Millimeter-wave imaging using FET detectors integrated with printed circuit antennas

The application of field effect transistor (FET) detectors integrated with planar twin dipole microstrip antennas to millimeter-wave imaging has been demonstrated. Circuits were configured as practical heterodyne mixers, as elements in a 2×3 element planar focal plane array for imaging, and as receivers in frequency modulated (FM) radars for three-dimensional imaging, at 63 GHz. These experiments show that quasioptical circuits, using conventional present-day FETs and simple printed circuit construction, can be applied usefully in the millimeter-wave region.     

Impact of malpractice litigation on professional psychology: Survey of practitioners.

Survey data revealed the extent of the rising threat of malpractice litigation against psychologists and its impact on the delivery of psychological services. Relatively few practitioners reported serious concerns about being sued for malpractice, although most had taken steps designed to protect against litigation. There was no evidence to substantiate claims of an outbreak of "litigaphobia" among psychologists. In general, the threat of malpractice litigation appears to act as an impetus for a variety of sound and ethical practice behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Real-Time Model-Based Video Stabilization for Microaerial Vehicles

The emerging branch of micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) has attracted a great interest for their indoor navigation capabilities, but they require a high quality video for tele-operated or autonomous tasks. A common problem of on-board video quality is the effect of undesired movements, so different approaches solve it with both mechanical stabilizers or video stabilizer software. Very few video stabilizer algorithms in the literature can be applied in real-time but they do not discriminate at all between intentional movements of the tele-operator and undesired ones. In this paper, a novel technique is introduced for real-time video stabilization with low computational cost, without generating false movements or decreasing the performance of the stabilized video sequence. Our proposal uses a combination of geometric transformations and outliers rejection to obtain a robust inter-frame motion estimation, and a Kalman filter based on an ANN learned model of the MAV that includes the control action for motion intention estimation.     

Optimal position estimation for the automatic alignment of a high-energy laser

The alignment of high-energy laser beams for potential fusion experiments demands high precision and accuracy by the underlying positioning algorithms whether it be for actuator control or for monitoring the beam line for potential anomalies. The feasibility of employing on-line optimal position estimators in the form of model-based processors to achieve the desired results is examined. We discuss the modeling, the development, the implementation, and the processing of model-based processors applied to both simulated and actual beamline data.     

Use of Inotropic Agents in Treatment of Systolic Heart Failure

The most common use of inotropes is among hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure, with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and with signs of end-organ dysfunction in the setting of a low cardiac output. Inotropes can be used in patients with severe systolic heart failure awaiting heart transplant to maintain hemodynamic stability or as a bridge to decision. In cases where patients are unable to be weaned off inotropes, these agents can be used until a definite or escalated supportive therapy is planned, which can include coronary revascularization or mechanical circulatory support (intra-aortic balloon pump, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, impella, left ventricular assist device, etc.). Use of inotropic drugs is associated with risks and adverse events. This review will discuss the use of the inotropes digoxin, dopamine, dobutamine, norepinephrine, milrinone, levosimendan, and omecamtiv mecarbil. Long-term inotropic therapy should be offered in selected patients. A detailed conversation with the patient and family shall be held, including a discussion on the risks and benefits of use of inotropes. Chronic heart failure patients awaiting heart transplants are candidates for intravenous inotropic support until the donor heart becomes available. This helps to maintain hemodynamic stability and keep the fluid status and pulmonary pressures optimized prior to the surgery. On the other hand, in patients with severe heart failure who are not candidates for advanced heart failure therapies, such as transplant and mechanical circulatory support, inotropic agents can be used for palliative therapy. Inotropes can help reduce frequency of hospitalizations and improve symptoms in these patients.     

A Column-Generation Approach for the Assembly System Design Problem with Tool Changes

This assembly system design problem (ASDP) is to prescribe the minimum-cost assignment of machines, tooling, and tasks to stations, observing task precedence relationships and cycle time requirements. The ASDP with tool changes (ASDPTCs) also prescribes the optimal sequence of operations at each station, including tool changes, which are important, for example, in robotic assembly. A unique solution approach decomposes the model into a master problem, which is a minimum-cost network-flow problem that can be solved as a linear program, and subproblems, which are constrained, shortest-path problems that generate station configurations. Subproblems are solved on state-operation networks, which extend earlier formulations to incorporate tooling considerations. This paper presents a specialized algorithm to solve the subproblems. Computational tests benchmark the approach on several classes of problems, and the results are promising. In particular, tests demonstrate the importance of using engineering judgment to manage problem complexity by controlling the size of state-operation networks     

RESEARCH DIRECTIONS IN ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING

The Workshop on Electronics Manufacturing Research was held in College Station, Texas, on February 24-26, 1992. It focused on the Industrial Engineering/Operations Research/Management Science disciplines and their capabilities in modeling, analysis, and manufacturing technology. The primary goal was to identify the critical research needs in electronics manufacturing and assembly that can be addressed by these disciplines and the means of accomplishing them.

Sponsors included the Production Systems Program of the National Science Foundation (NSF), three organizations at Texas A&M University (the Department of Industrial Engineering, the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, and the Institute of Manufacturing Systems), and SEMATECH. In addition. Ford Electronics, IBM, and INTEL each sponsored one representative.

Individuals recognized for their research accomplishments in the electronics industry were invited to participate. Representing ongoing programs across the United States and Mexico in industry, government, and academia, the group identified fertile research directions as a guide for the research community and sponsoring agencies. Interacting tracks dealt with semiconductor manufacturing and circuit card (and higher level) assembly. This paper documents the important research themes identified relative to three topic areas: integrating systems, models for design and operation of production/assembly systems, and assurance sciences. It also summarizes a lively discussion which sought ways to improve the effectiveness of university/industry partnering relationships. This paper includes essential recommendations that resulted from the Workshop, but the interested reader can obtain a somewhat more detailed Final Report from Dr. Wilbert E. Wilhelm, the Principal Investigator for the Workshop project.     

"Effects of marital interaction on chronic pain and disability: Examining the down side of social support": Comment.

Addresses perceived shortcomings in the analysis of D. C. Turk et al (see record 1993-34068-001) on the effects of family response on rate of pain behaviors and claims that Turk et al present an overly simplistic view of the operant model while failing to recognize the behavioral components of their own cognitive analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of sodium dichloroisocyanurate treatment on recovered concentrations of Salmonella enterica,Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes from cattle hide surfaces and culture medium

A major concern of the cattle industry is cross-contamination of meat with pathogens. Cattle are exposed to fecal material, mud, and other contaminants which harbor pathogens that can be shed onto meat and meat processing equipment. Due to increased chances of meat contamination during processing, new antimicrobial formulations for carcass washing before hide removal needs to be identified and tested. Sodium dichloroisocyanurate (SDIC) has biocidal properties and belongs to the N-halamine group of compounds. Disk diffusion assays revealed, 1,000 ppm SDIC effectively reduced pathogen concentrations. SDIC was evaluated for its effects on pathogens in Tryptic Soy Broth and results revealed that 1,000 ppm SDIC had a strong correlation with time and treatment with no bacterial growth in log CFU ml⁻¹ observed at the lowest detection level. Treatment of inoculated hides with 1,000 ppm SDIC for 5 min resulted in reduction of Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes at 1.97, 2.02, and 2.84 log CFU cm⁻², respectively.