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I'm currently struggling to teach a 2nd course on linear algebra (in the UK, not at an Oxbridge quality university: the students have done a 1st course which concentrated upon algorithms you can apply to matrices, and calculations involving R^2, R^3 etc.)
The syllabus suggests a very abstract approach, stating and proving the Steinitz exchange lemma, and then working up to showing that every (finite dimensional) vector space has a basis of a fixed size etc. etc.
However, I think I'm killing my students. This is all very abstract, it's going to take me weeks to do, and the end result is: All finite dimensional vector spaces look, well, exactly as you think they do. I'm tempted to skip on to linear maps, matrices etc. which seems more interesting to me (and sort of motivates why we might care about choosing a different basis...)
However, I'm also loathed to just assert these facts without proof: the students saw that before in the previous course, and in a pure maths course, I sort of want to prove things (even if I don't expect the students to understand everything).
What do people think about doing a linear algebra course in maximal abstraction early on? Is there a good book which takes a very streamlined (if perhaps hard to understand) approach to proving the existence of bases-- at least then I could get it over with quickly without lying to the students.
I read Pedagogical question about linear algebra which was very useful, but maybe concentrated upon a different problem.


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Web-Enabled Toothbrushes Join the Internet of Things
Devices Link to Smartphones to Record Brushing Habits
BARCELONA—What the world needs now is a Web-enabled toothbrush.
That part is clear to several oral-hygiene companies. What they can't agree on is who was first to put teeth into the smartphone.
The giant Procter & Gamble Co. last week demonstrated what it calls the "World's First Available Interactive Electric Toothbrush." It...

subset: commoncrawl


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Jon Gosselin won his birthday battle -- but the war goes on.
The Ex-reality TV dad reportedly celebrated his twins daughters' ninth birthday at the family's million dollar Pennsylvania estate without restrictions on Thursday, after having earlier claimed that estranged wife Kate would only let him see Mady and Cara from 4 to 6 p.m.
"We kept it cordial for the kids," Jon told Usmagazine.com outside the party.
The father of eight rolled his eyes when asked about how things went with Kate.
"Fine,"he told Us.
He said he planned to stay at the home until putting the kids to bed.
Earlier this week, Jon told ET online that he was prepared for an "all-out [birthday] battle" after putting a stop to the filming of Kate's new reality show featuring the kids.
"She's trying to prevent me from seeing my kids on Mady and Cara's birthday," Jon said. "That's like giving her full custody by obeying her. She can't tell me what to do. I'm not going to allow it. I'm just going to stay. I own the house so I can do what I want."
The birthday party had been something Kate said she was looking forward to after a week in which she accused Jon of draining their joint bank account. A court hearing to resolve the matter has been postponed indefinitely after the judge's wife died, People reported.
"Thursday is Cara and Mady's 9th birthday," Kate had told People.com. "That's my focus to get me through the next few days. I'm going to bake a chocolate cake from scratch, and that's going to feel normal and happy."
But Jon fumed about Kate's suggestion that the two keep their distance during the party. The octodad said Kate claimed it would be "too stressful" for the kids to be around both parents simultaneously.
"I would like to spit the evening so they can see us both," Kate reportedly said in an email.
Jon accused Kate of trying to drive a wedge between he and his children.
"She's trying to prevent me from seeing my kids on their birthday because she doesn't want to see me," he had fumed. "She doesn't want to hear my apology. She doesn't want to work things out."
For one day at least, the pair set aside their differences for the sake of the kids.


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By John Goralski
Sports Writer
With just a 3-0 lead, John Bores watched expectantly as Conard's runner took off for second base at the crack of the bat.
Third baseman Lauren Zazzaro scooped up the ball and fired it to second base. Kaitlin Paterson caught the ball and threw it to first, but Conard's baserunner beat the double play by half a step.
These are the moments that Bores waits for in a year mired in lopsided blowouts. How will his Knights perform under pressure? This time they passed the test.
Southington is two games from clinching the top seed in the upcoming Class LL tournament, so Bores is on his guard for any key moment. That's how a coach prepares his team for the postseason when a good game is hard to find.
"Those are key situations, but everybody is contributing—even those kids coming off the bench," said Bores. "We're taking it one game at a time, and trying to build. I think we had some good, quality at bats. We hit the ball, and we executed. That's what I'm looking for."
With three more wins this week, Southington has pushed their record to 17-1 with a perfect, 12-0 record in the CCC West. Only two games have been decided by fewer than two runs with just one conference game posing any challenge, so Bores waits for crucial moments…and waits…and waits…
"When you have superior talent, you should be doing what we're doing and we're doing it," said the coach. "We just have to get through it and get ready for the tournament."
On Monday, there were few moments of worry in a 15-0 win over Farmington that ended after five innings. Caitlin Downes went 3-for-4 and scored all four times. Rachel Harvey had five RBI with a pair of home runs. Jordyn Moquin scored a third home run for the Knights and combined with Kendra Friedt (1 inning) for a one-hit shutout.
The scored five runs in the first inning, four in the fourth and fifth, and crossed the plate in each of their five chances until officials stopped play in the fifth inning.
The victory was the first of three lopsided wins, but the next two did provide some early drama. Bores will take what he can get.
"My favorite thing to tell the kids is that the first team that gets to five runs is going to win," he said. "I just have that much confidence in my pitcher and my defense. I know that we can play defense. Jordyn will hit her spots. She'll make her pitches, and we'll score enough runs to win."
On Tuesday, it took five innings before the Knights scored their fifth run. Paterson led off with a single and stolen base as the Knights manufactured a run in the first inning. It took a string of timely hits to plate two runs in the second, and the game didn't blow open until a five run rally in the fifth inning.
Paterson and Downes paved the way with three hits. Harvey and Caroline Burke scored two hits apiece, and Moquin struck out nine batters with just one hit in seven scoreless innings as the Knights rallied for a 9-1 victory.
"They are a scrappy little team, and I thought that Jordyn pitched tremendously again," said Bores. "We're getting spoiled. I told the kids that we can't expect her to throw shutouts every game, but she is giving us a great effort every single time."
On Friday, the Knights continued the sweep with another early challenge in Simsbury. The first time the teams met, Simsbury lost a 3-1 game in Southington. In the second meeting, the Trojans held the Knights to a 2-0 advantage until a late rally.
Moquin and Sara Carangelo scored three hits apiece. Six Knights combined for 11 hits, and Moquin allowed just three hits in the victory.
Simsbury was like a tournament game where we had to manufacture a couple of runs in the early innings," said Bores. "That was good for us."
The Knights can wrap up the top seed this week with wins over New Britain and Hall. Southington out-scored them 31-1 in their first meetings. Neither one is expected to pose a challenge, but Bores will take what he can get.


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Readers' Rides
Belgian B-Body
Who: Jurgen Kockaerts
Where: Niewrode, Belgium
What: '69 Plymouth Sport Satellite hardtop
Jurgen discovered Mopar Muscle on an Antwerp newsstand about five years ago, and this '69 Sport Satellite is the third ChryCo product that he's owned since then.
Discovered for sale in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, via an online ad, Jurgen bought it sight-unseen, and–after months of waiting and red tape getting the car shipped overseas–he unwrapped this prize after it landed in Belgium in June 2011.
Its 318-inch LA small-block now wears a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, and the all-original unibody wears a fresh coat of T7 Saddle Bronze paint thanks to its previous owner, while Jurgen added the chrome fenderwell trim, rebuilt the front suspension, and tuned up the 318. Future plans call for a factory-style AM/FM radio and in-dash speaker, to keep the cabin looking original.
He's already done quite a bit of cruising in it, and he hopes to pass it–and his love of Mopars–on to his three sons.
World's Fastest YJ
Who: Mark Blair
Where: Essex, Maryland
What: '86 Jeep Cherokee
Is an '86 Jeep truly a Mopar? Actually, Ma Mopar bought Renault's half of Jeep's then corporate parent American Motors that year, then bought the rest of AMC in 1987.
Mike started with a V-6-powered Cherokee, which now sports a 505-inch V-8 built from a Mopar Mega Block with GRP billet rods, an Ohio crankshaft, roller camshaft, Indy Cylinder Head's 440-1s heads, and an Indy intake plumbed with a Barry Grant fogger nitrous system tunable from 300-500 horsepower, and an NOS plate system that can be tuned from 150-250 hp. The transmission is an ATI Super Glide with trans brake and an ATI 4,800 stall converter, and the fully-boxed frame and 16-point rollcage are by S&W Race Cars, who also supplied the wheelie bars and parachute.
Mark's run a best of 8.53 seconds at 139 mph in the quarter-mile (so far).
He adds that his Jeep is a total one-off, as there are no drag race parts available for the '86 Cherokee, or any of the other YJ-platform Jeeps that kept AMC going back then.
Chester County Cruiser
Who: John Schelkopf
Where: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
What: '78 Dodge D-150 Little Red Express pickup
Here's the result of a father-and-son project that started when John and son Matthew found a well-used '78 LRE. Though rough, it had a solid frame, and they spent the next several years tracking down parts (many of them NOS), before starting on the five-year, frame-off restoration.
Instead of keeping the E58 360 original, they had Ray Barton build it into a 408-inch stroker with Edelbrock heads and a custom camshaft, which dynoed at 395 hp. The original 727 was rebuilt with a shift kit and two fluid coolers, and it gained a Gear Vendors auxiliary overdrive. In back, a DTS-built Dana 60 went in, with 35-spline axles and disc brakes.
They also rewired the truck, using relays and distribution blocks to take the load (and fire hazard) from the factory ammeter. The exhausts are custom stainless steel, with electronic cut-outs, and the wheels are original Lil Red Express (with the rears widened from 8 to 10 inches).
Father & Son Fury
Who: Tim Dallesandro Sr.
Where: Sterling Heights, Michigan
What: '65 Plymouth Sport Fury hardtop
Tim and his son started with a 57,000-mile two-owner original '65 Sport Fury hardtop, and their project produced this potent Plymouth.
Power comes from a 440 bored out .030-inch, fitted with Keith Black pistons on factory rods, a "10/10" crankshaft, and a .525-inch lift camshaft, before the 1963-vintage Stage III Max Wedge heads and a '64 Max Wedge intake topped with two 600-cfm Holleys went on. The ignition is a Mallory system, the headers are tti's with Flowmaster mufflers (with knock outs), and it's cooled by a four-core radiator.
It's backed by a manual-shift 727, built with five-sprag heavy-duty clutches, a Hughes 3,000 stall converter and a B&M shifter, plus a Gear Vendors auxiliary overdrive that enables easy 70-mph freeway cruising.
Chassis features include a new steering box and '69 Newport spindles and front disc brakes, along with a B-Series van master cylinder and proportioning valve.
Outside, '90s-vintage Chrysler gold paint with black accents covers the Engle-era C-Body sheetmetal, and the interior–aside from the shifter–is Roaring '65s original. mm
How to be in Pentastar
Send images of your ride, along with all the information about your ride, and we'll make you a STAR. Remember to include ALL your information, even where you're from. Send your digital images (at least 300 dpi) and information to email@example.com; or snail mail your print images and info. to Mopar Muscle Magazine C/O PentaSTARS, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619. Send us a good quality front ¾ shot (think feature shot), and an interior and engine bay shot.


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Occupy Wall Street, Beyond Encampments
Marina Sitrin and Luis Moreno-Caballud—participants in the Occupy Wall Street movement and Spain's May 15 movement—share their advice for Occupy Wall Street's next step.
We write this letter as participants in the movements, and as an invitation to a conversation. We hope to raise questions about how we continue to deepen and transform the new social relationships and processes we have begun … to open the discussion towards a common horizon.
The evictions and threats to the physical occupations in the United States have again raised the question of the future of the movement. The question isn't whether the movement has a future, but what sort of future it will be. For example, should our energy be focused on finding new spaces to occupy and create encampments? Should we be focused more in our local neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces? Is there a way to occupy public space with horizontal assemblies, yet also focus locally and concretely?
A look at the recent history of a movement similar to Occupy—the Spanish indignados or May 15 movement—can shed some light on the opportunities and urgency of this new phase. It is a moment that we see as a potential turning point, and one with incredible possibilities.
There are three key elements that have made the global movements of
2011 so powerful:
- The extraordinary capacity to include all types of people;
- The impulse to move beyond traditional forms of the protest and contention, so as to create solutions for the problems identified;
- The horizontal and directly participatory form they take.
Let's look at the first element. Unlike other movements that have strongly identified with particular social groups (workers, students, etc.), both the indignados and Occupy are movements that anyone can join, just by choosing to do so. Again and again, in Madrid as in New York, we have heard the demonstrators chanting solidarity slogans to the police: "they've also lowered your salary" and "you too are the 99%". In both places the movements have been able to bring out many people who had never been to a demonstration before, and make them feel welcome and useful. It is a culture and politics of openness and acceptance of the other.
The second element, the capacity to create solutions, is consistent with this non-confrontational aspect of the Spanish and American movements. Like their predecessors in Egypt and Greece, both movements began with the occupation of a public space. Rather than reproducing the logic of the traditional "sit-in," these occupations quickly turned to the construction of miniature models of the society that the movement wanted to create—prefiguring the world while simultaneously creating it. The territory occupied was geographic, but only so as to open other ways of doing and being together. It is not the specific place that is the issue, but what happens in it. This is what we could call the first phase of the movement. Solutions began to be implemented for the urgent problems, like the absence of truly representative politics and the lack of access to basic necessities, such as housing, education, food, and health care. In Spain and in the United States, this first phase saw the creation of two problem-solving institutions: the general assemblies and the working groups.
The ways in which we organize in these spaces of assemblies and working groups is inextricably linked to the vision of what we are creating. We seek open, horizontal, participatory spaces where each person can truly speak and be heard. We organize structures, such as facilitation teams, agendas, and variations on the forms of the assembly, from general assemblies to spokes councils, always being open to changing them so as to create the most democratic and participatory space possible.
The very existence of the encampments, together with the general assemblies, was already a victory over the increasingly desperate battle of all against all that the neoliberal crisis has imposed on us. The participants in these movements create spaces of sociability, places where we can be treated as free human beings beyond the constant demands of the profit motive. In a city like New York where debates about our society tend to occur only in government institutions, and expensive spaces of limited access (universities, offices, restaurants and bars), the assemblies at Zuccotti provided a public forum that was open to anyone who wanted to speak. In addition, from the very beginning the movement created working groups designed to directly address problems related to basic human necessities. On the first day of the occupation of Zuccotti, the loading and unloading of shopping-carts full of jars of peanut butter and loaves of bread, an initiative launched by the already-functioning food committee, was the first sign of this effort to provide solutions. By the 5th week of the Occupation in New York the food working group was feeding upwards of 3,000 people a day.
In these working groups the dynamic of the second phase of these movements was already implicit. In Spain this phase began over the summer; in the United States it is beginning now. This phase is characterized by the gradual shift from a focus on acts of protest (which nonetheless continue to have a crucial role, as we must confront this system that creates crisis) to instituting the type of change that the movements actually want to see happen in society as a whole. The capacity to create solutions grows as the movements expand in all directions, first through the appearance of multiple occupations connected among themselves, and then through the creation of—or collaboration with—groups or networks that are able to solve problems on a local level through cooperation and the sharing of skills and resources. For example, Occupy Harlem is using direct action to prevent heat from being shut off in a building in the neighborhood (this action has been coordinated with OWS and Occupy Brooklyn).
In the case of Spain, this expansion began in June, when the movement decided to focus its energy more on the assemblies and the working groups than on maintaining the encampments themselves. To maintain the miniature models of a society that the movement wished to create did not necessarily contribute to the actual changes that were needed in the populations that needed them the most. Which is why the decision to move away from the encampments was nothing more than another impulse in the constructive aims of the movement: the real encampment that has to be reconstructed is the world.
This Changes Everything: How the 99% Woke Up
Introducing the movement that's shifting our vision of what kind of world is possible—from the new book, "This Changes Everything: Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement."
Of course, it is true that the encampments continue to have a crucial function as places in which the symbolic power of the Occupy movement is concentrated. It is also true that the efforts to defend them have produced moving displays of solidarity. But the viability of a movement is not only defined by its capacity to withstand pressure from the outside, but also in its ability to reach and work together with people outside the space of the plaza or square. It is this—the going beyond the parameters of the plaza—which the assemblies and the working groups have already started to put into effect.
In the U.S., this might take the form of assemblies in neighborhoods, workplaces, universities, and on street corners working concretely together with neighbors and workmates, as well as then relating together in assemblies of assemblies or spokes councils in parks, plazas, and squares, sharing experiences from the more local spaces. All the while, the occupation of space and territory would continue—but with the vision of territory as what happens together, with one another, in multiple places, and then coming together to share in another geographic place. This could take places from neighborhood to neighborhood or city to city, all networked in horizontal assemblies.
In any case, to return to the example of Spain, what is certain is that while the indignado movement no longer has encampments, its presence is felt everywhere. It's a culture now, composed of thousands of micro-institutions that provide solutions through the common efforts of people affected by the same problems. There are cooperatives addressing work, housing, energy, education, finance, and nutrition, and many other things, as well as a web of collaboration that connects these cooperatives. Catalunya and Madrid already have "Integral Cooperatives" whose function is to coordinate the different services offered by various cooperatives within a particular locale, to the point that in some places in Spain it is almost possible to live without having to depend on the resources hoarded by the one percent. The movement has made it possible for these institutions, which used to be dispersed and limited, to grow and grow connected, and it has provided them with a visibility that has led to much more interest, respect, and support for their functions.
Also, the movement keeps coming back to the streets every so often in big demonstrations and assemblies that display its force and allow all of those working in the many projects associated with the spirit of May 15th to see each other, network together, and welcome more people.
The creation of alternative institutions and solutions has already begun in the United States. With or without encampments, the constructive phase of the Occupy movement is here, and all indications are that it will not slow down, as it has not slowed down in Spain. Every day on the news and on YouTube, we see the police removing the occupiers from parks and plazas, but the movement continues to grow—and to grow outside of these places. While the tumult of raids and returns jolts occupiers and the public alike, thousands of working groups around the world meet weekly in libraries, community centers, churches, cafes, and offices to share their extraordinary abilities and resources. They are already creating the schools, hospitals, houses, neighborhoods, cities, and dreams of the 99 percent.
This is the beginning of the occupation of an encampment that will never be dislodged: the world.
Marina Sitrin is a participant in the Occupy Wall Street movement, and was a part of the NYC General Assembly that helped organize OWS. She is a postdoctoral fellow at the CUNY Graduate Center Committee on Globalization and Social Change, and the author of Horizontalism: Voices of Popular Power in Argentina.
Two days after being evicted from Zuccotti Park, Occupy Wall Street's flagship occupation marked its two-month anniversary with a massive celebration of resilience.
The police chief who oversaw Seattle's crackdown on WTO protesters learned the dangers of militarization. His advice for a creating a police force that truly serves and protects communities.
Many question whether this movement can really make a difference. The truth is that it is already changing everything. Here's how.


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I cut off the lower 1/3 (I intended to use the lower part for other dish) and cut the top portion in quarters lengthwise. Then I further cut it into small wedges. You may find chalky white stuff between the segments of bamboo shoot. This is an amino acid (tyrosine) congealed. Tyrosine is not water soluble and is contained abundantly in the bamboo shoot itself. As such, it is not harmful and OK to eat but, for a better presentation, you may want to wash off most of the visible ones.
I put dashi (1 cup), mirin (1 tbs), sake (1 tbs) and soy sauce (2 tbs) in a small pan on medium flame. If you want to keep the light color of the bamboo shoot, use a light colored soy sauce or "usukuchi shuyu". When it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to simmer. I cook it for about 20-30 minutes or until the cooking liquid is reduced in half. Just 1 minute before serving, I add "himekawa" and hydrated wakame to warm them up but not really "cook" them. To serve, I first place the wakame (left, back in the above picture) and "himekawa" (right, back) in a sallow bowl. I took out the cooked bamboo shoot in another bowl and added bonito flakes and mixed to coat (optional) and served them next to the wakame and himekawa as seen above.
For dried wakame and vacuum packed bamboo shoot, this was not bad. We had this with cold sake as a second dish after we had the avocado and tunas sashimi cubes, a very nice contrast.


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Tonight the White House will once again host an LGBT Pride reception. The event will mark the Obama Administration's third annual LGBT celebration.
The guest list of the first and historic 2009 event was mostly comprised of national LGBT leaders. Guests at the 2010 reception were mostly state equality groups and youth LGBT leaders, including some students from historically Black colleges and universities.
Tonight's reception will be attended by dozens of guests enthused by the marriage victory in New York "but [their] host does not endorse same-sex marriage [and] it could be somewhat awkward," reports Sheryl Gay Stolberg at the New York Times.
"I think they are trying to share the joy, which is genuine on their part, without changing his position," Hilary Rosen, a prominent Democratic strategist, said of the White House. "I don't think he can have it both ways here."
For months, Mr. Obama, who has in the past opposed same-sex marriage, has said his views are "evolving." But last week's vote in Albany has intensified pressure on the president to say where he stands, particularly after remarks he made at a Manhattan fund-raiser disappointed and confused many gay rights advocates, including some of his most ardent supporters. Some are now comparing Mr. Obama unfavorably with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat who championed the New York bill and helped get it passed in a Republican-controlled Senate.
Obama's position on "states' rights" has become a flash point ...
"That was the argument they made about segregation," Ms. Rosen, who has long been supportive of Mr. Obama, said Tuesday. "I don't think people really believe that he believes that. It flies in the face of everything he has stood for." [...]
Yet in the context of the New York debate, Mr. Obama's comments infuriated some prominent advocates and potential donors. They include Chad Griffin, who sits on the finance committee for Mr. Obama's re-election campaign and recently co-hosted a fund-raiser featuring Michelle Obama that raised more than $1 million, and Paul Yandura, a Democratic strategist who advises gay philanthropists, including some Obama donors. "That language is really a dog whistle for the right," Mr. Yandura said.
The marriage issue dovetails into the 2012 election and strategy on battleground states, reports ABC News ...
Obama's reluctance to embrace gay marriage, putting him among a minority of Americans in national polls, appears part of a broader effort to avoid alienating voters in battleground states, like Ohio and Nevada, where majorities have traditionally shown less support for the unions than voters overall. States such as Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia, all won by Obama in 2008 and expected to be close contests in 2012, have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage that couldn't be overcome by a president's leadership alone.
New Hampshire legislators are expected to vote early next year on whether to repeal the state's same-sex marriage law, while in Minnesota, another battleground, a constitutional amendment banning the unions will appear on the ballot in 2012. ... Bottom line, some gay rights advocates speculate, Obama likely believes he has more to lose than gain in coming out in favor of same-sex marriage.
But not everyone invited to tonight's event will be focused on the President's position on marriage. Darryl Moore, a Black councilmember in Berkeley and chair of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), will attend the reception with his partner of 16 years, reports Berkeleyside. "I'm excited about the opportunity to celebrate LGBT Pride Month with a president that has made so much progress in the fight toward LGBT equality," said Moore.


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10 Best Towns for Families: 2011
St. Charles, Illinois
Population: 33,015Median Income: $84,881Median Home Price: $221,000Households with Kids: 37%Student/Teacher Ratio: 17:1Great Schools Rating: 9
Chicago residents Mike and Monica Corbett were diehard urbanites. But after visiting St. Charles on a weekend golfing trip, the couple was so smitten they decided to trade the Windy City for this town, 40 miles west. It was the right choice. "We have twice the living space plus an acre of property," says Monica, 47, a music teacher. "And we can walk downtown and take in great culture and restaurants." Along with their four children—Morgan, 17, Palmer, 14, Tommy, 11, and Hadley, 8—the Corbetts spend much of their time outdoors at Pottawatomie Park, which has panoramic views of the Fox River. Education is first-rate: Last year North High became the third school in the district to earn a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon award. But Monica and Mike, 45, a finance manager, are even more impressed with St. Charles' community spirit. "I'll never forget the time a police officer rewarded kids who wore bike helmets with free coupons for ice cream, or when our neighbor offered to lend us his car while he was away for the winter," says Monica. "This place is a little slice of heaven."
Good Deeds
Every September St. Charles' high school drill teams begin fundraising for the American Cancer Society and a local health center; the campaign, which netted an impressive $74,000 last year, culminates in October at the homecoming football game, where people line up across the field and do 100 kicks.
Peachtree City, Georgia
Population: 35,946Median Income: $84,609Median Home Price: $250,000Households with Kids: 42%Student/Teacher Ratio: 15:1Great Schools Rating: 10
In Peachtree City families move in, but they rarely move out. Take Ron and Missy Anderson. Eighteen months after relocating here from Cincinnati in 2006, Ron was laid off from his IT job. He eventually found work in Toledo, Ohio, but instead of moving his family, he opted instead to make the long commute on Sunday nights and return home every Friday. "We couldn't have done this if our kids were really young, but Alex is 18 and Cortland is 15," says Ron, 46. "I get homesick a lot, but we're so happy here. We couldn't imagine leaving." The top reasons are a robust school system and strong community ties, including a close circle of friends. Residents affectionately call Peachtree City "the bubble"—a haven of sorts where folks ride bicycles and drive golf carts along winding town pathways, and where teens don't think it's uncool to hang with their parents. "Living here isn't just easy," says Missy, 44, a stay-at-home mom. "It's almost too good to be true."
Good Deeds
This May nearly 400 volunteers turned out for the Keep Peachtree City Beautiful program, clearing debris from the woods, tunnels and bridges along the town's paths. Residents and businesses can also "adopt" a street, path, park or stream and make it their own cleanup project.
Liberty, Missouri
Population: 30,192Median Income: $64,409Median Home Price: $138,750Households with Kids: 37%Student/Teacher Ratio: 19:1Great Schools Rating: 8
Jenny DeVry, 45, knows there's no such thing as school rivalry in this close-knit Kansas City suburb. Her 16-year-old, Kate, attends Liberty North High School, but the rest of the family—husband Hank, 51, Claire, 15, and Henry, 12—regularly attend games and parades at Liberty High as well. "This is a community with a lot of old-fashioned traditions, like supporting one another," says Jenny, a patient coordinator at an orthodontist office. The town also takes care of its kids: In recent years voters have approved $104 million in bonds to construct new schools and update existing ones. There are also ample park lands, miles of bike trails and the 146-acre Fountain Bluff Sports Complex. "Children here are given plenty of opportunities to follow their interests, whether it's playing basketball or joining the debate team," says Hank. "Liberty is a one-of-a-kind place."
Good Deeds
The 200 members of the Liberty Giving Circle each contribute $300 a year to local charities, including a food pantry and a thrift store.
Fairhope, Alabama
Population: 15,953Median Income: $55,587Median Home Price: $200,000Households with Kids: 31%Student/Teacher Ratio: 17:1Great Schools Rating: 10
Katie Turner, 42, will tell you there's no shortage of fun family activities in this suburb outside of Mobile. One of her favorites is the seafood jubilee. Every summer, due to a mysterious confluence of temperature and tide, thousands of crabs, shrimp, fish and oysters turn up in shallow water or beach themselves on the sands of Mobile Bay. "Pretty soon everyone is dragging buckets, tubs and ice chests to the shore in the middle of the night," says Katie, who often joins the crowds with husband Lee, 45, daughter Grace, 15, and 13-year-old triplets Jordan, Josh and Lot. But Fairhope offers more than charming coastline. The couple, who co-own an insurance company, also enjoy hanging out at the French Quarter, a shopping district downtown. And last year residents voted for a new tax to help public schools preserve and expand their academic and athletic programs. Says Katie: "We've got the great outdoors, good schools and good neighbors—everything a family could want."
Good Deeds
Through an art showcase event and other fundraisers, the Fairhope Educational Enrichment Foundation raised $250,000 to construct a 250-seat theater at a local high school.
Friendswood, Texas
Population: 33,773Median Income: $89,222Median Home Price: $178,438Households with Kids: 43%Student/Teacher Ratio: 18:1Great Schools Rating: 9
You could say that Rick and Tina James demand a lot from their kids. Brooke, 19, is a pre-nursing major in the Honors College at Texas Tech, and Ashtin, 17, is taking every AP class possible at Friendswood High. But academic ambition runs deep in this town, midway between Houston and Galveston. "Most of the kids we know—not just ours—work hard to get good grades and rank in the top of their class," says Rick, 49, an attorney. Younger daughter Rianna, 11, dances competitively, and 8-year-old Mason is into team sports. Moms and dads step up too: Mason's football team has five parent coaches for its 20 players, while his Little League team has four. At Mason's elementary school, "room moms" regularly assist teachers. "Friendswood is all about community and supporting our kids," says Tina, 48, a pre-K teacher. "On top of that, there are beautiful neighborhoods and green space. In a word, it's ideal."
Good Deeds
When residents decided in 2008 that Friendswood needed a veterans memorial, they raised $110,000 and got businesses to donate materials and labor. Today, the monument, which includes a steel flag flanked by granite columns, sits on a 3,500-square-foot site amid olive and oak trees.
Novi, Michigan
Population: 55,382Median Income: $80,473Median Home Price: $160,542Households with Kids: 35%Student/Teacher Ratio: 16:1Great Schools Rating: 9
For Reeta and Abhinav Raina, the archway at Novi High School speaks volumes. With the word "Welcome" inscribed in 25 languages, it's a symbol of the diversity that distinguishes this fast-growing Detroit suburb. Asians account for 15% of the population, and at Novi High, sons Jay, 18, and Raj, 15, can take International Baccalaureate classes as well as attend German, Irish, Polish, Chinese and Indian cultural shows. "For us, diversity is just as important as good schools, low crime and green space," says Reeta, 45, an optometrist. "Novi is also a progressive, forward-thinking place," says Abhinav, a 51-year-old cardiologist. He's proud that Jay has a seat on the parks committee and votes with his adult colleagues on how and where to allocate funds. Raj serves on the youth council, organizing programs like the "Addicted to Movies, Not Drugs" campaign with a local theater. The boys play hard too—both have been members of the soccer and basketball leagues. And they know firsthand that Novi is a place where neighbor helps neighbor. When Jay and his friends lost their tech gadgets and games in the park, a good Samaritan found Jay's name on his iPod and called all the Rainas in the phone book until he found the right family. "This guy went out of his way to return everything," says Raj. "That's the type of community we live in!"
Good Deeds
The Baronette Renaissance Hotel offers a free, one-night stay to Novi residents who participate in annual volunteer projects; last year people could opt to plant flowers at the Civic Center for four hours or to help create a mile-long nature trail for an elementary school outdoor science class.
Trumbull, Connecticut
Population: 36,167Median Income: $93,986Median Home Price: $344,000Households with Kids: 41%Student/Teacher Ratio: 17:1Great Schools Rating: 9
It's the simple pleasures that Martha Jankovic-Mark loves most about this picturesque enclave, 60 miles north of Manhattan: strolling along the Long Island Sound, going sledding on the nearby hills in winter or hiking in summertime on the Pequonnock River Valley trails. "We just like getting the family together for good old-fashioned fun," says Martha, 51, a part-time lawyer who volunteers on the city council. She and husband Larry, 52, also appreciate the academic and sports programs at Trumbull's schools. Children Jon, 20, Alex, 17, and Larissa, 15, have participated in everything from mock congressional hearings to robotics team competitions to skating tournaments. "All the kids have formed relationships with their teachers and coaches, and have seen up close the commitment they bring to their work," says Larry, a software engineer. "It's inspiring, and they've been enriched by it." Adds Martha: "Some people say New Englanders are chilly, but people here are warm and really help each other out. Trumbull is a jewel."
Good Deeds
The volunteer group Trumbull Community Women works nonstop all year every year, holding food drives for the needy, raising money for schools and veterans organizations, and tidying up the town by collecting trash along roads and hiking trails.
Germantown, Wisconsin
Population: 20,614Median Income: $72,799Median Home Price: $245,500Households with Kids: 35%Student/Teacher Ratio: 17:1Great Schools Rating: 10
With more than 400 acres of green space plus a large nature preserve, this leafy town near Milwaukee is a place where people love to play ball. Dave Wegener, 49, figures he's coached about 50 sports teams over the years, starting when son Andy, 25, was a tot. "On any given Saturday there could be thousands of people in just one park," says Dave, who's also dad to Michael, 18, Hayden, 15, and Madelyn, 13. "Our parks are the place where families meet, greet and connect." He and wife Lisa, 51, an accountant, are also big fans of Germantown's schools, which rank among the best in the state in reading, math and science test scores. "Face-to-face or by e-mail, there's an easy, open dialogue with our kids' teachers," says Dave, a vice president at Mount Mary College. And their dedication and caring goes beyond the classroom. "When Michael broke his leg, his third grade instructors not only helped him get around school, but even delivered his homework assignments to our front door," says Lisa. "You couldn't ask for more."
Good Deeds
Community service starts early here: Working with the local Kiwanis Club, elementary school students volunteer at senior centers, collect donations for the humane society and host family bingo nights to raise money for food pantries.
Oviedo, Florida
Population: 32,894Median Income: $69,894Median Home Price: $197,500Households with Kids: 42%Student/Teacher Ratio: 16:1Great Schools Rating: 10
The nation's premier theme parks may be just a 30-minute drive from this sunny Orlando suburb, but Tom and Connie O'Hanlon and their two teens don't have to get in the car to do something fun. Instead, the family enjoys biking on the 22-mile Cross Seminole Trail, taking walks around scenic Lake Charm and jogging under the majestic oaks lining the streets. "There's something calming and beautiful about running from one shade tree to the next," says Tom, 51, a real estate investor. Daughter Katie, 18, and son Zachary, 17, pedal to and from Oviedo High School, where some 70% of students who take Advanced Placement tests score a 3 or higher. And residents know they can count on their friends and neighbors. When Katie was injured in an accident in February, people delivered home-cooked meals every night for two weeks and made her a get-well quilt. "My in-laws, who came to help while Katie recovered, were amazed," says Connie, 48, a property manager. "We weren't. We know we've found paradise here."
Good Deeds
The HOPE foundation, founded by resident mom Krissy Todd, aims to prevent homelessness through outreach and education services to 6,000 central Florida families every year.
Maple Valley, Washington
Population: 20,537Median Income: $80,196Median Home Price: $279,995Households with Kids: 51%Student/Teacher Ratio: 21:1Great Schools Rating: 9
There are times when Brenda Habenicht, 46, just can't make it to parent-teacher conferences for her kids—Lindsey, 16, and Alex, 13. No worries. Chances are she'll run into their instructors around town—and get a full progress report. "One Saturday I had a 20-minute conversation at the market with Lindsey's history teacher," she says. "Another night we were at a school rally when Alex's math instructor came over to tell me that he had gotten a perfect score on a test." That kind of dedication is just one reason why Brenda and her husband, Brett, 44, who own a coffee-roasting business, love this Seattle suburb. Another is Maple Valley's top-rated Tahoma school district, where students score among the top 10% in the state. Homes are affordable, and despite more than doubling its population in the last 14 years, the town retains its rustic charm. The Habenichts often go hiking, fishing and boating at Lake Wilderness, a 117-acre park with a spectacular shoreline, towering evergreen forests and meandering pathways. "You can see bald eagles, blue herons, bears and elk up close," says Brenda. "But it's not one thing that makes living here special. It's the natural beauty combined with a strong sense of community—plus, we're only 40 minutes away from Seattle or Tacoma. It's an unbeatable combo."
Good Deeds
The Maple Valley Rotary Club, which raises some $100,000 for charity every year, recently donated $50,000—and recruited hundreds of volunteer workers—to refurbish a gym for a nearby town.
How We Chose the Towns
With the help of Onboard Informatics, a New York City research firm that provides real estate, demographic and other data, Family Circle initially assembled a list of 2,500 cities and towns with populations between 15,000 and 150,000. We narrowed that down to nearly 1,000 localities, all of which had a high concentration of households with median incomes between $55,000 and $95,000. We then assessed which places best meet our family-friendly criteria—including affordable homes, quality schools, access to health care, green space, low crime rate and financial stability—and ranked them from top to bottom. Family Circle selected the 10 winners from among the highest-rated towns.
How We Grade the Schools
The Great Schools rating listed for each town is based on the performance on standardized tests by local elementary, middle and high schools relative to other schools in the state, rated on a scale of 1 to 10. A rating of 10 means that overall test scores are as good as, or better than, 90% of scores elsewhere. The ratings are provided by GreatSchools.net, a nonprofit website with a mission to improve education by inspiring parents to get involved. To find out how your child's school is doing, go to the site and enter your school's name and state for test results according to grade, stats on student-teacher ratios and diversity, and parent reviews.
Originally published in the August 2011 issue of Family Circle magazine.


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Revista argentina de microbiología
versión impresa ISSN 0325-7541
Rev. argent. microbiol. vol.44 no.3 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires jun./set. 2012
Utilization of bacteriological culture for increased diagnostic performance at a tuberculosis reference center hospital
Valéria Martins Soares1*, Wania Da Silva Carvalho2, Silvana Spindola De Miranda3
1Microbiology, Julia Kubitschek Hospital, Fundação Hospitalar de Minas Gerais, Rua Doutor Cristiano Resende, 2745 - Araguaia Belo Horizonte - MG, 30620-470;
2School of Pharmacy, Social Pharmacy Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6.627 - Campus Pampulha 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais;
3Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico y Tecnológico, School of Medicine, Mycobacteriosis Research Group, Federal University of Minas Gerais, REDE- TB Av. Alfredo Balena, 190 - Campus Saúde 30130-100 Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais, Brazil.
*Correspondence. E-mail: email@example.com
The purpose of this study was to assess the increase in positive results of bacteriological diagnostic tests for tuberculosis with the utilization of culture at a referral hospital for tuberculosis (TB). A retrospective analysis was conducted based on the positive bacteriological results obtained at the Júlia Kubistchek Hospital. The number of bacteriological diagnoses was increased by 24.6 % with the utilization of culture of sputum samples and by 56.1% of bronchoalveolar lavage samples.With regard to pleural fluid, all six positive cultures were negative for bacilloscopy. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated in 59.6 % of positive cultures. Since mycobacterial culture was not undertaken for all clinical samples, this procedure is an important laboratory routine at the Júlia Kubistchek Hospital in order to learn the real TB prevalence.
Key words: Tuberculosis; Diagnostic; Bacilloscopy; Mycobacterial culture
Uso del cultivo para un mejor rendimiento diagnóstico en un hospital de referencia para tuberculosis. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el aumento de la positividad en el diagnóstico bacteriológico de la tuberculosis mediante el uso del cultivo en un hospital de referencia para tuberculosis. Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo de los resultados bacteriológicos positivos en el Hospital Júlia Kubitschek de Belo Horizonte, Brasil. Hubo un incremento en el diagnóstico bacteriológico con cultivo del 24,6 % en las muestras de esputo y del 56,1 % en las muestras de lavado broncoalveolar. En líquido pleural, de 6 cultivos positivos, todos fueron negativos por baciloscopía. En 59,6 % de los cultivos positivos se aisló Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Se concluye que el cultivo para micobacterias es importante en la rutina de laboratorio del Hospital Júlia Kubitschek para el conocimiento de la verdadera prevalencia de tuberculosis, ya que este procedimiento no se realiza en todas las muestras clínicas.
Palabras clave: Tuberculosis; Diagnóstico; Baciloscopia; Cultivo de micobacterias
Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of the main public health issues in most countries. According to the WHO -World Health Organization, in 2009 alone the number of new TB cases was 9.4 million. Brazil currently ranks 19th regarding TB incidence and is among the 22 countries responsible for 80 % of all TB cases (14).
Although curative treatment is available, a significant number of TB patients are still treated in hospitals and intrahospital mortality remains high, with estimates ranging from 2 % to 12 %. Co-morbidities, including HIV, and late initiation of treatments have been considered the causes for the high intra hospital mortality (12). The situation is even more severe due to the emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is resistant to the main drugs being used and by its high dissemination capacity (13).
The Júlia Kubistchek Hospital (HJK), part of the FHEMIG (Fundação Hospitalar de Minas Gerais) healthcare system, is a state referral center for TB treatment that treats nearly 600 patients every year, with a monthly average of 60 inpatients, and an average of around 220 TB cases reported per year.
For a bacteriological diagnosis of pulmonary TB, the first test requested is a sputum bacilloscopy, which has an elevated positive predictive value in our field (> 95 %) but low sensitivity (40 - 60 %). Cultures allow for the identification of the mycobacterium species and for a sensitivity test, in addition to an increase in the diagnostic performance, as it is a more specific test that provides greater sensitivity (3).
The Brazilian Society of Pneumology and Tisiology defined and publicized criteria for conducting the culture test. However, in high complexity hospitals and TB referral centers, this test should be undertaken routinely, mainly in extrapulmonary samples that are paucibacillary, with the purpose of providing a response to local demands, increasing the detection of mycobacteria and assessing and improving the performance of the TB control program (3, 8).
The objective of this study was to assess the increase in tuberculosis diagnostic performance with the use of mycobacteriological culture in a specific medium, with respect to the bacilloscopy in samples of pleural and pulmonary origins.The present study was undertaken in the Microbiology Sector of the HJK Laboratory. A retrospective analysis was conducted based on positive bacteriological results (bacilloscopy and/or mycobacterial culture) recorded in the institution's books from July, 2009 through December, 2010. This study was approved by the FHEMIG Research Ethics Committee.
The Ziehl-Neelsen technique was adopted for the bacilloscopy procedure applied to the in natura sputum samples (direct sampling).The bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and pleural fluid samples were centrifuged and the bacilloscopy was performed on the sediment thereby obtained.The culture was done in a Lowenstein- Jensen medium, following decontamination using the sodium lauryl sulfate method and the identification of mycobaterial species via biochemical methods (9, 10).
A bacilloscopy diagnostic test was adopted to assess the laboratory performance of the culture. Pleural and respiratory samples with positive bacteriological diagnoses were included (bacilloscopy and/or culture). To calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), the result of the culture was adopted as the gold standard (6). All clinical samples of any other origin were excluded. Clinical assessments of patients were not made.
Within the period studied, the laboratory received 965 clinical samples (respiratory and pleural) for the isolation of mycobacteria, of which 412 were sputum samples, 476were bronchoalveolar lavages and 77were pleural fluid samples. Twenty-nine percent (279/965) showed positive bacilloscopies or cultures (Table 1). Of the 279 clinical samples registered as positive, 191 were sputum samples, 82 were bronchoalveolar lavages and 6 were pleural fluid samples, which corresponded to 76 patients. In the samples with positive cultures, the positive results increased by 20.4 % for sputum samples and by 54.8 % for bronchoalveolar lavages when compared to bacilloscopy results. In the sputum samples, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for the bacilloscopy were 74.3 %, 98.1 %, 94.4 % and 89.8 %, respectively. For the BAL samples, these values were 43.2 %, 99.8 %, 97.2 % and 91.2 % for sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV. Values were not calculated for pleural fluids as there were no samples with positive bacilloscopy.
Table 1. Comparison of the positivity of bacilloscopy and culture in Lowestein-Jensen when diagnosign tuberculosis at HJK from June, 2009 through December, 2010
HJK: Júlia Kubischek Hospital; BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage
Of the 191 positive sputum samples, in 47/191 (24.6 %) the diagnoses were obtained exclusively via culture, as demonstrated in Table 1. In 4.2 % (8/191) of the samples, the culture was negative, despite the positive bacilloscopy.
Of the 82 positive BAL samples, 56.1 % (46/82) of the bacteriological diagnoses were obtained solely via culture. Only 1.2 % (1/82) of the samples did not increase in the culture, despite the positive bacilloscopy (Table 1).
The overall performance of sputum and BAL materials was: positive bacilloscopy 180/279 (64.5 %); negative bacilloscopy 99/279 (35.5 %); positive culture 270/279 (96.7 %); negative culture 9/279 (3.3 %), respectively. A total of six pleural fluid samples were positive in culture and negative in bacilloscopy.
Among the positive cultures presenting negative bacilloscopy, M. tuberculosis was isolated in 59/99 (59.6 %). In 36.4 % (36/99), it was not possible to identify the mycobaterial species. Four out of the 99 positive cultures (4.0 %) were identified as nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).
It was observed that the sensitivity obtained with sputum bacilloscopy (74.3 %) was higher than that in the data reported in the literature, which present values on the order of 40 - 60 % (3). The positive predictive value was 94.4 %. The same authors report a positive predictive value greater than 95 % in our field. In BAL samples, when the bacilloscopy sensitivity is assessed, 43.2 % are in accordance with the values found by Conde et al. (2).
With respect to sputum samples, positive results increased by 20.4 % in the bacteriological test with culture, and are in accordance with the data in the literature, as they demonstrate an increase of 20 % to 40 % in mycobacteria diagnoses (2-4). It is important to note the remarkable increase in positivity in BAL (54.8 %) in relation to bacilloscopy. This increase may be due to the low sensitivity of bacilloscopy in direct samples. As described by other authors, the increase in positivity of bacteriological diagnostic tests due to the introduction of culture in BAL may range from 56.6 % to 87 % (1, 5).
The negativity of all pleural fluid samples analyzed via bacilloscopy may be due to possible technical issues during sample processing, even though some authors have reported that in pleural fluid, both bacilloscopy and culture have performances lower than 5 % and 40 %, respectively (12). However, the culture played an important role in diagnosing pleural TB in six of the cases.
When analyzing the overall performance of the TB diagnosis using bacilloscopy and culture, a satisfactory result (positive 64.5 % and 96.7 %, respectively) was observed.
As regards the result of the negative cultures presenting positive bacilloscopy, this may be due to treatment control patients, when dead bacilli are still being eliminated. However, values above 3 % may also indicate technical problems. This might happen due to drastic decontamination procedures, oscillating temperatures in the incubator, improper storage of clinical samples or even false positive bacilloscopy results (10). Therefore, better quality control during laboratory processes might aid in decreasing the number of flaws.
In Brazil, an increase in the disease by NTM is observed following the AIDS epidemic. However, the data on the frequency of species and the prevalence of the disease are not yet truly known (15). In the present study, it is not possible to relate the 4 % of NTM to the disease as there is no clinical data on the patients.
Since HJK is a referral hospital for TB and resistant TB, the utilization of new and quicker techniques, in addition to molecular tests that may come to reduce the time required for diagnosing, should be assessed, including the identification of species and the detection of mycobaterial resistance to drugs. Accuracy studies assessing new methods are being tested in Brazil for validation of the diagnosis. However, the incorporation of these technological innovations into clinical routines still requires cost-effectiveness studies to assess the impact on the healthcare system in which it is to be adopted (3). Even though culture in a solid medium has a slow growth time, it is what is available in the laboratory. Thus, both identification and supervised treatment will be enabled, as well as the real prevalence of species and the resistance of M. tuberculosis to drugs may be understood, since HJK receives patients from several different regions of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with antibiotic failure diagnoses, relapses and suspected resistance.
One of the limitations of this study was the lack of data on the patients' clinical conditions and the fact that the culture test was not run for all clinical samples, which might even further increase the number of positive bacteriological diagnoses, in addition to phenotypic and genotypic testing. Furthermore, the progress of the patients diagnosed with Mycobacterium sp. (species not identified due to insufficient number of colonies) was not assessed, which does not eliminate the possibility of it being M. tuberculosis, along with those grouped as NTM, meaning that it was not possible to determine whether it was a disease, contamination or simply colonization (7).
The present study allowed for the assessment of culture, since this procedure would only be conducted when requested by a physician, and was not a routine procedure at the HJK. With these data, coordinators of the TB Control Plan at the HJK and at the Laboratory are already assessing the implementation of culture for all incoming samples. As a result, an increase in the number of TB diagnoses, as well as a reduction in unconfirmed in-hospital treatments to less than 15 % are expected, along with the possible identification of species and assessment of sensitivity to drugs.
Acknowledgments: we are grateful to the staff at the Microbiology Sector at the Júlia Kubitschek Hospital for their support, to FAPEMIG - Minas Gerais Foundation for Research Support for their financial support and to Professor Leila Souza Fonseca for proofreading the article.
1. Caymmi AL, Silveira MAS, Montal G, Lemos ACM. Role of the fiber optic bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis. J Bras Pneumol 2004; 30: 39-45. [ Links ]
2. Conde MB, Soares SL, Mello FC, Rezende VM, Almeida LL, Reingold AL. Comparison of sputum induction with fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: experience at an acquired immune deficiency syndrome reference center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2000; 162: 2238-40. [ Links ]
3. Conde MB, Melo FA, Marques AM, Cardoso NC, Pinheiro VG, Dalcin PT, Machado Jr A, Lemos AC, Netto AR, Durovni B, Sant'Anna CC, Lima D, Capone D, Barreira D, Matos ED, Mello FC, David FC, Marsico G, Afiune JB, Silva JR, Jamal LF, Telles MA, Hirata MH, Dalcolmo MP, Rabahi MF, Cailleaux-Cesar M, Palaci M, Morrone N, Guerra RL, Dietze R, Miranda SS, Cavalcante SC, Nogueira SA, Nonato TS, Martire T, Galesi VM, Dettoni Vdo V. IIIrd Brazilian Thoracic Association Guidelines on Tuberculosis. J Bras Pneumol 2009; 35: 1018-48. [ Links ]
4. Froes GC, Coutinho RL, Ávila MN, Cançado LR, Miranda SS. Profile and follow-up of patients with Mycobacterium sp. at the Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. J Pneumol 2003; 29: 365-70. [ Links ]
5. Garcia SB, Perin C, Silveira MM, Vergani G, Menna-Barreto SS, Dalcin PTR. Bacteriological analysis of induced sputum for the diagnosis of pulmonar tuberculosis in the clinical practice of a general tertiary hospital. J Bras Pneumol 2009; 35: 1092-99. [ Links ]
6. Godoy MF, Braile DM. 1999. Cálculos estatísticos básicos para testes diagnósticos. Braile Biomedica [online]. http://www.braile.com.br/Download/TestDiag.xls. Accessed 30 september 2011. [ Links ]
7. Griffith DE, Aksamit T, Brown-Elliott BA, Catanzaro A, Daley C, Gordin F, Holland SM, Horsburgh R, Huitt G, Iademarco MF, Iseman M, Olivier K, Ruoss S, von Reyn CF, Wallace RJ Jr, Winthrop K; ATS Mycobacterial Diseases Subcommittee; American Thoracic Society; Infectious Disease Society of America. An official ATS/IDSA statement: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases. Am J Resp Crit Care Med 2007; 175: 367-416. [ Links ]
8. Kritski AL, Netto AR. Works in the field of tuberculosis study published in the Brazilian Journal of Pulmonology between 2004 and 2011: types of articles, study models, level of scientific evidence, and social impact. J Bras Pneumol 2011; 37: 285-7. [ Links ]
9.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde.Centro de Referência Prof. Hélio Fraga. Manual de Bacteriologia da Tuberculose; 3rdf edition, 2005. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. [ Links ]
10. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. National Manual for the Laboratory Surveillance of Tuberculosis and other Mycobacteria, 1st edition, 2008. Brasília, Brazil. [ Links ]
11. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Programa Nacional de Controle da Tuberculose. Manual de recomendações para o Controle da Tuberculose no Brasil, 2010. Brasília, Brazil. [ Links ]
12. Silva DR, Menegotto DM, Shulz LF, Gazzana MB, Dalcin PTR. Clinical characteristics and evolution of non-HIV-infected immunocompromised patients with an in-hospital diagnosis of tuberculosis. J Bras Pneumol 2010; 36: 475-84. [ Links ]
13. Siqueira HR, Freitas FAD, Oliveira DN, Barreto AMW, Dalcomo MP, Albano RM. Clinical evolution of a group of patients with multidrug-resistant TB treated in a referral center in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. J Bras Pneumol 2009; 35: 54-62. [ Links ]
14. World Health Organization. WHO global tuberculosis control report 2010. Geneva, Switzerland. [ Links ]
15. Zamarioli LA, Coelho AGV, Pereira CM, Nascimento ACC, Ueki YM, Chimara E. Descriptive study of the frequence of nontuberculous mycobacteria in the Baixada Santista region of the state of São Paulo. J Bras Pneumol 2008; 34: 590-4. [ Links ]
Recibido: 7/2/2012- Aceptado: 7/5/2012


text:
Jovetic, a £22million signing from Fiorentina last summer, has almost become City's forgotten man due to a catalogue of injuries and illness.
The Montenegro international has made just three starts - five appearances in total - and scored only twice for his new club.
Fellow strikers Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko have excelled without him, scoring 58 goals between them this season. Negredo was also signed last summer and club's other two other two major arrivals, Fernandinho and Jesus Navas, have also made an impact.
Yet while Jovetic is so far the odd man out in those groups, he has had little luck and Pellegrini hopes that soon begins to change.
The 24-year-old is close to fitness and could get an opportunity as City, with a 6-0 aggregate lead, travel to West Ham for the second leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final.
Pellegrini said: "It's an important chance for him to come back to play but I don't think he'll be able to play from the beginning or play 90 minutes.
"We'll talk with the doctor and if he doesn't have any risks then maybe he will be in the squad.
"He came here to play in the Premier League. He was a very important player in Italy for Fiorentina and I still believe he will be a very important player for us.
"He can really start playing often in the next three months and I think he can be the player we hoped he would be."
Jovetic's City career stalled before it began as he suffered a hamstring injury during pre-season.
Since then he has had further hamstring and calf problems while a potential appearance in the Capital One Cup quarter-final at Leicester was scuppered by illness.
Pellegrini, renowned for his man-management skills, concedes keeping Jovetic's spirits up has been one of his tasks.
He said: "It's very difficult to be happy when you're not playing and you have so many injuries, but he's conscious that he will (get to) be 100 per cent fit and demonstrate why he's here.
"We are trying every day to give him trust so that his bad luck will finish soon.
"It's very important that he comes back ambitious and hungry to be an important player here at Manchester City."
Midfielder Jack Rodwell, another player hampered by injuries this season, is also hoping to feature at Upton Park.
Rodwell has made just three appearances this season after more of the hamstring problems that have blighted his career.
With such a commanding first-leg advantage, City's place in the Wembley final on March 2 is all but guaranteed.
Pellegrini is expected to make a number of changes with the likes of Costel Pantilimon, Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott and James Milner among those who could be involved, along with youngsters Marcos Lopes and Emyr Huws.


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J Blakeson brought his directorial debut, "The Disappearance of Alice Creed," starring Gemma Arterton, to the Tribeca Film Festival for its U.S. premiere on Saturday. It's a taut, suspenseful crime thriller in the fine British tradition about a young woman taken for ransom by two men, one of whom turns out to be someone she knows very well.
Though Blakeson eventually secured financing to fully realize his vision, much of what makes the film so effective was the result of financial constraints. PopcornBiz sat down with Blakeson earlier in the day to talk about his process and his country's love of criminals.
"I knew it was going to be three people, the idea was sort of born out of necessity. I'd come close to directing my debut feature before… we got a blinking green light and that light sort of exploded. I got quite frustrated that I wasn't getting any closer to being a director, I was a screenwriter at the time.
"I had made a couple of low-budget short films, I thought, 'Well I can make them for under a thousand pounds for 10 minutes. I know good actors, I've got an apartment, I could probably buy a van on eBay and burn it,'" he says with a laugh. "If I set it in woods and deserted wastelands and empty car parks, then I don't even have to get permits, really. I certainly don't need extras... I could probably shoot in a hardware store for a day – I had shot in a hardware store before, for one of my short films – so I knew I could do that.
"And so it was sort of based on the fact that if I had to make it on my credit cards for 40,000 pounds, I was prepared to do it. And so the script was written with that in mind, and so keeping it to three characters and keeping it to locations I knew I could probably film in on evenings and weekends for two years.
"Genre films are fun and they're about the story and they've the expectations you can play with. When you haven't got CGI and you haven't got a lot of anything else, you need to have the story working hard. And so a kidnap seemed like a good thriller, because the dynamic between a kidnapper and his victims is very different from most other crimes – it's quite intimate, because they almost become like a parent or a nurse… but yeah, the three characters was just to keep the budget down."
Like most of the crime films that come out of Britain, "Alice Creed" is told from the perspective of the criminals. Not a single police officer is seen nor heard. Asked why it is that the Brits tend to focus on the bad guys, while American cinema is more often about the good guys, Blakeson appears to zero right in on the answer.
"I think the big difference is your cops are cooler than ours. Our cops don't have guns, mostly. We don't have SWAT teams… we have people drinking a lot of tea and doing IT work. You don't really have that iconic detective story – it's more the bobby on the beat."
"But we've always had criminals, we've always had gangsters, we've always had gangs. And I think because we've always been interested in the seedier side of life, from Shakespeare to Dickens…. It's always about the grubby underside. Heroism is actually quite boring. 'Henry V' is a great play, but I think 'Henry IV, part II' is a more interesting play, because that's when he's off being bad."
As Blakeson notes of British cop movies, even the exception proves the rule.
"'Hot Fuzz' is the only kind of (British) police film that tries to do something different, but even that is taking the piss out of the fact the British police are sort of crap," he said. "I mean, they do their job very well, but they've got the silly helmet, and their job is mostly walking around telling kids, 'Ay – stop that… Does your mum know where you are?'"
"I was out the other day, this cop on a mountain bike stopped by these teenage girls and said, 'I hope you're not smoking.' That's how cinematic they are."
"The Disappearance of Alice Creed" is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival April 25 & 26, before its limited release in June


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ISBN: 978-1-118-24092-2 February 2012 Wiley-Blackwell 312 Pages
Download Product Flyer
Phytonutrients is divided into three parts. The first deals with the role of plants in the human diet. Part II, representing the major part of the book covers in turn each of the major phytonutrient groups. Chapters include: non-lipid micronutrients, lipids and steroids, carotenoids, phenolics, vitamins C, E, folate/vitamin B12, phytoestrogens, other phytonutrients and minerals, and anti-nutritional factors. The final part of the book covers the methods used to manipulate levels of phytonutrients in the diet, such as fortification, supplementation and the use of genetically modified plants.
Phytonutrients is an essential purchase for nutritionists, food scientists and plant biochemists, particularly those dealing with nutrients from plants, and their use in the human diet.
Table of contents
Contributors xii
Abbreviations xv
1 Plant foods and health 1
Judith Buttriss
Introduction 1
Historical changes in the plant content of the human diet 1
Changing composition of dietary constituents in the past 50 years 5
Plants – nutrients and other constituents 6
A summary of the evidence linking plant food intake and health 6
Coronary heart disease and stroke 9
Fruits and vegetables 9
Pulses and nuts 13
Cereals 15
Antioxidant nutrients 17
Other bioactive substances 18
Antioxidant hypothesis 20
Phytosterols and –stanols 20
Conclusions for coronary heart disease and stroke 21
Cancer 21
Fruit and vegetables 21
Legumes and nuts 26
Foods containing fibre 26
Vitamins 26
Other plant-derived substances 28
Conclusions for cancer 28
Type 2 diabetes 29
Age-related macular degeneration and cataract 29
Age-related cognitive decline 30
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 31
Osteoporosis and bone health 31
Plant foods and health: overall conclusions 32
Recommendations and current policy on plant food intake 33
Fruit and vegetables 33
Wholegrain foods 35
Current consumption patterns 35
Conclusions 39
Acknowledgement 40
2 Carbohydrates and lipids 52
Andrew Salter and Gregory Tucker
Introduction 52
Major carbohydrates 53
Sugars 54
Polysaccharides 55
Starch 55
Cell wall polymers 58
Biosynthesis of cell wall polymers 60
Cell wall turnover 62
Nutritional benefits of plant carbohydrates 64
Major sources of dietary fibre within the diet and recommended intakes 64
Definition and measurement of dietary fibre 65
Physiological effects of dietary fibre 66
Lipids 68
Synthesis of fatty acids in plants 69
Synthesis of glycerolipids in plants 70
Modification of plant lipids 73
Fatty acid composition of plant foods 76
Vegetables 76
Cereals 77
Fruit 77
Oil seeds 77
Dietary lipids and human health 79
Phytosterols 80
3 Carotenoids 89
Úrsula Flores-Perez and Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion
Introduction 89
Structure, biosynthesis and function of plant carotenoids 90
Dietary sources and health benefits 93
Absorption and bioavailability of dietary carotenoids 97
Carotenoid type 98
Food matrix 98
Carotenoid metabolism in humans 99
Meeting the dietary demand and consequences for imbalance 101
Acknowledgements 102
4 Polyphenols 110
David Vauzour, Katerina Vafeiadou and Jeremy P. E. Spencer
Introduction 110
Polyphenol structure 110
Phenolic acids and stilbenes 110
Flavonoids 113
Biosynthetic routes within the plant 115
Shikimic precursor and benzoic acid biosynthesis 115
Cinnamic acid biosynthesis 115
Stilbene biosynthesis 119
Flavonoid biosynthesis 119
Major sources within the diet 121
Phenolic acids and stilbenes 121
Flavonoids 121
Flavonols 121
Flavanones 122
Flavanols 123
Flavones 123
Anthocyanins 123
Isoflavones 123
Metabolic fate of dietary polyphenols 124
Gastrointestinal tract metabolism 124
Colonic metabolism 126
Role in human health 127
Flavonoids as classical antioxidants 128
Non-antioxidant activities of fl avonoids 130
Interactions with cell signalling pathways 131
Other potential mechanisms of action 133
Conclusion 133
Summary 134
Acknowledgements 134
5 Vitamins C and E 146
David Gray, John Brameld and Gregory Tucker
Introduction 146
Vitamin C: structure and chemistry 146
Dietary sources of vitamin C 147
Vitamin C: biosynthesis and metabolism in plants 148
Vitamin C functions in plants 152
Vitamin C manipulation in plants 154
Absorption and transport of vitamin C in mammals 155
Vitamin E: structure and chemistry 156
Dietary sources of vitamin E 159
Vitamin E: biosynthetic pathways 159
Roles of tocochromanols in plants 161
Manipulation of tocochromanol concentration 162
Absorption and transport of vitamin E in mammals 164
Antioxidant functions of vitamin E 164
6 Folate 173
Stéphane Ravanel and Fabrice Rébeillé
Introduction 173
One-carbon metabolism 174
Generation and interconversion of C1-units 176
Serine–glycine metabolism 176
Formate activation 176
Histidine catabolism 177
Interconvertion of C1-substituted folates 178
Utilisation of C1-units 179
Methionine synthesis 179
Purine ring formation 179
Formylation of methionyl-tRNA 180
Thymidylate synthesis 180
Pantothenate synthesis 180
Folate synthesis and distribution in plants 181
Biosynthesis of tetrahydrofolate in plants 181
Pterin branch 182
pABA branch 183
Assembly of the pterin, pABA and glutamate moieties 183
Reduction and polyglutamylation 184
Catabolism and salvage pathway 185
Compartmentation and transport of folates 185
Subcellular location of folates 185
Folate transporters 186
Folates distribution in plants 186
Physiology of folate in human health and disease 188
Absorption 188
Transport, storage, catabolism and excretion 189
Metabolic and clinical manifestations of folate deficiency 189
Diagnosis of folate deficiency 190
Folate bioavailability, requirements and food fortification 191
Bioavailability 191
Dietary intake recommendations 192
Dietary sources of folate 192
Food fortification 194
Prospects for plant foods biofortification 195
7 Phytoestrogens 203
Helen Wiseman
Introduction 203
Biosynthesis of phytoestrogens 203
Introduction 203
Isoflavonoids 203
Prenylated flavonoids 205
Stilbenes 205
Lignans 205
Genetic engineering 205
Isoflavonoids 206
Introduction 206
Dietary sources and intakes 206
Metabolism and bioavailability 208
Isoflavonoids and cancer prevention 211
Hormone-dependent cancer prevention by isoflavonoids 211
Oestrogens and risk of breast cancer 213
Oestrogen receptor-mediated events 213
Animal models 215
Mechanisms of anticancer action of isoflavonoids 217
Clinical studies 219
Protection by isoflavonoids against cardiovascular disease 220
Cholesterol-lowering and isoflavonoids 220
Antioxidant action 222
Arterial function 225
Cellular effects 226
Protection by isoflavonoids against osteoporosis, cognitive decline and menopausal symptoms? 226
Osteoporosis 226
Menopausal symptoms and cognitive decline 227
Isoflavonoids: potential risks 228
Lignans 229
Introduction 229
Production of mammalian lignans 230
Cardiovascular disease 230
Breast cancer prevention 230
Prostate cancer prevention 230
Prevention of other types of cancer 231
Other health benefits 231
Prenylflavonoids 231
Stilbenes 233
Miroestrol 235
Deoxybenzoins 235
Coumestans 236
Phytoestrogens and human health: conclusions 236
8 Plant minerals 254
Martin R. Broadley and Philip J. White
Introduction 254
Genetic variation in plant mineral concentration 258
Introduction 258
Between-species genetic variation in plant mineral concentration 258
Within-species genetic variation in plant mineral concentration 259
Iron and zinc 260
Iodine and selenium 263
Calcium and magnesium 264
Copper 266
Has the mineral concentration of crops declined due to breeding for increased yield? 266
Evidence for a decline in mineral concentration of horticultural crops 266
Is there evidence for a decline in mineral concentration of staple crops? 267
A case study on potatoes; a précis of White et al. (2009) 268
Index 278
"A welcome addition to any academic library. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals." (Choice, 1 December 2012)
Selected as an "Outstanding Academic Title from 2012" by Choice


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TUSCALOOSA, ALA. – In several preseason interviews, VCU Basketball Head Coach Shaka Smart talked about having two types of goals, process goals and result goals. On Sunday night, the entire country got to see several of those process goals coming to fruition.
Unfortunately for the Rams, the result goals did not happen as the Black & Gold took a hard-fought loss to 13th-ranked Alabama and former VCU Head Coach Anthony Grant, 72-64. It was the 24th straight home victory for the Crimson Tide, who improved to 7-0 on the year, while the Rams drop to 3-3.
"Alabama deserved to win this game because of the way they defended and played hard for the entire 40 minutes," Head Coach Shaka Smart. "I thought we saw some good things at times tonight, but ultimately if you don't play hard and focused for 40 minutes, you're going to get beat. When we focus on our plan and play hard for 40 minutes, that's when we'll get the results we're looking for."
Senior Bradford Burgess posted his fifth straight games in double-figures with 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting. Sophomores Juvonte Reddic and Rob Brandenberg were the other two Rams in double-digits, each chipping in 10 points apiece.
For Alabama, JaMychal Green was a problem all night, finishing with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Tony Mitchell was the only other Crimson Tide player in double-figures with 13 points.
"Ultimately, we just didn't stick to the plan," Burgess said. "For us, there's no such thing as moral victories. We had a game plan coming in and we just didn't stick to it for 40 minutes."
The five ties and six lead changes in the first five minutes of the games was just foreshadowing as the contest was hotly-contested throughout. Neither team would lead by more than five until a jumper by Mitchell put the Crimson Tide up 28-23 with 6:02 to play in the first stanza.
With Alabama leading 30-25, the Rams would put together four straight defensive stops and knock down three critical buckets during an 8-0 run that ultimately sent VCU into halftime with a 33-32 cushion.
The second half started just like the first with more ties and more lead changes until Burgess took over.
With the score tied at 42, Burgess' connected on two treys sandwiched around a bucket from sophomore D.J. Haley that would give the Black & Gold their largest lead of the game at 50-44 with 13:46 remaining.
VCU would retain the lead for the next 9:56 until the Crimson Tide put together a 12-3 run that ultimately would prove to be the difference in the 72-64 victory for Alabama.
Entering the contest, the Crimson Tide had not lost at Coleman Coliseum for 638 days and the Rams put that streak to the ultimate test, leading for a total of 20:48 of the contest, while Alabama held the lead for just 15:10.
The Rams tallied double-digit offensive rebounds for the fourth time this year, pulling down 14 on the night, led by four from freshman Briante Web er. Once again, Weber was a do-it-all guy for the Black & Gold, finishing with eight points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal.
"While it certainly hurts, we will use this as a learning experience for our guys and once again look to be better in all areas the next time we step onto the court," Smart said.
After five straight games away from home, VCU finally returns to the Verizon Wireless Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center on Wednesday night. The Rams will take on their fourth BCS opponent of the year when the Bulls of South Florida visit Richmond for a 7:30 p.m. contest. Like all home games, it can be seen via ESPN3.com.


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Undergraduate Education Reports
The Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA)
The Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) is an initiative by public 4-year universities to supply clear, accessible,and comparable information on the undergraduate student experience to important constituencies through a common web report – the College Portrait.
The VSA was developed in 2007 by a committed group of university leaders and is sponsored by two higher education associations - the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). Development and start-up funding was provided by the Lumina Foundation. Beginning in 2010, the VSA is supported by the participating institutions through annual dues.
VSA Background & Development
Over 80 higher education leaders from 70 public colleges and universities contributed to the development of the VSA program and data reporting template during 2007.
The initial development and implementation of the VSA was funded by two grants from the Lumina Foundation as well as in kind contributions by participating institutions.
The concept of the VSA was first outlined in a 2006 discussion paper shared broadly among the members of NASULGC (now APLU) and AASCU. The paper and its two subsequent updates formed the basis for discussions among education officials, policy-makers, and academic leaders and ultimately the creation of the VSA.
Accountability Tool for Campuses
The VSA has been leveraged by institutions/systems to meet accountability requirements from governing boards, state legislatures, state coordinating offices, and other outside groups, reducing burden and duplication of effort. Examples include systems in California, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Because it provides evidence of institutional commitment to measurement of student outcomes and institutional improvement for regional accreditation, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation cites the College Portrait® as an important companion to accreditation.
Get clear, accessible, and comparable information on the undergraduate student experience by visiting the College Portrait website.
Sponsored by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities .


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Java Draw Created Mar 11, 2012 736 x 1024px Unless noted Copyright 2012 blackbird666999.
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Great work!
hrse butt n_n
I have been a fan of yours for years because of drawings like this! 5/5! Thank you!
Wow, this drawing is awesome
So COOL
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amazing artwork 5h
You have a great imagination :D
WOW amazing 5hs