Comparison of Respiratory Rate Detection by Seven Sensor Signals in Clinically Challenging Conditions

The underlying problem for two of the three most common patterns of unexpected hospital deaths (PUHD) is hypoventilation1. Concern over this opioid-induced respiratory depression has led many experts and consensus guidelines to recommend that all patients receiving opioids be monitored for respiratory rate. Currently, no clinically accepted “gold-standard” monitoring device exists for non-intubated, spontaneously breathing patients. We studied seven distinct respiratory sensors to compare their effectiveness in respiratory monitoring. Methods: With IRB approval, data were collected from 26 volunteers who were administered target controlled infusions of remifentanil and propofol in order to induce low respiratory rates. Data were collected from a suite of sensors which were analyzed using a single, custom breath detection algorithm. Breath rates derived from a capnometer, accelerometer, oro-nasal thermistor, nasal pressure transducer, microphone, photoplethysmogram, and impedance respiratory sensor were compared against breath rates derived from the reference standard of respiratory inductance plethysmography bands at both low and normal respiratory rate ranges. Results: Capnometry and acceleromtry reported respiratory rates closest to those reported by the respiratory inductance plethysmography bands. Conclusion: Detecting respiratory rate in the post-operative environment is a clinically challenging problem which likely requires further study

Visualizing literary narratives with a graph-centered approach.

The art of storytelling is multifaceted and nonlinear, involving multiple characters, themes, and symbols while often jumping between the present and past. While media forms such as novels can encapsulate these complexities, it is often difficult to visualize a narrative in an easy-to-understand format. Our contribution is a graph-based system to let users organize and visualize those narratives. Events and characters are represented as nodes and their relationships are represented as edges. Neo4J is used as a database management system to store the graph and to run queries on it, and Streamlit and Pyvis are used to represent the database in the user interface

The Negro Potential Challenges in Businesses of Texarkana, Arkansas - Texas

The purpose of this study was to analyze conditions which exist in Northeast Texas and Western Arkansas with regard to the operation of businesses by Negroes, and to determine what factors exist in relation to their competitive status with businesses operated by others. Negro businesses, in many parts of the country, may be said to have enjoyed a favored position to some extent In the past due to clearly defined segregation policies, or other factors. Today, Negro businesses find themselves engaged in competition with businesses operated by members of other races where it becomes necessary for Negro businessmen to become more actively engaged in practices more generally found in this country. This study assumes importance as it reviews the current status of a number of Negro businesses in Texarkana (Arkansas and Texas), and recommends practices which would improve their competitive status in the business world. This study is primarily concerned with the status of a number of Negro businesses in Texarkana, Arkansas-Texas, and those procedures which would appear to contribute most toward the improvement of their competitive status in that area

Detecting Adverse Respiratory Events: A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Modern Respiratory Sensors

The underlying problem for two of the three most common patterns of unexpected hospital deaths (PUHD) is hypoventilation1. Current methods of post-operative respiratory monitoring give delayed signals and have a high false positive rate leading nurses to ignore alarms. We hypothesize there exists a combination of low cost sensors which are capable of providing real time feedback and alarms regarding obstructive sleep apnea and ventilatory depression. Such a monitor would be useful during space travel when monitoring personnel are limited following an injury or if astronauts were to be sedated during extended travel. Methods: Twenty-six subjects were recruited to participate in a study of the effects of Propofol and Remifentanil. Throughout the day, these patients were exposed to varying levels of both drugs simultaneously via target controlled infusions. These patients were attached to breathing and oxygen monitors including chest bands, pulse oximeters, nasal pressure sensors, C02 capnography, breathing microphones, and thermistors. The patients were then observed for types of apnea or ventilatory depression. Results: The study is currently ongoing however preliminary analyses of the data indicate multiple low cost sensors are capable of detecting breathing as well as obstructive events and apnea. Conclusion: Using only a combination of low cost sensors, we can provide real time respiratory event data to nurses and practitioners

Detecting Adverse Respiratory Effects of Anesthetics and Opiod Analgesics in the Postoperative Period

The underlying problem for two of the three most common patterns of unexpected hospital deaths (PUHD) is hypoventilation1. Current methods of post-operative respiratory monitoring give delayed signals and have a high false positive rate leading nurses to ignore alarms. We hypothesize there exists a combination of low cost sensors which are capable of providing real time feedback and alarms regarding obstructive sleep apnea and ventilatory depression. Such a monitor would be useful during space travel when monitoring personnel are limited following an injury or if astronauts were to be sedated during extended travel. Methods:Twenty-Six subjects will be recruited to participate in a study of the effects of Propofol and Remifentanil. Throughout the day, these patients will be exposed to varying levels of both drugs simultaneously via target controlled infusions. These patients will be attached to breathing and oxygen monitors including chest bands, pulse oximeters, nasal pressure sensors, CO2 capnography, breathing microphones, and thermistors. The patients are then observed for types of apnea or ventilatory depression. Results: The study is currently ongoing however preliminary analyses of the data indicate multiple low cost sensors are capable of detecting breathing as well as obstructive events and apnea. Conclusion: Using only a combination of low cost sensors, we can provide real time respiratory event data to nurses and practitioners

Nutzung von MPI für parallele FEM-Systeme

Der Standard des Message Passing Interfaces (MPI) stellt dem Entwickler paralleler Anwendungen ein mächtiges Werkzeug zur Verfügung, seine Softwa- re effizient und weitgehend unabhängig von Details des parallelen Systems zu entwerfen. Im Rahmen einer Projektarbeit erfolgte die Umstellung der Kommunikationsbibliothek eines bestehenden FEM-Programmes auf den MPI-Mechanismus. Die Ergebnisse werden in der hier gegebenen Beschreibung der Cubecom-Implementierung zusammengefasst. In einem zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit wird untersucht, auf welchem Wege mit der in MPI verfügbaren Funktionalität auch die Koppelrandkommunikation mit einem einheitlichen und effizienten Verfahren durchgeführt werden kann. Sowohl fuer die Basisimplementierung als auch die MPI-basierte Koppelrandkommunikation wird die Effizienz untersucht und ein Ausblick auf weitere Anwendungsmoeglichkeiten gegeben

Implementing evaluation of the measurement process in an automotive manufacturer: a case study

Reducing process variability is presently an area of much interest in manufacturing organizations. Programmes such as Six Sigma robustly link the financial performance of the organization to the degree of variability present in the processes and products of the organization. Data, and hence measurement processes, play an important part in driving such programmes and in making key manufacturing decisions. In many organizations, however, little thought is given to the quality of the data generated by such measurement processes. By using potentially flawed data in making fundamental manufacturing decisions, the quality of the decision-making process is undermined and, potentially, significant costs are incurred. Research in this area is sparse and has concentrated on the technicalities of the methodologies available to assess measurement process capability. Little work has been done on how to operationalize such activities to give maximum benefit. From the perspective of one automotive company, this paper briefly reviews the approaches presently available to assess the quality of data and develops a practical approach, which is based on an existing technical methodology and incorporates simple continuous improvement tools within a framework which facilitates appropriate improvement actions for each process assessed. A case study demonstrates the framework and shows it to be sound, generalizable and highly supportive of continuous improvement goals

Using experimental design modules for process characterization in manufacturing/materials processes laboratories

Modules dealing with statistical experimental design (SED), process modeling and improvement, and response surface methods have been developed and tested in two laboratory courses. One course was a manufacturing processes course in Mechanical Engineering and the other course was a materials processing course in Materials Science and Engineering. Each module is used as an 'experiment' in the course with the intent that subsequent course experiments will use SED methods for analysis and interpretation of data. Evaluation of the modules' effectiveness has been done by both survey questionnaires and inclusion of the module methodology in course examination questions. Results of the evaluation have been very positive. Those evaluation results and details of the modules' content and implementation are presented. The modules represent an important component for updating laboratory instruction and to provide training in quality for improved engineering practice