text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|May 24, 2011
|Filing date
|Sep 6, 2006
|Priority date
|Sep 6, 2006
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|David W. Kuhns, M. Benton Free
|Original Assignee
|3M Innovative Properties Company
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (52), Non-Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (6), Classifications (27), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This patent application is related to commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,456,744 entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOTE SENSING USING INDUCTIVELY COUPLED TRANSDUCERS," filed concurrently herewith and incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention is related to sensors, and more particularly, to sensors that are remotely accessible by inductive coupling.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) circuitry has been used to detect the presence and movement of articles of interest. The presence of an article bearing an RFID tag may be electronically detected by wirelessly interrogating the RFID tag, either intermittently or continuously. In a typical application, the RFID tag stores an identification (ID) code. When interrogated by an RFID tag reader, the RFID tag wirelessly transmits its ID code to the RFID tag reader. The code transmitted by the RFID tag to the RFID tag reader indicates the presence and identification of the article bearing the RFID tag.
RFID tags may include a battery or other independent power source, or they may acquire their power from the signal transmitted by the external RFID tag reader. RFID tags without independent power are particularly small and inexpensive, making them very cost effective for tracking a large number of objects.
A technology related to RFID involves electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags. Both EAS and RFID tags are remotely accessible, but EAS tags typically do not include the data storage capabilities of RFID. Both EAS and RFID tags include a transponder circuit for remote access. The transponder circuit is a resonant circuit having components selected and arranged so that the transponder electrically resonates at a particular frequency.
If an electromagnetic signal at or near the transponder resonant frequency is emitted from a tag reader within range of the EAS tag, the EAS transponder circuit absorbs and/or reflects energy from the electromagnetic field emitted by the reader through inductive coupling. The energy absorbed or reflected by the transponder circuit can produce a change in the output signal of the tag reader output coil or in the input signal at the tag reader receiving coil. These signal changes may be interpreted to indicate the presence of an EAS tagged article.
In some applications, it is desirable to remotely acquire sensor information. The remote access capabilities of RFID and EAS tags may be combined with sensor technology to provide remote sensing capability. The present invention fulfills these and other needs, and offers other advantages over the prior art.
The present invention is directed to devices, methods, and systems involving inductively coupled sensors, and in particular, to sensors providing the capability of remote sensing over an area of interest. One embodiment is directed to a remote sensing device comprising a plurality of components including at least an inductor and a capacitor which are arranged to form a resonant electrical circuit. At least one component of the plurality of components has elements distributed among regions of an area of interest. The elements are arranged so that a resonant characteristic of the resonant circuit is modifiable by an external event affecting an element associated with a region. According to one aspect of the invention, the distributed component comprises a capacitor and the elements are capacitive elements. According to another aspect, the distributed component comprises an inductor and the elements are inductive elements.
The external event may causes a change in an electrical parameter of the at least one component. The external event may alter a material property associated with the element, the alteration of the material property causing a change in an electrical parameter of the at least one component. The change in the electrical parameter changes the resonant characteristic of the circuit, such as the resonant frequency.
The external event may include, for example, exposure of the element to an environmental condition, disconnection of the element from the resonant circuit, or short circuiting the element, for example.
According to one implementation, the area of interest comprises a ticket object and one or more of the elements are associated with individual tickets of the ticket object. In this implementation, the external event involves removal of an individual ticket from the ticket object.
According to another implementation, the area of interest comprises a medical dressing and the elements are distributed among the regions of the medical dressing. The external event comprises exposure of the medical dressing to a fluid.
In a further implementation, the area of interest comprises an object dispenser and the regions are associated with object containers of the object dispenser. The external event comprises removal of an object from an object container.
According to a further implementation, the area of interest comprises a gauge having calibrated regions, the regions calibrated to measure the external event.
Another embodiment of the invention involves a method for sensing external events using a remote sensing device. The remote sensing device includes at least an inductor and a capacitor forming a sensing circuit having a resonant frequency. At least one of the components of the remote sensing device includes a number of sensing elements. The sensing elements are respectively associated with regions of an area of interest. The resonant frequency of the circuit is modified based on an external event affecting a sensing element associated with a region.
Associating the sensing elements with the regions may involve positioning each sensing element relative to an associated region. The resonant frequency may be modified based on exposure of the sensing element to an environmental condition.
In a further implementation, the modification of the resonant frequency of the sensing circuit is detected and interpreted as indicating an occurrence of the external event. According to some aspects of the invention, a signal produced by a reference circuit may be used in the interpretation of the modified resonant frequency, such as be normalizing the signal produced by the sensing circuit based on the reference signal.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a remote sensing system. The remote sensing system includes a device comprising a plurality of components including at least an inductor and a capacitor arranged to form a sensing circuit having a resonant characteristic. At least one component of the plurality of components includes elements respectively associated with regions of an area of interest. The elements are arranged so that a resonant characteristic of the sensing circuit is modifiable by an external event affecting an element associated with a region. The remote sensing system also includes an interrogator configured to detect the resonant characteristic. The interrogator may be configured to interpret the modification of the resonant characteristic as indicating an occurrence of the external event.
According to one aspect, the system includes a reference circuit isolated from the external event and configured to produce a reference signal and the interrogator is configured to use the reference signal to interpret a modification of the resonant characteristic of the sensing circuit as indicating an occurrence of the external event. For example, the interrogator may be configured to use the reference signal to normalize a signal of the sensing circuit with respect to at least one of distance and orientation relative to the interrogator.
In one implementation of the system, the regions comprise ticket objects and the interrogator is disposed in a dispenser of the ticket objects. In another implementation, the regions comprise accessible sections of a blister pack and the interrogator is disposed in a blister pack dispenser.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. Advantages and attainments, together with a more complete understanding of the invention, will become apparent and appreciated by referring to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
In the following description of the illustrated embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration, various embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that the embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, devices, and systems for remote sensing. The approaches of the present invention join together aspects of electronic article surveillance (EAS) or radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and sensor technology. In some embodiments, the sensors are interdigitated transducers, as described in more detail below. In some embodiments, the sensor may include a number of elements that are spatially distributed, allowing remote sensing over an area of interest. In some embodiments, a signal produced by a reference circuit may be used by a reader in conjunction with the sensor signal to account for variations in the sensor signal. The sensor signal variations may arise, for example, due to changes in alignment and distance of the sensor relative to the reader, due to changes in inductive coupling between the sensor and the reader, due to electromagnetic interference and/or due to variations of certain other ambient conditions.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, an EAS or RFID-based sensing circuit includes at least one component that functions as a sensor. For example, one or both of the components 112, 116 of the resonant circuit 110 depicted in
The schematic of
Changes in the resonant frequency, or other resonant characteristic, may be interpreted to indicate one or more corresponding changes in the sensed condition. According to some implementations, changes in the resonant frequency of the circuit 120 can be interpreted to determine an amount, degree, or duration of change in the sensed condition. According to yet other implementations, detecting changes in the resonant frequency of the circuit 120 over a period of time may be used to track the progression of change in the sensed condition over the time period.
The interrogator 130 includes an inductor 132 that serves as an antenna to transmit an RF signal to the resonant circuit 120. The resonant circuit absorbs and reflects RF energy near the resonant frequency of the circuit. The interrogator 130 may be configured to detect changes in the transmitted signal caused by the absorption and/or reflection of RF energy by the sensing circuit 120. Perturbations in the interrogator signal which are attributable to absorption/reflection of energy by the sensing circuit 120 and/or detection of a signal reflected by the sensing circuit 120 are denoted herein as the sensing signal or sensing circuit signal.
In some embodiments, the approaches of the present invention may involve remote sensing of an environmental condition such as exposure to moisture or other fluid. Moisture in contact with the surface of the sensor 126 causes a change in the dielectric constant of the material between the interleaved electrodes 162, as the material absorbs or adsorbs the moisture. The absorption or adsorption causes a change in the capacitance of the sensor 126, and thus a corresponding change in the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit 120.
In another implementation, the capacitive sensor 126 may be used to detect a chemical change in an analyte. For example, the surface of the open-faced interdigitated sensor 126 may be exposed to the analyte. Chemical and/or physical changes in the analyte cause the dielectric properties of the analyte to change, which, in turn, causes a change in the capacitance of the sensor 126. The change in capacitance is detectable as a resonant frequency shift of the resonant circuit 120. In some implementations, prior to exposure to the analyte, the sensor 126 may be coated with a material that absorbs or specifically binds to the analyte.
A change in the resonant frequency may be the result of a change in the dimensions of the sensor. For example, the capacitance value of the capacitive sensor 126 may change based on a dimensional change that alters the physical relationship between the capacitor plates 163, 164. Such a dimensional change may occur, for example, due to expansion or contraction of the sensor causing a change in the positional relationship of the capacitor plates 163, 164. The expansion or contraction of the sensor may be caused by exposure to various events or conditions, such as light, temperature, and/or moisture, for example.
The sensing circuit signal may be affected by various conditions affecting the inductive coupling between the sensing circuit and the interrogator. For example, the sensing circuit signal may be varied due to orientation and/or distance from of the sensing circuit from the interrogator, electromagnetic interference, nearby metallic material, material interposed between the sensing circuit and the interrogator, changes in ambient temperature and/or other factors.
A reference signal may be used to account for measurement to measurement variation in the sensing circuit signal due to the above parameters.
In one embodiment, the signal produced by the sensing circuit may be normalized for orientation and/or distance based on the reference signal. If the interference exceeds requirements for a quality measurement, an alarm state may be initiated. A remote sensing system 200 including a sensing circuit 220 and a reference circuit 230 is depicted in the block diagram of
In some implementations, the reference circuit 230 has a similar configuration to the sensing circuit 220 and absorbs and reflects RF energy near the resonant frequency of the reference circuit. The interrogator 210 may be configured to detect changes in the transmitted signal caused by the absorption and/or reflection of RF energy by the reference circuit. Perturbations in the interrogator signal which are attributable to absorption/reflection of energy by the reference circuit 230 and/or detection of a signal reflected by the reference circuit 230 are denoted herein as the reference signal or reference circuit signal. The reference circuit 230 depicted in
The graph of
As previously discussed, changes in the signals produced by the sensing and/or reference circuits due to changes in conditions unrelated to the sensed condition may occur. These changes may involve variations in the amplitude and/or shape of the frequency response signals. The changes in the sensor signal due to the conditions unrelated to the sensed condition may be identified using the reference signal. The use of the reference signal is illustrated in
The signal at 13.56 MHz produced by the reference circuit exhibits changes in amplitude due to distance between the reference circuit and the interrogator, whereas the resonant frequency of the reference circuit may remain relatively constant if the reference circuit is isolated from the sensed condition. During successive interrogations, the signal produced by the sensing circuit may exhibit changes produced by a combination of factors, including factors related to the sensed condition and factors unrelated to the sensed condition. For example, during successive interrogations, the sensing circuit signal may exhibit changes in amplitude due to variations in distance from the interrogator and also exhibit a shift in resonant frequency due to the sensed condition.
In some implementations, factors unrelated to the sensed condition may cause changes in signal frequency characteristics other than variations in amplitude. The graphs of
In one implementation, the signal produced by the sensing circuit may be normalized using the reference circuit signal. Normalization of the sensing circuit signal using the reference circuit signal allows resonance frequency shifts in the sensing circuit signal to be more easily interpreted as corresponding to changes in the sensed condition. If the reference circuit is an RFID device, data can be written to the RFID device, such as data related to one or more previous interrogations of the sensing circuit. If the reference device is an EAS device, then a database coupled to the interrogator can be used to manage the data from the sensing circuit interrogations.
In various implementations, the sensing circuit of the present invention may be used to detect changing conditions over a period of time. For example, the sensing circuit may be used to detect curing, drying, exposure to fluids, gases, moisture, or other conditions.
Methods implementable by the interrogator that use the reference signal to account for variations in position and/or distance between the sensing circuit and the interrogator are described in connection with
The flowchart of
The analytical parameters of the sensing signal characteristic are calculated 570 based on the reference signal characteristic. For example, the frequency shift of the sensing signal characteristic peak frequency from the reference signal characteristic peak frequency is at time t1:
f(t 1)=f r(t 1)−f a(t 1),
and at time t2,
f(t 2)=f r(t 2)−f a(t 2),
where fr(t1) and fr(t2) are the peak frequencies of the reference signal characteristic at times t1 and t2, respectively, and fa(t1) and fa(t2) are the peak frequencies of the sensing circuit characteristic at times t1 and t2, respectively.
Thus, because the peak frequency of the reference signal characteristic remains constant at times t1 and t2, the change in the peak frequency of the sensing signal characteristic from time t1 to time t2 may be calculated:
Δf=(f(t 1)−f(t 2))=−f a(t 1)+f a(t 2).
In some embodiments, successive measurements of the peak frequencies of the reference and sensing circuits may be made over a period of time to track the exposure of the sensing circuit to an environmental condition. For example, successive measurements may be used to track the progress of a reaction.
In some embodiments, changes in the spectral characteristics of the sensing circuit and/or the reference circuit may be used to generate 580 an alarm. In one embodiment, the shift of the peak frequency of the sensing signal characteristic, Δf, may be compared to a threshold value. A frequency shift greater than a threshold value may trigger an alarm, such as to indicate that the environmental exposure corresponds to a critical or desired amount of exposure or that a reaction has concluded.
In another embodiment, a change in the peak magnitude of the reference circuit may trigger a alarm to indicate that the sensing and reference circuits are not within a desired range of the reader. In yet other embodiments, the difference ya−yr between the peak magnitude of the reference circuit, yr, and the peak magnitude of the sensing circuit, ya, may be used to generate an alarm. An alarm may also be generated based on various other parameters of the spectral characteristics of the sensing circuit and/or the reference circuit, including the characteristic skew, kurtosis, and/or best fit residuals.
As previously discussed, in some implementations, sensing circuits of the present invention may be used to monitor the progression of chemical reactions. As illustrated in
In one embodiment, the differentiating characteristic comprises the resonant frequencies of the sensing circuits 630-639, and each sensing circuit 630-639 is tuned to a different resonant frequency. The sensing circuits 630-639 may be remotely interrogated by placing the reaction plate 600 near an antenna of an interrogator and scanning across the resonant frequency range of the sensing circuits 630-639. The status of the reaction occurring in each reaction well 640-649 can be determined by analyzing the shifts in the resonant peaks associated with the sensing circuits 630-639. Optionally, a reference circuit 650 may be disposed on or near the reaction plate at a fixed position with respect to the sensing circuits. The signal from the reference circuit may be used to adjust signals produced by the sensing circuits 630-639 to take into account changes in distance and orientation of the sensing circuits 630-639 relative to the interrogator for successive interrogations.
In some embodiments, the sensing circuit includes a sensor component having a number of sensor elements distributed among regions of area of interest. A resonant characteristic of the sensing circuit may be modified by an external event affecting a sensor element associated with a region. For example, the resonant characteristic may be modified by exposure of the sensing element to an environmental parameter such as light, moisture, pressure, gas, temperature, and/or other environmental parameters. In some embodiments, the sensing elements could be exposed differentially to optical parameters, such as different frequencies or amounts of optical radiation, such as by the use of, but not limited to light filters. In some embodiments, the resonant characteristic of the resonant circuit may be modified by disconnecting a sensor element from the resonant circuit or by short circuiting a sensor element.
One implementation of a sensing circuit 740 incorporating distributed moisture sensor elements 720 a-720 f is illustrated in the diagram of
A large area wound such as a burn requires special attention in controlling the moisture build up in the dressing 710. The dressing 710 needs to be kept on the wound long enough to stabilize healing but not too long such that moisture/wetness of the dressing 710 becomes excessive. Early removal of the dressing 710 could delay healing by unnecessary handling of the healing zone. Additionally, the cost of repeated checks and changes of such a dressing 710 can be costly and it is desirable to know when the dressing 710 is not needed. A non-contact, non-invasive method for gauging wetness of a dressing 710 enables efficient, timely, and cost effective wound care.
The sensor elements 720 a-720 f of the sensing circuit 740 may be distributed among regions 750 a-750 f of the wound dressing 710, and may be disposed on or embedded in the wound dressing 710. The sensing circuit also includes an inductor 760. In some configurations, a reference circuit 730 is also used.
The distributed capacitive sensor elements 720 a-720 f may be used to provide an indication of the state of wetness of the dressing. The interdigitated electrodes of the capacitive elements 720 a-720 f may be disposed on or embedded in a moisture sensitive material. Moisture absorption by the material changes the dielectric constant of the material. As each sensor element 720 a-720 f is affected by moisture, the capacitance of the affected element is modified, altering the resonant frequency of the sensing circuit 740. An interrogator having a resonance analyzer may be used to detect changes in resonant frequency of the sensing circuit 740 corresponding to moisture in the dressing 710. For example, the moisture in the dressing may first be present in region 750 a, affecting sensor element 720 a, causing a first change in the resonant frequency of the sensing circuit 740. After a period of time, the moisture may be present in region 750 b, affecting element 720 b, causing a second change in resonant frequency of the resonant circuit 740. The changes in the resonant frequency corresponding to the wetness of the dressing 710 in the regions 750 a-750 f may be tracked over time to determine an appropriate time for changing the wound dressing.
A reference circuit signal may be used to adjust for measurement-to-measurement variation of the sensing circuit signal due to changes in distance and/or orientation of the sensing circuit relative to the interrogator and/or other parameters affecting inductive coupling between the sensing circuit 740 and the interrogator. A reference circuit 730 may include a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency distinct from resonance frequency range of the sensing circuit 740. The reference circuit 730 may be encapsulated or hermetically sealed to prevent resonance drift due to exposure to moisture and/or other environmental conditions. In some configurations, the reference circuit 730 may include circuitry to allow data storage. For example, the data stored may be related to one or more previous interrogations of the sensing circuit, or may include information on initial conditions of the sensing circuit.
Another implementation of remote sensing using a distributed sensor involves an object dispenser. Top and bottom views of an exemplary object dispenser are illustrated in
In one example, the medication 805 m-808 m, 815 m-818 m, 825 m-828 m in the medication containers 805-808, 815-818, 825-828 are accessed according to a time schedule, such as one pill per day. As each dose of medication 805 m-808 m, 815 m-818 m, 825 m-828 m is accessed, the backing 830 in the region of the medication container 805-808, 815-818, 825-828 holding the accessed dose is removed. Perforations 840 may be provided for convenient removal of the backing 830 in the region of the accessed medication container 805-808, 815-818, 825-828 while the backing 830 in other regions remains intact. Removal of the backing 830 of a medication container 805-808, 815-818, 825-828 removes and disconnects the capacitive element associated with the medication container 805-808, 815-818, 825-828 from the resonant circuit. Disconnection of each capacitive element incrementally changes capacitance value of the resonant circuit 890 which shifts the resonance characteristic of the resonant circuit 890. Shifts in the resonance characteristic can be detected by a remote interrogator (not shown). The interrogator be incorporated in a storage container for multiple blister packs having different characteristic frequencies. Based on the detected resonance characteristic of the resonant circuit 890, the interrogator may interpret the number of medication dosages 805 m-808 m, 815 m-818 m, 825 m-828 m dispensed. By tracking the removal of the medication 805 m-808 m, 815 m-818 m, 825 m-828 m over a period of time, the interrogator may determine an approximate time the pills were dispensed (and presumably taken by the patient).
In some embodiments, the blister pack 800 may additionally include a reference circuit 880, which may be used to normalize or adjust the signal produced by the resonant circuit 890 to account for distance and/or orientation relative to the remote interrogator. The reference circuit 880 may also provide data storage capabilities. For example, the time and/or number of medication dosages dispensed may be stored after each interrogation of the blister pack 800. In one implementation, the data stored in the reference circuit 880 may be updated by the interrogator after each interrogation that indicates medication was dispensed and could report the times to the hospital. The interrogator could also include functionality to alert the patient or hospital that a dose has been missed.
In some implementations, the interrogator may be configured to interrogate a number of remote sensing devices. For example, as illustrated in
Another example of a sensing circuit 990 having distributed sensors involves a ticket object 900 illustrated in plan view in
In one implementation, the ticket object 900 is a multilayer structure having two foil layers 931, 932 separated by a dielectric adhesive 933. The foil layers 931, 932 are coupled to an inductor 950 forming a resonant circuit 990. As each ticket 905-908 is used, the capacitor element 905 c-908 c associated with the ticket 905-908 is removed, disconnected, short circuited, or otherwise altered, incrementally changing the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit 990. The number of tickets 905-908 removed or remaining may be determined by a remote interrogator. In some configurations implementation, illustrated in
In some implementations, the ticket object 900 may include a reference circuit (not shown) for normalizing the signal produced by the resonant circuit 990 with respect to angle and distance from the interrogator. As previously discussed, the reference circuit may have the capability to store data, such as information regarding the use of the ticket object 900, including the identification of the ticket object 900 and/or authorized user(s) of the ticket object, date, time, and/or location of use of the tickets 905-907, and/or other data associated with the ticket object 900.
In some applications, the remotely accessible sensing circuit of the present invention may be used in conjunction with a gauge to provide an electronic indication of the status of a condition or process. In some configurations, the gauge may provide a visual indication along with the electronic indication provided by the sensing circuit.
Sterilization gauges are typically placed in difficult to access locations within a group of items to be sterilized to provide a "worst case" scenario for the sterilization process. This check could serve to validate the success of the sterilization process. If the gauge cannot be remotely accessed, it must be removed to check the progress of the sterilization process. Removing the gauge disrupts the sterilization cycle and can compromise the sterilized items.
The remote sensing approach of the present invention provides for detecting the progress of the sterilization process without removal of the gauge. The sensing circuit used in conjunction with the gauge may be used to remotely measure one or more variables associated with effective sterilization, such as time, temperature, steam, radiation, sterilant exposure, and/or other variables.
The gauge 1101 illustrated in
The gauge 1101 may include scale markers 1103 along the wick 1120 that indicate divisions of the gauge area into a number of regions 1105. The regions are calibrated to correspond to an amount of exposure to a sterilization parameter. The gauge 1101 and wick 1120 are disposed on a sensor 1102 having sensor elements that are arranged in relation to the calibrated gauge regions. For example, in one embodiment, the sensor 1102 may comprise an interdigitated capacitive sensor having electrodes 1104 that are arranged in relation to the regions of the gauge 1101. The sensor is a component of a resonant circuit that provides for remote access of the status of the sterilization process.
Migration of the gauge material 1111 along the wick 1120 causes the gauge material 1111 to flow along the interdigitated electrodes 1104, producing a change in the dielectric constant of the capacitive sensor 1102 of the resonant circuit 1130. A change in the dielectric constant changes the capacitance value of the capacitive sensor 1102 causing a corresponding shift in the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit 1130. The amount of shift in the resonant frequency is related to the distance the gauge material 1111 has traveled along the wick 1120. As the gauge material 1111 flows to additional regions of the gauge, the resonant frequency of the sensing circuit 1130 changes. The sensing circuit 1130 can be remotely interrogated and the resonant frequency analyzed to determine the progress of the sterilization process. A particular resonant frequency may indicate a transitional point where the gauge material travels along the wick 1120 to a sufficient number of regions to produce a "pass" condition indicating that the sterilization process has met established criteria.
Remote sensing allows the status of the sterilization gauge to be determined from outside the sterilization pack. The sensing circuit can be interrogated after the sterilization cycle and sterilization data may be automatically saved, without the need for manual data entry. Furthermore, the remote access sterilization gauge may be read in real time while the sterilization process is underway. Real time access provides for shortened sterilization cycles because the items may be removed based on the gauge data rather than a predetermined "worst case" sterilization time.
In one implementation the cart 1200 and gauges may be used to test the effectiveness of the sterilization chamber. The gauges may be placed in process challenge devices designed to test the efficacy of the sterilization chamber at locations where the sterilizing gas has difficulty accessing the items. The process challenge devices may be placed at various locations within the sterilization chamber. The sterilization cart 1200 with reading antennas 1210 provides for real time data acquisition during a sterilization cycle allowing the sterilization characteristics of the chamber to be mapped and documented. The sterilization test may be used to troubleshoot the chamber and/or to show compliance with regulations or process guidelines, for example.
The approaches of the present invention provide cost effective solutions for remote sensing with wide applicability. Many circuit configurations may be used to accomplish remote sensing as described herein. The invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, configurations, or implementations used to explain the concepts of the invention. For example, the sensing circuit may include various components that are sensitive to an external event and which may be used as the sensing component(s) of the sensing circuit. For example, the sensing component may comprise one or more resistors, capacitors, inductors, and/or various combinations of these components.
The foregoing description of the various embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. For example, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a wide variety of applications. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.
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|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|May 16, 2006
Owner name: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, MINNESOTA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KUHNS, DAVID W.;FREE, M. BENTON;REEL/FRAME:017635/0268
Effective date: 20060516
|Aug 16, 2011
|Certificate of correction
|Oct 29, 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4


text:
Venezuelan Right Divided Due to Contradictions
Por By Livia Rodriguez Delis
Caracas, Aug 11 (Prensa Latina) The opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) coalition, promoter of violent actions in last 100 days in Venezuela, is currently facing a breakdown on its ranks due to political contradictions between leaders.
The announcement by the National Electoral Council (CNE) to regional elections and lawmakers scheduled for December 10 erupted the old run-ins and underlying selfishness on the opposition sector and divided the right-wing MUD into two factions: those who wish to go back to democratic way and those who are committed to the unconstitutional way of violence to overthrow the Bolivarian government.
After the first step taken towards the electoral path by AD, through its leader Henry Ramos Allup, all other political groups with the number of members stipulated by Magna Carta hastened to register their corresponding candidates with the fear of running out of seats.
According to specialists, such an accustomed attitude in the right reflects the lightness of his political speech and dismissed the attacks against CNE and its officials on an alleged bias in favor of government.
Such expectations clouded the hopes of Vente Venezuela (VV) and Bravo Pueblo (ABP) alliance to see how current President-elect Nicolas Maduro falls.
In response, the VV national coordinator, Maria Corina Machado, confirmed the radicalization of her party in favor of violence and coup, when announcing that this political group drifted away from the MUD election to the constitutional route.
'It's time for definitions. VV is currently out of the route chosen by MUD (...) is the surrender. We ask the parties to correct, Machado said referring to the registration of candidates by the opposition coalition for regional elections scheduled for December.
Maria Corina Machado also reiterated the attacks against CNE and its officials, in addition to harping on the establishment of a parallel electoral body, since the existing one has all legal and constitutional guarantees.
Likewise, with no an ounce of responsibility, she continued with declarations to incite political violence and hatred crimes, even though the setting-up of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), elected by over eight million voters, tranquility and peace invaded again the Venezuelan streets.
On the other hand, Miranda State Governor Henrique Capriles, worried about MUD breakdown, acknowledged the current crisis MUD is facing up when he said that the call for the coming elections, established in Magna Carta, was a government ruse to split the factors made up of the right-wing coalition.
Therefore, he insisted on a strategy closer to the people apparently aware of the lack of followers MUD is facing and especially Primero Justicia (PJ) party.
In an attempt to guarantee a new term as mayor of Baruta municipality, Gerardo Blyde began to distance himself from the violent route of his PJ party in the last 120 days.
As stated by Union Radio private media, Blyde considered the street protests and mobilizations called by the right as a failure, which left more than a hundred Venezuelans dead, thousands injured and extensive material damages.
|By the minute
|Most read

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Blazing Elves
Unity 3D Games > Unity 3D Fighting > Blazing Elves
In Blazing Elves, you are playing as a young girl who loves fighting. You will have to face ferocious monsters and other dangers, so be careful and eliminate them all. Use different weapons and items to complete the game. Genieten.
To play Blazing Elves, u W gebruiken,Een,S,D toetsen om te bewegen, J key to attack and K key to jump.


text:
The Group of 15, named after the Canadian Group of 7 – a cohort of Christian scholars and authors, meets at least once each year, normally during SBL to mutually admonish, encourage, and hold one another accountable in their academic pursuits. We aim to help each other to aspire to excellence in writing and publishing.
Michael Rhodes
Michael Rhodes spent the previous 5 years serving as Director of Education at Advance Memphis, a faith-based economic development non-profit serving the South Memphis community where Rhodes currently lives. As the Director of Education, he has taught and overseen GED, job-training, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship programs in the poorest urban zip code in the state. He also co-authored a new job training curriculum designed for communities of generational poverty (Work Life). Work Life integrates job readiness, emotional health, life skills, and the biblical narrative of Christ's redemption of all things. As of September, Rhodes is serving as an Adjunct Professor at the Memphis Center for Urban Theological Studies, and is founding a new project there which will equip local leaders to teach Advance-style classes in their churches. Rhodes is a deacon at Downtown Church (EPC), and has led a community group in South Memphis for years. Previously, he served as a missionary in Kenya. He has a BA in Community Development (Covenant College), an MA degree in Biblical Studies (Gordon-Conwell), and is a PhD candidate (Trinity College Bristol). His research interests center on the intersection of biblical studies, economic ethics, and community development. His chapter "'Follow Us As We Follow Moses': Learning Biblical Economics from the New Testament's Appropriation of Old Testament Narratives, Practices, and Liturgies" will be published in the forthcoming volume Ecclesia and Ethics (Spring 2016). His beautiful wife Rebecca coaches urban public school teachers, and together they have 3 children.
Dru Johnson
Dru Johnson is an Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at The King's College in New York City, chair of the Hebrew Bible and Philosophy program in the Society of Biblical Literature, associate director for the Templeton Jewish Philosophical Theology research project with The Herzl Institute in Jerusalem, and committee member of the Scripture and Church Seminar in the Institute for Biblical Research. Working as a pastor for ten years and training pastors in rural Kenya over the last six years, Johnson is a man of the church. He is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and attends Comunidade Cristã Presbiteriana in Newark, NJ. His books include:
- Biblical Knowing: A Scriptural Epistemology of Error (Cascade, 2013)
- Scripture's Knowing: A Companion to Biblical Epistemology (Cascade, 2015)
- Knowledge by Ritual: A Biblical Prolegomenon to Sacramental Theology. JTISupp 13 (Eisenbrauns, 2016)
- Genesis 1–11, Transformative Word Series (Lexham Press, forthcoming)
- Epistemology and Biblical Theology: From the Pentateuch to the Gospel of Mark. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Biblical Criticism (Routledge, forthcoming)
Luke Stamps
Luke Stamps serves as assistant professor of Christian Studies at California Baptist University. He received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. His primary areas of scholarly interest include Christology, the Trinity, analytic theology, and Baptist theology. Luke is an ordained Baptist minister and lives with his wife and four children in Riverside, California.
Matthew Emerson
Matthew Emerson is Dickinson Chair of Religion and Assistant Professor of Religion at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He earned his Ph.D. in Biblical Theology from SEBTS and is the author of Christ and the New Creation, along with a number of essays and articles. His research interests include the New Testament use of the Old Testament and early Christian interpretation. Matt is married to Alicia and has five beautiful daughters, including newborn twins.
A.J. Culp
A.J. Culp is Lecturer in Old Testament and Biblical Languages at Malyon College, Brisbane, Australia. Having long considered himself a man of diverse interests, A.J.'s recently realised he's not nearly as interesting as he once thought. His many interests, it turns out, revolve around one thing: understanding scripture, in both its ancient and contemporary contexts, as a text for human formation. His work up till now has focused largely on the ancient side of things, using various interdisciplinary tools (literary, ethics, and mnemonic theory) to understand the purpose of the text in its world. His new projects, though, have begun to explore the contemporary side, especially looking at the role of scripture in education. Trained in the humanities, A.J. wants to see how we might bring literature and art to bear upon the task of Christian education. He is blessed to live with his family in a beautiful part of the world, where, in true biblical style, the trees are enchanting and the snakes deadly.
David Beldman
David Beldman is an Assistant Professor of Religion and Theology at Redeemer University College. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol in the area of Old Testament Studies. He has a passion for the Old Testament, biblical theology, and equipping students to hear the Scriptures as the living Word of God for today. He is the co-editor of Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God's Address (Eerdmans, 2012) and is a contributor to A Manifesto for Theological Interpretation (Baker, 2015). David has been on the committee of the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar for many years. He has many interests beyond the academy, including his love of vintage motorcycles. David is married to Elsie, and they have four children.
Lucas Wisley
I started attending the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar in 2011 and joined the committee in 2014. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in Hebrew Bible at the University of Cambridge. My research is on the role and portrayal of Solomon in the Hebrew Bible. I also have degrees from the University of Edinburgh (M.Th.) and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.A.). I continue to maintain an active interest in Hebrew linguistics. But more importantly, I am married to the multi-talented, Aubree Wisley (who is the true brains in the family!). When I'm not working on my thesis you will probably find me either rowing or coaching for the Hughes Hall Boat Club.
Benjamin T. Quinn
Benjamin serves as associate dean for institutional effectiveness and assistant professor of theology and history of ideas at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and The College at Southeastern. Benjamin also serves as Associate Academic Director for BibleMesh, a ministry of the Emmanuel Foundation. He attended Union University and Southeastern Seminary before receiving his PhD in theology from the University of Bristol, UK. Benjamin lives with his wife and three children in Wake Forest, NC. Ben's next forthcoming publication is Wisdom's Way: The Book of Proverbs (tentative title).
Michael Spalione
I am a Ph.D. student at Trinity College Bristol. I received a M.A. in Biblical Counseling from the Southern Baptists Theological Seminary in 2014 and a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Boyce College in 2009. My research interests which at times feel vast and transdisciplinary really come down to the relationship of the church to the kingdom of God. This finds expression in my interests in global theology, ecumenicism, history of interpretation, spiritual direction, and Christian ethics. When I am not reading or writing, I love to play with my four children in our backyard, go camping, brew my own beer, and go to concerts.
Dr. Michael R. Wagenman
Michael is the Christian Reformed campus minister at Western University (London, Canada). He completed his PhD at the University of Bristol (UK) on the power of the church. He serves on the Race Relations Advisory Board for the Christian Reformed Church and represents the CRC at the Canadian Council of Churches to address racism in Canadian society and to equip churches for cross-cultural ministry. He also teaches New Testament part time at Redeemer University College.
Amber Bowen
After completing her undergraduate in The History of Ideas from The College at Southeastern, Amber lived n Milan, Italy from 2009-2013 serving as a missionary for the first two years and working as a history teacher at Collegio San Carlo for the second. She is now completing her Master of Arts in Philosophy of Religion at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her main area of interest is Contemporary Continental philosophy, particularly the theological turn in French phenomenology.
Rev. Dr. Susan Bubbers
Susan Bubbers is the Dean of the ATLAS Theological Center in Orlando, FL. She and ATLAS share the vision of keeping faith firmly rooted in Scripture, and keeping study firmly rooted in faith. ATLAS is fully Trinitarian, devoted to furthering apostolic Anglicanism in a blending of all four streams (Evangelical, Charismatic, Anglo-Catholic, and Social). ATLAS seeks to bridge the gap that can exist between church and academy and is therefore a hybrid seminary-church. As Dean, Susan's experience and education are fittingly also a hybrid of ministry and scholarship. She was ordained an Anglican Priest in 1995, served as Youth Pastor, Associate Pastor, Senior Pastor (Rector), and University Chaplain. She is now planting a new church in Celebration, FL. Simultaneously, Susan has also taught at the certificate, undergraduate, and graduate levels, primarily in Biblical Studies and Spiritual Formation. She has studied in several theological traditions, including an MDiv from Regent University, a DAS from VTS, a DMin from RTS, and a PhD from the London School of Theology. Her particular research interests include Biblical EcoTheology and Sacramental Theology.
Nate Collins
Nate Collins is a New Testament PhD candidate and adjunct instructor at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. His primary research interests include social scientific approaches to early Christianity, theological anthropology, cultural hermeneutics, and contemporary gender theory. His dissertation explores the function of identity in the gendered and social experience of virgins during the NT era. He is the author of the forthcoming volume All But Invisible: Exploring Identity Questions for Gay, Lesbian, and Other Same-Sex Attracted Christians (Zondervan, 2017). Nate and his wife, Sara, both grew up overseas as missionary kids, and are the proud parents of three boys. When he's not writing or spending time with his family, Nate likes to garden and dream about owning a Harley-Davidson again.
Ben Askins
Ben Askins is a staff sergeant and a combat medic in the U.S. Army. He has degrees from Houghton College (B.S. Intercultural Studies, Outdoor Education), the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. Christian Ministry), and is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). An Iraq War veteran, his professional career has focused on tactical medicine, wilderness medicine, and search-and-rescue. He intends to begin Ph.D. studies at Trinity College Bristol as soon as the Lord allows and his research interests include canonical and theological interpretations of Scripture, the Book of Job, the problem of evil, the psychology of trauma, and analytic theology/philosophy. Ben has been married to Jana for 11 years and they have four delightful children.


text:
|Musical Style: Progressive Rock
|Produced By: Transatlantic
|Record Label: Radiant
|Country Of Origin: USA, Sweden & UK
|Year Released: 2014
|Artist Website: Transatlantic
|Tracks: 5
|Rating: 85%
|Running Time: 75:51
A twenty-five minute plus epic that breaks down into multiple parts to form a complementary whole. The dizzying array of time signatures and less than conventional song structuring. An equal emphasis on complex instrumentation and virtuoso musicianship. And, of course, the sophisticated and intelligent lyrics- the kind which cannot help but force you to think. All this is the accomplished handiwork of Transatlantic, a progressive rock 'supergroup' consisting of American vocalist/keyboardist Neal Morse (formerly of Spock's Beard) and drummer Mike Portnoy (formerly of Dream Theater), Swedish guitarist Roine Stolt (Flower Kings) and English bassist Pete Trewavas (Marillion).
With its name as a reference to the fact that half of the group is American and the other European, Transatlantic got its start as a side project of individual members full-time bands and lasted until 2002 in its initial incarnation. On its 2000 debut SMPT:e, standing for StoltMorsePortnoyTrewavas, the group showcased its penchant for the mega-epic, as can be found in 31 minute opening track "All Of The Above", while 2001 follow up effort Bridge Across Forever upheld the trend in coming in at over 75 minutes but including just 4 songs. Transatlantic temporarily disbanded following the departure of Morse to pursue a career in Christian music only to reform in 2009 and release its third album, the single track 77 minute The Whirlwind. Not to be outdone, Transatlantic returns in early 2014 with its fourth magnum opus Kaleidoscope, this time breaking down 75 minutes of music over 5 tracks, with two in the twenty-five to thirty minute range sandwiched around three others less than eight minutes each.
The focus on lengthy material, obviously, attributes directly to Morse, whose solo releases have included such epics as "The Door" and "The Conflict" (both Sola Scriptura and 29 and 25 minutes, respectively), "So Many Roads" (28 minutes and off Lifeline) and "World Without End" (33 minutes from Momentum). Question Mark, of course, features a single 56-minute 12 part song. While Kaleidoscope gives prominence to only one song credited to Morse, "Beyond The Sun", the album's remaining material was "written and arranged by Transatlantic" (as per the liner notes). Regardless, one cannot help but notice the influence of Morse's signature songwriting imprint, both musically (again, in terms of the extended focus) and lyrically (well thought out as always).
The overall impression (at least from this reviewer's perspective) suggests less of a 'side project' and more of a group that has been performing together for literally years- and highlights the cohesiveness and chemistry that goes hand in hand. This manifests itself from how it can be argued that Kaleidoscope represents a work at the very least equal to (if not better) than much of the output of the previously referenced groups. Yes, my opinion only, but one also cannot deny the influences of Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Procol Harum and even The Beatles. And while Transatlantic has never been known for having a particularly aggressive sound - those that use the 'progressive rock' label as opposed to 'progressive metal' have the right idea - Kaleidoscope is not without its share of heavier moments either.
"Black As The Sky", one of the albums more compact at just under seven minutes, captures some of that heaviness. The song proves rollicking in capacity, highlighting searing organ (and lending a darker aspect in the process) and Portnoy's technical rolls and fills (a case can be made that Transatlantic finds him reaching his potential as opposed to the aforementioned Dream Theater). The remaining two shorter pieces bring a ballad based feel. The seven and a half minute "Shine", in contrast, moves stilly and tranquilly its length to acoustic guitar. It also finds Morse and Stolt trading off vocally, with former bringing his trademark smooth and pristine style (and handling majority of the albums vocals) and latter an earthier and more soulful mid-ranged presence (and providing periodic contrast throughout the project in the process). Stolt also stands out with a lengthy run of his blues driven soloing. Albums shortest is the four and a half minute "Beyond The Sun", maneuvering in even slower fashion to piano, violin and orchestration in equal amounts.
The two epics, "Into The Blue" (25 minutes) and "Kaleidoscope (31 minutes), come across fluid from start to finish despite the protracted length and complexity. Listenable is the key word at hand in that both hold up under repeat listen (based upon my experience) from breaking down into several parts, with five reserved for "Into The Blue" and seven "Kaleidoscope".
"Into The Blue" opens its first six and a half minutes to instrumental "Overture", which runs the gamut from ethereal keyboards to hard rocking guitars while calling attention to complementary keyboard and guitar solos. "The Dreamer And The Healer" takes the calmer tone as gently done guitars and keyboards lead the way, while a heavy set rhythm guitar provides transition to "A New Beginning", as organ and lower register vocals establish a churning scene with an overriding seventies influence. Stolt again steps to the plate with an extended run of tasteful blues based soloing. Back to calmer territory as acoustic guitar solidifies "Written In Your Heart" prior to things reaching their climactic conclusion with "The Dreamer And The Healer (Reprise)".
The albums title track opens instrumentally (also entitled "Overture") as up-tempo piano and driving guitars set the stage for "Ride The Lightning", maintaining the spirited focus with its uplifting proclivity and over the top symphonic overtures. This one also allows Morse's skillful keyboard presence to stand out. "Black Gold" combines a catchy chorus with moments ranging from the quieter to frenetic- not to mention allowing Trewavas' bass to uphold the backdrop. The extended instrumental run that ensues gives way to "Walking The Road", a Beatlesque ballad carried perfectly by piano and swirling guitars, and "Desolation Days", also evenly done from drifting in acoustic fashion. The magnificent conclusion is reaching with churning but quirkily entitled instrumental "Lemon Looking" and aptly placed "Ride The Lightning (Reprise)".
Transatlantic, obviously, are not a Christian band nor Kaleidoscope a Christian album. That said, Morse's faith does not fail to come through in the lyrics- no, not forthright as his solo material but noticeable nonetheless. "Black As The Sky", for instance, exhorts the listener to "Keep your eye on the light and hold your head high" while "Shine" advises "If the light of the world lives in you/Then no matter where you go/You can let the darkness know/There's a little light left in your soul". "Beyond The Sun" suggests "And we will live forever/When all is joined together/And we will live each day beyond the sun", while "Desolation Days" leaves little doubt as well: "Out of the cry of every pain/From the realm of doubt and shame/That's where God will lift us higher/There in our desolation days".
Kaleidoscope adds up to a very good progressive rock album. If into past Transatlantic releases or Neal Morse's solo material (not to mention the wide array of acts referenced in this review), then I cannot help but make a strong recommendation. Top of the line musicianship, versatile vocals and solid production makes for an even listen despite the albums 75 minute length. It is also time smartly used in that the lengthier material breaks down efficiently while that shorter helps everything flow together in logical fashion. Lone complaint - and this might be a stretch here - is that I wish the album had a few more heavier moments, albeit keeping in mind Transatlantic IS progressive 'rock' as opposed to 'metal'. Still, it is to the albums credit that it is a potential top 10 album of the year candidate at such an early stage in 2014.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: "Into The Blue" (25:11), "Shine" (7:26), "Black As The Sky" (6:43), "Beyond The Sun" (4:29), "Kaleidoscope (31:53),
Neal Morse - Lead Vocals, Keyboards & Acoustic Guitar
Roine Stolt - Electric Guitars, Lead Vocals, Percussion, Acoustic 12 String & Additional Keyboards
Pete Trewavas - Bass
Mike Portnoy - Drums
Guest Musicians
Chris Carmichael - Cello
Rich Mouser - Pedal Steel Guitar
Daniel Gildenlow - Lead Vocals


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Climatic Aridity and the Relocations of the Zhou Culture in the Southern Loess Plateau of China 总被引:3,自引:0,他引:3
Chun Chang Huang Shichao Zhao Jiangli Pang Qunying Zhou Shue Chen Pinghua Li Longjiang Mao Min Ding 《Climatic Change》2003,61(3):361-378
Several Holocene loess-soil profiles at the archaeological sites of the political center, and later, the capital cities of the predynastic Zhou and Western Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1400–771 B.C.) inthe southern Loess Plateau were studied multi-disciplinarily. It provides insights into monsoonal climatic change and the relocations of the Zhou culture in this climatically sensitive semiarid zone. Both the analytical data and written records indicate that increased climatic aridity at 1150 B.C. induced a considerable environmental deterioration and degradation of natural resources, especially water shortages, decreases in precipitation and deficits in soil moisture. These resulted in poor harvest and great famines, plagues, domestic upheavals, population migrations, and even conflicts between Zhou people who subsisted on dry farming and nomadic tribes on the northern steppe during the development of the Zhou culture. It seems that persistent droughts forced Zhou people to move from the upland plateau to the lowland riverbanks step by step through relocations, following a direction of increasing climatic humidity, soil moisture, water availability and biodiversity. The southward migration of the nomads on the steppe of the northern Loess Plateau and the Mongolia Plateau in response to the climatic aridity was another dynamic force that caused the relocations of the Zhou culture. 相似文献
713型气象雷达为我国自主设计的固定式测雨雷达,目前我国西北部和中部地区的一些气象局仍在使用。文章简要介绍了713雷达的平面位置显示器(PPI)和距离高度显示器(RHI)两种数据的结构和格式,在充分解析后,采用Visual Basic.NET2005开发语言,完成了对两种雷达回波数据的准确判读。并结合GIS二次开发组件MapX,采用常规天气雷达数据产生回波图像的算法,提出并实现了极坐标系下的雷达平显回波图和高显回波图的地学线型与面型可视化,最大限度恢复了雷达数据中存储的回波信息,为准确分析区域降水提供了依据。 相似文献
Bin Qi Akinori Takami Shiro Hatakeyama 《Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry》2005,52(1):63-79
Concentrations of peroxy radicals were measured by a chemical amplification technique at a remote forested site as part of the Program for Research on Oxidants in a Forested Region in Nikko (PROFRN). During the measurement period of 22–27 July 2002, the mixing ratios of peroxy radicals averaged for 3 min at midday ranged from 109 to 134 pptv at a height approximately 5 m above the forest canopy. Significant diurnal variation in concentrations of peroxy radicals was observed, with the maximum usually occurring around noon. Most of the variation was driven by changes in the intensity of solar radiation. However, it was found that the peroxy radical concentration reached its peak about 3-h later than that of solar radiation on 24 and 26 July. The origins of this delay are discussed based on an analysis of the total radical budget in that period. A transport of polluted air masses to the site was one of possible causes for the inconsistency. In addition, the measured peroxy radical concentrations were compared with those derived from the deviations of NO-NO2-O3 photo-stationary state (PSSD) for clear days. The estimated half-hour-average concentrations of peroxy radical were in agreement with the PERCA measured in the morning and late afternoon. However the two techniques differed by as much as a factor of two during the time of near midday. 相似文献
Jie Fei Jie Zhou Yongjian Hou 《Climatic change》2007,81(3-4):469-475
During the late sixth century and early seventh century, the Eastern Turkic Empire (i.e., the Eastern Turkic Khanate) was the most powerful country in the Northeast Asia. It collapsed suddenly in a.d. 630, and historians concluded that the combination of social, political and economic factors, as well as the invasion of the Tang Empire, would be the root cause. Here we suggest that a climatic cooling event ca. a.d. 627–629 could be the direct cause. In a.d. 627–629, the Eastern Turkic Empire experienced severe disasters of snow and frost. Many of the sheep and horses died. People suffered great famine and massive deaths. The Empire fell into severe national crisis and collapsed in a.d. 630. Simultaneously, the Tang Empire also experienced three successive years of frost disasters. Climatic cooling possibly also occurred in other regions. Our investigation of the ca. a.d. 627–629 climatic cooling event also improved our understanding of another problem: was the climatic event due to the impact of a ca. a.d. 626 volcanic eruption? 相似文献
Extended application of the conditional nonlinear optimal parameter perturbation method in the common land model
An extension of the conditional nonlinear optimal parameter perturbation (CNOP-P) method is applied to the parameter optimization of the Common Land Model (CoLM) for the North China Plain with the differential evolution (DE) method. Using National Meteorological Center (NMC) Reanalysis 6-hourly surface flux data and National Center for Environmental Prediction/Department of Energy (NCEP/DOE) Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project II (AMIP-II) 6-hourly Reanalysis Gaussian Grid data, two experiments (I and II) were designed to investigate the impact of the percentages of sand and clay in the shallow soil in CoLM on its ability to simulate shallow soil moisture. A third experiment (III) was designed to study the shallow soil moisture and latent heat flux simultaneously. In all the three experiments, after the optimization stage, the percentages of sand and clay of the shallow soil were used to predict the shallow soil moisture in the following month. The results show that the optimal parameters can enable CoLM to better simulate shallow soil moisture, with the simulation results of CoLM after the double-parameter optimal experiment being better than the single-parameter optimal experiment in the optimization slot. Furthermore, the optimal parameters were able to significantly improve the prediction results of CoLM at the prediction stage. In addition, whether or not the atmospheric forcing and observational data are accurate can seriously affect the results of optimization, and the more accurate the data are, the more significant the results of optimization may be. 相似文献
在全球气候变暖背景下,地面接收太阳辐射总量发生改变,探讨自然和人为因素对其影响成为热点。利用线性趋势分析、M-K突变检验和小波分析等方法,分析了1961—2009年大同市地面接收太阳辐射的变化特征,验证地面接收太阳辐射的突变年份和周期变化及未来变化趋势,探讨太阳辐射与相关气象要素的关系。结果表明:近49 a大同市地面接收太阳辐射年平均值为5617.28 MJ/m2,整体呈现明显下降趋势,但2000年后又缓慢上升;大同市地面接收太阳总辐射在1975年发生突变;太阳总辐射的振荡周期为9a,现正处于太阳辐射偏高年份;日照时数逐年递减,地面接收太阳辐射减少,二者呈现显著正相关;降水量在波动中缓慢减少,而地面接收太阳辐射总量减少,二者呈现一定正相关;云量变化逐年减少,但与地面接收太阳辐射相关性不明显,气候的自然因素变化与地面接收太阳辐射的相关性较小。 相似文献
免费师范生专业能力的培养现状是测量免费师范生培养质量的重要指标,也是改革免费师范生教育的事实依据。本研究采用问卷调查法对陕西师范大学的1 531名2008级免费师范生的专业能力进行研究,结果表明:师范生的课堂教学能力和反思发展能力有待提高;不同性别、学科类别的师范生在专业能力上存在差异;艺术生的各项专业能力培养现状均比文科生、理科生要好。为提升师范生专业能力,学校应从注重反思发展、加强教育教学实践、重视专业培养中的群体差异三个方面入手。 相似文献
本文旨在为成人学前教育美术专业的教师改进教学提供借鉴。成人学前教育美术专业教学中存在诸多问题:美术课程设置不够完善、美术师资力量不强、教学资源相对不足、教学内容与方法还不令人满意、学生的自学能力较弱等。针对这种现状,本文拟就所存在的问题作以探讨分析,进而提出相应的改进策略。 相似文献
运用一元回归分析、Mann-Kendall和R/S方法,对1960—2009年汉中市气温、降水量和日照时数变化特征及未来趋势进行分析。结果表明:近50 a来,汉中市年平均气温以0.14℃/10 a的速率升高,并在1997年发生增温突变,其Hurst值为0.94,表明未来气温的变化与过去50 a有较强的持续性,仍将呈现上升趋势。汉中市年降水量以-28.45 mm/10 a的速率显著减少,呈波动变化,突变不显著,其Hurst值为0.75,说明汉中市降水量减少的趋势还将继续;日照时数在过去50 a呈减少趋势,减少率为-56.42 h/10 a,并在1979—1980年发生突变,其Hurst值为0.91,说明汉中市未来日照时数变化趋势与过去一致,仍将持续减少。 相似文献


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From the the day the deal actually went down, TPM Reader MM on Obama's need to compromise …
I think another way to think about that "wanting to get a deal done" by Obama is this: he is strongly inclined to send the message that he is siding with people. If you listen to what the man on the street is saying, like the out of work steelworker who was on "Marketplace" tonight, it's "Put aside your differences and get a deal done". That's the general ask from the populace, they are tired of a dysfunctional government, but it's typically low-attention-span on the details and I think that's less-so right now.
This is the most visible of all of the political faceoffs we've had, and it comes with the high theater of the take-home pay of everyone who works hanging in the balance. And it's over new years to boot. So *everyone* is watching. There's something to be said for Obama making it clear that he's willing to compromise, esp. if it might net out at the same place as if he refused the deal.
As I write this there are I believe still 3 ways that this deal could be derailed: a liberal senator blocking it, the Senate GOP filibustering it, or the House GOP shutting it down. So there's still probably a 30% chance this deal doesn't make it through. Whoever pulls the plug will be the bad guy with the vast majority of Americans who care more about a deal getting done than the details of that deal.
We all agree that if we go over the cliff then Obama has a better negotiating position. So he is in the same place as if he'd not put an 11th hour deal on the table, but he also then has a halo of public sentiment (though not his party's left wing) as being more positive than Congress. And that could be useful for a while, esp. when he considers taking unilateral actions like recess appointments or executive orders, etc.


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The Bible in the Reformation
Examination of the role of the Bible in the reformations of the sixteenth century, including the development and divergence of Reformation hermeneutics in late medieval and Renaissance context. Special attention will be given to the vernacular translation and popular presentation of the Bible in the sixteenth century press and pulpit.
Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the Student Link for the most up-to-date course information.


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Course Codes : IML CHIONE, IML CHITWO, CCE-MANDARIN
Discover China Student Book One
Publication Date 1 Jan 2010
Publisher Macmillan Education
Author(s) Anqi Ding
OverviewSpecially designed for young adult and adult learners, this four-level beginner Mandarin Chinese course employs a communicative and integrated approach to Chinese language learning. Emphasis is placed on pair work, group work and on a variety of speaking and listening activities to help students become confident Chinese language speakers.
Out of Stock
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Product or Service
ammonium sulphate
Profile:Manufacturer - Producer|Ref:PSL89424YH | Country: China | Currency: | Export: No
We are one of the top manufacturers and exporters of chemical raw materials in China.
1)Ammonium Sulphate, fertilizer
Content of Nitrogen: 21.0%min nature: white crystals Uses:
fertilizer,food additive, textile, pharmaceutical...
2)Zinc sulfate heptahydrate/ monohydrate
Zinc Sulpahte monohydrate powder
Zn: 35. 5% min, Pb: 10ppm max
As: 5 ppm max, Cd: 10ppm max
At present, we are dealing with Africa, Asia,Australia and South America markets. Should any of these items be of interest to you, please let us know.
Contact the company


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Besides being used as an ordinary programming language, CoffeeScript may also be written in "literate" mode. If you name your file with a .litcoffee extension, you can write it as a Markdown document — a document that also happens to be executable CoffeeScript code. The compiler will treat any indented blocks (Markdown's way of indicating source code) as code, and ignore the rest as comments.
Full article: http://coffeescript.org/#loops


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PSF 22:43 09 Jun 2004
I bought a DVD RW DL yesterday, I removed the CDR RW and left the DVD in. The main reason the DVD RW will do everything a CDR will do and more. The DVD will play CD's or DVD's, if you need clips of a DVD you can do it direct DVD-DVD.


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CodePlexProject Hosting for Open Source Software
Hi ,
i am using chartplotter control in wpf. I want to restrict the zooming effect or restricting the graph sliding with mouse. i want to show the graph fixed with out giving a chance to the user to move the graph.
can u please gave me a code for this.
Thanks & Regards
As mentioned in the previous answer about setting the origin you need to modify or remove the mouse and keyboard navigation objects. One way to do that is:
Note that while this prevents keyboard and mouse panning/zooming on the graph it still allows the panning/zooming on the horizontal and vertical axes. I'll leave it as an excersize for the reader to disable these
Are you sure you want to delete this post? You will not be able to recover it later.
Are you sure you want to delete this thread? You will not be able to recover it later.


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Total Rugs has been in business as Leesburg Looms in Van Wert Ohio since the last century of the last millinium. And that is a long time.
9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Monday through Thursday. Friday till 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Saturday by appointment only.
Copyright 2017 Leesburg Looms. All rights reserved.
Mobile Site


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Get ready to turn up the heat on your bedroom adventures with your lover. With the Ultimate Roll Bedroom Dice, your playtime becomes an exciting game of chance; roll the dice and do what they tell you. Explore your favorite positions, get mind-blowing oral sex, try out new lingerie on your partner or get dared into trying something new and forbidden — with the Ultimate Roll Bedroom Dice, the combinations are endless!
Roll the dice to decide your next adventure
Four colorful dice with instructions
Roll a few at a time for fun combinations
New positions


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Corn & Chicken Sausage Bread Pudding
Learn how to make the corn and smoked chicken sausage bread pudding from Sweet Arleen's.
1 ½ Tbsp EVOO
1 ¼ pounds corn kernels
1 cups chopped onion
6.5 ounces of chicken sausage, fully cooked, cut into small cubes
1 ounces of nacho jalapenos, diced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ cup vermouth
4 eggs
¾ cups whole milk
1 ¾ cups heavy cream
½ Tbsp Essence or Creole seasoning
7 slices of French bread, cubed
1 ¼ cups Asiago cheese, grated
In a sauté pan, heat EVOO. Add onion, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally, so only to sweat the onions. Add corn, sausage, jalapeño's and sauté.
Cook until slight caramelization occurs. De-glaze the pan using vermouth. Continue to cook the mixture until the liquid is reduced. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a metal bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cream and seasonings together. Fold in cubed bread and cheese into mixture. Gently mix in the corn sauté. Allow bread pudding to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Bake at 325 in silicone molds for 20 minutes or until center is set.


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The circumstances of the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25)
Published on Thursday, 19 October 2017 04:50
I wonder where or how Joseph proposed to Mary. It looks from the rest of the Gospels that he was older than her, perhaps by twenty years or more. Whenever it happened, he would have been very happy. He was a devout man and the Lord had provided for him a devout person as his future wife.
Then he heard that the unexpected, even the unthinkable, had happened. His future wife was pregnant, which for Joseph could only mean one thing – Mary had been unfaithful. We can imagine his surprise and shock.
We can excuse Joseph for responding in this way, but the question does arise as to how we should respond when we read these verses. Our response should not be that the miracle has yet to come, when the infant is born. Instead we should rejoice that the miracle has happened already inside Mary's womb – the Incarnation occurred when Jesus was conceived. We can do what Joseph could not do and turn elsewhere in the New Testament and see what it says about the miracle.
When we do, we discover that the persons of the Trinity were involved. This is another reminder that Christians should always be Trinitarians. The two mysteries of our faith (the three persons in the Trinity and the two natures in Jesus) appear together here, as it were, as they do on other occasions in the Gospels when the authors focus on specific experiences of the Saviour, such as at his baptism or when he was on the cross. Matthew mentions the activity of the Holy Spirit, as does Luke in his account.
The Book of Hebrews records the Son saying to the Father, 'A body you have prepared for me.' It is best to see this as the Father planning the human nature of Jesus – this body and soul were going to experience incredible things – think of the Transfiguration and what happened to it when he was on the cross. The Father planned the amazing beauty of the perfect man, but he was also going to give to his Son the most awful burden – our sin – to carry away.
The work of the Holy Spirit was to fashion the human nature of Jesus in the womb of Mary – Luke uses the word 'overshadow' to describe what took place. Everything that Jesus would become was woven by the Spirit into what he was putting together. We are not to imagine a period during which he did this fashioning. Instead we are to remember that the Son united himself instantaneously with the human nature the Father planned and the Spirit produced.
What are we to make of poor Mary? We know what Joseph mistakenly thought, but do we give her thought? The Son of God was not placed within her without being affected by her. She contributed in maternal ways to the humanity of her Son. This was God's planning. If Jesus had been born of another woman, he would probably have looked different. Maybe he would have a different colour of eyes or of his hair. Of course, he was not affected by her sinfulness.
Yet there she was, in a situation of confusion and rejection. It is true that she knew the whole story, but who would believe her? It does not look as if Joseph even asked her what had happened. Instead he made his plans, but it was good for Mary that God could intervene on her behalf. There is a lesson here for us. If we are being misrepresented, leave it with God to sort out.
Read more


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Viktor Orbán says "it's enough." Ferenc Gyurcsány has also had enough of Orbán's accusations and said "that's enough." He is also fed up with the squabbles over health insurance between the experts of the MSZP and the SZDSZ. Katalin Szili, the speaker of the House, is most likely fed up with Ferenc Gyurcsány in general but right now in particular because the prime minister wants to have a bit of order in the House as well as in its members' accounting practices. As it stands, parliamentary members now don't have to show receipts for expenses incurred in connection with their jobs. Right now, says she, is the wrong time. But it always seems to be the wrong time. Interestingly enough, with the exception of MDF, all parliamentary parties are in perfect harmony on this issue of protecting their turf. The Fidesz and the SZDSZ–usually the greatest of enemies–wholeheartedly agree that, after all, it's not the government that supervises the parliament but vice versa. And, of course, the radical right, however splintered, is totally fed up with this "dictatorship" and with Ferenc Gyurcsány. According to the "leader" of the Magyar Nemzeti Bizottság (Hungarian National Committee), László Gonda, he and his followers are so fed up with the prime minister that they will demonstrate until he resigns. All one hundred of them, who started off today at the statue of Mihály Károlyi and ended up at Gyurcsány's house in the II. district (quite a hike). It is worth mentioning that Gonda's followers are perhaps lacking the necessary persistence. By the time they got to the house, half of them became very, very tired and went home.
László Gonda and his demonstrators most likely couldn't upset Gyurcsány very much. First of all, there was a cordon around the house and more policemen than demonstrators. Second, and this is more important, he most likely had a very good day at the first board meeting of the MSZP after the summer recess. He was apparently in good form, spoke for about an hour, and gave one of his best performances. There were no members griping about this or that. He was most critical of the endless "discussions" between the two governing parties over health insurance. They keep meeting, and after each meeting the participants repeat the same refrain: an "agreement is very close, but not quite." Meanwhile, the new system is supposed to be in place by the beginning of next year. As far as I can figure out, the topic of disagreement is over regional insurers versus freely chosen insurers. The MSZP's original idea was to regionalize a single national insurance company. The other side argued–I think correctly–that this would eliminate competition and only expand the bureaucracy. Originally, the SZDSZ wanted seven or eight insurers (state and private combined) but no regionalization of their competence. Eventually, they had to give in, and they agreed to a combination of the two ideas. That is, the country would be divided into insurance regions and each region would have a default insurer. However, if a person thinks that an insurer outside of the region gives better service, he/she can change providers. This is where we stand now, but for some reason no agreement is in sight.
Gyurcsány rightly pointed out that this endless discussion doesn't lead anywhere. The politicians involved in these discussion are "frustrated" because they feel that "this or that side dictates to them." He added: "Go home and and throw a tantrum there." No wonder, he said, that the people rightly feel that "these politicians have lost their minds because they are talking about spots of leopards, spots of cows, ribs of worms, stripes of tigers." No joke, some of these experts described the different schemes in those terms. "It is time to finish these discussions and come to a rational compromise." And finally he came up with his big gun: "It is not enough to be big, one has to have the majority in case 2005 didn't teach us that." What he is referring to is that because of Katalin Szili's ambitions for the post of presidency the country ended up with László Sólyom since the SZDSZ refused to support her and abstained.
If I were Katalin Szili, I would not stand in the way of changing compensation rules for parliamentary members. As it stands, the basic pay of the members is far too low. They can't really live on it. So all sorts of tricks are employed. One is that members who are also serving on committees immediately get a 50% boost in their salary. Travel expenses and expenses for housing in Budapest for those from other parts of the country are compensated without showing receipts. One Fidesz parliamentary member as a result of these expense accounts managed to get 10 million forints while his basic pay is 230,000 per month! Committee meetings shouldn't be scheduled when plenary sessions are held (Mondays and Tuesdays) but apparently they are. Committee members don't show up at meetings and often send substitutes. These are the kinds of things Gyurcsány doesn't like. Rightly so. The basic salary should be raised and compensation for fictive expenses eliminated. I am glad that the MDF is willing partner. I think this stance should boost their popularity. Because if anyone is really fed up it is the Hungarian public with the "political elite."


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EIB Loans France €120M For New Electric Trains
Helping France fund the improvements to its regional express transport, known as TER, is part of the EIB's efforts to focus on projects that are environmentally conscious, promote employment and and improve quality of life, according to a statement.
"Supporting sustainable and innovative transportation is...
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There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into the fellowship of this Independent Methodist Church:
"a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins"
Wherever this is really fixed in the soul it will be shown by its fruits. It is, therefore, expected of all who continue herein that they shall continue to evidence their desire of salvation by
Doing no harm, avoiding evil of every kind and practicing the Christian grace of kindness, charity, compassion, meekness, humility, love, patience, temperance, and faithfulness.
Doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith or growing so to be; employing them preferably to others; buying one of another; helping each other in business; and so much the more because the world will love its own and them only.
Running with patience the race which is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to spend and be spent for the cause of Christ; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them FALSELY, for the Lord.
By attending upon all the ordinances of God, such as: the public worship of God; the ministry of the Word, read or expounded; the Supper of the Lord; family and private prayer; searching the Scriptures; fasting or abstinence.
These are the historic General Rules of the Methodist Societies, and they are adopted by the Independent Methodist churches, all of which we are taught of God to observe, even in His written word, which is the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these we know His Spirit writes on truly awakened hearts. If there be any among us who observes them not, who habitually breaks any of them, let it be known unto them who watch over that soul as they who must give an account. We will admonish him of the error of his ways. We will bear with him for a season. But, if then he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered our own souls.


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Shruti Misra and Dimosthenis Katsis, Athena Energy Corp
The Electric Imp is a powerful module that incorporates WIFI and computer power and acts as a gateway that allows devices to connect to the internet. The Electric Imp has three aspects to it: The imp module, impOS and the impCloud. The imp module consists of a 120 MHz ARM Cortex M3 processor with 2.4 GHz WiFi capability. The processor consists of GPIO ports, ADCS, UARTs etc. The impOS is the software foundation for the imp's features and provides cloud connectivity for the same. The imp Cloud allow the users to run the 'agent'- server-side code unique to each imp device. The agent is used to provide HTTP IO and cloud side processing which allows the device to be connected to any other product(s) with Internet access.
connecting real hardware to the web – using the electric imp


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The importance of conceptual design cannot be ignored. In my experience, if a designer(s) skips the conceptual design phase, they end up modifying designs in the detail design phase to address even basic customer requirements such as look and feel of the final object or a product. Such changes shift the focus from detailed design delaying the project completion and affecting final product quality.
With no clear industry segmentation of conceptual design software tools and CAD (computer aided design) software vendors claiming that their detailed design CAD software include required capabilities to address the needs of conceptual design phase; it can be really hard to navigate the list of digital design software vendors and select a conceptual design software tool.
Recently, I wrote an article for the CADALYST magazine on conceptual design software tools.
The article also includes a sampling of available Conceptual Design Tools – http://www.cadalyst.com/cadalyst/samplingconceptualdesigntools-19134
Article in its entirety can be found – http://www.cadalyst.com/early-design/conceptual-design/conceptual-design-software-tools-19144 Look forward for your comments/discussions


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Best Gardening Gifts for All Occasions
There is nothing nicer than giving one of the best gardening gifts for friends and relatives who love nature and all its beautiful aspects right on their own backyard. The problem you may encounter is choosing the best gift there is for your loved ones.
To ensure that your gift will be appreciated by the recipient and also your budget, here are some guidelines you should consider:
In choosing the type of gardening gift, consider your budget. When your budget is holding you back from buying the best gift, don�t fret. There are garden accessories and gardening wear that would suit your fund.
Gardening gloves, footwear and kneepads, may be bought in a variety of colors, texture, and material. You could choose the perfect accessory for the person you�re giving the best gift to, which won't cost you much. Simply do your homework - research either on the net or rummage through catalogs.
Common garden hand tools may be found in most hardware stores. The handiness of hand gears like pruning shear, secateurs, hoes and a watering can will never lose their magic touch.
Surely, with these hand tools, your friend will appreciate how much you know that he really is into gardening. What would be nicer than two or three tools gathered nicely in watering can. This helps not only your budget but also a nice way to give it.
If you have prepared a bigger budget, specialized gardening tools may steal the spotlight. Before choosing which tool to purchase, make sure to check which tool is missing from your gardener friend�s backyard. To prevent duplication, you may even stealthily ask your friend which gardening tool she is dreaming of having.
Digging tools like rakes, shovels, pitch forks and spade are some of the basic tools used by professional gardeners as well as beginners. These types of equipment may be expensive, but it surely will be money well spent.
The most extravagant gift you could give a friend is some type of heavy gardening equipment. These gardening machineries could serve well as wedding present or a house-warming gift for a gardening enthusiast.
Automatic lawn mowers, electric cultivators, dirt diggers, hedge trimmers, brush cutters, or trolleys could provide so much ease to your gardener friend�s daily routine. These gardening gifts, which are considered the nature-lover�s dreams, may give your friend a reason to smile all year round.
Your gift could be as simple as a water resistant garden gloves or a more expensive gift like an electric cultivator. When the recipient realizes you have given a gift that complements his passion, expensive or not, it would certainly become the best gardening gifts your friend has ever received.
Remember, for the holidays or for that birthday gift gardening utensils are always a wonderful gardening gifts.
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The Zerafshan Valley is an alpine area located in the basin of the upper river Zerafshan. The valley is surrounded by the Turkistan, Zerafshan and Hissor mountain ranges with the Zerafshan and Yagnob rivers running through it. "Zerafshan", meaning "Golden River" in Tajik is the main river crossing the valley and supplies the inhabitants with their most precious resource, water. .