Plasma–liquid interactions: a review and roadmap

Plasma–liquid interactions represent a growing interdisciplinary area of research involving plasma science, fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, photolysis, multiphase chemistry and aerosol science. This review provides an assessment of the state-of-the-art of this multidisciplinary area and identifies the key research challenges. The developments in diagnostics, modeling and further extensions of cross section and reaction rate databases that are necessary to address these challenges are discussed. The review focusses on non-equilibrium plasmas

TRANSITION DIPOLE MOMENT AND LINE STRENGTHS FOR THE ν2\nu_{2} FUNDAMENTAL BAND OF THE METHYL RADICAL

$^{a}$C. Yamada and E. Hirota, J.Chem. Phys. 78, (2) 669 (1983).Author Institution: INP-Greifswald; Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeThe determination of methyl radical concentrations in terrestrial and astronomical sources using infrared spectroscopy relies on the availability of accurate line strengths and transition dipole moments. The $\nu_{2}$ fundamental of $CH_{3}$ near $606 cm^{-1}$ is particularly useful for this purpose but the current value of its transition dipole moment is uncertain by at least $20$. We have measured the line strength of 9 Q-branch lines of the $2^{1}_{0}$ band of $CH_{3}$ from Q(1,1) to Q(12,12) using diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The method is based on following the recombination rate of methyl radicals in a pulsed discharge in tertiary butyl peroxide heavily diluted in $argon^{a}$. The translational, rotational and vibrational temperatures of the radical were precisely determined from line widths and relative line intensities in both the $\nu_{2}$ fundamental and hot bands. The new value of the transition dipole moment is $0.22 \pm 0.02$ D which is compatible with most previous measurements and calculations, and with the transition dipole moment of the $\nu_{3}$ band

Electroencephalogram approximate entropy correctly classifies the occurrence of burst suppression pattern as increasing anesthetic drug effect

BACKGROUND: Approximate entropy, a measure of signal complexity and regularity, quantifies electroencephalogram changes during anesthesia. With increasing doses of anesthetics, burst-suppression patterns occur. Because of the high-frequency bursts, spectrally based parameters such as median electroencephalogram frequency and spectral edge frequency 95 do not decrease, incorrectly suggesting lightening of anesthesia. The authors investigated whether the approximate entropy algorithm correctly classifies the occurrence of burst suppression as deepening of anesthesia. METHODS: Eleven female patients scheduled for elective major surgery were studied. After propofol induction, anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane only. Before surgery, the end-tidal isoflurane concentration was varied between 0.6 and 1.3 minimum alveolar concentration. The raw electroencephalogram was continuously recorded and sampled at 128 Hz. Approximate entropy, electroencephalogram median frequency, spectral edge frequency 95, burst-suppression ratio, and burst-compensated spectral edge frequency 95 were calculated offline from 8-s epochs. The relation between burst-suppression ratio and approximate entropy, electroencephalogram median frequency, spectral edge frequency 95, and burst-compensated spectral edge frequency 95 was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Higher isoflurane concentrations were associated with higher burst-suppression ratios. Electroencephalogram median frequency (r = 0.34) and spectral edge frequency 95 (r = 0.29) increased, approximate entropy (r = -0.94) and burst-compensated spectral edge frequency 95 (r = -0.88) decreased with increasing burst-suppression ratio. CONCLUSION: Electroencephalogram approximate entropy, but not electroencephalogram median frequency or spectral edge frequency 95 without burst compensation, correctly classifies the occurrence of burst-suppression pattern as increasing anesthetic drug effect.status: publishe

Surgical stimulation shifts EEG concentration-response relationship of desflurane

BACKGROUND: Anesthesiologists routinely increase the delivered anesthetic concentration before surgical stimulation in anticipation of increased anesthetic requirement to achieve certain goals (e.g., amnesia, unconsciousness, and immobility). Electroencephalographic monitoring is one method of determining indirectly anesthetic effect on the brain. The present study investigated the effect of surgical stimuli on the concentration-response relation of desflurane-induced electroencephalographic changes. METHODS: The electroencephalographic activity was recorded from 24 female patients who received only desflurane after a single induction dose of propofol. Twelve patients served as a control group before surgical stimulation. The other 12 patients, all undergoing lower abdominal surgery, were investigated between opening and closure of the peritoneum. Desflurane vaporizer settings were randomly increased and decreased between 0.5 and 1.6 minimum alveolar concentration as long as anesthesia was considered adequate. Spectral edge frequency 95, median power frequency, and Bispectral Index were calculated. Desflurane effect-site concentrations and the concentration-effect curves for spectral edge frequency 95, median power frequency, and Bispectral Index were determined by simultaneous pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling. RESULTS: Surgical stimulation shifted the desflurane concentration-electroencephalographic effect curves for spectral edge frequency 95, median power frequency, and Bispectral Index toward higher desflurane concentrations. In the unstimulated group, 2.2 +/- 0.74 vol% desflurane were necessary to achieve a Bispectral Index of 50, whereas during surgery, 6.8 +/- 0.98 vol% (mean +/- SE) were required. CONCLUSIONS: During surgery, higher concentrations of the volatile anesthetic are required to achieve a desired level of cortical electrical activity and, presumably, anesthesia.status: publishe