title: T130405eu1

text:
T 0405/13 09-04-2014
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Meter with rapid response glucose sensor
Roche Diagnostics GmbH
I. The two opponents and the patentee appealed against the interlocutory decision of the opposition division maintaining European patent No. 1394535 in amended form.
Oppositions were filed against the patent as a whole and based on the grounds of Article 100(a), together with Articles 54(1) and 56 EPC, and on Articles 100(b) and (c) EPC.
The opposition division held that the patent as amended according to the fourth auxiliary request then on file, identical to the fifth auxiliary request now on file, met the requirements of the EPC.
II. Oral proceedings before the board were held on 9 April 2014.
III. Together with the grounds of appeal, the patentee requested that the decision of the opposition division be set aside and that the patent be maintained as granted (main request) or, alternatively, maintained upon the basis of any of the auxiliary requests 1 to 5, filed under cover of a letter dated 16 May 2013.
The opponents requested that the decision of the opposition division be set aside and that the patent be revoked.
IV. Independent claim 1 according to the patentee's main request reads as follows:
"1) A meter comprising:
a housing (81);
a display (82) for displaying results;
a slot for insertion of a disposable electrochemical sensor for detection and/or quantification of analyte in a liquid sample; and
a timing circuit adapted to control measurement of current indicative of analyte in the sample following detection of sample application to the sensor when the sensor is inserted in the meter,characterized in that the timing circuit is further adapted to cause the measurement of current to occur at a time 15 seconds or less after the detection of sample application."
Claims 2 to 4 are dependent on the above independent claim 1.
Independent claims 1 according to the patentee's auxiliary requests (AR 1 to AR 5) differ from the above independent claim 1 of the main request in that the time periods specified in the respective characterizing portions read as follows:
AR 1: "... to occur at a time less than 10 seconds after the detection of sample application."
AR 2: "... to occur at a time 4 to less than 10 seconds after the detection of sample application."
AR 3: "... to occur at a time 8 seconds or less after the detection of sample application."
AR 4: "... to occur at a time 4 to 8 seconds after the detection of sample application."
AR 5: "... to occur at a time 5 seconds or less after the detection of sample application."
V. The following document will be referred to in the present decision:
D10: US 5,366,609
1. Order of dealing with the claim requests
The claim requests differ from one another only in respect of the time range in which the measurement is to occur. Auxiliary request 5 is the claim request which was found allowable by the opposition division. Since claim 1 of this request also comprises the shortest upper limit of the time range, i.e. 5 seconds, which value is included in the claimed time ranges of all the requests, the board, in agreement with the parties at the oral proceedings, started patentability assessment with auxiliary request 5.
2. Auxiliary request 5
2.1 Proper construction of claim 1
During oral proceedings, a debate on how to interpret the features relating to the timing circuit of the claimed meter took place.
Claim 1 is directed to a meter which, amongst others, is defined by reference to a sample, to an analyte in the sample and to a sensor for detecting the analyte in the sample. However, none of the sample, the analyte or the sensor belongs to the claimed meter. It follows that no precise limitation of the claimed scope can be inferred therefrom.
Claim 1 in particular recites a timing circuit defined by the following functional feature:
"a timing circuit adapted to control measurement of a current indicative of analyte in the sample following detection of sample application to the sensor when the sensor is inserted in the meter".
It is however obscure how the timing circuit is specifically adapted to ensure that the measured current is indicative of analyte. Claim 1 remains silent about any feature providing a reliable measure of an analyte in a sample. A timing circuit is an electronic circuitry whose electronic output does generally not have any effect on whether the current to be measured is actually a faithful indication of any property of the sample. The nature of the current generally depends only on the physical circumstances under which the current has been generated, i.e. on the sensor generating the current and on the item to be sensed by the sensor. Therefore, the timing circuit according to claim 1 is to be understood as a general timing circuit which is adapted to control the measurement of any current through a sample inserted in the slot, be it actually indicative of analyte in the sample or not.
2.2 Closest prior art
The parties did not dispute that D10 may be considered as being the closest prior art document.
D10, with reference to figures 1 and 3, discloses a biosensing meter (10) comprising a housing, a display (12), a slot (16) for insertion of an electrochemical sensor (18), a microprocessor (59) comprising a RAM and further electronic circuitry associated with the microprocessor, such as an excitation voltage source (44) and a bus (58). The meter of D10 is used in combination with a removably pluggable ROM key (30) comprising a programmable ROM chip (32). See column 4, line 29 to column 5, line 18.
Upon application of a drop of blood to a sample strip inserted in the meter, an immediate increase in current is sensed by the meter (column 6, lines 45-51). The microprocessor of the meter and its associated electronic circuitry, in combination with data read from the programmable ROM chip, provides overall control of the operation of the meter and enables the meter to adjust its measurement parameters (column 5, lines 3-13). These measurement parameters allow to adjust the commencement and duration of the incubation time ti and the commencement, delay and duration of the measurement time tm (column 6, line 52 - column 7, line 65; figures 4 and 6). The microprocessor and its associated electronic circuitry thus correspond to a timing circuit controlling and causing the measurement of current to occur at a certain point in time after detection of sample application to a sensor inserted in the slot of the meter.
The biosensing meter of D10 is specifically adapted to be employed under various measurement procedures due to its use of a "removably pluggable memory module" (column 1, lines 6-28). Whilst a specific example is shown in relation to figure 4 where a measurement period starts at 9 seconds after sample application, D10 remains silent about whether the microprocessor is adapted to cause the measurement of current to occur at a time 5 seconds or less after the detection of sample application, as set out in claim 1.
It follows that D10 discloses all the features of claim 1 except for the actual point in time at which the measurement of current is caused by the microprocessor to occur.
The effect of the distinguishing feature of claim 1 is to provide a range of concrete numerical values for the points in time at which the timing circuit causes the measurement of current to occur.
The objective technical problem to be solved can therefore be seen as implementing a timing circuit having a concrete point in time at which the timing circuit causes the measurement of current to occur.
Deciding whether the claimed solution to this problem is obvious or not boils down to the question of whether the skilled person, while putting the meter of claim D10 into practice, will arrive or not at a value falling within the claimed range. A similar approach for assessing obviousness was taken in the decisions T 408/12, point 7.3 of the reasons, and T 315/97, point 3.3.1 of the reasons.
While putting the embodiment of D10 into practice, the skilled person will necessarily have to fill the gap in the disclosure of D10 in selecting a concrete timing circuit composed of a microprocessor with its electronic circuitry and its inherent capability of causing the measurement of current to occur within a certain time range.
According to the embodiment of D10, the timing circuit is enabled to cause an excitation voltage source to apply excitation voltages at various levels and various time ranges (column 6, line 35 - column 7, line 65). Exemplary time ranges which the timing circuit of D10 is able to handle are the ranges of milliseconds and seconds (see column 6, lines 61-65, in combination with the time scale of figure 5; see column 7, lines 4-25, in combination with the time scale of figure 4). The claimed time range, i.e. "within 5 seconds", is included in the time ranges disclosed in D10.
From the disclosure of D10 it appears that the microprocessor and its associated electronic circuitry are of a conventional nature. There is no indication in D10 that the skilled person must be careful in selecting a specific microprocessor and associated electronic circuitry which would not be adapted to cause the measurement of current to occur within a particular time range.
On the contrary, as convincingly demonstrated by the opponent 1 at the oral proceedings, it is apparent from the disclosure of D10, that the device of D10 is intended for the use of a large variety of sensors having different sensing characteristics and measurement procedures. D10 explicitly relates to "the problem of enabling a biosensing meter to adapt to substantially revised test protocols and procedures without the need for redesign of the electronics or meter" (column 3, lines 11-17). The object of the invention of D10 consists in providing a biosensor meter that "enables substantial reconfiguration of test procedures and parameters employed by the meter", in particular, that "enables threshold potentials, test times, delay periods ... to be inserted and/or altered" (column 3, lines 21-27).
It is obvious that the skilled person, when putting the meter of D10 into practice by following the teaching of D10, will implement a versatile timing circuit composed of a microprocessor and its associated electronic circuitry which are adapted to cause the measurement of current to occur within the broadest possible range of time.
Indeed, D10 aims at supplying a meter which can be used with a large variety of sensors and different test procedures. The solution taught in D10 is to provide a timing circuit which is able to read and adequately handle various threshold potentials, test times and delay periods, parameters which are delivered by a programmable ROM to the timing circuit via a data bus. The skilled person, seeking to go on using an existing meter despite revised threshold potentials, test times and delay periods, requires the largest possible freedom of action to operate the meter. Therefore, the actual timing circuit, selected when putting into practice the device of D10, would obviously have the potential of handling measurements of current to occur within a reasonably broad range of time. No inventive step can be seen in including in this reasonably broad time range the claimed value of 5 seconds after the detection of sample application, the less so since reducing measurement time must be considered as an obvious desire of the user, as put forward by both opponents in their respective statements of the grounds of appeal. On the contrary, implementing a timing circuit in the meter of D10 which is not capable of handling a measurement of current within the claimed time range would appear to be surprising and to require deliberate modifications of the normal capabilities of a conventional timing circuit.
In view of the foregoing, the subject-matter of claim 1 lacks an inventive step in view of the disclosure of D10 (Article 56 EPC).
2.4 The patentee presented the following counter-arguments:
2.4.1 For the patentee, claim 1 defines a timing circuit which is specially adapted, firstly, to control the measurement of current being indicative of analyte in the sample and, secondly, to cause the measurement to occur within 5 seconds after sample detection. In the patentee's view, this means that the claimed timing circuit is not only suitable for fulfilling these two functions but that it effectively realizes the two corresponding requirements, thereby representing two concrete technical features of the claimed meter.
The patentee further explains that in the measurement procedure of D10, an incubation period of 9 seconds is required during which no measurement of current occurs. Even more importantly, D10 does not disclose a measurement time at all of a "current indicative of analyte", but only the measurement of current at a plurality of points in time "to determine the level of the Cottrell curve", which "level is indicative of the [analyte] concentration" (see column 5, lines 52-65; figure 4). For the patentee, "none of the individual measurements shown in figure 6, when taken alone, is a measurement of current indicative of analyte" (see also the letter of the patentee, dated 16 May 2013, point 4.1.5).
Therefore, based on the teaching of D10, the skilled person would have no reason to expect to obtain reliable results of the current indicative of analyte within short measurement periods. In the absence of any hint about the feasibility of making faster measurements of current indicative of analyte, the skilled person would have no motivation to modify the timing circuit of D10 as defined in claim 1.
This argument is not found convincing by the board since it is based on the assumption that the current measured by the meter of claim 1 is necessarily a current indicative of an analyte and that such a measurement effectively occurs within 5 seconds of the detection of the analyte in the sample. This assumption is not shared by the board as explained in point 2.12.1 above. Upon request by the board during oral proceedings to explain how the timing circuit is specially adapted to ensure that the measured current is really indicative of the amount of analyte in the sample, the patentee did not provide any relevant explanation.
2.4.2 The patentee acknowledged that D10 discusses the possibility of adapting a meter to work with different sensors and that D10 discloses a meter which enables threshold potentials, test times and delay periods to be set and/or altered. However, D10 does not indicate that any of the stages of the measurement cycle shown in figure 4 can be dispensed with or that any of these times or periods can be modified (see the patentee's letter dated 30 October 2013, point 5.3). The patentee, therefore, concluded that the skilled person would have no reason to modify the timing circuit of D10 as defined in claim 1.
The board cannot see which concrete modifications of the timing circuit of D10 are required to arrive at the claimed subject-matter. Indeed, as explained in point 2.32.3 above and stressed by the board in the course of the oral proceedings, the question is not about how to modify the timing circuit of D10 but about how to fill the gap in the disclosure of D10 concerning the capability of the timing circuit to receive a time parameter which is within 5 seconds of a starting signal, to control the voltage source correspondingly and to read the resulting current. The board came to the conclusion that it would be obvious for the skilled person to implement in D10 a timing circuit being capable of handling the largest variation of time ranges so as to provide complete freedom of action to the skilled person should he/she want to use the existing meter in relation to a new test procedure, for instance, in case that sensors allowing for faster measurements become available. Therefore, the board sees no need for the skilled person to have actual knowledge of a prior art sensor achieving reliable results within 5 seconds, in order to envisage this delay value when putting the teaching of D10 into practice.
3. Main request and auxiliary requests 1 to 4.
The subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request and of the auxiliary requests 1 to 4 lacks an inventive step with respect to the disclosure of D10 for reasons corresponding to those given for the fifth auxiliary request.
In particular, when putting the device of D10 into practice, the board is of the view that the skilled person would implement a conventional timing circuit capable of handling the various time ranges as claimed in the main request and in any of the auxiliary requests 1 to 4, which all include the value of 5 seconds set out in auxiliary request 5.
At the invitation of the board during oral proceedings to present counter-arguments in respect of inventive step of the main request and the auxiliary requests 1 to 4, the patentee replied that it had no additional arguments to those already presented in favour of the fifth auxiliary request.
For these reasons it is decided that:
1. The decision under appeal is set aside.
2. The patent is revoked.


tier: cub

shelf: software-docs

title: The jenkins miner is the biggest botnet mining monero

text:
Cryptocurrency mining operations come in many different shapes and sizes. 0Running a profitable Bitcoin mining firm requires a lot of hardware and space. For altcoin mining, things are very different. Unfortunately, the Jenkins Miner is not a legitimate operation. Although it is the biggest of its kind, it’s 100% malicious. It also seems to be mining Monero first and foremost, with over $3m being raised already.
Criminals have taken a strong liking to cryptocurrencies. In most cases, they will attempt to trick users into giving up login credentials. Hacking exchanges is also becoming more popular as of late. The Jenkins miner, however, is a different creature altogether. It is suspected this is a Chinese operation designed to mine Monero. More specifically, it is a completely malicious mining operation. By actively spreading Monero mining malware, the owner of this botnet has enslaved thousands of computers already.
Monero has a Jenkins Miner Problem
If that wasn’t enough, the owner is now targeting the Jenkins CI server. If successful, he can effectively generate millions of Monero in very quick succession. Botnet mining is nothing new for this particular altcoin. In fact, it has been somewhat of a problem for several years now. There is nothing one can do about it, though. After all, this is a decentralized network where no one can “ban” specific users or IP addresses without consensus.
There is a vulnerability in the Jenkins Java implementation which can be exploited. It seems the hacker successfully did so already, although it remains to be seen if this is a successful operation. With the code being injected on the server, it is possible this mining operation will become a lot more profitable. Monero is one of the few currencies to be mined with non-ASIC hardware these days. In fact, most people can still mine XMR with just their CPU, albeit at a very slow rate.
Whether or not the Jenkins miner will pose a big threat, remains to be seen. We do know the server is currently mining Monero through different mining pools. Analysts discovered how over $3m worth of XMR has been collected already. That number will increase for some time to come. Especially with this Jenkins miner still active, the money will continue to flow in rather quickly. The malware used to infect this server and other computers has undergone multiple evolutions as well. Every new iteration is more powerful and sophisticated. A worrisome trend, to say the least.


shelf: health

title: Draft letter 8

text:
This letter and others on these pages give examples of good points to raise in writing to MPs or Peers about the Joffe Bill. Put the ideas in your own words and add a personal angle based on your own experience of the issues.
I am writing to express my concern about the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill, which aims to legalise assisted suicide and receives its second reading in the House of Lords on 12 May.
Because of the difficulties in getting voluntary euthanasia (VE) accepted the pro-euthanasia lobby have directed their attention to the seemingly softer target of physician-assisted suicide (PAS). It was calculated by a recent House of Lords Select Committee that a Netherlands-type law (VE and PAS) would lead to 13,000 new deaths per annum in Britain, whereas an Oregon-type law (PAS only) would lead to 650 deaths per annum.
But in fact VE and PAS are ethically equivalent because in both cases the intention of the doctor is to end the life of the patient. There is little practical difference between placing lethal medication in a patient’s hand and placing it in a patient’s mouth! PAS is simply ‘euthanasia one step back’.
Legalising PAS would also bring in euthanasia because of:
Some patients would be physically incapable of ending their own lives (eg through paralysis) so VE back-up would be required. - Failure rates
Even with a prescription, PAS has a failure rate. Some patients vomit, while others fail to die despite large doses of drugs. In these situations, a doctor will always be required for the coup de grâce. - Incremental extension
Once doctors begin practising PAS there will be those who will ‘push the limits’ and euthanasia will inevitably follow. When the patient – the ‘key witness’ – is dead, who is to say whether it was suicide or euthanasia?
I urge you to oppose this bill.


shelf: finance

title: Discover how to significantly reduce your car insurance premiums with a combination of long term strategies and immediate actions learn how improving your driving record credit score and vehicle ch

text:
Are you tired of overpaying for car insurance? You’re not alone. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to lower your premiums, both in the short and long term. By implementing these strategies, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars per year.
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Remember, patience and diligence are key when it comes to lowering your car insurance premiums. But the rewards are well worth the effort. So, start comparing quotes today and begin your journey towards significant savings.
Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. It is recommended to consult with an insurance professional for personalized guidance.


tier: grizzly

shelf: education

title: Prodview t3wilzjzal2fo

text:
Student Information Systems manage a school district’s student data in one place, and leading systems provide excellent functionality. Each school district is unique, though, and many find that off-the-shelf systems lack specific and critical features they need to thrive.
Our consulting and development team specializes in building custom web portals and integrations that expand upon the functionality of your Student Information System. See how you can simplify your workflows and further streamline your district-wide operations.
Online Student Enrollment
Launch a dashboard that allows student guardians to submit information for their students and track the enrollment process. The application can include notification emails for both the guardian and the administration, as well as automated progressions through enrollment steps, like proof of identity and age. Leverage language surveys, attachment submissions, legal residency document tracking, and other critical components, all in one place.
Summer School and Camp Registration
Expand online enrollment into other registrations, like summer school and summer camp, to further automate laborious processes for your district's administrative team. Add course details into the system, modify school term dates, create records, and manage waitlists. Empower students to register for summer classes to match their ID and course information.
Student ID Management
Automate another time-intensive responsibility for district staff – the creation of ID cards for students and staff. Launch a system that not only streams the sending of updated student ID data to the printers, streamlining the process much easier for your school administration.
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Late Student Arrival Tracking
Streamline your late arrival process by creating an application that allows students who arrive late to scan in. It then logs and sends tardy notifications to teachers and parents and allows the administration to run reports on student tardiness.
Administrative staff can even customize schedules by the student to streamline this process and run reports for students to attempt to leave campus outside of allowed times.
Streamline event registrations to ensure students' safety at events. For events like spirit nights or prom, we can build a system that matches student IDs to purchased tickets. When students arrive, they scan in and out of the event on kiosks; staff is notified if a ticket has already been purchased. The administration can understand and improve traffic flow and monitor when students come and go in case of an emergency.
Building Sign In
Secure traffic in and out of the school during school hours, including during open lunch and early release, for students with lunch privileges. Launch a solution that allows students to scan in and out at kiosks posted at entrances. The system can ensure students leave during the correct time block, significantly reducing the amount of time your staff needs to spend cross-checking allowed times on and off campus for each student.
Administrative staff can even access logs to see how many – and which -- students are off campus, a critical component of headcounts during potential emergencies. Know where students are at all times.
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shelf: home-craft

title: Baked cinnamon apple

text:
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you make a purchase through the links.
If you are looking for some homemade apple recipe then look no further. This homemade recipe will definitely satisfy your cravings. The baked cinnamon apple crisp is not only delicious but also healthy. It is free of refined sugar and gluten.
Pro Tip: Choose the right kind of apple. Granny Smith or Pink Lady are usually the perfect kinds for this recipe. The firmness will hold up well to the heat of baking without turning mushy.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45-50 minutes
6 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/3 c. real maple syrup
2 T. 100% apple juice (sugar-free)
1 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. ground allspice
1½ t. fresh thyme leaves
¼ t. salt
Ingredients For The Topping
1/3 c. almond flour
1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 c. almonds, sliced
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/3 c. honey, preferably local
To Serve: (Optional)
Served best with vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream
Preheat oven to 350°F and place the top oven rack in the center position.
Grease an 8” x 8” baking dish and set aside.
Toss apples with fresh lemon juice in a large non-reactive bowl.
Add maple syrup, apple juice, cinnamon, allspice, thyme leaves, and salt. Toss to combine and set aside.
Mix all the topping ingredients in a separate bowl and stir until oats are thoroughly coated. Set aside.
Pour apple mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Spread the topping evenly across the top in a uniform layer, as well.
Place baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
If the top layer is nicely browned, cover dish loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until the apple crisp is nice and bubbling.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Best served warm and with some vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream if desired. Enjoy your Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp!


shelf: history-culture

title: 189

text:
Fabulous Prizes Include a Weekend at the St. Regis Hotel, Doggie Day Spa Treatments at Chateau Marmutt, and a Cashmere Sweater from Fifi & Romeo
In anticipation of the upcoming "Sing-A-Long Wizard of Oz" concert, the Hollywood Bowl presents a free Toto Look-A-Like Contest on Saturday, June 28 at 11 a.m. Hosted by comedian Melissa Peterman and judged by a panel of Toto connoisseurs, Hollywood hounds will have the opportunity to strut their stuff at the city's most legendary venue. The dogs deemed worthy of Toto-like star status will be rewarded with pooch pampering in true L.A. style.
The grand prize winner spends a weekend at the prestigious St. Regis Hotel, complete with Sunday Doggie Brunch; the second place dog is pampered with three spa days at Chateau Marmutt, which includes aromatherapy, grooming and day care; and the third place puppy receives a made-to-order cashmere sweater from L.A.'s hippest doggie designer, Fifi & Romeo. The event will be "catered" by premier puppy pastry shop Three Dog Bakery. All non-canine participants will receive a free Hollywood Bowl t-shirt and a doggone good time. Free parking is available at the Hollywood Bowl.
"Sing-A-Long Wizard of Oz" is a unique, fun-filled experience; the event features a master of ceremonies to introduce the film and run the proceedings, a Perform-A-Long Fun Pack (bubbles, noise maker, magic wand and kazoo), and a costume contest and parade. The Oscar-winning film is enhanced with on-screen icons and subtitles for all of the movie's songs and key scenes allowing the audience to become an integral part of the magical, musical experience. The Hollywood Bowl hosts the West Coast premiere on Saturday, July 5 at 7 p.m. For more information regarding the Toto Look-A-Like Contest and all upcoming concerts call 323-850-2000.
Click this pdf to view a poster.
# # #


shelf: civic-law

title: Picnic invitation template free

text:
Are you planning a fun-filled picnic with family and friends? Make sure to set the tone for your event by sending out a beautiful invitation. Luckily, we have a collection of free picnic invitation templates that you can customize to suit your style and theme.
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So why settle for a generic invitation when you can create a custom one for your picnic event? With our free picnic invitation templates, you’ll be able to set the perfect tone for your gathering and make sure that your guests are excited to join in on the fun. Get started today and make your picnic one to remember!
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate your picnic planning process. Use our free invitation templates to create a memorable and personalized invitation for your event. Your guests will appreciate the effort you put into the details, and you’ll set the stage for a fantastic picnic experience. Download our templates now and get ready to enjoy a day of fun, food, and friends!


shelf: science-engineering

title: 22709

text:
The laser welding efficiency of stainless steel is high, but the welding quality is still insufficient. In order to improve the welding performance of stainless steel, a controllable ultrasonic laser welding system was designed in the paper. Through numerical simulation and experimental test, the influences of ultrasonic vibration on the mechanical properties of weld were obtained. For the simulation study, the sound vibration coupling scheme was applied to the welding model. The closed environment model was established, and the characteristic frequency and sound pressure distribution of ultrasonic were simulated and analyzed by COMSOL software. In the aspect of performance test, through the real-time monitoring of the welding system, the effect of ultrasonic on the molten pool area, molten pool flow rate and metal vapor pressure is obtained. Under different ultrasonic excitation frequencies, the changes of weld microstructure, wear morphology, hardness and oxidation were studied. The results show that ultrasonic vibration can significantly improve the wear resistance, hardness and corrosion resistance of stainless steel welds. The ultrasonic energy efficiency at the second-order characteristic frequency is higher, the flow rate in the molten pool is low, and the joint quality is better.
- In order to improve the welding performance of stainless steel, a controllable ultrasonic laser welding system was designed.
- The closed environment model was established, and the characteristic frequency and sound pressure distribution of ultrasonic were simulated and analyzed by COMSOL software.
- Through the real-time monitoring of the welding system, the effect of ultrasonic on the molten pool area, molten pool flow rate and metal vapor pressure is obtained.
Laser welding is a new welding technology, which has the characteristics of fast weld pool forming , large welding depth and small thermal deformation. It does not need special environmental conditions, so the industrialization application rate is high. However, in the laser welding process of stainless steel 304, due to the concentrated and large energy of laser heat source and large flow rate of molten pool, it is easy to produce plasma cloud composition when the base metal is heated and melted , which makes more small pores and depressions on the weld surface, which not only affects the laser focusing, but also reduces the joint strength. In addition, laser welding will also lead to some problems, such as insufficient hardness of stainless steel weld and relatively poor wear resistance. At present, the application and research of ultrasonic in laser welding are relatively few, mainly focusing on the evaluation of weld quality and mechanical properties. Chen  used the single factor test method to study the influence of ultrasonic on weld deformation, and established the best ultrasonic power with the deformation as the optimization goal. Koyanagi  studied the effect of ultrasonic vibration base on finite element analyses and the ultrasonic welding of CFRPs were performed by using a two-dimensional model. Goram  investigated the performance optimization of ultrasonic welding composite using a poly methyl meth acrylate (PMMA) coupling interlayer. Kalyan  studied the welding of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic and 6061 aluminum alloy by ultrasonic welding process. According to the principle of ultrasonic laser welding, ultrasonic vibration mainly improves the weld performance by affecting the state of molten pool. In view of the above problems, the combination of numerical simulation and experimental test is proposed to study the dynamic characteristics of sound field and its influence on the mechanical properties of weld, which provides an important basis for the optimization of laser welding process of stainless steel.
2. Vibration simulation of ultrasonic sound field
2.1. Model establishment
The propagation rate of ultrasonic wave is greatly affected by temperature , and it can still maintain a stable wavelength in a closed environment. Therefore, the parametric model of ultrasonic in laser welding is established by finite element simulation method, and the variation law of characteristic frequency [8, 9] and sound pressure is solved and studied based on COMSOL. Due to the remarkable reflection of ultrasonic wave, the simulation and calculation are carried out in the way of sound vibration coupling. Its process and principle are shown in Fig. 1. Considering that the ultrasonic vibration can significantly affect the sound pressure, the scheme has high calculation accuracy.
Fig. 1Flow chart of coupling simulation
According to the physical properties of ultrasonic, under the condition of specific ultrasonic frequency, when the wavelength meets a certain size relationship with the propagation space, the standing wave mode  will appear. At this time, the characteristic frequency can be calculated accurately. Combined with the characteristics of 304 stainless steel laser welding process, the sound field simulation model is established, as shown in Fig. 2, including strong sound field area, sub strong sound field area and weak sound field area. In ICEM software, the model is meshed, the numerical calculation in the boundary layer is considered, and the perfect matching layer and absorption layer in the grid are distinguished to avoid the sound wave on the boundary being reflected and reduce the error interference. For the mesh generation of perfect matching layer, set the calculation width as 0.5-1 times of the wavelength, and define its equal fraction in the radial direction as 50. For the absorption layer, the minimum cell size is 0.12 mm according to the structural size of the laser beam emitting end, and the final meshing result is shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 2Composition of ultrasonic sound field model
Fig. 3Meshing results
The analysis type of transient model is the display calculation based on convective wave equation, and the core algorithm is discontinuous Galerkin algorithm . The algorithm has low requirements for grid distortion, and only two element grids are needed for calculation in a single wavelength. However, because laser welding is a typical high-temperature environment, it is difficult to achieve convergence under large temperature difference distribution. Therefore, in the preliminary calculation, it is necessary to verify the mesh density of the perfect matching layer. The characteristic frequency distribution of ultrasonic is essentially the instantaneous state of sound field, and the actual amplitude cannot be obtained. Only by determining the actual impedance law of ultrasonic, can the specific amplitude be solved. Different from the time domain analysis, the frequency domain analysis of ultrasonic field is the distribution law of stable sound field, which reflects the final response result, and the amplitude is the relative amplitude. In the calculation of frequency domain characteristics, the governing equation of sound pressure is:
where is the total sound pressure field, is density field, is the dipole source vector, c is ultrasonic velocity, is ultrasonic emission frequency, and is the monopole source.
Sound velocity is one of the most typical characteristics of ultrasonic finite element model, and its boundary condition in the model is defined as:
where is the direction vector under the condition of constant background velocity and density, is the instantaneous ultrasonic velocity vector, is the characteristic frequency and is the amplitude.
The convergence diagram in the simulation process is shown in Fig. 4. It can be seen that the whole iterative calculation is very stable, the step interval difference is small, and the convergence of the model is very satisfactory.
Fig. 4Convergence diagram in simulation process
2.2. Characteristic frequency analysis
In COMSOL, the sound field state at different characteristic frequencies can be solved based on Helmholtz equation, and the relative amplitude can be normalized. According to the emission range of ultrasonic excitation frequency, the results of extracting the first four steps are shown in Fig. 5. It can be seen that at the first-order characteristic frequency, the maximum relative amplitude is close to the laser emission center, and the ultrasonic propagation is obviously restrained under the influence of the structure of the laser head. The standing wave energy generated by the second-order sound field is less, and the sound field separation in the weld area is large. Although the weld area is close to the sound source, the relative amplitude is small, and the traveling wave plays a leading role. The distribution of the third-order sound field is similar to that of the fourth-order sound field, which is dominated by the standing wave, and there is relatively large amplitude at the tip. It can be seen that when the ultrasonic wave works at the second-order characteristic frequency, it can achieve better weld excitation effect.
Fig. 5Relative amplitude distribution at different characteristic frequencies
a) 1st order frequency (14569 Hz)
b) 2nd order frequency (20145 Hz)
c) 3rd order frequency (22896 Hz)
d) 4th order frequency (23314 Hz)
2.3. Sound pressure distribution law
Because the ultrasonic emission model is a semi closed structure, the ultrasonic will be output after multiple reflections and superposition in the transmitting cavity of the horn. At this time, the output ultrasonic sound pressure will be distributed in a complex state, which has an important impact on the weld pool. Through the simulation analysis, the cloud diagram of sound pressure distribution under the first four characteristic frequencies can be obtained, as shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 6Sound pressure distribution at different characteristic frequencies
a) 1st order frequency (14569 Hz)
b) 2nd order frequency (20145 Hz)
c) 3rd order frequency (22896 Hz)
d) 4th order frequency (23314 Hz)
It can be seen that since the sound pressure at the outlet of the ultrasonic transmitting cavity is determined by the initial pressure, reflection pressure and reverberation pressure, the closer to the central axis, the greater the value of sound pressure. The sound pressure is significantly affected by the excitation frequency, and the sound pressure distribution is similar to the relative amplitude distribution. Compared with other excitation frequencies, the sound pressure at the second-order characteristic frequency is more concentrated and effective.
3. Analysis of ultrasonic laser welding process
3.1. Welding system design
In order to accurately test the dynamic characteristics of laser welding pool, the welding system is designed properly and innovatively in the paper, including laser welding system, data acquisition system and ultrasonic control system, as shown in Fig. 7. Through the adjustment of ultrasonic vibration parameters, the comparative results of flow response of 304 stainless steel pool can be obtained. The data acquisition system can realize the transmission of signals and instructions based on PCI data card, and feed back to the laser welding system with the application of LINKS - 11S01 linker to realize precise control of welding current, flow rate of shielding gas (Argon), and trajectory of laser welding gun. The working parameters of ultrasonic power supply and transducer can be effectively adjusted by ultrasonic control system, so as to realize the control of ultrasonic vibration frequency and amplitude. The ultrasonic excitation power supply with the maximum frequency of 500 kW is used for the ultrasonic excitation system. Through the ultrasonic laser welding system, the image acquisition of weld pool under different ultrasonic vibration frequencies , the real-time monitoring of weld pool flow rate, metal vapor pressure and other data can be tested simultaneously, which provides an important basis for the application efficiency of ultrasonic vibration in laser welding.
Fig. 7Composition of ultrasonic vibration laser welding system
3.2. Process parameter design
In order to improve the balance of energy and shielding gas flow, the inclination angle of laser welding gun is set to 10°, the included angle between welding wire and base metal is set to 15°, and the direction of argon flow rate is set to 45°. The motion control of the welding gun is realized based on the stepping motor, and except for the welding gun, other auxiliary mechanisms remain stationary in the working face. According to the welding procedure qualification standard, the base metal of stainless steel is processed into standard welding samples, as shown in Fig. 8. At the same time, the main parameters of its laser welding process are set as shown in Table 1.
3.3. Welding effect of ultrasonic vibration
According to the sound field simulation results of ultrasonic laser welding, the second-order characteristic frequency is more conducive to the improvement of energy efficiency. In order to better study the welding effect, the ultrasonic frequency is set to 20145 Hz.
Fig. 8Weld sample processing scheme
Table 1Process parameter setting
Parameter type | Numerical value | Error range |
Laser power / W | 1500 | 5.0 % |
Focal length / mm | 189 | 2.0 % |
Spot diameter / mm | 2.5 | 2.0 % |
Welding gun speed / mm·min-1 | 900 | 2.5 % |
Welding wire speed / mm·min-1 | 1000 | 1.0 % |
Protective gas flow / L·min-1 | 20 | 3.5 % |
Through the image monitoring of 304 stainless steel weld during the welding process, the transient weld pool area is obtained, as shown in Fig. 9. It can be seen that although ultrasonic has little effect on the final weld appearance, it can effectively change the weld pool area under transient conditions . The maximum weld pool area of conventional laser welding is 6.68 mm2, and the fluctuation range is 18.3 %. Under the influence of ultrasonic vibration, the maximum molten pool area is reduced to 5.38 mm2 and the fluctuation range is reduced to 3.9 %. It can be seen that ultrasonic vibration can effectively improve the stability of molten state of stainless steel weld pool, is conducive to full solidification and crystallization, and effectively reduce the probability of small pores and depressions.
Fig. 9Variation law of transient molten pool area
At different positions away from the center of the weld, the distribution laws of molten pool flow rate and metal vapor pressure at 1 s can be measured, as shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 respectively. It can be seen that the flow velocity of 304 stainless steel weld pool in the weld center decreases significantly after ultrasonic wave is applied. When it exceeds ± 2 mm from the weld center, the ultrasonic wave has little effect on the flow velocity of the molten pool. The distribution of steam pressure is opposite to the flow velocity of molten pool. When it is far away from the weld center, ultrasonic vibration will significantly increase the steam pressure. With the decrease of the distance from the weld center, the effect of ultrasonic on metal vapor pressure is no longer obvious. It can be seen that ultrasonic vibration can enhance the curing effect of the center of the molten pool and improve the thermal stability of the central weld away from the heat source.
Fig. 10Distribution of maximum flow velocity
Fig. 11Distribution of metal vapor pressure
4. Effect of ultrasonic frequency on weld properties
4.1. Metallographic structure analysis
In order to study the effect of ultrasonic frequency on the mechanical properties of weld, laser weld samples of stainless steel were prepared at the first-order (ultrasonic frequency 1), second-order (ultrasonic frequency 2) and third-order (ultrasonic frequency 3) characteristic frequencies respectively. The metallographic structure of the weld sample is shown in Fig. 12.
Fig. 12Metallographic structure of weld under different ultrasonic frequencies
a) No ultrasound
b) Ultrasonic frequency 1
c) Ultrasonic frequency 2
d) Ultrasonic frequency 3
It can be seen that ultrasonic has a significant effect on the microstructure morphology. The grain size under ultrasonic frequency 1 and ultrasonic frequency 2 is smaller than that without ultrasonic vibration. The grain size under ultrasonic frequency 3 is relatively coarse, and ferrite is evenly distributed around pearlite in the form of blade. The grain shape under the condition of ultrasonic frequency 2 is more similar to that without ultrasonic vibration. However, due to the small flow rate of the molten pool and the high pressure of the surrounding metal vapor, the possibility of splashing in the molten pool is greatly reduced, so the uniformity of the weld thickness direction is effectively improved.
In order to study the effect of ultrasonic on the wear resistance of 304 stainless steel weld, constant speed friction test was carried out on weld samples under different ultrasonic frequencies. The normal load of the friction pair is defined as a constant value of 150 N, and the relative angular velocity of the pin disc is set as 6 rad/s under the condition of dry friction. Finally, the wear morphology is obtained, as shown in Fig. 13. It can be seen that ultrasonic vibration can effectively improve the wear resistance of 304 stainless steel weld. Among them, the weld surface scratch depth under ultrasonic frequency 2 is the smallest, the furrow effect is weak, and there is no abrasive wear.
Fig. 13Metallographic structure of weld under different ultrasonic frequencies
a) No ultrasound
b) Ultrasonic frequency 1
c) Ultrasonic frequency 2
d) Ultrasonic frequency 3
4.2. Microhardness and corrosion resistance analysis
Hardness is one of the important indexes to measure the comprehensive mechanical properties of weld. Through the HVS-5Z microhardness tester, the hardness distribution under different ultrasonic frequencies can be obtained, as shown in Fig. 14. It can be seen that ultrasonic vibration can increase the microhardness value of stainless steel weld surface by more than 25 %. Under the action of limited ultrasonic excitation frequency, the hardness of weld increases with the increase of frequency. Generally, the increase of hardness will improve the strength and wear resistance of materials, and the probability of insufficient toughness will also increase. Therefore, the compromise value is preferred in engineering to meet good comprehensive properties.
According to these test results, it can be known that the second-order characteristic frequency of ultrasonic can effectively improve the mechanical properties of 304 stainless steel weld. In order to verify its influence on corrosion resistance, the three weld samples were placed in the acidic environment with constant temperature of room temperature and 100 ℃ respectively, and the change law of oxidation amount was tested, as shown in Fig. 15. It can be seen that ultrasonic vibration can significantly reduce the amount of oxidation, but has little effect on the stable corrosion time. After 40 hours, the oxidation amount of the weld under different test environments reached a stable state, which shows that the corrosion resistance of the weld is more affected by the physical properties of the material itself.
Fig. 14Microhardness distribution under different ultrasonic frequencies
Fig. 15Variation law of weld oxidation
In various engineering fields, the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of stainless steel are good, but its welding process is relatively poor, and the conventional welding scheme is difficult to obtain the ideal effect. Therefore, it is proposed to increase the influence of ultrasonic vibration. In order to improve the reliability of sound field calculation results, considering the influence of mode on ultrasonic pressure field, the acoustic vibration coupling method is innovatively proposed for finite element analysis. In addition, a multi-functional image detection experimental platform is designed and built. Combined with metallographic analysis, the improvement effect of ultrasonic on weld performance can be effectively verified. The research shows that ultrasonic vibration can significantly improve the transient characteristics of stainless steel laser welding pool, reduce the flow rate of weld pool in the center of the weld, increase the surrounding metal vapor pressure, and improve the balance and stability of the weld. Compared with laser welding without ultrasonic, the probability of weld pool splash, small pores and depression is greatly reduced. In this welding system, the second-order excitation frequency of ultrasonic (20145 Hz) can achieve higher energy efficiency in the weld area. Under the influence of ultrasonic vibration at this frequency, the wear resistance, surface hardness and corrosion resistance of the weld are significantly improved. With the development of automation technology, there are more and more efficient welding assembly line production modes. It is a necessary requirement for engineering manufacturing industry to obtain higher production quality in the shortest time. Through the research of this paper, it can be seen that improving the welding quality from the aspect of ultrasonic vibration can significantly improve the economic benefits of products.
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About this article
The paper is supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (61873136) and scientific research project named Research on Moving Workpiece Recognition and Robot Grasping Intelligent Control Based on Binocular Stereo Vision (2020KJ03).
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.


title: 2808 how i implemented cross authentication with flarum

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I had an existing website with already existing users and an auth system in place. I wanted to integrate Flarum without having my users feel like a separate account is being used for discussions. I have seen a lot of threads where people have been asking this as a feature. This thread is to help those newbies. All the things are pretty basic but the value comes from having the complete flow documented in one place. P.S. this was done in a 2 days time by a total newb so the approach may not be perfect but it works for me.
So, I had 3 components to work with here a) my slim framework based php webapp b) my api server and c) the flarum app itself. These are the steps I followed:
Generate a root api token to be used for calling create user api of flarum.
a) generate a 40 characters random string
b) add it in the api_keys table of flarum.
Create a route in my api server for getting a flarum user token. A GET on this route does following things:
a) Hits "/api/token" endpoint with the username/password of flarum. If successful, we are done, o/w follow the next steps. Note that you can also pass a "lifetime" key for token's validity.
b) Hits "/api/users" endpoint with the root api key created in step 1. Need to set the "Authorization" header as "Token <your_api_key>; userId=1". I also set the avatarUrl in this step itself. You can choose anything for the password field. I chose a base64 encoding of the creation time unix timestamp of the user.
c) Now, that the user is created, hit the "/api/token" again to get the token for this user.
Once we got the token we set a cookie "flarum_remember" with the lifetime requested in step 2. Now, in my php webapp I have the following logic in a prehook(which runs before every route request):
a) If my user is logged in and "flarum_remember" cookie is set, we are all done.
b) If my user is logged out, unset the flarum_remember cookie too
c) When the user logs out of my site, unset the "flarum_remember" cookie too.
d) If my user is logged in but "flarum_remember" cookie is not set, we call our api server to get the user token as in step 2.
Last step, write an extension to update flarum's view to remove separate login/signup
a) Update the logIn and signUp items from HeaderSecondary to point to my site's login url (with proper redirection logic) instead of opening the modal
b) remove the "account" item from the SettingsPage
1. When a user changes their profile picture in my site, call flarum's user update api to udpate the avatarUrl. I haven't done that part yet but it is fairly trivial to do


title: Protection through scaling and root planing

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Every time you brush and floss your teeth, you have the opportunity to protect your gums against an infection. Thorough care is important because you need to reach every part of your smile, including the spaces where your teeth and gum line meet. For patients who are already struggling with periodontal disease, or need to address gingivitis before their condition worsens, professional treatment can be helpful. At our Encinitas/San Diego, CA area periodontal practice, we can provide a scaling and root planing to remove the harmful microbes that are already present under your gum line. The process does more than just remove the immediate threat, as we can smooth the tooth structure and make it more difficult for new bacteria to gather and accumulate.
The Trouble With Bacteria Buildup On Your Teeth Roots
The unhealthy bacteria that gather on the roots of your teeth cause issues that can worsen in time. Timely treatment for gingivitis can help you avoid complications from a more severe issue with periodontal disease. When the matter is not dealt with, you can experience worsening complications over time. These issues include problems with tooth loss and general health issues, making it a more significant problem than people may realize.
With the right oral hygiene routine and good general habits, you can lower your risk for these problems. However, when they do become an active concern, a visit with a specialist can help. Our practice can provide a number of advanced services, but we can also help when more conservative forms of care, like scaling and root planing, are appropriate.
How Scaling And Root Planing Fights An Active Infection
Through scaling and root planing, we can clear away the bacteria that have gathered on the roots of your teeth. Their removal means they are no longer present to cause health problems for your gums, giving them a chance to heal. In addition to removing the microbes that are already present, we can polish your tooth structure to make it harder for new bacteria to build up.
Managing Periodontal Problems Through Regular Preventive Treatments
To protect patients with a history of trouble with their gum health, we can recommend starting supportive periodontal maintenance treatments. During these appointments, oral bacteria will be thoroughly removed in order to stop new problems from arising. Patients are often recommended to arrange these sessions every three months to avoid complications and maintain their well-being.
Talk To Your Encinitas/San Diego, CA Area Periodontist About Scaling And Root Planing!
Through scaling and root planing, we can deal with the buildup of bacteria on the roots of teeth. Reaching these areas underneath your gum line will help to control problems with poor periodontal health and give you protection against the effects of gum disease! If you would like to find out more about how our services can help you manage your condition and maintain your health, call Dr. Kania’s office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.


title: Communitech looks toward a very exciting few months

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The Waterloo-based Communitech innovation hub is set for a couple exciting months, with the announcement of both “Techtoberfest” as well as the Kitchener-Waterloo Startup Weekend.
The bigger event might be Techtoberfest, Communitech’s October celebration of entrepreneurship, which will feature several high-profile speakers in the Canadian tech space, as well as a bit of “beverage consumption”.
Techtoberfest happens October 17-18, and features keynote speeches, question and answer periods and breakout sessions.
Communitech’s Andrea Harding explained to BetaKit that it used to hold a celebration called “Entrepreneur Week,” similar to Techtoberfest. Unfortunately it didn’t attract as many patrons from outside the Kitchener-Waterloo area. “So we thought if we hold the event at the same time as Oktoberfest we can offer some great night life and extra activities,” said Harding. “With this idea Techtoberfest was born – an event for startups, investors and entrepreneurs to get together, listen to some keynotes, do some networking and enjoy some festivities as well.”
Speakers include a few tech heavyweights who have built business and are known for delivering insightful talks. Those include Alexis Ohanian, cofounder of Reddit, Jeff Hoffman, cofounfer of ColorJar, Stephen Lake, CEO of Thalmic Labs and SalesForce’s Daniel Debow.
Ohanian delivered a keynote at last year’s Techtoberfest as well, while Hoffman is well known for his lively talks about his work encouraging entrepreneurship in all over the world, most recently in post-revolutionary Egypt. Lake and his team at Thalmic Labs developed the MYO armband, and the former Y Combinator leaders in human-computer interaction also raised a $14.5 million series A round in June.
And what could any event that ends with “…toberfest” be without a little socializing? Techtoberfest will conclude with a fun after-party as well. Single-day tickets cost $35 while $50 will get attendees in for the full two days. Those interested can sign up here.
Entrepreneurs can look forward to a Communitech event much earlier though, as the innovation hub will be hosting the Kitchener-Waterloo Startup Weekend later this month, September 20-22.
Startup Weekends, part of a global movement that has swept through cities in more than 100 countries, are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if their startup ideas are viable. On average, half of Startup Weekend’s attendees have technical or design backgrounds, while the other half have business backgrounds.
Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their teams. Over Saturday and Sunday teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing Lean Startup methodologies and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening, teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts and a winner is announced
The non-profit organization is headquartered in Seattle, Washington but Startup Weekend organizers and facilitators can be found from Mongolia to South Africa to London to Brazil.
Kitchener-Waterloo’s Startup Weekend features judges such as Communitech HYPERDRIVE managing director Doug Cooper and Plaza Ventures’ Matthew Leibowitz. Coaches include Saul Colt, who recently launched North America’s first accelerator program dedicated to health-focused startups, the Fresh Startups program.


text:
Interested in connecting with fellow educators?
The Early Childhood Hoosiers Outdoors (ECHO) Network is designed to support education practitioners wanting to get students into outdoor learning settings. We meet on the second Monday of odd months at 4 pm by zoom.
Kara will share what outdoor education looks like for Canterbury School Early Childhood. Students experience a weekly adventure in different areas of 70 acres. We also travel to nearby wetlands, nature parks, and local parks. We'll share some pictures and outline activities we enjoy. Our experience is from the private school perspective. Erika, Canterbury's Pre-K- 4th grade Science educator, joins our Pre-K classes once a month to extend our science knowledge. She will share outdoor science lesson ideas, including ideas for experiences with air, camouflage, and small wonders. Kara and Erika work together, along with other EC colleagues, to guide and enhance the experiences of our youngest scientists. Come and join in the discussion and fun!
The purpose of this network includes:
The network was inspired by a surge of interest in program formats such as Nature Preschools, Forest Kindergartens, and Forest Schools; however, it is an inclusive group for those working with young children in any format. Our interests center on developmentally-appropriate educational opportunities for children in outdoor settings, whether in the woods, on the prairie, or in the schoolyard.
We want this network to be dynamic and responsive to emerging needs of participants. We encourage you to join us on this journey of mutual exploration and learning!
If you are interested in knowing more, sign up below to join. Participants will be added to a Google group to get email updates for monthly meeting times and to post question to others within the group. If you have previously registered for any other ECHO Network sessions, you do not need to register again as you will automatically receive the zoom link via the Google group.


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Local variety of pear - in Crete, pears are called 'apithia' (απίδια)
We picked these pears in mid-August when they were quite unripe. Stored in a dark cool place (the fridge is OK too), they slowly ripen and can be eaten over the next six weeks. After that, they started to take on a tried beaten look. Because they are de facto organic, they begin to decompose. To eat them fresh, you have to trim the brown parts off. They should preferably be peeled because the skin becomes tough. In any case, they have lost their sheen and are overly juicy.
I know they won't be eaten in my house, because appearances count for much more than taste in today's generation of fussy eaters. Pears are not often turned into pitas in Cretan cuisine, but I managed to turn them into a delicious sweet pie. I call it a pie because I adapted it from a μηλόπιτα (apple pie) recipe, but it comes out looking more like a cake. The basic recipe for the cake comes from an apple pie recipe, which I adapted to suit the ingredients in my kitchen.
about 3 pears - I used about 10 small organic ones, which needed to be trimmed of bad parts
2 cups of self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
1 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of milk
1 vial of vanilla powder
3-4 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 sprinkling of cinnamon
a pat of butter (optional)
Peel the fruit, clear them of woody parts and chop them into small chunks. Set them aside.
In a mixing bowl, place the flour, salt, eggs, sugar, oil, milk, vanilla and eggs, and beat well to combine. The mixture will look like a batter, not a dough. Grease a round baking tin (I used an 8-inch diameter terracotta mould) - I always use olive oil for greasing pans. Pour the batter into the baking tin and drop all the fruit onto the batter. Don't worry if some of the fruit sinks into the batter. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the fruit, and then dust the top of the pie with cinammon. If you want the top of the cake to take on a crusty look (like mine), dab a few tiny pats of butter (don't melt it) over the pie. Cook on medium heat (about 180C) until the top of the cake takes on a deep golden brown colour (about 30 minutes). Insert a knife into the pie to check if the batter is cooked at the bottom of the pan; if it isn't, change the oven settings so that only the lower element of the oven cooks, and let the cake cook for a further 10-15 minutes.
This cake is a perfect start to autumn, when it is cool enough to start baking again after the long hot Cretan summer. The best accompaniment to this soft moist cake is a cup of good quality coffee.


title: Information

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The London Eye is an iconic ferris wheel stands at 135 meters tall on the South Bank of the River Thames and holds historical significance as a symbol of modern London. On a good day, you can see up to Windsor Castle in the outskirts of the city,...
Also Known As
Julia Barfield and David Marks
VISITORS PER YEAR
From £ 29
NUMBER OF ENTRANCES
EXPECTED WAIT TIME - STANDARD
30-60 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)
EXPECTED WAIT TIME - SKIP THE LINE
0-30 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)
Did you know?
The London Eye is the largest cantilevered observation wheel in the world, with a diameter of 394 feet. It is however no longer the largest ferris wheel in the world. That is now Ain Dubai.
Designed by husband-and-wife duo of Julia Barfield and David Marks, it was originally planned to be temporary, but its popularity led to its permanent installation.
Each of the London Eye's 32 passenger capsules represents one of the boroughs of London. They are also climate-controlled, so no matter what the weather is like outside (even if it is a typical cold and rainy London day), you'll be cozy inside.
The London Eye is a famous destination in the English capital, attracting millions annually. Here are the common things to do at the attraction:
The London Eye observation wheel is an experience of a lifetime! Sit in one of the capsules and enjoy the changing London landscape as you move through space.
The London Eye offers the best views of the London skyline and popular attractions. Admire the grandeur of the English capital in your elevated rotating vehicle.
Each London capsule accommodates 25 people, but you can book the entire cabin for an intimate event. Watch London’s skyline with your loved ones.
The London Eye capsules feel like sky lounges with a view. Enjoy a refreshing beverage as you soak in sweeping panoramas of the London skyline.
Your tickets include the 4D cinema experience. Watch the short movie about London’s history and architectural success before you board the London Eye.
You’ll find a gift shop at the London Eye exit. Buy souvenirs and mementos to remember your time at the iconic London attraction, including t-shirts, posters, and decor.
The London Eye is a unique attraction in the English capital because it also provides stunning views of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London.
The Tower of London, a historic fortress on the banks of the River Thames, has served as a royal palace, prison, and treasury, housing the Crown Jewels, and boasting iconic structures like the White Tower.
Westminster Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a medieval church where coronations, royal weddings, and burials have taken place for centuries, hosting the tombs of notable figures from British history.
The London Eye is located in the Lambeth borough, on the South Bank of the River Thames.
You can get to the London Eye by train, tube, bus, river cruise, car, and taxi.
The London Eye is open daily but the timings change every month. Generally, it is open from 10am to 8:30pm in the summer and 11am to 6pm in the winter.
The London Eye has two entrances. If you hold a standard ticket, please proceed to Entrance A. Those with fast-track tickets can enter through Entrance F. If you have secured a VIP experience or included an add-on drink, make your way to the VIP desk at the ticket office. If you've booked the river cruise, head to boarding point 2 at the London Eye pier.


title: Phases of the criminal proceeding before the icc

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The International Criminal Court (ICC), based in The Hague, the Netherlands, is the first permanent international criminal court to prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. Although its mandate is extensive, what makes it particularly relevant is its structured and transparent process, divided into several defined stages. Below, we explain the key phases that govern the functioning of this institution, highlighting their relevance and the procedures involved.
1. Preliminary Examinations
The ICC process begins with the so-called preliminary examinations, which are aimed at assessing whether a particular situation falls within the jurisdiction of the Court. In this phase, the Prosecutor examines information received from various sources, such as States, international organizations or individuals, to determine whether there is a reasonable basis to initiate an investigation. This step is crucial to ensure that the ICC's resources are focused on the most serious and relevant cases.
If the Prosecutor decides to proceed, a formal investigation is initiated. At this stage, evidence and testimony are collected in order to establish the criminal responsibility of the alleged perpetrators. The cooperation of States and other entities is essential, as it allows the Prosecutor to access critical information, protect witnesses and ensure the security of the process.
Arrest Warrants and Subpoenas
When there is sufficient evidence linking a person to the crimes under investigation, the Prosecutor may request judges to issue arrest warrants or subpoenas. These measures seek to ensure the presence of the accused before the Court, a fundamental step for the holding of trials. In some cases, international cooperation is essential for the capture and surrender of the accused.
4. First Appearance
The first appearance before the ICC marks the formal start of the judicial process against the accused. During this hearing, the identity of the accused and the charges against him or her are verified. In addition, it ensures that the rights of the accused are respected, including the right to defense counsel and access to case documents.
5. Confirmation of Charges
Before proceeding to trial, the judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber evaluate whether the evidence presented by the Prosecutor is sufficient to confirm the charges. This hearing is an essential safeguard to prevent unjustified trials. If the judges determine that the evidence is insufficient, the charges may be dismissed.
6. The Trial
The trial is one of the most visible stages of the proceedings. During this phase, the Prosecutor and the defense present their arguments, evidence and testimony before the Trial Chamber. The judges, after evaluating all the evidence, issue a verdict on the guilt or innocence of the accused. This procedure is designed to ensure fairness and respect for due process.
7. Verdict and Sentence
If the accused is found guilty, judges pass a sentence commensurate with the gravity of the crime committed. This step also includes consideration of reparations for victims, an aspect that distinguishes the ICC from other international tribunals.
The parties have the right to appeal both the verdict and the judgment. The Appeals Chamber reviews the case and may affirm, modify or reverse previous decisions. This mechanism provides an additional guarantee of justice and fairness.
Finally, the ICC may order reparation measures for victims, which may include financial compensation, restitution or rehabilitation. This victim-centered approach reinforces the humanitarian character of the Court.
The functioning of the International Criminal Court is based on a methodical and transparent approach designed to ensure justice and respect for human rights. Understanding each of its phases underscores the institution's commitment to accountability and the prevention of impunity.
As lawyers specializing in international criminal law, at Venfort Abogados we are committed to providing professional and ethical representation before this and other international courts, ensuring that our clients receive a solid and well-founded defense.


tier: polar

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The Puritalia Berlinetta is a 965bhp hybrid hypercar
Italian V8-hybrid is coming to next month’s Salon Privé show
If, like us, you completely missed the Puritalia Berlinetta’s debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, we have good news. The Italian “super-hybrid” will be displayed at the Salon Privé show at Blenheim Palace next month, where its maker will announce the appointment of dealerships in the UK and Australia.
This means, presumably, Puritalia has people queueing up to spend their cash on its limited-edition car. The company says it’ll make 150, all of which will feature a proprietary drivetrain that pairs a front-mounted V8 with an electric motor. The result is, supposedly, 965bhp and 920lb ft.
Its structure is carbon-fibre and aluminium, and it claims to feature technology that manages the deployment of battery power through “auto-learning of driving style and cloud-based AI”. The interior is predictably techy, featuring touchscreens, voice control and smartphone integration, while the exhaust is said to benefit from “smart electronic modulation”. Whatever that is.
And naturally the buying experience is said to be pretty special – “reserved for a select elite of car enthusiasts and collectors,” says the company. Each customer will get their own design team to help customise their car.
Price? Dunno. Lots, no doubt. Reckon Puritalia will be around for years to come, or quietly fade away into the quagmire of failed supercar manufacturers?
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- Car Review


title: Download windows 10 21h1 kuyhaa

text:
Download windows 10 21h1 kuyhaa
Before moving forward, we need to load the Windows 10 installation files when the computer boots up or restarts. You can boot through the BIOS settings or the shortcut boot menu, as both vary according to the manufacturer. Select the language, time and currency formats, and keyboard input method on this screen.
Click on Next to move forward. Click the Install Now button on the next screen to begin the Windows 10 installation process.
In this section, enter your Windows 10 product key. Select the Windows 10 version you want to install and click Next. Some ISOs will have a single version, so choose accordingly. Accept the license terms on this page by ticking the box I accept the license terms and click on Next to proceed. On this screen of installations, select the second option Custom: Install Windows only advanced.
The first option can also work if you currently have a recent Windows version such as 8, 8. Here, we will select the partition for installing Windows You can select an existing drive or choose an unallocated space as we did. Click on Next after selection to start the installation process.
Select the keyboard language layout on this page and click YES to move forward. Sign in to your existing outlook, live, or any account registered with the mentioned Microsoft product. Else, create a new account using a phone number or an email.
Windows will ask you to create a PIN. Choose your privacy options according to the data you want to share. Click Accept to proceed. In the next three screens, you will be asked to opt for the trials of Microsoft , Xbox, and enable Cortana. Proceed according to your preferences, and then Windows 10 will start setting up for the final time before bringing you to the desktop.
You will land on the desktop after the settings are done. Certain Windows updates will be downloaded and installed if you are connected to the internet. Having more memory will provide applications and tools to function with its potential without bottlenecking. Find them on the official website, available to download through the media tool and as hour expiry links.
We recommend downloading Windows 10 from official sources to avoid viruses and other threats. Absolutely YES. These Windows 10 ISO files are directly from the Microsoft server without any change or modification. You can verify the SHA code to confirm the authenticity. You will receive updates on Windows 10 like a regular user, as per the standard schedule. Make sure to enter the product key before the trial period to continue receiving the updates.
You can upgrade from bit to bit on Windows New installation with the bit ISO will be required for upgrading to the newer architecture. Check if your processor supports bit before upgrading through the GRC , a freeware tool for the purpose. There is an official guide from Microsoft for the check. Windows 10 torrents are uploaded by unknown users, who may make changes to the ISO files.
There is an added risk of viruses, malware, and other nefarious activities. We recommend sticking with the official sources to download the operating system. It will range from 10 to 25 minutes for the entire process to complete. The recommended space is 8 GB or more to accommodate a single version or multi-editions consisting of bit and bit, along with multiple language options.
You can use Rufus, a freeware bootable tool, to create Windows 10 bootable. It works on flash drives alone. You can download windows 10 ISO for free as provided by Microsoft. But you will need to purchase a windows 10 license file or key to activate the Windows. I hope you learned to download Windows 10 ISO files for free using the above-mentioned links.
Follow the above-mentioned installation process to easily install Windows 10 without calling experts. Sign in. Forgot your password? Hence, the update should not take more than a few minutes. The ISO files include the following editions of Windows Please note that these are direct download links provided by Microsoft. These links are reset every 24 hours. You should download the ISO within a hour period to make sure you can resume and complete the download process.
You can install Windows 10 v21H1 using ISO images by either creating a bootable device or running it directly on the machine you want to install it on. The Windows 10 installation wizard will now run. Click Next. The wizard will now check for any pending updates and then begin to install Windows 10 21H1 on your computer. A reboot will be required once the installation is ready to begin. Restart the computer once it is and you will have successfully installed it.
Microsoft switched to a different naming convention for their Windows 10 releases in the middle of Regardless, the new version 21H1 has a few things to offer of which you can read all about here.
We suggest that you upgrade to the latest version of Windows as soon as the stable version is released for a smoother and convenient experience. Since Microsoft has already removed all upgrade blocks from Windows 10 , you will be upgrade to Version 21H1 even if you are running an older version of Windows 10 including Versions , , and What is your experience with Windows 10 Version 21H1? Please share your experience in the comments below.
Its completely useless. No, it is not activated. This ISO comes directly from Microsoft. It is an unlimited trial, meaning you can use it for a lifetime without activating it. When I installed it, it did not ask me to choose my preferred edition of windows.
Download windows 10 21h1 kuyhaa. WINDOWS 10
Download Windows 11 Pro v Download ulang aja gan, kalo mau aman lagi. There was a problem preparing your codespace, please try again. Win10 update terbaru memang berat. Saran, upgrade aja RAM nya ke min.


title: Wrinkle Removing Treatment

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Wrinkle Removing Treatment
Wrinkles are a natural part of aging or spending time in the sun, but many people worry that their wrinkles make them look tired. Relaxing those muscles through the use of BOTOX® can soften lines & make you look more youthful.
Getting BOTOX® injections is safe, easy & quick. Because each injection contains such a small amount of the substance, there are minimal risks & they are considered safe overall, even with repeated treatment. In fact, repeated treatment is common, as BOTOX® injections do wear out over several months. However, patients are often happy enough with the results of their BOTOX® treatment that they regularly return for follow-up treatments.
In addition to treating wrinkles, BOTOX® can be effective in helping to improve patients’ smiles, supplementing cosmetic dental work like teeth straightening & whitening. BOTOX® can smooth out lines around your mouth, shifting the focus to your beautiful smile. Additionally, when a patient’s lips unevenly frame their teeth, or if a patient feels they expose too much of their gums when they smile, BOTOX® can help to even out & improve the overall appearance of their smile.
What Is BOTOX®?
During BOTOX® treatment, a small amount of botulinum toxin is injected into the area being treated. Botulinum toxin might sound scary, but really all it does it block signals from certain nerves, effectively causing paralysis. However, when used in BOTOX® procedures, this toxin is injected in such small doses that it simply causes the muscles to relax & existing lines to soften considerably. It may also prevent potential or future lines to form in the treated area. While BOTOX® affects some nerves, it does not affect those responsible for your senses, so you’ll still be able to feel touch or temperature in treated areas.
BOTOX® Isn’t Just For Cosmetics
Now renowned for its quick, wrinkle-removing effects, BOTOX® is effective for treating facial lines that have been caused by muscle movement. Examples of these include frown lines between the eyebrows & crow’s feet around the eyes. However, it is finding other uses in both cosmetic & dental procedures—& dentists are proving to be excellent providers due to their expertise in facial anatomy.
BOTOX® isn’t just for cosmetics. Because of its ability to relax muscles, it has been shown to help ease TMJ pain & lessen the effects of grinding. With a well-placed injection in certain muscles around the jaw, BOTOX® can weaken a patient’s bite enough to relieve some symptoms for those suffering from TMD (jaw pain) or bruxism, including jaw tension, headaches, grinding & clenching. This could be especially effective for patients who grind their teeth while they sleep, when they can’t consciously relax their jaw muscles. However, BOTOX® is usually only recommended when other treatment methods & lifestyle changes have been ineffective.
Thankfully, each treatment is short, there is no recovery time & effects begin to show quickly, within just a couple of days. Some patients do experience slight bruising or headaches following treatment, but both are normal effects of injections and should dissipate in no time.
We are certified to administer BOTOX®. Call today to schedule your consultation.


title: Ccc rated bonds continuing show success

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High yield bonds rated CCC are continuing to bring in strong results.
Recent insight from BondBloxx noted that high yield bonds brought in a positive performance in March, led by junk bonds rated BB and CCC. With stable economic data for March in mind, BondBloxx asserted high yield investments can provide strong income and return potential.
“The CCC rating category continues to significantly outperform the rest of the U.S. high yield market over the past 3, 6 and 12-month time periods, including a return of 17.7% for the last twelve months versus 11.0% for the US High Yield Index. CCC’s outperformed other broad market fixed income indices by an even larger margin over the past 12 months, including the US Corporate Index return of 4.4% and the US Aggregate Index return of 1.7%,” BondBloxx added.
To capitalize on the high potential of junk bonds rated CCC, investors could consider the BondBloxx CCC-Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (XCCC ). The fund is benchmarked to the ICE CCC US Cash Pay High Yield Constrained Index. Thusly, the fund invests primarily in junk bonds with a rating between CCC1 and CCC3.
Due to their risk of default, bonds rated CCC can be considered a risky bet. However, XCCC mitigates some of the potential risk by capping issuer exposure at about 2%.
About 70% of XCCC holdings have a maturity between three and seven years. This coincides with BondBloxx’s current assertion that intermediate-duration bond exposure can provide good potential returns. The fund currently has a yield to maturity of 12.45%.
The fund has a net expense ratio of 0.40%. XCCC has seen monthly net flows of over $11 million, signaling interest in high yield assets. In total, the fund has over $59 million in assets under management.
Using extensive experience in the fixed income market, BondBloxx operates a number of high yield bond ETFs. The issuer’s ETF, which tracks bonds rated BB, the BondBloxx BB-Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSE Arca: XBB), holds over $58 million in AUM.
For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Institutional Income Strategies Channel.


title: Discuss

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Moodle has been upgraded to a new version of the software. Most of the updates are internal, but please note that there is an updated Activity Chooser window, with some new options. If you have questions about how to use what you see there, please get in touch at email@example.com.
Turn Editing On has moved out of the Gear menu. To edit your course look for the square, green button in the upper left hand corner of the page, next to the word "Moodle". Click it once to turn editing on. While you're editing, it will appear as a red button, and you can click it again to stop editing.
Do you use Gradescope? LITS has purchased a site license and will be adding Gradescope to Moodle in the next few days. If you are an existing Gradescope user, you will be able to use the Activity Chooser to add Gradescope directly to your Moodle course, sync your rosters, and send data to the gradebook if you choose to do so. We hope this integration will enhance your experience. If you do not currently use Gradescope, please know that LITS will be rolling out more information soon! All faculty are welcome to use this tool.
Faculty drop-in sessions are back! Join Lindsey, Sarah, Matt, and Stephanie on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 4 PM (here's the link to the Zoom). The team will be hosting drop-ins twice a week throughout Spring 2021. Individual appointments are also once again available.
LITS' Digital Pedagogy team


text:
The Hazards of Chemical Drain Cleaners In The Home Featured
Household drain cleaners are among the most dangerous chemicals found in American households. They can not only be dangerous to your family’s health, but can also damage your home’s plumbing system.
Chemical drain cleaners are available in several forms. Alkaline drain openers contain sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Acidic drain cleaners contain concentrated sulphuric acid. Other chemicals found in drain cleaners include bleach and lye.
While drain cleaners can be effective at removing organic matter from the immediate area below the drain opening, they are not as effective on tougher clogs that form further down the drain pipe, particularly toilet and sewer line clogs.
Because most chemical drain cleaners will cause a chemical reaction when coming in contact with the organic matter clogging the drain, it’s essential that they be added slowly and that you protect your face and skin from any potential contact with the chemicals. Contact with the chemicals can cause burns, blindness and inflammation to your respiratory system.
Chemical drain cleaners can also corrode pipes, and damage other materials in your kitchen or bathroom, such as wood, paint, aluminum and fiberglass.
The Advantages of Professional Drain Cleaning
The safest – and most effective – alternative to clearing clogged drains is to call a professional plumber. A plumber uses mechnical means to physically remove the toughest clogs that chemical drain cleaners either cannot reach or fully dissolve.
Best of all, you won’t need to store hazardous chemicals in your home, risking your family’s health and potential damage to your plumbing system.
The next time you have a clogged drain emergency, call ABC Southwest Plumbing & Air Conditioning. We’ll arrive in minutes not hours to clear your clogged drains, FAST.
Neighbors Are Saying About ABC


title: Om oc boc festival of khmer people

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One vibrant, bustling activity which can be lacked in Oc-om-boc festival is Ngo boat race. Ngo boat is 24m long, 1.2m wide; both its prow and helm are curve, decorated by Khmer patterns; there is an animal image drawn in the prow.
Photo by internet |
Besides that, tourists can contemplate the special water lamp, wind lamp of Khmer people. Water lamp is boat-shaped, having the made-from-banana-bark bottom with other materials including bamboo bars and paper. The lamp is decorated by brilliant colors, several kinds of cake, incense, oil lamp, and candles then released onto the water flow, creating sparkling and charming colors.
Wind lamp is a kind of entertainment which is artistic and scientific. People make it very simple: just with several pieces of paper which is rounded by bamboo bars and zinc yarns, something put inside to be the ignition. When fire is burnt, the inner air disappears, creating a force pushing the wind lamp flying high into the sky. It falls down when the fire is off. In each wind lamp, there is a kapok tail attached to the zinc frame, forming the shape of animal or word which looks very spectacular after being fired and flies high.
One vibrant, bustling activity which can be lacked in Oc-om-boc festival is Ngo boat race. Ngo boat is 24m long, 1.2m wide; both its prow and helm are curve, decorated by Khmer patterns; there is an animal image drawn in the prow. Every Ngo boat is built due to the labor and financial contribution of local people. The boats are preserved in the temple, launched on the water just once a year in the festival so the launching ceremony is very elaborate and cost.
Before the festival, all people practice elaborately, firstly swim on the land, and then do it on the water. The person chosen to be the leader standing on prow must be a prestigious one in the village. The Ngo boat race festival attracts lots of people in and out of the province to join among the vibrant cheer sounds.