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Jeff Steinmann: Hello, everybody. Welcome to the podcast today. We are talking to Karen Koenig. Karen Koenig is an expert on the psychology of eating and how can we think differently about eating and the way we eat and the way we think about food.
Not only that, but she has used that knowledge and that expertise to create a lifestyle that she absolutely loves through her group coaching and her programs and products and one-on-one that she does with her clients. It lets her do something that she loves and is passionate about everyday. And do it in the way that she wants and on her terms. Karen, welcome.
Karen Koenig: Thank you. Happy to be here.
Jeff: Yes. Again, thank you so much for joining me on this podcast. And our listeners love to hear from people like you who are doing really cool things and living a life that they love. So tell me a little bit about your business and your expertise.
Karen: I do a range of activities which I also like, and I feel very fortunate to be able to. I'm a writer. I blog weekly. I have a fifth book coming out in October.
Jeff: Awesome.
Karen: I try to write as much as I can. I'm a clinical social worker. I'm a therapist. So I see people here. I have a home office which is a wonderful thing to have. I do telephone and Skype coaching on eating all over the world. I do talks. I talk to groups in the county, I talk to all over the United States about how to stop dieting and binging and becoming normal eater. So I think that covers a range of it. And I run a message board. It's a lot of fun.
Jeff: Okay. Cool. Cool. So, how did you get involved in that? How did you get interested in that topic?
Karen: I was a – what I call a chronic dieter and a world class binge eater.
Jeff: Oh, wow.
Karen: For probably the first half of my life. I'm 65 now, so. I was able to work through my own eating problems and I thought, "Well, gee, I know about this." And I was writing other things. I was trying to write fiction and had an agent and she said, "Goodness, why don't you just write about what you know." And so, that turned out to be how to become a normal eater. And so I came in through the backdoor.
Also, I was running workshops and people would say, "Gee, can I come and talk to you after group?" And I had a master's in Education. And I thought, well, people are here are – if I'm going to really be dispensing advice, I better go back to school. So I'm back and I got a master's in Social Work. And my license. So it just all came together beautifully.
Jeff: Awesome. Awesome. So you mentioned that you have a fifth book coming out. So you have four books that are already out, right?
Karen: I do. And I have a number of translations of them as well.
Jeff: Okay. Are they all on dieting?
Karen: Well, they're – I actually teach anti-dieting, so.
Jeff: Oh, okay. Okay.
Karen: But yes, they're all food related.
Jeff: I got you.
Karen: Three are for the general public. And I have a Norton book that I was asked to write for general therapists on what do you do if somebody comes to you with eating or weight problems.
Jeff: Okay. Okay. So now, you said something that I thought was really interesting. You started off writing a fiction book. And then you were working with someone who said, "Well, why don't you just scrap that and write about something you know?" And the thing that I love about this business is that we get to do something that we love to promote our business. And it sounds like you had this desire to write. The desire to write came first, and then you figured out what to write about. And you see, did something that you love. You want to write, and you wrote about something that you love and that you know about, and then you made a business out of it.
Karen: Pretty much, yes. I've been probably writing since I'm a little kid. And I've written some columns for newspapers. I used to write for a women's newspaper. And I just loved writing. And so, I started writing books and screenplays, and that's all hard business. And I was fortunate that I had an astute agent, and I would talk to her actually about eating stuff. Most of us are working on that issue. You think you really know a lot in this area, with my own recovery and a master's in Education and Clinical Social Work, they were all the pieces. And I love to write, so boy, I was just fortunate that it came together.
Jeff: That' so awesome. So, how long ago did that come together for you?
Karen: My first book was published in '05. My second – then we moved from Massachusetts to Florida, and then I had another book and I think 7, 8 and 9, and then this book has taken longer to write. And I have another one half-finished which will come out some time this year.
Jeff: Okay. So you're kind of overdue to come out with a book based on your previous schedule.
Karen: Yeah. I have been hoping to do one a year but that just – life got in the way. Plus I do so many other things that if I'm going to write, really I like to take up a chunk of time a week writing rough drafts, and that's how I like to write. So, not everybody enjoys writing that way.
Jeff: Yeah. Tell me about your life a little bit. What is your life like? What do you love about your life and the way that you've structured it?
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Karen: Well, I have a great life. First of all, I live in this wonderful climate. I look out my window here, and I live in a subtropical climate. So it's sunny in there, it's a beautiful environment.
Typically, I'm not a morning person. And I know a lot of writer who are, but not me. I get up around 9, and I exercise. I have a gym equipment in the house. So, I go through that. I do whatever morning stuff there is. My first appointment of the day, if I have a client, is at 12:15. Right after lunch. If I have clients, I see them. If not, any 15 minutes I have, I have a list of things I want to blog about so just do a blog and save it. In fact, what is it? It's March. I've got my blog done into May.
Jeff: Oh, that is so awesome. How often do you publish one?
Karen: Twice a week.
Jeff: Okay.
Karen: And my – the eating disorder publisher that published my first two books, they have a great big blog site. So I hook with them. And if I have errands to do in the afternoon, I do them. If I have clients, I see them, or I speak to them, or I Skype with them. My last client of the day is at 6:15. Religiously, my husband and I take a walk late afternoon or after my last client depending on when the sun sets.
So, it's just…it's great for me because I can use what I know and what my passion is, which is to help people with their eating problems. And yet, I'm not forcing it. It works very well for me, and it seems to work well for clients as well. And again, I have clients who are in Australia, in France, in the Netherlands. So, we can work the time issue out.
Jeff: Sure. Sure. Yeah, is that ever a challenge for you? With the time zone issue?
Karen: Sometimes. And frankly, it's a challenge sometimes here. I literally, my first appointment is always at 12:15. And if somebody's, "Well, gee, I only have the mornings." I say, "Well, I'm really sorry."
Jeff: That is so awesome.
Karen: I'm very protective of my time. I know when I work best. I also try not – when I was younger, I could do six clients in a row. I try not to do more than three in a row because I don't feel like I can really give them my best effort.
Jeff: Okay.
Karen: So, I think setting boundaries is really important. And I've become good at that to protect my time.
Jeff: Yeah. I love that. My assistant has a whole one page document of rules about how and when things can be scheduled with me. And that's one of the coolest things. So Karen, what did you do to make money before you started doing this?
Karen: Well, I was working. I mean, I've done a lot of things. But after I got my Social Work degree, I worked at a methadone clinic. And I worked my way up to clinical supervisor. So, I did that.
I've done lots of other things. I worked in an ad agency, I was an elementary school teacher, I worked for the Department of Education, and then I really realized I wanted to write more. And I thought, well I could have a private practice. Other people do that. That was in Massachusetts.
So, I left and I developed – I remember I had three clients, then I had five clients. And I was doing other kinds of things. I was working part-time at an agency near us. I did fee for service work. Anything to make money. Signed up for all the insurance panels, and so it was slow. And then I recreated that when I moved to Florida.
Jeff: Okay. Okay.
Karen: I kept some of my clients as phone clients.
Jeff: Okay. So really, it sounds like you worked a lot of sort of traditional 9-to-5 jobs. And then you moved into doing more kind of having your own practice and having your own clients, getting a little bit more control. And now, it sounds like with all the things you do in having your books out there to position you as an expert in your field, you've been able to leverage that even more.
Karen: Yes. And I tell you one of the best things in Massachusetts. I was a very avid skier. I would just – I would listen to the weather report. If I didn't have clients scheduled for that day, I would drive from Massachusetts up to New Hampshire to the closest big ski area. Ski for the day and come home. That's what did it for me, if I was thinking myself, well I'm not really making a lot of money right now, that was okay to be able to do that and have that kind of freedom midweek. It was awesome.
Jeff: Yeah, it's amazing. That's awesome stuff. Well so what – what's the biggest mistake you've made on this journey? What's the thing that you would warn somebody about who is trying to do this?
Karen: I can – it's right here in front of me. I do not have any business plan, 5-year plan, 1-year plan. I just – that's not how I am. I just thought, well, this will work. Or if doesn't work, I'll go find a full time job. So but I – looking back, I would have done that and really understood the amount of time and energy and money that market takes.
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Because most writers and therapies don't say, "Oh great, I love to market, just give me the chance." They don't like to do that. So I would say, having a business plan is really important. And having a marketing plan and understanding the commitment because it's you. You're not out there letting people what you know, you're just not going to know it.
Jeff: Right. Sure, sure. So what are some of the things that you've done to market yourself that have been successful?
Karen: Well, I've hired many different P.R. consultants with very mixed results. And again, this is in Massachusetts in here. But currently, I work with a company here, Nickel Communications. The mom does the P.R., and the daughter does the social media. And they get the whole food things, and we're on the same wavelength. And so that's been really helpful.
And I really think what people would look for in social media or P.R. consultants, they have to be very realistic about their expectations. And know that you have to slowly build the platform. It's local, then it's regional, and then it's national. And have really good people. You have to spend the money to get it back.
Jeff: Okay. So, okay so you're saying that you've learned that when you're building a platform, and that's kind of largely with media, your recommendation is to start very slow. Be very methodical about what you're doing and really know the timeframe on which you're going to do that.
Karen: Yes.
Jeff: Okay.
Karen: And to learn about the business. So you really know what you're doing and what your options are. I did a whole – and I'm not sorry I did them, but I can remember going to book clubs where there were three people in the audience. But you go and you do them anyway. I just – I think you cast a wide net, then you narrow things down. I took every speaking engagement that I was offered to me. I network, I carry cards around with me. It has to be on your mind when you work for yourself 24/7.
Jeff: Yeah, and it sounds like what you're talking about is what I talk about in my book which is, there's just – it doesn't matter, you could talk about social media, mobile marketing, all these new fancy things, even to more traditional things like speaking, but what it comes down to is hustle. You just got to hustle in the beginning.
Karen: Even if I go to a semi-formal affair and I have my little beaded bag, I always have these business cards in it. Always.
Jeff: That's awesome.
Karen: Because pretty often, people will say, "What you do?", and I tell them. And they say, "Oh, that's so interesting." And I say, "Oh well, if you want to learn more about me or hear about my books, here, have a card."
Jeff: Yeah, yeah, that's very cool.
Karen: And I don't do a hard sell, but that stuff really comes back to you. I have clients who say – in fact, I just started with one. "I saw you speak three years ago, and it's taken me this long to call."
Jeff: Okay. So now, you did not spend the last three years calling her, trying to sell her, right?
Karen: No. Nope. Nope, I just go along with my life, and I just assumed there's going to be a ripple effect as long as I'm doing stuff, for instances, social media P.R. people or doing stuff, that I wouldn't have the time or the interest to do, and I probably wouldn't do it very well.
Jeff: Sure, sure. So now, so you pay somebody to do your social media, right?
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Karen: Yeah, I pay every tenth or monthly.
Jeff: Okay. And are you happy with how that's working out?
Karen: Yes. I am. I am. Again, depending on what your business is, you have to find somebody who's on the same wavelength and really gets what you're doing. And I've gotten so many different P.R. kinds of people. I did. I used somebody who was great from the west coast, had a name for himself, and he got me on a lot of radio shows. But alas, not on T.V. I've done some T.V., but radio has a big reach. So you don't want to turn it down and just saying, "Oh, I want to be on Oprah."
Jeff: Uh-huh. Everybody wants to be on Oprah.
Karen: Pardon?
Jeff: Everybody wants to be on Oprah.
Karen: Right. Right. And it's also really important to call yourself an expert. I was really glad when I found this because I would say I worked with overeaters and binge eaters. Just it sounds the same as the psychology of eating. As I work in the field of psychology. And then people will say, "Well, oh okay, well, tell me what to eat." I don't do the what. I do the why and the how. And so, being able to see – it started like an elevator speech. You want to be able to succinctly say what is it you're an expert in? And use the word expert.
Jeff: Yeah, and that's so important. And also to stand in it as I like to say, with that level of confidence, I really, truly know what this is all about. And one of the things you said I thought was interesting is, it sounds like you toyed with different ways of explaining what you do. And some things work better than others, right?
Karen: Yes. it's just – it evolved. And I'm really – I'm very big as a therapist on the organic process. So you're taking a step in, you make decisions, and then you see where that takes you. I don't like to force anything. So that's just how it evolved to be expert on the psychology of eating.
Jeff: And really, and that just came from, you just try different things, and gauge the response that you were getting from folks. And just kind of adjust it and adapt it as you went along, right?
Karen: Right. And how Cupid felt to me, that the term. And how easy it was to explain.
Jeff: And that's cool. And it sounds like you just really went with what felt authentic to you and what resonated with people. And I get the feeling from talking to you, you're not the person who went out and found what are the best marketing words to use, right? You were just – you didn't go for that kind of stuff, you were just like, what is really accurate and what really resonates with people.
Karen: Yeah, I often do things in a sort of, I guess you call it as backwards way. Really don't have goals. I could say I want to sell this many books. Or I want to do this many lectures or have this many clients. I do what I enjoy doing, I take advantage of many opportunities – not all – as I get older and that's what works for me.
And now, I've gotten success. Now, I know other people are really much more goal-oriented. And I have authors, therapists, friends who want to sell this many books, so they have to do this many talks. I would shoot myself if I have to work like – I just would not enjoy it.
Jeff: Right, and that's the beauty of this business, you work how you want. I love it.
Karen: Yes.
Jeff: Yeah. That's very cool. Now, you also do some blogging, and you said that you run a discussion group. And you said you really liked doing that. So how has that worked for your business?
Karen: That's been great. I have about – what's really interesting, I have about over 700 people on my message board, and about two dozen are active. And the rest are called lurkers. They call themselves that.
But I reach them. And lo and behold, last week, I got an email from one. "I've been a lurker for three years, but I think I would like to do some coaching with you. I like what you have to say and it's like fine."
I get up, every morning when I get up, I go in the message board, I check it a couple of times a day. I check it when I'm on vacation. Because there may be something important that's being said. And for the most part, the group runs itself but like any group, it gets into difficult times.
And I like to give my advice, because that's why they're there. It's a free group, so anybody can join. And I enjoy that. And the blogs, I do twice a week. And also use my blogs. I've been asked to use my blogs on other websites. For other eating websites, they produce my blogs.
Jeff: Okay. So, one thing that I want to ask about your discussion group is, it sounds like those folks in that group are not only looking to you, but are they also talking to each other and offering support and help for each other?
Karen: Yes. Yes.
Jeff: And that is so cool. That's one of the hallmarks of a really well-built expert business that's really mature, is when you've actually built a community of the people who are interested in what it is that you have to offer. So that's really awesome.
Karen: Yes, and I was very lucky that I happen to run into a woman online who really knew how to do this stuff. And she said, "You need a message board." And she set it up. I have paid her to set it up for me. And then I got to run it, get into time commitment. And I feel personally responsible to everybody on that board, to weigh in, to make sure that the board is running well, that nobody's feelings are getting terribly hurt.
So and also, everything you do, that becomes another commitment that becomes part of your life. You can't turn it off at 5 o'clock, if you have a job where you work for somebody else.
Jeff: Yeah. Yeah. But the cool thing is that you love it.
Karen: I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't care if it's 11 o'clock before the news and I'm checking in with the message board. Because that's just what I do and it's quick and it's helpful to them. And maybe I haven't done any other work for the last six hours. I think I was off doing something else.
Jeff: Sure. Sure. What is the biggest piece of advice that you would give to anybody else who wants to start this kind of lifestyle for themselves?
Karen: Well, I guess I'd have to go two ways. Because there are people who are really goal-oriented. And I said, be clear about your goals. Is this realistic considering who you are? I know a lot of people say, "Oh, I want to work for myself." But they really don't have the ability, if they're working at home, to separate out personal from professional, they don't have a lot of motivation.
So be really realistic about goals. But then, to contradict myself, don't worry so much about the goals, you just stick into it. And enjoy it, and you can't ever get into failure mode. So you're doing it, if you're still enjoying it, and it seems to be growing, stay with it. You'll know if it's not a good fit. And then you'll do something else. But not to get into this, "Is this working? Is this working? Am I failure?" It's just not about that. So those are my little bits of advice.
Jeff: That's awesome. That's a great, great piece of advice. Where can the listeners go to get more information about you?
Karen: Well, my website, even as we speak, is being redone. And we'll be up probably by the end of March, but it's www.eatingnormal.com.
Jeff: Eatingnormal.com. Okay.
Karen: Right. That's my main website, and all my links are on the links page.
Jeff: Okay. And when is your book going to be out?
Karen: October.
Jeff: October, and do you have a title for it yet?
Karen: Yes. And I'm pretty sure this will remain the title. Let me – Starting Monday: The 7 Keys to a Permanent, Positive Relationship with Food.
Jeff: Awesome. Starting Monday: the 7 keys to a permanent and positive–
Karen: Permanent and Positive Relationship with Food. It's for all those people who had gone hope for a while. The gym membership and they're eating healthfully, and then they go back to poor self-care, and then they start all over again. It's to resolve that issue so that you can just keep going forward.
Jeff: Sign me up.
Karen: I'll let you know when it comes out.
Jeff: I would appreciate that. I would appreciate that. I love it. Well, thank you so much for your time, Karen. It's been a pleasure. If folks need, want to go to the website, it will be linked below. We'll also put the book and a link to your Amazon page. Are your other books available on Amazon?
Karen: Sure are. Yes.
Jeff: We'll put a link out there so that folks can get those as well. But thank you very much, Karen. We'll stay in touch. And I look forward to seeing all the great things that you've got coming up.
Karen: Thank you and good luck with your book. I can't wait to read it.
Jeff: Definitely. Thank you very much, Karen. Buh-bye.
Karen: Okay, bye.


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Fire Prevention & Preparedness
Throughout California's history we have seen the devastating effects of fire. Last year we saw some of the most destructive wildfires in California's history. Preparing now for fires in or near your home can help mitigate the damage if a fire strikes.
"Every year California sees thousands of wildfires," said Assemblymember Bill Dodd. "With summer and drier weather approaching, I encourage residents to take steps to protect their homes and loved ones by preparing."
For information on how to protect your home from wildfires, visit: http://www.readyforwildfire.org/. Tips include:
- Defensible Space
- Making your home more fire resistant
- Emergency Plans and Evacuation Kits
- Fire Prevention though Safe Equipment Use
- And More
Most fires start in the home. That's why it is important for every home to have smoke alarms. They should be installed on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area and inside each bedroom. You can learn tips on properly installing smoke alarms and avoiding fires through the National Fire Protection Association.

subset: commoncrawl


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By Marty Ross
Summer bulbs come from places where frosts occur rarely, if ever. But they're right at home in the Midwest, where summers are bright and hot. Although these bulbs don't survive winter in our climate, they put on a terrific show for a season. Now is the time to plant them.
Cannas, caladiums, dahlias, and gloriosa lilies aren't true bulbs. Technically they're tubers, like potatoes. Cannas are sometimes called tuberous rhizomes. To grow these magnificent summer bulbs successfully, all you need to do is plant them where they thrive. They do fine in pots.
CALADIUMS aren't grown for their flowers but for their fancy foliage. Each tuber produces dozens of flashy, large, shield-shape leaves. Take a close look at the tuber and you see small growth eyes. This is the top of the tuber. Plant in shade.
The colorful label on the caladiums I found at Lowe's this spring has a ruler on the back, so it's easy to make sure you plant your tubers correctly. You should plant them 1 to 3 inches deep, firmly in the soil, with the eyes up. Caladiums are spectacular in pots, and you can crowd them together, with three to five tubers in each pot.
Caladiums' leaves are almost always variegated. You see flashes of green—but white, pink, red, and even purple are typical. Usually the colors emphasize the veins in the leaves, or dramatically outline their edges. Go ahead, mix and match: They all look great together.
DAHLIAS flourish in sunny gardens when the weather gets hot. They grow from bizarre-looking tubers, like sausages tied together to a central stem. They produce many blooms from summer through fall. Handle the tubers gently, so they don't break apart.
Plant dahlias with their crowns about an inch below the surface of the soil. If you see pale stems growing from the cluster of tubers, bury them when you plant.
Check the label when you plant to see how tall you can expect your dahlias to grow. Some are quite tall. If your dahlias are tall varieties, put a sturdy stake in the soil at planting time. If you wait until the plants grow tall, you could damage the tubers when you drive in a stake.
GLORIOSA LILIES live up to their name. Their ruffled, recurved petals are bright red, with wavy edges of lemon yellow. These flowers need full sun, and bloom from midsummer to late summer. They're climbers, which is great for small-space gardeners. The vines get to be 3 to 6 feet tall over the course of the season.
The pale tubers of gloriosa lilies look a little like fingerling potatoes. They really have no tops or bottoms.
Plant gloriosa lily tubers horizontally, just a few inches deep, in a spot that receives full sun. Firm the soil gently over them, and water well. The first tendrils shoot up in no time. Gloriosa lilies bloom best when nights are cool, so their flower production may be best in late summer through fall.
CANNAS are spectacular, grown as much for their luxurious, almost tropical foliage as for their showy flowers. They're great hummingbird attractors too. Many grow 4 to 6 feet tall, but some are under 3 feet. Usually the tubers have growing shoots when you buy them. Plant the tubers about 2 inches deep, with the green shoots upright. Cannas are sturdy plants and should not need staking.
When frost comes, tender summer bulbs are finished for the season. You can dig them up and store them over the winter if you like—or better yet, just start with healthy new bulbs next year. By that time you'll be eager to experiment with something new.
Summer Bulbs for Your Region
If you're not growing summer bulbs—sometimes called tender bulbs—you're missing out on a dependable supply of color for your garden.Learn More
Midwest Gardening
From spring through fall, Midwest gardens are flower and foliage packed.Learn More
Gardening & Planting Tips by Region
Check out a variety of garden ideas, plans, articles, videos and projects for your region. No matter what region you live in, Lowe's has garden tips for you.Learn More


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Picture: Motown Recording Artist Algebra R&B Live Atlanta held at the Luckie Lounge Atlanta, USA - 29.05.08
Veteran MOTOWN singer Martha Reeves is planning on entering the world of politics by running for a place on Michigan's Detroit City Council.
The DANCING IN THE STREET singer is currently circulating petitions to build up momentum for her run.
The 63-year-old says, "I think I've had a very good opportunity to travel the world and to observe things. I've always been a good team player and I figure I'll be an asset on our city council in Detroit.
"I'd like to start with the schools and have them, you know, sort of scrutinised and have them get a better understanding of how to educate our children."
All nine of the council's seats are up for re-election in November (05), and Reeves insists she isn't put off by the sometimes volatile nature of city council meetings.
She adds, "I think that our city council could probably get along better if they had a little music. And I'll get them to dance in the streets."12/04/2005 09:34


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Here's the press release Microsoft issued:
Microsoft Grows Partner Ecosystem Around Visual Studio 2005 Team
New Framework and Tool Streamline Development
and Mark First Step Toward Ecosystem Based on Domain-Specific Designers for
Visual Studio 2005 Team System
And an article on CBROnline.com:
Microsoft makes software factories move
Microsoft Corp is expected to take its first step in
delivering on a strategy helping ISVs build tools for creating application
models and architectures capable of plugging into the company's application
lifecycle management platform due next year.
And keep an eye on the new Visual Studio Team
System workshop:
Visual Studio Team System Workshop
The Visual Studio
Team System workshop is where you'll find
information on projects related to Visual Studio 2005 Team System. The first
workbench, for Domain Specific Language (DSL) tools, will be available later
this week. As new projects become available, you will find additional
workbenches in the workshop that support those projects. Check back often or
monitor this blog for workshop news.


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Christmas is a time to celebrate family for me. That's the main focus of it. My dad is mainly grumpy and unhappy for 364 days of the year, but on Christmas he is all smiles, he pops in Elvis, and I get to spend time with the dad I remember from childhood.
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Give your dad a hug.
Quite frankly, Christmas doesn't mean much to me anymore. It did once, a long time ago. As a child it was an exciting time of the year. Even after I found out at seven years of age who Santa really was, it didn't lose its appeal. But that was in England where I was born and Christmas was a lot different than it is here 'down under' in Australia.
In Australia, Christmas fall in our summer months. For example, today 20th December, it is expected that the temperature will rise to around 40 degrees Celsius ( pushing up towards a 100 Fahrenheit) and hardly conducive to baked dinners and eggnog. Here it's salads and cold beer.
But its the overwhelming commercialism of the past few decades that really spoils it. Nearly two months before Christmas the shops are talking up Christmas. Now it's getting to the stage where people hold off on Christmas presents so they can snap up the after-Christmas bargains.
Family gatherings are the thing nowadays for me. Don't even go to many parties any more. Yes, family; a few cards and emails to friends. That's about it.
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Hey TT thanks for your answer. I am in concert with the way you feel. It's for kids, and luckily we have a few little ones (grand kids & great grand kids). The commercialism is disgusting. Make your christmas a good one, in spite of it all.


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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Oct 22, 1985
|Filing date
|Jan 22, 1982
|Priority date
|Jan 22, 1982
|Fee status
|Publication number
|Richard K. Ogg
|Original Assignee
|Ogg Richard K
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (13), Referenced by (40), Classifications (10), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
For many particular uses, such as to provide audience seatings for public gatherings, it is desirable to provide non-folding, sturdy, lightweight chairs. The chairs preferably are compactly stackable for storage, and are attachable together in rows. While being lightweight and strong, it is also desirable to construct such chairs with a minimum amount of material and in as simple a manner as possible.
According to the present invention, a chair is provided that is eminently suited for use in auditoriums, gymnasiums, and in any other environment where a sturdy lightweight chair is desirable. A chair according to the present invention is constructed from a minimum of components, and the construction thereof is simple to effect, yet the chair has good stability, and can be constructed to very exacting dimensions. Preferably the chair according to the present invention is stackable, so that a large number of chairs may be disposed in a minimum volume for storage (e.g., according to the present invention stacks of 33 chairs per meter of height are possible).
Basic components of a chair according to the present invention include: Substantially identical first and second integral tubes, each having a front leg-forming portion, seat perimeter-forming portion, and back perimeter-forming portion, with the leg and back-forming portions being generally parallel and perpendicular to the seat perimeter-forming portions. A back, which preferably is of injection molded plastic, is operatively supported by the tube back perimeter-forming portions, and a seat--also preferably of injection molded plastic--is supported by the tube seat perimeter-forming portions. Secondary support rods may be provided extending between the tubes to facilitate support of the seat and back.
The rear legs and leg supports of the chair are provided by rod components. Preferably a single integral rod is utilized having a pair of spaced parallel rear leg-forming portions adjacent the ends thereof, with first, second, and third support portions between the rear leg-forming portions. The first and third support portions are generally parallel to each other and generally transverse to the rear leg-forming portions, while the second support portion is generally transverse to the first and third support portions and disposed therebetween. The second support portion passes through through-extending openings formed in the tube front leg-forming portions, and the rod and tubes are affixed together at this area, by welding or the like.
Each end of the integral rod includes an inturned portion which passes into a cooperating opening therefor formed in one of the tubes, the inturned portions being long enough so that the first and third supports of the integral rod, and the rear leg-forming portions, are everywhere outside a volume defined by planes containing the tubes, so that the chair is stackable with like chairs. This construction allows a large number of chairs to be stacked in a relative small volume, e.g., 33 chairs per meter of height.
The secondary support rods for the seat also preferably pass into openings in the tubes, and are welded in place. The seat itself has integral ribs formed on the bottom thereof, the ribs varying in thickness to control the flexibility of the seat. For instance at center portions of the seat, the ribs (which are preferably in the form of a square grid) are thinnest to provided maximum flexibility.
The chair back is preferably attached to an upper support rod which has ends with threaded openings which pass into the tubes. A screw passes into the top of each of the tubes to engage a threaded opening in the upper back support rod to hold it in place, and simultaneously cap the tube. The bottom of the back is preferably held in place by plastic plugs that extend inwardly from the back into openings formed in the tubes.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple to construct yet sturdy chair, particularly one that is readily stackable. This and other objects of the present invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary chair according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the chair of FIG. 1, with portions cut away to illustrate underlying components;
FIG. 3 is side view of the chair of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of a modified form of an exemplary chair according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view of the interengagement between tube and rod components of the chair of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a detail perspective exploded view illustrating components that interact to attach the back to the frame of the chair of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the seat of the chair of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 8 is a side view of one of the tubular components of the frame of the chair of FIG. 1.
An exemplary chair according to the present invention is shown generally by reference number 10 in the drawings. Basic components of the chair include first and second integral tubes 12, 13. Each of these tubes includes a front leg-forming portion 14, 15, resepctively; a seat perimeter-forming portions 16, 17, respectively; and a back perimeter-forming portion 18, 19, respectively. The portions 14, 18 and 15, 19, respectively, are generally parallel to each other, and generally transverse to the portion 16, 17, respectively. The tubes 12, 13 preferably are made of metal, such as tube steel, and have ground-engaging caps 20, 21 disposed on the ends of the leg-forming portions 14, 15, respectively, thereof. The tubular nature of the components 12, 13 is made clear in FIG. 5.
The rear legs of the chair 10 preferably are formed by first and second rear leg-forming rods 22, 23. Preferably these rods 22, 23 are parts of a single integral rod which includes in addition to the rear leg-forming portions 22, 23, first, second, and third leg support portions 24, 25, 26, respectively. In order to facilitate stackability of the chairs 10, preferably inturned portions 28, 29 (see FIG. 2 in particular) are provided at the ends of the integral rod (shown generally by reference numeral 30) which pass into cooperating openings formed in the back perimeter-forming portions 18, 19, respectively, of the first and second tubes 12, 13. The inturned portions are long enough so that the first and third supports 24, 26 and the rear leg-forming portions 22, 23 are everywhere outside a volume defined by planes containing the tubes 12, 13. This is clear in FIG. 2. The second support portion 25 also is long enough to allow this relative relationship between the first and second support portions 24, 26, rear leg portions 22, 23 and first and second tubes 12, 13.
In order to provide dimensional stability and control, the integral rod 30--particularly and preferably second support portion 25 thereof--is received by through-extending openings formed in the front leg-forming portions 14, 15 of the tubes 12, 13, respectively. This can be seen clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is illustrated specifically in FIG. 5.
Attachment means are provided for affixing the integral rod 30 to the tubes 12, 13 at the openings in the tubes for receipt of the rods--that is at the openings for the inturned ends 28, 29, and the openings for receipt of the second support portion 25 (e.g. see opening 31 in FIG. 8). The attachment means preferably comprises welds, such as weld 32 illustrated in FIG. 5--particularly where the tubes 12, 13 and the rod 30 are metal, such as steel.
The chair 10 further includes a back 35 operatively supported by the tube portions 18, 19, and a seat 37 operatively supported by the tube portions 16, 17. The back and seat preferably are formed of injection molded plastic, and are mounted so that they are completely within the volume defined by planes containing the tubes 12, 13.
One suitable manner for attaching the back 35 is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6. An upper back support rod 39 (see FIGS. 3 and 6 in particular) is contoured so that it has the same shape as the back 35, and has two ends--only the end 40 being llustrated in FIG. 6, but the opposite end being a mirror image--adapted to cooperate with openings formed in the tubes 12, 13, such as the opening 41 in tube 12 illustrated in FIG. 6. This upper back rod also may be referred to as a secondary support rod. This rod spaces the tubes 12, 13 (specifically the portions 18, 19 thereof) while at the same time supporting the back 35.
Attaching means for attaching the rod 39 to the tubes 12, 13 preferably comprises a mechanical attachment arrangement rather than a weld. An exemplary mechanical attachment is illustrated in FIG. 6. A threaded opening 42 is provided in the portion 40 of rod 39 that will pass through opening 41. A fastener 43, including a head 44 and a threaded shank 45, is adapted to cooperate with the opening 42 and the tube 12. Particularly, the shank 45 has a small enough diameter to pass into interior opening of the tube 12, and the threads thereon cooperate with the threads in opening 42 to lock the elements together. The head 44 abuts the top of the tube 12 when the shank 45 is threaded into proper position, and provides a cap for the tube 12. A similar fastener is assocated with the other end of rod 39, and tube 13. See opening 46 (FIG. 8) which receives the end of rod 39 opposite end portion 40.
The seat back 35 may be attached to the rod 39 in any suitable manner. For instance, the top of the back may have means defining a resilient snap-fit connector, shown generally by reference numeral 47 in FIG. 3, that resiliently passes over the rod 39 and then snaps in place.
The back 35 also is preferably connected to the frame components by integral lugs formed at the bottom thereof and cooperating with openings formed in the tubes 12, 13. An exemplary such lug is illustrated by reference numeral 49 in FIG. 2, passing through an opening 50 formed in first tube back perimeter-forming 18. A similar lug on the opposite side cooperates with a similar opening in second tube 13 (such as opening 51 illustrated in FIG. 8). Further, the side edges of the back 35 may be pop riveted to the tubes 12, 13 at spaced locations.
The seat 37 is seen most clearly in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 7. The seat 37 is preferably affixed to the tubes 12, 13 by cooperations with a number of secondary support rods, for instance, the front and rear support rods 54, 55 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. Each of these rods 54, 55 extends between the tubes 12, 13 and passes into cooperating openings formed in the tubes 12, 13 for receipt thereof. Attachment between the rods 54, 55 and the tubes 12, 13 also is facilitated by attachment means, such as welds. The rod 54 preferably is substantially straight, and cooperates with openings formed in the leg-forming portions 14, 15 of the tubes 12, 13--see opening 57 in tube 13 in FIG. 8--while the rear secondary support rod 55 is curved to correspond to the contour of the seat 37 and cooperates with openings in the seat perimeter-defining portions 16, 17 of the tubes 12, 13--such as opening 58 in second tube 13 as seen in FIG. 8. Preferably the seat 37 includes a front lip 59 which extends downwardly and covers the rod 54.
The seat 37 may be affixed to the rods 54, 55 by any suitable means such as snap-fit connections integrally formed with seat 37. A portion of the front snap connector 62 is illustrated in FIG. 2, while the entire connector 62 is seen in plan view in FIG. 7. A similar rear snap connector 63 is also illustrated in FIG. 7. Snap connectors of similar type (although not continuous) are illustrated by reference numerals 60, 62 in U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,715.
The seat 37 also may be attached to the frame components by pop riveting the side edges of the seat 37 to the tubes 12, 13 (particularly the seat perimeter-forming portions 16, 17 thereof).
The seat 37 is preferably constructed so that it has different flexibility at different portions thereof. For instance, it is desirable to have a fair amount of flexibility at the center portions of the seat 37, while perimeter portions thereof desirably have little flexibility. This desirable result is accomplished according to the present invention by providing integrally molded structural ribs on the bottom face 65 (see FIG. 7) of the seat 37. These ribs preferably are in the form of a square grid as illustrated in FIG. 7, including a first set of ribs 67 generally parallel to the side portions of the seat 37, and a second set of ribs 68 generally parallel to the front lip 59 of the seat 37. The ribs 67, 68 have varying thickness (that is they extend from the bottom face 65 varying distances). For instance at center portions of the seat 37, illustrated generally by reference numeral 69, the ribs 67, 68 will have minimum thickness (e.g., one-eighth inch), while at perimeter portions of the seat 37 (e.g., indicated by reference numeral 70 in FIG. 7) the ribs 67, 68 will have maximum thickness (e.g., one-half inch). The body of the seat 37 preferably has substantially the same thickness throughout.
The chair according to the present invention may take a wide variety of forms aside from those illustrated in the drawings. For instance while the various portions of the rod 30 and tubes 12, 13 are preferably transverse to each other, clearly an actual 90� angle therebetween is not at all necessary. For instance in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the portions 22', 24' of the rod 30' make a much smaller angle with respect to each other. All such modifications are within the scope of the terms "generally transverse" and "generally perpendicular" used in the specification and claims. Further, while the rod 30 and the secondary support rods 39, 54, 55 preferably are solid (see FIG. 5), in fact under some circumstances they also could be tubular, and the term "rod" is to be interpreted to cover such a modification. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4, accessory structures may be associated with the frame components, such as chair arm 75 attached to first tube 12' back perimeter-forming portion 18' in the chair 10' of the FIG. 4 embodiment. Also, while the various frame components are preferably circular in cross-section and have been illustrated as such, it is to be understood that the terms "tube" and "rod" encompass components of other cross-sectional configurations.
The provision of the simple, few, tube and rod frame components for the chair 10 according to the present invention makes fabrication and assembly of the chair 10 very simple. Yet, the cooperation between the rod components and openings formed in the tubes 12, 13 facilitate excellent stability and strength of the chair, and good dimensional control. The design of the seat and back attachments also facilitate ease of construction while providing good stability, while the design of the seat facilitates stackability and minimizes the amount of material necessary, while achieving appropriate variation of the flexibility of various seat portions. The construction in general also provides a chair that is readily stackable, so that a maximum number of chairs can be provided in a minimum volume (e.g., 33 chairs within a volume 3 meters in height).
While the invention has been herein shown and described in what is presently conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the skill in the art that many modifications may be made thereof within the scope of the invention, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and devices.
|Cited Patent
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|Garrex Llc
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|U.S. Classification
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|International Classification
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|Jan 13, 1989
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|May 25, 1993
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Oct 24, 1993
|Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
|Jan 4, 1994
|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 19931024


text:
The Pig's Law Trailer (2001)
05 October 2001
After inheriting a pig farm from their father, sisters Stephane and Betty do their best to keep the family business running. But while the very pregnant Betty is diligent about doing the work that needs to be done, Stephane can focus only on her crippling gambling problem, which has landed her in deep trouble with her creditors. Desperate for cash, she considers a dangerous option for repaying the debt … but will it work?
Watch the official The Pig's Law 2001 trailer in HD below or find more The Pig's Law videos on Vidimovie.


text:
Newborn girl's body found in police colony
A newborn baby girl was found dead in a garbage bin located in police residential quarters in Gokhalenagar on Tuesday morning. The Chatuhshrungi police registered a complaint under Section 318 against an unknown woman for concealing birth of baby by secretly disposing of the body of the infant.
The matter came to light when constable, appointed to supervise cleaning work of Police Vasahat, found the body of the baby in a garbage bin. He immediately informed the Chatuhsrungi police station about the discovery.
Search for mom on
Assistant Police Inspector M N Joshi, who is investigating the case, said that his team looked for a woman in adjoining areas, but to no avail. Joshi said, "We suspect that the baby is born out of a wedlock. Our search for the mother is going on."


text:
There are many ways to evaluate students, and we choose to keep formal testing to a minimum. The Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) is an informal evaluation given to students who are pre-readers through the 8th grade reading level. This screening is given at the beginning of the school year to help us informally determine each child's reading level or reading readiness for pre-readers. It is administered in the spring to measure growth in the areas of reading.
The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), a nationally norm-referenced test, is administered in the spring to measure growth.
We are very excited about our 2016 spring test scores! Many of our students tested out of the 8th grade reading level despite being in a lower grade. Our group scores for the ITBS were all either one grade above and higher in each grade.


text:
Posted 01 Feb 2015
Link to this post
Posted 02 Feb 2015
Link to this post
Hello Brett,
Let me first note that once I open the page, I get the following error in the console, so you may want to look into that:
You have included the Google Maps API multiple times on this page. This may cause unexpected errors.
As for the RadWindows - you need to use the ClientIDs of the hyperlinks when the OpenerElementID property is used, as shown in this demo: http://demos.telerik.com/aspnet-ajax/window/examples/openandposition/defaultcs.aspx. The page uses the server IDs (e.g., hlHowTo) instead of the rendered HTML element id attribute (RadPanelBar1_i4_hlHowTo). ASP.NET changes the IDs of some elements when they are in INamingContainers and the other option you can consider is setting the ClientIDMode of those three hyperlinks to Static so ASP does not change their IDs.
This works on the simpler page because the link is not in a complex structure, so the ID attribute matches the ClientID attribute.
Check out the Telerik Platform - the only platform that combines a rich set of UI tools with powerful cloud services to develop web, hybrid and native mobile apps.


text:
Characterization of local and global contractile activities in the myocardium is essential for a better understanding of cardiac form and function. The spatial distribution of regions that contribute the most to cardiac function plays an important role in defining the pumping parameters of the myocardium like ejection fraction and dynamic aspects such as twisting and untwisting. In general, myocardium shortening, tangent to the wall, and ventricular wall thickening are important parameters that characterize the regional contribution within the myocardium to the global function of the heart. We have calculated these parameters using myocardium displacement fields, which were captured through the displacement-encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) MRI technique in three volunteers. High spatial resolution of the acquired data revealed transmural changes of thickening and tangential shortening with high fidelity in beating hearts. By filtering myocardium regions that showed a tangential shortening index of <0.23, we were able to identify the complete or a portion of a macrostructure composed of connected regions in the form of a helical bundle within the left ventricle mass. In this study, we present a representative case that shows the complete morphology of a helical myocardial band as well as two other cases that present ascending and descending portions of the helical myocardial band. Our observation of a helical functional band based on dynamics is in agreement with diffusion tensor MRI observations and gross dissection studies in the arrested heart.
- left ventricle
- mechanical strain
- structure
- function
a better understanding of the structure and function of the heart continues to challenge modern medicine and physiology (4, 7, 10). Despite the remarkable advances in the understanding of myocardial cell function and its complex molecular structure, the role of cardiac sarcomeres and myofibers in generating contractile forces in the normal heart baffles us at all levels (4). A better understanding of the spatial distribution of regions with elevated contractile dynamics within the myocardium mass would perhaps help to resolve this issue.
Our hypothesis is that if myofibers of the left ventricle form a gross macroscopic structure in the form of a band, as previously suggested by blunt dissection efforts (11, 12), its importance in the dynamics of the heart must be revealed in characterized regional and global function of the myocardium. Based on our hypothesis, such an anatomic structure should act like a physical pathway for the maximum transmission of systolic contractile force and should facilitate the spatial coordination of relaxation and diastolic recoil. In this study we sought to find such a structure directly based on its kinematical behavior in beating hearts. The effectiveness of this approach depends on the proper identification of the cardiac regions that exhibit higher contractile activity and the nature of their linkage and innerconnectivity. In this article, we implement an approach that enables us to map regions of intense and directional contractile activities within myocardium to examine the nature of gross morphology that would represent these regions. Our investigation suggests that a band in the form of an open figure eight characterizes the most intense contractile activities within the ventricular mass.
Displacement encoding with stimulated echoes MRI.
Displacement-encoded imaging with stimulated echoes (DENSE), an advanced noninvasive MRI technique, provides high spatial resolution measurement of three-dimensional myocardial points tracking (Lagrangian displacement) over the entire cardiac cycle (1, 9). DENSE MRI from 10 healthy volunteers was acquired using a Siemens Trio 3T MR whole body scanner at the Caltech Imaging Center with an eight-channel cardiac array coil. Our HIPAA compliant study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from subjects. Seven out of 10 data sets were used for the optimization of the DENSE sequence parameters on the 3T MR machine, and the rest were used for this study.
For this article, we present three data sets from which one covers the entire left ventricle and two others miss its apical part due to technical difficulties in DENSE imaging. All three data sets comprise the displacement field from end diastole (right after QRS) to the end systole, when the myocardium contraction is at its maximum (14). The data set that covers the entire left ventricle consists of 10 short-axis (SA) images captured from the heart of a 36-yr-old male volunteer. The vector position of spatially designated muscle volume elements was mapped with a starting time at end diastole and time steps 70 ms apart. These positions were captured and registered relative to the positions of these elements at the end systole. The end systole time was determined through MRI cine images and for this subject was 380 ms after QRS complex. The imaging parameters are as follows: repetition time = 3.1 ms, mixing time = 250 ms, flip angle = 90°, in-plane displacement encoding strength = 6.25 mm/π, out-of-plane displacement encoding strength = 3.21 mm/π, number of averages = 3, number of phases = 3, in-plane resolution = 1.5 × 1.5 mm2, slice thickness = 5 mm, and distance factor = 50%.
Using the DENSEView software, the three-dimensional displacement field was generated in a matrix format. Segmentation was then performed by masking all parts of the anatomy except for the myocardium. For this study, we have masked regions of the heart outside the left ventricle. Phase unwrapping was then performed on the segmented images by scanning the myocardium area while searching for sudden changes in the displacement magnitude. These phase wrappings were later unwrapped by adding or subtracting the displacement correction value, which corresponds to the 2π radiant changes in phase. This step was repeated separately for all three directions of displacement; Matlab 7.0.4 (MathWorks, Natick, MA) was used for the calculations.
In Fig. 1, we present 10 SA slices of the heart at end systole along with arrows that show the displacement during the contraction that spans from end diastole to end systole. The first depiction in this figure includes parts of the right ventricle to show the position and orientation of the muscle volume elements that we track. Other illustrations depict the displacement field with colors exploited to show the direction of vectors. Color coding was performed by using three components of each normalized vector as the color levels in the RGB color space; that is, the parallel vectors have the same color. The image on the right side of the first row shows these displacement vectors in one long-axis view. This image, in particular, reveals the superiority of the spatial resolution of DENSE data to MRI tagging. By having four to eight data points across the left ventricle wall, depending on the wall thickness, we are able to calculate the transmural changes of the thickening and shortening index across the wall through the method suggested by Moore et al. (8). Density and orientation of displacement vectors are better illustrated in the middle and bottom rows of Fig. 1, where the side view and corresponding top view of the displacement field were presented, respectively, for three of those slices. It should be noted that the direction of these vectors represents the displacement directions that resulted from the contraction of many myofibers. Therefore, vector directions are not necessarily aligned in the muscle fiber directions at each myocardium point.
Regional contraction analysis.
The reduction of the left ventricle volume in systole, and therefore its pumping function, is mostly caused by wall thickening (7), which is the effect of tangential shortening of the myocardium. Therefore, these two dependent quantities can be used as the quantitative characteristics for the local contribution of the left ventricle myocardium to global heart function. The spatial distribution of regions that contribute the most to cardiac function acts as a functional macrostructure for the myocardium. The mere existence of such a distinct structure and the knowledge of its normal morphology will facilitate a more effective modeling of left ventricle function.
Moore et al. (8) have suggested a scalar quantity to measure the tangential shortening in a manner that is not sensitive to the deformations in the tangent plane. This quantity, known as the shortening index (SI), measures the change of the in-plane area based on the stretch tensor U, in the radial, longitudinal, and circumferential (RLC) coordinate system. With the consideration of the incompressibility of the myocardium, the local thickening of the wall (T) is also calculated by elements of U. Therefore, T and SI can be measured at any point inside the heart muscle using stretch tensor. These two dependent quantities have been used in this study as surrogates for regional contraction level.
With the use of high resolution displacement field of the myocardium, acquired by DENSE, maps of T and SI with high spatial resolution were calculated based on the maximum deformation of the left ventricle, i.e., from the end diastole to the end systole. The macrostructure of the left ventricle was subsequently sought by calculation and comparison of the isosurfaces of these quantities for their relatively higher absolute values. The isosurfaces were calculated for SI values above a certain threshold. Starting from low values near zero, we gradually increased the magnitude of the threshold and removed myocardium regions that were left out of the isosurface corresponding to the threshold. According to Moore et al. (8), the maximum mean SI magnitude in the left ventricle is −0.25 ± 0.05 in healthy hearts. Figure 2 shows the isosurface of left ventricle wall thickening and tangential shortening, corresponding to SI = −0.23, assembled from data shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2A, the isosurface is shown from the same view of Fig. 1 (anterior view). Fig. 2, C and D, also shows this structure from the right (septal) and superior views, respectively. It demonstrates that local wall thickening is not uniformly distributed through the wall, but rather, it is spatially distributed and oriented like a helical shape band. This band initiates from the posterior-basal region of the heart (denoted by the asterisk), continues through the left ventricle free wall, reaches the septum, loops around the apex, ascends, and ends to the superior-anterior section of the left ventricle. This pathway has been shown with a blue curve in this figure. The curve was obtained automatically through an algorithm that started from one point on the posterior-basal part of the myocardium and followed the band by measuring the mean of coordinates for points over the isosurface. Choosing the set of points that is used for this measurement at each step was guided by continuity requirements projected in the motion direction. These sequential directions are shown as little vectors in Fig. 2B. A more demonstrative view of this band can be seen from the supplemental movie (all supplemental material can be found with the online version of this article).
Figure 3 shows the band wherever the displacement data were available for two other data sets. Although in those cases the apical loop was missing due to the lack of data in that region, ascending and descending parts of the band are evident and similar to the case of Fig. 2, confirming the reproducibility of the band for those regions.
Previous attempts to study the spatial distribution of the myofibers through blunt dissection (12) have suggested the existence of a helical myofiber arrangement interlaced with connective tissues within the ventricular mass. Recent imaging studies on the structure of the myocardium using diffusion tensor MRI (DTMRI) have produced evidence in support of the above mentioned conjecture. For example, works at University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins have clearly depicted a continuous bundle of muscle fibers in the helical form within the elaborate connective tissue matrix of the left ventricular mass (Fig. 4) (5). It is important to note that in the DTMRI technique, the static structure of myofibers is mapped by following the diffusive direction of water molecules along these fibers in arrested hearts. Therefore, crucial dynamic information such as strain field must be obtained by other means. In this respect, it would not have been possible to confirm the functional role of such an intriguing structure in the cardiac function and dynamics. For this reason, these observations and other efforts to model cardiac dynamics based on the existence of a helical myofiber band have faced severe criticism due to the lack of evidence in support of the dynamical significance and functional role of a helical myofiber band within the chamber wall (6). Our observation through DENSE imaging shows strong resemblance to the cardiac muscle fibers obtained by DTMRI as well as to the conjectures that originated from blunt dissection studies (5, 12). The main distinction is in the approaches used to identify and characterize the band. Unlike DTMRI and dissection techniques, we employed a dynamical characteristic approach to reach a similar morphological conclusion.
When the function and the morphology of the most active region of the myocardium are linked, one can notice the ability of the heart to twist during the systole and untwist during diastole (2, 3). From a macromechanical point of view, such twisting dynamics cannot be produced without the presence of a helically oriented and dynamically preferential muscle morphology within the myocardium mass. It is natural to conclude that transmission of forces along such a helical pathway would generate global resultant motion of the chamber wall in the form of twisting and untwisting action, which has been observed and could not be fully explained by the prevailing localized, fiber structure models of the left ventricle (2).
In this article we presented an image-based approach for patient-specific modeling of the left ventricle. In this approach, the relation of the form and function of the left ventricle (myocardium) has been studied through investigating the spatial distribution of its regional function. We showed that regions with a higher degree of functionality appear to form a macrostructure in the form of a helical band (open figure 8). This observation is in agreement with previous findings that suggest an asymmetric orientation of fibers in the left ventricle (13).
This work was supported by the Caltech MRI Center.
We thank Dr. H. Wen, Prof. J. P. Finn, Dr. M. Tyszka, Dr. P. Helms, and Prof. S. E. Fraser for advice and assistance and Prof. S. J. Kovacs for comments on the manuscript.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
- Copyright © 2009 the American Physiological Society


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