Detecting Oxygenator Thrombosis in ECMO: A Review of Current Techniques and an Exploration of Future Directions.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-support technique used to treat cardiac and pulmonary failure, including severe cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) involving acute respiratory distress syndrome. Blood clot formation in the circuit is one of the most common complications in ECMO, having potentially harmful and even fatal consequences. It is therefore essential to regularly monitor for clots within the circuit and take appropriate measures to prevent or treat them.

Influence of the Ground Electrode on the Dynamics of Electrowetting.

The ability to manipulate a liquid meniscus using electrowetting has many applications. In any electrowetting design, at least two electrodes are required: one forms the field to change the contact angle and the other functions as a ground electrode. The contribution of the ground electrode (GE) to the dynamics of electrowetting has not yet been thoroughly investigated.

A spatiotemporally resolved infection risk model for airborne transmission of COVID-19 variants in indoor spaces.

The classic Wells-Riley model is widely used for estimation of the transmission risk of airborne pathogens in indoor spaces. However, the predictive capability of this zero-dimensional model is limited as it does not resolve the highly heterogeneous spatiotemporal distribution of airborne pathogens, and the infection risk is poorly quantified for many pathogens. In this study we address these shortcomings by developing a novel spatiotemporally resolved Wells-Riley model for prediction of the transmission risk of different COVID-19 variants in indoor environments.

Microfluidic Obstacle Arrays Induce Large Reversible Shape Change in Red Blood Cells.

Red blood cell (RBC) shape change under static and dynamic shear stress has been a source of interest for at least 50 years. High-speed time-lapse microscopy was used to observe the rate of deformation and relaxation when RBCs are subjected to periodic shear stress and deformation forces as they pass through an obstacle. We show that red blood cells are reversibly deformed and take on characteristic shapes not previously seen in physiological buffers when the maximum shear stress was between 2.

Effect of inhalation on oropharynx collapse via flow visualisation.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling has made significant contributions to the analysis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). While several investigations have considered the flow field within the airway and its effect on airway collapse, the effect of breathing on the pharynx region is still poorly understood. We address this gap via a combined experimental and numerical study of the flow field within the pharynx and its impacts upon airway collapse.