text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|May 30, 2006
|Filing date
|Jan 18, 2005
|Priority date
|May 22, 2002
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Evgeni Levin, Gilad Almogy, Efrat Rozenman
|Original Assignee
|Applied Materials Israel, Ltd.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (17), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (8), Classifications (22), Legal Events (2)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/155,255, filed May 22, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,862,491, incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to the field of semiconductor wafer inspection and, in particular, to a system and method for optically monitoring variations in the integrated-circuit fabrication process.
The process of fabricating integrated circuits (ICs) on a semiconducting substrate, such as a silicon wafer, is highly complex and consists of a large number of steps. Each step involves many process parameters that must be tightly controlled in order to obtain consistent and accurate results. There are, however, physical factors that may cause unintentional deviations in the process at any step.
Such factors may be due to variations in the substrate itself, to slight mechanical and optical inaccuracies in the processing equipment (such as defocusing due to slight misalignment), to dust and dirt and to environmental variations. The deviations in the process may be a function of time that is between successive wafers, or between various parts of any one wafer, or both. When any of these process deviations becomes excessive, singly or in combination, defects may appear in some features of the IC. These defects may be manifested in one of two scales: (a) as deviations of the surface appearance, observable over a considerable area and therefore with low resolution, which are usually due to slight geometric deviations (such as in the width of conductors), and (b) as more noticeable geometric distortions in minute areas, observable at full optical resolution. We shall refer to the former (those on scale "a") as "macro-defects" and to the latter (those on scale "b") as "micro-defects", sometimes also as just "defects".
Since the geometry of modern ICs is defined in units on the order of 0.1–0.2 microns, the slight deviations observable in macro-defects, while occurring over large areas, must be measured with resolutions down to the order of tens of nanometers or better, which can be done only at shorter than optical wavelengths.
Micro-defects, on the other hand, are generally (and by definition) of sizes such as to be detectable through optical microscopy. They may be due to microscopic disturbances in the process, such as dust particles, or they may be, as they often are, extreme manifestations of macro-defects.
Commonly, wafers in process are inspected periodically, e.g., after certain processing steps, in order to detect defects and to thus monitor the process.
Currently, the entire top surface of the wafer is inspected only optically and that—with special apparatus that is designed to detect micro-defects. An example of such apparatus is the Compass inspection system, sold by Applied Materials of Santa Clara, Calif.; its essential parts, notably the optical system, illustrated by the block diagram in
Detected defects are analyzed as to their number and, preferably, as to their nature. Obviously, the occurrence of a relatively large number of defects within any region, or over the entire wafer, attests to some fault or unacceptable deviation in the process and should alert the operator to try to identify the physical factor causing the deviation and to take proper remedial action, e.g., appropriately adjusting process parameters. In the case of a very large number of defects, a determination is possibly made to reject certain dies or possibly the entire wafer.
Often, detected defects are closely examined and analyzed at a separate, so-called review, phase of operation, in order to learn therefrom about the nature of the responsible process deviation or about the existence of a macro-defect and its nature, from which, again, the responsible process deviation may be deduced. Such examination is generally done at a higher resolution than that used for defects detection and may involve micro metrology techniques. It may be carried out by means of the same equipment, but often is done on a separate, very high resolution, device, such as a scanning electron microscopes (SEW-which is extremely expensive.
This current-art procedure of learning about process deviations that cause macro-defects in the fabricated ICs by detecting micro-defects, and possibly reviewing them, has two major drawbacks: Firstly and most importantly, macro-defects must be fairly severe in order for detectable resultant micro-defects to appear; there is then a risk of deleterious further deviation in the process before it is remedied; in extreme cases, the detected defects, whether micro or macro, may already be excessive, requiring wafer rejection-which obviously represents economical loss. Secondly, the close examination and analysis of defects during the review phase involves time and costly equipment; the time delay may cause additional wafers to be adversely affected before the process deviations have been identified and corrected. It is noted that the first drawback could be averted if the entire surface could be inspected at high resolution; this procedure is, however, extremely slow and, as mentioned above, requires very expensive equipment.
There is thus a clear need for a method and apparatus that would inspect the entire surface of wafers in process, directly detecting macro-defects at levels that do not necessarily result in micro-defects and thereby providing early, or more sensitive, indications of process variations. There is, moreover, a need for such process variation monitoring apparatus to be relatively inexpensive and therefore to preferably share some parts with conventional optical defects detecting apparatus.
The invention is, in essence, of a method to extend the process monitoring capabilities of a semiconductor wafer optical inspection system so as to be able to detect, and possibly quantify, macro-defects, i. e. low-resolution effects of process variations over the surface of a wafer, at much higher sensitivity than possible by analyzing micro-defects conventionally detected in such a system; optionally it enables also detecting effects of temporal process variations on successively processed wafers. The method is preferably operative simultaneously, and in conjunction, with micro-defects detection operation of such an optical inspection system and, in common with it, involves examining the entire inspectable surface of the wafer. The method of the invention is designed to detect process variations of lower magnitude than such that would result in a significant number of detectable micro-defects. It is noted that the simultaneity feature and the feature of entire surface examination, mentioned above, advantageously contrast with the mode of operation of process monitoring methods of current art, whereby geometric effects of process variations are examined only at those areas in which micro-defects have been detected and, moreover, such examination is carried out at a so-called review phase, which is separate from the defects detection operation and during which a higher-resolution scan is required-possibly even using different equipment.
In one embodiment of the invented system, partial results of the defects detection operation are further processed to directly obtain indications of process variations over the entire inspected area. Also in common with the defects detection operation, the invented method can advantageously use the outputs of any multiple sensors comprised in the inspection system, such as those disposed along various angles to the inspected surface and to the illuminating beam, including sensing a so-called dark field or a so-called bright field, to sense more varied effects and thus obtain more accurate or more reliable results. The invented method can also form a basis for a capability of classifying process variations whose effects have been detected and measured by it, although the embodiments to be described below do not include such a capability.
Optionally and with obvious modifications, the invented method can function separately from, or independently of, defects detection operation, although, it is noted, combined operation is generally more economical. The invention is also of equipment and system operative to carry out the method as disclosed herein.
It will be appreciated that, though the present disclosure describes the invention in terms of inspecting semiconductor wafers, being processed to become integrated-circuit dies, the invention is equally applicable to the inspection of surfaces of other substrates, such as those carrying photonic devices or those undergoing any other processing, as well as surface variations not necessarily ascribable to a process. It will be appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to the inspection of surfaces by means other than optical, such as an electron-or ion beam, and, in general, to any inspection system whereby the surface is probed or sensed point-by-point. In any such system each sensor outputs intensity values that correspond to energy received by the sensor as a result of reflection of the probing beam from the inspected surface. These values are generally called radiation intensity values, but in the sequel will also be referred to, interchangeably, as light intensity values (since the preferred embodiments utilize a light beam for the probing).
The invented method, as applicable to a wafers inspection system, basically comprises the following logical steps: (a) Obtaining one or more light intensity values for each point (pixel) on the inspected surface, belonging to corresponding classes, such as the outputs of the various sensors in the inspection system; these may be identical to the values used for micro-defects detection; (b) preferably calculating for each pixel one or more derived values; (c) dividing the surface into an array of geometric blocks, each block including a considerable plurality of contiguous pixels; (d) calculating for each block, as a whole, a so-called signature, which is a set or an array of variables, as a function of the light intensity values and the derived values of its several pixels; (e) for each block, comparing its signature with a designated comparison signature, possibly associated with a comparison block, and thereby calculating one or more process deviation indications.
The derived values in step b are preferably local spread values, i.e., a measure of the extent of variability of intensity values in the immediate vicinity of the referenced pixel; they are calculated separately with respect to each class (i.e., sensor).
In one embodiment of the method, calculating a signature includes calculating for each pixel, and, a with respect to each class, a histogram over pairs of light intensity-and spread values. In one configuration, there is provided for each block over the surface of the wafer a model comparison signature and the comparing in step e is with respect to that model signature. In another configuration, the comparison with respect to any block, is between any signature calculated for the currently inspected wafer and a corresponding one calculated for the previously inspected one. In yet another configuration, applicable to the prevalent case that the IC being fabricated is an array of identical dies, the array of blocks is defined in alignment with the array of dies, there being a plurality of blocks over each die; the comparing of signatures is between any block and a congruent block over one or more other dies.
In another embodiment of the invented method, applicable particularly when also micro-defects are being detected, there are first obtained for each pixel, and corresponding to each sensor, a light intensity value and possibly a local spread value-both in comparison with corresponding ones for a congruent pixel on another die. The differences yielded by such comparisons are preferably thresholded according to a given threshold curve and each excess is noted; the threshold values of the given curve are typically much lower than those applied in a similar procedure during detection of defects. Finally, the excesses, corresponding to each sensor, are counted over each block, the sums forming the respective process deviation indications.
In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The method of the invention is preferably embodied as an additional computer program, runable on a digital processor resident in a wafer inspection system, which normally serves to detect defects after certain wafer processing stages. A particular example of such an inspection system, which will be used herein to illustrate the method, is the Compass inspection system, sold by Applied Materials of Santa Clara Calif., mentioned in the Background section above and shown schematically in
In the inspection system 30 of
Different classes of light intensities may also be associated with other parameters affecting the scanning and the sensing of reflected light, such as spectral differences.
In most fabrication situations, a semiconductor wafer is processed to produce a regular array of identical circuit patterns, to become dies (also known as chips), as illustrated in
More specifically, the following procedure is typically carried out for each pixel and for each class of intensity values (of the six classes associated with the six sensors): The intensities of the pixel and of a group of neighboring pixels (e.g. the immediately adjacent pixels) are mutually compared, to yield corresponding spread values S. A particular comparison function is, for example, finding the highest-and the lowest intensity values and calculating the absolute difference between them.
The six intensity values I and the six corresponding spread values S are compared with those of a pixel at an identical position with respect to another die. Preferably the other die is the one just previously scanned by the laser beam, but it may be another one on the wafer, or a model die. The resultant array of 24 numbers (I and S values from each of the two dies for each of the six classes) is analyzed, applying suitable algorithms and parameters, to determine whether the pixel is defective. In general, such algorithms and parameters includes classifying the circuit pattern in which the pixel is located, on the basis of known combinations of ranges of the I and S values, and defining deviation thresholds, i. e. maximum acceptable deviations, for the various values for each class of pattern. When the difference between the two dies, with respect to one or several sensed values, exceeds the pertinent deviation threshold, the pixel is suspect of being defective. A pixel that is thus suspect, on the basis of comparison with two other dies, or with a model die, is determined to be defective. It is again noted that the number of sensors and corresponding intensity values per pixel need not be six, as in this exemplary system, but may be any number, including one.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the array of pixels over the surface of the wafer is logically divided into contiguous rectangular blocks, each containing an array of, typically, 500�100 pixels. The blocks, in turn, form a Cartesian array. Preferably the array of blocks is aligned with the array of dies, so that all dies are identically divided into blocks. The relation between them is shown in
Now, for each block and for each class (i.e., sensor) there is preferably computed a histogram of the number of pixels sharing any pair of values I and S. The histogram, to be referred to as Block Characteristic Histogram (BCH), may be visualized as a two-dimensional array, one axis representing 256 values of I and the other 256 values of S (assuming that each value is represented by an 8-bits number). It is noted that a typical distribution of values in a BCH depends on the type of the circuitry underlying the particular block, as well as on the class of I values. For example, in the BCH that corresponds to a Dark-Field sensor there will typically be a predominance of medium intensity values and medium spread values for a memory circuit region, characterized by a uniform pattern, while for a bare silicon (sparse circuitry) both intensity and spread values are predominantly low. A typical histogram for a bright-field sensor and a memory region is shown schematically in
The set of BCHs (six in this exemplary preferred embodiment) is a particular type of a so-called signature of the block. Other types of signatures are possible within the present invention and are calculable for each block, either from its BCHs or directly from its intensities and any derived variables (such as the spread values). One simple example of such a signature is a set of any of the averages of the values (e.g., I or S or both) for each class over the block. As another example of signature calculation, all the intensities for which the respective spread value is under a certain threshold (signifying sparse circuit region) are averaged.
An example of a function computable for each class, either directly or from a respective BCH, to produce a block signature, is the correlation between spread and intensity values. Other types of block signatures may include, for example, functions of the plurality of BCHs related to the block.
There will thus be created a signature for each block over the surface of the wafer. It is noted that, with some types of signatures, the parameters governing their calculation may vary from block to block-to suit various types of underlying patterns (i. e. various types of circuitry). Next, for each block at a time, to be referred to as a current block, its signature, to be referred to as a current signature, is compared with a so-called comparison signature, to yield a set of one or more so-called process variation indications for the block. Any such comparison is preferably governed by one or more parameters-usually defining ranges of allowable deviations; these are determined, again, preferably as a function of the underlying circuitry patterns. The collection of all such comparison parameters, as well as the above-mentioned parameters governing the formation of signatures, over the area of the wafer or of any one die, form together a parameters map of the wafer or the die; such a map is determined once for each type of die whose processing is being monitored.
Several configurations of the preferred embodiment of the invention, differentiated by the source of the comparison signature, are contemplated.
According to a first configuration, serving for absolute process variation detection, there is preliminarily defined a model signatures map-over the entire surface of the wafer, or over the area of a single die (assuming a pattern of identical dies over the wafer). Such a map is preferably produced for each type of a die (i.e., circuit pattern) or each batch of production and may be generated, for example, by subjecting one or more samples known to be perfect to the above-described scanning and signature computation process. During inspection, the signature for each block is compared with the corresponding one in the model map. According to a second configuration of this embodiment, serving for inter-wafer process variation detection, the signature for each block is compared, during inspection, with the corresponding one in a previously inspected wafer, preferably the immediately preceding one. A third configuration, serving for die process variation detection and applicable to the case of a pattern of identical dies over the wafer, is similar to the second configuration, except that during inspection, the signature for each block is compared with that of a corresponding block in one or more other dies, preferably-adjacent dies. This configuration may be applied more generally for any surface on which there are repetitive identical instances of any given pattern on the surface being inspected.
As discussed above, each comparison process is governed by comparison parameters taken from the parameters map (which generally vary among the blocks). A typical example of a comparison process, applicable to the case that a signature is a single number, possibly one per class, is simply computing the absolute difference between the corresponding numbers in the current signature and the comparison signature and determining whether any computed difference exceeds a corresponding threshold in the parameters map; if it does, a suitable process variation indication is assigned to the current block.
Another example of a comparison process, applicable to the case that a signature is a BCH of I and S values, is as follows: For each class, an average absolute difference value is computed, by absolutely subtracting, for each pair of I and S values, corresponding entries in the current BCH and the comparison BCH from each other and averaging the results. The maximum average difference from among all classes is then compared with a corresponding threshold in the parameters map, to possibly yield an indicative process variation value. According to a modification of the latter exemplary method there is defined in the parameters map, for each class and each block, a set of deviation thresholds as a function of I and S values; the differences between entries in the current BCH and the comparison BCH are compared with corresponding deviation thresholds and any excess yields a deviation flag; the existence of a deviation flag from any of the class-related BCHs associated with the block, and possibly the number of such flags, is indicative of the occurrence of any process variation, possibly-of its magnitude.
It is noted that the pixel light intensity values, used by the method, and possibly also the spread values, are essentially the same used for defects detection, if the system also serves for that. Sharing of the system, in this way, by the defects detection process and by the process variation monitoring of the present invention is thus extremely economical. Moreover, the two procedures may be simultaneous, thus saving time. Nevertheless, the method of the invention may also be implemented in a stand-alone system, essentially as described hereabove.
Another embodiment of the invention, which is particularly adapted to serve cooperatively with a defects detection system, is as follows: The intensities sensed at each pixel and, possibly, the derived spreads are compared with those of a corresponding pixel on another die, to be referred to as a comparison die, in a manner similar to that employed in defects detection. However, the threshold of deviation is in this case set at considerably lower levels than for defects detection.
Thus generally, a much larger number of pixels will have intensity and spread values that unacceptably deviate from the comparison values. These are marked as abnormal pixels. As in the first preferred embodiment, the area of the wafer, and of each die, is logically divided into blocks. The number of abnormal pixels in each block is counted and blocks with high count are reported as exhibiting a process deviation. Again, the procedure is carried out with respect to each class (e.g., sensor). The process may be illustrated by a comparison histogram, a simplified example of which (typical for a certain circuit region) is shown schematically in
It is possible to devise also formulas that consider the counts of abnormal pixels corresponding to various sensors differentially, or in a weighted sum manner, and to thus gain additional information about the process variation being monitored; all these will be generally referred to as calculating a relationship between the pixel abnormality indications. In another configuration of this embodiment, the comparison values are taken from a model die and may be stored; more generally, the comparison values may be regarded as forming a suitable comparison array of values (which is derived either from the comparison die or from the model die).
When applying any of the methods of the invention within a process variation monitoring system (which may be part of a wafer inspection system), deviations, which are reported block-by-block as described above, may be presented graphically to the fabrication process operator, for him to deduce the process variation that may have caused them. Alternatively, the reported data may be automatically applied to an interpretation process, which will output information about the possible process variations or the data may be otherwise processed.
Another alternative is to initiate review type inspection (e.g., high resolution observation) with respect to reported blocks, possibly certain blocks with particularly high deviation scores. It is noted that these reviewable locations will, in general, be additional to those indicated by defects (detected by current methods), though some of the locations may be approximately identical. It is further noted that the manner of applying results of the method to process monitoring, as discussed for example in the present paragraph, are outside the scope of the invention and are mentioned by way of illustrating its utility.
It would be appreciated that many variations of the methods described hereabove, including various other configurations and functions, as well as applications to other types of surfaces, patterns and processes, are possible-all coming within the scope of the invention, which is solely defined by the following claims.
It will also be understood that the system according to the invention may be a suitably programmed computer or digital processor. Likewise, the invention contemplates a computer program being readable by a computer for executing the method of the invention. The invention further contemplates a machine-readable memory tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine for executing the method of the invention.
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|System and method for measuring surface appearance of a surface
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|System, a method and a computer program product for patch-based defect detection
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|U.S. Classification
|382/154, 356/237.1, 356/237.5, 250/559.27
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Oct 23, 2009
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Oct 11, 2013
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Year of fee payment: 8


text:
The Biology and Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
The Biology and Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
ABSTRACT: Over the past 2 decades, our understanding of the pathobiological events underlying chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) has grown. At the same time, effective transplant and nontransplant treatment approaches to CML have been developed that increase the options available to newly diagnosed patients, and that can cure or prolong survival in this formerly incurable disease. Newly diagnosed patients presenting with extreme leukocytosis or thrombocytosis may benefit from immediate therapy with hydroxyurea (Hydrea) and pheresis. After stabilization, eligible patients may elect to undergo immediate transplant. The majority, however, should begin therapy with either interferon-alpha and cytarabine, or they should be entered into the STI-571 trials. [ONCOLOGY 15(1):23-35, 2001]
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a malignancy of the human hematopoietic stem cell. It is characterized clinically by the presence of increased immature and mature granulocytes in the peripheral blood. Red blood cell and platelet numbers may also be abnormal. Myeloid hyperplasia is the dominant feature in the marrow. The characteristic cytogenetic abnormality is a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 22 (22q-) known as the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) and is often found as a balanced translocation with chromosome 9, abbreviated t(9;22). This abnormal chromosome is present in all myeloid lineages, in some B lineage lymphoid cells, and occasionally, in T lymphocytes. At the molecular level, this translocation is recognized as a fusion between the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) on chromosome 22 and the Abelson gene (ABL) on chromosome 9, thus resulting in the BCR-ABL oncogene and its protein product, p210BCR-ABL. [1,2]
The median age at onset is 50 years, although children may also be affected by CML.[2] Asymptomatic patients may be discovered through abnormalities in routine blood tests. Alternatively, patients may present with leukocytosis, splenomegaly, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, or other signs of systemic disease.[2] As many as 50% of patients will have splenomegaly at presentation. Clinical features at presentation may have prognostic importance (Table 1).[3]
The majority of newly presenting patients experience a "chronic phase" during which signs and symptoms of leukemia can be controlled with hyrodxyurea (Hydrea) or interferon-alpha. In many patients, CML eventually progresses to an "accelerated phase" characterized by cytogenetic evidence of clonal evolution, further blood count abnormalities, increased drug dosage requirements, and/or worsening clinical symptoms. Eventually, patients may enter a "blast crisis," defined by the presence of 30% or more myeloblasts or lymphoblasts in the blood or marrow.[4,5] Certain cytogenetic abnormalities involving chromosomes 7, 8, 9, 17, and 21 may herald progression to the accelerated phase or blast crisis.[4,6]
The hybrid mRNA created by the fusion of the BCR and ABL genes encodes the p210BCR-ABL. At least two other isoforms of the fusion protein may be created. A breakpoint upstream of the one observed in the p210BCR-ABL results in p190BCR-ABL, while a breakpoint downstream results in p230BCR-ABL. The p190BCR-ABL is commonly found in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL),[7] while the p230BCR-ABL is observed in chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL).[8]
The p210BCR-ABL is a cytoplasmic protein with tyrosine kinase activity that stimulates transcription of several target genes. The net result is abnormal adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of malignant cells containing the BCR-ABL gene. These abnormalities lead to an increase in circulating immature myeloid progenitors. Prolonged survival of CML cells may allow acquisition of additional cytogenetic mutations, resulting in resistance to chemotherapy and evolution to blast crisis.[1,9-12]
Conventional Therapy With Busulfan or Hydroxyurea
Busulfan (Myleran) is an alkylating agent that was initially used to treat CML in the early 1950s.[13] It is an effective therapeutic agent in CML; however, fatal marrow suppression and lung fibrosis may result from busulfan administration.[5]
Hydroxyurea is a cycle-specific inhibitor of DNA synthesis with biological activity in CML. Hydroxyurea provides disease control rates similar to or better than those achieved with busulfan but with less toxicity.[14,15] Myelosuppression, a major problem with busulfan, is usually transient with hydroxyurea.[5] Other side effects of hydroxyurea include nausea and anorexia, skin atrophy, alopecia, macrocytosis, megaloblastic changes in the marrow, and rarely, skin or mucosal ulcers.[5]
Complete cytogenetic responses seldom occur with either hydroxyurea or busulfan. However, a randomized study demonstrated significantly longer median survival and duration of chronic phase with hydroxyurea.[15]
Interferon-alpha is a naturally occurring cytokine introduced into CML therapy in the early 1980s.[16] Many investigators now consider it to be the treatment of choice for newly diagnosed chronic-phase patients ineligible for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Interferon-alpha used as a single agent for initial therapy yields complete hematologic response rates in up to 80% of cases, and major cytogenetic responses (> 66% Ph-negative metaphases) in up to 38% of selected, newly diagnosed patients.[17] Results of randomized trials comparing interferon-alpha to conventional therapy are described in Table 2.[18-22]
Most investigators recommend subcutaneous administration of interferon-alpha on a daily basis at a dose of 5 million U/m2/d. To avoid toxicity, treatment should be initiated at 25% of the target dose, increased gradually over 1 month, and adjusted according to blood counts. Use of an intermittent treatment schedule or a lower target dose may not produce sustained remissions as effectively. Prolonged administration of interferon (12 to 18 months) may be necessary to achieve a complete or major cytogenetic remission.[5]
Patients who attain a major cytogenetic response on interferon-alpha therapy may experience long-term hematologic remissions and, rarely, the disappearance of the BCR-ABL gene abnormality. It is not yet known how long interferon-alpha therapy should be continued in responding patients to avoid disease recurrence; however, administration for at least several years after cytogenetic remission seems prudent.
Failure to achieve a major cytogenetic remission after treatment with recommended doses of interferon-alpha for 1 to 2 years is considered a poor prognostic indicator (Figure 1).[23] In such cases, patients may be eligible for experimental therapy, or use of hydroxyurea may be warranted to reduce cost and toxicity.
Several clinical trials suggest that interferon-alpha is superior to busulfan and/or hydroxyurea therapy for the treatment of CML.[18-22] A meta-analysis of trials found that CML patients treated with interferon-alpha achieve a superior 5-year survival, when compared with busulfan and/or hydroxyurea (57% vs 42%). The absolute improvement in the 5-year survival rate was 20% in trials of interferon vs busulfan and 15% in trials of interferon vs hydroxyurea.[24]
Combination Therapy
Combination therapy consisting of interferon-alpha and cytarabine in newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML patients may be more effective than therapy with interferon-alpha alone. Oral cytarabine is administered daily at a dose of 10 mg/m2 (or according to other low-dose schedules) in combination with daily subcutaneous interferon-alpha, 5 million U/m2. Combination therapy has resulted in major cytogenetic response rates in up to 50% of patients as well as significantly improved long-term survival rates, compared to interferon-alpha alone. However, toxicity with the combined therapy regimen may also be greater.[23,25]
Related-Donor Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
At present, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only proven curative therapy for CML. Patients transplanted during chronic phase and within 1 year of diagnosis (early chronic phase) report the most favorable outcome. The reported incidence of long-term disease-free survival for these patients ranges from 50% to more than 80%, whereas for patients undergoing transplantation in accelerated phase or in blast crisis, the survival rate is only approximately 40% and 15%, respectively.
The incidence of relapse among patients receiving transplants in the chronic phase is approximately 10%; however, the relapse rate increases to approximately 60% when transplantation is performed in blast crisis. Other patient characteristics that contribute to an adverse effect on outcome include older recipient age and a prolonged interval from the time of diagnosis to transplant. Modifications to traditional transplantation approaches—eg, use of blood rather than marrow as a source of donor stem cells, removal of total-body irradiation from the preparative regimen, and use of hematopoietic growth factor support—may improve outcome.[26,27]
Graft-vs-Host Disease
Graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) is the primary cause of death in related-donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Better GVHD prophylaxis regimens using cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) and short-course methotrexate have improved outcome, and preparative regimens that minimize inflammatory damage to normal tissue may also reduce the clinical effects of GVHD.[28]
Although GVHD may be deleterious to the patient, an immune-mediated antileukemia effect (graft-vs-leukemia) is important in preventing relapse after human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling transplants for CML and possibly other malignancies. Graft-vs-leukemia effects are mediated at least in part by T lymphocytes and, possibly, by other immune effector cells. Consequently, relapse rates after T-cell-depleted allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may be higher than in the non-T-cell-depleted transplant setting.
The efficacy of hydroxyurea or interferon-alpha therapy vs related-donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has not been investigated in randomized trials. However, retrospective analyses suggest an improved long-term survival advantage for CML patients receiving related-donor transplantation, compared to patients receiving hydroxyurea or interferon-alpha. A lower early mortality rate has been observed in interferon-alpha/hydroxyurea-treated patients, although long-term survival rates fall because of continued late relapse.
In the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation group, there is a high early mortality associated with transplant-related complications. However, the survival curve then reaches a plateau because few late relapses or other fatal complications occur. As a result, the survival curves cross at 2 to 6 years, depending on the risk categories studied, and long-term survival for transplant recipients proves superior (Figure 2).[29] Of course, such analyses do not take into account more elusive end points such as long-term side effects, quality of life, and cost of therapy, which may differ with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and interferon-alpha therapy for CML.
One seemingly logical approach to the treatment of CML is a trial of interferon-alpha followed by relatively early intervention with allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients who do not tolerate interferon-alpha therapy or in whom such therapy fails. This approach has been controversial because some investigators report an adverse effect from previous interferon-alpha therapy on allogeneic transplant outcome,[30] while others find no such effect.[31-33] A recent European report suggests that an adverse effect on subsequent stem cell transplantation for CML can be avoided if interferon-alpha therapy is curtailed at least 3 months before transplant therapy is initiated.[34]

subset: commoncrawl


text: I just received a pair of non-refundable Helmut Lang jeans in the mail and, crumby thing is, they're much too large - in the waist, seat, thighs, and calfs....everywhere too large and too baggy. Has anyone ever had a tailor completely rehaul a pair of jeans? How did they turn out? How much might I be looking at? Thanks!


text: SVN root: svn://svn.tartarus.org/sgt Changes by: simon Revision: 9043 Date: 2010-12-23 15:22:50 +0000 (Thu, 23 Dec 2010) Log message (4 lines): More careful owner SID selection in the Pageant client code. This should solve some of the SID-mismatch issues we've occasionally had reported. Because it's a modification on the client side, it doesn't affect the security of Pageant itself. Modified files: U putty/windows/winpgntc.c U putty/windows/winstuff.h Links: http://svn.tartarus.org/sgt/?rev=9043&view=rev http://svn.tartarus.org/sgt/putty/windows/winpgntc.c?rev=9043&r1=9042&r2=9043 http://svn.tartarus.org/sgt/putty/windows/winstuff.h?rev=9043&r1=9042&r2=9043


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text:
Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 7, No. 647. Wednesday, 11 September 1996
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 1996
Subject: SHAKSPER Update
Dear SHAKSPEReans,
The storm that hit the Mid-Atlantic area last Friday caused a technical problem
with SHAKSPER that I was not able to fix until today. The two files that
LISTSERV was processing at the time (7.0645 and 7.0646) may or may not have
been delivered to you. After the problem was fixed, I re-sent these two files.
Because LISTSERV was down, any submissions since Friday did not get through to
Today, after I moved the SUN workstation into my new office (I have just been
appointed Interim Chair of the Department), I installed an UPS, which should
reduce if not eliminate these sorts of problems in the future. The entire
University network, however, will be down this coming weekend for maintenance,
so service will be interrupted one more time.


text:
I've never been a big believer that axiom that a two-goal lead is the most dangerous lead in soccer, but the San Jose Earthquakes are making believers of me.
Actually, any lead is dangerous against the Quakes, but they are especially fond of two-goal deficits against the Galaxy, as they proved again Saturday by rallying from 3-1 down to win, 4-3, in the 50th renewal of their right old rivalry. It was a match to rank amongst the most spectacular in league history, though still standing No. 1 -- perhaps forever -- will be the 2003 playoff game that Quakes won, 5-2, in sudden-death overtime after they lost the first leg, 2-0, at Home Depot Center and fell behind in the second leg by the same score.
(Often forgotten is that the Quakes did the same thing to Kansas City in the conference final, roaring back to win, 3-2, again in overtime, after they trailed, 1-0, and 2-1. But those were only one-goal deficits. Pffff.)
So this is merely the latest incarnation of the Cardiac Quakes, not some new breed of gritty, never-say-die warriors. But even so, they and the Galaxy generated enough slapstick comedy and spectacular play to fill out two games, or maybe three. A post-game fireworks show in the skies above Stanford Stadium, which had been packed by a sellout crowd of 50,381, was merely a continuation of what had transpired on the field.
An own goal by Quakes defender Jason Hernandez was canceled out by a superb volley off a corner kick by his centerback partner, Victor Bernandez, who darted to the near post and fired a shot into the opposite corner that any forward would envy. Chris Wondolowski, to no one's surprise, hit the winning goal with a classy re-direction of another corner kick to increase his league-leading total to 14 goals, yet holding mid Sam Cronin – who at kickoff had scored one goal in 90 MLS games – ghosted through midfield to score the 3-3 equalizer and nearly scored again with a close-range volley that cleared the crossbar.
At the other end, keeper Jon Busch came out of a crunching collision with Galaxy defender David Junior Lopes apparently able to continue, but soon his right eye would swell up sufficiently to force him out of the match at halftime. By then, the Galaxy had scored three goals, the first a superb yet somehow typical David Beckham free kick, which swooped into the top near corner before Busch could get off his feet. Hernandez's own goal and a Landon Donovan finish provided a 3-1 lead the Galaxy squandered by reverting to the shabby defending that had marked its miserable start to the season.
Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, exasperated by his team's dismal defending after it seemed sorted out during a three-game winning streak, inevitably ripped referee Hilario Grajeda. Arena mentioned two handballs that weren't called; in one of the disputed incidents, a well-struck ball flew between Bernardez's upraised arms and hit him in the face. There may have been intent, but there wasn't contact. The other suspected foul never showed up on TV replays though it prompted vehement claims by the Galaxy players.
Quakes coach Frank Yallop, who was also in charge when San Jose stunned Los Angeles in the 2003 playoffs, said one of the keys to this comeback was Bernardez's great finish just before halftime that narrowed the gap to 3-2. His team seized that momentum to equalize early in the second half through Cronin, then strike again in the 61st minute on Wondolowski's quick reaction to a Marvin Chavez corner kick that had been glanced into this path by Ramiro Corrales.
In this element, too, there is a history lesson. When the Galaxy eliminated top-seeded San Jose in the 2005 playoffs, it did so 4-2 on aggregate over the two games. San Jose had trailed 2-1 late in the first game at HDC but in the 87th minute conceded a goal to Donovan to lose, 3-1, and at home could only manage a 1-1 tie. To a man, the players said conceding that third goal at HDC flattened them psychologically if not numerically.
Backup keeper David Bingham, who took over in goal for the second half as Busch watched with a huge bandage around his forehead, pulled off a few sharp saves to fend off the Galaxy. Beckham tested the goalie with the hard shot off the outside of his right foot, banged a ball at Cronin to draw a yellow card, and yelled a few fans giving him a hard time. A smoke bomb landed near a corner flag to send up clouds of brown. Great stuff.
That two-goal lead in 2005 wasn't overturned, but on Saturday the Quakes managed to pull it off, and not for the first time this season, either. You'd think the Galaxy had learned its lesson, since in the first meeting this season at HDC, it had taken a 1-0 lead in the third minute and doubled the advantage in the 73rd. Three minutes later Steven Lenhart scored, six minutes after that Khari Stephenson equalized, and in the fourth minute of stoppage time ex-Galaxy striker Alan Gordon stung his former team by nodding a misplayed long ball into the net. Saturday was déjà vu all over again.
In discussing the 2012 Quakes, Yallop agrees that this version is more talented than the surprising 2010 team that got within one game of MLS Cup, losing to eventual champion Colorado. But he also points out it has the same toughness. At 11-3-3, it is atop the Western Conference as well as the overall standings, and is already within two wins of the 13-10-7 team of two years ago.
"These guys have that same grittiness as that team in 2010," he says. 'They're always working, they never give up. They all believe in each other. That's what I look for, because you can't win without it."


text:
The top high school swimmers in New Jersey meet one final time this weekend at Gloucester County Institute of Technology in Deptford Township in an event that's better known by its unofficial name: the Meet of Champions.
Officially called the State Individual Swimming Championships, the event puts the state's top high school competitors in boys and girls swimming against each other in the sport's 11 races.
Preliminary heats will be held today at 10 a.m. in girls swimming, and at 2 p.m. in boys swimming. The finals and consolation finals will be held Sunday, with the same time schedule.
Colleen Callahan and her Atlantic City High School teammates were a big hit last year. Callahan won her third straight 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke titles, breaking her own meet records in both. She'll be in both races again. Callahan also combined with teammates Ayana Cox, Dominique Voso and Melissa Toy to win the 200 medley relay in 2012.
All four are seniors. Freshman teammate Amber Glenn will be in four races, and Alvarez, a senior, will be in a relay for the Vikings.
"They're all feeling good and looking forward to swimming as fast as they can," Atlantic City girls coach Bill Howarth said. "Everyone's anxious, so that's a good sign. Colleen is Colleen, and she'll go fast. But the competition's tough and there's no predictions. The fact that they're all seniors other than Amber means a lot.
"It's the last time they'll swim together, and I can see they're really excited."
The St. Augustine Prep boys team will have team leader Pat Flynn in the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke, and teammates Sam Newnam, T.J. Merighi, John Gregory and Matt Taccard will also be in individual races.
Flynn was sixth last year in both the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle.
"We've been training pretty hard, and lately we've been resting (tapering)," said senior Flynn, an 18-year-old Absecon resident. "I'm excited. I was surprised at how fast the freestyle is this year (after examining the times of the qualifiers). I'm seeded better in the 100 backstroke than in the 200 freestyle, and that surprises me, too."
The fastest eight swimmers in each event today will return Sunday in the championship finals. The ninth-to-16th fastest will race Sunday in consolation finals. The relays also have a second consolation final for the 17th-to-24th fastest teams in Saturday's races.
Area boys who are seeded among the top 16 in at least one individual event include Flynn and Merighi of the Prep, Anthony Czar of Egg Harbor Township, Eddie Parks of Vineland, Thien Le of Atlantic City, Ben Smith of Lacey Township, and Steve Buzby of Mainland Regional,
Girls seeded in the top 16 in at least one event are Callahan, Toy and Glenn of A.C., Rachel Bernhardt of Vineland, and Noel Styer of Ocean City.
Contact Guy Gargan:


text:
Applying | Calendars | Contact
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to Vet Med
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CVM Employment
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Course Materials
George Buckaloo, DVM, Named
to Lead Mizzou Animal Cancer Care
After more than 30 years as the owner of his own veterinary clinic, Dr. George Buckaloo was at a crossroads. He wanted to begin winding down his professional career while freeing some time for some volunteer opportunities. However, he also wanted to ensure that his clients and their pets were in capable, compassionate hands. Opportunity knocked in 2007 in the form of two associates who wanted to purchase his practice and whom he knew to be quality veterinarians. He decided to sell his Independence, Mo. practice to them and stay on part time as an employee.
But then, opportunity knocked again ― this time even louder. Buckaloo learned that the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine was looking for a veterinarian to open its new Mizzou Animal Cancer Care facility in Wentzville.
"When this possibility arose, I was so excited," he said. "It was just something I couldn't imagine not taking the opportunity to do."
Mizzou Animal Cancer Care, which is set to open in June, will offer radiation therapy to cats and dogs referred there for treatment by their regular veterinarians. New cancer drug therapies will also be tested with some animal patients qualifying to participate in those trials.
The satellite facility for the MU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital will make seeking cancer treatment for pets more convenient for St. Louis-area animal owners, who, in the past, have made the four-hour round-trip drive to the Columbia veterinary hospital.
Buckaloo, known as Renny to his family and friends, a 1972 graduate of the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named the veterinarian in charge of the new facility. He said the opportunity to provide such a service drew him back out of his partial retirement.
"I love old dogs and cats and I love the clients who are at that point too. They've had a pet's lifetime of experiences with them and this is such a critical stage in someone's best friend's life," Buckaloo said. "In the past, the pet owners have either had to drive two hours to Columbia or, in some cases, leave their animal at the University for up to a month, and it very well may be one of the pet's last months. What a wonderful thing this is for the college to try."
The University purchased a 9,579-square-foot building on Wentzville Parkway to house the new animal radiation treatment center. The clinic is in a former medical office where human radiation oncology services were provided. The existence of a radiation-containing vault within the building made it ideal for its new purpose as a veterinary cancer care office.
Buckaloo began his career at the Care Animal Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill., in 1972. In 1976, he returned to Missouri and become first a partner and then the owner of the Crysler Animal Hospital in Independence.
He not only brings nearly four decades of experience to his new position, including offering cancer diagnosis and treatment for animals, but he has also personally experienced the frustration, difficult choices and sorrow of losing a beloved pet to cancer. His own dog, a Labrador, succumbed to lymphoma at the age of 12 in 2007.
"As we searched for the best person to operate the Mizzou Animal Cancer Care clinic, Dr. Buckaloo's name rose to the top of the list or possible candidates," said Dr. David Wilson, director of the MU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. "Dr. Buckaloo possesses not only the medical acumen for this challenging position, but he also has a track history of being able to build a business from the ground up, has a tremendous rapport with clients, a widespread recognition and reputation with Missouri veterinarians, and we were impressed by his enthusiasm for offering this needed service to St. Louis-area pet owners."
Buckaloo said that while he has spent the past few days hugging his longtime clients and saying good bye, he is ready to build new bonds on the opposite side of the state.
"The beauty of veterinary medicine is the relationship between the patient, the client and the veterinarian."
Return to News and Events home
Last Update: February 29, 2012


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text:
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 9/5/2011 (2266 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
RM of PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE -- The first Canadian soldiers to pitch in to a Manitoba flood fight since 1997 hit the muddy banks of the Assiniboine River underneath a steady drizzle and overcast skies.
Approximately 100 members of the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry shored up the south bank of the Assiniboine near Provincial Road 430, northeast of Portage la Prairie, while between 40 and 50 reservists with the 26th Field Regiment began working on the dikes in Brandon.
An additional 350 soldiers will be deployed along the Assiniboine River by Thursday, while 300 more are standing by in Edmonton, said Lt.-Col. Shane Schreiber, commanding officer of the PPCLI's second battalion and the Canadian military's immediate-reaction unit in Western Canada.
Most of the soldiers are from CFB Shilo and are proud to be deployed on Canadian soil, Schreiber said.
"Much of what we do is out of sight and out of mind," Schreiber told reporters near the Portage Diversion control structure. "Unfortunately, (when we are seen) it has to be in situations like this."
Premier Greg Selinger said the province called in the military to work in slippery riverside conditions that are too dangerous for volunteers.
"You need people that are trained and you need the backup support in case anything happens," Selinger said. "It's also very difficult to get equipment into some of these spots, under very mucky conditions."
The military is working under the direction of the province, which is trucking sandbags from Winnipeg to distribution points at Elie, Brandon and elsewhere.
The military has already conducted reconnaissance of areas expected to pose logistical problems, Schreiber said. It has trucks, helicopters and inflatable boats unofficially known as "attack zodiacs" at its disposal to get personnel and equipment into tricky areas.
On Monday, the troops at PR 430 northeast of Portage la Prairie loaded sandbags on to the rubber-track utility vehicles known as morookas, which were then driven on top of the dike to soft spots that required reinforcement.
The military will also be used to shore up the banks of the Portage Diversion, which is expected to transfer more water to Lake Manitoba than the artificial channel was designed to carry.
» Winnipeg Free Press


text: Today is October 1st, and it's your opportunity to join in a new online "Hinckley Challenge"! The Challenge website was designed in honor of an historic challenge that President Gordon B. Hinckley gave the world in August 2005 to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. Each Hinckley Challenge is now … Continue reading


text:
Letter From The Editor-In-Chief
As we step into the dawn of the new millennium (the real new millennium, as the purists would say), it is evident that the way we live and work will change to a script that's still being written. In some ways, the nature of work in the future is a fall-back to pre-industrial times. Then, commerce was driven by expert artisans; in the future, it will increasingly be driven by knowledge workers. Accept that fundamental premise and everything else follows. The workplace, styles of management and leadership, work processes, and everything else related to work will undergo a change. We've tried to capture a unique blend of that possible transformation: the theories and practices we've written about are global; the organisations, local.
There's nothing local about the people policies of the companies that have emerged as the winners in the first-ever Business Today-Hewitt Associates study on The Best Employers in India: these can stand up to any global benchmark. The range of industries that the top 10 belong to-software services to soaps; hardware to financial services; consumer durables to petroleum-shows that it is possible for any company to follow the same kind of people policies that these companies do. At the core of their efforts is the realisation that the employee is their most valuable asset. Maybe, if more companies were to accept that fact, we could turn the numerical edge India enjoys in terms of its people into a competitive advantage.
Stories about the efforts of leading companies to sustain their competitive advantage dominated our coverage during the year that was: from the Murugappa Group to HLL, Zee to HFCL, and HDFC to Rediff. I'm tempted to say the stockmarket will be the eventual judge of these efforts, but the irrational exuberance of the Sensex at the beginning of the year that was, and its inexplicable despondency at the end prevents me from doing so.
The year also saw the boom and doom of many dotcoms although the relentless advance of the internet continued. We live truly in an age where we are flooded with information not only from all directions, but in various forms. It is with this environment in mind that BT underwent some change in styling and design itself. The product you hold in your hands is and has been, since April last, more contemporary and a snappier read than its earlier avatar. That's a good note to end on. Here's wishing you a prosperous (real) new millennium!
(Aroon Purie)
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© Living Media India Ltd


text:
Great cruise but no WOW: Rhapsody of the Seas Cruise Review by madmac69
Overall Member Rating
Great cruise but no WOW
Destination: South Pacific
Embarkation: Sydney (Australia)
Fantastic Traveled to Circular Quay by Train arrived at 10.10am and casually walked to the OPT dropped of the bags and walked up to the entrance and were told that we could board straight away. walked up stairs and there were 30+ checking agents with about 10 people checking in straight through to customs and then on to the boat typical pain in the bum photo's that you could not skip then bag and security scans however we were on the boat in less than 15 Minutes from entering the terminal the best ever.
On the Ship:
We embarked and had the Drink More package so it was straight up to deck 9 for a beer, after a couple we went in to the windjamer for lunch. Nice food good variety friendly staff. A few teething issues with drinks but all OK very quickly. Cabins were ready at 1PM. My Family had an Inside cabin #7021 and my parents a Balcony 7592 Both great cabins bathrooms a tad small I am a big Man and did fight with the shower curtain but that's they was it goes. Our cabin Steward was the best I have had (Yani) he was fantastic in every way. His approach to the way he dealt with the cabin was perfection and the relationship he had with my 3 YO was unbelievable to the point that she kept asking where is yani I want to go see Him. A credit to his service. My parents Cabin was also attended very well by their cabin steward Stanley.
The MDR:
When we booked My Family booked 6 Months from departure and ware assigned Early dining and my parents booked about 2 months before and were wait listed for early but when we boarded we were all at the same table by default. our wait staff (names escape me) were brilliant nothing was too much trouble, as with most dining experiences I like to try something different and this trip was no different but when I got something that was not to my liking there was no questions I had to order something better (the head waiter was adamant). If the head waiter thought that something that any of us ordered was a bit small he also ordered something else and put on the table for us to try. Best service. As we had the Beverage package after the first night our drink of choice was waiting for us at the table when we arrived and were quickly replaced if we wanted more.
The Bar's
We did enjoy having a drink in all of the bars over the 10 Days but I have to say that our favorite was the schooner bar on deck 6 it did have a small issue with a leaking pipe that did cause a small smell however the service form one of the waiter's 'Lorend' was exceptional. Nothing was a problem we was extremely attentive once you dink was close to empty he was there asking if you would like another offering suggestions as to what cocktails we may like. We had the drink package as I mentioned earlier and most waiters will steer clear of you as they don't get the 15% tip on the bill as is charged normally but this did not bother him he was the best staff member I met on the ship. All other Bars were nice and the casino staff were also better than average. The only down side that I can mention is that some bars did at time run out of items (I drink VB most of the time) and in some instances a bar would run out and say that they will have more tomorrow. My opinion is that if they have more on the ship, get someone to go get it (LOL).
Something that normally does not bother me, however this is where I think that RCCL have dropped the ball. On the 10 night cruise there was only two guest entertainers (advertised). An illusionist about day 5 and a comedian on the last night. Both were very good (the Comedian was one of the best I have seen). The cruise director did an Adults only comedy show, don't get me wrong he was funny but why are they getting the cruise director doing shows that all other company's hire comedians for? During the day they have the usual stuff like talks and trivia but a little more imagination would not go astray.
The little things:
The park Cafe was not open at appropriate times. On port days not open for lunch until 1:00 closed early at breakfast why who knows.
The Windjamer - men can't wear a singlet to but women can ???. Are we not on holidays?
Internet very expensive.
We did not do any shore excursion so can't make comment except they did seem overpriced.
Nice place when we were there it was a bit windy and the water was a bit stirred up so snorkeling was not the best lovely people and a good day.
Port Villa:
Great place only down side is that you need to get a bus/taxi to anywhere as it is a long way from the ship to the main part of town but well worth the visit. I have spent a lot of time in Villa and believe that it is one of the best places in the south pacific. Must do the cascade water falls.
Nice place to visit the markets at the dock are good you can get trips to the blue holes which I am told are nice but other than that if you are not a certified diver not much to do.
Champagne Bay (Hog Harbor)
The best port of the trip. The people were amazing they really wanted us to be there. The water was amazing from about two meters from the shore you were able to snorkel and see the amazing coral and sea life I personally spent about 2-3 hours swimming around looking at the fish and coral I wished we could have spent a couple of days there it was that great. The locals cooked lobsters on the beach at reasonable prices and from what I heard they were straight from the water and absolutely amazing.
Very smooth we opted for 'you take the bags and we walk off' and it was very smooth from the time we left the boat to we were waiting for our shuttle bus was about 15min very well organized.
We have a really nice time I was told by a lot of people that once we had been on RCCL that we would not go back to Carnival or P&O Australia. At this time I would have to disagree, although I had a great time I do believe that on the Rhapsody of the Seas there is not enough for kids to do (kids of all ages U3 to U18) and feel that if you want a good family cruise (young Kids) that his may not be the boat for you. I am however looking forward to my trans pacific cruise on the Radiance of the seas in September from the lovely Hawaii to Sydney a bigger ship with more activities for Kids I have been told
Thanks for reading Less
Published 04/13/14
Cabin review: 7021
Nice cabin bathroom small compared to other ships shower very small
Read Cruise Critic's Rhapsody of the Seas Review >>
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Sorry to report
First visit to Habana, Cuba
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This site supported in part by National Science Foundation grant AST-0908363 to J. Patterson.
Periods and Quasiperiods in the Cataclysmic Variable BZ Camelopardalis
Joseph Patterson, Rocio Patino, John Thorstensen, David Harvey, David
Skillman, and Frederick Ringwald
Astronomical Journal
June 1996, Volume 111, Page 2422
Astronomical Journal
June 1996, Volume 111, Page 2422
We report a study of spectroscopic and photometric variations in the cataclysmic variable BZ Camelopardalis. The emission lines move in radial velocity with an underlying period of 0.1533 d, which we take to be the orbital period. A more precise measurement, combining spectroscopic and photometric data, suggests Porb = 0.153693(7) d. The line profiles are characterized by titanic struggles between emission and absorption, roughly resembling the components of a "P Cygni" profile; but the motions of the components do not repeat on the orbital period. The lines probably originate partly in the binary system and partly in the outflowing stellar wind. The light curves are very complex. Precise identification of periods is hampered by the low and variable amplitudes (semiamplitudes < 0.03 mag), but the data suggest the existence of transient signals below and above the orbital frequency. Other possible signals appear near low harmonics of the orbital frequency. It is possible that these represent an unusual incarnation of "superhumps."
Copyright © 1996 American Astronomical Society.
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Moses Sanga Fellow 2011....
Living in: Uganda — Uganda
Venture: ECO-FUEL AFRICA
stopping deforestation is our business
Operating in: Sub-Saharan Africa
Impact Area: Agriculture, Clean and Green Technology, Climate Change,...
"Obsessed with stopping deforestation in Africa and combating climate change. "
Jump to: Basics | Team | Venture | Milestones
Describe yourself briefly.
Imagine an African young man who was born and grew up in one of the poorest villages in the world, first put on shoes at age 13, first saw television at age 15, was the first graduate in his entire clan having a dream of providing 40 million Africans with affordable clean energy and planting at least a quarter of a billion trees by 2020! The name of this young man is Moses Sanga, the founder and CEO of Eco-fuel Africa (www.eco-fuelafrica.com)
Moses is a passionate African social entrepreneur who does not take no for an answer! He is obsessed with stopping deforestation and combating climate change and believes that this generation has an obligation to preserve nature for current and future generations. He has also started six other social ventures in Uganda in the last 11 years. Three of these have succeeded and in total employ over 120 people in Africa.
Moses is a graduate of Business Administration and a mentor to many in his native country, Uganda.
Describe your Unreasonable Venture in 100 words or less.
Eco-fuel Africa is a social enterprise determined to eradicate over dependence on wood-fuel in Sub-Saharan Africa by making organic charcoal from agricultural waste. The company uses its proceeds to plant trees in Africa. The target is to plant at least a quarter of a billion trees by 2020.
We work with women groups, youth groups and rural farmers. We train these groups and individual farmers how to make char powder from agricultural waste and supply them with locally made kilns. We then buy the char powder from them and it's what we use to make organic charcoal. This is creating incomes for millions of poor people mainly in rural Sub-Saharan Africa.
Our main means of transport is bicycles. We employ many young energetic men to transport our charcoal on bicycles to markets and to our network of distributors. We specifically look-out for young men employed in wood-charcoal production and offer them jobs in our company. This is creating many alternative green jobs and is reducing pressure on African forests.
Also, our charcoal is distributed mainly through a network of small-scale retailers mainly made of poor women and youths. We train our distributors and equip them wit
Describe your relevant experience (especially entrepreneurial).
I started my first business in 1999 with just $ 200. I have also started six other ventures in Africa in the last 11 years. These include a solar retail business, a publishing company, a rural computer training school to mention but a few. Three of these have succeeded and in total employ over 120 people.
Second, I have a degree in business administration. I also received training in organic charcoal making from National Council of Science and Technology in Uganda. This gave me technical skills in making organic charcoal from waste.
Third, all my team members are young and dynamic professionals with vast experience in entrepreneurial social ventures in Africa. But our greatest assets are: determination and sense of purpose! When we were starting this venture, we made a decision that we won't quit no matter what! We are ready to pay the price because we believe it's our responsibility to stop deforestation in Africa and to do something about the threat of climate change!
Why is your team uniquely qualified to run this venture?
We have a well-rounded team with the following skills:
Advisory: Mr. Tushemeirerwe Richard who has a master's degree in chemistry and currently works as an advisor to the President of the Republic of Uganda on issues of Science and Technology is the head of our advisory board. Richard also has over 10 years experience in renewable energy projects.
Management team includes:
Mr. Ben Tandekwire who has a degree in developmental studies and formerly worked as a renewable energy coordinator for an international NGO in Uganda is our operations manager.
Our Accountant is Mr. Peter Mulinda who has a degree in accounting and worked for 4 years as an accountant with a local microfinance institution.
However, our greatest assets as a team are self drive and persistence. All of us are determined to keep dreaming no matter what! Although it's incredibly hard to be an entrepreneur in Africa, quitting is not an option for us! We're here to win and you better join us!
What is the urgent social or environmental need you're addressing?
According to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, over 80% of Sub-Saharan Africans depend on fuel wood. As a result, Africa is losing 4 million hectares of forest each year. At this rate, Africa will have no forests left by 2052. Also, as forests disappear, fuel wood is becoming hard to find. Now children especially girls in Africa are dropping out of school to help their families find fuel wood. For example, in January, 2009, I traveled to my village to visit my mum, on my way home, I met my half-sister carrying firewood on her head and I was shocked to discover that she had missed school to go and buy the firewood in a town 10 kilometers away from home. Over dependence on wood-fuel is also worsening the effects of climate change and leading to desertification.
What is your solution to this need? Describe your business strategy.
At Eco-fuel Africa, we empower local communities in Africa to use our tailor-made technology to convert locally sourced farm and municipal waste into clean cooking fuel and organic fertilizers. This helps to solve a myriad of issues, including slowing the rate of deforestation, reducing indoor air pollution by substituting smoky wood with cleaner-burning fuel, improving educational opportunities among girls and women by eliminating the need to collect wood for cooking, and reducing malnutrition by enabling farmers with access to organic fertilizers.
Convince us it will work. What milestones have you achieved?
Launching in 2010 with only $500, Eco-fuel Africa has already brought clean cooking fuel to over 3,500 energy poor families in Uganda, created over 1,500 jobs and re-planted over 12,000 trees in Uganda.


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Infidelity can lead to a loss of self-esteem and a blow to your relationship when you discover your spouse has deceived you by fooling around. However, this is a reality that can and does strike a number of marriages, and we must learn how to deal this with it, should the ugly situation rear its head in our lives. The first step is a direct confrontation no hinting or beating around the bush. This is when you hear about the disorderly plight straight from the horse´s mouth. Create a predicament where you can make known your uncertainties and distress to your spouse. Do not be afraid to indulge in a logical debate about the cause of your mistrust, underlining your argument with a substantial set of circumstances that has led you to your suspicions. If your spouse is willing to make a clean break of it, listen instead of interrupting with accusations and tears. But if you are met with an outright contradiction or denials, then ask for a satisfactory explanation to appease your misgivings.
There is a point in staying together if you both want the marriage to work, even if you have no clue how to go about it. You have a good chance of succeeding when the intention is there. If you cant stand the sight of each other now but want to stay together for the sake of the children, think carefully about this resolution. It may not be healthy for children if their warring parents stay together. However, many couples do stay together and make the relationship work. Ultimately, the decision to stay or go is up to you both.
Comfort and compliment your spouse so that he/she won´t look elsewhere for emotional bonding. Other simple events that could bring you together might be a nice meal or an after-dinner walk such simple things allows you to connect and feel close on a daily basis.
Give your hubby space: Men need time to disconnect from the responsibilities of marriage. This has different connotations for everybody - it may mean time alone in front of the computer/television, golf games with friends or simply time together without conversation. Give him space to do his own thing so that he´s ready to be there for you when you want his time and attention.
Restore the magic: Playing and having fun together will help maintain or restore the sizzle in your relationship. That may mean playing fun games, trying new activities or taking a class together.
Communication is the best thing you can do to iron out any problems, especially if you are open and honest in your relationship, and can talk out any problems before they lead to infidelity. Don´t be hesitant to open up.
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Toshiba has provided the most advanced equipment available to help researchers develop and perfect new
minimally invasive neurovascular surgery techniques using ultra-high-tech image-guidance technology.
"Minimally invasive procedures will dominate surgery in the 21st century," explained L. Nelson Hopkins,
director of the new center and a pioneer in the area of endovascular surgery. "Tomorrow's neurovascular
technology will be developed, tested and perfected here," Hopkins said.
A five-center trial of partial liquid ventilation to treat life-threatening respiratory distress
syndrome in extremely premature infants has shown that the procedure is safe and effective, and improves
lung function in some children who fail to respond to conventional treatment, increasing their chances of
Corinne Leach, UB assistant professor of pediatrics, headed the multicenter investigation of the
procedure, which was developed by Bradley Fuhrman, UB professor of pediatrics. Leach and Fuhrman are
also affiliated with the Children's Hospital of Buffalo.
Results of the trial were reported in the lead article of the September 12, 1996 issue of the New
England Journal of Medicine.
Respiratory distress syndrome, the leading cause of death in premature infants, develops because the
lungs of these tiny babies have yet to secrete surfactant, the substance that prevents the air sacs from
collapsing. Conventional therapy for this condition-increasing the pressure and oxygen concentration
inside the lungs in an effort to force more oxygen into the bloodstream‹can cause permanent lung damage
and result in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Partial liquid ventilation involves introducing an oxygen-rich liquid called perflubron into the baby's
lungs. The liquid allows the lungs to inflate with less pressure than air, and permits oxygen and carbon
dioxide to pass through the air sacs and into the bloodstream more easily.


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Hampton Inn Tremonton3
2145 West Main Street, Tremonton, 84337
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tap into history in northern Utah. . .
welcome to the Hampton Inn Tremonton, UT. Discover a haven of historical landmarks and natural beauty in Tremonton, a little more than an hour north of Salt Lake City. This picturesque city is a beautiful stopover between there and Yellowstone National Park, surrounded by the Great Salt Lake and the mountains of the Cache National Forest. The Hampton Inn® Tremonton hotel is located at the junction of I-15 and I-84, and is the closest hotel to the Golden Spike National Monument. Tap into history at the Golden Spike Site, where east met west to complete the first transcontinental railroad in 1869-it is only a couple miles from our hotel in Tremonton. Head over to Willard Bay, East Bay or Bear River Bay to enjoy boating, swimming, fishing and other watersports. Do a bit of birdwatching at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. . . Or relax in the soothing waters of Crystal Hot Springs. Our hotel in Tremonton also provides easy highway access to take a day trip to the Snowbasin Ski Resort. In that area near Ogden, you can also see the Eccles Dinosaur Park, the Hill Air Force Base Aerospace Museum and the Browning Firearms Museum. Get more tips on the numerous attractions in the area from the team at our Tremonton hotel. services & amenitiesEven if you're in Tremonton to enjoy the great outdoors, we want you to enjoy our great indoors as well. That's why we offer a full range of services and amenities at our hotel to make your stay with us exceptional. Are you planning a meeting? Wedding? Family reunion? Little League game? Let us help you with our easy booking and rooming list management tools. * Meetings & Events* Local restaurant guide
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Pierrot clown ceramic Sigma teapot tea pot handpainted
- Sold for: Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Item Category: -
- Source: eBay
- Sold Date: Feb 28, 2008
- Channel: Auction House Sell similar item on eBay
Part of a LARGE Pierrot collection. Large white ceramic teapot. Measures 7 1/2 in. tall and 9 in. from handle to spout. T is on small chip inside the top - not visible with lid on. Says "Sigma, the Tastesetter, Please note that all pieces are hand decorated so color variance could occur. Laboratory tested to comply with FDA guidelines. Made in Japan." I am selling a collection of Pierrot items for a friend so please look at all I have to offer - t's lots! I'm not an expert on any of this, but if you have questions, feel free to ask and I will get an answer for you. I accept Pay Pal and money orders. I would recommend purchasing shipping insurance. I will pack well, but can't be responsible for USPS. Will gladly combine shipping. International buyers can contact me for a shipping quote. No returns unless falsely described. Thanks for looking!


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Long Beach State got its biggest win of the season when it needed it most on Thursday, but it wasn't enough to get the 49ers to the NCAA men's volleyball Final Four.
The 49ers outlasted UC Irvine in five tense sets in the MPSF semifinals Thursday to reach the title game against BYU. The No. 1-ranked Cougars edged the 49ers in three close sets Saturday to win the title and automatic bid to the Final Four.
On Sunday, the NCAA selection committee gave the lone at-large bid to UCI based on a 3-1 edge in matches against the 49ers. Head-to-head is the main factor in determining at-large advantages.
A case could be made for either team. The 49ers (24-8) and Anteaters (23-7) finished the season with almost identical records and were ranked second or third much of the season. The 49ers got the big tourney win but Irvine's three regular-season wins held sway.
"I knew we both had a good argument, so it wasn't a shock," 49ers head coach Alan Knipe said. "It is disappointing, moreso when we finished second in the conference (regular season), second in the tournament and second in the national rankings, and we can't get in.
"We also know that UC Irvine could have been in our situation and would have had just as much right to be disappointed."
The 49ers' tourney win came with Ian Satterfield at opposite hitter. The three losses to UCI came early in the season (two in January, one in early March) when Satterfield was recovering from an ankle sprain.
"I thought we played great all weekend," Knipe said.
"The Thursday match was intense and the BYU match came down the way we thought it would, very close. They made the key plays down the stretch in each match.
"We knew going in that head-to-head was going to count a lot with the at-large (berth). We were hoping that the win Thursday would get us some consideration for the way we finished the season."
BYU's 28-26, 25-22, 25-22 win Saturday night was closer than most sweeps would indicate. The 49ers held leads deep into all three sets - at 20-17 in the first, 17-15 in the second and 19-18 in the third. In each, BYU's Ben Patch had key kills and service aces down the stretch.
"We were down early in the first and had a few things go our way in the end, and we snuck away with a first-set win," BYU head coach Chris McGown said. "Same thing in the third, down a few and made a few plays."
The 49ers of 2013 made a huge leap from 2012 when they finished .500.
Knipe's return to the coaching sidelines after a three-year leave of absence to coach the U.S. Olympic men's team led to a sharp rise in playing efficiency despite a few new parts.
Taylor Crabb raised his game to All-American levels and Dalton Ammerman and Satterfield were consistent hitters on the pins.
The team loses just one starter from 2013, middle blocker Colton Echave, and have the steady Jeff Ornee ready to step in.
The at-large decision once again renews the long-held complaint that the NCAA needs to expand its postseason schedule. The MIVA and EIVA champions get automatic bids, leaving just two more spots. Even with the MPSF usually getting the at-large bid, a lot of quality teams in the West are denied a NCAA bid despite having superior records, higher rankings and better RPIs than the EIVA and MIVA champs.
Going to a six- or eight-team tournament would reward more teams. The teams ranked one to eight in the last AVCA poll were from the MPSF. Postseason cases could be made for the 49ers, UCLA (21-10) and the MIVA's Ball State, which went 20-5 before being upset in its tourney.
"There's no doubt about that, and a lot have brought it up and it's been tried and approved before but killed by the NCAA financial committee," Knipe said.
"How can we as a sport allow the four best teams in the country, wherever they play, to not be in the finals? This happens too often when a team with a chance to win the national title, not just worthy of a bid, is on the outside looking in."
The Final Four begins Thursday at UCLA, with No. 1 seed BYU (25-4) facing EIVA champ Penn State (23-7) and No. 2 seed UC Irvine facing MIVA champ Loyola-Chicago (22-9).