Thesis (M. Nurs.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-64).

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology and Health Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-42). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR19703

Evolved from revision and extension of professorial dissertation (Habilitationsschrift) "Mathematical modeling of the mammalian heart" written in 2002. Univ., Habil.-Schr.--Karlsruhe, 2002.

Thesis (M.A.)--San Francisco State University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-58). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.A.)--San Francisco State University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-58).

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-116).

Zhang Cheungyao = 人類心率變化中的層次結構 / 張程遙. / Thesis submitted in: November 2004. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-77). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Zhang Cheungyao = Ren lei xin lü bian hua zhong de ceng ci jie gou / Zhang Chengyao. / Table of Contents --- p.1 / List of Figures --- p.6 / List of Tables --- p.7 / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- What is human heart rate variability? --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Review of previous work --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Outline of the thesis --- p.6 / Chapter 2 --- Basic statistical properties of human heartbeat data --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Data analyzed --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2 --- Results and conclusion --- p.11 / Chapter 3 --- Further analysis of heartbeat interval data --- p.20 / Chapter 3.1 --- The method of analysis --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2 --- Characteristic parameters for the multifractality of HRV --- p.22 / Chapter 4 --- Results and discussion --- p.24 / Chapter 4.1 --- Existence of hierarchical structure in human HRV --- p.24 / Chapter 4.2 --- Characteristic parameters and potential application --- p.32 / Chapter 5 --- A cardiac dynamical model --- p.51 / Chapter 5.1 --- Description of the model --- p.51 / Chapter 5.2 --- Review of some interesting results --- p.59 / Chapter 5.3 --- Numerical methods --- p.61 / Chapter 6 --- Results and discussion --- p.62 / Chapter 6.1 --- Output for our simulation --- p.62 / Chapter 6.2 --- Probability density function and structure functions --- p.65 / Chapter 7 --- Conclusion --- p.73 / Bibliography --- p.75

Heart disease is the principal cause of death in most industrialised countries. In the U.S.A. for example, 2.3 million individuals suffer from chronic heart failure, with an annual increase in numbers of 17%. It is estimated that 17,000 to 35,000 of them per year will die from this disease if they are not given either a heart transplant or an artificial heart. Unfortunately, the numbers of heart donors cannot meet the demand for transplantation, and, at present, the artificial heart is a prohibitively expensive alternative. The total artificial heart (TAH) intended for the total replacement of the natural heart is still some years away from realisation. However, the ventricular assist device (VAD) which is used temporarily to maintain an ailing heart is available now, although only in restricted numbers due to difficulties in processing the biocompatible materials used during manufacture. Consequently, such devices are expensive, costing anywhere from AUS$30,000 for the pump head to AUS$200,000 for a complete system. In this study, the Australian designed $quot;Spiral Vortex$quot; VAD was used to investigate fabrication techniques for use in the eventual cost-effective manufacture of a pump head costing approximately AUS$4,000. A second VAD originally designed at the Kolff Laboratory, University of Utah, U.S.A. was also used for comparative evaluation. The hard-shell Spiral Vortex VAD is intended to be used outside the body, while the soft-shell Kolff VAD has the advantage of being implantable for long-term use. They were cast from epoxy resin and vacuum formed from polyurethane, respectively. Several units of each were fabricated, including 60 of the Kolff VAD, for use in vitro and in vivo experiments. From these experiments it was found that both the Spiral Vortex and Kolff VADs could be fabricated to quality controllable standards. The Kolff VAD was used exclusively in chronic animal experiments, and was able to sustain sheep and goats for periods of up to five weeks. Furthermore, it became evident that techniques used in fabrication of the Kolff VAD could be adopted for use in the mass production of the Spiral Vortex VAD. The two other areas investigated in this study were the prosthetic heart valves and drive systems used for an artificial heart. A high percentage of the cost of an artificial heart is accounted for by the inflow/outflow valves. The trileaflet valve used in the Kolff VAD, which mimics the natural heart valve, was fabricated using inexpensive vacuum-forming techniques. Quality control was found to be adequate, with good flow characteristics which could be maintained for several weeks in animal experiments. Both the Spiral Vortex and Kolff VADs are pulsation pumps which require a pneumatic driver unit. This driver is the single most expensive component in a VAD system, costing upwards of AUS$150,000. The theoretical efficiency of a compact hydromechanical drive unit was investigated using a test rig to simulate an original design based primarily on proprietary components. Results obtained so far indicate that the proposed driver can operate only under limited conditions as a result of its severe reduction in size. By adopting mass production techniques wherever possible in the fabrication of the VAD (pump head) and valves, and by reducing the cost and size of the driver unit, it may therefore be possible to produce a cost effective ventricular assist device system.

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on January 25, 2010). Thesis advisor: Dr. Maria Len-Rios. Includes bibliographical references.

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