text:
Through this venture, immunologists from China and Oxford are being brought together to work on projects spanning the field of human immunology. They are working to promote scientific and technological exchange and co-operation on issues related to health and to conduct large-scale collaborative health research projects of major public health and medical significance between the two institutions.
The following Principal Investigators are working in collaboration as part of the CTI.
Professor Xuetao CAO (China)
President and Professor
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Director and Professor
National Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Shanghai, China
Center for Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
Professor Xuetao Cao is the current President of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College. Professor Cao was elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2005, German Academy of Sciences in 2013 and French Academy of Medicine in 2014. He was President of Chinese Society for Immunology for 8 years (2006.10-2014.10). He is currently the Secretary General of Chinese Society for Immunology (2014.10- ), President of Federation of Immunological Societies in Asia and Oceania FIMSA (2012.5- 2015.6) and President of Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases GACD (2013.12-2015.12).
Professor Cao has won many awards in recognition of his scientific achievements and dedication to public services and China's medical research and education. He is widely recognized as a thought leader in promoting innovative and cross-disciplinary research at the national level and spearheads a number of initiatives. He is also proud to act as a bridge between China and the world on many occasions and has worked tirelessly to encourage international collaborations and enhance the global visibility of China's own research and development
Professor Xuetao Cao's major interests are innate response and immune regulation, immunobiology of APCs (dendritic cells, macrophages), cancer immunotherapy. He has made important contributions to the understanding of signaling pathways in innate immunity and inflammation, identification of immune cell subsets and new immune molecules in immune response and cancer, all of his work was completed in China.
Please see attached link for Professor Cao's article Innovating research in China
Professor Wei HE (China)
Professor Wei He was born in 1955 in Harbin. After six years of social career during the Cultural Revolution, he studied at Jiangmushi Medical College, graduating with a B.M. degree in 1983. He subsequently majored in Microbiology in Heilongjiang University of TCM, graduating with M.M.degree in 1987. He then obtained a teaching position at Heilongjiang University of TCM. From 1991 to 1994, he studied for his M.D. in Heidelberg University in Germany, Faculty of Theoretical Medicine under under the supervision of Professor Dieter Kabelitz. There he worked on studying developmental mechanism of γδT cells, a unique T cell subset, graduating with a M.D. in 1993.
In Aug. 1994, he returned to China and joined the laboratory of Professor Denain Ba in Department of Immunology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC). One year later, he obtained a full Professorship in CAMS & PUMC, and developed his interest in γδT cells, going on to obtain a dozen national and international grants leading his students to embark on the study of γδT cells, focusing on a relationship with tumour-immunology.
Wei He is also a leader in the Chinese Society for Immunology (CSI) (Secretary General 2001-present, Vice-President 2010-present), and represents CSI at the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) as the Member, Education Committee of IUIS (2005-present).
Professor Ning LI (China)
Professor Li is a liver disease and liver transplantation surgeon, his interest is transplantation immunity, identification of early biomarkers and gene therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Prof. Li's current work identified a group of microRNA as an early detection biomarker in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Prof. Li also demonstrated that ADV-TK gene therapy can improve the efficacy of liver transplantation for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. As first and corresponding author, he has published 30 original papers in Cancer Research and other journals. He was awarded a National Science & Technology Program award for his work in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Professor George Fu Gao (China)
Director-General, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Professor, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Professor George F. Gao obtained his Ph.D (DPhil) degree from the University of Oxford and did his postdoctoral work in both Oxford University and Harvard University (with a brief stay in Calgary University).
He is now professor and director in the CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also the Vice-President of Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Deputy Director-General of Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Vice-President of Chinese Society of Biotechnology.
His research interests include Enveloped viruses entry and release; Molecular immunology; Public health policy and global health strategy. His group research is now focusing on the influenza virus, Streptococcus suis and the molecular/structural basis of recognition of T cell receptors to peptide-MHC complexes.
He has published more than 190 refereed papers, nine books/book chapters and has applied for and obtained 20 UK, US and Chinese patents.
Professor Yonghong Zhang (China)
Director of Research Centre for Biomedical Resources, Director of Scientific Research Office, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University.
Professor. Yonghong Zhang received his D.Phil from Oxford University. He is currently a senior clinician in Beijing Youan Hospital and Associate Professor at Capital Medical University, Beijing.
Yonghong's major interest is in anti-viral immunity and genetic association in virus infections such as influenza, HIV, HCV and HIV/HCV co-infection. Yonghong's current work is focusing on IFITM3 genetic variant in association with severe influenza in China. He also showed evidence that the CTL driving pressure has a major effect on inter host HIV-1 viral diversity and probably represents a key element of viral control. In addition, Dr Zhang identified the immune mechanisms of HLA-B51-associated protection in HIV infection. As first author, he has published seven original papers in SCI-cited journals including Nature Communication, Journal of Immunology, Blood, Am J Respir Crit Care Med.
Professor BO Huang - Project Manager (China)
Professor & Vice Chairman of Department of Immunology
Vice Director of Institute of Basic Medical Sciences
Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesProfessor Bo Huang is the Vice-Chairman of Department of Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS). He received his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He finished his postdoctoral training in the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, University of Calgary in Canada, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in United States. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS).
Professor Bo's major interests are Tumour immunology; Microparticles in tumour and immunology; Metabolism in tumour and immunology;Mechanical signalling in tumour and immunology.
Professor Zihe Rao (China)
Professor and Head of the Laboratory for Structural Biology at Tsinghua University and Head of the Laboratory for Structural Biology at Tsinghua University
Professor Zihe Rao graduated from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1977, and got his master degree from the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 1982. In 1989, Professor Rao received his doctorate from Melbourne University and then joined Prof. Dave Stuart's group in Oxford University, where he worked until 1996. He is now a professor and head of the Laboratory for Structural Biology at Tsinghua University.
Professor Rao's interests are Structural Virology; Structural Biology; Mechanical signalling in tumour and immunology.
Professor Chengyu Jiang (China)
Chengyu Jiang is a professor and Executive Vice Dean of School of Basic Medicine at Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. She obtained her B.S. from University of Science and Technology of China and PhD from Brown University followed by postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital, affiliated to Harvard Medical School before joining PUMC/CAMS in 2003.
Her research is to elucidate molecular pathogenesis of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome induced by RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV, Avian and Swine Influenza, and Ebola. Her group has also studied molecular mechanism of lung fibrosis, Psychiatry and Cancer. She has proposed a number of repurposing drugs after elucidation of disease molecular targets. She published extensively in peer-reviewed journals including Nature, Nature Medicine, Molecular Psychiatry, Cell Research, and Nature Communications.
She is also an inventor of a number of international patents. Some of the patents are exclusively licensed to a top 5 international pharmaceutical companies. She received numerous honors including "Cheung Kong" Scholar, the young woman scientist of China, and national outstanding young award fund.
Professor Jiang's main interests are Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Respiratory Disease.
Professor Jianwei Wang (China)
Professor Jianwei Wang received his Ph. D. degree from the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine (Renamed as China CDC since 2002) in 1998. He has been the director and associate professor (2005-2008)/full professor (2008-) of Christophe Merieux Laboratory, Institute of Pathogen Biology (IPB), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) since 2005 after he worked in China CDC for 8 years.
He was the board member of national R&D high-tech project (863 project, 2011-2015). He also serves as the board member of National Major Project of Prevention and Treatment of AIDS, Hepatitis and Other Major Infectious Diseases in China. He is the recipient of National Fund of Distinguished Young Scientist (2012) and Changjiang Scholarship Professor (2014). He is the member of editorial board of many science journals and standing members of academic societies. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 original papers in international peer-reviewed journals, including 80 corresponding author papers.
His main interests are Immunology of respiratory virus infection; virus-host interaction; innate immunity.
Professor Xuan Zhang (China)
Professor Xuan Zhang is Professor and Director of the Department of Research, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) Hospital and Director of the Clinical Immunology Centre, Chinese Academy of Medical Science.
His speciality and research field of interest is Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology.
Professor Chen Wu (China)
National Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Professor Wu's main research aims are to further analyzing genomic data of gastroenterology cancers and to characterize the functions and molecular mechanisms of identified genes and their variants in these cancers
She has been focusing on cancer genetics and genomics. His group conducted several genome-wide association studies of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC), pancreatic cancer et al in Chinese populations and identified several novel loci or variants associated with risk of the development of these cancers. They have not only continued but also expanded the research into two aspects: one is to further analyze genomic data of esophageal and pancreatic cancer and the other is to characterize the functions and molecular mechanisms of identified genes and their variants in these cancers.
Outstanding progresses in these studies have been achieved: (1) identification and functional characterization of LINC00673 found by genome-wide interrogation in pancreatic cancer; (2) characterizing the function of SLC39A6 found by our previous genome-wide association study of esophageal cancer; (3) identification of alcohol drinking-related mutation signature and novel genomic alterations in esophageal cancer by whole-genome DNA and RNA sequencing.
Current work is focusing on functional genomics screening of susceptible or driver genes and elucidation of the biological mechanisms of these genetic variations in ESCC.
Professor Zhendong Zhao (China)
Director of Division of Science and Technology, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College
The ongoing research work in my group focuses on the innate immune evasion mechanisms induced by different pathogens, such as EV71, HCV and MERS-CoV etc. and the impact on the host cell protein quality control system, including both autophagy and ERAD pathways, upon the viral infection, the cross talk between pathogen initiated innate signaling pathway and autophagy as well. In addition, my group also works on applying forward genetic approach (Validation-based insertional mutagenesis) to identify host factors that affect virus replication and reverse vaccinology strategy to screen potential mycobacteria antigens or adjuvants recognized by gdT cells. Finished work has been published on PloS Pathog, Autophagy etc.
Professor Tao Dong (Oxford)
The main objective of my group's research is to focus on the functional aspects of the antigen specific T cells and studying the factors affecting T cells in controlling virus infection.
View Tao Dong's full profile
Professor Vincenzo Cerundolo (Oxford)
The principal aim of the Research in my laboratory is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms that control the cell-cell interplay required for optimal expansion and activation of tumour-specific T cell populations and to apply this knowledge to the development of better treatment strategies in cancer patients.
View Vincenzo Cerundolo's full profile
Professor Sir Andrew McMichael (Oxford)
We are studying the immunodominant SLYNTVATL epitope presented by HLA-A2, showing selection of a sequence of mutations that impair T cell recognition. Why the T cells do not respond by new primary responses to the variants is also under investigation.
View Andrew McMichael's full profile
Professor Alison Simmons (Oxford)
We use large-scale molecular assays to define features of innate immune signaling pathways that are dysregulated in human disease. Definition of such molecular pathways often highlights strategies to reverse these defects. We have applied these techniques to study of various innate immune receptors including NOD2, a receptor that is defective in western Crohn's disease. In work with the CTI we will extend these studies to explore innate signaling defects present in human liver disease that contribute to disease progression and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. This will enable molecular screens to define targets for novel therapeutic design in these conditions.
View Alison Simmons' full profile
Professor Graham Ogg (Oxford)
Innate lymphoid cells represent a novel population of immune cells that are important in the control of ceratin infections, but also contribute to allergic and autoimmune disease. However their role in the potential control of malignant disease has not been well studied. Through the CTI collaboration, we are investigating whether innate lymphoid cells have a role in the control of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) and whether they provide possible opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
View Graham Ogg's full profile
Professor Jan Rehwinkel (Oxford)
Our research dissects the molecular biology of activation and regulation of cytosolic nucleic acid sensors, during both virus infection and in inflammatory diseases.
View Jan Rehwinkel's full profile
Professor Alain Townsend (Oxford)
Most of my work has been concerned with the presentation of Influenza antigens with class I molecules of the Major Histocompatibility complex.
View Alain Townsend's full profile
Professor Julian Knight (Oxford)
The overall aim of my research programme is to understand the genetic basis of susceptibility to common infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
View Julian Knight's full profile
Professor Ling-Pei Ho (Oxford)
Our group is interested in understanding how monocytes and macrophages contribute to lung immune pathology, in particular lung fibrosis and severe influenza infection. Macrophages are a heterogeneous group of cells with divergent functions and origins. In the murine lungs, inflammatory and repair macrophages subsets are well established but a further functional subset involved in resolution of repair is less known, though these have been observed in other organs. In this collaboration, we investigate how these functional subsets change during lung infection and if the modifications worsen lung fibrosis.
View Ling-Pei Ho's full profile
Professor Jane McKeating (Oxford)
Our Research focuses on understanding early infection events that define cellular and tissue tropism of clinically important viruses.
View Jane McKeating's full profile
Professor E. Yvonne Jones (Oxford)
The group's research addresses fundamental questions about cell-cell signalling systems of importance to human health.
View Yvonne Jones' full profile


text:
thehalfstep
Walking and talking
Cathy Jones steps expertly out of the TV and onto Calgary stage in Stranger to Hard Work
The High Performance Rodeo & Alberta Theatre Projects present
Cathy Jones in Stranger to Hard Work
Four and a half stars
Cathy Jones is late to her own solo show.
At least that's the comedy conceit at the top of Stranger to Hard Work, Jones' solo show, that's all sorts of adjectives – brilliant, manic, smart, sad – but just come ready to laugh your ass off, because it's the funniest show of the year. (OK, I know, it's only January.)
I started laughing right away, as a fictional stage manager searches for Cathy while playing peekaboo and showing us her black leather pants, having fun with the essential awkwardness that a solo show forces upon a performer and the audience: at solo shows, you have to park your disbelief in your backpack for an hour, sit back, and embrace the fact that programming solo shows (which I adore) are how theatre companies make all the bills add up at the end of the year.
And soon enough, Jones has peeled off her dowdy dress to reveal a 60-year-old woman in black leather pants, a torn-at-the-shoulder Kurt Cobain t-shirt – and bare feet. She looks like a combination of an aging Nirvana groupie and Newfoundland granny – and that's when she starts to tell her marvelous stories.
The stories are kind of a combination of both those perspectives, too. There are stories about the sex life – or lack of one – of a single, 60-year-old woman who's just as horny as she ever was, but has hit the stage of life where everyone around her just wishes she would keep it to herself.
There are stories about Jones traveling home to Newfoundland, the shire for Canadian comedy, where she tries and fails, to fit in with childhood friends who stayed, while she left to become a Canadian television icon, first on Codco and then, for 24 years, on This Hour has 22 Minutes.
You might think, oh, right, nothin but a big brag – and you would be wrong!
Jones might have been the funniest person in the country for the past 35 years, but when she takes us behind the scenes into her real life, we find a financial illiterate who would just rather not think about how to fund her retirement, a blocked writer with a trail of publishing companies begging her to write a book that she can't begin to complete, an empty nesting divorced mother of two grown children who can't quite put her finger on who she should be now that she's 60.
There's no behind-the-scenes showbiz stuff, giving us a glimpse of her magnificent celebrity lifestyle, her New Year's eve vacations at the Aga Khan's Caribbean lair, hair or culinary tips, vegan recipes, or finger wags about the tar sands.
The only glimpses of her celebrity lifestyle we get are of an alienated islander who went away, hit it big, and now can't quite fit in when her childhood pals humblebrag about how they got their brothers to build them glorious additions to their beautiful homes for pennies!
Eventually, Jones envisions growing into the old lady she imagines she might become as she transforms into Mrs. Enid, her beloved elderly wisecracking ranter from This Hour has 22 Minutes.
Enid reports to us from the late stages of life, when your only human touch comes from the young, handsome staff members of the old folks home you've been shipped to in order to live out your final years.
We live in a pop culture world where most women in their fifties and sixties – and seventies, eighties and nineties – just disappear unless they pop up to dispense life wisdom to the young, attractive people whose problems matter so much more to the folks who create popular culture.
What that means is we don't get stories like the ones Jones tells in Stranger to Hard Work, which are as much about being all filled up with a life well lived as they are about what's missing – all of it delivered with an impeccable ability to make herself the butt of every joke.
Happily – for High Performance Rodeo audiences – Jones still has plenty of problems as she hits her sixties, and listening to her tell funny stories about them is about the best way imaginable to forget it's January in Western Canada.
stephenbhunt@gmail.com
Stephen Hunt is the 2017 High Performance Rodeo Writer-in-Residence
Halfstep
I've written about theatre, film, TV, books, sports, travel and gear, for places like the Globe & Mail, Yahoo!, cbc.ca, Travel Alberta, Rosebud Theatre, The High Performance Rodeo, Calgary Arts Development, Postmedia, The Stage, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, and many others. Author of The White Guy: A Field Guide, a satirical look at white guys, and playwright/performer of The White Guy, published by Applause Books in Best American Short Plays 1997-98, and developed by Warner Bros. & Quincy Jones as a TV Pilot. Playwrighting instructor in the MFA Program in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia since 2007. Aspiring travel writer, frustrated sports columnist, former copywriter, radio lover and slow walker. twitter@halfstep, instagram@halfstep86, stephenbhunt@gmail.com. stephenbhunt.com
Arts and Entertainment, Calgary theatre, Canada, Canadian theatre, Performing arts
Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary theatre, Canada, Cathy Jones, Codco, High Performance Rodeo, Newfoundland, This Hour has 22 Minutes
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The Rodeo hits the homestretch – thehalfstep

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Watch The Trailer For 'Coming 2 America' With Eddie Murphy
By Wendy Wild Dec 22, 2020
A little something to look forward to in the coming new year...
Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are back at it again in the highly anticipated sequel to the 1988 movie 'Coming to America.' (It only took them 33 years!!) Oddly the sequel kind of has the same name, but instead uses the number 2.
I was only a kid when the first movie came out so it may be time for a re-watch before the sequel comes to Prime in March. James Earl Jones is back and the film also stars Leslie Jones, Wesley Snipes and more! Here's the trailer:
Here's the official synopsis:
Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi(Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began. Available March 5th on Prime Video. Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Shari Headley, with Wesley Snipes and James Earl Jones. Also starring John Amos, Teyana Taylor, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Paul Bates, Nomzamo Mbatha, Bella Murphy Screenplay by: Kenya Barris and Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield Story by: Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield and Justin Kanew Directed by: Craig Brewer Based on characters created by: Eddie Murphy Produced by: Kevin Misher and Eddie Murphy Costumes by: Ruth E. Carter.
Are you excited?
About Wendy Wild
Check out the latest from Wendy Wild!Read More


and this does answer the elusive question I had this morning.
I guess I better post a little more.
"What happened happened and could not have happened any other way."
Page created in 0.275 seconds with 65 queries.


Industrial Rope Access is a proven method of achieving a safe work position at height or in areas of difficult access. It was initially described as a range of techniques derived from the sports of mountaineering and caving as a safe and adaptable means of access. Its first large scale use was for inspections on the oil and gas platforms of the North Sea. As its value as a work solution grew, rope access has also developed onshore.
The range of civil engineering projects to which rope access can be applied is continually widening and it now provides industry with considerable cost-saving benefits, improved safety levels and all-round greater efficiency for all manner of work. This ranges from high-res window cleaning and general maintenance to repair and inspection work on some of the world's most iconic structures.
Traditional maintenance contracts carried out at height usually involved costly scaffolding and/or powered access platforms. By employing industrial rope access techniques to reach the worksite Apex provides both access and contracting. This allows both costs and environmental disturbances to be dramatically reduced.
Rope systems are quick to set-up and dismantle. By removing operational and time constraints, rope access services are often able to extend the time available to undertake work at minimal disruption and are extremely cost effective.
All apex rope access techniques are IRATA qualified.


Home » Bail Bonds 101 » How Do Bail Bonds Work?
What are bail bonds and how does the whole process work in Las Vegas?
We get this question quite often and it's understandable because, for many, this is a new experience. Callers usually tend to be afraid, panicked and/or stressed. This is because they don't know what's going on and how to get their loved one out of jail. People's imaginations start to run wild and people think of the stuff they may have seen in a movie or reality show such as Vegas Strip or Las Vegas Jailhouse. These shows follow personnel from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Corrections Officers from the detention centers and people's imaginations start getting the best of them.
Your mind will be tempted to go at a thousand miles a minute, but you must remain calm. Contact our office, and we will help you find information about your loved one. You can also look up the information yourself at the respective entity's website. You can find a list of the Las Vegas detention centers and inmate search information on our website.
Whether you call us or look up the information yourself, many clients still have questions about the information. What is the total bail amount? What does a hold mean? Can I check to see if the defendant has a hold?
These are all questions we can answer for you when you call us.
We've been doing bail in Las Vegas for several years and we've refined our bail process to make it as quick and easy as possible for our clients.
Nevada state law requires bail bonds companies to only charge 15% of the total bail amount for the bail fee. Any more or any less is illegal and the company charging more or less for their bail fee can have their licensed revoked. For example, if the total bail amount is $10,000, then the bail fee you would pay a bail bonds company would be $1,500 (15% of $10,000).
Many clients pay their bail fees with a debit or credit card. This makes it convenient because all our bail forms are downloadable from our website. Simply fill out the information, fax or scan/email it to us and the entire bail transaction has been completed over the phone. No taking time out of your day to come to our office – simply fill everything out from your home or office, pay via debit or credit card and we'll post the bond for you.
Want to pay the fees with cash? No problem. We also offer mobile bail service free of charge. That means one of our agents will come out to your location and you can fill out the paperwork, pay in cash and you're set. We'll post the bond for you for no extra charge.
Our clients find these services very convenient, and we're one of the few companies in Las Vegas that don't charge for these additional services.
What if I don't have enough money to pay my Las Vegas bail bonds?
No problem. Contact us and we can discuss payment plans and collateral. We work with all different types of clients, each one with their own unique situation and we work to adjust and cater to that situation as best we can.
How long does it take to get released from a Las Vegas jail?
This is another question we get asked a lot – and for good reason. Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to this question. Also, be aware of any bail company telling you they can speed up the process with the jail because of their "connections." Many bail companies have great working relationships with the personnel from the various jails and detention centers in Las Vegas, however, it is impossible for an outside bail bondsman to facilitate what happens in the jail. The staff at the jail do their best to get everyone through the booking process, however, if they are overcrowded, understaffed or have plenty of issues to deal with, the process may become delayed.
Release times do vary from jail to jail. However, the average release time for the Clark County Detention Center is between 6 – 12 hours, depending on conditions within the jail.
After the defendant has been released from jail, they'll need to stop by our office within 24 hours so we can meet them and fill out some paperwork. We explain everything that's going on and go over the necessities.
We also take this time to recommend three Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys to our clients. Throughout the years we've established several relationships with Las Vegas attorneys and we'll recommend at least three different attorneys to you. This allows you to contact and meet with the attorneys to see which one you think will best suit your defense in court.
Take the time while you're out of jail to meet with your attorney and work on your defense for your upcoming court case. Be sure the attorney you choose is familiar and has experience in your specific type of case. This specific experience in the courtroom will help you as these attorneys have seen and dealt with your type of charge before.
We're here with you every step of the way. Bail doesn't have to be a completely negative experience. We understand that for any number of reasons, people make bad decisions – and those bad decisions may land them in jail.
24/7 Bail Bonds offers professional and honest service tailored to each client. At 24/7 Bail Bonds, we know an arrest can result in stress and inconvenience. We are dedicated to traveling the extra mile to assist and lead you during the bail process.


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Give children good quality materials, not cheap, thin watery paints and miserable brushes. Give them lots of papers and card and good, thick, strong coloured paints. These paint blocks are perfect for very young children. They are water soluble, mix well, with a high degree of brilliance and colour strength, colours that stand the test of time.
We have selected 3 sizes of brushes to complete the kit, one large filbert, perfect for flat broad areas and two rounds for detail.
Colour Range 1: Brilliant Red, Brilliant Yellow, Ultramarine, Brilliant Green, White, Black.
Colour Range 2: Crimson, Vermillion, Lemon Yellow, Cobalt Blue, Violet, Vandyke Brown.


Demanding valve specifications are par for the course with LNG megaprojects. However, when Severn Glocon was commissioned for a valve that could stroke across a distance of 18" with a plug weighing more than 1 tonne in less than 2 seconds, a truly innovative approach was required.
Customer specifications for the compressor bypass control valve demanded that noise levels should be lower than 82 dBa. Initial calculations indicated that in order to achieve this, velocity would need to be limited to 1/3 of sonic (0.3 mach).
Achieving this with a traditional control valve would require an outlet of 64". Such a valve would have been a global first, and the customer was reluctant to consider this option. So the engineering team decided to tackle the challenge from a different perspective. They discovered that while the noise reduction required a 64" outlet, the flow coefficient could be controlled by a 36" valve.
Following this discovery, the engineers designed a 36" angle valve fitted with a 2cc low noise trim. Then a 36" x 64" diffuser was bolted directly to the valve outlet. Three large steel baffle plates inside the diffuser controlled the flow, enabling outlet velocity to be maintained at lower than 0.3 mach, ensuring all customer requirements were met.


text:
Dalenda Largueche
Dalenda Largueche is a historian, specialized in women and gender studies. She is the founder of a Master on « Gender, Culture and Society ». Pr. Largueche has published numerous publications on women and gender issues, her last book is...
Alexa Robertson
Professor of Media Studies at the University of Stockholm. Robertson researches on global news, cosmopolitanism and the media, comparative television analysis and narrative with a focus on mediations of protest and social inequalities. She is principal investigator of a project...
Aliki Moschis-Gauget
As a member of the Advisory Council of Anna Lindh Foundation since 2007, expert in cultural diplomacy President and Founder of FAM Network (Femme-Art- Méditerranée), under UNESCO's aegis (1998-2018), Aliki Moschis-Gauguet is dedicated to the promotion of intercultural dialogue among...
Emilia Valsta
Second year masters student at the American University in Cairo. She is studying international security with a focus on terrorism, also currently working as Egypt's former Foreign Minister, Nabil Fahmy's research assistant and interning at the UN Women. After finishing...
Natalia Ribas-Mateos
Researcher at Universitat autonoma de Barcelona. Ribas-Mateos has previously been affiliated with Universidad de A Coruña. Furhtermore, she has been a Marie Curie Fellow at the Laboratoire Méditerranéen de Sociologie Aix-en Provence in France and at the Centre for Migration...
Teresa Bean
Head of research and education at In Place of War, a social enterprise that supports creative communities in sites of conflict, post-conflict and developing countries. Bean's research focuses on arts based community responses to conflict and peacebuilding and creative social...
Youssef Courbage
Research Director of the Institute National d'Etudes Demographiques (INED) in Paris. Youssef Courbage is an expert in the field of relationship between demography and politics, principally in Arab and Muslim countries. Courbage was the Scientific Director of the French Institute...


Well, I survived the book reading, but I'm not sure how. I think by the time it came to read out loud to strangers, I was so worn out by my panicking that I didn't have anything left to panic.
I had an interview with the local paper representative and I don't think I screwed up too badly. I was starting to zone out, my cue to go lay down, but I couldn't, obviously. It was hard to concentrate on the answers to the questions he asked.
Never publish a book if you have anxiety issues. Whew! It's been a long day. I'm off to bed.


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The London National gallery tries to collect 100 million pounds sterling topurchase a series of "Sacraments" of the French artist of XVII centuryNicolas Poussin. "Sacraments" are in a private collection of dukeRutlendskii. But now the owner of "Sacraments" has declared that iscompelled to sell pictures, having offered National gallery the prime rightto their repayment. The National gallery did not have funds for purchase,and pictures have been exposed on the open tenders planned for December,2007. It is already known, that, trying to keep "Sacrament", the National gallerywill refuse other masterpiece from the private collection, entering in itsexposition - Titian's the "Portrait of a young man".
I read and I think here – everybody needs money but everybody has his ownnecessities of life!


text:
India's release of 5 mln bbls oil from stockpile a 'symbolic gesture'
By Nidhi Verma
A driver reads a newspaper as he sits on a spare tire attached to a parked oil tanker at a truck terminal in Mumbai, India, January 10, 2018. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade
New Delhi, Nov 23 (Reuters) - India's plan to release 5 million barrels of oil from stockpiles in tandem with releases by other major consumers is unlikely to alter its crude import plans as it is already selling less from the caverns than its target, a government official said.
The United States said on Tuesday it was releasing millions of barrels from its strategic reserves in tandem with India and other countries. The timing was not specified.
India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, imports over 84% of its oil needs and has strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) to store up to 5 million tonnes, or about 37 million barrels of oil, to protect against supply disruptions.
The government official, who asked not to be named, said the release from India's strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) was "a symbolic gesture" as it needed to create space as part of efforts to make money from renting out the storage and was already selling the oil.
India has repeatedly raised concerns over rising oil prices and wants the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies led by Russia, known as OPEC+ to increase output more quickly.
The country will sell 5 million barrels, equivalent to one day of its oil demand, to Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL.NS) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL.NS).
India last year filled the storage with cheap oil and earlier this year overhauled its SPR policy to commercialise half of the storage and lease space to Indian and foreign companies.
To obtain enough space for its plan, India has to sell about 13 million barrels oil as 5.5 million barrels of space is already leased to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
Since sales began in August, Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL), which manages the federal reserves, has sold about 5 million barrels from the caverns, a second source said.
Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Barbara Lewis


2001-10-23 Assigned to CYBERONICS, INC. reassignment CYBERONICS, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: TERRY, REESE S., JR., BARRETT, BURKE T.
A method for treating patients with movement disorders includes unilaterally or bilaterally stimulating one or both of the left and right branches of a patient's vagus nerve directly or indirectly with an electrical pulse signal generated by an implantable neurostimulator with at least one operatively coupled nerve electrode to apply the pulse signal to the selected nerve branch at a location in the vicinity of the patient's diaphragm, either slightly above or slightly below the diaphragm. A device for performing the method includes a government approved implantable neurostimulator which is programmable to enable physician programming of electrical and timing parameters of the pulse signal, to generate the desired therapy regimen for alleviating the disorder by application of the therapeutic electrical stimulation signal to a selected nerve. Automatic detection or patient sensing of a symptom of the disorder may be utilized for activating the device.
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for treating or controlling movement disorders by application of modulating electrical signals to a selected nerve or nerve bundle of the patient, and more particularly to techniques for treating patients with movement disorders by application of such signals to the vagus nerve or other suitable cranial nerve, using an implantable neurostimulator.
It is an object of the present invention to apply the techniques of selective modulation of vagus nerve electrical activity to the treatment of movement disorders, using a neurostimulator device which may be implantable, or used external to the body with only a small portion of the circuitry implanted or with only the nerve electrode(s) and associated lead(s) implanted percutaneously in the body.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,702,254, 4,867,164 and 5,025,807, J. Zabara discloses methods and devices for treating and controlling epileptic seizures and certain motor disorders by selective stimulation of the vagus nerve. The disorders include involuntary movements of the patient during an epileptic seizure, or attributable to Parkinson's disease, palsy or spastic disorders, for example. In the disclosure of the patents, the stimulating electrical pulse signal is preferably applied to the nerve in the patient's neck region. In the '734 patent, movement disorders are also mentioned in connection with discussion of the trigeminal and glossopharngyeal nerves.
In the '254 patent, for example, Zabara discloses methods and devices for performing extra-physiologic electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve for treatment of epilepsy and various forms of involuntary movement disorders. An implantable pulse generator uses neurocybernetic spectral discrimination, in which the external current of the generator is tuned to the electrochemical properties of certain inhibitory nerves that affect the reticular system of the brain. These nerves are embedded within a bundle of other nerves, and are selectively activated directly or indirectly by the tuning of the generator to augment states of brain neural discharge to control convulsions or seizures. The generator may be activated manually by the patient upon recognizing a characteristic of the disorder, such as the classic aura at onset of a seizure, or automatically such as by sensor detection of instantaneous changes in certain state parameters at onset, for treatment only for the duration of the seizure. Alternatively, the generator may be activated for periodic prophylactic treatment.
It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a new technique for treating movement disorders using stimulation of a suitable cranial nerve, particularly the vagus nerve.
The basic stimulation strategy of the present invention may be implemented by circadian programming to automatically activate the stimulus generator to continuously, periodically or intermittently generate an electrical signal appropriate for application to the patient's vagus nerve to modulate its activity. In another aspect, the treatment is carried out by applying the selectively modulating electrical signals to the patient's vagus nerve in response to the occurrence of a predetermined detectable event.
According to the present invention, a method of treating patients suffering from involuntary movement disorders, such as but not limited to epileptic seizures, Parkinson's disease, palsy or spastic disorders, comprises unilateral or bilateral stimulation of the left and right vagi in the immediate vicinity of the patient's diaphragm. The treatment is administered at either a supra-diaphragmatic position (i.e., above the diaphragm) or sub-diaphragmatic position (i.e., below the diaphragm) in the ventral cavity. The stimulating electrical signal is preferably applied to the vagus two to three inches above or below the diaphragm, and may be applied either synchronously or asynchronously to both the right and left branches, preferably in the form of a series of pulses applied intermittently to both branches according to a predetermined on/off duty cycle. The intermittent application is preferably chronic, rather than acute. However, continuous application or acute application by bilateral stimulation of the right and left vagi or unilateral stimulation of either branch of the nerve is also contemplated. Automatic delivery of bilateral intermittent stimulation is preferred, but alternatively in the case of certain movement disorders application of the stimulating electrical signal to the right and left vagi may be controlled by an external commencement signal produced by the patient's placement of an external magnet or other signal generating mechanism in proximity to the location of the implanted device.
Preferably, the same stimulating electrical signal is applied to both the right and left vagi, but as an alternative, a stimulating electrical signal might be applied to the right vagus which is different from the stimulating electrical signal applied to the left vagus. And although two separate nerve stimulator generators may be implanted for stimulating the left and right vagi, respectively, as an alternative a single nerve stimulator generator may be implanted for bilateral stimulation if the same signal is to be applied to both the left and right branches of the vagus nerve, whether delivered synchronously or asynchronously to the vagi.
Preferably, the current magnitude of the stimulating signal is programmed to be less than about 6 mA, to be below the retching level of the patient as determined by the implanting physician at the time the implant procedure is performed. This is desirable to avoid patient nausea during periods of vagus nerve stimulation. Preferably, the pulse width is set to a value not exceeding about 500 microseconds (μs), the pulse repetition frequency is set at about 20-30 Hertz (Hz), the VNS regimen follows alternating periods of stimulation and no stimulation, with the second period about 1.8 to 6 times the length of the first period in the alternating sequence (i.e., the on/off duty cycle is 1:1.8 to 1:6).
Alternative techniques include indirect stimulation of the vagus, either bilaterally or unilaterally, at a location near one or both branches of the nerve or elsewhere, which has the effect of stimulating the vagus nerve as well. This may be accomplished through afferents or efferents, for example. It is also contemplated that direct or indirect unilateral or bilateral stimulation, applied in the vicinity of the patient's diaphragm, of one or more of the other cranial nerves of suitable sensory, motor or mixed fiber types may be effective in treating movement disorders, as an alternative to vagus nerve stimulation.
Some differences may be observed from stimulator to stimulator in magnitude of current in the pulses of the stimulation signal, and may be attributable to things such as patient impedance, variation of the vagus nerve from right to left or between patients, and variation in contact between the vagus and the electrode implanted thereon from implant to implant.
FIG. 4 is a simplified partial front view of a patient in which the signal stimuli are applied at a portion of the nervous system remote from the vagus nerve, for indirect stimulation of the vagus nerve at the near-diaphragmatic location.
A generally suitable form of neurostimulator for use in the apparatus and method of the present invention is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,172 (incorporated herein by reference), assigned to the same assignee as the instant application (the device also referred to from time to time herein as a NeuroCybernetic Prosthesis or NCP device (NCP is a trademark of Cyberonics, Inc. of Houston, Tex., the assignee)). Certain parameters of the electrical stimuli generated by the neurostimulator are programmable, preferably by means of an external programmer (not shown) in a conventional manner for implantable electrical medical devices.
Referring to FIG. 1, the neurostimulator (sometimes referred to herein as stimulus generator, signal generator, pulse generator, or simply the device), identified in the drawing by reference number 10 is implanted in a patient 12, preferably in the abdominal region, for example, via a left anterior thoracic or laporotomy incision just beneath the skin or outer dermal layer. For the preferred implementation and method of direct bilateral stimulation, lead-electrode pair 15, 16 is also implanted during the procedure, and the proximal end(s) of the lead(s) electrically connected to the neurostimulator. The lead-electrode may be of a standard bipolar lead nerve electrode type available from Cyberonics, Inc.
It will be understood that the overall device generally is required to be approved or sanctioned by government authority for marketing as a medical device implantable in a patient together with electrode means to treat the involuntary movement disorder by stimulation of a selected cranial nerve (e.g., the vagus nerve) of the patient. The treatment is performed using a predetermined sequence of electrical impulses generated by the pulse generator and applied to the selected cranial nerve at a location in a range, preferably, from about two to about three inches above or below the patient's diaphragm, for alleviating symptoms of the movement disorder in the patient. In the United States, the government agency for sanctioning such marketing and use is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while in other countries, sanctioning is typically handled by the counterpart of the FDA for the respective country. Thus, in the United States the same device may not be marketed or used to administer therapy to treat two different diseases or disorders absent FDA approval of the device for both.
According to the preferred method of the invention, the nerve electrodes 17, 18 are implanted on the right and left branches 19, 20, respectively, of the patient's vagus nerve at either a supra-diaphragmatic or sub-diaphragmatic location. The nerve electrodes are equipped with tethers for maintaining each electrode in place without undue stress on the coupling of the electrode onto the nerve itself. Preferably, the location of this coupling is approximately two to three inches above or below the patient's diaphragm 22 for each branch 19, 20.
Neurostimulator 10 generates electrical stimuli in the form of electrical impulses according to a programmed regimen for bilateral stimulation of the right and left branches of the vagus. During the implant procedure, the physician checks the current level of the pulsed signal to ascertain that the current is adjusted to a magnitude at least slightly below the retching threshold of the patient. Typically, if this level is programmed to a value less than approximately 6 mA, the patient does not experience retching attributable to the vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) although variations may be observed from patient to patient. In any event, the maximum amplitude of the current should be adjusted accordingly until an absence of retching is observed, with a suitable safety margin. The retching threshold may change noticeably with time over a course of days after implantation, so the level should be checked especially in the first few days after implantation to determine whether any adjustment is necessary to maintain an effective regimen.
The bilateral stimulation regimen of the VNS preferably employs an intermittent pattern of a period in which a repeating series of pulses is generated for stimulating the nerve, followed by a period in which no pulses are generated. The on/off duty cycle of these alternating periods of stimulation and no stimulation preferably has a ratio in which the off time is approximately 1.8 to 6 times the length of the on time. Nominally, the width of each pulse is set to a value not greater than about 500 μs, and the pulse repetition frequency is programmed to be in a range of about 20 to 30 Hz. The electrical and timing parameters of the stimulating signal used for VNS as described herein for the preferred embodiment will be understood to be merely exemplary and not as constituting limitations on the scope of the invention.
The intermittent aspect of the bilateral stimulation resides in applying the stimuli according to a prescribed duty cycle. The pulse signal is programmed to have a predetermined on-time in which a train or series of electrical pulses of preset parameters is applied to the vagus branches, followed by a predetermined off-time. Nevertheless, continuous application of the electrical pulse signal may also be effective in treating movement disorders.
Also, as shown in FIG. 2, dual implanted NCP devices 10 a and 10 b may be used as the pulse generators, one supplying the right vagus and the other the left vagus to provide the bilateral stimulation. At least slightly different stimulation for each branch may be effective as well. Use of implanted stimulators for performing the method of the invention is preferred, but treatment may conceivably be administered using external stimulation equipment on an out-patient basis, albeit only somewhat less confining than complete hospitalization.
Implantation of one or more neurostimulators, of course, allows the patient to be completely ambulatory, so that normal daily routine activities including on the job performance is unaffected.
The desired stimulation of the patient's vagus nerve may also be achieved by performing unilateral supra-diaphragmatic or sub-diaphragmatic stimulation of either the left branch or the right branch of the vagus nerve, as shown in FIG. 3. A single neurostimulator 10 is implanted together with a lead 15 and associated nerve electrode 17. The nerve electrode 17 is implanted on either the right branch 19 or the left branch 20 of the nerve, preferably in a location in a range of from about two to about three inches above or below the patient's diaphragm 22. The electrical signal stimuli are the same as described above.
In a technique illustrated in FIG. 4, the signal stimuli are applied at a portion of the nervous system remote from the vagus nerve, for indirect stimulation of the vagus nerve in the vicinity of the diaphragmatic location. Here, at least one signal generator 10 is implanted together with one or more electrodes 17 subsequently operatively coupled to the generator via lead 15 for generating and applying the electrical signal internally to a portion of the patient's nervous system other than the vagus nerve, to provide indirect stimulation of the vagus nerve in the vicinity of the desired location. Alternatively, the electrical signal stimulus may be applied non-invasively to a portion of the patient's nervous system for indirect stimulation of the vagus nerve at the near-diaphragmatic location.
In treating the disorder, detection strategies such as sensing patient movement, particularly of the extremities, which appears to be random, uncoordinated and involuntary, may be employed to trigger the stimulation. To that end, a small accelerometer 30 in its own case may be separately implanted such as in a leg or arm of the patient to detect such movement. Or instead, the accelerometer may be mounted integrally in the same case that houses the neurostimulator. Alternatively, the vagal stimulation may be performed without need for detection of a symptom characteristic of the disorder or onset of the disorder. In that case, the stimulation is continuous, or it may be periodic, or intermittent during prescribed segments of the patient's circadian cycle. For example, stimulation may be periodic with a random frequency for the stimulating pulse waveform. In any event, this regimen of vagal stimulation is programmed into the neurostimulator device 10 (or 10 a, 10 b, as the case may be).
Since the patient is generally able to quickly recognize the symptoms of the movement disorder, where it is characterized by sudden onset or other random condition, provision may be made and preferably is made for patient activation of the neurostimulator for treatment of the particular movement disorder. For example, certain techniques of manual and automatic activation of implantable medical devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,206 to R. G. Baker, Jr. et al. (referred to herein as "the '206 patent"), which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application. According to the '206 patent, means for manually activating or deactivating the stimulus generator may include a sensor such as a piezoelectric element 31 mounted to the inner surface of the generator case and adapted to detect light taps by the patient on the implant site. One or more taps applied in fast sequence to the skin above the location of the stimulus generator in the patient's body may be programmed into the device as the signal for activation of the generator, whereas two taps spaced apart by a slightly longer time gap is programmed as the signal for deactivation, for example. The therapy regimen performed by the implanted device(s) remains that which has been pre-programmed by means of the external programmer, according to the prescription of the patient's physician in concert with recommended programming techniques provided by the device manufacturer. In this way, the patient is given limited but convenient control over the device operation, to an extent which is determined by the program dictated and/or entered by the attending physician.
Where sense electrodes are to be utilized to detect onset of the movement disorder being treated, a signal analysis circuit is incorporated in the neurostimulator. Upon detection of the symptom of interest of the disorder being treated, the processed digital signal is supplied to a microprocessor in the neurostimulator device, to trigger application of the stimulating signal to the patient's vagus nerve.
The principles of the invention may be applicable to selected cranial nerves other than the vagus nerve, to achieve the desired results. Hence, although certain preferred methods and modes of treating and controlling movement disorders through a regimen generally of cranial nerve, and specifically vagus nerve stimulation directly or indirectly at a near-diaphragmatic location have been described herein, it will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art of nerve stimulation for treatment of diseases and disorders that variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. It is therefore intended that the invention shall be limited only as required by the appended claims and by the rules of applicable law.
1. A method of treating patients suffering from a movement disorder, which comprises the step of stimulating a patient's vagus nerve with an electrical pulse signal applied directly or indirectly thereto at a location in the immediate vicinity of the patient's diaphragm, including selectively programming electrical and timing parameters of said electrical pulse signal according to a predetermined therapy regimen for alleviating the disorder.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating the patient's vagus nerve comprises performing unilateral supra- or sub-diaphragmatic stimulation of either the left branch or the right branch of the vagus nerve.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating the patient's vagus nerve comprises performing bilateral supra- or sub-diaphragmatic stimulation of the left and right branches of the vagus nerve.
4. The method of claim 1, including implanting at least one signal generator and electrodes operatively coupled thereto for generating and applying said electrical signal to the vagus nerve at said location.
5. The method of claim 1, including implanting at least one signal generator and electrodes operatively coupled thereto for generating and applying said electrical signal internally to a portion of the patient's nervous system other than the vagus nerve to indirectly stimulate the vagus nerve at said location.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said stimulating electrical signal comprises a sequence of electrical pulses.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating comprises applying said electrical signal to the vagus nerve at a location in a range of from about two to about three inches above or below the patient's diaphragm.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating comprises applying said electrical signal intermittently, in alternating on and off intervals according to a predetermined duty cycle.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating comprises applying said electrical signal continuously.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating comprises applying said electrical signal according to the patient's circadian rhythm.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating comprises applying said electrical signal bilaterally and synchronously to both branches of the vagus nerve.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of stimulating comprises applying said electrical signal non-invasively to a portion of the patient's nervous system other than the vagus nerve to indirectly stimulate the vagus nerve at said location.
13. The method of claim 1, including detecting random, uncoordinated involuntary movement of the patient characteristic of the disorder, and thereupon triggering application of said stimulating electrical pulse signal to the vagus nerve at said location.
14. The method of claim 1, including programming for initiation of the electrical stimulation by the patient upon sensing a symptom characteristic of onset of the disorder, to trigger application of said stimulating electrical pulse signal to the vagus nerve at said location.
15. A method of treating patients suffering from involuntary movement disorders by stimulating a selected cranial nerve of the patient with an electrical signal applied to induce a signal up the nerve toward the brain from a location in the vicinity of the patient's diaphragm, including programming electrical and timing parameters of said electrical signal to ameliorate said disorder.
16. The method of claim 15, including applying said electrical signal directly to the selected cranial nerve at a location substantially immediately above or below the diaphragm.
17. The method of claim 15, including applying said electrical signal internally to a portion of the patient's nervous system remote from the selected cranial nerve to indirectly stimulate the selected cranial nerve at said location.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein said stimulating electrical signal comprises a sequence of electrical pulses.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of stimulating comprises applying said electrical signal to the selected cranial nerve at said location in a range of from about two to about three inches above or below the patient's diaphragm.
20. The method of claim 15, including detecting involuntary movement of the patient characteristic of the disorder, and thereupon triggering application of said stimulating electrical signal to the selected cranial nerve at said location.
21. The method of claim 15, including programming for initiation of the stimulating electrical signal by the patient upon sensing a symptom characteristic of onset of the movement disorder, to trigger application of said stimulating electrical pulse signal to the selected cranial nerve at said location.
International Search Report mailed Dec. 5, 2002.
Lahmeyer et al., "Biologic Markers in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Review," J. Clin. Psych.(1989) 50(6):217-225.
Rush et al., "A Journal of Psychiatric Neuroscience," Biological Psychiatry, Feb., 2000.


He's known as The World's Mightiest Mortal, and indeed - Captain Marvel is one of the most powerful and recognizable champions of justice! This classic hero is secretly young teenager Billy Batson. Orphaned and abandoned, one day Billy Batson was approached by a stranger... one rainy day in the city. This dark and mysterious figure lured Billy into a secret wing of the city's subway, in which the two rode a magical train into the mystical Rock of Eternity.
In this mystical setting, Billy was introduced to Shazam, a great and ancient wizard. Shazam bestowed upon Billy the super powers of the following mythical legends: from Solomon came wisdom; Hercules provided strength; Atlas empowered stamina; Zeus bestowed raw power; Achilles granted courage; and Mercury enabled speed. When shouting the wizard's name, Billy Batson was transformed into Captain Marvel - The World's Mightiest Mortal!
As Captain Marvel, Billy Batson was a fullgrown adult and super-hero. The good Captain Marvel originally broke up a crime ring spearheaded by Dr. Sivana, who would become Cap's leading arch-enemy. But the story provided Captain Marvel's alter ego with a great job as a newscaster for radio and television station WHIZ. In time, Captain Marvel would emerge as one of the world's greatest super-heroes, and lead an entire cadre of similar champions known as The Marvel Family. Along with Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, and the Three Lieutenant Marvels, Captain Marvel battled not only The Sivana Family, but a vast legion of super-villains called The Monster Society of Evil.
Captain Marvel rivals Superman for raw power, strength, and abilities. Due to the insidious schemes of such enemies as Adolf Hitler and King Kull, Captain Marvel has managed to battle Superman in one-on-one combat. He stood toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow with both, the Earth-One and Earth-Two Supermen.
In the original Golden Age stories and during his Silver Age relaunch, Captain Marvel operated in New York City. But beginning around 1985, his hometown was recognized as Fawcett City.
Because of legal constrictions (namely from Marvel Comics circa the 1970s), Captain Marvel's name cannot headline a comic or cartoon. Therefore, DC had to market the character under the SHAZAM! label - causing some to refer to the hero as Shazam!
DC did not originally own Captain Marvel. In fact they sued Fawcett Publications during the Golden Age, because of the similarities between CM and Superman. Eventually, Fawcett ceased publications, and CM went into obscurity. In 1973, DC (then officially known as National Periodical Publications) licensed Captain Marvel and several of the Fawcett characters. They appeared in Shazam!, World's Finest Comics, and even a three-part team-up in the pages of the Justice League of America. DC let the licensing time elapse, and was no longer able to use such heroes as Spy Smasher, Bulletman, Ibis the Invincible, etc. Ironically, DC purchased Captain Marvel and his Shazam! characters around 1985; the rest of the Fawcett characters were outright purchased by DC in the late 1980s.
Although Captain Marvel shared similar marketing and merchandising with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman during the 1970s, in the comics he operated in another dimension - Earth-Shazam or Earth-S. On both Earth-One and Earth-Two, he was a comic book character.


In this team, you'll work with highly experienced sector specialists to help organisations transform the performance of their core operations and supply chains.
Our clients operate in a wide variety of sectors. Although their core operations may be different, they face similar, increasingly complex challenges, as the business landscape continues to evolve. Customer demands, regulatory requirements and employee expectations are increasing, and the unprecedented pace of technological development continues to accelerate, disrupting whole industries.
Supply Chain Operations – working with our clients to transform their procurement, logistics, distribution, suppliers and planning performance.
Operational Excellence – driving performance through Process Excellence, Performance Excellence and Decision-Making Excellence.
Operation Model Transformation –transforming our clients' performance by transforming the way their businesses are set up and operate.
Next generation technologies and advanced analytics drive the delivery of our solutions across all three groups, including propositions around 'Digital Supply Chain', 'Industry 4.0', 'Decision-Making Excellence', 'Powered Procurement' and '21st Century Operational Excellence'.
In the rapidly evolving digital age, meeting customers' expectations is one of the biggest challenges our clients face. This means it's one of the most stimulating and exciting areas of KPMG for you to join.
Customer Strategy – in today's fast-moving, customer-led world, new digital businesses are disrupting whole industries. It's a challenging environment that demands innovative customer strategies, based on customer insight data and analytics, an agile approach to proposition development and the courage to introduce new business models. As a customer analytics specialist or consultant, you'll work with clients to inform these strategies and develop new propositions and business models.
Customer Experience – designing the best customer experience is one of the key areas where businesses can gain a competitive edge in the digital age. As a member of this team, you'll be working with award-winning consultants, helping clients to define a bold vision for the customer experience to differentiate their offer. Once this vision is identified, you'll enable the client to embed it across their organisation. Using trusted design thinking, methods and tools you'll also assess existing customer experiences, develop ideal target experiences and establish approaches to address customer issues every day.
Marketing, Sales and Service – for businesses to truly align with their customers' agendas, they need to transform their marketing, sales and service functions to engage customers both before and after their purchase. In this team, you'll help our clients to restructure these functions and develop new operating models based on customer expectations of the full brand experience. This could involve digital marketing, personalised selling, robotic and AI augmented services or cloud-based customer relationship management platforms, as you help clients transform their business.


text:
Sensei (edition 2004)
by John Donohue
Series: Connor Burke Series (Book 1)
103 1 176,753 (3.5) 1
▾Book information
Member: lverner
Title: Sensei
Authors: John Donohue
Info: Onyx (2004), Edition: Reprint, Paperback
Collections: Your library
Tags: mystery, martial arts fiction
Sensei by John Donohue
Recently added by mgd014, KamagiKat, econmatrix007, CrazedCollector, DoctorIntota, kaatmann, Norm_Lavallee, griffinel
The first of two books in the Connor Burke series. I read them in reverse order. I enjoyed both of them.
The writing is good, the story interesting, and the characters are compelling.
The story is set in the modern day, in NYC. Connor is from a large Irish family. He is a college professor who has a doctorate in Asian Studies. He trains seriously with a Japanese martial arts master, a Sensei. He has a brother who is a NYC police detective, and in both this book and the sequel, Deshi, they often hook up to deal with a crime.
Woven into the story is the brother and his partner, and elements of a police procedural. Connor's family also makes an appearance. The main focus is Connor's martial arts training, and experiences in the dojo, with his Sensei. The book covers not just the technical aspects of fighting but the psychological, and the mystical aspects of The Way.
There are usually murders, a mystery to solve, and bad guys to defeat. Along the way there is often information about Japanese culture, history, and sensibilities. All these many parts are woven well into a gripping story that reads quickly and often has touches of black humor.
I am not a martial arts enthusiast, or know much about them. I am drawn to this because it is a different world and is done well. I think the author is seriously into the martial arts in real life, but I have no idea of his accuracy or authenticity. Since the stories are well done, I don't really care. I hope there are more books. ( )
1 FicusFan | Mar 25, 2007 |
Connor Burke Series (Book 1)
In every case, the modus operandi is the same, and the only clue available is a cryptic message scrawled on the wall bearing the signature "Ronin" - the Japanese name for a masterless samurai.
Connor Burke, a part-time college teacher with a passion for the martial arts, is called in to help out with the investigation by his brother, an NYPD detective. With the help of his teacher, the master warrior Yamashita Sensei, Burke begins to follow the trail of clues that stretches across time and place, ultimately confronting his own fears, his sense of honor, and the ruthless killer who calls himself "Ronin".
Combining the exotic world of the Japanese martial arts with the gritty nuts-and-bolts aspects of a murder investigation, Sensei is a fast-paced, riveting thriller that explores the links between people as they struggle for mastery, identity, and a sense of belonging.
"In every case, the modus operandi is the same, and the only clue available is a cryptic message scrawled on the wall bearing the signature "Ronin" - the Japanese word for a masterless samurai." "Connor Burke, a part-time college teacher with a passion for the martial arts, is called in to help out with the investigation by his brother, an NYPD detective. With the help of his teacher, the master warrior Yamashita Sensei, Burke begins to follow the trail of clues that stretches across time and place, ultimately confronting his own fears, his sense of honor, and the ruthless killer who calls himself Ronin." "Combining the exotic world of the Japanese martial arts with the gritty nuts and bolts of a murder investigation, Sensei explores the links between people as they struggle for mastery, identity, and a sense of belonging."--BOOK JACKET.… (more)
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Stories & Lit
Summer Dog
Looking for love—and a meal.
By Bernice Kolier, July 2012, Updated February 2015
He lay in the shelter of the cantilevered deck of a large house perched on top of a dune and watched the pelting rain pockmark the sand. With a practiced paw, he scratched at the fleas who had made his shabby coat their home this past week —the week that found him alone and hungry. The beach was deserted, as were most of the houses along this strip of golden coast. He remembered a time when he had all the food he could eat and a bed next to a fireplace whose dying embers gave him warmth. Someone had always combed his fur, which made him ripple with pleasure. A strange-smelling collar, gently fitted around his neck with love, seemed to him both protection and a sign that he belonged.
He rose stiffly and tried to shake the unwanted tenants from his yellow coat as he yawned mightily. A gnawing in the pit of his stomach drove him to seek sustenance. Two houses away, the tiny woman sometimes gave him leftovers if he moaned piteously by the back door; it was worth a try, but today that tactic failed. The place had been sealed for the winter. His sometime-benefactor was gone.
He trekked the long empty road to town and searched for alleys with overflowing trash cans in which he could forage for something to eat. That was a last resort, for, as he had found, other dogs had laid claim to the garbage and he had learned not to mess with them. They traveled in packs, slinking around corners in the darkened streets and showing him their sharp teeth when they found him in their territory. One of them, the leader, Whippet-thin and short-haired, as they all were, had chased him from his domain, snapping at his tail as he ran. At a safe distance, he turned his head and saw them in a tight cluster—sentinels of scraps, who made sure he had gotten the message before they turned their attention to the remnants of gourmet meals on which they subsisted.
When the rain let up, he trotted to the narrow blacktop road, stopping at a pothole to slake his thirst in a rainwater puddle. His eyes then moved to the distant highway where he watched the occasional car speed by. Wearily, he moved ahead, head hanging low.
A squat, boxy station wagon pulled into a nearby driveway. He crept along the tall, untrimmed hedge, lay down, and watched as four people emerged and pulled boxes and suitcases from the back of the vehicle. The faint smell of food drifted from the boxes they carried to the house and made him salivate.
A small boy spotted him hiding near the hedge and bent down, regarding him solemnly. Shaking his coat once again, he stood and wagged his tail to show he was friendly. The boy reached out a tentative hand and he licked the fingers ever so gently. The child's face crinkled with delight. He ran to the man and tugged at his sleeve. The dog watched the man turn, frown at him and shake his head. The child pleaded and was soon joined by the little girl, who clapped her hands and made cooing noises. Both ran to the woman, who smiled at the dog and touched the man's arm. She nodded, and he snapped his fingers. Obediently, the dog trotted forward, sat and waited.
His coat was now raked with little fingers, which brought back memories of other scratchings, warm beds and food. Suddenly, the man once again shook his head. The dog heard the people talking,words he could not understand, but he had a bad feeling about this. The children started to cry and the woman whispered something to the man; he shrugged, picked up a box and walked toward the house. The dog waited. The woman squatted, looked into the dog's eyes and ran a cool hand over his rough golden coat. She clicked her fingers and he followed her to the back door, where she pointed to a fiber doormat, upon which he lay down.
The woman entered the house and returned moments later with a bowl of water that she placed by his head. She said something in a pleasing tone and re-entered the house.
All afternoon, the children played with the dog. They led him to the beach and he showed them his prowess in retrieving a thrown stick, wading far out into the surf to return with the object clamped in his mouth.He deposited it at the foot of one child, then the other, giving each equal time. Barking with delight, he did this over and over until the children grew tired of the game. He ignored the rumbling in his stomach; surely food would be his payment for all his hard work.
Finally, when the sky grew darker, the family gathered at the house, and the dog followed. He sat on his mat and waited. The man lit a barbeque on the deck and the woman brought great platters of meat and vegetables. As the aroma of charred beef rose in the air, the dog fought to control himself. In a little while, a plate was placed next to him and, although he was so hungry he could easily have eaten a shoe, he showed great restraint by gently nibbling at the food while the woman watched. She smiled and moved away. Before she had returned to the table, the dog's reserve had disappeared, as had the meat. He licked the dish so vigorously, it moved from the side of the mat some three feet on the grass.When nothing else could be gleaned from the empty plate, he lapped at his water and stretched out on his mat. A nap was called for on this wondrous day.
Exhausted, the dog closed his eyes but remained wary. It felt good to be with people again, to belong. Sleep was out of the question, for if he dozed off, the people might not be here when he woke up.
Article first appeared in The Bark, Issue 43: Jul/Aug 2007
Illustration by Heather Horton
Poem: Joint Portrait
At The End Of Four Leashes
My Friend's Dog
Humans + Dogs: The Longest Love Story
By Courtney Sexton
Of Mutts and Men (an excerpt from the latest Chet & Bernie Mystery)
By Spencer Quinn
For Dogs Fun is the X-Factor
By Melissa Starling, PhD, Paul McGreevy, PhD, MRCVS
Asta Encounters the Divine in Big Laurel Creek
By Gene Hyde


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1 adult dies after 2-alarm fire breaks out in Inner Richmond building
Photo: Patrick Traughber/Twitter
By Teresa Hammerl - Published on December 23, 2019.
San FranciscoInner Richmond
A second-alarm fire broke out at Cabrillo Street and 16th Avenue in the Inner Richmond at 2:53 p.m. on Monday, the San Francisco Fire Department said.
One adult was rescued from the three-story complex and is in critical condition, officials added. One firefighter suffered minor injuries. The fire initially started as a first alarm but was later upgraded to a second alarm.
"It was originally located on the second floor with flames shooting out the second floor window of the [left] side of the building," a fire department spokesperson said, adding that the fire quickly escalated to the third floor.
pic.twitter.com/rhoOCTMtT0
— Patrick Traughber (@ptraughber) December 23, 2019
The blaze also prompted an "avoid the area" warning, sent out by the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. The fire department spokesperson added that it is still an active scene and it is currently not known how many people will be displaced from the building.
Avoid the Area of 16th and Cabrillo due to SFFD activity.
— San Francisco DEM (@SF_emergency) December 23, 2019
The fire was contained around 4 p.m. and is under investigation, officials said.
Update 6:15 p.m.: The San Francisco Fire Department reports that the rescued victim has succumbed to his injuries. "Our thoughts of support and prayer are offered to the community, friends, and family," the department wrote on Twitter.


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InfoQ Homepage News Q&A with Gerald Weinberg on The Influence of Individual Moods on Team Working
Q&A with Gerald Weinberg on The Influence of Individual Moods on Team Working
Dec 11, 2014 4 min read
InfoQ is researching the factors that influence the mood of teams. As team mood is an aggregation of the individual moods of team members, understanding the individual mood and how it influences team working can help to learn more about team moods.
Gerald Weinberg is the author of more than 100 books, including The Psychology of Computer Programming, Becoming a Technical Leader, Change Artistry, and the Women of Power novels (where mood plays an important part). InfoQ interviewed him about individual and team mood, influencing the mood of individuals and discussing moods in teams.
InfoQ: You mentioned that you consider the mood of individuals and teams to be a highly important topic. Can you explain why it matters?
Gerald: Suppose you compare two development organizations and find them identical in all the "logical" parameters, such as, experience, education, and age, but you find their productivity differing by a factor of ten. Chances are the difference you can find will be a different mood.
InfoQ: Can you share us your view on individual mood? What is it and how can we get insight into the mood of an individual?
Gerald: Again, mood is what differentiates otherwise identical individuals and explains most of their differences in productivity. Some people will say, no, the difference is in attitude. Well, attitude is the climate, but mood is the weather. That is, attitudes tend to change slowly if at all, while mood can change in an instant.
InfoQ: What about team mood, what are your thoughts on that?
Gerald: Team mood is a slippery concept because at any given moment, each team member may be experiencing a different mood. On the other hand, the mood of one member may have a similar effect on others, so team mood frequently follows one of the members. For example, if one team member is depressed for a while, soon others may become depressed, too.
InfoQ: Can you give some examples of possible effects of the mood of individuals on team working?
Gerald: If one member is in a bad mood, s/he may work slower than usual, causing the team to fail to reach its schedule goals. But a good mood, if it goes too far, can also cause problems. For instance, when a team member is falling in love, s/he may be so distracted that her/his error rate may go up. Or, a test might tend to be overly forgiving of questionable practices, letting them pass rather than questioning them.
InfoQ: Do you think that is ethically right to influence the mood of individuals, for instance while coaching people or acting as a change agent?
Gerald: It doesn't matter whether it's ethically right because any coach will influence the mood of a team, whether that coach is trying to influence mood or not. On the other hand, any coach's overt attempts to influence mood tend to have no effect, or even backfire and depress the team. "We don't need that rah-rah stuff."
InfoQ: What kind of interventions do you suggest to influence the mood of individuals?
Gerald: Don't try to influence mood. Just let people know by your behavior that they're entitled to have whatever emotions they have. Of course, it's easy to make interventions that worsen the mood of the team, especially management-sponsored events to "cheer them up." For instance, giving rewards to individuals for exceptional performance often leads to resentment on the part of those who do not receive awards.
InfoQ: People sometimes find it difficult to talk about their mood and feelings with their team members. Do you have some suggestions on how to help people to share their mood and discuss it in teams?
Gerald: I'm not sure that discussing mood has any useful effects, unless the major influence on mood is something happening within the team. If something within the team is negatively affecting the team's mood, then making it open for discussion can be helpful. A coach is not a psychotherapist, however, so stick to facts and avoid interpretations. Also, it's usually best not to start such a discussion with the entire team. Start with one person at a time, because that will be much easier on reluctant participants than baring their soul in front of all their teammates. If team issues emerge, then try to earn permission to bring the subject to the team as a whole by demonstrating how their mood is affecting the rest of the team.
One more point: Do not raise the issue of mood unless
you believe that the mood of the team is affecting performance
you are willing to stick with the subject until something is resolved
you are prepared for the discovery that YOU are the primary cause of the team's unproductive mood
This content is in the Software Craftsmanship topic
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Delivering Value
Group Communication
Distributed Team
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