Author: Serkadis

Just received my latest copy of Infectious Disease News, that large glossy review magazine* that arrives approximately monthly in my mailbox.

As usual, I turned right to Dr. Theodore C. Eickhoff’s always-thoughtful editorial, this month entitled “Reflections on the 47th IDSA Meeting.”  He writes:

It was a much more “user-friendly” number of attendees, in contrast to the almost 15,000 people that attended the joint meeting last year. I heard absolutely no one express a desire to have another joint IDSA-ICAAC meeting.

I can see his point — the combined meeting in Washington last year drew over 15,000 participants, and at times was just too gargantuan to manage.

But if I could for a moment be the lone voice arguing for a joint meeting, here’s my pitch:  Last year, tons of people  in ID went to ICAAC-IDSA, even people who rarely go to either meeting.  This year, not so much — which might explain the “somewhat muted and subdued” tone Eickhoff found at IDSA this year in Philadelphia.

Either that or what the Yankees were doing against the Phillies.

(*Don’t call it a “throwaway!”)

Online illegal file-sharing is always a hot topic and the big media companies are doing their best to keep it in the spotlight. But for all their talk of protecting their business and the artists’ rights, their anti-piracy fight boils down to what can only be described as a form of extortion. And after the practice proved rather profitable in the US, if not actually making a noticeable dent in illegal file-sharing, it was time to conquer new markets so they’re moving to the UK.

Some 15,000 ‘pirates’ are about to be sent letters informing them of the legal consequences of their alleged wrong-doing. Hard times await the recipients of these letters with lengthy lawsuits and hefty fines. Fortunately the media companies have a softer side and are offering a simple solution to all of the problems, just pay a few hundred pounds and the whole issue is resolved. Unsurprisingly, most people choose to settle rather than go through the whole painful process.

The BBC has a lengthy piece on the subject and does a good job at explaining how the whole system works. In this particular case two German companies DigiProtect and MediaCat, which represent various copyright holders including adult content publishers, hired ACS: Law to make sure illegal file sharers get what’s coming to them. The law firm won a major victory rec… (read more)

Spam is one of the biggest problems with the web at the moment and, despite countless efforts and measures, it’s unlikely to go away any time soon. Google has several way of countering spam, be it in Gmail or in the web at large, which it claims are pretty good at making these methods pretty useless, though, this doesn’t seem to faze most spammers. In a recent blog post, it’s focusing on comment spam, specifically on what it does to tackle the problem and what webmasters can do to prevent them. It’s not exactly groundbreaking, but there are a couple of useful tips in there.

Google starts off by appealing to the spammer’s conscience with things like: “abusing comment fields of innocent sites is a bad and risky way of getting links to your site.” There’s nothing wrong with that sentence, in fact, it’s entirely true. But the morality of the thing insn’t likely to stop anyone from doing it. Google also tries to make the case that original content is the way to go and that a little patience and a lot of hard work will pay off with nice, clean and natural ranking.

This is all great if you’re talking to a five-year old, but the “do the right thing” and “work hard and one day …” arguments are perhaps lost on the people Google is trying to reach. Fortunately, Googl… (read more)

Philip Robinson writes on various subjects and one of his health related websites is about Portable Oxygen Machines. For more information on supplemental oxygen resources visit http://www.portableoxygenmachines.net.

Google got most of the attention this week for its recently unveiled Chrome OS so the Wave team figured it was time for a little update as well. They’re not actually announcing anything but they are revealing the results of a survey they’ve carried out to find out what people liked or disliked about Google Wave. And with most of the tech world unimpressed with Google’s efforts, it would be interesting to know what the actual users think.

“Since we can’t talk to all of our users individually (no matter how hard we try!), we’ve been running an online survey to get some feedback on the Google Wave experience. We distributed the survey through email (to a random sample of those that volunteered to help), a link in our help center and a tweet. While this may not be a completely representative sample of all Google Wave users, the results have been interesting to us, and we’d like to share them,” Aaron Cheang, User Experience researcher for Google Wave, wrote.

The results aren’t as useful as they could have been, but there are a couple of interesting nuggets in there. When asked what they liked the most about Google Wave, the majority of users said they liked the idea of the wave as the center of all their communications. The interesting thing is that they didn’t say they liked they way Google had implemented it but rather the concept itself. This is v… (read more)

It’s no secret that fans all over are clamoring for a remake of Ocarina of Time. Some would want to see it on the Wii, others on the DS. Let’s see wh…

Enough with the teaser trailers. Square Enix is out to get going on spreading the word even faster and wider about Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, PS3)….

Papaya is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, but how many calories does it have?

One medium papaya has about 119 calories, 0 grams of fat, and 313% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.

One cup of raw papaya cubes has about 55 calories and 144% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.

New multiplayer footage has been unearthed for Sega’s Aliens vs. Predators multiplatformer. Senior Producer Dave Brickley leads the walkthrough, and y…

Metrohm is proud to announce that the 862 Titrosampler has been awarded the 2009 Silver Design Award by Instrument Business Outlook (IBO), a Los Angeles-based periodical dedicated to providing strategic information for the analytical and life science instrument industry.

«The design of the 862’s base sets it apart from other automated titration systems», IBO states, and continues «Building a titrator into the autosampler allowed for a compact footprint while leaving it accessible and open».

The 862 Compact Titrosampler accommodates 12 sample beakers and allows various determinations to be carried out fully automatically, including cleaning and conditioning the electrode between the determinations. The system features a large display, which allows the status of sample series to be followed via live titration curve. Sample series can be interrupted at any time to determine samples with higher priority. The 862 Compact Titrosampler can be operated by mouse click; various dialog options are available to adapt the instrument to the particular user
.
The IBO Design Award is a strong confirmation of Metrohm’s leading position in the market and their ability to combine cutting-edge technology with outstanding design.

NEW HINOWA TRACKED AERIAL PLATFORM
GOLDLIFT 14.70 BATTERY

Hinowa S.p.A is proud to launch the first battery-powered tracked aerial platform world wide.
The battery-technologies have been applied to the GOLDLIFT 14.70.
The main characteristic is that – instead of a thermic engine – it is fitted with a 48 V electric engine with alternate current of 2000 Watt, supplied by a battery pack.

For the battery pack it has been decided to use the lithium technology realizing the first aerial platform world wide with lithium-ion batteries.

The lithium-ion technology derives offers different advantages compared with classic lead acid batteries:
•Weight reduction: maintaining the same performances, the weight of these batteries is just about 1/3 of the traditional ones. Thanks to this it was possible to keep reduced the weight, one of the main features of the Hinowa aerial platforms.
•No memory effect: this means that it is possible to recharge the batteries as much as one likes without running the risk of damages if the batteries are not completely empty when charging.
•Average life of batteries about THREE times longer than traditional batteries.
•Recharging time about HALF of the time needed for recharging traditional lead acid batteries.
Furthermore there is a battery loader on board.

Another benefit of the new battery-powered tracked aerial platform is the complete elimination of any acoustic emissions and exhaust gases protecting in this way the environment and the operator’s health preserving the well-known performances which have been decisive for the success of the Hinowa spiders, that’s to say:
1) Lightness
2) Reduced dimensions
3) On tracks

Also, thanks to the supply by battery, there are no more obligations to work close to a socket in order to be able to plug in the electrical cable that could create inconveniences during positioning operations of the aerial platform.

The new Hinowa tracked aerial platform GOLDLIFT 14.70 BATTERY will achieve widespread success, first of all in the following application fields:
• Airports,Hotels,Shopping centres, Hospitals, Museums, Government buildings, Schools, Universities, etc.

The realisation of this first battery-powered tracked aerial platform world wide GOLDLIFT 14.70 BATTERY demonstrates once again that Hinowa is abreast of the times and anticipator of future technologies.

The exact dosage of cleaning agent is decisive for economy and the cleaning effect when it comes to wet cleaning. That is why Hako now also offers an on-board dosage system for the smaller scrubber-drier machines of the Hakomatic range.
The solution has already proven itself for a long time in the large Hakomatic B 1100 and Hakomatic 1800.

The on-board dosage system consists of a controlled pump, with which the output / flow rate of the cleaning agent is carried out, depending on the water supply. The system can also be used in machines without a water pump. Thereby the concentration is infinitely adjustable from 0.1 % to 1.0 % and always remains constant, even if the operator increases or reduces the water supply. Thus incorrect dosage (over dosage or low dosage) can be prevented.

The cleaning agent is carried in a 2 litre container.
With the cleaning agent recommended by Hako “Hako Cleanol-SE ECO”, which can be used in a concentration of 1:700. Using a Hakomatic B 70, for example, it is possible to achieve a range of 20 tank fillings. However all other cleaning agents suitable for use in machines can also be used.

The dosage system pays off immediately for several reasons:
On the one hand the exact dosage ensures the best possible cleaning result. In addition with the dosage system cleaning agent can be saved because over dosage can be avoided reliably.

That makes it easy on the purse and at the same time protects the environment; no unnecessary pressure is put upon materials and sewage due to cleaning chemicals. Furthermore e.g. Cleanol-SE ECO is already available filled in a 2 litre can – as a result valuable working time is saved, as the tiresome transferral and filling of cleaning chemicals on the spot is no longer necessary.

The new on-board dosage system is available for the manually operated Hakomatic B 30 to B 120 as well as for the ride-on machines Hakomatic B 650 R, B 750 R and B 910.

TRIAC BT is the innovative, high-quality indoor handheld device for apparatus construction. In this way, Leister can meet all expectations which a discriminating expert expects in regard to functionality and design. Weighing only one kilogram, the TRIAC BT is the most lightweight device in its class, allowing it to lie comfortably in the hand. Soft sections on the two-component handle also ensure a firm hold. A rotary switch is located at the front in the turbine housing. This enables easy adjustment of the temperature during the welding process. The rotary switch also has a safety function: After an interruption to the power supply, it lights up, thereby signalling to the user that the heating unit has been switched off. This way, fires can be prevented. The precision nozzle, a new feature integrated in this advanced development, is also practical. The TRIAC BT is supplied as three different kits, for plastic fabrication, flooring or billboards. The sturdy tool box contains everything a professional requires: Besides two speed welding nozzles (plastic fabrication and flooring), pressure roller (billboards) and a spare part heating element, there is also enough space for other accessories.

Carrying case for TRIAC PID and S
The established handheld devices TRIAC PID and TRIAC S are now provided in a sturdy, lockable carrying case made from plastic. This can also be ordered subsequently for existing devices.

IDE continues to widen its range of metallic products by launching the new METALLIC REGISTERS FOR NICHES.

These registers are ready for installation in construction and pre-fabricated niches intended to house general protection casings as well as general protection and measuring casings.

The registers have been designed to specifications set out in the REBT (Reglamento Electrotécnico de Baja Tensión – Low-Voltage Electro-Technical Regulations) in its standard ICT-BT-13. The various versions have been adapted to the standards and specifications unique to Electricity Distribution Companies.

The wide variety of models means that the range can be used by the following Electricity Distribution companies:

• SEVILLANA ENDESA
• FECSA ENDESA
• UNIÓN FENOSA
• HIDROCANTÁBRICO
• VIESGO
• IBERDROLA NORTE – OESTE-CENTRO Y LEVANTE

Security, versatility, and a wide of models – that is IDE’s offering, which covers the sector’s requirements.

Thanks to its ground tooth geometry, this high-performance band saw blade achieves a great improvement in cutting performance, teamed with an absolutely smooth cutting area at a low noise level.

High cost-effectiveness and maximum precision are guaranteed with Dynamic Plus. Dynamic Plus is perfectly suited for:

hard materials that are not easily machinable, steels with a high tensile strength, rust and acid-resistant steels, nickel-based alloys (e.g. Inconel, Hastelloy, Nimonic).

The Hafner pump production run offers a great range of hose pumps for the application in the industry and laboratory.
Depending on the particular viscosity of the media the pumping up to 6000 mPas is possible. Soft solids up to a size of 2mm are no problem and media with the temperature of -5°C to +70°C can be pumped and dosed. The output volume is
0,5l/m to 5l/min.
The pump consists of high-strength aluminium and its coating is suitable for use in food. The castors are made in stainless steel and habe foler bearings- so they are much more durable then plastc versions. Thanks to the steel version also very robust hoses can be compressed.
Due to the modular ancillary transmission even very small amounts can be dosed with an accuracy of 1%. The pumps are ATEX-certified and FDA and TA-Air compliant.
The pumpe head can be adapted to the customers need via the multi-channel version. This can also be done subsequently and in an uncomplicated way. The space-saving pumps are easily to clean and the hose can quickly be changed.

A new series of strong industrial cases due to a double-walled construction, made from Polypropylene. This modern case series
can be personalized with coloured catches, handles or with a printing on a plane surface of the lid.

The interior can be easily supplied with customized foam inserts or integrated blow moulded inserts. This professional and sustainable solution
with an integrated blow moulded insert can be more economic from a certain amount of cases on and can be cleaned easily.

Available in 8 sizes (from 420x280x70 mm to 513x360x161 mm) in black or grey colour (customized colours on request), with opening to
180 ° or 105 ° (with lid stays).

A leading manufacturer of high technology cutting tools for the woodworking and furniture industry has recently equipped its Northern service centre with a Formula 1400 blast system from specialist finishing equipment manufacturer Guyson International.

Tony Harvey, Director of Service for Leuco says that “in the couple of months we have had the machine, the Formula 1400 has proved to be the ideal choice. It is more than capable of dealing with the wide variety of component sizes and yet it doesn’t take up too much space”.

The service centre has to deal with a wide mixture of cutting tools including TCT and diamond tipped routers, saw blades, drills and hoggers that it takes in on a regular basis for clean up and service. The components are blasted clean in the Formula blast cabinet with glass bead to remove the build up of saps, resins and pitch that can accumulate on the cutting blade surfaces and build up on the cutting tips. “The Guyson cabinet cleans these off effortlessly in a matter of minutes”, says Tony. “Time is very critical as we offer a fast turnaround service”.

The Guyson Formula 1400 is as an entry-level blast system for light industrial applications or when blasting is required on an intermittent basis. A foot operated blast gun leaves both hands free for excellent component manipulation and the system also comes complete with an efficient dust collector, making these cabinets ideal for workshops, garages and maintenance departments.

Guyson offer a free component trial service to prove the process with no obligation to buy. To contact Guyson International, call on +44 (0)1756 799911, fax +44 (0)1756 790213, or email [email protected].

October has been another exciting month for GSF, for more information on our new product ranges and the first anniversary of gsf-promount, visit our newsletter via the link below.

It’s almost a year to the day that Promount, the fast lock-instant release tool mounting system , was first launched into the UK by GSF. We take a look back and see how the industry has taken this tool mounting system and consider the implications for its use across the applications it operates under.

As one of the latest products to be introduced by GSF the Push-button Slam-Lock is a double handled push button mechanism that locks draws instantaneously.

Due to the new launch of our push button slam locks we thought we’d promote the new line by running an offer to all our customers. For more details call our UK Sales Director Tony Macis on 07971 920 233.

Kind Regards

Matthew Grantham
Site Manager

For more information on the new drawer front product or if you have any other queries please call GSF on +44 (0)1691 770303, email [email protected] or visit

www.gsfslides.com/www.gsf-promounts.com