Direkte numerische Simulation von transientem Benetzungsverhalten in komplexen Dichtspaltgeometrien unter Verwendung von phaseFieldFoam

In dieser Arbeit wird das transiente Benetzungsverhalten von Wasser in komplexen Dichtspaltgeometrien simulativ untersucht. Das Benetzungsverhalten führt zu einem Kapillareffekt, der das Wasser in den Spalt treibt. Für die Darstellung dieses Kapillareffektes spielt die Bewegung der Dreiphasenkontaktlinie eine entscheidende Rolle und ist wegen der Haftbedingung an Wänden nicht trivial lösbar. Aus diesem Grund wird die Phasenfeld-Methode angewendet, die eine Bewegung der Dreiphasenkontaklinie durch Diffusion ermöglicht. Dabei wird der Löser "PhaseFieldFoam“ verwendet, der in einer Kooperation zwischen dem Karlsruher Institut für Technologie und der Technischen Universität Darmstadt als Erweiterung zu OpenFOAM entwickelt wird. Zunächst wird das Eindringverhalten von Wasser in eine Kapillare und einen Spalt zwischen zwei parallelen Platten anhand analytischer Vergleichslösungen validiert. Hierzu wird eine Parameterstudie mit Kontaktwinkel von 15°, 45° und 85° und Kapillardurchmesser/Plattenabstände von 1 mm 0,1 mm und 0,01 mm durchgeführt. Es ergeben sich gute Übereinstimmungen mit der analytischen Lösung, die allerdings stark von der richtigen Wahl des Mobilitätsparameters abhängen. Anschließend werden drei verschiedene komplexe Dichtspaltgeometrien simuliert und miteinander verglichen. Es kann festgestellt werden, dass das Verhalten in komplexen Dichtspaltgeometrien und der so genannte pinning-Effekt phänomenologisch korrekt abgebildet werden. Zuletzt wird ein Dichtspalt simuliert, bei dem der Kontaktwinkel linear entlang der Wand variiert. Es zeigt sich, dass der variable Kontaktwinkel von der Simulation korrekt wiedergegeben wird

Lipid rescue of massive verapamil overdose: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Massive intentional verapamil overdose is a toxic ingestion which can cause multiorgan system failure and has no currently known antidote.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>The patient is a 41-year-old Caucasian woman who ingested 19.2 g of sustained release verapamil in a suicide attempt. Our patient became hypotensive requiring three high-dose vasopressors to maintain arterial pressure. She also developed acute respiratory failure, bradycardic ventricular rhythm necessitating continuous transvenous pacing, and anuric renal failure. Our patient was treated with intravenous calcium, bicarbonate, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic therapy and continuous venovenous hemodialysis without success. On the fourth day after hospital admission continuous intravenous lipid therapy was initiated. Within three hours of beginning lipid therapy, our patient's vasopressor requirement decreased by half. Within 24 hours, she was on minimal vasopressor support and regained an underlying junctional rhythm. After three days of lipid infusion, she no longer required inotropic agents to maintain blood pressure or pacing to maintain stable hemodynamics.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Intravenous fat emulsion therapy may be an effective antidote for massive verapamil toxicity.</p

Cyber-Physical-Systems for Fluid Manufacturing Systems

Increased volatility continues to challenge the automotive manufacturer's production performance. More than a century after the start of mass production, changeable production systems that allow the flexibility for the economic mass production of customized products have arisen. Limitations on established production systems are driving the development of changeable production systems like the Fluid Manufacturing System (FLMS). In an FLMS, the individual production modules are mobile and consist of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) which can be combined ad-hoc to adapt to changing requirements. By connecting different CPS - e.g., Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) or smart load carriers - adaptable and flexible production will be achieved. This paper presents the first real-world initiation of an FLMS with the design and development of CPS and digital twins for production and logistics at the ARENA2036 research campus

Motor unit potential morphology differences in individuals with non-specific arm pain and lateral epicondylitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain (NSAP) is unclear and the diagnosis is made by excluding other specific upper limb pathologies, such as lateral epicondylitis or cervical radiculopathy. The purpose of this study was to determine: (i) if the quantitative parameters related to motor unit potential morphology and/or motor unit firing patterns derived from electromyographic (EMG) signals detected from an affected muscle of patients with NSAP are different from those detected in the same muscle of individuals with lateral epicondylitis (LE) and/or control subjects and (ii) if the quantitative EMG parameters suggest that the underlying pathophysiology in NSAP is either myopathic or neuropathic in nature.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixteen subjects with NSAP, 11 subjects with LE, eight subjects deemed to be at-risk for developing a repetitive strain injury, and 37 control subjects participated. A quantitative electromyography evaluation was completed using decomposition-based quantitative electromyography (DQEMG). Needle- and surface-detected EMG signals were collected during low-level isometric contractions of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscle. DQEMG was used to extract needle-detected motor unit potential trains (MUPTs), and needle-detected motor unit potential (MUP) and surface detected motor unit potential (SMUP) morphology and motor unit (MU) firing rates were compared among the four groups using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Post hoc analyses were performed using Tukey's pairwise comparisons.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significant group differences were found for all MUP variables and for MU firing rate (<it>p</it> < 0.006). The post-hoc analyses revealed that patients with NSAP had smaller MUP amplitude and SMUP amplitude and area compared to the control and LE groups (<it>p </it>< 0.006). MUP duration and AAR values were significantly larger in the NSAP, LE and at-risk groups compared to the control group (<it>p </it>< 0.006); while MUP amplitude, duration and AAR values were smaller in the NSAP compared to the LE group. SMUP duration was significantly shorter in the NSAP group compared to the control group (<it>p </it>< 0.006). NSAP, LE and at-risk subjects had lower mean MU firing rates than the control subjects (<it>p </it>< 0.006).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The size-related parameters suggest that the NSAP group had significantly smaller MUPs and SMUPs than the control and LE subjects. Smaller MUPs and SMUPs may be indicative of muscle fiber atrophy and/or loss. A prospective study is needed to confirm any causal relationship between smaller MUPs and SMUPs and NSAP as found in this work.</p

Impact of exercise training on arterial wall thickness in humans

Thickening of the carotid artery wall has been adopted as a surrogate marker of pre-clinical atherosclerosis, which is strongly related to increased cardiovascular risk. The cardioprotective effects of exercise training, including direct effects on vascular function and lumen dimension, have been consistently reported in asymptomatic subjects and those with cardiovascular risk factors and diseases. In the present review, we summarize evidence pertaining to the impact of exercise and physical activity on arterial wall remodelling of the carotid artery and peripheral arteries in the upper and lower limbs. We consider the potential role of exercise intensity, duration and modality in the context of putative mechanisms involved in wall remodelling, including haemodynamic forces. Finally, we discuss the impact of exercise training in terms of primary prevention of wall thickening in healthy subjects and remodelling of arteries in subjects with existing cardiovascular disease and risk factors

Genome-wide association studies identify 137 genetic loci for DNA methylation biomarkers of aging

Background Biological aging estimators derived from DNA methylation data are heritable and correlate with morbidity and mortality. Consequently, identification of genetic and environmental contributors to the variation in these measures in populations has become a major goal in the field. Results Leveraging DNA methylation and SNP data from more than 40,000 individuals, we identify 137 genome-wide significant loci, of which 113 are novel, from genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analyses of four epigenetic clocks and epigenetic surrogate markers for granulocyte proportions and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 levels, respectively. We find evidence for shared genetic loci associated with the Horvath clock and expression of transcripts encoding genes linked to lipid metabolism and immune function. Notably, these loci are independent of those reported to regulate DNA methylation levels at constituent clock CpGs. A polygenic score for GrimAge acceleration showed strong associations with adiposity-related traits, educational attainment, parental longevity, and C-reactive protein levels. Conclusion This study illuminates the genetic architecture underlying epigenetic aging and its shared genetic contributions with lifestyle factors and longevity.</p