Acta Mechanica Slovaca, 2010 (vol. 14), issue 2

Multilingual Virtual Quality Center Providing e-Learning Facilities for e-Health and Modern Healthcare Management Education and Training

Ljudmil Golemanov, Kristína Zgodavová, Aleš Bourek

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):6-13  

The complete methodology of design, functions and first feedback based on the pilot use of the multilingual Virtual Healthcare Quality Centre designed to educate healthcare managers, caregivers and researchers in understanding how to achieve quality, efficiency and economic effectiveness of services provided by modern healthcare organizations is presented for discussion and possible improvements. Currently Virtual Healthcare Quality Centre offers glossary centred e-learning courses for modern healthcare organization change management, human resource management, quality management, performance management, customer satisfaction and decision making, healthcare...

Application of Splines for Measuring of Musculature Local Disposition

Dušan Knežo, Jozef Živčák

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):14-17  

Information about actual disponibility of the rehabilitated muscular locality is important with regard to efficiency and safety of the rehabilitation process. There was designed a sensor of the musculature local disposition for measuring of the musculature local disposition status. In function of the sensing element there was applied an electrically conductive rubber. This paper describes an application of the bilinear splines for evaluation of the musculature local disposition measuring by means of the above-mentioned sensor.

Mitral Valve Leakage Quantification by Means of Experimental and Numerical Flow Modeling

Mathias Vermeulen, Benjamin Van Der Smissen, Tom Claessens, Rado Kaminsky, Patrick Segers, Pascal Verdonck, Peter Van Ransbeeck

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):18-25  

Accurate quantification of mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a challenging task in clinical cardiology. In order to develop and refine new algorithms for estimating the severity of MR using real-time 3D Doppler echocardiography (RT3DE), an experimental and numerical flow model have been designed and constructed. Using CAD, Rapid Prototyping Manufacturing (RPM) and five-axis milling technology, a hydraulic in vitro flow model, compatible for flow investigation with 2D normal speed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and 2D Doppler Echocardiography. The same CAD model was used to conduct the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis. PIV, 2D Doppler...

A Role of Thermography in the Diagnostics of Carpal Tunnel Syndrom

Jozef Živčák, Radovan Hudak, Maria Tkáčová, Ján Švehlík

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):26-33  

Presented paper deals with infrared thermography (IRT) used for the diagnostics of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). More studies on medical thermography in the relation with CTS diagnostics were published. Jesensek Papez B. et al. in 2008 and 2009 improved outcome with classification success rates near to or over 80% in dorsal segments of hand. The background of this study is the skin physiological temperature distribution difference on the dorsal hands and pathophysiological temperature distribution on hands with CTS and non-invasiveness and painlessness of IRT. For presented study, the database of 268 thermal images of the dorsal side of 120 healthy...

Processing and Interpretation of Plethysmographycal Records for Embedded System

Marek Penhaker, Vilem Srovnal

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):34-41  

The aim of this work was signal processing and interpretation of plethysmographycal records for embedded system. The goal was study of present and advanced methods for records classification by means of mathematical methods, which can be implemented as a part of the embedded medical diagnostics instruments. The diagnosis suggestion was realized by experimental expert system tested on group of patients. Designed embedded system provides plethysmographycal records processing in real time while ensuring the safety and security of these data in a network of biomedical systems.

New Insights in the Phenomenon of Distributed Dermal Perfusion Rhythmicity using Computer Aided Optoelectronic Sensor Measuring Strategies

Vladimir Blazek

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):42-51  

In recent years optoelectronic sensor concepts have gained an important role in medical diagnosis because of their non-invasive nature. They are generally accepted by the patients since they don't cause pain and are devoid of harmful radiation or ionising phenomena. One method which is nowadays an accepted and widely used diagnosis technique for assessment of skin perfusion is Photoplethysmography (PPG). It assesses the optical attenuation of the skin, which is modulated by the time varying blood contents. This non-invasive technique allows acquiring functional data from the arterial and/or venous system. However the classical PPG sensors, which consist...

Monitoring and Diagnostic Tools for Service Life Testing of Large Scale Roller Bearings

Štefan Medvecký, Milan Gregor, Slavomir Hrček, Róbert Kohár

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):52-59  

This article details the design of an apparatus used in service life testing of large-scale rolling bearings on Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at University of Žilina. It describes individual steps in the design process, used parts and methods employed throughout the design process. One chapter is devoted to measurement techniques used in service life testing and deals in more detail with measurement methods and evaluation of vibrations.

Isotope-Selective Infrared Spectroscopy Reveals Pathological Changes in the Liver

Jana Vranová, Jozef Rosina, Jiří Horak, Miluše Hendrichova, Karolina Kratka

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):60-65  

An overview of new diagnostic device IRIS (Wagner Analysen Technik, Germany) is provided. This device uses the 13C stable isotope together with non-dispersive infrared selective spectroscopy for non - invasive quantification of hepatic function parameters, including kinetics (type of liver damage) and capacity (percentage of recovery yield of the liver). The short physical principle of infrared spectroscopy and acousto-optical detector of IRIS was presented. In the final section we verified the diagnostic quality of this new diagnostic device (using ANOVA) on cohort of 76 patients divided into 5 groups according to diagnosis and the various level of...

In-pipe Minimachine and Principles of its Motion and Control

Vladimír Ivančo, Miroslav Dovica, Michal Gorzás

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):66-71  

The paper deals with the minimachine designed to move within the pipes with inner diameter less than 25 mm. The minimachine consists of two modules connected by a link of variable length enabling to change their mutual distance. Motion is based on inchworm principle known from biology. In motion sequence one of the modules is anchored to the inner surface of the pipe, while the second is released and moved forward by change of the link length. The principle of the link length change consists in transformation of the actuator rotary movement to the linear motion. Problem of anchoring the modules by flexible metal bristles is analyzed in the paper.

Bioimpedance Spectroscopy as a Non-invasive Method of Determination of the Hydration Status in Hemodialysis Patients

J. Rosina, Jana Vranova, Ondrej Remes, Katarina Nehezova, I. Rychlik

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):72-77  

In this article we introduced a new diagnostic device Body Composition Monitor (BCM) by Fresenius, which use for the determination of hydration status in hemodialysis patients the bioimpedance spectroscopy technique (measurements at 50 frequencies, from 5 to 1 000 kHz) and a unique three-compartment body composition model. Brief description of the physical principle of bioimpedance spectroscopy measurements is followed. In final section, we compared the results of measurements using BCM with traditional ultrasound method (collapsibility index of inferior vena cava CI-IVC - measurement of diameter and the collapse of IVC) by correlation analysis. We...

Investigation of Osseointegration of Porous Materials for Orthopedic Implants

Jaroslaw Sidun, Jan Dabrowski

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):78-85  

The paper presents research regarding osteointegration of porous materials for implants made for Co-Cr-Mo and titanium with Bioglass type-S2. All the materials were prepared using cold pressing and sintering. The research was made on the castrated goats averaging one year of age, from this oneself herds. Bone growth process on surfaces of implants made with additional bioglass was significantly intense. The amount of osseous tissue and the number of connection points are significantly increased. On surfaces of titanium implants few areas of stochastic callus formation were observed. In that case areas of preferential bone integration have uneven surface...

Analysis of Quality of Relay Control Systems with Correction

Kazimierz Dzierzek, Franciszek Siemieniako

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):86-91  

Modeling of relay control systems using Simulink toolbox of the Matlab environment is presented in the paper. The research was performed on systems with static and astatic plants with various parameters, which contained two-position on-off relays without and with correction. Simulation results show positive impact of the correction to the quality of relay control system.

The Environmental Significance of Bioindicators in Sewage Treatment

Judit Németh-Katona

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):92-97  

The presentation is about the significance of the bioindicators concerning environmental protection within the process of cleaning sewage. The existence of one or multi-celled organisms indicates the presence, condition or absence of certain parts of the water cleaning process. This way the optimal operation of the purifying appliances can be checked continuously and controlled in an environment friendly way.

Mechanical Modul with Jack-Screw for SMILING Rehabilitation Shoe

Dušan Šimšik, Alena Galajdová, Pavol Galajda, Miloš Drutarovský

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):98-105  

The SMILING shoe developed within the international project SMILING is a complex mechatronical system that requires human-machine interactions. Optimization of its motor control unit during tuning and durability testing was provided on the mechanical unit based on jack-screw mechanism designed at the Technical University of Košice. We present the architecture of the main mechatronical unit that consists of a mechanical unit based on jack-screw mechanism driven by DC motor with embedded gearbox and the microcontroller based Motor Control Unit (MCU). Chaotic data are used for control of all 8 actuators that perform perturbations in the pair of rehabilitation...

Stress and Strain Analysis of Curved Beams of Fibre Reinforced Plastic

Peter Heinze

Acta Mechanica Slovaca 2010, 14(2):108-113  

This paper extends the theory of Leipholz [2] about strongly curved beams to anisotropic ber materials. For this purpose, the classical laminate theory, as proposed by Halpin [1] and others has been applied to curved beams. The laminate is made up of several orthotropic layers with a dened orientation (angle φ), it gives the laminate anisotropic properties. The method presented here can determine stress in and across the ber as a result of internal forces.