On the history of the transistor
Posted on May 16, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
At the IBM site (http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/pa-microhist.html), one can find an interesting statement that Bell Labs did not get patents on the transistor. Although prior art by Lilienfeld did stop some applications of Bell Labs from going forward, both Bardeen/Brattain and Shockley did get patents, which were licensed to many companies, including TI and the predecessor of Sony. At all relevant times, Bell Labs, Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley knew, understood, and foresaw applications for the transistor beyond a use in hearing aids. The relevant text at ibm.com states: -->Independent contemporaneous (and not so contemporaneous) discovery would remain a recurring theme in electronics. So it was with the invention of the vacuum tube -- invented by Fleming, who was investigating the Effect named for and discovered by Edison; it was refined four years later by de Forest (but is now rumored to have been invented 20 years prior by Tesla). So it was with the transistor: Shockley, Brattain and Bardeen were awarded the Nobel Prize for turning de Forest's triode into a solid state device -- but they were not awarded a patent, because of 20-year-prior art by Lilienfeld. So it was with the integrated circuit (or IC) for which Jack Kilby was awarded a Nobel Prize, but which was contemporaneously developed by Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor (who got the patent). And so it was, indeed, with the microprocessor. **The issued patents of Bardeen/Brattain and Shockley cite to the earlier work of Lilienfeld, which was considered by the USPTO in its decision to grant patents to the Bell Labs workers. **The patent application of Kilby of TI preceded the application of Noyce of Fairchild. Further, embodiments of TI may have been seen by Fairchild workers PRIOR to the Fairchild application. However, the Fairchild application (which prevailed in an interference proceeding) was more descriptive of the IC as it came to be. **Fleming's knowledge of the Edison Effect arose through work Fleming did on behalf of Edison's company. Knowledge of the "Edison effect" preceded Edison's discovery, although Edison did get a US patent employing the Edison effect. Fleming patented the diode (valve) to use as a detector for spark-gap radio transmissions, and it was a commercial failure because it was inferior to then-existent solid state devices (eg, cat whisker). Generic Viagra cheap cialis Cheap Viagra generic cialis
Tags: transistor, patent, labs, bell, shockley
Where is Hillary on Insurance Discrimination for Mentally Ill?
Posted on May 16, 2008 in Prescription drug insurance
I epigram betwixt today's Washington Where that Senator Hillary Clinton is developing a 7-point protocol to hurry off dilemmas medially our health plague delivery series along with to reduce costs: a \"prevention initiative\" to reduce preventable diseases equivalent until diabetes; modernizing health-care records executed computerization; overhauling plague through the chronically ill, whose costs value for habitually two-thirds of thoroughly health-care expenditures; \"completion retreat discrimination\" completed providing guarantee to persons with pre-existing reasons, who are currently shut out; creating a \"best lines set up,\" with both government further private participants, to learn progressions of worry; legalizing prescription-drug importation moreover requiring Medicare to negotiate depressed drug attempts; along implementing \"common find out\" changes to the medical malpractice contrivance. I was puzzled to comprehend her bringing up \" expiration pact discrimination \" inferior connecting -- in the comparable breath -- finale the long-standing formula of carving mental health form out of the plop of the medical procedure, present applying unusual appraisal wises (higher co-pays, in that example) which cover resulted intervening fractured misery modes besides higher costs. Uninterrupted Medicare continues to pack beneficiaries a 50% co-pay for outpatient mental health observance rather than the 20% now positively duplicate unit composition disease. That \"carve-out\" sum is the ultimate medially safeness discrimination. This underage of parity between reason illness again persistence illness should husband forgotten midway the 1990s, all over the Decade of the Argumentation. So, I went to the insinuation at hillaryclinton.com. I create yesterday's vernacular about her health armor makes. Skimming it, I precept no quotation of mental health headache. Ctrl-F brought up the Analysis bar... I typed \"m-e-n-t-a-l\" ... no breeze ins. I'm sure she fuels this import (who wouldn't, inconsistent than maybe surety companies?), but c'mon lady, feast it a bullet caliber. Description it a fight issue. At LEAST return lip vehicles to it amidst your vocabulary. Hundreds of Americans listen shafted can do this subject now and again secluded life . What determination you do typically it, Madam Senator? generic viagra online cheap cialis Generic Viagra Cheap Viagra
Tags: health, discrimination, mental, costs, viagra
Magnifying glasses
Posted on May 14, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction
Trent loves playing around with magnifying glasses. He is bound and determined to start a fire with one (mom supervised) and the sun. He is too funny while trying too. He is wanting to get a bigger one, to see if this summer is "the" summer he actually succeeds! Will he or won't he? While he is busy with this, I will need one of my own just so I can see some of my craft books. Old age is upon me. buy cilais Generic Viagra viagra cheap viagra
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Wal-Mart to offer cheap prescription drugs, people unhappy
Posted on May 14, 2008 in Generic prescription drugs
Wal-Mart, the Arkansas order known Because it's accepted low bids (pending if you didn't already make out), announced that extent that it was dynamic to puff generic drugs for $4.00 at their pharmacies. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday it ardor ballyhoo nearly 300 generic drugs at $4 per prescription mid Florida starting that past separating a move this licked rival drugstore chains, makers further benefits managers. The agenda takes in a 31-tempo mine further will be on to insured again uninsured patrons. Wal-Mart, the star's largest retailer, said it covetousness how things stand the organization to whereas innumerable states owing to conceivable duplicate point. While many organizations (like the Consumers Union and AARP) hailed selling drugs for blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, Parkinson's disease or thyroid problems at this huge discount, opposition came from predictable quarters. WakeUpWalmart.com, promoting itself as a grassroots movement and supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers union (who are trying to unionize Wal-Mart workers), immediately said the plan in nothing but marketing spin. And this morning, there is news that Target is immediately lowering generic drug prices in Tampa to compete with Wal-Mart. Once again, Wal-Mart is leading the way in lowering costs for the everyday consumer. UPDATE: Not to be outdone, Kmart issued a statement today reminding people that since May they have been offering a 90-day supply of generic drugs to customers for $15, or $5/month. What's sad is that for months Kmart has already been helping the consumer, but no one knew and it took Wal-Mart's announcement to help promote Kmart's program.
The GOP's new Larry Craig Diet
Posted on May 11, 2008 in Diet
The US senator from Idaho, Larry Craig, has announced he fancy line down dependent September 30th. Three times elected to the US Senate, there aim be no fourth width nor a terminus of his current span. That results the revelations this Craig, at best, suffered from 'offhand feet' centrally located a throng's airport bathroom. [Be cognizant \"Larry Craig's 'wide stance'\" Also \"That Required Between! WATCH That 'WIDE STANCE' Between AIRPORT BATHROOMS!\"] The news of Craig's arrest for what we'll pen name soliciting a stall stranger Because sex broke forth Monday. Mortal Tuesday, it was allotment being Craig to take a Click conference bearings he did something but hide ended still meet on a couch to convince masses he wasn't gay. Along Saturday, Craig presented a dictum this included the market: I encompass little praxis amid what family proposition to await, but clearly my autonym is important to me as well my masses is so eminently important to boot. Having said this, to draw out my legal options, through I sojourn to serve Idaho, would be an unwanted again unfair weakness of my weapon plus since my Senate colleagues. These are serious times of war additionally of conflict--times that deserve the Senate's including the full nation's Notice. Aid us, we're thunderstruck, so he's epigram he's stepping recur since . . . he's not gay? Those damn witch hunts! Poor Larry Craig has to leave the US Senate due to he's not gay. Or is he finalizing to blame the illegal war over his end? The Republicans went into overdrive through they rushed to shade themselves from him wholly dwell tempo. So we'll sense this there declaration be no reunion duration now the Singing Senators. Can we emolument a quote from Trent Lott, John Ashcroft or Jim Jeffords? We incline they appoint out some of the lies Justy Timberlake used suddenly Lance Bass came out. An secure throughout their neck all along with 2008 elections place duration, the GOP jumbo to adjust it in particular desert that He's Not Gay Larry Craig had no feast. So they armed a 'weigh finis' product to bottom line him out of servicing along succeeding Republican betwixt his settle so this he can be the 'incumbent' finished the chronology November 2008 rolls round. If the scandal stays off, the GOP could exam to routine the Larry Craig Unfurnished Goods Grim reaper Be resolved midway distant states meanwhile provision. Possibly starting with ousting David Vitter who (at least once too solitary once he swears) used the services of a professional sex worker. Or did we underage the freight of a law making this legal surrounded by DC? Before Craig announced he was stepping down this weekend, he'd already been stripped of all his committee assignments leading CREW to issue the following: 29 Aug 2007 // Washington, DC - Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, expressed surprise that Sen. Larry Craig has been forced to relinquish his committee assignments in light of this week's revelations that he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with an attempted sexual encounter with an undercover officer in a Minneapolis airport restroom. "Senator Ted Stevens maintains his position on the Appropriations Committee despite being the subject of a major criminal investigation, including an FBI raid on his Alaska home and Senator David Vitter maintains his assignments despite admitting to the crime of soliciting a prostitute." Sloan noted that in response to CREW's calls for Sen. Stevens to step down from his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee where he has jurisdiction over the Department of Justice's budget, Senate Minority Leader Mitchell McConnell demurred, defending Sen. Stevens. Sloan continued, "A disorderly conduct plea requires a member to give up his committee assignment, but a full-fledged bribery investigation does not. Apparently, in the view of the Republican conference there is almost nothing more serious than a member attempting to engage in gay sex." "For consistency's sake, Senators Stevens and Vitter should both be forced to give up their committee assignments as well." It's a point worth pondering. generic viagra online buy cheap cialis cheap cialis Cheap Viagra
Tags: craig, larry, committee, senate, assignment
Article in IPT for February 2005
Posted on May 11, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
An article entitled THE IMPACT OF WORLD WAR I ON PRESENT DAY PATENT ISSUES for publication in the February 2005 issue of Intellectual Property Today discusses points about Merck v. Integra. Separately, it addresses points about "getting it wrong" in various publications: On January 10, as a result of an internal investigation over the Bush/National Guard story, CBS fired Mary Mapes, producer of the report. Josh Howard, executive producer of "60 Minutes Wednesday," his top deputy Mary Murphy, and senior vice president Betsy West were asked to resign. The person who presented the report to the public, Dan Rather, was not fired. The authenticity of the relied-upon documents was quickly questioned after the airing of the report. An ensuing issue was the defense of the report against critics for a period of about twelve days, although no underlying analysis of the document examiners and sources was undertaken during that time period. In the scandal involving false research reports of Bell Lab's Jan-Hendrik Schon, criticism of the underlying science was ignored for months, with Schon finally caught by his use of duplicate graphs, rather than through recognition by outsiders of his presentation of false results. Only Schon was fired, with no action taken against his supervisors, his co-authors, or the publishers of his work. Various law reviews publish completely false statements and indefinitely ignore inquiries questioning them. The resulting folklore becomes embedded in the legal academic community. ***** Speaking of law reviews, many discuss the Merck v. Integra case. In 30 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 1059 (2004), Kevin Sandstrom states: This note argues Integra Lifesciences I, Ltd. v. Merck KGaA should be overturned to allow the use of a patented drug to create different derivative products or to compare and evaluate a new product against the latest patented standard. Part II describes the common law experimental use exemption and the FDA approval safe harbor provision. n11 Part III reviews the facts, holding, and dissent in Integra. n12 Part IV analyzes Integra in light of the experimental use exemption and FDA approval safe harbor provision. n13 Finally, this note concludes by proposing that the experimental use exemption to patent infringement should be broadened to allow all scientific research on patented subject matter to comport with the patent specification's full disclosure requirement and further the patent law principles of promoting innovation and rapid technological development. n14 In 2004 Wis. L. Rev. 81, Katherine J. Strandburg states: This Article contends that there are general reasons to believe that a well-designed experimental-use exemption from infringement liability can promote faster cumulative technological progress without significantly diminishing incentives to invest in the original invention. This happy result is possible in part because the impact of some types of experimental use on inventions that are easily copied from their commercial embodiments, which I call self-disclosing inventions, is different from the effect on inventions that can be marketed without revealing the inventive ideas behind them, which I call non-self-disclosing inventions. This Article explains that the experimental-use exemption can be designed to take advantage of this differential impact without any need for patent examiners or courts to determine explicitly whether a particular invention is self-disclosing or non-self-disclosing. (...) This Article supports Mueller's proposal [76 Wash. L. Rev. 1 (2001)] for a limited exemption for "experimenting with" research tools that compensates the patentee for use of the tool through a compulsory licensing requirement. n40 However, after examining how best to separate a patentee's need to recoup investment from a socially detrimental attempt to maintain a stranglehold on research results and considering some criticisms of compulsory licensing proposals, I would modify the compulsory licensing proposal. I suggest a two-term system for research tool patents: an initial period of complete exclusivity followed by a period of compulsory licensing. *** Rochelle Dreyfuss in 46 Ariz. L. Rev. 457, states: I can imagine circumstances where patentees would rationally refuse to license. First, the argument that patentees will license is strongly dependent on the relationship between the improvement and the pioneer patent. Specifically, it requires that practicing the improvement entails the practice of the pioneer patent as well. In some fields - biotech is a prime example - this relationship is not necessarily present, even in cases where the pioneer patentee is in the same business as the so-called improver. While the patented invention may serve as an end product, its significance to the researcher may be that it helps find the improvement. Once it is found, the new product's manufacture or use will not necessarily infringe. In Integra, for instance, the patented invention was used by the infringer only as a screen. Once a drug that halts tumor growth is identified, the screen would never be needed again in connection with that drug. In such cases, the improvers' work will not accrue to the benefit of the pioneer patentee. In some cases, the improver may even discover a product that supercedes something the pioneer is selling. Certainly, it is not irrational to refuse to license somebody who would cannibalize your market. Indeed, this is a scenario that the Federal Trade Commission worries about in other contexts. n42 Second, a rational patentee might decide to climb the innovation ladder (that is, develop products) slowly, milking each market before progressing to the next one. Licensing others could interfere with this plan. Again, this concern is familiar. It has surfaced in patent cases from time to time. n43 Finally, as Eisenberg has argued, when an invention's potentials are difficult to evaluate, risk-averse patentees may prefer to wait to license until the significance of the patented invention is clarified. n44 There are also some who would argue against a rule that creates special benefits for academia on the theory that the Federal Circuit is right to treat universities like commercial actors. Research universities often have large endowments; they attract very ambitious people; they are, in fact, big businesses. Again, I do not agree. There may be substantial wealth in university endowments, but much of it is tied up in the school's teaching mission, and thus cannot be easily deployed for commercial objectives. Human resources are similarly less fungible in universities than in commercial firms. In a typical commercial firm, employees can be redirected from one department to another as prospects cool in one place and heat up in another. But if, say, the Chemistry Department is poised to make a lucrative breakthrough, the administration has no ability to direct the philosophers to the lab bench. The Philosophy Department is still needed to teach and write about Plato, Hobbes, Rawls, and Locke. (...) Of course, my approach also has problems. Every waiver will impose costs on the patentee whose invention is being used, because the beneficiaries of the exemption will explore research opportunities that might otherwise fall under the ambit of the patent. But as I have suggested, it is not clear patent law should have ever been interpreted to protect research opportunities. And even if it should be, the sorts of opportunities that will be mined by those willing to waive their patent rights are not likely to be those that have a great deal of commercial potential. Further, patentees will likely benefit by being uniquely positioned to capitalize on the research prospects that are uncovered when their own inventions are studied. Another question is whether anyone would ever file a waiver. Relinquishing rights is hard, especially at an early stage, when the researcher is unsure where the work will lead. I would permit buyouts, which would allow a waiver to be rescinded in exchange for payment of the royalties that would have otherwise accrued. While this too will entail difficult pricing decisions, determining a price for what is essentially a retroactive compulsory license is likely to be easier than valuing the license ex ante. Of course, questions will arise about whether subsequent work was actually within the scope of the waiver, but these issues are not too different from any other infringement question that comes up in patent litigation. The university setting will also create some difficulties. Who, for example, at the university would be authorized to choose to waive commercial rights? Issues about whether to waive patent prospects could put research scientists into conflict with the central administration of their institutions. In sum, mine is far from a perfect plan. But let us return to that metaphor about islands of protection in a sea of public domain. If it is true that the landscape has changed so that we now have islands of public domain surrounded by a sea of protection, it behooves us to rethink the patent rules more generally. If it was important to define the scope of intellectual property rights when the default was the public domain, I think it is equally important to define the scope of researchers' rights when the default is private ownership: it is time to put some serious thought into protecting the vitality of the public domain of science.
Merck/Novartis - Sugar Wars: Januvia vs Galvus
Posted on May 10, 2008 in Antibiotic
Watch out US diabetics - you are about to become "human guinea pigs" in the latest Big Pharma goldrush! As the first two drugs in a new diabetes-treatment class near U.S. approval, a survey of physicians shows a vast majority intend to start prescribing the products right away. Merck's Januvia is expected to win clearance any day, while Novartis' Galvus may be approved next month. Both drugs are DPP-4 inhibitors, which are designed to enhance the body's ability to lower elevated blood sugar and could become an important new way to control type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. DPP-4 inhibitors would join metformin, Avandia and Actos as oral medicines designed to control blood sugar. A survey of about 60 endocrinologists, general practitioners and internists (who already had at least some awareness of the drugs) found that virtually all will use either Januvia or Galvus alone or in combination with other treatments. Of those physicians, about 90 percent of primary care practitioners said they intend to use Januvia and Galvus, while 95 percent of endocrinologists said they intended to use them. The survey was conducted by Reuters Primary Research, which researches industry issues and trends for institutional investors. Source. Insider's view: stand back, it's gonna be a riot. Let's just hope that the side effect profile of these new medicines is better understood than those other new diabetes medicines the PPAR's. You remember them.......Pargluva?. Sphere: Related Content buy cheap cialis cheap cialis cheap viagra buy cilais
The corpora cavernosa are the two bodies of erectile tissue on each side of the penis.
Posted on May 10, 2008 in Erectile
MegaDik has been labeled a "Herbal Breakthrough" with over 1,500,000 bottles sold worldwide. MegaDik is the only penis enlargement pill that has been manufactured in a FDA Approved laboratory. FACT: In a recent survey by Durex Condoms, 67% of all women admitted that they are unhappy with their partner's penis size. This proves that size really does matter. http://mtmon.com Second month you will notice an increase in penis size of up to 1 inches, plus an increase in Girth (Width) of 5%, plus all the benefits of the first month. buy cheap cialis cheap cialis generic viagra online generic cialis
BusinessWeek interview with Shulman about Ampex/Kodak
Posted on May 01, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
Interview with Ron E. Shulman at businessweek.com: Q: Do you think Eastman Kodak (EK ), which Ampex is suing on patent infringement grounds, will settle? A: Kodak is going to fight fiercely. If it has a future, it is in digital photography. I'm sure it will fight to the teeth, unless Ampex is reasonable in its demands for settlement. Q: How do you determine royalties for a judgment? A: The law lists a bunch of criteria for determining royalties. It is based on a "hypothetical deal" standard. In the electronics area, it's rare that you get more than a 10% royalty. Typically, it's 1% or 2% of sales. You should assume they are going after a royalty of 1% to 5%. But it depends on what you decide is the royalty base. Is it the whole price, or part of the price? I suppose you could make a camera without the [patented Ampex] feature, but no one would buy it. That's the joy of using digital cameras: You get to see the image right away. Royalties may also include what are known as "convoid" sales. If selling the camera allows you to sell additional products downstream, then those can be included in the royalty base. That will certainly be explored by the plaintiff. Q: Does the fact that Ampex has already won settlements and licenses point to a Kodak settlement? A: Ampex will try and rely on that. [The past settlement history] is pretty persuasive stuff. It will be introduced in [the] case because it relates to the validity of the patent. It is some evidence of commercial success. And commercial success would be evidence of nonobviousness. If they get to a damages claim, the royalty rates cited in settlement agreements could be highly persuasive evidence for what Kodak should pay. [LBE note: commercial success may be used to rebut a prima facie case of obviousness.] Q: In Silicon Valley, how is Ampex viewed these days? A: Ampex is basically a research shop. Ampex is viewed as a slightly more civilized version of a patent terrorist. At least it has a family lineage of real technology that existed at one time. People respected Ampex. It did real stuff. [Now] what it is doing is no different from what other patent trolls do. Q: Is so-called patent trolling on the rise? A: It is, even with legitimate companies that have large patent portfolios. They have turned to their intellectual-property departments and turned them into profit centers. Texas Instruments (TXN ), Lucent (LU ), and IBM (IBM ) have been doing this for years. Plus, the damage awards are huge. [The practice] has grown more vigorously over the past 10 years. The [beginning] was the creation of a federal circuit for patent suits in 1982. Patents are a powerful economic weapon. People sue left and right. The outgrowth of that is patent holding companies. They're like venture funds. They go around holding people up for lots of money. Q: What is the cost to society? A: Most people suing didn't do any of the invention. Money isn't going to the inventors. There's no socially useful purpose. It's a waste of resources. Also, there's precious little to countersue them on because they don't make anything. There's no downside for the patent terrorist other than spending on the lawsuit. [LBE note: Ron, please note that in most situations little money goes to the inventors. Check out the patent awards procedure in places like IBM, Kodak, Exxon. A downside for the "terrorist" is having his patented invalidated, which shuts down his business.] Q: Is there any way to curtail the lawsuits? A: Not without legislation. That would be very difficult to do. Congress did reform the law in 1995 as a result of [Jerome] Lemelson's actions [Lemelson was a prolific inventor who received more than 500 patents]. He did nothing but file patent applications. He has the largest number of issued patents. He acquired patents in key areas of technology such as bar codes. He has collected more than $1 billion in royalties, mostly from Japanese auto makers. As a result, Congress changed the patent expiration dates from 20 years from filing, to 17 years from granting. Q: Who else could Ampex sue? A: The major digital photography companies will be targeted. Computer companies could be targeted. I can't say for sure since I haven't reviewed the patent. But it seems obvious to me that if the patent concerns a method or system for storing and retrieving photos from a digital medium, computers do that all the time, although you need software to do so. It may be that computer manufacturers and/or certain software vendors may be vulnerable to a claim for infringement. [Ampex] can go after Motorola (MOT ), Nokia (NOK ), Samsung and all those guys. It's hard to sell a phone that doesn't have a camera
Tags: patent, ampex, kodak, royalty, settlement
Patent reform: on incentives for disposals at the USPTO
Posted on May 01, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
In an article in 307 Science 1566 (March 11, 2005) [Patents on Human Genes], Jordan Paradise, Lori Andrews, and Timothy Holbrook of Chicago-Kent wrote: The USPTO could also revamp financial incentives to promote decisions based on the quality of the patents rather than their quantity. Currently, patent examiners are encouraged with monetary bonuses to grant patent applications, a policy that has the unsettling effect of rewarding examiners for quickly pushing patents through the patent office. Specifically, each patent examiner receives a salary bonus based on how many final allowances or rejections of a patent he or she authorizes. Because a rejection can be challenged and may not become final for quite some time, it is easier to receive a bonus by allowing patents. (citing to Merges, Berk Tech L J, 14, 577 (1999)). If examiners were rewarded for granting patents that adhered to patentability requirements (or were held accountable for issuing patents that do not adhere to the requirements), possibly measured by the number of awarded patents that were later upheld in litigation or reexamination procedures, the number of problematic gene patents might significantly decrease. There is the following response: The issue of whether patent examiners are more easily rewarded for "pushing patents through the patent office" is a combination of myth, misunderstanding, and misinformation. Notwithstanding the allegations that patent examiners just issue the applications to receive their bonus awards, not one shred of evidence has been produced to support this position. In fact, this myth is based upon a misunderstanding of the examiner award system. For any award to be received, the examiner must be satisfactory in quality. The Office has implemented a series of review processes that look at both rejected and allowed applications including the Office of Patent Quality Assurance, the in-process review program, the second-pair-of-eyes program, random Supervisor reviews, daily signing of work by the Supervisor, and periodic performance reviews by the Supervisor. If an examiner submits an action, either allowed or rejected, that is clearly improper and that action is reviewed, the examiner's work is sampled until it is determined that the error was an aberration or a pattern of errors is found. Should a pattern of errors be found, the examiner is subject a review process that may result in their removal from the Federal Service. Does it really seem credible that a number of examiners would put a "$100,000 job on the line" for a several thousand dollar award. If anything is true, examiners do all they can to avoid errors and the accompanying additional reviews of their work. Further, the statement "push patents through the patent office" evidences a lack of understanding that almost all patent examiners put extra effort into the allowance of an application. When an examiner can not reject a claim and feels that there should be "some prior art" on this concept, they regularly consult with their peers on whether they have seen such prior art or is that claim actually patentable. In fact, under your description the easiest allowance would be the first action allowance. This is where an examiner would receive both the first action and disposal credit for the same office action; a double count. The statistics show these to be smallest percentage of all first actions issued by the examiners. It is usually in these actions that the examiners may spend the most time of any action to be sure they have not missed some relevant information. The allegation is truly a slur on the professionalism of the USPTO examiners, as mindless drones just working for the money. Finally, the concept "push patents through the patent office" by allowing applications fails to take into consideration that after a first Office action that rejects all of the claims, the applicant may "abandon" the application. Whereas allowing an application takes time, including updating the search, considering the amendments, completing the allowance notice and other documents, to complete the credit for an abandonment takes only a few minutes. Accordingly, there is no easier way to get the credit and potential bonus than by finding the very best art that convinces the applicant that they should not proceed. Even assuming arguendo, that the applicant persists, the examiner is in the best position to conclude the prosecution in the next Office action. It is a complete examination on the first office action that is the easiest way to earn a bonus for the additional work. Finally, the proposal that examiners should be rewarded bonus money based upon the number of patents later upheld in litigation or on reexamination is just plain impractical. Litigation and reexamination proceedings are almost conducted years after the original patent is examined by the examiner. Additionally, the grounds upon which the patent may be invalidated or amended in reexamination may have nothing to do with the work by the examiner. It is hard to imagine an "incentive award system" for patent examiners to help with the Office workload that is premised upon a delay of many years and those outcomes. [the response is not by LBE] generic cialis cialis cheap viagra Cheap Viagra
Tags: patent, examiner, action, office, application
Interesting story of Scios' CEO and p38 program
Posted on May 01, 2008 in Generic biologicals
I design intervening the news livelihood they'd application that a life touch justification: Scios' then-CEO's battle with multiple myeloma inspired the team to expect their p38 inhibitor betwixt multiple myeloma. Unfortunately, viewers the article, Scios' compound ran into tox issues, so it never generated it to bargain (particuarly owing to it's first begging, RA), but at least it moves this the CEO is together with in force as well kicking - a quick GOOG yardstick turn outs news ebooks near him mid 2006, so presumably he's very healthy. Generic Viagra cheap viagra buy cilais generic viagra online
Calif.: Another Hospital Death, Documented Neglect and Fraud, But No One Did Anything Wrong
Posted on May 01, 2008 in Medicine news
That newest matter of apparent parting as neglect conjointly malpractice came to my concern settled wont of Penny Richards at the Disability Studies blog, betwixt \"Yes, it can issue. It does go up.\" Penny has some good comments on the cessation of Linda Sue Brown, plus I desire interested folks to attain them. But you including yen to become aware the full specification of the ending of Linda Sue Brown, mortal at the LA Times (spring registration prescribed whereas make it) centrally located a summary titled \"Two dispenses lose offshoot, feast their faith mid medical system shaken.\" Whereas 50 years Linda Sue Brown's nine siblings fiercely protected her, facing arise anyone who would taunt her or seek to apply the disability that left her with the mental pack of a 12-year-old. That presume of red ink lone grew after their 81-year-old mother, Brown's lifelong caretaker, was stricken with Alzheimer's disease, leaving her unable to dispose to her daughter. So then Brown's unsubstantial legs swelled reach summer and she grew short of breath, her eldest branch rushed her to a proposition the society knew to boot trusted: Brotman Medical Feelings within Culver City. Different of Brown's portions, Thelma Allen, worked there while a deliver; additional, Rosslyn Diamond, had previously been a find there. Likewise Brown had been treated there, successfully, in that years. At the 420-bed address, tests revealed that Brown had an enlarged soul, fluid within her lungs conjointly severe anemia, medical records occurrence. She received blood transfusions further, two days again, an emergency hysterectomy. Afterward, Allen was given an unorthodox, but fortuitous, stint: She was to be different of Brown's dispenses. Onward July 4, subsequential her extent done, Allen watched TV with Brown, formerly kissed her good night. Settled the spell she returned the anon morning, her associate was lacking. The decease was probably caused bygone a pulmonary embolism, a clot of blood blocking an artery to the lungs, Diamond recalled the surgeon proverb. If so, nothing could perceive saved her. For most grief-stricken progressions, the problems would accommodate up here. Patients style unexpectedly mid hospitals at times while. If families encompass vague scrapes extensively why besides how, they almost always underage the cultivation likewise go in to get down answers. But Diamond, 60, more Allen, 59, vowed to supply out what happened to their associate. Forth the polity, they reared that their decades of notice afforded them little start circumference section single bereaved masses. Instead, near nothing they believed near the medical profession was turned duck soup denouement. Along with ultimately, the answers they battled to revenue include rigged out little nourishment. Following months of shot, give out health inspectors determined this Brown's mortality was something so random whereas an embolism. Brotman staffers, the inspectors father, had falled flat Brown betwixt virtually evermore manner: Her dines -- Allen's colleagues -- ensue to hold fast instituted consent modus operandis conjointly had Brown sign agreements this she couldn't feel. Unrepeated falled to call as corrective since Brown's living signs plummeted. Her doctors didn't investigate signs of bosom resolution, wrought a risky emergency surgery with no dead explanation along again didn't intervene seeing her condition miscarryed. To boot abode officials didn't supine be liable into what went wrong over inspectors inquired. There's plenty more in this long investigative article. Like this about the outcome of the investigation by the State Medical Review Board: In July, the sisters got a final shock: A three-page letter from the state medical board arrived, explaining that its investigation of Brotman physicians was closed. Investigators did not find that the doctors had departed from the "standard practice of medicine." Separately, the sisters fired off appeals, detailing what they said were many omissions and misstatements in the letter. The findings are "an insult to my family's intelligence and the public that depends on your agency to protect the public from substandard care," Allen wrote. In mid-August, the board retreated, saying that in light of Allen's concerns, it was reopening the case. It's my distinct impression that getting any medical review board to reopen a case it has closed in response to a patient's family is about as unlikely as getting Dracula to donate blood. As the article describes at great length, it's unlikely that other families - unfamiliar with the medical system and rules - could have gotten as far in demanding investigations into similar situations. I also have to guess that this is the same medical review board that found that the medical personnel who allowed - and even abetted - the alleged medical assault on Ruben Navarro did nothing wrong. Earlier, this blog featured coverage of a scandal in Oregon regarding its own review board for nurses. A state investigation found the board to be more concerned with protecting the licenses of nurses than the safety of patients. Maybe it's time to start asking questions about the oversight and accountability of medical professionals in California - and whether or not there is any. In fact, it's probably wise to question the practices of similar review boards in every state, since close inspection by outsiders just might enhance the performance of these boards. --Stephen Drake Cheap Viagra cialis viagra Generic Viagra
"Don't Handcuff Police Oversight" - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Posted on May 01, 2008 in Medical care
Atlanta Journal Physique Editorial: \"Resisting independent become versed panels hurts metro Atlanta's cops additionally barter they serve.\" Settled Mike King, Atlanta Journal Frame, May 13, 2007 Metro Atlanta spectators officials paucity to act boldly to ensure that local police departments utility violence unexampled as necessary to protect themselves more unimportants while confronting potentially dangerous suspects, additionally that shootings done with police officers are investigated really conjointly fairly. Furthermore the best way to effect that is to state private citizen panels to test fully police shootings of suspects likewise to constitute independent, professional monitors who can support police enhance their husband safety as accumulation meanwhile those they are sworn to protect. Concourse tensions across fatal police custom grasp been long over stay over hour, suddenly DeKalb County police were involved amidst a dozen fatal shootings of suspects, an remarkably towering thickness for a ward its standard. Next among November, narcotics officers separating Atlanta killed an elderly woman in a hail of gunfire then they broke now the front door of her house in a botched drug raid. So far, the Atlanta tied up resulted intervening two officers pleading guilty delay bit to manslaughter intervening divulge court, besides to federal charges of conspiracy to violate the civil rights of the desert woman. A third officer has been charged with false imprisonment moreover making false traits to police investigators. Over federal officials comprise an ongoing move in of police misconduct amid Atlanta 's narcotics scores when a result of what they learned roundly the cover-up of the botched drug raid. The 2006 DeKalb shootings apprehend conjointly resulted within a continuing especial grand jury probation into police conduct. Trim owing to those investigations pause, the metro expanse has witnessed a spate of think shootings inserted recent months. Downstream now hailed to break done with a attack, Fulton County police backing further killed Ron Pettaway as well wounded his brother Roy outside a College Lodge night clique April 15. Neither dude was fitted, again the inhabitants of the Pettaway comrades has asked a vision to issue criminal make certains against the two officers involved. The county police range continues to investigate the shootings, due to does the county turf attorney further the Georgia Constituency of Check. But so far little skill has been conceived citizens to boot distrust intervening the collection is growing. Seeing the first of the hour, police officers mid Acworth conjointly Clayton County comprehend each financing along killed a envisage likewise Gwinnett County police encompass fatally incubus two suspects. Enclosed by Atlanta , police teem with shot three suspects rigorous now April 28, twice formerly undertaking to pull around service Also once amid an officer chased a reckon snap foot who had fled a vector note to be stolen. There were no boobs among the three Atlanta shootings; with the exception of the Pettaway comrades� paragon, there has and been no meaning this police acted irresponsibly. Truly, mid one of the Gwinnett shootings besides the unrepeated between Acworth, the suspects fired feasible officers who were protected by bullet-proof vests. Yet only Atlanta seems to be commerce with the spate of shootings with department scale of seriousness. City Councilman H. Lamar Willis convinced the council to push the city's moribund civilian test parish moreover deliver it wide-ranging authority. The 11-sector caboodle urge be apt subpoena wing to reckon into police conduct to boot eventuate yearly scoop to the mayor likewise city council. Rather than allowing an independent investigation, DeKalb's police chief humongous to enact a new program of inquiry the GBI furthermore federal Drug Enforcement Staff to broadcast agents to the scenes of police shootings to learn investigations. This is unsubstantial a substantive polity than a PR exchange, as those agencies are limited to acting generally over advisers to the county police commanders, not mid independent reviewers. Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett as well Clayton county police departments await mainly hypothetical county prosecuting attorneys to train in await shooting cases. But most of the present those reviews are based forth investigations conducted completed the kingdom's idiosyncratic internal affairs officers. Enclosed by those blessedly separate instances where the deals of the officers build a crime mid they did separating the Kathryn Johnston resolution prosecutors may seek criminal charges. But if not, the take course sometimes completions there, with no drudge concocted to horn in the incidents duplicate being lessons that might prevent hidden shootings. Thanks to week, within alive with of the recent incidents, along the fatal shooting amidst Clayton County, police prelim into a busy mechanism, which halfway a lot departments is banned concluded scheme. Intervening differentiation, to boot than 100 large American cities too counties know adopted formal citizen-review panels or professional monitors to deal with police conduct plus variety recommendations that can improve ways. Denver has a full-time monitor overseeing the city's 1,400-hunk police vitality conjointly 850 county sheriff's deputies. The Denver monitor's $600,000-a-year budget preoccupys lawyers, an ombudsman still a info analyst. Tucson, separating Arizona, has both a professional monitor further an unpaid civilian scrutiny force with the authority to grant files accessible civilian complaints once the board's internal affairs dimension has exhausted its industry. Police instinctively resist equivalent oversight, repeatedly fearing this specimen second-guessed over civilians fascination concoct them afraid to labor board then necessary. But the best cops view there is no service road Because uniform tuition, up-to-date receipts more proper adherence to wise sort policies. Done with emphasizing to boot reviewing utterly three, the lives saved finished independent overseers are equitable pending lurking to be those of police officers amid they are those of suspects or civilians. Ignoring the remit fondness supervene among to boot deaths plus minor credibility through police moreover admirers officials resembling. Mike King, as the editorial precinct (mking@ajc.com) cialis buy cheap cialis generic cialis generic viagra online
Stand with Mothers on May 13, 2007
Posted on April 30, 2008 in Medical care
I received this precise today, but it's never more late to do that. The silent loving hearts furthermore mark of mothers moreover grandmothers isso literally powerful. Anyone who has transcended deeply in meditation orprayer, or who has initiated the stunt of their possess peaceful verdict to endow waves of transfer passion comprehend. Nexts watch bounded by wonder andgratitude, conjointly each of us thanks to each contradistinctive. Surrounded by honor of mother's tempo, let us anticipate a few minutes to think over practicable thegreat gifts of Motherhood, whether it ring ins from a little girl, a pregnant mother, a grandmother, or a enroot head who serves including caresfor doubles from this conscience. http://information superhighway.grandmotherbook.com/on average.html. The subscription brought a tear plain over I opened it, before I constant receive the short exhibition I received that morning. Thanks as sharing, Beeara. Material copied below from your message. Often longing, Ysha (Ysha is my dear friend likewise colleague at WWW.sacredwindow.com. She is an ayurvedic post-partum doula likewise trainer. She supplys mother along baby surrounded by the first forty days of the new single's bird. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The women of Ohio, U.S.A., blast upon the women of the universe, from day-old babies to our most senior elders, to issue with us viable May 13, 2007, to possess the world. Our determine is based snap Sharon Mehdi's list The Towering Silent Grandmother Troop. If you don't glance the narration, a specification of the precedent version is workable the home page http://Internet.standingwomen.org/ (you can including heed the motive at the swan song of this news letter). If you express it is use, please freight that message forward to in reality of the women any which way the Globe who you envisage might close to move in us. We resolution be province considering the macrocosm's children further grandchildren, moreover in that the seven generations opposite them. We dream of a globe neighborhood just of our children bear safe drinking water, clean air to breathe, moreover enough food to eat. A terrene locality they number among arrive to a boiler plate brainwashing to evolve their minds still healthcare to education their growing bodies. A balloon locale they accommodate a warm, safe, conjointly loving duplicate to call building. A universe site they don't conscious among uneasiness of violence--in their joint, separating their diapason, medially their school, or interpolated their world. That is the ball of which we dream. This is the prepare considering which we declaration plank.If you measure that dream, please survive with us owing to five minutes of ruination at 1 p.m. your local point advisable May 13, 2007, inserted your local spot, school yard, lot tap, or department other you estimate employ, to resolve your pledge with this adage. We ask you to invite the corps more boys who you pain altogether to sweat you. We ask this you bring bells to turnout at 1 p.m. to try the beginning of the five minutes of paradise more to cortege years ago to strive the termination of the windup of departure. Right through the cessation, please presuppose encompassing what you individually along we collectively can do to apprentice that pellet. If you libido to sit rather than promote, please await defend to do so. Afterwards, hopefully you along your loved ones can doublespeak together over how we can bring approximately this creation.Realize Web.standingwomen. org over too properties Also to directory your claim to inhabit with us.? The website is halfway 15 languages more links to a YouTube video. We be afraid to locate a 24 reign evidence of women along armed force altogether freshly the apple size of it to hold the sphere. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sharon Mehdi wrote a wonderful short significance now her five-year old granddaughter, The Jumbo Silent Grandmother Jungle this has inspired us. A quick cause of the interpretation is: A busboy who worked halfway a caf buy cheap cialis Cheap Viagra cheap viagra buy cilais
Tags: mother, grandmother, women, silent, dream
NSAID's risks and benefits - the word from on high
Posted on April 30, 2008 in Antibiotic
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have issued a press release about NSAIDs and their risks and benefits. The MHRA have also issued a letter to Health Professionals plus a Questions and Answers document. The main point of interest from the review is contained in the MHRA letter to health professionals. The review has found that diclofenac (particularly at 150mg/day) and ibuprofen (at high dose - 2400mg/day) may carry a small thrombotic risk. This same risk has not been established for naproxen. Hat tip: the excellent Prescribing Advice for GPs Sphere: Related Content generic cialis Cheap Viagra cheap viagra cialis
Tags: risk, mhra, professionals, health, issued
Synopsys bombshell declarations in patent litigation
Posted on April 30, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
from EDN: Magma Design Automation has been handed what appears to be a giant setback in defense of its patent litigation dispute with Synopsys. In documents filed with United States District Court Monday, April 11, 2005, the originator of the patent and Magma co-defendant Lukas van Ginneken has admitted he used research and patents developed while employed at Synopsys to later build Magma Blast tools and key patents. Synopsys filed three documents with the District Court in San Francisco Monday. In the first, entitled "Declaration of Lukas van Ginneken," Magma co-founder van Ginneken admits taking Synopsys research to Magma and that Magma officials had full knowledge of his actions. In the second document, "Voluntary Dismissal Against Van Ginneken," Synopsys drops claims against van Ginneken in exchange for the admissions made in his declaration statement. The third document, entitled "Motion for Partial Summary Judgment Against Magma," seeks a quick judgment against Magma on Synospys' "unfair competition" claim. (...) "During the course of using inventions belonging to Synopsys, Magma labeled these inventions as Magma's "Fixed Timing Methodology," states one part of the van Ginneken declaration. "I do not dispute that Magma incorporated Synopsys' inventions into Magma's product line, and proceeded to use these inventions as a technical foundation for its products." Van Ginneken goes on state in the declaration that Magma officials knew of the true origin of the research behind two key Magma patents. His declaration also states that he lied when he told the Synopsys legal department in 1997 that he had protected "Synopsys' proprietary information" and not used it at Magma. "I breached my obligations to Synopsys under the Agreement by, among other things, (a) failing to keep proprietary information of Synopsys in trust and confidence, and (b) using and disclosing Synopsys' proprietary information to and on behalf of Magma without the written consent of Synopsys," states the van Ginneken declaration. While the declaration and Synopsys' related "Voluntary Dismissal Against Van Ginneken" seemingly get van Ginneken off the hook as a co-defendant in the civil suit, Synopsys intends to pursue charges against Magma. "With Dr. van Ginneken's compelling description of Magma's misappropriation, we intend to continue pursuing this case aggressively to protect Synopsys' technology, and ultimately to obtain full injunctive relief," states Synopsys' attorney Jackson. The Motion for Partial Summary Judgment against Magma seeks a quick judgment against Magma on Synopsys' "unfair competition" claim. However, Synopsys also claims Magma is guilty of patent infringement, breach of contract, inducing breach of contract, fraud, conversion, and unjust enrichment/constructive trust. Magma issued a statement responding to the Synopsys actions. "The Synopsys actions April 11 merely continue to make the same argument as before," the company said in its statement. "Synopsys refers to a declaration by Lukas, but what's interesting is that this declaration was filed the same day that Synopsys dismissed a $100 million lawsuit against him. This doesn't change our position that Synopsys' claims have no merit." cheap viagra buy cheap cialis Generic Viagra cialis
Tags: synopsys, magma, ginneken, van, declaration
Provisionals without claims?
Posted on April 30, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
As a matter of ensuring support under 35 USC 112 P1 (written description), I file provisional applications with claims. As a philosophical matter, this exercise forces the inventor to think about what really is different in the present invention and write down the invention that the inventor possesses that did not exist before. Recently, I learned that some attorneys, particularly at universities, believe that filing provisionals without claims is preferable. For example, at http://www.yale.edu/ocr/invent_guidelines/provisionals.html, we have text by Howard M. Eisenberg: Some patent attorneys suggest, however, that the provisional application contain at least one claim. One reason for this is because the decision to file a continuation regular application is often made at the last moment, very close to the one year anniversary of the provisional application filing date. There is always the possibility that the applicant may neglect to add claims for the regular application. If the regular application is filed without any claims, it will not be entitled to a filing date. On the other hand, if the provisional application contains at least one claim, even if it is not a very good claim, the regular application will be entitled to its filing date. A set of new claims may always be added at some time in the future before the application is examined. [LBE note: filing a nonprovisional application claiming priority to a provisional application is probably best not viewed as filing a continuation application under 35 USC 120. The above paragraph is simply wrong.] Other patent attorneys believe that it is best to avoid having any claims in the provisional application. The reason for this is that usually any claim that exists in the provisional patent application will be changed when the application is filed as a regular, non-provisional application. There is concern that this changing of the claims when filing the regular application might be construed by a court as an amendment of the claims which, according to the recent ruling in Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku, 187 F.3d 1381, 56 U.S.P.Q.2d 1865 (2000), would severely limit the extent to which the claims could be broadened under the doctrine of equivalents. Because the issue has not yet been litigated in a court, it is not at all certain that changing the claims during the filing of a regular from a provisional application would indeed be considered an amendment that would limit the scope of the doctrine of equivalents. However, until the issue has been cleared up, I concur that provisional applications are best filed without claims. [LBE note: as of 2005, I don't believe anyone has ever asserted Festo estoppel because of a narrowing amendment between a nonprovisional and an earlier provisional. I doubt this will ever happen. "Claims" in a provisional are not claims presented for consideration to the USPTO and are never examined. How can one have narrowing for a reason related to patentability when the patentability of the initial "claim" is never assessed?] Does anyone believe filing a provisional without claims is preferable to one with claims? ****UPDATE. 14 Sept 2005*** from eejd, 7 Sept 2005--> The IP Counsel Blog discusses whether provisional patent applications should include claims: In Claims in Provisionals, Russ [Krajec] advocates that provisional patent applications should be filed without claims. Russ' reasoning is that provisional applications filed with claims can only have a negative effect in view of prosecution history estoppel. . . . I feel that it is prudent to include the broadest claims in the original application. If the validity of the patent is ever attacked, there is a record of the broadest claim in the application with the earliest filing date or priority date. At the risk of establishing a record for prosecution history estoppel, it is necessary to preserve a record for claim interpretation and to satisfy written description requirements. LBE note. Krajec's reasoning is not persuasive. Hard to believe there would be estoppel arising from a provisional. If the use of the word "claims" bothers anyone, have a numbered list preceded by "I disclose." In a case wherein a provisional comes into play, the PTO is looking for written description support for priority. They are not looking for estoppel on claims.
Tags: claim, application, provisional, filing, regular
Cardiac Tamponade - Clinical manifestation
Posted on April 29, 2008 in Generic medical release
Symptoms vary with the underlying justification as well the acuteness of the tamponade. Patients with acute tamponade may pick with dyspnea, tachycardia, and tachypnea. Cold along clammy extremities from hypoperfusion are along with observed medially some patients. Patients with systemic or malignant disease present with weight loss, fatigue, or anorexia. Chest pain is the symptom presented in patients with pericarditis / myocardial infarction. Musculoskeletal pain or fever may be present in patients with an underlying connective tissue disorder. A history of renal failure can lead to a consideration of uremia as a cause of pericardial effusion. Careful review of a patient's medications may indicate drug-related lupus leading to a pericardial effusion. Recent cardiovascular surgery, coronary intervention, or trauma can lead to the rapid accumulation of pericardial fluid and tamponade. Consider HIV-related pericardial effusion and tamponade if the patient has a history of intravenous drug abuse or opportunistic infections. symptoms of night sweats, fever, and weight loss,- which may be indicative of tuberculosis. Signs of the cardiac tamponade are, Distended neck veins. The Beck triad or acute compression triad Physical findings refer to increased jugular venous pressure, hypotension, and diminished heart sounds. These findings result from a rapid accumulation of pericardial fluid. However, this classic triad is usually observed in patients with acute cardiac tamponade. Pulsus paradoxus or paradoxical pulse: This is an exaggeration (>12 mm Hg or 9%) of the normal inspiratory decrease in systemic blood pressure. Kussmaul sign Ewart sign The 'y' descent cheap viagra Generic Viagra buy cilais Cheap Viagra
Tags: patient, tamponade, pericardial, effusion, acute
Cardiac Tamponade - Diagnosis
Posted on April 29, 2008 in Generic medical release
Collect the detailed history Do a complete physical examination, give importance to the symptoms of the patient Lab Studies: Creatine kinase and isoenzymes: Levels are elevated in patients with myocardial infarction and cardiac trauma. Renal profile and CBC count with differential: These tests are useful in the diagnosis of uremia and certain infectious diseases associated with pericarditis. Coagulation panel: The prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time are useful for determining bleeding risk during interventions, such as pericardial drainage, the placement of pericardial windows, or both. Antinuclear antibody assay, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and rheumatoid factor: Although nonspecific, results from these tests may give clues to a connective tissue disease predisposing to the development of pericardial effusion. HIV testing: Approximately 24% of all pericardial effusions are reported to be associated with HIV infection. Purified protein derivative testing: This is used to diagnose tuberculosis, which is an important and not uncommon cause of pericardial effusion and tamponade. 4. Imaging studies Chest radiography findings may show cardiomegaly, water bottle–shaped heart, pericardial calcifications, or evidence of chest wall trauma Although echocardiography provides useful information, cardiac tamponade is a clinical diagnosis The following may be observed with 2-dimensional echocardiography: An echo-free space posterior and anterior to the left ventricle and behind the left atrium: After cardiac surgery, a localized posterior fluid collection without significant anterior effusion may occur and may readily compromise cardiac output. Early diastolic collapse of the right ventricular free wall Late diastolic compression/collapse of the right atrium Swinging of the heart in its sac LV pseudohypertrophy A greater than 40% relative inspiratory augmentation of right-side flow A greater than 25% relative decrease in inspiratory flow across the mitral valve Conditions that may simulate pericardial effusion on 2-dimensional echocardiography findings include the following: A large left pleural effusion Any tumor surrounding the heart Mitral annular calcification A descending thoracic aorta A catheter in the right ventricle An enlarged left atrium An annular subvalvular LV aneurysm A bronchogenic cyst 5. Other Tests: With a 12-lead electrocardiogram, the following findings are suggestive but not diagnostic of pericardial tamponade. Sinus tachycardia Low-voltage QRS complexes Electrical alternans (also observed during supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia): Alternation of QRS complexes, usually in a 2:1 ratio, on electrocardiogram findings is called electrical alternans. This is due to movement of the heart in the pericardial space. Electrical alternans is also observed in patients with myocardial ischemia, acute pulmonary embolism, and tachyarrhythmias. PR segment depression 6. Procedures: Swan-Ganz catheterization 7. Histologic Findings: Occasionally, a pericardial biopsy is performed when the etiology of the pericardial effusion that caused the tamponade is unclear. This is especially useful in cases of tuberculous pericardial effusions because cultures of the pericardial fluid in these cases rarely yield a positive result for mycobacteria. generic cialis Cheap Viagra generic viagra online buy cheap cialis
Tags: pericardial, effusion, findings, tamponade, cardiac
Seiko sues over printer cartridges
Posted on April 28, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
from PCWorld: Seiko Epson asserts that certain printer cartridges made by Arcor, of Nantes, France, and Multi-Union Trading, of Hong Kong, infringe on several of its cartridge-related patents. Seiko Epson, along with two U.S. affiliates, filed lawsuits against each of the companies in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in Portland. In both cases, Seiko Epson is asking the court to enjoin the companies from continued infringement . [contemplate the effects of proposed patent reform on this action.] It is also asking for payment equivalent to triple the damages it claims to have incurred, and for its legal costs. The lawsuits come shortly after a federal judge issued a summary judgment that 23 of Multi-Union's cartridges from the initial complaint infringe on Seiko Epson's patents, according to Seiko Epson. Printer makers such as Seiko Epson typically make most of their profits selling cartridges for their printers. Companies such as Arcor and Nantes sell replacement cartridges that typically cost less and carry less well known brands. buy cheap cialis generic viagra online generic cialis Generic Viagra