text:
A compact, inexpensive, and lightweight pressure calibrator and a method for calibrating pressure monitoring devices. The pressure calibrator (10) comprises a plunger (14) sized to slide snugly within a hypodermic syringe barrel (12). Included within the plunger are pressure transducer (56), a microprocessor (54) and other electronic components (62). A digital display (30) disposed within the side of the plunger is operative to display the pressure developed within the syringe barrel (12) as the operator moves the plunger. "O" rings (28) provide a hermetic seal between the plunger and the internal bore (16) of the syringe barrel. A tube (22) is connected to the output port (20) of the syringe and provides fluid communication between the syringe and a pressure monitoring device (26) being calibrated.
1. Apparatus for producing a desired fluid pressure in a fluid line connected to an output port of a syringe, comprising: a plunger, adapted to slide snugly inside a barrel of the syringe when a force is applied to one end of the plunger by an operator, said plunger including:
a. a sliding hermetic seal disposed between an outer surface of the plunger and an inner surface of the syringe;
b. a pressure transducer disposed within the plunger, the pressure transducer being exposed to fluid pressure developed inside the syringe by the operator applied force and operative to produce a signal proportional to said fluid pressure;
c. a digital display disposed within the plunger; and
d. processor means, disposed within the plunger and connected to the pressure transducer and the digital display, for driving the digital display to indicate the fluid pressure developed in the syringe as a function of the signal, so that the operator may apply sufficient force to the plunger to develop the desired fluid pressure in the fluid line, as indicated on the digital display.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plunger is generally cylindrical in shape, and wherein the sliding hermetic seal comprises an "O" ring disposed concentrically around the plunger.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plunger includes a switch for selectively energizing the processor means to drive the digital display to indicate the fluid pressure for a predetermined interval of time.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the switch comprises a pushbutton disposed in the side of the plunger.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a battery power supply disposed within the plunger.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital display is disposed within a sidewall of the plunger, intermediate the hermetic seal and the end of the plunger to which the operator applies the force.
7. Apparatus for producing a desired fluid pressure in a fluid line to calibrate a fluid pressure monitoring device that is connected in fluid communication with the fluid line, said apparatus comprising:
a. cylinder means for defining a chamber having an output port adapted for connection to the fluid line, and a smooth internal bore;
b. piston means, slidingly disposed within the smooth bore of the cylinder means and forming a hermetic seal therewith, for varying the volume of the chamber and thus controlling the pressure of fluid contained therein;
c. pressure sensing means, disposed within the piston means, for sensing the fluid pressure in said chamber and producing a signal indicative of its magnitude;
d. display means disposed within the piston means, for displaying the magnitude of the fluid pressure inside the chamber; and
e. signal processing means, connected to the pressure sensing means, for processing the signal and driving the display means to display the fluid pressure inside the chamber as a function of said signal;
f. wherein a variable force is applied to the piston means to develop a calibration pressure in the fluid line that may be used to calibrate a fluid pressure monitoring device at a plurality of test pressures.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the piston means include an "O" ring for hermetically sealing against the smooth bore of the cylinder means.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pressure sensing means comprise a solid state pressure transducer disposed in fluid communication with the cylinder, and wherein the signal is a voltage proportional to fluid pressure in the cylinder.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the display means comprise a digital display visible through a side of the piston means.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signal processing means comprise a microprocessor, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the signal produced by the pressure transducer to a digital value, and memory means for storing a program defining the steps by which the signal is processed by the microprocessor, to indicate the pressure in the chamber on the display means.
12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the piston means include an internal battery power supply and means for selectively energizing the signal processing means with the battery power supply.
13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the desired fluid pressure is sub-atmospheric, and wherein the variable force is applied to the piston means by an operator pulling an end of the piston means outwardly of the cylinder means, the operator of the apparatus exerting sufficient force in a direction aligned with a longitudinal axis of the piston means to achieve indication of the desired fluid pressure on the display means.
14. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a reset switch wherein the signal processing means for operative to drive the display means only for a predetermined interval of time after the reset switch is actuated.
15. A method for calibrating a fluid pressure monitoring device connected in fluid communication with a fluid line, said fluid pressure monitoring device being operative to produce an indication of fluid pressure in the fluid line, comprising the steps of:
a. slidingly fitting a pressure transducer reference standard inside a syringe, the reference standard being disposed in a case having at least a portion thereof sized to fit within the syringe in a close fit for use as a plunger, said case including an electronic digital pressure display indicating the pressure to which the pressure transducer reference standard is exposed;
b. connecting an output port of the syringe to the fluid line;
c. applying a force directed along the longitudinal axis of the pressure transducer reference standard by either: (i) pushing the pressure transducer reference standard into the syringe, compressing the fluid in the syringe to produce a fluid pressure inside the fluid line in excess of ambient atmospheric pressure, or (ii) pulling the pressure transducer reference standard partially out from the syringe to produce a fluid pressure in the fluid line that is less than ambient atmospheric pressure; the displacement of the pressure transducer reference standard in the syringe producing a calibration fluid pressure in the fluid line, the magnitude of which is indicated on the digital pressure display; and
d. comparing the pressure indicated on the digital pressure display of the pressure transducer reference standard with the pressure indicated by the pressure monitoring device to determine the error of the pressure monitoring device.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pressure transducer reference standard comprises a reference pressure transducer operative to produce a signal, a mircroprocessor for processing the signal causing the digital pressure display to indicate the pressure in the syringe, and an electronic memory in which is stored a program defining the steps that the microprocessor carries out in processing the signal.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the pressure transducer reference standard comprises a cylinder having an "O" ring concentric thereto, used to form a sliding hermetic seal between the pressure transducer reference standard and an internal bore of the syringe.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fluid line is connected to a normally vented reference port on the fluid pressure monitoring device.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid pressure monitoring device is normally used to monitor the pressure of bodily fluids.
20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of initially energizing the pressure transducer reference standard when it is outside the syringe to autozero the digital pressure display.
The present invention generally pertains to a pressure calibration device, and specifically to a device for calibrating pressure transducers at relatively low gauge pressures, by producing a known reference pressure.
Relatively inexpensive solid state pressure transducers are routinely used for monitoring the cardiovascular pressure and other fluid pressures of patients who are hospitalized or undergoing medical treatment and diagnostic tests. The accuracy of these pressure monitoring devices is subject to change, possibly producing substantial errors in the indicated pressure. In certain critical procedures where the patient's physiological state must be accurately monitored, errors in a pressure transducer connected to monitor a vital body function may become very significant, even life-threatening in their consequences.
Calibration of such pressure monitoring devices may be accomplished by comparison against a reference standard to which the same fluid pressure is applied. Ideally, the pressure transducer under test should be calibrated at a minimum of three reference points, including its full scale rated pressure, to determine its accuracy and linearity. Although a more accurate reference standard such as an air piston gauge may be used, a digital readout pressure reference standard is available for this purpose. The device is approximately the same size as a hand calculator and weighs several pounds. This reference standard is designed to supply a variable calibration pressure to a pressure transducer under test. Adjustment of the calibration pressure is effected by turning a thumb wheel to vary the fluid displacement of a piston in a cylinder.
Although relatively small, the above-described prior art pressure transducer reference standard is too bulky to be conveniently carried on the person of a nurse or medical technician. In addition, its cost makes it impractical to equip each individual having a need to check pressure monitors with the device. Unfortunately, experience has shown that unless a reference standard is readily at head, pressure transducers used in critical medical applications are unlikely to be calibrated as often as should be. With the growing concern about medical malpractice, it has become very important for hospitals, doctors and health care personnel to take all reasonable steps to ensure the patient's wellbeing. Such reasonable steps would probably include frequently checking the accuracy of pressure monitoring devices used to monitor critical bodily functions.
In consideration of these concerns, it is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost, portable calibration reference, useful for calibrating pressure monitoring devices.
It is a further object to provide an easily adjusted calibration pressure that may be readily input to the pressure monitoring transducer.
A still further object is to provide a known calibration reference pressure with a compact device, sufficiently small and lightweight to be carried on the person of a user.
Yet a still further object is to provide a digital display on a calibration reference standard, indicating the pressure of the fluid supplied to calibrate the pressure monitoring device.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention in relation to the attached drawings.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus useful for calibrating pressure sensing devices by supplying a fluid at a known pressure. The apparatus comprises a plunger, adapted for use with a syringe having an output port connected through a line in fluid communication with a device to be calibrated. The plunger, sized to slide snugly inside the syringe, is inserted therein, and a force is applied to the outwardly extending end of the plunger by an operator to develop a desired calibration pressure. A calibration pressure less than local atmospheric pressure is developed by pulling outwardly on the end of the plunger. Alternatively, a calibration pressure in excess of local atmospheric pressure may be developed by forcing the plunger inwardly of the syringe.
The plunger includes a hermetic seal disposed around its outer circumference, adapted to engage to the inner surface of the syringe. The seal, preferably an "O" ring, reduces or eliminates fluid leakage between these surfaces as the plunger is moved inside the syringe. A pressure transducer is disposed within the syringe, exposed to the fluid pressure developed by the operator-applied force. The pressure transducer produces a signal proportional to the pressure developed within the syringe and the attached line. Connected to the pressure transducer inside the plunger are processor means. The processor means are operative to drive a digital display that is also disposed within the plunger, on which the calibration pressure developed by the operator is displayed. This calibration pressure is communicated through the fluid line to the pressure monitoring device being calibrated, for comparison to its indicated pressure.
FIG. 1 illustrates a cutaway side view of a syringe, showing how a preferred embodiment of the present invention is fitted therein;
FIG. 2 illustrates a plunger comprising the present invention in longitudinal cross-sectional view;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a solid state pressure transducer used in the plunger of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4 shows the solid state pressure transducer of FIG. 3 in a cross-sectional view;
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the electrical circuit used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the logic of the control algorithm used in providing a digital display of calibration pressure.
With reference to FIG. 1, a pressure calibrator constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally denoted by reference numeral 10. Pressure calibrator 10 includes a generally conventional plastic (or glass) hypodermic syringe barrel 12 and a plunger 14 sized to fit snugly within the internal bore 16 of the syringe barrel. When inserted into syringe barrel 12 as shown in FIG. 1, the inwardly extending end of plunger 14 defines one end of a chamber 18 containing a fluid. Normally this fluid comprises air, although liquids and other gaseous fluids may be used.
An output port 20 is defined by the end of syringe barrel 12, where it necks down to a relatively small diameter cylindrical surface on which a hypodermic needle would be fitted if the syringe were used conventionally. Instead, one end of a length of tubing 22 is fitted over output port 20, and the other end is attached to a reference pressure port 24 of a pressure monitoring device that is to be calibrated, providing a fluid communication path between chamber 18 and the pressure monitoring device 26.
Just as movement of the solid plastic or glass plunger normally used with a hypodermic syringe is operative to change the volume within the syringe, forcing fluid through an attached needle, movement of plunger 14 within syringe barrel 12 changes the volume of chamber 18. Furthermore, as the volume of chamber 18 changes, the pressure of fluid within the chamber and tubing 22 changes proportionally. Whenever plunger 14 is partially withdrawn from the internal bore 16 of syringe barrel 12, the volume of chamber 18 is increased, and the pressure of fluid within the chamber and within tubing 22 is reduced. Conversely, as a force applied to the end of plunger 14 (in alignment with its longitudinal axis) causes it to move further into the internal bore 16 of the syringe barrel, the volume of chamber 18 decreases, with a concomitant increase in pressure of the fluid contained therein.
Two "O" rings 28 are fitted within grooves formed on the outer surface of plunger 14, providing a hermetic seal between the outer surface of the plunger and the internal bore 16 of syringe barrel 12. "O" rings 28 substantially eliminate leakage of fluid between these surfaces as plunger 14 is moved within syringe barrel 12. It may also be possible to provide an adequate seal with only one "O" ring 28.
Disposed on the side of plunger 14 are a pushbutton switch 32 and a digital display 30. Pushbutton switch 32 is centered in a depression within the cylindrical surface of plunger 14, inset sufficiently so that the top of the pushbutton does not contact the internal bore 16 of syringe barrel 12 when plunger 14 is inserted therein. Digital display 30 has 2 3/4 digits of resolution, i.e., it is capable of displaying a reading in the range �399.
Turning now to FIG. 2, a cross-section of plunger 14 illustrates details of the internal construction of the plunger. Plunger 14 comprises a cylinder 38 formed from plastic or a metal such as brass. Cylinder 38 is shorter and approximately the same diameter as a conventional ball point pen, and is readily carried on the person of a user, e.g., in a breast pocket of a shirt. A printed circuit card 40 is disposed along the longitudinal axis of cylinder 38, centered therein and extending diametrically across the cylinder. A plurality of electronic components generally denoted by reference numeral 62 are mounted on printed circuit board 40, including a microprocessor 54. Digital display 30 is also mounted upon printed circuit board 40, positioned immediately below a plastic window 41 that is fitted into an opening within cylinder 38. The window has substantially the same radius of curvature as the external surface of the cylinder.
A plug 64 is threaded into one end of plunger 14. Plug 64 is removable to provide access to a pair of button or disc-shaped lithium batteries 42, which provide power for electronic components 62. Under normal intermittent usage, lithium batteries 42 are expected to provide power for the components 62 for up to five years; however, plug 64 may be removed so that the batteries can be replaced or so that electronic components 62 may be serviced. A spring 58 is connected to the adjacent end of printed circuit board 40, providing an electrical connection between a conducting trace (not shown) on the printed circuit board and the case of one of the batteries 42. In addition, spring 58 provides a biasing force to ensure good electrical contact between the spring and battery, and between the two batteries. The center of the other battery 42 contacts a conducting surface (not shown) that is also connected to the printed circuit board 40.
Pushbutton switch 32 includes a conducting surface 35 disposed adjacent a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts 34 on printed circuit board 40. Depression of the pushbutton completes the circuit between contacts 34 th rough conducting surface 35, energizing electronic components 62 as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. Pushbutton switch 32 also includes a helical spring 44 to bias surface 35 away from contacts 34; a flange 36 formed around the perimeter of the pushbutton abuts the interior surface of cylinder 38, serving the retain the pushbutton inside cylinder 38.
The end of cylinder 38 that is inserted into syringe barrel 12 (on the left as shown in FIG. 2) defines a port 60 through which pressurized fluid is applied to a pressure transducer 56 mounted inside the cylinder, adjacent port 60. Details of pressure transducer 56 are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The pressure transducer used in the preferred embodiment is a conventional piezoresistive silicon sensor, including P-type regions comprising sensing resistors 70 and 71, disposed in an N-type silicon wafer 72. The center of the N-type silicon wafer 72 is a relatively thin silicon diaphragm 74. Layers of silicon oxide 76 insulate the surfaces of silicon wafer 72. During manufacture, its bottom surface is joined to a plate 86 (while within a vacuum environment), forming a vacuum chamber 78 between plate 86 and the center silicon diaphragm 74 of the wafer.
The P-type regions comprising sensing resistors 70 and 71 are disposed in silicon wafer 72 adjacent the top surface of silicon diaphragm 74, around the edge of vacuum chamber 78, and the connected by conductors 80 in a standard Wheatstone bridge circuit. Application of fluid pressure to silicon diaphragm 74 causes it to deflect, changing the relative resistance of the sensing resistors 70 and 71. When exposed to a vacuum, no pressure is applied to the silicon diaphragm, and the resistance of resistors 70 and 71 are substantially equal since the Wheatstone bridge is in a balanced condition. If a voltage is applied to nodes 84 at diagonally opposite corners of the bridge, the potential difference between nodes 82 at the other two corners is then approximately zero. Conversely, when the center of silicon diaphragm 74 is deflected by an applied fluid pressure, the potential difference between nodes 82 changes in direct proportion to the pressure, the resistance of sensing resistors 70 increasing, and the resistance of sensing resistors 71 decreasing by equal amounts, creating an imbalanced condition of the Wheatstone bridge. With voltage applied to nodes 84, pressure transducer 56 then provides an output voltage between nodes 82 that is proportional to the pressure applied to center silicon diaphragm 74 of the transducer.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of pressure transducers might be used in this application. For example, a transducer responding to pressure by changing capacitance, thus varying the resonant frequency of a connected circuit, would be suitable. Any such pressure transducer used should have a rated accuracy at least equivalent to that of the pressure monitoring devices likely to be calibrated, and should produce a voltage, current, or some other physical parameter that changes as a function of the applied pressure, in the desired range. In the preferred embodiment, pressure transducer 56 has a rated accuracy of �196 of the applied pressure and is rated to measure pressures of at least �400 mm. of mercury.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a block diagram shows the relationship between the various electronic components 62 of pressure calibrator 10. Power for the electronic components used in the circuit represented in FIG. 5 is supplied by batteries 42, connected to ground and to a power switching circuit 100, by a conductor 98. Power switching circuit 100 controls the application of DC voltage to each of the other elements of the pressure calibrator in response to a signal provided over a conductor 96 from microprocessor 54. In the preferred embodiment, an internal timer within microprocessor 54 resets and counts down for a predetermined interval each time pushbutton switch 32 is depressed, so that battery power is applied to the electronic components of pressure calibrator 10 only for 90 seconds, thereby ensuring that batteries 42 are not run-down by someone inadvertently leaving the device energized for an extended period of time. A transistor switch (not shown) or other type of electronic switch may be used to carry out the functions of power switching circuit 100, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Conductor 98 also conveys DC power from batteries 42 to a start circuit 110. Start circuit 110 includes pushbutton switch 32, which when depressed, applies DC voltage through conductor 112 to reset the internal counter within microprocessor 54. In response to the signal from microprocessor 54 initiating the 90 second timed period, DC power is applied via conductor 102 to a display circuit 128, microprocessor 54, a low battery detect circuit 104 and to pressure transducer 56.
Low battery detect circuit 104 is operative to compare the DC voltage on conductor 102 to a reference voltage derived from a batter check signal supplied by microprocessor 54 to the low battery detect circuit over conductor 108. The battery check signal is clamped at approximately 0.6 volts DC using a diode (not shown) and compared to a voltage obtained by a divider circuit (not shown) from the battery power supply. Such low battery detect circuits are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The result of the battery voltage check performed by the low battery detect circuit 104 is returned to microprocessor 54 via conductor 106.
A microprocessor oscillator 114 is provided for use as a time base my microprocessor 54. In the preferred embodiment, microprocessor oscillator 114 simply comprises an RC circuit. Alternatively, a crystal oscillator could be used; however, the accuracy of a crystal is not required in this application. The time base signal provided by microprocessor oscillator 114 is input to microprocessor 54 through a conductor 116.
A plurality of data lines 126 connect microprocessor 54 to a display circuit 128, comprising the 2 3/4 digital display 30 and a appropriate driver chip (not separately shown). Data provided via data lines 126 are used by the display driver to energize selected digits of digital display 30, indicating the pressure sensed by pressure transducer 56 as will be explained hereinbelow.
An optional unit reading selector 132, comprising a jumper wire (not shown) or other suitable switching device is provided on printed circuit board 40 (FIG. 2) to change the units of pressure indicated by digital display 30 from the "normal units," millimeters of mercury, to inches of water column (or some other units of pressure). Unit reading selector 132 provides a means for selecting the "optional" units of pressure by grounding an input port of microprocessor 54 through conductor 130. It is not contemplated that a change in pressure units should be readily available to an operator of pressure calibrator 10.
The heart of the pressure calibrator is the pressure transducer 56. As explained above, it produces a DC voltage proportional to an applied fluid pressure. This voltage is output via conductor 118 to analog-to-digital converter 120. Although various analog-to-digital converter chips are commercially available, in the preferred embodiment, analog-to-digital converter 120 implements a dual slope integrator technique in which an internal counter within microprocessor 54 accumulates counts in a register for a period of time proportional to the voltage output by pressure transducer 56. Initiation of the analog-to-digital conversion process begins with a signal output by microprocessor 54 over conductor 122 to analog-to-digital converter 120 and terminates in response to a signal from analog-to-digital converter 120 input to microprocessor 54 via conductor 124. Other techniques and commercially available A-D converter integrated circuits suitable for providing 2 3/4 digit resolution and 1% accuracy might also be used for this application, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Microprocessor 54 preferably comprises a National Semiconductor Corporation model COP 411-C CMOS microcontroller. It is anticipated that similar microprocessors may be used for this application, preferably those with relatively low power consumption, to ensure extended battery life. Included within microprocessor 54 is a read only memory (ROM), in which a series of machine language instructions are stored for carrying out each of the steps implemented by the microprocessor, including: checking the battery condition, carrying out the analog-to-digital conversion process to digitize the pressure responsive signal produced by the pressure transducer, converting the digitized signal to a pressure, applying the selected units to the pressure measured by pressure transducer 56, and displaying the pressure on digital display 30. Microprocessor 54 also includes random access memory (RAM) for temporarily storing variables used in carrying out these functions.
A flowchart illustrating the algorithm implemented by microprocessor 54 is shown in FIG. 6. Beginning with block 140, the control logic "starts" with the depression of pushbutton switch 32, initiating the 90 second internal countdown timer. In block 142, microprocessor 54 implements the analog-to-digital conversion of the signal output from the pressure transducer via conductor 122 (FIG. 5). Initially, pressure transducer 56 is exposed to atmospheric pressure so that microprocessor 54 can establish a Zero Pressure reading, as indicated in block 144.
In block 146, the analog-to-digital conversion process is again implemented, after the pressure applied to pressure transducer 56 has changed from the initial atmospheric pressure as checked in block 148. The value of the variable, "Pressure," is updated to reflect the new reading in block 150. Following the step in block 150, (or if the result of the check made in block 148 is negative), in block 152, microprocessor 56 determines if the alternate units switch has been set, and if so, in block 154, converts the value for Pressure to an equivalent valve in the alternate units. This conversion is done by multiplying Pressure by the appropriate conversion factor. Of course, if the alternate unit switch has not been set, block 154 is skipped, control logic proceeding directly to block 156. In block 156, the condition of the batteries 42 is checked by low battery detect circuit 104, in response to a signal produced by microprocessor 54.
Finally, in block 158, microprocessor 54 outputs the pressure reading to display circuit 128 via data lines 126 causing digital display 30 to indicate the pressure in the selected units, and to indicate the current battery status. Although not shown in the flow chart, should the pressure exceed the maximum rated range for pressure calibrator 10 (�399 mm of mercury) in block 158, microprocessor 54 may optionally cause digital display 30 to blink on and off while displaying the numbers 399, or alternatively may display the letters "DP" (defective pressure), or other symbols indicating a fault condition. During the 90 second period following initiation of the pressure measurement, microprocessor 54 repeats steps 146 through 158, terminating at block 160 when the 90 second period has expired.
In using pressure calibrator 10, the operator depresses pushbutton 32 on plunger 14 prior to inserting it within syringe barrel 12, permitting microprocessor 54 to autozero so that digital display 30 reads 0 mm of mercury when initially exposed to atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, plunger 14 is immediately inserted to its full extent within syringe barrel 12 and tubing 22 is connected to output port 20. Plunger 14 is partially withdrawn from syringe barrel 12, developing a pressure within chamber 18 that is less than local atmospheric pressure. This subatmospheric pressure is communicated via tubing 22 to the pressure monitoring device 26. Plunger 14 is displaced within syringe barrel 12 until the desired calibration pressure is indicated on digital display 30. This calibration pressure is then compared against the pressure indicated by pressure monitoring device 26.
Plunger 14 may be twisted within syringe barrel 12 to make small incremental changes in the indicated pressure. It has been found that static friction between "O" rings 28 and the internal bore 16 of syringe barrel 12 is sufficient to hold plunger 14 in place, once a desired calibration pressure is achieved by the operator. The calibration pressure developed in this manner is below ambient or local atmospheric pressure, as is conventional for calibrating a convention pressure monitoring device 26. Port 24 on pressure monitoring device 26 corresponds to a normally vented reference pressure port. When a subatmospheric calibration pressure is applied to reference port 24 while the port (not shown) that is normally exposed to a monitored fluid pressure is exposed to atmospheric pressure, pressure monitoring device 26 should indicate a pressure equal but opposite in sign to the pressure shown on digital display 30. Comparison of the display 32 on pressure calibrator 10 with the pressure indicated by pressure monitoring device 26 determines the error of the device.
Pressure calibrator 10 may also be used to generate calibration pressures that are greater than local atmospheric pressure. As before, pushbutton switch 32 is depressed prior to inserting plunger 14 into syringe barrel 12, auto zeroing the reading. Plunger 14 is inserted into syringe barrel 12 until a seal is obtained between the "O" rings 28 and the syringe bore 16, and tubing 22 is connected to output port 20. Sufficient force is then applied against the end of plunger 14 (directed along its longitudinal axis) to obtain a desired calibration pressure indication on digital display 30 as the plunger slides into the syringe barrel. Using this technique, a calibration pressure in excess of local atmospheric pressure is developed within chamber 18 and applied to the port (not shown) of pressure monitoring device 26 that is normally used to monitor pressure. The latter technique is also useful in calibrating pressure monitoring devices that do not include a readily accessible reference port 24.
While the present invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications thereto may be made within the scope of the claims that follow hereinbelow.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image


text:
Take a Free Trial to see all ratings
Harman International Industries (HAR), a leading provider of car infotainment systems, is well positioned for the next five to seven years and likely will gain market share, RBC Capital Markets said in a research report Thursday. RBC analyst Joseph Spak reiterated his outperform rating on Harman ...
Many leaders making the Stock Spotlight are well-known names that have received extensive coverage but are overextended for the time being. But two newer stocks in the screen are showing similar strong price action and making quite a splash. Keep in mind that younger companies often make their ...
The average value fund has outperformed its counterparts in growth and core, the latter of which invest in both growth and value stocks, during the past 15 years. But growth and core have led the way in the past 6 years since the market low of March 2009. Look at the numbers. A $10,000 investment ...
A stock prospector would have had little trouble finding good watch list candidates among stocks hitting new highs Monday, a day of strong market gains and the Nasdaq flirting with new highs for the first time since 2000. Harman International (HAR) broke out of a three-weeks-tight pattern with a ...
HARMAN (HAR) fell 1.9% after saying in an SEC filing that some shareholders plan to sell up to 839,673 shares. The infotainment company had closed up 3.2% to 142.39.
View All »
HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier audio, visual, infotainment and enterprise automation group, today announced the closing of a five-year senior unsecured credit facility that will provide the Company with $1.2 billion in liquidity, a 14 percent increase over its
HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier audio, visual, infotainment and enterprise automation group, announced today that Avi N. Reichental has been elected to the Company's Board of Directors effective April 1, 2015, bringing the size of the Board to 10 directors.
The Dow climbed 0.87% to 18,114.67, while the NASDAQ composite index rose 0.68% to 5,026.29. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 0.75% to 2,104.91. The worst performing industries in the market today are:
View All »
Most viewed stocks over past 24 hours:
03/27/2015 (Market Close)
Most followed stocks on subscribers' stock lists:
03/27/2015 (Market Close)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
You're in the streets, don't keep your ID in your wallet
I got like six names, I can be anybody
from Young Scooter (Ft. Gucci Mane) – Work Lyrics on Genius
Young Scooter warns not to keep your ID on you loosely.
I.D. can tie you down to crimes, by lacking identification and not responding to an alias, this allows Scooter to flee from crimes where no information is given to the police.
For further protection, Scooter has six different aliases to avoid getting caught up.
To help improve the quality of the lyrics, visit Young Scooter (Ft. Gucci Mane) – Work Lyrics and leave a suggestion at the bottom of the page


text:
Introduce early readers to the job of a pizza maker! Meet Kwaku Twumasi, who describes his job using simple sentences read aloud.
Via BookChook
You are the content you publish.
Sign up with Facebook Sign up with Twitter
I don't have a Facebook or a Twitter account
Start a free trial of Scoop.it Business
Your new post is loading...
Your new post is loading...
Gust MEES's curator insight, March 8, 3:53 PM
If I ask you or your students, "How do you learn," how many of you could clearly articulate this process? If you can, are the strategies you're using the best ones for learning?
Apply New Learning Often and in Meaningful Contexts
The more you can apply what you're learning to your every day, the more it'll stick in your head. The reason is simple. When you're learning by doing, you're implementing everything that makes our memory work. When you're able to connect what you're learning with a real world task, that forms the bonds in your brain, and subsequently the skills you're learning will stick around.
We learn best when we have context, and that applies to new skills as much as it does random facts in school. That's why something like the transfer of learning is helpful when your learning a new skill. This means you're applying your new skills in your day to day life in a context that matters. (http://lifehacker.com/the-science-behind-how-we-learn-new-skills-908488422)
BookChook's curator insight, September 12, 2014 11:48 PM
Asking kids to really look at and engage with picture books is an excellent way to enhance their skills in visual literacy. Here are some sample questions you could use.
Dawn Matheson's curator insight, August 7, 2014 5:27 PM
Libraries are a community resource for all kinds of things ... not just books!
donhornsby's curator insight, June 10, 2014 9:07 AM
(From the article): Reading can also make you more effective in leading others. Reading increases verbal intelligence (PDF), making a leader a more adept and articulate communicator. Reading novels can improve empathy and understanding of social cues, allowing a leader to better work with and understand others — traits that author Anne Kreamer persuasively linked to increased organizational effectiveness, and to pay raises and promotions for the leaders who possessed these qualities. And any business person understands that heightened emotional intelligence will improve his or her leadership and management ability.
Jamie Ruppert's curator insight, June 11, 2014 12:45 AM
Reading brings a host of benefits to the workplace.
Carolyn D Cowen's curator insight, June 1, 2014 10:45 AM
A very professional little video on dyslexia that covers a LOT (including neurodiversity, AKA cerebrodiversity) in less than five minutes! There is some oversimplification (e.g., left/right brain stuff). I especially like the fact that she included the word—"up"— in this statement, "Dyslexia affects up to 1 in 5 people." Such a small word. Such an important point.
Barbara Kerr's curator insight, September 26, 2014 5:03 PM
"f we truly want to help children thrive in life ….and want to have an incredibly positive impact on our world, it is VITAL that we place the emphasis on the development of relationships with other human beings …"
Rob Hatfield, M.Ed.'s curator insight, May 27, 2014 8:14 PM
The development for learning strategies within your teaching and learning environment. I use metacognitive learning strategies within all the courses that at teach at the university level.
Karen Bowden's curator insight, May 28, 2014 3:09 PM
"In our schools, "the emphasis is on what students need to learn, whereas little emphasis—if any—is placed on training students how they should go about learning the content and what skills will promote efficient studying to support robust learning," writes John Dunlosky, professor of psychology at Kent State University in Ohio..."
Tony Meehan's curator insight, July 30, 2014 8:18 AM
"Most striking, low-achieving students show "substantial deficits" in their awareness of the cognitive and metacognitive strategies that lead to effective learning—suggesting that these students' struggles may be due in part to a gap in their knowledge about how learning works."
We cannot expect to narrow the gap until we take the time to provide low achieving learners, far too often those of low socio-economic status, with the tools to learn for themselves, to have the confidence to enjoy learning and be curious about the wider world.


text:
- Business Directory
- Classifieds
- Special Sections
- Spring Sports Magazine 04.01.15
- Who's Who 3.25.15
- Spring Drive Whatcom 3.18.15
- Home & Garden Show Preview 3.04.15
- Wrap 03.15
- Coupon Book 03.15
- Progress Edition 2.25.15
- Encore 02.18.15
- Country Life 2.11.15
- Healthy Living 1.28.15
- Lynden Chamber Directory 01.2015
- Best of Lynden 12.31.14
- Everson-Nooksack News 12.03.14
- Kids Design An Ad 11.26.14
- Christmas Songbook 11.26.14
- Veterans Day Tab 11.05.14
- Fire Prevention Tab 10.01.14
- Fall Home Improvement 9-24-2014
- Northwest Washington Fair Magazine 8.06.14
- Health Care Guide 6.25.2014
- Graduation Section 6.04.14
- Lynden Rodeo Program
- Play Whatcom
- Submissions
- Advertising
- Contact Us
- Subscribe
- Log in
Latest Opinion
Letters to the editor – Jan. 22
Obamacare is lousy prescription for Americans Cancelled policies, increased premiums, higher deductibles, penalties, limits on doctors and hospitals — Obamacare is turning out to be a lousy prescription ...
Public meetings
Wednesday, Jan. 22 • Washington Red Raspberry Commission board of directors, offices at 1796 Front St., Lynden, 1 p.m. • Whatcom County Surface Mining Advisory Committee, Planning & Development ...
Lynden schools need this construction bond
by Jim Frey, superintendent On or around Jan. 24, ballots will arrive in your mailbox for the capital facility bond to replace both Lynden Middle School and Fisher Elementary School as well as pay off ...
Farm water meeting set for Monday, Jan. 20
by Ed Blok and Randy Honcoop Farmers in Whatcom County have always understood that managing water is a vital part of operating successful farm businesses. For years, farmers have created and maintained ...
Letters to the editor – Jan. 15
Remembering a Decade of Hope Would you like to help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays? Relay For Life of North Whatcom County is honored to be celebrating our 10th anniversary this June, ...
Public meetings
Wednesday, Jan. 15 • Lynden Board of Adjustments, southeast conference room, City Hall Annex, 205 Fourth St., 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16 • Whatcom Transportation Authority Board of Directors, council ...
From the Margin: Don't just assume a vital public voice
One particular end-of-the year list happened to catch my eye the other day. This one wasn't so much created by journalists as it was about journalists. It was the tally of those who died in the line ...
Letters to the editor – published Jan. 8
Discuss the ruin of the North American Free Trade Agreement On this the 20th anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement that has ruined the corn culture of Mexico, driven away 50,000 U.S. factories ...
Public meetings
Wednesday, Jan. 8 • Whatcom County Agricultural Advisory Committee, Northwest Annex conference room, Planning and Development Services, 5280 Northwest Dr., Bellingham, 3:30 p.m. On the agenda are: small-lot ...
The top five news stories of 2013
WHATCOM — Newness. Exciting and even anticipated newness. That is what dominates the top of our top-five news stories of 2013. But there's also plenty of controversy, political discussion and even ...
« Previous Page 1 … 14 15 16 17 18 … 31 Next Page »


text:
Pasta And Bean Salad
|Small shell pasta
|300 Gram
|60 Gram
|Shelled broad beans
|500 Gram
|Crushed black peppercorns
|1 Teaspoon
|Sambal oelek/Tabasco sauce to taste
|1 Teaspoon
|Chicken stock/Vegetable stock
|600 Milliliter
|12 , thinly sliced
|Chopped fresh parsley
|4 Tablespoon
|Grated parmesan cheese
|60 Gram
Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until just tender; drain.
Heat butter in a large frying pan over moderate heat.
Add broad beans, pepper and sambal oelek or tabasco.
Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.
Add stock, cover and simmer for 10 minutes; drain.
Mix pasta and broad bean mixture in a salad bowl.
Add the radishes, parsley and cheese, toss well and serve warm.


text:
10,000 Lakes Festival adds more acts
The 10,000 Lakes Festival has added more bands to the lineup for its four day music festival July 22-25 at the Soo Pass Ranch outside Detroit Lakes, including the Twin Cities folk-rocker Mason Jennings.
Joining the previously announced headliners of The Dave Matthews Bands, Wilco and Widespread Panic will be:
Mason Jennings
Steve Kimock Crazy Engine
Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet? https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=40&event=subscriber/lookup.
You will need your subscription account number and phone number. Not sure if you have an account? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we can help you.


text:
- Description
- Fitment
- Specs
- Reviews
- Catalogs
World's Largest Aftermarket Motorcycle Parts and Accessories Superstore!
Input the part number and quantity to add a part directly to your cart.
Select your motorcycle to guarantee fitment! Select A Motorcycle
Everyday Low Price: $199.99
Gold Club Price: What's This? $179.99
J&P Part: ZZ70622
This item qualifies for free ground shipping
This product was proudly made in the USA
Additional oversized shipping charges will be applied for expedited shipments within the contiguous U.S. Shipping charges outside the contiguous U.S. are calculated by weight and dimension during checkout.
Select your motorcycle to guarantee fitment! Select A Motorcycle
|Vulcan 800 Classic VN800B : 1996–2005
|Vulcan 800 VN800A : 1995–2005
doc693ss Posted:
Super fast shipping, arrived 2 days after order placed. The bar is very high quality and very easy to install, installed in 20 minutes
halopen Posted:
does not fit the bike right have to have changes made to it
rdrswn3 Posted:
works great and fit perfect thanks jp
noah568 Posted:
These engine guards install easily. It seems that they would provide good engine protection because they come out past the pegs. I hope I will not need them for that purpose. I have my highway pegs intalled on them.
Requires a browser that supports HTML5.
Call Us 24/7 1-800-318-4823


text:
Deloris Parks
Biography & Family History Add details
Deloris Parks was born into the Parks family.
This look at Deloris Parks's past is a collaborative effort by AncientFaces users Add what you know to connect with the people who knew her. Some things we would like to know about Deloris's genealogy:
- Where and when was Deloris born?
- Where and when did Deloris die?
- Who was Deloriss family?
- What did Deloris look like? Add some photos of their life.
Family Tree & Genealogy
You can add or remove people from this genealogy by clicking here.
History of Deloris Parks Add details
- Given name
- Deloris
- Surnames
- Parks family history
- Gender
- Female
Discuss Deloris
Share your memories below with the rest of Deloris's family. We'll notify anyone else who is searching for Deloris of your message.


text:
- Detoxification
- Sober Living Services
- Residential Substance Abuse Treatment
- Outpatient Treatment
- Intervention
See All Results
orEmail Us Staffed by Our Sponsors
If you're looking to help yourself or someone you love struggling with drug or alcohol abuse issues in Daphne, AL, Rehabs.com presents a comprehensive online database of luxury private facilities, as well as a host of alternatives. We can support you in finding drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers for a range of drug addictions to Methadone, crystal meth or other addictive substance or alcohol. Search for a high-quality rehabilitation facility in Daphne now, and launch on the road to a sober life.
12 step based facility, that offers therapy to discover the issues that keep us drinking...
UAB Addiction Recovery Programs
Staff was extremely supportive. ...
- Ken
Bradford Health Services - The Repr...
Good facility and staff....
Create a customized list by clicking the plus in the upper right corner of your favorite facilities.
Sort By:
Getting clean and sober from Meth, GHB, alcohol or any other addictive substance you or your loved one is addicted to takes an specifically-tailored treatment plan. Two options of drug or alcohol addiction treatment centers in Daphne can help you succeed: either Inpatient or Outpatient Rehabilitation. Residential care offers lasting benefits with an extended stay in a top rated rehab facility. From-home plans may be "easier", but lack the constancy and resources of one-month programs to become clean. Ultimately, your decision is your own, and we are here to help you pick the best fit.
Withdrawing yourself from the location of the drug or alcohol addiction can help get rid of disruptions and temptations that prevent complete sobriety. When viewing rehabilitation as a therapeutic shelter, addicts will find private exclusive programs in cities outside of Daphne, Alabama. Offering resort-like amenities, excellent facilities help achieve a state of physical, mental and emotional recovery. However, those looking for outpatient programs may find a center near your address is a less difficult decision to make. Still unsure where to look for an outpatient or inpatient drug rehab center in Daphne, AL? You can reach us toll-free 24/7 at (888) 609-9283 .
Lucie Bowen, CADC
Executive Director & Visionary
Dual diagnosis refers to a person who is simultaneously coping with drug or alcohol abuse problems and a behavioral or mental problem. For instance, an addiction to meth, painkillers or narcotics combined with depression or anger management issues. For these cases, a residential treatment center becomes even more desirable, incorporating quality inpatient therapy with support group aid, such as one might see in Alcoholics Anonymous. Luxury drug rehabs in Daphne, Alabama will provide the latest treatment with upscale amenities for anyone requiring the very best drug rehab, just as Daphne alcohol rehab centers will help those battling alcohol addiction to get sober.
Note About Insurance for Addiction Treatment: GEHA Health Plans, Community Health Choice and Managed Health Network usually cover at least some of your rehab stay, and you can find out more about your own carrier or benefits here.
Our large Internet database provides many alternatives in Daphne, AL to help you get over your addiction. Once you have decided to get clean and sober, you've taken the main step toward victory. Our free hotline advisors can then help you get to the next steps to recover from drug abuse with the perfect centers in Daphne.
Dec 30, 2014 ... ... renewable energy, drug treatment and education, long-term care, ..... Daphne Russell has been employed at United Ambulance since 2003, ...
Mission Statement. Deliver quality health care in support of the Armed Forces. Maintain medical readiness. Advance medicine through education, training, and ...
Oct 14, 2014 ... substance abuse bibliography. ... "Involving Families in Substance Abuse Prevention." By Patricia ...... By Tom Waller and Daphne Rumball.


text:
Properties in Dormston, Worcester, Worcestershire between £30,000 and £2,000,000
Properties in Dormston, Worcester, Worcestershire
Gallery view List view Map view 2 properties found
- Print Page
- Share Results
To provide you with the best possible service we only show properties for which estate agents have provided full and valid postcodes. You may find more properties in our List or Gallery views.
£485,000 Under Offer 4 Bedrooms Dormston, Worcester
Fisher German - Worcester
£695,000 4 Bedrooms Dormston, Worcestershire
Beautifully restored and extended detached Grade II listed detached cottage in delightful rural location.
Fisher German - Bromsgrove
- Print Page
- Share Results
Moving House?
Local businesses here to help you:
- Banks and Building Societies
- Car & Van Hire
- Electrical Appliances
- Flooring
- Furniture
- Insurance Services
- Mortgages
- Removals
- Solicitors
- Storage
- TV Aerials
- All Businesses
Local advertisers


text:
Not to get burned at the stake talking ill of Woody Allen in a forum for people that love movies, but seriously what is the appeal? I've watched enough of his work trying to force myself into liking his films(I thought Radio Days was pretty good) but I just don't get it. I hated 'Annie Hall'.
What's the point of asking it? You don't get him, let it go. Nobody is forced to like what other people like. Besides, each person might enjoy his work for different reasons.


text:
'I don't believe in waiting for government officials and people with titles to take responsibility. I believe in regular people taking responsibility for our lives because we really care,' says Nir Kouris.
AlgoValue, a disruptive new platform for determining the worth of a private startup, is catching on with VCs, CFOs, accountants and lawyers worldwide.
Raise a glass to Tel Aviv's thriving cocktail and wine-bar scene.
Arad lies west of the Dead Sea, south of the Judean Desert and north of the Eastern Negev with its moon-like craters and breathtaking ridges.
Hezi Dean promotes upcoming 'extreme magic' stage show with a crowd-pleasing trick on the wall of the Dizengoff Center.Illusionist wows Tel Aviv with hover stunt
Breaking and entering at Israel's safecracking contest
Tel-O-Fun bike-rental network turns five
How social media is changing Israel's vote
Jerusalem's rejuvenated Emek HaTzvaim — a unique ecological habitat situated in the heart of urban space — reopens this week after years of controversy.Gazelle Valley's New Lease on Life
Photo of the Week: Ashkelon National Park
Crumbs / Land of the Living
Photo of the Week – Dog days
An exhibit of ancient and antique pots and pans looks at Jewish cooking traditions and family life.Memories from Grandma's Kitchen
Voting at Hillel Yaffe
Elections 1965
Creating Values for Women
Proposal for a simple pneumonia diagnostic tool meant to address epidemic in developing countries.ISRAEL21c coverage helps RespiDX advance
ISRAEL21c, AIPAC applaud Israeli innovation
'Peace surfer' thanks ISRAEL21c
ReWalk takes steps toward $50 million IPO


text:
Best Online Service for Civic-Minded Adults (2005)
City of Denver website
Parking tickets are loathsome no matter how you pay them. But now they're slightly less painful, thanks to denvergov.org, the city's well-designed, easy-to-navigate digital hub. Computer-savvy motorists can erase vehicular debts and challenge tickets, all from their desktops. The site also makes municipal life run a little more smoothly -- and saves you a trip to the Webb building -- by offering everything from weather reports and City Council information to zoning maps and building-permit forms. The map section is of special interest to Denver-philes, thanks to cool, interactive images taken from planes flying above the city. Welcome to the City Beautiful.
More Shopping & Services Awards
Best New Destination for Candy AddictsEnstrom's Almond Toffee
Best Grassroots GroceriesTres Rios Agricultural Cooperative
Best Off-Season Farmers' MarketGoodness to Go
Best Spices East of the PlatteColorado Mountain Spice


text:
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Admission with Brisbane River Cruise
Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Admission with Brisbane River Cruise. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
Click here for tour details, schedule and pricing
Very enjoyable and included a truly up close view of the koalas and kangaroos.
Well worth the price. Easy to board and the boat was very nice. The history of Brisbane was fascinating on the way to the sanctuary and the animals were amazing! The cultural centre pontoon was centrally located and convenient. The staff went out of their way to be friendly and helpful.
This tour was amazing!
This tour was amazing!
Had a great day. Enjoyed holding a koala and feeding the kangaroos.
This is an excellent tour ! The boat trip to the sanctuary shows some of Brisbane's history. The Miramar is a lovely boat. The crew is very helpful, and provides home cooked food for anyone who wants it. The Sanctuary is well,organized, offers a variety of animal shows, and is an excellent place to cuddle a koala !
Highly recommend. Good price and great day out and the Koala's are just the cutest thing ever!!
Our second time at Lone Pine, this time showing it off to our son and partner. Had a great time especially hand feeding the Kangeroos. Great variety of wildlife with keepers that obviously have a passion for their work. We took the boat from the city, good fun too.
Highly recommended to all
This tour was amazing!
Great day, haven't felt so relaxed for some time... Just good to spend quality time with the family. Oh, the boat trip enjoyed a lot, kids even got to steer the ship!!
This tour was amazing!
This tour was great, I highly recommend it.
The river cruise to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was very scenic. In the Koala Sanctuary, we were able to be near the Kangaroo and Koala.
Highly recommended. Brilliant boat trip to the sanctuary with great on-board commentary. Plenty of time to see everything at the sanctuary before the relaxing trip back into the city. The sanctuary has many koalas and for an additional fee you can be photographed holding one. Food is available to feed the kangaroos
The trip was great: crew on the boat very friendly. Cruising down (or up?) the river. seeing Brisbane from all sides, going under all the bridges and listening to the very informative playback with hilarious one-liners were all interesting and funny. The Sanctuary itself was amazing: just a note - you have to climb about 3 very steep stair sections to get from the boat to the Sanctuary - not for disabled people. Being from South Africa, I don't like to see animals in cages especially birds and animals that were born to hunt like he dingoes BUT the people at the Sanctuary does a great job in trying to rescue the injured animals, heal them and set them back into the wild - that I like! It is nice walking around with dingoes on leashes next to you, getting up close with the koala's, the emu's and feeding the kangaroos. The wombats and Tasmanian Devils were sleeping but I saw them, the echidna was hiding but the platypus was swimming his heart out. The Sanctuary is clean but you still have that 'jungle' feeling as the natural habitat wasn't touched. I would have liked another hour at the Sanctuary - didn't get to the crocodiles! But the boat left at 13:45. The personnel at the Sanctuary are very friendly, helpful and informative. And leaving the Sanctuary there is a sign that sums it up: the Earth is not only for humans. Amen! Trip back on the boat was great, listening to Australian and Irish music. A very enjoyable day! And Viator's prices are really worth the booking. I saw what 2 people paid without a Viator voucher!


text:
Explore the Revit coordinate system, how files relate to one another when linked, and how to manage relationships between shared coordinates over time.
Learn how to preload content in your Revit template to save time and standardize your documentation.
Customize Revit templates to include the floor plans, elevations, schedules, and sheets you need the most.
Learn to configure the system families and settings that are part of every Revit project to maximize consistency and predictability in your projects.
Configure your Revit templates with consistent annotations for more professional office standards and high-quality project deliverables.
An introduction to Revit, the building information modeling software for architects and structural engineers.
"Wow! It just keeps getting better and better. I hate the fact that I will never be able to quit—I am now a lynda.com addict." —Sharon W.
more from our members »


text:
OP Junior Member
Thanks Meter: 0
1 posts
Join Date:Joined: Jun 2014
I have an i9505 and use a MacBook Pro with Mavericks. Mac won't pick up the device as a USB at all. Have tried the following, with no success...
1. Loaded Kies
2. Loaded Android File Transfer
3. Tried numerous cables
What else can I try?


text:
CMCMilling.br site translation - 1406CMCW2
Closed - This job posting has been filled and work has been completed.
Job Description
We have been tasked with creating a duplicate site to the following existing site: CMCMILLING.COM
The new domain will be CMCMILLING.BR and it is for their Brazilian division. Our internal development team will be building the website but we need an English to Portuguese translator to handle the page translation. Preferrably someone who has spent time in Brazil and is familiar with the local dialects.


text:
OnePlus One
The OnePlus One is a smartphone by start-up OnePlus, who has made noise in the tech world by being the first OEM to make a smartphone built for and with CyanogenMod from the ground up.
The device debuted starting at just $300, featuring an impressive spec list that includes a 5.5-inch 1080p HD display, a Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, up to 64GB of internal storage, a 13 megapixel rear camera, 5 megapixel front camera and more.
(see all)
Official Lollipop Release Dates
Apr 01, 2015
cell reception stuck at weak signal
Mar 29, 2015
Oneplus One No Google Apps
Mar 29, 2015
How do I change Contact view?
Mar 23, 2015
OnePlus One Invite Info and Availability FAQ
Mar 13, 2015
News & UpdatesSurprise: OnePlus One's Lollipop updates are delayed
OnePlus made a commitment to get CyanogenMod 12S and OxygenOS out to OnePlus One users by the end of this month. They promised that a failure to do so would result in a phone giveaway to show how serious they were to that commitment. Aaaaannd it looks like they're giving away phones.OnePlus expands sale of the OnePlus One to all EU countries
To now, the OnePlus One wasn't available for everyone in the European Union. As easy as it may be to import one from the UK, Germany or other big countries, there's nothing like dodging the headache and inflated price tags that tend to come with that process. Thankfully, OnePlus is putting an end to the need to do that.6 Paranoid Android developers will be the muscle behind OnePlus One's OxygenOS ROM
We were told to expect to hear a lot more about OxygenOS on February 12th, and unless my calendar is wrong we've reached that day. The biggest news is that they've snapped up 6 key members of the Paranoid Android team.Today's big OnePlus One update brings SwiftKey, MaxxAudio and 30+ changes
A new upgrade is headed out to the OnePlus One this morning. Before you get excited: no, it ain't Lollipop. But this maintenance upgrade brings a mound of changes and fixes that go toward tightening up the current KitKat experience.OnePlus One will now be available for open sale every Tuesday
While the OnePlus One invite system will remain the standard route for being able to purchase the device, OnePlus has taken a big first step to more wide-spread availability.Your last chance to enter to win a OnePlus One from AndroidArea.com
You know you want a OnePlus One, we know you want a OnePlus One, and only a few hours remain for you to enter for a chance to win a OnePlus One from AndroidArea.com.[Update: Could be HydrogenOS] This could be our first look at OxygenOS on the OnePlus One
We thought we'd have to wait until February 12th to get our first look at OxygenOS for the OnePlus One, which is OnePlus's upcoming own-built ROM. Thankfully that isn't the case as GizmoChina has gotten their hands on a couple of early screenshots.OnePlus gives us a taste of Android Lollipop as CyanogenMod 12S nears [VIDEO]
Updates for the OnePlus One are on the way, as you've heard, but we're not exactly sure what to expect. The picture got a tad clearer today with the latest teaser from the company.OnePlus officially names their forthcoming ROM OxygenOS
Don't look now, but OnePlus just found a cool new name for their in-house ROM that'll serve as the primary operating system for their phones in the future.Got a OnePlus One without CyanogenMod branding? There's a good reason for that
Folks ordering units from recently produced batches of the OnePlus One will notice that the iconic CyanogenMod branding is not present on the shipping box or the device itself. Find out why at the jump.


text:
Some people will run in circles, go through hoops, and jump over obstacles to get a job. David Miller in San Francisco did them one better. He ran in text.
A long-time runner, he says he wanted to work for an "awesome company," and Strava is the one he chose. He then needed to convince the company to choose him, among the many applicants for the job.
The Value of GPS Tracking
Miller installed a GPS route app on his mobile and ran through the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco in the along a path he had pre-planned. It spelled out "Hire Me" when it was graphically displayed on the app.
The 8.1 mile route was no problem for Miller, who is registered for four marathons this year.
Did It Work?
Strava spokesman Michael Oldenburg is still silent on how effective the strategy was. He did say that "Strava art,"the company's term for using the app artistically, is not unknown.
One jogger used it to run a marriage proposal. Another athlete created a turkey.
GPS as an Art Medium
Using the display has become a challenge for bored runners or those looking to up the challenge. It is so popular that an art exhibit ran from February to April this year in France at the Centre International de Poesie Marseille called Alpha, Beta, Carta. It was a display of letters, words, texts and sounds using GPS technology.
The website GPSDrawing.com has a selected works from serious artists using the device to explore new realms of art making.
Alternative Uses for Your GPS
But what if you're not artistic? Are there other uses for your GPS? It turns out this handy device has a variety of practical uses, each creative in its own way. Here are three.
Do you have a teen? Outsmart him! When he uses the car, check his speed by using your GPS teen tracking device. The device in your car sends speed information to a website that you can access. Experienced parents say this method works best if you let him know you are watching.
Take it fishing. Set a waypoint for the best fishing spots on your favorite lake. In addition, you can get fish-related downloads for your device that show schedules of the best times and dates to fish specific species.
Play hide and seek with other adults. The game is called geocaching. You check online for GPS coordinates, then go outside with your handheld device and play a combination of treasure hunt and hide and seek with your techie friends.
GPS tracking devices are clearly versatile. Next time you are bored, get creative. Artwork, treasure hunt, teen checking, or fishing, GPS tracking has you covered.
The Ironman Triathlon is a physical event that involves swimming, running, and bicycle riding. It is a long-distance race that is provided by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) every year.
During the race, each contestant will swim for 2.4 miles, ride a bicycle for 112 miles, and run a full marathon for 26.2 miles. The race goes in that order and the contestants do not take a break. Naturally, it is known as one of the most difficult sporting events in the world, taking place over a single day.
For the race, there are time limits. In general, the contestants have about 17 hours to complete each section of the Ironman Triathlon. It usually starts early in the morning, and has a cut-off around midnight.
The original Ironman is similar to the Ironman Triathlon, and is held every year in Hawaii, where it has been held since 1978. There are now five brands of Ironman races, including the Iron Girl, Iron Kids, Ironman, Ironman 70.3, and 5150 Triathlon Series.
There are 190 events held each year worldwide. It is a highly challenging and rewarding event for these professional athletes.
For nearly 40 years, men and women have been racing and completing the Ironman challenge. It is has now gone digital with GPS tracking of the athletes during the championships. Ironman is allowing racers to use GPS trackers, which allow their fans, friends and loved ones to track their location and view it all online. All different Ironman races are being tracked, including the regional Ironman championships, the Ironman World Championship, and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
There will be a live online show that is available for any user to view over the web. It will include coverage never before seen by onlookers. Ironman Live is also going to include GPS tracking in real-time for the professional athletes. The athletes are also given the option of choosing to use biometric and power data for the live production, so fans can see their activity, location, and how well they are doing.
According to the "We believe this initiative will draw more attention to and improve engagement with our sport. We are taking a major step forward by leveraging technology to create a more colourful and comprehensive experience for fans and the media. Our hope is that we will be able to expand this innovation to all races and to age-group athletes in the future," said CEO of Ironman, Andrew Messick,
A pilot of the tracking project in 2014 was completed during the Ironman World Championship, and will start live coverage of the events beginning with the March 2014 Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship that takes place in Melbourne.
You know that fleet GPS tracking is essential for a company your size. But it how do you decide which one of the GPS tracking models to get? You need to do a thorough evaluation of your needs and then match them to the wide range of features available.
Evaluating Your Business
The big question is what is your main concern, the problem you expect the software to fix. The usual reasons are:
- reduce theft and risk
- monitor your drivers and their performance
- stop moonlighting
- improve delivery times and efficiency
- reduce engine idling
- improve the route planning for fuel efficiency and to reduce slowdowns due to traffic conditions
- do a better job of customer service
- lower fuel costs and the need for maintenance and repair
Do you prefer to buy or lease? This will focus which companies' products you look at.
After you figure out why you're getting the system, you can start matching those needs with the what's available.
Evaluating the Equipment
There is a wide range of features offered for GPS tracking equipment. With your purpose in hand, you can start looking at specific brands.
The first big decision is whether you want a device that is installed or web based, also called cloud-based. There are three big advantages of cloud models:
- Updates are the responsibility of the supplier, so you no longer have to worry about them.
- Downtime is minimal.
- They are accessible from any location with access to the internet.
You want to know if the model can be upgraded and reprogrammed, to add to its useful lifespan. It is always wise to get one that is tamper proof.
Never work with a supplier that can't explain exactly how the system works. The technology is complicated. You will be relying on them for support. Make sure that initial technical support and training is included in the price. Find out if they charge for ongoing support.
Here is a look at some of the most popular features on major GPS tracking devices:
- Accident tracking
- Fuel management
- GPS integration
- Dispatch management
- Driver management
- Maintenance tracking
- Fuel management
- Routing
- Inspection management
- Mileage tracking
- Inventory management
- Motor pool
- Daily rental
- Maintenance scheduling
- Parts Management
- Tool tracking
- Vehicle Information
- Tire management
- Vehicle tracking
- Work order management
The reports that GPS monitoring software produces can make your life much easier. Make sure you can customize which reports you get and how easy it is to email them to others.
The number of devices you use in your trucks and offices will have a big effect on the overall cost. Ask about licensing restrictions on the number, either of users, devices or systems.
It can take some time to find the right fleet GPS tracking system. And it's worth it. The more research you do, the better match you'll find. That saves money and frustration for you and your drivers.
At LiveView GPS, we're here to help you decide which GPS fleet tracking is right for your business. Call us at 1.888.502.3636.


text:
| Share
ter•ti•um quid
Pronunciation: (tûr'shē-um kwid'; Lat. ter'ti-oom" kwid'), Strict Standards: Non-static method FenSites::linkTo() should not be called statically in /site/html/dictionary/tertium-quid.html on line 75 [key]
something related in some way to two things, but distinct from both; something intermediate between two things.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also:


text:
Andy Samberg Celebrity Watchlist
Photos | Credits | Biography | Video Clips
Birth Place: Berkeley, California, United States
Birthday: August 18, 1978, Leo
Profession: Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter
Latest NewsSee all »
Latest GalleriesSee all »
Video ClipsSee all »
Watch See all »
An inventor and a weather-reporter intern try to discover why the sky is raining food instead of water in this adaptation of the children's book by Ron and Judi Barrett.
An inventor and a weather-reporter intern try to discover why the sky is raining food instead of water in this adaptation of the children's book by Ron and Judi Barrett.
A group of old high-school friends recapture some of their past glories and learn life lessons from their own children, who are celebrating the last day of school.
Next On TVSee all »
Thu Apr 2 8:00pm
Cloudy With a Chance of MeatballsDISNEY
Trending TonightSee all »
The Dovekeepers9:00 pm | CBSI'll Watch280 Watching
American Idol8:00 pm | FOXI'll Watch271 Watching
Nashville10:00 pm | ABCI'll Watch237 Watching
Nature Under Constraint and Vexed [HD]Buy New: $2.99
Shaun T's FOCUS T25 Base Kit - DVD Workout
By Beachbody Inc.,Buy New: $139.80
Full House: The Complete Series Collection
By Warner Home VideoBuy New: $69.99
Popular Shows
- 1. The Walking Dead
- 2. Empire
- 3. Grey's Anatomy
- 4. Scandal
- 5. Better Call Saul
- 6. The Blacklist
- 7. House of Cards
Popular Movies
- 1. Birdman
- 2. Boyhood
- 3. American Sniper
- 4. The Theory Of Everything
- 5. Selma
- 6. Grand Budapest Hotel
- 7. The Imitation Game
Popular Celebrities
Popular Videos
- 1. Grey's Anatomy: Arizona & Alex: The First Flight
- 2. Desperate Housewives: Actors Picking up Character Traits
- 3. Mistresses: Toni Seduces Dom While Savi's Away
- 4. Empire: Pilot
- 5. Scandal: Randy, Red, Superfreak and Julia
- 6. Dancing With The Stars: Week 1
- 7. The Vampire Diaries: A Bird in a Gilded Cage


text:
Search Smiler69's books
Random books from Smiler69's library
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild by Lawrence Anthony
A Game of Hide and Seek (New York Review Books Classics) by Elizabeth Taylor
Solar by Ian McEwan
Reading Shakespeare's Sonnets: A New Commentary by Don Paterson
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Members with Smiler69's books
Member connections
Friends: -Cee-, adgnyc, avatiakh, avisannschild, Crazymamie, Deern, EBT1002, elkiedee, elliepotten, Fourpawz2, girlunderglass, gusmcrae, Jaydit666, JMC400m, jnwelch, jolerie, kara.shamy, KiwiNyx, LauraBrook, lmgrim, lunacat, lyzard, michaelbartley, msf59, PaulCranswick, PenguinCanada, phebj, Polaris-, PrueGallagher, QueenOfDenmark, sdawson, sibyx, souloftherose, Whisper1
Interesting library: 1morechapter, amanaceerdh, ammyharrison, Andrew_Lear, AndyLish79, anna_in_pdx, AnneDC, aquaticus, Belletrista, Booksloth, bookworm12, cabegley, Canadian_Down_Under, CarltonC, Caroline_McElwee, catarina1, CDVicarage, charl08, Citizenjoyce, Conte_Mosca, coppers, CozyBookJournal, crimson-tide, devenish, Dorritt, drasvola, dreamydress48, edwinbcn, emaestra, evilmoose, ffotobuff, finebalance, fraxi, frithuswith, gaskella, GeneRuyle, gennyt, izzybee, jeanned, kara.shamy, kiwiflowa, labfs39, lauralkeet, ominogue, OsborneSamuel, piemouth, rachelmarlene, ronincats, Sandydog1, SirFolio16, soffitta1 — 9 more, starbox, TadAD, teelgee, Teresa40, tiffin, varielle, vestafan, WoolfLibrary, wordgarden
75 Books Challenge: alcottacre, blackdogbooks, brenzi, calm, cameling, Cariola, Carmenere, Chatterbox, DeltaQueen50, Donna828, drneutron, elkiedee, JanetinLondon, jnwelch, kidzdoc, kiwiflowa, labwriter, LizzieD, lkernagh, Nickelini, rebeccanyc, SandDune, tiffin
Categories Challenge: -Eva-, lkernagh
Folio Society Devotees: boldface, CarltonC, Conte_Mosca, drasvola, fraxi, LolaWalser, rampkr, SirFolio16
Legacy Libraries: ErnestHemingway, EvelynWaugh, GrahamGreene, KatharineHepburn, OscarWildesLibrary
Member gallery (73)
RSS feeds
Reviews of Smiler69's books, not including Smiler69's
Helper badges
Site design selection
The old design is no longer fully supported nor does it get full attention when we roll out new features. We strongly recommend using the new design.
Member: Smiler69
CollectionsYour library (2,669), Wishlist (1,301), To read (1,735), Currently reading (3), TRRS Pile (63), Read (1,228), Read in 2015 (43), Picked for Me 2015 (24), Picked for Me 2014 (51), Read but unowned (539), Audiobooks (1,321), eBooks (293), Children's & YA (275), Library Books (13), Folio Society (169), Slightly Foxed (49), Virago Modern Classics (24), La Pléiade (6), Everyman's Library (14), Limited Editions (10), Visual Arts (168), Natural History (20), Poetry (35), Favorites (147), To Give/Trade/Sell (35), Given Away/Sold (42), Reference (11), Cookbooks (32), To Reread (76), Unfinished (49), Read in 2014 (279), Read in 2013 (165), Read in 2012 (188), Read in 2011 (287), Read in 2010 (55), All collections (4,580)
Reviews660 reviews
TagsFiction (2,501), 20th Century (1,612), Audiobook (1,559), Library Book (1,203), English Literature (970), Literary Fiction (814), 21st Century (692), Purchased from Audible.com (670), Acquired in 2014 (665), Guardian 1000 (630) — see all tags
Cloudstag cloud, author cloud, tag mirror
Recommendations51 recommendations
About meOnce upon a time, seemingly a lifetime ago, I was a harried executive art director working in publishing. It was a good life, filled with excitement, adventures and plenty of travel, but it left no time for much reading or any hobbies of any kind. Then, though I'm still a relatively young woman, health problems intervened, and I'm now on indefinite leave from work, which leaves me time (though there's never enough of it somehow) to occupy myself with all my favourite activities; reading, taking art classes in drawing and painting, and generally acting like a woman of leisure. I now have three pets, Coco; the cutest toy poodle mix that ever was, who takes me outside every day for much-needed walks, and my cats Mimi and Ezra. It all sounds rather ideal, but of course, nothing is ever quite as simple as it seems. I have two blogs, one of which is dedicated to my artwork, createthreesixty5.com, on which I'm currently posting updates on my first portrait commission, and my other blog fromsmilerwithlove.com covers just about every topic under the sun but perhaps not surprisingly is mostly dedicated to book reviews.
About my libraryWith limited storage space in my home and a propensity for purchasing books faster than I can shelve them, I try to hold on to a relatively small collection, and give away paperbacks I have no intention of reading again. Nonetheless, the book piles have grown relentlessly these past few years, especially since joining the 75ers group here on LT. Most of my library therefore in one giant tbr pile, with art books and Folio Society volumes as part of my permanent collection. My library here on LT is a different story, as I try to keep track of my growing collection AND everything I've read over the years, so I keep adding books whenever they're retrieved from memory. I discovered audiobooks a couple of years ago and was delighted to find I could read while busying myself with other things like commuting and doing chores, so that collection also keeps growing exponentially, mostly thanks to the local library and Audible.com. I challenged myself to review everything I read for a number of years, but as of 2013, this practice has fallen by the wayside, though I hope to pick it up again. My ratings are based on my impression at the time of reading, which might be very different from one reading to the next.
Groups2013 Category Challenge, 75 Books Challenge for 2010, 75 Books Challenge for 2011, 75 Books Challenge for 2012, 75 Books Challenge for 2013, 75 Books Challenge for 2014, 75 Books Challenge for 2015, Audiobooks, Booker Prize, Books off the Shelf Challenge —show all groups, Folio Society devotees, Iris Murdoch readers, Orange January/July, The 11 in 11 Category Challenge, The 12 in 12 Category Challenge, Virago Modern Classics
Favorite authorsMargaret Atwood, Jane Austen, Paul Auster, Pat Barker, William Boyd, Charlotte Brontë, Philippe Claudel, Robertson Davies, Charles Dickens, Neil Gaiman, Romain Gary, Anna Gavalda, Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Jonathan Lethem, Amin Maalouf, Cormac McCarthy, Carson McCullers, Michael Morpurgo, Haruki Murakami, George Orwell, Philip Pullman, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Dorothy L Sayers, Muriel Spark, John Steinbeck, Shaun Tan, Rose Tremain, Evelyn Waugh, Mary Wesley, Oscar Wilde, Émile Zola (Shared favorites)
Favorite bookstoresChapters - Sainte-Catherine, Indigo - Place Montréal Trust, Librairie Bibliomanie / Bibliomania Bookshoppe, Librairie du Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, Librairie Henri-Julien, Librairie Olivieri, Odyssey Books, Paragraphe Bookstore Librairie, The Word Bookstore
Favorite librariesBibliothèque Atwater Library, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec - Grande Bibliothèque, Bibliothèque Georges-Vanier
Also onWordpress
Membership LibraryThing Early Reviewers/Member Giveaway
Real nameIlana
Account typepublic, lifetime
/profile/Smiler69 (profile)
Member sinceNov 25, 2007
Currently readingSlightly Foxed: No. 28: Happy Ever After by Gail Pirkis
Most recent activity


text:
Special Issue Article
Sensitivity of a modelled life cycle of a mesoscale convective system to soil conditions over West Africa
Article first published online: 23 JUN 2009
DOI: 10.1002/qj.425
Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
Supplement: Advances in understanding atmospheric processes over West Africa through the AMMA field campaign
Volume 136, Issue S1, pages 471–482, January 2010
Additional Information
How to Cite
Gantner, L. and Kalthoff, N. (2010), Sensitivity of a modelled life cycle of a mesoscale convective system to soil conditions over West Africa. Q.J.R. Meteorol. Soc., 136: 471–482. doi: 10.1002/qj.425
Publication History
- Issue published online: 11 MAR 2010
- Article first published online: 23 JUN 2009
- Manuscript Accepted: 23 MAR 2009
- Manuscript Revised: 20 FEB 2009
- Manuscript Received: 15 DEC 2008
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
- soil moisture;
- Sudanian zone;
- convection initiation;
- COSMO model;
- African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA);
- feedback mechanism
Cloud-resolving real-case simulations initialized with European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis data were performed to investigate the sensitivity of a mesoscale convective system (MCS) to soil properties. Four scenarios were investigated: original ECMWF soil moisture (MOI); ECMWF soil moisture reduced by 35% (CTRL), which better fits with the satellite observations; homogeneous soil type and soil moisture (HOM); and homogeneous soil type with a north–south oriented drier band of two degrees width (BAND).
Initiation of convection was observed in all experiments. The initiation area was characterised by very low convective inhibition (CIN) and high convective available potential energy (CAPE). The simulations showed some evidence that convection was initiated in the vicinity of orography and along soil moisture inhomogeneities. Except for the MOI run, MCSs developed in all experiments. In CTRL, a weakening of the system was observed when approaching an area with reduced total water content and enhanced CIN. In BAND, convection developed almost simultaneously in the original initiation area and inside the dry band, where convergence, generated by thermally-induced circulation and supported by downward mixing of momentum from the African Easterly Jet, triggered convection. When the mature MCS approached the band from the east it weakened, caused by increasing CIN ahead of the band. Triggering of convection on this day was favoured by drier surfaces and/or soil moisture inhomogeneities, while a mature system weakened in the vicinity of a drier surface. Thus a positive feedback between soil moisture and convection existed for a mature system whereas a negative feedback was found for triggering of convection. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society


text:
|908,877 ADDED August 25, 2012
|Priscilla Milan
|Couple, Vaginal Sex, Oral Sex, Caucasian, Blowjob, Licking Vagina, Shaved, Cum Shot, HD
Hot lil whore
i want this *** pussy is fuckin hot
holy shit she's hot.
Yeah. Because when I wake up, my make-up and hair are still perfect.
eita meu da bunda queria uma dessa pra mim cumer
wake up and fuck? this is a dream
Hot id
wow, hot vid, hotter girl... add me ladies.. lets have some fun.. fun
Awful acting, good girl though
I love that sexy white man!!!
I just can't wait for the perfect guy to lose my virginity to, I can play with myself but I think a real dick feels better, at least it feels better in my mouth and in my ass...
I wanna wake up somebody :D
Omg what a beautiful girl, great body.. Loved that ass and natural boobs :) Soo Hot!


text:
TDX Group ReviewsTDX Group 2
Recommend to a friend
Approve of CEO
0 Ratings
"Great place to work, great people and great development opportunities "
- Comp & Benefits
- Work/Life Balance
- Senior Management
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
I worked at TDX Group full-time (more than 3 years)Pros
Great place to work, great people and great development opportunitiesCons
You do work hard, don't let them fool you in interviews. And you don't get paid that much.Advice to ManagementAdvice
I like how thinks goRecommendsPositive Outlook
TDX Group Awards & Accolades
Something missing? Add an award
UK's 50 Best Places to Work, Great Place to Work, 2009
UK's 50 Best Places to Work, Great Place to Work, 2008
Additional InfoUnlock Profile
Website www.tdxgroup.com
Headquarters London, United Kingdom
Size 150 to 499 Employees
Founded Unknown
Type Company - Private
Industry Finance
Revenue $25 to $50 million (USD) per year
Competitors Unknown
Work at TDX Group? Share Your Experiences
TDX Group
Click to Rate


text:
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
1/29/2013 (2 years ago)
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
Americans love their cats, as anyone who has spent time on a social network can attest. Saturdays have become "caturdays" and meme artwork sporting cats with amusing quotations have reared up on many social forums. Widely regarded as cuddly, lazy, and sometimes, silly, most Americans would be surprised to know the truth about what cats prefer to do with their time.
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
1/29/2013 (2 years ago)
Published in Green
Keywords: cats, murder, conservation, spay, neuter, native species
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to a report from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the Fish and Wildlife Service, domestic cats prefer to sit around and think of murder all day.
And researchers say, when let out of the house, they typically do it.
Cats are predatory animals by nature, but their evolutionary habitat is the Middle East and parts of Northern Africa. They were domesticated in the Middle East and Egypt as sacred animals. However, in the past 10,000 years, they have spread around the world, brought along by humans as pets.
Despite their domestication, their wild side still flourishes and cats love to hunt.
Unfortunately, many native species in places such as North America, have not evolved next to cats and are unable to avoid them. The result is that cats are hunting and killing many native species of birds and small mammals in quantities that alarm wildlife conservationists.
New estimates suggest that both feral and domestic cats murder no less than 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion mammals per year. Unfortunately, other invasive vermin like Norway rats, for example, are not the creatures being hunted. So cats are killing off beneficial, native species, allowing the vermin to flourish in their absence.
Researchers who compiled the most recent data say there is some uncertainty with their study because it draws upon decades of research from many smaller, less comprehensive studies and stitches together estimates from across the country. However, even if the estimates provided by their scientific model are high, the conclusion is the same.
Cats are murderous animals and they're impacting the environment in a big way.
The report is likely to cause many agencies to reevaluate how cats, in particular feral populations, are treated. Currently, many communities tolerate feral populations of cats. Nearly every park and suburban community has some. However, if the cats are recognized as both an invasive species and harmful for the native fauna, then conservationists may call for their removal.
This will undoubtedly result in opposition from cat lovers who feed feral cats in their community.
Conservationists criticize these animals as "subsidized predators."
While such feedings may sustain the cats and prevent them from eating other animals, cats can't escape their instinct. Science says, when faced with potential prey, your loving feline friend is apt to pounce.
Ultimately, the best response is to take steps to ensure responsible adoption and ownership practices. Cats should be spayed and neutered, and they should never be abandoned. Cats that roam freely may have to be enclosed. The subsequent alternative for feral cat populations would be to euthanize them.
Regardless, for many native species, the status quo may not be sustainable. Clearly, both conservationists and cat lovers will need to come together to develop a practical solution.
Simple solutions might be to adorn cats with bells on their collars, to make sneaking up on prey more difficult. Meanwhile, feral populations should be trapped and fixed to prevent reproduction. Finally, animal control agencies should be endowed with the resources necessary to locate irresponsible owners who abandon their pets, and levy fines against them as well as ownership bans.
Such steps may reduce the need for more draconian measures against cat populations while helping to sustain native species in the process. Encouraging owners to do better by their pets would also be a significant benefit.
In the meantime, keep your eyes open around fluffy. It's hard to know what's behind that smile of his.
St. Mark
St. Florian
St. Anthony
St. Isidore the Farmer
St. Gerard
St. Benedict
St. Matthew
St. Francis of Assisi
St. George
St. Christopher
St. Barbara
St. Joseph
St. Joseph of Cupertino
St. Brigid of Ireland
St. John the Baptist
St. Jude
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
A park ranger in south China named only as "Mr. Xiao" has caught an enormous Chinese salamander. It is acknowledged as the world's largest living amphibian and is known as the "Living Fossil," as it has remained unchanged for 170 million years. LOS ANGELES, CA ... continue reading
By Hannah Raissa Marfil (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Foam peanuts that constantly clutter your room and fill up the trash, after a package arrives, could actually be useful. This new discovery, presented at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), was researched by a team from ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
A nine-foot-tall monster with blade-like teeth at one time strolled through the warm and wet environs of what is now known as North Carolina some 230 million years ago. The Carnufex carolinensis, as known by its scientific name, was active long before dinosaurs ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Everyone is now aware about the rapidly melting polar icecaps. Scientists have raised concerns about a large, rapidly thinning glacier in Antarctica. Researchers have discovered two openings that could channel warm seawater to the base of the huge Totten ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
While the East Coast was battered with rain, sleet and record snowfall, California faced the driest January on record, ever since records began to be taken in 1865. With snow packs in the mountains at all time lows, the state's drought has many people wonder if ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
A massive, 14-feet stingray recently caught by two anglers has since broken the world's record for the largest freshwater fish caught by rod and line. The gigantic, flat fish bearing a poisonous barb measured over eight feet in width, 14 feet in length and ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
There is nothing new under the sun... or is it? The finite capabilities of man would deduce that after centuries of science and exploration, humankind would know everything there is to know about the various life forms on this planet. Scientists have proven ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
A rare, 475-pound leatherback sea turtle washed up on a South Carolina beach this past weekend. Marine biologists at the South Carolina Aquarium are currently treating the turtle who they named "Yawkey." Discovered on the Yawkey-South Island Preserve, a ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (Catholic Online)
An A list of "climate change deniers" has been released, exposing the connections that climate change denial scientists have to the fossil fuel industry and other private firms that are literally paying them for their denial. The leaked emails stem from a documentary ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
A small brown bird, the Jerdon's babbler was last seen in Myanmar in 1941. Presumed extinct, the babbler has made an unexpected comeback. Naturalists are boy busy resurrecting the bird from the list of animals thought to have vanished from the Earth. LOS ... continue reading