An assessment of branching asymmetry of the tracheobronchial tree

Autor: Antonio F. Miguel
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Scientific Reports, Vol 12, Iss 1, Pp 1-5 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2045-2322
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14072-6
Popis: Abstract The tracheobronchial tree is commonly seen to have a systematic branching symmetry, despite being known to have an asymmetrical design. Branching asymmetry allows for uniform airflow and provides robustness against the morphogenesis-related size variability. Here, a constructal approach is used to tracheobronchial tree analysis, and a general model based on entropy generation during breathing process is provided, which holds with asymmetric characteristics of the tree, and the change for inhaling and exhaling air. In contrast to traditional models available in the literature, the entropy generation of inspiration and expiration processes is compared for symmetry and asymmetric designs. This approach unravels the fundamental consequences of asymmetric constraint in the process of breathing and provides justification for the tracheobronchial tree having the same number of bifurcation levels as optimized symmetrical trees.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje