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Internal polymeric surfaces of medical devices are provided that have enhanced biocompatibility properties. The internal polymeric surface presents an anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic interface with body fluids such as blood flowing through medical device tubing during implantation for medical procedures. The biocompatibility enhancing agent is secured to the polymeric substrate by a spacer molecule which is covalently bound to the internal polymeric surface which had been subjected to radiofrequency plasma treatment with a low pressure plasma medium of water vapor, oxygen or combination of water vapor and oxygen gas.
1. A method for enhancing the biocompatibility of interior polymeric surfaces of medical device components, comprising the steps of:
positioning a medical device component within a radiofrequency plasma discharge apparatus, the medical device component being catheter tubing with a polymeric surface interior lumen having a diameter of less than about 0.1 inch, said catheter tubing having a length suitable for use as a catheter in humans;
providing a reduced pressure environment within the radiofrequency plasma discharge apparatus, said reduced pressure environment being about 0.25 Torr or less;
inserting into said reduced pressure environment a plasma medium selected from the group consisting of water vapor, oxygen gas, and mixtures thereof, said plasma medium having a pressure of less than about 0.2 Torr;
subjecting said plasma medium to a radiofrequency electric field to induce a gas discharge in order to form reactive species from said plasma medium within the plasma discharge apparatus and within the lumen to form a modified interior polymeric lumen surface comprising reactive sites which had been modified by the subjecting step, said subjecting step being carried out for at least about 10 minutes and while said plasma medium has a pressure of less than about 0.2 Torr;
treating said modified interior polymeric lumen surface with a spacer component having amine groups whereby covalent linkages are formed between the spacer component amine groups and the reactive sites of the modified interior polymeric lumen surface to form a spacer component-treated modified polymeric lumen surface; and
covalently bonding an anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agent having acid functionality and biologically active properties to said spacer component-treated modified polymeric lumen surface, whereby said modified polymeric lumen surface is rendered into a biocompatible surface, and the anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agent of the biocompatible surface is resistant to extraction under in vivo conditions while retaining its biologically active properties.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plasma medium includes between about 40 to about 90 volume percent water vapor and between about 10 and about 60 volume percent oxygen, based upon the total volume of the plasma medium.
3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said treating step utilizes a spacer component selected from the group consisting of primary amines, secondary amines, and mixtures thereof.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said interior polymeric lumen surface modified by said subjecting step includes reactive sites of carboxyl groups, hydroxyl groups or mixtures thereof.
5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said treating step is carried out in the presence of a coupling agent.
6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said contacting step contacts said spacer component-treated modified polymeric surface with a heparinous material.
7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said subjecting step is carried out while said plasma medium has a pressure of less than about 0.1 Torr.
8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the catheter tubing in said positioning step has a lumen diameter of about 0.072 inch or less.
9. A medical device component having a biocompatible polymeric surface, wherein said medical device component is catheter tubing, said catheter tubing having a lumen with a diameter of less than about 0.1 inch and having a length suitable for use as a catheter in humans, and said biocompatible polymeric surface comprises an interior polymeric lumen surface which has been modified by subjecting the interior polymeric lumen surface to radiofrequency discharge treatment within a low-pressure plasma medium for at least about 10 minutes to provide a treated interior polymeric lumen surface, the plasma medium selected from the group consisting of water vapor, oxygen gas, and mixtures thereof, said plasma medium having a pressure of less than about 0.2 Torr, followed by treatment of the treated interior polymeric lumen surface with a spacer component having amine groups forming covalent linkages with the treated interior polymeric lumen surface to form a spacer component-treated interior polymeric lumen surface, after which an anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agent having acid functionality has been covalently bonded to the spacer component-treated interior polymeric lumen surface to provide a biocompatible partially enclosed interior polymeric lumen surface.
10. The medical device component in accordance with claim 9, said polymeric surface is a polyurethane, a polyurethane copolymer, a nylon, a polyamide or a silicone rubber polymer.
11. The medical device component in accordance with claim 9, wherein the medical device component is a component of a catheter, a cannula or a balloon catheter.
12. The medical device component in accordance with claim 9, wherein said covalent linkages between the modified polymeric lumen surface and the spacer component are between carboxyl or hydroxyl groups formed by the radiofrequency discharge treatment on the polymeric surface and primary or secondary amine groups of the spacer component.
13. The medical device component in accordance with claim 12, wherein a covalent linkage is present between primary or second amine groups of spacer component molecules and the acid functionality groups of the anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agent.
14. The medical device component in accordance with claim 9, wherein said diameter of the catheter tubing lumen is about 0.072 inch or less.
15. The medical device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said plasma medium has a pressure of less than about 0.1 Torr.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 004,998, filed Jan. 15, 1993, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 720,410, filed Jun. 25, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,654, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 610,548, filed Nov. 8, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,108.
The present invention generally relates to enhancing the biocompatibility of partially enclosed interior polymeric surfaces of medical devices such as tubing for catheters and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to surface activation of polymeric surfaces such as lumens of medical-grade tubing by radiofrequency plasma treatment as a step in achieving immobilization of anti-thrombogenic agents or the like onto interior polymeric surfaces. The radiofrequency plasma medium is at a substantially low pressure and includes water vapor, oxygen or combinations thereof. When this medium is subjected to radiofrequency plasma discharge conditions, the polymeric surfaces of the device being treated, including partially enclosed interior surfaces such as lumens, are activated for attachment thereto of anti-thrombogenic agents such as heparinous materials and the like.
It is well known that many medical devices must have surfaces which are of enhanced biocompatibility. It is also well-known that, generally speaking, biocompatibility properties are enhanced by attempting to secure anti-thrombogenic agents to polymeric surfaces of medical devices, particularly those which are blood-contacting surfaces to be implanted or otherwise used during medical procedures and the like. In many instances, it is particularly undesirable to have the anti-thrombogenic agent leach away in wet environments such as are encountered by medical devices that engage blood or other body fluids. At times, these surfaces in need of biocompatibility enhancement are partially enclosed interior surfaces such as lumens of catheters or other medical tubing.
Certain attempts have been made and approaches have been suggested whereby a polymeric surface is activated by treatment with a plasma which in turn reacts with heparin or the like to provide a polymeric surface having anti-thrombogenic properties. Included are patents incorporating plasma discharge treatment with a gaseous environment having a variety of gases, including inert gases and organic gases. Patents in this regard include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,613,517, 4,656,083 and 4,948,628, which mention a variety of plasma media including those generated from hydrogen, helium, ammonia, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, ethylenic monomers and other hydrocarbons, halohydrocarbons, halocarbons and silanes. It will be appreciated that various ones of these plasma media are relatively expensive and can be hazardous to use within a manufacturing environment and/or to dispose of as waste. Also, certain plasma media are more suitable for treatment of specific substrates.
It is desirable to provide a surface treatment procedure which is available for use in connection with rendering anti-thrombogenic any of a number of surfaces of medical devices or the like, including partially enclosed interior surfaces. It is further desirable that any plasma deposition procedure included in this regard avoid the need to use plasma media that are expensive, potentially hazardous or otherwise difficult to handle. At the same time, any plasma media should strongly bind the anti-thrombogenic agent to the surface being treated, preferably while also accomplishing this in an especially efficient manner that is readily susceptible to use on a large scale.
While certain approaches have been suggested which are particularly designed for treating interior surfaces, these typically require specifically designed equipment and/or are not particularly useful for treating interior surfaces which are spaced a relatively long distance from the access opening to the interior surface. This situation would occur, for example, in attempting to treat a long length of small-diameter tubing such as that for an angiographic or angioplasty catheter, particularly when it is important that entire length of the tubing, including the internal surface at the mid-length of the tubing, is to be treated. In addition to the patents mentioned hereinabove, the following patents describe devices for treating surfaces such as the inside of a tubular body: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,261,806, 4,692,347 and 4,846,101.
It has been discovered that plasma media which include a substantial concentration of water vapor or oxygen, either alone or in combination with each other, and when provided at especially low pressures, achieve especially advantageous activation of partially enclosed interior surfaces such as the lumen of an elongated, small diameter tubing, when the low-pressure plasma medium is subjected to radiofrequency plasma treatment conditions. The thus activated surface is preferably treated with a spacer component having amine moieties, particularly spacer components which have primary or secondary amine groups. An anti-thrombogenic agent or the like, typically with the assistance of a coupling agent, is covalently bound to the spacer component. The result is an evenly covered biocompatible surface that significantly avoids leaching of the anti-thrombogenic agent or the like out of the partially enclosed interior surface such as the tubing lumen.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved method for treating interior polymeric surfaces and medical devices or the like having such surfaces.
Another object of this invention is to provide improved medical device components such as tubing having internal polymeric surfaces with anti-thrombogenic agents or the like immobilized thereon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved anti-thrombogenic interior polymeric surface and method of making same which utilizes radiofrequency plasma discharge techniques that avoid the use of expensive or hazardous plasma media and that avoid the need for specifically designed plasma treatment equipment.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for covalently binding anti-thrombogenic agents or the like to substantially enclosed polymeric surfaces, which agents do not leach away in wet environments, as well as to the improved substantially enclosed polymeric surfaces thus produced.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved process for rendering interior surfaces of medical device components, such as narrow tubing, anti-thrombogenic through a process by which the mean free path of the gaseous treatment media generally approximates the dimensions of the interior volume such as the inside diameter of medical grade tubing, whereby the reactive Species are able to penetrate the inside volume of the device before they become deactivated in the gaseous phase.
These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.
FIG. 1 demonstrates the results of Example 1.
FIG. 2 demonstrates the results of Example 2.
FIG. 3 demonstrates the results of Example 3.
FIG. 4 demonstrates the results of Example 4.
The present invention is particularly suitable in connection with the treatment of interior surfaces of medical device articles having interior surfaces which are not easily contacted, such as mid-length interior surfaces of medical device tubing having an especially small internal diameter. Specific medical device articles which are advantageously treated according to the invention include catheters, cannulas, angioplasty balloon catheters and the like and any other devices having operational requirements and properties that can be improved by attaching an anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agent to one or more surfaces of the device. Typically these types of devices or at least the internal surfaces thereof are made of polymeric materials. In the event that the surface to be treated in accordance with this invention is made of some other material, a thin layer of a suitable polymeric material first can be applied to the surface to be treated.
Polymers which are suitable for use as the surface to be modified with an anti-thrombogenic agent or the like in accordance with the present invention include various polyurethane components such as polyurethanes and polyurethane copolymers such as Pellethane Polymers. Included are polyurethane-polyester copolymers, polyurethane-polyether copolymers and nylon-polyether copolymers such as Vestamid. Other polymers which can be treated according to the invention include Silastic (silicon rubber), nylons and other polyamides, nylon-polyester copolymers, polyolefins such as high density polyethylene and the like. The selected polymer must have overall properties which, except for thrombus concerns, render the polymers suitable for the interior surface of a medical device made in accordance with the present invention.
In accordance with the invention, these types of interior polymeric surfaces are made more suitable for long-term or short-term contact with flowing blood or other body fluids. This is accomplished by attaching an anti-thrombogenic agent, fibrinolytic agent or thrombolytic agent to the interior surface. These agents are used in relatively small amounts, and they are attached in such a manner that they remain biologically active, while at the same time being affixed to the polymeric surface in so secure a manner that the agents will not leach away in wet in vitro or in vivo environments.
Securement of the anti-thrombogenic agent or the like onto the polymeric interior surface includes positioning the tubing or the like having the interior polymeric surface within an apparatus to provide a radiofrequency plasma discharge environment. Devices for providing such an environment are generally known in the art. Typical devices in this regard are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,632,842 and 4,656,083, the subject matter thereof being incorporated by reference hereinto. In devices used according to this invention, a reactor chamber is provided, and the device having the internal surface to be treated is simply inserted into the chamber without requiring any special structures or positioning. The chamber is evacuated by a suitable vacuum pump or the like, typically to a pressure below the treatment pressure targeted for the radiofrequency plasma discharge.
A source of fluid which provides the plasma environment is fed into the evacuated chamber, and the desired treatment pressure for the plasma medium is maintained. Glow discharge is induced within the reactor chamber by an electrode assembly disposed about the chamber. For example, when the chamber is generally cylindrically shaped, the electrode assembly can include a pair of band electrodes that are mounted on a traveling block which moves along a desired length of the reactor chamber. The electrode assembly can include instead a radiofrequency coil or the like. After the flow of treating medium or fluid has been established at the desired pressure, discharge is initiated by generating a radiofrequency electric field within the reactor chamber, thereby inducing treatment of the interior polymeric surface. The radiofrequency electric field can be applied to the chamber either capacitively or inductively.
In accordance with the present invention, the treating fluid or plasma medium is provided within the chamber. When the radiofrequency electric field is applied to this plasma medium, reactive species are created. The reactive species, when they encounter the polymeric surface, react with atoms and/or molecules of the polymeric material, thereby modifying the chemical nature of the surface. It is believed that the polymeric surface is modified by causing the formation of carbon groups and/or hydroxyl groups on the surface of the polymeric material. Provided the needed low pressure conditions are maintained, the interior polymeric surface will thus be treated.
With more particular reference to the treating fluid or plasma medium, air or other gas is first evacuated from the radiofrequency treatment chamber until virtually no air or other gas remains therewithin. Then the water vapor or oxygen is pumped or otherwise injected into the chamber. It is also possible to mix the oxygen with the water and/or water vapor, which can further enhance the efficiency of the surface modification carried out in accordance with this aspect of the invention. The atmosphere within the chamber can be 100% water vapor or 100% oxygen, based upon the total volume of the fluid within the chamber. When water vapor and oxygen are mixed, the mixture can have as low as about 40% by volume of water vapor. When water vapor and oxygen are included in the plasma gas within the chamber, the preferred volume of water vapor is between about 40 and about 90 volume percent, with the balance being oxygen. It will be appreciated by those familiar with plasma discharge techniques that these volume percents are as present within the chamber at any instant in time because these are flowing fluids.
Concerning the treating fluid or plasma medium to be maintained during radiofrequency plasma surface modification procedures, the pressure should not exceed about 0.25 Torr, typically less than about 0.2 Torr. Generally speaking, the plasma gas pressure will be no lower than 0.01 Torr. Preferably, the treatment pressure should be maintained below about 0.1 Torr. At these reduced pressures, an average gaseous molecule will travel longer before it encounters another gaseous molecule. In gaseous kinetics, this is referred to as the mean free path. This longer mean free path at reduced pressures results in increased diffusion length of the reactive species, as well as of other species in the plasma species. If the dimension of a confined volume, such as the diameter of a tubing, is comparable to the mean free path of the reactive species, there is a much higher probability that the reactive species entering within the interior surface will collide with the wall of the device rather than undergo a gas phase collision. These wall collisions cause the inside surface to be chemically functionalized as required by the present invention.
These specific conditions can be used to deposit thin film on the inside surfaces using depositing monomers as plasma media. By the procedure according to the invention, the internal surfaces or lumens of tubings having an internal diameter of 0.072 inch or lower and a length of up to about 4 feet is successfully treated. Often such tubings are used as catheters for diagnostic and interventional purposes. For example, the tubing can have a lumen diameter of less than about 0.1 inch and have a length suitable for use as a catheter for diagnostic or interventional uses. Generally speaking, treatment of tubing of this general size and within uncomplicated equipment is successfully carried out within about 10 to 30 minutes within an operating pressure range of between about 0.04 Torr and about 0.1 Torr.
When a polymeric surface such as Silastic (silicone rubber) is to be treated with the water vapor, oxygen or water vapor/oxygen plasma, it is preferred to pretreat the silicone rubber surface. A suitable pretreatment is within an inert gas plasma such as argon and the like. Suitable reactive species are formed thereafter with the water vapor, oxygen or water vapor and oxygen plasma as discussed herein. The resulting reactive species-modified polymeric surface is then treated with a spacer molecule which provides reactive sites for attachment of the anti-thrombogenic agent or the like thereto and thus to the polymeric surface. Preferred spacer molecules are those which contain primary or secondary amine groups. Exemplary molecules having suitable spacer groups include albumin, streptokinase, urokinase, polyethyleneimine (PEI) and the like, and combinations thereof.
Covalent linkages between the reactive sites (typically carboxyl groups or hydroxyl groups) on the functionalized polymeric surface and the amine groups of the spacer molecule are formed. Generally speaking, the covalent linkages are accomplished by a condensation or trans-esterification reaction therebetween, often while using a suitable coupling agent. Typical coupling agents in this regard include 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC), dicyclohexyl carbodiimide (DCC) or other known coupling agents and the like.
The spacer components are typically applied in solution form. For example, a spacer component such as polyethyleneimine can be utilized within a water solution containing approximately one percent by weight of PEI. Typically, the spacer component will be present at a concentration of between about 1.0 and about 5.0 weight percent, based upon the weight of the spacer solution.
A suitable anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agent is then covalently bound to the spacer group, also by means of condensation or transesterification chemistry. It is preferred that the agent exhibit acid functionality, whereby the carboxyl groups form a covalent linkage with amine groups of the spacer component. The resultant device has an anti-thrombogenic internal surface from which the anti-thrombogenic agent does not readily leach.
Exemplary anti-thrombogenic agents include heparinous components such as heparin, hirudin, heparin-albumin conjugates, hyaluronic acid, and the like. Illustrative fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agents include streptokinase, urokinase, and the like. Combinations of spacer component and of anti-thrombogenic agent or the anti-thrombogenic agent by itself can be used in the anti-thrombogenic agent composition which is attached to the modified polymeric surface having reactive sites. The anti-thrombogenic agent or the like is applied in the form of a solution having between about 10 and about 20 weight percent of anti-thrombogenic, fibrinolytic or thrombolytic agent, based upon the total weight of the composition.
The following examples illustrate the process and product, as well as performance results.
Nylon 12 tubing having an inner diameter of 0.055 inch and a length of 39 inches was treated in a tubular radiofrequency plasma reactor. The plasma was created in the tubular chamber by capacitively coupling the RF atone end of the tubular reactor so that the visible part of the plasma was confined to one end of the tubing. Oxygen was the plasma medium. It was present at a pressure of 0.07 Torr, and the treatment proceeded for 15 minutes at 20 watts of power. A pressure regulator was present at the downstream portion of the device in order to control the flow of gases and to maintain the desired plasma gas pressure within the reactor. Treatment was effective without requiring any specific orientation of the tubing being treated within the reactor. After treatment was completed, the treated tubing was removed from the reactor and tested to determine the extent of treatment throughout the lumen thereof. The 39 inch tubing was cut into 25 tubing pieces, each 4 cm in length. Each length was numbered 1 through 25 starting from one end to the other. Each piece was dipped into a beaker of de-ionized water. The height to which water moved within the lumen of each piece indicated the extent of surface functionalization that enhanced capillary rise when compared with a surface such as one that had not been subjected to any treatment. Thus, each piece of the tubing was able to support a column of water whose height was a function of the surface energy of the inside surface and thus an indication of the degree to which the inside surface had been functionalized by the radiofrequency plasma.
FIG. 1 plots the capillary rise for each 4 cm length of tubing, the plot being in order along the length of tubing prior to severance and at the time of its treatment. It will be appreciated that FIG. 1 indicates there was a gradient of treatment effect from the ends to the center of the tubing. The treatment of even the central-most 4 cm lengths was found to be adequate to attach an anti-thrombogenic agent to the lumen thereof.
The procedure of Example 1 was substantially repeated at different various operating pressures and under the same one-end plasma arrangement under 20 watts of power. FIG. 2 is a plot which indicates the effect of operating pressure for constant treatment time, plotting capillary rise versus position along the length of tubing prior to severance. The areas which received minimal treatment were at and near the midpoint along the length of the tubing. It will be appreciated from these data that, as the pressure of operation is reduced, the gradient becomes smaller indicating that the treatment length becomes longer. The central areas which received minimal treatment were more extensive or longer at the higher pressures than at the lower pressures, as can be seen in FIG. 2. The control plot is of a totally untreated Nylon 12 tube which was subjected to the capillary test.
Tests were conducted as described in Example 1, this time varying the operating pressure. The change of treatment length as a function of operating pressure data are reported in FIG. 3. In this Figure, the length of the treated tubing at which the capillary rise is 3 mm above the control value is plotted as a function of the operating pressure for different treatment times. The control sample had a capillary rise value of 10.3�0.3 mm. The power applied was constant, and three different treatment times were utilized, as reported in FIG. 3.
Tubing as described in Example 1 was subjected to radiofrequency plasma deposition from an oxygen medium. The treatment was carried out within a commercial reactor, a Model 7104 unit of Branson International Plasma Corporation. This commercial equipment included seven trays, and the tubing was laid upon the trays for treatment according to the invention. The control sample had a capillary rise value of 10.3�0.3 mm. The treatment pressure in the radiofrequency reactor was about 230 milliTorr. The thus modified tubing was then treated with a spacer molecule, followed by attachment of heparin. Thereafter, the surface of the tubing, both inside and outside, was stained with toluidine blue dye to check for the presence of heparin. The dye turned purple indicating the presence of heparin. The heparinized surface was extracted in phosphate buffered saline for at least 72 hours to determine whether or not it was bound to the surface. After 72 hours in the phosphate buffered saline, when the heparinized surface was stained with toluidine blue, the change of dye color to purple indicated that heparin was still present on the surface. The presence of heparin was also confirmed by another independent surface analytic technique, namely static secondary ion mass spectroscopy. This illustrates that the bound heparin was immobilized on the surface. The heparinized surface possessed a high surface energy due to the various hydrophilic functional groups in heparin molecule. This was evident in the capillary rise measurements of the heparinized tubing. FIG. 4 plots the capillary rise data for the radiofrequency plasma treated sample, as well as for the heparinized sample and the extracted sample. A flat capillary rise profile is evident for the heparinized sample, which indicates that adequate heparin is present even along the middle length of the tubing's lumen. The relatively flat profile for the extracted sample indicates that the heparin was not extracted to any substantial degree.
Tubing for use as catheters for diagnostic and interventional purposes was treated as described in Example 1, except for the following differences. The tubing was a nylon-polyester copolymer (Vestamid). The plasma medium was a mixture of water and oxygen at a pressure of 0.090 Torr. The treated surface was heparinized, both on the outside and in the lumen. Positive test results indicated the immobilization of heparin on both surfaces.
High density polyethylene tubing having an internal diameter of 0.051 inch and a length of 12 inches was treated in a water vapor plasma for 10 minutes at a pressure of 0.1 Torr and under 20 watts of radiofrequency power. The thus treated tubing was treated both on the outside and within the lumen with heparin. Both surfaces were then tested for the presence of heparin as described in Example 4, the tests positively indicating the presence of heparin.
Tubing of the type described in Example 6 was treated in a radiofrequency plasma containing a medium of a mixture of water and oxygen at a pressure of 0.1 Torr. The power supply was set at 20 watts. Heparinization followed, and the heparinized surfaces were tested, thereby indicating the presence of immobilized heparin within the lumen as well as on the outside surface of the tubing.
Nylon 12 tubing having the size specified in Example i was treated in radiofrequency plasma using the same process conditions as in Example 1. In this Example 8, the two ends of the tubing were looped into 360 degree loops and into an ellipsoidal shape. The treated samples were tested in accordance with the capillary rise techniques discussed hereinabove. The results were comparable to those for straight elongated tubing, thereby indicating that the ends of the tubing need not be straight for the treatment to be effective within the lumen, provided the low pressure processing according to the present invention is achieved. In fact the treatment effects in the looped and shaped samples were as good as that in straight tubing. This is important in view of the need to treat lumens of catheters which have shapes other than straight tubings. Often catheters have curved portions, especially at their end tip portions.
It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention which have been described are illustrative of some of the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
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Mike's 3DMark Commentary
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My understanding of the situation is amazingly simple. And if I'm right, this decision makes a LOT of sense.
1. nVidia driver team is *very* busy ATM. They're trying to optimize the NV30, to work on NV34 software shader routines and to optimize NV31 because it's going to be announced soon. Thus, if they can gain time by not worrying too much about 3DMark 2003 optimizations, they might actually get the other things done in time.
2. nVidia expects ATI to have put a lot of time on optimizing their 3DMark 2003 score. They'd be delighted if they could have made them lose their time.
3. 3DMark 2003 use few *different* shader programs. The NV30 is actually faster than the R300 when a lot of shader programs are used, because they're stored in video memory. So they obviously don't like that.
4. 3DMark 2003 uses VS2.0. and PS2.0., but *all* of those shaders are executed in one pass on the R300 AFAIK. That means nVidia isn't getting any advantage from their huge NV30 PS/VS flexibility. That sure doesn't make them happy...
Personally, I really don't think nVidia even cares to the slightest degree about PS1.4.
nVidia doesn't care about the NV2x anymore. What they want, now, is a huge NV3x line-up: everything from $99 to $499 will soon be NV3x. So that's really not their problem...
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The safety and preservation of our planet has become a growing concern for people all around the world. Try Peas is a blog dedicated to providing news, views, and information on ways that we can help try to save the environment. We appreciate hearing from you, so feel free to join the conversation!
by Sarah Howell The gorgeous city of Venice, Italy has faced many threats over the years. These threats have been a consistent companion to the inhabitants of the city for generations – overabundant tourism, pollution, flooding, finance, and unemployment, just to name a few. Fortunately there exists a campaign to help ensure that Venice stays preserved for the generations to come. Venice in Peril was founded after the great floods of Venice and Florence in 1966 and helps raise funds to restore and conserve works of art and architecture. Not only that, but proceeds also go toward ensuring the sustainability of Venice and helping to alleviate ecological, demographic, and socio-economic issues. The Fund is supported by many benefactors, both private and corporate, but one such benefactor has a very special tie to the city. Musical trio, "The Gondoliers" consists of Luca, Michael, Claudio, and together these gentlemen capture the sounds and senses of Venice through their smooth, rich, romantic sound. It's not difficult to see why this group would […]Read More
by Sarah Howell In a new study conducted by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's iworry campaign, researchers found that elephants are worth 76 times more when they're alive than dead. The shocking but perhaps unsurprising news follows the recent reports from the WWF that the world has lost 50 percent of its wildlife in the last 40 years alone. To determine the elephant's worth, the study looked at the value of the animals to the local economies. They then compared that worth with the profits poachers received through the illegal ivory trade. The dates they looked at – January through August 2014 – was only a small sample, but during those few months, 17.8 metric tons of ivory from almost 2,000 poached elephants was seized worldwide. The seizures occurred in Kenya, China, Gabon, Vietnam, and other countries that have made little progress to reverse the devastation of elephant poaching. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's iworry campaign found that the value of a poached elephant was $21,000. They then looked […]Read More
by Sarah Howell When you think of environmentally friendly habitats, you would not normally think of airports. But LAX and Chicago's O'Hare airport are happy to turn that line of thinking on its head. Both LAX and O'Hare International recently received rewards at the Airports Going Green convention in Chicago. The annual gathering promotes information regarding sustainability efforts and gives the aviation and airport industry a chance to immerse themselves in the world of going green. LAX was recognized for the airport's nature preserve at LAX protecting the endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly, and O'Hare was recognized for the apiary that not only promotes beekeeping, but also provides jobs for ex-offenders. Also during this year's conference, there was a fashion show that featured designs from repurposed materials, such as seat-back covers that were donated from United Airlines as a part of its Eco-Skies program. The Chicago Department of Aviation announced during the conference that a travel center and fueling station would be build on vacant, city-owned property near O'Hare. The […]Read More
by Sarah Howell Many playgrounds around the country use recycled material for their slides, swings, climbing towers, and even ground fill. Recycled rubber tires, for example, provide a cushioned mulch that not only reduces the risk of injuries from falls, but is also an economical way to put old tires to use. But a school in New Jersey has taken recycling to a whole new level. A contest sponsored by Colgate, ShopRite, and TerraCycle set up a competition for schools throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, and New Jersey from March to June. The BelovED Community Charter School in Jersey City won the competition by sending empty toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, and floss containers to TerraCycle, as well as getting the most votes online. On behalf of Colgate, ShopRite, and TerraCycle, the school was awarded with a new playground made out of, what else, recycled toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, and floss containers. Former PTO president Elijah Wells commented on the importance of a recycled outlet for children during the school day: "School […]Read More


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Big Ten Hands out Weekly Hoops Honors
The Big Ten Conference announced its latest Men's Basketball Players of the Week for Nov. 28-Dec. 4. Three players were honored, including a player who has now been honored three times this season. See all the recipients in this post. Also, check out the women's honorees.
Find out more about: Cody Zeller, Hoops Honors, Keith Appling, Meyers Leonard


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Keep your furry friend warm this winter with a pretty pink sweater dress. The teddy bear size Pink Fair Isle Sweater Dress is a great addition to a stuffed animal gift.


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Department: Agricultural Systems Technology & Education (ASTE) Location: USU Eastern Price Campus Position Summary USU Eastern is seeking a dynamic, knowledgeable, and experienced instructor to teach in the nationally recognized automotive program at USU Eastern. The successful candidate would teach automotive classes in several ASE areas, following NATEF standards, in a certificate and in an AAS degree program. This is a tenure track position. USU Eastern, located in Price, Utah, is a comprehensive regional college (community college mission plus selected baccalaureate and graduate degrees) in the USU system. The town of Price is a small, safe, and diverse community in the high plateau region of eastern Utah. A drive of an hour or more north leads to the cities of the Wasatch Front, Salt Lake City International Airport, and some of the country???s best ski resorts and mountain scenery. A similar drive to the south leads to Utah???s famous national parks and access to some of the best outdoor recreational resources in the American West. Responsibilities Duties include, but are not limited to: * Classroom instruction, with a typical teaching load of 15-19 workload hours per semester. * Teaching automotive classes in all ASE areas. * Management and upkeep of the automotive shop. * Coordinate & meet biannually with an automotive program advisory committee. * Teaching some evening, high school, and summer courses. * Regularly serve on departmental, divisional, and institutional committees. * Advise & recruit students. * Participate in and promote Skills USA. * Service activities are required as part of the regular faculty workload.
This is a contract position.
Relocation costs may be covered.
Minimum Qualifications * A.S. or A.A.S. degree required for Instructor Rank * B.S. or higher degree required for consideration as Assistant Professor. * Four or more years of industry or related experience required. * ASE Master Certification required. * An ability to set specific departmental goals and develop related curriculum. * Able to help students learn through lab, lecture, and ???live-vehicle repair.??? * Teaching-focused candidates who understand and are committed to the community college mission of USU Eastern. * Committed to supportive relationships with students and peers. * Willingness and ability to accommodate various student learning styles. * Committed to participate in professional growth and to remain current in the subject. * A desire to succeed and a willingness to work to become a better instructor and technician. Preferred Qualifications * Experience working with high school students. * ASE Automobile Advanced Engine Performance Certification preferred. Review Date: 06-03-2013 Position Close Date: Open Until Filled Salary: The salary is competitive plus excellent benefits See: http://jobs.usu.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=58705 for more information and to apply online. Requisition Number: 053830 Employment in this position is contingent upon a satisfactory background check. Utah State University is an AA/EO Employer and encourages gender and ethnic diversity. Apply Here: http://www.Click2Apply.net/j72mcbg
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How many Rhinos are right? Nick ran the numbers to find the ideal deck for every archetype in Standard.
Tags: Analysis, Average Deck, Data, deck list, Deck Tech, Nick Vigabool
How many Rhinos are right? Nick ran the numbers to find the ideal deck for every archetype in Standard.
Tags: Analysis, Average Deck, Data, deck list, Deck Tech, Nick Vigabool
All instants, all the time. Head Inside the Deck with Feline Longmore and her Solidarity High Tide deck.
Tags: Constructed, deck list, decks, Feline Longmore, Grand Prix, High Tide, Inside the Deck, Legacy, New Jersey
The Hive comes to Legacy. Head Inside the Deck for a Slivers deck tech with Ryan Janelli.
Tags: Constructed, deck list, decks, Grand Prix, Inside the Deck, Legacy, New Jersey, Ryan Janelli, Slivers
by Abe Sargent
Join Abe and The Chorus for an unforgettable game of musical Magic.
Tags: Abe Sargent, Casual, deck list, decks, Music
What decks are you going to see on this Pro Tour Sunday? Head Inside the Deck with Patrick Chapin and his Junk deck.
Tags: #MTGJOU, Block Constructed, deck list, Deck Tech, decks, Journey into Nyx, Patrick Chapin, Pro Tour, Theros, Video
Different decks, same Grand Prix. Inside the Deck has Ari Lax and more from Cincinnati.
Tags: Ari Lax, Constructed, Court Schuett, deck list, Deck Tech, Grand Prix, Grand Prix Cincinnati, Inside the Deck, Lukas Carlson, Rich Castle, Standard, Video
by Max Sjöblom
Did Max put together a perfect storm at Legacy Champs?
Tags: Combo, deck list, decks, Legacy, Legacy Championships, Max Sjöblom, Recap, Storm
Are your games getting scale? Draw from the Chaos Deck and get ready for a wild ride.
Tags: Andrew Rogers, Casual, Chaos, Chaos Deck, deck list, Strategy
by CMDR Decks
This week, CMDR Decks features the machinations of Sydri, Galvanic Genius.
Tags: CMDR, CMDR Decks, Commander, deck list, Deck Tech, Decklist, EDH, Elder Dragon Highlander, Sydri Galvanic Genius, Thassa, Uriah Oxford, Video
GatheringMagic.com, which used to be ManaNation.com, is a website about Magic: The Gathering, owned by CoolStuffInc.com LLC. Magic: The Gathering, the mana symbols, the tap symbol and all other related images are owned by Wizards of the Coast. GatheringMagic.com is unaffiliated with Wizards of the Coast.


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Armed gang rapes 6 Spanish tourists in Mexico
The attackers gained access to the house because two of the Spaniards were in the yard and apparently were forced to open the door, Walton said. The house is on a more isolated stretch of beach east of the city.
The victims were "psychologically affected" by the attack and received treatment, the mayor said. The lone Mexican woman in the group was not raped.
Guerrero state Attorney General Martha Garzon Guzman said witness descriptions of the attackers were more difficult to obtain because they wore masks.
Spain's Foreign Ministry had already issued a travelers advisory on its website for Acapulco before the Monday attack, listing the resort as one of Mexico's "risk zone," though not the worst.
"In Acapulco, organized crime gangs have carried out violence, though up to now that has not affected tourists or the areas they visit," the advisory states. "At any rate, heightened caution is advised."
The attack came just three days after a pair of Mexican tourists returning from a beach east of Acapulco were shot at and slightly wounded by members of a masked rural self-defense squad that has set up roadblocks in areas north of Acapulco, to defend their communities against drug gang violence.
The vigilantes say the Mexican tourists failed to stop at their improvised roadblock.
Walton said the city was already contemplating ways to revive the city's image.
"We have to look at an advertising campaign to say that not everything in Acapulco is like that," Walton said. "This happens everywhere in the world, not just in Acapulco or in Mexico."
Associated Press writer Bertha Ramos reported from Acapulco, and Mark Stevenson reported from Mexico City.


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Originally written on Fox Sports North | Last updated 2/1/13
FRIDAY'S STORY LINE: Where is the depth? Where is the secondary scoring? In the first five games of the season, those questions were constantly fired at coach Mike Yeo. The top line of Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and Dany Heatley has been as advertised. The three were dominant from the get-go and combined for 10 of Minnesota's 13 goals in the first five games. Still the question was when the secondary scoring would chip in. The last two games, against Columbus and Chicago, the reinforcements have arrived. The last four Wild goals have been scored by players not named Parise, Koivu or Heatley. Cal Clutterbuck, who scored his first goal of the season Wednesday against the Blackhawks, said it helps relieve some pressure. "You want to help your teammates win games as much as you can," Clutterbuck said. "And when you have those a couple of tough games in a row and you haven't scored yet, as the second and third line, it sort of wears on you and it gets tough." Matt Cullen also netted his fi...
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A perfect job or home companion, this comprehensive tool kit from Crescent includes all of the tools you'll use on every project. Each part is securely held in the custom blow-molded carry case. All tools in this industrial quality tool set meet stringent new ANSI/ASME specifications, and are back by Crescent's Limited Lifetime Warranty.
by mamtronix
on 9/9/2013
I bought set as a gift for my son. I have other smaller Crescent tool sets with identical tools. I am rating this tool set based on my smaller sets. If one is DIY, you can't find a better product for the price and quality. From plumbing, automotive, electrical and all in between projects, this set is a good deal.
by rafymedina7
on 7/4/2011
Very compact and perfect for me and my needs,,,
by doit3x
on 6/6/2011
addded value
by tw5351
on 5/28/2011
This is a great product for your everyday use. Around the garage.
by i812b4
on 4/1/2011
I have kept this tool set in my car and I have used it many times over the last four years. I have not broken one tool (The locking tabs on the plastic container have worn off though) and it always seems to have what I need to work on my car and other peoples cars. I only paid $69 for it but it is easily worth more, The tools are better quality than my craftsman stuff at home.
by terryls
on 3/8/2011
this tool kit is by all standards the best quality for the price, barring none of the competitors out there. would recommend to anyone whose looking for quality workmanship, and value for their money
by cajun56
on 3/1/2011
What a bargin! Great quality, versatility this set has served me well over 2 years at work and home!!
by swalls55
on 2/2/2011
We used two sets of these in a machine shop and they woked very well.The wrenches didn't fail even when abused by useing a hammer on them to losen bolts in machinery.The rachets and scockets also preformed very well under pressure as well.I don't recomend abuseing any tool due to safty reasons but lets face it in the real world we do and these are some tough tools!
22-1875 - 32 Piece Security Bit Set
This is the original Duratool security bit set that has been trusted for years by thousands of technicians worldwide. A handy pocket size set contains many of the bits commonly used to remove tamper resistant screws found in many of today's electronic products.
22-8120 - Heavy-Duty Aluminum Tool Case
Made of lightweight durable aluminum One tool holding pallet Base of unit features adjustable compartments to easily carry hand tools, small soldering equipment, hand held test equipment, and more
28-6637 - 600W Line Conditioner
"600 watt Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) system / Protects sensitive electronics, computer accessories and home theater equipment from power-related damage and performance problems / Extends the useful life of connected equipment by providing optimum voltage c...
28-11056 - CyberPower Intelligent Series GreenPower UPS CP850AVRLCD
The Intelligent LCD Series CP850AVRLCD UPS, designed for mid- to high-end computer systems, features dynamic line conditioning and Intelligent LCD diagnostic display. Real-time systems vitals can be viewed using this Crystal-Blue display. The unit can be convenie...
50-14320 - Low Profile Cantilever LCD Mount 13" ~ 23" - 33lb. Capacity
Stylish LCD wall mount features a dual arm configuration. Flexible adjustment allows optimum screen positioning. Mount features an extremely small mounting profile, only 2".
Great place to order. Always fast shipping and service. Customer service is great. Thank you MCM for your dedication.


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Academy Award Winning Chili Burgers
|White bread slices
|1 , torn into small pieces
|Tomato paste
|2 Tablespoon
|2 Tablespoon
|Ground raw turkey/Lean ground beef
|3⁄4 Pound
|Canned black beans
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs), drained, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
|Chopped coriander/Parsley
|2 Tablespoon
|2 Tablespoon, chopped
|Dried thyme
|1 Teaspoon
|To Taste
|Ground black pepper
|1⁄2 Teaspoon
|Canola oil/Vegetable oil
|1 Teaspoon
|1 Small, chopped fine to make 1/2 cup
|1 Clove (5 gm), minced to make 1 teaspoon
|Jalapeno pepper
|1 , seeded and finely chopped
|Ground cumin
|2 Teaspoon
|Onion rolls
|4 , split and toasted
|Shredded lettuce
|1 Cup (16 tbs) (For Garnish)
|Tomato salsa/Your favorite purchased brand
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
1) Prepare the grill.
2) In a medium bowl add bread, tomato paste, and water. Using a fork , mash the contents into a paste.
3) Add turkey, beans, coriander, thyme, and salt and pepper. Keep it aside.
4) In a small nonstick skillet, heat oil over moderate heat.
5) Mix onion and cook for 6 minutes till golden.
6) Add garlic, jalapeno, and cumin. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
7) If the mixture appears too dry add 1 tablespoon water.
8) Keep the mixture aside to cool.
9) Pour it over turkey mixture and mix gently.
10) Divide and shape into four 34-inch patties.
11) Place the patties on a lightly oiled rack set 4 inches over glowing coals and grill for 5 minutes on each side.
12) Alternately, broil the patties in a broiler 4 inches from the flame.
13) Serve burgers on the rolls garnished with the lettuce and the tomato salsa.


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Kharisma Series
"Kharisma 9"
on 05/02/15
Life is an act. We act like humans, and therefore we experience like humans with a litany of limitations, shortcomings and drama that mask our underlying angelic consciousness. It's an unnatural act that we have come to accept as reality.
Adamus invites the reader to act like a Master rather than acting like a less-than‐perfect human. This act will literally change the type of energy being attracted into the reader's life, and therefore change the reality theatre one exists within.
http://www.crimsoncircle.com/Newsletter/tabid/1410/Default.aspx:http://bit.ly/bn72p2 via @addthis21 Mar via web
Spiritual messages from Tobias, Adamus Saint Germain and Kuthumi lal Singh, channeled through Geoffrey Hoppe of the Crimson Circle (www.crimsoncircle.com) to support your spiritual awakening, evolution, integration and ascension. Connect with Shaumbra through Crimson Circle Facebook page, remember the Silent Prayer, visit the Crimson Circle Library, discover the power of Self Love, learn about DreamWalking and Conscious Choice, enjoy Free Downloads and much more.
Become a Fan on Facebook
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© The Crimson Circle 2012All Rights ReservedDesign & Development: Aydus


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Updated 08/13/2014
Casual Middle Eastern, Morrocan, and Turkish food for dine-in or take-out, which can be a very welcome change from the steak, steak, and more steak culture of Argentina. They offer lots of vegetarian options here, too, and are usually open for lunch and dinner, but hours can be flexible, so it is best to call ahead.
Av. Ballofet 173, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina
Updated 08/13/2014
No Thanks


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| Isolated smoke pipe for 2 nd stage ( No11-No20) is a pipe.
| From 11-isolated smoke pipe is set to 20-10. Continue with 3 rd.
|Product name
|Isolated smoke pipe 2 nd
|Product number
|No11-until No20 10 book set
This product cannot be shipped to United States from the store.
Please contact the store for further information.


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Martha Lucille (Mama Lucy) Hall, age 102, of Sweetwater, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 at Nolan Nursing and Rehab.
Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at Garden of Memories with Dr. Fred Meeks officiating. Burial will follow. Arrangements are under the direction of Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home.


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Narrow your search
Make calls, answer emails and download apps from the Google Play store without a smartphone.
Automotive supplier Visteon makes advanced connected dashboard systems for cars, and is now showing off a system for motorcycles that gives riders navigation and communication.
The all-purpose app for text, video, and voice chat can now detect when people are trying to find each other in the real world and then help them meet up. Also new: stickers, video filters, and bigger ambitions at Google.
Fake cell phone signal receivers on airplanes gather cell traffic in a secret government program, a new report reveals.
In a continuation of earlier research, University of Washington scientists have demonstrated human brain-to-brain communication with multiple pairs of people.
A wearable device for dogs is designed to allow two-way communication between canine and human.
The Onyx from OnBeep is like a walkie talkie without geographical limitations, making communication possible with anyone, anywhere in the galaxy where there's a data connection.
Latvian car company Dartz has built the ultimate safety seat for a wealthy client -- one that keeps a tyke safe from bullets.
Any way you want it, the Vinnie Rossi LIO can deliver the best sound from your LPs, digital files, headphones or speakers, LIO can do it all.
Robots will someday take over the world and, YES! they will need to order the hearing impaired around also.


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Why not enter some details and get an accurate price?
The Rodney Stoke Caravan and Camping Park is a small, adults-only site located behind The Rodney Stoke Inn. Neil and Annette Sinclair welcome you to their friendly site for a peaceful and relaxing break not far from Cheddar and Wells.
The campsite offers its guests essential facilities including electric hook-ups and a toilet block with hot showers. We welcome well-behaved dogs. The pub serves a variety of home-cooked dishes, ranging from simple sandwiches to a selection of mains, including meat, fish and vegetarian options.
Site type
Languages spoken
✓ English
Please note
Please note, this is an adults-only site. Children under the age of 16 are not allowed on site.
Check availability at The Rodney Stoke Caravan and Camping Park…
(2 nights)
Party:2 adults
You can now make a booking for up to 30 adults and 30 children on Pitchup.com.
Many sites set a maximum occupancy of 6/8 people per pitch, so try breaking your booking down into smaller groups to generate more results. For example, if you're a group of 10, enter 5 people in your initial search and then book 2 pitches.
Use the 'Special requests' box on the booking page to ask to be sited together when booking multiple pitches: the campsite or park will try to grant your request.
Large groups: check the listing page for any group restrictions set out in the terms and section titled 'Please note'.
Large tents/caravans: check the restrictions on unit dimensions to ensure your unit is suitable for the space you will be provided with.
Max. persons: 4x
Dimensions: Max 8.0m x 4.0m (26.2ft x 13.1ft)
Ground type: Mixed
Grass and hardstanding pitch.
Please note, gazebos are not permitted on this pitch.
Max. persons: 4x
Dimensions: Max 8.0m x 4.0m (26.2ft x 13.1ft)
Ground type: Mixed
Grass and hardstanding pitch.
Please note, gazebos are not permitted on this pitch.


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A speed dating event with a difference got underway in Auckland on Monday night but it wasn't romance on the mind of participants.
The speed dates were actually quick fire interviews between Auckland University IT students and potential employers.
"I guess it's fun, it's new, it's not the old staid way," says one student Helen Lacey.
A few first date nerves, but students had a game plan.
"I'm going to tell them a bit about myself, why they should pick me over the other graduates...pretty nervous right now," says Shani Edri.
With quick fire rounds students and employers had only two minutes to get to know each other.
"It's not a lot of time but I always reckon in a few minutes you can pick up quite a bit," says Gustav Tijen of Solnet Solutions.
Speed dating originated in the US in the late 1990's. It has taken off in New Zealand and now universities are using the method to matchmake their students and potential employers.
Companies, from Deloitte to Toll New Zealand, turned out to the event, on the hunt for top it graduates.
Once the speed dating is done, both students and employers fill out a date card, those that match up will be emailed each others contact details.
"There were certainly a couple there that I could see a lot of potential with, those are the kind of candidates we are looking for," says Tijen.


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January 15, 2010
Photo by Curt Yeomans
Riverdale resident and breast cancer survivor, Helena D. Gibbs, reviews information about this year's Relay for Life of Clayton County, during a kick-off event held at the Higher Living Christian Church's Community Impact Center, Inc., in Jonesboro on Thursday.
Stories this photo appears in:
Clayton kicks off Relay for Life Campaign
Riverdale resident, Helena D. Gibbs, says she was born twice.
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text:
Originally written on Fox Sports Detroit | Last updated 12/7/12
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Joakim Noah had 30 points and 23 rebounds, setting career highs in both categories and helping the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons for the 16th straight time, 108-104 on Friday night. Chicago trailed by as many as 17 points in the second quarter, but the Bulls rallied toward the end of the half and took control in the fourth quarter. All five Chicago starters finished in double figures, including Carlos Boozer with 24 points. Luol Deng and Marco Belinelli scored 16 apiece. Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with 24 points and Brandon Knight added 21. The Pistons had 28 rebounds on the night, only five more than Noah had by himself. Noah's previous career highs were 26 points and 21 rebounds. The game was tied at 82 in the fourth quarter when Noah rebounded a Chicago miss and made a layup while being fouled. The Pistons were able to hang around after the three-point play, but after they let Noah come up with another offensive rebound that led to a dunk...
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Viewers: in countries Watching now:
The real-time engine in Motion 3, a component of Apple's Final Cut Studio 2, gives motion graphics designers the freedom to continually experiment and adjust while they work. Ian Robinson explores how to get the most from this unique application, while also sharing his own essential motion graphics techniques. Along with teaching the fundamentals of video and audio work, he looks at Motion 3's new 3D tools in depth. Ian demonstrates the use of behaviors to create organic movement in particle systems and camera moves without keyframes. He also discusses effective integration with the other Final Cut Studio applications, and much more. Example files accompany the course.
With Parameter behaviors we can make these words jump to life. Parameter behaviors are quite powerful because they can be applied to any Parameter in motion. For these words I would like FLASH to flash, BLURRY to jump around so fast it becomes blurry, and DIZZY to, well, spin around and get dizzy. Let's start with FLASH. Select a new Canvas, and click on your Inspector, and what we want to do is adjust its Opacity. So right click on Opacity and check it out.
Here are all of your Parameter behaviors. Let's get started with Randomize. What Randomize does is just randomly changes the value that you applied the behavior to. So let's check it out. Right now the Amount is set to nothing. So if I hit the spacebar, absolutely nothing is going to happen. So let's go ahead and up this amount quite a bit; we will take it up to around 95, and we got a sight variation there, but the problem is, this word is at 100% Opacity, and what this Randomize Behavior is doing is applying Random values in addition to the 100% Opacity value; and we all know you can't make it more opaque than 100%.
So let's go ahead and subtract. Now, hit the spacebar again and let's see what's happening. There we go. Let's go ahead and adjust our Frequency; this is just how frequently the amount is going to change. We will go ahead and just adjust that down a little bit. The Noisiness, go ahead and drag it to the right; you will notice it makes it more varied. If you drag it to the left, it makes it less varied or less jagged in terms of its stuff. So let's go ahead and adjust that up to around 0.8. There we go.
We have got our flashing word flashing. Let's go ahead and pause for a second, and bring our playhead back to the beginning, and select BLURRY. Now, like I said at the beginning of this, I would like this to jump around the screen so fast that it actually blurs. So let's go to its Properties, and right click on Position. Let's go down and chose Wriggle. I like Wriggle because it just shakes the daylights out of anything you apply it to.
Go and hit your spacebar, and let's look at what its done. That's sort of what I was looking for, but not quite. Let's go ahead and adjust the Amount down, because I don't want this word to fly around so much. Just go ahead and drag to the left. Let me drag it down to 22; now I have got the word moving just a little bit. It's not really varying enough for me, so I would like it to increase its Frequency.
So let's go ahead and drag that up a little bit. It's not very jagged, so let's drag our Noisiness. Now, all of a sudden, it's getting pretty blurry. So this is close, but not quite. Let me pause this for a second. So in order to achieve the Blur Effect, sometimes you have to turn on Motion Blur. The way you do that is come up under the View pull-down, and chose Motion Blur.
Now, typically I don't add this to anything in my project until I am ready to output, and the reason is, it has a tendency to slow down your real time playback, but just because I want to show you, let's go ahead and choose it. Now look at what its done to that word. If we hit the spacebar, now we have a really blurry BLURRY word. Go ahead and click anywhere in the Canvas, and now BLURRY is really, really blurry. In fact, it's a little too blurry, so I am just going to pause it for a second, and select it, and bring its Noisiness down just a little bit, and let's hit the spacebar and check it out again.
There we go. Now you can actually read the BLURRY word, and it's still blurry. So last but not least, let's get started with DIZZY. I am going to pause for a second and select DIZZY. So like I said, these Behaviors can be applied to any Parameter, and I want DIZZY to spin around. Let's go to its Rotational Properties. Go ahead and right click; and I don't want it to spin around randomly, I want it to actually spin around at a constant rate. So let's go ahead and choose Rate. Hit your spacebar and see what happens.
Again, nothing is going to happen until you actually drag the Rate up. So click and drag in the Number Field here, and let's just adjust this; and I want it to spin the other way, so I will rag to the left. I am going to drag it up to round 400. That's pretty cool, but what I would like it to do is start from a stopped position and then slowly spin faster, and then slowly spin back down by the end of the animation.
The way you achieve that is adjusting the Curvature. So let's go ahead and drag that right up to 100% and see what happens. So if you notice, the word actually started from its beginning starting point, and it slowly sped up and now let's slow it down. There we go. So sit back and enjoy. You just quickly and easily added life to your text with Parameters behaviors.
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text:
Updated 03/31/2014
Classic Hollywood doesn't get better than this. Summer-evening concerts have been a tradition since 1922 at this amphitheater cradled in the Hollywood Hills. The bowl is the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but the musical fare also includes pop and jazz. A new much larger shell arrived in 2004, improving the acoustics and allowing the occasional dance and theater performance on stage with the orchestra.
Evoking the 1929 shell structure, the revised shell ripples out in a series of concentric rings. The 17,000-plus seating capacity ranges from boxes (where alfresco preconcert meals are catered) to concrete bleachers in the rear. Most of the box seats are reserved for season ticket holders, but the ideally located Super Seats, with comfortable armrests and great sight lines, are a great alternative. Dollar tickets are available for some weeknight classical and jazz performances. Come early to picnic on the grounds.
Hollywood Bowl Museum. Before the
concert, or during the day, visit the Hollywood Bowl Museum for a time-capsule version of the Hollywood Bowl's history. The microphone used during Frank Sinatra's 1943 performance is just one of the pieces of rare memorabilia on display. Throughout the gallery, drawers open to reveal vintage programs or letters written by fans tracing their fondest memories of going to the Hollywood Bowl. Headphones let you listen to recordings of such great Bowl performers as Amelita Galli-Curci, Ella Fitzgerald, and Paul McCartney, and videos give you a tantalizing look at performances by everyone from the Beatles to Esa-Pekka Salonen. Be sure to pick up a map and take the "Bowl Walk" to explore the parklike grounds of this beautiful setting. In summer, the store stays open until showtime. 2301 N. Highland Ave., 90078. 323/850–2058. www.hollywoodbowl.com/visit/hollywood-bowl-museum. Free. Late June–Sept., Tues.–Sat. 10–showtime, Sun. 4–showtime; Oct.–late June, Tues.–Fri. 10–5, Sat. by appointment.
2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90068, United States
Website: www.hollywoodbowl.com
Sight Details:
Updated 03/31/2014
No Thanks


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One of only 180 Black Wagons and one of 1333 total for 2000! Low miles, clean CARFAX and freshly serviced! Ready for the road... More
2000 JAGUAR XJ-8 SEDAN #SAJDA14CXYLF09438. (Stock #3708.) Gorgeous in Carnival Red with Oatmeal leather, we have chased this car for years and have finally talked its original owner... More
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text:
Steganographic calibration signals (sometimes termed "orientation signals," "marker signals," reference signals," "grid signals," etc.) are sometimes included with digital watermarking signals so that subsequent distortion of the object thereby marked (e.g., a digital image file, audio clip, document, etc.) can later be discerned and compensated-for. Digital watermark detection systems sometimes fail if the object encompasses several separately-watermarked components (e.g., a scanned magazine page with several different images, or photocopy data resulting from scanning while several documents are on the photocopier platen). Each component may include its own calibration signal, confusing the detection system. In accordance with certain embodiments, this problem is addressed by a proximity-based approach, and/or a multiple grid-based approach. In accordance with other embodiments, the calibration signal can—itself—convey watermark information, so it serves both a calibration and a payload-conveyance function.
1. In a method of altering a content object to steganographically encode a digital watermark therein, the watermark having an orientation signal component that facilitates subsequent discernment of an affine transformation to which the encoded content object has been subjected, the watermark also including a payload component that conveys plural bits of payload data, an improvement comprising using a processor device to process the orientation signal component to serve as a carrier of additional bits of payload data.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. In a method of decoding a content object that has been steganographically encoded in accordance with a digital watermark, the method including analyzing a calibration signal component of said digital watermark to establish an affine state of said content object, and by reference to said affine state, decoding plural-bit payload data from a payload component of said digital watermark, an improvement comprising using a processor device to decode additional plural-bit payload data from said calibration signal.
5. The method of
6. The method of
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/032,282 filed Dec. 20, 2001 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,975,744), which claims priority benefit to provisional application No. 60/257,924, filed Dec. 21, 2000.
This application is also a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/333,344, filed Jul. 24, 2003 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,319,775), which is a national-phase counterpart to PCT application PCT/US01/22173, filed Jul. 12, 2001, which claims priority to application Ser. No. 09/618,948, filed Jul. 19, 2000 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,329).
The present invention relates to digital watermark technology, and particularly concerns situations in which several digitally watermarked objects are presented to a watermark detector.
Digital watermarking systems are known in the art, and are shown, e.g., in copending applications Ser. No. 09/503,881 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,914) and Ser. No. 09/452,023 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,082).
Steganographic calibration signals (sometimes termed "orientation signals," "marker signals," reference signals," "grid signals," etc.) are sometimes included with digital watermarking signals so that subsequent distortion of the object thereby marked (e.g., a digital image file, audio clip, document, etc.) can later be discerned and compensated-for. Such arrangements are detailed in the cited applications.
Systems for detecting watermarks from marked objects sometimes fail if the image object encompasses several separately-watermarked components (e.g., a scanned magazine page with several different images, or photocopy data resulting from scanning while several documents are on the photocopier platen, as shown in
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention, this problem is addressed by a proximity-based approach, and/or a multiple grids-based approach.
In accordance with other embodiments of the present invention, the calibration signal can—itself—convey the watermark information, so it serves both a calibration and a payload-conveyance function.
The foregoing and additional features and advantage of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
For expository convenience, the following discussion focuses on the context of processing image data resulting from scanning several documents on the same photocopier platen. It should be recognized, however, that the invention is not so limited, but finds application, e.g., in contexts involving audio, video and other content objects.
Proximity Approach
The proximity approach is based on selecting and clubbing together image blocks that are in close proximity to each other. For two watermarked documents in an image, this approach would ideally give two clusters of blocks, one for each watermark. This approach requires modification to the methodology described in the '881 application. The prior methodology calculated the variance and edges in each block and used these to compute a metric for the block. Blocks were ranked based on their metric, and the top M blocks are selected to perform grid detection. The proximity approach, in contrast, takes into account the spatial locations of the blocks, and/or their distances to each other, for division into one or more clusters.
Such a proximity approach has several advantages. These include:
Although the proximity-based approach overcomes many of the shortcomings of the prior art, it has attributes that may render it poorly suited for certain applications. For example:
These shortcomings are generally obviated by the multiple grids approach.
Multiple Grids Approach
The multiple grids approach tackles the problem by searching for multiple grids during grid detection. The approach is based on the notion that if there is more than one watermarked component, the accumulated Fourier magnitude should contain a grid signal corresponding to each watermark. The presence of multiple grids generates multiple strong peaks both at the log-polar correlation and Fourier magnitude correlation steps in the process. Each peak corresponds to the rotation and scale of the corresponding grid.
The multiple grids approach can include certain of the steps detailed in
This approach works as long as there is sufficient signal strength corresponding to each potential grid in the accumulated Fourier magnitude. Also note that this approach assumes that all the watermarks in the image have the same grid. Experiments using this approach have yielded promising results and shown that this approach is feasible.
Such an approach has various advantages, including:
A few shortcomings persist:
The two-step rejection criteria noted above is more particularly detailed in application Ser. No. 09/526,982 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,079).
An exemplary grid signal is one with the following characteristics:
In other embodiments, different grid signals can be used in differently-watermarked excerpts of the content.
As before, the image is segmented into blocks, pre-filtered, the converted into the Fourier domain. The Fourier representation for all the component blocks are accumulated, filtered, and remapped into the log-polar domain.
In contrast to the multiple-same grid context, the multiple-different grid context process proceeds by correlating the log-polar representation obtained above, with a log-polar remapping of the Fourier magnitude representation of each of the component grid signals, summed together (a summed-grid template). This correlation yields several peaks, each indicating a candidate scale/rotation state of one of the component watermarked elements. But the peaks do not indicate the particular grid signals with which they correlated, since the correlation was based on a summed-grid template. Accordingly, the method proceeds by checking each discerned scale/rotation state (correlation peak) of the data against the Fourier magnitude spectrum of the different grid signals, to determine which grid signal should be used in decoding a given scale/rotation state of the data. Once this association between scale/rotation states of data, and applicable grid signal, has been determined, decoding of each can proceed as above (and in the cited applications).
Of course, for any single grid signal, there may be several objects represented in the data set—each with a different scale or rotation.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the impulse functions can be modulated to carry auxiliary information as follows:
a. create message (e.g., binary bit string)
b. error correction encode and/or spread spectrum modulate the string
c. map elements of resulting message signal to fourier magnitude impulse function locations
d. encode 1 as positive impulse function and encode 0 as negative impulse function (or other predetermined relation)
Detect and Decode Message:
a. detect impulses to determine whether a watermark is present;
b. if detected, then go back and check for the presence at predetermined Fourier Magnitude impulse function locations;
c. perform inverse of spread spectrum modulation and error correction coding to recover original message
Note that there are many possible applications: The calibration signal can carry protocol information to tell the decoder how to interpret the message payload of another watermark signal.
In systems in which the "grid" signal conveys the message, there is no need for separate "grid" and "message" signals.
For additional information on the use of the grid signal to convey payload information, see pending application Ser. No. 09/618,948 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,329).
Thus, for example, one embodiment is a method of encoding a digital content object with a watermark that represents both payload data and calibration data, where the method includes:
In such an arrangement, affine transformation of the digital content object can be discerned from affine transformation of the grid signal, and the payload can be discerned from the polarities of the grid signal components.
In the foregoing embodiment, the watermark may include other components in addition to those of which the grid signal is comprised. These other components can serve to convey additional payload data.
The payload data represented by the polarities of said grid signal components can convey various types of information, such as protocol information.
Having described and illustrated the principles of our inventive work with reference to specific embodiments, it will be recognized that the principles thereof can be implemented in other, different, forms.
For example, while the disclosure focused on image data, the same techniques are applicable in other watermarking contexts, including audio and video.
Moreover, while the invention was illustrated in the context of the present assignee's preferred forms of watermarking, it should be recognized that the invention's applicability is not so limited. For example, such techniques also find utility in combination with the teachings of watermarking U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,949,055, 6,044,182, etc.
It should be recognized that the particular combinations of elements and features in the above-detailed embodiments are exemplary only; the interchanging and substitution of these teachings with other teachings in this and the incorporated-by-reference patents/applications are also contemplated.
As is familiar to those skilled in the arts, all of the foregoing methods may be performed using dedicated hardware components/systems for the various devices, and/or through use of processors programmed in accordance with firmware or software, etc. In the latter case the processors may each include a CPU and associated memory, together with appropriate input and output devices/facilities. The software can be resident on a physical storage media such as disks, and can be loaded into the processors' memory for execution. The software includes instructions causing the CPU to perform the various processes detailed above.
To provide a comprehensive disclosure without unduly lengthening this specification, the patents and applications cited above are incorporated herein by reference.
In view of the wide variety of embodiments to which the principles of our inventive work can be applied, it should be recognized that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, we claim as our invention all such embodiments as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
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Results 1 to 7 of 7
November 23rd, 2008 #1
Apt 323 Comics/Sketchbook -will be updated regularily!
I'll be posting comics and sketches from Apt323 here
You can see more comics and animation here:
And please vote for my film here!
thanks for checkin it out
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Hide this ad by registering as a memberNovember 23rd, 2008 #2
Ha ha, it´s great that you started a sketchbook, keep them coming!
website: www.massihnaisan.se
ssg: Knarf - BRINKMAN! - crabbyclem - eminkey2003 - Mumph
"Failure is an option, fear is not."
November 26th, 2008 #3
Fast Food
another comic
November 28th, 2008 #4
Computer Store 02
Computer Store 02
November 30th, 2008 #5
Breesons Office
December 2nd, 2008 #6
March 10th, 2009 #7
hahahha this makes my feel like an idiot since I can relate to your main character!
Sketchbook. Treat Me Like A Moron
I'm a dick, sometimes two. Hence my name.
Edgar Allan Poe


text:
"I used this birth announcement as my daughters 9 month pictures for family and friends! I loved it! The only draw back to this card was the size restraint on the text. The program kept me from making the text larger, which in turn made the text difficult to read in some areas. And when I got the product I could see that there was plenty of room for more space in the text area."
"This card is so beautiful, family members called specifically to comment on its quality. It is a treasured momento for family members! I couldn't be happier."
"Cards turned out beautifully. Picture quality was great and photos were bigger than expected. If there were anything negative to say, it would be about packaging and shipping. It took days just to package the order."
"We absolutely love the way this birth announcement came out. The quality of the card stock is great and the envelopes are nice and thick too. Everyone That we've sent the card to loves it and some have even said that they want to use the same card when they have children. Overall we are very pleased with the quality of the product and with the service received. We would highly recommend it to others."
"Loved sending a postcard christmas card this year. Only flaw with the design is I was not able to modify the back text portion. I wanted to use 2 different size fonts but it would not let me. All in all it worked out great and family loved recieving them."