Abstract: Factor retrieving is a major approach for pulse wave analysis. Stiffness index and cardiac output are widely used factors for cardiac risk detection. Research has been done on clinical pulse wave data which are collected by pulse oximeter. The result shows that collected factors have a positive correlation with certain cardiac risks. Some adjustments have been applied on the algorithms that increase the significance. In addition to the factor based analysis, other signal processing techniques for pulse waveforms are included such as bispectrum estimation, Wavelet transform, and weighted dynamic time warping. Bispectrum estimation and Wavelet transform have meaningful features of pulse waveforms with some special shapes. Weighted dynamic time warping compares the similarity of waveforms. It also includes medical significance into the calculation by adjusting the weight vector. This algorithm has higher accuracy when providing more samples to compare.

Abstract: Cyclic aryl ethers, thioethers or amines, and methods for synthesis are disclosed. These cyclic aryl compounds are synthesized by combining a first dinucleophile with a substituted benzene metallized electron-withdrawing complex, having halo or nitro substituen groups, to form a linear bimetallized aryl compound. The linear bimetallized aryl compound is then reacted with a second dinucleophile to form a cyclic bimetallized aryl compound. The metallized electron-withdrawing moieties are then removed from said cyclic bimetallized aryl compound by photolytic demetallation to form a cyclic aryl compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: X.sub.1 and X.sub.3 are the same or different and each is a alkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocyclic or aromatic group having up to 6 conjugated rings, optionally substituted;X.sub.2 is benzenen.sub.1 and n.sub.3 are the same or different and each is O, S or N; andn.sub.4 is H or lower alkyl.

Abstract: A fish feeder has a cylindrical feed container with a conical hopper bottom. The bottom is equipped with a bushing in which a metering head slides. The head has shallow pockets in its side surface that fill with feed when the head is in a normal position retracted into the container. The activation of a solenoid drives the metering head through the bushing to expose the pockets and allow the feed to be discharged into a fish tank. The metering heads and bushings are interchangeable to provide for different quantities of discharge and different sizes of feed. For very large size feed the metering head may be replaced with a valve, which is operated on a timed cycle to control the amount of feed dispensed. The feeder is capable of delivering feed in a particle size range from 250 microns to 4 millimeters diameter.