text:
A combination of an ultrasonic scanner and an omnidirectional receive transducer for producing a two-dimensional image from the echoes received by the single omnidirectional transducer is described. Two-dimensional images with different noise components can be constructed from the echoes received by additional transducers. These can be combined to produce images with better signal to noise ratios and lateral resolution. Also disclosed is a method based on information content to compensate for the different delays for different paths through intervening tissue is described. Specular reflections are attenuated by using even a single omnidirectional receiver displaced from the insonifying probe. The disclosed techniques have broad application in medical imaging but are ideally suited to multi-aperture cardiac imaging using two or more intercostal spaces. Since lateral resolution is determined primarily by the aperture defined by the end elements, it is not necessary to fill the entire aperture with equally spaced elements. In fact, gaps can be left to accommodate spanning a patient's ribs, or simply to reduce the cost of the large aperture array. Multiple slices using these methods can be combined to form three-dimensional images.
1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
a transmit transducer array for insonifying selected object and/or area of living tissue with a directional ultrasound pulse;
at least one receive transducer for detecting and recording ultrasound echo returns, wherein said at least one receive transducer is relatively non-directional in a plane of scan, is angled differently from said transmit transducer array, and is separated from said transmit transducer array;
a computer in electronic communication with said transmit transducer array and said at least one receive transducer, said computer having hardware and software for digitizing and storing each ultrasound echo in a line of computer memory, determining the location of said transmit transducer in relation to said at least one receive transducer, reconstructing scan lines as lines on a reconstructed image based on the determination of the location of the at least one receive transducer relative to that of the transmit transducer array and the average speed of ultrasound in the tissue object, and image processing to fill in gaps between scan lines.
2. The apparatus of
3. The apparatus of
4. The apparatus of
5. The apparatus of
6. The apparatus of
7. The apparatus of
8. The apparatus of
9. The apparatus of
10. A method of reconstructing an image, comprising the steps of:
(a) insonifying an object one scan line at a time with a directional ultrasound pulse generated from a transmit transducer;
(b) recording at least one echo received by one or more relatively non-directional receive transducer elements angled differently than the transmit transducer, including at least one receive transducer element that is separated from the transmit transducer;
(c) storing the at least one echo in a line of computer memory;
(d) reconstructing scan lines as lines on a reconstructed image based on knowledge of a location of the receive transducer elements relative to that of the transmit transducer and the average speed of ultrasound in the object; and
(e) image processing to fill in gaps between scan lines, to combine overlapping scan lines.
11. The method of
12. The method of
13. The method of
14. The method of
15. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
18. The method
19. The method of
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/862,951, filed Oct. 25, 2006 (Oct. 25, 2006), and U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/940,261, filed May 25, 2007 (May 25, 2007).
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to imaging techniques used in medicine, and more particularly to medical ultrasound, and still more particularly to an apparatus for producing ultrasonic images using multiple apertures.
2. Discussion of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR �1.97, 1.98
In conventional ultrasonic imaging, a focused beam of ultrasound energy is transmitted into body tissues to be examined and the returned echoes are detected and plotted to form an image. In echocardiography the beam is usually stepped in increments of angle from a center probe position, and the echoes are plotted along lines representing the paths of the transmitted beams. In abdominal ultrasonography the beam is usually stepped laterally, generating parallel beam paths, and the returned echoes are plotted along parallel lines representing these paths. The following description will relate to the angular scanning technique for echocardiography (commonly referred to as a sector scan). However, the same concept with modifications can be implemented in abdominal scanners.
The basic principles of conventional ultrasonic imaging are well described in the first chapter of Echocardiography, by Harvey Feigenbaum (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 5th ed., Philadelphia, 1993). These will not be repeated here except as necessary to illustrate the differences between the conventional techniques and the present invention.
It is well known that the average velocity v of ultrasound in human tissue is about 1540 m/sec, the range in soft tissue being 1440 to 1670 m/sec (see for example P. N. T. Wells, Biomedical Ultrasonics, Academic Press, London, New York, San Francisco, 1977). Therefore, the depth of an impedance discontinuity generating an echo can be estimated as the round-trip time for the echo multiplied by v/2, and the amplitude is plotted at that depth along a line representing the path of the beam. After this has been done for all echoes along all beam paths, an image is formed, such as the image 10 shown in
In order to insonify the body tissues, a beam formed either by a phased array or a shaped transducer is scanned over the tissues to be examined. Traditionally, the same transducer or array is used to detect the returning echoes. This design configuration lies at the heart of one of the most significant limitations in the use of ultrasonic imaging for medical purposes; namely, poor lateral resolution. Theoretically the lateral resolution could be improved by increasing the aperture of the ultrasonic probe, but the practical problems involved with aperture size increase have kept apertures small and lateral resolution large. Unquestionably, ultrasonic imaging has been very useful even with this limitation, but it could be more effective with better resolution.
In the practice of cardiology, for example, the limitation on single aperture size is dictated by the space between the ribs (the intercostal spaces). For scanners intended for abdominal and other use, the limitation on aperture size is not so obvious, but it is a serious limitation nevertheless. The problem is that it is difficult to keep the elements of a large aperture array in phase because the speed of ultrasound transmission varies with the type of tissue between the probe and the area of interest. According to the book by Wells (cited above), the speed varies up to plus or minus 10% within the soft tissues. When the aperture is kept small, the intervening tissue is, to a first order of approximation, all the same and any variation is ignored. When the size of the aperture is increased to improve the lateral resolution, the additional elements of a phased array may be out of phase and may actually degrade the image rather than improving it. The instant disclosure teaches methods to maintain all of the information from an extended phased array "in phase" and thus to achieve sought-after improved lateral resolution.
In the case of cardiology, it has long been thought that extending the phased array into a second or third intercostal space would improve the lateral resolution, but this idea has met with two problems. First, elements over the ribs have to be eliminated, leaving a sparsely filled array. New theory is necessary to steer the beam emanating from such an array. Second, the tissue speed variation described above, but not adequately addressed until this time, needs to be compensated. The same solution taught in this disclosure is equally applicable for multi-aperture cardiac scanning, or for extended sparsely populated apertures for scans on other parts of the body.
The present invention solves both the problem of using more than one intercostal space and the problem of accommodating unknown phase delays from using elements spread over a large sparse aperture. The solution involves separating the insonifying probe from the imaging elements. The separation can be a physical separation or simply a separation in concept wherein some of the elements of the array can be shared for the two functions.
A single omni-directional receive element (such as a receive transducer) can gather all of the information necessary to reproduce a two-dimensional section of the body. Each time a pulse of ultrasound energy is transmitted along a particular path, the signal received by the omnidirectional probe can be recorded into a line of memory. [The terms "omni-directional probe," "omni probe" and/or "omni," are used synonymously herein to mean an omnidirectional probe.] When this is done for all of the lines in a sector scan, the memory can be used to reconstruct the image. This can be accomplished in the same time as data is being collected for the next frame.
There are numerous advantages to this approach, and these comprise the objects and advantages of the present invention. They include, among others:
The dominance of specular reflections so prominent in reconstructing images by returns to the main probe is greatly attenuated.
More than one omnidirectional probe can be used. Each one can be used to reconstruct an entire sector image but with different point spread functions. These can be combined to produce an image with a sharper point spread function.
Compensations can be made for different delays in different paths through the tissue.
Many more scan lines can be reconstructed than the number of pulses generated by the main probe. This overcomes the traditional limit of the number of scan lines by the speed of ultrasound in tissue, tissue depth of interest, and the time allowed between frames, which is typically 1/30th second.
Artificial scan lines can be considered as overlapping, and each pixel on an output image can be imaged from information from more than one omni line of data. Therefore the output pixel can be averaged from multiple data, thus improving the signal-to-noise ratio.
Omnidirectional probes can be placed in multiple intercostal spaces, the suprasternal notch, the substernal window, multiple apertures along the abdomen and other parts of the body, and even on the end of a catheter. An advantage in using omnidirectional probes for catheter placement is that no steering is required of the probe.
Probes can be placed either on the image plane, off of it, or any combination. When placed away from the image plane, omni probe information can be used to narrow the thickness of the sector scanned.
There has thus been broadly outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description as follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following. Furthermore, such objects, advantages and features may be learned by practice of the invention, or may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes only the preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode now contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
A key element of the present invention is that returned echoes in ultrasonography can be detected by a separate relatively non-directional receive transducer located away from the insonifying probe (transmit transducer), and the non-directional receive transducer can be placed in a different acoustic window from the insonifying probe. This probe will be called an omni-directional probe because it can be designed to be sensitive to a wide field of view.
If the echoes detected at the omni probe are stored separately for every pulse from the insonifying transducer, it is surprising to note that the entire two-dimensional image can be formed from the information received by the one omni. Additional copies of the image can be formed by additional omni-directional probes collecting data from the same set of insonifying pulses.
A large amount of straightforward computation is required to plot the amplitude of echoes received from the omni. Referring now to
This procedure will produce a sector scan image similar to that using the conventional technique except that the point spread function will be rotated.
Specular reflection is reduced using the omni probe compared to using the main probe for both insonification and detection. This is because all parts of a surface normal to the main beam are insonified with the same phase. When the phase is such that maximum echo is returned, all the echoes add to produce a specular echo. When the signals are normalized to accommodate the dynamic response of a particular display device, non-specular echoes will tend to drop out.
In contrast to this, and referring now to
An algorithm to plot this data on a rectangular grid is: (a) for each point on the x,y grid, convert x,y to depth and angle; (b) then find closest angle k scanned by the insonifying beam; (c) if it is sufficiently close, then convert x,y to distance to the omni; (d) compute time t=(distance to insonifying beam+distance to omni)/v; and (e) plot amplitude recorded by the omni for the k scan at x,y.
However, more information is available and should be used. It is possible to use the same technique to plot additional scan lines which were not explicitly insonified by the insonifying probe. Because of the inherently wide beam width of medical ultrasonic probes, much tissue between intentional scan lines is also insonified and returns echoes. Making use of this information is particularly important when capturing motion (especially in echocardiography) because the number of pulses that can be generated is strictly limited by the speed of ultrasound in tissue and the scan repetition rate desired.
The reconstructed image will get better as the angle between the main beam and the omni gets larger. However it is not necessary to focus a narrow beam on every element of tissue to be imaged as is true if the data is not stored and then processed before display. The lateral resolution can be reconstructed using a Wiener Filter to be much better than the beam width if the noise spectrum is low enough. In one simulation of 2 circles of diameter 2.2 mm and 4.0 mm, both imaged well enough that the center was clear even though the beam width was 4.4 mm tapered from 1 to 0 by a cosine function. The Wiener Filter is described in the next section.
There are four main sources of noise in ultrasonic imaging: (1) blur due to array size not wide enough; (2) shot noise; (3) reverberation from big interfaces; and (4) speckle.
Multiple probes give independent measures of shot noise, but using closely spaced elements in the main probe (if it is a phased array) will not give independent noise for the other three sources. Adding one or more omni probes will change the look angle, which will thereby change the speckle pattern and the reverberation pattern. These can be averaged out to lower the noise power spectrum. The Wiener filter can then be employed to cancel the blur.
Another way to eliminate speckle is to obtain a good sample of it for estimates of the noise spectrum to then be used in the Wiener filter.
De-blurring and de-noising by these techniques using only an external omni probe or probes will make it possible to visualize small and moving objects such as the coronary arteries. In such a case medical personnel could assess the degree of opening in the lumen or patency of bypass grafts without resort to invasive catheterization techniques.
When combining more than one image such as one from the main probe and another from one or more omni probes for the purpose of averaging out the various sources of noise, it is necessary to compensate for the variation in ultrasound velocity through different paths. Experiments have shown that small unaccounted errors in path velocity will displace the reconstructed image in both horizontal and vertical positions. Cross correlation techniques should be used to find the displacement with one image taken as reference before addition or other combination of images.
Two possibilities exist with regard to the Wiener filter. In one, a Wiener filter can be used separately on each image and then combine them. Alternatively, one can first combine the images (yielding a more complex point spread function) and then employ Wiener filtering.
In order to perform the indicated computations, it is necessary to either measure or estimate the position (x0, y0, z0) of the omni relative to the main probe. Exact knowledge of these positions is not required because, as we have seen, the displacement of the image from the omni probe is also affected by the variation of the velocity of ultrasound in different types of tissue. For this reason it is necessary to use cross correlation or some other matching criterion to make a final correction of the position of the omni-generated image before combining with the reference image or images.
Determining the Position of the Omni Probe(s): There are many ways to determine the position of the omni probe. Referring now to
Another method is to have no mechanical connection between the omni probe and the main probe (except wires for signals and power). Instead, the omni probe can transmit a signal using radio frequencies, light, or a different frequency ultrasound to triangulation receivers mounted on the main probe or a separate platform.
A third method again has no mechanical connection between the omni probe and main probe. For this method the omni probe (or probes) can be attached to the patient with tape, and the ultrasonographer can manipulate the main probe to find the best image without regard to positioning the omni probe(s). As indicated in
When the application requires the highest resolution compatible with capturing motion at a high frame rate, the four variables can be estimated over several frames of information. When the ultrasonographer has selected a good view angle, the frames can be combined at high rate holding x0, y0, z0, and D constant.
When the application requires the highest possible resolution, data can be captured (perhaps with EKG gating to capture separate images at systole and diastole) and the multi-dimensional search to optimize matching can be done more accurately although not in real time. Two advantages of this approach is that different values of D can be found for systole and diastole, and that different psf's can be used for deconvolution at different depths in the image.
Determining the Position of the Omni Probe(s) Using Correlation of the Scan Line Data Rather than Complete 2D Sectors: A fourth method for determining the position of the omni probe(s) entails replacing the omni probe or probes with a "semi-omni probe" or probes. The reason for this is to increase the signal to noise ratio by restricting the sensitive region of the receive transducer to a plane rather than a hemisphere. Because of this restriction it is necessary to have a mechanical linkage to ensure that both the transmit and receive transducers are focused on the same plane.
Two probes could be placed in any two acoustic windows. In the case of echocardiography, one would likely be in the normal parasternal window which typically gives the clearest view of the whole heart. A second window available in most patients is the apical view. Another window usually available is the subcostal. The two probes could even be placed on either side of the stemum or in parasternal windows in two intercostal spaces.
One probe could be the standard phased array cardiac probe. The second (and third, etc.) would be used as receive only. Theoretically it could be omnidirectional, but that would necessarily provide lower signals and therefore low signal to noise ratios (S/N). A better alternative is to use a probe which is ground to be sensitive to a plane of scan but omnidirectional within that plane. A single piece of PZT would work well, but to minimize the amount of new design required it is also possible to use a second probe head similar to the main probe and then use individual elements or small groups combined to act as single elements. The design goal is to use as many elements as possible to maximize signal to noise ratio while using few enough to minimize angle sensitivity.
In this embodiment 600 (see
The procedure is to aim the main probe 620 at the target 630 (e.g., heart) and position the secondary probe 610 at a second window with maximum received signal strength. One possibility is that the main probe be positioned for a long axis view with the secondary probe over the apex of the heart. Some slight deviation of the long axis view may be necessary in order to maintain the secondary probe in its most sensitive spot.
The secondary probe would now be held on the patient with a mechanical housing which allows a fan or rocking motion. The disadvantage of having two probes in fixed positions on the body is that the plane of scan must include these two points. The only degree of freedom is the angle at which the scan plane enters the patient's body. For a conventional 2D examination this is a severe limitation, but if the goal is to gather three dimensional information, this is not a limitation. The 3D information is obtained by rocking the main probe back and forth through a sufficient angle so that the entire heart is insonified. The secondary probe also rocks back and forth by virtue of the mechanical linage between the probes. The instantaneous angle of rocking must be monitored—perhaps by reference to a gyroscope mounted with the main probe. The rocking could be actuated by the hand motion of the ultrasound technician, or it could be motorized for a more-uniform angle rate. In an alternative preferred embodiment (for echocardiography), the main probe and an array of omni probes are placed in adjacent intercostal spaces using a mechanism as shown in
Computer software could be provided such that the 2D slices would fill a 3D volume of voxels. After adjacent voxels are filled through interpolation, 3D information can be displayed as projections or as slices through the volume at arbitrary orientations.
The need for and one important use of the 3D information is covered in co-pending U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 11/532,013, also by the present inventor, and which application is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
Yet another variation on this theme is to have the secondary transducer mechanically linked to the primary so that each plane of scan contains the other transducer (as above), but allow rotation of the main probe about its own axis. In this case the secondary probe would be allowed to move on the patient's body (properly prepared with ultrasound gel). It would have many elements, and an attached computer would scan them all to find those elements which have the strongest return signal.
Estimating Relative Probe Positions from Reflected Signals: For image reconstruction it is essential to know the position of the secondary probe (x, y) relative to the main probe. This has to be evaluated separately for each frame of data because of the motion of the patient, technician, and/or motorized angle actuator. Since the linkage will prevent any difference in position (z) perpendicular to the scan plane, only x and y need be assessed.
Note that any tilt of the main probe will change the reference axes so that x and particularly y will change too.
When a pulse is transmitted from the main probe it insonifies a sequence of tissues in the path of the beam. The returns from the tissues will be received by both the main probe and the secondary, digitized and stored in the computer. Echoes from relatively proximate tissues will be different for the two probes, but echoes from mid- to far range will be similar. It is possible to use cross correlation to find similar small patches in the two stored returns. They will be similar except for the time delay relative to the launching of the pulse from the main probe. The time delay will be related to the offsets x and y. Values for x and y cannot be determined from one set of time delays, but can be determined by solving a set of simultaneous equations from two detected similar returns. These could be different patches of the same pulse return or from returns from differently directed main pulses.
Referring now to
tissue packet at (x1, y1) is received at time t1m, and distance m1=sqrt(x1 2+y1 2)
tissue packet at (x2, y2) is received at time t2m, and distance m2=sqrt(x2 2+y2 2)
t1m corresponds to time of two trips of distance m1
t1ms=2 m1, where s=speed of ultrasound in same units as m=approx. 1.54�106 mm/sec
Similarly, t2ms=2 m2
Since x1, y1, x2, y2 and the times are known, one can solve the last two simultaneous equations for x and y.
Similarly, if a z offset between the two probes is allowed, x, y, and z can be calculated by solving three simultaneous equations.
Many more measurements from packet pairs are available. One could make a measurement on several or every scan line (angle) as measured from the main probe. Then we would have many equations in 2 unknowns which can be used to make more-accurate estimations of the 2 unknowns. Since these are nonlinear equations, a search technique can be utilized. One way to accomplish this is to compute error squared over a grid of (x, y) points using the equation:
The minimum E2 will indicate the minimum squared error estimate of (x, y). The search should be conducted over the expected range of x and y to save time and to avoid spurious ambiguous minima.
When the z component of the relative position is not constrained to be zero, the comparable error squared equation is:
The minimum E2 will indicate the minimum squared error estimate of (x, y, z).
If the speed of sound on the return path to the secondary (omni) transducer is different from s due to different types of tissues being traversed, the values of x and y (and z if used) will be different from the geometric values. However, use of these values in the image reconstruction algorithm will automatically compensate for the different speeds.
Obviously, the probes that have been described for imaging the heart would work equally well for imaging abdominal organs and other parts of the body such as legs, arms, and neck. In fact, use of receive-only transducers in conjunction with a transmit/receive probe would work better for abdominal organs because the orientation of the probe set is not limited by the intercostal spaces formed by the ribs. Whereas the locations of the acoustic windows to the heart limit the orientation of the probe to only a few orientations and it is necessary to rock the probe to gather three dimensional data, the probes can be used on the abdomen in any orientation presently used. Therefore the probes can be used for real-time 2D scans to duplicate presently accepted procedures except with much higher lateral resolution. In fact, this application of the technology may be as important as the application to cardiology (which was our original motivation).
For abdominal scanning it is not necessary to have an elaborate spacing adjustment between the active transmit/receive elements and the receive-only elements. In fact they could all be mounted together in one rigid probe, either as a linear array or an array with known curvature. Some prior art wide linear arrays exist which insonify tissue by using a small subset of the total number of elements to transmit and receive a beam perpendicular to the array. Then another partially overlapping subset of elements is used to transmit and receive another line parallel to the first one, and so on until an entire scan is completed.
However, the same array could be partitioned into an active section plus one or more passive sections where all sections would be used for each pulse. The active section of elements would be used in transmit as a sector scanner sending out beams in a sequence of angular paths. On receive, all elements would be treated as independent relatively nondirectional receivers and their outputs would be combined to form a high resolution image by the methods taught in this patent. Cross-correlation image matching to account for the variations in ultrasound speeds could be done separately for each receive element or for groups of elements for which the speed corrections would be nearly the same.
The concept of mounting the active and receive-only elements on a rigid structure eliminates the necessity for articulating and instrumenting the spacing between elements thus making practical combined probes to be used for trans-esophageal (TEE), trans-vaginal, and trans-rectal imaging.
A final class of probes would involve putting a receive-only transducer or transducers on the end of a catheter to be inserted in an artery, vein, or urethra while a separated transmit transducer array is applied to the surface of the skin. The advantage of this approach is that the catheter could be positioned close to an organ of interest thereby reducing the total transit distance from the transmit transducer to the receive element and thus higher frequencies could be used for better resolution. The receive element(s) on the catheter would not have to be steered as it (they) would be relatively omnidirectional.
The Wiener Filter: The Wiener filter itself is not new, but since it is important for the de-convolution step it will be described briefly here in the context of the present invention.
The Wiener filter is the mean squared error optimal stationary linear filter for images degraded by additive noise and blurring. Wiener filters are usually applied in the frequency domain. Given a degraded image I(n,m), one takes the discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) or the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to obtain I(u,v). The true image spectrum is estimated by taking the product of I(u,v) with the Wiener filter G(u,v):
The inverse DFT or FFT is then used to obtain the image estimate s(n,m) from its spectrum. The Wiener filter is defined in terms of the following spectra:
(a) H(u,v)—Fourier transform of the point spread function (psf);
(b) Ps(u,v)—Power spectrum of the signal process, obtained by taking the Fourier transform of the signal autocorrelation;
(c) Pn(u,v)—Power spectrum of the noise process, obtained by taking the Fourier transform of the noise autocorrelation;
The Wiener filter is:
The ratio Ps/Pn can be interpreted as signal-to-noise ratio. At frequencies with high signal to noise ratio, the Wiener filter becomes H−1(u,v), the inverse filter for the psf. At frequencies for which the signal to noise ratio is low, the Wiener filter tends to 0 and blocks them out.
Ps(u,v)+Pn(u,v)=|I(u, v)|2. The right hand function is easy to compute from the Fourier transform of the observed data. Pn(u,v) is often assumed to be constant over (u,v). It is then subtracted from the total to yield Ps(u,v).
The psf can be measured by observing a wire phantom in a tank using the ultrasound instrument. The Fourier transform of the psf can then be stored for later use in the Wiener filter when examining patients.
Because the psf is not constant as a function of range, the Wiener filter will have to be applied separately for several range zones and the resulting images will have to be pieced together to form one image for display. A useful compromise might be to optimize the Wiener filter just for the range of the object of interest such as a coronary artery or valve. It will be necessary to store separate Wiener filters for each omni-directional probe and for the main probe when it is used as a receive transducer.
An alternative to the Wiener Filter for deconvolution is the least mean square (LMS) adaptive filter described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/532,013. LMS Filtering is used in the spatial domain rather than the frequency domain, and can be applied to the radial scan line data, the lateral data at each depth, or both together.
Image sharpening can be accomplished by the use of unsharp masking. Because aperture blur is much more pronounced in the lateral dimension perpendicular to the insonifying beam) than in the radial dimension, it is necessary to perform unsharp masking in only one dimension. When using a sector scanner, this masking should be performed before scan conversion. When using a linear phased array, the unsharp masking should be performed on each data set of constant range. Unsharp masking consists of intentionally blurring an image, subtracting the result from the original image, multiplying the difference by an arbitrary factor, and adding this to the original image. In one dimension this is the same as blurring a line of data, subtracting it from the original line, and adding a multiple of the difference to the original line.
Multiple Active Transducers—Two Alternative Approaches: It is possible to use more than one active transducer placed at multiple acoustic windows in order to achieve the same goals of increased lateral resolution and noise suppression. A practical method of providing multiple omni probes is to use a second phased array head in a second acoustic window and then treating each element or group of elements of the second phased array as a separate omni. With this configuration of probes it would be possible to switch the functions of the two probe heads on alternate scans thereby generating images with different speckle patterns which can be averaged out.
Multiple phased array heads can also be used together so that both are active on the same scan. When two (or more) phased array transducers are placed in the same scan plane, they can be programmed with delays such that they act as a single array with a gap in the array of transducer elements. The advantages of having a gap in the array include a) achieving the lateral resolution of a wide aperture without the expense of filling in acoustic elements through the gap, and b) the gap in the probe or between probes can be fitted over ribs or the sternum. The first advantage applies equally to applications other than cardiac. The disadvantages of multiple active probes is that both the transmit and receive delays have to be recomputed for each new gap dimension and/or angular orientation of one probe relative to the others.
An active probe with a gap has been demonstrated to produce lateral resolution as good as the probe without the gap. This implies that larger gaps will achieve higher resolution since lateral resolution is determined primarily by the overall aperture. Referring now to
Having fully described several embodiments of the present invention, many other equivalents and alternative embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. These and other equivalents and alternatives are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image


text:
Sylviana Hamdani
There is an old saying in Indonesia, "rambut adalah mahkota wanita" (hair is a woman's crown), which still rings true today for women — lush healthy hair enhances the overall physical appearance, while strengthening self-esteem.
"Healthy hair also boosts a woman's self-confidence," said Mona Majid, senior brand manager of Clear shampoo. "And you need strong confidence to really excel at anything."
Since 2009, Clear has been organizing the "Clear Hair Models" competition for young Indonesian women, where hopeful contestants aged 17 to 35 have a chance to show off their beautiful hair, prove their talent and gain widespread popularity as the new "Clear Hair Models."
This year, the competition attracted more than 11,000 participants. The jury selected 36 semifinalists to participate in a closed audition last month in Balai Kartini, Jakata. In the closed tryouts, the jury conducted hair and scalp tests, acting auditions and interview sessions with the semifinalists.
"The competition is a platform for Indonesian women to showcase their best selves," Mona said.
The judges were hair and scalp specialist Dr. Susi Wong, senior film director Rudy Soedjarwo, actress Sandra Dewi and editors of top Indonesian fashion and lifestyle magazines.
"It was a long and difficult process," Rudy said. "[The jury] had to be very careful in screening these fresh young talents to obtain the very best ones."
When making final selections, the jury looked for contestants with beautiful healthy hair, strong talent and big dreams of achieving stardom in the entertainment industry.
Clear named five highly-talented young women with long beautiful hair as the winners of the competition at D'consulate Lounge in Jakarta last week.
"They're all fresh stars in Indonesia's entertainment industry," Mona said.
The new stars, Atika Noviasti, Maureen Pratiwi Irwinsyah, P.M. Bonita Lauwoie, Rechelle R. Rumawas and Taskya Giantri Namya, will be featured in Clear advertisements, as well as fashion-spreads and cover stories by top Indonesian fashion magazines.
"I want to be famous," said 19-year-old Rechelle, an avid ballerina and second-year student at the University od Indonesia, Jakarta, studying international relations. "I want to do both acting and dancing. If I have the opportunity and energy to do both, then why shouldn't I?"
Her biggest dream is to star in a dance-romance film such as 2006's "Step Up."
Winner Atika also had big dreams.
"I want to be a full-time actress," she said.
The 22-year-old is in her final year at the University of Indonesia, studying French literature. She had never modeled or acted in a movie before.
"Now that I've got a taste of it, I've become addicted [to acting]," Atika said. "I believe I've found my true life's passion in this competition."
Bonita is a model with a bachelor's degree in economics. After winning the competition, the 23-year-old wants to become proficient in acting and singing to further her career.
"I love the entertainment industry," Bonita said. "I hope to be able to exist in this industry for a very long time."
Each winner exudes strong confidence and determination.
"Their stories will inspire many Indonesian women to believe in their dreams and have the confidence to achieve them," Mona said.
This year, winners of the ''Clear Hair Models'' competition will also play lead roles in a romantic drama directed by Rudy Soedjarwo.
"It'll be one of my best movies," Rudy said. "The winners are all fresh young actresses with unique talents. They may look like the girls next door, but they'll definitely mesmerize the audience with their acting."
Rudy has previously directed a number of best-selling movies, including "Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?" ("What's Up with Love?" 2002) and "Garuda di Dadaku 2" ("Garuda on My Chest 2," 2011).
"The competition has actually made my job a lot easier," said the 40-year-old movie director. "It's crucial to have the most talented actors and actresses starring in the movie. But at the same time, the audience also wants to see fresh new faces. I can have actresses with both through this competition."
Actress Sandra Dewi said the winners were lucky to be able to act in Rudy's upcoming movie.
"Movies are like the ultimate [achievement] in the entertainment industry," Sandra said. "It took me years of casting and waiting and failing and trying again to be able to appear in a movie."
The 29-year-old actress, who has starred in dozens of television shows and movies in the country, started her career as a model in 2002. She appeared in several magazines and television advertisements before starring in her first movie "Quickie Express" in 2007. Through this movie, Sandra won the ''Most Favorite Newcomer'' at the Indonesia Movie Awards in 2008.
Sandra will have a supporting role as a doctor in Rudy's movie.
"The winners are definitely luckier than me," Sandra said. "But they deserve it. They're highly talented Indonesian women with big dreams, setting out to achieve them. I'm very proud of them. They're Indonesia's new female idols. They'll inspire Indonesian women to dream big and achieve their dreams."
Sandra and the five winners will soon fly to Bali to shoot the new movie.
During the 120 days of shooting, the winners will receive hair treatment and make-up training, modeling and posing instruction, as well as acting coaching to improve their talents.
The movie will be released in Indonesian cinemas in late December.
"I hope they can make use of this rare chance, work hard and never stop learning," Sandra said.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Learn more about Mayday Industries Roll and Go Survival Kit - 27 Piece:
Manufacturer: Mayday Industries
Mfg Part#: KT-WH1
Sku: 246014775
See more in First Aid Kits
|This backpack on wheels makes it easy to take your survival gear anywhere. Available for one or two people. (Two people kit is KT WH2). 1 Person Kit (KT WH1), 1 Backpack, 1 3600 Calorie Mayday food bar, 1 vegetable lasagna, 6 pouches of water, 1 mayday large solar blanket, 1 pair of work gloves, 1 adult poncho, 2 12 hour light sticks, 1 Dynamo FM radio with LED flashlight, 2 maxi pads, 1 clear solution hygiene kit, 2 pocket tissue, 2 wet naps (3 pack), 1 yellow rope 1 spoon/fork combo, 1 Blood stopper trauma dressing, 1 box of 50 waterproof matches, 1 slow burn emergency candles, 1 wag bag sanitation kit, 2 anti bacterial bar soap, 1 blue tarp and 1 personal water filter.


text:
Posts tagged 'John Rezell'
Haul-a-Day Camping
By Raz
Huge chunks of weathered gray rock jut skyward from the gentle tumbling waters of Fall Creek as I roll over the bridge, about to disappear under a thicker canopy of trees as the scenery changes ever so subtly. Those rocks are more submerged during the wetter months, and show why the creek makes a dramatic turn at this very spot.
Big Fall Creek Road narrows at this point where I could call it a day and roll into Cascara State Park to set up camp along the reservoir that reflects the rather dry winter we endured. We camped there 10 years ago, one of our last stops before driving into Eugene permanently to make it our home. I know there are vacancies, which make it tempting.
The feeling of "Been There, Done That" triumphs over any nostalgia rippling in my head. That was then, this is now.
Instead of our popup camper and the SUV filled with gear and my girls, I'm gliding across the bridge effortlessly on a Bike Friday Haul-a-Day cargo bike loaded down to get me through a night of camping.
Up the road a number of small campgrounds dot the edges of Fall Creek, and my heart is set on the solitude they offer. The softening of the afternoon light reminds me that, this being Friday, camping sites get snatched up in a hurry. This could be a lot of extra pedaling for naught.
Yet I'm in no hurry. The images of Fall Creek that pop in and out of view behind the lush green forest calm me. They also make me wonder why this has taken so long.
The last time I packed up camping gear on a bike and headed out with my buddy Jack, we were just hitting high school back in Wisconsin and didn't have driver's licenses to accommodate such desires. We had to load up backpacks with our gear, and wobble our way out to Eagle.
I'm thinking back to that because it is exactly why our cargo bike has been so popular. There are a lot of people out there who want to leave their cars behind. A cargo bike offers that type of freedom.
That type of freedom delivers peace on a number of levels. That's the overwhelming feel on this day. What, Me Worry?
More than anything, this is my personal quest to know the Haul-a-Day better so I can do my job better. That's just the reason for this adventure. The satisfaction is an added, pleasant bonus.
I've got the Haul-a-Day packed up with about 50 pounds of gear which, if you attempt to pick up the bike, feels like quite a significant load. I'm not the biggest dude on the block, running about 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, so having the Haul-a-Day itself start out at 33 pounds is a true benefit.
Having tested my strapping skills to make sure my cargo stays put and felt the weight of the full-loaded bike, the time had come to see how challenging this effort might be. With a solid push on the pedal, the Haul-a-Day responded quickly with a straight launch. No wobbling left and right to get it under control. It zipped forward, like an arrow.
As I've done more than few times in my five years of personally testing Bike Friday gear, I find myself shaking my head thinking, "Can it really be this easy?"
Three hours later, as I leave Cascara behind and continue into the Oregon wilderness, I know the answer is a resounding yes.
Although I tend to spend most of my riding these days on bike paths, trails and protected lanes, this venture brought me back to the reality of riding along a busy road with nary much of a shoulder. The feeling of complete control of the Haul-a-Day eased my mind when a logging truck would zoom past.
The gearing on this Haul-a-Day (it's the same Haul-a-Day that Adam Newman used for his review in Bicycle Times) has 24 speeds and more than enough on each end for me. The two-mile climb from the dam wasn't too steep, instead long and steady. I handled it with no problem.
As I roll into Broken Bowl campground and see open spots, I think that I should be more tired than I am. I'm lugging around an extra load, yet I could probably continue on if I had to. I see one spot still available on the creek, and realize I don't need to go any farther. This will do just fine.
2 comments July 20, 2015
Plan Ahead for School
PHOTO: Bike Friday owner Elle Steele riding with her boys on a Haul-a-Day.
By Raz
Elle Steele pedals through the streets of Sacramento on her Bike Friday Haul-a-Day with her two boys sitting comfortably on the back.
The sun shines down upon another beautiful day as she makes the short trip from her home to pick up her oldest son from school.
As they roll past commercial buildings back to the safety of her neighborhood, Elle asks how his day went.
There's a give and take of a little chit-chat as the boys enjoy the ride.
"The Haul-a-Day turns our everyday routine into an adventure with my two boys as we immerse ourselves in the sights and sounds and smells of our city," Elle said, pausing to laugh. "I suppose you could take out the smells to make it sound better, but I think my boys really get a great sense of what the city is really like.
"Like when we ride past a bakery and they are baking fresh bread. There's just so much to experience when we're running errands or making a drop-off run to school, and being on a bike allows us to move at a little slower pace instead of just driving through in a car all closed up inside."
From the Co-Designer of the Haul-a-Day, Shane MacRhodes, to a large number of other parents who have become Haul-a-Day owners, sharing special moments with their children is the ultimate reward of cycling with kids.
"There's more to it than just riding them around from here to there," Shane said. "You're also showing your kids how to ride responsibly and safely. It's just a great way to spend time with them, outside, experiencing the world."
KayCee Millitante found her way to the Haul-a-Day after working her way through the bicycle learning curve.
"We sold our car in August of 2013 and wanted to use a bike as our primary transportation," KayCee said. "I really didn't know much about bikes and I wasn't so sure I was going to like it, so I just bought a $100 bike from Target. But then I realized how easy it could be."
A former teacher, KayCee home schools here two children, and that includes plenty of field trips around downtown Chicago.
"I started looking around and I'd been reading Elle's blog online," KayCee said. "I knew she liked a lot of things I like, so when she had good things to say about the Haul-a-Day, I knew I would like it, too."
She did. In fact, her family now owns two Haul-a-Days.
"For me the most important thing is that I think it really makes us much closer as family," KayCee said. "When we're riding around we're talking and looking at everything. There's just so much more to it than I even imagined."
Although it is summer vacation, it's not too early to plan for the fall and the new school year.
Bike Friday's production schedule for Haul-a-Days is quickly filling up, and if you would want to take delivery on a Haul-a-Day in September, you need to act now.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Elle and KayCee are bloggers who share a lot of information about family cycling and Haul-a-Days. You can read Elle's blog "TinyHelmetsBigBikes" HERE and you can read Kaycee's blog "ChicagoBikeMom" HERE.
Add comment July 15, 2015
Crazy Trolls bike in Iceland
PHOTOS: Bike Friday owners Maria Holeso and Greg Hartman in Iceland.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bike Friday owners Maria Holeso and Greg Hartman recently uploaded this travel story and photos to the What Do You Do on a Friday section of our website:
"This past June we went on our first ever biking adventure!
"We choose Iceland and Bike Friday. What an amazing bike!
"These awesome bikes took us 900 miles through some crazy rain, wind and steep mountain passes. We spent 5 weeks biking and camping all over the beautiful country of Iceland.
"There is such a great feeling of freedom and peace being able to explore a country by bike.
"Thank you Bike Friday for making it so simple. I am already ready for our next bike adventure. Patagonia here we come!
"If you would like to see our YouTube video biking Iceland on our amazing Bike Fridays, check out "two crazy trolls bike Iceland."
EDITOR'S NOTE: You can always upload your own adventure stories and photos on our website at "What Do You Do on a Friday"
Add comment July 11, 2015
Bike Fridays for a good cause
PHOTO: Bike Friday owners Adam Arlan and David Nestvold raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Vermont.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bike Friday owner Adam Arlan sent us this note and photo about his travels and fund-raising on his Bike Friday.]
"Hello Bike Friday Team,
"I wanted to share this picture with you. Front row is me (Adam Arlan) and David Nestvold with our Bike Fridays.
"We are both bike coaches for the northwest chapter of JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). We help riders train and prepare for destination rides as we raise money for the cure of Type 1 Diabetes.
"The photo is from our trip to Burlington, Vermont from Seattle for a century ride. In this picture we're in the southern part of Burlington overlooking Lake Champlain.
"I purchased my Bike Friday from you in January 2014. So far it has been to Hawaii, California, Arizona, Nevada, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
"Last November we traveled to Arizona with several JDRF riders as well. We rode El Tour de Tucson and raised money for JDRF on my Bike Friday.
"I'll be taking it on another JDRF ride this fall to Death Valley. We also got another JDRF rider to buy a Bike Friday.
"Here is the link to my fundraising site for the JDRF ride this fall.
Add comment July 5, 2015
Bike Friday Gravel Grinders
It's nearly impossible to forget the first time I felt the exciting crunch of gravel beneath the wheels of my bike.
The summer sun beat down on us, four junior high renegades bombing around on our bikes with a thirst for exploration and adventure.
That's a fancy way of saying we were looking for a shortcut to my friend's new digs, hoping a closed road would pay off.
We skirted around the wooden barricade, and soon charged down a thrilling, winding, hill. That's when the pavement disappeared beneath our rubber and gravel introduced itself at the most inconvenient of moments.
A quick, terrifying glance at my speedometer showed we were pushing 30 mph as we whipped through a tight corner.
My buddies, with more appropriate bikes for this, slammed on their coaster brakes and roared to a stop with their fatter tires. Meanwhile, on my less than ideal 10-speed with rim brakes and thin tires, I didn't dare touch the brakes for fear of my wheels skidding out from under me.
With some sketchy fish-tailing not to mention Divine Intervention, I somehow managed to stay upright through the turn, but before the road could level off and I could breathe easy, reality hit.
I found no wooden barricade on this end of the road. No, I faced a 6-foot tall berm of dirt to discourage visitors. A small, foot-wide worn section showed I wouldn't be the first to slip over this impressive obstacle.
Instead, I would just be the first to do so at 30 mph.
Here I bow to the reports of my witnesses, who say I launched 20 feet high and 20 feet out before flipping over my front wheel with my elbow somewhat softening the impact of my face on, you guessed it, more gravel.
Of course, by this point in my life I was well acquainted with the emergency room and stitches. So you understand how gravel sparks memories for me.
The emergence of Gravel Grinders as popular cycling events — my aerial acrobatics notwithstanding — makes sense to me. Especially having spent the better part of the past 10 years in Oregon exploring countless gravel fire roads.
My Bike Friday Pocket Llamas (yes, I have two) have proven to be perfect for Gravel Grinding, and after my recent trip to Sea Otter in California, I learned our Bike Friday Diamond Tourist might even be more hungry for that type of terrain, and for a more affordable choice we have our Bike Friday Pocket Expedition.
The greatest value of my Bike Friday comes from the travel aspect that few consider at the outset: Its ability to remain folded in the back of my SUV, under a blanket, giving me constant access to my bike without anyone knowing I have it with me.
Here in Oregon, that means endless opportunities to steal away an hour or two, simply riding up the nearest fireroad.
The ability to go to wider tires make the Llama, Expedition and Diamond Tourist perfect for this joyriding. Toss in a Thudbuster seatpost and you're ready for action.
After countless miles on Schwalbe Big Apple tires, I've spent the past year enjoying Maxxis Holy Rollers, that give me a little bit of knobby tread that, I hope, might come in handy if and when that next berm rears its ugly head.
Here are two great resources for Gravel Grinding:
Travel Oregon's RideOregonRide.com
Riding Gravel website
You can read more of Raz's adventures in his ebook "You Can't Cook a Dead Crab and Eat It"
Add comment May 18, 2015
Sprocket Podcast Features Bike Friday
Brock Dittus of The Sprocket Podcast in Portland recently interviewed Bike Friday Special Projects Manager Raz for a podcast
Add comment May 11, 2015
Haul-a-Day fits on Chicago Metra
This from owner KayCee Millitante:
"My first time taking a bike on the Metra — ever — and the only problem I had was that the conductor wouldn't stop asking me about my very cool bike smile emoticon (and I'd been nervous because I heard some were cranky about bringing on bikes!)"
— KayCee Millitante
Add comment March 16, 2015
Haul-a-Day fits Bay Area Light Rail
We got this note from a Haul-a-Day owner:
"With the front wheel turned around and the bike in the 52cm position, the Haul-a-Day fits nicely in the bike racks on a Santa Clara VTA Light Rail train car, so HaDs in the Silicon Valley can ride light rail with confidence!"
— Martin Quiazon
Add comment March 16, 2015
Great song, nice bike
Some amazing people are attracted by the Haul-a-Day.
The song is called The Wolf and it is written and performed by John Ross-Boyce.
Add comment March 10, 2015
Seattle Bike Show review
The Examiner did a story on the Seattle Bike Show. Check out the photos. Bike Friday is well represented.
Add comment March 5, 2015


text:
After averaging 10.8 ppg. and 8.5 rpg., senior Jamel McLean earned Third Team Atlantic 10 Conference honors.
March 7, 2011
CINCINNATI - The Atlantic 10 Conference announced today that junior All-America candidate Tu Holloway has been named 2010-11 Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year and a member of the A-10 All-Defensive Team by the A-10 coaches. Head coach Chris Mack earned the A-10 Coach of the Year Award, while senior Jamel McLean and sophomore Mark Lyons earned spots on the A-10 Third Team and junior Kenny Frease earned A-10 Honorable Mention honors.
Holloway is second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in scoring at 20.1 ppg., in assists at 5.5 apg. and free throw percentage at 86.7 percent. Holloway is the second Xavier player to earn the honor since XU joined the Atlantic 10 Conference for the 1995-96 season. 2003 National Player of the Year and two-time NBA All-Star David West won the award an A-10 record three straight years (2001, 2002 and 2003).
Xavier second-year head coach Chris Mack has been named 2010-11 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year by his fellow A-10 coaches. Mack is the third XU head coach to win the award. Sean Miller won the award in 2008. Thad Matta won the award in 2002. The 2002 season marked the only other time until this year that Xavier had swept the Atlantic 10 Conference Player and Coach of the Year Awards. David West was the 2002 A-10 Player of the Year.
McLean leads Xavier and is ranked second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in rebounding at 8.5 rpg. to go with 10.8 ppg. Lyons is second on the team and 14th in the Atlantic 10 in scoring at 13.8 ppg. Frease is third on the team in scoring at 11.9 ppg. and second on the team and 10th in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding at 7.2 rpg.
No. 23 Xavier, 24-6 overall and Atlantic 10 Conference Regular Season Champion at 15-1, has won nine straight games and 16 of its last 17 games. The nine-game winning streak is the longest in two seasons under Mack and the longest XU streak since XU won 11 straight games in the 2008-09 season.
No. 1 seed Xavier plays its first Atlantic 10 Championship Game on Friday at noon in Atlantic City, N.J. XU takes on the winner of tomorrow's Dayton at Massachusetts game.


text:
It has been said that banality is a defense against being overwhelmed. If so, then one listen to The Bastards of Fate's Who's a Fuzzy Buddy? may prompt you to up your prescription of Xanax. Cacophony crashes head-on into balanced harmonies, and found sounds blend with outsider elements, all layered with beats that have you dancing one minute and slamming the next. When spitting out 99-cent singles is almost a style de rigueur and many bedroom musicians are riding the chillwave, Roanoke, VA's The Bastards of Fate are neither reinventing nor redefining rock and roll, just providing some re-invigoration.
Led by Doug Cheatwood, who had been doing the one-man band thing for a couple of years, Doug Cheatwood and The Bastards of Fate first came together in early 2005 (Cheatwood dropped his name in 2006). Recruiting guitarist Benjamin Pugh, bassist Jason Wells, and drummer Doug Shelor, the lineup was solidified with the addition of Camellia Delk on violin and keyboards, the yin that balances the band's eccentric yang.
Visually, the band's quirky style is evident in their non-matching jackets and ties, the oversized afro wig adorned by Wells, and Cheatwood's use of a confetti gun (which has contributed to the group getting banned from numerous venues). Musically, it is heard from the opening moments of garbled banter before they are blown away by a harmonica on "Digging Up Dinosaurs". It carries through the goofy electro-pop and demonic, spastic punk, ending with album closer "Nobody Loves You" and its horrific cries of "why?", the sound like a possessed cat clawing through your brain.
Of Buddy's 12 tracks, four ("Digging Up Dinosaurs", "Oedipus Rex", "The Sweet Touch" and "Spaceheater") were originally recorded during Cheatwood's solo days. Of these, only "Spaceheater" is drastically different in style from the other tracks, evolving from an abandoned voice akin to the delivery (but not the content) of Elliott Smith or Matt Sharp, into a groovy, synth-laden track that percolates as it moves along.
Blending danceable pop with the avant kudos of Beefheart and Oingo Boingo, the Bastards excel at the slightly outré brand of pop music that is at the heart of Who's a Fuzzy Buddy?. All of this is heard in Pugh's ferocious riffs on "Impossible Feelings", Delk's rolling keyboard in "The Zero Hour" (possibly channeled from the same part of the universe that inspired Europe's "The Final Countdown"), and the hardcore synth-punk collage in "Harlequin Fetus" that simply begs the question: "What the fuck?" The entire band chanting "everybody's on drugs" at the end of "Fan Fiction Writer" fits that same agenda. But the band's musicianship, humor, and inter-connectivity all come together on "Police 9000", easily the album's centerpiece. It's the most demonstrative of the band's individual personalities working together toward a singular vision.
With a debut album as strong as their live shows, The Bastards of Fate are poised to leave behind their sleepy little mountain town. They have managed to create not only an original album, but one that still retains a sense of the familiar. It's askew enough to warrant a listen, but not alienating, revealing more of itself upon repeat listens. And if that isn't a perfect reason to check out an album, I don't know what is.
Suggested Tracks: "Police 9000″, "Spaceheater", and "Impossible Feelings"


text:
Cardiac-Specific Expression of the Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) Under the Control of a TnIc Promoter Confers a Heart Protective Effect After Myocardial Infarction (MI)
Browse Journals
Bentham Online
For Authors & Editors
By Titles
By Subject
Browse Patent Journals
Price and Ordering Information
New Journals
New Journals 2016
New Journals 2015
New Journals 2014
Subscription Rates
Subscription Rates 2015
Subscription Rates 2014
Journals Impacting Science
Free Online Samples
Journal Catalogs
Submit Manuscripts
Purchase Articles
Search Articles
Online Feedback
Social Media
Bentham Insight
Editorial Policies
Publishing Ethics
Self-Archiving Policies
Reviewer Guidelines
Author Benefits
ISSN: 1566-5232 (Print)
ISSN: 1875-5631 (Online)
Volume 15, 6 Issues, 2015
Download PDF Flyer
Current Gene Therapy
Aims & Scope
Abstracted/Indexed in
Ranking and Category:
of 167 in Genetics & Heredity
Submit Abstracts Online
Submit Manuscripts Online
Ignacio Anegon
Director INSERM UMR 1064-Center for Research in Transplantation and Immunology
CHU de Nantes. 30, boulevard
View Full Editorial Board
Purchase Articles
Order Reprints
Current: 2.542
5 - Year: 2.948
Journal Home
Aims & Scope
Editorial Policies
Publishing Ethics
Self-Archiving Policies
Reviewer Guidelines
Instructions for Authors
Free Copies Online
Contents & Abstracts
Open Access Articles
Most Accessed Articles
Most Cited Articles
Advertise With Us
Library Recommendation
Trial Requests
Special Issue Submission
Cardiac-Specific Expression of the Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) Under the Control of a TnIc Promoter Confers a Heart Protective Effect After Myocardial Infarction (MI)
Current Gene Therapy,
14(1): 63-73.
Zhihui Xu, Zhengxian Tao, Zhuowen Xu, Yuefeng Yang, Hua Wang, Lisheng Wang, Zuze Wu, Qi Tan, Ningtian Zhou, Ming Zhang, Pengsheng Chen and Zhijian Yang
Department of Cardiology and Department of Geriatrics, The First affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
Objective: Uncontrolled therapeutic gene expression and neovascularization in non-specific tissues has lowered the safety of gene therapy. The aim of the study was to identify a cardiac-specific promoter to control target gene expression in heart tissue in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Adenovirus vectors containing the firefly luciferase or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) genes under control of the Troponin I (TnIc) or Cytomegalievirus (CMV) promoters were transfected into cell lines or injected into the left ventricular wall of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats via thoracotomy. Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced immediately before direct injection. In vivo luciferase expression was assessed using a bioluminescence imaging system. Heart function was monitored via echocardiograph intermittently for eight weeks after injection. Results: The constitutively active CMV promoter yielded luciferase expression throughout the body while luciferase expression driven by the TnIc promoter was largely restricted to the hypoxic heart. The CMV promoter was more efficient, yielding 100-1000 fold more light output than the TnIc promoter. Four weeks after injection, we observed a significant decline in the ejection fraction (EF) in saline and Ad-Null groups but a 17% increase in the Ad-CMV-HGF group. No change in EF was observed in the Ad-TnIc-HGF group. Conclusions: The adenovirus vector combined with the TnIc promoter largely restricts gene-targeted therapy in the hypoxic heart and prevents heart failure after myocardial infarction.
Troponin, promoter, HGF, luciferase.
Download Free
Order Reprints
Order Eprints
Rights and Permissions
Article Details
Issue Number:
First Page:
Last Page:
Page Count:
Related Journals
view more >>
Webmaster Contact:
Copyright © 2015 Bentham Science


text:
The Red Wings, coming off a 4th straight win vs the Panthers went into Minnesota, itching for a 5th straight, which happened. Here is the recap:
This low scoring game had nothing major happen through the first two periods, scoreless through 41 minutes of hockey to be exact, until the third period came around.
In the third, Nick Lidstrom scored at the 1:10 mark, giving the Wings the late 1-0 lead. but at 4:50, Martin Havelt scored, tying the game, and eventually forcing OT.
Nothing happened in OT, which led to the shootout.
In the shootout, for the Wings, Datsyuk scored first. Minnesota went and had Bouchard get stopped by Howard. Hudler for Wings missed the net, and for the Wild, Cullen was stopped by Howard, which led to the game winner, seconds later by Bertuzzi
The Wings have won 5 straight and get to 80 points, still battling for that top seed.


text:
Friday, June 6, 2003
© Copyright 2015 Clayton News Daily
By Doug GormanHe has a Super Bowl ring. Thanks to his performance Thursday night, Myron Guyton also has a Legends victory trophy to go with the piece of jewelry. There's been a 13-year gap between Guyton's Super Bowl championship with the Giants, and his victory at Thursday Thunder, but there's no doubt the resident of McDonough hasn't lost his flare for victory. "We had a good car, and I was glad to finally have won," he told the enthusiastic crowd after his victory. The former NFL star helped usher in Atlanta Motor Speeway's sixth season of Thursday Thunder. Thursday night, it might have been safer for the former NFL standout to be back on the gridiron instead of racing in the Chargers' Division, of the AMS Series, but despite a caution-plagued race, Guyton prevailed holding off the No. 43-Richard Petty modeled car driven by Larry Pepples. It was Guyton's first career win at AMS. Guyton skipped last year's series. In 2001, Guyton had a second, third and fourth place finish at AMS before taking a brief hiatus. While Guyton was racing to his first victory, 13-year-old Joey Logano continued to show the maturity of a driver much older. After winning the Semi-Pro Division last year, Logano has moved up again. This time to the Pro Division. It appears nothing can stop the talented young driver has he took control of the points standings in the Pro Division with a solid victory. Logano, who already holds the track record for consecutive victories with 14, is dividing his time between Late Model racing, Legends racing on Tuesday night at Lowes Motor Speedway in North Carolina and at AMS. Confidence Booster: A year ago, Hunter Robbins finished third in the Bandits Division. This year he is sounding like a champion after winning the first race of the season in the division. "I plan on winning them all," he said. Semi-Pros: A year ago Bubba Harry captured the points title in the Chargers' Division. Moving up hasn't seemed to slow the Griffin driver. Thursday in his Semi-Pro Debut, Harry wasn't slowed by the switch as he crusied to the checkered flag. Because the event was not finished before the Daily's deadline, results were not available in the Masters, Bandolero Outlaws, Bandolero Young Guns or Roadsters. Thursday Thunder continues for the next nine weeks at AMS. Tickets to the summer event at the Speedway are $5 for adults and $1 for children 12 to 6. Children under six are admitted for free.
More like this story
- Logano's ready to add to his growing resume ( June 5, 2003 )
- Ragan still has winning edge ( June 26, 2003 )
- Green flag ready to drop on another year of Thursday Thunder ( June 1, 2011 )
- Robbins puts perfect streak on line ( July 3, 2003 )
- Musgrave tests at AMS ( March 24, 2004 )


text:
31 Bergen Turnpike, Little Ferry, New Jersey
Custom Kitchen Cabinets
Fireplace mantels
Wall Units
Wall Paneling
Entertainment Centers
Bathroom Vanities
Home Office/Library
Furniture Designs
Custom Carpentry
Entertainment Center and Home Theater Designs
Entertainment centers and home theaters are much more than just choosing a great TV and nice sound system. Presentation is an important component of any home theater system. Our custom wall units and theater designs are created to impress your finickiest guests. What could be more luxurious than a custom-crafted, fine-wood cabinetry to decorate your screen area or a custom rack system to proudly display your audio-video equipment. Let A-Van work with your A/V specialists to create a room you'll enjoy every day.
|a-van.com © 2006 About Us | Resources | Contact Us | Site Map


text:
It was getting late in the summer and like a lot of American Hockey League free agents, Hunter Bishop was getting a little nervous about the prospects of finding a team.
Today's GameWHO: Evansville IceMen 17-27-5 (39 points) vs. South Carolina Stingrays 23-23-4 (50 points)When: 7:05 p.m.Where: North Charleston ColiseumTickets: 744-2248
As August turned into September and with an NHL lockout almost a certainty, Bishop knew that jobs in the AHL or over in Europe were going to be scarce.
Bishop began to look at the ECHL, a league he'd played briefly in during the 2010-11 season, and reached out to an old friend — South Carolina Stingrays assistant coach J.B. Bitner. Bitner had been an assistant coach at Ohio State University during Bishop's senior season with the Buckeyes.
Bitner and the Stingrays are certainly glad Bishop made that phone call.
The former Ohio State star leads the team with 20 goals and is second with 40 points as the Stingrays head into tonight's game against Evansville. The game is set to start at 7:05 p.m. at the North Charleston Coliseum.
"It was a wild summer with the lockout," Bishop said. "A lot of guys, a lot of really good players, were left out because everyone was scrambling for spots."
Despite signing a contract with the Montreal Canadians three years ago, Bishop had dropped off of the NHL grid. He missed all of last season with a shoulder injury he suffered in a preseason game. The year before that, he'd missed a big chunk of the season with a concussion. There were questions about his durability coming into this summer, which was the main reason AHL teams were shy about signing the Anchorage, Alaska, native.
There was no doubt about Bishop's talent. Blessed with an NHL-caliber shot and quick feet, Bishop was among the top players in the Big Ten.
"We had a lot of guys on that team that were NHL-caliber players and Hunter was certainly one of those guys," Bitner said. "He's a high-end skill guy that we knew could help us."
Bishop has played in 40 games with the Stingrays, only being out of the lineup when he was called up to the AHL. Bishop hopes he has put concerns about his durability to rest.
"I hope I've put all that behind me," Bishop said. "I think I've proven I can hold up for an entire season. The last couple of seasons have been tough for me because I really missed playing when I was out of the lineup."
Bishop got off to a slow start this season, but he never doubted that he would regain his scoring touch.
"You can practice all you want, but you can't simulate game situations in the summer," Bishop said. "That's a different animal. I anticipated a little bit of a rocky start because I hadn't played very much in the last year and a half. Give the coaching staff here credit, they were patient with me and showed a lot of confidence in sticking with me."
Everything clicked into place when Stingrays head coach Spencer Carbery decided to put Bishop and Tyler McNeely on the same line. The two had played against each other at the junior hockey level, but didn't know each other personally. From the beginning of November to Christmas, Bishop recorded 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 26 games.
"You might find a handful of guys during your lifetime that from day one everything just seems to fit," Bishop said. "We hit it off right away. Every time he's here and we get to play together we just seem to click. We're such great friends off the ice too. He's made this a fun year for me."
McNeely, who leads the team with 44 points, is playing with the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters.
"For his sake I hope he stays up there for the rest of the season," Bishop said. "Selfishly, I hope he comes back."
With two months left in the regular season, the Stingrays are fighting for their playoff lives. Bishop knows there's almost no margin for error for the Stingrays as they head into the final stretch of their schedule. South Carolina is currently in 10th place in the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The top eight teams advance to the Kelly Cup playoffs. The Stingrays have made the postseason an ECHL record 18 times in their previous 19 seasons.
"We're focused on getting that spot in the playoffs," Bishop said. "We're approaching every game like it's our last. For us, the playoffs have already started."
Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point.
We do not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click the X that appears in the upper right corner when you hover over a comment. This will send the comment to Facebook for review. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full terms and conditions.


text:
adidas Women's Supernova Delta Running Jacket
$74.97 $100.00*
Save $25.03 (25%)
Product Information:
For the jacket that takes no days off, zip up in the adidas® Women's Supernova Delta Running Jacket. With climaproof® protection, you stay comfortable in windy and rainy conditions, so your runs never have to suffer. This jacket has a zip pocket to stash belongings, raglan sleeves that allow you to move freely, and a removable outer layer for more or less coverage. Run through the elements in the adidas® Supernova Delta Jacket.
Click here to learn more about adidas climaproof technology.
Click here to learn more about adidas FORMOTION technology.
Click here to learn more about adidas FORMOTION technology.
- Slim fit, full zip running jacket
- climaproof® offers weather protection in windy and light rain conditions
- FORMOTION® engineered to move naturally with your body for freedom of movement
- Zip pocket on lower back to store small belongings
- Raglan sleeves for freedom of movement
- Detachable bolero style layer with hood for coverage when you want it
- Reflective details increase visibility in lowlight conditions
- Fabric: 100% nylon
- Style: F13080247
- adidas
Country of Origin: ImportedWeb ID: 23845596


text: KalteisOur recommendations The name sounds icy. But your welcome is heartwarming at this enjoyable, typical country inn at the heart of splendid Pielachtal valley. Kirchberg an der Pielach Kirchberg an der Pielach on the map This counry inn has served the needs of stopover guests, wagoners and regional farmers since the year 1693. It has been in the capable hands of the Kalteis family since 1957 and is a true family business. Theresia Kalteis, mother, cooks with Hubert Kalteis, son; Sonja, daughter, and Hubert Kalteis, father, take care of the guests. Additional area of responsibility of the latter, as passionate hunter, is to provide wild game specialties to the menu on a regular basis. Thus, venison pluck with bread dumplings, carpaccio of venison calf with black nuts or pink-roasted saddle of venison with goose liver on blackberry sauce are suitable gestures of homage to the surrounding countryside, so rich in fauna. The Kalteis chefs walk the line between creativity and down-to-earth homeyness, the foremost commandment being that the product quality must be unbeatably good. Whoever makes such great efforts in the kitchen should not neglect the cellar, and they don't: Austrian white wines and matured reds from far and near fill the cellar shelves to bursting.KalteisMeiker Strasse 103204 Kirchberg an der PielachOpen: Thursday - Sunday save to favorites article added to list od favorites Recommend Print Activate permanently and allow data transmission Facebook Google+ Twitter Pinterest By activating these fields, information will be sent to Facebook, Google or Pinterest in the USA and can be used and stored by these companies. 1 Click for more privacy: click here to activate Pinterest 1 Click for more privacy: click here to activate Twitter 1 Click for more privacy: click here to activate Google 1 Click for more privacy: click here to activate Facebook


text:
(skip this header)
Sunday, August 02, 2015
A daily numerical look at the games.
Clive Brunskill / Getty Images; San Antonio Express-News photo illustration
Justin Gatlin of the United States receives the relay baton from Trell Kimmons of the United States during the Men's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1 heats on Day 14 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 10, 2012 in London, England.
© 2015 Hearst Newspapers II, LLC


text:
How Paris Jackson Made Surprise Cameo in Trial
Photo: Jason LaVeris
Photo: Jason LaVeris
In the deposition, Paris is asked about former nanny Grace Rwaramba. "My dad didn't like her, so he tried to keep her away from us," said Paris, who wore a dark, short hairstyle and a blue buttoned-down shirt. "So he'd send her to run errands a lot."
Although Rwaramba was reportedly fired, she kept returning to work for the Jackson family, because Michael "felt bad 'cause she didn't really have a lot of money," Paris said.
She added that Michael said Rwaramba "was sneaky. She wasn't an honest person, and she lied a lot."
Paris added that there were some incidents when Rwaramba was "really creepy." When she and her brother Prince were younger and Michael would stay at hotels, the nanny "would call the hotel and say that she was his wife. She was obsessed with him," Paris said. "And they'd let her in, and he'd wake up and she'd be, like, in his bed."
AEG's lawyers used Paris' deposition to counter earlier testimony by the family's personal chef, Kai Chase, who said the Rwaramba "was the mother they knew" and helped raise the children, CNN reports.
During his testimony, Chase said that the Jackson children have been deeply affected by their father's death. Paris hasn't had a birthday party since her father threw her a circus-themed bash when she turned 11.
"Being daddy's little girl, Paris is devastated," Chase said. "She's devastated and lost. She's trying to find herself and find who she is. It's taking a lot of love and understanding to keep her together. She breaks down, she cries, she talks about him."


text:
TransGaming: Max Payne & DX8 Progress; New PollsFebruary 19th, 2002 by Alkini
TransGaming has announced that they have reached a significant milestone in DirectX 8 support in WineX: a portion of Max Payne now works screenshot. So far it is only the tutorial that they have working, but they plan to have the rest working soon. In the announcement, TransGaming cites this as the first major success of their voting system. So, on a related note, the polls for February are up.
Update @ 11:00CST: TransGaming has issued a press release regarding this success.


text:
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
With the Milwaukee Brewers 19.5 games out of first place in the National League's Central Division, mega-millionaire and former MVP Ryan Braun decided to throw in the towel and serve out a 60-game suspension while forfeiting $3.5 million for his part in the Biogenesis scandal and performance enhancing drugs.
Nice going, Ryan. You cheated. You got caught. And you took a powder on the rest of the season and abandoned your teammates. Personally I hope you never play another game.
Alex Rodriguez – A-Roid – the poster child of Major League Baseball's Second Steroid Era, hasn't played a game yet this season and probably won't, if the Yankees have anything to say about it. A-Roid gives good lip service to wanting to get back out there on the field and help his beloved Yankees win another championship.
The problem with that notion is the last time Alex was on a baseball field, in the 2012 playoffs, he couldn't hit sand if he fell off a camel and watched from the top of the dugout steps. Age and his deteriorating body had failed him.
The performance enhancing drugs was the glue holding his body together and now that he can't use them his body is literally falling apart.
A-Roid, I hope you never play another game. The Yankee dream of bringing baseball's career home run title back to New York just grew wings and flew out the window because it's not going to happen. Rodriguez has 647 career home runs and sits in fifth place behind Willie Mays' 660 big flies. He will never hit number 648.
Cheating is any act designed to give one competitor an unfair advantage over the other. A runner on second stealing the catcher's signs and relaying them to the hitter by way of hand signals is cheating.
Scuffing up a baseball – cheating. Corking a baseball bat – cheating. Throwing a spitball – cheating.
Chucking back a Starbuck's triple shot espressos (well stirred) before game six of a seven game road trip because it's nearly August and you are dog tired, that's cheating too.
Nearly every NBA locker room has an espresso machine somewhere in it, and it's not because Metta World Peace likes to enjoy a little Italian Espresso Roast after a tough game. It's for the caffeine shot.
The best thing to do in regard to hooking a much needed caffeine buzz was to take a pinch of coffee grounds and stick it between your cheek and gum. I was doing cartwheels by the fourth inning.
In a round table discussion a couple years back involving Willie Mays, Tim McCarver, Bob Gibson and Bob Costas, Mays said he wasn't sure he wouldn't have tried steroids if they were made available to him. They weren't and it's a moot point but Mays was speaking honestly.
Bob Gibson had the best reply, opting to deal with issues the way baseball players like to deal with issues, on the field.
He said, "I want to face Barry Bonds with all his body armor, leaning in over the plate like that."
Gibson just smiled when asked to expand on his remarks. Gibson was famous for the high and tight fastball.
Maybe that's what baseball should do in regard to PEDs.
Let Ryan Braun suit up like Iron Man and step up to the plate against Craig Kimbrel. Chin music seems to be the only thing that gets baseball players' attention.
The Berkeley Independent is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. We do not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Berkeley Independent.
If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full terms and conditions.
© 2015 The Berkeley Independent an Evening Post Industries company. All Rights Reserved.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Parental Consent Form.


text:
Between the Don Gaspar Inn in Santa Fe, New Mexico, The Casa Blanca Inn in Farmington, NM and Blue Lake Ranch just outside Durango Colorado - there are ample adventures to be had exploring the Southwest this summer! Coming into Santa Fe and spending a few days enjoying Art, Cuisine, Culture and History - not to mention Opera, Orchestra and Gallery Openings always begins the journey on the right foot! Meandering through Abique or Sidewinding via Taos...maybe a little White Water Rafting or Hiking on the way is a lot of fun. As you head up to the Four Corners area...if you travel via Bandelier or Los Alamos you will have some great recent or ancient history exposure. Once you make it to Farmington - the Casa Blanca serves as a great centerpoint to explore some of the most famous sites in the Four Corners region of the Southwest - be it Canyon de Chelly, Chaco Canyon or Mesa Verde. From there - head up to Durango and enjoy a little laid back luxury at the scenic and relaxing Blue Lake Ranch for a while. From there you may find yourself drawn north thru Colorado, Utah and wherever else the road may take you!! It's a lesson in some amazing history - great towns and wonderful people. Each of the "Inns of the Southwest" are unique - but familiar with their welcoming Gardens, Southwest decor and great hospitality. Join us this summer and fall and enjoy 10% off when you spend 5 days or more at a combination of the Inns! http://www.dongaspar.com/SisterInns.html
A short walk from the Santa Fe Plaza...the Inn is often described as "the best kept secret in Santa Fe". Set in the traditional compound style and featuring 3 distinct architechtural styles of the southwest, it is the perfect place to come home to after a long day of discovery. Still growing and improving after almost 2 decades...we welcome our guests to discover the City Different from the charm of The Don Gaspar Inn.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Inns of the Southwest - Travel Hits!
Posted by Kristine Baker Don Gaspar Inn at 6:35 AM
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Subscriptions If you enjoyed this sample and want to read more, Asimov's Science Fiction offers you another way to subscribe to our print magazine. We have a secure server which will allow you to order a subscription online. There, you can order a subscription by providing us with your name, address and credit card information.
"Thought Experiments: Cyberpunk is Alive and Well and Living In- Where Else?-Japan" by Brooks Peck, copyright © 2006, with permission of the author.


text:
Posted by debonairblog at 1:17 AM | Labels: Debonairblog MMS | Estou lendo: Assamese lady from Guwahati sucking dick and fucked missionary style MMSTweet this! | Assine o Feed.
|Loda Reactions:
Related Articles
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
At ( India-Debonairblog) you will find about the latest mobile phone scandals, hot and naked sexy Indian babes, masala porn movies.
|Loda Reactions: