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This article traces the origins of the familiar quotation, 'there is always something new coming out of Africa'. It demonstrates that the phrase was a proverb that originated in Greece no later than the fourth century BC. It charts the transmission of the phrase from Aristotle to the twentieth century, noting that Erasmus is the most important link in the Renaissance and that he may be responsible for the current form in which the phrase is used. The article also shows that the meaning of the phrase was very different in ancient times from what it is today. Whereas 'something new' to Aristotle meant strange hybrid animals, current writers use the phrase with a sense of admiration.

A focus group study of women exposed to diethylstiibestrol (DES) in utero (DES daughters) was conducted to gain understanding about exposure to this drug from a patient perspective. Focus group participants reported that learning about their DES exposure was devastating; they experienced strains in their family relationships, emotional shock, a feeling that their health concerns were not appreciated by others and, to some degree, a sense of social isolation. Although many were aware of the need for special gynecological exams and high-risk prenatal care, they were frustrated by what they felt was a lack of reliable and clear information about the effects of DES exposure. Most expressed questions and anxiety about their health. Many found their communication with physicians about their DES exposure unsatisfying. They felt that physicians lacked information about the long-term health effects of DES exposure and as a result did not give them accurate information. Furthermore, they felt that physicians were dismissive of their concerns and often gave what they felt to be false reassurances. Consequently, the women developed an enduring distrust of the medical profession. The results of the study suggest implications for the delivery of health care to DES daughters. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The planning of community health education interventions aimed at multiple levels is complex and challenging. This challenge is increased when a primary audience is difficult to reach. Individuals who were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) decades ago represent a difficult-to-reach audience because they are not always aware of their exposure or the health risks of their exposure. However, DES-exposed individuals need specific screening and health care. An intervention was developed to increase awareness about DES in Nassau County, New York to address this concern. The Precede-Proceed Model was used to develop distinct intervention strategies to reach the general public, which includes individuals who may not be aware that they were exposed; those who are aware of their exposure but may not be following recommended health care practices; and community physicians. Behavioral targets, determining factors, and intervention goals were identified for each group. Specific intervention strategies were planned and implemented for each target audience. Addressing three target audiences simultaneously may produce a synergistic effect, enhancing program impact. © 2000, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.

In the Western world, the Kyrgyz Republic has been depicted as a democratic success story. Indeed, unlike other Central Asia nation states, the Kyrgyz media appears on the surface relatively free. This paper examines the Kyrgyz press in the context of journalistic ideologies, and suggests that the republic's media is going through an important transitional phase, the central stage of a journalistic rite of passage. Part of that transitional process is an ongoing ideological tug-of-war that awaits resolution. It is suggested that such resolution may occur only when the press becomes economically self-sustaining. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Experiments were conducted to determine the ability of citrate to enhance the plant uptake of weathered 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)1,1-dichloroethylene (p, p′-DDE) from soil. Plots containing three rows of clover, mustard, hairy vetch, or rye grass were constructed in soils containing p, p′-DDE. On 11 occasions, the rows of each crop received water or sodium citrate (0.005 or 0.05 M). For each crop, there were significant reductions in p, p′-DDE concentration in the soil fractions (near root and rhizosphere) closely associated with the plant versus bulk soil. The roots of each crop accumulated 2 to 5 times more of the weathered contaminant (dry wt) than present in the bulk soil. Citrate (0.05 M) increased the concentration of p, p′-DDE in the roots of clover, mustard, and hairy vetch by 39% compared with vegetation that received water. In batch desorption studies, the release of weathered p, p′-DDE was significantly greater in the presence of 0.05 M citrate than in water. Citrate increased the extracted aqueous concentrations of five metal ions (Al, Fe, Ca, K, Mn) from soil by five- to 23-fold over distilled water. We hypothesize that citrate physically disrupts the soil through chelation of structural metal ions and release of bound humic material, facilitating p, p′-DDE availability and uptake by plants.

A study was conducted as a part of continuing investigation of the effect of soil moisture on the sequestration of organic compounds aged in the soil. Here, experiments focused on the effects of moisture changes within the soil before, during, and after contaminant addition. The extractability of aged (68 d) phenanthrene was greater from soil that had been subjected to wetting and drying cycles prior to solute addition as compared to soil initially maintained at constant moisture. The recovery of phenanthrene added to moist soil was increased relative to extractability from soil that was air-dried at the time of the contaminant addition. Repeated wetting and drying of soil after the addition of atrazine or phenanthrene resulted in decreased extractability of the compounds as compared to samples maintained at constant moisture. A method for rapidly sequestering contaminants is proposed and may be useful in limiting the time required for laboratory studies involving "aged" contaminants. These data build upon the findings of earlier work from our laboratory and indicate that changes in the moisture conditions of soil can affect the availability of sequestered contaminants possibly through alterations in the structure of the natural solid. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Foxwoods, which started as a Binge gaming facility, has become the largest casino in the western world. It is one of the most competitive tourist destinations in the world and can teach a few lessons about managing competitiveness. The visionary entrepreneurial activity, strategic management decisions of its owners and the Mashantucket Pequots are the reasons for its existence and its success, not some circumstantial fluke. The Pequots understood the destination's potential initial advantage. They then sought to avoid that Foxwoods casino and resort slip into McGambling or wither in the face of increasing competition for the entertainment/leisure dollar in the eastern United States by modifying its market positioning. They are now nudging it toward a broadly diversified base of entertainment. All along they empowered their employees to support their clear mission for the resort. Part of their strategy is to transform southeastern Connecticut into a synergistic tourist destination for their and the region's benefit. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The United States Supreme Court ushered in a new era in American history on May 17, 1954 in its monumental ruling in Brown v Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas. Brown is not only the Court's most significant decision on race and equal educational opportunities, but also ranks among the most important cases it has ever decided. In Brown a unanimous Court struck down the pernicious doctrine of “separate but equal” in holding that the de jure segregation of students in public schools on the basis of race deprived minority children of equal educational opportunities in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In addition to its impact on school desegregation, Brown has been the catalyst for revolutionary change influencing just about every facet of American society. Given the breadth of changes that it spawned, this article briefly reviews the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown before turning to the two most important educational areas where it has been the key, namely special education and sexual harassment.