Physiological effects of different recruitment maneuvers in a pig model of ARDS

Background In acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lung recruitment maneuvers can recruit collapsed alveoli in gravity-dependent lung regions, improving the homogeneity of ventilation distribution. This study used electrical impedance tomography to investigate the physiological effects of different recruitment maneuvers for alveolar recruitment in a pig model of ARDS. Methods ARDS was induced in ten healthy male pigs with repeated bronchoalveolar lavage until the ratio of arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) of fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F) was < 100 mmHg and remained stable for 30 min (TARDS). ARDS pigs underwent three sequential recruitment maneuvers, including sustained inflation, increments of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) applied in random order, with 30 mins at a PEEP of 5 cmH2O between maneuvers. Respiratory mechanics, hemodynamics, arterial blood gas, and electrical impedance tomography were recorded at baseline, TARDS, and before and after each recruitment maneuver. Results In all ten pigs, ARDS was successfully induced with a mean 2.8 ± 1.03 L bronchoalveolar lavages. PaO2, P/F, and compliance were significantly improved after recruitment with sustained inflation, increments of PEEP or PCV (all p < 0.05), and there were no significant differences between maneuvers. Global inhomogeneity index significantly decreased after recruitment with sustained inflation, increments of PEEP, or PCV. There were no significant differences in global inhomogeneity before or after recruitment with the different maneuvers. The decrease in global inhomogeneity index (ΔGI) was significantly greater after recruitment with increments of PEEP compared to sustained inflation (p = 0.023), but there was no significant difference in ΔGI between increments of PEEP and PCV or between sustained inflation and PCV. Conclusion Sustained inflation, increments of PEEP, and PCV increased oxygenation, and regional and global compliance of the respiratory system, and decreased inhomogeneous gas distribution in ARDS pigs. Increments of PEEP significantly improved inhomogeneity of the lung compared to sustained inflation, while there was no difference between increments of PEEP and PCV or between sustained inflation and PCV.

Global Inhomogeneity Index Evaluation of a DCT-based EIT Lung Imaging

Purpose: To evaluate a novel structural-functional DCT-based EIT lung imaging method against the classical EIT reconstruction. Method: Taken retrospectively from a former study, EIT data was evaluated using both reconstruction methods. For different phases of ventilation, EIT images are analyzed with respect to the global inhomogeneity (GI) index for comparison. Results: A significant less variant GI index was observed in the DCTbased method, compared to the index from classical method. Conclusion: The DCT-based method generates more accurate lung contour yet decreasing the essential information in the image which affects the GI index. These preliminary results must be consolidated with more patient data in different breathing states.

Thermal Prediction of Convective-Radiative Porous Fin Heatsink of Functionally Graded Material Using Adomian Decomposition Method

In recent times, the subject of effective cooling have become an interesting research topic for electronic and mechanical engineers due to the increased miniaturization trend in modern electronic systems. However, fins are useful for cooling various low and high power electronic systems. For improved thermal management of electronic systems, porous fins of functionally graded materials (FGM) have been identified as a viable candidate to enhance cooling. The present study presents an analysis of a convective–radiative porous fin of FGM. For theoretical investigations, the thermal property of the functionally graded material is assumed to follow linear and power-law functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of inhomogeneity index of FGM, convective and radiative variables on the thermal performance of the porous heatsink. The results of the present study show that an increase in the inhomogeneity index of FGM, convective and radiative parameter improves fin efficiency. Moreover, the rate of heat transfer in longitudinal FGM fin increases as β increases. The temperature prediction using the Adomian decomposition method is in excellent agreement with other analytical and method.

Finite Element Simulation of Equal Channel Angular Pressing: Effect of Die Angle and Number of Passes

Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) is one of the popular severe plastic deformation processes used to produce bulk nanostructured materials. The degree of homogeneity of nanostructured is affected by various die parameters. In this paper, the effect of internal die angle (ϕ) and number of passes (N) on the strain behaviour of Aluminium Alloy 6061 (AA6061) during ECAP was investigated by using three-dimensional finite element analysis. The effect of number of passes and die angle on the homogeneity within the workpiece was analysed in terms of contours, radial view contour and inhomogeneity index. The analysis is done by comparing workpiece extruded up to 8 passes at die angle of 120° and 126°. It is observed that the resulting strain is higher at 120° die. However, the inhomogeneity index is decreasing in a similar pattern in both dies. The simulation results shed some lights on the optimum design of ECAP die for homogeneous microstructure.

NEW POSSIBILITIES OF THE STUDY OF RESPIRATORY FUNCTION IN CHILDREN

Тhe article provides an overview of modern methods of assessing the respiratory function in children taking into account their age peculiarities. The emphasis is made on high-precision ultrasonic spirometry, evaluation of static pulmonary volumes and determination of the ventilation inhomogeneity index by means of nitrogen washout with oxygen compared to the traditionally used methods. Authors’ own results of approbation of these test methods are presented and their comparative assessment is provided.

Graded Transitions Homogeneity for Ti-50.8%Ni Processed by ECAP

Ti-50.8%Ni shape memory alloy was subjected to four passes equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) with angle 120◦ via route Bc at 450°C. The deformation homogeneity was analyzed on planes across the thickness of the deformed sample by Deform-3D software. Two methods were used from the simulation model to quantify deformation homogeneity , including strain standard deviation (SSD) and inhomogeneity index (Ci). In addition, The deformation heterogeneity of ECAP was analyzed experimentally from microhardness inhomogeneity index ( HII) based on Vickers microhardness test results.In the present work, Ci and SSD had been testified to detect which one could give better results experimentally. It was demonstrated that the simulation results of SSD measurements were in good agreement with experimental results .