Reproducibility of gastrocnemius medialis muscle architecture during treadmill running

The purpose of this study was to assess the reproducibility of fascicle length (FL) and pennation angle (PA) of gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle during running in vivo. Twelve male recreational long distance runners (mean ± SD; age: 24 ± 3 years, mass: 76 ± 7 kg) ran on a treadmill at a speed of 3.0 m/s, wearing their own running shoes, for two different 10 min sessions that were at least 2 days apart. For each test day 10 acceptable trials were recorded. Ankle and knee joint angle data were recorded by a Vicon 624 system with three cameras operating at 120 Hz. B-mode ultrasonography was used to examine fascicle length and pennation angle of gastrocnemius medialis muscle. The ultrasound probe was firmly secured on the muscle belly using a lightweight foam fixation. The results indicated that fascicle length and pennation angle demonstrated high reproducibility values during treadmill running both for within and between test days. The root mean square scores between the repeated waveforms of pennation angle and fascicle length were small (∼2° and ∼3.5 mm, respectively). However, ∼14 trials for pennation angle and ∼9 trials for fascicle length may be required in order to record accurate data from muscle architecture parameters. In conclusion, ultrasound measurements may be highly reproducible during dynamic movements such as treadmill running, provided that a proper fixation is used in order to assure the constant location and orientation of the ultrasound probe throughout the movement.     

A Comparative Analysis of the ‘Green’ Techniques Applied for Polyphenols Extraction from Bioresources

From all the valuable biomass extractives, polyphenols are a widespread group of secondary metabolites found in all plants, representing the most desirable phytochemicals due to their potential to be used as additives in food industry, cosmetics, medicine, and others fields. At present, there is an increased interest to recover them from plant of spontaneous flora, cultivated plant, and wastes resulted in agricultural and food industry. That is why many efforts have been made to provide a highly sensitive, efficiently, and eco‐friendly methods, for the extraction of polyphenols, according to the green chemistry and sustainable development concepts. Many extraction procedures are known with advantages and disadvantages. From these reasons, the aim of this article is to provide a comparative analysis regarding technical and economical aspects related to the most innovative extraction techniques studied in the last time: microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE).     

超声诊断结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小乳头状癌的价值

目的:探讨超声诊断结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小乳头状癌的价值。方法:2010年1月至2014年12月选择来我院进行诊治的结节性甲状腺肿患者80例,病理诊断为结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小乳头状癌30例(恶性组)和单纯结节性甲状腺肿50例(良性组),都进行常规二维超声、超声弹性成像和超声造影检查。结果:恶性组结节多呈现单发、内部低回声、钙化形态不规则特征,与良性组对比差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。恶性组病灶内的血流最小流速明显小于良性组(P0.05),阻力指数与搏动指数明显高于良性组(P0.05)。良性组弹性成像多为2~3分,恶性组多为4~5分,组间对比差异都有统计学意义(P0.05)。恶性组的造影剂平均通过时间明显少于对照组(P0.05),两组的显影时间、达峰时间、峰值强度对比差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:常规超声诊断结节性甲状腺肿合并甲状腺微小乳头状癌的良恶性有一些特异性的征象,超声弹性成像与超声造影可为临床诊断提供补充,有助于提高甲状腺微小乳头状癌的诊断准确率。     

超声定位穿静脉结扎对下肢静脉性溃疡术后愈合影响的临床研究

目的:观察下肢静脉性溃疡患者穿静脉功能不全情况,探讨超声定位下肢穿静脉结扎对下肢静脉性溃疡术后疗效的影响。方法:40例大隐静脉曲张患者随机分成两组:A组采用大隐静脉高位结扎、静脉腔内微波射频闭合术及超声定位穿静脉结扎治疗,B组采用大隐静脉高位结扎和静脉腔内微波射频闭合术治疗。观察两组患者治疗后静脉性溃疡的愈合时间、复发率及瓣膜功能不全穿静脉数量部位,并比较两组患者临床预后评分。结果:术前两组瓣膜功能不全穿静脉数量分别是47条和44条,两组比较差异无统计学意义(P=0.5520)。术后两组愈合时间分别是(7.5±4.389)周和(11.6±6.489)周,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P=0.048)。两组临床预后评分分别为(2.3±0.6)分和(1.1±1.5)分,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P=0.042)。结论:多普勒超声可有效检测定位瓣膜功能不全的下肢穿静脉,在超声定位下行大隐静脉高位结扎、静脉腔内微波射频闭合术联合穿静脉结扎治疗下肢静脉性溃疡的疗效优于穿静脉不结扎。     

Incorporation of ultrasonic cell disintegration into a membrane bioreactor for zero sludge production

For the prevention of excess sludge production from a membrane bioreactor (MBR), an ultrasonic cell disintegration process was incorporated. The results of this study showed that excess sludge production could be prevented using an ultrasound hybrid (MBR-US) system at an organic loading of around 0.91 kg BOD₅/m³ per day. Under the same organic loading rate, the mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) of MBR-US system was maintained at 7000–8000 mg/l while the MLSS of a conventional MBR increased from 7000 to 13,700 mg/l during the experimental period. While sludge production was completely prevented, the effluent quality of the MBR-US system slightly deteriorated. The additional organic loading caused by disintegrated sludge return was considered to be a reason. With sonication the volume of the average particle size of the sludge in the aeration tank decreased from 132 to 95 μm. In the MBR-US system, around 25–30% of total phosphorus removal was achieved without sludge removal from the aeration tank.     

The efficiency of a closed-loop chemical-free water treatment system for cyprinid fish farms

The study presented has been carried out to evaluate the treatment performance, fish production and water consumption of a closed-loop chemical-free water treatment system for small-scale cyprinid fish farms. The closed-loop system consisted of a 36 m³ experimental pond (Pond A) with initial carp load of 1 kg/m³ (34 Cyprinus c. carpio); of a treatment train (TT) with a roughing filter (RF), glass fibre filters (GFF), and UV-C units (UV); and of an ultrasound unit (US) installed in the corner of the pond. The average circulation of the water in the closed-loop system was 2.3 times per day. Pond A was compared with a control pond (Pond B) of the same dimensions and fish load but with no TT or US. The TT was efficient in the removal of total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total coliforms (TC), and faecal coliforms (FC), reaching 35%, 42%, 33%, 37%, 91% and 91% removal, respectively. The majority of pollutant removal took place in the RF, while the GFF contributed mostly to the removal of TC and FC. UV did not contribute to the removal of bacteria, mostly due to low TC and FC inputs. The removal of nutrients in the TT (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, total phosphorous and orto-phosphate) was not efficient. Despite this, Pond A had markedly lower nutrient concentrations compared to Pond B, and all the mean values of the measured parameters except nitrites and total phosphorous in Pond A were below legislation limit. Specific growth rate and fish body weight increase in Pond A were higher than in Pond B (0.3%/day, 0.2%/day, 152% and 115%, respectively) indicating better rearing conditions in Pond A. However, fish showed with 2.8 in Pond A and 3.3 in Pond B poor feed conversion rate over warm months. Higher water consumption in Pond A was due to various interventions during the pilot operation that can be reduced in normal operation. The results showed that the closed-loop system presented could be useful for semi-natural fish farming of 1-2 kg fish/m³. However, the system should be improved with regular sedimented algae removal to avoid nutrient accumulation.     

超声引导下经皮经肝胆囊置管治疗老年化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液的应用价值

目的：探讨超声引导下经皮经肝胆囊置管引流治疗化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液的应用价值。方法：老年患者不能耐受手术或不愿手术治疗,胆囊颈部结石嵌顿引起的化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液患者86例,在超声引导下,8F猪尾巴导管经皮经肝进行胆囊穿刺置管治疗。治疗后用超声进行随访观察,结合临床症状判断疗效。结果：在超声引导下,86例化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液患者均成功进行胆囊穿刺置管引流冲洗治疗,患者症状明显改善,经治疗临床症状消失后出院,择期拔管。结论：超声引导下经皮经肝胆囊置管微创治疗是不能手术或不愿接受手术的化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液患者的一种有效治疗方法。     

超声引导下经皮经肝胆囊置管治疗老年化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液

目的:探讨超声引导下经皮经肝胆囊置管引流治疗化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液的应用价值。方法:老年患者不能耐受手术或不愿手术治疗,胆囊颈部结石嵌顿引起的化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液患者86例,在超声引导下,8F猪尾巴导管经皮经肝进行胆囊穿刺置管治疗。治疗后用超声进行随访观察,结合临床症状判断疗效。结果:在超声引导下,86例化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液患者均成功进行胆囊穿刺置管引流冲洗治疗,患者症状明显改善,经治疗临床症状消失后出院,择期拔管。结论:超声引导下经皮经肝胆囊置管微创治疗是不能手术或不愿接受手术的化脓性胆囊炎伴胆囊积液患者的一种有效治疗方法。     

眼部常见疾病的超声诊断分析

目的:总结眼部常见疾病的超声表现,探讨超声对其的诊断价值。方法:对2009年6月～2010年6月来我院超声科行眼部超声检查(占位性病变经手术或病理学结果证实)的63例患者的资料进行回顾性分析,归纳总结了眼部常见疾病的二维超声(2D)、彩色多普勒(CDFI)及超声造影(CEUS)表现。结果:眼部疾病的超声图像在位置、形状、边界、声学特点及对周围组织的影响等方面具有特征性表现;超声造影能有效地显示出病灶内的血管及血流灌注情况。结论:超声对眼部常见病的诊断是一种简便、无创、经济且诊断符合率高的辅助影像学方法,具有较高的实际应用价值。