Modern engines have an increasing number of control parameters that are having a dramatic impact on calibration time. Up-front prototyping of calibration processes can be used to reduce the burden of increasing powertrain complexity, however, such techniques are still in their infancy in the automotive field. In this paper we illustrate how flexible model-based calibration tools can be used to ...

Four patients had evidence that mitral valve prolapse was the etiology of isolated early systolic clicks that were "ejection" in timing, that is, within 80 msec of the first heart sound (S1). Phonocardiography demonstrated movement of the click closer to S, (three patients) with no change (three patients) or an increase in click amplitude (one patient) on inspiration. Earlier movement of systol...

Four patients had evidence that mitral valve prolapse was the etiology of isolated early systolic clicks that were "ejection" in timing, that is, within 80 msec of the first heart sound (S1). Phonocardiography demonstrated movement of the click closer to S, (three patients) with no change (three patients) or an increase in click amplitude (one patient) on inspiration. Earlier movement of systol...

Seven patients studied by echocardiography with and without simultaneous phonocardiography for suspected malfunction of a caged mitral valve prosthesis are presented. In case 1, with inaudible prosthetic clicks, thrombosis of the cage and immobility of the ball were suggested by echocardiographic studies and confirmed at surgery. In case 2, simultaneous echocardiographic and phonocardiographic...

Air path control of a spark ignition engine without an EGR loop, equipped with variable-valve-timing (VVT) actuators, is addressed in this paper. VVT devices are used to produce internal exhaust gas recirculation, providing beneficial effects in terms of fuel consumption and pollutant emissions reduction. However, VVT actuators affect the fresh air charge in the cylinders. This has an impact on...

Next level of passenger vehicles engines evolution is needed to comply with fuel economy and pollutant regulation legislative requirements. Turning a combustion engine with modern control systems into reverse uniflow two-stroke engines improves the power density of the engine and minimizes negative aspects of using the classic two-stroke engines. Variable valve timing allows control of the inta...

Mitral valve surgery has changed considerably in the past decades and is now indicated mostly for pure or predominant mitral regurgitation. This is the result of the regression of rheumatic disease, of the efficacy of mitral balloon valvuloplasty for mitral stenosis, and of the aging of the population with increasing degenerative or ischaemic disease causing mitral regurgitation. Mitral regurgi...

Background Heart valve injuries due to non-penetrating blunt thoracic trauma are rare with aortic valve being the most vulnerable. Tricuspid valve injury resulting in severe regurgitation is unusual after blunt chest trauma. Two major issues for the management of traumatic tricuspid regurgitation are timing and type of the operation. Valve repair is naturally the first choice but valve replacem...