|Publication number||US7342224 B2|
|Application number||US 11/494,405|
|Publication date||Mar 11, 2008|
|Filing date||Jul 26, 2006|
|Priority date||Mar 19, 2003|
|Also published as||CA2517700A1, CA2517700C, CN1833300A, CN1833300B, DE112004000453T5, US7157698, US7507953, US20040222369, US20060284080, US20080111070, WO2004083805A2, WO2004083805A3|
|Publication number||11494405, 494405, US 7342224 B2, US 7342224B2, US-B2-7342224, US7342224 B2, US7342224B2|
|Inventors||Alexander Alekseevich Makarov, John Edward Philip Syka|
|Original Assignee||Thermo Finnigan Llc|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (18), Referenced by (16), Classifications (15), Legal Events (2)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/804,692, filed Mar. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,157,698 entitled “Obtaining Tandem Mass Spectrometry Data for Multiple Parent Ions in an Ion Population”, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/456,569, filed Mar. 19, 2003, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
This invention relates to tandem mass spectrometry. In particular, although not exclusively, this invention relates to tandem mass spectrometry using an ion trap to analyze and select precursor ions and a time-of-flight (TOF) analyzer to analyze fragment ions.
Structural elucidation of ionized molecules is often carried out using a tandem mass spectrometer, where a particular precursor ion is selected at the first stage of analysis or in the first mass analyzer (MS-1), the precursor ions are subjected to fragmentation (e.g. in a collision cell), and the resulting fragment (product) ions are transported for analysis in the second stage or second mass analyzer (MS-2). The method can be extended to provide fragmentation of a selected fragment, and so on, with analysis of the resulting fragments for each generation. This is typically referred to an MSn spectrometry, with n indicating the number of steps of mass analysis and the number of generations of ions. Accordingly, MS2 corresponds to two stages of mass analysis with two generations of ions analyzed (precursor and products).
Relevant types of tandem mass spectrometers include:
1. Sequential in space:
2. Sequential in time: ion traps such as Paul trap (see for example R. E. March and R. J. Hughes; Quadrupole Storage Mass Spectrometry, John Wiley, Chichester, 1989), Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance (FT ICR—see for example A. G. Marshall and F. R. Verdum; Fourier transforms in NMR, Optical and Mass Spectrometry, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1990) radial-ejection linear trap mass spectrometer (LTMS—see for example M. E. Bier and J. E. Syka; U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,425), and axial-ejection linear trap mass spectrometer (see, for example, J. Hager U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,688).
3. Sequential in time and space:
A number of non-sequential mass spectrometers suitable for tandem mass spectrometry have also been described (see for example J. T. Stults, C. G. Enke and J. F. Holland; Anal Chem., 55 (1983) 1323-1330 and R. Reinhold and A. V. Verentchikov; U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,109).
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,504,148 by J. W. Hager discloses a tandem mass spectrometer comprising a linear ion trap mass spectrometer, a trapping collision cell for ion fragmentation arranged axially, followed by a TOF mass analyzer.
PCT/WO01/15201 discloses a mass spectrometer comprising two or more ion traps and, optionally, a TOF mass analyzer, all arranged axially. The ion traps may function as collision cells and so the spectrometer is capable of MS/MS and MSn experiments.
Both of these spectrometers are standard in that they rely on axial ejection of ions from the ion trap to the collision cell and onwards to the time of flight analyzer. Both spectrometers also suffer from a problem that there is a conflict between speed of analysis (i.e. number of MS/MS experiments per second) and space charge effects. To ensure sufficient numbers of fragmented ions are detected by the TOF mass analyzer to give sound experimental data, ever-increasing ion abundances must be stored upstream (particularly where more than one precursor ion is to be fragmented and analyzed). The need for high ion abundances upstream in the first analyzer is in conflict with the fact that the greater the ion abundance, the worse the resolution and accuracy of this analyzer because of space charge effects. For emerging high-throughput applications such as proteomics, it is important to provide unattainable yet speeds of analysis, on the order of hundreds of MS/MS spectra per second (as opposed to present limit of 5-15). This in its turn requires both efficient, space-charge tolerant utilisation of all incoming ions and fast, on the order of ms, analysis of each individual precursor m/z. Though time of flight analyzers on their own allow such speeds of analysis, all preceding parts of the system, namely ion trap and collision cell, should also match this so far unresolved challenge.
Against this background and from a first aspect, the present invention resides in a method of tandem mass spectrometry using a mass spectrometer comprising an ion source, an ion trap with a plurality of elongate electrodes, a collision cell and a time of flight analyzer, the method comprising trapping ions introduced from the ion source and exciting trapped ions thereby to eject trapped ions substantially orthogonally with respect to the direction of elongation of the electrodes such that the ejected ions travel to the collision cell; fragmenting ions introduced from the ion trap in the collision cell; ejecting fragmented ions from the collision cell such that they travel to the time of flight analyzer; and operating the time of flight mass analyzer to obtain a mass spectrum of ions therein.
Ejecting ions from the ion trap, that may be a linear ion trap, substantially orthogonally is a marked departure from the widely accepted norm of axial ejection for tandem analyzer configurations. The concept of orthogonal ejection has long been implicitly considered far inferior to axial ejection because ions ejected orthogonally have normally far greater beam size than their axial counterparts. This would thus require an innovative apparatus for capturing ions, fragmenting them and delivering to time of flight analyzer. A further disadvantage is the higher energy spread of resulting ion beams.
However, the Applicant has realised that far greater performance can be achieved using orthogonal ejection and this benefit can outweigh the disadvantage of large beam size and high-energy ejection. In particular, orthogonal ejection allows typically much higher ejection efficiencies, much higher scan rates, better control over ion population as well as higher space charge capacity. Moreover, the potential problem of the higher ejection energies may be mitigated by sending the ejected ions to the gas-filled collision cell where they will lose energy in the collisions that may lead to fragmentation.
By collision cell, we mean any volume used for fragmentation of ions. The collision cell may contain gas, electrons or photons for this purpose.
Preferably, the trapped ions are ejected as a ribbon beam from a linear ion trap into the collision cell. This allows an increase in the space charge capacity of the ion trap without compromising its performance or speed or efficiency of ejection. The collision cell preferably has a planar design to accommodate the ribbon beam. For example, the collision cell may be designed so that the guiding field it produces starts as essentially planar and then preferably focuses ions into a smaller aperture.
In a preferred embodiment, the collision cell comprises a plurality of elongate, composite rod electrodes having at least two parts, the method comprising applying an RF potential to both parts of each rod and applying a different DC potential to each part of each rod.
It should be noted that the plurality need not be all the rods within the collision cell. Moreover, the same or a different RF potential may be placed, and the same or a different DC potential may be placed on corresponding parts of the rods across the plurality. The method may also comprise applying a DC potential to a pair of electrodes that sandwich the composite rods.
In other embodiments, the collision cell comprises a set of electrodes with only DC voltages applied to them in order to provide an extracting field converging ions towards the exit aperture from the collision cell.
Preferably, the method comprises operating an ion detector located in or adjacent the ion trap to obtain a mass spectrum of the trapped ions. This may comprise operating the ion detector to obtain a mass spectrum of precursor ions trapped in the trapping region and operating the time of flight mass analyzer to obtain a mass spectrum of the fragmented ions, wherein the scans form a MS/MS experiment.
The ion detector is optionally positioned adjacent the ion trap thereby to intercept a portion of the ions being ejected substantially orthogonally. Conveniently, the ion detector and the collision cell may be positioned on opposing sides of the ion trap. Preferably, the method comprises introducing ions generated by an ion source having a relatively broad range of m/z (where m stands for the ion mass and z is the number of elementary charges, e, carried by the ion) values into the ion trap; trapping ions across substantially all the relatively broad range introduced from the ion source and ejecting ions within a relatively narrow range of m/z values substantially orthogonally.
In a currently preferred embodiment, the relatively broad range of m/z values is of the order of 200 Th to 2000 Th, or may alternatively be 400 to 4000 Th (Th: Thompson=1 amu/unit charge).
Optionally, the method comprises ejecting ions within a relatively narrow range of m/z values substantially orthogonally from the ion trap (second trapping region) whilst retaining other ions in the ion trap (second trapping region) for subsequent analysis and/or fragmentation.
Retaining ions of other m/z ranges in the ion trap while the relatively narrow m/z range is being ejected is advantageous as it allows the method optionally to comprise ejection, fragmentation and analysis of ions from the other relatively narrow m/z ranges without further filling of the second trapping region.
This may be useful as mass spectra of fragment ions from two or more different precursor ions may be collected rapidly, i.e. the method may optionally further comprise sequentially introducing fragment ions from the other narrow precursor ion m/z ranges into the time of flight mass analyzer and operating the time of flight mass analyzer to obtain a mass spectrum of the fragment ions associated with each precursor ion m/z range. Subsequent further layers of fragmentation and analysis may be preferred, e.g. to provide mass spectra for all precursor peaks.
The advantages gained with retaining ions whilst others are ejected may also be enjoyed with respect to the first trapping region of the composite ion trap. Hence, the method may further comprise retaining other ions not within the intermediate range of m/z values in the first trapping region when ejecting ions within the intermediate range. Preferably, substantially all ions not within the intermediate range of m/z values are retained.
Other optional features are defined in the appended claims.
From a second aspect, the present invention resides in a method of tandem mass spectrometry using a mass spectrometer comprising an ion source, an ion trap, a collision cell and a time of flight analyzer, the method comprising operating the ion source to generate ions having a relatively broad range of m/z values; introducing ions generated by the ion source into the ion trap; operating the ion trap to trap ions introduced from the ion source and to eject ions within a relatively narrow range of m/z values such that they are introduced into the collision cell whilst retaining other ions in the ion trap for subsequent analysis and/or fragmentation; operating the collision cell such that ions introduced from the ion trap are fragmented; introducing fragment ions from the collision cell into the time of flight analyzer; and operating the time of flight analyzer to obtain a mass spectrum of the fragmented ions.
From a third aspect, the present invention resides in a method of tandem mass spectrometry using a mass spectrometer comprising an ion source, a first trapping region, a second trapping region comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes, a collision cell, an ion detector and a time of flight analyzer. The method comprises a filling stage comprising operating the ion source to generate ions, introducing ions generated by the ion source into the first trapping region, and operating the first trapping region to trap a primary set of precursor ions introduced from the ion source, the primary set of precursor ions having a relatively large range of m/z values.
The method further comprises a first selection/analysis stage comprising operating the first trapping region to eject a first secondary subset of the primary set of precursor ions, the first secondary set of precursor ions having an intermediate range of m/z values, thereby to travel to the second trapping region while retaining other ions from the primary set of precursor ions in the first trapping region, operating the second trapping region to trap ions from the first secondary subset of precursor ions introduced from the first trapping region, operating the ion detector to obtain a mass spectrum of trapped ions from the first secondary subset of precursor ions, and performing a plurality of fragmentation/analysis stages of trapped ions from the first secondary subset of precursor ions.
The method further comprises a second selection/analysis stage comprising operating the first trapping region to eject a second secondary subset of the primary set of the precursor ions, the second secondary subset of precursor ions having a different intermediate range of m/z values, thereby to travel to the second trapping region, operating the second trapping region to trap ions from the second secondary subset of precursor ions introduced from the first trapping region, operating the TOF analyzer to obtain a mass spectrum of trapped ions from the second secondary subset of precursor ions, and performing a plurality of fragmentation/analysis stages of trapped ions from the second secondary subset of precursor ions.
Each of the respective plurality of fragmentation/analysis stages comprises operating the second trapping region to eject a tertiary subset of precursor ions with a relatively narrow range of m/z values substantially orthogonally with respect to the direction of elongation of the electrodes such that they are introduced into the collision cell, operating the collision cell such that ions from the tertiary subset of precursor ions ejected from the second trapping region are fragmented, introducing fragmented ions from the collision cell into the time of flight analyzer, and operating the time of flight mass analyzer to obtain a mass spectrum of the fragmented ions, wherein the tertiary subsets of precursor ions for each of the secondary subsets have different relatively narrow ranges of m/z values.
Clearly, the terms ‘primary’, ‘secondary’ and ‘tertiary’ refer to a structured hierarchy of precursor ions, i.e. each level refers to increasingly narrow ranges of m/z values, rather than successive stages of fragmentation. As such, fragmentation is only performed on tertiary sets of precursor ions.
This arrangement is advantageous as it allows MS/MS experiments to be performed rapidly as only one fill from the ion source is required. Moreover, dividing the precursor ions into increasingly narrow ranges of m/z values allows the ion capacity of the trapping regions and collision cell to be optimised within their space charge limits.
The method may contain three or more selection/analysis stages. Not all selection/analysis stages need include a plurality or indeed any fragmentation/analysis stages. For example, the mass spectrum obtained for a particular secondary subset of precursor ions may reveal only one or no peaks of interest, thereby removing the desire to fragment.
The tertiary subsets of precursor ions may be ejected from the second trapping region as pulses with temporal widths not exceeding 10 ms. Preferably, the temporal width does not exceed 5 ms, more preferably 2 ms, still more preferably 1 ms and most preferably 0.5 ms. Moreover, the fragmented ions may be ejected as pulses with temporal widths not exceeding 10 ms. Ever increasingly preferred maximum temporal widths of the pulses of fragmented ions are 5 ms, 2 ms, 1 ms and 0.5 ms. The pulses may push fragmentations directly into the time of flight mass analyzer from an exit segment of the collision cell. This paragraph also applies to the method using a single ion trap rather than the dual trapping regions.
However many tertiary subsets are chosen for a particular secondary subset, the associated relatively narrow ranges may be chosen to span the associated intermediate range of m/z values. These relatively narrow ranges may be implemented consecutively to step through the intermediate range. The mass spectrum required for each relatively narrow range may be stored and processed separately from the corresponding mass spectra. Suitable widths of the relatively narrow ranges may be determined by reference to a pre-scan, i.e. a mass spectrum or spectra previously acquired by the ion detector or time of flight mass analyzer that will contain peaks of interest. The subsequent mass spectra collected for fragments may be set to correspond to widths including one or more of these peaks. The operation of the mass spectrometer may also be tailored for each tertiary subset of precursor ions and the corresponding fragmented ions, i.e. operation of the second trapping region, collision cell and time of flight mass analyzer may be set specifically for the current relatively narrow range of m/z values. Again this paragraph may also apply to the method using a single ion trap rather than dual trapping regions.
From a fourth aspect, the present invention resides in a tandem mass spectrometer comprising an ion source, an ion trap, a collision cell and a time of flight mass analyzer, wherein the ion trap comprises plurality of elongate electrodes operable to provide a trapping field to trap ions introduced from the ion source and to excite trapped ions such that the excited ions are ejected from the ion trap substantially orthogonally to the direction of elongation of the electrodes; the collision cell is operable to accept ions ejected from the ion trap substantially orthogonally and to fragment accepted ions; and the time of flight mass analyzer is operable to acquire a mass spectrum of the fragmented ions.
The tandem mass spectrometer may further comprise an ion detector located adjacent to the ion trap and operative to detect ions ejected substantially orthogonally therefrom. The ion detector and the time of flight mass analyzer may be positioned on opposing sides of the ion trap.
Preferably, the collision cell is of a planar design.
From a fifth aspect, the present invention resides in a composite ion trap comprising first and second ion storage volumes being arranged substantially co-axially, the common axis defining an ion path through the first ion storage volume and into the second ion storage volume, the first ion storage volume being defined by an entrance electrode at one end and by a common electrode at the other end, the entrance electrode and the common electrode being operable to provide a trapping field for trapping ions in the first ion storage volume, the first ion storage volume further comprising one or more electrodes operable to excite trapped ions within a first m/z range such that the excited ions are ejected axially along the ion path into the second ion storage volume, the second ion storage volume being defined by the common electrode at one end and a further electrode at the other end, the common electrode and the further electrode being operable to provide a trapping field for trapping ions in the second ion storage volume, the second ion storage volume further comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes operable to excite trapped ions within a second m/z range such that the excited ions are ejected from the second ion storage volume substantially orthogonally to the direction of elongation through an exit aperture.
Preferably, the exit aperture is elongated in the same direction as the electrodes.
The person skilled in the art will appreciate that many of the advantages described with respect to the first and second aspects of the invention apply equally well to the composite ion trap, mass spectrometer and tandem mass spectrometers described above.
This invention may provide methods and apparatus implementing techniques for obtaining tandem mass spectrometry data for multiple parent ions in a single scan. In some embodiments, the invention features hybrid linear trap/time of flight mass spectrometers and methods of using such hybrid mass spectrometers. The hybrid mass spectrometers may include a linear trap, a collision cell/ion guide positioned to receive ions that are radially ejected from the linear trap, and a time-of-flight mass analyzer. In operation, ions may be accumulated in the linear trap, and may be ejected/extracted orthogonally such that at least a portion of the accumulated ions enter the collision cell, where they may undergo collisions with a target gas or gases. Resulting ions may exit the collision cell and may be transmitted to the time-of-flight mass analyzer for analysis. The hybrid mass spectrometers may be configured such that a full fragment spectrum can be acquired for each precursor ion even when scanning over the full mass range of the linear trap. This may be achieved by proper matching of time scales of TOF analysis and LTMS analysis as well as by orthogonal ejection of ions from the linear trap.
In some embodiments, the TOF mass analyzer may be of a type that has “multi-channel advantage” as well as sufficient dynamic range and acquisition speed. It is highly desirable the experiment to be done on a time scale appropriate to chromatography and, in particular, liquid chromatography. This means that acquisition of data defining a large area of the MS/MS data space can be acquired on the time scale on the order of <1-2 seconds, while each MS/MS spectrum might be limited by 1-2 ms time-frame.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings.
In the accompanying drawings:
One embodiment of a LTMS/TOF hybrid mass spectrometer according to one aspect of the invention is arranged as shown in
The spectrometer is enclosed within a vacuum chamber 120 that is evacuated by vacuum pumps indicated at 121 and 122.
One implementation of a method of using a hybrid mass spectrometer as shown in
The hybrid LTMS-TOF mass analyzer of
Other schemes are also possible. Above all, the instrument could be used for “traditional” ion trap type MSn experiments as well.
Embodiments of the collision cell/planar ion guide 50 will now be described with reference to
wherein k>0 for positive ions, x is the direction of ion ejection from LTMS 30, z is direction along the ejection slot in electrode 33 and y is directed across the slot, 2Y and 2Z are inner dimensions of collision cell electrodes 57 in y and z directions correspondingly (see
wherein 2X is a characteristic dimension commensurate with the height of the collision cell in x direction. It will be understood that numerous other embodiments could be presented, all following the same general idea. For example, some electrodes (e.g., 57 a on
In any orientation or embodiment of the planar collision cell, collisional damping will cause ions to relax toward the central plane of the device and drift to the exit of the device according to the steering DC potentials. Gas pressure in the planar collision cell is to be chosen in a way similar to that in collision cells of triple quadrupoles and Q-TOFs, typically with a product of pressure and distance of travel in excess of 0.1 . . . 1 torr.mm.
It should be noted that the effective potential wells (m/z dependent) established by either the RF or DC field in the ion guide 50 will be rather flat-bottomed. Thus the ion beam will have a fairly large diameter at the exit of the collision cell/planar guide 50 (relative to that which would exit from a RF quadrupole operated similarly at similar gas pressures). An additional RF multipole (e.g. quadrupole) ion guide portion 55 of the collision cell 50 will allow for better radial focusing before extraction in to the TOF analyzer 70 (as shown in
The collision energy of the precursor ions in the collision cell/ion guide 50 is determined by the kinetic energy of the ions when they exit LTMS 30 and the voltage Vacc between LTMS 30 and collision cell/ion guide 50. Depending on the operating parameters for the LTMS 30, precursor ion energies of hundreds of eV's per charge can easily be obtained even for zero Vacc. However, for better acceptance of precursor ions, it may be preferable to lift (negatively for positive ions) the offset voltage of LTMS 30 after ions are captured inside it. In some embodiments, the amplitude of this “energy lift” is hundreds to thousands of Volts. For high qeject from the linear trap 30, the kinetic energy/unit charge of ejected ions is proportional to m/z, and thus Vacc may be programmed to change during the m/z scan of the LTMS 30 to control the collision energy as the m/z of the precursor ions is scanned (or stepped).
An advantageous feature of using a planar ion guide as the collision cell 50 is the capacity of the ion guide to accept ions input to it from different sides. This allows the collision cell 50 also to act as a beam merger. Moreover, it is known that a 2-D quadrupole linear ion trap has a greater ion storage capacity than a 3-D quadrupole ion trap. The slot in the rod 53 allows radial mass-selective ejection of ions for detection, but the slot length is limited by the physical nature of conventional detectors. The planar ion guides 50 described herein may be utilized to facilitate the employment of a longer 2-D quadrupole linear ion trap 30, having a longer than conventional slot, by allowing the ions that are radially ejected along the entire length of the slot to be focussed onto a conventional detector. A longer 2-D quadrupole linear ion trap 30 ultimately provides for still greater ion storage capacity.
In some implementations, a second reference ion source can be used to provide a stable source of ions of known m/z to the planar ion guide. If these reference ions are introduced to the collision cell 50 at sufficiently low kinetic energies, they will not fragment. These reference ions would mix with the beam of ions and their fragmentation products originating in the linear trap 30 and would provide an m/z internal calibrant for each and every TOF spectrum. In this way space charge capacity of the LTMS 30 does not need to be shared with reference ions. This enables more accurate m/z assignments in the production TOF spectra as there are always m/z peaks of precisely known m/z in each spectrum.
Description of the transport characteristics of a RF-only version of the planar ion guide 50 could be based on the general theory of inhomogeneous RF file devices outlined in D. Gerlich, State-Selected and State-to-State Ion-Molecule Reaction Dynamics, Part 1: Experiment, Ed. C. Ng, M. Baer, Adv. Chem. Phys Series, Vol. 82, John Wiley, Chichester, 1992, pp 1-176. For one particular device modelled, the effective potential well depth is in excess of 5 Volts from m/z 200 to m/z 1000. The “corrugation” (sinusoidal ripple) of the effective potential in the dimension perpendicular to the axes of the rod electrodes 53 increases from ca. 0.065 Volts at m/z 1000 to ca. 0.35 Volts at m/z 200. This means that the superimposed DC field (field sage) must be such that the DC field gradient in the same direction is on the order of 0.5 Volts/a (where a is the center-to-center distance between adjacent rods) or else ions will get “trapped” in the local minima of the effective potential “corrugation” wells.
In the circuitry shown in
In embodiments calling for successive “all mass” MS/MS experiments on a time scale suitable for chromatography, the maximum allowable interval between successive all mass MS/MS experiments should be on the order of about 1-2 seconds. This leads to a maximum precursor m/z scan rate on the order of 0.5-2 Th/msec, depending on how wide a precursor mass range needs to be scanned and how much time is allowed for ion accumulation in the LTMS 30 (this assumes the device is operated in the continuous precursor scanning mode, though the considerations are essentially the same for the stepped mode). A typical time frame for a single TOF experiment/acquisition is 100-200 microseconds. This imposes the lower limit on the required width in time of a precursor m/z peak of ca. 300-1500 microseconds (as would be measured at the exit of the collision cell/ion guide 50). This precursor m/z peak width (in time) is going to be determined by the convolution of the precursor m/z peak width (in time) of ions ejected from the LTMS 30 and the time distribution for associated precursor and fragment ions to transit though the planar ion guide/collision cell 50 (it should be noted that in the continuous precursor scanning mode, it is likely that there will need to be some correction in the precursor m/z calibration to correct for the mean time of flight of precursor ions and associated product ions through the collision cell/ion guide).
This creates some design flexibility as these times may be adjusted depending on various considerations such as:
In some embodiments, to facilitate efficient ion fragmentation in the collision cell, 50 the effective target thickness of gas, P×D, should be greater than 0.1 . . . 1 Torr×mm, where P is gas pressure, D is length of the collision cell 50. It may be desirable to have the time distribution for associated precursor and fragment ions to transit though the collision cell/planar ion guide 50 not more than 500-2000 microseconds. Such a distribution in exit time delays can be achieved if D is less than 30 . . . 50 mm which would require P to be greater than 20 . . . 30 mTorr (see for example C. Hoaglund-Hyzer, J. Li and D. E. Clemmer; Anal.Chem. 72 (2000) 2737-2740). A higher P×D product may be required to facilitate better cooling and capture of precursor ions and their associated fragmentation product ions. With such pressures in the collision cell/ion guide 50 it would necessitate an additional differential pumping stage between the collision cell 50 and the TOF analyzer 70. This can be achieved, for example, by evacuating lenses 60 by the same pump as LTMS 30, and having an additional pump to evacuate just the entrance to the collision cell 50 (between the envelope 51 and, for example, electrodes 53 or 56). The lenses 60 provide very precise transformation of the ion beam exiting the collision cell/ion guide 50 into a parallel beam with orthogonal energy spread of a few milliVolts. This lens region should be preferably maintained at pressure in or below 10-5 mbar range to avoid scattering, fragmentation and to minimize gas flow into the TOF analyzer chamber 80.
To improve sensitivity of the TOF analyzer 50 and thus quality of MS/MS spectra, its transmission and duty cycle need to be improved, for example by any of the following ways:
The embodiments described above can be improved for situations where the space charge capacity of LTMS 30 may otherwise become a crucial limitation. It is proposed to overcome this potential problem by using an additional ion storage device prior to the linear trap 30. This device is preferably a further linear trap. A particularly preferred arrangement is shown in
Here, the linear trap 30 is effectively split into two sections: a first, storage section 130, followed by a second, analytical section 230. These sections 130 and 230 are separated by an electrode 150 upon which a potential can be set to create a potential barrier to divide the linear trap 30 into the two sections 130, 230. This potential barrier need only provide a certain potential energy step to separate the storage sections and may be implemented using electric and/or magnetic fields. The storage section 130 captures incoming ions (preferably, continuously) and, at the same time, excites ions within intermediate mass range Δm/z (10-200 Th) to overcome the potential barrier separating the storage section 130 from the analytical section 230 for subsequent MS-only or MS/MS or MSn analysis over this range. By exciting ions within discrete mass ranges Δm/z that step through the entire mass range (e.g. 200 Th to 2000 Th), this allows use of all the space charge capacity of the analytical section 230 at each step Δm/z without sacrificing sensitivity, scanning speed or resolving power of the LTMS 30.
Though the m/z range stored in the storage section 130 is too wide for any useful information about ions due to space charge effects, the space charge admitted into the high-resolution linear trap analyzer in the analytical section 230 is reduced relative to the entire m/z range. Also, the two sections 130, 230 are synchronized in such a manner that for MS-only scan, the linear trap 30 always scans within the admitted mass range Δm/z, so there is no compromise for time of analysis.
In operation, a continuous stream of ions enters storage section 130 and reflects from the potential barrier separating the sections 130 and 230. The potential barrier is formed by a combination of DC and, optionally, RF fields. Ions in the storage section 130 lose kinetic energy in collisions with gas along the length of the storage section 130 and continuously store near the minimum of potential well. At the same time, an AC field is added to the potential barrier so that resonant axial oscillations of ions within a particular m/z range Δm/z are excited. This could be achieved, for example, by providing a quadratic DC potential distribution along the axis of storage section 130. Due to severe space charge effects and poor quality of the field, this intermediate m/z range Δm/z is much higher than 1 Th, preferably 5-10% of the total mass range. Also, AC excitation could span over the appropriate range of frequencies so that excitation is less dependent on the actual distortions of local fields.
After several tens or hundreds of excitation cycles, the majority of ions within the intermediate m/z range Δm/z are excited to such an extent that they are able to overcome the potential barrier (while still not able to escape through the entrance aperture of the storage selection 130). This allows the ions to enter the analytical section 230 where they are out of resonance with an AC field that exists therein, and the ions get stored in the middle part of this section 230 due to further loss of their energy in collisions with gas to reside in the minimum of the potential well. Then, an analytical MS-only or MS/MS or MSn scan is taken over the pre-selection mass range of the'stored ions. After that, the process of filling from the storage section 130 is repeated for the next pre-selection m/z range, and so on until the total mass range is covered and the scans are thus completed. By the start of the next scans, the ion population within the storage section 130 is already completely renewed.
An example of operating a mass spectrometer including the composite linear trap 30 of
A typical space charge limit for unit resolving power of the linear trap is 30,000 charges and the ion intensity is distributed approximately uniformly over operating mass range of 2000 Th. Due to the high resolving power of TOFMS, higher ion populations (e.g. 300,000 charges) could be accepted. The scanning speed is 10,000 Th/s, and the input current is approximately 30,000,000 charges/s. AGC is used to estimate intensity distribution of ions and the linear trap 30 operates in MS-only mode.
With the conventional approach, the linear trap 30 would have been filled for 10 ms to reach the allowed space charge limit and the LTMS 30 would be scanned for 200 ms to cover the required mass range. Taking into account settling and AGC times, this results in about 4 spectra/sec or 1,200,000 charges analyzed per second to give a duty cycle of 4%.
With the proposed approach, all ions are being stored in the storage section 130 prior to analysis in the analytical section 230. After 300,000 charges are injected into the analytical section 230 within a m/z window of 100 Th over few ms, only 10 ms is needed to scan over this m/z window. The entire mass range is covered in a time slightly above 200 ms in 20 steps, each step containing 300,000 charges. The process could be run at a rate of about 4 spectra/sec if storage in 130 is accompanied by excitation, and about 2.5 spectra/sec, if storage and excitation are sequential in time. For the first case, 24,000,000 charges are analyzed per second to give a duty cycle of 80%, while for the second case 15,000,000 charges are analyzed per second resulting in a duty cycle of 50%.
Whilst narrower m/z windows Δm could be used, overhead time consumption is, however, likely to limit further gains at a level of about 50·106 charges/second which is already close to the practical limit of modern electrospray sources.
A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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|US6525328 *||Jul 24, 2000||Feb 25, 2003||Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba||Electron beam lithography system and pattern writing method|
|US6545270 *||Mar 14, 2001||Apr 8, 2003||Micromass Limited||Plasma mass spectrometer|
|US6649909 *||Feb 20, 2002||Nov 18, 2003||Agilent Technologies, Inc.||Internal introduction of lock masses in mass spectrometer systems|
|US6707032 *||Mar 14, 2003||Mar 16, 2004||Micromass Limited||Plasma mass spectrometer|
|US6730904 *||Apr 30, 2003||May 4, 2004||Varian, Inc.||Asymmetric-field ion guiding devices|
|US6891157 *||Jun 2, 2003||May 10, 2005||Micromass Uk Limited||Mass spectrometer|
|US6897438 *||Aug 5, 2002||May 24, 2005||University Of British Columbia||Geometry for generating a two-dimensional substantially quadrupole field|
|US6956205||Jun 15, 2001||Oct 18, 2005||Bruker Daltonics, Inc.||Means and method for guiding ions in a mass spectrometer|
|US7045797 *||Apr 16, 2003||May 16, 2006||The University Of British Columbia||Axial ejection with improved geometry for generating a two-dimensional substantially quadrupole field|
|US7157698 *||Mar 19, 2004||Jan 2, 2007||Thermo Finnigan, Llc||Obtaining tandem mass spectrometry data for multiple parent ions in an ion population|
|US20040222369 *||Mar 19, 2004||Nov 11, 2004||Thermo Finnigan Llc||Obtaining tandem mass spectrometry data for multiple parent ions in an ion population|
|US20060284080 *||Jul 26, 2006||Dec 21, 2006||Makarov Alexander A||Obtaining tandem mass spectrometry data for multiple parent ions in an ion population|
|US20070045531 *||Aug 31, 2005||Mar 1, 2007||Alex Mordehai||Lens device for introducing a second ion beam into a primary ion path|
|US20070057178 *||Sep 12, 2005||Mar 15, 2007||Mds Inc.||Mass spectrometer multiple device interface for parallel configuration of multiple devices|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US7420161 *||Mar 9, 2006||Sep 2, 2008||Thermo Finnigan Llc||Branched radio frequency multipole|
|US7507953 *||Jan 22, 2008||Mar 24, 2009||Thermo Finnigan Llc||Obtaining tandem mass spectrometry data for multiple parent ions in an ion population|
|US7714279 *||Apr 3, 2007||May 11, 2010||Bruker Daltonik, Gmbh||Orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometers with low mass discrimination|
|US8426807 *||Jul 30, 2009||Apr 23, 2013||Brown University||System and methods for determining molecules using mass spectrometry and related techniques|
|US8674299 *||Feb 15, 2010||Mar 18, 2014||Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation||Mass spectrometric system|
|US8829432 *||Mar 21, 2013||Sep 9, 2014||Brown University||System and methods for determining molecules using mass spectrometry and related techniques|
|US9218948 *||Mar 22, 2012||Dec 22, 2015||Shimadzu Corporation||Mass spectrometer|
|US20070272848 *||Apr 3, 2007||Nov 29, 2007||Bruker Daltonik Gmbh||Orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometers with low mass discrimination|
|US20080061227 *||Mar 9, 2006||Mar 13, 2008||Kovtoun Viatcheslav V||Branched radio frequency multipole|
|US20080111070 *||Jan 22, 2008||May 15, 2008||Makarov Alexander A||Obtaining Tandem Mass Spectrometry Data for Multiple Parent Ions in an Ion Population|
|US20110204219 *||Jul 30, 2009||Aug 25, 2011||Brown University||System and methods for determining molecules using mass spectrometry and related techniques|
|US20110315868 *||Feb 15, 2010||Dec 29, 2011||Atsumu Hirabayashi||Mass spectrometric system|
|US20130233700 *||Mar 21, 2013||Sep 12, 2013||Brown University||System and methods for determining molecules using mass spectrometry and related techniques|
|US20150108348 *||Mar 22, 2012||Apr 23, 2015||Shimadzu Corporation||Mass spectrometer|
|WO2012175517A2||Jun 19, 2012||Dec 27, 2012||Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) Gmbh||Targeted analysis for tandem mass spectrometry|
|WO2013093114A2||Dec 24, 2012||Jun 27, 2013||Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) Gmbh||Method of tandem mass spectrometry|
|U.S. Classification||250/290, 250/293, 250/282, 250/288, 250/281|
|International Classification||H01J49/42, H01J49/40, H01J49/00, H01L49/00|
|Cooperative Classification||H01J49/004, H01J49/423, H01J49/063|
|European Classification||H01J49/42D3R, H01J49/06G1, H01J49/00T|
|Sep 5, 2011||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Aug 26, 2015||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8


Say it with Socks, find fun socks that make a bold statement----I AM A NURSE OFF DUTY, BRING ME WINE. Drawing a woman's body by stethoscopes, pills, prescription bottles, an electrocardiogram, and syringes; perfect for doctors, nurses, and hypochondriacs.
SIZE & PACKING:
Fits women shoes size 6-12; socks size 8-13. 1 Pair in Happypop Zipper Plastic Bag.
We use 80% Cotton, 17% Polyamide, and 3% Elastance to ensure that our socks are soft, comfortable, stretchy and breathable. No fading, hold up well in the laundry.


text:
Name + Initial in script (choose colors from options shown)
The HENRY guest towel is beautifully two toned, showcasing your last name and last name initial in bold cursive script. The perfect "happy" for the host, hostess or anyone on your list.
100% cotton, crisp and stately, for the most discerning home
Approximately 18” x 30”
Text as shown
Choose light grey + taupe or charcoal + taupe
Based on the number of letters, the size of text may be changed to accommodate the space.

domain: design


text:
The Five Farms documentary followed five families over the course of a yearlong cycle of seasons in order to help people make the connection between the food on their tables, the farmers who work to produce it, and the value of the farmland they care for.
The Griffieon Family Farm, north of Ankeny, was one of five farms from across the country selected to participate in the documentary. When asked to summarize why she wanted to participate in the documentary, LaVon Griffieon said “Basically, to educate Americans about where their food comes from and the security of local food production. A community that hasn’t preserved enough farmland to feed itself is NOT sustainable.”
Visit the Five Farms website to find out more about the project, read stories from the families, listen to the radio features and learn what it takes farm and produce the food we depend on.

domain: agronomy


text:
Unified Bank Makes Donation to United Way
MARTINS FERRY — Unified Bank employees raised $5,399 for charities through the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley’s employee giving plan last year. The giving plan allows employees of companies to donate to their special causes through a deduction to their payroll. The amount determined by employees who wish to participate is deducted from every pay before taxes.
Last year’s biggest contributor was Michael Goclan, senior commercial banking executive with Unified Bank, who donated to local Boy Scouts of America through the giving plan.
An Eagle Scout himself and father of two sons, both Eagle Scouts, Goclan believes it is important to contribute to worthy causes such as Boy Scouts.
“I started giving $1 a pay back when I started working for Unified Bank 20 years ago,” Goclan said. “Over the years I increased my commitment as my salary went up.”
Angie Coe, retail banking executive and assistant CRA officer for Unified Bank, works with the United Way to help facilitate the giving plan. She pointed out that the giving plan is designed in such a way that employees who wish to participate pick an amount they are comfortable with and can either choose where their donations go or leave that decision to the United Way. She added that 100 percent of all donations go to the charitable causes.
United Way Executive Director Jessica Rine said, “Employee campaigns are an easy way for employees to give back to their community, and over the years Unified Bank has been a great partner with the United Way. The community-minded generosity of Unified Bank and their employees is very much appreciated.”
Unified Bank President and CEO Scott Everson added that Unified Bank also sponsors the United Way in all of Unified’s regions, but that this amount was the result of employee giving.
“This is one way Unified’s team members show their commitment to Unified Bank’s core values by being deeply committed to the communities and people we serve,” Everson said.

domain: sociology


text:
The Tour de France is well underway and as exciting as ever, filled with nail-biting finishes, epic hills and the most beautiful scenery. If you’ve been watching, we’re sure you’re eager to get out and about on your bike too. So, if you’re planning your next holiday and looking for places to cycle in West Wales, bring along your bike, helmet and cycling kit (or just some comfy clothes and trainers) and enjoy some of the magnificent places you can enjoy on two-wheels in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.
Some of the best cyclists in the world have come from Wales, with Nicole Cooke winning the Women’s Road Race in the Olympic Games, Geraint Thomas winning the Tour De France in 2018 and Elinor Barker winning an Olympic gold medal in 2016.
There are plenty of great cycling activities to choose from, whether it’s mountain biking, open roads or dedicated cycle paths you’re after. We’re sure you’ll have a great time cycling in West Wales, and with so many options to choose from, it’s a great excuse to come back again and try something new!
If you’re a bit of a daredevil, then mountain biking in Brechfa Forest is ideal for you. Choose between four cycling trails, tailored to different abilities. If you’re an experienced mountain biker, then the Raven Trail will put you through your paces. The Derwen Trail is ideal for families or those wanting to try this out for the first time. There is free parking, as well as a picnic and BBQ area, which is perfect for refuelling after your visit. There’s also a great pub nearby in Abergorlech, The Black Lion, serving home-cooked food and a great choice of drinks.
The oldest concrete velodrome in continuous use in the world, the Carmarthen Velodrome is one of only three in Wales. A great place to visit either to watch or try out yourself. Some evenings will be booked with local cycle clubs, but depending on when you visit, you may get the chance to ride around yourself. Many professional cyclists have grown up training on this velodrome, and it’s a great chance to try your hand at the banked corners and imagine yourself in the Olympic games. There’s a cafe in the park, as well as a skateboard park, multiple play areas for children and a rugby pitch – so plenty to do for the whole family.
The Ironman Wales cycle course is known as one of the hilliest of any ironman – and the best scenery too. When you’re in the area next, why not cycle (some of) the route? Starting off in Tenby, the route winds its way through glorious Pembrokeshire countryside, through towns and villages, past beautiful beaches and up a lot of steep climbs all the way to Angle, back up towards Narberth and then down through Saundersfoot and into Tenby. Part of this route is done twice to make it up to 112 miles! It’s a great chance to test yourself and see how you’d feel doing the entire Ironman Wales race – it may even make you want to enter the whole thing!
If you’re after a flat ride with lovely views, the Wales Millennium Coast Path sets off from Pembrey Country Park and goes all the way up to Bynea, which is a great 13-mile stretch. This traffic-free route is filled with wildlife, refreshment stops and great viewpoints. This is a great choice for all the family, and you can even hire bikes in the country park if you’re not bringing your own.
The range of options for the cyclist at Pembrey Country Park is completed by miles of off-road trails through the adjoining Pembrey Forest. Take the whole family and meander through the beautiful forestry for hours. If the tide is out, you can even cycle back along the beach!
To start your ride, you could base yourself at The Cycle Hub at Llys-y-Frân Lake. This would give the opportunity for other members of the family who might not be so confident on the roads to have a day’s cycling too. With over 14km (almost 9 miles) of trails to explore, this is a great place to get on your bike in Pembrokeshire. You can hire a variety of children’s and adult bikes, including e-bikes, tag-alongs and trailers. If you are using your own bikes, then they have all the tools you might need to make repairs. There is also a bike wash station to clean off the mud before you head home after your adventure. They also have purpose-built mountain biking trails, pump-tracks and a pump skills area.

domain: geography


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|BetterInvesting Magazine Releases April Stock to Study and Undervalued Stock Choices for Investors' Informational and Educational Use (2013/2/1)|
|Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. Will Offer Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) From Natera (2013/2/27)|
|Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. Responds to an Employee Wrongful Termination Suit Filed Against it as Baseless and Without Merit (2013/4/12)|
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|BioReference Laboratories, Inc to Speak at the UBS Global Healthcare Conference (2013/5/15)|
|Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. Announces Strong Growth Resulting in Record First Quarter Revenue and Earnings (2013/2/28)|
|Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. Announces Earnings Will be Reported on February 28, 2013, Will Reflect Change in Presentation of Revenues and Bad Debt to Comply With Accounting Standards Update Topic 954; No Effect on Net Income or EPS From Update Implementation (2013/2/25)|
Click above to view more mutual fund data and stats for brli - Bio-Reference Labs, Inc..

domain: economics


text:
Hound Tor, Dartmoor
An image of Hound Tor, which is one of the Ten Tors, on Dartmoor. Near Hound Tor is an old deserted medieval village, which was being excavated at the time this image was taken. The tor is surrounded by flowering yellow and purple plants, which are most likely Gorse and Heather plants. The Tor consists of granite and its name is said to have derived from the tor resembling a number of dogs peering over Dartmoor. Image taken on 21/8/1966.


text:
Not only did ‘Ted’ beat out ‘Magic Mike’ at the box office this weekend, but it broke records!
After a shocking $54.1 million opening weekend, the foul mouth stuffed bear broke “The Hangover’s” box office record for the biggest R-rated opening in the United States.
The film stars Mark Wahlberg who is granted a wish that his teddy bear comes to life, and what happens over the next 27 years you have to see to believe!
Male stripper flick, “Magic Mike,” starring Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Joe Manganiello and Matthew McConaughey came in second for the weekend, earning $39.2 million.
Congrats to Seth Macfarline, on the record breaking weekend. Hopefully he celebrates all he can today, because ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ hits theaters tomorrow, and it’s game over for a couple of weeks.

domain: entertainment


text:
Photo restorations by Demetrios N. Fotos expertly copied and repaired damaged and faded photos. All work done in house with prints made on fine art paper, canvas, photo paper, and watercolor paper that last for generations.
Ball player photo restoration
Photo of family fixed
Baby photo restored
Viet Nam photo restores and colorizes
Faded photo restored

domain: hobby


text:
On Friday 15th January in Wellington Church music students from the University of Glasgow who had been working with Glasgow primary schools brought their classes to the church for the celebration of “Mungo’s Bairns”. Eleven schools took part and it was a fantastic celebration which showed just how brilliant our children (and their teachers) can be. It was also great to see how many different nationalities make up our “dear family”.
The theme for this year’s event was “pilgrimage”. We started with a visit from “St. Mungo” and his mother “St. Enoch”, courtesy of St. Monica’s Primary. St. Mungo told us (in a clear declamation that many adults could learn from!) about his life as a pilgrim spreading the Gospel in Scotland, Northern England and as far as Wales. The school then sang a song in honour of St. Enoch who doesn’t often get more than a passing mention, followed by a song about a much more recent event, the visit to Glasgow by Nelson Mandela in 1993. The song by well-known Glasgow songwriter Ian Davidson was called “Mandela danced in the Square” and St. Monica’s had their own “Nelson” in characteristic Mandela-style colourful tunic.
• Full story and pictures at St Mungo Music.

domain: news


text:
April 28, 2021
Today, Defending Rights & Dissent joined two dozen other organizations to urge an end to the funding for the National Capital Region Facial Recognition Investigative Leads System (“NCR-FRILS”) pilot project, halt the use of the system, and make public the documents related to the project. Using a facial recognition system to identify individuals, particularly protesters, is a new development in law enforcement in the D.C. Metropolitan Area. The public should be informed and provided a meaningful opportunity to weigh in on the use of new surveillance technologies and some technologies, like facial recognition, are antithetical to democracy and should not be used. The lack of transparency around the NCR-FRILS pilot project has only been exacerbated by the lack of response by law enforcement agencies for information on the project.
The NCR-FRILS system was only disclosed on November 2, 2020 after court documents revealed that the Maryland National Capitol Park Police used the system to identify a protester accused of assaulting a police officer at a Black Lives Matter rally on June 1. But the pilot project has been in use since 2017. It was approved by two MWCOG committees composed of “police chiefs and county and city managers” in meetings hidden from the public. According to the Washington Post the system has been used more than 12,000 times since 2019. Fourteen local and federal agencies have access to the system.
Law enforcement agencies around the country are aggressively adopting face recognition technology, often without oversight from local governments, or especially without the knowledge of residents. It is grossly invasive, in effect putting each of us in a pertpetual lineup everytime we step outdoors.
The Washington Post covered the story, Coalition of groups calls for end to facial recognition program used to identify protester at Lafayette Square.

domain: law


text:
Brexit Money Machines Full Review: Scam Or Savior?
- Official Website: Brexit-Money-Machines.com
- Verdict: 100% Scam Stay Away
- Help Others: Leave Comments at the End of Page
Binary options, currency trading, artificial intelligence, automatic trading machines giving insane profits – it can be overwhelming when you’re trying to look for solid trading programs online. So much of it sounds like science fiction or an overly complex financial situation that is all but impossible to understand or explain in a simple way. Many of these offers sound way too good to be true – and you should be suspicious.
This is a review of the Brexit Money Machines program, which is found at the very recently registered Brexit-Money-Machines.com. This about two week old website (as of the writing of this review) is the home to this software and there’s no denying that the video makes plenty of promises, but does it deliver or is this another scam you need to run away screaming from?
So What Is The Program
Brexit-Money-Machines.com is introducing the “Brexit Money Machines” program, an automated trading software that supposedly creates incredible opportunities to make loads of money because of Great Britain’s break from the European Union. Supposedly these thousands of opportunities wouldn’t otherwise exist, although it isn’t clear on what exactly these opportunities are or why they are so unique.
In fact, there is an alarming lack of information. There isn’t any effort to reveal the people behind the software – no about page, no company page, no introduction in the beginning. While these don’t guarantee that a trading software is legit (there are plenty of trading software sales pages full of fake actors and fake earnings), the fact this one doesn’t even try to give any hint of who they are is a massive red flag.
So What Does It Trade?
Well to be honest, it’s hard to tell. They talk about currency markets, stocks, and seem to hint at binary options as the way they trade, but there actually isn’t even enough information given to determine this. Their claims of being able to earn daily profits of up to $25,000 seems way too optimistic, and if they were that sure then they should be able to at least give an idea
The sales video claims this program:
- Is a “great big golden honey pot” for profits
- Run by cloud based A.I. that is unique (more on this in a moment)
- Is correct 94.8% of the time
- Is a “money machine” that exploits loopholes caused by the Brexit – which will close once Britain incites Article
- 50 and fully breaks away
- Is free if you get in on time
Those are some pretty big trades, especially considering we’re not seeing trading charts or even completely sure about what’s being traded or how it is being traded. Those are some serious red flags.
Then there’s the fact that many people would argue that there is no way there is a “new” system that was only developed in a few weeks based off a completely unexpected result. Markets are still the markets – they didn’t just change completely in how they worked because Britain decided to leave. After all, technically Britain is still EU, so why would entire computer programs change? There is a major logic gap that isn’t addressed.
Oh and about that “run by cloud based A.I.” they call “The Phoenix” which is so revolutionary and unrivaled? Try Googling “Cloud based A.I.” Not only do you get articles listing 10 or more companies already using it, Google has opened up that to developers. It’s not a dark Internet secret – it’s widely available.
Some Obvious Problems
The video pushes scarcity with some of the most heavy handed scare sales tactics you’ll see anywhere online. They even mention Article 50, which is what the UK needs to officially invoke to start leaving the EU. They haven’t done that yet which means technically, the markets really shouldn’t be all that different in how they work.
However, even giving the benefit of the doubt for some reason, does it really make any sense at all that Article 50 will “end” Brexit Money Machines? Markets can always be bet on or shorted regardless of the EU’s full membership. Even beyond this, it looks like the markets have already taken major hits from the Brexit and although there will be more in the future, one thing many experts noted was that after the huge tsunami of downward market movements in the first week or two (which any short trader could profit from), the markets seemed to bounce back strong and in many places recovered most of the lost profit.
So where’s the chaos the video continues to insist never stopped?
The Anatomy Of A Common Online Trading Scam
Looking at the sales page for Brexit Money Machine, several red flags pop up that are extremely common among automated trading software scams.
The bullet points:
- Heavy handed scarcity tactics and hard selling
- No clear explanation of why their trading program works
- They have a “secret” only they can share
- A lot of technical terms are used in ways technically minded people would question
- Pushy demand for your e-mail address with pop up ads
- Often offer free setup, but when you start your account with a deposit they are the broker. When you lose on the trades they’re on the other side gaining your losses
The hard sell at the end of the video is direct and pushy, with “do it now” ordered at you something like 5-6 times in a couple paragraph’s worth of speaking. Also, most of those 45 “open” positions get grabbed fast with a few hundred people the counter claims are watching the video, but when there is well over a thousand there is always at least one left no one wants.
The final damning evidence? Hit refresh a couple times. The page always resets to 45 positions open and 130 people starting out watching. So in one second apparently 44 people gave their spots back and 1,500 bailed on the video. Impressive.
So What Is The Verdict?
There is no question that this program reeks of a scam. While everyone loves the dream of automated income, this is a fly by night scam taking advantage of complex news most people don’t understand to claim they can help you when they’re selling snake oil. Don’t fall for it.
Save your money for a better program that isn’t a rip-off.

domain: finance


Sega appears to have seen the light, realizing the overflow of Sonic games -- some good, some bad -- is doing the brand no good. As such, they've decided "any Sonic game with an average Metacritic has been de-listed," meaning it cannot be bought new at retail outlets.
“We have to do this and increase the value of the brand," stated Sega's SVP of EMEA Jurgen Post. "This will be very important when more big Sonic releases arrive in the future."
“We could make a lot of money on back-catalogue Sonic titles, but let’s keep the number of Sonic games available under control. Otherwise you can have cannibalisation. If there are ten Sonic games on the shelves, with people seeing Sonic Rush DS or Sonic Rush Adventure, this may not help our overall strategy.”
The company will be releasing Sonic Colors and Sonic Free Riders at retail this holiday season, along with the first installment of Sonic 4 digitally. Colors, brand director David Corless says, is something for everybody -- Sonic 4, meanwhile, has more appeal than it might have in previous years.
“Colors will play well to our younger Sonic fanbase, but should also appeal to the older fans once they realise there are no unwanted surprises,” added brand director David Corless.
“It’s the first console title for a while that’s clearly influenced by Sonic’s platform past but also keeps the series moving forward with new ideas and innovations that complement that legacy."
"Sonic 4 on the other hand is old school and primarily for those core fans who remember the originals. But there are also a number of younger gamers who’ve recently discovered the classics on the iPhone or XBLA, PSN and WiiWare so it’ll appeal to them as well.”
We should have both titles reviewed come Christmas.


Pin extractor for integrated circuit tube
A device for dislodging pins from storage tubes for dual-in-line-type integrated circuit packages comprises a cylinder which conforms generally to the outside dimensions of the storage tube and which has a fin of varied height for engaging one end of the pin and a claw portion for engaging the opposing end of the pin. In operation the cylinder is slid along the tube where it engages a pin and upon further movement of the device along the tube extracts the pin transversely of the device movement.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for dislodging a retaining pin, and particularly for pulling a molded pin from an end portion of a storage tube adapted for carrying dual-in-line package (DIP) integrated circuits (ICs) which are aligned end to end therein.
DIP-type ICs are generally packaged for storage and transportation in hollow tubular plastic containers or tubes having a U-shaped cross-section. The plastic tubes have aligned holes through an end portion to receive a retaining pin. The retaining pin is a shaft generally of a hard plastic material having a cap at one end and at the other end a bulbous tip of a circumference sufficiently large to snap through the aligned holes. The shaft length between the bulbous tip and the cap is sufficiently long to span the hollow space within the tube when the pin is inserted through the aligned holes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although the above storage technique is the accepted means for storing and transporting integrated circuit devices, the retaining pins are somewhat inconvenient and difficult to remove. Typically, the pins are removed by pulling them out of the holes with a pair of pliers. Alternatively, nippers may be used to cut the cap off to allow the pin to fall through the tube holes. These techniques of pin removal are time consuming, inconvenient, and can damage the integrated circuits of the tubes. What is therefore needed is a simple device for quickly pulling or removing the pins and which will not damage the tubes, the pins or the ICs in the tubes.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A device for dislodging pins from storage tubes for dual-in-line-type integrated circuit packages comprises a cylinder which conforms generally to the outside dimensions of the storage tube and which has an interior fin of varied height for engaging one end of the pin and a claw portion in an exterior wall for engaging the opposing end of the pin. In operation the cylinder is slid along the tube where it engages a pin and upon further movement of the device along the tube extracts the pin transversely of the device movement.
It is an object of this invention to provide a simple device for dislodging and extracting retaining pins from IC storage tubes. It is a further particular object of the invention to provide a device for extracting retaining pins with a minimum of user motion.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device to extract pins from an IC storage tube which minimizes the risk of damage to the pin, the storage tube and to the ICs stored in the storage tube.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2A is a side cross-sectional view of the invention showing it in a first postion with respect to a retaining pin.
FIG. 2B is a side cross-sectional view of a device according to the invention showing it in a second position relative to a retaining pin.
FIG. 2C is a side cross-sectional view of a device according to the invention showing it in a third position relative to a retaining pin.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The principal features of the invention are illustrated in FIG. 1. The device according to the invention comprises a body 10 having a fin 12, and a claw 14. The shape and relative positioning of these three features determine the operation of the invention, the object of which is to extract a retaining pin 16 from a U-shaped IC storage tube 18, as shown.
The device according to the invention is specifically for use with IC storage tubes 18 of a particular shape and cross section. The storage tube 18 comprises a channel or channel means having two lateral sections 20 and 22 generally separated by a trough portion 24 and joined at a central section 26, thereby defining a U-shape in cross section. The lateral sections 20, 22 are adapted to provide space for the terminal pins of a dual-in-line-package for an integrated circuit, commonly known as a DIP IC (not shown). The central section 26 is adapted to accommodate the body of the DIP IC. ICs are stored end to end within the storage tube 18. The retaining pin 16 is employed for blocking the ends of the storage tube 18, and thus ICs stored within the storage tube 18.
To accommodate the retaining pin 16, wall portions of the storage tube 18 across the central section 26 are provided with first and second aligned holes 28 and 30. The retaining pin 16 is adapted to interlock with these holes 28, 30. In particular, the retaining pin 16 comprises a cap 32, a shaft 34, and a bulbous tip 36. The shaft 34 is sufficient to span the central section 26 between opposing walls. The bulbous tip 36 is of sufficient diameter to resist insertion of the tip 36 through the holes 28, 30. However, the storage tube 18 is constructed of a material which is characterized by its flexibility and resilience. In particular, the storage tube wall is sufficiently flexible to permit deformation of the holes 28 and 30 such that the bulbous tip 36 can be inserted therethrough. In addition, the storage tube 18 material is sufficiently resilient to substantially recover its original shape after penetration by the bulbous tip 36. It is in this environment that the invention is designed to operate.
Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C in conjunction with FIG. 1, the important features of the invention are explained in greater detail.
The body 10 comprises opposing body walls 40, 42. The body walls 40, 42 are generally fixedly spaced from and parallel to one another, the spacing being determined by the depth of the storage tube 18. In particular, the body wall spacing is sufficient to permit a storage tube 18 to be slid longitudinally between the body walls 40, 42. The body 10 includes a first end or front end 44 and a second and/or back end 46. Where the body 10 forms a cylinder which encompasses storage tube 18, the front end 44 is an entrance for the storage tube 18 and the back end 46 is an exit for the storage tube 18.
The fin 12 is in longitudinal alignment from the front end 44 to the back end 46, and it extends from the body wall 42 toward the body wall 40. The width of fin 12 is less than the width of the trough portion 24 such that the outer margin of the storage tube 18 approximately mates with the inner margin of the body 10 including the maximum height of fin 12. Fin 12 is varied in height from a minimum adjacent the front end 44, as most clearly shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, to a maximum toward the back end 46. In this position, any portion of the bulbous tip 36 which protrudes into the trough portion 24 will eventually encounter the fin 12 as the storage tube 18 is slid longitudinally with respect to the body 10.
Body wall 40 further defines a claw 14 which is adapted to engage the cap 32 of retaining pin 16. For this purpose, body wall 40 includes a first slot opening 48 along the longitudinal axis of the body 10, slot 48 being at least as wide as the cap 32. Slot 48 terminates at front end 44. Within slot 48 are two rails 50, 52 also in alignment with the longitudinal axis of body 10. Rails 50, 52 are separated by a second slot 54, the width of which is less than the diameter of cap 32 but greater than the diameter of shaft 34. The slot 54 is longitudinally aligned with fin 12.
Rails 50, 52 vary in height from a minimum toward the front end 44 to a maximum toward the back end 46. The front end portion of rails 50, 52 are laterally aligned with a point of the fin 12 (labelled H in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C) which corresponds to a point where the bulbous tip 36 of pin 16 would be expected to have encountered fin 12 upon longitudinal displacement of fin 12. This assures that the cap 32 is raised above the surface of the storage tube 18 (FIG. 2B). In this position, the rails 50, 52 can gain a purchase on the cap 32. It should be noted that the slope of the fin 12 in lateral alignment with the rails 50, 52 is approximately the same as the slope of the rails 50, 52, FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, and FIG. 2C being drawn approximately to scale.
In operation, the device according to the invention is used as follows: a storage tube 18 having a retaining pin 16 is inserted into the front end 32 of the pin extractor body 10. It will be noted that the inside walls of the body pin adjacent the front end are flared outwardly at a bevel 56 such that the tube 18 can be more easily inserted into the extractor body pin. The tube 18 is moved longitudinally along the extractor body pin until the fin 12 encounters the bulbous tip 36 (FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B). The fin 12 upon encountering the bulbous tip 36 urges the retaining pin 16 laterally. The cap 32 is likewise displaced laterally. Further movement (FIG. 2B, FIG. 2C), causes the hole 28 to deform. With continued longitudinal movement, the fin 12 urges the bulbous tip 36 through hole 28 while the claw 14 draws on the cap 32 through its rails 52 and 50. The combined force of the fin 12 and the claw 14 causes the bulbous tip 36 to pop out of hole 28. Thus dislodged, the pin 16 can be easily removed, for example by hand, from the storage tube 18. The retaining pin does not need to be fully withdrawn immediately from any more than one hole.
Should it be desired to remove the retaining pin quickly and completely from the storage tube 18, then the device according to the invention can be modified as follows. The claw portion 14 can be extended such that the height of the rails 52 at their maximum is greater than the distance between the cap 32 and and the widest portion of the bulbous tip. FIG. 3 shows such an embodiment. The rails 150, 152 are substantially longer in the embodiment of FIG. 3 as compared to the embodiment of FIG. 1. The length of the extractor body 100 is also slightly longer to accommodate the increased lateral displacement of the claws 150, 152. It should be noted also that the storage tube 118 shown in FIG. 3 is of a greater width than the storage tube 18 of FIG. 1. The storage tube 118 is designed to accommodate water ICs, such as microprocessor chips, Read Only Memory (ROM) chips, and other like large packages. For this purpose, the fin 112 is of a greater width as compared to the fin 12 of FIG. 1.
The invention has now been explained with reference to particular embodiments. Other embodiments similar to the ones herein disclosed will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure. It is therefore not intended that the invention be limited except as indicated by the appended claims.
1. For use with channel means for storing dual-in-line-type integrated circuit packages, said channel means comprising a hollow, U-shaped tube having a continuous channel wall defining a cross-sectional portion and first and second lateral cross-sectional portions extending laterally from said central cross-sectional portion to define a trough portion therebetween, said central cross-sectional portion further defining at least one first hole and at least one second hole, said first hole being in said trough portion of said channel wall and said second hole being in an outer channel wall portion aligned with said first hole, a device for dislodging a retaining pin disposed through said holes from said holes, said retaining pin comprising a shaft, a cap at one end of said shaft and a bulbous tip at the opposing end of said shaft, said shaft being of sufficient length and said bulbous tip being of sufficient diameter to fit through both said first and said second holes and to be retained in a position blocking said central cross-sectional portion, said device comprising:
- a body;
- a fin protruding from said body for engaging said bulbous end; and
- means in said body defining a claw portion for engaging said cap adjacent said shaft;
- said body comprising a first body wall and a second body wall, said first and second body walls defining a common front end and a common back end, said first body wall being disposed generally parallel with and fixedly spaced from said second body wall, said distance being sufficiently great to slideably receive said channel means longitudinally between said first and second body walls;
- said fin being disposed to protrude from said first body wall toward said second body wall in longitudinal alignment from said front end to said back end, said fin being of a width sufficiently small to accommodate the minimum width of said trough portion of said channel means, said fin being varied in height from a minimum adjacent said front end to a maximum toward said back end, said maximum being sufficient to urge said bulbous end toward said first wall upon engagement of said second body wall with said outer channel wall portion in response to longitudinal movement of said channel means;
- said claw defining means comprising rails varied in height from a minimum toward said front end to a maximum toward said back end on opposing sides of a slot, said slot being sufficiently wide to accommodate said shaft, and said rails being of sufficient maximum height to effect the withdrawal of said bulbous end through said first hole upon longitudinal displacement of said channel means.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said body comprises a cylinder adapted to circumscribe said channel means.
3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said claw defining means is disposed a preselected distance from said front end corresponding to a preselected height of said fin to ensure that said cap is spaced from said outer channel wall portion a preselected distance before engagement between said cap and said rails.
4. For use with a U-shaped channel means adapted for storing dual-in-line type integrated circuit packages having at least one retaining pin at a selected location transversely therethrough, said retaining pin having a first end and a second opposing end, a device for dislodging said retaining pin comprising:
- body means adapted to longitudinally engage said channel means;
- means connected to said body means for engaging said first end of said retaining pin for urging said retaining pin from a first rest position to a second intermediate position in response to longitudinal movement of said body means;
- means spaced a preselected distance from said urging means for engaging said retaining pin adjacent said second end for extracting said pin from said second position to a third dislodged position upon continued longitudinal movement of said body means while said urging means is engaged to said first end of said retaining pin, such that said pin is removed from said channel means.
5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said body means comprises a cylinder adapted to circumscribe said channel means and wherein said urging means comprises a longitudinally disposed fin of varied height.
International Classification: B25B 2700;


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I intend to make my own OSM Router, and I do not want to use third party OSM routers.
WHAT I HAVE DONE: I have downloaded OSM data in XML format and applied different algorithms to find the shortest path between two nodes in map using their coordinates (longitude/latitude). Everything is working fine.
THE PROBLEM: The only problem is OSM XML data has only limited number of coordinates (longitude/latitude). I want to find the distance between two coordinates (longitudes/latitudes) which are not found as nodes in OSM. I could not find any thing related to this on internet.
FOR INSTANCE, I have a random longitude/latitude for point A, and I have a random longitude/latitude for point B. These longitudes and latitudes are not available in OSM XML data. How can I find the distance between these two points?


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Diversity and Distributions
A Journal of Conservation Biogeography
Diversity and Distributions, (Diversity Distrib.) (2016) 1–4
Most ‘global’ reviews of species’ responses to climate change are not truly global Kenneth J. Feeley1,2*, James T. Stroud1,2 and Timothy M. Perez1,2
International Center for Tropical Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA, 2Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, FL 33156, USA
*Correspondence: Kenneth J. Feeley, Department of Biology, The University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Keywords climate change, climate change responses, geographic bias, global review, marine, taxonomic bias, terrestrial.
It is critical that we understand the effects of climate change on natural systems if we ever hope to predict or mitigate consequent changes in diversity and ecosystem function. In order to identify coherent ‘fingerprints’ of climate change across Earth’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems, various reviews have been conducted to synthesize studies of climate change impacts on individual species, assemblages and systems. These reviews help to make information about climate change impacts accessible for researchers as well as for the general public and policymakers. As such, these reviews can be highly influential in setting the direction of policy and research. Unfortunately, due to limited data availability, the majority of reviews of climate change impacts suffer from severe taxonomic and geographic biases. In particular, tropical and marine systems are grossly underrepresented, as are plants and endothermic animals. These biases may preclude a comprehensive understanding of how climate change is affecting Earth’s natural systems at a global scale. In order to advance our understanding of climate change impacts on species and ecosystems, we need to first assess the types of data that are and are not available and then correct these biases through directed studies and initiatives.
Anthropogenic climate change is a truly global phenomenon that has the potential to impact all species in all ecosystems. In order to gain a better understanding of the possible impacts of climate change, various studies have examined the responses of individual species or ecosystems to changes in climate through time. These studies have in turn been synthesized into a number of different reviews that attempt to identify ‘globally coherent fingerprints’ of climate change (e.g. Walther et al., 2002; Parmesan & Yohe, 2003; Root et al., 2003; Parmesan, 2006; Chen et al., 2011; Poloczanska et al. 2013; Lenoir & Svenning, 2015; Pearce-Higgins et al., 2015; Brown et al., 2016). These reviews are highly cited – often garnering many thousands of citations each – indicating that they can be highly influential in setting the direction of policy and research. Unfortunately, many ‘global’ reviews suffer from severe geographic and taxonomic biases that may preclude a comprehensive understanding of how climate change is impacting Earth’s natural systems (Lenoir & Svenning, 2015).
ª 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
GEOGRAPHIC BIASES IN GLOBAL REVIEWS Approximately 1/3 of the Earth’s land surface lies within the tropics (23.4° S – 23.4° N), and given the latitudinal species gradient, the vast majority of Earth’s species are tropical. Tropical ecosystems are, however, essentially absent from nearly all major climate change studies and reviews conducted to date. For example, in their landmark review claiming to have identified ‘globally coherent fingerprints of climate change’, Parmesan & Yohe (2003) reviewed the effects of climate change on the phenologies of nearly 200 species – none of which were from latitudes below 42.5° (the approximate latitude of Boston, MA, USA, or Rome, Italy). Collectively, Walther et al. (2002) and Parmesan (2006) synthesized more than 800 terrestrial and marine studies from around the world but included only a single study from the tropics. Similarly, Root et al. (2003) reviewed more than 150 studies of nearly 1500 species but included none from the tropics. Poloczanska et al.’s (2013) review of the ‘global imprint of climate change on marine life’ included only scant information from the tropics (35 DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12517 http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ddi
K. J. Feeley et al. of 1323 species responses = 2%) as did Brown et al.’s (2016) review of studies assessing distributional and phenological responses of marine species (the review of distributional responses included 418 species of which 61 [14.6%] were tropical, and the review of phenological responses included 109 species – none of which occur at latitudes below 32° which is the approximate latitude of Dallas, TX, USA, or Shanghai, China). Likewise, Pearce-Higgins et al. (2015) reviewed studies assessing the responses of more than 230 terrestrial species to long-term changes in temperature and precipitation. While the explicit goal of their study was to ‘examine global patterns in the response of species’ populations to climate variables’, only 19 species (8% of study species) from latitudes below 30° and only 4 species (

domain: literature


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It's been nearly five years since actress Natasha Richardson died suddenly after a skiing accident in Canada in 2009, and her husband, actor Liam Neeson, said it's still hard to believe she's gone.
In a new "60 Minutes" interview, the 61-year-old star tells host Anderson Cooper that sometimes, he still thinks it's going to be his wife when he hears a door opening in their New York home. "(Her death) was never real. It still kind of isn't," he said.
Neeson, who stars in the upcoming action film "Non-Stop," also shared the heartbreaking moments when he saw his wife after her accident. When he finally made it to her bedside after being denied access because nobody recognized him at the Montreal hospital, Neeson said he knew what had to be done.
"I was told she was brain dead, I'm seeing this X-ray, it was like, 'Wow,'" he recounted during the interview. "I just told her I loved her, said, 'Sweetie, you're not coming back from this. You banged your head. It's ... I don't know if you can hear me, but it's ... this is what's gone down. We're bringing you back to New York, and your family and friends will come.' "
She died March 18 at a Manhattan hospital, two days after her accident. Richardson was 45.
The autopsy noted her official cause of death as an epidural hematoma. According to the Mayo Clinic, an epidural hematoma occurs when a blood vessel ruptures, causing the blood to form a mass that compresses the brain tissue.
The actor explained that there was no hesitation to remove his wife from life support. "She and I had made a pact: If any of us go into a vegetative state, we'd pull the plug," he said. "So when I saw her and saw all these tubes and stuff, that was my immediate thought, was, 'OK, these tubes have to go. She's gone.' "
Neeson also revealed that his wife "is keeping three people alive." The actress' heart, liver and kidneys were donated.
"It's terrific," the actor said of donating her organs. "I think she would be very thrilled and pleased with that too."
Watch Neeson's full "60 Minutes" interview Sunday, Feb 23 at 7 p.m. on CBS. His latest film, "Non-Stop," opens Feb. 28.


Fourth in series
The usual July fireworks have come and kept on coming, with fans of more teams than in perhaps a decade able to look forward to a championship parade nearly before the Raptors finished theirs.
With those blockbusters out of the way — a premise which nearly guarantees that there will be another — it is time to look at how the league shapes up after all the changes.
Today: our Western Conference No. 10, the Minnesota Timberwolves
When it seemed that the Timberwolves would add D'Angelo Russell, the Western Conference could have legitimately expected another team pushing toward the upper echelon.
Instead, they might have demonstrated the issue to overcome to reach that level, with the Wolves still seeming one star short of the Western Conference contenders.
The Wolves are solid at the point and elsewhere, still dependent on Karl-Anthony Towns to reach the superstar level to carry them. He has that potential.
Yet, the Wolves were 10 games under .500 in a season he played 77 games, the only campaign among his four that he missed any games. Towns did his part, yet the Wolves fell off badly amid the Jimmy Butler drama and coaching change.
The idea was that Towns and Andrew Wiggins would by now be the Wolves' one-two punch, but Wiggins has not come close to that level, or his five-year, $147 million contract.
Still, he can be like the Wolves roster around Towns as a whole — solid if unspectacular, and capable of more.
Robert Covington, the holdover from the Butler trade, could be a key to that as a range-shooting, defensive pest of a power forward. His injury last season left a void the Wolves did not fill. Josh Okogie, a holdover from the Tom Thibodeau era running the draft, showed outstanding defensive potential as a rookie. And they are not empty at the point with Jeff Teague.
There were departures, however, that will hurt depth and begin the rebuild around Towns, with Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose, Anthony Tolliver, Tyus Jones and Dario Saric all exiting.
Former Rockets executive Gersson Rosas' first summer as team president brought some potential help, from first-round pick Jarrett Culver to free agent additions Noah Vonleh and Jordan Bell.
None of that measures up to the offseason hauls of the Clippers and Lakers. The Wolves should be good and occasionally significantly better than that. But in the loaded Western Conference, good is often not good enough.
July 15: Eastern Conference lottery teams
July 16: Eastern Conference playoff teams
July 17: Rebuilding Western Conference teams


Enoch Qwecu Abakah popularly known in showbiz as HopeNeBeatz is officially launching his newly studio called Hope Nation Recording Studio.
“I officially set up this studio to continue the good works of our old time engineers”, he told Ghvibes.net.
Hope Nation recording studio can be located at Whindo a suburb in Western region(Takoradi).
It will be opened on March 31 2019.
Contact them on +233273092637/+233559222461.
Facebook: HopeNebeat Gh


Accutron has introduced their Digital Ultra™ Flowmeter, the only flowmeter with both digital and electronic flow tube displays--allowing critical information to be viewed at-a-glance and without thinking in terms of conversion. Combining efficiency with safety, the unit is designed for the clinician who desires the performance and accuracy that digital microprocessor technology provides.
Adjustments in flow volume are achieved with touch control while the ratio of gases being administered remains constant; adjust the gas ratio and the flow volume stays constant. A built-in safety feature prevents the system's oxygen concentration from dropping below 30% and a fail-safe discontinues the flow of nitrous oxide if the oxygen supply is compromised. Both audible and visual (LED) alarms provide immediate notification of low oxygen supply. Sealed membrane switch technology provides a smooth surface for cleaning and disinfecting or applying barriers to the unit.
The Digital Ultra's soft white color, rounded corners and vivid markings make it appropriate for contemporary operatory environments. The flushmount unit, with a footprint of 9 1/8" x 4 1/4", can be seamlessly built into a wide variety of office cabinetry configurations. Portable units (including the enclosed 4-cylinder Digital Newport), and central systems with a wide selection of mounting options are available.


President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales praises “witness and strength” of small Catholic community of 170 people out of a total population of 1.8 million.
Mexicans urged to turn their country into a land of opportunity where people are no longer destroyed at the hands of the merchants of death.
Workplace exploitation, the unemployed's loss of dignity and the need for good politics highlighted by Pontiff in Naples address.
Some 123 million EU citizens – one in every four – are at risk of poverty and social exclusion – an increase of 7 million in the six years up to 2013.
Pontiff critical of 'throwaway culture' and neglect towards young and old in "tired Europe".
“Bailouts can come and go, but our future is in our young people and we are failing them.”


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Ground floor slabs in warehouses and distribution centers play a pivotal role in facilitating efficient operations. Despite their seemingly straightforward construction, the importance of well-designed and constructed floors cannot be overstated. This article explores the significance of performance flooring, emphasizing its role in boosting productivity, minimizing maintenance, and extending equipment lifespan within warehouse environments.
Understanding Performance-Based Design: Effective floor design begins with a comprehensive understanding of usage requirements. Designers must consider factors such as load-bearing capacities, flatness specifications, durability, and aesthetics to develop a performance specification tailored to the warehouse owner’s needs.
Structural Design: Structural design entails intricate engineering calculations to determine slab thickness, reinforcement, and load transfer capabilities. Factors like ground conditions, concrete strength, and loading patterns are meticulously analyzed to ensure the floor can withstand applied loads and offer long-term durability.
Detailed Design: Detailed design covers critical aspects such as joint layout, construction methods, reinforcement techniques, and surface regularity. Joint design is particularly crucial in minimizing maintenance needs and preventing damage from mechanical handling equipment.
Sub-grade and Sub-base: A stable sub-grade and well-graded sub-base are essential for the stability of ground-supported slabs. Ground investigations by competent geotechnical engineers are vital to assess ground suitability and recommend necessary improvements.
Concrete and Reinforcement: Concrete selection and reinforcement methods significantly influence floor durability and performance. Attention to concrete mix design, curing practices, and reinforcement placement is crucial to ensure a well-finished, structurally sound floor slab.
Construction Methods: Different construction methods, such as long strip and large pour with laser screed (jointed and jointless), offer varying levels of surface regularity, construction speed, and cost. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, requiring careful consideration based on project requirements.
Surface Regularity: Surface regularity is vital for smooth material handling operations. Standards like TR34 provide guidelines for defining floor tolerances based on Free Movement (FM) classifications. Proper surface regularity ensures efficient material handling and minimizes the risk of damage to equipment.
Maintenance: Regular maintenance is essential to preserve floor integrity over time. Cleaning, joint filling, and monitoring for cracks and damage are critical maintenance tasks that help prevent degradation and ensure long-term performance.
Performance flooring is fundamental to efficient warehouse operations. By prioritizing factors such as structural integrity, surface regularity, and durability, warehouse owners can optimize productivity, reduce maintenance costs, and create a safe working environment for personnel and equipment. Investing in quality flooring solutions is key to laying the foundation for success in the competitive realm of logistics and distribution.


text:
Clip art, drawing, sketch.
Original art available for web pages, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
Includes: Quill Pen, Open Book, Book Stack, Movie theatre, flower, Anna Pavlova, Edgar Allan Poe, Frida Kahlo, Emily Dickinson, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis.
For personal and educational use. To use for commercial purposes, please provide credit and a link back to this web page.

domain: artistic