text:
National Championship Game: Alabama Vs Clemson - Five Things To WatchThe Tide seek their 4th title under Saban, the Tigers their first since '81. Here's what to look for in tonight's title game.
National Championship Game: Clemson Vs Alabama PicksCan Deshaun Watson and the Tigers pull the upset against the Tide?
The Best Of The Worst Of 'In The Loop'Best of the Worst of 'In the Loop' on New Year's Eve
Cougars Beat Temple To Win AAC TitleHouston beat Temple 24-13 to win the Inaugural AAC Championship Game
College Football Week 13 Can't Miss GamesRivalry weekend. Grab that leftover turkey, make a sandwich and enjoy watching the chaos unfold.
Nick Saban And Urban Meyer Screwed Things Up For EverybodyExpectations for college football coaches are always sky high. But, be careful when rolling the dice.
College Football Week 12 Can't Miss GamesTwo undefeated teams face stiff challenges as they attempt to stay unbeaten.
Cougars Know They Face A Trap Game This SaturdayThe Houston Cougars are fresh off a highly emotional one-point comeback win over the Memphis Tigers. The Cougars are flying high, unbeaten on the year and ranked 13th in the USA Today coaches poll. A looming date with Navy at home is on the horizon. Navy, this season, is ranked 19th in the country and considered the only remaining threat to the Cougars undefeated season.
College Football Week 11 Can't Miss GamesThe Big 12 takes the spotlight as a battle of top 15 teams goes down in Waco.
Top 5 Wildest Sports Callers Of The Week: November 2nd-November 6thThe Top 5 Sports Callers of the week is a weekly installment from CBS Local Sports that will bring you the wildest callers from across the nation.
College Football Week 10 Can't Miss GamesThe calendar has changed to November and here come the make or break games.
Verne Lundquist: 'Brandon Harris Is Becoming A Significant Contributor For LSU'SEC on CBS announcer discusses the LSU-Alabama game coming up on Saturday.


text:
From the author of Not Me, this powerful novel about an Israeli father and his daughter brings to life a rich canvas of events and unexpected change in the aftermath of a suicide bombing.
In the galvanizing opening of The Wanting, the celebrated Russian-born postmodern architect Roman Guttman is injured in a bus bombing, causing his life to swerve into instability and his perceptions to become heightened and disturbed as he embarks on an ill-advised journey into Palestinian territory. The account of Roman's desert odyssey alternates with the vivacious, bittersweet diary of his thirteen-year-old daughter, Anyusha (who is on her own perilous path, of which Roman is ignorant), and the startlingly alive witnessings of Amir, the young Palestinian who pushed the button and is now damned to observe the havoc he has wrought from a shaky beyond.
Enriched by flashbacks to the alluringly sad tale of Anyusha's mother, a famous Russian refusenik who died for her beliefs, The Wanting is a poignant study of the costs of extremism, but it is most satisfying as a story of characters enmeshed in their imperfect love for one another and for the heartbreakingly complex world in which that love is wrought.
About the Author
Michael Lavigne was born in Newark, New Jersey. He began seriously writing fiction only at midlife and was a participant of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. Not Me is his first novel, and he is currently working on his second, set in Moscow, where he once lived. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, Gayle.
"From the Hardcover edition."
Praise For…
"In this exquisite novel of longing and loss, Lavigne has woven multiple stories of intersecting lives and conflicting desires. From the snowy streets of communist Moscow to the scorching heat of a Palestinian-controlled desert, we travel with characters at once ruined and resilient, some idealistic, others world-weary—all pursuing that most essential but elusive want: a place to call home. A beautiful meditation on love, and on all the ways in which stories are remembered and told."
—Dalia Sofer, author of The Septembers of Shiraz
"Lavigne writes like an angel. And like a devil. Indeed, he writes so well that it isn't always possible to tell which is which. His ability to give wild imaginings a concrete immediacy, a human warmth and plausibility, is the rarest of writerly gifts."
—Jonathan Rosen, author of Joy Comes in the Morning and The Talmud and the Internet
"Lavigne's heartfelt examination offers what reportage never could: an intensely intimate and human depiction of the forces that unite and powerfully divide this region and its people."
—Publishers Weekly

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Destination Maternity relaunching site with a mobile focus
More than half of the maternity apparel retailer's online traffic comes from mobile shoppers.
Destination Maternity relaunching site with a mobile focus
More than half of the maternity apparel retailer's online traffic comes from mobile shoppers.
Twitter pivots away from Buy buttons
While the social network isn't doing away with its direct-sale initiative, it is focusing its attention on ads that drive consumers to retailers' sites.
Sign up for IRNewsLink and get daily reports delivery to your inbox. Sign Up Now
Sponsored by 2013 Social Media 300
Wal-Mart has stopped selling Amazon's Kindle e-readers and tablets.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will stop selling all Kindle products from Amazon.com Inc. Wal-Mart follows Target Corp., which made the decision to cease carrying the line of mega-popular e-readers and tablets earlier this year.
"Wal-Mart Stores made a business decision to not carry current Amazon products beyond our purchase commitments and existing inventory," a spokeswoman tells Internet Retailer. "Our customers trust us to provide a broad assortment of products at everyday low prices, and we approach every merchandising decision through this lens. We will continue to offer our customers a broad assortment of tablets, e-readers and accessories at a variety of great price points. This decision is consistent with our overall merchandising strategy."
The Kindle Fire and the newly released Kindle Fire HD are not just e-readers but full-fledged tablet computers. They come with the Amazon shopping app pre-installed and in a position of prominence. These devices facilitate sales of merchandise through Amazon.com's mobile commerce channel—every Kindle Fire in the hands of a consumer gives Amazon an edge in online sales competition, says Nikki Baird, managing partner at Retail Systems Research LLC.
"The Kindle is absolutely a device designed to bind shoppers more closely to Amazon," Baird says. "It doesn't surprise me at all to see traditional retailers catching on. We may see more such decisions about the Kindle during this holiday season—either in the run-up or immediately after. But I think one thing we won't see is a drastically negative impact on Kindle sales."
Amazon.com, No. 1 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Walmart.com is No. 4 in the Top 500.
A search for "Kindle" on Walmart.com today brought tablet computers from Amazon.com competitors such as Samsung and Asus.
If you want to match Amazon's growth, you'll have to invest in recruitment, education and ...
Posted 05/30/16
British web retailers could be left out of the e-commerce race as other players in ...
Posted 05/27/16
Online retail is hard, grocery retail is really hard, so online grocery is, of course, really, really hard."


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Dec 28, 2010
|Filing date
|Apr 18, 2005
|Priority date
|Feb 8, 2005
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Alan Chi-Chung Tai
|Original Assignee
|Alan Chi-Chung Tai
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (20), Non-Patent Citations (6), Referenced by (8), Classifications (23), Legal Events (1)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/651,371 filed on Feb. 8, 2005 by the present inventor.
This invention relates to a medical ultrasonic measurement system and method utilizing auto-aligned ultrasound beams to optimize echoed signals for tracking blood flow conditions and blood vessel geometry measurements.
Development in ultrasound technology has become an essential tool to medical professionals for more accurate diagnoses of diseases and other health conditions in their patients. Due to the non-invasive nature of the ultrasound, such a tool is considerably safer than other diagnostic instruments, such as X-rays that use high energy electromagnetic radiation. The ultrasound system works as an imaging technique by sending a high-frequency sound wave through internal body parts and receives a return echo. Next, the return echo from the sound wave generates a corresponding image that may then be used for medical examination. Such a system, used as a diagnostic instrument, has proven to be valuable in the practice of medicine. Although extremely high power levels of ultrasounds, such as those used to treat kidney stones, may heat up the body, no known instance of harm or injury has resulted from exposure to the lower energy levels used for diagnostic ultrasound waves, thus indicating an excellent safety record, even after several decades of use [E]. In consideration of the benefits to using ultrasound technology, physicians and other medical professionals are more likely to prefer using ultrasound system as a screening and researching tool rather than any other existing systems, for example x-rays.
With the advent of micro-processor technology and recent developments in computing power, generating three-dimensional (3-D) images from ultrasound waves is now possible. For real three-dimensional (3-D) imaging with two dimension (2-D) transducers (e.g., 50�50 channels), developments have made such technology feasible mainly to academic research. 2-D transducers demand channels in the order of 1000s, for instance, and the number of channels is proportional to the cost, such that the higher the number of channels required, the costlier the equipment; thus using such a system for common monitoring purposes is a bit unrealistic. Furthermore, such a transducer would need to be roughly greater than the size of an ordinary computer mouse, and for a device of that size to be placed on a patient's body for a possibly long duration of time renders such 2-D transducers rather impractical. In short, due to such a 2-D system's complexity and costly equipment, use of it in the commercial environment has been quite limited. While a solution[C] to lift this limitation would be the application of 2-D sparse array (array with removed elements), an application which demand channels in the order of 100s, such systems are still considered too bulky and not cost-effective.
On the other hand, the commercial monitoring systems currently available employs a single or dual element transducer, which requires manual or at least motor-servo operator assistance in monitoring applications. Being highly dependent on a clinical professional's continuous attention on the monitoring application, such a system would be subject to human error. The disadvantages and limitations of the aforementioned systems create a need for a simpler, more compact and cost-effective ultrasound system. 1-D transducers require only channels in the order of 10s (rather than 1000s like 2-D transducers) and may be produced in a more compact size than the other systems. The 1-D system is cost-effective and small enough in size to make it practical to fasten to a patient's body, which makes this system user-friendly and feasible in the hospital and/or clinical environment as a patient monitoring device.
Doppler ultrasound technology serves many invaluable purposes to medical examination applications. Such applications include but are not limited to the detection and assessment of peripheral arterial diseases, and the detection of emboli (blood clots or other obstructions lodged in a blood vessel) that flow through the blood stream during open heart surgery or other cardiac-related operations. However, there are several drawbacks to the current Doppler ultrasound technology in use by most medical professionals. The current commercial Doppler ultrasound system works through an operator-held transducer that needs to be positioned manually. Though there are some devices employed for positioning and securing the transducer (5,105,815) to the body, the maximum Doppler signal can still be easily missed due to movements from either the operator or the patient. Even the mechanical servo (5,844,140), also used to search for the maximum signal, requires human control and therefore proves unreliable for long-term monitoring purposes.
Ultrasound technology, as applied to transcranial Doppler (TCD), also serves as an important and economical tool for physicians in diagnosing the conditions of patients suffering from stroke-related diseases and brain injuries. Likewise, TCD is useful in detecting vasospasms and blockages in blood vessels by measuring ultrasound Doppler shift related to fluctuation in blood flow velocities. Yet TCD examinations are not performed in the clinical and hospital setting as often as they should be due to the application being extremely operator-dependent. TCD examinations demand an exceptionally steady hand, and thus are still rather not practical or effective in general use. Additionally, the application demands continuous monitoring of patients by highly trained and costly professionals, which may in effect cause an increase in administration costs. Altogether, these drawbacks make an otherwise advantageous application of TCD to be, in practice, very inefficient. Consequently, there is a strong demand and need for an ultrasonic system that goes beyond the current TCD technology to provide more accurate, reliable Doppler information and also perform continuous monitoring on a patient during or after surgery.
Another application of ultrasound technology is the calculation of flow-mediated dilation (FMD), or the measure of the ability of an artery to relax in response to increases in blood velocity, which is essential for cardiovascular research and related clinical applications as FMD provides the data central for determining vascular health. FMD[F] data further assists in furnishing imperative insights into the pre-intrusive phase of the disease atherosclerosis and can detect early signs of the same as well.
The FMD calculation is the computation of the change in post-stimulus arterial diameter, which is typically expressed as the percentage of the baseline diameter before the reactive hyperemia. To measure FMD, an ultrasound wave first scans the brachial artery longitudinally. This is done by holding a transducer securely in place with a stereo tactic clamp. The transducer must be held manually in place for the entire duration of the procedure. Then, a clear section of the vessel must be identified and displayed by the ultrasound system. Manually, again, the maximal change in the Doppler signal is ascertained for purposes of calculating the distance between the opposite lumen-arterial interfaces. As the ultrasound scans are performed continuously on the brachial artery, a blood pressure cuff fastened around the patient's forearm distal is inflated repeatedly over a length of time (e.g., five minutes) then abruptly deflated to artificially generate a reactive hyperemia that will cause the brachial artery to dilate. Finally, the mean diameters of the brachial artery as measured before, during, and after the artificially generated reactive hyperemia are used to calculate the percentage increase in FMD. Patients suffering from coronary artery diseases (CAD), cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes mellitus (DM), when monitored by the manually and statically secured FMD system, normally produces lower values of FMD than healthy individuals; therefore, to effectively monitor and regulate their particular conditions, the constant monitoring of their FMD levels is vital.
In light of the importance of accurate techniques for measuring brachial FMD, a better alternative to the traditional manual assessments is greatly needed. Currently, FMD analysis is prone to human error as the manual assessment of the vessel's diameter is done through a visual inspection and manually aligning the transducer. Such manual assessment and alignment is subject to severe observer errors. Also, the measurements can be thrown off by movements from the patient. In calculation, the percentage increase in the measure of FMD is in the order of 10%, thus even a slight change of transducer alignment along the longitudinal direction could result in imprecision. An imprecision in calculation could then easily cause dangerous misinterpretations by the reader. For this reason among others, it is necessary to have a way in which the transducer can be fastened and kept on the patient steadily and continually while Doppler signals are monitored, unencumbered by the reader's or the patient's movements.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,483 discloses a device using Doppler ultrasound to monitor blood velocity data with 3-D imaging that can be used for long-term, unattended blood flow monitoring in medical applications. In one embodiment, the invention comprises of a pad and processor that collects the Doppler data in a 3-D region through an array of sonic transducer elements, locking onto and tracking the points in the three-dimensional space to locate maximum blood velocity. This invention is limited by its 3-D imaging process, which would require a larger transducer and thus not be easily attachable to a patient's body. The invention is further limited in that it uses Mono-pulse tracking technique, known in the radar industry to track objects in air using electromagnetic wave as a medium, which is inefficient and impractical in its implementation due to ultrasound's strong frequency-dependent attenuation and nonlinear propagation in the human body, skull and blood vessels. The prior art also does not produce strong enough signals to overcome the noises and attenuation that are associated with ultrasound imaging processes.
On the other hand, the present invention solves the aforementioned issues with current monitoring procedures because it has the capability of transmitting automatically-aligning ultrasound beams into a patient and thus obtains the optimized Doppler signal for remarkably accurate results. The function of said invention will prove indispensable to a cardiac surgeon during and post-operation because it provides immediate information to the surgeon regarding the patient's degree of recovery, potential risk factors for stroke and/or other related health complications. Additionally, blood flow measured by Doppler shifts rather than other forms of measurement is quantified more accurately, which will facilitate a more precise judgment of the patient's condition. For example, some patients run the risk of suffering strokes post-surgery due to embolism, a condition where arteries are blocked by emboli or blood clots that travel up to the brain. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in such patients and is furthermore the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind heart disease and cancer [A]. But the ongoing measurements taken from this invention can provide early detection of emboli and stroke symptom as it analyzes the patient's blood flow condition, which in turn allows the surgeon to take preventive measures before complications even arise and thereby reducing chances of permanent brain damage in such patients and even potentially saving such patients' lives.
The invention uses a transducer and detector unit to form and direct ultrasound energy through the blood stream that will detect the Doppler shift in frequency between the beam and the return echo off the blood. To use the preferred embodiment of the invention, the transducer is secured onto the surface of the patient's skin with a transducer housing holder. An electronic generator and processing unit coupled to the transducer for transmitting ultrasound beams and receive and process returned echoes from the transmitted ultrasound energy. The 1-D transducer, subject to an optimized angle with respect to the blood vessel and patient's skin, will generate and direct ultrasound beams electronically through a blood vessel below the skin and analyze the received echo, searching for the maximum signal amplitude of the Doppler frequency shift from the blood. To prevent the emitted ultrasound beams from completely missing the Doppler signals that might otherwise occur, an automatic alignment of this system can effectively search for direction of the maximum rate return signal amplitude and stay at the corresponding angle for the purpose of more accurate monitoring. Furthermore, the device continuously controls the direction of the ultrasound beams to achieve maximum return signal amplitude. Then, the condition and trend of the blood flow is recorded and displayed continuously over the desired diagnostic interval the device is in use.
The logistics of the present invention may be better understood by referencing the appended illustrations, charts and graphs. The numbered figures and the corresponding descriptions are as follows:
FIG. 1—Exploded perspective view of the ultrasound monitoring transducer
FIG. 2A—One view of the transducer housing holder attached to the retaining tape
FIG. 2B—Second view of the transducer housing holder attached to the retaining tape
FIG. 2C—Third view of the transducer housing holder attached to the retaining tape
FIG. 2D—Fourth view of the transducer housing holder attached to the retaining tape
FIG. 3—Schematic view of the transducer array assembly's relative position with the blood vessel
FIG. 4—Perspective view of the curved ceramic focusing along the scanning plane
FIG. 5A—Geometrical view of the transducer array assembly with respect to blood vessel in parallel to skin
FIG. 5B—Geometrical view of the transducer array assembly with respect to blood vessel at an elevation angle y to skin
FIG. 6—Graph of angle θ (x-coordinate) to merit value (y-coordinate)
FIG. 7—Geometrical view of transducer array assembly with respect to blood vessel flowing toward skin
FIG. 8—Graph of angle θ (x-coordinate) to relative merit value (y-coordinate)
FIG. 9—Functional block diagram of an ultrasonic monitoring system with automatic re-alignment for blood flow measurement
FIG. 10A—Functional block diagram of a system to display/record the trend of blood flow condition in accordance with present invention
FIG. 10B—Graph displaying the normal trend
FIG. 10C—Graph displaying the abnormal trend
FIG. 11—Schematic diagram of two of the transducers to monitor the blood flow velocities of the left and right carotid arteries in accordance with the present invention
FIG. 12—Top view of the brain with transducer of this invention on the transtemporal window of the skull for the ultrasonic blood flow measurement of the middle cerebral artery (MCA)
FIG. 13—Doppler waveform showing the blood flow velocity of the MCA in four cardiac cycles
FIG. 14—Side view of the skull with transducer of this invention on the transtemporal window for the ultrasonic blood flow measurement of the middle cerebral artery (MCA)
FIG. 15—Transducer directly above a blood vessel flowing toward the transducer, for example: MCA
FIG. 16—Different position of transducer relative to MCA
FIG. 17—Prior Art of existing commercial ultrasound system for diagnostic application or monitoring application
FIG. 18—Incorporate present invention into existing platform of ultrasound system to become an automatic signal-optimizing monitoring system for blood flow measurement.
The following reference numerals indicate the parts and environment of the invention in the illustrations:
The purpose of the invention is to monitor and measure a medical patient's blood flow condition, using the Doppler ultrasound. To illustrate, the invention could be applied to the monitor of blood flow in carotid arteries inside the neck, which supply blood to the brain. An alternative embodiment of the invention could be applied to monitoring blood flow in the abdominal aorta, pulmonary arteries, the arteries in a patient's arms and legs, and other arteries in which ultrasound waves can be transmitted through the skin's surface.
The housing is retained in the holder by one of a number of releasable attachment means, such as friction between flanges and slots, or by other, known means: adhesive tape, straps, or hook and loop materials and the like. The flanges 4 and the corresponding slots 26 provide an expedient way for the transducer to be removed from the transducer housing holder 20.
Signal connections 200 are provided to system unit 202 for communicating ultrasound-generating signals to the transducer array 14 and communicating reflected ultrasound echo signals received by the array 14 back to the system unit 202 for processing, analysis and display and control.
To use the proposed embodiment of the invention, ultrasound waves are generated by the transducer array assembly 14 mounted into the housing holder 20 that is secured to the patient's neck near the carotid artery, for example. Ultrasound waves from the array 12 then travel through the neck and are reflected off moving blood cells inside the carotid artery reflected sound waves, return to the transducer at frequencies different from the frequency at which the ultrasound energy was emitted, and are then detected by the transducer array. The change in the frequency of the reflected sound waves relates to the speed of the blood cells from which they were reflected, thus can constitute an accurate gauge of the patient's blood flow. Such measurement can further indicates the direction of the blood flow, whether it is moving toward or away from the transducer.
As illustrated in
An alternative embodiment of the invention has the transducer housing holder 20 attached to the patient through the use of magnetic wings 22 and 24 and a magnetically active metal retaining tape 29 (
Four guide 25 (
When properly assembled, the inside of the housing between the face of the array 14 and the patient's skin is preferably filled with acoustic gel 18. An acoustic gel, composed primarily of water, is typically used as a transmission modifying agent to allow the ultrasound wave to better penetrate through to the patient's blood vessel. Normally, the gel 18 is spread between the transducer element and the surface of the skin where the ultrasound system is to be placed. In this application with the present invention, gel 18 represented by the dash line in
The merit of this is most apparent in the monitoring of critically ill patients who have little or no sensitivity or response to heat on their bodies. Nonetheless, as an option, one or more thermal sensors (8 in
Although use of acoustic gel 18 would be ideal since the gel has less attenuation, or reduction in strength of ultrasound waves, than alternative substances such as RTV or polyurethane, acoustic gel does not necessarily need to be used. The gap could also be filled by another type of transducer coupling agent 18, for example, such as the clear sparkling gels coupling agent described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,221, manufactured by Pharmaceutical Innovations, Inc. The nature of this coupling agent's composition adds to its efficacy in three major ways: (1) the water-based substance is less likely to irritate sensitive skin; (2) the gel will not corrode the transducer element, even after frequent use; and (3) the viscous nature of the gel will keep it from leakage and also ensures the substance to be slow to dry, thus able to withstand even prolonged usage. To use the clear sparkling gels transducer coupling agent with the invention, the material may be pre-cut to complement the shape the gap leaves between the housing 2 and the transducer 12. This custom-shaped material may then be inserted into the gap and use of the apparatus can then proceed.
Referring now to
Note the following equation, as related to the acoustic energy radiation in the medium from a single element of transducer array as shown in the inserted diagram 210 of
Refering to
The crystalline material in the ultrasound array typically consists of piezo-electric materials, such as Navy Type VI and Navy Type V of Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT), as manufactured by Piezo Kinetics Corporation. Alternatively, the material can be made up of single crystal ferroelectrics, such as PZN, which has a higher piezo-electric coupling coefficient. This allows for superior performance of the transducer, even more so than that allowable by materials made up of PZT. In the past, the lack of homogeneity in the composition of the PZN material and the existence of micro-cracks or dislocations reducing the material's piezo-electric performance greatly limited its use. However, a surge in research and study on PZN has prompted much improvement in the productivity of single crystal ferroelectrics material. Such improvements have become advanced enough to build transducer arrays in the manufacturing environment which yield outstanding performance. The application of this material in transcranial Doppler (TCD) that requires high piezo-electric coupling coefficients has proven to be particularly useful in improving signal and noise ratio, especially in instances where there would otherwise be strong attenuation of ultrasound signals, such as in cases of transmitting ultrasound beams through the skull.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the ultrasound beam from the transducer will be generated by voltage sent through conducting wires and across the piezo-electric materials, which will then cause the material to vibrate at its resonant frequency, creating the ultrasound beam. Along the backside of the array, an epoxy-base-backing material will dampen the vibrating mode of the piezo-electric ceramic to prevent the piezo-electric ceramic from oscillating for too long. This backing material, made of an epoxy with characteristically low density and low sound velocity, is set such that it will have a low acoustic impedance Z to reflect an ultrasound wave traveling backward to return to the front. The low density and low sound velocity assists in increasing the sensitivity of the transducer, narrowing the bandwidth, and thus making such a material suitable for Doppler application. Along the front of the crystal will be a multiple matching layers, which thickness related with the wavelength of the ultrasound wave, are used for the purpose of matching the acoustic impedance Z of the piezo-electric ceramic (or high Z) to the patient's body (low Z) in such a manner that the ultrasound energy created will be more effective in propagating into the patient's body.
This transducer array is interconnected to the main 200 cable through a strain relief located at the back of the housing 2. This strain relief would be glued to the jacket of the main cable and would have enough flexibility to the material to provide relief of pressures incurred from the bending of the main cable. The function of the strain relief is to protect the cable interface along the housing. The main cable will consist of a bundle of small coaxial cables where each of such cables will connect to the corresponding element. This shall be accomplished through a flex circuit or circuit board assembled with the module.
The transducer array assembly 12 is encased inside the housing 2 and shielded by the base of the small coaxial cables. Internal shielding of the main cable will minimize interferences from electrical noises in the environment. Even if the module consists of 50 coaxial cables, the diameter of the main cable can be made smaller than half a centimeter and be pliable and small enough to make such a device easy to use and also comfortable for the patient. A number of present medical cable companies manufacture this type of miniature cable, such as the Precision Interconnect Division of Tyco Electronics.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the drawings and the ensuing description of preferred embodiments of the invention. For instance, refer again to
Currently, the conventional method of prior art ultrasound scanning system in
As for the non-conventional method of ultrasound scanning, imaging techniques such as Synthetic Transmit Aperture [C], or STA, transmit unfocused beams into the image area to acquire data. The received echoes are then recorded by using all elements presented or a group of the elements in the Receive Aperture to generate a corresponding image. One reason a professional might choose the non-conventional STA method over the conventional method of imaging is the higher frame rate the non-conventional method provides and the lower amount of ultrasound energy required for scanning. It can be used to calculate the blood flow velocity through the use of cross-correlation of images. Both these methods are feasible to be used with the proposed embodiment of the invention.
The transducer array of the proposed embodiment of the invention can be a phased array, where the element width would be equal or less than half of the wavelength of the ultrasound. The reason for using a phased array would be that it has the capability of deflecting larger angles to cover a larger field of view. To ensure that the elements transmit the ultrasound beams emitted in front of the transducer sequentially (as shown in
If the embodiment of the invention uses a linear array, or curved linear array, to scan with the ultrasound beam, then the element width would be greater than half of the wavelength of the ultrasound, as compared to being equal or less than half of the wavelength of the ultrasound in the phased array previously mentioned. Generally, the precise deflecting angle used is dependant on the width of the transducer element, which in turn may be adjusted to suit the type of application required. Some applications may require a larger region to be covered by the ultrasound beam while others less. In the linear array, the deflecting angle is less than that of the phased array. However, in the instance of the curved linear array transducer, it can transmit ultrasound beams in different directions based on the curvature of the transducer. In the linear array, the position of the ultrasound beam can be changed simply by shifting the beam along the elements in the array.
One alternative embodiment of the proposed invention is to curve the PZT or PZN ceramic assembles, as diagramed in
According to the above Doppler EQUATION 2, if the given blood vessel is parallel with the surface of the patient's skin, such as a carotid artery set in the x-direction, the ultrasound beam 30 would be subject to an angle θ to the direction of blood flow.
β=90�−θ EQUATION 3
Referring to
To obtain the optimized angle β for the best Doppler signal while maintaining the minimum distance between the blood vessel and the transducer, the following EQUATION 5 can be used to calculate this data:
To determine the maximum M as denoted by EQUATION 5 for the varying values of r and h the optimized angles β and θ can then be determined, as given in the following TABLE A:
Optimized θ
Optimized β
β=90�−θ+γ EQUATION 3b
The corresponding b 37 as shown in
Similar optimization method of using EQUATION 5 can be used to find the best optimized designed angle β of the transducer array with respect to the skin. In the particular case where γ=0� (blood vessel is parallel to skin), EQUATION 3b and EQUATION 4b is reduced back to EQUATION 3a and EQUATION 4a respectively.
In reference to EQUATION 2, the angle θ equal to 0 giving rise to cosine θ equal to 1 and the Doppler shift frequency is at maximum. In this instance, the ultrasound beam would be directly aligned with the direction of the blood flow. However, such a construction of the transducer would only be suitable for applications where blood in the vessel is flowing toward the surface of the patient's skin.
b 37 can be obtained by the following the relations between θ and r 38 which is half of the length of the transducer array element, and h 39 the depth of the blood vessel where ultrasound beams intercepted.
In this case, EQUATION 8 gives the relative Merit value:
Typically, the maximum blood flow velocity occurs near the center of a blood vessel. The velocity gradually decreases the closer to the wall the blood flows. Meanwhile, the velocity of the blood flow outside the blood vessel is zero. As shown in
The proposed embodiment of the invention searches and locates the maximum blood flow velocity by scanning the area of the vessel and locking into the corresponding angle at which maximum blood flow velocity occurs. Blood flow velocities to the left and to the right of the initial angle (the angle at which maximum blood flow velocity occurs) has less velocity at the respective angles ψi. This trend remains consistent even as the deflecting angles increase (such as ψi, ψi+1, ψi+n) and will continue to the wall of the blood vessel. Since the velocity outside the blood vessel is zero (0), the system will automatically stop searching at the corresponding angles outside the vessel. As the ultrasound beam scans around the adjacent positions to the original blood vessel, the maximum velocity is detected through comparisons of all detected velocities acquired by the scan. Then, the corresponding angle to the maximum blood flow velocity is locked into position and will continue to lock at the maximum velocity as shown in the acquisition and re-alignment mode in
Thus, the initial angle is set and reset through the aforementioned process continuously during the cycle. The phased array transducer in one preferred embodiment of the invention is able to deflect the ultrasound beam up to +/− forty five degrees (45�). In the alternative preferred embodiment, the linear array transducer, with the larger element width, is able to deflect the ultrasound beam at smaller angles, as calculated from EQUATION 1. However, in the presently illustrated embodiment of the invention, the largest angles that need to be searched to detect the maximum blood flow velocity is less than +/− twenty degrees (20�), irrespective of potential spontaneous movements from the patient.
Alternate embodiments of the invention may be considered, offering different techniques incorporated for the purposes of enhancing detection speed, accuracy, and the signal to noise ratio of the ultrasound system. In an embodiment adopting the continuous wave Doppler system, ultrasound waves would be transmitted and received continuously. As shown in
To distinguish the precise direction of blood flow, whether it is moving toward or away from the transducer, the proposed embodiment of the invention would use the Quadrature Phase Detection technique. In the example of the monitoring of a carotid artery, such tracking of the correct artery is crucial for the patient's condition to be accurately monitored. If the system was to lack such a means of tracking, the carotid artery could in possibility be confused with one of the jugular veins. However, equipped with this means of tracking, the proposed system can then efficaciously detect the precise blood vessel in question (the carotid artery) since in the artery, blood flows from the heart to the brain and, in the vein, the brain to the heart. By detecting the direction of blood flow, possibilities of confusing blood vessels can be eradicated. Yet another method that could be utilized to accomplish the same effect is to employ Pattern Recognition. Through pattern recognition, arteries can be detected by their cylindrical shape through B-mode images from the ultrasound scan. By tracking arterial movement, the ultrasound beam can target the center section of the blood vessel through the acquired Doppler data.
The proposed embodiment of the invention is also equipped with a signal-to-noise improvement system. This may be accomplished through the proper focusing of an ultrasound beam (with an optimization of the beam profile) into the desired region. Where the width of the emitted beam is narrower, a stronger Doppler signal will offer a more intense ultrasound. Higher signal to noise ratios indicate that the effect of extraneous noise is relatively smaller. Thus, when the ultrasound beams are properly focused in both the scanning plane and along the out of plane direction, the signal to noise ratio will be increased such that extraneous noises from the environment and equipment will not affect the reading.
Ultrasound beams are to be sent from the transducer to the specified region in set time intervals for the lock-in of the maximum blood flow velocity. Time intervals (T) could thereby be adjusted and set depending on the blood flow parameters as shown in the Lock-in mode of
The pulsatility index, or P.I., summarizes the degree of pulse-wave damping at the arterial sites. In this manner, the P.I. is therefore directly related to blood flow conditions. Physiological and pathological changes in the patient can be reflected in the trends displayed by this index where the lower the P.I., the greater the degree of damping. A stenosis in the blood vessel (the constriction of a passageway or opening in the body) will lead to a reduced P.I. at points proximal to the stenosis. The resistance index, or R.I., is a common index supplement to the P.I. that can be used to detect changes in pathological conditions in the patient. Moreover, the R.I. indicates the degree of resistance to the blood flow in distal circulation. A stenosis in the blood vessel potentially leads to reduced blood flow, thereby increasing the resistance. A high resistance index can also be a sign of decreased flow in the capillary system, as generally found in diabetic patients.
A patient's cardiac conditions can be readily monitored by the proposed invention. Such cardiac conditions are measured through the system's observation of blood flow parameters. A flat display of the parameters indicates to the operator of the device of this invention that the patient's condition is relatively unchanged through the monitoring cycle (See graph titled "Normal Trend," in
One of the main applications for the ultrasound monitor is the monitoring trends in blood flow velocity through the carotid artery to the brain. By using two of the transducers of present invention, one on the left side of carotid artery 47 and one on the right side of the carotid artery 48 in the neck 45, the difference of velocities between the two arteries can also be obtained as shown in
The invention is further useful in the monitoring of intracranial vessels of the Circle of Williis by a transcranial Doppler, or TCD. For this application, a middle cerebral artery (MCA) would be selected, due to its common use for TCD monitoring applications in clinical and hospital environments. Additionally, the PMN ceramic material, or other high dielectric constant PZT material, with frequency levels from 1 MHz to 2 MHz would be used to achieve the best signal-to-noise ratio. This is to compensate for the strong attenuation of ultrasound signals in the skull.
In measuring the blood flow condition of MCA 42, the transducer array assembly, as denoted by numeral 46, is placed in the transtemporal window for TCD so that the transducer is perpendicular to the MCA 42 rather than parallel. Such is because the blood flow of the MCA 42 is toward the transtemporal area near the ears on both the left and right side of the brain, as illustrated in
For the invention to measure the blood flow condition of MCA 42, the ultrasound beam will need to meet the MCA 42 inside the brain at a range gate (depth setting of the ultrasound beam) of around thirty millimeters (30 mm) to sixty millimeters (60 mm). Three major factors, as listed below, can ensure that the correct and optimized signal be obtained from the MCA 42:
First, the range gate set by the ultrasound system needs to be set between thirty millimeters (30 mm) to sixty millimeters (60 mm), as mentioned, to exclude miscellaneous and unwanted signals from other nearby blood vessels.
Second, the angle of the transducer array should be inclined at a predetermined angle β (=θ) relative to the surface of the skin, as illustrated in
As shown in
Lastly, the transducer may be configured to rotate around to search for the appropriate scanning plane so that the beam may be emitted across the MCA, as illustrated in Position B of
The proposed invention can also be applied to the measurement of flow-mediated dilation, or FMD. Presently, the conventional method of obtaining FMD information is through longitudinal ultrasonic scans of the brachial artery. By way of the proposed invention, the same FMD information can be obtained through transverse ultrasonic scans, as shown in
The transducer in the proposed embodiment of the invention is subject to angle θ with respect to the blood vessel. Thus, the measured diameters will have a factor of sign θ in the denominator. The FMD is a ratio of the change in diameters, thereby canceling out sin θ. Moreover, the calculation is independent of the angle θ, as show in the following EQUATION 10:
Both D2 and D1 can be measured from the ultrasound images produced by this invention so that FMD ratio can then be calculated.
Yet another application of the invention is for the monitoring of graft blood flow conditions during dialysis. Low volume of blood flow through an access graft can confirm graft failure and other similar dysfunctions. Grafts that are at high risk for thrombosis can be detected through continual monitoring of blood flow velocity of the arterial graft. The transducer array assemblies, denoted by numeral 12, of this invention is compact enough to be placed on the arm or directly above the graft, which is approximately parallel to the patient's skin. The design configuration of the transducer array assembly 12 is diagramed as in
Modifications, additions, and substitutions can be made to the invention changing it from the proposed embodiment and yet retain the spirit and scope of said invention. Those skilled in the art may further acknowledge that the advantages and benefits associated with the proposed embodiment of the invention can still be provided through other design configurations and processes. The invention is by no means limited to the particular disclosure above; rather the scope of the invention may be determined by the subsequent claims below.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Nov 15, 1974
|Jan 11, 1977
|Gilbert Buchalter
|Method of transmitting ultrasonic impulses to surface using transducer coupling agent
|Jun 1, 1984
|Sep 17, 1985
|Medtronic, Inc.
|Cardiac output monitor
|Nov 4, 1983
|Dec 3, 1985
|The Kendall Company
|Ultrasound acoustical coupling pad
|Oct 4, 1988
|Jul 18, 1989
|Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co., Ltd.
|Ultrasonic doppler blood flowmeter
|Oct 30, 1990
|Dec 10, 1991
|St. Louis University
|Transcranial Doppler transducer housing stabilizer
|Jul 20, 1990
|Apr 21, 1992
|Abbey Biosystems Limited
|Non-invasive monitoring of cardiac output
|Jun 30, 1993
|Mar 1, 1994
|Swartz William M
|Method of ultrasonic Doppler monitoring of blood flow in a blood vessel
|Dec 21, 1993
|Jan 10, 1995
|Nicolet Biomedical, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for transcranial doppler sonography
|Oct 6, 1993
|Feb 21, 1995
|Medasonics, Inc.
|Transcranial doppler probe mounting assembly with external compression device/strap
|Oct 7, 1993
|Apr 25, 1995
|Medasonics, Inc.
|Transcranial doppler probe wheel and track/bar fixation assembly
|Feb 28, 1994
|May 30, 1995
|Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
|Ultrasonic doppler blood flow meter apparatus
|Nov 16, 1994
|May 21, 1996
|Advanced Technology Laboratories, Inc.
|Self diagnostic ultrasonic imaging systems
|May 2, 1995
|Apr 29, 1997
|Acuson Corporation
|Ultrasound system for flow measurement
|Aug 27, 1996
|Dec 1, 1998
|Seale; Joseph B.
|Ultrasound beam alignment servo
|Mar 21, 1997
|Jun 29, 1999
|Satake Corporation
|Grain inspection and analysis apparatus and method
|May 26, 2000
|Jan 27, 2004
|Vuesonix Sensors, Inc.
|Device and method for mapping and tracking blood flow and determining parameters of blood flow
|Apr 1, 2002
|Aug 10, 2004
|Philip Chidi Njemanze
|Noninvasive transcranial doppler ultrasound face and object recognition testing system
|Apr 10, 2001
|Mar 7, 2002
|Mault James R.
|System and method for remote pregnancy monitoring
|Feb 20, 2003
|Aug 14, 2003
|Jona Zumeris
|System and method for smart monitoring within a body
|Sep 10, 2007
|Apr 10, 2008
|Koninklijke Philips Electronics N. V.
|Method and apparatus for hands-free ultrasound
|American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: 2004 Update. http://www.americanheart.org.
|Evans D., McDicken W., Skidmore R., Woodcock J. Doppler Ultrasound Physics, Instrumentation, and Clinical Applications. John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 1989.
|G. R. Lockwood, et al. Real-Time 3-D Ultrasound Imaging Using Sparse Synthetic Aperture Beam Forming. IEEE Trans. Ultrason., Ferroelec. Freq. Contr., 45:980-987, 1998.
|J. Valabhji, R. Elkeles, Debate: Are surrogate end-point studies worth the effort? http://www.cvm.controlled-trails.com/content/1/2/72, 2000.
|Meire H., Farrant P. Basic Ultrasound. John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 1995.
|Radiological Health Bulletin. vol. XXIV, No. 8. Aug. 1990.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Aug 3, 2007
|Jul 3, 2012
|Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
|Ultrasound system for cerebral blood flow monitoring
|Jan 26, 2012
|Oct 21, 2014
|Hospira, Inc.
|Ultrasonic monitoring device for measuring physiological parameters of a mammal
|Nov 8, 2011
|Sep 1, 2015
|Vasonova, Inc.
|Endovascular navigation system and method
|Aug 3, 2007
|Jun 24, 2010
|Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
|Ultrasound system for cerebral blood flow imaging and microbubble-enhanced blood clot lysis
|Aug 3, 2007
|Jun 24, 2010
|Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
|Ultrasound System for Cerebral Blood Flow Imaging and Microbubble-Enhanced Blood Clot Lysis
|Dec 29, 2011
|Seiko Epson Corporation
|Measuring device, biological testing device, flow velocity measuring method, and pressure measuring method
|Nov 8, 2011
|May 31, 2012
|Vasonova, Inc.
|Endovascular navigation system and method
|Jan 27, 2012
|Aug 2, 2012
|Hospira, Inc.
|Ultrasonic monitoring device for measuring physiological parameters of a mammal
|U.S. Classification
|600/437, 600/459, 600/468, 600/465, 600/454, 600/462
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification


text:
The sales of 20 mostly office buildings in Marin and Sonoma counties, totaling 951,000 square feet, by Chicago-based Equity Office and Berg Holdings of Sausalito is moving closer to completion.
Equity Office received multiple offers by the May 25 bid deadline for its 15 Marin buildings totaling nearly 711,000 square feet of class A office space, according to real estate sources familiar with the effort. Eastdil Secured's San Francisco office is directing marketing of the properties.
"I heard most of the offers were surprisingly higher than expected, and they were all institutional (investors)," one source said.
As previously reported ["Large Marin, Sonoma office properties for sale," May 14], Equity Office put the Marin portfolio out for sale bids without fanfare in April. The six complexes have had among the highest levels of occupancy among class A buildings in the market because of aggressive marketing in the past few years, and those properties have been leading a strengthening in Marin office rents.
Best-and-final sales offers were expected back Friday, according to a source. After final negotiations, escrow may open with the winning bidder by early July.
Meanwhile, Berg Holdings called for offers May 24 on two portions of a 248,000-square-foot office and retail portfolio, according to the investment firm's agent, San Francisco-based Aaron Herter of Jones Lang LaSalle's Capital Markets Group.
The San Rafael part has the 78,000-square-foot vacant 1 Thorndale Dr. building atop a San Rafael knoll.
The Santa Rosa part has four buildings in the Stony Point Lake business park on the west side of the city and 100 B St. downtown.
Berg was set to decide by Friday whether it would select buyers and open 60- to 90-day escrows, according to Mr. Herter.
Local agents involved in Berg Holdings marketing are Brian Eisberg of Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark Knight Frank for 1 Thorndale and Shawn Johnson of Keegan & Coppin/ONCOR International for the Santa Rosa properties.***


text:
Brian O'Neill: Where Staff Sgt. William Kittiko rests
Casualties of war aren't limited to those who die in battle and on Monday, one such man along with his crewmates, will be honored.
Brian O'Neill: Querulous Quigley joins email hall of shame
The Department of Environmental Protection secretary may have been on the side of the angels, but he made a gaffe all too familiar.
Brian O'Neill: Two families, two school options
One family hangs on in shrinking Cornell school district and another seeks excellence in neighboring Moon.
Brian O'Neill: Western Pa., still on wrong side of the tracks
It sounds like a simple idea: Add a second or even a third daily passenger train between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.
Brian O'Neill: For boozy Dems, Harrisburg leaps into action
To better serve the Democratic convention in Philly, our legislators seek to loosen LCB laws — but button them back up when the pols leave.
Brian O'Neill: Trump is big in Appalachia (and lots of places)
Of course, the distressed counties of Appalachia went for Trump. But so did Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware and Maryland.
Brian O'Neill: A Trump supporter's victory lunch, on me
Way back in December, I wrote that Donald Trump would fade away as GOP contender. Bob bet me lunch I was wrong. (He enjoyed every bite.)
Brian O'Neill: What can 21st Century transit do for The Run?
Neighborhoods at either end, Panther Hollow and The Run, look for better not worse in solution to transit corridor.
Brian O'Neill: The ICA drift: classic Keystone State politics
How great is it that the state authority designed to oversee Pittsburgh now needs oversight?
Brian O'Neill: Parkway Theater, a Stowe cinema with moxie
Aaron Stubna, ever active, is building up a movie house, off the beaten path. Installing a microbrewery is a good move, too.
Brian O'Neill: Driverless car revolution may happen in Pittsburgh
It seems Pittsburgh's 18 miles of busways may put the city in the "driverless" driver seat with Uber.
Brian O'Neill: Meet Lainey Newman, 17, an antidote to political cynicism
Lainey, a city high schooler, introduced Hillary Clinton at an event Monday. "I think government can be beautiful," she says.
Brian O'Neill: Dom DiSilvio, the rock 'n' roll soul of The Decade
Pittsburgh Rock 'n' Roll Legends or many in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honorees — all once played in an Oakland club called The Decade.
Brian O'Neill: The perpetual pain of Pa. property taxes
Here's cold comfort for Allegheny County property owners: Indiana County's reassessment is a great big fat mess.
Brian O'Neill: The present tense, according to 'Blade Runner' future
There's something about watching an old movie set in the future with your kid. Most of your life is in the rearview mirror; hers is ahead.
Brian O'Neill: Savvy schoolkids show Harrisburg how to get things done
The bright high-schoolers at the YMCA Youth & Government convention in Harrisburg should be an inspiration to our grown-up lawmakers.
Brian O'Neill: Rising wages are good; a union, better
Employees have said they will walk off the job this morning, calling for an end to unfair labor practices with the union.
Brian O'Neill: The profile that matters in Wilkinsburg massacre is criminal
That unconscionable mass murder seems to be getting less attention than the loss of Wendy Bell's job.
Brian O'Neill: Pittsburgh could roll with more Amtrak service
Arrivals and departures on The Pennsylvanian rose from 85,590 to 94,075 last year. Add another train and the numbers would surely rise.
Brian O'Neill: It's theater of the absurd for the Garden Theater block
Many a North Sider would just like something, anything on this block of decaying, boarded buildings. Molasses rules, though.
Brian O'Neill: The road complaints go on forever
You'll have to decide whether this sequel is yesterday's equal, but I'm confident of this much: I'm barely scratching the asphalt.
Brian O'Neill: For smart traffic, fix these dumb spots
I asked readers to name the dumbest traffic designs in town. Emails and comments flooded in like rush-hour traffic on the Parkway East.
Brian O'Neill: From houses to highways: the story of 'Right-of-Way Man'
Eminent domain seems like cruel work. But Jim Broadbent is a gentle man who, on the state's behalf, struck decent deals with homeowners.
Brian O'Neill: With luck and pluck, it's Donnybrook No. 3
Eleven Irish boxers will compete tonight against Pittsburgh athletes, in the third annual feat of goodwill that defies the odds.
Brian O'Neill: What's Pittsburgh's dumbest traffic spot?
Pittsburgh is competing in Smart City Challenge for transportation. 50 million smackers. In the meantime, give me the worst traffic makers.
Brian O'Neill: They 'Row On' for Brendan Foley
The Central Catholic student and athlete died 20 years ago. His spirit and love of life lives on, however, in a wider community.
Brian O'Neill: Why keep video poker machines quasi-illegal?
As a state rep gets ensnared in the business, it's worth saying again: The state should just make them legal and take a cut of the action.
Brian O'Neill: North Side history, in living proof
For Bill Gandy, the Allegheny City Historic Gallery is a labor of love, though what we've lost can't help but summon pain.
Brian O'Neill: Here's to Hanna's Town, a happening historical site
Robert Hanna bought 300 acres in 1769 because it was near water and the Forbes Road. Hanna's Town didn't last long, but it lives on today.
Brian O'Neill: Jaywalkers, Mt. Lebanon has a ticket for you
The sylvan suburb, a walker's paradise, wants to promote safety. It's nice that they tag drivers, too.
Brian O'Neill: Adventures in property tax collection: seeking a third way
Why the city was slow to cash your property tax check, Part 2: The school district wonders why there can't be a better way, and city agrees.
Brian O'Neill: Sluggish city taxman? There's a $900,000 good reason
I, like thousands of city homeowners, wondered why my property tax check wasn't cashed Feb. 10. Here's why.
Brian O'Neill: The novel premise of 'The Last Baby Boomer'
"The Last Baby Boomer:The Story of the Ultimate Ghoul Pool," a novel by Latrobe's Chris Rodell, gives us boomers a a good-humored humbling.
Brian O'Neill: Let's play political 'Fantasy Island'
Dream the big dreams, folks. Feel the buzz of Bernie if you like. But don't expect this election to make a gerrymandered U.S. House embrace
Brian O'Neill: Art for your sake by Genevieve Barbee
Ms. Barbee, 30, is an artist in Lawrenceville with a relentless drive to be interested in everything and everybody, and her work shows it.
Brian O'Neill: Staying at the YMCA, safe and sound
With strict rules and strong support, single men living at the Allegheny Y are finding a path to stability.
Brian O'Neill: The honor of Punxsutawney Phil: This is state business?
If a Pennsylvania state representative has a groundhog's back, does that mean we'll have seven more months of budget impasse?
Brian O'Neill: Of graffiti vandals and snow angels
Some scattered thoughts on old stories and new
Brian O'Neill: 'Tear down Heinz Field' and other fresh ideas
John Morris, an artist who moved to Pittsburgh from Brooklyn a decade ago, sees the city in unconventional ways, which is always a tonic.
Brian O'Neill: Books, on paper, are going strong
Check out the stats at the Carnegie Library: e-books are popular, but the good old book on dead wood is alive and well.
Brian O'Neill: Lead in the water weighing heavy on minds
"There's no lead in our water," said James Good, executive director of PWSA.
Brian O'Neill: Windows of Unity, a touch of Pennsylvania soul for Nigeria
Stained glass windows from an old Lithuanian parish are going to grace a new church in Nigeria, with a little bit of help.
Brian O'Neill: We, the people, have to fix this Legislature
With Pennsylvania's polarized politics, primaries are becoming the real elections. The bloody internal fights bring out the worst.
Brian O'Neill: Political sclerosis, courtesy of gerrymander mania
Pennsylvania has 18 congressional districts and every artfully drawn one of them is designed so the incumbent needn't worry.
Brian O'Neill: Snow Angels among us, come grab a shovel
The best kind of do-gooder: The Snow Angels program links people who can't shovel their walks with able-bodied folk who can. Spots are open.
Brian O'Neill: Divest from fossil fuels? Sure, but not too quickly
Should Pittsburgh follow California's lead and wean itself off fossil fuel investments? Yes, no, maybe?
Brian O'Neill: Turnpike tolls: modern highway robbery
Turnpike tools increased 6 percent this year.
Brian O'Neill: Harrisburg's harrowing budget mess
Move over, Trump: Absurdity in politics is hitting new heights in the Pennsylvania Capitol, where dysfunction is the new normal.
Brian O'Neill: App happy, city parkers make Georgians grin
The fine print in that new city parking meter app? Says that some folks in Georgia are in charge. No need to panic, however.
Brian O'Neill: A reasonable Pittsburgh wish-list for 2016
I wish my readers all good things, but this year I have specific presents in mind.


text:
Maybe I should read the complete history of the thread first, but I
don't think the idea is dead, broken, or flawed. To me, UCD just
means letting user input (i.e., info received in form of a stated
requirement or request, as well as info gleaned from observations and
interviews) *INFORM* the process... not dictate specifics.
A good product manager (web producer, or whatever title he/she is
under) will have the skills and vision to guide execution in a way
that renders the best possible product. It is, IMHO, the
responsibility of PM (WP, whatever) to proactively manage
expectations by ensuring users, stakeholders, and key executives
believe in his/her vision.
What may be dead, broken or flawed is a given approach to UCD (i.e.,
the process followed).
Just my 2 cents.
On Jul 4, 2008, at 7:50 AM, Thomas Petersen wrote:
Sorry for the seperate thread, the reply functionality was down for
maintainance and I was urged to simple write an email. I even put in
the actual name of the thread with the hope that they would put it in
The discussion is principal and have some rather large implications
on how we work with our clients or with management.
How often haven't we been fighting with clients who read a book, are
biased because they went to some lecture where UCD was preached or
read an article about the beauty of UCD.
I have at least and is now very upfront with my clients about the
principles we design by so we can manage expectations.
User input is valuable when acumulated, but this idea that seem have
spread that the specific input given by specific users on a given
project is sick in it's core and should be stopped before it brings
the entire field in jeopardy of being a joke.
Just look at how long it took to actually pursuade clients to look at
Jakob Nielsens writings as part of the equation not THE equation.
Maybe I am alone on feeling like this, but never the less it affects
me so I need to react.
On a more constructive note let me recommend two great books.
One is Clayton Christensen "The Innovator's Dilemma"
"What Customers Want - Using Outcome-driven Innovation to Create
Breakthrough Products and Services" by Anthony Ulwick.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Posted from the new ixda.org
Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe
List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines
List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
Well I agree to a certain extent if it wasn't exactly that this is
the problem of UCD. It does not really go outside it's own premises
to integrate as a part of a process, but "claim" to be the
verification point of the process.
I was taught a very simple thing when I studied design. Design is a
decision. In other words you need to make good decisions in order to
create good design. What constitutes a good decisions is a different
story all together and UCD does not really look at that. Instead it
caters although maybe unintentionally to a wisdom of the crowds
aesthetic WITHOUT including the knowledge already accumulated by many
years of knowledge from the designers.
The crowds is not wrong because they are the users of your product,
design, platform, interface whatever you wanna call it so you end up
with UCD being percieved as the most objective way to validate your
UCD would make sense to a certain extent if it was applied correctly
I agree, but it never is and never will be because of the nature of
how projects that utilizes on it are done today.
Also many of the people who uses UCD have an academic background and
have never actually done any nity gritty design themselves which add
further to the problem of the whole area. Academic people will most
often have a much more strategically important position than the
designers and will therefore be the people translating and verifying
the actual design through these processes up against the clients.
UCD basically most often makes no sense other than from an economic
and political point of view (the agency doing it can make money since
they are selling it as yet another component and the client will have
secured themselves from any punishment from upper management by being
able to claim that it was based around UCD)
UCD should IMHO if anything be something you use AFTER the launch to
alter your product based on the input.
This is where the input is valuable and the feedback can be used to
make decisions.
But at the current state it ads no value but basically simply just
is a proof that many companies don't really dare making decisions
and dare I say fail.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Posted from the new ixda.org


text:
Receive information about new products and educational opportunities, as well as, exclusive offers only available to subscribers!
To Order 1-800-747-3488
Log In My Account
REP Band Exercise Band
REP Band Resistive Exercise Products are designed to have characteristics that are virtually identical to latex bands, but without the danger of latex allergic reactions. REP Band Products offer greater elastic response, higher resilience and faster recovery than the previous formulation. Made of FDA-approved synthetic polymer material that has been skin tested and proven non-allergenic, REP Band Resistive Exercise Products contain no latex or dry natural rubber. REP Band Products allow you to stock one line that facilitates all types of resistance therapy, even aquatics plus gives you the performance of latex without the hazards.
©2016 ScripHessco - Chiropractic Equipment, a division of Scrip, Inc.
Privacy Policy


text:
If you're planning on high-intensity physical activity, and the weather is planning on being freezing cold, zip up in the Marmot Women's Thermo Fleece Hooded Jacket. Toasty Polartec Power Dry deals with moisture so even if you work up a good sweat, you won't feel cold and clammy, making this jacket is ideal for touring, cold weather climbing days, and even winter running sessions.
- Flexible Polartec Power Dry fleece holds in warmth and quickly wicks moisture to help you stay warm and dry when you're working up a sweat in cold conditions
- Flatlock seams reduce friction and and cut down on chafing for a more comfortable feel
- Athletic fit is streamlined and trim so it layers easily under your shell without making you feel bulky or awkward
- Ergonomic hood protects your head and the sides of your face from the cold
- Zippered chest pocket holds your car keys or debit card
- Reviews
What do you think about this product?
Have questions about this product?
Not impressed
- Familiarity: I returned this product before using it
For how much this jacket was in price, the material is super thin. I can see right through it and the material feels like it would rip easily. I got a medium, which fit my torso just fine, but the arms were super tight fitting. Any female who plays outside has some biceps! I am going to return it just based on my first impression - I have not tried it outside. The hood also wasn't quite large enough. This may work for fine for wearing a t-shirt under it and a shell over the top of the jacket taking a stroll through town.
Just so others are aware, the see through aspect of the jacket serves a purpose. This is a grid fleece made with Polartec Power Dry, which has lofted highs, and voided lows. This allows the fabric to quickly wick away sweat and evaporate it through the voids. The lofted grid and voids also trap heat when worn under a windshirt, and is warmer per weight than a non-grid fleece when used with a shell.
Mount Kinabalu Summit Climb
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
- Fit: True to size
It was great in keeping the cold temperatures out yet is not overlywarm. However, in strong winds, it is advisable to pair it up with a light windbreaker.
The pros would be that it is ultra-light and breathable, remains dry througout as well. However, I had expected the material to be more hardy, as vrom a visual viewpoint on the website, it seems to be made of some lightweight, diving suit like material.
As during the mountain climbI just wore a dr-fit t-shirt and my marmot, the marmot had to take the brunt of the terrain. Which it did not withstand well.
I did not recall bashing through the jungles or using it to fend off any harsh surfaces. But I did have to pull myself hard and for a substantial distance up almost vertical rocky surfaces, absail down the mountain edge as well as hang by the edge of the mountain.
The marmot suffered a pin head hole and ruffled threadings at the arms, other than that, it was still ok.
I have yet to try my Marmot with the pin head hole against cold temperatures and intense exercise, I hope it is not greatly affected. As it is a great let down on my money to just wear the Marmot for one occasion and have to put it away, especially since the product description stated that it was meant for climbing and hiking, I thought that it would be hardy enough to withstand.
I was disappointed at it being so worn out after just 1 climbing trip, apart from that it is good.
Maybe the temperatures had to be much colder whereby I would need and am able to do intensive physical activities with a more hardy outer layer over my marmot, protecting my marmot while not feeling over-heated.
I would say that the marmot would be perfect in really cold temperatures and under a more hardy layer. Your marmot would retain its good condition and you would feel just fine and not overheated.
Is the thermo fleece able to insulate if...
Is the thermo fleece able to insulate if I am not doing any intense physical exercise, and in this scenario, up to what temperature is it able to keep me warm?
so really this would be considered about a 100 fleece weight, so its really not a heavy fleece. If you are sitting still I wouldn't suggest this for much more than a cool spring morning in the mid-west. Now if you are looking to wear something out hunting, sitting perfectly still in the middle of December you are probably going to want something with a 300-400 fleece weight and even then I would suggest that as a layer.


text:
- Differential Diagnosis
- Diseases
- Drugs
- More
- Try building your search one term at a time, and be as specific as you can! Search term example: "chronic cough".
- Do not enter multiple findings such as "anemia, chronic cough, weight loss, vomiting" all at the same time.
- After selecting your term from the search results a list of possible diagnoses will be generated. If the list is too long, you will be able to narrow it down by entering additional terms.
- Do not enter values such as "heart rhythm 110" or "sodium 125", instead use "tachycardia" or "hyponatremia".
Sign-in (or register) to check out the new features we've just launched!
Differential Diagnosis For Back pain/Positional changes/mechanical
Available only to registered users.
- Suggest
- 12 possible diagnoses found
- Trauma Causes
- Back strain, musculotendonous/Lumbar
- Sacroiliac strain
- Granulomatous, Inflammatory Disorders
- Arachnoiditis lumbosacral
- Allergic, Collagen, Auto-Immune Disorders
- Sacroiliac/Iliitis arthritis
- Anatomic, Foreign Body, Structural Disorders
- Lumbar herniated disk syndrome
- Lumbar Spinal stenosis
- Lumbosacral instability syndrome
- Spondylosis, lumbar
- Lumbar hernia
- Lumbar Spine Facet syndrome
- Reference to Organ System
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Heirarchical Major Groups
- Dorsal spine disorder
- Definition
- Be the first to add a definition for Back pain/Positional changes/mechanical
- External Links Related to Back pain/Positional changes/mechanical
- Wikipedia
- Merck
- Images
- PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- NGC (National Guideline Clearinghouse)
- Medscape (eMedicine)
- Harrison's Online (accessmedicine)
- NEJM (The New England Journal of Medicine)


text:
About Us
About the TFPL
Contact Us
History of TFPL
Jobs @ TFPL
Meeting Room Reservations
Notary Information
Photo Gallery
TFPL Board of Trustees
Borrowing Materials @ TFPL
Fines & Fees
Get a Library Card
Interlibrary Loan Services
City of Trenton
Forms Center
Friends of the Library
Holiday Closings
Library Computers
Internet Use Policy
Library News
Library Policies
Library WiFi
Location & Hours
Search the Catalog
Books, Movies & More
Book Recommendations
African-American Love Stories
African-American Novels
Even MORE Great African-American Picks
Good for the Soul - Teens
Great Fiction Reads
If you like "A Child Called It"...
If you liked The DaVinci Code...
Killer Booklist
New York Times Bestsellers
Political Thrillers
Smart Beach Reads
Some of the Best Contemporary Romances
Techno & Military Thrillers
Thrillers & Mysteries
Tough Girls - Starring Urban Girls
eLibraryNJ - Audio & ebooks
Learn A New Language (Rocketlanguages)
Library DVD Media Box
Library Catalog
Events & Classes
Calendar - Trenton Free Public Library
Career Online High School
Computer Classes for Seniors
Knitting Group
Library Board of Trustee Meetings
Library RFPs
Language Learning Tools
Community Resources
Search the Library Catalog
Ask a Librarian
Job & Career Assistance
Interactive Timeline of Trenton
Manuscript Collection
Map Collection
Photograph Collection
Print this page
Email this page
Page Navigation
Back To Borrowing Materials @ TFPL
Fines & Fees
Interlibrary Loan Services
Get a Library Card!
Obtaining a Library Card
Any resident of The City of Trenton or Trenton property owner may receive an adult library card upon completion of an application and provision of proof of identification (ID) and current address.
Acceptable photo ID and proof of current address shall be one or more of the following:
valid New Jersey driver's license or other government issued photo ID with current address
utility bill
printed checks
property tax statement
canceled mail, postmarked within the last two weeks
typed lease that shows the address
Department of Motor Vehicles-issued change of address card
Acceptable proof of employment in Trenton shall be a recent verification of employment letter or paystub.
Non-residents of Trenton may receive a library card with full borrowing privileges if they work or attend school in the city of Trenton.
Anyone under the age of 18 can receive a juvenile card after completing a "Youth TFPL Card Application" and securing the signature of his/her parent or legal guardian who holds a Trenton Free Public Library card in good standing. Children must be present in order to apply for a library card. Emancipated minors who have proof of their court ordered emancipation, may receive an adult card without parental consent.
A Limited Library Card may be issued at the discretion of the Library Director to individuals who can produce valid New Jersey driver's license or other government issued photo ID but whose living situation is unresolved such as a crisis center, half-way house, or other similar circumstances. The Director may require additional written documentation to verify the unresolved living situation. Limited Library Cards will allow use of the internet and the checkout of no more than one print item and one audio-visual item at a time.
Support the Library
Contact Us
Online Payments
Locations & Hours
Meeting Room Reservations
Employment Opportunities
Library News
About Us
Books, Movies & More
Events & Classes
Language Learning Tools
Use Mobile Site
Copyright © 2012 City of Trenton Library. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Stylish and cute, you don't have to shop around for different sizes of towels for different ages. Our towels are generously sized and fits little ones from newborns to 5-year olds.
No products were found matching your selection.
Tourance, Inc
Sobel Design Building
680 Eighth Street, Suite 260
San Francisco, CA 94103
ph: (415) 252-7277
fx: (415) 252-8316
em: email@example.com
© 2012 Tourance, Inc.
All rights Reserved.


text:
|Número de publicación
|Tipo de publicación
|Número de solicitud
|Fecha de publicación
|12 Jul 2011
|Fecha de prioridad
|29 Jun 2006
|También publicado como
|Número de publicación
|Henri Bois, Antony Roger
|Cesionario original
|S2F Flexico
|Exportar cita
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Citas de patentes (14), Clasificaciones (10), Eventos legales (2)
|Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesión de USPTO, Espacenet
The present invention relates to the field of reclosable sachets comprising at their outlet closing devices known for allowing successive multi-openings/closures, as required.
More precisely, the present invention relates to closing devices actuated via a slider.
Numerous closing devices for sachets have already been put forward.
The majority of these devices is formed on the basis of complementary male/female profiles, or even hooks or hook and loop fastener-type devices such as those sold under the trademark VELCRO.
Numerous slider structures for controlling such closing devices have also been proposed.
The aim of the present invention is to propose novel closing devices with a slider having properties superior to those of known devices.
More precisely, the aim of the present invention is to propose means limiting the risk of the sliders being torn off.
Different attempts have been made for this purpose. However, none of them provides total satisfaction.
The documents US 2005/041892, EP 1153552, EP 1447338 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,396 for example describe rigid structures on sliders, intended to be rest on complementary elements provided on the closing devices.
The documents U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,998 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,375 describe a solution consisting of placing, on the inner surfaces of the lateral flanges of the sliders flexible lips intended to cooperate with complementary elements provided on the closing devices. The drawback to this solution is forcing the lateral flanges apart when the closing devices stress said flexible lips.
The above aim is achieved within the framework of the present invention due to a closing device for a sachet comprising at least two complementary closing elements and an associated slider comprising a central bead, adapted to modify the joining state of said two elements by respectively separating or engaging the latter according to its direction of motion, characterized in that the slider comprises at least one flexible lip placed on the apex of the central bead opposite a lead angle provided on a closing element, according to a configuration such that any attempt to withdraw the slider results in autolocking hanging of the lip.
"Autolocking hanging" of the lip is understood to mean any reinforcing of the effort exerted on the flexible lip by the lead angle opposite the closing element, tending to reinforce locking of said flexible lip against said lead angle.
As will also be understood within the scope of the present invention since the flexible lip is carried by the apex of the central bead of the slider and not by a lateral flange of the latter, the thrust exerted on the flexible lip is distributed over the central bead and not on the lateral flanges of the slider.
The present invention also concerns sachets equipped with such a closing device.
Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following detailed description, and by means of the attached diagrams, given by way of non-limiting examples and in which:
A slider 100 of general classical structure is evident in
This slider 100 comprises a base 110, two lateral flanges 10, 120, 130 and a central bead 140.
The lateral flanges 120, 130 and the central bead 140 define in combination two channels 150, 160, in part at least not parallel. These channels 150, 160 join at one end of the slider 100, as in
The attached figures illustrate two closing elements 200, 300 extruded onto films 250, 350, constituting the sachet proper. As a variant, and in a manner known per se, the closing elements 200, 300 could be made initially separately, then connected and fixed onto the films 250, 350 by any appropriate means, for example by thermal welding.
According to the embodiments illustrated in the attached figures, the two closing elements 200, 300 comprise support bulges 210, 310, each of which carries a closing element as such 212, 312 respectively of complementary male and female type. By way of variant, such elements 212, 312 could be replaced by any equivalent means, for example structures with hooks or complementary hook and loop fastener type such as those sold under the trademark VELCRO.
As mentioned earlier, according to the present invention the slider 100 comprises, on the apex of the slider 100 opposite the base 110, at least one flexible lip 145, 146 placed opposite a lead angle 216, 316 provided on a closing element 200, 300, according to a configuration, such that any attempt to pull back the slider 100 results in autolocking hanging of the lip 145, 146. More precisely again, preferably within the scope of the present invention, the closing device comprises two lips 145, 146 cooperating respectively with a lead angle 216, 316 provided on each of the two elements 200, 300.
The lead angles 216, 316 are provided on the inner face of the closing elements 200, 300. The lips 145, 146 are oriented towards the base 110 by moving away from a plane of symmetry 0-0 parallel to the direction of translation of the slider and passing through the plane of symmetry of the central bead 140.
The height of the lips 145, 146, illustrated under reference e1 in
In the case as shown in
According to the embodiment shown in
On the contrary
According to the embodiment shown in
Conversely, according to the embodiment shown in
In the two cases of the embodiments illustrated in
The specialist will understand that in this case, the outer face of the longest lips comes into contact with the apex of the shortest lips during an attempt to pull back the slider.
The ramps 124, 134 define in combination with the lips 145, 146 channels 128, 138 which converge by moving away from the base 110.
The specialist will comprehend from studying
In addition, the specialist will comprehend that this sealing is further reinforced when an attempt is made to pull back the slider, with the lips 145, 146 30 tending to accentuate the effort and convergence of the films 250, 350.
Scrutiny of the attached figures will clarify that the slider 100 is preferably fitted on the outer face of the base 110 with two tappets or lugs 112, 114 substantially adjacent to the flanges 120, 130. In a manner known per se, such tappets 112, 114, when they are caused to approach one another, stress the flanges 120, 130 to move apart and consequently accentuate the width of opening of the channels 150, 160 to facilitate engagement of a slider on the closing elements 210, 220.
The lips 125, 135, 145, 146 can be made from the same material as the essential material of the slider 100, or from a different material. They are preferably made from a supple material such as polyethylene or ethylene copolymer.
It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described hereinabove but extends to any variant in keeping with its basic idea.
|Patente citada
|Fecha de presentación
|Fecha de publicación
|26 Feb 1968
|11 Feb 1969
|Leon Ker Laguerre
|Profiled strip slide fastener
|10 Jun 1999
|2 Sep 2003
|The Glad Products Company
|Closure device
|10 Jun 1999
|17 Feb 2004
|The Glad Products Company
|Closure device and method of assembly
|19 Jun 2002
|7 Sep 2004
|Illinois Tool Works Inc.
|Assembly having slider mounted inside zipper for reclosable packaging
|20 Feb 2003
|29 Ago 2006
|Illinois Tool Works Inc.
|Reclosable packaging having slider coupled to top of zipper
|18 Jun 2004
|26 Ago 2008
|Illinois Tool Works Inc.
|Reclosable package having zipper with hinged flap and related methods of manufacture
|25 May 2006
|9 Dic 2008
|S.C. Johnson Home Storage, Inc.
|Slider for closure assembly
|25 May 2006
|18 Ago 2009
|S.C. Johnson Home Storage, Inc.
|Apparatus and method of operatively retaining an actuating member on an elongate closure mechanism
|16 Oct 2002
|24 Feb 2005
|Stolmeier Robert C
|Sliders for reclosable containers
|5 Mar 1979
|17 Oct 1979
|Bud, Hans
|Sliding clasp for mating strips and method for mounting said sliding clasp on said mating strips
|30 Mar 2001
|14 Nov 2001
|ASF Verwaltungs GmbH
|Slider for a plastic fastener tape
|10 Feb 2004
|18 Ago 2004
|Illinois Tool Works Inc.
|Slider operated zipper
|Título no disponible
|Título no disponible
|Clasificación de EE.UU.
|383/64, 24/399, 24/585.12
|Clasificación internacional
|Clasificación cooperativa
|Clasificación europea
|13 Sep 2007
Owner name: S2F FLEXICO, FRANCE
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BOIS, HENRI;ROGER, ANTONY;REEL/FRAME:019837/0438
Effective date: 20070904
|12 Ene 2015
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4


text:
Fixed Rates in a Volatile World
When the prime rate went over 20 percent in the summer of 1981, American newspapers carried stories about possible failures of S&Ls and mutual savings banks for the first time since the 1930s.
Despite the advance publicity, the first major failure, the demise of the Greenwich Savings Bank, a New York City mutual* that had over $2 billion in assets and had been in business for almost 150 years, shocked the public. The FDIC had decided that the Greenwich's net worth was too low to allow it to continue in business so, after obtaining the consent of Muriel ("Mickie") Siebert, the Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York, the FDIC invited several healthy banks to bid for the Greenwich. Under the law, the FDIC couldn't take Greenwich over without the Superintendent calling them in. But Mickie Siebert's perspective was "He who has the gold makes the rules," and the FDIC had the gold, so she went along despite her public preference for nursing sick banks back to health. Before the FDIC was ready to sell the Greenwich, however, a reporter came across draft bid documents that had been left in a conference room. The next day the New York papers reported that the Greenwich was about to fail. Lines formed in front of its branches, and the six o'clock news featured the first New York bank run since the 1930s.
The FDIC and the Superintendent had been bickering about the details of how the Greenwich should be handled, but the run convinced them to set aside their differences and act quickly. Siebert told the Greenwich board of____________________


text:
Talents View in Talent Calculator
- Spectral Guise
- Body and Soul
- Surge of Darkness
- Psychic Scream
- Twist of Fate
- Halo
- Clarity of Power
Spectral Guise
30 sec cooldown Instant
Your shadow blurs into the darkness, leaving your true form behind. As a shadow you are stealthed, but remain in combat. Lasts 6 sec or until your true form is hit by 3 direct attacks.
Body and Soul
Your Power Word: Shield and Leap of Faith also increase your target's movement speed by 60% for 4 sec.
Surge of Darkness
Your Vampiric Touch and Devouring Plague damage has a 12% chance to cause your next Mind Spike not to consume your damage over time effects, be instant, and deal 50% additional damage. Can accumulate up to 3 charges.
Psychic Scream
3% of base mana
30 sec cooldown Instant
The caster lets out a psychic scream, causing 5 enemies within 8 yards to flee, disorienting them for 8 sec. Damage caused may interrupt the effect.
Twist of Fate
After healing a target below 35% health, you deal 15% increased damage and healing for 10 sec.
30 yd range 1% of base mana
40 sec cooldown Instant
Creates a ring of Shadow energy around you that quickly expands and grows in power, up to 30 yds away. Deals up to 11,245 Shadow damage to enemies, with the greatest effect at 25 yds.
Clarity of Power
Your Mind Spike, Mind Sear, and Shadow Word: Death deal 40% additional damage to targets not affected by your Shadow Word: Pain or Vampiric Touch. Also reduces the cooldown on Mind Blast by 3 sec and makes it instant cast.
Major Glyphs
Glyph of Reflective ShieldPassiveCauses 70% of the damage you absorb with your own Power Word: Shield to reflect back at the attacker. This damage causes no threat.
Glyph of Dispersion
ShadowPassiveReduces the cooldown on Dispersion by 15 sec.
Glyph of Psychic ScreamPassiveTargets of your Psychic Scream now tremble in place instead of fleeing in fear.
Minor Glyphs
Glyph of Shadow
ShadowPassiveAlters the appearance of your Shadowform to be less transparent.
Glyph of ConfessionPassiveTeaches you the ability Confession.
Compels a friendly target to confess a secret.
Glyph of Dark Archangel
ShadowPassiveWhen you apply Devouring Plague to a target, you take on the form of a Dark Archangel for 8 sec.
- Angelic Bulwark
- Body and Soul
- Empty
- Void Tendrils
- Power Infusion
- Cascade
- Empty
Angelic Bulwark
When an attack brings you below 30% health, you gain an absorption shield equal to 15% of your maximum health for 20 sec. Cannot occur more than once every 90 sec.
Body and Soul
Your Power Word: Shield and Leap of Faith also increase your target's movement speed by 60% for 4 sec.
Void Tendrils
1% of base mana
30 sec cooldown Instant
Summons shadowy tendrils, rooting up to 5 enemy targets within 8 yards for 20 sec or until the tendril is killed.
Power Infusion
2 min cooldown Instant
Infuses the Priest with power for 20 sec, increasing haste by 25% and reducing the mana cost of all spells by 20%.
40 yd range 2.4% of base mana
25 sec cooldown 1.5 sec cast
Launch a Holy bolt that grows in power with distance, healing an ally for up to 1,488, and then bouncing to additional allies 4 times. Each time it bounces, it splits into 2 bolts.
Major Glyphs
Glyph of Reflective ShieldPassiveCauses 70% of the damage you absorb with your own Power Word: Shield to reflect back at the attacker. This damage causes no threat.
Glyph of Spirit of Redemption
HolyPassiveIncreases the duration of Spirit of Redemption by 10 sec.
Minor Glyphs
- Health229980
- Mana160000
- Intellect 3578
- Spell Power 4674
- Haste 17.43%
- Crit 12.06%
- Mastery 39.55%
- Multistrike 13.00%
- Versatility 1.21%
- Intellect 3578
- Spell Power 4674
- Multistrike 13.00%
- Spirit 781
- Crit 12.06%
- Haste 17.43%
- Mastery 39.55%
- Versatility 1.21%
- Strength 848
- Agility 1063
- Intellect 3578
- Stamina 3833
- Damage 151–283
- Attack Power 0
- Speed 1.36
- Spell Power 4674
- Mana Regen 6419
- Armour 616
- Dodge 3.00%
- Parry 0.00%
- Block 0.00%
- Crit 12.06%
- Haste 17.43%
- Mastery 39.55%
- Spirit 781
- Bonus Armor 0
- Multistrike 13.00%
- Leech 0.17%
- Versatility 1.21%
- Avoidance 0.00%
Recent Activity
- Completed step of achievement Pandarian Mix Master.
- 20/01/2015
- Earned the achievement Master Builder for 5 points.
- 20/01/2015
- 4 Ko'ragh kills (Raid Finder Highmaul)
- 20/01/2015
- Earned the achievement Got My Mind On My Draenor Money for 10 points.
- 20/01/2015
Player vs. Player
- 96644 Honourable kills
Challenge Mode
Raid Progression
Last updated on 20/01/2015


text:
Agreed. The shirt just looks shabby, you need at least a crisp white shirt.
Citan, I also like your coat -- can you comment more on the fit? Is your build more athletic?
In regard to your need for new shoes -- Meermin might be a good option. I really like the double monks I just took shipment of.


text:
The end of the offshore tax cheats?
In the days of rapidly falling state and federal revenues, governing is all about finding money wherever and however you can. As a result, cities and states across the country have been getting creative and levying taxes on everything in sight. But one place we've long known where tax money has been hiding is in offshore accounts set up by wealthy individuals and businesses looking to shelter their millions from the reach of Uncle Sam. Well, on Tuesday, Democrats in Congress decided that enough was enough, and have authorized the I.R.S. to go after foreign accounts set up to conceal earnings. Forbes has the details:
Among its provisions, the legislation would require foreign banks to pay a 30% tax on their U.S. financial assets unless they agree to disclose the identity of their American account holders and to report annually on the accounts' transactions. In an effort to keep U.S. citizens from setting up shell corporations as a vehicle for tax avoidance, the bill would require foreign corporations to identify for the I.R.S. any American who has more than a 10% ownership stake in the business.
Individuals with offshore accounts with more than $50,000 on deposit would also have to report that money on tax returns. What's the payoff? As a result of this move, the U.S. says it expects to collect $8.5 billion over 10 years.
So, no more "going Galt" via foreign tax havens and secret bank accounts seems like a good thing, right? Not according to, surprise, the Cato Institute, who see the matter in terms not of tax evasion, but persecution. Here's their argument that claims that America's rich and famous not paying taxes is exactly the same as the oppressed rich of the world fighting political oppression:
To the good people at Cato, hiding wealth is a right. Taxes? Those are for suckers. According to a study conducted last year by the Government Accountability Office, the majority of U.S. corporations paid no taxes, in part because of the kinds of offshore loopholes that Congress has just attempted to close. Of course, Cato's video was made back in the Halcyon, bubble-ripe days of 2008, before the financial crash, and before every state in this country realized that it was going to have to raise taxes to cover revenue shortfalls brought on by the recession. Ah well, back to the Ayn Rand drawing board.
Called-Out Comments All comments
Post your comment »
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by david knowles, Tweets Tube. Tweets Tube said: The end of the offshore tax cheats? http://bit.ly/1NtjTW [...]
Called-Out Comments All comments
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
Haven't Registered Yet?
Create an account to join True/Slant now.


text: On Mon, Sep 03, 2012 at 12:57:50PM -0300, Marcelo Cerri wrote: > Hi, > > I was discussing with Jiri Denemark about the current behavior of > none seclabels with multiple security drivers and I'd like to hear > more opinions about how this should work. > > Currently, a none security label can be defined specifically to each > enabled security driver. For example, using a default configuration > (in which SELinux is enabled as default driver and DAC is enabled > due to privileged mode), a guest definition can contain the > following seclabel: > > <seclabel type='none' model='selinux'/> > > This will disable SELinux labeling and will keep labeling enabled > for any other security drivers (DAC in this case). > > So, my question is: should none seclabels affect specific drivers > (as done now) or just one none seclabel should be accepted affecting > all security drivers in use? No, as with your example above, the type=none is scoped to a specific driver. Daniel -- |: http://berrange.com -o- http://www.flickr.com/photos/dberrange/ :| |: http://libvirt.org -o- http://virt-manager.org :| |: http://autobuild.org -o- http://search.cpan.org/~danberr/ :| |: http://entangle-photo.org -o- http://live.gnome.org/gtk-vnc :|