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Americans are truly the most generous people on the planet. During COVID-19, we slid to 19th place in world rankings but quickly recovered to a tie for first place with Myanmar (we learned it as Burma). Even American millennials have begun to establish patterns of generosity. For the record, we applaud their efforts.
For many Americans, generosity is not rooted in tax benefits but is instead just part of their DNA. Studies have shown that the number one reason for charitable gifting is to support causes and concepts near and dear to them. Nonetheless, saving on taxes, or otherwise improving current or future cash flow, is a plus.
Uncle Sam encourages gifting, using the tax system to exclude donations to qualified charities from taxable income. This deduction is currently applicable only to taxpayers who itemize deductions, which has become a far smaller percentage of the population in recent years. The loss of itemized deductions has surprisingly not put a damper on our collective generosity.
Taxpayers aged 70-1/2 and above may avoid taxation on their charitable gifts using Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs. We discussed QCDs in recent blogs. Maximizing the cash flow impact of donations for people under 70-1/2 will be a subject for upcoming Blogs.
Wealthier Americans use gifting to spread their assets around while they are alive, possibly shielding those funds from a high Estate Tax rate upon their death. While the value of assets excludable from taxation at death is currently quite high, there is a strong likelihood that those limits will drop in the future. Depending on the possible reduction in exclusion limits, many more Americans may find themselves over the tax-free limit. Escalating housing values, retirement assets, and higher incomes, all add up over time, and planning is critical to minimize the impact of future Estate Taxes.
This time of year, many charities solicit donations using a matching gift process, whereby a wealthy Samaritan matches (sometimes even multiplies) donations from average Americans. While this does not improve the donors’ cash flows, it adds to the satisfaction received from their generosity.
Based on taxation rules, it is apparent that our Federal Government strongly encourages individual generosity. Based on the track record of Americans, it seems that we are only too pleased to respond positively.
In the coming Blogs, we will cover many more topics of interest to charitably-minded citizens.
Van Wie Financial is fee-only. For a reason.

domain: finance


Everyone needs to get a good night’s sleep. The material can have an impact on how you sleep. Naturepedic mattresses are the answer.
With all-natural cotton and organic wool batting, Naturepedic ensures an environmentally friendly bedding. Naturepedic mattresses are made without toxic chemicals. They believe that green and organic products can nurture one’s health.
This review will focus on Naturepedic’s mattresses for kids and adults. Sounds great, right?
If you don’t have enough time to read through it all, a verdict is found at the end of the review.
Before you continue, you may want to check out this video by The Sleep Sherpa on YouTube that gives a quick review. After, you’ll want to read the rest of our article for a more comprehensive review.
Overview of the Naturepedic Mattress Naturepedic Bassinet Mattress Pad
Naturepedic mattresses come in four variants: Chorus, Essentials, EOS Series, and Luxury. There are sizes available for children and adults. You can also choose from a variety of mattress types. Each succeeding variant is more expensive than the other.
This is because the brand uses 100% natural cotton and chemical-free material. Naturepedic does not use GMO elements and uses food-grade waterproof surfaces.
The Chorus mattress has a wool batting. It is suitable for all sleeping positions, including stomach, back, side and stomach. They consider it a hybrid mattress. The mattress is made up of a layer of non-GMO polylactide, which adapts to your sleeping patterns.
Not all mattresses are the same. Depending on who will use the mattress should also be considered.
Organic Crib Mattresses for Your Baby
Naturepedic mattresses are waterproof. Any leakage from your baby won’t dampen the mattress at all, so you can clean it from the get-go. Plus, it is certified to Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
The seamless version is best if your primary concern is cleanliness for your baby. They are waterproof at the edges to stop bacteria buildup.
In particular, it is made out of food-grade polyethylene. It is basically an eco-friendly form of polyester. When you try to wash it in the laundry, you won’t have to worry about any harmful chemicals.
This section of the review is for the Chorus mattress. Their official website contains information on all of their products.
Naturepedic mattresses have decent motion isolation, except it may vary among its firmness.
If one wants to get into bed right after a long day, there is a core coil in it. Who doesn’t like resting right after a tiring day of work? To limit the spread, each spring is pocketed individually.
Their mattresses are designed to withstand various temperatures. When the night is hot, the mattress remains breathable with its organic wool cooling the temperature and moist.
Unlike all-foam models, temperature regulation is felt throughout. The latex layer circulates any heat from hot spots to lessen the spread.
Edge Support can make or break your sleep. There are microcoils found on the edge when you sleep there. This will support your body without relying on pressure points.
You may find it difficult to get out of bed if you prefer to sleep in the same place as your bed. It all depends on your sleeping patterns. Another factor is if an adult is more than 230 pounds, one could sink into the mattress than lighter individuals.
Naturepedic is an organic mattress and does not emit any off-gassing smells. A big win for those who are health conscious.
Off-gassing scents come from synthetic foams, which spew volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs aren’t harmful but some people prefer to avoid them. So it’s best to consider what the mattress could hold for you.
Pressure Relief on the bed means if it can lessen tension. Naturepedic contains coils to balance support, and your body weight will be evenly distributed. No more sore mornings!
It is important to know that your weight plays a role in this decision. A medium firmness can provide more relief for people who weigh more than 230 lbs.
Pricing and Deals
Naturepedic has mattresses in a variety of sizes. The brand uses only high-quality organic materials, so high prices can be expected. This table is for Naturepedic’s Chorus mattress.
Naturepedic’s prices cannot be listed in this review. Please refer to their official website.
Comparison to Existing Mattresses
Naturepedic is a great product, but it can be expensive. There are alternatives to choose from, at least. Some mattresses listed here are only for toddlers or babies.
You can find one mattress!
My Green Mattress
Price Range: $899 – $1699
My Green Mattress is very similar to Naturepedic. However, the difference in price is significant. The product is made from organic wool and is intended for stomach sleep.
It combines pocketed coils and latex foam with an organic cotton cover. It’s also a hybrid bed. The springs assist in support and cushioning when laid down. It is in the medium-firm range for firmness. You won’t be sunk into the mattress, that’s for sure.
Price Range: $150 – $190
Although it is the most economical of the bunch, it doesn’t mean that the quality is less. Moonlight Slumber is an alternative choice to crib mattresses when you prioritize softness above all. Babies love their beauty sleep on a comfortable bed made out of foam.
While there are no mattresses made for adults, if it does, this could be the best choice on a budget.
Newton Crib Mattress
Price range: $250-$350
Newton Crib Mattresses are made from foam and food-grade plastic. Here toddlers and infants will have fun playing or relaxing. For parents who need to change diapers often, they even come with a waterproof option. Naturepedic Bassinet Mattress Pad
Your baby won’t experience any problems sleeping as the mattress is breathable. For a family who’s starting out, this can be a great option.
Considerations when buying a mattress
A mattress can last a long time, regardless of whether it is Naturepedic or another brand. Although you can exchange a mattress for any defect, it is a product that will be used. Child, adult, or anyone is going to use it at one point.
For me, Naturepedic takes the first spot.
Naturepedic mattresses offer a 90-night trial. This can only be availed if the product was purchased through their website. If a customer wants a refund, the mattress should be kept for at least 30 days.
The flip side is that if a customer returns the mattress within the trial period, they will receive a full refund and free shipping. Naturepedic Bassinet Mattress Pad
During the 90-night trial, customers can even switch out layers with different firmness for free.
Naturepedic Mattresses: Warranty and Shipping
For the Chorus, Serenade and children mattresses, a 10-year warranty is offered. For the EOS Series and Luxury mattresses, the warranty lasts for 20 years. Crib mattresses come with a lifetime limited warranty as well as a 30-day guarantee of your satisfaction.
As for the shipping, it is free of charge. Once ordered, they cannot be canceled. They will be shipped within three business days. Any damaged mattresses will be replaced by Naturepedic at no extra charge.
Customers have three delivery options available:
- Curbside delivery
- Threshold delivery
- In-home assembly
For those looking for organic mattresses, Naturepedic mattress are a great choice. While they are expensive, their chemical-free properties and customizable options make up for it.
The great aspect about Naturepedic is it works for the whole family. They are safe and non-toxic, making them a great choice for anyone. As the company aims, they give great comfort to all.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Naturepedic Bassinet Mattress Pad
What is Naturepedic?
Founded in 2003 by Barry A. Cik, Naturepedic mattresses follow a healthier way of sleeping with their materials coming from sustainable sources. The company created the first baby crib mattress designed with a food-grade waterproof surface made from non-GMO sugarcane.
Are mattresses eco-friendly?
Absolutely. Their mattresses have no flame retardants and polyurethane foam which harm the environment. Preservation is the main goal.
Can the Naturepedic mattress require a box spring?
No need. You can place Naturepedic mattresses on the floor or directly on the bed frame. Putting a box spring is optional if you want the extra height to your bed.
Where are the mattresses made from?
Naturepedic mattresses can be found in the United States.
How long does the mattress last?
The mattress will last a lifetime. It’s covered in the warranty. It doesn’t matter if you are an adult, or if you have a baby. It can be passed on to family members and loved ones who may also need it. The warranty is only valid for one owner.
Does Naturepedic offer a warranty for their mattresses?
Yes, they do. The type of mattress you choose will affect the longevity. The cheapest mattresses (i.e. Chorus, Serenade and kids mattresses) last 10 years. Premium options, such as EOS Series or Luxury, last for 20 to 25 years. Crib mattresses have a limited warranty, but there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Naturepedic is different from other mattresses
Their mattresses are backed up by scientific data, and they are regularly tested for chemical emissions. Like in their crib mattresses, they are supported by coil innersprings wrapped by organic wool.
Does Naturepedic mattress emit off-gas?
It doesn’t. Though a scent may be present when you open a new mattress, it won’t give off harmful chemicals. The mattress is made out of organic material. Mattresses made from other materials may emit it.


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These are Rectify Series drop-in speaker systems for Athearn RTR U50 (not Genesis) locomotives. The rear-mount speaker uses carpet-tape or a touch of adhesive to secure it to the frame. The front-mount speaker uses the factory mounting screws. No modifications are needed.
The speaker comes fully assembled and tested.
26mmH x 18mmW x 24mmL (rear)
10mmH x 18mmW x 29mmL (front)
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domain: hobby


Reduce Non-Productive Time (NPT)
Four projects using MudCube are currently ongoing:
- Maersk Resolve: 4 MudCubes
- Maersk Gallant: 3 MudCubes
- Maersk Giant: 3 MudCubes
- Scarabeo 5: 4 MudCubes
Total MudCube running-hours on installations in operation per February 2016: 68 185 hours
No Non-Productive Time (NPT) on the rig has ever been reported due to failure on the MudCube. On each installation, the individual MudCube is a totally independent system giving full redundancy if one MudCube for some reason are shut down.
“I hereby confirm that in almost 2 years of operation MudCubes have not caused any down time to Maersk Resolve, nor NPT for the Client. Rig crew has in short time became fully competent and trained for operation and maintenance of MudCubes, hence change out of parts or consumables is a routine task.
Spare parts and consumables required were always available of the shelf with extremely fast delivery, and the online support from Cubility Technical team was first class, allowing us to maintain close dialogue and deliver additional value to the Client.”
Rig Manager Maersk Resolve, February 19th 2016


The Global CMOS and sCMOS Image Sensors Market is growing with the rapid pace; mainly due to the advancement in imaging technology and the emerging requirements in the fields of hyperspectral imaging, astronomy and quantum imaging.
Acknowledging its growing popularity and the market growth, Market Research Future, recently published a study report – The global CMOS and sCMOS Image Sensors Market. Which indicates that the Market is booming and estimated to gain further prominence over the forecast period? Further MRFR asserts that the Market will demonstrate a massive growth by 2027, phenomenally superseding its previous growth records in terms of value with a whooping CAGR during the anticipated period (2016 – 2027).
The Global CMOS and sCMOS Image Sensors Market is vastly driven by the rising demand of small HD camcorders and smartphones, advancement of digital technology, coupled with rising concern about security and surveillance among consumers. Further the growing investments transpired in to R&D activities for technological innovation by the industry key players fosters the market growth. With their conscientious efforts and forays ensures that they constantly offer innovations for consumer genre long before even the consumer acknowledges its necessity. At the same time consumers appreciate the efficacy of these innovations and increase the sale of cameras equipped with CMOS and sCMOS Image Sensors which further ensures the traction in the market growth. Additionally, factors such as Technological advancements, rising disposable income coupled with economic growth of developing economies of Asia Pacific Region provide impetus to the market growth up to a large extent.
Request a Sample report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/909
Some of the major players in Global CMOS and sCMOS Image sensor market include Sony Corporation (Japan), Panasonic Corporation (Japan), Galaxy Core Inc. (China), SK Hynix Inc. (South Korea), Omni Vision Technologies Inc. (US), Samsung electronics (South Korea), TOSHIBA CORPORATION (Japan) and Canon Inc. (Japan) among others.
Industry & Innovation News
11 November 2017 – Researchers at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) published their innovation – A new computer algorithm that allows scientists to use scientific complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (sCMOS) cameras for a wide range of biological research. The sensor provides significant advances in imaging speed, sensitivity and field of view compared with traditional detectors such as charge-coupled devices or electron multiplying CCDs.
18 October 2017 – Photometrics (Designer and manufacturer of high-performance CMOS, EMCCD and CCD cameras for life science research) launches the Iris 15, a new scientific CMOS camera from Photometrics designed with a large field of view for a diverse range of applications including microscopy, cell screening and cellular imaging among others. Iris 15 is the only camera providing high resolution with video rate acquisition speeds, the Iris 15 sCMOS camera ensures the proper capture and documentation of dynamic cellular events. High resolution images are captured at over 30 frames per second (fps).
October 2017, Princeton Instruments introduced KURO 2048B, back-illuminated, scientific CMOS (sCMOS) cameras. In response to the success of the KURO 1200B (1k x 1k) and market demand for higher performance, The KURO 2048B provides a large-format 2048 x 2048 sensor with 11 μm pixels. Back-side illumination enables a 100% pixel fill factor and delivers CCD-like sensitivity.
September 2017, The SPOT RT sCMOS camera from Spot Imaging features Sony’s Pregius CMOS sensor is launched. The RT sCMOS is optimal for fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence in situ hybridization, green fluorescence protein imaging, immunofluorescence and 3D de-convolution applications.
Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cmos-scmos-image-sensor-market
The global Market of CMOS and sCMOS Image Sensors appears to be highly competitive. Well established players incorporate acquisition, collaboration, partnership, expansion, and technology launch in order to gain competitive advantage in this market and to maintain their market position.
CMOS and sCMOS Image sensors are the gift of advanced imaging technology (sCMOS) based on next-generation CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) design and fabrication techniques. sCMOS is poised for widespread recognition as a true scientific grade CIS, capable of out-performing most scientific imaging devices on the market today. CMOS and sCMOS Image sensors instantaneously transport high sensitivity, rapid readout speeds without multiplicative noise associated with EM-CCDs. Due to its low noise yet high sensitivity the technology delivers high signal-to-noise ratio in a low light imaging. The technology of these image sensors have pixels consisting of a photodiode and an amplifier that converts charge into voltage. Owing to the high QE and Low Noise CMOS & sCMOS cameras deliver unique sensitivity with minimal pixel benefit variation at high speed.


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If you’re interested in knowing the differences between professional in-office teeth whitening and over-the-counter teeth whitening, then you have come to the right blog. Today, our dentist, Dr. Kevin Park, is happy to discuss the details of both treatments so you can choose the option that is right for you.
Professional in-office teeth whitening
An in-office treatment can brighten your smile quickly and efficiently. In fact, it can brighten your smile many shades within one appointment at our office. Our dentist will cover your teeth with a special whitening solution and then will activate the solution with a special dental light. This can safely give you the white results you desire, and the results can last a long period of time!
Over-the-counter teeth whitening
An over-the-counter whitening treatment can brighten your smile one or more shades. There are many treatment options available, like whitening toothpaste, whitening gel, and more. It’s important to follow the instructions closely because if you misuse the treatment, you can harm your smile. These treatments allow you to whiten your smile at home. They might take weeks or months to complete and they might be a little messy, but they can remove minor surface stains from the enamel.
Do you have any questions or would you like to know more about teeth whitening in Snohomish, Washington? If so, please contact Park Dental of Edmonds & Snohomish at your earliest convenience. All you need to do is dial 360-568-2153 and our dental team will be more than happy to help you. We look forward to hearing from you!

domain: medical


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A natural stone tiger’s eye ball bracelet for a unique style
Opt for this magnificent natural tiger's eye stone skull ball bracelet to add a touch of unique style to your outfit. The natural tiger's eye stone beads bring a warm and vibrant brown color, while the silver steel skull adds a rebellious and bold touch. This bracelet is specially designed for men who want to assert their personality and style. Whether you choose child size, large, medium, small or XS, this bracelet will fit your wrist perfectly.
Natural stones with beneficial properties for your well-being
In addition to being a trendy fashion accessory, this natural tiger eye stone skull ball bracelet also offers benefits for your well-being. Tiger's eye is a natural stone known for its protective and energizing properties. It will help you stay focused, balance your emotions and attract luck and prosperity. Wear this bracelet every day to benefit from its soothing properties and to attract positive energies into your life.
Affirm your style with this unique bracelet
With its original design mixing natural stone beads and skulls, this natural stone skull tiger eye ball bracelet is a fashion accessory that will not go unnoticed. It will add a touch of character to any outfit, whether for an evening with friends or a special occasion. Treat yourself or give it as a gift to a loved one who likes to stand out with unique accessories. This bracelet is a true symbol of style and personality.
- Tiger eye ball bracelet
- Natural stones
- Silver steel skull
- Protective and energizing properties
- Original and bold design

domain: artistic


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The following events happened 50 years ago, in 1961. The information for Echoes from the Past is written weekly by the Agassiz-Harrison Historical Society
50 Years Ago, 1961
• A whale was sighted in Harrison Lake spouting water up to 20 feet high in the channel between Echo Island and the east shore of the lake. Local residents and hotel guests reported seeing the animal churning the water “into fury”, causing echoes of the tremendous splashing to roll across the lake. It lingered in the lake for several days, providing many sightings and thrilling onlookers. This was not the first whale to visit Harrison Lake. Indian lore told a story of how two natives fishing in a dug-out canoe on the Harrison River in long-ago times had their craft raised above the surface on the back of a whale and carried some distance. That whale got stranded on a sandbar near the slave village of Heclan, now an Indian cemetery. The whale was slaughtered by spears and its heart was preserved and passed on from one generation to another for many generations. Another sighting in the lake was recorded on August 27, 1936 and was reported in the Vancouver Daily Province.
• Another Klondyke Days was held at Harrison Hot Springs but bad weather spoiled the affair. Three dances were held, highlighted by a bonus performance of the can-can by the “Klondyke Nuggets”. Due to the bad weather, the speed boat races drew only a few boats although the hotel water ski club put on a good display. The Iowa Colored Ghosts demonstrated some of their soft-ball skills in the afternoon despite the drizzle. However, the Sunday evening’s game against a valley all-star team was rained out. The bad weather caused a big disappointment for the sponsors, volunteers and participants.
• The employees of the Agassiz Correctional Camp completed a four-week course as part of their training, followed by a one-week stint at the BC Penitentiary at New Westminster before starting work at the new Correctional Camp at Seabird Island. Nineteen full-time workers participated.
• The District of Kent gave approval for construction of a new hotel west of Agassiz on the Lougheed Highway. This hotel would become the Kent Hotel, and was later renamed the Cross Roads Hotel. Approval was also given for a new hotel on the site of the Bella Vista Hotel on Pioneer Street, although later it was learned that the Attorney General would only issue one liquor license for the area and only the Kent Hotel was actually built.

domain: geography


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Quest for cardiovascular interventions: precise modeling and 3D printing of heart valves
Journal of Biological Engineering volume 13, Article number: 12 (2019)
Digitalization of health care practices is substantially manifesting itself as an effective tool to diagnose and rectify complex cardiovascular abnormalities. For cardiovascular abnormalities, precise non-invasive imaging interventions are being used to develop patient specific diagnosis and surgical planning. Concurrently, pre surgical 3D simulation and computational modeling are aiding in the effective surgery and understanding of valve biomechanics, respectively. Consequently, 3D printing of patient specific valves that can mimic the original one will become an effective outbreak for valvular problems. Printing of these patient-specific tissues or organ components is becoming a viable option owing to the advances in biomaterials and additive manufacturing techniques. These additive manufacturing techniques are receiving a full-fledged support from burgeoning field of computational fluid dynamics, digital image processing, artificial intelligence, and continuum mechanics during their optimization and implementation. Further, studies at cellular and molecular biomechanics have enriched our understanding of biomechanical factors resulting in valvular heart diseases. Hence, the knowledge generated can guide us during the design and synthesis of biomaterials to develop superior extra cellular matrix, mimicking materials that can be used as a bioink for 3D printing of organs and tissues. With this notion, we have reviewed current opportunities and challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of heart valve abnormalities through patient-specific valve design via tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting. These valves can replace diseased valves by preserving homogeneity and individuality of the patients.
Aortic regurgitation, aortic stenosis, primary mitral regurgitation, secondary mitral regurgitation, mitral stenosis, tricuspid regurgitation, tricuspid stenosis along with coronary artery disease, rheumatic fever and bacterial endocarditis are among the most dampen factors, which leads to the valvular heart diseases (VHDs) and valve abnormalities [1, 2]. The penultimate prophylaxis for VHDs is by identification of disorders at an early stage. It enables prevention of usage of available end stage diagnosis/treatment procedures, i.e. prosthetic valve replacement via transcatheterization or surgery . Besides, there also exist exclusive clinical guidelines issued by the eminent cardiologists concerning proactive steps for diagnosis and post/preoperative conditions at different stages along with the precise causes of these VHDs [4, 5].
These VHDs are associated with significant morbidity and mortality in an aged population, as they are correlated with vascular disorders. Considering the reasonable percentage of aged population in Europe, North America, Japan and other countries, VHDs are one of the prominent causes of death in these regions and need immediate attention . In VHDs, the valves become either too contracted to open-up entirely or incapable to close effectively. In such cases, the diseased valves drive the blood in a reverse direction (i.e. adjacent heart chamber) while an incompetent valve results in blood leakage into the chamber into which it previously exited . As a compensation for this inefficient pumping, the heart muscle enlarges and thickens, thereby losing its elasticity and morphology. These changes may result in hypoxic conditions leading to myocardial infarction, another fatal medical condition. Therefore, prosthetic valve replacement (via mechanical or biological valve) is the only exclusive solution available to compensate for the original valve under these rigorous circumstances . Nevertheless, this treatment entails some malfunctioning such as leaking, excessive care, medication and frequent clinical follow-up through imaging . Thus, it necessitates the search for an effective alternative such as patient-specific 3D printed, tissue-engineered valves using scaffolds and materials, which mimic the original valves [10, 11]. However, due to the limitations in scientific literature concerning the epidemiology, pathophysiology, mechanisms associated with regurgitation, stenosis and clinical management of VHDs, the development of alternative treatments for VHDs is quite challenging .
Therefore, the quest for contemporary interventions of VHDs requires a multidisciplinary, holistic approach where the amalgamation of inputs from engineering, medicine and basic sciences can generate a better understanding of VHDs to develop improved, patient-complaint pre/postoperative treatment and prevention methodologies. Hence, this review provides various contemporary opportunities along with the associated challenges for cardiac interventions to combat against such medical conditions. It also discusses the advances in biomaterials with suitable fabrication techniques which hold a promise to present recent advances in vascularized constructs, myocardium and heart valve conduits.
The evaluation of cardiac condition is a pre-requisite for elucidation of the extent of severity and the level of medical emergency. In case of VHD and related disorders, it can be diagnosed through any of two methods: first line of investigation includes non-invasive imaging modalities such as echocardiography, stress testing, cardiac magnetic resonance, computed tomography and cinefluoroscopy, while the latter is conducted through invasive imaging techniques comprising of cardiac catheterization (IOCT, IVUS) and coronary angiography [13,14,15]. These invasive techniques are more prone to initiate medical complications such as ventricular septal defect, coarctation of aorta, and many others. Therefore, it requires a higher expertise and skillful hands to perform invasive imaging. Moreover, there also lies the associated risks such bleeding, infection, clotting with an invasive modality due to the contact of the vascular layer with a foreign material and medications that might restricts the use of invasive techniques within their own sense of operations. Therefore, significant decision making parameters confirming the existence of VHD through non-invasive investigations is essential to study that are depicted in the Table 1.
However, there exists certain clinical cases that deviates from the standard categorization, hence requires operator preparedness to modify the imaging prognosis to effectively define the lesion in a heart valve. Precautious modeling, 3D volume rendering (VR) and curved multiplanar reconstruction (CMPR) are among these that are practiced during the modified diagnosis strategy. VR and CMPR enable higher vessel visualization and helps in preparing for patient specific surgical planning and intervention. There also exits digital imaging modalities using flat panel detectors on a rotating arm around the patient to generate volume data set that can be used on the parallel workstation to cast real time 3D angiography or CT imaging . Integrated multidisciplinary approach for real-time 3D monitoring is shown in Fig. 1.
Another intervention that provides near field and far-field imaging with minimal interference and devoid of anesthetic procedure is minimally invasive intracardiac echocardiography (ICE). The ICE utilizes the intracardiac ultrasound imaging catheter to perform its function. Depending on the specific clinical case requirements, the physician can easily manipulate the ICE setup to intervene and employ it for an effective diagnosis purpose . This radiation-free diagnosis can be a potential alternative to fluoroscopy imaging that exposes patients to the radiation. Provided the functionalities of ICE, Kenny et al., has discussed the commercially available ICE imaging techniques with their advantages and disadvantages . The data obtained from above imaging techniques is used to develop preoperative simulated model for the physician. These phantom models are used for training surgical procedure before actual operative practice. A case history of a 69 year old patient, having a compromised mitral valve-in-ring, suggested successful implementation of diagnostic imaging techniques to acquire data, develop a simulated model for visualization and a preoperative patient-specific 3D-printed phantom model to predict adequate clearance via simulation. Further, fruitful transcatheter mitral valve-in-ring (TMV-in-R) was substituted after gaining input from preoperative procedures. This procedure produced excellent clinical (proper functioning of mechanical valve) and hemodynamic results . Although it was clinical success, such interventions only provided a clinical tool to address the problem of stenosis or regurgitation. The underlying biomechanics of stenosis or regurgitation phenomena is least understood that might result in future complications like graft rejection, inflammation, delamination with nearby tissues and others. Therefore, mechanical interaction of blood and cardiac cells in such a mechanistic stressful environment of a valve need to be understood to ensure a successful integration of transplanted heart valve with a host tissue. Thus, these understandings are perquisite for the development of tissue-engineered valves and its effective remodeling and integration with native tissue without any physical abnormalities like changes in the mechanosensitive channels such as kinase due to hemodynamic pressure.
Mechanobiology of stenosis
Studies demonstrated that mechanical forces play a significant role in VHD by the active control of the function of a valve at a cellular level. The schematic of aortic valve in a transverse and longitudinal cross-section illustrate the type of mechanical forces acting on the different regions of heart valve during its functioning (Fig. 2). The valvular endothelial cells (VECs) and interstitial cells (VICs) are sensitive to mechanical forces and interact with each other through shear forces (oscillatory shear and laminar shear) experienced during blood flow . As the cyclic mechanical strain results in a tensile stretch in leaflets of heart valve during each stroke of pulsatile blood flow, this mechanical stimulus regulates the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans by VECs and VICs. These biomolecules are instrumental extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in these tissues (Fig. 2a and d) . Moreover, NOTCH signaling in VECs and paracrine signaling pathways in VICs being highly sensitive to shear stress, plays an important role in valve homeostasis or disease development. Further, VECs is also known to regulate the VICs phenotype and ECM synthesis . It is likely that VECs experience differential shear stress at fibrosa-side of leaflets that increases the probability of rapid calcification for AVs. The changes in mechanical stresses result perturbation of the biosynthetic behavior of valve cells [23, 24]. The abnormal shear stress caused by ventricular infarctions in distinct regions, enhanced the collagen synthesis in the mitral valve leaflet that increases stiffness known as myxomatous remodeling . On the other hand, abnormal hemodynamics flow and shear stress causes valve leaflets inflammation, including fibrous layer that leads to stenosis calcification or calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) followed by valve failure . Further, shear stresses up and down regulate the expression of proteins related to ECM, inflammation, osteogenesis and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived endothelial cells as described in Table 2.
Furthermore, in the case of hypertension, valve cells experience high transvalvular pressures that lead to abnormal cyclic stretches, which increase the mechanical strains on the valve and accelerate the calcification . As the calcification increases, the effective area around the valve reduced which further enhance the transvalvular pressure gradient and develop a positive feedback loop. Moreover, these abnormal cyclic stretches activate VICs to over express α-SMA is resulting more contractility and stiffness especially in CAVD . Further, high pressure also up regulates and down regulates several cellular bio molecules that induces VECs alteration (Table 2), which ultimately remodel the ECM . Along with shear stress and pressure, AV also undergoes anisotropic strain on their leaflet. The out-flow side; exert comprehensive stress while inflow-side experiences tensile stress (Fig. 2a, b and c). The leaflet strain also regulates the expression of markers involved in ECM inflammation, osteogenesis and phenotype (Table 2) through inducing VECs and VICs . Moreover, recent studies also demonstrated the combined effect of different mechanical stresses in valvular pathophysiology. In this direction, Warnock and co-workers described the synergistic AV inflammatory response under combined cyclic strain and pressure than the individual response in the context of markers .
Thus, a complete understanding of mechanobiology of stenosis provides an insight into valve pathophysiology. However, these studies are limited due to the limitation on our probing capacity of a diseased valve at both cellular/molecular length scale and investigate their biomechanical manifestation on the disease and physiology of valves at macroscopic scale. Therefore, a diseased model of stenosis created using imaging and multi-scale computational modeling can provide an enriched insight of mechanobiology of stenosis.
Mechanics for alternative therapeutics
Computational modeling and patient specific 3D simulations can be used to discover biological unfolds of VHD via assimilation of diverse data . To optimize therapeutic parameters, analysis of flow and its effect on the four heart valves taking into account the patient anatomy, physiology and genetic information has been investigated using CFD . However, the most significant parameters reviewed in this field are the relative high stresses with reference to geometric, microstructures, nonlinear and anisotropic constitutive behavior, loading conditions, along with kinematic constraint functions for the intervention of aortic and mitral valve abnormalities. Moreover, biophysical parameters with prevalent myocardial stiffness and contractility can be estimated by optimal matching of the behavior of these models to the data obtained from medical imaging. Thus, this integration provides new information on mechanisms of compensated and decompensated adaptation using less-invasive techniques . Human heart simulator is formulated for the spatiotemporal evolution of electrical potentials and mechanical deformation across the heart using two-field finite element approach and Windkessel model . It is used to probe landscapes of clinical parameters and guide device design for treatment planning in VHD. Based on this human heart simulator, an annuloplasty ring is designed that included a sub-valvular element to correct the valve dysfunction. This designing enables simulations of normal cardiac function as well as pathologic function in the setting of the posterior left ventricular papillary muscle infarction . In another procedure, in vitro left heart simulator is used on which mitral valves were mounted and tested under pulsatile blood flow. This procedure quantifies anterior leaflet strain, leaflet coaptation length, depth, tenting area and regurgitation volume in the radial and circumferential directions at an increased level of geometric distortion . The data generated from such studies provide a platform for the development of future surgical planning via computational modeling.
Replacing heart valves made-up from biologically derived materials is a holy grail of tissue engineering and these valves are referred to as bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs). Although these valves have material and blood flow characteristics similar to the native valves, their failure continues to result from leaflet structural deterioration, mediated by fatigue or tissue mineralization. Therefore, to predict and optimize the distribution of stresses, tools from engineering are quite useful. The computational modeling through multi-scale mechanobiology under dynamic conditions was explored by Emmert et al., 2018 to determine the factors affecting the tissue remodeling by the seeded cells. Thus, knowledge gained was utilized to optimize the design of the tissue engineered heart valves (TEHVs). They demonstrated that computationally inspired design of TEHVs was better in tissue remodeling in sheep model . Thus, these tools including quasi-static mechanics, dynamic structural mechanics, and more recently, fluid–structure interaction (FSI) can potentially provide better understanding of biomechanics of heart valve . Immersogeometric FSI analysis is performed to parameterize the leaflet geometry using key design parameters (such as effective orifice area and the co-adaptation area) that is compared with patient-specific MRI data to demonstrate the qualitative similarity of the flow patterns in the ascending aorta. The imaging techniques combined with computational mechanics modeling have the potential to accelerate the design and development of bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs). However, currently, clinicians opt for commercially available heart valves for their patients as TEHVs are currently in R&D stage. It is necessary to select an artificial heart valve from the pool of commercially available heart valves that demonstrates high matching scores when compared with the models generated from patient data.
In spite of such meticulous selection of heart valves, they suffer from regurgitation or stenosis, poor integration with host tissue, sometime immunological reactions and others. Moreover, there are hardly any alternative treatment modalities for fixing the partial defects or functional abnormalities in the native valves except the whole heart valve replacement. This unnecessarily increases the mortality and morbidity for patients. Henceforth advancements in imaging, computational modeling and designing tools need to be integrated with emerging areas of tissue engineering in order to develop human prosthesis similar to native tissues. Tissue engineering holds the potential to reduce patient–prosthesis mismatch in the direction of personalized medicine and accelerate the design and developmental time of prosthetic devices .
Personalized 3D-printed cardiovascular prosthesis
Creating a construct of heart valve through tissue engineering principles can solve two purposes; first, the design and development of a bioartifical heart valve mimicking the structural and the functional aspect of a native valve that can be used as an implantable device and second, the generation of a disease model of a heart valve that can be used to generate understanding about the mechanobiology of the tissue and hence, assist in understanding a disease progressing, developing effecting therapeutic interventions. Before tissue engineering a heart valve, it is imperative to understand the multi-scale architecture, geometry and biomechanics of a heart valve’s parts that play a significant role in remodeling of a neo tissue matrix in the dynamic mechanical environment of a functional heart valve. These understandings will enable proper selection of biomaterials, fabrication methodologies, characterization tools and developmental environments for generation of tissue engineered heart valves (TEHVs).
The anatomy of the valves reveals that they are 3D structures experiencing a periodic physiological pressure of blood while entry and exit from a heart. The two major components of a heart valves are leaflets and root . The leaflets are trilayer structures (fibrosa, spongiosa, and ventricularis) that continuously flaps, resulting in a closure and opening of a valve, experiences shear stress and periodic loading and unloading while the roots are annular structure whose one end provides support to the leaflet and its other end serves as a base to be integrated with the major blood vessels of a heart. Further, endothelial, smooth muscle, fibroblast and interstitial cells populate these valves in a defined spatial location having different flexure strength and stiffness. Provided the anisotropy in the mechanical and structural requirement and heterogeneity of cell types distribution, different biomaterials are needed to be used for the generation of different structures of a 3D heart valve having compatible biomechanical properties . Further, the interface has to be a strong enough to prevent a damage at the inter junction of a leaf and a root.
Tissue engineering of heart valve through decellularised heart valves obtained from xenogenic or allogenic sources has been one of the best approaches . The scaffolding results in an optimal micro environment for cells. However, this decellularization is achieved through several chemical and enzymatic treatments that weaken the scaffold, making it hostile to be further developed in a bioreactor . Further, it also poses antigenic immunological reaction at the site of graft in patients. Therefore, usage of synthetic biomaterial for scaffold development has gained importance in recent years. The use of materials like polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyhydroxyoctanoates, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, chitosan, collagen, polyglycerolsebacatehas been used to create a porous scaffold mimicking the morphology and geometry of heart-valve through different microfabrication techniques like electrospinning, salt-leaching, hydrogels, cryogels and others [42,43,44,45]. These fibrous, porous scaffolds mimic the ECM, thereby provides adequate mechanical and topological cues for adhesion, migration, growth, differentiation and proliferation of cells. In addition, the porous structure also enabled easy exchange of nutrients and oxygen to the seeded cells and removal of metabolic waste from them . In spite of such advantages, it has been observed that precursor cells from heart or blood enter in the porous scaffold during an implant and exhibits traits of thrombosis, contraction, osteogenic phenotype, mineralization, a hallmark of non-conducive micro environment for cells . The design of these scaffolds severely limits the neo tissue remodeling by the seeded cells. The seeded valve cells either result in a thickened stenotic valve or hyper contracted valve that fails to close properly. This might be due to an inherent limitation of above methods to fabricate scaffolds with mechanical heterogeneity and asymmetry and provide mechanical cues with spatial variation. Further, it is challenging to create a monolithic, complete, complex geometry of heart-valve through the above methods, except its individual parts i.e. leaf, roots and others. In addition, achieving mechanical properties commensurate with spatial location is still a bottleneck with above fabrication methods. Therefore 3D printing/bioprinting has been explored for the heart-valve generation.
There are several 3D printing technologies that have a potential for create complex heart valve structures. The extrusion based 3D printing technologies uses either organic solvent or heat to create polymer solution or melt for generating 3D structures. Hence, they are hardly suitable for any live cell incorporation during printing except creating a 3D solid scaffold for seeding different cell types of a heart valve. The particle fusion based 3D printing is practiced either by bonding ceramic microparticles with any bioglue or by sintering metallic particles with high energy laser beam . The ceramic based 3D printing may support the cells incorporation but its mechanical properties may not be in congruence with a natural heart valve. Further, the degradation product of ceramic creates acidic environment that is hostile for heart valve cells in a long run [48, 49]. The 3D printing based on metallic sintering is not suitable for heart value due incompatible mechanical properties and thermal pre and post processing. Similarly, SLA based 3D printing is limited due harsh nature of UV cross-linking, extensive post-processing and lack of biocompatible and biodegradable materials acceptable in SLA. Therefore, inkjet printing and bioprinting are the 3D printing technologies that utilizes cell laden droplet bioinks or hydrogels for 3D printing of tissues and cells [50,51,52].
The heart of any bioprinting technique is a bioink, a gel material capable of being printed in a 3D architecture defined by a CAD model . These CAD are either modeled through processing of CT, MRI images by volume rendering and modeling techniques (Fig. 3) or through computationally inspired designed as described by Emmert et al., 2018 . The several hydrogels have gained popularity as a bio-ink, listed in the Table 3 [54,55,56]. The biomaterials like synthetic polymers (e.g., PEG, PEGDA), natural polymers (e.g.hyaluronic acid) and protein materials (e.g., fibrin, collagen, and glycosaminoglycans) are the best sources to produce hydrogels . Further, the strength of the hydrogels can be tailored by variation in the cross-linking among the polymer chains. This can be achieved well by changes in the UV exposure time, cross linker density, temperature and others during the fabrication process. Moreover, 3D bioprinting also facilitates seeding different cell types at different spatial locations mimicking heart valve tissue during 3D bioprinting . However, considering the regional and spatial mechanical heterogeneity of a heart valve, it is still a challenge to achieve completely controlled regional and spatial cross-linking in 3D printed hydrogels. The changes in the mechanical properties of gel must be carried out without affecting the physiological behavior of the different types of seeded cells (Table 3) in the spatially different regions of the heart valve. For example, excessive UV exposure or cross linker may be toxic to cells, excessive mechanical strength in the gel may lead to different phenotypic expression by cells and lower strength will make the device hostile to be further used in bioreactors [55, 57]. The increase in the thickness of the 3D bioprinted tissue poses a serious limitation on the transport of gases, nutrients and waste to and from the cells residing in the core of the 3D printed tissue. This results in a hypoxic and nutrient deficient center. Thus, there is need for the development of vascularization during the fabrication process. Moreover, bioprinting of composites of electrospun nanofibers and hydrogels can be a used for localized enhancement of mechanical strength. This will not only maintain the mechanical integrity of the scaffold but also provide mechanical cues necessary for precursor cells to differentiate into VICs, VECs and other cell types during static/dynamic cell culture. However, there has to be a balance between the amount of polymers and cells, such that polymers can provide enough mechanical strength to the scaffold while cell grows happily during tissue development and remodeling. We propose a combination of different fabrication technologies discussed above to arrive at scaffolds having spatial mechanical heterogeneity, 3D multiscale architecture and physiochemical characteristics that can facilitate appropriate growth, development and remodeling attributes of resident valve cells. These developed scaffolds can be further developed by providing biomechanical stimulus in perfusion bioreactors (Fig. 3).
Achieving regional and spatial heterogeneity in the mechanical properties in complex 3D architecture might be a daunting task; however, it is relatively feasible to achieve regional heterogeneity in mechanical properties in a planner device made up of biocompatible hydrogels. 4D printing has allowed the researchers to codify different mechanical stiffness at different locations in planner object made up of stimuli responsive materials . The heterogeneity in the Young’s modulus of hydrogels can be achieved through the introduction of fibrils during printing in a planar device. Due to the variation in stiffness of the materials and its swelling behavior, these modified hydrogels get folded in 3D architecture on exposure to biofluids . Thus stimuli responsive biomaterials can be printed and folded in 3D complex geometries upon stimulation with the appropriate environment. Thus, there exist possibilities to develop heart-valve through origami inspired folding of planner biomaterial into complex 3D heart valve geometry having appropriate spatial mechanical properties. Although, none of the tissue engineering approaches till now have been successful in generating fully functional heart valve, they have their own advantages and disadvantages in heart valve regeneration as listed in the Table 4. We believe that novel biomaterials supporting spatio-temporal control over the mechanical properties during 3D bioprinting can lead to a development of patient specific bio artificial heart valves.
The underlying motivation to investigate patient-specific valve printing via tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting is to find significant causes and conclude measures to eradicate potential defects in prosthetic heart valves. In this review, we attempted to describe the possible engineering tools and techniques for better diagnosis of stenosis, understand the underlying biomechanics at a different length scale, proper treatment planning and practices and finally the potential pitfalls of the current clinical interventions. We has also discussed the role of futuristic technologies like bioprinting and 4D printing along with the possible biomaterials to develop bioprosthetic valves --- a step closer to personalized medicine. Moreover, some recent research undertakings signifying the use of 3D printing and scaffolds towards VHDs engineering is shown in the Table 5. Although this state of art is currently limited in its performance, nevertheless we propose a formal set of notion to overcome it.
Three-dimensional transesophageal imaging
Bioprosthetic heart valves
Computational fluid dynamics
Congenital heart diseases
Curved multiplanar reconstruction
Digital image processing
Extra cellular matrix
Induced pluripotent stem cell
Transcatheter mitral valve-in-ring
Valvular endothelial cells
Valvular heart disease
Valvular interstitial cells
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Caesar C, Lyle AN, Joseph G, Weiss D, Alameddine FM, Lassègue B, Griendling KK, Taylor WR. Cyclic strain and hypertension increase osteopontin expression in the aorta. Cell MolBioeng. 2017;10:144–52.
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van der Valk DC, van der Ven CF, Blaser MC, Grolman JM, Wu PJ, Fenton OS, Lee LH, Tibbitt MW, Andresen JL, Wen JR, Ha AH. Engineering a 3D-bioprinted model of human heart valve disease using Nanoindentation-based biomechanics. Nano. 2018;8(5):296.
Bongert M, Wüst J, Geller M, Schlömicher M, Ricken T, Nicolas V, Strauch J. Comparison of two biological aortic valve prostheses inside patient-specific aorta model by bi-directional fluid-structure interaction. Curr Direct Biomed Eng. 2018;4(1):59–62.
Paulsen MJ, Kasinpila P, Imbrie-Moore AM, Wang H, Hironaka CE, Koyano TK, Fong R, Chiu P, Goldstone AB, Steele AN, Stapleton LM. Modeling conduit choice for valve-sparing aortic root replacement on biomechanics with a 3D-printed heart simulator. J ThoracCardiovasc Surg. 2018;18:65-9.
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Authors acknowledge M.D. University Rohtak, India for providing infrastructural facilities. RV acknowledges the financial support in the form of M. Tech Fellowship by MHRD, Government of India. PS acknowledges Department of Microbiology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India for their infrastructural support for D.Sc. Work.
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Vashistha, R., Kumar, P., Dangi, A.K. et al. Quest for cardiovascular interventions: precise modeling and 3D printing of heart valves. J Biol Eng 13, 12 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13036-018-0132-5
- Cardiovascular fluid mechanics
- Image processing
- 3D bioprinting

domain: literature


The first trailer of Netflix’s new series Insatiable has sparked controversy over the lead character’s transformation.
Taglined as “A coming of rage story”, the teen comedy follows Patty (Debby Ryan), an overweight high-schooler teased for the way she looks. The other students refer to Ryan’s character as “Fatty Patty” and post pictures of her face on a pig’s body on her locker.
During the summer holidays, Patty gets her jaw wired shut, loses weight and comes back to school looking unrecognisable and attractive. Now popular, Patty decides she can join any clique in the school but instead wants revenge on the bullies who used to make her life hell.
Ryan, a thin actress, wears an unconvincing fat suit for the “before” scenes and shovels food into her mouth.
The 12-episode has received backlash from viewers and critics over glorifying eating disorders, body-shaming and sending the message of women being unable to be happy unless they’re thin.
There is now a petition online demanding Netflix to cancel the series with 85,000 signatures.
“For so long, the narrative has told women and young impressionable girls that in order to be popular, have friends, to be desirable for the male gaze, and to some extent be a worthy human … that we must be thin,” the petition states.
“This series will cause eating disorders, and perpetuate the further objectification of women’s bodies. The trailer has already triggered people with eating disorders. Let’s stop this, and protect further damage.”
Cast and crew has defended Insatiable on social media.
Creator of the series and showrunner Lauren Gussis released a statement begging viewers to give the show a chance.
— Lauren Gussis (@GussisLauren) July 21, 2018
While Ryan posted a lengthy statement on Twitter, saying she was excited to work on Insatiable because the series tackles the shame women feel about their bodies through satire.
“Twelve years after my own struggles with body image … I was drawn to this show’s willingness to go to real places about how difficult and scary it can be to move through the world in a body, whether you’re being praised or criticized for its size, and what it feels like to pray to be ignored because it’s easier than being seen,” Ryan wrote.
— debbyryan (@DebbyRyan) July 21, 2018
Co-star Alyssa Milano posted a tweet “We are not shaming Patty. We are addressing (through comedy) the damage that occurs from fat shaming. I hope that clears it up.”
We are not shaming Patty. We are addressing (through comedy) the damage that occurs from fat shaming. I hope that clears it up. Also, this article does a good job of explaining it more: https://t.co/WoR8R7TjqR #Insatiable https://t.co/GFkDdsn1uh
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) July 19, 2018
Insatiable debuts on Netflix on Friday, August 10.
What do you think about the controversy over Netflix’s latest series? Comment below!
Stay tuned for more Aussie Gossip.


In days past, it was believed that a swimming oarfish would 'row' with its pelvic fins in a circular motion, hence the common name. Unfortunately folk tales aren't always true. The strange pelvic fins are now believed to be used for taste perception not locomotion.
It is metallic silver with blotches and wavy markings on the body, and pink or red fins.
This species has a concave head profile and a highly protrusible mouth (a characteristic of the order Lampridiformes). It has a dorsal fin that runs the entire length of the body, but lacks an anal fin. There are tiny spines projecting laterally off each caudal and pelvic fin ray.
Although several species of oarfishes have been described, there is now believed to be only one species.
It is thought to live at depths between 20 m and 200 m.
The Oarfish is found worldwide in all tropical and temperate marine waters.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Feeding and diet
All verified cases of stomach contents consisted of krill (euphausiid shrimps). Reports that the species feeds on invertebrates and fishes are yet to be validated.
People most often see Oarfish washed up on beaches. Encounters with live Oarfish are rare. They are sometimes seen on the surface, and this may contribute to tales of sea serpents.
- Glover, C.J.M. in Gomon, M.F, J.C.M. Glover & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Olney, J.E., Paxton, J.R. & W.N. Eschmeyer (Eds). 1994. Encyclopedia of Fishes. Sydney: New South Wales University Press; San Diego: Academic Press . Pp. 240.
- Roberts, T., 2012. Systematics, Biology, and Distribution of the Species of the Oceanic Oarfish Genus Regalecus (Teleostei, Lampridiformes, Regalecidae) Pp. 268.


Generac 16 hp Generator
This Whole House Generator has never been used. We had it hooked up to run on propane but never ran it. It will run on either gasoline or propane. I placed a piece of rubber roofing material that we used for pond liners over the machine and that has protected it well. There has been some condensation on top of the liner and consequently some discoloration of some of the parts. Other than that it is a new generator.


On this site I wrote number of posts on .htaccess and I am expecting to write lot more on up coming days. Part of the reason behind this is, there are lots of things that can be done with .htaccess configuration file on Apache web server. Starting from redirecting users to custom error page to securing your site, .htaccess can really make a developer's life lot simpler.
Now as you start piling up various rules on .htaccess file, you might find it necessary to organize them or to write a comment before every single rules so that whoever works on this site in the future can easily understand what exactly is going on. All you need to do is simply add a "#" (hash) symbol before your comment line. Here is an example of such line.
# Simply redirect all of my old homepage traffic to my new homepage RewriteEngine On Redirect 301 / https://www.bhuiyan.us/
This is as simple as it can get. If you want add multiple line comments, simple add more # (hash) symbol before the beginning of each line. You are all set.


text:
Jodi and Jose’s stunning reception!
Jodi and Jose had one vision in mind: a stunning wedding reception that exuded elegance but thumped like a nightclub when we cranked it up. Yup, there’s a DJ for that.
That being said, we had one challenge: Jose is deaf and couldn’t hear the music. Using our powerful 4SchoolsOnly subwoofers and the awesome 4Bar setup, along with the 7′ video screen showing music videos, Jose was ableto feel and see the music.
While the Bayanihan offers LED uplights like we do, LEDs cannot do browns or certain teals accurately. Jodi and Jose’s colors were Aqua Teal and Brown… LEDs cannot produce these colors (brown– fugghedaboutit) so halogen uplights had to be brought in with carefully matched gels.
They were a great crowd– Kyle and I had such a blast! Check out photos and videos below!
And the video… I took an idea from a DJ friend, Jason Jani, about introducing what we’re offering in each video!


DIW is a secure blockchain-based digital platform which safeguards and secures your digital life granting access to an encrypted decentralised world.
Start Date May 3, 2018
End Date May 31, 2018
Note: Scores from sources have been scaled up to 100 for consistency. This information is not a suggestion or advice on investing in ICO funding.


text:
South Dakota -- Value Added Finance Authority; Agricultural credit -- South Dakota; Agriculture -- South Dakota -- Finance; New business enterprises -- South Dakota -- Finance
Includes reports on the the Authority's: Beginning Farmer Bond Program; Agribusiness Bonding Program; Beginning Farmer Bond Program; Agribusiness Bond Program; and Livestock Nutrient Management Bond Program.
South Dakota Development Corporation; Economic development projects -- South Dakota; Government lending -- South Dakota; South Dakota -- Economic policy
This report summarizes the activities ofthe South Dakota Development Corporation, including MicroLOAN South Dakota, MicroLOAN Express and the SBA 504 loan program for the year ending December 31, 2012.
South Dakota -- Public Utilities Commission -- History -- Chronology; South Dakota -- Board of Railroad Commissioners -- History -- Chronology; Public utilities -- South Dakota -- History -- Chronology; Public utilities -- Dakota Territory --...
This is brief history and chronolgy of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.
Roads -- South Dakota -- Finance; Transportation and state -- South Dakota; Federal aid to transportation -- South Dakota; Motor fuels -- Taxation -- South Dakota; Finance, public -- South Dakota
The objectives of this investigation is to describe current federal, state, and local revenue streams for state and local highways. Also, to examine the value and practicality of current and alternative local, state, and federal revenue streams.
Water quality management -- South Dakota -- Bad River Basin; Water resources development -- South Dakota -- Bad River Basin; Bad River Watershed (S.D.)
The Bad River National Monitoring Project’s goal was to assess the success of best management practice (BMP) implementation projects in Phase III of the Bad River Water Quality Project by documenting water quality and rangeland health...
Fishing surveys -- South Dakota; Fishing -- South Dakota
This report summarizes results from the South Dakota border waters resident anglers’ use and preferences survey. Responses were collected regarding current and future use of border waters in South Dakota, ease of understanding current fishing...

domain: library


text:
History of Fort Worth, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(December 2009)
The history of Fort Worth, Texas in the United States is closely intertwined with the history of Dallas and the history of the Texas frontier. From its early history as an outpost and a barrier against Native American threats, to its later days as a booming cattle town, to modern times as a corporate center, the city has changed dramatically though it still today preserves much of its heritage in its modern culture.
In January 1849, U.S. Army General William Jenkins Worth, an admired veteran of the Mexican-American War, proposed building ten forts to mark where the west Texas frontier began from Eagle Pass to the confluence of the West Fork and Clear Fork of the Trinity River. Worth died on 7 May 1849 from cholera  and General William S. Harney assumed Worth's position and ordered Major Ripley A. Arnold to find a new fort site near the confluence of the West and Clear Forks. On 6 June 1849, Arnold established a post on the banks of the Trinity and named it Camp Worth in honor of the recently passed General. In August 1849, Arnold moved the camp to a north-facing bluff that overlooked the mouth of the Clear Fork. The US War Department officially granted the name "Fort Worth" to the post on 14 November 1849.
Pioneers began to settle in the area around Fort Worth even though Native Americans were still a considerable threat. In the process of relocating the camp to the bluff, Arnold found George "Press" Farmer living there and allowed him to open the first sutler's store. Other early settlers were Howard W. Peak, Ed Terrell, George W. Terrell, and Ephraim M. Daggett. When a new line of forts was built further west, the U.S. Army evacuated Fort Worth on 17 September 1853. The settlers decided that with no one there to argue with them, they could take unopposed possession of the fort site. John Peter Smith opened a school in 1854 to twelve students; Archibald Leonard and Henry Daggett started the first department stores. Julian Feild opened a flour mill and general store in 1856 and the Butterfield Overland Mail and the Southern Pacific Stage Line used the town as their western terminus on the westward journey to California.
In 1855, a battle over the placement of the county seat erupted. Since 1849 the county seat had been Birdville, but in 1855 Fort Worth citizens decided that the honor of county seat belonged to their town. After a long fight, Fort Worth gained the title in 1860 and construction began on a stone county courthouse. After a delay due to the Civil War, the courthouse was completed in the 1870s.
Fort Worth had slaves in its antebellum period. In 1860, Tarrant County had 5,170 whites and 850 slaves. When the question came to secede from the Union, most citizens were for secession, and Tarrant County voted for disunion with the North. The effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction nearly wiped Fort Worth off the map during the 1860s. The city's population dropped as low as 175 and food, supply, and money shortages burdened the citizens. As the War's effects began to fade, so did the city's hardships, and it gradually began to revive itself into the 1870s. By 1872, William Jesse Boaz, William Henry Davis, and Jacob Samuels opened general stores. In 1873, Khleber M. Van Zandt established Tidball, Van Zandt, and Company, which became the Fort Worth National Bank in 1884. Barrooms like Tom Prindle's Saloon and Steele's Tavern welcomed many travelers. In 1876, future Denver, Colorado crime boss, Soapy Smith arrived in Fort Worth and began his criminal career operating his famous soap sell confidence tricks on the unwary. At this time weekly newspapers abounded, including the Fort Worth Chief and the Democrat. Schools reopened gradually after the war, and in 1869 Randolph, Addison, and Ida Clark taught six students in a local church.
Barrooms, a school, and newspapers did not mean much economically other than sustainability — it was the cattle industry that really boomed Fort Worth into "Cowtown." Fort Worth was a good resting point for cowboys driving their cattle to Abilene, Kansas. Many northern cattle buyers established headquarters in Fort Worth, and new business including Pendery and Wilson's Liquor Wholesale, B. C. Evans dry goods, and Martin B. Loyd's Exchange Office set up shop in the city. In 1873 Fort Worth was incorporated with a mayor-council government, and W. P. Burts became the city's first mayor.


Hey there! I's like to know how to replace an old white-rodgers mercury thermostat (Model 1E30W609) by a simple digital thermostat? The current mercury thermostat controls a natural gas fireplace. Im not sure which wire to connect to the new thermostat. Plain simple, why is there 4 wires ? A black, red, green & yellow... If I buy a replacement thermostat, I should look for a 4 wire right? Anything special I should know?? See pics! Thanks!!