BackgroundMeasurement of partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) at high temporal resolution remains a technological challenge. This study introduces a novel PO2 sensing technology based on Multi-Frequency Phase Fluorimetry (MFPF). The aim was to validate MFPF against polarographic Clark-type electrode (CTE) PO2 measurements.Methodology/Principal FindingsMFPF technology was first investigated in N = 8 anaesthetised pigs at FIO2 of 0.21, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0. At each FIO2 level, blood samples were withdrawn and PO2 was measured in vitro with MFPF using two FOXY-AL300 probes immediately followed by CTE measurement. Secondly, MFPF-PO2 readings were compared to CTE in an artificial circulatory setup (human packed red blood cells, haematocrit of 30%). The impacts of temperature (20, 30, 40°C) and blood flow (0.8, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, 4.0 L min−1) on MFPF-PO2 measurements were assessed. MFPF response time in the gas- and blood-phase was determined. Porcine MFPF-PO2 ranged from 63 to 749 mmHg; the corresponding CTE samples from 43 to 712 mmHg. Linear regression: CTE = 15.59+1.18*MFPF (R2 = 0.93; P<0.0001). Bland Altman analysis: meandiff 69.2 mmHg, rangediff -50.1/215.6 mmHg, 1.96-SD limits -56.3/194.8 mmHg. In artificial circulatory setup, MFPF-PO2 ranged from 20 to 567 mmHg and CTE samples from 11 to 575 mmHg. Linear regression: CTE = −8.73+1.05*MFPF (R2 = 0.99; P<0.0001). Bland-Altman analysis: meandiff 6.6 mmHg, rangediff -9.7/20.5 mmHg, 1.96-SD limits -12.7/25.8 mmHg. Differences between MFPF and CTE-PO2 due to variations of temperature were less than 6 mmHg (range 0–140 mmHg) and less than 35 mmHg (range 140–750 mmHg); differences due to variations in blood flow were less than 15 mmHg (all P-values>0.05). MFPF response-time (monoexponential) was 1.48±0.26 s for the gas-phase and 1.51±0.20 s for the blood-phase.Conclusions/SignificanceMFPF-derived PO2 readings were reproducible and showed excellent correlation and good agreement with Clark-type electrode-based PO2 measurements. There was no relevant impact of temperature and blood flow upon MFPF-PO2 measurements. The response time of the MFPF FOXY-AL300 probe was adequate for real-time sensing in the blood phase.

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The effects of the physical properties and volume flow rate of liquids on the surface area of sprays produced by a pressure type of atomizing nozzle were determined experimentally. The specific surface area of the sprays is correlated by an equation of two dimensionless groups in terms of the variables surface tension to the -1.0 power, kinematic viscosity to the -0.4 power, and volume flow rate to the 2.4 power. The volume flow rate is correlated by an equation of two dimensionless groups containing the variables viscosity to the 0.17 power, density to the -0.58 power, and spray pressure to the 0.42 power. The conversion of compression energy to surface-area energy appears to be constant at approximately 0.1%.The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of physical properties and flow rates of liquids on the surface area of sprays produced by a commercial pressure type of atomizer by means of an optical sampling technique developed by Gumprecht and Sliepcevich (1, 3). This technique is based on the light-scattering properties of spherical particles. The method consists of measuring continuously the intensity of the transmitted light beam through a dispersion of droplets as they settle differentially under the influence of gravity through a known settling distance. The size distribution of the spray is calculated from the light-intensity measurements by means of a modified form of the LambertBeer transmission equation and Stokes's Law. The size of the spray chamber employed and the turbulence generated in the chamber during the spray period restrict the use of the technique to drops 40p or less in diameter. The changes in the drop-size distribution of the spray caused by the turbulence during the J. A.

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The Multiple Inert Gas Elimination Technique, based on Micropore Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry, (MMIMS-MIGET) has been designed as a rapid and direct method to assess the full range of ventilation-to-perfusion (V/Q) ratios. MMIMS-MIGET distributions have not been assessed in an experimental setup with predefined V/Q-distributions. We aimed (I) to construct a novel in vitro lung model (IVLM) for the simulation of predefined V/Q distributions with five gas exchange compartments and (II) to correlate shunt fractions derived from MMIMS-MIGET with preset reference shunt values of the IVLM. Five hollow-fiber membrane oxygenators switched in parallel within a closed extracorporeal oxygenation circuit were ventilated with sweep gas (V) and perfused with human red cell suspension or saline (Q). Inert gas solution was infused into the perfusion circuit of the gas exchange assembly. Sweep gas flow (V) was kept constant and reference shunt fractions (IVLM-S) were established by bypassing one or more oxygenators with perfusate flow (Q). The derived shunt fractions (MM-S) were determined using MIGET by MMIMS from the retention data. Shunt derived by MMIMS-MIGET correlated well with preset reference shunt fractions. The in vitro lung model is a convenient system for the setup of predefined true shunt fractions in validation of MMIMS-MIGET.

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