Modelling and Simulation of Acoustical Impedance of the Respiratory System (Engineering)

呼吸力学行为的描述由于上气道和气管的弹性而变得复杂。根据质量和动量守恒原理以及上气道和气管的声学图像，将导出这些气道的模型，该模型包含气道壁的弹性行为。利用该模型，将计算大气道对整个系统阻抗的贡献。呼吸系统本质上是非线性的。其机械性能随工作点和呼吸周期而变化。呼吸流量水平的变化和/或对系统的神经控制信息的变化可能是造成这种情况的原因。Fouke博士将估计这些“随时间变化”的阻抗，以研究呼吸周期中潜在的呼吸控制机制。教学和互动组件包含三个要素。Fouke博士将为本科生和研究生教授一门新的肺部系统生物力学课程，担任女工程师协会的共同顾问，并组织一系列研讨会，邀请来自全国各地的杰出女科学家和工程师参加。这一系列研讨会的独特之处在于，它将被录像，并作为企业课堂电话会议教育计划的一部分提供给新罕布什尔州和马萨诸塞州地区的公司。该计划去年为40个地点的400多名学生提供了服务，因此对波士顿大学和更大的企业界都具有重要意义。该项目进一步推动了自愿工作妇女方案的目标，即：（1）为妇女提供机会，使她们在工程和国家科学基金会支持的科学学科中取得职业发展;（2）通过提高在工业、政府和学术机构就业的女科学家和工程师的知名度，鼓励妇女从事科学和工程职业。通过鼓励妇女参与科学，这是对国家未来科学活力的宝贵投资。

The description of respiratory mechanical behavior is complicated by the elasticity of the upper airways and trachea. From the principles of conservation of mass and momentum and the acoustic image of the upper airways and trachea, a model of these airways will be derived that incorporates the elastic behavior of the airway walls. With this model, contribution of the large airways to the overall system impedance will be calculated. The respiratory system is inherently nonlinear. Its mechanical properties change with operating point and during the breathing cycle. Changes in the level of respiratory flow and/or changes in the neural control message to the system may be responsible for this. Dr. Fouke will estimate these "time-varying" impedances in order to study the underlying respiratory control mechanisms during the breathing cycle. The instructional and interactive components contain three elements. Dr. Fouke will teach a new course in the biomechanics of the pulmonary system for undergraduate and graduate students, serve as coadvisor for the Society of Women Engineers, and organize a seminar series featuring prominent women scientists and engineers from across the nation. The unique feature of this seminar series is that it will be videotaped and offered as part of the Corporate Classroom teleconference educational program available to companies in the New Hampshire and Masschusetts area. This program last year served over 400 students in 40 locations, and will therefore have significance both to Boston University and the greater corporate community. This project furthers VPW program objectives which are (1) to provide opportunities for women to advance their careers in engineering and in the disciplines of science supported by NSF and (2) to encourage women to pursue careers in science and engineering by providing greater visibility for women scientists and engineers employed in industry, government, and academic institutions. By encouraging the participation of women in science, it is a valuable investment in the Nation's future scientific vitality.