Effects Of n-Butanol Blends On The Formation Of Hydrocarbons And PAHs From Fuel-Rich Heptane Combustion In A Micro Flow Reactor With A Controlled Temperature Profile

The effects of the addition of n-butanol on the formation of hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of n-heptane combustions were investigated using a micro flow reactor (MFR) with a controlled temperature profile. The concentrations of small and large hydrocarbons, as well as PAHs were measured at a maximum wall temperature of 1,100 K and atmospheric pressure. The values obtained from several mechanisms were compared to the measurement values at equivalence ratios of 2.0–5.0. The CRECK mechanism was in fair agreement with the measurements. The computational results confirmed that the concentration of the PAHs and soot precursors’ decreased, while that of CO and CO2 increased due to the addition of butanol. These trends were also shown by the measurement values. The reaction path and rate of production analyzes were carried out to identify the major reactions contributing toward species concentrations

Atrophy of the abdominal wall muscles after extraperitoneal approach to the aorta

AbstractObjectiveWe retrospectively assessed computed tomography (CT) scans to determine degree of anterolateral abdominal muscle atrophy in patients who underwent infrarenal aortic repair with 2 kinds of incisions for the extraperitoneal approach.MethodsCT scans obtained before surgery and final scans obtained 2 to 100 months after surgery were assessed in 12 patients with paramedian incision (PM group) and 27 patients with flank incision (F group) who could be followed up at our hospital. We considered muscle thickness before surgery on the incision side to be 100% thickness (baseline value), and we calculated, by measuring the incision side after surgery, the corrected percent thickness (CPT%), which represents percentage of remaining muscle thickness that has escaped incision-induced atrophy. CT scans obtained at the level of the third (L3) and fifth (L5) lumbar vertebrae and the center of the sacrum (S) were selected for CPT% measurement.ResultsDuration from surgery to final CT scan was 2 to 65 months (mean ± SD, 34.33 ± 21.38 months) in PM group and 3 to 96 months (27.85 ± 20.74 months) in F group. In PM group, mean CPT% values of the rectus abdominis muscle were 55.83 ± 21.65% at L3, 35.50 ± 10.79% at L5, and 31.92 ± 11.00% at S; these values were statistically much smaller than baseline (P < .01). Mean CPT% values of the lateral abdominal muscles were not statistically different from baseline. In F group, mean CPT% values of the rectus abdominis muscle were 82.19 ± 23.15% at L5 and 64.41 ± 31.34% at S; these values were statistically smaller than baseline (P < .01). Mean CPT% values of the lateral abdominal muscles were 87.59 ± 22.30% at L3 and 84.59 ± 26.90% at L5; these values were statistically smaller than baseline (P < .05).ConclusionsParamedian incision induced severe rectus abdominis muscle atrophy. Although flank incision induced various degrees of atrophy in both muscles, some patients had no muscle atrophy. These data indicate that further anatomic investigation into the relation between flank incision and abdominal wall innervation may contribute to prevention of muscle atrophy after flank incision