Technical challenges related to implementation of a formula one real time data acquisition and analysis system in a paediatric intensive care unit

Most existing, expert monitoring systems do not provide the real time continuous analysis of the monitored physiological data that is necessary to detect transient or combined vital sign indicators nor do they provide long term storage of the data for retrospective analyses. In this paper we examine the feasibility of implementing a long term data storage system which has the ability to incorporate real-time data analytics, the system design, report the main technical issues encountered, the solutions implemented and the statistics of the data recorded. McLaren Electronic Systems expertise used to continually monitor and analyse the data from F1 racing cars in real time was utilised to implement a similar real-time data recording platform system adapted with real time analytics to suit the requirements of the intensive care environment. We encountered many technical (hardware and software) implementation challenges. However there were many advantages of the system once it was operational. They include: (1) The ability to store the data for long periods of time enabling access to historical physiological data. (2) The ability to alter the time axis to contract or expand periods of interest. (3) The ability to store and review ECG morphology retrospectively. (4) Detailed post event (cardiac/respiratory arrest or other clinically significant deteriorations in patients) data can be reviewed clinically as opposed to trend data providing valuable clinical insight. Informed mortality and morbidity reviews can be conducted. (5) Storage of waveform data capture to use for algorithm development for adaptive early warning systems. Recording data from bed-side monitors in intensive care/wards is feasible. It is possible to set up real time data recording and long term storage systems. These systems in future can be improved with additional patient specific metrics which predict the status of a patient thus paving the way for real time predictive monitoring

Perovskite-supported Palladium for Methane Oxidation - Structure-Activity Relationships

Palladium is the precious metal of choice for methane oxidation and perovskite-type oxides offer the possibility to stabilize it as PdO, considered crucial for catalytic activity. Pd can adopt different oxidation and coordination states when associated with perovskite-type oxides. Here, we review our work on the effect of perovskite composition on the oxidation and coordination states of Pd and its influence on catalytic activity for methane oxidation in the case of typical Mn, Fe and Co perovskite-based oxidation catalysts. Especially X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy is shown to be crucial to fingerprint the different coordination states of Pd. Pd substitutes Fe and Co in the octahedral sites but without modifying catalytic activity with respect to the Pd-free perovskite. On LaMnO(3) palladium is predominantly exposed at the surface thus bestowing catalytic activity for methane oxidation. However, the occupancy of B-cation sites of the perovskite structure by Pd can be exploited to cyclically activate Pd and to protect it from particle growth. This is explicitly demonstrated for La(Fe, Pd)O(3), where catalytic activity for methane oxidation is enhanced under oscillating redox conditions at 500 °C, therefore paving the way to the practical application in three-way catalysts for stoichiometric natural gas engines

PdOx/Pd at Work in a Model Three-Way Catalyst for Methane Abatement Monitored by Operando XANES

The oxidation state of palladium in a model Pd/ACZ three-way catalyst was monitored by synchronous XANES and mass spectrometry during two consecutive heating (to 850 C) and cooling (to 100 C) cycles under stoichiometric conditions simulating exhaust after reatment of a natural gas engine. During heating in the \ufb01rst cycle, PdO reduction occurred around 500 C and the initial fully oxidized state of Pd was never recovered upon heating and cooling cycles. A mixed Pd2+/Pd oxidation state was at work in the second cycle. Hence, the operando XANES study reveals that the PdOx/Pd pair exists in a working catalyst but is less active than the catalyst in its initial state of fully oxidized palladium. It is also evident from XANES spectra that ceria\u2013zirconia promotes re-oxidation of metallic Pd, thus reasonably sustaining catalytic activity after exposure to high temperatures

Methanol steam reforming catalysts derived by reduction of perovskite-type oxides LaCo_1-x-yPd_xZn_yO_{3 +/-delta}

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) catalysts are derived from perovskite-type oxides LaCo1-x-yPdxZnyO3 +/-delta by reductive pretreatment. The unsubstituted LaCoO3 +/-delta (LCO) and LaCo1-x-yPdxZnyO3 +/-delta (Co substituted with Pd and/or Zn) are synthesized by a citrate method and characterized by different techniques. The perovskite-type oxides exhibit a rhombohedral crystal structure and a comparable surface area (approximate to 8.5 (+/- 2) m(2) g(-1)). The temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) shows low (100 degrees C 450 degrees C) temperature reduction events that correspond to partial and complete reduction of the non-rareearth metal ions, respectively. At high temperatures, Pd-Zn alloy nanoparticles are formed exclusively on Pd-and Zn-containing LaCo1-x-yPdxZnyO3 +/-delta, as evident from high angular annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). The CO2-selective MSR performance of the catalysts strongly depends on the reductive pretreatment temperature, catalyst composition (i.e., the Pd : Zn molar ratio and the degree of Co substitution) and reaction temperature. Only LaCo1-x-yPdxZnyO3 +/-delta catalysts show a low-temperature CO2 selectivity maximum between 225 and 250 degrees C, while all catalysts present similar high-temperature selectivity maxima at T > 400 degrees C. The former is missing on LCO, LaCo1-xPdxO3 +/-delta or LaCo1-yZnyO3 +/-delta. Pd-Zn nanoparticles facilitate Zn(OH)(2) and Co(OH)(2) formation exclusively on LaCo1-x-yPdxZnyO3 +/-delta, as evident from in situ XRD under steam atmosphere. This indicates the important role of Pd-Zn nanoparticles in the low-temperature CO2 selectivity, which is improved from 0 to 76% at 225 degrees C on LCO and LaCo0.75Pd0.125Zn0.125O3 +/-delta, respectively. The high-temperature CO2 selectivity is governed by the bulk catalyst composition and the occurrence of reverse water gas shift reaction