Designing the optical interface of a transcutaneous optical telemetry link

Optical telemetry has long been an option for transcutaneous data transfer and has been used in various types of implanted systems. This telemetry modality and the efficiency of these optical links are becoming ever more important as higher bandwidth sources such as cortical recording arrays are being implemented in implanted systems. The design of the transmitter-skin-receiver interface (the "optical interface") is paramount to the operation of a transcutaneous optical telemetry link. This interface functions to achieve sufficient receiver signal power for data communication. This paper describes a mathematical analysis and supporting data that quantitatively describes the relationship between the primary interface design parameters. These parameters include the thickness of the skin through which the light is transmitted, the size of the integration area of the optics, the degree of transmitter-receiver misalignment, the efficiency of the optics system, and the emitter power. The particular combination of these parameters chosen for the hardware device will determine the receiver signal power and, therefore, the data quality for the link. This paper demonstrates some of the tradeoffs involved in the selection of these design parameters and provides suggestions for link design. This analysis may also be useful for transcutaneous optical powering systems.     

Exploiting the Catalytic Diversity of Short‐Chain Dehydrogenases/Reductases: Versatile Enzymes from Plants with Extended Imine Substrate Scope

Numerous short‐chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDRs) have found biocatalytic applications in C=O and C=C (enone) reduction. For NADPH‐dependent C=N reduction, imine reductases (IREDs) have primarily been investigated for extension of the substrate range. Here, we show that SDRs are also suitable for a broad range of imine reductions. The SDR noroxomaritidine reductase (NR) is involved in Amaryllidaceae alkaloid biosynthesis, serving as an enone reductase. We have characterized NR by using a set of typical imine substrates and established that the enzyme is active with all four tested imine compounds (up to 99 % conversion, up to 92 % ee). Remarkably, NR reduced two keto compounds as well, thus highlighting this enzyme family's versatility. Using NR as a template, we have identified an as yet unexplored SDR from the Amaryllidacea Zephyranthes treatiae with imine‐reducing activity (≤95 % ee). Our results encourage the future characterization of SDR family members as a means of discovering new imine‐reducing enzymes.     

Cottonseed protein-based wood adhesive reinforced with nanocellulose

Although protein-based adhesives are eco-friendly, sustainable, and biodegradable, continued improvement in their adhesive performance is desirable. In this work, the effect of adding nanocellulose particles to cottonseed protein-based wood adhesives was studied. Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) were found to be most beneficial at about a 2% additive level, giving 22% improvement in dry adhesive strength over the cottonseed protein control. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were optimal at about 10% additive level, giving 16% strength improvement relative to cottonseed protein alone. The hot water resistance of cottonseed protein isolate was also improved with CNF addition, but not with CNC addition. For comparison, soy protein isolate was also studied and showed about the same relative dry strength improvements with nanocellulose addition, but improvement of hot water resistance was less apparent. Infrared and thermogravimetric analysis suggested that the protein and the nanocellulose were interacting with each other. Thus, CNF may be a useful additive to cottonseed protein formulations used as wood adhesives.     

Tri-state myoelectric control of bilateral upper extremity neuroprostheses for tetraplegic individuals

For the purpose of bimanual control of tetraplegic hands that have useful movement restored by a neuroprosthetic device, the use of myoelectric signals from bilateral sternoclei-domastoid muscles is proposed. Three state control has been proposed where each sternocleidomastoid controls its ipsilateral hand. Demonstration was made with spinal-cord-injured and nonspinal-cord-injured subjects providing three levels of activation that can be repeatably made with each of these muscles. The agonist and antagonist sternocleidomastoids during this command control were differentiated so that the desired hand will respond to a command. Neither normal head movements nor head position within its comfortable range of motion were shown to interfere with the proposed command. The provision of feedback was shown as important to provide robustness in the operation for the users selection of the right or left hand. The performance of spinal cord injured and noninjured persons using this controller was quantitatively measured through the completion of precision tracking tasks by the manipulation of on-screen virtual hands. All subjects were able to operate the controller with a degree of skill acceptable for completion of functional tasks with bilateral stimulated hand grasps. The sensitivity of the subjects performance to variation in controller parameters was also measured.     

Psychologists' Attitudes and Therapeutic Approaches Toward Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues Continue To Improve: An Update.

Psychologists' attitudes and approaches toward the gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) lifestyle continue to change, on the basis of results from 437 responding members of the American Psychological Association. Psychologists are more likely to view an active GLB lifestyle-identity as acceptable and non-pathological, more likely to support and provide gay-affirmative therapy, and much less likely to support changing sexual orientation through psychotherapy. Female psychologists are significantly more likely to view a GLB lifestyle as accepting and to provide gay-affirmative therapy to GLB clients compared with their male counterparts. Finally, training opportunities for psychologists involving GLB issues appear to be increasing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The contribution of parental discipline, parental monitoring, and school risk to early-onset conduct problems in African American boys and girls.

The association of parental discipline and monitoring with the early conduct problems of 123 boys and girls was assessed in a highly disadvantaged, African American sample. Prospective analyses indicated that, after earlier conduct problems were controlled for, coercive parent discipline and poor parental monitoring at age 4? were independent, reliable predictors of age 6 conduct problems for both boys and girls. The association of parental monitoring with later child conduct problems was mediated, in part, by parents' choice of higher risk schools for their children's kindergarten education. The association of family income with child conduct problems was mediated by parental discipline and monitoring. These models are consistent with previous research on older, European American, more advantaged, male samples, which supports the generality of the association of family processes with child conduct problems across child gender, age, and ethnicity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A planner and scheduler for semiconductor manufacturing

The Microelectronics Manufacturing Science & Technology ((MMST) project includes two closely related CIM subsystems for planning and scheduling wafer production. The MMST Planner plans all work release into a factory so as to meet stated goals, and predicts work completion dates. The MMST Scheduler operates in real-time to determine the sequence of lot movements and machine loadings that will be performed on the fab floor. Both the Planner and the Scheduler continually maintain plans which are up to date with the factory status by incrementally replanning for unexpected events. The MMST Planner can be used as a decision support tool to rapidly analyze the consequences of various manufacturing decisions. Planning is performed using a modified beam search algorithm, and is based on a time-phased capacity model of the factory. Fuzzy arithmetic is used to model the uncertainty inherent in cycle time data. The MMST Planner is fully distributed, allowing simultaneous users in different parts of the factory. The MMST Scheduler uses a heuristic method called Score Tables to develop schedules of future events. The Scheduler evaluates event prerequisites to determine when to initiate lot transfers and machine loadings, and responds to any failures of execution     

Fatty acid components of fried foods and fats used for frying

Oxidation of fat is accelerated at temp as high as those used for frying. The extent of this oxida-tion has been studied by frying two kinds of foods (chicken or potatoes) in cottonseed oil and in lard. Fat samples, taken prior to use and follow-ing 5 and 10 hr of frying (both for chicken and potatoes) were esterified. Subsequent quantita-tive assays of methyl esters by gas chromatogra-phy showed that the linoleic acid content had decreased from 57-49% after cottonseed oil had been used 10 hr for frying. This decrease was present regardless of whether chicken or potatoes were fried. There was no change in the linoleic acid content of lard after chicken was fried, but a decrease from 11.3-5.8% was noted when pota-toes were fried for 10 hr. The fatty acid content of the fat extracted from the potatoes and the fat used to fry them, was the same when sampled at 5 hr. However, at the end of the 10-hr frying period, fat ex-tracted from the potatoes had a lower linoleic acid content than fat used to fry them. Results were the same for both cottonseed oil and lard. Fatty acid components of the fat extracted from the chicken seemed to be affected as much by the fatty acid composition of the chicken itself as by fat used for frying. Whether the chicken was cooked in fat used 5 or 10 hr made little differ-ence. Journal Paper No. 1130, Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station. A portion of the work in this paper is taken from a thesis sub-mitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Sci-ence degree at Mississippi State University in January, 1963.     

Shed mediastinal blood transfusion after cardiac operations: a cost-effectiveness analysis

BACKGROUND: Cardiac surgical patients consume a significant fraction of the annual volume of allogeneic blood transfused. Scavenged autologous blood may serve as a cost-effective means of conserving donated blood and avoiding transfusion-related complications. METHODS: This study examines 834 patients after cardiac operations at the University of Alabama Hospital. Data were collected on patients receiving unwashed, filtered, autologous transfusions from shed mediastinal drainage and those receiving allogeneic transfusions. The data were incorporated into clinical decision models; confidence intervals for parameters were estimated by bootstrapping sample statistics. Costs were estimated for transfusing both allogeneic and autologous blood. RESULTS: The study found a 54% reduction in transfusion risk or a mean reduction of 1.41 allogeneic units per case (95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 1.79 units). The process saved between $49 and $62 per case. CONCLUSIONS: The use of autologous blood has the potential to significantly reduce the costs and risks associated with transfusing allogeneic blood after cardiac operations.