text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Mar 10, 1981
|Filing date
|Sep 25, 1978
|Priority date
|Sep 25, 1978
|Publication number
|Luc M. Hondeghem
|Original Assignee
|Hondeghem Luc M
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (8), Referenced by (47), Classifications (14), Legal Events (1)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a programmable waveform generating system especially adapted to produce strings of output pulses suitable for measuring the response of biological samples to electrical stimulation under different conditions. More particularly, it relates to such a system suitable for measuring responses of living tissue to electrical stimulation. Most especially, it relates to such a system in which the output pulses used to stimulate the living tissue may be easily varied by the user or by the system itself under suitable program control, depending on the response of the tissue to the waveforms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The search for chemical substances exhibiting desirable pharmacological properties is complex and never ending. In many instances, this search is hampered by a lack of knowledge of the mechanism at the cellular or even molecular level by which a particular chemical substance produces desirable pharmacological effects.
An approach which has proved to be useful in understanding the mechanism by which a particular pharmacological compound produces its effects has been through applying electrical signals of living tissue and measuring the response of the tissue to these signals both in the absence and presence of a substance under study. This approach is often based on the fact that living tissue produces minute electrical signals which vary as the environment of the tissue is varied. This tissue may also produce observable physiological or biochemical (e.g. metabolic) responses to such electrical stimulation. In order to obtain meaningful information by such electrical stimulus of tissue, it is necessary to change the timing, voltage and current of such signals and study the differences in responses produced by the tissue. It is often then desirable to change the applied signals further on the basis of the responses received to pulses originally applied to the tissue.
Similar considerations apply generally in the biomedical field. Various responses of living tissue to different forms of electrical stimulation are of use in elucidating the mechanisms by which organisms function. When a set of pulses is used to stimulate living tissue, a pattern of responses will often follow an exponential relationship until a steady state response condition is reached. It is often desired to change the set of pulses applied to the tissue at different portions of the exponential response. Because the exact nature of the exponential response is often not known at the time of the beginning of a series of experiments, a system cannot be completely programmed ahead of time to produce the required set of pulses. In many cases, it is desired to stress an organism or tissue with a repeated set of pulses until a steady state response is obtained, apply a different set of pulses to test the organism or tissue at that time, apply new stressing pulses until another steady state response is obtained, apply new testing pulses, and so forth.
Primarily as a result of the need to test performance of electronic circuits, programmable pulse generators for supplying output pulses are known in the art. However, the requirements for such programmable pulse generators in electronic applications are quite different than are required for the study of living tissue. In the electronic field, pulse frequencies in the gigahertz range are common.
While a string of pulses at such high frequency may be fairly complex in the electronic field, once a pulse program for a particular circuit has been established, it usually does not need to be changed. As a result, typical programmable pulse generators for electronic applications rely on a so-called "test can" which includes specialized circuitry for generating a particular string of pulses. With this approach, a new test can must be provided each time the pulse string produced by the pulse generator is to be changed. Alternatively, a pulse string may be changed in prior art test equipment for electronic applications in certain respects by manual operator intervention, such as by setting decade switches and the like.
On the other hand, for biomedical research, lower maximum frequencies in the megahertz (MHz) range are sufficient in a pulse string. However, it is often desired to apply a multiplicity of pulse strings varied in one or more parameters sequentially to a sample. In fact, it is often desired to modify parameters of subsequent pulse strings based on the response received for the sample to earlier pulse strings. Using commercially available pulse generators intended for electronic test applications in the biomedical field is quite time consuming due to the difficulty of making such changes in the pulses produced with them.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a system for producing electrical signals suitable for application to a biological sample, which signals can be varied during successive periods of time without intervention by a user.
It is another object of the invention to provide a system which generates output electrical waveforms especially suited for biomedical applications in a plurality of time periods, each including a pre-determined number of sub-intervals during which the waveforms may vary.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a programmable pulse generating system which can, without user intervention, provide output pulses during successive time periods, each including sub-intervals of time during which the output pulses may vary.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a system for generating output electrical signals in successive time periods including sub-intervals during which the output signals may vary in accordance with a pre-determined scheme and in which the circuits for defining the periods and sub-intervals are configured to allow the periods and sub-intervals to be precisely defined in length and be contiguous with each other.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a pulse generating system which may be programmed by a user without knowledge of a programming language and without providing a new circuit to produce a different set of output pulses.
It is still another object of this invention to provide such a programmable pulse generator in which the output pulses may be converted to analog form as output voltages which vary in accordance with the voltage levels of the output pulses.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a programmable pulse generator which is able to establish on a real time basis the characteristics of a subsequent set of test pulses to be applied to a test subject based on responses to a previous set of pulses applied thereto, without requiring operator intervention.
The attainment of the foregoing and related objects may be achieved through use of the novel programmable pulse generator herein disclosed. Such a programmable pulse generating system in accordance with the invention includes means for generating waveforms during a plurality of time periods, each including sub-intervals during which the output pulses may vary. A waveform generation control means is connected to the waveform generating means for defining the characteristics of the output waveform during each sub-interval. Timing means is connected to the waveform generation control means for defining the time periods and sub-intervals. Means is provided for entering information into the system to define the time periods, sub-intervals and characteristics of the output waveform during each sub-interval. A system control means is connected to the information entering means, the timing means and the waveform generation means. In a preferred form of the invention, the timing means includes two sets of timing circuits which operate alternatively to produce time period and sub-interval defining signals during successive time intervals. The set of timing circuits not producing the defining signals during a given interval is conditioned during that interval to produce the defining signals during a succeeding interval. The system control means is desirably a microprocessor, such as a commercially available Z-80 microprocessor.
Such a system is implemented in an especially preferred form by providing the required circuits in digital form using transistor-transistor logic (T2 L) and T2 L compatible circuits. The output waveforms may be in digital form or, through use of a suitable digital to analog (D/A) converter, in analog form. This system enables a string of output pulses with different characteristics in different time intervals to be provided, and it allows the output pulse strings to be changed rapidly by the controlling program on the basis of subject response, thus providing meaningful data in biomedical studies more rapidly.
The attainment of the foregoing and related objects, advantages and features should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art after review of the following more detailed description of the invention, taken together with the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an external, perspective view of a system in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 is in part a diagram of a typical set of output waveforms to be produced with a system in accordance with the invention and in part a flow diagram carried out through use of a program in conjunction with the waveforms;
FIG. 4 shows the relationship between FIGS. 4A and 4B;
FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of certain control pulses used in a system in accordance with the invention to produce output waveforms;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a portion of the system shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the system shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is another schematic diagram of a portion of the system shown in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 8 is a third schematic diagram of another part of the system shown in FIG. 2.
Turning now to the drawings, more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an external view of a system in accordance with the invention, including its control panel 10. The control panel includes a key pad 12 for entering information and programs into the system. A plurality of input jacks 14 is provided for supplying external signals to the system. A plurality of output jacks 16 furnishes the output waveforms from the system. The first two input jacks 18 and 20 may be used to provide external start and stop signals for the system, which also may be provided manually by the go and stop buttons 22 and 24 positioned immediately above the input jacks 18 and 20. The next four input jacks 26 are used to provide external sense signals to the system, typically obtained from a biological sample to which output signals from output jacks 16 are supplied or from manual inputs by the user based on observation. The remaining two input jacks 28 and 30 provide input signals to allow signal time periods and sub-intervals to be determined by external events, again typically produced by a biological sample under test or by any other external timing means. Jack 32 allows the fundamental clock frequency generated in the system to be provided as an output signal.
Output jacks 16 are provided in two sets of five each and provide the output pulse waveforms in the system. Each jack of a set is for a sub-interval of time within a time period as defined by the system. The output signals for sub-intervals of successive time periods are provided alternately by the two sets of output jacks 16, thus allowing conditioning of time circuits to gate the output signals to the jacks to be accomplished during a time interval in which that set of timing circuits is not gating the output signals. Switches 31 above the output jacks 16 allow individual control of the output jacks 16.
An alternative analog output section 33 is used when it is desired to convert the usual digital output signals from the system to an analog signal by means of a D/A converter. An intensity control 39 is also provided to allow manual selection of an analog signal to be supplied on jack 41. This control also allows analog control over duration since an A/D converter reads the number for duration from the potentiometer associated with control 39. An alphanumeric display panel 34 both provides an indication of numerical data entered into the system and is used to ask questions of a user in a human language, e.g. English. Responses to the questions entered via key pad 12 operate to program the instrument. A digital casette reader/recorder 36 allows programs and data to be entered into the system from a digital casette, allows programs and data entered by means of key pad 12 to be recorded on a digital casette, and allows an output pulse program to be stored on a casette for permanent storage as it is being run.
FIG. 2 shows the essential elements of a waveform generating system in accordance with the invention in block diagram form. The system includes a mother board 50, a front panel board 52 plugged into the mother board 50, a central processing unit (CPU) board 54, a random access memory (RAM) board 56, a timer board 58 and a D/A board 60, the latter boards all also being plugged into the mother board 50. The front panel board 52 includes a plurality of keyboard switches 62 responsive to key pad 12 (FIG. 1) and connected to input-output (I/O) logic circuits 64 as indicated at 66. The I/O logic circuits 64 interface between the keyboard switches 62 and display 34, as indicated at 68. The I/O logic circuit 64 also interfaces with CPU 70 on CPU board 54 as indicated at 72. A crystal oscillator 74 interfaces to CPU 70 as indicated at 76. A read only memory 78 containing an operating system program interfaces with the CPU 70 as indicated at 80. A plurality of data lines indicated at 82 connects the CPU 70 to a sequence random access memory 84 on RAM board 56, in which waveform sequence information is stored and retrieved in response to commands from CPU 70. Additional portions of the random access memory on RAM board 56 are assigned stack, scratch pad and page zero functions by the CPU 70 as indicated at 86, 88 and 90.
In addition to providing a fundamental frequency for CPU 70, crystal oscillator 74 also supplies its fundamental frequency on line 92 to a 1 MHz clock 94, i.e., a counter which divides down the fundamental frequency of oscillator 74 to 1 MHz. The 1 MHz frequency of clock 94 is further divided by period clock generator 96 and sub-interval clock generator 98, each connected to clock 94 by lines 100 and 102, respectively. The output frequencies of clock generators 96 and 98 are supplied on lines 104 and 106 to period frequency selector 108 and sub-interval frequency selector 110, respectively.
CPU 70 interfaces with I/O logic circuit 112 as indicated at 114. I/O logic circuit 112 supplies signals from the CPU 70 to the circuit elements on timer board 58. The I/O logic circuits 112 are connected to the period frequency selector 108 and the sub-interval frequency selector 110 by means of lines 116 and 118, respectively.
I/O logic circuits 112 are connected to a first set 120 of period and sub-interval counters by lines 122. Similarly, a second set 124 of period and sub-interval counters is connected to I/O logic circuits 112 by lines 126. Each set 120 and 124 of counters include period quantity counters 128 which count the number of repetitions of time periods incorporating a set of pulses during their sub-intervals, as will be explained in more detail in connection with FIGS. 4A and 4B. The two counters 128 are connected by line 130. Each set 120 and 124 of counters also includes a period duration counter 132, each connected to its corresponding period quantity counter 128 by line 134. Each of the period duration counters are connected to period clock reset logic circuits 140 as indicated by line 142. Similarly, each of the sub-interval counters 136 is connected to sub-interval clock reset logic 144 as indicated by line 146. The period clock reset logic circuit 140 is connected to period clock generator 96 by line 148, and the sub-interval clock reset logic circuit 144 is connected to the sub-interval clock generator 98 by line 150.
Turning now to the D/A board 60, I/O logic circuits 152, similar to the I/O logic circuits 112 on board 58, are connected to CPU 70 by line 154. I/O logic circuits 152 are in turn connected to D/A selection circuits 156 by line 158. The D/A selection circuits 156 are connected by twelve input lines 160 to a D/A converter 162, which converts digital signals on lines 160 to analog voltage levels.
In order to allow testing of the D/A converter 162 by CPU 70, the D/A converter 162 is folded back through an A/D converter 164 by means of lines 166 and 168 as shown. This feature allows the analog signals generated by D/A converter 162 to be converted back into digital form for comparison with the original digital signals supplied by the CPU in a test routine. Front panel intensity control 39 (see also FIG. 1) is also connected to A/D converter 164 by line 170. This control allows a user to obtain the function of an analog stimulator in a digital unit. Typically the user adjusts the intensity (current and voltage) of a pulse supplied via jack 41 (FIG. 1) so as to obtain a desired effect on a subject under test and then observes the value of the thus adjusted pulse after its conversion to digital form by the A/D converter 164 and transmission to display 34 via CPU 70.
Tape interface circuits 172 are also included on the D/A board 60 as well in order to provide more even distribution of circuit population on the boards and allow the CPU 70 to interface with casette tape unit 36 (FIG. 1).
FIG. 3 represents a typical set of waveforms of the type to be produced using the system of this invention. Shown at 171 is a first sequence of pulses A1 through E1 occurring during successive sub-intervals of the period shown, together with an analog signal 172 produced from the A1-E1 signals by D/A converter 162 in FIG. 2. The designation X10 appearing as a subscript for the first sequence is to be repeated ten times. This means that the first set 120 of period and sub-interval counters shown in FIG. 2 would maintain control during the ten repetitions of the first pulse sequence. This first pulse sequence repeated ten times would typically be for the purpose of conditioning an organism or tissue under test to arrive at a steady state response condition. A second sequence of pulses is shown at 173. The subscript designation XI means that this second pulse sequence is only to be presented once. This second sequence of pulses 173 would therefore typically be used to test a living organism or tissue to which the first sequence of pulses 171 had been applied for pre-conditioning. Depending on results obtained with the second sequence of pulses 173, a user program might select from one or more additional pulse sequences for presentation to the subject under test. This is indicated by the if positive go to sequence 53 instruction at 174. Sequence 53 presents another set of pulses 175 to the subject under test. As indicated by the subscript, this set of pulses 175 is presented to the subject under test 9,434 times. As indicated at 176, a user program may incorporate a decision block to allow the sequence 53 pulses 175 to be presented the full 9,434 times if proper responses are being received from the subject. If not, the pre-conditioning pulses 171 of sequence one can be repeated until the subject under test is responding properly. From this example, it can be seen that the system of this invention can provide both highly complex and variable pulse sequences in accordance with a user program incorporating branching decisions.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show a pulse program which enables the system to generate a set of waveforms 175 as shown in FIG. 3. The pulse program will be explained in detail with reference to the more detailed system and circuit diagrams which follow. Shown at 176 are the clock pulses having a period from trailing edge to trailing edge of 1 microsecond. Each of the pulses 177 as shown have a duration of 200 nanoseconds, obtained through use of a one shot circuit. Shown at 178 is a negative incursion in a normally inhibiting signal. This negative incursion 178 is produced as an initialization pulse when the system is started up and provides the starting point of reference for the subsequent pulses. Additional clock signals as shown at 179 and 180 are provided in order to allow the timing and counting of time periods in which the individual output pulses 175 are provided. In this example, the time period is 7 microseconds in duration, the A sub-interval is 2 microseconds in duration, sub-intervals B through D are 1 microsecond in duration and sub-interval E is 2 microseconds in duration. The additional clock pulse 179 is used to define the period. The additional set of clock pulses at 180 defines and counts the sub-intervals. Because the period and each sub-interval in this example are measured in microseconds, the clock pulses at 179 and 180 are identical to the master clock pulses 176.
Returning now to the section of FIG. 2 including the timing circuits which generate signals to indicate the time periods, the timer section includes first and second strings 120 and 124 of counters, which alternately produce output pulses during alternate periods as defined by the first and second period counters 128. The counter strings 120 and 124 also each include a period duration counter 132 with an output 138 connected to A1 and A2 sub-interval counters 136. A1 and A2 sub-interval counters 136 are connected to B1 and B2 sub-interval counters 136 by outputs 138. In like manner, B1 and B2 sub-interval counters 136 are connected to C1 and C2 sub-interval counters 136 by output 138, and so forth.
In operation, a timing sequence is initiated either by a GO signal on line 122 or a signal on line 131 indicating that a period defined by second period counter 128 has terminated. Either signal commences a period defined by first period counter 128. Simultaneously, this signal is supplied to period 1 duration counter 132 and to A1 sub-interval counter 136. At the conclusion of the A1 sub-interval, a signal on A1 sub-interval counter 136 output line 138 initiates the B1 counter sub-interval 136 to define the B1 sub-interval. This same sequence of operation continues through completion of the E1 sub-interval. It should be noted that, in practice, sub-intervals A1 through D1 are defined in accordance with data previously entered into the system. Interval E1 is determined as the remainder of the period defined by first period counter 128 after completion of sub-interval A1-D1. Entry of data to define the E1 sub-interval is therefore not necessary. At the conclusion of a period defined by first period counter 128 a signal on line 130 initiates count by second period counter 128 of the subsequent period defined by it. As in the case of the first period, the second period is broken up into five sub-intervals, each defined successively by the A2 through E2 sub-interval counters 136 as above. At the conclusion of this second period, a signal on line 131 initiates another period, measured by first period counter 128. Providing separate period counters, each with an associated set of sub-interval counters in this manner allows transparent updating of the period and sub-interval information during a period in which the other period counter and its associated sub-interval counters are controlling the definition of the time period and its sub-intervals. It should be noted that one of the period counters 128 will maintain control during repetition of the same pulses in subsequent time periods, such as for repetition of first pulse sequence 171 for 10 times, as indicated in FIG. 3.
Turning now to FIG. 5, a frequency division network suitable for providing sets of pulses which are combined to define the periods and sub-intervals is shown. In this and subsequent figures, the numbers in some of the circuit blocks refer to commercially available integrated circuit types. For example, the designation 123 inside block 209 refers to a 74LS123 type one shot circuit. The frequency division network is set up to establish a 1 MHz clock signal output from a 2 MHz input at 200. The 1 MHz clock signal is then divided in six successive stages to give the frequency used to define the periods and sub-intervals discussed above. The 2 MHz input at 200 is first divided by two by flip-flop 202 to produce a 1 MHz signal on line 204. This signal forms one input of AND gate 206. The other input 208 to AND gate 206 is for a HOLD signal. The presence of a HOLD signal on line 208 allows a 1 Mhz signal to pass AND gate 206 and be supplied to one shot circuit 209 on line 210. When a HOLD signal is low, all counters will be stopped at a particular point. When the HOLD signal is high, counting will resume at that particular point. The one shot circuit 209 converts 1 MHz square wave pulses to 200 nanosecond pulses at the same frequency, which are supplied as an output on line 210 (corresponding to clock pulses 177 in FIG. 4) and are also supplied on line 212 for further division to provide the period and sub-interval frequencies.
The 1 MHz signal on line 212 is divided down in decades from 10-6 to 100 in two parallel strings 214 and 216 of dividers 218. The counters 218 are synchronous four-bit decade counters of the 74LS160 type, with the outputs 220, 222, 224, 226 and 228 of the counters in string 214 serving as an input to the counter 218 immediately below that output. Output 230 provides the lowest frequency in the string. In a similar manner, the outputs 232, 234, 236, 238 and 240 interconnect the counters 218 of sub-interval counter string 216. The lowest frequency from string 216 is provided on output 242.
FIG. 6 shows the circuits which provide the signals to define the periods and sub-intervals from the output frequencies generated by the circuitry of FIG. 5. As shown, output 210 and outputs 220-230 in FIG. 5 form inputs to a period data selection and multiplexer integrated circuit 300. Output 210 and outputs 232-242 in FIG. 5 form similar inputs to a sub-interval data selection and multiplexer integrated circuit 302. Input 304 to period selector 300 allows the period to be determined by counting external events. A similar input 306 to sub-interval selector 302 allows the sub-intervals to be determined by counting external events as well.
The period selection is accomplished by use of data stored in a random access memory 308, which has itself received the data from the Z-80 microprocessor CPU 70 (FIG. 2) on inputs 310 and 312. Appropriate signals for the selection are supplied from random access memory 308 to period selector 300 on lines 314. Signals defining the selection period are generated from the inputs on lines 210 and 220-230 and supplied on output 316 from period selector 300.
Sub-interval selection occurs in a similar manner through use of sub-interval selector 302, but under alternate control of random access memories 318 and 320. The random access memories 318 and 320 provide the information for defining the sub-intervals alternately in order to allow update of them during a period in which they are not providing the information to define the sub-intervals. As in the case of random access memory 308, the information is provided to random access memory 318 on inputs 322 and 324 and to random access memory 320 on inputs 326 and 328 from the Z-80 microprocessor CPU 70 (FIG. 2). The appropriate sub-interval information is supplied to sub-interval selector 302 on line 330 or 332, depending on which random access memory 318 or 320 is providing the information. Appropriate signals for defining the sub-intervals are generated from the inputs on lines 210 and 232-240 and supplied by sub-interval selector 302 on line 334.
FIG. 7 is a more detailed circuit diagram of one string 120 of the period and sub-interval counters in the block diagram of FIG. 2. It should be recognized that the other string 124 of the period and sub-interval counters in FIG. 2 is essentially a duplicate of what is shown in FIG. 7, and it therefore will not be presented in detail.
The circuit of FIG. 7 receives either a negative incursion in a GO signal or a similar CYCLE 2 signal from the other string 124 of period and sub-interval counters by AC coupling at OR gate 400. The AC coupled signal is supplied on line 401 to one shot circuit 402 to produce the standardized 200 ns. INIT pulse 178 (FIG. 4A). The INIT pulse 178 is supplied simultaneously to cycle counter 404 on line 406 to serial counter 408 on line 410 through OR gate 412, to sub-interval A counter 414 on line 416, and to positive edge triggered flip-flop 420 via inverter 422 and line 424. Using the INIT pulse to trigger counters 404, 408, and 414 and to trigger flip-flop 420 virtually simultaneously makes delays in the counters transparent to the user. This same concept is used for simultaneously triggering B, C and D sub-interval counters 426, 428 and 430 and their associated B1, C1, D1 flip-flops 432, 434 and 436 by the output of the previous counter 414, 426 or 428. A similar approach triggers the E1 flip-flop 438, but it does not have an associated sub-interval counter because the E1 sub-interval is defined as the rest of the time period after the sub-intervals A1-D1 have been subtracted from it. An appropriate signal from delay element one shot 440 on line 442 is rippled through flip-flops 444, 446, 448 and 450, also to insure the contiguity of output pulses A1-E1. In addition to providing contiguous output pulses during sub-intervals A through E of a time period, because the E pulse is defined as the remainder of subtracting the A through D sub-interval from the time period, the E sub-interval has tremendous range (e.g., one year) with microsecond resolution. Use of both strings 120 and 124 (FIG. 2) of period counters in this manner allows the E sub-interval to be very precisely placed at some time in the future (e.g., two years) as well. If one of the sub-intervals is made longer than its time period, the result can be interleaved output pulses, one from each string 120 and 124.
In order to avoid losing certain clock pulses in the time period clock pulse string 179 and the sub-interval clock pulse string 180 due to delays in the counter circuits 404, 408, 414, etc. it is necessary to add in extra pulses to the clock pulse strings as shown at 181, 182, 187 and 190 in FIGS. 4A and 4B to make up for actual clock pulses that would otherwise be missed. This can be done either by software control or by hard wired circuits.
FIG. 8 is a more detailed representation of the circuits on D/A board 60 in FIG. 2. I/O logic circuits 152 in FIG. 2 correspond to sub-interval decode circuits 500 and alternate cycle decode circuits 502. D/A selector circuits 156 in FIG. 2 correspond to memory array 504 in FIG. 8, which is made up of 74LS670 type memory integrated circuits. In response to appropriate control signals from decode circuits 500 and 502, the memory circuits 504 gate pulse information on lines 506 from which D/A converter 508 generates an analog output signal supplied at 510, for example analog signal 172 in FIG. 3. To allow self-testing of the D/A converter 508, line 512 supplies the analog signal to an analog to digital (A/D) converter 514 for reconversion to digital form. Output 516 supplies the resulting digital signal to interface circuit 518, which is in turn connected to CPU 70 for comparison of the reconverted digital signal with the original digital pulse information as supplied on lines 506.
It should be noted that there are twelve inputs 520 from the CPU 70 to memory circuits 504. Assuming use of an eight-bit Z-80 microprocessor, two eight-bit wide inputs from the CPU 70 are required to furnish the twelve inputs 520. The extra four inputs from the two eight-bit wide inputs can be supplied as inputs 522 to a second group of memory circuits 524 for generation of additional output signals at 526.
It should now be apparent that a programmable pulse generator capable of achieving the stated objects has been provided. This system provides output pulses in a plurality of time periods of essentially any duration, each sub-dividable into sub-intervals of lesser duration than the time periods. Successive time periods and intervals may be varied on a real time basis, without intervention by a user if desired. The time periods and intervals are precisely defined in length and are contiguous with each other. While these characteristics of the subject system make it especially desirable for producing electrical signals suitable for application to biological samples, especially for collision, summation, inhibition and facilitation studies in neurobiology, this programmable pulse generator should find application in a wide variety of other fields as well.
It should further be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made in the system as described. It is intended that such changes be included within the spirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.
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|Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
|Method and device for acquiring physiological data during tissue stimulation procedure
|Sep 14, 2015
|Aug 22, 2017
|Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
|Graphical user interface for programming neurostimulation pulse patterns
|Oct 29, 2015
|Oct 31, 2017
|Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
|Method and apparatus for programming complex neurostimulation patterns
|Apr 2, 2001
|Nov 28, 2002
|Kushnick Eric B.
|High resolution clock signal generator
|Sep 6, 2002
|Apr 17, 2003
|Horisan Gmbh
|Test system and method for producing a test signal for food tolerance analysis
|Jul 25, 2003
|Oct 21, 2004
|Campen George Van
|Method and apparatus for providing complex tissue stimulation patterns
|Jun 24, 2004
|Dec 30, 2004
|Kronberg James W.
|Apparatus and method for bioelectric stimulation, healing acceleration, pain relief, or pathogen devitalization
|Nov 19, 2007
|May 21, 2009
|Kronberg James W
|System and method for generating complex bioelectric stimulation signals while conserving power
|Jun 28, 2010
|Dec 30, 2010
|Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
|Method and device for acquiring physiological data during tissue stimulation procedure
|Sep 28, 2010
|Sep 29, 2011
|Credence Systems Corporation
|High resolution clock signal generator
|Dec 5, 2011
|Jun 7, 2012
|Nidek Co., Ltd.
|Living tissue stimulation apparatus
|Mar 18, 2005
|May 8, 2012
|Medrelief Inc.
|Apparatus and method for bioelectric stimulation, healing acceleration and pain relief
|Feb 17, 1984
|Nov 8, 1989
|Deltex International B.V.
|Electronic programmable device intended to stimulate and control the contraction of muscles, particularly smooth muscles of the vascular tissue
|Jul 3, 1997
|Jan 7, 1998
|Matra MHS
|Generator of electronic duration and frequency programmable pulses
|Sep 20, 1985
|Mar 27, 1986
|Francis Berthelin
|Installation for muscular stimulation
|Jan 29, 1986
|Aug 14, 1986
|Analogic Corporation
|Electrical waveform generator means and methods
|Oct 3, 1996
|May 1, 1997
|Regeneration Technology
|Bio-active frequency generator and method
|Aug 21, 2002
|Feb 27, 2003
|Healthonics, Inc.
|Apparatus and method for bioelectric stimulation, healing acceleration and pain relief
|Jul 31, 2002
|Feb 12, 2004
|Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for providing complex tissue stimulation patterns
|U.S. Classification
|702/125, 702/19, 607/72
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Dec 8, 1980
Effective date: 19801023
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HONDEGHEM LUC M.;REEL/FRAME:003812/0812
Owner name: MICRO-DATA COLLECTION, INC, A CORP. OF, CALIFORNIA


text:
[GOLEADORES] Lionel Messi followed up on his five-goal Champions League performance in the midweek with two La Liga goals to give him 50 for
Barcelona in all competitions this season. In Germany, Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez hit a trick while in England Wayne Rooney's double-strike moved Manchester United
into the EPL lead. For leading scorer updates in Europe's major leagues ...
Messi scored both goals on Sunday in Barcelona's 2-0 win over Racing Santander. The Argentine already has 50 goals in 43 Barca games in this season, including 12 Champions League and 30 La Liga goals. Last season he scored 53 goals in 55 games.
Spain La Liga
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal) 32
Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina) 30
Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid/Argentina) 17
Falcao (Atletico Madrid/Colombia) 16
Ronaldo stayed ahead of Messi in the Pichichi race by scoring twice as league leader Real Madrid downed Real Betis, 3-2.
English Premier League
Robin Van Persie (Arsenal/Netherlands) 25
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United/England) 20
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City/Argentina) 16
Demba Ba (Newcastle/Senegal) 16
Rooney scored both Manchester United's goals in a 2-0 win over West Brom that combined with Manchester City's loss to Swansea put Man United atop the Premier League standings.
German Bundesliga
Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich/Germany) 21
Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04/Netherlands) 19
Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund/Poland) 16
Claudio Pizzaro (Werder Bremen/Peru) 16
Lukas Podolski (FC Cologne/Germany) 16
Gomez hit a hat trick in Bayern's 7-2 win over Hoffenheim to keep him on track to win the Bundesliga scoring title for a second straight season. He finished with 28 goals in 2010-11. The Bayern win combined with Borussia Dortmund's scoreless tie at Augsburg shrinks Dortmund's lead over Bayern at the top of the standings to five points.
Dutch Eredivisie
Bas Dost (Heerenveen/Netherlands) 22
Luuk de Jong (Twente/Netherlands) 20
Sanharib Malki (RODA JC/Syria) 17
John Guidetti (Feyenoord/Sweden) 16
Dries Mertens (PSV/Belgium) 16
Dost scored twice in fifth-place Heerenveen's 4-2 win over Excelsior
Italian Serie A
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan/Sweden) 19
Antonio Di Natale (Udinese/Italy) 18
Edinson Cavani (Napoli/Uruguay) 16
German Denis (Atalanta/Argentina) 15
Ibrahimovic followed up on last week's hat trick with a goal in AC Milan's 2-0 win over Lecce that opened up a four-point lead for AC Milan over second-place Juventus.
France Ligue 1
Olivier Giroud (Montpellier/France) 17
Nene (Paris SG/Brazil) 13
(Three players tied with 11 goals.)
Giroud scored in second-place Montpellier's 3-0 win over Caen.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Donkey Kong Baffles
Answering a question asked in the photo gallery thread
Question posed:
"So, without wandering too far OT, and as charcoal may have been wondering, how is the low end, cervelorider? With floor coupling a similar style OB I made had decent low end (mine wasn't square and driver was off-center as Charcoal also asked). Without that, I could imagine it might get a bit thin."
Answer: Actually, these have the best bass of any single driver open baffle speaker I've ever heard. Recently, at a friend's house, as Randy in Caintuck can attest, the bass response of the Betsy full range driver elicited "whoa" responses from all three of us listening. Placement and room boundaries have as much to do with the bass as the driver and baffle though. My friend's smaller room sounded much better than my larger room. So...as with all things audio, your results may vary, but the off the ground design seems to be made up for by the large baffle surface.
Thanks for posting this, cervelorider. I've been looking at the Betsy and BetsyK for a while (I LOVE the way OB sound except for the sometimes lacking low end), just waiting for a little extra green in my wallet.
Oh, and as I said in the fullrange thread, they are truly beautiful! Love the black on birch.
Donkey Kong
Truly beautiful. How bout some more photos? And some measurements? And some thoughts about how they perform, where they are placed, and what you might do differently. Basically, I'm seeing a project that even I could pull off...and want to know more. Thanks sooooo much.
The "whoa" response happened several times. The other neat thing about these speakers is that they had the effect of just making me close my eyes and soak up the front row performance that was taking place in the room ..... very natural, with a good blend of tone and detail across the entire frequency range.
Since my "MTM Betsy" project didn't turn out as well as expected, I now have a spare pair of Betsy drivers to play with.
Guess what I am going to build with them ..... ;)
Alright Randy! Can't wait to see the Donkey Kong II. :D
Urchin: Sorry, no measurements. Wouldn't tell you much anyway as the room and placement is everything when it comes to a speaker like this.
Placement is by taste and varies depending on the room. I had them at a friends house and his room sounded much different than mine.
There isn't much to the build. What you see is about it. Some short angled wings, hidden behind the "legs" is all I did for support on mine. The bottom needs to be angled back a bit. You'll need to engineer more bracing than I did if you have pets, kids or don't like to live dangerously. A swoopy L shaped bracket cut from a singlular piece of ply, on a piano hinge, would probably suffice.
Is the back of the Donkey Kong also perfectly flat? And I can't really see how you made the feet. They do, in fact, seem easy to tip....
My friend has them at his house, giving them a good work out, but when I get them back, I'll be adding a brace in the center back, with a piano hinge.
Thanks! When you do get them back, I would love to see a photo of the back. I'm not sure what "narrow wings" look like...but I would love to have a peek.
Really beautiful...
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text:
$25 for $50 toward classic Italian cuisine 50% off at Fratelli's Italian Bistro
- Open for lunch and dinner.
- A wide selection of red and white wine by glass and by bottle.
- Taste dishes like avocado crab salad, Oreo cheesecake, grilled chicken and mozzarella flatbread, and lobster ravioli.
Why You Should Go: When it comes to comfort food, some people swear by meatloaf, mashed potatoes and fried chicken. But when you truly want a comfortable and delicious meal, there's only one type of food that'll do the trick: Italian. Enjoy your favorites and new soon-to-be favorite Italian dishes at Fratelli's Italian Bistro on Chestnut Street.
Why You'll Love It: This elegant yet cozy restaurant brings together all our favorite Italian delicacies on one delicious menu. Whatever you're craving, every appetite will be satisfied thanks to the wide variety of classic and modern pasta, seafood, flat breads, chicken and veal dishes.
What to Eat: Start with grilled shrimp scampi or baby crab cakes with lemon aioli before moving on to entrees like chili pepper chicken rigatoni, grilled tilapia with mango salsa, or avocado crab salad...all of which can be paired with a glass from the vast wine list.
Fine Print
- Buy unlimited vouchers.
- Limit 2 vouchers per visit/table.
- Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri & Sat 11am-10:30pm, Sun 12pm-8pm.
- Gratuity not included; please tip on the full value of the bill.
- Full value of each voucher must be redeemed in one visit; not valid for cash or credit.
- Cannot be used in conjunction with other deals
About Fratelli's Italian Bistro
Philadelphia, PA, 19107 Phone: 215-731-0700 Get Directions
Redemption Instructions:
- Please print and present voucher at time of ordering.
- A valid ID may be required.


text:
Some may read my title, scratch their head and think, what the heck is she talking about! How can writing be anything like buying a horse? Well, it can. If you stick around and keep reading, I'll explain how. But—buyers beware.
I became familiar with that term at an early age. Buyer beware. It means the seller of the animal is not going to volunteer everything there is to know about said horse. You have to dig to find out what said nature is really like. If you're a savvy buyer, and have been through the process several times before, you'll know and even jump at the chance to have several other knowledgeable equestrians, not just friends who fancy themselves knowledgeable about horses, take said horse out for a ride. And then, if you like what you've seen so far, you'll get a vet check to see if said animal is really sound.
If you're still with me, let me break it down further.
As the author of the story, you are both seller and buyer of your novel. As the seller, you love your story, think it's the next New York Times Bestseller, and don't want to change a single word of it. On the other hoof, as the buyer, you must analyze every chapter, every paragraph and even every sentence that the seller (you) is trying to slip past in order to make the sale.
After you've spent many hours with your prospect, fine-tuning and re-writing, you go the next step. Just as a horse buyer seeks out the help of other equestrian professionals or even trainers, you ask the assistance of your writing colleagues and critique partners. These are people who'll agree to give your "mount" a ride and offer an honest appraisal of him. They'll point out if "your horse" has a nasty habit of biting or is sporting a big roman nose. They'll let you know if he's so boring no one is going to stick with him past page five. All this may be hard to hear, yes, but you'd rather hear it now, when problems can be fixed, than later, from a barrage of readers.
If your horse makes it past the gauntlet of critique partners, it's time for a vet check—in other words, a read from a professional editor, whether that's from your publisher's editing team or a freelancer. Without a vet check you're sure to be sorry. We can't see the faults of our own beloved animal. We love him; we worship the ground he trots on. But…if you really love him, you'll send him out for inspection.
After the deal has been struck and your horse—er, book, is in print, then you'll have all the time in the world to pet him and give him carrots, blab to tell everyone about him and haul him around to horse shows, (chapter contests), where perhaps someday he'll win the world renown AQHA Quarter Horse World Show in Fort Worth—aka, The Rita!
Hey, it could happen….
This is the way I go about writing and buying. Do you have another valuable way you can share? One lucky commenter will win my latest release, TEXAS TWILIGHT!
Here's my "new mount", TEXAS TWILIGHT. Let me know what you think of him…
TEXAS TWILIGHT – Book Two in The McCutcheon Family Series
Fresh out of medical school, John McCutcheon finds his stagecoach under attack by brutal outlaws. With the help of a feisty acquaintance, Lily Anthony, he manages to fend off the assault. Lily is attracted to the charming cowboy-doctor, with his chiseled good looks and teasing ways, then heartbroken to learn he's engaged to be married.
– Theresa Ragan, author of Return of the Rose
Once settled in Rio Wells, Texas, John tries to ignore the fact that his cousin has taken a shine to Lily. When a bounty hunter shows up looking for a priceless jewel that Lily has found stashed away in her aunt's belongings, Lily fears her dreams of owning her own shop--and of finding true love--are about to go up in flames...or, could that just be the glow of a beautiful … Texas Twilight?
Caroline Fyffe grew up in the little town of El Dorado, CA, the youngest of five girls and whose main interest was the family's horses. An equine photographer for over twenty years now, she has worked throughout the United States and Germany. Long days in the arenas present plenty of opportunity to dream up all sorts of stories. Her love of horses and the Old West is the inspiration behind her books. Her debut book, WHERE THE WIND BLOWS, was the recipient of the prestigious Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award and also the Wisconsin RWA's Write Touch Readers' Award. MONTANA DAWN, Book One of the McCutcheon Family Series, was a Maggie Finalist, Gayle Wilson Finalist and winner of the Laurel Wreath. TEXAS TWILIGHT, Book Two of the McCutcheon Family Series, is newly published. Watch for SOURDOUGH CREEK.
Married for many years, Caroline's most cherished achievements are her two grown sons.
Visit Caroline at www.carolinefyffe.com
Tweet with Caroline at https://twitter.com/#!/CarolineFyffe
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hpskip#!/caroline.fyffe
See her photographs at www.carolinefyffephoto.com
Write to her at firstname.lastname@example.com. She'd love to hear from you!
Winner of Caroline's latest release, Texas Twilight a romantic historical western ebook, will be announced in the Weekend Edition.


text:
Credit Advice
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If the mortgage loan is current and always paid on time without any lates, think twice about getting your name removed from it, it may be contributing significantly in a good way to your score/profile. Do you have other lines of credit that are in good standing on your reports? If so, it may not be that big of a deal to remove it, but if your credit profile is thin, then removing the mortgage loan from your reports could really damage your score. As for your question, of course it would lower your debt to income and that would have benefits, but make sure you know what those benefits would cost.
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text:
The Beginning
I discovered the joys of Glen Coe back in the early 80s. Before that it was just a name associated with big mountains, bare chested climbing and the infamous massacre. At first I felt way out of my depth whenever I visited Glen Coe, or more accurately, when I visited the Clachaig Inn at the foot of the glen. The surrounding mountains are steep and forbidding, often shrouded in mist and rain, and to a young hillwalker the people in the pub were equally intimidating! "Belching, scratching and farting" was how my mate Clive once described the denizens of the Clachaig. I remember seeing lots of familiar faces from climbing magazines in the bar, many sadly now dead, and their tales of daring do seemed way beyond anything I was capable of.
But over the next few years my skills increased, and slowly but surely I found that I was turning into one of the belchers, scratchers and farters! It was great to turn up late on a Friday evening, after a 400 mile drive, and be recognised by the bar staff. I even started to have friends who I only ever bumped into at The Clachaig, or on the surrounding hills. I love Glen Coe at all times of year, but in winter everything moves up another level and the mountains attain a grandeur way above their relatively low altitude.
While I was enjoying myself in the wilds of Scotland, my mate Clive was busy bringing up a young family, but eventually he grew tired of my stories and decided he wanted to join me on one of my Glen Coe winter weekends. By now I had found that waiting for good weather in Scotland was a foolish thing to do. I generally decided to go whatever the weather, and had always had a great time. The classic big winter days were at least equalled by wet and windy wash outs, but I usually found something to climb and never had a wasted trip. Until the one with Clive that is....
Off We GoIt would be impossible to drive to Glen Coe on the Saturday, do some climbing, then return on the Sunday, a round trip of 800 miles. But in those days we rarely had the luxury of being able to take both the Friday and Monday off work. So generally it was drive up Friday, climb Saturday and Sunday, then drive back totally knackered, arriving home after midnight, with hopefully enough energy to get to work Monday morning. I'd got this down to a fine art, but Clive lived a further 100 miles south of me, and he was determined to do the driving, was this taking on too much?
The innocence, and stupidity, of youth prevailed. Clive arrived at my house late morning. We packed the car, ignored the diabolical weather forecast, and set off on the well worn track north. At this time of year the sun sets in Scotland by 4pm, so much of the journey was in the dark. Clive was eager to try out his new gear; plastic boots, crampons, ice axe (yes we were expecting snow despite the rain forecast), and more than anything he wanted to try out his new mountain tent.
The journey went quickly, non-stop conversation about the weekend ahead. Comparing options depending on the weather, me regailing Clive with stories about the Clachaig and all the great times I'd had there. We were ready for anything, or so we thought.
Things Get RoughAs we drove over Rannoch Moor we noticed that the car was being buffeted by the wind. "Don't worry" I said, "it will be a lot more sheltered down by the Clachaig". Clive smiled back, obviously reassured by my greater local knowledge.
But down at the pub it wasn't more sheltered at all. The easterly gale was being funnelled down the glen, and we had a job getting the car doors open against it. Wild camping is severely restricted in Glen Coe these days, and rightly so. It had become so popular, over 100 tents some weekends, that the pollution was threatening to destroy the beauty we were there to experience. But back then you could go more or less wherever you wanted, so with our head torches on we scrabbled around in the wind looking for a sheltered spot. There was no shelter, only places with a raging gale, and places where you struggled to even stand up, so the raging gale it was then.
There were lots of other tents already up, and more arriving by the minute. It was like a war zone, with extra strong gusts of wind hurtling down the glen like an express train. You heard them coming and braced yourself until they passed, then tried to get as much tent up as possible before the next one hit. It took over an hour to put our tents up, when normally we would have taken less than 5 minutes. Around us people were poking each other in the eye with flailing poles, and several brightly coloured pieces of nylon disappeared into the night sky on invisible wings.
But eventually we had got all the extra guy ropes pegged down, stones weighted down the pegs, and we were confident that the tents were up for the duration. We retired to the pub.
Oblivious Oblivion!
We noticed the increasingly haunted faces staggering in as the night wore on, late arrivals, fresh from their struggles with their tents, get another beer in Clive!
I've had some magical nights in the Clachaig. Watching as newcomers put their expensive clothing on the wood burners to dry out, then finding they have shrunk or caught fire! My old dog sneaking behind the bar and eating crisps out of the box. If I tried that I'd have been banned, but somehow she used to roll her eyes at the bar staff when caught, and she always got away with it. Scottish beer and Tex-Mex food, a strange but compelling combination, especially at 3am! Happy days.
Eventually the band finished and people started to drift back outside. Clive and I eventually followed, staggering slightly, must have been the cold night air or something. We turned the corner of the pub, and the wind and rain hit us. But we didn't notice it, we were far too concerned with the scene of carnage being played out infront of us under the dancing torch lights. Every single tent was flattened. Thousands of pounds worth of high tech kit obliterated. Clive's geodesic marvel, "as used on Everest", had 3 of it's 4 poles broken and the flysheet was ripped in several places. Even my old Vango Force Ten had 2 broken poles and was full of water. Literally not a single tent was left standing, then it started to snow!
It is amazing how fast you sober up when you have to. The only option left was to sleep in the car and see what the morning brought us. We crammed the tent wreckage into the car, and climbed in ourselves for a very unsettled night.
Eventually, round about 9am, it got light enough to see our surroundings again. People were emerging from cars to inspect the damage, like staggering out of a tornado shelter to look for your house. It was raining heavily now, the wind had dropped, and we could see a heavy snow cover on the higher slopes disappearing up into the cloud. Even if we had the energy there was no way anyone was going high that day.
Some people were heading for the pub, hoping for shelter, or more likely the toilet. Others were already driving off. I don't remember even discussing it, but soon we were setting off home as well, thoroughly p****d off! The drive up over Rannoch Moor was interesting. Snow lay on the road as we climbed up, and at the high point the road was only passable with extreme care. It also started to get very windy again. It had shifted round, and whereas the glen was now sheltered, it was really dangerous driving conditions for a few miles.
Safely off the moor, and below the snow level once again, we pulled into the Little Chef in Tyndrum for breakfast. Stepping into the car park we found it covered in 6 inches of semi-frozen slush. It oozed over our boot tops adding insult to injury. As we dashed through the rain for the door we heard a car sliding into the car park behind us. We turned just in time to see a Porsche 911 neatly park itself sideways right next to Clive's old banger. The driver looked shell shocked as he forced the door open against the wind. Suddenly the wind changed, and the door was ripped out of his grasp. It slammed into Clive's car with a bang, "ouch". The guy looked embarrassed and muttered something as he rushed passed us into the cafe. We went back into the rain to inspect the damage. Clive's car had a neat dent in the door panel, but the Porsche door was in a terrible state, justice was done, we started to laugh!
"800 miles for a beer and a band" is how we describe that trip these days. I've never had another one like it since, but I've had plenty more really great ones. I think it put Clive off for good though. He never really got any use out of his winter gear, concentrating on mountain marathons and other summer mountain activities. Personally, I think we all need sobering experiences like this one in order to really appreciate the good times. It certainly puts things in perspective, and aspects of it were fun anyway, or is that just nostalgia playing tricks?


text:
The PSNI has said that Northern Ireland is facing a road safety emergency after five people were killed in traffic accidents in just over one week.
In the most recent incident a 58-year-old man died after he was hit by a car in south Armagh yesterday evening.
A 29-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of a number of road traffic offences has been released on bail pending further inquiries.
The five deaths since 1 January mean the number of deaths so far this year in the North is already the same as for the whole month of January in 2013.
PSNI Superintendent David Moore said someone dying on the roads every 48 hours equated to a month's worth of carnage in a little over a week, with five families torn apart.
He said Northern Ireland's New Year's resolution on road safety has been broken already.


text:
Today, a chapter of a terror case that has haunted Norway for 13 months ended Friday as confessed mass killer Anders Behring Breivik was declared sane and sent to prison for bomb and gun attacks that killed 77 people and injured 200 others last year. After deliberating for two months, a five-judge panel in Oslo's district court handed down a sentence of "preventive detention" of at least 10 years and a maximum of 21 years for the right-wing extremist. Below, everything you need to know about the case.
Q: Was Breivik's guilt in question?
A: Essentially, no. He admitted to the attacks and nothing in the criminal investigation suggested there was anyone else involved. He rejected criminal charges out of principle, saying he did not recognize the court's authority because it represents a political system that supports multiculturalism. But that argument didn't sway the court, and the same goes for his claim that the killings were justified to protect Norway from becoming overrun by Muslims. Breivik probably knew these were hopeless arguments, because he didn't spend much time on them during the trial, focusing instead on trying to prove that he is a political terrorist and not a madman.
Q: What were the possible outcomes?
A: The key question for the Oslo court to decide was whether Breivik was sane enough to be held criminally responsible for the attacks. If declared insane, he would have been committed to involuntary psychiatric care, indefinitely. But Breivik was deemed sane by the judges and sentenced to "preventive detention." Unlike a regular prison sentence – which can be no longer than 21 years in Norway – that confinement option can be extended for as long as an inmate is considered dangerous to society. It also offers more programs and therapy than an ordinary prison sentence. Norway, like nearly all of Europe, doesn't have the death penalty.
Q: So what happens to Breivik now?
A: Breivik will be taken back to Oslo's Ila Prison, where he has been held in isolation for most of the time since his arrest. The prison built a psychiatric ward just for Breivik in case he was declared insane.
Q: What are the conditions like at Ila? Is it like a two-star hotel?
A: Outside Scandinavia, it may seem that way, though prison spokeswoman Ellen Bjercke pointed out that the biggest hardship of being incarcerated lies in the fact that you cannot leave. The conditions inside are secondary to the loss of freedom, she said. Norway takes pride in its humane penal system, and living conditions in Norwegian prisons are probably far better than in most other countries. For example, other prisoners at Ila have access to school that offers courses from primary grade to university level courses, a library, a gym, work in the prison's various shops and other leisure activities. Because Breivik is held in isolation, without contact with other prisoners, he doesn't have access to those things. In compensation, Ila has given him three cells instead of one. Each is about 86 square feet (8 square meters.) One has gym equipment, another has a bed and the third a desk with a laptop computer. For at least one hour a day, he has access to a small courtyard surrounded by barbed wire.
Q: Will Breivik ever get out?
A: Legal experts say it's unlikely Breivik will ever be released but no one can say for sure. One thing is certain though: it won't happen for as long as Norwegian authorities consider him dangerous to society. Breivik can challenge a "preventive detention" sentence every five years. One of the reasons Breivik's attacks were presented in such gruesome detail during the trial was so that the horror of Oslo and Utoya would be well-documented for the day Breivik asks to be released. "Legally speaking, he could of course theoretically be a free man in some years. But realistically speaking he would be incarcerated for perhaps the rest of his life," said Lasse Qvigstad, a former Oslo chief prosecutor.
Q: How does the appeals process work?
A: In Norway, both prosecutors and the defendant can appeal all or parts of the ruling. Breivik's lawyer said Thursday that he will appeal if he's declared insane but would accept a prison term. An appeals trial would likely be held early next year.
Q: So why did Breivik want to be sent to prison? Wouldn't he get off easier with an insanity ruling?
A: Breivik wants to be seen as a political terrorist, or as he calls himself, a "militant nationalist." During the trial he said that being sent to an insane asylum would be the worst thing that could happen to him and accused Norwegian authorities of trying to cast him as sick to deflate his political views. His lawyers say Breivik is already at work writing sequels to the 1,500-page manifesto he released on the Internet before the attacks.


text:
Double delight for Hoilett
Blackburn Rovers attacker Junior Hoilett netted in both halves in a comfortable 2-0 win over a lacklustre Wolves.
By Hayley Paterson
Last Updated: 10/03/12 5:50pm
Blackburn Rovers attacker Junior Hoilett netted in both halves in a comfortable 2-0 win over a lacklustre Wolves.
The 21-year-old did well to adjust his body in the box for the first as he connected with a half volley from an unfortunate David Davis flick-on and smashed the ball into the corner.
Wolves offered very little in return as the visitors capitalised on their nervy and unconvincing display before Hoilett struck again after the interval.
The Canadian-born winger collected Yakubu's pass and, from 25 yards out, he shifted it on to his left foot and struck a beautiful effort past Wayne Hennessey's out-stretched left hand.
Substitute Nenad Milijas had the best chance for the hosts in the final few minutes but made a mess of his header by sending his unmarked effort well wide following superb work from Matt Jarvis down the left.
Terry Connor's men failed to trouble Paul Robinson until the final stages of the game but it was too little, too late as Steve Kean's outfit claimed the points which changed the dynamic of the bottom half of the table as Blackburn moved up into 16th.
Identical results
Both sides had identical results in the run-up to the encounter with 18th-placed Wolves and 17th-placed Blackburn stuck on 22 points following five wins, seven draws and 15 losses with just goal difference separating the two.
Wolves, who now sit uncomfortably in 19th, were playing on home soil for the first time since their humiliating 5-1 thrashing at the hands of derby rivals West Brom which proved to be Mick McCarthy's final bow in charge of the Midlands club.
With just one win in their last 14 league games, it is difficult to see how Connor can lift his men from the depths of despair as survival specialists Blackburn secured a major boost to their chances of remaining in the league.
Protestors stood outside of the ground waving banners ahead of kick-off, one which read: "Welcome to the comedy club".
However, on the field Connor seemed more upbeat as he made four changes to the side thumped 5-0 by Fulham with top scorer Steven Fletcher drafted in after overcoming illness, as well as Sebastien Bassong, David Edwards and Premier League debutant Davis starting in place of the injured Karl Henry.
Club skipper Roger Johnson was the notable absentee for the home side and had to be content with a spot on the bench after being disciplined for reporting to work in an unfit state earlier in the week.
Kean brought Jason Lowe back into the starting line-up following suspension and Marcus Olsson joined his twin brother Martin in place of Bradley Orr and Radosav Petrovic.
It was a bright start for Wolves with Kevin Doyle sending an early header off-target. Yakubu attempted to break the deadlock at the other end with a volley but saw his effort go way over the bar before testing Hennessey with another strike from a Mauro Formica cross.
Yakubu looked hungry to get himself on the scoresheet and was on the end of another of the Argentine's deliveries, but the Nigerian placed his header wide.
Under-fire hosts
Winger Jarvis was a threat all game for the under-fire hosts and put the ball the wrong side of the post from close range after struggling to get his bearings from a fizzed in Edwards cross.
Fletcher tried his luck from distance in the 27th minute but his effort failed to trouble Robinson in the Blackburn goal.
Yakubu slid in to try and convert Marcus Olsson's cross, but the wideman was flagged offside as the powerhouse forward planted his shot wide.
Rovers were finishing the half strongly and made the breakthrough two minutes before the break as Pedersen's throw was diverted by Davis' head into the path of Hoilett, who sent the ball bouncing past Hennessey.
Two minutes after the interval, Fletcher had a chance to equalise but miscued his volley from Jarvis' cross.
Blackburn continued to attack as Pedersen swung in a delivery that was too deep for Formica to fashion anything with and trouble Hennessey.
Wolves were guilty of losing possession throughout the tense encounter and another slip-up allowed Formica to send a shot down Hennessey's throat. Davis then did well to nick the ball off Yakubu's toes as the striker tried to turn in the box.
As the pressure mounted on the hosts, Rovers doubled their advantage with just over 20 minutes to spare when nobody pressured a hungry Hoilett who took on the invitation of having a strike on goal which happened to nestle nicely into the corner.
Wolves needed to respond quickly and, after surviving a scramble in their box from a corner, they applied some pressure but the impressive Davis scooped his first-time shot wide from a decent position.
Robinson was finally tested as he kept out a shot from Jamie O'Hara and Fletcher before substitute Milijas - on for Davis - missed the target with a glorious headed opportunity.
After Robinson saved a further Fletcher effort, the boos began to ring around Molineux as the final whistle condemned Wolves to yet another Premier League defeat and an uphill battle if they are to survive this season.


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Automation and the Evolution of Personalized Patient Care
Sunday February 11th to Thursday February 15th, 2018 at the beautiful Fairmont Château Lake Louise, Alberta
Registration and abstract submissions are open, click here for more details!
The 63rd ASM took place from July 11-15, 2017 at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. Click here to view the presentations that were shared (access passwords have been emailed to attendees, contact Christina for help).
The 2018 ASM will be a joint meeting with the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO) from September 10-15 at Le Centre Sheraton Montréal Hotel. More details coming!
Our Vision Statement:
The recognized leader and primary resource for medical physics in Canada.
Our Mission Statement:
To champion medical physicists' leadership in patient care through education, innovation and advocacy.
The Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists is currently one of the organizations contributing to the development of Canada Safe Imaging, and is pleased to be engaged in this important initiative for patient safety as it gains momentum.
November 7, 2017 - International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP) and Marie Curie's 150th birthday!
Raising awareness about the role medical physicists play for benefit of patients, the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) organizes IDMP annually, click here to check out this year's activities (and contest details!) and spread the word today.
Become part of an active and engaged network of medical physicists who are committed to professional development and patient care excellence.
COMP works in partnership with national and provincial stakeholders to share knowledge, develop guidelines and conduct research related to physics in medicine.
COMP provides support at every stage of a medical physicist's career and is a resource for students, residents and practicing medical physicists.
COMP publishes scientific and technical information related to the field of medical physics and serves as an expert resource working in partnership with other organizations.


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Here are 50 things you may experience or that may annoy you as a music producer created by Nerds With Passports on Youtube.
Music Production Videos
We offer 300+ music production related videos with music production tips, interviews with music producers, and tons beat making inspiration. Watch these videos and learn from professionals in the music industry.
The Story Behind Dr. Dre's 'Compton' Album
For the first time ever, the musicians, writers and producers behind Dr. Dre's "Compton" album speak to DJ Skee about the process of recording each song.
Black Milk on "Rhythm Roulette"
On this episode of Rhythm Roulette Black Milk picks 3 random records to make a beat.
Big Sean on the Importance of Focus
Big Sean has released a video discussing the importance of focusing on what's important.
Beat Made w/ Samples From a Grocery Store
The music group Mashd N Kutcher shows how they recorded noises from a grocery store to make a up tempo beat in Apple Logic.
Danja Interview – Produced for Timbaland, DJ Khaled, Diddy
Music producer Danja gets interviewed on Pensado's Place.
Printz Board Interview – Music Producer for The Black Eyed Peas
Musician, producer, songwriter and musical director for The Black Eyed Peas, Printz Board joins Dave and Herb on Pensado's Place.


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Overview"Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies" casually referred to this as a way to easily descend to Cory Pass, so that's why I did the route, to link up Mt Edith and Cory Peak. However, the route is steep, loose, and does not link up nicely with the Cory Pass trail! Still, if you want to make a nice loop out of a climb of Cory Peak or Mt Edith, this is the way to do it.
Getting ThereFrom Mt Cory:
Drop down from the saddle between Cory's two summits, closer to the northeast summit.
From Cory Pass TH:
Bypass the Banff town exits on the Trans-Canada Highway and take the Bow Valley Parkway exit. Follow the parkway for .3 km west to a road on your right, turn right and proceed to the Fireside Picnic area at the end of the road. Follow the trail towards Cory Pass.
Once you're near the pass, see my reference photo - just head this way from the trail!
Route DescriptionBasically a lot of zig-zagging to avoid cliffing out. The labeled photo shows it better than words can describe.
Essential GearIce axe in early season.
Helmet, day hiking gear.


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Miraculous Accident Allows Paralympic Cyclist to Walk Again [VIDEO]
Normally it's an accident that causes permanent limb damage and changes the course of an athlete's career. But for paralympian Monique va der Vorst, the opposite proved to be true. The paralympic cyclist and two-time silver medalist recently got into an accident and found herself left with a bit of a surprise — after 14 years of living in a wheelchair, she could suddenly walk again.
'Field of Dreams' Property in Iowa Sold, Will Be Preserved
The baseball diamond immortalized in the 1989 film 'Field of Dreams' is being sold, but it will remain intact, thanks to Go the Distance Baseball LLC, which will turn the Dyersville, Iowa, property into a baseball and softball complex.
IndyCar Driver Dan Wheldon Dies in Fiery Pileup [PHOTO, VIDEO]
Texas A&M Will Join the SEC in 2012
Broncos Fans Drop $10,000 on Billboard Demanding Tim Tebow Play QB
Some Denver Broncos fans are publicly pressuring Denver coach John Fox to make a change at quarterback by spending $10,000 to purchase space on two billboards in the heart of the city begging Tim Tebow to take over the team's offense.
Tebow has begun the season on the bench behind starter Kyle Orton.


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NEW YORK — It is no surprise that Popeye the Sailor Man's main squeeze -- Olive Oyl -- would one day end up on the stage.
L'il Abner, Peanuts and Doonesbury, after all, were turned into Broadway musicals. There have been monster-hit movies made of Superman, Batman and Dick Tracy, and no fewer than 11 Popeye movies.


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Nairobi - A spokesperson for Kenya's prime minister says the Kenyan leader has been evacuated from his office after a grenade was discovered in another part of the building.
Salim Lone said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Raila Odinga was advised to leave his office shortly after 13:00.
Deputy Police Spokesperson Charles Owino says a plumber checking the water system near the underground parking lot at Odinga's office building found the grenade behind a water tank.
Owino said the grenade was sent to bomb experts to check if it is live. He says police with sniffer dogs are also combing the office building to check for additional threats.
Owino says no other staff were evacuated from the offices.
"Owino says no other staff were evacuated from the offices" So the politicians view themselves as special above anyone else?


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PARIS, OCTOBER 16, 2016: (DGW) Reports filtering in from Africa's most populous country , Nigeria say that most Nigerians whose businesses have been severely battered and affected by the current difficult economic climate are framing plans to relocate to neighboring countries in the West African subregion.
This is on the heels of another distressing prediction by a powerful man of God of south-east extraction Prophet Princewill Iheme who among other reasons said Nigeria slid into recession because of the blood of innocent Igbo shed by the country's leader, President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a terse statement made available to DailyGlobeWatch on Saturday here in Paris, the fiery man of God predicted against the high and false hopes by the Buhari's administration that things will soon improve for the better because of the current economic policies in place , that Nigeria's economy will soon nosedive yet again into an abysmal depths.
He further predicted that no amount of policies the government to save the former Africa's largest economy from imminent collapse.
His words: "Recession in Nigeria was caused because of the innocent blood of Igbo tribes split. Nigeria economy will collapse soon. Nigerians should hand over power to Igbo tribes."
This prediction our source said has caused ripples in the country's south-east whose inhabitants are predominantly traders. Many he said are contemplating relocating to neighbouring countries to save their businesses from total collapse.
Also speaking on the forthcoming US presidential elections, the fiery clergy said the US economy will be severely damaged if Donald Trump is elected president.
Said he, "Pride is a killer and destroyer. Donald has pride in him,"
The prophet who is known for the accuracy of his prediction had earlier warned of a bloody civil war in Nigeria should the detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu by a twist of fate dies in prison and therefore warned Buhari to cast pride overboard, release him without delay from prison
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On the site today:
Ryan Holmberg continues his march into history with a look at the great cartoonist Sugiura Shigeru (you can read translated comics of his in The Ganzfeld 4 and 5, as well as Raw 7) and his pre-WWII sources. NOTE: Ryan is looking for your help in identifying some of these sources — please comment!
The history of comedy is a notoriously nebulous and difficult subject. Especially when the laughs are half in a foreign tradition. At any rate, it's more than I can handle competently just now. So what I put together instead was a "visual essay" on Sugiura and Shin Seinen's cartoons. What follows on the next pages is the result of combing the magazine from 1929 to 1937, at which point it turned strongly pro-war and increasingly anti-Western. This period overlaps with Sugiura's debut (1932) and early work for Kōdansha's major youth periodicals (particularly Shōnen Club, Shōjo Club, and the Picture Book series beginning in 1937) as well as his occasional work for Shin Seinen's junior edition, Shin Shōnen, as well as Shōnen Shōjo Tankai, published by the same Hakubunkan. Some of the comparisons I make are specific, with exact cases of swiping. Others are more general. You can tell me if you find them convincing or not.
Sara Varon takes through another day of her excellent visual diary.
The major news everywhere else is the passing of Ray Bradbury. The NY Times has a fine obituary.
Elsewhere around the internet… there is the good news that Drawn & Quarterly will release Shigeru Mizuki's classic Kitaro material. Mizuki is a first class cartoonist — I can't wait.
More good news — a new comic at Study Group by a young cartoonist
I know very little about Sean T. Collins profiled , but whose work I've really enjoyed — Julia Gfrorer.
Excellent cartoonist, late of Conan, Becky Cloonan is interviewed about a recent self-publishing effort over at The Beat.
Daniel Best has a 1975 Jim Steranko interview with some fine nuggets, like this one on Frank Robbins…
I know Frank; he's a terrific artist, but for some reason he doesn't seem to have the fan following that he warrants. But believe me when I tell you that there are very few artists who have the cinematic approach of Robbins, especially in his Johnny Hazard strip. I collect Robbins stuff, the forties right on through. His cinematic approach is incredible. Even more perhaps than Milton Caniff, even though he works in that Caniff or Sickles style. I think he deserves more credit than most fans give him. Sometimes fans think a lot of little lines makes good artwork, but it doesn't. He's a guy who really knows how to tell a story. Maybe like you I've been disappointed with his comic book work, but you have to remember you can't turn out a masterpiece in a week.
And finally: Vintage Ogden Whitney (I'd never heard of this one) and vintage Daniel Clowes. Together at last.


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Liam Bridcutt's on-off move to Leeds United could be back on after the midfielder was omitted from Sunderland's pre-season tour squad.
The 27-year-old spent a seven-month loan spell at Elland Road last season, endearing himself to the Leeds faithful with a series of tenacious displays in the middle of the park.
And, although the Yorkshire club have not made any attempt to sign him yet this summer, Bridcutt's camp apparently think he could end up back at Leeds now that his Sunderland future finally appears to be clear.
The Black Cats jetted out to France to continue their pre-season preparations with new boss David Moyes – but without Bridcutt.
Reports claim Sunderland want £1.5million for the ex-Brighton star, who earns in the region of £26,000 a week – a figure Leeds are unlikely to be able to match.