In most cases, structural engineers assume a concrete floor to be a rigid diaphragm. Although this simplification is in most cases acceptable, it should be noted that such an assumption may be distrusted due to certain problems. Concrete structures with staggered shear walls are among those whose analysis should be conducted with special concern for the behavior of their floor diaphragms. Howev...

The effect of emphysema on the ability of the diaphragm to generate force was examined in costal diaphragm muscle strips from 10 Golden hamsters killed 18 mo after intratracheal injection of pancreatic elastase in a dose producing hyperinflation (mean total lung capacity [TLC] = 163% of control) and generalized panacinar emphysema. 13 saline-injected normal animals served as controls. The time ...

In this paper, a novel single-chip MEMS capacitive microphone is presented. The novelties of this method relies on the moveable aluminum (Al) diaphragm positioned over the backplate electrode, where the diaphragm includes a plurality of holes to allow the air in the gap between the electrode and diaphragm to escape and thus reduce acoustical damping in the microphone. Spin-on-glass (SOG) was us...

This article is a comparative study of the design spaces of two bio-implantable acoustically excited generator architectures: the bulk-mode piezoelectric plate (plate) and the flexure-mode unimorph piezoelectric diaphragm (diaphragm). The acoustic to electrical power transducers, or generators, are part of an acoustic, or ultrasonic, power transfer system for implantable sensors and medical dev...

Recent studies proposed that mechanical inactivity of the human diaphragm during mechanical ventilation rapidly causes diaphragm atrophy and weakness. However, conclusive evidence for the notion that diaphragm weakness is a direct consequence of mechanical inactivity is lacking. To study the effect of hemidiaphragm paralysis on diaphragm muscle fiber function and structure in humans, biopsies w...

PURPOSE To describe a novel approach for implanting intramuscular electrodes in the diaphragm through videolaparoscopy. METHODS We used twelve pigs for this videolaparoscopic technique, which permits at the same time to explore the diaphragm, to locate its motor points and to fix the electrodes in the diaphragm bilaterally. In this technique we used three trocars: one portal for a 10-mm 0° vi...

BACKGROUND Electrical stimulation of the phrenic nerve is a useful non-volitional method of assessing diaphragm contractility. During the assessment of hemidiaphragm contractility with electrical stimulation, low twitch transdiaphragmatic pressures may result from difficulty in locating and stimulating the phrenic nerve. Cervical magnetic stimulation overcomes some of these problems, but this t...

BACKGROUND During conventional Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA), the electrical activity of the diaphragm (EAdi) is used for triggering and cycling-off inspiratory assist, with a fixed PEEP (so called "Triggered Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist" or "tNAVA"). However, significant post-inspiratory activity of the diaphragm can occur, believed to play a role in maintaining end-expir...

In this paper modeling of capacitance and sensitivity for MEMS capacitive pressure sensor is presented. In capacitive sensor the sensitivity is proportional to deflection and capacitance changes versus pressure. Therefore first the diaphragm displacement, capacitance and sensitivity of sensor with square diaphragm have been modeled and then simulated using finite element method (FEM).  It can b...

The objectives of the present study were to test the hypothesis that the costal diaphragm contracts during ipsilateral rotation of the trunk and that such trunk rotation increases the motor output of the muscle during inspiration. Monopolar electrodes were inserted in the right costal hemidiaphragm in six subjects, and electromyographic (EMG) recordings were made during isometric rotation effor...