The physical properties of a structure such stiffness although can be determined by some statical tests, the identification of damping parameter requires a dynamic test. In general, both theoretical prediction and experimental identification of damping are quite difficult. There are many different techniques available for damping identification, and each method gives a different damping parameter. The dynamic indentation method, rheometry, atomic force microscopy, and resonant vibration tests are commonly used to identify the damping of materials, including soft materials. While the viscous damping ratio, loss factor, complex modulus and viscosity are quite common to describe damping of materials, there are also other parameters such as the specific damping capacity, loss angle, half-power bandwidth, and logarithmic decrement to describe damping of various materials. Often one of these parameters is measured in practical applications and the measured damping parameter needs to be converted into another damping parameter for comparison purposes. In this review, the theoretical derivations of different parameters for the description and quantification of damping and their relationships, and the methods for damping identification are presented. The expressions for both high damping and low damping are included and evaluated. This paper could be a primary resource for damping research and teaching.

Imaging of the ocular vasculature can provide new insights into the pathophysiology of ocular diseases. This study proposes a novel high-frequency super-resolution ultrasound localization microscopy (SRULM) technique and evaluates its ability to measure in vivo perfusion changes in the rat eye at elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). A 38.4 MHz center frequency linear array transducer on a VisualSonics Vevo F2 imaging platform was used to collect high frame rate (1 kHz) radiofrequency data of the posterior rat eye following systemic microbubble contrast injection. Following clutter and spatiotemporal non-local means filtering, individual microbubbles were localized and tracked. The microbubble tracks were accumulated over 10,000 frames to generate vascular images quantifying perfusion velocity and direction. Experiments were performed using physiologic relevant controlled flow states for algorithm validation and subsequently performed in vivo on the rat eye at 10 mm Hg IOP increments from 10 to 60 mm Hg. The posterior vasculature of the rat eye, including the ophthalmic artery, long posterior ciliary arteries and their branches, central retinal artery and retinal arterioles and venules were successfully visualized, and velocities quantified at each IOP level. Significant reductions in arterial flow were measured as IOP was elevated. High-frequency SRULM can be used to visualize and quantify perfusion velocity of the rat eye in both the retrobulbar and intraocular vasculature simultaneously. The ability to detect ocular perfusion changes throughout the depth of the eye may help elucidate the role ischemia has in the pathophysiology of ocular diseases such as glaucoma.

Carotid atherosclerotic lesions are a major cause of cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Identification and quantification of carotid plaques are important for categorizing the vulnerability of plaques for rupture and assessing the impact of treatments. The irregularity of plaque surface is associated with previous plaque rupture and plays an important role in the risk of stroke. Thus, the aim of this study is to develop and validate novel vulnerability biomarkers from three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) images by analyzing the surface morphological characterization of carotid plaque using fractal geometry features. 3D box-counting and 3D blanket are the two types of 3D fractal dimension that were employed to describe the smoothness of plaques. This fractal dimension analysis tool was used to evaluate the effect of atorvastatin using 3DUS carotid images, which were acquired from 6 patients treated with atorvastatin with 80 mg daily and 5 patients with placebo. The Student's T Test results showed that those two fractal features were effective for detecting the statin-related changes in carotid atherosclerosis with p<0.0068 and p<0.015 respectively, suggesting that 3D fractal dimension measurements can be used effectively to analyze the surface characteristics of carotid plaques, especially for evaluating the impact of the treatment.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, is significantly underreported in Mongolia due to geographical remoteness, lack of early diagnostics, and poor clinical management. This study aimed to provide a more accurate estimate of CE in Mongolia by comparing data of surgical (reported) and diagnosed (unreported) cases, and assessing the challenges faced by rural doctors in disease management and surveillance. We collected data on surgical cases hospitalized between 2006-2016 and newly diagnosed CE cases in 2016 from eight provinces. Using a quasi-Poisson regression model of the collected data, we used extrapolation to estimate the number of diagnosed cases for the entire country. Additionally, fourty health professionals from all 21 provinces rated local clinical management for CE through a questionnaire. Results reveal that surgical cases (2.2 per year) represent only one-eighth of diagnosed cases (15.9 per year). The laboratory facilities, disease reporting, and cyst classification usage scored below 2. These results highlight the significant underreporting of CE in Mongolia and urges human and animal health experts, along with policymakers, to invest into combating CE, particularly in remote provincial areas. It also emphasizes the need for standard clinical management involving cyst classification according to WHO-IWGE, seamless integration of CE reporting and monitoring mechanisms, which can significantly contribute to the national and global burden estimation of CE.

Theoretical studies on the generation of nondiffracting and nondispersive light pulses and their experimental implementation are one of the renowned problems within electromagnetics. Current technologies enable creation of short-duration pulses of a few cycles with high power and fluency. An application of these techniques to the field of nondiffracting and nondispersive pulses requires a proper mathematical description of highly focused vector pulses. In this work, we study vector optical bullets in a dielectric medium with different polarization structures: linear, azimuthal, and radial. We report the differences caused by the vector model compared to the scalar model. We analyze effects caused by superluminal, subluminal, or even negative group velocity on properties of vector optical bullets inside a dielectric material.

The surface velocity of the Amery Ice Shelf (AIS) is vital to assessing its stability and mass balance. Previous studies have shown that the AIS basin has a stable multi-year average surface velocity. However, spatiotemporal variations in the surface velocity of the AIS and the underlying physical mechanism remain poorly understood. This study combined offset tracking and DInSAR methods to extract the monthly average surface velocity of the AIS and obtained the inter-annual surface velocity from the ITS_LIVE product. An uneven spatial distribution in inter-annual variation of the surface velocity was observed between 2000–2022, although the magnitude of variation was small at less than 20.5 m/yr. The increase and decrease in surface velocity on the eastern and western-central sides of the AIS, respectively, could be attributed to the change in the thickness of the AIS. There was clear seasonal variation in monthly average surface velocity at the eastern side of the AIS between 2017–2021, which could be attributed to variations in the area and thickness of fast-ice and also to variations in ocean temperature. This study suggested that changes in fast-ice and ocean temperature are the main factors driving spatiotemporal variation in the surface velocity of the AIS.

Ultrasound (US) scans of the inferior vena cava (IVC) provide useful information on the volume status of a patient. However, their investigation is user-dependent and prone to measurement errors. An important technical problem is the objective difficulty in studying a very compliant blood vessel like IVC, which makes large respirophasic movements and shows a complicated three dimensional geometry. Using bi-dimensional (2D) B-mode views either in long or short axis has improved the characterization of IVC dynamics compared to a measurement along a single direction (M-mode). However, specific movements of the IVC can challenge also the information provided by these 2D sections. Thus, these two orthogonal views, provided by an US system in X-plane, are here integrated by an innovative method. It is tested on simulated videos of the IVC performing complicated movements, that are compensated by the new method, overcoming the biased measurements provided by 2D scans. The method is then applied on example experimental data.

The quiet-time solar wind electrons feature non-thermal characteristics when viewed from the perspective of their velocity distribution functions. They typically have an appearance of being composed of a denser thermal “core” population plus a tenuous energetic “halo” population. At first, such a feature was empirically fitted with the Kappa velocity space distribution function, but ever since the ground-breaking work by Tsallis, the space physics community has embraced the potential implication of the Kappa distribution as reflecting the non-extensive nature of the space plasma. From the viewpoint of microscopic plasma theory, the formation of non-thermal electron velocity distribution function can be interpreted in terms of the plasma being in a state of turbulent quasi equilibrium. Such a finding brings forth the possible existence of a profound inter-relationship between the non-extensive statistical state and the turbulent quasi-equilibrium state. The present paper further develops the idea of solar wind electrons being in the turbulent equilibrium, but unlike the previous model, which involves the electrostatic turbulence near the plasma oscillation frequency (i.e., Langmuir turbulence), the present paper considers the impact of transverse electromagnetic turbulence, particularly, the turbulence in the whistler-mode frequency range. It is found that the coupling of spontaneously-emitted thermal fluctuations and the background turbulence leads to the formation of non-thermal electron velocity distribution function of the type observed in the solar wind during quiet times. This demonstrates that the whistler-range turbulence represents an alternative mechanism for producing the Kappa-like non-thermal distribution, especially close to the Sun and in the near-Earth space environment.

For 80 years high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been a significant area for medical research. It is a non-invasive procedure which causes cell death in a highly localised area at a defined distance from the transducer. Since 2000, the clinical indications have broadened considerable as the technology has improved. This review looks back at the history of HIFU and the current clinical indications.

Lignocellulosic biomass, an abundant and renewable resource, serves as a crucial raw material for the production of biofuels, biochemicals, and various value-added products. This paper aims to develop and optimize a mild alkaline treatment of sawdust assisted by ultrasound, along with enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated material. The sonochemical pretreatment with alkali emerged as the optimal approach to enhance the susceptibility of cellulose to subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis, thereby increasing the yield of reducing sugars. A comparative study was performed using various ultrasonic applicators (horn and bath) and conventional assisted alkaline pretreatment. The ultrasonic assisted pretreatment revealed a higher delignification as 68% (horn) and 57% (bath) comparing with conventional pretreatment. Processes were optimized using a statistical analysis based on a 23 factorial design. The ratio between sawdust and alkanine solution (RSL = 0.5–1.5 g/100 mL), US amplitude (A = 20–60%), and working temperature (t = 30–50 °C) were selected as process factors. The optimal operating conditions to maximize the reducing sugar yield (138.15 mg GE /gsubstrate) were found as following: solid/liquid ratio RSL,opt = 1.25 g/100 mL, US amplitude Aopt = 60%, and and pretreatment temperature topt = 50 °C. The overall outcomes clearly confirmed the intensification of delignification by ultrasound assisted alkaline pretreatment

Proper Post-Activation Performance Enhancement helps to improve athletic performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of two different velocity loss (VL), 10%VL and 20%VL, on post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) in 20m sprint performance among sprint athletes. Twenty-four male sprint athletes (100m sprint time: 10.96±0.15 s) were recruited. A randomized crossover experimental design was used for traditional group (TG), 10%VL, and 20%VL interventions. Sprint tests were conducted at the 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th minutes after the intervention. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed an interaction effect between group and time on 20m sprint performance (F=2.817, p=0.037, partial η²=0.585). Simple effect analyses showed significant differences compared to baseline at the 4th minute for the 20%VL group (P&lt;0.05). Cohen's d values indicated improvement in 10m sprint times at the 8th minute of the rest interval for all three intervention groups (TG: ES=-0.270, 10%VL: ES=-0.038, 20%VL: ES=-0.279). Improvement in 20m sprint times was observed at the 4th minute for the 20%VL group (ES=-0.296) and at the 16th minute for the 10%VL group (ES=-0.276). Compared to traditional PAPE schemes based on 1RM, PAPE schemes based on velocity loss (20%VL) can better induce PAPE effects in sprint athletes.

Traditional seismic wave-based tunnel advanced geological forecasting techniques are primarily designed for drill and blast method construction tunnels. However, given the fast excavation speed and limited prediction space in Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) construction tunnels, traditional methods have significant technical limitations. This paper analyzes the characteristics of different types of TBM construction tunnels and, considering the practical construction conditions, identifies an effective observation system and data acquisition method. Utilizing numerical simulation, a model for advanced detection of typical unfavorable geological formations is established by obtaining the wave field response characteristics of seismic waves in three-dimensional space. The seismic wave reflection method can effectively receive information from unfavorable geological formations in front of the tunnel face. To address the challenges in advanced forecasting for TBM construction tunnels, a method of ellipsoid positioning velocity analysis, which takes into account the constraints of three-component data directions, is proposed. Based on the characteristics of the advanced forecasting observation system, the method compares the maximum values on the spatial isochronous ellipsoidal surface to determine the average velocity of the geological layer rays, thereby enabling accurate inversion of the spatial distribution ahead. Field verification of advanced geological forecasting based on ellipsoid positioning velocity analysis for TBM tunnels is conducted. The results indicate that this method can be used to obtain the three-dimensional velocity of the predicted unfavorable geological formations in front of the tunnel and is effective for the application of geological forecasting in TBM construction tunnels, thus providing crucial references and assurances for construction.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and intraductal ultrasound (IDUS) play very important roles in the field of biliary tract disease. Because of their excellent spatial resolution, the detection of small lesions and T-staging of tumors have become possible. Additionally, contrast-enhanced EUS and the new imaging technique of detective flow imaging are reported to be useful for differential diagnosis. Furthermore, EUS-guided tissue acquisition is used not only for pathological diagnosis, but also to collect tissue samples for cancer genome profiling. Although percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) was traditionally performed in cases where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is not feasible, treatments using EUS have recently become increasingly common, and EUS-guided biliary drainage was recently suggested to be superior to PTBD in terms of a higher success rate, less adverse events, and lower reintervention rate. This review provides an overview of diagnosis and treatment utilizing the features and techniques of EUS and IDUS.

The material properties and structural characteristics of ballistic composites are crucial to their ballistic performance. Investigation for the influence of the material and structural parameters of UHMWPE body armor on anti-fragmentation penetration performance has been made by numerical simulation in this paper, with a numerical modeling simulating the penetration of a 1.1 g FSP into the target plate of UHMWPE body armor, by which the simulation results demonstrate that the failure process of the body armor target plate primarily involves shear damage, interlayer delamination, and tensile damage. Furthermore, the study evaluates the effects of elastic modulus, tensile strength, shear strength, number of layers, and interlayer strength on the ballistic limit velocity of UHMWPE body armor. The findings reveal that the ballistic limit velocity is most sensitive to changes in shear strength, with variation rates ranging from -18.02% to 10.81%, showing an approximate positive correlation, while the elastic modulus has the smallest impact on ballistic limit velocity, with variation rates ranging from -1.8% to 3.6%. Additionally, appropriate interlayer strength can improve the ballistic limit velocity of the body armor to a certain extent. This study provides theoretical methods and recommendations for optimizing anti-penetration performance of UHMWPE body armor.

Background: Bariatric surgery (BS) has a significant impact on body composition (BC) and con-sequently may affect established sarcopenic obesity (SO) in candidate patients. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of muscle ultrasound (MUS) of rectus femoris thickness (RFT) for the evalua-tion of BC and skeletal muscle function in patients undergoing BS compared to bioimpedance analysis (BIA), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and dynamometry. On the other hand, we aim to demonstrate how MUS of RFT correlates better with the quality of life (Qol) in this population, likely because it enables the detection of regional quadriceps muscle sarcopenia, in comparison to the other mentioned methods. Methods: This is a prospective pilot study including 77 subjects (64.9% female, mean age: 53.2 ± 8.67 years) who underwent BS. Handgrip strength was measured using a dynamometer, fat-free mass index (iFFM) was assessed by BIA, appendicular muscle index (AMI) was calculated using DEXA and RFT was measured by MUS. Moreover, Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resintance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. All these measurements were conducted 1 month prior to BS and at the 12-month follow-up. QoL was as-sessed using the Moorehead-Ardelt questionnaire. Results: The mean BMI decreased by 12.95 ± 3.56 kg/m2 (p=0.001). Firstly, we observed positive correlation pre-surgery between HOMA and: RFT (r=0.27, p=0.02), iFFM (r=0.36, p=0.001), AMI (r=0.31, p=0.01) and dynamometer (r=0.26, p=0.02). In addition, we found correlation between RFT and iFFM (pre-surgical: r=0.31, p=0.01; post-surgical: r=0.25, p=0.05) and between RFT and lower extremities AMI post-surgical (r=0.27, p=0.04). Secondly, we observed significant reductions in iFFM, AMI and RFT (p=0.001), but not with dynamometer (p=0.94). Finally, a tendency to a positive correlation between QoL question-naire and RFT post-surgery (r=0.23, p=0.079) was observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that RFT measured by MUS for the evaluation of SO and the follow-up after BS of these patients. Moreover, RFT can provide relevant information about regional sarcopenia and probably has an accurate correlation with QoL in comparison with the other methods.

As 180-degree meanders are observed in abundance in nature, a meandering channel with two consecutive 180-degree bends was designed and constructed to investigate bed topography variations. These two 180-degree mild bends are located between two upstream and downstream straight paths. In this study, different mean velocity to critical velocity ratios have been tested at the upstream straight path to determine the meander's incipient motion. To this end, bed topography variations along the meander and the downstream straight path were addressed for different mean velocity to critical velocity ratios. In addition, the upstream bend's effect on the downstream bend has been investigated. Results indicated that the maximum scour depth at the downstream bend has increased as a result of changing the mean velocity to critical velocity ratio from 0.8 to 0.84, 0.86, 0.89, 0.92, 0.95, and 0.98 by respectively 1.5, 2.5, 5, 10, 12, and 26 times. Moreover, increasing the ratio increased the maximum sedimentary height by 3, 10, 23, 48, 49, and 56 times. The upstream bend's incipient motion was observed for the mean velocity to critical velocity ratio of 0.89, while the downstream bend was equal to 0.78.

Acquisition of real-time hydraulic data is an essential component for flood forecasting. However, we frequently face difficulties in obtaining discharge data using classical contact methods during high magnitude floods and for systems experiencing rapid hydro-geomorphological adjustment. Therefore, we developed low-cost, non-contact sensors and platforms that are designed to overcome these difficulties. These advances enable flood flow properties to be monitored at multiple locations across a river catchment, at low-cost, and communicated in near real-time by using an image velocimetry method. This is an optics-based approach for stream flow measurement using commercially available near-infrared digital cameras to acquire video footage in full HD (30fps). Video footage is then subjected to optical flow tracking techniques based on cross-correlation, and feature-based tracking, enabling the displacement rates of detected features (for example natural foam, seeds, woody debris, and turbulent structures) to be computed. This manual provides step by step guidance to install an image-based gauging station. It contains the list of necessary components, the calibration process of a new camera and the assembly procedure of the system.

In order to enhance the accuracy of the relative velocity measurement for the Mars explorer formation flight, we develop a relative velocity measurement method. In this method, the spectrometers at two Mars explorers are adopted to measure the starlight frequency shift and to estimate the velocity with respect to the star. Unfortunately, the instantaneous velocity of star can not be predicted accurately, which results in a large error in the velocity measurement. The difference of these two velocities, which does not include the proper motion of star, is the relative velocity between a pair of Mars explorers at the direction of the star. However, this navigation method can not work alone because of unobservability. To make the navigation system observable and improve the accuracy of both absolute and relative navigation for the Mars explorer formation flight, we combine it with X-ray pulsar navigation and the inter-satellite links, and propose an autonomous integrated navigation method with observability. In this integrated navigation scheme, the extended Kalman filter is adopted to deal with the relative velocity, the inter-satellite links and the pulse time-of-arrival, and estimate the absolute and relative navigation information for the Mars explorer formation flight. The simulation results demonstrate that both absolute and relative navigation accuracy of the proposed method are higher than that of the pulsar navigation, especially the relative one.

In the weak-field approximation of covariant theory of gravitation the problem of 4/3 is formulated for internal and external gravitational fields of a body in the form of a ball. The dependence of the energy and the mass of the moving substance on the energy of field accompanying the substance, as well as the dependence on the characteristic size of the volume occupied by the substance are described. Additives in the energy and the momentum of the body, defined by energy and momentum of the gravitational and electromagnetic fields associated with the body are explicitly calculated. The conclusion is made that the energy and the mass of the body can be described by the energy of ordinary and strong gravitation, and through the energies of electromagnetic fields of particles that compose the body.

Magnetomotive ultrasound (MMUS) is a promising imaging modality for detecting magnetic nanoparticles. In MMUS, an external oscillating magnetic field induces motion of the injected magnetic nanoparticles within tissue, and phase-based tracking algorithms are used to detect the motion. However, the subwavelength scale of theses displacements (often a few micrometers) makes direct visualization on conventional ultrasound B-mode images impossible. In this work, we adapt the Eulerian motion magnification technique to create a novel ultrasound display mode for identifying the nanoparticle locations, eliminating the need for displacement tracking algorithms. Phantom and in-vivo experiments demonstrate that our technique successfully magnifies magnetomotion and the associated shear wave propagation in ultrasound B-mode imaging and pinpoints the nanoparticle vibration source, even in low-concentration scenarios. Additionally, motion magnification magnified the displacement of nanoparticles, having the potential to improve the localization accuracy of displacement tracking algorithms in MMUS.

We are introducing a highly efficient 48-channel ultrasound beamforming system ideal for ultrasound endoscopy applications. The system includes a transmitter and a receiver, which allow for low-area, high-resolution imaging acquisition. The transmitter uses a charge redistribution HV (high voltage) scheme to generate three-level pulses that actuate the transducer, implemented with the standard CMOS process for optimal cost and power savings. Meanwhile, the receiver features a sub-array structure and a delay generator that reduces area usage. To achieve high-resolution ultrasound imaging acquisition with low computational power, we developed the Shift Coherence Factor (SCF) algorithm, which is hardware-friendly. This approach delivers a lateral resolution over 20% better than the conventional delay and sum (DAS) algorithm, with a contrast ratio of over 30 dB. The system was implemented in a 180 nm standard CMOS process with an area of 24.98 mm2, power consumption of 8.23 mW per channel, achieving a delay resolution of 8.33 ns, and a low-area implementation of 0.52 mm2 per channel. The system offers high-quality imaging acquisition with minimal additional area and power consumption, which has great potential for 3D imaging or catheterized ultrasound systems.

Whey protein was pretreated with multi-frequency ultrasound in mono, dual, and tri-frequency modes. The effect of multi-frequency ultrasound pretreatment on the hardness, chemical forces, and microstructure of acid-induced whey protein gel was investigated. Whey protein gels pretreated with dual and tri-frequency ultrasound showed higher hardness (p3.35 mm) in those samples were resisted to gastric digestion. Moreover, the tri-frequency ultrasound pretreatment of whey protein gel released the least free amino group during gastric digestion. In contrast, whey protein gel with the mono-frequency ultrasound pretreatment released the highest amount of free amino acid group during intestinal digestion. Findings from this study suggested that gel hardness and network density could modulate the digestion behaviors of protein gels.

A machine learning method for classifying Lung UltraSound is here proposed to pro- vide a point of care tool for supporting a safe, fast and accurate diagnosis, that can also be useful during a pandemic like as SARS-CoV-2. Given the advantages (e.g. safety, rapidity, portability, cost-effectiveness) provided by the ultrasound technology over other methods (e.g. X-ray, computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging), our method was validated on the largest LUS public dataset. Focusing on both accuracy and efficiency, our solution is based on an efficient adaptive ensembling of two EfficientNet-b0 models reaching 100% of accuracy, which, to our knowledge, outperforms the previous state-of-the-art. The complexity of this solution keeps the number of parameters in the same order as an EfficientNet-b0 by adopting specific design choices that are adaptive ensembling with a combination layer, ensembling performed on the deep features, minimal ensemble only two weak models. Moreover, a visual analysis of the saliency maps on sample images of all the classes of the dataset reveals where the focus is on an inaccurate weak model versus an accurate model.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people globally, with respiratory organs being strongly affected in individuals with comorbidities. Medical imaging-based diagnosis and prognosis have become increasingly popular in clinical settings to detect COVID-19 lung infections. Among various medical imaging modalities, ultrasound stands out as low-cost, mobile, and radiation-safe imaging technology. In this comprehensive review, we focus on ultrasound-based AI studies for COVID-19 detection that use public or private lung ultrasound datasets. We surveyed articles that used publicly available lung ultrasound datasets for COVID-19 and reviewed publicly available datasets and organize ultrasound-based AI studies per dataset. We analyzed and tabulated studies in several dimensions, such as data preprocessing, AI models, cross-validation, and evaluation criteria. In total, we reviewed 42 articles, where 28 articles used public datasets, and the rest used private data. Our findings suggest that ultrasound-based AI studies for the detection of COVID-19 have great potential for clinical use, especially for children and pregnant women. Our review also provides a useful summary for future researchers and clinicians who may be interested in the field.

This work focuses on the well-known issue of mass conservation in the context of the finite element technique for computational fluid dynamic simulations. Specifically, non-conventional finite element families for solving Navier-Stokes equations are investigated to address the mathematical constraint of incompressible flows. Raviart-Thomas finite elements are employed for the achievement of a discrete free-divergence velocity. In particular, the proposed algorithm projects the velocity field into the discrete free-divergence space by using the lowest-order Raviart-Thomas element. This decomposition is applied in the context of the projection method, a numerical algorithm employed for solving Navier-Stokes equations. Numerical examples validate the approach’s effectiveness, considering different types of computational grids. Additionally, the presented paper considers an interface advection problem using marker approximation, in the context of multiphase flow simulations. Numerical tests, equipped with an analytical velocity field for the surface advection, are presented to compare exact and non-exact divergence-free velocity interpolation.

Seismic velocity inversion is one of the most critical issues in the field of seismic exploration and has long been the focus of numerous experts and scholars. In recent years, the advancement of machine learning technologies has infused new vitality into the research of seismic velocity inversion and yielded a wealth of research outcomes. Typically, seismic velocity inversion based on machine learning lacks control over physical processes and interpretability. Starting from wave theory and the physical processes of seismic data acquisition, this paper proposes a method for seismic velocity model inversion based on Physical Embedding Recurrent Neural Networks. Firstly, the wave equation is a mathematical representation of the physical process of acoustic waves propagating through a medium, and the finite difference method is an effective approach to solving the wave equation. With this in mind, we introduce the architecture of recurrent neural networks to describe the finite difference solution of the wave equation, realizing the embedding of physical processes into machine learning. Secondly, in seismic data acquisition, the propagation of acoustic waves from multiple sources through the medium represents a high-dimensional causal time series (wavefield snapshots), where the influential variable is the velocity model, and the received signals are the observations of the wavefield. This forms a forward modeling process as the forward simulation of the wavefield equation, and the use of error back-propagation between observations and calculations as the velocity inversion process. Through time-lapse inversion and incorporating the causal information of wavefield propagation, the non-uniqueness issue in velocity inversion is mitigated. Through mathematical derivations and theoretical model analyses, the effectiveness and rationality of the method are demonstrated. In conjunction with simulation results for complex models, the method proposed in this paper can achieve velocity inversion in complex geological structures.

Stellar NGC 6853, also known as the Dumbbell Nebula, is a remarkable example of an elliptical morphological type 1 multiple shell planetary nebula, which is now in one of its last evolutionary stages. This project focuses on examining the distinct varieties of the nebula temperatures and densities using observation data from the Issac Newton Group of Telescopes and comparing them with the observation data from Observatoire de Haute Provence from 14th to 18th of October 2019, with a primary focus on the data from the Issac Newton Telescope (INT). The densities ranged from diffused regions of 376.63 ± 228.97 atoms per cm³ to dense regions of 6441.11 ± 228.90 atoms per cm³; these values are slightly lower approximately by 2000 than the values from the Observatoire de Haute Provence. The radial velocity and the expansion velocity were also calculated using the spectroscopic data and were found to be 29.50 ± 0.38 km⁻¹ and 37.40 ± 0.38 km⁻¹ respectively. This result is expected from a multi-shell nebula that consists of the main body and surrounding halo

Ultrasound imaging is a vital imaging tool in musculoskeletal medicine, with the number of publications on ultrasound-guided surgery increasing in recent years. However, ultrasound imaging has drawbacks, such as operator dependency and image obscurity. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning (DL), a subset of AI, can address these issues. DL methods, including segmentation, detection, and localization of target tissues and medical instruments, potentially allow physicians and surgeons to perform ultrasound-guided procedures more accurately and efficiently. This review summarizes recent advances in ultrasound-guided procedures for musculoskeletal diseases and provides a comprehensive overview of the utilization of AI/DL in ultrasound for musculoskeletal medicine, particularly focusing on ultrasound-guided surgery.

Idiopathic acute pancreatitis (IAP) presents a diagnostic challenge and refers to cases where the cause of acute pancreatitis remains uncertain despite a comprehensive diagnostic evalua-tion. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has emerged as a valuable tool in the diagnostic workup of IAP. This review explores the pivotal role of EUS in detecting the actual cause of IAP, as-sessing its accuracy, timing, safety, and future technological improvement. Following PRISMA guidelines, 60 pertinent studies were selected and analysed. EUS emerges as a cru-cial diagnostic tool, particularly when conventional imaging fails. It can offer intricate visu-alization of the pancreas, biliary system, and adjacent structures. High accuracy of EUS is evident in detecting the actual causes of IAP such as microlithiasis, small bile duct stones, pancreas divisum, and small pancreatic tumors. Optimal timing for EUS is post-resolution of the acute phase of the disease. EUS, when conducted by experienced endoscopists, it boasts minimal safety concerns, and is crucial to prevent complications. EUS-guided interventions, including fine-needle aspiration, collection drainage, and biopsies, aid in cytological analy-sis. With high diagnostic accuracy, safety, and therapeutic potential, EUS is able to improve patient outcomes when managing IAP. Further refinement of EUS techniques and cost-effectiveness assessment of EUS-guided approaches need to be explored in multicenter prospective studies. This review underscores EUS as a transformative tool in unraveling IAP's enigma and advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Conclusions: The quantitative method provides a large-scale overview of the biometry measurements of an entire practice. Image audits can then be focused on sonographers whose measurements are outliers, avoiding the time, complexity, and expense of auditing those whose measurements fall within the expected range. We encourage commercial software developers to include tools in their ultrasound reporting software to facilitate such quantitative review.

(1) Background: adnexal masses during pregnancy detection are increased due to the use of first trimester screening and to advanced maternal age. Although the low risk of malignancy, other risks are associated: torsion, rupture or labour obstruction. Correct diagnosis and management are fundamental to guarantee both maternal and fetal safety. Adnexal masses may be troublesome to classify during pregnancy due to the increase in the uterus volume and to pregnancy-related hormonal changes. Management should be based on ultrasound examination to provide the best treatment. (2) Methods: the aim was to describe the ultrasound features of ovarian masses detected during pregnancy. We evaluated patient’s management, perinatal outcomes and follow-up. (3) Results: our study demonstrated that the management should be guided by an accurate ultrasound examination performed by an expert operator according to standardized techniques. Secondly, our results confirm the data present in the literature: the masses are most frequently benign, ultrasound follow-up is the best management strategy and obstetric outcome is not considerably affected. (4) Conclusions: the management of patients with ovarian masses detected during pregnancy should be based on ultrasound examination and a centralization in referral centers for ovarian masses should be considered.

Endobronchial Ultrasound has been widely used in the lymph node staging of lung tumors and the diagnosis of mediastinal diseases. In the last decades this procedure has evolved in several technical aspects, with new tools available to optimize the tissue sampling and to increase the diagnostic yield, like elastography, different types of needles and, most recently, miniforceps and cryobiopsy. Then, also the indications for EBUS have extended beyond the thoracic boundaries to sample lesions of the liver, left adrenal gland and retroperitoneal lymph nodes via the gastroesophageal tract. In this review we will analyze the actual indication of EBUS, even the more unusual, to underline the multiple use of EBUS in clinical practise.

On-stream inspections are the most appropriate method for routine inspections during plant operation without going through production downtime. Ultrasonic inspection, one of the on-stream inspection methods, faces challenges when performed at high temperatures exceeding the recommended 52°C. This study aims to determine the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation with the known material grade, thickness, and temperatures by comparing theory calculation versus experiment with temperatures ranging between 30°C to 250°C on low carbon steel covering most petrochemical equipment material and working conditions. The theoretical analysis was to obtain Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and longitudinal velocity at different temperatures. The experiments validated the predicted results of ultrasonic change due to temperature increase and showed a maximum error of 3%. The experimental data of velocity and decibel change from the temperature range provide a reference for the future when dealing with unknown materials information on site that require a quick corrosion status determination.

Recently, some authors have developed a shell-less culture system for chick embryos by using a plastic lm as culture vessels. We will show that velocity of rotation of vessels in incubator and temperature have direct relations with growth of chick embryos. We also obtain a mathematical relation between velocity, temperature and rate of growth of chick embryo.

(1) Background: LUS has emerged as a simple, rapid and non-invasive method for the dynamic assessment of pulmonary congestion, a major prognostic factor and a therapeutic target in AHF. (2) Methods: In the single-center prospective observational study, 42 patients hospitalized for AHF in the post-emergency polyvalent medicine department of CHU Grenoble were successively included between May 2021 and July 2022. Clinical examination, LUS and electrolyte panel results were collected daily. Vital status was assessed 30 days after the last LUS. The primary endpoint was the evolution of the number of B-lines according to the dose of diuretic administered ; (3) Results: We performed 188 LUS. Our patients were elderly (85.8 [SD 8.1]) and comorbid. The median number of B-lines decreased from 17 at admission to 7 in the middle of the hospital stay, then stagnated until discharge. Simultaneously, the median dose of diuretics, initially stable at a maximum of 40 mg/d IV, decreased to 20mg/d IV by the end of hospital stay. Patients with CKD had a higher mean number of B-lines at entry (24.2 [SD 11.6]) compared to those without CKD (8.2 [SD 8.8]). However, the evolution of B-lines number was independent of creatinine levels. 30-day all-causes mortality was significantly related to the number of B-lines at discharge (15.2 [SD 10.1] in deceased patients versus 3.9 [SD 5.4] in living patients, p

In this study, a novel and efficient method was developed for the extraction of total flavonoids from Flos Sophorae Immaturus (FSI) using ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent (UAE-DES). Different DES formulations were first investigated and choline chloride/1,2-propanediol (ChCl/PD) was identified as the optimal solvent due to its highest flavonoid yield. The extraction process was optimized through single factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM). An extraction temperature of 68 °C, a sonication time of 41 minutes, a water content of 21% and a liquid-solid ratio of 21 mL/g were identified as the optimal conditions. Under these conditions, a maximum flavonoid yield of 378.77 mg RE/g DW was achieved. The crude extract was further purified using a macroporous D-101 resin, resulting in a flavonoid extract with a purity of 83.11 ± 3.54%. The antioxidant activity of the purified extract (FSPE) was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, showing significant antioxidant properties with IC50 values of 52.50 μg/mL and 49.47 μg/mL, respectively. The UAE-DES method developed in this study not only significantly improves the extraction yield of flavonoids from FSI, but is also in line with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. This method offers an environmentally friendly, efficient and scalable approach for the extraction of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants and has potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries.

The teaching of the lunge technique in fencing is critical in the developmental age. The relations of anthropometrics with kinematics of lunge was studied only in adult fencers, and no study exist in young considering the different level of experience. Our aims were to assess, in young fencers, which factors, between the anthropometric and the kinematics, were mostly connected with lunge performance (speed and excursion) in different genders and expertise levels. Fifteen young fencers participated in this study. Lunge kinematics, anthropometric characteristics and force expressed in vertical jump tests were collected. Maximal lunge velocity resulted mainly correlated with the posterior knee’s extension ((r=0.56, p=0.031). The lunge distance and mean hip velocity were mostly correlated with fencers’ height (r=0.85, p=0.000 and r=0.76, p=0.001) and FFM (r=0.8, p=0.000 and r=0.73, p=0.002). Experts and non-experts show significant differences in fat free mass, area of upper arm, and of thighs (Effect Size = 1,27 – 1,33, p= 0,021-0,035). From our results it emerges that, in this age range, the analysed aspects of lunge performance are mainly correlated with participant’s anthropometry. Moreover, it is already possible in this age span, to find technical differences linked to the experience.

Herbal Coffee is getting more popular due to its unique flavor and higher concentration of bioactive compounds, mainly polyphenols. Rosemary is a unique herb with potent antioxidant properties. A green technique called ultrasound aids in releasing bioactive substances from the plant cell wall. In this context, ultrasound-assisted herbal coffee prepared and their anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer, and antioxidant activities were measured while the LC/MS was used to determine the bioactive components from the herbal coffee infusion. A total of 95 secondary metabolites were putatively reported, including alkaloids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, which we identified in the herbal coffee infusion. The total phenolic content (61.5 ± 5.1 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (19.3 ± 0.9 mg QE/g), and total condensed tannin (7.6 ± 0.7 mg CE/g) of herbal coffee infusion were observed to be highest of the two remaining samples. The herbal coffee extracts were used to determine all samples' antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-Alzheimer activities. Using LC-MS/MS, we semi-quantified 19 phenolic metabolites. The results show numerous bioactive components in herbal coffee infusion with more potent antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-Alzheimer potential. Moreover, more studies must be conducted to confirm how the metabolomic profile of herbal coffee affects its flavor profile.

A large set of undrained compression triaxial tests was carried out on different types of cohesionless soils, from sands to silty-sands and silts. Shear wave velocity measurements were carried out alongside. These tests exhibited distinct state transitions ranging from flow liquefaction to strain softening or strain hardening. With the purpose of defining a framework to assess soil liquefaction, it was found that the ratio between the shear wave velocity (VS0) and the peak undrained deviatoric stress, qpeak, VS0/qpeak, could be accurately used to define a boundary between liquefaction and strain hardening for sands, and between strain softening and strain hardening for silty-sands and silts. Since this ratio is a function of the tested material, it was also discovered that the prediction of these boundaries could be made as a function of soil grading, namely via the coefficient of uniformity, CU. Despite not being regarded as a strong geomechanical parameter, CU is easily determined from a grain-size distribution test and it has an empirically proven correlation with critical state parameters.

Purposely slow velocity resistance exercise (i.e., 10 s concentric and eccentric phases) is a popular training method, but limits the loads that can be lifted (e.g., <50% 1 RM). This study compared the biomechanical properties of purposely slow velocity (SLOW) and traditional resistance exercise (TRAD) that uses maximal lifting velocities. Healthy resistance-trained men (n=5) performed two testing sessions (barbell squat and bench press) in random-order; a SLOW session (1 set x 10 repetitions at 28% 1 RM, 10 s concentric & eccentric), and a TRAD session (3 x 10 at 70% 1 RM, controlled eccentric and maximal concentric). A force plate and linear position transducer were used to collect kinetic and kinematic data for every repetition of both protocols (α = 0.05). For both exercises, both concentric and eccentric mean force (N) and power (W) for each repetition was greater for TRAD. When the entire training session (squat + bench press) was examined, SLOW exhibited greater time under tension, while TRAD produced greater work (J) and impulse (N·s). Contrary to suggestions in both the lay and scientific literature, purposely slow resistance exercise produced less force, power, and work than traditional velocity resistance exercise.

Embryological development of pancreas is a complex phenomenon and therefore, it can have multiple developmental aberrations. Fortunately, majority of these pancreatic ductal anomalies are asymptomatic with no clinical relevance and are incidentally detected during diagnostic cross sectional imaging or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or autopsy. Occasionally, pancreatic duct anomalies can result in symptoms like abdominal pain or recurrent pancreatitis. Also, accurate pre-operative diagnosis of ductal anomalies can prevent inadvertent duct injury during surgery. Conventionally, ERCP had been used for accurate diagnosis of pancreatic duct anomalies. However, because of being invasive and associated with risk of pancreatitis, it has been replaced with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). MRCP has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of ductal anomalies which can be further improved with use of secretin enhanced MRCP. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a new diagnostic and interventional tool in the armamentarium of endoscopists and has demonstrated promising results in detection of pancreatic duct variations and anomalies. In this article, we will focus on the role of EUS in diagnosis of various pancreatic duct anomalies.

Background: DICER1, cancer predisposition syndrome (CPS), seems to escape timely diagnosis in pediatric patients. Case report 1: A 16-year-old female patient was referred to the endocrinology ward due to a large goiter. Her medical history indicated normal sexual maturation, with menarche occurring at 13.5 years. Over the past 2.5 years, she developed pronounced androgenic symptoms, including a deepened male voice, facial, back and neckline acne, hirsutism, and menstrual irregularities leading to secondary amenorrhoea. A thyroid ultrasound identified a multinodular goiter with cystic-solid lesions containing calcifi-cations. An abdominal ultrasound identified a 5.7x6.9 cm solid mass in the right adnexal region, displacing the uterus to the left. Histopathological examination confirmed a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor. The patient was subjected to total thyroidectomy. Histopathology revealed benign follicular cell-derived neoplasms. Thyroid follicular nodular disease was diagnosed bilaterally. DNA analysis using NGS, confirmed by the Sanger method, revealed a pathogenic heterozygotic variant c.2953>T [p.Gln985*] in exon 18 of DICER1 gene. Case report 2: A 12-year-old male patient was admitted to the pediatric surgery unit due to a 33 ml goiter. A month prior to admission, the patient discovered a palpable nodule in his neck, accompanied by hoarseness. An ultrasound revealed a multinodular goiter. Molecular analysis revealed a pathogenic heterozygotic variant c.2782C>T [p.Gln928Ter] in exon 17 of DICER1 gene. Subsequently, a total thyroidectomy was performed, and histopathological examination revealed thyroid follicular nodu-lar disease bilaterally. Conclusion: Multinodular goiter, although rare in pediatric population, when accompanied by characteristic ultrasound and histopathological features, and by additional features such as androgen excess, warrants exclusion of DICER1 syndrome.

Abstract Background: Occipital neuralgia is a debilitating condition and traditional treatments often provide limited or temporary relief. Recently, ultrasound-guided hydrodissection of the greater occipital nerve (GON) has emerged as a promising minimally invasive approach. Objectives: To describe two novel ultrasound-guided hydrodissection with 5% dextrose for GON and discuss their advantages, disadvantages, and considerations. Methods: Two case reports are presented. Case 1 describes a lateral decubitus approach for hydrodissecting the GON between the semispinalis capitis (SSC) and obliquus capitis inferior (OCI) muscles. Case 2 details a cranial-to-caudal approach for hydrodissecting the GON within the SSC and upper trapezius (UT) muscles when the GON pass through these two muscles. Results: Both patients experienced significant and sustained pain relief with improvements in function and quality of life. Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided GON hydrodissection using 5% dextrose is a promising treatment for occipital neuralgia. The lateral decubitus and cranial to caudal approaches provide additional options to address patient-specific anatomical considerations and preferences.

Background: Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and ultrasound (US) have become popular for estimating body fat percentage (BF%) due to their low cost and clinical convenience. However, agreement of these devices with gold standard method still require investigation. The aim was to analyze the agreement between a gold standard %BF assessment method with BIA and US devices. Methods: Twenty-three men (age 30.1 ± 7.7 years, 82.5 ± 14.9 kg, 1.77 ± 0.05 m) underwent Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA), BIA (tetrapolar) and US (three-site method) %BF assessment. Pearson and concordance correlations were analyzed. T-test compared means between methods, and Bland Altman plots analyzed agreement and proportional bias. Alpha was set at &lt; .05. Results: Pearson coefficients between BIA and US with DXA were high (BIA = 0.94; US = 0.89; both p &lt; .001). Concordance coefficient was high for BIA (0.80) and moderate for US (0.49). BF% measured by BIA (24.5 ± 7.5) and US (19.4 ± 7.0) were on average 4.4% and 9.6% lower than DXA (29.0 + 8.5%), respectively (p &lt; .001). Lower and upper agreement limits between DXA and BIA were -1.45 and 10.31, while between DXA and US were 2.01 and 17.14, respectively. There was a tendency of both BIA (p = .09) and US (p = .057) to present proportional bias and underestimate BF%. Conclusions: Despite the correlation, the mean difference between the methods were significant, and the agreement limits are very wide. This indicate that BIA and US, as measured in this study, have limited potential to accurately measure %BF compared to DXA, especially in individuals with higher body fat.

Background: Intracavitary contrast-enhanced ultrasound is widely accepted as a highly informative, safe and easily reproducible technique for diagnosis, treatment and follow- up of different pathologies of the biliary tree. Methods: This article reports the combined conclusions of personal experience with pictorial examples and literature review of applications for CEUS in intracavitary biliary scenarios. Different methodologies, choices of equipment, indications for the procedure and expected complications were identified and described from the authors’ own experience as well as from a review of published studies with total of 208 patients for the period between 2009 and 2015. Results: Indications were biliary obstruction by various etiologies, including postoperative strictures, evaluation of the biliary tree of liver donors (n=12) and evaluation of localization of a drainage catheter. One of the studies found a statistically significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy of PTC and PUSC. Conclusion: Intracavitary CEUS brings all the positive features of US together with the virtues of contrast- enhanced imaging, proving comparable accuracy to the listed techniques for diagnostics of biliary tree diseases.

Plasma electrolytic polishing (PeP) is mainly used to improve the surface quality and thus the performance of electrically conductive parts. It is usually used as an anodic process, i.e. the workpiece is negatively charged. However, the process is susceptible to high current peaks during the formation of the vapour skin especially when polishing workpieces with a large surface area. In this study, the critical influence of workpiece submerging velocity on the current peaks and the average power during the initialisation of the PeP process is investigated for a workpiece size of microreactor mould insert. Through systematic experimentation and analysis, this work provides insights into the control of the initialisation process by modulating the workpiece submerging velocity. The results clarify the relationship between submerging velocity, peak current and average power and provide a novel approach to improve process efficiency in PeP. The highest peak current and average power occur when the electrolyte splashes over the top of the workpiece and not, as expected, when the workpiece touches the electrolyte. By submerging the workpiece while the voltage is applied to the workpiece and counter electrode, the reduction in both parameters is over 80 %.

Two-dimensional ultrasound (2D US) is commonly used in clinical settings for its cost-effectiveness and non-invasiveness, but it is limited by spatial orientation and operator dependency. Three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) overcomes these limitations by adding a third dimension and enhancing integration with other imaging modalities. Advances in deep learning (DL) have further propelled the viability of freehand image-based 3D reconstruction, broadening clinical applications in intraoperative and point-of-care (POC) settings. This review evaluates state-of-the-art freehand 3D US reconstruction methods that eliminate the need for external tracking devices, focusing on experimental setups, data acquisition strategies, and reconstruction methodologies. PubMed, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore were searched for studies since 2014 following PRISMA guidelines, excluding those using additional imaging or tracking systems other than inertial measurement units (IMUs). Fourteen eligible studies were analyzed, showing a shift from traditional speckle decorrelation towards DL-based methods, particularly Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Variability in datasets and evaluation methods hindered a comprehensive quantitative comparison, but notable accuracy improvements were observed with IMUs and integration of contextual and temporal information within CNNs. These advancements enhance freehand 3D US reconstruction feasibility, though variability limits definitive conclusions about the most effective methods. Future research should focus on improving precision in complex trajectories and adaptability across clinical scenarios.

Ultrasound (US) has become a widely used imaging modality in clinical practice, characterized by its rapidly evolving technology, advantages, and unique challenges such as low imaging quality and high variability. There is a critical need to develop advanced automatic US image analysis methods to enhance diagnostic accuracy and objectivity. Vision transformer, a recent innovation in machine learning, has demonstrated significant potential in various research fields, including general image analysis and computer vision, due to its capacity to process large datasets and learn complex patterns. Its suitability for automatic US image analysis tasks, such as classification, detection, and segmentation, has been recognized. This review provides an introduction to vision transformer and discusses its applications in specific US image analysis tasks, while also addressing the open challenges and potential future trends in its application in medical US image analysis. Vision transformer has shown promise in enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of ultrasound image analysis and is expected to play an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions using ultrasound imaging as technology progresses.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) is an alternative to surgery for acute cholecystitis (AC) in poor operative candidates. However, the role of EUS-GBD in non-cholecystitis (NC) indications has not been well studied. We compared clinical outcomes of EUS-GBD for AC and NC indications. Consecutive patients undergoing EUS-GBD for all indications at a single center were retrospectively analyzed. Fifty-one patients underwent EUS-GBD during the study period. Thirty-nine (76%) patients had AC while 12 (24%) had NC indications. NC indications included malignant biliary obstruction (n = 8), symptomatic cholelithiasis (n = 1), gallstone pancreatitis (n = 1), choledocholithiasis (n = 1), and Mirizzi’s syndrome (n = 1). Technical success was noted in 92% (36/39) for AC and 92% (11/12) for NC (p &gt; 0.99). Clinical success rate was 94% and 100%, respectively (p &gt; 0.99). There were 4 adverse events in the AC group and 3 in the NC group (p = 0.62). Procedure duration (median 43 vs 45 minutes, p = 0.37), post-procedure length of stay (median 3 vs 3 days, p = 0.97), and total gallbladder related procedures (median 2 vs 2, p = 0.59) were similar. EUS-GBD for NC indications is similarly safe and effective as EUS-GBD in AC.

By using directed dimensional analysis and data fitting, an explicit universal scaling law for the velocity of dominoes toppling motion is formulated. The scaling law shows that domino propagational velocity is linearly proportional to the 1/2 power of domino separation and thickness, and -1/2 power of domino height and gravitation. The study also proved that dominoes width and mass have no influence on the domino wave traveling velocity. The scaling law obtained in this Letter is very useful to the dominoes game and will help the domino player to place the dominoes for fast speed and have a quick estimation on the speed without doing complicated multi-bodies dynamical simulation.

Abstract: Background. The newer wireless portable scanners seem to permit a quicker bedside ultrasound (US) assessment, shortening the transfer times of the portable US unit and without the hindering of connection cables. However, no substantial evidence is currently available regarding of the clinical effectiveness of such new generation devices. Objective. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of a wireless US system with respect to a high-end US unit in a cohort of consecutive respiratory patients. Materials and Methods. This prospective observational study included a total of 72 respiratory patients admitted in the department of Internal Medicine. The US examination were independently performed by two experienced blinded examiners with a high-end Esaote MyLab-Twice scanner and a wireless double-head linear and convex probe OTE-L/C501CD. The findings resulting from the high-end US assessment and the wireless US examination were then compared each other. All the patients had a confirmation chest CT scan. Results. The high-end US machine identified 64 positive cases for pleuro-pulmonary alterations, in comparison to which the wireless US unit resulted in 13 false negative results. The respective overall sensitivity and specificity for the portable wireless US unit were of 79.69% and 100.00%, respectively. The resolution of the portable wireless US device was judged as good in 22 (31%) cases, affected by minor diagnostic limitations in 26 (36%) cases and affected by major diagnostic limitations in 24 (33%). The main diagnostic strength of the wireless probe was in the detection of pleural effusion (sensitivity 100%). The diagnostic sensitivity of the wireless probe in assessing abnormalities of the pleural line (67%), pulmonary subpleural consolidations (65%), pleural lesions (33%) and pericardial effusion (0%) was reduced. Conclusions. The newer wireless US probes may have clinical roles for the detection and management of pleural effusion when used by experienced examiners. However, sensitivity in detecting other pleuro-pulmonary pathologies is not comparable to high-end ultrasound machines.

Accurate and prompt determination of fire types is essential for effective firefighting and reducing damages. However, traditional methods such as smoke detection, visual analysis, and wireless signals pose unavailability in identifying fire types. This paper introduces FireSonic, an acoustic sensing system that leverages commercial speakers and microphones to actively probe the fire using acoustic signals, effectively identifying indoor fire types. By incorporating beamforming technology, FireSonic first enhances signal clarity and reliability, thus mitigating signal attenuation and distortion. To establish a reliable correlation between fire types and sound propagation, FireSonic quantifies the Heat Release Rate (HRR) of flames by analyzing the relationship between fire heated areas and sound wave propagation delays. Furthermore, the system extracts spatiotemporal features related to fire from channel measurements. Experimental results demonstrate that FireSonic attains an average fire type classification accuracy of 95.5% and a detection latency of less than 400 ms, satisfying the requirements for real-time monitoring. This system significantly enhances the formulation of targeted firefighting strategies, boosting fire response effectiveness and public safety.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) represents an important co-monomer for obtaining polycarbonate, epoxy resins, flame retardants, in paint, and other chemicals products. Products containing BPA are widely used, and thus, we can find it in the environment: in the air, in the soil, in natural surface water and in sediments, underground water in landfills, and in wastewater. BPA disturbs human and animals’ health. This influences the enzymatic, androgenic, neurological, liver and reproductive systems at different stages of human life: like in fetal stage, children and adults’ stages. Taking these inconveniences into account, it is very important to remove BPA from water. Ultrasonic technology can be considered a verry sustainable and efficient method to remove BPA from water. The advantages of this method is easy to implement on existing water treatment and purification facilities, it does not produce residual compounds that produce sludge, the time required for degradation is of the order of 1-2 hours and the level of degradation is very high. In this work, we presented the studies on the efficiency of ultrasonics under air atmosphere on the degradation of BPA. The influence of the frequency and of some additional compounds such as carbon tetrachloride, FeSO4 7H2O (FS), and ethyl anthraquinone (EAC) was studied. Three different frequencies were used: 1146 KHz, 864 KHz, 580 KHz, at a power of 50 W. It was identified the efficiency of BPA degradation over a period of 60 minutes, with sampling every 15 minutes. Using the LC-MS/MS technique, the degradation compounds were identified that result from the application of ultrasound processes. Pathways of BPA degradation were also proposed.

Background: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has gained increasing importance as a very effective pain relief in for caesarean section. This study aimed to compare bupivacaine (Group B), bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine (Group BD) and bupivacaine with dexamethasone (Group BDx) applied in ultrasound-guided TAP block in the treatment of CS postoperative pain. Material and Method: American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II pregnant women who underwent cesarean section were included in the study. Forty patients were admitted in each group. All patients were applied TAP block with ultrasound guidance by administering the medications of the group in which they were included. Results: Body mass index (BMI) and operation duration were higher in Group B (p*=0.01 and 0.004, respectively). Instant tramadol requirement and amount were higher in Group B at some of follow up times. Patient satisfaction scale were better in Group BD and Group BDx. Conclusion: TAP block significantly reduces pain after cesarean section, prolongs the time to first analgesic request, and reduces the need for additional opioid analgesics. The addition of adjuvant to the TAP block usually improves the postoperative clinical condition. However, some special conditions such as body mass index (BMI) may negatively affect the clinical situation. Comprehensive, standardized, randomized controlled studies are needed to compare results under different conditions.

Background: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease that progressively leads to thyroid gland destruction and hypothyroidism. Patients produce antibodies against two thyroid-specific antigens: thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase. As a result of the abnormal amount of thyroid hormone produced and its autoimmune etiology, patients with HT display a higher frequency of either autoimmune or non-autoimmune dermatological disorders. On ultrasound examination, HT can be detected by observing an enlarged thyroid gland with hypoechoic parenchymal regions or by observing a small gland indicating atrophy and diffusely heterogeneous parenchyma. Changes in the parenchymal vascularity can be observed as decreased or increased levels of vascularization. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the role of clinical data and ultrasound evaluation of patients with HT in suggesting an association with dermatological disorders. Patients and methods: Complete dermatological and endocrinological assessments as well as ultrasonography of the thyroid and lymphnodes were performed in HT patients. Results: The data obtained showed that a family history of thyroid disease, increased diameter of the inferior thyroid artery, and the presence of cervical lymphadenopathy were more frequent in the group of patients with dermatological diseases. Taken together, our results suggest the usefulness of ultrasound in determining a possible association between HT and dermatological disorders.

Cavitation bubbles are commonly existing in shipbuilding engineering, ocean engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical industry, and aerospace. Asymmetric deformation of bubble occurs near the boundary, and the non-spherical cavitation bubbles have strong destructive effects, inducing high amplitude loading at the nearby boundary. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the laser-induced of cavitation bubble, non-spherical collapse behavior near the boundary. In this study, experimental data such as bubble pulsation process and bubble surface velocity distribution were obtained by high-speed camera technique and full-field velocity calculation. The results show that the bubble appeared non-spherical collapse shapes, near different boundaries, with near-hemispherical, near-ellipsoidal, near-cone and near-pea shapes, and the bubble surface velocity distribution is not uniform. When bubble near the free surface or rigid boundary, the smaller the stand-off r is, the more obvious the repulsive effect of the free surface and the attractive effect of the rigid boundary are. As the stand-off r decreases, the larger the Bjerknes force and the bubble surface velocity difference, the more pronounced the non-spherical shape.

This study delves into the Southern Aegean region where the subduction of the oceanic Mediterranean lithosphere under the Aegean continental one takes place. This region is considered one of the most active ones in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea due to intense tectonic movements in the Late Quaternary. More than 1200 manually revised events from 2018 to 2023 have been used in order to obtain the 3-D structure of body-wave velocity and VP/VS ratio to 80 km depth, through Earthquake Tomography. A series of resolution tests have been performed and demonstrated fair resolution of the derived velocity structures in area of interest. The derived anomalies of body waves (dVP, dVS), and VP/VS ratio provided important information about the Southern Aegean regional tectonics, and secondarily active faults of smaller scale (&gt;20 km). The region is marked by significant low-velocity anomalies in the crust and uppermost mantle, beneath the active arc volcanoes. The seismicity related to the Hellenic Subduction Zone (HSZ) is connected to a low-angle positive anomaly of VP and VS, correlated to the observed intermediate-depth seismicity (H≥40 km) in this part of the study area. This result could be related to the diving HSZ slab.

Detailed flow distributions in vascular systems are the key to identifying hemodynamic risk factors for the development and progression of vascular diseases. Although computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used in bioengineering research on hemodynamics predictions, not only are high-fidelity CFD simulations time-consuming and computing-expensive, but also not friendly to clinical applications due to the difficulty of comprehensive numerical calculations. Machine learning (ML) algorithums to estimate the flow field in vascular systems based on the angiographic images of the blood flow using existed diagnostic tools are emerging as a new pathway to facilitate the mapping of hemodynamics. In present work, the dye injection in a water flow was simulated as an analogy of the contrast perfusion in blood flow using CFD. In the simulation, the light passes through the flow field and generates projective images, as an analogy of X-ray imaging. The simulations provide both the ground truth velocity field and the projective images of the flow with dye patterns. A rough velocity field was estimated using the optical flow method (OFM) based on projective images. ML algorithums are then trained using the ground truth CFD data and the OFM velocity estimation as the input. Finally, the interpretable (logistic regression) and deep (neural networks, convolutional neural networks, long short term memory) machine learning models are validated by using parallel in vitro experiments on the same flow setup. The validation results showed that the employed ML model significantly reduced the error rate from 53.5% to 2.5% in average for the v-velocity estimation.

The zero velocity update(ZUPT) algorithm is the core of a foot-mounted pedestrian navigation system. The zero velocity detection method is the premise and guarantee of the effective application of the ZUPT algorithm. To make ZUPT work properly, it is necessary to detect zero velocity intervals correctly. The detection accuracy of the existing zero velocity detection methods is easy to be affected by users and environment. A novel zero velocity detection method based on the plantar pressure is proposed in this paper, which has higher detection accuracy and better environmental adaptability. First, the paper analyzes the motion characteristics of foot during walking. Second, the inherent relationship between the plantar pressure and the gait change during walking is studied based on the pressure sensor. Then, the model of the zero velocity detection method using the plantar pressure is established. Finally, the indoor and outdoor multi-scene experiments show that this method not only has a high detection accuracy, but also has good adaptability to users and walking environment.

The determination of crack propagation velocities can provide valuable information for a better understanding of damage processes of concrete. The spatio-temporal analysis of crack patterns developing at a speed of several hundred meters per second is a rather challenging task. In the paper, a photogrammetric procedure for the determination of crack propagation velocities in concrete specimens using high-speed camera image sequences is presented. A cascaded image sequence processing which starts with the computation of displacement vector fields for a dense pattern of points on the specimen’s surface between consecutive time steps of the image sequence chain has been developed. These surface points are triangulated into a mesh, and as representations of cracks, discontinuities in the displacement vector fields are found by a deformation analysis applied to all triangles of the mesh. Connected components of the deformed triangles are computed using region-growing techniques. Then, the crack tips are determined using principal component analysis. The tips are tracked in the image sequence and the velocities between the time stamps of the images are derived. A major advantage of this method as compared to established techniques is in the fact of its allowing for spatio-temporally resolved, full-field measurements rather than point-wise measurements and that information on crack width can be obtained simultaneously. To validate the experimentation, the authors processed image sequences of tests on four compact-tension specimens performed on a split-Hopkinson tension bar. The images were taken by a high-speed camera at a frame rate of 160,000 images per second. By applying to these datasets the image sequence processing procedure as developed, crack propagation velocities of about 800 m/s were determined with a precision in the order of 50 m/s.

We study an air-fluidized granular monolayer, composed in this case of plastic spheres, which roll on a metallic grid. The air current is adjusted so that the spheres never loose contact with the grid, so that the dynamics may be regarded as pseudo two-dimensional (or two-dimensional, if the effects of sphere rolling are not taken into account). We find two surprising continuous transitions, both of them displaying two coexisting phases. Moreover, in all cases, we found the coexisting phases display strong energy non-equipartition. In the first transition, at weak fludization, a glassy phase coexists with a disordered fluid-like phase. In the second transition, a hexagonal crystal coexists with the fluid phase. We analyze, for these two-phase systems, the specific diffusive properties of each phase, as well as the velocity correlations. Surprisingly, we find a glass phase at very low packing fraction and for a wide range of granular temperatures. Both phases are characterized also by a strong anti-correlated velocities upon collision. Thus, the dynamics observed for this quasi two-dimensional system unveils phase transitions with peculiar properties, very different from the predicted behavior in well know theories for their equilibrium counterparts.

Understanding the equilibrium saturation level is crucial to Binder Jetting (BJ). Saturation level influences dimensional accuracy, print time, green strength, and final material properties. Improved understanding of the saturation level can reduce development time for new materials and improve existing processes in BJ. Attempts have been made to predict saturation levels of parts with simple calculations from droplet primitives and capillary pressure. There is, however, limited experimental validation for these methods and they do not include the impact of drop velocity and droplet spacing. This study incorporates the influences of drop velocity and droplet spacing on the saturation level of the part. Drop primitives of varying droplet velocity and droplet spacing were compared. Results show that velocity impacts the feasible parameter space.

For development and successful application of any material, a clear understanding of their mechanical behavior is one of the most important things, but when it comes to nanofibers networks it become a challenge due to, their high porosity, many scales in their structure, and characteristics non-linear. Therefore, an experimental methodology in conjunction with a theoretical model that can fully consider their characteristics is still needed. In this work we proposed a model that incorporates the propagation of the elastic waves in two-phase media to determine the effective elastic modulus of electrospun membranes of PLA/gelatin given the mechanical properties of nanofibers, shape, distribution and concentration. The model was verified via laser ultrasonic testing. It was found that the values predicted for the effective modulus by the model were higher than the values obtained from experimental results. One explanation is due to the experimental density. As a result, the P-Wave velocity from the model best fit to experimental results and it has the same behavior, decrees as the concentration of gelatin in the solution. These results indicate the model and experimental methodology can assist in the dressing of nanofibers networks and electrospun materials.

Background and Objectives: Ultrasound (US) is a non-invasive tool for the in-vivo detection of peripheral nerve alterations. Materials and Methods: In this study we applied nerve US to assist the discrimination between the spectrum of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, n=11), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP, n=5) and genetically confirmed Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT, n=5). All participants and n=15 controls without neurological diseases underwent high-resolution US of the bilateral tibial nerve. Nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) and nerve microvascular blood flow were compared between the groups and related to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures, clinical symptoms and nerve conduction studies. Analyses are part of a larger multimodal study on the comparison between US and 7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance neurography (MRN). Results: Patients and controls were matched with respect to their demographical data. CMT had the longest disease duration, followed by CIDP and ALS. CSA was related to age, weight and disease duration. CSA was larger in CMT and CIDP compared to ALS and controls. Blood flow was greatest in CIDP, and higher than in CMT, ALS and controls. In ALS, greater CSA was correlated with greater CSF total protein and higher albumin quotient. US measures did not correlate with clinical scores or nerve conduction studies in any of the subgroups. Conclusion: Our results point towards the feasibility of CSA and blood flow to discriminate between ALS, CIDP and CMT, even in small sample sized groups. In ALS, larger CSA could indicate an inflammatory disease subtype characterized by reduced blood-nerve barrier integrity. Our upcoming analysis will focus on the additive value of 7T MRN in combination with US to disentangle the spectrum between more inflammatory or more degenerative disease variants along the disease groups.

The analysis of data produced by the MV20/20 sensor, tagged with quality outcomes, is presented with the aim of developing a predictor model for real-time anomaly detection and classification. Three types of inclusions, undesired particles that deteriorate the quality of production, are used to tag the quality data using results from the lab. We explore both unsupervised and supervised learning, which both offer advantages in monitoring and controlling the quality of production. It is discovered that the dataset can be clustered using techniques like K-Means and DBSCAN. Bounding the data within a 95% confidence interval ellipse ensures we can detect anomalous events in real time. For supervised learning, a two-stage classifier is explored, which classifies the outcome of a cast and secondly the inclusion responsible for the negative outcome. We explore models from logistic regression and support vector machines, to two neural networks, namely the multi-layer perceptron and the radial basis function network. While the cast outcome is adequately predicted by all the models, the multi-layer perceptron provides a boundary performance for the inclusion type. A more advanced technique for model optimisation, namely grid search, is applied in order to improve on the results. The outcome for the grid search is not much better, which indicates a global maximum in the learning capacity of the model. Recommendations include the addition of sensor systems and an audit of data collection variation.

The current Covid-19 pandemic has hugely disrupted the delivery of routine and established medical care. Patients can develop a wide range of clinical signs and symptoms from a cough and fever to severe respiratory failure. There is an ongoing argument on a concise investigative pathway to ensure the safety of all healthcare workers. The stethoscope can help with any clinical respiratory assessment but the risk of cross infection is high. Computer tomography should not be routinely performed. There is a potential place for lung ultrasound but outcomes are not yet determined.

This paper presents an improved indoor localization system based on RF and ultrasonic signal which we named SNSH system. This system composes of a transmitter mounted in a mobile target, and a series of receiver nodes which are managed by a coordinator. By measuring Time Delay of Arrival (TDoA) of RF and ultrasonic signal from the transmitter, distance from target to receiver node is calculated and sent to the coordinator through CAN network, and all the information are gathered in PC to estimate 3D position of the target. Sine wave detector and dynamic threshold filter are applied to provide excellent accuracy of range measurement from TDoA result, and multilateration algorithms is realized to optimize coordinate determination accuracy. Specifically, Linear Least Square and Non-linear Least Square techniques are implemented to contrast their performances in target coordinate estimation. RF signal encoding/decoding time, time delay in CAN network and math calculating are carefully considered to ensure optimal system performance and get ready for field application. Experiments show that sine wave detector algorithm has greatly improved range measurement accuracy, with mean error at 2.2mm and maximum error at 6.7 mm, for distance below 5m. In addition, 3D position accuracy is greatly enhanced by multilateration methods, with mean error in position stay under 15mm, and 90% confident error values at 23mm for LLS, 20mm for NLS. Overall system update period has been verified in real system operation, with maximum rate at 25ms, and compared with other existing researches.

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the potential of multimodal ultrasound techniques in improving the visibility of liver lesions that are indistinct under conventional ultrasound. Specifically, we will explore the application of fusion imaging, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and high-frequency ultrasound in enhancing the visibility of liver masses. These techniques will be utilized to assist in visualizing liver lesions and to accurately localize them for the purpose of performing percutaneous tissue biopsy. Lastly, we will compare the biopsy results with the final diagnosis to assess whether multimodal techniques can enhance the success rate of percutaneous biopsy for liver masses that are not clearly visible under conventional ultrasound. Furthermore, the potential impact of these techniques on the development of personalized treatment strategies for patients was also discussed. Materials and Results: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 144 patients with liver masses who underwent conventional ultrasound examinations at our hospital from October 2018 to January 2024. These patients had poor visibility on conventional ultrasound, but the tumor location was visible on abdominal computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. We excluded 71 patients who did not undergo percutaneous liver tumor biopsy and 8 patients who remained non-visualized under multimodal ultrasound. Finally, 95 patients met the inclusion criteria and their clinical and radiological data were selected for analysis. Computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging-ultrasound (CT/MR-US) fusion imaging was performed in 55 patients, CEUS was conducted in 95 patients, and high-frequency ultrasound examination was performed in 21 patients. The visibility of the lesions using these three techniques was evaluated, and the consistency between the biopsy pathology and the final diagnosis was analyzed. Results: In the study, a total of 39 cases were identified as solitary liver lesions, 34 cases as multiple lesions, and an additional 23 cases as diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma. Among them, there were 13 cases (13.7%) of lesions located in the left lobe, 73 cases (76.8%) in the right lobe, and 9 cases (9.4%) at the junction of the left and right lobes. The average maximum diameter of the lesions was 2.7 cm (ranging from 0.7 cm to 10.0 cm). The detection rates of lesions using CT/MR-US fusion imaging, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and high-frequency ultrasound examination were 49.1%, 96.8%, and 76.2%, respectively. All patients in the entire cohort underwent percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy after confirming the target location of the lesions, including 9 patients underwent percutaneous microwave ablation. No severe complications were observed. The accuracy rate of the biopsies was 91.6%, and the positive concordance rate was 91.1%. The biopsy pathology included 39 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 16 cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), 22 cases of metastatic adenocarcinoma, 3 cases of hepatic adenoma (HA), 1 case of vascular sarcoma, and 1 case of mixed HCC-ICC. Among the 13 patients with negative pathology findings after biopsy, 8 cases were considered false negatives (based on follow-up laboratory tests and imaging results consistent with malignant tumor characteristics), resulting in a false negative rate of 8.9%. Conclusions: The application of multimodal ultrasound technology can significantly improve the success rate of liver lesion biopsies that are difficult to visualize using conventional ultrasound. Furthermore, it will facilitate the guidance of microwave ablation therapy for lesions using multimodal ultrasound imaging, enabling collaborative precision treatment planning for patients with clinical physicians.

EUS–TA in unresectable pancreatic cancer requires not only a tissue diagnosis but also tissue collection in anticipation of comprehensive genomic profiling. However, the optimal puncture target remains controversial. Therefore, the Primary and Metastatic Lesions in Pancreatic Cancer (PRIMATE) study was designed to clarify the optimal target by comparing the success rates for meeting OncoGuide NCC Oncopanel (NOP) analysis criteria on pre-check primary and metastatic lesion specimens obtained during the same EUS–TA session in patients with invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In this ongoing prospective study, two specimens, each from primary and metastatic lesions, are obtained by EUS–TA (typically using a 19G fine-needle biopsy needle) in patients with invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The primary endpoint is the proportion of EUS–TA specimens that meet NOP analysis criteria during pre-check (i.e., tumor cellularity ≥ 20% and tissue area ≥ 4 mm2), which are then compared between primary and metastatic lesions. This study has been approved by the National Cancer Center Institutional Review Board (Research No. 2022-168). The results of this study will be reported at an international conference and published in an international peer-reviewed journal. The trial registration number is UMIN 000048966.

In this paper, we consider the behavior of the local energy flow velocity of the fundamental air – core mode at the core – cladding boundary in two types of hollow – core fibers: hollow – core fibers with a negative curvature of the core boundary and single – capillary fibers with similar geometrical parameters. It is demonstrated that the behavior of both axial and radial components of the local energy velocity of the fundamental air – core mode is completely different for these two types of hollow – core fibers. The negative curvature of the core boundary leads to an alternating behavior of the radial projection of the local energy velocity and a decrease by two orders of magnitude compared to the values of this projection for a single capillary. In our opinion, this behavior of the local energy velocity of the fundamental air – core mode is caused by a periodic set of Poynting vector vortices that appear in the cladding capillary walls.

Light travels in a moving medium through densities that differ from the density of that medium at rest. This study derives a formula for light velocity through a moving medium for any direction of light propagation in that medium that, applied to the Fizeau experiment, gives a fringe shift of 0.23541. The Fresnel drag coefficient applied to the Fizeau experiment offers a fringe shift of 0.20466. The mean of the fringe shift observations in the Fizeau experiment of 0.23016 confirms both expectations.

The arranged paths of dominoes have many shapes. The scaling law for the propagation speed of domino toppling has been extensively investigated. However, in all previous investigations, the scaling law for the velocity of domino toppling motion in curved lines was not taken into account. In the present work, the finite-element analysis (FEA) program ABAQUS was used to study the velocity of domino toppling motion in curved lines. It is shown that the domino propagation speed has a rising trend with increasing domino spacing in a straight line. It is also found that domino propagation speed is linearly proportional to the square root of domino separation. This research proved that the scaling law for the speed of domino toppling motion given by Sun (2020) is true [B-H. Sun, 2020. Scaling law for the propagation speed of domino toppling. AIP Advances, 10(9),095124.]. Moreover, the shape of domino arrangement paths has no influence on the scaling law for the propagation speed of dominoes but can affect the coefficient of the scaling law for the velocity. Therefore, the amendatory function for the propagation speed of dominoes in curved lines was formulated by the FEA data. The fitted amendatory function, $\varphi_{revise}$, provides the simple method for a domino player to quickly estimate the propagation speed of dominoes in curved lines.

In this paper, we studied and analyzed the behavior of velocity profiles and the distribution of pressures in a pipe connected to an accessory. In this case, it was a 90º elbow fitting in which water flows as an incompressible flow. This study was developed numerically through the fluent program of ANSYS. It is of practical interest in engineering because it is based on results regarding the internal structure of a model of incompressible flows. In the same way, it provides a basis for the proper design and implementation of velocity profiles within an elbow.In the agricultural industry, suitable systems can be implemented for crop irrigation in this way with the results obtained to improve the design in the fluid distribution system.We used a feasible κ-ε turbulence model because this model causes less turbulence than the standard κ-ε model. A mesh independence study was developed, in which it was observed that combining different densities of meshes for the same geometry causes some variables, so a fine meshing was used to carry out the study so that the results are as close to reality as possible.

Background: clubfoot is a common congenital deformity. The Ponseti technique, involving early corrective manipulations followed by the application of long leg casts and Achilles tenotomy, is widely accepted as the preferred treatment. Rapid healing of the tendon after surgery has been documented, but the aspect regarding tendon structure and properties is not known. Three cases of Achilles tendon rupture in adolescent previously treated for clubfoot have been described in the literature. Since rupture is a rare event in this age group a possible correlation with previous surgery has been hypothesized. The primary aim of the study was to compare the ultrasound findings of the Achilles tendon, in patients treated for clubfoot, between patients treated with casting alone and the ones who underwent surgery (percutaneous tenotomy or Z-plasty lengthening). Methods: 22 asymptomatic patients, (34 feet) median age 12 years, previously treated for clubfoot, were recruited for this study; the patients underwent an Achilles tendon ultrasound examination during a follow-up outpatient visit. Results: a greater thickness and structural alterations with presence of hypoechoic areas of the operated tendons compared to those treated with plaster alone were observed (p value: 0.0498 and

Rehabilitation from musculoskeletal injuries focuses on reestablishing and monitoring muscle activation patterns to accurately produce force. The aim of this study is to explore the use of a novel low-powered wearable distributed Simultaneous Musculoskeletal Assessment with Real-Time Ultrasound (SMART-US) device to predict force during an isometric squat task. Participants (N=5) performed maximum isometric squats under two medical imaging techniques; clinical musculoskeletal motion mode (m-mode) ultrasound on the dominant vastus lateralis and SMART-US sensors placed on the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, medial hamstring, and vastus medialis. Ultrasound features were extracted, and a linear ridge regression model was used to predict ground reaction force. The performance of ultrasound features to predict measured force was tested using either the Clinical M-mode, SMART-US sensors on the vastus lateralis (SMART-US: VL), rectus femoris (SMART-US: RF), medial hamstring (SMART-US: MH), and vastus medialis (SMART-US: VMO) or utilized all four SMART-US sensors (Distributed SMART-US). Model training showed that the Clinical M-mode and the Distributed SMART-US model were both significantly different from the SMART-US: VL, SMART-US: MH, SMART-US:RF, and SMART-US:VMO models (p<0.05). Model validation showed that the Distributed SMART-US model had an R² of 0.80 ±0.04 and was significantly different from SMART-US: VL but not from the Clinical M-mode model. In conclusion, a novel wearable distributed SMART-US system can predict ground reaction force using machine learning, demonstrating the feasibility of wearable ultrasound imaging for ground reaction force estimation.

Background: Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) is widely used for the diagnosis of bilio-pancreatic and gastrointestinal (GI) tract diseases, for the evaluation of subepithelial lesions, and for sampling of lymph nodes and solid masses lo-cated next to the GI tract. The role of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare in growing. This review aimed to provide an overview of the current state of AI in EUS from imaging to pathological diagnosis and training. Methods: AI algorithms can assist in lesion detection and characterization in EUS by analysing EUS images and identifying suspicious areas that may require further clinical evaluation or biopsy sampling. Deep learning tech-niques, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have shown great potential for tumour identification and subepithelial lesion (SEL) evaluation by extracting important features from EUS images and using them to classify or segment the images. Results: AI models with new features can increase the accuracy of diagnoses, provide faster diagnoses, identify subtle differences in disease presentation that may be missed by human eyes, and provide more information and in-sights into disease pathology. Conclusions: The integration of AI in EUS images and biopsies has the potential to improve the diagnostic accura-cy, leading to better patient outcomes and to a reduction of repeated procedures in case of non-diagnostic biopsies.

Ultrasound is a well-known tool to produce thermal and non-thermal effects on cells and tissues. These effects require a correct application of ultrasound in terms of localization and acoustic energy delivered. This article describes a new device that combines ultrasound and Dry Needling treatments. The ultrasound transducer can rotate in 3D space mechanically to align itself in the direction of the needle. The transducer electronically focuses the acoustic pressure automatically on the needle tip and its surroundings. A computer, using graphical interface software, controls the angulation of the array and the focus position.

Shear velocity logs are crucial in the oil and gas industry for assessing subsurface mechanical properties, including rock stiffness, shear strength, and seismic wave propagation, essential for optimizing hydrocarbon exploration and production strategies. However, obtaining shear velocity logs conventionally is expensive and time-consuming, especially when drilling additional wells solely for this purpose. With the recent boom in machine learning algorithms adoption across various scientific domains, it proved to be an extremely valuable tool for numerous applications in the oil and gas industry. It makes use of the readily available large datasets collected over decades and leverages this data to train powerful, data-driven models, reducing the reliance on empirical relationships that usually have poor generalization. This study follows this approach and presents the use and comparison of machine learning algorithms for predicting shear velocity logs from conventional and readily available logs in the Ahnet field, Algeria. Ultimately, this study aims to enhance reservoir assessment and optimize hydrocarbon recovery processes, potentially reducing exploration costs and improving oil and gas production decision-making in the region.

This study aims to investigate the impact of body heat loss on the thermal and aerodynamic conditions in a whole-body cryotherapy chamber. The underlying hypothesis is that the heat generated by the human body alters the thermal and aerodynamic environment inside the cabin. A numerical study was conducted to test this hypothesis to analyze the thermodynamic exchanges between the human body and the cabin during a 3-minute whole-body cryotherapy session. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach was used to study the unsteady heat transfer between the human body and the interior of the cryotherapy cabin. A thermal boundary condition, based on a mathematical model developed from experimental data, was applied to simulate skin cooling kinetics over time. The post-processing of the 3D results, including temperature, velocity fields, and thermal flux maps at the body surface, provided insight into the thermo-convective mechanisms involved in a whole-body cryotherapy session. The study found that body heat loss significantly affects the temperature fields inside the cabin, leading to global modifications of the aeraulic and thermal conditions. These findings suggest that cryotherapy protocols may need to be adjusted or the cabin set temperature optimized to enhance the therapeutic benefits.

Abstract Background: Analysis of different type of consolidation in dogs and cats relay on parenchymal and vascular criteria. Hypothesis: the vascular criteria of the consolidation it’s possible to perform in dogs and cats and vascularisation is different in shred, tissue, nodule, wedge sign and mass. Animals: 347 cats and 634 dogs with different types of consolidations. Methods: Retrospective study between 2018-2023. Lung ultrasound performed in dogs and cats with different types of consolidations. Characteristic of bronchogram: air dynamic and static bronchogram, fluid bronchogram or absence of bronchogram. Types of vascularisations in consolidation: tree like type, residual, chaotic vascularisation and penetrating from the chest wall to consolidation and “vascular sign”. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Analysis of bronchogram and type of vascularisation in consolidation is possible to perform in dogs and cat. The analysis of mentioned criteria had an impact on subsequent diagnostic and therapeutic decisions

Model-based image reconstruction has brought improvements in terms of contrast and spatial resolution to imaging applications such as magnetic resonance imaging and emission computed tomography. However, their use for pulse-echo techniques like ultrasound imaging is limited by the fact that model-based algorithms assume a finite grid of possible locations of scatterers in a medium -- which does not reflect the continuous nature of real world objects and creates a problem known as off-grid deviation. To cope with this problem, we present a method of dictionary expansion and constrained reconstruction that approximates the continuous manifold of all possible scatterer locations within a region of interest. The expanded dictionary is created using a highly coherent sampling of the region of interest, followed by a rank reduction procedure based on a truncated singular value decomposition. We develop a greedy algorithm, based on the Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP), that uses a correlation-based non-convex constraint set that allows for the division of the region of interest into cells of any size. To evaluate the performance of the method, we present results of 2-dimensional ultrasound image reconstructions with simulated data in a nondestructive testing application. Our method succeeds in the reconstructions of sparse images from noisy measurements, providing higher accuracy than previous approaches based on regular discrete models.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) is not only associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as T2DM and obesity, but it is also an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. MASLD has been shown to be independently related to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. MASLD is characterized by a chronic proinflammatory response that, in turn, may induce a prothrombotic state. Several mechanisms such as endothelial and platelet dysfunction, changes in the coagulation cascade, decreased fibrinolytic activity can contribute to induce the prothrombotic state. Platelets are players and addresses of metabolic dysregulation; obesity and insulin resistance are related to platelet hyperactivation. Furthermore, platelets can exert a direct effect on liver cells, particularly through the release of mediators from granules. Growing data in literature support the use of antiplatelet agent as a treatment for MASLD. The use of antiplatelets drugs seems to have potential clinical implication for the prevention of HCC patients with MASLD, since platelets contribute to fibrosis progression and cancer development. This review aims to summarize the main data on the role of platelets in the pathogenesis of MAFLD and its main complications such as cardiovascular events and the development of liver fibrosis. Furthermore, we will examine the role of antiplatelet therapy not only in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular events but also as a possible anti-fibrotic and anti-tumor agent.

This study presents a new form of velocity distribution in laminar liquid flow in rectangular microchannels using the eigenfunction expansion technique. Darcy friction factor and Poiseuille number are also obtained analytically. Due to the symmetry of the solutions, the effects of changing the aspect ratio from 0 to ∞ are also discussed. Using finite element method (FEM), the obtained analytical results are further compared with the 3D numerical simulations for the rectangular microchannels with different range of aspect ratio and pressure gradient, and excellent agreements were found. These findings provide additional insights in interpreting the results of the pressure-driven flows in finite aspect ratio microchannels, in which very precise comparison with the macroscale theory is crucial.

When a rotary machine is running, from which the acquired vibro-acoustic signals enable to reveal its operation status and health condition. The study proposed a DSP-based adaptive angular-velocity Vold-Kalman filtering order tracking (AV2KF_OT) algorithm with an online real-time nature for signal interpretation and machine condition monitoring. Theoretical derivation and numerical implementation of computation schemes are briefly introduced. An online real-time monitoring system based on the AV2KF_OT algorithm, which was implemented through both a digital signal processor and a user interface coded by using LabVIEW, was developed. Two experimental tasks were applied to justify the proposed technique, including (i) the detection of startup on the fluid-induced whirl performed through a journal-bearing rotor rig, and (ii) the separation of close orders from the measured signals of a multifunction transmission-element ball-bearing bench.

The hemodynamic consequences of the aortic stenosis (AS) on supraortic trunks may have a po-tential role in the diagnosis of concomitant internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis by dampening blood flow velocity. To investigate the effect of AS on ICA blood flow we evaluated carotid and vertebral blood flow velocity indexes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implanta-tion (TAVI). Eighty-five patients admitted for endovascular treatment of a severe AS underwent supra-aortic Duplex ultrasound (DUS) examination prior and after TAVI to be enrolled in the study. Patients with other cardiac impairments that could configure a confounding factor were excluded. Pa-tients with symptomatic or severe ICA stenosis defined according to NASCET criteria were ex-cluded. Forty-five patients of a median age of 80 years met the study inclusion criteria. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the assessed supraortic arteries increased after TAVI: respectively common ca-rotid artery (CCA) 64 ± 17 cm/s vs 78 ± 23 cm/s, p= 0,01; ICA 68 ± 23 cm/s vs 96 ± 35 cm/s, p= 0,01; vertebral artery (VA) 45 ± 14 cm/s vs 52 ± 15 cm/s, p=0,03. Similarly, the end diastolic velocity (EDV) increased after TAVI: respectively CCA 13 ± 6 cm/s vs 15 ± 7 cm/s, p=ns; ICA 20 ± 9 cm/s vs 24 ± 9 cm/s, p= 0,01; VA 9 ± 4 cm/s vs 11 ± 4 cm/s, p=0,01. Consistently, the mean acceleration time (AC) decreased after TAVI: respectively CCA 0,17 ± 0,05 s vs 0,12 ± 0,05 s, p= 0.01; ICA 0,1 8 ± 0,05 s vs 0,12 ± 0,04 s, p= 0,01; VA 0,16 ± 0,05 s vs 0,11 ± 0,05 s, p=0,02. Severe AS significantly affects supra-aortic arteries blood flow as assessed by duplex, by de-creasing both PSV and EDV and increasing AC. This study suggests that carotid ultrasound cri-teria to assess ICA stenosis severity should be re-evaluated in larger multicenter studies to vali-date their predictive values in patients with concomitant AS.

Cervical cancer remains a major public health problem. Despite the screening programs, cervical cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer. Most of the cases occur in less developed countries, and it is the third leading cause of cancer death among females. In 2000–2007, the five-year relative survival rate for European women diagnosed with cervical cancer was 62%.[1] Standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer reveals external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with concurrent chemotherapy followed by image-guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) boost [2, 3]. In the last years, the Gynaecological (GYN) working group composed of Group Européen de Curiethérapie-European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (GEC-ESTRO) has developed new recommendations for the treatment of cervical cancer based on IGABT. The treatment plan includes 3-dimensional (3D) imaging based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT), adaptive to the target volume and organ at risk [4–6]. The brachytherapy insertion is made under anaesthesia. At the time of the application insertion, the ultrasound is used to guide the dilatation of the uterine canal and assess the depth of the uterine cavity. In this paper, we review the data available in international literature about the use of ultrasound (US) in brachytherapy treatment of cervical cancer.

Ultrasound based haptic feedback is a potential technology for human-computer interaction (HCI) with the advantages of low cost, low power consumption and controlled force. In this paper, the phase optimization for multipoint haptic feedback based on ultrasound array is investigated and the corresponding experimental verification is provided. A mathematical model of acoustic pressure is established for the ultrasound array and then a phase optimization model for an ultrasound transducer is constructed. We propose a pseudo-inverse (PINV) algorithm to accurately determine the phase contribution of each transducer in the ultrasound array. By controlling the phase difference of the ultrasound array, the multipoint focusing forces are formed leading to various shapes such as geometries and letters that can be visualized. Because the unconstrained PINV solution results in unequal amplitudes for each transducer, a weighted amplitude iterative optimization is deployed to further optimize the phase solution, by which the uniform amplitude distributions of each transducer are obtained. For the purpose of experimental verifications, a platform of ultrasound haptic feedback consisting of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an electrical circuit and an ultrasound transducer array is prototyped. The haptic performances of single point, multiple points and dynamic trajectory were verified by controlling the ultrasound force exerted on the liquid surface. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed phase optimization model and theoretical results are effective and feasible, and the acoustic pressure distribution is consistent with the simulation results.

This paper discusses the computer-aided (CAD) classification between Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), i.e., the most common type of liver cancer, and Liver Abscess, based on ultrasound image texture features and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. Among 79 cases of liver diseases, with 44 cases of HCC and 35 cases of liver abscess, this research extracts 96 features of Gray-Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) and Gray-Level Run-Length Matrix (GLRLM) from the region of interests (ROIs) in ultrasound images. Three feature selection models, i) Sequential Forward Selection, ii) Sequential Backward Selection, and iii) F-score, are adopted to determine the identification of these liver diseases. Finally, the developed system can classify HCC and liver abscess by SVM with the accuracy of 88.875%. The proposed methods can provide diagnostic assistance while distinguishing two kinds of liver diseases by using a CAD system.

We found an important fact that the beam footprint line of Ping will intersect with the real water depth when the initial incidence angle is about 45°, and sound velocity error hardly has an effect on it. This is contrary to our previous experience that the soundings of the central beam of multi-beam bathymetric system (MBS) is the most accurate. Firstly, the influence of sound velocity errors on central beam and seafloor topography distortion was analyzed. Secondly, the process of proving this fact was given, and the topography correction method was proposed by compensating the sound velocity profile area (SVP area). Finally, we showed in the first simulation of four type errors in SVPs that this fact is verified. The topography correction method used in the second simulation to correct the topography distortion of the first simulation is also verified.

Surface velocity is traditionally measured with in situ techniques such as velocity probes (in shallow rivers) or Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (in deeper water). In the last years, researchers have developed remote sensing techniques, both optical (e.g., image-based velocimetry techniques) and microwave (e.g., Doppler radar). These techniques can be deployed from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), which ensure fast and low-cost surveys also in remotely-accessible locations. We compare the results obtained with a UAS-borne Doppler radar and UAS-borne Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in different rivers, which presented different hydraulic–morphological conditions (width, slope, surface roughness and sediment material). The Doppler radar was a commercial 24 GHz instrument, developed for static deployment, adapted for UAS integration. PIV was applied with natural seeding (e.g., foam, debris) when possible, or with artificial seeding (woodchips) in the stream where the density of natural particles was insufficient. PIV reconstructed the velocity profile with high accuracy typically in the order of a few cm s⁻¹ and a coefficient of determination (R²) typically larger than 0.7 (in half of the cases larger than 0.85), when compared with acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) or velocity probe, in all investigated rivers. However, UAS-borne Doppler radar measurements show low reliability because of UAS vibrations, large instrument sampling footprint, large required sampling time and difficult-to-interpret quality indicators suggesting that additional research is needed to measure surface velocity from UAS-borne Doppler radar.

This work investigates the use of Non-destructive tests as a tool for monitoring the structural performance of concrete structures. The investigation encompassed four phases; the first of which involved the use of destructive and non-destructive mechanisms to assess concrete strength on cube specimens. The second phase research focused on site assessment for a twin engineering theatre located at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos using rebound hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity tester. The third phase was the use of linear regression analysis model with MATLAB to establish a relationship between calibrated strength as well as ultrasonic pulse velocities with their corresponding compressive strength values on cubes and values obtained from existing structures. Results show that the root-mean squared-R² values for rebound hammer ranged between 0.275 and 0.742 while ultrasonic pulse velocity R² values were in the range of 0.649 and 0.952 for air curing and water curing systems respectively. It initially appeared that the Ultrasonic pulse velocity was more suitable for predicting concrete strength than rebound hammer but further investigations showed that the latter was adequate for early age concrete while the former was more suited for aging concrete. Hence, a combined use is recommended in this work.

Accurate prostate volume estimation is crucial for effective prostate disease management. Ultrasound (US) imaging, particularly transrectal ultrasound, offers a cost-effective and rapid assessment. However, US images often suffer from artifacts and poor contrast, making prostate volume estimation challenging. This review explores recent advancements in deep learning (DL) techniques for automatic prostate segmentation in US images as a primary step for prostate volume estimation. We examine various DL architectures, including traditional U-Net modifications and innovative designs incorporating residual connections, multi-directional image data, and attention mechanisms. Additionally, we discuss pre-processing methods to enhance image quality, the integration of shape information, and strategies to improve the consistency and robustness of DL models. The effectiveness of these techniques is evaluated through metrics such as Dice Similarity Coefficient, Jaccard Index, and Hausdorff Distance. The review highlights the potential of DL in improving prostate volume estimation accuracy and reducing clinical workload, while also identifying areas for future research to enhance model performance and generalizability.

The black hole (BH) phenomenon is an intraluminal restenotic lesion. It was identified by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) after intracoronary brachytherapy and drug-eluting stent implantation. Despite the similarity in the mode of action of brachytherapy and drug-eluting stent implantation, the BH phenomenon appears to be uncommon after drug-eluting stent implantation. Specifically, the BH phenomenon is better identified by OCT than by IVUS. Herein, we present a case of in-stent restenosis with suspected BH phenomenon on IVUS confirmed by OCT.

(1) Background: Patella and achilles tendon injuries have become increasingly prevalent due to an increasingly active population. These injuries can cause significant dysfunction which is especially true for elite athletes. Standard B-Mode ultrasound has been useful in the diagnosis of these injuries, however, only to a limited extent. Shear wave elastography (SWE) can aid in evaluation by objectively measuring tissue stiffness. Prior studies have proven shear wave values can be used to evaluate tendon tissue noting differences in healthy versus pathologic tendons. One main limitation remains a lack of normative data for specific tendon tissues which we aim to address in this study; (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study of healthy volunteers aged 18-65 without lower extremity injury was evaluated using A Samsung RS85 Prestige ultrasound machine with a 14L-2 MHz transducer. Shear wave values were collected in a standardized manner for the patellar tendon at one location, as well as the achilles tendon at the midportion and insertional areas; (3) Results: Data for 54 healthy adult patellar and achilles tendons was collected bilaterally. The mean SWE average of the patellar tendon (P1-P3) for all subjects was 96.3 +/- 10.9 kPA. A higher BMI was correlated with a decrease in patella tendon kPA and the mean PT1 was higher for males compared to females (adjusted mean 96.4 kPA for males and 88.5 kPA for females, mean difference = 7.9 kPA; P = 0.009). The mean SWE average of the insertional Achilles (AT1-AT3) for all subjects was 101.7 +/-16.2 kPA and for the midportion achilles (MTP1-MTP5) was 145.6 +/- 18.8 kPA. There was a decrease in kPA for insertional Achilles measurements in those with a higher BMI, but this did not reach statistical significance (p=.12); (4) Conclusion: This study provides normative SWE values for the patella and achilles tendon using the Samsung RS85. These values can be used for comparison to pathological tissue by means of the same examination protocol to better understand tendon degeneration. Further studies are warranted as to how SWE can be applied to the diagnosis of tendinopathy, partial and full-thickness tears, and response to treatment.

Ultrasonography is a relevant diagnostic tool extensively used andrology of human and do-mestic animals, including dogs. The present review aimed to describe all the technologies based on ultrasound, starting with the basic B-Mode ultrasonography to the recent contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and the ultrasound elastography, available to assess the testicle of the dog. The principles of the different technologies and the relevant findings in normal and ab-normal testicular conditions were described and discussed. B-mode ultrasonography aims at the examination of the testis detecting focal lesions but lacks objectivization. Other technologies, such as Doppler ultrasonography, B-Flow, and CEUS allow the definition of vascular patterns, that could be measured with specific applications, such as spectral Doppler or quantitative CEUS. Finally, ultrasound elastography allows the estimation of parenchyma stiffness, in both qualitatively and quantitatively manner. Ultrasound-based technologies assist the andrology in the evaluation of the testicular function and integrity, offering valuable information to define pathological conditions that could have an impact on the health and life quality of the male dog.

This paper develops the study of the effect of powerful ultrasound on the laser breakdown of liquids and a comparative study of the possibilities of acoustic and optical diagnostics of breakdown. The method of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for elemental analysis of liquids, along with high efficiency, continues to be less sensitive compared to traditional chemical methods. The paper develops a method of using additional ultrasound irradiation of the laser breakdown area in order to increase the efficiency of LIBS. Using the developed technique, spectral lines of chemical elements such as potassium, manganese, sodium, calcium, etc. were obtained for the first time depending on the frequency and power of ultrasound. It is shown that a sharp increase in the intensity of spectral lines of elements in water during laser breakdown is observed in the field of high-power ultrasound. It indicates an increase in the sensitivity of the combined method of ultrasonic LIBS. Along with the optical spectrum, the spectral and energy characteristics of acoustic emission were studied. An automated complex for hydrophysical and spectral studies is described, which was tested in the Sea of Japan during the voyage No. 81 of the research vessel RV "Professor Gagarinsky" in August 2022.

Ultrasound has become widely used as a mean to measure the rectus femoris muscle in the acute and chronic phase of critical illness. Despite its noninvasiveness and accessibility, its accuracy highly depends on the skills of the technician. However, few ultrasound phantoms for the confirmation of its accuracy or to improve technical skills exist. In this study, we created a novel phantom model and used it for investigating the accuracy of measurements and for training. Study 1 investigated how various conditions affect ultrasound measurements such as thickness, cross-sectional area, and echogenicity. Study 2 investigated if the phantom can be used for training of various health care providers in vitro and vivo. Study 1 showed that thickness, cross-sectional area, and echogenicity were affected by probe compression strength, probe angle, phantom compression, and varying equipment. Study 2 in vitro showed that using the phantom for training improved the accuracy of the measurements taken within phantom, and Study 2 in vivo showed the phantom training had a short-term effect on improving the measurement accuracy in a human volunteer. The new ultrasound phantom model revealed that various conditions affected ultrasound measurements, and phantom training improved the measurement accuracy.

Nerve hydrodissection (HD), a technique used when treating nerve entrapments, involves using an anesthetic or solution such as saline or 5% dextrose solution to separate the nerve from the surrounding tissue, fascia, or adjacent structures. This technique aims to treat neuropathic pain, or pain caused by the nerve. Ultrasound-guided HD of peripheral nerves has gained significant attention in the medical profession and pain management fields in recent years. This is due to a number of high impact publications of randomized control trials demonstrating the efficacy and safety of this technique for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Even the 20th edition of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine textbook lists injection of 5% dextrose as an alternative local treatment that does not have the side effects of corticosteroids. At present, there is no review of the current literature on this technique. This manuscript will summarize and discuss the following: 1) the different approaches to doing ultrasound-guided HD of nervous structures, 2) its usages in different clinical situations, 3) its clinical pearls, 4) the solution used, and 5) the postulated mechanisms of action.

Virtual Histology- Intravascular Ultrasound (VH-IVUS) image is an available method for visualizing plaque component to detect thin cap fibroatheroma. Nevertheless, this imaging modality has considerable limitations to extract the plaque component features and identifying the TCFA plaque. The aim of this paper is to improve the identification of TCFA using fusion of IVUS and VH-IVUS images. In order to generate the automatic technique for reducing the human interaction, a new method namely Active Contour based Plaque Border Detection (ACPB) is proposed. In order to perform the pixel wise classification, hybrid of K-means algorithm with Particle Swarm Optimization and Plaque based Minimum Euclidean Distance (KMPSO-PMED) method is presented to classify the plaque region as well. Moreover, to obtain more significant information of imaging modalities, fusion of two different images consisting of VH-IVUS and IVUS is performed. Therefore, geometric features are extracted from the plaque region and combine with IVUS features. Furthermore, different group of plaque features are divided by means of the histopathological studies. SVM classifiers is applied to detect the TCFA and non-TCFA plaques. The proposed method is applied on 566 in-vivo IVUS and their matching VH-IVUS images obtained from 9 patients. The best result of SVM illustrates the accuracy rates of 99.41% for classification of TCFA plaque. The results prove that the highest accuracy is achieved by integrated features of IVUS and VH-IVUS images.

Relationship between the results of penile duplex doppler ultrasound (PDDU) and response to vardenafil was investigated in patients diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED). Data of 148 patients with ED were analysed retrospectively. Patients who did not respond to therapy were classified as Group I (n = 32), those responded partially were classified as Group II (n = 40) and complete responders were classified as Group III (n = 76). Age, comorbid diseases, vascular and penile pathology were compared among the three groups. While diabetes mellitus (DM) and dyslipedimia positivity adversely affect the response to treatment, the presence of hypertension (HT), peyronie's disease and priapism increase the therapeutic response to the treatment (p < 0.05). Arterial insufficiency was present in 20(30.3%), 25(37,9%) and 21(31.8%) of the patients in Group I, Group II and Group III, respectively (p = 0.001). Venous insufficiency was observed in 3(14.3%) patients in Group I and in 8(85.7%) patients in Group III (p = 0.001). Arterial/venous insufficiency was seen in 9(30%), 14(46.7%) and 7(23.3%) of the patients in Group I, Group II and Group III, respectively (p = 0.001). Response rate to treatment was highest in normal patients according to PDDU, followed by patients with venous insuffiency. Besides, it was found that DM decreased the response to treatment, whereas response was increased in cases with HT, priapism and Peyronie’s disease.