1,721,178 research outputs found
Advanced lung-ventilator system (ALVS) for waveform optimization of pressure-controlled ventilation.
No full textThe present paper describes the functional features of an advanced lung ventilation system (ALVS) properly designed for the optimization
of conventional dual-controlled ventilation (DCV), i.e. with pressure-controlled ventilation with ensured tidal or minute volume. Considering
the particular clinical conditions of patients treated with controlled ventilation the analysis and synthesis of ALVS control have been performed
assuming a linear respiratory mechanics. Moreover, newairways pressurewaveforms with more physiological shape can be tested on simulators
of respiratory system in order to evaluate their clinical application. This is obtained through the implementation of a compensation procedure
making the desired airways pressure waveform independent on patient airways resistance and lung compliance variations along with a
complete real-time monitoring of respiratory system parameters leading the ventilator setting. The experimental results obtained with a lung
simulator agree with the theoretical ones and show that ALVS performance is useful for the research activity aiming at the improvement of
both diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic outcome relative to mechanical ventilation treatments
Two-channel Epidermal RFID Sensor for the Analysis of Nasal Respiratory Flow
No full textAbnormal breathing can be a symptom of an unhealthy status. Conventional diagnostic exams involve cum-bersome and intrusive instrumentation that are overall un-comfortable for the user. Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) devices, instead, enable non-invasive wireless monitoring of respiration by means of epidermal antennas with embedded temperature sensors. Two sampling points in the same device could be useful to independently measure the respiratory flow of the two nostrils, which are known to work differently. At this purpose, this paper proposes a two-channel flexible epidermal sensor for the bilateral monitoring of nasal breathing based on temperature measurement. It compactly adheres on the prolabium, and comprises two coupled T-match asymmetric dipole antennas whose ICs are placed at the exit of the nostrils. The sensor can be read up to 60 cm. Experimental tests on some prototypes demonstrated that, thanks to negligible cross-sensitivity of the two ICs' temperature data, the breathing rate can be accurately estimated independently for the two nostrils
Two-Channel Epidermal RFID Sensor for the Wireless Bilateral Analysis of Nasal Respiration
No full textAbnormal breathing can be a symptom of an unhealthy status. Conventional diagnostic exams involve cumbersome and intrusive instrumentation, such as nasal cannulas, that is, uncomfortable for the user and that, most of the times, do not consider the breathing asymmetries between the two nostrils. This article describes a two-channel flexible epidermal sensor for the wireless and less-invasive bilateral monitoring of nasal breathing based on temperature measurement. The device is suitable to adhere to the prolabium and comprises two coupled T-match antennas whose Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Integrated Circuits (ICs) are placed at the entrance of the nostrils. They are provided with embedded temperature sensors so that they implement both sensing and transmission of the data. A measurement campaign is carried out to provide a quantitative characterization of the dual-channel device as a breath sensor by comparison with a conventional flow meter. The two nostrils can be independently monitored due to a negligible cross-sensitivity of the two ICs' temperature data. Moreover, temperature-based measurements proved capable to reproduce typical clinical breathing features, with less than 12% uncertainty with respect to flow waveforms
RFID-Sensorized Facemask for Wireless Monitoring of Newborn Breath Temperature during Mild Hypothermia Treatment
No full textBreath monitoring of sedated and under-treatment patients is a key clinical procedure in hospitals. Non-invasive de-vices are preferable to perform a comfortable screening, and they assume greater importance in case the patients are newborns. Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) breath sensors are passive devices that can enable low-invasive and wireless monitoring of respiration. By embedding temperature sensors within their Integrated Circuits (ICs), these devices are compact and can record temperature signals that can be correlated with typical flow-based signals. This paper aims at assessing the feasibility of involving RFID breath sensors for the monitoring of newborns breathing temperature in a real hospital ward. A pediatric disposable facemask was sensorized with a T-match dipole antenna. Following a preliminary evaluation of its electromagnetic performance and safety, in-hospital breath monitoring was performed on a newborn undergoing mild hypothermia treatment. Compared to traditional flow meter measurements, RFID results are promising and the ease-of-use and the wireless transmission of the data permit the monitoring of patients without interfering with the undergoing treatments
ADVANCED LUNG-VENTILATOR SYSTEM (ALVS) FOR CONTROLLED BREATHING OPTIMIZATION
No full textAn advanced lung-ventilator system
(ALVS) properly designed for the optimization of
conventional dual-controlled ventilation (DCV) and
of new airways pressure waveforms with more
physiological shape has been tested on simulators of
respiratory system in order to evaluate its clinical
application.
A compensation procedure making the chosen
airways pressure waveform independent of patient
airways resistance and lung compliance variations
along with a complete real-time monitoring of
respiratory system parameters are the innovative
functional features implemented.
The preliminary experimental results show that
ALVS performance is useful for the research activity
concerning with the improvement of both diagnostic
evaluation and therapeutic outcome relative to
mechanical ventilation treatments
Co-chaperonin GroES as a modulator of proteasomal activity.
No full textThe proteasome has a crucial part in the degradation of normal, damaged, mutant or misfolded proteins within both the ubiquitin ATP-dependent and the ubiquitin ATP-independent pathways. Proteasome-mediated proteolysis is modulated by diverse factors, and in this regard, chaperonins have been attracting great interest. The investigation on the role of a co-chaperonin, namely GroES, in the modulation of proteasomal activity was the focus of this work. Our study reports on an analytical approach based on combined fluorimetric, chromatographic (applied to the enzymatic activity evaluation), surface plasmon resonance techniques and molecular modelling, addressed to the assessment and characterization of the interaction. Globally, we described a high affinity interaction between GroES and two different 20 S (immuno- and constitutive) proteasomes, uncovering new scenarios on their possible physio-pathological role, specifically on the ability of proteasomes to interact both with unfolding and folding-assisting macromolecules. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Optimization of flow setting during high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) with a new spirometry system
No full textHigh-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is frequently used to treat respiratory distress in infants and children because of its beneficial effects on alveolar ventilation and respiratory mechanics. Setting an adequate flow rate that meets a patient's peak inspiratory flow (PIF) is thus crucially important to achieve such effects. HFNC flow rate is typically set at 1 L/min/kg +1 as suggested by the manufacturer and increased to 2 L/min/kg according to the degree of respiratory distress. However, whether this empirical flow setting actually meets a patient's PIF has not yet been investigated. In this study, we implemented our previously described respiratory mechanics monitoring system (MAES) with a new spirometry function (NSS) that allows for a simultaneous visualization of the flow tracings of HFNC and the patient's spontaneous breathing. We tested the ability of NSS-MAES to determine the adequacy of empirically set flow rates of 1 L/min/kg +1 or 2 L/min/kg on 9 infants with respiratory distress receiving HFNC. HFNC flow rate was considered adequate if its tracing was just above the patient's respiratory flow. In patients in whom 1 L/kg/min +1 was inadequate, we used NSS-MAES to identify the adequate flow by raising the HFNC flow until it reached the patient's PIF (HFNC-NSS-MAES). We also investigated which flow rate was associated with the maximal decrease of respiratory effort, namely, Pressure Time Product (PTP) and Work of Breathing (WOB). We found that 1 L/min/kg +1, but not 2 L/min/kg was often unable to meet the patient's PIF. In these cases HFNC-NSS-MAES values were around 1.6 L/min/kg. Conversely, HFNC at 2 L/min/kg always exceeded the patient's PIF. All breathing effort indexes tested improved after HFNC treatment with the maximal unloading seen at 2 L/min/kg for PTP and at HFNC-NSS-MAES. © 2016 IEEE
Dual-chip RFID on-skin tag for bilateral breath monitoring
No full textBreath monitoring is critical for multiple applications, ranging from monitoring patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to the design of optimized physical training. Recently proposed Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) tags and systems for breath monitoring only return integrated information on breathing, whereas the air flow through each nostril can provide more useful information. In this paper, a dual-tag temperature-sensing RFID device is introduced for the simultaneous bilateral monitoring of the nostrils' breath. The device comprises two coupled tapered loops each closed to a transmission line probe excited by a smaller loop hosting the Integrated Circuit (IC). The resulting two-ports tag is such that each temperature-sensing IC is placed just below a nostril. Numerical and preliminary experimentations with epidermal prototypes suggest that the two sensors can be simultaneously read along the nose septum's direction up to a distance of 50 cm
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