text:
- Behavioral Health Services
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- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Services
- Chemical Dependency
- Children's Health
- Children's Services
- Diabetes
- Emergency
- eVisits
- Lithotripsy for Kidney Stones
- The Garret Thrift Shop
- Home Health
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
- Interpreter
- John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus Gift Shop
- Lab Services
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation (Lung Health)
- Medical Imaging
- Muir Galleria Gift Shop at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek
- MuirLab
- Neurosciences
- Nutrition
- Online Treatment Services
- Orthopedics
- Palliative Care (Comfort Care)
- Physical Rehabilitation
- Pregnancy & New Parent
- Primary Care
- Lithotripsy for Kidney Stones
- Senior Services
- Spiritual Support
- Trauma
- Urgent Care
- Weight Loss Surgery
- Weight Management Program
- Wellness Services
- Women's Services
- Wound Care
Whether your doctor just diagnosed you with diabetes, or you need help to control it, we can assist you in taking care of yourself to prevent or delay the serious problems diabetes may cause.
Diabetes is a disease that affects almost every part of your body — but it's a disease that you can learn to manage. Your healthcare team at John Muir Health can help.
Our goal is to empower individuals to manage their diabetes and reduce the risk for long-term complications. You are the most important member of our team and we want to support your efforts.
John Muir Health has long been a leader in providing diabetes care in our region. The American Diabetes Association and The Joint Commission for hospital accreditation recognize our diabetes center as being in the forefront of treatment advances.
Education for a healthy future
The first step to managing your diabetes is learning about it. Our staff of certified diabetes educators is committed to providing you with the tools you need by offering comprehensive health education that will help you live an active, healthy life with diabetes.
Individual appointments and group classes are available to support your needs.
Programs and Services
- Diabetes Prevention: Learn about changes to your lifestyle that may help you avoid Type 2 diabetes.
- Diabetes Care & Management: Learn about nutrition, exercise, blood glucose (sugar) monitoring, oral medication, insulin, and other ways to keep your blood glucose in range.
- Insulin Start: If your treatment plan requires insulin, this class will instruct you about insulin management and carbohydrate counting based on your individual needs.
- Diabetes in Pregnancy: If you are a woman with diabetes who's ready to start a family, or you've developed diabetes during your pregnancy, we will help you learn to protect your health and the health of your baby.
- Intensive Insulin Therapy and Pump Instruction: This advanced course outlines intensive insulin therapy and the use of an insulin pump to achieve your health goals. In this class, you will learn about insulin management, carbohydrate counting, blood glucose pattern management, and insulin adjustment.
- Diabetes Exercise Program: Exercise is one of the most important components of good diabetes management. Our Exercise Physiologist works with you to establish a personalized plan to help keep you fit. Activities include treadmills, stationary bikes, step machines, seated steppers, rowers, and weight equipment. There is a monthly fee to participate in this program and you must have a doctor's referral. Call (925) 947-5254 for class dates and times.
- Support Groups: John Muir Health offers three diabetes support groups to help alleviate your fears and frustrations. We welcome you to join us. These support groups offer an opportunity for you to meet with others and share your experiences, and there are often featured topics regarding diabetes education and self management.
- Walnut Creek support group meets the 2nd Saturday from 9:30 to 11:30 AM each month. Call (925) 941-7900 Option 1 for more information.
- Insulin pump support group is an opportunity for our "pumpers" and/or those interested in pump therapy to meet and share their experiences. Call (925) 941-5076 for more information regarding the current schedule of meetings/topics.
For questions regarding our diabetes services, please call us at (925) 941-5076
Health Articles
Awards & Recognition
John Muir Health was awarded disease-specific certification in Diabetes.


text:
Submit Review
Disc Reviews
Player Reviews
Posted 12-18-06
Submitted by Luke firstname.lastname@example.com
Disc Weights: max weight
Review: The Element-X is a fast midrange disc with interesting characteristics. I have a fundamentally strange throwing motion that gives the disc off-axis torque, so when I crank on putters and midranges really hard they wobble, flatten and then dive hard off to the right as if they were designed to do it. I could release them almost vertical. The Element-X, however, is incredibly resistant to this phenomenon, and as a result it provides me with a midrange type disc that I can absolutely crank on and just put my whole body into without fear of the disc getting up and diving. Additionally, it's difficult to characterize in terms of stability. Thrown flat and hard, it flies flat with very little fade. Thrown hyzer, it will flatten but then have a decent fade and a pretty darn good skip. Thrown anyhzer, I have no idea because I don't throw anhyzers often. It's a great midrange with a comfortable grip that can handle power. I use it for full-power shots that need to go 250'-300' relatively straight.
Posted 10-28-06
Submitted by Morgan Lasley email@example.com
Disc Weights: 180
Review: The Gateway Element X in S plastic has replaced my Pro Roc. It is a fantastic disc that gives instant gratification. The Element X flies with very similar characteristics to the Roc, in that it is just barely overstable, but it is quite a bit faster than the Roc which lets me throw with a little less power (thus better control) but the same distance. The rim of the disc is also not quite so thick horizontally, so it is more comfortable for a power grip than many other midranges.
Posted 08-21-06
Submitted by Jason Campbell email@example.com
Location: Knoxville, TN
Level: Amateur
Disc Weights: 171
Review: This is the fastest midrange disc i have ever thrown. It is so fast in fact i replaced one of my two panthers i throw with it. I can make it do just about anything . It also has a huge skip if it lands correctly.
Posted 02-15-06
Submitted by Don Blankenship email@example.com
Disc Weights: 171
Review: This disc is very nice. I call it my "Roc on steroids". Being an avid Innova DX thrower (TeeBird, Roc, Aviar) this disc has replaced my DX Roc. The plastic is much more durable and it simply flies further. I am getting 20-30' more out of each full throw. Of course, what is distance without control. Well, it has both. It travels about 90% straight and then has a very predicable fade much like the Roc at the end. It's not leaving my bag.
Posted 08-14-05
Submitted by Ian B
Location: Provo, UT
Level: Pro
Avg Drive: 450
Disc Weights: 175
Review: I am in love with Gateway's element series. The element-x is the more stable version of the element. It is stable enough to snap(more stable than ce rocs which were replaced by element-x's in my bag) but not so stable it won't fly very straight and glide well. I keep several in my bag and rotate them as they get beat up. This is my favorite disc of the hundreds of molds I've thrown (ok I still like my wizards more). Get in the S plastic it flies much better, the E's get too domey. Now if gateway would only make a driver too get me to put away my orcs like I have my rocs and aviars.
Submit Your Review
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
After I completed my blog series on system tables available for a Windows Azure SQL Database I decided to put together this page so that people could index this page for reference as opposed to the 19 individual posts.
I hope you enjoyed reading the posts as much as I did putting them together. If I continue (or update) the series I will do my best to come back and update this page as well.
Below is the list of tables I blogged about. And here is a complete list of the currently available system tables, views, functions, and stored procedures.
Other Windows Azure SQL Database links that will prove useful to you include the following:
Here's a book for you to read also:
Pro SQL Database for Windows Azure: SQL Server in the Cloud
I will do my best to update those links as well over time.


text:
Jonathan De Graeve wrote:
> I think its because the <spoofmac> is entered in the config itself and
> not through the GUI.
Oh. You think that m0n0wall would not exhibit this bug if I were to
use a interface where <spoofmac> is shown in the GUI? Could be.
It's not even possible to enter the <spoofmac> for this interface
through the GUI, and I don't have another box handy where I can switch
the interfaces around, so I cannot test your theory.
If you're correct, and exposing <spoofmac> through the GUI helps, then
an alternative solution could be to just expose <spoofmac> through the
GUI for all interfaces.
(I'd be glad to see that happen, personally.)


text:
Thank you to all of our sponsors, judges, competitors and volunteers for making the CASE 2013 a
tremendous success. We plan to expand our capacity in 2014 to accommodate those teams who were unable to register. Please check back for updates on the CASE 2014.
First Place – Cornell
Second Place – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Third Place – Georgetown
To download a copy of the CASE 2013 – Click Here
To download the top three presentations – Click Here
To read the Washington Post's article about the CASE 2013 – Click Here
To read Inversor Global's profile on Prelim Judge Ramiro Julia – Click Here
To watch the final three presentations on Tech TV – Click Here
To view photos of the CASE 2013 and MIT Real Estate Forum – Click Here
Preliminary Round Judges
Baabak Barman, MITIMCO - James Moore, CBRE - John Barrie, Long Wharf - Young Park, Berkeley Investments - Erin Gowdy, Northbridge/RMA - Shaw Lupton, Costar - Bob McCullough, Archstone - Ramiro Julia, Taurus Investments - Chris Wholey, Skanska Development - Philip Bakalchuck, Water Street Investors - Matt Pullen, Cushman & Wakefield - Will Avanessian, Boston RE Collaborative - Mike Barowsky, Boston Development Group - Patrick McMahon, Simpson Housing - David Willett, New Boston Fund - John Quintal, RBS Citizens - Meaghen Mikolajczuk,CBRE - Abe Menzin, Samuels & Associates - Paul Hickey, LNR Property LLC - Kris Galletta, Alcion Ventures - Peter Vanderweil, The Davis Companies - Hayley Suminski, Centerline Capital - Jamie Gerrity, Boston Global Investors - Chip Winetraub, Spaulding and Slye - Keith Munsell, Leader Bank and Boston University - Paul McPeake, CBRE - Kyle Draeger, CBRE - Rich Monopoli, Boston Properties - Brad Sweeney, STAG Capital
Semi-Final Round Judges
Ben Butcher, STAG Capital - Mark Weld, ING Clarion - Frank Wuest, Forest City - Chuck Burd, Bentall Kennedy - Kelly Saito, Gerding Edlen Development - Israel Lopez, Bank of America - Peter Spellios, The Beal Companies - Riaz Cassum, HFF - Mark Tennison, Equity Residential - Philip Lisciandra, Ackman-Ziff - Mark Baranski, Wavecrest - David Ridini, Canyon Johnson - Zeina Grinnell, Skanska Development - Darcy Jameson, Beacon Communities - Clay Daricek, PPR-CoStar - Bob McCullough, Archstone
Final Round Judges
Ray Ritchey, Boston Properties
Hans Nordby, PPR-CoStar
Shawn Hurley, Skanska Commercial Development
Kathleen MacNeil, Millennium Partners
Elizabeth Miller, National Capital Planning Commission
Oliver Carr, Carr Properties
2013 Competitors
Auburn - Represented by Two Teams
Brandeis - Represented by Two Teams
Columbia - Represented by Two Teams
Cornell - Represented by Three Teams
Dartmouth - Represented by One Team
George Mason University - Represented by One Team
Georgetown - Represented by Three Teams
Harvard - Represented by Two Teams
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - Represented by One Team
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Represented by Three Teams
New York University - Represented by Two Teams
Rice - Represented by One Team
Southern Methodist University - Represented by One Team
Texas A&M - Represented by One Team
University of California - Irvine - Represented by One Team
University of California Los Angeles- Represented by One Team
University of Chicago - Represented by One Team
University of Pennsylvania - Represented by One Team
University of Pittsburgh - Represented by One Team
University of Wisconsin - Represented by One Team
York University - Represented by One Team
The CASE focuses on real estate acquisition and development financial underwriting at the asset level. The competition mimics the professional circumstances and assignments that students interested in real estate finance, acquisitions and development are likely to encounter after graduation.
Registered teams of no more than four graduate students are sent a competition packet that includes important information about a specific development site in the United States. Teams will have five days to submit a brief concept narrative (LOI), a PowerPoint presentation, a full Excel-based proforma and a final 'bid price.' Based on this information, a panel of judges will select 12 teams to travel to Boston to compete in a semi-final round in front of a host of judges and industry professionals. Three teams will be selected from the semi-finalists to advance to the final round to be judged by industry veterans in front of a live audience.
The 2013 CASE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Co Chairs: Melissa Schrock and Michael DiMinico
Controller: Michael Tilford
Public Relations Manager: William Wells
Registration Clerk: Kurtis Fusaro
Competition Clerk: Sri Velamati
The 2013 CASE Judges Committee
Steven Bonelli- Committee Chair
Matt DePucchio
Kurtis Fusaro
Dan McGrath
Michael Tilford
The 2013 CASE Authors Committee
Damien Chaviano
Adrian Gonzales
Jeff Harper
Neal Howard
Bryan Lee


text:
Born with no air in his lungs, it was only when Reuben Land's father, Jeremiah, picked him up and commanded him to breathe that Reuben's lungs filled. Reuben struggles with debilitating asthma from then on, making him a boy who knows firsthand that life is a gift, and also one who suspects that his father is touched by God and can overturn the laws of nature.
The quiet 1960's midwestern life of the Lands is upended when Reuben's brother Davy kills to marauders who have come to harm the family. The morning of his sentencing, Davy -- a hero to some, a cold-blooded murderer to others -- escapes from his cell, and the Lands set out in search of him. Their journey is touched by serendipity and the kindness of strangers, and they cover territory far more extraordinary than even the Badlands where they search for Davy from their Airstream trailer.
Sprinkled with playful nods to Biblical tales, beloved classics such as Huckleberry Finn, the adventure stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, and the westerns of Zane Grey, Peace Like A River is at once a heroic quest, a tragedy, a love story, and a haunting meditation on the possibility of magic in the everyday world.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
To the list of great American child narrators that includes Huck Finn and Scout Finch, let us now add Reuben "Rube" Land, the asthmatic 11-year-old boy at the center of Leif Enger's remarkable first novel, Peace Like a River. Rube recalls the events of his childhood, in small-town Minnesota circa 1962, in a voice that perfectly captures the poetic, verbal stoicism of the northern Great Plains. "Here's what I saw," Rube warns his readers. "Here's how it went. Make of it what you will." And Rube sees plenty.
In the winter of his 11th year, two schoolyard bullies break into the Lands' house, and Rube's big brother Davy guns them down with a Winchester. Shortly after his arrest, Davy breaks out of jail and goes on the lam. Swede is Rube's younger sister, a precocious writer who crafts rhymed epics of romantic Western outlawry. Shortly after Davy's escape, Rube, Swede, and their father, a widowed school custodian, hit the road too, swerving this way and that across Minnesota and North Dakota, determined to find their lost outlaw Davy. In the end it's not Rube who haunts the reader's imagination, it's his father, torn between love for his outlaw son and the duty to do the right, honest thing. Enger finds something quietly heroic in the bred-in-the-bone Minnesota decency of America's heartland. Peace Like a River opens up a new chapter in Midwestern literature. --Claire DedererAbout the Author:
Leif Enger was raised in Osakis, Minnesota and has worked as a reporter and producer for Minnesota Public Radio since 1984. He lives on a farm in Minnesota with his wife and two sons.
Chad Lowe, an Emmy Award winning actor, has starred in such television series as Life Goes On, E.R., Now and Again and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Wheeler Publishing, 2002. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. book. Bookseller Inventory # 1587242125
More Information About This Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question
Book Description Wheeler Publishing, 2002. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. Bookseller Inventory # P111587242125
More Information About This Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question


text: SAN MARCOS, Calif., March 22, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Omnitek Engineering Corporation (OTCQB:OMTK) today reported a 31 percent increase in revenues for its year ended December 31, 2010, supported by continued strong demand for its diesel-to-natural gas conversion systems, particularly in developing overseas markets, and the company's high-pressure natural gas filter. Net revenues for the fourth quarter increased 27 percent to $556,930 from $439,509 a year earlier. For the same period, the company reported a reduced net loss of $417,181, or $0.03 per share, compared with a net loss of $918,511, or $0.06 per share, a year ago. Net revenues for the twelve-month period climbed 31 percent to $1.73 million from $1.32 million in the same period a year ago. For the same period, the company reported a reduced net loss of $1.15 million, or $0.07 per share, compared with a net loss of $1.35 million, or $0.08 per share, a year earlier. The company achieved positive cash flow from operations of $40,111 for the year ended December 31, 2010 compared with negative cash flow of $60,163 during the year ended December 31, 2009. Results for the year were impacted by increased operating expenses, particularly a non-cash charge for stock options of $637,813 and increased accounting and legal expenses associated with Omnitek becoming a public reporting company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in late July. Gross margin for the full-year was $578,537 compared with $391,969 a year ago. Gross margin as a percentage of sales for the same period was 33 percent compared with 30 percent last year. "Global demand for converting high-polluting diesel powered engines to operate on natural gas continues to benefit from increased crude oil prices. We anticipate strong sales momentum for the balance of 2011, and look forward to a more favorable domestic regulatory environment to support the significant opportunities for our technology in the United States," said Werner Funk, president and chief executive officer of Omnitek Engineering Corporation.


text:
Rust and/or corrosion may develop on the quarter panel above the tail lamp assembly due a void between the tail lamp and the body. Our technicians tell us the repair involves removing the rust and applying sealant to fill the void.
Problem Description and Possible Solution
Problem Data
RepairPal Verified
Average mileage: (–)
1 model year affected: 2008
1 person reported this problem


text:
AT&T U-verse Introduces New Interactive Features in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio, January 11, 2008
Customers in Columbus now have even more reasons to choose AT&T U-verseSM TV. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced that Columbus customers now have access to a suite of new U-verse TV features that further differentiate the service from cable.
The new interactive features — available to customers at no extra charge — include:
"U-verse has been in Columbus for less than a month, and we're already enhancing our service to deliver new and innovative features to Columbus-area customers," said Steve Mitchell, AT&T vice president and general manager for Ohio. "These features are a great example of how we'll continue to grow and expand U-verse in Columbus while also delivering the content our customers want — such as Big Ten Network."
AT&T is the only national provider to offer a 100 percent Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) service, making AT&T U-verse TV one of the most advanced television offerings available anywhere. AT&T U-verse has been recognized as the 2007 Best Business Strategy by industry analyst firm Stratecast.
AT&T is deploying next-generation video services, including AT&T U-verse TV, to connect people with their world, everywhere they live and work, and do it better than anyone else.
Customers seeking additional information on AT&T U-verse — or to find out whether it's available in their area — can visit http://uverse.att.com.
Note: This AT&T release and other news announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss.
|Related Media Kits:
|Related Fact Sheets:
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|Web Sites:
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.
AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet provided by AT&T Internet Services with customized content, services, and applications from Yahoo! Inc. Yahoo!, the Yahoo! logos and other product and service names are the trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.
© 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.


text:
You are a fan of njstangers trac ? Come to discover the best forums njstangers trac on the internet and share your experience with a community fan of njstangers trac . You can also build a forum njstangers trac and create your online discussion.
By Chanel Trac
For All Green Ford Mustang Owners and Enthusiasts of the Rare Green Colors available on Bullitt Mustangs, Classics, Foxbodys, S197s, Sn95s, especially Electric Green Mustangs!
green, mustangs, electric, mustang, owners, registry, bullitt, #njstangers, club


text:
ISPA is offering online advertising opportunities on the Congress webpages for September 2014 through February 2015. This website is the central communication hub for all Congress delegates and interested parties. Please note, all ads are non-exclusive.
Are you a Member?
Be sure you are signed in with your Organization or STAR Organization Member account before proceeding in order to receive the member discount.
Not a Member? Learn more About Membership and begin benefiting from product discounts today!
Questions about Advertising Products? Contact Nicole Merritt at firstname.lastname@example.com 1 212 206 8490 x201.
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text:
Mean retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) thickness estimates plotted for 42 glaucomatous and 38 healthy eyes using the scanning laser polarimeter (GDx) (Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego, Calif) (A) and the ocular coherence tomograph (OCT) (OCT 2000; Zeiss Humphrey Systems, Dublin, Calif) (B). Error bars represent ±1 SEM.
Normalized retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness estimates plotted for both devices (scanning laser polarimeter [GDx] [Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego, Calif] and ocular coherence tomograph [OCT] [OCT 2000; Zeiss Humphrey Systems, Dublin, Calif]) together for the healthy (A) and glaucomatous (B) eyes. The thickness estimates were normalized by dividing each data point by the groups' maximum value. Error bars represent ±1 SEM.
Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves based on scanning laser polarimeter (GDx) (Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego, Calif) data are shown along with the area under the ROC curve for the GDx number (A), the University of California–San Diego linear discriminant function (UCSD LDF) (B), and the Fourier-based LDF (C).
Receiver operating characteristics(ROC) curves based on ocular coherence tomography (OCT) data (OCT 2000; Zeiss Humphrey Systems, Dublin, Calif) are shown along with the area under the ROC curve for mean thickness (A), inferior thickness (B), and the Fourier-based linear discriminant function (LDF) (C).
Scatterplot illustrating the lack of a significant relationship between average thickness of individuals' retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) as measured by the scanning laser polarimeter (GDx)(Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego, Calif) and ocular coherence tomography(OCT) devices (OCT 2000; Zeiss Humphrey Systems, Dublin, Calif). The axes are drawn using an aspect ratio that compensates for the difference in the units of the 2 devices. Least squares regression line is shown.
Average amplitude in the inferior quadrant (average of nasal and temporal quadrants subtracted from the average inferior quadrant thickness) determined by the ocular coherence tomograph(OCT) (OCT 2000; Zeiss Humphrey Systems, Dublin, Calif) and scanning laser polarimeter (GDx) (Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego, Calif) devices plotted against each other for all subjects. Like other amplitude measures, the measurements from the 2 devices are significantly related. Least squares regression line is shown.
Essock EA, Sinai MJ, Bowd C, Zangwill LM, Weinreb RN. Fourier Analysis of Optical Coherence Tomography and Scanning Laser Polarimetry Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Measurements in the Diagnosis of Glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol. 2003;121(9):1238-1245. doi:10.1001/archopht.121.9.1238
© 2017
To evaluate a new Fourier-based analysis method for diagnosing glaucoma using retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness estimates obtained from the optical coherence tomograph (OCT) (OCT 2000) and the scanning laser polarimeter(GDx).
We obtained RNFL thickness estimates from 1 eye of 38 healthy individuals and 42 patients with early glaucomatous visual field loss using the OCT and GDx devices. The shape of the RNFL double-hump pattern was assessed using Fourier analysis, and values were entered into a linear discriminant analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the performance of the Fourier-based metrics against other commonly used RNFL analytical procedures. Reliability was assessed on independent samples by the split-half method. Correlations were calculated to determine the extent to which the Fourier discriminant measures and other RNFL measures covaried between the 2 devices and the relationship between these RNFL measures and visual field measures.
Sensitivity and specificity for the linear discriminant function (LDF) based on the Fourier analysis of the OCT data were 76% and 90%, respectively, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.925 (SEM, 0.028). For the GDx data, the Fourier-based LDF yielded sensitivity and specificity of 82% and 90%, respectively, with an ROC curve area of 0.928 (SEM, 0.029). These values were better than those determined using the GDx number, a previous discriminant function using GDx variables and OCT thickness values. The Fourier-based LDFs and numerous other measures were significantly correlated between the 2 devices. For each device, the visual field measures correlated most highly with the Fourier-based LDF measure.
For both devices, the LDF based on the output from a Fourier analysis of RNFL data resulted in better diagnostic capability compared with other common RNFL analytical procedures. That this technique improves RNFL analysis is also supported by the better correlations between visual field measures and the Fourier-based LDF measures.
THE EVALUATION of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) is an important component in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma1- 7 and may be useful for detecting subtle anatomical changes that can precede visual field loss in glaucoma.8- 12 Imaging devices such as the GDx scanning laser polarimeter (Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego, Calif) and the ocular coherence tomograph (OCT) (OCT 2000; Zeiss Humphrey Systems, Dublin, Calif) can provide quantitative measures related to thickness of the RNFL, allowing for comprehensive objective analysis.13- 16 Studies using these devices have reported significant differences between thickness estimates from healthy and glaucomatous eyes.17- 25 Although promising as an objective measure for diagnosing glaucoma, the large degree of overlap of thickness measures in the healthy population limits their usefulness in standard clinical practice. This issue has led to the development of metrics other than direct thickness.
Both devices provide pointwise estimates of RNFL thickness at thousands of retinal locations. How to best use this massive amount of data to detect glaucoma or to assess risk for glaucomatous progression is far from established. Initially, direct measures that indicated total, mean, or normalized thickness were used. At present, relational measures such as the modulation of the double-hump RNFL pattern26,27 and methods that combine several direct or relational measures via a neural network (the GDx number) or a linear discriminant function (LDF)28 have been proposed. Analysis of symmetry of thickness measures between hemifields of single eyes and between paired eyes has also proved to be promising.29 As currently supplied by the manufacturers, the OCT device relies on radial (sector) mean thickness values, and the GDx device provides the GDx number that is based on relational and direct measures.
Previously, we have emphasized that the shape of the distribution of the RNFL thickness estimates may be a more useful way to characterize the normal RNFL and detect deviations from it.30 Analyzing the RNFL in terms of shape variables rather than raw thickness, sector thickness, or even normalized thickness or simple relational measures may provide variables that are based on regional characteristics less affected by noise and individual differences. Shape analysis of data from new polarimetry devices that account for individual differences in anterior segment polarization31 may help even more.32 In the present study, we apply a shape-based RNFL analysis approach that is based on a 1-dimensional Fourier analysis of the double-hump RNFL thickness pattern.30 We use an LDF version of the Fourier method to combine the shape components generated by the Fourier analysis as reported in preliminary reports.33- 35 The first goal of this study is to compare the extent to which this method33- 35 improves glaucoma detection with polarimetry and tomography data. The second goal is to compare the output of the OCT and GDx devices in terms of these shape components and their raw output.
Data from 1 eye, chosen at random, of 38 healthy control individuals and 42 patients with glaucoma (hereafter referred to as glaucoma patients) were used for the study. All subjects were required to have GDx and OCT scans within a 3-month period (average time between scans, 11 days; SD, 19 days). The 42 glaucoma patients were all of those from the University of California–San Diego (UCSD) glaucoma clinic who had the 2 scans available within 30 days and had repeatable abnormal visual field results on standard automated perimetry, with Glaucoma Hemifield Test results outside normal limits or a corrected-pattern SD (CPSD) outside 95% normal limits. The 38 healthy controls were mainly USCD employees and relatives of patients who had undergone GDx and OCT scanning within 30 days of each other and met the criteria stated in this paragraph. Table 1 gives the demographic information for the patient and control groups as well as the global visual field indices. All participants underwent an ophthalmologic examination including visual field testing (standard automated perimetry) and imaging of the peripapillary RNFL with GDx and OCT. The ophthalmologic examination included slitlamp biomicroscopy, applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, and dilated indirect ophthalmoscopy. Visual field testing was performed with the Humphrey Field Analyzer 24-2 or 30-2 program (Zeiss Humphrey Systems). The healthy control group had normal results of the ophthalmologic examination, visual field results within normal limits, and an intraocular pressure of less than 22 mmHg at the time of examination. These individuals also had no history of optic neuropathy or surgery and no history of diabetes or other systemic disease; the glaucoma patients had no relevant medical history except glaucoma. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and the study was approved by the Human Subjects Committee of UCSD. Research followed the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Polarimetry was conducted with a standard GDx device, which provides an array of 256 × 256 thickness estimates (15° field) based on polarization retardation.13,14 We used the number calculated by the GDx software, a value from 0 to 100 based on a trained neural network analysis of the scan (0 indicates completely normal; 100, advanced glaucoma). The present study used the average thickness estimates from the 32 (11.5°) angular sectors on a ring (a 10-pixel-wide band) located at 1.7 disc diameters distant from the disc on the baseline images (mean of 3 scans) for all additional data analysis.
The OCT device estimates RNFL thickness using low-coherence interferometry to differentiate the retinal layers on the basis of the different echo time delays that occur for the different layers. The OCT (circle scan mode) generated RNFL thickness estimates at 100 points in a 3.4-mm circle diameter centered on the optic disc that were averaged to provide values at 12 radial sectors around the disc. These values were used for all further data analysis. Three OCT scans were performed and averaged in each case.
Fourier analysis is a mathematical procedure whereby a complex waveform pattern (eg, the double-hump pattern of nerve fiber distribution) is broken down and described as a set of harmonically related sine waves of specified frequencies, amplitudes, and phases. If all of the component sine waves are added together, point by point, the original waveform is reproduced. Also produced by Fourier analysis is the DC component, which is the overall level or mean value of all amplitude measures. In our application of Fourier analysis to the RNFL, the DC component is synonymous with mean thickness. The lowest-frequency component, the fundamental (F1), corresponds to a sine wave pattern with 1 cycle (ie, 1 hump), and the harmonics are sine waves whose frequencies are integer multiples of the fundamental (eg, the second harmonic, F2, has a frequency that is 2 times that of the fundamental, and thus has 2 humps; the third harmonic[F3] has 3 humps, etc). The amplitude value of each sine wave is the peak-to-trough distance, and the phase value describes where the waveform begins (eg, at the peak, at the trough, or somewhere between, relative to some reference). When a Fourier analysis is performed on a set of data (that describe some complex waveform), the number of sine waves generated to describe that waveform equals half the number of data points. For example, a waveform based on 12 data points, the present standard for the OCT, will generate 6 sine waves and a single DC component. Because the present GDx data are based on 32 data points, there are 16 resulting sine waves from the Fourier analysis. Each sine wave will have a specific amplitude and phase value. A more complete description of Fourier analysis can be found in Bracewell, 36 and its application to RNFL thickness estimates can be found in Essock et al.30 The Fourier analysis was performed on data from each eye from each device (GDx and OCT), using the Fast-Fourier Transform procedure in MATLAB, version 5.0 (The Math Works, Natick, Mass).
The Fourier coefficients (DC component and all amplitude and phase values) from all individuals were subjected to a stepwise discriminant analysis using SPSS for personal computers (version 10.0; SPSS Inc, Chicago, Ill). The absolute value of the phase coefficients was used for this procedure to emphasize deviations in shape regardless of direction. The significance of each variable (coefficient) in the discriminant analysis was determined using Wilks Λ, and only those variables that contributed significantly at the level of .05 were retained in the final function. The final LDFs were then applied to the data, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated. This procedure was performed for both the GDx and OCT data.
Mean thickness comparisons between healthy and glaucomatous eyes were conducted using an unpaired, 2-tailed t test for the GDx and OCT data. The α was set at .05. The ROC curves were generated from the LDFs from both devices and from various other metrics such as mean thickness, the UCSD LDF, and various GDx variables. Significant differences between ROC curves were determined by the method described in De Long et al.37 Pearson product moment correlation coefficients were used for all correlations, and the α was adjusted using Bonferroni corrections based on the number of comparisons made.
A standard split-half technique was used to test the reliability of the Fourier-based LDFs for detecting glaucoma. For this split-half analysis, each subject in the total sample was randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups of equal size. The same Fourier LDF analysis procedure was performed separately on each of the 2 independent samples, and sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each group by applying to 1 sample the discriminant function calculated independently on the other sample. Thus, the LDF was derived with one sample and tested on another for both of the samples, thereby providing 2 independent estimates of the performance of the procedure. The 2 sensitivity and specificity values were then averaged to provide an overall assessment of performance. Other than for this check of reliability, the full-size sample was used in all analyses throughout the report.
The mean RNFL thickness estimates for the healthy ocular controls and glaucoma patients determined with the GDx and OCT devices are shown in Figure 1. Both devices show the general double-hump pattern, but also show a difference in mean thickness between glaucomatous and healthy eyes (t = 2.8 [P<.01] for GDx; t = 7.2 [P<.001] for OCT). Although the shape of the distribution (double-hump pattern) is generally similar, differences between the thickness estimates produced on the same set of individuals by the 2 devices are apparent. To allow the comparison of the output of the 2 devices, the data were normalized by dividing all points on an individual curve by the maximum value, and data from both devices were plotted together (Figure 2). The most striking difference between the devices is that, although the location of the nasal and temporal minima correspond in the 2 devices, the GDx device yields average curves with both peaks shifted nasally (ie, toward each other) compared with the OCT device for glaucomatous and healthy eyes. (This is a consistent difference between the machines, as 57 [71%] of all 80 subjects showed this shift.) A pervasive and systematic difference such as this finding of matching minima and shifted maxima would be unlikely to be related to individual differences in anterior segment polarization uncompensated for by the GDx device.
When our Fourier analysis procedure is applied to the data of each individual and the linear discriminant analysis procedure is applied, each eye can be classified as glaucomatous or normal on the basis of the resultant discriminant function. The stepwise procedure yields an equation consisting only of terms that contribute significantly to the discrimination of glaucoma from healthy eyes. For the OCT device, the function was 0.041 × DC + 0.077 × F2 amplitude + 0.648 × F3 phase − 6.578. For the GDx device, the function was 0.260 × F2 amplitude + 1.366 × F12 amplitude + 0.681× F12 phase − 1.912 × F13 amplitude + 0.798 × F14 phase − 5.942. The most important variables in the equations (in terms of discriminative power) were, for OCT, the DC level, then, approximately equally, F2 amplitude and F3 phase, whereas for GDx they were F2 amplitude and F14 phase. Only the amplitude of the second Fourier coefficient is present in both functions. However, because the 2 functions are based on a different number of input coefficients, it is not surprising that the relevant coefficients are different (ie, there are only 6 amplitude and phase coefficients for the OCT data, and there are 16 for the GDx data). From these functions, sensitivity and specificity values and associated ROC curves were obtained. The ROC curves from application of the Fourier metrics and the most prevalent metrics in the literature are shown in Figure 3 for the GDx device and in Figure 4 for the OCT device. For the GDx data, the areas under the curve for the GDx number, the UCSD LDF, 28 and the Fourier-based LDF were 0.734, 0.773, and 0.928, respectively (SEM, 0.056, 0.052, and 0.029, respectively). For the GDx device, the Fourier-based LDF performed significantly better, with the area under the ROC curve significantly larger than that obtained from the GDx number or the UCSD LDF (P<.05). For the OCT device, we evaluated the standard measures of mean thickness, inferior sector thickness, and the Fourier-based LDF and obtained areas under the ROC curves of 0.872, 0.888, and 0.925, respectively (SEM, 0.041, 0.038, and 0.028, respectively), as shown in Figure 4.Again, the discrimination ability (ROC area) was greater for the Fourier-based LDF measure (but not significantly [P>.05]). The split-half reliability analysis (Table 2) shows that these findings are reproducible. When the various measures are tested on the half-size independent samples, the Fourier measures still outperform the GDx number and the UCSD LDF, with best performance for the OCT Fourier-based LDF and poorest performance for the GDx number.
An anatomical measure that accurately reflects RNFL integrity presumably should be strongly associated with visual function measures. Hence, a GDx or OCT measure that relates better to a visual field metric may suggest a more meaningful RNFL variable. Correlations were calculated between visual fields and both OCT and GDx variables to assess the degree of such associations and are shown in Table 3. For the GDx measures, only the Fourier-based LDF and UCSD LDF values correlated significantly with the mean defect (MD) or CPSD. For the OCT measures, the Fourier-based LDF value and average thickness significantly correlated with the MD and CPSD. For both devices, the Fourier-based LDF correlations tended to be higher than the other measures (Table 3).
To the extent that the data from the 2 devices actually reflect the true RNFL thickness distribution, the thickness estimates and the metrics developed based on them (eg, the GDx number or the LDF values) should significantly covary between the 2 devices. In actuality, average thickness as measured by each device was not correlated across individuals (r = 0.10 [P>.05]) as shown in Figure 5. Presumably, the lack of individual compensation for anterior segment polarization for each subject by the GDx device is the basis for part of this discrepancy. A more important finding is that, despite average thickness not being significantly correlated across the 2 devices, the various measurements of abnormal characteristics from the 2 devices correlated very well. All GDx measures tested (and the GDx-based LDF measures) were significantly correlated with both the OCT average thickness measure and the OCT Fourier-based LDF values, except for GDx average thickness and GDx ellipse average variable, both of which are direct RNFL thickness estimates (Table 4). The highest relationships, however, are between the Fourier-based LDFs (OCT and GDx), the UCSD GDx LDF, and the OCT average thickness measures.
Since the 2 devices' measures of average thickness were unrelated (ie, with the relation accounting for only 1% of the total variance), we next considered whether thickness measures might correspond better in the thicker areas (ie, the superior and inferior regions) or the thinner areas (nasal and temporal regions). Comparisons were made using thickness estimates averaged across these 4 regions (90° quadrants) and using the single extreme value (maximum for superior and inferior quadrants and minimum for temporal and nasal quadrants) for the 4 regions. (The 90° quadrants were formed by combining 8 GDx sectors or 3 OCT sectors.) In general, the associations at the thicker regions (superior and inferior) were stronger (about 0.25) than the associations for the 2 thinner regions (about 0.10) for both types of measures; however, only the superior quadrant correlation was significant, as seen in the following tabulation:
Finally, we considered whether the correlation based on amplitude measures would be greater than that for the thickness measures. We compared the 2 devices on several such peak-to-trough measures, as shown in the following tabulation:
Superior and inferior amplitude measures were calculated as the modulation variables of Xu et al, 24 which determine an average minimum value by averaging thickness estimates from the nasal and temporal regions and then subtracting these minimum values from the thickness value for the superior or inferior regions. These modulation variables were obtained in the following 2 ways: for average thickness within the quadrant, and for the quadrant's maximum (superior or inferior) or minimum (nasal or temporal) value. All correlations between the amplitude measures from the 2 devices were significant, and an example of this relationship is shown in Figure 6 for 1 of the amplitude measures.
The main finding of the present research is that the LDFs generated from a stepwise discriminant analysis of the Fourier coefficients derived from RNFL thickness estimates were found to effectively discriminate eyes with early glaucoma from healthy eyes for data obtained from either the GDx or OCT devices. In both cases, the area under the ROC curve was approximately 0.93, indicating that this method of analysis works equally well for both devices. When applied to the present patient sample, ROC comparisons show that the Fourier-based LDFs detected glaucoma better than other commonly used measures, including the GDx number and OCT mean thickness. The finding that the Fourier-based LDF values are more strongly associated with visual function measures (visual field indices) than are other measures such as average thickness or any of the various GDx variables provides further support that it is a sensitive measure for assessing RNFL integrity in early glaucoma.
A direct comparison between the RNFL measures of the 2 devices found that the overall thickness measures were not significantly correlated between the devices (an r2 of only 0.01). A similar finding was reported by Zangwill et al.38 We assume that much of this discrepancy may be attributable to errors in the polarimetry measures resulting from individual differences in polarization from the anterior segment of the eye, 31 and we suspect that some of the discrepancy between the 2 devices will be reduced as individual compensation of an eye's corneal polarization becomes routine.39 However, although both devices purportedly provide estimates of RNFL thickness, the GDx actually measures polarization retardance, thought to be proportional to RNFL thickness, but not a direct measure of RNFL thickness. The correlations reported in Table 4 and the tabulations indicate a regional aspect of the poor correlation between the thickness measures produced by the 2 devices. Much of the poor association between the 2 devices occurs at the nasal and temporal regions, as the association between the 2 devices' measures was stronger in thicker regions (inferior and superior) than in the nasal and temporal quadrants or for the total retina. Furthermore, the peak-to-trough amplitude measures from the 2 devices were more closely and significantly correlated, suggesting that the peak-to-trough measures across the 2 devices were more consistent across individuals than were absolute thickness measures. The Fourier-based LDF measures were among the most highly correlated measures across the 2 devices, suggesting that the overall shape or pattern of fiber distribution is more similar than specific thickness estimates. As in previous reports, this leads us to emphasize the utility of a shape-based analysis of quantitative RNFL measurements.30,32- 35
One reason why the thickness estimates of the 2 devices were not correlated for the sample population in this study or for that of Zangwill et al38 may be related to the severity of the glaucomatous damage. A study from Hoh et al23 compared OCT and GDx data from the same group of individuals and found that the OCT thickness estimates correlated significantly (r = 0.29) with an estimate of RNFL thickness (the ellipse average variable), as well as with all other GDx variables tested. However, the patient sample used in that study consisted of patients with relatively more advanced glaucoma than the sample analyzed in the present study (MD average, −7.7 for the study by Hoh et al23 compared with −4.0 for this study) and the study by Zangwill et al38 (which included a number of patients with early glaucoma, with an MD average of −2.1). In addition, all 3 studies show a similar trend in the strength of the correlations, where the association of mean thickness values between OCT and GDx were weaker than the association between OCT mean thickness and other GDx variables (eg, modulation variables). The use of patients with more advanced glaucoma in the study by Hoh et al23 can also explain why their test measures (mean thickness for OCT and the number, maximum modulation, ellipse modulation, and ellipse average for GDx) correlated more strongly with the global visual field indices than was found in the current study. Despite these differences due to stage of disease, a similar pattern was found for both studies (ie, the present study and that of Hoh et al23)in that the OCT mean thickness correlated more strongly than any of the GDx variables with measures of visual function (MD and CPSD), suggesting that OCT measures may be a better indicator than the present versions of GDx polarimetry measures for retinal functional integrity (see also Zangwill et al40 and Weinreb et al41). In more advanced stages of glaucoma, present OCT and GDx measures correlate with functional loss (OCT more so than GDx), but the present results show that in even earlier stages of glaucoma, Fourier indices of either OCT or GDx data correlate with functional loss, whereas the other measures do not.
The ROC curve analysis suggests that other than the Fourier-based LDF approach, the measures from the OCT device are better at detecting glaucoma than the measures from the GDx device, despite the fact that the GDx uses more sophisticated analytical procedures when deriving its measures (eg, a neural network analysis) than present metrics typically used for analysis of OCT data (ie, direct measures of total or sector mean thickness). This may not be surprising, given our finding that the OCT measures were more strongly correlated with visual field indices than the GDx measures, a finding also reported by Hoh et al.23 Bowd et al26 also found the area under the ROC curve was significantly higher for the best OCT measure compared with the best GDx measure; however, Zangwill et al42 did not find a significant difference. However, the Fourier-based LDFs from the 2 devices resulted in similar discriminating ability for the 2 devices. That is, although current measures commonly used from the 2 devices generally result in better discriminating ability for the OCT device (see also Zangwill et al42), if Fourier analysis is used to characterize the shape of the RNFL, then the resulting LDF works equally as well for both devices.
The weightings of the factors varied less between the 2 halves for the OCT data, possibly suggesting further that, at present, the values obtained from the OCT device are more internally consistent than those from the GDx device.
This procedure emphasizing characteristics of the shape of the double-hump pattern is a way to improve the utility of RNFL measurements, whether from a polarimetry or a tomography device. In particular, the present procedure of analyzing shape by means of Fourier analysis with application of an LDF improves the performance of both the OCT and GDx devices. The split-half analysis shows that these Fourier-based LDFs are robust and can accurately discriminate glaucoma on samples independent of their derivation, although their degree of robustness is likely to improve when the LDFs are generated on larger patient samples. Like the other metrics in use, the Fourier-based LDF method needs to be established on the largest sample possible in the future to maximize its performance. With further refinement, this analysis method may be useful for assessing risk for conversion from a glaucoma suspect to glaucoma, in addition to improving the detection of glaucoma as shown in the present results.
Corresponding author and reprints: Edward A. Essock, PhD, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 317 Life Sciences Bldg, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292 (e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com).
Submitted for publication July 1, 2002; final revision received April 3, 2003; accepted May 22, 2003.
This study was supported in part by a grant from the Glaucoma Research Foundation, San Francisco, Calif (Dr Essock).
This study was presented as a poster at the 2001 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; April 30, 2001; Ft Lauderdale, Fla.


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The Covington/Newton County Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) team was formed in 1979, and Sheriff Ezell Brown was one of the founding members along with Chief Deputy Jerry Carter. The Team is a combination of six deputies from the Newton County Sheriff's Office and six officers from the City of Covington Police Department, and is one of the few city/county teams in the state of Georgia.
The S.W.A.T. Team is a group of highly trained Deputies and Officers who use specialized weapons and tactics to serve high-risk arrest warrants deal with hostage situations, barricaded or armed individuals, and serve many high-risk search warrants. The Team is staffed with hostage negotiators, medics, and two certified snipers.


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Sedrish surrenders to Georgia cops almost at the same time when Randall Miller and Jody Savin plead not guilty in Sarah Jones' death.
After director Randall Miller and his producer wife Jody Savin turned themselves over to authorities, now "Midnight Rider" executive producer Jay Sedrish has also surrendered to Georgia police. He turned himself in Thursday, July 17 and was released after posting a $27,700 bond.
The three filmmakers of Gregg Allman biopic "Midnight Rider" are charged with involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass in the fatal train crash that killed camera assistant Sarah Jones on the filming set. They are facing up to 10 years in jail for the former charge.
Miller and Savin recently entered a not guilty plea. "In the weeks and months that follow when the true facts of the events are revealed, people will know that this was not a crime: we never had criminal intent; we would never knowingly or intentionally put anybody's safety at risk. This was a horrible tragedy and a horrific accident," they said.
The movie is currently in limbo and actor William Hurt, who was initially attached to portray The Allman Brothers Band member, left the project following the tragic accident.


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This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
Molecular oxygen is detected at low concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy despite its unfavorable photoacoustic properties. The system consists of a seed laser diode, a tapered amplifier and a quartz tuning fork based spectrophone, thus employing quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS). With this system a detection limit of 13 ppm is reached with a compact and long term stable setup. Further improvement of the detection limit is possible by adding suitable gases to the sample gas that promote the radiationless de-excitation of the oxygen molecules.
An accurate determination of the concentration of molecular oxygen is important for the investigation of corrosion processes and in basic materials science research. Fields of application are also industrial process control and medical devices for oxygen monitoring.
The main advantages of laser based optical gas sensors are the selectivity and the low detection limits that can be reached, in combination with the capability of on-line and
In this work, photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) is used for the sensitive detection of oxygen. For PAS a modulated laser irradiates a gas volume within a cell. If the wavelength of the laser coincides with an absorption line of the gas, the gas molecules are excited due to absorption of the light. Radiationless de-excitation leads to a heat induced pressure change within the gas volume. Because of the modulation of the exciting light, this pressure change is periodic, thus a sound wave is generated which can be recorded with a standard miniaturized microphone. For signal enhancement, the geometry of the gas cell is customary designed to be resonant for the generated acoustic wave. Although PAS is known as a cost effective, simple and sensitive spectroscopic method, few reports exist for sensitive oxygen detection [
In general, a photoacoustic signal is generated by the heat induced pressure change due to radiationless transition of optically excited molecules. Since the exciting radiation is temporally modulated, the periodical pressure change will produce a sound wave that can be detected with a microphone. The photoacoustic signal
A recent development in photoacoustics is the so-called quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) [
QEPAS is well known for being a simple to adjust and rugged spectroscopic technique without the need for long absorption path lengths. As the dimensions of the tuning fork are only 6 mm × 1.5 mm × 0.3 mm the photoacoustic cell can be reduced in size significantly compared to conventional photoacoustic spectroscopy. Therefore, the sample volume can be very small (
The high Q-factor of the micro tuning fork (
Photoacoustic spectroscopy is rarely used for the detection of oxygen as the photoacoustic performance is known to be poor. This is a result of the molecular energy states of the oxygen molecule. Normally a rotation-vibration transition in the electronic ground state is used in photoacoustics. The
In this work the P7P7 rotational line within the first vibrational band of the
The exact energy transfer processes in photoacoustic spectroscopy are generally unknown due to the large number of energy levels and molecular species that are involved. For O2, some of the transfer rates have been reported for de-excitation in a pure oxygen atmosphere [
As a result of the small optical transition probability the fluorescence lifetime of the
Numerical simulations of the energy transfer processes leading to de-excitation of an O2 molecule within a pure oxygen atmosphere at room temperature provide de-excitation rates for E-E, E-T, V-V and V-T processes.
For the electronic-electronic transfer process (E-E process), where a collision leads to the electronic excitation of an O2 molecule that was previously in the ground state, a removal rate coefficient of Γ = 1.5 × 10−11 cm3·molecules−1·s−1 for the first excited vibrational level is derived [
The V-V transfer rate within the ground state,
Calculations of the lifetime of the excited molecules at
To compensate for the ineffective generation of photoacoustic signals, the optical power was increased with a tapered amplifier to enhance the signal according to
The experimental setup is shown in
After collimation, the laser beam travels through a Faraday isolator to protect the diode laser from back reflections. A half wave plate is used to adjust the polarization before the beam is focused into the tapered amplifier (Eagelyard EYP-TAP-0765-01500). It is operated at a temperature
The acoustic resonator consists of two stainless steel tubes with a length of approximately 5 mm and enhances the signal by a factor of approximately 20. The QEPAS cell is ultra high vacuum sealed to prevent oxygen contamination by leakage and has a volume of approximately
The tapered amplifier has two main effects on the measurement. First, it enhances the photoacoustic signal according to
Secondly, the tapered amplifier reduces the effect of unwanted amplitude modulation that occurs simultaneously with the wavelength modulation of the DFB diode laser with laser current. The amplitude modulation results in a deformation of the spectral line shape for wavelength modulation spectroscopy [
In theory, the 2f signal is proportional to the second derivative of the line shape function and thus should be symmetrical. However, the measurement without the amplifier shows a slight asymmetry that is a result of the wavelength dependent intensity.
Calibration and determination of the detection limit were done for both systems,
For the measurement with the tapered amplifier, smaller concentrations have to be set; therefore an enclosed gas circulating system was used. The oxygen partial pressure in this ultrahigh vacuum sealed system is set by an oxygen ion pump and a λ-probe is used as a reference oxygen sensor while the gas flow is maintained by a circulating pump.
The dependence of the QEPAS signal on the oxygen concentration for measurements in this setup is shown in
The dominant noise source for resonant measurements with quartz tuning forks is the thermal or Johnston noise of the tuning fork [
During the measurement, laser wavelength and resonance frequency were monitored and the modulation frequency and laser current were adjusted to maintain operation at the maximum signal. The optical power incident into the cell is also recorded using a reflection from the wedged input window. It turned out that the change of resonance frequency is less than 0.1 Hz and thus negligible since the resonance curve width is approximately 30 Hz (FWHM). Therefore, in principle, it is not necessary to lock the resonance frequency as long as no change in pressure occurs. The relatively low wavelength drift of Δλ = 0.4 pm peak to peak was compensated for by readjustment of the laser current. A variation in the output power of the amplified laser [
Another factor influencing the measurement in air is humidity.
The reasons for these results are the large E-E and V-V transition rates of oxygen. As water is known for its efficient V-T relaxation [
Despite the unfavorable photoacoustic properties of oxygen, the applicability of the QEPAS technique for the detection of low oxygen concentrations with a high power amplified laser system has been demonstrated. The high optical power does not influence the noise floor or the linearity of the signal, but reduces signal distortions due to a reduction of unwanted amplitude modulation. With the system, a detection limit of 13 ppm is reached with a compact and long term stable setup. As the signal strength shows a strong dependence to additional components of the gas mixture, a detection limit below 1 ppm should be possible with an optimized gas mixture.
Financial support from EADS-Astrium GmbH within the framework of the study "Oxygen sensing and control" and from the BMBF under contract 13N 10468 is gratefully acknowledged.
Illustration of a QEPAS spectrophone. The light is focused through the acoustic resonator tubes and the prongs of the tuning fork.
Optical setup with tapered amplifier, electronics and data acquisition. The upper part shows a photograph of the implemented system while the lower part is a schematic drawing of the system.
Dependence of the QEPAS signal on the optical power, measured at
QEPAS measurements of ambient oxygen in air at
Calibration of the sensor without tapered amplifier. From the numerical fit, a coefficient of 4.44·105 %/V is determined. The noise level of 1.48 μV is shown as a broken line.
Calibration of the detector with tapered amplifier.
Long-term QEPAS measurement of oxygen in air with the amplified laser system. The signal is normalized to an optical power of
2f QEPAS signals of 21% oxygen in dry argon (circles) and ambient air (triangles). The contained water vapor leads to a signal enhancement due to higher V-T transfer rates.


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For every sensational story of food-stamp fraud or abuse, there are thousands more of people who depend on them to feed themselves and their families. That's especially true now, with one in seven Americans -- a record 47 million people -- receiving help from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). That number is double what it was a decade ago.
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For decades, food assistance has mirrored the unemployment rate, falling in good times and rising when the economy tanks. While economists expect the numbers of recipients to fall as the economy improves, there are fundamental changes to the face of food stamps that should concern Americans. The reality is food stamps help families and individuals.
And the rest of us wonder why Republicans are always cutting benefits to the poor and hungry. And then they turnaround and give more tax breaks to the wealthy.
Wonder why democrats will readily fork over $32,000 to listen to obama yet won't write a similar check of their own money to give to charity or food stamps?


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Zac Efron está llevando su carrera a un mejor nivel, y ahora protagoniza el nuevo tráiler de la película "Parkland".
La historia tiene lugar en el Parkland Hospital de Dallas, donde el presidente John F. Kennedy fue asesinado el 22 de noviembre de 1963.
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It's the family friendly flick everyone has been waiting for, and now, "Puss in Boots" has made its much-anticipated theatrical debut just in time for the weekend box office.
She's been hot on the promotional trail over the past few weeks, and earlier today (October 23) Salma Hayek stepped out for the red carpet premiere of "Puss in Boots" in Hollywood, California.
Four months after being convicted of aggravated manslaughter of a child, Amanda Brumfield, estranged daughter of Billy Bob Thornton has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars.
Having previously been acquitted of first-degree murder, authorities say the 32-year-old killed her best friend's one-year-old daughter during an overnight stay in October 2008.
Dealing with family drama, Billy Bob Thornton's estranged daughter has been found guilty of aggravated manslaughter by an Orlando, Florida court.
Amanda Brumfield (32) was convicted last week, and will face sentencing in July for her involvement in the death of her friend's one-year-old daughter.
Looking ever-so-gorgeous, Jennifer Lopez was among the stars turning up for the CBS Films luncheon held at Paris Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday afternoon (March 18).
Held as part of ShoWest 2010, the 40-year-old actress smiled as she took the stage to pose for pictures in between mingling with fellow guests such as Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Baer.
Although he's known for his "bad boy" ways and questionable character, Billy Bob Thorton has never gotten himself into trouble like his eldest daughter.


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A POPULAR vintage shop in Worcester is closing its doors in a bid to expand the business.
Second Hand Rose, which is based in the Hopmarket, has been selling vintage clothes and accessories for eight years in the city centre.
But owner Clare Bridge has decided now is the time to expand the online and mobile side of her business, which means shutting the premises.
Although she says Second Hand Rose will still be at the heart of Worcester's vintage scene.
"It'll be sad to close the doors after eight years but it means I can dedicate my time to selling online, have the flexibility to attend more events around the country and concentrate on new ventures," said Ms Bridge.
"We will still have lots of our affordable vintage items for sale online, we have lots of stock that is yet unseen by the public."
Over the years Ms Bridge has organised vintage events in Worcester and had a book published about vintage fashion and won awards for her window displays. She is also co-curating the much anticipated Summer exhibition at the City Museum and Art Gallery.
"We have Fancy Pants our big vintage fashion exhibition to look forward to, opening at on July 12, so we will still be very much at the heart of the vintage scene in Worcester.
"We will be attending more local events and will still be buying pre-1970s items if anyone is having a clear out, but it will be a positive change to become mobile and not to be tied to one place.
"We have lots of loyal customers who we want to thank for their support over the years, plus our Facebook and Twitter followers too. I hope people will continue to follow us online and keep in touch."
There's currently a half price sale on in the shop and the final day of trading will be Saturday, June 14.
For more information call 07887732684 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Mon. April 28, 2014 | Kelly Parsons
TAMPA — After nine varsity baseball players were suspended for the season due to violating a team policy in March, Jesuit coach Richie Warren knew he had some big shoes to fill.
There was more than a month left in the regular season for a team that had started its 2014 campaign with 10 Division I commits. The Jesuit alumnus, though, knew he didn't have to search far and wide to find replacements.
"We have a lot of quality guys in our program and a lot of guys that are on JV to start the season would be No. 1 starters anywhere in the county, top of the lineup guys anywhere else in the county," Warren said.
On March 22, Warren went to Jesuit's JV practice with a depleted roster. After meeting with selected players individually, he left with one fresh with the names of six Tigers who were ready to answer his call.
"I think they were excited," Warren said, "but I also think they knew, 'Okay. It's time to work.' "
That following Monday, sophomores Steven Lugo, J.J. Niekro, Nick Perillo, Michael Sandborn, Hunter Tubbs and freshman Alex Mocny showed up for their first varsity practice. Three days later, the six made their debut in a district matchup against Robinson.
Thrust onto a new team with merely days notice, Sandborn said that first night was nerve-wracking. Lugo, who started at second base against the Knights and in every game since, simply wanted to start off on the right foot.
And in a 5-3 extra-innings win, that's exactly what he did.
In the top of the eighth, Jesuit (20-6) scored the winning run on an RBI single from Jacob Mocny, and Lugo followed moments later with a single to leftfield, knocking in one more run for good measure.
"I was just happy to get it out of the way," Lugo said of his hit. "If you start off and you're not really getting hits and stuff, you tend to force a lot of things, do too much."
Lugo, who started on the varsity team at Hillsborough last year as a freshman, continued to prove his worth. In his second game with Jesuit's varsity team, an 11-1 win against Middleton, he went 1-for-1 with three RBIs and two sac flies.
The 6-foot sophomore will go into Wednesday's region quarterfinal against Boca Ciega with a .357 batting average, third highest for a Jesuit starter. But Lugo's contributions on the field, Jesuit pitcher Kasey Radke said, have been just as strong.
"He's a good defender, and he's a good hitter, too," the senior left-hander said. "I'm never scared to have someone hit a ball to him. I know he'll always make the play for me."
Because the plays and signals are the same for both the JV and varsity squads, Warren said he had no doubt the six JV players would make a smooth transition into the big leagues of high school baseball.
That confidence was put to the test when Warren started Sandborn, a left-hander, in Friday's Class 5A, District 7 championship game against Robinson. Sandborn pitched six innings in the Tigers' 6-2 victory, giving up just four hits, striking out four and walking one to earn his second varsity win.
Even in the biggest game of the season to date, Warren's midseason call-ups have come through, helping save a season riddled with adversity. And with the biggest games still to come — ones that will determine whether the Tigers will earn their fifth straight state final four berth — his confidence in them to continue to do so remains steadfast.
Warren knew exactly what he was getting when he promoted six players just more than a month ago. But the process has been a continual learning experience for Sandborn.
And he's living the greatest lesson of all.
"Just expect to be ready whenever, because you never know what's going to happen," Sandborn said. "You should always be ready, always be serious, always be proud to have the name across your chest."
Region quarterfinals
7 p.m.
7A: Sickles at Durant
7A: Brandon at Wiregrass Ranch
5A: Robinson at Bradenton Bayshore
5A: Boca Ciega at Jesuit
3A: Tampa Prep at Lakeland Christian
8A: St. Petersburg at Plant
8A: Bloomingdale at Sarasota Riverview
6A: Osceola at Jefferson
6A: King at Mitchell
4A: Tampa Catholic at Avon Park
4A: Lakeland McKeel at Berkeley Prep
2A: Cambridge Christian at Canterbury
2A: Lakeside Christian at Bayshore Christian


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Dove Cameron gets a little basketball one-on-one with Dwight Howard in this new still from Liv and Maddie.
In "Dump-a-Rooney", Maddie (Cameron) and Pete (Benjamin King) sign up to play in a basketball tournament before she dumps her dad for Dwight.
"@DwightHoward: Check me out on @DisneyChannel 's Liv And Maddie this Sunday at 8p/7c." dude, yes, finally.," Dove retweeted Dwight's reminder to fans to watch.
"Dump-A-Rooney" airs Sunday, January 26th @ 8PM E
photos by Disney Channel


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Fri. January 24, 2014 | Andy Warrener
PALM HARBOR — With Thursday's 3-1 Class 5A win over St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor University took a step toward shaking a region roadblock.
The Hurricanes have lost to East Lake in the region semifinals the past two seasons. This time they'll face Bradenton Manatee.
"We've been finishing really well," PHU's Katie Im said.
Im nearly scored in the first minute then assisted on Alexis Mouton's goal in the second.
The Hurricanes sent 15 shots on goal to the Green Devils' three. But St. Petersburg almost tied it when forward Shaura Washington dribbled in one-on-one with keeper Rachel Taylor before pushing a shot wide.
In the second half, Kayla Mouton found sister Alexis to make it 2-0. The Green Devils hung around and got Washington's penalty kick to make it 2-1.
But with 24 minutes left, Im got free on the left side, beat a defender and lobbed a shot over keeper Theresa Kuduk's head. It was Im's first goal since reconstructive knee surgery.
"I think mentally, it was harder (coming back from the knee injury)," Im said. "We've got a great team, and we're getting confident."


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Who Claims the Unclaimed Property?
by Mary Bernard, CPA/MST
Some states aggressively pursue unclaimed property. Are you in compliance?
Tax Audits: Proactive Tax Management
by John Cowan
Reviewing tax processes can deliver bottom-line results for the retail industry.
Remembering Forgotten Tax Issues
by Annette Nellen, CPA/Esq.
With so many issues in our tax system, it's easy for some to get lost.
Sound Off: Taxing Questions on Leasing Considerations
Respond to this month's reader survey.
Results: Retail Roundup 2008 — Recounting Your Tax Woes (PDF)
Find out how your colleagues responded.
Final Sec. 1367 Regs. Address Open Account Debt Between S Corps and Their Shareholders
by Laura MacDonough/The Tax Adviser
The Service has issued final regulations (T.D. 9428) amending the definition of open account debt, which may significantly affect when an S corporation shareholder recognizes gain on the repayment of such debt.
Write a Product Review and You Could Receive an iPod™ Touch …
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AICPA's Tax Update for Financial Executives
Recent tax legislation, regulations, cases and rulings presented from the internal management perspective. Earn 21 CPE credits.
Buying and Selling Businesses: The CPA's Role
Become the key advisor to your employer in buying or selling a business — and earn CPE credit. DVD format is ideal for on-site staff training or individual self-study.
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2008 Corporate Income Tax Returns Videocourse
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SYDNEY — Preparations for whatever hurricane Arthur throws at Cape Breton are underway on both land and sea.
For more information, Click Here
With potential power outages feared, Nova Scotia Power Inc. will have repair crews on standby to deal with potential damages to the province's electrical system.
NSPI executive vice-president Greg Blunden said the utility has experienced teams ready to respond.
"We've been monitoring this storm for days and putting our plans in place," said Blunden. "We have as many Nova Scotia Power and contract line crews available as we have had for any recent storm of this size."
Efforts to storm harden the system have included cutting back trees along NSP rights-of-way to prevent damage to electrical wires, poles and transformers.
Meanwhile, travellers heading to or from Newfoundland will be allowed to alter ferry reservations without penalty.
Marine Atlantic spokesman Darrell Mercer said the $25 departure change fee is being waived for the duration of the storm.
"Under the circumstances, with the potential of the hurricane or tropical storm moving in, anybody who needs to make a change that will help their travel plans will not be charged a fee this weekend," said Mercer.
The ferry operator will also be keeping a close eye on the storm and will make schedule changes as necessary.
"We're looking at the forecasts and different models that are being put out and will be monitoring those forecasts," said Mercer. "It will better help us understand the track of the storm and how it will affect our schedule."
Any changes to Marine Atlantic departures will be posted on its website.
The head of emergency services for Cape Breton Regional Municipality said the CBRM also has plans in place in terms of preparedness.
"We will continue to be watching events and all emergency services are aware of what might happen," said John Dilney. "Each department has its own plans and are ready."
Cancellations are already starting to come in. Saturday's 16-dash card of harness racing at Northside Downs has been cancelled due to potentially unsafe track conditions.
Trainers can re-enter their horse for July 12. Registration for the Atlantic Sire Stakes events will close July 9 at 10:00 a.m.
This weekend's Sydney Sooners games in Kentville have been postponed. The Sooners were to have played the Wildcats Friday before tangling again in Saturday's scheduled doubleheader.
Be prepared for an emergency:
• Stock enough food and water for 72 hours
• Monitor local broadcast networks for updates
• Secure gates, doors and windows
• Move or tie down any outdoor furniture, trash cans, hanging plants and anything that can be picked up by wind
• Check radio batteries
• Fill vehicles with gas and park them away from trees
• Remove dead or diseased branches from trees to make them more wind resistant
• Keeping pets inside
• Transport any type of watercraft to high ground


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Rob Alton
Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba
In the magical world of La Nouba, dreams become reality and talent turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Filmed at Cirque du Soleil's permanent venue at Walt Disney World in Orlando, La Nouba is, literally, a dream come true. Amid this waking dream, you'll find clowns, ballerinas, trapeze artists and much more. From the incredible BMX bicycle act to displays of precision and balance on the high wire, La Nouba will amaze and delight.


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Visitors were hoping to be happy with their lot as nearly 250 people showcased their antiques in front of experts and the cameras for popular auction show Flog It! at Lulworth Castle.
Audience members packed themselves into the castle's vaulted rooms to have their heirlooms examined amongst the chaos of cameras, crew members and studio equipment in the building.
See a video of the event here
The mood was light-hearted and jokes from presenter Paul Martin lifted spirits for those waiting to find out if their treasured mementos were in fact hidden gems.
Carol Donaghy, 60, from Broadmayne, was surprised by the value of her silver cruet set when she sat down to be filmed with expert Mark Stacey, and says members of her family will think it's brilliant that she is part of the show because they are big fans.
She said: "I bought the cruet set at auction in a five-item lot for £2 a few years ago because I wanted the china Buddha that was with it to give to my daughter, who was travelling to China soon after.
"The cruet set is very pretty but completely useless in my house, so I keep it on the side and pick it up to admire it every so often. I was really happy to know it has been valued at between £80 and £120."
Stefan Tyszkiewicz, 64, travelled from Wimborne to showcase his great grandfather's Burmese sword believed to have been used in the final Burma campaign.
He said: "My wife doesn't like swords so it's just been in a drawer in the house but I've got no idea if it's worth anything as over the years it's ended up in quite a poor state. It would be nice to find out more about its history and value."
Flog It! series editor Heidi Ellert, said: "Lulworth has an amazing history and the location makes it so much more than just another venue. With all locations it's a challenge to fit everyone into the building so it's great to be able to film here."
Liz Seabrook, 79, from Poole, brought a late 19th century eggshell china set she inherited from Scottish ancestors. She said: "The atmosphere today has been superb and it was interesting to see how the show is set up and watch the action.
"It's my first time visiting the set and I love watching the show so it's been a great experience. I expect all the extra tourism will be good for the local economy too."


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9 items found in this collection
What Doctors do for their own sore throats
The doctor who discovered Mentho-Kreoamo has not lost a case of pneumonia in 13 ...
New! Like a Doctor's Cough Prescription
"What I know about nice women"
Here's Notarized Proof That You May Lose Ugly Fat Safely The Kyron Way
Don't Be Fat! Lose 20 Pounds Safely
Prescription He Wrote in 1892 is the World's Most Popular Laxative
Report From Pfizer
What I Have Learned in 47 Years Practice
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