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Omega-3 fatty acids fall amongst these vitamins that constantly shock with their advantages. They need to be a common half of your weight loss plan. Scientists have lengthy been finding out them, steadily revealing their quite a few benefits. Right this moment, we all know that they’ll profit our coronary heart, mind, and even our muscle mass. This text will delve into their further benefits and how you can combine them into your routine.
On this article, you’ll uncover the impression of omega-3 fatty acids on the next areas:
What Are Fatty Acids?
Earlier than we discover the advantages and properties of omega-3, let’s get acquainted with fatty acids usually. We received’t restrict our dialogue to only omega-3; we’ll additionally contact on different varieties.
Fatty acids are parts of fats molecules (triacylglycerols). This type of fats is current in our weight loss plan, however it’s additionally already current in our our bodies as physique fats. Triacylglycerols include not solely fatty acids but in addition glycerol. The fatty acids connected to glycerol may be both saturated or unsaturated, relying on the chemical bonds between carbon atoms of their chains.
Varieties of Fatty Acids
Saturated fatty acids have solely single bonds between carbon atoms. They’re largely present in animal fat (butter, lard, and the like) and unique fat (coconut, palm, and palm kernel).
Monounsaturated fatty acids have one double bond of their chains and are sometimes contained in nuts, seeds, plantoils, and avocado, amongst others.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids have two or extra double bonds. They are often present in plant sources or fatty sea fish.
What are omega fatty acids, and the way are they categorised?
Now that now we have an understanding of fatty acids, we will introduce a subgroup known as omega fatty acids. These belong to polyunsaturated fatty acids, that means they’ve two or extra double bonds of their carbon chains. Nonetheless, there are a number of varieties of omega fatty acids, every with barely totally different results on the physique.
Omega-3 fatty acids are probably the most well-known and supply the most well being advantages, together with anti-inflammatory results. These embrace the important alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which we have to acquire from our weight loss plan as a result of our our bodies can’t produce it on their very own. Moreover, omega-3 consists of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that are derived from ALA however solely in small portions (about 5% is transformed to EPA and fewer than 0.5% to DHA). Due to this fact, we should additionally purchase them from meals sources.
Omega-6 fatty acids additionally embrace an important fatty acid known as linoleic acid, which is transformed within the physique to arachidonic acid. Omega-6 fatty acids, like omega-3s, have partly anti-inflammatory results but in addition contribute to the manufacturing of pro-inflammatory substances. They’re additionally important in blood clotting processes and may be present in sources like sunflower oil, sesame seeds, sesame oil,peanuts, or pumpkin seeds.
Omega-9 fatty acids are one other group you might come throughout, however not like omega-3s and omega-6s, they belong to monounsaturated fatty acids.
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What Advantages Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supply?
Now that you simply perceive that omega-3 fatty acids are an important part of our weight loss plan, it’s important to discover the place and the way their advantages manifest. Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the roles these fatty acids play in our our bodies.
1. Anti-Inflammatory Results
Some of the extensively studied areas regarding omega-3s is their function in inflammatory processes within the physique. These results are seemingly the muse of their constructive impression on well being. Irritation is a typical function of many illnesses and well being points, together with allergy symptoms, cardiovascular issues, and even weight problems. EPA and DHA, specifically, exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. They take part in inflammatory processes in a number of methods.
How Do EPA and DHA Contribute to Inflammatory Reactions?
They assist create anti-inflammatory substances, resembling resolvins, protectins, and maresins. These molecules are essential in stopping inflammatory processes.
They scale back the manufacturing of pro-inflammatory compounds (prostaglandins and leukotrienes) generated from arachidonic acid (omega-6 fatty acids).
They’ll help in lowering the exercise of sure genes answerable for inflammatory processes.
They contribute to the discount of pro-inflammatory cytokines, resembling TNF and interleukin-6 (IL-6).
They assist lower the manufacturing of free radicals, which might additional scale back general oxidative stress in cells.
The mechanisms talked about are seemingly only a fraction of the methods by which omega-3 fatty acids help in combatting irritation within the physique. Further analysis is essential, however we already know that these substances may be worthwhile for many who undergo from inflammatory circumstances.
Scientific research point out that omega-3 fatty acids may play a job not solely in stopping frequent colds and infections but in addition in additional extreme circumstances. Situations resembling non-specific inflammatory bowel illnesses (Crohn’s illness and ulcerative colitis), allergy symptoms, and even neurodegenerative illnesses (Alzheimer’s illness and others) are characterised by inflammatory processes within the physique.
2. Affect on Cardiovascular Well being
You’ve in all probability come throughout details about how wholesome fat within the type of omega-3 fatty acids profit your coronary heart. Analysis on this space continues, however proper now we already know that these substances ought to be part of your weight loss plan if you wish to care for your cardiovascular well being.
How do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Have an effect on Cardiovascular Well being?
They assist decrease the degrees of triacylglycerols (TAG) within the blood. They limit their formation and, on the identical time, help their faster removing. Reaching an optimum TAG degree is one thing we should always all attempt for as a result of extreme ranges improve the danger of cardiovascular issues (resembling coronary heart assaults) and insulin resistance.
They’ll seemingly improve the degrees of HDL (good) ldl cholesterol.
They’re helpful in lowering blood stress.
They’ve an antithrombotic impact, that means they scale back blood clotting. Research have proven that this might help forestall blood clot formation.
They’ve a constructive impression on endothelial dysfunction, a situation the place the vessel wall accumulates fats, blood cells, and different blood parts. Because of this, omega-3s could help in stopping atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), which might sometimes result in circumstances like coronary heart assaults or strokes.
They seemingly have an antiarrhythmic impact, serving to enhance coronary heart rhythm disturbances. Analysis means that they might immediately affect the transmission of impulses between coronary heart muscle cells.
All these results of omega-3 fatty acids, as seen in scientific research, translate right into a constructive impression on general mortality because of cardiovascular issues. That is even higher information than it’d initially appear. Ischemic coronary heart illness (resulting in decreased blood movement within the coronary heart), coronary heart assaults, strokes, and different cardiovascular illnesses are, in line with the WHO, the commonest causes of dying worldwide. Due to this fact, something that would mitigate these issues is essential.
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3. Helping within the Combat Towards Most cancers
The function of omega-3 fatty acids in oncological illnesses has been a topic of analysis for a very long time. The outcomes are promising, as it’s changing into clear that they might play a job in each stopping and coping with most cancers.
How Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Work within the Realm of Most cancers?
Their anti-inflammatory results are vital. Irritation within the physique is likely one of the elements contributing to the event of most cancers, and an inflammatory atmosphere is related to a number of varieties of tumours.
They decelerate tumour progress by selling apoptosis, which is the dying of most cancers cells.
Research point out that they might decelerate the proliferation of most cancers cells.
They seemingly improve the effectiveness of most cancers remedy as a complete.
Analysis means that omega-3s can incorporate themselves into the membranes of most cancers cells, thereby altering their properties.
From the analysis, it seems that omega-3 fatty acids might be significantly useful in colorectal and breast most cancers.[3,19]
4. Important for the Mind and Nervous System
Omega-3 fatty acids are a significant part of neuronal (nerve cell) membranes. Due to this fact, they’re mandatory for the right functioning of the nervous system and the mind.
Omega-3 fatty acids, as a part of neurons, are essential for transmitting alerts between them and play an necessary function in receptor perform. They’ll affect which enzymes bind to the cell and the way effectively cells talk with one another.
Right this moment, we all know that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is especially necessary for optimum mind perform. It’s even related to improved cognitive capabilities, together with reminiscence and studying capacity. Analysis additionally suggests a hyperlink to a decrease threat of Alzheimer’s illness and different types of dementia, that are characterised by cognitive decline. Folks with Alzheimer’s illness seem to have decrease ranges of DHA in comparison with these with out the situation. [5,19]
5. Can Assist with Muscle Progress and Regeneration
Omega-3s not solely have an effect on the mind and coronary heart but in addition appear to have an effect on muscle perform. They seemingly help in muscle regeneration, the formation of recent muscle fibres, and the discount of muscle injury.
How Do Omega-3s Have an effect on Muscular tissues?
They in all probability affect protein synthesis, contributing to the formation of recent physique proteins, which may play a job in constructing muscle mass.
Their anti-inflammatory results can help in muscle restoration.
Research join them with fewer indicators of muscle injury, resembling decrease ranges of creatine kinase, which generally will increase with muscle harm. Omega-3s may thus be helpful, for instance, throughout demanding energy coaching.
Promising results of omega-3 fatty acids are evident in older people who are suffering from sarcopenia. This can be a situation characterised by gradual muscle loss by way of each amount and performance, typically related to severe well being issues and even increased mortality charges. Omega-3 fatty acids seem to have a constructive impression, thanks partly to their anti-inflammatory properties and their affect on the manufacturing of recent muscle proteins.
Concerning the aged inhabitants, omega-3s are additionally mentioned in relation to anabolic resistance. This situation results in a decreased response to protein consumption and bodily exercise, making it more durable to construct new muscle. Omega-3s may have a useful impact in such instances.
Concerning muscle mass, omega-3s do certainly present promising results in lots of areas. Athletes aiming for muscle progress and optimum muscle restoration also can profit from them. In fact, they’re simply the icing on the cake and may function a useful addition on the trail to reaching your required physique.
Moreover, omega-3s could play a job in addressing severe well being issues. Though extra analysis is required, omega-3s are presently utilized in people with cachexia, a fancy syndrome frequent in most cancers sufferers that results in general muscle loss and malnutrition, leading to a extreme deterioration of general well being.
6. Serving to Enhance Eye Well being
Omega-3 fatty acids, significantly DHA, are important parts of the blood vessels within the retina. They’re mandatory for the optimum situation of the eyes and imaginative and prescient. [17,22]
Research recommend their potential advantages in points associated to dry eyes, and so they may even help in stopping macular degeneration, the main reason for blindness in older folks. DHA performs an important function as a part of cell membranes, whereas EPA is crucial in stopping irritation within the retina. [6,14,19]
Omega-3 fatty acids usually are not the one vitamins necessary for eye well being. Different important vitamins embrace vitamin A, beta-carotene, and different compounds that, when mixed, can contribute to eye safety.
7. Vital Throughout Being pregnant and Breastfeeding
Omega-3 fatty acids are one of many vitamins really helpful for supplementation throughout being pregnant and breastfeeding. They play a big function in fetal progress and growth, in addition to the event of the kid’s nervous system. Research recommend that an enough consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, in a mom’s weight loss plan throughout being pregnant and breastfeeding is related to higher well being of their kids. DHA is a pure part of breast milk, and in European Union international locations, it’s even obligatory so as to add DHA to toddler formulation.[11,19]
8. Different Doable Advantages of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are certainly versatile helpers, and their promising constructive results may be noticed in numerous different areas.
The place Else Can These Vitamins Have an Impression?
Research recommend that they might additionally scale back the danger of despair and different psychiatric issues. This potential antidepressant impact is attributed primarily to eicosapentaenoic acid, at a dose of roughly 1 g per day.
The advantages of omega-3 fatty acids are additionally obvious in different psychiatric issues resembling bipolar dysfunction and schizophrenia.
Analysis even signifies a connection to assuaging the signs of ADHD (Consideration-Deficit/Hyperactivity Dysfunction).
Sufficient omega-3 consumption throughout being pregnant could also be related to a decrease incidence of childhood allergy symptoms.
Omega-3 fatty acids can doubtlessly assist with pimples issues, with their anti-inflammatory results taking part in an important function.
Promising results are additionally seen in rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune illness characterised by power joint irritation. In some research, omega-3s are even recommended to scale back joint ache on this situation and could also be part of efficient joint vitamin. [19,22]
Omega-3 fatty acids may be present in each plant and animal-based meals. The important alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is current in flaxseed oil,flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, wheat germ oil, or rapeseed oil.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), alternatively, are present in animal-based meals, significantly in fatty saltwater fish resembling mackerel, salmon, and herring.Fish oil can be a wonderful supply of those omega-3 fatty acids.
What’s the Common Content material of Omega-3 in Completely different Fish?
How A lot Omega-3 Fatty Acids Ought to You Devour Each day?
The European Meals Security Authority (EFSA) recommends that wholesome adults ought to devour 250 mg of EPA and DHA day by day. Pregnant ladies, in line with EFSA’s suggestions, ought to improve their consumption by a further 100-200 mg of DHA.Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) ought to account for 0.5% of the overall day by day power consumption (TEI). For a reference TEI of 2000 kcal, this quantities to roughly 1 g of ALA.
For instance, in 100 grams of mackerel, yow will discover as much as 1700 mg of omega-3, which is nearly seven occasions the really helpful day by day consumption. Reaching these optimum ranges will not be significantly difficult since, as you’ll be able to see, consuming a portion of fish twice per week is enough.
The Society for Diet of German-speaking Nations (DACH) doesn’t have particular suggestions for EPA and DHA consumption, however additionally they point out 0.5% of TEI for alpha-linolenic acid.
The Ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 Fatty Acids
You’ve in all probability heard that it’s necessary to take care of a steadiness between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in your weight loss plan to handle their constructive and potential adverse results. The really helpful ratio, as an example, is usually cited as 5:1 in favour of omega-6 fatty acids. Nonetheless, for the standard Western weight loss plan immediately, the ratio is nearer to twenty:1, which may doubtlessly improve the danger of inflammatory processes within the physique. [12,15]
That’s why it’s advisable to cut back the proportion of omega-6 fatty acids and improve the quantity of omega-3s. It’s not mandatory to focus on exact numbers; as an alternative, concentrate on choosing the proper meals in the fitting portions.
Find out how to Obtain an Optimum Consumption of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids?
Frequently embrace fatty saltwater fish in your weight loss plan, ideally two to a few occasions per week.
Incorporate flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, and different plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids into your weight loss plan.
If you happen to can’t meet your omega-3 wants by way of your weight loss plan, contemplate dietary supplements.
Partially restrict meals which are wealthy in omega-6 fatty acids (e.g., sunflower oil for cooking) and substitute them with people who have a better content material of omega-3. On this case, you’ll be able to swap sunflower oil for rapeseed oil, for instance.
A deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids isn’t related to extreme well being issues, however it may nonetheless manifest in numerous methods. It might result in pores and skin issues and elevated susceptibility to infections. In the long run, it may doubtlessly improve the danger of power sicknesses.
Curiously, even should you didn’t devour any omega-3 by way of your weight loss plan, it wouldn’t result in severe well being issues. Our our bodies have mechanisms to preserve no less than a minimal degree of omega-3 within the physique. For instance, when the consumption of DHA could be very low, there’s a pure transformation of alpha-linolenic acid into this fatty acid. [19,22]
Nonetheless, whereas there are not any life-threatening eventualities to fret about, a gentle omega-3 deficiency can nonetheless be noticeable. Due to this fact, it’s advisable to incorporate them in your day by day weight loss plan in enough portions. If you happen to’re concerned with whether or not your ranges are throughout the optimum vary, you’ll be able to contemplate a diagnostic take a look at.
Who Could Have an Inadequate Consumption of Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Vegans, vegetarians and anybody who eliminates fish from their weight loss plan or consumes it sparingly.
Aged people who’ve decrease general meals consumption and decrease nutrient absorption from the digestive tract.
Pregnant and breastfeeding ladies who naturally have a better want for omega-3 fatty acids.
Folks with diagnoses resembling inflammatory or oncological circumstances, the place the necessity for omega-3 could also be increased.
Ought to You Complement Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Find out how to Do It?
As at all times, the muse is a various weight loss plan wealthy in meals containing omega-3 fatty acids, resembling fatty saltwater fish or their plant-based sources. If you happen to don’t commonly devour them or wish to make sure you’re actually getting sufficient omega-3 fatty acids, dietary supplements come into play.
In What Kinds Are Omega-3s Out there?
You may take omega-3 dietary supplements in these varieties at any time throughout the day. To maximise their absorption and utilization, it’s advisable to take them with meals.
Is Taking Omega-3 Fatty Acids Protected?
There isn’t any established higher restrict for the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. Nonetheless, based mostly on analysis, it’s presumed that excessively excessive consumption, roughly round 900 mg of EPA and 600 mg of DHA day by day, may doubtlessly suppress the immune response in some people. Even increased doses may improve the danger of bleeding since omega-3 fatty acids are concerned in lowering blood clotting. It’s necessary to notice that these excessive doses are considerably above the really helpful consumption ranges. Common consumption of decrease doses throughout the really helpful consumption vary is taken into account protected and useful.
Can Omega-3s Work together with Drugs?
Like many different substances, omega-3 fatty acids could not go properly with all drugs. As an illustration, blood-thinning drugs like warfarin may doubtlessly work together with omega-3s. Warfarin reduces blood clotting, and since omega-3s have comparable results, their mixture may result in extreme bleeding.
What Do you have to Bear in mind?
Omega-3 fatty acids are important parts of vitamin required for the functioning and upkeep of the physique. They play an important function in mind perform, coronary heart well being, and preventing irritation. Furthermore, their impression on many different areas of well being is changing into more and more evident. There’s hardly anybody amongst us who wouldn’t profit from their enough consumption.
Due to this fact, specializing in incorporating fatty saltwater fish or plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids into your weight loss plan is a good suggestion. You may as well improve your consumption by commonly utilizing high-quality dietary supplements.
And the way is your omega-3 fatty acids consumption? If this text has impressed you to enhance your weight loss plan or offered you with some new and worthwhile info, don’t preserve it to your self; Share it along with your family and friends.
 EFSA PANEL ON DIETETIC PRODUCTS, NUTRITION, AND ALLERGIES (NDA) Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fat, together with saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and ldl cholesterol. – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1461
 HOPPERTON, Ok.E. et al. Docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid ranges are correlated in human milk: Implications for brand spanking new European toddler formulation laws. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35170053/


How effectively do you use data in your marketing activities?
The world says data is critical in digital marketing; but very few actually use it. And far fewer even know how to. Company marketing budgets call for digital, yet the essence of digital — data driven decisions to increase effectiveness — is often missed.
In a world inundated with digital tools, the lack of expertise sees digital marketing efforts often not reaching their full potential.
Hard numbers and data crunches are the superpowers of Aida. She explains to SME 10X how she provides consultation on marketing strategies, media management as well as training. She also regularly gives lectures at Astrolabs to startups and executives who want to increase their digital proficiency.
“Essentially a client has yearly targets they want to achieve, we tell them how they need to do it from a digital perspective”Aida Sahraoui, Founder and CEO of WONe
Whether it is “at the beginning of marketing strategy where a client comes with yearly targets” or “those who have internal teams handling SEA, SEO, social media, websites, and others”, Aida helps them realistically look at how they need to go forward with their marketing campaigns and “optimise their efforts” through audits.
When it comes to running campaigns, Aida uses digital platforms of LinkedIn, Google, Facebook/Instagram, Twitter, and others themselves to track data points, engagements, conversion rates, LTVs and more. She explains that while digital marketers can use other aggregator or campaign tracking tools like Google Stacks, they can ultimately “consider using cost-effective tools provided by digital platforms since they have the latest updates and because this is also where you can segment your audiences and manage your campaign.”
Let’s start with data and privacy
There are 3 major ways to collect data: first party data is what customers willingly share with companies as part of loyalty programmes. “So if someone came in the store and made a purchase, and gave you [their] first name, last name, email ID and phone number, you can take this information, plug it into Facebook, or Google and show him ads.”
This also includes data collected through cookies. Aida says, “This helps scaling because it is not as limited as first party User data. And it's something that the platform provides, thanks to what we call a pixel, which is a piece of code that you take from the platforms and put it on a website.”
She further explains, “So anytime you visit any tracked website, cookies are dropped, and we measure everything and then a classification happens.” For example a person goes to fashion e-commerce platform multiple times in the last 30 days and has made multiple purchases, they would get classified as “engaged shoppers”; if they’ve bought items that are above the average price, they get classified as “engaged shoppers with intent to buy high value goods.”
Other ways of collecting data are 2nd and 3rd party data, which applies to collecting data from other sources that sell 1st party data originally collected by them (this falls under 2nd party data) as well as other sources that collect data across several platforms (not collected by them) then sell it (3rd party data).
Talking about privacy concerns, Aida believes there is still much room to move. GDRP in the region saw hardly any changes except for the cookie policies and notifications. With time, she says privacy policies will only get stricter probably as per the EU market today.
How best practices can overcome challenges to transparency
The issue when it comes to advertisements is more to do with bad practises than cookies or data itself. People want to be shown ads that are relevant. When digital advertising is done well, people are shown what they might be looking for, instead of being harassed with ads all the time.
“When it comes to ads, I think we just have to do it the proper way. Put frequency caps, target properly, don't harass people with ads, and show them things that are relevant to them.”Aida Sahraoui, Founder and CEO of WONe
There are many digital marketing agencies who promise to do everything from SEO to photoshoots and social media (across organic and paid). While a big full-service agency can often provide those services with the power of multiple specialised teams, this is not often the case. Sadly, more often than not, experts who claim to do it all are not specialised experts in data-driven digital marketing.
Many agencies also follow a monthly report model, says Aida, in spite of calling themselves digital agencies. The whole point of digital is data, which is available in real time. “As a matter of fact, we provide real time dashboards. So at any point of time, any client can look and know how much they’ve spent and how much they got out of it, which is, for us, an amazing way to be transparent with our clients. So they a lot of agencies share PDFs once a month, we're far from this.”
The unplugged gap of creativity
Coming from the traditional media, the challenge for advertising when it comes to digital is that it needs a complete overhaul in the thinking process. Moreover, the efforts put in into creating designer social media posts, and videos with celebrities, does not financially match the time for which the creatives are aired.
So for example a company hires an international celebrity, as well as a designer, director, video production team, script writer, video editor, only to develop a 1 minute video which will only live for a short period of time in the news feeds, then there is a problem.
This is the crux of the problem for traditional advertising agencies who have gone digital without data driven creatives. Furthermore, designers, copywriters and creative directors think differently from data-driven marketers.
Answering this dilemma, Aida says that “Algorithms are built to push a certain type of content over others. For example, short videos do very well on social media. But they do not need to involve massive productions. You have software today that can add text to pictures, and pan across them to give the moving video effect, which will work well too.” Other alternatives include taking existing footage and editing to add text onto it. World Economic Forum has been doing this on their LinkedIn feed, garnering thousands of views.
The way forward
“You have to find the best balance between creativity and straightforwardness — get to the point, make digital friendly content.”Aida Sahraoui, Founder and CEO of WONe
For small businesses and startups, digital marketing is the cornerstone of achieving market visibility. Aida advises to “focus on relevancy and efficiency. Go for the right digital channel. So if [you are] a B2B [company] where your audience is present on LinkedIn, it has an amazing lead generation tool that helps you connect with people, wherein you can be really targeted.”
“It's all about the methodology you follow, and how deep you go into understanding what you're doing, and what is the outcome. It is also about giving the importance to the numbers, but also to creativity in the content first approach, because content is king.”
Education and knowledge in data, as well as expertise to use it correctly is essential. Merging creativity of advertising and storytelling with a data-driven approach is really tough and there aren’t many who have mastered this art, which is why we call ‘viral’ content as viral. The school of thought has changed with data determining the visibility of your content. It is up to marketers to learn to take this as a challenge and use the algorithms to their advantage.


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Tech meets Italian luxury in Geometry Darling, a custom sparkling color changing illuminated handbag. The rechargable bag is hand crafted in Italy with the finest leather and highest grade electronics. Each bag comes with 8 distinct color patterns, you can flip through them with a press of a button to suit your mood or ensemble.
- Made in Florence, Italy
- Laser Cut Lambskin Leather
- Light colors: Violet Moon (shown), Sunrise, Cool Rain, Raspberry Sky , Blushing Lovers, Soft Snow, Jade Dreams and Sunset.
- Each is an original with artist signature and number

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Beautifully narrated, this endearing book tells the story of two strangers traveling home for Christmas, both looking for redemption. Whether you give it as a gift or listen as you run all your Christmas errands, The Christmas Stone is sure to add joy to your holiday. All author royalties from the sale of this audiobook will be donated to Primary Children's Medical Center.
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Gold prices dip, trade at $1,786 an ounce
Dubai precious metal prices remain unchanged on Monday morning.
Gold prices were slightly down at the opening of the market on Monday morning after hitting a two-week high in the previous session, weighed down by a slight uptick in the dollar.
Spot gold was down 0.01 per cent to $1,786.79 per ounce by 9.15am UAE time.
In the UAE, gold prices were unchanged from its last close on Friday. The Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group data showed 24K trading at Dh216.5 per gram, 22K at Dh203.25, 21K at Dh194.0 and 18K at Dh166.25.
Investors were awaiting more US economic data for clues on the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy plans.
The dollar ticked up 0.1 per cent against its rivals, making gold expensive for holders of other currencies.
Naeem Aslam,Chief Market Analyst at AVA Trade, has said that the precious metal prices will not see any significant downside movement prices during this week.
Moreover, gold in India last week was being sold at a premium for the first time in more than two months as demand gained traction after curbs to combat the second wave of the coronavirus was slightly relaxed.
Boeing did not disclose a new production rate for the 787 programme,... READ MORE
The Indian pavilion, one of the largest pavilions at the Expo will... READ MORE
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2019 Toyota Harrier Front Wallpaper is free HD wallpaper. This wallpaper was upload at August 12, 2018 upload by admin in Toyota.
Fantastic news is originating from Toyota as soon as again. Its 4th generation of the well-known crossover has actually been on its way to strike the marketplace as a 2019 model. The principle of the 2019 Toyota Harrier has actually been exposed at the 2017 Tokyo Auto Show and ever since the fans have been looking forward to this model and its hybrid system under the hood.
2019 Toyota Harrier Exterior
When it concerns exterior of the 2019 Toyota Harrier, this model is going to make its appearance in the market as a sophisticated mid-size SUV with best combination of stylish and classy features at the same time. According to the details we have actually got, the new Harrier will be smaller sized in dimensions than its predecessor, however you should not be worried due to the fact that the cabin of this model will not be affected by this reality. This crossover will go through some modern-day and substantial changes and updates in its front and rear fascia. The front part will proudly wear a radiator grille made from stainless steel as well as a huge bumper that will keep its initial style. The headlights of this model have actually often been compared to narrowed human eyes therefore the front fascia of this model has a bit mean look. The headlights as well as its elegant fog lights will be using the current LED technology. The new Harrier will be standing on 18-inch lightweight aluminum wheels.
2019 Toyota Harrier Interior
As we have actually currently mentioned, smaller sized exterior dimensions of the 2019 Toyota Harrier do not suggest that you will get less space inside its cabin. Furthermore, this model will come with plenty of space and greatest convenience in the front in addition to in the rear seats. Its contemporary and comfortable cabin will completely accommodate 5 adult guests. The front seats will be warmed while the motorist’s seat will be power-adjustable in 8 methods. The interior of the new Harrier will also provide a soft blue ambient lighting and a stylish dashboard with a color TFT screen for your data and an 8.0-inch touch-screen display with the infotainment system and options such as navigation, dual-zone climate control, JBL audio system with 11 speakers and different kinds of phone connectivity. Security systems and chauffeur assist features such as adaptive cruise control, a rearview cam and automated braking system will be consisted of too.
2019 Toyota Harrier Engine
The 2019 Toyota Harrier will feature a 2.5-liter gasoline engine that delivers 152 horse power. That engine in mix with 2 electric motors and a CVT produces 197 horsepower. It will come as a 4×4.
2019 Toyota Harrier Release Date and Price
The 2019 Toyota Harrier ought to probably be expected to strike the market sometime in 2018, but its release date has not been validated yet. The estimated cost of this hybrid crossover begins around $45,000.
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Shortly after the Germans invaded Poland in 1939, “Izzy” Arbeiter, his family and other Polish Jews were rounded up. The young Arbeiter would spend most of the war in several concentration camps, including Auschwitz, as a slave laborer for the German war effort; his parents and younger brother were sent to a concentration camp and exterminated. He was part of a “death march” through the Black Forest in southern Germany in April 1945 when he was liberated by Allied forces. Arbeiter would immigrate to the U.S. after the war with his wife (also a Holocaust survivor) and baby daughter; he helped establish the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston Inc.
This interview was recorded at the International Museum of World War II-Boston.

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Today, human society has developed in all fields of thought, consideration, analysis, and evaluation of scientific concepts, theoretical frameworks, and scientific formulas. Both scientific innovations meet human needs. But all of this new knowledge does not equally penetrate into everyone's consciousness. And all this new knowledge does not completely solve mankind's problems. Science cannot, however, uncover the secrets and mysteries of every human being. Also. It is these problems that have caused some people, especially the elderly, to remain socially disadvantaged Unresolved and continue to believe in this absurd or superstitious belief.
There are a number of reasons behind such absurd beliefs, such as a lack of understanding of natural processes, evolution Nature and natural phenomena, Understanding human nature Understand social needs, social rules, social tricks, Problems Of social life and the problems of individual life, not understanding the causal relationship In nature and in human society, in some cases, both individuals and societies continue to face incomprehensible problems Unable to solve, and do not understand how to solve problems caused by nature and man.
Because of all of this, we have seen some of the most lenient people in the world who have become water gurus. Effort, to act as a potent healer, and to cheat on immoral persons, and to keep things secret. In many other forms of superstition.
As long as there are believers in irrational beliefs, that belief still exists in human society. As long as there are people who are easily deceived, there are still liars. The solution, then, is to work together to eliminate scammers and to help the masses not become subject to it The deceit of the wicked.
Please don't make it easy for Khmer people to believe in something that is unreasonable or unfounded The reason or superstition that is said. By San Sarin

domain: sociology


systems are worn behind the ear with the help of either a discreet earhook or slim tube, depending on the wearer’s degree of hearing loss; they are secured into the ear canal using either a customized earmold or a dome. This ensures that acoustic signals will be transmitted directly to the eardrum. Control elements (buttons or rocker switches) allow you to select individual programs and regulate volume separately, as a supplement to the hearing system’s automatic adjustments. Thanks to cutting-edge micro-electronics inside the devices, they, too, are particularly small and discreet.
In-the-Ear (ITE) hearing systems sit inside the ear, making them particularly discreet and inconspicuous. They are manufactured using cutting-edge laser technology to fit your individual ear shape, allowing your outer ear to shape the sound naturally to provide a highly authentic hearing experience. Hearing system size depends on your acoustic needs and personal desires, and of course the shape of your ear or ear canal. Both the hearing system itself and the microphone are directly inside the ear or in the ear canal, so the hearing system is practically invisible.
Hearing glasses based on bone conduction technology provide a solution for those who require both visual and auditory assistance or auditory alone. Customized solutions cater for anyone who does have conductive pathology. And it’s more convenient for some one who bothered about cosmetic appearance.
Tinnitus is noises in the head, not related to any psychiatric condition. The noise can be heard anywhere in the head or in one or both ears. So far there is no scientific proven cure for tinnitus. Nobody else but you can hear the noise because it does not come from any external source. Al though you are the only person who can hear the noise it is not a result of your imagination.
Tinnitus is no rare occurrence these days, and it greatly affects the everyday lives of those suffering from it. AUDIFON’s hearing solutions take this development into account. AUDIFON’s multi-talented hearing systems provide greater ease of hearing and help address tinnitus. The specific model of hearing system families not only provide support with hearing loss, but are also include a tinnitus function as a standard feature, making them ideal for tinnitus patient care.
Now we deliver what many people have been wanting for a long time: made-to-measure hearing systems that provide optimum individual support. AUDIFON hearing systems are adapted to provide optimum tinnitus patient care. These hearing systems ensure optimum speech clarity as well as brilliant, natural sound.
In day-to-day usage, this hearing technology is an aesthetic winner as well: supple shapes that account for natural ear anatomy and a wide selection of color combinations ensure that these elegant hearing systems are hardly noticeable in everyday life-hearing system wearers or for the people around them.
A space saving pre-assembled acoustic booth which is very practical and cost effective. Designed to provide a controlled environment to complete screening audiometry
Many industrial and health care organizations have recognized the need for a controlled acoustic environment where accurate audiological recording can be obtained. The our acoustic booth is a very practical and cost effective acoustic booth which has been designed to fulfill this requirement.
We are providing both diagnostic and screening audiometry and tympanometry that can provide accurate results.
The loop system consists of a microphone to pick up the sound (e.g. spoken words) and an amplifier which processes the signal, which is then sent to a loop cable. A loop cable is a fixed wire that is placed around the perimeter of a specific area. This area can be quite large, e.g. a theatre or a church, or quite small, a person's living room for example or even down to a chair. A loop can even be fitted around the person's own head (neck loop). The wire then sends the signal directly to the hearing aids of those who are in the room when their hearing aids are set in T-mode.
The telecoil in a hearing aid (also called t-switch or t-coil) is a tiny coil of wire around a core that will induce an electric current in the coil when it is in the presence of an activated loop system. Normally, a hearing aid picks up sound with a microphone and then amplifies the sound. With a telecoil, the hearing aid “hears” the magnetic signal from the loop system and then amplifies that signal.
Loop systems are also called audio-induction loops, audio-frequency induction loops (AFIL) or hearing loops.
A loop system cannot be used by hearing aids without telecoil.
You can find all types of hearing aid accessories in one place, Digital Ears. We have all like batteries for BTE, ITE, Implant etc, filter for BTE, ITE, Gear for BTE, Tube for BTE, Dehumidifier for all hearing aid and many more accessories.


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Medical instrument working end creating very high pressure gradients
A micro-catheter system utilizing a microjoule pulsed electrical discharge between first and second electrodes in a recessed lumen at the catheter working end for creating a cavitating volume of electrolytic fluid composition including a pharmacologic agent. The expansion and collapse of media at a high repetition rate creates acoustic waves that propagate distally from the working end of the micro-catheter to disrupt thrombus. The expansion and collapse of such cavitation bubbles “jet” the pharmacologic agent at a controlled velocity into the acoustically-disrupted thrombus to further depolymerize the thrombus. The catheter system includes a computer-controller for independent modulation of (i) all aspects of pharmacologic agent delivery, and (ii) all parameters of electrical discharge to “tailor” the combined acoustic wave effects and pharmacologic agent effects to dissolve thrombus rapidly and efficiently.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/181,906, filed Oct. 28, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,404 which is related to the following commonly owned regular or provisional United States patent applications, all of which are incorporated herein by this reference: Ser. No. 09/049,711, filed Mar. 27, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,909 titled “Ionothermal Delivery System and Technique for Medical Procedures;” Serial No. 60/080,248, filed Apr. 1, 1998 titled “ionothermal System and Technique for Refractive Procedures;” Serial No. 60/080,244, filed Apr. 1, 1998 titled “Ionothermal System and Technique for Dermal Treatment;” Serial No. 60/106,026, filed Oct. 28, 1998 titled “Micro-Catheter for Combination Acoustic-Pharmacologic Thrombolysis In Stroke Patients;” and Ser. No. 60/106,025, filed Oct. 28, 1998 titled “Micro-Catheter for Electroacoustic and Photoacoustic Thrombolysis In Stroke Patients.”FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a micro-catheter device utilizing &mgr;J electrical discharges for the dissolution of thrombus in blood vessels, and more particularly for such treatments in the small diameter circulatory arteries of the brain in victims of stroke. It further relates to a technique for electroacoustic wave propagation against thrombus contemporaneous with high-velocity projection or jetting of pharmacologic agents against thrombus, the combination of acoustic wave or mechanical effects with pharmacologic thrombolysis being adapted to cause rapid dissolution or depolymerization of fibrin in thrombus.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the treatment of thrombus in a blood vessel, either in cardiac patients or stroke victims, conventional treatment is the intravenous administration of pharmacologic agents, such as t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator), streptokinase or urokinase. In such intravenous drug deliveries, the probability of success may be less than about 50 percent, and the success rates are limited by the fact that agents are not delivered directly to the site of the thrombus.
To ablate thrombus in an invasive procedure, various energy-based catheters have been developed, for example utilizing laser and ultrasound energy delivery systems. A disadvantage of such approaches is that the catheter diameter may be too large, and the catheter's flexibility may be limited, thus preventing the working end of the catheter from reaching the thrombus site in the small circulatory arteries of the patient's brain.
Another disadvantage of such catheters is the technique associated with positioning the catheter's working end in close proximity to thrombus prior to energy delivery to have the desired effect. For example, in using a pulsed laser catheter for the ablation or photo-disruption of thrombus, the pioneering technique relied on the steady advance of the working end through the target lesion while continuously emitting pulsed laser energy. The photonic energy of the laser is absorbed by the thrombus if the working end is positioned properly. Investigators found that such laser treatment could cause excessive thermal effects and damage vessel walls.
More recently, the original laser-catheter technique has been modified to a “pulse-and-retreat” approach to reduce thermal effects. In other words, the laser pulses are commenced for a brief “session” just before the working end reaches the target lesion, and then the pulsing is paused for about 60 seconds before advancing the working end for another lasing “session.” The pause is adapted to allow for cooling of the vessel walls and dissipation of any gas bubbles in blood caused by the pulsed laser treatment.
The disadvantages of such pulse-and-retreat techniques are that they are time-consuming, it is difficult to effectively position the working end in relation to the thrombus prior to the initial lasing session, and it is even more difficult to position the working end prior to follow-on lasing “sessions.” (See, e.g., Topaz et al., “Acute Results, Complications, and Effect of Lesion Characteristics on Outcome with the Solid-state, Pulsed Wave, Mid-Infrared Laser Angioplasty System,” Lasers in Surg. & Med. 22:228-239 (1998). Further, some such laser angioplasty treatments generally rely on photothermal absorption within the high water content of the thrombus itself to disrupt the thrombus.
It would be preferable to not deliver such excessive thermal effects to intraluminal fluids and to the thrombus. In using ultrasound catheters for blood clot disruption, it is believed that an ultrasonic “radiator” comprising a piezoelectric crystal or elongate tuned member cannot easily be miniaturized to the size needed for the brain's circulatory arteries and still deliver significant acoustic power. (Cf. U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,014 to Carter titled “Ultrasonic Ablation/Dissolution Transducer”).
What is needed is a micro-catheter and working end: (i) that can be miniaturized to be easily introduce into 1 mm to 3 mm brain circulatory arteries either independently or over a guidewire; (ii) that has a lumen together with pharmacologic agent dosimetry control means for controlled delivery of such agents directly to the thrombus site; (iii) that has pharmacologic agent pressure delivery means for creating pressure gradients for such agent delivery into the working end and against thrombus; (iv) that carries acoustic-energy generation means for delivering acoustic energy against thrombus; (v) that includes control systems for modulating all parameters of both pharmacologic agent delivery pressure and acoustic energy propagation; (vi) that protects the endothelium and vessel walls from thermal damage; (vii) that protects the endothelium and vessel walls from acoustic damage while at the same time dissolving thrombus; (viii) that can be activated in a continuous mode while advancing the working end toward and through the thrombus to require less precision in the imaging component of a thrombolysis procedure; (ix) that utilizes a non-complex energy source such as electrical discharge instead of a laser source or an ultrasound generator; and (x) that provides a system with disposables that are simple and inexpensive to manufacture.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a micro-catheter system that utilizes pulsed electrical discharges between first and second electrodes disposed within a recessed bore of the catheter working end. The microjoule discharges are adapted to expand gas bubbles that rapidly collapse into a cavitating volume of an electrolytic fluid composition including a pharmacologic agent AG introduced into the working end from a computer-controlled source.
The expansion and collapse of such gas bubbles at a high repetition rate will create acoustic waves that propagate distally from the working end of the micro-catheter to disrupt thrombus. The expansion and collapse of such cavitation bubbles also will project or “jet” the pharmacologic agent at a controlled velocity into the acoustically disrupted thrombus to further depolymerize the thrombus allowing it to flow through the patient's circulatory system.
The catheter system includes a computer-controller and various subsystems that allow for independent modulation of (i) all aspects of harmacologic agent delivery, and (ii) all parameters of electrical discharge to “tailor” the combined acoustic wave effects and pharmacologic agent effects to dissolve thrombus rapidly since the passage of time is critical in treating victims of stroke. It is believed that there are wide variations in thrombus size, location and other patient-specific characteristics that will require many different treatment parameters, which are offered by the control systems of the invention.
With respect to pharmacologic agent delivery, the system allows modulation of the dose of pharmacologic agent, the pressure or velocity of agent propagation into thrombus, and the timing of agent introduction relative to the actuation acoustic waves for disrupting the thrombus. With respect to the electrical discharge source, the computer controller and software can independently modulate voltage, peak power per pulse, discharge pulse length, the energy profile within each discharge pulse, and the timing between discharge pulses resulting in a set or variable discharge pulse rate.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional perspective view of a Type “A” micro-catheter working end of the invention showing the pharmacologic agent delivery lumen and first and second electrode geometry.
FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the working end of FIG. 1 illustrating that the recessed distal lumen will induce the propagate of acoustic waves generally axially in a vessel lumen rather than against the endothelium of the vessel.
FIG. 2B is a prior art ultrasound “radiator” that propagates acoustic waves at all angles including direct angles against the vessel walls such that the endothelium may be damaged.
FIGS. 3A-3C are sectional representations of working end of FIG. 1 in a vessel lumen showing isotherms created in intraluminal fluids over a period of milliseconds following an electrical discharge between the first and second electrodes; FIG. 3A showing the typical isotherms at about the instant of electrical discharge which creates a gas bubble; FIG. 3B showing isotherms ns following the discharge when the gas bubble collapses into a cavitating volume and being ejected from the confinement of the recessed lumen; FIG. 3C showing isotherms several ns later with the cavitating volume being further elected and cooling significantly.
FIG. 4 is a sectional representation of the working end of FIG. 1 in a vessel lumen showing velocities of ejection of an introduced fluid over a period of milliseconds following an electrical discharge between the first and second electrodes.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the electrical discharge source and pharmacologic agent delivery source of the invention, together with computer-control systems for modulating all parameters of combined electrical discharge and agent delivery to optimize thrombus dissolution.
FIGS. 6A-6D are illustrations that represent the manner of using the micro-catheter of invention to perform the techniques of the invention in dissolving thrombus; FIG. 6A being the working end advancing toward the thrombus; FIG. 6B being the working end after the start of introduction of an electrolytic pharmacologic agent into the working end; FIG. 6C being the working end at about the instant of electrical discharge showing acoustic energy delivery to disintegrate thrombus; FIG. 6D being the working end at ns after FIG. 6C showing the combination of acoustic energy delivery and pharmacologic agent jetting against the thrombus and the technique of “continuously” operating the acoustic and agent delivery systems while advancing the working end through the dissolving thrombus.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 1. Type “A” Embodiment of Micro-Catheter
Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a micro-catheter system 5 having a body diameter of from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm (not limiting) adapted for insertion into and through blood vessels as small as 1 mm for accessing the site of thrombus in circulatory arteries of the brain of a stroke patient. In FIG. 1, the working end 10 of micro-catheter 5 is shown that carries an electrode arrangement with first and second electrodes 12A and 12B for pulsed electrical discharges therebetween.
The electrical discharges are adapted to develop and expand gas bubbles BB that collapse into a cavitating volume CV within ane electrolytic fluid composition EF including a pharmacologic agent AG introduced into the working end. The expansion and collapse of such gas bubbles at a repetition rate creates acoustic waves that propagate distally to disrupt or disintegrate thrombus. (The terms disrupt, disintegrate and fragment in relation to thrombus may be used interchangeably in this disclosure and are defined as meaning the reduction of a thrombus mass into a particulate-sized composition that will flow along with blood through the patient's circulatory system.)
The rapid expansion of such gas bubbles further develops pressure gradients in the cavitating volume of the electrolytic fluid EF to thus project or “jet”the cavitating volume CV at suitable velocities relative to the working end 10 and against and into acoustically-disrupted thrombus.
The catheter body or sleeve 14 is elongate and has any suitable length along centerline 15 (FIG. 1). The catheter body 14 is of any suitable extruded plastic catheter material or other braided or composite material known in the art. FIG. 1 shows first (proximal) electrode indicated at 12A along centerline 15 in distal catheter core 16 that is carried at recessed dimension RD from the distalmost end or perimeter 18 of catheter body 14.
One or more fluid flow passageways 19 are provided through or around core 16 for allowing electrolytic fluid composition EF and pharmacologic agent AG flow therethrough. Catheter core 16, as can be seen in FIG. 1, has a concave-shape 20 facing distally for reasons described below. Second (distal) electrode 12B is shown as extending around the inner portion of walls 22 around the distal portion of the catheter lumen 25, or more particularly, the distal recessed lumen portion indicated at 25A. It should be appreciated that second electrode 12B may comprise one or more separate electrode elements around the distal portion or end of catheter body 14.
Referring still to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the concave-shape indicated at 20 may be of any suitable radius r given the small dimension of recessed lumen portion 25A and of catheter body 14. It should be appreciated that the radius r of concavity (e.g., the concavity may be almost flat or flat) is less important that the fact that concavity 20 is recessed in lumen portion 25A a particular recessed dimension RD which ranges from a maximum of about 10.0 mm to a minimum of about 0.5 mm. More preferably, the recessed dimension RD ranges from a maximum of about 5.0 mm to a minimum of about 1.0 mm.
The recessed core 16 (which carries first electrode 12A) together with recessed lumen 25A are adapted to serve several purposes that are described next, and in additional relevant detail in Section 2 concerning the technique of the invention. The electrical discharge between the first and second electrodes causes several energy “effects,” each of which must be modulated to achieve dissolution of thrombus while at the same time not damaging the endothelium EN or vessel walls 28 (see FIG. 2A).
The energy “effects” resulting from a single electrical discharge, or preferably a sequence of pulsed discharges, in an electrolytic fluid medium in which the working end is immersed are: (i) the electro-mechanical (or hydraulic) effects which result in acoustic waves propagating within intraluminal fluids of a vessel; (ii) electro-thermal effects in the electrolytic fluid; and (iii) cavitation and propagation of fluids at high acceleration rates and fluid flow velocities away from the site of the electrical discharge.
A first purpose for core 16 being recessed dimension RD is to provide means for directing acoustic wave propagation. Referring to FIG. 2A, acoustic waves WV are generated by the expansion and collapse of a gas bubble BB in contact with electrode 12A at the time of an electrical discharge. As will be described below, acoustic waves of a suitable frequency, either pulsed or continuous, can disrupt or fragment thrombus (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,620 to Rosenschien titled “Ablation of Blood Thrombi By Means of Acoustic Energy”).
The extension of recessed lumen portion 25A distally from electrode 12A is adapted to initially confine the expansion and collapse of gas bubbles to the working end. Such confinement within the walls 22 around lumen 25A thus direct all hydraulic forces and acoustive wave forms WV generally axially and distally along axis 15 as indicated in FIG. 2A. In other words, the propagation of such waves within intraluminal fluids (e.g., blood or an introduced fluid) will be generally “along” the vessel walls 28 instead of more directly against the vessel walls.
Such an axial propagation of wave forms WV is important because damage to the endothelium EN or perforation of the vessel wall could result in a life-threatening complication. The “along-the-lumen” acoustic wave propagation that is provided by the working end 10 of the invention is to be contrasted with the prior art ultrasound catheter of FIG. 2B in which the exposed “radiator” may propagate acoustic waves at more direct angles against the vessel walls and thus have a higher probability of damaging the endothelium EN or bursting the vessel wall.
A second purpose for core 16 and first electrode 12A being recessed dimension RD is to provide thermal-effect dissipation means to eliminate the possibility of tissue damage from thermal effects caused by the electrical discharge. It is an objective of the invention to dissolve thrombus without relying on thermal energy being applied to the thrombus itself. For this reason, the extended lumen portion 25A of the above described dimensions is provided to largely confine thermal effects to the introduced electrolytic fluid composition EF (or blood) between electrodes 12A and 12B. Thus, thermal effects will not be in close proximity to the endothelium EN or vessel walls 28.
Referring to FIGS. 3A-3C, representations of isotherms 29a-29c are shown within and around working end 10 in electrolytic fluid EF and indicate temperature levels in the fluid in which the working end 10 is immersed. The views of FIGS. 3A-3C are at various arbitrary nanosecond (ns) intervals after an electrical discharge between electrodes 12A and 12B. The temperature levels within the isotherms 29a-29c are arbitrarily labeled with the darkest shading indicating a “tissue-ablative” temperature range, the medium shading being a temperature range that has “no effect” on tissue.
FIG. 3A represents fluid EF within at the time of an electrical discharge (at time=TZERO) showing the superheating of the electrolyte to about 100° C. in contact with electrode 12A and the formation of a gas or cavitation bubble BB which comprises the highest temperature zone and which would ablate the endothelium EN if in contact with it.
FIG. 3B represents the effect of the discharge a few ns later (at time=T+1a.u. where a.u. is an arbitrary unit of time) at which time the cavitation bubble BB would collapse into a volume of smaller cavitating bubbles (not shown; hereafter cavitating volume CV) with the superheated area expanding and moving away from electrode 12A caused by pressures related to the bubble expansion and collapse.
FIG. 3C represents the effect of the electrical discharge a few ns later (at time=T+2a.u.) wherein the superheated region has moderated in temperature as the cavitating volume CV expands further and is projected distally from the working end of the catheter. Thus, it can be seen in FIG. 3C that the endothelium EN and vessel walls 28 can be protected from thermal effects by confining the electrolytic fluid EF when superheated to recessed lumen portion 25A. By the time that the electrolytic fluid EF is ejected from the lumen portion 25A, it is believed that the dimension RD of lumen 25A will allow for cooling of the cavitating volume to a non-damaging temperature. For this reason, a time-temperature gradient can be developed which will show a dissipation-of-temperature zone indicated at shaded region DT wherein the temperature of the fluid EF would be cooled below the threshold level that would damage tissue.
As will be described below in the technique of the invention, all energy delivery parameters (voltage, current, discharge rate, electrolytic level of fluid, etc.) will be tested in various combinations to place DT zone at a suitable location at or about the distal end 18 of the catheter.
A third purpose for working end core 16 being recessed by dimension RD is to provide fluid-velocity dissipation means for reducing the velocity of fluid jetting from working end 10 to a suitable velocity that will not “cut” tissue. The extended lumen portion 25A is provided as a region of confinement within the device in which the acceleration in propagation of the cavitating volume CV is slowed such that it will not contact the endothelium EN at any particular high velocity that would cut the endothelium.
It should be understood that the velocity of propagation of the cavitating volume CV (including pharmacologic agent AG) relates to (i) the pressure under which the fluid is introduced, and (ii) the expelling forces created by the expansion and collapse of gas bubbles. Further, the jetting velocity of the cavitating volume into the interface of intraluminal fluid (blood) makes somewhat unpredictable the actual distal movement of the cavitating volume CV. In any event, the velocity of propagation of the cavitating volume CV is different from the speed of propagation of acoustic waves WV therein which propagate across the interface between the introduced fluid EF and the pre-existing intraluminal fluids (blood).
The objective of the working end of the present invention is to create a flow velocity in the cavitating volume, which includes the introduced pharmacologic agent AG, to engulf the thrombus instantly after the acoustic waves have struck and disrupted the thrombus. At the same time, the flow velocity must not be so high as to cut tissue. As is well known in field of laser-tissue interactions, such soft tissue cutting occurs when short laser pulses causes the explosive expansion of media absorbing photonic energy in close proximity to tissue, or within fluids in the tissue surface itself, thus creating cavitation within the media or tissue.
In such laser-tissue interactions, any soft tissue proximate to the expansion and collapse of such bubbles will be disrupted or “cut.” A similar cutting process could occur with the fast electrical discharge between electrodes 12A and 12B of the working end 10 disclosed herein if any such tissues were proximate to first electrode 12A. Since the objective of the present invention is to not cut tissue, it is necessary to insure that thrombus T and the vessel walls 28 are maintained at a particular desired distance from the cavitating volume CV and its distal projection at particular velocities.
As shown in FIG. 4, the velocity of propagation VP of the cavitating volume or agent AG is generally indicated by wave forms WV. The distance between wave forms indicates velocity, or the distance traveled per arbitrary unit of time, which diminishes as distance increases from the location of bubble formation at electrode 12A. FIG. 4 thus indicates that initial VP close to electrode 12A will diminish to lesser VP′ just beyond the distalmost end 18 of the catheter. It can be thus understood that electrode 12A and extended lumen portion 25A are provided to insure that tissue is not in close proximity to a cavitating volume CV when it is traveling or jetting distally at initial VP which could cut tissue.
Still, thrombus T contacted by the cavitating volume CV at diminished velocity VP′, in addition to being subjected to acoustic wave forces sufficient to fragment thrombus T, will be engulfed in chemical lysis effect of the pharmacologic agent AG within the cavitating volume CV as described below. For this reason, a time-velocity gradient can be developed to identify a dissipation-of-velocity zone indicated at shaded region DV wherein the velocity of electrolyte or agent jetting would be below the threshold level that would “cut” tissue. The discharge parameters (voltage, current, discharge rate, electrolytic level of fluid, etc.) will be tested in combinations to place DV zone at a suitable distance from the distal end 18 of the catheter.
A fourth purpose for the recessed dimension RD of core 16 is to provide a confinement zone or discharge interaction zone DIZ in which the inner surfaces of walls 22 around recessed lumen portion 25A are adapted to capture the introduced electrolytic fluid EF between electrodes 12A and 12B. By this means of largely capturing the electrolytic fluid EF momentarily before it intermixes with the pre-existing intraluminal fluids, it is possible to accurately predict and model the effects of the electrical discharge since the electrolytic characteristics of the electrolytic fluid EF can be pre-determined. This is to be contrasted with a situation in which no means would be provided for confining a known electrolyte between the electrodes and the discharge would occur in blood or a mixture of blood and introduced fluids, in which case the effects would be unpredictable.
A fifth purpose for working end core 16 being recessed by dimension RD is to provide electrical discharge confinement means for reducing the threshold energy levels required to induce cavitation bubble formation—that is, to increase energy efficiency. It is postulated that the threshold for bubble generation per electrical discharge (and thus acoustic wave propagation) will be in the range of about 1 &mgr;J to 50 &mgr;J which may be significantly less than used in laser-based catheters developed for angioplasty purposes. (As described below, a somewhat broader range of &mgr;J energy delivery is disclosed to perform the technique of the invention.) It is believed that the faces of walls 22 around recessed lumen portion 25A and the capture of the expanding bubble volume will create additional pressures on the bubble formation and thus lower the threshold energy discharge requirement, in contrast to a situation in which no such confinement was provided.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, first proximal electrode 12A is coupled to the distal end of conductive wire or element 30A that extends through lumen 25 of catheter body 14. The recessed catheter core 16 is bonded or molded in place within lumen 25 of the catheter with electrode 12A molded or inset therein. To catheter distal core 16 may be any suitable insulated material such as a plastic or glass-type compound.
First electrode 12A, as can be seen in FIG. 1, has a significantly reduced cross-section portion 33 such that the exposed electrode surface portion 35 that is exposed to a discharge in recessed lumen 25A has a very small diameter d (e.g., ranging in diameter from about 5 microns to 25 microns or equivalent cross-section). The exposed surface area 35 preferably is from about 0.05 mm2 to 0.5 mm2 and thus causes the energy discharge to be focused about a very small surface area within the discharge interaction zone DIZ.
FIG. 1 shows that wire 30A with insulation 36 may be carried loosely and lumen 25 of catheter sleeve 14 making the catheter simple to fabricate. Current-carrying wire 30A may be any suitable conductive material, for example platinum, copper, gold, etc. In FIG. 1, it can further be seen that the medial portion of catheter body 14 has wall portion 44 with current-carrying flat wire 30B embedded therein which extends to second electrode 12B. The thickness of wall 44 may be any suitable dimension.
Wires 30A and 30B may be any diameter from about the 10 to 200 microns in diameter or equivalent cross-section. The axial dimension between first electrode 12A and second electrode 12B ranges between about 0.1 mm and 10.0 mm, along with a lumen cross-section indicated at C in FIG. 1 ranging between 0.2 mm and 2.0 mm in diameter or equivalent cross-section, thus creating a particularly dimensioned discharge interaction zone DIZ.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the catheter system 5 showing electrical discharge source 50 and the electrolytic fluid composition EF and pharmacologic agent AG delivery system 60 that are connected to working end 10 and lumen 25 at a catheter handle portion (not shown) by means known in the art. Typically, the fluid composition EF including agent AG are intermixed to provide a known electrolytic component (i.e., with known resistivity (Ohms/cm.), heat capacity (J/g.), etc.).
The fluid delivery system 60 includes a manual control or preferably is controlled by a computer-controller known in the art and indicated at 65 to release the fluid from a reservoir operatively connected to the catheter handle. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the computer controller 65 coupled to the fluid delivery system 60 allows independent modulation of all elements of electrolytic fluid EF delivery through subsystems, including: (i) the dose of pharmacologic agent AG per volume of fluid EF; (ii) the electrolytic component (current-resisting or sensitizing composition yields resistivity of fluid EF in Ohms/cm.) of the fluid EF; (iii) the particular pressure of flow of fluid EF through the catheter and working end; and (iv) the timing of fluid EF introduction relative to the actuation of a pre-determined sequence of electrical discharges from electrical discharge source 50.
The electrical discharge source 50 of the invention also is shown in FIG. 5 and is based on a thyratron switch 66 that can enable a very fast discharge of capacitor 68. After the thyratron is switched on, and following a very short rise time, an electrical discharge pulse will be generated between first electrode 12A and second electrode 12B that results from the discharge of the capacitances through the electrolytic fluid EF that has flowed into distal lumen portion 25A and in which the discharge interaction zone DIZ is thus immersed.
The electrical discharge source 50 and the wires 30A and 30B will have some capacitance which will result in the voltage at the electrodes 12A and 12B to be somewhat less than the starting voltage at capacitor 66. Still referring to FIG. 5, with the thyratron 66 switched off, the capacitor 68 will charge back to its potential through a second resistor and through the electrolytic fluid in which discharge interaction zone DIZ and working end 10 is still immersed. The electrical discharge source 50 is further coupled to computer controller 65 that may be programmed with suitable software 70 to independently modulate all parameters of energy levels and timing the electrical discharge, including: (i) voltage, current and peak electrical power per pulse; (ii) the length of a discharge pulse; (iii) the profile of energy within each discharge pulse, and (iv) the timing between discharge pulses resulting in a set or variable discharge pulse rate.
FIG. 5 shows that a digital oscilloscope 75 is between electrodes 12A and 12B to register the voltage and current pulses in association with computer controller 65.2. Technique of Use of Type “A” Embodiment of Micro-Catheter
In use, the patient would be prepared in the usual manner and working end 10 of catheter 5 would be introduced to the site of the thrombus T in the blood vessel under any suitable imaging or angiography system. Referring to FIG. 6A, under such imaging, the working end 10 of the catheter would be advanced to within about 10 mm. or less from the location of thrombus T.
Next, referring to FIG. 6B, the controller 65 would be actuated (at time=TZERO) to deliver a predetermined dose of electrolytic fluid EF and pharmacologic agent AG through lumen 25 at pre-selected pressure into recessed lumen portion 25A at the working end 10 of the catheter. The composition of electrolytic fluid EF (e.g., saline solution) and pharmacologic agent AG would have been determined prior to treatment by modeling as described above. The pharmacologic agent AG is selected from a class of suitable thrombolytic agents known in the art, for example, including t-PA, streptokinase and urokinase.
Now referring to FIG. 6C, at a certain time later (ranging from about a ms to 1 second) hereafter identified as an arbitrary unit of time a.u., the electrical discharge source 50 is actuated. FIG. 6B thus represents time=T+1a.u. when a first electrical discharge crosses the gap between first electrode 12A and second electrode 12B which superheats the electrolytic fluid EF in contact with surface area 35 of electrode 12A.
In a matter of nanoseconds or less, the discharge forms a cavitation bubble BB that expands in diameter from a few microns to about 500 microns or the size of the lumen. The expansion of the bubble within recessed lumen portion 25A will develop pressure waives or acoustic waves that will propagate distally within working end 10 and then through intraluminal fluid (e.g., blood) to strike the thrombus T as was illustrated in FIG. 2A). It is believed that the acoustic waves WV will resonate within the thrombus to thus disrupt or disintegrate the thrombus as shown in FIG. 6C. As also is shown in FIG. 6C, the expansion of the bubble BB causes the electrolytic fluid EF and agent AG to be ejected distally from the working end 10.
FIG. 6D at time=T+2a.u. represents the ejection or jetting of fluid EF and agent AG further to engulf the disintegrated or acoustically-disrupted thrombus T. It is believed that agent AG will be ejected distally with the velocity being enhanced by concave surface 20 such that the velocities within lumen 25A will range from about 1 to 25 m/s. As also shown in FIG. 6D, it is postulated that the energy parameters can be modulated to produce cavitation bubbles resulting from the collapse of initial bubble BB, and fluid velocities, that will dissipate entirely at distances ranging from about 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm from the distal end 18 of the catheter which would meet the objective of the invention. Not shown in FIG. 6D are follow-on pulsed electrical discharges that will repeat the process of acoustic wave generation and pharmacologic agent AG jetting.
By this combination technique, it is believed that pressure waves WV against the thrombus T followed by the immersion of remaining thrombus in the cavitating pharmacologic agent AG will dissolve the thrombus T rapidly and efficiently to a particulate dimension that will flow through the patient's blood vessel system. It is believed such a combination technique will offer better thrombolytic results than possible with the use of energy-delivery alone, or the use of pharmacologic agents alone.
The system disclosed herein is adapted to be tested with modulation of all electrical discharge parameters to define the optimal pulse rate for acoustic waves to disrupt thrombus, and the locations of dissipation zones as defined above to control fluid jetting velocities and thermal effects. Modeling suggests that the pulse energy that is optimal for thrombolysis, both for acoustic wave generation and fluid propagation is from about 5 &mgr;J to about 500 &mgr;J at pulse discharge repletion rates from about 1 Hz to 1 kHz. More preferably, the discharge repletion rates range from about 10 Hz to 500 Hz. Still more preferably, the discharge repetition rates range from about 50 Hz to 100 Hz.
It should be appreciated that slight variations in the technique are intended to fall within the scope of the invention, such as introducing the electrolytic fluid and pharmacologic agent AG under pressure from 1 to 30 seconds before actuating the electrical discharge to thus develop thrombolytic effects in advance of the acoustic wave propagation.
Any sequence of such agent thrombolysis and electroacoustic waves are intended to fall within the scope of the inventive technique. While the invention is particularly adapted for small diameter circulatory arteries in the brain, it should be appreciated that the catheter may be used to dissolve thrombus in any part of the patient's circulatory system.3. Type “B” Embodiment of Micro-Catheter
It should be appreciated that the thermal effect dissipation means and agent velocity dissipation means of present invention described above may be adapted for use with other energy delivery means, for example a laser source. The Type “B” embodiment would have a working end (not shown) that has all the similar dimensions as the Type “A”embodiment except that a laser source is provided to pump photonic energy along an optical fiber to recessed portion 25A. (see FIG. 1).
The photonic energy will then be absorbed by the introduced fluid EF which may be seeded with a suitable chromophore as is known in the art. Any suitable laser wavelength from about 100 nm to 3.0 &mgr;m may be used at repetition rates from 1 Hz to 50 kHz with energy densities from 0.1 to 5.0 J/cm2, with the preferred wavelength being in the infrared portion of the spectrum that is absorbed in water in the seed fluid.4. Type “C” Embodiment of Micro-Catheter
The Type “C” embodiment would have a working end (not shown) that has all the similar dimensions as the Type “A” embodiment except that both an electrical discharge source and the Type “B” laser source would be provided to deliver thermal energy to the working end discharge zone DIZ within recessed portion 25A. (see FIG. 1).
The electrical discharge energy and photonic energy will then be absorbed by the introduced fluid EF which may be seeded and it is believed that such combination of electrical discharge and laser pulses, since delivering thermal effects by entirely different means, will allow very repetition rates, for example from 1 kHz to 100 kHz with very small energy densities from 0.1 to 1.0 J/cm2 which may prove to be useful parameters for some dissolving some thrombi.
Such use of combination electrical discharge and photonic energy was first disclosed by the inventor in the following United States patent applications: Ser. No. 09/049,711, filed Mar. 27, 1998 titled “Ionothermal Delivery System and Technique for Medical Procedures”; Serial No. 60/080,248, filed Apr. 1, 1998 titled “Ionothermal System and Technique for Refractive Procedures”; and Serial No. 60/080,244, filed Apr. 1, 1998 titled “Ionothermal System and Technique for Dermal Treatment”.
It should be appreciated that slight variations in the technique are intended to fall within the scope of the invention, such as introducing the electrolytic fluid and pharmacologic agent AG under pressure from 1 to 30 seconds before actuating the electrical discharge to thus develop thrombolytic effects in advance of the acoustic wave propagation. Any sequence of such agent thrombolysis and electroacoustic waves are intended to fall within the scope of the inventive technique. While the invention is particularly adapted for small diameter circulatory arteries in the brain, it should be appreciated that the catheter may be used to dissolve thrombus in any part of the patient's circulatory system.
It should be appreciated that catheter wall 44 may be provided with a lumen or other means known in the art for over-the-wire introduction of the working end 10 when a guidewire is used. Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, it will be understood that this description is merely for purposes of illustration.
Specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, and this is for convenience only and any feature may be combined with another in accordance with the invention. Further variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art in light of this disclosure and are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.
1. A method for applying energy to endovascular media, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing apparatus comprising an electrical discharge source and a catheter having a working surface with a longitudinal open-ended channel therein that carries first and second spaced apart interior electrodes, the first and second electrodes coupled to the electrical discharge source;
- (b) introducing the working surface of the catheter to a position proximate the targeted media;
- (c) introducing a fluid having a specified electrical resistivity to the channel, thereby defining an interface of the working surface and the targeted media; and
- (d) establishing an intense electrical field across the fluid between the first and second electrodes thereby vaporizing the fluid to cause delivery of energy across the interface to the targeted media.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (c) and (d) are repeated at repetition rate ranging from 1 Hz to 1 kHz.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vaporization creates pressure gradients that project the fluid in high velocity flows from the working surface.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the fluid carries a pharmacological agent that is projected into the targeted media.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the projected fluid is elevated in temperature thereby delivering thermal energy to the targeted media.
6. The method of claim 3 wherein the projected fluid carries a pharmacological agent thereby delivering chemical energy to the targeted media.
7. The method of claim 3 wherein the pressure gradient delivers acoustic energy to the targeted media.
8. A medical instrument for application of energy to body structure of a patient, comprising:
- an instrument having a proximal handle end and a working end for positioning proximate to a targeted body structure thereby defining an energy-delivery interface between the working end and the body structure;
- at least one bore in the working end terminating in a media entrance port in a working end surface, a proximal portion of the at least one bore fluidly coupled to a remote fluid media inflow source; and
- a thermal energy emitter carried at an interior portion of the at least one bore for causing vaporization of fluid media within the at least one bore to thereby cause high pressure gradients within the at least one bore to project high velocity flows of fluid media artifacts across the energy-delivery interface into the body structure.
9. The instrument of claim 8 further comprising a remote energy source and controller that delivers energy in intervals for causing the high pressure gradients.
10. The instrument of claim 9 wherein the energy delivery intervals range from about 1 Hz to 1 kHz.
11. The instrument of claim 8 wherein thermal energy emitter comprises at least one electrode coupled to an electrical source.
12. The instrument of claim 8 wherein thermal energy emitter comprises the terminal end of a light channel coupled to a light source.
13. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the artifact comprises a pharmacological agent.
14. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the artifact comprises an electrically resistive or sensative composition.
15. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the artifact comprises a chromophore.
16. A medical instrument for application of energy to a surface of structure with a patient's body, comprising:
- an instrument having a proximal handle end and a working end for positioning proximate to a targeted body structure thereby defining an energy-delivery interface between the working end and the body structure;
- a channel in the working end fluidly coupled to a remote fluid media inflow source;
- a thermal energy emitter carried at an interior portion of the channel coupled to a remote energy source; and
- an energy source and controller that delivers energy pulses to the emitter having a selected fluence, pulse duration and repetition rate that vaporizes fluid media proximate to the emitter thereby creating very high fluid pressures in the channel to cause high velocity projection of fluid media artifacts from the working end into the body structure.
17. The instrument of claim 16 wherein thermal energy emitter comprises at least one electrode coupled to an electrical source.
18. The instrument of claim 16 wherein thermal energy emitter comprises the terminal end of a light channel coupled to a light source.
19. The instrument of claim 18 wherein the light source emits a wavelength ranging between about 100 nanometers and 3.0 micrometers.
20. A method for applying energy to a targeted structure of a patient's body, comprising the steps of:
- providing apparatus comprising a thermal energy emitter in the interior of an open-ended channel in an instrument working end surface, the emitter coupled to a remote energy source and controller;
- introducing the working end surface of the apparatus to a position proximate the targeted structure;
- introducing a fluid having a specified heat capacity into the open-ended channel, thereby defining an interface of the working end surface and the targeted structure; and
- delivering energy pulses having a selected fluence, duration and repetition rate to fluid media captured proximate to the emitter to vaporize the fluid thereby creating fluid pressures in the channel that project fluid media artifacts across the interface carried by high velocity fluid media flows from the working end surface.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising delivering the energy pulses at a specified rate.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein the artifacts carried by the fluid media flows comprises a pharmacological agent.
23. The method of claim 20 wherein the high velocity fluid media flow is elevated in temperature thereby applying thermal energy to the targeted structure.
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Filed: Feb 12, 2001
Date of Patent: Jan 21, 2003
Patent Publication Number: 20010037106
Inventor: John H. Shadduck (Tiburon, CA)
Primary Examiner: Linda C. M. Dvorak
Assistant Examiner: David M. Ruddy
Attorney, Agent or Law Firms: Fish & Neave, Nicola A. Pisano
Application Number: 09/782,649

domain: physics


text:
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta is a beautiful church in Positano, famous for the 12th century Byzantine icon known as the Madonna di Positano. SHORT HISTORY The history of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta is linked to that of the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Maria, which according to tradition was built in the 12th century, on the occasion of the arrival in Positano of the Byzantine icon of the Madonna. However, the monastery was founded earlier, in the second half of the 10th century, and was mentioned for the first time in a manuscript dated back to the end of the 11th century. The monastery was renowed until the middle of the 15th century, when the monks, perhaps frightened by the raids of the pirates from Cilento, abandoned it. After a few years, the church was entrusted to the commendatory abbot Nicola Miroballi, later elected archbishop of Amalfi. With some exceptions, the period of the commendatory abbots was disastrous for the church. The architectural traces of the monastery were gradually lost, while the church deteriorated profoundly. In the early years of the 17th century, the church was subjected to a reconstruction comissioned by the abbot Pirro Giovanni Read more [...]
Italy has many churches, and all of them are beautiful and full of spectacular works of art. The main church of the city is referred as Il Duomo, but you will find churches that are named Basilica, Chiesa or Cattedrale, depending on their size and importance. Discover below one of the most important churches in Campania.
Basilica of San Francesco di Paola is an impressive church in Piazza del Plebiscito, in Naples, one of the most important examples of neoclassical architecture in Italy. SHORT HISTORY Joachim Murat, Napoleon’s brother-in-law through marriage to his younger sister, Caroline Bonaparte, and King of Naples from 1808 to 1815, started a project of urban renewal of the city during his reign. This affected the suburban area, which later became Piazza del Plebiscito, home to numerous convents and gardens, as well as a place frequented by criminals. The French general ordered the demolition of the buildings and the construction of a square that was supposed to take the name of Foro Gioacchino. The works began in 1809, but were never completed due to the ousting of Joachim Murat from Naples and the restoration of the Bourbon crown. Back to the throne, Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies decided to build a church in the square, and the competition was won by the architect Pietro Bianchi, who had partly rediscovered the old project of Murat. Domenico Barbaia became responsible for building the church and the first stone was laid on 17 June 1816. The facade was finished in 1824, the interior Read more [...]


|Mr. Kevin P. Clark||President, Chairman & CEO||3.85M||N/A||1962|
|Mr. Joseph R. Massaro||Senior VP of Business Operations & CFO||2.75M||N/A||1970|
|Mr. William T. Presley||Senior VP, COO, and President of Signal & Power Solutions||1.7M||N/A||1970|
|Mr. Benjamin Lyon||Senior VP & CTO||4.81M||N/A||1980|
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|Mr. Allan J. Brazier||VP & Chief Accounting Officer||N/A||N/A||1967|
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|Ms. Katherine Hargrove Ramundo||Senior VP, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer & Secretary||1.34M||N/A||1968|
|Ms. Lisa Scalzo||Senior VP & Chief Communications Officer||N/A||N/A||N/A|
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