Inhaled induction and emergence from desflurane anesthesia in the ambulatory surgical patient: the effect of premedication

We studied the effect of premedication (1 microgram/kg fentanyl and 0.04 mg/kg midazolam 5 min before induction of anesthesia) on airway reactivity and hemodynamic stability during inhaled induction using desflurane in 10 ambulatory surgical patients. Eight patients who were anesthetized without premedication served as the controls. Induction and emergence were rapid and unaffected by premedication. End-tidal and inspired concentrations of desflurane at loss of consciousness were significantly reduced by premedication (10.1% end-tidal/14.1% inspired, no premedication, vs. 5.3% end-tidal/8.9% inspired, premedication). Airway irritability was markedly attenuated by premedication (100% no premedication versus 30% premedicated), as was apnea (37.5% no premedication versus 0% premedicated). We observed an increase in mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate after loss of consciousness (mean arterial pressure 103 vs 121 mm Hg, heart rate 73 vs 100 bpm) in the unpremedicated patients, whereas both groups demonstrated a decrease in mean arterial blood pressure with no change in heart rate when baseline values were compared to those at incision (103 vs 74 mm Hg, no premedication, 99 vs 81 mm Hg premedicated). Patient acceptability was satisfactory and unchanged by premedication. We recommend the use of such premedication when desflurane is used during the induction of anesthesia.     

THE SUM OF FINITE MOVING AVERAGE PROCESSES

Abstract. It is well known that the sum of moving average processes is itself a moving average process. Existing theory does not provide formulae relating the innovations in the sum process to those in the component processes when some zeros of the autocovari-ance function of the sum process are on the unit circle. This gap is filled here by first showing that these zeros are necessarily shared by the component processes. Conditions for the innovations in the sum process to be current are given. Throughout the paper contemporary innovations in the component processes are allowed to be correlated, replacing the usual assumption that they are uncorrelated.     

Note of the estimation of the Θ temperature and Ψ parameter from the critical temperature data

Summary Critical values of the polymer volume fraction _2,c and the interaction parameter _c have been computed for the case that the equation for the chemical potential of solvent contains terms _{c 2} ³ and _{c 2} ⁴ in addition to ₂ ² . For 0 _c 1/3, the limits for infinite chain length are _2,c = 0 and _c = 0.5. Quite different results are obtained for _c > 1/3, _2,c being finite and _c lower than 1/2. Conclusions for the estimation of the temperature and the entropy-of-dilution parameter are discussed.     

The participation of block copolymers in the increase in the number of tie molecules

Three-block copolymers polyamide-block-polyX-block-polyamide (where X is styrene, ethylene-co-1-butene, and others) are able to improve substantially the toughness of poly(ϵ-caprolactam). Outer blocks of these copolymers are able to take part in folding lamellae of semi-crystalline polyamide, inner blocks are not. They operate as a spacer, meaning that the end blocks of copolymers capable of folding become parts of different lamellae, or that the unfoldable part of a block copolymer is pushed out of a folding lamella with a certain probability of the remaining outer block taking part in folding another lamella. This increases the number of tie-molecules.     

利用虚拟化软件环境增强控制性能

CNC系统同时运行一个实时操作系统和MS Windows XP系统可获得多任务能力和实时性能．     

Fast kriging of large data sets with Gaussian Markov random fields

Spatial data sets are analysed in many scientific disciplines. Kriging, i.e. minimum mean squared error linear prediction, is probably the most widely used method of spatial prediction. Computation time and memory requirement can be an obstacle for kriging for data sets with many observations. Calculations are accelerated and memory requirements decreased by using a Gaussian Markov random field on a lattice as an approximation of a Gaussian field. The algorithms are well suited also for nonlattice data when exploiting a bilinear interpolation at nonlattice locations.     

Investigating haptic distance-to-break using linear and nonlinear materials in a simulated minimally invasive surgery task

Accurate detection of mediated haptic information in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is critical for applying appropriate force magnitudes onto soft tissue with the aim of minimising tissue trauma. Force perception in MIS is a dynamic process, with surgeons’ administration of force into tissue revealing information about the remote surgical site which further informs the surgeons’ haptic interactions. The relationship between applied force and material deformation rate provides biomechanical information specifying the deformation distance remaining until a tissue will fail: which is termed distance-to-break (DTB). The current study demonstrates that observers can detect DTB while deforming simulated tissues and stop before reaching the tissues’ failure points. The design of training simulators, control devices and automated robotic systems for applications outside of MIS is discussed.

Practitioner Summary: In MIS, haptic information is critical for applying appropriate forces onto soft tissue to minimise tissue trauma. Observers used force information to detect how far they could deform a virtual tissue before it would break. The design of training simulators, control devices and automated robotic systems is discussed.     

TEM Investigations of Fine Niobium Precipitates in HSLA Steel

Commercially produced 0.03 % C, 0.08 % Nb, 0.01 % Ti high strength low alloyed (HSLA) steel in the form of 20 mm thick plates was investigated. The steel was thermomechanically processed and the mechanical properties of the steel were evaluated by tensile testing. Using analytical and high resolution transmission electron microscopy the distribution, morphology, composition, crystal structure and particle size of niobium and titanium carbonitrides were observed and identified in these steels. The distribution of the precipitates was found to be nearly random, with occasional occurrence of precipitation free zones. Complex agglomerates with a cubic TiN seed crystal overgrown by a cubic NbC particle were the most commonly observed precipitates. Further TEM analysis in the accelerated cooled and tempered specimens in 1/4 plate thickness did not reveal any evidence that additional precipitation in the ferrite occurred. Precipitation in ferrite was only detected after subsequent cold deformation and tempering of the same samples. By a combination of EFTEM, STEM, HRTEM in addition to EDX spectroscopy, a large population of strain induced NbC precipitates with fcc crystal structure ranging in size down to 2 nm were identified in the ferrite matrix.