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If there's one thing naturalist Chris Packham should know, it's to never in a public forum wish ill will toward perhaps the cutest, cuddliest animals on the face of the planet.
But that's exactly what he did recently, drawing ire from nature lovers and panda enthusiasts, alike.
The crux of Packham's argument: It costs a lot of money to continue to save the species, and with a finite amount of resources, that money might be better spent elsewhere.
"The panda is a species of bear that has gone herbivorous and eats a type of food that isn't all that nutritious, and that dies out sporadically. It is susceptible to various diseases, and, up until recently, it has been almost impossible to breed in captivity. They've also got a very restricted range, which is ever decreasing, due to encroachment on their habitat by the Chinese population. Perhaps the panda was already destined to run out of time."
"The last large mammal extinction was another animal in China – the Yangtze river dolphin, which looked like a worn-out piece of pink soap with piggy eyes and was never going to make it on to anyone's T-shirt. If that had appeared beautiful to us, then I doubt very much that it would be extinct. But it vanished, because it was pig-ugly and swam around in a river where no one saw it. And now, sadly, it has gone for ever."
So had to bring up the pig-ugly dolphins, didn't you Packham? That's a low-down dirty trick. The National Zoo, for one, isn't going to stand for it.
"The reason they need our help is that people are driving them to extinction," Brandie Smith, senior curator at the National Zoo, told ABC News. "We are taking over their habitat, so we are the ones that have to help save them now."
Packham is feeling the heat for his remarks, even if his opinion might be spot on. But he's sticking by his statement -- even if it means checking his car every night for signs of black and white fur close to his brakes.
"I really upturned the apple cart with what I said and I'm sorry I upset people," Packham told a UK tabloid. "But I am glad it has raised a debate and that was always my intention. I don't hate pandas, I love cuddly animals. I love all animals."


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Home-grown talent
When an administrator at Cancer Partners UK's Southampton Centre showed an interest in learning more about the clinical side of things, her manager recognised some untapped talent and helped to develop a supported career pathway that has led to her becoming a qualified assistant practitioner.
Kirsty Paterson had worked in the world of finance for seven years until she was made redundant – at the time a devastating blow, but something she's now glad happened as it was the catalyst that led her to a dramatic change in career.
She 'fell' into healthcare when she took an admin role at Cancer Partners UK's image guided radiotherapy centre in Southampton, and hasn't looked back. "I thought the job would tie me over while I looked for something else in the financial sector, but instead it opened me into a new world. I quickly became really passionate about the advanced cancer treatments Cancer Partners UK provides to their patients."
Southampton Centre manager, Gill Boote, recognised Kirsty's potential, and started to feed her hunger for information, develop her knowledge and adapt her job to include more hands-on work with patients and oncologists. Kirsty had a passion for patient care, and learnt fast, and before long Gill suggested that she should seriously consider taking steps to becoming a qualified radiographer.
Gill explained: "Even when Kirsty first joined us, she showed that she was particularly patient-focused. I could see she was a bright girl with huge potential. She has great ability and cares very much about patients' well-being. Once she began asking more and more technical questions, it became apparent to me she could develop her knowledge in a more structured, academic way."
Cancer Partners UK currently has a clinical radiographic staff of over 30 which is likely to rise to close to 50 by the end of 2013.
Head of radiotherapy, Sarah Hynd, said: "With our close-knit, small teams we can adapt to support each other, and don't have to plough through bureaucracy or cut through red tape to make things happen. We are dedicated to working with our staff to take advantage of development opportunities, from those like Kirsty who are venturing into radiotherapy, to radiographers that are looking for continued professional development and promotion."
Gill, herself a lead radiographer with over 30 years of experience, and Sarah developed a career pathway for Kirsty, incorporating distance-learning studying with Sheffield Hallam University and hands-on clinical experience in the centre. Gill became Kirsty's clinical assessor and mentor, and Cancer Partners UK funded her courses and paid for study time needed as well as expenses when travelling to Sheffield.
Kirsty said: "I was keen to learn, and was thrilled when Gill and Sarah offered for Cancer Partners UK to support me during my training. It was hard studying and working at the same time, but all my colleagues were incredibly supportive and helped me to gain invaluable practical experience to go alongside my studies."
Two years on, and Kirsty has passed the diploma to become a qualified assistant oncology and radiotherapy practitioner. Gill added: "It has been rewarding to work with Kirsty who is so capable, and is fantastic with our patients. She continues to be very keen, asking pertinent questions and brings a great deal to the Southampton team."
Not one for complacency, Kirsty is already working on a bridging module, and will be doing a final year with Sheffield Hallam University to gain a BSc degree and become a fully-fledged radiographer. Lead radiographer at Cancer Partners UK's Little Aston Centre, Helen Roadway, has a wealth of technical knowledge and experience working on evidence-based practice, and will be joining Gill in supporting and mentoring Kirsty during this final year.
While the vast majority of radiographers train through the traditional path of a degree followed by post-graduate training, the Society and College of Radiographers values the wealth of experience the profession gains from this alternative route of training. The Society's professional officer, Louise Coleman, said: "Diversity of entry into the profession is welcomed and brings many benefits. Breadth of experience, life skills and a variety in previous academic achievement benefit the service being provided, which ultimately benefits patients."
Kirsty concluded: "I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity and, looking back, being made redundant from the finance industry was the best thing that could have happened to me. Without that, I don't think I'd have considered working in a medical field – it's just not something I ever considered.
"I've had some fantastic support from my colleagues and am now doing a job which I love. The best thing is the contact with the patients. We get the time to talk with them, and get to know each and every one of them, their particular needs, concerns, anxieties and interests. It's great to be part of a team that makes such a difference to people's lives."
Contact us using our online form, and we'll do what we can to help.
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For the man who runs away from the conventional and rejects the established rules. The fragrance embodies luxury and liberty, ideal for going out at night; elegant and sensual.
Olfactory Notes. HEAD: lemon, mint, pink pepper and grapefruit. II HEART: ginger, Iso E Super, nutmeg and jasmine. IIBASE: labdanum, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, incense, cedar and white musk.


text:
The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030.
W. Leontief, J. C.M. Koo, S. Nasar, I. Sohn
This study was initiated seven years ago to answer such questions as: How are the mineral sectors affected by a determined policy of increased (or decreased) recycling? What effects did the expected changes in consumption have on the minerals industry (and on other sectors of the economy)? What are the magnitudes of the structural changes brought about by alternative US mineral policies regarding self-sufficiency or import-dependence for minerals? The 26 non- fuel minerals considered are Fe, Ni, Mn, Cr, Si, W, Mo, V, Ti, Zn, Mg, Sn, Hg, Al, Cu, Pb, Au, Ag, Pt, S, F, Cl, B, K, phosphate rock and soda ash. The methodological approach, the assumptions used in designing the scenarios and alternative projections to 2000 AD are all explained together with numerous figures and tables. There is a useful chapter on summaries and conclusions (50 pp) in which the projections for the USA and the rest of the world are separately discussed.-R.A.H.
The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy
input-output projections, 1980-2030.
Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing
xxviii + 454p
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030.'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
economy Earth & Environmental Sciences
world Earth & Environmental Sciences
mineral Earth & Environmental Sciences
self sufficiency Earth & Environmental Sciences
minerals industry Earth & Environmental Sciences
phosphate rock Earth & Environmental Sciences
structural change Earth & Environmental Sciences
Leontief, W., Koo, J. C. M., Nasar, S., & Sohn, I. (1983). The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030. In The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030. (pp. xxviii + 454p). Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing.
Leontief, W. ; Koo, J. C.M. ; Nasar, S. ; Sohn, I. / The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy : input-output projections, 1980-2030. The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030.. Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing, 1983. pp. xxviii + 454p
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abstract = "This study was initiated seven years ago to answer such questions as: How are the mineral sectors affected by a determined policy of increased (or decreased) recycling? What effects did the expected changes in consumption have on the minerals industry (and on other sectors of the economy)? What are the magnitudes of the structural changes brought about by alternative US mineral policies regarding self-sufficiency or import-dependence for minerals? The 26 non- fuel minerals considered are Fe, Ni, Mn, Cr, Si, W, Mo, V, Ti, Zn, Mg, Sn, Hg, Al, Cu, Pb, Au, Ag, Pt, S, F, Cl, B, K, phosphate rock and soda ash. The methodological approach, the assumptions used in designing the scenarios and alternative projections to 2000 AD are all explained together with numerous figures and tables. There is a useful chapter on summaries and conclusions (50 pp) in which the projections for the USA and the rest of the world are separately discussed.-R.A.H.",
author = "W. Leontief and Koo, {J. C.M.} and S. Nasar and I. Sohn",
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booktitle = "The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy",
publisher = "Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing",
Leontief, W, Koo, JCM, Nasar, S & Sohn, I 1983, The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030. in The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030.. Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing, pp. xxviii + 454p.
The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy : input-output projections, 1980-2030. / Leontief, W.; Koo, J. C.M.; Nasar, S.; Sohn, I.
The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030.. Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing, 1983. p. xxviii + 454p.
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T2 - input-output projections, 1980-2030.
AU - Leontief, W.
AU - Koo, J. C.M.
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AU - Sohn, I.
N2 - This study was initiated seven years ago to answer such questions as: How are the mineral sectors affected by a determined policy of increased (or decreased) recycling? What effects did the expected changes in consumption have on the minerals industry (and on other sectors of the economy)? What are the magnitudes of the structural changes brought about by alternative US mineral policies regarding self-sufficiency or import-dependence for minerals? The 26 non- fuel minerals considered are Fe, Ni, Mn, Cr, Si, W, Mo, V, Ti, Zn, Mg, Sn, Hg, Al, Cu, Pb, Au, Ag, Pt, S, F, Cl, B, K, phosphate rock and soda ash. The methodological approach, the assumptions used in designing the scenarios and alternative projections to 2000 AD are all explained together with numerous figures and tables. There is a useful chapter on summaries and conclusions (50 pp) in which the projections for the USA and the rest of the world are separately discussed.-R.A.H.
AB - This study was initiated seven years ago to answer such questions as: How are the mineral sectors affected by a determined policy of increased (or decreased) recycling? What effects did the expected changes in consumption have on the minerals industry (and on other sectors of the economy)? What are the magnitudes of the structural changes brought about by alternative US mineral policies regarding self-sufficiency or import-dependence for minerals? The 26 non- fuel minerals considered are Fe, Ni, Mn, Cr, Si, W, Mo, V, Ti, Zn, Mg, Sn, Hg, Al, Cu, Pb, Au, Ag, Pt, S, F, Cl, B, K, phosphate rock and soda ash. The methodological approach, the assumptions used in designing the scenarios and alternative projections to 2000 AD are all explained together with numerous figures and tables. There is a useful chapter on summaries and conclusions (50 pp) in which the projections for the USA and the rest of the world are separately discussed.-R.A.H.
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PB - Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing
Leontief W, Koo JCM, Nasar S, Sohn I. The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030. In The Future of Nonfuel Minerals in the U.S. and World Economy: input-output projections, 1980-2030.. Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington Books: D. C. Heath & Co. & Aldershot/Gower Publishing. 1983. p. xxviii + 454p


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text:
Home | About us | Editorial Board | Search | Ahead of print | Current Issue | Archives | Submission | Subscribe | Advertise | Contact | Reader Login
2012| January-March | Volume 15 | Issue 1
Online since January 5, 2012
Anesthetic management of transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Annalisa Franco, Chiara Gerli, Laura Ruggeri, Fabrizio Monaco
January-March 2012, 15(1):54-63
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an emergent technique for high-risk patients with aortic stenosis. TAVI poses significant challenges about its management because of the procedure itself and the population who undergo the implantation. Two devices are currently available and marketed in Europe and several other technologies are being developed. The retrograde transfemoral approach is the most popular procedure; nevertheless, it may not be feasible in patients with significant aortic or ileo-femoral arterial disease. Alternatives include a transaxillary approach, transapical approach, open surgical access to the retroperitoneal iliac artery and the ascending aorta. A complementary approach using both devices and alternative routes tailored to the anatomy and the comorbidities of the single patient is a main component for the successful implementation of a TAVI program. Anesthetic strategies vary in different centers. Local anesthesia or general anesthesia are both valid alternatives and can be applied according to the patient's characteristics and procedural instances. General anesthesia offers many advantages, mainly regarding the possibility of an early diagnosis and treatment of possible complications through the use of transesophageal echocardiography. However, after the initial experiences, many groups began to employ, routinely, sedation plus local anesthesia for TAVI, and their procedural and periprocedural success demonstrates that it is feasible. TAVI is burdened with potential important complications: vascular injuries, arrhythmias, renal impairment, neurological complications, cardiac tamponade, prosthesis malpositioning and embolization and left main coronary artery occlusion. The aim of this work is to review the anesthetic management of TAVI based on the available literature.
[ABSTRACT] [FULL TEXT] [PDF] [Mobile Full text] [EPub] [CITATIONS] [PubMed]
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation - An anesthesiologist's perspective - Part II: Clinical and technical consideration
Sandeep Chauhan, S Subin
Although the concept of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has remained unchanged, component technology has evolved considerably over the past three decades. Presently the clinical conditions requiring ECMO support have been updated with input from the outcome data of patient registries. Modern circuit configuration has become less cumbersome, safer, and more efficient. Technological advances now allow prolonged support with fewer complications compared to the past eras and facilitate transition to a single bedside caregiver model, similar to hemofiltration or ventricular-assist devices. The clinical considerations and indicators for placing the patient on ECMO, the various circuit configurations, clinical and technical issues, and management aspects are considered in this article.
Risk factors associated with postoperative seizures in patients undergoing cardiac surgery who received tranexamic acid: A case-control study
Felix R Montes, Daniel F Pardo, Marisol Carreño, Catalina Arciniegas, Rodolfo J Dennis, Juan P Umaña
January-March 2012, 15(1):6-12
Antifibrinolytic agents are used during cardiac surgery to minimize bleeding and reduce exposure to blood products. Several reports suggest that tranexamic acid (TA) can induce seizure activity in the postoperative period. To examine factors associated with postoperative seizures in patients undergoing cardiac surgery who received TA. University-affiliated hospital. Case-control study. Patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) between January 2008 and December 2009 were identified. During this time, all patients undergoing heart surgery with CPB received TA. Cases were defined as patients who developed seizures that required initiation of anticonvulsive therapy within 48 h of surgery. Exclusion criteria included subjects with preexisting epilepsy and patients in whom the convulsive episode was secondary to a new ischemic lesion on brain imaging. Controls who did not develop seizures were randomly selected from the initial cohort. From an initial cohort of 903 patients, we identified 32 patients with postoperative seizures. Four patients were excluded. Twenty-eight cases and 112 controls were analyzed. Cases were more likely to have a history of renal impairment and higher preoperative creatinine values compared with controls (1.39 ± 1.1 vs. 0.98 ± 0.02 mg/dL, P = 0.02). Significant differences in the intensive care unit, postoperative and total lengths of stay were observed. An association between high preoperative creatinine value and postoperative seizure was identified. TA may be associated with the development of postoperative seizures in patients with renal dysfunction. Doses of TA should be reduced or even avoided in this population.
Perioperative challenges in a patient of severe G6PD deficiency undergoing open heart surgery
Vivek Chowdhry, Samarjit Bisoyi, Banabihari Mishra
We describe a successful perioperative management of a case of 38-year-old male, presented with chronic jaundice with severe mitral stenosis and moderate tricuspid regurgitation; upon evaluation, he was found to have severe glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Usually, patients deficient in G6PD exhibit increased hemolysis andtherefore increased need for blood transfusion after cardiac surgery as well as impaired oxygenation in the postoperative period leading to prolonged ventilation. On reperfusion after a period of ischemia, the antioxidant system recruits all of its components in an attempt to neutralize the overwhelming oxidative stress of free radicals, as the free radical scavenging system is deficient in these patients, the chances of free-radical-induced injury is more. Our patient underwent mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty under cardiopulmonary bypass with necessary precautions to reduce the formation of free radicals. Treatment was targeted toward theprevention of free radical injuryin the G6PD-deficient patient. He had an uneventful intraoperative and postoperative course.
The effects of dexmedetomidine on attenuation of stress response to endotracheal intubation in patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting
Sajith Sulaiman, Ranjith Baskar Karthekeyan, Mahesh Vakamudi, Ayya Syama Sundar, Harish Ravullapalli, Ravikumar Gandham
This study was designed to study the efficacy of intravenous dexmedetomidine for attenuation of cardiovascular responses to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in patients with coronary artery disease. Sixty adult patients scheduled for elective off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery were randomly allocated to receive dexmedetomidine (0.5 mcg/kg) or normal saline 15 min before intubation. Patients were compared for hemodynamic changes (heart rate, arterial blood pressure and pulmonary artery pressure) at baseline, 5 min after drug infusion, before intubation and 1, 3 and 5 min after intubation. The dexmedetomidine group had a better control of hemodynamics during laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Dexmedetomidine at a dose of 0.5 mcg/kg as 10-min infusion was administered prior to induction of general anesthesia attenuates the sympathetic response to laryngoscopy and intubation in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. The authors suggest its administration even in patients receiving beta blockers.
9,082 1,104 12
The effects of preemptive pregabalin on attenuation of stress response to endotracheal intubation and opioid- sparing effect in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting
Ayya Syama Sundar, Rajeshkumar Kodali, Sajith Sulaiman, Harish Ravullapalli, Ranjith Karthekeyan, Mahesh Vakamudi
The clinical study was designed to evaluate and compare single preoperative dose of pregabalin to a placebo regarding hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation, to assess perioperative fentanyl requirement and any side-effects. It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel assignment, efficacy study. The study was done at a tertiary university hospital. This study was a comparison between two groups of 30 adult patients scheduled for elective off pump coronary artery bypass surgery. In the control group, the patients were given placebo capsules, and in the pregabalin group, the patients were given pregabalin 150 mg capsule orally 1 h before surgery. The patients were compared for hemodynamic changes before the start of the surgery, after induction, 1, 3, and 5 min after intubation. Additionally, fentanyl requirement during surgery and the first postoperative day was also compared. The present study shows that a single oral dose of 150 mg pregabalin given 1 h before surgery attenuated the pressor response to tracheal intubation in adults, but the drug did not show any effect on perioperative opioid consumption and was devoid of side-effects in the given dose.
Anesthetic management of peripartum cardiomyopathy using "epidural volume extension" technique: A case series
Akhilesh Kumar Tiwari, Jitendra Agrawal, Swapnil Tayal, Madhur Chadha, Anuja Singla, Grace Valson, Gaurav Singh Tomar
Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in parturients, occurring in approximately one in 1000 deliveries, manifesting during the last few months or the first 5 months of the postpartum period. It can result in severe ventricular dysfunction during late puerperium. The major concern while managing these patients is to optimize fluid administration and avoid myocardial depression, while maintaining stable intraoperative hemodynamics. We present a case series of five parturients that were posted for elective cesarean section and managed successfully by the epidural volume extension technique.
The effect of low-dose intravenous ketamine on continuous intercostal analgesia following thoracotomy
Alexandre Yazigi, Hicham Abou-Zeid, Tamara Srouji, Samia Madi-Jebara, Fadia Haddad, Khalil Jabbour
Ketamine, a noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist, provides analgesia and prevents chronic pain following thoracotomy. The study was aimed to assess the effect of intravenous low-dose ketamine on continuous intercostal nerve block analgesia following thoracotomy. The study was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled clinical study, performed in a single university hospital. Sixty patients, undergoing elective lobectomy through an open posterolateral thoracotomy, were included. For postoperative pain, all patients received a continuous intercostal nerve block with bupivacaine plus intravenous paracetamol and ketoprofen. In addition, patients were randomized to have intravenous ketamine (0.1 mg/kg as a preincisional bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 0.05 mg/kg/h) in group 1 or intravenous placebo in group 2. Patients reporting a visual analog scale pain score at rest ≥40 mm received intravenous morphine sulfate as rescue analgesia. The following parameters were assessed every 6 hours for 3 postoperative days: Visual analog scale pain scores at rest and during coughing, requirement of rescue analgesia with morphine, Ramsay sedation scores and psychomimetic adverse effects. Both the groups were statistically comparable regarding visual analog scale pain scores at rest (P=0.75) and during coughing (P=0.70), number of morphine deliveries (P=0.17), cumulative dose of rescue morphine (P=0.2), sedation scores (P=0.4), and psychomimetic adverse effects (P=0.09). Intravenous low-dose ketamine, when combined with continuous intercostal nerve block, did not decrease acute pain scores and supplemental morphine consumption following thoracotomy.
Utility of Sonoclot analysis and tranexamic acid in tetralogy of Fallot patients undergoing intracardiac repair
Vikram Aggarwal, Poonam Malhotra Kapoor, Minati Choudhury, Usha Kiran, Ujjwal Chowdhury
Sonoclot analysis is a point of care test to monitor the coagulation process, presenting a comprehensive evaluation of the clot formation and retraction as well as platelet function. This randomized double-blinded study was designed to investigate the utility of Sonoclot analysis in monitoring the coagulation profile as also the antifibrinolytic effects of tranexamic acid administered in patients with tetralogy of Fallot undergoing intracardiac repair. Eighty of a total 94 patients were randomly divided into two groups of 40 each. In the study group, TA was administered thrice at a dosage of 10 mg/kg, i.e. before CPB, on CPB and after CPB, whereas in the control group, placebo was administered at the same time intervals. Sonoclot analysis and D-dimer measurement were performed at baseline and following heparin neutralisation. An additional variable, DR 15 (diminishing rate of clot strength at 15 min postmaximal clot strength), was calculated from the Sonoclot graph and was compared with d-dimer levels as a measure of fibrinolysis. The three Sonoclot variables, i.e. activated clotting time, clot rate and platelet function, were deranged at baseline in all the patients. Post-CPB, the change in these variables was not significant. ACT, clot rate and platelet function showed no significant (P > 0.05) difference in both the groups at both the time intervals. DR 15 and d-dimer values were comparable at baseline in both the groups. However, a significant (P < 0.05) difference was seen in these variables in the control group as compared with the TA group following heparin neutralisation. To conclude, Sonoclot analysis is a useful, point of care method for the monitoring of coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with tetralogy of Fallot undergoing intracardiac repair.
Are tranexamic acid and ε-aminocaproic acid adequate substitutes for aprotinin?
Deepak K Tempe, Suruchi Hasija
January-March 2012, 15(1):4-5
[FULL TEXT] [PDF] [Mobile Full text] [EPub] [CITATIONS] [PubMed]
Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as an early predictor of prolonged intensive care unit stay after cardiac surgery
Elena Bignami, Elena Frati, Ferruccio Ceriotti, Rita Daverio, Simona Silvetti, Giovanni Landoni, Giovanni Marino, Alberto Zangrillo
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a protein of lipocalin family highly expressed in various pathologic states and is an early biomarker of acute kidney injury in cardiac surgery. We performed an observational study to evaluate the role of NGAL in predicting postoperative intensive care stay in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We enrolled 27 consecutive patients who underwent high-risk cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Urinary NGAL (uNGAL) was measured before surgery, at intensive care unit (ICU) arrival and 24 h later. Univariate and multivariate predictors of ICU stay were performed. uNGAL was 18.0 (8.7-28.1) ng/mL at baseline, 10.7 (4.35-36.0) ng/mL at ICU arrival and 29.6 (9.65-29.5) 24 h later. The predictors of prolonged ICU stay at the multivariate analysis were body mass index (BMI), uNGAL 24 h after surgery, and aortic cross-clamp time. The predictors of high uNGAL levels 24 h after at a multivariate analysis were preoperative uNGAL and logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation. At a multivariate analysis the only independent predictors of prolonged ICU stay were BMI, uNGAL 24 h after surgery and aortic cross-clamp time.
Earthing defect: A cause for unstable hemodynamics
R Barani Selvan, Parnandi Bhaskar Rao, TR Ramachandran, David George Veliath
Interference of monitored electrocardiogram (ECG) is a common event in intensive care units and operation theaters. Artifacts in the ECG tracing can resemble serious arrhythmia, thus leading to unnecessary usage of antiarrhythmics or electrical defibrillation. In addition, ECG artifacts may lead to serious hemodynamic consequences secondary to intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) trigger failure. We report a rare event of IABP failure due to ECG artifact, which appeared on placement of the transthoracic echocardiography probe over the chest. Subsequent evaluation revealed potential current leakage from echocardiography machine secondary to earthing defect in the machine.
Irreversible loss of vision in a paediatric patient due to occipital infarction after cardiopulmonary bypass
Vishnu Datt, Sanjula Virmani, Indira Malik, Saket Agarwal, Chander S Joshi, Aastha Dhingra, Rahul Dutta, Akhalesh S Tomar
Incidental transarterial placement of a dialysis catheter into the femoral vein
Gerald Huschak, Felix Pfeifer, Ludger Mende, Florian Dazinger, Udo X Kaisers, Sven Laudi
[FULL TEXT] [PDF] [Mobile Full text] [EPub] [PubMed]
Off-pump cardiac surgery (OPCAB) in a patient with recent leech therapy
Ravindra Sawhney, Rajiv Juneja, Rajinder Singh Rawat, Yatin Mehta, Naresh Trehan
Scientific publications from India - On the right trajectory?
Murali Chakravarthy
Lumbar epidural analgesia in pain management of Nuss procedures: Paediatric case
Handan Birbicer, Nurcan Doruk, Yücel Uguz, Türkan Altun
BRIEF COMMUNICATION
ST segment depression following pulmonary artery banding
Rakhi K Retnamma, Suresh G Nair, GS Sunil, R Benedict
Decompression of superior vena cava during bidirectional Glenn shunt: A simple but risky technique
Praveen Kumar Neema, Sethuraman Manikandan, Subrata K Singha, Ramesh Chandra Rathod
Artifactual electrocardiographic ST segment depression: Less likely due to electrocautery
Santosh Patel
TRALI: A volley of caution
Dilip Gude
Prophylactic percutaneous minitracheostomy after omentoplasty for sternal wound infection
Dheeraj Arora, Yatin Mehta
Coronary artery bypass grafting and dengue fever
Viroj Wiwanitkit
Authors' reply
Venugopal Kulkarni, Ravikiran Mudunuri, Krishnaprasad Mulavisala, R Jagannath Byalal


Wholesale Greeting Cards from Snafu!
Greetings! Snafu Greeting Cards is a manufacturer of funny wholesale greeting cards that supplies fun cards for retailers in the USA and beyond. As a wholesale greeting card supplier we offer over 200 funny cards to order from. Unlike other companies our humorous greeting cards are a fresh alternative to boring cards offered by many other manufacturers.
Order here – or request our wholesale catalog. You can order our wholesale greeting cards in half-dozen or full dozen packs, with or without a display. Minimum card order is just $75 or eight designs.
To get started, check out our blog for more information and suggestions. We also offer Bestseller Packages to make your ordering easy!
I hope you enjoy and will order the funny cards I design. If you need help or have questions, please don't hesitate to call me, Scott, at 800-766-5786.
If you are looking to buy just a few individual Snafu greeting cards, please visit our consumer site, SnafuCards.com.


text:
class DualStack
  private

  attr_accessor :stack, :first_top, :second_top

  public

  def initialize(size)
    self.stack = Array.new size
    self.first_top = 0
    self.second_top = stack.length - 1
  end

  def empty?
    empty_first? && empty_second?
  end

  def empty_first?
    first_top == 0
  end

  def empty_second?
    second_top == stack.length - 1
  end

  def full?
    first_top - 1 == second_top || second_top + 1 == first_top
  end

  def push_first(element)
    raise "stack overflow" if full?
    stack[first_top] = element
    self.first_top = first_top + 1
    true
  end

  def push_second(element)
    raise "stack overflow" if full?
    stack[second_top] = element
    self.second_top = second_top - 1
    true
  end

  def pop_first
    raise "stack underflow" if empty_first?
    self.first_top = first_top - 1
    stack[first_top]
  end

  def pop_second
    raise "stack underflow" if empty_second?
    self.second_top = second_top + 1
    stack[second_top]
  end

end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
using System.Reflection;
using Xunit.Sdk;
using Xunit.Extensions;

namespace Spatial4n.Core
{
	/// <summary>
	/// Provides a data source for a data theory, with the data coming from a public static property on the test class.
	/// The property must return IEnumerable<object[]> with the test data.
	/// </summary>
	[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Method, AllowMultiple = true, Inherited = true)]
	public class PropertyDataAttribute : DataAttribute
	{
		readonly string propertyName;

		/// <summary>
		/// Creates a new instance of <see cref="PropertyDataAttribute"/>/
		/// </summary>
		/// <param name="propertyName">The name of the public static property on the test class that will provide the test data</param>
		public PropertyDataAttribute(string propertyName)
		{
			this.propertyName = propertyName;
		}

		/// <summary>
		/// Gets the property name.
		/// </summary>
		public string PropertyName => propertyName;

        /// <summary>
		/// Gets or sets the type to retrieve the property data from. If not set, then the property will be
		/// retrieved from the unit test class.
		/// </summary>
		public Type PropertyType { get; set; }

		/// <summary>
		/// Returns the data to be used to test the theory.
		/// </summary>
		/// <param name="methodUnderTest">The method that is being tested</param>
		/// <param name="parameterTypes">The types of the parameters for the test method</param>
		/// <returns>The theory data, in table form</returns>
		[SuppressMessage("Microsoft.Design", "CA1062:Validate arguments of public methods", MessageId = "0", Justification = "This is validated elsewhere.")]
#if !FEATURE_XUNIT_1X
		public override IEnumerable<object[]> GetData(MethodInfo methodUnderTest)
#else
        public override IEnumerable<object[]> GetData(MethodInfo methodUnderTest, Type[] parameterTypes)
#endif
        {

            Type type = PropertyType ?? methodUnderTest.ReflectedType;
            PropertyInfo propInfo = type.GetProperty(propertyName, BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.FlattenHierarchy);
            if (propInfo == null)
			{
				string typeName = type.FullName;
				if (methodUnderTest.DeclaringType != null)
				{
					propInfo = methodUnderTest.DeclaringType.GetProperty(propertyName,
					                                                     BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Static |
					                                                     BindingFlags.FlattenHierarchy);
					typeName = "neither " + typeName + " nor " + methodUnderTest.DeclaringType.FullName;
				}

				if (propInfo == null)
					throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Could not find public static property {0} on {1}", propertyName,
                                                          typeName));
			}

			object obj = propInfo.GetValue(null, null);
			if (obj == null)
				return null;

			IEnumerable<object[]> dataItems = obj as IEnumerable<object[]>;
			if (dataItems == null)
				throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Property {0} on {1} did not return IEnumerable<object[]>", propertyName, type.FullName));

			return dataItems;
		}
	}
}


text:
Special Educational Needs (SEN) Team
The Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) Team
The Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) Team supports children and young people aged 0–25 who have special educational needs that require the support of an Education, Health & Care (EHC) Plan. The Team co-ordinates statutory Needs Assessments and works closely with families, schools and practitioners from across education, health and social care, to help put support in place through EHC Plans. If you would like to contact the SEND Team, please call us on 0118 937 2674 or email us at sen@BrighterFuturesforChildren.org The Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) Team Local Offer can be found here.
The majority of pupils with special educational needs are supported by their school, without the need of an EHC Plan. In a small number of cases, however, where the needs might be more severe, complex and persistent, an EHC Plan may be required to provide further support. If you have concerns, in the first instance please talk to the SEND Co-ordinator (SENDCo) at your/your child's school or educational setting for further information. You may also find it helpful to contact the Information, Advice & Support Service for SEND (SENDIASS) for impartial advice and support, on 0118 937 3421 or at iass@BrighterFuturesforChildren.org. The SENDIASS Local Offer page can be found here.
A request for Statutory Needs Assessment is usually made by the school or educational setting, but parents and young people also have a right to ask the Local Authority to consider starting an assessment. The Authority uses criteria when considering a request, alongside the guidance detailed in the SEND Code of Practice.
We also work alongside the Children & Young People's Disability Team (CYPDT), which is a team of Social Workers and Occupational Therapists who support children and young people with disabilities, and their families. More information on the CYPDT, including eligibility, can be found here. For new referrals, please contact the Children's Single Point of Access on 0118 937 3641 (aged under 18) or through the Contact Centre on 0118 937 3747 (aged 18-25).
Click here for information on services supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
The Family Information Service provides information on the SEND Local Offer on behalf of Brighter Futures for Children, which is contracted to deliver the SEND/Local Offer service. Brighter Futures For Children - Website
SEN Team
sen@brighterfuturesforchildren.org
Brighter Futures for Children
Reading Borough Council, Civic Offices
RG1 2LU
Referral required
Referral Details
Brighter Futures for Children is committed to supporting families to participate as fully as possible in decision-making. To help them do this, the SEND Team hold a weekly information session that parents or young people can book a slot to speak with a SEND Case Officer. This is an opportunity to ask questions about SEND, understand the EHC Needs Assessment process and learn about how outcomes are key to Brighter Futures for Children's assessment process.
Beginning on Friday 11 October, the sessions are held every Friday between 10am and 12 pm in 20 minute slots at Reading Civic Centre and must be booked in advance. Sessions take place with a Case Officer and are personal, so not held in a group.
A session will be offered to every family where a EHC Needs Assessment has been requested for a child. The sessions are also open to any parent or young person who is considering requesting an assessment.
To book a slot, please contact the SEND Team on:
Phone Line Open: Monday to Friday 9am-5pm
Please enter a mobile number to send details of Special Educational Needs (SEN) Team to
Get directions to RG1 2LU


How to Overtake on Highways Safely When Driving Your Car?
How to Overtake on Highways Safely?
Overtaking on highways can be tricky and you should always check to see first if other drivers are not attempting to overtake you, since it can lead to a collision. You should always use your signals when you are looking to overtake someone and never try to cut in after overtaking another driver. When overtaking a driver on the highway you should ensure that you are driving at a higher speed than the other driver and you shouldn't try to force the overtaking maneuver.
In the event that another driver is trying to overtake you on the highway you should always be courteous and maintain a steady speed. You should slow down and let the driver pass you and never obstruct the driver or increase your speed unpredictably, since it may cause the other driver to collide. You should drop back and maintain a safe distance if someone overtakes you and pulls into the gap in front of you on the highway.
You should not hold up a long queue of traffic when driving on the highway, especially if you are driving a slow moving or large vehicle. Keep an eye on your mirrors and if possible, you should pull in and let other vehicles pass you safely.


Doesn't this girl look like a kid and no longer a baby?!?
Anabelle has added a lot of words in her vocabulary the past few months. Her favorite words include, more, eggy, milk, hi, bye bye, Mama, Dada, Nana, Papa, Auntie, Elmo, yay, ouchie, pee-pee, poo-poo, juice, rice (the cutest word she says), Lily, Xena, Mari, Grant, ahh so many words to remember.
Some of her favorite sayings are- "Beep, beep, yeah!" (from elmo song), "More Elmo", "Mo-Me" (means more milk), "I pee-pee!", "I love you.", "Sit-down", and many more. She is using her words so much to tell us what she needs and it makes life a little easier.
The many faces of Anabelle.
I have to take pics to remember these adorable feet.
I love watching my girl grow up and become herself. She is so fun to be around (most days) and I love who she is. She is loving, sweet, funny, hyper, smart (very smart), agile, and absolutely gorgeous.
She's getting SO big. She does look a little girl. I just think Sarah will be 20 months very soon. Time flies. Love your pictures. So beautiful.


text:
Debunking myths about the rural church
Posted on April 25, 2022 by Prince Rivers
Cover detail, "Reclaiming Rural"
A Pew analysis shows that between 2010 and 2020, rural areas lost 226,000 people, a decline of about .5%, while cities and suburbs grew by about 21 million people, or 8%. The changing demographics alter federal funding and shift local, state and national political representation.
The conventional wisdom for building thriving churches is to put them where people are moving, which puts rural congregations at a disadvantage. But when Allen T. Stanton, author of "Reclaiming Rural," looks at rural communities, he sees real challenges and real possibilities for thriving ministry.
Stanton was appointed to a rural church in large part because he made a commitment to serve there as a condition for his seminary scholarship. He had no idea what he signed up for. Now, in his book, Stanton shares wisdom borne from years of rural ministry experience. For both the reader who has dismissed the potential of churches in rural communities and the one who shares Stanton's belief that the rural church has much to offer, "Reclaiming Rural" offers guidance for practicing evangelism that invites "the wider community to participate in the Kingdom of God."
Stanton begins by debunking two widely held myths about rural communities. These unique geographic regions are neither "agrarian paradise" nor hopeless tracts of "rural decay." Not surprisingly, these myths impact how we think about the churches in rural areas. What's important is that we understand how to think practically and theologically about what a thriving church looks like when it is situated in a rural community. "Reclaiming Rural" takes up this question by exploring the current reality and offering a vibrant vision for the future of the rural church.
Use promo code 4S22ALB when you order "Worshiping in Season" at https://rowman.com. Offer expires 6/27/22.
Pray, believe, live – a rural congregation discovers the gift of liturgy
By Jacob Paul Breeze
Rural churches can thrive beyond numbers
By Allen T. Stanton
A community grows its way out of poverty
By Bridgette A. Lacy
I'm excited to see the potential in the rural church
By Peter Doddema
Matthew's Gospel tells us that when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee (4:12). Temporarily turning his attention away from the urban context of Jerusalem, Jesus settled into the small town of Capernaum. Jesus preached some of his most important sermons in this rural context (5-7). His work was so faithful and effective that his impact went far beyond the small village and was felt in "Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region across the Jordan" (4:25).
As "Reclaiming Rural" makes clear, rural ministries can be thriving ministries when we see and celebrate their unique gifts to the body of Christ.
You can reach me and the Alban Weekly team at alban@duke.edu. Until next week, keep leading!
Prince Rivers
Editor, Alban at Duke Divinity
Topics: Leadership, Renewal & Vitality • Tags: Alban Weekly
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Faith & Leadership offers additional resources on Christian leadership and pastoral leadership.
Explore other resources on innovation and Christian leadership from Faith & Leadership.
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For those demonstrating outstanding leadership in the complex area of conservation, embarking on bold initiatives to protect Africa's natural resources.
After much deliberation, these are the final shortlisted submissions for the Conserve Africa category. Find out more details about your favourite submission here.
By employing women as part of the security team on Borana Conservancy the immediate impact is female presence in an otherwise male-orientated work force.
We wanted to reach the Chinese market to train them in Africa, and to provide them with environmental consciousness and knowledge of the African continent.
Green Safaris Properties are entirely solar powered with the use of a generator as a backup only. The eLandy has saved over 15,000 liters of diesel and the eBoat over 5,000.
Heritage Foods Africa is a social enterprise that aims to bring traditional, nutritiously healthy and environmentally clean foods back to the table that play a critical role in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystem and the health and wellbeing of its people.
Wildlife Credits, a new joint initiative between NGO's, corporates, safari operators and Communal Conservancies in Namibia, is an innovative approach towards conservation financing.
OBJECTIVE: The Virunga National Park is located at the centre of a conflict zone in eastern DRC that has cost the lives of some 5 million people over the last 20 years. The illegal exploitation of natural resources in the region has not only eroded the ability of state institutions to uphold the rule of law, contributing to instability and armed conflict but also led to a paradox whereby extreme poverty develops alongside an abundance of natural resources. In response, the park authorities launched the "Virunga Alliance", a partnership between the national government, the private sector (e.g. Howard Buffet Foundation) and civil society institutions. The "Virunga Alliance" pursues a triple objective: (i) conservation and restoration of the park's natural resources, (ii) poverty reduction for the neighbouring population and (iii) reducing insecurity by addressing the root causes of armed groups – unemployment. Focusing on building run of the river hydroelectric plants in the surroundings of the park to provide cheap and reliable electricity has enabled the following projects to go ahead: Revolutionary Micro loan program – a world first, where loan repayment is directly proportional to electricity consumption thus in line with the current economical reality of the loan holder. In additional we offered free business plan development training to local entrepreneurs. Sicovir – launch of the only highly industrial factory around the park, the soap factory employs over 200 people and produces 500 tons a month. We are launching a new program to support artisianal palm oil farmers to greatly increase their production "technical assistance, re plantation and processing" The illegal charcoal trade is the biggest source of revenue for armed groups and the ecological threat to the park (deforestation). We are building a bamboo processing plant to launch an ecologically friendly and cheap alternative to illegal charcoal.
RESULT: Revolutionary Micro loan Program – over 70 companies and 100s of households have already benefited from this program. Sicovir – 20 to 500 tons per month of soap; employment of 200 people, high quality and cheap soap for the local population. Charcoal – this pilot plant will produce over 250 tons of eco charcoal a year.
RESULT: Tswalu's pangolin research efforts have revealed extensive movements and never before described behaviours. This research contributes to a greater understanding of the biology and habitat requirements of the ground pangolin and improved understanding of the factors that limit pangolin populations globally. Research into pangolin friendly fence designs will result in significant reductions in accidental pangolin mortalities across the country. The research has highlighted the need for extensive areas where the pangolins receive absolute protection and are secure from all human threats. The project has allowed numerous international guests to view Tswalu's pangolins and so increase awareness of their plight.
The Tswalu Kalahari Reserve exists primarily as a conservation project which seeks to restore denuded farmland in the Northern Cape's Kalahari savannah eco-system. Over the past 20 years Tswalu has continuously expanded their conservation programme and continues to acquire key properties that have been identified as significant contributors to biodiversity and water catchment conservation in the Korannaberg Mountains and surrounding arid grasslands. Tswalu now covers an area of over 110 000 square kilometres. Tswalu has recognised the importance of its geographic location specifically with regards to climate change research. As a result, a number of research projects are being supported which seek to understand the impact that the predicted increasing temperatures will have on biodiversity and species conservation. Tswalu seeks to provide an environment where natural ecosystem processes function. To this end, Tswalu provides safe haven for the recovery of persecuted predators (such as leopard and cheetah) and in addition has reintroduced predators which were historically exterminated in the region (including wild dogs in June 2013, and lion). The role that these predators play in maintaining ecosystem processes is also the subject of on-going academic research on Tswalu. By virtue of its size alone, Tswalu has become an important contributor to species conservation and is now recognised as a valuable reservoir of genetic diversity and as an important research site for understanding the conservation management of endangered species.
Ultimate Safaris Namibia – TAKING CONSERVATION TRAVEL TO NEW HEIGHTS!
Wilderness Safaris, in partnership with the Botswana and South African governments, is about to launch the next phase of its pioneering rhino translocation programme, which began as far back as 1999. The partners have signed a purchase agreement for a further significant addition of Critically-Endangered black rhino and Near-Threatened white rhino to bolster existing Botswana populations, with operations taking place in the first half of 2015. Since the project's first reintroductions of white and black rhino into the Okavango Delta in October 2001 and November 2003 respectively, populations of both species have grown and the country has proven its credentials in being able to provide a safe range for these charismatic and threatened species. We have focused our recent efforts on black rhino in particular and were honoured to facilitate the reintroduction of further black rhino into the Okavango Delta in several complex and delicate operations during 2014. Following this next phase of translocations – valued at around R7 million – Wilderness Safaris will have moved nearly 1% of the continent's remaining black rhino population to Botswana, the success of which has already been measured in the recruitment of calves born in the wild.


We rescue Shelties from puppy mills and shelters. We also collect Shelties that have been turned in by their owners surrenders or found as strays. Our desire is to give these animals a second chance at life.
We place them in foster homes who nurture, love, temperment test, housetrain, obedience train and work with behavior problems when needed. These dogs become part of our family.
We then find the perfect home for each Sheltie by matching the needs of the dog with a person or a familty. In order to make this perfect match, we have to ask a lot of questions, including a thorough screening process to determine the appropriate home.
A pet is a life time commitment, just like children and should never be entered into without a great deal of research and thought.
We are an all-volunteer, private organization dedicated to helping homeless Shetland Sheepdogs in North Carolina and nearby states. We give our time and love just because we love these Shelties. Our volunteers are not paid for their time and efforts and all our funds are from adoption fees and donations.
Sheltie rescue is a lot of work and we can't do it alone. We need volunteers to help foster and pick up shelties. We need volunteers with fenced yards, an extra crate and someone who can occasionally take a rescue for veterinary care. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please get in touch with us by phone or email. We will be happy to discuss any concerns you might have about becoming involved with sheltie rescue.


This 2018 Ford F-150 XL is proudly offered by Metcalfe's Garage Ltd You appreciate the finer things in life, the vehicle you drive should not be the exception. Style, performance, sophistication is in a class of its own with this stunning Ford F-150. Handle any terrain with ease thanks to this grippy 4WD. Whether you're on a slick pavement or exploring the back country, you'll be able to do it with confidence. The look is unmistakably Ford, the smooth contours and cutting-edge technology of this Ford F-150 XL will definitely turn heads. Just what you've been looking for. With quality in mind, this vehicle is the perfect addition to take home.


Attendees of the 4th annual Casino Royale fundraising event will eat, drink, and gamble all for a great cause on Saturday, June 24, 7 pm – 11 pm, at the Tacoma Mountaineers Club.
Hosted each year by Emergency Food Network's Ambassador Board, this lively event will raise funds in support of hunger relief, translating into thousands of meals for food-insecure residents of Pierce County.
Guests of the event will try their luck at Black Jack, Texas Hold'em, Roulette, and Craps, as well as a live raffle, while enjoying appetizers, drinks and an all-around great time. Included in the $50 ticket price is $1,000 of carnival money with which to gamble throughout the evening.
Additionally, non-perishable food items will be collected at the event. Items that are most needed include: peanut butter, canned stews, canned meats, infant formula, baby food, diapers, canned fruits, and canned vegetables.
Community events like this play an important role in helping meet the needs of hungry Pierce County neighbors. Every dollar makes a difference. Emergency Food Network is able to distribute $12 worth of food for every $1 raised. Last year, they provided more than 14.8 million pounds of food to 68 food pantries throughout Pierce County accommodating 1.3 million visits from Pierce County residents in need.
For more information about Casino Royale and to purchase tickets visit www.efoodnet.org.


Olivia Rose was born April 23rd, 2012. That day changed our lives forever. Not only did Roberto (my husband) and I become first time parents, but we were completely shocked when we found out our daughter was born with Down Syndrome.
I have to admit, it was initially very hard to accept and understand our new reality...and the reality for our daughter... but we soon realized, we absolutely got the perfect daughter...more perfect than we ever imagined.
Let's focus on what all children can do!
Donate: 15% of all sales will be donated to the OC Down Syndrome Association!!!
Sold on Electric Rose Toys website, Amazon and E-bay.
Blog -Read posts and Join in!!!
My Name is Mayra Contreras, MD. My husband, Roberto, and I have two children, Olivia (age 6) and Robert (age 4). Through this website, I want to share our story as parents to two children, including a child with special needs. However, I mainly want to focus on Olivia and who she is and all the amazing things she can do. Our daughter was born with Down Syndrome, but it doesn't define who she is. She is a strong, beautiful, intelligent and fearless little girl...not just a girl with DS.
In return, I want to hear your stories, your struggles and especially your child's accomplishments. I want us to celebrate all our children's strengths. I want us to learn from each other. We all have struggles and everyday brings different challenges, and also reasons to be joyful.
This is not only for parents of children with special needs. I invite all parents who want to learn about our community, or who want to share their struggles and joys, to please join us.
Also, I hope to spread DS awareness, and the importance of acceptance and inclusion of everyone.
 Yes she can do it!


As a follow-up to the 1st Growth Event held in 2018, the European Scout Region is organising its 2nd Growth Event in Paris, France, from 22 to 26 May 2019. Representatives of NSAs and NSOs will discuss challenges and review existing and develop new strategies to achieve growth goals set at the recent European and World Scout Conferences.
=> For more details, please consult the Call for Participants published as Regional Circular 08 2019.


text:
⬅ The Twilight Zone Episode 24: Long Live...
Tales from the Crypt Episode 29: Top... ➡
The Munsters Episode 2: My Fair Munster
Director: David Alexander
Writers: Norm Liebmann and Ed Haas
Cast: Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Beverley Owen, Butch Patrick, Fred Gwynne, John Fiedler, Claire Carleton, and Edward Mallory
Composer: Jack Marshall
Air Date: 10/1/1964
Grandpa cooks up a love potion and pours it in Marilyn's oatmeal, "helping" his niece with her romantic troubles. When Marilyn decides to skip breakfast, Herman and Lily end up consuming the oatmeal containing Grandpa's concoction. Thereafter, Yolanda Cribbins (Claire Carleton) and Warren Bloom (John Fiedler)—a snooty neighbor and mailman, respectively—fall head over heels in love with Herman and Lily.
A remake of the series pilot, "My Fair Munster" introduces a number of tropes that would later define the eponymous family. Especially terrific is the opening sequence, which features an early use of fast-motion cinematography—now an iconic aspect of The Munsters' humor.
While escorting Marilyn to the front door of her house, boyfriend Jack (Edward Mallory) is greeted by Herman—a giant figure who resembles the Boris Karloff version of Frankenstein's monster. Naturally, Jack runs away panicking before a proper introduction can ensue. Oblivious to their shortcomings, Herman and Lily blame Jack's terrified reaction on Marilyn, supposedly a less "fortunate" member of the Munster family. Though unremarkable in retrospect, the above scenario should be praised for establishing the bizarre, upside-down reality in which the Munsters live; specifically, the characters who resemble Universal Monsters (i.e. Herman, Lily, Grandpa, and Eddie) consider themselves to be handsome and charming while Marilyn, an attractive young woman, sees herself as an ugly, frightening creature whom no man would ever wish to marry.
The Scooby Doo chase involving Herman, Lily, Yolanda, and the mailman is quite silly, even by the standards of a typical 1960s sitcom.
Despite operating on a fantastic and absurd premise, "My Fair Munster" contains a valuable message regarding the deceptive nature of external appearances. Notably, the "normal" residents of Mockingbird Lane exhibit many snobbish and inhospitable tendencies when dealing with the Munster family. The Munsters, on the other hand, behave in a polite and civilized manner while interacting with Warren and Yolanda, indicating that good breeding can come in the most unlikely of packages. A clever and amusing twist on a timeless adage (i.e. never judge a book by its cover), the moral lesson in this episode should be internalized by viewers of all ages.
By combining kooky shenanigans with commendable values, "My Fair Munster" earns its reputation as a classic episode. It should be noted, however, that the effects of Grandpa's love potion are a tad overplayed.
Categories: Season One, The Munsters


text:
A vital blow for chemistry
By Simon Hadlington2009-07-28T17:10:31+01:00
Chemistry may have become an increasingly high tech discipline, but it still relies on glassware - and the age-old skill of glassblowing - says Simon Hadlington
If there is one material above all others that defines a chemistry laboratory, surely it is glass. Many aspiring young scientists have been drawn to chemistry by its astonishing range of glassware, in all its fabulous shapes - cones, spheres, coils, flasks squat and wide, flasks tall and thin. All impossibly fragile, yet robust enough to be heated directly on a flame and to carry boiling liquids. And, crucially, transparent, so that the chemist can observe what is happening as the reaction proceeds.
For centuries glass has been central to science. In their book The glass bathyscaphe: How glass changed the world, Alan McFarlane and Gerry Martin describe how they randomly selected twenty famous experiments, and found that fifteen of them would have been impossible without the use of glass tools. These included Lavoisier's 1777 experiment to heat mercury in air, which would yield key evidence to support his oxygen theory, and Humphry Davy's discovery of potassium in 1807.
© PHIL GALLEGO, GLASSBLOWER AT CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK. PHOTOGRAPHERS: CAROLINE HANCOX AND NATHAN PITT
For glass to have these multiple functions it needs to be shaped and worked into the myriad forms that the chemist needs. And it is here that an arcane but vital skill is needed: glassblowing.
In the early years of what we would recognise as modern science, glassware was often prepared by the scientist himself (in those days it invariably was a 'he'). This state of affairs persisted until relatively recently, as William McCormack, honorary secretary of the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers (BSSG) and chief scientific glassblower at the University of Glasgow in the UK, notes. 'For hundreds of years there has been a need for some kind of glass apparatus and instrumentation. But glassblowing as a profession really took off after the second world war. Before then, glassblowing was often done by the scientist, but following [then-prime minister] Harold Wilson's white heat of technology programme in the 1960s, accompanied by a large expansion in higher education, glassblowing came into its own.'
The burgeoning of science departments in universities around the UK required extensive technical back-up, and glassblowers abounded.
Source: © MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY
Lab glassware may have evolved, but many shapes have endured
Steve Moehr was one of the glassblowers servicing academic scientists. He worked as a scientific glassblower in universities for 40 years until his retirement two years ago as chief glassblower at the University of York, UK. 'I left school at 14 and because I was good with my hands I joined the glassblowing workshop at the University of Leeds for a five-year apprenticeship,' Moehr recalls. 'It was an interesting job. The glassware we would make could be highly complicated - tubes within tubes within tubes. You would get a drawing from an academic and you would say "I can't possibly do that"; then of course I would do it. They would come back and say it doesn't work, and it needs a tube in here and one out of there. Or they would drop it...'
Hopping the cracks
For Moehr one of the most complicated pieces of apparatus he was regularly required to make was a so-called three-stage mercury diffusion pump, a device for creating high vacuum and one that has largely now been superseded by mechanical vacuum pumps. These were highly elaborate pieces of equipment.
'It was terrific fun making equipment like this,' Moehr says. 'You would spend maybe a couple of days preparing all the bits, adding different parts then finally fitting them all together. This is where the trouble could come - it could crack at this stage and it often did.'
Ingenuity and resourcefulness was also required. Moehr describes one memorable job. 'I was commissioned by one professor to make a fused silica microbalance, which required a hydrogen and oxygen flame to melt the silica, and needed fibres of diameter in the region of only two or three microns. I had to do it under a microscope with a flame that I could hardly see. To make the fibres I took pieces of fused silica rod of one millimetre diameter and I hung a bulldog clip off the end. I held the rod up and melted it in the middle; it would drop, drawing the fibre out to the kind of tiny diameter I needed.'
Over the course of the four decades that Moehr spent in the trade, he did see changes. 'I suppose one of the main things is that glassblowing has declined. Partly this is because glass does break easily and there had been a move to replace some of the equipment with metal and other materials. Also, 40 years ago there was a lot more innovation in equipment. Chemistry was a much younger science and one remembers laboratories full of chemicals in various wonderful vessels bubbling away - more so than these days perhaps.'
Moehr's successor at York is Brian Smith, who has also been glassblowing for 40 years. 'Glassblowing itself has probably changed little over the past 150 years,' says Smith. 'What does change is the type of equipment we make as new technology develops. We do make a lot of vacuum lines to order. A researcher will give me a drawing and we can work from that.'
Of course the flip side to the magic of glass, the transparent material that can be formed and manipulated into almost any shape, is that it is fiendishly fragile. 'It can be extremely frustrating,' Smith says. 'A job will never go wrong at the beginning, only at the end as it gets more complicated. If you have spent two or three days building a component up, the last joint you put on will be the joint that cracks and writes the job off.'
Breakages are inevitable, Smith concedes, but not always. 'Please, if joints won't come apart, don't try to force them - they will break. Bring them to the workshop!' But despite these frustrations, the job remains, Smith says, highly fulfilling. 'It is an unusual profession, and frankly not anyone can do it. And in this job you literally never know what is going to come through the door next.'
As well as academic research, glass is also key to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, albeit on a larger scale.
Graham Reed is a past chairman of the BSSG who until recently had his own scientific glassblowing company servicing the commercial sector. 'Glass has been absolutely vital to science in the past, as it is now and will be in the future,' he says. Reed confesses to having had an obsession with glass since seeing a craftsman fashioning novelty animals from glass in a department store when he was a child. He was offered a glassblowing apprenticeship with the then Mullard factory in Southampton in the 1960s making radio valves.
'I eventually ended up at the University of Stirling in Scotland in the early 1980s where I took over the glass workshop. After a while I discovered a goldmine in central Scotland - there were no commercial glassblowing resources at all to service a rapidly growing chemical and biotechnological industry. ICI, Beechams, Glaxo and many start-up companies were based there, desperately trying to catch up with Japan and the US.'
Source: © DAVID LEES / CORBIS
Glassblowers are called upon to create a wide array of flasks and vessels
The services of the university glass workshop were contracted out to these companies. 'Within no time I was making pots of money for the university, generally with repair work,' Reed recalls. 'Unlike many university-based glassblowers, I was happy dealing with flasks two or three feet in diameter. At the time no-one was repairing this stuff; if it got a chip in it, it became useless because it would be impossible to get a seal. So I brought in a lot of business for the university. But by the mid- to late-80s the university decided it needed my workshop space more than it needed the business I was generating - so it encouraged me to go private.'
Engineering in glass
It takes around five years to become a competent glassblower. Bob Hilliard of specialist glassblowing company Labglass says that while his trainees are expected to start making a contribution to their salary costs within 12 months, 'we are looking at ten years before they would be fully competent to tackle everything which comes through the door.'
© SCILABWARE
Unlike conventional glass blowing, where a mass of molten glass is inflated into a bubble through a blowpipe, a scientific glass blower is more of a 'glass engineer'. For scientific glassblowing in a research laboratory, the main raw material is glass tubing, in diameters ranging from 2-3mm to 150mm. There are three types of glass: soda glass, which is typically used for items such as measuring cylinders that will not be heated appreciably; borosilicate glass, which is heat resistant (Pyrex is one of the best known manufacturers of borosilicate glass products), and quartz, which is for very high temperature, high purity work. Joints, taps and seals are bought in. The glassblower cuts the tubing to the required length and heats it in a flame of appropriate temperature to melt the glass to allow it to be formed and fused with other components. This requires considerable manual dexterity. Larger components can be mounted on a lathe. Once the piece of apparatus has been made it needs to be heated in an oven to remove internal strain, a process termed annealing.
So Reed set up his own company. 'The repair side of the business was great during the recession of the 1990s. If you want a good economic indicator of a recession, one of the best ways is to take a look at a company's R&D budget - always the first thing to get the chop, so repair work tends to go up. Rather than spend ?200 to get a new flask, they need only spend ?50 to get it repaired.'
Reed also carved himself a niche in customised glassware for these companies. 'This was the real skill,' he says. 'I could do it because I lacked fear of big jobs - I have made some really big items for these firms.'
Reed cites jacketed vessels as requiring particular skill. 'These are pressure vessels for high vacuum work. A highly exothermic reaction needs to be cooled, maybe down to minus 40 or 50?C. To do this you need at least a double layer of glass - when you are dealing with very low temperatures ice can form around the vessel, but it is important to be able to see inside it, so a third layer is made which can be evacuated. Not only do you need to fashion the layers of the vessel, but you need tubes going through them, connected by valves and taps, often the vessels contain baffles; everything needs to be sealed correctly. It can get highly complicated.'
Two of the youngsters that Reed trained were Craig Martin and Brian Godsman. Five years ago they set up their own company in Scotland, ScottGlass, which works with many biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that specialise in low-volume, high-value products. 'One of the interesting trends in this business is that while a lot of the glass work has gone to China, the Chinese are only interested in doing things in massive numbers,' Martin says. 'That has left an opportunity for smaller, local specialist sources such as ourselves.
Source: © SCOTT GLASS
Brian Godsman has tackled many unique commissions
'Most of what we do is big and actually quite intimidating. We get asked to do 20- or 30-litre reaction vessels with a highly specific set of parameters which are unusual. In the past you had sprawling labs with lots of twisty bits of glass with stuff bubbling away, but now it is a bit more sophisticated. People are saying, "we want to make this type of drug: what can we make it in?" We work closely with the client to come up with the final design.'
As for the future of scientific glassblowing, opinions vary. Many glassblowers are fearful for the future of the craft. 'There has been a collapse in technician numbers over recent years,' McCormack says. 'When I started 30 years ago there were three workshops and six glassblowers. Now I am on my own.'
Steve Moehr says, 'There are not many people coming into the trade nowadays; it is a dying craft.'
Mike Souza, a past president of the American Scientific Glassblowers Society and a glassblower with
35 years' experience, says that the decline in scientific glassblowing can also be seen in the US. 'Chemistry has quickly evolved through advances in analytical chemistry, the impact of MRI, chromatography, computer modelling software and combinatorial techniques,' he says. 'All of these innovations have had an adverse effect on the manufacturing of glass-blown instruments.'
Souza notes that his employer, Princeton University, had as many as five glassblowers 50 years ago, whereas now he is the only one. 'I don't think that there is another university in this country that employs more than one person,' he adds.
Bob Hilliard, director of Labglass, a specialist glassblowing company in the UK that employs six glassblowers, is not so gloomy. 'We are investing at the moment so we see it as being a fairly stable market. It is a matter of supply and demand.'
Despite the drop in numbers of technicians in the academic sector, new recruits continue to enter the profession. Abigail Storey is a trainee glassblower at the University of York. Having graduated in glass and ceramics, Storey was no stranger to working with glass. 'The type of work I do now is much more hands-on than with the work I did on my course,' she says. 'Here you are much closer to the flame, and every slight movement with your fingers is translated to the glass - it is very precise and you are very much in control of what happens. What is most satisfying to me is that you change the glass from a straight length of tubing which has no real application into something which is functional and which someone will find useful. But it is incredibly difficult to get the basic skills needed. You have to develop a kind of sixth sense, a feel for the glass and how it interacts with the flame.
It might look easy but it isn't!'
Simon Hadlington is a freelance science writer based in York, UK
Alan MacFarlane and Gerry Martin, The glass bathyscaphe: How glass changed the world. London: Profile Books, 2002
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Corporate profits improvement appears to be pausing, although they remain at a high level. Firms' judgment on current business conditions shows cautiousness.
Concerning short-term prospects, the economy is expected toward recovery, supported by the effects of the policies, while employment and income situation is improving. However, there are downside risks of the Japanese economy including slowing down of emerging Asian economies including the Chinese economy and countries with natural resources amid the weakness of overseas economies. In addition, attention should be given to the increased uncertainty in overseas economies and the effects of fluctuations in the financial and capital markets under such circumstances. Also, full attention should be given to the economic impact of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake.
The Government will make its utmost efforts to ensure the economy overcomes deflation and achieve economic revitalization and fiscal consolidation simultaneously, in addition to make effort toward the reconstruction and revitalization from the Great East Japan Earthquake. To this end, the Government decided the "Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2016",which includes postponing the consumption tax hike to 10% to October 2019 and putting together a set of the comprehensive and bold economic measures by this autumn, the "Japan Revitalization Strategy 2016" , the "Regulatory Reform Work Plan" , the "Basic Policies for Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy in Japan 2016", and the "Japan's Plan for the Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens" on June 2nd.Hereafter, the Government implements economic and fiscal policies based on these Policies. The Government also swiftly and steadily implements the FY2015 supplementary budget and accelerates the implementation of the FY2016 budget, and will implement that in the first half of FY2016 as much as possible.
Private consumption is almost flat. Real gross income of employees is increasing moderately, while consumer confidence appears to be pausing.
The Synthetic Consumption Index, which synthesizes demand-side statistics (Family Income and Expenditure Survey, etc.) and supply-side statistics (Indices of Industrial Producer's Shipments, etc.), increased by 0.2% in April from the previous month.
According to the Short-Term Economic Survey of Enterprises in Japan (Tankan) (March survey), planned business investment for all industries and that for non-manufacturers in fiscal year 2015 are expected to increase for four consecutive years, and that for manufacturers is expected to increase for five consecutive years. As for fiscal year 2016, planned business investment for all industries is expected to decrease. According to the Business Outlook Survey (April-June survey), planned business investment for all industries in fiscal year 2016 is expected to increase. The figures for Orders Received for Machinery, a leading indicator, show movements of picking up.
Housing construction has been showing movements of picking up recently. Construction of owned houses, houses for rent and houses for sale have been showing movements of picking up recently. In addition, the total number of sales of condominiums in the Tokyo metropolitan area is moderately decreasing.
Public investment is decreasing moderately. The amount of public construction completed in March decreased by 0.8% from the previous month, and decreased by 6.4% from the previous year. The amount of contracted public works in May increased by 1.4% and the amount of public works orders received in April increased by 5.8% from the previous year.
Exports and imports are almost flat. The surplus in the balance of goods and services is on an increasing trend.
The surplus in the balance of trade in April is decreasing, as export values decreased to a greater extent than import values. The deficit in the balance of services is decreasing.
Industrial production is flat. The Indices of Industrial Production increased by 0.5% from the previous month in April. The Indices of Industrial Inventories decreased by 1.7% from the previous month in April. The Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing expects an increase of 2.2% in May, and an increase of 0.3% in June.
By industry, transport equipment is almost flat. General-purpose, production and business-oriented machinery is bottoming out. Electronic parts and devices are in a weak tone recently.
Corporate profits improvement appears to be pausing, although they remain at a high level. Firms' judgment on current business conditions shows cautiousness. The number of corporate bankruptcies is almost flat.
Corporate profits improvement appears to be pausing, although they remain at a high level. According to the Quarterly Financial Statements Statistics of Corporations by Industry (January-March survey), corporate profits during the January-March quarter of 2016 decreased by 9.3% from the previous year and by 6.8% from the previous quarter. By industry, manufacturers saw a decrease of 20.4% in corporate profits from the previous year, while non-manufacturers saw a decrease of 4.5% . By size of company, large and medium-sized companies saw a decrease of 15.5% from the previous year, while small companies saw an increase of 1.3%. According to the BOJ Tankan (March Survey), in fiscal year 2016, sales are expected to decrease by 0.3% in the first half of the year, and are expected to increase by 0.4% in the second half from the previous year. Current profits are expected to decrease by 7.1% in the first half, and are expected to increase by 3.4% in the second half from the previous year.
Firms' judgment on current business conditions shows cautiousness. The Tankan (March survey) revealed that firms' judgment on current business conditions becomes cautious for all enterprises in all industries. Firms' judgment on future business conditions, which indicates the business condition as of June, becomes more cautious than that on current business conditions. According to the corporate activity-related DI of the Economy Watchers Survey (May survey), current business conditions fell, while prospective business conditions rose.
The employment situation is improving. The total unemployment rate stood at 3.2% in April, the same level as the previous month. The total unemployment rate of those aged 15 to 24 was 4.9%, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points from the previous month. The labor force and the number of employed persons increased, while the number of unemployed persons was almost flat.
The number of employees is on an increasing trend. The number of new job offers is increasing. The effective ratio of job offers to applicants is increasing. Overtime hours worked in the manufacturing industry are in a weak tone.
According to the Monthly Consumer Confidence Survey (multi-person households), the ratio of households which forecast a rise in prices was 78.9% in May, a decrease of 3.4% points from the previous month.
As for stock prices, after rising from the 16,400-yen level to the 17,200-yen level, the Nikkei Stock Average declined to the 15,900-yen level. The yen against the U.S. dollar, after moving in the direction of depreciation from the 109-yen level to the 111-yen level, moved in the direction of appreciation to the 106-yen level.