text:
A method and system for monitoring breathing movement of an infant is disclosed. A method and system for detecting and predictably estimating regular cycles of breathing movements is disclosed. Another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to detect and report irregularity of breathing activity of an infant, such as cessation and non-periodicity, which suggests a likelihood of SIDS.
1. A method of monitoring breathing activity, comprising:
measuring a first set of signal data representative of a breathing movement of a subject during a first time period;
pattern matching the first set of signal data with a second set of signal data related to measured breathing movement of the subject during a second time period to identify degree of deviation from periodicity of the breathing movement; and
reporting irregularity based upon results of the pattern matching.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
determining a degree of match between the first set of signal data and the second set of signal data.
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
comparing the degree of match to a threshold range.
8. The method of
9. The method of
10. The method of
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. A method of monitoring object movement, comprising:
acquiring image data;
determining a number of markers visible in the image data;
determining if the number of markers meets a threshold value; and
reporting irregularity if the number of markers does not meet the threshold value.
19. The method of
20. The method of
21. The method of
22. The method of
23. The method of
24. The method of
25. The method of
26. A method of monitoring breathing activity, comprising:
receiving a set of signal data representative of a breathing movement of a subject;
estimating phase of the set of signal data;
comparing a vector of the set of signal data with one or more prior sets of signal data to identify deviation from periodicity of the breathing movement, the vector of the set of signal data based upon the phase, the one or more prior sets relating to measured breathing movement of the subject during one or more prior time periods; and
reporting irregularity based upon results of the comparison.
27. The method of
28. The method of
29. The method of
30. The method of
31. The method of
32. The method of
33. The method of
computing an inner product of a Cosine waveform with the period T and most recent T-seconds-long segment of the signal data to form an in-phase component;
computing the inner product with a Sine waveform of the period T to form a quadrature component; and
computing the inverse Tangent of result of dividing the quadrature component by the in-phase component to estimate the phase.
34. The method of
identifying an assumption for the period;
estimate location values for maximum and minimum values; and
based upon one or more sample sets, estimating the period.
35. The method of
36. The method of
using a 2-dimensional histogram array of signal versus phase values.
37. The method of
38. The method of
comparing the vector with other values in the 2-dimensional histogram array;
forming a clustering factor; and
identifying deviation from periodicity if clustering factor exceeds a threshold.
39. The method of
estimating latest inhale values, latest exhale extreme values, and corresponding time points.
40. A method for monitoring regular activity, comprising:
co-locating a marker block with an object such that movement of the marker block relates to movement of the object, the marker block comprising one or more markers;
viewing the marker block with a camera;
generating image data representative of the marker block; and
reporting irregularity based upon insufficient periodicity for detected movement.
41. The method of
42. The method of
43. The method of
44. The method of
45. The method of
defining one or more search ranges based upon estimated positions of the one or more markers; and
searching the one or more markers within the one or more search ranges.
46. The method of
47. The method of
quantifying a movement of the marker block.
48. The method of
49. The method of
50. The method of
51. A system for monitoring breathing activity, comprising:
means for measuring a first set of signal data representative of a breathing movement of a subject during a first time period;
means for pattern matching the first set of signal data with a second set of signal data related to measured breathing movement of the subject during a second time period to identify degree of deviation from periodicity of the breathing movement; and
means for reporting irregularity based upon results of the pattern matching.
52. The system of
53. The system of
54. The system of
means for determining a degree of match between the first set of signal data and the second set of signal data.
55. A system for monitoring object movement, comprising:
means for acquiring image data;
means for determining a number of markers visible in the image data;
means for determination if the number of markers meets a threshold value; and
means for reporting irregularity if the number of markers does not meet the threshold value.
56. The system of
57. The system of
58. The system of
59. A system for monitoring breathing activity, comprising:
means for receiving a set of signal data representative of a breathing movement of a subject;
means for estimating phase of the set of signal data;
means for comparing a vector of the set of signal data with one or more prior sets of signal data to identify deviation from periodicity of the breathing movement, the vector of the set of signal data based upon the phase, the one or more prior sets relating to measured breathing movement of the subject during one or more prior time periods; and
means for reporting irregularity based upon results of the comparison.
60. The system of
61. The system of
62. The system of
63. A system for monitoring regular activity, comprising:
means for co-locating a marker block with an object such that movement of the marker block relates to movement of the object, the marker block comprising one or more markers;
means for viewing the marker block with a camera;
means for generating image data representative of the marker block; and
means for reporting irregularity based upon insufficient periodicity for detected movement.
64. The system of
65. The system of
means for quantifying a movement of the marker block.
66. The system of
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/234,658 filed Sep. 3, 2002 and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/893,122 filed Jun. 26, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/178,383 filed Oct. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,621,889, and is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/178,385 filed Oct. 23, 1998; now U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,579, issued on Aug. 28, 2001, and is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/712,724 filed Nov. 14, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,965, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/178,384 filed Oct. 23, 1998, now abandoned, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to medical methods and systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system for monitoring breathing activity of an infant.
A serious concern for parents of a newborn is the possibility of death by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is commonly known as the sudden death of an infant under one year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history. A SIDS death occurs quickly and is often associated with sleep, with no signs of suffering.
Although exact causes of SIDS are still unknown, mounting evidence suggests that some SIDS babies are born with brain abnormalities that make them vulnerable to sudden death during infancy. Studies of SIDS victims reveal that some SIDS infants have abnormalities in the "arcuate nucleus," a portion of the brain that is likely to be involved in controlling breathing during sleep. However, scientists believe that the abnormalities that are present at birth may not be sufficient to cause death. Other factors, such as lack of oxygen and excessive carbon dioxide intake, may also contribute to the occurrence of SIDS. During sleep, a baby can experience a lack of oxygen and excessive carbon dioxide levels when they re-inhale the exhaled air. Normally, an infant can sense such inadequate air intake, and his breathing movement can change accordingly to compensate for the insufficient oxygen and excess carbon dioxide. As such, certain types of irregularity in an infant's breathing activity can be an indicator of SIDS or the likelihood of SIDS.
Therefore, monitoring of an infant's breathing activity for breathing irregularities could help prevent or detect the possibility of SIDS. One approach to monitor the breathing activity is to attach to the body of the infant a battery-powered electronic device that can mechanically detect the breathing movement. Although such device can monitor the infant's breathing directly, the battery can render the device large and heavy, which encumbers the tiny infant. Additionally, difficulty of attachment can be expected under this approach.
Another approach to monitor an infant's breathing activity is to install a pressure sensitive pad underneath the mattress where the infant is sleeping. The pad monitors the baby's breathing activity by measuring body movement. However, because the pad is unable to directly monitor the breathing movement, accuracy of the generated breathing data can be affected.
In contrast to the above approaches, the present invention provides an improved system and method that can monitor an infant's breathing activity without creating encumbrance to the infant. By continuously monitoring an infant's breathing movement during sleep and reporting detected irregularity, the present system and method can reduce the occurrence of SIDS.
In an embodiment, an optical-based system, comprising at least one camera, a marker, a computing device to compute the position of the marker, and a reporting device to transmit an alert signal, is employed to measure and record an infant's breathing movement and report detected irregularity. The system can produce breathing pattern by tracking the movement of the marker, which is placed in a particular location such that motion of the marker relates to the breathing movement of the infant.
According to an embodiment, a method for identifying breathing pattern of an infant comprises the steps of first co-locating the marker with the infant, viewing the marker with at least one camera, producing image coordinates for the identified marker viewed by the camera, comparing the image coordinates with reference coordinates for the marker, and thereafter determining breathing motion of the infant. The computing device can analyze the breathing pattern and actuate the reporting device if irregularity is detected. Irregularity includes, but not limited to, lack of periodicity in the breathing pattern and cease of the breathing motion.
These and other aspects, objects, and advantages of the invention are described below in the detailed description, drawings, and claims.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and, together with the Detailed Description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
An aspect of an embodiment of the present invention comprises a method for detecting periodicity and irregularity in the respiration activity of an infant. Also disclosed are embodiments of systems and devices for detecting and reporting irregularity in the respiration activity of an infant.
System for Infant Breathing Monitoring
In an embodiment, one illumination source per camera (which is an infrared source in the preferred embodiment) projects light at the infant 106 on bed 104. The generated light is reflected from one or more landmarks on the infant's body. The camera 108, which is directed at infant 106, captures and detects the reflected light from the one or more landmarks, which are preferably located on one or more locations on the infant's chest and can be viewed by camera 108.
The output signals of camera 108 are sent to a computer 110 or other type of processing unit having the capability to receive video images. According to a particular embodiment, computer 110 includes a video frame grabber card having a separate channel for each video source utilized in the system. The images recorded by camera 108 are sent to computer 110 for processing. If camera 108 produces an analog output, the frame grabber converts the camera signals to a digital signal prior to processing by computer 110. Based upon the video signals received and analyzed by computer 110, computer 110 can send control signals to operate an alarm device 116.
Alarm device 116 can be built into or separated from computer 110. In one embodiment, upon receiving a control signal from computer 110, alarm device 116 can transmit an alarm signal, either audible, visible or both, to warn the infant's caregiver or parents of a likelihood of SIDS. Note that an alarm signal can also be transmitted to awaken infant 106 to further reduce the occurrence of SIDS. For the purpose of illustration only,
According to one embodiment, one or more passive markers 114 are located on the infant in the area to be detected for breathing movement. Each marker 114 preferably comprises a reflective or retro-reflective material that can reflect light, whether in the visible or invisible wavelengths. If the illumination source is co-located with camera 108, then marker 114 preferably comprises a retro-reflective material that reflects light mostly in the direction of the illumination source. Alternatively, each marker 114 comprises its own light source. The marker 114 is used in place of or in conjunction with physical landmarks on the infant's body that is imaged by the camera 108 to detect breathing movement of the infant. Markers 114 are preferably used instead of body landmarks because such markers 114 can be detected and tracked more accurately via the video image generated by camera 108. Because of the reflective or retro-reflective qualities of the preferred markers 114, the markers 114 inherently provide greater contrast in a video image to a light detecting apparatus such as camera 108, particularly when the camera 108 and illumination source are co-located. Markers 114 can be placed on clothing, outer coverings or blankets, or directly upon the infant 106.
Utilizing a video or optical based system to track the breathing movement provides several advantages. For example, a video or optical based system provides a reliable mechanism for repeating measurement results between uses on a given infant. In addition, the method of the invention is noninvasive, and even if markers are used, no cables or connections must be made to the infant. Moreover, if the use of markers is impractical, the system can still be utilized without markers by performing measurements of respiration activity keyed to selected body landmarks. The method of the invention is also more accurate because it is based upon direct and absolute measurement of external anatomical physical movement. Therefore, the present optical-based system is particularly suitable for monitoring the breathing movement and position of infants, for which intrusive/cumbersome equipment should not be used.
A possible inefficiency in tracking the markers 114 is that the marker may appear anywhere on the video frame, and all of the image elements of the video frame may have to be examined to determine the location of the marker 114. Thus, in an embodiment, the initial determination of locations for the marker 114 involves an examination of all of the image elements in the video frame. If the video frame comprises 640 by 480 image elements, then all 307200 (640*480) image elements are initially examined to find the location of the markers 114.
For real-time tracking of the marker 114, examining every image element for every video frame to determine the location of the marker 114 in real-time could consume a significant amount of system resources. Thus, in an embodiment, the real-time tracking of marker 114 can be facilitated by processing a small region of the video frame, referred to herein as a "tracking gate," that is placed based on estimation of the location of the already-identified marker 114 in a previous video frame. The previously determined location of a marker 114 defined in the previous video frame is used to define an initial search range (i.e., the tracking gate) for that same marker in real-time. The tracking gate is a relatively small portion of the video frame that, in one embodiment, is centered at the previous location of the marker 114. The tracking gate is expanded only if the tracking algorithm can not locate the marker 114 within the gate. As an example, consider the situation when the previously determined location of the center or a portion of a particular marker is image element (50,50) in a video frame. If the tracking gate is limited to a 50 by 50 area of the video frame, then the tracking gate for this example would comprise the image elements bound within the area defined by the coordinates (25,25), (25,75), (75,25), and (75,75). The other portions of the video frame are searched only if the marker 114 is not found within this tracking gate.
The video image signals sent from camera 108 to computer 110 are used to generate and track motion signals representative of the movement of marker 114 and/or landmark structures on the infant's body.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, an infra-red illuminator 602 ("IR illuminator") is co-located with camera 108. If the IR illuminator 602 is located physically close to the camera 108, then camera 108 is positioned to capture strong reflections of IR reflected from retroreflective markers on the infant. IR illuminator 602 comprises a surface that is ringed around the lens 606 of camera body 608. The surface of IR illuminator 602 contains a plurality of individual infrared LED elements 604 for producing infrared light. The LED elements 604 are organized as one or more circular or spiral patterns on the IR illuminator 602 surrounding the camera lens 606. Infrared filters that may be part of the camera 108 are removed or disabled to increase the camera's sensitivity to infrared light.
According to an embodiment, digital video recordings of the infant can be recorded via camera 108. The same camera 108 used for tracking the infant's breathing movement can be used to record video images of the infant for future reference. A normal ambient light image sequence of the infant can be obtained in synchronization with the measured movement signals of markers 114.
In an alternate embodiment, marker 114 comprises a rigid marker block having one or more reference locations on its surface. The marker block is used in place of, or in addition to, the individual retro-reflective markers 114 to detect particular locations on an infant's body with an optical imaging apparatus. Each reference location on the marker block preferably comprises a retro-reflective or reflective material that is detectable by an optical imaging apparatus, such as camera 108. The retro-reflective elements can be formed from the same material used to construct retro-reflective markers 114 of
A marker block can be formed into any shape or size, as long as the size, spacing, and positioning of the reference locations are configured such that a camera or other optical imaging apparatus can view and generate an image that accurately shows the positioning of the marker block. The marker block can be formed with shapes to fit particular body parts. For example, molds or casts that match to specific locations on the body can be employed as marker blocks. Marker blocks shaped to fit certain areas of the body facilitate the repeatable placement of the marker blocks at particular locations on the infant. Alternatively, the marker blocks can be formed to fit certain fixtures that are attached to an infant's body. In yet another embodiment, the fixtures are formed with integral marker block(s) having reflective or retro-reflective markers on them. An alternate embodiment of the marker block comprises only a single reference location/reflective element on its surface.
According to one embodiment of the invention, an infant's breathing movement can be detected by tracking retro-reflective markers attached to the marker block. As shown in
According to one embodiment, the pixel coordinates of each marker in the video frame are tracked. The distance in the pixel domain between the two markers for each video frame is thereafter measured. The known physical distance of the two markers is divided by the measured distance to provide the scale factor for transforming the incremental motion of the block in the direction of the line connecting the two markers. This scale factor is updated for each new video frame and transforms the incremental motion of each marker from pixel domain to the physical domain. The transformation accounts for changes in the camera viewing angle, marker block orientation, and its distance to the camera during motion tracking.
An infant's respiration motion can be monitored by optical tracking of a marker block, such as a marker block 802 or 806, attached to an infant's chest, clothes, blanket, or other suitable locations that can reflect the infant's breathing motion. In operation, a camera or video view of the marker block produces a set of image coordinates for the marker elements on the marker block. The position and distance of any marker element located on the marker block is known relative to other marker elements on the same marker block. By comparing the position and distance between the marker elements on a recorded image frame with the reference position and image stored for the monitoring system, the absolute position and orientation of the marker block can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy. This, in turn, provides an accurate position and orientation estimation for the infant or infant body position upon which the marker block is attached. Note that estimation of infant position and orientation can be performed in the invention using only a single marker block, rather requiring the placement of multiple markers on different locations. Moreover, a single camera can be used to track the position of the marker block, rather than requiring triangulation using multiple cameras from different positions. A single-camera process for determining the precise position and orientation of the marker block with six degrees of freedom (6 DOF), i.e., x-coordinate, y-coordinate, z-coordinate, pitch, yaw, and roll is disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/234,658, filed Sep. 3, 2002, entitled "Single-Camera Tracking of an Object", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
A sleeping infant can move or roll into another position such that one or more markers attached to the infant (or attached to a marker block) fall outside the field of view of camera 108. Consequently, the infant's breathing movement may no longer be detected, and reporting irregularity in breathing activity that occurs thereafter becomes impossible. Thus, in an embodiment, failing to locate one or more markers in the image frame, system 100 will transmit an alarm signal to indicate a need to reposition the infant. This alarm signal is preferably distinguishable from an alarm that indicates a detected irregularity in the breathing activity. In an alternative embodiment, system 100 will transmit an alarm signal after being unable to locate one or more markers in two or more consecutive image frames. This can reduce the number of false alarms due to the sudden movement or coughing of the infant, who nonetheless returns back to a normal position thereafter.
At step 902, a FAILURE value, which counts the number of consecutive failures to appropriately locate the markers in image frames, is set to zero. As previously stated, in one embodiment, this failure is identified by not being able to acquire three or more markers in an image frame. At step 904, an image frame is digitized from the camera video stream.
At step 906, the digitized image frame from step 904 is analyzed to detect and locate the markers in pixel coordinates. If the previous tracking was successful, use the projected centers to limit the search area for each marker to increase the computational efficiency. If processing the first image frame, recovering from lost track, or failing to locate marker(s) in the limited search area, then the whole frame is analyzed to find and locate markers.
At step 908, a determination is made whether sufficient markers were detected at step 906. If the marker block is found by the image analysis process at Step 906, the process next returns to step 902, where the FAILURE value is reset to zero, and then to step 904 is performed to the next image frame in the video stream.
If sufficient markers are not located by the image analysis process at 906, it will be assumed that the infant has moved or rolled to another position, and accordingly, the FAILURE value is incremented (910). In a preferable embodiment, if the FAILURE value has reached or exceeded a threshold value (e.g., a value of two, which indicates that the marker block cannot be located in two consecutive image frames in the video stream), an alarm signal is transmitted (914). The number of consecutive failures in locating the marker block that triggers an alarm signal can vary.
The process of
In one embodiment, a determination of the position and orientation data for the marker block can be correlated to determine the position and orientation of the infant to which it is attached. The measured movement of the marker block can be used as an indicator of the infant's respiration activity. Thus, quantifiable values such as amplitude and/or phase of the marker block movement can be generated to monitor the infant's breathing movement. These values can be displayed and analyzed for breathing patterns using any conventional algorithms. As described in more detail below, the amplitude and/or phase of the marker block and the detection of deviations from periodic breathing movement can be used to trigger an alarm signal.
Detection of Irregularity in Breathing Pattern
To monitor an infant's breathing activity, one or more sets of data representative of the breathing activity of interest are collected for the infant in an embodiment of the invention. An optical-based system, such as system 100 of
One aspect of the present invention provides a method to detect and report cessation of a breathing movement, indicating a likelihood of SIDS.
If the amplitude of the motion signal is below the threshold, the breathing activity will be determined weak, and accordingly, variable WEAK will be increased by one. In a preferable embodiment, if two consecutive weak signals have been measured (i.e., WEAK=2), then the breathing activity is assumed to have ceased, and an alarm signal is thereby transmitted (412). However, the number of consecutive weak signals that triggers an alarm signal can be altered. A higher number renders the assumption of a ceased breath more accurate, but can potentially delay an alarm signal. In contrast, using a lower number tends to be more precautionary, but can be associated with an increased frequency of false alarm, often arising from weak signal that is merely momentary.
An amplitude of the motion signal exceeding the threshold is indicative of a strong breathing activity. As such, the process returns back to step 404 to measure new breathing motion signal, after resetting variable WEAK to zero at step 414.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for detecting a period of the respiration activity and deviation(s) from the periodicity. For example, sudden movement or coughing by an infant can result in deviation from the detected period of the respiration cycle. According to an embodiment, the present invention can "phase lock" to the respiration movement of the infant. Since the monitoring system phase locks to the breathing movement period, deviations from that periodic signal can be identified and appropriately addressed.
At process action 504, pattern matching analysis is performed against the measured data samples. In an embodiment, the most recent set of data samples for the breathing signal is correlated against an immediately preceding set of data samples to determine the period and repetitiveness of the signal. An autocorrelation function can be employed to perform this pattern matching. For each new sample point of the breathing motion, the process computes the autocorrelation function of the last n samples of the signal, where n corresponds to approximately 1.5 to 2 signal breathing periods. The secondary peak of the autocorrelation function is then identified to determine the period and repetitiveness of the signal.
In an alternate embodiment, an absolute difference function is used instead of an autocorrelation function. Instead of secondary peak, a secondary minimum in the absolute difference is searched for. For each new sample point of the breathing motion, the process computes the minimum absolute difference between the two sets of data over a range of overlapping data samples. The secondary minimum corresponds to the data position that best matches the recent set of data samples with the preceding set of data samples.
Yet another alternate embodiment performs a pattern matching based upon a model of the breathing activity being measured. The model is a dynamic representation of the breathing motion. The latest set of data samples is matched against the model to estimate parameters of the repetitive process. According to an embodiment, the model can be periodically updated to reflect changes in infant position and orientation as well as other changes that can result in alternation in the infant's breathing pattern. For example, temperature in the infant's bedroom may have impact on the period of the breathing movement.
Pattern matching using the measured breathing signal (504) provides information regarding the degree of match, as well as a location of best match for the repetitive process. If an autocorrelation function is employed in process action 504, then the relative strength of secondary peak provides a measure of how repetitive the signal is. A threshold range value is defined to provide indication of the degree of match between the two sets of data samples. If the strength of the secondary peak is within the defined threshold range (process action 508), then the degree of match indicates that the signal is repetitive, and the secondary peak location provides an estimate of the signal period. If an absolute difference function is used in process action 504, then the relative value of the secondary minimum provides a measure of how repetitive the signal is. If the value of the secondary minimum meets a defined threshold range (508), then the degree of match indicates that the signal is repetitive, and the secondary minimum location provides an estimate of the signal period.
If the correlation value of the secondary peak or secondary minimum does not meet the defined threshold range, then a deviation from the regular breathing activity is detected, thereby indicating possible irregularity in the breathing activity of the infant. This irregularity could result, for example, re-inhaling of the exhaled carbon dioxide. In an embodiment, an alarm signal is transmitted once a deviation is detected. In a preferable embodiment as shown in
If the degree of match indicates repetitiveness, the point of best match is tested to determine if the period is within a reasonable range. The location of the secondary peak or secondary minimum provides an estimate of the period of the breathing activity. In an embodiment, the point of best match is compared to a threshold range (509). If the point of best match does not fall within the threshold range, then a deviation from regular breathing activity is detected and the process proceeds to process action 510. If the point of best match falls within the threshold range, then the signal is accepted as being repetitive (512).
The estimate of the period based on the point of best match can be used to predict the period and waveform parameters of the next set of data samples for the signal (514). Note that process actions 504, 508, and 509 test for repetitiveness based upon a plurality of data samples over a range of such samples. However, in some circumstances, a significant deviation from normal breathing movement may actually occur within the new or most recent data sample(s) being analyzed, but because the overall set of data samples indicates repetitiveness (e.g., because of averaging of absolute differences over the range of data samples being compared), process actions 504, 508, and 509 may not detect the deviation. To perform a test for rapid deviation, the predicted value from process action 514 is compared with the next corresponding data sample (515). If the predicted value does not match the actual data sample value within a defined threshold range, then a deviation is detected and the process proceeds to process action 510. If a comparison of the predicted and actual data sample values fall within the defined threshold range, then repetitiveness is confirmed, and deviation is not detected for that data sample range (516). Accordingly, variable DEVIATION will be set to zero, and the process returns to process action 502 to measure new data signal.
In an embodiment, the first time the process of
The initial step 301 of
At step 306, the process estimates the phase value of the newly acquired respiration signal sample. In an embodiment, this is performed by computing the inner product of a Cosine waveform with period T (estimated at step 304) and the most recent T-seconds-long segment of the signal. This is repeated by computing the inner product with a Sine waveform of period T. These two inner products are called, respectively, the in-phase and quadrature components of the signal. The inverse Tangent of the result of dividing the quadrature value by the in-phase value provides the estimated phase for the current respiration signal sample.
At step 308, the process compares the vector, e.g., (amplitude, phase), of the current respiration sample with previous data sample values to determine periodicity of the signal. One approach to performing this comparison step is to use a two-dimensional histogram array of signal vs. phase value that is accumulated during prior recordings of the respiration signal.
In an embodiment, a clustering factor determines how close the current respiration data sample vector is to the cluster of values observed so far. By comparing the amplitude-phase vector of each signal sample with the cluster of prior values in its neighborhood at step 310, the process provides a measure of periodicity for the signal. The signal is considered non-periodic for the current sample time when the clustering factor is below a defined threshold or tolerance level (312). Otherwise the signal is declared periodic (314). One approach is to calculate the sum of the bin populations for the 8-amplitude×5-phase surrounding bins for the current data sample. This population, as a percentage of the total population of all histogram bins accumulated so far, determines the degree to which the new sample belongs to a periodic signal. By applying a threshold to this percentage value, the signal sample is declared as periodic or non-periodic. This threshold value can be set by the user as the sensitivity of the algorithm for detecting deviations from periodicity. In the example of
According to one embodiment, once the signal is determined as being non-periodic (i.e. deviation from periodicity), irregularity in the breathing pattern is detected and an alarm signal is transmitted. To improve the reliability of the results, in a preferable embodiment as shown in
If the signal is considered periodic for the current sample time, the process will return to the step 302 to receive new data sample, after resetting variable DEVIATION to zero.
According to an embodiment, estimation of the inhale and exhale periods pursuant to step 304 of
The above process is repeated with the next sensed signal sample until the procedure encounters the first sample for which the above test result is negative. This is an indication that the run of points for which a minimum or maximum can be estimated has ended. At this point the accumulator variables are divided by the number of points in the run to obtain the average location and value from the run.
The process continues by repeating the above test on the sample-train preceding every new sensed signal sample. Once the test result is positive the averaging process described above will start again.
This method estimates the local minimum or maximum location at a point in time that is later than the actual position of the extremum by the length of the sample train. The current estimate of the inhale or exhale period is updated at this point in time. For inhale period, for example, this is performed by subtracting the latest maximum position from the latest minimum position in time. These estimates are used to update the current value of the total period.
The embodiments described herein provides a tool for measuring the periodicity of the respiration signal, thus allowing detection of deviation from normal breathing. This can be used to trigger the alarm during monitoring of breathing movement of an infant.
It is noted that while the embodiment described herein only addresses monitoring of infants, the disclosed invention is applicable to monitor a broad range of possible subjects. For example, the inventive concepts can be applied to monitor other patients, including adult patients. Moreover, the invention could also be applied to monitor non-human subjects, such as animals or non-living subjects such as machinery.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the operations performed by computer 110 can be performed by any combination of hardware and software within the scope of the invention, and should not be limited to particular embodiments comprising a particular definition of "computer". Similarly, the operations performed by alarm device 116 can be performed by any combination of hardware and software within the scope of the invention, and should not be limited to particular embodiments comprising a particular definition of "alarm device". The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
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Posted by richard Zake on 10/04/2014
Wedged in between a starbucks and a fast food sub joint, Wok Cuisine has some of the freshest Chinese food around. Although the food is the standard Chinese fare, the vegetables and the chicken really stand out. The broccoli is always baby flowerettes steam to perfect…crunchy but not hard. The chicken, generally, is always fresh. Sometime early rush chicken is abit tough/ I reccomend the General Tso Chicken, the Egg Foo Young, and any of the vegetable dishes. Brown rice is a healthy option. The fish is market fresh as the owner does his own shopping. It is an uncommonly great Chinese restaurant is an unlikely location. Free Parking is the advantage of a tiny mall.
Posted by aizing on 11/15/2011
I always call this place -- "my kitchen" coz I always come here since they open their restaurant.. everything is delicious, the owner--the server are very friendly and nice.. and the delivery-- very fast.. so I highly recommend this place...
Posted by Tatiana 5230 on 05/30/2011
Their food is GREAT, and they have great service. Especially their egg rolls and their fruit smoothies! They are so tasty

subset: commoncrawl


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Custom Food Service Equipment Fabricators and Manufacturers
Custom Smoker
We produce any stainless steel products to your specification and we ship anywhere. Our professionals can help you customize anything.
We accept DXF files.
Custom Bathtub
Just a few stock items ready to ship:
We specialize in custom orders:
We custom manufacture high quality stainless steel products to your specifications using cutting edge technology.
V-FAB, Inc.
V-FAB, Inc.
18901 County Road 620
Venus, TX 76084
Office: 972-366-8152 or 972-366-3565
Fax : 972-366-3593
Michelle Hanson firstname.lastname@example.com
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Stainless Steel Fabricators
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Best Spa Business Practices
February 27, 2009 by Press
Filed under ISPA, Spa Industry News, Spa Industry Press Releases
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The International SPA Association has released a pioneering list of Global Best Practices to ensure that all spas provide quality services to their guests. The Global Best Practices acts as a checklist for spas striving to create quality and respected businesses. The list was created by a task force of top spa industry professionals to aid their peers in creating the best spa experience for consumers. ISPA does not regulate these practices, but recommends that its member spas adopt them in compliance with local laws.
"Two years ago we introduced the ISPA Code of Conduct, a list of rights and responsibilities for spa guests, that helped open the door to developing a Global Best Practices guide for spas throughout the world," said ISPA President Lynne McNees. "Consumers are very savvy on what constitutes a spa experience and we are ensuring that our members have the tools to stay relevant in meeting consumer needs and expectations."
Each section of the document provides guidance for spas to review and interpret to their diverse audience and membership. The eight sections of the best practices document include: Human Resources and Staff, Safety, Guest Relations, Service and Guest Experience, Accounting and Business Practices, ISPA Code of Conduct and Ethics, Sustainability and a Resource guide. Everything from having staff certified in first-aid and CPR to ideas on how to make your facility more environmentally friendly is included. You can view the entire Global Best Practices on ISPA's Web site.
About ISPA
ISPA is recognized worldwide as the leading professional organization and voice of the spa industry. Founded in 1991, ISPA advances the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities, promoting the value of the spa experience and speaking as the authoritative voice to foster professionalism and growth. For more details on ISPA
job bank where do you live,Ispa,international spa association,louisiana state board of cosmetology,spa industry,new york state cosmetology license,spa industry growth,health spa industry,washington state cosmetology license,new york state board of cosmetology
Opening a MedSpa and the Recession
February 20, 2009 by Press
Filed under Spa Industry Press Releases, Spa Vendor News
Medical Spa Industry Expert Presents Opening a Successful MedSpa and the Recession
Entrepreneurs, Hospitals, and Physicians all want to know how to open a successful MedSpa during the recession. Francis X. Acunzo, Medical Spa Business Expert will address this topic during his upcoming Acara Webinar on Tuesday February 24th.
|Most people don't' know that Trader Joe's, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Disney and 16 of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Industrial Average were all started during a recession or depression.
Branford, CT – On Tuesday, February 24 at 1:00 p.m. EST, Acara is hosting the webinar, How to Open a Successful Medical Spa presented by Medical Spa industry expert, Francis X. Acunzo. As a special feature, to this Webinar, he will discuss the recession and its impact on launching a MedSpa or Aesthetic Cosmetic Practice.
"Most people don't' know that Trader Joe's, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Disney and 16 of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Industrial Average were all started during a recession or depression." states Francis X. Acunzo, "Every week, I am asked, 'should I open a Medical Spa now, in the middle of this recession?' My research shows that many successful businesses launched during recessions. In addition, there might be some advantages that I will discuss during this upcoming Webinar"
Mr. Acunzo will also touch on the "Four Cs": concept, credibility, collateral and credit that you need to finance a project during a tight credit environment. In addition, he will review Acara's development steps to opening and launching a successful MedSpa or Aesthetic Practice.
This Webinar is for anyone currently developing or contemplating opening a Medical Spa or Aesthetic Practice, now or in the near future. Registration is complimentary and Opening a Successful MedSpa webinar is being held Tuesday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. PST and 1:00 p.m. EST. Register here.
For companies seeking to tap into Acara's expertise and knowledge you can go to their blog which is a business resource for MedSpa owners and operators, visit their website to learn how they can support you in developing, managing or marketing your spa or aesthetic business or attend their weekly complimentary Medical Spa business webinars.
About Acara Partners:
Acara is the business team for the spa industry offering turnkey solutions to owners, operators, physicians and investors seeking to develop, manage and market their Spa, Medical Spa, Wellness Center, Cosmetic or Aesthetic Practice. Acara is led by industry leader Francis X. Acunzo and his tea


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Type-In Traffic Finder
The Type-In Traffic Finder is a Google keyword domain tool that will help you find find domains that are likely to garner type in traffic because the domains are all exact matches to keyword phrases that have search engine traffic. The tool uses real time keyword data from Google to find available domain names that are an exact match to keywords that get searched in Google. For example, cars.com is an exact match to the keyword phrase "cars" while cars-123-online.com is NOT an exact match to the keyword phrase "cars".
Definition of Type-In Traffic
"Type-In Traffic" (also known as "Direct Navigation Traffic") is when a visitor navigates directly to a website by simply typing the keyword or keyword phrase they are searching for + .com into their browser's URL address bar. – i.e. someone looking for a website on "cars" types cars.com directly into their browser's URL address bar to see what website comes up rather than searching with a search engine to find a website about cars, clicking on a link from another website, or using a bookmark.
Type-In Traffic and Domaining
Every domainer worth their salt realizes that the more type in traffic that a domain generates then the more valuable the domain is. After all, traffic that comes from type-in traffic is essentially the most free kind of traffic that there is. Domainers who have a portfolio of domains with a lot of type-in traffic can often sit back and not even have to bother thinking of ways to generate traffic to their domains. Their only concern is how to best monetize the existing traffic that is happening naturally due to type in traffic hits.
Type-In Traffic and SEO
Also, every Internet marketer and SEO company that knows anything about Search Engine Optimization will tell you that if a domain matches its target keyword phrase exactly then it will be much easier to try and rank a website with that domain name on the first page of Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask, or any other search engine for that target keyword phrase (i.e. the domain health.com has a huge advantage over the domain health-abc-online.com right out of the gate when it comes to being optimized to rank a website for the keyword "health" in a search engine).
We Make it Easy to Find Domains with Type-In Traffic
Of course, the domains cars.com and health.com are already registered but there are many other exact match keyword only domains available for hand registration. The Type-In Traffic Finder will help you find these domains in any niche that you choose. Simply enter in your keyword or keyword phrase to get started.
Hints for Using the Type-In Traffic Domain Finder Tool
Start with a general keyword and then begin to add more specific keywords. For example, if you would like to find a domain in the "coffee" niche then first enter "coffee" [without the quotations] into the tool. The tool will then return a number of keywords related to coffee and also additional keywords not as closely related to coffee as determined by real data from Google. The tool will also tell you if there is a domain that exactly matches any of those keywords available to register. If you don't see a domain available that you like with the general keyword of "coffee" then look at some of the related keywords and choose one of them to enter into the tool to drill down closer into the coffee niche. Maybe choose "coffee beans", "coffee roasters", "flavored coffee", etc.
Get Started Finding Domains with Type-In Traffic
Find a great domain name. Get started using the Type-In Traffic Finder now!
Similar Posts:
- NEW Type In Traffic Finder 2.0: Now with Exact Match!!!
- How to Find a Great Domain Name
- Keyword Domain Repository
- Watch Me Hand Register Keyword .com Domains Worth More than $100
- Type In Traffic Finder 2.0: Premium Domains, Geo Targeting, and More!


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Native plant workshop and sale set for July 4
WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- Frank Porter, the author of "Back to Eden: Landscaping with Native Plants," will be hosting an informal native plant workshop and sale at the Shawnee State Park Nature Center from noon to 3 p.m. Friday, July 4.
Porter designed and helped plant several native plant gardens in the park and will be at the park with his plants and knowledge to help guide you to do the same in your back yard.
Meet at Shawnee State Park Nature Center, located six miles west of US 52 just off Ohio 125 near the Turkey Creek Boat Ramp and just northwest of Portsmouth, Ohio.
The Herald-Dispatch welcomes your comments on this article, but please be civil. Avoid profanity, obscenity, personal attacks, accusations of criminal activity, name-calling or insults to the other posters. Herald-dispatch.com does not control or monitor comments as they are posted, but if you find a comment offensive or uncivil, hover your mouse over the comment and click the X that appears in the upper right of the comment. If you do not want your comment to post to your personal Facebook page, uncheck the box below the comment.


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Brooke Gardner finishes in 3rd place at NCCAA Nationals, Named All-American
CEDARVILLE, OH - The OCU Cross Country program recorded a landmark effort on Saturday at the NCCAA National Meet.
OCU freshman Brooke Gardner ran a 19:49 to finish in 3rd place. Gardner was also honored as a 2012 NCCAA All-American for her amazing season. Gardner goes down in the OCU record books as the 1st All-American in OCU Cross Country.
The OCU women's team finished in 6th place while the OCU men claimed 7th place. Congratulations to Coach Diltz and his runners on a phenomenal season.


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Tag: desmond
Amato's Expanding Franchise to Houlton
A restaurant is adding onto their recipe for success in the sandwich business. A year ago, Amato's opened a franchise in Presque Isle. And now they're adding onto that with another franchise opening next month in Houlton. Shawn Cunningham reports on the "one a year" plan that seems to being going well.
New Italian Eatery Chain to Make Its Debut in Aroostook County
Amato's, an Italian food and sub shop chain is adding Presque Isle to its growing New England franchise among others in Southern Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The new business will mean more jobs to the local economy. Shawn Cunningham takes us inside the soon to be renovated space that will soon be the new home of […]


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Hotels in 14131 - Ransomville NY
Only hotels in 14131 zip code are listed below. Search for cheap and discount hotel rates in Ransomville, NY for your upcoming leisure or conference / group travel. We list the best 14131 hotels and motels so you can review the Ransomville hotel list below to find the perfect lodging. Hotels in Niagara county and area code 716 are also listed.
14131 Hotels & Accommodations
Next: Show All Available 14131 Hotels with Pricing >


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Welcome to Helping Hands Employment Services
Helping Hands Employment & Recruitment Services Ltd. has a goal and vision to provide employers with high-quality employees with the right skills and work ethic for your industry. We believe in providing the best possible service and the best candidates for your job vacancies. We do all the background work and leave the final hiring decision to you.
And, if you are having difficulty finding skilled people to work in your industry, our Ireland office can find you a passionate and qualified person willing to come to Canada to work for your company. For more information, or to apply for positions from abroad, contact us.
Helping Hands Employment & Recruitment Services Ltd. helps employees find temporary and permanent employment, mainly in commercial and industrial construction, residential construction, warehousing, management positions, and more. We believe that if you find a job that you love, you will never work another day in your life!
For Employers we offer:
- Recruitment of employees well suited to your industry so your company can continue to grow.
- Candidates who have proven they can do a good job whether it is short- or long-term work.
- Access to highly-skilled immigrants wanting to come to Canada to work in labour shortage areas.
- Applicant screening based on your criteria, interviewing and reference checking, and whatever it takes to make your recruiting job easier, less time consuming, and more effedtive.
View our Employers page for detailed information on finding the perfect employee for you.
For Employees we offer:
- Jobs in your local area with opportunity to prove yourself by doing a good day's work.
- Employment that, in most cases, can be used towards hours in an apprenticeship program.
- Access to safety training and/or referral to agencies that can help in your career progression.
- Orientation for all new employees and ongoing assessment and assistance in job maintenance.
View the Work Placement page for more information and an application to start your job experience today.


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In 1993, massive flooding of the Mississippi River menaced towns along its banks, including the village of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, founded in 1735. The emergency drew attention to the greatest concentration of 18th-century French colonial architecture in North America. An initial French Heritage Society grant of $45,000 helped enable the purchase of the Amoureux House for use as a museum and study center.
That house and others in the town are rare surviving examples of the medieval Norman poteaux en terre and poteaux en sol methods of construction brought to the New World by early settlers. In the years since the flood, French Heritage Society has developed a long-term interest in this unique French cultural site, awarding grants for the restoration of five significant buildings and establishing a chapter there.
French Heritage Society supports ongoing scholarship on the French presence in the upper Mississippi region, including the annual Sainte Genevieve Conference. The French Colonial Heritage National Historic Site Study Act, passed by Congress in 2005, authorizes the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the Sainte Genevieve area a unit of the National Park System.
Foreword by Marie-Sol de La Tour d'Auvergne
French Heritage Society
14 E 60th Street, #605
New York, NY 10022-7131
Tel: +1 (212) 759-6846
Fax: +1 (212) 759-9632
French Heritage Society
7 rue Lincoln
75008 Paris, France
Tel: +33 (0) 1 40 70 07 57
Fax: +33 (0) 1 40 70 07 86


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- Willamette
- Our Stories
- 2008
- February
- Adapting to a Global Economy
Lisbeth Claus
Related Material
Adapting to a Global Economy
"Global" is the catch-word of Lisbeth Claus' life, from her childhood in Belgium to her role as a top global human resources expert to her mentoring of international students.
Claus, associate professor of global human resources at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management, spends about 200 days of the year on the road. When your expertise lies in training human resources managers how to work within an international environment -- and your personal goal is to help smaller countries develop in this area -- it's often necessary to hop on planes to places as far away as China, Israel or Nigeria. "Companies can no longer just be domestic. Everything is about globalization," says Claus, who also is Atkinson's interim associate dean.
Claus spent 15 years coordinating the development of learning materials for people seeking GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources) certification. The certification, first available five years ago, is geared toward human resources professionals working in multiple countries. They might be recruiting employees from abroad or working for a company that has locations throughout the world. And each country has its own laws and customs regarding hiring practices. "You can't expect someone in Salem to know the laws in Belgium for hiring," Claus says.
Multinational companies also have unique challenges regarding performance management, an area that has been the focus of Claus' research. When a company is headquartered in the United States, which has one acceptable set of performance review standards, but is working with employees in multiple countries, each with their own ideas about review practices, things can get a bit complicated.
"Some countries may not allow you to fire someone based on lousy performance, for example," Claus says. "Multinational companies have problems in balancing whether they'll have the same system everywhere. They don't want to go against the laws or customs of other countries."
Claus' passion for international affairs started early in life. Born in Oostende, Belgium, she describes her family as "very international." "I spoke Flemish to my father, I spoke French to my mother, I spoke German to my grandfather, and I spoke even another language to God, all before the age of 4."
When Claus came to the U.S. to get her PhD at Saint Louis University, she barely knew English. "I learned English from The Beatles' songs," she says. "I knew all the words, but I didn't know what they were really saying." At first it was difficult studying in America, but she worked hard to improve her English while taking her graduate courses.
It's her memory of these struggles that has drawn her to informally mentor international students at Atkinson. This year the business school has 30 international students from 12 countries. Claus often invites them to her home for dinner or just to talk. "They come here for a year, and sometimes they never even get to be in a person's home. So what kind of view do they have of American society?"
Claus also acts as a "mentor" to countries that don't yet have well-developed human resources programs, to help them join the international market. She helped develop professional HR organizations in Israel and Romania, and she often volunteers as a keynote speaker at events in those countries to further assist them in becoming established. "The world has changed so rapidly that people now realize this is something they need to do," she says. "They are dealing with the fact that business is now global."


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Interesting review of a new book by Moises Naim called The End of Power in the Wall Street Journal. The vast rise of powerful technological tools that are available with virtually no capital expenditure up front means that it has become a phenomenal time to be a challenger and a difficult time to be an incumbent. In anything. The old "barriers to entry" notion becomes a rara avis in all but a few areas and endeavors.
I also call this the "ankle-biter economy."


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A method for the detection of antibodies immunochemically bound to the corresponding antigen fixed to a smooth surface of glass, metal, polymerfilm or the like. The surface with antigen bound antibodies is contacted with a suspension of small water-insoluble particles to which a biopolymer is directly bound, said biopolymer having the ability of binding to said antibodies, preferably at a non-antigen binding structure of the antibodies. The particles are then adsorbed only on that part of the surface where antibodies are specifically bound and the adsorbed particles forms a coating that is clearly visible by the eye.
1. In the method for detecting the presence of antibodies in an aqueous sample, which antibodies are specifically directed to an antigen, whereby the sample is contacted with a smooth surface coated with said antigen for binding of antibodies to the antigen on the surface, whereupon the antibodies thus bound on the surface are detected, the improvement which comprises:
contacting said surface with a suspension of small water-insoluble particles to which a biopolymer is directly bound,
said biopolymer being derived from staphylococci and being selected from the group consisting of protein A and fragments of said protein, which fragments are of polypeptide nature, and said biopolymer having the ability of specifically binding to antibodies at a non-antigen binding structure of the antibodies,
whereby said particles are adsorbed on the part of the surface where antibodies are specifically bound to form a coating of particles that is clearly visible by the eye.
2. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the particles are the staphylococci bacteria bodies, which in their surface layers contain protein A.
3. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 for detecting non-protein A-reacting antibodies, wherein the surface with the antigen-bound antibodies is contacted with protein A-reacting antibodies directed to said antibodies, whereafter a suspension of protein A-containing staphylococci is added for the visualization of the surface coated with double layers of antibodies.
4. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sample is passed in one direction in a narrow zone over the antigen-coated surface.
5. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein a sample possibly containing the antigen is mixed with a known amount of antibodies directed to the antigen, whereafter the possible excess of antibodies which have not been inhibited by the antigen in the sample is detected as an indirect measure of the amount of antigen in the sample.
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 574,818, filed May 5, 1975, abandoned.
The present invention relates to a method for detecting the presence of antibodies in an aqueous sample, which antibodies are specifically directed to an antigen.
Several different methods are previously known for the detection of and quantitation of specific antibodies in biological samples. In one of these methods antigen-coated surfaces of glass, polymer, metal or similar materials are used. Samples possibly containing antibodies specifically directed to the antigen on the surface are applied to the surface, after which the formation of the antibody-antigen complex may be detected in different ways. Thus radioactively labelled antibodies added to the sample may compete with the antibodies in the sample and then the radioactivity specifically bound to the antigen surface is measured. The drawback with such techniques is i.a. the waste of time, the need of expensive and complicated equipment and also the risks of health when using radioactive substances.
It has also been suggested (Adams et al., Journal of Immunological Methods 3 (1973), p. 227-232) to detect the antibody-antigen complexes (1) by observing the increase of wettability upon exposure of the surface to water vapour (2) by staining with a protein dye (e.g. Coomassie Brilliant Blue R) and (3) by observing the interference colour changes on special reflecting surfaces. One common drawback with these methods is the fact that they may give unspecific reactions, as false positive reactions cannot be prevented when samples with a high protein concentration, e.g. undiluted sera, are applied. Besides, no analysis is possible of reacting specific antibodies with respect to their belonging to immunoglobulin classes, which is of a very great interest when diagnosing i.a. infection diseases.
It has now surprisingly proved that the disadvantages in the previously used detection methods may be overcome by the present invention.
The invention relates to a method for detecting the presence of antibodies (I) in an aqueous sample, which antibodies are specifically directed to an antigen, wherein the sample is contacted with a smooth, preferably flat or tubular surface coated with said antigen for binding of the antibodies (I) to the antigen on the surface, whereupon the antibodies (I) thus bound on the surface are detected and the invention is characterized in that the surface, for the detection of the antibodies, is contacted with a suspension of small water-insoluble particles, to which a biopolymer is directly bound, which biopolymer has the ability of specific binding to antibodies, preferably belonging to a certain or certain immunoglobulin classes, and preferably at some non-antigenbinding structure of the antibodies, whereby the said particles are adsorbed on that part of the surface where the antibodies have been specifically bound to form a coating of particles that is clearly visible by the naked eye.
The term "antigen" here and in the claims also includes haptens.
The coating of antigen on the smooth surface may be obtained either by adsorptive forces or by covalent bonds between the antigen (hapten) and reactive groups on the surface, possibly by influence of bifunctional reagent. A smooth surface of glass, polymer, metal or similar material possibly coated with some substance simplifying the binding of the antigen to the surface may be used as the reaction surface. The surface may also first be coated with a layer of antibodies specifically directed to the antigen and then the antigen is adsorbed on this antibody layer. The surface may preferably be flat or tubular, alternatively formed to small cups or rods. The material of the surface may also consist of thin foils of polymer, metal or the like, if desired placed on a material of paper, polymer, glass or the like. An advantage with reaction surfaces in the form of thin foils is that they permit the storage and transport of antigen-covered surfaces, whereby the antigen may be protected from possible denaturation e.g. by a thin film of a suitable liquid. The term "coating" of antigen on the surface will here and in the claims mean that the antigen is fixed to the surface so that it cannot be dissolved from the surface at contact with the aqueous sample to the extent of disturbing the reactions.
Among the antigens that may be adsorbed or covalent bound to surfaces of glass, polymer, metal or similar material, one may specially mention polypeptide antigens including proteins, glycoproteins, lipoproteins, such as serumalbumin, immunoglobulins, other plasmaproteins including hormones of polypeptide nature, bacterial toxines and other microbial polypeptides etc.; polysaccharide antigens such as dextran, other capsule polysaccharides, lipopolysaccharides, lipopolysaccharide protein complexes from bacteria and of other origin; nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA; haptens such as small molecular hormones and drugs, if desired bound to macromolecules for improved adsorption to the surface; virus antigens such as Hepatitis B antigen (HBAg, earlier called Australia-antigen, Au-ag); particular antigens such as whole bacteria or other microbes, monocellular or polycellular parasites, animal cells or suitable (sub-) cellular fragments exemplified by whole Salmonella-, Treponema pallidum (syphilis-) and Chlamydia-bacteria.
The term "biopolymer" above and in the claims is preferably meant to include polypeptides, proteins, glycoproteins, polysaccharides, lipoprotein-polysaccharide complexes, no matter which part of the molecule that possesses the affinity to preferably a non-antigen-binding structure of an immunoglobulin.
The biopolymer may originate from microbes i.e. from bacteria, or have other biological origin and the biopolymer may also consist of immunoglobulins (antibodies (II)) directed to immunoglubulins (said antibodies (I)). A very suitable example of biopolymers according to the above is the so-called protein A from Staphylococcus aureus or fragment of said protein, which fragments are of polypeptide nature and have the ability of binding to a non-antigenbinding structure of the antibodies. Other examples of biopolymers with the corresponding qualities are a polypeptide from Staphylococcus epidermidis and biopolymers occuring on the surface structure of certain streptococci. The biopolymer may be bound to the surface of the microorganism which has produced it. When the biopolymer consists of protein A or fragments thereof the particles consist with great advantage of staphylococci, preferably of killed staphylococci. The preparation of a reagent of protein A-containing staphylococci may be carried out according to S. Jonsson and G. Kronvall (Eur J Immunol 4 (1974), p. 29-30), whereby a 10% suspension stable for at least one year is obtained, which when being used for detecting of IgG-antibodies, bound to an antigen on a surface, only has to be diluted to a suspension of about 1/2% in phosphate-buffered saline solution with addition of a suitable surfactant.
According to the invention the biopolymer may also be bound to small particles of a polymer, which is insoluble in water. Examples of such polymers are gel particles containing co-polymers of polyhydroxy-compounds and bifunctional substances e.g. the copolymer of dextran and epichlorohydrin (Sephadex®) from Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Uppsala), gel particles containing acrylates etc. The small particles of polymers which are insoluble in water may however be swellable in water. The binding of the biopolymer to the particles may also take place by the polymerization of the biopolymer, possibly by the copolymerization with other polymers, e.g. the insolubilization of serum containing antibodies specifically directed to a certain or certain immunoglobulin classes. If desired the small particles may be stained. Particles having the size of 0.1-20, such as 0.2-10 micrometer are preferably used.
According to the invention, the biopolymer may be bound to the surface of the small particles by bonds of covalent nature or by adsorption.
According to the invention the bacteria bodies may contain in its surface layers a biopolymer originating from the same or a biopolymer with another origin. The biopolymer may be bound to the surface of the bacteria bodies by a natural linkage between the biopolymer and the bacteria bodies and/or by a linkage obtained in an artificial way. The bacteria bodies with adherent biopolymer may be treated with an aldehyde, e.g. formaldehyde and/or glutaraldehyde. They may also be treated with heat for killing and/or sterilization.
Antibodies of the IgG-class may be detected with protein A-containing staphylococci.
If antibodies that are not capable of binding to protein A are to be detected one may according to the invention use particles to which other biopolymers reacting specifically with these antibodies are directly bound.
According to another embodiment of the present invention also antibodies lacking ability of binding to protein A may be detected by exposing the antibody-antigen complex on the surface to a solution of antibodies reacting with protein A via their Fc-parts and directed to the antibodies which do not react with protein A. After that the reagent of protein A-containing staphylococci reagent is added and a possible reaction is observed in the same way as above described.
According to one further embodiment of the invention the surface with antigen bound antibodies (I) may be contacted with a suspension of bacteria bodies, to the surfaces of which antibodies (II) (via the Fc-parts thereof) directed to the said antibodies (I) are directly bound for the visualization of the surface area coated with antibodies (I).
For a semi-quantitative determination of the antibodies in a sample different techniques could be used. For example a series of different dilutions of the sample may be tested and the results may be compared with analogous tests with reference samples. The greatest dilution of the sample giving rise to a positive reaction is then established.
According to a very advantageous embodiment of the invention the presence of antibodies in a sample may be quantitatively detected by applying the sample on the surface outside the part coated with antigen and making the sample pass in one direction in one zone, preferably in a narrow zone, over the antigen coated surface. When the sample has passed, which can be observed by staining, or the like, of the sample, the suspension of the biopolymer-bearing particles is added. The surface thereby coated by these particles is a measure of the antibody content of the sample and may be related to the corresponding surface of a known reference sample.
To obtain the passage of the sample over the antigen coated surface one could use a method known in the thin layer gel-chromatography technique e.g. by applying a thin layer (or several layers besides each other) of a capillary medium e.g. of particles such as Sephadex® G-75 Superfine (crosslinked dextran gel from Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Uppsala). As a liquid transferring medium also threads of spun or unspun fibres may be used. Before the visualization with the biopolymer-containing particles of course said medium must first be removed.
It is also possible to obtain one linear flow of liquid or several parallel linear flows of liquid over the slide without having any support of solid material on the antigen coated surface. Then the surface first has to be wetted in a linear line or in parallel linear lines and the in-flow and out-flow of liquid to respectively from the slightly leaning slide has to be arranged by means of a suitable capillary material.
The transfer of antibodies in the sample in one direction over the antigen coated surface may also be obtained by means of an electrophoretical technique.
According to the invention antigen in a sample may be (semi)- quantitatively determined on slides coated with antibodies directed to the antigen after subsequent exposure of the slide to a second solution of specific antibody and final exposure to a suspension of reagent particles. Adherence of the particles to a surface area indicates the presence of antigen in the sample.
With the method according to the present invention the concentration of antigen in a sample may also be indirectly, semiquantitatively or quantitatively determined by testing mixtures of antigen containing samples and doses of standardized amounts of antibodies directed to this antigen and then detecting the possible excess of antibodies which have not been inhibited by the antigen in the sample.
With the method according to the present invention antibodies directed to principally different types of antigens could be detected. Thus soluble as well as insoluble (e.g. particular) antigens could be used on the surface. It is a very great advantage in relation to earlier techniques that antibodies directed to insoluble (e.g. particular) antigens could be detected in such a simple way and with a very little waste of antigen material.
The invention will be further illustrated with reference to the following working examples, which however do not limit the scope of the invention.
A surface of a glass slide 76×26 mm is washed in dichromic sulphuric acid, is rinsed well in water and dried with compressed air. For about 5 minutes or longer, the surface is contacted with a 1% solution of dextran (antigen) with an average molecular weight of 2×106 (Dextran 2000 from Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Uppsala) in a phosphate-buffered saline solution (hereinafter called PBS and containing 0.12 M NaCl, 0.03 M phosphate, pH 7.4). Then it is rinsed well in destilled water and dried with compressed air. In order to block the uncoated parts of the glass slide the glass is then in the same way exposed to a 1% solution of a protein that is inert in the test system, e.g. serum-albumin from the same species from which the sample originates. The sample containing antibody (against dextran) is applied as 5-10 microliter drops in rows with up to 8 drops in each row by means of an automatic pipette. Dilution of samples over 1/100 shall be made in an antibody-free serum from the same species diluted to 1/100 or in a 0.1% solution of serumalbumin.
After 5-10 minutes the drops are rinsed with PBS containing 0.1% Tween® 20 (polyoxyethylensorbitan monolaurate from Atlas Chemie G.m.b.H.) (hereinafter called T-PBS). Then the slide is put down in a horizontal position and is coated with a 1/2% suspension of formalin-treated and heat-killed protein A-containing staphylococci reagent (S. Jonsson, G. Kronvall, Europ J Immunol 4 (1974), p. 29) in T-PBS. After 5-10 minutes the slide is drained and rinsed with T-PBS for the elimination of the excess of the staphylococci reagent from the slide. The slide is then dipped in cuvettes containing T-PBS. The result may be observed on such wet glasses or after continued rinsing with distilled water, if desired with addition of Tween® 20 draining on a sheet of blotting paper and air-drying. The observation is best done in obliquely transcendent light towards a dark background. A positive reaction appears as a yellow-white patch of staphylococci in an area where a test-drop had been placed; a negative reaction appears as absence of staphylococci on the surface. With this technique, a positive reaction was obtained with a rabbit anti-dextran antiserum containing 1.3 mg specific antibodies per ml, also after a dilution of 1/10,000. Human and rabbit sera may be applied undiluted without giving rise to a negative reaction.
With human sera, in which antibodies directed to dextran could be detected only with an extremely sensitive radioimmunological technique positive reactions are obtained in the actual test system also after dilutions of the sera 25 to 125 times.
Analogously IgG-antibodies from rabbit and man, respectively, directed to antigens of other chemical structures including haptens and complex, particular antigens have been detected. Examples of such antigens (antibody-combinations) which have been tested with good results are bovine serumalbumin, ovalbumin, gentamycin (an antibiotic as an example of haptens) after previous covalent binding to cyanogenbromide activated dextran 2000, Hepatitis B Antigen (HBAg, earlier called Australia-antigen, Au-ag), Salmonella-bacteria, Chlamydia-bacteria-- in all cases with good correspondance to earlier used and more complicated or essentially more time-consuming methods.
The method of Example 1 is repeated with samples consisting of mixtures of a certain volume of solutions containing dextran in weighed amounts and a certain volume of a dilution of antibodies to dextran. This mixture has been reacted in room temperature for 5-10 minutes. The dilution of antidextran used, 1/2000 after mixture with antigen containing solution, has been chosen to give, in the absence of antigen in the sample, an evident layer of staphylococci on the surface without meaning a big excess of antibodies. Under these conditions even a minimum amount of antigen will prevent the binding of the antibodies to the antigen on the surface by reaction with the small quantity of antibodies present. This results in the absence of a layer of staphylococci as an indication of the presence of antigen. When testing the solution of known concentrations of dextran mixed with the same volumes of the above-mentioned antidextranantiserum-dilution a total inhibition of the staphylococci adsorption is obtained with a solution of antidextran having the concentration 0.1 microgram/ml and a positive staphylococci adsorption with a solution of dextran having the concentration 0.01 microgram/ml. This shows a sensitivity of this technique corresponding to that obtained in radioimmunological tests.
A glass slide, 20×20 cm, washed in dichromic sulphuric acid as in Example 1, is exposed to a 1% solution of bovine serumalbumin (antigen) in PBS, by the spreading of about 1 ml of the solution between 2 identical glass slides, pushed in above each other in such a way that a margin of about 3 cm is left free from antigen. Rinsing and drying is made as in Example 1, but the liquid and the air has to be blown in the direction from the antigen-free margin. All over the slide a thin layer of a gel of Sephadex® G-75 Superfine (from Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Uppsala, Sweden) is applied. The slide is then placed in an apparatus for so called thin-layer gel chromatography and is contacted with one upper and one lower vessel containing PBS via filter papers between which vessels liquid will flow according to the siphon principle. Samples containing antibodies (against bovine serum albumin) are applied in the form of 5-10 microliters drops of serum or dilutions thereof on the upper part of the antigen-free margin. The difference in height between the liquids is adjusted in such a way that the sample is transferred over the plate in about 3 hours. After that the gel is washed with PBS, the plate is rinsed again with T-PBS, and is then exposed to a normal rabbit serum diluted to 1/100 for about 5 minutes, is again rinsed with T-PBS and is finally exposed to the staphylococci reagent and to the rinsing fluids as in Example 1. The result is best observed in obliquely transcendent light towards a dark background as triangular areas with the basis in the borderline between the antigen surface and the margin and the apex in the flow direction of the liquid. The area is directly proportional to the amount of antibodies in the sample.
Analougously to the above technique threads of spun and unspun (so-called non-woven) fibres have been used as a support for the liquid transfer. Two advantages have then been obtained; on one hand there is no side diffusion of the sample during the transfer, on the other hand there is no need for exposing the slide to e.g. a normal rabbit serum diluted to 1/100 before the staphylococci reagent. It is also possible to achieve several parallel flows of liquid without having any support of a solid phase on the glass slide, provided that the slide is first wetted in parallel lines with e.g. wet threads and an inflow is arranged through a number of threads to the somewhat leaning slide from a vessel with its liquid surface situated about one centimeter above the upper edge of the glass slide. The outflow of liquid is arranged through threads dipped in a bath just below the lower edge of the slide. With the latter technique a more distinct ending of the surface coated with the staphylococci reagent is obtained.
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Gary Mack Smith, born September 1, 1957 to Loyd and Mary Alice Harris Smith. He heard the pipes roar as the engine purred and he rode his last mile going home, on December 23, 2012. There to meet him was his wife Ann, parents, a brother, two sisters and a nephew.
He is survived by a daughter, Briana of Virginia Beach, sisters Sharon Colbert and Glenda (Dale) Bowen, and a brother Jimmy Smith, along with several nieces and nephews and a brother-in-law, Tommy Sizemore.
A graveside service memorial will be held Saturday Jan 5th at 2 p.m. at central Full Gospel Church, by Rev. Bobby Norman. Johnson Funeral Home is assisting the family.


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This composer and nonsense aficionado Gary Bachlund sets a short, meaningless verse (cited, or curated, by Douglas Hostfadter in his excellent Metamagical Themas), to a tongue-in-cheek arrangement of chromaticism and diatonic sextuplets.
In a recent post, "With A Lunatic Gesture We Forsook Jujitsu" (Automatism A), I tried my hand at some automatic writing. This was a practice codified by the Surrealists under the direction of Andre Breton, but its provenance dates to long before that. Its purpose has depended on the historical circumstance. For instance, it used to be seen by 19th Century psychics as a way of channeling supernatural sources, even aliens. For others, namely the Beat poets, it was merely a way of loosening spontaneity and creativity, wine being another. But what I was most interested in was automatic writing in the strict, Bretonian sense.
In his first Manifesto, Andre Breton defines "Surrealism" as: "Pure psychic automatism by which it is intended to express, either verbally or in writing, the true function of thought. Thought dictated in the absence of all control exerted by reason, and outside all aesthetic or moral preoccupations."
(Notice, visual art is nowhere referred to in this statement.)
The absolutism of Breton's influential statement is both tantalizing and maddening. What troubles me the most is whether there is in fact such a thing as "pure thought," outside of reason or "aesthetic or moral preoccupations."
Breton is invoking a kind of reverse Kantianism: instead of the "thing-in-itself" he is trying to pin down "thought in itself."
But where do reason/aethetics/morals end and "thought" as such begin?
It was this idea that I had in mind as I began the automatic writing session: that I would be attempting to capture my thought in its "pure" workings, i.e. "disinterestedly" (another term Breton used.) For the purposes of full scientific transparency, I did it in the middle of the night, in the semi-hypnotic state that one reaches right before sleep (Hypnagogia). Lying on my bed, instead of allowing myself to pass into unconsciousness, I woke up, sat down on my desk, and began typing directly into the content management system used by toutfait.com and marcelduchamp.net.
I discovered some things in the process. One: at first my writing had what I would call the quality of "gibberish." The sentences appeared to be driven by a certain syntactic or phonetic stylization, meaning they were composed of vaguely interesting juxtapositions of words and had a rhythm to them, but semantically made very little sense. Sheerly linguistic detritus made an appearence. I'm studying German for instance, and therefore random strings of German words seem to crawling around in my head -- but my grammar is far from competent. So I for some reason wrote, "etwas unterscheiden zwischen werden Erde gesehen," meaning, according to google translate, "Will differ slightly between Earth seen."
Is this "pure" thought? Maybe? It is certainly as disinterested as it could possibly be. But it also seems doubtful that it is what was really intended as the result of the method. Did I perhaps violate some implicit rules, like for instance, "don't write in any foreign languages you don't really speak?" Table that for now.
(post to be continued....)
Among contemporary world artists, the Guangdong new media and video artist Cao Fei is among the most intriguing explorers of the boundaries between the fantastical, the global/political and the everyday. Her recent work "Whose Utopia" unquestionably steals the show at the new Deutsche Guggenheim exhibit "Fantastic Narratives in Contemporary Video," in Berlin.
"Whose Utopia" is an elegant triptych, or else a concerto for factory in three movements. It has a distinctly musical symmetry to it. The first segment called "Imagination of Product," mixes the prosaic and the mystifying in the same degrees as its title, a fairly cute reversal of the common phrase "Product of the Imagination," which nonetheless contains a pregnant ambiguity. Is it the human who imagines the product or is it the product that does the imagining?
Karl Marx, theorist of the spectral, would have certainly made a case for the latter. As he once wrote of a table, created as a commodity: "It not only stands with its feet on the ground, but...stands on its head, and evolves out of its wooden brain grotesque ideas, far more wonderful than if it were to begin dancing of its own free will..."
In the first segment of "Whose Utopia" the lightbulbs (double entendre: ideas?) produced by the factory engage in a stately, lyrical dance, apparently of their free will, down the assembly line, mingling with the machines charged with performing various operations on them. Complete with an uneasy soundtrack and luminescence eerily penetrating the industrial gloom, the result lands somewhere between Chaplin's Modern Times, the Brothers Quay's "Street of Crocodiles," and the popular television series How It's Made.
The middle act, however, pursues neither satire, nor grotesquerie, nor dehumanizing functionalism, but something quite different: the poignantly oneiric. As in a fascinating daydream, a ballerina and a tai-qi artist perform their delicate craft throughout the factory spaces. Perhaps the only way to seize the day from the inhuman phantasmagoria of capitalism is with the human fantasy of performative arts? The last section would seem to bear this out in one sense, while also carrying a reminder that what we are seeing is also a resolute reality. it features video portraits of factory employees in front of their equipment staring directly at the camera, and finally, a group of them holding up a sign reading "My Future is Not a Dream."
"Whose Utopia" conveys all the above and more, while never seeming politically or allegorically reductive. It has a visual and stylistic specificity that makes it continually new and unsettling, and difficult to forget afterwards.


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Michigan's schools chief on Monday proposed countywide consolidation of business and educational support services for local school districts in an effort to save millions of dollars that could be redirected to classrooms.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan outlined a hybrid proposal for countywide school operations to be run by existing intermediate school districts in a report to the chairmen of the House and Senate K-12 education appropriations committees.
Lawmakers on the education appropriations committees asked Flanagan for a proposal on countywide school districts last month after he said it could be a way to bring stability to smaller school districts in the wake of a two-week closure of Buena Vista schools in Saginaw County after the 400-student district ran out of money.
Flanagan proposed mandatory centralized school food service, transportation, curriculum development, technology, accounting, teacher training and evaluation systems, and academic data collection and reporting.


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Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Publisher: DuttonYear: 1994Length: 608 pagesPreview: Amazon.com
Map of Union City.
Notes on Corky at Mass.
Hand written list / outline of novel's "Events."
More Manuscripts
Throughout her distinguished career, Joyce Carol Oates has established a matchless reputation as a bold explorer of the American soul. In such novels as the National Book Award winning them, Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My Heart, and Black Water, she has limned our passions, our secrets, our deepest fears. Now, with What I Lived For, she has produced her masterpiece: a searing journey into the heart of a complex, troubled, and unforgetable man—and the women who made the mistake of loving him.
"Corky's Price"
From Greg Johnson's "A Reader's Guide to the Recent Novels of Joyce Carol Oates"
Q: Your two previous novels, Black Water and Foxfire, were much acclaimed for their bold, innovative characterizations of female protagonists. In What I Lived For you make a switch and get deep inside the mind of a man, Jerome "Corky" Corcoran. Was this difficult for you?A: What was difficult about the composition of What I Lived For—which took place over a period of approximately three years—was the establishing of a narrative voice that reflects my protagonist's voice, yet is not identical with his voice; and the meticulous interlocking of a plot that is both a "mystery" story and a highly tangled personal story of a man I consider representative of a certain kind of maleness. Corky Corcoran is not all men, by any means, but he is close to being an "average" man in many respects. I'd always felt, for years before I actually began the composition of the novel, that I knew Corky intimately—knew everything about him, outside and in; his complicated love life, and his even more complicated family life and business life; his ideals, his quirks, his secrets, his memories.Q: How did you build this character?A: My process as a writer is to "build" character simply by inhabiting him or her obsessively; during the course of writing a novel, I am immersed in my protagonists' souls virtually all my waking life. (And perhaps much of my dream life as well.) I see my own world, which I move through as myself, through "fictitious" eyes, and note what my characters would think, do, in similar situations.Q: Was What I Lived For easy or difficult to write?A: Immensely difficult. It was started many years ago in the form of notes to myself and drafts, early chapters. Then I put that aside and worked on shorter novels. I did Black Water and Foxfire, and many short things in between, because it was such a difficult novel. Much of the time when I was working onWhat I Lived For I was actually very, very unhappy with myself, very impatient, very angry with myself. And I passed many months in a state of perpetual anger with myself, for not being able to do what my vision instructed. I had a definite vision of the novel. I knew emotionally what it was, but I'd sit down to work and I just couldn't seem to get it. I work so much with dissatisfaction so much of the time, that to me, it characterizes my writing life.Q: Is Corky Corcoran inspired by a particular person or type of person?A: Corky Corcoran is very fleetingly—very slightly—inspired by an older relative of mine, who as family legend has it, was involved in something (business practices?) that resulted in his spending a night in jail. As it turns out, Corky does not spend a night in jail, though we witness him breaking laws now and then; and we can assume that his business practices are not entirely above-board. (Though hardly reprehensible by the standards of his, and our, contemporary business world.)Q: As you wrote the novel, what were your own feelings about Corky?A: Ultimately, I came to love Corky. He's kind of an unusual character. He's a very masculine man. Some would say a chauvanist, a male chauvanist pig, very macho, but I think that's the way many men are, and I don't judge them. Obviously, I'm not judging my characters; I'm so involved with them.Q: What experiences of your own did you draw on to create Corky?A: Corky's fascination with science, especially with cosmology, is representative of the fascination, verging upon religious yearning, which many men feel for such "rational" explanations of the universe. Clearly, it's a substitute religion, of a kind. I read literature on these subjects continuously, and a number of the titles Corky mentions are in fact part of my library. Like Corky, I read voraciously; but can't comprehend the mathematics, of course. So like Corky—like most of us, I suppose—I'm left with a glimmering sense of the remarkable discoveries astrophysicists have made in recent years, without the capacity to truly understand them, still less explicate them to others.Corky's fascination, too, with the physical world, the world of his boyhood, in a neighborhood intersected by the Erie Barge Canal, is modeled in certain of its graphic details upon my own memories of growing up near Lockport, New York, where my grandmother lived, and where I attended junior high school. What I Lived For is very much a novel that celebrates its landscape and its historic moment.