Control Volume Research Articles

Automatic Monitoring System Iot (Internet Of Things) Based Water Tanks

Water tanks are widely used to store water in the community. However, the filling process still uses a manual method so it cannot monitor/monitor the water level in the tank, so when the water is full in the tank until it overflows it is then turned off. Water tanks are often placed at a height to take advantage of gravity so that water can flow optimally. The high position of the water tank is difficult for users to reach to determine the quality and volume of water. The performance of this tool has 2 conditions. The first condition will discuss the water level monitoring tool in the tank. Using the tool developed, the water pump can be turned on and off automatically which is controlled using a monitoring tool using a smartphone and the Blynk application with a water level indicator. , water flow, and watervolume and Notification of water conditions via Telegram. Technology for distributing and monitoring water in tanks is still limited to conventional means by turning on and opening the water tap. For this reason, a control system is needed that can monitor and control the water volume in several tanks through one application display on a smartphone such as Telegram. By using the NodeMCU ESP8266 as a microcontroller base, an ultrasonic sensor as a water volume measuring sensor, and a Mini Water Pump, the condition of the water volume and all changes can always be monitored via notifications on Telegram. Apart from that, the tool can also be controlled automatically or manually through the commands provided on Telegram. In this way, the concept of using Telegram as a water tank volume control and monitoring system can be the right alternative choice in designing a water tank control system. The research method used is a prototyping system. The expected result is the realization of automatic floodgates to make it easier for humans to carry out their tasks and make the system run more efficiently. Apart from being automatic, this tool has the advantage that it can be controlled remotely using the internet of things. The design of this automatic sluice gate uses an Arduino Uno microcontroller as a processing tool, and is equipped with an ultrasonic sensor, water level float switch sensor, servo motor.

Quantifying the vulnerability of road networks to flood-induced closures using traffic simulation

Disruptions in road networks can significantly impact traffic flow, necessitating the identification and mitigation of vulnerable components. This study presents a methodology to assess the vulnerability and robustness of road networks, addressing the research gap in comprehensive approaches that effectively evaluate both controlled intersections and uncontrolled/free-flow highway segments. The proposed framework employs traffic simulation tools to model road closures within designated study areas, focusing on networks in Qatar. Performance measures such as average control delay and volume to capacity ratios are utilized to calculate vulnerability indices for network components. The two-pronged approach quantifies the impact of simulated closures at both the component and network levels, revealing critical intersections and road segments that markedly affect network performance during disruptions. The findings contribute to the field by providing transportation engineers with an effective quantitative tool to detect vulnerabilities in their road network, guiding design plans and actions to mitigate the potential harmful impacts of disruptive events on transportation infrastructure. The methodology's scalability ensures its applicability to various operational contexts, offering significant insights for transportation planning and infrastructure resilience. By establishing a comprehensive vulnerability analysis framework, this study enhances the understanding and management of road network vulnerabilities in complex urban environments. Further research on integrating dynamic traffic assignment and real-time data is recommended to further enhance the predictive accuracy and applicability of the proposed framework, ultimately improving transportation infrastructure resilience.

Chloroquine Downregulation of Intestinal Autophagy Changed Intestinal Microbial Community Compositions and Metabolite Profiles in Piglets.

Our previous study demonstrated that moderate inhibition of intestinal autophagy was beneficial to alleviate early weaning stress in piglets, but the detailed mechanism behind this was unclear. Microbiota-mediated enterocyte autophagy helps maintain intestinal homeostasis. This study investigated the effects of inhibition or activation of autophagy in intestinal microbial community compositions and metabolite profiles in piglets. Eighteen 24-day-old weaned piglets were divided into three groups (each treatment of six piglets) and treated daily with rapamycin (RAPA), chloroquine (CQ) or a control volume of normal saline (CON group). Before the formal trial, the piglets were allowed to acclimatize for 3 days, and then the trial period was 14 days. Collected samples from the ileum and colon underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolite analysis. Significant differences in microbial composition were observed in both the ileum and colon of the RAPA and CQ groups compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). In addition, the relative levels of abundance of Peptostreptococcus, Fusobacterium, Dialister, Selenomonas and Oceanobacillus in the ileum and Porphyromonas, Bacteroides, unidentified_Lachnospiraceae, Akkermansia, Sharpea, Peptococcus, Pseudoalteromonas, Peptoclostridium and unidentified_Acidobacteria in the colon were improved in piglets fed the RAPA diet, whereas the relative levels of abundance of Turicibacter, Rickettsiella and Sarcina in the ileum and Roseburia and Kroppenstedtia in the colon were enhanced in the CQ group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, metabolomic analysis showed that there were significant differences in metabolites among all groups (p < 0.05), and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that differential metabolites were mainly enriched in the ABC transporters and biosynthesis of amino acids pathways. Furthermore, these metabolites were closely related to differential microorganisms (p < 0.05). Overall, autophagy inhibition regulates the composition of intestinal microorganisms and their metabolites, and these differential metabolites are significantly correlated with differential intestinal microorganisms, which may in turn affect the production performance of weaned piglets.

Investigating the impact of irrigation practices on hydrologic fluxes in a highly managed river basin

Irrigation practices and sources can have significant impacts on water resources and the hydrologic fluxes that control these resources. To better manage water resources and future water supply, the influence of irrigation practices and management on these hydrologic fluxes should be quantified in time and space at varying scales, under potential irrigation management practices. To fulfill this objective, a surface-subsurface modeling approach was applied to simulate watershed-scale hydrologic processes in the Cache la Poudre River Basin, Colorado, USA (4824 km2), in which both surface water irrigation and groundwater irrigation are prevalent. The model chosen for this study is the watershed model SWAT+, using the spatially distributed, physically based groundwater module gwflow, in which unconfined groundwater storage, flows, and interaction with land surface features are simulated using a collection of grid cells that represent control volumes of the aquifer. Major groundwater inflows and outflows include pumping, recharge, groundwater-channel exchange, groundwater-lake exchange, and tile drainage outflow. To investigate the impact of irrigation practices, detailed surface and groundwater irrigation routines and canal-aquifer interactions were added to the SWAT+ source code, requiring information of irrigation sources and irrigation canal locations throughout the river basin. Model calibration and testing was performed using monthly stream discharge and groundwater head. The calibrated model is used to quantify the impact of surface water and groundwater irrigation scenarios on water availability and hydrologic fluxes within the river basin. A total of 22 scenarios were conducted and grouped into five main groups: irrigation source, irrigation amount, irrigation type, canal bed thickness, and partial or full sealing of earthen irrigation canals. Using groundwater as the only irrigation source decreases groundwater discharge to streams (by 14 %) due to lowering groundwater levels; converting flood irrigation to sprinkler irrigation throughout the basin decreases surface runoff by 22 %; and sealing earthen canals leads to a lowering of groundwater levels, which decreases groundwater discharge to streams by 9 %, leading to an overall decrease in streamflow in the Cache la Poudre River and changes to temporal patterns in streamflow. Overall, irrigation amount and type and canal sealing have a small impact on total groundwater storage, compared to changes in the percent of fields irrigated by groundwater pumping. Results are helpful for informed decision-making in agriculture water management and can lead to sustainable, efficient, and equitable use of water resources, helping to address the challenges posed by water scarcity and environmental conservation.

How to Prevent Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury in Intraoperative Mechanical Ventilation? A Randomized Prospective Study.

Intraoperative mechanical ventilation practices can lead to ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) and postoperative pulmonary complications in healthy lungs. Mechanical power (MP) has been developed as a new concept in reducing the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications as it considers all respiratory mechanics that cause VILI. The most commonly used intraoperative modes are volume control ventilation (VCV) and pressure control ventilation (PCV). In this study, VCV and PCV modes were compared in terms of respiratory mechanics in patients operated in the supine and prone positions. The patients were divided into 4 groups (80 patients), volume control supine and prone, pressure control supine and prone with 20 patients each. MP, respiratory rate, positive end-expiratory pressure, tidal volume, peak pressure, plato pressure, driving pressure, inspiratory time, height, age, gender, body mass index, and predictive body weight data of the patients included in the groups have been obtained from "electronic data pool" with Structured Query Language queries. The supine and prone MP values of the VCV group were statistically significantly lower than the PCV group (P values were 0.010 and 0.001, respectively). Supine and prone MP values of the VCV group were calculated significantly lower than the PCV group. Intraoperative PCV may be considered disadvantageous regarding the risk of VILI in the supine and prone positions.

Wing-to-Wall Distance Effect On The Large-Scale Turbulent Structures Interacting With A Wall

We experimentally investigate the effect of the wing-to-wall distance, also called ground clearance, on the three-dimensional flow generated by a wing at a 4° angle of attack and a chord Reynolds number of 1400. We perform 3D velocity measurements using Particle tracking velocimetry to characterize the wake downstream of the wing, evaluate the evolution of the intensity and the size of the wingtip and secondary counter-rotating vortices, and finally compute the aerodynamic coefficients using momentum balance equations. We extended the control volume method for drag and lift calculation to the case where the transverse plane downstream of the wing does not contain the whole wake. The secondary flow's vorticity isocontours and velocity vectors show a decrease in the downwash and vortex size with the ground clearance ratio (i.e., as we approach the ground). The computation of the circulation shows that this latter decays rapidly streamwise as we get closer to the wall, indicating a dissipation of the kinetic energy contained in the trailing vortices. The aerodynamic coefficients' results based on the control volume method show that the tested wing manifests a two-force regime evolution of the drag coefficient with the ground clearance ratio, as it first decreases when moving far from the ground before increasing as we move farther from the ground. A noteworthy high lift is generated when too close to the ground. Further application of the extended control volume method on DNS data is needed to validate the method.

A true double-body method based on porous media model for simulation and froude scaling verification of an aquaculture vessel resistance

A blueprint of a novel aquaculture vessel composed of rectangular cylinders, pontoons, and nets with the capacity for self-propulsion was drawn. However, when completely different flow features are caused by non-stream shapes, resistance prediction cannot be accurately performed through conventional ship model experiments as the existing scale rules may be invalid. Besides, the existence of nets creates obstacles not only in model tests but also in numerical simulations. Therefore, resistance evaluation of the vessel with nets is very challenging. Porous media model for nets is one of feasible solutions and was validated by previously published experimental results, although a control volume was required. However, porous media model is incompatible with volume of fluid multiphase, which makes the double-body method adopted inevitably. A literally true double-body method based on porous media model was proposed. The comparison of vessels with and without a net exhibited a beneficial interaction between the net and the vessel hull, especially for nets with higher solidity. Furthermore, the Froude scaling law was adopted based on the hypothesis of Reynolds number invariance. All the full-scale resistances predicted by it in seven scale ratios demonstrated satisfactory consistency, and the relative errors grew with the increase of the scale ratios.

A new theoretical approach to determine the air outlet temperature of an air-to-ground heat exchanger

In this study, the control volume method is used to determine the air temperature at the outlet of an air-to-ground heat exchanger. Its implementation consists in dividing the duct of the ground-air heat exchanger into micro-volumes of identical size. An energy balance is then established for each micro-volume. The input parameters used to implement this model are related to the city of Yaoundé in the equatorial zone. The results show that when the total length of the air-to-ground heat exchanger duct varies between 0 and 100 m, the air temperature at the outlet also varies between 34.5 and 24 °C. The air-to-ground heat exchanger operates in cooling mode. As the length of the air-to-ground heat exchanger duct increases, the temperature of the air at the outlet of the air-to-ground heat exchanger decreases, approaching that of the ground. Based on the results obtained using the control volume model, the minimum total length of air-to-ground heat exchanger duct recommended for this zone is 40 m. Admittedly, air pressure drops, air humidity and the geometry of the air-to-ground heat exchanger are aspects that have not yet been taken into account in the implementation of this model. Nevertheless, the control volume method can be used to optimise the parameters influencing the thermal performance of an air-to-ground heat exchanger.•The control volume method is implemented here by dividing the air-to-ground heat exchanger duct into identical micro-volumes and then establishing an energy balance for each micro-volume;•In this work, the control volume method was used to optimise the total length of the duct of a ground air heat exchanger installed in an equatorial zone;•Some important aspects such as air pressure drops, air humidity, and the geometry of the air-to-ground heat exchanger are not yet taken into account in the implementation of the control volume method.

Investigating the effect of using aluminum oxide nanofluid and twisted tapes with different twisted pitches on the heat transfer efficiency and using perceptron artificial neural networks in data prediction

This study investigates the effect of aluminum oxide nanofluid with 1% and 2% volume fractions (VFs) in four different tubes with identical bending and the uniform, low-high-low, low-high, and high-low-high longitudinal states with twist ratios of 0, 2 and 4. These tubes are affected by a constant thermal flux of 10000 W/m2 and Reynolds numbers of 2000-10000. For the numerical solution of these equations, the finite difference method on the basis of the control volume and the SIMPLEC algorithm and the K-ε-RNG method were applied for the turbulent flow modeling. The determined Nusselt number from the numerical methods were evaluated applying the perceptron neural network. The most optimal increase in the Nusselt number was in the twisted tube with twist ratio of 4 in the Reynolds number of 10,000 and VF of 1% and 2% nanofluid with increasing trend of length from low to high. The most optimal increase in Nusselt number compared to base fluid was about 25%. The sum of squared error and the relative error data obtained from the hyperbolic tangent function for the training and test data were 0.080-1.331 and 0.113-0.675, and from the sigmoid function for the training and test data were 0.093-0.392 and 0.097-0.147.

Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Comprehensive Review of Pathophysiology, Diagnostic Approach, Applications of Artificial Intelligence, and Management Strategies.

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a serious and often fatal condition caused by the accumulation of amyloid fibrils in the heart, leading to progressive heart failure. It involves the misfolding of normally soluble proteins into insoluble amyloid fibrils, with transthyretin and light-chain amyloidosis being the most common forms affecting the heart. Advances in diagnostics, especially cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and non-invasive techniques, have improved early detection and disease management. Artificial intelligence has emerged as a diagnostic tool for cardiac amyloidosis, improving accuracy and enabling earlier intervention through advanced imaging analysis and pattern recognition. Management strategies include volume control, specific pharmacotherapies like tafamidis, and addressing arrhythmias and advanced heart failure. However, further research is needed for novel therapeutic approaches, the long-term effectiveness of emerging treatments, and the optimization of artificial intelligence applications in clinical practice for better patient outcomes.The article aims to provide an overview of CA, outlining its pathophysiology, diagnostic advancements, the role of artificial intelligence, management strategies, and the need for further research.

Computed tomography (CT) quantitative assessment of single lobe emphysema correlates with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity: a cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection.

In the past, many researchers have studied the correlation between quantitative parameters of computed tomography (CT) and parameters of pulmonary function test (PFT) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with good results. Most of these studies have focused on the whole-lung level. In this study, we analyzed the biphasic CT lung volume parameters and the percentage of emphysema volume in different lobes of the lungs of patients with different grades of COPD and assessed their relationship with different lung function indices. We retrospectively collected patients who underwent PFTs at The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from 1 July 2019 to 27 January 2020, and underwent chest respiratory dual-phase CT scans within 1 week, including 112 non-COPD patients and 297 COPD patients. We quantified the biphasic CT lung volume parameters and the percentage of emphysema volume in different lobes using a pulmonary image analysis tool. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Kruskal-Wallis H method were used to compare the quantitative CT parameters of each lung lobe in different groups. The correlation between quantitative CT parameters of different lung lobes and lung function indices was assessed using multiple linear regression. Among the 3 biphasic CT lung volume parameters, only volume change/inspiratory lung volume (∆LV/LVin) in the non-COPD control, mildly to moderately severe, and severe to extremely severe groups had statistical differences in each lobe level (all P<0.05). Correlation was significant between LVin and different lung function indices and between low attenuation areas percent below the threshold of -950 in the inspiratory phase [low attenuation area below -950 in the inspiratory phase (%LAA-950in)] and lung function indices in the left lower lobe (all P<0.05). There was statistically significant correlation between expiratory lung volume and ∆LV/LVin and lung function indices in the right lower lung (all P≤0.001). In the remaining lobes, LVin, expiratory lung volume, ∆LV/LVin, and %LAA-950in correlated with only some of the lung function indices. The percentage of emphysema volume did not differ between lobes in the non-COPD control and severe to extremely severe COPD populations. LVin and %LAA-950in in the left upper lobe, expiratory lung volume and ∆LV/LVin in the right lower lobe were more reflective of the changes in lung function indices of the patients, whereas the correlation of the 3 biphasic CT lung volume parameters and the percentage of emphysema volume in the upper lobes of both lungs and the right middle lung with lung function indices was unclear.

Comparative analysis of fluctuations in viscoelastic stress: A comparison of the temporary network and dumbbell models

Traditionally, stress fluctuations in flowing and deformed materials are overlooked, with an obvious focus on average stresses in a continuum mechanical approximation. However, these fluctuations, often dismissed as “noise,” hold the potential to provide direct insights into the material structure and its structure-stress coupling, uncovering detailed aspects of fluid transport and relaxation behaviors. Despite advancements in experimental techniques allowing for the visualization of these fluctuations, their significance remains largely untapped as modeling efforts continue to target Newtonian fluids within the confines of Gaussian noise assumptions. In the present work, a comparative analysis of stress fluctuations in two distinct microstructural models is carried out: the temporary network model and the hydrodynamic dumbbell model. Despite both models conforming to the upper convected Maxwell model at a macroscopic level, the temporary network model predicts non-Gaussian fluctuations. We find that stress fluctuations within the temporary network model exhibit more pronounced abruptness at the local scale, with only an enlargement of the control volume leading to a gradual Gaussian-like noise, diminishing the differences between the two models. These findings underscore the heightened sensitivity of fluctuating rheology to microstructural details and the microstructure–flow coupling, beyond what is captured by macroscopically averaged stresses.

Effect of rigorous fluid management using monitoring of ECW ratio by bioelectrical impedance analysis in critically ill postoperative patients: A prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled study

Background & AimsPrecise assessment of postoperative volume status is important to administrate optimal fluid management. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) which measures the body composition using electric character. Extracellular water (ECW) ratio by BIA represented as the ratio of ECW to total body water (TBW) and is known to reflect the hydration status. Based on this, we aimed to determine whether aggressive fluid control using ECW ratio could improve clinical outcomes through a single blind, randomized controlled trial. MethodsFrom November 2021 to December 2022, intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted after surgery were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group whether postoperative fluid management was controlled via BIA. Among patients in the intervention group, dehydrated patients received a bolus infusion with crystalloid fluid whereas diuretics were administrated to overhydrated patients until the value of ECW ratio fell within its normal setting range (0.390–0.406). Contrarily, BIA was performed once a day for the control group. Patients in the control group received traditional fluid treatment regardless of BIA results. Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality in two groups. The secondary outcomes were postoperative morbidities, 28-day mortality. Results77 patients of the intervention group and 90 patients of the control group were finally analyzed. The in-hospital mortality (0 in intervention, 4.4% in control, p = 0.125) and 28-day mortality (1.3% in intervention, 14.4% in control, p = 0.002) showed lower incidence in the intervention group than in the control group. In multivariate analysis, the overhydrated status whose ECW ratio exceeding 0.406 [odds ratio (OR): 2.731, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.001-7.663, p = 0.049] and high capillary leak index (CLI) value at ICU admission (OR: 1.024, 95% CI: 1.008-1.039, p = 0.002) were risk factors of postoperative morbidities. Regarding the 28-day mortality, high CLI value (OR: 1.025, 95% CI: 1.002-1.050, p = 0.037) and traditional strategy without BIA monitoring (OR: 9.903, 95% CI: 1.095-89.566, p = 0.041) were the significant predisposing factors. ConclusionOur results revealed the rigorous fluid treatment with volume control based on ECW ratio by BIA failed to achieve significant improvement in in-hospital mortality, but it could reduce 28-day mortality of ICU patients. Monitoring of ECW ratio may help establish optimal fluid treatment strategies for postoperative ICU patients who are susceptible to fluid imbalances with fluid overload. Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06097923, retrospectively registered on October 16, 2023, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06097923?term=NCT06097923&rank=1

Macrophages modulate mesenchymal stem cell function via tumor necrosis factor alpha in tooth extraction model.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and macrophages collaboratively contribute to bone regeneration after injury. However, detailed mechanisms underlying the interaction between MSCs and inflammatory macrophages (M1) remain unclear. A macrophage-depleted tooth extraction model was generated in 5-wk-old female C57BL/6J mice using clodronate liposome (12.5mg/kg/mouse, intraperitoneally) or saline injection (control) before maxillary first molar extraction. Mice were sacrificed on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 after tooth extraction (n = 4). Regenerated bone volume evaluation of tooth extraction socket (TES) and histochemical analysis of CD80+M1, CD206+M2 (anti-inflammatory macrophages), PDGFRα+MSC, and TNF-α+ cells were performed. In vitro, isolated MSCs with or without TNF-α stimulation (10ng/mL, 24h, n = 3) were bulk RNA-sequenced (RNA-Seq) to identify TNF-α stimulation-specific MSC transcriptomes. Day 7 micro-CT and HE staining revealed significantly lower mean bone volume (clodronate vs control: 0.01mm3 vs 0.02mm3, p<.0001) and mean percentage of regenerated bone area per total TES in clodronate group (41.97% vs 54.03%, p<.0001). Clodronate group showed significant reduction in mean number of CD80+, TNF-α+, PDGFRα+, and CD80+TNF-α+ cells on day 5 (306.5 vs 558.8, p<.0001; 280.5 vs 543.8, p<.0001; 365.0 vs 633.0, p<.0001, 29.0 vs 42.5, p<.0001), while these cells recovered significantly on day 7 (493.3 vs 396.0, p=.0004; 479.3 vs 384.5, p=.0008; 593.0 vs 473.0, p=.0010, 41.0 vs 32.5, p=.0003). RNA-Seq analysis showed that 15 genes (|log2FC| > 5.0, log2TPM > 5) after TNF-α stimulation were candidates for regulating MSC's immunomodulatory capacity. In vivo, Clec4e and Gbp6 are involved in inflammation and bone formation. Clec4e, Gbp6, and Cxcl10 knockdown increased osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in vitro. Temporal reduction followed by apparent recovery of TNF-α-producing M1 macrophages and MSCs after temporal macrophage depletion suggests that TNF-α activated MSCs during TES healing. In vitro mimicking the effect of TNF-α on MSCs indicated that there are 15 candidate MSC genes for regulation of immunomodulatory capacity.

Multimodal Gesture Recognition with Spatio-Temporal Features Fusion Based on YOLOv5 and MediaPipe

As a natural, intuitive and easy-to-learn mode of interaction, gesture plays an important role in communication. Hand detection, containing multimodal information, includes static and dynamic detection and involves intricate spatial relationship problems such as different hand sizes, complex joints, occlusion and self-occlusion. This study focused on a multimodal hand gesture recognition system based on YOLOv5 and MediaPipe with fused spatio-temporal features. First, the Mediapipe and OpenCV libraries were employed to implement hand keypoint detection. Subsequently, the human–computer interaction (HCI) of volume control was realized by identifying the distance between thumb and index. Finally, model training was conducted based on the YOLOv5 algorithm, and the recognition of different gesture categories was realized. The performance was evaluated and compared through YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m, and YOLOv5l. The gesture recognition system interface visualization was achieved through pyqt5. Experiments show that the average detection accuracy of the model is 99.4% and the recognition speed is around 0.2[Formula: see text]s.

Unintended Competition from Volume Controls: A Note on the Horne v. Department of Agriculture Decision

Abstract The U.S. Supreme Court case, Horne v. Department of Agriculture, dealt with the legality of volume controls in the raisin industry. Marketing orders and volume controls in agricultural markets have a long history in the United States and have often been used to decrease price volatility. However, some have seen these volume controls as engaging in cartel behavior. Using a Cournot model, this paper shows that volume controls used by agricultural marketing orders can be profit reducing under some conditions. If producers anticipate a restriction in the production that is allowed to go into the market on a prorated basis, initial production may increase, which can lower profits. Counter intuitively, volume controls can even increase the quantity sold in the market and lower the price.

A Holistic Approach for Fill volume Variability Evaluation and Control with Statistical Tool.

Vial and syringe filling by peristaltic pump has been widely implemented by contract manufacturing organizations and biopharmaceutical companies. Fill volume is commonly considered as critical quality attribute related in aseptic filling process and the variation needs to be well controlled to guarantee the safety, efficacy and consistency of drug products. However, the criteria for justifying the filling variation and underlying mechanisms that affect the variability are not fully revealed quantitatively in the literatures. This study selected filling accuracy, filling process capability and filling precision as three criteria for evaluating the filling process performance with four statistical indexes: Relative Error Mean, Critical Control Limit (Cpk ≥ 1.33), Relative Standard Deviation and Relative Moving Range Mean. The impact of liquid properties, pump tubing sizes and pump settings on above indexes were investigated using a bench-top system with a peristatic pump and a high-precision balance. The results showed that the viscosity, target fill volume, pump tubing size, pump speed, acceleration/deceleration rate and suck-back had statistical significance on the fill volume variability. Definitive Screening Design was further applied to clarify and visualize the priorities and interaction impact of above factors on fill volume variability. Stepwise approach for fill volume variability optimization and control based on predictive models was established and verified for drug product solution with viscosity between 1-23 cp and target fill volume between 0.2-2.0 mL.

How the cognitive load of simulated driving affects the brain dynamics underlying auditory attention

Objective Distracted driving is a primary contributor to for motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause for injuries and fatalities for youth. Although attention and working memory clearly underlie driving abilities, few studies explore these functions on the brain-level under the cognitive load of driving. To understand the load driving has on auditory attention processing, we examined the differences in dynamic brain response to auditory stimuli during LOAD (while driving in a high-fidelity driving simulator) and No-LOAD conditions (seated in simulator, parked on the side of the road). Methods Twenty-seven young adult drivers (18–27 y/o; 15 = women) completed a Selective Auditory Attention Task during both a LOAD (driving) and No-LOAD condition in a ½ cab miniSim® high-fidelity driving simulator. During the task, participants responded by pressing the volume control button on the steering wheel when a target tone was presented to a target ear. Electroencephalography-recorded event-related brain responses to the target tones were evaluated through alpha and theta oscillations for two response windows (early: 150–330ms; late: 350–540ms). Results During an early time window, we observed a significant interaction between attended/unattended and LOAD/No-LOAD theta power in the right frontal cortical region (F(1, 24)= 5.4, p=.03, partial η 2=.18). During the later window, we observed a significant interaction between attended/unattended and LOAD/No-LOAD alpha response in the posterior cortical region (F(1, 24)=11.81, p=.002, partial η 2=.15) and in the right temporal cortical region during the window (F(1, 24)=4.3, p=.05, partial η 2=.33). Conclusions Our data provide insight into the demand that driving has on cognitive faculties and how dual task engagement may draw resources away from driving. We suggest future research directly incorporate vehicle control abilities into study design to understand how brain-based measures relate to driving behaviors.

Comparative study of the efficacy of volume control ventilation vs pressure control ventilation on patients undergoing laparoscopic surgeries under general anaesthesia

Background A variety of disorders are surgically treated with laparoscopy. Its benefits are frequently considered as being less intrusive, giving superior cosmetic outcomes, and needing a shorter hospital stay because they are based on surgical knowledge and cutting-edge technology. However, laparoscopic surgery under general anaesthesia and pneumoperitoneum may result in adverse pulmonary physiological alterations. This study will make choosing between volume control ventilation and pressure control ventilation for patients undergoing laparoscopic surgeries under general anaesthesia feasible. Method 82 participants of both male and female gender and of the age between 18 and 70, with 41 in each group, will be randomly allotted with pressure control or volume control ventilation. The hemodynamic parameters and ventilatory parameters will be assessed. Data collection and analysis will be done. Expected outcomes To conclude if volume control ventilation or pressure control ventilation is effective in laparoscopic surgeries and which has less hemodynamic responses and better patient outcomes.

A droplet-intermixing printing method for high-uniformity pixel ink volume control based on integer programming

Inkjet printing is a promising technology for new display mass production. However, a major challenge in inkjet printing applications is pixel ink volume nonuniformity caused by the volume error of droplets ejected from multiple nozzles. This nonuniformity can lead to nonuniform pixel film thickness and Mura defects in a display panel. To address this issue, an integer programming-based droplet-intermixing printing method for high-uniformity pixel ink volume control is proposed in this study. The printing method is used to homogenize the volume of ink deposited in each pixel by intermixing droplets from different nozzles to improve the whole-panel uniformity. To ensure that the droplet intermixing results meet the printing process requirements, a specific scheduling and printing planning model for the method is established. According to the droplet volume from each nozzle and the printing pattern, the most efficient printing path and nozzle ejection action are obtained by the established model while meeting the volume uniformity requirement of pixel ink. Experiments show that the proposed printing method can realize pixel film thickness error control under ±6 nm on a 400 cm2 display substrate, and the uniformity of different pixels is less than ±4.62 %. Compared with traditional method, the achieved uniformity is improved at 45.4 % under the same conditions. This method has been applied in printed display manufacturing equipment and achieved good results.