text:
The mpg123 reads one or more files (or standard input if ``-'' is
specified) or URLs and plays them on the audio device (default) or
outputs them to stdout. file/URL is assumed to be an MPEG-1/2 audio
bit stream.
WWW: http://www.mpg123.de/
To install the port: cd /usr/ports/audio/mpg123/ && make install cleanTo add the package: pkg install mpg123
cd /usr/ports/audio/mpg123/ && make install clean
pkg install mpg123
PKGNAME: mpg123
SHA256 (mpg123-1.25.6.tar.bz2) = 0f0458c9b87799bc2c9bf9455279cc4d305e245db43b51a39ef27afe025c5a8e
SIZE (mpg123-1.25.6.tar.bz2) = 919169
NOTE: FreshPorts displays only information on required and default dependencies. Optional dependencies are not covered.
This port is required by:
===> The following configuration options are available for mpg123-1.25.6:
SNDIO=off: Sndio audio support
===> Use 'make config' to modify these settings
tar:bzip2 gmake libtool localbase pathfix
Number of commits found: 122 (showing only 100 on this page)
1 | 2 »
audio/mpg123: update to 1.25.6
audio/mpg123: update to 1.25.4
audio/mpg123: update to 1.25.2
audio/mpg123: update to 1.25.0
audio/mpg123: update to 1.24.0
Submitted by: Anton Yuzhaninov
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.8
audio/mpg123: add SNDIO option and cleanups
- add a SNDIO option that enables building of the audio/sndio output
- replace CPPFLAGS/LDFLAGS with USES=localbase
- use INSTALL_TARGET=install-strip to strip libraries
- bump PORTREVISION due to packaging change
Submitted by: Tobias Kortkamp
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.6
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.5
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.4
Remove ${PORTSDIR}/ from dependencies, Mk and categories a, b, and c.
With hat: portmgr
Sponsored by: Absolight
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.3
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.2
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.1
audio/mpg123: update to 1.23.0
Update to 1.22.4.
Update to 1.22.3.
By default libtool replaces -export-symbols <file> with -retain-symbols-file
<file> on ELF systems, but this doesn't really do what -export-symbols is
meant to do. On GNU ELF systems it converts <file> to a simple version
script first and then uses -version-script instead of -retain-symbols-file.
Let USES=libtool patch libtool scripts to do this on all systems with GNU
Bump PORTREVISION on all ports where the build log contains -export-symbols.
audio/calf: This port builds a module that now exports only one function,
but it also builds a number of executables that link to this module and
expect to see other functions. Because it's already a bit dodgy to link to
a module (libtool warns about this) let the module continue to export only
one function and instead build an ordinary library from the same source that
the executables can link to. Fix a number of other issues in the same
Update to 1.22.2.
Remove spurious @dirrm that crept back in
- Remove libtool hacks and patches that are now handled by USES=libtool
- Remove CONFIG_SHELL from CONFIGURE_ENV because bsd.port.mk handles that
Update to 1.22.1.
- Drop .la files, no dependees require them
Approved by: portmgr blanket
Cleanup plist
Update to 1.21.0.
Replace USE_AUTOTOOLS=libltdl with an ordinary LIB_DEPENDS in all ports.
There are only 60 such ports so there doesn't need to be a separate
keyword or USES for this.
Approved by: portmgr (bapt)
- Update to 1.20.1
- Specify arm_nofpu CPU on ARM arch
- USE_(BZIP2|XZ) -> USES= tar:(bzip2|xz)
When linking a library libA with a library libB using libtool, if libB.la
exists, libtool will add all libraries libB.la refers to (dependency_libs
field) to the linker command line and store them in the dependency_libs
field of libA.la. So everything that subsequently links with libA will also
link to these extra libraries. This causes too much overlinking.
This commit modifies Mk/Uses/libtool.mk so it empties the dependency_libs
field in .la libraries during staging. However, because .la libraries have
very limited use when dependency_libs is empty it makes sense to completely
remove them during staging.
So with this commit USES=libtool is modified to remove .la libraries and a
new form (USES=libtool:keepla) is introduced in case they need to be kept
(dependency_libs is still emptied).
Update to 1.19.0.
Fix plist, don't know how I ended up add that wrong entry, but pointyhat on me
Reported by: "Herbert J. Skuhra" <email@example.com>
Convert to USES=libtool
Update to 1.18.1.
Update to 1.17.0.
Fix testings that should not have been in
Pointyhat to: bapt
In preparation for making libtool generate libraries with a sane name, fix all
LIB_DEPENDS in audio
With hat: portmgr
Update to 1.16.0.
Add NO_STAGE all over the place in preparation for the staging support (cat:
Update to 1.15.4.
Drop empty files & folders
Update to 1.15.2.
Fix build on i386.
Reported by: Tsurutani Naoki in ports/176743
Submitted by: olli
- Update to 1.15.1
- Drop GCC dependency as it now doesn't crash when compiled
with clang
- Force GCC to do the build for the time being, since Clang produces bad code
at least on amd64 (mpg123 simply dumps core upon run)
- Trim Makefile header, retouch COMMENT, and perform minor Makefile cleanups
Approved by: novel (maintainer)
Update to 1.14.4.
Fix typos in COMMENT
Update to 1.14.3.
Update to 1.14.2.
Update to 1.14.1.
Update to 1.13.7.
Feature safe: yes
Update to 1.13.6.
Feature safe: yes
- Add LDFLAGS to CONFIGURE_ENV and MAKE_ENV (as it was done with LDFLAGS)
- Fix all ports that add {CPP,LD}FLAGS to *_ENV to modify flags instead
Submitted by: myself
Exp-runs by: pav
Approved by: pav
Update to 1.13.4.
Disable vendor optimization flags in CFLAGS.
Submitted by: Pan Tsu <email@example.com>
- Update to 1.13.3
- Remove useless CONFIGURE_TARGET definition
Update to 1.13.2.
Forced commit to note that shlib version has changed by the previos commit.
- Update to 1.13.1 [1]
- Specify LICENSE [1]
- Use USE_GNOME's gnomehack and ltverhack
Submitted by: "Herbert J. Skuhra" <email@example.com>
Update to 1.12.5.
PR: 151158 (based on)
Submitted by: Anton Yuzhaninov <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Update to 1.12.3.
Update to 1.12.1.
Submitted by: Vitaly Magerya <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Update to 1.10.1.
Feature safe: yes
Update to 1.10.0.
Submitted by: Oliver Herold <email@example.com>, WATANABE Kazuhiro
Yuri Pankov <email@example.com>
Update to 1.9.1.
Submitted by: sylvio
- Switch SourceForge ports to the new File Release System: categories starting
with A
Update to 1.9.0.
Submitted by: Vitaly Magerya <email@example.com>
-Repocopy devel/libtool15 -> libtool22 and libltdl15 -> libltdl22.
-Update libtool and libltdl to 2.2.6a.
-Remove devel/libtool15 and devel/libltdl15.
-Fix ports build with libtool22/libltdl22.
-Bump ports that depend on libltdl22 due to shared library version change.
-Explain what to do update in the UPDATING.
It has been tested with GNOME2, XFCE4, KDE3, KDE4 and other many wm/desktop
and applications in the runtime.
With help: marcus and kwm
Pointyhat-exp: a few times by pav
Tested by: pgollucci, "Romain Tartière" <email@example.com>, and
a few MarcusCom CVS users. Also, I might have missed a few.
Repocopy by: marcus
Approved by: portmgr
- Update to 1.6.4
PR: ports/126537 (based on)
Submitted by: Vitaly Magerya <email@example.com>
Approved by: maintainer timeout (novel; 6 months)
- Remove unneeded dependency from gtk12/gtk20 [1]
- Remove USE_XLIB/USE_X_PREFIX/USE_XPM in favor of USE_XORG
- Remove X11BASE support in favor of LOCALBASE or PREFIX
- Use USE_LDCONFIG instead of INSTALLS_SHLIB
- Remove unneeded USE_GCC 3.4+
Thanks to all Helpers:
Dmitry Marakasov, Chess Griffin, beech@, dinoex, rafan, gahr,
ehaupt, nox, itetcu, flz, pav
Tested on: pointyhat
Approved by: portmgr (pav)
Remove support for OSVERSIONS < 5
Cleanup non-supported FreeBSD versions.
Submitted by: edwin
Fix a segfault on playing an empty file.
Reported by: Harald Muehlboeckk <email@example.com>
APproved by: krion@
Make sure to apply the distfile group to the whole ${MASTER_SITE_foo}.
Switch to PATCH_SITE_SUBDIR instead of substituting %SUBDIR%.
Approved by: Roman Bogorodskiy (MAINTAINER)
Fix wrong handling of mp3 files with id3 tag "genre" = 148
Approved by: krion (mentor)
Use @freebsd.org address for my ports.
Approved by: krion (mentor)
Fix buffer overflow vulnerability.
Obtained from: Debian
Approved by: maintainer, erwin (mentor)
Fixed overflow (see VuXML) and bumped PORTREVISION.
PR: ports/75231
Submitted by: maintainer
Approved by: nectar (mentor)
Add a patch for the most recent mpg123 buffer-overflow vulnerability
noted in VuXML.
PR: ports/73091
Submitted by: Roman Bogorodskiy <firstname.lastname@example.com> (maintainer)
Approved by: clement
[ maintainer ] audio/mpg123: fix build with DEFAULT_RECODE option and without
esound or nas
Fix compilation error when building with DEFAULT_RECODE and
without esound or nas support.
PR: ports/71772
Submitted by: Roman Bogorodskiy <email@example.com>
Fix recently found bug.
Submitted by: Roman Bogorodskiy <firstname.lastname@example.com> (maintainer)
Approved by: portmgr (linimon)
- use ${ARCH} instead of ${MACHINE_ARCH}
- pet portlint
- assign maintainership to submitter
PR: ports/68555
Submitted by: Roman Bogorodskiy
- Use USE_ICONV knob
Approved by: portmgr
- Fix security issues (and remove forbidden):
* Patch for CAN-2003-0577 was obtained via OpenBSD from
* Patch for CAN-2003-0865 was obtained via OpenBSD from
Submitted by: Marius Strobl <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Sync FORBIDDEN tags with the FreeBSD VuXML database, please refer to the
individual database entries for details. Report errors and omissions in the
database to the FreeBSD Security Officer <email@example.com>
bump PORTREVISON for x11/linux-XFree86-libs, since the vulnerabilites are
Use PLIST_FILES.
Reviewed by: marcus
Correct slip-up in the previous version of patch-ai.
Fix slow startup problem also in forced rate mode.
Submitted by: Eugene Grosbein <email@example.com>
Fix the slow startup problem once and for all (hopefully). When not
using NAS or ESOUND, assume all formats and rates are supported.
PR: ports/56597
Submitted by: Eugene Grosbein <email@example.com>
Port to amd64, and hopefully ia64 and sparc64 at the same time.
I no longer have time to maintain this port.
Remove the USE_GNOMENG macro.
Clear moonlight beckons.
Requiem mors pacem pkg-comment,
And be calm ports tree.
E Nomini Patri, E Fili, E Spiritu Sancti.
Take care not to dereference the return value from getenv(3) without first
checking that it's not NULL.
PR: ports/45252
Submitted by: Gleb Smirnoff <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Remove ftp.tu-clausthal.de from master_sites.
Add tags to the patch-files / patch-sites.
Noticed by: portsurvey
Fix a problem enabling esound support after the recent GNOMENG conversion.
Submitted by: firstname.lastname@example.com
Use USE_GNOMENG.
Submitted by: Edwin Groothuis <email@example.com>
Remove an unwanted hunk that snuck in with the previous commit.
Use a patch rather than sed magic for the <sys/soundcard.h> issue.
Servers and bandwidth provided byNew York Internet, SuperNews, and RootBSD
11 vulnerabilities affecting 79 ports have been reported in the past 14 days
* - modified, not new
All vulnerabilities


text:
Crooked nose 6 weeks after closed reduction. Is it swelling and will it improve? (Photo)
Doctor Answers 8
S/p closed reduction of nasal fracture
Crooked Nose after Rhinoplasty
closed reduction versus open reduction of the nasal bones
Learn more: http://www.seattlefacial.com/progallery/crooked_photos18.html
You might also like...
Nasal Fracture
Learn more: http://www.rhinoplastychicago.com
Crooked nose 6 weeks after closed reduction.
Learn more: http://www.peterejohnsonmd.com/rhinoplasty
#crooked #nose #Fracture #closed_reduction realities and limitations
I see your pictures. Closed nasal reduction is not a rhinoplasty. It is a very limited procedure with the goal of trying to reduce the deformity of a recently broken nose. Sometimes the nasal fracture fragments go back into place and you get a result very close to the original nose and many times the fragments are too shattered and damaged including the internal septum so the results of the closed nasal reduction may be very little to no significant improvements making a full septorhinoplasty in the future necessary and the next step. More importantly we need to look at your picture before you broke your nose. Many patients are surprised to find out their noses were never perfectly straight so you need to compare BEFORE trauma to AFTER trauma to AFTER closed nasal reduction to get an honest assessment of your nose. Your current result may be as good as its going to get but with time and reduction of swelling it can improve or even look worse.
Learn more: http://www.rhinoplastyspecialistsurgeon.com/specific-types-of-rhinoplasty/crooked-twisted-nose-rhinoplasty/
Correcting the crooked nose
Regardless of how good a rhinoplasty surgeon is, it is difficult if not impossible to completely straighten out a nose-the goal is to make it significantly better so that any remaining deviation is subtle and imperceptible.
Digital pressure to the nose in the direction opposite to the deviation can help to resist intrinsic forces in the cartilage that will try to return the cartilage to its original shape-this is especially the case in the first few months. After this point, scar tissue has set the cartilages in their position. It is worthwhile to perform these maneuvers at 6 weeks as it can still reduce the degree of deviation that will occur.
You should continue to follow-up with your surgeon until you are completely healed if you continue to have concerns-it will take about 1 year to see the final result after rhinoplasty surgery.
Nose still crooked
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Any idea where I can buy the cambridge audio azur 640p phono amp nowadays? I checked ebay and they only had used, asking $189. The new price back then was gbp 60, according to the old WHF I am reading (2006).
Failing to get this, I am wondering if there is a Rega fono mini which works with moving coil cartridges?
I am using an AT31e MC cartridge on an old Thorens TD124!
Not tempted by the 651p?
In the UK, Richer Sounds was the only retailer. It was long shown below retail price in the mag, even after it had increased to £99.
For under a hundred pounds, also consider the Rega
I haven't used this latest version, but am very pleased with its predecessor.
PS. Apologies, just read you are using a Moving Coil. So the CA is suitable and the Rega isn't
Doesn't Rega have a small affordable phono stage (like the fono mini) for moving coils? seems surprising
I've been looking at an Azur 640P on e-bay a couple of hours ago, and I believe there's another at BIN price of £90.


text:
Search from over 10 Million Auto Parts
Select Your Vehicle:
- Fast Shipping
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1993-1997 Dodge Intrepid PCV Valve Tubing - Dorman 46009
Review Fitment Notes to Ensure Proper Fit
Click to Enlarge (Read reviews)
Availability: (6) In Stock
Condition: New
Shipping Options: Ground
Part Number: 46009
Brand: Dorman
Notes: PCV Valve Tubing
|Description: Dodge Intrepid PCV Valve Tubing. Brand: Dorman. Fits Years: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97. PCV Valve Tubing - 46009
Some of our Customer Reviews
Very Satisfied
Reviewer: birdfan56
The product was received VERY quickly and EXACTLY as described. (and, it works perfectly for my application). THANKS for a very smooth and professional transaction. I will be back! Kevin


text:
PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
Dulwich, South Australia, Australia, 2009/11/15 - Embertec Power Saving Technologies announced as honorees in prestigious CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Awards! - Embertec.com.
Technologies today announced that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for the EmberCeptor Power Saving Devices. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 36 product categories.
Embertec Empowered products are the first to offer a fully automated power saving solution that is the ultimate answer to ALL forms of appliance power wastage; providing maximum energy savings, positive environmental impact and ease of use for the consumer.
Embertec's unique digital micro processor technology addresses both passive standby power (electricity that is used by appliances while they are turned off) and an even larger concern, but less reviewed active standby modes (wastage from devices left on but not being used), thus delivering maximum possible savings to the consumer.
The average consumption per household has been validated through independent field trials undertaken by Energy Consult Pty Ltd. (Report available on request). Average annual AV savings equal 837 kWh and in the average PC environment, consumers can expect to save on average 424 kWh per annum.
Embertec's digital technology works by monitoring and learning human interaction and a range of electrical parameters, then intuitively interpreting the information and finally controlling actual power needs. This means no change or interruption to consumers' daily life or habits. All they have to do is simply plug in and use!
The Computer Series is the only device of its type that functions accurately for all computers including laptops, netbooks and desktops, both PC and Mac; without dependence on a USB connection guaranteeing that one device will work for the lifetime of a PC environment. In summary, consumers get rapid payback and many years of savings!
The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards have been recognising achievements in product design and engineering since 1976. It is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the producer of the International CES, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession through education, information, community and advocacy.
The Embertec Empowered Power Saving Technologies will be displayed at the 2010 International CES, which runs January 7-10, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will also be featured at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES on Tuesday, January 5.
The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:
Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used;
Aesthetic and design qualities, using photos provided;
The product's intended use/function and user value;
Unique/novel features that consumers would find attractive;
How the design and innovation of the product compares to other products in the marketplace.
Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.
About Embertec
Embertec (embertec.com) is an Australian company founded in 2004 focused on developing intelligent, power saving solutions for the consumer electronics and appliances industry utilizing a unique microprocessor controlled chip and supporting platform technology.
Come and meet the Embertec team and see the Embertec Empowered technology in action, in the Sustainable Planet Techzone, North Hall (Las Vegas Convention Centre), Booth #4413.
For a more in depth look at the Embertec Empowered technology and our plans for today, tomorrow and into the future, be sure to attend the Embertec Press Conference (Press Only). Thursday, 7th Jan 2010, Las Vegas Convention Centre Press Room #S221 at 10:30am.
Agency / Source: Embertec Pty Ltd
Availability: All Regions (Including Int'l)
Traffic Booster: [/] Quick PRZOOM - Press & Newswire Visibility Checker
Distribution / Indexing: [+]


text:
Secret Lives of Teachers
Mohsen Makhmalbaf is an Iranian filmmaker, playwright, and novelist. He and his family, all filmmakers in their own right, currently live in Paris and make their films in India, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Hamid Dabashi is a professor at Columbia University and the author of many books and essays on cinema, including Close Up: Iranian Cinema, Past, Present and Future; Dreams of A Nation: On Palestinian Cinem; and Makhmalbaf at Large: The Making of a Rebel Filmmaker.


text:
2 years, 7 months
Beautiful blue/white F3 IOEBA registered Olde English Bulldogge puppy. Out of Moody Blue's Memphis II X Moody Blue's Iris. Dam is blue ribbon generational, and sire is F2. Excellent bloodlines, health and temperament. The most amazing SOFT blue coat. Located in Birmingham, AL. Shipping is available at buyer's expense - personal shipping can be arranged in some circumstances. $2000.00 full rights/registration. $1800.00 pet only All pups carry chocolate!


text:
So this one came to me by accident. I was leafing through the summer issue of the LCBO's Food and Drink magazine and saw the recipe. I'd been thinking of pistachio, but the only credible recipe I could find required pistachio paste which I didn't have and didn't expect to easily get. And also I hadn't yet been satisfied with either of the peach ice creams I tried. So just to make my unexpected dinner party menu even more ridiculous, I figured I should make ice cream for dessert. And this recipe volunteered itself. How could I refuse?
Absolutely wonderful. The peach flavour I had been looking for with the added bonus of pistachios - this one is a winner. And super easy - no custard, no eggs, it all goes together in minutes. And even today, the day after, it was creamy and scoopable with very little iciness. I looked for the recipe on the LCBO website but it's not there so I'm paraphrasing it here:
Peach and Pistachio Ice Cream
Perfectly ripe peaches - enough to make 3 cups, peeled and diced (I used 4-ish large ones but your results may vary)
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
In the container of a blender, combine the diced peaches, sugar, cream, corn syrup and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill until very cold (I was in a hurry so I jammed it into the freezer for an hour or so).
Dump cold mixture into ice cream maker and churn until just about frozen. Add chopped pistachios and let them churn into the ice cream. Transfer to a container and freeze until firm enough to scoop.
Done. Perfect.


text: "We're all aware, ourselves included, of the statements that got him into this. The infamous macaca statement. He's using our flag to wipe the muck from his shoes that he's now stepped in." With his penchant for the N-word revealed and his bizarre reaction to his Jewish roots, George Allen was already having a bad week. (Allen's still up on Webb, but barely.) Now, the Sons of Confederate Veterans want an apology for his recent remarks on their battle flag, which Allen recently discovered (at the age of 54) is offensive to most African Americans. Here's a tip, George: So's the noose.


text:
While running back Silas Redd ponders whether to return to Penn State or transfer to another school, Rob Bolden, a Penn State backup quarterback, has left the program.
Over the weekend, Bolden visited Louisiana State, according to Nola.com. Because of NCAA penalties given Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal, Nittany Lions players can transfer without having to sit out a season.
Zach Mettenberger is expected to be LSU's starter, but his top backups are redshirt freshmen Stephen Rivers and Jerrard Randall. Going to LSU, a likely national championship contender again, would be a coup for Bolden, who wasn't set to start for the Nittany Lions.
In 2010, Bolden had the glitziest of debuts at Penn State, becoming the first freshman to start a season opener in 100 years. Now, with Coach Bill O'Brien committed to starting Matt McGloin, Bolden had dropped to third on the depth chart. Overall, he'd started 16 games for PSU, completing 165 of 328 passes for 2,045 yards; he passed for seven touchdowns and was intercepted 14 times. He is a 6-foot-3, 214-pound junior from Orchard Lake, Mich.
Follow us: @CindyBoren | @MattBrooksWP
Penn State punishment: wins from '98-'11 vacated, $60 million fine
Vote: Was punishment too harsh? Too lenient?
Document: Penn State's NCAA sanctions
Local players decide future at Penn State
Freeh report finds 'total disregard' for victims


text:
Keeping your car clean sends a clear signal to your neighbors: I have a clean car, and I deserve to be Block Captain if we have a Block Captain. Make a statement with this Groupon.
$99 for One Ultimate Detail Package ($304.99 Value)
During the Ultimate detail package, experienced detailers spend up to six hours obsessing over every square inch of cars' interiors and exteriors. On the outside, cars get an ultimate wash that includes a rim washing and tire shine. Inside, technicians swab consoles and door panels and vacuum carpets. Vinyl, rubber, and leather surfaces are sprayed and shined.
The Wash Auto Detailing
A high-powered hose can take off visible dirt but it can miss the grime that hides in a car's many seams, crevices, and crannies. Over time, this dirt chews away the paint and metal, causing oxidation. When build-up occurs inside, it can fill up the cabin with unpleasant odors.
The detailers at The Wash Auto Detailing have terrific eyes. With their intimate knowledge of cars, they espy these problem areas and apply chamois and wax to vanquish grime from cars' and SUVs' nethermost nooks.


text:
What is the difference between "God Things" and "Good Things"? One "O." That is it.
God Things have many variations. They can apply to anything from finding spare change on the ground to miraculous conversion experiences. Interestingly enough, despite God's obvious omnipotence, God Things are not typically linked to bad things or natural disasters - that is so Old Testament. For instance, not one white Christian ever exclaimed, "Wow, that Hurricane Andrew was a total God Thing," or "Remember when Becky pooped her pants in second grade? God Thing." On the other hand, any silver lining to these clouds WILL be deemed "God Things." As in, "Remember when that family was displaced by Hurricane Andrew and a Christian family took them in? That was a God Thing." Just to recap - hurricane: not a God Thing. Good stuff that resulted from the negativity of the hurricane: God Thing.
In addition to the many variations of God Things, there are also varying degrees of God Things. Depending on the level of divine intervention involved, a white Christian may soon be telling everyone they know about a standard God Thing or a "Total God Thing."


text:
Over 50,000 professionals of the toy, baby, and licensing industries visited the trade shows organized by the China Toy & Juvenile Products Association (CTJPA) in Shanghai from October 14 to 16: China Toy Expo, China Kids Expo, and China Licensing Expo. This attendance represents a 26 percent increase compared to the previous year. Alsina, editor of the Spanish magazine Juguetes B2B (specializing in the toy industry in Spain) and member of the International Toy Magazine Association (ITMA), attended these three trade shows to witness the latest trends and developments of the industry in China.
The toy market is very dynamic in China, and has a consumer (the parents) increasingly interested in products that provide educational value to their children. The kids, in turn, are increasingly interested in licensed products. China Toy Fair, which has been held for the last 12 years–and is the largest international toy fair in mainland China and the third largest worldwide–was celebrated simultaneously with the China Kids Expo (childcare sector) and the China Licensing Expo (licensing sector).
Juguetes B2B, a professional communication magazine specializing in the toy industry in Spain, attended the three trade shows to give informational coverage of the latest trends in the industry that will shape the Chinese market next year. The strategy of holding the three exhibitions simultaneously makes perfect sense, given the synergies that occur between the three different sectors. For instance, the licensing business has a large influence in the toy industry, with licenses for baby care products as well. Therefore, celebrating the events at the same time is an interesting opportunity for the professionals. [Read more...]


text:
12 June 2014
What foods are good? What are bad? And most importantly, how do I uphold a healthy diet while I am at work?
Individuals in the workforce spend a large portion of their day at their place of work. Without careful planning it can be challenging to stick to a healthy diet.
Sue brings in some freshly baked cookies to the office… Peter invites you to the tuck shop for lunch...or the process meals in the frozen shopping isle look like an easy lunchtime solution.
With all the temptations, what can you do to stay on track and make healthy food choices at work?
Healthy eating
Use the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating to ensure you are getting the five food groups recommended to maintain a healthy diet.
What is on the menu?
- Fruit and vegetables: an assortment of colourful vegetables and fruits should make up almost half of your packed lunch bag (Potato chips aren't included!)
- Grain foods: whole grains such as a sandwich made with brown bread, rice crackers or possibly whole wheat pasta leftovers from the night before. Limit the use of white bread and white rice.
- Protein: include lean proteins such as a can of tuna, legumes or mixed nuts. Limit consumption of processed meat and bacon; regular consumption can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer.
- Low fat dairy: complement fruit with greek yogurt or possibly a small portion of cheese on your sandwich.
- Water: Plenty of H2o; it is the recommended drink.
Carry a water bottle with you
Given the recommended intake of water is 8 to 13 cups a day it is necessary to regularly hydrate at work. For the USC community, bottle refilling stations on campus make refilling easy. In addition, having your water bottle handy avoids the likelihood of purchasing a sugary soft drink bursting with calories. After all a glass of water is sugar free and calorie free!
Healthy shopping
Preparation is crucial to ensure you are packing a nutritious lunch. Before your weekly visit to the grocery store construct a shopping list for lunches. This will save time, money and the possibility of consuming hidden calories.
Healthy thinking
The virtual world can lend a helping hand when it comes to thinking of healthy lunches and snacks. Here are a few links readers may find useful:
- Healthy Shopping: assists with pantry tips, reading food labels, nutrition advice, plans to action lifestyle changes and lots more
- Get Healthy: provides information and ongoing support for adults in relation to healthy eating, physical activity and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
- Better Health Channel: a selection of healthy recipes with shopping lists
- Recipe Finder: The Heart Foundation website features a range of delicious and healthier recipes
- Healthy Food Guide: Article with 10 simple ingredients to create an array of quick and easy lunches
What are your favourite healthy lunches?
Do you have any brown bag secrets?


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Posing for the mag's cover story, Darren talked about the show and how it changed his life. Darren also confessed to the mag that he is straight (damn!), but that he thinks that is a good thing. He explains:
"It's more empowering to everybody if I'm articulate about identifying myself as a straight male playing a gay character. Ultimately that's more powerful for both communities."


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In response to the lawsuit filed by Hawker Beechcraft over the light air support (LAS) competition, competitor Sierra Nevada filed an action in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims yesterday seeking reinstatement of the contract that had been originally awarded to Sierra Nevada and its partner, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer.
After Hawker Beechcraft filed the lawsuit late last year, the Air Force set aside the original award and opened an investigation into the source selection process that had picked Embraer's A-29 Super Tucano over the Hawker Beechcraft AT-6.
Sierra Nevada, a U.S. company based in Sparks, Nev., claims cancellation of the contract was "an extreme response to what appears to be paperwork errors on the part of the USAF." Moreover, it added, "the revised request for proposal issued by the Air Force [last month] is tilted in favor of the competition." The contract has an initial value of $355 million for 20 aircraft, with options on another 15. The potential for additional orders would make the contract worth approximately $1 billion over time.


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Workers in Manila as other parts of the Philippines struggle to get low budget high quality rentals. This shipping container dormitory does seem to have the answer for cheap construction but also a better class of living for those with a small budget. Air conditioning and a bed as well as onsite restaurant for P1,500 a month is extremely reasonable and no doubt a big hit. A lot of cheap accommodation in the Philippines normally consists of a rundown room with no air conditioning or cooling system as well as possibly just access to a single bulb light. This on the other hand seems very geared to peoples needs and no doubt has a lot of extra services downstairs besides the kitchen such as charging stations for mobile phones. All in all I think its a huge step forward in quality for workers in the Philippines and look forward to seeing more of these types of building.
The second set of photos are from the same place but a different building. As you can see they have traded the bunk bed dorms for more private cubicle styled beds. Not for everyone but if your on a tight budget with a limited salary I know more than a few Filipinos that would happily live in these compared to their current rentals. From a business point of view though is it viable? Counting all the beds up your looking at 98 just for the upper level and as you can see in the yellow one being constructed its beds lower side as well so roughly 200 beds at P1,500 per month giving an income of P300,000 per month even if you took out all the expenses because obviously the snack bar and other things on site increase the revenue I would easily expect to make P250,000 a month from this venture in the right location and obviously someone else seen the same vision.


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Sleeping Whimbrel / Photo by Ingrid Taylar
Bird and birding news
- The US Fish and Wildlife Service is objecting to a 180-foot cell phone tower in Duluth, Minnesota, because of possible hazards to migratory birds. Over 25,000 birds per day pass the site during peak migration periods.
- Scientists are testing new tracking tags on macaroni penguins at the Leicestershire Zoo. If the test is successful, the tags will be used to track penguins in Antarctica.
- Some gulls in Gloucester Harbor have appeared oiled, but the source of the oil is still unknown. Fish oil from herring boats is one possibility.
- Sixty birds turned up dead at Oyster Bay in California due to wildlife hazing at Oakland airport. Some of the wounded birds are being treated at IBRRC.
- The oldest known captive mallard recently died at the age of 22.
- This was a bad year for Common Cuckoos.
- Flying in goose-like V formations could be one way for airplanes to reduce their fuel use and carbon footprint.
- Here is a profile of eagle rehabilitators in western Pennsylvania.
- Conservation Maven: Conceding extinction: a look at rare birds
- Prairie Ice: BBC on a new band for penguins
- burdr: Hawk Stuck In Train Plow For Over 1000 Miles
- Sainsbury, a British wine retailer, is switching to all natural corks to preserve important cork oak forest habitat for the Iberian lynx and other threatened species.
- A land purchase added 27 acres to the Great Swamp NWR in New Jersey. The wooded tract was formerly a private hunting lodge.
- A new management plan may prevent the killing of endangered Mexican gray wolves for livestock depredation.
- A new website called Climate Wizard makes large amounts of climate data accessible to the public.
- The French Constitutional Council struck down the country's proposed carbon tax because it contained too many loopholes.
- RealClimate compares climate predictions from 10 and 20 years ago against subsequent climate data and finds that the models hold up quite well.


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Last Mercury Grand Marquis Rolls Off the Line
It's official, the very last Mercury has now left the building. On Tuesday, January 4th at 8:00 am, said vehicle, a 2011 Grand Marquis, finally rolled off the line at the St. Thomas plant, which has been building these body-on-frame behemoths for 25 years.
Originally the car was slated to be completed before the new year, but delays in parts shipments, caused by severe weather in Southwestern Ontario, pushed production into the first days of the new year.
Even until the very end, the Grand Marquis remained a highly profitable vehicle for Lincoln-Mercury dealers as well as the best selling car in the lineup. As was probably expected, there was little fanfare or celebration, as the car was rolled on to the transporter, to be delivered as part of a fleet order.
Although the Merc represented the last Grand Marquis built at St Thomas, it isn't quite the end of Panther chassis production. Ford Crown Victorias will continue to be assembled there, primarily for police and taxi fleets, until September, when the plant is scheduled to close.
[Source: Autoweek]


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- When:
Add This Event To YourWednesday, September 11, 2013
at 2:00 PM
- Where:
- Regents Hall, 210
- Web Link:
- http://wp.stolaf.edu/physics/colloquium/
- Contact:
- David Nitz
Physics Colloquium
Hidden Rivers and Lakes of the Northeast Sahara and Implications for the Origin of Mars Channels. Speaker: Dr. Ted A. Maxwell, Senior Scientist Emeritus at the National Air and Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies.
< Return to main calendar page


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I was reading about some distro
And. I want to know what you, slackers, think about this
It seems interesting
I personally think its time to rename the directories to something more readable. But FHS shows no willingness to do so. Which I dont mind at all, that's their thing. Whatever.
I think /etc/ should be named /config/
And a root /logging/ directory should exist.
Mnt? really? Can't be bothered to spell out 'Mount'?
We are really past the days where our space is limited, and filenames can be more than 8 characters. so why not utilize 'words' instead of 'abbreviations and abstractions.'
I like it.
\t is your friend when it comes to long file names/directory names.
Lack of knowledge of The Elements Of Style: UNIX As Literature considered harmful
Unix is not just a functional implementation of POSIX. More important than that, it is a culture and a language and a heritage. It has humanity. It has continuity. If you reject the vocabulary, then you also reject the culture, and the people that participate in the culture, and their accumulated experience. If you're going to do that successfully, well, you need to be as powerful as Apple. GoboLinux is not as powerful as Apple.
I see GoboLinux supports "English | Português | Deutsch | Русском | Magyar | Français | Español | Svenska | Italiano | 日本語 | Türkçe | Norsk". Maybe they should support a project with similar aims, by throwing all those out and replacing them with Volapük.
Thats fine and dandy.
But when a car company comes up with a new system, called say "Battery based Blinker fluid injector system" they don't shoe horn it into a previous term just because there is a culture surrounding previous car terms.
If everyone continued doing everything for culture/historic/nostalgia related reasons, we would still be in the stone ages.
But im done here. Im not going to have an opinion argument over 'directory names' when I just now realized that I really and truly don't care one way or another.
At the end of the day, I will make symlinks to the old directory names for easier reading anyway.
cd /
Several years ago I met a software developer from Brazil who told me that due to quirks in language, specifically for him, Portuguese, that many Brazilians used English as if it was part of an icon because it was just shorter and simpler. I don't know how much he was qualified to speak for large groups but I think the basic concept is sound and complies with KISS. Why spell out "mount" when everyone knows what "mnt" means? As was pointed out, even if you are a wiz with the tab key, there is still great advantage to keeping terms short.
Much more importantly, as soon as you change directory structure and/or naming conventions you immediately break everything that has gone before and to what advantage? This is my major complaint about distros with auto-dependency resolving. They are forced to restructure to do what they've added on while avoiding conflicts and this breaks compatibility and fragments Linux. Add to this, some restructure exactly in order to break compatibility to isolate themselves in hopes of becoming some de facto standard, the precursor to proprietary. I find this incredibly selfish and short-sighted.
One of the greatest strengths of *Nix is compliance with standards that insures not only the ability to accumulate skills (instead of reinventing the wheel and tossing all your hard work in the trash bin) but also The Community. The more that distros create arbitrary change the more fragmented Linux becomes and the size of communities that "speak the same language and dialect" dwindles.
IMHO that is not a worthwhile tradeoff.
http://csirm.wordpress.com/ and http://www.bingleyhistory.co.uk/cup_and_ring.html
We have circumstantial evidence that Bronze Age people were incorporating neolithic rock art into their burials, maybe a thousand years after the rocks were decorated. Some people think the rock art tradition even continued into the Iron Age. But over the same centuries tool technology and agriculture seems to have changed in sudden bursts. Some modern research indicates that there were hunter-gatherer communities and agricultural communities in the same place at the same time for hundreds of years. These were people who were modern in every way, except culturally. They were weird :scratch:
Sorry for the off-topic :redface:
Well, filesystems are already represented in a virtual way and there's nothing to stop you from 'customizing' what is displayed -even without having to change underlying structures. Custom versions of file-managers/ls, etc could be made to show and use something different.
I've looked at gobo and earlier predecessors it was based on. All wind up with longer names and less-informative, less-useful name structures. As an aside, the current buzz around eliminating /bin, /sbin and /lib similarly accomplishes a less-useful, less-informative structure.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:27 PM.


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Kate Gosselin Wants to Get Talky
Will we soon be getting even more Kate Gosselin on the small screen?
E! Online reports that the Jon & Kate Plus 8 mom—who had a two-day guest-hosting stint on The View this week—is in negotiations to launch her own View-style talk show.
Sources say that Telepictures—the company behind Ellen DeGeneres and Tyra Banks' hugely popular talk shows—is developing a show for Gosselin and TV kitchen guru Paula Deen.
"They're looking around and casting for other women to be on the show with them," a source reveals. "But they want all the women to be moms."
Ooh, ooh; sign up Nadya "Octomom" Suleman and watch the sparks fly!
Tell us in the comments section: Would you watch a talk show with Kate Gosselin as the host?


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Scientific Publications by FDA Staff
Search Publications
Wound Repair Regen 1994 Jul;2(3):155-64
Regulatory concerns in the development of topical recombinant ophthalmic and cutaneous wound healing biologics.
Stromberg K, Chapekar MS, Goldman BA, Chambers WA, Cavagnaro JA
The use of recombinant DNA technology has enabled the development of an increasing number of endogenous growth regulatory peptides for potential use as therapeutic biologics. Numerous such recombinant peptides are now licensed, and many are in various stages of pharmaceutical development. Although currently there are a number of "Points to Consider" and related guidance documents available concerning various issues of biotechnology-derived products, the purpose of this article is to focus on the use of these biologics in topical ophthalmic and chronic cutaneous wound healing. Regulatory expectations with respect to product quality, safety, and efficacy that may be particularly germane to these products will be discussed. Providing regulatory guidance on these issues may not only facilitate the introduction of safe and effective new biologic therapies into clinical trials at the investigational level but also provide appropriate information to aid in their eventual approval for licensure and widespread clinical use.
|Category: Journal Article
|PubMed ID: #17156106
|DOI: 10.1046/j.1524-475X.1994.20304.x
|Includes FDA Authors from Scientific Area(s): Biologics
|Entry Created: 2012-11-13


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Hi! So I live in Virginia and have basically never been to NYC. I am planning a bachelorette party for my best friend. Long story short we will be staying at the Empire Hotel for one night. There are 8 of us going out for dinner and it would be nice to be close to the hotel so we can go back and hang out before hitting the nightlife. I think atmosphere is just as important as cuisine since this is a one time trip, but since we are springing for the nice hotel, I don't want to go overboard price-wise at dinner.
I have been researching and have narrowed it down to the following:
1. Compass- this is my first choice and I have already made reservations. It seems like most reviews of this place are a couple of years old now. Anyone have any recent takes on Compass? Is the ambience pretty cool? I am concerned about the reviews that this place is too quiet. We will be there at 8:30 on a Saturday night.
2. Agua Dulce- sounds fun but maybe not for a special occassion?
3. Calle Ocho- sounds fun but maybe to casual and a bit far off?
4. Telepan- seasonal food sounds amazing but atmosphere seems kinda boring
Am a missing a Gem of a place to take the gals? Let me know.
72 W. 69th Street, New York, NY 10023
Calle Ocho
45 W 81st St, New York, NY 10024
Agua Dulce
802 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019


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Padres rally after Wells ejected
Padres rally after Wells ejected
It's hard to say to whom the day belonged, as a number of Padres helped with the win. It was a victory filled with rallies, a juggling act in the gap in left-center field and an ejection to starting pitcher David Wells.
Plenty happened in front of 41,419 at PETCO Park, but what fans came away with was an exciting victory that was topped off with a three-run rally in the seventh inning.
Shortstop Khalil Greene broke a 5-5 tie by driving in Adrian Gonzalez for the go-ahead run in the seventh on a fielder's choice. Kevin Kouzmanoff then hit a double to bring in Mike Cameron and Milton Bradley.
Bradley, playing his first game with the Padres, was a big hit in more ways than one.
He scored two runs and went 1-for-3 at the plate, but that almost didn't compare to what he did in the outfield.
With two out in the top of the third, the Braves' Chipper Jones flied out to the gap in left-center. Cameron and Bradley ran for the ball and nearly collided. The ball went off Bradley's glove, then his shoulder, but he was able to briefly cup it in his right hand before juggling it. He finally clutched it and held it in the air to an ecstatic roar from the crowd for the final out.
"I think that play showed great hand-eye coordination, concentration," Padres manager Bud Black said. "It was a great play by the juggler."
Said Bradley of the feat: "I just tried to stay with it and caught it. I was glad, because the last thing I want to do is bump into a guy and drop the ball in the first game."
Milton wasn't the only Padres player who came off the DL and contributed.
Reliever Doug Brocail came to the rescue after Wells was ejected by home-plate umpire Ed Hickox in the fourth inning.
The Braves' Jeff Francoeur hit a two-run home run off Wells in the top of the fourth. Wells, who thought some of Hickox's calls weren't entirely correct, started exchanging words with the ump and then suddenly was ejected, his second ejection of the season.
"I walked up to Ed and asked him if the first pitch was close," Wells said. "I wasn't mad or irate.
"He didn't like it and he told me to just get back on the mound, he didn't want to hear another word. I said, 'Ed, all I want to do is ask you a question,' and he threw me out and that was it. I think it was too quick of an ejection out there."
Said Black of the scene: "[Wells] thought a few pitches could have gone his way. That was the point of contention."
Wells felt like his early exit compromised the bullpen, but it didn't.
Brocail came in and tossed three shutout innings. He allowed two hits and when it was his turn up to bat, the 40-year-old reliever hit a single. It was his first hit since 1995.
"Brocail is the reason we won that game today," Cameron said.
Brocail came into the game when the Padres were trailing, 3-1.
"That was probably the biggest key to that game," Black said. "Keeping it right there, we held them."
The Padres caught and passed the Braves thanks to a four-run fourth inning. Cameron drilled a home run -- his 11th of the season -- over the center-field wall to drive in Marcus Giles and Gonzalez. Kouzmanoff added a sacrifice fly to drive in Bradley to make the score 5-3.
Greene got the Padres on the board in the second with a solo home run, his 15th of the season, equaling his own franchise single-season home run mark by a shortstop. He also hit 15 in 2004, '05 and '06.
The Braves' Yunel Escobar lined a single to right to drive in Jarrod Saltalamacchia from third base in the third inning to tie the game at 1. With the two runs scored off Wells in the top of the fourth, the Braves had the lead until the bottom of the inning, when the Padres came up with big at-bats.
The Braves (46-42) rallied in the seventh against reliever Heath Bell when center fielder Andruw Jones hit a triple to drive in Edgar Renteria and Chipper Jones to knot the game at 5. But the Padres provided a big-seventh inning thanks to Greene and Kouzmanoff. Bell (3-2) came away with the victory after one inning of work.
Both Wells and the Braves' rookie starter, Jo-Jo Reyes, left after three-plus innings of work. Reyes, making his Major League debut, allowed five runs on five hits. Wells yielded three runs on four hits.
The loss went to the Braves reliever Tyler Yates (2-1). The Padres' Trevor Hoffman got the save, his 25th.
"We played a good baseball game today, played good defense," Black said. "Today, we strung together some good at-bats."
Elizabeth Botello is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Phoenix Play 'Fallon,' Perform 'The Real Thing' + 'Trying to Be Cool' [Video]
Phoenix are making the NBC late night rounds! Fresh off their 'SNL' appearance last month, the French rockers performed amid a flurry of confetti last night (May 14) on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.'
The band performed the lush and rolling hymn 'The Real Thing' on the actual live broadcast and filmed a second song, 'Trying to Be Cool,' as a web exclusive.
With that swirl of confetti pouring down from the sky, it felt like a snowy February day in NYC. It made for a fun five minutes, but it's gotta suck to be the guy that has to sweep up the mess afterwards.
The performance of 'Trying to Be Cool' was confetti-free but equally arresting.
Watch Phoenix Perform 'Trying to Be Cool'


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Evaluating the Quarterly Projection Model: A Preliminary Investigation
No abstract is available for this item.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
|77 pages Abstract: This paper summarizes the results of recent research evaluating the Bank of Canada's Quarterly Projection Model (QPM). Because QPM consists of a steady-state model and a dynamic model, our evaluation work consists of two parts. The first part assesses the calibration of QPM's core steady-state using a variant of Canova's (1994, 1995) Monte Carlo approach. Using parameter values drawn from prior distributions, we assess QPM's sensitivity to various plausible parameter values. Our approach differs somewhat from the recent literature in that it specifically takes into account the uncertainty that surrounds the estimates of the steady-state values we are trying to evaluate. Instead of attempting to match exactly the desired properties of the data, we calculate confidence intervals around the mean of the variable we wish to match, subsequently discarding parameterizations that result in simulated data falling outside this interval. The second part of the evaluation uses artificial data, generated stochastically with QPM, to test the dynamic model's ability to replicate key historical moments. Autocorrelations, reduced-form regressions, and temporal bivariate correlations are used to compare historical data with data produced by QPM. We also assess the sensitivity of our results to the structure of the stochastic shocks and the specification of the monetary policy rule. The results of the two evaluations reveal some strengths and weaknesses in the model. For example, while most of the parameter calibrations in the steady-state model appear reasonable, there are some parameters for which other values may be more appropriate. Similarly, while the dynamic model can replicate most of the key historical moments, some work is required to develop the linkages between foreign and domestic variables. (1) Also affiliated with the Center for Research on Economic Fluctuations and Employment, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
|Date of creation:
|Contact details of provider:
| Postal: 234 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G9, Canada
Phone: 613 782-8845
Fax: 613 782-8874
Web page: http://www.bank-banque-canada.ca/
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Canova, Fabio, 1994. "Statistical Inference in Calibrated Models," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 9(S), pages 123-144, Suppl. De.
- Elmendorf, Douglas W. & Gregory Mankiw, N., 1999.
"Government debt,"
Handbook of Macroeconomics,in: J. B. Taylor & M. Woodford (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 25, pages 1615-1669
- Douglas W. Elmendorf & N. Gregory Mankiw, 1998. "Government Debt," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 1820, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
- Douglas W. Elmendorf & N. Gregory Mankiw, 1998. "Government debt," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 1998-09, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
- Elmendorf, Douglas W. & Mankiw, N, 1999. "Government Debt," Scholarly Articles 2643866, Harvard University Department of Economics.
- Douglas W. Elmendorf & N. Gregory Mankiw, 1998. "Government Debt," NBER Working Papers 6470, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Coletti, D. & Hunt, B. & Rose, D. & Tetlow, R., 1996. "The Bank of Canada's New Quarterly Projection Model. Part 3 , the Dynamic Model : QPM," Technical Reports 75, Bank of Canada.
- Rowe, Nicholas & Yetman, James, 2000. "Identifying Policy-makers' Objectives: An Application to the Bank of Canada," Staff Working Papers 00-11, Bank of Canada.
- George C. Davis & Maria Cristina Espinoza, 1998. "A Unified Approach to Sensitivity Analysis in Equilibrium Displacement Models," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 80(4), pages 868-879.
- Geweke, John, 1988. "Antithetic acceleration of Monte Carlo integration in Bayesian inference," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1-2), pages 73-89.
- Lucas, Robert Jr, 1976. "Econometric policy evaluation: A critique," Carnegie-Rochester Conference Series on Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 19-46, January.
- Christiano, Lawrence J & Eichenbaum, Martin, 1995. "Liquidity Effects, Monetary Policy, and the Business Cycle," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 27(4), pages 1113-1136, November.
- Lawrence J. Christiano & Martin Eichenbaum, 1992. "Liquidity effects, monetary policy and the business cycle," Working Paper Series, Macroeconomic Issues 92-15, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
- Martin Eichenbaum & Lawrence J. Christiano, 1992. "Liquidity Effects, Monetary Policy, and the Business Cycle," NBER Working Papers 4129, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Lawrence J. Christiano & Martin Eichenbaum, 1992. "Liquidity effects, monetary policy, and the business cycle," Discussion Paper / Institute for Empirical Macroeconomics 70, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
- Harrison, Glenn W & Vinod, H D, 1992. "The Sensitivity Analysis of Applied General Equilibrium Models: Completely Randomized Factorial Sampling Designs," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 74(2), pages 357-362, May.
- Touhami Abdelkhalek & Jean-Marie Dufour, 1998. "Statistical Inference For Computable General Equilibrium Models, With Application To A Model Of The Moroccan Economy," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(4), pages 520-534, November.
- ABDELKHALEK, Touhami & DUFOUR, Jean-Marie, 1997. "Statistical Inference for Computable General Equilibrium Models with Application to a Model of the Moroccan Economy," Cahiers de recherche 9713, Universite de Montreal, Departement de sciences economiques.
- Cogley, Timothy & Nason, James M., 1995. "Effects of the Hodrick-Prescott filter on trend and difference stationary time series Implications for business cycle research," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 19(1-2), pages 253-278.
- Timothy Cogley & James M. Nason, 1993. "Effects of the Hodrick-Prescott filter on trend and difference stationary time series: implications for business cycle research," Working Papers in Applied Economic Theory 93-01, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
- McFadden, Daniel, 1989. "A Method of Simulated Moments for Estimation of Discrete Response Models without Numerical Integration," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(5), pages 995-1026, September.
- Daniel McFadden, 1987. "A Method of Simulated Moments for Estimation of Discrete Response Models Without Numerical Integration," Working papers 464, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Economics.
- Blanchard, Olivier J, 1985. "Debt, Deficits, and Finite Horizons," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(2), pages 223-247, April.
- Olivier J. Blanchard, 1984. "Debt, Deficits and Finite Horizons," NBER Working Papers 1389, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Harrison, Glenn W. & Jones, Richard & Kimbell, Larry J. & Wigle, Randal, 1993. "How robust is applied general equilibrium analysis?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 99-115, February.
- Kydland, Finn E & Prescott, Edward C, 1982. "Time to Build and Aggregate Fluctuations," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1345-1370, November.
- Finn E. Kydland & Edward C. Prescott, 1982. "Executable program for "Time to Build and Aggregate Fluctuations"," QM&RBC Codes 4, Quantitative Macroeconomics & Real Business Cycles.
- Finn E. Kydland & Edward C. Prescott, 1982. "Web interface for "Time to Build and Aggregate Fluctuations"," QM&RBC Codes 4a, Quantitative Macroeconomics & Real Business Cycles.
- Singleton, Kenneth J., 1988. "Econometric issues in the analysis of equilibrium business cycle models," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(2-3), pages 361-386. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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text:
|Posted by mdbarton at Jun 29, 2004 11:17:13 PM
References in modules
I'm creating a daily devotional module. It's actually a bible rading plan that my fellowship uses, with a reference to the portions of scripture for each day.
I have had a few problems getting the reference links to work - mainly with MacSword (although this may not be a MacSword issue as such)
Is there a definition of how a reference should be written?
Some examples
<scripRef>Romans 1, 2</scripRef>
- this returns the first 2 chapters of Romans in Diatheke and presents a verse list to choose from in Sword for Windows. MacSword however points you at Romans 1 and Genesis 2. No problem, I changed this to:
<scripRef>Romans 1</scripRef>, <scripRef>Romans 2</scripRef>
<scripRef>I Peter 3</scripRef>
- works fine in Diatheke and Sword for Windows. MacSword does not like the space after the 'I', and throws you to I Corinthians. The fix that I am trying (but have not tested) is:
<scripRef>IPeter 3</scripRef>
The point is, which Sword front end is doing the right thing? Has MacSword strictly implemented the Sword API whereas Diatheke and Windows put a looser interpretation on how scripture is referenced?
I want to make sure that my module will work with all front-ends (and haven't had a chance to test gnomesword, bibletime and all the others!).
Are there any rules or guidance for this?
Current timezone is GMT
Sep 20, 2017 2:26:04 AM


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The Sabres got two of their top players back in their 4-3 shootout win over the New York Rangers on Friday night, but are still missing one of their main men in the middle.
Left wing Jochen Hecht and defenseman Toni Lydman both returned to action against the Rangers after missing time with injuries.
"It's nice to get them back in the fold and get them playing," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.
Meanwhile, center Derek Roy continues to be hampered by a broken hand that has forced him to miss the last seven games. Ruff said the earliest Roy could return would be Tuesday's game in Tampa Bay.
"He's close, but still having a tough time with the stick-handling," Ruff said.
Winger Ales Kotalik made his debut at center against the Rangers, anchoring left wing Thomas Vanek and right wing Maxim Afinogenov. Kotalik is actually a natural center.
Right wing Jiri Novotny won't be returning from his upper body injury for another week or so.
The Sabres return to action Saturday at Washington in a quick turnaround after playing Friday night at home against the New York Rangers.
Daniel Briere scored the lone shootout goal and Ryan Miller made 36 saves to give the Sabres a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers on Friday night, sweeping the four-game season series in dramatic fashion. The Sabres also became the fifth team in NHL history to accumulate 20 or more wins in the first 25 games of the season.
After taking a 2-1 lead on goals by Jochen Hecht and Brian Campbell, Buffalo fell behind 3-2 after Martin Straka and Michael Nylander scored power-play goals 46 seconds apart in the third period. Chris Drury tied it with his 15th at 10:02 of the third. After Briere scored in the first round of the shootout, Miller stopped Nylander, Brendan Shanahan and Petr Prucha in succession.
Copyright (C) 2006 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.


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Mar 1, 2013
Ag states throughout the nation, but especially across the Midwest, have been tagged "fly over states." Nationwide, people often consider this area someplace to cross as fast as possible, and many of us don't think we have much in common with the states on the coasts either.
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PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
Miami Beach, FL, United States, 2012/02/08 - The Miami International Boat Show returns to the Miami Beach Convention Center February 16-20th - CenterplateMBCC.com.
The Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail, the worlds premier boat show, returns to the Miami Beach Convention Center & Magic City for the 71st year, showcasing thousands of the newest powerboats, sailboats, engines, electronics and marine accessories from more than 2,000 leading manufacturers worldwide.
Centerplate will be providing an indoor "Heineken Food Pavilion" - designed by Carlos Segura, our Director of Food & Beverage, so guests can sit in the comfort of air conditioning in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying a wide variety of foods. Enjoy Crepes made to order, Authentic Mexican foods, fresh made empanadas and pizzas. Beach Street Grill will be offering hamburgers, foot long hot dogs and more. You can also cool off at the "Featured Bar" offering our world class Mojitos, premium liquors & wines or iced cold beers! So whether you want to enjoy a treat while you are exploring the hundreds of exhibits or simply relax inside our Food Pavilion, Centerplate will have something for you at this luxury outing!
This year Centerplate at The Miami Beach Convention will take Retail to a whole new level that will rival all Public Shows. We will create an environment that our guests will first feast with their eyes and bring delight to their taste buds says Centerplate District Manager and General Manger, Nick Tierno.
About CENTERPLATE @ Miami Beach Convention Center
Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America - annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate (centerplatembcc.com) has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 12 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. The company was recently named the fastest growing restaurant/ hospitality group in the country by Nation's Restaurant News.
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ISRN Oncology
Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 631917, 9 pages
The Dynamic Optical Breast Imaging in the Preoperative Workflow of Women with Suspicious or Malignant Breast Lesions: Development of a New Comprehensive Score
1Department of Breast Disease, National Cancer Institute "G. Pascale" Foundation, Via Mariano Semmola, 80136 Naples, Italy
2Department of Radiology, National Cancer Institute "G. Pascale" Foundation, Via Mariano Semmola, 80136 Naples, Italy
3Breast Unit, Clinical Institute Zucchi, Via Zucchi 24, 20052 Monza, Italy
4Breast Unit, Clinical Institute Pio X, Via Francesco Nava 31, 20159 Milano, Italy
5Breast Surgery Divison, Medical Institute Monterosa, Via Monterosa 3, 20149 Milano, Italy
6Breast Prevention Area, Physios Clinic, Via Chiesa Nord 52, 41016 Modena, Italy
7Epidemiology Division, National Cancer Institute "G. Pascale" Foundation, Via Mariano Semmola, 80136 Naples, Italy
8National Cancer Institute "G. Pascale" Foundation, Via Mariano Semmola, 80136 Naples, Italy
Received 19 June 2012; Accepted 29 July 2012
Academic Editors: M. Loizidou and Y. Yu
Copyright © 2012 Massimiliano D'Aiuto et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Purpose. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of DOBIComfortScan in patients with Breast Imaging Reporting suspect breast lesions (BI-RADS) 4-5 breast lesions. Materials and Methods. One-hundred and thirteen patients underwent DOBIComfortScan examination before surgery. Twelve parameters were taken into consideration to define DOBI findings. Results. Twenty-seven radical mastectomies, 47 quadrantectomies and 39 wide excisions, were performed. Overall, 65 invasive cancer, 9 in situ carcinoma and 39 nonmalignant lesions, were observed. Ten out of 12 considered parameters resulted significantly in association with histology at discriminant analysis. A summation score of 30.5 resulted to be the best cut off at ROC analysis, giving a sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 87%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 92.2%. Finally the following DOBI-BI-RADS model was developed: malignant score); possibly malignant ( score); benign but the possibility of malignancy cannot be excluded ( score); benign ( score). Conclusion. definition of other parameters permits to improve the accuracy of this procedure. Further studies are warranted to define the potential role of DOBIComfortScan in breast cancer imaging.
1. Introduction
Breast cancer is the most frequent female malignancy in developed countries. In Italy almost 40,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2010, with more than 7,000 deaths [1]. There is a general agreement about the correlation between tumor size and survival; therefore, a delay in diagnosis may negatively affect the prognosis [2]. Mammography screening has played an important role in the reduction of breast cancer mortality that has been observed in the past two decades, although in a recent report it has been stated that the improvements in treatment and in the efficiency of healthcare systems might be plausible explanations for that [3]. In any case, mammography cannot be considered an ideal tool to achieve early diagnosis. Indeed, the density of the breast in younger women can represent a major obstacle for the detection of small tumors; moreover, mammography has limited indication in women with breast implants [4, 5]. Breast MRI has become an essential diagnostic procedure in high-risk women, but it cannot be considered an ideal tool for large scale screenings [6].
The use of transillumination of the breast dates back to the 1920s, when it was proposed to investigate breast cancer [7]. However, the low sensitivity and specificity of transillumination limited its clinical use. With progress in photonic technologies and mathematic modeling of light propagation through tissues, the optical imaging has evolved and new technologies are now available [8].
The dynamic optical breast Imaging (DOBI) has recently shown to be effective in detecting breast cancer in young women [9]. The DOBI with ComfortScan technology is based on detecting and analyzing red light transmission through the breast tissue and recording the transitory responses of the tissue due to a compression that induces changes in blood-flow volume. This pressure stimulus results in the dynamic behavior of optical properties of the tissue creating various dynamic profiles in regions with abnormal vascularization compared to the vascularization of normal breast tissue. The ComfortScan system discriminates between breast regions with abnormal vascularization, considered suspect for malignancy, and those with normal tissue [10].
In a recent study the DOBI ComfortScan was evaluated in 46 patients with Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 3–5 breast lesions. The DOBI ComfortScan examination showed statistical difference in number of suspect pixels between benign () and malignant () lesions (1325 versus 3170, resp., ). In this population optical imaging had a sensitivity of 74%, specificity of 92%, and diagnostic accuracy of 79% [11].
The present multicenter study aimed at increasing the diagnostic accuracy of DOBI ComfortScan in a larger population and at assessing whether it can be a useful tool for breast cancer screening.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Patient Characteristics
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had undergone surgical excision of suspicious or positive breast lesions at the National Cancer Institute of Naples and at the Clinical Zucchi of Milan between March 2009 and July 2011. All patients had been considered eligible for surgery since they showed BI-RADS 4-5 breast lesions at standard imaging (mammography and breast ultrasound). Patient's workout included medical history, breast abdominal and pelvic ultrasound, mammography, chest X-ray, and routine blood chemistry with tumor markers assessment (CA 15.2 and CEA). Cytological or microhistological characterization of the lesions was also acquired. Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in case of suspicious multicentric and/or bilateral breast cancer. Bone scan was also included in the staging in case of malignancy. All patients who underwent Dynamic Optical Breast Imaging in the preoperative workflow were considered eligible for the study. Four patients were excluded due to insufficient illumination of the breasts. The study was approved by the local ethics committees and was performed in accordance with the current version of the Declaration of Helsinki and the International Conference on Harmonization of Good Clinical Practice Guidelines. Informed consent was obtained from all patients after the nature of the examinations was explained fully.
2.2. The Dynamic Optical Breast Imaging
The DOBI Medical ComfortScan system is an advanced digital imaging device that uses high-intensity, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and gentle external pressure to highlight areas with vascular abnormalities. The high-intensity LEDs transmit red light through the breast, if the light encounters a neoangiogenic region, it is absorbed or scattered differently than in other regions of the breast. This is caused by the different concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin.
The system is made of three physical assemblies (Figure 5): the C-arm assembly, the controller, and the computer system. The details of the technique have been previously described [9–11].
2.3. Image Acquisition and Processing
The patients stand in front of the machine and the breast is positioned onto the panel of the C-arm assembly. The LEDs of the system illuminated the breast and the light (with wavelength of 640 nm) is transmitted through the tissues and quantified on the other side by the charge coupled device (CCD) camera. In the acquisition window of the operating software, the operator can mark the region of interest (ROI) placing two pointers indicating, respectively, the nipple and where it is supposed to be the lesion.
A soft transparent silicone membrane is placed in contact with the upper surface of the breast and then inflated under computer control during the exam. The pressure is set to 5 mmHg for the first 15 s of the scan, raised to 10 mmHg over the next 30 s (the dynamic image sequence), and decreased back to 5 mmHg for the final 15 s. Forty-five frames are overall acquired (five baseline before applying pressure and 40 during the dynamic sequence). The transmitted light is detected by the CCD throughout the scan and recorded by the computer that processed the data to generate the dynamic angiogenic signature (DAS), a sequence of images of the breast in a cranial-caudal view.
The analysis of the Dynamic Angiogenic Signature may identify changes in local blood perfusion and oxygen saturation as variations in image contrast defined area of pathologic interest (API). The API presents an increase of both blood volume and depletion of blood oxygen with a reduction of the amount of light reaching the CCD camera. This feature appears like an area of decreased intensity (dark blue) or highly decreased intensity (purple) of color contrast. The ComfortView software selects the optimal contrast "auto contrast" for display of the study varying the scale (percentage) used along the -axis; however, it is possible to zoom in on the focused area by changing the scale of the -axis in dynamical mode [12].
2.4. Criteria of Exam Interpretation
We defined twelve items to correctly estimate the API in order to standardize the criteria of the exam interpretation. The parameters were blindly evaluated and grouped into three categories: morphologic, spatial, and temporal items (Table 1). Morphologic items evaluate the major diameter and margins of the API. The absence of API means absence of detectable neangiogenesis as well as a very diffuse blue indicates an area not well evaluable (Figure 1(a)). If the blue area is more bowl-like (some transition, but with a large, even-colored area of deep blue instead of a smaller, more focused area at the epicenter), it is not as likely associated with malignancy and is not clearly benign, thus, it is considered indeterminate (Figure 1(b)). A focal, intense API with relative steep transitions of the margins (like an inverted mountain peak, or "peaked") is more likely to be associated with malignancy (Figure 1(c)).
The spatial items define the distance of the API from the nipple marker and its location in the ROI marker. The lesion is more relevant when enclosed in the ROI marker and localized distant from the nipple to avoid the "nipple blue-phenomenal" due to the natural convergence of the vessels to the nipple. The maximum pixel intensity of the API also correlates with malignancy. An intensity of −4000 is considered predictive of malignancy, while −2050 to −4000 is less strongly predictive, but still likely malignant. An intensity of 0 to −2050 is considered indeterminate (consistent with a "flat" or nearly flat curve).
The temporal items evaluate the time of API detection and its duration and the temporal signature graft (in auto and zoom mode), which represents the changes over time of the pixel intensity as well as the differences of the temporal signature grafts between the API and the normal breast tissue in auto and zoom mode. The absence of API means absence of detectable neangiogenesis (Figure 2(a)).
Curve becoming more positive over time (trend is upward) indicates that less light is being absorbed and is consistent with a benign area. This would appear as an area of green that becomes orange/yellow/white over the sequence of images (Figure 2(b)). Curves that are very wavy (sinusoidal or highly variable in amplitude) are considered benign (Figure 2(c)).
If the curve is becoming more negative over time (the trend is downward), this indicates that more light is being absorbed and is consistent with the presence of malignancy. A more rapid decrease of the curve is more likely associated with malignancy (Figures 2(d) and 2(e)). A linear downward trend represents the feature most predictive of malignancy (Figure 2(f)). Additional information can be drawn from the comparison of the temporal signatures of the API with the remaining breast tissue (control marker). If the API and the control marker curves are very similar (the background is "behaving" consistently and the lesion ROI has the same pattern), especially when the curves are trending upward, this is consistent with an area that is likely benign (Figure 3(a)). If the lesion ROI is in an area of malignancy, that area is expected to respond to pressure differently from the uninvolved breast. Very dissimilar lesion and, or ROI curves are more often associated with an area of malignancy (Figure 3(c)). A highly variable curve throughout the background (no distinct reference curve pattern) or a lesion ROI curve that is not distinctly different than the reference ROI curve is considered indeterminate (Figure 3(b)). Also, an area of malignancy is expected to become relatively more intense over time compared with the uninvolved area of the breast; therefore, diverging curves (a lesion ROI curve that diverges from the reference ROI curve) indicate an area that is likely malignant. Overall these findings may be evaluated in auto-selected mode as well as in zoom mode [13].
2.5. Statistical Analysis
We scored the 12 variables using a standardized code (Table 2) and then evaluated the relationship of these scores with histology through the discriminant analysis (DA).
DA was used to model the value of a dependent categorical variable based on its relationship to one or more predictors. We calculated the Wilks' lambda for each variable to define its correlation with histology (benign versus malignant). The variables that resulted significantly associated with histology at discriminant analysis were recoded with a new score according to the strength of their correlation.
The summation score derived from the discriminant analysis was evaluated by using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves to assess the best cutoff. The area under ROC curve (AUC) illustrates the performance of a classifier over all sensitivity and specificity levels. The AUC can range from 0.5 (chance performance) to 1.0 (perfect performance). In order to minimize the rate of false negative, we decided to take into account a performance at very high sensitivity level.
Finally we developed a 4-class DOBI-level correlating with pathologic findings: malignant (category B5); possibly malignant (category B4); benign but the possibility of malignancy cannot be excluded (category B3); benign (category B2).
The chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between the DOBI score and prognostic variables.
All of the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (version 16.0).
3. Results
3.1. Pathologic Findings
Overall 113 women underwent DOBI-ComfortScan before surgery. Median age was 49.8 (range 25–79) years. Twenty-seven radical mastectomies, 47 quadrantectomies, and 39 wide excisions were performed in the 113 patients reviewed. Overall, 65 invasive cancer, 9 in situ carcinoma and 39 nonmalignant lesions, were observed. Fifty-three patients out of 74 patients with carcinoma presented positive axillary nodes. Pathological tumor size was T1, T2, and T3 in 41, 20, and 4 patients, respectively. Histotype of patients with invasive carcinoma was as follows: ductal carcinoma 54, lobular carcinoma 6, others 5. At immunochemistry, 54 patients had HR positive, 16 patients presented an HER2 overexpressing, and 4 cases were triple negative tumor Table 2.
3.2. Optical Imaging
Discriminant analysis of the DOBI Scan results was validated originating a classification matrix with 80% of original grouped cases correctly classified and 85.0% of cross-validated grouped cases correctly classified, having confirmed a major contribution of the same variables that had significant correlation coefficients.
The relationship between the categories and score of various items is shown in Table 3.
The following variables better discriminated the function: major diameter; pixel intensity; temporal signature graft in auto mode; temporal signature graft in zoom mode.
The summation score, made up of 10 variables (two were excluded since they resulted not significant), was evaluated by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to assess the best cutoff; these are plots of the true positive rate against the false positive rate for different possible cut-off points (Figure 4). The best cut-off DOBI score for tumor detection was 30.5, giving a sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 87%, respectively. Overall, 64 patients had a >30.5 DOBI-Score; 59/64 had a tumor, resulting in a positive predictive value of 92.2%. Fifteen out of 49 patients with DOBI score <30.5 had a malignant lesion, which resulted in a negative predictive value of 69.5%. In order to maximize the capability of DOBI in identifying benign lesions we considered a lower score. The DOBI-Score cut-off 25 better permitted the identification of benign lesions. Twenty-one out of 24 women with <25 score showed a benign lesion (negative predictive value 87.6%). Seventy-one out of 89 patients with score > 25 had cancer (positive predictive value 80%).
Finally, the DOBI score was related to diagnostic results (DOBI Level) such as malignant (category B5 ≥ 38 score); possibly malignant (category B4 = 25–37 score); benign but the possibility of malignancy cannot be excluded (category B3 = 20–24 score); benign (category B2 < 20 score).
Table 4 shows the diagnostic categories. The chi-square analysis showed no statistically significant correlation between the categorical DOBI score and T size (), grading (), Cerb2 (), and receptor status () (Table 2).
4. Discussion
Breast cancer is the first cause of cancer-related death among women in western countries. In 2010, the standardized mortality rate was estimated to be 13.3/100.000 worldwide and 30.9/100.000 in developed countries [14]. One-third of these cancer deaths can be avoided by early detection and appropriate therapy; this means that nearly 400.000 lives could be saved every year [15]. Current investigation of breast cancer is performed in women between 50 and 70 years of age by X-ray mammography, sometimes supplemented by ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [16]. Mammography has a sensitivity generally ranging between 79% and 89%; however, its diagnostic accuracy is much lower in radiographically dense breasts that limits its usefulness in high-risk young women [17–19]. The dynamic optical breast imaging (DOBI) may identify breast tumors by detecting changes in local blood perfusion and oxygen saturation due to neoangiogenesis. The DOBI has numerous potential advantages, including the use of nonionizing low energy light radiation, high sensitivity, continuous data acquisition for real-time monitoring, and low cost. To date, very few papers investigating the potential use of the DOBI ComfortScan system for the early detection of breast cancer are available. Athanasiou et al. reported the results of DOBI scan in a series of 72 patients with BI-RADS 4-5 breast lesions [20]. The interpretation of the optical imaging was based on the analysis of the following parameters: the presence of early, focal, intense blue color in the area of interest, the pixel intensity of the blue areas, and the type of temporal signature of dynamic curves. A numeric level of suspicious score was calculated based on all these elements and a score > 5 was considered suspicious. At histological analysis, 49 out of 72 lesions were found to correspond to malignancies and the DOBI recognized 30 of them. Among them, 30 corresponded to malignant lesions and 11 to high-risk benign lesions. Eleven out of 19 false negative cases observed were ductal carcinoma in situ. However, the criteria of imaging interpretation were not clearly defined and there was a high interobserver variability in the determination of the score. Fournier et al. evaluated the DOBI system in 47 BI-RADS 3–5 breast lesions [11]. A statistically significant difference in numbers of suspect pixels between benign (12) and malignant (35) lesions was observed (). The ROC curve showed that the optimal cut-off value for the number of pixels was 2050. Twenty-six out of 35 malignant lesions (sensitivity = 74%) and 1/12 benign nodules (specificity 92%) showed a number of pixel > 2050. Interestingly, 6 out of 9 malignant lesions missed by DOBI scan had been classified BI-RADS 5 by mammography, therefore correctly described as most certainly malignant. In view of that, the authors stated that mammography and optical imaging should be considered complementary, as they describe different physiological properties of tissues.
The purpose of our study was to improve the accuracy of DOBI ComfortScan by evaluating other parameters besides maximum pixel intensity. We considered 12 items, grouped in three categories, spatial, temporal, and localizing since we hypothesized that the temporal changes of the pixel intensity as well as the spatial characteristics of the API and its relationship with normal breast could add useful information to achieve a correct diagnosis. The discriminant analysis permitted to exclude two spatial items, the location of the API in the ROI marker and its distance from the nipple. The remaining ten items, which had significantly correlated with histology, were recoded according to strength of their correlation. A higher score was given to the following five parameters which better discriminated the function: major diameter, pixel intensity, and temporal signature graft in auto and zoom mode as well as the correlation between the temporal signature grafts of API and normal tissue. The ROC analysis showed that the best cutoff of DOBI score was 30.5, which resulted in a sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 87%, respectively. A DOBI score > 25 resulted in a much higher sensitivity (93%) and a DOBI score > 21 reached a 99% sensitivity although the specificity dramatically fell. According to the performance depicted in the ROC curve, we developed a DOBI 0–5 categorical classification (DOBI-level, Table 4) resembling the classical BI-RADS categorization. The DOBI-level 4-5 (score > 25) permitted to correctly identify 71/74 (96%) malignant lesions, with only 18 false positive findings. A DOBI-level 2-3 (score ≤ 25) correctly identified absence of tumor in 21/24 (87%) cases. Overall, a cutoff of DOBI score 25 resulted in a positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 80% and 87%, respectively. Both the positive and negative predictive values we observed in the present study compare favorably with those previously reported. Interestingly, the univariate analysis showed that age, T size, invasive/in situ, histotype, grading, HR status, Ki 67, and HER2 status did not significantly affect diagnostic accuracy. In view of that, DOBI ComfortScan could be a very useful diagnostic tool in young women. We must remark that this was a retrospective study, thus further confirmations in prospective trials are required before considering the DOBI ComfortScan a useful tool for early detection of breast cancer. In order to assess whether the DOBI could be used for breast cancer detection in asymptomatic women, a large prospective randomized trial comparing this methodic with other standard breast imaging examinations should be carried out. There are some limitations that must be taken into consideration. The DOBI ComfortScan allows the acquisition of breast images only in craniocaudal projection and this may avoid the detection of cancers localized in the axillar pilaster and/or mammary sulc. Moreover, DOBI ComfortScan could be not feasible in women with very small, firm breasts that could not be properly illuminated as well as in women previously submitted to surgery and/or bioptic procedures, due to the presence of residual edema and extravasation. The possible limiting role of factors like inflammatory breast conditions, skin breast tattoos, menstrual cycle phases, and vasculitis should be addressed in appropriate trials.
5. Conclusion
The DOBI ComfortScan is a low-cost, noninvasive technique with a good potential for discriminating benign from malignant lesions. According to our results, the definition of other parameters besides pixel intensity permits to improve the accuracy of this diagnostic procedure. Further studies are warranted to define the potential role of DOBIComfortScan in breast cancer imaging.
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