|Publication number||US5022396 A|
|Application number||US 07/448,921|
|Publication date||Jun 11, 1991|
|Filing date||Dec 12, 1989|
|Priority date||Dec 19, 1988|
|Publication number||07448921, 448921, US 5022396 A, US 5022396A, US-A-5022396, US5022396 A, US5022396A|
|Original Assignee||Hideto Watanabe|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (72), Classifications (18), Legal Events (5)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The present invention relates generally to a MAP (Monophasic Action Potential) catheter adapted to be inserted into an endocardiac cavity for the purpose of measuring the action potential of the myocardiac cells in the endocardium, by means of a pair of electrodes. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a MAP catheter which is also adapted to simultaneously detect the pressure within the endocardiac cavity while measuring the action potential of the myocardiac cells.
Hitherto, a variety of prior art MAP catheters are known.
One such prior art MAP catheter is shown in FIG. 3 and disclosed generally in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,603 to Franz. As illustrated in FIG. 3, this prior art MAP catheter has two electrodes 1 and 3. Electrode 1 formed from Ag-AgC1 wire mass, partly protrudes from the distal section of the catheter body, whereas the other electrode 3, also formed from Ag-AgC1 wire mass, is exposed by a hole 2b drilled through the peripheral surface 2a in the distal section, and cemented therein by cement 4. However, while this catheter can measure the action potential of myocardiac cells, it nevertheless suffers from several shortcomings and drawbacks.
In particular, in the MAP catheter of the type generally shown in FIG. 3 and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,603, Ag, which is expensive, must be used in sufficient amounts to form electrode masses 1 and 3. Also, in such a MAP catheter, there exists the problem that the hole 2b in the peripheral surface 2a of the distal section may become clogged with foreign matter, causing a poor contact between blood and the electrodes when within the cardiac cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,155 to Hess discloses a MAP catheter in which the distal tip electrode and lateral surface electrode are both disposed within the distal tip compartment which is secured to the elongated tubular body. The distal tip compartment is separated into two electrically-isolated or insulated compartments, referred to as the distal tip compartment and proximal compartment, each of which is filled with a material that has electrically conductive properties. This electrically conductive filler material is in electrical connection with lead wires to form the distal tip electrode and lateral surface electrode, respectively, within the respective insulated compartments. As disclosed, the electrically conductive filler material functions as electrodes which are brought into contact with the endocardium and the cardiac cavity, respectively. Each of these electrodes have associated contact surfaces which are substantially flat, and may also be somewhat convex or somewhat concave depending on particular contact requirements. While the catheter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,155 is capable of measuring action potentials, it nevertheless suffers from several shortcomings and drawbacks.
In particular, with contact electrodes of such a catheter being made from electrically conductive filler material, it is very difficult to obtain sufficient electrical conductivity with the endocardium and cardiac cavity, so as to be capable of detecting the MAP waveform with a high degree of sensitivity. In addition, the contact electrodes of such a catheter being formed from such electrically conductive filler material, results in a broader contact surface with the endocardium and cardiac cavity, thereby resulting in an undesired increase in the polarization voltage.
The present applicant has disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 07/252,856, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,912 a MAP catheter having pair of electrodes formed from Ag-AgC1 wires. Such Ag-AgC1 wires are made to protrude intact from the front surface and the peripheral surface in the distal section of the catheter body, respectively. However, while such a catheter overcomes many of the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art MAP catheters, it nevertheless is impossible to measure with such a catheter, the endocardiac cavity pressure which is known to be diagnostically significant information.
While it is possible to measure the endocardiac cavity pressure using a specially designated catheter having a pressure transducer, it has not been recognized or appreciated by those skilled in the art, that by simultaneously measuring both the action potential of the endocardiac surface and the pressure within endocardiac cavity, very significant diagnostic results and interrelationships can be obtained, thereby providing clinically useful data regarding a patient's health.
Moreover, it has never occurred to anyone that the action potential and the endocardiac cavity pressure are positively interrelated. Consequently, no one has ever disclosed, taught or suggested providing a single catheter capable for simultaneously measuring the action potential and endocardiac cavity pressure within a patient's heart.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a single catheter having a pressure transducer capable of simultaneously and reliably measuring the action potential of the myocardiac cells and the endocardiac cavity pressure so that it will be possible for the first time, to accurately probe and determine in a diagnostic sense, the very significant interrelationship between the electrophysiological function and the mechanical function of the heart, and its relation to a patient's health.
In accordance with the present invention, a single catheter is provided for simultaneously measuring action potentials of myocardiac cells and endocardiac cavity pressure in a heart. In general, the catheter comprises a catheter body, first and second electrodes, a pressure transducer, and lead wires. The catheter body is designed for guided insertion into the endocardiac cavity and for being brought into contact with an endocardiac surface having myocardiac cells. The catheter body includes a distal section and a rear section, and the distal section has a front-end enclosing surface and a peripheral surface. The first electrode is provided to the front enclosing surface, whereas a second electrode is provided to the peripheral surface. The first and second electrodes are disposed in the distal section of the catheter body so that when the catheter body is guided into the endocardiac cavity, the first electrode is brought into contact with an endocardiac surface, and the second electrode is disposed in the endocardiac cavity. The pressure transducer is disposed in the peripheral surface of the catheter body and is capable of measuring the endocardiac cavity pressure when the catheter body is disposed within the endocardiac cavity. Also, the pressure transducer produces as output, an electrical pressure signal corresponding to the measured endocardiac cavity pressure. Further, the lead wires are connected to the first electrode, second electrode and pressure transducer respectively, and extend out from the rear section of the catheter body, so as to transfer the measured action potential and electrical pressure signals outwardly from the rear section of the catheter body.
According to the present invention, the catheter is inserted into the endocardiac cavity. The first electrode provided to the front-end surface in the distal section of the catheter body is brought into contact with the endocardiac surface. The second electrode provided to the peripheral surface in the distal section, is situated in the endocardiac cavity. This causes the action potential to be derived from the second electrode, while the endocardiac cavity pressure is measured by the pressure transducer in the catheter body, situated by itself in the endocardiac cavity.
In accordance with the present invention, the correlation between the two detected signals relating to monophasic action potential and endocardiac cavity pressure, enables the interrelationship between the electrophysiological function (i.e. action potential) and the mechanical function (i.e. pressure) to be determined. Furthermore, since the relative positions of the electrodes are fixed, measurement with high reliability is made possible with the catheter of the present invention. It is expected that as a result of the catheter of the present invention, clinical applications to cardiopathy will become more active.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the addition of electrodes for pacing enables a MAP measurement with high accuracy in the pacing state when using only a single catheter of the present invention.
Since the electrode for MAP measurement is made from Ag-AgC1 wires which protrude intact from respective surfaces of the distal portion of the catheter body, the amount of Ag that must be used, is saved, and also, the myocardiac action potential can be measured with high sensitivity and high fidelity since the polarization voltage generated between the endocardiac surface and electrodes hereof is extremely small. Further, since the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the end of each electrode is needle-like pointed type, the problem of foreign matter adhering to the surface of the electrodes is avoided.
For a further understanding of the objects of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment which is to be taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an essential portion of the catheter in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an essential portion of the catheter in accordance with the other embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an essential portion of a conventional catheter.
Referring to illustrated FIG. 1, there is shown a MAP catheter 9 having a pressure transducer in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the MAP catheter comprises a catheter body 10 having a diameter of, for example, 2 mm. Preferably, the catheter body 10 consists of a tube made of a plastic material such as vinyl chloride or polyurethane. An Ag-AgC1 wire (i.e. line) 11 consisting of an Ag line plated with AgC1 and having a diameter of, for example, 0.3 meters, projects about 0.5 mm from the central position of the front end surface 10a, and functions as the first electrode having a needle-like geometry. An Ag-AgC1 wire (i.e. line) 12 also projects about 0.05 mm from a hole provided in the peripheral surface 10b, and functions as the second electrode of the catheter hereof having a needle-like geometry, as well. Notably, the hole in peripheral surface 10b is formed, for example, about 5 mm proximal from the end surface 10a, in a direction perpendicular to that of the Ag-AgC1 line 11. The distal section of the catheter body 10 is filled with epoxy cement 13 to secure the Ag-AgC1 lines 11 and 12 in position and to form a catheter closing section. The sections 11a and 11b of the Ag-AgC1 lines 11 and 12 respectively, project outwardly and are completely sealed in order to prevent blood from entering the catheter body 10. The projecting sections 11a and 12a of the Ag-AgC1 lines 11 and 12, are surrounded by an approximately semispherical epoxy cement portions 13a and 13b, respectively, thus forming a pair of electrodes 21 and 22.
The Ag-AgC1 lines 11 and 12 are guided from the portion of the filled epoxy cement 13, and are connected midway to lead wires 11b and 12b, respectively, embedded in an elastic material 14 such as silicone rubber. The lead wires 11b and 12b extend within the distal section towards and through the rear section, and are then guided away from the extreme portion rear section (not shown) of the catheter body 10, so as to be capable of connection to the input of an appropriate device (not shown) for processing and display of signals sent along these lead wires.
As shown in FIG. 1, there is mounted below the surface of the catheter body 10, a conventional pressure transducer 30 having a pressure receiving surface 31 for measuring the endocardiac cavity pressure. Placement of the pressure transducer 30 within the catheter body surface is such that the pressure receiving surface 31 is positioned at, for example, 25 mm from the front surface 10a in the distal section. The pressure receiving surface 31 is aligned with a second hole forwarding the peripheral surface 10b in the distal section, and is left exposed for purposes of sensing the pressure in the endocardiac cavity while simultaneously measuring action potential in the endocardiac cavity. Lead wires 32 and 32a are provided for receiving electrical detection signals produced from the pressure transducer 30, whereas a tube 33 is provided for introducing air to the pressure transducer 30, for use as a reference pressure. The lead wires 32 and 32a and tube 33 are embedded is the elastic material 14, extend from the distal section to the rear section of the catheter body 10, and are then guided away from the extreme portion rear section (not shown) of the catheter body 10, into a processing and display device (not shown).
Notably, FIG. 1 only shows the front essential portion of the catheter body 10 which has an overall length of about 1 to 1.5 meters. The silicon rubber 14 is provided behind the portion of the distal section which is filled with epoxy cement 13, and extends over a length of 30 mm, for example. A sheath 16 for inserting a guide wire 15 into the rear portion of the catheter body 10, is inserted from behind and extends up to this silicon rubber section 14.
The MAP catheter 9 thus constructed is guided within a blood vessel by the guide wire 15, and eventually inserted into the cardiac cavity. Particularly, the semispherical configuration of the portion 13a surrounding the electrode 21 enables the slightly exposed portion of the projecting section 11a to be positively guided over, and brought into contact with, the endocardium. Since the electrode 22 is also provided with a semispherical surrounding portion 13b, the catheter 9 can be smoothingly guided into the cardiac cavity without the cardiac cavity suffering any damage. When set in position inside the cardiac cavity, the exposed portion of the projecting section 12a of the side electrode 22 protrudes beyond the peripheral surface 10b of the catheter body 10, so that, unlike the conventional electrode 3 in FIG. 3, there is no danger of foreign matter adhering thereto. Accordingly, the electrode 22 is positively brought into contact with the blood. Also, since the silicon rubber section 14 is provided between the guide wire 15 and the epoxy cement section 13, the pressure exerted by the guide wire 15 through the sheath 16 is diminished or "softened," which ensures operational safety.
When the catheter body 10 is installed within the cardiac cavity in such a manner, the action potential is detected by the pair of electrodes 21 and 22. Therewhile, the pressure transducer 30 is "fixed" at the position of the optimum portion of the endocardiac cavity (i.e. by using electrodes 21 and 22 as a reference), and this ideal positioning of the pressure transducer 30 within the cardiac cavity, thereby enables the endocardiac cavity pressure to be detected with an extremely high degree of reliability.
The action potential signal (at the measurement point) supplied from the lead wires 11b and 12b, and the endocardiac cavity pressure signal supplied from lead wires 32 and 32a, are both guided away from the extreme portion (not shown) of the rear section of the catheter body and are both amplified at an output device and monitored on a CRT screen. Preferably, both the action potential and endocardiac cavity pressure waveforms are displayed on a common time axis in order that they may be analyzed and compared.
As a result of the present invention, the electrophysiological function and the mechanical function of a heart can be directly compared and studied in a quantitative as well as qualitative sense. When necessary, the comparison can be recorded on recording paper and arithmetic operations can be performed on these two detected waveforms.
FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the components which are identical with those in FIG. 1 have the same reference characters.
In FIG. 2, only the front end portion of the catheter 9 of FIG. 1 is shown. In this particular embodiment, annular-shaped pacing electrodes 25 and 26 made of stainless steel or platinum having a width, e.g., 1 mm, are embedded within the surface of the distal section of the catheter body 10. These annular-shaped pacing electrodes are embedded within the surface of the catheter body 10 so as to form a continuous surface therewith. For this purpose, portions to the annular-shaped pacing electrodes are cut away from the catheter body 10. Inside the catheter body 10, the pacing electrodes 25 and 26 are connected to lead wires 25a and 26a respectively, which extend outwardly from the rear end of the catheter body 10 so that they may be connected to pacing apparatus (not shown) well known in the art. With such modifications to the catheter of FIG. 1, a MAP catheter with a pressure transducer and pacing electrodes is thusly provided.
This makes it possible to measure the MAP and the endocardiac cavity pressure with one catheter while pacing and sensing are being done as needed. In other words, when the heart rate is under control, local myocardiac active states can be monitored accurately while they are being interrelated from the aspects of the mechanical phenomena and the electrophysiological phenomena of the heart.
In the above described embodiments, the semispherical surrounding portions 13a and 13b of the Ag-AgC1 lines may be dispensed within some instances, and desired results can be obtained without them.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the front end enclosing surface of the catheter body 10 may be formed as a closed section which is in one piece with the catheter body proper, with the non-projecting section of the Ag-AgC1 line 12 being embedded in the tube surface itself of the catheter body 10. The semispherical surrounding portions 13a and 13b may then be formed in one piece with the distal end section positioning the Ag-AgC1 lines and the elastic body. For the elastic body provided behind the catheter closing section, other materials may be employed. The annular configuration of the pacing electrodes ensures positive contact with the endocardium. However, the electrodes may, in some cases, simply have a pointed configuration.
Furthermore, the pressure transducer and/or pacing electrodes can be applied to the catheter in accordance with the present invention, wherein the guide wire 15 in FIG. 1 is dispensed with altogether, and the catheter body 10 is operated directly by manual operation. Alternatively, woven DacronŽ material can be inserted as a flexible material in place of the guide wire 15.
In addition, the pressure transducer and/or pacing electrodes may be applied to the conventional MAP catheter shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In such an embodiment, the pressure transducer can be placed in the back of the element 3.
While the particular embodiments shown and described above have been proven to be useful is many applications involving the bio-medical instrumentation art, further modifications of the present invention herein disclosed will occur to the skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope and spirit of the present defined by the following claims.
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|U.S. Classification||600/374, 600/486, 600/393, 607/122, 600/396|
|International Classification||A61N1/05, A61B5/0478, A61B5/0205, A61B5/0408, A61B5/0215, A61B5/042, A61B5/0492|
|Cooperative Classification||A61N1/056, A61B5/0215, A61B5/0422|
|European Classification||A61B5/0215, A61N1/05N, A61B5/042D|
|Sep 19, 1994||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Nov 2, 1998||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|Dec 26, 2002||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Jun 11, 2003||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Aug 5, 2003||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20030611


"On Waiting, a minimalist background of drizzling brushes and a stark, two-note bass riff provides the context for delicate, upward-arching vocal inflections, like an Arabesque crooner…a very satisfying cultural exchange." - BBC
“Ibrahim Maalouf brings something particularly fresh to the ongoing conversation with Davis’s mode…it also allows Maalouf’s Lebanese-French roots full play, staking out microtonal harmonic improvisations…while staking out a territory in jazz nearly all his own…this flowing and well-judged recording deserves a wide audience.” - Wind (Harmonia Mundi Distribution) reviewed on Blue Notes in Black and White.
Get Wind on iTunes!
Ibrahim Maalouf - interview (by Vrijegeluiden)
Listen to Maalouf’s album Wind on iTunes, distributed by Harmonia Mundi.
Harmonia Mundi distributed artist Ibrahim Maalouf featured on NPR Music!
“Ibrahim Maalouf plays a four-valve trumpet — most just have three. The extra valve, attached to the button a trumpeter pushes down, allows the Lebanese musician to play quarter-tones — the notes between notes that characterize Arabic ‘makams.’
'The makams are scales and modes with quarter-tones and three quarter-tones intervals,” Maalouf says. “This is something that you cannot find in Occidental music…'
Maalouf says there are many links between Arabic and Western music. He says when he’s playing jazz, he can incorporate Arabic scales thanks to one specific similarity.
'There's this note that we actually call 'the blue note' and I believe it's a heritage from African music,' Maalouf says. 'Those notes that are right in the middle, between a note and another note, those are 'blue notes' that you bend with the lips. Those are quarter-tones. From these kinds of scales, I can switch to music that is very close to Arabic feelings.'”
Get the new album Wind!
what Maalouf has achieved is an album that stands very much on its own, irrespective of how it integrates with the film…
Try the opening track to be seduced, and the lumpy, almost reggae time of Questions And Answers for the unexpected. Turner is expansive on Excitement, while Woeste and Penn add an almost Latin groove before letting Grenadier go in Sensuality.
And Maalouf rides over it with such a natural, almost conversational sound – this is really story-telling. Try the lovely Surprises – with its hint of Kenny Barron’s Sunshower about the melody – for his conventional tone playing and luscious tone, and the opening Doubts, as well as Certainty, for how subtly he adds the quarter-tone element. A charming and lovely album. Here is a video taste:
"Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf’s latest album is a tribute to Miles Davis’ classic A Lift to the Scaffold, engaging the spirit and giving it an Arabic twist."
An interview by Betto Arcos with Ibrahim Maalouf airs tomorrow on KPFK’s Global Village! Tune in at noon PST.


text:
Ocean Spray is buying Atoka Cranberries Inc., a Canadian fresh and processed cranberry products shipper.
The Manseau, Quebec, company, owned by The Bieler Group, reached an agreement with Ocean Spray, which markets juice, fresh berries and other cranberry products from 700 grower-owners.
“Ocean Spray’s brand strength and global marketing reach, coupled with Atoka’s unique product portfolio and location, will benefit all of our farmers and expand the reach of the overall Quebec cranberry industry,” Ocean Spray CEO Randy Papadelis said in a news release.
The purchase includes Atoka’s packing/processing facility, and Ocean Spray plans to purchase Bieler Group freezer/receiving facilities this year. The Bieler group’s growing operations remain with that company, but it will become a member of the Ocean Spray Cooperative, according to the release.
Ocean Spray plans to make investments in the Atoka/Bieler Group facilities to “increase efficiency and improve yield,” according to the release.
The transaction is expected to close “in the coming weeks,” according to the release. Financial details were not released.
Atoka products include dried cranberries, including a chocolate-coated dried berry snack, and fresh cranberries.

domain: news


text:
Open House London
We're lucky, here at the library, to work in such a gem of a building as that at 59 Tranquil Vale, Blackheath, so we're throwing open the doors on Saturday 17th September to invite people to visit as part of free architectural festival, Open House London.
Built in an Arts and Crafts style in 1928, the architecture of this former parish hall exhibits many of the same features as William Morris's Red House in Bexleyheath, Cragside in Northumberland or the Horniman Museum in south London.
We'll be open from 10am to 5pm with guided tours every half-hour. See
www.openhouselondon.org.uk for more details and to order your guidebook for the weekend.

domain: history


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Feeding difficulties related to selective intake, or eating a limited variety of foods, are very common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, and CINAHL identified 29 studies that evaluated eight correlates: age, ASD symptoms and severity, cognitive and adaptive skills, sensory processing and perception, challenging behavior, weight status, gastrointestinal symptoms, and parenting stress. Feeding difficulties related to selective intake are consistently correlated with impaired sensory processing and perception and tend to be positively associated with rigidity and challenging behavior. These feeding difficulties tend to persist with advancing age. Other correlates demonstrated inconsistent findings. A significant limitation of research reviewed is variability in terminology, definitions, and measurement of feeding
Medical opinion and guidance should always be sought for any symptoms that might possibly reflect a known or suspected disease, disorder or medical condition. Information provided on this website (or by FAB Research via any other means) does not in any way constitute advice on the treatment of any medical condition formally diagnosed or otherwise.

domain: medical


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Blu-Ray Releases Details
The Road to Salina
Jonas (Robert Walker, Beware! The Blob), a young drifter, stops at a desolate roadside service station where Mara (Rita Hayworth, Separate Tables), the owner, identifies him as her son Rocky, who disappeared four years ago. Jonas is overwhelmed by the awkward situation, but tired and hungry, accepts Mara's offer of room and board. Initially, he believes that Mara is simply delusional, but when Mara's old friend and neighbor Warren (Ed Begley, Billion Dollar Brain) arrives for a visit, surprisingly, he also acts as if Jonas were Rocky. Even when the attractive and carefree Billie (Mimsy Farmer, The Perfume of the Lady in Black), his alleged sister, comes home, she appears to recognize him as her brother and soon takes him under her wing. As an erotic relationship develops between them, Jonas soon discovers that Billie may have killed her own brother and Mara could very well be covering up the crime. Explosive events bring him to the edge of madness as he confronts the consequences of his "free ride." The Road to Salina is a tense, gripping tale of forbidden love written and directed by Georges Lautner (Le Professionnel, Icy Breasts).
Complete Your Collection Screwheads! - Where to Find Sam Raimi Films on Blu-ray or 4K UHDBy:
Time To Get Your Fuzzy Pink Elephant - HDD's 4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide Feb 18, 2024By:
The Criterion Collection Dates & Details May 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray ReleasesBy:
Turbine Celebrates 50 Years of Flesh Gordon With 4 New Fully Engorged Blu-Ray MediabooksBy:

domain: entertainment


Sat, 17 Feb 2018 14:41 - Updated Sat, 17 Feb 2018 14:41
Ministry of Health denies alleged admission tender
Luanda - The Ministry of Health today denied to ANGOP, in Luanda, to have opened an alleged personnel admissions tender, as it has been publicized in recent days in social networks.
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Inpatients of municipal hospital of Cacuaco
Photo: Francisco Miúdo
A source contacted by ANGOP said the Ministry of Health is only in the phase of surveying the situation and structuring the tender, adding that nothing has yet been published in relation to the dossier.
The information running in social networks originates from an institution designated only by the acronym INEFOP, which is supposed to be responsible for the distribution of vacancies and insertion of new public officials.
The same information - which heralds a burlesque scheme - announces the opening, as of 14 February, of a new tender for the admission of 1,200 professionals to the health sector and 20,000 places for education.
- 29/01/2019 19:30:49
Luanda - The Minister of Youth and Sports, Ana Paula da Silva do Sacramento Neto, will take part in the opening of the "Year of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) for Youth" on Wednesday, January 30, in Lisbon (Portugal).
- 22/01/2019 17:05:17
Luanda - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) reaffirmed on Tuesday in Luanda the need to strengthen cooperation with the Angolan Government in a wide range of areas.
- 12/01/2019 10:58:17
Luanda - The Ministry of Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland intends to create conditions to improve the living conditions and quality of the services provided to its beneficiaries, said on Friday in Luanda, the incumbent minister, João Ernesto dos Santos "Liberdade".
- 05/01/2019 16:14:26
Luanda - The construction of a University Clinic, the online transmission of Radio services and the continuous improvement of teaching and learning are pointed out as priorities of the Tocoist Church for the current year (2019).


Blake Dournaee, author of XML Security answers 10 frequently-asked-questions on Web services security, taken from his June 19, 2002 Live Expert Q&A Webcast entitled, "XML security standards: XML Signature, XML Encryption, XKMS. View the audio/visual archive here.
Table of Contents
- Q1. Can XML encryption be done selectively?
- Q2. What XKMS toolkit do you recommend?
- Q3. What do you think of WS Security and WS License?
- Q4. What will replace SSL?
- Q5. How/when will security standards be "good enough"?
- Q6. XKMS vs. WS-Security
- Q7. In an XML Signature, how is the signature computed?
- Q8. Is it necessary to sign the whole XML document?
- Q9. Where does SAML fit in the security schema?
- Q10. More time intensive to generate the hash on large data object?
Q: If you have collaborative partners, then you might only need individual parts of a document encrypted, instead of the entire document. Can XML encryption be done selectively?
A: Yes. Unlike a traditional plaintext->ciphertext transformation, the XML Encryption Recommendation  allows for what is called plaintext replacement. This means that elements and element content (but not document fragments) can be selectively encrypted. When this is done, the original element is replaced with an <EncryptedData> element. In the case of an encrypted key, the original data is replaced with an <EncryptedKey> element.
Q: What XKMS (XML Key Management Specification) toolkit do you recommend?
A: XKMS is still a very new technology and most of the available services are experimental. Check  for a list of available XKMS toolkits.
Q: What do you think of WS Security and WS License? Am I crazy or are does there seem to be a ton of competing security standards out there?
A: WS-Security is a standard that describes how to secure a Web service. XML Signature describes how to digitally sign an XML document. XML Encryption describes how to encrypt an XML document, and XKMS describes an XML-based protocol for delegated trust. These standards do not address the larger problem of how one might secure a Web service. These standards instead describe how to secure XML data whether it is part of a Web service or not.
XML Signature, XML Encryption and XKMS are fundamental for WS-Security. That is, WS-Security  utilizes the concepts and ideas presented in the XML Signature Recommendation, XML Encryption, and XKMS. WS-Security does not compete against XML Signature or XML Encryption. Instead, WS-Security builds on top of these standards.
Q: Given that SSL is fairly cpu/bandwidth intensive, but accepted, what will replace it?
A: SSL is great for securing socket based communication between two authenticated hosts. The argument that it is cpu/bandwidth intensive must be qualified. First of all, the handshake process of SSL is the most CPU intensive, and when client authentication is used, the handshake time increases because both sides must perform expensive private key operations (in the case of the RSA algorithm). The actual encrypted stream of SSL, however, is not overly bandwidth intensive. In fact, one can argue that SOAP messages, with their verbose syntax (using XML) are far more bandwidth intensive than SSL protocol messages, which use a binary encoding.
SSL does have a number of shortcomings: First, it does not scale well across multi-host paths. That is, it is good at making a secure connection from node A to node B, but does not scale well when intermediate nodes along the path from A to B must also be involved in the secure transmission. Secondly, SSL does not provide persistent protection for data because only the socket itself is secured, not the data stream that is being passed through the socket.
Assuming that SOAP is used as a messaging scheme, one possible replacement for SSL that would provide some of the benefits of SSL would be the selective encryption and/or signing of pieces and parts of a SOAP message. This allows intermediate nodes to operate on the unsigned, clear data while providing persistent protection for SOAP messages. Environments that do not have these requirements (intermediate node requirements and persistent data protection) can do just fine with a client-authenticated SSL solution.
Q: How/when will security standards be "good enough" to garner enough trust that is can be widely deployed?
A: Traditionally, security standards come from either RSA Laboratories , in the form of PKCS standards, or the W3C, for "Web-based" or "XML-based" security standards. The PKCS standards are fundamental for most encryption and signature algorithms, as well as messaging syntaxes such as PKCS#7 and S/MIME. The W3C standards are considered mature when they reach the "Recommendation" status. For example, XML Signature , is at "Recommendation" status, meaning it is finalized and ready to be used. The other two XML Security standards, XML Encryption and XKMS are in different places on the road to Recommendation status, but they are well-defined enough thus far to support experimental implementations.
Q: XKMS vs. WS-Security - compare and what are the interoperability issues?
A: XKMS  and WS-Security  address different issues. XKMS is an XML-based protocol used to establish the location of public keys and public key name binding, as well as handle operations such as key registration, key revocation, and key recovery. WS-Security is a specification that describes how to secure a Web service in general, specifically by adding extensions to SOAP documents to allow for combinations of encryption and signing. In short, they do not compete with each other. The issue of trust is out of scope for WS-Security, but in scope for XKMS.
Q: In an XML Signature, how is the signature computed?
A: The canonical form of the <SignedInfo> element is signed using an RSA signature (a hash operation and then an RSA private key operation), a DSA signature (a hash operation and then a DSA signing operation) or an HMAC (a SHA1 hash of the XOR of a symmetric key and the original message).
Q: Is it necessary to sign the whole XML document or can we do only a part of it ?
A: An XML Signature can selectively sign a given piece of plaintext with the use of a fragment identifier, which identifies an element to sign by Id value, or an XPath transformation, which allows an arbitrary document subset to be signed. See  for more information.
Q: Where does SAML fit in the security schema?
A: SAML is an XML-based syntax that describes assertions. SAML assertions are XML data and can be signed and/or encrypted using XML Signature or XML Encryption.
Q: In your experience, is it more time intensive to generate the hash on one large data object or the equivalent aggregate sized smaller data objects?
A: Cryptographic hash functions are fast operations. Most use bit shifting, XOR and simple addition. Further, hash functions such as SHA process the input in blocks, and no block takes longer to process than another. The only real speed differences here are going to be I/O time and memory usage to hold one large file instead of many smaller ones. Also, one hash of one large file produces a single hash output, whereas many hashes of many files produce many hash outputs. The two processes ultimately accomplish different end results. XML Signature hashes each Web object being referenced, and then this list of objects is what is signed.
 XML-Signature Syntax and Processing, https://www.w3.org/TR/2002/REC-xmldsig-core-20020212/
 XML-Encryption Syntax and Processing, https://www.w3.org/TR/2002/CR-xmlenc-core-20020304/
 XKMS Working Group, https://www.w3.org/2001/XKMS/
 RSA Laboratories, http://www.rsasecurity.com/rsalabs/


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Key features and details
- Rabbit polyclonal to PEDF
- Suitable for: WB
- Reacts with: Mouse, Human
- Isotype: IgG
Product nameAnti-PEDF antibody
See all PEDF primary antibodies
DescriptionRabbit polyclonal to PEDF
Tested applicationsSuitable for: WBmore details
Species reactivityReacts with: Mouse, Human
Predicted to work with: Cow
Recombinant full length protein corresponding to Human PEDF aa 1-200.
QNPASPPEEGSPDPDSTGALVEEEDPFFKVPVNKLAAAVSNFGYDLYRVR SSTSPTTNVLLSPLSVATALSALSLGAEQRTESIIHRALYYDLISSPDIH GTYKELLDTVTAPQKNLKSASRIVFEKKLRIKSSFVAPLEKSYGTRPRVL TGNPRLDLQEINNWVQAQMKGKLARSTKEIPDEISILLLGVAHFKGQWVT KFDSRKTSLEDFYLDEERTVRVPMMSDPKAVLRYGLDSDLSCKIAQLPLT GSMSIIFFLPLKVTQNLTLIEESLTSEFIHDIDRELKTVQAVLTVPKLKL SYEGEVTKSLQEMKLQSLFDSPDFSKITGKPIKLTQVEHRAGFEWNEDGA GTTPSPGLQPAHLTFPLDYHLNQPFIFVLRDTDTGALLFIGKILDPRGP
Database link: P36955
- WB: A375 cell lysate and mouse kidney tissue lysate.
Storage instructionsShipped at 4°C. Store at +4°C short term (1-2 weeks). Upon delivery aliquot. Store at -20°C long term. Avoid freeze / thaw cycle.
Storage bufferpH: 7.30
Preservative: 0.02% Sodium azide
Constituents: 50% Glycerol, PBS
Concentration information loading...
PurityImmunogen affinity purified
Our Abpromise guarantee covers the use of ab180711 in the following tested applications.
The application notes include recommended starting dilutions; optimal dilutions/concentrations should be determined by the end user.
|WB||1/500 - 1/2000. Predicted molecular weight: 46 kDa.|
FunctionNeurotrophic protein; induces extensive neuronal differentiation in retinoblastoma cells. Potent inhibitor of angiogenesis. As it does not undergo the S (stressed) to R (relaxed) conformational transition characteristic of active serpins, it exhibits no serine protease inhibitory activity.
Tissue specificityRetinal pigment epithelial cells and blood plasma.
Sequence similaritiesBelongs to the serpin family.
Developmental stageExpressed in quiescent cells.
DomainThe N-terminal (AA 44-121) exhibits neurite outgrowth-inducing activity. The C-terminal exposed loop (AA 382-418) is essential for serpin activity.
modificationsThe N-terminus is blocked. Extracellular phosphorylation enhances antiangiogenic activity.
N- and O-glycosylated. O-glycosylated with a core 1 or possibly core 8 glycan.
Cellular localizationSecreted. Melanosome. Enriched in stage I melanosomes.
- Information by UniProt
- Cell proliferation-inducing gene 35 protein antibody
- EPC 1 antibody
- EPC-1 antibody
All lanes : Anti-PEDF antibody (ab180711) at 1/3000 dilution
Lane 1 : A375 cell lysate
Lane 2 : Mouse kidney tissue lysate
Lysates/proteins at 25 µg per lane.
All lanes : HRP Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L)
Developed using the ECL technique.
Predicted band size: 46 kDa
Exposure time: 60 seconds
Blocking buffer: 3% nonfat dry milk in TBST.
ab180711 has been referenced in 10 publications.
- Yang X et al. CSF1R blockade induces macrophage ablation and results in mouse choroidal vascular atrophy and RPE disorganization. Elife 9:N/A (2020). PubMed: 32234210
- Guo X et al. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) ameliorates arsenic-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction in rats and toxicity in endothelial EA.hy926 cells. Environ Res 186:109506 (2020). PubMed: 32315827
- Zhang Q et al. A platform for assessing outer segment fate in primary human fetal RPE cultures. Exp Eye Res 178:212-222 (2019). PubMed: 30336126
- Chen Y et al. Photoreceptor degeneration in microphthalmia (Mitf) mice: partial rescue by pigment epithelium-derived factor. Dis Model Mech 12:N/A (2019). PubMed: 30651300
- Wang H et al. Pigment Epithelial-Derived Factor Deficiency Accelerates Atherosclerosis Development via Promoting Endothelial Fatty Acid Uptake in Mice With Hyperlipidemia. J Am Heart Assoc 8:e013028 (2019). PubMed: 31711388
- Zhang Q et al. Highly Differentiated Human Fetal RPE Cultures Are Resistant to the Accumulation and Toxicity of Lipofuscin-Like Material. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 60:3468-3479 (2019). PubMed: 31408109
- Bishehsari F et al. KRAS mutation and epithelial-macrophage interplay in pancreatic neoplastic transformation. Int J Cancer 143:1994-2007 (2018). PubMed: 29756386
- Yao Q et al. Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides Improve Retinopathy in Diabetic Sprague-Dawley Rats. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2018:7943212 (2018). PubMed: 30581486
- Wang L et al. miR-93-3p inhibition suppresses clear cell renal cell carcinoma proliferation, metastasis and invasion. Oncotarget 8:82824-82834 (2017). PubMed: 29137305
- Zhang J et al. Effects of p75 neurotrophin receptor on regulating hypoxia-induced angiogenic factors in retinal pigment epithelial cells. Mol Cell Biochem 398:123-34 (2015). WB ; Human . PubMed: 25200140

domain: health


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Since Newbie was electrified, Kali thought she should be too. Can you tell it has been a long winter? I know because I take the kids and play in Photoshop instead of going out in the cold world.
See my entire Project 365 Album at: http://365project.org/markbuehl/365
See my Art Website at: http://www.markbuehl.com

domain: artistic


Reductions in toll charges for the Besraya and LEKAS expressways will take impact from 12:01am, January 1, 2023, public works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi has introduced, in response to Bernama.
The discount is by as a lot as 15 sen for Class 1 automobiles passing by means of the Loke Yew and Mines toll plazas (North and South) on the Besraya expressway, the report wrote. In the meantime, the toll fee for Class 1 automobiles on the LEKAS expressway has been lowered from 0.1811 sen per km to 0.1666 sen per km for the closed toll system, whereas the toll fee on the open toll system for the Ampangan toll plaza stays unchanged.
Which means that the brand new toll charges efficient from midnight tonight shall be RM1.85 for Class 1 automobiles at any Besraya expressway toll plaza, whereas motorists utilizing the LEKAS expressway shall be charged RM7.80 in every route.
The present toll charges are RM2.00 for Class 1 automobiles in every route on the Besraya expressway, and RM8.30 for Class 1 automobiles all through the LEKAS expressway.
“Via the restructuring [of toll rates] for these two highways, the federal government is ready to save an estimated RM1.978 billion in compensation allocation in the course of the concession interval, and the allocation will be channelled to satisfy different fundamental wants of Malaysians,” Nanta mentioned.
This discount in toll fee was made following discussions and the settlement of the concession firm for the 2 highways, IJM Company, that’s in step with the cupboard’s resolution that was made on December 21. “Additionally it is a part of the reorganisation of the construction and toll charges for the 2 highways concerned,” the general public works minister mentioned in an announcement.
Discount in toll charges for the Besraya and LEKAS expressways, as a part of reductions for six highways in whole had been introduced in October on the official opening of the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH), as introduced by then-prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.


Local health systems: relationships not structures
Primer: The planning system
ICLEI World Congress 2022 – Malmö, Sweden
This backgrounder examines the developing structures and roles of local governance in New Zealand, from the 19th century to the present day, and suggests that the country is in a new phase of development.
This bundle highlights different perspectives on community wealth building and how this approach may be used by local authorities as they look towards economic recovery.
In this Sustainable Futures (SF) bundle, we discuss the recent publication of the IPPC Assessment Report and what these alarming findings suggest for the planet’s future as it faces increasing and inevitable problems due to climate change.
In this bundle, we highlight innovative local government food growing strategies and how these projects have nurtured and sustained communities during the pandemic and beyond.
This bundle brings together two series of briefings and other recent LGIU work looking at how towns and cities are responding to crises now and planning for the future.
Over the past few days, Germany (along with parts of the Netherlands and Belgium) has experienced catastrophic flooding, following record levels of rainfall in parts of the country. Questions have arisen around how such a devastating outcome was able to prevail as the death toll surpasses 180 and core infrastructure is predicted to remain a…
How can we measure, understand and compare the decentralisation of power in different contexts? In this first paper in our Devometrics project with the University of Kent Paolo Dardanelli and Kieran Wright scope out the issues and challenges, appraise current approaches and begin to apply them in practical contexts.
Building on a framework of dimensions of autonomy, Mark Sandford, Senior Researcher at the House of Commons Library, looks at the mechanisms and processes that need to be in place to devolve and decentralise power. The analysis focusses on English local government, but the framework has wider implications and will be of interest within other…
In this paper we argue that building back better after the pandemic must include a new settlement for place that reconnects the government’s “levelling up” ambitions with the decentralisation of power in England.


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GLADSTONE, Mich. (WLUC) - Officers were called to a two-car crash in Gladstone Monday afternoon.
Gladstone Public Safety officers and Gladstone Volunteer Fire Department personnel responded to the intersection of US-41 and S. Hill Road at 1:50 p.m.
Investigation determined an 85-year-old Gladstone man was crossing the S. Hill Road intersection and failed to yield to the a 50-year-old Gladstone man who was traveling northbound on US-41.
The 85-year-old driver was brought to OFS St. Francis Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries. His 79-year-old passenger was air-flighted to UP Health System-Marquette for further treatment.
Gladstone personnel were assisted by Rampart EMS, Valley Med Flight, and the Delta County Sheriff's Office.
No other details were made available. TV6 & FOX UP will update this story as more information becomes available.


text:
Quote Of The Day
“USATF leadership repeatedly rewards athletes who have served bans with honors that exceed their legal return to competition, and this is undermining the efforts toward the future of clean sport. While athletes who have served bans should be afforded their right to compete under the current anti-doping rules, as well as treated with dignity, the privilege of national team coach, other leadership positions, and being chosen to represent the entire athlete body in marketing initiatives should be reserved for athletes with 100% clean anti-doping records. The appointed faces and voices that influence the current and future generations of athletes should be leaders in clean sport.”
– Lauren Fleshman writing a petition to USATF calling for them to stop rewarding athletes who have served drug bans. When USATF does things like hiring drug cheat Dennis Mitchell as a paid coach, they send the wrong message about their attitude towards doping.
- LRCers: We Need Your Shoe Reviews, The Quest for 1,000 More Reviews Starts Now
- Andre De Grasse has gone pro, allegedly for min of $11.25 million - could go as high as 30 million!!
- Renato Canova: This is how deep is doping in Kenya
- I will wire $50 via PayPal for the first person that can guess my 5k time within 5 seconds
- Hypocrite? Nick Symmonds is whining about Olympic budget cuts, says he needs 'hospitality and comfort'
- Running Times to cease publication 2016
- List your crazy improvements + PR's here.
- Most dangerous cities in the world ( Chicago not in top 50! )


Corn futures tumbled the most since November and wheat had the biggest plunge since January 2009 as the U.S. government reported grain acreage and inventories that topped estimates by analysts. Soybeans fell, and rice rose.
U.S. farmers planted 92.282 million acres of corn this year, 1.8 percent more than projected by analysts in a Bloomberg News survey, and the second-highest since 1944, the Department of Agriculture said today. Stockpiles as of June 1 were 3.67 billion bushels, 12 percent higher than forecast.
“The USDA again surprised the market,” said Chad Henderson, a market analyst for Prime Agricultural Consultants Inc. in Brookfield, Wisconsin. “Rising acreage will add 200 million bushels to this year’s corn crop. Demand rationing has taken place, and supplies are much more comfortable for 2012.”
Corn futures for December delivery, the most-active by open interest, slid by the exchange limit of 30 cents, or 4.6 percent, to settle at $6.205 a bushel at 1:15 p.m. on the Chicago Board of Trade, the biggest drop since Nov. 16. The grain has jumped 66 percent in the past year on surging demand from ethanol makers and livestock farms.
Corn futures for July delivery, the contract closest to expiration, fell 69 cents, or 9.9 percent, to $6.29.
Declining corn prices may reduce expenses for meat producers including Tyson Foods Inc. and makers of grain-based ethanol such as Poet LLC. Bigger grain supplies might ease global food-inflation concerns after prices measured by the United Nations climbed to a record in February.
Worldwide wheat and corn harvests will be bigger than expected because of an improving outlook in the U.S. and China, the International Grains Council said today in a report.
Increased U.S. acreage “helps to ease the global grain supply shortage on paper,” said Michael Swanson, a senior agricultural economist at Wells Fargo & Co. in Minneapolis. “Physically, we have to harvest those acres and have good growing weather the remainder of the season.”
The U.S. is the world’s leading exporter of wheat, corn and soybeans.
U.S. farmers boosted corn seeding even as wet weather delayed fieldwork from Ohio to North Dakota. On June 10, corn futures for July delivery, the most-active at the time, rose to a record $7.9975, spurring growers to plant through June, instead of switching to soybeans, which have a shorter season. Corn sowing typically is finished in May.
The USDA said today in a statement that it plans to survey farmers next month in Montana, Minnesota and North and South Dakota on acreage planted for corn, soybeans and durum and spring wheat.
“A large percentage of acres remained to be planted” in those states following the survey in the first half of June, the USDA said.
“If anything, we might see acreage come down a little from here,” said Mike O’Dea, a risk-management consultant at INTL FCStone in Kansas City, Missouri. “Today, the market is reacting to what’s in front of us.”
Farmers planted 13.627 million acres of spring wheat, 2.6 percent above estimates by analysts, the USDA said. U.S. inventories as of June 1 totaled 861 million bushels, topping forecasts by 4.6 percent.
Wheat futures for September delivery tumbled by the CBOT limit of 60 cents, or 8.9 percent, to $6.1425 a bushel, the lowest for a most-active contract since July 29. The decline was the biggest since Jan. 12, 2009. The grain has climbed 28 percent in the past year after adverse weather reduced global crop prospects.
On the Kansas City Board of Trade and the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, wheat futures dropped as much as the exchange limits of 60 cents.
Futures had “a wild ride,” said Carolyn Farndell, a senior commodity associate at RBC Wealth Management in Minneapolis. Wheat “stocks were higher than expected, they did lower the spring-wheat acreage, and there’s also been some talk circulating that the winter crop is coming in better than expected,” she said.
Soybean futures for November delivery dropped 29 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $12.94 a bushel on the CBOT. The price has climbed 43 percent in the past year.
Planting dropped to 75.208 million acres, less than analysts expected and below the 76.609 million estimated in March, as farmers switched to corn, the USDA said. Stockpiles as of June 1 were 619 million bushels, 4.6 percent more than forecast and above year-earlier supplies.
‘Stocks Trump Acres’
“The acreage numbers are positive, but we think the stocks trump acres,” sending futures lower, said Don Roose, the president of U.S. Commodities Inc. in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Rice futures for September delivery rose by the CBOT limit of 50 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $14.845 per 100 pounds. The price has gained 53 percent in the past 12 months.
U.S. rice planting totaled 2.676 million acres, down 26 percent from a year earlier, the government said today.
In the second quarter, wheat in Chicago dropped 20 percent, corn was down 10 percent and soybeans declined 8.2 percent. Rice gained 6.1 percent.
The Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index of 19 raw materials dropped almost 6 percent in the quarter, the most since the end of 2008. A faltering global economy has damped demand for commodities. Today, a government report showed more Americans than forecast filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, indicating little progress in jobs recovery.
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s second round of quantitative easing, also known as QE2, concludes today.
Corn is the largest U.S. crop, valued at $66.7 billion in 2010, followed by soybeans at $38.9 billion, government figures show. Wheat is the fourth-largest at $13 billion, behind hay.


2013-2017 Bitubo Pair of Rear Shock Absorbent WMB0 HD FXDBP Dyna 103 Street Bob
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Pair of Bitubo WMB0 rear shock absorbers with adjustable spring preload. The shock absorbers are single chamber pressurized by nitrogen gas with floating piston. The body is in high-strength alloy steel while the heads are in CNC machined aluminum alloy.


To become an Olympic Rowing champion you need two qualities in fair measure: grace and guts. More than any other sport, rowing combines sheer explosive power with fine technique. With winning margins measured in just tenths of a second, Gold medals are traditionally won by working harder and suffering more than your opponents. At this year's Olympics in Athens, however, those rules are about to change; blood, sweat and tears alone might not be good enough. For the first time the best teams will have a new tool in their shed. In Athens, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) could be the difference between Gold and Bronze.
CFD is already widely used as an engineering tool within the maritime industry. Long used for optimizing hull designs under steady cruising conditions, it is also becoming increasingly important for predicting the complex three-dimensional phenomena applicable to maneuvering conditions. Used effectively it reduces the reliance on expensive towing tank tests and allows the investigation of a wider variety of more radical designs than would otherwise be possible.
Simulating a rowing boat, however, presents an even more complex challenge. While most boats are propelled at a constant rate, a rowing boat moves forward under the rhythmic rowing action of the crew. As the boat accelerates and decelerates through each successive stroke, both the position of the boat and its attitude in the water are dynamically modified, making this a complex problem with multiple-degrees of freedom.
At the forefront of the pioneering work in this field is Filippi Boats and partners. As a leading manufacturer of high quality, race standard, rowing boats, they have been using CD adapco's CFD code Comet for the past year to optimize their high tech designs for the upcoming Summer Olympics. Working together with a prestigious Italian university - Politecnico di Milano-MOX, their aim is to provide enough advantage to propel their oarsmen to the top of the Olympic podium.
Using Comet they have, for the first time, been able to simulate the influence of moving rowers on the boat and the periodic accelerations caused by each stroke of the oars and thereby the time dependant changes of resistance and propulsion. The simulation takes full account of both squat (also known as dynamic sinkage), the tendency of a moving boat to rise out of the water, and trim, its tendency to pitch in the water. Through these simulations, both squat and trim were shown to have major effects on resistance experienced by the boat.
The wrong amount of trim or squat in adverse conditions may allow water to flow over the side of the boat with immediate and devastating consequence. This point was all too clearly illustrated at the trial regatta for the Olympic Rowing Lake, which had to be abandoned after many of the boats sunk in choppy conditions. In rowing, taking on fluids is a real risk.
Due to their leading edge performance requirements, sports applications are an important benchmark for CFD applications. The application by Filippi Boats is a key example of the current trend in the marine world of how CFD software and services can perform multi-fluid six degree of freedom simulations.