Deep Learning for Optical Sensor Applications: A Review.

Over the past decade, deep learning (DL) has been applied in a large number of optical sensors applications. DL algorithms can improve the accuracy and reduce the noise level in optical sensors. Optical sensors are considered as a promising technology for modern intelligent sensing platforms. These sensors are widely used in process monitoring, quality prediction, pollution, defence, security, and many other applications. However, they suffer major challenges such as the large generated datasets and low processing speeds for these data, including the high cost of these sensors. These challenges can be mitigated by integrating DL systems with optical sensor technologies. This paper presents recent studies integrating DL algorithms with optical sensor applications. This paper also highlights several directions for DL algorithms that promise a considerable impact on use for optical sensor applications. Moreover, this study provides new directions for the future development of related research.

Enrichment of pasta with different plant proteins.

Effects of supplementation of plant proteins from mushroom powder, Bengal gram flour and defatted soy flour at different levels were assessed on the nutritional quality of pasta. Supplementation of wheat semolina was done with mushroom powder (0-12%), Bengal gram flour (0-20%) and defatted soy flour (0-15%). Mushroom powder and defatted soy flour increased the cooking time of pasta whereas non significant variation was observed in cooking time of Bengal gram supplemented pasta. Significant correlation (r = 0.97, p ≤ 0.05) was observed between water absorption and volume expansion of pasta. Instantization of pasta by steaming improved the cooking quality. Steamed pasta absorbed less water and leached fewer solids during cooking. On the basis of cooking and sensory quality, pasta in combination with 8% mushroom powder, 15% Bengal gram flour and 9% defatted soy flour resulted in a better quality and nutritious pasta.

Effect of incorporation of corn byproducts on quality of baked and extruded products from wheat flour and semolina.

The effect of blending level (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) of corn bran, defatted germ and gluten with wheat flour on the physico-chemical properties (protein, crude fiber, phosphorus, iron and calcium), baking properties of bread, muffins and cookies, and extrusion properties of noodles and extruded snacks prepared from semolina were examined. Blending of wheat flour and corn byproducts significantly increased the protein, crude fiber, phosphorus, iron and calcium contents. Breads from gluten blends had higher loaf volume as compared to bran and germ breads. Among corn byproducts, gluten cookies were rated superior with respect to top grain. Muffins from germ blends and gluten blends had higher acceptability scores than the bran muffins. Blending of corn bran, defatted germ and gluten at 5 and 10% with wheat flour resulted in satisfactory bread, cookie, and muffin score. Quality of noodles was significantly influenced by addition of corn byproducts and their levels. Corn byproducts blending had significant influence on cooking time, however, gruel solid loss affected non-significantly in case of noodles. Expansion ratio and density of extruded snacks was affected non significantly by blending source and blending level. However, significant effect was observed on amperage, pressure, yield and overall acceptability of extruded snacks. Acceptable extruded products (noodles and extruded snacks) could be produced by blending corn byproducts with semolina upto 10% level.

Functional properties of pasta enriched with variable cereal brans.

To explore the potentiality of cereal brans for preparation of fiber enriched pasta, various cereal brans (Wheat, Rice, Barley and Oat) were added at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 per cent to durum wheat semolina. The effect of cereal bran enrichment on the colour, cooking, sensory quality and shelf life of enriched pasta was assessed at ambient temperature. Pasta prepared with added fiber at 25 per cent level had the highest protein and dietary fiber content as compared to control. Enrichment with variable fiber sources improved the brightness of pasta, as colour of pasta enhanced significantly. Addition of cereal brans resulted an increase in the water absorption and cooking losses of pasta. This effect was dependent on the level and type of cereal brans. Significant correlation (r = 0.80) was obtained between water absorption and volume expansion in all types of bran enriched pasta. At 25 per cent level of supplementation, maximum solids were leached into cooking water. Bran enriched pasta required less cooking time for complete gelatinization of starch. Increasing level of cereal brans had significantly affected the overall acceptability of enriched pasta. Cooking quality of pasta remained constant during storage. Non significant effect of storage was found on water activity, free fatty acids. Enriched pasta (15 per cent level of wheat, rice and oat bran and 10 per cent barley bran) was highly acceptable upto 4 months of storage with respect to quality.

Intraocular pressures after ketamine and sevoflurane in children with glaucoma undergoing examination under anaesthesia.

AIM: For accurate intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement in very young children examination under anaesthesia (EUA) may be necessary. Most anaesthetic agents used for EUA have some effect on IOP. We compared IOPs in children after ketamine and sevoflurane anaesthesia. METHODS: Consecutive patients with definite or suspected glaucoma, uncooperative for reliable IOP measurement in clinic and requiring EUA, were included in this study. IOPs were measured after intramuscular injection (5 mg/kg) or intravenous injection (2 mg/kg) of ketamine using a Perkins applanation tonometer. Three measurements were taken from each eye. The IOPs were rechecked after sevoflurane, given for maintenance anaesthesia. Mean IOPs were used for analysis. Paired t test was used to assess the differences in IOPs for the whole group and one-way ANOVA for the three subgroups (ketamine IOP <20, 20-30, >30 mmHg). RESULTS: The records of eight patients (16 eyes) were available for review. The mean age was 55.42 (SD 25, range 26-89) months. Seventy data-points from both eyes (35 EUAs) were used for the analysis. The mean IOP after sevoflurane (17 (SD 10) mmHg) was statistically lower than after ketamine (24.4 (SD 12.7) mmHg, p<0.001). The percentage difference was 28.5 (SD 20.8; 95% CI 23.5 to 33.4)). The difference between the subgroups was not statistically significant (p = 0.192). CONCLUSION: Sevoflurane lowers the IOP significantly compared with the IOP measured after ketamine. This difference is independent of the IOP level. It may be important to use ketamine as the induction anaesthetic agent when accurate IOP measurement is necessary during EUA for children.

Storage changes in the quality of sound and sprouted flour.

Sound and sprouted flours (24 and 48 hr) from bread wheat (WL-1562), durum wheat (PBW-34) and triticale (TL-1210) were stored at room temperature (34.8 degrees C) and relative humidity (66.7%) for 0, 45, 90 and 135 days to assess the changes in physico-chemical and baking properties. Protein, gluten, sedimentation value, starch and crude fat decreased during storage in all the samples; however, the decrease was more in sprouted flours. Free amino acids, proteolytic activity, diastatic activity and damaged starch decreased with increase in storage period. Total sugars and free fatty acids increased more rapidly in the flours of sprouted wheats during 135 days of storage. Loaf volume of breads decreased during storage in both sound and sprouted flour but the mean percent decrease in loaf volume was more in stored sound flours. Aging of sprouted flour for 45 days improved the cookie and cake making properties but further storage was of no value for these baked products. Chapati making properties of stored sound and sprouted flour were inferior to that of fresh counterparts.

Differences in left ventricular structural and functional changes between pheochromocytoma and essential hypertension. Role of elevated circulating catecholamines.

Experimental findings suggest that catecholamines increase protein synthesis and play a role in cardiac hypertrophy. We hypothesize that elevated circulating plasma catecholamines in pheochromocytoma influence cardiac structural and functional remodeling. We compared 15 patients with surgically proven pheochromocytoma and 15 with untreated essential hypertension; we matched the patients for age, sex, body surface area, and blood pressure (BP) levels. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was identified by M-mode echocardiography in six patients with pheochromocytoma and in four with essential hypertension. Among both groups there were no differences in cardiac structure, no correlation between left ventricular mass and BP, no significant differences in mitral E-F slope, no correlation between either plasma norepinephrine or plasma epinephrine levels, and no differences in the left ventricular structural indices measured. In the pheochromocytoma group, left ventricular end systolic stress and end systolic diameter were significantly lower and left ventricular percent fractional shortening was higher. Plasma norepinephrine levels were higher in the pheochromocytoma group, but did not differ among patients of that group with and without LVH. We conclude that in both pheochromocytoma and essential hypertension, only a subset of patients develop evidence of LVH, and that in pheochromocytoma, the elevation of circulating plasma catecholamines is not necessarily associated with LVH. These results indicate that factors other than catecholamines and BP determine the development of LVH in pheochromocytoma.

Aortoseptal angulation and left ventricular hypertrophy pattern: an echocardiographic study in patients with aortic valvular stenosis.

We studied 15 patients with valvular aortic stenosis (mean age 63 +/- 14 [SD] years) with M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiography to evaluate the influence of aortoseptal angulation on left ventricular changes. The diastolic aortoseptal angle averaged 118 degrees +/- 4 degrees in 10 patients (group I) and 96 degrees +/- 17 degrees in five patients (group II) (p less than 0.05). Left ventricular outflow tract diameter was significantly narrower in group II versus group I (1.5 +/- 0.5 cm versus 2.1 +/- 0.2 cm, p less than 0.01), and severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction developed in two patients in group II after surgery. Moreover, diastolic aortoseptal angulation did not correlate with any of left ventricular indexes in group I but correlated significantly with left ventricular diastolic posterior wall thickness in group II (r = -0.975, p = 0.025). We conclude that aortoseptal angulation in aortic stenosis may alter left ventricular geometry, and its clinical significance may be related to its effects on postoperative accentuation of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

Transcatheter electrical AV junction ablation: predictors of success.

The initial and long-term results of transcatheter electrical ablation in 29 patients with drug-refractory supraventricular tachyarrhythmias were analyzed. Ablation was immediately successful (defined as induction of chronic complete heart block) in 25 patients (86.2%). Among the group in whom ablation was unsuccessful, there were more patients with ectopic atrial tachycardia and a higher incidence of narrow QRS escape rhythm following the initial ablation. A His amplitude equal to or greater than 0.3 mV was correlated with success. Complications of ablation included deep venous thrombosis and ventricular arrhythmias. Post-ablation stress testing was superior to ambulatory monitoring in identifying early return of atrioventricular conduction.

Respiratory complications and hypoxic episodes during inhalation induction with isoflurane in children.

We have studied the incidence of respiratory complications and hypoxic episodes during inhalation induction with isoflurane in 75 healthy unpremedicated children. Problems occurred less frequently when 4% isoflurane in oxygen was used from the outset than with traditional techniques using nitrous oxide and a gradually increasing inspired vapour concentration. The improved results observed with the former method may be secondary to more rapid uptake of vapour so that the second stage of anaesthesia characteristic of anaesthetic ethers is shortened considerably.

Serial electrophysiologic testing of drug therapy in supraventricular tachycardia related to accessory pathways.

Data are limited on the use of serial electrophysiologic testing of drug therapy in patients with supraventricular tachycardia associated with accessory pathways, including the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Twenty-four highly symptomatic patients (aged 36 +/- 11 years) with SVT related to accessory pathways underwent electrophysiologic studies to select an effective chronic oral treatment. Conventional (verapamil, propranolol, quinidine, disopyramide) and investigational (amiodarone, aprindine, propafenone) drugs were used alone and in combination if necessary. It was determined that serial electrophysiologic studies could identify potentially effective treatments in 66% of patients with reentrant SVT involving accessory pathways, and the findings were highly predictive of long-term clinical outcome.