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HomeAway Purchases Social Vacation Rental Site, Second Porch
AUSTIN, TX, May 11, 2011 – HomeAway, Inc., the worldwide leader in online vacation rentals, today announced the acquisition of Second Porch Inc., a vacation rental site that enables homeowners and professional managers to market vacation homes to travelers through their social network on Facebook.
With the Second Porch technology and team, HomeAway® intends to accelerate the integration of social features across its network of sites to provide an additional word-of-mouth marketing channel to its customers.
"The Second Porch team understands the intersection between social networking and vacation rentals," says HomeAway Chief Executive Officer, Brian Sharples. "We are excited to leverage their expertise and bring their technology to our customers who list their vacation rentals with us, and the millions of travelers who visit our sites."
"We are excited to be joining HomeAway," says Brent Hieggelke, co-founder of Second Porch. "By bringing the trust and transparency inherent in social media to vacation rentals, HomeAway can not only improve the social experience for the millions of travelers who visit HomeAway sites, but also promote the vacation rental industry to the millions of Facebook members."
Second Porch will continue to operate from its headquarters in Portland, Ore.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Learn more: Second Porch Acquisition FAQ
About Second Porch Inc.:
Second Porch is the social vacation home marketplace, where travelers can discover the perfect vacation rental through their trusted social circle, when friends, or friends of friends have rented, rated, or reviewed, or own a participating vacation home. Second Porch enables vacation rental property managers and homeowners to add a powerful word-of-mouth marketing channel to their marketing mix with its social marketplace at http://www.secondporch.com
Media Contact:
Eileen Buesing
Senior Director of Global Public Relations, HomeAway, Inc.


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Ginsberg, Allen
Allen Ginsberg (gĬnz´bûrg), 1926–97, American poet, b. Paterson, N.J., grad. Columbia, 1949. An outspoken member of the beat generation, Ginsberg is best known for Howl (1956), a long poem attacking American values in the 1950s. The prose of Jack Kerouac, the insights of Zen Buddhism, and the free verse of Walt Whitman were some of the sources for Ginsberg's quest to glorify everyday experience, embrace the ecstatic moment, and promote sponteneity and freedom of expression. His volumes of poetry include Kaddish and Other Poems, 1958–60 (1961), Collected Poems, 1947–1980 (1984), and White Shroud: Poems 1980–85 (1986). His Collected Poems: 1947–1997 was published in 2006. Allen Verbatim (1974) is a collection of lectures, and Deliberate Prose (2000) a selection of essays.
See his The Best Minds of My Generation: A Literary History of the Beats (2017, compiled and ed. by B. Morgan); his journals (5 vol., 1971–96); collected correspondence (5 vol., 1976–2001), M. Schumacher, ed., Family Business: Selected Letters between a Father and Son (2001), B. Morgan, ed., The Letters of Allen Ginsberg (2008) and The Selected Letters of Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder (2008), and B. Morgan and D. Stanford, ed., Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg: The Letters (2010); D. Carter, ed., Spontaneous Mind: Selected Interviews, 1958–1996 (2001); S. Greenough, Beat Memories: The Photographs of Allen Ginsberg (2010, museum catalog); biographies by B. Miles (1989), M. Schumacher (1992), and B. Morgan (2006); studies by L. Hyde, ed. (1984), T. F. Merrill (1988), B. Miles (1993), and B. Morgan (2010); bibliographies ed. by G. Dowden (1971), M. P. Kraus (1980), and B. Morgan (1995).

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi i have bought a new TUV 300 T8 100 bhp Automatic version from GSP gurgaon on sep 29th. I had initial problem with alignment of the vechicle, at higher speeds it was going left side.So the camber and caster was out and got it corrected from other dealer in chandigarh as i have moved to new loaction. I have to pay 400 Rs as the dealer got it corrected from outside as his own machine was not working.This was a Poor PDI by GSP motors gurgaon. But now the vechicle is running good. I have drove on 2000 kms, engine is very good and on highways it is powerful to take overtake the vehicles.Sound of engine inside the cabin is also nominal as compared to duster or terrano.Intially on starting in 1st gear i felt it jerky but as i got used to accelarator, its now fine. Gear shifting in 3rd,4th,5th is very smooth.Its almost neglible untill you dont pay attention. The spin issue of back wheel is felt sometimes as i am parking my vehicle on a bit uphill area on a sharp turn. I have checked with mahindra and they had given a solution for this but i dont wana go for it as service engineer told some humming sound will come after the upgarde.Also I have driven it on uphills in kangra himachal, i didnt felt any issue on wheel spin there. ####I will observe more before any action, any suggestions for this.
Also intially the average was 11 ltr/km. After 1000 km, it is coming near to 14-15 ltr/Km now on highway.
There is very slight play in the brake from where sound comes in vehicle hits some bouncy area.I think slight adjustment in brake pad will solve it.
Otherwise till date i am a happy user of TUV 300 Automatic 100 BHP engine.
My hands are turn arround and i should not face issues like vehicle stuck or gear voice or clucth overheating,lets hope for the best.
Also please add my number to any TUV 300 group if available(8171179533)
Hi Friends,
My sole purpose to start this forum is to unite all TUV 300 owners to share their experience no matter good or bad, to benefit others and bring niggles till Mahindra officials.
Please share your thoughts and publicize this forum to make our voice stand tall.
My sole purpose to start this forum is to unite all TUV 300 owners to share their experience no matter good or bad, to benefit others and bring niggles till Mahindra officials.
Please share your thoughts and publicize this forum to make our voice stand tall.
T8 Automatic
Mahindra TUV 300 Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports
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Representatives of major national water sectors gathered on Monday, Oct. 24 for IUCN's launch of the Mekong Region Water Dialogues' (MRWD) Viet Nam component.
The dialogues constitute a process initiated by IUCN and regional partners to improve water governance through transboundary coordination in the Mekong region, specifically Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.
The Viet Nam component is coordinated and facilitated by IUCN, in close collaboration with the programme's key partner – the Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE). Each year, the Viet Nam component will conduct a number of case-studies and organise national dialogue(s) on urgent water governance issues in the country and, when appropriate, host the regional dialogue.
"Water governance in Vietnam still follows the sectoral tradition, with a lack of participation and integration in planning, development and implementation of policies," said Dr. Nguyen Thai Lai of DWRM. "A more coordinated and participatory approach will help to address the challenges of food security, sustainable development and poverty alleviation."
The MRWD connect members of government, business and civil society to share water management needs and concerns with each other in a transparent and participative water governance process, said Aban Marker Kabraji, regional director of IUCN in Asia.
For each country, a National Working Group (NWG) will be established with about 10 members representing the government, private sector, civil society, donors, universities and research institutions. The NWG will shape the agenda for the national dialogues and help establish connections with decision- and policy-makers. A NWG already has been established in Viet Nam.
The MRWD will be a country-driven process, with national stakeholders in each participating nation deciding the key issues for discussion, and then bringing those points to the regional level.
IUCN will use its strength as a convener to give all the various interest groups an equal seat at the table.
"Given the complexity and sensitivity associated with water governance, IUCN's capacity to convene different stakeholders will form an integral part of this dialogue process," said Ganesh Pangare, coordinator of IUCN's Asia Regional Water and Wetlands Programme.


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Caterpillar Inc's <CAT.N> bid to lift the financial performance of its dealer network isn't designed to thin the ranks of the 178 independent distributors that sell and service its earth-moving products around the globe, a company executive said.
Continue Reading Below
But Stuart Levenick, who is charged with overseeing the financial turnaround, said an unknown number of dealers including some family-run businesses, could be casualties of the push unveiled last month.
"This is not a plan to cull our dealers or drive consolidation - although you can expect that some of that will occur," Levenick told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.
"But we do expect results. If you are not aligned, if you're not progressing towards those results, then you can expect us to move judiciously to make changes ... They all get that."
Caterpillar used to organize its global business - including dealer relations - regionally rather than by product category or customer type. So dealers were, in Levenick's words, "measured against the guy down the street".
That changed when the company reorganized a few years ago. The far-flung dealer network was put under one executive in Peoria, Illinois, who began comparing the performance of dealers across the globe.
The disparities, Levenick says, were jaw-dropping. So, too, were the money-making possibilities - if the laggards sold machines, parts and services as efficiently as dealers in the top half of the dealer performance rankings.
That, in a nutshell, is what the company has said it now wants them to do. Caterpillar has said the plan could increase sales and service revenue at the dealer level by $9 billion to$18 billion by 2018 - and that much of that increased revenue would flow to Caterpillar itself.
Under the plan, underperforming dealers have until the end of 2014 to come up with a plan for raising key metrics. Once the plan is approved by Caterpillar, they have three years to meet the targets.
The push is not without risk. Caterpillar has long touted its independent dealers, whose 162,000 workers more than double its global headcount, as a key competitive advantage, especially in recent years as lower-priced Asian rivals with thinner dealer support networks rose up to challenge it.
Tweaking that magic formula could create some ugly chemistry and sour the special relationship that Caterpillar says has been key to its success in remaining the world's top maker of construction and mining equipment.
The company has tried to increase distributor enthusiasm for
the plan by tapping 20 of its top-performing dealers to help design the program's carrots and sticks.
So far, Levenick says, "there's not a lot of pushback." But the plan is still in its infancy and resistance could grow as dealers are forced to change long-standing practices and raise their game.
Analysts say a number of factors are driving Caterpillar's focus on dealer performance, including a tougher-than-expected sales environment, especially of high-margin products to the mining sector.
After peaking at $66 billion in 2012, Caterpillar's sales tumbled 16 percent to $55.6 billion in 2013 and the company has said 2014 revenue growth will be flat and could even fall as much another 5 percent.
But customer expectations are playing a big role, too, Levenick says. Many of Caterpillar's customers now do business around the globe and work with multiple dealers whose service levels - and prices - are not always consistent. "They want to have a common experience wherever they go," he said.


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Family Movie Night!
Your child will love having DozyDotes Children's Theater Seating! Our Black Leather Like Child Recliner Chair Theater Seating is perfect for relaxing and getting comfy while watching a movie with the whole family. This set features TWO individual club chairs and a console bench with built in cup holders! The set can be connected or split up if you wish. Mom and Dad can snuggle on the couch while the kids enjoy eating a bowl of popcorn and favorite drink in their very own chairs. No need to go to the theater. The theater can now come to your very own living room!
As an added plus, this high-quality seating comes in a variety of kid-durable fabrics. Cleaning up spilt drinks and popcorn crumbs will be a snap when the fun is over.


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LONDON—A 62-year-old British man who became an Internet sensation after wrestling with a shark on an Australian beach says he was fired after his employer discovered he"d been abroad while on sick leave.
Paul Marshallsea was filmed yanking a six-foot- (1.8-meter-) long shark away from waders at Caloundra beach near Brisbane in January.
But his intervention also caught the eye of his employer, the Pant and Dowlais Boys & Girls Club, a Welsh charity. Marshallsea had been on leave since April after saying he was suffering from work-related stress.
Marshallsea told local news website WalesOnline he was unhappy at his treatment, adding that his doctor had advised him to take a vacation.
A man who answered the phone at the charity Wednesday said no one was immediately available for comment.


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Turn 32 – RPG Love 1996-1999
December 19, 2010 3 Comments
Featuring John "MusiM" Beauchamp and Michael "Boston" Hannon
Music: Untitled tracks by MusiM
This week marks the second installment of our RPG series. For this turn we discuss our favorite RPG's between the years of 1996-1999 with our special guest from That Video Game Podcast (TVGP.TV). Games discussed include Diablo, Final Fantasy VII, Fallout, Alundra, Final Fantasy Tactics, Saga Frontier, Breath of Fire III, Mega Man Legends, Fallout 2, Tales of Destiny, Xenogears, Brave Fencer Musashi, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy V, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, Persona Revelations, Diablo, Shining Force 3, Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Return to Krondor, Baldur's Gate, Hybrid Heaven, Ogre Battle 64, and many more.
Boston posted a supplemental on his blog at Picking Up the Pixels. Read it here:


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Marina O'Loughlin, the Guardian restaurant critic, awards her maximum score for the first time ever.
Top 20 UK restaurant, two stars from Michelin and 8/10 in the Good Food Guide.
With the second book, 'dessert' winning second place in the World Gourmande Best Cookery Book awards.
The third book of the series. Published to critical acclaim.


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I recently heard a discussion on christian radio about a person calling him or herself and atheist. The gist is that to call yourself what is essentially a negative, discounts your ethos. People in sobriety do not call themselves "non-drunks" but the more positive and self-affirming "sober". So, the question is, what do you call yourself and why? Personally, I refer to myself as an Evangelical Atheist because I am actively expressing my position and am always willing to join a religious conversation to expound the Atheist point of view. My wife, on the other hand, prefers nontheist. Whether there is a god or not, she could hardly care less and gives neither side any thought.
Views: 354
Atheist. And, thanks for asking.
"amytheist", no belief in myths of any kind.
It gets people to ask me to explain then I roll out the "do you believe in..." by the time we get to god I say the standard you disbelieve the same minus one. Makes them think about it and that's all you can really expect is to provoke thought.
Before I say I'm an atheist I usually say I'm a "Reductive Physicalist" which normally requires further descriptions and probably cannot be said of atheists across the board. However, the way in which you view the mind/body issue is generally going to be a good start on whether or not you believe in a god.
I go by the label "atheist" most of the time because it gets to the generality of my position, but that label bugs me. The simple negation of the claim of theism seems to validate the theistic claim. I often wonder what the label would be if the term "theist" was as nonsensical as "xylist." If we humans had no concept of god(s), theism, and religion, then what would we label ourselves as?
We would probably generalize our opinions and worldly outlook. In this instance, I would label myself as a "Antimaterialistic, Semi-nihilistic, Rational Libertarian." That label, while being long, explains my opinions on most public and personal issues.
Brandon, I appreciate a dislike of the term Atheist because it seems to embolden theism. But it's a word. Words change meenings through time, as in the case of the word condesend. It was a positive expression at one time. But now we all know what it means.
Since we all live in a world stoked with belief in gods, atheist gets to the point of where we stand. If we stand for our conclusions about gods via the term atheist its negative connection will fade. We will take over the term and define it in our own way, like the homosexual community has done with "gay". Since I would bet the majority of atheists have arived at that perspective because of reason and evidence, it may become a more precise term, one that describes a person who rejects gods particularly because no evidence has been found which supports theistic claims.
I say I am an atheist. I feel it conveys the most meaning to the people I talk to about my lack of religion. I get the point that it is essentially a negative, which has its own humor when applied to other things, like "non-stamp collector."
You see other arenas where the opposing sides use only affirmative titles, for example pro-life vs. pro-choice. I would guess that using the terms rationalist or freethinker put a more positive spin on the subject, but I don't think those titles are as clear to the general public as the term atheist. It would be great if the terms "rational" and "rationalist" came to clearly mean the opposite of titles such as "religious" and "believer".
Are you a believer? No, I'm rational.
Problem is, every believer of religion feels they ARE being rational, when that clearly is not the case!
i typically say that i am nothing, but if pressed for a worldview or philosophy i will admit to being a humanist. then i will spend the next ten minutes explaining what a humanist is and that while i identify with the term atheist, it tells you nothing about me besides a lack of belief in skybullies.
Atheist, anti-theist, humanist. Yeah, I know, it's a lot, but it gives a person a good idea of what I think.
I really hate social distinctions as they just tend to divide. To me atheism shouldn't even be an (ism) I just lack the beleife in the super natural plain and simple.


text:
Hope is a an uplifting light pop / rock track, with a lush sounds featuring delayed clean electric guitars and light strings. The songs moves steadily along a journey evoking feelings of inspiration, pride and hope, powerful moments and sentiments create a feeling that great things are possible. The dramatic build up after the middle breakdown creates an air of triumph and epic feel and powerful moments. This song will showcase your project in it's best light. Congrats on finding a great song to showcase your work.
Thank You for your purchase and please rate the track.
Also Check out!
Very similar track can be found at this link.


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Lt Nawang Kapadia, who was commissioned on September 2, 2000 in the Fourth Battalion the Third Gorkha Rifles, died while gallantly fighting Pakistan based terrorists in the jungles of Rajwar in Kupwara district of Srinagar on November 11, 2000.
The happiest day in twenty four year old Mumbai-born Nawang's life was when he joined the Officers' Training Academy at Chennai. His parents, well-known mountaineers Harish and Geeta, encouraged him to the fullest in spite of the cynical views of others. It was a proud moment indeed at the Passing Out Parade on September 2, 2000 when his family and friends saw him receiving his Lieutenant stars on commissioning to the prestigious Fourth Battalion The Third Gorkha Rifles. After a brief visit home, Nawang proceeded to the Regimental Centre at Varanasi from where he joined his Battalion on October 29, 2000. The Battalion was, during this period, continuously involved in operations against foreign terrorists who had infiltrated and were in the process of establishing their bases in the Kupwara area of Jammu and Kashmir.
Nawang was immediately involved in these operations where his qualities of heart and mind as well as his abundant courage were a beacon to the troops under his command.
On the November 10 the Battalion received information of a large number of terrorists hiding in the notorious jungles of Rajwar near Kupwara. Search and destroy operations were immediately launched with Nawang leading his own platoon. At approximately 11 am, a large hideout was discovered by the Battalion and Nawang's platoon came under fire from a group of eight to ten terrorists in the vicinity. Havaldar Chitra Bahadur got a burst in the stomach and fell mortally wounded.
At this stage, Nawang instinctively rushed to rescue Chitra Bahadur, firing his weapon ,under the covering fire of his comrades. A terrorist who was hiding in the nearby foliage fired at Nawang. In the crossfire, Nawang got a bullet in the face and died, leading his troops in the highest tradition of valour and sacrifice.
The encounter has resulted in the killing of two terrorists of the Al Omar Tanzeem, a Pakistan based organization, with reports of two others grievously wounded and likely to have died. Large quantities of arms and ammunition have been recovered. The fight lasted over over 36 hours. Lt Nawang Kapadia died in the highest traditions of the Indian Army, living up to the ethos and standards of his Battalion, which earlier had lost two officers like him in counter insurgency operations in 1983-85 and again performed gallantly, despite severe casualties, in the Batalik Sector of Kargil.
Nawang Harish Kapadia was born on December 15, 1975, in Mumbai three years after his elder brother, Sonam . As his surname indicates, theirs is a family of traditional cloth merchants, of a community that has a scarce presence in the Defence Services.
From his early childhood, Nawang had imbibed the best adventurous talents of his parents, both of whom have many achievements under their belt. Sonam and Nawang were named after famous Sherpa mountaineers; ironically both are Gorkha names. Nawang means "leader of menâ€, a very apt name for an able soldier.
Nawang did his initial schooling at New Era School and subsequently at the St. Xavier's Boys' Academy. All through his student days, Nawang was always a free-spirited lad, spending a lot of time on the sports' field and displayed leadership qualities from a young age. With such a fun-loving and carefree attitude, he was always making new friends, many of whom developed and maintained close and loving bonds with the entire family. He did his B. Com. from Jai Hind college, Bombay. In college, his interests included trekking, hiking, mountaineering (which of course, was in his genes), sports, martial arts and music. He enjoyed life to the maximum, and it was most evident in his passion for food. When it came to eating, no one could match him. Nawang could out-eat anyone and at anytime.
Lt Nawang Kapadia's sacrifice will remain a shining light to inspire future generations. The city of Mumbai should be proud of its son who lived his life here and leaves behind a sorrowing family and a large circle of friends.
He was cremated with military honours on Tuesday 14 November, 2000.Nawang lies in peace, having chosen a career as he desired and dying for the country, trying to save a life, in best traditions of the army.


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Job Board >> Browse Articles >> 10 Steps to a Government Job
Getting a Government Job - Frequently Asked Questions
Kyle Stone | GovCentral Contributing Writer
These FAQs are intended to answer some of the most common questions we receive here at GovCentral asking how to land a career as a government worker. We encourage anyone interested in a government career to begin their journey by using the comprehensive guides we have put together. These guides cover everything you'll need to know on how to separate yourself from the competition in your job search:
Ten Steps to Getting a Government Job – this guide will walk you through the entire process of searching for a job with a law enforcement agency.
5 Steps to Getting a Security Clearance – If your job requires access to classified government documents or if you work in a government-secured facility, you must hold a security clearance.
The Ultimate Government Job Search Tool – GovCentral's editors have created nuanced ways of sorting and ranking government job listings. Our aim: to inspire you to think differently about your job search.
If after reading the Ten Steps guides, or the FAQs below, you still have questions, please visit the Considering Government Jobs discussion forum and review the past discussions or ask your own question there.
I am not a United States citizen, can I still work for the government?
Laws and hiring policies differ from state to state and agency to agency regarding citizenship requirements. Generally, most departments require you to be either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident alien. If you have more specific questions regarding citizenship requirements, see this page.
I have a felony conviction, can I still become government employee?
No. Felonies, weather committed as a juvenile or adult, and whether sealed or not, are automatic disqualifiers for a position as a government worker.
How do I search for a government job?
The GovCentral Jobs Center has the largest database of government jobs available on the Internet. Our job search integrates USAJOBS job listings and Monster.com job listings with functionality and features not available on these sites. You can locate openings in your area – for local and state jobs – through our job search engine.
Are there any scholarships available to help me afford a degree which will prepare me for a government career?
If you are attending a program that is affiliated with a college or university, and are receiving college credits for your time at the academy, then you may be eligible to receive traditional scholarships, grants, and/or financial aid. GovCentral has put together a large database of government scholarships, and it is free to use for all GovCentral visitors.


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Antiestrogenic Conjugates as New Breast Cancer Chemoprevention Agents
Published on
Tamoxifen is the first drug specifically approved for the prevention of cancer and arguably the most successful anticancer drug of all time. Although millions of breast cancer patients have benefited from tamoxifen therapy, there are side effects that hinder the broad use of tamoxifen as a chemopreventive agent. We have developed analogs of tamoxifen and other estrogenic compounds conjugated to polymer scaffolds and have found that these conjugates can still inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation with mechanisms distinct from any known antiestrogen. Changing the type of polymer changes the cellular localization of the conjugate and its activity. With novel mechanisms of action, we hypothesize that these conjugates may exhibit different physiological responses than tamoxifen and serve as superior breast cancer chemopreventive agents
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Burton Morgan Building, Room 121


text: Hi, Pierre Pierre Willenbrock schrieb: > Hartmut Hackmann schrieb: >> Hi, >> >> Aapo Tahkola schrieb: >>> On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 03:10:41 +0200 >>> Aapo Tahkola <aet at rasterburn.org> wrote: >>> >>>> On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 23:06:15 +0100 >>>> Pierre Willenbrock <pierre at pirsoft.dnsalias.org> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Michael Krufky schrieb: >>>>>> Pierre Willenbrock wrote: >>>>>>> Hi list, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I am owner of a "MSI DIGIVOX mini-II". I got it to work using the >>>>>>> attached patch and firmware. The patch and firmware are the >>>>>>> result of analyzing some usb logs from windows. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The patch breaks all users of tda10046, as i don't understand how >>>>>>> that chip is supposed to work. The same goes for my driver >>>>>>> implementation of the Philips 8275a. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> So this mess needs to be fixed before it can go into the >>>>>>> repository. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The patch is against a fresh hg checkout from >>>>>>> http://linuxtv.org/hg/v4l-dvb at 2007-02-22 21:00 UTC. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Regards, >>>>>>> Pierre >>>>>> Pierre- >>>>>> >>>>>> I am very happy to hear that you got this device working... >>>>>> Interestingly enough, we have already created a new tda827x dvb fe >>>>>> module, which might be better for your device... This new tda827x >>>>>> module has not yet been merged into the master v4l-dvb repository, >>>>>> but it will be soon. Could you try to use the code located in: >>>>>> >>>>>> http://linuxtv.org/hg/~hhackmann/v4l-dvb >>>>>> >>>>>> The tda827x module will be able to detect the difference between >>>>>> the tda8275 and the tda8275a ... You do not have to fill the >>>>>> callback functions in the config struct -- that is really meant as >>>>>> a hack for some required GPIO handling in the saa7134-dvb driver >>>>>> for input switching. >>>>>> >>>>>> If you can generate a new patch against the repository above, it >>>>>> would make it _much_ easier to integrate your patch into the >>>>>> sources. After you get that done, we can work out the tda1004x >>>>>> differences. >>>>>> >>>>>> You might also want to speak to aett and friedrich, regulars of >>>>>> the #linuxtv irc chat room on irc.freenode.net ... aet is the >>>>>> author of the m920x driver, and friedrich has the same device >>>>>> that you have. They have been working on it, but haven't yet >>>>>> gotten successful results. >>>>>> >>>>>> Good work! Hopefully we can clean this up after you generate a >>>>>> new patch using the tda827x module from hhackmann's repository. >>>>>> >>>>>> Regards, >>>>>> >>>>>> Mike Krufky >>>>>> >>>>> Hi Mike and Hartmut, >>>>> >>>>> this time, the patch does not change tda827x.c at all. I fiddled >>>>> with the PHY2 value in tda1004x.c and found it to be related to the >>>>> IF(there seems to be some factor between the IF and PHY2 introduced >>>>> somewhere else). This leaves some differences in tda1004x.c. I don't >>>>> know what to do with these, so i would be glad to get any hints. >>>> Updated patch. I'm fine with these m920x changes. >>>> >>> Signed-of-by: Aapo Tahkola <aet at rasterburn.org> >>> >> PHY2 indeed defines the IF frequency relative to the sampling frequency. >> If you need a different value here, the reason most probably is the >> following: >> In some countries, i.e. Britain, France and Australia, the tranmitters >> are +/- 166kHz off the channel center frequency. This isn't documented. >> You can compensate this by simply tuning to the actually used channel >> center frequency. >> > > The windows driver used an IF of 4.75MHz for UHF, so i resorted to > hardcoding it to 4.75MHz in tda827x.c, while using PHY2, WREF and the > other settings from an usb log. After changing PHY2 the hack in > tda827x.c is no longer needed. This leaves me with these settings for > UHF(cannot test VHF -- i don't get any channels in that range): > > CONFPLL2=7 //52MHz sampling clock? yes > FREQ_PHY2=0xc4f > TIME_WREF1..5=0x5b, 0x02, 0xd0, 0x2d, 0x03 > This gives a IF center frequency of 5.0MHz and a bandwidth of 8MHz. >> A note: Some channel decoders can compensate this offset automatically. >> The tda10046 needs assistance from the driver for this. This is not >> built in yet. >> >> Hartmut > > Regards, > Pierre > The only difference is that you use a sampling clock of 52MHz while the original driver uses 48MHz. This btw is the same as the Philips default driver for windows uses. We could have a long discussion now about ideal sampling frequencies but believe me: as long as your board does not have a weird interference problem, 48MHz is the better choice for the sampling clock and adding a additional one would only make life more difficult. Best regards Hartmut Best regards Hartmut


text:
I would like to hire a Microsoft Access Developer
Budget $30-250 USD
Data Conversion for Automated Processing
16 freelancers are bidding on average $141 for this job
Hello, dear sir! I have registered on the forum not long ago and I have yet completed projects to www.freelancer.com. I am ready to carry out your project in the minimum price and in the shortest possible time and wit More
>15Y Access & VBA experience, please clarify the project details .
Greetings! My name is Sergey Murzin, I'm from Kyiv, Ukraine. I have 20 years experience with MS Excel/Access/VBA: databases, finance, statistics, accounting, CRM etc. Any code I provide is well structured and More
Hi, I have been working as Database Analyst Programmer more than 10 years. I became OCP, CCNP, RHCE 3 years back. Earlier I completed B.Sc. Enng and M.Sc. Engg both in computer engineering. Check my works here h More
Dear Sir/Madam, I have 17 years experience with Microsoft Access. I have developed many projects using Access as front and back end. I have developed solutions for Customer Relationship Management, Project Tracking, A More
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Facebook cancer imposter dupes hundreds
Hundreds of Facebook users were duped for years by an Internet imposter who posed as a young man battling leukemia and his younger brother, who both collected online girlfriends and raised sympathy for cancer causes, according to the Miami Herald.
Cindy Choi, 28, a restaurant owner from Doral, Fla., concocted the scam in which she posed as a young man named Kevin San Roman, who purportedly lived in Spain and battled leukemia for three years, and Kevin's younger brother, Lucas, the Herald reports.
A Facebook page chronicling the lives of the brothers attracted hundreds of friends from the Miami area, according to the news organization. Several teens became their online girlfriends, talking by text and phone and planning to meet in person, the Herald reports.
Photos of purported family members were stolen from the Internet, authorities told the Herald.
The scam was discovered after a suspicious teacher whose daughter had fallen for Lucas, the purported younger brother, alerted police, the Herald reports.
"These predators are using Facebook and getting away with it," the Herald quotes Maria Masters, 49, as saying. Masters' daughter became embroiled in the scam.
"Your kid may think they know someone, but if they haven't met them in person, they may not exist," Masters told the Herald.
"Lucas" engaged Masters' daughter, Kaitlin, now 19, in an online relationship, speaking to her frequently by telephone. Time and again, something tragic happened each time Lucas was due to visit Miami.
Kaitlin told Lucas her mother was suspicious and asked him to call and reassure her. Within minutes, a blog and Facebook pages associated with the family vanished.
Of Choi, Doral detective Yvette Gomez wrote in an e-mail to Masters, "She is a very disturbed person."
Experts told the Herald that Choi most likely suffers from Munchausen disorder, in which people create illnesses to attract attention.
"The real motive is attention and sympathy over the power of others," Marc Feldman, a University of Alabama psychiatrist who coined the phrase 'Munchausen by Internet',' told the Herald.
"It does sound sadistic and predatory."


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SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
versión On-line ISSN 2078-5135
versión impresa ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.100 no.10 Cape Town oct. 2010
Mental health services funding and development in KwaZulu-Natal: a tale of inequity and neglect
Jonathan K Burns
MB ChB, MSc, FCPsych (SA). Department of Psychiatry, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban
BACKGROUND: Globally, a significant 'mental health gap' exists between the major burden of mental and substance use disorders and the provision of psychiatric and mental health services. As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, South Africa has committed itself to transformation aimed at ending the inequities that characterise mental health service provision and 'closing the gap'.
METHODOLOGY: Budget allocations over a 5-year period to 6 psychiatric and 7 general hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) are compared and current numbers of psychiatric beds and psychiatric personnel in that province are contrasted with the numbers required to comply with national norms.
RESULTS: The mean increase in budget allocations to public psychiatric hospitals was 3.8% per annum, while that to general hospitals over the same period was 10.2% per annum. The median cumulative budget increase for psychiatric hospitals was significantly lower than that of general hospitals (Mann-Whitney U-test, p=0.001). No psychiatric hospitals received specific funding for tertiary services development. KZN has 25% of the acute psychiatric beds and 25% of the psychiatrists required to comply with national norms, with the most serious shortages experienced in northern KZN. There are 0.38 psychiatrists per 100 000 population in KZN.
CONCLUSION: Inequitable funding, inadequate facilities and significant shortages of mental health professionals pervade the mental health and psychiatric services in KZN. There is little evidence of government abiding by its public commitments to redress the inequities that characterise mental health services.
It is estimated that 14% of the global burden of disease is attributable to neuropsychiatric disorders, with depressive illness, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and psychotic disorders contributing the greatest proportion.1 Over 30% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) are attributed to mental disorders which are expected to rise significantly over the next 2 decades.2,3 Co-morbidity with physical illness and substance abuse is common3,4 and individuals with mental disorders are at substantially higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and reduced life expectancy.5 Of particular relevance to sub-Saharan Africa is the fact that, in the treatment of such conditions as HIV/AIDS and drug-resistant tuberculosis, the presence of co-morbid mental disorders is associated with high-risk behaviour, poor treatment adherence, and inability to access care.6
Nevertheless, in both high-income countries (HICs) and low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) world-wide, mental health care is a low priority, receiving stunted budgets, inadequate resources, and little attention from government.7 For example, mental health is notably absent from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), even though mental illness impinges both directly and indirectly on many areas of social and economic life.8 Evidence links mental health directly to 3 of the MDGs - eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; reduction of child mortality; and improvement of maternal health.
Globally, mental health care receives a disproportionately small proportion of health budgets, and psychiatric services lag far behind other services in funding, infrastructure development, human resources and the provision of appropriate medical supplies and treatments.7 The discrepancy between mental health needs and mental health service provision is more extreme in LMICs, especially in Africa.9 The World Health Organization (WHO) MHGap programme is specifically aimed at encouraging governments and policy-makers to 'scale up' the provision of mental health services within LMICs.10 In most countries, mental health is forgotten and neglected in planning, strategising and budgeting for regional and national health services. Many countries have either outdated or no mental health legislation and, almost universally, mental health is not identified as a key health priority meriting specific planning and specific financing.11 Consequently, mental health is financed out of general health budgets and inevitably ends up at the bottom of a pile of pressing needs when money is allocated. This is especially the case in countries struggling with other major health problems such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Mental health in South Africa
Despite South Africa's progressive mental health legislation (Mental Health Care Act 2002 (MHCA 2002)12), the same barriers to the financing and development of mental health services exist, which result in: (i) psychiatric hospitals remaining outdated, falling into disrepair, and often unfit for human use; (ii) serious shortages of mental health professionals; (iii) inability to develop vitally important tertiary level psychiatric services (such as child and adolescent services, psychogeriatric services, neuropsychiatric services, etc.); and (iv) community mental health and psychosocial rehabilitation services remaining undeveloped, so that patients end up institutionalised, without hope of rehabilitation back into their communities. This state of affairs remains unchanged despite the legislated commitments to reform mental health care in the MHCA (2002). In 2007, South Africa was a signatory to the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol13 which was ratified several months later. Accordingly, the South African Government committed itself to a radical new approach to persons with disabilities of all kinds (including mental disorders). This approach is based on the fundamental premise that such persons are 'subjects' with rights, who are capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives based on their free and informed consent as well as being active members of society. This political decision has profound implications for health and social development agendas at all levels of government. Furthermore, the establishment of the international Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has oversight and monitoring functions, means that citizens of signatory states (including South Africa) have a means of reporting local violations and obtaining redress.
Risk for mental illness in KZN province
Of the 9 provinces, KZN has factors that make it one of the most high-risk regions in South Africa for mental disorders: the highest proportion of people living beneath the poverty line,14 highest poverty gap,15 second-highest level of income inequality, third-highest unemployment rate,14 highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS16 and second-highest murder rate.17 All these are recognised risk factors for mental illness.18-22 While prevalence rates of mental disorders are not available for the various provinces, a comparison of suicide rates in 6 major cities of South Africa showed that eThekwini (Durban) in KZN had the second-highest rate for men.23 Data from the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU) show that KZN has the fourth-highest prevalence of treated substance abuse.24
As South Africa, and KZN province in particular, has many environmental risk factors for mental disorders, it is important to investigate the state of psychiatric and mental health services to deal with the burden of mental disease. Is the South African government, through its provincial and district public health services, seriously pursuing the standards of mental health care provision it set itself in the MHCA (2002)? Is there evidence in terms of actual service delivery that its commitment to human rights for the mentally ill is more than just a signature on an international treaty? This study reports on the state of psychiatric services in KZN province, analyses relative state funding to psychiatric and general hospitals, and compares current figures of psychiatric hospital beds and human resources in psychiatry with national norms.25
Hospital budgets
Annual budget allocations to general and psychiatric hospitals in KZN over a 5-year period were obtained from institutional finance managers, and percentage increases in annual budget allocations then calculated. The median cumulative budget increase for psychiatric hospitals was compared with that of general hospitals, and univariate analysis was performed using non-parametric methods (Mann-Whitney U-test) with the SPSS statistical package version 15.0 (SPSS, Chicago, USA). A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Hospital beds
The numbers of usable psychiatric beds in all district, regional and psychiatric hospitals in KZN ('existing beds') was obtained from institutional clinical heads, and categorised as 'acute', 'medium- to long-term' and 'forensic' beds. Population statistics were obtained from the online Stats SA database26 and, using national norms for psychiatric beds published by the National Department of Health (DoH),25 numbers of beds required (to comply with national norms) were calculated for the population of KZN (i.e. 'required beds'). Existing beds were then expressed as a percentage of required beds to establish the extent to which current services comply with national norms.
Human resources
The author had access to a list of all psychiatrists as well as registrars and medical officers (in psychiatry) currently employed by the public health service in KZN (i.e. 'existing'). Population statistics were obtained from the online Stats SA database26 and, using national norms for psychiatric human resources published by the DoH,25 the numbers of psychiatrists and registrars/medical officers required (to comply with national norms) were calculated for the population of KZN (i.e. 'required'). Existing personnel were then expressed as a percentage of required personnel in each category of professional to establish the extent to which current psychiatric human resources complied with national norms.
Budgetary information was obtained for 6 psychiatric hospitals and 7 general hospitals. Budget increases to psychiatric hospitals over the 5-year period ranged from 8% to 25%, with a mean 5-year increase of 19% and a mean annual increase of 3.8% (Table I). Budget increases to general hospitals over this period ranged from 29% to 64%, with a mean 5-year increase of 51% and a mean annual increase of 10.2% (Table II). The median cumulative budget increase for psychiatric hospitals was significantly lower than that of general hospitals (Mann-Whitney U, p=0.001). A drop in budget allocations at some point during the 5-year period was experienced by 4 of the 6 psychiatric hospitals surveyed, but none of the general hospitals experienced a drop in budget during the period. Specific funding for tertiary services development within their budgets (from the National Tertiary Services Development Grant - NTSDG) was received by 2 of the general hospitals, but no psychiatric hospitals received such allocations.
The analysis of current psychiatric beds in KZN revealed a marked shortage of acute beds (25%), a slight shortage of forensic beds (80%) and an oversupply of medium- to long-term beds (161%) in relation to the numbers required to comply with national norms25 (Table III). Broken down into the 3 health areas of KZN, Area 3 is by far the most deprived region (with only 6% of required acute beds, 41% of required medium- to long-term beds and no forensic beds).
There are currently a total of 38 psychiatrists in KZN's public health services - a ratio of 0.38 psychiatrists per 100 000 population and constituting 25% of the number of psychiatrists required to comply with national norms.25 There are only 49 registrars/medical officers working within public psychiatric services in the province, constituting 25% of the number required to comply with national norms (Table IV). Comparing the 3 health areas of KZN shows that area 3 is worst off, with only 11% of the required number of psychiatrists and 13% of the required number of registrars/medical officers.
Inequitable funding to psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals received on average a third of the budgetary increases received by general hospitals over the period surveyed, which illustrates a pattern of inequitable treatment of psychiatric hospitals in relation to general hospitals. While a comparison of the actual funding of institutions per bed per day (or on a 'patient day' basis) would not in itself be instructive (since bed costs vary according to disease profile and services rendered), a comparison of relative budgetary increases is informative. This is because the latter analysis more closely reflects the value attributed to the service by the funders than a simple comparison of daily bed payments (where multiple confounding factors need to be taken into account). The fact that two-thirds of the psychiatric hospitals surveyed experienced a drop in budget at some point in the 5-year period - which no general hospitals experienced - highlights the impression that government does not value psychiatric services and sacrifices the expansion of psychiatric services to maintaining general hospital services.
No funding to tertiary psychiatric services
Psychiatric hospitals receive no specific allocation from the conditional grant earmarked for the development of tertiary level services (the national tertiary services development grant (NTSDG)). Since all specialist disciplines (excepting psychiatry) locate their tertiary level services within general hospitals (in this case, Greys Hospital and Edendale Hospital), they benefit from 'ring-fenced' allocations in these hospitals for the development of their tertiary services. Psychiatry, however, is a 'stand-alone' service located in specialised psychiatric institutions, and the development of important tertiary level psychiatric services (such as child and adolescent psychiatry, neuropsychiatry and psychogeriatrics) within these institutions is not funded at all. Any advances in the development of tertiary psychiatric services occur only when clinicians manage to convince already cash-strapped institutional managers to overspend on their barely adequate 'equitable share' budgets. This unfair situation results in hospitals routinely overspending their annual budgets as they strive to improve service provision, thereby contributing to the ever growing overspend of the provincial Department of Health (currently approximately 6 billion rands over the last 3 financial years in KZN). The effects of this inequitable treatment of psychiatric services can be seen in the miserable state of tertiary psychiatric services in the province - there are a total of 4 in-patient child and adolescent beds; 10 dedicated psychogeriatric beds; 20 in-patient psychotherapy beds; and no dedicated beds for neuropsychiatry, dual diagnosis, firstepisode psychosis and eating disorders. In the light of the increasing prevalence of HIV-related neuropsychiatric disorders, the high levels of co-morbid substance abuse and the hidden epidemic of trauma-related psychopathology in both adults and children/adolescents that characterise KZN, this lack of specialised services is inexcusable.
Inadequate beds for psychiatric care
KZN has only a quarter of the acute beds required to comply with national norms of 28 beds per 100 000 population.25 Acute beds are required at district, regional and psychiatric hospitals, as the MHCA (2002) introduced a system whereby individuals with mental disorders should be treated at their nearest hospitals for at least the first 72 hours before transfer to a psychiatric hospital.27 The shortage of acute beds in KZN is felt most keenly in area 3 (northern KZN) and area 1 (Durban and South Coast), where long waiting-lists necessitate the daily transfer of patients to the better-resourced hospitals in area 2 (Midlands). In contrast, there is an excess of medium- to long-term beds in the province, especially in areas 1 and 2, owing to the historical practice of institutionalising many patients who should have been rehabilitated back into the community, a problem that is common to most national and international mental health systems. The relative lack of community-based mental health services constitutes a barrier to the success of psychosocial rehabilitation programmes in KZN aimed at achieving de-institutionalisation of long-term hospitalised patients. Although forensic psychiatry beds required for the observation of offenders referred from courts and for the care, treatment and rehabilitation of State patients are almost sufficient in terms of norms, they are almost entirely centralised in one institution. This situation creates major logistical problems, as KZN is geographically widespread with large rural regions. The lack of regionalised forensic services hinders the rehabilitation and follow-up of State patients released on conditional discharge, with obvious detrimental legal implications.
Shortage of mental health professionals
Public mental health services in KZN have only a quarter the number of psychiatrists and registrars/medical officers required by national norms. As most of these personnel are located in large urban areas, the more remote rural regions of the province are largely without psychiatric expertise. It is sobering to note that, even though KZN is so short of psychiatrists, it has the third-best ratio of psychiatrists to population (after the Western Cape and Gauteng).28 While there has been some success with recruiting psychiatrists to regionalised general hospitals (10 of 12 regional hospitals have at least one psychiatrist), many of these institutions have not made psychiatrist posts available on their post establishments, and in many cases individuals have been seconded from psychiatric hospitals to work at regional institutions. In terms of sub-specialist psychiatrists, there are only 2 forensic psychiatrists and 2 child and adolescent psychiatrists in the province, all of whom are located in the 2 major urban centres.
Conclusion and recommendations
Psychiatric and mental health services in KZN are historically and currently disadvantaged in terms of funding, infrastructure development and staffing. While acknowledging the major burden of infectious diseases, trauma and poverty-related health problems on the health services of the province, it appears that the burden of mental health disorders is not a priority for the provincial government and health department. Inequitable funding, inadequate facilities and significant shortages of mental health professionals characterise the mental health and psychiatric services, and obstruct efforts to develop and improve standards of, and access to, services for the mentally ill. In KZN province, there is little commitment from government to realising the laudable objectives of the MHCA (2002)12 and abiding by its subscription to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.13
Recommendations to redress these inequities include:
establishing a specific national and provincial funding mechanism for hospital-based and community-based mental health services development
acknowledging and including internationally recognised tertiary level psychiatric sub-specialist services by government so that psychiatry is not discriminated against in funding for tertiary health services
a commitment to redress the inequitable distribution of infrastructural and human resources in the health services so that psychiatric and mental health services 'catch up' to the government professed norms and standards
practical efforts by government to implement transformation within psychiatric and mental health services so that its nationally and internationally stated commitments to their reform move beyond rhetoric and become a physical reality for those affected by mental disorders.
1. Mathers CD, Loncar D. Projections of global mortality and burden of disease from 2002 to 2030. PLoS Med 2006;3:e442. [ Links ]
2. World Health Organization. Mental Health: Facing the Challenges, Building Solutions. Report from the WHO European Ministerial Conference. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2005. [ Links ]
3. Prince M, Patel V, Saxena S, et al. No health without mental health. Lancet 2007;370(9590):859-877. [ Links ]
4. Srinivasa Murthy R. Psychiatric comorbidity presents special challenges in developing countries. World Psychiatry 2004;3(1):28-30. [ Links ]
5. De Hert M, Dekker JM, Wood D, Kahl KG, Holt RI, Möller HJ. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes in people with severe mental illness position statement from the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), supported by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Psychiat 2009;24(6):412-424. [ Links ]
6. Jonsson G, Joska JA. Assessment and treatment of psychosis in people living with HIV/AIDS. S Afr J HIV Med 2009;35:20-27. [ Links ]
7. Saxena S, Thornicroft G, Knapp M, Whiteford H. Resources for mental health: scarcity, inequity, and inefficiency. Lancet 2007;370(9590):878-889. [ Links ]
8. Miranda JJ, Patel V. Achieving the millenium development goals: Does mental health play a role? PloS Med 2005;2(10):962-965. [ Links ]
9. Kohn R, Saxena S, Levav I, et al. The treatment gap in mental health care. Bull World Health Organ 2004;82(11):858-866. [ Links ]
10. Lancet Global Mental Health Group. Scale up services for mental disorders: A call for action. Lancet 2007;370(9594):1241-1252. [ Links ]
11. Mangalore R, Knapp M. Equity in mental health. Epidemiol Psichiatr Soc 2006;15(4):260-266. [ Links ]
12. South African Government. Mental Health Care Act (2002) www.acts.co.za/mental_health_care_act_2002.htm (accessed 18 February 2010). [ Links ]
13. United Nations. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol. 2007; United Nations Enable. http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?navid=13&pid=150 (accessed 18 February 2010). [ Links ]
14. South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIIR). Unemployment and Poverty. 2008. http://www.sairr.org.za/sairr-today/news_item.2008-11-28.9488661622 (accessed 18 February 2010). [ Links ]
15. Human Sciences Research Council. Fact sheet: Poverty in South Africa. 2004. http://www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0000990/P1096-Fact_Sheet_No_1_Poverty.pdf (accessed 18 February 2010). [ Links ]
16. Shisana O, Rehle T, Simbayi LC, et al. South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence Behaviour and Communication Survey 2008: A Turning Tide among Teenagers? Cape Town: HSRC Press, 2009. [ Links ]
17. Institute for Security Studies. Murder in the RSA for April to March 2003/2004 to 2008/2009. http://www.iss.co.za/index.php?link_id=24&slink_id=8298&link_type=12&slink_type=12&tmpl_id=3 (accessed 18 February 2010). [ Links ]
18. Patel V, Kleinman A. Poverty and common mental disorders in developing countries. Bull World Health Organ 2003;81(8):609-615. [ Links ]
19. Weich S, Lewis G, Jenkins SP. Income inequality and the prevalence of common mental disorders in Britain. Br J Psychiatry 2001;178:222-227. [ Links ]
20. Marwaha S, Johnson S. Schizophrenia and employment. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2004;39:337-349. [ Links ]
21. Vlassova N, Angelino AF, Treisman GJ. Update on mental health issues in patients with HIV infection. Curr Infect Dis Rep 2009;11(2):163-169. [ Links ]
22. Ribeiro WS, Andreoli SB, Ferri CP, Prince M, Mari JJ. Exposure to violence and mental health problems in low and middle-income countries: a literature review. Rev Bras Psiquiatr 2009;(Suppl 2):S49-57. [ Links ]
23. Burrows S, Leflamme L. Suicide mortality in South Africa: a city-level comparison across socio-demographic groups. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2006;41:108-114. [ Links ]
24. SACENDU. Update: Alcohol and drug abuse trends: January - June 2009. http://www.sahealthinfo.org/admodule/sacendunov2009.pdf (accessed 18 February 2010. [ Links ])
25. Norms Manual for Severe Psychiatric Conditions. Pretoria: National Department of Health, 2003. [ Links ]
26. Statistics South Africa. StatsOnline. http://www.statssa.gov.za/census01/html (accessed 18 February 2010). [ Links ]
27. Burns JK. Implementation of the Mental Health Care Act (2002) at district hospitals in South Africa: Translating principles into practice. S Afr Med J 2008;98:46-49. [ Links ]
28. Lund C, Kleintjies S, Kakuma R, et al. Public sector mental health systems in South Africa: inter-provincial comparisons and policy implications. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2010;45(3):393-404. [ Links ]
Accepted 2 March 2010.
Corresponding author: J K Burns (firstname.lastname@example.com)


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Say nuts to illness, excess carbs
With their year-old health claim, tree nuts are helping to take carbohydrates out of foods and performing other key roles in formulating
Nuts are ingredients, snacks, food and the source of additional ingredients and other useful compounds. As a component in finished foods, they provide crunch, bursts of flavor and other pleasing attributes in baked foods, confections, and now in salads, coatings for meat dishes and other applications.
There's a fair amount of technology behind nuts these days. They are generally orchard-raised crops and, like all crops, have considerable science behind the steps of planting, harvesting and processing. Despite a bevy of recent research, nuts possess only partially understood nutritional qualities. For sure, they are a high-quality and nutritious accompaniment or ingredient in foods, and they help differentiate a high-end product from a plain one.
If you still think nuts naturally fall off trees, are whacked with a hammer to open and their nutmeats are pried out with a pick, you're a little behind the times. Nuts are big business. Tree nuts, including walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, and Brazil nuts, are grown in many countries of the world and are important exports and imports. Each of these nuts has a history and a nutrient content that makes them interesting. Their collective growth covers millions of acres worldwide.
Nuts are usually sorted for size, especially if they are cracked mechanically. After they are dried to the optimum level for cracking, (generally below 10 percent moisture) nuts may be chilled to make it easier to take out the nut meat in larger pieces. They are cracked mechanically, often using a roller cracker adapted from grain mills.
Aspirators and/or blowers often are used to separate the nut meats from the shell, as the heavier nut kernel drops down and the shell fragments are blown away. They are usually further sorted by electronic means to avoid any remaining pieces of shell. For a number of years, acoustic grading located debris in partly shelled nuts. White light sorters have also been used. Today's sorters are most likely to be laser sorters that locate non-nut fragments and "zap" the fragment away.
Nuts also may be color sorted to avoid spoiled nut pieces. Moisture and fat content is checked, and they are sometimes further processed into slices, granules or meal. Nuts also may be toasted or roasted.
Special handling required
Meyer also notes, "We changed the fats we use for roasting, eliminating trans fatty acids, and the nuts actually taste better."
Nuts include meaningful quantities of monounsaturated lipids that are good for the heart , but often not so good for mixed food systems, flavorwise, so they require a little special handling. Manufacturers recommend nuts be stored in a closed container in a cool, dark, place, such as a refrigerated storage room. American Almond Co. recommends storing nuts in poly-lined cartons or fiber drums and using them within 30 days.
Candy, baked goods and ice cream products are major users of tree nuts. Ice cream is a tricky application and requires "protecting" the nuts from the moisture of the ice cream, according to Richard Hauber, a creator of ice cream inclusions for Guernsey Bel, a Chicago-based division of Kerry Group (www.kerryingredients.com). "Protecting nuts in ice creams and desserts is usually a process of coating them with sugars to keep the moisture out," he explains.
To make nutty inclusions, Hauber triple-pans nut meats with sugar, caramel, toffee fines, and/or chocolate coating. "Toffee fines will pick up a little moisture from the ice cream, creating a puddle of intense flavor around the pecan, cashew, or walnut, and protects the lipid in the nut. The cold temperature of the ice cream keeps the lipid from going rancid, as long as it's protected from moisture."
Tom Treese, a confectioner and baker and now consultant to food companies, notes the unsaturated fats that make nuts a prized part of diets can be a problem in confections, cookies, and health bars that must have a certain amount of shelf life. Treese likes to use almonds in longer-term shelf-life products because they have the best stability against rancidity.
The best way to formulate with nuts, especially if the cookies or bars need more than six to eight weeks shelf life, is to package them in film that is treated with antioxidants, especially tertiary-butyl-hydroquinone (TBHQ), or to nitrogen-flush the package. When dealing with nuts in products that are more sensitive, Treese suggests nuts that are treated with infrared rays to quickly raise the temperature enough to destroy enzymes that trigger rancidity.
"The temperatures vary from one kind of nut to another," says Treese. "You can treat them with an infrared unit or place them in a mixer-blender and inject steam to reach the temperature necessary to stop enzyme activity. If you are going to use nuts in foods, you have to be careful what fats you use in the formulation. Nuts are not as forgiving as other ingredients. You have to watch moisture levels, water activity and fats."
Another popular use of nuts is in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. The most popular nut is the almond, often sliced into thin slices and sometimes glazed along with flakes or clusters. The flakes are fairly dry, so there is little moisture transfer, and the carton liner may be treated with antioxidants to prevent off-flavors. There is little additional fat, so interactions that might occur between lipid ingredients are minimized. In some products, cereal clusters are made with nuts added to nuggets and flakes, and coated with a light sugar coating.
Nuts have always been a popular addition to cookies. Now they're playing a role in low-carbohydrate reformulations. Both almonds and hazelnuts are being ground into flour to replace part of the wheat flour in products that claim reduced carbohydrates, says Alex Flyntz, American Almond's national sales manager.
Parco Foods, Blue Island, Ill. (www.parcofoods.com) a manufacturer of frozen cookie dough for in-store bakeries, is using nuts to make healthier cookies. "We're looking at lower carbs and high fiber content, too, and nuts help," says formulator Carol Sinople. "We're careful about which nut is used in formulas we are developing with zero trans fats to be sure the flavors remain good there."
Parco Foods is partial to nuts that have more natural resistance to rancid flavors, including almonds, peanuts, and pecans. Since the company's products include frozen cookie dough, the temperature helps protect the flavors of nuts in the dough.
Partly because of the healthy fats in nuts, they have been popular in foodservice. Because the shelf life is not an issue with freshly prepared foods, nuts are added to sauces, vegetables, meats, salads, desserts and appetizers.
In the move toward more exotic foods, almonds and walnuts are appearing on salads, pecans in pecan-crusted chicken, and pistachios and macadamia nuts are being added to recipes for desserts. Smaller packages of specially sized nuts are designed for use in the home: sliced almonds sized to use on salads, vegetables and fish almondine are found in just about every supermarket, as well as in foodservice packages.
Just like nuts, chocolate is beginning to get recognition for at least some healthy attributes. Chocolate and nuts is a long-running duet in the candy industry, and new pairings are popping up all the time.
M&M Mars recently extended its Snickers candy bar with an almond version, and sales have grown rapidly. "It's an upscale ingredient that's affordable, and the health aspect doesn't hurt," says Marlene Machut, director of external affairs for Masterfoods, the candy and food unit of Mars Inc., Hackettstown, N.J. Almonds also were added to one of the Kudo's Granola Bars as a healthier ingredient, and that has been effective, as well, she says.
On the other side of the chocolate aisle, Hershey a few years back added almonds to its famous chocolate Kisses -- with spectacular results. Now, insiders tell us almonds are a key ingredient in new products under development at Hershey.
Nuts are healthy: The label says so
Last July, the Food and Drug Administration allowed a "qualified" health claim for peanuts and nine tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, and walnuts). Responding to a petition from the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation, FDA said there was not sufficient scientific evidence for an unqualified health claim, but did allow the qualified claim.
The qualified claim says, ""Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts [include the name of the specific nut] as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."
A separate, similar label statement specifically for walnuts also is permitted. A letter of Enforcement Discretion for the qualified health claim for walnuts, which includes the sources of scientific evidence that the FDA relied on for the claim, is available at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms.qhcnuts3.html.
A number of medical studies have increased the nutritional excitement behind nuts. One of the most recent was a study that evaluated the effect of almonds on total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad cholesterol"). Briefly, almond-based diets showed reductions in total cholesterol and LDL, while the high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) content was maintained. (Details are available from Gene Spiller at The Health Research and Studies Center, 415-948-8540.)
A study at Pennsylvania State University studied the effects of about an ounce of walnuts a day. Researchers found the diet that included the walnuts, which are rich in alpha linolenic acid, produced lower serum cholesterol while also improving vascular function.
While healthy fats have fueled the interest in nuts, they are also rich in anti-oxidants, such as tocopherols that are precursors of vitamin E (alpha, beta, gamma and delta forms), phytochemicals such as stigmasterol, campesterols, and beta-sitosterol. Carotenoids include beta and alpha carotene, cryptozanthin, lutein, minerals such as zinc, calcium, potassium, and vitamins including folate (see table). Nuts also contain selenium, known for its effect against prostate cancer.
"Now consumers know nuts are good for them, and they know eating an ounce and a half will help their cardiovascular system," says Dennis Balint, CEO of the California Walnut Commission, Sacramento, Calif. "Consumers will be more likely to use walnuts and other nuts in a variety of ways. You're going to see increases (of nuts) in packaged salads, garnishes and other uses. Additionally, nut sales won't take away from other purchases, but will add to the total ring."
Major tree nuts
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the total U.S. value of utilized nut production is around $1.91 billion, an increase of about 26 percent from 2001. Major varieties grown in the U.S. are almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachio, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts and a few specialty products like pine nuts and hickory nuts.
We're talking only of tree nuts here, which excludes peanuts.
Many nut growers are members of cooperatives, which buy, process and market their members' nuts. Diamond Walnut, the biggest grower of walnuts, was formed in 1912, and now sells more walnuts than any other groups. It has 1,900 grower-owners, mostly on relatively small family farms. The co-op has expanded beyond walnuts, adding hazelnuts, pinenuts, almonds, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and is currently the leading walnut supplier to 80 percent of the nation's ingredient buyers.
Will current nut orchards be able to keep up with demand? According to the Tree Nut Assn., sales look pretty strong, but more trees are coming on line, and some of the new varieties bear earlier and are more prolific.
Key nutritional components of popular nuts
Content per 100 gm Pecan Hazelnut Almond Walnut Total fat (gm) 71.97 60.75 50.64 65.21 Protein (gm) 9.17 14.95 21.26 15.23 Carbohydrate (gm) 13.89 16.70 19.74 13.17 Fiber (gm) 9.6 9.7 11.8 6.17 Saturated fat (gm) 6.18 4.46 3.81 6.13 Monosaturated fat (gm) 40.81 45.65 32.16 8.93 Polyunsaturated fat (gm) 21.61 7.92 12.21 47.15 Zinc(mg) 4.53 2.45 3.36 3.09 Calcium (mg) 70 114 248 0 .98 Potassium (mg) 4.10 680 728 441 Folate (mcg) 22 11.3 29 98
Table based on data from USDA and the International Tree-Nuts Council
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Ronin Dragonslayer wrote:Welcome back! Glad to call myself a Garhim! Where are the scores posted; I can't find them for the life of me.
The first post on the first page of this thread. (you will have to scroll down to see it.) - I fact I would read that entire post very carefully.


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well then, I have always wanted a tender.... - Mike
Ice - I got my saddlecan in the mail last night. Thanks Again!Oh! And look it here..... My black cat, Marley, just brought home the biggest mouse I've ever seen and puts it on the floor right by me. Gross dude. Actually it's kind of funny, at the end of spring he was outside for a full 24 hours. He finally comes back all jacked up covered in pine sap and barely able to walk. I came to the conclusion that he was climbing a tree, got attacked by a bird and fell out of the tree and punctured his skin by his lung/s. He didn't go outside for a couple weeks. Then when he did, he ran for cover every time he saw a bird flying above. Well, a couple months go by and he's back to himself. Kind of. In the last 6 weeks he has killed or maimed 4 birds, 2 mice, and 2 grasshoppers. And he keeps bringing everything inside and dropping on the floor in front us like "Hey! Look what I caught you guys! It's just for you!"Had to share that, because that is how I woke this morning. Poured a cup of coffee and saw this. ANYWAYS... Thanks Ice for the saddlecan!Scottie
It's funny and entertaining.Scottie
It's yours, Mike! Please PM me a mailing address. I'm afraid I can't mail it until next week; I'm away from home in New Hampshire attending to a sick parent. But... I got to ride through the White Mountains to get here!
Garlic, Onions, Horseradish
ok scottie, I'm going to aasume this is a NO from you.you can go to http://www.strawhatfarms.com/food-garlic/to buy online.... if you decide to take the offer, re-post and let me know - Mike
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One spot in the ITA national rankings can make all the difference.
Last season, San Diego, ranked No. 44 in the country, earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, while crosstown rival, San Diego State, ranked No. 45, was the highest ranked team left out of the 64-team field.
Ranked No. 53 in the country and likely needing a win over No. 10 Texas A&M to keep their postseason chances alive, Ole Miss played its most complete match of the season to knock off the Aggies 4-3 in legendary head coach Billy Chadwick's last SEC home match.
After the win, as well as a doubleheader sweep of Alcorn State, the Rebels moved up 10 spots to No. 43 in the country, ahead of Thursday's SEC Tournament match against No. 18 Tennessee in Nashville. In the first meeting in Knoxville, Ole Miss won 4-1 behind wins at Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 6 singles.
"If they were making the choice today, we might get in; we might not," Chadwick said. "We're ranked No. 43 in the country and traditionally they take 43 or 44 teams, in addition to the automatic bids that are ranked lower. We're walking the tightrope on it. We need to help ourselves and beat Tennessee."
Coaches often times talk about sense of urgency, such as men's basketball head coach Andy Kennedy referring to the team's 2013 NCAA Tournament run. For Chadwick, it's no different, led by the team's lone senior in Johan Backstrom and two-time All-American Nik Scholtz.
"You could see that when we played Texas A&M," Chadwick said. "They really played with a sense of urgency. We know that right now we control our destiny, and if we want to make the NCAA's, we take care of Tennessee."
"We believe we can do it," Scholtz said. "Making the tournament is another thing that's motivating us at this stage in the year. It's good to know that you're definitely in (the discussion), but the fact that we don't know if we're in the tournament is great motivation."


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Q: Blood clots and pregnancy: Is my pregnancy likely to be complicated by this same problem?
A: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in the venous system. The clot may stay in one area, such as the legs, causing pain and swelling; or it may migrate to another part of the body and become life threatening. Most serious of these scenarios is a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that lodges in the lung. Since you have a history of DVT, you are at slightly greater risk of developing it during your pregnancy. Fortunately, some anti-coagulant drugs can safely be used in pregnancy to help prevent and treat this condition; your doctor will decide whether this is appropriate for you. Be sure to tell your doctor immediately if you experience any pain or swelling in your extremities.


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Post-game breakdown: South Florida
UConn cruised to its most lopsided win in American Athletic Conference play, scoring an 83-40 victory overSouth Floridaat the XL Center.
"We just didn't show up,"South Florida coach Stan Heath said.
No kidding.
UConn (19-5, 7-4) never trailed, leading 45-14 at halftime.
"It was a great game," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said. "We came out and established ourselves early. … And we just kept it rolling."
Some post-game news, notes and quotes:
-- This was a true team effort.
Twelve Huskies played and all 12 scored at least two points. Walk-ons Nnamdi Amilo and Pat Lenehan both scored their first points this season.
"It was really good to have guys come in and contribute in all types of ways," Lasan Kromah said.
Freshmen Kentan Facey (10) and Terrence Samuel (eight) each had a career high. Junior DeAndre Daniels led the way with 12 points.
Reserves combined for 42 points, two more thanSouth Florida's scoring total.
"I'm very proud of the bench," Ollie said. "And it just shows how deep a team we are."
-- UConn played terrific defense, allowing season lows for points and field goal percentage (24.0).South Floridamade just four of 23 field goals attempts in the first half.
"Defense is all five and that's what we've been doing," Daniels said. "We've been talking and rotating. That's what we've been focusing in on in our practices."
Freshman center Amida Brimah was a force inside, blocking six shots.
-- The Huskies came into the game wanting to protect the paint and force the Bulls to shoot from the outside.
Mission accomplished.
The Bulls scored just 16 points in the paint and shot the ball poorly from the perimeter, making just two of 12 from 3-point range.
"They did a lot of good things," Heath said. "You look at some of the keys areas of the game. The points off turnovers, the points in the paint really tell the story.
UConn scored 30 points in the paint and scored 26 points off 15 turnovers.
-- Reserves Omar Calhoun (concussion) and Tyler Olander (flu) were sidelined and didn't attend the game.
-- UConn improved to 13-0 when out-rebounding an opponent, winning the battle of the boards, 41-31.
Daniels, Kromah and Napier led the team in rebounding with five apiece.
-- During a pre-game ceremony, senior Shabazz Napier was recognized for becoming the only player in school history to score 1,600 points and hand out 550 assists.
Napier scored seven points and moved into 10th place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,654, passing both Donyell Marshall (1,648) and Khalid El-Amin (1,650).
-- UConn hosts No. 20 Memphis at noon on Saturday in Hartford.
"They'll be a lot of different…," Ollie said. "They've got outstanding players. South Florida has got outstanding players. We just played a great game tonight. It was just an off-night for them."
Napier should be rested for Saturday's game after playing a season-low 18 minutes. He had a season-low tying seven points and didn't score in double figures for only the second time this season.
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The OB Hospitalist Program at Baptist for Women provides hospital-based, board certified Ob/Gyns who provide in-hospital coverage, 24/7.
They evaluate women with obstetric and gynecologic medical issues and consult with the patient's primary physician or Ob/Gyn until her own physician arrives at the hospital. The hospitalists are located in the OB Emergency Department (OBED) in the Birthplace at Baptist. They are also available for consultations in the hospital and for emergent care in Baptist's main Emergency Department.
Baptist's OB Hospitalists are required to have additional training in neonatal resuscitation, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and OB emergency care.
The OB Hospitalist program does not take the patient from her own Ob/Gyn physician. Instead, it ensures that every patient, regardless of time of day or physician association, is seen by an Ob/Gyn right away if she needs urgent care.
Types of urgent care cases the hospitalists might see include patients who are 16 weeks pregnant or greater who require emergency care, patients with ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, and tubo-ovarian abcesses. Because OB hospitalists are always onsite, they can provide immediate surgery or manage problems until the patient's Ob/Gyn arrives.
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Reveal HomeChek Breath Alcohol Test is intended to measure the alcohol level in the human breath. Results are used in the diagnosis of alcohol intoxication. The Reveal HomeChek Alcohol Breath Test is a semi-quantitative, rapid screening test. Each detector contains crystals that detect a specific cut-off of BAC. The test is based on a chemical reaction. Alcohol reacts with the crystals in the detector to produce a color change. The color change depends on the amount of alcohol in the breath. If the test is positive, the amount of alcohol in the breath is greater than or equal to the cut-off level of the detector
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