The effects of backward, upward, rightward pressure maneuver for intubation using the OptiscopeTM: a retrospective study

Background: The OptiscopeTM and the backward, upward, rightward pressure (BURP) maneuver are widely used in clinical practice because the BURP maneuver facilitates intubation by improving visualization of the larynx. However, the effect of the BURP maneuver is unclear when using the OptiscopeTM. Therefore, we retrospectively investigated the effect of the BURP maneuver on intubation using the OptiscopeTM.Methods: Sixty-eight patients intubated with the OptiscopeTM were enrolled. We used the BURP maneuver in Group A (n = 33) and the conventional maneuver (which does not use the BURP maneuver) in Group B (n = 35). BURP application status was a binary variable representing whether the BURP maneuver was used during the intubation. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the effects of the BURP application status on intubation time controlling for body mass index, preoperative dental injury status, obstructive sleep apnea history, thyromental distance, sternomental distance (SMD), interincisor distance, history of neck rotation restriction, and Mallampati classification.Results: There was no difference in the intubation time between the two groups. According to the regression model (R2 = 0.308, P = 0.007), the BURP maneuver (Group A) decreased the intubation time by 6.089 seconds (95% confidence interval 1.303–10.875, P = 0.014) compared to Group B.Conclusion: The BURP maneuver reduced intubation time when using the OptiscopeTM.

Enhancing Occupant Safety by Pre-active Seat Control for Out-of-seat Position before Autonomous Emergency Braking Operation

The pre-active safety seat (PSS) is a recently developed active safety system for securing occupant safety in out-of-seat position (OOSP), which was applied in the Hyundai Genesis G80 in 2020. However, there has not been sufficient quantifiable verification supporting the effectiveness of the PSS. The present study was performed to determine the effectiveness of the PSS for occupant safety in OOSP and to identify areas for additional improvement. Six test conditions were considered to determine the effectiveness of the PSS for augmentation of occupant safety in OOSP. Ten healthy men participated in the tests. Compared with the no PSS condition, maximum head excursion and neck rotation were significantly decreased in the PSS condition by 0.31–0.79-fold and 0.33–0.48-fold, respectively (p < 0.05). The PSS condition in which the seat pan was moved forward to the mid position showed a greater effect in reducing the characteristic motions related to submarining, compared with the condition in which the seat pan was moved rearward to the mid position (p < 0.05). These results suggested that PSS augments occupant safety in OOSP. This study provides valuable insights in ameliorating risks to the occupant in unintended seat positions before braking and/or collision.

Examining Potential User Experience Trade-Offs Between Common Computer Display Configurations

Objective To determine how ultrawide (UW) and dual displays configurations can influence neck biomechanics and performance compared to a single display. Background Studies have assessed neck kinematics and performance when using dual displays, but these studies have used screen sizes smaller than today’s display size, have inconsistent participant placement, and few have assessed these two variables together. Methods Seventeen participants completed five tasks on six display configurations. Neck kinematics and performance were tracked for each configuration. Results Centered configurations produced significantly different median neck rotation angles compared to secondary configurations ( p < .001) for three of the tasks. A 34” curved UW display with a longer viewing distance produced similar neck kinematics to a single 24” display with the potential to also reduce screen interactions. When compared to single, the benefit of secondary versus centered monitors was dependent on the type of task being performed. Users may prefer the UW, centered dual, and secondary dual configurations over the single display. Conclusion The benefit of secondary versus centered displays is dependent on the type of task being performed. Dual displays are still beneficial but should be used with a monitor arm to switch between centered and secondary configurations as necessary. Future work should look at larger UW displays to see if these results hold compared to dual display configurations. Application The results can be used to make evidence-based guidelines for displays based on size and task. Researchers can use this information to design future studies looking at specific configurations.

Motility Improvement of Biomimetic Trachea Scaffold via Hybrid 3D-Bioprinting Technology

A trachea has a structure capable of responding to various movements such as rotation of the neck and relaxation/contraction of the conduit due to the mucous membrane and cartilage tissue. However, current reported tubular implanting structures are difficult to impelement as replacements for original trachea movements. Therefore, in this study, we developed a new trachea implant with similar anatomical structure and mechanical properties to native tissue using 3D printing technology and evaluated its performance. A 250 µm-thick layer composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers was fabricated on a rotating beam using electrospinning technology, and a scaffold with C-shaped cartilage grooves that mimics the human airway structure was printed to enable reconstruction of cartilage outside the airway. A cartilage type scaffold had a highest rotational angle (254°) among them and it showed up to 2.8 times compared to human average neck rotation angle. The cartilage type showed a maximum elongation of 8 times higher than that of the bellows type and it showed the elongation of 3 times higher than that of cylinder type. In cartilage type scaffold, gelatin hydrogel printed on the outside of the scaffold was remain 22.2% under the condition where no hydrogel was left in other type scaffolds. In addition, after 2 days of breathing test, the amount of gelatin remaining inside the scaffold was more than twice that of other scaffolds. This novel trachea scaffold with hydrogel inside and outside of the structure was well-preserved under external flow and is expected to be advantageous for soft tissue reconstruction of the trachea.