Erik Appel Jensen

Does perioperative tactile evaluation of the train-of-four response influence the frequency of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade?

The authors conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the usefulness of perioperative manual evaluation of the response to train-of-four (TOF) nerve stimulation. A total of 80 patients were divided into four groups of 20 each. For two groups (one given vecuronium and one pancuronium), the anesthetists assessed the degree of neuromuscular blockade during operation and during recovery from neuromuscular blockade by manual evaluation of the response to TOF nerve stimulation. In the other two groups, one of which received vecuronium and the other pancuronium, the anesthetists evaluated the degree of neuromuscular blockade solely by clinical criteria. The use of a nerve stimulator was found to have no effect on the dose of relaxant given during anesthesia, on the need for supplementary doses of anticholinesterase in the recovery room, on the time from end of surgery to end of anesthesia, or on the incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade evaluated clinically. The median (and range of) TOF ratios recorded in the recovery room were 0.75 (0.33-0.96) and 0.79 (0.10-0.97) in the vecuronium groups monitored with and without a nerve stimulator, respectively. These ratios were significantly higher than those found in the pancuronium groups, which wre 0.66 (0.06-0.90) and 0.63 (0.29-0.95), respectively. However, no difference was found between the vecuronium and pancuronium groups in the number of patients showing clinical signs of residual neuromuscular blockade, as evaluated by the 5-s head-lift test.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Determination of discrete relaxation spectra using Simulated Annealing

Abstract Simulated Annealing (SA), a Monte Carlo method, is used to obtain discrete relaxation spectra from small strain oscillatory shear measurements. The SA algorithm does so by evaluating randomly generated trial values of relaxation moduli, gk, and relaxation times, λk. If the solution of a trial point gives a lower function value, it is accepted as a new minimum. The solution can escape from local minima by using the Metropolis criterion which accepts an uphill move during minimisation given a certain probability. SA searches for the global optima, i.e. the best fit. In order to avoid fitting of noise, only a limited number of modes are fitted. Constraints can easily be imposed on the solution to ensure that the relaxation times are kept within the limits of sampling localisation and to avoid the calculation of negative gk and λk. The results demonstrate SA’s ability to fit a relaxation spectrum with a short computation time. The quality of the fit is determined by the truncated data range, and, to a certain degree, by a chosen sampling localisation limit.

Rheological behaviour of lubrication oils used in two-stroke marine engines

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the rheological behaviour of commercial lubrication oils used for cylinder lubrication in two-stroke marine diesel engines. Furthermore, it is of interest to investigate whether the viscosity of lubrication oils is affected by different levels of alkalinity. Design/methodology/approach Viscosity measurements are performed using both rotational and capillary rheometry. It was possible to measure oil viscosity in the shear rate from 0.1 to 3,000 s−1 using rotational rheometry, whereas capillary rheometry allowed measurements in higher shear rates from 5 × 105 to 1.3 × 106s−1 at 50°C. Findings The viscosity measurements show that the studied lubrication oils behave as a Newtonian fluid and that the viscosities are insensitive to the level of alkalinity. Furthermore, the viscosity/temperature dependency for the lubrication oils was found to fit the Arrhenius model. Originality/value This study presents useful information about the rheological behaviour of lubrication oils, more precisely how the oil properties are affected by shear rate, temperature and level of alkalinity. The value of this research is considered to be important for designing two-stroke diesel engines and cylinder lubrication systems.