title: Islamic feminism

text: Despite Qasim Amin's effects on modern-day Islamic feminist movements, present-day scholar Leila Ahmed considers his works both androcentric and colonialist. Muhammad 'Abdu, an Egyptian nationalist and proponent of Islamic modernism, could easily have written the chapters of his work that show honest considerations of the negative effects of the veil on women. Amin even posed many male-centered misconceptions about women, such as their inability to experience love, that women needlessly talk about their husbands outside their presence, and that Muslim marriage is based on ignorance and sensuality, of which women were the chief source.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Lesser known, however, are the women who preceded Amin in their feminist critique of their societies. The women's press in Egypt started voicing such concerns since its very first issues in 1892. Egyptian, Turkish, Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese women and men had been reading European feminist magazines even a decade earlier, and discussed their relevance to the Middle East in the general press.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Aisha Abd al-Rahman, writing under her pen name "Bint al-Shati" ("Daughter of the Riverbank"), was one of the first to undertake Quranic exegesis, and though she did not consider herself to be a feminist, her works reflect feminist themes. She began producing her popular books in 1959, the same year that Naguib Mahfouz published his allegorical and feminist version of the life of Muhammad. She wrote biographies of early women in Islam, including the mother, wives and daughters of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as literary criticism.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Moroccan writer and sociologist, Fatema Mernissi was a prominent Muslim feminist thinker. Her book "Beyond the Veil" explores the oppression of women in Islamic societies and sexual ideology and gender identity through the perspective of Moroccan society and culture. Mernissi argued in her book "The Veil and the Male Elite" that the suppression of women's rights in Islamic societies is the result of political motivation and its consequent manipulative interpretation of hadith, which runs counter to the egalitarian Islamic community of men and women envisioned by Muhammad. Mernissi argued that the ideal Muslim woman being "silent and obedient" has nothing to do with the message of Islam. In her view, conservative Muslim men manipulated the Quran to preserve their patriarchal system in order to prevent women from sexual liberation; thus enforcing justification of strict veiling and limiting their rights.


title: Islamic feminism

text: A later 20th-century Islamic feminist is amina wadud. Wadud was born into an African-American family and converted to Islam. In 1992, wadud published "Quran and Woman", a work that critiqued patriarchal interpretations of the Quran.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Some strains of modern Islamic feminism have opted to expunge hadith from their ideology altogether in favor of a movement focusing only on Qur'anic principles. Riffat Hassan has advocated one such movement, articulating a theology wherein what are deemed to be universal rights for humanity outlined in the Qur'an are prioritized over contextual laws and regulations. She has additionally claimed that the Qur'an, taken alone as scripture, does not present females either as a creation preceded by the male or as the instigator of the "Fall of Man". This theological movement has been met with criticism from other Muslim feminists such as Kecia Ali, who has criticized its selective nature for ignoring elements within the Muslim tradition that could prove helpful in establishing more egalitarian norms in Islamic society.


title: Islamic feminism

text: In 2015, a group of Muslim activists, politicians, and writers issued a Declaration of Reform which, among other things, supports women's rights and states in part, "We support equal rights for women, including equal rights to inheritance, witness, work, mobility, personal law, education, and employment. Men and women have equal rights in mosques, boards, leadership and all spheres of society. We reject sexism and misogyny." The Declaration also announced the founding of the Muslim Reform Movement organization to work against the beliefs of Middle Eastern terror groups. Asra Nomani and others placed the Declaration on the door of the Islamic Center of Washington.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Feminism in the Middle East is over a century old, and having been impacted directly by the war on terror in Afghanistan, continues to grow and fight for women's rights and equality in all conversations of power and everyday life.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Muslim feminist writers today include Aysha Hidayatollah, Kecia Ali, Asma Lamrabet, Olfa Yousef, and Mohja Kahf.


title: Islamic feminism

text: The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) is a women's organization based in Quetta, Pakistan, that promotes women's rights and secular democracy. The organization aims to involve women of Afghanistan in both political and social activities aimed at acquiring their human rights and continuing the struggle against the government of Afghanistan based on democratic and secular - not fundamentalist - principles, in which women can participate fully.


title: Islamic feminism

text: The organization was founded in 1977 by a group of intellectuals led by Meena (she did not use a last name). They founded the organization to promote equality and education for women; it continues to "give voice to the deprived and silenced women of Afghanistan". Before 1978, RAWA focused mainly on women's rights and democracy, but after the coup of 1978, directed by Moscow, and the 1979 Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan, "Rawa became directly involved in the war of resistance, advocating democracy and secularism from the outset". In 1979 RAWA campaigned against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, and organized meetings in schools to mobilize support against it, and in 1981, launched a bilingual feminist magazine, "Payam-e-Zan" (Women's Message). RAWA also founded Watan Schools to aid refugee children and their mothers, offering both hospitalization and the teaching of practical skills.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Sisters in Islam (SIS) is a Malaysian civil society organization committed to promoting the rights of women within the frameworks of Islam and universal human rights. SIS work focuses on challenging laws and policies made in the name of Islam that discriminate against women. As such it tackles issues covered under Malaysia's Islamic family and syariah laws, such as polygamy, child marriage, moral policing, Islamic legal theory and jurisprudence, the hijab and modesty, violence against women and hudud. Their mission is to promote the principles of gender equality, justice, freedom, and dignity of Islam and empower women to be advocates for change. They seek to promote a framework of women's rights in Islam which take into consideration women's experiences and realities; they want to eliminate the injustice and discrimination that women may face by changing mindsets that may hold women to be inferior to men; and they want to increase the public knowledge and reform laws and policies within the framework of justice and equality in Islam. Prominent members are Zainah Anwar and co-founder amina wadud.


title: Islamic feminism

text: In 2009, twelve women from the Arab world formed the global movement Musawah, whose name means "equality" in Arabic. Musawah advocates for feminist interpretations of Islamic texts and calls on nations to abide by international human rights standards such as those promulgated in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Musawah's approach is modeled after that of Sisters in Islam. Secular feminists have criticized Musawah, arguing that Islam is shaky ground on which to build a feminist movement, given that interpretation of Islamic sources is subjective.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Sister-hood is an international platform for the voices of women of Muslim heritage founded in 2007 by Norwegian film-maker and human rights activist Deeyah Khan through her media and arts production company Fuuse.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Sister-hood was relaunched in 2016 as a global online magazine and live events platform promoting the voices of women of Muslim heritage.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Sister-hood magazine ambassadors include Farida Shaheed from Pakistan, Egyptian Mona Eltahawy, Palestinian Rula Jebreal, Leyla Hussein of Somali heritage and Algerian Marieme Helie Lucas.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Women Living Under Muslim Laws is an international solidarity network established in 1984 that advocates for both Muslim and non-Muslim women who live in states governed by Islamic law. The group does research on Islamic law and women and advocacy work.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Muslim Women's Quest for Equality is an Indian activist group that petitioned the Supreme Court of India against the practices of "talaq-e-bidat" (triple talaq), "nikah halala" and polygyny under the Muslim personal laws as being illegal and unconstitutional in September 2016.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Ni Putes Ni Soumises, whose name translates to Neither Whores nor Submissives, is a French feminist organization founded by Samira Bellil and other young women of African backgrounds, to address the sexual and physical violence that women in Muslim majority neighborhoods in France faced.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Few international conferences on Islamic feminism have taken place. One international congress on Islamic feminism was held in Barcelona, Spain in 2008. Musawah ('equality'; in Arabic: ) is a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family, led by feminists since 2009, "seeking to reclaim Islam and the Koran for themselves".


title: Islamic feminism

text: Musawah movement operates on the principle that patriarchy within Muslim countries is a result of the way male interpreters have read Islamic texts, and that feminists can progressively interpret the Quran to achieve the goal of international human rights standards. The first female Muslim 'ulema congress was held in Indonesia in 2017. The women ulema congress issued a fatwa to lift the minimum age for girls to marry to 18. Malaysian feminist Zainah Anwar informed the congress that women have an equal right to define Islam and that women need to fight against male domination in Quranic interpretations. During the congress, Nur Rofiah, a professor in Quranic studies, stated that, Islam asks every human being to elevate the status of humankind, and polygamy does not, and that polygamy is not the teaching of Islam


title: Islamic feminism

text: Muslim majority countries have produced several female heads of state, prime ministers, and state secretaries such as Lala Shovkat of Azerbaijan, Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, Mame Madior Boye of Senegal, Tansu Çiller of Turkey, Kaqusha Jashari of Kosovo, and Megawati Sukarnoputri of Indonesia. In Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia was elected the country's first female prime minister in 1991, and served as prime minister until 2009, when she was replaced by Sheikh Hasina, who maintains the prime minister's office at present making Bangladesh the country with the longest continuous female premiership.


title: Islamic feminism

text: One of such controversial interpretations involve passages in the Quran that discuss the idea of a man's religious obligation to support women. Some scholars, such as anthropologist Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban in her work on Arab-Muslim women activists' engagement in secular religious movements, argue that this assertion of a religious obligation "has traditionally been used as a rationale for the social practice of male authority." In some countries the legislative and administrative application of male authority is used to justify denying women access to the public sphere through the "denial of permission to travel or work outside the home, or even drive a car." On Sept. 26, 2017 Saudi Arabia announced it would end its longstanding policy banning women from driving in June 2018. Various female activists had protested the ban, among them Saudi women's rights activists Manal al-Sharif, by posting videos of them driving on social media platforms. One of the women's rights activists from Saudi Arabia, Loujain al-Hathloul had been imprisoned for more than 3 years and was sentenced on 28 December 2020 to a total of 5 years and 8 months in prison for allegedly conspiring against the kingdom in alignment with foreign nations following her protest against the ban on driving for women in Saudi. Two years and ten months of her prison sentence was reduced leaving only 3 months of time left to serve. However, the charges against her were false and the authorities denied arresting her for protesting against driving ban on women in Saudi Arabia. The prosecutors who were charged with torturing her during detention; sexually and otherwise, were cleared of charges by the government stating lack of evidence.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Islamic feminists have objected to the MPL legislation in many of these countries, arguing that these pieces of legislation discriminate against women. Some Islamic feminists have taken the attitude that a reformed MPL which is based on the Quran and sunnah, which includes substantial input from Muslim women, and which does not discriminate against women is possible. Such Islamic feminists have been working on developing women-friendly forms of MPL. (See, for example, the Canadian Council of Muslim Women for argument based on the Qur'an and not on what they call medieval male consensus.) Other Islamic feminists, particularly some in Muslim minority contexts which are democratic states, argue that MPL should not be reformed but should be rejected and that Muslim women should seek redress, instead, from the civil laws of those states.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Islamic feminists have been active in advocating for women's rights in the Islamic world. In 2012, Jordanian women protested against laws that allowed the dropping of charges if a rapist marries his victim, Tunisian women marched for equality for women in a new constitution, Saudi women protested against the ban against car driving, and Sudanese women created a silent wall of protest demanding freedom for arrested women.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Another issue that concerns Muslim women is dress code. Islam requires both men and women to dress modestly; this concept is known as "hijab" and covers a wide interpretation of behavior and garments.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Despite the controversy over hijab in sections of Western society, the veil is not controversial in mainstream Islamic feminist discourse, except in those situations where it is the result of social pressure or coercion. There is in fact strong support from most Muslim feminists in favor of the veil. Many Muslim men and women now view the veil as a symbol of Islamic freedom. While there are some Islamic scholars who interpret Islamic scripture as not mandating hijab, many Islamic feminists still observe hijab as an act of religious piety or sometimes as a way of symbolically rejecting Western culture by making a display of their Muslim identity.


title: Islamic feminism

text: A small fringe of Islamic feminists, including Fadela Amara and , oppose hijab and even support legal bans on the garment for various reasons. Amara explained her support for France's ban of the garment in public buildings: "The veil is the visible symbol of the subjugation of women, and therefore has no place in the mixed, secular spaces of France's public school system." When some feminists began defending the headscarf on the grounds of "tradition", Amara said: "It's not tradition, it's archaic! French feminists are totally contradictory. When Algerian women fought against wearing the headscarf in Algeria, French feminists supported them. But when it's some young girl in a French suburb school, they don't. They define liberty and equality according to what colour your skin is. It's nothing more than neocolonialism." Mhenni also expressed support for Tunisia's ban on the veil: "If today we accept the headscarf, tomorrow we'll accept that women's rights to work and vote and receive an education be banned and they'll be seen as just a tool for reproduction and housework."


title: Islamic feminism

text: Masih Alinejad began the movement My Stealthy Freedom in protest of forced hijab policies in Iran. The movement began as a Facebook page where women uploaded pictures of themselves defying Iran's mandatory hijab laws.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Sihem Habchi, director of Ni Putes Ni Soumises, expressed support for France's ban on the burqa in public places, stating that the ban was a matter of 'democratic principle' and protecting French women from the 'obscurantist, fascist, right-wing movement' that she claims the burqa represents.


title: Islamic feminism

text: A survey by the Council on American Islamic Relations showed that two out of three mosques in 2000 required women to pray in a separate area, up from one out of two in 1994. Islamic feminists have begun to protest this, advocating for women to be allowed to pray beside men without a partition, as they do in Mecca. In 2003, Asra Nomani challenged the rules at her mosque in Morgantown, West Virginia, that required women to enter through a back door and pray in a secluded balcony. She argued that Muhammad didn't put women behind partitions, and that barriers preventing women from praying equally with men are just sexist man-made rules. The men at her mosque put her on trial to be banished.


title: Islamic feminism

text: In 2004, some American mosques had constitutions prohibiting women from voting in board elections. In 2005, following public agitation on the issue, Muslim organizations that included the CAIR and the Islamic Society of North America issued a report on making mosques "women-friendly", to assert women's rights in mosques, and to include women's right to pray in the main hall without a partition.


title: Islamic feminism

text: In 2010, American Muslim Fatima Thompson and a few others organized and participated in a "pray-in" at the Islamic Center of Washington in D.C. Police were summoned and threatened to arrest the women when they refused to leave the main prayer hall. The women continued their protest against being corralled in what they referred to as the "penalty box" (a prayer space reserved for only women). Thompson called the penalty box "an overheated, dark back room." A second protest also staged by the same group on the eve of International Women's Day in 2010 resulted in calls to the police and threats of arrest again. However, the women were not arrested on either occasion. In May 2010, five women prayed with men at the Dar al-Hijrah mosque, one of the Washington region's largest Islamic centers. After the prayers, a member of the mosque called Fairfax police who asked the women to leave. However, later in 2010, it was decided that D.C. police would no longer intervene in such protests.


title: Islamic feminism

text: In 2015 a group of Muslim activists, politicians, and writers issued a Declaration of Reform which states in part, "Men and women have equal rights in mosques, boards, leadership and all spheres of society. We reject sexism and misogyny." That same year Asra Nomani and others placed the Declaration on the door of the Islamic Center of Washington.


title: Islamic feminism

text: In 'A Survey and Analysis of Legal Arguments on Woman-Led Prayer in Islam named "I am one of the People"' Ahmed Elewa states that not because of external expectation but in due course with enlightened awareness Muslim communities should adopt women lead mixed gender prayers. In the same research paper Silvers emphasizes on example of Umm Salama who insisted that women are 'one of the people' and suggests women to assert their inclusion with equal rights. Elewa and Silvers research calls contemporary prohibitions of women lead prayer frustrating.


title: Islamic feminism

text: According to currently existing traditional schools of Islam, a woman cannot lead a mixed gender congregation in salat (prayer). Traditionalists like Muzammil Siddiqi states that women are not supposed to lead prayer because "It is not permissible to introduce any new style or liturgy in Salat." In other words, there must be no deviation from the tradition of men teaching. Some schools make exceptions for Tarawih (optional Ramadan prayers) or for a congregation consisting only of close relatives. Certain medieval scholars—including Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923), Abu Thawr (764–854), Isma'il Ibn Yahya al-Muzani (791–878), and Ibn Arabi (1165–1240) considered the practice permissible at least for optional ("nafl") prayers; however, their views are not accepted by any major surviving group. Islamic feminists have begun to protest this.


title: Islamic feminism

text: On March 18, 2005, Amina Wadud led a mixed-gender congregational Friday prayer in New York City. It sparked a controversy within the Muslim community because the imam was a woman, Wadud, who also delivered the khutbah. Moreover, the congregation she addressed was not separated by gender. This event that departed from the established ritual practice became an embodied performance of gender justice in the eyes of its organizers and participants. The event was widely publicized in the global media and caused an equally global debate among Muslims. However, many Muslims, including women, remain in disagreement with the idea of a woman as imam. Muzammil Siddiqi, chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America, argued that prayer leadership should remain restricted to men. He based his argument on the longstanding practice and thus community consensus and emphasized the danger of women distracting men during prayers.


title: Islamic feminism

text: The events that occurred in regards to equality in the mosque and women leading prayers, show the enmity Muslim feminists may receive when voicing opposition toward sexism and establishing efforts to combat it. Those who criticize Muslim feminists state that those who question the faith's views on gender segregation, or who attempt to make changes, are overstepping their boundaries and are acting offensively. On the other hand, people have stated that Islam does not advocate gender segregation. Britain's influential Sunni imam, Ahtsham Ali, has stated, "gender segregation has no basis in Islamic law" nor is it justified in the Quran. Elewa and Silvers deduce that with lack of any explicit evidence to contrary one ought to assume, women lead prayer adds nothing new to God established worship but just a default state of command expects men and women both to lead the prayer.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Internet & social media debates opened up easy access to religious texts for Muslim women which helps them understand scriptural backing for the gender equality rights they which they fight for.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Hakimeh Entesari, an Iranian academic said, "The thoughts and writings of these people [Islamic feminists] suffer from a fundamental problem, and that is the absolute detachment of this movement from the cultural and indigenous realities of Islamic societies and countries..." She also believes that the use of the term "Islamic feminism" is wrong and it should be "Muslim feminists".


title: Islamic feminism

text: Maria Massi Dakake, an American Muslim academic, criticized Asma Barlas' assertion the Quran is inherently anti-patriarchal and sought to undo patriarchal social structures. Dakake writes, "She [Asma Barlas] makes a number of important and substantial points about the limitations to traditional "patriarchal" rights of fathers and husbands in the Quran. However, the conclusion that the Qur'an is "anti-patriarchal" as such is hard to reconcile with the Quran's fairly explicit endorsement of male leadership - even if not absolute authority - over the marital unit in 4:34."


title: Islamic feminism

text: Ibtissam Bouachrine, a professor at Smith College, has critiqued the writings of Fatema Mernissi. According to Bouachrine, Mernissi, in her book, "The Veil and the Male Elite", critiques male interpretations of Quran 33:53, but not of Quran 24:31, "which evokes the veil in the context of the feminine body in public space." She also criticizes how Mernissi focuses on the hadith over the Quran because it is easier to criticize the hadith than the Quran which is seen as the word of God, but the hadith are the words of human beings. Bouachrine also critiques how Mernissi presents Muhammad as a "revolutionary heretic who sides with women against the Arabian male elite and their patriarchal values" but does not critique Muhammad's marriage to nine-year-old Aisha. Bouachrine also states that Mernissi does not mention that Zaynab was the former wife of Muhammad's adopted son.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Bouachrine also critiques Amina Wadud’s interpretation of 4:34 in "Quran and Woman". According to Bouachrine, although 4:34 seems to call for men to physically discipline their wives, "Wadud argues that the Qur’an would not encourage violence against women and therefore the obedience required of women is to God not to the husband." Wadud also proposes that "daraba" means to set an example instead of to use physical force. According to Bouachrine, these reinterpretations do not help women in the Muslim world suffering from domestic violence.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Ahmadian, head of Isfahan Institute of Theology: "Some have created a fake title which is called "Islamic Feminism" in order to solve the conflict between Islam and feminism, that is considered to be a paradoxical combination and its principles are not consistent with the principles of Islam religion. Based on Islamic teachings, there are differences between the roles and positions of men/women, and this distinction doesn't lower the dignity of women in any way.


title: Islamic feminism

text: Seyed Hussein Ishaghi, Ph.D. in Islamic Theology: "It is more appropriate to call Islamic feminism a woman-oriented interpretation of Islam religion... A group in the interaction of Islamic and Western culture faced an identity crisis; and on the other hand, in this confrontation, a group with its heart attached to Western culture denied religious teachings. That group promoted materialistic viewpoints by considering the mentioned beliefs as class or superstitious."


title: Dungeon Master

text: In the "Dungeons & Dragons" (D&D) role-playing game, the Dungeon Master (DM) is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events. In effect, the Dungeon Master controls all aspects of the game, except for the actions of the player characters (PCs), and describes to the players what their characters experience.


title: Dungeon Master

text: The title was invented by Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) for the "Dungeons & Dragons" RPG, and was introduced in the second supplement to the game rules ("Blackmoor") in 1975.


title: Dungeon Master

text: To avoid infringement of trademarks by the publishers of "Dungeons & Dragons", and to describe referees in role-playing genres other than sword and sorcery, other gaming companies use more generic terms, like Game Master, Game Operations Director (a backronym of GOD), Judge, Referee or Storyteller. Some use more esoteric titles related to the genre or style of the game, such as the "Keeper of Arcane Lore" from "Call of Cthulhu" and the "Hollyhock God" from "Nobilis".


title: Dungeon Master

text: The Dungeon Master (DM) assumes the role of the game master or referee and describes for other players what they perceive in this imaginary world, and what effects their actions have. That person is responsible for preparing each game session, and must have a thorough understanding of the game rules. Since the inception of the "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" system in 1977, these rules have been contained in three hardbound books: the "Player's Handbook", "Dungeon Master's Guide", and "Monster Manual". Many other rulebooks exist as well, but these are not required for conducting the game.


title: Dungeon Master

text: The DM is responsible for narrative flow, creating the scenario and setting in which the game takes place, maintaining the pace and providing dynamic feedback.


title: Dungeon Master

text: In storyteller role, the DM is responsible for describing the events of the "D&D" game session and making rulings about game situations and effects based on the decisions made by the players. The DM can develop the adventure plot and setting in which these PCs participate or use a preexisting module. This is typically designed as a type of decision tree that is followed by the players, and a customized version can require several hours of preparation for each hour spent playing the game.


title: Dungeon Master

text: The DM serves as the arbiter of the rules, both in teaching the rules to the players and in enforcing them. The rules provide game mechanics for resolving the outcome of events, including how the player's characters interact with the game world. Although the rules exist to provide a balanced game environment, the DM is free to ignore the rules as needed. The DM can modify, remove, or create entirely new rules in order to fit the rules to the current campaign. This includes situations where the rules do not readily apply, making it necessary to improvise. An example would be if the PCs are attacked by a living statue. To destroy the enemy, one PC soaks the statue in water, while the second uses his cone of cold breath to freeze the water. At this point, he appeals to the DM, saying the water expands as it freezes and shatters the statue. The DM might allow it, or roll dice to decide. In the above example the probability roll might come up in favor of the players, and the enemy would be shattered. Conversely, rules do not fit all eventualities and may have unintended consequences. The DM must ultimately draw the line between creative utilization of resources (e.g. firing wooden arrows into a dragon, then using a spell that warps wood at a distance) and exploit (e.g. "horse bombing" - using a non-combat spell that creates a temporary mount, several dozen feet above an enemy; hiring several thousand commoners to form a line and use a rule that allows characters to pass items to each other immediately to propel objects at railgun speeds.)


title: Dungeon Master

text: Regular "Dungeons & Dragons" groups consist of a dungeon master and several players. Some meet weekly or monthly, while others may only meet two or three times a year. A DM can also run a single adventure, typically referred to as a "one shot", otherwise unconnected with a campaign or game world. In this latter case there is no connected plot, and the players can choose to play different characters in each session.


title: Dungeon Master

text: The game session is typically known as an "adventure." It can be metaphorically described as an act within a stage play, where the players are the lead actors. In this analogy, the DM provides the stage, the scenery, and the basic plot on which the improvisational script is built, as well as all the bit parts and supporting characters. Each player generates a fictional player character (PC) to play within the adventure.


title: Dungeon Master

text: A series of adventures generally compose a campaign, and the player's characters will often remain as elements of the continuing story arc unless they meet an unfortunate demise. Using the stage play analogy, a campaign would comprise all acts of said play. While each adventure may have its own story arc, they are usually parts of the larger story arc of the campaign. The DM strings individual adventures into this campaign, in which the same PCs fight many different monsters and a few recurring villains; the PCs gain treasure, reputation and power as they go. Such campaigns can last for years or decades, earning a great deal of loyalty from their players. Also, there can be a common theme (e. g., find the Sword of Light) to a number of adventures that may in time become a campaign of sorts.


title: Dungeon Master

text: Beyond the campaign is the "game world". This vast construct is typical of many fantasy novels, such as J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth or Robert E. Howard's "Conan" saga. DMs may choose to run a game based on a published "Dungeons & Dragons" game world, with the maps and history already in place; such game worlds often have pre-written adventures. Alternately, the DM may build their own world and create their own adventures.


title: Dungeon Master

text: In the "Faiths and Pantheons" Dungeons & Dragons campaign, the Faerunian Overgod Ao answers to a superior entity, insinuated to be the "Dungeon Master".


title: East Lothian

text: East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was also known as Haddingtonshire.


title: East Lothian

text: In 1975, the historic county was incorporated for local government purposes into Lothian Region as East Lothian District, with some slight alterations of its boundaries. The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 later created East Lothian as one of 32 modern council areas. East Lothian lies south of the Firth of Forth in the eastern central Lowlands of Scotland. It borders Edinburgh to the west, Midlothian to the south-west and the Scottish Borders to the south. Its administrative centre and former county town is Haddington while the largest town is Musselburgh.


title: East Lothian

text: Haddingtonshire has ancient origins and is named in a charter of 1139 as "Hadintunschira" and in another of 1141 as "Hadintunshire". Three of the county's towns were designated as royal burghs: Haddington, Dunbar, and North Berwick.


title: East Lothian

text: As with the rest of Lothian, it formed part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Bernicia and later the Kingdom of Northumbria. Popular legend suggests that it was at a battle between the Picts and Angles in the East Lothian village of Athelstaneford in 823 that the flag of Scotland was conceived. From the 10th century, Lothian transferred from the Kingdom of England to the authority of the monarchs of Scotland. It was a cross-point in battles between England and Scotland and later the site of a significant Jacobite victory against Government forces in the Battle of Prestonpans. In the 19th century, the county is mentioned in the Gazetteer for Scotland as chiefly agricultural, with farming, fishing and coal-mining forming significant parts of the local economy.


title: East Lothian

text: Following the end of the Roman occupation of Britain, Lothian was populated by Brythonic-speaking Ancient Britons and formed part of the kingdom of the Gododdin, within the Hen Ogledd or Old North. In the 7th century, all of the Gododdin's territory fell to the Angles, with Lothian becoming part of the kingdom of Bernicia.


title: East Lothian

text: Bernicia united into the Kingdom of Northumbria which itself became part of the early Kingdom of England. Lothian came under the control of the Scottish monarchy in the 10th century.


title: East Lothian

text: The earliest reference to Haddingtonshire as a county of Scotland occurred in the 12th century, in two charters issued by King David.


title: East Lothian

text: Haddingtonshire was heavily involved in several medieval and early modern conflicts and several fortified castles and buildings such as Dunbar Castle, Tantallon Castle and Dirleton Castle date from this period.


title: East Lothian

text: In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Palace of Haddington was one of the seats of the Kings of Scotland. King William the Lion of Scotland used the palace from time to time and it was the birthplace of Alexander II in 1198. The palace and town were burned and pillaged in 1216, by an English army under the command of King John of England. In 1296, the Battle of Dunbar was a decisive victory for the forces of Edward I of England against the forces of John Balliol, the Scottish king who was Edward's vassal.


title: East Lothian

text: East Lothian was also the site of conflict during the war of the Rough Wooing, with many houses and villages burnt by the English in May 1544 after the sacking of Edinburgh, the Scottish defeat at the battle of Pinkie, Dunbar Castle burnt in 1548, and the siege of Haddington. East Lothian lairds supported the English cause, including John Cockburn of Ormiston, Alexander Crichton of Brunstane, and Regent Arran demolished their houses.


title: East Lothian

text: During the War of the Three Kingdoms, another Battle of Dunbar took place in 1650 between Scottish Covenanter forces and the Parliamentary forces under Oliver Cromwell. The Parliamentary forces were victorious and able to march on to take Edinburgh.


title: East Lothian

text: Following the Restoration of the monarchy, Glorious Revolution and Acts of Union, Jacobite forces conflicted with Government forces, with the main conflict taking place as part of the 1715 Rising and 1745 Rising. Under the command of Sir John Cope, the British Army met with the Jacobites under Charles Edward Stuart at the Battle of Prestonpans in the west of the county in September 1745, with the Jacobite side gaining a significant victory before being defeated at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746.


title: East Lothian

text: The local government saw major reforms in Scotland by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, which gave Haddingtonshire a county council, replacing earlier functions of the Commissioners of Supply and local Justices of the Peace. East Lothian County Council was based at County Buildings in Court Street, Haddington.


title: East Lothian

text: In 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Scotland's county councils were dissolved and a new system of regional and district councils was created. East Lothian District was created within the wider Lothian region. The district comprised the historic county of East Lothian plus the burgh of Musselburgh and the parish of Inveresk (which included Wallyford and Whitecraig) from the county of Midlothian.


title: East Lothian

text: When further reforms in 1996 moved Scotland to a system of 32 unitary local authorities, the modern council area of East Lothian was created.


title: East Lothian

text: East Lothian is predominantly rural. It has of coastline where the towns of Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Cockenzie and Port Seton, Gullane, North Berwick and Dunbar lie along the coast of the Firth of Forth. The coast has several headlands and bays, most notably Gosford Bay, Aberlady Bay, Gullane Point, Sandy Hirst, Tyne Mouth, Belhaven Bay, Barns Ness, Chapel Point and Torness Point. There are several small islands off the coast north of North Berwick, the largest of these being Fidra, Lamb, Craigleith and Bass Rock.


title: East Lothian

text: Only two towns are landlocked, Tranent and Haddington. To the south are the Lammermuir Hills along the boundary with Berwickshire; it is here that Meikle Says Law, the highest point in the county at , can be found. The River Tyne flows through Haddington and several of East Lothian's villages, reaching the Firth of Forth near Belhaven. The River Esk flows through Inveresk and Musselburgh where it empties at the north of the town into the Firth of Forth. Major bodies of water include Pressmennan Lake, the Whiteadder Reservoir, Hopes Reservoir, Stobshiel Reservoir and Lammerloch Reservoir.


title: East Lothian

text: The A1 road travels through East Lothian where it meets the Scottish Borders southbound and Edinburgh northbound. The A1 throughout East Lothian is dual carriageway and major junctions include Dunbar, Haddington, Tranent, Prestonpans and Musselburgh.


title: East Lothian

text: Starting in Leith, the A199 road also travels through East Lothian beginning at Musselburgh and passing through Wallyford, Tranent, Macmerry and Haddington before joining the A1 in West Barns.


title: East Lothian

text: East Lothian is served by seven railway stations: Dunbar and Musselburgh on the East Coast Main Line; and North Berwick, Drem, Longniddry, Prestonpans and Wallyford on the North Berwick Line. Rail service operators which travel through and stop at stations in the area include: ScotRail on both lines; and CrossCountry and London North Eastern Railway on the East Coast Main Line.


title: East Lothian

text: Bus operators in East Lothian are: Lothian Buses and its subsidiary East Coast Buses, Eve Coaches of Dunbar, Prentice of Haddington and Borders Buses. East Coast Buses is the main bus service provider connecting the towns and villages of East Lothian to Edinburgh. The company has depots in North Berwick and Musselburgh.


title: East Lothian

text: The population of East Lothian as of 2019 is 105,790. This is an increase of over 6,000 since 2011 and this is projected to reach over 120,000 by the 2030s. The fastest growing district in East Lothian is the Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry ward which is expected to see its population of just over 20,000 increase to just under 30,000 by 2026.


title: East Lothian

text: Population by major ethnic group in East Lothian according to the 2011 Scottish census is as follows:


title: East Lothian

text: In the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, a majority of voters in the East Lothian council area opted for Scotland to remain a part of the United Kingdom - with 61.72% casting their ballots for the Union and 38.28% voting for independence.


title: East Lothian

text: East Lothian is a constituency in the House of Commons, electing one Member of Parliament. It is one of only 4 UK Parliamentary Constituencies in Scotland which matches the boundaries of its Local Authority area. The other examples being Inverclyde, Moray, and Na h-Eileanan an Iar, East Lothian is one of the few UK Parliamentary Constituencies which fully covers the boundaries of its Council area.


title: East Lothian

text: The current MP for East Lothian is Kenny MacAskill of the Alba Party, who has represented the constituency since the 2019 general election when he was elected for the SNP.


title: East Lothian

text: Former UK Prime Minister Arthur Balfour was born on 25 July 1848 at Whittingehame House in what is now the East Lothian constituency.


title: East Lothian

text: Most of East Lothian is in the East Lothian Scottish Parliament constituency and South Scotland region with the exception of Musselburgh which is in Midlothian North and Musselburgh and the Lothians region.


title: East Lothian

text: East Lothian Council is based in the historic county town of Haddington, with the council meeting at the Haddington Town House and offices at nearby at John Muir House. The unitary local authority contains six wards, electing 22 councillors.


title: East Lothian

text: In 1894, John Martine published "Reminiscences and Notices of Ten Parishes of the County of Haddington".


title: East Lothian

text: There are a range of schools in the county, including six state secondaries: Dunbar Grammar School, Knox Academy (formerly the Grammar School) in Haddington, Musselburgh Grammar School, North Berwick High School, Preston Lodge High School in Prestonpans and Ross High School in Tranent.


title: East Lothian

text: There are two independent schools in the county. Loretto School is a day and boarding school in Musselburgh founded in 1827 and Belhaven Hill School, established in 1923 is a smaller preparatory school in Dunbar also providing boarding.


title: East Lothian

text: In 2007, Queen Margaret University began its move to a new, purpose-built campus in Musselburgh within East Lothian, providing it with its first university.


title: East Lothian

text: In November 2017, a county flag competition was launched in East Lothian to register an official flag of East Lothian. Anyone willing to enter this competition was allowed to enter, which resulted in 623 entries to the competition. The end of the entry submission time was the 28th of February 2018. Four final flag designs will be placed in a vote to the residents of East Lothian. In December 2018 the winning design was announced, designed by Archie Martin, a local man from Musselburgh and residing in Gifford who had worked for the council for 23 years. Martin died in July 2018. The flag features a saltire representing East Lothian as the birthplace of Scotland's flag. A gold cross signifies the wealth of East Lothian's farmlands and reputation as the granary of Scotland with a lion in the centre representing the Haddington lion along with blue stripes to represent the rivers Esk and Tyne.


title: East Lothian

text: East Lothian is served by two local paid-for weekly newspapers, the "East Lothian Courier" and the "East Lothian News".


title: East Lothian

text: The "East Lothian Courier" (often locally "The Courier") began as the Haddingtonshire Courier in 1859, before changing its name in 1971. It was owned by D&J Croal, based in Haddington, until its purchase by the Dunfermline Press Group in 2004.


title: East Lothian

text: The "East Lothian News" was first published in 1971, as part of Scottish County Press Group, with editorial offices in Dalkeith and printing at Bonnyrigg (both in Midlothian). The Scottish County Press Group was acquired by Regional Independent Media in 2000, which was in turn bought by Johnston Press in 2002.


title: East Lothian

text: There are two local community radio stations in East Lothian, broadcasting on FM and online. East Coast FM, based in Haddington, has been broadcasting since 2009. Radio Saltire, formerly East Lothian FM, is now based in Tranent.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara (also Sammakka Sarakka Jatara and Medaram Jatara) is a festival to honour the Hindu Tribal goddesses, celebrated in the state of Telangana, India. This Jatara is known for witnessing one of the largest people gatherings in the world. People offer Bangaram (jaggery) :The Jatara begins at Medaram in Tadvai Mandala in Mulugu district. The rituals related to the Goddesses are entirely conducted by the Koya Tribe priests, in accordance with Koya customs and traditions.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Until 1955, about 2,000 people used to visit Medaram, of which the majority 1,500 belonging to the Koya tribe.But now a large number of non-Koya people(1.3 crore) visits Medaram and the Koya people comprises only 2% of the total worshippers.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in the Deccan.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Once declared a national festival, the jatara can be considered for 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity' tag of UNESCO. Jatara celebrated during the time the goddesses (Sammakka and Saralamma) of the tribals are believed to visit them. It is believed that after Kumbha Mela, the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara attracts the largest number of devotees in the country.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: It commemorates the fight of a mother and daughter," Sammakka and Saralamma" (also known as Sarakka), with the reigning rulers against an unjust law.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: There are many legends about the miraculous powers of Sammakka. According to a 13th-century tribal legend, some tribal leaders on a hunt found a newborn girl (Sammakka) enveloped in light playing amidst tigers. They took her to the tribal chief, who adopted and raised her as a leader. She later became the savior of the tribals of the region. She was married to Pagididda Raju, the tribal chief of the Koyas. The Kakatiyas (who ruled the region with its headquarters in Warangal City between 1000 AD and 1323 AD). Sammakka had two daughters and one son, Sarakka, Nagulamma, and Jampanna. King Prataprudra of the Kakatiyas imposed taxes on the Koya Tribe, which they could not pay. As a result, King Prataprudra declared war on the Koya Tribe. Pagididda Raju was killed in the ensuing battle forcing the grief-ridden Sammakka to pick up the fight with her daughter Saralamma, her son Jampanna and her son-in-law Govinda Raju. Sammakka had almost won when Saralamma died in the battle. Jampanna was mortally wounded and fell bleeding into Sampangi vaagu (stream). Legend has it that the stream turned red from the blood, and the vaagu was renamed "Jampanna Vaagu" in honor of Jampanna's sacrifice. Distraught, Sammakka retired to a hill called Chilakala Gutta and turned into a vermilion jar (Kumkum Bharani). To this day, the Koya tribe and devotees believe that Sammakka and Saralamma are manifestations of Adi Parashakti sent to protect them.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: The jatara is a celebration to honor this sacrifice. The vermilion jar is brought to Medaram and washed in Jampanna Vaagu, followed by an offering of Jaggery to Sammakka and Saralamma.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: This Jatara is held Biannually i.e once in two years for four days starts by arrival of the goddesses to Gaddelu in Medaram and ends by their vanapravēsham (entry into the forest)


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Sammakka's idol and the Kumkum casket is carried to Medaram (usually by midnight) after long secret pujas by the Koya tribes on Chilakalagutta (the hill where the Kumkum casket is kept.)


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Sammakka and Sarakka along with their consorts Pagididda Raju and Govinda Raju respectively, are worshipped. Devotees take bath in Jampanna Vaagum and offer and weigh themselves with jaggery before offering it to Sammakka and Sarakka.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: The Jatara ends with the "Tallula Vanapravēsham" (entry into the forest). The Kumkum casket is carried back to Chilakalagutta and kept there until the next Jatara.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Sammakka Sarakka Jatara is a tribal Hindu festival, held at about 100km from Warangal city. It is the time for the largest tribal congregation in the world, held every two years (biennial), with approximately ten million people converging on the place, over a period of four days. Many devotees from different states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of Jharkhand) reach to the festive place to celebrate the Jatara.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: People offer bellam (jaggery) to their weight to the goddesses and take a holy bath in Jampanna Vagu (stream).


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: In 2008, nearly 8 million people were estimated to have attended the festival. And in 2012, the gatherings in the jatara are roughly estimated to be 10 million. This fair is said to be the largest repeating congregation of tribal communities in the world. It is also one of the largest Hindu gatherings in the world.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: This Festival held in 2016 is the first one after the formation of Telangana state, and it took a greater significance with special attention by the government.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Jampanna Vagu, originally known as "Sampangi Vagu" is a tributary to the river Godavari. According to history, Jampanna was a tribal warrior and the son of tribal goddess Sammakka. The Jampanna Vagu took his name as he died in a battle fighting against the Kakatiyan Army in that stream. Tribals believe that taking a holy dip in the water of Jampanna Vagu honours and reminds them of the sacrifice of their gods who saved them and also induces courage in their souls.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: The Jatara venue is situated at about 100 km from Warangal, 170 km from Karimnagar, 190 km from Suryapet, 250 km from Hyderabad and 320 km from Rajahmundry (via Bhadrachalam & Manuguru).


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: Until 1978, the only way to reach Medaram was by a bullock cart. In 1978 then the Andhra Pradesh State Government declared the 1000-yr old festival as official and laid down a paved road. TSRTC runs multiple buses to the venue during the Jatara period. Also, many private vehicles render their services for plying the visitors and aerial view services (such as using a helicopter) are also provided during this festival.


title: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

text: The Jatara is very well facilitated with roads, drinking water, sanitation, health and hygiene by the Government of Telangana.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The Holden Commodore (VY) is an executive car that was produced by Holden from 2002 to 2004. It was the third iteration of the third generation of the Commodore. Its range included the luxury variants, Holden Berlina (VY) and Holden Calais (VY); commercial versions were called the Holden One Tonner (VY), Holden Ute (VY), and Holden Crewman (VY). In 2003, the range also saw the introduction of the first Commodore-based all-wheel drive variants, including the Holden Adventra (VY) wagon.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Released in September 2002 and produced until August 2004 (with a Series II released in August 2003), the VY series was the first major design departure (both inside and out) of the third generation Commodore range released in August 1997. It launched at the same time as the Ford Falcon (BA).


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: These models were all offered as sedans, and wagons only with the Executive, Acclaim and Berlina. Unusually, the VY also introduced a limited edition SS wagon featuring the same V8 (upgraded to for Series II), body kit and sports suspension as the SS sedan. However, it was equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels as opposed to the 18-inch wheels on the sedan. 500 such wagons were produced for Series I, and 350 for Series II.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The front and rear of the body had minor restyling, with a new front grille, headlights and taillights. The interior has been significantly upgraded. Interior upgrade includes a new instrument panel, centre console and steering wheel and new design transmission lever and handbrake. There is also a new mobile phone power outlet under the centre console. The new instrument cluster features a large multi-function digital display (single or triple window, depending on model), which displays information such as radio station display, PRND321 gear selected indicator, trip computer with stopwatch function, service reminders and a help facility.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Standard features (on some models) now include "twilight sentinel" - automatic headlamp control, programmable headlamps off time delay, high feature Blaupunkt audio systems, road-speed sensitive intermittent wipers and passenger airbags.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The VY Series II update added cruise control, front power windows variable front seat lumbar support, and revised interior trims. A 245 kW (329 hp) V8 was introduced to sports variants and a sportier repositioning of the Calais model. This repositioning included a subtle body kit, the option of a 235 kW V8 in place of the previous 225 kW (302 hp) and a firmer suspension tune (known as "FE 1.5") that was not as stiff as the FE2 suspension on sports variants.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The Executive is the baseline model of the VY Commodore range. Pricing for the Executive started from A$31,650.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The Acclaim is one model up from the base model of the VY Commodore range. Pricing for the Acclaim started from A$37,510.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The VY Commodore was the first to not offer a V8 option on the Executive model. Buyers now had to choose the new SV8 as the cheapest V8 variant. The SV8 was essentially an Executive with a V8 engine, rear spoiler and unique 17 inch alloy wheels. Pricing for the SV8 started from A$40,490.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The Berlina is the semi-luxury version of the VY range; it sits above the Acclaim and below the Calais. Pricing for the Berlina starts from A$40,850.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: A limited run of 325 VY series 1 wagons (all in the colour Turbine Grey) was released in 2002. These were a level above the Berlina with some Calais options which include the following:


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The Calais is the top-of-the-line luxury model in the VY range; it sits above the Berlina and combines luxury with performance. Pricing for the Calais starts from A$56,250.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The Holden Adventra is Holden's first all-wheel drive variant built on the wagon platform. It was produced between October 2003 and February 2005 also acting as the basis of commercial derivates in the form of the Crewman Cross 8 and Holden Special Vehicles sports variants. The Adventra is based on the VY II Commodore station wagon but features an all-wheel drive configuration as opposed to a rear-wheel drive running gear. Available in two equipment levels—CX8 and LX8—with a standardised driveline consisting of a single powertrain combination. That being, a 5.7-litre "Generation III" V8 engine rated at and a four-speed automatic transmission.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Over the standard Commodore wagon, the Adventra adds a 60/40 split rear seat and additional gauges above the central ventilation outlets. Black plastic accents on the front and rear bumpers along with the wheel guards visually distinguished the Adventra from the Commodore.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Extra-cost options available included third-row seating, cargo hold down nets, and an off-road recovery kit.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Holden replaced the VY II with the VZ Adventra in 2004. An interim VZ Adventra appeared in August 2004 at the time of the release of the VZ Commodore range, but this was in essence the familiar VY body with VZ engine, running gear, ECU and a VZ compliance plate. A true VZ series facelift was introduced in February 2005 and with it, the introduction of a V6 engine as the principal power unit.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The VU Ute range was facelifted in 2002 to create the VY-based Ute range. These commercial vehicles received the same upgrades as the sedan/wagon range, which involved a new, sharper-designed nose, and restyled interior. The same three specification models were carried over for the VY and picked up the same upgraded equipment lists as the VY sedans. The VY ute models were not badged as "Commodores".


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The VY range marked major change for Holden's Ute range, with the 2003 addition of two new models: the return of the One Tonner cab-chassis utility after an 18-year hiatus; and the introduction of Holden's first-ever 4-door utility, arriving in the form of the Crewman. The Crewman brought a longer wheelbase – compared to the of the Ute; and a shorter tray – compared to the of the Ute In December 2003, Holden released an all-wheel drive variant of the Crewman known as the Crewman Cross 8. Powered by a V8 engine, the Cross 8 featured a modified appearance, more suited to an off-road vehicle.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Both the Crewman and One Tonner models added instant sales to the Holden range, sparking rapid expansion of the Holden Ute range, its first major growth spurt since its 1990 reintroduction. Once again the same three specifications were carried over for the VY, with the Ute range available in base Ute, S & SS forms. The same did not apply for the One-Tonner cab-chassis range though – it was available in just two model forms, base and S.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Crewman models were on the other hand available with the same three specifications as the Ute range and were launched conjointly with the rest of Holden's VY Series 2 range, the major update this time being the addition of to the Gen.3 V8. By December 2003 the Crewman range had expanded to include Holden's very first AWD utility in the form of the Crewman Cross 8. The Cross 8 received bolstered wheelarches, raised ride height as well as additional equipment, with the sole drivetrain being the recently upgraded Gen.3 V8 connected to a 4-speed automatic. V6-powered versions of the One Tonner & Crewman were only available with automatic transmission. The VY's were superseded by the arrival of the VZ range in August 2004.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The enhanced performance VY range sold by Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) is marketed as the "Y Series" and it comprised the variants listed below, alphabetically. For the first time, HSV stopped adopting the same series code as the mainstream donor cars in order to further differentiate its products.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The HSV Avalanche is an all-wheel drive crossover SUV that was manufactured by Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) between 2003 and 2005. Based on the Holden Adventra LX8 crossover wagon, the Avalanche range also incorporated a dual-cab utility model known as the HSV Avalanche XUV. The XUV derived from the Holden Crewman Cross8.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Both HSV vehicles were built in two series, the 2003 "Y Series II" (the wagon was actually available as of October/November 2003) and an updated version of the "Y Series II", which included some of the upgrades found in the newer "Z Series" HSV models. These later models are quite rare, with a building life of nine months from April 2005 to December 2005.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: As with the related Holden VY all-wheel drive vehicles, the HSV Y Series AWD vehicles as built from September 2004 to March 2005 confusingly have Z Series compliance and Vehicle Identification Numbers; this correlates to the building of new specification Holden VZ and Z Series HSV non-AWD cars during this period.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The updated Avalanches with some of the Z Series upgrades can be externally visually differentiated from the Y Series versions by their re-profiled front bumper unit that looks less aggressive and which features a more integrated appearance to the auxiliary driving lights.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The Avalanche vehicles were fitted exclusively with the 5.7-litre "LS1" V8 engine rated at of power and of torque, mated to a four-speed "4L65-E" automatic gearbox. Permanent all-wheel drive was calibrated to deliver 62 percent of the power to the rear wheels, thereby maintaining a rear-wheel drive feel to the handling of these vehicles.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Along with Holden's V8 Commodore-based AWD vehicles, the HSV Avalanche series was discontinued in late 2005 due to phasing out of the 5.7-litre "LS1" engines because of the Euro III emissions regulations.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: VY Clubsport was based on the VY Holden Commodore frame. The V8 5.7litre GEN3 Chevrolet engine was revised to produce 260KW this model was available in 4 Speed auto or 6 Speed Manual.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: VY GTS was a special order only vehicle with very limited build numbers, making it one of the most sought HSV's of the future. Only 100 of these cars were produced


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: HSV's facelifted Y Series (as opposed to VY series in Holden terminology) was released in October 2002. The original Y Series Maloo utility retained the 5.7-litre LS1 engine from the VU, but power was increased to . Enhancements such as Climate Control air conditioning and the 'Performance' Brake System were made standard equipment on Maloo, with the 'Premium' Brake system now standard equipment on Maloo R8. New paint colours included Hothouse Green and Turbine Grey. 167 standard Maloo versions and 132 R8 models were produced in the original Y Series.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Y Series 2 was released in October 2003 in concert with HSV's Coupe Series 3 range, with the LS1 5.7-litre V8's engine power now increased to . New paint colours for the Maloo range were Syracuse (gold) and HSV Ultra Violet. 312 standard Maloo versions and 361 R8 models were produced in Y Series 2.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Following a slight change to the HSV series naming method, the Y Series Senators, based on the VY Commodore debuted in 2003. The Y-series naming method caused confusion with most people still calling it the VY. Featuring even more angular and aggressive styling, the Y series offered both an entry-level grand tourer Senator and high luxury Senator Signature models. Both came standard with a revised Luxury suspension tune, rear parking sensors and LS1 engine. In addition to the features found on the Senator, the Senator Signature came with larger alloy wheels (the Senator came equipped with wheels), different seats and larger front brakes. The Y Series II update upgraded power to .


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Some of the features that were introduced on the Y-series Senator include oil and battery gauges on the centre stack, shale leather trim interior trim as well as white backing for the instruments. A leather steering wheel was added to improve grip and feel when turning and more memory options for the front electric seats to cater to different users. HSV redesigned the front seats because of complaints from the customers they were too uncomfortable.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Standard features include a CD stacker, power mirrors and windows, cruise control, climate control, engine immobilizer and remote central locking. A rear DVD player and headphones were added. Front and side airbags were standard across the whole range. Two extra safety features were added: an electric tyre pressure monitoring system and High-Intensity Discharge (HID) driving lights. Once again the fully independent multi-link rear suspension is standard on the Senator. GPS or Satellite navigation and the sunroof are not standard with this model but are available at extra cost.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: The engine is a 5.7-litre LS1 V8 pushing out at 5600 rpm and of torque. New badging featured on the Senator read "260" reflecting the increased power output. The brake and some of the engine cooling vents located on the front bumper are slightly hidden to keep its luxury well present while viewing the vehicle. Mesh cloth is located at the front air dams. Some of the side skirts front and rear air dams and the lower parts of the exterior mirrors are coloured in a satin finish grey. The rest is finished in the body colour. The famous "Senator" nameplates are featured on the side skirts, rear and at the bottom of the rear doors.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Some of the interior changes include alloy pedals, new colours, a re-designed four-spoke steering wheel with remote audio controls, white finish instrument dials and minor gauges now in their own dedicated binnacle in the centre of the dash. The multi-function read-out has been re-programmed to show the HSV logo and the vehicle build number and identification during start-up. Automatic climate control and a Blaupunkt 6-disc CD stacker are standard and 8 speakers. Carbon fibre trim is found throughout the cabin as well as light shale leather trim. The starting price for the Senator at the time was $74000.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: Exports of the VY were made to the Middle East as the Chevrolet Lumina from 2002 as per the previous VX series. Trim levels were the Lumina LS sedan and wagon (based on Commodore Executive), Lumina S (Commodore S), Lumina LTZ (Berlina), and Lumina SS (Commodore SS).


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: General Motors do Brasil imported the VY as the Chevrolet Omega from 2003 to replace the VX-based Omega. This update was announced 28 April 2003. The Brazilian model sold as a single-specification CD model, based on the Holden Calais. VY Omega sales ended in 2005 when replaced by the VZ-based model, as announced on 9 March 2005.


title: Holden Commodore (VY)

text: In September 2003, Chevrolet Lumina exports started in Malaysia in LTZ trim (based on the Holden Berlina), followed by Thailand in October with LTZ (Berlina) and S trims. Singapore was added as an export market by 2004 with the Lumina LTZ. Exports to Singapore ended during 2004; Malaysia and Thailand sales continued in VZ form from 2004.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Far Rockaway is a neighborhood on the eastern part of the Rockaway peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens. It is the easternmost section of the Rockaways. The neighborhood extends from Beach 32nd Street east to the Nassau County line. Its southern boundary is the Atlantic Ocean; it is one of the neighborhoods along Rockaway Beach.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Far Rockaway is located in Queens Community District 14 and its ZIP Code is 11691. It is patrolled by the New York City Police Department's 101st Precinct.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: The indigenous inhabitants of the Rockaways were the Canarsie Indians, a band of Mohegan, whose name was associated with the geography. By 1639, the Mohegan tribe sold most of the Rockaways to the Dutch West India Company. In 1664, the English defeated the Dutch colony and took over their lands in present-day New York. In 1685, the band chief, "Tackapoucha", and the English governor of the province agreed to sell the Rockaways to a Captain Palmer for 31 pounds sterling.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: The Rockaway Peninsula was originally designated as part of the Town of Hempstead, then a part of Queens County. Palmer and the Town of Hempstead disputed over who owned Rockaway, so in 1687 he sold the land to Richard Cornell, an iron master from Flushing. Cornell and his family lived on a homestead on what is now Central Avenue, near the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. At his death, Cornell was buried in a small family cemetery, Cornell Cemetery.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: In the late 19th century, the Rockaway Association wanted to build a hotel on the Rockaway Peninsula, as it was increasingly popular as a summer destination. The association, consisting of many wealthy members who had homes in the area, bought most of Cornell's old homestead property. They developed the Marine Pavilion on that site, which attracted such guests as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Washington Irving, and the Vanderbilt family. The Rockaway Association also built the Rockaway Turnpike. The Marine Hotel burned to the ground in 1864, but more hotels and private residences were built in the area.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: In the 19th century, people traveled to the Rockaways by horse-drawn carriages or on horseback. A ferry powered by steam sailed from Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn. By the 1880s, the Long Island Rail Road's Rockaway Beach Branch was built to serve Far Rockaway station. The steam railroad went to Long Island City and Flatbush Terminal (now Atlantic Terminal). When it opened in the 1880s, this connection stimulated population growth on the Rockaway Peninsula. Benjamin Mott gave the LIRR of land for a railroad depot. Land values increased and businesses in the area grew, and by 1888, Far Rockaway was a relatively large village. It incorporated as a village on September 19 of that year.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: By 1898, the area was incorporated into the Greater City of New York, which included Queens. Far Rockaway, Hammels, and Arverne, all of Queens, tried to secede from the city several times. In 1915 and 1917, a bill approving the secession passed in the legislature but was vetoed by the New York City mayor John Purroy Mitchel.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Far Rockaway was 50,058, a change of 1,714 (3.4%) from the 48,344 counted in 2000. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of .


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 25.5% (12,778) White, 44.7% (22,400) African American, 0.3% (175) Native American, 1.9% (931) Asian, 0.1% (44) Pacific Islander, 1% (504) from other races, and 1.7% (860) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.7% (12,366) of the population.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Far Rockaway is a diverse neighborhood with many immigrants from Jamaica, Guyana, and Guatemala, as well as Russia and Ukraine. It also is home to a significant number of Orthodox Jews.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: The Far Rockaway Beach Bungalow Historic District recognizes an area with a distinct character. This and individual properties, such as the Russell Sage Memorial Church, Trinity Chapel, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: With its nearby beach, Far Rockaway attracted tourists and vacationers from the other boroughs. Bungalows were the homes of choice for many residents who lived in Far Rockaway. The railroad abandoned the Rockaway Beach Branch in 1950 because of the shift of many people to driving private cars. In addition, this destination had to compete with the many others that people were visiting by car and air travel, which created access to even more distant destinations and heightened competition for travel dollars.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: As the neighborhood's heyday as a resort community declined in the 1950s, the city built substantial numbers of public housing developments to try to replace substandard housing after World War II. Bungalows and other residential housing were converted to year-round use for low-income residents. Some bungalows were used as public housing. The 1970s New York City budget crisis had a negative effect on the provision of social services, and problems of poverty, unemployment and drug use increased in this area.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: In September 1984, residents founded the Beachside Bungalow Preservation Association to "improve the quality of the Far Rockaway community through preservation, education, and cultural programs". The organization donated a collection of materials highlighting its history, correspondence, and activities to the Queens Library Archives in 2008.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Far Rockaway is patrolled by the NYPD's 101st Precinct, located at 16-12 Mott Avenue. The 101st Precinct and the adjoining 100th Precinct, which serves the rest of the Rockaways, collectively ranked 10th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. However, the low-income and densely populated 101st Precinct has significantly more crime than the 100th Precinct, which is high-income and more insular.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: The 101st Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 74.6% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 6 murders, 26 rapes, 151 robberies, 301 felony assaults, 98 burglaries, 250 grand larcenies, and 31 grand larcenies auto in 2018.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Far Rockaway is served by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)'s Engine Cos. 264 and 328/Ladder Co. 134, located at 16-15 Central Avenue.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Far Rockaway is covered by ZIP Code 11691. The United States Post Office operates the Far Rockaway Station at 18-36 Mott Avenue.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: The neighborhood, like all of New York City, is served by the New York City Department of Education. Far Rockaway residents are zoned to several different elementary schools:


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: All New York City residents who wish to attend a public high school must apply to high schools. Far Rockaway High School was located in Far Rockaway, but was shut down in 2011 as a stand-alone institution. During the administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2011, many large, underperforming, older traditional high schools were closed in the city. The 1929 building was renovated to operate as the Far Rockaway Educational Campus, home to a number of smaller, specialized academies that share the building. They can provide more individualized attention to their students. The former Beach Channel High School was similarly closed in 2014 and repurposed to house several smaller, specialized academies; it is in Rockaway Park, near Far Rockaway, and draws some of its students from Far Rockaway.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Queens Public Library operates the Far Rockaway branch at a temporary location at 1003 Beach 20th Street. The library was formerly located at Central Avenue. In 2013, "New York" magazine reported that the city planned to construct a public library in the neighborhood, to be designed by the internationally known architectural firm Snøhetta. Construction started in November 2018.


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: During the early and mid-20th century, many Jewish immigrants and their working-class descendants settled in Far Rockaway, sometimes first as summer visitors. They founded numerous synagogues and private schools, including those devoted to all-boys or all-girls institutions for educating Orthodox children. Following World War II, as residential housing was developed in Nassau and later Suffolk counties, many Jewish families left the Rockaways for newer housing. According to "The New York Times", Far Rockaway had "flourished in the 1940s but withered...1960s" until "a few Jewish families...started the Hebrew Free Loan Society for new home buyers."


title: Far Rockaway, Queens

text: Synagogues include Congregation Kneseth Israel in Far Rockaway (The White Shul), which was founded in 1922. Schools include Sh'or Yoshuv Institute of Jewish Studies/Sh'or Yoshuv Yeshiva, Yeshiva Darchei Torah and the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Andy Puddicombe (born 23 September 1972) is a British author, public speaker and a teacher of meditation and mindfulness. He, alongside Richard Pierson, is the co-founder of Headspace, a digital health company that provides guided meditation training and mindfulness for its users.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Puddicombe was born in London but grew up in Bristol, UK. He attended Wellsway Comprehensive School in Keynsham, and studied Sports Science at De Montfort University. He also achieved a Foundation Degree in Circus Arts.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: In 1994, Puddicombe gave up his studies in sports science and travelled to Asia to train as a Buddhist monk. He has attributed this in part to an effort to cope with the trauma of bereavement.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: His meditation training took him to India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia and Russia; culminating in full ordination at a Tibetan monastery in India, in the Himalayas. Having completed a one-year cloistered retreat in Scotland, he returned to Russia, where he taught meditation in Moscow for four years before reaching the end of his monastic commitment.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: In 2004 Puddicombe returned to the UK where he studied Circus Arts in London while simultaneously building his own private meditation practice in the city, wanting to make "meditation and mindfulness accessible, relevant and beneficial to as many people as possible".


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Puddicombe set up a private meditation practice in 2006, and spent the next four years working as a mindfulness consultant, while adapting the language and techniques he had previously learned. During this time he met his future business partner and co-founder of Headspace, Rich Pierson. Puddicombe has often attributed the success of Headspace to Pierson's involvement.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Headspace launched in 2010, originally as an events company in London. Its first online meditations were uploaded to its website before January 2012, when the first Headspace app was launched.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Puddicombe is a regular contributor to "The Guardian", "The Times", "Five Books" and "Huffington Post", writing about the benefits of mindfulness.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: In 2013, Puddicombe was featured on the BBC science documentary, Horizon 'The Truth About Personality', in which the Headspace app was tested for efficacy. In laboratory experiments carried out over 7 weeks, the BBC Presenter, Dr Michael Mosley, experienced progressively less negative thought, whilst overcoming more than a decade of insomnia.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Puddicombe also launched a podcast named "Radio Headspace" where he started with 3-5 minute episodes of "short and sweet bits" of information to help your day, often where he shares some personal stories and asks you to do something in your life more mindfully. As of recently, (November 2022), there have been guest hosts on the podcast.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Puddicombe contributes to BBC News and BBC Radio on matters of meditation, mindfulness, mental health and lifestyle. In 2010 he took part in the Pause For Thought series on BBC Radio 2, with weekly appearances on the Chris Evans radio show, with over 9 million listeners. This is alongside other contributions to stations such as NPR (National Public Radio) in the US.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: Puddicombe's first appearance on US TV came in 2013, taking part in the Dr Oz show. He discussed the rise of meditation, the scientific benefits, as well as his personal journey as a Buddhist monk. He then hosted a separate segment in which he taught the studio audience and television viewers how to meditate. He has also appeared on other network shows, such as ABC and KTLA News, discussing the benefits of meditation.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: In August 2017, Puddicombe was a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. During his appearance, he guided the show's host, The Roots, and the audience through a two-minute meditation.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: In November 2012, Puddicombe gave a TED Talk, entitled 'All It Takes Is 10 Mindful Minutes', outlining the benefits of taking time out each day to practice mindfulness. To date it has accrued 12 million views, and was among the first TED Talks to be featured on Netflix.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: In December 2020, Puddicombe moved to Lisbon, Portugal, where he currently lives with his wife and two sons. In 2013, Puddicombe announced that he was receiving treatment for testicular cancer. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, he revealed how mindfulness had helped him to cope with the physical, emotional and mental impact of the illness.


title: Andy Puddicombe

text: In August 2014, Puddicombe was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to "The Guardian" opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine (also known as Narcotine, Nectodon, Nospen, Anarcotine and (archaic) Opiane) is a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, of the phthalideisoquinoline structural subgroup, which has been isolated from numerous species of the family Papaveraceae (poppy family). It lacks significant hypnotic, euphoric, or analgesic effects affording it with very low addictive potential. This agent is primarily used for its antitussive (cough-suppressing) effects.


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine is often used as an antitussive medication. A 2012 Dutch guideline, however, does not recommend its use for acute coughing.


title: Noscapine

text: The drug should not be taken with any MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), as unknown and potentially fatal effects may occur.


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine should not be taken in conjunction with warfarin as the anticoagulant effects of warfarin may be increased.


title: Noscapine

text: The biosynthesis of noscapine in "P. somniferum" begins with chorismic acid, which is synthesized via the shikimate pathway from erythrose 4-phosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate. Chorismic acid is a precursor to the amino acid tyrosine, the source of nitrogen in benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. Tyrosine can undergo a PLP-mediated transamination to form 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid (4-HPP), followed by a TPP-mediated decarboxylation to form 4-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (4-HPAA). Tyrosine can also be hydroxylated to form 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), followed by a PLP-mediated decarboxylation to form dopamine. Norcoclaurine synthase (NCS) catalyzes a Pictet-Spengler reaction between 4-HPAA and dopamine to synthesize ("S")-norcoclaurine, providing the characteristic benzylisoquinoline scaffold. ("S")-Norcoclaurine is sequentially 6-"O"-methylated (6OMT), "N"-methylated (CNMT), 3-hydroxylated (NMCH), and 4′-"O"-methylated (4′OMT), with the use of cofactors S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) and NADP for methylations and hydroxylations, respectively. These reactions produce ("S")-reticuline, a key branchpoint intermediate in the biosynthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids.<ref name="doi:10.1007/s11101-019-09644-w"></ref>


title: Noscapine

text: The remainder of the noscapine biosynthetic pathway is largely governed by a single biosynthetic 10-gene cluster. Genes comprising the cluster encode enzymes responsible for nine of the eleven remaining chemical transformations. First, berberine bridge enzyme (BBE), an enzyme not encoded by the cluster, forms the fused four-ring structure in ("S")-scoulerine. BBE uses O as an oxidant and is aided by cofactor flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Next, an "O"-methyltransferase (SOMT) methylates the 9-hydroxyl group. Canadine synthase (CAS) catalyzes the formation of a unique C2-C3 methylenedioxy bridge in ("S")-canadine. An "N"-methylation (TNMT) and two hydroxylations (CYP82Y1, CYP82X2) follow, aided by SAM and O/NADPH, respectively. The C13 alcohol is then acetylated by an acetyltransferase (AT1) using acetyl-CoA. Another cytochrome P450 enzyme (CYP82X1) catalyzes the hydroxylation of C8, and the newly formed hemiaminal spontaneously cleaves, yielding a tertiary amine and aldehyde. A methyltransferase heterodimer (OMT2:OMT3) catalyzes a SAM-mediated "O"-methylation on C4′. The "O"-acetyl group is then cleaved by a carboxylesterase (CXE1), yielding an alcohol which immediately reacts with the neighboring C1 aldehyde to form a hemiacetal in a new five-membered ring. The apparent counteractivity between AT1 and CXE1 suggests that acetylation in this context is employed as a protective group, preventing hemiacetal formation until the ester is enzymatically cleaved. Finally, an NAD-dependent short-chain dehydrogenase (NOS) oxidizes the hemiacetal to a lactone, completing noscapine biosynthesis.


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine's antitussive effects appear to be primarily mediated by its σ–receptor agonist activity. Evidence for this mechanism is suggested by experimental evidence in rats. Pretreatment with rimcazole, a σ-specific antagonist, causes a dose-dependent reduction in antitussive activity of noscapine. Noscapine, and its synthetic derivatives called noscapinoids, are known to interact with microtubules and inhibit cancer cell proliferation


title: Noscapine

text: The lactone ring is unstable and opens in basic media. The opposite reaction is presented in acidic media. The bond (C1−C3′) connecting the two optically active carbon atoms is also unstable. In aqueous solution of sulfuric acid and heating it dissociates into cotarnine (4-methoxy-6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-"g"]isoquinoline) and opic acid (6-formyl-2,3-dimethoxybenzoic acid). When noscapine is reduced with zinc/HCl, the bond C1−C3′ saturates and the molecule dissociates into hydrocotarnine (2-hydroxycotarnine) and meconine (6,7-dimethoxyisobenzofuran-1(3"H")-one).


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine was first isolated and characterized in chemical breakdown and properties in 1803 under the denomination of "Narcotine" by Jean-Francois Derosne, a French chemist in Paris. Then Pierre-Jean Robiquet, another French chemist, proved narcotine and morphine to be distinct alkaloids in 1831. Finally, Pierre-Jean Robiquet conducted over 20 years between 1815 and 1835 a series of studies in the enhancement of methods for the isolation of morphine, and also isolated in 1832 another very important component of raw opium, that he called codeine, currently a widely used opium-derived compound.


title: Noscapine

text: There are anecdotal reports of the recreational use of over-the-counter drugs in several countries, being readily available from local pharmacies without a prescription. The effects, beginning around 45 to 120 minutes after consumption, are similar to dextromethorphan and alcohol intoxication. Unlike dextromethorphan, noscapine is not an NMDA receptor antagonist.


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine can survive the manufacturing processes of heroin and can be found in street heroin. This is useful for law enforcement agencies, as the amounts of contaminants can identify the source of seized drugs. In 2005 in Liège, Belgium, the average noscapine concentration was around 8%.


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine has also been used to identify drug users who are taking street heroin at the same time as prescribed diamorphine. Since the diamorphine in street heroin is the same as the pharmaceutical diamorphine, examination of the contaminants is the only way to test whether street heroin has been used. Other contaminants used in urine samples alongside noscapine include papaverine and acetylcodeine. Noscapine is metabolised by the body, and is itself rarely found in urine, instead being present as the primary metabolites, cotarnine and meconine. Detection is performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) but can also use a variety of other analytical techniques.


title: Noscapine

text: The efficacy of noscapine in the treatment of certain hematological malignancies has been explored in the clinic. Polyploidy induction by noscapine has been observed "in vitro" in human lymphocytes at high dose levels (>30 μM); however, low-level systemic exposure, e.g. with cough medications, does not appear to present a genotoxic hazard. The mechanism of polyploidy induction by noscapine is suggested to involve either chromosome spindle apparatus damage or cell fusion.


title: Noscapine

text: Many of the enzymes in the noscapine biosynthetic pathway was elucidated by the discovery of a 10 gene "operon-like cluster" named HN1. In 2016, the biosynthetic pathway of noscapine was reconstituted in yeast cells, allowing the drug to be synthesised without the requirement of harvest and purification from plant material. In 2018, the entire noscapine pathway was reconstituted and produced in yeast from simple molecules. In addition, protein expression was optimised in yeast, allowing production of noscapine to be improved 18,000 fold. It is hoped that this technology could be used to produce pharmaceutical alkaloids such as noscapine which are currently expressed at too low a yield "in plantae" to be mass-produced, allowing them to become marketable therapeutic drugs.


title: Noscapine

text: Noscapine is itself an anti-mitiotic agent, therefore its analogs have great potential as novel anti-cancer drugs. Analogs having significant cytotoxic effects through modified 1,3-benzodioxole moiety have been developed. Similarly, N-alkyl amine, 1,3-diynyl, 9-vinyl-phenyl and 9-arylimino derivatives of noscapine have also been developed. Their mechanism of action is through tubulin inhibition.


title: Noscapine

text: Interestingly, various studies have indicated that noscapine has anti-inflammatory effects and significantly reduces the levels of proinflammatory factors such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IFN-c, and IL-6. In this regard, in another study, Khakpour et al. examined the effect of noscapine against carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats. They found that noscapine at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight in three hours after the injection has the most antiinflammatory effects. Moreover, they showed that the amount of inflammation reduction at this dose of noscapine is approximately equal to the indomethacin as a known and standard anti-inflammatory medication. Furthermore, Shiri et al. concluded that noscapine prevented the progression of bradykinin-induced inflammation in the rat’s foot by antagonising bradykinin receptors. In addition, Zughaier et al. evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of brominated noscapine. The brominated form of noscapine has been shown to inhibit the secretion of the cytokine TNF-α and the chemokine IP-10/CXCL10 from macrophages, thereby reducing inflammation without affecting macrophage survival. Furthermore, the bromated derivative of noscapine has about 5 to 40 times more potent effects than noscapine. Again, this brominated derivative also inhibits toll-like receptor (TLR), tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and NO in human and mous macrophages without causing toxicity. Furthermore, brominated noscapine has potent anti-inflammatory activity in models of septic inflammation, inhibits inflammatory factors in a dose-dependent manner, and prevents the release of TNF-α and NO in human and mouse macrophages. Another study on inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis) and colon cancer found that noscapine had an excellent anti-inflammatory effect that could significantly decrease the levels of proinflammatory factors such as IL-1β, IFN-c, and IL-6, compared to the control group. Additionally, it has been found that chitosan nanoparticles containing brominated noscapine derivatives could reduce proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IFN-c, and IL-6 and inflammation within colon mucosal tissue.


title: Rufus Hound

text: Rufus Hound (born Robert James Blair Simpson 6 March 1979) is an English actor, comedian and presenter.


title: Rufus Hound

text: Hound was born on 6 March 1979, in Essex and moved to Surrey at the age of seven. He was educated at Hoe Bridge School Woking, Frensham Heights and Godalming College, where he was elected as a Student Representative and built the college radio station. After leaving school he began working for a PR agency but started performing comedy in the evenings. In 2000, he left his job as an account executive for Claire's Accessories to begin working full-time as a stand-up comedian. While working at the Edinburgh Festival he adopted the stage name 'Rufus Hound' for the first time.


title: Rufus Hound

text: Hound hosted "Destination Three", the coverage of the Glastonbury Festival and "Top of the Pops" in 2005 and 2006 alongside Fearne Cotton. He presented the idiosyncratic reality show "Grime Scene Investigation" on BBC Three with staff and students from Aston University, and narrated BBC Two's broadcasts of "MythBusters". He has also appeared in many comedy shows and quizzes such as "Street Cred Sudoku" and "Nevermind the Buzzcocks", as well as "Celebrity Juice" where he was a regular panellist. He narrated the 2009 series "Rocket Science" and has appeared on "" and "Richard & Judy". He also presented "Outtake TV" on BBC1, replacing Anne Robinson.


title: Rufus Hound

text: In early 2008, Hound appeared twice on ITV's "Thank God You're Here" in the UK, after initially working as the warm-up act. In late summer 2008, Hound joined the panel show "Argumental" as the Blue Team Captain. Hound was the narrator for the gaming series "Playr" and presents "What Do Kids Know?" on UKTV-owned channel Watch. Hound took part in "Let's Dance for Sport Relief", dancing to Cheryl Cole's "Fight for This Love" and won the final of the series on 13 March 2010. Partnered with Flavia Cacace, Hound won the 2013 "Strictly Come Dancing" Christmas special.


title: Rufus Hound

text: Hound hosted the year 2000 edition of "My Funniest Year", a look at a past year of British television, which was broadcast on Channel 4 in September 2010. He has been a regular panelist on "Celebrity Juice", hosted by Keith Lemon, and has appeared at Bright Club a number of times. In January 2011, Hound participated in the former Channel 4 reality series "Famous and Fearless". He came third for the boys' team, and was referred to as "The Ruthless Hound". In 2012, Hound was a team captain for "Mad Mad World".


title: Rufus Hound

text: Since 2012, he has presented a programme on BBC Radio Four called "My Teenage Diary", in which celebrities talk about the diary that they kept in their teenage years. On 22 February 2016, Hound made his debut as a panellist on BBC Radio 4's "Just A Minute" alongside regular Paul Merton and semi-regulars Pam Ayres and Graham Norton.


title: Rufus Hound

text: Hound plays a fictionalised version of himself in the CBBC TV Series "Hounded" as the protagonist, a normal television presenter who must constantly foil the plans of Dr Muhahaha who plans on taking over the world. In 2015, Hound played Sam Swift in an episode of the ninth series of "Doctor Who", titled "The Woman Who Lived", and appeared in the Channel 4 drama series "Cucumber" as an eccentric character called Rupert.


title: Rufus Hound

text: Hound contributed his vocals to the track "Tazer Beam" by The Skints from their album "FM", released in March 2015.


title: Rufus Hound

text: In November 2017, Hound temporarily took over hosting responsibilities of Iain Lee's Talkradio show, named "The Late Night Alternative" as Iain Lee joined the cast of the 2017 series of "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!". Since 2018 he has provided the voice of Waffle on the CBeebies show "Waffle the Wonder Dog".


title: Rufus Hound

text: In 2021, Hound participated in the thirteenth series of "Dancing on Ice" opposite professional partner Robin Johnstone. They were forced to withdraw from the competition in week 4 after Hound tested positive for COVID-19. From October to November 2021, Hound appeared in four episodes of the BBC soap opera "Doctors" as Keith "Starbuck" Dursley.


title: Rufus Hound

text: Hound made his acting debut in the Direct-to-DVD film "Big Fat Gypsy Gangster" which was directed by Ricky Grover. He also stars in the 2012 film "The Wedding Video".


title: Rufus Hound

text: From October 2012 through February 2013, Hound played the lead role of Francis Henshall in the National Theatre's second touring production of "One Man, Two Guvnors". Following the end of the tour, he took over the role in the West End production from 4 February 2013. In summer 2013 he played Roy in Chichester Festival Theatre's revival of "Neville's Island" by Tim Firth at the Theatre in the Park (a temporary theatre, while the Festival theatre was being refurbished).


title: Rufus Hound

text: In 2014, Hound played the role of Freddie in the West End production of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" after out-of-town tryouts in Manchester and Aylesbury.


title: Rufus Hound

text: In early 2016 he played the role of Sancho Panza in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of "Don Quixote", adapted by James Fenton. The production transferred to the Garrick Theatre in London's West End for a limited season from October 2018 to February 2019.