text:
Serviços Personalizados
Links relacionados
- Citado por Google
- Similares em Google
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
versão On-line ISSN 2224-9435
versão impressa ISSN 1019-9128
J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc. vol.82 no.2 Pretoria Jan. 2011
The sensitivity of direct faecal examination, direct faecal flotation, modified centrifugal faecal flotation and centrifugal sedimentation/flotation in the diagnosis of canine spirocercosis
J ChristieI,*; E V SchwanII; L L BodensteinIII; J E M SommervilleIII; L L van der MerweI
IDepartment of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
IIDepartment of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
IIIDepartment of Statistics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa
Several faecal examination techniques have shown variable sensitivity in demonstrating Spirocerca lupi (S. lupi) eggs. The objective of this study was to determine which faecal examination technique, including a novel modified centrifugal flotation technique, was most sensitive to diagnose spirocercosis. Ten coproscopic examinations were performed on faeces collected from 33 dogs confirmed endoscopically to have spirocercosis. The tests included a direct faecal examination, a faecal sedimentation/flotation test, 4 direct faecal flotations and 4 modified faecal centrifugal flotations. These latter 2 flotation tests utilised 4 different faecal flotation solutions: NaNO3 (SG 1.22), MgSO4 (SG 1.29), ZnSO4 (SG 1.30) and sugar (SG 1.27). The sensitivity of the tests ranged between 42 % and 67 %, with the NaNO3 solution showing the highest sensitivity in both the direct and modified-centrifugal flotations. The modified NaNO3 centrifugal method ranked 1st with the highest mean egg count (45.24 ± 83), and was superior (i.e. higher egg count) and significantly different (P < 0.05) compared with the routine saturated sugar, ZnSO4 and MgSO4 flotation methods. The routine NaNO3 flotation method was also superior and significantly different (P < 0.05) compared with the routine ZnSO4 and MgSO4 flotation methods. Fifteen per cent (n =5)of dogs had neoplastic oesophageal nodules and a further 18 % (n = 6) had both neoplastic and non-neoplastic nodules. S. lupi eggs were demonstrated in 40 % of dogs with neoplastic nodules only and 72.9 % of the dogs with non-neoplastic nodules. The mean egg count in the non-neoplastic group (61) was statistically greater (P = 0.02) than that of the neoplastic group (1). The results show that faecal examination using a NaNO3 solution is the most sensitive in the diagnosis of spirocercosis. The modified centrifugal flotation faecal method using this solution has the highest egg count. The study also found that dogs with neoplastic nodules shed significantly fewer eggs than dogs with non-neoplastic nodules.
Keywords: dog, egg, faecal examination, Spirocerca lupi, spirocercosis.
Spirocerca lupi (S. lupi) is a nematode of the superfamily Spiruroidea and has an indirect life cycle which may include a paratenic host. The predominant definitive host is the dog, which passes larvated eggs with the faeces and to a lesser degree with vomitus2,5. Following ingestion of an infected intermediate host (coprophagous beetles) or paratenic host (birds, lizards, frogs, snakes, mice, rabbits and rats) L3 larvae are liberated within the stomach1,2,31. Soon after ingestion the L3 penetrate the stomach mucosa and migrate, within artery walls, towards the aorta2,4,14,22. This initial part of the migration process takes approximately 3 weeks2,11. Further development of the L3 to immature adults occurs in the wall of the thoracic aorta. These immature adults then migrate in the mediastinum from the wall of the aorta towards the oesophagus, an event usually occurring 102-124 days post infection2,11. In the oesophagus the adults provoke the development of a fibrous nodule in which they undergo further maturation. These nodules may become neoplastic2,24. The adult spirurid nematode is a relatively large worm, pink-red in colour with males and females reaching 3-4 cm and 6-7 cm, respectively11. The prepatent period in the dog is 4-6 months2,13.
Oesophageal nodules may have a small opening into the oesophageal lumen through which larvated eggs are passed12. Large numbers of larvated eggs are passed with the faeces of infected dogs2.If the nodule has no opening the infection is not patent31. Owing to the complex migration route, worms are sometimes found in atypical locations within the dog. These aberrant migration sites include the lungs, trachea, pleura, diaphragm, spinal cord and skin2,4,7,13,16,23,27.
Clinical signs associated with spirocercosis are variable but are usually as a result of the parasites' effect on the oesophagus, mediastinum or aorta. In early infections the parasite may cause no clinical signs (subclinical spirocercosis) and infection is diagnosed incidentally on faecal examination or thoracic radiography8,15. Peracute death may occur due to rupture of the aorta or other major blood vessel secondary to aneurysm formation caused by larval development and migration2,11. Classical spirocercosis clinical signs result from the spirurid nodule obstructing the oesophagus and compressing the intrathoracic structures and include vomiting, regurgitation, coughing, dysphagia, sialorrhoea, pyrexia and melaena18,20,32. Weakness and weight loss become apparent with chronicity and neoplastic transformation. Neoplastic spirocercosis results from the neoplastic transformation of the parasitic nodule. The clinical signs are similar to the classical form but hypertrophic osteopathy, anaemia, leukocytosis and thrombocytosis may also be found9. Atypical clinical signs including mediastinitis, pleuritis, pyothorax, haemopericardium and paraparesis can be associated with aberrant migrations2,8,28.
The diagnosis of spirocercosis is usually made by oesophageal endoscopy, considered the diagnostic test of choice20,25. Early to mature nodules are typically smooth, round and sessile and protrude into the oesophageal lumen. Neoplastic nodules usually show a roughened, ulcerated, necrotic surface and should be biopsied9,32. Radiography is also a sensitive diagnostic test, with the dorso-ventral and right lateral thoracic views superior for diagnosing a caudal mediastinal mass. Radiological features regarded as pathognomonic for spirocercosis include caudal oesophageal opacity, an undulating descending aorta and spondylitis of the 6th to 12th thoracic vertebrae8,11. Faecal examination (copromicroscopy) is a diagnostic test that has demonstrated a reported range of sensitivities. S. lupi eggs are thick-shelled, elongated (capsule-shaped) with parallel sides (Fig. 1) and are small compared with other nematode eggs. The typical spirurid egg measures 20-37 µ by 11-18 µ and contains a larva (L1) when laid5,6,29. Faecal examination techniques previously described include direct faecal smears, faecal flotation, faecal sedimentation and recently the FLOTAC methods3,10,15,21,25. The findings of some of these studies are contradictory and there is no clarity on how best to utilise faecal ova identification in the diagnosis of spirocercosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate this clinical problem by comparing 4 different faecal examination methods, namely direct faecal examination, direct faecal flotation, a modified centrifugal faecal flotation and centrifugal sedimentation/flotation in detecting S. lupi eggs from patients with confirmed spirocercosis. The study also compared 4 commonly used flotation solutions in the direct and modified centrifugal flotation methods to detect S. lupi eggs. The sensitivities of the different faecal examination tests performed on each faecal sample from dogs were determined.
Faecal samples were collected from dogs presented to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital that met the following criteria: (1) all dogs were confirmed to have spirocercosis by oesophageal endoscopy and radiography and (2) none of the dogs had received any medication containing a macrocyclic lactone compound in the preceding 6 months. Faeces were obtained directly from the rectum or by collection of a stool sample (if defaecation was observed). All faecal samples were stored at 4 ºC and analysed within 24 hours. If a faecal sample was found to be negative for S. lupi eggs, a 2nd faecal sample was collected 24-48 h later and analysed.
The dogs were allocated to 1 of 3 groups: (1) The non-neoplastic group, where the oesophageal nodule(s) showed typical smooth endoscopic characteristics and regressed after treatment with doramectin as assessed through follow-up endoscopy at 6 weeks; (2) the neoplastic group, where the oesophageal nodule(s) appeared roughened, cauliflower-like and ulcerated and where neoplastic transformation was confirmed by histopathology of the endoscopically or surgically obtained biopsy; (3) the mixed group, consisting of dogs with multiple nodules that included both non-neoplastic and neoplastic nodules as determined by the abovementioned criteria.
All faecal samples were examined using 10 different faecal examination tests. Four faecal examination techniques were used: direct faecal examination, direct faecal flotation, modified centrifugal flotation and a centrifugal sedimentation/flotation. Four different flotation fluids were used in the direct and modified centrifugal flotation techniques. These flotation fluids included: sugar solution (SG 1.27); zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) solution (SG 1.30); sodium nitrate (NaNO3) solution (SG 1.22) and magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) solution (SG 1.29). Only the NaNO3 flotation solution (SG 1.22) was commercially available (Faecalyser® - Kyron Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, South Africa). All other solutions were prepared in a laboratory using de-ionised water and the corresponding solute. Forty per cent formaldehyde solution was added to the sugar solution to preserve it, at a concentration of 40 mℓ /ℓ . The specific gravities of all the flotation solutions were monitored using a hydrometer and were also tested at 3-month intervals to ensure they were maintained. All solutions were kept at room temperature in airtight containers and away from light.
Faecal examination techniques:
(1) Direct faecal examination: 1 g of faeces was placed in a plastic test tube and 5mℓ of saline was added. The mixture was manually agitated using a wooden spatula for 30 s. 0.1 mℓ of the mixture was then aspirated using an adjustable micropipette and placed on a microscope slide, covered with a 22 mm × 22 mm coverslip and examined under a light microscope at ×100 magnification. All S. lupi eggs under the coverslip and those seen on the perimeter of the coverslip were manually counted (Fig. 2). The direct faecal examination method was used to estimate the number of eggs per gram using the formula number of eggs per 0.1 mℓ mixture multiplied by 50 (sample size was 1/50 of mixture).
(2) Direct faecal flotation: 1 g of faeces was placed into a routine faecal flotation test kit (Ovatector® - Kyron Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, South Africa). The faecal flotation solution was added and the mixture was agitated with a wooden spatula for 30 s and the strainer inserted. The faecal flotation test kit was filled to the rim with the specified solution and covered with a 22 mm × 22 mm coverslip. Twenty minutes was allowed for egg flotation after which the coverslip was removed and placed on a glass slide for light microscopic examination at ×100 magnification. All the S. lupi eggs under the coverslip and those seen on the perimeter of the coverslip were manually counted. Four direct faecal flotations were performed on each faecal sample using each of the flotation solutions, namely sugar, ZnSO4,NaNO3 and MgSO4.
(3) Modified centrifugal faecal flotation: 1 g of faeces was placed in a plastic test tube and 5mℓ of the flotation solution was added. The mixture was agitated using a wooden spatula for 30 s. The test tube cap was tightened and the tube placed into a fixed-armrotor of a centrifuge. The sample was centrifuged at 1400G for 10 min. An adjustable micropipette was used to aspirate 0.1mℓ of the supernatant, in 2 aliquots of 50 µℓ , which was then placed on a glass slide. A 22 mm × 22 mm coverslip was placed and the slide was examined under a light microscope at ×100 magnification. All the S. lupi eggs under the coverslip and those seen on the perimeter of the coverslip were manually counted. Four modified faecal flotations were performed on each sample using each of the flotation solutions, namely sugar, ZnSO4, NaNO3 and MgSO4.
(4) Centrifugal sedimentation flotation: 1 g of faeces was placed in a 50 mℓ graduated tube and mixed with 30mℓ of artificial gastric juice (2 % pepsin and 1 % concentrated hydrochloric acid). The faecal suspension was agitated for 5 min at room temperature with a magnetic stirrer prior to being strained through a fine tea strainer into a beaker. The strained suspension was centrifuged at 1400 G for 10 min after which the supernatant fluid was removed, leaving faecal sediment at the bottom of the tube. MgSO4 solution was then added to the faecal sediment which was re-suspended and centrifuged for a further 10 min. The tube was then filled to the rim with the MgSO4 solution and covered with a 22 mm × 22 mm coverslip and 10 min allowed for egg flotation. The resultant slide was examined under light microscopic examination at ×100 magnification. All the S. lupi eggs under the coverslip and those seen on the perimeter of the coverslip were manually counted. Thiswasa modification of the Markovics and Medinski19 method as our initial attempts to place coverslips over the test tubes in the swing-out rotor for the centrifuge were unsuccessful and had to be abandoned. Artificial gastric juice was also added instead of the described tap water to increase the sensitivity in this technique.
All egg counts for the different faecal tests, excluding the centrifugal sedimentation flotation test, were performed by the same author. The centrifugal sedimentation flotation test was also always performed by the same individual.
A total of 10 faecal examination tests were performed on each sample. The Friedman non-parametric repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the egg counts for the 10 different faecal examinations. Multiple comparisons, using a 0.05 level of significance with the Bonferroni correction, were used to determine which pairs of methods were statistically different. BMDP Statistical software (BMDP Statistical software, Inc. Los Angeles, USA) was used to compute the statistics. The non-neoplastic and neoplastic groups egg counts were statistically compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test.
Thirty-three patients were included in this study, which ran from April 2008 to December 2009. The sensitivity of the various tests to detect S. lupi eggs ranged between 42.4 % and 66.7 %. The routine and modified NaNO3 flotation tests showed the highest sensitivity (Table 1). No eggs were found in 12 of 33 initial faecal samples (36.6 %) and an additional sample taken 24 to 48 hours later identified only 1 additional infected patient using the direct and modified NaNO3 flotation tests only.
Table 1 summarises the findings of all the faecal examination tests performed. The Friedman test was statistically significant at the 0.05 level (P = 0.0000). The modified NaNO3 flotation test ranked 1st with the highest mean egg count (45, Table 1). The NaNO3 modified faecal flotation test was found to be superior to (higher egg count)andstatistically different (Table 2) from the sugar, ZnSO4 and MgSO4 direct flotation tests (P < 0.05). The NaNO3 direct faecal flotation test was also found to be superior to and statistically different from the ZnSO4 and MgSO4 direct flotation tests (P < 0.05). When applying a 0.1 level of significance the NaNO3 direct flotation was also found to be superior to and statistically different from the direct sugar flotation test. No further statistically significant differences were found between the techniques.
The average egg count per gram was 1100 (22 eggs per 0.1 mℓ faecal suspension) with the highest egg count per gram being 21 250 (425 eggs per 0.1 mℓ faecal suspension).
The non-neoplastic group made up 67 % of the samples (n = 22), the neoplastic group made up a further 15 % of the samples (n = 5) and the mixed group 18 % (n = 6). The sensitivity of faecal flotation (using the NaNO3 modified flotation method) to detect S. lupi eggs was 72.7 % in the non-neoplastic group and 40 % in the neoplastic group. The mixed group was not included in this assessment. The mean egg count using this method was found to be 61 ± 95.8 in the non-neoplastic group and 1 ± 1.7 in the neoplastic group. This difference was significant (P = 0.024, Mann-Whitney U-test, 1-sided test).
This study was able to show that the sensitivity of coprological examination for detecting S. lupi eggs in dogs diagnosed with spirocercosis is variable and depends on which faecal examination technique and flotation fluid is utilised and also the stage of infection. The sensitivity ranged between 42 % and 67 % in this study, which confirms that faecal flotation per se is not a sensitive tool to confirm a diagnosis of spirocercosis. Egg shedding from S. lupi infected dogs is variable and does not occur in all infected individuals. Reasons for this include a prepatent infection with an immature worm, neoplastic conversion of the nodule, the lack of a patent operculum in the nodule, infection with female or male nematodes only or the intermittent shedding pattern of the female worm. This study also showed that a 2nd faecal sample (24 to 48 h later) was only able to detect eggs in an additional 8.4 % of patients. A previous study found a higher number of cases (28 %) to be positive upon a 2nd examination but did not mention exactly how many days elapsed after the 1st sample was taken20. For ethical reasons the client-owned dogs in this study had to be treated as soon as possible after diagnosis was confirmed, which accounted for the 48 h timeframe. Diagnosis by faecal analysis is only possible when eggs are passing in the faeces and this passage can occur for an unpredictable, relatively short period11.
Previously it was shown that peak egg production appeared between 140 and 205 days post infection with a maximum of 2100 eggs per gram of faeces26. A subsequent study showed that eggs per gram of faeces counts ranged from 2000 to 11 000 in laboratory infected animals2. The aim of this study was not to demonstrate when peak egg production occurs but it was shown, using the direct faecal examination method, that egg production could be very high, with 21 250 eggs per gram of faeces recorded in 1 patient. Three additional patients were found to have egg counts above the 1971 maximum levels, with 2650 and 3150 eggs per gram of faeces, respectively. The average egg count per gram of faeces using the direct faecal examination method was 1100, therefore even though shedding is intermittent, infected dogs are a massive source of environmental contamination and this could explain the increasing incidence of the disease in regions of South Africa . The importance of rapid removal of faeces from the environment is thus emphasised as a practical control measure. Treatment causes a 99.3 % decrease in egg count within 10 days after the 1st dose of a doramectin17, thus early diagnosis and treatment will also obviously decrease environmental contamination. It was hypothesised that the typical early Spirocerca cases without neoplastic transformation would have higher egg counts than those with advanced neoplastic disease as the worms were younger and shedding more actively. This would have made faecal flotation a valuable screening tool in these often asymptomatic cases. Unfortunately the sensitivity of faecal egg counts did not increase significantly when only these early cases were included in the analysis. The sensitivity of faecal egg counts was different in the early non-neoplastic versus the neoplastic group, 72.7 % vs 40 %; these were not determined to be statistically significant and a sensitivity of 72.7 % is still inadequate as a screening test. It was also determined that the mean number of eggs shed by the dogs in the neoplastically transformed group (1 ± 1.7) was significantly lower than that of the non-neoplastic group (61.1 ± 95.8). This may indicate that these nodules contain fewer worms or that these worms shed fewer eggs. Although the difference between the mean egg counts between the nonneoplastic and neoplastic group was statistically significant there is no real clinical relevance as both groups shed eggs. A combination of neoplastic and non-neoplastic nodules was found in 18 % of cases. Faecal examination is thus not a suitable tool to assist in differentiating between non-neoplastic and neoplastic canine spirocercosis.
This study showed that NaNO3 (SG 1.22) had the highest sensitivity in both the direct and modified centrifugal flotation tests. This was unexpected as previous reports indicate that these eggs appear heavier than those of other nematodes and require flotation solutions with higher specific gravities to improve recovery of these eggs3,10. In this study the ZnSO4 (SG 1.30) and the MgSO4 (SG 1.29) flotation fluids did in fact damage the eggs as previously reported5. The eggs became rectangular in shape and the edges appeared to fold in on themselves. The sugar flotation solution crystallised rapidly, was sticky and was difficult to work with compared with the other solutions. The NaNO3 (SG 1.22) solution was easy to work with and the solution was also extremely clear, making visualisation of the S. lupi eggs far easier compared with the other fluids. This study demonstrates that a high specific gravity is not required to visualise S. lupi eggs. Markovics and Medinski19 found that sugar flotation using a laboratory run centrifugal technique was 100 % sensitive in detecting S. lupi eggs in 8 samples with low egg numbers (100 eggs per gram) compared with the direct faecal examination (50 %). This study demonstrated equal sensitivities
(57.6 %) for direct faecal examination and centrifugal sedimentation/flotation, but the centrifugal sedimentation/flotation method did have a higher mean egg count (35) compared with the direct faecal examination method (22) (Table 1). The addition of artificial gastric juice did not appear to enhance the sensitivity of the Markovics and Medinski method. A recent study found that S. lupi egg detection using a ZnSO4 (SG 1.35) flotation and the Markovics and Medinski technique were insensitive as diagnostics tests for spirocercosis, detecting eggs in only 7/31 and 4/31 S. lupi PCR positive faecal samples30. The study showed that the FLOTAC® apparatus was more sensitive, as it detected eggs in 10 of these 31 faecal samples. This study also found that the PCR was able to increase faecal spirocercosis sensitivity by 45 % and 38.2 % in 2 groups of faecal samples when compared with a combination of faecal flotation methods.
The modified flotation method in our study used centrifugation to separate the solid and fluid matter in the faecal mixture, aiding egg flotation, and it was hypothesised that it would result in a higher mean egg count and increased sensitivity of the faecal egg count. Although the modified flotation method using NaNO3 (SG 1.22) solution did result in the highest egg counts, it had an equal sensitivity to that of routine faecal flotation using the same fluid. Both of the above methods are extremely simple to perform, do not require specialised equipment and can be completed in less than 20 minutes, which makes them ideal for laboratories and veterinary hospitals. The relatively low SG of the commercially available flotation fluid is also easily maintained as it does not sediment out as easily as the more concentrated fluids. A limitation of this study was the manner in which egg counts were performed. As no grid was available for counting, all eggs under the microscope cover and on the perimeter were counted in a grid-like fashion by the same individual to ensure consistency. Statistical difference was found throughout the comparison but the power of the study could have been increased with a greater number of cases.
The results of this study show that dogs with neoplastic spirocercosis do shed eggs although much fewer than the nonneoplastic spirocercosis patients. Faecal examination using a NaNO3 (SG 1.22) solution is the most sensitive in the diagnosis of spirocercosis, with the modified centrifugal flotation method using this solution achieving the highest egg counts. This faecal examination method is simple and inexpensive to perform and is not technically challenging, making it a suitable test in the diagnosis of spirocercosis.
The authors would like to thank Dawn Durand from the Department of Tropical Diseases Helminthology Laboratory, University of Pretoria, for her help during this project, the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital and Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, for their support and financial assistance towards this project, and the South African Veterinary Foundation (SAVF) for financial assistance to the S. lupi project at Onderstepoort. The authors would also like to thank Prof. R.M. Kirberger, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, for all his input during the preliminary stages of this project.
1. Anataraman M, Krishna S 1966 Experimental spirocercosis in dogs with larvae from a paratenic host, Calotes versicolor, the common garden lizard in Madras. Journal of Parasitology 52: 911-912 [ Links ]
2. Bailey W S 1972 Spirocerca lupi: a continuing inquiry. Journal of Parasitology 58: 3-22 [ Links ]
3. Cabrera D J, Bailey W S 1964 A modified Stoll technique for detecting eggs of Spirocerca lupi. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 145: 573-575 [ Links ]
4. Chandraskharon K P, Sastry G A, Menon M N 1958 Canine spirocercosis with special reference to the incidence and lesions. British Veterinary Journal 114: 388-395 [ Links ]
5. Chhabra R C, Singh K S 1972 On the life cycle of Spirocerca lupi: preinfective stages of the intermediate host. Journal of Helminthology 46: 125-137 [ Links ]
6. Dixon K G, McCue J F 1967 Further observations on the epidemiology of Spirocerca lupi in the southeastern United States. Journal of Parasitology 53: 1074-1075 [ Links ]
7. Du Plessis C J, Keller N, Millward I R 2007 Aberrant extradural spinal migration of Spirocerca lupi: four dogs. Journal of Small Animal Practice 48: 275-278 [ Links ]
8. Dvir E, Kirberger R M, Malleczek D 2001 Radiographic and computed tomographic changes and clinical presentation of spirocercosis in the dog. Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound 42: 119-129 [ Links ]
9. Dvir E, Kirberger R M, Mukorera V, Van der Merwe L L, Clift S J 2008 Clinical differentiation between dogs with benign and malignant spirocercosis. Veterinary Parasitology 155: 80-88 [ Links ]
10. Evans L B 1983 Clinical diagnosis of Spirocerca lupi infestation in dogs. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 54: 189-191 [ Links ]
11. Fox S M, Burns J, Hawkins J 1988 Spirocercosis in dogs. Compendium of Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian 10: 807-822 [ Links ]
12. Georgi J R, Georgi M E 1990 Parasitology for veterinarians (5th edn). W B Saunders, Philadelphia, USA [ Links ]
13. Harrus S, Harmelin A, Markovics A, Bark H 1996 Spirocerca lupi infection in the dog: aberrant migration. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 33: 125-130 [ Links ]
14. Hu C H, Hoeppli R J C 1936 The migration route of Spirocerca sanguinolenta in experimentally infected dogs. Chinese Medicine Journal-Peking Supplement 1: 11-99 [ Links ]
15. Kashchula J M, Malherbe W D 1964 The incidence and diagnosis of spirocercosis in dogs in the Transvaal. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 25: 53-59 [ Links ]
16. Kirberger R M, Zambelli A 2007 Imaging diagnosis: aortic thromboembolism associated with spirocercosis in a dog. Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound 48: 418-420 [ Links ]
17. Lavy E, Aroch I, Bark H, Markovics A, Aizenberg I, Mazaki-Tovi M, Haga A, Harrus S 2002 Evaluation of doramectin for the treatment of experimental canine spirocercosis. Veterinary Parasitology 109: 65-73 [ Links ]
18. Lobetti R G 2000 Survey of the incidence, diagnosis, clinical manifestations and treatment of Spirocerca lupi in South Africa. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 71: 43-45 [ Links ]
19. Markovics A, Medinski B, 1996 Improved diagnosis of low intensity Spirocerca lupi infection by the sugar flotation method. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 8: 400-401 [ Links ]
20. Mazaki-Tovi M, Baneth G, Aroch I, Harrus S, Kass P H, Ben-Ari T, Zur G, Aizenberg I, Bark H, Lavy E 2002 Canine spirocercosis, clinical, diagnostic, pathological and epidemiological characteristics. Veterinary Parasitology 107: 235-250 [ Links ]
21. Minnaar W N, Krecek R C, Fourie L J 2002 Helminths of dogs from a peri-urban resource-limited community in the Free State Province, South Africa. Veterinary Parasitology 107: 343-349 [ Links ]
22. Murray M 1968 Incidence and pathology of Spirocerca lupi in Kenya. Journal of Comparative Pathology 78: 401-405 [ Links ]
23. Pereira W L A, Guimarães F ABDA,MartinsAKP,PeixotoPC 1995 Haemopericardium in a dog associated with hyperparasitism by Spirocerca lupi. Boletim de Faculdade de Ciencias Agrárias do Pará 23: 45-51 [ Links ]
24. Ranen E, Lavy E, Aizenberg I, Perl S, Harrus S 2004 Spirocercosis-associated esophageal sarcomas in dogs. A retrospective study of 17 cases (1997-2003). Veterinary Parasitology 119: 209-221 [ Links ]
25. Reche-Emonot M, Beugnet F, BourdoiseauG 2001 Étude epidemiologique et clinique de la spirocercose canine a Î'lle de la Réunion a partir de 120 cas. Revue de Médecine Vétérinaire (Toulouse) 152: 469-477 [ Links ]
26. Sen K, Anataraman M 1971 Some observations on the development of Spirocerca lupi in its intermediate and definitive hosts. Journal of Helminthology 45: 123-131 [ Links ]
27. Singh B, Juval P D, Sobti V K 1999 Spirocerca lupi in a subcutaneous nodule in a dog in India. Veterinary Parasitology 13: 59-60 [ Links ]
28. Stephens S C, Gleiser C A, Jardine J H 1983 Primary pulmonary fibrosarcoma associated with Spirocerca lupi in a dog with hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 182: 496-498 [ Links ]
29. Soulsby E J L 1982 Helminths, arthropods and protozoa of domestic animals. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, USA [ Links ]
30. Traversa D, Avolio S, Modry D, Otranto D, Iorio R, Aroch I, Cringoli G, Milillo P, Albrechtová K, Milhalca A D, Lavy E, 2008 Copromicroscopic and molecular assays for the detection of cancer-causing parasitic nematode Spirocerca lupi. Veterinary Parasitology 157: 103-116 [ Links ]
31. Urquhart G M, Armour J, Duncan J L, Dunn A M, Jennings F Q 1994 Veterinary parasitology. Longman Scientific and Technical, Essex, England [ Links ]
32. van der Merwe L L, Kirberger R M, Clift S J, Williams M, Keller N, Naidoo V 2008 Spirocerca lupi infection in the dog: a review. Veterinary Journal 197: 294-309 [ Links ]
Received: November 2010.
Accepted: April 2011.
* Author for correspondence. E-mail: email@example.com


text:
Google has to be thinking twice about that "don't be evil" bit permanently lodged in its corporate motto. After meeting behind closed doors with Verizon, the company emerged on Monday with a set of guidelines for allegedly preserving net neutrality, which many of the concept's most virulent supporters say grinds the principle to dust. How can the two sides see the same language so differently? What are the stakes for the average American? Here's a quick overview of what Google and Verizon's net neutrality agreement actually proposes in laymen's terms – and what it means for you.
What is net neutrality, anyway?
Remember when Senator Ted Stevens described the Internet as a "series of tubes? More than just a monument to the ignorance of politicians, that was a cantankerous, near-senile old man's attempt to explain net neutrality. Let's see if we can do better by stealing Google's own description from 2006.
Forget the tubes and imagine a highway. When five o'clock hits, everybody sits in traffic as the roads fill up with cars – which represent data, here. With net neutrality in place, every piece of data waits in line the same way the cars do on the highway. It's fair. The lack of net neutrality is like throwing down cones to make the left lane a high-speed toll lane. Can't pay? Sit in line with the schmucks.
It's not a perfect analogy, but it gets across the basic principle: Rather than splitting a public asset (roads or in this case, wireless airwaves) equitably, the guys with the most cash get the rule of the roost.
What did Verizon and Google agree on?
On the surface, the companies agreed that net neutrality was a good thing and that the FCC should be able to enforce fines for companies that don't abide by it, and that carriers should be forced to share information on how they route traffic for transparency. You can read the exact language here.
They also created a lot of loopholes and exceptions, which is why a lot of folks are all bent out of shape by it.
What loopholes and exceptions?
The document has two major exceptions to net neutrality as it is written.
The first, and most broad, basically exempts wireless carriers from all the rules except transparency. In other words, they can play favorites and route traffic however they want, as long as they tell us how they're doing it. Only wired carriers would be subject to net neutrality principles, and even they would have some creative leeway.
The second allows for "differentiated managed services" that would be exempt from the neutrality given to other traffic. The document gives the examples of "health care monitoring, gaming, smart grid, and advanced educational services." Although it explicitly claims these could not be use to circumvent rules, it provides no guidelines for which types of services warrant exemption and which belong in the same stream as everyone else.
What do net neutrality advocates make of it?
They're enraged, mostly.
Public Knowledge, a public interest group concerned with digital issues, has made "Google sold you out" its war cry. "This agreement would, among other things, allow Verizon to prioritize applications and content at whim over its mobile broadband network," the group claims.
The SaveTheInternet.com coalition says "Google is about to cut a deal with Verizon that would end the Internet as we know it." Putting it more bluntly, "this deal puts the company in bed with the devil."
Why are Verizon and Google making laws for themselves?
The guidelines set up between Google and Verizon aren't actually laws anyone else has to adhere too – they're simply a "proposed Internet framework." The companies hope the FCC will adopt the language and cement it as the law of the land, but for the moment, they're just words on a page.
Recently, the FCC has been courting telecom companies – including Google and Verizon – for input on net neutrality rules, but it nixed these meetings last week under intense public scrutiny over the lack of public input. Many critics also question why the FCC is asking the companies it should be regulating for input on how they should be regulated – like a parent asking a four-year-old what would be a reasonable bed time.
What will happen if we lose net neutrality?
In practice, this would mean that a service provider like Verizon could charge a company like Google for access to that special high-speed toll lane for data.
As an end user, that might mean that Mapquest and Bing Maps now load much slower than Google Maps. Hotmail and Yahoo mail load slower than Gmail. Yahoo and Bing searches take longer than Google searches. The plethora of choices you take for granted on the Web begin to evaporate when the biggest player in any space is able to pay for priority handling, shutting out competitors.
Internet service providers could also decide to throttle down services they see as threats to their own business. For example, Comcast could choke bandwidth for sites like Hulu in order to force consumers into its own cable TV packages.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Here ericdress.com shows customers a fashion collection of current wedding dresses uk.You can find many great items. They all have high quality and reasonable price. You can get big discount sometimes, because we always do promotions. If you need wedding dresses uk,come here to choose. We give you good items and services.
Exquisite Sweetheart Beading A-Line Homecoming Dress
Simple Sweetheart Ruched Sashes/Ribbons Zipper-up Homecoming Dress
Ericdress A-Line Beading Long Formal Dress With Beadings
Stylish Colorful Beaded One-Shoulder Short Homecoming Dress
Graceful A-line Bateau Neck Lace Appliques Homecoming Dress
Pure Straps Pleats Sashes A-Line Short Homecoming Dress
Pretty A-Line Beading Straps Knee Length Homecoming Dress
Lovely Strapless Sweetheart Zipper-Up Short Cocktail Dress
Pretty A-line V-Neck Flowers Homecoming Dress
Ericdress Slash Neck Floral Print Bell Sleeve Bodycon Dress
Ericdress Off-the-Shoulder Bell Sleeve Bodycon Dress
Ericdress Classy Vogue A-Line Split-Front Evening Dress
Vogue A-Line Sweetheart Zipper Up Tulle Beading Cocktail/Homecoming Dress
Strapless Beading Appliques Wedding Dress
Ericdress Sweetheart Appliques Wedding Dress
Mermaid Strapless Appliques Wedding Dress
Sweetheart Appliques Mermaid Wedding Dress
Amazing Sweetheart Mermaid Wedding Dress
Wedding Dress Sweetheart Applique Mermaid
Ericdress Round Toe Men's Dress Shoes
Ericdress Plain Pointed Toe Men's Dress Shoes
Ericdress Flocking Sequin Men's Dress Shoes
Ericdress Slip-On Fringe Men's Dress Shoes
Ericdress Plain Round Toe Men's Dress Shoes


text:
Computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University have devised an innovative and elegantly concise algorithm that can efficiently solve systems of linear equations that are critical to such important computer applications as image processing, logistics and scheduling problems, and recommendation systems, and widely used to model real-world systems, such as transportation, energy, telecommunications and manufacturing that often may include millions, if not billions, of equations and variables.
Solving these linear systems can be time consuming on even the fastest computers and is an enduring computational problem that mathematicians have sweated for 2,000 years. The new algorithm, devised by by Gary Miller, Ioannis Koutis. and Richard Peng, and described in Approaching Optimality for Solving SDD Linear Systems, employs powerful new tools from graph theory, randomized algorithms and linear algebra that make stunning increases in speed possible.
The algorithm, which applies to an important class of problems known as symmetric diagonally dominant (SDD) systems, is so efficient that it may soon be possible for a desktop workstation to solve systems with a billion variables in just a few seconds.
A myriad of new applications have emerged in recent years for SDD systems. Recommendation systems, such as the one used by Netflix to suggest movies to customers, use SDD systems to compare the preferences of an individual to those of millions of other customers. In image processing, SDD systems are used to segment images into component pieces, such as earth, sky and objects like buildings, trees and people. "Denoising" images to bring out lettering and other details that otherwise might appear as a blur also make use of SDD systems.
A large class of logistics, scheduling and optimization problems can be formulated as maximum-flow problems, or "max flow," which calculate the maximum amount of materials, data packets or vehicles that can move through a network, be it a supply chain, a telecommunications network or a highway system. The current theoretically best max flow algorithm uses, at its core, an SDD solver.
"In our work at Microsoft on digital imaging, we use a variety of fast techniques for solving problems such as denoising, image blending and segmentation," said Richard Szeliski, leader of the Interactive Visual Media Group at Microsoft Research. "The fast SDD solvers developed by Koutis, Miller and Peng represent a real breakthrough in this domain, and I expect them to have a major impact on the work that we do."
A number of SDD solvers have been developed, but they tend not to work across the broad class of SDD problems and are prone to failures. The randomized algorithm developed by Miller, Koutis and Peng, however, applies across the spectrum of SDD systems. The team's approach to solving SDD systems is to first solve a simplified system that can be done rapidly and serve as a "preconditioner" to guide iterative steps to an ultimate solution. To construct the preconditioner, the team uses new ideas from spectral graph theory, such as spanning tree and random sampling.
The result is a significant decrease in computer run times. The Gaussian elimination algorithm runs in time proportional to s^3, where s is the size of the SDD system as measured by the number of terms in the system, even when s is not much bigger the number of variables. The new algorithm, by comparison, has a run time of s[log(s)]^2. That means, if s = 1 million, that the new algorithm run time would be about a billion times faster than Gaussian elimination.
Other algorithms are better than Gaussian elimination, such as one developed in 2006 by Daniel Spielman of Yale University and Miller's former student, Shang-Hua Teng of the University of Southern California, which runs in s[log(s)]^25. But none promise the same speed as the one developed by the Carnegie Mellon team.
"The new linear system solver of Koutis, Miller and Peng is wonderful both for its speed and its simplicity," said Spielman, a professor of applied mathematics and computer science at Yale. "There is no other algorithm that runs at even close to this speed. In fact, it's impossible to design an algorithm that will be too much faster."


text:
When I asked you guys to choose which celebrity hairstyle I should recreate for a wedding on Saturday, I was so nervous you'd choose Taylor Swift's braided bun, because I worried I lacked the skillz to pull it off. So of course you chose that one. And I did my best, taking pictures every step of the way.
Here's Taylor's braided bun, as a refresher.
As you check out my attempt at this, please keep in mind that what you don't see in the photos is the toddler who was clinging to my leg basically the whole time, inexplicably and incessantly saying "app-le app-le app-le". Which would have been cute under other circumstances, but not when I was under pressure to replicate intricate braids an hour before the wedding began.
Speaking of which, I nixed the idea of copying Taylor's fishtail braid and opted to do mine regular-style instead as a time-saving measure (I am not practiced in fishtailing).
I started by giving myself a deep side part and putting boing-y curls all over my head with a curling iron.
Then I made a little braid behind one of my ears, sliding a bobby pin on the bottom because I didn't have any tiny clear elastics. (I just took the bobby pin off later when I pinned the braid into my bun.)
Next I twisted the crown section of my hair and pinned it; I was trying to recreate some of that twisty texture Taylor has going on above her bun. I think I needed to do a series of smaller twists instead, but it was really hard to do that when I couldn't at all see what I was doing! So I went with this simplified single twist.
Then I clipped up my ends, leaving a small section loose and then braiding it like I did the section behind my ear.
I then formed my bun and pinned it, then wrapped both braids into it and pinned them in. The "hidden" back braid was nestled right under the bun, so it wrapped around more fully than just the front braid would have. But it all looked like one continuous braid.
See, the main thing I'd do differently next time is break up that main twist into smaller wavy twisty sections. Meanwhile, I left some curled wisps loose in front; mine were longer than Taylor's, but I liked how they looked, especially with my dangly earrings.
I'd been convinced this hairstyle would be a total flop and I'd have to regroup and do the Rachel Bilson-style ballerina bun instead--just like piedpiperofcool said--but I was actually pretty happy with the result. Does it look exactly like Taylor's hairstyle? No, but it's not SUPER far-off, and it's cute and different than my usual go-to wedding hairstyles. It held up so well all night, too!
What do you think of my attempt to copy Taylor Swift's braided bun? What steps would you try doing differently if you were to D.I.Y. this look?
Pick Up Glamour's 1,000 Beauty Dos & Donts to Live By Forever, On Newsstands Now!
Download Glamour on your iPad—print subscribers, it's now part of your subscription plan!
Like freebies? Enter the latest Glamour sweepstakes.
Sign up for our fashion and beauty newsletters to get easy style tips (it'll make your inbox 10x sexier, we promise).
One more PS: Did you know you can now read glamour.com on your smart phone?! It's the ultimate boredom buster.


text:
Product Overview
Made In
Benelli factory parts are a great way to repair or upgrade your favorite Benelli. These parts are manufactured to the same exacting specifications that have made Benelli known for reliability in adverse conditions. This quality craftsmanship ensures perfect fit and reliable function from any Benelli factory part.
Was this information helpful?


text:
"All men and women are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be."
The Historic District Development Corporation (HDDC) is a nonprofit community development corporation whose mission is to facilitate the preservation, revitalization and non-displacement of residents in the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic District.
OUR COMMITMENTOur neighborhood, once the mecca of African-American prominence in Atlanta, is now making a dramatic comeback because of the collaborative revitalization efforts of community residents, concerned citizens, and civic, corporate and governmental leadership. Historic District Development Corporation is proud to lead the way in rebuilding, restoring, and revitalizing this vitally historic neighborhood. Our commitment encompasses 3 ideals:
OUR HISTORYHDDC was co-founded by Coretta Scott King, Christine King Farris and John Cox in 1980 as an all volunteer neighborhood-based organization with a charge to preserve and revitalize the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic District. As a non-profit community development corporation, HDDC is comprised of neighborhood residents, community leaders, community business people, and professional advisors. HDDC's goal is to restore the area to the proud, economically diverse, and viable community that once existed as it maintains its historic character while preventing displacement of long-term residents.
The Historic District lies within the Old Fourth Ward which was settled in the early 19th century by whites and free blacks. Residents came from all walks of life from physicians to Pullman porters, maids to ministers, contractors to cooks. One of the oldest neighborhoods in the City of Atlanta, its historic significance is greatly enhanced by the fact that Dr. King was born, lived and preached here. Dr. King's family lived on Auburn Avenue until 194l and continued to live in the neighborhood until 1948. Dr. King returned to Atlanta in 1960 and served as co-pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, with his father MLK, Sr., until his untimely death in 1968.
HDDC is a state-certified Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.HDDC is a city-certified Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) with the City of Atlanta Office of Housing.


text: The Grates are a three-piece band from Brisbane, Australia, comprising Patience Hodgson (vocals), John Patterson (guitar) and Alana Skyring (drums). They have been lauded for their catchy songs and enthusiastic and energetic live shows, as Patience spends much of the time bouncing around, even while singing. Their music is frequently described as "fun": "We just wanna have fun and hope other people do too." (Patience [1]). Their sound has been compared to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Be Your Own Pet. In March 2006 they played at the South by Southwest trade music fair in Texas.


text:
This year, WrestleMania returns to Chicago's Rosemont Horizon (now the Allstate Arena) after eight years. The last time the Windy City hosted the WWE's annual pay-per-view extravaganza, 18,197 people were in attendance. One of those people was me.
I had bought the tickets for WrestleMania 13 in February when I was in Chicago for work. That day, I called my buddies who were back at home to see who else was interested in going. Two takers: Tim "Dracc" Drury and Jay Doyle (not sure why my best friend Jason Bardyla couldn't make it, but whatever the reason, we mocked him unmercifully for years for not joining us).
We started our journey (okay, sure, at only 350 miles between Chatham, Ontario and Rosemont, Illinois, it's not quite a Tolkienian odyssey, but I'm telling the story, so I claim the right of creative license) early on Saturday morning. No problems going across the border. "Going to WrestleMania in Chicago," we proudly boasted to the customs agent. He didn't seem too impressed, with his caustic "Like that Hulk Hogan fake stuff?" response. But we soldiered on nonetheless.
We faced only one near-death experience during the drive, but like a dexterous cruiserweight, weaving and dodging clothesline and big boot attempts against larger opponents, I managed to avoid getting smashed by an out-of-control 18-wheeler, earning kudos from Dracc and Doyle. Other than that, the drive was uneventful.
Not having arranged for lodging in advance, we drove around the outskirts of town looking for a cheap motel. I guess the giant bloodstain on the carpet should have been an indication that this wasn't exactly the Ritz, but the price was right and it was close to the arena. And anyway, no matter what Doyle says, that thing crawling on the bathroom floor couldn't have possibly been a roach -- they never grow that big.
Of course, the main event of our trip started on Sunday. After a traditional Chicago deep dish pizza lunch, we headed over to the Horizon. About a hundred people were there in the parking lot by the time we got there, all of them hoping to see their favourite wrestlers arrive. We were lucky and got to meet a lot of them, including Bret Hart, Ken Shamrock (who I was a big fan of from his UFC days -- funny how much I couldn't stand him as a wrestler, though), and Sunny (to Dracc's credit, he nearly trampled over someone to try to get me her picture).
And then finally it was time for the show to begin. We settled into our "Bob Uecker" last-row-in-the-building seats, and watched as the spectacle unfolded in front of us... way, way, way in front of us.
For the most part, the card was pretty uneventful, with no match standing out as being particularly memorable. I liked the Godwinns, so was disappointed when they lost the four-team elimination tag match. Doyle was a huge Goldust fan, so was kind of bummed when he lost to Triple H. Otherwise, other than the fact that we were at a WrestleMania, things were kind of underwhelming.
Until, of course, the Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
match. Being true patriotic Canadians, we cheered crazily for the Hitman, screaming at him to vanquish the angry Texan rattlesnake. We weren't the only ones, mind you -- there were thousands of us in that arena rooting for Hart. But then something happened.
Slowly, the crowd began to turn. As the match progressed, people started booing the Hitman and cheering for Austin. Then, "Austin! Austin!" chants started breaking out. Scattered at first, by small pockets of people in the crowd. But soon they got louder, and more intense, and the pockets grew to entire rows, then sections, and ultimately, as the match drew to a close, they filled the air at the Rosemont Horizon.
It was unbelievable. I remember at one point, I turned and asked Dracc what the hell was going on -- but he couldn't explain it either. It was one of those rare magical moments in wrestling -- the moment when whatever is going on in the ring becomes real. The moment when you climb aboard the story being told in the ring and hang on to that roller coaster for dear life. I've seen thousands of matches after that one, and I think it may have happened only a handful of times since.
The drive home on Monday was actually pretty uneventful. We talked about the event, of course, and polished off a sack of sliders from White Castle in Detroit, but beyond that, not much else to say.
I don't know if WrestleMania 22 will produce as good a match as Hart-Austin, though I think it has the potential with a couple of the matches. But, you know, maybe when it comes down to it, that's not really the point. Maybe the point is to get together with some friends, watch the show, good or bad, and just have fun with it. That's what we did that weekend eight years ago. And, not to get all Wonder Years on you, but next Sunday, after WrestleMania goes off the air, I think I'm going to call up Dracc and Doyle, and Jason too, and ask them what they thought of the show.
"Bloodthirsty" Bob Kapur currently plans to watch WrestleMania at home, though if a SLAM! Wrestling reader has an extra ticket and wants to share gas and lodging, he'd be happy to go. Meanwhile, if you have any WrestleMania road trip memories, share them with him at email@example.com.


text:
Opera & those annoying "Save As" pop ups are driving me nuts. Opera is a slick browser but those constant files that I save have got to be turned off. What is it? Why ? How do I turn it off? Can I turn it off?
Im using the free "Adware" version. 7.51.....the newest version


text:
MLB Has No Arbitration Hearings For the First Time Ever
All 133 arbitration-eligible Major League Baseball players settled on contracts with their respective teams this off-season. It's the first time since arbitration began in 1974 that no player who filed went to an arbitration hearing.
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Darren O'Day was the last of the 133 MLB players who filed for arbitration Jan. 13. He agreed to a $5.8 million, two-year contract with the team on Monday.
MLB's arbitration system allows for a player with three or more years of service, but less than six years, to file for salary arbitration. Most cases are settled. From 1974 through 2012, arbitrators have ruled for the players 214 times and organizations 286 times.
The previous record low was three hearings in 2005, 2009 and 2011. The record high was 35 hearings in 1986.


text:
NPR continues its conversations about The Race Card Project, where NPR Host/Special Correspondent Michele Norris asks people to send in six-word stories about race and culture. The submissions are personal, provocative and often quite candid.
When Elysha O'Brien, a college professor in Las Vegas, decided to submit six words about her cultural identity, she knew exactly what she wanted to say: "Mexican white girl doesn't speak Spanish." Like many others who have written to The Race Card Project, she grew up in bilingual household but never learned the language of her elders.
O'Brien says she often feels like she has a foot in two worlds, but is never fully accepted in either. Whites often assume she is Greek or Mediterranean because her face is slightly angular and her skin fairly pale. But when she encounters others who share her Mexican heritage, they often don't pick up signals that suggest cultural camaraderie.
"When I go into a community of Hispanics, they just assume that I'm white," O'Brien says. "Once we start talking, sometimes they'll say, 'Well, why don't you speak Spanish?' And I say, 'Well, my parents didn't teach me.' "
O'Brien was raised in a household where both parents spoke Spanish — but not to their children. The couple made a collective decision to ensure the next generation mastered English without the hint of an accent. Spanish was the secret language they used when they argued or talked about Christmas presents.
O'Brien's father is one of eight children, and among her 25 cousins, all but three speak English only. When she asked her parents, aunts and uncles why they didn't pass on their native language, they all gave the same reason: They faced bias, or worse, when speaking Spanish outside the home. They were rapped on the knuckles at school or denied jobs and other opportunities.
Her family experienced so much prejudice in Fort Worth for speaking Spanish in school that they didn't want their children to endure that, O'Brien says. "They didn't want their children to get slapped on the wrist, they didn't want their children to get shushed in the lunchroom. They wanted their children to assimilate into the culture."
O'Brien absorbed that message, she says. At one point in her teen years, she would de-emphasize her heritage when other Mexican-American kids would tease her for not speaking Spanish, she says. "It was my parents' language; it wasn't my language. When you're kind of rebellious and you're trying to find your identity, I used to say, 'Well, I'm not Mexican, my parents are.' "
As an adult, even saying those words out loud is difficult for O'Brien. "I think it sounds very flip. It sounds very much like I'm trying to make amends for a really deep wound — just trying to put a Band-Aid on something instead of digging out the infection that's there," she says.
O'Brien, who has a doctoral degree, now says she emphasizes her Latino heritage out of pride. But she also hopes her career path and education might serve as a beacon for others. For years, she never asked her students to address her as "Dr. O'Brien"; "professor" or even her first name would do.
But that changed when she met a Latina student who gushed about meeting a Mexican-American Ph.D. for the first time. Now, she says, "I do make a point to tell people, 'Hey, I'm Mexican and I'm a female and I have a Ph.D. There are not very many of us who have all of those three things."
O'Brien and her husband, an educator of Irish and Italian descent, have three boys — a blend of cultures not easily captured on official forms. Recently, O'Brien says, she had to fill out a form for her children that required checking a box for ethnicity. "And there was a box for "white," there was a box for "black," a box for "Asian" and a box for "Hispanic."
"And my son says, 'Well, where's the Italian box?' " O'Brien recalls. "And I said, 'Well, that's just if you're white.' And he goes, 'And what about Irish?' I said, 'Well, that's white, too.' "
"But Hispanic's there and Italian isn't?" her son asked. "And ... I couldn't really answer him," O'Brien says. "But it's interesting that when you look at the Hispanics ... Mexicans are very different from Cubans, and Cubans are very different from Puerto Ricans, and Puerto Ricans are very different from Peruvians. But yet we are all lumped together as Hispanic, and we are all assumed to ... speak the same language."
O'Brien is determined that her sons will speak both English and Spanish. She hopes that will deepen their relationship with their Mexican-American grandparents. The elders on her family's side, she says, display a more gregarious part of their personality when speaking in their native tongue. As an academic, she says she also wants her boys to have the "brain plasticity" that learning another language allows.
And, while her parents experienced bias when speaking Spanish in public decades ago, O'Brien says she would have greater opportunities if she had dual language skills today — and wants her sons to have that advantage.
She acknowledges that her sons will ultimately decide how to identify themselves as adults, but she wants to make sure they emphasize their Hispanic roots when seeking opportunities, like applying to college.
"My children have the O'Brien last name and they're all fair-skinned and they appear white," O'Brien says. But when filling out school forms, "I always make sure I check off that 'Hispanic' box. Because I know that as a white male, they're not going to be given certain privileges as if they were a Mexican male, which perhaps is slightly racist on my own part, but I want them to be able to have access to things."
'Not Really Mexican'
Allen Nunez Wickham lives In Molalla, Ore., just outside of Portland. He sent his six words to The Race Card Project knowing his father would play a prominent role in his submission, "Grandma didn't let Dad speak Spanish." Both of his parents came to the U.S. from Mexico as children.
Because he doesn't speak with a noticeable accent, he "passes" or blends in better with other ethnic groups. Consequently, Nunez Wickham says, he's heard charges that "he's not really Mexican" because he doesn't speak Spanish. "After a while," he says, "I just started calling myself Chicano because it was like more of an American-Mexican."
But his family displays "Nunez," his mother's maiden name, with pride. "I use it deliberately," he says.
He spoke with NPR's Michele Norris about the pros and cons of being closer to his family's cultural heritage.
Our own Steve Inskeep is headed today to the Middle East on assignment. Before he left, Steve sat down - as he often does - with NPR special correspondent Michele Norris, to talk about the Race Card Project. Michele has been asking people to submit six-word stories about race or cultural identity; stories like this one.
ELYSHA O'BRIEN: My name is Elysha O'Brien, and my six words are: Mexican white girl doesn't speak Spanish. I chose these six words because whites see me as Mexican; Mexicans see me as white because I don't speak Spanish. I find it interesting that we don't qualify other ethnic identities on the basis of language.
STEVE INSKEEP, BYLINE: OK. So Mexican white girl doesn't speak Spanish - those are the six words from Elysha O'Brien, who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. And to talk about the meaning behind those words, Michele Norris joins us once again. Hi, Michele.
MICHELE NORRIS, BYLINE: Hey, Steve.
INSKEEP: And I guess this is a moment to remember that when we say Hispanic, that's not a racial identity. There are lots of races of people who are Hispanic; it's about the language.
NORRIS: Well, and it's about the culture. And in this case, it's specifically about how the language and the culture are intertwined. And this represents one of those themes within the Race Card Project. We have received a lot of submissions from people who are Latino but don't speak Spanish, even though their parents spoke Spanish. They come from households where their parents made a deliberate choice that their kids were going to become more American, whatever that means; that their ambitions were wrapped up in making them more American. And for them, that meant making sure that they spoke perfect English. And even though the parents spoke Spanish, they didn't pass that onto the kids.
INSKEEP: How did Elysha end up not speaking Spanish?
NORRIS: Well, she was raised by parents who hail from Mexico. [POST-BROADCAST CORRECTION: Both of Elysha O'Brien's parents were born in the United States.] They spoke Spanish but in her household, Spanish was almost like the secret language - the language that the parents spoke when they didn't want the kids to hear about a tragedy in the family, or where the birthday presents were hidden.
INSKEEP: Entiendo.
NORRIS: Yeah. And they decided not to pass on their language skills - and that's what she calls them now, language skills. They didn't pass on their language to the kids for those same reasons. They wanted to make sure that they did well in school, but they also did it in part because of their own memory. She explains that.
O'BRIEN: I have talked to my father about this, and I've talked to my aunts and uncles individually about this; and they all give me the same reason. They said that they were so prejudiced against - growing up in Fort Worth, Texas - for speaking Spanish in school that they didn't want their children to endure that. They didn't want their children to get slapped on the wrist; they didn't want their children to get shushed in the lunchroom. They wanted their children to assimilate into the culture.
NORRIS: They were rapped on the knuckles if they spoke Spanish in class?
O'BRIEN: Yeah. They were - ears were turned; rapped on the knuckles; just - a bit of humiliation would occur if they spoke Spanish. My father failed first grade because he didn't speak English. You'd never hear of that now. He only spoke Spanish, and so he wasn't able to proceed to second grade. He had to repeat first.
INSKEEP: Michele Norris, this is such a classic immigrant tale. People come; they bring other languages, they bring other cultures. They are determined - many of them - to fit into the new country, or to make sure their kids fit into the new country.
NORRIS: And often, fitting in means speaking the language of the new homeland. And here in America, that - of course - means English. And that's why Elysha O'Brien's parents didn't speak Spanish to her, in part because of those memories of days before you had English-as-a-second-language classes in school, where they were penalized for speaking Spanish; but also because they wanted to give her something. And so, as she explains, she lives in this position where she has sort of a foot in two worlds and doesn't necessarily feel fully accepted in either, particularly when she is challenged by other Latinos who say, well, you're not really Mexican, if you don't speak the language. And over time, she really started - particularly when she was young - to internalize that criticism and really question herself.
O'BRIEN: Spanish always sounded like a bird singing to me. It was - my mom would watch the Mexican soap operas, and the women always sounded like they were chirping. And it was so fast and so quick, I couldn't discern where one word ended and another word began. It just all had this very musical quality to it. I couldn't tell. But it was just something I didn't have. It was my parents' language; it wasn't my language.
I used to say to a friend - actually, when you're kind of rebellious and trying to find your identity, I used to say, well, I'm not Mexican; my parents are - because of the comment that my friend said to me - well, not really my friend; but the comment that he said - well, you're not Mexican 'cause you don't speak Spanish. I think in trying to figure that out, I started responding to people, well, I'm not Mexican; my parents are.
NORRIS: How does that strike your adult ear now?
O'BRIEN: I think it sounds very flip. It sounds very - like I'm trying to make amends for a really deep wound, just trying to put a Band-Aid on something instead of digging out the infection that's there.
INSKEEP: So this gift that her parents worked so hard to give her - the gift of being sure that she knew English really, really well - does she regret not having learned Spanish?
NORRIS: It sounds like the whole family has a little bit of regret around this. Her parents regret it now because they recognize that their children might be more marketable if they actually were bilingual.
INSKEEP: Spanish is an asset in the globalized world.
NORRIS: Yes, particularly if you live in a place like Las Vegas. So there's regret around economic opportunity. Elysha regrets it for two reasons. One is academic, and one is a little bit emotional. And the academic side - she's a college professor - she would love to be able to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his native language; she would love to be able to dream in Spanish. She would love to be able to tackle a language and really learn how to master it, as an academic. On the emotional side, she says that there's a piece of her family, of her elders in her family, that's not available to her because she doesn't speak their native language. But when they speak their native language, that there's something musical about them; that's something that comes out. And she says that most clearly when she talks about her grandmother, who passed away two years ago.
O'BRIEN: Whenever we would go to Texas, the only thing that she knew how to say in English was "I love you, mija, I love you." And so she would say this to me over and over again - "I love you, mija, I love you." For, I think, the first seven years of my life, I thought my name was mija. I didn't realize that mija was an individual word in Spanish. I thought it was my nickname.
NORRIS: What does that mean?
O'BRIEN: It means "my daughter," in Spanish. It's actually a shortened, condensed version of "mi hija." "Mi hija" means my daughter; "mi hijo" means my son. And "mija" is just a shortened version of those two words.
NORRIS: What do you lose, when you lose your language?
O'BRIEN: I think you lose home. I think about my grandmother and how I wasn't able to communicate with her, and that sense of relationship that I lost.
NORRIS: If you could speak Spanish with your grandmother, what is it that you would say?
O'BRIEN: I love you, mi amor, abuela.
INSKEEP: I love you, grandma - the words that Elysha wishes she could say in Spanish, if she could speak it. Now, Michele, we should mention that Elysha has three boys of her own. Does she want them to learn Spanish?
NORRIS: Elysha is married. Her husband is Irish and Italian; thus, the last name O'Brien. And she has three sons, and she is going to make sure that they all are bilingual. And if you go to the website, you'll learn more about that.
INSKEEP: Michele Norris is curator of the Race Card Project. Michele, thanks for coming by.
NORRIS: Thanks, Steve.
MONTAGNE: And you can learn more about Elysha O'Brien and the Race Card Project at our website, NPR.org. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
August 4, 2014
This piece originally appeared in Rae's blog, Diva Living With AIDS.
Nausea and exhaustion merged and sleep took over. I woke the next morning in my hotel room curled up in the middle of the bed hugging the pillow. Something had come over me last night and it had been cathartic. I knew I needed to do better. "Sophie is not coming back," I told myself. "The good thing is the joy she brought you for eight years," I mumbled. I remind myself of this daily. I remember when Oprah lost one of her white labs, Gracie after one year. She watched her die from swallowing a small toy. I had just gotten Sophie and could not even image the pain she felt. I shuddered to think about it. I had Sophie for eight wonderful years.
As I made my morning tea I started to remember that Sophie had come to BlogHer last year with me. She was the bell of the lobby at the Sheraton Hotel and the official greeter at the MultiCulti party. I reflected on how happy she was going from arm to arm that night. I like the fact that BlogHer is dog friendly and Sophie fit right in! She was definitely Ms. Personality.
When I arrived back to Chicago I knew changes of some sort had to be made, but the moment I put my key in that door and there was no Sophie barking like crazy, dread swamped over me. The worst part of being on Earth without her is walking into silence each time I come home and waking in the morning without her being by my side. Adjusting to this this new life is hard, very hard. I'm not sure how long it's going to take for me to be at a better place.
My grief is real and so is my depression. I feel them in the depths of my soul, yet there is a part of me that is fighting, that wants to fight. I want to find a balance. I don't intend to avoid the grief but at the same time, I don't want the grief to control me. I didn't like how I felt in that hotel room in San Jose. I never want to be that self absorbed/consumed by one thing. I never want any one thing to have all of me. It's bad enough that HIV/AIDS has dictated a good portion of my life for most of my life. I want to control what I can.
I understand that my depression is what the experts called "situational depression," which typically occurs after some sort of trauma and or traumatic changes in your life. In my case, the sudden loss of Sophie. I'm having difficulties adjusting to the changes brought on by Sophie's passing and I just fucking miss her.
Situational depression is different for everyone as is major depression. For me, there hasn't been a day that has gone by that my heart hasn't ached for my baby girl. I've cried at least 32 of the 35 days she's been gone.
Sleep is a far away thing that I believe will come back to me one day, but right now I haven't slept through the night if I slept at all. It takes everything and I mean EVERYTHING I got to do anything other than read and knit. And of course, I've been eating my way to hell and back.
It's been a week since BlogHer and that night in my hotel room I consumed Reese's peanut butter cookies and s'mores with bacon on top. I'm proud to say that I have made some changes. No, I'm not better, I just made some changes for the better. I live in the real world and I know that it is not going to get better overnight, but I have at least stopped myself from total destruction. This is my plan!!
Coping with loss of any sort is hard. Each of us must figure out the best path that will lead to the best outcomes. The darkness will pass if we don't fight against the darkness, like going against the gain. The darkness will pass if you don't plant yourself in the darkness, holding onto it for the life of you. It will pass, for nothing stays the same. Remember, no experience is ever wasted, not even moments of darkness. As for me, I'm sure when the light starts to trickle through the darkness, I will look back and say, Aha, I see what was learned in these moments of darkness.
Get email notifications every time this blog is updated.
Rae Lewis-Thornton is an Emmy Award-winning AIDS activist who rose to national acclaim when she told her story of living with AIDS in a cover story for Essence Magazine. She has lived with HIV for 27 years and AIDS for 19. Rae travels the country speaking and challenging stereotypes and myths about HIV/AIDS. She has a Master of Divinity degree and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Church History. Rae has been featured on Nightline, Dateline NBC, BET and The Oprah Winfrey Show, as well as in countless magazines and newspapers, including Emerge, Glamour, O, the Oprah Winfrey Magazine, Jet, Ebony, the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune, to name a few. She earned the coveted Emmy Award for a first-person series on living With AIDS for Chicago's CBS News.
Rae is an active user of social media -- read "Long-Term HIV Survivor Discovers the Power of Twitter," an article on TheBody.com about Rae's social media activities.
Visit Rae's Web site, Diva Living With AIDS
Learn about RLT Collection, Rae's line of AIDS awareness/fashion bracelets
Speaking engagements: Inquire about booking Rae to speak at your organization or event!
Subscribe to Rae's Blog:
|By RSS
Recent Posts:
The opinions expressed by TheBody.com's bloggers are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheBody.com itself.
The content on this page is free of advertiser influence and was produced by our editorial team. See our advertising policy.


text:
Frankie Manning: Never Stop Swinging
Frankie Manning: Never Stop Swinging Previous Broadcasts
KQED Life: Mon, Feb 11, 2013 -- 10:30 PM
Produced by Julie Cohen in Frankie's last year, and released shortly after his passing, on the eve of the Frankie95 festival, this documentary is a fitting tribute to a great man. The documentary features the last major interview of Frankie Manning before his death, as well as precious archival footage of his dancing from the 1930's to 2009 in New York, Hollywood, Sweden, France, Italy and Singapore. Footage highlights include scenes of Manning's birthday parties, where he danced with one woman for each year he'd been alive, the legendary dance scene choreographed and headlined by Manning for the film "Hellzapoppin," and the phenomenal duet with his 76-year-old son, Chazz, himself a professional dancer. Frankie was a born storyteller, with a huge smile and an even bigger laugh.
Repeat Broadcasts:
- KQED Life: Tue, Feb 12, 2013 -- 4:30 AM


text:
FORT COLLINS, CO -- Although the $32 million renovations to the Colorado State University (CSU) Student Recreation Center recently reached the halfway mark, CSU officials announced that they may cut 50 campus jobs this summer to compensate for a decrease in state funding.
State funding is expected to decrease by about $13 million next year, and school officials told local media they plan to reduce expenses by the same amount by reducing operating budgets and continuing a yearlong hiring freeze. CSU also is expected to raise tuition and fees by 9 percent next year, on top of this year's 9 percent increase.
But officials say the current construction projects on campus, which total hundreds of millions of dollars, are necessary to attract and retain students, especially those from out of state.
Students are paying for the rec center expansion through recreation fees. Full-time students now pay $80 per semester for recreation fees, and that amount is expected to rise to $131 per semester in the fall. The renovated facility will accommodate 30,000 students, which is up from CSU's current 25,000 student population.
The renovated rec center will feature massage rooms, a large fitness area with weights and cardio machines and multiple group ex classrooms, including a new spin classroom lit with black lights. In addition, lower construction bids allowed the inclusion of extras such as laser-etched glass featuring trees, mountains and CSU logos.
Earlier this year, students planned a rally to protest the rising fees and to express dissatisfaction with using student fees to fund construction projects, rather than relying on state funding as CSU has done in the past.


text:
Welcome new WC students! We have been waiting and planning for your arrival for several months, and we are excited that it's almost time for you to join us on campus. We want your transition from your previous institution to WC to be as smooth as possible, so plan to take advantage of the entire Orientation program from beginning to end. There is so much important information given to students throughout the program, and you won't want to miss a second of it! It will greatly enhance your transition into the community.
Each program is designed to assist you in becoming more familiar with the campus and its resources. We have crammed your first 4-days at WC full of activities, educational sessions, and group meetings. Our entire Orientation program is designed to introduce you to WC life, answer questions, introduce you to the traditions of our campus, and let you meet lots of new people. All of our sessions are designed to assist you, making your transition into WC as smooth as possible. That is why attending all of the sessions during Orientation is so very important. This is your program and your school… learn and enjoy!
Check out the tentative schedules, located to the left of the page, and feel free to contact us with your questions prior to orientation. We look forward to meeting you!
Question regarding Transfer Orientation should be directed to Michael Allbright at 937.481.2369


text:
Whatever the outcome of a strategic review by its parent company Tesco, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores plan to remain open.
The review, begun in December for United Kingdom-based Tesco by investment bank Greenhill & Co., raised the prospect that the grocer might pull out of the U.S. market.
But now, on its Facebook page, Fresh & Easy is trying to calm customers.
"While we don"t know exactly what the outcome of this strategic review process will be, we want to assure you we don"t have plans to close stores and we"re confident Fresh & Easy can continue to be your favorite neighborhood market," accordign to the company"s Jan. 31 posting.
With a logo, "Fresh & Easy Still Fighting the Good Food Fight," the company announced a campaign that will include radio advertising.
About 200 of the small-format markets operate in California, Nevada and Arizona. Tesco"s U.S. business began in 2007.
Philip Clarke, Tesco chief executive officer, said in December that returns haven"t been adequate to sustain its investment, estimated at close to $1.6 billion.
"It is now clear that Fresh & Easy will not deliver acceptable shareholder returns on an appropriate timeframe in its current form," he said in a statement.
Clarke said other companies had expressed interest in buying all or part of the Fresh & Easy chain, or in partnering with the U.S. company.
Fresh & Easy"s initial commitment to packaged produce hurt them, Don Goodwin, president of Golden Sun Marketing, Minnetrista, Minn., told The Packer in December. The West Coast sells less packaged produce than any region of the country, he said.


text:
Tired of writing checks? Sign up for
AEP Ohio's automatic bill-payment option
through our partner, Direct Payment, and your bill will be paid from your bank account
each month -- automatically.
Note: If you are already signed up for auto withdrawal through our paperless billing program, do NOT also sign up for auto withdrawal here, as it will cause duplicate payments to be drafted.
If you are currently enrolled in automatic payments through AEP Ohio's Checkless Payment Plan,
you can update your current bank account information by submitting a new request for your account through the Direct Payment website.
Your new bank account information will replace the existing information.
Update Bank Account Information
When the program takes effect, a message will appear on your bill telling you not
to pay, as well as the day of the automatic withdrawal. You must continue to pay
your electric bill as before until that message appears.
Please contact your financial institution to confirm if an "ACH Authorization Form"
is required when the name on the electric bill differs from the owner of the bank
The withdrawal date is the payment due date shown on your bill. If you ever need
to change the withdrawal date shown on your bill or the bank account number from
which your payment is being withdrawn, please contact us at least four business
days prior to the scheduled deduction for assistance with these changes.
Direct Payment forwards your information to
AEP Ohio, where it is securely retained.
Subscribing to AEP Ohio alerts gives you instant notification for:
Enroll in alerts to be eligible to win. Subscribing to I&M alerts gives you instant notification for:


text:
Explore Nursing Careers
Pick Your Nursing Path
Registered Nurse
CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist)
Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse
CNA: Certified Nursing Assistant
Nurse Practitioner
Career Specialties & Resources
Legal Nurse Consulting
Explore Neonatal Nursing
Top 10 Qualities of a Great Nurse
Tips to Ace Your Healthcare Interview
7 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Nursing Career
Nursing Careers Beyond the Bedside
Best States for Entry-Level Nursing Jobs
Education Resources
ADN vs. BSN: Which Should You Choose?
Failed the NCLEX? Strategies to Put You Back on Track
Back to School Guide for Nursing Students
Career Advice
Recruiter Roundtable: Objectives on ResumesThe Recruiter Roundtable is a monthly feature that collects career and job-seeking advice from a group of recruiting experts throughout the US. The question we put before our panel this month is: How important is having an "objective" or "summary" section at the opening of a candidate's resume? Your 15-Second 'Elevator Pitch' If you want to convert your 15 seconds of ...Rated: +5
8 Ways to Make Your Resume More MarketableThe economy is shaky -- and it may feel like your job is, too. Whether you're already job hunting or believe you may need to soon, there are steps you can take to make yourself more attractive to potential employers. Here are eight tips from the experts on increasing your marketability: Use Your Name as Your Brand, Especially in Email Don't ...
The Layoff Survival KitThis article offers general information on legal and financial matters relating to employment. For specific information relating to your situation, please consult an attorney, financial planner or appropriate government agency. Now that you've lost your job, you need to hurry up and find a new one, right? Wrong. You've got to buck up and tie up loose ends with your ex-employer ...Rated: +3
Make Nurses Happy, Some Hospitals SayDespite the nursing shortage, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Washington, has no problem attracting a steady steam of job candidates. "We've never offered nurses a sign-on bonus," says Kathy Franz, the hospital's director of human resources. "Sign-on bonuses typically keep nurses in their jobs for two years. Our goal is to attract candidates who want to work here for other ...Rated: +34
6 Reasons They Didn't Call You BackIn the best of times, responding to a job listing can feel like sending your resume out to sea in a bottle. But at least you received a call or an email acknowledgement. Now, with the volume of applicants higher than ever, you're more likely to hear nothing. If there is a resounding silence from your queries, keep looking and networking. ...
Need help studying for the NCLEX? Take practice quizzes, get expert advice, and network with other future nurses in the NCLEX Study Center.
Visit the NCLEX Study Center now!
A Day in the Life of a...
Ever wonder what it's like to be a nurse midwife? A nurse with a doctorate? Or a holistic nurse? Find out with our A Day in the Life... series!
Go to class with Assistant Professor-CT and Director of Student Services Dr. Ruby Martinez.
Spend the day with Holistic and Rehabilitation Nurse, Barbara Klein-Robuck.
Learn what Certified Hospice & Palliative Care Nurse Maria Gatto does at work.
Deliver babies with Certified Nurse Midwife Eunice (Kitty) Ernst.
Share the struggles of an accelerated BSN nursing student with Erin Downing.
Go to class with Assistant Professor-CT and Director of Student Services Dr. Ruby Martinez.
Spend the day with Holistic and Rehabilitation Nurse, Barbara Klein-Robuck.
Learn what Certified Hospice & Palliative Care Nurse Maria Gatto does at work.
Deliver babies with Certified Nurse Midwife Eunice (Kitty) Ernst.
Share the struggles of an accelerated BSN nursing student with Erin Downing.
NursingLink School Finder
Save time in your search for a degree program. Use NursingLink's School Finder to locate schools online and in your area.


text:
Simply Property needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 142 designs submitted by 42 freelance designers.
Main use will be as logo on a simple, easy to use website for people from all over the world looking to buy property anywhere in the world. The logo must incorporate the 3 key points/words;
Simply (so Simple design please to reflect ease)
Preferably on a white background and using vibrant colours
Simply Property Abroad
Tagline; Simply theeasiest way to buy property abroad
Desired Color Scheme
Blues, Yellows, Oranges, Reds,possibly Greens but prefer mediterranean colours,
Desired Style
Simple, clear, modern, corporateyet friendly.
Accepted File Formats
VectorFormats (.eps, .pdf or .ai); LayeredFormats (.psd or .tiff); Drupal Template with CSS and images in layeredPSD
We arelooking for a logo for our new website http://www.simplypropertyabroad.com.The site will be clear and simple, and the company image that we areaiming toportray is of being a company that makes buying property anywhere inthe worldsimple. We sell in various locations (beach, mountain, country, city)andcountries so please don't pick out just one of these as the main focusof thelogo.
Winner willbe notified via email, and we must receive all contact information,signedagreement of copy rights etc before payment will be issued via PayPal.
- Simple, clear, modern,corporate yet friendly, instantly recognisable perhaps with someaspect of houses or the world included in it.
- Want to convey we are honest, professional, clear,communicative,concise, organised, committed to excellent customer service, eachcustomer has their own dedicated real estate professional who workswith them from start to finish, so its a business with a personal touch.
- Must include full companyname, not just initials
- Beachy or location specificimages although sun and conveying lifestyle improvement is ok!
- Just fancy text
- Company Initials
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Publicly traded IT staffing companies experienced stronger than anticipated demand for their services in the quarter ended Sept. 30. These firms chalked up year-over-year median growth of 12.6 percent during the quarter, with only two of the seven companies we track showing decline in revenue as compared to the same period in 2012.
Click on chart to enlarge.
Some IT staffing executives attributed the healthy growth to a shift in clients' perception and utilization of staff augmentation as a more strategic method of getting projects done.
"Interactions with our clients and consultants continue to affirm our belief about the secular shifts taking place in the employment marketplace," said David Dunkel, chairman and CEO of Kforce Inc. "U.S. GDP growth continues to be below 3 percent, translating to a slow and steady overall job growth rate whereas we continue to see a disproportionate amount of job growth coming from the staffing sector."
Kforce is a professional staffing firm that generates about 63 percent of its revenue from temporary IT staffing. The company posted an uptick of 14.2 percent year over year in IT staffing for the quarter.
According to Peter Dameris, CEO and president of On Assignment, corporations are considering staff augmentation as the preferred workforce arrangement.
"What we're seeing is that CIOs are looking at staff augmentation as a more attractive deployment model than potentially offshoring or project consulting outsourcing because of the cost, flexibility, visibility and accountability," Dameris said in an analyst conference call. "And what I would tell you is we haven't seen a change in the CIO's mindset at this point. They think they'll spend a bigger chunk of their total IT services dollars on projects that are deployed or developed with staff augmentation versus other deployment models."
On Assignment is a professional staffing firm with two IT staffing divisions, including Oxford Global Resources, which places senior-level IT, engineering and regulatory and compliance professionals both in North America and in Europe. Oxford grew 13.5 percent year over year during the quarter. On Assignment's second technology division, Apex Systems, was acquired by On Assignment in May 2012. Its third-quarter revenue rose 21.6 percent. Apex is U.S.-based and provides IT staffing and deliverable-based services.
There has been some talk lately regarding the cooling of the health information technology market. However, staffing firms that are doing business in this marketplace said they are fairly optimistic about the long-term prospects of health information technology and expect the market to pick up momentum again soon.
"In the short-term, we believe that our EMR [electronic medical records] business growth will be constrained, due to hospitals having to deal with the reimbursement costs that have occurred," said Jim Boldt, chairman and CEO of Computer Task Group Inc. "Long-term there is still a significant opportunity for the growth in our EMR business. Only 40 percent of hospitals in the United States have reached the meaningful use Stage I threshold. Not all of the software the hospitals [and physicians' practices] use for EMR has been upgraded to meet the standards of meaningful use Stage II, and many are concerned that some of the existing software cannot be modified to meet the more rigid standards. … And finally, we believe the European hospitals will ultimately install U.S. software, and it will likely create EMR work for CTG for another decade."
Computer Task Group provides IT and business consulting solutions to the healthcare market, as well as managed services IT staffing for technology companies and large corporations. For the quarter ended Sept. 30, the company's solutions business, which accounts for about 40 percent of its total revenue, was down 9.5 percent on a year-over-year basis. The company attributed this to delays in healthcare project starts. It's IT staffing division slipped 2.5 percent due to a reduction in spending from IBM, the division's largest customer.
IBM was cited as the cause for decline in revenue for yet another professional staffing firm. CDI Corp., an IT and engineering staffing and solutions firm, reported a year-over-year decline of 9.2 percent in the high-tech revenue of its professional services staffing division. About 75 percent of the high-tech revenue in the division are derived from business through IBM.
Other trends noted in conference calls, press releases and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings include increases in revenue from larger clients. This may be causing a slight margin compression as these are clients that typically engage in volume placements. Bill rates appear to be stable, "inching up" but not as much as desired considering the tight IT labor market. Some of the hot skills mentioned by Kforce where candidate supply remains tight included .NET and Java developers, business analysts and project managers. On Assignment's IT staffing divisions reported robust growth in their top accounts in the financial, healthcare, telecommunications and consumer industrial verticals. The company's healthcare IT unit continues to be the fastest-growing unit.
There was a lot of buzz about potential strategic acquisitions during analyst conference calls, with special mentions of data analytics and health information technology as the sought after areas of focus for acquisitions.


text:
|Judaism 101
The Havdalah service marks the end of Shabbat. It should be performed no earlier than nightfall on Saturday night. Nightfall is the time when three stars can be seen in the sky. It is normally about 45 minutes to an hour after sundown, depending on your latitude. For the precise time when Shabbat ends in your area, consult the list of candle lighting times provided by the Orthodox Union.
You will need three things for this ritual: a glass of wine or other liquid, some fragrant spices, and a special Havdalah candle.
P'ri Hagafen: Wine
The first of the four havdalah blessings is made over wine or another liquid. If wine or grape juice is not used, you should substitute shehakol nih'yeh bid'varo (by whose will all things come to be) for borei p'ri hagafen (who creates the fruit of the vine).
B'samim: Spices
The second blessing is recited over fragrant spices. The spices represent a compensation for the loss of the special sabbath spirit. The spices commonly used are cloves, cinnamon or bay leaves. They are commonly kept in a special decorated holder called a b'samim box.
Eish: Fire
The third blessing is recited over the special, multi-wicked Havdalah candle. Havdalah candles can be obtained from Jewish gift stores. If you cannot obtain a Havdalah candle, you can hold two candles close together, so their flames overlap. I have also used party candles (long, very thin candles) that I warmed up and twisted together.
Lighting a flame is a vivid way of marking the distinction between the sabbath and the weekday, because we cannot kindle a flame on the sabbath.
After the blessing is recited, hold your hands up to the flame with curved fingers, so you can see the shadow of your fingers on your palms. This is done because it would be improper to recite a blessing for something and then not use the thing.
Havdalah: Separation
The final blessing is the havdalah blessing itself, the blessing over the separation of different things. The blessing is recited over the wine. After the blessing is complete, drink the wine. A few drops of wine are used to extinguish the flame from the candle.
© Copyright 5758-5771 (1999-2011), Tracey R Rich