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Now with more fibre
This is not solved yet as we still see reports of work in progress, new node replacements and customers still seeing the dip in speeds in the evenings.
I joined cable when it was still called Chello, provided by Saturn (before being TelstraSaturn, TelstraClear and then finally, Vodafone). Below is the welcome pack given to customers joining the cable TV and broadband services:
When we bought a house one of the main points in the checklist was the possibility to connect to the cable network. This was when broadband wasn't a thing, when people in ADSL areas couldn't get more than 10Mbps, etc. It was a good run, more than 16 years but enough is enough.
I have been waiting patiently for fibre to arrive in our area. I said many times in the Geekzone discussion on this topic that if fibre was available here before Vodafone fixed their HFC woes, then I'd saw. When Chorus started work in our area I was worried about install costs, time, etc.
Well, last week we got a card in the mailbox. Fibre is here, and available now. So I had to go ahead and swap. 2degrees broadband got our business. Install was initially set to a couple of weeks later but I got a call from our new provider saying Chorus had a team working weekends and if I minded them doing the job this Saturday. By all means, go ahead!
The install was easy. We are lucky that we didn't need consent from neighbours and lucky our connection was an aerial drop instead of an underground cable. The two technicians had the whole thing installed and tested in about 90 minutes. I swapped our router to the ONT, reconfigured to PPoE using the 2degrees credentials and instant results.
Now we are another household part of the "Number of fibre-connected kiwis" statistics. And one less Vodafone HFC customer.
PS. By the way, I found the Saturn Welcome Pack emptying a cabinet drawer while waiting for the Chorus technicians to finish their install. What an interesting twist.
Other related posts:
Microsoft Ignite New Zealand, Microsoft Surface Studio
Geekzone data analytics with Power BI
Unlimited is not unlimited: Vodafone cable going gigabit
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The Livorno modern bathroom vanity is one that shines with the ?wow? factor. While the bathroom vanity cabinets are made of solid wood, this creative vanity style offers an outstanding opportunity to individually enhance your bathroom design. The unique and intelligent use of lighting integrated into the mirror brings FUN, FUNCTION and BEAUTY to your bathroom. The lighting is virtually maintenance free - it rarely burns out; it is safe to the touch - it does not get hot. These ultra fashionable mirrors offer a luminous glow to add the ultimate finishing touch to modern decor. You do not need to worry about energy consumption either, since the integrated lighting is ultra efficient as well. The modern bathroom vanity mirror is sure to deliver a dramatic lighting solution to any bathroom decor.At the pinnacle of this bathroom vanity cabinet sits a curvaceous fashionista contemporary sink. A sophisticated lighting pattern shines from the mirror to coordinate with its framed bathroom vanity cabinet counterpart. The main cabinet, featuring 1 large cabinet area, allows for plenty of flexible storage. The elegant matching side wall cabinet is also included to extend the impressive quality and storage capabilities of this unique and well-crafted bathroom vanity set. Every element included in this modern bathroom vanity was designed to exquisitely offer a state of luxury, while the combination of these parts delivers an atmosphere of rest and relaxation.
The Livorno is a contemporary bathroom vanity set which proves once again that beauty, form, and function can co-exist harmoniously.
Warehouse Location
2920 Commodore Dr Suite 120
Carrollton, Texas 75007

subset: commoncrawl


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Pannenkoeken CafeLincoln Square Map
Find Parking | Menu
This tiny little Lincoln Square breakfast-and-lunch only spot specializes in pannenkoeken (PAN-eh-kook-en), Dutch-style pancakes. What makes these cakes different from the typical buttermilk pancake? It's the size and thickness--co-owner Gina Salgado tells us they measure about 11-inches in diameter and they're slightly thicker than a traditional crepe--plus the cakes come with toppings like chocolate and banana, apple-ginger, or bacon and cheese. In addition to the namesake cake, choose from options such as Denver omelets, French toast, Belgian waffles and breakfast sandwiches, plus fresh-squeezed OJ and a full espresso bar.


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Bugei on Cover of Blade Magazine
James' Custom L6 katana has been featured on the cover of Blade Magazine, as well as James himself. We at Bugei would like to thank Howard Clark and Ted Tenold for providing us with such quality blades. They have produced some outstanding work with our custom blade line. The article features interviews with Howard Clark and James Williams, as well as pictures of the Custom L6 featured on the cover. Keep an eye out for this issue.


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- Research Article
- Open Access
Comparison of novel and standard diagnostic tools for the detection of Schistosoma mekongi infection in Lao People's Democratic Republic and Cambodia
© The Author(s). 2017
- Received: 1 February 2017
- Accepted: 12 July 2017
- Published: 10 August 2017
Given the restricted distribution of Schistosoma mekongi in one province in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and two provinces in Cambodia, together with progress of the national control programmes aimed at reducing morbidity and infection prevalence, the elimination of schistosomiasis mekongi seems feasible. However, sensitive diagnostic tools will be required to determine whether elimination has been achieved. We compared several standard and novel diagnostic tools in S. mekongi-endemic areas.
The prevalence and infection intensity of S. mekongi were evaluated in 377 study participants from four villages in the endemic areas in Lao PDR and Cambodia using Kato-Katz stool examination, antibody detection based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and schistosome circulating antigen detection by lateral-flow tests. Two highly sensitive test systems for the detection of cathodic and anodic circulating antigens (CCA, CAA) in urine and serum were utilized.
Stool microscopy revealed an overall prevalence of S. mekongi of 6.4% (one case in Cambodia and 23 cases in Lao PDR), while that of Opisthorchis viverrini, hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides and Taenia spp. were 50.4%, 28.1%, 3.5%, 0.3% and 1.9%, respectively. In the urine samples, the tests for CCA and CAA detected S. mekongi infections in 21.0% and 38.7% of the study participants, respectively. In the serum samples, the CAA assay revealed a prevalence of 32.4%, while a combination of the CAA assay in serum and in urine revealed a prevalence of 43.2%. There was a difference between the two study locations with a higher prevalence reached in the samples from Lao PDR.
The CCA, CAA and ELISA results showed substantially higher prevalence estimates for S. mekongi compared to Kato-Katz thick smears. Active schistosomiasis mekongi in Lao PDR and Cambodia might thus have been considerably underestimated previously. Hence, sustained control efforts are still needed to break transmission of S. mekongi. The pivotal role of highly sensitive diagnostic assays in areas targeting elimination cannot be overemphasised.
- Cambodia
- Food-borne trematodes
- Kato-Katz
- Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen
- Schistosoma mekongi
- Serology
- Soil-transmitted helminths
- Up-converting phosphor-lateral-flow circulating anodic antigen
Multilingual abstracts
Please see Additional file 1 for translations of the abstract into the five of the six, official working languages of the United Nations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) roadmap for elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) [6] and the Regional Action Plan for NTDs in the Western Pacific Region for 2012–2016 issued by WHO's Western Pacific Region Office (WPRO) [7] recommend targeting schistosomiasis mekongi for elimination. Delineation of infection occurrence based on valid documentation is a necessary step to reach this goal and success depends crucially on the availability of highly sensitive diagnostic techniques providing non-equivocal prevalence values in remaining endemic pockets. In mass deworming campaigns, schistosomiasis is treated with oral single-dose praziquantel (40 mg/kg body weight) since the early 1980s when this drug was introduced [8]. The current approach in communities affected by S. mekongi consists of preventive chemotherapy targeting at-risk populations (e.g. the entire population of villages along the Mekong) without prior diagnosis, complemented with the distribution of information, education and communication (IEC) packages and improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) whenever resources allow [9]. The next stage now being considered is the elimination of this infection as a public health problem. Given its restricted distribution, eradication of S. mekongi might be envisaged. However, the preventive chemotherapy programmes implemented in endemic areas in Cambodia and Lao PDR make individuals harbouring mainly light-intensity infections likely to be missed by the standard and widely used Kato-Katz thick smear technique [10], resulting in imprecise assessment of the impact of preventive chemotherapy and other interventions. The solution lies in modifying the methodology applied according to the prevailing diagnostic need [11], which obliges assays to be more sensitive and specific when priorities shift from control of morbidity to interruption of transmission followed by surveillance [11, 12].
Apart from egg deposition, schistosome worms excrete (regurgitate) a number of different antigens into the host's blood. The circulating anodic antigen (CAA) and its cathodic counterpart (CCA), described by Deelder and colleagues as early as in 1976 [13], are the most well-studied ones. Their detection in serum and urine has been followed up with continuously improving techniques, e.g. by de Jonge et al. [14], van Lieshout et al. [15], van Dam et al. [16] and Corstjens et al. [17]. Importantly, detection of the antigens in either blood or urine is evidence for an ongoing active infection as both antigens are subject to rapid renal clearance from the human circulation [13]. On the other hand, stool examination is marred by the problem that schistosome eggs can be detected up to several weeks after cure [14].
Diagnostic assays should preferably be applied in the field providing results at the point-of-care (POC) to allow appropriate test-and-treat approaches. Diagnostics utilizing the user-friendly, rapid-test platform based on lateral-flow (LF) immunochromatography are well suited for this type of test protocols [18]. As an alternative to egg detection in stool samples, a rapid POC assay for CCA detection in urine (POC-CCA) was developed for S. mansoni infection [16]. The POC-CCA assay is a visually read field assay, which takes about 20 min to perform and which does not require any equipment except the disposables provided with the kit. The colour intensity of the test line on the LF strip has a correlation to the number of eggs in the stool sample investigated [19, 20] and the read-out is at least as sensitive as duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears and considerably less laborious [21–23]. Although it was specifically developed for detection of S. mansoni infections, it has been shown to be suitable for other intestinal schistosomiasis-causing species such as S. mekongi and S. japonicum [24]. In order to increase sensitivity and wider applicability to other schistosome species, another LF-based test that detects CAA specifically and is based on the luminescent up-converting phosphor (UCP) reporter technology has been developed [17]. This test is referred to as UCP-LF CAA and includes different formats, depending on the matrix and sample volume used for testing [25]. The UCP-LF CAA test provides an assay applicable for all known Schistosoma species (including veterinarian ones) and is assumed to allow detection down to the level of a single worm pair while maintaining 100% specificity [25]. The CAA concentration is considered a good proxy for the number of worms present in the host [17]. This approach has been shown to work for S. mansoni [26] and S. haematobium infections [27, 28] as well as for infections by S. japonicum [29] and S. mekongi [24]. In the People's Republic of China, the UCP-LF CAA assay demonstrated a S. japonicum prevalence of about 10 times higher than that estimated by triplicate Kato-Katz thick smears [29]. However, unlike the POC-CCA, the current UCP-LF CAA assay format is still a laboratory-based assay due to the need of centrifugation steps, hence not yet convenient for POC test-and-treat approaches.
Realizing that verification of transmission interruption requires a high level of sensitivity, we aimed to evaluate the new diagnostic techniques and to compare their results to the standard tools (e.g. Kato-Katz). We used the UCP-LF CAA assay formats to validate the POC-CCA test results. The POC-CCA test was expected to have higher sensitivity than the stool examination. As an extra control for sensitivity, Schistosoma serology based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was included as all active infections indicated by the POC-CCA assay should test positive with this approach unless the infection was only acquired very recently. It has to be noted that a positive test for specific antibodies is not only assured during active infections but indicate also former infections as antibody titres normally persist for a long time. This study compared a set of available assays to get a handle on the real prevalence and intensity of S. mekongi infections in the endemic enclaves in Cambodia and Lao PDR as the results should indicate a negotiable way forward with regard to elimination of the disease.
Study design, area and population
A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and April 2016 in S. mekongi-endemic villages in Lao PDR and Cambodia. Repeated stool examinations for intestinal helminth infections were conducted with particular emphasis on S. mekongi infection. Furthermore, urine and serum samples were obtained from each study participant to be tested for Schistosoma infection by the POC-CCA, UCP-LF CAA and ELISA assays.
Four villages, two in each of the endemic districts of Lao PDR and Cambodia, respectively, were selected. The villages Som VenOok and Ban Yai VeunSom in Khong district, Champasack province in southern Lao PDR were selected together with the villages Kbal Chuor and Sre Khoeurn in Kratié province in northern Cambodia (Fig. 1). The main occupation of the villagers was farming and fishing. All household members older than 6 years were enrolled. They were invited to fill in a questionnaire pertaining to demographic details and risk factors for infection, information on hygiene, disease knowledge and anthelminthic drugs taken during the last 6 months.
In Lao PDR, about 200 individuals living in Som VenOok and Ban Yai VeunSom, situated on islands in the Mekong River, were approached about the study. The study households were randomly selected from a list of households of the two villages. In Cambodia, according to the 2008 census, the total population was 2339 people (1602 in Kbal Chuor and 737 in Sre Khoeurn). Between 120 and 130 individuals were randomly selected from 30 to 35 households in each village.
Sample collection and handling
Stool samples
Three stool samples were obtained from each participant during five consecutive days. Stool samples were subjected to examination by duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears (41.7 mg stool per smear) examined under a light microscope [30] by an experienced technician within 1 h after preparation on site in the study villages. Prior to microscopy, the thick smears were allowed to clear for 30 min after set-up. Eggs of all intestinal helminth species were counted and recorded for each species separately. The Kato-Katz thick smear examinations were performed directly in a convenient place in the study village (i.e. the village temple in Lao PDR; the village chief's house in Cambodia).
Serum and urine samples
Blood samples were obtained from each participant, i.e. 5 ml venous blood (taken with vacutainers without anticoagulant) for serodiagnosis of S. mekongi infection and for the UCP-LF CAA assay. Urine samples (i.e. 10 ml urine) were obtained for CCA/CAA examination. Blood and urine samples were stored in cool-boxes at around 4 °C. In Cambodia, blood samples were centrifuged at Kratié Provincial Hospital a few hours after collection. Coagulated blood samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 5 min and the upper part (serum) transferred to fresh tubes that were frozen and kept at −20 °C immediately after spinning, while the urine samples were directly frozen at −20 °C in the 15 ml-tubes they were collected in [29].
All samples were transferred frozen to a central national laboratory in Cambodia or Lao PDR and eventually shipped on dry ice to speciality laboratories at Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) in Basel, Switzerland and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in Leiden, The Netherlands.
Laboratory procedures
Detection of S. mekongi antibodies
Schistosoma serology was performed by ELISA at Swiss TPH using S. mansoni adult worm extract (AWE) and S. mansoni soluble egg antigen (SEA). Both S. mansoni antigens show cross-reactivity with antibodies elicited by other Schistosoma spp. (S. haematobium, S. mekongi or S. japonicum). The combination of both serological tests exhibits a sensitivity of 94.5% for S. mekongi infections and a specificity of 96% and 92% for AWE and SEA, respectively [31, 32].
AWE was prepared as described previously [31]. In brief, adult S. mansoni worms were homogenized in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) of pH 7.2 containing 2-mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The extract was centrifuged at 80,000 g for 3 h at 4 °C and the pellet further extracted with PBS containing 1% Nonidet P40. After overnight incubation at 4 °C, the suspension was centrifuged again in the same way. After the supernatant had been concentrated and centrifuged at 15,300 g for 5 min at 4 °C, it was stored in aliquots at −80 °C until use. SEA was made from frozen S. mansoni eggs homogenized in PBS of pH 7.2 on ice and subsequently extracted for 3 h at 4 °C. The extract was centrifuged at 100,000 g for 2 h at 4 °C and the supernatant was stored in aliquots at −80 °C until use.
ELISA testing was carried out using Immulon 2HB plates (Thermo Labsystems; Beverly, MA, USA) coated with S. mansoni antigens in 0.05 M sodium carbonate buffer (pH 9.6) for 48 h at 4 °C. After washing with tap water containing 0.05% Tween 20, diluted sera (1:160 in PBS, pH 7.2, 0.05% Tween 20) were added to the plates that were incubated for 15 min at 37 °C. After additional washing steps, horseradish peroxidase conjugated goat-anti-human-IgG from Kirkegaard & Perry Laboratories (KPL) (http://kem-en-tec-nordic.com/kpl/) was added. Plates were incubated for 15 min at 37 °C, subsequently washed and o-phenylendiamine dihydrochloride (OPD) from Sigma (http://www.sigmaaldrich.com), diluted in 0.6-M sodium phosphate buffer of pH 5.0 supplemented with 0.03% H2O2, was added. The reaction was stopped with 8-M H2SO4 and the absorption read with a Thermo Scientific Multiscan FC reader (http://corporate.thermofisher.com) at 492 nm. The results of the ELISA tests were interpreted according to the cut-offs previously determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with sera from healthy Swiss blood donors, sera from S. mansoni infected patients and sera from patients with other parasitic infections, as described before [31, 32].
Detection of circulating schistosome antigens
This part of the study was carried out at LUMC. The POC-CCA test devices were obtained from Rapid Medical Diagnostics (Pretoria, South Africa) and tests were performed according to the manufacturer's description. The amount of urine analysed per strip was 30 μl applied by pipette. Test results were visually interpreted, including distinction of trace-signals (weak colouration of the test line).
The UCP-LF CAA assay for urine was performed with 2 ml urine (the UCAA2000 assay format) as described earlier [25]. In short, 2 ml urine was extracted with 2-ml 4% (w/v) trichloroactetic acid (TCA). An Amicon centrifugal filtration device was used to concentrate the resulting clear supernatant (approximately 4 ml) to a final volume of 20–30 μl, of which 20 μl was analysed on UCP-LF CAA test strips using the wet-reagents format [25]. CAA concentrations were determined from standard series spiked in a negative urine sample and treated similarly to the clinical urine samples. The quality control (QC) cut-off threshold for singlet testing using the UCAA2000 wet-assay is 0.1 pg CAA per ml urine and the lower limit of detection = 0.05 pg/ml for testing performed in triplicate. Samples generating test results with a concentration between 0.05 and 0.1 pg per ml were counted as indecisive; samples with test results below 0.05 pg were considered CAA-negative [25].
The UCP-LF CAA assay for serum was performed with 0.5 ml serum (SCAA500) as described earlier [25]. The procedure was the same as described above with the difference that 0.5 ml TCA serum supernatant was concentrated to a final volume of 20 μl and the QC cut-off threshold was 1 pg CAA per ml serum with the lower limit of detection = 0.5 pg/ml. Samples generating test results with a concentration between 0.5 and 1 pg per ml were counted as indecisive; samples with test results below 0.5 pg were considered CAA-negative [25].
Note that the ultrasensitive assay format, specifically the SCAA500 test, is considered to allow identification of the majority of all active infections (including single-worm ones) [25]. In order to achieve the highest specificity, results were analysed considering the POC-CCA trace scores as well as the urine- and serum-CAA indecisive scores as negative. As this is a preliminary analysis, we decided to follow a conservative approach [25]. Generally, samples generating test results in the indecisive category would ideally require retesting with a larger sample volume to verify the true infection status.
Statistical analysis
Demographic details of participants and their exposure to infection were obtained by questionnaire. Data were digitally collected using electronic tablets. The questionnaires and forms were developed in Commcare (http://www.commcarehq.org) format using the open data kit (ODK) programme (version 2.8) that was installed on the tablets for field data collection. Statistical analyses were performed in STATA version 13.1 (Stata Corp.; College Station, TX, USA). Only results from participants who had completed their questionnaires and stool examination were included in the final analysis.
The intensity of infection, expressed as eggs per gram of stool (EPG) obtained from Kato-Katz thick smear examinations were classified as light, moderate or heavy [33, 34]. The χ2-test was used to examine the association of categorical variables. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to correlate the results of the different diagnostic tests with each other. Spearman r- and p-values were reported. A p-value below 5% was considered statistically significant.
The Schistosoma ELISA assay (a marker of former or active infection) was composed of two separate assays, one based on AWE and the other based on SEA. For this study both these ELISAs were combined and an overall interpretation of both test results was applied. A result was interpreted as positive if at least one of the two ELISA tests was positive. A result was interpreted as inconclusive if both ELISA tests generated an inconclusive result. A result was considered negative if both ELISA were negative.
Combined reference
We compared the diagnostic performance of all our stool, urine- and serum-based diagnostic tests to a combined reference. This consisted of a combination of test results of the Kato-Katz test, the urine-CAA test and the CAA-serum assay, all assays with a very high specificity, in particular as we followed a conservative approach accepting a relatively high cut-off threshold for the CAA tests. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for all diagnostic tests based on this composite measure. For these calculations, traces and indecisive tests results of CAA and ELISA were taken as negative results. The urine- and serum-CAA tests were also combined into a total CAA outcome, which was deemed as positive when at least one of the two tests produced a positive outcome. This approach of comparing assays to a combined reference is a widely recognized method for assessment of diagnostic tests in the absence of a highly sensitive and specific 'gold' standard method and has been recommended by the WHO/TDR Diagnostics Evaluation Expert Panel [35].
Study population
Demographic characteristics of the study participants
Lao PDR
P-value c
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
Number of subjects
377 (100)
196 (52.0)
181 (48.0)
Age (years)
Median (IQR)a
25 (12–44)
14 (11–35)
35 (15–47)
180 (47.8)
101 (51.5)
79 (43.7)
197 (52.3)
95 (48.5)
102 (56.4)
Age group (years)
≤ 9
40 (10.6)
25 (12.8)
15 (8.3)
116 (30.8)
82 (41.8)
34 (18.8)
92 (24.4)
43 (21.9)
49 (27.1)
68 (18.0)
22 (11.2)
46 (25.4)
≥ 51
61 (16.2)
24 (12.2)
37 (20.4)
Educational level
11 (2.9)
11 (6.1)
Primary school
201 (53.3)
101 (51.5)
100 (55.3)
Secondary school
134 (35.5)
95 (48.5)
39 (21.6)
High school
23 (6.1)
23 (12.7)
Technical school or higher
8 (2.1)
8 (4.4)
231 (61.3)
101 (51.5)
130 (71.8)
146 (38.7)
95 (48.5)
51 (28.2)
Egg detection
Prevalence of S. mekongi, O. viverrini and other helminth infections among all study participants according to Kato-Katz examination
Helminth species
Overall (%)
Cambodia (%)
Lao PDR (%)
P- value a
Number of subjects
377 (100)
196 (52.0)
181 (48.0)
Schistosoma mekongi
24 (6.4)
1 (0.5)
23 (12.7)
Opisthorchis viverrini
190 (50.4)
27 (13.8)
163 (90.1)
106 (28.1)
14 (7.1)
92 (50.8)
Ascaris lumbricoides
1 (0.3)
1 (0.6)
Trichuris trichiura
13 (3.5)
7 (3.6)
6 (3.3)
Taenia spp.
7 (1.9)
1 (0.5)
6 (3.3)
No infection
157 (41.6)
150 (76.5)
7 (3.9)
Single infection
115 (30.5)
42 (21.4)
73 (40.3)
Double infection
90 (23.9)
4 (2.0)
86 (47.5)
Triple infection
14 (3.7)
14 (7.7)
Quadruple infection
1 (0.3)
1 (0.6)
Intensity of helminth infections among the infected study participants according to Kato-Katz examination
Species/Type of infection
Overall (%)
Cambodia (%)
Lao PDR (%)
Number of subjects
Schistosoma mekongi
Light infection
24 (100)
1 (100)
23 (100)
Opisthorchis viverrini
Light infection
116 (61.1)
27 (100)
89 (54.6)
Moderate infection
70 (36.8)
70 (42.9)
Heavy infection
4 (2.1)
4 (2.5)
Light infection
104 (98.1)
14 (100)
90 (97.8)
Moderate infection
2 (1.9)
2 (2.2)
Ascaris lumbricoides
Light infection
1 (100)
1 (100)
Trichuris trichiura
Light infection
12 (100)
6 (100)
6 (100)
Antigen detection
Diagnosis of S. mekongi infection using serum and urine samples (n = 377)
Type of sample/method
Overall (%)
Cambodia (%)
Lao PDR (%)
174 (46.2)
97 (49.5)
77 (42.5)
124 (32.9)
63 (32.1)
61 (33.7)
79 (21.0)
36 (18.4)
43 (23.8)
206 (54.6)
110 (56.1)
96 (53.0)
Indecisive range
25 (6.6)
17 (8.7)
8 (4.4)
146 (38.7)
69 (35.2)
77 (42.5)
240 (63.7)
133 (67.9)
107 (59.1)
Indecisive range
15 (4.0)
12 (6.1)
3 (1.7)
122 (32.4)
51 (26.0)
71 (39.2)
ELISA combineda
115 (30.5)
76 (38.8)
39 (21.6)
132 (35.0)
68 (34.7)
64 (35.4)
130 (34.5)
52 (26.5)
78 (43.1)
Combined Referenceb
203 (53.8)
121 (61.7)
82 (45.3)
174 (46.2)
75 (38.3)
99 (54.7)
Detection of S. mekongi antibodies
The combined results of the two ELISA tests were positive in 34.5% of study participants, with a more than 16% higher rate in Lao PDR than in Cambodia (43.1% versus 26.5%). For all the diagnostic tests performed, the positivity rates were statistically significantly higher in Lao PDR compared to Cambodia (Table 4).
Analysis of tests using the combined reference
Diagnostic characteristics of the various tests to diagnose S. mekongi infection using a combined referencea
Parasite eggs
Circulating antigens
Serum + urine
Analysis with respect to age and sex
Sex and age distribution of S. mekongi infection: results of various approaches
Parasite eggs
Circulating antigens
Serum + urine
No. (%)
No. (%)
No. (%)
No. (%)
No. (%)
No. (%)
68 (37.8)
15 (8.3)
39 (21.7)
71 (39.4)
65 (36.1)
80 (44.4)
62 (31.5)
9 (4.6)
40 (20.3)
75 (38.1)
57 (28.9)
83 (42.1)
Age group (years)
≤ 9
3 (7.5)
1 (2.5)
6 (15.0)
8 (20.0)
6 (15.0)
9 (22.5)
44 (37.9)
2 (1.7)
25 (21.6)
56 (48.3)
53 (45.7)
64 (55.2)
36 (39.1)
10 (10.9)
23 (25.0)
39 (42.4)
27 (29.4)
42 (45.7)
25 (36.8)
6 (8.8)
9 (13.2)
22 (32.4)
19 (27.9)
24 (35.3)
≥ 51
22 (36.1)
5 (8.2)
16 (26.2)
21 (34.4)
17 (27.9)
24 (39.3)
Correlation analysis
The implementation of preventive chemotherapy has decreased schistosomiasis morbidity in endemic countries worldwide, including S. mekongi affected areas in Cambodia and Lao PDR [36, 37]. The current lower intensity of disease, however, is a compelling fact to recommend replacing stool examination using Kato-Katz with more sensitive diagnostic tools. Serology based on antibody detection is a helpful adjunct, but in order to determine cure and the level of worm burdens detection, assays based on the detection of circulating antigens are required. This approach has been successfully used for all major schistosome species showing that it is 10–20 times more sensitive than standard stool microscopy [17].
WHO recommends targeting schistosomiasis mekongi for elimination as the endemic areas are very limited and both stool examination according to Kato-Katz and antibody testing using ELISA serology indicate low intensity of disease after several rounds of preventive chemotherapy [6]. However, as has already been shown in the People's Republic of China, highly sensitive tests for schistosome circulating antigens give considerably higher prevalence results than Kato-Katz [29]. With the proof-of-principle of testing for excreted antigens in the urine shown for S. mekongi [24], it was now felt that a field study in the endemic areas in southern Lao PDR and northern Cambodia would be warranted to establish this approach. In contrast to antibody detection, the Kato-Katz stool examinations along with the tests for circulating schistosome antigens (POC-CCA and UCP-LF-CAA) are all indicators of active infections. Antibody titres can persist for very long time after cure and therefore serology is not suitable for assessing treatment outcomes or as single diagnostic approach for detection of active infections.
In the field, detection of active infection and cure are all highly important, particularly when moving from control of a disease to transmission interruption and elimination. It is equally important for the individual patient. While the better sensitivity of antigen detection compared to Kato-Katz is obvious, it is also clear that CAA detection (both in serum and urine) performs much better than CCA. These results are in agreement with previous reports for S. japonicum and S. mekongi [24, 29, 38].
The advantage of the POC-CCA test is that it is a standardized urine test applicable in the field without the need for any extra equipment (fulfilling all 'ASSURED' characteristics). It has been mainly and widely validated for S. mansoni detection, but shows limited use for the other schistosome species [23]. However specificity is limited to some extent, because CCA has epitopes common with certain human components (Lewis-X structures) that sometimes end up in the urine causing false positive reactions [39]. The UCP-LF CAA test, on the other hand, is applicable for all schistosome species and for various human liquid samples, such as urine and serum, as well as potentially saliva [25]. In contrast to the POC-CCA assay, the UCP-LF CAA test format is not yet commercially available nor is its current format applicable for POC application because of a sample preparation procedure and the use of an UCP strip-reader. While the cost of the former is US$ 1–1.5 per test, that of the latter, being a manual laboratory test, is at least 10-fold higher. However, as shown here, the UCP-LF CAA test does display a superior sensitivity by concentration of the clinical sample and may therefore detect single-worm infections [25]. Still, as our results show that the POC-CCA assay is applicable for field diagnosis of S. mekongi, this assay should be the approach of choice for schistosomiasis diagnosis in Lao PDR and Cambodia with the current infrastructure.
We found a strong correlation of the test results of the urine and serum CAA tests and ELISA, while the correlations between the two CAA tests and the Kato-Katz and POC-CCA were weaker. These observations are consistent with previous studies in the People's Republic of China [29] and elsewhere [28, 40] and are largely a reflection of the different sensitivities of these diagnostic tests.
It should be mentioned that the results presented here are interpreted rather conservatively with respect to the cut-off threshold, leaving the POC-CCA trace scores and the UCP-LF CAA indecisive values as negatives. A more detailed comparison of the different assays using e.g., latent class analysis may shed a better insight in the actual status of trace and indecisive samples. Such additional analyses, incorporating also a quantitative analysis of the POC-CCA results using a gold strip reader, are being planned.
In agreement with previous evaluations of the various assays for circulating schistosome antigens in areas endemic for other schistosome species, we found that the POC-CCA is both more rapid and more sensitive than multiple Kato-Katz thick smears. In the present study, the number of positives identified by POC-CCA was significantly higher than those found by Kato-Katz in both counties. These results are in accordance with published results which showed that POC-CCA prevalence was between 1.5- and up to 6-fold higher than Kato-Katz prevalence estimates in areas with low infection intensity [23]. The comparable cost levels per determination for POC-CCA and Kato-Katz [41, 42] should not prevent the application of the rapid test in national schistosomiasis control programmes. Furthermore, people are more likely to provide urine samples than any other type of sample, leading to higher compliance.
While eggs continue to be excreted by the host for a few weeks after cure, both CCA- and CAA-levels drop quickly, sometimes turning negative within 1 week after treatment [40, 43], making this approach a promising tool to monitor drug efficacy. The sensitivity of CCA-based tests is not as high as what the UCP-LF CAA assay or what DNA-based detection methods can offer [44, 45], while the ultrasensitive SCAA500 format of the UCP-LF CAA test surpasses PCR in sensitivity [46, 47]. As many different diagnostic assay systems are now available, planning to assess geographic areas potentially endemic for schistosomiasis, multiple diagnostic approaches should be compared taking into account modelling and statistical methods in combination with knowledge how biological systems operate [28, 48].
Where low egg counts are most common, such as in areas characterised by low endemicity slated for elimination, the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests must be taken into account when deciding which approach to choose. CCA-based assays are already available for use in the field, but tests targeting CAA still need the laboratory due to some of the sample preparation steps. Although the latter approach is the most sensitive antigen test, it would still be useful to apply POC-CCA testing for screening. While the results presented here will be subjected to further analysis, it would be useful to start planning for wider testing including application of geographical information systems to establish the real boundaries of the areas endemic for S. mekongi, prevalence and intensity of disease before moving on to transmission control and eventual elimination of the disease in Cambodia and Lao PDR.
Claudia J. de Dood (Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center) is acknowledged for performing the antigen testing and contribution to the data analysis. We thank Christina Krebs from the Diagnostic Centre, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, for expert technical assistance and Mrs. Armelle Forrer for establishing the maps.
We are grateful to financial support of the Task Force for Global Health, Neglected Tropical Diseases Support Centre, the Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.
Availability of data and materials
Please contact author for data requests.
Authors' contributions
SS, VK, RB, GJvD, BN, JU, SM and PO designed the study; YV, SS, VK and SM implemented the field work; GJvD, PTH, PLAMC, BN and HM performed the diagnosis in urine and serum samples; YV, SS, VK, GJvD, PTH and PO performed the analysis; YV, RB, PO wrote the first draft and all other authors contributed to the writing; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
The study was approved by the ethics committees in Lao PDR (070 NIOPH/NECHR, 4 December 2015) and Cambodia (394 NCHR, 10 November 2015). A written informed consent was obtained from all study participants. Helminth infections diagnosed during the study were treated according to the national treatment guidelines, i.e. praziquantel (single oral 40 mg/kg body weight) for S. mekongi and O. viverrini infection and albendazole (single oral dose 400 mg) or mebendazole (single oral dose 500 mg) for soil-transmitted helminth infections. All parasitic infections diagnosed were treated with the standard treatment regimens recommended by the Ministry of Health in each country [49].
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
Authors' Affiliations
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Tekken 6 ships 2.5 million
Namco Bandai's latest King of the Iron Fist tournament rushes retailers worldwide en masse in first week of release.
Just in case a television advertising blitz including spots on Monday Night Football weren't evidence enough, Namco Bandai has big expectations for Tekken 6. Today, the company gave an indication of exactly how big, as it confirmed shipments of 2.5 million copies of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game to retailers worldwide.
The game, which launched in North America on Tuesday and arrived in European stores today, is available in multiple retail configurations. It can be purchased on its own, bundled with a wireless arcade-style joystick, and in some territories, packed in with the PlayStation 3 hardware itself.
While the game still features one-on-one fighting, Tekken 6 takes the series in a new direction with its Scenario Campaign mode. Building off the Devil Within mode from Tekken 5, the Scenario Campaign is more like a 3D action game where players advance the story by demolishing mobs of underlings followed by boss battles against the main characters in the series. At the moment, players go through the Scenario Campaign with an AI teammate, but Namco Bandai plans to release a free update this winter that will allow for two players to tackle the story online together.
For more on the latest King of the Iron Fist tournament, check out GameSpot's review of Tekken 6. A PSP version of the game is set to debut later this year.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email email@example.com


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Einar Westermann writes: > In CSS2, should non-displayed text as in the following example be copied > from the user agent to the clipboard? > > Non-displayed text > > - or lies this within the realm of the user agent? This is probably outside the scope of CSS, but here is what I expect to happen: Firstly, it depends on negotiation between what the application expects that receives the paste event and what the application from which the text is copied can deliver. Assuming the latter application can deliver every format: - If the receiving application expects plain text, I would assume only the visible text is pasted. - If it expects formatted text (XSL-FO, RTF...), the hidden text may be pasted as well, but will remain invisible (if the receiving application is capable of that). - If the application expects structured text (HTML, XML...), the hidden text will be pasted as well. - If the application expects a bitmap, there will be no trace of the hidden text. - etc. On different platforms there may be restrictions on what can happen. On platforms that have a clipboard, the origin and the target do not directly talk to each other and the fomats may be limited to those that the clipboard application knows about. Bert -- Bert Bos ( W 3 C ) http://www.w3.org/ http://www.w3.org/people/bos/ W3C/INRIA email@example.com 2004 Rt des Lucioles / BP 93 +33 (0)4 92 38 76 92 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, FranceReceived on Monday, 12 November 2001 17:43:36 UTC
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Trouble Shooting Errors Exporting to Excel
Exporting a SharePoint list to excel is one of the many great functions of office 365. Whether you just want to save a snapshot of your list for archival purposes, or you just want to pull the data into a familiar format for more detailed offline inspection; exporting lists as excel files can come in handy in a lot of situations.
This seamless integration of the Office tools that have become critical to our daily lives is what makes the office 365 platform so valuable to businesses of all sizes. Unfortunately, with all the background processes, updates to different versions of office and all of the different browser settings, seamless isn't always the first word that comes to mind.
The other day I got an interesting support case where a user that was previously able to export SharePoint lists as excel files "seamlessly" was now getting a mysterious error message.
Because of the aforementioned bits and pieces in motion, it can be hard to find the exact cause of the problem so your best bet is to start with the most likely causes and work your way to a solution via process of elimination. With just a bit of patience you can get back to exporting your lists in no time!
Problem summary:
Yourself or one of your users used to be able to export a SharePoint list as an excel file but now receives the following -not all that helpful- error message.
Initial questions:
You're going to want to start by getting some basic information together so you can eliminate some other possible causes.
- Does this effect multiple lists and libraries?
- Has their version of Office been updated recently?
- What browser using when they attempted to export?
- Does the issue persist regardless of browser?
- What version of office is currently in use?
- What type of system is the user's computer running (32bit/64bit)?
- Does the user have correct permissions to read/write at both the list and site level?
Common Symptoms:
Once we have narrowed down that the issue is most likely not coming from SharePoint, we have a pretty clear idea of where we need to go to solve this.
- The problem exists on all lists and libraries, not just one
- No other error message is present
- The user is never asked to authenticate with log in credentials
- The user has full permissions to read and write at both the site and list level
- Issue only present in Internet explorer
- User recently updated office
If you answered yes to the previous questions or if any of those symptoms seemed familiar, then one of the subsequent solutions just might do the trick!
Solution 1: The best bet
Everyone loves the automatic updates that come with Office 365, but every now and again something can go wrong in the background. Sometimes you might have two different versions of office running that could cause problems or any other number of things. Lucky for you, repairing office is generally a painless chore.
I would recommend trying this first as it is the most common cause of this type of error and will rule out a great deal of potential problems before you move on to the other steps.
To repair office, make sure you are signed in as an administrator on your machine and all office programs are closed (including skype for business).
- Navigate to >Start >Control Panel >Programs >Programs and Features
- Find your version of office. If you downloaded office as a one-time purchase it should be there under Microsoft Office + your year of office (ex: Microsoft Office 2016). If you're a cool guy like me, it will be in there as office 365.
- Select Change
- Select Repair Online
Follow the steps in the wizard, it may prompt you for some interaction and you may have to reboot your computer for the changes to take effect. Go back to the SharePoint list and try again! If it worked you can thank me later, if it didn't then let's try something else.
Solution 2: Force Authentication
A potential cause of this problem could be that excel isn't getting the proper authentication credentials dynamically from SharePoint when you try to open the file on your desktop. We can try to force excel to make us log in to ensure that this isn't what is causing the issue.
Open a new instance of excel
Go to >File >open >add location
Select "Office 365 SharePoint"
It will ask you for an email and password, Use the login credentials for the site you are trying to export a list from
You will be presented with a "tree view" of the sites within that tenant and their respective lists.
Select the target list
If it asks you to login again, do so with the same credentials as before
Click cancel but keep excel open!
9)) In a new browser session, navigate to the list you would like to export
Try to export the list to excel again. Still not working? Then perhaps your browser is the culprit, read on if you are using internet explorer!
Solution 3: I should have known IE was to blame
As with all things windows, the root of all evil is most often internet explorer. Sometimes through updates or user errors, crucial add-ins that are needed for internet explorer to interact with many of the features in SharePoint may have been disabled.
- Open internet explorer, then click Tools (cog wheel)
- Select Manage Add-Ons
- In the drop down on the left hand side, set it to Show: All Add-ons
- Under the section for Microsoft Corporation, scroll through the list of add-ons and verify that all that are related to SharePoint or Office are enabled. Most importantly, you want to make sure that the OpenDocuments class is present and enabled.
Miscellaneous Problem Points
Hopefully at this point your issue has been resolved. If one of these methods doesn't get you to the outcome you were looking for, it's time to start looking at more creative causes/solutions. Here is a brief overview of some questions that might get you started in the right direction
How many items are being rendered in the view you want to export?
When you export a SharePoint list as an excel file, you are not exporting the whole list. Rather, you are exporting whichever specific view of the list you are currently rendering.
Try changing the view to something more filtered or create a new one that returns only a few list items as a test.
What kind of columns are in the view?
Many times, excel can have trouble converting Person/group or lookup columns in to fields in the spreadsheet. Try making a view that doesn't show any of these fields to test if that is your problem.
What kind of internal names do the columns have?
Another common issue is when excel tries to make a column out of a field with a poorly conceived internal name. For example, My cool & awesome column!! might sound like a sweet column to have (it is pretty sweet), but the internal name created will look something like:
If you have tried all else and you are still banging your head against the wall, take a look at some of the internal names of the fields to determine whether or not that could be an issue!
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There is a Village in Greenland that is facing down some big ocean riding trouble. It's a 300-foot-high iceberg that may weigh in at nearly 10 million tonnes. It has been floating outside the town for a while, long enough…
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[Sydney, July 4. Image via Getty.]
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 04: Asian Elephant calf Luk Chai plays with a ball during a celebration marking his first birthday at Taronga Zoo on July 4, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Luk Chai, meaning 'son', was the first Asian elephant calf to be born in Australia as part of Taronga's efforts to conserve the species that is endangered in the wild. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)


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Wood Plank Surfboards for Purchase
We make a variety of the early period wood surfboards available for purchase. The Boards featured include the Ancient Alaias, the Paipo, the modern Alaia, the Waikiki Plank, the California Balsa/Redwood Plank, the Tom Blake Hollow Paddle and Surfboard, and the Hot Curl surfboard. These boards are re-created with the generalized details for their period.
Hawaiian Surfboard History
The Ancient Hawaiians viewed wave riding as not only recreation but as an integral part of their culture and religion. The Ancient Hawaiian Surfboards or papa a he' nalu (pa-pa HAY-ay NA-lu) came in four types: The Olo (O-lo) used by royalty only, Kiko'o (key-Co-oo), Alaias (ah-LAI-ahs) stand up board used by commoners, and the Paipo (pie-poe) a body or belly board used by commoners.
The papa a he'nalu prior to the discovery of Hawaii by James Cook varied for the individual and his or her place in society. There were unlimited designs and shapes for these boards. However, the four types of boards were allowed and used only by those worthy of their use. Kapus designed a papa he'e nalu for the individual. The stages of producing a papa he'e nalu include selecting and cutting down the proper tree, shaping, and finishing the board. There were also numerous ceremonies along the way that coincided with each step of the board making process, including a ceremony for its inaugural use.
A Hawaiian papa he'e nalu defined and became a mark of his or her status in society. The Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii may be the only place where you can see these early period types of papa he'e nalu.
The replica Ancient Alaias we make are based on general characteristics that these papa he'e nalu had prior to the arrival of James Cook. The Ancient Hawaiians used native woods; Ulu (bread-fruit), Koa (Hawaiian Mahogany, Wili-Wili (Hawaiian Balsa) found on the islands. They may have also used wood or lumber that found its way to the islands by the currents and washed ashore (redwood and cedar).
After James Cook discovered The Hawaiian Islands and introduced Europeans to the islands, the indigenous people of the islands suffered physically and culturally. The Europeans brought with them diseases (virus), bacteria's and a new religion. The Hawaiians had never been exposed to the diseases and bacteria that were now on the islands. As a consequence, the Hawaiian population dropped from four hundred thousand to 40,000 thousand at the turn of the 20th century. The missionaries imposed their religion on the Hawaiians. The missionaries tried and succeeded in eliminating the Hawaiian way of life. Part of this involved the elimination of surfing in the islands.
By the late 19th century surfing was only practiced by a small number of surfers throughout the islands. Surfing's revival came in the late 1800′s and the early 1900′s with the modern Alaia and the plank surfboard.
The revival of wave riding began around the end of the 1800′s. The native Hawaiians did not have a written language prior to the introduction of the European settlers and missionaries. There was no written form to document the sequence and production of centuries of building papa he'e nalu's. There were a small amount of boards produced in the 1800′s but none dating back prior to the arrival of James Cook. There was oral tradition, but this was very limited.
The Hawaiians and Haoles had to re-create their surfboards for the new era. The Modern Alaia was thinner than their predecessors – The Alaias. The templates or outlines were similar, but their thickness was reduced to 1/2″-1 1/2″. Their lengths ranged between 6-8 feet.
Plank Surfboards
Another surfboard was developed during this time as well, the plank surfboard. The plank surfboard became the favorite and most abundant surfboard in the islands and around the world from the early 1900′s to the mid 1920′s. The plank surfboard was the beginning of the development of the modern wood surfboards to the foam and composite boards we have today.
From the early plank surfboard eventually developed into the California Balsa/Redwood Plank Surfboard and with the invention of water proof wood glues in the late 1920′s, to the blanks used to create The Hot Curl Surfboards of Makaha in the mid 1930′s to the late 1940′s.
We currently have two Plank Surfboards on display at:
The Surfing Heritage Museum & Gift Store
South Coast Plaza West (formerly Crystal Court)
Mon-Fri 10AM-9PM · Sat 10AM-8PM · Sun 11AM-6:30PM
3333 Bear St., ste 303, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Early period wood surfboards
re-created by Mark Carnahan


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A creative approach to sewing, exploring the 'fashion commons' for self-sufficiency, self-worth, adventure and sustainability. Fashion freedom for all.
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I love this collection .. I like minimalist designs, clear and shadow lines... Your outfit is so coolReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Rachel : ) xDelete
Oh I love monochrome too, and the collection in your book screams brilliant!!. Great make on the pants and top too, love the silhouette. The pop of orange is perfect! now go pop your jacket on before you get a chill :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you! London finally seems to have warmed up today : ) xxDelete
- Anonymous7 April 2013 at 12:58
Loving monochrome with bold colour at the mo. Had to laugh at the old sleeve to neckhole gaff!! very funny!ReplyDeleteReplies
Ha ha! I thought something funny was going on when the sleeve was a little too small for the hole but I boldly persevered without thinking : /!! xxDelete
Love this look - one of my favourites from your fabbo book. Also love that picture of Hannah with her ventriloquist's doll on her knee! :) xReplyDeleteReplies
Ah thanks Tilly : ) Ha ha! I do love that big natural Hannah is comforting small glamorous Hannah with a firendly hand-on-the-shoulder : ) xxDelete
Your monochrome outfit looks ace, though the line about dressing like a Grandmas quilt has struck fear into my print and colour loving heart!ReplyDelete
I've always enjoyed your blog so I've just nominated it for a Leibster Award - http://www.sinbadandsailor.com/leibster-award-blog-love/ keep up the excellent blogging :)
Hey Hannah - cripes what did I say? I am a firm believer in prints and patterns and staunch admirer of anyone dressing like a granny's quilt!ReplyDelete
Thanks so much for nominating my blog! I am really sorry that I won't have time to go through this process of passing on the love for the next six weeks. I have serious time pressure and not even enough time to blog, which is why my last post was at the start of April! I can't wait to have time to attend to things that need attending to, and if it's not too late then I will pass on this nomination.


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Mother nature is beginning to put on her October show across the Tennessee Valley. The typical peak for fall colors around here is late October. This can change slightly from year to year depending on early season frosts and below normal rainfall. Thanks to some near normal rainfall the past two months we should see a pretty good display over the next two weeks before the incoming winter cold fronts blow the leaves from the trees.
You can share your fall colors with our viewers by sending them to email@example.com
The main reason we see the colors change this time of year has to due with the fact we are losing sunlight. This is a critial part of photosynthesis. The colors begin to change first over the Northeast and Great Lakes. This is because that part of the country begins to lose daylight hours sooner and at a faster rate. Here is the equation for photosynthesis.
6CO2 + 6H2O + light → C6H12O6 + 6O2.
Photosysthesis requires carbon dioxide, water and sunlight and occurs mainly in the leaves. All of these substances must be obtained by or transported to the leaves. This process creates green chlorophyll. The loss of sunlight causes the plants to give up and go dormant. The leaves begin to change color and the trees begin to feed off the root system. In a drought the loss of water has the same affect. An early season frost or freeze will speed up the process.
For more information on how trees prepare for winter click on this link. http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html


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The Jena 6: Goodman's Blaxploitation Continues
On an almost daily basis, Amy Goodman continues to parade a string of poor, Black Americans on her show as victims. The motive is clear. People like Goodman, with their typical liberal superiority complexes, feel like Black people will only get a fair shake if she cares for them, as an owner cares for their pets.
I've used that analogy several times before.
If your cat pees in the corner, most of us understand the cat really doesn't know any better. When Black people misbehave, according to liberals, they didn't know what they were doing. As Whoopi Goldberg recently said on "The View" regarding Michael Vick and the dogfighting scandal, that "from where he comes from" in the South, dogfighting isn't that unusual. "It's like cockfighting in Puerto Rico," she said. "There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of the country."
In other words, in the liberal mind, when Blacks commit crime, they really didn't know what they were doing. They're just a result of their socio-economic environment. In the mind of people like Goodman, Black people aren't capable of knowing right and wrong, thus whatever problems arise from our actions, or even being in the wrong place because we were in a situation we should have never placed ourselves in, it's always racism.
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Although it was quite soggy out today we decided to drive up the mountain in hopes that all this crappy rain would turn into wonderful SNOW! And we were right! Horse Mountain was just covered!! We had our doubts at first if it was a good idea to drive to the top given how icy it already was... but geared with tire chains and a tow strap we trudged upward! We had no trouble getting up and had a great time! We had the Zappens pup Mayday with us- it was his first time in the snow and he just loved it! He was a natural! He also will follow Ned to the ends of the earth.. so anything Ned can do he can better! Alex had his telemark ski's and skins and I had some snow shoes! Good thing... the snow was just about up to my knees with out them. So Alex had fun hiking up the hill and skiing down. With nothing but my legs to bring me back down... I only hiked up once... which was enough for my sorry ass out of shape muscles anyway! LOL!! Now our decent down this mountain was anything but as easy as it was to get up it! It started not even 50 feet from leaving when Alex went to pull over for some crazy guy who was in some souped up truck doing doughnuts and driving over snow mounds. Now I'm looking over the pictures on the camera and... BAM! Wanting to get out of this guys way turned into us locking up the wheels and sliding into a snow mound! Thanks to family on their way home from sledding we got to make use of that tow strap!! After getting free we slowly started heading down! Apparently our 4 wheel drive was not enough because we start sliding again!! This time headed toward the edge!!!! yea insert Nell freaking out!! As Alex turns it away from the edge we start going sideways and then he realizes the cars stalled!! He starts it back up and recovers gracefully! We slide a bit around one more turn (nothing too terrible!) and slowly but surely make it down to the bottom!
We had a fabulous time!! Here are some pics and videos!


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The album will be supported by a gig...
ELVIS COSTELLO, THE LA'S, SHACK, CAST, THE LIGHTNING SEEDS and ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN are set to feature on a new compilation highlighting LIVERPOOL's contribution to music.
The album 'Mersey Boys And Liverpool Girls: The Sounds From The Mersey 1978-2001', was put together by Liverpool FC Museum And Tour Centre curator Stephen Done. The compilation also features Space, Wings and The Real People.
The album, which is out on April 2 through EMI, will be launched with a concert at Liverpool John Moores University on March 22, featuring Ian McNabb, Amsterdam, Steven Kennedy, Speed and Danny from Ladytron.
The full tracklisting for 'Mersey Boys And Liverpool Girls' is:
Ian McNabb 'Liverpool Girl'
Cast 'Sandstorm'
The Real People 'People On the Telly'
Echo & The Bunnymen 'Back of Love'
Shack 'I Want You'
Elvis Costello 'Oliver's Army
Wings 'Deliver Your Children'
It's Immaterial 'Driving Away From Home'
The La's 'Feelin"
Steven Kennedy 'My Beautiful Land'
Speed 'Good Luck Charm
The Christians 'Forgotten Town'
China Crisis 'King In A Catholic Style'
Thomas Lang 'The Happy Man'
The Farm 'Groovy Train'
Ladytron 'He Took Her to A Movie'
OMD 'Julia's Song'
Lightning Seeds 'Lucky You'
Space 'Diary Of A Wimp'
Amsterdam 'It Hurts'
The Mighty Wah! 'Heart As Big As Liverpool'


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Robinson R-22 Beta I
1987 Robinson R22 Beta I N26003
Located at KCLW
The Robinson R22 is a safe and stable trainer as well as the world's most popular training helicopter. N26003 provides an extremely cost efficient option to complete your Helicopter Add-On rating.
Equipment & Accessories
• Removable doors
• Comm and Nav Radios
• Artificial Horizon, Directional Gyro and VOR


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Waiting for the trade...
If you missed my recent issues of Beware the Batman or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures, don't fling yourself from the rooftop of your apartment complex just yet. Fate is smiling on you, my friend, in trade paperback form with the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures Volume 4 and Beware the Batman Volume 1.
Beware the Batman Vol. 1 collects the entire six-issue series, including both of my issues (#'s 2 and 6). TMNT: NAA Vol. 4 collects my short Ice Cream Kitty story from issue # 15 as well as my lead feature from issue # 16. There are plenty of other great comics in these collections, so be sure to check them out at the links above, or at your local comic or book store.
I'll have more Ninja Turtles and Batman news here soon, so keep checking back for updates. Frankly, I think you kind of owe me for saving your life just now.


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It is the policy of Fmtron, that knowing and observing the lawful use of all kits is a first responsibility of our kit user/builders. We do not endorse any unlawful use of any of our kits, and we try to give you as much common sense help about normal and lawful use as we can.
For additional FCC information, go to the FCC Home Page
If you can match a good antenna to the FM transmitter, the effect will be better.The transmission range depends on many factors. The true distance is based on the sensitivity of the receiver, antenna of the receiver, and the building and other obstructions, which are between the transmitter and receiver. And the distance will much more in countryside.
ATTENTION: Never power on the transmitter when an antenna is not connected!!!
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