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Venture Capitalists Exploit Africa
Created: 25 August 2007
A vulture is a creature that lurks around waiting for another animal to be near death before it swoops in. The vulture is a cagey bird that hovers over the weak waiting for an opportunity to finish it off. Vulture funds are a group of financial institutions that buy African and Latin American debt from the lending country for a reduced amount and then press the struggling nations into courts as they demand payment of the full loan and interest several times the original value of the debt. This practice is crippling countries that welcomed international debt relief but are now facing the possibility of debt relief from the G-8 being meaningless. They will now have to pay the new owners of their loan.
Poverty Scavengers
By Danny Glover and Nicole Lee (May 30, 2007)
In June of 2006, world leaders stood with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and pledged their support for debt relief for impoverished African nations. The intent of their principled gesture was to help a select number of countries pull themselves out of the quagmire of debt which prevents them from building infrastructure, schools and hospitals. But, it was also a pragmatic gesture. Poverty breeds insecurity, and as President Bush noted in his State of the Union address, poverty alleviation must be a cornerstone of our foreign policy to create a secure world. For the most part, the world applauded the efforts of the G-8 leaders, and the slow process to full debt relief began. But in the shadows stands a financial creature that threatens the resolve of the G-8 on African debt relief and threatens U.S. foreign policy related to development assistance for Africa and this administration's so-called war on terror.
In the African country of Zambia, over 70 percent of people live in poverty. The average wage is just over a dollar a day, one in five people are infected with HIV/AIDS and life expectancy is merely 37.7 years. Yet, in the midst of qualifying for debt cancellation by G-8 nations, the Donegal Corporation, owned by American businessman Michael Sheehan, bought Zambian debt from Romania. In April, British courts awarded Donegal 15 million dollars, almost five times the value Donegal paid for the debt.
The morally bankrupt actions of vulture funds render the commitments to debt relief made by the U.S. and other wealthy nations meaningless. U.S. taxpayer money, pledged to provided relief and assistance through debt relief, will fall into the hands of these greedy corporations. At the upcoming G-8 Summit President Bush should call for a commitment by world leaders to address debt relief and vulture funds. The U.S. Treasury should follow the lead of U.K. Chancellor Gordon Brown and limit the awards vulture funds can claim for these debts. Congress must examine this practice and its impact on our overall foreign policy interests. The international community must employ effective means to protect countries like Zambia who have fallen prey to these vulture funds, including implementing fair and transparent international mechanisms to resolve these matters.
Vulture funds are aptly named. They present a threat to the end of world hunger. They undermine U.S. foreign policy and increase the possibility of a rise in terrorist organizations in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. People of good will and good intentions must join with international civil society and call for the end of this treacherous practice.
Danny Glover is chairman of the board of and Nicole Lee is executive director of TransAfrica Forum.
Originally appeared on Tom Paine.
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The Sheena Bora case has grabbed public attention like no other recent crime story could. The media has been full of details about the case - the plot, the characters and theatres of action.
Most of the spotlight has been on accused Indrani Mukerjea, who had presented Sheena as her sister. Later, of course, it turned out that Sheena was her daughter.
Indrani, the wife of former Star TV boss Peter Mukerjea, has been a known face in Mumbai's corporate world as well as the socialite circle there.
Since Indrani's arrest, many of those who know her have come forward to narrate their impression of her. But not much was known about her past.
Catch tried to trace those who knew Indrani in her formative years in Guwahati and in Shillong.
Typical of how public memory works, Guwahati is rife with anecdotes about Indrani, most of which is salacious. The picture that these anecdotes paint is of a young woman at odds with her circumstances.
The mores of small-time India seems to have constrained an ambitious girl. She also must have been deeply disturbed, scarred even, if the accounts of her father's assault on her are true.
Indrani, better known as Pori Bora in those days, grew up in an Assam scarred by violent political agitation and the creation of a separate Meghalaya, which led to the shifting of Assam's capital from Shillong to Dispur.
She was a student of the 1982 batch of St Mary's School, Guwahati. The all-girl school was regarded as one of the most prestigious schools in Guwahati.
Many of Indrani's classmates - now established professional and parents themselves - remember her. Some were particularly close.
"Our school was very strict. Guwahati was not cosmopolitan and people were not broad minded," says a classmate of Indrani from St Mary's who used to be apprehensive about being too close to her.
"She liked to hang around with boys outside the school and do crazy stuff. She also read things that were not appreciated those days," she says.
A source in the school said while studying in Class 10, Indrani tried to elope with a boy. Her parents scuttled her plans, stopping her at the Guwahati railway station.
For this, the school expelled her and she had to take her board exams as a private candidate. "Even our teachers used to advice us to keep away from Indrani, calling her crazy. Perhaps they thought she would spoil other girls and expelled her," says one classmate.
While growing up, Indrani had a keen interest in western music, fashion and acting. And she was carefree.
"Indrani didn't give a damn about anything she didn't like, She was adamant and arrogant," recalls a friend. "Even when she was thrown out of the school, she didn't bother," she says.
After this, Indrani moved to Shillong and joined Lady Keane College, again a revered, but all-girl institute. Shillong, the capital of undivided Assam, was the most happening place in the North East in those days and an education hub.
Indrani made new friends there, both from her hometown Guwahti as well as other parts of Assam. "They formed a group known to be crazy, outgoing and bold. They were known as party animals," says a woman who studied in Lady Keane at the same time as Indrani.
"We all were in our teens. I was not totally into that group did go out with them at times. Indrani was ambitious, but also helpful," says the woman, now settled in Guwahati.
"Indrani had lot of guy friends. In those days Shillong was far more open than any other places in India in terms of relationships," she says.
According to her, at this time Indrani met Siddartha Das. She remembers Das as being a handsome guy, whom she saw with Indrani a couple of times.
Sources have told Catch that Das hailed from Karimganj district in Southern Assam and was unemployed at that time.
"Indrani told us she had many relationships while she was even in school. So we did not take her relationships seriously," says Indrani's college batchmate who remained in touch with her for a while in Guwahati before she disappeared in the '90s.
An established businessmen in Shillong who studied in St Edmound's College at that time, says he had a crush on Indrani. "She was gorgeous, smart and carried an attitude. Indrani was much talked about, he says.
According to someone who knew Indrani during her student days, she got pregnant in Shillong, may be from Das, and went to Guwahati.
"Siddartha lived with her at her Sundarpur residence after the birth of Sheena. We have seen him," the source says, adding Indrani's father gave the couple funds to start a food joint which did not run."
"Perhaps after that Siddhartha left. We never see him after second child was born," says an old neighbour who wishes not to be identified.
Another neighbour claims that Indrani did some small-time job between 1990 and 1992 in Guwahati, before "suddenly disappearing" from the scene, leaving behind her parents and children.
The family remained aloof and Indrani reconnected with her family around 2002-2004, neighbours say.
READ NEXT >> Why is Karnataka facing the worst drought situation in last 40 years?


Do you have Chemical Tanker Experience? Is safety priority #1? If so, PTI (Propane Transport International) wants to talk to you. We have openings in the area and are scheduling interviews with experienced drivers looking for a company where safety comes first.
PTI specializes in transporting a variety of commodities across the US. PTI is the largest LPG carrier in the nation. PTI has a World Class Safety attitude focusing on stringent guidelines for equipment, vehicle maintenance and driver training in order to provide safe delivery of products to our customers.
The Transport Driver drives a tanker truck (11,000 gallon capacity) to pick up products at the supply point (e.g. refinery, pipeline terminal, storage facility) and deliver it to area facilities. The driver will make daily pick-ups and deliveries while driving an average of 350 miles per day and working up to 14 hours per day.


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Q: reg query inside unknown keystring Is there a way to reg query into an unknown keystring?  What I mean by this is if I do
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\

the entries will differ on every single server.  However, in our environment, the information inside 1 of these entries will always be static.  Is there a way to search inside all of these entries?  Something I can use inside reg query (or any other command for that matter) that would allow a search inside unknown subkeys?  This obviously doesnt work, but to give an idea:
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\*

or
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{~}
Anything that will continue the search pattern inside whatever keys the original reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\  passes?

A: Apparently this can be done with a /s at the end of the query
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\ /v "search string" /s

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Borsonia é um gênero de gastrópodes pertencente a família Borsoniidae.

Espécies
 Borsonia armata Boettger, 1895
 Borsonia brasiliana Tippett, 1983
 Borsonia ceroplasta (Watson, 1881)
 †Borsonia cliffdenensis H. Finlay, 1930
 †Borsonia crassiaxialis Maxwell, 1992
 Borsonia epigona Martens, 1901
 Borsonia hirondelleae (Dautzenberg, 1891)
 Borsonia jaffa Cotton, 1947
 Borsonia jaya Sysoev, 1997
 †Borsonia meridionalis Lozouet, 2017
 †Borsonia mitromorphoides Suter, 1917
 Borsonia ochracea Thiele, 1925
 †Borsonia prima Bellardi, 1839
 †Borsonia pulchra Peyrot, 1931
 Borsonia saccoi Dall, 1908
 Borsonia silicea (Watson, 1881)
 Borsonia smithi Schepman, 1913
 Borsonia symbiophora Sysoev, 1996
 Borsonia symbiotes (Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891)
 Borsonia syngenes (Watson, 1881)
 Borsonia timorensis (Schepman, 1913)
 †Borsonia zelandica (P. Marshall, 1919)
Espécies trazidas para a sinonímia
 Borsonia agassizii Dall, 1908: sinônimo de Borsonella agassizii (Dall, 1908)
 Borsonia bifasciata Pease, 1860: sinônimo de Kermia bifasciata (Pease, 1860)
 †Borsonia brachyspira Suter, 1917: sinônimo de †Mitromorpha brachyspira (Suter, 1917)
 Borsonia coronadoi Dall, 1908: sinônimo de Borsonella coronadoi (Dall, 1908)
 Borsonia crassicostata Pease, 1860: sinônimo de Lienardia crassicostata (Pease, 1860)
 Borsonia diegensis Dall, 1908: sinônimo de Borsonella diegensis (Dall, 1908)
 †Borsonia inculta Moody, 1916: sinônimo de Pseudotaranis strongi (Arnold, 1903)
 Borsonia lutea Pease, 1860: sinônimo de Kermia lutea (Pease, 1860)
 Borsonia nebulosa Pease, 1860  sinônimo de Pseudodaphnella nebulosa (Pease, 1860)
 Borsonia rouaultii Dall, 1889: sinônimo de Cordieria rouaultii (Dall, 1889)

Ligações externas

Gêneros de gastrópodes

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Q: Internet access using sim900 I want to connect my raspberry system to connect internet via sim900 gsm modem for that i am using wvdial method to connect internet my wvdial configuration file like follows
[Dialer play]
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Baud = 9600
Init1 = ATH
Init2 = ATE1
Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","airtelgprs.com"
Dial Command = ATD
Phone = *99#
Stupid mode = yes
Username = ""
Password = ""

if i am connecting 3g usb modem using above configuration the output screen like this
pi@raspbmc:~$ --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: ATH
ATH
OK
--> Sending: ATE1
ATE1
OK
--> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet"
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet"
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Sending: ATDT*99#
--> Waiting for carrier.
ATDT*99#
CONNECT
--> Carrier detected.  Starting PPP immediately.
--> Starting pppd at Fri Jun 14 22:35:19 2013
--> Pid of pppd: 3145
--> Using interface ppp0
--> pppd: Ęy
--> pppd: Ęy
--> pppd: Ęy
--> pppd: Ęy
--> pppd: Ęy
--> pppd: Ęy
--> pppd: Ęy
--> local  IP address 10.133.163.246
--> pppd: Ęy
--> remote IP address 10.64.64.64
--> pppd: Ęy
--> primary   DNS address 89.108.202.20
--> pppd: Ęy
--> secondary DNS address 89.108.195.20
--> pppd: Ęy

it was connected to internet but by using the same command for sim900 gsm modem the output screen like this
pi@raspbmc:~$ --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: ATH
ATH
OK
--> Sending: ATE1
ATE1
OK
--> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet"
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet"
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Sending: ATDT*99#
--> Waiting for carrier.
ATDT*99#
CONNECT
--> Carrier detected.  Starting PPP immediately.
--> Starting pppd at Fri Jun 14 22:35:19 2013
--> Pid of pppd: 3145
--> Using interface ppp0

that is it was connect but local IP address, remote ip address,primary DNS address,secondary DNS address not assigned so i am unable browse the internet please help me how to resolve this problem give me the guidance to resolve this problem thanks in advance


With the advance of technology and our growing dependence on internet in our daily lives, there emerges a urgent need to monitor and select the things to keep us safe in the treacherous water. Kids are even more vulnerable to digital influence. Studies have proved that kids use social media on a larger scale than others. Facebook is at the top of these websites.
checked in places, and alerts.
The site also automatically analyzes and identifies possible bullying, drug use, solicitation, and profanity.
Watch2gether is a cool web 2 application. It ,as its name implies , allows its users to watch Youtube videos simultaneously. You can now share and enjoy youtube videos with your colleagues in real time. I am including it here because educators can use it with their students. They can for instance create groups of students and select an educational video to watch together in preparation for a general open discussion in the classroom.
How can i get started using Watch2gether ?
It is very easy. Just head over to Watch2gether main page and pick up a nickname. A virtual room will be created together with its public URL that you can share with your friends. Once they visit the URL they will need to provide their own nicknames before starting to watch the same video in the room.
The right pane of the room allows you to chat with your friends while the center pane is where the video is played. You play new YouTube videos by providing their URLs.
Bundlr is a cool web tool. It allows its users to curate, clip, aggregate, and share web content easily and instantly. Now you can create your own network where you can broadcast specific information and URLs about a certain topic.
With Bundlr you can collect content from different web pages and organize it into bundles. You can either be the creator of your bundles and do the work by yourself or you add other Bundlr users to collaborate with you in adding sites to your bundls.
Bundr can be a great tool for educators. They can use it to gather research material for a project or presentation. They can also share whatever they have prepared with their students or colleagues. i do recommend it for teachers and students.
How can i get started using Bundlr?
It is very easy to use. Just head over to Bundlr main page and sign up for a free account or sign in using Twitter or Facebook. Once logged in, you can then create your own bundl and name it. Grab the bookmarklet and put it on your browser, this way you can instantly attach web pages to your bundles. When you are done use a public URL to share your bundles with your friends. Happy bundling!!!!!
Gmail is one of the most trusted mail services online. No wonder it is a product from Google , the unrivaled internet guru. I know almost all of you have a Gmail account but those of you who still do not have one then i highly advise you to do so. From my own experience as a long term edublogger, i can definitely confirm that Gmail is indispensable for you as educators. It far excels other mail services in terms of storage capacity, privacy settings, and security. AOL and Yahoo also offer good mailing services but they do not live up to Gmail ones. I am not trying to do a pub for Google or any other kind of commercial promotion for i am not a Google employee and nothing relates me to Google except being a faithful user of almost all its product.
Today i am going to share with you some tips about how to better use Gmail. There are many features and services that Gmail offers for free yet only few people know about them and use them. Being educators, we do need to be aware of these freebies. They can save you so much time and make your electronic mailing experience way better than you have ever thought. believe me when you read and apply those tips you would just sit back and wonder how on earth i missed all of these things all this time !!!. But it is never too late to discover and there is always somebody to do the painstaking search for the info and in this case it was me who did it for you lol.
All of the tips here are taken from Google Apps website and all the title links below will direct you there, i encourage you to subscribe to the RSS feed of this website. It will help you a lot .
Today i am introducing to you a set of the best music sharing web tools. All these tools are free and easy to use. They can allow you to listen and share music with your friends through a real time listening. Educators can use these tools to educationally share and study songs with their students as well.
Wavelenght is a great web application that allows its users "to play songs, watch videos and chat live". It does not require any sign up and it is very easy to use. With this tool you can listen to the same song together with online friends and create playlists and edit songs as you like.
This app is different than the others in the sense that it allows its users to store music on PC and listen to it on iPhone / iPad.
ListeningRoom as its name implies is a web application that allows its users to share music in real time.
Tape.tv is a great music channel that features high quality music videos from your favorite artists. It lets its users to search for similar music using criteria such as genbre and artist name.
Listen Music is a music site that lets you search, find and listen to music online without having to download any software. It does requie a sign up to create your free account where you can organize songs into playlists.
Mugasha is a cool online application that lets its users listen to music sets online.. It displays music songs from DJs alla round the world.
FlavorTunes is a little bit different in that it allows its users to send interactive invitation to their guests which provides them options to select their favorite songs for the party. so if you are planning to organize a party then FlavorTunes is your solution.
Soundsleeping is a great music website. It offers relaxing and nature sounds that can help in reducing stress levels and make you sleep easily. It also allows its users to mix tracks such as bonfire, creek, bird song, rain, ocean… etc with drums, flute or vibe.
Puniz offers over 500 million audio tracks all of which are legal to download. Most of these songs are availabe on youtube and are in the form of a video. You can listen to the song on the website or download it as FLV, MP4 or 3GP which are ideal formats to be used on portable devices.
NoteRec is a cool Android mobile app. It allows its users to take notes at meetings. It also enables them to record audio versions of meetings they attend. Before we used to use diaries to jot down notes but when we want to revise these notes it becomes hard to distinguish which notes belong to which meeting. With NoteRec, you can record the audio of your meetings and take notes during the recording using your phone.
What are the notes for when there is an audio recording? Good question , the notes act as textual annotations to the recorded audio. Yes you can now listen to the audio and read the text you have written. I think this app is really very important and educators need to consider using it in their work.
It lets you trace back meeting notes to their source.
check out Free Android Apps to explore other useful apps.


Of course the first holiday recipe is going to be a Christmas cookie. Obviously.
These particular cookies look like little snowballs - double-coated in powdered sugar. This means, however, that they also make a mess when you eat them, so they are to be avoided when wearing black clothing, or else you'll look like a coke fiend instead of a cookie monster.
Cream sugar and butter thoroughly. Blend in remaining ingredients, making sure to blend well.
Chill dough for a short time.
Shape dough into balls, the size of large marbles. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 until just brown, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to overbake, or cookies will crumble.
Remove from pan and immediately roll hot cookies in additional sifted confectioners sugar. When cookies have cooled, roll in sugar again. You will use about 2 cups of sugar for rolling.


Games and sports are a verynecessary part of education. As we know the aim of education is all rounddevelopment- physical, mental and moral- of a student. Only a sound body canhave a sound mind. Mind cannot be stronger if the body is weak.
Thereis a very old saying that health is wealth. One can build his body by pilinggames as it provides exercise in open and fresh air. All work and no play makejack a dull boy. Indiadoes not need book worms with ill health. A good student must take care of allthe things. He must give time to his studies, but he should not neglect games.He should follow the maxim, work you work, ply while you play, that is the wayto be happy and gay.
Gamesteach us discipline and sportsmanship. A sportsman treats victory and defectequally. Games provide a good training for playing the games of life. A trueplayer is unmindful of joys and sorrows. We learn to laugh in the face offailures. We do not feel proud at success. Games give the best education in theart of living. Batter of life is won by sportsmen.
The sprit of sportsmanshiphelps in the formation of character. Games teach us the art of leadership also.The caption wins the heart of his team through love, sympathy and fair play. Inthis way games produce the dull life of students. We can make the best use ofleisure by plying games. They also let off the surplus energy of young men. Ifthis surplus energy does not come out, the result would be mischief andindiscipline. An idle brain is the devils workshop. Students must be kept busywhen they are not studying.
Manyschools have no proper arrangement for games should be made compulsory forevery student in every school. Education without games is incomplete in orderto make a full man of a student. Student should give due important to games andsport.


We investigated whether various inflammatory and immune proteins in plasma predict intra-amniotic infection and imminent preterm delivery in women with preterm labor and compared their predictive ability with that of amniotic fluid (AF) interleukin (IL)-6 and serum C-reactive protein (CRP).
This retrospective cohort study included 173 consecutive women with preterm labor who underwent amniocentesis for diagnosis of infection and/or inflammation in the AF. The AF was cultured, and assayed for IL-6. CRP levels and cervical length by transvaginal ultrasound were measured at the time of amniocentesis. The stored maternal plasma was assayed for IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and complements C3a and C5a using ELISA kits. The primary and secondary outcome criteria were positive AF cultures and spontaneous preterm delivery (SPTD) within 48 h, respectively. Univariate, multivariate, and receiver operating characteristic analysis were used for the statistical analysis.
In bivariate analyses, elevated plasma IL-6 level was significantly associated with intra-amniotic infection and imminent preterm delivery, whereas elevated plasma levels of MMP-9, C3a, and C5a were not associated with these two outcomes. On multivariate analyses, an elevated plasma IL-6 level was significantly associated with intra-amniotic infection and imminent preterm delivery after adjusting for confounders, including high serum CRP levels and short cervical length. In predicting intra-amniotic infection, the area under the curve (AUC) was significantly lower for plasma IL-6 than for AF IL-6 but was similar to that for serum CRP. Differences in the AUCs between plasma IL-6, AF IL-6, and serum CRP were not statistically significant in predicting imminent preterm delivery.
Maternal plasma IL-6 independently predicts intra-amniotic infection in women with preterm labor; however, it has worse diagnostic performance than that of AF IL-6 and similar performance to that of serum CRP. To predict imminent preterm delivery, plasma IL-6 had an overall diagnostic performance similar to that of AF IL-6 and serum CRP. Plasma MMP-9, C3a, and C5a levels could not predict intra-amniotic infection or imminent preterm delivery.
Preterm labor and intact membranes are responsible for approximately one-third of preterm births, and are associated with significant perinatal mortality and morbidity [1, 2]. Adverse neonatal outcomes are closely related to the occurrence of complications caused by the degree of prematurity and intra-uterine infection [3–5]. Therefore, given a reported intra-amniotic infection rate of 10% [2, 6], a more accurate prediction of intra-amniotic infection and preterm delivery, especially using noninvasive methods, is clinically important for improving pregnancy management and for counseling women with preterm labor.
Traditionally, measuring inflammatory and immune proteins in amniotic fluid (AF) is thought to be of value in predicting intra-amniotic infection and preterm birth in women with preterm labor. Several studies have shown that increased levels of interleukin (IL)-6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and complement split products (C3a and C4a) in AF are associated with both intra-amniotic infection and preterm parturition [7–11]. However, their clinical use is currently limited by the requirement of invasive AF sampling. In this regard, noninvasive approaches that analyze these proteins in a maternal blood sample may provide a safe alternative to traditional invasive amniocentesis because intra-uterine infection and preterm parturition may lead to a significant increase in several cytokines simultaneously in both the AF and maternal blood compartments [12–16]. A few studies have reported the role of these inflammatory and immune proteins in a maternal blood sample, particularly in preterm labor. Some of these studies are limited by a small sample size , a cross-sectional study design (which could not establish a well-established association, unlike a longitudinal design) [18, 19], and no adjustment for confounding factors [13, 19]. This study aimed to determine whether the various inflammatory and immune proteins in plasma are predictive of intra-amniotic infection and imminent preterm delivery (defined as spontaneous preterm delivery [SPTD] within 48 h) in women with preterm labor and to compare their predictive ability with that of AF IL-6 and serum C-reactive protein (CRP).
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on consecutive singleton pregnant women diagnosed with preterm labor (23 + 0 to 33 + 6 weeks of gestation) who were admitted to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (Seongnamsi, Republic of Korea) from June 2004 to April 2015. The inclusion criteria were: (1) a live fetus; (2) an aliquot of maternal plasma available for analysis; (3) amniocentesis performed to evaluate the infectious and inflammatory status of AF at the time of enrollment; and (4) cervical length measured at the time of amniocentesis. The exclusion criteria were: (1) multifetal pregnancy; (2) preterm premature rupture of the membranes (pPROM); (3) prior or subsequent cerclage; (4) active labor at enrollment (defined as the presence of cervical dilatation greater than 3 cm); (5) evidence of clinical chorioamnionitis; and (6) major fetal congenital anomalies. Preterm labor was defined as the presence of regular uterine contractions, with a frequency of at least 2 contractions every 10 min, and cervical change (softening, effacement, or dilation) that required hospitalization. Gestational age was determined based on the last menstrual period and the first or second trimester (≤20 weeks) ultrasound results, when available. The ethics committee at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital approved the study (IRB no. B-1105/128–102). During the study period, amniocentesis for retrieval of AF and maternal blood sampling were immediately offered to patients who were admitted to our institution. Patients provided written informed consent for the collection and use of the blood and AF samples and for the use of their clinical information for research purposes. The primary and secondary outcome measures were positive AF cultures and SPTD within 48 h, respectively.
After obtaining informed consent, a transabdominal amniocentesis was performed under sonographic guidance with a 22-gauge spinal needle under aseptic conditions, and 15 to 20 mL of AF was aspirated. The AF was immediately sent to the laboratory for culture of aerobic/anaerobic bacteria and genital mycoplasmas (Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis) using previously described methods . The remaining AF was centrifuged at 1500 g and 4 °C for 10 min, aliquoted, and stored at − 70 °C for further analysis. The IL-6 levels in the stored AF were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) human DuoSet Kit (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA). The range of the IL-6 standard curve was 7.8–600 pg/mL. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were < 10% each. CRP and cervical length by transvaginal ultrasound were measured in participants at the time of amniocentesis as part of the hospital protocol using methods that have been previously described [20, 21]. The results of AF culture, CRP, and cervical length measurement were available to the managing clinicians, but the AF IL-6 results were not.
At the time of amniocentesis, maternal blood samples were obtained from all participants and were collected in EDTA tubes. The samples were centrifuged at 1500 g at 4 °C for 10 min, and the supernatant was aliquoted and stored at − 70 °C until assayed. The stored plasma samples were assayed for multiple inflammatory and immune proteins (IL-6, MMP-9, C3a and C5a). ELISA kits were used to measure IL-6 (R&D System, Minneapolis, MN, USA), MMP-9 (DuoSet ELISA from R&D System, Minneapolis, MN, USA) and complement C3a and C5a (BD Biosciences, San Diego, CA 92121, USA) levels in the plasma samples, according to the manufacturer's instructions. The ranges of the IL-6, MMP-9, C3a, and C5a standard curves were 0.2–10 pg/mL, 31.2–2000 pg/mL, 0.078–2.5 ng/mL, and 0.08–2.5 ng/mL, respectively. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 3.6 and 10.9% for IL-6, 2.9 and 18.3% for MMP-9, 10.4 and 13.7% for C3a, and 7.9 and 8.0% for C5a, respectively.
Intra-amniotic infection was defined as the presence of a positive AF culture for microorganisms. The patients were hydrated and, if uterine contractions persisted, they were started on a regimen of intravenous tocolysis with magnesium sulfate, ritodrine, or atosiban. Corticosteroids were administered between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation. The decision to use prophylactic antibiotics was left to the discretion of the attending obstetrician. At our institution, antibiotic treatment of women with preterm labor for pregnancy prolongation is not recommended except for group B streptococcus prophylaxis or treatment of cases with clinically suspected (AF WBC count ≥ 50 cells/mm3) or diagnosed intra-amniotic infection, as previously described in detail . Although the regimen for antibiotic prophylaxis in these patients varied according to the study period and the obstetrician, ampicillin and azithromycin (clarithromycin or erythromycin) were the main antibiotics used. For women with intra-amniotic infection, antibiotics are selected on the basis of the type of microorganisms found in the AF cultures. Medications such as antibiotics, corticosteroids, and tocolytics were started after sampling. A histologic diagnosis of chorioamnionitis was made in accordance with the definition previously described in detail . Clinical chorioamnionitis was diagnosed in accordance with the criteria proposed by Gibbs et al. .
Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 for Windows (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The Shapiro–Wilk test was used to determine whether the data in groups were distributed normally. Univariate analysis was performed using the Student's t-test or Mann–Whitney U test for continuous data and the χ2-test or Fisher's exact test for dichotomous data. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship of the level of each protein in plasma to the outcome after adjusting for baseline variables, with a P value < 0.1 in univariate analysis. Independent variables associated with invasive amniocentesis were not included in the logistic regression model, because these were not baseline variables but were used for comparison. In the logistic regression model, continuous data were transformed into dichotomous data to decrease the problem of multicollinearity, especially between the serum CRP and plasma IL-6 (r = 0.495) or for prediction or decision-making purposes. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify the best cut-off values for dichotomization. The optimal cut-off values were selected on the basis of the Youden index (maximum [sensitivity + specificity] − 1). The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) for each protein and the cervical length were measured, and compared using the method described by DeLong et al. . The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of plasma IL-6 and cervical length with reference to AF IL-6 and serum CRP levels were calculated and compared using the McNemar test. The sampling-to-delivery interval was assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis and was compared between groups using the log-rank test. The Cox proportional model was used to determine whether higher levels of various proteins in plasma were associated with the sampling-to-delivery interval after adjusting for other prognostic variables. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to measure the relationship between the continuous variables that did not follow a normal distribution. All P values were two-sided, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant.
In total, 173 women with a diagnosis of preterm labor who met all the inclusion criteria were finally included. Their mean gestational ages (± standard deviation) at sampling and at delivery were 30.1 ± 2.7 weeks and 35.3 ± 3.9 weeks, respectively. The prevalence of intra-amniotic infection was 9.2% (16/173), and the microbes isolated from the AF in 16 patients were Ureaplasma urealyticum (n = 16) and Mycoplasma hominis (n = 13). Polymicrobial invasion was present in 13 of the 16 patients (81.2%). SPTD within 48 h of sampling occurred in 15.0% (26/173) of the patients.
Of the measured plasma proteins (IL-6, MMP-9, C3a, and C5a), positive significant correlations were found only between C5a and C3a (r = 0.376, P < 0.001) and between C5a and MMP-9 (r = 0.166, P = 0.029), and only the plasma IL-6 level was significantly correlated with serum CRP level (r = 0.494, P < 0.001) and AF IL-6 level (r = 0.289, P < 0.001). Cervical length was significantly correlated with the plasma MMP-9 level (r = − 0.269, P < 0.001) and serum CRP (r = − 0.159, P = 0.036), while other immune-related proteins measured in plasma were not correlated with cervical length (all variables, r = − 0.114 to − 0.040, P > 0.05).
The demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population according to AF culture results are presented in Table 1. Table 2 describes the clinical characteristics of the study population according to the occurrence of SPTD within 48 h after sampling.
Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to further examine the relationship between the various proteins in plasma, intra-amniotic infection, and imminent preterm delivery after adjusting for the effects of baseline variables. Regarding the prediction of intra-amniotic infection, the following variables were entered into the multivariate logistic regression analysis as significant predictors in the univariate analyses (P < 0.1): gestational age at sampling, serum CRP and plasma IL-6 levels, and cervical length. In this model, all continuous predictors were entered as dichotomous variables using the cut-off values derived from the ROC curves. The optimal cutoff values for gestational age at sampling, serum CRP level, plasma IL-6 level, and cervical length were ≤ 29.0 weeks, ≥11.2 mg/L, ≥4.8 pg/mL, and ≤ 20.6 mm, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression model indicated that only a high plasma IL-6 level was independently associated with intra-amniotic infection (Table 3). Likewise, when imminent preterm delivery was used as an outcome measure, the following dichotomized variables were used for logistic regression analysis: older age (≥33 years); multiparity, high level of serum CRP (≥3.5 mg/L), high level of plasma IL-6 (≥4.8 pg/mL), and short cervical length (≤20.0 mm). Logistic regression showed that a high plasma IL-6 level was significantly associated with imminent preterm delivery, even after adjustment for other confounders, including high serum CRP levels, short cervical length, and multiparity (Table 3).
Fig. 1 displays the ROC curves for the plasma IL-6, AF IL-6, and serum CRP levels in predicting intra-amniotic infection (Fig. 1a) and imminent preterm delivery (Fig. 1b). In predicting intra-amniotic infection, the AUC for plasma IL-6 was significantly lower than that for AF IL-6 (P < 0.001), but was not different from the AUC for serum CRP (P = 0.414) (Fig. 1a). Differences in the AUCs between plasma IL-6, AF IL-6, and serum CRP tests were not statistically significant in predicting imminent preterm delivery (Fig. 1b).
Figure 2 shows the Kaplan–Meier estimates of the sampling-to-delivery interval for a plasma IL-6 level of ≥4.8 or < 4.8 pg/mL (Fig. 2a), serum CRP level of ≥3.5 or < 3.5 mg/L (Fig. 2b), and AF IL-6 level of ≥1.5 or < 1.5 ng/mL (Fig. 2c). Comparisons made by the log rank test were statistically significant (plasma IL-6 ≥ 4.8 pg/mL, P < 0.001; CRP ≥3.5 mg/L, P = 0.001; and AF IL-6 ≥ 1.5 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Similarly, using Cox proportional hazards regression model, high level of plasma IL-6 was found to be significantly associated with the sampling-to-delivery interval after being controlled for multiparity, high level of serum CRP, short cervical length, and antenatal corticosteroids (hazard ratio: 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.36–3.05, P = 0.001).
Table 4 shows the diagnostic values of plasma IL-6, AF IL-6, serum CRP, and cervical length for predicting intra-amniotic infection and imminent preterm delivery. Plasma IL-6 was less sensitive and specific than AF IL-6 (McNemar's test, P < 0.001), less specific than CRP (P = 0.005), and equivalent in sensitivity to CRP (P = 0.687) for detecting intra-amniotic infection. For detection of imminent preterm delivery, the sensitivity of plasma IL-6 was not significantly different from that of AF IL-6 (P = 0.508) or CRP (P = 0.289), whereas the specificity of plasma IL-6 was significantly better than that of CRP (P < 0.001) but not significantly different from that of AF IL-6 (P = 1.000).
cP < 0.001 compared to plasma IL-6 by the method of DeLong et al.
Our principal findings are as follows: (i) in women with preterm labor, plasma IL-6 is moderately predictive of intra-amniotic infection and imminent preterm delivery; (ii) plasma IL-6 has a worse overall diagnostic performance than that of AF IL-6 and a similar diagnostic performance to that of CRP (a prototype of inflammatory response) in predicting intra-amniotic infection; (iii) for prediction of imminent preterm delivery, the diagnostic performance of plasma IL-6, AF IL-6, and serum CRP was similar; and (iv) the plasma levels of MMP-9, C3a, and C5a could not predict intra-amniotic infection or imminent preterm delivery. Similar results regarding the relationship between plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines levels, intra-amniotic infection, and histologic chorioamnionitis were also documented in women with preterm labor [13, 19, 25] and pPROM [13, 16].
We found that an elevated plasma level of IL-6 predicted intra-amniotic infection in women with preterm labor. Our findings confirm those previously reported by Cobo et al., demonstrating that women with preterm labor (22 + 0 to 31 + 6 weeks of gestation) and intra-amniotic infection had higher levels of maternal serum IL-6 than did those without intra-amniotic infection . Moreover, we showed that the association between plasma IL-6 and intra-amniotic infection remained unchanged in multivariate logistic analysis after adjusting for gestational age at sampling and CRP. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to compare plasma IL-6 with AF IL-6 and serum CRP in terms of overall accuracy in identifying intra-amniotic infection. We found that plasma IL-6 has a worse overall diagnostic performance than that of AF IL-6 in predicting intra-amniotic infection. These findings suggest that microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) in women with preterm labor elicits a much weaker inflammatory response (mediated by IL-6) in the maternal plasma compartment than in the AF compartment and, thus, the inflammatory biomarkers in the maternal plasma cannot precisely reflect the infectious status of the amniotic cavity. In fact, these observations are natural because microorganisms in the amniotic cavity can directly increase the production of the chemical mediators in the original site (i.e., AF), where the host immune response to microorganisms occurs. Accordingly, to determine maternal plasma biomarkers, future studies based on histologic chorioamnionitis rather than MIAC are warranted because acute inflammatory processes of the placenta are of maternal origin  and may be reflected in the plasma.
As previously reported [17, 19, 27, 28], we found that elevated plasma IL-6 levels predict imminent preterm delivery with a diagnostic performance similar to that of AF IL-6. Further, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that factors such as multiparity, high serum CRP level, and short cervical length, as well as high plasma IL-6 levels, were also independently associated with an increased risk of imminent preterm delivery, similar to the findings of Tsiartas et al. . Taken together, these findings suggested that the etiology of preterm labor leading to SPTD may be multifactorial. Thus, a combination of factors contributing to the pathophysiology of preterm birth may enhance the ability to predict SPTD. We believe that, unlike predicting intra-amniotic infection, a highly sensitive and specific test for SPTD can be created by developing novel biomarkers in maternal plasma, alone or in combination with clinical parameters, thus allowing targeted interventions.
Importantly, we found that serum CRP (the most used infection/inflammation marker) has a predictive power similar to that of plasma IL-6 for predicting intra-amniotic infection and is similar to that of plasma IL-6 and AF IL-6 for predicting imminent preterm delivery. Similarly, our previous study found that serum CRP has a diagnostic performance similar to that of IL-6 and MMP-9 in AF for the detection of histologic chorioamnionitis . These may be important from a clinical perspective, as the measurement of serum CRP is simple, noninvasive, and inexpensive and may provide information to improve maternal and infant health and patient counseling. However, it is not a sensitive or specific marker for either intra-amniotic infection or SPTD [30, 31].
MMP-9 is an important zinc-dependent protease in the MMP superfamily, which is involved in inflammation, cytokine processing, and tissue remodeling . Therefore, several studies have investigated the high expression of MMP-9 in AF associated with intra-amniotic infection, and found AF MMP-9 levels to be the strongest predictor of intra-amniotic infection in preterm labor [7, 8]. However, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the changes in MMP-9 levels in maternal plasma in relation to intra-amniotic infection and imminent preterm delivery in the setting of preterm labor. We observed that intra-amniotic infection was not associated with a change in plasma MMP-9 levels. Moreover, regarding imminent preterm delivery, no significant change in MMP-9 levels was observed, consistent with the findings of a previous study conducted in an asymptomatic cohort .
The complement system is pivotal for innate immunity, the first line of defense against invading pathogens . Thus, the relationship between complement activation, preterm birth, and intra-uterine infection/inflammation has been investigated. Interestingly, Lynch et al. found that elevated plasma levels of the complement activation fragment C3a and Bb in early gestation (< 20 weeks) are independent predictive factors for SPTD [34, 35]. Soto et al. reported that women with preterm labor and intra-amniotic infection have higher median maternal plasma C3a and C5a levels than those with preterm labor without intra-amniotic infection, whereas there was no difference in the plasma C3a and C5a levels between women with preterm labor who delivered at term and those with preterm delivery (< 37 weeks) . However, our study did not reveal any association between plasma complement C3a/C5a and intra-amniotic infection or imminent preterm delivery, suggesting that the maternal immune system in the plasma compartment related to complement does not respond to the microbes or microbial products in the amniotic cavity and is not implicated in the process of preterm parturition. This discrepancy may be attributed to differences in the populations studied (asymptomatic women versus those presenting with symptoms of preterm labor), study design (cross-sectional versus longitudinal), and sample size.
Our study has several limitations. First, it was a retrospective study conducted at a single center, limiting the generalizability of our findings. Second, we did not fully characterize the inflammatory and immune proteins in plasma but only measured the relevant proteins that had the most potential as a plasma biomarker of high accuracy to detect intra-amniotic infection and preterm birth [13, 17, 18, 29, 34]. Third, in line with our previous studies [6, 20], only Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis were detected in the AF, although the reason is unclear. However, considering the fact that various aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were recovered from the AF of women with pPROM in our hospital during nearly the same period [36, 37], we believe that isolation of only mycoplasma in the current study is not associated with the technical problems of aerobic and anaerobic cultures in our hospital. Fourth, the treatment regimen for management of preterm labor varied according to the study period and the obstetrician, which may lead to affecting the outcome of interest and statistical analyses.
In conclusion, maternal plasma IL-6 independently predicts intra-amniotic infection in women with preterm labor; however, it has worse diagnostic performance than that of AF IL-6 and similar performance to that of serum CRP. For prediction of imminent preterm delivery, the diagnostic performance of plasma IL-6, AF IL-6, and serum CRP were similar. Plasma MMP-9, C3a, and C5a levels did not predict intra-amniotic infection or imminent preterm delivery. Therefore, the assessment of inflammatory and immune markers in the maternal plasma may have limited clinical usefulness for identifying intra-amniotic infection in women with preterm labor. Further studies should utilize cervicovaginal fluid, rather than maternal plasma, to help identify new non-invasive biomarkers for intra-amniotic infection.
This study was supported by a grant from the Korea Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (Grant No. HI 14C1798).
The dataset for this study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
HP: Data acquisition; analysis and interpretation; drafting the article. KHP: Conception and design; data acquisition; analysis and interpretation; drafting the article and final approval of the version to be published. YMK: Data acquisition and analysis. SYK: Data acquisition; analysis and interpretation. SJJ: Data acquisition; analysis and interpretation. HNY: Conception and design; data acquisition; analysis and interpretation. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
The ethics committee at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital approved the study (IRB no. B-1105/128–102). Patients provided written informed consent for the collection and use of the blood and AF samples and for the use of their clinical information for research purposes.


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Harvest Capital Credit (NASDAQ:HCAP) issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday. The investment management company reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01, MarketWatch Earnings reports. The firm had revenue of $4.07 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.90 million. Harvest Capital Credit had a return on equity of 7.86% and a net margin of 30.83%.
Shares of HCAP traded up $0.10 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $10.30. 25,809 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,014. The company has a market cap of $65.98 million, a PE ratio of 8.05 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a current ratio of 9.73, a quick ratio of 9.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. Harvest Capital Credit has a 12 month low of $9.31 and a 12 month high of $11.65.
The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 25th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 18th will be given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 17th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 9.32%. Harvest Capital Credit's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 75.00%.
In other news, CEO Joseph A. Jolson acquired 19,658 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 27th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $9.63 per share, with a total value of $189,306.54. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 20,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $192,600. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Joseph A. Jolson acquired 18,919 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 21st. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $9.52 per share, for a total transaction of $180,108.88. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 20,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $190,400. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have purchased 70,204 shares of company stock worth $677,420. 9.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
An institutional investor recently raised its position in Harvest Capital Credit stock. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Harvest Capital Credit Corp (NASDAQ:HCAP) by 201.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 22,361 shares of the investment management company's stock after purchasing an additional 14,936 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC owned about 0.35% of Harvest Capital Credit worth $225,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.16% of the company's stock.
Separately, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Harvest Capital Credit from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 15th.
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Harvest Capital Credit Corporation is a business development company providing structured credit to small businesses and specializing in leveraged buyouts, add-on acquisitions, recapitalizations, growth financings and debt refinancing investments. It prefers to invest in North America-based companies.
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text:
Burgess, Ruth;Polhill, Chris
Harvey, John
Harvey, Ruth
Paynter, Neil
Pickard, Jan Sutch
Love is Never Done
Neil Paynter £10.99
Daily reflections and resources for Holy Week from members, associates and friends of the Iona Community.
The Adventure is Beginning
Daily readings, with prayers, poems and actions, for Advent and Christmas from members, associates and friends of the Iona Community.
Journeys in Community
John Harvey & Ruth Harvey £9.99
A book of reflections, meditations and prayers for Advent and Christmas, Lent, Holy Week and Easter, Ascension and Pentecost arising out of conversations about faith, love, doubt and hope.
Voices Out of Lockdown
Jan Sutch Pickard (ed) £7.99
During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in spring 2020, many people turned to writing. Human words, sent out across the void of our isolation. Here are the voices of just a few – with poems, psalms, songs, affirmations of faith and prayers written during a full and fraught ten weeks.
In Love With the Life of Life
Daily readings, with prayers, poems and actions, for Lent and Holy Week from members, associates and friends of the Iona Community.
Sing But Keep On Walking
Jan Sutch Pickard £7.50
Readings, poems and prayers for Advent, moving between the islands of Mull and Iona and the hills of the West Bank and Jerusalem: places 'on the edge' – where God comes to us in human form, as living Word, as light out of darkness.
Iona of My Heart
Neil Paynter £9.99
Daily readings celebrating the 'Iona effect' – about people from different countries and backgrounds coming together. Stories of encounter, challenge, exchange, connection, transformation. Stories about people and the power of the Spirit.
A Pocket Full of Crumbs
Poems of strong and well-crafted connections - between communities in the West of Scotland and the West Bank Palestinian territories; between prayer and politics; between a lyrical delight in the natural world - and down-to-earth living, observed with warmth and humour.
In the Gift of This New Day
A book of modern, engaged prayers following the rhythm of the Iona Community's daily prayer cycle which is based on the many and varied concerns of the Community.
We Will Seek Peace and Pursue It
A book of readings, reflections and prayers about 'the bombs and bullets and landmines we drop into the heart of other people's lives' - and the many good folk working for peace and reconciliation at home and abroad. It can be used for personal and group reflection or in worship.
Walking Through Advent
'Walk humbly with God ' Advent is a time of wonder and waiting - but that's not a passive thing. We need to walk into Advent with our eyes open. Join us on a cheerful, thoughtful, justice-seeking journey towards Bethlehem, a journey day by day through Advent. Jan Sutch Pickard is a former Warden of Iona Abbey, who has also been Vice President of the Methodist Conference and an Ecumenical Accompanier.
The Still Small Voice
Temporarily out of stock - being reprinted. Short daily readings for the whole year. Short because sometimes it feels like the world is so crowded with words that it is difficult to focus on the Word. A book for those who feel themselves travelling at an increasingly frantic pace each day, and are hungry for snatches of nourishment to feed their souls.
Living Letters of the Word
Daily readings for four months from a wide range of contributors within the Iona Community which can be used for group or individual reflection and are intended to inspire positive action and change in our lives.
Going Home Another Way
Resources for Christmastide to help you hear God''s Word through the commercialism of the season, the propaganda of the times; and to glimpse the sacred in the secular.
Between High and Low Water
Jan Sutch Pickard £10.99
A book of poems from the edge, by the author of Dandelions and Thistles. With down-to-earth detail, they celebrate the beauty, uniqueness, mystery of this world which we share and the courage of people who, confronted by injustice, hold on to their humanity.
Gathered and Scattered
Daily readings for four months from a wide range of contributors within the Iona Community, reflecting the concerns of the community. A follow-up to the best-selling This Is the Day.
Growing Hope
A whole year's worth of daily quotes and readings - poems, prayers, short reflections and stories - from writers and thinkers who have inspired the Iona Community and from members of the community themselves.
Iona Dawn
Neil Paynter (ed) £8.99
The dramatic events of the days leading up to Easter Sunday are expressed through biblical readings and the reflections of several well-known Iona Community members.
Out of Iona
Poems, readings and reflections which capture not only the wildness and beauty of the island of Iona but also the pressures and gifts of living in a community on an island of pilgrimage.
This Is the Day
Neil Paynter (ed) £10.99
Daily readings for four months from a wide range of contributors within the Iona Community. These prayers, liturgies, songs, poems and articles, which reflect the concerns of the Community, can be used for group or individual reflection and are intended to inspire positive action and change in our lives.
Blessed Be Our Table
This book invites us to recommit ourselves to act for justice each time we join in the simple sharing of a meal. It is also very much a celebration - of food, of diversity, of community and sharing, of Creator and creation.
Eggs and Ashes
Ruth Burgess and Chris Polhill £14.99
Modern, relevant resources to accompany readers through Lent and Easter for many years, with material for Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Mothering Sunday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week, as well as suggestions for a Lent discipline.
Lent and Easter Readings from Iona
Lent is traditionally a time of repentance and penitence but it also offers an opportunity to see the world afresh. These readings encourage us not only to regard ourselves with a healthy realism, so that we can accept responsibility for our shortcomings, but also recognise the nature and purposes of God and the never-ending renewal of possibility, both within ourselves and in the world.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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De Beneluxbrug is een brug over het kanaal-Kortrijk Bossuit in Harelbeke, België.

Beneluxbrug kan ook verwijzen naar:

 Beneluxbrug, IJsselstein, Nederland.
 Beneluxbrug, Groningen, Nederland.


text:
class BookmarkModel;
class BookmarkNode;
class Profile;

namespace test {

// Blocks until |model| finishes loading.
void WaitForBookmarkModelToLoad(BookmarkModel* model);
void WaitForBookmarkModelToLoad(Profile* profile);

// Return the descendants of |node| as a string useful for verifying node
// modifications. The format of the resulting string is:
//
//           result = node " " , { node " " }
//             node = bookmark title | folder
//           folder = folder title ":[ " { node " " } "]"
//   bookmark title = (* string with no spaces *)
//     folder title = (* string with no spaces *)
//
// Example: "a f1:[ b d c ] d f2:[ e f g ] h "
//
// (Logically, we should use |string16|s, but it's more convenient for test
// purposes to use (UTF-8) |std::string|s.)
std::string ModelStringFromNode(const BookmarkNode* node);

// Create and add the node hierarchy specified by |model_string| to the
// bookmark node given by |node|. The string has the same format as
// specified for ModelStringFromNode(). The new nodes added to |node|
// are appended to the end of node's existing subnodes, if any.
// |model| must be the model of which |node| is a member.
// NOTE: The string format is very rigid and easily broken if not followed
//       exactly (since we're using a very simple parser).
void AddNodesFromModelString(BookmarkModel* model,
                             const BookmarkNode* node,
                             const std::string& model_string);
}  // namespace test

#endif  // CHROME_BROWSER_BOOKMARKS_BOOKMARK_TEST_HELPERS_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D is a basic port from the Nintendo 64 version of the game (or perhaps the other way around, but in any case they're identical on both systems) with the exception of the main screen and the cheat codes.
You are Luke Skywalker, Rebel hero and leader of the elite group of pilots known as Rogue Squadron. Set during the time period between the first Star Wars film (a.k.a. A New Hope) and The Empire Strikes Back, this game features a series of 16 missions plus three bonus ones available based on your ability to earn medals. To earn a medal in a mission, you must complete its objectives and meet certain statistical benchmarks; the better your numbers, the better your medals, from bronze to silver to gold. Along the way you also receive promotions, from novice to flight commander to captain and so forth.
LucasArts was smart to dump a lot of the extra baggage in their earlier X-Wing game when creating this one. Rogue Squadron is more of a basic Arcade shooter; you can't transfer power from shields to weapons and vice-versa, for example. Each ship only has so much strength in its shields, and once that's used up the next hit you take will send you to a spectacular crash (the crashes are great in this game -- try to watch if you can as a TIE fighter plows into a mountain or hits the water). Your main weapons, however, have unlimited power, although your special weapons (proton torpedoes on X-wings, cluster missiles on V-wings, and so forth) have a limited capacity which can't be replenished.
The missions are varied and fun to play. They're divided into four chapters, with the final one being just one mission: The Battle of Calamari (fans of the Dark Empire comic book will recognize the V-wings and World Devestators). Along the way a story is told, and each chapter is preceded by the main Star Wars theme, along with the now-familiar scrolling text telling the player what has happened so far.
Part of the story involves an Imperial pilot named Kasan Moor who defects to the Rebels. Pursuing her is Moff Kohl Seerdon, who is determined to punish her for her actions and pops up a couple times. Sub-plots abound, such as the capture of Wedge Antilles by the Imperials and a power struggle over much-needed bacta supplies. This is gameplaying at its best, because players feels like they're really part of a big story as opposed to repeating the same level over and over again with minor variations.
A lot of thought and care obviously went into each mission. The planets are varied and their scenery is really well done, although the use of fogging to obscure a lack of graphics can be frustrating when you're hunting for that elusive enemy ship. Fans of the original films will enjoy going to places such as Corellia, home planet of Han Solo; Kessel, whose spice mines C-3PO was sure he'd be sent to; and Calamari, home of Calamarians like Admiral Ackbar who were featured in Return of the Jedi. The most impressive planet has to be Sullust, where the action takes place underground among fiery volcanoes and toxic gases. Taloraan, a gas giant similar to Bespin, is a close second with its music lifted straight from the film; the ability to fly to great heights and depths in the planet's atmosphere makes up for the lack of any space-bound missions.
The graphics are really beautiful. Every ship is rendered exactly as it should be, and the planets have unique personalities. You really do feel like you're in the cockpit of one of these ships, engaged in a fierce dogfight. My only complaint is that this game doesn't handle as well on a PC as it does on the N64. Even with 333Mhz, 4MB of video RAM, a 3D card and 64 MB of RAM, it still felt choppy. This made it difficult to zero in on targets, which really held down my shooting percentages. In missions where accuracy is key, prepare yourself for some frustration.
Overall though, this game is a blast. It's a must for any videogame enthusiast -- even if they're not a big Star Wars fan.
Graphics: Beautiful. The only aspect which holds it back is the overuse of fogging in some missions.
Sound: Awesome. All the sounds from the films are there. You'll feel like you've stepped into one of the movies.
Enjoyment: Lots of fun, but I take this area down a notch due to the nature of the controls. It's tougher than it should be to get a bead on enemy fighters, especially when compared to the Nintendo 64 version of this game.
Replay Value: It should take quite a while to get through all the missions and do well enough to open the bonus ones.


text:
Q: Which nonabelian simple groups admit a generating pair $g,h$ such that $g,[g,h]$ is also generating? Let $G$ be a finite nonabelian simple group. Must $G$ admit a pair of generators $g,h$ such that $g,[g,h]$ also generate?
I've computationally verified this for the first 21 nonabelian finite simple groups, though I don't know if this should hold in general.

A: Here is another approach. As noted in the comments, the question is equivalent to asking which finite simple groups can be generated by two conjugate elements.
It is known that most, but not all, non-Abelian simple groups can be generated by an element of order $2$ and an element of order $3$. It is proved in https://arxiv.org/abs/1603.04717 by Carlisle King that every finite simple group can be generated by two elements of prime order, and that one of the elements may be chosen to have order two. However if $G$ is a non-Abelian finite simple group with $G = \langle x,t \rangle,$ where $t$ has order $2$, then $\langle x,t^{-1}xt \rangle$ is normalized by both $x$ and $t$, so is normal in $G,$ and is all of $G$. Hence every non-Abelian finite simple group can be generated by a pair of conjugate elements.

A: Yes, this is true, at least for large enough groups. It is known that a random pair of elements generate a finite simple group (with probability approaching $1,$ as size goes to infinity), and also
Robert M. Guralnick, Martin W. Liebeck, Jan Saxl, and Aner Shalev, MR 1707675 Random generation of finite simple groups, J. Algebra 219 (1999), no. 1, 345--355.
Show that for random $x, y,$ the elements $x$ and $x^y$ generate with probability again approaching $1.$ as size goes to infinity.
The combination of the last two statements shows that your conjecture is true for large groups. It's quite possible that you can extract the statement for all simple groups by reading the referenced paper.


Our range of modern metal bed frames can instantly give your bedroom a new look. Our extensive range includes both modern and classic styles from brands such as Serene, Julian Bowen and Bentley Designs. We stock single, double and king size beds at affordable prices - and when you've made your choice our staff will deliver your new bed to your door, free of charge!


Spectator safety expert witnesses may be an important aspect of a wide range of cases, since spectator safety must be properly implemented in any type of event with an audience in attendance. Spectator safety expert consulting may provide valuable insight for cases involving such issues as stadiums, concert halls, sporting events, architecture, civil engineering, amphitheaters, fire protection engineering, crowd control, safety and security, law enforcement, police training and procedures, risk management, campus safety, structural engineering, premises security, and numerous other related disciplines, as spectator safety encompasses numerous safety measures and procedures, each of which may be at the center of a possible lawsuit.
Spectator safety experts often have backgrounds working in various security positions, which is a major component of spectator safety. As with any type of discipline concerning security or law enforcement, it is imperative that members of security adhere to the proper security guard procedures and other rules and regulations. Spectator safety expert witnesses may also have worked in such areas as cruise ships, jails and other types of correctional facilities, department stores, carnivals, airports, casinos, sporting events, and other types of locations containing large groups of people. Other spectator safety cases may concern premises liability, personal injury, wrongful death, or other type of accident-related issue.
Call ForensisGroup today at 1-800-555-5422 to receive a free initial consultation with our knowledgeable staff. We will locate a credible and skilled spectator safety expert witness whose unique background best fits the specific details of your case.


Hi my fellow crafters! I'm Myleen and super excited to be joining in on the fun for a 2nd year! Last year the group I was in we all did our own thing. Would everyone like to follow the group theme or fly solo?
A little FYI about me. I live in South Florida with my husband, Allan, son, Mason and two dogs, Bailey and Aries. When I'm not making a mess and gluing my fingers together, you can find me online providing Marketing and Communications support to Creative Professionals.
Hello Everyone! My name is Nasley. I am also doing this exchange for the 2nd time. It was so much fun receiving all the packages in the mail and adding ornaments to my tree as they came in. I cant wait to see what everyone comes up with this year.
I do not mind if we pick a theme or not, but I would like to get started ASAP. Last year I made some mistakes and wished I had more time to fix them.
A little bit about me... I live in Sausalito, California in a National Park called Golden Gate National Recreation Area. I work for a Children's Museum and facilitate science programs with preschool children.
Hi, it's my 2nd year as well and I have a few ornaments I've been messing around with. But I'm also happy to try to come up with something theme-y.
Does anyone have favorite colors or a Xmas decor theme they use? It's my first year having a reasonably normal sized tree, so I'm quite excited for new decorations and don't have any particular theme yet.
Hm, the biggest event for me this year was moving back to the Washington, DC area. Last week I FINALLY finished unpacking/sorting the craft room/guest room!! I spend a good chunk of my time reading and petting my 3 kitties.
Oh, also, would anyone be interested in some kind of little... postcard or tiny souvenir exchange with this? Just something small from your hometown tucked into the box. I miss travelling and revel a bit in the DC area's tourist-y delights.
@Kilani - Love the postcard idea! I too just upgraded to a full size tree so definitely looking forward to filling in those bald spots. My color theme this year is red, green and gold. I personally try to keep everything simple with a little sparkle.
@Nasley - Looking forward to starting ASAP too. Itching to get the ole glue gun out to play!
I'm happy to stick to that red/gold/green kind of classic holiday thing. We just got our tree (!!!) ... in a box... LOL so I'm starting to get into the spirit a bit now.
I'll start keeping an eye out for silly souvenirs or postcards here. Gives me an excuse to hit some tourist spots in the next couple weeks!
Hi ladies, let's just do our own thing. Super excited to see what we all come up with!
I'm very excited to participate for my third year! I am an editorial/book illustrator and part time college instructor living in sunny Philadelphia. I don't often have a chance to use glitter so I satisfy my desire for all things shiny with gold leaf. I love the post card idea and will be on the lookout for some touristy things in my area.
I'm thinking eggs as a base to work with. Although I love decorating hollowed out eggs I'm considering the metallic plastic ones. I'm not sure my idea will work so don't be surprised if you get something else!
Is everyone good with the red, gold and green classic theme? I'm up for anything so surprise me!
Ok......I have to buy a new glue gun, so off to the art store. It's nice to meet all of you!
I haven't sorted out what I'm doing yet, but I did find this site that has PILES of DIY ornaments... just something to skim through for inspiration!!
I look forward to small little packages! Have a great week everyone!
All of my ornaments are drying, so I have some finishing touches to put on tonight and I'll mail tomorrow afternoon. Yay!
I'm looking forward to relieving yours!
I got your ornament too Cristina. Its beautiful. Expect mine soon!
Just sent my ornaments out to you.
And sorry, I tried to find postcards. The closest place was on the beach.
Just checked my mailbox and got Christina's package! Super cute!
Hope everyone had fun crafting!
Got a lovely owl today! Gorgeous!!
Shipped my stuff out Saturday and I am SO worried that they won't ship safely. :-/ Keeping my fingers cross that they all arrive in one piece.
I now have three beautiful ornaments hanging on my tree......They all are awesome! Thanks so much everyone and I hope you have a terrific holiday!!! Merry Christmas to all!


Eric Picard is the Advertising Technology Advisor to the Advertising Platform Engineering team at Microsoft, where he works on long term vision and coordinates between the business and technology teams. Eric has held several pivotal advertising technology roles at Microsoft where he covered several key areas, including working on the long term ad platform and product strategy – determining what the end-state of Microsoft's ad platforms and other advertising offerings should look like. He also managed emerging media planning, and the advertising technology acquisition planning from 2005 through 2007. Formerly, Eric was founder and director of product management at Bluestreak, where he invented and oversaw advertising products. A frequent speaker across the online advertising industry, Eric has written a monthly column about advertising technology since 1999. Eric's primary goal is to define the future of advertising technology at the ecosystem level: trying to set in motion the forces of evolution that will change advertising forever.
Join panelists from Microsoft, MySpace, OneRiot, Twitter and an angel investor as they introduce new monetization opportunities for the realtime web ecosystem, outline new advertising systems created to capitalize on today's hyperfresh web, and debate the best way to optimize this experience for both consumers and advertisers. Read more.


UnderCurrent visited The Winning Group's funky new head office in Redfern, south Sydney, today for a dimly lit tour of the new premises housing Winning Appliances, Appliances Online, Big Brown Box and PowerBuys and The Handy Crew.
The screens at the top of this shot provide instant feedback on callers to Appliances Online and Big Brown Box's hotlines.
There is still room for another 150 staff members at this site – and the Winning Group is expanding rapidly so that's good news.
A ping pong table in a rec room bigger than UnderCurrent's office. The Winning Group has houses similar to Hogwarts that regularly compete in tourneys. UnderCurrent understands that big boss John Winning's house is called 'The Hermanators'.
Another shot of the enormous rec room. UnderCurrent is pretty sure this is the most awesome office environment it's seen.
Looking out from the offices, one can see the construction site of the new flagship Winning Appliances showroom, due to open in May 2013.
The Winning Group has the industry's longest mission statements. This is just one section – click on the image for a closer look.
And who did UnderCurrent run into making a cup of coffee? None other than new Winning Appliances CEO David Crane.