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Katie Couric goes daytime for ABC (plus news until Sept. 2012)
NEW YORK -- Katie Couric has worked morning TV, the evening news and will now enter the world of daytime talk in the post-Oprah Winfrey era.
ABC announced Monday a multiyear-deal with Couric to produce the talk show, set to bow in September 2012. She will work for ABC News in the interim.
Couric had talked with all the major players in the syndication market. But by the time she signed off last month after five years as the "CBS Evening News" anchor, ABC had outlasted the other suitors. ABC's bet was that with Winfrey ending a talk show that dominated the marketplace, viewers would seek something new. Couric was the biggest available name out there.
Former NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker, who ran the control room at NBC's "Today" show when Couric was a co-host there, will be executive producer of the new talk show. The show doesn't have a name yet, and will be based in New York.
Eight ABC-owned stations covering nearly one-quarter of the nation's population, including stations in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, have agreed to air the show in their 3 p.m. ET time slots, ABC said.
Couric is returning to the network where she began her career as a desk assistant in 1979. At ABC News, she will anchor specials, conduct interviews and be part of special events coverage, the network said.
The Couric announcement came on the same day her successor at CBS, Scott Pelley, was to make his debut on the newscast.
Couric will enter a high-risk, high-reward world in daytime television. Only about one of every 10 new syndicated shows that come on the market succeed, said Bill Carroll, an expert in the area for Katz Media. Jane Pauley, one of Couric's predecessors on the "Today" show, was among those who tried and failed.
Try and succeed, and the riches are great.
"The rewards can be unbelievable -- look at the empire Oprah Winfrey created," Carroll said.
A talk show in today's market is generally news oriented, celebrity focused such as "Ellen" or informational such as medical, relationship or cooking shows. Winfrey's show was the only one to successfully blend all three in recent years, and in the ratings she towered over all competitors, he said.
Couric's show will be watched closely to see which direction it takes, or if it can try to emulate the breadth of Winfrey's show.
"It can't always be the show you want to do," Carroll said. "It has to be the show they want to see."
The scrambling to claim Winfrey's audience has already begun, and sometimes the tactics are tough. Dr. Mehmet Oz traveled to Chicago for a blessing -- taping a short ad where Winfrey encouraged people to watch her former protege's show. Oz has moved into Winfrey's coveted 4 p.m. time slot at some stations, but in major markets such as New York and Philadelphia, ABC is airing local news where Winfrey once appeared.
Anderson Cooper is launching his own talk show this fall, along with British talk show host Jeremy Kyle. Ricki Lake returns to the talk show world next year.


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Indus Early Learning Centre, Whitefield, believes in creating leaders of tomorrow by preparing children for an unforeseen future.
While most students join the school at the beginning of every academic year, we understand that some may not be able to do so. Based on the availability of seats, we are happy to admit students throughout the year.
The school does not discriminate based on race, creed, colour, gender or national origin. We do, however, limit the number of students based on our capacity to provide required learning support individually.
Admission Process
We are a top-ranked preschool that strives to be all-inclusive. All students are eligible for admission if it is believed that the school can provide an educational programme that can meet their particular needs.
Step 1: Enquiry
To make an enquiry or schedule an appointment:
Telephone:080-28457078 /+91-9739200007
Step 2: Admissions Approval Process
For the admission to be approved by the Admissions Authorization Board, the Candidate must complete and submit the Online Admission Application Form, which includes:
- 1: Candidate's Details.
- 2: Submission of Passport for foreign nationals or AADHAR Card for Indian nationals for the purpose of identity verification.
- 3: Submission of Birth Certificate for the purpose of age verification.
To Make an Enquiry
Fill in the Online
Enquiry Form
Call the Admission
Team for assistance on
You may please proceed with filling in the Online Admission Application Form, only if you have enquired before.
Candidates accepted
Are emailed the admission offer which has to be
acknowledged by the parent via email. Only after
the candidate accepts the admission offer,
the admission is confirmed.
Candidate not accepted
Are informed via email if they do not meet the IELC's
admission criteria.
Step 3: Joining Formalities
Once the admission approval process has been completed, the admission offer has been accepted, and fees paid, the candidate has to submit the joining documents.

subset: commoncrawl


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Foote, Julia A.J.
I HAD grown to be quite a large girl by this time, so that my mother arranged for me to stay at home, do the work, and attend the younger children while she went out to days' work. My older sister went to service, and the entire care of four youngsters devolved upon me--a thing which I did not at all relish.
About this time my parents moved to Albany, where there was an African Methodist Church. My father and mother both joined the church, and went regularly to all the services, taking all the children with them. This was the first time in my life that I was able to understand, with any degree of intelligence,
The pomps and vanities of this world began to engross my attention as they never had before. I was at just the right age to be led away by improper acquaintances. I would gain my mother's consent to visit some of the girls, and then would go off to a party, and once went to the theater, the only time I ever went in my life. My mother found this out, and punished me so severely that I never had any desire to go again. Thus I bartered the things of the kingdom for the fooleries of the world.
All this time conviction followed me, and there were times when I felt a faint desire to serve the Lord; but I had a taste of the world, and thought I could not part with its idle pleasures. The Holy Spirit seemed not to strive with me; I was apparently left to take my fill of the world and its pleasures. Yet I did not entirely forget God. I went to church, and said my prayers, though not so
My parents had at this time a great deal of trouble with my eldest sister, who would run away from home and go to dances--a place forbidden to us all. Tho first time I ever attempted to dance was at a quilting, where the boys came in the evening, and brought with them an old man to fiddle. I refused several invitations, fearing my mother might come or send for me; but, as she did not, I yielded to the persuasions of the old fiddler, and went on to the floor with him, to dance.
The last time I made a public effort at dancing I seemed to feel a heavy hand upon my arm pulling me from the floor. I was so frightened that I fell; the people all crowded around me, asking what was the matter, thinking I was ill. I told them I was not sick, but that it was wrong for me to dance. Such loud, mocking laughter as greeted my answer, methinks is not often heard this side the gates of torment, and only then when they are opened to admit a false-hearted professor of
Had I persisted in dancing, I believe God would have smitten me dead on the spot. Dear reader, do you engage in this ensnaring folly of dancing? Reflect a moment; ask yourself, What good is all this dissipation of body and mind? You are ruining your health, squandering your money, and losing all relish for spiritual things. What good does it do you? Does dancing help to make you a better Christian? Does it brighten your hopes of happiness beyond the grave? The Holy Spirit whispers to your inmost soul, to come out from among the wicked and be separate.
I am often told that the Bible does not condemn dancing--that David danced. Yes, David did dance, but he danced to express his
After the dance to which I have alluded, I spent several days and nights in an agony of prayer, asking God to have mercy on me; but the veil was still upon my heart. Soon after this, there was a large party given, to which our whole family were invited. I did not care to go, but my mother insisted that I should, saying that it would do me good, for I had been moping for several days. So I went to the party. There I laughed and sang, and engaged in all the sports of the evening, and soon my conviction for sin wore away, and foolish amusements took its place.
Mothers, you know not what you do when you urge your daughter to go to parties to make her more cheerful. You may even be causing the eternal destruction of that daughter. God help you, mothers, to do right."


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Forum rules | FAQ | Technical help | Announcements | New members start here
Wife went to town so I told her to go to Wally's and grab the rest of the canned bbq pork that they had on closeout. $1.25 per can, should be a good storeroom item. Bought 2 cans last week and tried one as a sandwich. Pretty tasty and has a 2 year exp. Told her to buy all that was left.
*To me getting the better price on storage items when possible is also a part of being prepared.*10-4 on that. Saves money on down the road.
Made 26 1/2 pints of peach jam. We're kinda thinking maybe more peaches and canning em up for pies.
FYI, we tried the canned pickerel the other day. The bones were softened right up! I made basically a "tuna salad" and then did a tuna melt kinda thing... slightly different taste than tuna but good. I also saw a suggestion somewhere to can it with a little liquid smoke and then serve it with crackers.
That's a lot of jam.
We can really make jam sammiches now. Have some jam to go between the 2 slices of bread jammed together. Made and canned 13 pints of salsa.
Mission brand tortilla strips.
Made and canned 10 pints of pineapple/brown sugar bbq sauce. Pretty tasty, though it has a big brown sugar bite.Wish it had more of a pineapple taste than it has. I used up all the pineapple juice making a x10 batch, so I couldn't add anymore.
I was wondering if you ever finished that. x10 batch huh, greedy.
Just finished the Dijon mustard. Recipe claimed about 6 4oz. jars. I ended up with 9 jars.
You gonna name it Red PouponII......?


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LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX plans to rebroadcast "Lisa's First Word," the 1992 episode of "The Simpsons" in which the late Elizabeth Taylor voiced just such word, this Sunday (April 3) at 8:00/7:00c, network sources have confirmed to the site exclusively.
Said installment was recently featured in the show's syndication run, and included a tag dedicated to her memory.
"Moms I'd Like To Forget," the repeat previously slated for the slot, will instead air at 7:00/6:00c, replacing a repeat of "The Cleveland Show."
The rest of FOX's lineup - including an original "American Dad" at 7:30/6:30c and a new "Cleveland" at 9:30/8:30c - will air as normal.


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Antitrust Case Filings
Antitrust Case Filings
To filter the list of cases, select desired options from the left navigation pane.
View the list of NAICS and SIC industry codes used by the Division. To view all industry codes, visit Census.gov.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1
|Case Open Date
|Incident Date
|Case Type
|Federal Court
|Industry Code
|U.S. v. Rockwell International Co., The Singer Co. and Textron Inc.
|November 1, 1978
|Civil Non-Merger
|Pennsylvania, Eastern District
|Totalizing Fluid Meter and Counting Device Manufacturing


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Here's Katie Holmes on the set of Miss Meadows yesterday in Cleveland. I am totally jacking these braids for TIFF. As you can see, Katie seems relaxed and happy at work, not at all bothered by the presence of the paps who've followed her to Ohio. In fact, the paps might actually be helping her out.
According to a few photographers, they were approached the other day by Katie's security asking if they were from the Church of Scientology. Allegedly, once her bodyguards were assured that the photographers were just photographers and not spies for David Miscavige, Katie seemed to be much more comfortable walking around the area. And while her publicist denies that this went down and that Katie's on Xenu alert, you'll recall, the constant presence of the paps surrounding Katie at all times in New York last year once she announced that she'd left Tom Cruise was actually a benefit to her at the time because it made it so difficult for Scientologists to harass and intimidate her into reconsidering.
Chills, chills, chills…
That is f-cked up, right?
Can you imagine? One day she's just walking down the street and the next minute, some dude might be levitating out of a tree, shouting at her to get audited. Like, are these her everyday concerns? And for how long? How long does someone stay on the Scientology sh-t list before they decide to leave them alone?


text: 000 BMBB91 KSEW 201941 STQSEW *** weather.gov/spot open request status *** Hello, this is a Pending Request notification product that will remind you to deal with pending requests within your service area on the http://weather.gov/spot/monitor/?wfo=sew page. Below is a list of incidents that are in request pending status and may need a forecast. You are getting this notification for one or more reasons detailed as follows... 1) You may not have received the STQ product for this/these incident(s), because of STQ transmission issues on the web farm/NCO. First run Change Request on the website to attempt another send of the STQ product. If that does not work, then run the Manual options in Spot formatter. Open TOC ticket for transmission issue. 2) Certain messages state that you are minutes, hours, days late in filling a forecast request. If a valid request, then I would post a forecast. However, the customer might have entered the wrong forecast deliver date/time. If that is the case, then run the Change Request link on website and fix it. Otherwise delete request. 3) Certain messages state that you have up to x minutes to complete the forecast. If this is a valid request, then work on the forecast and try to meet the deadline specified by the customer. 4) Customers occasionally submit multiple requests for the same incident, instead of using the Change Request functionality. If you only need to post a forecast to only one of the requests, then delete the request(s) that will not get a forecast posted to it. 5) Customers may have unintentually run "Copy Info into New Request for This Incident" or the "Request Forecast Update" link. You do not want to delete such requests, because forecasts have been posted against the incident. If the incident is finished, then Archive the incident. Otherwise, edit the incident and sent the deliver date/time to when the next forecast is needed. 6) Customers occasionally submit illegal requests on the website, like for a private prescribed burn. In this case, just delete the request. 7) If it is a test incident generated by someone in your office, then delete the incident. No need to generate a forecast for this incident. Incident ID Forecast Deadline (LT) Deadline Incident Name ------------ ------------------------- -------------------- ---------------------------------------- 2013861.0 2020-10-20 12:10 PM PDT 31 min past Mowich SAR Comments and suggestions on this new product can be sent to email@example.com


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Note: If your currently installed zPCR version is older than C9.0, it MUST be uninstalled prior to installing zPCR C9.4a (package includes Java). This is necessary to facilitate conversion to the new IBM Java v8 64-bit runtime environment that is required for zPCR.
To review the zPCR C9.4a NEWS file, click on What's New below.
zEC12 Models H20 - Supports 1 to 20 Configurable PUs
H43 - Supports 1 to 43 Configurable PUs
H66 - Supports 1 to 66 Configurable PUs
H89 - Supports 1 to 89 Configurable PUs
HA1 - Supports 1 to 101 Configurable PUs
In addition, for General Purpose CPs, there are 4 engine speeds, listed below in increasing speed sequence. All zAAPs, zIIPs, IFLs, and ICFs are full speed CPs.
400 Limit of 20 General Purpose CPs
500 Limit of 20 General Purpose CPs
600 Limit of 20 General Purpose CPs
700 No limit for General Purpose CPs
How are the IBM zEnterprise 196 models identified?
How are the IBM System z10 EC models identified?
How are the IBM System z9 EC models identified?
How are the IBM zSeries 990 models identified?
The IBM z990 has 4 models. The models support different number of processor units (PU) which are configurable as General Purpose CPs, zAAPs, IFLs, ICF's, or optional SAPs.
zSeries z990 Models A08 - Supports 1 to 8 Configurable PUs
B16 - Supports 1 to 16 Configurable PUs
C24 - Supports 1 to 24 Configurable PUs
D32 - Supports 1 to 32 Configurable PUs
How often will I need to register my use of zPCR?
Registration is required to begin using zPCR. Subsequent registration for zPCR will only be required on a version change. This is expected to happen very infrequently. New releases or modification levels of zPCR will be made available on a regular basis but these updates will not require the user to register again.
What versions of Windows will support zPCR?
When must I reinstall the IBM Java runtime environment?
Periodically, the IBM Java runtime environment supporting zPCR will be updated to newer releases. When a new release is required, you must download and install the zPCR including IBM Java Runtime package, which will replace the older Java.
Learn more


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|Up a level
George, S and Goravar, S and Mishra, D and Shyamsunder, MT and Sharma, P and Padmasree, GK and Sanjeev Kumar, S and Bremond, P and Mukherjee, K (2010) Stress monitoring and analysis using lock-in thermography. Insight - Non-Destructive Testing and Condition Monitoring, 52 (9). 470-474(5). ISSN 1354-2575


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but the problem that the LCD is 4 line so it big to mount
I think he means a 4-line LCD not 4 wires.
what do think that I've to do ( I can't bring back the LCD because I buy it a long time a go) ??
Quote from: MRLUCKY on Dec 01, 2012, 09:33 pmwhat do think that I've to do ( I can't bring back the LCD because I buy it a long time a go) ??I think you need to post some pictures of the chassis (hopefully fully assembled - with battery holder, motors, and other things in place), the arduino, and the LCD - preferably all together, near each other (as well as separate), perhaps along with some kind of measuring device in the photos, so we can all tell what is what, sizes, etc - in relationship to each other - in order to provide you with potential solutions. Otherwise, we'll all just be making guesses.Depending on what the chassis is/looks like - you'll likely either need to extend it (up or "out") to make some room, and/or you'll need to use some standoffs or brackets to place the LCD in a different position above or around the Arduino in some manner.
For the picture I didn't assemble it yet but I will do it as I hope it look nice ( I think that I will use another layer on the top to mount the LCD and the Breadboard )


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I am currently playing as a hunter with a primary focus on gunslinger and I do not have any points in rogue yet. However, I picked up a scavenger class mod that adds:
+3 Team scavenge extra items +2 Swipe skill +2 Ransack skill +3 Out for blood skill
I have yet to spend any points on these skills and I do not want to waste my class mod opportunity. Do these points from this class mod apply when I have to unlock those skills ?


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Montgomery County Government
Online customers wishing to apply for a burn permit or file a complaint about open burning may do so by clicking on the "Create Service Request" button below. Please complete all required fields, and provide any information that will help DEP address the issue in the "Additional Information" box.
An investigator from DEP will typically contact the requestor within 3 business days, although resolution of the issue may take longer depending on the circumstances of the case.
Sign up for a newsletter or update your subscription preferences.


text:
Embroidery Patterns
SMALL PACK Embroidery Patterns - TARA MCPHERSON
Artist Series
|Tara McPherson's sinuous and lovely illustrations have graced concert posters for bands like The Melvins, Death Cab For Cutie, Beck and more. Her work encompasses painting, sculpture and vinyl toys and has been featured in Vanity Fair, Bust, Esquire and many more. You will love stitching these delicate and imaginative designs!
Choose iron-on transfer, downloadable PDF with COLOR Guides, or combo of both for a special price!
About our pattern formats.


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The Hotel Greening Project has been conceived with Bureau Veritas and TUROB (Touristic Hotels & Investors Association) to move the environmental agenda forward in a small group of Istanbul hotels which are being used to accommodate 5th World Water Forum participants. This pilot project targets Forum hotels to raise awareness on hotel greening techniques and to allow participating hotels take the first step toward greener accommodations. Twenty-two hotels are voluntarily participating in the Hotel Greening Project.
A set of introductory meetings with hotels explained the concept of hotel greening and the methodology of the project itself. Following this, a more in-depth workshop was held covering ideas for greening specific areas of hotels and a description of the audit process which will be used to accurately measure the environmental performance level of the participating hotels. The audit will measure energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management practices, among other criteria.
An audit and evaluation of the participating hotels has been achieved. Hotels attaining a minimum standard will receive a certificate from Bureau Veritas and the GFI. Top performers in specific star categories will receive the "Green Steps Award", which are planned to be presented during the Forum Week in March 2009.
Newspaper articles on this project: Akşam (TR) Hurriyet Daily (EN) Turizm de Sabah (TR)
More information on the participating hotels, the audit process and the project will appear on this page.
The following 22 hotels are voluntarily participating in Hotel Greening Audits as part of the Hotel Greening Project. Through their participation, these hotels are setting the trend toward greener accommodations for the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul.
Three introductory meetings have been held in Sirkeci (Sirkeci Konak Hotel), Laleli (Mosaic Hotel), and Taksim (Elite World Hotel). The meetings were held to provide an introduction to the Hotel Greening Project and promote the upcoming workshop.
Approximately 30 hotels have committed to participating at the workshop, to be held on Thursday January 15, 2009 in Taksim. See the photo gallery for photos.
The workshop in the Grand Öztanik Hotel gave the approximately 25 participating hotels a detailed look at how they can green their operations. Training was given by Bureau Veritas and included a look at the audit checklist that is used to measure the environmental performance of participating hotels. One case study on the Four Seasons Hotel was presented.
Essential elements of the audit are waste management, energy use, water use, and indoor air quality. Download the training presentation and draft audit checklist for more information. See the photo gallery for photos.
Participating hotels requested a Hotel Greening Audit from Bureau Veritas during the first 2 weeks of February. Hotels will be eligible to receive a certificate indicating their overall environmental performance level after meeting a minimum requirement.
The Green Forum Initiative has worked to reduce the impact of the 5th World Water Forum on Istanbul and its environment. There have been many projects which reduce waste such as our reusable water bottle and USB memory stick and maximising the recycling of waste with our partners ISTAÇ and Yüceler. The Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry is planting one tree for each Forum participant to help offset carbon dioxide emissions. The Hotel Greening Project worked with 22 hotels to find ways to reduce their environmental impact. On 20 March at the Secretariat Stand, awards were given to those which performed best according to a checklist prepared by Bureau Veritas.
Hotel Greening Audits have been completed and results are being compiled.
Forum Environmental Policy
Istanbul Hotel Survey
Hotel Greening Workshop Presentation
Hotel Greening Audit Checklist
GFI Flyer
Green Forum Initiative Overview
Report on the Forum Venue


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Natural Gas
CAANG's Hurwitz, Wilderness Society's Alberswerth debate drilling for natural gas
High natural gas prices and flat production are prompting fresh pledges from Capitol Hill to bolster supplies of the clean burning fuel. But policy consensus will be hard to reach amid debates over where to drill, whether new market reforms are needed and other issues. Geoff Hurwitz of the Consumers Alliance for Affordable Natural Gas, which represents industrial natural gas users, and Dave Alberswerth of The Wilderness Society speak with E&E Daily reporters Mary O'Driscoll and Ben Geman about the future of natural gas policy.


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Year of publication
- 2012 (3) (remove)
- Alcoholic liver disease (1)
- Hepatitis (1)
- Interleukin-22 (1)
- Liver cirrhosis (1)
- Liver-related complications (1)
- Interleukin-22 predicts severity and death in advanced liver cirrhosis: a prospective cohort study (2012)
- Background: Interleukin-22 (IL-22), recently identified as a crucial parameter of pathology in experimental liver damage, may determine survival in clinical end-stage liver disease. Systematic analysis of serum IL-22 in relation to morbidity and mortality of patients with advanced liver cirrhosis has not been performed so far. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study including 120 liver cirrhosis patients and 40 healthy donors to analyze systemic levels of IL-22 in relation to survival and hepatic complications. Results: A total of 71% of patients displayed liver cirrhosis-related complications at study inclusion. A total of 23% of the patients died during a mean follow-up of 196 +/- 165 days. Systemic IL-22 was detectable in 74% of patients but only in 10% of healthy donors (P <0.001). Elevated levels of IL-22 were associated with ascites (P = 0.006), hepatorenal syndrome (P <0.0001), and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (P = 0.001). Patients with elevated IL-22 (>18 pg/ml, n = 57) showed significantly reduced survival compared to patients with regular ([less than or equal to]18 pg/ml) levels of IL-22 (321 days versus 526 days, P = 0.003). Other factors associated with overall survival were high CRP ([greater than or equal to]2.9 mg/dl, P = 0.005, hazard ratio (HR) 0.314, confidence interval (CI) (0.141 to 0.702)), elevated serum creatinine (P = 0.05, HR 0.453, CI (0.203 to 1.012)), presence of liver-related complications (P = 0.028, HR 0.258 CI (0.077 to 0.862)), model of end stage liver disease (MELD) score [greater than or equal to]20 (P = 0.017, HR 0.364, CI (0.159 to 0.835)) and age (P = 0.011, HR 1.047, CI (1.011 to 1.085)). Adjusted multivariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis identified elevated systemic IL-22 levels as independent predictors of reduced survival (P = 0.007, HR 0.218, CI (0.072 to 0.662)). Conclusions: In patients with liver cirrhosis, elevated systemic IL-22 levels are predictive for reduced survival independently from age, liver-related complications, CRP, creatinine and the MELD score. Thus, processes that lead to a rise in systemic interleukin-22 may be relevant for prognosis of advanced liver cirrhosis.
- Serum microRNA-122 predicts survival in patients with liver cirrhosis (2012)
- Background: Liver cirrhosis is associated with high morbidity and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRs) circulating in the blood are an emerging new class of biomarkers. In particular, the serum level of the liver-specific miR-122 might be a clinically useful new parameter in patients with acute or chronic liver disease. Aim: Here we investigated if the serum level of miR-122 might be a prognostic parameter in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: 107 patients with liver cirrhosis in the test cohort and 143 patients in the validation cohort were prospectively enrolled into the present study. RNA was extracted from the sera obtained at the time of study enrollment and the level of miR-122 was assessed. Serum miR-122 levels were assessed by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and were compared to overall survival time and to different complications of liver cirrhosis. Results: Serum miR-122 levels were reduced in patients with hepatic decompensation in comparison to patients with compensated liver disease. Patients with ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and hepatorenal syndrome had significantly lower miR-122 levels than patients without these complications. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the miR-122 serum levels were associated with survival independently from the MELD score, sex and age. Conclusions: Serum miR-122 is a new independent marker for prediction of survival of patients with liver cirrhosis.
- Soluble serum CD81 is elevated in patients with chronic hepatitis C and correlates with alanine aminotransferase serum activity (2012)
- Aim: Cellular CD81 is a well characterized hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry factor, while the relevance of soluble exosomal CD81 in HCV pathogenesis is poorly defined. We performed a case-control study to investigate whether soluble CD81 in the exosomal serum fraction is associated with HCV replication and inflammatory activity. Patients and Methods: Four cohorts were investigated, patients with chronic hepatitis C (n = 37), patients with chronic HCV infection and persistently normal ALT levels (n = 24), patients with long term sustained virologic response (SVR, n = 7), and healthy volunteers (n = 23). Concentration of soluble CD81 was assessed semi-quantitatively after differential centrifugation ranging from 200 g to 100,000 g in the fifth centrifugation fraction by immunoblotting and densitometry. Results: Soluble CD81 was increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.03) and cured patients (p = 0.017). Patients with chronic HCV infection and persistently normal ALT levels and patients with long term SVR had similar soluble CD81 levels as healthy controls (p>0.2). Overall, soluble CD81 levels were associated with ALT levels (r = 0.334, p = 0.016) and severe liver fibrosis (p = 0.027). Conclusion: CD81 is increased in the exosomal serum fraction in patients with chronic hepatitis C and appears to be associated with inflammatory activity and severity of fibrosis.


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I continue to be disturbed by reports from Iraq that indicate the beginnings of a Sunni "re-insurgency." One of the op-eds in Wednesday's New York Times does a good job of summarizing the two primary drivers of instability:
1) The movement toward formation of a unity government that will essentially be controlled by Shia interests - leaving the Sunnis with little to no representation. The recent announcement of an alliance of convenience between the Maliki's party and Sadr's party puts the Shia within striking distance of a majority in parliament, with the Kurds essentially serving as kingmakers. The Kurds are likely to join the alliance (after extracting as many concessions as they can), leaving Allawi (and the majority of the Sunnis who voted for him) hanging out to dry. Thus, in the eyes of the Sunni populace, even though their candidate won more seats than any other candidate in the March 7 elections, they are somehow being almost completely disenfranchised. This doesn't exactly incentivize participation by the Sunnis at any level (local, provincial, national) and fuels growing feelings of disappointment, resentment, and anger amongst the Sunni populace.
2) The failure to effectively transition members of the Awakening ("Sahwa") movement into follow-on jobs (whether within the ISF or other government-provided jobs) - creating a cadre of military-trained, unemployed, and disaffected Sunni males. As this exceptional article in the New York Times points out, this creates the ideal conditions for AQI to recruit these young men back into the insurgency. As the article points out:
"Although there are no firm figures, security and political officials say hundreds of the well-disciplined fighters — many of whom have gained extensive knowledge about the American military — appear to have rejoined AQI. Beyond that, officials say that even many of the Awakening fighters still on the Iraqi government payroll, possibly thousands of them, covertly aid the insurgency...As of July, less than half — 41,000 of 94,000 — of the Awakening's fighters had been offered jobs by the government, according to the Department of Defense. Much of the employment has been temporary and involved menial labor. The government has hired only about 9,000 Awakening members for the security forces, with officials blaming budget constraints."
The case of Nadim al Jabouri, one of the former Awakening leaders quoted in the article, illustrates the ongoing efforts of Maliki's government to weaken the Awakening movement (and thereby the larger Sunni bloc) across the country. Nadim, born and raised in the Sunni stronghold of Duluiyah in Salahadin Province, was a top leader within the AQI organization from 2003-2006 - serving as both a military and media emir at various points during those years. During my first deployment to Iraq in 2005-06, Mullah Nadim (as he was known at the time) was my Battalion's #1 high-value target (HVT) - driven by a massive amount of confirmed intelligence reporting linking him to attacks against US and Iraqi forces across the province. Nadim had been the imam of the Khulafa Mosque in Duluiyah, using his street cred as a self-proclaimed imam to rally the local Sunni youth (and coerce the Jabouri tribal leadership) into fighting both US forces and the Shia-dominated Iraqi Army units in the area.
When I returned to Iraq at the end of 2007, Nadim had essentially switched sides and was the leader of the local Sahwa group - actually living and working from an office on an American base. Although this was initially a tough pill for me to swallow, I recognized the need to work with historically unsavory characters to provide some measure of security. Unsurprisingly, attacks, violence, and intimidation dropped dramatically in the area as Nadim's group of 200-300 Awakening members continued to receive pay from US forces and then for a time from the national government. However, as time progressed and US forces began to shift their attention to other matters and the impending drawdown of troops; and when the Shia-dominated national government took over responsibility for maintaining the Awakening program (on 01 Apr 09), they began a deliberate campaign to weaken and dismantle Awakening groups across the country.
In April of 2009, Nadim was the target of a massive suicide vest attack, which missed harming him but ended up killing five locals and wounding 18, including one of Nadim's brothers. The attack was likely the work of AQI leaders who were upset that Nadim had switched sides and was now helping US and Iraqi forces target AQI. Only one month later on May 4, Nadim and two of his brothers were arrested by Iraqi Security Forces in what was a fairly blatant, sectarian attempt to limit the growing strength of Nadim's group - and to check his growing political power (he was a leading local candidate for provincial/national office within a small Sunni party). Within two months time, Nadim had been targeted by both sides (AQI and the Iraqi government) and with US forces drawing down, he had few people to turn to for support and protection.
Events like this are occurring all across Iraq as Awakening leaders and fighters are arrested, intimidated, and left with no pay. This situation has created a group of trained, armed men who are now extremely disillusioned and angry with the government and left with little or no options for redress. As Nadim explained in the most recent New York Times article:
"The Awakening doesn't know what the future holds because it is not clear what the government intends for them...At this point, Awakening members have two options: Stay with the government, which would be a threat to their lives, or help Al Qaeda by being a double agents."
The situation is not likely to improve as the Shia consolidate power in Baghdad and continue to undercut any efforts by the Sunni to secure themselves (and their towns) or gain more power through legitimate political means. In my opinion, we are seeing a perfect storm come together that gives Sunnis few options but to turn back towards an insurgency against the Shia-controlled national government. Unless the Iraqis (hopefully with US help) can figure out a more effective power-sharing deal at the national level and determine a better system to reintegrate Awakening fighters and leaders back into the workforce in a fair and legitimate manner, the situation could spiral out of control quickly and move towards an all-out civil war.


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Guard says Manning protest annoyed brig staff
Sat., Dec. 1, 2012
FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — Some workers at a Marine Corps brig housing a soldier charged with sending U.S. secrets to WikiLeaks became annoyed at a demonstration on his behalf the day before a confrontation that led to tighter restrictions on him, a former guard testified Saturday.
The testimony by former Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jonathan Cline undercut government efforts to show that Pfc. Bradley Manning's tight confinement conditions were justified to prevent him from killing or hurting himself. The defense claims the nine months Manning spent in virtual isolation, sometimes without clothing, amounted to illegal pretrial punishment. Manning and his attorneys want all the charges dismissed.
Cline testified on the fifth day of a pretrial hearing at Fort Meade, near Baltimore.
He was called as a prosecution witness to talk about a Jan. 18, 2011, incident in which Manning hid behind an exercise machine and wept after he was scolded by another guard for failing to respond properly to a command. Later that day, the brig commander, Chief Warrant Officer 4 James Averhart, added "suicide risk" to Manning's maximum-custody conditions. That was after they had what Manning described as a heated argument about the incident.
Manning testified Thursday that the guards seemed angry that morning as they escorted him in leg irons and handcuffs to an exercise room. He said their attitude made him nervous, culminating in his odd behavior.
"I thought I was going to be attacked or assaulted or something like that," Manning said.
Cline testified that some brig workers were annoyed that a pro-Manning protest a day earlier had closed Quantico's main gate, forcing them to take alternate routes home. Cline said he wasn't personally affected by it. Defense attorney David Coombs has implied the guards took out their irritation on Manning by bullying him.
Cline and another former guard, Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Tankersly, both testified that except for the Jan. 18 incident, Manning was always compliant and respectful.
Another former brig worker, Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. William Fuller, testified that Manning was often uncommunicative and withdrawn, possibly signaling a suicide risk.
Fuller testified that before Jan. 18, he had considered recommending to Averhart that Manning be removed from "prevention-of-injury," or POI, status because of his improved behavior. Manning was on either POI or even more restrictive "suicide risk" status during his entire stay at Quantico in maximum custody.
His behavior Jan. 18 "gave us cause for concern," Fuller said. "That kind of reset things, unfortunately."
Manning was at Quantico from July 2010 to April 2011. Then he was moved to pretrial confinement at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He has been held in medium custody since arriving there.
The 24-year-old native of Crescent, Okla., worked as an intelligence analyst in Baghdad in 2009 and 2010. He is charged with 22 offenses, including aiding the enemy and violating federal espionage and computer security laws. He could get life in prison.
He is accused of sending to the website WikiLeaks more than 250,000 diplomatic cables, classified memos, Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, Guantanamo Bay prison records and a 2007 video clip of a U.S. helicopter crew gunning down 11 men. It was later determined that one of those men was a news photographer. The Pentagon said its troops mistook camera equipment for weapons.
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Texas Wildlife Manager Awarded Honor for White-tail Deer Management
Mitch Lockwood, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist, has been awarded the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' prestigious Mark J. Reeff Memorial Award. The award, for dedication to wildlife, youth, landowners and natural resources, was presented at the Association's 2006 Annual Meeting last week in Snowmass, Colorado.
The hallmark of the Mark J. Reeff Memorial Award is to acknowledge good ideas pursued with dedication and persistence. Each year, the award is presented to an individual who is 35 years-old or younger, and has distinguished themselves by outstanding commitment to wildlife management. The award was designed by the Association to acknowledge and encourage younger professionals to "address the myriad of issues they now face, ever-increasing in range and complexity, with a spirit of innovation and determination."
Particular recognition is due to those who willingly accept more difficult challenges, and inspire others to do the same.
Lockwood was hired as the Texas White-Tailed Deer Program Leader, and within one year he was challenged with evaluating statewide deer data collection and analysis. As a result, he led the charge to implement important changes that improved the science and efficiency of deer data collection and analysis in Texas.
Lockwood re-defined sampling, and survey procedures using modern technology and software, and introduced staff to ecology-based efforts by focusing on where deer live, habitat conditions, and what they eat.
"Mitch Lockwood exemplifies why Texas Parks and Wildlife is an exceptional conservation organization and one of the top state agencies in Texas and the nation," said Robert Cook, TPWD executive director. "Mitch is an intelligent, dedicated and sincere wildlife biologist. He cares about wildlife and he cares about Texas. We have known from the beginning that Mitch is "Top Notch." It's gratifying to know that other folks recognize that also."
Earlier this year, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department also recognized Lockwood for his achievement in improving deer assessment methods with an Employee Recognition Award in the Innovation category.
For more information about the Mark J. Reeff Award, and to view a video presentation of Mitch Lockwood in the field, visit us on the web at www.fishwildlife.org.
The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies -- the organization that represents all of North America's fish and wildlife agencies -- promotes sound management and conservation, and speaks with a unified voice on important fish and wildlife issues. Found on the web at www.fishwildlife.org.


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A popular Californian hotel has admitted that 'serious administrative oversights' may have contributed to an onslaught of damning feedback on travel website, Tripadvisor.com. 'We are heartened to see such positive comments about our flexible check-out timings, with many remarking that the Hotel California is ideal for solo or business travel,' said Head of PR, Eddie Frey. 'But taking into account the volume of issues that have been raised about slow room service, the quality of the continental breakfast and involuntary infinite captivity, we've decided to make some changes if we're to stay competitive with the local Ramada Inn.'
The advent of social media has given a voice to disgruntled guests, many of whom have been enforced residents in the hotel lobby for several decades. 'It's one thing to physically prevent us from leaving,' reads one two-star review, 'but they could at least offer us a few comps from the bar. I asked the barman for a Campari a few years back. He told me they hadn't had that spirit there since 1969. And there were no sodding nuts.'
Whilst unconfirmed reports suggested that some guests were complaining merely to qualify for their first Tripadvisor reviewer badge, local law enforcement declined to comment on whether they would be investigating what some claim is a 'mass hostage situation in matching bathrobes'. But several guests expressed their satisfaction with their eternal imprisonment, citing the cleanliness of the bathroom and receptionist's cleavage as aspects they would recommend to a friend – although a handful of reviewers were concerned that 'this doesn't count as a spare room, right?'


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IT Learning and Development documentation that focuses on creating documents that meet the Accessibility guidelines of the PSU Accessibility Office.
Whether it is a snow day, a scheduled absence for a conference or something more serious, it is important to have a plan for enabling continuity of instruction. This resource outlines steps that can be used to identify which course content needs to be replaced and how to create and deliver the material using different tools, including Canvas, Kaltura, and Zoom.
This hands-on session prepares Canvas users to optimize content for accessibility. Participants learn to identify accessibility issues within content, use the Rich Content Editor, create extended deadlines for quiz and assignment submissions, and use recommended guidelines for accessible quizzes.
This document reviews recommended tools, equipment, settings, and best practices for participating in Zoom video conferences.
All Penn State faculty, staff, and students can use Zoom to host online meetings and webinars. This guide walks you through the steps of hosting a meeting or webinar.
This quick start guide gives you an introduction to the essentials of joining and participating in a Zoom meeting.
This quick start guide gives you an introduction to the essentials of joining and participating in a Zoom webinar.
Weigh the pros and cons of screen-sharing with Zoom to share a little content or a lot.


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It's a free online Secret Santa gift exchange organizer / Kris Kringle generator! Organize a Secret Santa party with friends, family or even co-workers. After receiving the Secret Santa mail you can add your own wishlist, which will be delivered to your Secret Santa.
Each year around Christmas time people all over the world exchange gifts.
To keep things interesting though, you can randomly assign persons to each other to give a present to one another.
Seriously, is this a rhetorical question? Organizing a Secret Santa party guarantees you a fun night filled with surprises - I think we can agree on that.
Thanks to a special Secret Santa generator you won't have to deal with all the pre-organizing yourself. You just fill in the blanks and the Secret Santa generator does all the work!
The only thing you have to do is sit back and relax (oh, and buy some snacks and drinks for your Secret Santa party).
The best thing about Secret Santa online is that you don't have to physically plan everything with all the participants. Assigning names, making and receiving wish lists, and so on: you can arrange everything with just an internet connection and a connected device.
This way, Secret Santa online makes all the organizing stuff way more easy. That means more time for you and your friends to enjoy the holiday season and look forward to the actual party!
Secret Santa, Kris Kringle, Kris Kindle, Kris Kringel, White Elephant, Yankee Swap, Yankee Doodle, Wichteln, or even lootjes trekken, namen trekken or Monito Monita: all over the world people use different names for the same thing. So let us take you on a quick trip around the world! No worries, you'll be home in time for your Secret Santa party.
Conclusion? Randomly giving gifts to people is fun! So wait no longer and start off with your own Secret Santa generator online.


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The name Travis Pastrana may ring a bell if you are less than 30 years old and into action sports. If not, that's fine, he's another "do everything possible" guy living out most of our wildest fantasies.
He surfs, skydives, drives race cars of all kinds and most famously defies physics and gravity behind the bars of motocross bikes.
In the sixth episode of the Web series On Pace w/ Pastrana, he drives the Dodge Dart Rally car for the first time.
There are plenty of warnings to Pastrana "not to f**k it up," as at the time of filming it was the only Dodge Dart Rally car. But if you are familiar with Pastrana and his band of miscreants, you'll know they do in fact "f**k it up" despite the concerned pleas of repair from one engineer.
Just less than eight minutes long, the video will give you access to how things came together for the filming of Pastrana with the Dodge Dart Rally car.


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Discover, monitor and assess the huge variety of Madagascar's exotic and rare species as you trek through remote regions of this hugely exciting island with Frontier-Madagascar.
Prices from $295
The enchanting Island of Madagascar is famous for its bizarre assemblage of wildlife, its dramatic landscapes and its unique and varied ecosystems. No other island or place on earth boasts such a combination of species richness and endemism! For example, every native terrestrial mammal species found on this huge island is found nowhere else on earth! Most famous of all of its inhabitants though are the lemurs, primitive prosimians, whose name, derived from the Roman Lemures, meaning 'spirits of the dead' alludes to the country's ancient cultural traditions.
There are currently 103 recognised Lemur species on the island, all of which are believed to have evolved from a single colonising ancestor, who reached isolated Madagascar some 50million years ago! Sadly however, recent assessments made by the IUCN now show that the Lemurs are now the most endangered group of vertebrates in the world, with 94 species being classified as threatened with extinction! However Lemurs are not the only group of animals in need of help! The Amphibian fauna of Madagascar is considered to be one of the greatest on Earth, with 238 recognised species and with another 182 candidate species currently awaiting classification! Madagascar has sadly already lost over 90% of its original forest cover though, and this has put increased pressure on all of the endangered species who live here.
Madagascar is also the centre of diversity for chameleons, with almost half of this old world fauna being found exclusively on the island! Including both the largest, and smallest species in the world! In Madagascar, there are weird, unique and wonderful forms of life everywhere that you look, and the more you discover about each of them, the more amazing they become! This sentiment was summed up perfectly by the 18th century French doctor and explorer, Joseph Philibert Commerson in a letter to his tutor in Paris:
"Of Madagascar I can announce to naturalists that this is truly their promised land. Here nature seems to have created a special sanctuary whither she seems to have withdrawn to experiment with designs different from any she has created elsewhere. At every step, one meets more remarkable and marvellous forms of life"
Despite these tantalising early accounts, Madagascar is still an island shrouded in mystery, and remains relatively un-studied to this day! Myths and legends abound in Madagascar, and remain deeply embedded in the collective imagination, adding to the sense of magic surrounding the island!
So journey with us to our current location in Northern Madagascar, an area which represents a transitional habitat between the floral communities of both the East and West, an area renowned for its high species diversity and high levels of endemism! One of the most threatened forest habitats in Madagascar - The seasonal humid forests of the Sambirano biome.
The Frontier-Madagascar wildlife conservation project is currently based on the 'scented island' of Nosy Be, famous for its vanilla, ylang-ylang and mangoes! The island is home to three species of lemur: Black lemur, Hawk's Sportive lenur and Clair's Mouse lemur, as well as six species of chameleons. Whilst on the wildlife conservation project you'll discover a huge variety of Madagascar's exotic species, as you trek through rugged and remote regions of this hugely exciting island. Working alongside other dedicated volunteers, you'll help to monitor the distribution and abundance of many groups of animal, and help assess how they are responding to human induced stress factors such as deforestation, habitat fragmentation and other forms of anthropogenic disturbance.
On this project you will directly contribute to important research, aiming to inform local government about how to manage the remaining forests and conserve their invaluable natural assets. You will learn an array of surveying techniques and have a chance to contribute to the to the local community through our education outreach days. But of course it is not all work, and after a hard days trekking and exploration you can always take advantage of the camp's beach front location and relax on the golden beaches, snorkel in the crystal clear waters or play football against the local village!
A variety of qualifications are available on many of our projects. For example, BTEC certificates and diplomas on our Group conservation projects and TEFL certificates and BTECs on most of our teaching projects. You may also be able to gain a CoPE to support your university application. For more information on these qualifications, please see the qualifications section of our website or ask your volunteer advisor.
The projects aims are to contribute to the current understanding of the local environment and help monitor the spectacular array of wildlife found here. Madagascar has been isolated for over 84 million years, creating a biodiversity resource of global significance, with over 80% of species found nowhere else on earth! Nosy Be's fauna includes three species of lemur, including the diminutive mouse lemur (Microcebus), the smallest primate on earth! Reptiles include rare turtles, snakes, geckos, including the superbly camouflaged leaf-tailed gecko's (Uroplatus), skinks and an array of chameleons.
There is spectacular bird life on the island, with the highest levels of endemism of any similar sized area in the world, as well as some elusive tenrecs – a group of small mammals that are incredibly diverse, filling niches in aquatic, terrestial, arboreal and fossorial environments, and resembling everything from otters to hedgehogs.
Madagascar's human population has doubled since 1960, leading to increased deforestation and overgrazing, which in turn has caused massive soil erosion and desertification. Only one tenth of the original forests remain and this situation is rapidly deteriorating as the human population continues to grow. The forests are cut down to provide nutrients and land for agriculture, as well as being used as hunting grounds in the more remote and poor communities.
You will be assessing the local flora and fauna of the region through biodiversity surveys of mammals, birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians, with the aim of informing and educating the local government and communities. It is our goal to leave a lasting impact in the region and to help the local communities appreciate and conserve their local environment and avoid the pitfalls of exploitation. You will interact with the community by providing environmental education days. This will enable you to evaluate the impact of the human population on the wildlife and help to develop ideas allowing the community to lead more sustainable lifestyles.
The main aims of the programme are to assess the biodiversity in this little-studied area and compare different habitat types and the effects of human disturbance, which may take several forms. We hope to gain insights into how each species or family of animals is responding to human induced habitat modification and other anthropogenic stresses. It is our aim to discover which species are able to adapt and cope with human interaction and which species may be intolerant to any form of disturbance. By helping us to find out which species are most vulnerable to human disturbance, we can help design specific conservation action plans for better conservation management in the future and inform the relevant national and local entities with responsibility for managing the forests.
Our current projects involve carrying out extensive surveys of the local mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians that exist in the surrounding forests. These surveys are conducted in a variety of habitat types, ranging from primary forest to plantation type habitats along a gradient of human disturbance. Our survey techniques range from setting up canopy or pitfall traps, active searches during both the day and night and behavioural surveys to collecting morphometric data on chameleons and snakes and learning how to record birds by identifying their calls. In addition, we will also be mapping vegetation and assessing disturbance and resource use in the area to build up an accurate picture. For more details on our specific projects and methods as well as our results so far please see our most recent science report.
If this is your first time doing conservation work, don't worry! It will only take a short while for you to feel totally at home on camp and confident with the science work. Although the work is intense, you'll find that living in such a beautiful and inaccessible environment alongside friends who share your passion for conservation will be the experience of a lifetime!
You'll find your team to be a fun, dynamic mix of ages, usually between 18 and 25, although no age limit applies, and experience, who all share a passion about travelling in developing countries and saving endangered life. Your staff will be young, friendly individuals who are highly experienced in their field and many may have volunteered on a Frontier project earlier in their career.
Sample Itinerary*
06:00 - breakfast; bread, sandwiches or cebada
06:30 - bird survey
08:30 - active search for reptiles/amphibians or lemur survey
11:00 - butterfly survey
12:30 - lunch: rice and beans!
13:30 - active search for reptiles/amphibians or lemur survey
16:00 - revision or presentations
18:00 - dinner: rice and beans or option to eat out in the village
19:00 - night walk - active search for amphibians/reptiles
*This itinerary should only be considered as an example of the kind of activities and timescales to expect. Actual itineraries may vary depending on the season and the requirements of the project.
Volunteers arriving weekly on a Monday will be welcomed by a Frontier representative at Nosy Be airport. From here it's a short taxi or minibus ride from the airport to the centre of the vibrant town of Hellville. If you arrive before noon, you will transfer to your project site and be introduced to the Frontier-Madagascar programme on the same day. If you arrive later in the day, you will stay overnight at the Frontier volunteer house in town and transfer to your project site the following day. You will meet staff, receive some initial project briefings, including an introduction to the work programme and to the field research techniques used, as well as being given health and safety lectures, so make sure your medical kit is complete and start reading your Safety and Medical Guides now.
If you are joining the project for 4 weeks or longer, you will be transferred back to the town of Hellville, from where you can reach the airport or start your onward independent travel. Independent travellers arriving on dates other than weekly on a Monday can arrange a separate airport collection (extra cost: $85) by contacting your volunteer advisor.
During the project you'll trek each day from the main campsite on the beach on Nosy Be, along with other Frontier volunteers and staff, to distant and remote sites in the forest to conduct the field work. We aim to provide you with a unique and memorable living experience. The Frontier field camps are designed to blend in with the surrounding natural environments. They consist of a collection of tents and shelters sometimes incorporating simple local dwellings constructed by Frontier volunteers working with local staff, using traditional building techniques and locally sourced materials. Your beach camp will provide you with a special home during your stay.
Life on camp is simple and fun. We believe that part of the excitement of journeying to a foreign country comes from immersing yourself with the local communities and living at one with nature. In your beach camp you will be cooking over an open fire, so prepare yourself for the simple, low footprint, unencumbered lifestyle! When you are trekking away from the base camp you may stay on a "satellite camp" which may consist of a mosquito net pitched in a remote clearing. You will help run camp from day-to-day, taking turns to cook, collect firewood, purify water and other essential camp maintenance duties.
At the end of your period of field work you will enjoy a few days of well deserved rest and relaxation with swimming and snorkelling in the fabulous crystal clear offshore waters.
Check out our Camp Tour video!
Camp food is basic and nutritious and consists largely of rice, vegetables, beans and noodles, all of which are purchased locally in order to help support the local economy. Luxuries such as chocolate, peanut butter and drinking chocolate must be imported from the local town, so make sure you stock up before heading to the field! Part of your role on camp will be to help with the cooking, so get your cookbooks out now and start practising! Also, with luck you'll be invited to local feasts and festivals – a great way to meet locals and enjoy local culture.
Ten Most Recent Reviews for This Project
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The Frontier-Madagascar camp is great fun and in your spare time you'll have opportunities to swim in waterfalls, play football and beach / river volleyball against the mostly unbeatable local teams. You can socialise, sit around the campfire, enjoy a traditional Saturday night themed camp party, play chess, poker or backgammon or join in a camp quiz night. After a long hard day of trekking and working in the field you may wish to relax with a drink and sway in the camp hammock, if you've made one, chatting to your new friends under a tropical sky lit by a million twinkling stars, before drifting off to sleep to the exotic calls that fill a tropical night.
A range of adventure and cultural activities like visits to remote villages, dive trips, and quad biking are available. Talk to our local staff teams to fix these with local providers and tour operators.
Scuba diving courses may be available (subject to availability of space and time constraints).
*Medical certificate is mandatory for participation in dive courses
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Extra week
Christmas Week
Every Monday
Ideally flights to Madagascar and connections to Nosy Be (Fascene) should be arranged for this arrival date.
From 1 week
This project is available for the special price of $255 per week over the Christmas period. Placements starting on the 21st or 28th of December 2020 are eligible for this price, subject to availability. Please apply using the orange button below and then tell your volunteer advisor that you wish to take part over Christmas.
For detailed information on flights, visas and insurance, click here.
Please read our legal statement regarding the running of NGO projects.
To apply for this placement, click on "Apply Now" below. Fill in the short application form and one of our advisers will then call you back to answer any questions and make sure this is the perfect placement for you. Applying doesn't cost a penny and you won't pay anything until you're completely happy and you're ready to reserve your place.


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Children's special anatomic and pathological characteristics require instruments that are appropriately adapted to them in every respect – because children are more than just little adults. In close collaboration with leading physicians worldwide, KARL STORZ has developed a special product range for this patient group, with products that are perfectly tailored to the needs of the youngest patients.
By doing so, KARL STORZ is setting new standards in pediatrics, involving the fields of neuroendoscopy, ENT, anesthesia and emergency medicine, thoracic surgery / bronchoscopy, gastroenterology, laparoscopy, urology, and proctology. For patients, smaller diameters mean less scar formation and less postoperative pain. For users, shorter instruments and greater stability ensure safety and ergonomics. As a result, both surgeons and patients benefit from our special pediatric portfolio.
Instrument Set for Pyloromyotomy
KARL STORZ offers a complete instrument set for pyloromyotomy featuring instruments that are specifically designed for this indication.
Percutaneous pyloric knife with knife insert for single use:
- Optimal cutting every time
- Integrated ratchet mechanism allows the knife insert to be locked in 8 positions (1.5 mm steps) and extended to the desired length in a controlled manner in order to achieve the required cutting depth.
GEIGER Percutaneous Pyloric Grasper
- Grasping forceps for stabilizing the pylorus during pyloromyotomy
The instrument set for pyloromyotomy also includes various pyloric spreaders and graspers that are suitable for both percutaneous applications and for use with a trocar.
E.P.Si.T. – Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment
The pilonidal sinus is an acute or chronic inflammatory process in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, often occurring in the sacrococcygeal region1. E.P.Si.T. – Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment – proceeds in two phases. In the first – diagnostic – phase, the sinus cavity and the sinus tracts are examined. The aim of the second – therapeutic – phase is to ablate the abscess cavity and to eliminate the fistula2. Both phases are performed under direct endoscopic control.
Special Features:
- E.P.Si.T. can be performed in an outpatient setting
- Ablation of the abscess cavity and elimination of the fistula under direct vision
- High patient satisfaction3
- Straightforward, safe, effective and reproducible method of treatment3
- Instruments can also be used to treat anal fistulas (VAAFT technique)
1 AWMF Summary of the S3 Guidelines 081/009: Sinus pilonidalis
2 Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment: A Prospective Multicentre Trial. P. Meinero et al., 2016
3 Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment, Giarratano G et al., 2017
The New RoTaLock™ Trocar
The TAN RoTaLock™ trocar is a self-retaining trocar that was specially developed for neonatal surgery/pediatric laparoscopic surgery.
Special Features:
- Distal tip of the cannula enables fixation directly under the abdominal wall and prevents the cannula from slipping out of the abdominal wall
- Due to the short length of the sheath, the distal tip of the cannula does not hinder opening of the jaws
- One-piece sealing system for single use, now also available as a sterile version
- Available in sizes 3.5 mm and 6 mm


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Mayo Clinic's eye specialists (ophthalmologists and optometrists) diagnose and treat hundreds of eye conditions, including many that are rare or complex. They offer a full range of eye care, from routine eye exams to surgery. They have special expertise in cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, cornea transplant, cancer of the eye, and diseases of the eyelids, the retina, the inside of the eye (vitreous), and the nerves related to the eye.
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Mayo Clinic specialists work closely with you and your health care team to understand and address your eye care needs. Many eye problems are related to other medical conditions, such as diabetes, immune system conditions and thyroid disease. So our eye experts collaborate with other specialists (endocrinologists, oncologists, neurologists) to provide exactly the care you need based on what's right for you. Eye specialists at Mayo Clinic also offer resources that can complement a local physician's expertise.
In addition to providing comprehensive care for eye diseases and conditions, Mayo Clinic eye specialists offer a full-service optical store, a contact lens service and a low vision service.
Ophthalmologists trained in treating children with eye conditions (pediatric ophthalmologists) may work with doctors trained in the general care of children (pediatricians) and other areas to care for children with eye conditions.
Due to popular demand, Mayo Clinic's ophthalmology department in Arizona is a referral-only practice. Specialists provide comprehensive care for eye diseases and conditions, including:
Mayo Clinic also provides treatment options for dry eyes, including newer technology that targets blocked meibomian glands. In addition, Mayo Clinic has a full-service optical store.
Mayo Clinic eye experts provide comprehensive care for eye diseases and conditions, including cosmetic eye surgery, low vision and specialty contact lens fitting, and a full-service optical store.
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1) Get a hacked Tivo HD and sell my Premier XL
2) Keep the Premier XL, ditch Time Warner, and get all my TV from Usenet.
Omikron, are you still working on the hack for the Series 4? I got my first Tivo the other day (Premier XL) due to the fact that it boasts you can stream recorded TV on any computer. Well, wouldn't you know it, Time Warner marks ALL their TV shows as copy protected (CCI Encryption, I think it's called) so I can't watch anything anywhere except on the Tivo itself. Do you know any way around this yet? This is a huge pain
1) Get a hacked Tivo HD and sell my Premier XL
2) Keep the Premier XL, ditch Time Warner, and get all my TV from Usenet.
Are you still within the period in which you can return the premier?
Yes, I can return the Premier.
Would a Slingbox work through to allow me to watch my recorded TV on any computer and over the web from my Premier even though the recordings are all CCI Protected?
Yes it would with two catches,
Anyone sitting at your TV would be stuck watching the same program that was being displayed by the slingbox
You can only watch shows when you have an internet connection at both ends (no offline viewing)
I'm biased but I vote for a modified TiVo HD
Last edited by ciper; 08-10-2010 at 04:02 AM.
Yeah, I looked into Slingbox more after that option was presented and decided it's probably not for me. The idea I have is not to make someone else suffer through a TV show at the TV while I am watching that same show in another room. If that's the case, I might as well just watch it in the living room with that person! <gasp>
I need a crack for the CCI Encription. =/
There are $99 Tivo HDs hanging around Blockbuster Video right now with proven hackable results and easily upgraded hard drives. I've bought a few here there and yonder
So I guess my main question then is... if I downgrade back to the Tivo HD and either get a hacked one or hack it myself, does the hack include bypassing the Time Warner encryption so I can do what I want with my recorded programs?
And then a secondary question, what cool features of the Premier will I not have in the regular HD model?
relocated posts from dev forum into this new support thread; please continue any discussion here.
Note the NoCSO hack, enabled by itself, does not allow transferring shows with CCI > 0 using the native utilities, and breaks the transferring of shows with CCI = 0 to and from units without the NoCSO hack.
Having trouble with TyTool? Try TyTool Documentation
Need to hack an S3 / THD? Try S3 Hacking Script
Having trouble with TyTool? Try TyTool Documentation
Need to hack an S3 / THD? Try S3 Hacking Script


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How to Protect Your PC For Free
|Dec 3, 2007
|Jordan Running
|Related OS:
|XP / Vista
|Software that can help
|Good for
|Cow Rating
|This firewall automatically protects your PC from hackers and other...
While commercial products have their advantages--often their interfaces are somewhat user-friendly and they offer more in the way of email and phone support--taking a chance on a free product won't cost you any money. Here are some of my favorites:
Virus protection
AVG Free from Grisoft offers complete virus protection with daily updates, at no charge for individuals for non-commercial use. AVG will do complete, speedy scans of your computer and also gives you the ability to check individual files and folders. It has saved my neck a couple times when I downloaded, and almost installed, files of dubious provenance. I've also found that AVG uses fewer system resources than some of its commercial competitors. If you want to add technical support, multiple languages, and permission to use it commercially, the Pro version has a $29.95 price tag.
Things don't stay still for long in the free firewall market. Sygate Personal Firewall, long my favorite choice, was discontinued by Symantec, which purchased Sygate in late 2005. Happily, Sygate Personal Firewall is still available for free at a number of sites, including right here at Tucows, and it's still a great product. If you want a product whose company still stands behind it, however, you'll have to look elsewhere. A top contender for the throne is Comodo Firewall Pro, which offers free spyware protection and updates, and doesn't look to be going anywhere soon.
Web browser
Many people take their web browser for granted, using Internet Explorer simply because it's what came pre-installed on their PC. While the latest version, IE7, has made some improvements, its ubiquity makes it the prime target for malicious web sites that aim to install spyware and viruses on your computer. For Windows there are many alternatives, but the most popular, and for good reason, are Mozilla Firefox and Opera. It's a personal choice, and both sport mostly similar feature sets, but here's some pros and cons for you: Firefox is the second-most popular browser in the world (after IE) and hundreds of third-party add-ons are available for it that add all kinds of functionality. Opera, on the other hand, is said to be particularly fast and take fewer system resources, and has many of the best features that come in Firefox add-ons built right in. My advice: Try both and stick with the one that suits you best.
Just as Internet Explorer's ubiquity makes it a target for malware, so it does for Outlook Express, the most popular email program for Windows XP, and its Vista equivalent Windows Mail. There are a couple great free alternatives to choose from. For an Outlook-like desktop experience, check out Thunderbird from Mozilla, the same fine folks who make Firefox. Thunderbird has all the core features of Microsoft's product, plus tagging, advanced folder management, RSS feeds, built-in spam and phishing protection, and more. And like Firefox, Thunderbird supports third-party add-ons that can add all kinds of unique functionality.
Another option is to ditch the stand-alone email client in favor of a webmail like Google's Gmail. Gmail includes both spam and phishing protection, and it can be set up to check mail for your old email account with POP3 access. And webmail has the distinct advantage of allowing you to check your email from any computer that has web access. The disadvantage is that you're trusting your precious correspondence to Google, and the service is ad-supported. Unlike many webmail services, though, Gmail does not stick advertisements at the bottom of the messages you send to other people, which is a big plus in my book.
Spyware and adware
Even the most cautious computer user will eventually find him or herself with a malware infestation. Adware alerts you to its presence by shoving pop-up windows in your face, but spyware often lurks behind the scenes, nosing about your address book, hunting for credit card numbers, and otherwise subverting your peace of mind. There are a number of free options for clearing them out: Spybot Search & Destroy is a popular option that offers frequent updates and fast scanning. Ad-Aware 2007 Free from Lavasoft is also, as its name implies, free. Another option is to download Google Pack, a free software bundle from Google that includes Spyware Doctor Starter Edition, a stripped-down version of its excellent commercial namesake.
Blogger since 1999, Jordan Running went pro in 2005 and never looked back. Sometimes programmer, occasional photographer, and serial tinkerer, he decided to to switch to Linux in 2001 but just hasn't quite gotten around to it yet.


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Article content
Non-OPEC crude production is set to outpace OPEC output over the next decade, driven by higher Canadian oil sands and American shale oil production, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). While Canadian output is set to rise well past 2020, American and other non-OPEC producers will plateau or start declining. After growing slowly in the next eight years, OPEC production is forecast to power ahead over the next few decades until 2035, to retain its influence as the world's largest supply block in global markets, says the IEA.
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