416 research outputs found

    Studies of the effects of gravitational and inertial forces on cardiovascular and respiratory dynamics Semiannual status report, period ending 1 Oct. 1968

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    Gravitational and inertial force environment effects on cardiovascular and respiratory functions in dogs and chimpanzee

    Experimental Benchmarks and Initial Evaluation of the Performance of the PASM System Prototype

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    The work reported here represents experiences with the PASM parallel processing system prototype during its first operational year. Most of the experiments were performed by students in the Fall semester of 1987. The first programming, and the first timing measurements, were made during the summer of 1987 by Sam Fineberg. The goal of the collection of experiments presented here was to undertake an Application-driven Architecture Study of the PASM system as a paradigm for parallel architecture evaluation in general. PASM was an excellent vehicle for experimenting with this evaluation technique due to its unique architectural features. Among these are: 1. A reconfigurable, partitionable multistage circuit-switched network. 2. Support for both SIMD and MIMD programs. 3. Ability to execute hybrid SIMD/MIMD programs. 4. An instruction queue which allows overlap of control-flow and data manipulation between micro-control (MC) units and processing elements (PE). It had been hypothesized that superlinear speed-up over the number of PEs could be attained with this feature, and experimental results verified this. 5. Support for barrier synchronization of MIMD tasks. This feature was exploited in some non-standard ways to show the ability to decouple variant length SIMD instructions into multiple MIMD streams for an overall performance benefit. This type of study is expected to continue in the future on PASM and other parallel machines at Purdue. This report should serve as a guide for this future work as well

    Conduit Artery Photoplethysmography and its Applications in the Assessment of Hemodynamic Condition

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    Elektroniskā versija nesatur pielikumusPromocijas darbā ir izstrādāta maģistrālo artēriju fotopletizmogrāfijas (APPG) metode hemodinamisko parametru novērtējumam. Pretstatot referentām metodēm, demonstrēta iespēja iegūt arteriālo elasticitāti raksturojošus parametrus, izmantojot APPG signāla formas analīzi (atvasinājuma un signāla formas aproksimācijas parametri) un ar APPG iegūtu pulsa izplatīšanās ātrumu unilaterālā gultnē. Izstrādāta APPG reģistrācijas standartizācija, mērījuma laikā nodrošinot optimālo sensora piespiedienu. Šis paņēmiens validēts ārējās ietekmes (sensora piespiediens) un hemodinamisko stāvokļu (perifērā vaskulārā pretestība) izmaiņās femorālā APPG signālā, identificējot būtiskākos faktorus APPG pielietojumos. Veikta APPG validācija asinsrites fizioloģijas un preklīniskā pētījumā demonstrējot APPG potenciālu pētniecībā un diagnostikā. Izstrādāts pulsa formas parametrizācijas paņēmiens, saistot fizioloģiskās un aproksimācijas modeļa komponentes. Atslēgas vārdi: maģistrālā artērija, fotopletizmogrāfija, arteriālā elasticitāte, metodes standartizācija, pulsa formas kvantifikācija, vazomocija, sepseThe doctoral thesis features the development of a conduit artery photoplethysmography technique (APPG) for the evaluation of hemodynamic parameters. Contrasting referent methods, the work demonstrates the possibility to receive parameters characterizing the arterial stiffness by means of APPG waveform analysis (derivation and waveform approximation parameters) and APPG obtained pulse wave velocity in a unilateral vascular bed. In this work APPG standardization technique was developed providing optimal probe contact pressure conditions. It was validated by altering the external factors (probe contact pressure) and hemodynamic conditions (peripheral vascular resistance) on the femoral APPG waveform identifying the key factors in APPG applications. The APPG validation in blood circulation physiology and a pre-clinical trial was performed demonstrating APPG potential in the extension of applications. An arterial waveform parameterization was developed relating the physiological wave to approximation model components. Keywords: conduit artery, photoplethysmography, arterial stiffness, method standardization, waveform parametrization, vasomotion, sepsi

    A reconfigurable real-time morphological system for augmented vision

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    There is a significant number of visually impaired individuals who suffer sensitivity loss to high spatial frequencies, for whom current optical devices are limited in degree of visual aid and practical application. Digital image and video processing offers a variety of effective visual enhancement methods that can be utilised to obtain a practical augmented vision head-mounted display device. The high spatial frequencies of an image can be extracted by edge detection techniques and overlaid on top of the original image to improve visual perception among the visually impaired. Augmented visual aid devices require highly user-customisable algorithm designs for subjective configuration per task, where current digital image processing visual aids offer very little user-configurable options. This paper presents a highly user-reconfigurable morphological edge enhancement system on field-programmable gate array, where the morphological, internal and external edge gradients can be selected from the presented architecture with specified edge thickness and magnitude. In addition, the morphology architecture supports reconfigurable shape structuring elements and configurable morphological operations. The proposed morphology-based visual enhancement system introduces a high degree of user flexibility in addition to meeting real-time constraints capable of obtaining 93 fps for high-definition image resolution

    Comparison of diffusion tensor imaging by cardiovascular magnetic resonance and gadolinium enhanced 3D image intensity approaches to investigation of structural anisotropy in explanted rat hearts

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    Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can through the two methods 3D FLASH and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) give complementary information on the local orientations of cardiomyocytes and their laminar arrays. Methods: Eight explanted rat hearts were perfused with Gd-DTPA contrast agent and fixative and imaged in a 9.4T magnet by two types of acquisition: 3D fast low angle shot (FLASH) imaging, voxels 50 × 50 × 50 μm, and 3D spin echo DTI with monopolar diffusion gradients of 3.6 ms duration at 11.5 ms separation, voxels 200 × 200 × 200 μm. The sensitivity of each approach to imaging parameters was explored. Results:The FLASH data showed laminar alignments of voxels with high signal, in keeping with the presumed predominance of contrast in the interstices between sheetlets. It was analysed, using structure-tensor (ST) analysis, to determine the most (v 1 ST ), intermediate (v 2 ST ) and least (v 3 ST ) extended orthogonal directions of signal continuity. The DTI data was analysed to determine the most (e 1 DTI ), intermediate (e 2 DTI ) and least (e 3 DTI ) orthogonal eigenvectors of extent of diffusion. The correspondence between the FLASH and DTI methods was measured and appraised. The most extended direction of FLASH signal (v 1 ST ) agreed well with that of diffusion (e 1 DTI ) throughout the left ventricle (representative discrepancy in the septum of 13.3 ± 6.7°: median ± absolute deviation) and both were in keeping with the expected local orientations of the long-axis of cardiomyocytes. However, the orientation of the least directions of FLASH signal continuity (v 3 ST ) and diffusion (e 3 ST ) showed greater discrepancies of up to 27.9 ± 17.4°. Both FLASH (v 3 ST ) and DTI (e 3 DTI ) where compared to directly measured laminar arrays in the FLASH images. For FLASH the discrepancy between the structure-tensor calculated v 3 ST and the directly measured FLASH laminar array normal was of 9 ± 7° for the lateral wall and 7 ± 9° for the septum (median ± inter quartile range), and for DTI the discrepancy between the calculated v 3 DTI and the directly measured FLASH laminar array normal was 22 ± 14° and 61 ± 53.4°. DTI was relatively insensitive to the number of diffusion directions and to time up to 72 hours post fixation, but was moderately affected by b-value (which was scaled by modifying diffusion gradient pulse strength with fixed gradient pulse separation). Optimal DTI parameters were b = 1000 mm/s2 and 12 diffusion directions. FLASH acquisitions were relatively insensitive to the image processing parameters explored. Conclusions: We show that ST analysis of FLASH is a useful and accurate tool in the measurement of cardiac microstructure. While both FLASH and the DTI approaches appear promising for mapping of the alignments of myocytes throughout myocardium, marked discrepancies between the cross myocyte anisotropies deduced from each method call for consideration of their respective limitations

    Advancements and Breakthroughs in Ultrasound Imaging

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    Ultrasonic imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool available to medical practitioners, engineers and researchers today. Due to the relative safety, and the non-invasive nature, ultrasonic imaging has become one of the most rapidly advancing technologies. These rapid advances are directly related to the parallel advancements in electronics, computing, and transducer technology together with sophisticated signal processing techniques. This book focuses on state of the art developments in ultrasonic imaging applications and underlying technologies presented by leading practitioners and researchers from many parts of the world

    Data compression techniques applied to high resolution high frame rate video technology

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    An investigation is presented of video data compression applied to microgravity space experiments using High Resolution High Frame Rate Video Technology (HHVT). An extensive survey of methods of video data compression, described in the open literature, was conducted. The survey examines compression methods employing digital computing. The results of the survey are presented. They include a description of each method and assessment of image degradation and video data parameters. An assessment is made of present and near term future technology for implementation of video data compression in high speed imaging system. Results of the assessment are discussed and summarized. The results of a study of a baseline HHVT video system, and approaches for implementation of video data compression, are presented. Case studies of three microgravity experiments are presented and specific compression techniques and implementations are recommended
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