Assessment of intramuscular activation patterns using ultrasound M-mode strain

The intramuscular activation pattern can be connected to the motor unit recruitment strategy of force generation and fatigue resistance. Electromyography has earlier been used in several studies to quantify the spatial inhomogeneity of the muscle activation. We applied ultrasound M-mode strain to study the activation pattern through the tissue deformation. Correlation values of the strain at different force levels were used to quantify the spatial changes in the activation. The assessment was done including the biceps brachii muscle of 8 healthy subjects performing isometric elbow flexion contractions ranging from 0% to 80% of maximum voluntary contraction. The obtained results were repeatable and demonstrated consistent changes of the correlation values during force regulation, in agreement with previously presented EMG-results. Both intra-subject and inter-subject activation patterns of strain were considered along and transverse the fiber direction. The results suggest that ultrasound M-mode strain can be used as a complementary method to study intramuscular activation patterns with high spatial resolution.     

A proposed enhancement to the in air sensitivity test for ultrasound quality assurance

PurposeA number of guidelines for ultrasound quality assurance recommend the use of the in air reverberation depth as a proxy measure for sensitivity. The test is quantised, i.e. it depends on the brightness of the deepest in air reverberation. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible enhancement to the test, where the gain is reduced to determine the “reverberation threshold”.MethodsThe test was introduced in several ultrasound departments. Results were audited to determine agreement with annual tests of sensitivity using a tissue mimicking test object.ResultsThe new test was performed on 100 probes. A change in reverberation threshold was demonstrated in 9 probes; 8 of these also had changes in penetration and/or grey level in a tissue mimicking test object. Reduced penetration but no change in reverberation threshold was seen in 2 probes.ConclusionsThe reverberation threshold provides a simple enhancement to the in air sensitivity test. Periodic sensitivity testing with a tissue mimicking test object remains important.     

蔗糖酯类超声造影剂的制备及兔肝脏超声造影的实验初步观察

目的:探索蔗糖酯类超声造影剂的制备方法,并研究其造影效果。方法:采用声振法制备蔗糖酯类造影剂,将F68和SE-5按一定质量比称取配置微泡包膜材料,以微泡浓度为指标进行制备优化,将F68和SE-5按1:1质量比称取,将其配置成乳状液置入声振仪,以不同超声功率(200 W、400 W、600 W及800 W),不同声振时间(30 s、60 s、90 s、120 s、150 s、180 s、210 s、240 s、270 s及300 s)进行声振处理。将F68和SE-5分别按6:1、5:1、4:1、3:1、2:1、1:1、2:1、3:1及4:1的质量比称取制成乳状液,选择最佳声振功率与声振时间,筛选最佳溶液配比。选用优化条件下制备的微泡,观察兔肝脏造影效果。结果:蔗糖酯类造影剂的最佳制备条件为:泊洛沙姆188(Pluronic F68)和蔗糖酯-5(SE-5)的配比为2:1,声振仪功率为600 W,声振持续时间为240 s。注射造影剂后兔肝脏超声造影图像清晰,回声强度明显增强。结论:通过优化制备工艺,制备出的蔗糖酯类微泡浓度及直径均符合超声造影要求,具有良好显影效果。     

Involvement of nitric oxide in oxidative burst, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activation and Taxol production induced by low-energy ultrasound in Taxus yunnanensis cell suspension cultures

This work was to characterize the generation of nitric oxide (NO) in Taxus yunnanensis cells exposed to low-energy ultrasound (US) and the signal role of NO in elicitation of plant defense responses and secondary metabolite accumulation. The US sonication (3.5-55.6 mW/cm(3) at 40 kHz fixed frequency) for 2 min induced a rapid and dose-dependent NO production in the Taxus cell culture, which exhibited a biphasic time course, reaching the first plateau within 1.5 h and the second within 7 h after US sonication. The NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) potentiated US-induced H(2)O(2) production and cell death. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) or scavenging NO by 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxyde (PTIO) partially blocked the US-induced H(2)O(2) production and cell death. Moreover, the NO inhibitors suppressed US-induced activation of phenylalanine ammonium-lyase (PAL) and accumulation of diterpenoid taxanes (Taxol and baccatin III). These results suggest that NO plays a signal role in the US-induced responses and secondary metabolism activities in the Taxus cells.     

Ultrasonography: an important tool in captive breeding management in elephants and rhinoceroses

Nearly two decades ago, modern wildlife medicine started to gradually use the advantages of the non-invasive ultrasonography, which was already well established in human and classical veterinary medicine. For more than one decade now, the application of imaging ultrasound for reproductive assessments and as a supportive tool during assisted reproduction procedures such as artificial insemination (AI) in elephants and rhinoceroses has dramatically improved the breeding success in captive breeding programmes. The opportunity for identifying potential breeding candidates on the basis of their reproductive health status is widely used for natural mating or for AI, today. The longitudinal sonographic monitoring of pathological processes on the internal female genital tract allowed the identification of pathogenetic causes for the rapid infertility development in older nulliparous females. The factors causing temporary infertility in captive male elephants and rhinoceroses were also identified by the use of ultrasound. Today, ultrasonography is the golden standard for reproductive assessments in megavertebrates such as elephants and rhinoceroses in captive management settings and also in the wild.     

高频超声探查甲状腺结节内钙化的临床价值

目的：探讨甲状腺钙化在诊断和鉴别诊断甲状腺姑节中的临床意义。方法：回顾性分析经超声检查和手术病理证实的77例甲状腺结节患者的临床资料。结果：超声检查与病理对照分析显示：良性20例,结节性甲状腺肿18例,恶性56例,其中乳头状癌50例,乳头状增生1例。良性结节中超声声像图钙化多表现为均匀强回声光斑,光团或弧形光团,后方伴声影。恶性结节中钙化表现为“针尖样”、“砂粒样”、“点状”的微钙化,后方声影可有可无。结论：依据甲状腺结节内钙化的形态大小,可以鉴别甲状腺结节的良恶性。     

Detection of dairy fouling: Combining ultrasonic measurements and classification methods

Fouling and cleaning in heat exchangers are severe and costly (up to 0.3% of gross national product) issues in dairy and food processing. Therefore, reducing cleaning time and cost is urgently needed. In this study, two classification methods [artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM)] for detecting protein and mineral fouling presence and absence based on ultrasonic measurements were presented and compared. ANN is based on a multilayer perceptron feed forward neural network, whereas SVM is based on clustering between fouling and no fouling using a hyperplane. When both fouling types (1239 datasets) were combined, ANN showed an accuracy of 71.9% while SVM displayed an accuracy of 97.6%. Separate fouling detection of mineral/protein fouling by ANN/SVM was comparable: dependent on fouling type detection accuracies of 100% (protein fouling, ANN and SVM), and 98.2% (SVM), and 93.5% (ANN) for mineral fouling was reached. It was shown that it was possible to detect fouling presence and absence offline in a static setup using ultrasonic measurements in combination with a classification method. This study proved the applicability of combining classification methods and fouling measurements to take a step toward reducing cleaning costs and time.     

Quantitative Ultrasound Assessment of Cortical Bone Properties Beyond Bone Mineral Density

The development of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) technologies to measure bone is motivated by the need to overcome the limitations of X-ray based methods, measuring bone mineral density (BMD) which is the gold standard to date for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Because it uses mechanical waves, the ultrasound modality is a particularly relevant means to probe bone mechanical resistance. The vast majority of QUS technologies commercialized to date merely aim to provide surrogate markers for BMD. During the past decade, innovative QUS approaches have emerged to assess bone beyond BMD. This may be achieved by (1) specifically assessing the cortical bone compartment, independently of trabecular bone, and (2) providing intrinsic bone properties such as cortical bone thickness and material properties. One specific motivation is to estimate intracortical porosity, a quantity reflected in material properties. This article aims at an overview of recent QUS developments to measure cortical bone properties. We also draw a picture of the current knowledge on bone material properties of interest for bone QUS. We discuss the potential of ultrasound to provide novel biomarkers of bone health through the assessment of material properties.     

健康体检人员脂肪肝超声诊断结果及其危险因素分析

目的:了解健康体检人员脂肪肝超声诊断结果,分析患病危险因素。方法:选择2018年2月至2018年8月我院体检科接受体检的人员1078例,应用超声对脂肪肝进行筛查,统计受检者脂肪肝超声诊断结果,分析脂肪肝发病的性别、年龄分布情况,应用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析脂肪肝发病的临床相关因素。结果:1078例受检者中发现脂肪肝158例,占14.66%,其中女性43例,检出率为9.31%,男性115例,检出率为18.67%,男性脂肪肝检出率显著高于女性(P0.05)。男性受检者和女性受检者46～55岁年龄段检出率最高,不同年龄段男性、女性受检者脂肪肝检出率均有统计学差异(P0.05)。多因素Logistic回归分析显示:饮酒、体质指数(BMI)≥28 kg/m2、糖尿病、胆石症、总胆固醇(TC)升高、总甘油三酯(TG)升高、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)升高、谷草转氨酶(ALT)和(或)谷丙转氨酶(AST)升高均为脂肪肝发病的独立危险因素(P0.05)。结论:我院健康体检人员脂肪肝检出率为14.66%,男性脂肪肝检出率显著高于女性,且46～55岁年龄段检出率最高。饮酒、BMI≥28 kg/m2、糖尿病、胆石症、TC升高、TG升高、LDL-C升高、ALT和(或)AST升高均为脂肪肝发病的独立危险因素,值得临床重点关注。