Fully digital data processing during cardiovascular implantable electronic device follow-up in a high-volume tertiary center

Background Increasing numbers of patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and limited follow-up capacities highlight unmet challenges in clinical electrophysiology. Integrated software (MediConnect®) enabling fully digital processing of device interrogation data has been commercially developed to facilitate follow-up visits. We sought to assess feasibility of fully digital data processing (FDDP) during ambulatory device follow-up in a high-volume tertiary hospital to provide guidance for future users of FDDP software. Methods A total of 391 patients (mean age, 70 years) presenting to the outpatient department for routine device follow-up were analyzed (pacemaker, 44%; implantable cardioverter defibrillator, 39%; cardiac resynchronization therapy device, 16%). Results Quality of data transfer and follow-up duration were compared between digital (n = 265) and manual processing of device data (n = 126). Digital data import was successful, complete and correct in 82% of cases when early software versions were used. When using the most recent software version the rate of successful digital data import increased to 100%. Software-based import of interrogation data was complete and without failure in 97% of cases. The mean duration of a follow-up visit did not differ between the two groups (digital 18.7 min vs. manual data transfer 18.2 min). Conclusions FDDP software was successfully implemented into the ambulatory follow-up of patients with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators. Digital data import into electronic patient management software was feasible and supported the physician’s workflow. The total duration of follow-up visits comprising technical device interrogation and clinical actions was not affected in the present tertiary center outpatient cohort

Industrial ladle furnace slag composition analysis with optical emissions from the arc

Abstract With the strict standards for steel quality and high production rates, the demand for faster and more convenient slag composition analysis for both electric arc and ladle furnaces has become a major issue in industrial steel plants. To overcome the time-delay between slag sampling and results of the slag composition analysis, an on-line slag composition analysis is required. Such a method that can be used in on-line analysis and is also chemically sensitive to the slag composition is optical emission spectroscopy. In this work, the optical emissions from the arc have been measured in an industrial ladle furnace and used for slag composition analysis. This article focuses on CaF₂ and MgO, since the CaF₂ is a common additive material in the ladle treatment and high MgO content means that the ladle refractory lining is dissolving into the slag. The analysis has been carried out by comparing emission line ratios to the XRF analyzed ratios of CaF₂/MgO and MnO/MgO, respectively. The results show that several atomic emissions lines of calcium, magnesium, and manganese can be used to evaluate the CaF₂/MgO and MnO/MgO ratios in the slag. It was found out that the plasma temperature derived from Ca I emission lines has a non-linear relation with the CaF₂ content of the slag. Additionally, the dissociation pathways of molecular slag components were determined and studied in different plasma temperatures with equilibrium composition computation in order to determine the relations between the slag and plasma compositions

Optical emission spectroscopy as an online analysis method in industrial electric arc furnaces

Abstract The development of online analysis methods for industrial electric arc furnaces (EAFs) has been a major research topic in recent years. Process control becomes even more important in the future due to the increase in both the usage of recycled metal as charge material and the metal recycling rate. For the industry to keep up with the pace, reliable chemical analysis of the slag together with online information about the furnace operation status is essential. Herein, optical emission spectroscopy is used to obtain the information about the electric arc together with radiative properties and surface temperature of the molten bath in an industrial EAF. The arc is visible for high alloyed steel grades within 5–30 min before tapping and the arc spectra are dominated by the optical emissions from the slag components. The plasma properties of the electric arc are determined with emission lines from atomic chromium, iron, and calcium. The time evolution of the spectra for high alloyed and carbon steel grades are compared with each other to provide a better understanding of the differences in the spectra between these two steel grades