Digital simulation of pulmonary microvascular exchange.

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Biology

Background:

• Previous analog computer simulation of human lung microvascular transport.
• Limited accessibility and flexibility of analog simulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To convert an existing analog simulation of lung fluid and protein transport to a digital FORTRAN program.
• To compare the performance and advantages of both analog and digital simulations.
• To provide a flexible and accessible computational tool for microvascular research.

Main Methods:

• Conversion of an established analog computer model to a digital FORTRAN program.
• Comparative analysis of transient and steady-state responses to perturbations between analog and digital simulations.
• Detailed explanation of the FORTRAN simulation, including input and output file structures.

Main Results:

• Successful conversion of the analog simulation to a functional digital FORTRAN program.
• Validation of the digital program through comparison with the analog simulation's predictions.
• Identification and discussion of the distinct advantages offered by both analog and digital simulation approaches.

Conclusions:

• The digital FORTRAN program offers enhanced flexibility and accessibility for studying human lung microvascular transport.
• Both analog and digital simulations provide valuable insights into fluid and protein dynamics.
• The developed FORTRAN program is available for researchers interested in microvascular transport modeling.