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Wireless sensor networks involve a large number of sensor nodes with limited energy supply, which impacts the behavior of their application. In wireless multimedia sensor networks, sensor nodes are equipped with audio and visual information collection modules. Multimedia contents are ubiquitously retrieved in surveillance applications. To solve the energy problems during target surveillance with wireless multimedia sensor networks, an energy-aware sensor scheduling method is proposed in this paper. Sensor nodes which acquire acoustic signals are deployed randomly in the sensing fields. Target localization is based on the signal energy feature provided by multiple sensor nodes, employing particle swarm optimization (PSO). During the target surveillance procedure, sensor nodes are adaptively grouped in a totally distributed manner. Specially, the target motion information is extracted by a forecasting algorithm, which is based on the hidden Markov model (HMM). The forecasting results are utilized to awaken sensor node in the vicinity of future target position. According to the two properties, signal energy feature and residual energy, the sensor nodes decide whether to participate in target detection separately with a fuzzy control approach. Meanwhile, the local routing scheme of data transmission towards the observer is discussed. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of energy-aware scheduling of surveillance in wireless multimedia sensor network, where significant energy saving is achieved by the sensor awakening approach and data transmission paths are calculated with low computational complexity.
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) utilize a large number of intelligent sensor nodes to accomplish complicated surveillance tasks, such as target tracking. Sensor nodes have capability of sensing, processing and wireless communication. Recently, the availability of low-cost hardware such as CMOS cameras and microphones has fostered the development of wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs) [
To satisfy the target detection accuracy, the sensor nodes around the target should be grouped for collaborative sensing. Considering a sensor scheduling approach, sensor nodes go to sleep for energy saving and wake up for potential target detection. Thereby, the prior target motion information can be adopted to schedule the mode of sensor nodes. Considering the maneuvers of the target, its trajectory should be tracked in case of a missing event. As the state model of target motion is nonlinear, target tracking is usually treated as a nonlinear estimation problem. There are several classical approaches, such as Extended Kalman filter (KF) [
With the prior target motion information, sensor nodes can be adaptively grouped to accomplish target localization. There are two approaches for target localization with acoustic signals received by sensor nodes: estimate of time delay of arrival (TDOA) and estimate of energy attenuation [
Moreover, an observer which may be located at any position in the sensing field will query for the information about the target trajectory. Under the distributed network structure, a routing scheme for data transmission to the observer should be exploited. Lowest cost path, which has the lowest transmission overheads, is considered here. To simplify the routing algorithm, the sensor nodes which are not likely to take part in the lowest cost path should be eliminated from the path search procedure.
Focusing on the above-mentioned problems in target surveillance applications of WMSN, this paper proposes an energy-aware sensor scheduling method. A totally distributed network structure is adopted. An energy attenuation model is presented to model the propagation characteristics of acoustic signals. Then, an energy consumption model is introduced to describe the active and sleep modes of sensor nodes. The energy-aware sensor scheduling involves three aspects: target forecasting, target localization and data report. Target forecasting is performed by a HMM-base algorithm, where HMM approximates the stochastic varying factor of target acceleration. With the future target position, sensor nodes around the target can be awakened for target detection and localization. Here, a fuzzy control approach is utilized to select a group of sensor nodes according to the expected signal energy feature and residual energy of sensor nodes. Thus, target localization can be accomplished by PSO with signal energy feature provided by these sensor nodes. Besides, a local routing scheme with low computational complexity is exploited for data transmission towards the observer. Experiment analysis is presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed energy-aware scheduling method, where target localization accuracy and energy saving of WMSN are evaluated.
The rest of this paper is organized as follows. Section 2 gives an overview of the related work. Section 3 describes the distributed network structure and the basic models, including energy attenuation model of acoustic signal and energy consumption model of sensor node. In Section 4, the energy-aware sensor scheduling method will be presented, where the HMM-based target forecasting, energy-aware target localization and local data report routing are introduced respectively. The experiments results are presented in Section 5, where the efficiency of energy-aware sensor scheduling method is evaluated in target surveillance application of WMSN. We conclude this paper in Section 6.
Recently, WSN has become an attractive research area for its wide civil and military applications. Still, there are several bottlenecks for its practical application. One of the most critical problems is the energy constraint of sensor nodes. Therefore, some optimization methods for reasonable energy usage are exploited, referring to all the layers of WSN architecture [
Since the WSN is application-oriented, we choose target surveillance for investigation. Some energy-aware approaches have been proposed for target surveillance application. In [
In WMSN, sensor nodes can capture and process multimedia data, such as video and audio streams. There are some researches on target surveillance application of WMSN. In [
More importantly, the energy management of sensor node is usually of concern, because the modules of a sensor node can be well controlled by their operating system now. An energy management protocol for target tracking is proposed in [
In addition, lowest cost paths have been utilized in data collection and dispatch. Dijkstra's algorithm is usually employed [
The difference of our work mainly involves: (a) sensor nodes are randomly deployed and adaptively organized without any centralized controller; (b) a HMM-based target forecasting approach is proposed; (c) sensor nodes are scheduled according to the prior target motion information for energy saving; (d) energy-aware sensor node selection is performed with fuzzy control approach; (e) target localization is implemented by PSO; (f) a local routing scheme with low computational complexity is exploited for data transmission towards an observer.
It is assumed that the WMSN is composed of stationary sensor nodes, which are deployed randomly in a two dimensional sensing field. Sensor nodes utilize microphone sensors to capture acoustic signals from the potential vehicle target. The functionality of microphone sensor as well as the attenuation of acoustic signal will be described. Besides, the active and sleep modes of sensor node will also be defined.
Each sensor node is equipped with one microphone. For the vehicle target, the sound of engine can be acquired by the sensor nodes. For these passive sensors, the sensing range is not only determined by their sensitivity, but also strongly influenced by the intensity of acoustic signal produced by the target. In [
The way that acoustic signal propagates with the distance from the source is dependent on the size and shape of the source, the surrounding environment, prevailing air currents and the frequencies of the propagating acoustic signal [
The acoustic signal propagation is discussed in the two dimensional sensing field. Suppose that the source position of acoustic signal (target position) is denoted by
For the sensor node located at position
According to
Since the target is a truck, the second term is much smaller than the first term in
In WMSNs, each sensor node mainly consists of four components: microphone sensor, processor, receiver and transmitter. For a real operational system, the control of each module is programmable by employing the corresponding hardware drivers in the application layer.
Each module of a sensor node has two operation states: high-power state and low-power state. In general, each module accomplishes its task in the high-power state while it is shut down to save energy in the low-power state. The power consumption of modules in different operation states are given in
For the transmitter module, the power consumption of the low-power state is constant while the power consumption of the high-power state which is denoted by
Then, operation modes of sensor nodes are defined according to the operation state of modules. There are five operation modes: SLEEP, SENSE, PROCESS, RECEIVE, and TRANSMIT. In the SLEEP mode, all the modules stay in the low-power state; the SENSE mode requires the microphone sensor and processor modules kept in the high-power state; the PROCESS mode requires the processor module staying in the high-power state; the RECEIVE mode requires the processor and receiver modules in the high-power state; the TRANSMIT mode requires the processor and transmitter modules both in the high-power state. Each sensor node may take part in the target surveillance application as a data acquisition node, a data collection node or a data forwarding node. Accordingly, three transition approaches are given as shown in
For the target surveillance purpose, a totally distributed WMSN will be discussed to provide flexible and adaptive capability. As stated in Section 3, the sensor nodes are randomly deployed. It would be a waste of energy to keep all the sensor nodes in active mode. Thus, an energy-aware sensor scheduling method is exploited here. It mainly involves three activities: target forecasting, target localization and data report. The future target position is obtained by target forecasting. Thus, the sensor nodes with potential sensing tasks can be awakened while the other sensor node can keep asleep to save energy. These sensor nodes are adaptively grouped with a fuzzy control approach. With the signal energy feature provided by sensor nodes, target localization is implemented with PSO algorithm. Besides, when any observer queries for the target trajectory information, it should be forwarded to the observer. A local routing scheme will be considered to reduce the computational cost.
In WMSN, target localization is performed with constant sensing period
HMM is built on the probabilistic framework for modeling a time series of multivariate observations [
In the two dimensional field, the time series of historical target position is presented by Descartes coordinates. One direction of the target trajectory {
Thus, ∇
Then a HMM can be constructed as:
The Viterbi algorithm [
For comparison, another forecasting approach of RBFN is considered. RBFN is a three-layer feed-forward neural network which is embedded with several radial-basis functions. Such a network is characterized by an input layer, a single layer of nonlinear processing neurons, and an output layer. The output of the RBFN is calculated according to [
Here, the target position is usually forecasted as:
The performance of the two approaches will be compared with the experiments.
Given the future target position, the sensor nodes with potential sensing tasks are known. As shown in
As sensor nodes are usually deployed with high density, it is not necessary for all the sensor nodes to acquire the target information. Thus, the sensor nodes might be grouped in the sensing task range. As shown in
Fuzzy control is viewed as a branch of intelligent control which serves as an emulator of human decision-making behavior that is approximate rather than exact [
In the receipt stage, sensor nodes in the awakening range obtain global information from the awakening message. It is assumed that there are
The fuzzy control system is constructed on each candidate sensor node in the judgment stage. The inputs of the fuzzy control system are the residual energy
There are three linguistic variables (
In the action stage of the fuzzy control approach, each candidate sensor node easily generates an random number
In this way, the fuzzy control approach selects a group of sensor node adaptively, which will accomplish the target localization task. Moreover, one sensor node is chosen randomly from among them to act as the new data collection node. The old data collection node will deliver the historical target trajectory and average residual energy of the sensor nodes to the new one. Meanwhile, the other sensor nodes act as data acquisition node. Actually, the data collection node is used for collecting the data from the selected detecting sensor nodes and analyzing the position of target, then predicting the next position of target and sending out the awakening messages. All of the operations will consume overhead energy cost and network usage. Thus, if the data collection node is fixedly appointed, it will die out more quickly then other detecting sensor nodes. Random selection of data collection node can avoid this problem, and random selection will not bring in overhead cost. Compared to the purposeful selection, random selection of data collection node seems a little opportunistic without explicit performance guarantee. But the process of the selection of detecting sensor node can provide a guarantee for the lifetime of sensor network, because the data collection node is selected from the detecting sensor node. To achieve the tradeoff between the cost and the performance, random selection is preferred in this process. Furthermore, in the future work, a self-recommendation of data collection node will be investigated to improve this process.
It is assumed that there are
The population of particles is set as
The overall best position of the particle
The overall best position of particle
Velocity and position of particle
The purpose of target surveillance is to provide the target trajectory information for the observers. The observer might be located in any position of the sensing field. It injects a query message into the network through the closest sensor node, which is called destination sensor node. Then the destination sensor node will spread the query message simply by flooding. After the current data collection node receives the query message, it acquires the position of the destination sensor node. Here, the data collection node is called the source sensor node. The target trajectory data should be forwarded from the source sensor node to the destination sensor node and finally sent to the observer. Moreover, the data transmission between two data collection nodes and between the data collection node and detecting sensor node also needs the local data report routing. How to determine an efficient routing solution between the appointed source and destination sensor node is important for the cost of sensor network.
To obtain the optimal communication path, Dijkstra's algorithm is usually considered [
As shown in
Then, the Dijkstra's algorithm is performed on the path search area. The problem is formulated as:
The destination sensor node is denoted by According to Variable The set of nodes that find the lowest cost paths is denoted by
The destination sensor node is denoted by
According to
The set of nodes that find the lowest cost paths is denoted by
Searching procedure for the optimal data report path is described as follows:
Initialize the network:
Search for the next node with the lowest cost path to Update
Initialize the network:
Search for the next node with the lowest cost path to
Iterate the step (ii) and (iii) until the lowest cost path from the source sensor node to the destination sensor node is determined. Hence, the data of target trajectory information is reported to the observer along the path which consists of several intermediate sensor nodes.
In conclusion, in the proposed algorithm, the process of target tracking, position prediction and new sensor nodes selection are implemented in turn. That is, the selected detecting sensor nodes and data collection sensor nodes are awaked after receiving the awakening message. Then they implement the signal acquisition and send the local results to data collection sensor nodes. After receiving the results of all detecting sensor nodes, the data collection sensor nodes carry out target localization by PSO algorithm. With the historical target trajectory and current estimated position, the future target position is predicted by HMM algorithm. Then the data collection sensor node sends out the awakening message to the sensor nodes which are located in the sensing task range. Then, a new circulation is started by selecting new detecting sensor nodes and data collection sensor nodes. From the above process, the working sensor nodes in each tracking step and sensing period can be determined according to the requirements of low energy consumption and high tracking accuracy.
In this section, the efficiency of the proposed energy-aware sensor scheduling method will be evaluated in the target surveillance application of WMSN.
It is assumed that sensor nodes are randomly deployed in a sensing field of 300 m × 500 m. To supply sufficient coverage of the sensing field, the sensor node is set as 240 after experimental analysis of communication range, sensing range of sensor node and the cost. Then, the sensor node deployment of WMSN is shown in
The sensing period for target detection is 0.5 s. In (10), the gain of transmitter
The data rate of transmission is set as 400 kbit/s. The size of data packet involving the target trajectory information is 500 Byte. For each sensor node, the total energy consumption at time instant
Thus, the residual energy can be calculated as:
In the experiments, the data of acoustic signal is acquired by MICAz motes [
First, the performance of the HMM-based forecasting approach is analyzed. The target trajectory for forecasting is shown in
The HMM-based approach is compared with the RBFN forecasting. The forecasting error is shown in
With the forecasting result of target position, the efficiency of target localization will be evaluated. The target is designed to move randomly in the sensing field. In a specified sensing period, the forecasted target position is (173.54 m, 125.42 m). For the 26 candidate sensor nodes in the sensing task range, the normalized signal energy feature are given while the normalized residual energy is calculated according to the full energy capacity (as shown in
In this case, the average signal energy feature is 0.21 and the average residual energy of sensor node is 0.823. Utilizing the fuzzy control approach, seven sensor nodes are selected to accomplish the target detection. Their indexes are 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 22 and 23. It can be found that the sensor nodes with too low signal energy feature or residual energy are eliminated, such as sensor node 6, 7 and 18. Thus, the efficiency of energy usage is enhanced. Then the seven sensor nodes are awakened to acquire the acoustic signals. The acoustic signals obtained by the three sensor nodes closest to the target are illustrated in
Adopting the energy feature of acoustic signals, the data collection node implements target localization. Here, PSO is utilized to search the target position. The search procedure is shown in
With target trajectory of
Meanwhile, the energy consumption of WMSN is evaluated according to (33) and (34). The energy consumption with and without sensor node selection is compared in
Finally, the local data report routing scheme is discussed. As mentioned in Section 4.3, its performance is influenced by the width of the path search range. As the sensor nodes are randomly deployed, the sensor nodes which are located at (47.61 m, 82.09 m) and (327.25 m, 137.03 m) are taken as the source sensor node and the destination sensor node respectively. Adjusting the width of path search range, the number of sensor nodes considered in path searching and the energy cost of data report path are illustrated in
Focusing on the energy problem in the target surveillance application of WMSNs, this paper has proposed an energy-aware sensor scheduling method. In the method, a HMM-based approach is introduced to extract the prior target motion information. With the future target position, the sensor node are awakened and selected to detect the target in a distributed manner. Target localization with acoustic signals is investigated, where the fuzzy control approach and PSO algorithm are adopted. Moreover, a local data report routing scheme is utilized when there is any query from the observer. Experimental results verify that the proposed energy-aware sensor scheduling method achieves adequate localization accuracy and energy saving for WMSNs. For this paper, the main contribution is that a distributed network structure is employed for the WMSN, where sensor nodes are deployed randomly without any centralized control. Also, the approaches for target surveillance in WMSN are novel. The future research mainly includes: (a) implement the adaptive routing scheme on the sensor node of WMSN; (b) considering the mobility of sensor node in the target surveillance application; (c) investigate the statistical attributes of the proposed algorithm in the WSN with regular sensor nodes deployment.
This paper is supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) under Grant No. 2006CB303000, the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant #60970103, #60673176, #60373014 and #50175056 and the Ph.D. Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China under Grant #20090002110016.
Three operation mode transition approach for sensor nodes: (a) Data acquisition node; (b) Data collection node; (c) Data forwarding node.
Sensor node awakening with the future target position.
Two metrics of sensor nodes in the sensing task range.
Fuzzy division of inputs and output for the fuzzy control approach: (a) residual energy; (b) signal energy feature; (c) awakening probability.
Local routing scheme for data report.
Sensor node deployment of WMSN.
Target trajectory for forecasting in WMSN.
Forecasting error curves of the HMM-based approach and RBFN forecasting.
Normalized signal energy features and residual energy of the candidate sensor nodes when the forecasted target position is (173.54 m, 125.42 m).
Acoustic signals acquired by sensor nodes 3, 5 and 11.
Two dimension search of particles during target localization with PSO approach: (a) Initial searching state; (b) Searching state after 5 iterations; (c) Searching state after 10 iterations.
Convergence curves of localization error on x and y direction with PSO approach.
Localization performance comparison of PSO and steepest descent approaches.
WMSN power consumption curves with and without sensor node selection.
The number of sensor nodes considered in path searching and the energy cost of data report path adopting different width of path search range.
Power consumption of modules in different operation states.
|Microphone sensor
Operation mode transition latency for sensor node.
Fuzzy rules for sensor node selection.
|Signal energy feature


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SHALLOTTE—Threats of imminent weather didn't stop the largest crowd yet from coming to taste the best Brunswick stew.
Saturday's third annual Brunswick Stew & Que, sponsored by the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, saw its largest crowd to date with about 1,300 attendees, according to Kelly Mathews, programs and events director.
"It's grown since last year," she said.
BOLIVIA—Brunswick County Schools officials said if commissioners choose a revenue-neutral tax rate with allowable growth, it would be the best possible solution for their funding agreement with the county.
According to figures provided by school officials at a meeting between school and county officials Monday afternoon, the school system's funding from the county would increase about $1.8 million if commissioners choose revenue-neutral with growth tax rate for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
BOLIVIA—After commissioners charged county manager Marty Lawing with crafting a budget using a tax rate less than revenue-neutral, commissioners received a glimpse of what the upcoming fiscal year's budget could look like.
At a budget workshop Tuesday afternoon, commissioners were given an update on the budget for the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year, which begins July 1.
"This is not intended to be a recommended budget by any means," county manager Marty Lawing said, adding it was more of a "preliminary working draft."
BOLIVIA—Patty Connelly knew she wanted the job before there was even an opening for a social services director in Brunswick County.
An experienced social services director with both public- and private-sector social services experience, Connelly knew she wanted to lead Brunswick County's social services department.
When a director's vacancy was finally announced last October, she fought for what she described as "her" job—winning the favor of the five members of the county's social services board.
BOLIVIA—Brunswick County commissioners threw their support behind Senate Bill 433, which would allow counties to consolidate human services boards, such as health and social services, to one board.
Commissioners approved a resolution in support of the measure four votes to one, with commissioner Charles Warren dissenting. Warren also serves as chairman of the county's social services board.
Senate Bill 433, the local human services administration bill, was introduced March 29 by state Sen. Fletcher Hartsell Jr., R-Concord.
For the past five weeks, The Brunswick Beacon has brought you stories and information about public records and open meetings laws in North Carolina.
We focused on the public's right to know, and what you're entitled to at every level of government, from Town Hall to halls of the Capitol.
We also told you how various local agencies responded to our requests for public information.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently awarded a lease contract for Wilmington's proposed "super clinic," bringing state-of-the-art care to Southeastern North Carolina's veterans.
The 80,000-square-foot-plus super clinic will replace the existing 9,500-square-foot Wilmington clinic when it opens in 2013.
The clinic will offer primary care, mental health services, optometry, audiology, podiatry and neurology.
CALABASH—A 13-minute audio version of a property discussion from town commissioners' March 8 closed meeting provides more details than a print version released last week.
A compact disk recording of the meeting provided to The Brunswick Beacon by interim town administrator/town clerk Kelley Southward, along with a March 4 memo issued to commissioners prior to the meeting, indicates the board was more aware of the discussion at hand than official statements claim.
OCEAN ISLE BEACH—The days may be numbered for wild goats roaming three spoil islands along the Intracoastal Waterway.
The state has begun accepting bids "to dispose of feral and domestic goats and livestock" by June 17 on Andrew, Alexander and Abigail Grace islands, which are on the seaward side of the Intracoastal Waterway near Ocean Isle Beach.
BOLIVIA—As one local judge aptly proclaimed, politics in the 13th district is a blood sport.
And for Jon David, the Republican freshman district attorney who campaigned on taking the politics out of the courtroom, he now finds himself in the middle of it.
Last Friday, April 15, Chief District Judge Jerry Jolly issued an administrative order blasting a fledging traffic court program recently implemented by David, who was sworn in as DA in January.
Copyright © 2017
The Brunswick Beacon is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Brunswick County, North Carolina and surrounding areas.

subset: commoncrawl


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The British actress, who stars as sidekick Sarah Jane Smith on the TV series for a decade, passed away at the age of 63 on Tuesday, April 19.
Elisabeth Sladen, the British actress who portrayed TV timelord Doctor Who's most long-serving assistant, has died at the age of 63. Sladen played Sarah Jane Smith, the sidekick of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker's time traveling doctors, for a decade.
She first appeared on the cult sci-fi show in 1973 and returned in 2006 for a four-year stint on the program. Her character landed Sladen a spin-off series, "The Sarah Jane Adventures". The actress lost her battle with cancer on Tuesday, April 19.
A statement from "Sarah Jane Adventures" creator and "Doctor Who" writer Russell T. Davies reads, "I absolutely loved Lis. She was funny and cheeky and clever and just simply wonderful. The universe was lucky to have Sarah Jane Smith; the world was lucky to have Lis."


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Outpatient Chest Tube Management Following Thoracic Resection Improves Patient Length of Stay and Satisfaction Without Compromising Outcomes
This study has been terminated.
(Poor accrual)
Alliance of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Jeremy Smith, Alliance of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: March 8, 2012
Last updated: October 18, 2016
Last verified: October 2016
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- Study Results
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Detailed Description:
Discharging patients home with air leak and chest tube to portable drainage device after thoracic resection is cost effective and safe without compromising patients outcome or satisfaction. Despite good outcomes this practice is not done universally by thoracic surgeons.
|Lung Cancer Pneumothorax Subcutaneous Emphysema
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Cohort
Time Perspective: Retrospective
|Official Title:
|Outpatient Chest Tube Management Following Thoracic Resection Improves Patient Length of Stay and Satisfaction Without Compromising Outcomes
Resource links provided by NLM:
Genetics Home Reference related topics: lung cancer primary spontaneous pneumothoraxU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Jeremy Smith, Alliance of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Outpatient Chest Tube Management Following Thoracic Resection Improves Patient Length of Stay and Satisfaction Without Compromising Outcomes [ Time Frame: 2 years ]Outcome measures for this study were to correlate outpatient chest tube management with patient satisfaction. Also to correlate decreased length of stay without compromising any patient outcomes.
|Study Start Date:
|March 2012
|Study Completion Date:
|January 2014
|Primary Completion Date:
|January 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Outpatient chest tubes
All patients, mixed gender, race, and age, who underwent thoracic resection by one surgeon over the past seven years and discharged home with air leak present and chest tube to portable drainage device.
Detailed Description:
Medical chart database to identify patients ,of one thoracic surgeon over the last seven years, who underwent thoracic resection and were discharged home with an air leak and chest tube to portable drainage device was completed. Once all patients were identified, all possible vulnerable patients were discarded. Written consent for participation was obtained by eligible patients and subjects willing to participate were given further explanation of the study. All willing participants completed an Outpatient Chest Tube Quality of Life Questionnaire. Upon completion of the questionnaire participants involvement in the study was complete. Data was collected and correlations between variables statistically analysed to determine significant factors affecting care.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 89 Years (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Non-Probability Sample
Study Population
Patients undergoing thoracic resection by one surgeon with post operative air leak being discharged home with chest tube and portable drainage device.
Inclusion Criteria:
- all patients 18-89,
- all genders,
- all patients undergoing thoracic resection,
- all patients discharged with chest tube
Exclusion Criteria:
- minors,
- all patients > 90 years old,
- all mentally challenged,
- all non-English speaking patients
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01551082
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01551082
|United States, Tennessee
|Memorial Hospital
|Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States, 37404
Sponsors and Collaborators
Alliance of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons
|Principal Investigator:
|Jeremy S Smith, BSN
|Alliance of Cardiac Thoracic and Vascular Surgeons
More Information
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on July 25, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|Jeremy Smith, Registered Nurse, Alliance of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01551082 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
MEM Chest tube study
|Study First Received:
|March 8, 2012
|Results First Received:
|July 13, 2016
|Last Updated:
|October 18, 2016
|Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
|Plan to Share IPD:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Subcutaneous Emphysema
Pathologic Processes
Pleural Diseases
Respiratory Tract Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on July 25, 2017


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Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet has been available for just a couple of weeks, but it's already succeeded where tablets from HP, Samsung, Research in Motion and others have failed: It's taking away market share from Apple's iPad.
On Friday, market research iSuppli released preliminary tablet shipping figures for the fourth quarter, reporting:
Coming up from zero in the third quarter, Amazon will ship 3.9 million Kindle Fire tablets during the last three months of 2011, according to a preliminary projection from the IHS iSuppli Display Materials & Systems Service from information and analysis provider IHS. This will give the company a 13.8 percent share of global media tablet shipments in the fourth quarter, exceeding the 4.8 percent held by No. 3 Samsung, and second only to Apple's commanding 65.6 percent portion of the market.
What's more, Apple's share of Q3 shipments was 69.7%, so it's clear the Kindle Fire is eating into the Apple's tablet market share, even though the number of iPad shipments is expected to increase to 18.6 million in the fourth quarter from 11.1 million in Q3, a gain of 67%.
Does this mean people who might have purchased iPads are opting instead for the cheaper Kindle Fire? Of course! But putting a number on it is a bit tricky, though ChangeWave Research gives it a shot.
"Nearly two years after Apple Inc. rolled out the iPad, a competitor has finally developed an alternative which looks like it might have enough of Apple's secret sauce to succeed," Rhoda Alexander, senior manager, tablet and monitor research for IHS, said in a statement.
Just like someone else said recently.
Previous No. 2 tablet manufacturer Samsung, meanwhile, is expected by iSuppli to ship 1.37 million tablets, which would comprise 4.8% of the global market. That compares to 1.25 million, or 7.8% of the market, in the third quarter.
If trends continue, the Nook tablet sold by bookseller Barnes & Noble will move past Samsung into third place in next year's first quarter, based in iSuppli data. While the Nook's Q4 market share remained unchanged from Q3 at 4.7%, shipments are expected to jump 76% to 1.32 million from 750,000 in the third quarter. Sales are expected to be bolstered by the Nook Tablet, which was released on Nov. 7 (B&N already had a Nook e-reader out).
Way back at No. 5 is HTC, whose tablets are expected to account for only 1.3% of Q4 tablet shipments.


text: #248: Missing Network Settings in KDE Start Menu (KDE 4.3.5) on PCBSD 8.0 RC2 ----------------------------------+----------------------------------------- Reporter: yuvaraj.name | Owner: Type: defect | Status: new Priority: major | Milestone: 8.0 Component: System Configuration | Version: 8.0-RC Keywords: documentation | ----------------------------------+----------------------------------------- Changes (by yuvaraj.name): * keywords: => documentation Comment: I finally found the GUI for configuring my Network Interfaces under "System Settings" --> "System Network Configuration" and was able to successfully configure my Wireless Network Interface and connect to Internet. It would be great if you can update the PC-BSD Users Handbook with correct instructions and then close this issue. -- Ticket URL: <https://trac.pcbsd.org/ticket/248#comment:1> PC-BSD <http://trac.pcbsd.org> PC-BSD Project Management


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Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an injury caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist. The carpal tunnel receives its name from the eight bones in the wrist, called carpals, which form a "tunnel" through which the nerve leading to the hand extends.
Irritation to this nerve often results in numbness, tingling, and pain in the hand and thumb, loss of grip strength in the hand and thumb, and pain/numbness radiating from the neck and arm.
If left untreated, CTS in advanced stages can become quite serious, involving a loss of sensation, muscle deterioration, and permanent loss of function.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is commonly treated by chiropractors. The methods most chiropractors use as treatment include manipulation of the wrist, elbow, and upper spine, ultrasound therapy, and wrist supports. Studies have shown individuals suffering from CTS display significant improvements in several measures of strength, range of motion, and pain after receiving chiropractic treatment. Researchers concluded that chiropractic treatment is effective for people with CTS.


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Mainland firms to increase investment in Europe
Chinese companies looking to gain technology and expertise to improve competitiveness
Nearly all the mainland companies in a survey said they would increase investment in European Union countries in the foreseeable future, in spite of difficulties including higher labour costs.
Of 74 companies that have invested in the 27-nation bloc, 97 per cent plan to make additional investments in the near future, according to a report released yesterday by the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, KPMG and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.
Foreign investment in the EU fell 35 per cent last year from 2011, according to a United Nations report released last week.
Investment from the mainland in the bloc dropped nearly 21 per cent year on year in the first 10 months of last year, Ministry of Commerce data showed.
"Chinese companies are looking to further engage in mergers and acquisitions to serve the European market and acquire technology, brands and expertise to improve competitiveness," said Davide Cucino, the president of the European chamber.
Outbound investment from the mainland has soared since 2005 as firms have been encouraged by the central government to acquire technology and resources overseas.
Deals signed last year included State Grid's €387 million (HK$4.07 billion) acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in the national electricity grid of debt-stricken Portugal and the acquisition of German concrete pump supplier Putzmeister by Sany Heavy Industry, China's biggest machinery maker.
The European operating environment was not, however, regarded as particularly easy to navigate, Cucino said.
About 78 per cent of the respondents said they had encountered "operational obstacles" - from difficulty obtaining visas and work permits for Chinese employees to problems dealing with European labour laws.
Understanding the EU market was also a key concern, given the lack of uniform legislation in the 27 member states with 23 official languages, the firms said.
Chinese companies seeking to invest in Europe said they found its business environment less welcoming than in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
Liu Wenbo, a senior partner at Roland Berger, said: "Chinese companies used to start with emerging countries to gain experience of operating overseas before tapping into developed countries."
The survey was conducted between August and November among state-owned enterprises and private companies that had invested in an EU country.
In 2011, direct investment in the EU from China was €3.2 billion, accounting for 1.4 per cent of total foreign investment in the region, while the EU accounted for 20 per cent of foreign direct investment in China, according to the European Commission.
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Cinematic set design and jaw-dropping physicality combine to create an unforgettable piece of dance theatre that plunges spectators into a foreboding universe of cold, wind and ice.Two rickety trailer homes sit within a snow-covered landscape, left wholly exposed to the elements under a wide-open sky. Here, the young people of a small mountain community succumb to their subconscious fears, overcome by a pervading sense of loneliness they cannot escape.Six performers contort, bend, jerk and levitate in dizzying scenes of hypnotic movement. Bodies transform and shake to the sound of an unsettling soundtrack, including Bellini, Stravinsky and Pink Floyd sung live by a mezzo-soprano.
Belgian dance collective Peeping Tom has toured internationally with this uncompromising show, impressing audiences with the ingenuity and hyperreal quality of its work.A theatrical electroshock Le Monde (France)Presented by the Barbican in association with London International Mime Festival1 hour 20 mins/no interval Age guidance 12+30 JanPost-show talk with members of the companyFree to same-day ticket holders
Enjoy the exhibition? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @BarbicanCentre using #MimeLondon to join the conversation or find us on Facebook.


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Nintendo Stops Selling 3DS At A Loss, 19 Million Sold To Date
Nintendo has sold a total of 19 million 3DS handhelds, and hopes to sell a further 17 million before April 2013, the platform holder has revealed.
During a financial report, Nintendo said that 1.86 million 3DS units had been shifted for the first quarter of fiscal 2013, and forecasts total sales to reach 18 million for the year – it's no longer selling the console at a loss, as it was when it dramatically cut the price due to low uptake.
The DS and Wii sold 540,000 and 710,000 units respectively for the quarter.
DS software for the period reached 8.48 million games sold – 2.45 million of which were Pokemon Black and White 2.
Overall Nintendo posted a loss of ¥17.2 billion ($220.5 million) for the quarter, lower than the ¥25.5 billion ($326.5 million) loss posted for the equivalent period the previous year.
The 3DS XL (pictured) hits Europe this week.


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ROME (Dec. 21)
A total of 341 Jewish displaced persons sailed from Venice for Israel today aboard the Italian steamer, S.S. Campidolio.
Among the Israel-bound immigrants are 152 Jews from Czechoslovakia, 91 from Austria and 18 from Hungary who arrived from their respective countries this morning and immediately transshipped for Israel. The contingent also includes 80 DP's who have resided in Italy for some time.


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Consultants build confidence and leadership skills.
Since the first consultant hit the road in 1962, Kappa Delta's traveling consultants have strengthened chapters and helped members build their leadership skills, while developing their own professional skills in the process.
Leadership development consultants are recent college graduates who are able to gain valuable career skills by visiting Kappa Delta chapters throughout the United States. Assignments can vary depending upon the needs of our chapters and our extension schedule. Depending on the assignment, LDCs assist with leadership development of members, chapter recruitment and new chapter establishment. An intensive training session is held in June. Travel begins in early August and ends April 30.
How will being a LDC benefit my career and my future?
After their year of travel, former Kappa Delta LDCs have commented that their time on the road was the best learning experience of their lives. At the end of the experience, a LDC has outpaced most of her peers, become an experienced business traveler, public speaker and presenter, and gained an enhanced professional presence. She also will have developed fundamental skills for reporting, writing, taking direction, working as a team member, problem-solving and public speaking.
How are LDCs selected?
Each year the LDCs are selected from a field of qualified applicants. In reviewing applications, Kappa Delta looks for well-rounded individuals with chapter office (especially council) experience, campus involvement, a solid academic record, and good leadership and communication skills. A group of applicants will be chosen for personal interviews in February of each year. Final decisions are made shortly thereafter. The number of LDCs hired each year varies based on the needs of the sorority.
If you have further questions regarding the position, please contact Kirstin Barry, director of extension and consultants.
Do you work with a phenomenal Kappa Delta leader that we should contact about traveling to be a LDC? Please complete the LDC Referral Form. Note: you can refer any Kappa Delta collegian no matter her year in school.
Apply Now to be a Leadership Development Consultant
A complete application packet includes the submission of the 2017-2018 LDC Application Form with a photo and the submission of 2 letters of recommendation from a campus contact and a KD advisor. Letters of recommendation should be emailed directly to firstname.lastname@example.com from the recommendation writer. A complete application packet should be submitted no later than November 15, 2016.
The 2017-2018 LDC Application Form should be completed here. Please note that you cannot save and return to your application once you have started.
Applicants should be prepared to provide the following information:
- Contact Information
- Kappa Delta Leadership Positions
- Campus and Community Activities
- Field of Study
- Headshot Photo
Applicants should also be prepared to answer the following questions in 250 words or less:
- If you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be?
- If your friends could describe you in 3 words, what would they be?
- What personal characteristics and skills will you bring to the LDC program? How will that benefit our chapters?
- As a LDC, you will often be asked about your job. How would you describe KD and the consultant role to a stranger unfamiliar with sororities?
- Being a LDC is a rewarding but difficult job. LDCs endure a busy schedule, constant travel, and being away from home, while working on campuses different than their own. What aspects of the job will be most challenging for you and how will you overcome them?
- Key aspects of the job include detailed, well-written reports; presentations in front of groups as large as 350 people; and meetings with university officials, CAB members and chapter leaders. What experiences have you had to prepare you for these tasks?
- On some campuses, membership commitment is low because members have other priorities and/or aren't engaged in KD. What strategies would you employ when working with a chapter to show that Kappa Delta is worth the commitment?
- Tell us about a time when you have had to make an unpopular decision in order to make an ethical decision.
- Ritual is the basis of membership in Kappa Delta, but many of our members struggle to live our values. In what ways do you live Kappa Delta's Ritual?
- Each year, we receive applications from the best student leaders across the country. Why should you be chosen to serve as a Leadership Development Consultant out of such a qualified applicant pool?
Questions can be directed to:
Kirstin Barry
Director of Extension & Consultants
(901) 746-3641


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HOUSTON, Jul 25, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- While consumers continue to wait for Apple AAPL, -0.45% to release its fifth generation iPad, Quantum International Corp. QUAN, +118.75% is in the final stages of development for its first release in the innovative lifestyle iPad case series that will greatly enhance the first three generations of iPads and outperform current tablets on the market.
Since its inception in 2010, Apple has sold over 155 million iPads, accounting for almost $60 billion in sales. As tablets continue to skyrocket in popularity and the iPad accessories market approaches $3 billion, the tablet has overtaken laptop computers in popularity and virtually rendered desktop computers obsolete. Professionals are turning to the iPad to increase work production, and casual users read, play games, watch movies and much more on their tablet.
The versatile case Quantum is developing with A-Plus Technologies will serve the needs of casual and professional users alike.
"We're working to assure that through various adapters all iPad owners will be able to benefit from the features of the new case," Quantum CEO Robert Federowicz said. "This case is unique and is a much-needed accessory for any iPad owner."
Quantum believes it is well positioned for growth as the market for iPad accessories continues to expand rapidly. For more information on Quantum International's technology initiatives, please visit www.quantuminnovators.com/investors.html.
Quantum International Corp. is feverishly working on completing the development of these amazing forward-thinking support products to compete in a booming global industry alongside Apple Inc. AAPL, -0.45% and Logitech International SA LOGI, +0.75%
About Quantum International Corp.
Quantum International Corp. QUAN, +118.75% is a robotics innovation company working to commercialize the next generation of sophisticated, automated technology. The Company is positioning itself to develop, deliver and market the most cutting-edge innovations in robotics in order to leverage the worldwide demand for the precision, speed and cost effectiveness these technologies offer.
For more information about Quantum International Corp., please visit www.quantuminnovators.com/investors.html.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements that include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipate" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, description of anyone's past success, either financial or strategic, is no guarantee of success. This news release speaks as of the date first set forth above and the Company assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof.
SOURCE: Quantum International Corp.
Quantum International Corp. Robert Federowicz, 832-308-1260 President and CEO firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright Business Wire 2013


text: [Federal Register: December 14, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 239)] [Notices] [Page 74527-74528] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr14de04-87] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. 2004N-0525] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Reports of Corrections and Removals AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information collection requirements for reports of corrections and removals. DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of information by February 14, 2005. ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fda.gov/ [[Page 74528]] dockets/ecomments. Submit written comments on the collection of information to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. All comments should be identified with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Robbins, Office of Management Programs (HFA-250), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-1223. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. ``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of information, FDA invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Reports of Corrections and Removals--21 CFR Part 806 (OMB Control Number 0910-0359)--Extension The collection of information required under the reports of corrections and removals, part 806, (21 CFR part 806) implements section 519(f) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) (21 U.S.C. 360i(f)), as amended by the Food and Drug Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA) (21 U.S.C. 301) (Public Law 105-115). Each device manufacturer or importer under Sec. 806.10 shall submit a written report to FDA of any action initiated to correct or remove a device to reduce a risk to health posed by the device, or to remedy a violation of the act caused by the device which may present a risk to health, within 10 working days of initiating such correction or removal. Each device manufacturer or importer of a device who initiates a correction or removal of a device that is not required to be reported to FDA under Sec. 806.20 shall keep a record of such correction or removal. The information collected in the reports of corrections and removals will be used by FDA to identify marketed devices that have serious problems and to ensure that defective devices are removed from the market. This will assure that FDA has current and complete information regarding these corrections and removals and to determine whether recall action is adequate. Respondents to this collection of information are manufacturers and importers of medical devices. FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as follows: Table 1.--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden\1\ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No. of Annual Frequency Total Annual Hours per 21 CFR Section Respondents per Response Responses Response Total Hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 806.10 482 1 482 10 4,820 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 4,820 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information. Table 2.--Estimated Annual Recordkeeping Burden\1\ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No. of Annual Frequency per Total Annual 21 CFR Section Recordkeepers Recordkeeping Records Hours per Record Total Hours -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 806.20 143 1 143 10 1,430 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 1,430 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information. In 2001, when preparing the earlier package for approval of the information collection requirements in part 806, FDA reviewed the reports of corrections and removals submitted in the previous 3 years under part 7 (21 CFR part 7) (the agency's recall provisions). FDA has determined that estimates of the reporting burden in Sec. Sec. 806.10 and 806.20 should be revised to reflect a reduction of 29 percent for reports and records submitted under part 7 due to a decrease in recall actions. The time needed to collect information has been reduced by 4 hours per record due to the implementation of a computerized program for information collection requirements in part 806. Dated: December 6, 2004. Jeffrey Shuren, Assistant Commissioner for Policy. [FR Doc. 04-27293 Filed 12-13-04; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-01-S


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Although I prefer to stand in the kitchen and come up with my own bakes, I find these somewhat fun, cute, and maybe tasty!
Love this DIY cupcake for the NY Yankees! Yummy and gorgeous!Added 8 Years Ago from Cupcakecaps
Each letter is photographed in Yankee Stadium, home of the New York Yankees.
Your Yankee pride does not only have to be shown on your clothing but can be hung from your phone. Carry Yankee pride wherever you go, and show off this classic Yankee Baseball symbol!Tags: new york city, New York, yankees, NYC, ny, baseballs, cell charms, cell phone charms, yankeeAdded 9 Years Ago from Fastballfanatics
You can show your pride on game day ladies with this great Navy Blue Game Day Purse! Store all your items and show your Yankee pride at the same time. A great addition to any Yankee lady collection.
Ladies now you can be dressed from head to toe in Yankee gear. You can sport your hat, jersey, jacket, and now some socks! A perfect addition to any ladies Yankee wardrobe!Tags: fashion, socks, baseballs, New York, yankees, NYC, ny, New York Yankees, lovelikelifeAdded 9 Years Ago from Fastballfanatics
Any true lady Yankees fan should already have this in her closet and as part of her Yankee wardrobe collection. If not then this is a must own item; Nike did an increadable job of creating this blue classic full zip fleece hoody s... Any true lady Yankees fan should already have this in her closet and as part of her Yankee wardrobe collection. If not then this is a must own item; Nike did an increadable job of creating this blue classic full zip fleece hoody sweatshirt perfect for this winter.Added 9 Years Ago from Fastballfanatics
What a cute top to wear to the game, out running errands, or jogging by central park. Perfect.
Just cause you're scared of needles doesn't mean you can't get some Yankees body art to show off at the game. Just don't scratch it or it won't look real.Tags: art, New York, yankees, tattoos, temporary tattoos, body art, NYC, ny, New York YankeesAdded 9 Years Ago from Fastballfanatics
Strike out breast cancer... and the visiting team by wearing your Yankees Pink cap to the game - and how chic.Tags: sports, hats, pink, breast cancer, pink ribbons, New York, yankees, NYC, nyAdded 9 Years Ago from Fastballfanatics
All the girls at Yankees Stadium are princesses... cause our team rocks! Now you can tell everyone else your status too!
I love this cap... perfect for taking a jog outside, or hailing a cab, or playing Racquetball down at the club, or taking in a game...
This is an interesting custom New Era fitted that features an oversized embroidered Yankees "NY" on the front with the team's logo adjacent. Wearing this, no one will be confused to whom you pledge your allegiance.Added 9 Years Ago from Rocknjocks


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Return to Horticulture Update Table of Contents(Reprinted from Organic Gardening Magazine, January/February 2001. Submitted by Lynette Sierer in The Guadalupe Gardener, Guadalupe County Master Gardeners).
Five Reasons To Go Organicearly 4 out of 10 Organic Gardening Magazine subscribers recently polled use both organic and chemical gardening methods. A similar number use "primarily organic" and fewer than 2 in 20 use "exclusively organic" techniques.
Maria Rodale, editor of the magazine, hopes more gardeners will learn and implement organic gardening methods. She offers the following reasons for organic gardening.
FOR YOUR HEALTH. Study after study has linked common chemical pesticides and fertilizers to cancer, reproductive damage and neurological damage.Action: Stop using chemicals NOW. Her hunch is that we won't even miss them. FOR THE SOIL. Chemicals kill the soil, making it inert and unable to stay in place, causing erosion and pollution of our water. Healthy soil creates life, nutrition, and a clean environment. It can even help prevent global warming by holding carbon in the soil rather than releasing it into the air.Action: Just add compost! Compost builds fertility, nurtures soil life and combats pests and diseases. FOR THE BIRDS. A recent study showed that the presence of songbirds is a powerful sign of a healthy environment. Birds are happiest in a diverse, clean landscape filled with good things to eat - including all those creatures that are "bugging" your plants. By spraying pesticides, you not only remove their food source but also can poison the birds themselves.Action: Plant a diverse array of trees, bushes, flowers and vegetables - organically, of course, to give those birds a food source and a home. FOR FUN. According to the subscriber survey, most of the gardening is for fun. What is fun about using dangerous chemicals? It's much more exciting to beat a bug problem, or grow fabulous roses, by using nature's own secrets rather than by pouring something out of a bottle while wearing a protective mask and clothing.Action: Experiment! Relax! Try a companion planting of garlic with your roses and use homemade compost and nitrogen-rich grass clippings to feed them. Quit worrying about a weed-free lawn. Remember that the grass itself is a weed. FOR THE FUTURE. By gardening organically, you really can make a world of difference right in your own backyard. Do it, if not for yourself, then for your children and future generations.Action: Show by example that we can change the world one garden at a time. You won't regret it.
This article appeared in the April 2001 issue of Horticulture Update, edited by Dr. William C. Welch, and produced by Extension Horticulture, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, The Texas A&M University System, College Station, Texas 77843.


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Record Heroin Bust in Utah and Arizona
Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies combined forces to make one of the biggest drug busts in both Utah and Arizona history.
Ninety pounds of heroin was confiscated: 60 in Arizona, 30 in Utah.
The bust also resulted in 17 suspects being arrested. They are alleged to have ties to a Mexican drug cartel.
Police also confiscated $400,000 in cash and 22 vehicles.


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Sydney FC striker Alex Brosque said his team's 3-1 upset win over English Premier League club West Ham United would give all players a huge dose of confidence heading into the new A League season.
Brosque, who returns to Sydney FC after a stint in the Middle East, scored in the bounce-back victory after being thumped 4-0 by Newcastle four days earlier.
"Playing in the front third and getting a goal always does wonders for your confidence," Brosque said. "It's not every day you get to play against good quality premier league opposition so for us to do that and gain experience and a good result against them is fantastic for us.
''It puts into practice everything we've been doing with Arnie [coach Graham Arnold] and shows we are going in the right direction and the boys can take a lot of confidence from that."
A brace from young striker Corey Gameiro and Brosque's strike fuelled the offence for Sydney FC in the pre-season hit-out for both teams.
Brosque said one of the most pleasing aspects of the win was the team's ability to bounce back after a tough loss.
"It's very easy for a team to put your head down after that," Brosque said of the loss to Newcastle. "But the fact the boys didn't do that and bounced back to get a very good win against West Ham shows we will be a tough team this year and bounce back when things aren't going well.
''In the small time we've had with Arnie we are learning very quickly and I think we will only get better and definitely be ready when the season comes around."
The Sky Blues will now prepare for their inaugural match in the FFA Cup against Melbourne City in a fortnight.


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Toll Free: (888) 223-2545
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Our Middlefield Collection defines the term "rustic modernism". Bold in nature, each piece is crafted from wood, bleached and distressed to resemble barn boards, while solid steel straps, bars, and candles are faux-finished with an aged rust patina. Rugged, yet clean-lined, this look is suited for cabins, Colonial, and contemporary homes alike!Dimensions: 30" H x 24" W. Canopy: 5" D. Height is adjustable using the included 120" chain. Lighting: 4 candelabra base sockets rated for 60W each. CUL dry.
How to install this product in a typical situation.
All Site Contents ©2015, House of Antique Hardware, Inc. Antique-By-Hand® is a registered trademark of House of Antique Hardware, Inc.


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"Presenteeism" could cost more than absenteeism
Image by coaxeus via Flickr
UK study finds that going to work when sick could cost your employer more than if you stayed at home!
Absenteeism is a common and much reported problem for employers around the world, costs companies millions of Euro every year and has a negative impact on everyone in an organisation. If your colleagues don't turn up for work, that puts pressure on you, because somebody has to pick up the slack.
What we rarely hear anything about though is the flip side of the same coin: the potential impact of people who attend work when they're genuinely too sick to do the job.
Perhaps partly because of the rising profile of absenteeism in the workplace, increasing numbers of employees struggle in to work when they would be both physically and psychologically better off taking the day off to recover. According to a pioneering report from UK based employment think tank The Work Foundation, the cost of this sickness presence — or "presenteeism" as they call it — could match or potentially exceed the UK£13bn bill for sickness absence that UK businesses have to foot.
While sickness absence is widely measured and monitored across the public and private sectors, and many businesses are focussed on reducing absenteeism, this report suggests there's a lack of understanding surrounding "presenteeism", and organisations are generally oblivious to its hidden costs. The authors point out that businesses who don't address presenteeism in the workplace could be missing out on opportunities to boost productivity and improve employee health and wellbeing.
Commissioned by health insurance employer AXA PPP, the in-depth research study found that employers may be at risk of underestimating employee ill health and may be missing warning signals by focusing purely on absence statistics.
According to the study sickness presence was more prevalent than absence, with 45% of respondents saying they'd turned up for work when sick for one or more days over a four week period, while only 18% reported one or more days' absence over the same period, and those who did take time of sick were also more likely to work when ill.
"In the current economic climate, with high job insecurity making employees more wary of taking time off, understanding the causes and effects of sickness presence is crucial," warned the report's lead author, Katherine Ashby. "In addition to sickness absence, measuring sickness presence may provide a more reliable picture of an organisation's health-related productivity losses."
The researchers found that higher levels of sickness presence were associated with:
lower levels of manager assessed performance;
lower levels of self-reported psychological wellbeing;
higher levels of sickness absence;
higher levels of work related stress;
experiencing personal financial difficulties;
higher levels of perceived pressure from managers and colleagues to work when unwell.
"It is vital to explore the reasons behind sickness presence especially any work related triggers that are adversely affecting the wellbeing of employees which could be addressed in the workplace. Evidence shows that 'good work' – or well designed jobs – helps to improve motivation, job satisfaction and productivity," added Ashby.
"We also know that the opposite can lead to reduced psychological wellbeing and ill health. In the same way that sickness absence can be a symptom of underlying issues, levels of sickness presence can also be an important indicator of employee health and wellbeing. Organisations need to be aware that low levels of sickness absence may not tell the whole story. Successfully tackling the underlying causes of sickness presenteeism could improve employee wellbeing and so reduce both sickness presence and sickness absence."
2 Responses to ""Presenteeism" could cost more than absenteeism"
Great post Calvin. I also think that if going to work when you're ill you can also be spreading your germs around the workplace and other colleagues become ill too. Particularly with colds and sickness bugs. Better to have a day at home and get rid of it than let it go round and round the office.
[…] "Presenteeism" could cost more than absenteeism (careermoves.cjwriting.com) […]


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early draft
I´ve just cheked the transcript again and Rowling states she made up names for Hippogriffs. She doesn´t really state these were Bukbeak´s early names, only that she hadn´t created his name yet. Is it possible that Hothoof etc. could be Bukbeak´s fellow hippogriffs?--Rodolphus 12:37, October 30, 2009 (UTC)
As no one oposes, I´ll create articles on them.--Rodolphus 16:42, October 30, 2009 (UTC)
Is he's loyalty also Sirius Black?--Station7 12:41, October 30, 2009 (UTC)
- I think that's because Sirius escaped on him and looked after him in Grimmauld palace. -Smonocco 21:41, January 20, 2010 (UTC)