7 research outputs found
Results and Cost Analysis of the National Thalassemia Screening Program in Taiwan
No full text目的：政府早於1993年就開始實施全國性孕婦海洋性貧血篩檢計畫，希望能有效的減少重度甲型海洋性貧血胎兒對孕婦造成的合併症及重度乙型海洋性貧血病童的出生。降低重度乙型海洋性病患的醫療支出，讓有限的醫療資源獲得最大的效用。目前台灣大約有400位左右需要輸血的重度乙型海洋性貧血病患，分佈於全國各大醫學中心。我們希望完整調查篩檢的成果，了解篩檢計畫到底預防了多少病患出生？篩檢後還有多少病童出生？這個篩檢計畫是否可以降低整體的醫療成本？另外，有沒有其他的篩檢方式或補救措施，可以來改善我們現行的流程？這些方式的實施是否會比現行篩檢方式減少更多的醫療成本？法：經由國民健康局及全國各大醫院小兒血液腫瘤科的協助，收集1994年之後(含1994年)出生之重度乙型海洋性貧血病患的個案數及出生原因。之後我們利用Hardy-Weinberg equation 來計算這些新生兒乙型海洋性貧血的帶原率；計算所得的帶原率本研究用來當作基礎值進一步估算篩檢支出。沒有實施篩檢計畫時支出的費用就是治療所有重度乙型海洋性貧血病患的醫療費用。而實施篩檢計畫時所帶來的費用就是耗用於篩檢計畫的所有花費再加上雖然有實施篩檢計畫，但卻生下來的漏網之魚的終身醫療費用。藉由有實施與沒有實施全國性孕婦海洋性貧血篩檢計畫所耗費醫療支出的差異本研究得以了解篩檢計畫的經濟效益。果：在1994年到2003年之間全國總共有97位重度乙型海洋性貧血病患出生。其中有8位病童的媽媽是外籍新娘；中國籍的有一位，印尼籍的有兩位，越南籍的有5位。最主要的出生原因是未能診斷出父母親可能是海洋性貧血帶原者 (54人)。經由 Hardy-Weinberg equation的運算，本研究成功的推估在1999到2003年間出生的小朋友乙型海洋性貧血的帶原率介於1.4到2.0%之間，平均是1.6%，高於以往報告的1.1%。在這段期間，全國性孕婦海洋性貧血篩檢計畫對重度乙型海洋性貧血的偵測率為68.5%，而且成功的防止了64.5%的病患出生。本研究也發現在1999到2003年之間，實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫所需的總醫療支出比沒有實施篩檢計畫的醫療支出來的多。以4%的折現率來計算，則實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫所需的支出會比沒有實施篩檢計畫多上新台幣230,518,886元。本研究認為現階段海洋性貧血篩檢計畫總支出費用之所以會居高不下的最主要原因是進入篩檢流程的男生太多；其中大部分是罹患缺鐵性貧血孕婦的先生。如果能排除或減少這些人進入篩檢流程就能減少新台幣186,282,156元的支出。論：本研究證實台灣的全國性孕婦海洋性貧血篩檢計畫有效的減少重度乙型海洋性貧血病人的出生率。但是仍有少數病童因篩檢失靈而出生；其中最主要的原因是未能偵測出父母親可能是海洋性貧血的帶原者，以致沒有進入或無法完成整個篩檢流程所致。由此可見，加強一般民眾及醫師本身對海洋性貧血的疾病知識將有助於減少病人的出生。另外，本研究發現，在像台灣一樣，甲、乙型海洋性貧血及孕婦缺鐵性貧血盛行率都偏高的地區實施全面性的孕婦海洋性貧血篩檢計畫不容易帶來經濟效益。一方面是減少重度甲型海洋性貧血胎兒對孕婦造成合併症的效益目前無法用金錢來評估；另一方面是為了維持篩檢的及時性及準確性，進入篩檢流程的男生實在太多；其中大部分是罹患缺鐵性貧血孕婦的先生。因此，先診斷出缺鐵性貧血，並將這些孕婦的先生排除於篩檢之外可以有效減少篩檢的費用。這個結果對與我國情況類似的地區，未來實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫將有所啟發。Background. A National Thalassemia Screening Program was adopted in Taiwan in 1993. However, the program’s results and impact were not known. The purpose of this study was to examine the results and determine if the program in Taiwan was cost-saving from a healthcare services perspective.ethods. Patients with β-thalassemia major born between 1994 and 2003 were recruited through the help of all thalassemia clinics in Taiwan. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect the reasons for affected births. The costs of healthcare services with and without the National Thalassemia Screening Program were compared. If total costs with the screening program were smaller than those without the screening program, the screening program was considered to be cost-saving. We adopted different assumptions regarding the key factors in the screening program to examine the marginal effects of these variables.esults. There were 97 affected births from 1994 to 2003.These births resulted after informed choice (n=4), screening problems (n=83), and undetermined causes (n=10). Approximately 83% (5/6) of affected births in 2003 came from interracial marriages. Underestimation of the cases with β-thalassemia major was revealed when the data obtained from Bureau of Health Promotion were compared with those we collected. Only data after 1999 are reliable and are used for cost analysis. The Hardy-Weinberg equation was used to calculate the carrier frequency. The total costs of healthcare services with and without the screening program under a 4% annual discount rate were US 9,442,337, respectively for 50 years of follow-up. The screening program seemed not cost-saving.onclusions. This report has identified several areas that might improve the thalassemia screening program, such as public education for both the public and general physicians, providing care of new female immigrants. The most important factor affecting the costsavings of the screening program was prevalence of and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in pregnant women. In an area with high prevalence of α-, β-thalassemia, and IDA in pregnant women, excluding the male partners of pregnant women with IDA into screening would be helpful.中文摘要 ………………………………………………………………ii文摘要 …………………………………………………………...iv一章 研究緣起 …………………………………………………1一節 前 言 ………………………………………………………1二節 研究目的……………………………………………………4二章 文獻探討 …………………………………………………5一節 海洋性貧血的重要性及盛行率……………………………5二節 台灣乙型重度海洋性貧血患者的治療與存活……………5三節 乙型重度海洋性貧血患者的醫療支出……………………7四節 台灣的海洋性貧血篩檢計畫………………………………7五節 世界各國海洋性貧血篩檢的經濟評估……………………8三章 研究方法與資料來源 …………………………………10一節 研究架構 …………………………………………………11二節 篩檢結果的取得及病人資料的收集 ……………………12三節 篩檢成本的估算 …………………………………………12四節 病患終身醫療支出的推估 ………………………………13五節 篩檢計畫經濟效益的評估 ………………………………13六節 實施篩檢計畫與沒有實施篩檢計畫費用支出的評估 …15四章 結果...…………………………………………………16一節 篩檢計畫的成果 …………………………………………16二節 重度乙型海洋性貧血的偵測率 …………………………17三節 用於執行海洋性貧血篩檢流程的支出 …………………17四節 一位重度乙型海洋性貧血病患終身的醫療費用 ………18五節 實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫所需的醫療支出 ……………18六節 若未實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫時所需負擔的醫療支出..19七節 有無實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫醫療支出的差異比較 …19八節 如何降低海洋性貧血篩檢計畫費用的支出 ……………19五章 討論 …………………………………………………… 21六章 結論 …………………………………………………… 25考文獻 ……………………………………………………………26錄(在學期間發表之SCI論文)文一、 Impact of a National β-Thalassemia Carrier Screening Program on the Birth Rate of Thalassemia Major 文二、 Survival, Mortality, and Complications in Patients With β-Thalassemia Major in Northern Taiwan文三、β-Thalassemia Major Births After National Screening Program in Taiwan文四、 Delayed Treatment of Diagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Taiwan目錄一、Cost factors assessed for patients receiving regular blood transfusions………………………………………………………30二、Cost factors associated with patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation during transplantation admission including pretransplantation evaluation) ……………………..…31三、Prevention costs (1981 Constant Canadian dollars) 32四、Treatment Costs (1981 Constant Canadian dollars) …33五、1999-2003年間外籍媽媽所生下的新生兒人數料) .......34六、1999-2003年間乙型海洋性貧血的偵測率及帶原率 ………35七、用於執行海洋性貧血篩檢流程的支出………………………36八、實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫所需的總醫療支出 …………...37九、未實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫時所需負擔的醫療支出 …...38十、有無實施海洋性貧血篩檢計畫醫療支出差異的比較 …...39十一、實施新的海洋性貧血篩檢策略所需的醫療支出(最壞的情下所進行的估算) …………………………………….…...40十二、實施新的海洋性貧血篩檢策略與實施目前篩檢模式所需療支出的差異(最壞的情況下所進行的估算) …………...41十三、實施新的海洋性貧血篩檢策略與未實施海洋性貧血篩檢畫時所需醫療支出的差異 (最壞的情況下所進行的估算) ….42目錄一、台灣的孕婦海洋性貧血篩檢流程……………………………43二、香港贊育醫院的篩檢流程……………………………………44三、1994到2003年間每年所生下的重度乙型海洋性貧血病患人 …………………………………………………………………46四、 Actual data of different treatments and outcomes of 44 patients with β-thalassemia major born after 1990 in the National Taiwan University Hospital and Tao-Yuan General Hospital ….47五、An alternative thalassemia screening strategy……………………48六、歐美建議的篩檢流程 ……………………………………4
Delayed Treatment of Diagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Taiwan
Get PDFAbstract Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is an ongoing public health problem in Taiwan. The National Tuberculosis Registry Campaign, a case management system, was implemented in 1997. This study examined this monitoring system to identify and characterize delayed treatment of TB patients. Methods Records of all tuberculosis cases treated in Taiwan from 2002 through 2005 were obtained from the National Tuberculosis Registry Campaign. Initiation of treatment more than 7 days after diagnosis was considered a long treatment delay. Results The study included 31,937 patients. The mean day of delayed treatment was 3.6 days. Most patients were treated immediately after diagnosis. The relationship between number of TB patients and days of delayed treatment after diagnosis exhibited a Power-law distribution. The long tail of the power-law distribution indicated that an extreme number occur cannot be neglected. Tuberculosis patients treated after an unusually long delay require close observation and follow up. Conclusion This study found that TB control is generally acceptabl in Taiwan; however, delayed treatment increases the risk of transmission. Improving the protocol for managing confirmed TB cases can minimize disease transmission.</p
Improving robustness in Q-Matrix validation using an iterative and dynamic procedure
Get PDFIn the context of cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs), a Q-matrix reflects the correspondence between attributes and items. The Q-matrix construction process is typically subjective in nature, which may lead to misspecifications. All this can negatively affect the attribute classification accuracy. In response, several methods of empirical Q-matrix validation have been developed. The general discrimination index (GDI) method has some relevant advantages such as the possibility of being applied to several CDMs. However, the estimation of the GDI relies on the estimation of the latent group sizes and success probabilities, which is made with the original (possibly misspecified) Q-matrix. This can be a problem, especially in those situations in which there is a great uncertainty about the Q-matrix specification. To address this, the present study investigates the iterative application of the GDI method, where only one item is modified at each step of the iterative procedure, and the required cutoff is updated considering the new parameter estimates. A simulation study was conducted to test the performance of the new procedure. Results showed that the performance of the GDI method improved when the application was iterative at the item level and an appropriate cutoff point was used. This was most notable when the original Q-matrix misspecification rate was high, where the proposed procedure performed better 96.5% of the times. The results are illustrated using Tatsuoka’s fraction-subtraction data set.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was partially supported by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain (Grant No. PSI2017-85022-P) and Cátedra de Modelos y Aplicaciones Psicométricas (Instituto de Ingeniería del Conocimiento and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
An examination of the Lithuanian fashion designer's use of marketing in their success
No full textThe aim of this research is to provide young fashion designers in Lithuania with information on how to become recognised and successful. There is an increased interest and demand for fashion within Lithuania but limited literature regarding this developing industry, therefore comparators are drawn from available literature about the more established British fashion industry. A principal objective to this enquiry was to investigate how the Lithuanian fashion houses used marketing tools to achieve popularity and fame. Qualitative, in-depth and semi-structured interviews with three Lithuanian designers at their studios in Lithuania were conducted about how they became established and the roles of marketing, branding and PR, creativity and talent, consumer’s trust and reliance and finances. Results indicate the following helped the designer entering the industry: identifying a niche market, combining talent and creativity with business knowledge, a good preparation for the industry, finance management, appropriate funding, business partner and networking, the importance of branding, and the implications with the consumers’ addiction to famous brands. This research contributes to the existing literature on the Lithuanian fashion industry and the general scholarly debate on the importance of marketing and branding in the fashion industry. The study identifies prospects for and opportunities to improve the Lithuanian fashion industry and concludes with recommendations for the designer’s preparation for the industry, and identifies issues for further research such as: individual clients versus collections, the right time to start, consumerism, or fashion in the future
Estudio del microbioma de Alphitobius diaperinus recolectado en una granja avícola mediante una aproximación metagenómica.
No full textSon varios los factores que afectan la salud de las aves en la producción avícola, sin embargo, se ha dedicado poca atención a los artrópodos que pueden actuar como posibles vectores de enfermedad, siendo el actor principal Alphitobius diaperinus. En respuesta a esta problemática, de lo que representa este artrópodo en avicultura, se plantearon dos enfoques: el primero basado en metagenómica por secuenciación no dirigida o shotgun, en el que se secuenció todo el material genómico y se realizó el correspondiente análisis bioinformático, que permitió conocer la diversidad y la abundancia de las comunidades microbianas; y el segundo, la determinación de las especies con potencial biotecnológico y de los posibles genes de resistencia antimicrobianos en las especies con riesgo de patogenicidad identificadas en el estudio.
Este trabajo amplía el conocimiento sobre la comunidad microbiana de A. diaperinus en relación a su potencial en bioprospección, plantear una alerta a la comunidad médica, y los avicultores de los riesgos por la posible transferencia de genes de resistencia a los antibióticos. Además se proponen recomendaciones a los avicultores en relación al biomanejo de este artrópodo.There are several factors that affect the health of birds in poultry production, however, little attention has been devoted to arthropods that can act as possible vectors of disease, the main actor being Alphitobius diaperinus. In response to this problem, of what this arthropod represents in poultry farming, two approaches were proposed: the first based on metagenomics by non- directed sequencing or shotgun, in which all the genomic material was sequenced and bioinformatic analysis was carried out, which allowed knowing the diversity and abundance of microbial communities; and the second, the determination of the species with biotechnological potential and the possible antimicrobial resistance genes in the species with risk of pathogenicity identified in the study.
This work expands the knowledge about the microbial community of A. diaperinus in relation to its potential in bioprospecting, raising an alert to the medical community, and poultry farmers of the risks due to the possible transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. In addition, recommendations are proposed to poultry farmers in relation to the biomanagement of this arthropod.Contenido
1. Introducción 13
2. Objetivos 15
2.1 Objetivo general 15
2.2 Objetivos específicos 15
3. MARCO CONCEPTUAL Y GENERALIDADES 16
3.1 Alphitobius diaperinus 16
3.2 Diversidad del microbioma de los escarabajos 17
3.3 Alphitobius diaperinus como vector de enfermedades avícolas18
3.4 Vectores como portadores de bacterias y de genes de resistencia20
3.4.1 Genes de resistencia en pollos de engorde y su difusión en granjas avícolas21
3.4.2 Implicaciones de la resistencia antimicrobiana (AMR) en salud pública23
3.5 Metagenómica 26
3.6 ARG y metagenómica 31
3.7 Aplicación de metagenómica al estudio de artrópodos 31
4. DESARROLLO EXPERIMENTAL 33
4.1 MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS 33
4.1.1 Recolección y procesamiento de muestras de adultos del artrópodo Alphitobius diaperinus 34
4.1.2 Procesamiento de muestras de adultos del artrópodo Alphitobius diaperinus34
4.2 Extracción de ADN de las muestras de Alphitobius diaperinus 35
4.2.1 Maceración de las muestras en mortero con nitrógeno líquido 36
4.2.2 Verificación de calidad de ADN par secuenciación 37
4.3 Secuenciación de ADN 38
4.4 Análisis bioinformático 38
5. RESULTADOS Y DISCUSIÓN 39
5.1 EXTRACCIÓN Y CUANTIFICACIÓN DE ADN DE Alphitobius diaperinus
5.2 Ensayo de PCR convencional 39
5.3 Resultados de la secuenciación y análisis 41
5.3.1 Análisis bioinformático42
5.4 Bacterias identificadas en el microbioma de adultos de Alphitobius diaperinus 44
5.4.1 Actinobacteria 51
5.4.2 Firmicutes 54
5.4.3 Proteobacterias 56
5.4.4 Bacteroidetes 59
5.4.5 Bacterias patógenas identificadas en adultos de A. diaperinus 60
5.5 Hongos identificados en adultos de A. diaperinus …72
5.5.1 Ascomycota73
5.5.2 Mucoromycota 76
5.6 Virus …78
5.7 Relación con otros estudios …79
6. Recomendaciones para futuros estudios 85
7. Conclusiones 87
8. Referencias Bibliográficas 89
Anexos 120MaestríaMagíster en MicrobiologíaAgroambienta
Configurations of mothering in post-war British women's playwriting
Get PDFWhile examining a selection of plays centred on the phenomenon of mothering, my
thesis also investigates the interaction between theatre and feminism in post-war
Britain, aiming to highlight mutual correspondences between women's theatre
making and feminist agendas. I focus mainly on the period of second-wave
feminism, but I also discuss the decade preceding the appearance of the Women's
Liberation Movement, as well as its aftermath up to the mid-nineties. Scrutinising
proto-feminist, feminist and post-feminist stances, I argue that several fifties women
dramatists anticipated key concerns of the late sixties and seventies; and equally, that
many playwrights active after the heyday of second-wave feminism revisited the
climate of the seventies in an attempt to evaluate the transformations that have since
occurred in women's lives. In this manner, I not only contextualise some of the
major achievements and shortcomings of successive feminist interventions, but also
elaborate on key changes that have taken place in the negotiation of dramatic form
and content.
Rather than privileging one dominant theoretical position and adopting its
perspective for the purposes of my analysis, I connect the work of playwrights
informed by different artistic positions and political convictions, in order to pinpoint
the principle of co-existence and multiplicity. This aesthetic and ideological diversity
in women's writing for the stage, characteristic of the past five decades, has been
confirmed not only by the primary and secondary sources that I drew upon but also
by the playwrights themselves, whom I interviewed. For most present-day female
dramatists, as this thesis argues, contemporary British women's theatre is a space of
experimentation and of confluence - in which the broad range of individual voices
can situate themselves next to one another, without the urge to replicate an ultimate
direction imposed by hegemonic political constraints or artistic platforms
6
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sahl Jimmy Ilohhs. wljittij; his dirty
face with tt still dirtier aud very ragg-eil
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long vacations at hikes ami in thc
mouutalmt lu the summer. lit- had
never had good-i-hnbes In hi* life. He
never reim-ml-ei-cil htrvlng all In; want;
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newsboy* yearly. All lie knevt of thc
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the mouutalmt except from picture paper*. It did not m-'-iii right.
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raffed little shirt, and somehow that
mother face seemed to come to blm
more clearly wben anything tempted
blm that was not Jmit "square.**
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And Stub started up with thc rest of
tbe hoys as tbe gong sounded dowu the
alley. Tne next moment be was In
line, struggling aud yelling wlib tbc
rest, wlille the men shoved bundles of
papers out to them and tbey paid for
their little bran* ebecks at the window.
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cry tbat the men bnd glvuu out: "Entry J All about de big railway ax'dent.
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Along tbe running hoard of an dec-
trie ear he darted lo the smokers' teats.
They were always tbe most hopeful.
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at the same time aud inoiloued smb.
He stood un the running buurd us Stub
- gnre him the paper and took tbe eoln.
Tben tbe boy dropped to the ground.
MH M&mtai&lM a!!«a j-i sfe
feet—something bright nnil glittering.
Stub stooped nud picked lt up, aud It
-ir-jveii to be a plnln gold locket, with
one spot of vivid light in tbe center.
And Stub gasped as ho realized Hint
he held In bis baud wbat wus, to him,.
a small fortune. For the spot of vivid,
dazzling llgl\ wns a diamond of eon*
sidernble size.
Stub, tlgbily grasping bis vnltinblc
find lu bis band, darted through the
throng of wngou* and s-aniages to the
aldewnlk. There be stood sttiring after
the ear. "It was der ul' geuts," bo
muttered to himself. **l seen ir swing
from der ehaln uv bis ticker. It uius*
uv caught In der sent ns he got lu der
car. ,nr nn' in- looks a rich un. lie
kin buy anodder—lots more. An*—an*
—me—I ala't bail a square meal dls
summer."
The papers were-under his-arm-.-forgotten. The locket was clenched lu his
fist. And dowu the crowded street be
could see tbe car that bore the elderly
gentleman, slowly making Its wny. He
watched It dully. Tben lie muttered to
i-.in-.seir again,
"It—It goes round der loop. It-goes
round derToop.**
Far dowu tbe street be saw It at Inst
torn a corner and disappear. Then be
turned and looked np the street at Ids
left.' In a few minutes tbe car would
pass that corner a block above.
•He kin—tray more—" he muttered
tbe words again, still watchiug that
corner. -Then suddenly the crowded
street blurred for a moment and be
saw tbat sweet tuotber-tace tbat aome-
rlines seemed so dim when be tried
hardest to Fcmeniber It It waa so clear
now--to clear! ,
Stab swallowed a lamp In bis tbroat,
tben with one spring be cleared tbe
gutter, dodged an express Tan. bumped
agalaat a stately policeman, swung
around a clanging automobile and toot
ed It as fast as be could up thu crowded sidewalk. In and out tbe crowd
of business luen and shopping women
be dat-ted lllte an eel. then swung to
tlie curb ns be Seared the corner. Beyond blm wns tbe ear. already crossing tbe street. Setting bis teeth. Stub
ngnln cleared the gutter witb n Iwund
nnd ttew up the track.
The motor uud trailer were bounding ahead, but au Italian, with bis fruit
curt got lit the way. It was a moment's
pause, and Stub did bis best. Punting
uud gasping, lie ranched the trailer,
eaugbt tht- rail aud sprang to the
step. TlH-t be saw tbe elderly gentleman,'quietly reading tbo paper Stub
bud stiltl hliii.-
Siopplug nl Ids elbow. Stub melted
out tl grimy little list between the gold
trye glasses nud thc pniwr, nud opened
bis lingers.'
"I'lease, sir. yer dro|>ped It. An*—
nn' I Jest ketcbed der cnr."
Tbe elderly gentleman stared nt tbc
11 - ■ -k - ■ 1, 1 > .*■ k 1 ■«■ 1 i t up f rom -t In* gr I my
baud, and then Stub qnielly drop|»cd
to tbe ground as tbe conductor pushed
libit to oue side. Makiug bis way to
the sidewalk. Htub<*tood still for a moment.
"1 dldu't git even er dime," he sajd,
hlnukly, to u wooden Indian tbat stood
lu front of n clgor store. "Not even
er dime.**
He (drifted his papers to the other
arm. pushed bis rugged cap back from
his wet forebend, wiped bis faco ou bis
arm, tbeu opened uu mouth.
"Kxtry! All 'bout der big rail—m
A hand canio down on Stub's shoulder, and be looked up straight Into tbe
gold-rlmmed glnsses of tbe elderly gentleman.
"I want to talk to you a minute,
yOtuig man," said Stub's customer. "I
supjiose you cat Ice crenm aud—sucb
things? Come In here. It Is rather
noisy ou tbc sldewnlk for conversation.'*
A little frightened and a Uttle delighted. Stub walked along toward a
confectioner's near hy. tbe firm band
still on his shoulder. Soon ho was
sitting at u small round table witb a
big glass of Ice cream soda Id front of
htm.
Stub set- to wltb a will, nnd the
twinkling eyes of the old gentleman
studied hts face sharply through the
gobl-riiumed glasses till the cream had
dlsnppcarcd.
"And now," be said quietly,* "tell me
all about finding that locket."
And Stub told blm. Tbc old gentle-
iiiiiii listened nttentively,
"Why dldu't you- keep tbe loekctr*
he asked.
"Why—It-It wouldn't ha" been actln*
square," stammered Stub. ■
"Oh! And wbo taught you wbat
was "acting square?' " queried the old
gentleman.
"Me mudder," replied Stub, lu a low
voice. '"
"Ami where does she lire?"
"She—slie*s dead," sold Stub.
" "Ah! And what Is your name?"
asked tbe old gcutlemau.
"Stub—er-~l mean, mc right name Is
Dlshro-Stnnlcy 1'Isbro," said Stub,
venching down for his ragged little
cap. Uut when he sat up ngaln the cap
ilrupperi from his lingers. He looked
at tbe old gentleman—who bad gms|H*d
|he edge_of tlmjabk*„wlib hgtli bauds
and "was staring nt blm—with fcrror.
Fur the old gentleman's face wns white
aud hts in ■■nth wns working strangely.
The next moment he bnd taken the
locket from bis |HK-1:et nud bad opened
It wltb shnklug ll£gers4nnd thrust It
across tlie table*toward Stob.
Aud Stub?~Slub looked down with
oudurlug eyes nud saw. framed lu tho
delicate gold, tbe fair, sweet motber-
r-'i-s-* tlmt be had cherished so loug In
Iris Itoy memory. And on the other
side of the table the old gentleman was
sitting with his bend Lowed Iu his
bauds. Aud Stub, awed and still,
knew Unit he was crying.
Ami afterward Stub learned nil nliont
It—bow the old gentleman's daughter
iintl married ngnln*-t his wishes and lie
bad disowned ber. And then Stub told
bis ji:i.-i --of Iris father's death, nud hia
youug mother's struggle Svith poverty
till site followed her husband to tbe
slindow laud. And of her teachings
tu "net square," tluit he could uut forget, even though he went-hungry.
And two weeks after Stub was living
In a snug cottage ou the lnke shore.
fur from tbe city heat nud uolse. Aud
there were bathing nud liouilug and
games In tbe sand, aud ihree square
meals a day, with lunches between,
and a donkey and cart, nil his own.
and a nappy old gentleman whom he
called affectionately "gran'dad." And
last, bnt not least, there was a houseful %S w-U-y ujiiI delighted guests, who
once bad been kuown In newspaper alley as "der gang."—Chicago Itecord-
Berald. r—
PEHN'S PRETTY MASCOT
AN EXPERT ON ROWING.
For three years Mfts <3e0rd& Layton
has* been tbe mascot of the crews tbat
t-eim sent to Tottghkeepsle to contest
for. aquatic supremacy. She Is tho
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H.
Layton, of New York, and Is probably
the in--*!, informed young woman In the
country ou the subject of intercollegiate rowing. From the time the crews
take up i-ii-u'ti-r-*- uutll the Una! race
Miss j.Tiyi.ui Is ns-ririuous In her devotion to (he Ited and Hlue oarsmen. She
leads ihe rooting while thc races are
on. nnd never rails to lie on band to
greet the crews as they come from thc
wuter, either to rejoice with them over
victory or console tbem for defeat.
IS HER OWN JOKE-MAKER-
'Irish' Little Actress Is Kqaal to tbs
Hmteraancp.
A bright little actress recently In Detroit was nsked how she got the Jokes
that she nnd her husband use to brighten their team work, for It was noted
tbat they were always Invariably crisp
and fresh Instead of thc rehash so often
visited upon the public, says tho Detroit
Free Press.
"Don't say anything about It," and
•ho positively blushed, "but here's
where they come from. 1 nevec knew
that I had nny talent In that direction,
and none of my friends suspected It.
Tom and I were bad actors when we
started out together, -Very had. Our
Jokes had gone through tbe almanacs
anl we knew what ll was to do our
turn before an audience that never
'grinned' nnd sometimes expressed its
finding with a hiss or worse. '
"We bad a week ln Cleveland that
made us very melancholy and then we
opened In 1'ltisburg, We were so desperate that we Ignored our lines occasionally aud when nothing seemed to
be doing so far as our tickling our audl-
cuees was concerned, Tom nsked me
what we wero going to have for breakfast next morning.
'"Eggs."! retorted.
" 'What!' he shouted, 'eggs nt 30 Cents
a dozen?' '
"There's where I first tried to be
funny on ihy own responsibility. It
was a poor little Joke, but It was n beginning, 'Why, (11 Cleveland Saturday*
night.' I laughed, 'they,let you hnve two
or tbree doxen eggs for nothing. Pittsburg ought to do ns well.*
"Tom roared, Ihe nudlencc warmed
to it little snleker, and then n big river
mau in the gnllery who had not quite
cnught on, roared: 'Aud you kin bet
she will do as well.*
"That brought tbem and that was
what I bad been needing nil the time. I
cut loose from my lines entirely. Eren
Tom got cute, for him,' and ever slnbo
that I've been onr Joke maker. Sometimes they are studied and sometimes
they nre Impromptu, but We've been
prosperous nnd happy ever since the
had egg break." /
PERFUMED CIGARS.
Tht- Oaes Oesiseal Hosmrssi Oaaa
OltHd «• a Ps-lena.
Oue of the stories told by old employees In tbe treasury department at
Washington is of tbe time when Uen-
eral Itosecrans wns register. The general never smoked and knew nothing
about cigars. He determined, however,
to have n box of good cigars bandy for
the lieiicOt of friends who might drop
Into the register's office. The general
aceonllngly purchased a box of expensive cigars, put them In n drawer and
forgot nit about them for some time.
Then, one,day, when n friend was calling, the general mncmbcrcd tbe cigars
and brought tbem out.
"1 know nothing about elgnrs." said
Itosecrans^ "but I nm tcM that these
sre very Hue."
His friend lighted a cigar, aud a look
of imlu nud horror Instantly overspread
his fuei'. He tried to OOUCQQl his feeling-, nud puffed manfully ul the elgur
for several second**. Tbeu Itosecrans.
noticing that he wn* growing (talc, asked what WB8 the trouble.
"ticucral." snld the visitor. "I dou't
want to lie ungrateful, but I'm afraid
It's this rigor,"
"Impossible'" exclaimed Itusecrutis.
•r.Why. wbeaXJJougbt tbeui I wastoUI
that they were the llnest cigars on the
market."
"Well, general, yon were deceived.
Tin- cigar tastes nnd smells exactly us
If It wei-e made of camphor."
"''.nuplior*" stammered Hosecmns.
looking elinpfnllen. ^"Wl:y. I never
thought, but perhaps camphor does injure a elgnr." Ami. reaching Into the
drawer, he brought lo view several garments tilled wltb enmphor halls. "Ho
you suppose that can be thc trouble)"
he luqulred.
SOME WISE DON'TS.
Don't confound hauteur with dignity
or n-piw wltb stupidity.
Don't "howl." "roar" or "explode.",
To hi ugh henrtlly Is better.
Don't l-osc. Affectation Is a bar to
respect, let alone confidence.
lk>n*t groan over the wickedness of
the world, but mend your own.
Don't boast. The Illiterate nnd the
self conscious are thus marie manifest.
Don't use superlative*. Few things
require them, and they weaken description.
Don't preach unless you have practiced. Deeds ore tremendously convincing.
Don't think a foreigner can j-ompre-
hend you any better If you shout into
his ear. \
Don't forget that politeness "'Is the
foster sister of diplomacy ond an essential tact.
Don't appraise n book at another's
valuation. Critics nre not censors absolute.—St. Louis I-ost-Dlsimtch.
Otr.FfN VICTOHIA'M UA1H.
Its i'1-ofui.u.p, «t itrr Afcr, *-„,i Always
II-tm H W.11 li*rl-.
Over I* years old, (jur-cn Vktorls -rat
Itad luxuriant hair, which bad for years
been a tub,--, eh The court physician, following Prof. 0ritil*i discovery, treated her
Msjesty's scalp witb a germ destroying
picpwstion, "hi. h he always kepi i*ecr*l.
It is now known, however, that the remedy tor dandruff) the aatm ilstttwlna aii*
ment, Is embodied in Nvwhra's Hcrj-icfrie,
tbc only hair |>re|aruiion on ihe iittirkct
thai dues destroy the dandruff --nn.
Without dandruff, hair will gTOW prof■) tseW,
and hillhig hair w|U tic ftopiH-ri. - pi--*.roy
the cause, you remove the <■ !iV,-i. '
..'in.,'' >.•..---1 **.::.- rills -.-arc .*.<■. :. . 1
sclics, i-i.nnij.Mi1i.il, l.llinunii--" snd dyspepsia.
Tbey also parity the btiKMl. tola In Its slid -Mc
bulVO l.v -'! i"riii■-1-1*.
YUV KMOW WHAT TUO AhS. TAKIStQ
Whoa jou tsJcs Oroee's •ruleless Chill Tonic
bccsiuu tbo formaU Is plainly p-lnn-d ouoTsr*r
baiU* shown**- thst It ts simp.)* Iron »r4 Qoi.
s to0 In a uswl-M tana. Ha i:utr. 1.0 V - j. Xc.
I .nm sure 1'hm's Cure for Cunsnmtitloa.
saved my Uf* UifM.ytars ago,—mrk Taos.
Hossi>», ilaplo Street, Norwich, K. V,,
Feb. IT. 1W.
\ Itnllriiji-* Mnii'ii *'tf>r* .
"One of the worst starts I ever had."
safit an engineer'the other day, "was
due to n large. i:*-y pig thai had got
on my mind. Nothing will slide u train
I more easily andjlestruetlvely from thi-
j nill-< 1h.1i' live pork. This particular
] s-H-elu-en bad a tuiblt of tmrruwlng
: alongside tbe track, nnd It was n fair
' pre-iuinptlon Hint sooi-cr or Inter ho
I would th». something to iuten'st him
1 between tlie rails aud *Kiineliody would
; go down the hank.
I "1 was coming down u hllf one day
I nt high -qtccri und cniulug my iipclt for
n comforting sight Of piggy In his accustomed plan* when, at; I iNipped
around the curve, a bright red ling r.a-
snnltcri my nnxiuns gnxe. The connection iK'tween that ting and the pig waa
only a bit of mental nlKTratioti on my
part."but It wns very vivid. I shut off
nud grabbed the whistle cord, but before- 1 could eveu screech for brakes I
saw tbat tbe (Ing was only a red flannel shirt which the good woman- of the
Bhanty to which thc pig belonged had
hung on an Improvised clothesline between the telegraph poles.
"That may not sound like much of a
scare, hut It represents n type that
turns tbc railroad mnn's hair to a delicate ash color."
M-sklsiC ll Clear.
The London Si>ectntor tells a fti;my
story of a definition given by a well
known public sjieaker In au nudress to
child rem
"Now, children,*' he said, "l propose
to give yon fin the present occasion ou
epitome of the life of St..l-auL Perhaps some of yon are too young to understand what flic word 'epitome'
means. 'Kpltomc* children, la Iu Its
Blgulflcntlon synonymous with syuo|>-
sls."
Ilnvlug made this sinlplo nnd clear
explanation to the children, thc speaker went on with hts sjory.
Artltelal flto-s*.
■Quarrymen and stone dressers will
probably be gradually crowded out of
tbelr'occupation by the nse of artificial
stone. In the manufacture of this stone
the sand Is heated nnd tbc cement add*
ed to the amount of 12 per-ceat of tbe
mixture. Tbe steel molds are filled
with tbe dry material and moved Into
an Immense cylinder, which Is closed
and 1 Kilted. Ilolllng water Is then
tnmed In under pressure sufficient to
force It all through the sand In the
molds. The cement slacks, but the
steel molds do not penult any expansion lo occur, and tbe stone is fo"mied
nnd dried under nn Immense pressure.
Tho result Is n vcry.hnrd stone, which
can be supplied in shapes desired and
much cheaper than the natural stone.
The IllDttii-i(-('ii Nutation.
"And If nn Irresistible force mods
an immovable body?" suggested bis
friend. *
"Tbe situation. Indeed, would be critical." admitted thc eminent diplomat;
''hut, with mutunl restrain*, nud reasonable concessions. I see uo reason jo
despair of an amicable settlement."—
Puck. ___^__
Vftss-iasfc.
"80 yon proposed to Miss Chillers?*
"Yes," answered Willie Washington.
"Vou must have known she wonld
reject you," *
"Of coarse. But It Is nu old saying
that women enn't keep n secret, nnd 1
I was afraid she wonld get to comparing
notes. I had proposed to nil tlie other
girls, and I didn't want her to feel
slighted.**—Washington Star.
The only two great'Eoropean capitals.
that never have been occupied by a
foreign foe are London and St. Pctent-
*wrc,
The (.1 n> of a Ratios*.
The life of a sailor la becoming every
year safer wltb the Improvements In
the -construction of Teasels. Twelve
years ago one sailor In every 100 that
went to sea, tost bla life; now om in.
SSO'Ukst
The First American Ilnel.
Ill the yi'ur 1(130 occurred the tlrst
duel known to have tnken place on
Auiericau soIL Tbe principals. Kdw.-inl
Doty and Edward I-elster, were aer-1
vniitH of n Mr. Hopkins, one of the New
Knglnnd colottlsta. Thc men hnd nn:ir-,
rcteri over some trifling matter and resorted to the Held for Its settlement.!
The nffulr wns stopped' by the author!- j
ties, hut hot before one had been j
wounded In ibe thigh and the other In'.
tbe hand. There was no law covering >
such inntters, bnt the Governor of the
province decided that thc men should 1
be puul*bcd ni-vert hiess. At his orders
they were sent to bsve their heads and
feet tied together, and lie In tlmt condition twenty-four .hours, without food or
drink. They suffered so much, bow-
ever, that tbey were released at tbo end
of an nonr.—Pittsburg Dispatch. !
Mercury
AMD
Potash
Tbo Gmlf fiu-saas.
Recent investigation* have shown
that tbo principal source of the Gulf
Stream la not the Florida channel but
tbo region between and beside the Islands of thc West Indies. At Blnloul
tbe volume of this warm water Is 66
times as great as tbo combined TOtumo
of aU the rivers In tbo world at tbelr
mouths. m
rrooably every child cherishes it
against bis parents that tbey ones
gave him a calf, and kept tlie money
when they sold It.
verybody
1 that Mer-
c-jry is O d.-nger-
OtU medicine _
even When edminUteml In very small doses, and
few constitutions can stand itfor nny length of time.
Potash produces inflammation of the stomach
and bowels, and a dangerous form of dyspepsia and
often chronic tlinrrlicci follow its use.
Now, the doctors will tell you If you have .— ,.
Contagions Blood Toison you must take these minerals for two years or longer;
first, a course of Mercury, and when your teeth get so sensitive and sore tbat yon
cant eat. and the gums have a spongy,' unnatunil appearance, yoa are told to stop
anda change to Potash is made. When the stomach rebels you ore put on Jlcrcury
again, and so on arf itifinitunt, or until the system becomes so thoroughly saturated
with these poisonous drugs that tho most dtsgusting sores b-mk out on thc body,
the bones become diseased, and the muscles and joints are racked with the toast
torturing ruins. M<**rcury and Pohuh drive the eruptions and blotches from the
skin, bu( tlie vims remains in the blood nod the reappearance of the old s>-m**tOins
and the occasional sore mouth show that the poison is still active, and you can
never hope to completely eradicate it by this method of treatment
S. a a 5s the onre
antidote for this destructive virus, and on
infallible mnedy for
tbis peculiar poison. It
destaiTsand eradicates
every particle of tbe
poison, andntok-es the
blood as healthy and
pm-e as before the dis-
8, Mfc <s the only purely xegetable blood pnrifierhr-own.and weofitr ji.ooo
for proof that it contains any mineral ingredient whatever. Tbe general, health
improves as the Specific purges the system of ampuritics, and aa new, rich blood
begins to flow ia th«.vems the unsightly sores and other evidences of blood poistsm
disappear; strength nrturns and yon are forever rid of tbla V-athtrmio disease.
Our Home Treatment Book on Contagious Blood Poi*- n tells you all about th*
symptoms, different stages, ate., of this disease. We will snail you a copy free.
If you need advi(*por special directions, write onr physicisaa; it will cost yo»'
, -~r^ THEtwifTmSm&g,ATuum-wrt.
When X *wa* about twaatr-oa* year* o
