Inhaled induction and emergence from desflurane anesthesia in the ambulatory surgical patient: the effect of premedication

We studied the effect of premedication (1 microgram/kg fentanyl and 0.04 mg/kg midazolam 5 min before induction of anesthesia) on airway reactivity and hemodynamic stability during inhaled induction using desflurane in 10 ambulatory surgical patients. Eight patients who were anesthetized without premedication served as the controls. Induction and emergence were rapid and unaffected by premedication. End-tidal and inspired concentrations of desflurane at loss of consciousness were significantly reduced by premedication (10.1% end-tidal/14.1% inspired, no premedication, vs. 5.3% end-tidal/8.9% inspired, premedication). Airway irritability was markedly attenuated by premedication (100% no premedication versus 30% premedicated), as was apnea (37.5% no premedication versus 0% premedicated). We observed an increase in mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate after loss of consciousness (mean arterial pressure 103 vs 121 mm Hg, heart rate 73 vs 100 bpm) in the unpremedicated patients, whereas both groups demonstrated a decrease in mean arterial blood pressure with no change in heart rate when baseline values were compared to those at incision (103 vs 74 mm Hg, no premedication, 99 vs 81 mm Hg premedicated). Patient acceptability was satisfactory and unchanged by premedication. We recommend the use of such premedication when desflurane is used during the induction of anesthesia.     

利用虚拟化软件环境增强控制性能

CNC系统同时运行一个实时操作系统和MS Windows XP系统可获得多任务能力和实时性能．     

Fast kriging of large data sets with Gaussian Markov random fields

Spatial data sets are analysed in many scientific disciplines. Kriging, i.e. minimum mean squared error linear prediction, is probably the most widely used method of spatial prediction. Computation time and memory requirement can be an obstacle for kriging for data sets with many observations. Calculations are accelerated and memory requirements decreased by using a Gaussian Markov random field on a lattice as an approximation of a Gaussian field. The algorithms are well suited also for nonlattice data when exploiting a bilinear interpolation at nonlattice locations.     

Investigating haptic distance-to-break using linear and nonlinear materials in a simulated minimally invasive surgery task

Accurate detection of mediated haptic information in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is critical for applying appropriate force magnitudes onto soft tissue with the aim of minimising tissue trauma. Force perception in MIS is a dynamic process, with surgeons’ administration of force into tissue revealing information about the remote surgical site which further informs the surgeons’ haptic interactions. The relationship between applied force and material deformation rate provides biomechanical information specifying the deformation distance remaining until a tissue will fail: which is termed distance-to-break (DTB). The current study demonstrates that observers can detect DTB while deforming simulated tissues and stop before reaching the tissues’ failure points. The design of training simulators, control devices and automated robotic systems for applications outside of MIS is discussed.

Practitioner Summary: In MIS, haptic information is critical for applying appropriate forces onto soft tissue to minimise tissue trauma. Observers used force information to detect how far they could deform a virtual tissue before it would break. The design of training simulators, control devices and automated robotic systems is discussed.     

Utilizing identity-by-descent probabilities for genetic fine-mapping in population based samples, via spatial smoothing of haplotype effects

Genetic fine mapping can be performed by exploiting the notion that haplotypes that are structurally similar in the neighbourhood of a disease predisposing locus are more likely to harbour the same susceptibility allele. Within the framework of Generalized Linear Mixed Models this can be formalized using spatial smoothing models, i.e. inducing a covariance structure for the haplotype risk parameters, such that risks associated with structurally similar haplotypes are dependent. In a Bayesian procedure a local similarity measure is calculated for each update of the presumed disease locus. Thus, the disease locus is searched as the place where the similarity structure produces risk parameters that can best discriminate between cases and controls.From a population genetic perspective the use of an identity-by-descent based similarity metric is theoretically motivated. This approach is then compared to other more intuitively motivated models and other similarity measures based on identity-by-state, suggested in the literature.     

Wall Smoke Deposition from a Hot Smoke Layer

Smoke deposition from a hot smoke layer onto wall surfaces was studied in a hood apparatus using polymethylmethacrylate, polypropylene, and gasoline as fuels. Based upon prior analysis by Butler and Mulholland, the smoke deposition was expected to be dominated by thermophoresis. The deposited smoke samples were collected on glass filter paper attached to the hood wall and the mass per unit area of smoke deposited was measured gravimetrically. Measurements were made of quantities required for the prediction of thermophoretic smoke deposition. The smoke deposition measured in the experimental program was well predicted by the thermophoretic smoke deposition equation. The thermophoretic smoke deposition equation was found to be suitable for predicting smoke deposition onto wall surfaces exposed to fire environments.     

Allocation of assembly tolerances to minimize costs

The cost and quality of an assembly depend on the processes used to manufacture its components. The specific processes and process settings are often dictated by the tolerances on the components. One long-standing challenge is allocating the assembly tolerance to components. Many methods have been proposed, most of which endeavor to minimize cost. We propose a tolerance allocation method that minimizes cost by jointly considering process variation and tolerance specifications. A cost model including processing cost, scrap cost, and quality loss is employed. The cost is minimized by a heuristic strategy. An overrunning clutch assembly case study is used to evaluate the method.     

Co‐optimization of SnS absorber and Zn(O,S) buffer materials for improved solar cells

Thin‐film solar cells consisting of earth‐abundant and non‐toxic materials were made from pulsed chemical vapor deposition (pulsed‐CVD) of SnS as the p‐type absorber layer and atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Zn(O,S) as the n‐type buffer layer. The effects of deposition temperature and annealing conditions of the SnS absorber layer were studied for solar cells with a structure of Mo/SnS/Zn(O,S)/ZnO/ITO. Solar cells were further optimized by varying the stoichiometry of Zn(O,S) and the annealing conditions of SnS. Post‐deposition annealing in pure hydrogen sulfide improved crystallinity and increased the carrier mobility by one order of magnitude, and a power conversion efficiency up to 2.9% was achieved. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cellulose/acrylic acid copolymer blends for films and coating applications

Enzymatically treated cellulose was dissolved in a NaOH/ZnO solvent system and mixed together with poly(ethylene‐co‐acrylic acid) (PE‐co‐AA) or poly(acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid) (PAA‐co‐AA) polymers, in order to improve the properties of dissolved cellulose and to prepare homogeneous cellulose‐based blends for films and coatings. The solution stage properties of the blends were evaluated by rheological methods and the precipitated dry blends were characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. Paperboard coating tests done at laboratory scale showed dissolved cellulose/acrylic acid copolymer‐based blends function well as coating materials. All of the tested blends showed a good resistance against grease in the coating trials, having grease resistance from 60 to 69 days despite a very thin (～2 µm) coating layer. In addition, cellulose/PE‐co‐AA coating showed improved water vapor and oxygen barrier properties when compared with neat dissolved cellulose‐coated paperboard. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40286.