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Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a major contributor to infant mortality. Previous studies have suggested that infants born of twin pregnancies are at greater risk for SIDS and that a twin who survives after a co-twin dies is at increased risk for SIDS.
To attempt to confirm the increased risk of SIDS among and within twin pairs through the use of US vital statistics data.
We analyzed data from the US-linked birth and infant death certificate tapes for the years 1987 through 1991 to determine the risk of SIDS in twin births compared with singleton births and to describe the characteristics of twin pairs in whom SIDS occurred. The analysis was limited to live births with weights of 500 g or more and gestational ages of 24 weeks or more. We used an algorithm to match co-twins (infants within a twin pair) to measure sex and birth weight concordancy; to identify twin pairs, in which one or both twins died of SIDS; and to examine, when both twins died, whether they died on the same day.
There were 23,464 singleton SIDS deaths and 1056 twin SIDS deaths during the 5-year period. The crude relative risk for SIDS among twins compared with singleton births was 2.06 (95% confidence interval, 1.94-2.19). The adjusted relative risk independent of birth weight and sociodemographic variables was 1.13 (95% confidence interval, 0.97-1.31). We successfully matched the co-twins of 172,029 twin pregnancies. Of these, 767 were twin pregnancies in which one or both twins died of SIDS. Among the 767 twin pregnancies in which one or both twins experienced SIDS, there were only 7 in which both twins died of SIDS (rate ratio, 4.0 per 100,000 twin pregnancies). In only 1 of these 7 did both twins die on the same day (rate ratio, 0.58 per 100,000 twin pregnancies). The relative risk for a second twin dying of SIDS was 8.17 (90% confidence interval, 1.18-56.67).
Independent of birth weight, twins do not appear to be at greater risk for SIDS compared with singleton births. In addition, the occurrence of both twins dying of SIDS is uncommon, and the occurrence of both twins dying on the same day is extremely uncommon.
SUDDEN INFANT death syndrome (SIDS) was the attributed cause of 3397 infant deaths in 1995 and is the leading cause of death in the postneonatal period.1 The underlying mechanism for SIDS is unknown, but epidemiological studies have pointed to several sociodemographic associations2; associations with environmental conditions, including exposure to cigarette smoke3- 5; temperature and seasonal conditions6- 8; prone sleeping position and soft bedding9,10; associations with preterm and low-birth-weight births11- 13; and an association with twin births.14- 16
The study of SIDS among twin births offers a unique opportunity to examine the relationship of the risk of SIDS among temporally related siblings. Although the later death of a surviving co-twin from SIDS is reported as uncommon, it has been suggested16 that the death of both twins on the same day from SIDS may be relatively more frequent. Several other reports17,18 have documented the occurrence of simultaneous SIDS among twins. In addition, the study of SIDS among twins offers the opportunity to evaluate hereditary and environmental interactions. So far, the failure to observe a greater likelihood of sex concordancy among twin pairs in which both twins have died of SIDS points more to the likelihood of environmental factors than hereditary factors being causal in situations in which both twins die of SIDS.15,16
To compare the incidence of SIDS among twin births with the incidence of SIDS among singleton births, to describe the characteristics of twin pairs with SIDS, and to obtain an estimation of the prevalence of simultaneous SIDS in a large population, we carried out an analysis of the twin birth cohort of the United States for the years 1987 through 1991.
We used data from the US-linked birth and infant death certificate tapes obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Md, for the years 1987 through 1991. On these tapes, births are indicated as being part of a twin pregnancy, but there are no twin pair identifiers so that the first and second members of a pair can be linked. To link twin pairs, we used an algorithm developed by Fowler et al.19 The matching algorithm uses information available on the live birth record and the infant death record that includes state and county of birth; mother's race, state of birth, level of education, age, marital status, and month of beginning prenatal care; and father's race, age, and level of education. During the 5-year period, we were able to match 87% of the twins to their respective co-twin using the algorithm described. Among the twins dying of SIDS, the matching rate was 74%.
In our analysis, we defined SIDS as the death of an infant ascribed an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9)20 code of 7980, having an autopsy, weighing greater than 500 g, and being 24 weeks' gestational age or more. All live births weighing less than 500 g or being less than 24 weeks' gestational age were excluded from the analysis.
Unmatched data are presented to compare SIDS rates between singleton and twin births in Figure 1. For the unmatched data, rates are presented as deaths per 1000 live births. Thus, one twin pregnancy contributes 2 live births. Unmatched data for the year 1991 are presented in Table 1 to compare the distribution of selected characteristics between singleton and twin births and to examine SIDS rates by the selected characteristics. Because of the large sample size that 1 year of US vital statistics data provided, we rationalized that the analysis of data from 1 year would be adequate to demonstrate any significant differences between singleton and twin births for the selected characteristics. Matched data are presented to provide characteristics of the twin pairs. For the matched data, rates are presented for twin pregnancies; thus, 2 twins represent one twin pregnancy.
Sudden infant death syndrome rates for US singleton and twin births for the years 1987 through 1991. Rates are based on unmatched twin data.
Analyses were accomplished with statistical analysis software.21 For discrete variable comparisons, χ2 tests for general association and linear trends were used. Student t tests were used for the comparison of 2 continuous variables. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (CIs) for rate ratios were calculated using standard methods for proportions.22 Crude relative risks were calculated using Mantel-Haenszel estimators and test-based 95% CIs. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the relative risk of SIDS among twins compared with singleton births independent of potential confounders. An arbitrary level of statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. To test the hypothesis that surviving members of a twin pair are at greater risk of SIDS than the risk for either member of the pair at birth, we developed an estimator of the relative risk that reflects the special sample structure of twin pairs (available from the authors).
There were 23,464 singleton SIDS deaths and 19,993,791 singleton live births; 1056 twin SIDS deaths and 425,941 twin births were available for analysis during the 5-year period. The singleton and twin birth SIDS rates are shown in Figure 1. For the 5-year period, the overall singleton SIDS rate was 1.2 deaths per 1000 live births compared with 2.5 deaths per 1000 live births for twins. The crude relative risk for a twin SIDS death compared with a singleton SIDS death was 2.06 (95% CI, 1.94-2.19). During the 5-year period, there was a statistically significant decreasing trend in the SIDS rate for singleton births (P<.01), but not for the SIDS rate associated with twin births.
We used data from the year 1991 to examine the distribution of population characteristics between twin births and singleton births and to examine the relative risk of SIDS between twin and singleton births by the population characteristics (Table 1). Although the distribution of population characteristics for race, maternal age, and maternal education level did not appear to differ substantially between twin and singleton births, these small differences did attain statistical significance because of the large sample size. The birth weight and gestational age distribution of twin births, however, differed remarkably from singleton births. Crude relative risks for SIDS between twin and singleton births calculated for each strata of population characteristic demonstrated twin births to be at greater risk for SIDS except for birth weight and the lowest strata of gestational age (Table 1). The multivariate logistic regression relative risk for SIDS among twins compared with singleton births adjusted for birth weight, race, maternal age, and maternal education level was 1.13 (95% CI, 0.97-1.31).
During the 5-year period, there were 171,262 matched twin pregnancies in which both twins survived and 767 matched twin pregnancies in which one or both twins died of SIDS. Twin pregnancies in which one or both twins died of SIDS were more likely to have been associated with a racial distribution that consisted of a higher proportion of blacks and a higher proportion of mothers with 12 years of education or less (Table 2). The proportion of twin pregnancies with female-female concordancy was higher among twin pregnancies with a SIDS death compared with that among twin pregnancies in which both twins survived. The mean birth weight for both twins and the gestational age were lower for pregnancies with a SIDS death compared with pregnancies in which both twins survived, while the discordancy in birth weight within twin pairs was greater for the pregnancies with SIDS deaths.
During the 5-year period, of the 767 pregnancies with SIDS deaths, there were only 7 in which both twins died of SIDS (Table 3). Of these 7 pregnancies in which both twins died of SIDS, there was only 1 in which both twins died on the same day. Thus, the probability of both twins dying of SIDS is 4.0 per 100,000 twin pregnancies (95% CI, 3.9-4.1), and the probability of both twins dying of SIDS on the same day is 0.58 per 100,000 twin pregnancies (95% CI, 0-1.72). These figures would be equivalent to rate ratios of 0.004 per 1000 twin births and 0.00058 per 1000 twin births, respectively. Using a special estimator to account for the trinomial conditional probabilities in twin pregnancies, we also calculated the relative risk of a second twin dying given that one twin had already died of SIDS. The relative risk that we estimated was 8.17, with 95% CIs of 1.18 to 56.67.
We examined several characteristics of twin pregnancies in which both twins died of SIDS ( Table 4). All but 1 of the 7 twin pregnancies were concordant for sex; the mean weights of the twin pairs appeared to be less than the mean weight of twin pregnancies in which only one twin had died of SIDS, and the mean gestational age appeared higher than that of twin pregnancies in which only one twin died of SIDS. Based on a standard reference for fetal growth, these twins were all small for gestational age.23 The mean postnatal age at death was 13.4 weeks, and the deaths of the twin pairs were separated by a mean of 6 weeks.
Among the 7 twin pregnancies in which both twins died but only one died of SIDS, the other causes of death included a perinatal cause (1 twin), injury (1 twin), pneumonia (2 twins), acute renal failure (1 twin), sickle cell anemia (1 twin), and an unknown or unspecificed cause (1 twin). None of these other causes of death occurred on the same day as the SIDS death, and the deaths were separated by a mean of 14 weeks (SD, 11 weeks).
We report an unadjusted 2-fold higher rate of SIDS among twins compared with singleton births. These results are compatible with other studies16,19 in the literature and point to the generally high risk that twins have for all forms of infant mortality. Froggatt et al14 speculated that the increased frequency of SIDS among twins may be related to the higher prevalence of low birth weight and prematurity in the twin population. Malloy and Hoffman,13 using a portion of the data set reported herein (1987 US-linked tapes), demonstrated that, following adjustment for birth weight, race, sex, maternal age, marital status, maternal education level, and gravidity, infants of multiple pregnancies were at no greater risk for SIDS than infants born of singleton pregnancies (odds ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.78-1.06). Data from the year 1991 presented in this report again demonstrate that when birth weight is controlled, the risk for SIDS does not appear to be greater for the twin population of live births.
Compared with twin pregnancies in which both twins survived, pregnancies in which one or both twins died of SIDS were noted to occur more frequently in the black population and to be more prevalent among mothers with 12 years of education or less. These sociodemographic variables have been previously reported as risk factors for SIDS among singleton births.2 Compared with twin pregnancies in which both twins survived, twin pregnancies in which one or both twins died of SIDS had lower birth weights, greater discordancy in weights, and lower gestational ages. Beal17 also observed the more frequent occurrence of birth weight discordancy in twin pairs in which there was one SIDS death. Oyen et al24 reported a lower birth weight, greater discordancy in the birth weight, and shorter gestations in those with SIDS vs their siblings. The small mean differences in birth weight (266 g) and gestational age (5 days) between surviving twin pairs and twin pairs that incurred at least one SIDS death are not intended to be interpreted at a clinical level, but rather point out how these 2 groups differ and provide information for further hypothesis generation about the meaning of birth weight and gestational age differences in the pathophysiological characteristics of SIDS.
We observed a much lower probability of both twins dying of SIDS than reported in previous studies. Beal,16 in an extensive review of the literature on the subject of SIDS among twins, observed that among 625 twins whose co-twin had died of SIDS, 6 subsequently died of SIDS (rate ratio, 9.6 per 1000 twin births). She also reported that among 637 twin infants whose co-twins died of SIDS, there were 12 twins who died of SIDS on the same day as their co-twin (rate ratio, 18.8 per 1000 twin births). This compares with rate ratios of 0.004 per 1000 twin live births and 0.00058 per 1000 twin live births for both twins dying and simultaneous SIDS, respectively, reported in our analysis. We speculate that because these earlier studies were based on case series and small regional samples, selection biases account for the appearance of a much higher prevalence of both twins dying of SIDS and simultaneous SIDS than exists when an entire birth cohort is analyzed.
Twins provide a unique opportunity to study the occurrence of SIDS among siblings that are temporally related. We calculated a relative risk of 8.17 for a second twin dying of SIDS given that the first twin had died. We acknowledge that this point estimate may be imprecise as suggested by the wide CIs. These wide CIs are a function of the small number of twin pairs in which both twins died of SIDS. However, given the lack of information on this subject, the point estimate we have derived provides the most reliable estimate of risk for subsequent SIDS with a twin pair currently available in the literature. The relative risk of 8.17 appears to be compatible with the risks associated with subsequent sibling deaths from SIDS currently reported in the literature. Studies25,26 have estimated the risk of recurrence of SIDS in siblings to vary from less than 2-fold to a 10-fold increase in risk. More recent studies24,27 suggest a risk of recurrence of about 6.0. Thus, the occurrence of a second twin dying of SIDS does not appear to be any greater than what has been reported for nontwin siblings.
Among twin pregnancies in which both twins died, we observed a high sex concordancy rate, with a female predominance; these infants had much lower birth weights than among twin pairs in which only one infant died of SIDS; and all were growth retarded or small for gestational age. Other reports of SIDS among twins have failed to show sex concordancy either in pairs in which both twins died of SIDS or among pairs in which only one of the pair died of SIDS.15,16 Given our small sample size of SIDS in which both twins died, it is difficult to draw any inferences about the likelihood that the observation of concordancy among the twin pregnancies in which both twins died implies a hereditary component to the disease process.
A limitation of this study is that with the use of vital statistics data we cannot guarantee that the cause of death has been accurately ascribed. We have attempted to be more critical in our definition of SIDS by using only those cases in which an autopsy was performed. Nonetheless, we cannot assure that all the deaths reported as caused by SIDS had death scene investigations and reviews of the medical records of those with SIDS as a means of attaining a most correct ascertainment of SIDS.28 Only 4 states (California, Minnesota, Missouri, and New Mexico) have detailed written protocols for a SIDS scene investigation.29 The strength of the use of vital statistics data, however, lies in the broad spectrum of the US population that the information is drawn from and the large sample size that it provides to more accurately estimate the prevalence of rare events.
In summary, we observed that, although the incidence of SIDS in the twin population is higher than that in the population of singleton births, this increased risk is a function of the increased prevalence of low-birth-weight infants in the twin population. The probability that both twins may die of SIDS is extremely small, and the probability of both twins dying of SIDS simultaneously is even smaller. The risk of a second twin dying of SIDS given that a first twin has already done so does not appear to be any greater than the risk of a temporally unrelated sibling dying of SIDS. We speculate that environmental factors may play a larger role in SIDS deaths among twins than hereditary factors and that attention to the same precautions for SIDS prevention among infants of single pregnancies, such as infant supine sleep position, are appropriate for infants of twin pregnancies.
Accepted for publication November 17, 1998.
Presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Pediatric Research, Washington, DC, May 6, 1997.
Corresponding author: Michael H. Malloy, MD, MS, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0526 (e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com).
Editor's Note: This simple, eloquent study shows the importance of examining all covariables to determine which is/are (most) important.—Catherine D. DeAngelis, MD
Malloy MH, Freeman DH. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Among Twins. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999;153(7):736-740. doi:10.1001/archpedi.153.7.736
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Hough Transform has been widely used for straight line detection in low-definition and still images, but it suffers from execution time and resource requirements. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) provide a competitive alternative for hardware acceleration to reap tremendous computing performance. In this paper, we propose a novel parallel Hough Transform (PHT) and FPGA architecture-associated framework for real-time straight line detection in high-definition videos. A resource-optimized Canny edge detection method with enhanced non-maximum suppression conditions is presented to suppress most possible false edges and obtain more accurate candidate edge pixels for subsequent accelerated computation. Then, a novel PHT algorithm exploiting spatial angle-level parallelism is proposed to upgrade computational accuracy by improving the minimum computational step. Moreover, the FPGA based multi-level pipelined PHT architecture optimized by spatial parallelism ensures real-time computation for 1,024 × 768 resolution videos without any off-chip memory consumption. This framework is evaluated on ALTERA DE2-115 FPGA evaluation platform at a maximum frequency of 200 MHz, and it can calculate straight line parameters in 15.59 ms on the average for one frame. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation results have validated the system performance regarding data throughput, memory bandwidth, resource, speed and robustness.
Optimal straight line detection is a considerable step for several embedded vision applications, and now the largest research focus is based on the Hough Transform (HT) [
Current trends in complex computing architectures integrate Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) as a competitive alternative due to its parallelism to accelerate computational performance for embedded vision applications. There are many FPGA implementation research areas, such as lane detection [
In this proposed real-time straight line detection system, detection of edge pixels is a basic task that has a significant influence on the performance of follow-up calculation. Currently, edge detection algorithm mainly includes the following two approaches: (1) Classical gradient differential operator, such as Sobel operator, Canny operator [
The classical HT converts the edge feature image into a new domain called the Hough parameter space as a popular method for straight line detection. We can obtain the computational result in Hough space by mapping the parameter points to image space. Each point in Hough space corresponds to a line in the initial image. Reasonable use of peak information in the Hough space is the common denominator of all HT-related detection methods [
Furthermore, there are acceleration solutions based on different hardware architectures to increase processing speed for tremendous real-time performance and avoid high development costs. Examples include graphics processing unit (GPU) [
Some attempts in literatures as mentioned above have been made to detect straight lines in low-definition and still images for some vision applications. Many researchers depend on increasing the signal processing frequency for the pre-stored edge image to upgrade computational speed. From the performance and resource consumption perspective, few refine them by the associated optimization of HT software algorithm and hardware architecture applied to real-time high-definition video sequences. So in this paper, we extend the work in [
We primarily present a novel PHT-based straight line detection algorithm and the corresponding architecture implementation on FPGA to deal with the acceleration and accuracy problems of classical HT. As
The block diagram of the proposed straight line detection architecture is depicted in
The resource-optimized edge detection algorithm is an extension of our previous work [
In the classical Canny algorithm, it is difficult to detect accurate edge features in complex backgrounds, because the smoothness of Gaussian filtering with artificial parameters can lead to excessive smoothing (losing edge information) or insufficient smoothing (unable to remove noise). Moreover, insufficient non-maximum suppression conditions result in false edges. In this proposed method, parallel and fast median filter was selected to suppress grain noise, and we do not need to set parameters for implementation in FPGA with flexibility [
In this new edge detection method, digital image is first smoothened by median filter to reduce noise in the image. In this paper, the 3 × 3 template is used to achieve parallel fast median filtering, and the diagram is shown in
After the nine template pixel data is obtained, we design a new parallel sorting and comparing architecture based on the parallelism of FPGA as shown in
In the first level, we divide the nine values into three groups, and three three-value comparators can calculate in parallel with a two clock delay in this level to decide the maximal value (Max), middle value (Mid), and minimal value (Min). For the second level of this architecture, three maximal values, three middle values and three minimal values are assigned into respective groups. Through data analysis, it is clear that in the group of three maximal values, just the minimal value will be the final candidate middle data in nine pixels. So in this group, the Min is selected for the third level middle data comparison. In the middle values group in the second level, just the middle value will be the final candidate middle data. Similarly, in the minimal values group in the second level, just the maximal value will be the final candidate middle data. Finally, in the third level comparison, the real middle data can be decided by a three-value comparator. Therefore, the fast median filtering can be done after a six clock delay.
In order to reduce the computational complexity in parameter coordinates, it is also needed to record whether the gradient is positive or negative as well as its absolute value. As
As expressed in
In this proposed algorithm, we divide the gradient directions into eight regions as
For example, if gradient direction of one pixel is at the range of 0° to 45° or 180° to 225°, the gradient value of this pixel along these two directions can be measured by
Finally, our dual-threshold detection implementation is based on the verification mechanism proposed by Mondal
HT is a well-known and effective method for straight line detection in digital images. This transform converts the binary edge feature image from Cartesian coordinates (
Through accumulating the intersection points, we can find the specific parameter (
Most HT implementations in FPGA platform depend on increasing the processing frequency for low-definition and still images pre-stored in off-chip memory. The sin
In this paper, refering to [
Now, we further define
After the definition as
On the assumption that the minimal step of
Next, when
Obviously, if we traverse all the possible discrete values of
In this multi-level pipelined PHT architecture, the straight line parameters can be calculated through 101 pipeline units (
For each pipeline unit, the hardware architecture in FPGA needs two registers, two 6-bit shifts, one adder, and one subtractor. The initial inputs
After parameter estimation for all of the candidate edge pixels in one image with multi-level pipelined PHT architecture, RAM_a(i) and RAM_b(i) will contain all the candidate accumulating results. Current work is to find the peak accumulating information in these two inner RAMs for all of intersection points, and this peak corresponds to the candidate longest straight line. To RAM_a(i) or RAM_b(i), through the multi-value comparators, it is easy to find the maximum for FPGA implementation respectively. The maximum search results in RAM_a(i) are the three parameters: the accumulating maximum value
The integral multi-level pipelined PHT based straight line detection algorithm is shown in
In this section, we propose this embedded vision system based on a FPGA evaluation platform. We evaluate the performance of the FPGA-based straight line detection with throughput, maximum error, memory access bandwidth, and computational time. In addition, we also present qualitative and quantitative experimental results for the accuracy and robustness of our proposed algorithm.
The proposed architecture has been evaluated on ALTERA DE2-115 platform with Cyclone IV EP4CE115F29 FPGA and QuartusII version 10.0 synthesis tool, with the maximum operation frequency of 200 MHz, as
In our hardware architecture and implementation, the fraction part
If the fractional part is 15, the maximum error from Chen
As a PE-based resource-efficient FPGA architecture, the approach in [
In our proposed multi-level pipelined PHT architecture based on spatial angle-level optimization, after clock delay, it can calculate 101 angles per cycle for one edge feature pixel and get the straight line parameters through peak value search for current pixel. So, in our proposed architecture, the memory address width is 16, and the required memory access bandwidth usage is much larger than [
In Chen
From the work of Fowers
From the above qualitative experimental results, our proposed PHT algorithm can detect single straight line in complex background correctly. In this subsection, we present quantitative experimental results to show the accuracy and robustness of this algorithm and hardware architecture. In
In this experiment, we defined the average testing deviation rate of every angle situation (
In this paper, we have presented a novel PHT algorithm and its FPGA implementation architecture for real-time straight line detection in high-definition video sequences. To obtain fewer but accurate candidate edge pixels, we enhance the non-maximum suppression conditions by a resource-optimized Canny edge detection algorithm. For real-time straight line detection purpose on high-definition video sequences, a novel spatial angle-level PHT algorithm and the corresponding multi-level pipelined PHT hardware architecture are proposed. This gives us an advantage over existing methods which rely on increasing processor frequency.
The proposed algorithm and architecture have been evaluated on the ALTERA DE2-115 evaluation platform with a Cyclone IV EP4CE115F29 FPGA. Quantitative results, including throughput, maximum error, memory access bandwidth, and computational time, on 1,024 × 768 resolution videos are presented and compared with four representative algorithms on different hardware platforms. Due to the PHT software algorithm and its implemented architecture associated optimization, we are not limited just to estimate straight line parameters fast and accurately in high-definition video sequences. This robust and effective embedded vision system has potential applications in various pattern recognition tasks based on high-definition images. Future work consists of exploring spatial and temporal parallelism in the sequence of frames to further reduce computational load.
This work was supported by NSFC (61221001), 973 Program (2010CB731401), the 111 project (B07022) and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Digital Media Processing and Transmissions.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
PHT straight line detection algorithm flow.
The block diagram of embedded straight line detection system.
Flow chart of resource-optimized canny edge detection algorithm.
Median filtering diagram.
Architecture of a 3 × 3 pixel template cache.
Calculation architecture of parallel fast median filtering.
Parallel gradient computation architecture.
Eight gradient directions division diagram.
HT representation (
Multi-level pipelined PHT architecture.
Block diagram of the maximum search scheme for parallel pipeline units.
Integral PHT algorithm diagram.
FPGA based embedded straight line detection vision system.
The experimental comparisons of LSM and PHT method: (a-1)–(a-4) are the original images; (b-1)–(b-4) are the results of LSM of Ji
Accuracy and robustness testing samples.
The deviations of tested angles. (
Performance comparison among different approaches.
|384 MHz
|256 × 256
|500 MHz
|256 × 256
|387 MHz
|512 × 480
|333 MHz
|512 × 512
|Proposed method
|200 MHz
|1,024 × 768
Memory and bandwidth comparison results.
|512 × 512
|1024 × 768
Calculation time comparison.
|LSM of Ji
|15.57 ms
|1,024 × 768
|512 × 512
|Proposed Method on FPGA
|15.59 ms
|1,024 × 768
|Direct HT Computation on PC
|0.93 s
|1,024 × 768
|1.26 s
|1,024 × 768
|1.62 s s
|1,024 × 768
|1,024 × 768
FPGA implementation resource consumption.
|Combinational LE with no register
|Sequential LE
|Combinational LE with a register
|Dedicated logic registers
|Block memory bits
|Embedded Multiplier 9-bit elements
FPGA implementation power consumption.
|Total thermal power dissipation
|640.89 mW
|Core dynamic thermal power dissipation
|414.83 mW
|Core static thermal power dissipation
|105.40 mW
|I/O thermal power dissipation
|120.66 mW
Quantitative experimental results for straight line detection angle deviation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Stylish Golfer–Photographer Tony Kelly and stylist Jo Levin move to Scotland to portray model Harvey Haydon for the July 2012 issue of British GQ. Lensed at the luxury Horizon Hotel, the British model is styled in a refined wardrobe, reworked in a lively way thanks to bold shades, sorbet hues or funny prints. Wearing Bottega Veneta's fluoro suits, Tom Ford's glamorous jackets or Prada's floral prints, Harvey proves that golf can be a very fashionable sport. / Grooming by Mira.
Harvey Haydon Brightens Up Our Day in a Story for British GQ by Tony Kelly
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How the New AU Wireless and Health Check Systems Integrate
This summer the Office of Information Technology completed the integration of two major technology projects, the eaglesecure wireless network, and SafeConnect, AU's Network Access Contrl (NAC) solution. Now, any device connecting to the wired or the wireless networks undergoes a healthcheck through SafeConnect.
There are now two faster, more secure, and more reliable wireless networks across campus: eaglesecure and the open network wireless connect2eaglesecure, used to configure your wireless device for accessing the eaglesecure network.
The first time you connect your laptop to the connect2eaglesecure network, you will be prompted to install a Web based application called XpressConnect. Xpress Connect applies settings to your device and migrates it to the secure eaglesecure network. Once your device has been configured, you won't need to access connect2eaglesecure again. XpressConnect supports configuration for Windows, Mac OS-X, Ubuntu, Apple iOS, and Android wireless devices.
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SafeConnect also manages the wired network at AU, and allows these same types of devices automatic Internet access if an Ethernet cable is plugged in.
If your game console or other device is not getting Internet access, request help through the OIT Help Desk at 885-2550, email@example.com, or instant message AskAmericanUHelp.


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American Women with Prof. Brigid Maher: Filming Women in Islamic Cultures
« Back
Join us for American Women, a special lecture series highlighting the inspirational women of American University. The second event in the series features
Brigid Maher
, associate professor of film and media arts on the School of Communication, with "Filming Women in Islamic Cultures." Moderated by award-winning journalist and AU professor
Iris Krasnow
, this presentation will be followed by a dessert and coffee networking reception.
Professor Brigid Maher
heads the Emerging Media concentration in SOC's Film and Media Arts Division. She will share her experiences filming Muslim women religious leaders in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon for her film
Veiled Voices.
Maher will discuss cultural challenges three women face and her approach to documenting issues of representation and ethnographic filming in the Muslim world. She will also speak about her upcoming interactive project about Women and Islam, and show a sneak preview of her current documentary,
The Mama Sherpas
Cost to attend is $20 for alumni, parents, and friends. No cost for AU faculty, staff, and students.
7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
American University - Battelle Tompkins Atrium
Battelle-Tompkins Building
Contact Information
Megan Patterson
Alumni Programs Assistant


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/3/2012 (1951 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
LOS ANGELES -- Horse racing has long withstood the deaths of its skittish, injury-prone thoroughbreds. Hollywood proved it lacks the stomach for it.
HBO abruptly cancelled its racetrack drama series Luck this past week after three horses used in the production were injured and euthanized during 10 months of filming in the last two years.
The abrupt fall of Luck, which will end its single-season run on March 25, reveals the chasm between the racing and entertainment industries.
At the track, a horse puts its life on the line so gamblers can stake $2 or more to win, place or show, with the industry and fans accepting the danger to animals and jockeys as a harsh part of the bargain.
With movies and TV, which offer the on-screen vow that "no animals were harmed" in the making of make-believe, consumers have scant tolerance for harm to any creature great or small.
"More people are pet owners than ever before. More people have access to information about animals... and care more about them," said Karen Rosas, senior vice-president of the American Humane Association's TV and film unit that monitors animal safety for more than 2,000 productions annually.
During the past five years, the association encountered only one horse death outside of Luck, on the 2007 movie 3:10 to Yuma, Rosas said. Losing three horses on a single project was "unprecedented," she added.
The racing world stands in sharp contrast in both the measure of loss and reaction to it.
Two horses died in Britain's Grand National steeplechase meet last year, and four the year before, but the April event will proceed as it has since the 1830s. The 2008 Kentucky Derby euthanization of a captivating filly, Eight Belles, clouded but didn't derail the event that marks its 137th running in May.
Last week, five horses died in the first two days of the U.K.'s Cheltenham Festival steeplechase. Outrage erupted, as it had after previous multiple deaths in the prestigious meet, but it's yet to be scuttled.
In U.S. racing, there's approximately one horse fatality per 500 starts, according to Dr. Rick Arthur, medical director of the California Horse Racing Board. He cited the Equine Industry Database posted online by the Jockey Club, which supports thoroughbred breeding and racing.
The losses on Luck provoked public dismay and pro-and-con debate about racing itself.
"I am usually an admirer of both HBO and (series creator) David Milch, but from the sounds of it, this is a tragedy that should have been avoided. Animals are not props," actor Sean Vincent Biggins of Los Angeles posted Friday on his Facebook page.
Thoroughbred experts and those in racing say their acceptance of mortality in racing stems from an understanding of the animals powering the sport.
Richard Mandella -- a Hall of Fame trainer at Santa Anita Park, where Luck was filmed -- said "a love affair" exists between the people and horses in racing.
But even hard work and "extreme efforts" can't protect the animals, he said.
"As far as accidents happening ... I don't care if they're in a prairie or anywhere, that can happen," Mandella said. "They play rough and they're competitive."
What happened to the HBO show, he suggested, could have been a run of misfortune.
-- The Associated Press


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2012 trend predictions
I've been waving my manicured, trend-hungry hands over my crystal ball for what's going to be hot (or not) in 2012. If you care about being "on trend" or being a "girl on campus," as one of my dear buddies likes to call the "in-crowd" who unabashedly takes advantage of what's in style – often all at once.
And if you don't give a flying fad or – better yet, like to go against the grain and rock skinny jeans when bell-bottoms are "in" – then this may be for you too.
And if none of it is, then take that grain of salt with you right into the new year!
1. Facebook Backlash – I think I'm praying for this more than I am predicting it. Facebook just seems to be so all-consuming. I see people glancing at their phones compulsively for "updates." The phrase, "I saw on Facebook that you..." comes up all too often in casual conversation and has turned the most normal of people into virtual stalkers. Honest people admit, "Facebook is taking over my life." That is not good. I smell a hefty rebellion coming. Fingers becoming tired of constantly having to update their status, to "like" this or that and to comment on their "friends" minutia. Or like me, maybe people are just getting creeped out by TMI on the timeline, all the time, 24/7. It's on your phone, on your computer, in your conversations. What's next? Customized Facebook updates instead of commercials on TV? Yuck. Occupy Facebook.
2. Crazy haircuts – A la "Girl with Dragon Tattoo." It's all the rage. After all, its just hair. And it grows back. Long, wavy, balliaged and "ombred" hair has been in such heavy rotation, scissors are sure to start cutting choppy, asymmetrical 'dos. It's time to get funky people. Break out the razors and the flat, matte hair dye. There's about to be a crew of Lisbeth Salanders strutting around town. (At least in Bay View and on the East Side.)
3. Non-traditional lipstick shades – Inky blue/black, deep red/brown, cool grays. If it's unnatural ... I see it appearing on pouts in 2012. Wearing these shades against muted, matte skin will give a second coming of "Mad Max" feeling perfect for the predicted end of days. Try "Photo" from MAC or any Lime Crime Shade.
4. Meditation – It may finally be catching on. Being still. Observing your thoughts and emotions. Meditation is becoming cool and I think 2012 is the year it's going to stop being something only your "hippie" friends do. I see meditation gaining the same mainstream popularity as yoga. And who knows, maybe it will change the world.
5. Extreme Home Fitness – Extreme home workouts using DVDs and websites that kick your butt right in the comfort of your own living space will continue to thrive. The release of P90X2 and the wildly popular website Bodyrock.tv will continue to recruit a legion of home workout warriors. Minimal equipment – if any – and enough space to move safely are all you need to get brutally worked into tiptop shape.
6. DIY Beauty Treatments – Gel manicures and facial peels used to be left in the hands of trained professionals. Beauty services once only reserved for the salon will become more popular to do at home. The availability of personal use laser hair removal devices, microdermabrasion equipment and Keratin Straightening systems has made beauty within domestic reach. Is this the end of salons? Hardly. I think Brazilian waxing is safe for awhile.
7. Green Smoothies – It's en vogue for celebs to be photographed sipping their green juices/smoothies and these veggie cocktails will continue to gain popularity. We're not talking powders here. This is hard-core healthy, Vitamixed or juiced-whole veggies and fruits. There could be worse trends than adding veggies into your diet. Milwaukee juice bars like Fresh Eco, The Green Kitchen and Beans & Barley will have lines out the door! Just add in more greens (especially of the leafy variety) to look and feel better in the new year!
8. Crazy Legs – Basic black leggings are so 2010-11. The year 2012 will usher in a new breed of crazy, printed leggings that will challenge any shiny spandex to an '80s dance-off. Look for bright colors, outrageous patterns and super tight, body-hugging fabrics to be blazing on legs everywhere. Strut them with heels, boots or throwback high-top sneakers. Wear them to the office, parties or the gym.The louder the legging, the cooler the look!
8. Hoods – Stop letting that seemingly useless piece of fabric just hang there on the back of your sweatshirt or jacket. Throw that baby up over your head for what I believe we'll be seeing a lot of in 2012. Detached, knit versions are perfect for cold weather, like Lululemon's "Hickey Hider." You have to see it to understand it. Regardless, I think we'll be seeing hoods as headwear fashion statements this year! Plus, they are an amazingly practical way to protect your hairstyle and warm your head when January through May's unpredictable weather strikes!
9. Metal Madness – A band, more rock/metal than pop, will reinvigorate the music scene with its melodic, yet thrashing sound. Well, maybe this is more of a wish than a prediction. And perhaps I'm just anticipating the fallout from the "Rock of Ages" movie. But, it's time music had some muscle again and 2012 is about time for it to happen. Support local music and maybe a "MilROCKee" band will make it happen!
sandstorm | Dec. 29, 2011 at 1:04 p.m. (report)
you've never seen the skinny jean wearing, beard sporting hipsters with their hoods up?
just look out your window....see? there's one now.
|Rate this:
mikeb | Dec. 29, 2011 at 8:03 a.m. (report)
I agree on the Facebook thing, but it's interesting that someone who can hardly do a blog post without including a picture of themselves thinks that Facebook is facing a backlash.
|Rate this:
brunocarlson | Dec. 27, 2011 at 7:44 p.m. (report)
Sounds like the trends of 2011 for the rest of the free world. Keep rockin' the sweatpants, Uggs, and Crocs Milwaukee!
|Rate this:
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No bitterness from Daley, Scuderi in first meeting since trade
Almost a month after joining the Penguins via a trade that sent Rob Scuderi to Chicago, Trevor Daley still isn't sure why his tenure with the Blackhawks, which consisted of 29 games, ended so quickly and included few highlights.
He hinted at a lack of ice time the day the deal happened, Dec. 14, but he eased back from that stance after a light morning skate at Consol Energy Center, hours before he played against the Blackhawks for the first time since his departure.
"I wish I had bad things to say about that team, but I don't," Daley said. "I enjoyed my time there, and I learned a lot. I went in there with an open mind to figure out what these guys have been doing right all these years. I think I took a lot out of it for the short time I was there."
Residual bitterness toward their former teams, certainly a possibility for the defensemen given the nature of the late-night trade in which they were exchanged, failed to materialize as they prepared to square off against players they called teammates just a few weeks ago. Daley is a prominent contributor with the Penguins, who have entrusted him with more ice time, including power-play opportunities, and encouraged him to embrace his offense-creating tendencies.
Scuderi, accepting of the fact he gets less ice time with Chicago, appreciates that his new team asks nothing more or different of him than what the Penguins expected.
"I'm not going to become something else overnight," Scuderi said. "I'm still doing roughly the same role."
The announcement of the trade Dec. 14, during the Penguins' loss to Washington in coach Mike Sullivan's debut, inspired intrigue and slight shock among fans. Daley, who had career highs in goals (16) and assists (22) in 2014-15 with Dallas, gave the Penguins a puck-moving defenseman general manager Jim Rutherford suggested the team needed just days earlier.
Scuderi passed on pondering the reasons the Penguins, who drafted him in 1998, again parted ways with him.
"It's like they say: Don't think, you'll only hurt the team," Scuderi said. "It's just something that happens in the business, and you learn to move on."
Daley embraced his new team and boosted the quality of players around him. The possession and pace-of-play metrics for Olli Maatta, Daley's most frequent partner on the blue line, are better than what Maatta had in 139 minutes of five-on-five ice time with Scuderi, according to Puckalytics.com.
Blackhawks defenseman Michal Roszival, who usually paired with Daley and now often skates beside Scuderi, made no effort to deny the differences between his current and former blue line partner.
"They're totally different players," Roszival said. "I feel like playing with Trevor, I think I needed to be a little more defensive, just in the back of my mind, making sure there's always somebody back there. He's so fast, that even if I jumped into a play, he'd always outskate me up the ice. But yeah, it's a bit of adjustment, for sure."
Roszival's possession metrics predictably dipped when he began pairing with Scuderi. But Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy said advanced metrics insufficiently define Scuderi's value.
"He's a great player who I don't think gets the credit he deserves," Lovejoy said. "He was a guy people gravitated towards. You wanted to have dinner with Rob. You wanted to be sitting next to him on the plane. You wanted to hang out with him in the locker room."
Bill West is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at email@example.com or via Twitter @BWest_Trib.


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Paul Morrell on the Government Construction Summit
Chief construction adviser says ministers 'want sight of where the sector is heading'
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Predicando en el Espíritu
By Dennis F. Kinlaw
This Spanish edition of Preaching in the Spirit will inspire any Spanish-speaking pastor to grow in the Spirit of Christ.
Based on a series of lectures presented at the Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College, this book speaks to the concerns of all preachers in a practical and arresting way.
Pages: 146
Size: 5½"x8½"
Your Price: $12.99


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" Manufacturer: Rema Tip Top / Type: Bike Tool "
This is the repair kit that my dad always used to use with our bikes as kids. It is probably the most famous and effective puncture repair kit ever. I bought this pack when I chose my bike as I liked the idea of it having a tyre tool in as well, a great asset as it takes the tyre off with ease. The Rema tip top kit features its famous vulcanising solution which my dad always swore by. These days I tend to favour the self adhesive patches as they are far less fuss and much easier to use.
==Price and availability==
The Rema tip top kit costs £3.99 from bike shops such as Halfords. It is a set that comes with five patches but you can buy these separately as the tube of glue will last for a long time.
This is a really handy kit and features two tyre levers so you can remove the tyre from the wheel. To do this you need to slide it under the tyre and run it along the wheel gently prising it off as you go around. This does take a little bit of pressure but it soon pops off. In the kit there are five various sized patches, one oval, one 50 x 25 mm and two 25 mm diameter patches. These have a feathered edge which makes them easier to apply and smooth out. The patches come on a foil packed piece of paper and are very thin. The glue is a 5m tube of vulcanising solution and can be resealed and stored away. The set comes with a small square of sandpaper to create a little bit of friction for the inner tube to stick to the patch. The whole set comes in a little cardboard box that is really small and can be stored away after use. The packaging has not changed to how I remember it as a child.
==In use==
This set is really good and it is such a reliable product, I bought it in haste though before realising that you can buy self adhesive patches that seem to be just as good. I like how easy the self adhesive patches are but I think that this set is probably more reliable. If I got a puncture out on the road I would use the self adhesive kit as it is much easier! The feathered edge is something that I think is really useful on these patches as it helps with the shape of the tube. The self adhesive patches I bought were smooth and when it came to smoothing out the patch, it did seem a little bumpy. I have used this kit once and found that apart from it being a bit messy, the patch took much longer to dry than I thought, I was really wary of inflating it before it was dry. My boyfriend will always prefer this kit to the self adhesive patches but I honestly have never experienced a problem with the kit so I think that I will continue to use myself adhesive patches and keep this kit for when the first lot runs out. Going on the amount of times I have actually cycled to work this year, I can see both kits lasting a lifetime!
"Rema Tip Top Puncture Repair Kit & Levers TT05. Tools. Probably the most permanent repair kit available. Features: •Fully feathered patches of various sizes •Vulcanising solution and emery paper. •Complete with tyre levers"


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Zhi Model
Mickey MirandaPhotographer Male Elmhurst, New York, US
My Website: InstagramMy MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/emeenemz
Mayhem # 2495545
About Mehi my name is Mickey,i am 23 years old and a part time photographer right now,So i'm looking for models to shoot with. send me a message if you are interested
If you have any ideas, themes or looks you would want to create, Message me i love to hear about it. Also have a look in my "Inspired" list to see shots id like to re create.
i have been shooting since i could remember, but i only recently started to take it seriously. i enjoy photography because I have the ability to capture the world and its events through the eye of my camera. Whether it is simple, complex photo shoot, or shooting at an event. i enjoy going to different locations for photo shoots. i love trying new things and experimenting. I look to find unique angles and themes to bring my pictures to life. i always try to make my photo shoot to be a memorable one. I am always in search of new ways to see and perceive the world through my lens.
Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MickeyMirandaPhotos
Twitter @Emeenemz
Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/ememmiranda/
500px http://500px.com/mkikz02/photos
thanks for you time, id love to here from you.
Ill try to shoot anytime to fit your schedule
dont be afraid to contact me:
Have you worked with Mickey Miranda? Add Credits for Mickey Miranda! >>
Zhi Model
Dana Jill Model
Andrea Ashli Model
sweetstuff... Model
Amy Amore Model
Daniel Migukov Retoucher
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By Tim Winship, SmarterTravel.com
There has been plenty of bad news for members of the airlines' mileage programs in recent months. New fees have been imposed, and old fees have been increased. Award levels have been raised. And two airlines, United and US Airways, have scrapped their longstanding policies of awarding a minimum of 500 miles for short-haul flights.
But even worse news lies ahead, and it has nothing to do with changes to the programs' terms and conditions.
Slammed by soaring fuel costs on one side, and squeezed by slumping demand on the other, the airlines have pinned their hopes for survival on downsizing—shrinking into profitability.
American, the world's largest airline, has announced plans to reduce capacity 11 to 12% later this year, and eliminate thousands of jobs.
• United, the nation's second-largest carrier, plans to ground 100 planes, reducing domestic mainline capacity by 17 to 18%, and cut 1,400 to 1,600 jobs.
• Continental will shed 3,000 jobs—more than 6% of its workforce—and reduce capacity by 11% this fall.
• And Delta will cut U.S. capacity by 10% in the second half of 2008.
Capacity recalibrations are in store for the discount carriers as well.
• AirTran will defer delivery of 18 Boeing 737s.
• JetBlue recently delayed the purchase of 21 Airbus 320 jets.
• And Spirit is considering laying off up to 60% of its flight attendants and 45% of its pilots.
By no means is the shrink-to-survive strategy confined to the U.S. airlines, any more than the causes of the contraction are specific to the U.S.
• Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost airline, will ground 10% of its fleet this winter.
• Australian carrier Qantas will cut flights by 5%.
Other non-U.S. carriers are expected to follow suit.
So far, there are no credible estimates of the total reduction in flights over the coming months. But this we know: A year from now, there will be significantly fewer flights than there are today.
As has already been reported at length by industry-watchers, the flight cutbacks will result in the loss of service to smaller airports, more crowded planes, further erosion of customer service, and of course, higher ticket prices.
What has not yet been considered is the impact of fewer flights on frequent flyer programs.
Here's how the big picture will affect the small picture.
All things being equal, a 10% reduction in seats overall will translate into a 10% reduction in award seats. Unless, that is, the airlines increase the percentage of seats they reserve for mileage redemption. The more likely scenario, though, given the airlines' desperation to stave off bankruptcy, is that they will reduce not only the absolute number of award seats but the percentage of award seats as well.
Meanwhile, on the demand side of the equation, the trillions of miles in the accounts of tens of millions of frequent flyer program participants aren't disappearing. On the contrary, even as the supply of award seats shrinks, the airlines continue expanding their programs, giving consumers ever more ways to earn miles.
The resulting picture is a troubling one: more miles chasing fewer seats.
Over the past year, major airlines have revised their programs' mileage-expiration policies, reducing from three years to 24 or 18 months the period during which program members must have activity in order to keep their accounts active. That will eventually wipe a relatively small number of the outstanding miles off the airlines' books, marginally reducing their financial exposure from award liability.
But in the long run, spiffing up the airlines' balance sheets won't address the key issue of award availability. Consumers participate in frequent flyer programs with the expectation that they'll have a reasonable chance of redeeming their miles for a free flight.
As airlines downsize to survive, that expectation is looking increasingly unrealistic.
SmarterTravel.com features expert travel advice and unbiased coverage of travel deals.
Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more.


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Office of Health Research and Development
UK Center for Rural Health Danville
Welcome to a new UK Center for Excellence in Rural Health, in Danville. It will eventually serve a large swath Kentucky, from the Ohio River to the Tennessee border. Initially, we will work most closely with these counties: Adair, Boyle, Casey, Garrard, Lincoln, Marion, Mercer, Russell, Taylor and Washington. The host organization in Danville is the Ephraim McDowell Health Care Foundation. The Center will work directly with the University of Kentucky Office of Health Research and Development, and function as a network partner with the other Centers for Rural Health located in Hazard, Morehead, Madisonville and Murray. We will work closely with the South Central, Southern, Northwest and North Central Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) and with the State Office of Rural Health. We intend to develop many other partnerships in support of improving rural health across Kentucky.
The purposes of the Centers for Rural Health are three-fold: assisting rural health service providers improve services and health status of those they serve, promoting health professions education in rural settings and developing community-based research projects designed to enrich the body of knowledge about rural health and its improvement. The over-arching approach for this new Center will be to foster the development of community-based collaborative systems of care that increase capacity in all three areas.
Contact: Rachael FitzGerald, MHA
|Comments and Corrections | An Equal Opportunity University | Jobs | Terms, Conditions and Accessibility Statements | Privacy
© 2012, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 138 Leader Ave., Lexington, Kentucky, USA 40506-9983
Student Affairs: (859) 323-5261 · Admissions: (859) 323-6161 · Clinical Questions: (859) 257-1000 · Dean's Office: (859) 323-6582
Page last updated Thursday, February 09, 2012


text: Overseeding is always good Laughed out loud a bit at the clover and black medic thing though, no offense! I would readily do something like that with my own lawn. However, my clients are still high end residentials who demand uniformty in their lawns. We spot spray weeds if necessary and pull TONS of them.


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The key message in this year's "Index of Silicon Valley" is that the Valley's future may be in trouble and there is no easy way back to its historic position of being a world leader in technological leadership.
As the Weekly's cover story this week shows, the bad news has many facets in the Index, an annual product of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Leadership Network organization. A big factor is that other economies, such as India and China, are now competing aggressively for a bigger slice of the world economic pie — and are wooing back the best and brightest of the foreign students who came to America to study, and stayed.
Even "cleantech" as a new era in Silicon Valley hasn't surged in terms of jobs or economic impact, as many had hoped. In fact, federal stimulus dollars in this important new industry are going elsewhere, to Alabama or Texas and other places that have lobbied for them with a unified voice of political, business, education and community leaders.
All is not gloom. The Valley has tremendous resources and world connections, and it remains a vital source of innovative endeavor and links to venture capital. The bottom-line warning is that the leadership of the Valley and California must realize they can't rest on past successes in this hard new world of international competition.
We must not allow our educational system to erode further, or our environmental and traffic problems to get worse, or our infrastructure to decay. These are huge problems that need a unified approach of many elements in our society, including divided political leaders, if we are to remain a player in the world economy. This is not a new warning.
The Joint Venture conference provides us clear, urgent handwriting on the wall. It is up to us to heed the message and demand better cohesion and focus of our local, county and state leaders instead of blame games and political posturing for short-term gain, as they deal with our future.


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I am six days post op. My doctor told me unless I have signs of infections ex. Fever chills puss from incision it is fine. Well I can't tell because of the sterile strips. It hurts when I move and is sore to the touch. Is this just because of the bruising? Any advice would help. 425cc high profile
Does my Incision Look Like It is Healing Ok? (photo)
Doctor Answers 4
Is my incision healing
Congratulations on your surgery! It's hard to tell from your photo because of the steri-strip. I see a little redness outside of the steri-strip but if you aren't experiencing any of the symptoms of an infection, I wouldn't worry. I would keep an eye on it and make sure you discuss your concerns with your surgeon at your next follow up appointment. If you are still concerned, go see your surgeon so your incision can be checked and your mind put to ease, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! ac
Healing of breast augmentation Incision
Thank you for your picture. It is hard to tell if the incision is healing well with the steri-strip still on. The best thing to do is revisit with your surgeon.
Dr. ES
Breast Augment
Looks a little red but with no fever you likely dont have an infection. Go see your PS and ask kim or her to remove the strip and see what is going on
You might also like...
Is doesn't appear infected at this point.
Hello laurenllandon,
Thanks for your question. From the picture you posted, the incision has a mild amount of redness superiorly but that doesn't necessarily indicate infection. If you continue to be concerned, I would recommend you go see your surgeon to have the steristrips removed and the incision examined. You can retape the incision if all is well.
Good luck,
Dr. Shah
Learn more: http://www.drmanishshah.com
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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Experience Color with Z5
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Z5 Portable Color Ultrasound Machine /Scanner Doppler CE FDA certificated Images


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The letters and cards were written by Diana to her reflexologist Chryssie Fitzgerald.
The princess sent the letters during the period of her marriage breakdown and the first two years of her separation from Prince Charles.
At the same auction, 150 black and white pictures depicting Churchill's early career sold for £19,400.
'It hurt so'
The photos were in an album which was recovered from a skip.
They chart Churchill's time in Lord Asquith's Liberal Government, recording events from 1908 to 1915, and belonged to the wife of a former Daily Telegraph journalist in Essex.
Many of them have not been published for more than 90 years.
One of Diana's letters - sold for £3,300 - tells of her reaction to former Army Major James Hewitt's public revelation of their affair.
Diana wrote: "Last week was the (underlined) toughest yet that I have had to face & I did everything I could to keep myself above water.
"When I came for my appointment I was in a total state of shock & very distressed about Hewitt's so called revelations - I never expected to hear on top all that about someone else's hatred for me & what accompanies those feelings.
"It hurt so (double underlined) much to hear from you, Chryssie, that Sarah found me a problem & that with everything else that was going on.
"Please remember something you said to me just last week 'Babs, you're on your own'. Today, I really feel that."


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Need Appliance Repair Help? Ask a Technician for Answers ASAP
Hi,Welcome to Just Answer, My name isXXXXX will be helping you with your appliance issue today.
can you get us the full model # ? open the door and there will be a tag. if its not there look along the top of the control panel as if you were looking over the machine towards the back.
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in the pulley number is, Y54414 this runs around $5.50 . Hope this is useful, thanks, Bryan


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Effect of Airway Integrated Nasal Packing With Different Material
This study has been completed.
Chi Mei Medical Hospital
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Yung-Song Lin, Chi Mei Medical Hospital
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: March 21, 2012
Last updated: March 23, 2012
Last verified: March 2012
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
No Study Results Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for this Study
|Study Status:
|This study has been completed.
|Study Completion Date:
|December 2011
|Primary Completion Date:
|June 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)


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Meet the Authors
The Withrows have been researching and writing together since they were married during their undergraduate years in 1994. They started writing the History Lives series for their nieces and nephews, who now number 16.Read more »
Why this Series?
These are the people—from every geographic, ethnic, and economic background and with all the variety of human personality—that laid the foundation for the church as we know it today.Read more »
What Readers are Saying
"Our kids love to read, so I'm often ordering books that I think they'll enjoy and find that I love them too. Mindy and Brandon Withrow have authored a wonderful series of books aiming for the 9-14 year old market, but equally enjoyable for all ages." ~ Rowena, MissouriRead more »


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4.6 preamplifier
as reviewed by Carol Clark, Victor Chavira,Larry Cox, and Art Shapiro
Tuesday night, the house is quiet, so I had a perfect opportunity to listen to the Electrocompaniet EC 4.6 preamp. No distractions, or so I thought. I cued up Massive Attacks "Inertia Creeps," turned up the volume, and sat back to enjoy. Halfway through the song, I heard a frantic knocking on the front door. Fearing the worst, I leaped up without bothering to turn down the volume, only to find a door-to-door salesman! I fear I was rather rude, slamming the door in his face. I restarted the CD, and again sank back into relaxed listening mode. It sounded pretty nice, but more on that later. As the song was fading out, I realized the phone was ringing. It was Francisco, one of the audioMUSINGS partners. We had a brief conversation, then I hurried back to the EC. Finally, there were no further distractions.
I popped in This Timeless Turning, a favorite CD of mine by the band Sky Cries Mary. One track I really like is called "Every Iceberg is Afire." As it started, I remembered a note I had received from Ben Ireland, Sky Cries Marys drummer. He told me that while they were recording that track, a phone started ringing in the studio. Every time Ive listened to it since, I try to hear the phone, but the track sounded so incredible this time, I forgot to listen for it. All of a sudden, I heard it. In fact, I thought it was my phone. I picked up the cordless and, thinking that the answering machine had already taken the call, carried it all the way over there before I realized that the phone hadnt rung at all. With the EC, not only can you hear the phone ringing on this track, but it sounds real!
This preamp sounds incredible! The soundstage is wide and deep, and it projects into the room in front of the speakers, something that I always enjoy. The upper ranges are not brittle sounding, even on tracks that are poorly recorded. The lower ranges are deep, and not muddy. Vocals are very well reproduced. Dave and I are inveterate CD collectors, and have so many that I sometimes forget one, but Ive recently rediscovered a CD by the artist Lamb. I played the track called "Gorecki," which starts out slowly with just a female voice and some piano, then layers on other instruments until it becomes a full-fledged wall of sound. The EC projected sounds into the room in such a way that I thought some of them were coming from outside the house.
When I reviewed the Sim Moon I5 integrated amp in Issue 5, I discovered that some of my test recordings are poorly recorded. I found this to be true of Dead Can Dances Toward The Within and This Timeless Turning. Both CDs sounded brittle, even when I returned from the Moon to our Blue Circle BC3. On the EC, neither sounded brittle. Another track on This Timeless Turning that I like to use is called "These Old Bones." In the past, the female voice has tended to sound a bit bright. With the EC, it sounded smooth and pleasing. The same goes for "Dont Fade Away," my favorite track on Toward The Within.
EC is moderately priced; it actually costs less than the BC3 we currently use. When I
first heard the BC3, I fell in love with it for qualities similar to those I heard with
the Electrocompaniet. Considering its price, the EC4.6 is a steal.
Ive recently had a chance to listen to several Electrocompaniet products. What all have in common is an unusual level of quiet that accompanies their balanced operation and, to a slightly lesser extent, their single-ended operation. Melody is clearly presented, notes emerge from a transparent background, and there is a sense of immediacy to all music. This is good stuff. The EC 4.6 preamp is a really strong product, and should fly off the shelves of dealers throughout the world. To my way of thinking, this is the kind of mature product that the high end needs to see more of. It is physically small, and has a bomb-proof build. It controls volume and balance by remote. It sounds wonderful, transporting musical events into your living room. Oh, and its beautiful to look at. Why arent there more products like it? Ugly black boxes reflect the hobbyist origins of high fidelity, but were continually seeing really expensive products that are simply awful to look at. Lets have stuff thats easy to use, and looks and sounds great!
The 4.6 is a rich-sounding preamp that palpably presents the naturally occurring vibrato of violins, guitars, and vocals as sound emanating from the movement of air. In my system, music jelled into a corporeal excitation of my whole body. I connected my Classe CA100 amp to the EC 4.6 in balanced operation, using an Acrotec interconnect. Balanced mode was preferable, as there seemed to be less of a "hush" and perhaps less "speed" to music in single-ended operation, though the pairing still sounded good that way. Perhaps you know what I mean when I say the "hush" of a live event, where people wait somewhat breathlessly for music to start. Its a non-musical part of music reproduction, a sense that anything is possible at the next moment.. The quiet of the EC 4.6, whether in balanced or unbalanced mode, allows images to be presented precisely, in a way which is initially a little unnerving but ultimately quite satisfying. While image outlines werent as deeply inscribed in the soundstage as they are with some other preamps, there was a weight to the images that made the presentation very enjoyable. What I like about my E.A.R. 802 preamp, and tubes in general, is that they present vocals with a liquidity, or fullness and continuousness of tone that solid state generally doesnt have. When a female vocalist has an especially beautiful voice, like Johnatha Brown, Emmylou Harris, or Mary Black, vocals are just that much more bell-like in clarity and tone. In my system, the EC comes the closest to presenting the valued properties of tubes as any solid state preamp Ive heard.
The tonal balance of the EC was satisfying as well. If I were in the market right now, and didnt own the E.A.R. preamp, I could happily own the EC. The E.A.R. seemed ever so slightly better at sustained tone, though I confess that I had to switch back and forth between the two preamps four or five times to come up with a preference for the E.A.R. In fact, it was only in the comparison between the two that I noticed any graininess in the EC. It is possible that, over time, the graininess would rise more to the fore, but it didnt present itself during my listening. Tonally, the 802 and 4.6s presentations were very similar, and both strike me as being quite right. Frequency extension was good with the ECnot awesome, but providing a listening experience that called for more late night listening than more strikingly extended products. In comparing the E.A.R. to the EC, both seemed equally, though somewhat differently extended. The EC seemed to have slightly better definition of bottom end transients, but at the cost of the E.A.R.s slightly better pitch definition. With electric bass guitar you may not detect any difference; what Im describing only showed up on recordings of acoustic bass. The overall presentation of the EC was of the laid back variety. Nothing was "in your face," which is nice in my estimation. Horns can sometimes be quite "blary" and a little forward sounding, but those qualities usually show up during transient peaks, as is appropriate. Except when called for, little about the EC would qualify as "forward." In short, the Electrocompaniet 4.6 preamp presented all the detail I wanted, without shoving it in my face or requiring extra effort to hear music. That works for me.
Soundstaging, that (to me) unimportant audiophile gauge of performance, was again a slightly mixed bag compared to the E.A.R., but was in the upper echelon. Images, as with other exceptional preamps, were rock solid, at least in the left/right plane, lending a heightened sense of realism to the presentation. Image depth was less exceptional, but to me that parameter is mostly baloney. Image outlines are more clearly delineated than with the E.A.R., but Im not sure that this is musically significant to me. I include this "criticism" for the sake of completeness, not because the ECs performance was lacking in my mind.
makes some of the most balanced, enjoyable music-making equipment under the sun.
Isnt it nice to think that someone delivers a product whose looks imply the
craftsmanship of Cartier or Rolex, along with the equivalent sound quality?
Not long ago I was against adding anything between the Mullard-tubed output of my CD player and the input of my amp. Since then, Ive learned that my system truly sounds best when given a healthy signal to work with. Unfortunately, the analog output of my CD player barely qualifies. Over the past year, my system has been home to fine preamps from Alternate Audio, Blue Circle, and Reference Line. Why I continue to listen sans preamp is simple economics. A preamp of sufficient transparency costs serious money. Thankfully, SCEs Harmonic Recovery System passed my way, and was just the right thing for my system. The HRS strengthens my signal like a dose of Viagra.
Electrocompaniet is a Scandinavian company that has been producing highly regarded audio components for more than twenty years. Their trademark glass faceplates give EC products a stylish, high-tech, Euro look. The 4.6 is ECs top level preamp. Four machined brass knobs control input, tape monitor, volume, and balance. Tiny blue lights accent the brass knob settings. Inside, the 4.6 contains motorized volume and balance pots, a toroidal power transformer, and a densely packed circuit board. The preamp features fully balanced differential circuitry and a variety of grounding options. Interconnects with large RCAs might have trouble fitting, as the inputs are spaced rather close together in this slim design.
Before listening to the 4.6, I removed the HRS from the system to minimize component interaction and the need for another set of interconnects. The 4.6 was plugged directly into the wall and placed atop my CD player. I anticipated that the EC would have loads of drive, but I was disappointed to learn that it didnt. It provides a maximum output of 10mV, whereas the Alternate Audio BCAP and the Blue Circle deliver 15 and 25 mVs respectively. Before I describe the sound of the EC in my system, I should describe the sound of my system without it. The system sounds like the flavor of my favorite Starbucks drink: a nonfat, easy-on-the-chocolate mocha. The sound is warm, not too sweet, airy, with just the right amount of kick. With the 4.6 on board, the sound shifted towards neutral. In fact, I found it too neutral for my taste. For example, with the soundtrack from Mighty Joe Young, the vibrancy and spaciousness of sound became subdued. At the same time, bass was more controlled and orchestral images slightly more refined.
Elaine Elias Sings Jobim is a pleasant disc, although the word "sings in the title is a bit of a misnomer. Elias doesnt truly sing so much as vocalize the lyrics. Without the EC in the system, her understated voice sounds breathy and full. The EC made it sound somber. I realized that the EC doesnt enhance the transient edges of sounds as some preamps do, nor did I find that it conveyed a sense of air or bloom to the music. Rather, the EC safely stayed on the middle path, neither detracting nor adding to music. Its centrist nature was evident with other recordings, such as the excellent soundtrack from the movie Life is Beautiful. Without the EC, Offenbachs Barcarole sounded open and spacious. With it, the music was clean and direct, with noticeably less hall.
I cannot fault
the EC for doing its job too well. It faithfully passes on the signal to its next level of
amplification without distortion or coloration. Given my preference for dipolar panels and
tubes, it should come as no surprise that I prefer a more vibrant character in music
reproduction. Without getting into arguments of correctness, I found the EC 4.6 to be too
"safe" sounding for my ears.
Electrocompaniet, the Norwegian company with the almost unpronounceable name, is not extremely familiar to me. Their advertising, with its somewhat "retro" appearance, is distinctive, but I havent frequently encountered Electrocompaniet products in my audio pursuits. At the New York Stereophile Show three years ago, I was quite impressed by a system in which a Kharma speakers and DAC, driven by a CEC transport, were paired with Electrocompaniet electronics. It was one of the better systems in that years show but, to the best of my recollection, my only experience with this companys merchandise, so when audioMUSINGS offered me the chance to evaluate the Electrocompaniet EC4.6 remote-control preamp, I was delighted. Unfortunately, the remote control got left behind at the previous reviewers home, and the distance was sufficient to discourage me from fetching it, so my first encounter with a remotely controllable preamp was, alas, not to be. Sigh.
The EC4.6 is an attractive unit. I appreciated its gold-and-black aesthetics and solid construction. The well-made jacks were just far enough apart to allow the use of my Monster M-Sigma 2000 interconnects, with their bulky connectors. Cables are gripped extremely tightly, which was a bit of a hassle due to the constant cable switching needed to compare the EC to my existing preamp, but will be a virtue in most real-world situations. One unique touch was a tiny blue LED embedded in the surface of each of the knobs, allowing one to discern their positions from across the room. I liked it! The width of the unit posed some problems, as it slightly exceeded the capacity of the shelf in my rack-mount rack. As we rack-mounters are now an extreme minority, this shouldnt affect most potential buyers, but I had to jury-rig a ramshackle assembly of a chair and several unabridged dictionaries in order to situate the preamp where my 1-meter Monsters could be used.
I was never able to totally eliminate a moderate hum problem with the EC in my system, despite attention to cable dressing. Usually it was obscured by the slight traffic noise of Interstate 5 a couple hundred yards away, but at certain times the house was quiet enough that I could hear the hum from my listening position. Usually, although not always, various audiophile tricks will reduce hum to inaudibility. As I only had the preamp for a couple of weeks, I decided to just accept the problem and concentrate on assessing the sonics. Not being given an owners manual or any documentation, I cannot guess the purpose of several of the imposing array of input jacks, such as "CD-" and "CD+". I simply plugged the cables from my DAC into a pair of jacks labeled "CD" and fed the amplifiers from one of the sets of output jacks. Sensitivity in this configuration was fine, giving me a quite appropriate rotational range on the volume control. It was a real pleasure to have a continuous volume potentiometer, affording the luxury of playing at exactly the volume I desired. I just dont care for stepped volume controls such as the one on my Convergent (CAT) preamp, despite the theoretical advantages. Having no balanced equipment, I made no use of the Electrocompaniets balanced facilities. As this is a linestage preamp, my phono gear played no part in the evaluation. At first I used the CATs stock power cord with the EC, as well as my usual input and output cables. In my last couple of days with the unit, I discovered that Marigo RMX Reference C power cord sitting unused on the floor, was an excellent match with the Electrocompaniet. The Marigo remedied to some degree my sonic concerns with the unit, as well as allowing both preamps to be powered up at all time.
We reviewers are supposed to inform the readership of our personal biases, so as to contextualize our pontifications. One of mine is that I generally dont care for solid state preamps, despite having an otherwise solid state system. Solid state preampsIve tried manyjust dont provide the musical satisfaction I desire. When I tell you of my strong preference for tube preamps, I say so not as some snotty "tubes rule" audiophile, but rather as a martyr of the School of Hard Knocks. So did the solid-state Electrocompaniet EC4.6 have a chance in this system, compared against not only a considerably more expensive tube preamplifier, but one that is considered by many to be one of the finest products on the planet?
Upon installation of the EC in my system, my almost-immediate impressions remained constant over its tenure here. This is a very clean-sounding component, perhaps stereotypically solid state in this regard. While noticeably less warm than the CATitself perhaps a smidgen too dry for this system as currently tubedthe EC most decidedly does not cross the line into the horribly sterile sonics that plague some solid state units. It is revealing, but not brutally so. While I couldnt revel in the glorious nuances and harmonics of the music as portrayed by the CAT, I could appreciate the honest, direct presentation of melody and the consequent ability to reveal the complex intertwining of concurrent thematic lines. The EC is a very extended preamp at both ends of the musical spectrum.
The CAT is no slouch at the bass end, but the Electrocompaniet was better. The somewhat-suspect bottom octave of my ESP Concert Grand speakers was certainly aided by the formidable low end of the EC. Although my listening is almost entirely "classical," with an extreme emphasis on the piano repertoire, I keep several popular discs primarily to test and to show off The System. On Bela Flecks "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo," the subterranean, wallowing bottom notes of the electric bass never sounded better. Ditto for the electric bass on the Bruce Katz Bands "Crescent Crawl," on an Audioquest CD. There was lots of punch and impact, and it was a real plus in this system. Friend and fellow audioMUSINGS reviewer Mark Katz, who heard the unit on several instances, felt that this was not so much greater low-end extension but a better sense of control. Maybe so; in any event the bass presentation of the Electrocompaniet was marvelous.
My third impression, doubtlessly a byproduct of the first two, was of a very "powerful" preamplifier. Music wowed me with its projection and rhythmic drive when the EC was in my system. This was a decided asset to my musical enjoyment when I chose to listen at quieter volume levels. I played a track from Mahlers Des Knabens Wunderhorn, on a Sony CD featuring Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The lightly whacked bass drum that forms a rhythmic foundation to the "Revelge" movement was more prominent on the EC than with the CAT, a musically desirable difference. On the other hand, the rich resonance of Fischer-Dieskaus baritone voice was more glorious through the CAT, with a greater sense of palpability. The voice was more realistic with the tubed unit, but had a greater sense of power through the Electrocompaniet. Although relatively insensitive to imaging concerns, I thought the voice was better situated through the CAT.
Turning to a recital by the Russian piano virtuoso Sergei Tasarov, I chose the Fantasy in B Minor by Alexander Scriabin, a massive yet broodingly serious work. On this acoustically live concert performance, one cannot fail to appreciate the rich harmonic structure of the pieces huge chords as depicted by the CAT. On the other hand, the melodic framework was easier to discern when using the Electrocompaniet, by virtue of its drier, cleaner presentation. I could appreciate this benefit of the EC, although my ultimate preference would be for the CAT. At times I sensed a slight trace of hollowness in the solid state units portrayal of the piano that was not evident with the CAT. I have often commented on the slightly understated top end of the musical spectrum on a Dorian CD of pianist Ivan Moravec performing a Chopin recital, one that gives an trace of dullness to the sonics. The punchiness and exceptional treble extension of the EC counteracted that flaw of this particular recording, though again at the expense of a slight amount of the harmonic richness to which Im accustomed.
Perhaps the most curious dichotomy between the two preamps occurred in listening to a Sony recording of a Mozart flute trio featuring Jean-Pierre Rampal, Isaac Stern, and Mstislav Rostropovich. Through the CAT, the flute clearly is the star of the show, overshadowing the cello and violin; this strikes me as appropriate for this unusual combination of instruments. The balance was noticeably altered when the EC was substituted, with the three instruments now presented essentially as equals. I would not have suspected this was the same recording. The sound was generally less rich, and the flute somewhat flatter sounding. If anything, there was a slight emphasis to the cello through the Electrocompaniet. This was the only piece I encountered in my auditioning that gave me a substantially different sonic perspective with the two units.
To provide a spotlight on a diverse selection of orchestral instruments, I chose another Sony recording, that of the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra with Zubin Mehta conducting the Berlin Philharmonic. As before, the EC provided excellent resolution of the competing simultaneous melodic lines throughout this work. A massed viola passage that introduces the secondary theme of the Intermezzo movement was markedly richer through the CAT, and simply more realistic. This CD was only one among many that provoked Mark to comment on the somewhat flatter spatial imaging through the EC. The beautiful harmonic richness of the CAT is what leads me to deem it the component of choice.
My notes for numerous other pieces compared through both preamps are not further illuminating; over and over again it was a matter of the EC spotlighting the melodic fundamentals of the music, and the CAT providing a harmonically rich musical experience. We took the EC to Marks house one afternoon, comparing it with the slightly less expensive tubed Kora preamp in his main system. In that system, with his huge Melos 400wpc tubed monoblocks powering Sound Lab A-1 speakers, there were no surprises. The Electrocompaniet was discernibly cleaner and drier than the Kora, and on the types of music we both favor, the Kora was consistently preferred. Mark, far more sensitive and concerned about imaging and soundstaging than I, was consistently distressed with the image compression and flattening of the Norwegian preamp.
a nutshell, the Electrocompaniet EC4.6 might be used to illustrate the sonic
characteristics of a solid state preampno, make that a good solid state preamp. No
condescending, raised-nose, negative emotional implications are intended by that
statement. The EC is detailed and revealing without being antiseptic. There is no sense of
grain to diminish ones enjoyment. One gets an excellent sense of melodic flow,
though at the expense of some of the subtleties of the musical art. The ECs
cleanliness is augmented by an exceptionally dynamic, powerful, punchy presentation, while
the frequency extremes, especially the bottom end, can coax the best out of a woofer. On
the other hand, along with the reduced sense of harmonic richness, the EC4.6 does not
possess the glorious spaciousness of sound presented by a great tubed unit. Ergonomics and
aesthetics are intelligently implemented in this preamp, and it gives one an impression of
quality and solidarity. In my system, in which "classical" music, especially
piano music, forms the bulk of the listening, the sonic characteristics of the CAT readily
identified it as the product of choice. I suspect that the EC4.6 may well receive rave
comments from listeners more disposed toward popular music, a genre in which all of these
characteristics could be considered laudable.
Electrocompaniet 4.6