Flow Velocity in Common Carotid Artery

A significant blood flow disruption as seen in cardiovascular diseases and disorders is related to hemodynamic dysfunction. Gender influences the arterial hemodynamic functions. Understanding of gender-related differences in blood flow and pressure is crucial in the prevalence and burden of cardiovascular disease. This chapter presents about characteristic profile of carotid flow velocities to extend the fundamental understanding of arterial hemodynamic functions in gender differences. Comparison of both synchronized carotid blood flow velocity and blood pressures at normodynamics state are introduced to contribute to targeted therapeutic goal based on gender. Gender-related differences in body size has influenced on arterial hemodynamics in carotid artery. Body height has influenced on systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, wave reflection, pulse wave velocity in carotid artery. Carotid blood flow velocities are largely accounted for not only body height but also body weight. The predictors for modulating blood flow velocities were not only limited to age, but also influenced by several body compositions that largely accounted for the gender-related differences including visceral fat, muscle mass and total body fat. These data may useful to effective prevention and management of cardiovascular disease by considering the gender-difference

Decellularized bovine meniscus in morphological assessment prior to bioscaffold preparation

Decellularization is a process of tissue treatment targeting cell removal. Sonication system was developed in order to decellularize meniscus tissues. The samples were sonicated in 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) for 10 hours and at 40 kHz ultrasound frequency. All the samples were structurally examined using van Gieson, Picrosirius red, Safranin-O/Fast green staining, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation. Histological analysis of sonication treated-samples by van Gieson staining demonstrated complete nuclei removal compared to the control samples. The Picrosirius red and Safranin-O/Fast green staining indicate the preservation of collagen and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) structure, respectively. In addition, the morphological observation by SEM shows the availability of micropores on the surface of decellularized sample. Consequently, the sonication decellularization treatment did not affect extracellular matrix (ECM) properties, while forming micropores on the surface of meniscus tissues. This made it possible to proceed in other fulfillment of bioscaffold preparation

Construction cost optimization of shallow foundation for sand soil in Indonesia

In designing foundation, there are three fundamental requirements namely: ultimate limit state (ULS), serviceability limit state (SLS), and economics. Generally, the ULS and SLS are the focus of the design process, while the cost factors are not explicitly considered. This paper deals with the three requirements with the minimum construction cost as the controlling objective. A wide range of sand density conditions are considered, while the typical ULS and SLS design checks available in the literature are employed. The optimization tool used is the Solver add-in function available in MS-Excel™. The effects of different construction cost structures in four Indonesia's provinces are examined in this paper. The purpose of this research is to be able in designing the shallow foundation with 3 aspects consideration at once, namely ULS, SLS and economic. On the other hand, this research is to analyse the sensitivity's factor which influence the design, namely work unit price, soil properties and design's requirements

Visceral fat accumulation influenced blood flow velocity in hypertensive subjects

Arterial function measurements are widely used as surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease. However, it is unknown whether non-pathological factor may influence these measurements in particularly blood velocity function. The aim of current study was to investigate the relationship between visceral fat (VF) accumulation and hypertension incidence. The study evaluated the changes of blood velocity waveforms among normotensive and hypertensive subjects. One hundred twenty six individuals were classified into three groups which are lower VF, middle VF and higher VF regarding on their VF level. Resistive index (RI), velocity reflection index (VRI) and vascular elastic recoil index (VEI) were calculated from the 3 minutes assemble average of envelope waveform. The VF accumulation was higher in hypertensive than normotensive subjects. Peak systolic (S1), peak diastolic (D), VRI and VEI modulated significantly (P < 0.05) in higher VF compared to lower VF groups. RI and VRI show significantly different in hypertensive compared to normotensive groups. In conclusion, increased VF influences hypertension incidence and blood velocity regulation

Fluorescence multispectral imaging-based diagnostic system for atherosclerosis

Background: Composition of atherosclerotic arterial walls is rich in lipids such as cholesterol, unlike normal arterial walls. In this study, we aimed to utilize this difference to diagnose atherosclerosis via multispectral fluorescence imaging, which allows for identification of fluorescence originating from the substance in the arterial wall. Methods: The inner surface of extracted arteries (rabbit abdominal aorta, human coronary artery) was illuminated by 405 nm excitation light and multispectral fluorescence images were obtained. Pathological examination of human coronary artery samples were carried out and thickness of arteries were calculated by measuring combined media and intima thickness. Results: The fluorescence spectra in atherosclerotic sites were different from those in normal sites. Multiple regions of interest (ROI) were selected within each sample and a ratio between two fluorescence intensity differences (where each intensity difference is calculated between an identifier wavelength and a base wavelength) from each ROI was determined, allowing for discrimination of atherosclerotic sites. Fluorescence intensity and thickness of artery were found to be significantly correlated. Conclusions: These results indicate that multispectral fluorescence imaging provides qualitative and quantitative evaluations of atherosclerosis and is therefore a viable method of diagnosing the disease

Potential of deep seawater mariculture for economic transformation in Sabah, Malaysia

A Malaysian state of Sabah is blessed with natural deep sea water (DSW). The presence of these DSW's offers a potential for OTEC power plant to be installed and operated using warm surface sea water (SSW) as a heat source and the cold DSW as a heat sink. In the operation, the power plant may need to spend a considerable amount of power to pump up the DSW. The cold DSW, after serving its function as coolant to the condenser of the power plant, apparently appears as cold waste-water and may pose a disposal problem to the environment. However, being very rich in nutrients, the used DSW instead create another valuable potential for secondary commercial activities in industries like mariculture, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, medicinal, temperate crop farming, district cooling, etc. all of which, if fully developed could offer a real economic transformation for the state of Sabah, as that experience by the Japanese Kumejima of Okinawa prefecture. This paper focuses on the discussion on the potential of DSW in enhancing the development of Sabah mariculture industry, party contribution towards accelerating the socioeconomic transformation of the state and the people

Development of diagnostic system for atherosclerosis based on intrinsic fluorescence using multispectral imaging

Composition of atherosclerotic arterial walls is rich in lipids such as cholesterol; unlike normal arterial walls. In this study, we aimed to utilize this difference to diagnose atherosclerosis via multispectral imaging, which allows for identification of fluorescence originating from the substance in the arterial wall. The inner surface of extracted arteries (rabbit abdominal aorta, human coronary aorta) was illuminated by an excitation light and multispectral fluorescence images were obtained. The fluorescence spectra in atherosclerotic sites were shown to be different from those in normal sites. A ratio of fluorescence intensity at a wavelength of two significant differences was then calculated for each pixel and ratio images were reconstructed. As a result, we succeeded in “disease mapping”, by which atherosclerotic sites can be discriminated from normal sites. The differences in fluorescence spectra may be attributed to the differences in fluorophores contained in the intima/media of the artery

The kinetics of neutrophils in photodynamic theraphy as anti-tumor

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is known for its antitumor property. PDT uses a photosensitizer combined with light to kill cancer cells. Different to other non-surgical cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy which suppress immune system, it is suggested that PDT promotes an accumulation of neutrophils causing destruction of tumor cells; however, this is not be fully elucidated. Neutrophils is known to be a main player in the innate immunity and is closely related to the inflammation of the tumor site after PDT. Therefore, in this research, we investigated the relationship of neutrophils kinetics and anti-tumor property of PDT

Design of Led Base Bell\u27s Palsy Therapy Device Using Microcontroller ATmega 8535

Bell\u27s Palsy is a disease that attacks the facial nerves to cause muscle paralysis on one side of the face, indicated by conditions one side of the face becomes stiff and difficult to move. Therapeutic devices are also very much needed to cure facial stiffness besides of giving medicines. One of the most widely used therapies is warm therapy, however, this therapy takes a long time and quite expensive too. This research proposed a simple and affordable bell\u27s palsy therapy device use LED temperature heating media and a time controller based on the microcontroller ATMega 8535. The test is carried out at a time and temperature series, the result shows the circuit accuracy reaches 100% on a 15-minutes test. Testing on temperature stability also showed achieving a stable temperature at 420C in the 15 minutes. Device function tests are only carried out at a time and temperature series, the patient safety test has not been carried out. So that it still needs to be improved in future studies, especially in safety mode