Despite OBOGS Failure, Pilot Error Blamed in Fatal F-22 Raptor Crash
December 16, 2011 7:36 AM
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Despite bleed air failure and multiple system shutdown, bleed air system not blamed in crash
Now that its investigation is complete, the USAF has come back and handed down its decision on what caused the pilot of an F-22 Raptor to crash his aircraft in November 2010. According to sources and other pilots, the issue that led to the death of Capt. Jeff "Bong" Haney was a malfunction of the Raptor's bleed air intakes.
The report has now been issued and according to the USAF Accident Investigation Board, the cause of the accident was Haney, not the malfunctioning bleed air system in the stricken Raptor. The AIB found that while the bleed air system on the F-22 had failed, Haney didn’t react quickly enough to save the aircraft.
President of the AIB, Brig. Gen. James Browne wrote in the AIB report, "I find the cause of the mishap was the MP's [mishap pilot] failure to recognize and initiate a timely dive recovery due to channelized attention, breakdown of visual scan and unrecognized spatial disorientation."
Fingers were pointed early on at a failure of the On-board Oxygen Generating System or OBOGS as a cause of the accident. The accident report has determined that the OBOGS was functioning and was not a contributing factor to the accident. However, the OBOGS did shut down due to the bleed air problem the F-22 encountered.
The report read, "The MP most likely experienced a sense similar to suffocation." Despite that statement, the report also rules out hypoxia as a contributing factor to the accident. The report continues, "Due to the high affinity of oxygen to hemoglobin, the MP would have had adequate blood oxygen supply after the OBOGS failed. It was concluded that the late recognition of the MA's [mishap aircraft's] unusual attitude and appropriate corrective actions attempted by the MP demonstrates that hypoxia was not a factor in this mishap."
cites a source that claims that Haney would not have succumbed to hypoxia fully, though he would have had symptoms. The source notes that the hypoxia would have been a contributing factor even if the pilot were still conscious. Along with the OBOGS system on the stricken Raptor, the environmental control system, air cycle system, and On-board Inert Gas Generating System as well as cabin pressure were also shut down.
The recovered aircraft memory unit reportedly showed that the "partial pressure to the MP's [mishap pilot] oxygen stopped shortly after 19:42:37 L, which would lead to severely restricted breathing."
Haney was conscious enough to attempt to recover from the steep dive his Raptor was in right before the crash. The F-22 hit the ground three seconds after Haney first attempted to recover. The report notes that for 39 seconds Haney did nothing to address the flight condition of his aircraft.
The report reads, "The fact that the [mishap pilot] went from a controlled flight regime to an unusual attitude and did not take corrective actions for 30 seconds suggests he had unrecognized spatial disorientation. At 19:42:24L the [mishap pilot] recognized the [mishap aircraft's] position and attempted to perform a dive recovery."
This was the second F-22 lost in service since the aircraft went operational. In March of 2009, another
killing the pilot. This accident was a contributing factor to the
Raptor stand down
that lasted months.
This week the
final F-22 Raptor
rolled off the assembly line and will replace the aircraft lost in the fatal crash that took Haney's life.
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RE: Negative Dynamic Control
12/16/2011 4:18:21 PM
Bullshit. Pilots have the lung capacity to hold their breath for minutes on end without losing consciousness under heavy G. They're in top physical condition and are trained constantly for these situations.
RE: Negative Dynamic Control
12/16/2011 9:56:02 PM
Sck my dick Reclaimer.
RE: Negative Dynamic Control
12/19/2011 12:02:45 AM
I said suck my dick you fucking bitch. Take down deep in your throat so I can come down your lungs and hopefully choke you to a painful death.
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New disclosure rules to ensure equal pay in Germany
A new law (EntgTranspG) to ensure equal pay of male and female employees comes into effect in Germany this summer (the “Act”).
This will require employers, upon request by an employee, to disclose anonymised salary details of other employees working in a comparable position, and how they are calculated. An employer will be caught by the Act if they have more than 200 employees in a single location (the threshold does not require employee numbers across the whole company to be aggregated).
What do the new rules say?
Disclosure of salary and method of calculation:
- Information which an employee may request from their employer includes:
- The salary of all colleagues (anonymised) of the opposite sex who are working in a comparable position;
- The data must show the different elements of the pay package, as well as how it is calculated;
- However, if the group of employees in a comparable position is less than six, salary doesn’t need to be disclosed.
- Procedure for making a request:
- Employees exercise this right through the works council (where one exists), which delivers the information to them after inspecting the relevant employer documents.
- The new law provides that the employer can generally take over the process (although the details of this are still somewhat unclear); conversely a works council can request the employer undertake the disclosure process;
- If there is no works council, generally the employer is responsible for providing the information directly to the employee unless agreed otherwise in a collective bargaining agreement.
Companies of over 500 employees:
- are invited (but not legally obliged) to implement a pay structure or procedure which allows them to check if equal pay is being properly promoted; the calculation basis is the number of employees in the whole company;
- must publish a Situation Report (every three years except where there is a binding collective agreement; in which case, every five years) concerning equal gender treatment across the company. The Situation Report has to include:
- details of measures taken to ensure equal gender treatment;
- information about the total amount of employees, including numbers of female and male employees;
- information about the total amount of employees who work part-time and full-time.
Important uncertainties remain under the Act:
- The new law provides that pay information disclosed under this process may in some circumstances result in a reversal of the burden of proof at the expense of the employer, if the pay information supports an equal pay claim which reaches trial; however full details of how this will work are not yet clear.
- It is not yet clear whether an employee who requests information and uncovers inequality is entitled to make a claim to have their salary adjusted.
- The requirement to classify groups of comparable positions is likely to provoke much dispute and uncertainty, until this is clarified in the courts.
What does this mean for employers?
The new rules introduce a number of challenges for employers, including the additional bureaucratic burden, costs and possible damage to employee relations, depending on the data disclosed.
It may cause employers to hesitate in negotiating salaries on a purely commercial basis, if they may appear to worsen a gender imbalance and if there are fears that pay packages will not remain confidential. Employers may also have difficulty complying with the obligation to disclose details of how pay is calculated, if in fact it is a matter of commercial negotiation rather than calculation according to set pay scales or a formula.
For further information or to discuss any of the issues raised, please contact Dr. Christian Ley on +49 (0) 89 2422300 at Keller Menz – http://www.keller-menz.eu/.
German Act on Salary Transparency (Entgelttransparenzgesetz (EntgTranspG)).

domain: law


text:
FULL-LENGTH ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Prevalence of neurocysticercosis among people with epilepsy in rural areas of Burkina Faso
Address correspondence to Hélène Carabin, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 801 NE 13th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, U.S.A. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org
Purpose: To estimate the lifetime prevalence of neurocysticercosis (NCC)–associated epilepsy and the proportion of NCC among people with epilepsy in three Burkina Faso villages.
Methods: Three villages were selected to represent three types of pig-rearing methods: (1) Batondo, where pigs are left to roam; (2) Pabré, where pigs are mostly tethered or penned; and (3) Nyonyogo, where the majority of residents are Muslim and few pigs are raised. In Batondo and Nyonyogo, all concessions (a group of several households) were included. Half of the concessions in Pabré were randomly chosen. All households of selected concessions were included, and one person per household was randomly selected for epilepsy screening and serologic testing for cysticercosis. Self-reported cases of epilepsy were also examined and confirmed cases included in analyses other than the estimate of NCC-associated epilepsy prevalence. Epilepsy was defined as ever having had more than one episode of unprovoked seizures. Individuals with medically confirmed epilepsy had a computerized tomography (CT) scan of the brain before and after contrast medium injection. The diagnosis of NCC was made using a modification of the criteria of Del Brutto et al.
Key Findings: Thirty-nine (4%) of 888 randomly selected villagers and 33 (94%) of 35 self-reported seizures cases were confirmed to have epilepsy by medical examination. Among the 68 participants with epilepsy who had a CT scan, 20 patients were diagnosed with definitive or probable NCC for a proportion of 46.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 30.2–64.1) in Batondo and 45.5% (95% CI 19.0–74.1) in Pabré. No cases of NCC were identified in Nyonyogo.
Significance: All the definitive and probable cases of NCC were from the two villages where pig breeding is common. Prevention policies intended to reduce the burden of epilepsy in this country should include measures designed to interrupt the life cycle of Taenia solium.
Many studies have reported a higher prevalence of epilepsy in developing countries than in the developed world (reviewed by Roman et al., 2000; Preux & Druet-Cabanac, 2005). Infections such as malaria, meningitis, viral or bacterial encephalitis, and perinatal factors are mentioned as possible reasons for the higher prevalence (Jallon, 1997; Preux & Druet-Cabanac, 2005). One infection that has received only limited attention in some parts of the world is neurocysticercosis (NCC), although it has been reported as the most frequent parasitic infection of the central nervous system (CNS) (Garg, 1998; Roman et al., 2000).
Neurocysticercosis results from the invasion of the CNS by the larval stage of Taenia solium after ingestion of the parasite eggs. The adult form of the parasite is hosted by humans, causing an intestinal parasitosis (taeniasis), occurring when humans consume poorly cooked pork infected with larvae (metacestode cysticerci) of the parasite. The eggs of the parasite are shed in human feces. Pigs, the intermediate hosts, become infected when consuming human feces or food or water contaminated by human feces. Poor pig management practices, hygiene, and sanitation all contribute to the transmission of T. solium infection (Pal et al., 2000; Preux & Druet-Cabanac, 2005).
Humans may become accidental hosts for the larvae leading to cysticercosis when they ingest the parasite’s eggs in contaminated food or water (oral–fecal contamination) (Palacios et al., 1997; Pittella, 1997; Garg, 1998; Pal et al., 2000). Cysticercosis occurs when the larvae migrate from the intestine to any tissue, but the CNS is believed to be a site of predilection. Once established in the CNS, the larva evolves through four different stages: cystic, where it is a viable vesicle of 10–20 mm full of liquid containing a scolex; colloidal, where the vesicle starts degenerating, causing a thickening of the liquid and often causing an inflammatory reaction in surrounding brain tissue; granular, with deposition of mineral salts; and finally calcified, or nonviable cysts, which appear as hyperdense areas on computerized tomography (CT) (Palacios et al., 1997; Pittella, 1997; Garg, 1998; Nash et al., 2004). The larvae may migrate into any structure of the CNS, including the spinal cord, subarachnoid space, and ventricles, but the most common site is the parenchyma. The CNS symptoms reflect both the location and the inflammation caused by the larvae, with seizures being the most common presentation (Garg, 1998; White & Garcia, 1999; Pal et al., 2000; Riley & White, 2003; Carabin et al., 2011). Other CNS symptoms include severe progressive headache, focal neurologic deficit, hydrocephalus, or symptoms of intracranial hypertension (nausea, dizziness, vomiting, or visual symptoms) (Palacios et al., 1997; Garg, 1998; White & Garcia, 1999; Pal et al., 2000; Prabhakar & Singh, 2002a; Carabin et al., 2011).
Neuroimaging is a key tool in the diagnosis of NCC (Palacios et al., 1997; Garg, 1998; White & Garcia, 1999; Pal et al., 2000). Serologic tests detecting specific antibodies or antigens of T. solium determine past exposure or current infection status but are not by themselves diagnostic for NCC.
A meta-analysis by Quet et al. (2010) reported an association between epilepsy and seropositivity to cysticercosis from prevalence case–control and cross-sectional studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, when the present study was initiated, no information was available on the prevalence of either human cysticercosis or NCC and their association with epilepsy in Burkina Faso. Such information is key to the development of effective prevention programs and policies for epilepsy in the country. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of NCC-associated epilepsy in three villages of Burkina Faso and the proportion of NCC among people with epilepsy (PWE). We also describe the stage of cyst evolution among people who had CT-identified lesions of NCC.
Three villages where epilepsy was believed to be common were selected. In two villages (Batondo and Pabré), many villagers were raising pigs. In the third village (Nyonyogo), very few pigs were raised. Batondo is located 140 km northwest of Ouagadougou, which is the capital city of Burkina Faso. The village is inhabited by approximately 3,000 people. Nyonyogo, located 30 km northeast of Ouagadougou, is inhabited by approximately 1,500 people. Pabré is located 20 km northeast of Ouagadougou and includes approximately 4,000 inhabitants.
The field investigation team included a medical doctor, a veterinarian, and two interviewers. The team was aided by a translator in Batondo, where some participants only spoke Lélé, the local language. Before the start of the study, each village was visited and each concession identified (a concession is a group of households whose members share a common ascendant and live together in proximity). A clustered random sampling strategy was used to select participants. Concessions were sampled in the first stage with all concessions included in Batondo (N = 130) and Nyonyogo (N = 131) and 336 of 609 concessions randomly selected in Pabré. The difference in the number of sampled concessions can be explained by the social structure of each village. In Pabré and Nyonyogo, each concession generally includes only one household (father, mother, and children), whereas in Batondo, related families live together in the same concession (with an average of three households per concession). In the second stage, all households in each selected concession were invited to participate. This resulted in sampling 357, 343, and 187 households in Pabré, Batondo, and Nyonyogo, respectively. The smaller number of households in Nyonyogo was due to the smaller population size in this village. In the third stage, one individual was selected randomly from each household for a screening interview on epilepsy. To be included in this study, a participant had to be at least 7 years of age and resident in the village for at least 1 year.
In all three villages, several individuals who had not been randomly selected directly contacted the field physician because they believed they had epilepsy and wanted to be examined (self-reported cases of epilepsy).
Screening interviews for epilepsy
A screening questionnaire for epilepsy, adapted from the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) screening questionnaire (Preux et al., 2000), was administered to the randomly selected participants of the three villages and to the self-reported cases of epilepsy. Details on this questionnaire can be found elsewhere (Nitiéma et al., 2012). Those who screened positive for seizures were evaluated for epilepsy by the field physician.
Definition and confirmation of epilepsy
The field physician conducted a full neurologic examination and asked further questions about epilepsy of participants who had screened positive on the questionnaire (Nitiéma et al., 2012). Epilepsy was defined as ever having had at least two apparently unprovoked seizures separated by at least 24 h. Only patients who met this definition were considered as confirmed epilepsy cases and were used to calculate estimates of lifetime prevalence. Active epilepsy was defined as the occurrence of at least one epileptic seizure during the previous 3 years or the use of antiepileptic drugs for seizures within the three last years. Seizures types were classified according to the ILEA guidelines based on the participant’s description of seizure manifestations (Engel, 2006).
The results of the serologic survey in this population and the details of the diagnostic test used are reported elsewhere (Carabin et al., 2009). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of circulating antigens to the metacestodes of T. solium (AgELISA) was used (Brandt et al., 1992; Dorny et al., 2004a).
Cranial computerized tomography
All confirmed epilepsy cases were offered a CT scan of the brain, except pregnant women. The cranial CT was performed at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo (CHU-YO) in Ouagadougou using a General Electric 4 Barrett Model Hi Speed QX/I apparatus (General Electric, Schenectady, NY, U.S.A.). Images were taken without and with injection of contrast product (50 ml of Telebrix® 35, Guerbet, Aulnay-sous-Bois, France) 5–10 min following the injection.
Identification and classification of lesions of neurocysticercosis
The CT films were read independently by two trained radiologists (RC and M-PB-M). Films for which there were disagreements were reviewed and discussed until an agreement was reached. Lesions were classified as “active” cystic lesions only, “transitional” ring-enhancing lesions only (colloidal and granular), “calcified” lesions only, or “mixed” when there were calcifications with active or transitional lesions as suggested by Carpio et al. (1994). These NCC lesions were further classified according to the recommendations of Del Brutto et al. (2001). Briefly, lesions showing a cyst with a scolex were considered as pathognomonic for NCC and constitute an absolute criterion for diagnosis. Lesions highly suggestive of NCC included ring or nodular enhancing lesions or parenchymal calcifications and constitute major criteria (each lesion counts for one major criterion). Lesions compatible with NCC included hydrocephalus or abnormal enhancement of the leptomeninges and myelograms showing filling defects of the contrast medium and are considered minor criteria. The latter criterion could not be used, since no myelogram was performed.
Classification of a single calcification was often the source of disagreement between the radiologists. Hence, eight cases with solitary calcified cysts were reviewed by a neurosurgeon with expertise in diagnosing solitary cysticercus granuloma and calcification (VR). His diagnosis for those cases was used. The number and location of all NCC lesions were noted.
Diagnosis of neurocysticercosis
The diagnosis of NCC was made according to modified criteria of Del Brutto et al. (2001), with a serologic test positive by AgELISA replacing the Enzyme-Linked Immunoelectrotransfer Blot (EITB) test positive as a major criterion for diagnosis. This modification was made based on a recent study, which showed that serologic AgELISA and EITB tests had very similar sensitivities for detecting current infection and the AgELISA showed a better specificity than EITB (Praet et al., 2010). All the participants confirmed with epilepsy had at least one minor criterion (epilepsy) and one epidemiologic criterion (living in a T. solium endemic area).
With the diagnostic tools available in our study and the fact that all participants had at least one minor and one epidemiologic criterion, NCC cases were considered definitive if they had at least one absolute criterion or at least two major criteria. NCC cases were considered probable if they had one major criterion or two minor criteria.
We define NCC-associated epilepsy cases as those cases of epilepsy that met the modified diagnostic criteria of definitive or probable NCC.
The level of agreement between the two radiologists was assessed by the kappa statistic (Fleiss, 1980) and interpreted according to Landis and Koch (1977). Confidence intervals (CIs) for proportions were calculated using the “mid-p” binomial-based method (Newcombe, 1998). The level of significance for statistical tests was set at 0.05. All statistical analyses were done with SAS version 9.2 (Cary, NC, U.S.A.) and Open-Epi version 2.3 (Dean et al., 2010). The village-specific prevalence of NCC-associated epilepsy was estimated by multiplying the prevalence of epilepsy among those selected at random by the proportion of NCC conditional on having epilepsy from all of those who had a CT scan. This prevalence was estimated using WinBugs 1.4.3 (Imperial College, London and Medical Research Council (MRC), Cambridge, United Kingdom) and represents the proportion of people in each village estimated to have both epilepsy and NCC. A model using the proportion of NCC only among those randomly selected individuals led to very similar estimates (results not shown). The cross-sectional association between age, gender, age at first seizure, times since last seizure and since seizures onset and the presence of NCC was estimated using the prevalence proportion ratio (PPR), where the prevalence of NCC in one group was divided by the prevalence of NCC in the reference group for each variable. PPRs were estimated between the factors of interest and definitive, probable, and all NCC cases (one estimate for each variable and category of NCC). The 95% CI of the PPR was calculated using the method proposed by Katz et al. (1978) for computing the CIs of the ratio of two proportions.
Randomly selected individuals and self-reporting epilepsy cases, or parents of children of <15 years old, were asked for their consent to participate in the study. The consent forms were written in either French or in the local language. If the participant could not read, the form was read and clearly explained to her/him or to the legal guardians of the children. There is no written form of Lélé, so the consent was read to people in Batondo who did not speak French or other written languages. The participants were asked to sign a consent form if they agreed to participate. The signature was an “X” when the respondent was unable to write their name. The study was approved by the ethical committee of the Center MURAZ (Ref. 02-2006/CE-CM) and by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Institutional Review Board (IRB# 12694).
Study population and prevalence of epilepsy
Of the 888 randomly selected villagers interviewed, 70 (8%) screened positive and 39 of these were confirmed with epilepsy. As reported elsewhere, this corresponded to an estimated lifetime prevalence of 4.8% (95% CI 2.9–7.6), 3.1% (95% CI 1.7–5.4), and 6.5% (95% CI 3.5–10.7) in Batondo, Pabré, and Nyonyogo, respectively (Nitiéma et al. 2012). Overall, 29 (74%), 21 (54%), and 3 (8%) reported having experienced generalized seizures, simple partial seizures, and partial seizures secondarily generalized at least once, respectively. Thirty-six of the 39 had a cranial CT. Among the three confirmed cases that did not have a CT, two (from Pabré) did not show up the day of the examination and the other (from Batondo) was a pregnant woman. Among the 36 participants with a CT scan, the time between the self-reported onset of seizures and the time of the screening questionnaire was <12 months, 1–2, 3–4, and 5 years or more for 2 (6%), 8 (22%), 3 (8%), and 21 (58%), respectively. Two participants (6%) did not remember the time of onset of their seizures.
Among the 39 subjects self-identified as having epilepsy, four were younger than 7 years of age (brought by their parents) and thus ineligible. Two of the remaining 35 were not confirmed as having epilepsy by the study doctor. Among the 33 self-reported and confirmed epilepsy cases, 33 (100%) and 11 (33%) reported having experienced generalized seizures and partial seizures at least once, respectively. None of them reported an episode of partial seizures secondarily generalized. Thirty-two of the self-identified, confirmed epilepsy cases received a CT scan; the other one did not show up on the day of the CT scan examination. Among those participants, the time interval between self-reported onset of seizures and the day of the screening interview was <12 months, 1–2, 3–4, and 5 years or more in 3 (9%), 4 (12.5%), 4 (12.5%), and 21 (66%), respectively.
Agreement of the radiologists in reading the CT scans
Of the 68 initial readings of CT scans by the two radiologists, 54 were concordant (79% agreement). The kappa was 0.55 (95% CI 0.34–0.75) when “uncertain lesions suggestive of NCC” were grouped with “other lesions, not NCC” and 0.70 (95% CI 0.52–0.88) when those cases were considered as having evidence of NCC.
Lesions identified at the CT-scan examinations
Six cases (9%) had at least one lesion pathognomonic for NCC (cyst with scolex: four in combination with calcified lesions only, and two in combination with calcified and other types of lesions). A total of 13 (19%) had no pathognomonic lesions but did have at least one lesion highly suggestive of NCC including cysts without scolex (one case in combination with a calcification), colloidal cyst only (one case), and 12 had at least one calcification (11 with calcifications only). No evidence of hydrocephaly, lesions of the leptomeninges, or brain tumors was reported. In addition to the lesions suggestive of NCC, cerebral atrophy was observed in six participants (9%), one of whom also had calcified NCC lesions.
Diagnosis of neurocysticercosis
A total of 20 patients (29%) met the criteria of definitive (11) or probable (9) NCC. Among the 11 definitive NCC cases, 6 (55%) had one absolute criterion, 1 (5%) had three major criteria (two types of lesions highly suggestive of NCC and positive AgELISA), and 4 (36%) had two major criteria (one lesion highly suggestive of NCC and a positive AgELISA). Among the nine probable NCC cases, 8 (89%) had one type of lesion highly suggestive of NCC and 1 (11%) had a positive AgELISA. Two individuals in this group were missing AgELISA results.
Table 1 presents the distribution of patients according to the results of the AgELISA, presence of lesions of NCC, and presence of absolute and major criteria for NCC by village and by type of epilepsy case (randomly selected or self-reported). A total of 10 (17%) of 60 patients with available results were seropositive to the AgELISA (major criterion). None of the participants from Nyonyogo had either an absolute or a major criterion.
Table 1. Number (%) of randomly selected and self-reported confirmed epilepsy cases with a positive AgELISA test, absolute or highly suggestive lesions of NCC, and absolute and major criteria proposed by Del Brutto et al. (2001) in three villages of Burkina Faso, 2007
|Batondo||3/13 (23)||6/15 (40)||1/15 (7)||6/15 (40)||5/12 (42)||8/17 (47)||4/17 (24)||4/17 (24)|
|Pabré||1/9 (11)||4/9 (44)||1/9 (11)||3/9 (33)||1/2 (50)||1/2 (50)||0/2 (0)||1/2 (50)|
|Nyonyogo||0/11 (0)||0/12 (0)||0/12 (0)||0/12 (0)||0/13 (0)||0/13 (0)||0/13 (0)||0/13 (0)|
|Total||4/33 (12)||10/36 (28)||2/36 (6)||9/36 (25)||6/27 (22)||9/32 (28)||4/32 (13)||5/32 (16)|
Table 1 also illustrates that there were no major differences in the proportion of lesions pathognomonic or suggestive of NCC or in the proportion of cases with at least one absolute or major criterion between cases selected at random and those who self-reported as having epilepsy. The latter group showed a higher proportion of cases with one absolute criterion, but the difference was not statistically significant.
The demographic characteristics, types of NCC lesions and of seizures, and modified Del Brutto criteria (2001) of the 20 cases with definitive or probable NCC can be found in the Supporting Information. Table S1 shows that among NCC cases with seizure onset in the past 2 years (six cases), 3–4 years (two cases) and 5 years or more (11 cases) before the interview, 4 (67%), 1 (50%), and 3 (27%) had colloidal or cystic lesions, respectively.
Prevalence of NCC-associated epilepsy and proportion of NCC among PWE
Table 2 presents the proportion NCC among people with epilepsy in each village as well as the estimated prevalence of NCC-associated epilepsy. In Batondo and Pabré, nearly half of PWE (47% with 95% CI 32–61) were definitive or probable cases of NCC. The prevalence of NCC-associated epilepsy was 2.2% (95% Bayesian Credible Interval (BCI) 1.2–3.9) in Batondo; 1.5% (95% BCI 0.1–3.0) in Pabré and 0.2% (95% BCI 0.0–1.0) in Nyonyogo.
Table 2. Number (%) of definitive or probable NCC cases among confirmed cases of epilepsy and estimated prevalence of NCC-associated epilepsy (95% BCI) in three villages of Burkina Faso, 2007
|Batondo||7/15 (47)||8/17 (47)||2.2% (1.2–3.9)|
|Pabré||4/9 (44)||1/2 (50)||1.5% (0.1–3.0)|
|Nyonyogo||0/12 (0)||0/13 (0)||0.2% (0.0–1.0)|
Cross-sectional association between selected factors and neurocysticercosis
Prevalent cases of NCC-associated epilepsy had their first seizure at an older age than non-NCC cases (Table 3). NCC-associated cases of epilepsy also tended to be older than non-NCC cases.
Table 3. Distribution of subjects with epilepsy who had a cranial CT by NCC diagnosis and selected factors with their respective prevalence proportion ratios in three villages of Burkina Faso, 2007
|Gender|| || || || || || |
| Female (reference)||2 (7)||5 (19)||20 (74)||–||–||–|
| Male||9 (22)||4 (10)||28 (68)||2.68 (0.63–11.28)||0.62 (0.19–2.10)||1.22 (0.56–2.67)|
|Age groups|| || || || || || |
| 7–17 years (reference)||1 (4)||3 (14)||18 (82)||–||–||–|
| 18–39 years||6 (18)||4 (18)||23 (70)||3.93 (0.51–30.12)||1.04 (0.26–4.14)||1.67 (0.60–4.65)|
| 40+ years||4 (31)||2 (15)||7 (54)||6.98 (0.88–54.30)||1.56 (0.31–7.78)||2.54 (0.88–7.35)|
|Age at the first seizures|| || || || || || |
| 0–12 years (reference)||1 (6)||2 (3)||29 (91)||–||–||–|
| More than 12 years||10 (29)||7 (21)||17 (50)||11.11 (1.52–81.20)||4.52 (1.03–19.83)||5.33 (1.73–16.48)|
| Do not knowa||0 (0)||0 (0)||2 (100)||–||–||–|
|Last seizures|| || || || || || |
| Within the last 3 years (active epilepsy)||9 (15)||8 (13)||43 (72)||0.60 (0.16–2.30)||0.94 (0.14–6.30)||0.76 (0.28–2.02)|
| More than 3 years (reference)||2 (25)||1 (13)||5 (62)||–||–||–|
|Time since onsetb|| || || || || || |
| 2 years or less||4 (23)||3 (18)||10 (59)||1.80 (0.62–5.24)||1.94 (0.53–7.04)||1.68 (0.79–3.56)|
| More than 2 years (reference)||7 (14)||5 (10)||37 (76)||–||–||–|
This is the first community-based study of NCC in Burkina Faso. Nearly half of the PWE living in two villages where pigs were raised had NCC, whereas we found no case of NCC among PWE in a village with very few pigs.
Our results are consistent with a recent meta-analysis, which reported that 29% (95% CI 23–36) of PWE have lesions of NCC on imaging of the brain (CT scans or MRI) in endemic areas (Ndimubanzi et al., 2010). Indeed, if we include patients with lesions suggestive of NCC based on the CT scan only (not serology), the proportion of PWE with NCC lesions is 28% (19 of 68) across the three villages.
Our results show a higher prevalence of NCC among PWE than in a clinic-based study from the Mbulu district of Tanzania where NCC was reported in 18% of 212 PWE diagnosed 2–4 years before the study and who were receiving care (Winkler et al., 2009). This difference could be explained by two main reasons. First, the Tanzanian study was limited to patients who were diagnosed at least 2 years before the start of the study, which contrasts with the fact that 25% of our cases had their first seizure in the last 2 years. Moreover, the percentage of active lesions was higher among cases with more recent seizure onset. This resulted in a larger proportion of cases in our study showing active lesions at the CT scan (37% of participants with lesions of NCC), in contrast to only 16% in the Tanzanian study. In other words, our case group represented more recent epilepsy cases, which could explain why NCC lesions were more often observed. The alternative explanation (or additional one) may be that NCC is more common in the villages selected in our study.
In a study of volunteers in Menoua Division, Cameroon, a region where pig breeding is common, Nguekam et al. (2003) found a prevalence of 59% of brain CT lesions suggestive of NCC among those with a positive serologic reaction to T. solium larvae antigen identified with the AgELISA. In our investigation, 9 (90%) of 10 seropositive cases had absolute or highly suggestive lesions of NCC. Furthermore, in the investigation of Nguekam et al., only 22 (65%) of 34 seropositive cases agreed to the CT scan of the brain. The true proportion of subjects with CT-scan lesions suggestive of NCC could be higher or lower if the proportion was different in the participants who declined having the brain scan. In the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Foyaca-Sibat et al. (2009) reported a prevalence of 37% (95% CI 27–48) of CT-scan lesions suggestive of NCC in PWE receiving medical care. This high percentage of NCC-associated epilepsy may be due to the low proportion (<0.5%) of self-reported Muslims in the 2001 census in that province (Statistics South Africa, 2004).
No cases of NCC were found among PWE living in Nyonyogo, where most people do not consume pork meat and very few pigs are raised. Hence, it is unlikely that the environment is contaminated with T. solium in that village. Similar results were reported by Secka et al. (2010) in the Gambia in a case–control study that included 210 PWE (cases) and 420 controls matched by gender and age (±5 years), with 95% of the study population being Muslim. In that study, all the participants had a T. solium serologic screening with EITB and AgELISA, and the respondents with positive results (three cases and six controls with AgELISA; none with EITB) had a cranial CT scan. No significant association between epilepsy and cysticercosis was found (odds ratio 0.75, 95% CI 0.13–3.15]). None of the nine participants who had a CT scan had brain lesions suggestive of NCC.
The manner in which pigs are typically raised (e.g., confined, tethered, or roaming) may influence the prevalence of cysticercosis in both pigs and humans (Vázquez-Flores et al., 2001; Morales et al., 2006). The proportion of NCC among PWE was very similar in Pabré and Batondo, which is not surprising, since, even though pigs were raised differently during the rainy season, they were left to roam in both villages during the dry season (Ganaba et al., 2011). Indeed, the seroprevalence of pig infection was very similar in the two villages (Ganaba et al., 2011). What is more surprising, however, is that the seroprevalence to the antigens of T. solium in humans was much lower in Pabré than Batondo (Carabin et al., 2009). In a study in Cameroon, Shey-Njila et al. (2003) did not find any significant difference in the prevalence of cysticercosis between permanently confined and partially confined pigs. Rather, they identified factors associated with infection in pigs as the absence of latrines in the household and the defecation of the household members in the pigpens. A similar situation is likely to exist in the present study, where only 8% of the randomly selected participants reported using a latrine in Batondo, 11% in Nyonyogo, and 37% in Pabré. The NCC-associated epilepsy cases were older in Pabré (median age 57 years) compared to the ones in Batondo (median age 25 years), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.09 with the Mann-Whitney test). It is possible that the seroprevalence in Pabré was lower due to the recent improvements in sanitation, with the NCC being a reflection of past infections, but the proportion of NCC patients with active lesions was similar. The sample size in Pabré was very small, which limits our ability to explore the differences further.
People with NCC and epilepsy were older than PWE without NCC. In addition, the age at onset of seizures was higher among those with NCC-associated epilepsy as compared to those without NCC. This would support the often-mentioned fact that tapeworm infection and cysticercosis are rare in children and affect mostly adults (Prabhakar & Singh, 2002b). Moreover, epilepsy with hereditary or congenital etiology is more likely to manifest early, whereas epilepsy caused by environmental factors may have a later onset.
The present study had some limitations. First, the sample may not be representative of all PWE. Self-identified cases had more generalized seizures, which are easily identifiable by the subject, his or her family, and friends. Moreover, villagers younger than 7 years of age were not included in the study. Even if NCC is rare in young children, some cases have been diagnosed in this age group (Ruiz-García et al., 1997; Salazar & Cornejo, 1997; Ferreira et al., 2001; Scott et al., 2005; Saenz et al., 2006). Other plausible reasons for error in estimating the true prevalence of NCC-associated epilepsy are that PWE may conceal their disease because of fear of stigmatization, and the questionnaire used for screening might have failed to identify some cases with more unusual types of seizure manifestations that were not recognized as epilepsy. If the distribution of NCC varies depending on the type of seizures, it could introduce a bias in our estimate of the proportion of NCC among people with epilepsy. Moreover, imperfect sensitivity and specificity of the AgELISA test used to identify cysticercosis would have influenced the final serology results. The AgELISA serologic test is useful for the diagnosis of current cysticercosis cases, with active cyst antigens circulating in the sera. The AgELISA is not designed to detect past infections (Garcia et al. 2002; Dorny et al., 2004b), and has a poor sensitivity to do so (Praet et al., 2010). This means that the AgELISA will not perform well in older NCC cases (colloidal and calcified lesions) where no circulating antigens are expected to be present. In our study, 4 (40%) of the 10 cases with calcifications and colloidal lesions only with a serologic test had a positive result, whereas 5 (71%) of 7 cases with cystic lesions (with or without scolex) were tested positive. The positive AgELISA results in participants with calcified lesions is mostly likely due to cystic lesions located elsewhere (outside the brain) given the endemic nature of the study villages. Our choice of AgELISA instead of the EITB may have led to an underestimation of the proportion of PWE cases with NCC, or in classifying fewer NCC cases as definite instead of probable. In addition, serologic results for eight epilepsy cases were missing. Finally, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might have been more efficient in identifying some types of NCC lesions (White & Garcia, 1999). Indeed, MRI is superior to CT for detecting NCC lesions such as cysts present in the ventricules, whereas CT is more effective for the detection of calcifications. However, no MRI device was available in Burkina Faso at the time of the study. The fact that there were few PWE also limits our ability to run a multivariate analysis of factors associated with NCC. Finally, this was a pilot study including only three villages, which may not represent the true situation in the country as a whole.
This study found a high prevalence of NCC in people with epilepsy and of NCC-associated epilepsy in villages where pig breeding is common. Although it is not possible in this cross-sectional study to determine whether NCC was the cause of epilepsy or simply a comorbidity in people with epilepsy living in an endemic area, these data suggest that approximately 47% of epilepsy is potentially preventable in two of the three study villages. The next step in research should be to determine which strategies are most effective for prevention of NCC in areas where T. solium is endemic.
This study was funded by the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the National Institutes of Health (“Epidemiology and Burden of NCC in Burkina Faso” (R21 NS055353) under the Brain Disorders in the Developing World: Research Across the Lifespan (BRAIN) program. We would like to thank Dr. Adèle Kam from the Health Sciences Research Institute (IRSS) for her substantial help in the analyses of the blood samples. We are also thankful to Henri Somé for all his help in the database development and management as well as to the field team including Ms Alida Da, Miss Chantal Millogo, Mr Leopold Bado and Dr. Adama Sow who were instrumental for the success of this work. Finally, we are grateful to all the inhabitants of the three villages for their wonderful welcome and participation.
None of the authors has any conflict of interest to disclose. We confirm that we have read the Journal’s position on issues involved in ethical publication and affirm that this report is consistent with those guidelines.

domain: literature


text:
Koh Surin Day 4 (Feb. 2, 2012)
After another mosquito battle and organizing my bags for departure, we met for a classic Thai breakfast of rice porridge. Rice is a constant, of course, as are shreds of ginger, but the other ingredients can vary widely. Ours contained shrimp, fried garlic, and a bit of cilantro. From dishes on the table we could sprinkle on chillies for punch, and white vinegar for added freshness. We also had some shredded, dried, sweetened pork “floss” from Kasma’s snack bag, which offered some chewiness and extra protein.
We left early for nearby Ao Suthep, which we had not been able to snorkel on our first try due to the current. With the waters calm, the main challenge was the low angle of the sun, which didn’t provide as much visibility as usual. Perhaps that explains why some seldom seen big fish let us sneak up on them including large star puffers and a many-spotted sweetlips. With the minutes ticking away before our noon check-out time, we sped across the narrow passage to Koh Mungkorn (Mungkorn Island). Although it was subject to major bleaching last year, the reef is not closed, and a couple of other snorkel boats showed up during our time there. The most unusual sightings were a scorpionfish, and some divers laying out a measuring tape on the reef. Very mysterious, but we have to go.
Cue quick shower and change, furiously fast final packing, and key returned just in the nick of time. We relaxed over our final island lunch. No surprises: a fried fish. Also, breaded pieces of fish fried and served in a preparation similar to sweet and sour, shrimp and squid with mixed vegetables, and chicken curry. The pineapple had ripened a bit, and we tried to finish off our boat snacks before heading down to the beach to wait for our return “ferry.”
The View Is Green
The speedboat was crowded, and became standing room only during a sudden cloudburst when those up front rushed back into the main cabin. We raced past the storm and packed our van with great anticipation: soon we would have our hot showers.
The Kuraburi Greenview features nicely designed rooms with dark wood floors and walls. In the shower, water flows down through a slate chute, with a waterfall-like effect. (At least, that’s the idea: it also can be a bit like a bucket over the head.) Shortly after our arrival, the storm came through, disturbing the surface of the resort’s vast pond. Once it cleared, the beauty of the lushly landscaped grounds was evident even in the overcast of late afternoon. I felt it was best enjoyed through the window from a well air conditioned room.
We met in the dining room at a table set in front of the stage: karaoke was inevitable. Although the waiter suggested cashew chicken, Kasma maintained that we could eat spicy Thai food. The appetizer of pork satays with peanut sauce was a bit tame, but the hot and sour shrimp dip with crunchy vegetables showed no compromise. Green curry with chicken, fruit salad with hot and sour dressing, and a crispy fried fish with sweet chili garlic sauce proved a potent blend, but we had leafy pak miang cooked in coconut milk to help cool the palate. A tardy arrival (due to kitchen error) was a mixed seafood salad with an oddly tomato-ey dressing. For dessert, we got a round of fried bananas served with honey for dipping.
The resort’s karaoke machine needed quite a bit of adjustment of mic levels, but I still managed to croak out a few tunes. This was my first public rendition of New York, New York, which was I was tempted to sing as Krung Thep, Krung Thep — the Thai name for Bangkok — but I think I might wait until it’s a more polished act. Eight Days a Week and Piano Man went fine. There wasn’t much enthusiasm among the rest of the group, so we called it a night.
Tomorrow morning we leave this oasis for another rustic destination: Khao Sok park, home of an enormous lake, er reservoir, where we will once again cruise around on a noisy longtail boat and enjoy a cold shower.

domain: food


PSD2 is changing the world
The Second Payment Services Directive is a substantial update to the regulation of payment services. Banks must offer and open APIs for serving Account Information, Payment Initiation services, and confirming funds on a card. These services will be available for free, promoting innovation, competition, and the development of new kinds of financial services.
What's in PSD2 for customers?
Customers will benefit greatly from increased competition and lower prices. New and innovative ways of banking will enable customers to better control their finances. Financial-grade methods of Strong Customer Authentication mean that security takes an important leap ahead.
What about developers?
PSD2 APIs allow Third-Party Providers to provide banking services to OP's customers. Developers will be able to create and provide services using secure dedicated interfaces - at no additional cost.
How can my company register as an AISP and/or PISP?
Apply for an AISP/PISP license at your national financial authority. Once you have a valid license (passported to Finland if necessary), you need to obtain valid TPP certificates for production access. Once you have these, you may start using PSD2 APIs at your discretion, starting with the TPP registry API.
|Finland||Financial Supervisory Authority|
|Estonia||Estonian Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority|
|Latvia||Financial and Capital Market Commission|
|Lithuania||Bank of Lithuania|
What about security?
OP sets a high standard for security. Modern Oauth-based authorization flows with highly reliable QWAC and QSEAL certificates issued by eIDAS certificate providers protect every detail. So you can rest easy - your data stays safe.
Who is developing on top of PSD2 APIs?
EU Member states maintain exhaustive lists of all authorized account information and payment initiation service providers. See the website of the European Banking Authority for more information.


text:
Wed, Mar 24|
The Economics of Latin America
Presented by Economic Literacy Colorado
Time & Location
Mar 24, 2021, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
About the event
Latin America is an economically diverse region stretching from the US border with Mexico to the “End of the World” in Tierra del Fuego.
This session will focus on a sampling of current economic issues: demographic changes as people move from rural areas to cities and across borders throughout South, Central and North America, and changing economic policies in Argentina and Brazil, as the two largest countries in South America take different paths (free market vs. government control).

domain: geography


text:
Creating earnings while actively playing slot video games is just not anything totally new within the internet casino market. There are several names using this type of casino place business which manufactured enormous volumes of money you need to be getting involved in online on line casino video games. They could illustrate excellent or bad for you but it all mostly is dependent upon you- how seriously you could have favored this industry for generating, the port choose you are actually enjoying, your getting involved in approaches plus your skill level through the slot xbox game that you just telephone since the dearest. There are many labeling throughout the past of on line gambling establishment games but here it is easy to take into account demonstration of Mr. Doyle Brunson, an experienced poker gamer for longer than half a hundred years. He liked significant amounts of internet on line casino game titles throughout his occupation and took part in over 100 slot tournaments and this he has reportedly received 1 million $ by simply successful the port tournaments.
This sizeable volume for your personal successful, calls for natural determination using the on the internet activity and determination in learning all the suggestions of the slot video game. Unskilled folks are only there for incorporating their component from the successful of your respective qualified gamers as they easily stop seeking their wagers by their bad strategies of playing slot machine games and lose enormous amount of money in every single slot option on slot pg without acquiring worried somewhat. But nevertheless, it happens to be suggested that certain must not think about huge matches until he as an ample amount of practical knowledge and employ and should also make ventures your money wisely while actively playing online dock video gaming.

domain: game


text:
Offer is subject to change. Does not apply to sale items.
From the Artist
- Tell us a bit about this design and what is the message or meaning you're trying to convey.
- I think this piece talks by itself!! (or hope so! hahahaha)
- Who are you?
- I'm a spanish designer and illustrator, you can follow my artist page here: https://www.facebook.com/ursulalopezillustrations
- Any shout outs?
- thanks to all who like this design

domain: artistic


text:
*In line with the latest recommendations from the government, Preston Park Museum will be closing from 5pm on Wednesday 18 March 2020 until further notice. We will also be postponing all of our upcoming events. Thank you for your support and understanding.*
By The North Yorkshire Calligraphers.
Explore the beautiful work of the North Yorkshire Calligraphers as they present an exhibition based on the vibrant theme of colour. Expect a multicoloured feast for the eyes and see how each calligrapher has responded to the theme in a different way, using their own vivid techniques. There will be chance for little ones to explore our colourful theme and have fun with playful interactives.
Calligraphy is the art of forming beautiful letters, writing and symbols. Calligraphers use pens with round, flat and pointed nibs or brushes to create their art work. It is a practice that is thousands of years old.
Today, calligraphy is considered an art. Many people study it and use ancient skills and traditions adapted to more modern techniques to create something beautiful. They continue a tradition that is an important part of our civilization.
How long is the exhibition on for?
You can see The Secret Life of Colour in our Exhibition Gallery from 10 March to 31 May 2020. Last admission is at 3.30pm. See our opening times here.
Do you need to pay?
Normal museum admission applies. If you already have a museum ticket don’t forget to bring it with you. You can our museum admission prices here.

domain: hobby


text:
Degrees of FreedomDownloadable Audiobook - 2011
Petrovitch is still trying to make his way in the post-apocalyptic nightmare world he calls home. His girl has left him--though he's sure she still loves him. The New Machine Jihad is calling out to him--even though he destroyed it once already. And the Armageddonists are hell-bent on blowing the world up--again. It seems everyone wants something from Petrovitch, but all he wants is his freedom.
Publisher: Prince Frederick, MD :, Recorded Books ;,
Copyright Date: phonogram 2011
Characteristics: 1 sound file (10 hr., 15 min.) :,digital. analog, Digital recording, rda data file, rda

domain: library


Air conditioning installation, repair & servicing based in Brackley
Based in Brackley, we are happy to offer our range of air conditioning services including installation, repair and maintenance throughout the surrounding areas including Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
We're here to help with all of your air conditioning requirements. We're confident that our high level of workmanship and service will leave you 100% satisfied. Give us a call on 07875 344794 to book an installation.
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Air conditioning in your property provides comfort and better quality of life. Heat can cause intense discomfort and sluggishness that in turn has a negative impact on physical and intellectual activity. By installing an air conditioning system, you can help prevent that and live more comfortably. Elements Heating Installations have listed the benefits of why you should consider installing an air conditioning unit at your home near Banbury today...
Air filtration means cleaner air
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Secure your home in warmer weather
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It is scientifically proven that we sleep better in colder conditions and air conditioning is the perfect answer to that! As well as keeping pests out of your room, you will be able to sleep soundly with an air conditioning installation.
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We are Worcester Accredited Installers, and so are fully qualified to install Worcester's brand new Climate 3000i that comes with a 5-year guarantee if installed by us. Their new unit is a climate quality control series that comes with single split air conditioning units (as pictured above and below) to improve the quality of air at your home or office! Worcester's Climate 3000i comes with five different models and a full set of features to optimise the climate of your room. Their new unit is a reversible air conditioning unit that provides both heating (rated A+ in efficiency) and cooling (rated A++ in efficiency) from the same source, so whatever the conditions, you can change the settings to suit your needs.
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We're able to carry out repairs on all makes and models of air conditioning, including Daikin, Mitsubishi and Carrier to name just a few. Our trained engineers are usually able to diagnose and repair air conditioning on-site, however, in some cases, we will need to source replacement parts and can arrange a later date to complete the fix.
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text:
Bruckheimer can also be on the board of administrators at ZeniMax.
Veteran film producer Jerry Bruckheimer, recognized for producing the Pirates of the Caribbean and Nationwide Treasure movies, has joined the board of administrators for an additional sport studio.
Bruckheimer is now a board member at Skillz, a cell video games platform firm that just lately introduced a game jam with the NFL to create extra arcade-style soccer video games.
In an announcement, Skillz identified that that is Bruckheimer’s first board of administrators place for a publicly traded firm; Skillz went public again in December.
It isn’t Bruckheimer’s first board member place for a sport firm, nonetheless, as Bruckheimer was a former member of the board at ZeniMax.
“Skillz places the joy and aggressive drama of esports into the palms of billions of individuals all over the world,” Bruckheimer stated. “And I am excited to hitch the corporate defining the way forward for interactive leisure.”
Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise stated in an announcement that he is excited for Bruckheimer to hitch the Skillz board to assist the corporate “attain and interact his largest viewers but.”
Bruckheimer opened his personal sport firm, Bruckheimer Video games, in 2007. The studio’s directive was to provide you with sport concepts after which produce other folks develop them. Bruckheimer Video games closed in 2013 after releasing no video games.
In response to Skillz, cell gaming is poised for plenty of development sooner or later, projected to achieve $150 billion in income by 2025. In associated information, Activision Blizzard has stated cell is the corporate’s biggest platform by revenue, which is why it is bringing more games to mobile.
Digital Arts additionally sees numerous development potential for cell, a class that’s already bigger and more important than console and PC.

domain: entertainment


text:
Hurry - Only 3 left in stock!
This is a poster for "Live-Aid" featuring: Neil Young, Joan Baez, Bryan Adams, Ozzy Osbourne, Run DMC, Beach Boys, Madonna, The Who, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Mick Jagger and many more! Playing at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Also playing at J.F.K Stadium In Philadelphia, PA. Playing on July 13, 1985. Great as a gift and perfect for the home or office.


text:
Ashby’s Lyric Rooms has announced it will be staging a Soul, Motown & Reggae Christmas Dinner in December. The Lower Church Street venue is gradually re-introducing socially distanced live performances.
“Hailing from Jamaica, Marlon brings his Soul, Motown and Reggae Show to the UK. Performing all the classics and putting a Reggae twist on some more modern songs, Marlon is guaranteed to get you in the party mood”, the Lyric Rooms Facebook page says.
Tickets cost £33.50 and includes entertainment throughout your three-course festive dinner, welcome drink and coffee. The evening starts at 6.30pm and the act at 7pm. You can reserve via 07946 438904.


text:
Distance from Iran to Macao
Distance from Iran to Macao is 5,957 kilometers. This air travel distance is equal to 3,702 miles.
The air travel (bird fly) shortest distance between Iran and Macao is 5,957 km= 3,702 miles.
If you travel with an airplane (which has average speed of 560 miles) from Iran to Macao, It takes 6.61 hours to arrive.
|GPS Coordinates (DMS)||32° 25´ 40.4760'' N |
53° 41´ 16.9800'' E
Map of Iran
Iran Distances to Countries
|Distance from Iran to Russia||4,876 km|
|Distance from Iran to Portugal||5,521 km|
|Distance from Ghana to Iran||6,243 km|
|GPS Coordinates||22° 11´ 55.5000'' N |
113° 32´ 37.9680'' E
Map of Macao
Macao Distances to Countries
|Distance from Macao to Thailand||1,494 km|
|Distance from Republic of the Congo to Macao||10,811 km|
|Distance from Brazil to Macao||18,245 km|


text:
San Dieguito United Methodist Church, Encinitas
Encinitas music san diego events
Saturday, Nov 1 7:30p
Sunday, Oct 19 12:00p
Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del MarWill you be celebrating your Quinceañera? We invite you to our Expo where you will have the great opportunity to find many vendors who specialize in: Dress design Hair and makeup Music Photography...
Friday, Aug 22 7:00p
Encinitas Library, EncinitasLeucadia 101 Main Street Association presents After Hours Sessions @ Encinitas Library with Mango Melody and Cleopatra Degher Come on out for a great concert in front of a setting summer sun at the...
Friday, Aug 8 7:00p
Saturday, Aug 16 10:00a
Resounding Joy Inc., San DiegoDescription: In this unique workshop, we will experience the power of music in restoring harmony and balance to our lives...
Saturday, Aug 30 9:00p
San Diego Sports Arena, San DiegoTramps Like Us 2014 is going to be unreal. If you haven’t been before then this is your year to see top DJs put on a show like you have never seen before...
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Ask MBA talent scouts what new countries in the world are they now targeting for their business schools and nearly everyone has Africa on the list. MBA program recruiters now routinely visit Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos and Accra for prospective students and like what they are finding.
Their interest reflects both the present and the future, the belief that an MBA can transform a life in Africa in ways that would be unimaginable in other parts of the world. But it’s also a bet on the region’s future economic prosperity and growing importance in the world.
One thing you don’t go to Africa for are high GMAT scores, though like in any country there is a wide range. This year, for example, one Nigerian with a 750 GMAT scored a big scholarship to go to Yale University’s School of Management. But in only one African country–Mauritania–where just eight tests were taken in 2017 was the average GMAT score higher than the mean of the 250,884 tests taken in testing year 2017 ended on June 30th.
‘AFRICA LACKS A TEST-TAKING CULTURE AND MANY WALK COLD INTO THE EXAM’
Last year, the average GMAT score for Africans taking the grueling test was 469, with a low of 288 in Liberia (see chart below).
Sangeet Chowfla, CEO of the Graduate Management Admission Council, which administers the GMAT exam, believes a couple of reasons play into the lower scores, from the lack of a test taking culture to flaws in Africa’s educational system. “Many are just walking cold into a GMAT exam with no practice,” says Chowfla. “We tell them you have to practice to do well.”
Even so, business school talent scouts, who routinely roam the world recruiting MBA students for their schools’ programs, have taken a big liking to the candidates they are finding in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, the region’s most populous nation where the most GMAT tests are taken. In 2017, 1,267 GMAT tests were sat for in Nigeria, nearly double the 677 in South Africa, the second most GMAT exam taking country in Africa. All told, African’s prospective business school students took 4,727 GMAT tests in 2017, down from 5,268 a year earlier.
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