Feasibility of a Novel ECG Electrode Placement Method in Newborn Infants.

Background: International newborn resuscitation guidelines recommend electrocardiogram (ECG) heart rate (HR) monitoring at birth. We evaluated the application time of pre-set ECG electrodes fixed to a polyethene patch allowing adhesive-free attachment to the wet skin of the newborn chest.

Objectives: Using a three-electrode pre-set ECG patch configuration, application success was calculated using video analysis and measured at three time points, the time to (1) apply electrodes; (2) detect recognizable QRS complexes after application; and (3) display a HR after application.

Finding Comfortable Routes for Ambulance Transfers of Newborn Infants.

Early inter-hospital ambulance transport of premature babies is associated with more severe brain injury. The mechanism is unclear, but they are exposed to excessive noise and vibration. Smart-routing may help minimise these exposure levels and potentially improve outcomes.

Growth Spectrum Complexity Dictates Aromatic Intensity in Coriander ( L.).

Advancements in availability and specificity of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have facilitated trait modification of high-value edible herbs and vegetables through the fine manipulation of spectra. Coriander ( L.) is a culinary herb, known for its fresh, citrusy aroma, and high economic value.

Anti-confocal assessment of middle ear inflammation.

To improve the diagnostic prediction of recurrence of otitis media with effusion after surgery, an anti-confocal system combined with spectroscopic measurements is proposed to reject unwanted signals from the eardrum and assess the blood content. The anti-confocal system was experimentally evaluated on both optical middle ear phantom and human skin. Results showed effective rejection of signals from the eardrum using a central stop replacing the confocal pinhole, while still detecting signals from the middle ear mucosa.

Anti-confocal versus confocal assessment of the middle ear simulated by Monte Carlo methods.

The ability to monitor the inflammatory state of the middle ear mucosa would provide clinical utility. To enable spectral measurements on the mucosa whilst rejecting background signal from the eardrum an anti-confocal system is investigated. In contrast to the central pinhole in a confocal system the anti-confocal system uses a central stop to reject light from the in-focus plane, the eardrum, with all other light detected.

Medical device design for adolescent adherence and developmental goals: a case study of a cystic fibrosis physiotherapy device.

Purpose: This study investigates the psychosocial aspects of adolescent medical device use and the impact on adolescent adherence and goals for the transitional years between child and adulthood.

Patients And Methods: Interviews were carried out with 20 adolescents with cystic fibrosis, investigating adolescent medical device use and experiences in relation to their personal and social lives and development through the adolescent years. The qualitative dataset was thematically examined using a content analysis method.

Light path-length distributions within the retina.

A Monte Carlo simulation of light propagation through the retina has been developed to understand the path-length distributions within the retinal vessel. For full-field illumination, the path-length distribution within the vessel comprises directly backscattered light and light that has passed once or twice through the vessel. The origins of these light path-length distributions can be better understood by investigating different combinations of single-point illumination and detection positions.

Laser doppler blood flow imaging using a CMOS imaging sensor with on-chip signal processing.

The first fully integrated 2D CMOS imaging sensor with on-chip signal processing for applications in laser Doppler blood flow (LDBF) imaging has been designed and tested. To obtain a space efficient design over 64 × 64 pixels means that standard processing electronics used off-chip cannot be implemented. Therefore the analog signal processing at each pixel is a tailored design for LDBF signals with balanced optimization for signal-to-noise ratio and silicon area.

The effect of design on the usability and real world effectiveness of medical devices: a case study with adolescent users.

Adolescents are currently overlooked in many fields of healthcare research and as a result are often required to use medical devices that have been designed for use by either children or adults. This can lead to poor adherence and a reduction in health outcomes. This study examines the role of device design in the real-world effectiveness of a medical device used in the treatment of cystic fibrosis from the perspective of adolescent users.

Application of a maximum likelihood algorithm to ultrasound modulated optical tomography.

In pulsed ultrasound modulated optical tomography (USMOT), an ultrasound (US) pulse performs as a scanning probe within the sample as it propagates, modulating the scattered light spatially distributed along its propagation axis. Detecting and processing the modulated signal can provide a 1-dimensional image along the US axis. A simple model is developed wherein the detected signal is modelled as a convolution of the US pulse and the properties (ultrasonic/optical) of the medium along the US axis.

An explanation for the effectiveness of the 'Draijer' algorithm for high speed laser Doppler perfusion imaging.

Laser Doppler flowmetry relies upon the use of the first moment of the power spectrum of the photocurrent and numerous methods of providing an estimate of this have been implemented. One, operating in the time domain and using only a few, simple processing steps, is claimed to be both fast and accurate (Draijer et al. in Med Biol Eng Comput 47(10):1103-1109, 2009).

Time-optimized X-ray micro-CT imaging of polymer based scaffolds.

Although X-ray microscopic computed tomography is widely used to assess the structural properties of polymeric tissue scaffolds its validity is dependent on the quality of the images obtained. Here, the role of resolution, integration time, image averaging, and X-ray power on the accurate determination of scaffold porosity, while aiming to minimize imaging time, was investigated. This work identified key parameters for optimization and a methodology to vary them to improve results.

A user-centred approach to requirements elicitation in medical device development: a case study from an industry perspective.

The healthcare industry is dependent upon the provision of well designed medical devices. To achieve this it is recommended that user-centred design should begin early, and continue throughout device development. This is a challenge, particularly for smaller companies who may lack the necessary expertise and knowledge.

Low resource processing algorithms for laser Doppler blood flow imaging.

The emergence of full field laser Doppler blood flow imaging systems based on CMOS camera technology means that a large amount of data from each pixel in the image needs to be processed rapidly and system resources need to be used efficiently. Conventional processing algorithms that are utilized in single point or scanning systems are therefore not an ideal solution as they will consume too much system resource. Two processing algorithms that address this problem are described and efficiently implemented in a field programmable gate array.

Towards personalised ambient monitoring of mental health via mobile technologies.

Managing bipolar disorder is an important health issue that can strongly affect the patient's quality of life during occurrences of depressive or manic episodes and is therefore a growing burden to healthcare systems. A widely practised method of monitoring the course of the disorder is by mood and general mental health questionnaires, which are nowadays often implemented on mobile electronic devices.Detecting changes to daily routine and behaviour is of crucial importance as they can be symptomatic of an ongoing episode, or in the case of an external cause, may trigger such an episode.

Development of mobile psychiatry for bipolar disorder patients.

Managing bipolar disorder is an increasingly important healthcare issue as the global prevalence of this condition grows. A widely practiced method of monitoring the course of the disorder is by mood and general mental health questionnaires. However, current mobile technology provides a potential means of monitoring the behavior of individuals and this information could be of value for recognizing changes in routine that could be indicative of an upcoming bipolar episode.

Time-lapsed imaging for in-process evaluation of supercritical fluid processing of tissue engineering scaffolds.

This article demonstrates the application of time-lapsed imaging and image processing to inform the supercritical processing of tissue scaffolds that are integral to many regenerative therapies. The methodology presented provides online quantitative evaluation of the complex process of scaffold formation in supercritical environments. The capabilities of the developed system are demonstrated through comparison of scaffolds formed from polymers with different molecular weight and with different venting times.

Experimental and theoretical evaluation of rotating orthogonal polarization imaging.

Rotating orthogonal polarization imaging is a new technique that provides quantitative measurements of the polarization properties of scattering media, such as tissue, which are free from surface reflections. The technique is investigated using both experiments and Monte Carlo simulations of a polarizing target embedded within a scattering medium. The technique is sensitive to the polarization properties of the target up to a depth of 17 mean free paths.

Generation and simulated imaging of pseudo-scaffolds to aid characterisation by X-ray micro CT.

In order to assess the suitability of polymer tissue scaffolds for use in regenerative medicine, methods to characterise scaffolds are needed. This requires the scaffold's structure to be determined for which X-ray microscopic computed tomography (X-ray micro CT) is widely used. However, because scaffolds are generally made of materials with low X-ray attenuating properties the images produced are far from ideal, which makes distinguishing scaffold material from the pores within it a non-trivial process.

Rotating orthogonal polarization imaging.

Surface reflections often present a problem in the polarization difference imaging of tissue. The technique described involves illumination in a single polarization state and detection in the orthogonal polarization state. Synchronously rotating both the illumination and orthogonal detection states provides an image free from surface reflections that is sensitive to the polarization properties of the underlying tissue.

Determination of the validity of spectrophotometric measurements based upon cumulants of the temporal point-spread function.

Spectrophotometric measurements of scattering media are nontrivial owing to the nonlinear relationship between the observed attenuation A and the level of absorption coefficient micro(a). Presented is a method, utilizing frequency-domain measurements, capable of determining the validity of a measured change in micro(a) based purely on the characteristics of a baseline temporal point-spread function. The order of cumulant used is shown to provide variation of the sensitivity of the method, and its use is demonstrated through Monte Carlo simulations of transmission measurements taken from a scattering slab.

Image-based characterization of foamed polymeric tissue scaffolds.

Tissue scaffolds are integral to many regenerative medicine therapies, providing suitable environments for tissue regeneration. In order to assess their suitability, methods to routinely and reproducibly characterize scaffolds are needed. Scaffold structures are typically complex, and thus their characterization is far from trivial.

Ultrasonic monitoring of foamed polymeric tissue scaffold fabrication.

Polymeric tissue scaffolds are central to many regenerative medicine therapies offering a new approach to medicine. As the number of these regenerative therapies increases there is a pressing need for an improved understanding of the methods of scaffold fabrication. Of the many approaches to processing scaffolds, supercritical fluid fabrication methods have a distinct advantage over other techniques as they do not require the use of organic solvents, elevated processing temperatures or leaching processes.

Reduction of error in spectrophotometry of scattering media using polarization techniques.

Scattering can result in erroneous determination of the concentrations of constituent absorbers in spectrophotometry. This is due to the relationship between attenuation and absorption coefficient becoming nonlinear; hence, the use of the Lambert-Beer law becomes invalid. It has previously been shown that application of polarization techniques can reduce these effects, resulting in a more linear relationship.