<Emphasis Type="Italic">HumanPT</Emphasis>: An Open-source,HumanPT Architecture-based,Robotic Application for Low Cost Robotic Tasks

In this paper, first HumanPT architecture for low cost robotic applications is presented. HumanPT architecture differs than other architectures because it is implemented on existing robotic systems (robot  robotic controller) and exploits the minimum communication facilities for real-time control that these systems provide. It is based on well-known communication methods like serial communication (USB, RS232, IEEE-1394) and windows sockets (server–client model) and permits an important number of different type of components like actuators, sensors and particularly vision systems to be connected in a robotic system. The operating system (OS) used is Microsoft Windows, the most widely spread OS. The proposed architecture exploits features of this OS that is not a real-time one, to ensure – in case that the robotic system provide such a facility – control and real time communication with the robotic system controller and to integrate by means of sensors and actuators an important number of robotic tasks and procedures. As implementation of this architecture, HumanPT robotic application and experimental results concerning its performance and its implementation in real tasks are provided. HumanPT robotic application, developed in Visual C++, is an integrated, but simultaneously an open-source software that can be adapted in different types of robotic systems. An important number of robotic tasks or procedures including sensors and particularly vision systems can be generated and executed. Small enterprises by means of the proposed architecture and the open source software can be automated at low cost enhancing in this way their production.     

Enhancing self-scheduling algorithms via synchronization and weighting

Existing dynamic self-scheduling algorithms, used to schedule independent tasks on heterogeneous clusters, cannot handle tasks with dependencies because they lack the support for internode communication. To compensate for this deficiency we introduce a synchronization mechanism that provides inter-processor communication, thus, enabling self-scheduling algorithms to handle efficiently nested loops with dependencies. We also present a weighting mechanism that significantly improves the performance of dynamic self-scheduling algorithms. These algorithms divide the total number of tasks into chunks and assign them to processors. The weighting mechanism adapts the chunk sizes to the computing power and current run-queue state of the processors. The synchronization and weighting mechanisms are orthogonal, in the sense that they can simultaneously be applied to loops with dependencies. Thus, they broaden the application spectrum of dynamic self-scheduling algorithms and improve their performance. Extensive testing confirms the efficiency of the synchronization and weighting mechanisms and the significant improvement of the synchronized–weighted versions of the algorithms over the synchronized-only versions.     

Psychosocial functioning in children of alcoholic fathers.

T. Jacob and K. Leonard (1986) reported that children of alcoholic fathers were comparable to children of depressed fathers in their psychosocial functioning. These results, however, were based on a relatively homogeneous sample. In the current study, previous results were extended by examining a sample of alcoholic fathers who were not screened for additional paternal psychiatric disorders or for major maternal psychopathology. Children in the unscreened and screened samples could not be distinguished in their functioning, and the majority of children of alcoholic fathers were functioning in the normal range of the Child Behavior Checklist. Given the heterogeneous adjustment in children of alcoholic fathers, the authors examined a range of factors that might protect against or exacerbate the risk associated with paternal alcoholism. Maternal depression and certain demographic characteristics were associated with poorer child functioning, particularly for male children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autonomic correlates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder in preschool children.

Numerous studies have revealed autonomic underarousal in conduct-disordered adolescents and antisocial adults. It is unknown, however, whether similar autonomic markers are present in at-risk preschoolers. In this study, the authors compared autonomic profiles of 4- to 6-year-old children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD; n = 18) with those of age-matched controls (n = 20). Children with ADHD and ODD exhibited fewer electrodermal responses and lengthened cardiac preejection periods at baseline and during reward. Although group differences were not found in baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia, heart rate changes among ADHD and ODD participants were mediated exclusively by parasympathetic withdrawal, with no independent sympathetic contribution. Heart rate changes among controls were mediated by both autonomic branches. These results suggest that at-risk preschoolers are autonomically similar to older externalizing children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An overview of FDA medical device regulation as it relates to deep brain stimulation devices.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with assuring the safety and effectiveness of a variety of medical products and the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health is responsible for premarket and postmarket regulation of medical devices. In this paper, we review--from device classification and clinical studies to the final marketing application--FDA's premarket requirements and postmarket requirements as they relate to deep brain stimulation devices.     

Nanopositioning using the spiral of Archimedes: The probe-based storage case

Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS)-based scanning probes appear as potential candidates for a wide variety of emerging nanoscale applications, including ultra-high-density data-storage and surface imaging. In this work, a spiral trajectory nanopositioning scheme is proposed as an alternative to the conventional raster positioning pattern. The resulting positioning signal has an extremely narrowband frequency content, which shifts very slowly over time. These properties enable enhanced tracking performance and offer potentially uninterrupted high-speed operation. The mathematical analysis of the spiral positioning signal as well as its properties are presented. Experimental results obtained from applying the new nanopositioning scheme on a MEMS-based scanning-probe data-storage setup for thermomechanical storage on polymer medium are illustrated.     

Length to diameter ratio of extrudates in catalyst technology I. Modeling catalyst breakage by impulsive forces

Natural or forced catalyst extrudate breakage is an important phenomenon during catalyst manufacture. Here, a two‐parameter model for predicting the reduction in the length to diameter ratio of catalyst extrudates due to breakage by impulsive forces as experienced in a laboratory drop test is developed. Part II will show how both parameters can be correlated with the strength of the extrudates and the severity of the drop test. For breakage by impulsive forces, the model reveals that extrudates are reduced in length to diameter ratio according to a pseudosecond‐order break law. Also, a tie‐in exists with the well‐known Golden Ratio that is famous for its inherent esthetic value. Applying the model to cases of “severity sequencing” and “severity conditioning” reveals the nonlinear behavior of the length to diameter ratio and yields results that are often nonintuitive and hard to get without this engineering analysis. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 639–647, 2016     

Optimizing Reaction Conditions of the NanoOrange® Protein Quantitation Method for Use With Microplate-based Automation

Because of the rapidly expanding need for higher sample throughput in drug discovery, automation of corresponding biochemical analyses is desirable. In particular, automation of protein quantitation is crucial since its results are used extensively. Recently, a single-reagent fluorescent protein quantitation method (NanoOrange®) with attractive performance attributes has become available. While it can potentially be automated with liquid handling workstations, several of this method's reaction parameters need to be optimized.

We studied the time and a temperature dependence of the NanoOrange protein quantitation reaction in ninety-six well black microplates using either a temperature-regulated hot block or a microwave oven as heat sources. Fluorescence of the NanoOrange reaction was quantified with a multimode microplate spectral scanner.

Time-dependent heating profiles of filled microplates placed on hot blocks at fixed temperatures (45, 55, 65, 75, and 95°C) revealed temperature differences of 4–7°C cooler for the outside wells compared to the inner wells, however the maximum well temperature did not exceed 65°C. Similar time-temperature studies of microwave-heated microplates revealed an equilibrium temperature of 45–49°C that was 10–16°C lower than microplates that were block heated.

The bovine serum albumin (BSA): NanoOrange standard curves created using a hot block increased in slope from 45°C to 55°C, but then remained constant from 65 to 85°C.

Fluorescence of the BSA: NanoOrange standard curve created using a microwave oven was about half the magnitude of the hot block-derived curves, possible reflecting a lower energy transfer rate of the microwave oven. We conclude that the NanoOrange protein quantitation method can be automated if a microplatecompatible hot block with a 65-85°C surface can heat the microplate for minimum of 15 min prior to quantifying the reaction's fluorescence.     

Reliability of Time Temperature Indicators Under Temperature Abuse

ABSTRACT: The present study systematically examined the reliability of 7 Monitor Mark time temperature indicators (TTI's) in isothermal and non-isothermal scenarios simulating temperature abuse. The'reaction order'(m) of the response function varies from 0.16 to -3.94. The response of the TTI's under isothermal storage agreed with both the Arrhenius and shelf life plot models, and the calculated activation energies range from 23.3 to 31.3 kcal/mol. Using mand k values from the isothermal experiments, all the TTI's reported the shelf life under temperature-abuse storage within a safe margin. Five indicators showed a positive "history effect". Given the positive history effect in the studied TTI's and their activation energy range, it is suggested that they may be useful when microbial growth is the major deteriorative mode of the food.     

Transport and related properties of paint films. I. Composition and structure

This is the first of a series of articles on ionic and molecular transport processes and related properties of paint films. The intention is to correlate adhesion and initiation of corrosion to these relevant physical and chemical properties. Chemical formulas and structure of three vinyl–three epoxy– and one polyurethane–paint system are given in this article. Each paint has been formulated to meet appropriate military specifications. Subsequent articles will deal with dynamic mechanical properties, small angle x-ray scattering measurements of porosity, and transport properties.