text:
PORTLAND -- The man suspected in a deadly Southeast Portland sports bar shooting in 2010 has been found guilty of murder.
Vorladeth Kevin Souvannachoumkham, 33, was found guilty by a jury on several counts, including murder, attempted murder, and assault. His sentencing is slated for May 21.
Souvannachoumkham opened fire at the Good Call Sports Bar in October 2010, killing Steven Ouk and injuring three other men.
Background: Suspect arrested after shooting at sports bar

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|3 nights
Near everything. The apartment is located at Marina Lanais at the base of the Conquistador Hotel and Casino. Swimming Pool and spectacular balcony view to the ocean and Marina. Amenities are: Boat rides to Icacos, Palominos and Palominiyos Islands, scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, kayaking, nighttime kayak tours at bioluminescent bay, Lighthouse Tour, National Rain Forest, horseback riding and more. Seven Seas Public Beach and Luquillo beach are the most beautiful beaches around. There are typical seafood restaurants and Kiosks walking distance at the fisherman's area. The Conquistador Casino has Famous Restaurants and Golf Course, Water Park and more. There are Outlet Shopping Malls, Shopping Centers, Grocery Stores and Fast Foods. Minutes from Fajardo Ferry to Culebras and Vieques Island.
It was a great place! it is convenient to go everywhere, you can walk to the biobay tour, which is like at most 10 mins, and drive to the rainforest. There are some good place to eat too, oceanview is a great one!! I miss the food already! And the apartment is really nice, you can see that owner is very thoughtly, there are small decorations in the room, and the towels are sufficient for at least 8-10 people! The balcony is nice too, you can sit there, play cards with your friends or just feel the sea breeze, also, you can see the sun rise and down the sea as well. I already miss it!! If you wanna have a good and price reasonable vacation, I strongly recommand you choose this place, it worth the price!!
This studio apartment has a fifth floor million-dollar view of the bay, with its several beautiful islands, and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. It is directly adjacent to the majestic El Conquistador Hotel & Resort. The covered parking is roomy, convenient and has 24-hour guard service. Wanda, the owner, was courteous and efficient, meeting us at the San Juan Airport with the keys, and then meeting us five days later in the Condado section of San Juan to receive the keys back.
I was pleased with our stay at Marina Lanai. The apartment was clean and looked just like the pictures. The amenities were very good. Plenty of clean towels, dishes, a pool and a wonderful view of the water. I woke up each morning and enjoyed coffee, eggs and fruit on the patio. Wanda was very quick to respond to questions and I received my deposit back in two weeks as required. There are many little local restaurants just a two minute drive or 5-10 minute walk. There are also tons of great restaurants within a 10-15 minute drive. Lots of choices. There is a supermarket nearby as well. We took a ferry to Culebra - the ferry was about 15 minute drive away. The Seven Seas beach is less than a 10 minute drive down the street. The location couldn't be better. You definitely need a car but the garage included in the cost makes this very easy. The apartment was a great value, if that is what you are looking for. My only complaints: The elevator works only when you insert the key into the key slot - it took me several days to figure this trick out so I walked the five level stairs quite a bit. But that is my fault for not reading the notes. The power in the building went out one night after a storm. It took several hours to come back on but again that was not the fault of the owner. Each morning oil trucks parked outside to fuel up the boats in the marina. They were very noisy so we were forced to close the sliding glass door. Overall our expectations were met and we had a wonderful visit.
My partner and I stayed here on our first visit to Puerto Rico. We'd never rented a condo for a vacation before and were a little nervous about what we were getting into. We also didn't know if we should have stayed in San Juan instead of Fajardo. We were very happy with our decision to stay here. Wanda was always quick to respond, met us at the car rental location on time and also checked to see if everything was good at the condo. All of the photos were accurate and the view is wonderful. You have the same view as the El Conquistador Resort for far less money. We were happy to have the freedom of having a car (a parking space comes with the condo) to explore the island. Also, you have easy access to the ferry terminal to go to Vieques or Culebra and are close to the bioluminescent bay tours. There are many good restaurants in the area as well. We also liked having easy access to the pool and the El Conquistador facilities. We would definitely stay here again!
My husband and I enjoyed our stay at this apartment. Wanda was very prompt in her e-mails, and in meeting us at the car rental with keys and information and also in returning the deposit. No safety issues at all. It was very secure with a parking attendant and having to have a key to even ride the elevator. No extra fee for parking. We enjoyed sitting on the balcony and watching all the boat activity at the Marina next door. This is right next to the El Conquistador and you can walk through a gate during the day to shop or have a meal. Las Croabas park is a short walk where you get tours for the bio lagoon. We did the BioIsland tour with the electric boat which was great. The pool at the apartment is very nice and not busy at all. The bathroom is small, but nicely done. Loved the shower. The only complaint is no plug in in the bathroom and the only mirror in the place is a small hand mirror size. We found the bed to be comfortable and left the patio door open at night to hear the waves.
We enjoyed the Las Cabezas de San Juan reserve near by, but you must have reservations. Walking from Seven Sea's beach to the two secluded beaches is a great walk as suggested in earlier reviews. The rainforest is a must visit and we also took a day trip through the middle of the island to Pomarrosa coffee plantation which was very informative and a great drive on the La Ruta Panoramica highway. Overall a great stay, location and good value!
My husband, daughter, and I stayed here over Christmas 2011 (12/20-12/28). I confirmed the property was wheelchair accessible, because I am in a chair. The bathroom was not wheelchair accessible at all. The shower water faucets fell off immediately when we tried to turn it on. The toilet seat was partially detached when we arrived, and gave out on Christmas so we didn't want to bother the property manager. Also, we didn't know how this mishap would affect our security deposit, so we went to the local hardware store the next day and bought a nicer seat that what was there and installed it. My husband was frustrated most of the time because there were these tiny little red ants all over the kitchen counter. The view is nice, considering it is facing a dumpster and parking lot directly in front of the balcony. The Conquistador is next door, but I think the balcony is in front of the employee entrance, at least, that's what I assumed after being there for a week. There are huge sliding glass doors going out to the balcony, but we were only permitted to open one side...tricky in a wheelchair. Also, the vertical blinds that cover the sliders don't cover the window all the way, so you are up with the sun. The large bed had plastic pillows that could not keep cases on, the bed was very creaky, and the mattress was smaller than the bed. The bed was directly under a opening into the bathroom seperated only with a curtain....If you need bathroom privacy this place is not for you! The other bed was a full size mattress on a twin frame, which my toddler tipped off of twice! The couch is made of Pleather and slides apart just from sitting down on it. The DVD player wouldn't stay open for us to put a movie in, it just kept opening and immediately closing. It is a small space, the view is good on either side (thats why she posted the pictures that way). It was a little scary going there, you go through a park, down a deserted road, try to communicate with people working in this property's parking garage who don't speak English, and go down a hallway that looks like a hostel. Before we left my husband and I gathered all the soiled linens together, washed all the dishes, everything looked straightened up, nothing was damaged or missing, and we even video taped the studio before we left just for peace of mind. It's been a month now, we have attempted to contact Wanda for our security deposit back, we haven't gotten it or even an explanation why not. :(
The apartment is located at the east side of Puerto Rico where all the beautiful beaches are. It is on a building just in front of the Caribbean Ocean at the fifth floor with a magnificent ocean view. It sits just beside the Conquistador Hotel Marina. From balcony you can see the Icacos, Palominos even Vieques and Culebra Islands and the Conquistador Villas and Marina. The area around is a Fisherman's area where you can select to go, snorkeling, scuba, fishing, sailing, kayaking, eating and more.
It is at the base of the Conquistador Hotel and Casino, so you can visit the Hotel and use the Restaurants, Casino and Stores. Now they have the biggest Water Park in the Caribbean. Nighttime kayak tours are at few minutes away, Seven Seas Public Beach and typical kiosks. Nearby amenities are The National Rain Forest, horseback riding, outlet shopping malls and more.
Other Activities: kayaking, nighttime kayak tours, lighthouse tour, boat rides, beaches, forest
|Rate Period
|Weekend Night
|Monthly *
January to August
Jan 12 2015 - Aug 31 2015
3 night minimum stay
My Standard Rate
3 night minimum stay
|Tax Rate
Total price includes, one parking, 24hr Security, WiFi Internet, Cable TV, A/C unit and swimming pool.
A $200 Security Deposit is required to reserve, refundable within two weeks after departure unless any damages to the property. Rental amount must be paid two weeks before arrival date.
Rental payment paid in full will act as a Security Deposit so the $200 will not be needed.
* Approximate monthly rate. Actual rate will depend on the days of the month you stay.
Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency (USD) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.


text:
Ovarian Cancer Vaccines Show Promise
April 13, 2013
A new study reveals promising evidence an ovarian cancer vaccine can attack cancerous cells better than any drug could. This is important because 70% of ovarian cancer patients die from their disease, often within five years.
Topics: Health Medical Pharma, gynaecological cancer, Health, Medicine, ovarian cancer, Abagovomab, Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, Cancer vaccine, Breast cancer, Vaccine, Vaccination, Ovary, Cancer


text:
Less than the Least
Entries from Less than the Least tagged with 'bankruptcy sale'
The Chrysler Bankruptcy--Skeel
T.S. Eliot famously wrote that "The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason." I'm not sure if it's doing the right deed for the wrong reason, or doing the wrong deed for the...
© Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved. David Skeel & William Stuntz.


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text:
Pineapple And Ham Kebabs
29 Jul 2010
|Cooked ham cubes
|40 (3/4 Inch Ones)
|Canned pineapple chunks
|16 Ounce, drained (1 Can)
|Chili sauce
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|1 Tablespoon
|Currant jelly
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|Prepared mustard
|1 Teaspoon
|Grated orange peel
|1⁄2 Teaspoon
Arrange ham and pineapple alternately on twenty 6-inch bamboo skewers; set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine chili sauce and cornstarch.
Stir in jelly, mustard and orange peel.
Cook and stir over low heat until thickened.
Preheat broiler or barbecue grill, if necessary.
Place oven rack 5 to 8 inches from heating element.
Place a wire rack in a broiler pan.
Arrange skewered ham and pineapple on rack; brush with jelly sauce.
Turning and brushing with sauce several times, broil about 3 minutes until hot.
Arrange broiled kabobs on a large platter; serve warm.
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Pineapple And Ham Kebabs Recipe


text:
Best shield tanking cruiser
View Single Post
Archived Post
Lt. Commander
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 120
# 11
Originally Posted by
First off, let me say this: Fly the ship you love. I do, I fly the "worst" cruiser yet it's still viable for Elite STF's and PvP. You can make the Sovvy a viable option, and you'll enjoy it all the more for doing so.
Right, there have been reccomendations for getting Doffs to reduce the CD on various Team powers, do not rely on this, this is getting changed once Heretic decides what to change it to.
It looks like you're trying to get 100% uptime on both shield and weapon EPtX skills and unfortunately, I really don't reccomend this. Mainly because the damage buff is only 10 seconds long from EPtW and you should be able to hit the power level cap without even using this, it's better to replace it with another heal, or perhaps EPtAUX to buff your sci heals. You can do it but you'll notice a pretty poor uptime on the EPtW damage buff. Defiantely do this for EPtS though cause you'll get 100% uptime on both th epower level boost and the shield resist.
If you're serious about shield tanking, Tac Team is a must because it'll redirect those shields faster than you can which helps you to keep that enemy at bay while your heals do their work on your other shield facings or while on CD. 1 is enough for me but you can have 2 in a Sovvy.
Thanks for the reply.
I see what your saying about the damage output for EPTweapons. but it also raises my weapon power setting by over 20 for 30 seconds.
and from what i read I can keep my weapon power up 60% of the time doing it this way. I had read this was a good idea but maybe it isn't.
Is tac team better than transfer shield strength or science team. I assume I will need one hazard emitters an any build as well.


text:
OK my lovely Disney Secrets Family I need your valid opinions
As some of you know i'm going to be made redundant shortly, well i'm thinking of start a business (yes another, photography and cupcakes just aren't enough ). This one will be a secretarial services offering everything and anything secretarial to individuals, small business etc that don't want to hire a full time secretary but still need some kind of support. I'm also thinking about offering it out to students who hate computers but want their work typed up as i've got a few audio programmes, etc.
Anyway i've come up with the name All Things Secretary but not sure on the domain to purchase, would you go with:-


text:
Did it. Just now. I think I'm going to be sick lol
But in all seriousness, I can't tell if I'm excited or even more nervous. I just bought a crib (converts into a bed), changing table, small dresser, carseat/stroller, pack n play, swing, and bedding for the crib. All for less than $800! I'm very happy about that but still! For some reason I'm not too excited. I'm sure I will be soon, just not quite yet. Anybody else feel weird buying their first items??


text:
A multi-section filamentary stent comprises a braided section, which is a cylindrical mesh of a first set of filaments, connected to at least one wound section comprising a second set of one or more filaments having a repeating configuration with a bent portion. The two sections are preferably connected by at least one continuous filament extending into both sections. The two sections may be connected by a weld, a suture, a common graft, an overlapping portion of the two sections, or one or more filaments of one section looping through portions of the other section. The stent may comprise a first section, having a braided first stent architecture with a first flexibility and a first radial force, and a second section, having a non-braided second stent architecture with a second flexibility less than the first flexibility and a second radial force greater than the first radial force, in which at least one continuous filament is integral to both the first and second sections. The stent may have a radially compressed configuration and a radially expanded configuration, in which the first section has a first shortening ratio, and the second section has a second shortening ratio less than the first shortening ratio. Such multi-section stents may comprise modular components of a modular stent, such as a bifurcated modular stent, adapted for joining together in situ. The multi-section stent may comprise a first section having a first percentage of open area and a second section having a second percentage of open area. The stent may also comprise a first section having a first stent architecture with an end effect wherein the radial strength at the end is less than elsewhere in the stent, and a second section having a second stent architecture to counteract the end effect. Methods for treating body lumen by implanting the stents as described herein are also disclosed, as is a method for counteracting a stent architecture end effect.
1. A stent comprising:
a cylindrical configuration having opposed first and second ends and comprising a braided portion and a wound portion integral with the braided portion; and
a plurality of filaments interbraided to form the braided stent portion,
wherein the filaments are bent to define the first opposed end; and
further wherein the filaments are wound in a repeating, non braided configuration to define wound portion and to further define the second opposed open end.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/644,291, filed Dec. 22, 2006, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/366,807, filed Feb. 14, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,160,319, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/442,165, filed Nov. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,758, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates generally to endoluminal stents, grafts, and/or prostheses and, more specifically, to stents having multiple longitudinal sections of different stent architecture.
A stent is an elongated device used to support an intraluminal wall. In the case of a stenosis, a stent provides an unobstructed conduit for blood in the area of the stenosis. Such a stent may also have a prosthetic graft layer of fabric or covering lining the inside or outside thereof, such a covered stent being commonly referred to in the art as an intraluminal prosthesis, an endoluminal or endovascular graft (EVG), or a stent-graft.
A prosthesis may be used, for example, to treat a vascular aneurysm by removing the pressure on a weakened part of an artery so as to reduce the risk of rupture. Typically, a prosthesis is implanted in a blood vessel at the site of a stenosis or aneurysm endoluminally, i.e. by so-called "minimally invasive techniques" in which the prosthesis, restrained in a radially compressed configuration by a sheath or catheter, is delivered by a deployment system or "introducer" to the site where it is required. The introducer may enter the body through the patient's skin, or by a "cut down" technique in which the entry blood vessel is exposed by minor surgical means. When the introducer has been threaded into the body lumen to the prosthesis deployment location, the introducer is manipulated to cause the prosthesis to be ejected from the surrounding sheath or catheter in which it is restrained (or alternatively the surrounding sheath or catheter is retracted from the prosthesis), whereupon the prosthesis expands to a predetermined diameter at the deployment location, and the introducer is withdrawn. Stent expansion may be effected by spring elasticity, balloon expansion, or by the self-expansion of a thermally or stress-induced return of a memory material to a pre-conditioned expanded configuration.
Various types of stent architectures are known in the art, including many designs comprising a filament or number of filaments, such as a wire or wires, wound or braided into a particular configuration. Included among these wire stent configurations are braided stents, such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,771 to Hans I. Wallsten and incorporated herein by reference, the '771 Wallsten patent being only one example of many variations of braided stents known in the art and thus not intended as a limitation of the invention described herein later. Braided stents tend to be very flexible, having the ability to be placed in tortuous anatomy and still maintain patency. This flexibility of braided stents make them particularly well-suited for treating aneurysms in the aorta, where often the lumen of the vessel becomes contorted and irregular both before and after placement of the stent.
Braided stents also have several disadvantages, however. One such disadvantage is that the radial strength on the end of the braided stent is typically substantially less than the radial strength in the middle of the stent. Insufficient radial strength on the stent ends can result in an incomplete seal or migration of the device after implantation. Although flaring the ends or covering the stent with a graft can enhance the radial strength of the ends, the radial strength may still be insufficient. Also, when a braided stent is placed around a curve so that the end of the stent terminates within the curve, tapering of the stent end can result. This can also result in poor end sealing and migration. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in stents greater than 16 nun in diameter. Although such tapering can be minimized by optimizing braid characteristics such as for example, wire count, wire diameter, and end flare, this tapering effect is still of significant concern.
A number of other stent designs are known in the art having greater radial strength but also having less flexibility than braided stents. Such stent designs can be combined with a braided stent design to produce a multi-segment stent having a flexible, braided stent member in the middle and less-flexible, higher-radial-strength stent members on the ends. Referring now to
Referring now to
In another configuration, described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,126 to Imran, strands or ribbons of metal are attached to opposite ends comprising slotted metal stents. The strands or ribbons are then intertwined to form a braided middle section.
The configuration disclosed in Cardon and Imran, however, while being applicable for providing a braided stent joined to a slotted metal stent, does not address joining a flexible, filamentary braided stent to a more rigid, wound filamentary stent. Filamentary stents of various winding configurations are well-known in the art, having various degrees of flexibility or rigidity. Inasmuch as such wound filamentary stents do not have discrete flanges as shown in
According to an embodiment of the invention, a multi-section filamentary stent comprises a braided section, which is a cylindrical mesh of a first set of filaments, and at least one wound section, which is connected to the braided section and which comprises a second set of one or more filaments in a repeating configuration having at least one bent portion. For example, a braided center section may be connected between two wound end sections. The repeating configuration of the second set of filaments in the wound section may comprise: a zig-zag configuration, an overlapping zig-zag configuration, a helical configuration, a non-helical configuration, or a configuration having polygonal cells. The polygonal cells may comprise hexagonal cells or overlapping hexagonal cells. At least one continuous filament may be a member of both the first set of filaments in the braided section and the second set of filaments in the wound section, serving to connect the two sections. In one exemplary configuration, at least one continuous filament may extend from the wound section into the braided section as a redundant filament, a tracer filament, or a redundant tracer filament.
The braided section is preferably connected to the wound section by virtue of at least one of the filaments being a member of both sets of filaments. The sections may also be connected to one another by sutures or welding, by a common graft providing a connection between the braided section and the wound section, or by one or more filaments of the braided section looped around apices of the wound sections, or by at least one filament of the wound section looping around at least one overlap in the braided section. At least a portion of the wound section may overlap and interlock with a portion of the braided section.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a multi-section filamentary stent comprises a first section, having a first stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a first geometric configuration, and a second section, having a second stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a second geometric configuration. The first stent architecture has a first flexibility and a first radial strength, and the second stent architecture has a second flexibility less than the first flexibility and a second radial strength greater than the first radial strength. The first stent architecture comprises a braided stent architecture. At least one continuous filament extends into both the first and second sections. The stent may comprise a middle section having the first stent architecture positioned between a distal end section and a proximal end section, each end section having the second stent architecture. The distal end section and the proximal end section may be identical or different in length and/or architecture. In particular, where the distal end is adapted to be positioned in a lumen upstream of the proximal end section relative to intraluminal fluid flow, the length of the distal end may be greater or the architecture may have a greater radial strength than the proximal end.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the stent comprises a first section having a first, braided stent architecture with a first shortening ratio, and a second section having a second stent architecture with a second shortening ratio. The shortening ratio is the length of a section in its radially compressed configuration (typically longer) divided by its length in its radially expanded configuration (typically shorter). The first shortening ratio is greater than the second shortening ratio. The stent comprises at least one continuous filament contained in both the first and second sections.
The invention also comprises various forms of the stent, including a single stent adapted for individual delivery in a body lumen, two or more modular components adapted for joining together in situ in a non-branching lumen, and two or more modular components adapted for joining together in situ in a branching lumen.
A stent according to the present invention may also comprise a first section, having a first, braided stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a first geometric configuration and having a first percentage of open area, and a second section, having a second stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a second geometric configuration and having a second percentage of open area greater than the first percentage. The stent comprises at least one continuous filament contained in both the first and second sections. The first section of such a stent may be adapted for deployment in a first portion of a body lumen having no intersecting lumen connected thereto, whereas the second section is adapted for deployment in a second portion of the body lumen having one or more intersecting lumen connected thereto.
A stent according to the present invention may also comprise a first section having a first stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a first geometric configuration, wherein the first stent architecture has a first radial strength and a known end effect comprising a reduction in radial strength along end lengths of the architecture. A second section of the stent, having a second stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a second geometric configuration, has a radial strength substantially equal to the first radial strength or at least greater than the radial strength imparted by the end effect, and comprises an end section connected to the first section to counteract the end effect of the first stent architecture.
The present invention further comprises a method of treating a body lumen by implantation of any of the stent structures described herein.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention.
The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawing are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in the drawing are the following figures:
The invention will next be illustrated with reference to the figures wherein similar numbers indicate the same elements in all figures. Such figures are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting and are included herewith to facilitate the explanation of the apparatus of the present invention.
The braided middle section 14 as well as the wound end sections 12 comprise a plurality of filaments 17. Such filaments typically comprise metallic wire, such as nitinol, but may in the alternative comprise bioabsorbable or biostable polymers as are known in the art. The general use of the term "wire" herein is thus not intended as a limitation to metallic wire, but encompasses any type of filament
Middle section 14 of stent 10, having the braided stent architecture, has a first flexibility and a first radial strength, and end sections 12, having the wound stent architecture, have a second flexibility less than the first flexibility and a second radial strength greater than the first radial strength. As used herein, "flexibility" or stiffness can be described in terms of the amount of force required to bend a stent into an arc. For example, referring to the schematic representation in
A measure of the "kink resistance" of a stent is the kink angle αk or kink radius Rk at which the stent kinks (i.e., when the tubular configuration becomes disrupted by crease 22 as shown in
As used herein, "radial strength" can be described generally as the resistance of a stent to radial compression. A stent with more radial strength exerts a greater outward radial force when compressed than does a stent with less radial strength. Thus, for example, a shape memory expandable or resiliently compressible stent may have a fully expanded diameter and a constrained diameter as deployed within a lumen. The fully expanded diameter is the diameter to which the stent would expand without any constraint. At the constrained diameter, the stent exerts a radial force F against the lumen, which when distributed over the surface area A of contact between the stent and the lumen can be expressed as a pressure P=F/A in force per unit area. Thus, radial strength can be expressed in terms of radial force or radial pressure. When comparing the radial strength of two stents having different stent architectures, if both stents have the same surface area A of contact (which is the same as having the same contact length where the diameters are equal), radial force may be one proper measure of radial strength. If one stent has a different surface area than the other, however, radial pressure is a more appropriate measure of radial strength. The radial strength and flexibility required depend primarily on the characteristics of the body lumen where the stent is to be deployed, and one skilled in the art can select a desired degree of stent radial strength and/or flexibility based on such characteristics.
As described in the background section, stents are typically inserted into a body lumen from a remote location through an insertion point in the body through which an "introducer", containing the stent in a radially compressed configuration, is threaded and navigated through the body lumen to the deployment location, where the stent is deployed in a radially expanded configuration. As referred to herein, "distal" refers to the direction further away from the insertion point and "proximal" refers to the direction closer to the insertion point. As shown in
can be used as a measure of this change in length. Braided stents typically have a relatively large shortening ratio as compared to standard wound stents. In general, it is desirable to reduce the shortening ratio to as close to 1 as possible in order to facilitate accurate deployment and to avoid stresses on a graft attached to the stent.
The specification and claims use the terms "stent architecture" and "geometric configuration" throughout. As used herein, "stent architecture" refers to all aspects of the stent construction, including geometric configuration, dimensions, and methods of formation. There are various categories of architecture, such as, wound stent architecture, braided stent architecture, laser cut tube stent architecture, filamentary stent architecture, polygonal cell stent architecture, or zig-zag stent architecture. The various categories of stent architecture may overlap one another. For instance, one stent may comprise a filamentary, wound, polygonal cell stent architecture, whereas another stent may comprise a laser cut tube, polygonal cell stent architecture. "Filamentary" indicates that a stent comprises one or more filaments formed into the stent architecture, whereas a "laser cut tube" indicates that the stent comprises a tube that has been cut by a laser to form the geometric elements. Although there are numerous broad categories of stent architecture, within each broad category there are a number of stent architectures that are considered "different" for the purposes of this specification and claims. For example, one region of a stent having a certain height geometric element may be considered a first stent architecture whereas another region of the same stent having a similar geometric element of a different height may be considered a second, different stent architecture. Other differences in architecture from one region to another may include, for example, the number of elements in each hoop or the ratio of connected to unconnected elements between adjacent hoops.
As mentioned above, one component of stent architecture is geometric configuration. The "geometric configuration" refers to the geometric shape of the elements created within the stent. Thus, for instance, a stent having a filamentary, wound, polygonal cell stent architecture may have a geometric configuration wherein the cells are hexagonal and have a first size. Another stent having hexagonal cells of a second size still has the same geometric configuration as the stent having the hexagonal cells of the first size, but has a different stent architecture. As described herein, a stent section comprising filaments in a repeating configuration having at least one bent portion describes any of the filamentary and non-braided stents (such as those disclosed in this application) having some repeating configuration with a bent portion (i.e., either a curve or bend where the filament deviates from a linear direction as viewed when the stent is cut along its length and laid flat).
Returning now to
As shown in
As shown in
Multi-section stent embodiments in accordance with this invention having continuous wire filaments extending across the multiple sections (i.e. from the wound to the braided sections) have certain advantages, including that no further connection is required between the two stent sections. The continuous wires also provide a smooth transition between regions, rather than a sharp transition, thereby minimizing kinking. The smooth transition spreads out any strain, such as due to bending at the interface, over a continuous section of wire, rather than concentrating strain at, for instance, a weld point. Embodiments comprising only continuous wires that are integral to both the wound and braided section (such as is illustrated in
The polygonal cell architecture shown in wound section 112 of stent 120 shown in
In an alternate embodiment, shown in
Returning now to
A zig-zag end winding 42 may be particularly advantageous as compared to terminating wound end section 12 at set of parallel lengths 34 as shown in
Although zig-zag end winding 42 minimizes axially protruding wires, in some applications it may be desired to provide protruding wires as anchoring hooks to help maintain the position of a stent once it is deployed in a body lumen. For example, one such end winding style, shown in
Thus, according to the present invention, the wound section, which generally has a greater radial strength and lesser flexibility than the braided section, may, for example, comprise one or more of: a zig-zag configuration, an overlapping zig-zag configuration, a helical configuration, a non-helical configuration, or a configuration having polygonal cells. The polygonal cells may comprise, for example, hexagonal cells or overlapping hexagonal cells. These geometric configurations are not limiting, however, as any filamentary stent architecture comprising any geometric configuration known in the art may be used. The filaments or wires that comprise the braided section may comprise only filaments that extend into and are integral to the wound section, or the braided section may have additional filaments that do not extend into the wound section. The filaments from the wound section may extend into the braided section as non-redundant elements of the braided section, or may extend into the braided section as redundant filaments. One or more wound sections may comprise end sections so connected to braided sections, or the wound or braided sections may be located anywhere along the length of the stent.
Within the various combinations and permutations of known stent architecture variables, any number of embodiments are possible. The length and/or architecture of the wound section can be tailored to each application to provide the radial strength desired. The several embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 6-9 and/or described below, therefore, are only exemplary and are not intended to be limiting. Thus, for example wound section 112 as shown in
As shown in
The many permutations include a stent comprising a wound section 212 having a zig-zag stent architecture such as is shown in
As shown in
The overlapping zig-zag structure shown in
Although stent 10 depicted in
The various multi-section stents as described herein may be particularly well-suited to the construction of modular stents adapted for assembly in situ. Such modular stents comprise at least two modular components. For example, as shown in
As shown in
Bifurcated stent embodiments of the present invention may resemble stent 48 shown in
The use of multi-section stents of the present invention in bifurcated applications has certain advantages over bifurcated stents having other configurations. For example, bifurcated stents are typically used to treat aortic aneurysms and thus often incorporate a graft covering. Because of the large shortening ratio common to braided stent designs, the use of braided stents having graft coverings requires graft coverings that can accommodate shortening. Although such accommodating graft coverings are known, the use of braided stents in a bifurcated region, such as trunk bifurcated section 72, creates a complex geometry that complicates the pairing of graft to stent. Furthermore, the process for creating bifurcated regions using a braided stent may also be somewhat more complex than that for creating such a region using a wound stent. Thus, any complexities of using a braided architecture in a bifurcated region may be avoided by the use of a wound stent architecture in the bifurcated region of such a stent.
Additionally, because the present invention enables tailoring of different sections of a stent for different radial strength and flexibility, two- or three-piece bifurcated designs such as are shown in
Although the modular stent embodiments shown in
Several embodiments of wound filament stent architectures joined with braided filament stent architectures have been described above wherein each embodiment included a continuous filament which extends between both the wound and braided architectures for connecting the two stent sections. Other joining means can also be provided.
In another embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
Although the use of stents generally is widespread in endovascular applications where the stent is deployed in a blood vessel, this invention may also be beneficial for applications in other body lumen. The advantages inherent in this invention, which combines the flexibility found in braided stent architectures with the secure anchoring force and stent-end patency provided by wound stent architectures, are particularly well-suited for applications in any tortuous lumen. Thus, for instance, this invention may be advantageous for use in enteral applications that require flexibility to conform to a tortuous intestine but that also require strong anchoring forces to hold the stent in place. Additionally, the treatment of ostial lesions, such as in bilary or renal applications, where strong anchoring and radial strength is particularly needed at the end of the stent, may also benefit from this invention. Therefore, this invention is applicable to a broad range of stent diameters, from femoral applications in the 6 mm range and iliac applications in the 8 mm range, to aortic trunk applications in the 34 mm range and thoracic applications in the 45 mm range.
Although described herein with respect to certain specialized embodiments, such as embodiments for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) or for providing greater radial strength at the ends of a stent for anchoring, the present invention may be applied across a broad range of applications. An important advantage offered by this invention, is that it allows controlled tailoring of the radial strength of a particular portion of a stent as necessary to meet an application. Therefore, although providing ends with greater strength may be one application, the invention may be used to provide controlled radial strength in any portion of the stent, including to provide lesser strength in certain sections if desired. For example, referring now to
In yet another embodiment, the invention may be used to provide the same degree of radial strength across the entire length of a stent, rather than to provide an increased or decreased radial strength in some portion. For example, a wound end section on a braided stent may be provided to counteract a lesser radial strength that would otherwise be present at the ends of a particular stent architecture. For example, braided stents have a known end effect wherein the radial strength at the ends of the braided architecture is less than in the middle. This problem is sometimes addressed by flaring the braided ends (so that when compressed to the same diameter as the rest of the stent, the radial force exerted is the same). In accordance with this invention, however, a wound end section may be provided at the end of the braided section to provide the same degree of radial strength across the entire length of the stent, or at least a greater degree of radial strength in the end section than would otherwise be present due to the end effect. Such a wound end section may or may not be flared. Such a stent may have a superficial appearance similar stent embodiments described and illustrated herein, such as, for example, stent 10 as shown in
The unlimited combinations of different filamentary stent architectures in accordance with the present invention may be beneficial not just because such combinations enable control of the radial force at various points along the length of the stent, but also because such combinations may provide other structural advantages. For example, referring now to
"Percentage of open area" as used herein may be defined as:
AS=the cylindrical surface area of the stent (πDS LS)
LS=the length of the stent portion at issue
DS=the diameter of the stent
ΣAfp=the "projected" rectangular area (Df Lf) of each filament onto AS
Df=the diameter of the filament
Lf=the length of the filament contained within length LS
It should be noted that the projected area Aft, is not the same as the actual surface area of each filament length Lf, which is equal to projected area Afp times π.
The methods of constructing the various braided and wound stent architectures are well known in the art. For example, the method for constructing the polygonal cell stent architecture is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,712 to Kleshinski et al. and essentially comprises winding the stent around pins on a mandrel. The weaving of filaments together into a braid is a well-known operation, not just in the medical field, but also in textile manufacture. Combining the braided and wound architectures can be undertaken by providing first a braided stent by means known in the art and leaving loose filaments protruding from one or both ends. These loose filaments can then be wound around pins on a mandrel to make the wound section. In the alternative, a wound section can be first constructed and then the loose ends protruding from that section braided, and then optionally, the loose ends protruding from the braided section wound around a mandrel into another wound section. Where, for instance a bifurcated stent such as is shown in
Although certain combinations of braided and wound stent architectures have been described extensively herein, other combinations of stent architectures, each having different flexibility, radial strength, or shortening characteristics may be combined in accordance with this invention. Furthermore, although polygonal cell and zig-zag wound stents have been described specifically herein, other wound stent constructions may also be acceptable for combination with braided stent architectures. For example, a wound stent architecture similar to that shown in sections 112 of
5,507,767 Maeda et al.
5,800,515 Nadal et al.
Although a braided stent configuration is discussed herein extensively as an exemplary flexible architecture, other flexible stent architectures known in the art may also be used. Thus, generally, the present invention comprises a multi-section filamentary stent comprising a first section, having a first stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a first geometric configuration, and a second section, having a second stent architecture comprising one or more filaments in a second geometric configuration. The first stent architecture has a first flexibility and a first radial strength, and the second stent architecture has a second flexibility less than the first flexibility and a second radial strength greater than the first radial strength. The stent comprises at least one continuous filament integral to both the first and second sections. The first geometric configuration is substantially different from the second geometric configuration. In another embodiment, the first and second stent architectures may differ in percentage of open area, but not necessarily differ in radial strength or flexibility. In yet another embodiment, the first and second stent architectures may have the same radial strength and flexibility wherein the second architecture merely compensates for an end effect in the first stent architecture that would otherwise provide a lesser radial strength at the end.
In addition to the various structures disclosed herein, the invention also comprises methods for treating a body lumen, the method comprising implanting any one of the stent structures described herein. In particular, one treatment method may comprise implanting one of the structures described herein with a higher-radial-strength segment at one or both ends of the stent, especially on the upstream end of the stent, as is shown in
Although illustrated and described above with reference to certain specific embodiments, the present invention is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.
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Product DescriptionThe Preston is designed for those of us that can't make up our minds. One day it's freeriding, the next it's epic cross country rides, or how about some dual slalom or even 24 hour endurance races just for fun. The Preston is the perfect crossover bike that can hang with the lightweight racers and the hard-core freeriders. With 4 inches of rear wheel travel, the super stiff and responsive 4 bar suspension is at home no matter where you ride. The O2 Pro rear air shock provides 3 different adjustments including compression dampening, rebound control, and lockout so you can easily dial in the suspension to your taste on the fly. Frame Features:
- 4 inches of rear wheel travel
- 7000 Series Heat Treated Aluminum frame
- Headtube gusset
- Custom CNC rocker arms, yokes and dropouts
- Free High Quality 30.4mm Seatpost
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User Reviews
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2004
Strengths: Great quality welds, excellent parts spec, great company.
Weaknesses: Doesn't climb really well without the shock locked out, but once you lock it out its great.
Bottom Line:
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Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $2000.00
Purchased At: direct from transiton
Similar Products Used: Demoed Gary Fisher Cake and Jamis Dakar
Bike Setup: Marz MX pro w/ETA, Hayes HFX 9 hydros, SRAM x-7 shifters and rear derailluer, shimano front derailluer, fsa cranks, bb, and headset, truvativ stem and handlebars, sun ringle rims, shimano xt hubs, wtb motoraptor tires
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2004
Strengths: Looks great welds are tight. The quality from the factory is evident. The bike flies on the the downhill and with the right set up you don't feel the bumps at all. Great all mountain bike used for climbing (rear shock locked out) or for screaming down the hill. The Preston gives one the opportunity to use for cross country riding or for downhill racing. It gives great variety in one's riding options. Did I mention it looks sweet! The Seattle based company stands behind their product offering a great warrenty. They were great to work with on offering custom option to suite my style of riding. The O2 Pro Rear shock offers a number of setting so one can dial in the rebound and stiffness one prefers. It has a very plush feel.
Weaknesses: Climbing unlocked in the rear. Once I decided to lock out on the climbs no problem keeping up. The frame is a little heavy for cross-country racing. My race frame is about 2lbs less. For an all mountain frame it is no heavier than the other choices. I have used it to race with some success.
Bottom Line:
What are you waiting for? Help out the rider owned company and buy one of these frames at transitionbikes.com.
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Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased At: Transitionbikes.com
Similar Products Used: Gary Fischer Sugar 3, Weyless SP 5.5, Giant, Santa Cruz
Bike Setup: Mavick M517 Wheels, Marzocci Bomber M3 with ETA 80-105mm, Hutchinson Spider Tires, XT comp with V-Brakes
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Home > Archives
Sunday January 20, 2013
ART OF HEALING By DR AMIR FARID ISHAK
Three evidence-based nutritional therapies for diabetes.
IN my previous article, I shared some herbal and nutritional therapies for diabetes, most of which do not have proper scientific studies done, but are used based on traditional and current experience of consumers and health professionals (including medical doctors).
Today, I will share three nutritional therapies that are backed by scientific studies.
Bitter gourd and polypeptide-k
Bitter gourd (bitter melon) has long been used as traditional herbal medicine for improving blood sugar levels in many countries, across many continents. The traditional use is to consume the juice of four to five gourds as a drink, or to consume the raw fruit.
As the name suggests, the bitter taste can be a problem for many to judiciously consume it in the long term. Regular consumption may cause stomach discomfort, abdominal pain or diarrhoea. Taking too much may also cause liver toxicity.
Pregnant and nursing women, and those with G6PD deficiency, should not take bitter gourd at all.
With technology, bitter gourd extracts have been made available in capsule form. These are presumably extracts from the juice or fruit as it was long believed that it is the flesh that contains the active ingredients.
Bitter gourd reduced blood glucose levels in several research studies conducted in both animal and human studies. Some of these studies reported that bitter gourd improves glucose metabolism and tolerance (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center).
A 1996 clinical trial found that bitter gourd is effective in helping to treat diabetes (reported in Phytomedicine).
Studies published in Phytotherapy Research in 1993 and the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 1986 also reported that bitter gourd has anti-diabetic effects on glucose tolerance, and may treat type 2 diabetes.
A 1982 study in Germany found that bitter gourd affected insulin release.
Besides lowering glucose levels, animal studies also show that bitter gourd improves blood lipid levels (study published in Journal of Medicinal Food, June 2010). Bitter gourd decreased triglycerides and LDL, or "bad", cholesterol, and increased HDL, or "good". cholesterol levels.
Another positive finding was that bitter gourd has antioxidant activity, which protects cells from free radicals that are abundant in diabetes.
With further advances in science, several key active ingredients have been identified. Some of these active ingredients reduce blood glucose in a similar way to insulin, albeit in a much weaker way. They also improve cellular sensitivity to native insulin.
After three decades of research, a local company has succeeded in identifying what is probably the most active glucose-controlling ingredient in bitter gourd. It is a polypeptide extracted from the seeds, instead of the fruit. Note that most traditional recipes exclude the seeds from the concoction because the seeds are covered by a toxin that causes diarrhoea.
This active ingredient, called polypeptide-K, has 33% similarity in amino acid sequence to human insulin, and therefore, is appropriately called "plant insulin".
Fortunately, the company has made polypeptide-K available in tablet form. The dose for diabetics is four times a day, 10 minutes before food. It is to be taken sublingually (put under the tongue) because oral ingestion will lead the stomach acids to destroy the peptide. The bonus is that it is not bitter at all.
It has been used locally for over 10 years with good results. Patients (not all) have reported being able to reduce their drug dosages, including insulin.
A local doctor claims to have gathered a series of 100 patients treated with polypeptide-K (including consuming a polypeptide-K-enriched diet), who were able to be taken completely off their insulin injections.
I hope the results on this series of patients will be published, so that we have a more objective evaluation of its effectiveness.
Polypeptide-K can be used for diabetic patients on oral drugs or insulin injections, who wish to try to prevent increases in their dosages, or want to reduce their dosages.
Unlike raw bitter gourd, polypeptide-K is free from any side effects. It can be used by pre-diabetics to prevent progression to overt diabetes. In fact, it can even be used by healthy people who are at risk of becoming diabetic.
Polypeptide-K has now been included as an ingredient in gourmet bread, pasta, noodles and as food additive for diabetics to help prevent prolonged glucose surges after their meals. These enriched foods are called functional foods, as they have ingredients that are proven to improve health.
A local study on healthy individuals showed that those who consumed bread infused with polypeptide-K had their blood glucose levels returning to normal in 110 minutes (average), compared to 190 minutes in controls (consumed ordinary bread). I hope the researchers repeat the study on diabetic patients as well.
GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor)
GTF was discovered by Dr Schwartz and his colleagues way back in 1957. However, we did not hear much about it until research on it was rekindled by scientists in the United Kingdom and Taiwan recently.
GTF was first discovered in Brewer's yeast, and was shown to reduce glucose levels in early animal studies.
It is made of biologically-active trivalent chromium, together with vitamins and amino acids. It stimulates insulin secretion and insulin-receptor sensitivity to the hormone. It thus, encourages glucose transport into the cells, and lowers plasma glucose levels.
Our GTF level is highest during the infancy and childhood growth stages, then steadily declines with age. Other factors that cause GTF level to decline are stress, obesity, pregnancy, alcohol, pollution, high fat and high sugar foods, lack of exercise, surgery, and various diseases.
Chromium supplementation has been used by naturopaths and nutritional therapists as a way to combat diabetes for many decades, but all the studies so far have produced equivocal results.
Understanding that it is trivalent chromium, which is biologically active, and is the main component of GTF, allows us to zoom into using the right form of chromium for improving glucose control.
Trivalent chromium exists naturally in food (eg egg yolk, broccoli, meat, Brewer's yeast, etc), but the amount is small, and absorption is also poor.
Researchers in Taiwan discovered that mother's milk contains abundant trivalent chromium in a stable form (lactoferrin chromium), which is also easily absorbed. That is why breastfeeding infants get plenty of it.
Using modern technology, the researchers have succeeded in producing lactoferrin chromium from cow's milk, which is almost identical to that from mother's milk. Taking lactoferrin chromium is expected to boost our GTF to healthy levels.
The product is now available as GTF milk powder or in capsules. Clinical (human) studies done in Taiwan have shown that the product significantly reduces fasting, as well as two-hour postprandial (after meal) blood glucose.
In addition, animal studies also show that GTF improves liver function and protects against fatty liver disease. GTF has anti-inflammatory properties; improves antioxidant enzyme activity; and improves Sirt1 longevity gene expression. All these could help delay ageing and a host of chronic diseases.
GTF was shown to protect against heart and brain infarction (tissue death). It also helps in weight management through modulation of leptin (one of the hormones that modify hunger sensation). Let us hope human studies will confirm this amazing array of benefits that GTF provides.
It is safe, and has no known side effects.
If you are diabetic and would like to try polypeptide-K or GTF, you should discuss it with your doctor first. You should not modify your drug dosages by yourself; your doctor should do that, should it become necessary.
Sometimes, it may take two to three weeks before any improvement is seen. You should plan to try for at least one month before deciding if it works for you.
The addition of cinnamon into your diet is unlikely to be classified as a "therapy" that requires prior consultation with your doctor. I have included it here because, like many other spices, its benefits have been grossly underestimated.
Previously, I wrote about the goodness of curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric).
Cinnamon, alone or with honey, has been used for ages as a traditional remedy for diabetes. Fortunately, modern research has justified this practice.
The polyphenols in cinnamon have been shown to activate insulin receptors on cells, allowing glucose to enter the cells and produce energy.
The improved insulin sensitivity has been shown to improve glucose control and reduce central obesity (study done by Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences).
In an eight-week placebo-controlled study (published in Fertility and Sterility), cinnamon extract reduced insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Another study (published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2009) showed that cinnamon reduced oxidative stress and improved fasting blood glucose levels.
There were other studies that produced conflicting results. However, it has become clear that no standardised dose was used in these studies, and that researchers have also discovered that different cinnamon species give different results.
As spices have always surprised us with their special qualities (for example, cloves have the highest antioxidant powers, being many times stronger than that of the best fruits), I have full faith that further studies on cinnamon will prove it to be a good way to prevent or fight diabetes.
In the meantime, I continue to put lots of cinnamon in my food. And I just love cinnamon tea!
■ Dr Amir Farid Isahak is a medical specialist who practises holistic, aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. He is a qigong master and founder of SuperQigong. For further information, e-mail email@example.com. The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
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text: Frijns back in action for Caterham in Bahrain 17 February, 2014 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham Reserve Driver Robin Frijns will get to drive the Caterham CT05 on the first day of Formula 1 testing in Bahrain, which gets underway on Wednesday, 19 February. F1 returnee Kamui Kobayashi will get two days in the cockpit, on Thursday, and the final day Saturday. Rookie Marcus Ericsson will be in action on Friday, the team announced on Twitter. Although Caterham ran the most laps of any of the Renault powered teams during the first test in Spain last month, they will be looking to pack in the mileage at Sakhir. (GP247) Subbed by AJN. Bahrain Test 1 schedule so far: Team Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Red Bull Racing Sebastian Vettel Sebastian Vettel Daniel Ricciardo Daniel Ricciardo McLaren Kevin Magnussen Kevin Magnussen Jenson Button Jenson Button Force India Nico Hulkenberg Nico Hulkenberg Sergio Perez Sergio Perez Marussia Jules Bianchi Max Chilton Max Chilton Jules Bianchi Caterham Robin Frijns Kamui Kobayashi Kamui Kobayashi Marcus Ericsson Toro Rosso Daniil Kvyat Jean Eric Vergne Daniil Kvyat Jean Eric Vergne Lotus Romain Grosjean Romain Grosjean Pastor Madonado Pastor Madonado Content on GrandPrix247.com by: staff & contributors, Reuters syndication, GMM service, Getty Images, Formula 1 teams, sponsors & organisations.


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House offers compromise on derivatives
Lincoln would force large bank holding companies - firms like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America - to place their derivatives business in subsidiaries with their own source of funds. Banks object, saying it would cost them billions and send derivatives trades to foreign markets.
Lincoln, however, managed to win a primary challenge in Arkansas with ads depicting her as tough on Wall Street, after liberal critics had depicted her as being too cozy with banks. She still faces a difficult election in November.
Her talks with House Democrats focused on potential compromises that would place limits on some, but not all, derivatives transactions involving banks.
After hours of private negotiations, Dodd appeared to have found some common ground on other banking trade limits. The Obama administration has pushed for the restrictions on bank trades, a proposal especially championed by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker.
Dodd's proposal would permit banks to carry out trades designed to hedge against market fluctuations. The proposal also would bar banks from betting against their clients on certain investments deals.
Bank holding companies would be allowed to invest in hedge funds and private equity funds but would be limited to investing no more than 3 percent of their capital in the hedge fund or private equity fund. There are no such conditions on banks now. Negotiations were ongoing.
House and Senate negotiators were checking off agreements on smaller differences between the bills.
They agreed on new standards for what banks keep in reserve to protect against losses, carving out a grandfather exception for banks with assets of less than $15 billion. The Securities and Exchange Commission has been working on new regulations and the negotiated provision requires the SEC to consider the result
Ending a protracted fight, senators and House members agreed to authorize the SEC to adopt rules that give shareholders of publicly owned companies the right to nominate candidates for corporate boards of directors. They also agreed to require regulators to study whether stock brokers should be more accountable for the advice they give clients and use the study results in writing new rules.
In another side skirmish, big banks succeeded in a last-ditch lobbying effort to kill a House proposal to add ailing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the type of firms that would be subject to liquidation at financial industry expense.
The government took over Fannie and Freddie in 2008 after they suffered heavy loan losses in the housing crash. Their collapse has cost $145 billion and the Obama administration has pledged to cover unlimited Fannie and Freddie losses through 2012, lifting an earlier cap of $400 billion.
The Associated Press


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