TY - JOUR A1 - Pasteka, Richard A1 - Schöllbauer, Lara Alina A1 - Santos da Costa, Joao Pedro A1 - Kolar, Radim A1 - Forjan, Mathias T1 - Experimental Evaluation of Dry Powder Inhalers During In- and Exhalation Using a Model of the Human Respiratory System (xPULM™) JF - Pharmaceutics N2 - Dry powder inhalers are used by a large number of patients worldwide to treat respiratory diseases. The objective of this work is to experimentally investigate changes in aerosol particle diameter and particle number concentration of pharmaceutical aerosols generated by four dry powder inhalers under realistic inhalation and exhalation conditions. To simulate patients undergoing inhalation therapy, the active respiratory system model (xPULM™) was used. A mechanical upper airway model was developed, manufactured, and introduced as a part of the xPULM™ to represent the human upper respiratory tract with high fidelity. Integration of optical aerosol spectrometry technique into the setup allowed for evaluation of pharmaceutical aerosols. The results show that there is a significant difference (p < 0.05) in mean particle diameter between inhaled and exhaled particles with the majority of the particles depositing in the lung, while particles with the size of (>0.5 μm) are least influenced by deposition mechanisms. The fraction of exhaled particles ranges from 2.13% (HandiHaler®) over 2.94% (BreezHaler®), and 6.22% (Turbohaler®) to 10.24% (Ellipta®). These values are comparable to previously published studies. Furthermore, the mechanical upper airway model increases the resistance of the overall system and acts as a filter for larger particles (>3 μm). In conclusion, the xPULM™ active respiratory system model is a viable option for studying interactions of pharmaceutical aerosols and the respiratory tract regarding applicable deposition mechanisms. The model strives to support the reduction of animal experimentation in aerosol research and provides an alternative to experiments with human subjects. KW - Biomedical Engineering KW - Dry powder inhaler resistance KW - optical aerosol spectrometry KW - mechanical upper airway model KW - inspiratory flow rate Y1 - 2022 VL - 2022 IS - 14/3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pasteka, Richard A1 - Forjan, Mathias A1 - Sauermann, Stefan A1 - Drauschke, Andreas T1 - Electro-mechanical Lung Simulator Using Polymer and Organic Human Lung Equivalents for Realistic Breathing Simulation JF - Scientific Reports N2 - Simulation models in respiratory research are increasingly used for medical product development and testing, especially because in-vivo models are coupled with a high degree of complexity and ethical concerns. This work introduces a respiratory simulation system, which is bridging the gap between the complex, real anatomical environment and the safe, cost-effective simulation methods. The presented electro-mechanical lung simulator, xPULM, combines in-silico, ex-vivo and mechanical respiratory approaches by realistically replicating an actively breathing human lung. The reproducibility of sinusoidal breathing simulations with xPULM was verified for selected breathing frequencies (10–18 bpm) and tidal volumes (400–600 ml) physiologically occurring during human breathing at rest. Human lung anatomy was modelled using latex bags and primed porcine lungs. High reproducibility of flow and pressure characteristics was shown by evaluating breathing cycles (nTotal = 3273) with highest standard deviation |3σ| for both, simplified lung equivalents (μV˙ = 23.98 ± 1.04 l/min, μP = −0.78 ± 0.63 hPa) and primed porcine lungs (μV˙ = 18.87 ± 2.49 l/min, μP = −21.13 ± 1.47 hPa). The adaptability of the breathing simulation parameters, coupled with the use of porcine lungs salvaged from a slaughterhouse process, represents an advancement towards anatomically and physiologically realistic modelling of human respiration. KW - Breathing Simulation KW - Lung Simulator KW - Biomedical Engineering Y1 - 2020 VL - Vol 9 IS - No. 1 SP - Article number: 19778 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Pasteka, Richard A1 - Forjan, Mathias A1 - Drauschke, Andreas T1 - Comparison of Mathematical and Controlled Mechanical Lung Simulation in Active Breathing and Ventilated State KW - Breathing Simulation KW - Flow Measurement KW - In-silico Models KW - Mathematical Models KW - Mechanical Simulation Y1 - ER - TY - GEN A1 - Herzog, Juliane A1 - Pohn, Birgit A1 - Forjan, Mathias A1 - Sauermann, Stefan A1 - Urbauer, Philipp T1 - Education for eHealth - A Status Analysis KW - eHealth KW - Education Y1 - 2018 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Pasteka, Richard A1 - Santos da Costa, Joao Pedro A1 - Forjan, Mathias T1 - Characteristic Waveforms for Testing of Medical Aerosol Inhalers T2 - 8th European Medical and Biological Engineering Conference N2 - Respiratory diseases are characterised by high prevalence among the European population. Medical aerosol inhalers are the most commonly used means of drug delivery into the human respiratory system. This paper focuses on characteristic waveforms that can be utilised during aerosol deposition studies to simulate conditions of rapid human inhalation. Additionally, an inhalatory waveform based on clinically recorded spirometry data is introduced. Experimental measurements are performed and simulation results mutually compared using the electro-mechanical lung simulator xPULM. The inhalatory waveforms are repeatably simulated with high fidelity in regards to the waveform shape with the lowest value of the Goodness of fit 0.89. Additionally, the measured values for all characteristic inhalatory parameters are simulated with low standard deviation < 1. The differences between the required and measured waveform shapes are small, < 3 L/min and do not influence the overall inhalatory volume. This opens a possibility of utilising the xPULM for medical aerosol inhalers testing. KW - Breathing Simulation KW - Biomedical Engineering Y1 - SP - 240 EP - 246 PB - Springer International Publishing ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Pasteka, Richard A1 - Forjan, Mathias T1 - Changes of particle deposition caused by different breathing patterns during active lung simulation T2 - 41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC) N2 - Aerosols are an integral part of everyday life and as such are inhaled under various conditions and circumstances. These may vary based on the health and activity status of an individual. The aim of this work is to analyse the particle deposition mechanisms during the simulation of three different breathing patterns using an aerosol representing the PM1 fraction of fine particles. The active electro-mechanical lung simulator xPULM is utilized as a driving force and is combined with a non-invasive direct reading optical aerosol measurement system. Results show differences between the number of deposited particles for the three breathing patterns and for the three typical size ranges of airborne particles. Overall, the presented approach demonstrates the possibility of determining the changes of aerosol uptake based on different breathing patterns using the electro-mechanical lung simulator and laboratory produced aerosols. Further measurement cycles must be performed in order to validate the found interactions and to characterize the major influencing parameters. KW - Biomedical Engineering, Breathing simulation Y1 - ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Riess, Bernhard A1 - David, Veronika A1 - Scherer, Matthias A1 - Kotzian, Stefan A1 - Forjan, Mathias T1 - Development and Usability Test of an Innovative Low-Cost Rehabilitation Game for the Upper Extremities of Neurological Patients JF - Journal of Functional Neurology, Rehabilitation, and Ergonomics KW - Neurology KW - Rehabilitation Y1 - 2018 VL - 7 IS - 4 SP - 34 EP - 39 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Salomon, Cornelia A1 - Scherer, Matthias A1 - David, Veronika A1 - Kotzian, Stefan A1 - Forjan, Mathias T1 - Simulation Development of a Virtual Shopping Scenario via HTC VIVE for Neuropsychological Rehabilitation KW - Neurology KW - Rehabilitation KW - Virtual Reality Y1 - 2018 ER - TY - GEN A1 - David, Veronika A1 - Jagos, Harald A1 - Kotzian, Stefan A1 - Forjan, Mathias A1 - Sabo, Anton T1 - Instrumentation of Timed-up-and-Go Test for Stroke Patients using Multisensor Insoles KW - Stroke Patients Y1 - 2018 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Riess, Bernhard A1 - David, Veronika A1 - Scherer, Matthias A1 - Kotzian, Stefan A1 - Forjan, Mathias T1 - Development and Usability Test of an Innovative Low-Cost Rehabilitation Game for the Upper Extremities of Neurological Patients KW - Neurology KW - Health Applications KW - Rehabilitation Y1 - 2018 ER -