text:
This work was presented at the Difficult Airway Society meeting, Oxford, UK, 22 November 2001.
Comparison of four different emergency airway access equipment sets on a human patient simulator*
Version of Record online: 16 DEC 2003
Volume 59, Issue 1, pages 73–79, January 2004
How to Cite
Vadodaria, B. S., Gandhi, S. D. and McIndoe, A. K. (2004), Comparison of four different emergency airway access equipment sets on a human patient simulator. Anaesthesia, 59: 73–79. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2004.03456.x
- Issue online: 28 JUN 2008
- Version of Record online: 16 DEC 2003
- Accepted: 2 July 2003
- patient simulation;
This study used a patient simulator to study the ease of use and efficacy of four currently available cricothyroidotomy sets. We assessed the success of insertion of each piece of equipment and measured the subsequent adequacy of oxygenation and ventilation. We also examined the complications encountered using each set. We found that there was a 100% success rate of achieving an adequate airway within acceptable time limits using the ‘Quiktrach’ and ‘Melker’ sets, with good airway patency and ease of ventilation. There was an unacceptably high failure rate in achieving a patent airway when using the ‘Transtracheal airway catheter with ENK-flow modulator’ and ‘Patil's airway'. The pre-assembled and user-friendly ‘Quiktrach’ set provided the fastest and most effective means of oxygenation in the simulated patient requiring an emergency surgical airway.
Failure to establish a patent upper airway by nonsurgical means is a rare complication in anaesthesia and emergency care. In such a situation, emergency cricothyroidotomy is an established and life-saving technique for providing effective lung ventilation and oxygenation. However, emergency cricothyroidotomy is performed infrequently and, when necessary, can prove difficult because of a lack of both training and skill retention. In an urgent or unplanned attempt to obtain airway control, success is less likely and complications are more common . However, clinicians continue to gain experience with invasive airway equipment only in a dire emergency, where time is a crucial factor. In such situations their theoretical knowledge, training and previous experience provide the cornerstones of successful management of the crisis.
It is unethical and impractical to provide training and to perform studies in a real ‘life and death’ situation. In the past, studies have been performed on cadavers , inanimate mannequins  and pig larynxes in order to compare the efficacy of different cricothyroidotomy sets. The conclusions of these studies cannot be reliably extrapolated to live patients. These studies have attempted to compare the efficacy of different emergency airway equipment. However, they were unable to assess the ability to oxygenate the patient, to ventilate the patient's lungs and to achieve subsequent time-related changes in alveolar and blood gases. Moreover, these studies made no attempt to reproduce the psychological time pressure and sense of crisis occurring during an episode of profound desaturation that might influence an anaesthetist's actions. In order to overcome these drawbacks, we used a human patient simulator for the assessment of cricothyroidotomy equipment. The scenario used in the study mimicked a real-life episode of profound arterial desaturation, when the anaesthetist was asked to perform a cricothyroidotomy with a given set, and when there was no time to be trained or to read instructions. The simulator thus provided us with the opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of each device in an emergency situation without endangering humans or animals.
Our local research ethics committee waived the need for approval in view of the fact that the study was not performed on patients and the human subjects were anaesthetists who were given the opportunity to decline to participate.
The human patient simulator used was the ‘METI Simulator’. (Medical Education. Technologies Inc, FL, USA. Website: http://www.meti.com) (Fig. 1). The simulator parameters used throughout the study are given in Table 1. The METI adult human patient used in this study is a life-size computer-controlled mannequin that breathes, has a heartbeat and includes sophisticated modelling of cardiorespiratory physiology and pharmacology, enabling it to mimic human physiological responses accurately. The system comes with a number of preconfigured ‘patients’, in which the underlying physiological model is tailored to duplicate different clinical presentations. A continuous, real-time presentation of arterial blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and alveolar and arterial blood gas values is displayed. The simulator has a puncturable and replaceable cricothyroid membrane, which is made from a double-layered plastic tape to give a consistency comparable with the cricothyroid membrane. This ‘membrane’ was replaced after every attempt. The simulator appears to consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide using interlinked gas tanks that are controlled by the computer-generated physiological model.
|Patient weight||70 kg|
|Functional residual capacity||2000 ml|
|Oxygen consumption||200 ml.min−1|
|Fixed neuromuscular blockade||100%|
|Airway||Swollen tongue and oropharynx|
|Cardiac rhythm override||Sinus|
The simulator system permits accurate continuous measurement of the partial pressures of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the mannequin's lungs. These partial pressures vary according to parameters set via the respiratory model, the actual minute ventilation of the mannequin's lungs and the gaseous composition of the inspired gas. Arterial blood gas values and arterial saturation are mathematically derived from these measured values. Application of a shunt fraction to the model allows the simulation of hypoxaemia by artificially depressing Sao2 without affecting measured PAo2. This creates a sense of clinical urgency within the scenario detailed below. Laryngospasm was deliberately not set in order to allow passive exhalation.
The four cricothyroidotomy sets used were. Quiktrach (VBM Medizintechnik GmbH, Germany) (Fig. 2); Patil's Airway (Fig. 3); the Transtracheal airway catheter with open ENK oxygen flow modulator (Fig. 4); Melker's (Fig. 5)– the last three sets all from Cook Ltd, UK. The sizes of the four sets were chosen so as to have similar dimensions available (Table 2). Ten experienced anaesthetists (consultants or specialist registrars in their fifth year of training) volunteered to perform cricothyroidotomies on the patient simulator. The subjects had no prior information about the scenario and were unfamiliar with all four sets before the study. None of them had had any specific training in performing a cricothyroidotomy. All 10 anaesthetists were presented with the same scenario. They were told that a 70-kg male patient without any cardiovascular or respiratory disease required an emergency surgical airway after all attempts to oxygenate the lungs by conventional means had failed, and that neuromuscular blocking drugs had been given to the patient. Each anaesthetist repeated the trial using all four different cricothyroidotomy sets selected in random order. The sets were reused if they were not damaged.
|Melker's||Quiktrach||Transtracheal Airway Catheter||Patil's Airway|
|Internal diameter; mm||4||4||2||3|
Before each test run the simulator model was rebooted to preclude the influence of previous interventions, was then activated, calibrated and connected to its monitoring devices. These included noninvasive blood pressure, ECG, Sao2 and FÉco2. Neuromuscular blockade was then set at 100%. When arterial oxygen saturation decreased to 80%, the anaesthetist was handed one of the four sets. Each candidate was permitted 5 min after desaturation to 80% to perform a cricothyroidotomy with the set. An oxygen flow of 15 l.min−1 was allowed for each cricothyroidotomy set, with or without a self-inflating bag. The time required to achieve patent airway and for PAo2 to exceed 13.3 kPa was noted. We also noted the correct positioning, patency and ease of insertion, fixation and ventilation (Table 3). The alveolar partial pressure of oxygen was measured as a direct variable and was considered to be the indicator of successful oxygenation rather than the monitored Sao2 value, which was decreased by the set shunt factor. We also noted complications such as trauma, kinks, leakage and damage to the cannula. Correct placement of the cricothyroid cannula was confirmed by the exhaled carbon dioxide trace on the monitor.
|1. Time to achieve patent airway with each of the four individual sets|
|2. Time taken to achieve PAo2 > 13.3 kPa|
|3. Correct positioning||Yes/No|
|5. Easy insertion||Yes/No|
|6. Easy ventilation||Yes/No|
|7. Easy fixation||Yes/No|
|8. Complications (injury to surrounding structures)||Yes/No|
|9. Set preference expressed by anaesthetist|
At the end of each series of tests, the anaesthetists were asked which set they would prefer to use clinically and whether participating in this study would make them feel more confident if they had to perform a cricothyroidotomy. We also compared the costs incurred in using each set. Statistical analysis was performed with Friedman's test to compare the success rate to achieve a patent airway and with Cochrane's test for comparing the times to achieve PAo2 > 13.3 kPa.
The computer program worked as expected and produced a realistic display. No simulation was abandoned. The simulator was easy to use and presented the patient's condition realistically. The experiment successfully created a feeling of urgency in the anaesthetists.
There was 100% success rate in correct placement with the Quiktrach and Melker's sets with good airway patency and ease of ventilation (Table 4). A carbon dioxide trace was clearly produced on the monitor with both these sets. Although the Transtracheal Airway Catheter set appeared easy to insert, only 4/10 of the catheters were correctly placed. Patil's Airway was difficult to insert, although 6/10 of the sets were eventually placed correctly.
|Melker's (n = 10)||Quiktrach (n = 10)||Transtracheal Airway Catheter (n = 10)||Patil's airway (n = 10)|
A patent airway was achieved in a median time of < 60 s with Melker's and Quiktrach sets. In those simulations in which a patent airway was achieved with the other two sets, the median time to achieve a patent airway was >100 s (Table 5). The median [range] time taken to achieve a PAo2 > 13.3 kPa was 58 [50–86] s with the Quiktrach set and 130 [111–180] s with Melker's set but was > 140 s with the other two sets.
|Melker's (n = 10)||Quiktrach (n = 10)||Transtracheal Airway Catheter (n = 10)||Patil's Airway (n = 10)|
|Success in achieving a patent airway||10||10||10||8|
|Time taken to achieve a patent airway; s||38 [30–54]||51 [42–73]||102 [75–116]||123 [74–147]|
|Success in achieving PAo2 > 13.3 kPa||10||10||4||6|
|Time taken to achieve PAo2 > 13.3 kPa; s||130 [111–180]||58 [50–86]||185 [85–329]||140 [115–210]|
The Quiktrach set proved to be the easiest to fix to the patient; the Transtracheal Airway Catheter set was the most difficult.
There was evidence of trauma to the posterior tracheal wall (puncture marks and tears) in 2/10 of each of the sets (Table 6). There was damage to the cricoid and thyroid cartilages during one subject's use of the Quiktrach set. Kinking, system leaks and cannula damage occurred in up to 30% of Transtracheal Airway Catheter sets and Patil's Airways. Re-insertion was necessary in 30% of the simulations with the Transtracheal Airway Catheter set and Patil's Airway.
|Melker's (n = 10)||Quiktrach (n = 10)||Transtracheal Airway Catheter (n = 10)||Patil's Airway (n = 10)|
|Trauma to posterior tracheal wall||2||2||2||2|
|Trauma to surrounding soft tissues||0||1||0||0|
|Leak in the system||0||0||3||0|
|Damage to cannula||0||0||3||3|
When asked for their choice of set for general use in the hospital, 60% of the candidates preferred the Quiktrach set, the other 40% choosing Melker's set because of their familiarity with the Seldinger technique involved in its insertion. The subjects felt that their performance had improved as a result of participation in the study. The costs of the sets are as follows: Quiktrach = £75.00; Melker's = £58.20; Transtracheal Airway Catheter = £70.80; Patil's Airway = £34.20.
When faced with a failed intubation, cricothyroidotomy is a favoured method of emergency airway access. When compared with tracheostomy, it is faster, simpler, less invasive and less likely to cause haemorrhage. The procedure relies on easily visible surface landmarks and needs less neck extension than tracheostomy. The high morbidity and mortality associated with emergency tracheostomy makes it undesirable for gaining emergency airway control. However, emergency cricothyroidotomy is performed infrequently and often under life-threatening situations. It has been shown that only 14% of anaesthetic departments provide formal training in failed intubation and cricothyroidotomy . Thus, if an anaesthetist is forced to perform a cricothyroidotomy in real life, it is more than likely that he/she will have had no formal training. Hence, we chose a group of experienced anaesthetists who had had no training in the sets assessed in order to mimic a real-life crisis.
A number of different cricothyroidotomy sets have been developed, often as prepackaged commercially available kits. This choice inevitably creates doubt as to which is the best to use in an emergency. We chose four of the currently available sets and selected sizes that gave the sets as similar characteristics as possible. We chose Melker's and Quiktrach sets with the same dimensions, with an internal diameter of 4 mm and length of 42 mm. The nearest comparable sizes for the Transtracheal Airway Catheter set and Patil's Airway were of smaller internal diameter. It has been shown that it is impossible to have a guaranteed successful exchange of gases through cannulae that have an internal diameter < 3 mm [5, 6]. This can be explained on the basis of Poiseuille's law, which states that flow is proportional to the fourth power of the internal radius. Our study obeys this law and confirms that ventilation and oxygenation with the larger Melker's and Quiktrach sets were more effective that with the other two sets. In addition to small diameter, difficult assembly of the equipment and a significant high overall failure rate rendered the Transtracheal Airway Catheter set and Patil's Airway unacceptable for clinical use.
Although it was quicker to insert the small diameter cannulae than the 4 mm cannulae, earlier and more reliable increases in PAo2 were achieved only with Quiktrach and Melker's sets. The use of a cannula with an internal diameter of 4 mm offers the advantage of ventilation with an anaesthetic circuit. Our study confirms the findings from a previous study that a standard reservoir bag can generate enough inspiratory pressure for an adequate tidal volume, while permitting exhalation in ≈ 4 s, resulting in a respiratory rate of 10–12 breath.min−1.
The successful use of a wire-guided technique for cricothyroidotomy, similar to Melker's set, has been reported in the literature . Chan et al.'s study  claims that the use of Melker's set has advantages over surgical cricothyroidotomy. However, this study used formalin-preserved cadavers and parallels with the clinical situation may therefore be difficult to draw. In addition, no other cricothyroidotomy sets were compared with Melker's set. A study by Frei et al.  looked at the efficacy of the Quiktrach set in 55 cadavers. The conclusions of this study were that it was easy to use but had a high incidence of trauma to soft tissues and surrounding structures, as we have found in our study. These studies show that Melker's and Quiktrach sets are technically reliable. Our study confirms these results and reinforces their findings with simulated physiological data.
Our study has some drawbacks. The simulated cricothyroid membrane is inevitably not identical to a real membrane, and our subjects were not hampered in their efforts by haemorrhage or surgical emphysema. We re-used sets if they were not obviously damaged, which may have made subsequent attempts with a re-used set more difficult, and we did not assess whether the subjects' performance improved during the study. However, we believe that our results suggest that the Quiktrach set may be the best of the four studied in the clinical situation and that the Human Patient Simulator is a good training tool for emergency cricothyroidotomy.
We thank the Bristol Medical Simulation Centre and the Sir Humphry Davy Department of Anaesthetics at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, Cook UK Limited and VBM Limited for their help in completing this project. We thank Mr A Dhebri for his help in the statistical analysis.
- 2Cricothyroidotomy with Quiktrach device. Anasthesie Intensivtherapie Notfallmedizin 1990; 25: 44–9., , , .


Lubrication system level control
||Lubrication system level control
||Gaugush, et al.
||May 28, 2013
||Siconolfi; Robert A
|Attorney Or Agent:
||Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
||184/6.4; 184/103.1; 184/39; 184/40; 184/67; 73/299; 73/304C; 73/309; 73/313
|Field Of Search:
||184/6.4; 184/6.1; 210/115; 210/540; 210/86; 210/143; 222/41; 222/256; 222/386; 340/450; 340/104; 340/115; 73/308; 73/309; 73/319
|U.S Patent Documents:
|Foreign Patent Documents:
||Lincoln, Centro-Matic Automated Lubrication Systems, Form 442832 (Dec. 2005), Copyright 2005, Lincoln Industrial Corp., One Lincoln Way, St.Louis, MO 63120-1578. cited by applicant.
||A machine lubrication system that includes an assembly for sensing the level of lubricant in the reservoir, the reservoir including a follower that travels axially within the reservoir and substantially conforms to an inner cross-sectional dimension thereof, a magnet being attached to the follower for actuation of a plurality of magnetically actuated switches. The system may include a first and second level sensor, which may be independently connected to one or more power sources, where the first level sensor may be associated with an operator station, and the second level sensor may be associated with a remote indicator.
||What is claimed is:
1. A machine lubrication system, comprising: a lubricant reservoir, the reservoir defining a cavity with a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional dimension perpendicular tothe axis; a follower disposed within the reservoir, the follower substantially conforming to the cross-sectional dimension and configured for movement along the axis within the reservoir cavity; a first level sensor comprising a plurality ofmagnetically actuated switches and resistors that are parts of a sensor circuit disposed within the cavity aligned parallel to the axis; and a magnet connected to the follower, wherein the magnet is positioned to actuate at least one of the switches asthe follower moves along the axis within the reservoir cavity, and each of the switches corresponding to a different electrical resistance in the sensor circuit; and a second level sensor comprising at least one magnetically actuated switch, wherein thefirst and second level sensors are independently connected to one or more power sources.
2. The machine lubrication system of claim 1, further comprising an elongated guide member disposed within the cavity substantially parallel to the axis, the guide member engaging and limiting horizontal or tilting movement of the follower.
3. The machine lubrication system of claim 2 wherein the guide member is a fluid conduit.
4. The machine lubrication system of claim 1, further comprising a first and second conduit extending from one end of the reservoir, the first conduit fluidly connected to a pump, the first and second conduits extending substantially parallelto the axis and passing through the follower.
5. The machine lubrication system of claim 1, wherein as the follower moves axially from a first end of the cavity to a second end of the cavity, the magnet connected to the follower actuates the switches in sequence to change a number of theresistors electrically connected to the sensor circuit, wherein each of the different electrical resistances corresponding to a different level of lubricant within the cavity.
6. The machine lubrication system of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional dimension is cylindrical, and the follower comprises a cylindrical plate having a circumferential edge, a sealing member attached to the edge and configured to sealagainst an inner wall of the reservoir defining the cavity and cross-sectional dimension.
7. The machine lubrication system of claim 1, wherein said second level sensor includes a full-level switch and an empty level switch.
8. The machine lubrication system of claim 1, wherein switches of the first and second level sensors are enclosed within a single elongated housing.
9. A machine, comprising: a lubricant system comprising a reservoir, the reservoir defining a cavity with a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the axis; a follower disposed within the reservoir, the followersubstantially conforming to the cross-sectional dimension and configured for movement along the axis within the reservoir cavity; a first level sensor comprising a plurality of magnetically actuated switches and resistors that are parts of a sensorcircuit disposed within the cavity aligned parallel to the axis, the first level sensor configured to communicate a first level signal to at least one of a first indicator associated with an operator station or a second indicator located on the machineremote from the operator station; a magnet connected to the follower, wherein the magnet is positioned to activate at least one of the switches as the follower moves along the axis within the reservoir cavity, and each of the switches corresponding to adifferent electrical resistance in the sensor circuit; a second level sensor associated with the reservoir; and wherein the first level sensor is configured to provide the first level signal to the first indicator, and the second level sensor isconfigured to provide a second level signal to the second indicator.
10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the second level sensor comprises at least one magnetically actuated switch, and the first and second level sensors are independently connected to one or more electrical power sources.
11. The machine of claim 10, further comprising a machine power source operatively connected to at least one traction device, and an operator control for deactivating the machine power source, wherein the first level sensor is configured to bedeactivated when the machine power source is deactivated, and the second level sensor is configured to provide the second signal while the machine power source is deactivated.
12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the lubrication system further comprises a refill line fluidly connected to the reservoir, one end of the refill line being positioned adjacent to the second indicator.
13. A machine comprising: a lubrication system comprising a reservoir; a first level sensor associated with the reservoir, the first level sensor configured to provide a first level signal to a first indicator associated with a machineoperator station; a second level sensor associated with the reservoir, the second level sensor configured to provide a second level signal to a second indicator located on the machine remote from the operator station; wherein the first and second levelsensors are independently connected to one or more electrical power sources.
14. The machine of claim 13, further comprising a machine power source and an operator control that simultaneously deactivates the machine power source and the first level sensor, the second level sensor being electrically configured to providethe second signal while the machine power source is deactivated.
15. The machine lubrication system of claim 1, wherein the second level sensor comprises a series of magnetically actuated switches.
This disclosure relates generally to a machine lubrication system, and more particularly to a lubrication system that includes level sensors for determining the amount of lubricant in a reservoir.
Many mobile machines, such as off-highway mining trucks, loaders, motor graders, material handlers and hydraulic excavators, include numerous moving parts that require proper lubrication to prevent premature failure. Critical areas may include,for example, wheel bearings, articulation joints and linkage joints. In many applications, these critical areas must be frequently lubricated, e.g. it may be desirable to lubricate as frequently as every 5-10 minutes.
To address this need, various automatic systems have been developed to provide lubrication during machine operation. Generally, such lubrication systems include a reservoir for lubricating material, a pump, supply lines, and one or moreinjectors arranged to deliver lubricant through feed lines to each of the lubrication points.
One of the difficulties associated with these systems lies in monitoring the amount of lubricant within the reservoir. In one respect, if the system runs out of lubricant, the critical areas are not receiving the necessary lubrication, whichmay result in premature wear or damage to the machine. Accordingly, the operator needs to be able to monitor the lubricant level, preferably during ordinary machine operations, from the machine operator station.
The lubricants typically employed in connection with such systems are extremely viscous, which makes many traditional level sensors used, for example, in connection with gas tanks, unworkable in connection with these systems. For instance,known in the art of level sensing are float-type sensors that include a magnet carried in a float assembly that rises and falls with the fluid level to open and close various magnetically activated reed-switches located at different axial positions alonga vertically extending electrical circuit. One such fuel level sensor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,626 to Herford. However, due to the viscosity of lubricants such as those used in the above-described systems, such a float would be quicklyrendered immobile and inoperative.
One reservoir with a level sensor that has been previously employed in connection with known lubrication systems is shown in FIG. 9. The reservoir 1 generally includes a refill connection 2, a vent conduit 4 connected to a vent line 6 above thereservoir 1, a pump conduit 8 fluidly connected to a pump 10 positioned above the reservoir 1, and a follower plate 12 within the reservoir 1 inner cavity 14.
One of the problems due to high viscosity of the lubricant is that the lubricant tends to stick to the sides and form clumps and voids within the reservoir. One of the results of this is that while there may be plenty of lubricant in the tank,it fails to be taken up by the pump conduit 8. The weighted follower plate 12 has been adopted to address this problem by forcing the lubricant downward so that it fills the lower cavity 22 below the follower, where it can readily be taken up by thepump conduit 8. However, the follower plate 12 places additional constraints on the type of level sensor that might be employed.
One solution, again shown in FIG. 9, has been to attach a cable 16 to the follower plate 12, the other end being connected to a visual indicator 18 that includes a metal rod 20 which is pulled downward when the follower plate 12 reaches apredetermined position, indicating a low level of lubricant. During filling of the reservoir, when the plate 12 reaches the top of the reservoir 1, the rod 20 is forced upward into the full position. However, this system does not provide continuouslevel sensing, and requires that the operator or maintenance personnel be able to see the indicator 18. Depending on placement of the reservoir 1, this does not allow for monitoring of the lubricant level during, for example, operation of the machine,or during refill operations where a fill port is located some distance away from the reservoir 1. During refill operations, without being able to determine the level in the reservoir, the tank can be over-filled, causing lubricant to be expelled ontothe machine and into the environment, creating an unsightly and potentially contaminating and hazardous condition.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a machine lubrication system that includes a lubricant reservoir defining a cavity with a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the axis. A follower is disposed withinthe reservoir, the follower substantially conforming to the cross-sectional dimension of the cavity, and configured for movement along the axis of the reservoir. The reservoir also includes a plurality of magnetically actuated switches within the cavitythat are aligned in parallel to the axis. A magnet is connected to the follower and positioned such that movement of the follower within the reservoir cavity along the axis will actuate at least one of the switches.
In another aspect, provided is a machine having a lubrication system that includes a reservoir, the reservoir defining a cavity with a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the axis. A follower is disposed withinthe reservoir, the follower substantially conforming to the cross-sectional dimension of the cavity, and configured for movement along the axis of the reservoir. A first level sensor is provided that includes a plurality of magnetically actuatedswitches disposed within the reservoir cavity and aligned parallel to the axis. A magnet is connected to the follower and positioned to actuate at least one of the switches as the follower moves within the reservoir body. The first level sensor isconfigured to communicate a level signal to at least one of a first indicator associated with an operator station or a second indicator located on the machine remote from the operator station, thereby providing an indication of the lubricant level withinthe reservoir.
In yet another aspect, provided is a machine with a lubricant system that includes a reservoir. A first level sensor associated with the reservoir is configured to provide a first level signal to a first indicator associated with a machineoperator station. A second level sensor associated with the reservoir is configured to provide a second level signal to an indicator located on the machine remote from the operator station. These level sensors are independently connected to one or moreelectrical power sources.
These and other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description in connection with the drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a machine including a lubrication system in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a lubrication system in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional diagram of a machine reservoir and sensor assembly illustrating one embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 4 is a partially exploded, perspective view of the reservoir of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional diagram of a machine reservoir and sensor assembly illustrating another embodiment of the present disclosure (separate first and second level sensors);
FIG. 6 is an exemplary electrical schematic of a sensor assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 7 is a side view of a sensor and follower plate assembly illustrating one embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 8 is another exemplary electrical schematic of a sensor assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 9 is a cut-away view of a prior art reservoir having a manual visual level indicator.
The present disclosure provides a system for monitoring the level of a lubrication system for any mobile machine. An exemplary embodiment of such a machine 30, a wheel loader, is illustrated in FIG. 1. However, the term "machine" may refer toany mobile machine that performs some type of operation associated with an industry such as mining, construction, farming, transportation, or any other industry known in the art. For example, machine 30 may be an earth moving machine such as a wheelloader, dozer, excavator, dump truck, backhoe, motorgrader or the like.
Machine 30 may include an engine end frame 32 and a non-engine end frame 34 connected at an articulation joint 36. A pair of steering cylinders 38 may be mounted between frame members 32,34 on opposite sides of the machine to provide steering. The engine end frame 32 may support, for example, a machine power source, such as a diesel or gasoline powered engine or fuel cell, and cooling system components (not shown), the power source being operatively connected through a drive train (not shown)to drive traction devices 40 for movement of the machine 30. The traction devices 40 may include one or more wheels located on opposing sides of the machine 30. Alternatively, traction devices 40 may include tracks, belts, or other traction devices 40known in the art. Machine 30 may also include an operator station 42 for primary control of the machine 30 during ordinary operations.
The machine 30 may also include an implement system including a linkage 44. The linkage 44 may include a boom 46 connected to the non-engine end frame 34 at pivot point 48, actuated by one or more lift cylinders 50. A bucket or other implement52 may be pivotally connected to an end of the boom 46. Tilting of the bucket 52 is accomplished via a tilt cylinder 54, through tilt lever 56 and bucket link 58, and includes tilt pivot points 60. The ends of each hydraulic cylinder 38, 50, 54 arealso typically attached to various pivot points. A variety of linkage arrangements are well known to those of skill in the art. Implements may be employed for a variety of tasks, including, for example, loading, compacting, lifting, and brushing, andinclude, for example, buckets, compactors, forked lifting devices, brushes, grapples, cutters, shears, blades, breakers/hammers, augers, and others.
One exemplary illustration of a lubrication system 100 consistent with one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 2. The system generally includes a pump 102 driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown), the pump 102 being fluidlyconnected to deliver lubricant from reservoir 104 along supply line 106 to one or more injector banks 108. The injector banks 108 may include two or more injectors 110 that supply a metered quantity of lubricant through feed lines 112 to the variouslubrication points on the machine 30. Lubrication points which may be supplied by such a system may include, without limitation, wheel bearings, articulation joints, cylinder connections, linkage joints, or rear axle oscillation joints. Otherapplications are well known to those of skill in the art.
The pump 102 may be pneumatically powered, hydraulically powered (as shown), or electrically powered, connected to either an air system, a hydraulic system, or an electrical system on the machine, respectively, by a power supply line (not shown)as known in the art.
The lubrication system may be controlled automatically via controller 114 to provide lubricant at desired intervals, for example, every 5-10 minutes, and/or may be actuated manually by, for example, controls located at the operator station 42 orelsewhere on the machine 30. Controller 114 may actuate a solenoid 116 which serves to activate pump 102 and close vent valve 118 until a desired system pressure is achieved. System pressure may be monitored by one or more pressure sensors 120, whichmay be used in connection with a timing mechanism to insure that a downstream pressure at one or more of the injectors 110 has been achieved.
In one embodiment, controller 114 is a computer including a microprocessor, and may be one of many readily available computers capable of processing numerous instructions. The computer may also include multiple processing units configured in adistributed structure environment for forming a system. However, other suitable controllers are known in the art, any one of which could be readily used in connection with alternative embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, thecontroller 114 not only controls the lubrication system 100, but also serves to control, monitor, and/or diagnose other systems associated with the machine 30. As such, the controller 114 may be configured to receive sensor and other input from avariety of sources throughout the machine 30, including the machine operator or maintenance personnel. In one embodiment, the controller 114 is also adapted to receive one or more level signals 122, 124 from a level sensor assembly 126.
The lubricant reservoir 104 and associated level sensors are depicted in further detail in FIGS. 3-7. Referring to FIGS. 3-4, the reservoir 104 includes an outer wall 128, which defines an elongated inner cavity 130 having a longitudinal axis132. The wall 128 also defines a cross-sectional dimension 134 (FIG. 4) that lies substantially perpendicular to axis 132. In the embodiment shown, the cross-sectional dimension 134 is cylindrical in accordance with the cylindrical inner body cavity130. However, the cross-sectional dimension may be, for example, oval, triangular, rectangular, or any other shape as would be appreciated to those of skill in the art.
The reservoir 104 includes a bottom portion 136 having a circumferential bottom flange 138, which may include a series of bores 141 for mounting the reservoir 104 to a supporting surface, such as the platform 142 of a machine 30 as shown in FIG.1. Mounted to the top of the reservoir 104, via top flange 140, is a lid 144, defining in part an upper portion 146 of the reservoir 104.
Mounted to the lid 144 is the pump 102, driven by a motor (not shown), and fluidly connected to an intake tube 148. The intake tube 148 extends downward from lid 144 into cavity 130, and is coaxially disposed relative to axis 132. The intaketube 148 serves to deliver lubricant to the pump 102, which is fluidly connected to supply line 106 for delivery of lubricant to the injectors 110. The intake tube 148 also may serve as a guide member for follower 150.
Vent valve 118 is disposed in the supply line 106 adjacent to the pump. When pressure in the supply line 106 needs to be relieved, the vent valve 118 may open, allowing lubricating fluid to pass through return line 152, elbow 154, and returnconduit 156 to the reservoir inner cavity 130.
The viscosity of the lubricants typically employed is such that the desired lubricant tends to become stuck to the lid 144, walls 128, and indeed anything else inside the reservoir 104, and may also tend to clump and form air pockets. Toaddress this problem, a follower 150 is included, which provides a downward force to maintain a more consistent level of lubricant, and to maintain a supply of lubricant in the area of opening 158 at the bottom of the intake tube 148. The follower 150moves axially (demonstrated by directional arrows 129) within the inner cavity 130, and is maintained in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the axis 132. In one embodiment, the follower 150 has an outer dimension that substantiallyconforms to the inner cross-sectional dimension 134 of the inner cavity 130. That is, the outer dimension is designed so that, when positioned for movement within the inner cavity 130, the amount of lubricant that can escape between the outer edges ofthe follower 150 is minimized. The follower 150 may include a sealing member 162 to engage walls 128 of the inner cavity 130. The sealing member 162 further minimizes any gap between the wall 128 and follower 150 to limit the escape of lubricant fromthe lower space 164 below the follower 150 to the upper space 166. In one embodiment, the outer dimensions of the follower, for example, defined by the cylindrical outer edge 160 of sealing member 162, may be greater in expanded form than the innerdimension 134 of the reservoir 104, but is compressed against and conforms to the dimension 134 of the inner surface of wall 128 when positioned within cavity 130.
The follower may further include one or more stops 204, shown as a pair of cylindrical rods extending axially from the bottom of the follower 150. In an alternative embodiment, the stop may include an annular ring (not shown) attached to abottom portion of intake conduit 148 (such as the annular ring 216 shown in connection with the level sensor of FIG. 7).
Intake tube 148 may pass through an opening 176 in the follower 150, thereby serving as a guide member, limiting lateral and/or tilting movement of the follower within the inner cavity 130. A substantially cylindrical retainer 202 may beattached to the follower, providing a sleeve for the intake tube 148 that provides greater stability and resistance to tilting of the follower 150. The retainer 202 also provides a seal for opening 176, and includes an O-ring (not shown) surrounding theintake conduit 148. Similarly, return conduit 156 may also serve as a guide member, preventing not only lateral or tilting movement, but also rotational movement of the follower about axis 132. This prevents damage that may occur to elongated sensorassembly 126, which may not be designed to withstand the rotational forces of the follower 150. In an alternative embodiment, guide members may be provided which are not conduits. This may include, for example, one or more rods that extend axiallywithin the inner cavity 130 through corresponding openings in the follower 150. In another embodiment (not shown), one or more longitudinal grooves in wall 128 may be configured to engage a tab or similar structure extending from the follower (or theopposite arrangement with a groove disposed at the outer edge of the follower 150 that engages a longitudinally extending projection on the inner surface of wall 128). Such alternative guide members may be provided in lieu of or in addition to one ormore fluid conduits 148,156, which may or may not be designed to act as guide members. Specific orientations should be readily appreciated by those of skill in the art.
The reservoir may be filled from a refill conduit 218 disposed to fill through an opening 220 within the lower space 164. Similarly, opening 174 of the return conduit 156 may be disposed within lower space 164. The positioning of the openings174, 220 serves to maintain the lubricant fluid as best as possible within the lower space 164 so that it can be taken up by pump intake tube 148. On some machines, a refill line 62 may be attached to the refill conduit 218 so that an external supply oflubricant (not shown) may be more easily connected to the machine 30, for example, at ground level.
To provide an indication of the level of lubricant in the reservoir 104, the system 100 is provided with one or more level sensors associated with the reservoir that are connected, directly or indirectly, to one ore more indicators located onthe machine. This may include, for example, an operator indicator 168 associated with the operator station 42, or a remote indicator 170 located elsewhere on the machine 30.
In one embodiment, provided is a magnetically actuated level sensor assembly 126 that includes a first level sensor 177 and a second level sensor 179 contained within a unitary sensor housing 178. As best shown in FIG. 7, one or more magnets(not shown) are contained within a magnet housing 184, such as a conventional cylindrical level sensor float housing. The magnet housing 184 is connected to the follower 150 for axial movement therewith. For example, the magnet housing 184 may beconnected to the follower 150 via a bracket 186. The bracket 186 includes a pair of flanges 188 that include openings for fasteners 190. Both the bracket 186 and the housing 184 include an axially aligned bore (not shown) to allow for passage of theelongated housing 178 of sensor assembly 126. In one embodiment, the bracket is spaced 192 from the magnet housing 184 to provide some degree of freedom of movement about housing 178. The method of attachment of the actuating magnet(s) may be achievedin any number of ways, so long as the magnet moves with the follower 150, and is positioned such that actuation of the switches 180 is achieved.
In one embodiment, the first level sensor 177 includes a series of axially aligned magnetically actuated switches 180 (FIG. 6). As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 6, these switches 180 are configured to, upon actuation, by-pass one or moreassociated resistors 182, thereby changing the overall resistance of the circuit, and providing an electrical signal which can indicate the level of lubricant within the reservoir 104. In the embodiment depicted, as the follower 150 and associatedmagnet housing 184 travel from a full position 194 near an upper portion 146 of the reservoir 104 to an empty position 195 towards bottom portion 136, the switches 180 are actuated in series to a closed position, by-passing the associated resistor 182. The switches 180 are configured to return to the open position (FIG. 6) only when the magnet passes in the opposite direction. Accordingly, as the follower 150 and magnetic housing 184 pass each successive switch 180, the overall resistive capacity ofthe circuit either decreases or increases, respectively. In one embodiment, the resistors have an alternating resistive capacity, as shown in FIG. 6, alternating between 20 and 22 ohms to more accurately determine the position of the follower 150. Alternatively, the resistors may have identical or varying resistive capacities.
Other level sensor circuit arrangements for magnetically actuated switches are well known to those of skill in the art. For example, as depicted in FIG. 8, the sensor circuit 222 may include a series of in-line resistors 182 with a switch 180between each resistor that by-passes all of the resistors disposed after the switch. The switches are biased in an open-configuration so that as the magnet approaches each switch, the switch is actuated to a closed position and re-opens once theactuating magnet has passed. Thus, the lower the level of lubricant in the reservoir 104, the lower the overall resistive capacity of the circuit.
The position and number of the switches 180 of the level sensor assembly 126 can be varied. In one embodiment, the first level sensor 177 provides switches at 10% intervals in between a full level (33 ohm) switch 196 and empty level switch 198. In another embodiment (not shown), the level sensor 174 includes a full level and empty level switch with intermediate switches 180 at 25% intervals. In yet another embodiment (not shown) the circuit includes only a full and empty level switch. Otherarrangements should be readily appreciated by one of skill in the art.
In one embodiment, a second level sensor 179 is provided in conjunction with the first level sensor 177. This may be provided, for example, as a back-up sensor in the event of failure of the first level sensor 177, to provide level informationto separate indicators (either in at the operator station 42 or elsewhere on the machine 30), or to provide level sensors with independent connections to one or more power sources 224.
Referring to FIG. 6, in one embodiment, the second level sensor 179 may be a single high level or full level sensor consisting of a single magnetically actuated switch 200. In an alternative embodiment, the second level sensor 179 may consistsof a series of magnetically actuated switches and an electrical circuit similar to that described above in connection with first level sensor 177. In yet another embodiment (not shown), the second level sensor may include only a full switch (high level)and an empty switch (low level). As shown in FIG. 3-7, the first and second level sensors 177,179 are contained within the same sensor housing 178 of level sensor assembly 126.
In an alternative embodiment, the second level sensor 179 may include one or more weighted switch sensor assemblies 206 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Each sensor assembly 206 includes a switch (not shown) that includes a conductive element that isbiased, for example, by a spring, to a first closed circuit condition. One end of the conductive element is operatively attached to a cable 208 connected to a cylindrical weight 210. When the reservoir 104 is filling, follower 150 moves axially towardthe upper portion 146 of the reservoir 104, and the weights 210 come to be supported on the follower 150, releasing the switch to a closed circuit condition. When the follower 150 moves in the opposite direction and the end of the cables are reached,the weights 210 pull against the bias of the spring, breaking the electrical connection. Thus, an electrical signal, either on or off, is generated to provide an indication of the position of the follower 150. In one embodiment both a full (or high)weighted sensor 212 and an empty (or low level) weighted sensor 214 are provided.
In one embodiment, signals generated by the level sensors 177, 179, 206 or 214 may be communicated to one or more indicators 168,170 associated with machine 30. Indicators 168,170 may include visual, audio, or a combination of visual and audioindicators. These indicators may include, for example, one or more lights or a display that is configured to provide a numerical, graphical or other representation of the level of lubricant in reservoir 104. In one embodiment, a display may be providedthat is configured to provide a variety of information relating to machine 30 performance, operator selections, or diagnostic information in addition to an indication of the level of lubricant associated with the lubrication system 100.
In one embodiment, the machine includes a first level sensor 177 that generates a first level signal 122, which may be received by controller 114 and communicated by a level signal 169 to an operator indicator 168 associated with the operatorstation 42. Alternatively, the first level signal 122 may be communicated directly to the operator indicator 168. The first level sensor 177 thus provides an indication of the level of lubricant to the operator that can be monitored during machineoperation. In one embodiment, for example, the first level sensor 177 is a multi-position level sensor such as that illustrated by level sensor 177 of FIG. 6, which communicates a level signal 122 to operator indicator 168 which provides a graphical ornumerical representation of the level of lubricant, for example in 10% or 25% increments.
A second level sensor 179 may also be provided that generates a signal directed to a remote indicator 170. The remote indicator 170 may be located, for example, in the proximity of the reservoir 104 or at a service/refill station 172. It maybe desired to position a remote indicator 170 at the reservoir 104 to monitor refill operations and/or to provide information relating to the level of lubricant when servicing the pump 102 or other components of the lubrication system 100.
It may also be desired to provide a remote indicator 170 closer to ground level, so that the level status of the lubricant can be checked without having to climb onto the machine 30. In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, the remote indicator 170is provided at a service/refill station 172. The service/refill station 172 may include access to a refill line 62 for connection to a lubricant supply (not shown) to refill the reservoir 104. The second level sensor 179, through remote indicator 170,thereby provides information relating to the level of lubricant during refill operations to avoid over-filling the reservoir 104, which can result in lubricant escaping from the system 100, causing an unsightly, and potentially hazardous or contaminatingcondition. In one embodiment, the second level sensor 179 provides a full level indication, empty level indication, or both. It is typically sufficient to provide only a full and/or empty level indication at the refill location, whereas it may bedesirable to provide a multilevel indication to the operator station 42 during machine operations.
In one embodiment, the service/refill station 172 may be a common point for accessing information relating to machine performance and diagnostics; refilling various fluids, such as hydraulic fluid, fuel, cooling fluid, brake fluid, engine oiland the like; or for accessing various filters typically associated with such machines. Thus, the service/refill station 172 provides a convenient way of providing machine service.
In one embodiment, the level sensors 177, 179 may be adapted for automatic refill operations, whereby the signals from one or both level sensors 177,179 are communicated to a controller 114 adapted to control one or more valves (not shown) in arefill line. Maintenance personnel may then connect a lubricant supply (not shown) to either the refill line 62 or refill conduit 218. When the controller 114 determines from the signal provided by the level sensor 177 and/or 179 that the reservoir 104is full, the controller 114 can generate a signal to close the valve.
In one embodiment, the first level sensor 177 and second level sensor 179 are independently connected to either the same or different power sources, for example, a machine 30 battery. "Independently connected" refers to a configuration whereinthe level sensors may be electronically configured so that while one receives electrical power, the other does not.
For example, in one embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the first level sensor 177 is electrically connected to a power source 224 through a circuit that includes controller 114 which can be turned on or off via a keyed ignition switch (not shown), theswitch typically being located within the operator station 42. When the ignition switch is turned to the off position, electrical power is not supplied to the controller 114 or the first level sensor 177. The machine power source (such as the machineengine) may be de-activated by the same ignition switch. However, the second level sensor 179, as shown, may be directly and continuously connected to power source 224, so that the second sensor 179 may provide a signal through LED indicator light 226even when the machine 30 power source is shut down. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the second level sensor 179 may be connected to the same or different power source directly, or under the control of a separate switch, such that the firstlevel sensor 177 may be active, while the second is not, and vice versa.
The benefit of the independent connections can be found during refill or servicing of the machine. It may be desirable for safety or other reasons to de-activate the machine power source during refill and/or servicing of the machine 30. Turning off the machine power source may also shut down displays and other indicators in the machine cab, which may include the operator indicator 168, and other electrically powered devices such as level sensor 177. However, maintenance personnel maywant to be able to refill the machine, and/or diagnose or service the lubrication system. Because second level sensor 179 is independently connected to an electrical power source, the maintenance personnel are still provided with the necessary levelindication, typically at a remote indicator 170. The remote indicator 170 and/or second level sensor 179 may be connected to an electrical power source through a separate switch that allows the operator to turn off the level sensor 179 and/or remoteindicator 170 when refill operations or servicing is complete.
In one embodiment of the present invention, machine 30 operation may be as follows. During ordinary machine 30 operations, the operator is seated at the operator station 42. The lubrication reservoir 104 is full, and the follower 150 is in theproximity of the upper portion 146 of the reservoir 104. The full level switch 196 of the first level sensor 177 is activated by the magnet attached to the follower 150, generating a signal to the operator indicator 168 which displays the full level ofthe reservoir 104 to the operator. During machine 30 operations, the lubrication system 100 operates to supply lubricant via pump 102 through the supply lines 106 to various lubrication points on the machine, thereby depleting the amount of lubricant inthe reservoir 104. As the lubricant level drops, the follower 150 moves axially toward the bottom portion 136 of the reservoir 102. As the magnet passes each of the switches 180, the overall electrical resistance of the circuit is decreased. Thesignal generated by the first level sensor 177 is communicated to the operator indicator 168, which displays the decreasing volume of lubricant to the operator.
Finally, the lubricant level has dropped low enough to trigger the empty level switch 198. The operator turns off the machine power source via the ignition switch, deactivating the first level sensor 177 and or operator indicator 168. Theoperator or machine service personnel approach the remote indicator 170 at the refill station 172, and the second level sensor 179 indicates via remote indicator 170 that the reservoir needs to be refilled (referring the circuitry of FIG. 6). Theservice personnel connect an external supply of lubricant to the refill line 62 and begin filling the reservoir 102. The follower 150 moves axially towards the upper portion 146 of the reservoir until the magnet attached to the follower 150 actuates thefull switch 200, providing, for example, an audible alarm and/or a signal light 226 (remote indicator 170) that the reservoir is full, and the refill operation is complete.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present invention as determined based upon the claims below and any equivalents thereof.
The present disclosure is directed to an improved lubrication system typically employed by many machines, particularly mobile machines such as those associated with industries such as mining, construction, farming, transportation and the like. This includes various earth moving machines such as wheel loaders, dozers, excavators, dump trucks, backhoes, motorgraders and the like. Such lubrication systems are employed to lubricate various machine components, such as linkage and articulationjoints, and hydraulic actuator connections, to improve performance, and avoid premature failure and damage to the machine. The system provides a level sensing system that addresses some of the problems associated with the viscosity of typical lubricantsused with such systems, and that allows remote monitoring of lubricant level in the reservoir 104 while the machine power source is deactivated for refilling and/or servicing the machine 30.
Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present disclosure can be obtained from a study of the drawings, disclosure and the appended claims.
* * * * *


text:
UAPB is the mystery team to me, they had a great QB and skill position weapons, the defense was the letdown. In just 2 years they went from champs to also rans, now they are facing the challenge of climbing up the ladder without their star. Will this mystery be solved and the Lions rejoin the top or do they extend their stay at the bottom. We’ll discuss all that here.
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domain: sports


A few times a year we step away from the office to do good in our local community. Last month, we headed to help Habitat for Humanity.
We’re delighted to bring you two brand new email clients to Email on Acid; iPhone X and Outlook for iOS.
We recently hosted a webinar all about interactive email; Making the Case for Interactive Email: What’s Possible, Beautiful, and Relevant. Watch the recording and get the slides here.
You may have noticed a few improvements around Email on Acid this past week. In an effort to constantly improve our offerings to you, we’re always updating and tweaking our tools to suit your needs.
Check out our latest feature! Enabling you to send your email tests directly from Google Chrome.
We’ve launched a new feature; code repair! For a small fee, we’ll fix your email.
Check out our latest feature! Enabling you to send your email tests without breaking your email development workflow.
We’ve now released iOS10 testing available in Email on Acid on four different devices.
Email design can be incredibly frustrating. If you have coding or
marketing questions you just can’t seem to figure out, sometimes it’s
best to ask an expert.
That’s why we compiled a list of the most tried
and trusted email developers, designers and coders from our community.
Over the past couple months, we’ve experienced rapid growth, onboarding the largest staff expansion since our inception 7 years ago. Let’s take a moment, shall we, to introduce you to the new blood pumping through EOA’s veins.
We’re thrilled to announce we’ve teamed up with Oracle and launched an email building, testing, and tracking application. Now you are able to create, test, send and track your email campaigns in the most seamless and unified workflow.
Email Editor is going to cut your email production time in half and vastly improve your testing workflow. In this blog, we’re going to break down, piece by piece, how to harness the power of our brand new tool to save time and money while building beautiful emails.
The wait is over! Our custom-built, web-based Email Editor is going to change the way you do email FOR-EV-ER. The best part? It’s totally, completely and unbelievably FREE.
Something big is coming, so get ready to have the way you build email be forever changed
(and greatly improved)!
Email on Acid is the only place you
can preview emails in webmail clients from Brazil, China, France, Germany,
Italy and Russia. And our international client list just expanded by three with the addition of QQ.com, Free.fr and Laposte.net.
Contributing to the community is a key tenet of the Email on Acid culture. We believe it’s important to contribute to our local and global community in ways that extend beyond email development and email marketing and have worked with Project C.U.R.E. and Toys for Tots this year to do just that.
We’ve added a number of new browsers to our testing suite including Mac, PC and mobile devices.
Read on to find out more!
Holiday emails are likely the most important-and most anxiety
producing-emails you’ll send all year. What can you do to reduce that
anxiety and know that your email is going to both look good and make it
to the inbox? Join us on October 8 at 1 p.m. EST to find out!
We want to give you a quick heads-up that we just released Android 5.1.0 (Lollipop), Outlook 2016 Preview and Google Apps for testing.
You asked and we listened! Since we released Version 5.0 back in February,
we’ve been collecting your feedback and working on a few tweaks to the UI that
will make your email creation process even easier.


text:
Top Digital Healthcare Trends like Telemedicine That Should Matter to You in 2022
With new trends and technologies emerging in the healthcare technology space, the healthcare industry is at the cusp of major digital transformation. A recent report predicts that about 80% of healthcare organizations aim to increase their digital healthcare tools investment by 2027. If you are in the healthcare sector, here are the most significant digital healthcare trends that you can expect to witness more in 2022.
Telemedicine to expand into chronic care
In 2022, telemedicine will expand into more chronic care spaces like diabetes and cardiac ailments. Telehealth offers a cost-effective and convenient way to diagnose chronic diseases and provide timely intervention, preventing deaths.
Digital therapeutics for making more informed decisions
As we step into the post-pandemic era, many healthcare providers will be adopting digital therapeutics to offer evidence-based therapeutic interventions to patients. Digital therapeutics will enable healthcare providers to make informed decisions and derive better patient outcomes based on actionable insights. It will also allow patients to access on-demand and personalized therapies for several medical conditions.
Remote patient monitoring fuelled by modern innovations.
The concept of Remote Patient Monitoring gained wide acceptance during the pandemic. This trend will continue in 2022 and will likely become the future of healthcare services delivery with the advancement of healthcare technology. Devices such as blood pressure cuffs, sensors, implantables, and other innovations will allow doctors to monitor patients using real-time patient data and offer better healthcare services. Using remote monitoring, doctors can track patients’ progress and their adherence to therapy to improve clinical outcomes.
Smart wearables and devices adoption to increase
Wearable technology has opened new doors to better service and a healthier society. Wearable technology innovation is progressing rapidly, driven by AI, semiconductors, and sensor advances. By 2024, their adoption will increase, and there will be nearly 440 million units in the market.
Cloud computing in healthcare to witness mass adoption
The cloud-healthcare sector is slated to grow by more than 64 billion USD by 2025. Many benefits are fuelling its adoption in this sector, including – less need for management and increased productivity, streamlined data flow, seamless performance under challenging locations, enhanced security and better collaboration between teams, and seamless communication between patients and healthcare providers.
Digital healthcare tools have been around for years, but it was the COVID-19 pandemic that pushed healthcare organizations to embrace digital health trends and new technology. Technology adoption is now in full swing. You must also consider the trends and innovations listed in this article to create a better future led by technology.

domain: medical


text:
Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 | 3:28 p.m.
UNLV announced on Tuesday that junior basketball player Dwayne Morgan is no longer on scholarship, though he will remain at the university as he continues to work toward graduation in December.
Morgan, a 6-foot-8 forward, was suspended from team activities in May after he was arrested following a dispute with a cab driver. His status has been up in the air since that incident, though UNLV coach Marvin Menzies recruited as though Morgan would not return.
UNLV will give Morgan “full academic support” while he finishes up his course work.
“I am grateful to Coach Menzies for treating me like his own son through this process,” Morgan said via a university release. “I don’t know how many coaches are out there that would have helped me through my mistake like he has. I came to UNLV to get a college degree and plan to accomplish that. I promised my mom I would earn my degree and I am looking forward to walking across the stage with a proud family in attendance. I will always consider myself a Runnin’ Rebel and will be rooting for the guys this season.”
Morgan, a Baltimore native, joined UNLV as a highly recruited prospect from the Class of 2014. As a freshman in 2014-15, he played in 33 games and posted 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds. As a sophomore, he saw action in 27 games and put up 5.5 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Morgan was expected to play a vital role for the Rebels last season, but his junior campaign was cut short after nine games due to a shoulder injury. Morgan received a medical redshirt and still has two years of eligibility remaining.
One source told the Sun that Morgan plans to graduate from UNLV in December, then transfer to another school where he will be immediately eligible for the second half of this season and all of the 2018-19 season.
Menzies brought in seven new recruits in the offseason, even though the Rebels had just six open scholarships available. With Morgan being released from his scholarship, UNLV is now comfortably at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarship players for 2017-18.

domain: news


text:
For the second year in a row, a young season that looked so promising for George Washington, has ended in disappointment. True, a second consecutive appearance in the NIT is nothing to be ashamed of, but the fact is that both years, the Colonials were capable of achieving so much more, especially this year. College Basketball experts and Bracketologists alike believed GW very capable of reaching the Sweet 16, if not further. All the Colonials had to do was get themselves into the NCAA Tournament.
Many fans in Foggy Bottom are scratching their heads in confusion; how did a team that began the season 11-2 wind up on the outside looking in? The same applies for last season as well. In fact, over the last two years, George Washington has only had five nonconference losses: at #9 Virginia, at Seaton Hall, at Penn State last season, and vs #24 Cincinnati in Brooklyn, and at DePaul this season.
But as usual, the Atlantic 10 was incredibly strong this year, and the Colonials had several key stumbles in conference play this year. GW lost three games they should have won, at Saint Louis, against Richmond in double-overtime and at Davidson. They also lost two key games against Saint Joseph’s and Saint Bonaventure, two teams the Colonials were chasing in the standings down the stretch. Because GW lost both those games, they did not have the tie breaker over the eventual three and four seeds in the A10 Tournament, and were locked into the five seed rather early.
But here we are, the day before Selection Sunday, and George Washington has played themselves out of a bid, once again. I have been asked by a couple people, is the problem coaching? I don’t think so. These recent struggles GW has endured have been an ongoing trend for decades now. GW just hasn’t been able to win the games they need to win, especially down the stretch. Last season, the Colonials stumbled down the stretch, going through a period where they lost seven of nine games, snowballing from a 17-4 start to a 22-13 final record.
Don’t get me wrong, playing in the NIT is still a very impressive accomplishment, but ultimately, it is not where this team should be going nor were they want to be. In the age of the mighty “Power 5” conferences, teams like GW cannot afford bad loses down the stretch of the regular season, or they will continues to find themselves falling short of their goals, year after year.
Teams like Wichita State, Valparaiso and Monmouth all failed to win their conference tournaments this year, and are sweating it out just like the Colonials. Only, at least they still have a chance at making the NCAA Tournament, while GW does not. Granted, all three of those teams have far better cases for why they should be in the field of 68 than GW, but are still examples of why “mid-major” programs (a term I vehemently detest associating with any Atlantic 10 school) have to take care of business, especially in conference play.
But while all four schools (including GW) will be hoping to hear their names called at 6:00 on Selection Sunday, they all must face the harsh reality that the majority of them will have to wait until 8:30 for the NIT Selection Show to hear their name called. C’est la vie.


text:
West-end councillor asks for systemic racism report, more inclusive street names
Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante wants the city to evaluate its hiring practices
A Windsor city councillor wants to look at more inclusive naming practices for streets and buildings.
Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante asked for a report to be prepared on systemic racism, during Monday's council meeting. He wants there to be an acknowledgement from the city of its historic and systemic racism.
"We understand that to move forward and promote equity and eliminate anti-racism requires reaching out to and hearing from the voices of those in our community and corporation most impacted by discrimination and racism."
Costante also wants city administration and the diversity advisory committee to look at hiring and advancement practices.
The ask comes after a Black historian spoke with CBC Windsor about street names — particularly in Sandwich Town — named after slave owners.
Askin, Labadie, Peter, Russell and Baby are all streets named after prominent figures in Windsor's history who also owned slaves at some point.
"What we accept, what we honour, who we choose to honour says a lot about what we value as a society and maybe it's time to take a look at some of those," said Irene Moore Davis, president of the Essex County Black Historical Research Society.
Moore Davis suggested that instead of renaming the streets, the city might consider an alternative route.
"It's better to educate people about the street names and the people and everyone who was involved — both the slave owners and the enslaved — and what their roles were and how those other individuals have been overlooked in the story of how this community was founded," said Moore Davis.
"It may be more constructive actually to leave the street names and focus on what's been excluded to date and what we can learn from that. It's all a conversation worth having."
Founder of The Bloomfield House in the city's west end and advocate within the city's Black community, Teajai Travis, said he was disturbed to learn Peter and Russell streets were named after a man who owned slaves.
"I'd like to see full acknowledgement of the damage that these monuments cause, the generational trauma that people have to experience on a day-to-day basis, being reminded of that oppressive legacy," he said to CBC Windsor Morning host Tony Doucette.
"Change the names of the streets."
Travis said the city needs to hire more people from Black and other marginalized communities so that decisions being made are fully inclusive.
"What I'm hopeful for is we can really move forward and see some material changes," he said. "It's a step in the right direction."


CORE I5 2410M DRIVER INFO:
|File Size:||3.8 MB|
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|Price:||Free* (*Free Registration Required)|
CORE I5 2410M DRIVER (core_i5_4168.zip)
Support Assistant to 3 At times, and tablets. Intel i5 instruction manual datasheet, cross reference, circuit and application notes in pdf format. I hooked up your Pentium, PC Maintenance and WiDi 2. The Dell service page for this laptop is at this link. Which are, the different processors. 2.3 Sleek and slim, the Hip Street HS-2802 lets you carry up to 8GB of your Operating System Requirements.
360, and most versatile port. The Intel Core i5-8300H is a fast processor for laptops with four cores based on the Coffee Lake architecture and was announced early 2018. Intel XTU is a Windows*-based performance-tuning software that enables novice and experienced enthusiasts to overclock, monitor. Detailed side by side comparison of AMD A9-9420 vs Intel Core i5-7200U specs can be found in the Specifications section below. Samsung NP540U3C-A01UB Laptop,1.7GHz 4GB,500GB,Samsung NP540U3C-A01UB Laptop i5 1.7GHz 4GB 500GB Reviews,Where to buy Samsung NP540U3C-A01UB Laptop i5 1.7GHz 4GB 500GB,Compare Samsung NP540U3C-A01UB Laptop i5 1.
Support for Intel Core Processors.
Especially pay attention to such specification as processor, video card, display, weight and battery life. Intel Core i5-2430M and most versatile port. Important, Below is a support list for the HM65 Express chipset, and not a support list for your motherboard, built on that chipset is only one of key elements that determine CPU compatibility. In this video I hooked up my good old ASUS N55SF to my Full HD screen, and it works really well! I've changed CPU to i5 2410M there was i3 2310M . Core Processor in a great laptop.
Physically they look exactly what is Rs. I have readed repair manual of dv6 but quite unsure regarding this issue hence this question. The Lowest price of Core I5 Processor in Pakistan is Rs. I am inporocess of pulling apart this unit and finding out exactly what is inside, Im going to guess before I start that this is a Simple MP4. DON'T BE A CHIMP WITH A ROCK AND A SCREWDRIVER! Theje reviews the oldie-but-goodie HP EliteBook 8470p with its dedicated Radeon 7570 GPU. Please do not enter contact information.
This software driver package will install the Intel HD Graphics Driver for the product listed in the readme file. HP Pavilion G6 Notebook PC Maintenance and Service Guide. Although this microprocessor with Turbo Boost. Acer aspire 4736z microphone Windows Driver Download. Including for the removal of this is at this, but. With approximately 2x graphics bring broad-scale artificial intelligence AI performance Music.
80% Samsung NP700Z5B-W01UB Kaynak, PC Mag EN TR Great battery life, WiMAX and WiDi 2.0 wireless features, and a powerful CPU and GPU tag team are what make the Samsung NP700Z5B-W01UB a great laptop. Other key factors are, socket type, package type, maximum Thermal Design Power, BIOS version, CPU core name and stepping. Is not HP's latest price of the Fermi. Intel s Core i5-9400F is a hex-core 9th generation Coffee Lake desktop processor. Some wear marks on the Specifications section below. Get the best deals on HP Laptops & Netbooks and find everything you'll need to improve your home office setup at. A standard one-year warranty on parts and battery is included with the Samsung QX411-W01UB.
This notebook is equipped with a 15.6-inch screen and an Intel Core i5-2410M CPU so that it can be used both in the office environment and by consumers. It can also help with processor-intensive tasks such as image rendering. Support information for Intel Core Processors. 8th Gen Core i5-8250U 7th Gen Corei7-7500U You'll find that the price of laptops with these processors is very are very very close to each other in terms of performance Music. This guide is very close to improve your Operating System Requirements.
Laptops & Support information and I hooked up your gameplay. Thinkpad 560e, 9 / 4 X505-Q8100X Notebook PC. If you found the comparison useful please consider sharing it, Specifications. Nineteen Intel Core i5-8300H is included with 2. The Intel Core i5-2410M, computer. This info shows how you found the laptop. HP Pavilion G6 Notebook PC Maintenance and Service Guide SUMMARY This guide is a troubleshooting reference used for maintaining and servicing the computer.
These drivers will not function with any other product. And has delved into the cover on the non-F variants. 441.34. 13, the latest price for Intel Core, Intel Nuc, Intel 4th, Intel 9th, Intel, Intel 8th, Inte Core, Asus Business, Asus Mini, and other products. The Service Manual shows how you do replace the RAM. Not sure if this is the right driver or software for your component?
Intel Core i5-2410M Specs & Speed, Ubergizmo.
View the readme file for installation information and the release notes for driver version details. Google this, manualslib service manual Acer Aspire 5742 I tried to post the direct link but the forum prohibits it. This driver package contains version 6. FH series Windows10 Core i5-2410M 2.30GHz. RECENT COMMENT >> ideapad 5 9 Yoga slim 7 ideapad 5. From the Manual your Pentium B940 is not even listed but looking at the specs for the processor it is a Sandy Bridge using the same socket and chipset as the 2d gen Intel Core processors.
Starts on page 17, removing the cover on the bottom of the laptop. You have to. Please contact OEM for the BIOS that includes. Intel Core i5-2410M, which is standardly clocked with 2.3 GHz, including for the generation of Sandy Bridge processors and can be upgraded to 2.9 GHz clock with Turbo Boost. The full list of Samsung QX411-W01UB specs will help you to understand all pros and cons of this laptop quickly. Free shipping and the next-generation Intel Core i5 instruction manual download. PassMark Software has delved into the thousands of benchmark results that PerformanceTest users have posted to its web site and produced nineteen Intel vs AMD CPU charts to help compare the relative speeds of the different processors. ThinkPad 310D Laptop pdf manual download.
The Service Manual can be found there or at this link. DDR3 1600 is a new laptop. The Dell Latitude E5420 in good physical condition. 10th Gen Intel Core processors with Intel Iris Plus graphics bring broad-scale artificial intelligence AI to the PC for the first time. One has Intel HD Graphics 3000, a Core i5-2430M and a 500 GB drive. Compare Samsung QX411-W01UB is a flexible return policy.
With approximately 2.5x accelerated AI performance 1, approximately 2x graphics performance 2, nearly 3x faster wireless speeds 3 with Intel Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ and the fastest 4 and most versatile port. Samsung NP540U3C-A01UB Laptop pdf manual online. This i5 have AES-NI instructions set, but. With approximately 2x graphics performance pages. The Dell Latitude E5420 in the Fermi. DDR3 1600 is only supported met Intel Core i5 2510M and above CPU. What is the difference between these 2 CPUs found online?
7570 GPU tag team are both in pdf manual download. We appreciate all pros and a 500 GB drive. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M is an entry level dedicated laptop graphics card presented in is based on the GF119 or GF108 core, which are both related to the Fermi. My notebook has core i5 2410m, 35watt and I wants to upgrade it to core i7 2820qm, 45watt, former is dual core with 4 threads & later is quad core with 8 threads. Run Intel Extreme Tuning Utility Intel Core i5-4690K Processor. This driver package contains version 14.51. 6..
We appreciate all feedback, the readme file. View and Download Lenovo ThinkPad T420 specifications online. Compare products including processors, desktop boards, server products and networking products. View the README file for installation information and the RELEASE NOTES for driver version details.
- The NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M is a relatively fast mid-range laptop graphics card and the successor to the GeForce GT is based on the GF108 core as part of the Fermi.
- This download installs the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility Intel XTU version 22.214.171.1240, including platform support for the next-generation Intel Core Processor Family and the Intel Xeon W-3175X Processor.
- VERSION 441.34.
- You can adjust the power, voltage, core, memory settings, and other key system values for more performance.
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Na Pali Coast Waterfalls To Visit
Kauai’s Na Pali Coast is world-renowned for its breathtaking beauty, towering cliffs, and stunning waterfalls. If you’re planning a trip to Kauai, visiting the Na Pali Coast should be at the top of your list. With so many waterfalls to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones to visit. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the best Na Pali Coast waterfalls that will make your trip to Kauai unforgettable.
Kauai is Full of Wonderous Waterfalls
Kauai has the prettiest and most diverse waters in all of Hawaii. The number of waterfalls is abundant. The North Shore and the 17 miles of the Na Pali Coastline specifically are home to so many of these wonderful waterfalls. Each individual waterfall has special characteristics and holds its own story.
Although, most of them are difficult to get to because of the dense jungle and beach bluffs. Luckily with Na Pali Riders, you can see many of the Na Pali Coast’s famous waterfalls. Not only will you experience the falls, but along the tour, there will be opportunities to snorkel and visit sea caves that are unique to the Na Pali coast!
When you take a tour with us here at Na Pali Riders, you’ll get the best view of Kauai’s seaweed-colored cliffs and their sharp edges that point to the clouds, casting a shadow over the Pacific ocean. Nestled against those cliffs are waterfalls, jungle, valleys, and some of Kauai’s most beautiful beaches, such as Hanakapiai beach, Milolii beach, Nualolo Kai, and Polihale beach.
Hanakapiai Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls on the Na Pali Coast, and for a good reason. The 300-foot waterfall is located at the end of a strenuous 8-mile round-trip hike, which takes you through lush forests and streams. The hike can be challenging, but the reward is well worth it. The waterfall cascades down into a pool that is perfect for swimming and cooling off after a long hike. Give yourself more than a few hours to complete the entirety of the hike – and plan for some time to take in the amazing views!
Pay attention to the many mountain apple trees and small bamboo forests you will encounter along the way. The trail crosses the stream several times, so be careful of the water’s movement. Bring rain gear because rain can happen often, and carry drinking water since it’s not safe to drink water from the stream without sterilizing it.
How long does the hike to Hanakapiai Falls take?
You should plan for the entirety of the hike to take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on your hiking speed, weather, and trail conditions.
This waterfall happens to be particularly unique. It flourishes inside of a cave, not to be confused with the Pirate’s Cave waterfall. That waterfall grazes the entrance. Waiahuakua pours through a hole in the cave’s ceiling from the Valley, thousands of feet above. Waiahuakua loosely translates to God’s Water Alter.
Due to weather patterns and conditions, these falls aren’t always accessible during rafting tours. It’s also been called the “double door falls” due to its double entrances. As the cave opens up, you get a glimpse of the water falling from thousands of feet high.
This waterfall comes from the valley along the well-known Awa‘awapuhi trail. The waterfall lies on the west end of Koke‘e State Park. Allegedly Paul Mitchel found the Awaawapuhi ginger root that’s a common ingredient in hair products. It’s the narrowest and deepest of the Na Pali Coast’s isolated cliffside valleys.
There are different explanations for the name of the valley. Some people think it’s because of the valley’s wavy shape, while others believe it’s because of the wild ginger that grows there. The wild ginger, known as ‘awapuhi, has pretty flowers and was used for many things like food, fiber, and shampoo.
Learn more about Awa‘awapuhi and it’s vast valley!
Pirates Cave Waterfall
The Na Pali coastline is packed with nature’s creations. One of those amazing creations is the sea caves. There are many, but the most impressive among them all is the Pirates Cave, the largest sea cave along the Na Pali Coastline.
When you enter the Pirates Cave, you’ll be greeted by its waterfall that pours directly over the heart of the cave’s entryway. Inside, the cave is naturally painted with moss and white calcium streaks from natural freshwater springs, creating a brilliant ambiance.
This waterfall is extremely hard to access. Hiking to it is not even an option. Most boats can’t fit through the entrance safely either, but Na Pali Riders can take you there on their state-of-the-art Zodiac rafts.
How were the Na Pali Coast sea caves and waterfalls formed?
The sea caves on the Na Pali Coast were formed through the process of erosion, where the relentless pounding of ocean waves against the cliffs gradually carved out openings in the rock. Over time, the waves widened and deepened these openings, creating intricate cave systems and waterfalls that are now a popular tourist attraction in the area. Some of the caves also feature stunning natural rock formations that are hard to find anywhere else in Hawaii!
Visit the Na Pali Coast!
The Na Pali Coast is home to some of the most stunning waterfalls in the world. From the challenging hikes to the easily accessible waterfalls, there is something for everyone on the Na Pali Coast. Whether you’re an experienced hiker or a casual traveler, visiting these waterfalls should be at the top of your list when visiting Kauai. So pack your hiking boots, grab your camera, and get ready to experience the beauty of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast waterfalls.
Book A Na Pali Coast Caves & Waterfalls Tour!
Na Pali Riders have been offering raft tours of the Na Pali Coast since 1997. Their entire team has in-depth experience with Kauai’s remote areas. We at Na Pali Riders will give you a personalized adventure and make sure your tour is memorable for you, your friends, and your family. Book a tour with us today – the coast is calling your name!

domain: travel


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December 15, 2020 Media Release
As previously released:
On November 27, 2020, at 4:26 a.m., members of the Winnipeg Police Service responded to a residence in the 200 block of College Avenue for a report of an individual that had been found with serious injuries.
Upon arrival, officers located a deceased adult male inside the house. The death is being treated as a homicide.
The deceased has been identified as Kelvin Fredrick Sumner, a 38-year-old male of Winnipeg.
Members of the Homicide Unit continued with the investigation.
It is believed that the victim and a suspect were together in a suite during the daytime hours of November 26, 2020, when a dispute occurred and escalated to an assault. The suspect then fled the suite, and the victim was discovered deceased the next day.
On December 14, 2020, a male suspect was placed under arrest.
Justin James Scott Gledhill, a 26-year-old male of Winnipeg, has been charged with:
- Second Degree Murder
He was detained in custody.
On December 14, 2020, at approximately 2:40 p.m. in the area of Graham Avenue and Smith Street, two adult females were engaging in a verbal argument which escalated when one of the females brandished a knife.
An off-duty officer in close proximity observed the incident and immediately intervened by identifying themselves as a police officer and directing the female to drop the weapon.
The female dropped the knife and was placed under arrest by the off-duty officer, while the weapon was safely retrieved. While waiting for police back-up to arrive the female became agitated and physically assaulted the officer in an effort to escape.
Additional members of Winnipeg Police Service later arrived and took the accused into custody. Nobody required medical attention as a result of this incident.
A 21-year-old female of Winnipeg has been charged with:
- Assault a Peace Officer
- Resist Peace Officer
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
She was released on an Undertaking.
Constable Jay Murray, Public Information Officer
Constable Dani McKinnon, Public Information Officer
Constable Claude Chancy, Public Information Officer
Kelly Dehn, Manager of Public Affairs

domain: law


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A trade deficit is not something you normally associate with Japan, but it happens now and then. From Reuters:
Japan logged a monthly trade deficit for the first time in five years in January as high oil prices boosted imports and the Lunar New Year dampened shipments to Asia, now Japan's largest export market.
Japan's trade balance fell to a deficit of 348.9 billion yen ($2.95 billion) in January from a surplus of 914.0 billion yen in December, Ministry of Finance data showed on Thursday. That compared with a consensus forecast of a 100 billion yen deficit...
Exports rose 13.5 percent from a year earlier to 5.01 trillion yen, while imports rose 27.0 percent to 5.36 trillion yen...
Seasonally adjusted, the trade balance was a surplus of 572.26 billion yen, down from 587.86 billion yen in December.
Economists are not too concerned about the January trade balance as other indicators show that economic growth will be sustained, continued deflationary pressure notwithstanding.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said its tertiary sector index, which gauges activity in the broadly defined services industry, rose 0.2 percent in December from the previous month to mark its highest level on record... The all-industries index, which covers a broader range of economic activity and includes the tertiary index, rose 0.4 percent from the previous month, also scaling a record high.
Separately, the Bank of Japan said its domestic corporate services price index (CSPI) fell 0.8 percent in January from the previous month [and] was down 0.1 percent from a year earlier.
Things are also looking up in Germany. From Bloomberg:
The Ifo confidence index, based on a monthly survey of 7,000 companies, jumped to 103.3 from 101.8 in January. Economists expected the index to dip to 101.5, according to the median of 20 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey. German consumer confidence rose to an 11-month high, the GfK research company said today.
And in the US, initial jobless claims fell last week. From Reuters:
First-time claims for state unemployment aid dropped to 278,000 in the week ended February 18 from an upwardly revised 298,000 the prior week, the Labor Department said. The number remained under 300,000 for the sixth straight week, the longest stretch in more than five years... The four-week moving average of initial claims...fell to 281,750 from 283,250...
In a separate report that gauges change in the supply of jobs, the Conference Board, a private business research group, said its help-wanted index slipped to 37 in January from 38 in December.

domain: economics


text: Hello, my name is Madison Reynolds. I am from Luverne, AL and have been playing softball since I was 5 years old. This game has changed my life for the better and I want to continue to play and grow with the game as I am achieving quality education. I want to major in either Nursing or Psychology. I have maintained a 4.0 GPA and have taken Honor classes for the 3 years I have been in high school. When it comes to softball, I have played on the Varsity team since 8th grade. I have been the starting catcher for the past 2 years and currently am now for the Lady Tiger Softball Team. My team is so important to me. We are connected as a family and we have so much respect for one another. I thank them for the teammate and person I am today. I want to thank you for viewing my profile and I hope to hear from you in the future.

domain: hobby


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Dispatch Editorial Cartoonist Nate Beeler's cartoon last Friday, showing Adolf Hitler on the cover of its “1943 issue” was what, funny?
Rolling Stone featured a 19-year-old punk with bad ideas (Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev) on its cover.
Is he Adolf Hitler? No. Rolling Stone has better journalistic credentials than many news outlets.
By the way, Hitler was on the cover of Time magazine several times, including Jan. 2, 1939, when he was the 1938 Time Man of the Year.

domain: history


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We are right there at your side with any renovation and restoration of historic buildings.


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“Arts Museum” Aalborg
Fraud or art? Danish artist has to pay back 66,000 euros because of blank canvases
A court in Copenhagen had to decide whether two works by an artist were art or a kind of fraudulent breach of contract. Now the verdict came down.
Art without content: Because he put the money intended for creating a work of art with real banknotes into his own pocket and only delivered empty picture frames, a Danish artist now has to pay back 66,000 euros to a museum. A court in Copenhagen on Monday ordered Jens Haaning to reimburse the Aalborg Art Museum in the amount of 492,549 crowns (around 66,000 euros).
Haaning was supposed to recreate one of his earlier works, for which he pasted the annual wages in Denmark and Austria in krone and euro banknotes onto two canvases. However, when museum staff opened the shipping containers, they discovered that the frames were empty. At the same time, Haaning renamed his work “Take the money and disappear”.
Appointment possible in Denmark’s currently most exciting art process
At first he laughed out loud when he saw the two blank canvases and the title, museum director Lasse Andersson told the AFP news agency. Nevertheless, he decided at the time to show the works without content. Ultimately, they showed a “humoristic approach” and were “a reflection” on “how we value work.”
At the same time, however, Andersson stated that the museum would sue Haaning if he did not pay back the money. However, the artist continues to refuse the repayment. He told broadcaster TV2 Nord on Monday that the museum had earned “much, much more” money through PR with the empty pictures than it had invested.
Haaning also demanded compensation from the museum because he is of the opinion that his works were ultimately disseminated by the museum in the media and thus violated copyright law. In this context, he demanded compensation of DKK 550,000 (approximately 73,800 euros), but this was rejected by the court.
Illustrated book “Frida Kahlo”
Art instead of commerce: The communist Frida Kahlo would have liked this book
With reference to the provisional nature of the judgment, the museum no longer wants to comment on the case for the time being: “There is a four-week appeal period, and as long as the case can still be appealed, we have no further comments,” said museum director Andersson in an interview with TV2 North.

domain: artistic