text:
So I was thinking about getting a new bike for the past year now.. I had 2 leader track bikes as well as a 2010 allez elite and I just didnt like them. I like riding track bikes and I tried the whole road bike thing and that didnt work out to well. So as a winter project I thoughts Id put a deposit down on a 2009 FTP and up grade it.... Not of alot of kids seem to have this bike and I just wanted some in put and thoughts. I plan on a new saddle, stem bars, and wheel build during next month. But here is my baby So stoked.
What do you guys think? post your pictures of 2009+ fuji track pro.


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1931 Frankenstein....
View Single Post
September 26 2010, 11:11 AM
Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion
Location: RJDiogenes of Boston
Re: 1931 Frankenstein....
Warped9 wrote:
RJDiogenes wrote:
I love all the old Universal Monster movies, even the later not-so-great ones. My favorite is
Wolf Man
. Larry Talbot is such a tragic character and Lon Chaney Jr is amazing in the role.
I'm looking forward to this one. I've got it on order.
I like quite a few older films. I don't judge them strictly by current standards, but more what it seems they were trying to achieve. And some of them still work well even by today's standards. I also like to see things as they began and before they became cliches.
Standards were no different back then; only technology was different (and styles, of course, but style is style-- neither superior nor inferior). In fact, since the lack of technology required that more effort be put into artistry, an argument could be made that movies of that era are superior to what we have now.
Kelso wrote:
RJDiogenes wrote:
I love all the old Universal Monster movies, even the later not-so-great ones.
I go through my Universal Monster Legacy set at least once per year.
I have those sets, too. I love them.
HunterB5446 wrote:
I love those old movies, they are great. I haven't watched them since I was a kid, but I do have to admit they are not easy to watch sometimes. They are clasic for a reason, but I prefer my blood and guts movies. I grew up with Jason; Freddy and Mike, but I have a ton of respect for those older movies. It's not their fault visual effects sucked back then.
Visual effects did not suck back then. As I mentioned above, the artistry was amazing.
does not suffer for lack of CGI any more than van Gogh suffered for lack of Photoshop.
Please stop by my
YouTube Page
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Wine Details
Winemaker's Notes
(From 2012 Vintage) The aromatics of this classic field blend present a delightful challenge to the nose. Not exactly fresh fruit and not really jam, either. Rather, it's like a bunch of summer fruit—strawberry, raspberry, fig, and huckleberry—all conserved together in one aromatic package. It's sophisticated in the depth of its aroma profile and fun at the same time. The flavors are a big surprise as well—no jammy sweetness. Instead the wine is taut, refined and reminiscent of a very fine Tuscan Chianti and absolutely the right counterpoint to the aromas.


text:
Forget the Big Game.
Fox is pulling out all the big guest-starring stops for the two shows that will follow the Super Bowl in February.
First, as previously reported, Prince will guest star on New Girl. And now E! News confirms that Adam Sandler will make an unusual venture on to the small screen and join friend Andy Samberg on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
It's unclear whether Sandler will portray himself or some character in that sitcom'e universe, with Fox remaining mum on the casting news overall.
But this is the latest piece of very good news for the series.
The freshman show also received a nomination for comedy series and lead actor (for Samberg) for the 2014 Golden Globes yesterday.
Looking to catch up during the hiatus? See what all the fuss is about? You can watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine online now.


text:
continued Some shrubs also need haircuts to keep their shape or health and to stay within bounds. Spirea, potentilla, barberry are three that appreciate a fall trim. Even lavender, which is very hardy in the varieties of 'Munstead' (light purple) and 'Hidcote' (dark purple) is best treated this way.
If a perennial has woody stems and is semi-persistent (called a sub-shrub) use this treatment. After the blooms of spring, I trim spirea to my knees and some bloom again. All the others in this group get their knee high trim in fall, but every three years I will cut them to the ground.
Down under all the twiggy tangled growth of the past seasons there is built up dead useless material impossible to unravel.
Usually, the plant has suckered, with long stems taking root and spreading beyond its boundaries. Now, using shovel and lopper, cut back the errant roots and shoots. New growth quickly sprouts in spring and if I took care to put the spirea first on my list in August, probably all will bloom. Yes, my knees are shorter than most, but cut back by half, at least.
In Cazenovia, butterfly bush or buddlia, in their many colors can reach five feet or more by August, blooming for months, only needing a trim of finished spikes throughout. At the end of the season, a pair of loppers are needed to cut them to the ground.
Again, no stubs! Late to wake up, many fear they've been lost to our winters, but wait until Memorial Day or longer before digging up the body, please.
New growth will come from the roots. If this cutting down is saved for a spring chore, the weight of our snow will split open the long stems and wet and rot may kill the roots. Please do the same for white 'Annabelle' hydrangeas.
More like this story
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.


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Cipriano Classic
June 5, 2015 (6:30 pm)
The Cipriano Classic is a 5k Fun Run & Walk, an event to benefit the Cipriano Children's Fund in heart and sole and the YMCA ANNUAL Campaign. The Cipriano Fund has been set up to support education and sports activities of the Cipriano children due to the devastating domestic violence incident in their Farmington Hills home in May of 2012. The event will start and end at the Farmington Family YMCA (28100 Farmington Road) on Friday, June 5 at 7 pm. Please join us at 6:30 pm for a brief YMCA welcome and stretches.
Farmington Family YMCA
28th Annual YMCA Golf Classic
Monday, July 13, 2015 at Forrest Lake Country Club
Sponsored by Tom Holzer Ford and Stonebridge Financial
The 2015 Farmington Family YMCA Golf Classic is an opportunity to enjoy an afternoon at Forest Lake Country Club. All proceeds of the Golf Outing directly benefit the Farmington Family YMCA Annual Campaign. Your support helps families in our community afford programs such as summer camp and youth sports, wellness activities for the entire family and fosters connections with new and old friends through sports, fun and shared interests for adults and seniors.
Forest Lake Country Club, founded in 1926, was created on 125 of the most scenic acres in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Its crown jewel, the mature 18-hole golf course, redesigned by the world renowned golf course architect, Arthur Hills, provides a challenge for golfers of all abilities. Known for its signature small, well-protected greens and naturally contoured fairways, golfers experience an ambiance of serenity and tranquility in the company of friends while enjoying the essence of the sport the way it was meant to be played.
» Shotgun Start at 1:00 pm
» Dinner & Auction at 6:00 pm
For more information please contact Hannah Russey at (248) 553-1908 or download the event brochure.


text:
Ethanol's Discount Narrows on Low Inventories, EPA Mandate
Ethanol futures advanced against gasoline on low inventories and after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it hasn't decided what to do about the renewable fuel mandate for 2014.
The spread narrowed 2.63 cents to 92.38 cents a gallon. Inventories sank to a record low of 15.4 million barrels in the week ended Oct. 4, while output declined to 868,000 barrels a day from 875,000 a week earlier, Energy Information Administration data show.
"After the EPA said no final decision has been made on the mandate, all the attention turned to low inventories," Renato Dias, an analyst at Intl FCStone in Campinas, Brazil, said in a telephone interview.
Denatured ethanol for November delivery rose 2.5 cents, or 1.5 percent, to settle at $1.743 a gallon at the Chicago Board of Trade, the highest since Oct. 3. Futures have dropped 20 percent this year.
Gasoline for November delivery fell 0.13 cent to close at $2.6668 a gallon in the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract covers reformulated gasoline, made to be blended with ethanol before delivery to filling stations.
RINs, certificates attached to each gallon of biofuel that are submitted to the government and can be traded among companies, rose 2 cents to 32 cents a gallon, after sinking to a seven-month low on Oct. 11, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Advanced RINs, which cover biodiesel and Brazilian sugarcane-based ethanol, were unchanged at 42 cents.
EIA Shutdown
Uncertainty about ethanol inventories will increase this week as the EIA has stopped operating because of the federal government shutdown, Dias said. There's no schedule for the weekly report on output and stockpiles.
Ethanol trading volumes were down 44 percent from the 30-day average as U.S. banks were closed for Columbus Day.
Corn for December delivery rose 3.75 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $4.37 a bushel in Chicago. Prices fell five of the past six weeks. The December crush spread of corn to the biofuel was 5 cents a gallon, little changed from the previous session.
In cash market trading ethanol declined 1.5 cents to $2.055 a gallon in New York and gained 7 cents to $2.275 on the West Coast, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The price was unchanged at $2.08 in Chicago and at $2.18 on the Gulf Coast.
New York's premium to Chicago slipped to 22 cents, while the West Coast's premium to the Gulf rose to 9.5 cents.


text:
June 11, 2014
Can an African team reach the World Cup semi-finals?
November 19, 2013
The Big Boss
"I would like to dedicate the [Afcon] trophy to all African coaches. We're not yet there, this team has taken just months to build. We will continue building." It was a surreal moment on the night of 10 February 2013 when Stephen Keshi, the coach of Nigeria's national football team, uttered those words inside the packed press conference at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Scores of journalists were waiting for a great, perhaps triumphal quote from this man who had charmed the continent over the three weeks of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, with his team of rag-tag soldiers, three-quarters of whom were serving the national squad for the first time. Instead, Keshi said something anti-climactic: "We're not yet there."
February 11, 2013
Why would Stephen Keshi resign one day after winning the Africa Nations Cup for Nigeria?
February 11, 2013
Nigeria: Kings of Africa for a third time
February 6, 2013
Super Eagles!
February 5, 2013
Stephen Keshi is Pure Gold
February 5, 2013
How the Super Eagles out-thought Côte d'Ivoire
February 1, 2013
Why do African countries hire non-African football coaches so much?
January 17, 2013


text:
you're right on ... 20lb buckets of sodium thiosulfate used to be sold in swimming pool and spa shops ...
it is / was used to reduce as a "shock" against the chlorine. a lot of people used to
get a bucket to last a lifetime for fixer ... but not many people sell it anymore ( maybe something better is available ? )
...i have found 1 place in my area, but i would have to get 50lbs of it ( still for 20$ its not bad ) but i don't think my lifetime
will last that long .... ammonium thiosulfate ... from what i remember is sold as fertilizer ...
i wonder if someone had a huge gathering and everyone is clad in silver jewelry + armor if the pool-owners are permitted to just drain their pool
or if enough silver has been dissolved by the thiosulfate in the pool water that they have to have all the pool contents hauled away as toxic waste ?
considering it costs about 100$ for a waste hauler to remove 15 gallons of spent fixer ... it must cost a small fortune to haul away a swimming pool.


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1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
My Wife's Tahoe has been acting up lately. Its making a weird noise at lower speeds almost like a grinding, and she says that one day it went in to 4 wheel drive on its own. The car place she took it too didnt know what to tell her, they drove it, put it on the lift, its not leaking, but still making the noise. They said to replace the transfer case, but im not sure I agree. It has 120,000 miles, and the 4 wheel drive hardly gets used. Its a 4 door, push button 4 wheel drive. I would love to help her and tear into it, but im deployed over seas. Thanks for the help.
May 19, 2007.
May 19, 2007.
My 1999 2dr Tahoe LT is in the shop at this moment with the same problem.
The trouble has been traced to a faulty selector motor on the transfer case itself.
The selector is not moving far enough to engage the 4x4 and is making a horible grinding noise.
The trouble has been traced to a faulty selector motor on the transfer case itself.
The selector is not moving far enough to engage the 4x4 and is making a horible grinding noise.
Nov 16, 2007.
Nov 16, 2007.
If it is auto 4WD, it could have a damaged clutch pack. This can be a result of driving in auto 4WD all the time.I would drain the fluid and make sure it is clean. If it's nasty, I recommend disassembly for inspection. It should only take a couple of hours.
Nov 16, 2007.
Nov 16, 2007.
My Transfer Case has a bad oil pump, in it, and the truck itself won't shift when driving in 2 wheel drive, but when I put it in 4 Low it will shift up to 3rd gear. It will not shift ...
1 answer • 1993 Ford F-150 • 150,000 miles
My 97 ford explorer 5 sped manual trans 4x4 part time has a bad transfer case. The one I that it currently has on it ends in 195ga. I was able to get a case ending in CA. it has a 4 ...
1 answer • 1997 Ford Explorer • 174 miles
Enter your question...I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4. I have a few concerns about it. I think either the transfer case or something is going out. I was driving it in 4Low and every ...
2 answers • 2003 Dodge Ram • 147,000 miles
2 questions; Both on a cadillac escalade transfer case with full time all wheel drive; I drained & refilled it with the blue ''auto track II'' gm stuff that my gmc truck takes, then ...
3 answers • 2002 Cadillac Escalade • 150,000 miles


text:
The Tennessee baseball team completed its first outdoor workout of the 2014 season on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Click here for the original story.
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text:
Leadership in Action for Level 2 Students
Leadership in Action!
The Leadership in Action component gives HORIZONS students the opportunity to share their school and community involvement. This program takes place from December to March in the participants' grade 11 year.
Each HORIZONS student will create their own blog and will be required to make a total of five (5) posts between December and March. The posts will include three (3) blog posts which will act as a reflection of their leadership and volunteering in the past, present, and future. Each blog post should be approximately 500 words in length. The student will also post two Leadership Resources, which will include page links from www.twitter.com and a video from www.ted.com.
I would like to congratulate those who took part in this year's Leadership in Action component. Your hard work has paid off and has resulted in some truly inspiring blogs which will be a fantastic resource for the HORIZONS students in the future.
If you would like to check out any of this year's blog posts please feel free to do so by clicking on their individual page links:
Participant Blogs
- Alana Loveys
- Andrew Burton
- Brooke Watson
- Caileigh Callahan
- Emily Walsh
- Erica Hayward
- Gina Adams
- Heather Spicer
- Holly Fleming
- Jamal Hutchings
- Jenna Taylor
- Kayla St.Croix
- Kelland Hickey
- Kieran Hounsell
- Patrick Butler
- Sabrina Andrews
If you have any questions, or would like more information on the Leadership in Action component of the HORIZONS program please feel free to contact the Student Life Programs Coordinator:


text:
Highland Springs Apartments8100 Seaman Rd., Ocean Springs, MS 39565
- Call for rates
- 1 - 3 Beds
Note : Prices & Availability Subject To Change
Note : Prices & Availability Subject To Change
By combining architectural excellence and impeccable attention to detail, Highland Springs Apartments are built to outlast both time and trend.
Highland Springs is located in the Biloxi Area in the 39565 zip code. View this apartment on a map.
Why You'll Love Us
Your home provides the best of both worlds by offering the convenience of an apartment home that includes special touches and craftsmanship you would otherwise find only in the nest custom homes. These energy efficient 1, 2, and 3 bedroom homes have spacious floorplans with a washer and dryer in every unit as well as access to exceptional amenities such as a refreshing pool, playground, and volleyball court.
Professionally Managed By: Realtex Housing Management LLC
Community Features
- Gated Access
- Walk-In Closets
- Free WiFi In Office And Pool Area
- Mail Kiosks
- On-Site Supportive Services/Activities
- Washer/Dryer Included
- 24 Hr. Emergency Maintenance
- Business Center
- Carports (Available)
- Clubhouse
- Fitness/Health Center
- INTERNET/ Cable Ready
- Laundry Facility
- Picnic Area
- Playground
- Sand Volleyball Court
- Swimming Pool
Floor Plan Amenities
- Built-In Microwave
- Dishwasher
- Disposal
- Linen Closet
- Range Oven
- Refrigerator with Icemaker
*Note: In Select Units


text: Simon - Unregistered March 27, 2013 12:44 PM @ Bernie Ecclestone. Hey old timer if you go back through F1 history, it is people like you that create issues. Redbull is a racing team, STAY OUT OF IT. You are the same sort of fool (I don't recall his name) that created hell for F1 and Ayrton Senna in days gone by.Whose wise idea was it to take racing and turn it into a Soap Opera? Let the drivers race. That's their job. If you want to take part in an economy run, there are many events all over the world. Seeing as people want to compare issues in sport. Let's have a look at rugby: the scrum in particular. Which genius came up with the revision from last year to the current CROUCH TOUCH SET? This was supposed to make it safer. All I see is more collapsed scrums. There is an easier way to set the scrum and put everyone on equal footing. There is one question that we all miss. Why are we feeling sorry for Webber? He has achieved precious little during his time in F1 but has had the same equipment as Vettel for the last few year 1 agree 0 disagree


text:
Eyeless Vision: Near-Death
Experiences in the Blind
Perhaps the most stringent test of the hypothesis that persons are actually seeing what they purport during these OBEs would come, paradoxically enough, from a study of NDEs in the blind. After all, as you will recall, we have already learned that those persons who are very poorly sighted can sometimes describe with uncanny precision the visual features in the environment surrounding their physical body when there was apparently no natural means by which they could have obtained this information. If these reports are truly valid, then what is to stop us from taking the next logical step? And that is, of course, to wonder whether blind persons close to death can see too.
Preposterous though this may sound on the face of it, rumors of NDE‐ based perception in the blind have been circulating for years. Unfortunately, when investigators have tried to track these rumors to their sources, they do not seem to hold up. 1 And in at least one instance, we even know, thanks to the after-the-fact candor of one writer, that such stories have been entirely made up for heuristic purposes, precisely because these rumors have been so persistent! 2
Still, I have been intrigued by such possibilities, and since they would provide a kind of ultimate test for the validity of veridical perceptions during NDEs—as well as a keen challenge for skeptics—I recently decided to undertake a search for such cases. Together with my coresearcher,


text:
December 28, 2012
Lucky boy being umiliated that perfect way
Thanks for helping us associate the correct Pornstars to this video!
Help Us: Do these Pornstars appear in this video?
Pornstar Name:
cute babe stroking on a teenie tiny cock
All Comments (8)
Lucky boy being umiliated that perfect way
Come jack me of my dick is way bigger
He may have a tiny dick, but he's getting more handjobs than I ever did.
Congratulations! George Bush has A new job!
Its a guy! O my god its not a clit! Best thing I ever heard in a porn movie!
hhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii sxy
Te poor man the womans laugh about him :(


text:
Collard greens are our official state vegetable
What is your state vegetable?
Are you a fan of collards?
I actually like cooked collards. With a sprinkling of vinegar and a side of raw onion.
Is cheese a vegetable? LOL...I live in WI so I'm not sure.
I've loved greens since expecting my 1st. dd....I craved them and ate them all through the pregnancy...lol. I googled but our state did not have a veggie but had a nut, fruit and tree.
nut: pecan
fruit: blackberry
tree: peach


text:
X Factor RESULTS! Unsuitable Gran-based filth and scurrilous speculation all round.(569 Posts)
SuePurblybiltbyElves Sun 18-Nov-12 19:38:35
FellowshipOfFestiveFellows Mon 19-Nov-12 18:38:41
CarliH Tue 20-Nov-12 14:55:59
BadgersBottom Tue 20-Nov-12 17:44:16
BOFingSanta Tue 20-Nov-12 17:51:49
we3kingsoforientRaahh Tue 20-Nov-12 20:09:20
BOFingSanta Tue 20-Nov-12 20:30:19
we3kingsoforientRaahh Tue 20-Nov-12 20:51:21
GreenyEyes Fri 23-Nov-12 23:02:50
BOFingSanta Fri 23-Nov-12 23:24:09
GreenyEyes Fri 23-Nov-12 23:30:16
BOFingSanta Fri 23-Nov-12 23:46:47
GreenyEyes Sat 24-Nov-12 08:11:48
GreenyEyes Sat 24-Nov-12 08:12:18
SuePurblybiltbyElves Sat 24-Nov-12 08:18:07
GreenyEyes Sat 24-Nov-12 08:21:44
we3kingsoforientRaahh Sat 24-Nov-12 11:10:14
SuePurblybiltbyElves Sat 24-Nov-12 12:03:19
BrianAndHisBalls Sat 24-Nov-12 12:28:16
NanFucker Sat 24-Nov-12 12:29:33
SuePurblybiltbyElves Sat 24-Nov-12 12:31:15
NanFucker Sat 24-Nov-12 12:32:30
SuePurblybiltbyElves Sat 24-Nov-12 12:35:50
SuePurblybiltbyElves Sat 24-Nov-12 13:35:18
we3kingsoforientRaahh Sat 24-Nov-12 14:18:25
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text:
The House of Lords has now adjourned, and after a long two-days of Report stage debate, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill is ready for its Third Reading on Monday.
Baroness Northover has introduced a typical tidying-up amendment, 23A ,which has been included in the bill.
The peers are now racing through other similar amendments.
The peers have just raced through some Government amendments.
Lord Singh has withdrawn his amendment to call for a referendum on equal marriage.
Lord Wallace says: "This bill is about putting right a wrong because we believe in the institution of marriage", and calls for peers to reject the referendum amendment.
Lord Wallace commends David Cameron for speaking "with conviction" on equal marriage.
Lord Singh says he does not agree that the consultation on equal marriage was valid, because he thinks it was predetermined.
Lord Wallace disagrees, and says the Government engaged with the public, specifically noting the Sikh community.
Lord Wallace said the Government "does not believe that [a referendum] is a sensible course of action."
Baroness Thornton has called the referendum amendment a "nonsense".
Baroness Thornton is commending opposition to the equal marriage bill, for being so adamantly opposed to it.
She is opposed to the amendment, and is citing free votes in the House of Commons, at which equal marriage was passed.
Lord Norton of Louth is challenging claims that there is a "divide" on equal marriage, to say that generally speaking, neutrally worded questions show support in the mid 50s, and opposition in the mid 30s.
The Earl of Listowel is now speaking to say that it is important that there are "strong conservative voices" to stand up to "more modern" people, noting Lord Singh's amendment.
Lord Martin says that the idea that the Parliamentary process is final in implementing a bill is not right, and says he supports the idea of a referendum.
Lord Martin of Springburn says it is "nice" that Lords Fowler and Waddington disagreed "so well" on the referendum amendment.
Lord Anderson seems to have suggested that the large majorities in favour of equal marriage in the House of Commons are irrelevant, in supporting Lord Singh's referendum amendment.
Lord Anderson says the Government has "no mandate", and criticises it for equal marriage not being in the manifesto.
He says there has been a "mass conversion" on the issue, in the same as an "African tribal leader who mas converts members of his tribe".
Lord Pannick says: "Referendums should be confined to fundamental constitutional issues. This is not".
Lord Alli said he does not want to help the Prime Minister get off his "hook", but commends his bravery in bringing the bill forward.
He notes the free votes in which the equal marriage bill has passed through earlier stages with large majorities.
Lord Carlile joked that an agreement between UKIP and the Conservative Party might be regarded as a "same-sex marriage".
He doubts Lord Singh's adherence to the guidelines of speaking in the Lords, and saying that peers should reject the amendment.
Lord Waddington has blamed the introduction of equal marriage for UKIP gains in local elections.
Lord Waddington has said David Cameron has "impaled himself" on a hook by bringing the equal marriage bill forward, but that only a referendum would allow him to remove himself.
Lord Fowler is accusing Lord Singh of claiming that the Commons did not consider the arguments for a referendum, when really he is just opposed to the outcome of the debate.
Baroness Turner has said she gets the impression that "younger people are all in favour" of equal marriage, and that she thinks the majority of people are in favour.
She wrapped up: "We do not need a referendum/ It is really not a worthy amendment at all. Why on this bill? it is entirely discriminatory."
Baroness Turner is speaking passionately about putting right the wrongs done to gay and lesbian people by moving towards equality. She said marriages between same sex couples are "lawful", which she repeated twice.
Baroness Turner of Camden is speaking for the first time to say she is annoyed by Amendment 96, questioning why there is a sudden call for a referendum, despite there being no call for it before from Lord Singh.
Lord Sing is now citing the controversial Regnerus Study, which was widely dismissed as "flawed and misleading", to oppose same-sex parenting.
Lord Singh of Wimbledon is tabling Amendment 96, which calls for a referendum on equal marriage in October.
The amendment would pause equal marriage even if it were to pass, until it was approved by a popular vote.
The Earl of Listowel has withdrawn Amendment 95a.
Baroness Stowell has said she will write a letter to the Earl of Listowel following the debate, but that the research his amendment calls for is too large for the bill.
Baroness Stowell says she thinks Amendment 95 is unnecessary, and has challenged the points made by the Earl of Listowel, because same-sex couples wishing to have children take the decision "perhaps more" seriously than straight couples, because it has to be a conscious decision.
"When gay couples decide to have a child, or children, the decision very obviously is a conscious one, it has to be. So therefore it's very safe for us to assume that, having made that decision they will be very conscious about the needs of that child."
Lord Pannick questions why Amendment 95a is suddenly an issue, as children already have same-sex parents in civil partnerships. He suggests that it is just an issue with opposition to equal marriage.
Baroness Thornton says there is absolutely no need for Amendment 95a to be attached to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.
Baroness Brinton has said society is obsessed with the idea of "normal" families, but that children all know that their peers come from same-sex, or single parent families.
She says: "there is really strong evidence that children thrive in that sort of same-sex relationship.
Lord Alli has also cited "Research on children being raised by people who are gay. There is now a large body of evidence which shows that on average such children do better than children who are born in the normal way of current marriage."
Lord Alli compared the Earl of Listowel to Tony Benn for his power of persuasion, and the nature of his speech, despite not agreeing with what he says.
Lord Alli says he strongly disagrees with Amendment 95a.
The Baroness, who came out during the earlier debate on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, says: "I want to agree with him only to the extent that it is important that in future that there be research into the affects of this bill, and into families which come into being when this bill is passed.
"I disagree with him because I detected in what he said, that he starts from a base position that somehow he believes this is going to be bad
"I believe that this is a very hopeful bill. A bill that will bring a great deal of stability to families who have not had stability until now. "
She said that when she was at school nobody talked about being gay, she said it was mentioned "at best as a joke".
Baroness Barker has risen to strongly oppose amendment 95a, in the name of acceptance of same-sex couples.
Perhaps the Earl of Listowel has forgotten that the peers are debating equal marriage, and that gay couples getting married probably intend their relationships not to be "brief".
The Earl of Listowel continues that: "We know that male same-sex relationships can be brief", and that having two parents is preferable for the raising of children.
The Earl of Listowel is noting the citation of a study which found that children of same-sex parents "do better", as cited by Baroness Stowell, and Lord Winston on Monday, saying it should be looked a "critically".
The Earl of Listowel is tabling Amendment 95a, which calls for a review of the overall impact of the introduction on equal marriage on children.
He is concerned that the bill will "erode" the "traditional" idea that the "best situation for children is to have a father and a mother".
Lord Bishop of Leicester has withdrawn Amendment 95, but has said he may seek to bring parts of it back at Third Reading.
Lord Bishop of Leicester has said the amendment does not allow schools to opt out of teaching about equal marriage, and claims that its opponents and proponents are actually on the "same side".
Baroness Stowell has also promised that guidance will be reviewed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and sent to all schools, in order to support them after equal marriage becomes law.
Baroness Stowell says the Government does not accept the amendment, because it does not want to accept an amendment which could threaten the ultimate goal of the equal marriage bill.
Baroness Stowell notes that sometimes same-sex parents send their children to faith schools, and that it is wrong to assume all faith school parents are straight, and opposed to equal marriage.
"I don't think that this amendment and what i will achieve is the way to give people comfort in order to adjust to the social change.
"Some parents who send their children to faith schools are gay, and I don't think that we should assume that all parents who are sending their children to faith schools are straight couples.
"That's the kind of sensitive issue we are dealing with."
Baroness Stowell continues: "The Gov have considered it very carefully. We do believe that this provision is unnecessary, I need to try to reassure the house why we have come to that view.
"In schools of a religious character, teachers deal admirably" with teaching about marriages which do not line up with their faith. She notes marriages between divorcees.
Baroness Stowell rises to say she understands religious concerns over the teaching of equal marriage, but that the amendment is unnecessary.
"I would like to make clear that there is absolutely nothing in this bill that affects faith schools in future" to provide an education whilst sticking to religious beliefs."
The Bishop of Exeter conceded that he is not a lawyer, but claimed that the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill would create a legal conflict.
Baroness Royall, the leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords, has said she understands concerns raised by the Church of England and Catholic Church.
She said they were concerned at the pace of change, and that they may not adjust to accept equal marriage, but said said: "they will, and they will be comfortable with it".
Baroness Byford said she was concerned about children who may ask their parents about same-sex parents.
The Bishop of Winchester rose to support the amendment, saying that it does not include a "homophobic Trojan Horse".
Baroness Byford has risen to support the bill, which she calls "extremely important".
Excellent conclusion by Baroness Farrington: "All children in all our schools, ought to be able to love and respect all members of their communities and families. Those children know those people, perhaps we are a bit late recognising it."
Baroness Farrington said a twelve-year-old asked her what she was doing in the Lords, and she told them equal marriage.
She said the child questioned why religious groups were opposed to equal marriage, and was confused as to why they would be.
Baroness Farrington said other peers had suggested that the equal marriage bill would create a new set of issues for schools to teach.
This legislation is already in place with civil partnerships, she says, but children or families with same-sex parents already exist, and schools will not be required to teach anything new.
Lord Elystan-Morgan rose with "trepidation" to say he was unsure on the amendment, but would reject it if it "imperilled" the bill.
He said: "Is there a point where a faith school, or a body operating any trust, is entitled, if it so wishes, to go contrary to a principle that have been clearly and specifically spelled out in Parliament. The answer must be in the negative. "
Lord Eden seems to suggest that children of same-sex parents will not have grandparents… "One aspect of marriage up until now, which will change when [equal marriage] becomes law, is that family life is a very significant factor in marriage, and in the bringing up of children."
He continues: "Ideally the family includes a mother and father… and hopefully grandparents."
"The aim of the family should be to provide a stable and nurturing environment" for the raising of children.
Baroness Brinton has risen to agree with Lord Alli. She says current guidelines are "sensitive" in the way they say schools must teach, but that Amendment 95 is not needed.
Lord Alli comments to say: "I am sorry that I cannot support the Reverend, for many of the reasons that Lord Pannick has outlined".
"I am afraid that if we agree this amendment… It will provide a foothold for those opposed to this bill to open old debates and old wounds."
He said Amendment 95 could be "quite destructive in the hands of those who do not want this bill to succeed".
"My growing appreciation of the new direction of travel in the Church of England", noting efforts to combat homophobic bullying by the Church.
Lord Cormack says: "Children should be taught the basic tenets of the faith. There need be nothing incompatible between these tow aims."
"The acceptance of this amendment will show sensitivity, understanding on behalf of the Government." He calls for a "spirit of mutual tolerance".
Lord Cormack has also called the amendment "moderate".
He says: "I do not believe the acceptance of this amendment can do any damage whatsoever" to the equal marriage bill.
Lord Pannick has called the bill "inappropriate". He says he cannot understand the need for a specific provision to address the influence of equal marriage on sex education, when there is no provision to address other issues.
Baonress Cumberlege is talking on the value of faith schools, noting the Education Act which reads: "the nature of marriage and its importance for family life and the bringing up of children".
She says a it will be "of concern", because if equal marriage is passed, it will require schools to teach "more" than that of the law.
The Baroness claims that schools are concerned: "That they will be prevented of doing so by the redefinition of marriage" by the bill.
She called Amendment 95 a "modest amendment".
The Lord Bishop is saying schools will teach about marriage according to religious teachings whether or not the amendment is added, but asks whether the peers would prefer it to be included in the bill.
Speaking on the Education Act 1996, the Lord Bishop of Leicester is saying without the amendment, there will be a conflict of interests between teaching facts about equal marriage, and the moral issues required by the teaching of SRE.
Amendment 95 has been nicknamed the "son of Section 28".
It reads that the equal marriage bill will not "prevents teaching the tenets of the relevant religion or religious denomination concerning marriage and its importance for family life and the bringing up of children to registered pupils at schools which have a religious character."
The Bishop of Leicester said without the amendment, religious schools will be "Left in a dilemma as to how marriage should be taught".
Amendment 95 is currently being introduced by the Lord Bishop of Leicester. He says the amendment is not to allow schools to opt-out.
He said many people "still remain haunted by Section 28." The Bishop says he does not want to "turn back the clock to those regrettable times."
"The focus of the amendment is of schools of religious character".
Here we go. The debate on the equal marriage bill is now resuming.
The Report stage for the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Will resume shortly. Check back for updates.
Just under half an hour until the House of Lords debate on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, resumes. Stay tuned for more coverage here from 20:12 (approximately).
The debate at Report Stage for the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill has adjourned, to resume at 20:12. Check back on PinkNews.co.uk for more coverage!
Amendment 94, to extend civil partnerships to carers/cohabiting family members has been rejected by peers in the House of Lords with 267 votes to 89.
Amendment pushed to a vote. It appears a majority of Not-contents have it.
Baroness Deech: "I am getting letters from sisters. I don't know what to write back to them if this house does not look at this amendment."
Baroness Deech: "We are not talking about marriage, or civil partnership, or incest, we are talking about an inquiry now that same-sex marriage has opened this opportunity."
She calls the amendment a "study of equality."
Lord Wallace disputes Lord Dear's assertion that there is at all a "clamouring" for this amendment. He says there are not exactly many people lobbying for it.
Lord Wallace says that what Baroness Deech was getting at was not really a civil partnership at all.
Lord Wallace: "It is undesirable for close family members, such as siblings, to marry."
There are very strong arguments on both sides, says Lord Pannick.
However, where he was in favour of the amendment, he has now changed his mind. He is not persuaded this is an "appropriate vehicle" after all.
Baroness Barker says that the rights and responsibilities of people entering a relationship are wholly different from the rights and responsibilities of members of the same family.
"This sets up some potentially damaging and ugly relationships in families." She says she does not think it should be a part of any review.
"Public opinion would consider this an important matter," claims Lord Anderson.
Baroness Kennedy: "what would undermine the condition of same-sex marriages more than allowing fathers and daughters into a partnership contract?"
Lords keep trying to speak twice. Things are getting restless.
Baroness Kennedy says that this amendment is yet another wrecking amendment, designed to scuttle the bill.
That there is no "annulment" in civil partnerships means that there need not be a sexual dimension, Baroness Berridge argues.
"One might even see deeply religious people of the same sex, who currently oppose the bill, getting married!"
She notes that Lord Alli's "feels wrong" comment is very subjective and postmodern. (Ignoring, of course, that feeling is a very modernist affect)
She says that if it is "so wrong," the amendment would not have been allowed on the face of the bill.
Lord Dear says that the words "generosity and compassion" must be added to the words "equity" and "decency" that have already been used.
"There have been many attempts to couple this wagon to the appropriate stagecoach," he argues, much to the provocation of the Lords.
Baroness Farrington says that the amendment is the "right wagon" attached to the "wrong train."
She says she hopes they will find another vehicle to attach their wagon to, so that she may support it.
Baroness Farrington: "I would be delighted to be debating this issue, not in a review, but now."
She says that she does not believe, however, that the marriage bill is the vehicle for doing that.
Bishop Chester says he has not heard the word "justice" being used an awful lot during discussions.
"Something ought to be there to provide support, and indeed blessing, for those who find themselves in co-habitations."
He says he is delighted to support the amendment.
Lord Alli says, "at the risk of groans from the house," that he has not noticed a single amendment down in any other bill pushing this issue.
"Why now?" he asks. "This is neither the time or place."
Lord Alli says "I don't view civil partnerships as a financial transaction between two people." He says they are founded on a sexual relationships.
"I know your lordships don't like talking about sex," he remarks.
Lord Alli says he believes he will see a day where civil partnerships will be celebrated in churches.
"I think if we were today to broaden the scope of civil partnerships, we will endanger this."
He says that all the benefits for unpaid carers already exists. The issue boils down to family exclusively, he insists.
In response to the question of the sexual nature of marriages – "we don't ask that question."
"I do understand, like marriage, civil partnerships – a majority of the time – start with a sexual component, and this must be broadly understood."
Baroness Hooper talks emphatically about how her co-habited sister died last year, and that she gained no benefits from this tragic loss that others are privileged with.
Baroness Butler-Sloss says that "the door is actually open" for the civil partnership act to be reviewed.
"I find it very difficult to understand that it can't be at least be looked at."
The last time the issues of siblings and carers rights were raised was during the civil partnership bill.
Lord Lloyd says Baroness Deech is not asking for "a change in the law".
"There is to be a review anyway," he insists. "This seems to be the ideal occasion to consider the points to which everyone agrees."
Lord Cormack: "If the government is to have this review of civil partnerships, it is surely right that these other relationships should be taken into account."
"In the name of equity, in the name of decency – to exclude this would be entirely wrong."
"Love and commitment come in many forms, not necessarily with sex," says Baroness Deech. She says that worries about incest are "extraordinary".
"It cannot be seriously suggested that two sisters taking care of each other are guilty of incest."
"If recognising same-sex marriage has no impact on opposite-sex marriage," she says, then the same can apply to sibling unions.
In France, she reminds the house, there exists "pacts" which exist that give similar benefits to marriage for co-dependent siblings and carers.
Baroness Deech says "this could be a gender issue".
"The justification for the discrimination that exists for those living together in a co-dependent environment has gone," she argues.
This is not merely about money, she says, it is about the advantages of living in a home, medical rights, and the care for children, and so on.
"I cannot imagine anyone hard-hearted enough to block this, although I gather the government is not sympathetic."
Lord Wallace puts forward the Amendment 93 for England and Wales legislation concerning civil partnerships for siblings and carers.
Content or not content? The contents have it.
Baroness Stowell says in response to post-legislative scrutiny, that she would expect scrutiny of the bill's impact to be considered – and that would be a matter of form, she reassures.
Concerning the fast-track procedure: "It reduces the amount of evidence that the trans person has to give to the gender recognition panel."
The main thing, she concludes, is how grateful she is about the generous remarks that have been made.
"What we've done," she notes, "is allowed trans people who have married to stay married."
Baroness Barker says she is relieved that the discussions of pensions is over.
"I never thought we would come to anything more complex than when we came to this amendment."
She says it is apt to say that one of the couples she knows will be directly affected by this. "They did not wish for that marriage to be broken up in these circumstances."
Perhaps this amendment is something to be returned to in post-legislative procedures she suggests.
Baroness Gould: "It doesn't really matter whether the spouse gives consent to the marriage, or to gender recognition."
She acknowledges that the transgender community is angry, and will continue to be angry about the spousal veto.
Applicants who made their transitions long ago may find it difficult to obtain the required medical reports from gender dysphoria specialists, Baroness Stowell reminds the House.
Amendment put forward for transgender recognition bypassing veto legislation.
"There is a real fear from transgender people that spouses will be able to veto their gender recognition certificates."
Lord Armstrong says he doesn't think his amendment deserved Lord Lester's harsh criticism.
He withdraws amendment 85.
Lord Wallace: "We cannot accept this amendment." There is only one institution of marriage, he says.
Baroness Thornton calls Lord Armstrong's amendment "ingenious" in its attempt to undermine equal marriage.
"We do feel that it is time to stop having this argument."
Lord Lester notes that paragraph B separates the two types of marriage using about 100 words instead of a bracket.
"Its meaning and effect would puzzle Henry the VIII and his Lord Chancellor."
(An amendment for two-tiered marriage was defeated by 195 votes on Monday)
Lord Armstrong: 'This amendment is 100% bracket free.'
Lord Lester calls Lord Armstrong's amendment the "most eccentric" he has seen.
Lord Armstrong says he anticipates that maybe "gay marriage" might one day become "as traditional" as opposite-sex marriage.
Lord Armstrong moves amendment 85 forward for enabling same-sex couples to "enjoy" the same laws as opposite-sex couples. The clause supports a "physiological and biological" recognition of "fundamental" difference.
(It is a wrecking amendment, in other words)
Amendment 84 withdrawn.
Lord Alli says that "there just is no public money." He says he had the honour of being the publisher of Pensions Magazine: he has had a little time understanding the pensions market.
The 2 to 3 million pounds was about taking out gender discrimination. It has nothing to do with occupational pension schemes.
He says the cost is so minimal. "The actuary calculations," he says, "will remain pretty static."
Baroness Stowell has asked Lord Alli to withdraw his amendment to equalise pensions
Baroness Stowell: "This debate demonstrates the need for us to be better informed. There are issues that need proper consideration."
She says she can see the sense in what Lord Alli is saying. "What I am going to do is discuss further with my ministerial colleagues."
Lord Alli: "I really think the government cannot say there is a public cost – there is no public funding. It is so clear that the House should be put into a position of believing that public money is being spent."
Pre-existing differences exist between men and women with pension provision has an impact on same-sex couples, says Baroness Stowell.
Baroness Stowell says that this amendment does not provide survivor provision between same-sex couples as well as opposite sex couples.
She claims it will have a domino effect on pensions schemes leading to the impact on the taxpayer.
"It would impact immediately on those pensions schemes that at the moment have no occupation for same-sex couples."
"Avoiding imposing retrospective costs on pension schemes is the approach taken by Government for many years."
Baroness calls on the Government to bring forward proposals to address any remaining pension inequalities.
Baroness Royall: "The 3 to 4 billion pound estimate is based on the assumption of equalisation leading back to 1978." But the 1978 matter is based on the historic incident of women being subordinate to their husbands, she says.
Baroness Royall is supporting Lord Alli's amendment.
Lord Deben: "Mammon must not be allowed to win."
Mammon, in the New Testament of the Bible, is material wealth or greed, most often personified as a deity, and sometimes included in the seven princes of Hell.
Lord Deben: "We have had to say to groups and individuals who are unhappy with this legislation contain their unhappiness."
"There might be something we haven't thought through, but I do think we cannot say that for the time forward that one sort of marriage will work in one way and another will work in a different way."
He says that every effort will be made to ensure this bill means what it says: equal marriage.
Lord Higgins: "I think it is wrong retrospectively to put a charge on the schemes of existing members."
He says that overall they should leave it to the discretion of trustees.
"We don't know the exact cost," says Lord Higgins. "The reality is this will affect a number of pensions funds."
Shami Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty, writes for PinkNews about the inequality for pensions for gay couples.
Baroness Noakes disputes the evaluation of the financial impact of amendment 84, arguing her support for 84a.
Baroness Howe: "Isn't this exactly the government's commitment to securing real equality for gay people?"
Here is gay Conservative MP Mike Freer's article for PinkNews about the inequality in private pensions for same-sex couples
Baroness Howe recounts the DOMA (Defense of Marriage) case concerning the discrimination of those in lawful same sex marriages.
She says: "I can confidently say that this change in the law will mean the world to those it affects."
Lord Alli: "This is a tiny issue affecting a small amount a people at a terrible time of need."
He says the government are making a mountain out of a molehill.
Lord Alli criticises the ideologue of "spurious costs" that he anticipates will be used to argue against the amendment.
Lord Alli is now introducing Amendment 84 for Pensions.


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|17 Dec 2002
|Filing date
|6 Jul 1999
|Priority date
|7 Jul 1998
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Michael F. Hoey, Peter M. J. Mulier
|Original Assignee
|Medtronic, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (30), Referenced by (52), Classifications (11), Legal Events (6)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/091,937, filed on Jul. 7, 1998.
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for creating a virtual electrode. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the creation of a virtual electrode that is useful for the ablation of soft tissue and neoplasms.
The utilization of an electric current to produce an ameliorative effect on a bodily tissue has a long history, reportedly extending back to the ancient Greeks. The effects on bodily tissue from an applied electric current, and thus the dividing line between harmful and curative effects, will vary depending upon several factors, including voltage levels, current levels, the length of time the current is applied, and the tissue involved. One such effect resulting from the passage of an electric current through tissue is heat generation.
Body tissue, like all non-superconducting materials, conducts current with some degree of resistance. This resistance creates localized heating of the tissue through which the current is being conducted. The amount of heat generated will vary with the power P deposited in the tissue, which is a function of the product of the square of the current I and the resistance R of the tissue to the passage of the current through it (P=I2R.).
As current is applied to specific tissue, heat is generated in that tissue due to the inherent resistance of the tissue. Deleterious effects in the cells making up the tissue begin to occur at about 42� Celsius, depending on the length of time that the cells are exposed to the generated heat. As the temperature of the tissue increases due to the heat generated by the tissue's resistance, the tissue will undergo profound changes and eventually, as the temperature becomes high enough, that is, generally greater than 45� C., the cells will die. The zone of cell death is known as a lesion and the procedure followed to create the lesion is commonly called an ablation. As the temperature increases beyond cell death temperature, complete disintegration of the cell walls and cells caused by boiling off of the water within the tissue can occur. Cell death temperatures can vary somewhat with the type of tissue to which the power is being applied, but generally will begin to occur within the range of 45� to 60� C., though actual cell death of certain tissue cells may occur at a higher temperature.
In recent times, electric current has found advantageous use in surgery, with the development of a variety of surgical instruments for cutting tissue or for coagulating blood. Still more recently, the use of alternating electric current to ablate, that is, kill, various tissues has been explored. Typically, current having a frequency from about 3 kilohertz to about 300 gigahertz, which is generally known as radiofrequency (RF) current, is used for this procedure. Destruction of tissue using an RF current is commonly known as RF ablation. Often RF ablation is performed as a minimally invasive procedure and is known as RF catheter ablation because the procedure is performed through and with the use of a catheter. By way of example, RF catheter ablation has been used to ablate cardiac tissue responsible for irregular heartbeat arrhythmias.
The prior art applications of providing current to specific tissue have typically involved applying the current using a "dry" electrode. That is, a metal electrode is applied to the tissue desired to be affected and a generated electric current is passed through the electrode to the tissue. A commonly known example of an instrument having such an operating characteristic is an electrosurgical instrument known as a "bovie" knife. This instrument includes a cutting/coagulating blade electrically attached to a current generator. The blade is applied to the tissue of a patient and the current passes through the blade into the tissue and through the patient's body to a metal base electrode or ground plate usually placed underneath and in electrical contact with the patient. The base electrode is in turn electrically connected to the current generator so as to provide a complete circuit.
As the current from the bovie knife passes from the blade into the tissue of a patient, the resistance provided by the tissue creates heat. In the cutting mode, a sufficient application of power through the bovie knife to the tissue causes the fluid within the cell to turn to steam, creating a sufficient overpressure so as to burst the cell walls. The cells then dry up, desiccate, and carbonize, resulting in localized shrinking and an opening in the tissue. Alternatively, the bovie knife can be applied to bleeding vessels to heat and coagulate the blood flowing therefrom and thus stop the bleeding.
As previously noted, another use for electrical instruments in the treatment of the body is in the ablation of tissue. To expand further on the brief description given earlier of the ablation of cardiac tissue, it has long been known that a certain kind of heart tissue known as sino-atrial and atrio-ventricular nodes spontaneously generate an electrical signal that is propagated throughout the heart along conductive pathways to cause it to beat. Occasionally, certain heart tissue will "misfire," causing the heart to beat irregularly. If the errant electrical pathways can be determined, the tissue pathways can be ablated and the irregular heartbeat remedied. In such a procedure, an electrode is placed via a catheter into contact with the tissue and then current is applied to the tissue via the electrode from a generator of RF current. The applied current will cause the tissue in contact with the electrode to heat. Power will continue to be applied until the tissue reaches a temperature where the heart tissue dies, thereby destroying the errant electrical pathway and the cause of the irregular heartbeat.
Another procedure using RF ablation is transurethral needle ablation, or TUNA, which is used to create a lesion in the prostate gland for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or the enlargement of the prostate gland. In a TUNA procedure, a needle having an exposed conductive tip is inserted into the prostate gland and current is applied to the prostate gland via the needle. As noted previously, the tissue of the prostate gland heats locally surrounding the needle tip as the current passes from the needle to the base electrode. A lesion is created as the tissue heats and the destroyed cells may be reabsorbed by the body, infiltrated with scar tissue, or just become non-functional.
While there are advantages and uses for such "dry" electrode instruments, there are also several notable disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is that during a procedure, coagulum—dried blood cells and tissue cells—will form on the electrode engaging the tissue. Coagulum acts as an insulator and effectively functions to prevent current transfer from the blade to the tissue. This coagulum "insulation" can be overcome with more voltage so as to keep the current flowing, but only at the risk of arcing and injuring the patient. Thus, during surgery when the tissue is cut with an electrosurgical scalpel, a build-up of coagulated blood and desiccated tissue will occur on the blade, requiring the blade to be cleaned before further use. Typically, cleaning an electrode/scalpel used in this manner will involve simply scraping the dried tissue from the electrode/scalpel by rubbing the scalpel across an abrasive pad to remove the coagulum. This is a tedious procedure for the surgeon and the operating staff since it requires the "real" work of the surgery to be discontinued while the cleaning operation occurs. This procedure can be avoided with the use of specially coated blades that resist the build up of coagulum. However, such specialty blades are costly.
A second disadvantage of the dry electrode approach is that the electrical heating of the tissue creates smoke that is now known to include cancer-causing agents. Thus, preferred uses of such equipment will include appropriate ventilation systems, which can themselves become elaborate and expensive.
A further, and perhaps the most significant, disadvantage of dry electrode electrosurgical tools is revealed during cardiac ablation procedures. During such a procedure, an electrode that is otherwise insulated but having an exposed, current carrying tip is inserted into the heart chamber and brought into contact with the inner or endocardial side of the heart wall where the ablation is to occur. The current is initiated and passes from the current generator to the needle tip electrode and from there into the tissue so that a lesion is created. Typically, however, the lesion created by a single insertion is insufficient to cure the irregular heartbeat because the lesion created is of an insufficient size to destroy the errant electrical pathway. Thus, multiple needle insertions and multiple current applications are almost always required to ablate the errant cardiac pathway, prolonging the surgery and thus increasing the potential risk to the patient.
This foregoing problem is also present in TUNA procedures, which similarly require multiple insertions of the needle electrode into the prostate gland. Failing to do so will result in the failure to create a lesion of sufficient size required for beneficial results. As with RF catheter ablation of cardiac tissue, the ability to create a lesion of the necessary size to alleviate BPH symptoms is limited and thus requires multiple insertions of the electrode into the prostate.
A typical lesion created with a dry electrode using RF current and a single insertion will normally not exceed one centimeter in diameter. This small size—often too small to be of much or any therapeutic benefit—stems from the fact that the tissue surrounding the needle electrode tends to desiccate as the temperature of the tissue increases, leading to the creation of a high resistance to the further passage of current from the needle electrode into the tissue. This high resistance—more properly termed impedance since typically an alternating current is being used—between the needle electrode and the base electrode is commonly measured by the RF current generator. When the measured impedance reaches a pre-determined level, the generator will discontinue current generation. Discontinuance of the ablation procedure under these circumstances is necessary to avoid injury to the patient.
Thus, a typical procedure with a dry electrode may involve placing the needle electrode at a first desired location; energizing the electrode to ablate the tissue; continue applying current until the generator measures a high impedance and shuts down; moving the needle to a new location closely adjacent to the first location; and applying current again to the tissue through the needle electrode. This expanded cycle of electrode placement, electrode energization, generator shut down, electrode re-emplacement, and electrode re-energization, will be continued until a lesion of the desired size has been created, thereby increasing the length of the procedure for the patient. Additionally, multiple insertions increases the risk of at least one of the placements being in the wrong location and, consequently, the risk that healthy tissue may be undesirably affected while diseased tissue may be left untreated. The traditional RF ablation procedure of using a dry ablation therefore includes several patient risk factors that both patient and physician would prefer to reduce or eliminate.
The therapeutic advantages of RF current could be increased if a larger lesion could be created safely with a single positioning of the current-supplying electrode. A single positioning would allow the procedure to be carried out both more expeditiously and more efficiently, reducing the time involved in the procedure. Prior art therapies creating larger lesions simply continue to apply current to the patient with sufficiently increasing power to overcome the previously discussed coagulum insulation issue, thereby creating a larger lesion. However, the patient is subject to undesirable results, such as painful damage to healthy tissue.
It would be desirable to have an apparatus capable of creating a virtual electrode for the controlled application of tissue ablating RF electric current to a tissue of interest so as to produce a lesion of desired size and configuration.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus and method that is not subject to the foregoing disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an integrated conductive fluid supply and radiofrequency current generator.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for treating a patient with radiofrequency current via a virtual electrode to produce a lesion of a predetermined size.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method which protects a portion of tissue whose ablation is not desired.
The foregoing objects of the present invention are achieved by an apparatus and a method for producing a virtual electrode within or upon a tissue to be treated with radiofrequency alternating electric current, such tissue including but not limited to liver, lung, cardiac, prostate, breast, and vascular tissue and neoplasms. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention will include a surgical instrument connected to a radiofrequency alternating electric current source and connected to a radiofrequency ablating fluid source. The surgical instrument delivers a fluid and a current to a first portion of tissue to be ablated. The apparatus also includes a delivery instrument connected to a protective fluid source for delivery of a protective fluid to a second portion of tissue whose ablation is not desired.
A method of creating a virtual electrode for the ablation of tissue and for the selected protection of tissue during an ablation therapy includes providing a radiofrequency ablation fluid to a first portion of tissue to be ablated, providing a radiofrequency alternating electric current to the first portion of tissue to be ablated, and providing a protection fluid to a second portion of tissue whose ablation is not desired.
The foregoing objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims. Throughout the drawings, like numerals refer to similar or identical parts.
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation showing a radiofrequency ablation system incorporating the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of healthy tissue having tumorous tissue therein.
Research conducted under the auspices of the assignee of the present invention has focused on spreading the current density throughout a larger tissue volume through the creation, maintenance, and control of a "virtual electrode" within or adjacent to the tissue to be ablated. A virtual electrode can be created by the introduction of a conductive fluid, such as isotonic or hypertonic saline, into or onto the tissue to be ablated. The conductive fluid will facilitate the spread of the current density substantially equally throughout the extent of the flow of the conductive fluid, thus creating an electrode—a virtual electrode—substantially equal in extent to the size of the delivered conductive fluid. Radiofrequency (RF) current can then be passed through the virtual electrode into the tissue.
A virtual electrode can be substantially larger in volume than the needle tip electrode typically used in prior art RF interstitial ablation procedures and thus can create a larger lesion than can a dry, needle tip electrode. That is, the virtual electrode spreads or conducts the RF current density outward from the RF current source—such as a current carrying needle, forceps, or other current delivery device—into or onto a larger volume of tissue than is possible with instruments that rely on the use of a dry electrode. Stated otherwise, the creation of the virtual electrode enables the current to flow with reduced resistance or impedance throughout a larger volume of tissue, thus spreading the resistive heating created by the current flow through a larger volume of tissue and thereby creating a larger lesion than could otherwise be created with a dry electrode.
FIG. 1 illustrates in schematic form a system for RF ablation useful with the present invention. System 10 includes a source of radiofrequency alternating electric current 12, a source of RF ablating fluid 14, including but not limited to saline and other conductive solutions, and surgical instrument 16 for delivering the RF current and the RF ablation fluid to a desirous tissue site for ablation purposes. For this application, RF current is defined as current having a frequency from about 3 kilohertz to 300 gigahertz. It is understood that surgical instrument 16 may be a single needle within a RF ablation catheter or may include a plurality of needles. It is also understood that RF fluid source 14 and RF current generator 12 may be combined into a single operational structure controlled by an appropriate microprocessor for a controlled delivery of ablating fluid and a controlled application of RF current, both based upon measured parameters such as, but not limited to, flow rate, tissue temperature at the ablation site and at areas surrounding the ablation site, impedance, the rate of change of the impedance, the detection of arcing between the surgical instrument and the tissue, the time period during which the ablation procedure has been operating, and additional factors as desired.
It is also understood that while surgical instrument 16 is shown in FIG. 1 as including both the current delivery device and the fluid delivery device the present system is not so limited but could include separate needles or other instruments useful in RF liquid ablation procedures. For example, a single straight or coiled needle having an exposed end and a fluid flow path there through could be used to deliver both fluid and current to the target tissue for ablation purposes. Alternatively, a first needle could be used to deliver the current and a separate second needle or plurality of needles could be used to deliver fluid to the target tissue.
The application of the present system is not limited to the use of straight needles or helical needles as surgical instruments but could find use with any type of instrument wherein a conductive solution is delivered to a tissue and an RF current is applied to the tissue through the conductive fluid. Such instruments thus would include straight needles, helical needles, forceps, roller balls, instruments for the treatment of vascular disorders, and any other instrument.
System 10 can further include a second fluid delivery system including protective fluid source 18 and delivery instrument 19. The second fluid delivery system for delivery of tissue protecting fluid as described below via delivery instrument 19 for delivery of protective fluid to a tissue whose ablation is not desired.
At various times, a target tissue for a RF ablation procedure using a virtual electrode may be closely adjacent to tissue whose damage would be very undesirable. In general, it is typically desirable to limit the amount of damage due to the ablation procedure. With certain procedures, however, such as those involving the ablation of a metastases, it is critical that the ablation zone include at a minimum the entire metastases with some measurable portion of surrounding healthy tissue.
A method for protecting tissue surrounding a desired ablation zone will now be described. First, the appropriate RF ablating fluid delivery system and electrical electrode will be provided to the tissue to be ablated, such as RF current 12, RF ablating fluid source 14, and surgical instrument 16 previously described with reference to FIG. 1. Secondly, fluid delivery systems will be placed in, or over in the case of some surface ablations, the tissue to be protected to enable the treating physician to deliver to the tissue to be protected a tissue protecting fluid, such as protective fluid source 18 and delivery instrument 19 previously described with reference to FIG. 1. The tissue protecting fluid of protective fluid source 18 could comprise a nonconductive solution such as a sugar solution comprising water and dextrose or sucrose buffered to the appropriate pH. Alternatively, the tissue protecting fluid could comprise a chilled saline solution or other chilled biocompatible fluid that would act as a heat sink and limit the amount of heat absorbed by conduction from the tissue being ablated. It is understood that the tissue protecting fluid of protective fluid source 18 can be delivered via instruments of various types including but not limited to, needles of various configurations as previously described with reference to FIG. 1 where the interstitial provision of the tissue protecting fluid is desired, or some form of surface application device such as a roller ball or forceps where protection is desired along a tissue surface.
While a solution of sucrose or dextrose in water has been proposed as an example of a nonconductive solution useful with this invention, other biocompatible nonconductive solutions, including but not limited to other sugar solutions, glycols, and inositols could be used in accord with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of healthy tissue having tumorous tissue therein. As shown in FIG. 2, tissue 20 includes tumor 22 (or other tissue whose ablation is desired) and healthy tissue 24. Needle 26 is shown through which an RF conductive fluid, including but not limited to isotonic or hypertonic saline, and an RF current can be delivered to tumor 22. Also shown in FIG. 2 are needles 28 and 30 which represent delivery instrument 19 of FIG. 1 and which deliver tissue protecting fluid of protective fluid source 18 to the healthy tissue 24. Thus, boluses of protective non-conductive or cooled fluid within the healthy tissue are created, as indicated by dashed lines 32 and 34 respectively. It will be understood that FIG. 2 is highly schematic and is intended to illustrate the principle of the present invention and not the shape of any particular tissue or fluid bolus created within the tissue. Furthermore, it will be understood that needles 26, 28, and 30 are meant to be representative of various surgical instruments previously discussed in this application. Thus, instrument 26 could be a surface application device, including but not limited to a forceps.
The present invention has been described relative to the use of a bolus, which is commonly known in the medical profession as a specific volume of fluid that is static; that is, that is injected once. More commonly, the foregoing procedures are carried out with continuous infusion of the conductive solution.
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been set forth herein in some detail, it is understood that this has been done for the purposes of illustration only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It is to be understood that various alterations, substitutions, and modifications may be made to the embodiment described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
|Cited Patent
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|Fluid-assisted electrosurgical scissors and methods
|1 Apr 2009
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|Electrosurgical system
|1 Apr 2009
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|Applied Medical Resources Corporation
|Electrosurgical system
|31 Mar 2009
|29 Oct 2013
|Applied Medical Resources Corporation
|Electrosurgical system
|1 Apr 2009
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|Applied Medical Resources Corporation
|Electrosurgical system
|8 May 2008
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|12 May 2010
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|Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
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|30 Apr 2004
|3 Nov 2005
|Medtronic, Inc.
|Ion eluting tuna device
|10 Aug 2004
|16 Feb 2006
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|TUNA device with integrated saline resevoir
|10 Aug 2005
|23 Oct 2008
|Medtronic, Inc.
|Tuna Device with Integrated Saline Reservoir
|U.S. Classification
|607/105, 606/41, 128/898
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|1 Nov 1999
|24 May 2006
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|6 Sep 2006
Owner name: RIVERVEST VENTURE PARTNERS I, LLC,MISSOURI
Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:TISSUELINK MEDICAL, INC.;REEL/FRAME:018207/0252
Effective date: 20060905
|11 Jun 2007
Owner name: TISSUELINK MEDICAL, INC.,NEW HAMPSHIRE
Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:RIVERVEST VENTURE PARTNERS I, LLC;REEL/FRAME:019407/0213
Effective date: 20070212
|21 May 2010
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|17 Jun 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12


text:
Microsoft has been having troubles keeping the 128GB model Surface Pro tablet on virtual and actual store shelves, but it looks like the drought, as promised, is ending. The tablet's now up for pre-order on the Microsoft Store website with an estimated March 1st ship date. Best Buy will also be receiving shipments of the slate soon and is also willing to take your money now to reserve one. Alas, our friends north of the border in Canada are still without a 128GB Surface purchase option, but at least the folks at the Surface Blog have promised to provide more info on the matter sometime soon. Don't believe us? Head on down to the source and see for yourself.
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Louisville officials announced a $27 million deal Tuesday to improve efficiency in city buildings with upgrades such as new equipment such as chillers and boilers.
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Remembering Happy Rockefeller, an Early Breast Cancer Advocate
Ah, midcentury America, where everyone lived by traditional family values in an I Love Lucy haze and nobody did anything scandalous until those goddamn hippies and their Woodstock. If you ignore stories like that of Nelson and Happy Rockefeller, of course. »


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text: Cool PRT visualization for Microsoft Campus: Microsoft is growing their 30,000-worker Redmond campus by another 12,000 workers. Bettercampus.org proposed PRT for a better solution for Microsoft campus expansion. PRT is a packet switched people mover, faster than a car. It solves the transit "last mile" problem on campus, making transit and carpooling more effective; thus, reduces traffic congestion. http://www.bettercampus.org/ . Animation available in: WVM, DIVX, RM versions, with bittorrent. A high res aerial photo with the system layout is also available.