Increase In Characteristic Impedance Research Articles

Investigation of the Two-Mode Regime of Two-Gap Photonic-Crystal Resonance Systems Produced on a Printed Circuit Board with Fractal Elements "Minkowski Island

Introduction. The development of new amplifiers and generators of the Ku- and K-bands (12…27 GHz) for use in onboard equipment is increasingly attracting research interest. Low-voltage multi-beam klystrons (LMBK) can be a promising element base for such devices. Serious problems are associated with the need to suppress parasitic modes of oscillations in NMLK operating in the centimeter and millimeter range. A possible solution is to use double-gap photonic-crystal resonators (DPCR) in LMBK. Another promising direction for improving the characteristics of such resonators is to use resonant segments of strip lines with fractal elements. In this case, the strip lines are placed on a dielectric substrate in the interaction space. Such resonators exhibit new properties that are useful for klystrons (an increase in characteristic impedance, suppression of the spectrum of unwanted frequencies, a reduction in mass and dimensions).Aim. Determination of an optimal set of electrodynamic and electronic parameters of double-gap photonic-crystal resonance systems with fractal elements "Minkowski Island" when operated as part of the LMBK resonator system, excited on π- and 2π-modes of oscillation.Materials and methods. To calculate the electrodynamic parameters of resonators, the method of finite differences in the time domain was used. The well-known Wessel-Berg method was used to calculate electronic parameters, such as the Ge / G0 electronic conductivity and the coupling coefficient M.Results. The main electrodynamic parameters of the resonator – Q-factor, resonant frequency and characteristic impedance – were investigated. The electronic parameters of the resonator, the coefficient of coupling with the electron beam, and the relative electronic conductivity for π- and 2π-modes of oscillations were calculated. In this case, three variants of the resonator with zero, first and second iterations of the fractal element were investigated. The amplitude-frequency characteristics of the resonator were investigated with a change in the pitch of the photonic crystal lattice. An estimation of the inhomogeneity of the high-frequency field in the interaction spaces of the resonator was carried out. Operational conditions were determined simultaneously for two types of oscillations without self-excitation.Conclusion. The results can find application in the development of resonator systems for klystron-type devices in the centimeter and millimeter ranges.

Empirical equations between characteristic impedance and mechanical properties of rocks

Abstract Based on a great number of experimental data on various mechanical properties of rock in the literature, six empirical equations between the characteristic impedance (product of density and P-wave velocity) and mechanical properties of rock are proposed. These properties include uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, shear strength, mode I fracture toughness, Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratio. These empirical equations show that the values of the aforementioned properties increase with increase in characteristic impedance. It also implies that the characteristic impedance of rock may be considered as an index to represent the main properties of rock. In this sense, it is possible to consider using characteristic impedance to classify rock masses for studies in the future.

Arterial hemodynamics and mechanical properties after circulatory intervention in the chick embryo

Altered blood pressure and flow impact cardiac function during morphogenesis. How the arterial system supports cardiac morphogenesis after circulatory disruptions is not well characterized. We manipulated arterial flow via left atrial ligation (LAL) or arterial load via right vitelline artery ligation (VAL) in Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) stage 21 chick embryos. Embryos were reincubated for 1 h (HH21), 14 h (HH24) or 30 h (HH27). At each stage we measured simultaneous dorsal aortic blood pressure and flow, and calculated arterial compliance, impedance and hydraulic power. LAL acutely reduced stroke volume (Vs), cardiac output (Q) and hydraulic power. Arterial pressure was preserved by a compensatory increase in characteristic impedance and decrease in compliance. Impedance parameters and compliance normalized by HH24 and all parameters normalized by HH27. VAL acutely increased arterial resistance. Embryos maintained arterial pressure by decreasing Vs and Q. These parameters remained altered through HH27. In summary, despite the intervention, compensatory alterations in Vs and arterial resistance maintained arterial pressure and fraction of oscillatory power within a narrow range. These results suggest that the maintenance of arterial pressure and circulatory energy efficiency, but not arterial flow, is critical to embryogenesis.

Influence of aortic impedance on the development of pressure-overload left ventricular hypertrophy in rats.

Aortic input impedance, which represents LV afterload, is considered to be a major determinant for the development of pressure-overload left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. To test whether the sustained change in aortic input impedance might affect the mode of development of LV hypertrophy, coarctation of either the ascending aorta (G1, n = 13) or suprarenal abdominal aorta (G2, n = 12) was performed over 4 weeks in 6-weeks-old Wistar rats. Although peak LV pressure and total systemic resistance were increased similarly in G1 and G2, time to peak LV pressure was decreased by 24% (P < .01) in G1 compared with G2. The aortic input impedance spectra revealed that the early systolic loading in G1 was characterized by an increase in characteristic impedance, whereas the late systolic loading in G2 was by an augmented arterial wave reflection. G1 showed a smaller increase (P < .01) in either the ratio of LV weight (mg) to body weight (g) or LV wall thickness than G2 after aortic banding. Myocyte diameter was also smaller (P < .05) in G1 (14.3 +/- 0.7 mm) than in G2 (16.1 +/- 1.2 mm). The ex vivo passive pressure-volume relation had a rightward shift in G1 compared with G2, suggesting less concentric LV hypertrophy in G1. The sustained early systolic loading due to the increase in characteristic impedance was accompanied by less concentric, reduced hypertrophy, whereas the sustained late systolic loading due to the augmented arterial wave reflection was accompanied by concentric, adequate hypertrophy.

The effect of extraanatomic bypass on aortic input impedance studied in open chest dogs: Should the vascular prosthesis be compliant to unload the left ventricle?

Left ventricular hypertrophy has been reported after ascending aorta-abdominal aorta bypass, despite seemingly insignificant changes in cardiac output and mean arterial pressure. Such a bypass procedure may be used for the treatment of complex coarctation of the aorta, hypoplastic aortic arch, or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. To investigate the effect of the bypass procedure on left ventricular afterload, we measured aortic input impedance in six open chest dogs by placing a knitted Dacron graft from the ascending aorta to the abdominal aorta and occluding the aortic arch. Cardiac output and mean arterial pressure remained unaltered throughout the experiment, consistent with clinical reports. Systolic pressure increased by 25% of control, and the ratio of diastolic pressure-time index to tension-time index decreased by 27%. The measured input impedance was then approximated with the three-element windkessel model, which consists of resistance, compliance, and characteristic impedance (average of impedance modulus between 5 and 15 Hz). There was no change in resistance and compliance; characteristic impedance increased to 255% of control. Connecting an air chamber to the vascular prosthesis doubled the compliance and decreased the characteristic impedance nearly to the control value without altering resistance. It also reduced the systolic pressure by 14% of the bypass protocol and increased the ratio of diastolic pressure-time index to tension-time index (by 32% of control value and 82% of bypass value). Arterial systolic pressure and pulse pressure were both linearly correlated with the characteristic impedance. Thus we conclude that although ascending aorta-abdominal aorta bypass does not affect cardiac output, mean arterial pressure, resistance, or compliance, it does increase characteristic impedance. Left ventricular systolic load is directly correlated with characteristic impedance. Increased systolic wall stress might be the cause of left ventricular hypertrophy of the previously reported cases. Because decrease in the distensibility of the proximal aorta is one of the factors causing the increase in characteristic impedance, using a compliant graft might help to unload the heart.

Effects of chronic inhibition of converting enzyme on mechanical and structural properties of arteries in rat renovascular hypertension.

The effect of hypertension and of therapy by converting enzyme inhibitor (S 9490-3, perindopril) on the function and structure of large arteries has been studied in two-kidney, one-clip Goldblatt hypertensive rats. After one month without treatment, clipped hypertensive rats (n = 24) and sham-operated rats (n = 24) were randomly allocated to treatment by S 9490, 1 mg/kg once a day (n = 24) or to placebo (n = 24) and pursued for 4 weeks. Hemodynamic parameters, including instantaneous pressure and aortic velocity measured by Döppler, were recorded under anesthesia at the end of the treatment period. Passive mechanical properties of carotid arteries were recorded in situ in the presence or the absence of smooth muscle cell activity (potassium cyanide poisoning). Morphological parameters of the aortic media, including medial thickness, nucleus density, and cross sectional area and relative density in proteins of interstitial matrix, were recorded by an automated morphometrical system. Hypertension was associated with an increase in characteristic impedance of the aorta and a decrease in compliance of the arterial system. Treatment with converting enzyme inhibitors completely reversed these in vivo markers of the rigidity of large arteries. Hypertension was associated with a shift of the passive pressure-volume relation in the carotid. Treatment with converting enzyme inhibitors normalized the carotid pressure-volume relation, whereas poisoning smooth muscle cells induced a disappearance of the curve differences between hypertensive and normotensive animals. Morphometric analysis of aortic walls permits us to report this functional change to structural modification of the arterial wall. Aortic media thickness was increased by hypertension; this phenomenon was reversed by treatment. Modification of aortic thickness was due to hypertrophy of smooth muscle cells with parallel modifications of absolute amount of collagen, whereas absolute amount of elastin did not change in this early phase of renovascular hypertension in young rats. Treatment with converting enzyme inhibitors reversed the thickness of aortic media without regression of the increase in absolute amount of collagen content whereas absolute amount of elastin content did not change.

Role of aortic input impedance in the decreased cardiovascular response to exercise with aging in dogs.

The diminished cardiac output response to exercise with advancing age may be attributable to intrinsic inability of the old ventricle to respond appropriately and/or to an additional loading imposed upon the ventricle by the aged vascular system. The steady (resistance) and pulsatile (characteristic impedance) load components together comprise the vascular load faced by the ejecting ventricle. To study the effect of exercise on both vascular components of load, the aortic input impedance was measured in chronically instrumented young and old beagle dogs during graded treadmill exercise before and after beta blockade. Ascending aortic flow was measured by a cuff electromagnetic flow probe, and pressure was measured by a high-fidelity semiconductor transducer. At low levels of exercise the old animals demonstrated a striking 20% increase in characteristic impedance and a 28% decrease in peripheral resistance with no increase in stroke volume. This vascular loading and limitation in stroke volume persisted across the higher exercise levels. In contrast, the young group demonstrated no increase in characteristic impedence, a progressive decrease in peripheral resistance, and a progressive increase in stroke volume across the same exercise levels. These age differences in vascular response and ventricular output were abolished by beta blockade. The groups did not demonstrate a difference in heart rate response, but the young had a greater increase in external left ventricular power than the old across exercise. These data demonstrated a profound difference in the response of young and old vasculature to exercise. At low and intermediate exercise levels the pulsatile vascular load appeared to be a major factor in the limitation of stroke volume in old dogs. At high levels of exercise, the limited exercise response in the old dog may be caused in part by a diminished inotropic responsiveness as well as by the vascular loading.

Effects of alterations in aortic input impedance on the force-velocity-length relationship in the intact canine heart.

We studied the effects of changes in aortic input impedance on the force-velocity-length relationship of the left ventricle in sir open-chest dogs, using a right heart bypass preparation. The control relationship between wall stress and ventricular diameter or mean velocity of shortening (MVCF) was determined first by using maneuvers (changes in venous return and phenylephrine infusion) that did not alter impedance moduli or phase angle above 0 Hz. Aortic impedance then was increased by occlusion of the descending aorta (+89% increase in the first harmonic P < 0.02; +49% increase in characteristic impedance, P < 0.005; and a constant -20° phase shift between 2 and 10 Hz; P < 0.05). When compared to a phenylephrine infusion at the same mean aortic pressure and cardiac output, aortic occlusion increased the level of peak stress (+43%, P < 0.006) and decreased the extent of shortening (from 28.6 ± 6.9 to 14.6 + 3.1%, P < 0.01) and the MVCF (from 2.00 ± 0.30 to 1.15 ± 0.14 circs.; P < 0.02). However, left ventricular end systolic diameter and MVCF fell in the 95% confidence interval of their respective control relations with end-systolic wall stress. Similar data were obtained when aortic occlusion was performed during a nitroprusside infusion or during an inotropic stimulation. Moreover, we found that when venous return was reduced by 25% during aortic occlusion, the characteristic impedance and the aortic input resistance increased further (respectively, +16%, P < 0.01; and +18%, P < 0.035) but the wall stress decreased and the MVCF increased slightly. It is concluded that changes in impedance affect shortening and wall stress but not the force-velocity-length framework and, furthermore, that the wall stress provided a better description of the afterload than the impedance alone. Circ Res 45:126-135, 1979