Vibroacoustic symptom of the exhaust valve damage of the internal combustion engine

Modern vehicles are equipped with highly developed electronic computer systems allowing diagnostics of control system elements, but – notwithstanding – deprived of the diagnostic function of purely mechanical defects. The reason of this situation is less and less number of breakdown vehicles. However, mechanical defects still occur, which is confirmed by the information from car repair workshops, and their too late finding increases repair costs. From the economic point of view, supplementing computer systems with diagnostics functions seems justified. The existence of such gap was the reason for undertaking several active experiments, aimed at explaining whether there is a possibility of improving the existing systems by an additional diagnostics function. The results of the possibility of applying quantitative estimation measures of the selected vehicle state are presented in the paper. Directions of further investigations and stages of diagnostic experiments, which would confirm the effectiveness of the proposed measures are provided in the hereby paper. This paper also constitutes the attempt of answering the question whether the similar algorithm application is possible in vehicles of the newest generation, equipped with adaptive systems of on board diagnostics

Examinations of acoustic signals of patients having snoring problem

The idea of the application for the preclinical diagnosis of breathing disorders during sleeping, on the basis of acoustic signal recording, is presented in the hereby paper. Research on the algorithm allowing to draw conclusions concerning breathing disorders was preceded by the experiment, of recording acoustic signals of the representative group of patients during their pharmacological sleep. Combining sound signals properties with knowledge of the experienced medical practitioner, supported by the results of the advanced medical diagnosis, should made possible the development of the tool for assessing breathing disorders (especially sleep apneas) on the basis of sound signals of patients having breathing disorders. This paper is focused on problems related to the main activities leading to the development of the efficient algorithm of assessing patient’s condition: experimental recording and methods of acoustic signals analysis. Further research stages will contain the implementation of the obtained results for the needs of the mobile application development

Pachydermodactyly : a report of two cases

Pachydermodactyly (PDD) is a rare and benign form of digital soft tissues fibromatosis, which affects the skin of the fingers. The disorder is characterized by asymptomatic, symmetric, progressive soft tissue swelling of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of the fingers. The etiology of disease remains unknown. It is usually acquired, even though there are some publications that document family cases. It affects mainly adolescent men. We report two boys with the bilateral swelling of the of the PIP joints of the fingers and skin and subcutaneous tissue thickening. Based on clinical manifestations, radiological study and histopathological examination, pachydermodactyly was diagnosed. PDD is a rare and benign disorder, although it is important to consider other diseases, especially rheumatic conditions, in the differential diagnosis in order to avoid unnecessary additional tests and treatments

Vibration signal as a support for the processes production management in enterprises of the furniture industry

Activities of maintenance services cover not only the performance of ongoing repairs, but, above all, the prevention of failures and downtime. Adopting preventive measures to maintain machinery and equipment in manufacturing enterprises has a significant impact on the timely execution of orders, which is why monitoring the state of the machine park is becoming common in robotic manufacturing enterprises. Currently, the most frequently observed diagnostic parameters relate to machine vibrations. Information on exceeding the permissible thresholds allows for appropriate reaction of maintenance services aimed at minimizing unplanned downtime. The diagnostic aspect is beyond dispute here. However, there is a question whether the vibration signal can additionally be a carrier of information about the production process - information that can be used at the stage of technological process assessment, or even at the stage of process control? Searching for the answer to this question, one of machining centres for mass production of glued panels in the furniture industry was analyzed. Information obtained from maintenance services was confronted with information from standard vibration measurements. The article is an attempt to answer the question of how to properly use at the management stage knowledge of vibration signals generated by motors mounted on the production line

Acoustic signal as a carrier of information on breathing sleep disorders

The statement that an acoustic signal can be a good tool for assessing breathing during sleep is not revealing and certainly raises no doubts. Based on the experience of technical diagnostics, one can formulate the hypothesis about the suitability of sounds accompanying breathing to infer any specific disorders. The verification of this hypothesis was supported by a research experiment combining the experience of doctors and engineers. The obtained results was used to create the simple application for the initial diagnosis of respiratory problems while sleeping at home. Assuming the minimization of the use of an advanced mathematical apparatus, features that are the symptoms of basic respiratory disorders have been extracted from the signal. Thanks to this approach, the developed tool not only informs about the disorder, but also signals the potential cause of the problem. Thus, the inference procedure that is the basis of a useful application can also support doctors at the stage of preclinical diagnosis

Możliwości diagnozowania zaburzeń oddychania podczas snu w warunkach domowych

Disorders of breathing during sleep not only adversely affect the condition of the body during the daytime, but, above all, can be dangerous to health and life. Clinical methods of diagnosing these disorders are highly developed and, as a result, allow to effectively eliminate the problem, but still the problem is early diagnosis at home, which will be the basis for reporting to the doctor for extended examinations. This paper presents a proposed algorithm for inferring sleep-disordered breathing supported by conclusions from work on investigating the associations of discriminants with selected fragments of acoustic signals. The effectiveness of the developed algorithm was verified on a test sample of acoustic signals from selected patients treated by the MML clinic. The results of the study are the basis for the development of a numerical application for preclinical diagnosis of sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing. The verification of the algorithm carried out on real examples confirms the correctness of the assumptions made, demonstrates its effectiveness and suitability for use in a mobile application.Zaburzenia oddychania podczas snu nie tylko niekorzystnie wpływają na kondycję organizmu w porze dziennej, ale przede wszystkim mogą być niebezpieczne dla zdrowia i życia. Kliniczne metody diagnozowania tych zaburzeń są wysoko rozwinięte i w efekcie pozwalają na skuteczne wyeliminowanie problemu, jednak nadal problemem jest wczesna diagnostyka w warunkach domowych, która będzie podstawą do zgłoszenia się do lekarza w celu przeprowadzenia rozszerzonych badań. W artykule przedstawiono propozycję algorytmu wnioskowania o zaburzeniach oddychania w trakcie snu popartego wnioskami z prac nad badaniem związków wyróżników z wybranymi fragmentami sygnałów akustycznych. Skuteczność opracowanego algorytmu zweryfikowano na próbce testowej sygnałów akustycznych pochodzących od wybranych pacjentów leczonych przez klinikę MML. Rezultaty przeprowadzonych badań są podstawą opracowania aplikacji numerycznej służącej przedklinicznemu diagnozowaniu bezdechów śródsennych i zaburzeń oddychania podczas snu. Przeprowadzona na rzeczywistych przykładach weryfikacja algorytmu potwierdza poprawność przyjętych założeń, wykazuje jego skuteczność i przydatność do zastosowania w aplikacji mobilnej

Overview of Energy Harvesting Technologies Used in Road Vehicles

Road transport is one of the most important factors for the national economy due to its universality and comprehensive possibilities of transporting people and goods. Unfortunately, from the energy point of view, it is also the most cost-intensive and has a negative influence on the natural environment. For these reasons, issues related to limiting the use of conventional fuels are very important, which results in reducing emissions from this sector, as well as reducing transport costs. This article presents currently used energy sources for propulsion of road vehicles, including fossil and alternative fuels, gaseous fuels and other energy sources such as fuel cells. The following section presents technologies that allow to recover some of the energy lost in motor vehicles and internal combustion engines used for their propulsion. The principle of operation of these solutions, their structure and their main features are presented. The last part focuses on discussing and identifying the most universal technologies for energy harvesting in vehicles and showing further directions of energy development in the automotive sector

The use of intravenous immunoglobulin in pediatric rheumatology

Objectives : Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is applied in the treatment of primary immunodeficiency diseases, autoimmune disorders and inflammatory disorders. The mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of high-dose IVIG is diverse and dependent on the disease entity. The aim of this paper was to define the efficacy and safety of IVIG treatment of rheumatic diseases in children. Material and methods : We performed a retrospective examination of the efficacy of IVIG therapy in pediatric rheumatology. All children were treated in the period 1.01.2009 to 31.12.2013 in the Pediatric Rheumatology Department and Pediatric Department in St. Louis Hospital in Kraków and in the Pediatric Rheumatology Department, Eleonory Reicher Institute of Rheumatology in Warsaw. During 5 years, 70 patients (27 male – 38.57%) received IVIG preparations, 16 of them in concordance with registration recommendations, the others on the basis of reliable published clinical reports. The mean age of children was 6 years, the mean weight was 23.5 kg, and the mean height was 106 cm. Indications for IVIG therapy were: juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), Kawasaki disease (KD), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), systemic vasculitis (SV), juvenile lupus erythematosus diseminatus (JLED), scleroderma (SCLE). Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica software version 2.0. Results: All patients experienced a beneficial effect of IVIG adjuvant therapy – clinical improvement and normalization of laboratory tests. There were no adverse effects of this therapy. Conclusions : Autoimmune diseases in children are rare, characterized by diverse clinical course and still unclear pathogenesis. IVIG therapy can be used in pediatric rheumatology as an efficient medication of basic supplementary treatment. Drawing up uniform standards seems to be crucial for IVIG transfusions in pediatric rheumatology, when the results of primary treatment prove ineffective

Guz onkocytarny nadnercza — opis przypadku

Adrenocortical oncocytoma is found very rarely. Most such tumours are benign and nonfunctioning. We report the case of a nonfunctioning adrenocortical oncocytoma located in the right adrenal gland in a 35-year-old man. The patient was tested because of arrhythmia. An adrenal mass of 68 × 64 mm was found during ultrasonography, followed by CT examination. Physical examination indicated obesity with BMI of 32.8 kg/m2. Abnormal laboratory findings based on an oral glucose tolerance test revealed impaired glucose tolerance and elevated cholesterol level. The patient underwent a laparotomy for a pathological mass located in the right adrenal gland. The pathology report confirmed adrenocortical oncocytoma of uncertain malignant potential. The patient is still alive with no metastases, 37 months after the surgery. Adrenocortical oncocytoma, although extremely rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adrenal tumours.Guz onkocytarny jest rzadko spotykaną zmianą w obrębie nadnerczy. Większość guzów ma charakter łagodny i nie stwierdza się ich aktywności hormonalnej. Przedstawiono przypadek 35-letniego mężczyzny z niewydzielającym guzem onkocytarnym prawego nadnercza. Pacjent wykonywał badania diagnostyczne z powodu zaburzeń rytmu serca. W badaniu ultrasonograficznym, a następnie w CT jamy brzusznej uwidoczniono guz wielkości 68 × 64 mm w obrębie prawego nadnercza. W badaniu przedmiotowym, poza otyłością z BMI 32,8 kg/m2, nie stwierdzono nieprawidłowości. W badaniach laboratoryjnych zwracały uwagę nieprawidłowa tolerancja glukozy i hipercholesterolemia. Nie wykazano aktywności hormonalnej guza. Pacjenta poddano klasycznej prawostronnej adrenalektomii. W badaniu histopatologicznym dokonano rozpoznania guza onkocytarnego nadnercza o niepewnym potencjale złośliwości. Pacjent pozostaje pod obserwacją od 37 miesięcy, które upłynęły od zabiegu operacyjnego, bez wznowy w miejscu usuniętego guza i zmian przerzutowych. Guz onkocytarny nadnerczy, chociaż wyjątkowo rzadki, należy uwzględniać w diagnostyce różnicowej zmian ogniskowych w nadnerczach