Electrostatic sensors applied to the measurement of electric charge transfer in gas-solids pipelines

This paper describes the development of a number of electric charge sensors. The sensors have been developed specifically to investigate triboelectric charge transfer which takes place between particles and the pipeline wall, when powdered materials are conveyed through a pipeline using air. A number of industrial applications exist for such gas-solids pipelines, including pneumatic conveyors, vacuum cleaners and dust extraction systems. The build-up of electric charge on pipelines and powdered materials can lead to electrostatic discharge and so is of interest from a safety viewpoint. The charging of powders can also adversely affect their mechanical handling characteristics and so is of interest to handling equipment engineers. The paper presents the design of the sensors, the design of the electric charge test rig and electric charge measurement test results

4D FLOW CMR in congenital heart disease

This thesis showed that the use of a cloud-based reconstruction applicationwith advanced eddy currents correction, integrated with interactiveimaging evaluation tools allowed for remote visualization and interpretationof 4D flow data and that was sufficient for gross visualizationof aortic valve regurgitation. Further, this thesis demonstrated that bulkflow and pulmonary regurgitation can be accurately quantified using 4Dflow imaging analyzed. Peak systolic velocity over the pulmonary valvemay be underestimated. However, the measurement of peak systolicvelocity can be optimized if measured at the level of highest velocity inthe pulmonary artery. Also correlated against invasive measurements (inan animal model), this thesis shows that aorta flow and pulmonary flowcan be accurately and simultaneously measured by 4D flow MRI.When applied in clinical practice, 4D flow has extra advantages, of beingable to visualize flow pattern, vorticity and to predict aortic growth. InASD patients it can measure shunt volume directly following the septumframe by frame. In Fontan patients in can visualize better than standardMRI the Fontan circuit and it can measure flow at multiple points alongthe Fontan circuit. We observed in our Fontan population that shunt lesionswere very common, most of the time via veno-venous collaterals.Further using advanced computations, we showed that WSS angle wasthe only independent predictor of aortic growth in BAV patients. We alsoshowed the feasibility of GLS analysis on 4D flow MRI and presented anintegrative approach in which flow and functional data are acquired inone sequence.From the technical point of view, 4D flow MRI has proved to complementthe traditional components of the standard cardiac MR exams, enablingin-depth insights into hemodynamics. At this moment it proved its addedvalue, but in most of the cases it is not able yet to replace the standardexam. This is still due to long scanning times and relatively longpost-processing times.<br/

4D FLOW CMR in congenital heart disease

This thesis showed that the use of a cloud-based reconstruction applicationwith advanced eddy currents correction, integrated with interactiveimaging evaluation tools allowed for remote visualization and interpretationof 4D flow data and that was sufficient for gross visualizationof aortic valve regurgitation. Further, this thesis demonstrated that bulkflow and pulmonary regurgitation can be accurately quantified using 4Dflow imaging analyzed. Peak systolic velocity over the pulmonary valvemay be underestimated. However, the measurement of peak systolicvelocity can be optimized if measured at the level of highest velocity inthe pulmonary artery. Also correlated against invasive measurements (inan animal model), this thesis shows that aorta flow and pulmonary flowcan be accurately and simultaneously measured by 4D flow MRI.When applied in clinical practice, 4D flow has extra advantages, of beingable to visualize flow pattern, vorticity and to predict aortic growth. InASD patients it can measure shunt volume directly following the septumframe by frame. In Fontan patients in can visualize better than standardMRI the Fontan circuit and it can measure flow at multiple points alongthe Fontan circuit. We observed in our Fontan population that shunt lesionswere very common, most of the time via veno-venous collaterals.Further using advanced computations, we showed that WSS angle wasthe only independent predictor of aortic growth in BAV patients. We alsoshowed the feasibility of GLS analysis on 4D flow MRI and presented anintegrative approach in which flow and functional data are acquired inone sequence.From the technical point of view, 4D flow MRI has proved to complementthe traditional components of the standard cardiac MR exams, enablingin-depth insights into hemodynamics. At this moment it proved its addedvalue, but in most of the cases it is not able yet to replace the standardexam. This is still due to long scanning times and relatively longpost-processing times.<br/

4D FLOW CMR in congenital heart disease

This thesis showed that the use of a cloud-based reconstruction applicationwith advanced eddy currents correction, integrated with interactiveimaging evaluation tools allowed for remote visualization and interpretationof 4D flow data and that was sufficient for gross visualizationof aortic valve regurgitation. Further, this thesis demonstrated that bulkflow and pulmonary regurgitation can be accurately quantified using 4Dflow imaging analyzed. Peak systolic velocity over the pulmonary valvemay be underestimated. However, the measurement of peak systolicvelocity can be optimized if measured at the level of highest velocity inthe pulmonary artery. Also correlated against invasive measurements (inan animal model), this thesis shows that aorta flow and pulmonary flowcan be accurately and simultaneously measured by 4D flow MRI.When applied in clinical practice, 4D flow has extra advantages, of beingable to visualize flow pattern, vorticity and to predict aortic growth. InASD patients it can measure shunt volume directly following the septumframe by frame. In Fontan patients in can visualize better than standardMRI the Fontan circuit and it can measure flow at multiple points alongthe Fontan circuit. We observed in our Fontan population that shunt lesionswere very common, most of the time via veno-venous collaterals.Further using advanced computations, we showed that WSS angle wasthe only independent predictor of aortic growth in BAV patients. We alsoshowed the feasibility of GLS analysis on 4D flow MRI and presented anintegrative approach in which flow and functional data are acquired inone sequence.From the technical point of view, 4D flow MRI has proved to complementthe traditional components of the standard cardiac MR exams, enablingin-depth insights into hemodynamics. At this moment it proved its addedvalue, but in most of the cases it is not able yet to replace the standardexam. This is still due to long scanning times and relatively longpost-processing times.<br/

Qualitative grading of aortic regurgitation: a pilot study comparing CMR 4D flow and echocardiography.

Over the past 10 years there has been intense research in the development of volumetric visualization of intracardiac flow by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).This volumetric time resolved technique called CMR 4D flow imaging has several advantages over standard CMR. It offers anatomical, functional and flow information in a single free-breathing, ten-minute acquisition. However, the data obtained is large and its processing requires dedicated software. We evaluated a cloud-based application package that combines volumetric data correction and visualization of CMR 4D flow data, and assessed its accuracy for the detection and grading of aortic valve regurgitation using transthoracic echocardiography as reference. Between June 2014 and January 2015, patients planned for clinical CMR were consecutively approached to undergo the supplementary CMR 4D flow acquisition. Fifty four patients(median age 39 years, 32 males) were included. Detection and grading of the aortic valve regurgitation using CMR4D flow imaging were evaluated against transthoracic echocardiography. The agreement between 4D flow CMR and transthoracic echocardiography for grading of aortic valve regurgitation was good (j = 0.73). To identify relevant,more than mild aortic valve regurgitation, CMR 4D flow imaging had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 98 %. Aortic regurgitation can be well visualized, in a similar manner as transthoracic echocardiography, when using CMR 4D flow imaging

Diagnostic value of transmural perfusion ratio derived from dynamic CT-based myocardial perfusion imaging for the detection of haemodynamically relevant coronary artery stenosis

Objectives: To investigate the additional value of transmural perfusion ratio (TPR) in dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging for detection of haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease compared with fractional flow reserve (FFR). Methods: Subjects with suspected or known coronary artery disease were prospectively included and underwent a CT-MPI examination. From the CT-MPI time-point data absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) values were temporally resolved using a hybrid deconvolution model. An absolute MBF value was measured in the suspected perfusion defect. TPR was defined as the ratio between the subendocardial and subepicardial MBF. TPR and MBF results were compared with invasive FFR using a threshold of 0.80. Results: Forty-three patients and 94 territories were analysed. The area under the receiver operator curve was larger for MBF (0.78) compared with TPR (0.65, P = 0.026). No significant differences were found in diagnostic classification between MBF and TPR with a territory-based accuracy of 77 % (67-86 %) for MBF compared with 70 % (60-81 %) for TPR. Combined MBF and TPR classification did not improve the diagnostic classification. Conclusions: Dynamic CT-MPI-based transmural perfusion ratio predicts haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease. However, diagnostic performance of dynamic CT-MPI-derived TPR is inferior to quantified MBF and has limited incremental value. Key Points: • The transmural perfusion ratio from dynamic CT-MPI predicts functional obstructive coronary artery disease• Performance of the transmural perfusion ratio is inferior to quantified myocardial blood flow• The incremental value of the transmural perfusion ratio is limite

Challenges HIV positive married persons attending Kanyama Clinic face in using Condoms

The ideal situation is that HIV positive married individuals ought to use condoms throughout their sexual life in view of preventing themselves from HIV reinfection except when the couple opts to have a child. However, from the time the ART program was scaled up in various health centers in Zambia almost five years ago, the rate of condom use among concordant HIV positive couples has not been studied and there are many issues that remain unknown. This study was designed to answer four research questions which are: (i) what is the condom use rate like among HIV positive married couples? (ii) Regarding their status of being HIV positive and married, what challenges do they experience sexually? (iii) In what ways do they cope? and (iv) noting the rate of condom use, why do they sexually behave in the manner they do ? The study was specifically carried out at Kanyama ART clinic in one of the consulting rooms and a qualitative research rooted in the abductive research was used. The data for this study were drawn only from HIV positive married patients on ARV’s attending the ART clinic. Theoretical sampling of HIV positive married patients was the main stay for the study. Each respondent was interviewed in-depth and data was analyzed using content analysis informed by grounded theory. The findings were that 14 (25 per cent) of the couples were consistent in using condoms when having sexual intercourse, 27 (47 per cent) were inconsistent and 16 (28 per cent) did not use any condoms at all. Respondents in this study experienced nine challenges which ranged from : (i) experiencing adverse effects due to condom use (ii) violence when denied sex without a condom, (iii) failure to convince partner to use a condom, (iv) desiring to have children and stopping to use a condom (v) quarrels on account of refusing to use a condom,(vi) desire for maximum pleasure (vii) lack of availability of condoms at the facility and cost of condoms which seemed to be high , (viii) refusal of advice and (ix) no problems at all with using the condom. On account of these challenges, the respondents used cognitive strategies and behavioral strategies to cope. Cognitive strategies included attempts to change the way one thinks about sex with condom use or not and behavioral strategies included one taking an attempt to reduce the impact of sexual stress. Specifically respondents coped in the following six ways (i) saying no to sex (ii) abstaining from sex if no condoms were not to be used (iii), rarely having sex , (iv) sought an alternative sexual partner because condoms were demanded in marriage (,iv) negotiating sex proved difficult and (vi) others did nothing at all. The reasons for selecting various coping strategies and whether to use or not use a condom were varied and the following stood out: (i) gender and the influence of patriarchy or (ii) one resigned and agreed to have sex with a condom in order for peace to prevail or (iii) one had to have sex because culture prescribed so, or (iv) one had experienced adverse effects warranting to use condoms or not to use condoms at all, or (vi) sex without a condom was pleasurable , or one had a number of fears and (viii) the fact that both were of the same status, sex with a condom was of no consequence. The conclusion is that there are marked challenges of adhering to the condom prescription in marriage among people living with HIV and AIDS and on HAART as observed by the low rates of condom use. The challenges that women mostly face than men with condom use within marital partnerships are extremely immutable. It is recommended that Kanyama clinic considers the following measures to fortify HIV and AIDs health promotion and prevention programs within the ART Clinic: 1. The government with its collaborating partners concern, should consider coming up with economic empowerment programmes for women, such as micro credit loans, in order to empower the disadvantaged women and in the long run, alleviate themselves from the economic dependence they have on their husbands, so that they would be able to mitigate their failures the perpetually encounter with their husbands, in deciding to use a condom as it is often outside of their control due to poverty they face. 2. Adherence counseling ought to be holistic in the sense that it encompasses messages that include effective pleasure-based safer sex information and emphasize: on the benefits of treatment adherence and also to deliberately draw appointments that enables couples to be counseled together rather than have separate appointments in order to enable the disadvantaged women to bring up issues/matters their husbands hold off using condoms in the midst of the adherence counselor to address. 3. Introducing during regular screening or adherence assessments checking for biological markers such as sperm on vaginal smears, screening for pregnancy at random visits and evidence of sexually transmitted infection, so that the verb consent HIV positive married individuals indicate for condom use when they are asked during adherence counseling is clinically backed up or supported and also in order not to overestimated condom use basing on the manner condoms are collected from the clinic, but be estimated basing on the use. 4. The results of this study confirm that some married men are unwilling to use condoms at least some of the times and others all of the times. The promotion of condoms within such relationships needs to be strengthened in all HIV prevention programs, largely because resistance against condom use is difficult to overcome

Transthoracic 3D echocardiographic left heart chamber quantification in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease

Integration of volumetric heart chamber quantification by 3D echocardiography into clinical practice has been hampered by several factors which a new fully automated algorithm (Left Heart Model, (LHM)) may help overcome. This study therefore aims to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of the LHM software in quantifying left atrial and left ventricular volumes and left ventricular ejection fraction in a cohort of patients with a bicuspid aortic valve. Patients with a bicuspid aortic valve were prospectively included. All patients underwent 2D and 3D transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography. Left atrial and ventricular volumes were obtained using t

Qualitative grading of aortic regurgitation: a pilot study comparing CMR 4D flow and echocardiography

Over the past 10 years there has been intense research in the development of volumetric visualization of intracardiac flow by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). This volumetric time resolved technique called CMR 4D flow imaging has several advantages over standard CMR. It offers anatomical, functional and flow information in a single free-breathing, ten-minute acquisition. However, the data obtained is large and its processing requires dedicated software. We evaluated a cloud-based application package that combines volumetric data correction and visualization of CMR 4D flow data, and assessed its accuracy for the detection and grading of aortic valve regurgitation using transthoracic echocardiography as reference. Between June 2014 and January 2015, patients planned for clinical CMR were consecutively approached to undergo the supplementary CMR 4D flow acquisition. Fifty four patients (median age 39 years, 32 males) were included. Detection and grading of the aortic valve regurgitation using CMR 4D flow imaging were evaluated against transthoracic echocardiography. The agreement between 4D flow CMR and transthoracic echocardiography for grading of aortic valve regurgitation was good (κ = 0.73). To identify relevant, more than mild aortic valve regurgitation, CMR 4D flow imaging had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 98 %. Aortic regurgitation can be well visualized, in a similar manner as transthoracic echocardiography, when using CMR 4D flow imaging

Genetics of Atrial Fibrillation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. In addition to traditional risk factors, it is increasingly recognized that a genetic component underlies atrial fibrillation development. This review aims to provide an overview of the genetic cause of atrial fibrillation and clinical applications, with a focus on recent developments. RECENT FINDINGS: Genome-wide association studies have now identified around 140 genetic loci associated with atrial fibrillation. Studies into the effects of several loci and their tentative gene targets have identified novel pathways associated with atrial fibrillation development. However, further validations of causality are still needed for many implicated genes. Genetic variants at identified loci also help predict individual atrial fibrillation risk and response to different therapies. SUMMARY: Continued advances in the field of genetics and molecular biology have led to significant insight into the genetic underpinnings of atrial fibrillation. Potential clinical applications of these studies include the identification of new therapeutic targets and development of genetic risk scores to optimize management of this common cardiac arrhythmia