text:
Geometrical Flowers - SJSA005
EXCLUSIVE Sweets By Joana Design Collection.
We offer the PREMIUM quality edible images and PREMIUM edible ink.
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6" tier - 2 sheets
8" tier - 3 sheets
12" tier - 4 sheets
- Each sheet is of 8.5" x 10.75" (21.5 cm x 27.3 cm)
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- Each sheet is 8.27" x 11.69" (21cm x 29.7 cm) an A4 size sheet.
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Joana from the "Sweets By Joana" is a talented Pastry Teacher and Cake Designer. Her video tutorials very popular not only in Spain but also around the world.
We have the honor to have Exclusive Rights of Copyrights to use her creative designs and turn them into edible images for your cakes or other sweet treats.
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Vibrant colours, easy to apply and holds up for at least 30 hours!
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Custom Icing Sheets


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Summer evening in St. Louis. (Cardinals playing the Royals June 19, 2011. Jake Westbrook is pitching. Cardinals won 5-4.)
From smoke signals to telecommunications
Holiday Cheer
SLU Homecoming Fireworks 2012
Lantern Festival - Missouri Botanical Gardens 2012
The River at St. Louis
St. Louis - Gateway to the West ...and the South, and the North, and the East, and oh yeah, a few local places as well.
A Beacon to the Community
Under the Gateway Arch - St. Louis, MO
First Day on Campus
Taste of St. Louis - 2011
Arch and Cabana
Union Station - St. Louis, MO
Fiery sky in Forest Park
St. Louis Symphony Fireworks in the Park 2011
Martin Luther King Bridge - St. Louis, MO
Forest Park - St. Louis
St. Louis Symphony Fireworks in the Park 2012

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Method of making an intervertebral reamer
A surgical tool is disclosed for use in spinal stabilization for fusing contiguous vertebra in an animal spine. The tool includes a distal end having external dimensions sized for the distal end to be inserted within the animal body and located against a tissue layer between contiguous vertebra. Cutting blades are carried on the distal end for cutting at least a portion of the layer and at least a portion of vertebra bodies to form a chamber within the contiguous vertebra. The cutting blades are selected for the chamber to be sized greater than the external dimensions of the distal end. A control element is provided for controlling a depth of cut of the cutting blade between at least first and second positions with the cutting blade retained within the external dimensions when in the first position and with the cutting blade extended to form the chamber when in the second position.
Latest Spine-Tech, Inc. Patents:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to surgical procedures for stabilizing a spine. More particularly, this invention pertains to a novel surgical tool for use in such a procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chronic low back pain is one of the most common and perplexing problems facing the field of orthopedic surgery. In addition to the discomfort of the patient, low back pain has severe adverse societal impacts. Ineffective treatment of low back pain results in increased lost time from work and increased insurance claims. Much more tragic societal consequences arise from the patient's efforts to cope with chronic low back pain. These include loss of income or job, loss of self and family esteem, possible chronic dependence on drugs, alcohol and public relief programs.
In many cases, low back pain can be avoided if relative motion between spinal vertebra can be prevented. Immobilization (or, more commonly, intervertebral stabilization) is sought in a wide variety of treatment methods. To abate low back pain, stabilization is directed to stabilizing contiguous vertebra in the lumbar region of the spine.
While the following list is not exhaustive, it illustrates prior stabilization techniques:1. Non-Surgical Stabilization
The simplest stabilization is accomplished through use of back braces. The brace is worn externally by the patient to restrict lumbar movement. Unfortunately, the brace is bulky and uncomfortable and limited in its effectiveness.2. Surgical Stabilization a. Generally
Low back pain is presently believed to be associated with anatomic changes in the discs which separate the lumbar vertebra. Surgical stabilization first identifies the degenerated disc and seeks to rigidly join the lumbar vertebra which are separated by the degenerated disc. Ideally, the surgery effectively replaces the vertebra-disc-vertebra combination with a single rigid vertebra. Various surgical techniques have developed which attempt to approach or approximate this ideal.b. Anterior Spinal Interbody Fusion
The anterior route for fusion involves a surgeon seeking access to the spine through the front (i.e. stomach area) of the patient. Exposure of major organs and blood vessels is required. Accordingly, due to difficulty and danger, this method has not received wide-spread acceptance.c. Posterior Interbody Fusion and Postero-Lateral Fusion
Posterior fusion means access to the spine is achieved through the back of the patient. Postero-lateral fusion is similar with access coming more from either or both sides of the patient. Several posterior or postero-lateral techniques are known.i. Usual Single Level Postero-Lateral Fusion
The usual inter-transverse process fusion involves bone grafts connecting the transverse processes of contiguous vertebra. The transverse processes are bone portions extending radially away from opposite sides of the vertebra body. The grafted bone is commonly taken from the iliac crest.
The inter-transverse process fusion has several drawbacks. Gross destruction of normal anatomy is required. Also, a significant incision is necessary to expose a sufficient area of the lumbo-sacral area in order to perform the surgery. This wide exposure results in high blood loss and significant muscle and bone destruction.
An additional drawback of this technique is that the fusion requires a significant time to become solid. For example, fusion may require nine to twelve months. During this period, the spine is rendered less stable than it was before the operation.
A further disadvantage of this technique is that the fusion occurs between the transverse processes which are spaced from the body of the vertebra. Accordingly, complete stability is not achieved.ii. Dowel-Type Interbody Fusion
A dowel technique for a posterior interbody fusion is known. In the dowel technique, a bore hole is formed through the degenerated disc area. The diameter of the bore is sized so that cutting takes place both into the disc and the opposing surfaces of the vertebra body. With the bore formed, bone dowels are placed within the bore. If successful, fusion occurs between the bone dowels and the opposing surfaces of the vertebra body.
The dowel-type technique is limited in effectiveness. The size of a bore which can be directly formed into the spine is limited by the access area to the spine. Namely, the vertebra structure, location of the spinal cord, location of important nerves and blood vessels restrict the effective maximum size of the bore which can be formed. As a result of this restriction, the amount of degenerative disc material which can be removed is limited. Also, the surface area of the vertebra body which is exposed and available for grafting is limited.iii. Grafting Into a Cleaned Interbody Space
This technique requires removal of the degenerate disc. The degenerated disc is removed through chiseling or the like to clean the interbody space. When the interbody spaced is exposed, large bone segments are placed into the space and grafted to the opposing vertebra. This technique has enjoyed a high percentage of successful interbody fusions. However, the procedure is very difficult to perform requiring three to six hours by experienced surgeons. Also, the process of removing the disc exposes major nerves and blood vessels to damage. Due to the danger associated with this technique, it is in limited use.iv. Need for Improved Techniques
As noted above, there are many techniques for stabilizing vertebra. However, these techniques have individual drawbacks. Due to the extreme economic and sociological impact of chronic low back pain, a need for improved techniques with high effectiveness and decreased risks has long persisted and been sought in orthopedic surgery. However, techniques which meet the dual goal of high fusion with low acceptable risks have evaded the art.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a surgical tool is provided for preparing a graft site between opposing vertebra. The tool has a distal end with external dimensions sized to be passed through the patient's anatomy to a point of entry on the spine. Retractable cutting blades are provided on the cutting end. At the discretion of the surgeon, the blades can be extended beyond the predetermined external dimensions to cut a cavity greater than the predetermined external dimensions.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a posterior view of a segment of a lumbar spine with a graft made according to the prior art technique;
FIG. 2 is a lateral view of a spinal segment showing a prior art fusion technique;
FIG. 3 is a posterior view of the fusion technique of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a spinal segment showing a prior art fusion technique;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a surgical tool according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the tool of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is the view taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is the view taken along lines 8--8 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is the view of FIG. 6 with a control mechanism removed;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a ristal end of the tool of the present invention;
FIG. 10A is a view of an interior end of a central rod of the tool of FIG. 5;
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken of the tool of FIG. 5 section showing blades disposed within a first position or retracted;
FIG. 12 is the view of FIG. 11 showing the blades in a second or extended position;
FIG. 13 is a view of a first blade for use in the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a view of a second blade for use in the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a view showing a possible positioning of the tool of the present invention during operation;
FIG. 16 is a lateral view showing positioning of the tool of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a bore and chamber shown in perspective in a spine;
FIG. 18 is the view of FIG. 17 without the view being taken in section;
FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken in perspective of an access bore formed in a spine;
FIG. 20 is the view of FIG. 19 showing the access bore enlarged by a tool of the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a view showing alternate positioning of the tool of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a view of a spine showing relative dimensions of spinal elements and a bore made according to the present invention; and
FIG. 23 is the view of FIG. 17 showing a graft medium in the enlarged chamber.DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A. The Prior Art
1. Transverse Process Fusion
Before proceeding with the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, a more detailed description of the prior art will be given with reference to the drawings. It is believed such a description will facilitate the reader's understanding of the apparatus and method of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, the prior art technique of an intertransverse process fusion is shown. FIG. 1 is a posterior view (i.e., taken through the patient's back) of three lumbar vertebra 10, 10' and 10". Each of vertebra 10--10" includes a body portion 10a--10a" and a pair of laterally projecting bones known as transverse processes 10b--10b" and 10c--10c". Also, each vertebra includes a posterior projecting bone known as the spinal process 10d. The vertebra body 10a, 10a' and 10a" are separated by spinal discs 12 and 12'.
In the view of FIG. 1, disc 12 is a diseased disc which contributes to relative instability between vertebra 10 and 10". To effect stabilization, bone segments 14 are taken from the iliac crest (not shown) and grafted onto vertebra 10 and 10" with the grafted bone 14 extending between opposing transverse processes 10c, 10c" and 10b, 10b".
In order to perform a transverse process fusion, a surgeon must make an incision in the patient's back and separate tissue and muscle in order to expose the wide area in which the grafting is to take place. This results in gross destruction of normal anatomy as well as high blood loss. Also, this surgical technique does not completely stabilize the vertebra since there is no direct connection between the vertebra body 10a and 10a".2. Dowel Interbody Fusion
The dowel-type interbody fusion referred to previously is shown illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the view of FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, only the vertebra body portions 10a, 10a' are shown.
As shown in FIG. 3, two bores 16 are formed into the diseased disc tissue 12. The bores 16 are made as large as possible so that they also cut into the bone of the body portions 10a and 10a". The bore 16 is formed through either open surgery or percutaneous surgery. In open surgery, the surgeon makes an incision and separates tissue and muscle to expose a wide area of the spine before drilling the bore 16. In the percutaneous method, a small incision is formed and a guide tube is placed against the desired location of tissue 12. The drill bit is based through the guide tube to drill bore 16.
Bone dowels 18 are inserted within the bores 16. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the size of the gap between the bore 16 and the dowel 18 is exaggerated solely for purposes of illustration. In practice, the dowel 18 is made to fit as snugly into the bore 16 as possible.
The technique shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is limited. The bore 16 is drilled through use of commercially available surgical drill bits. There is a limit on the maximum size of the diameter of bore 16 for any given patient. The limit is attributed to the fact that too large of a drill bit cannot be passed through the patient's body and placed against tissue 12. If too large of a drill bit is used, the size of the bit will interfere and possibly damage other anatomical parts such as important blood vessels, nerves, etc. Due to this restriction only a limited amount of the disease disc tissue 12 is removed. Also, the portion of opposing surfaces of body portions 10a, 10a' which can be removed by the drill bit is limited. This limits the surface area of the graft. This limitation adversely impacts on the potential success of the graft.3. Grafting In Vacated Intervertebral Space
A third prior art method for interbody fusion is shown in FIG. 4. In this method, the surgeon cleans away all tissue between the vertebra to be fused. As a result, all disc tissue 12 as well as disc plates (not shown) are removed. Large surface area bone grafts 20 are placed within the clean space to form a graft between the opposing vertebra bodies.
The technique of FIG. 4 requires fairly complete cleaning of the disc tissue and plates between the vertebra to be fused. This is a time consuming procedure which presents hazard to major nerves and blood vessels in the area of the vertebra. As a result of these risks, this procedure is frequently avoided.B. Novel Apparatus 1. Main Body
Reference is now directed to FIGS. 5 through 14 in which identical elements are numbered identically throughout. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the surgical tool 22 of the present invention. Tool 22 includes an elongate cylindrical shaft 24 having a distal end 26 and an operator engaging end 28. Fixedly connected to the shaft 24 at end 28 is a handle 30. As will be more fully described, the diameter of shaft 24 at distal end 26 is sized such that shaft 24 can be inserted into a patient's body with distal end 26 placed against a diseased disc without shaft 24 having undue interference with other anatomical organs.
Shaft 24 is hollow. As best shown in FIGS. 7-10A, an interior rod 32 is coaxially disposed within shaft 24 and mounted therein for rotational movement about axis X--X. Rod 32 has an exterior end 33 extending axially beyond handle 30. Additionally rod 32 has an interior end 34 (shown in FIGS. 10 and 10A) disposed adjacent distal end 26.
Extending in an axial direction from end 34 are a pair of parallel spaced apart eccentric pins 36, 37 which project off the axial face of end 34 and are spaced from the axis X--X of rotation of rod 32. An end cap 27 covering distal end 26 has an internal annular groove 28 which receives the free ends of pins 36, 37.2. Cutting Blades
Distal end 26 is provided with a slot 35 extending therethrough. Received within slot 35 are cutting blades 40 and 42 (shown best in FIGS. 11-14). Each of blades 40, 42 is provided with a blade body 41, 43. Bodies 41, 43 are similar in that each have an arcuate first end 44, 46 and an opposite cutting edge 47, 48.
Spaced between arcuate edges 44, 46 and cutting edges 47, 48 are bores 49, 50 extending parallel to edges 44, 46. Bores 49 and 50 are elongated in cross-section and are sized to receive eccentric pins 36, 37. Shown best in FIGS. 12 and 13, the longitudinal cross-sectional dimension of bores 49, 50 extend generally perpendicular to the dimension extending between arcuate edges 44, 46 and cutting edges 47, 48. Shown best in FIG. 12, blades 40, 42 include flat opposing surfaces 51, 52 and opposite flat surfaces 53, 54 which oppose internal flat surfaces 55, 56 of distal end 26.
Blades 40, 42 are sized such that when received in slot 35, blades 40, 42 are slidable relative to one another with surface 51 engaging surface 52 in sliding engagement. Further, surface 53 slidably engages surface 55 and surface 54 slidably engages surface 56.
The blades are slidable relative to one another between a first, or retracted, position (shown in FIGS. 5 and 11) and a second, or extended, position (shown in FIGS. 12 and 16). When in the retracted position, the blades are completely received within the external dimensions of the distal end 26. Arcuate edges 44, 46 have a radius of curvature the same as that of distal end 26 such that they conform with the external dimensions of distal end 26. Blade edges 47, 48 are completely received within the distal end 26.
When shaft 34 is rotated counterclockwise (when viewed in FIG. 11), pins 36, 37 rotate within bores 49 and 50. The cooperation of the eccentric pins and the bores translates rotational movement of shaft 32 into lateral movement of blade 40, 42 in the direction of the arrows A and B. A 45.degree. rotation of the shaft fully extends the blades to the position shown in FIG. 12. To retract the extended blades, shaft 32 is rotated clockwise (when viewed in FIG. 12).3. Cutting Blade Control
A control mechanism is provided for controlling the amount of extension of the blades 40, 42 and to hold the blades in a desired extended position. The control mechanism includes an adjustment grip 60 carried on exposed end 33 of rod 32.
Shown best in FIG. 7, grip 60 includes a pair of pins 62 opposing handle 30. Pins 62 are sized to be received within any of a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 63 formed on the surface of handle 30. Holes 63 correspond with positioning of blades 40, 42. For example, with pins 62 received within holes 63a, blades 40, 42 are fully received within distal end 26 as shown in FIG. 11. With pins 62 received within holes 63b, blades 40, 42 are fully extended as shown in FIG. 12. Indicator grooves 64 extend radially away from holes 63 so that a surgeon can sight check the extension of blades 40, 42.
Shaft 32 is rotationally locked to grip 60 by means of free end 33 having a triangular cross-section (best shown in FIG. 9) which is received within a complimentarily cross-section opening 65 (see FIGS. 7, 8) of grip 60. Grip 60 may slide axially on free end 33 (in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 7) such that pins 62 may be removed from holes 63 and the handle rotated (in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 7) to any one of a plurality of angularly displaced position with pins 62 reinserted within holes 63.4. Lock Mechanism
Once inserted into desired position, pins 62 are retained within the desired holes 63 by means of a releasable lock structure 70 (shown best in FIGS. 7, 8). The lock structure 70 includes a retaining cup 72 secured to an axial face of free end 33 by means of a screw 73. Cup 72 is spaced from free end 33 with the space sized to accommodate a spring 74. One end of spring 74 abuts cup 70 and the other end of spring 74 abuts an inwardly projecting flange portion 61 of grip 60. Accordingly, grip 60 is urged against handle 30 by means of the urging of spring 74.
To move the pins 62 between other positions, an operator engages grip 60 and forces it in the direction of arrow C against the urging of spring 74 with the operator then rotating both grip 60 and shaft 32 in the direction of arrow D to the desired angular displaced position. The operator releases the grip 60 and the spring 74 urges the pin 62 into the proper hole 63. A threaded hole 75 is formed through the grip 60 to expose screw 73. A threaded cover 76 is provided for closing hole 75.5. Axial Positioning of Shaft
Shaft 32 can be removed from time to time in order to change or sharpen blades 40, 42. To assemble the apparatus, blades 40, 42 are inserted within slot 35 in the position shown in FIG. 11. To align pins 36, 37 with bores 49, 50, an alignment block 76 (see FIGS. 7, 9) is formed on shaft 32. Alignment block 76 conforms with a hole 77 formed on handle 30. With block 76 and hole 77 aligned, pins 36, 37 are aligned with bores 49, 50. The shaft 32 can then be axially slid into position with the pins received within the bores. To hold shaft 32 in axial alignment, a retaining plate 80 is provided which is sized to be received within an annular groove 81 formed in shaft 32 (best shown in FIG. 8). Alignment plate 80 is held in fixed position by means of a threaded retaining member 82 threadedly received within handle 30.6. Alternative Cutting Blade Design
Shown best in FIGS. 13 and 14, blades 40 and 42 are provided with complimentary cutting edges 47, 48. Namely, the peaks 47a of cutting edge 47 are aligned with the troughs 48b of cutting edge 48. Similarly, the peaks 48a of cutting edge 48 are aligned with the troughs 47b of cutting edge 47. As a result, the cooperative cutting action of blade edges 47, 48 form a generally cylindrical hole. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the cutting edges 47, 48 can be adapter such that a wide variety of geometries can be given to a final hole to be cut by the blades. For example, cutting edges 47, 48 could be arcuate (rather than generally linearly) to form a generally spherical hole.C. Method of Use
To appreciate the novel tool 22, a method of use is now described.1. Open Method a. Expose Area and Locate Drill Site
The present invention can be used in both open and percutaneous surgical methods. In the open method, the spine is approached from the posterior of the patient using local, spinal or general anesthesia. Using known surgical techniques, the diseased disc and adjacent vertebra are exposed.b. Drill Access Hole
With the spine exposed, a bore 100 is formed through the disc layer 12 as shown in FIG. 19. The bore 100 is formed through any conventional means by using a surgical drill bit (not shown). The bit is sized such that the diameter of the bore 100 is approximately the size of the external dimensions of distal end 26 of tool 22 so that distal end 26 may be received within bore 100. The depth of bore 100 is controlled so that distal end 26 can be fully inserted between vertebra body 10a, 10a' (as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16). Controlling depth of a bore hole in a spine is well within the skill of the art.c. Ream Cavity
With the bore formed, the distal end is inserted within the bore. With distal end 26 completely received within bore, the surgeon incrementally rotates handle 60 to progressively increase the amount of extension of blades 40, 42. At each incremental extension, the surgeon rotates the handle 30 completely about axis X--X so that the blades cut out a large chamber 102 equal to the size of the diameter of the extended blades (see FIGS. 17, 18). After each such cut, the handle 30 is incrementally turned to progressively increase the diameter of the cutting edges of blades 40, 42 until a chamber 102 of desired size (up to the diameter of the fully extended blades 40, 42) is formed. Intermittently, between enlarging the diameter of the enlarged chamber 102, the surgeon may opt to fully retract the blades 40, 42 and remove the tool 22 to flush the chamber 102 being formed. Such flushing techniques are known in the art.d. Alternative Positioning of Chamber
FIGS. 17, 18 shows an enlarged bore fully formed within the interior of opposing vertebra bodies. An alternative is to control the depth of the initial bore 100 such that the enlarged bore 102, is formed flush on the surface of the vertebra bodies as shown in FIG. 20.e. Filling Chamber with Graft Medium
With the chamber 102 formed and the surgical tool 22 removed, the chamber 102 is filled with any suitable graft medium 103 (see FIG. 21) such as finely chopped cortical or cancellous bone chips. Upon filling the chamber 102 with the graft medium 103, the patient's wound is closed through known surgical techniques.2. Percutaneous Surgery
In addition to the open method, the method of the present invention with use of the novel tool of the present invention may be used with a percutaneous surgical technique. In the percutaneous method, the patient is placed in a lateral position similar to that used during a chymopapain installation. Local and intravenous anesthesia is used so that the patient can report any symptoms or nerve irritation during the procedure.a. Locating Drill Site
The patient's skin is prepped and a plastic drape is applied and the skin and soft tissues are infiltrated with a one percent xylocaine. Under bi-plane fluoroscopic control, a smooth guide pin (not shown) (preferably 2.5 millimeters in diameter) is carefully positioned to line up with the diseased disc 12. The guide pin is driven into the disc and a sheath (not shown) is fitted over the guide pin. A locating cylinder 104 (see FIG. 16) is placed over the sheath. A drill bit (not shown) is passed through cylinder 104 and a hole sized to receive the distal end 26 is drilled into the intervertebral space. It will be appreciated that forming a bore by drilling through a locating cylinder as described is known in the art.b. Forming Enlarged Chamber
With the access bore 100 so formed, the distal end 26 is guided through the cylinder 104 into the bore. FIG. 16 shows shaft 22 being guided by a locating cylinder 104. The tool 22 is used as described in the open surgery method to produce an enlarged chamber 102 within the disc 12 and surrounding bone 10a, 10a'. This chamber 102 is irrigated from time to time by removing the tool 22 and flushing the chamber 102. Extra xylocaine is injected as necessary.c. Use of Graft Medium
When the tool 22 has been used as desired to form the chamber 102 of desired size, additional procedures may be done at this time depending upon the needs of the patient. For example, if a disc hernia is being treated, the operation may be terminated at this point since the disc has been effectively decompressed. If fusion is desired, the cavity may be filled with finely chopped cortical or cancellous bone chips impacting the chip to provide some mechanical stability. The patient is then closed through any known surgical techniques. The grafting of the bone chips result in a fusion between the vertebra bodies.d. Alternative Angles of Entry
FIGS. 15 and 21 show possible angles of entry for the tool when used in the method of the present invention. In FIG. 15, the tool is shown inserted through percutaneous method at an angle of about 75.degree. relative to the anterior-posterior axis, A-P, of the patient. It is believed this angle is suitable for use at the space between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebra and above. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the distal end 26 is completely received within the vertebra body 10a. FIG. 21 shows alternate angles for insertion of the tool with the size of the tool presenting minimal interference or destruction to other anatomical organs. In FIG. 21, line E shows an angle through the laminar bone. In line F, access is through the soft tissues of the lumbar paravertebral muscles. It is anticipated that the angle E represents a preferred angle for insertion in most situations.D. Size of Tool
With best reference being made to FIGS. 15, 16 and 23, important dimensions of the tool 22 with respect to spinal anatomy will now be discussed. The dimensions of the distal end 26 and cutting blades 40, 42 are selected with reference to predetermined dimensions of the spine in which the tool 22 is to be used. For example, for use in operating on a human the dimensions are preferably selected with respect to known human vertebra size.
Illustrated best in FIG. 22, a typical intervertebral space, S, between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebra body portions 10a, 10a' is shown. Intervertebral spacing (i.e., the disc height, S) between vertebra is normally 10 millimeters (including disc cartilage and end plates). The width, W, (i.e. the dimension measured between the sides of the vertebra) of the vertebra is about 45 millimeters. The depth, D (see FIG. 16) (i.e., the anterior-posterior dimension of the vertebra) is about 35 millimeters. Such dimensions are typical for an adult human male and may vary with the age and sex of the patient as well as other factors. The dimension will also vary for different locations in the spine.
To avoid interference of the distal end 26 with other anatomical parts and to permit location of the distal end 26 against disc 12, the distal end has a diameter of about 12 millimeters. Accordingly, axis bore 100 (as shown in FIG. 19) is preferably formed with a diameter of about 12 millimeters. A larger access hole would require the drill bit which would unduly interfere with other anatomical parts. The thickness of the locating cylinder 104 results in its diameter being about 15 millimeters (as shown in FIG. 22).
Cutting blades 40, 42 are selected such that in the fully extended position, they cut an enlarged chamber having a diameter of about 22 millimeters. As shown in FIG. 16, the length, L, of the cutting blades (and hence the length of the chamber 102) is shown as 25 millimeters so that the blades can be fully received within the 35 millimeter dimension of the vertebra body depth D (FIG. 16).
When sized as described above, the rotation of the distal end with the extended blades cuts both bone and cartilage (See FIGS. 17, 18, 20, 22). The surface area of the bone is greatly enlarged beyond that which is cut by the prior art boring technique. This greatly enlarged surface area enhances the chances of successful fusion. The diameter of the chamber is held at 22 millimeters so that a clearance, CL, of about 11 millimeters is provided to prevent possible cutting action through the exterior of the spine which could damage important nerves or blood vessels.
The distal end 26 is sized to represent the bore size 100 which could be made with prior art drilling techniques. Namely, this is the size of a rod which can be inserted towards the spine without interference with other anatomical parts. The present tool effectively enlarges the possible bore size through use of the retractable cutting blades. This results in increased amounts of diseased tissue being removed from the disc area and an increase surface area of vertebra bone being exposed for grafting. These dual enhancements cooperate to provide a more effective graft.
The foregoing dimensions and descriptions have been given with respect to human anatomy. It will be appreciated that the present tool and method could be used on any animal spine. However, the dimensions of the tool will vary proportionately with increases or decreases in spinal anatomy between different animal types. Also, in humans, the dimension will vary with numerous factors including anatomic region of the spine, age and sex. For example, the tool and method is not limited to the lumbar region and may be utilized in other regions of the spine where vertebra dimensions may be different than those illustrated. Therefore, several different sizes of the tool 22 is anticipated so a surgeon can select the optimum tool for a given patient.
The size of the tool is selected for the distal end 26 to be as large as possible while avoid undue danger upon insertion. For an anticipated approach, a surgeon may cut away a portion of the laminar portion of the vertebra. The laminar portion is shown in FIG. 1 as item 10e" and is known as the plate-like portion of bone connecting the spinal process 10d" to the facet joints of the spine. For a particular anatomical location, the distal end is sized to permit passage through a partially cut-away laminar of opposing vertebra without need to damage the facet joints. Also, the size restriction of the distal end 26 recognizes that there is a limit to which a surgeon may safely move aside the cauda equina sac.
As previously noted, the enlarged bore can be left vacated for the purposes of decompressing a herniated disc. Alternatively, the chamber can be filled with a graft medium for the purposes of fusing contiguous vertebra. The graft medium described above is bone chips or the like. However, any graft medium (such as a bone dowel or a graft prosthesis) could be used.
From the foregoing, it can be seen how the present invention is attained in a preferred manner. Modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts which readily occur to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the claims which are, or may hereafter be, appended hereto.
1. A method of making a surgical tool for use in spinal stabilization in a mammal spine where said spine has contiguous vertebra, each including a body portion, said body portions being of generally predetermined dimension and spaced apart by a layer of tissue of generally predetermined dimension, said method comprising:
- providing a tool body having an operator engaging end and a distal end;
- sizing said distal end to have external dimensions selected for said distal end to be inserted within an animal body and located against said layer;
- providing cutting means on said distal end for cutting at least a portion of said layer and at least a portion of said body portions to form a chamber within said contiguous vertebra and layer, and with said chamber sized greater than said external dimension; and
- providing control means for controlling a depth of cut of said cutting means between at least a first position with said cutting means retained within said external dimensions and at least a second position with said cutting means extended to form said chamber.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said distal end is sized to completely receive said cutting means when said cutting means is in said first position.
3. A method according to claim 1 comprising:
- providing said control means with a grip disposed on said operator engaging end of said body mounted for rotational movement relative to said body,
- connecting said grip to said cutting means to move said cutting means between said first and said second position upon rotation of said grip.
4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising providing said cutting means with at least one blade having a cutting edge disposed generally parallel to an axis of said distal end;
- said cutting edge moveable radially from said axis between said first and second positions;
- said connecting means including means for translating rotational movement of said grip into radial movement of said blade.
5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising providing said connecting means with an eccentric pin connected to said handle and off center of an axis of rotation of said handle;
- said blade including a body portion having pin receiving means for rotatably receiving said eccentric pin;
- whereby eccentric movement of said pin urges said blade between said first and second positions with said pin receiving means accommodating rotation of said pin relative to said blade.
6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising providing said control means with means for locking said cutting means in any one of a plurality of releasably locked positions including said first and second position with said cutting means disposed to cut a chamber of different dimensions at each of said locked positions.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said mammal spine is a human spine, said method further comprising sizing said distal end external dimensions for said distal end to be placed against said layer without interference of said tool with anatomical functions.
8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising sizing said cutting means to be received within a spine and chamber without said cutting means extending exterior of said spine.
9. A method for making a surgical tool for use in spinal stabilization in a mammal spine having contiguous vertebra with each including a body portion, said tool comprising:
- providing a tool body having a distal end;
- providing said distal end with a cutting blade moveable between first and second potions, sizing said blade for said blade in said first position to be contained within external dimensions of said distal end, said blade in said second position to be disposed to cut a chamber sized greater than said external dimensions upon rotation of said body means;
- connecting a grip to said body means with said grip rotatable relative thereto about an axis of rotation;
- providing an eccentric pin mounted generally parallel to and spaced from said axis of rotation and disposed for eccentric movement about said axis of rotation upon rotation of said handle, said eccentric pin received within said blade for said eccentric pin to urge said blade to move between said first and second position upon rotation of said grip.
10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said tool body is a hollow shaft; a rod disposed with said shaft coaxial therewith and rotatable relative thereto,
- said eccentric pin carried on an internal end of said rod disposed adjacent said distal end; said grip connected to an opposite end of said rod;
- said blade slidably received within an opening formed in said shaft at said distal end with said blade slidable in a direction radial to an axis of said shaft;
- said blade having a bore disposed to receive said pin.
11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said distal end external dimensions are sized to be received between opposing vertebra through a partially removed laminar without destruction of a faced joint.
12. A method according to claim 9 wherein said distal end external dimensions are sized to be received between opposing vertebra through partially removed laminar without destruction of a facet joint.
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|February 1981
- Lesions of the Intervertebral Disks and their Treatment by Interbody Fusion Methods by Ralph Cloward. Vol. 61-A, No. 8, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Anterior Fusion of the Lumbar Spine (Dec. 1979). No. 179, Clinical Orthopedics, Posterior Intervertebral Body Fusion (Oct. 1983). Vol. 6, No. 3 Permanente Foundation Medical Bulletin, The Removal of Lower Lumbar Intervertebral Discs by the Transabdominal Extraperitoneal Route (Jul. 1948). Vol. 50-A, No. 1, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Methods of Lumbar Fusion (Jan. 1968). Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Intercorporal Bone Graft in Spinal Fusion after Disc Removal. Vol. 1, No. 2, Neurosurgery, A Technical Modification of Cloward's Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (1977). Clinical Orthopedic, No. 35 Intervertebral Body Fusion by the Use of Posterior Bone Dowel.
Type: Grant
Filed: May 10, 1989
Date of Patent: Nov 5, 1991
Assignee: Spine-Tech, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN)
Inventors: Stephen D. Kuslich (Maplewood, MN), James D. Corin (Minneapolis, MN)
Primary Examiner: Robert A. Hafer
Assistant Examiner: Kevin G. Rooney
Law Firm: Merchant, Gould, Smith, Edell, Welter & Schmidt
Application Number: 7/350,050
International Classification: A61B 1756;


text:
October 17, 2008
Google Chrome to Add Greasemonkey Support
I tested the Greasemonkey support with the old script Linkifier, which turns text URLs and email addresses into links.
The new feature has been contributed by Aaron Boodman, the creator of the Greasemonkey extension for Firefox, who happens to work at Google.
In September, Google's Sundar Pichai said that Chrome will have an API for extensions. "We don't have that in the beta today, but we definitely plan an extension API. It is one of the things we will get to next." It seems that Google Chrome will provide native support for Greasemonkey scripts before releasing the API.
* to get early access to developer-oriented Google Chrome builds, subscribe to the Dev Channel and read the release notes.
* the latest Chromium snapshots are available at the BuildBot site, but they don't support Google's auto-updater and they're less stable than the official releases. You only need to download the file chrome-win32.zip from the most recent folder.
28 comments:
- AnonymousOctober 17, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Sounds like something to look forward into...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 17, 2008 at 6:15 PM
I have heard lot's of good things about it, so I'm going to try it out right now and let you know what I really think about it!ReplyDelete
how can I use this?ReplyDelete
I don't know what it means
"you need to use the flag: --enable-greasemonkey, for example by appending it to the target of a shortcut."
Will someone please explain how exactly to use Chromium? I'm not really using Chrome for the stability, so if it crashes, I won't be too disappointed anyway. I just want to test the new features and be of even more help to Google while getting the new features first!ReplyDelete
Oh sorry, I thought this was different from the general developer build (which I am already using). I'll try this now!ReplyDelete
To install Chromium, you can go to this page, click on the most recent folder (it should be at the top) and download either mini_installer.exe (setup) or chrome-win32.zip (portable archive).
After running the setup or extracting the archive to a folder, make sure you have a shortcut to chrome.exe on the desktop. Right-click on the shortcut, select "Properties" and append to the "Target" field:
It should look like this:
C:\Users\Dan\AppData\Local\Chromium\Application\chrome.exe --enable-greasemonkey
(standard path in Windows Vista)
- AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 3:41 AM
It sounds interesting!ReplyDelete
While i would love to try this, i might wait till it ages a little bit so we have full support for it.ReplyDelete
While admittedly the URL choosing (#include) not being present doesn't really matter with my user scripts, still...
Although, with user scripts up and running even now, it can be used to add your own styles. (global, but you could create a little checkbox that will dynamically add and remove it)
- AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 8:31 AM
You guys can't even get a simple Gmail gadget right, how the hell do you expect us to believe you can get an entire browser or (shudder to think) an entire OPERATING SYSTEM right? Should we expect the same lame responsiveness to user complaints that we, or at least I personally, have seen, with your other stuff? Keep a bloggin bro! Great job Google! Sheesh.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 9:00 AM
I don't use so many user scripts. But, my daily browsing and productivity heavily depend on the myriad of extensions available in Firefox.ReplyDelete
Until comparable extensions are available, Chrome will be my secondary to my Firefox (IE has been moved to third alternative).
Looking forward to the extensions on Chrome...
Oh, so I can inally get my google web history woring with Google's browser? Been doing this in Opera for ages anyway.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 5:16 PM
all the greasy adblocking js dont work with it. which means to me it means nothingReplyDelete
Please don't forget Chrome accept all bookmarklets ! That's not as convenient as extensions but works great and there are bookmarklets for all ! For example : Adblock bookmarklet...ReplyDelete
I always use last Chromium releases (with a lot of bookmarklets) I work the whole day on the Web (I'm a blogger) and never got a crash until today ! Not bad for a beta.
If I can add now Greasemonkey scripts I think my Chrome will shine a lot.
Even if Firefox 3.1 is very good (with all my extensions enabled with fantastic "Nightly tester tools" Chrome compared to Firefox is like driving a Ferrari compared to driving a big BMW.
BMW are nice but if I can choose I prefer Ferrari !
Just discovered a simpler way to install Greasemonkey scripts in Chrome, or Chromium.ReplyDelete
It's called Greasemetal ans can be found here :
Just install this tiny program, then copy all your js scripts to : \program files\greasemetal\userjs and bingo !
So... When is Linux version??ReplyDelete
the cool thing about greasemonkey is that scripts can be cross-browser compatibleReplyDelete
they are also easier for anyone to update and modify
check out http://www.codeweavers.com/services/ports/chromium/
so you can add Rockmaster's iGoogle Sidebar CollapseReplyDelete
to remove "ugly" iGoogle left sidebar ;)
- AnonymousOctober 21, 2008 at 3:19 AM
Chrome is still crashing my touchpad... when final version comes out.. will test it again.. till then, firefox rulezReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 22, 2008 at 11:50 PM
This is a powerful toolReplyDelete
This was a critical feature that gor dropped in the rush to ship chrome.ReplyDelete
this, and the lack of support for the google toolbar made chrome unusable for many users
- AnonymousOctober 28, 2008 at 12:17 PM
I have Chromium and appended the shortcut, but when I install a GreaseMonkey script it just downloads the javascript and nothing happens. Where do I put the script?ReplyDelete
Where do I put the script?ReplyDelete
In the folder c:\scripts.
- AnonymousNovember 15, 2008 at 3:19 PM
awesome... we already have adblocking in Iron ChromiumReplyDelete
now we'll have more control.. hopefully soon something like JS CAPS!
- AnonymousNovember 21, 2008 at 1:54 AM
I wonder why, after i enable greasemonkey in chrome, i am now able to load feed in google reader.ReplyDelete
anybody has the same situation?
I Am Trying To Open Net in google chrome but it is not opning so plz helpReplyDelete
It sounds very interesting This is a powerful tool I don't use so many user scripts. But, my daily browsing and productivity heavily depend on the myriad of extensions available in Firefox.ReplyDelete
Where do I put the script in the Ubuntu? My installation path is:ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 7, 2010 at 8:23 AM
This extension for Google Chrome supports the Greasemonkey functions so you can use most of the scripts on userscripts.orgReplyDelete


text:
In May, Americans watched as Apple CEO Tim Cook defended his company's tax avoidance strategies before a Senate investigative panel. Prior to the hearing, Senate investigators released a report documenting Apple's use of accounting gimmicks to shift $74 billion of profits to Ireland over the last four years.
During their testimony, Cook and his colleagues acknowledged that 70 percent of the company's global profits found their way to one particular Irish subsidiary, which the Apple gang described as having "no tax residence." Pressed further, they admitted a second subsidiary, which houses almost $30 billion of global profits, hadn't filed a tax return or paid taxes in any nation.
Hours later and steps away, the Senate voted to stick with a plan to cut $4 billion in funding from the food stamp program (known on Capitol Hill as SNAP) out of the Farm Bill. The House version would slice even deeper — a $20.5 billion cut.
What's going on? Apples are being snatched from the tables of millions of hungry people in America so that companies like Apple can continue to legally move their U.S. profits offshore to avoid paying taxes.
There's a lot at stake for the most vulnerable among us. More than 70 percent of families receiving food stamps have a child, elderly person, or disabled person in their household. On average, food stamps provide a $4.45 subsidy per day to help struggling families with their food bills.
Senators who argued at the Apple hearing that its shareholders will benefit are correct: Apples will be shifted from those who have none to those whose fruit cellars are full.
There'd be no need for our elected leaders to trim our safety net if our richest corporations didn't turn avoiding their fair share of taxes into an art form. If Apple had paid U.S. taxes on the $74 billion of profits it shifted offshore, the Treasury would have taken in up to $25 billion more revenue.
One company alone could offset all of the food-stamp cuts adopted by the Senate. With $21 billion left over, we could hire back a quarter of the 300,000 teachers who have been laid off over the same four years that Apple has been shifting its U.S. profits to Ireland.
Apple is, of course, one of many companies that have turned the corporate tax code into a game — one with serious consequences for those who rely most on government services. The volume of cash corporations stash offshore ballooned to $1.9 trillion last year.
Corporate offshore tax-haven abuse costs the U.S. Treasury $100 billion annually. Closing corporate offshore tax loopholes would allow us to fix all of the nation's 50,000 antiquated bridges (the Federal Highway Administration estimates that this would cost $76 billion), rehire the 300,000 schoolteachers laid off since 2008, and still have money left over to begin shoring up the Social Security system.
Companies like Apple complain about how the U.S. tax system threatens their global competitiveness. They like to point out that our nation has an official tax rate of 35 percent, the highest among developed economies. But they never seem to mention that last year corporations paid an average effective tax rate of just 12.1 percent — one of the lowest rates among developed nations, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The stock market continues to set new records. Corporate profits are hitting levels never before seen, the productivity of American workers remains the envy of the world, and U.S. CEOs remain the highest–paid on Earth. Granted, using the fear of being uncompetitive may be a compelling talking point, yet there's little evidence that it's true.
The real risk of losing our competitive edge comes from crumbling infrastructure, students graduating from schools unprepared for 21st-century jobs or saddled with debt, and poorly regulated banks whose excessive risk-taking has led, time and again, to costly losses borne by all members of society.
We can continue to shower the powerful with barrels of tax breaks and cut spending that makes life for the least powerful among us more bearable. Or, we can change the rules and insist that companies like Apple help pay for apples to feed hungry kids and a whole lot more.


text:
Archive for porcupine
You are browsing the archives of porcupine.
You are browsing the archives of porcupine.
The honey badger (Mellivora capensis), also known as ratel, are notoriously fearless and tough animals, known to savagely attack their enemies when escape is impossible. Bee stings, porcupine quills, and animal bites rarely penetrate their skin. They are tireless in combat and can wear out much larger animals in physical confrontations. After the internet video […]


text:
Creamy Vegan Cheesecake? YES! Count me in! 🙂 My #1 all-time favorite cake has been reevaluated and improved – for all the beautiful souls craving some real cheesecake goodness. Let's be honest, raw cheesecakes are fine and delicious on their own but they're miles away from the experience you get when taking a bite of that creamy baked cheesecake! While my Baked Cheesecake recipe is coming pretty close to that experience, it just can't compare to this one. This Creamy Vegan Cheesecake is everything you wish for and more (not exaggerated here)!
Trust my word – as a compassionate cheesecake lover! 😛 If you're looking for the real deal, but vegan and healthier, without refined sugars and all that dairy-crap, look no more and immediately try this creamy vegan cheesecake! You can thank me later… 😉
The secret ingredient for its amazing texture and creaminess is a combination of chickpeas (YES!) and cashews – an idea I got from the wonderful Mel over at A Virtual Vegan. If you don't know her blog yet, make sure to check it out, like her on Facebook & Instagram and show some love!
CHICKPEAS?! – you might think… YES! If you follow me for a while you'll know that it's my favorite ingredient to secretly incorporate into healthy desserts. Ranging from cookies, cookie dough, cakes and pancakes, I've tried it all! Chickpeas are not only super nutritious but you won't taste them at all in desserts as the sweet flavor completely takes over!
For more chickpea inspiration and in case you haven't tried them yet, check out my Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites – and prepare to fall in LOVE!
For this creamy vegan cheesecake, I've created an incredibly healthy raw crust, replacing the usual expensive Medjool Dates (getting too many complaints there) with dried figs and topped it off with a delicious, naturally-sweetened cherry sauce. Since it is still the last week of cherry season here in Cyprus, it seemed liked the perfect fit!
I've made this cake about 4-5 times by now and it just keeps on getting better. I tweak the recipe every time, make it more lemony or less, but it always turns out delicious! It easily has become my boyfriend's favorite and has been approved by his whole non-vegan office + his mum! 🙂
If there is one cake I'd recommend to win over non-vegan folks, or people who don't believe in healthy plant-based baking (for some weird reason) it would be this one! 100%!
If you decide to give this beauty a try, let me know! Leave a comment and rate it – it's so helpful to me and other readers. And don't forget to take a picture and tag me (@thetastyk) and #thetastyk on Instagram! I love seeing what you come up with. Love and enjoy! ♥
- Crust:
- ¾ cup oats
- ¼ cup almonds
- 1 cup dried figs/Medjool dates/raisins
- dash of water
- dash of sea salt
- 2 cups soaked cashews
- 1 (14oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 1-2 Tbsp almond/cashew butter (I also used tahini before and you can't taste it)
- zest of 2 lemons
- juice of 1.5 lemon
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 can (400ml) full-fat coconut milk (to keep it lower in fat you can use ½ can coconut milk + ½ block/100g silken tofu - it adds nutrients and the result is even more creamy)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
Cherry sauce:
- 1.5 cups frozen unsweetened cherries
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- For the crust, place the oats and almonds in your high-speed blender or food processor and pulse until you have a fine flour.
- Add the remaining crust ingredients and blend until you have a sticky dough.
- Line a round cake tin with parchment paper and press the dough into the bottom of the tin.
- Use your fingers and eventually a bit of water to evenly press it down and put in the fridge to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.
- Prepare the filling by simply adding all ingredients to the blender and mixing on medium speed until smooth (use your tamper tool to mash it down).
- Once smooth, pour the filling over the crust and place in the oven for 45-50 minutes. If your oven is very strong like mine and browns the surface too fast, make sure to turn the cake once in a while so it browns evenly.
- Once it's done, take it out, let cool down and store in the fridge overnight (it will firm up).
- The next day, prepare the cherry sauce. Add all the ingredients into a small sauce pan, bring to a simmer over medium heat and let cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir once in a while and serve on top of the cake.
To save this recipe on Pinterest, simply move your mouse over the picture below and pin it!
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links and if you purchase through those links I'll receive a small commission with no additional cost to you. I'm only affiliated with companies and products that I recommend and trust.


text:
Conversation as User Assistance
- by ultan o'broin
Applications User Experience members (Erika Web, Laurie Pattison, and I) attended the User Assistance Europe Conference in Stockholm, Sweden. We were impressed with the thought leadership and practical application of ideas in Anne Gentle's keynote address "Social Web Strategies for Documentation". After the conference, we spoke with Anne to explore the ideas further. Anne Gentle (left) with Applications User Experience Senior Director Laurie Pattison In Anne's book called Conversation and Community: The Social Web for Documentation, she explains how user assistance is undergoing a seismic shift. The direction is away from the old print manuals and online help concept towards a web-based, user community-driven solution using social media tools. User experience professionals now have a vast range of such tools to start and nurture this "conversation": blogs, wikis, forums, social networking sites, microblogging systems, image and video sharing sites, virtual worlds, podcasts, instant messaging, mashups, and so on. That user communities are a rich source of user assistance is not a surprise, but the extent of available assistance is. For example, we know from the Consortium for Service Innovation that there has been an 'explosion' of user-generated content on the web. User-initiated community conversations provide as much as 30 times the number of official help desk solutions for consortium members! The growing reliance on user community solutions is clearly a user experience issue. Anne says that user assistance as conversation "means getting closer to users and helping them perform well. User-centered design has been touted as one of the most important ideas developed in the last 20 years of workplace writing. Now writers can take the idea of user-centered design a step further by starting conversations with users and enabling user assistance in interactions." Some of Anne's favorite examples of this paradigm shift from the world of traditional documentation to community conversation include: Writer Bob Bringhurst's blog about Adobe InDesign and InCopy products and Adobe's community help The Microsoft Development Network Community Center ·The former Sun (now Oracle) OpenDS wiki, NetBeans Ruby and other community approaches to engage diverse audiences using screencasts, wikis, and blogs. Cisco's customer support wiki, EMC's community, as well as Symantec and Intuit's approaches The efforts of Ubuntu, Mozilla, and the FLOSS community generally Adobe Writer Bob Bringhurst's Blog Oracle is not without a user community conversation too. Besides the community discussions and blogs around documentation offerings, we have the My Oracle Support Community forums, Oracle Technology Network (OTN) communities, wiki, blogs, and so on. We have the great work done by our user groups and customer councils. Employees like David Haimes reach out, and enthusiastic non-employee gurus like Chet Justice (OracleNerd), Floyd Teter and Eddie Awad provide great "how-to" information too. But what does this paradigm shift mean for existing technical writers as users turn away from the traditional printable PDF manual deliverables? We asked Anne after the conference. The writer role becomes one of conversation initiator or enabler. The role evolves, along with the process, as the users define their concept of user assistance and terms of engagement with the product instead of having it pre-determined. It is largely a case now of "inventing the job while you're doing it, instead of being hired for it" Anne said. There is less emphasis on formal titles. Anne mentions that her own title "Content Stacker" at OpenStack; others use titles such as "Content Curator" or "Community Lead". However, the role remains one essentially about communications, "but of a new type--interacting with users, moderating, curating content, instead of sitting down to write a manual from start to finish." Clearly then, this role is open to more than professional technical writers. Product managers who write blogs, developers who moderate forums, support professionals who update wikis, rock star programmers with a penchant for YouTube are ideal. Anyone with the product knowledge, empathy for the user, and flair for relationships on the social web can join in. Some even perform these roles already but do not realize it. Anne feels the technical communicator space will move from hiring new community conversation professionals (who are already active in the space through blogging, tweets, wikis, and so on) to retraining some existing writers over time. Our own research reveals that the established proponents of community user assistance even set employee performance objectives for internal content curators about the amount of community content delivered by people outside the organization! To take advantage of the conversations on the web as user assistance, enterprises must first establish where on the spectrum their community lies. "What is the line between community willingness to contribute and the enterprise objectives?" Anne asked. "The relationship with users must be managed and also measured." Anne believes that the process can start with a "just do it" approach. Begin by reaching out to existing user groups, individual bloggers and tweeters, forum posters, early adopter program participants, conference attendees, customer advisory board members, and so on. Use analytical tools to measure the level of conversation about your products and services to show a return on investment (ROI), winning management support. Anne emphasized that success with the community model is dependent on lowering the technical and motivational barriers so that users can readily contribute to the conversation. Simple tools must be provided, and guidelines, if any, must be straightforward but not mandatory. The conversational approach is one where traditional style and branding guides do not necessarily apply. Tools and infrastructure help users to create content easily, to search and find the information online, read it, rate it, translate it, and participate further in the content's evolution. Recognizing contributors by using ratings on forums, giving out Twitter kudos, conference invitations, visits to headquarters, free products, preview releases, and so on, also encourages the adoption of the conversation model. The move to conversation as user assistance is not free, but there is a business ROI. The conversational model means that customer service is enhanced, as user experience moves from a functional to a valued, emotional level. Studies show a positive correlation between loyalty and financial performance (Consortium for Service Innovation, 2010), and as customer experience and loyalty become key differentiators, user experience professionals cannot explore the model's possibilities. The digital universe (measured at 1.2 million petabytes in 2010) is doubling every 12 to 18 months, and 70 percent of that universe consists of user-generated content (IDC, 2010). Conversation as user assistance cannot be ignored but must be embraced. It is a time to manage for abundance, not scarcity. Besides, the conversation approach certainly sounds more interesting, rewarding, and fun than the traditional model! I would like to thank Anne for her time and thoughts, and recommend that all user assistance professionals read her book. You can follow Anne on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/annegentle. Oracle's Acrolinx IQ deployment was used to author this article.


text:
Homeless Populations
You'll use this quiz to prepare for your School Nursing exam SHU NU588.
для средних и старших школьников
Crime Academic Vocabulary Slither
Some terms used in discussions of crime
Total Defence
Match the correct pillar to the description.
Build your Knowledge - Public knowledge and Interesting Facts
This game tests your public knowledge. Are you ready to play?
Urbanization and Environment: Hunt the Squid!
Arg! Welcome to Hunt the Squid, a Game to review for Urbanization and Environment chapters for SOCI 205 in TAMUG. You're objective: hunt the invasive squids to protect the local city: saving the environment and preventing urban decay! Are you ready? Let's Play!
Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Social Skills Edition
Social Skills Responses
HDFS 230 Exam Three Review
Exam Three Review
How well do you know your 3 approaches to Ethical Analysis?
Ethical Theories
Life Course Perspective
Human Development and Family Studies


text:
Learn more about the fascinating product turbocharger.
The story of the early days of turbocharging to date, basic engineering and troubleshooting.
STK Turbo Technik is one of the most established independent turbocharger specialists
in the world. We offer a variety of services within the Automotive/Aftermarket, Marine and Offshore,
Power Generation, Rail Traction and Automotive Industries. We pride ourselves on our industry-leading
standards of customer care.
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PRESS RELEASE: AMC announced today that the network is in the initial stages of developing a companion series to its original drama series The Walking Dead, which premiered on AMC in October of 2010. The Walking Dead is currently the #1 show on television among adults 18-49. Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert are on board as executive producers, with AMC Studios set to produce. The companion series has a target on-air date of 2015.
"Building on the success of the most popular show on television for adults 18-49 is literally a no-brainer," said Charlie Collier, AMC's president and general manager. "We look forward to working with Robert, Gale and Dave again as we develop an entirely new story and cast of characters. It's a big world and we can't wait to give fans another unforgettable view of the zombie apocalypse."
"After 10 years of writing the comic book series and being so close to the debut of our fourth, and in my opinion, best season of the TV series, I couldn't be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of The Walking Dead universe," said Kirkman. "The opportunity to make a show that isn't tethered by the events of the comic book, and is truly a blank page, has set my creativity racing."
In addition to Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Hell on Wheels and Low Winter Sun, AMC recently greenlit two new drama series for 2014,Halt & Catch Fire and Turn. The network today began shooting a new pilot, Line Of Sight, directed and executive produced by Jonathan Demme, and has a licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Television for a spinoff series of Vince Gilligan's landmarkBreaking Bad, based on the Saul Goodman lawyer character with the working title Better Call Saul.
Season four of The Walking Dead returns to AMC on October 13. The Walking Dead is based on the comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman and published by Skybound, Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics.
The Walking Dead season three out-delivered everything on television including The Big Bang Theory, The Voice, Game of Thrones, Modern Family, and almost doubled The Bible for the broadcast season for adults 18-49.


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A biologist has confirmed the sighting of a real Michigan wolverine, about 200 years after the species was last seen in the state that uses the small but ferocious animal as its unofficial nickname.
Coyote hunters spotted a wolverine near Ubly, about 90 miles north of Detroit. Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Arnie Karr saw the forest predator Tuesday and snapped pictures of the animal as it ran out of the woods and across a field.
The wolverine, a member of the weasel family that grows to about 25 pounds but is ferocious enough to fight off bears and wolves, once ranged across the northern and western United States. It is now limited mostly to northern Canada, Idaho and Alaska, with sightings in a few other states, but its last confirmed sightings in Michigan were by fur traders in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
The appearance is "up there with having a caribou or a polar bear turn up," Department of Natural Resources spokesman Brad Wurfel said Wednesday. "It's unprecedented."
How the scrappy animal returned and even whether it ever really left are mysteries in the state, where the best-known Wolverines are athletes at the University of Michigan.
Raymond Rustem, supervisor of the natural heritage unit in the department's wildlife division, said the wolverine could have traveled to the state, been released or escaped from captivity.
"What it means, who knows?" Rustem said. "When you take a look at the wolverine, there's always been this debate about whether wolverines ever were a part of Michigan's recent past. Some evidence shows that, some says no."
The wolverine was on Michigan's endangered species list until the late 1990s, when it was removed because it wasn't expected to return, Rustem said. Conservationists asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to put the animal on its endangered list in 2000, but the agency in October declined to study whether the species should be added.


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New Internationalist 345 May 2002
Before I could reply, my Muslim neighbour, a devout woman of Pakistani origin, jumped in. 'The very word Islam means peace,' she said. 'The majority of Muslims are peace-loving people who live in the modern world. This is the work of a few fanatics who want to turn the clock back to medieval times.' After a pause, she sighed: 'I just don't know where these people come from.'
Both the questions and the answers have a long lineage.
The events of 11 September notwithstanding, Islam has always been seen in the West as violent, barbaric and anti-democratic. These stereotypes were formulated during the Crusades and have persisted ever since. As Orientalism, a mode of thinking about and representing Islam and the Muslim World, they have become an integral part of Western art, literature and scholarship. Think of all those 'Arab terrorists' in a string of films such as True Lies, Executive Action, The Siege or even the 1960s classic, Khartoum.
For Muslims, nothing could be further from the truth. Islam is all about seeking peace for its own sake. Indeed, peace is considered in Islam as an essential precondition for 'submission' – the second literal meaning of the word Islam – to the 'will of God'. Only through the creation of peaceful circumstances can the life of faith be implemented in all aspects of human existence.
What the fateful events of 11 September reveal, more than anything else, is the discord between the true nature of Islam, as religion, culture, tradition and civilization, and its contemporary manifestation. Far from being a liberating force, a quest for equity, justice and humane values, it seems to have become an obscurantist, unethical enterprise. Indeed, it appears as though Muslims have internalized all those historic and contemporary Western representations of Islam that have been used to demonize them for centuries. Or, as my neighbour confessed in colloquial Urdu and in a moment of self-realization: 'We now actually wear the garb of the very demons that the West has been projecting on our collective personality.'
How has this come about?
Modernist panaceas
Indeed, most Muslim countries whole-heartedly embarked on a rapid course of modernization. But the strategies adopted were, on the whole, out of step with the traditional societies they were attempting to change. Thus a rift developed between those who backed modernization and accompanying Westernization and those who were concerned about preserving the traditional culture, lifestyle and outlook of Muslim societies. In most cases, the traditionalists saw modernization and the associated policies of 'development' as an onslaught on their history, lifestyle and world-view. The modernists saw Westernization as the primary means of survival for Muslim countries. Now, with modernity losing ground both in the West and the non-West, globalization is being projected as the new theory of salvation. And, once again, traditionalists are reacting against globalization just as vehemently, if not more so, as they did against modernity.
The modernist leaders who took over from the departing colonial powers maintained their hold on Muslim societies with excessive use of force and by ruthlessly persecuting the traditional leadership and abusing and ridiculing traditional thought and everything associated with it. The economic and development policies they pursued often ended in spectacular failure and concentrated national wealth in the hands of the few. Globalization has further marginalized traditional cultures, creating a siege mentality in historic communities. These factors have contributed to the emergence throughout the Muslim world of a new form of militant traditionalism.
Thus the Muslim world finds itself caught in an intense struggle between the combined forces of an aggressively secular modernity and globalization pitted against an equally aggressive traditionalism. This struggle is quite evident in countries like Indonesia, Algeria and Bangladesh where internal battles between modernists and traditionalists have raged for well over two decades.
To this complex, we must add another dimension. Both traditionalists and modernists now share the belief that the fate of their societies is actually determined by decisions taken elsewhere. This is why so much energy in the Muslim world is now spent in criticizing the actions and consequences of the centres of power: the nexus of Western government, economy, industry and popular culture where globalization is manufactured and exported to its recipients in the Muslim World. The widespread feeling of dispossession and total powerlessness in Muslim societies is a product of this. Hence the sense of rage that now envelops both modernists and traditionalists alike.
But this is only half the truth – the part that my neighbour and most Muslims would accept quite readily. The most significant answers to the contemporary plight of the Muslim people are buried deep within the history, social practice and intellectual and political inertia of Muslims themselves. Muslims, on the whole, are very reluctant to look at themselves or to examine the process through which they have transformed Islam into a suffocating and oppressive ideology.
Reasoned struggle
Muslim societies have failed to respond to the summons to ijtihad for a number of reasons. As the term itself suggests, ijtihad requires effort and serious thought; it is always tempting to take the easy option and fall back on historic interpretations and the opinions of bygone jurists. Also, Muslims tend to see classical authors in rather romantic terms: as perfect individuals, incapable of making a wrong judgement. Classical scholars themselves are also guilty of perpetuating this. They have venerated taqlid, or the blind following of predecessors, to such an extent that it has now become a sacred principle.
It was during the Abbasid period, the so-called 'Golden Age of Islam' extending from the 8th to the 13th century, that the classical scholars decided to 'close the gates of ijtihad'. They were concerned with multiple interpretations of Islam that proliferated during that period. In particular, they wanted to stop the abuse of ijtihad by people who were not theologically or legally qualified. Moreover, they argued that most of the problems of the Muslim society were already solved. Every emerging problem could be solved simply by imitation or by analogical reasoning.
The freezing of interpretation, the closure of 'the gates of ijtihad', has had a devastating effect on Muslim thought and action. Consider, for example, its effect on the shari'ah, commonly translated as 'Islamic law'. Most Muslims consider the shari'ah to be divine and think that it is based on the teachings of the Qur'an. In fact, shari'ah as understood today was socially constructed during the Abbasid period. The bulk of the shari'ah actually consists of fiqh or jurisprudence, which is nothing more than the legal opinion of classical jurists. The very term 'fiqh' did not exist before the Abbasid period; it was invented, formulated and codified during the 'Golden Age'.
The world was simple and could easily be divided into black and white. So Islamic jurisprudence constructed the world as two divisions: Daral Islam ('the abode of peace') and Daral Harb ('the abode of war'). It saw everything outside the world of Islam in hostile terms. Moreover, it incorporated the prejudices – against women and minorities, for example – and preoccupations of the age of Muslim imperialism.
The banning of ijtihad has also had serious implications for individual Muslims. If all the relevant interpretations have already been undertaken, people themselves have nothing to do except follow blindly. Individual Muslims thus have no agency themselves; they become simply passive receivers of ancient interpretations and opinions rather than active seekers of truth. And when submissive acceptance of classical opinion is combined with a single, literalist interpretation of the Qur'an, we get a truly potent brew.
The literalist interpretation of the Qur'an becomes popular when Islam is in crisis and Muslims perceive themselves to be under siege. Its strongest advocate was the 13th-century scholar Ibn Taymiyya who belonged to a long and heroic tradition of intellectual zealots. He was exclusively concerned with the survival of the Muslim community at a time when Muslim civilization, recovering from the onslaught of the Crusades, was under siege from the Mongols.
Pluralistic interpretations of Islam, accompanied by endless discussion, he argued, were dividing and weakening Muslims. Muslims had to return to a purist Islam. Nothing could be read metaphorically or symbolically. Everything had to be based on a single, literalist interpretation of the Qur'an.
Ibn Taymiyya's ideas were taken up by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahab, the 18th-century founder of the revivalist movement named after him. Reacting to advancing colonization of Muslim societies, Abd al-Wahhab advocated 'the return to Qur'an and Sunnah' (the practice of the Prophet) in a literal sense. Once again, a puritan literal interpretation was seen as a solution to the political problems of Islam. Eventually Wahhabism became the creed of Saudi Arabia.
Today, Wahhabism is once again in fashion amongst militant Muslims. It spread like a wildfire in the late 1980s after the abject failure of the Revolution in Iran, the naked squandering of oil revenues, and the hopes of a 'cultural revival' in the Muslim world all but evaporated. The answer to poverty, corruption, despotism and rampant globalization is seen in terms of a retreat to a more and more romanticized notion of Islam.
However, modernist Wahhabism has added an extra dimension to its monolithic literalist interpretation. It now insists that its single interpretation of Islam can only be manifested in terms of an 'Islamic state'. Thus, Islam is reduced to a pure, one-dimensional, political ideology.
But once Islam, as an ideology, becomes a programme of action of a vested group it loses its humanity and becomes a battlefield where morality, reason and justice are readily sacrificed at the altar of political expediency as we witnessed in revolutionary Iran, the activities of Islamic movements in Algeria, Egypt and Pakistan, and in the actions of al-Qaida supporters.
The move from multiple interpretations of Islam towards a single monolithic vision is, of course, a form of reduction. Literalist interpretation also reduced holistic Islamic concepts with multiple meanings into entities with fixed single connotations.
Consider how the idea of ijma, the central notion of communal life in Islam, has been reduced to the consensus of a select few. Ijma literally means consensus of the people. The concept dates back to the practice of Prophet Muhammad himself as leader of the original polity of Muslims. When the Prophet Muhammad wanted to reach a decision, he would call the whole Muslim community – then admittedly not very large – to the mosque. A discussion would ensue; arguments for and against would be presented. Finally, the entire gathering would reach a consensus. Thus, a democratic spirit was central to communal and political life in early Islam. But over time the clerics and religious scholars have removed the people from the equation – and reduced ijma to 'the consensus of the religious scholars'. Not surprisingly, authoritarianism, theocracy and despotism reigns supreme in the Muslim world.
The abuse of jihad
Jihad has now been reduced to the single meaning of 'Holy War'. This translation is perverse not only because the concept's spiritual, intellectual and social components have been stripped away, but it has been reduced to war by any means, including terrorism.
So anyone can now declare jihad on anyone, without any ethical or moral rhyme or reason. Nothing could be more perverted, or pathologically more distant from the initial meaning of jihad. Its other connotations, including personal struggle, intellectual endeavour and social construction have evaporated.
Istislah, normally rendered as 'public interest' and a major source of Islamic law, has all but disappeared from Muslim consciousness.
But the violence performed to sacred Muslim concepts is insignificant compared to the reductive way the Qur'an and the sayings and examples of the Prophet Muhammad are bandied about. Almost anything and everything is justified by quoting individual bits of verses out of context. After the 11 September event, for example, a number of Taliban supporters, including a few in Britain, justified their actions by quoting the following verse: 'We will put terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. They serve other gods for whom no sanction has been revealed. Hell shall be their home' (3: 149). Yet, the apparent meaning attributed to this verse could not be further from the true spirit of the Qur'an.
In this particular verse the Qur'an is addressing Prophet Muhammad himself. It is revealed during the battle of Uhad when the small and ill-equipped army of the Prophet is facing a much larger and better-equipped enemy. The Prophet is concerned about the outcome of the battle. The Qur'an reassures him by promising that the enemy will be terrified by the Prophet's unprofessional army. Seen in its context, it is not a general instruction to all Muslims, but a commentary on what was happening at a particular moment in time.
The sayings of Prophet Muhammad are quoted to justify the most extreme behaviour. Even the Prophet's own appearance, his beard and cloths, have been turned into a fetish: so now it is not just obligatory for a 'good Muslim' to have a beard, but its length and shape must also conform to certain dictates! The Prophet has been reduced to signs and symbols – the spirit of his behaviour, the moral and ethical dimensions of his actions, his humility and compassion, the general principles he advocated, have all been subsumed by the logic of absurd reduction.
Muslims have to realize that Islam does not provide ready-made answers to all their problems. Rather, it provides an ethical and moral perspective within which Muslims must endeavour to find answers to all human problems. The way forward to a fresh, contemporary appreciation of Islam requires moving away from reduction to synthesis, and from single literalist interpretation to a pluralistic understanding of Islam.
Primarily, as individuals and communities, Muslims need to reclaim agency. To insist on their right and duty, as believers and knowledgeable people. To interpret and reinterpret the basic sources of Islam. To question what now goes under the general rubric of shari'ah and to declare that much of Islamic jurisprudence is now dangerously obsolete. To stand up to the absurd notion of an Islam confined by a geographically bound state. The 'gates of ijtihad' have to be thrown wide open so that the basic concepts of Islam can be framed in a broader context.
Serious rethinking within Islam is long overdue. Muslims have been comfortably relying, or rather falling back, on age-old interpretations for much too long. This is why they feel so full of pain in the contemporary world, so uncomfortable and out of sync with the spirit of our time. If the events of 11 September unleash the best intentions – the essential values of Islam – then the phoenix will have risen from the ashes of the twin towers.
© Copyright 2002 New Internationalist
Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.
This article is from
the May 2002 issue
of New Internationalist.
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Recent Devon IT promotions with its partners illustrate a trend toward lower up front acquisition costs for virtual desktops. CDW emphasized this in its bundle package for Acer 24 inch display monitor and Veriton N2110G thin clients that are embedded with Devon IT's award winning DeTOS operating system and with WES7. The bundle packages are available now until February 28th, 2013 as a complete virtual desktop solution.
"By bundling the Acer Veriton N2110G thin client with Acer's 24" monitor, CDW is creating a complete and economical virtual desktop solution for end users," says Joe Makoid, President of Devon IT. "While total cost of ownership continues to decrease for thin client solutions, up-front acquisition costs have traditionally been a barrier for some organizations. Acer is well-known for offering low-price high-quality products. This bundle offer with the Acer monitor makes a thin client desktop even more fiscally attractive. I continue to be impressed with Acer's aggressive efforts in the virtualization market."
The Acer Veriton N2110G thin clients leverage intuitive award-winning Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS) and Devon IT's premier Echo™ Thin Client Management software and, which makes creating and maintaining remote desktop connections and terminal settings from one central location simple. Acer thin clients' embedded software and management platforms surpass other thin clients on the market in simplicity, capability, and manageability! Acer thin clients bundled with Acer professional series monitors, which tilt, swivel, pivot and adjust for height to achieve the optimal position for extended viewing. Acer display monitors focus more sharply with the superior contrast ratios and ultra-quick response. In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology delivers consistent viewing across wide angles, faster response time for reduced eye strain, more realistic colors, and a stable view that prevents tailing when the screen is touched.
The Acer monitor included in the bundle is Acer's B243PWL Kmbdr LED monitor with 24" Widescreen IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1200 resolution, 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 14ms response time, white LED backlight, integrated speakers, DVI - VGA - USB, DisplayPort with cable, and adjustable display angle.
These thin client monitor bundles are exclusively available from CDW at http://www.cdw.com/shop/search/result.aspx?key=acer+thin+client&x=0&y=0&wclsscat=&b=&p=&searchscope=All&ctlgfilter=&sr=1
To contact Devon IT for all things related to thin client computing and virtual desktops, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call (610) 757-4220 or toll-free at (888) 524-9382. For more information about Devon IT DeTOS™, and Echo™ please visit www.devonit.com/software. Follow Devon IT on Twitter @DevonIT.
About Devon IT
Devon IT, Inc., (www.devonit.com) is a leading information technology company that offers thin client software, hardware, and virtual desktop solutions. Devon IT's products offer users in various industries and environments greater IT security, enhanced manageability, improved reliability, and lower costs. Devon IT is also the creator of patent pending VDI Blaster™ (www.vdiblaster.com), a software suite that transforms PCs with hard drives into virtual desktops and the innovators of the SafeBook® thin client notebook. The company is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania with offices in London, Shanghai and Bangalore. Read Devon IT's technical blog, "Thin Tank," at http://www.devonit.com/blog.
Devon IT, Inc.
Paul Mancini, 610-757-4108
© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Kaun Banega Crorepati Web Game
Exclusive Web Game Based on the Questions asked from Contestant
Each Day 5 Questions will be Displayed and You have to answer it in given period of time. Winners will be Displayed on the Leader board and Exclusive Prizes will be received by the contestant for taking Quiz within time and correctly.
Each Day these Quizzes will be Active at 10 PM and will run for 24 Hours.
Today's KBC Web Game is Live Here.
[qsm quiz=221]
Top Players of this Quiz are Below :
[mlw_quizmaster_leaderboard mlw_quiz=221]
All the Archives KBC Web Game will be Available Here : Click to Access older Quizes


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1-Mattis Justo Quam
1-consectetur. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula, eget lacinia odio sem nec elit.
The Sociology of Soldiers
Location: Rose O'Neill Literary House
CHESTERTOWN, MD—Washington College professor Ryan Kelty will share his knowledge of military sociology as the featured guest of the next Tea & Talk event at the Rose O'Neill Literary House, Tuesday, March 26 at 4:30 p.m. He will discuss the challenge of access to military personnel during wartime and ethical issues related wartime research and writing. He will also discuss his work on how integration of marginalized populations such as African Americans, women, homosexuals and civilian contractors into the military has affected cohesion.
Kelty, an Associate Professor of Sociology, teaches a seminar class titled "Armed Forces and Society." Before joining the Washington College faculty, he taught in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership at West Point. He consults for various defense agencies and defense research organizations.
The Tea & Talks events, a long-standing tradition at the Literary House, celebrate faculty research and scholarship. Kelty's March 26 talk also is part of the College's "Writing in Wartime" series.


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Nvidia cancels its next-gen Shield Tablet
Due to business reasons
According to leaked FCC documentation, it appears that Nvidia has decided to cancel its new Shield Tablet, that was earlier spotted in the in the FCC filing.
Nvidia re-launches the Shield Tablet as the Shield Tablet K1
Lowers the price to US $199
Nvidia has decided to re-launch its original Shield Tablet and put it on the market with the new Shield Tablet K1 name and a lower US $199 price tag.
Nvidia Shield Tablet update improves battery
Software upgrade 2.2, Android 5.0.1
Nvidia has just released a 94.1MB update for the Shield Tablet, and this latest update is getting the Nvidia's software updated to 2.2.
Shield Tablet with Tegra X1 coming soon
By the end of March
It doesn't come as a surprise that Nvidia is working on a new iteration of the Shield tablet.
Shield Tablet gets Android 5.0.1 update
Tablet software upgrade 2.1
Nvidia definitely wants to keep its supporters at its toes. Nvidia Shield tablet is the only tablet outside the Nexus series to get Android 5.0 and guess what, Nvidia just announced 5.0.1 as well.
Hands on: Nvidia Shield Tablet with Android 5.0
Preview: Nvidia Lollishield
Shield tablet getting Android 5.0 this month
Showcased in video
Shield tablet gets 1.2.1 software update
Improves 5GHz WiFi, charging
Nvidia confirms Android 5.0 update for Shield Tablet
Coming to Shield Portable as well
Nvidia Shield Tablet 32GB 4G LTE out for pre orders
Should ship September 30th