Your taps get used every day and sooner or later they'll start to give up the ghost. Worn out washers will cause the taps to leak and as they do, you'll have to crank down harder and harder to turn them off only to find the drips continue.
Perfectly good taps may require only a washer service to stop the drip and keep you from needing a gym membership just to turn them off.
Older taps may require a full replacement if the tap assembly is worn out and no longer serviceable.
No matter what is wrong with your taps a Good Neighbour tap service always includes greasing and reseating the spindle to insure your taps are up to scratch.
Whatever the problem with your taps, flick mixers or other plumbing appliances, Good Neighbour Plumbing has the plumbing know-how to get the job done.


Within the shadow of the capitol of California, the Yolo Bypass offers excellent wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the year. Thousands of migratory waterfowl descend upon this area during the winter months. Shorebirds, ducks and geese fill the skies with a backdrop dominated by the Sacramento skyline. During the summer large numbers of Swainson's Hawks can be seen foraging on the periphery of the seasonal wetlands.
Additionally, you can explore one of nature's wonders in the Central Valley in July and August! One of the largest colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats in California lives adjacent to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area.
Join one of the regularly scheduled "Bat Talk and Walk" tours offered by the Yolo Basin Foundation to learn about and view these native live bats.
Following a 45 minute indoor presentation on bat natural history, you will carpool out to an area of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area that is not normally open to the public to watch the colony emerge in large ribbons to hunt insects at sunset. It's a sight you will long remember!
This family-friendly experience takes about 3 hours. Space is limited, with tour dates nearly sold out for the season. Click here to reserve your space. Adults are $10 each, children 16 and under are free.


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Double Americana
In case you've missed all the hub-ub on our Facebook page recently, we're starting a new project. It's called "Double Americana," and will be a weekly FB Live session airing each Wednesday at noon EST where we can talk Americana and play you a folk song we've learned that week. Most of the time these will be traditional songs, but if one of our own tunes slips in there, well, that's just the way folk songs get passed around. We've had this idea in the works for a while, from
Teeny Tiny Folk Band
"From the desk of the self-appointed tiny folk band fan club president (Alabama chapter) I am listening to the new CD for the first time as I type this. Because you care, I thought I would share my thoughts... "Teeny Tiny Traveling Folk Band = my personal anthem of 2017. It will take some more listens to learn all the words. Liked it when you performed it at your gig back in November." --Larry Jelley, Self-Appointed Tiny Folk Band Fan Club President (Alabama Chapter) In The R
"From the desk of the self-appointed tiny folk band fan club president (Alabama chapter) I am listening to the new CD for the first time as I type this. Because you care, I thought I would share my thoughts... Love Bus. Just a hard drivin country sound to it." --Larry Jelley, Self-Appointed Tiny Folk Band Fan Club President (Alabama Chapter) Mallory was experimenting with her pink ukulele again. Amazingly, that's literal. Anyone who had the slightest brush with The Rough & T
"From the desk of the self-appointed tiny folk band fan club president (Alabama chapter)...I am listening to the new CD for the first time as I type this. Because you care, I thought I would share my thoughts... "{It's} Alright sounds really nice. Vocals sound really clean compared to original. Great performance as usual." --Larry Jelley, Self-Appointed Tiny Folk Band Fan Club President (Alabama Chapter) "I love your song, "It's Alright." I can hear this song on a segment of
The Rumbly Tummy: Mallory's Not-So-Secret-Anymore-Chili
That's the thing about secret recipes. As much delight as one person can get from being the only one to provide a very special treat, there's a cap. And when the delight expires, it's time to post a blog revealing the not-very-special-reasons why this particular recipe has been a secret. Because food, much like secrets, are always better when shared. Truthfully, Mallory has been making this chili for years, and only recently decided it a secret on account of the fact that
It will come as no surprise to almost anyone that we as a teeny tiny traveling folk band are the bleeding heart liberal type. It comes with the territory, really. What kind of folk singers would we be if we weren't? Now, that not-so-shocking confession should be followed with this: we don't talk politics much. Sure, we make hilarious current event jokes from the stage. Yeah, you give us a glass or two of bourbon and we can certainly find a soap box somewhere. But in gen
The Kindness of Strangers: Goodrich Ave.
It's 90 degrees in St. Paul, MN, and the report says it feels like 98. And it's rising. And we live in a metal box, shining like an exploding star rushing toward Earth to crush us with fire. S'okay! We aren't going to die. We are charging our spare fan battery at a coffeeshop, now. And also, we have new friends. We are the street cats of Goodrich Avenue, these days. Here in this fine off-street of St. Paul you will find magical mysteries like tiny garden gnomes and Litt

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


16433 Kimbolten Drive, Huntersville, NC, 28078 - Photos, Videos & More!
With no HOA and nearly half an acre this beautiful recently updated home in the highly desired Breckenridge neighborhood is sure to bring you a slice of southern charm! You will be thrilled having one of the only wrap-around porches in the neighborhood, great for conversations with family and friends or just slowing life down a bit. Brand new hardwoods throughout the main floor. Spacious kitchen updated with granite countertops, subway tile, and eat in kitchen island. Upstairs you'll find plenty of room with 4 bedrooms and a large bonus room. Entertaining will be a delight with your expansive back patio overlooking your private and peaceful backyard. Prime location walking distance to shops and only minutes away from Birkdale Village and I-77. Welcome home!


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US7611480B2 - Gastrointestinal bioreactor - Google Patents
Gastrointestinal bioreactor Download PDF
Mark M. Levy
Levy Mark M
2003-04-24 Application filed by Levy Mark M filed Critical Levy Mark M
2004-04-01 Priority claimed from PCT/IL2004/000306 external-priority patent/WO2004093633A2/en
A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES
A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
A61K9/0012—Galenical forms characterised by the site of application
A61K9/0053—Mouth and digestive tract, i.e. intraoral and peroral administration
A61K45/00—Medicinal preparations containing active ingredients not provided for in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
A61K45/06—Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
A61M1/00—Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems
A61M1/14—Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for haemofiltration, pheris
A61M1/16—Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for haemofiltration, pheris with membranes
A61M1/1678—Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for haemofiltration, pheris with membranes intracorporal
A61M1/28—Peritoneal dialysis ; Other peritoneal treatment, e.g. oxygenation
A61M1/36—Other treatment of blood in a by-pass of the natural circulatory system, e.g. temperature adaptation, irradiation ; Extra-corporeal blood circuits
A61M1/3679—Other treatment of blood in a by-pass of the natural circulatory system, e.g. temperature adaptation, irradiation ; Extra-corporeal blood circuits by absorption
A61M2202/00—Special media to be introduced, removed or treated
A61M2202/0014—Special media to be introduced, removed or treated removed from the body
A61M2202/0057—Special media to be introduced, removed or treated retained by adsorption
A61M2202/0064—Special media to be introduced, removed or treated changed by biological action
A61M2202/04—Liquids
A61M2202/0413—Blood
A61M2202/0445—Proteins
A61M2202/20—Pathogenic agents
A61M2210/00—Anatomical parts of the body
A61M2210/10—Trunk
A61M2210/1042—Alimentary tract
An in-vivo bioreactor device producing a dialysis effect by acting within the gastrointestinal tract for the removal of undesirable concentrated intestinal or blood substances or metabolites is disclosed. The ingestible device is comprised of a body wall that surrounds an internal compartment. Along the wall of the shell are openings located around the periphery that allow bodily fluids to enter and exit device. The wall of the device is comprised in whole or at least in part of materials that are impermeable to the passage of external fluids and maintains its physical and chemical integrity in the environment of use during its activity. Semi-permeable membranes located either internally or externally of the device are able to withstand all physiological temperatures and pH and act in a similar manner to dialysis membranes that are used for the separation of substances in suspensions, solutions, tissue cultures, etc. Treatment materials, including fixing agents that act in a similar manner to ion exchange resins, biologically active agents including proteins, enzymes, or live bacteria, and medicinal agents, can be placed in the internal cavity of the device for the treatment of various conditions.
The present invention relates generally to a gastrointestinal bioreactor and methods of treating patients to remove undesirable substances from the body. More particularly, the invention is directed to an in-vivo gastrointestinal bioreactor having a body member containing materials that remove or treat undesirable intestinal, blood substances, or metabolites through the action of passive or active transmission of gastrointestinal (GI) fluids through the device.
For various reasons, including diet, substance use, illness, injury or surgery, patients may require supplementation of their natural body functions in order to remove fluid-containing dissolvable waste products from their blood or gastrointestinal (GI) fluids. Several procedures known for this purpose are dialysis, hemodialysis, hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration. For example, dialysis is used to remove soluble waste and solvent from blood; hemofiltration is used to remove plasma water from blood; and hemodiafiltration is used to remove both unwanted solute (soluble waste) and plasma water from blood.
It is also known that a number of metabolic toxins such as mercaptans, free fatty acids, and conjugated bilirubin and endotoxins are completely bound with proteins in the bloodstream. Because of the size of the molecules and the strong body interaction of the protein toxin complex, it is difficult or impossible to select and remove from blood toxins bound to albumin by traditional blood purification methods such as hemodialysis. Hemoperfusion is a blood purification method that works in conjunction with activated carbon or iron exchange resins that absorb materials including the protein-bound toxins.
It is well known that individuals that are diagnosed with chronic renal insufficiency can be treated with the aid of dialysis. Substances that are usually eliminated in the urine are removed with the assistance of a filtering device that contains a semipermeable membrane. However, during the course of the long term, hemodialysis complications can occur that include chronic accumulation of inorganic phosphate in dialysis patients. Phosphate body agents can be administered orally and used as therapeutic agents, which are intended to prevent the reabsorption of food phosphates in the gastrointestinal tract.
Another treatment procedure that has been used is peritoneal dialysis, wherein a sterile saline solution is injected into the peritoneal cavity and remains there for a period of time. During this period, some toxic substances may cross the peritoneum that serves as a natural membrane, and are thereafter removed from the body along with the solution. This procedure is semi-invasive and carries a risk of infection. Also, such a procedure is not suitable for the removal of a variety of substances, and may not be suitable for all patients.
A disadvantage of various of the above-mentioned treatments is that the biological fluids of the patient have to be transferred from the body, circulated through an exterior treating device, and then returning the biological fluids back to the patient. These treatments are typically done in a medical setting such as a hospital, and require the patient to travel to and from the hospital where the procedure is performed. This process can be time-consuming and disruptive to the normal activity of the daily life of the patient.
Devices are also known, which deliver a drug agent to an environment of use, are known. These devices are made with a wall formed of a material that is permeable to an external fluid and substantially impermeable to the beneficial agent. The wall is known to surround a compartment that contains the agent and a passageway through the wall for dispensing the agent.
A known group of polymers called non-absorbed polymers are designed to operate in the gastrointestinal tract and selectively bind specific target molecules. These polymers are orally administered in capsule or tablet form, pass through the stomach and into the intestines where targeted molecules bind with the polymer, pass through the intestinal tract, and are excreted from the body.
The disadvantage of the orally administered treatments resides in the fact that they are typically designed to treat an individual ailment. A separate treatment must be ingested in order to effectively treat each diagnosed ailment. Furthermore, since these treatments are dispersed within the GI tract and not absorbed by the body, there is a chance that some of the agents can remain in the body for extended periods of time.
The need exists for an in-vivo bioreactor having the capability of removing undesirable intestinal, blood substances, or metabolites, which avoids the deficiencies of the prior devices and methods.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an in-vivo gastrointestinal bioreactor. The system comprises housing, which can pass through the entire digestive tract and enter the gastrointestinal tract to treat a patient, such as by removal of concentrated intestinal or blood substances or metabolites, producing a treatment and/or dialysis effect. Such undesired substances are retained inside of the device until it is excreted from the body. Alternatively, the device may be used to treat a patient by reaction of constituents within the GI tract or to dispense agents into the GI tract.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device having a swallowable, non-digestible housing having an external shell and defining an internal cavity. The shell may be formed of a membrane material or a separate membrane may be located relative to the internal cavity to selectively allow predetermined constituents of a fluid to pass therethrough. A treatment material is provided within the internal cavity to selectively treat predetermined constituents within the cavity. The membrane may also enable the passage of predetermined fluidic constituents out of the cavity.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of treating a patient to remove toxins from the gastrointestinal tract with an in-vivo bioreactor by providing a swallowable, non-digestible housing having an external shell and defining at least one internal cavity. A membrane selectively allows predetermined constituents of a fluid to pass into the internal cavity. A treatment material is located within the internal cavity that treats or binds predetermined constituents within the cavity. The membrane also enables the passage of predetermined fluidic constituents out of the cavity.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of biochemically processing materials located in the gastrointestinal tract with an in-vivo bioreactor by providing a swallowable, non-digestible housing having an external shell and defining at least one internal cavity containing a treatment material therein. A membrane selectively allows predetermined constituents of a fluid to pass into the cavity, and the treatment material located within the internal cavity biochemically processes predetermined constituents within the fluid. The membrane enables the passage of processed fluidic constituents out of the cavity. The housing is ingested and travels to the gastrointestinal tract where gastrointestinal fluids, blood, and metabolites located within the gastrointestinal tract are passed through the housing. Toxic substances located within the gastrointestinal fluids or blood are then converted to a less toxic or less active form by biological factors including bacteria, enzymes, or proteins that are housed within the bioreactor and then returned to the gastrointestinal tract. Once the housing passes through gastrointestinal tract, it is excreted through natural ways using peristaltic motion of the gastrointestinal tract.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device having a swallowable, non-digestible housing having an external shell and defining at least one internal cavity, wherein the internal cavity is sectioned into at least two compartments. There is a membrane located relative to the internal cavity to selectively allow predetermined constituents of a fluid to pass therethrough. A treatment material within the internal cavity selectively treats the predetermined constituents within the cavity and the membrane enables the passage of predetermined fluidic constituents out of the cavity.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
In the drawings, which are not drawn to scale, are set forth to illustrate various embodiments of the invention, the figures are as follows:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an in-vivo bioreactor device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the device of FIG. 1 illustrating an inner membrane housing a treatment medium in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the device in FIG. 1 illustrating an outer membrane and an internal housing in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3A is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of the bioreactor device having a variable dimension housing.
FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the device, which does not utilize a treatment material.
FIG. 4A is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the device of FIG. 4.
FIG. 5. is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view an embodiment illustrating use of a pump or motor facilitating the active transmission of fluids through the device in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustration showing various treatment methods using a treatment medium in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 is somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the device illustrating the compartmentalization of treatment materials within the device in accordance with the present invention.
The ingestible in-vivo bioreactor device of the present invention is generally shown at 10 in FIG. 1. The device 10 may be used for removal from the blood and other fluids in the gastrointestinal tract, of predetermined agents or materials found therein. The device 10 is designed to operate within the GI tract due to its rich vascular network and length, which will provide a long dwell time and contact between the device and the gastrointestinal content as well as the capillary-rich bowel mucosa. In such an embodiment, the removal of materials substantially produces the inverse effect of physiological gastrointestinal absorption. As an example, the device 10 may be used to remove undesirably high physiological substances, creatinine, uric acid, hepatic toxic metabolites, electrolytes, toxins or heavy metals, alcohol metabolites, drugs and glucose. The device may also facilitate the binding of substances inside the gastrointestinal tract that have recently been ingested as a form to avoid absorbable substances already ingested in excess including alcohol, sugars, fats, and working potentially as a diet supplement. The device may be used for treatment of diseases or the like, where the concentration of a substance is too high in the blood and is removed through the system via the gastrointestinal tract. Hepatic or renal insufficiency or other problems associated with high concentration of certain materials can be treated. The device may also be used to avoid possible over or under desired ingestion of given substances with food.
In normal conditions, the absorption of nutrients from the bowels content to the blood is done through the capillary network. The device 10 may be used to prevent certain materials from entering the bloodstream through this network, effectively providing a dialysis-type of function. The above materials are examples of such substances that may be filtered by the device, and retained within the device to be ultimately expelled from the body through normal peristaltic motion of the gastrointestinal tract. In an embodiment of a treatment method, the ingestion of multiple devices 10 may increase the chances of reducing the blood concentration of an undesirable substance without dialysis and/or in a short amount of time as compared to other treatment procedures. For example, retention enemas using Kayexalate resin have been sued to lower potassium levels within the body. Kayexalate, a form of sodium polystyrene sulfanate, is a catyon-exchange resin prepared in the sodium phase, and lowers serum potassium within the blood. Although effective, such treatment may take hours to days and it has been found that treatment with this drug alone may be insufficient to rapidly correct sever hyperkalemia for example. Using the device 10 of the present invention, the treatment for such condition may utilize one or more of the devices 10 in a manner to remove potassium from the body in a more effective and efficient manner this prior treatment procedure. Similarly, the device 10 may be used to treat conditions such as lead poisoning, wherein lead would be removed from the body such as by use of a material which can separate heavy metals from liquid media. For example, a resin material produced by Dow Chemical, referred to as Dowex resins, can be used for separation of lead or other heavy metals from bodily fluids. Other natural materials, such as algae or other natural extracts are also contemplated. As should be evident, the removal of a variety of other substances from body fluids within the GI tract using one or more devices 10 may provide an alternative to present treatments for a variety of conditions or materials within the body. The manner by which such materials are removed from the body using the device 10 will be described in more detail hereafter.
Turning now to the drawings in detail, which are various examples of an in-vivo bioreactor device of the present invention. Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which shows the schematic structure of the bioreactor device 10. The device 10 is comprised of an outer housing or shell 11 that forms at least one internal compartment 12. The shell 11 may have openings 14 around the periphery or ends that allow bodily fluids to enter and exit device 10. The device 10 may have a capsule-like shape as shown or may have any other shape as desired. The openings 14 can be located and dimensioned in any desired manner to allow desired flow of fluids into the internal compartment 12, and in this embodiment, extend longitudinally around the entire periphery. The shell 11 may be comprised in whole or part of materials to form a wall that is impermeable to the passage of an external fluid, and maintains its physical and chemical integrity in the environment of use during its activity. Alternatively, the shell 11 may be constructed of a material which is permeable or semi-permeable to bodily fluid, which may negate the need for openings 14.
Materials that are used to form the shell 11 of device 10 include, but not limited to, polyurethane, polystyrene, plastics, polymers, silicon or other synthetic material. New shape memory polymers are also within the scope of device 10. Metallic materials including stainless steel and nitinol may be considered. The shell 11 may be hard or semi-flexible, and can be of fixed dimensions or may be selectively expandable in one or more directions. Forming shell 11 of a material so that it can expand to a degree within the GI tract during use, may allow more of desired constituents to be removed from the body.
The shell may be alternatively constructed of a porous material, designed to allow passage of certain fluidic constituents, so as to act as a membrane in accordance with the invention. As used herein, "membrane" serves the function of allowing the passage of predetermined fluidic constituents, while preventing the transmission of other constituents therethrough. If the shell 11 is constructed of a material which does not serve as a membrane, a separate membrane 18 may be provided. The at least one internal cavity 12 may house at least one treatment material 16 located within an internal membrane 18. In embodiments wherein a treatment material 16 is utilized, the membrane 18 may simply contain the material 16 in the cavity 12. If the housing 11 is formed of a porous membrane material, the treating material 16 may be linked to a molecule which will not pass through the housing material, while allowing other fluidic constituents into and out of the internal cavity 12. A more detailed description of various membranes and treatment materials in accordance with the invention appears later in the specification.
As an alternative to providing membrane 18 internal to cavity 12, an outer membrane 18 may cover the shell 11 or openings 14 of device 10, as shown in FIG. 3. The internal cavity 12 may similarly house treatment materials 16.
The in-vivo bioreactor device 10 of FIGS. 1-3 may act inside the gastrointestinal tract for the removal of undesired highly concentrated intestinal or blood substances or metabolites, producing a dialysis effect. While device 10 can have various conventional shapes and sizes, a typical size of the shell 11 is up to 11 millimeters in diameter and up to 30 millimeters long. The device 10 could also be sized to facilitate use with children, or otherwise as desired. Shell 11 may be made from expandable materials or expansion of shell 11 facilitated by its construction. In FIG. 3A, the shell 11 is formed from a series of sections formed into a telescoping mechanism, which allows selective expansion of the housing. In such a configuration, housing sections 11 a and 11 c are telescopically engaged with a central section 11 b. As an example, each of the housing sections may include retaining surfaces 13 which engage one another at a fully extended position. In this way, sections 11 a and 11 c are moveable longitudinally relative to section 11 b, for selective expansion of the housing 11. Alternatively, sections 11 a and 11 c may be interconnected by a central section 11 b formed in an accordion configuration as an example. Other structures to allow selective expansion of housing 11 are also contemplated. It is also possible to utilize a material such as nitinol, a shape memory alloy that may be programmed to expand like a stent inside the gastrointestinal tract due to a change in body temperature.
In the foregoing embodiments, the membrane 18 (whether formed by housing or as a separate member) may be semi-permeable to allow the selective transmission of various constituents therethrough. The membrane 18 is able to withstand all physiological temperatures or pH and may have a variable range of porosity. Suitable membranes include dialysis membranes that are typically used in chemistry for separation of substances on suspensions, solutions, columns, tissue cultures, etc. These membranes can be produced from various materials including regenerated cellulose, a mixture of chemically pure cellulostic esters and a polyvinylidine fluoride, which is a flouropolymer, like Teflon, and is resistant to most organic solvents, as well as, corrosive aqueous solutions. These membranes can also be chosen based on their chemical compatibility such that the membranes will be stable in various chemical environments.
Incorporation of a separate membrane 18 can be accomplished in various manners. In one embodiment, the membrane 18 freely moves throughout internal cavity 12 of the device 10, such as in the embodiment of FIG. 2. Alternatively, membrane 18 is secured to the shell 11 to cover the openings 14. The membrane is positioned inside the internal cavity 12 to contain a treatment material therein. The membrane 18 may be similar to a bag containing a substance inside, or may be one or more pieces of membrane material to cover openings 14. If membrane 18 is attached to shell 11 of device 10, again the function of maintaining material within the cavity 12 is performed in any desired configuration.
In an embodiment, the device 10 is again used to remove constituents from bodily fluids within the GI tract. A treatment material 16 to serve as a fixing agent may be any material capable of fixing predetermined constituents within a fluid material. As mentioned previously, various compounds are contemplated within the scope of the invention, to fix certain substances so as to cause effective filtering of the substance from the bodily fluids. The semi-permeable membrane 18 allows the desired materials to pass therethrough so as to interact with the treatment material within the internal cavity 12. The treatment material 16 may be of any known character suitable for insertion within the device 10, which can selectively bind certain substances in association therewith. Examples of these types of agents include resins, charcoal, hyaluronic acid, or synthetic or natural gels. These fixing or dialysis agents may act like ion exchange resins that are capable of removing undesired bodily substances, or may simply filter and trap substances.
Alternatively, the semi-permeable membrane 18 itself may be used to retain certain substances therewith as the bodily fluid passes through the membrane 18. A combination of membrane characteristics as well as use of a treatment material 16 within device 10 may also enable various materials to be removed or enhance removal of certain substances.
In a further embodiment, such as shown in FIG. 4, the shell 11 includes inlet openings 14, which allow the ingress of fluidic constituents within the GI tract, and a one-way valve 15, which allows these constituents into an internal cavity within shell 11. The fluid passes through a membrane 18 and out exit openings 14 a, with membrane 18 filtering desired substances from the fluidic constituents. In this embodiment, no treatment material is required to remove desired constituents. An alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 4A, wherein membrane 18 extends on the interior of shell 11 past one-way valve 15. Greater flow of fluid and larger surface area of membrane 18 may facilitate removal of desired substances.
In the treatment of patients, it may also be desirable to enable tracking of the device 10 as it passes through the GI tract or other portions of the body. A suitable marking device 17 may be used as an indicator for detection by various non-invasive imaging modalities, such as x-ray, MRI or other imaging techniques. If desired, the indicator may also be triggered by certain activity of the device 10 within the GI tract, such as by reactivity with predetermined constituents, an indication of treatment or treatment progress, or the like.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the in-vivo bioreactor 10 may contain a treatment material for biochemically interacting with the bodily fluids. The treatment material may comprise active agents such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, live bacteria, enzymes, proteins or other biological factors that are capable of converting one substance to a less toxic or less active structure, or for introducing a substance into the GI tract. The converted materials pass through device 10 and are released to the gastrointestinal tract in a modified form. Enzymes like lactase for lactase intolerance and other enzymes for intestinal conditions used as digestive complements including lipase, diastase, pancreatin, enzymes to degrade gluten, etc., are provided in a state that may ensure or enhance activity when placed into the gastrointestinal tract in device 10. Useful bacteria like lactobacillus, acidophilus can be delivered to a specific area in the gastrointestinal tract and use may be made of a particular membrane to selectively introduce such agents. Other bacteria capable of being contained in the device 10 are those that selectively allow introduction of products of their metabolism into the gastrointestinal tract in a controlled fashion due to the specific characteristics of the membrane. Other active agents may be considered for use in device 10, such as agents useful for gene therapies or other therapeutic agents. Other materials for converting a substance into a less toxic or less active structure are contemplated.
In another embodiment the treatment agents can be retained within an envelope of a degradable substance, such as similar to an oral medication capsule that is composed of gelatin, glycerin, egg shell, starch, edible oil, fat or vegetable oil, water soluble fiber or a mixture of these materials. Such a secondary housing can assure the stability of the agents when they are inserted inside internal cavity 12 of device 10. Once device 10 is ingested, the degradable capsule is digested in the stomach or beginning of the small bowel, thus liberating the treatment agents to interact with the bodily fluids.
The housing is ingested and travels to the gastrointestinal tract where gastrointestinal fluids, blood, and metabolites located within the gastrointestinal tract are passed through the housing. The toxins located within the gastrointestinal fluids, blood or the metabolites are filtered through the membrane. The toxins are retained in the membrane and are isolated from the gastrointestinal fluids or the blood. Once the housing passes through gastrointestinal tract, it is excreted through natural ways using peristaltic motion of the gastrointestinal tract.
A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5, which is directed to a device 20, which may serve a function similar to the embodiments already described above, but includes active transmission of bodily fluids therethrough. As seen in FIG. 5, the device 20 may include a housing 22, which may again be formed of a rigid or semi-flexible shell that can tolerate all physiological degrees of PH or temperature to be encountered within the GI tract. In this embodiment, the shell 22 may be configured to have an ingress opening 24 and an egress opening 26, which may be disposed on opposing ends of the device 20 as shown, or in another suitable fashion for the ingress of bodily fluids into the internal cavity 28 formed by shell 22. For the active transmission of fluids through the device 20, a pump or motor 30 located relative to the internal cavity 28 of device 20 actively transmits bodily fluids from one end of the device 20 through opening 24 to the other end through opening 26. The active transmission of bodily fluids with the assistance of pump or motor 30 through internal cavity 28 promotes flow of the bodily fluids to pass through the internal membrane 32, into contact the treatment material 34, and out of the housing 22. The pump or motor 30 could also be used in conjunction with passive transmission of bodily fluids into internal cavity 28 of device 20 through openings in the housing, such as in prior embodiments having openings 14, such as seen in FIG. 1. The pump or motor 30 can be located on the periphery of shell 22 of device 20, as seen in FIG. 5, or may be located internal to the device as shown at 30 a. In this embodiment, the pump or motor 30 could provide a force to propel, rotate or otherwise cause motion of device 20 inside the body to increase the flow of bodily fluids into and through the internal cavity 28 of device 20. Alternate locations of pump or motor 30 are near opening 24 to increase the flow into internal cavity 28 and/or opening 26 for the outward flow through device 20.
Turning to FIG. 6, illustrated in block diagram format, a method of using an ingestible in-vivo bioreactor device 10 or 20 is shown where bodily fluids flow through the shell 11 of device 10 via the material of shell itself or through openings located on the periphery or ends of shell 11 and into internal cavity 15. Inside internal cavity 15 are located treatment materials 16 that include fixing or dialysis agents, active agents, and other possible treatment agents. As previously mentioned, the fixing or dialysis agents may be a membrane material and/or a fixing agent positioned in the cavity 15. Treatment materials 16 process, convert, and fix undesirable and highly concentrated substances found in the gastrointestinal tract. The treated bodily fluids then flow out of the device 10 back into the gastrointestinal tract.
A further embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown in FIG. 7. The device 40 may have similar characteristics to previous embodiment, but may include an internal cavity 42 having multiple compartments 44 which contain treatment material 46 therein. Individual internal membranes 48 may be used with each treatment material or compartment 44 or a single membrane may be used similarly to that described previously. Alternatively, a degradable housing 50 containing treatment materials 46 could be used. A pump or motor 52 may be used to facilitate the flow of bodily fluids through device 40.
It is also contemplated in the invention that the device 10 may include or carry constituents which are released and digested within the GI tract or digestive tract. The device 10 may be configured to include portions that are selectively digested at certain levels within the GI tract for the release of predetermined agents or desired treatment process. As an example, a portion of the shell 11 may be configured to be digested at a predetermined region of the GI tract for selective treatment of fluidic constituents within this region. Alternatively, the exterior shell 11 may be configured to be digestible, while a treating substance and membrane interior to the device will be released for interaction with the fluidic constituents in the GI tract.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the various embodiments thereof, various modifications and adaptations are considered to be within the scope of the invention and are contemplated thereby. The scope and protection afforded under the patent is therefore only limited according to the appended claims.
1. An in-vivo bioreactor device comprising:
a swallowable, at least partly non-digestible housing having an external shell and defining at least one internal cavity, at least one membrane provided relative to the at least one internal cavity to selectively allow predetermined constituents of a fluid from the gastrointestinal tract to pass through said at least one membrane while other fluidic constituents of the fluid from the gastrointestinal tract do not pass through said at least one membrane; wherein said predetermined constituents from the gastrointestinal tract that have passed through the at least one membrane are retained in said internal cavity so as to selectively remove said predetermined constituents from the gastrointestinal tract upon introduction of the device into the gastrointestinal tract, wherein said shell has at least one inlet opening on one side of said at least one membrane and at least one exit opening on an opposite side of said at least one membrane that allow bodily fluids to respectively enter and exit the device while the device is in the body, said openings extending longitudinally on a periphery of said shell.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said external shell is constructed of an expandable material.
3. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one treatment material within the at least one internal cavity, the treatment material selectively treating predetermined constituents within the at least one cavity and the at least one membrane enabling the passage of predetermined fluidic constituents out of the at least one cavity.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one membrane is provided by the housing material, having characteristics to allow passage of predetermined fluidic constituents while filtering other constituents.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one membrane is provided by a separate membrane material positioned relative to the housing to allow passage of a fluid therethrough.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one membrane filters materials selected from the group consisting of toxins, creatine, uric acid, hepatic toxic metabolites, alcohol metabolites, electrolytes, therapeutic or medicinal agents, detergents, renal metabolites, poisonous substances and heavy metals or combinations thereof from gastrointestinal fluids, and blood located within the gastrointestinal tract.
7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a pump to cause gastrointestinal fluids to pass through the at least one membrane.
8. The device of claim 3, wherein the treatment material binds certain materials therewith, so as to remove the materials from the body upon expulsion of the device from the body.
9. The device of claim 3, wherein the treatment materials are selected from the group consisting of binding agents, ion-exchange resins, charcoal, hyaluronic acid, natural extracts synthetic or natural gels or combinations thereof
10. The device of claim 3, wherein the treatment materials are materials that convert predetermined substances to a less toxic or a less active configuration.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the treatment materials are selected from the group consisting of proteins, enzymes, live bacteria or combinations thereof, and convened substances pass through the device and are returned to the gastrointestinal tract.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one internal cavity houses a pump to process gastrointestinal fluids and expel the processed fluids back to the gastrointestinal tract actively or passively through a valve or a membrane located within the at least one internal cavity.
13. The device of claim 2, wherein the expandable material is selectively expandable in one or more directions.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a marker for identifying the device in the body using non-invasive imaging processes.
15. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one internal cavity is sectioned into at least two compartments.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane has a variable range of porosity.
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A new Protestant confession commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and honoring the original vision of the reformers for catholic unity was released Tuesday, September 5.
"This confession is not a charter for a new church but a tactical commemoration of the unitive Protestantism that characterized the Reformation at its best, a concrete witness to the fact that the theological truths that unite us are deeper and stronger than the doctrines that distinguish us," said Kevin Vanhoozer, research professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and co-chair of the confession drafting committee.
The confession is organized around statements of belief on God the Trinity, Holy Scripture, human beings and their fallenness, the person and work of Jesus Christ, the gospel, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the church, baptism and Lord's Supper, holy living and last things.
A 17-member committee drafted the confession, co-led by Vanhoozer and Jerry Walls, scholar in residence and professor of philosophy at Houston Baptist University. The confession's steering committee was co-chaired by Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, and Timothy Tennent, president of Asbury Theological Seminary. The confession is supported by theologians across many denominations, including Anglican, Baptist, Free Church, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Nazarene, Pentecostal and Presbyterian. Their hope and prayer is "for ever greater displays of our substantial unity in years to come," as stated in the confession's introduction.
"The Reforming Catholic Confession celebrates the many distinctive Protestant voices and contributions to the church, yet also calls us to remember the underlying catholicity and shared faith which strengthens us all," Tennent said.
At launch, the confession had approximately 250 signatories representing scholars, theologians and church leaders around the globe, including Gwenfair Walters Adams, Henri Blocher, Matt Chandler, Darrell Bock, Charlie Dates, Robert Kolb, Benjamin A. Kwashi, Gilbert Meilaender, Russell Moore, Michael Oh, Alvin Plantinga, Karen Swallow Prior, Samuel Rodriguez, Philip Ryken, Geoffrey Wainwright and Amos Yong, to name a few.
Christians around the world are encouraged to read and sign the confession at reformingcatholicconfession.com as an opportunity to unite in a joyful confession of common faith this Reformation year.


School closes for the Easter break on Friday April 12th, returning after the holiday on Monday April 29th. A Happy and Holy Easter to everyone connected with St Margaret Marys.
Welcome to the website of St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Primary School.
Our website has lots of information about our school and we hope you find it both interesting and informative. It is updated regularly with newsletters, diary dates and updates about life at St.Margaret Mary's.
If you would like to find out more about our school then please don't hesitate to contact us, and if you have enjoyed your visit to the website, you may wish to leave us a message in our guestbook.
Thank you for visiting. We hope to see you again soon.
07 Apr 19: Latest Parish Newsletter.
07 Apr 19: Updated school Governors' Meeting Atendance.
07 Apr 19: A link to our Online Safey page in our footer area.
07 Apr 19: All year groups enjoyed different experiments on our Science Day.
31 Mar 19: School Newsletter.
31 Mar 19: Latest Parish Newsletter.
31 Mar 19: Year 5 learnt about the Ancient Greeks with Professor McGinty.
31 Mar 19: Class 2C brought things from home for their Show and Tell.
31 Mar 19: Year 4 enjoyed a visit to Kenilworth Castle.
24 Mar 19: Latest Parish Newsletter.
24 Mar 18: Class 3B held a Circle Time on different situations.
24 Mar 18: Year 2 held a Circle Time on being good friends.
24 Mar 18: Year 2 enjoyed their Mindfulness Assembly on being kind.
16 Mar 19: Latest Parish Newsletter.
16 Mar 19: Curriculum Overviews for Spring Term 2.
16 Mar 19: Everyone dressed as their favourite characters for World Book Day.
08 Mar 19: School Newsletter and diary dates.
08 Mar 18: Class 1F held another Circle Time on feelings.
02 Mar 19: Latest Parish Newsletter.


text:
War in Heaven and on Earth, page 3
Our Solar Entity – Celestial Body of the Archangel
Earthlings saw angels doing battle in the heavens and archangels slaying dragons. They saw Lucifer, the Morning Star, cut down from on high; they even saw witches flying on broomsticks — the stuff of legends, folklore, and religious beliefs. They prophesied the end of the world and made human sacrifices to placate the gods and stave off the destruction of the world. Such was the climate for hundreds of years during cataclysmic events Immanuel Velikovsky writes about in his heavily documented Worlds in Collision — from which I will share a few more excerpts.
Lucifer Cut Down
It can be said that the planet Mars saved the terrestrial globe from a major catastrophe by colliding with Venus. Since the days of Exodus and Joshua, Venus was dreaded by the peoples of the earth.
For about seven hundred years this terror hung over mankind like the sword of Damocles. Human sacrifices were made to Venus in both hemispheres in order to propitiate her. After centuries of terror, one sword of Damocles was removed from above the heads of mankind, only to be replaced by another. Mars became the dread of the peoples, and its return was feared every fifteen years. Before this, Mars had absorbed the blow, even the repeated blows of Venus, and had saved the earth.
Venus, which collided with the earth in the fifteenth century before the present era, collided with Mars in the eighth century. At that time Venus was moving at a lower elliptical velocity than when it first encountered the earth; but Mars, being only about one-eighth the mass of Venus, was no match for her. It was therefore a notable achievement that Mars, though thrown out of the ring, nevertheless was instrumental in bringing Venus from an elliptical to a nearly circular orbit. Looked at from the earth, Venus was removed from a path that ran high to the zenith and over the zenith to its present path in which it never retreats from the sun more than 48 degrees, thus becoming a morning or an evening star that precedes the rising sun or follows the setting sun. The awe of the world for many centuries, Venus became a tame planet.
Isaiah, referring figuratively to the king of Bbylon who destroyed cities and made the land into a wilderness, uttered his remarkable words about Lucifer that fell from heaven and was cut down to the ground. The commentators recognized that behind these words applied to the king of Babylon must have been some legend about the Morning Star. The metaphor regarding the king of Babylon implied that his fate and the fate of the Morning Star were not dissimilar; both of them fell from on high. But what could it mean that the Morning Star fell from the heights? asked the commentators.
Significant are the words of Isaiah about the Morning Star, that it "weakened the nations" before it was cut down to the ground. It weakened the nations in two collisions with the earth, and it weakened the nations by keeping them in constant fear for centuries.
The Book of Isaiah, in every chapter, provides abundant evidence that with the removal of Venus, so that it no longer crossed the orbit of the earth, danger was not eliminated, but became even more threatening. . . .
Meteorites fell from the sky as stones. One of those stones is the "black stone of Kaaba" venerated as the holiest thing in Mecca which pilgrims come from afar to kiss. According to Moslem tradition, it fell from the planet Venus, although another legend says that Archangel Gabriel brought it down.
Kaaba is older than Mohammedanism. Mohammed, in the early part of his career, worshiped Venus (al- Uzza) and other planetary gods, which even today enjoy great veneration among the Moslems as the "daughters of the god."
Who, then, is this Archangel Gabriel?
The Archangels
In the Scriptures the destruction of the army of Sennacherib is said to have been caused by a "blast," and a few verses later it is said to have been the act of an angel of God." The Talmudic and Midrashic sources, which relate that the army of Sennacherib was destroyed by a blast and scourge accompanied by a terrible din on the night following the day when the shadow of the sun returned ten degrees, are
more specific: the scourge was inflicted by the Archangel Gabriel "in the guise of a column of fire." In the present research it has been established that it was the work of Mars.
Are archangels planets? "An old tradition, dating back to Gaonic times, had it that there are seven archangels, each of whom is associated with a planet." "The seven archangels were believed to play an important part in the universal order through their association with the planets and the constellations. There is some variation, in the different versions, in the angels assigned to the planets." In some medieval writings Gabriel is associated with the moon, but in one or two with Mars."
The following, however, makes the identification of Gabriel possible: Gabriel is connected with the foundation of Rome. The Jewish legend says that when Solomon took the daughter of Pharaoh to wife, "the Archangel Gabriel descended from heaven and inserted a reed in the sea. About this reed more and more earth was gradually deposited, and, on the day on which Jeroboam erected the golden calves, a little hut was built on the island. This was the first dwelling-place of Rome." Here Gabriel is cast in the role the Romans ascribed to Mars, that of the founder of Rome?* Our assumption that it was the planet Mars which caused the destruction of the army of Sennacherib in the spring of -687 is implied also by rabbinic sources: Since the Archangel Gabriel is another name for the planet Mars, the ancient Jews knew the origin of the "blast" and the identity of "the angel of the Lord" who destroyed the Assyrian army.
*It was Aeneas who founded the city of Rome in the eighth century before the present era after he was saved when Troy was captured and went to Carthage and from there to Italy.
Gabriel is the angel appointed over fire; he is also, according to Origen," the angel of war. Thus we again recognize in him Mars Nergal. The rabbinical tradition says that the Assyrians of the host of Sennacherib, before they died, were permitted by Gabriel to hear "the song of the celestials," which can be interpreted as the sound caused by a close approach of the planet. The words of Isaiah (33 : 3)
"at the noise of the tumult [hamon] the people fled," should, according to the Jewish tradition as related by Jerome, refer to Gabriel, Hamon being another of his names."
The planet Mars is red, and Maadim (the red or the one who redens) is the name for Mars in the Hebrew astronomical texts. One text says: "The Holy One created Mars–Maadim–that he should throw them [the nations] down into hell."
A few rabbinical sources attribute the destruction of Sennacherib's army to the action of the Archangel Michael; some ascribe it to both archangels.
Who, then, is the Archangel Michael?
The entire story of Exodus is connected with the Archangel Michael. In Exodus 14 : 19 the pillar of fire and of cloud is called Angel of God. According to the Midrash it was the Archangel Michael who made himself "a wall of fire" between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Michael is said to be made of fire. The Haggadah states: "Michael was appointed High Priest of the celestial sanctuary at the same time that Aaron was made high priest of Israel," that is, in the time of the Exodus. Michael was also the angel who appeared to Joshua, son of Nun.
The celestial struggle at the Sea of Passage is depicted in the familiar image of the Archangel Michael slaying the dragon. Michael produces fire by touching the earth, and it was the emanation of this archangel that was seen in the burning bush, He has his abode in heaven and is the forerunner of Shehina [Shekinah] or God's presence, but as Lucifer, Michael falls from heaven and his hands are bound by God. All these attributes and acts of the Archangel Michae lead us to recognize which planet he represents: it is Venus.
The Archangel Michael, or the planet Venus, and the Archangel Gabriel, or the planet Mars, saved the people of Israel on two dramatic occasions. At the Sea of Passage, when the hosts of Egypt, pursuing the fleeing slaves, could be seen in the distance ("the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid," the sea was torn apart, and the slaves walked on the bottom of the sea and reached the other shore. Their enemies were thrown high by the released tides, which fell down when a spark passed between Venus and the earth.
Eight hundred years passed after the Exodus. The Assyrian hosts, which a generation earlier had removed the Ten Tribes of Israel to an exile from whence they never returned, invaded Judea with the express purpose of crushing rebellious Judah and removing him from his homeland and from the scene of history. A blast from the planet Mars fell upon the camp of the Assyrians and annihilated it. Those rabbinical sources which ascribed this act to both archangels were not wrong. Venus pushed Mars toward the earth, and thus both were instrumental in the destruction.
The author of the apocryphal book of the Ascension [Assumption] of Moses knew that "Venus and Mars are each as large as the whole Earth."
Because of their intervention at moments when the national existence of Israel was at stake, Michael and Gabriel were looked upon as "guardian angels" of the eternal people.
Gabriel is the Hebrew Hercules (Heracles). Actually the classic authors made it clear that Hercules is another name for the planet Mars. In the Gospel of Luke (1:26) Gabriel is the angel of Annunciation to the Virgin.
In the Roman Catholic Church Michael is the conqueror of Satan, "head of the host of heaven and first of the saints after Mary.
Planet Worship in Judea in the Seventh Century
In the Northern Kingdom the process of disassociating the deity from the celestial object had not yet been completed when the Kingdom was destroyed (-723 or -722), and its population was led away into captivity, from which they did not return. "And they [the tribe of the Northern Kingdom] left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal" (II Kings 17: 16).
Only a few years after the deliverance of Judea from the hand of Sennacherib, Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, "built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord" (II King, 21: 5). "For he [Manasseh] built again high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and he made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served
them" (II Chronicles 33 : 3).
"Baalim" or "Baal" are shorter versions of Beelzebub (Baal Zevuv), names given to Venus when she was a comet. This sheds an historical light on the story of Elijah and his contest between the worshipers of Baal and those who worshiped the Lord God. Then there's this legend behind our Halloween witches on broomsticks:
The Pageants of the Sky
Cosmic perturbations took place, catastrophes swept the globe, but did witches fly through the air on brooms? The reader would agree that cosmic catastrophes, if they occurred, could leave, and must have left, similar memories all around the world; but there are fantastic images that do not appear to represent realities. We shall follow this rule: if there exists a fantastic image that is projected against the sky and that repeats itself all around the world, it is most probably an image that was seen on the screen of the sky by many peoples at the same time. On one occasion a comet took the striking form of a woman riding on a broom, and the celestial picture was so clearly defined that the same impression was imposed on all the peoples of the world. It is well known how, in modern times, the forms of comets impress people.
Besides being a source for creative imaging (pareidolia), folklore, and religious beliefs, cataclysmic upheavals of the past tell us that we live in a world that is far from stable and that has its own cycles and seasons of evolution which impact our planet's climate and weather far more than anything we humans could possibly do. I will continue sharing Velikovsky with you in the next post. Until then,
Be love. Be loved
Read my HealthLight Newsletter online for informative articles.
Ancient gods were planets, Angels & Archangels, Cataclysms, Catastrophism, Global Warming, Homer's Illiad, Mars, Morning Star, Mythology, Planet Earth, Venus, Venus a once comet, Worlds in Collision
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Venus and Mars
Worlds in Collision
Peace in Heaven and on Earth


text:
Mistakes To Run With: An Interview with Yasuko Thanh
Interview by
Isabella Wang
Image Credit: Don Denton
Yasuko Thanh's story collection Floating Like the Dead was shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Award and the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. One of its stories won an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Short Story. The title story won the Journey Prize for the best story published in Canada in 2009. Quill & Quire named Floating Like the Dead a Best Book of the Year. CBC hailed Yasuko Thanh one of ten writers to watch in 2013. Mysterious Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains, her debut novel, won the Rogers Writers' Trust for Fiction, the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize, and was nominated for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award. She lives in Victoria, BC, with her two children. In her spare time she plays in a punk band called 12 Gauge Facial, for which she writes all the songs and music.
ROOM: Hello Yasuko, how are you? I'm so glad to be joining you in this space here. First off, your third book, Mistakes to Run With, just came out with Penguin Random House. CONGRATULATIONS! How does it feel now that it's out there?
YT: Hi! Thanks for having me. The book's release feels great, and scary. Great in that, when one work is done, I can move onto another. That's liberating. Scary in the sense that I'm revealing secrets about myself that I've never revealed in conversation to even many of my closet friends. I guess the part of me that was judged on the street by people who drove by the corner where I worked and threw pennies, or eggs, or firecrackers fears the same rejection.
ROOM: Mistakes to Run With comes right after your short story collection, Floating Like the Dead, and your novel, Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains. Tell us about the process of writing this third book, how it came to be. Did you always know that you were going to write a memoir after your lived experiences?
YT: No, I didn't. Though I'd thought about it off and on for years. I was already writing down the experiences in "street fiction" stories, one that comes to mind is "Heroin Half-Mile," which I edited during my time at UVic and published in Descant's Hidden Cities issue. Excerpts from the memoir were also published, in fictional form, in Room and subTerrain. In December of 2016, my agent called, saying she thought she could sell the idea of a memoir, and what did I think? I jumped at the opportunity.
ROOM: Your book chronicles chronicles a turbulent childhood, with the words, "My parakeet escaped the same year I did, 1986." At the centre of it though, writing has always been anchor for you, hasn't it? Do you see writing as a form or empowerment, or catharsis? Can it be both at times?
YT: My primary relationship for decades has been with books and writing rather than with other people. Books understood me and my love affair with them predates my time on the streets. Writing fulfilled my ego-driven need to believe my life had a purpose higher than the street. "That this work to be done called for this life," is a quote that speaks to the inflated sense of self writing gave me. And, sure, one can be anchored by an ongoing cathartic act, like screaming at the top of one's lungs on stage and calling it punk music, or find catharsis in in a solid anchor, such as children. Here's what Wallace Stevens said: "After one has abandoned a belief in God, poetry is that which takes its place as life's redemption."
ROOM: I was so swept while reading your book—your story is one that I myself, and many can relate to, while your voice, your experiences, remain distinctively your own. Do you think of audience much when you write?
YT: I thought of my parents a lot with this particular book. I didn't want to upset the relationship we'd built up after I left the streets. Or, maybe it's more accurate to say that the echo of how they might respond was constantly in the back of my mind, to the point where I consciously tuned it out. My fears never materialized.
ROOM: I have no doubt that your book will resonate deeply with readers. But what do you hope for your audience to take away from it?
YT: I was recently called-out in an online review for speaking from a place of privilege. It would be presumptuous of me to say I wish she felt differently. People will take away from the book what they will, and yet I did want to bring certain issues to light. The stigmatization of "street people" in particular. I suppose I wanted to build a case for tolerance. I don't think a stance of non-judgement requires acceptance—or even comprehension—of a person's choices. Simply put, empathy resides in the empathetic.
ROOM: So much is on the horizon. I'm interested to know what you are most looking forward to this year, both in and out of writing. What's next?
YT: This last week I've been playing with baby chickens that my boyfriend brought me. Things I'm looking forward to on the horizon include taming said chickens, to watch movies with me at night. I've been toying with a couple of different ideas, too, one for a short story collection and one for a novel. I'm generally reclusive, so the contemplation of more travel for the book—I head off to Toronto next week—has been an adjustment that I'm learning how to look forward to; the people I'll meet and chat with after each event make it all worth it.
ROOM: I'd love to hear more about the punk band that you are in, 12 Gauge Facial. I saw pictures of you performing at your book launch a few days ago! What kind of songs do you write? What are your favourite ones to listen to?
YT: I'd originally planned to release an album also called Mistakes to Run With at the same time the book hit store shelves. Unfortunately, the plan didn't come to fruition in time. I think of the songs (sixteen original tunes) as a soundtrack to the book, because they are able to express the minutiae I had to gloss over for the sake of the memoir's page count. For instance, my time working the Hastings track takes up just a few pages of space in the book, but I was able to write a song called "Twila" about one of the wonderful women I met on the downtown eastside. These days I've been listening to sixties soul music and vintage ska, but I love everything, except Big Hat Country. If I had to be stranded on a desert island with the complete works of just one band? Hank Williams. Or Led Zeppelin. Or Jimi Hendrix…
ROOM: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me, Yasuko!
Isabella Wang's debut poetry chapbook is forthcoming with Baseline press in 2019. At 18, she is the youngest two-time finalist and writer shortlisted for The New Quarterly's Edna Staebler Essay Contest. Her poetry and prose have appeared in over a dozen literary journals, and she holds a pushcart prize nomination in poetry. She has poetry forthcoming in the What You Need to Know About Me Anthology (The Hawkins Project, co-edited by Dave Eggers). She studying English and World Literature at SFU, interning at Room Magazine, serving as the Youth Advocate for the BC Federation of Writers, and co-ordinating the bi-weekly Dead Poets Reading Series.
Yasuko Thanh,
Mistakes To Run With,
Isabella Wang,
"It's Canadian, feminist, and one of my favourite things ever."
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text:
Stupid coronavirus.
By Don Rush on October 21, 2020 No Comment
By Don Rush
Yup. It's true. I sometimes get lost. It's not that I don't have a decent sense of direction, it's just sometimes I enjoy the journey and forget to pay attention. It's the same thing nowadays as it was when I was just a wee, little man.
Back in the days before there was a Heather Lakes Estates straddling Orion and Independence townships, there were corn fields. I don't think it was maze or mazola, I think they were just fields of feed corn for the pig farm on Clarkston Road — the ever-lovin' and often smelly Z Farm. Any way, we used to play hide and seek in there . . . and more times than not I was such a savvy hider, I was never found. I would always get lost. The corn was taller than me, and after running and turning and zigging and zagging, I would have no idea which way to go. So, I would just walk straight until I hit a road.
Same thing today, I still forget to keep track of where I am going, so I just keep going. Today's fun and adventure doesn't happen in the corn fields, however, rather usually on the old interwebs.
The other day, I went down the rabbit whole of death numbers supplied by the State of Michigan in regards to the coranavirus, better known as COVID-19. I have no idea how I got to that website (Michigan.gov/coronavirus) but I was intrigued. And, I am here to testify to all of you, the Coronavirus is an ageist, sexist, body shaming virus. I have no empathy for it, and it needs to be cancelled.
So, looking at the number of deaths the state provided (which at the time was a tad shy of 7,000), I discovered the following number of deaths by age group.
People 80 and over, 3,000 deaths
People 70-79, 1,873 deaths
People 50-59, 556 deaths
Folks 30-39, 67 deaths
Folks 20-29, 26 deaths.
What an ageist virus.
For the last 28 weeks, I have been keeping track of the number of COVID cases there are in The Oxford Leader's primary area of circulation and editorial coverage. I started reporting about this on April 15 by going to Oakland County's website to find the numbers. In this area (three ZIPs, 48367, 48370 and 48371), the population is nearly 31,000. On the first week, I reported the area had a total of 47 cases and one death. Fast forward 28 weeks to this week, and the numbers have increased to 239 total cases and six deaths.
Do you know that in all of the 16,377 square miles of Michigan's Upper Peninsula there have been only 62 confirmed COVID-19 deaths. Of the UP's 15 counties, seven had zero deaths. In the 2010 Census, the UP's population was 311,361.
I guess the virus likes Yoopers more than it does Fudgies or Trolls.
I found this timeline of Coronavirus death of interest, too. On April 1, there were 637 COVID-19 confirmed deaths in Michigan. On May 1, there were 4,342.
On June 1, there were 5,666 coronavirus deaths. On July 1, 6,016. On August 1, there were 6,243 deaths. On September 1, there were 6,536 deaths. On October 1, there were 6,808 COVID-19 deaths.
I think this virus is a little sexist, too. When I was tooling down the old information highway I discovered COVID-19 has killed 3,634 men, compared to only 3,338 women.
In Michigan, here are the number of deaths by race.
American Indian: 24
Asian/Pacific Islander: 90
Black: 2,582
Multi-race: 104
Other (and I am not sure what "other" means): 150
Unknown: 171
White: 3,852
And, if this virus isn't bad enough, why does it have to pile on and increase the risk of death to us "large boned" folks. It ain't fair.
Stupid corornavirus.
Before I get too far down the biway . . . we received a handwritten note the other day from a Lake Orion Review reader.
"To Whom It may Concern: I appreciate your paper; however, I DO NOT appreciate Don Rush referring to our governor as "Big Gretch." That is unprofessional and unnecessary. Thank you."
Thanks for reading, I say, adding she's been called worse.
I did receive an email from an anonymous person, in regards to last week's stroll into the hallowed halls of Don't Rushmedom. Last week, I wrote about laying flat on my back because of a flare up of my sciatic nerve.
"Good morning, I just read your October 14 column. First, I'm glad you are all right and second, you are funny. Your columns make my day!"
Thanks for reading, whoever you are. Your text made my day!
Send your comments and or concerns to Don's email, DontRushDon@gmail.com.
COVID-19, don rush, don't rush me
Stupid coronavirus. added by Don Rush on October 21, 2020
View all posts by Don Rush →
About Don Rush
Award-winning columnist Don Rush is Assistant Publisher at Sherman Publications. Inc. Publisher of community newspapers in Southeastern Michigan.
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Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects millions of people in the United States.
The most common cause of PAD is atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque on the inside of the arteries. The plaque deposits decrease the space through which oxygen-rich and nutrient-rich blood can flow. Poor blood flow "starves" the muscles and other tissues in the lower body. Reduction in blood flow often results in intermittent claudication, which is tightness or squeezing pain in the calf, thigh or buttock during exertion.
In general, people with PAD have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation of lower extremity limbs and death. In fact, a patient with PAD has about five times the risk of dying of a heart attack or stroke over the next ten years as the patient who does not have peripheral arterial disease.
Family history of arterial disease is perhaps the greatest risk factor to any individual.
Risk factors for PAD are much the same for cardiovascular disease, which include age, smoking, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and physical activity.
African Americans also have a higher risk level of developing PAD.
Manage stress: Stress may be a direct contributor to poor heart health because it can increase blood pressure.
Quit smoking: Smoking accelerates atherosclerosis, the major cause of PAD and stroke.
Control chronic depression: Depression has been linked with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and having a heart attack.
PAD is often overlooked, undertreated, and the disease rarely offers early warning signs.
Only about a third of those afflicted have leg pain from PAD. Symptoms can include pain, ache, cramp or severe fatigue in one or both legs when walking. In the later stages, leg circulation can become so poor that pain occurs in the toes and feet during periods of inactivity, and the blockage can lead to gangrene, ulcers or the loss of the foot or limb.
PAD can be readily diagnosed by an abnormal value of the ankle-brachial index (ABI). ABI is a measurement performed with an electronic stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff. The test measures the blood pressure at the ankle and arm. The pressure is then compared at these two areas.
A blood pressure that is lower in the ankle than the arm implies a blockage in the artery between the heart and the leg. This type of blockage suggests peripheral arterial disease.
Early diagnosis and treatment of PAD is important not only to preserve the health of the limbs, but also to decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.


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he Bay Club is located on the beautiful grounds of the Resort at Sandestin, just eight miles east of Destin on Hwy 98. The area is noted for having spectacular shopping, exhilarating sunsets, historical sites, an almost continuous calendar of events, and for being the luckiest fishing coast.
Our one and two-bedroom condos are a comfortable retreat with remarkable amenities. Enjoy walks on the beach and admire the unbelievable beautiful sunsets from your own, private balcony. The close-by pier provides great opportunities for fishing and boating. Top off the day with a relaxing swim in the pool and a delectable dinner at one of the fine restaurants nearby.
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Bunny City Easter offers kids two games with difficulty levels between toddler and kindergarten. In egg factory kids help the bunnies finish their egg painting. Paint one more egg to match the pattern and complete the set! In Hatch Match kids click to open eggs to find matching pairs in our take on a the classic memory game.
Small graphic tweaks to improve usability.
Made 'Toddler' mode more age appropriate. Try again and again until you get it right.
Added new music and sounds.


This set of Chemical Process Calculation Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on "Temperature".
Explanation: Both a) and b) are correct for these units of temperatures.
Explanation: ∆˚F = ∆˚R, ∆˚C = ∆˚K, ∆˚C = 1.8 ∆˚F and ∆˚K = 1.8∆˚F.
Heat capacity = 311.4 + 0.128 T, where temperature (T) is expressed in ˚C.
What is the relation of temperature with heat capacity if the temperature is expressed in terms of ˚R?
Explanation: ˚C = (˚R – 460 – 32)/1.8.
Cp = 22.5 + 2.56 T, where Cp is in J/g.mol.˚C.
What is the expression for heat capacity if the temperature is expressed in ˚R and Cp in Btu / lb.mole.˚R?
Explanation: ˚C = (˚R – 460 – 32)/1.8 and 1 Btu = 1055 Jule.
Explanation: Boiling temperature of water is 100 ˚C.
6. Temperature can`t be expressed as?
Explanation: All a, b, c are the units of temperature.
Explanation: ∆˚C = 1.8 ∆˚F and ∆˚K = 1.8∆˚F.
8-10. Temperature of a body is raised 25 ˚C by external heating.
8. Change in temperature on Kelvin scale is?
9. Change in temperature on Fahrenheit scale is?
Explanation: ∆˚C = 1.8 ∆˚F.
10. Change in temperature on Rankine scale is?


The Deputy Inspector General of police for South West, Agboola Oshodi-Glover has warned that any politician found in possession of fire arms as 2019 campaign kicked off would be arrested and made to bear the full weight of the law.
Oshodi-Glover also warned the police to stay clear of political partisanship but provide security for all displaying professionalism at its best to ensure peaceful 2019 elections.
He gave this warning on Tuesday at an interactive and stakeholders meeting held with the police and other security agencies of Nigeria, representatives of various political parties, civil organisations, among others held at the Ogun Police Command, Eleweran, Abeokuta.
He said that the sensitisation meeting was coming at the instance of Inspector General of police, Ibrahim Idris as part of deliberate measures the police was taking for peaceful conduct of next year general elections.
The police boss, therefore, appealed to all politicians and their supporters to avoid any action that could heat up polity or jeopardize public peace as the law enforcement agents would decisively deal with anybody hiding under politics to foment trouble.
Warning parents and guardians not to allow their children be use as political thugs, Glover stated that "politics is not do or die, it is an healthy contest such that if you don't win today, you will win tomorrow, so why acting as if election is a war? So, it is on this note we are urging everyone to tread on the path of peace before, during and after 2019 elections".
The DIG also warned of dire consequences for politicians who rather than campaigning on issues would resort to hate speeches, saying that the police would not tolerate any behaviour capable of harming the much needed peace for the successful conduct of next year's polls.
Commissioner of police for the state, Ahmed Iliyasu, in his short remark promised to work hand in hand with other security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure peaceful conduct of 2019 elections in the state.
Other dignitaries at the stakeholders' meeting were Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, National Vice Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee, South West, Chief Mrs Adesola Adebutu, Deputy National Chairman of PCRC, among others.


is the best way to grow it, but what about starting capital?
How do you save up enough money to get started with investing it? We're here to help! Here are some simple tips to help you save better & smarter!
When I first started working, I didn't make a whole lot of money at my 9-5 & to top that off, my financial management skills (if I can even call them that considering how abysmal and irresponsible they were) didn't exactly help the situation. However, I did learn a thing or two.
So, you think you're ready to move out, huh? But chances are, you have absolutely NO IDEA what's waiting for you out there. So here's a step by step walkthrough of what to expect when leaving your parents' house to make your own home.


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Who should win the Mercury prize 2017 – Stormzy, Kate Tempest ... or Dinosaur?
Kate Tempest has shaken up the world of poetry by taking it out of the bookshops and on to the festival stage. But in the process has this great and empathetic observer found the scrutiny too much?