Evaluation of human obstructive sleep apnea using computational fluid dynamics.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity might be correlated to the flow characteristics of the upper airways. We aimed to investigate the severity of OSA based on 3D models constructed from CT scans coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The CT scans of seven adult patients diagnosed with OSA were used to reconstruct the 3D models of the upper airways and CFD modeling and analyses were performed. Results from the fluid simulations were compared with the apnea-hypopnea index. Here we show a correlation between a CFD-based parameter, the adjusted pressure coefficient (Cp*), and the respective apnea-hypopnea index (Pearson's r = 0.91, p = 0.004), which suggests that the anatomical-based model coupled with CFD could provide functional and localized information for different regions of the upper airways

Meconium microbial toxins and microbiota: A novel and non-invasive proposed diagnostic sample to anticipate the severity of neonates COVID-19

The novel coronavirus, termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) is a major public health challenge all over the world and is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since December 2019 the outbreak of COVID-19 has become a major epidemic issue all over world. In this pandemic, preterm and term neonates with infected mothers are becoming more vulnerable each day. Although we mostly witness asymptomatic neonates, getting symptomatic may not be a rarity in the future. After entrance of COVID-19 into the body it could affect the balance of microbiota combination which can result in microbiota dysbiosis and eventually leads to immune imbalance. Intrauterine microbiome dysbiosis in COVID-19 positive mothers and transmission of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may restructure the environment of the developing fetus with possible short/long-term impact on the individual’s health and disease. Therefore, assessing the changes in microbiome of neonates from infected mothers via exploring meconium could be valuable. It is also logical to measure LPS level and balanced its levels by using prebiotics and probiotics as a supplemental therapeutic procedure to prevent medical challenges in future. The aim of this essay is to review the potential conception that detection of COVID-19 and the meconium microbiota and LPS quantity could be used as a source of prognostic information about the COVID-19 severity in the fetus of pregnant women with COVID-19

Estudio de laboratorio y medición de la rigidez y compactación de suelos arcillosos insaturados mediante el uso del innovador martillo de rebote

La definición de parámetros de comportamiento del suelo, que eventualmente resulta en predecir cada comportamiento del suelo a corto y largo plazo, ha sido continuamente uno de los intereses de la mecánica del suelo y ha sido de un valor excepcional. Para ello, en este estudio se ha revisado un método novedoso para determinar el comportamiento compresivo de suelos de grano fino en el laboratorio y en el campo, sin muestreo por el dispositivo electrónico patentado. En el laboratorio, materiales homogéneos del suelo previsto se sometieron a la prueba de compactación, pruebas mecánicas y físicas, prueba de cizallamiento directo e impactos del innovador martillo de rebote en las direcciones horizontal y vertical en la caja de prueba. Las ondas de corte de impacto producen resistencia y salida de voltaje mediante sensores de fuerza y dislocación con alta sensibilidad proporcional a la presión basada en la rigidez de la superficie del suelo. Los voltajes obtenidos se convierten luego a digitales mediante un convertidor de analógico a digital y un microcontrolador. A continuación, el programa "CodeVision" muestra un número en la pantalla. Luego, al resolver una ecuación cuasi-dinámica (modelo viscoelástico de resorte-amortiguador) mediante el software MATLAB y con la ayuda de resultados de campo de laboratorio y ecuaciones de correlación, se ha estimado una conexión adecuada entre todos los parámetros mecánicos efectivos del suelo en un grado aceptable. Los parámetros mecánicos efectivos del suelo incluyen el porcentaje de compactación, la gravedad específica y la frecuencia del sistema en los estados humedecido y no humedecido, la energía impuesta al suelo y la deformación de la etapa plástica en el rango de menos del 15% de humedad. . Los resultados determinan que el aumento del número de martilleos está directamente relacionado con una mayor compactación y rigidez del suelo. Más detalladamente, la lectura de números de martillos menores a 2 corresponde a una compactación menor al 75%, mientras que la lectura de números de martillos mayores a 3 en la dirección vertical y 2.94 en las direcciones horizontales en superficies de arcilla designa una compactación del 90

Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Disorders and Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is present in more than 50% of patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation units. However, it has been under-recognized in patients after stroke and heart failure. Those with concurrent OSA have a worse clinical course. Early treatment of coexisting OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) results in improved rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life. Possible mechanisms by which CPAP may improve recovery include decreased blood pressure fluctuations associated with apneas, and improved left ventricular function, cerebral blood flow, and oxygenation. Early screening and treatment of OSA should be integral components of patients entering cardiac rehabilitation units

Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Disorders and Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is present in more than 50% of patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation units. However, it has been under-recognized in patients after stroke and heart failure. Those with concurrent OSA have a worse clinical course. Early treatment of coexisting OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) results in improved rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life. Possible mechanisms by which CPAP may improve recovery include decreased blood pressure fluctuations associated with apneas, and improved left ventricular function, cerebral blood flow, and oxygenation. Early screening and treatment of OSA should be integral components of patients entering cardiac rehabilitation units

Increased plasma YKL-40/chitinase-3-like-protein-1 is associated with endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea.

PurposeObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder affecting 15-24% of the adults and is associated with increased risk of hypertension and atherosclerosis. The exact mechanisms underlying hypertension in OSA are not entirely clear. YKL-40/Chitinase-3-like protein-1 is a circulating moiety with roles in injury, repair and angiogenesis that is dysregulated in atherosclerosis and a number of other diseases. We sought to determine the role of YKL-40 in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA.MethodsWe studies 23 normotensive OSA (N-OSA) and 14 hypertensive OSA (H-OSA) without diabetes and apparent cardiovascular disease. Endothelial-dependent nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatory capacity was assessed by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). YKL-40, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the soluble form of VEGF receptor-1 or sFlt-1 were measured in plasma using ELISA methodology.ResultsN-OSA subjects aged 49.1 ± 2.3 years and H-OSA aged 51.3 ± 1.9 years with BMI 36.1 ± 1.6 and 37.6 ± 1.9 kg/m(2), respectively. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 41 ± 5 events/hr in N-OSA and 46 ± 6 in H-OSA with comparable degree of oxygen desaturations during sleep. FMD was markedly impaired in H-OSA (8.3% ± 0.8) compared to N-OSA (13.2% ± 0.6, P<0.0001). Plasma YKL-40 was significantly elevated in H-OSA (55.2 ± 7.9 ng/ml vs. 35.6 ± 4.2 ng/ml in N-OSA, P = 0.02) and had an inverse relationship with FMD (r = -0.52, P = 0.013). There was a significant positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF, a measure of decreased VEGF availability, and YKL-40 (r = 0.42, P = 0.04).ConclusionThe levels of plasma YKL-40 were elevated in H-OSA group and inversely correlated with the endothelial-dependent vasodilatory capacity whereas there was a positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF and YKL-40. These findings suggest that YKL-40 is dysregulated, in part, due to perturbation of VEGF signaling, and may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA

Increased plasma YKL-40/chitinase-3-like-protein-1 is associated with endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder affecting 15-24% of the adults and is associated with increased risk of hypertension and atherosclerosis. The exact mechanisms underlying hypertension in OSA are not entirely clear. YKL-40/Chitinase-3-like protein-1 is a circulating moiety with roles in injury, repair and angiogenesis that is dysregulated in atherosclerosis and a number of other diseases. We sought to determine the role of YKL-40 in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA.We studies 23 normotensive OSA (N-OSA) and 14 hypertensive OSA (H-OSA) without diabetes and apparent cardiovascular disease. Endothelial-dependent nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatory capacity was assessed by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). YKL-40, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the soluble form of VEGF receptor-1 or sFlt-1 were measured in plasma using ELISA methodology.N-OSA subjects aged 49.1 ± 2.3 years and H-OSA aged 51.3 ± 1.9 years with BMI 36.1 ± 1.6 and 37.6 ± 1.9 kg/m(2), respectively. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 41 ± 5 events/hr in N-OSA and 46 ± 6 in H-OSA with comparable degree of oxygen desaturations during sleep. FMD was markedly impaired in H-OSA (8.3% ± 0.8) compared to N-OSA (13.2% ± 0.6, P<0.0001). Plasma YKL-40 was significantly elevated in H-OSA (55.2 ± 7.9 ng/ml vs. 35.6 ± 4.2 ng/ml in N-OSA, P = 0.02) and had an inverse relationship with FMD (r = -0.52, P = 0.013). There was a significant positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF, a measure of decreased VEGF availability, and YKL-40 (r = 0.42, P = 0.04).The levels of plasma YKL-40 were elevated in H-OSA group and inversely correlated with the endothelial-dependent vasodilatory capacity whereas there was a positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF and YKL-40. These findings suggest that YKL-40 is dysregulated, in part, due to perturbation of VEGF signaling, and may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA

A new coplanar design of a 4‐bit ripple carry adder based on quantum‐dot cellular automata technology

Abstract Quantum‐dot cellular automata (QCA) is one of the best methods to implement digital circuits at nanoscale. It has excellent potential with high density, fast switching speed, and low energy consumption. Researchers have emphasized reducing the number of gates, the delay, and the cell count in QCA technology. In addition, a ripple carry adder (RCA) is a circuit in which each full adder's carry‐out is the connection for the next full adder's carry‐in. These types of adders are quite simple and easily expandable to any desired size. However, they are relatively slow because carries may broadcast across the entire adder. Therefore, an RCA design on a nanoscale QCA is proposed to diminish the cell number, improve complexity, and decrease latency. The QCADesigner simulation tool is used to verify the correctness of the suggested circuit. The comparison results for the design indicate an approximately 49.14% improvement in cell number and 14.29% advantage in area for the state‐of‐the‐art 4‐bit RCA designs with QCA technology. In addition, the obtained results specify the effectiveness of the offered design