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Determining intrafractional prostate motion using four dimensional ultrasound system
Mariwan Baker1,2,3 &
Claus F. Behrens1
In prostate radiotherapy, it is essential that the prostate position is within the planned volume during the treatment delivery. The aim of this study is to investigate whether intrafractional motion of the prostate is of clinical consequence, using a novel 4D autoscan ultrasound probe.
Ten prostate patients were ultrasound (US) scanned at the time of CT imaging and once a week during their course of radiotherapy treatment in an ethics-approved study, using the transperineal Clarity autoscan system (Clarity®, Elekta Inc., Stockholm, Sweden). At each US scanning session (fraction) the prostate was monitored for 2 to 2.5 min, a typical beam-on time to deliver a RapidArc® radiotherapy fraction. The patients were instructed to remain motionless in supine position throughout the US scans. They were also requested to comply with a bladder-filling protocol. In total, 51 monitoring curves were acquired. Data of the prostate motion in three orthogonal directions were analyzed. Finally, the BMI value was calculated to investigate correlation between BMI and the extent of prostate displacement.
The patients were cooperative, despite extra time for applying the TPUS scan. The mean (±1SD) of the maximal intrafractional displacements were [mm]; I(+)/S: (0.2 ± 0.9); L(+)/R: (−0.2 ± 0.8); and A(+)/P: (−0.2 ± 1.1), respectively. The largest displacement was 2.8 mm in the posterior direction. The percentage of fractions with displacements larger than 2.0 mm was 4 %, 2 %, and 10 % in the IS, LR, and AP directions, respectively. The mean of the maximal intrafractional Euclidean distance (3D vector) was 0.9 ± 0.6 mm. For 12 % of the fractions the maximal 3D vector displacements were larger than 2.0 mm. At only two fractions (4 %) displacements larger than 3.0 mm were observed. There was no correlation between BMI and the extent of the prostate displacement.
The prostate intrafractional displacement is of no clinically consequence for treatment times in the order of 2 – 2.5 min, which is typical for a RapidArc radiotherapy fraction. However, prostate motion should be considered for longer treatment times eg if applying conventional or IMRT radiotherapy.
In external beam radiotherapy of the prostate, it is essential that the prescribed dose is precisely delivered to the prostate, while reducing toxicity to rectum and bladder. This can be achieved by daily accurate positional verification of the prostate using image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) [1, 2]. Since variation in prostate position during treatment delivery (intrafractional prostate motion) might occur, the target may be underdosed due to a possible prostate shift [3, 4]. Bladder filling variations, rectal volume changes, and respiratory motion are some of the factors that might lead to intrafractional prostate motion [5–7].
To determine the intrafractional prostate motion, various imaging techniques have been investigated in different studies, such as X-ray imaging, kilovoltage (kV) 3D CBCT and megavoltage (MV) imaging, Cine-MRI, in-room CT, implanted markers and transponders, and ultrasound [8–11]. Most of the studies are based on acquiring pre- and post-treatment images [12, 13].
Various techniques are developed to enable real-time online prostate localization and monitoring, such as: tracking implanted electromagnetic transponders (Calypso Medical Technologies, Seattle, WA), and tracking fiducial markers (FMs) or implanted radioactive seeds (in Brachytherapy) using real-time X-ray imaging. Recently, transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) autoscan (Clarity®, Elekta Inc., Stockholm, Sweden), a non-ionizing, non-invasive imaging modality, has been developed to allow real-time prostate tracking [14]. Various studies have investigated the Calypso system to determine intrafractional prostate motion [15–19], however, to our knowledge, there is only one study (Ballhausen et al.) using the Clarity TPUS system [20]. In the study by Ballhausen et al. data from 6 prostate patients are investigated. Ballhausen et al. concludes that "intrafraction motion of the prostate is a random walk" and the prostate moves away from the isocenter during treatment delivery. In the present study, the TPUS system was utilized to determine the intrafractional motion of the prostate.
Using advanced radiotherapy techniques, such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) or RapidArc® Radiotherapy Technology, the treatment delivery time can be significantly reduced, thus minimizing intrafractional prostate motion [21, 22]. In our institution, RapidArc radiotherapy is a standard technique for treating prostate cancer patients, and a typical beam-on time for a treatment fraction is approximately 2.5 min.
The aim of this study is to investigate whether the intrafractional prostate motion, during a time interval corresponding to the beam-on time for RapidArc, is within 2.0 mm. 2 mm is a tolerance value which is perceived to be clinically irrelevant according to the British Ionization Radiation Medical Exposure Regulations 2000 (IRMER 2000).
Ten prostate cancer patients, with an average age of 68 years (range 58–76 years), were US scanned in the CT room and once a week in the treatment room utilizing the Clarity 4D TPUS monitoring system. All post prostatectomy patients were excluded. The patients received a cumulative dose of 76 Gy in 38 fractions, 2.0 Gy per fraction, 5 fractions per week. Table 1. comprises patient specifics, US scans, and the treatment technique. The TPUS scans were performed by six radiation therapy technologists (RTTs). The study was approved by the Danish national ethical committee, and voluntary informed consent was obtained for each participant according to the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki (1975/2000). The patients were placed in a supine position and instructed to remain motionless throughout the subsequent scans. To ensure better image quality, the patients were requested to comply with a moderate bladder-filling protocol.
Table 1 Patients characteristics, ultrasound scans, and treatment technique
Clarity ultrasound system
The Clarity system consists of two mobile units (one in the CT room and the second in the treatment room), which are connected through a workstation/server. The workstation was used for target delineation and retrieving the prostate monitoring curves. Details of US 3D image reconstructions and the precision of the system are explained thoroughly in a previous study [23]. In short, a ceiling-mounted infrared (IR) camera recognizes the US probe by detecting the IR-reflectors affixed to them. This is essential for determining the geographical position of the reconstructed anatomical structures.
To enable superimposition of the reconstructed US images from the 4D autoscan probe on the CT images, the system was calibrated to the same coordinate system as the CT simulation and treatment rooms. The calibration procedure was accomplished by means of a dedicated alignment phantom provided by the vendor.
CT room
All patients underwent a treatment planning CT scan followed by an MRI scan. After the CT-scan the 3D-TPUS scan was acquired. The patient was instructed to remain still during image acquisition and US monitoring. Afterwards, the US-CT fusion was performed, on which the prostate volume was delineated and used as a reference for weekly US imaging in the treatment room.
Autoscan probe
The autoscan-US probe consists of a one dimensional (1D) transducer array of 128 elements, using a central frequency of 5.0 MHz. The probe is provided with IR reflectors fixed in a way that can be detected by the ceiling mounted IR-camera. Initially, the probe is affixed to a TPUS kit, placed over the coach under the patients' knees, and pushed gently to the patient for scanning. The motorized head is capable of real-time online scanning of the prostate.
Prostate monitoring in the treatment room
The patient was prepared for daily treatment by aligning him to the lasers guided by reference marks (tattoos) on the skin, ie to reproduce the patient's setup position from the CT-simulation room. Prior to treatment, the inter-fraction patient positioning was corrected for by daily kV images by utilizing three implanted FMs. Once a week and immediately after treatment delivery the TPUS monitoring system was set up for real-time tracking of the prostate. The time dependent prostate displacements (prostate intrafractional motion) were recorded in 2 to 2.5 min. For each patient, 4–6 US scans were acquired. The prostate displacements in the three orthogonal directions were recorded for retrospective analysis.
The prostate data, showing real-time prostate COM position in the Inferior-Superior (I/S), Left-Right (L/R) and Anterior-Posterior (A/P) directions, were evaluated using the Clarity workstation by one observer (MB). For some fractions, irregular fluctuating data at the beginning of the monitoring curve were discarded. The maximum prostate displacement in each direction was recorded for each fraction. Furthermore, the Euclidean distance (3D vector) was computed and the maximal 3D vector was recorded for each fraction. Finally, the mean (±1 standard deviation (SD)) of the maximal displacements in each direction and for the 3D vector were calculated. The BMI value for each patient was calculated to investigate correlation between magnitudes of the displacement against the BMI. For the data and statistical analysis the statistical program R (version 2.15.3) was used.
All the patients enrolled in this study were cooperative, despite the extra time of about 10 min for each fraction needed for the autoscan setup and prostate monitoring. None of the patients expressed any discomfort during the autoscan setup, nor from the TPUS real-time scanning.
Data analysis of the 51 TPUS scans resulted in mean values (±1SD) of the maximal intrafractional displacements of the prostate [mm]; I(+)/S: (0.2 ± 0.9); L(+)/R: (−0.2 ± 0.8); and A(+)/P: (−0.2 ± 1.1). The largest displacement was 2.8 mm in the posterior direction. The percentage of fractions larger than 2.0 mm was 4 %, 2 %, and 10 % in the IS, LR, and AP directions, respectively. The mean Euclidean distance of the 51 scans was 0.9 ± 0.6 mm. The percentage of fractions with 3D vector displacement larger than 2.0 mm was 12 %, and only 2 scans (4 %) showed displacements larger than 3.0 mm. No correlation was found between BMI-value and the magnitude of the prostate displacement.
The monitoring curves of the prostate show variations in prostate displacement between different fractions (Fig. 1). A common zero point, start point for the curves, was established by choosing an arbitrary position-value for each scan/curve, a position immediately after the prostate tracking initiated, and then subtracting that value from the rest. For some fractions, the tendency of larger intrafractional displacement for prolonged observation times can be observed. The figure also indicates that the extent of the prostate intrafractional displacement has its largest dispersal in the A/P direction, and least displacements in the L/R direction.
Intrafractional prostate displacement; (a-c) Monitoring graphs show the prostate motion for the total 51 US scans in I/S, L/R, and A/P directions, (d) The 3D vector displacement of the prostate center of mass
Figure 2a-c presents boxplots of the maximal displacements at each fraction for each of the ten patients in I/S, L/R, and A/P directions, respectively. The horizontal band inside the box indicates the second quartile (median), the lower and the upper edges of the box indicate the first (25th) and third (75th) quartiles. Furthermore, the lower and the upper extremes of the whiskers display the minimum and maximum values in the absence of single data point outliers. The individual boxplot of maximal prostate displacements is based on analysis of 4–6 TPUS scans per patient. As can be observed, there are some variations in prostate displacements between the patients and in the different directions. The overall maximal prostate displacement in all three directions and the Euclidean 3D vector were shown to be less than 2.0 mm for most of the fractions (Fig. 2d).
Boxplots of the intrafractional prostate displacements; (a-c) Boxplots of the prostate displacements for ten patients in I/S, L/R, and A/P directions. (d) Boxplot of overall prostate displacements in I/S, L/R, and A/P directions, including Euclidean (3D vector) distance
Intrafractional prostate motion has been investigated previously using pre- and post-treatment imaging. One weakness in applying this method is inter-observer matching uncertainty [24]. Despite matching variability, using portal imaging of seeds, there is an additional error associated with the thickness of the CT-slices that may introduce further uncertainty into the determination of the displacement. Another drawback is that the prostate can be displaced and then revert to its initial position, as can be observed in Fig. 1, which cannot be detected by only a single snapshot pre- and post-treatment image [25]. Therefore real-time tracking is a proper monitoring method to accurately detect intrafractional prostate motion. Table 2 tabulates the results of the present study and previously reported data
Table 2 Intrafraction prostate motion in three directions and 3D vector; a comparison of the present study with previously published data using different systems
In this study the 4D TPUS monitoring system was shown to be able to track the prostate. The 4D autoscan probe have previously been applied as a reliable tool to measure the prostate displacement during transabdominal probe simulation [26]. The operators, with experience from frequently used transabdominal scanning, reported that using the TPUS system, it was easier to acquire images and identify soft tissue structures compared to transabdominal scanning. In a previous phantom study, Abramowitz et al. found good agreement between the TPUS autoscan and Calypso system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) in tracking the embedded prostate-like sphere [27]. The Calypso system has been investigated in different studies, which have confirmed that it is an accurate monitoring method for tracking the prostate gland.
In the current study, prostate monitoring was limited to approximately 2.5 min, a typical beam-on time to deliver a RapidArc fraction. We observed that the prostate is not stationary during the tracking time, and displacements tend to increases with the elapsed monitoring time, which is in line with the findings of other published papers [20]. Ballhausen et al. found that the intrafractional motion of the prostate tends to "a linear increase of the variance" with the duration of the fraction. Furthermore, we found that the displacement varies for different fractions and also for different patients.
In our study, we noticed that, for most of the fractions, the intrafractional prostate motion was mostly smaller than 2 mm, for a period of 2 to 2.5 min. Comparably, Choi et al. [28], using transrectal ultrasound scans to track three implanted fiducial markers (12 patients and 336 fractions), observed that only 11 % of the 3D vector displacements were larger than 2 mm during 4–5 min of monitoring (Table 2). Similarly, Li et al. [4], utilizing a Calypso tracking system (35 patients and 1267 fractions), reported that the intrafractional motion of the prostate is mostly less than 2 mm, especially for the first three minutes of tracking. They concluded that a CTV-PTV margin of 2 mm is adequate to ensure covering the target with the planned prescribed dose, despite larger intrafractional uncertainty for some of the patients. Furthermore, Vargas et al. [29], in an Cine-MRI study, calculated the CTV-PTV margin to be 2.1 mm, comparable to Li et al.'s, which would account for the intrafractional motion. They showed also that the prostate motion is smaller in supine than prone patient positioning. On the other hand, Smeenk et al. [30], again using Calypso system (15 patients and 576 fractions), discovered that prostate motion in 3D vector was larger than 3 mm in only 1.4 % of the fractions during the first 2.5 min, but increased to 18 % for a monitoring duration of 10 min. Comparably, Tong et al. [8], also using Calypso tracking system (236 patients and 8660 fractions), showed that up to 20 % of the prostate shift can be larger than 3 mm when tracking time is 12 min. But they ascertained that the prostate motion, for the first three minutes, is very small (<2 mm) for most patients. Similarly, Shelton et al. [31] investigated the intrafraction prostate motion, once again using Calypso system (37 patients and 1332 fractions), and found that the overall mean value of the 3D vector displacement is less than 3 mm for the first 3 min, but increased with duration time to up to 6.5 mm in the fourteenth minute. Likewise, Kupelian et al. [2], once more using Calypso system (17 patients and 550 fractions) detected that during 10 min monitoring in 14 % of the fractions the shift was larger than 3 mm. Furthermore, Ng et al. [32], in a study of real-time FM tracking, observed that in 62 % of the fractions (10 patients, 268 fractions) the 3D vector displacement of the prostate, during 3–4 min tracking was smaller than 1 mm, and corresponded values were 95 %, 82 %, and 80 % in the LR, IS, and AP directions, respectively. They discovered that only 6 % of the shifts were larger than 3 mm. Moreover, Langen et al. [18], as well using Calypso system (17 patients and 550 fractions), spotted that only 3 % of the shift is larger than 3 mm while tracking the prostate for about 2 min. In addition, Lometti et al. [33], using MV fluoroscopy; real-time FM tracking (11 patients and 133 fractions), confirmed that in only 4 % of the fractions the displacement is larger than 2 mm while tracking for only one minute. Last, Mayyas et al. [9], in a comparison study of four different systems (27 patients and 1100 fractions), found that the percentage of intrafractional shifts within ±1.5 mm was 76 %, 94 %, and 82 % in the I/S, L/R, and A/P directions. In summary, the published evidence in combination with this study justifies the assertion that the intrafractional motion of the prostate is insignificant during the first 2.5 min, thus not of clinical consequence while employing advanced VMAT/ RapidArc.
As all other studies, there are limiting factors in the current study; Firstly, the study does not reveal the magnitude of the intrafractional prostate rotation or form deformation. Second, the number of patients and fractions are limited. Third, a dosimetric study is necessary to investigate the impact of the larger prostate displacements on the clinical treatment outcome of the treatment.
Intrafractional prostate displacement varies between fractions and for different patients. The displacement is insignificant for the first 2–2.5 min of the monitoring time, but increases with elapsed time. Consequently, prostate shifts during conventional and IMRT treatment delivery should be taken into consideration, but are clinically inconsequential while employing advanced VMAT/ RapidArc techniques.
3D, Three dimensional; 4D, Four dimensional; A/P, Anterior-posterior; CT, Computed tomography; CTV, Clinical target volume; FM, Fiducial marker; I/S, Inferior-superior; IGRT, Image-guided radiation therapy; IMRT, Intensity modulated radiation therapy; kV, Kilo-voltage; L/R, Left-right; MHz, Mega hertz; MRI, Magnetic resonance imaging; MV, Mega-voltage; PTV, Planning target volume; RTT, Radiation therapy technologist; SD, Standard deviations; TPUS, Transperineal ultrasound; US, Ultrasound; VMAT, Volumetric modulated arc therapy
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We would like to thank all our colleagues who helped to conduct this study; Gullander L. (RTT), Pedersen S. K (RTT), Zarp T (RTT), Jacobsson S (RTT), Pazhang S (radiographer) and Lynnerup V. K (radiographer). We would also like to thank Elekta Ltd for their support.
Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden, has provided funds for a three year PhD study to be conducted in the field of radiotherapy at Herlev Hospital, Denmark.
The datasets supporting the conclusions of this article are included within the article and its additional files.
MB carried out the prostate delineation, participated in designing the study, performed statistical analysis, carried out the sequence alignment and drafted the manuscript. CFB participated in the design of the study, revising the manuscript, and read and approved the final manuscript. All authors have read and approved the manuscript.
Claus F. Behrens, PhD, Honorary assoc. Prof., Herlev Hospital, Denmark.
Not applicable!
The study was approved by the Danish national ethical committee, and voluntary informed consent was obtained for each participant according to the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki (1975/2000).
Department of Oncology, Radiotherapy Research Unit, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
Mariwan Baker
& Claus F. Behrens
Center for Fast Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark
Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, Roskilde, Denmark
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Correspondence to Mariwan Baker.
Baker, M., Behrens, C.F. Determining intrafractional prostate motion using four dimensional ultrasound system. BMC Cancer 16, 484 (2016) doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2533-5
Intensity Modulate Radiation Therapy
Fiducial Marker
Prostate Motion
Intrafractional Motion
Radiation Therapy Technologist
Medical and radiation oncology


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Q: Android WebView cache aggressiveness I developed a web app which I then embedded into an Android WebView. The problem I am encountering is that the WebView is barely doing any caching of assets compared to desktop Chrome for example.
As you can see, WebView barely caches anything ( only 2 entries here ), while desktop Chrome caches all of them.
WebView caching:

Chrome Desktop caching:

What could be the cause of this and is there something I can do to make more things cached?
I have tried enabling AppCache with settings.setAppCacheEnabled(true), but that hasn't changed anything.
EDIT:
I believe that the cache is limited to 20MB, I have reduced the size of my web app to be under 20MB and now it's cached nicely. I have yet to find a way to increase that size limit.

A: try to set setCacheMode(WebSettings.LOAD_CACHE_ELSE_NETWORK) on these WebView settings object

Use cached resources when they are available, even if they have expired.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


These are official Cloud Agent Suite graphical resources that you can include on your webpage, in your mobile application, or in printed material.
Each of the Cloud Agent Suite products – Cloud CMA, Cloud Streams, Cloud MLX, and Cloud Attract – are offered in three lockups: Horizontal, Vertical, and Symbol. Please use our Horizontal logo whenever possible. If space is restricted, the Vertical logo, featured below, can be used instead. For contexts where space is extremely limited, like icons, the Symbol is the best choice available.
W+R Studios is the parent company of Cloud Agent Suite. Here are the graphical assets for W+R Studios.


text:
← Dec. 17: Virtual Joint Happy Hour with Science Writers of the Upper Midwest (SWUM)
Dec. 15: Reporting On and Living With COVID-19: The View of Four Latin American Journalists →
Dec. 8: What Does It Take to Create a Safe and Effective Vaccine?
What Does It Take to Create a Safe and Effective Vaccine? A Virtual Conversation with Dr. Amit Kumar, Anixa Biosciences
Tuesday, December 8 at 7 pm EST on Zoom
How do you create a safe and effective vaccine?
When do you know when it is ready for the public?
What do interim results tell us? And what don't they tell us?
How many people need to be vaccinated to know if a vaccine is effective?
Science Writers in New York invites you to join us for a conversation with Dr. Amit Kumar, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Anixa Biosciences, a biotechnology company developing several programs addressing cancer and infectious disease.
Anixa's vaccine portfolio consists of a technology to prevent triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most lethal form of breast cancer, a vaccine against ovarian cancer (in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic) as well as newly designed drugs that are purposefully developed to specifically target SARS-CoV-2 for the treatment of COVID-19.
Dr. Kumar will talk to SWINY co-chair David Levine (@dlloydlevine) about his company's vaccines for cancer (both breast and ovarian) and its treatments for COVID-19. He will also explain the science behind the vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna, both of which messenger RNA vaccines, which have never been used in past vaccines, and discuss the interim results.
Dr. Kumar has been an investor, founder, director and CEO of several technology enterprises, both public and private. As CEO, he took CombiMatrix Corporation public and ran it for a decade while listed on the NASDAQ Global Market. He has worked in venture capital with OAK Investment Partners and has been an advisor to investment funds, venture capital firms, and Fortune 500 companies. He was on the Board of Directors of Acacia Research Corporation from 2002 to 2008. He has served on the Board of the American Cancer Society since 2016. He received his AB in Chemistry from Occidental College. After graduate studies at Stanford University and Caltech, he received his Ph.D. from Caltech and followed that with a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard.
Anixa is a publicly traded biotechnology company developing a number of programs addressing cancer and infectious disease. Anixa's therapeutics portfolio includes a cancer immunotherapy program which uses a novel type of CAR-T, known as chimeric endocrine receptor T-cell (CER-T) technology, and a COVID-19 therapeutics program focused on inhibiting certain viral protein function. The company's vaccine portfolio includes a vaccine to prevent breast cancer, and specifically triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the deadliest form of the disease, and a vaccine to prevent ovarian cancer. These vaccine technologies focus on immunizing against specific proteins that have been found to be expressed in certain forms of cancer. Anixa continually examines emerging technologies in complementary fields for further development and commercialization.
Do you have a question for Dr. Kumar you would like answered? Submit it here.
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rJksH_UPRs-xNPCxkN3sAw
This entry was posted in Events and tagged cancer vaccines, COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines, zoom. Bookmark the permalink.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Mens bedspreads – Do you dream about creating a moodful bedroom? The moodful masculine style is becoming more and more popular among women and men. The masculine style started in men who were interested in interior design. Home furnishings have for many years been mostly a woman thing, but more and more men are interested in it.
To create the very true masculine style with mens bedspreads, find a bedside blanket in a dark, subdued color. It could, for example, be dark gray or dark gray green. Make sure the color matches the rest of the bedroom. What person does not like to rest and enjoy a comfort with good taste? Undoubtedly we all like that gift and now many stores handle an exclusive edition for those gentlemen who also need to pamper them with a moodful masculine bedspread.
If you live alone but you like to live with style ideas in mens bedspreads 2017 are perfect for you, the bedding as well as the clothes we use should be chosen with great care. Because it will depend on it that you feel good. Usually the perfect designs mens bedspreads are sober and dark colors like chocolate, navy, black, gray, among some more.


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Blog Thailand : 24 Jul – 25 Aug 2015
Thailand Actual Route
ENTER BANGKOK
We had started to think that we were getting pretty deadly on the navigation front… enter Bangkok. We couldn't have made more of a dog's breakfast riding into that place. There was one very critical piece of information we didn't have – motorbikes aren't allowed on their expressways. Murphy would also have it that we encounter a stupid person at the toll booth expressway entry. Please don't get us wrong, we have nothing against stupid people… we encounter them all the time and get along with them fine… it's just frustrating when they're in a position of influence on the backend of a ten hour ride day. "Sir, no enter for motorbike. Turn around," said the stupid person. Turn around? No worries… we'll just elevate our bikes, pivot them 180 degrees, put them into flight over the column of vehicles backing up behind us and then proceed against traffic back down the expressway. We put our case forward but nothing… "Turn around! You need to turn around!" persisted the stupid person for the next I have no idea how long. We adopted our ignore and wait tactic. Finally an official looking person rocks up and takes a one second glance at the situation… "You need to go through the toll-gate, over to that side-road then loop around. Open the gate stupid person." They didn't actually say stupid person but that's what we heard.
We then worked out a route that would encounter all the major roadworks operations going on in Bangkok… our poor air-cooled big singles. We knew nothing about Bangkok… our accommodation choice was based on being central to the embassies and advice from our mate Rick, who we met in Sumbawa. Rick reckoned, "You want to be close to Soi Sukhumvit 11… it's central to everything!" Central to what exactly Rick?! Turns out Rick had a mate with him in Bangkok… family man with a couple of kids. His mate pulled out day two and went home… but Rick stayed til all his money was gone. Point is, we weren't in the most glamorous part of town at first… but a cracker spot for people watching.
Soi Sukhumvit 13… pretty much as I remember it
So much trust invested in this man
Bangkok is a city that HUMS… many options for a traveller. We channeled our energy into the street food option… and a bit of party. Each little street cart has a specialty… the challenge is to taste every specialty and then double check some. We ended up staying in Silom right next to Lumphini Park… beautiful spot mainly because of the park and proximity to public transport. The public transport network fed us from one street food location to the next… our days were regimented around REALLY GOOD FOOD.
So what's your specialty?
Grasshoppers, silkworms, crickets + sweet'n'sour alternatives
Just ADD you're own little bottle of happiness
Home time bro
"… but I don't want to home time…" says Lawson.
Our priority in Thailand was VISAS. One of the best bits of news for overlanders is the recent opening of the Myanmar (Tamu) – India (Moreh) border crossing to foreigners… guide and government officer required through Myanmar… but still a much cheaper option than the obscenely expensive China option. In the past overlanders air freighted their motorbikes from Bangkok to Kathmandu – hard to believe that was the cheap and practical option but it was. Anyway, our upcoming Visas required were: Myanmar – India – Nepal (on arrival) – Pakistan – Iran – Turkey (eVisa) – Europe hooray.
Visas were straight forward… the only issue is the fact that you need to apply for your Pakistan Visa from the Embassy in your home country. There is something very unnerving about placing your passports in a DHL bag and watching that bag drop out of sight into a box. We have a mate who got stung trying to send his passport home from India to get his Pakistan Visa… his passport got confiscated. He had to backtrack to reclaim his passport and then fly back to Australia.
Yay Visas
Please, please, please don't lose our passports
Overlanding with your own vehicle through Myanmar requires a guide, government officer and therefore guide vehicle… perfect opportunity for Mum to join a leg of our trip. Mum would meet us in Chiang Mai with our passports (stamped with Pakistan Visas). We may have also cruelly loaded Mum up with a few supplies and parts, including a pair of exhaust pipes. Sucks carrying other people's luggage. We were very excited to see Mum… always a grounding experience to see our parents 🙂
We had a look around Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Pai District. We even had a crack at Muay Thai… going from zero fitness to two sessions per day was a shock to say the least. Days play out like this: train – eat – sleep – eat – train – eat – sleep REPEAT… the professionals do that for LIFE! We have new found respect for Muay Thai fighter's shin bones… and the fact you don't want one wrapped around your head.
Mae Hong Son represents a significant blood pressure drop
Lets just say we had a red-hot go
The sex industry is very much in your face in Thailand… depends on where you put your face but it is the sex-tourism capital of the world… a status born around the time of the Vietnam War. Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya are the main hubs for it but red-light districts can pretty much be found everywhere. Prostitution is illegal in Thailand… buuuut licensed establishments can provide services such as dancing, massage and let's not forget a drinking buddy. The reality is that it's an illegal industry… therefore controlled by criminal networks more often than not involved in other illegal enterprise. Women and underage girls are exploited and mistreated… there are countless horror stories that make you sick in the stomach. It's a very serious problem that government agencies and activists are struggling to address.
On a lighter note, we did a lot of people watching and mingling… and obviously encountered plenty of old guys cruising around with young girls… our opinion changed on this one. Women in the industry work obscene hours with only a couple of days off each month… they transit long distances from outer suburbs every day… many are under pressure to be sending money back home… not to mention the actual work they do. Given their low education, alternatives are even bleaker. Put yourself in that position… I reckon a washed old man who provides for me would all of a sudden be VERY SEXY. And let's not forget about the men… plenty of lonely men in the world who have love to give and want companionship. I'm not saying that the industry makes for rainbows and butterflies… but there are happy stories.
WOMEN IN GENERAL
RESPECT is another issue. We hung out with a number of local Thai girls and learnt that their pet hate is the disrespect shown by foreign men for Thai women… and our friends weren't working girls either. Apparently one of the BEST MOVES you can make with a Thai bird is to BE RESPECTFUL… might even apply in other countries too.
THE KING & THE OLIGARCHY
One of the first things you'll notice cruising around Thailand is shrine-like tributes to the King in people's homes, shops and pretty much everywhere. Being hardcore travelers one of the first things we did in Bangkok was go to the Imax Cinema… before the movie starts there is a long tribute to the King… everybody stands in the cinema like you do for the national anthem at big sporting events… and maaan, what a great guy! You should see his benevolence and all the work he did! One can easily believe that this guy is the all-powerful and all-loving leader of the nation.
Not so. For centuries power in Thailand has been held by an elite class… an oligarchy of aristocratic families who control key roles in the palace administration and running of the state… which is in turn linked to everything else… big business, military, the courts, etc. The oligarchy has broadened today but the concept remains the same… a powerful and interlinked elite class with close ties to the palace and everything else. The king may not wield much control… but his symbolism is all powerful. ZenJournalist comments that conflict is common among the oligarchy but they have always shared the common interest of maintaining the ideology that the king is godlike and to be worshiped… their dominance is dependent on this ideology. For those not on board the Criminal Code hits the message home: Whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, queen, heir-apparent, or regent shall be punished with imprisonment of 3 – 15 years. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) has become increasingly unwell and no longer plays an active role in Thailand's dramas… a critical aspect to the current conflict.
Don't even need the translation
King Bhumibol Adulyadej leaving Siriraj Hospital for the Grand Palace – a rare public appearance
SOURCE OF CONFLICT IN THAILAND
Most of us are pretty familiar with seeing Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts on TV causing a ruckus around Bangkok… but what the heck is it all about? The guts of it is that the oligarchy have been desperately hanging on to power by destabilizing the nation… over what has now been a decade long conflict. The source of the oligarchy's frustration: Thaksin Shinawatra transforming Thai politics… well, transforming in the sense that he conformed to the democracy that Thailand claims to be. Here's the last 15 years in 500 words…
Thaksin decisively won 2001 elections on a platform of policies aimed at helping the rural poor… not a surprise considering that Thailand has seen considerable economic development with no substantial improvement of living for the poor… not to mention the massive disparity in government expenditure between Bangkok and the poorer regional areas (70% of expenditure for 15% of population in Bangkok). Anyway, get this… Thaksin followed through with his policies!… even introduced stuff like universal access to health care… and would you believe it, he became very popular. Thaksin continued to target his voting base among the poor in the 2005 elections and flogged the Democrats 377 – 96 (in a 500 seat parliament).
So what was the problem? Pretty simple: Thaksin wasn't paying patronage to the oligarchy / traditional elite class… he was too focused on the poor voting base on one hand and a new elite class on the other. The oligarchy are also very concerned by a likely alliance between Thanskin and the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. Did I mention that the palace fortune is in the vicinity of $40–70billion?!
Enter the Yellow Shirts… and a heap of other nation destabilization tactics… movements triggered by the oligarchy following the alarm bells from the 2005 election flogging. It's pretty much been political chaos in Thailand since then. An ANU professor put the Democrat Party's path back to power by the end of 2008 into some perspective: it had required the assistance of a military coup, two party dissolutions, a new constitution, an activist judiciary, royal backing, an ultra-nationalist crisis, six months of escalating street provocation, military insubordination and an economically disastrous airport shutdown… but they got there. Thaksin and others then retaliated by tapping into the population's resentment for was happening… and launched the Red Shirt movement. Uprisings were launched against the illegitimate government in 2009 – 2010… violence and bloodshed ensued.
Yellow Shirt protesters sit in front of the departure terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport in the early hours of 26 Nov 2008… part of a nine day blockade of Bangkok airports
Red Shirt protesters gather in front of a stage in the main shopping district in Bangkok 15 Apr 2010
Roll round to 2011 elections… Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, led the Pheu Thai party to a convincing victory 265 – 159 (out of 500 seats)… the clustered division of seats between the two parties is clear in the image below. Once again, the oligarchy's destabilization tactics come into force… late 2013 to beginning 2014 saw the climax of these tactics with a campaign of disruption and violence. Finally the May 2014 coup came to be… justified because things were so out of control. The country's military has long been the most powerful force in politics… they're a special kind of military. A military as we know it defends a country from external threats. The Thai military is focused on internal issues with business and political related end games. Since the absolute monarchy was overthrown in 1932 the military has launched 18 coups!!!
Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha
… now Prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha (leader of Thai junta)… announcing delay of elections
So where are they now? Thaksin is an exiled fugitive… Yingluck faces 10 years prison if found guilty of charges brought against her… and the current junta are in quite the predicament. The junta can't allow elections to go forward as promised because they'll get thumped again… and no one will make a deal until the royal succession plays out. ZenJournalist makes the very interesting point that although dreaded by many Thais, King Bhumibol's death will lead to greater stability, because one side or the other will gain a decisive advantage, enabling a new equilibrium to emerge. Not surprisingly the junta announced that elections will be delayed to August 2016 at the earliest, which will give them time to make a new constitution.
One thing is for certain… the Thai poorer class are pretty jack of their democratic aspirations being overthrown by the oligarchy… can't help but feel for them.


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Sargo-de-dentes (Archosargus probatocephalus) é um peixe da família dos esparídeos, presente na costa brasileira. Prefere habitats de água rasa, com fundo rochoso e recifal, onde vive em pequenos cardumes. Encontram-se, por vezes, na água salobra de estuários. Tem um corpo de formato ovalado e um pouco achatado. Tem uma cor cinza-esverdeada com 6 a 7 barras verticais, da cabeça ao pedúnculo caudal. As barbatanas peitorais são amareladas, tal como a caudal. Chega a atingir cerca de 91 cm de comprimento e 9,6 kg. Alimenta-se principalmente de crustáceos e moluscos.

É um peixe bastante apreciado em pesca desportiva, já que resiste energicamente à pesca, além de ter uma carne muito apreciada e de qualidade.

Os dentes são similares aos dentes humanos, molares e caninos, de 6 a 8 dentes iguais, e vários dentes internos, tornam essa espécie uma bizarrice se comparada aos seres humanos.

Sparidae
Peixes comerciais
Peixes descritos em 1792

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Get up close to 200 exotic animal species with a visit to Skansen Aquarium!
Home to over 200 species from exotic fish and corals to crocodiles, turtles, lizards, snakes, monkeys, lemurs, sloths and more, Skansen Aquarium is a fantastic attraction for visitors of all ages.
Located inside the Skansen Open-Air Museum, Skansen Aquarium offers visitors a close encounter with some of their wildlife - pat a spider, cuddle a snake, socilise with the lemurs or hike amongst rainforest natives such as lemurs, marmosets, tamarins and more!
Djurgårdsslätten 49-51, 115 21 Stockholm, The aquarium is located at Skansen.


The Wairoa District Council is working alongside with iwi and hapu, the business sector, central government agencies and other local authorities in our region on this strategy and the actions resulting out of it. The aim is to grow jobs across the region, increase household incomes and raise Hawke's Bays economic performance up into the top quarter of New Zealand regions.
HBREDS - What is it?
To achieve these aims, the strategy sets out the steps needed to help existing businesses who want to grow to do so, attract new business, promote great new ideas, attract skilled migrants to work in the areas in which we need more people and plan major public projects that benefit the whole region.
To achieve the desired effect, each of the actions named in the strategy has a lead agency to drive achievement of desired outcome. To find out more, view the full strategy in our related documents section.
The Matariki - Hawke's Bay Regional Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan is an ambitious strategy that aims to make Hawke's Bay the most innovative region in New Zealand, the leading exporter of premium primary produce and a hub for business growth.
It is named for the Māori new year (in mid-June). 'Matariki' is a time of celebration, reflection and planning. For the strategy this means a commitment by all partners to robust annual review and refinement. The strategy is linked with national economic development plans as it is part of the Government's Regional Growth Programme, which focuses on increasing jobs, income and investment in regional New Zealand. It also aligns with the Government's Māori Economic Development and Action Plan 'He kai kei aku ringa'.
The strategy applies across the region including Central Hawke's Bay, Hastings, Napier, Wairoa and small parts of Rangitikei and Taupo. The boundaries coincide with the area covered by the Hawke's Bay Regional Council.
Members of the Governance Group are exploring options for a delivery model to be put in place to implement the actions and strategic goals. The new model will look at successful delivery models already in place and will build on existing strengths specific to the Hawke's Bay. The new model will have a strong delivery focus and will include representation from business, Māori, and local government.


text:
Home › Carlo Orlando › iPhone Onscreen Keyboard Sparks Debate
iPhone Onscreen Keyboard Sparks Debate
by Carlo Orlando on June, 21 2007 at 08:06AM EDT
While the recent hype over the much anticipated Apple iPhone would have potential buyers believing that the product is flawless, industry analysts are just now realizing that the gadget lacks an obvious feature: a mechanical keyboard.
As it stands, the iPhone sports only one mechanical button, and is only used to return users to the home screen. The lack of more than one button seemingly echoes a statement made by Apple CEO Steven Jobs over two decades ago. Back then, Jobs discouraged the implementation of more than one mechanical button for any computer mouse so that users would never have to worry about pushing the wrong button. (Source: nytimes.com)
The keyboard feature is built onto a number of modern cell phone designs and is targeted primarily at business employees and teenagers. Many agree that by not offering a keyboard feature, Apple is hurting their chances of attracting a larger clientele.
As it stands, all typing on the iPhone is to be done using fingers and thumbs, an awkward tactic for most cell phone users.
Still, Apple supporters believe removing the keyboard feature is a clever design solution. The removal of a mechanical keyboard has left enough room for an impressive 3.5-inch screen. It's this feature that makes the iPhone so attractive, allowing users to watch movies and television shows. (Source: news.com.com) Steve Jobs personally addressed this issue, stating that he failed to see why having a keyboard that pops up onscreen would be such a difficult compromise. The iPhone's onscreen keyboard has a built-in dictionary that attempts to predict the word being typed, while also catching errors as they are made. (Source: nytimes.com)
This, of course, means that users would be required to learn the new system; a task that even Apple executives say may take several days.
Still, with the arduous task of Apple meeting their expected June 29, 2007 iPhone release date, the ability of users to adapt to the features of the iPhone should be the least of Apple's worries.
Select ratingGive iPhone Onscreen Keyboard Sparks Debate 1/5Give iPhone Onscreen Keyboard Sparks Debate 2/5Give iPhone Onscreen Keyboard Sparks Debate 3/5Give iPhone Onscreen Keyboard Sparks Debate 4/5Give iPhone Onscreen Keyboard Sparks Debate 5/5


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Curious Sound Objects is an ongoing series of art shows in Boston, MA.
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Hear someone's voice inside your head. Sit on a catalog of feelings. Hear the tension between two people. This fourth show in the Curious Sound Objects series was the first extended gallery show held in the fall of 2015 at the Boston Cyberarts gallery, and what a treat!
The third show took place on June 26th, 2015 at Aeronaut Brewery in Somerville, MA and inside sources say it was one of the most well-attended events in recent history.
Calling for objects based on science, real or fictional. The second CSO show, titled The Fiction of Science took place at Aeronaut Brewery in Sommerville, MA last December 6, 2014.
Dip your hand into a jar of hair gel. Fall backwards into a hot tub full of oatmeal. Surf an endless wave of feedback and sustain. This was show that started it all. Check out the video documentation inside.


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EIGE launches Gender Equality Index 2015: Marginal improvements in gender equality
Employment, Poverty, Economic and financial affairs, Education, Health, Violence, Sport
Gender Equality Index screenshot
Since 2005 the EU is still only half way towards gender equality, as shown by the Gender Equality Index 2015 of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). Two years on from the launch in 2013, EIGE has built a time series of the Index covering 2005, 2010 and 2012. The total score of the Index for the EU rose marginally from 51.3 out of 100 in 2005 and to 52.9 in 2012.[1] The progress per Member State and per domain however is uneven – some Member States have improved while some have regressed. 'The significant differences in progress among the Member States reflect the different choices of priorities and approaches in implementing EU policies and objectives' concludes Virginija Langbakk, Director of EIGE. Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Věra Jourová underlines: 'Progress towards gender equality in the Member States is real, but important gaps remain. I am committed to tackling the remaining gender gaps in Europe. The gender equality index developed by EIGE is a valuable instrument to measure progress achieved by Member States on the way to gender equality.'
The Gender Equality Index is built around six core domains - work, money, knowledge, time, power and health – and two satellite domains: violence against women and intersecting inequalities. It is based on EU policy priorities and it assesses the impact of gender equality policies in the European Union and by Member States over time.
In the Gender Equality Index 2015, the domain of power shows the greatest progress with scores rising from 31.4 out of 100 in 2005 to 39.7 in 2012. Despite this, men's over-representation in decision-making positions remains prevalent in all Member States both in politics and the economy.
The domain of time reveals the lowest score (37.6 out of 100) across the six core domains of the Index. This highlights the unequal division of unpaid work between women and men in the private sphere, which remains the greatest barrier to gender equality.
The satellite domain of violence shows that the context in which violence against women takes place, societal attitudes towards violence and trust in institutions, matter in explaining the levels of violence against women. Results show that data collection in this area needs a concerted effort from the Member States.
EIGE, the EU knowledge centre on equality between women and men, has developed this unique tool to measure the progress of gender equality in the European Union and its Member States. The Index has become increasingly significant in the past years with some Member States adopting it as their standard monitoring tool within their national or regional statistical systems (e.g. Ireland, Estonia, Luxembourg and the Basque Region).
Twitter: #EIGEIndex @eurogender
The full report
The Gender Equality Index on line
Gender Equality Index 2015 Launch conference
[1] The Index provides a score of how well Member States perform together with how successful they are at closing gender gaps. This score lies between 1 and 100, where 100 represents the best situation.
Employment, Poverty, Economic and financial affairs, Education, Health, Violence, Sport, Research
Gender Equality Index 2015 - Measuring gender equality in the European Union 2005-2012: Report
Gender Equality Index 2015 Measuring gender equality in the European Union 2005-2012 - Country profiles


A soft mushroom grey chenille fabric from fabric designer Jane Churchill. This fabric is called Sheridan. This fabric would make a luxurious pair of curtains or a roman blind or alternatively could be used as a upholstery fabric.