text:
A device and method of making and using the same in performing manual and automated chemical reactions and analyses of clinical assay mediums. Such device including a solid, microporous element formed of adsorbent material and having walls defining an internal cell structure comprised of interconnecting cells within which is contained a precise, measured quantity of reagents.
1. A device for use in liquid chemical reactions comprising a disc adapted to be rotated about its axis, containing
(i) a mixing cuvette, within which an assay medium and at least one reagent-containing liquid may be mixed for chemical reaction;
(ii) a solid microporous element located between the cuvette and the disc axis and having walls defining an internal cell structure with interconnecting cells, at least some of which open along exposed surfaces of the element;
(iii) a precise measured quantity of reagent contained within the cell structure of the microporous element, the reagent being in solid form yet capable of being solubilized or dispersed in a liquid to form said reagent containing liquid and the element being formed of a materiaI that is inert and adsorbent with respect to the reagent and that is wettable by the said reragent-containing liquid;
(iv) a first liquid delivery means for facilitating flow of said reagent-containing liquid from the microporous element to the cuvette, by the action of centrifugal force on said reagent-containing liquid in the element upon rapid rotation of the disc in at least one direction about its axis; and
(v) a second liquid delivery means, consisting of a chamber in the disc for containing a liquid and a wick extending from said microporous element and into said chamber, for delivery of said liquid from the chamber into the element and into contact with the reagent by capillarity or wicking for forming said reagent-containing liquid, the chamber being at a location in the disc remote from the cuvette.
2. In a centrifugal chemical analyzer including a rotor disc having a mixing cuvette within which an assay medium and at least one liquid reagent are mixed together for chemical reaction upon rotation of the rotor disc about its axis, means for rotating the disc about its axis, means for detecting the chemical reaction between the assay medium and the liquid reagent, and means for presenting the reaction data,
the improvement in the rotor disc which comprises
(i) a well in the rotor disc at a location between the disc axis and the mixing cuvette;
(ii) a solid microporous element contained within the well and having walls which define an internal cell structure with interconnecting cells, at least some of which open along exposed surfaces of the element;
(iii) a precise measured quantity of reagent contained within the cell structure of the microporous element, the reagent being in solid form yet capable of being solubilized or dispersed in an aqueous liquid to form a reagent-containing liquid;
(iv) a first delivery means for facilitating delivery of said reagent-containing liquid from the microporous element into the cuvette via propulsion under the influence of centrifugal force during rotation of the rotor disc in at least one direction about its axis, and
(v) a second delivery means, for delivering an aqueous liquid into the well for dissolving or dispersing reagent in the element and thereby forming said reagent-containing liquid said second delivery means consisting of a chamher in the rotor disc, a wick extending from the microporous e1ement and into the chamber for delivery of an aqueous liquid from the chamber into the element and into contact with the reagent by capillarity, an annular pocket formed adjacent to and communicating with the outer periphery of the chamber for receiving excess liquid from the chamber by centrifugal force upon rotation of the rotor disc in one direction about its axis, and a ring formed of porous solid material for containing the excess liquid received within the annular pocket.
3. In a centrifugal chemical analyzer including a rotor disc having a mixing cuvette within which an assay medium and at least one liquid reagent are mixed together for chemical reaction upon rotation of the rotor disc about its axis, means for rotating the disc about its axis, means for detecting the chemical reaction between the assay medium and the liquid reagent, and means for presenting the reaction data,
the lmprovement in the rotor disc which comprises
(i) a well in the rotor disc at a location between the disc axis and the mixing cuvette;
(ii) a solid microporous element contained within the well and having walls which define an internal cell structure with interconnecting cells, at least some of which open along exposed surfaces of the element;
(iii) a precise measured quantity of reagent contained within the cell structure of the microporous element, the reagent being in solid form yet capable of being solubilized or dispersed in an aqueous liquid to form a reagent-containing liquid;
(iv) a first delivery means for facilitating delivery of said reagent-containing liquid from the microporous element into the cuvette via propulsion under the influence of centrifugal force during rotation of the rotor disc in at least one direction about its axis; and
(v) a second delivery means, for delivering an aqueous liquid into the well for dissolving or dispersing reagent in the element to form said reagent-containing liquid, said second delivery means consisting of a chamber in the rotor disc communicating with the well and a standpipe protruding through a cover on the rotor disc and communicating with the chamber.
This invention relates to liquid chemical reactions, and particularly to an improved method and device for use in chemical analyses of assay mediums.
In general, the teachings of this invention are applicable for use in all liquid chemical reactions in which precise, measured quantities of reagents are reacted, and are especially useful in the analyses of assay mediums; that is, the substances to be analyzed for one or more analytes, such as environmental, industrial, biological, and clinical specimens, where accurate, consistent, and, very often, rapid results are essential. In view of the exacting requirements of clinical chemistry analyses, to best illustrate the merits of the present invention, and for the sake of simplicity and ease of description, the present invention is hereafter described as utilized in this field, and including its application with automated clinical chemical analyzers.
The teachings of the present invention are useful in improving known manual clinical chemical analysis systems which often lack sensitivity, particularly in qualitative testing as, for example, when contacting a reagent impregnated fibrous member with a liquid sample, and in the case of quantitative testing where results are highly dependent upon degree of care and skill of the performing technician. Significantly, the present invention is particularly useful with and serves to improve the function of automated clinical chemistry analyzer systems which provide for accurate results and are capable of performing complex analyses. With known automated clinical chemistry analyzers, procedures involved include: (a) sample pickup with dilution, if required, and delivery; (b) separation of proteins and analytes, as by filtration or dialysis; (c) addition and mixing of at least one reagent with the sample and, if appropriate, incubation of the mixture; (d) detection of reactions, for example, by visible or UV (ultraviolet) light or fluorometry; and (e) presentation of reaction data, such as on a strip chart, printed tape, recorder or at a computer terminal. The invention here disclosed is particularly useful in connection with steps (a), (c) and (d) noted above, and thus the following description is generally confined to and emphasizes the applicability of the invention in connection with such analysis steps.
Analyzers presently available employ continuous flow or discrete sample analyses or centrifugation principles, and it is with discrete centrifugal analyzers that the present invention is especially useful.
Representative of such centrifugal analyzers is the GEMENI™ analyzer manufactured by Electro-Nucleonics, Inc. which employs a disposable 20-place cuvette or rotor disc formed of transparent ultraviolet (UV) light-transmitting plastic material. This disc consists of an outer ring containing twenty cuvettes and a concentric inner ring containing twenty wells, with the cuvettes and wells being aligned radially on the disc. After manually pipetting samples and liquid reagents into respective cuvettes and wells, the disc is placed in the analyzer. In disc loading, one cuvette contains only distilled water another contains only a liquid reagent, and still another contains a standard solution, while samples are pipetted in the required number of the remaining cuvettes. Upon rotation of the disc within the analyzer, the liquid reagents in the disc wells are propelled radially outward into the respective aligned cuvettes and mixed with the standard solution in the one instance, and the samples in the remaining of such aligned cuvettes.
In general, known automated centrifugal and other discrete clinical analyzers are limited in their potential to perform chemistry analyses. Such limitations can be attributed to the inability of the known analyzers or instruments to dispense a variety of different reagents. Moreover, in preparing these known analyzers for use, reagents are reconstituted manually, after which the instruments are "primed" with liquid reagents. Once so prepared, these known instruments are capable of analyzing a batch of serum samples for a single constituent or analyte. However, single sample or stat testing and profiling require interruption of batch analyses or multiple batch runs, with one run for each test in the profile and with multiple manual liquid reagent preparations and changeovers.
Regardless of whether automated centrifugal or other discrete analyzers are employed in batch or single sample testing, the problems encountered in the manual preparation and handling of liquid reagents are aggravated by the need for accurate pipetting of such liquid reagents into retaining wells, cups, or rotors of such instruments. The reagents utilized in clinical analyses are often unstable and if not used promptly, sometimes within a workday, they must be discarded. Certainly the waste of expensive reagents and time, and the potential for significant error in the manual preparation and dispensing of liquid reagents are deficiencies which must be at least minimized for the sake of efficiency and confidence in clinical chemical analyzers. Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is the provision of improved and more satisfactory method and device for conducting liquid chemical reactions or analyses of assay mediums.
Another object is the provision of an improved method and device for conducting manual or automated chemical analyses which facilitate the introduction of precise, measured quantities of one or more reagents into assay mediums for qualitative, and more especially, exacting quantitative determination of analytes.
A still further object is a method of making improved reagent delivery devices which is rapid and, if desired, readily automated, and provides devices containing a precise, measured quantity of reagent with a high degree of consistency.
By this invention, the need to reconstitute reagents in other than unitized amounts and the pipetting of liquid reagents, as is generally required with manual, as well as conventional automated chemical analysis systems, together with the waste of excess or unstable liquid reagents inherent in such reagent preparation and delivery procedures, are completely avoided. Aside from facilitating chemical analyses with known instruments with greater ease, speed, and accuracy in results, the present invention enables known automated analyzers to perform analyses beyond their intended capacity.
As heretofore mentioned, although not limited thereto, the present invention is especially adapted for use with automatic centrifugal clinical chemical analyzers which, of course, must produce precise quantitative results rapidly and accurately. Also as heretofore described, in methods practiced with and devices employed in known automatic centrifugal chemical analyzers, at least one solid or reconstituted liquid reagent is supplied to a well and subsequently and automatically the reagent and an assay medium are mixed for reaction, the reaction detected, and the reaction data presented. The terms "well" and "cuvette" as employed herein refer to any means which may contain reagents individually and/or during mixing and reaction or for detection of a chemical reaction; that is, while reading of reaction results by an automated analyzer. Thus, such well or cuvette may be a test tube or the like, or simply a depression in the surface of a generally rigid surface.
The device of the present invention serves to accurately deliver precise quantitative amounts of reagents in analytical procedures, including procedures requiring reagents which when mixed together react with each other or become unstable and lose their potency over a period of time. Of particular importance, and as heretofore mentioned, is that the present invention can be adapted for use in carrying out a wide variety of chemical analyses, not only in the field of clinical chemistry, but in chemical research, water analysis, and chemical process control. The invention is well suited for use in chemical testing of body fluids such as blood, serum, and urine, since in this work a large number of repetitive tests and profile analyses are frequently conducted and these results are needed within a short time after the sample is taken. The device can be used, for example, in carrying out quantitative analyses for many of the blood components which are routinely measured. Thus the device can be adapted for use in the analyses of such blood components as albumin, bilirubin, urea nitrogen, serum glutamicoxalacetic transaminase, chloride, total protein, glucose, uric acid, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase.
More specifically, the device of this invention includes a solid, microporous element having walls defining an internal cell structure comprised of interconnecting cells, at least some of which open along exposed surfaces of the element. As the element is microporous, and thus has cells or voids, and may well be flexible and compressible, the term "solid" means that the element, in its relaxed state, has a definite structure; that is, its external dimensions define a certain volume, with a portion of such volume being comprised of cells or voids. This element is intended to receive and retain liquids, yet yield the same when appropriate, and thus is formed of adsorbent material and one which is or is adapted to be rendered wettable by the liquid it is to receive. That is, when such liquids are at least in part water, hereinafter referred to as "aqueous mediums," the walls defining the internal cell structure are hydrophilic. The material forming such element must also be inert with respect to the liquids it is to receive which may be, for example, a sample to be assayed, a sample diluent, one or more reagents, which may or may not be reactive with each other, or any combination of liquid samples, diluents, and reagents, and desirably is at least translucent, so that in certain applications reaction results can be determined with conventional optical readers.
Suitable for use in forming such element are a variety of materials, such as glass, metals, and especially organic polymers, referred to herein as organoplastics, including high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) fluorocarbon. Those of such materials which are normally hydrophobic can be subjected to an oxygen plasma or a corona discharge treatment or other known procedure to render the walls forming the element cell structure hydrophilic for use with aqueous mediums.
The configuration and size of the cells or voids of the element and the total void volume thereof are not critical. The voids may range, for example, from about 1 micrometers (μm) to 1 mm. in diameter and, as they open or interconnect, their sizes and/or configurations may well vary. Yet, elements having a generally uniform volume of voids can be readily achieved and may range from, for example, about 10% to 60% of the volume of the element. Obviously, the smaller the size of the voids, the more tenacious is the liquid retention by the surface tension and/or interfacial forces present, and as the void volume of the element is increased so is its liquid-receiving capacity. Solid, microporous materials which are suitable for use in preparing the described element are available from Porex Technologies of Fairburn, GA and Chromex Chemical Corporation of Brooklyn, NY.
The preparation of such elements as a reagent carrier merely involves applying a predetermined volume of aqueous liquid reagent, which may be comprised, for example, of polar or non-polar liquid(s), such as water, alcohols, ketones, acids, etc., which serve as carriers and have a precise, measured quantity of reagent dissolved or dispersed therein, onto the solid microporous element, whereupon the liquid rapidly enters into the internal cell structure thereof by wicking or capillarity. The element is sized to contain a void volume at least equal to, and preferably greater than, the volume of applied liquid so that essentially all of the liquid reagent is contained within the element cell structure. Thus, as the volume of applied liquid contains a precise, measured quantity of reagent, so also does the element which contains such liquid.
After receiving the liquid reagent, the element generally feels dry to the touch, requires no extraordinary care during handling, and may be used without further treatment or may be packed in air-tight bags or the like for future use in this condition. Alternatively, and preferably, the liquid-treated elements may be air, lyophilized or oven, or vacuum dried to remove carrier liquid(s) and, particularly with elements of small cell size, gentle tumbling of the elements during the drying process does not result in any apparent loss of reagent. Drying of the treated element is rapid as liquid is wicked from within the elements to the surfaces thereof as such surfaces are dried, leaving the reagent behind as a solid within the cell structure, as by adherence to the walls defining the interconnecting cell structures. The term "solid" as applied to the reagent is employed herein as meaning the reagent is in a non-flowable condition.
In lieu of applying the liquid reagent to individual elements, it may be applied to solid, microporous material in sheet or other form, which is subsequently cut, either before or after drying, into elements each containing a predetermined, precise, measured quantity of reagent. The application of the liquid reagent, either to individual elements or to a solid, microporous sheet, may be achieved, for example, by pipetting, spraying, dipping, or the like.
A plurality of reagents may be contained within a single element, with reagents which are non-reactive with each other being simultaneously or sequentially applied thereto, and with interacting reagents being applied to areas of the elements that are isolated from each other, as by physical separation or by contact of the element with a heated blade or the like to collapse and fuse a narrow area of its structure into a liquid-flow barrier.
The device of the present invention may consist of the solid, microporous element by itself or attached to some means by which the element may more conveniently be manipulated or better perform its function. For example, an element having a predetermined void volume may be attached to one end of a pipette so as to project therefrom and, when dipped into a liquid, such as an aqueous sample to be assayed or a diluent, will assume a known volume thereof by wicking. Such assumed liquid may be subsequently separated from the element, as under the pressure of air or other fluid or under a vacuum introduced or applied at the opposite end of the pipette or by centrifugation.
When serving as a reagent carrier, the element may simply be attached to one end of a dip stick or the like for use in making a qualitative determination of analytes that may be present in an assay medium. Such element may be also immobilized or supported within an open container, such as a test tube, at a location removed from its closed end and the reagent separated from the element by centrifugation. If the reagent is contained as a solid in such carrier element, it is liquified; that is, dissolved or dispersed within an appropriate liquid, such as water, alcohols, ketones, acids and the like, as heretofore mentioned, which may also serve as a diluent and/or to liquify a sample to be assayed, prior to the application of the centrifugal force. With the sample to be assayed and liquid reagent within the test tube and mixed together, the chemical reaction is simply detected and the qualitative results determined and recorded by conventional apparatus. Alternatively, the reagent in the element may be dissolved or dispersed in a liquid, the test tube then centrifuged, and the liquid contents thereof put into a cup or cuvette or a conventional discrete analyzer for use with an assay medium.
In use with a rotor disc of a conventional automated centrifugal analyzer which, as heretofore described, includes a series of cuvettes arranged adjacent to the disc periphery and a corresponding series of wells aligned radially with such cuvettes, a carrier element need only be placed and retained in one of such wells, the reagent therein dissolved or dispersed within an appropriate liquid, such as an aqueous medium, after which the analyzer is operated in its normal fashion. A diluent or a liquid sample which is to be assayed may be applied to the carrier element whether or not liquification of a dried reagent is required. Otherwise, at least the assay medium is placed in the cuvette aligned with such one well. Under the centrifugal force developed by rapid rotation of the rotor disc, the liquid reagent within the carrier element is rapidly separated from such element and is propelled into the aligned cuvette where it is thoroughly mixed and reacted with the assay medium. The reaction results are then determined and presented by the analyzer. It is intended, of course, that the carrier element remain within the one well during application of the centrifugal force and, if necessary, is restrained therein by any suitable means which will not retard the flow of liquid, as by the geometry of the well or an adhesive or weighted porous cover or screen.
By providing each of a series of the wells in the rotor disc with a carrier element containing the same reagent, single sample or stat tests on a batch of samples may be performed concomitantly. Alternatively, a carrier element containing a different reagent may be provided within each of such series of wells to perform a profile analysis; that is, a series of different analyses of the same liquid sample.
As employed herein, "reagents" are chemically active materials which, when released from the carrier element, combine with each other and/or one or more constituents of an assay medium to provide an intermediate or final product having chemical characteristics different from the reagents and/or assay medium prior to the combining thereof. For example, reagents may react only with the analyte to be determined when such reagent is combined with the assay medium, while still other reagents, when dissolved or dispersed in a liquid, such as an aqueous medium, may react to provide a solution having a pH, salt concentration, or buffering capacity necessary for reacting with one or more constituents of an assay medium.
Any liquid-soluble or liquid-dispersible reagents may be incorporated into the carrier elements, and for use in clinical chemical analyses, may include, for example, enzymes, enzyme substrate, antibodies, antigens, haptens, inorganic and organic reagents, buffers, salts, and the like, as well as radio-actively tagged or fluorescent reagents of the foregoing types, including nonisotopic types, such as enzymes, cofactors, lumniscent agents, and the like.
Further, the term "adsorbent," as employed herein in connection with the material forming the solid, microporous element, is intended to make clear that reagents contained within such elements do not penetrate into the material itself; that is, are not absorbed as in the case of a paper or other fibrous reagent carrier. In solid form, the reagent is contained within the cell structure of the carrier element, as by adherence to the walls thereof and/or as entrapped particles, and when dissolved or dispersed within an aqueous medium or other appropriate liquid is essentially completely separated from the carrier element when a force, such as centrifugal force, air pressure, or like, is applied thereto.
As with conventional rotor disc, the discs described herein are preferably formed of clear plastic or other material which transmits UV light to enable detection of chemical reactions by conventional automatic chemical analyzers. When formed of thermoplastic material, the rotor discs may be shaped with desired wells, cuvettes, and flow channels by a simple thermomolding process.
In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating, on an enlarged scale, a microporous, open cell element of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates a fragmentary portion of the element shown in FIG. 1 having a liquid reagent contained in the cells thereof;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 in which a precise, measured quantity of reagent is contained within the cells of the microporous element;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating a method of providing a microporous element as shown in FIG. 1 with a reagent as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; and
FIGS. 5-13 illustrate different modifications of devices of the present invention which incorporate elements as shown in FIG. 1 or reagent carrier elements as shown in part in FIGS. 2 and 3.
For simplicity, reference is made in the following detailed description to reagents which are soluble or dispersible in aqueous mediums; that is, mediums which, at least in part, include water.
Shown in FIG. 1 is a solid, microporous element 15 having walls 17 defining an internal cell structure comprised of interconnecting cells or voids 19. As heretofore mentioned, such voids may range from about 1 micrometer to 1 mm. in diameter and thus FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the element 15 on a greatly enlarged scale for clarity and ease of description. The element 15 is formed of adsorbent material which is inert to liquids and solids with which the element is intended to subsequently contact, and polypropylene, for example, is suitable for such use. If necessary, the element 15 is subjected to a treatment such as an oxygen plasma or corona discharge treatment, to render the walls 17 thereof hydrophilic.
Shown in FIG. 2 is a portion of the element 15 having contained in the cells 19 thereof a liquid reagent 21 which is comprised of an aqueous medium in which is dissolved or dispersed a precise, measured amount of reagent. The reagent carrier element shown in part in FIG. 2 may be used as such, may be packaged for future use, or may be lyophilized or air, oven, or vacuum dried to remove the aqueous medium, leaving the reagent contained within the element cells 19 as, for example, by adherence to the walls, as shown at 23 in FIG. 3.
Reagent carrier elements, as referred to in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3, may be formed by merely pipetting a predetermined volume of liquid reagent onto an element 15 of desired size and void volume. An automated system is illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein such elements 15 of predetermined size and void volume are laid onto an endless belt conveyor 25 which is of porous construction and is trained about rollers 29, at least one of which is driven as indicated by arrows 31. An aqueous liquid having a precise, measured quantity of reagent dissolved or dispersed therein is applied onto the elements 15 as the conveyor 25 carries them beneath a spray head 33. Preferably the amount of liquid reagent delivered to the elements 15 is such as to essentially fill the cells 19 thereof, and thus, knowing the void volume of the element 15, the precise, measured amount of reagent contained within the cells 19 of such element 15 is also known. The conveyor 25 is porous and is formed of glass filaments or other normally hydrophobic material so that the excess liquid reagent may readily pass through such conveyor and into a collection trough 35.
The reagent carrier elements, which are as shown in FIG. 2, are ready for use or may be packaged in this condition for future use, or may be dried as by passage through an oven 37 to evaporate the aqueous medium and leave the reagent contained within the element cells 19, as by adherence to the walls 17 thereof, as shown at 23 in FIG. 3.
The element 15 shown in FIG. 1 is adapted for various uses in connection with clinical chemical analysis systems. For example, the element 15 may be shaped as a cone 39 as shown in FIG. 5 and be applied to a pipette 41. By merely contacting the exposed portion 43 of the conical element 39 with an aqueous medium, such as a sample, a diluent, assay medium, or reagent, the element 39 will rapidly wick a volume of such aqueous medium essentially equal to its void volume. Separation of the aqueous medium thus assumed from the element 39 may be achieved, for example, by introducing air into the end 45 of the pipette 41. The element 39 may be disposed and, after pipette cleansing, another element 39 may be inserted for reuse of this device. While reference has been made to a pipette 41, it is intended that the term "pipette" include a syringe and the like which may be similarly equipped with a disposable element 39 for use as described above. It will be apparent, of course, that the entire device shown in FIG. 5; that is, the element 39 and pipette 41, may be disposable as a unit, if desired.
Particularly useful for qualitative analyses is the device 47 shown in FIG. 6 wherein a reagent carrier element, such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and indicated at 49, is attached to a support 51 which is formed of a material, such as polypropylene, which is inert and non-absorbent and, preferably, transparent or translucent. The device 47 may be used in a manner as are conventional dipstick test units in which a reagent is impregnated into a paper or other fibrous member or to deliver a reagent into a liquid sample. Thus, the user needs only to immerse the reagent carrier element 49 within an aqueous assay medium, as for example, a urine sample, and detect in the element 49 evidence of a chemical reaction, such as a color change. Unlike the conventional fiber pad dip sticks, the carrier element 49, having a known void volume, not only contains a known quantity of reagent, but will take up a precise and known amount of aqueous assay medium. Further, as the carrier element, on a macro scale, is quite uniform and is at least translucent, conventional optical instruments may be employed to detect and read reaction results. Alternatively, by means of the support 51, the carrier element 49 may be agitated within the aqueous assay medium to release the reagent therefrom and into the assay medium, with evidence of a chemical reaction being detected, for example, by a change in the color of the assay medium itself.
An important advantage of the device 47 is that the precise, measured quantity of reagent contained within the element 49 is completely dissolved or dispersed and mixed with the aqueous assay medium, and thus accurate test results are obtained. This advantage is absent, of course, when using a conventional fiber-impregnated reagent carrier for the user is never sure as to the amount of reagent that is released or reacted with the aqueous assay medium.
A further device of this invention is shown at 53 in FIG. 7 wherein a reagent carrier element 55 is supported within a test tube 57, as by a plastic screen 59, against movement toward the closed end 61 of the test tube 57. The screen 59, or other suitable support means, may be frictionally or otherwise retained in place so as to permit the liquid reagent to flow from the reagent carrier element 55 toward the closed end of the test tube 57 upon being separated from such element 55 as by centrifugal force.
In using the device 53, an aqueous medium, such as a diluent or assay medium, is introduced into the test tube 57 and onto the element 55 to dissolve or disperse, if necessary, the precise, measured quantity of reagent contained within such element 55. If the aqueous medium so applied to the element 55 is something other than the assay medium, such assay medium may be first introduced into the test tube 57 and collected at its closed end 61. The test tube 57 is now centrifuged to separate the dissolved or dispersed liquid reagent from the element 55 and propel the same into and mixed with the assay medium, if such is present. Alternatively, the collected liquid reagent may be delivered to a cup or cuvette of a conventional automatic clinical chemistry analyzer for assay analysis. Detection of the chemical reaction and presentation of reaction data is achieved by use of conventional equipment.
The device 65 shown in FIG. 8 includes a conventional transparent rotor disc 67 as employed with known automatic centrifugal chemical analyzers, such as the GEMINI™ analyzer heretofore described, that includes a series of separated wells 69 for containing reagent carrier elements and a like number of cuvettes 71, each being aligned radially with an individual reagent well 69. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, one or more reagent carrier elements, such as the elements 73 and 75 illustrated, are retained within the reagent wells 69, as by a screen 77, if necessary. In this illustrated embodiment precise, measured quantities of different reagents are contained within the respective elements 73 and 75, and, if the reagents in such elements are reactive with each other, there is no risk of such reaction in view of the physical separation of these elements.
Employing the improved device shown in FIG. 8, with known automatic centrifugal clinical chemical analyzers enables simplified profile chemistry analyses to be obtained. In the use of the device or rotor disc shown in FIG. 8, with the reagent wells 69 having fixed therein the appropriate reagent elements 73 and 75, a technician need only add an appropriate amount of aqueous mediums, which may be a liquid assay medium, into each of such wells 69 to dissolve or disperse the reagents and thus providing a reconstituted combined reagent of precise concentration. Samples or assay mediums, if not already delivered to the wells 69, are then pipetted into the respective cuvettes 71, after which the device is placed in the known automatic centrifugal clinical chemical analyzer which functions in its ordinary manner to rotate the device, causing the reagents to flow radially from the wells 69 and into the cuvettes 71 so as to mix and react with the samples or assay mediums therein. Such known analyzers will then automatically detect the reaction and present the reaction data.
A modified rotor disc 81, also formed of transparent material, is shown in FIGS. 9-11 and includes a series of separated wells, such as indicated at 83 and 85 for containing reagent-carrier elements, with each pair of such wells 83 and 85 communicating by channels 87 and 89 with a single cuvette 91 which is aligned generally radially therewith. Reagent-containing elements 93 and 95, which may contain, for example, precise, measured quantities of reagents which are reactive with each other, are disposed within the separate wells 83 and 85, and are retained therein by a disc cover 97 having standpipes 99 which overlie and are adapted for use in delivering an aqueous medium, such as a liquid assay medium or a diluent, into the wells 83 and 85 and thereby dissolve or disperse the reagents contained within the elements 93 and 95.
In the use of the rotor disc 81, the precise, measured quantity of reagent contained in the respective elements 93 and 95 is dissolved or dispersed within an aqueous medium, say an aqueous assay medium, introduced into the wells 83 and 85 through a cover standpipe 99. This loaded disc 81 is then placed in a conventional automatic clinical chemistry analyzer and rotated in either of the directions indicated in FIG. 9 by the arrow 101 and 103, whereby the liquid reagents and assay medium are separated by centrifugal force from the elements 93 and 95 and propelled through the channels 87 and 89 into the cuvette 91 where they are mixed, as by intermittent rotation of the disc 81 in opposite directions 101 and 103, and reacted. As the disc 81, being also formed of transparent material, the cuvette 91 serves also as a reading chamber with the chemical reaction detected and recorded with conventional equipment.
It will be noted that the channels 87 and 89 and the walls of the cuvette 91 are arranged as to encourage liquid flow from the wells 83 and 85 during rotation of the disc 81 in the direction of the arrow 101 and, during intermittent rotation of the disc 81 in the opposite directions, encourage mixing within the cuvette 91 while inhibiting flow into the wells 83 and 85. It will be understood that the disc 81 may be utilized with only a single of such reagent carrying elements 93 and 95 and, as mentioned above, that the cuvette 91 serves both as a mixing and reading cell.
The rotor disc embodiment 105 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 includes wells, cuvettes, and channels which correspond to the like structures shown in FIGS. 9-11. However, in this embodiment, the bottom wall 107 of the disc 105 is depressed to form a central chamber 109, which communicates by openings 111 with wells 113 and 115 within which are disposed reagent carrying elements 117 and 119, and, also, an annular pocket 121 which communicates at 123 with the chamber 109. Desirable, but not necessarily, a ring 125 of porous material, which may be fibrous, is disposed within the pocket 121. A collar 127 depends from the disc bottom wall 107 for reception of a spindle of a conventional automatic clinical chemical analyzer, and a second collar 129 projects from the top wall 131 of the disc 105.
An aqueous medium, such as a liquid assay medium is delivered through the collar 129 into chamber 109 and, by wicks 133 immersed in such liquid and engaged with or are part of the reagent carrying elements 117 and 119, is delivered by capillarity or wicking to such elements to dissolve or disperse the precise, measured quantities of reagents therein. This loaded disc is then placed in a conventional automatic analyzer, and rotated first in one and then intermittently in the opposite directions as described in connection with the disc 81. During the initial of such rotation, excess liquid medium in the chamber 109; that is, such liquid not wicked into the elements 117 and 119, is collected by the porous ring 125, for discard.
As all elements 117 and 119 are supplied with a common liquid medium, such as an aqueous assay medium, from the chamber 109, the rotor disc 105 is especially adapted for profile analyses.
The following example is provided to still further illustrate the merits of the present invention. Solid, microporous elements, such as shown in FIG. 1, formed of polyethylene and normally hydrophobic, were subjected to a conventional oxygen plasma treatment at 100 watts and 0.5 torr for five minutes which rendered the walls defining the cell structures of the elements very hydrophilic. Mention is made that with solid, microporous elements having a thickness not greater than about 1/16 inch, a conventional corona discharge treatment is equally satisfactory for rendering the cell walls hydrophilic.
The elements, having dimensions of 10�40�1.2 mm, was then each loaded with 50 μL of each of the four liquid reagents, including a buffer, substrate, co-enzyme, and coupling enzyme, which are necessary for performing a BUN (blood urea nitrogen) analysis. Some mixing of the reagents occurred during the application thereof, and the void volume of the elements exceeded the total volume (200 μL) of the applied reagents, as evidenced by the absence of surface liquid. The loaded elements felt dry to the touch, and were then dried in a hot-air oven. Elements dried at 30� C. for a period of 45 minutes had a moisture content of 10.5%, while others dried at 45� C. for 30 minutes had a moisture content of 3%. In comparison, like amounts of the same reagents dried on flat non-absorbent plastic chips required drying periods of 4 hours at 30� C. and 6 hours at 45� C. to attain the respective moisture contents of 10.5% and 3%. As the dried reagents are within the cell structuring of the elements, they were physically protected and could withstand rather rough handling without harm to the elements or loss of reagent.
Individual elements dried at 30� C. for three hours were supported within separate test tubes by hydrophobic plastic spacers and flooded with 0.8 mL of water. Reagent dissolution was rapid and after about 2 minutes, the test tubes were centrifuged at about 2000 RPM for about two minutes. The liquids recovered in the respective test tubes were then poured into assay cups of a Chemetrics automatic clinical chemistry analyzer, commercially available from the Chemetrics Corporation, Burlingame, CA, and a BUN assay was run using standards of 40, 40, 20, 20, 80, 80. A copy of the print out tape from the analyzer showing the results is made part of this disclosure as "BUN ASSAY TEST RESULTS".
Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image


text:
Razzaque, S; Swapp, D; Slater, M; Whitton, M; Steed, A; (2002) Redirected Walking in Place. In: (Proceedings) Proceedings of the 8th Eurographics Workshop on Virtual Environments. May. (pp. 123 - 130).
Full text not available from this repository.
|Proceedings paper
|Redirected Walking in Place
|Proceedings of the 8th Eurographics Workshop on Virtual Environments. May
|ENVIRONMENT, May, virtual environment
|UCL classification:
|UCL > School of BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Computer Science
Archive Staff Only: edit this record

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Future Events
We are currently working on our Fall 2015 calendar of events.
Registration for fall events opens August 1.
If you would like SITE consultants to come to your location for a custom workshop, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com!
Good teaching involves planning, lots of it and at every level. This online, self-directed workshop, open to all new instructors at Penn State, is offered at the start of each semester through Angel, Penn State's course management system. Moderated by Cindy Decker Raynak, Senior Instructional Designer, this self directed workshop will provide you with a brief introduction to the resources and strategies that are crucial to good teaching and planning.
This Workshop will be open from Monday, August 17, 2015 through Friday, October 2, 2015. Last day to register is noon, Wednesday, September 30, 2015. All assignments must be uploaded by 11:59 p.m. Friday, October 2, 2015.
Registered participants will receive an email with ANGEL access information prior to the begining of the course.
Registration will open August 1, 2015.
The presentation is sponsored by the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, The Schreyer Honors College, and the University Libraries. The talk is free and open to the public; no registration required.
Additional details will be posted soon.
Dr. Michelene (Micki) T.H. Chi, Dorothy Bray Endowed Professor of Science and Teaching, Arizona State University will be the Keynote speaker.
Save the date! Additional details will be posted soon.


text:
Cooper revs up for race
There's more than nostalgia at work in Ed Cooper Jr.'s Posey County garage.
- Friday
- Unlimited hydroplane practice, 8:30-10:30 a.m.; 12:20-2:30 p.m., 4:40-6 p.m.
- Saturday
- Unlimited hydroplane practice, 9:15-10 a.m.; practice and qualifications, 11:20 a.m.-12:10 p.m.; practice, 1:40-2:20 p.m; heat races 4:20 and 4:45 p.m .
- Sunday
- Unlimited practice and Thunder qualifying, 8-8:45 a.m.; heat races 10:35, 11 a.m.; 12:45, 1:20 p.m.; provisional 3:30 p.m.; final 5:10 p.m.
After a runner-up finish in three races last year, including Thunder on the Ohio, Cooper's U-3 Master Tire proved once again that there is nothing second-rate about his piston-powered unlimited hydroplane as it continues to challenge the turbine-dominated field.
Cooper's World War II-era Allison aircraft power plant won Thunder in 2003. His team will join the 10-boat field for testing for Thunder 29, the season opener on the American Boat Racing Association circuit, on Friday.
In addition to Thunder, Jimmy King drove Master Tire to second place at the Detroit Gold Cup and in San Diego and a third-place finish in the national high points standings overall.
"We were kind of invisible, yet we had a really good year," Cooper said. "We completed 26 heats last year and we finished first or second in 21 or 22 of those heats. Nearly half of those heats we won, but we didn't win in the finals. We're hoping to turn that around."
Nicknamed the "Turbinator" for its ability to compete with the Vietnam-era jet turbine helicopter engines, Master Tire developed into one of the most consistent boats in the series.
"It was just a combination of a really good hull that does everything it's supposed to do," Cooper said. "We had our failures, like you always do with the piston engine, but they didn't always necessarily happen in the middle of a heat. We finished third in the nation. We were washed down and had a couple of twists of fate. We were only 400 or 500 points away from the national championship."
Ever the realist, Cooper said he's never been on a nostalgia trip. "We didn't have the desire or the financial ability to buy a turbine," he said. "We had to make do with what we had."
But years of frustration began to fade when he unveiled his new lighter, faster, boat midway through the 2002 season. Suddenly, Master Tire could compete with virtually anyone, thanks to Dale, Rick and Bernie.
Rick Bowles built the boat and Dale Vanwierengen designed it. Miss Budweiser owner Bernie Little gave the Seattle residents access to molds.
"Bernie's hands are still in the sport in a lot of ways," said Cooper of Little, the winningest owner in hydro history who died in 2003 at age 77.
Subscribe to the Courier & Press or The Gleaner
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-304-7771.
Monday-Friday: 6am-5pm / Saturday: 6am-11am / Sunday: 7am-Noon


text:
Urinating in Public Ann Arbor - UIP 15th District Court - Keeping this off your record
Written by attorney Jonathan Paul, 8 months ago.
If you've been charged with urinating in public at the 15th District Court in Ann Arbor, your judge will either be Judge Hines or Easthope. The prosecutor will either be Washtenaw County... more


text:
Learn how to design smart, functional PDF forms that you can email, embed on a website, or share via Adobe's FormsCentral.
Shows how to design a form from scratch in Word, Illustrator, or InDesign, or from an existing electronic document.
"It is so enlightening to have the blinders removed, and see the individual parts explained and how they relate to each other." —Daniel J.
more from our members »


text:
Using Optical Out in HTPC With Xfi.
View Single Post
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sweden
Posts: 1,423
Re: Using Optical Out in HTPC With Xfi.
Originally Posted by
Mr Bigman
True, but is the quality of the audio from the HDMI good enough to that of xfi?
You have properties on the XFI you can adjust unlike on the hdmi passthrough.
I use the blue 50 dollar version of the xfi pci-ex with optical, but if i spend the
extra hundred bucks and get the fatality version with the black casing, will the
optical sound better?
It will sound the same from the optical, and i bet you it'll sound the same from the analogue outs as well.
A few years ago I decided to pay the extra money as the hardware difference between the xfi fatality (pci version) and my old audigy2 i figured was warranted. Better asio support (very important in music production which I do) and also the front i/o panel which I opted out for with the audigy2 along with the eax5 support for gaming.
Now, if you pop in a dvd/bluray movie the digital sound will not be affected by the sound card at all. Pass-through literary means pass through and the decoding process will be for your sound receiver/tv
There will be no sound quality difference.
My card will do all kinds of up mixing from stereo to surround or adding some filters and reverb in "theater" mode though I do not consider that as an enhancement so I just leave the card in "Audio creation" mode to get away from creatives enhancements when I listen to music.
I think the enhancements work well enough for my music collection and movies but I always notice it in a negative way in the music I have composed and created my self. If i wanted these "enhancements" I would have added them my self directly to the source audio file directly in the daw.
But I think the cheaper x-fi cards also got these optional enhancements yes?
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by EciDemon


text:
Bobby Voelker vs CJ Fernandes -rd 2 watch video >>
Bobby Voelker vs Thomas Aaron -rd 1 watch video >>
Bobby Voelker vs Thomas Aaron -rd 2 watch video >>
Roger Bowling vs Bobby Voelker -Strikeforce Challengers watch video >>
Bobby Voelker vs. Roger Bowling: Strikeforce - Challengers 17 watch video >>
Take a look inside the Ultimate 100 Knockouts as "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler lands a powerful head kick and knocks out Bobby Voelker in the second round of UFC on FOX. Watch the rest of this knockout se watch video >>
Welterweight title contender "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler battled it out with UFC vet Bobby Voelker, and ended up earning his 18 knockout of his career. Tune in to UFC Fight Night San Jose to watch Lawle watch video >>
AFC 6 Fight of UFC and Ultimate Fighter Veteran Chainsaw Charles McCarthy vs. Pat O'Malley. watch video >>
TUF 6 castmember Mac Danzig fights Mike Valdez years ago in KOTC. watch video >>
Mac Danzig defends his title against Orlando Sanchez in KOTC 'Karnage'. check out www.Kingofthecage.ca for future events watch video >>


text:
Lake Spring Car DealerChange City
Lake Spring Car Dealer
Find multiple listings of Lake Spring car dealers at the Autobytel.com website. See your potential new or used car by make, cost, or classification. Autobytel has a huge directory of Lake Spring car dealerships with their inventories of new and used car, truck, and SUV listings online. We will help with your automobile shopping experience every step of the way. Find current prices on new and used cars, research car specs, see pictures of cars, read in-depth reviews, and get a price quote from a Lake Spring car dealership.
Times have changed and the need for visiting Lake Spring car dealerships has been rendered obsolete. Because of the advancements in cyberspace; Lake Spring car dealers are able to have a virtual showroom located at multiple sites at the same time including Autobytel.com. And the majority of car shoppers will begin to research automobiles online. Most car buyers will seek out the inventories of Lake Spring car dealers once they have figured out which automobile is best for them. Odds are they will find themselves located at a viable online automotive resource like Autobytel.com. At our website you can get a free price quote from a number of Lake Spring car dealers.
Having one Lake Spring car dealership that you can trust is a big deal. You might think that in the car buying process, you will only visit that Lake Spring car dealer lot once. Most Lake Spring car dealers have automotive friendly services that will warrant your return to the lot some day. Established Lake Spring car dealerships not only specialize in vehicle sales; they have a myriad of other services to offer such as: car repair, parts sales, and auto leasing, just to name a few. So there is a chance that you will be visiting that Lake Spring car dealer often for something like warranty service. This is why growing a relationship with the Lake Spring car dealership can have a lasting effect.
Find a reputable dealer by searching the Lake Spring car dealerships database online at Autobytel.com See what previous customers of Lake Spring car dealers had to say about their experiences. These appraisals of Lake Spring car dealerships can be an effective way to figure out which dealership you should choose.


text: Lee Ann Peltz, 40, Bowlus, was charged Feb. 5, with one felony count of defeating security on realty. In 2002, a loan was taken out on a farm site in Bowlus by Peltz, secured by Peltz mortgaging and conveying to Freeport State Bank all rights, title and interest in the property. In Sept. 2011, the [...Read More


text:
iHerb Customer Reviews
Good / Хорошо
7 people found the following review helpful
Posted by AmberCat on Aug 31, 2012
Приятный шампунь. Хорошо пахнет, дает обильную пену, тщательно промывает волосы. Только обещанного объема я, к сожалению, так и не обнаружила. A nice shampoo. Smells good, gives a rich foam, carefully washes hair. But, unfortunately, I was never found promising volume.
Not for me
5 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer1977510 on Jul 06, 2012
I have used this shampoo about 6 times and each time I wasn't happy. I just don't get that clean feeling I do with other shampoos. I will be giving this away and not using it any more. It's a shame. The citrus shampoo in the same range is great so will buy that again.
Smells great, moisturizing
Posted by Reviewer2617009 on Apr 15, 2012
I have tried quite a few different volumizing shampoos and I have to say that this one leaves my hair super soft & smelling great. Love it!
Good smell and washed well
Posted by Reviewer1649448 on Aug 06, 2012
Normal shampoo.
soft hair
Posted by 5579670676296205397 on Oct 09, 2012
Perfect shampoo...and natural


text:
|Use these FREE Retirement Planning Calculators
Have a QUANTOS Idea?
Now you can calculate your own FERS, CSRS, and
TSP estimates. Even get an exact High-3 calculation, Military Deposit, Social Security estimate, and many more!
Are you saving enough in your 401k or Thrift Savings Plan? Find out by using our free Retirment Gap Calculator.
New Sick Leave rules for FERS employees are now included. Be sure you have your own personal estimate to plan your retirement lifestyle. Click on any calculator below to start adding it up!


text:
A television/radio host and political pundit
Chris Matthews hosts "Hardball with Chris Matthews," Monday through Friday on MSNBC (5 and 7 PM EST). Matthews is also the host of "The Chris Matthews Show," a syndicated weekly news program produced by NBC News and distributed by NBC Universal Television Distribution. Mr. Matthews is a regular commentator on NBC's "Today" show.
A television news anchor with remarkable depth of experience, Matthews has distinguished himself as a broadcast journalist, newspaper bureau chief, Presidential speechwriter, and best-selling author. Matthews covered the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first all-races election in South Africa and the Good Friday Peace Talks in Northern Ireland. In 1997 and 1998, his digging in the National Archives produced a series of San Francisco Examiner scoops on the Nixon presidential tapes. Matthews has covered American presidential election campaigns since 1988, including the five-week recount of 2000. In 2005 Matthews covered the funeral of Pope John Paul II.
In March 2004, he received the David Brinkley Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. He has also been awarded The Abraham Lincoln Award from the Union League of Philadelphia and in 2005 he received the Gold Medal Award from the Pennsylvania Society.
Matthews worked for 15 years as a print journalist, 13 of them as Washington Bureau Chief for The San Francisco Examiner (1987 - 2000), and two years as a national columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle, which was syndicated to 200 newspapers by United Media.
Prior to that, Matthews spent 15 years in politics and government, working in the White House for four years under President Jimmy Carter as a Presidential speechwriter and on the President's Reorganization Project, in the U.S. Senate for five years on the staffs of Senator Frank Moss (Utah) and Senator Edmund Muskie (Maine), and as the top aide to Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. for six years.
Matthews is the author of four best-selling books, including American: Beyond Our Grandest Notions (2002), a New York Times best seller. His first book, Hardball (1988) is required reading in many college-level political science courses. Kennedy & Nixon (1996) was named by The Readers Digest "Today's Best Non-fiction" and served as the basis of a documentary on the History Channel. Now, Let me Tell What I Really Think (2001) was another New York Times best-seller.
A graduate of Holy Cross College, Mr. Matthews did graduate work in economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Matthews also worked for two years as a trade development advisor with the U.S. Peace Corps in the southern African nation of Swaziland.


text:
I don't think this is about making USB cables more convenient... I have never had a problem using them nor have I ever broken one. I am convinced this is designed to make the USB connector smaller to allow even thinner laptops.
Jump to content
|Last action by
|What is a good tool to regulate employee Internet access? in Internet, Network & Security
|Windows 10 Feedback notification in Microsoft Beta (Windows 10)
|The Big Wrestling Thread! in The Sporting Arena
|Build 10162 - VPN not working in Microsoft Beta (Windows 10)
|Hi fellas in Introduce Yourself
Posted 03 April 2014 - 17:15
Never thought this was a huge problem, but it definitely can be irritating when you're trying to plug a cable in somewhere behind a machine and all you have is touch to go off of. You have a 50% chance of getting it right the first time. Same thing with HDMI cables. Oh, and trapezoidal Dsub and DVI? F--- you. That's all I have to say to them.
Posted 03 April 2014 - 17:34
I've never really had any trouble plugging in USB devices; it's very easy to see which way the plug goes in and the ports are always oriented the same way.
Not always:
Nexus 4: micro USB is oriented that the wide side is further from the screen
Nexus 7 (2013): micro USB is oriented that the wide side is closer to the screen
I'm definitely looking forward to the new standard.
Posted 03 April 2014 - 19:19
1. Look at cable
2. Look at port.
3. Put it in the right way, first time.
How is that hard?
Doesn't always pan out that way in some infrastructure post-deployments.
Or when you've retrieved the camera phone and trying to work out the orientation of the photo when it was taken for the rear of a chassis.
Posted 03 April 2014 - 19:37
Although I've rarely had any issues with plugging something into a USB port, I can understand people's frustrations. I became very frustrated once when an old USB cable wouldn't fit into the port despite my best efforts. It turns out the connector on the cable was bent.
Anyway, the lack of backwards compatibility sucks but it's necessary. After awhile, very few people are going to care about it.
Posted 03 April 2014 - 19:40
1. Look at cable
2. Look at port.
3. Put it in the right way, first time.
How is that hard?
That doesn't work when the ports are hidden behind your computer and usually orientated vertically. It also doesn't help that often you think you're plugging it in wrong and turn it round only to find out it was right the first time. Basically, the port is poorly designed and anyone who has used the Apple Lightning connector knows that it is better designed. This design addresses these problems.
I don't understand how people can be so critical of something that improves the current design. Most people I know have had issues at various times plugging in USB devices. Sure it's just a case of reversing the plug but it's still an inconvenience. The new connection is also less bulky.
Posted 03 April 2014 - 20:15
I have to laugh how it will "end frustrations" as anyone with half a brain never had any.
It's not about intelligence, it's about convenience. Why have to worry about which way around it is when it can be designed so it doesn't matter?
It saddens me that so many people can take a positive thing and turn it into a negative.


text:
KBJ EntertainmentMumbai, Maharashtra
Company Profile
Lights, Camera, Action! KBJ Entertainment has a mission to deliver world class films. We will be involved in every aspect of film making from to produc�ing and financing independent and stu�dio films, while at the same time we aim to provide a platform for independent film-makers and new talent.
Fact Sheet
|Year of Establishment
|Nature of Business
Service Provider
Contact UsKBJ Entertainment+91-22-43439200
No. 802/B, Marathon NextGen Innova, Off Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel
Mumbai - 400013
Maharashtra, India
Mumbai - 400013
Maharashtra, India
Send your enquiry to this supplier


text:
Cornish Hens With Wild Rice
|Long grain and wild rice
|6 Ounce (1 Package)
|Chicken broth
|2 Cup (32 tbs)
|1 Tablespoon
|2 Tablespoon
|Thinly sliced mushrooms
|2 Cup (32 tbs) (Fresh)
|Finely diced celery
|1 Cup (16 tbs)
|Finely chopped green onion with tops
|2⁄3 Cup (10.67 tbs)
|Dairy sour cream
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|Cornish game hens
|4 Pound, thawed, rinsed and dried (4 Hens, 1 Pound Each)
|1⁄2 Teaspoon
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Cook contents of rice and seasoning packets with chicken broth and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine according to package directions.
In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine over low heat.
Add mushrooms, celery and onions.
Cook until tender, not brown.
Add cooked rice and sour cream; mix well.
Stuff Cornish hens with rice-stuffing mixture, using about 1/2 cup in each.
Close opening with skewers.
Arrange hens on rack in a shallow baking pan.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine and brush over hens.
Sprinkle with salt.
Place remaining rice-stuffing mixture in aluminum-foil packet.
Bake hens until tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
Place packet of stuffing in baking pan in oven 30 minutes before end of baking time.


text:
ROSS, Judge.
Anthony Darst, father, appeals from the district court's order granting substantial visitation rights to his son's maternal grandmother, Roxanne Givens, following the murder of the child's mother. The district court granted Givens visitation every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and every other weekend extended from Friday evening through Sunday evening. The district court's visitation order treats the grandmother essentially as a noncustodial parent and imposes a schedule that on its face interferes with the father's parent-child relationship. And the district court failed to apply the constitutionally required burden and standard of proof. The district court therefore abused its discretion and we reverse.
Roxanne Givens's daughter was unmarried and living with Givens at home when she gave birth to C.D.G.D. in September 2008. Although C.D.G.D.'s birth certificate did not designate a father, his mother recognized Anthony Darst as the boy's father and gave him Darst's surname. Genetic testing completed in October confirmed Darst as the father, and in a signed and notarized agreement the mother expressly attempted to acknowledge Darst as having "all legal rights as the father." She also agreed in that document that Darst would have liberal parenting time with C.D.G.D., specifically stating that Darst could see C.D.G.D. every day, could have him overnight at least two nights weekly, and could "take [C.D.G.D.] on all of his days off from work." She and C.D.G.D. continued to live with Givens for approximately the first four months of C.D.G.D.'s life, until a man she had previously dated murdered her in January 2009.
Less than two weeks after her daughter's murder, on February 6 Givens petitioned the district court ex parte to become C.D.G.D.'s "sole legal and sole physical" custodian. Her petition, filed without notice to Darst, stated only that Darst "may be" C.D.G.D.'s father. The district court immediately ordered that Givens be designated as C.D.G.D.'s temporary legal and physical custodian. Darst learned of the order, and within one week he served Givens with his petition for judgment of paternity so that he could secure his paternal right to sole legal and physical custody. Three weeks later he filed the petition with the district court.
The district court consolidated the two competing custody petitions in a single case but it took some time before ruling. It did not adjudicate Darst as father until May 2009, and when it did, it expressly left in force its February order granting Givens temporary legal and physical custody of C.D.G.D. It did not conduct a hearing on custody until July 2009, and it did not decide custody until November 9, 2009.
During the period between the parties' February custody petitions and the district court's November custody decision, C.D.G.D. continued to live with his grandmother under the February temporary order. According to Darst, during that period Givens allowed him only tightly restricted opportunities to see the child, primarily under Givens's supervision in her home. That changed radically once the district court effectively granted Darst custody of C.D.G.D. in November 2009; according to Givens, Darst then did not allow her to see the child. Darst and Givens have an unfriendly, antagonistic relationship.
In February 2010, Givens petitioned for grandparent visitation under Minnesota Statutes section 257C.08. She proposed a schedule that would have given her time with C.D.G.D. on all or part of five days out of every calendar week: every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and every full weekend from Friday evening to Sunday evening, plus holidays and vacation time. Darst agreed that C.D.G.D. should have some time with Givens, offering grandparent visitation of one weekend each month from Saturday morning to Sunday evening. He also agreed that some holiday visitation should occur, but he urged that it should be left unspecified, allowing the parties to work together periodically for holiday arrangements.
The district court awarded the following grandparent visitation schedule in periodically increasing amounts:
Darst appeals.
Did the district court abuse its discretion in its analysis or decision when it ordered grandparent visitation?
Darst challenges the district court's grandparent visitation order. We agree that infirmities in the district court's analysis and decision require that the order be reversed and the matter remanded for the district court to order visitation that does not interfere with Darst's parent-child relationship with his son.
A parent has the fundamental right to make parenting decisions, including deciding who spends time with the child. That right has long been recognized in the common law and is constitutionally protected. See Olson v. Olson, 534 N.W.2d 547, 549 (Minn.1995) (citing common-law precedent and observing that "[h]istorically, grandparents had virtually no legal right to maintain a relationship with a grandchild independent of the wishes of the child's parents"); Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 66-68, 120 S.Ct. 2054, 2060-61, 147 L.Ed.2d 49 (2000) (plurality) (holding that grandparent visitation must satisfy the due process protection in the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children); SooHoo v. Johnson, 731 N.W.2d 815, 821 (Minn.2007) ("[A] parent's
A grandparent of a child whose parent is deceased may by statute nevertheless petition the district court for visitation. Minn.Stat. § 257C.08, subd. 1 (2010). And the district court may in its discretion grant the petition even against the surviving parent's wishes, but only if the visitation does not interfere with the parent's relationship with the child:
Id. In contemplating whether to grant a grandparent's visitation petition, the district court "shall consider the amount of personal contact between the parents . . . of the deceased parent and the child prior to the application." Id. And to avoid an unconstitutional intrusion into the parental due process right to make child-rearing associational decisions, the grandparent must prove by clear and convincing evidence that visitation would not interfere with the parent-child relationship. Cf. SooHoo, 731 N.W.2d at 823 (requiring third party to prove by clear and convincing evidence that visitation rights would not interfere with the parent-child relationship).
Darst contends that the nature and amount of visitation ordered here exceeds the discretion allowed by statute. He maintains that the order essentially establishes a parenting-time schedule rather than grandparent visitation and that it interferes with his relationship with his son. He also contends that the district court applied the wrong standard. His contentions are well taken.
Our concerns about the district court's order arise from its reasoning and its decision as to the amount of visitation granted. The concerns lead us to five independent grounds to reverse.
Prior Contact between Grandparent and Child
The district court appropriately reasoned that deciding whether to grant grandparent visitation and, if so, how much to grant, required it first to consider "previous personal contact" that Givens had experienced with C.D.G.D. before she filed her visitation petition. See Minn.Stat. § 257C.08, subd. 1. The district court did look to that prior contact. But we conclude that it abused its discretion by relying on its stated finding that, "following Mother's murder, Grandmother functioned as the child's primary caretaker" and developed a substantial bond with him, without addressing the circumstances that put Givens in the primary caretaking role.
We think it significant that Givens was serving in the primary caretaking role under circumstances that raise legitimate questions about encroachment into the father's and child's rights and interests in maintaining the father-child bond. This is significant because we believe that the amount of time Givens spent with C.D.G.D. while serving in that role should be applied to support her visitation petition only to the extent it is equitable to do so. Cf. In re Welfare of Brennan, 270 Minn. 455, 464, 134 N.W.2d 126, 132 (1965) (holding that unwed father should be given an opportunity to argue for custody of child noting that such "proceedings are in the nature of an equitable action to establish respondent's status as the father of the child and his right to have notice of
Darst reasonably maintains that, but for circumstances that should not be applied against him, he would likely have been serving in the primary caregiving role from almost the moment of the murder. Darst explained to the district court that he had returned from California to be present at C.D.G.D.'s birth and that, until the mother's death, he spent virtually every day with C.D.G.D. He was positively confirmed to be the father by genetic testing completed only 17 days after the child's delivery and agreed with the mother in writing that he is the child's biological and "legal father." Darst put it this way in unrebutted affidavit testimony:
Only after the mother's death did this arrangement change, and the circumstances of that change include arguably inequitable circumstances that the district court should have addressed before relying on the change as the basis to increase Givens's time with C.D.G.D. by decreasing Darst's.
Givens sought and obtained an ex parte order for custody within days of the murder even though her daughter and Darst had recognized Darst as father since birth. The district court's eventual custody order does not expressly find that Givens knew of the genetic match between Darst and C.D.G.D. and that she feigned uncertainty to justify excluding Darst from the initial custody proceeding, but the finding is strongly implied. The district court observed that "the sole reason [Givens] obtained temporary custody was through an ex parte order, for which she provided no notice to [Darst]." It then questioned Givens's credibility concerning her custody-acquiring litigation: "Though [Givens] claims that [Darst] was not entitled to notice, the Court is not persuaded that [her] doubt of [Darst's] parentage surfacing at the time she requested ex parte relief is merely coincidental." It also found that Givens knew "that [Darst] has been involved in the child's life since birth." By claiming that she was unsure that Darst was C.D.G.D.'s father and not informing Darst of the ex parte custody proceeding, Givens effectively secured a proceeding at which Darst would not be present to make his easily provable claim of parentage. This allowed her to become primary custodian, which led to her having a substantial amount of time with C.D.G.D., which in turn constituted her only support for the expansive visitation that the district court ordered. Although Givens disclosed that Darst "may be" the father, under the circumstances and the district court's findings, we see persuasive support for Darst's contention that Givens's appointment as custodian resulted substantially from her engaging in procedural maneuvering.
We do not suggest that the district court should have disregarded the statutory requirement to consider the amount of time Givens had experienced with the child before she filed her visitation petition. See Minn.Stat. 257C.08, subd. 1. We also do not suggest that Givens acted contrary to law by taking the procedural steps she took. We say only that the district court should have considered the amount of time in a manner that adequately accounted for the circumstances and method used to obtain it, for Darst's prompt efforts to correct it, and for the child's substantial interest in having the custody rights of his only surviving parent recognized and enforced at the earliest opportunity.
Treatment of Grandparent Essentially as Noncustodial Parent
We conclude also that the district court applied the wrong standard for determining visitation. It did so by treating Givens more like a parent than a grandparent. For example, the district court contemplated whether Givens could provide for C.D.G.D. in ways that Darst could not. It also emphasized that Givens "has the capacity and disposition . . . to continue educating and raising the child in his culture." These are factors that bear appropriately on custody contests between two parents or guardians who each have the right to decide how to best provide for the child's cultural and other needs. The district court's framing of the analysis in this way supports Darst's argument that it based its decision on an inflated understanding of the grandparent role.
The district court also made its schedule expressly relying on the supreme court's
The record reflects that the parenting-time guide was significant to the district court's reasoning. The guide rests on the implicit understanding that children have a similar interest in a balanced relationship with each parent. And when the district court explained that it was not applying the parenting-time guide in rote fashion, it stated that it was doing so because of acrimony between Darst and Givens; in other words, it did not depart from the guide because of the material dissimilarity between the parent-child relationship and the grandparent-child relationship. The district court's analysis suggests instead, as Darst argues, an approach that elevated Givens's position as grandparent to Darst's position as parent. The grandparent visitation provisions of the statute do not contemplate use of a parenting-time standard to determine grandparent visitation. And the common-law priority favoring parents over all others in deciding their children's associations is reflected in the statutory prohibition against grandparent visitation that interferes with the parent-child relationship. That priority was not reflected in the district court's reasoning, and we hold that the district court abused its discretion by treating Givens as a parent.
Quantity and Structure of Visitation Schedule
The district court's conclusion is also quantitatively flawed. By treating the child's interest in spending time with his grandmother as qualitatively similar to his interest in spending time with his father, it ordered too much visitation. The grandparent visitation statute prohibits a district court from ordering grandparent visitation that interferes with the parent-child relationship. See Minn.Stat. § 257C.08, subd. 1. The statute does not expressly draw the line between a permissible grant of grandparent visitation time and an impermissible grant that cuts into the parent's relationship. Without attempting to define that line, we are convinced that the district court's decision crosses it.
The visitation order is excessive. It requires that C.D.G.D. will spend some part of 182 days every calendar year with his grandmother; that's one half the days in each year and 52 overnights. It requires that father and grandmother must equally divide the year's full weekends, from Friday evening to Sunday evening. It includes no holiday allocations, so it implies that C.D.G.D. will spend every Thanksgiving afternoon with his grandmother. It therefore also implies that she will have C.D.G.D. on some of his birthdays, some of Darst's birthdays, many entire Father's Days—every holiday or special occasion that happens to fall on one of Givens's many scheduled days. And it appears that, without Givens's permission, Darst could not take C.D.G.D. on any trip longer than four days. To the extent parenting rights include the opportunity to consistently participate with the child in religious meetings, which often occur on a fixed weekend day, Darst could not so
This sort of hopscotch calendar may sometimes be the best solution to accommodate equal and competing parental rights between unmarried or divorced parents who have demonstrated a capacity to engage civilly. But it cannot be imposed to satisfy the limited rights of grandparents without interfering with the parent-child relationship. It is impossible for us to imagine that the legislature contemplated this sort of expansive schedule when it carved the grandparent-visitation exception out of the common-law rule that parents may prohibit their child's association with others. The statute contemplates only intergenerational contact, providing children "the opportunity to know their grandparents," Olson, 534 N.W.2d at 550, and we are guided by its express restriction prohibiting courts from ordering grandparent visitation that interferes with the parent-child relationship. We do not overlook the district court's stated finding that its schedule "will not interfere with the father child relationship." But we hold that the finding is clearly erroneous. It is merely conclusory, lacking persuasive rationale and supporting facts. And it cannot be squared with the visitation schedule's inherently intrusive nature.
The visitation ordered here is unprecedented in scale and design by comparison to all other precedential grandparent-visitation cases. In Olson, the supreme court reversed this court to uphold a district court's order granting grandparent visitation of one weekday per week. 534 N.W.2d at 548 n. 2, 551. In Gray v. Hauschildt, we affirmed an order for monthly, two-day, single-overnight grandparent visitation. 528 N.W.2d 271, 274 (Minn.App.1995). In Foster ex rel. J.B. v. Brooks, we affirmed the district court's reduction of maternal grandparent visitation from a share of the father's parental visitation time to one Sunday each month. 546 N.W.2d 52, 53-54 (Minn.App.1996). And in Rohmiller v. Hart, we recently held nonexcessive a grandparent-visitation order of one weekend each month. 799 N.W.2d 612, 615-16 (Minn.App.2011). No Minnesota published opinion contemplates grandparent visitation anywhere near the amount ordered here.
We are not convinced by Givens's argument that the supreme court has already decided this "exact issue" in her favor, citing SooHoo v. Johnson. See 731 N.W.2d at 826 (affirming the district court's third-party visitation schedule that arguably mirrors a schedule between two parents). The SooHoo court affirmed as nonexcessive a visitation schedule that accounted for 37% of the children's time. But that case involved a visitation order in favor of a woman who had separated from
Burden and Standard of Proof
Even if the district court had not improperly treated the grandparent essentially as a noncustodial parent in its analysis, and even if the order were not facially infirm by imposing an objectively intrusive schedule, we would still reverse because the district court failed to apply the required burden and standard of proof. We first address the weight that the district court was obligated to apply to Darst's determination that C.D.G.D. should have one full weekend visit monthly with his grandmother. Then we address the weight of the evidence presented concerning whether the visitation ordered does not interfere with Darst's relationship with his son.
Presumptive Validity of Parental Determination
A plurality of the Supreme Court emphasized in Troxel that "if a fit parent's decision [regarding the amount and structure of grandparent visitation to be allowed] becomes subject to judicial review, the court must accord at least some special weight to the parent's own determination." 530 U.S. at 70, 120 S.Ct. at 2062. Our supreme court in SooHoo echoed this requirement, explaining that "[t]he parent's fundamental right to the care, custody, and control of his or her child carries with it the presumption that the parent is acting in the best interest of the child and requires deference to the parent's wishes." 731 N.W.2d at 824. The district court must give effect to this requirement. For example, in SooHoo the supreme court determined that the district court had appropriately "giv[en] special weight to [the custodial parent's] wishes regarding visitation." Id. at 825. Although the supreme court made this observation in its analysis of whether the visitation ordered in that case violated the parent's constitutional rights rather than in its analysis of whether the district court abused its discretion in the amount of visitation afforded, it is clear that the requirement exists in all cases and applies both to determine constitutionality and to frame the extent of the district court's discretion concerning the amount of visitation it may order.
We must therefore decide whether the district court gave sufficient weight to Darst's presumptively valid wishes regarding visitation. We hold that it did not. The district court did observe that "Father opposes Grandmother's request and instead proposes Grandmother has visitation one weekend per month from Saturday morning until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday." But the district court did not mention Darst's additional offer of visitation around holidays,
Clear and Convincing Evidence of Noninterference
We turn finally to the sufficiency of the evidence that Givens cites to prove that the visitation ordered does not interfere with Darst's parent-child relationship with C.D.G.D. Darst erroneously suggests that the district court should have applied a strict-scrutiny standard before awarding visitation against his preference. Although Givens accurately explains that the strict-scrutiny test is applied only to measure the constitutionality of a nonparent visitation statute, see Troxel, 530 U.S. at 66, 120 S.Ct. at 2060, she overemphasizes the district court's substantial discretion in custody and visitation decisions. Although the district court is generally imbued with broad discretionary authority to decide visitation, when it comes to third-party visitation, the bounds of that authority include the constitutionally required standard of proof. The supreme court has most recently clarified that "in order to afford due deference to the fit custodial parent," the third-party visitation seeker has the burden to prove by "clear and convincing evidence" the statutory element that the visitation will not interfere with the custodial parent's relationship with the child. Soo-Hoo, 731 N.W.2d at 823.
We have considered Givens's contentions on appeal, and she does not mention her burden to prove noninterference with "clear and convincing evidence." And her brief does not identify any evidence before the district court—let alone clear and convincing evidence—tending to prove that the visitation amount and structure would not interfere with Darst's parent-child relationship. She does assert that she has never disparaged Darst in front of the child, but this does not address our concern and Darst's argument that the visitation interferes with the parent-child relationship. The district court's order similarly does not identify any evidence that the visitation will not interfere with the custodial parent's relationship with the child. We have also carefully examined the record, and it does not include clear and convincing evidence that the visitation ordered will not interfere with Darst's relationship with C.D.G.D. We hold that the district court abused its discretion by ordering visitation without clear and convincing proof that the visitation requested or actually ordered will not interfere with the parent-child relationship. This holding also independently requires reversal.
Because the district court equated the grandmother's interest essentially to that of a noncustodial parent's, and because it failed to apply the required presumptions and burdens and awarded grandparent visitation in an amount and character that interferes with the parent-child relationship, it abused its discretion. We predict
Leagle.com reserves the right to edit or remove comments but is under no obligation to do so, or to explain individual moderation decisions.


text:
- Home
- Pest Control
- Bird Control
- Bird Control:Inflatable Garden Snake
Bird Control:Inflatable Garden Snake
Product Description
Use this 6 foot inflatable snake to deter birds from decks, rafters, window ledges, sailboats, barns boathouses, docks, etc. The inflatable snake helps reduce fruit tree and vegetable crop losses from bird damage by up to 50 percent. For best results: Place the snake in the desired area before fruit ripens and feeding habits develop. Install snake in a prominent position, so birds can see it. Relocate your inflatable snake around your garden or fruit tree every few days. Periodically verify the snake is fully inflated.
Product Reviews
This really works!
Posted by Jill on 12th Jul 2013
I have blueberry bushes in my back yard, and every year, the birds just ruin the berrys. They peck holes in them, and crap all over the bushes. Now, with a snake tied to the top of each bush, I do NOT have to worry about the birds anymore. Once a week, I go out an move the snake to another section in the berry bush.The birds are gone, I repeat, GONE!
I love these snakes!
Inflatable Garden Snake
Posted by Jacki Surles on 16th Apr 2012
I needed to use this device to control some type of predator getting my fish from my pond. Seems to work fine. I ordered two of them and my son was having trouble with birds in his garden, so guess who has the second snake?!! These seem to work very well and don't cost an arm and a leg.
Customers also viewed


text:
Tiger Woods joins vacationing Obama for round of golf
The foursome also included Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, who also owns the Floridian, a secluded and exclusive yacht and golf club, and outgoing U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, a former mayor of Dallas. The White House prohibited any media coverage.29 Comments
Maker's Mark to restore alcohol content in whiskey
After backlash from customers, the producer of Maker's Mark bourbon is reversing a decision to cut the amount of alcohol in bottles of its famous whiskey.Comment
BMW recalls nearly 570,000 cars to fix cables
BMW is recalling close to 570,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada because a battery cable connector can fail and cause the engines to stall.Comment
Sheriff: Ex-cop Dorner died from gunshot to head
San Bernardino County sheriff's Capt. Sheriff John McMahon told reporters Friday that it appears the wound was self-inflicted.15 Comments
DAYBREAK DAILY: Richmond 'begins' work on Redskins training facility
With controversy in the background, construction has "begun" on the new state-of-the-art facility, although the official ceremony comes amid construction noise.Comment
GOP blocks Hagel's nomination
GOP Senators have, for now, blocked Chuck Hagel's nomination to become defense secretary.37 Comments
Slain deputy in Calif. manhunt followed father into public service
San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon identified the deputy Wednesday as Jeremiah MacKay, a man who grew up in the area and followed his father into public service.23 Comments
Sheriff: Cabin not purposely burned in firefight
San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said Wednesday that his deputies shot pyrotechnic tear gas into the cabin and it erupted in flames.96 Comments
Swim program pairs volunteers with special needs kids
The Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund's program called Splash pairs volunteers with kids with special needs to teach water safety.Comment
Nightmare trip over for Carnival passengers
Passengers finally escaped the disabled Carnival cruise ship Triumph and were on the move Friday: some checked into hotels while others hopped on buses or jumped on charter flights home. An Arlington woman talked with ABC7 by phone from the ship before it docked.43 Comments
Prospect of prison looms for Jesse Jackson Jr., wife
Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife could spend time in behind bars after they agreed to plead guilty to charges in an alleged scheme to spend thousands in campaign funds on personal items. (See items listed in Jackson charging document.)49 Comments
Dorner was hiding in condo during Calif. manhunt
It didn't take ingenuity for Christopher Dorner to elude authorities for six days. He simply opened an unlocked door.15 Comments
Walter Reed to study depression
The California-based company CNS Response Inc. said Friday that Walter Reed National Military Medical Center will use its PEER Interactive technology in a study of 2,000 patients suffering from depression.Comment
Burned remains ID'd as fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner
Officials said Thursday that the burned remains found in a California mountain cabin have been positively identified as fugitive former police officer Christopher Dorner.24 Comments
Kerry sets first official speech for University of Virginia
State Department officials say Secretary of State John Kerry will speak to students and faculty at the University of Virginia next Wednesday about the importance of robust U.S. diplomacy6 Comments
DAYBREAK DAILY: Details emerge about Bounty's demise off Hatteras
A Cost Guard inquiry about the ill-fated famous ship finds ignored warnings all over the place, including a rotting frame.Comment
Carnival cancels cruises through April on troubled ship
With 4,000 people on board stranded for days in the Gulf of Mexico on a ship without power, Carnival announced on Wednesday that trips are canceled through April on the Triumph as the ship was being towed by two tugboats to a port in Mobile, Ala.14 Comments
U.S. postmaster pleads: Let us stop Saturday mail
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe told a Senate committee hearing that the plan announced last week is one among a number of steps needed because the agency's financial situation is "dire ... more urgent than ever."24 Comments
RecommendedRecent Facebook Activity
Only On 7
Watch ABC7 News at 4!ABC7 gives you MORE news in your afternoons with an extra hour, an hour earlier! Watch to see what's trending in your community and world every weekday afternoon at 4pm right after back to back "Hot Bench" shows at 3pm on ABC7.
Photo Galleries Pictures from around the region
Daily Eye Wonder January 2015
The L'Enfant Plaza Metro station evacuation in pictures
Photos: D.C.'s first accumulating snow of the season
Photos: Plane crashes into homes in Gaithersburg, Md.
PHOTOS: Marion Barry was D.C.'s 'Mayor for Life'
Photos: Marion Barry Funeral Procession around D.C.


text:
In Response: You're an Artist AND an Entrepreneur
You're an Artist, Not an Entrepreneur
The Improvisation Continuum
A Very Long Walk: Time, Distance, and Creativity on the PCT
Day-dreaming drifting time is the luxury that I have out on the trail. Instead of my usual pattern of working on four or five things at once, I work on just one piece, mulling things over sometimes for days before actually writing them down. I'm not distracted by emails or petty bickering on social media.
On the Met Opera Lockout
A Feedback Loop of Movement and Sound: Five Questions with Choreographer Cori Marquis
An Rx for Improvisation
Why "Don't Play for Free" Is Not Enough
What Lies Ahead For Teenage Composers?
I believe that this merry band of students has the power to change the music world as we know it, but I fear the "bump" when they leave this environment and explore college options. Will the post-secondary world continue to foster their leadership potential? How will these "over-educated" young composers approach the college experience?


text:
By John Archer
5 Aug 2011
Vivitek Qumi Q2 LITE B 300 Lumen WXGA HDMI 3D Ready HD 720p Pocket DLP
Vivitek Qumi Q2 Lite DLP Projector
Vivitek Qumi Q2 Lite - DLP projector - 3D - 300 lumens - 1280 x 720 - Q2 LITE-B
Related Content
Related Products
Projector round-ups
Swap your TV for one of these top-notch projectors
The best home cinema of 2011: a round-up of 2011's best home cinema products from blu-ray systems to home cinema projectors.
We reveal the winner of Home Cinema Product Of The Year 2011.
More Projector Round-ups
Sign up for the
email newsletter
Get TrustedReviews' award-winning reviews, opinions and advice delivered to your inbox for free!
More information
About us


text:
Weekend Gun Violence: Three people were fatally shot in a triple homicide early Sunday in Gary, Indiana. The men have been identified as Briean Jiles, 22; Michael Andrews, 34; and Antonio Dove, 27. Police said the shootings do not appear to be gang-related and could be isolated.
The three men were found dead from multiple gun shot wounds at 5810 E. 13th Place in Gary, the coroner's office said. The Gary Police Department and the Lake County Crime Scene Investigators are investigating the triple homicide.
The following two tabs change content below.
Janet Shan is a freelance journalist and managing editor of the Hinterland Gazette, who is working on her first novel, a mystery based in the hills on Montego Bay.


text:
Please note that there is no need to wait for the PPA to be updated when a new version of Ubuntu is released. You can download and install the DEB packages from the following links:
aptik-latest-i386.deb (32-bit)
aptik-latest-amd64.deb (64-bit)
Install 'gdebi' using apt-get then double-click the downloaded package to install it. These packages can be installed on all versions of Ubuntu.


text:
If you are interested in beginning graduate school in August, you still have time to apply. Many graduate degree and certificate programs are still accepting applications for the fall semester.
The Graduate College is pleased to announce eight outstanding doctoral student winners of prestigious fellowships for the 2015-2016 academic year.
The GCTCP is a free, value-added professional development program that provides graduate students with the skills and knowledge necessary to teach successfully, from design of a syllabus, to discussion-leading, to lecturing.
This spring we had 644 Masters Graduates and 88 Doctoral Graduates. Congratulations to these new Grad Rebel Alumni!
Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
More news »
More events »
Featured Sites
Visit UNLV »
Follow Us »
Contact UNLV »


text:
You are here
Home » Macaroni » Macaroni And Cheese » Baked Cheese Macaroni » Home Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Home Baked Macaroni And Cheese
1 Dec 2010
|8 Ounce (1 Package)
|Boiling water
|3 Quart
|To Taste
|3 Tablespoon
|American cheese
|1⁄2 Pound, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
|1 3⁄4 Cup (28 tbs)
Break macaroni into 1 1/2 or 2-inch lengths.
Add salt to rapidly boiling water in a 4-qt. saucepan; then drop macaroni in and boil about 20 minutes, or until macaroni is just tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Drain in colander or sieve.
Run hot water through macaroni to rinse well.
Arrange half the cooked macaroni in bottom of a 6-cup buttered casserole, sprinkle with salt, and dot with half the butter.
Cover with half the cheese.
Add another layer of drained macaroni and repeat with rest of ingredients.
Press macaroni down with a fork until milk comes up over the top layer of macaroni to insure a crusty brown surface.
Bake in a moderately slow oven (325° F.) about 45 minutes until done and surface is a, rich golden brown.
Rate It
0 Comments
Home Baked Macaroni And Cheese Recipe


text:
WALLA WALLA - Wa-Hi senior Zach Sumerlin, a two-time Big Nine Conference Cascade Division Offensive Lineman of the Year, has been invited to play in the Washington state East-West Shrine football game in June.
"I got a letter, and I'm still looking through it," Sumerlin said. "If it works out, I'll be playing for the East Team. Probably be playing `D' line.
"We have to start turning in our papers now, and have them ready by March," he said. "That way they can get everything sorted out.
"If you've made a commitment to a college, you might not be able to play. So they want to have all of the alternates ready," Sumerlin said.
Since Sumerlin has made a commitment to attend the Air Force Academy and play football next fall, he must receive a clearance to play in the game.
"So, I'm going to talk with my coach (at the Air Force Academy) in the next night or two," he said. "I really want to play."
The rosters for the team haven't been posted yet, and the game usually takes place in early June.
More like this story
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.