: It might also interact with a yet-unidentified albondin (gp60), a certain pair of gp18/gp30, and some other proteins like osteonectin, hnRNPs, calreticulin, cubilin, and megalin.


title: Christian Hammer

text: Christian Hammer (born Cristian Ciocan) is a Romanian-German professional boxer who held the WBO European heavyweight title three times between 2012 and 2018.


title: Christian Hammer

text: He won his next seven fights, but his winning streak was ended in 2010 after losing two fights in a row against Mariusz Wach and Taras Bidenko. Ciocan won the Won German International Heavyweight title in 2012 from Serdar Uysal, and vacant WBO EU Heavyweight title from Danny Williams.


title: Christian Hammer

text: In 2015, he lost to British future world champion, Tyson Fury for the WBO International Heavyweight title.


title: Christian Hammer

text: On March 2, 2019, Hammer fought title contented Luis Ortiz. Ortiz was ranked #3 by the WBC and #8 by the IBF at heavyweight at the time. Ortiz won the fight convincingly, winning 100-90 and 99-91 twice on the scorecards.


title: Christian Hammer

text: On November 27, 2020, Hammer faced Tony Yoka. Yoka won the fight in convincing fashion, winning 100-89 across all three scorecards.


title: Christian Hammer

text: On October 16, 2021, Hammer fought Hughie Fury. Fury was ranked #4 by the WBA and #14 by the IBF and heavyweight. Hammer was forced to retire in the fifth round due to injury.


title: Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic

text: The Chamber of Deputies, officially the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic (), is the lower house of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The chamber has 200 seats and deputies are elected for four-year terms using the party-list proportional representation system with the D'Hondt method. Since 2002, there are 14constituencies, matching the Czech regions. A Cabinet is answerable to the Chamber of Deputies and the Prime Minister stays in office only as long as they retain the support of a majority of its members. The quorum is set by law to one third (67) of elected deputies. Any changes to the constitutional laws must be approved by at least 60 percent of the Chamber of Deputies. The seat of the Chamber of Deputies is the Thun Palace in Malá Strana, Prague.


text: Every citizen of the Czech Republic over 21 years old with the right to vote is eligible to be elected. The Deputy may not hold the office of Senator, President of the Czech Republic or judge, which also applies to certain positions specified by law. The office of the Deputy expires once:


text: After a dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies, new elections must be held within 60 days, and the Chamber cannot be dissolved within three months of regular elections. The Chamber of Deputies can only be dissolved by the president under conditions specified by the constitution. The Chamber of Deputies is most commonly dissolved following two votes of no confidence in the cabinet. During a dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate has the authority to take necessary legal measures in its place.


text: The Chamber of Deputies resides in three building complexes in Malá Strana, Prague. The main building with the plenary chamber is the Thun Palace, built at the end of the 17th century. It was rebuilt at the start of the 19th century to house the Bohemian Diet. The current plenary chamber was built in 1861 for the reinstated Bohemian Diet after it was dissolved by the Austrian-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1849. The second building was the seat of the Governors of the Kingdom of Bohemia appointed by the emperor, located on Malá Strana Square. The last building complex includes the Smiřický Palace and Šternberk Palace at the opposite side of the square.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; ; 19 August 1929), usually referred to outside Russia as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, patron, ballet impresario and founder of the Ballets Russes, from which many famous dancers and choreographers would arise.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: The active years of Diaghilev’s career can be divided into two periods: the one in St Petersburg (1898–1906) and the other in emigration (1906–1929).


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Sergei Diaghilev was born in Selishchi to a noble officer . His mother died from childbed fever soon after his birth. In 1873, Pavel met and married Elena Panaeva, who loved Sergei and raised him as her own child. The in Perm was a local cultural centre, and the Diaghilevs housed a musical evening every second Thursday, Modest Mussorgsky being one of the most frequent guests. Sergei Diaghilev composed his first romance at the age of 15. When he entered the Saint Petersburg Imperial University, he also had private music lessons with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Instead of the usual four, it took him six years to graduate. By his own admission, Diaghilev used his student years ‘to look around’ and find his true interests in life. Seven months after graduation he opened his first exhibition.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: During his years at University, Diaghilev's cousin Dmitry Filosofov introduced him to a circle of art-loving friends who called themselves The Nevsky Pickwickians. They included Alexandre Benois, Walter Nouvel, Konstantin Somov, and Léon Bakst. Although not instantly received into the group, Diaghilev was aided by Benois in developing his knowledge of Russian and Western art. In two years, he had voraciously absorbed this new obsession (even travelling abroad to further his studies) and came to be respected as one of the most learned of the group.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: In the late 1890s, Diaghilev created several art exhibitions that were intended to introduce the contemporary artists to the local public and, later, to the Europeans. The exposition of British and German watercolorists in 1897 at the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts became a huge success—one which Diaghilev repeated in 1898 with the exhibition of the Russian and Finnish artists at the Stieglitz Academy with the works of those such as Mikhail Vrubel, Valentin Serov, and Isaac Levitan. In the same year he opened an exhibition of young Russian painters in Germany. Though the young art connoisseur had no private fortune, he managed to gain the protection and support of such high nobility as the


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: The Russian-Finnish exhibition of 1898 became the first action of the recently formed society ‘Mir iskusstva’, established by Benois and Diaghilev earlier that year. The group also included Konstantin Somov, Dmitry Filosofov, Léon Bakst, and Eugene Lansere. Soon, with the help of Savva Mamontov (the director of the Russian Private Opera Company) and Princess Maria Tenisheva, the group founded the journal "Mir iskusstva" (World of Art). The magazine was intended to serve ‘the god Apollo’ and promote modern art. The first issue was released in February 1898. As recalled by Benois, Diaghilev, as the art director, created the style and designed the publication, wrote critical essays, and, in 1904, published a monograph on Dmitry Levitzky. Nevertheless, Benois remembered him as the member of "Mir iskusstva" least interested in philosophy and literature, frequently revealing huge gaps in his knowledge of the classics.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: On 6 March 1905, he opened an exhibition of the ‘Russian portraits of the 18th and 19th centuries’ at the Tauride Palace with more than 4000 paintings collected from 450 owners. Diaghilev himself travelled to acquire the portraits and wrote a catalogue of 2300 art works with information on the artists, models, and other relevant data. The exposition, designed by Benios, was an innovative example of art synthesis and greatly impressed the visitors. The paintings were combined into groups and accompanied with notes, and the interiors were decorated differently in order to emphasize their meanings and double the effect. The exhibition enjoyed enormous success and raised Diaghilev to the top of art and society elite.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Passionate to promote Russian art abroad, in 1906, Diaghilev organized and opened the ‘Two Centuries of the Russian art and Sculpture’ exposition at Salon d'Automne. It included 750 works from 103 authors, from modern artists to the ancient icons. The exhibition was designed by Léon Bakst and occupied 12 rooms in the Grand Palais. It, too, enjoyed enormous success and in many ways paved the way for the future success of the Ballet Russe. France was soon immersed in fashion à la russe. Diaghilev was offered the Legion of Honour award, but refused in honour of Bakst.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: In 1899, Prince Serge Wolkonsky received directorship of all Imperial theaters. On 10 September 1899, he gave Diaghilev the post of officer on special duty. The post was usually a nominal one, but since Diaghilev managed to actively engage into the theatrical world, he was soon made responsible for the production of the Annual of the Imperial Theaters. As editor-in-chief, he reformed the edition and converted it into a full-scale luxurious magazine with critical essays, playbills, articles about artists and lots of pictures. Diaghilev even changed the paper to print the issues. He invited many of his fellow members in "Mir iskusstva" to work on the magazine, design fonts and create illustrations. He also showed himself as a successful promoter by finding sponsors, advertisers, and o new distribution channels. As recalled by Benois, the success of the magazine went to Sergey’s head and very soon he was thinking about himself as ‘the only one, without whom nothing can be done.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: At that time Diaghilev started frequent visits to repetitions of the Imperial Ballet. His appearance as a dandy with a grey lock amazed the ballerinas, who soon nicknamed him ‘Chinchilla’. He was especially interested in young Mathilde Kschessinska, who was flattered by the attention of an already famous art connoisseur. Even though they would fight later and temporarily break the contact, the friendship would last through all their lives.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Diaghilev brought the members of "Mir iskusstva" with him to the Imperial theatres. Apollinary Vasnetsov, Alexandre Benois, Léon Bakst, Valentin Serov, Eugene Lansere and other contemporary artists began working on decorations and costumes. In 1900, Prince Serge Wolkonsky entrusted Diaghilev with the staging of Léo Delibes' ballet Sylvia, a favorite of Benois. The two collaborators concocted an elaborate production plan that startled the established personnel of the Imperial Theatres. After several increasingly antagonistic differences of opinion, Diaghilev refused to go on editing the Annual of the Imperial Theatres and was discharged by Volkonsky in 1901. However, the scandal also ruined Wolkonsky’s career; in a week, he was similarly fired. By that time, even the Emperor, persuaded by Kschessinska, took Diaghilev’s side. Sergei didn’t think much of a civil servant career, so he went abroad and immersed in his other plans.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: The success of the 1906 exhibition inspired Diaghilev to present Russian music to the world’s culture capital. In 1907, he organised ‘Concerts historiques russes’ with famous composers like Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alexander Glazunov, Feodor Chaliapin, and Félia Litvinne. The tour was supported and sponsored by Diaghilev’s royal patrons Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In the spring of 1908, Diaghilev mounted a production of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, starring Feodor Chaliapin, at the Paris Opéra. Boris Anisfeld created the sets, designed by Bakst and Benois. To maximize authenticity, one of the artists Ivan Bilibin even travelled to Arkhangelsk Oblast to purchase the costumes. The tour became a sensation and the success was overwhelming, however, financially, it was unprofitable and ended with a loss of 85,000 francs.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: By 1909, Diaghilev was at odds with Kschessinska, and the Russian state treasury refused to finance the future tours. Sergei turned for help to his other friend, Misia Sert. Due to her efforts, the company ended up being able to rent the Théâtre du Châtelet which was less prestigious than the Palais Garnier. At that time, Diaghilev was rather skeptical about ballet; he said that ‘anyone with no special wit can enjoy it, there is no sense or subject in ballet’. Serge Lifar recalled that to the end of his days Diaghilev referred to the corps-de-ballet dancers as ‘a herd of cattle’. Nevertheless, in 1909 the very first ballet Saison Russe took place and its success overwhelmed even the artists themselves. The first season included Le Pavillon d'Armide, Polovtsian Dances, Nuit d’Egypte, Les Sylphides, and operas Boris Godunov, The Maid of Pskov and the first part of the Ruslan and Lyudmila. The ballets followed the operas and were performed after the second intermission. Leading dancers Vaslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Ida Rubinstein, Mikhail Mordkin immediately became world-known stars. Diaghilev’s innovation was to synthesize dance, music and visual arts with set decorations and costumes into a single performance.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: During these years, Diaghilev's stagings included several compositions by the late Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, such as the operas "The Maid of Pskov", "May Night", and "The Golden Cockerel". His balletic adaptation of the orchestral suite "Sheherazade", staged in 1910, drew the ire of the composer's widow, Nadezhda Rimskaya-Korsakova, who protested in open letters to Diaghilev published in the periodical "Rech." Diaghilev commissioned ballet music from composers such as Nikolai Tcherepnin ("Narcisse et Echo", 1911), Claude Debussy ("Jeux", 1913), Maurice Ravel ("Daphnis et Chloé", 1912), Erik Satie ("Parade", 1917), Manuel de Falla ("El Sombrero de Tres Picos", 1917), Richard Strauss ("Josephslegende", 1914), Sergei Prokofiev ("Ala and Lolli", 1915, rejected by Diaghilev and turned into the "Scythian Suite"; "Chout", 1915 revised 1920; "Le pas d'acier", 1926; and "The Prodigal Son", 1929); Ottorino Respighi ("La Boutique fantasque", 1919); Francis Poulenc ("Les biches", 1923) and others. His choreographer Michel Fokine often adapted the music for ballet. Diaghilev also worked with dancer and ballet master Léonide Massine. He played a decisive role in the career of Sergey Prokofiev.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: The artistic director for the Ballets Russes was Léon Bakst. Together they developed a more complicated form of ballet with show-elements intended to appeal to the general public, rather than solely the aristocracy. The exotic appeal of the Ballets Russes had an effect on Fauvist painters and the nascent Art Deco style. Coco Chanel is said to have stated that "Diaghilev invented Russia for foreigners." [Rhonda K. Garelick].


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Perhaps Diaghilev's most notable composer-collaborator, however, was Igor Stravinsky. Diaghilev heard Stravinsky's early orchestral works "Fireworks" and "Scherzo fantastique", and was impressed enough to ask Stravinsky to arrange some pieces by Chopin for the Ballets Russes. In 1910, he commissioned his first score from Stravinsky, "The Firebird". "Petrushka" (1911) and "The Rite of Spring" (1913) followed shortly afterwards, and the two also worked together on "Les noces" (1923) and "Pulcinella" (1920) together with Picasso, who designed the costumes and the set.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Diaghilev stayed abroad. Once it became obvious that he could not be lured back, the new Soviet regime condemned him in perpetuity as an especially insidious example of "bourgeois decadence". Soviet art historians wrote him out of the picture for more than 60 years.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Diaghilev made Boris Kochno his secretary in 1920 and staged Tchaikovsky's "The Sleeping Beauty" in London in 1921; it was a production of remarkable magnificence in both settings and costumes, but, despite being well received by the public, it was a financial disaster for Diaghilev and Oswald Stoll, the theatre-owner who had backed it. The first cast included the legendary ballerina Olga Spessivtseva and Lubov Egorova in the role of Aurora. Diaghilev insisted on calling the ballet "The Sleeping Princess". When asked why, he quipped, "Because I have no beauties!" The later years of the Ballets Russes were often considered too "intellectual", too "stylish" and seldom had the unconditional success of the first few seasons, although younger choreographers like George Balanchine hit their stride with the Ballets Russes.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: The start of the 20th century brought a development in the handling of tonality, harmony, rhythm and meter towards more freedom. Until that time, rigid harmonic schemes had forced rhythmic patterns to stay fairly uncomplicated. Around the turn of the century, however, harmonic and metric devices became either more rigid, or much more unpredictable, and each approach had a liberating effect on rhythm, which also affected ballet. Diaghilev was a pioneer in adapting these new musical styles to modern ballet. When Ravel used a time in the final part of his ballet "Daphnis and Chloe" (1912), dancers of the Ballets Russes sang "Ser-gei-dia-ghi-lev" during rehearsals to keep the correct rhythm.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Members of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes later went on to found ballet traditions in the United States (George Balanchine) and England (Ninette de Valois and Marie Rambert). Ballet master Serge Lifar went on a technical revival at the Paris Opera Ballet, enhanced by Claude Bessy and Rudolf Nureyev in the 1980s. Lifar is credited for saving many Jewish and other minority dancers from the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. After dancing with the Ballets Russes in 1925, Ruth Page emerged as a founder of her own ballet troupes based in Chicago, including the Chicago Opera Ballet.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Diaghilev's life and the Ballets Russes were inextricably entwined. His most famous lover was Nijinsky. However, according to Serge Lifar, of all Diaghilev's lovers, only Léonide Massine, who replaced Nijinsky, provided him with "so many moments of happiness or anguish". Diaghilev's other lovers included Anton Dolin, Serge Lifar and his secretary and librettist Boris Kochno.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Nijinsky's later bitter comments about Diaghilev inspired a mention in W. H. Auden's poem "September 1, 1939":


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Diaghilev dismissed Nijinsky summarily from the Ballets Russes after the dancer's marriage to Romola de Pulszky in 1913. Nijinsky appeared again with the company, but the old relationship between the men was never re-established; moreover, Nijinsky's magic as a dancer was much diminished by incipient mental illness. Their last meeting was after Nijinsky's mind had given way, and he appeared not to recognise his former lover.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Diaghilev was known as a hard, demanding, even frightening taskmaster. Ninette de Valois, no shrinking violet, said she was too afraid to ever look him in the face. George Balanchine said he carried around a cane during rehearsals, and banged it angrily when he was displeased. Other dancers said he would shoot them down with one look, or a cold comment. On the other hand, he was capable of great kindness, and when stranded with his bankrupt company in Spain during the 1914–18 war, gave his last bit of cash to Lydia Sokolova to buy medical care for her daughter. Alicia Markova was very young when she joined the Ballets Russes and would later say that she had called Diaghilev "Sergypops", and that he had said he would take care of her like a daughter.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Dancers such as Alicia Markova, Tamara Karsavina, Serge Lifar, and Lydia Sokolova remembered Diaghilev fondly as a stern but kind father-figure who put the needs of his dancers and company above his own. He lived from paycheck to paycheck to finance his company, and though he spent considerable amounts of money on a splendid collection of rare books at the end of his life, many people noticed that his impeccably cut suits had frayed cuffs and trouser-ends. The film "The Red Shoes" is a thinly disguised dramatization of the Ballets Russes.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: Throughout his life, Diaghilev was severely afraid of dying in water, and avoided traveling by boat. He died of diabetes in Venice on 19 August 1929, and his tomb is on the nearby island of San Michele, near to the grave of Stravinsky, in the Orthodox section.


title: Sergei Diaghilev

text: The Ekstrom Collection of the Diaghilev and Stravinsky Foundation is held by the Department of Theatre and Performance of the Victoria and Albert Museum.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: Paladins: Champions of the Realm is a 2018 free-to-play online hero shooter video game by Hi-Rez. The game was developed by Evil Mojo, an internal studio of Hi-Rez and was released on May 8, 2018 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, followed by a Nintendo Switch version released on June 12, 2018.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: "Paladins" takes place in a fantasy world called the "Realm". A largely medieval world filled with elves, dwarves, dragons, and other fantasy races. In this world, there is a conflict between two factions; the Magistrate and the Resistance. The Magistrate serves as the ruling power of the Realm and wishes to keep it safe and peaceful by restricting the use of magic, largely in the form of magic crystals, which had been used by corrupt individuals to cause chaos and destruction. The Resistance meanwhile, despite the damage caused, believes crystals are too useful to be banned from the general public, leading to them coming together to fight the Magistrate. Many playable characters in the game belong to one of these two factions.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: However, there are many others that aren't part of either group, instead doing things by themselves, or being part of some of the numerous other factions with their goals, some notable ones being the "Abyss", a group of monsters from another dimension, the "Pyre", a group of beings with angelic designs that hate the Abyss, the "Thousand Hands Guild", a criminal empire, the "Darkness / Maw", a group of alien monsters that consume worlds, and several others.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: Paladins is a team-based first-person shooter that focuses on two groups of five players each, who compete for combat-based goals. The game is set in colorful sci-fi fantasy maps, where each player chooses a champion that cannot be repeated in the same team and cannot be changed in the match. Each champion has their own weapons, skills and fighting style; in addition, they can be enhanced and personalized from a card and skin system. The interface of each player is very profitable and customizable, with avatars and customizable borders to symbolize the player's profile; titles when reaching mastery level 30 with a champion, among others.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: It is possible to customize the gameplay of the characters by unlocking talents (by leveling up) and by creating a deck with classic cards. Each champion has 3 talents. Each talent gives the champion a great advantage, but only one can be selected per game, they cannot stack. Each champion also has 16 classic cards (up to 5 cards can be used at the same time) that the player can use to build decks. Only one deck can be selected per game. Each card can be leveled up, from 1 to 5, which can be chosen by the player. Each deck must make 15 points in total.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: Each champion has a basic attack and varying skills. It usually has 3 skills in addition to basic attack (two mouse clicks and 3 keyboard keys). These skills can also have related passive bonuses. In addition to these “classic” skills, each champion has an “Ultimate” skill that allows situations to be turned around. Each ultimate attack is unique and often very powerful. To be used, they must be charged (percentage) by dealing damage to opponents.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: The game has different currencies. Battle Pass XP for daily quests or in-game achievements, Crystals for purchase with real money, and Gold for leveling up, daily visits, quests or playing individual matches. Currencies can be used to purchase special items in the game.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: The game was officially announced for the first time in early August 2015. The "Paladins" closed beta started on November 17, 2015. In the Open Beta, the game first appeared on September 16, 2016 in the Steam Early Access program. Within a week of the Open Beta launch on Steam, the game had reached 800,000 downloads and was one of the top ten most played games on Steam.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: In June 2018, one month after its official release (Open Beta), the game reached an average of 18,000 active players per day. In November 2016, the game surpassed the four million mark, and in mid-May 2017, the developer announced that the game already has over eleven million registered members. The game surpassed between 30 and 35 million players during 2018. In March 2020, Hi-Rez reported that "Paladins" exceeded 40 million players. In December 2020, "Paladins" outnumbered 45 million players, making it one of the most-played video games by player count.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: "Paladins Strike" is the mobile version of the game, launched in May 2018. In "Paladins Strike", most of the characters from the original game are present, with all their abilities adapted to suit the canons of the MOBA genre. Here too, the game is based on 5 vs 5 battles. The fights are carried out in real time with an isometric top view. "Paladins Strike" is free-to-play: the game relies on micro-transactions and in-app purchases.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: "Realm Royale" is the third-person shooter battle royale game version of the game, launched in June 2018 via Steam's early access program. In January 2018, Hi-Rez decided to give "Paladins" a corresponding mode named "Paladins: Battlegrounds". Later, the mode became its own game, called "Realm Royale". The game is free-to-play, integrating micro-transactions and in-app purchases.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: "Paladins" is a title that was played as an esport. The Paladins Premier League (PPL) was founded in cooperation between the developer studio and the WESA. This promises the participating e-athletes a fixed salary and support from the clubs.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: On August 1, 2017, the Paladins Global Series started, which is a community tournament with prizes worth 350,000 US dollars. It was announced at DreamHack in Valencia. The event was the largest community esports tournament in the world. Regional PC tournaments are held every month and players from Southeast Asia, Russia, North America, Brazil, Latin America, Europe and Oceania can take part. Open bracket tournaments are held in the first 3 weeks of each month, where the amateurs can prove themselves and qualify for the monthly tournament. The actual Global Series starts on August 1 and runs for 10 months with monthly payouts. The events are then also broadcast on live stream services such as Twitch or Facebook.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: "Paladins" now has an active esports scene with several major tournaments per year, such as World Championships and DreamHack competitions (as of December 2019).


title: Paladins (video game)

text: Since 2020, "Paladins" hosts an annual event called the “Crystal Awards”, a user-voted awards ceremony designed to highlight the "Paladins" community. Four finalists are selected by Evil Mojo within several categories, while the community votes for one finalist for each award. Following this, Hi-Rez Studios announces the winners during the Paladins World Championship.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: The Microsoft Windows version of "Paladins" received "Generally favorable reviews" while the Nintendo Switch version received "Mixed or average reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic.


title: Paladins (video game)

text: "IGN" rated "Paladins" 8.4/10, stating "Working on top of the strong and fairly balanced foundation of a free-to-play hero shooter, "Paladins"’ capacity for experimentation is its greatest strength" and "Whether it’s the main mode that encapsulates the teamwork aspect or the character designs that immediately flow with creativity, "Paladins: Champions of the Realm" clearly stands out in the midst of competition". "Gamereactor" rated the game 7/10, praising the various characters, customization and maps, stating ""Paladins" might just win you over if you give it a try, and we'd definitely recommend you to do so". "Canard PC" gave "Paladins" 7/10, depicting it as a "competitive FPS" and complimenting the game despite the similarities between the game and "Overwatch." Dan Lipscombe of "Nintendo Insider" rated the game 8/10, calling it an "overwhelming experience" and that "it’s fast-paced with solid shooting mechanics and although some of the champions are a little generic, it’s trying, which is more than others can say in the shooting genre". "Common Sense Media" gave the game 4/5 stars, describing it as a "Colorful multiplayer arena" that "offers frenetic team fun". Ric Cowley of "Pocket Gamer" gave 3.5/5 stars, explaining ""Paladins" is actually a pretty fun shooter. There's plenty of depth to it, and the wide pool of characters and abilities means everyone's tastes are catered for. But it all just feels a little bit off. It's trying so hard to be something that it's not, and it never doubles down on its own ideas or identity". "GamesRadar+" complimented and defended "Paladins" about the similarities with "Overwatch", declaring "Fast forward two years later, though, and Paladins is looking healthier than ever. Finally free from having to defend itself from those incessant comparisons, the game has come into its own as Hi-Rez Studios' fast paced development and eSports focused agenda has endowed it with an identity that stands apart from anything else on the market". "Eurogamer" praised the Nintendo Switch version, saying ""Paladins" has a great chance to shine here, and shine it does" and that "Overall, there's a lot to respect in how "Paladins" is represented on Switch. Hi-Rez has accomplished one of the closest matches to the other versions available, crafting a 60fps title where online competition with Xbox One players feels balanced and fair". Pat Kerley of "The Republic of Players" gave a positive review, depicting the gameplay as "fluid and responsive", calling the game "very consumer friendly" about the micro-transactions and stating ""Paladins Champions of the Realm" is a must buy game". "PC Zone" listed "Paladins" 2nd in their top "5 Best Free-to-Play Games on Steam in 2020", calling it "appealing". "PlayStation LifeStyle" listed the game in their top "7 Best PS4 Free-to-Play Games You Won’t Be Able to Stop Playing", indicating "This game gets a lot of flak for being called an "Overwatch" rip-off, but "Paladins" is better than that". "CulturedVultures" ranked "Paladins" 3rd in their list of the top "20 Best Free Games On Steam", declaring ""Paladins: Champions of the Realm" offers what "Overwatch" does without any fees: glorious and fun team battles with gun-toting and magic-wielding characters, each with a background story, in well-designed maps". "TheGamer" listed the game 9th in their top 10 "Free-To-Play Switch Games Actually Worth The Grind".


title: Paladins (video game)

text: In response to accusations that the game is an "Overwatch" clone, Hi-Rez COO Todd Harris said that “While "Overwatch" is a fine game, it was not the inspiration for "Paladins". Game development is an interactive process with ideas coming from many past projects. For the hero shooter genre, the game that deserves the most credit is "Team Fortress 2". We released a TF2 inspired class-based shooter called "Global Agenda" way back in 2010. Paladins was conceived as a fantasy version of "Global Agenda" and of the approximately 85 combat abilities currently in "Paladins", the vast majority are from the game "Global Agenda" we made 10 years ago".


title: Paladins (video game)

text: In 2018, Hi-Rez Studios CEO Stew Chisam pointed out the similarities between Ash and "Overwatch"'s last fighter Brigitte Lindholm, stating "If I happened to notice and point out any similarities between these two characters, would that make me the Pot calling the Kettle black, or the Kettle calling the Pot black? This will keep me up tonight unless I get a clear answer".


title: Paladins (video game)

text: In an advertisement released in 2018, "Paladins Strike" used an artwork from "Overwatch". Hi-Rez Studios' art director responded by stating "This art was created by a overseas partner studio for paladins strike and had not much in the way of oversight in its content creation by anyone internally at Hi-Rez. We will be looking into this immediately".


title: Paladins (video game)

text: The loot boxes introduced in the game by an update were criticized by players, which could make the game too much pay to win. The game also received these allegations when it introduced a new in-game currency in a beta patch.


title: Perla Haney-Jardine

text: Perla Haney-Jardine (born 2 May 1997) is a Brazilian-American actress, best known for her role as B.B. in the 2004 movie "."


title: Perla Haney-Jardine

text: Haney-Jardine was born in Niterói, Brazil. Her father, Chusy Haney-Jardine, is a Venezuelan-born director, and her mother, Jennifer MacDonald, is an American film producer.


title: Perla Haney-Jardine

text: She started doing commercials before going into movies. Her family lives in Asheville, North Carolina, where she graduated high school from Asheville School.


title: Perla Haney-Jardine

text: Haney-Jardine first appeared in "" as BB, the daughter of Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman) and Bill (David Carradine). She


title: Perla Haney-Jardine

text: starred in the 2005 film "Dark Water" with Jennifer Connelly and Tim Roth, and as Penny Marko, the Sandman's sick daughter, in "Spider-Man 3" in 2007. In 2008 she starred as Diane Lane's daughter in the film "Untraceable".


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: Yannis Philippakis (Greek: Ιωάννης "Γιάννης" Φιλιππάκης) (born 23 April 1986) is the lead singer and guitarist of the British indie rock band Foals.


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: Born to a Greek father and a South African Jewish mother, Philippakis lived in Greece until he was 4 years old when his family moved to South Africa. After living there for a year, his parents divorced. Every summer Philippakis would visit his father in Olympos on the Greek island Karpathos. His father played a significant role in his life regarding music, teaching him traditional Greek songs. Philippakis was raised in the Greek Orthodox religion.


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: Philippakis was educated at Magdalen College School. There he had met all of the requirements for an assisted place at Magdalen, where he had taken classes on French, literature, and art. While attending school, Philippakis faced many difficulties due to his father's absence; he would get into trouble with the teachers and was ill-tempered. This led to his being suspended twice. Philippakis then went on to study English literature at St John's College, Oxford; he dropped out before completing his degree to focus on the band.


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: Philippakis formed FOALS in 2005 with friend and former Youthmovies frontman Andrew Mears after the break-up of his former band The Edmund Fitzgerald, which also featured his Foals bandmate, drummer Jack Bevan.


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: In January 2018, Philippakis began a monthly club night in south London called MILK. Special guests are kept secret until the night of the performance, making each night different. Every night at MILK is recorded and made available in limited numbers on vinyl for purchase at the following month's event. Philippakis said, "I want to make a club night that me & my friends would want to go to. Where the night acts like a sort of dream collider of different musicians in the hope of the surprising, the life affirming & the downright dirty."


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: In 2020, Grammy-nominated producer duo, CamelPhat, released "Hypercolour" featuring Philippakis. The Liverpool duo had stated they were "longtime fans of Foals" and "have always been on [their] list to collaborate with" in an interview with Forbes.


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: A month after the initial release of "Hypercolour", CamelPhat released the official visualizer on their YouTube channel. The video itself is directed by Philippakis alongside Kit Moneith and features Philippakis himself against a backdrop of colourful psychedelic imagery and kaleidoscopic scenes.


title: Yannis Philippakis

text: He performed as an actor in an adaptation of Marguerite Duras' "Moderato Cantabile", directed by Alexander Zeldin.


title: Earl of Snowdon

text: Earl of Snowdon is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1961, together with the subsidiary title of Viscount Linley, of Nymans in the County of Sussex, by Queen Elizabeth II for her then brother-in-law, Antony Armstrong-Jones, who married Princess Margaret in 1960.


title: Earl of Snowdon

text: "Snowdon", chosen for the earldom, had previously been used for a peerage title with royal associations. The title of Baron Snowdon had been conferred in 1726 along with the Dukedom of Edinburgh on Prince Frederick Louis, grandson of George I and future Prince of Wales. It merged in the Crown in 1760, when its holder acceded as George III.


title: Earl of Snowdon

text: "Linley", chosen for the viscountcy, comes from the 1st Earl of Snowdon's maternal great-grandfather, the English cartoonist and illustrator Edward Linley Sambourne.