Sea-trial verification of ultrasonic antifouling control

An ultrasonic antifouling treatment was applied to a 96,000 m³ class drill-ship to verify its feasibility through a sea-trial. Soon after the hull cleaning had been performed, six ultrasonic projectors were evenly deployed around the starboard shell plate. Driven by a 23 kHz sinusoidal ultrasound in an intermittent manner, the projectors emitted a high-intensity sound reaching 214 dB at the source level causing cavitation around the adjacent water and eventually deterring the settlement of marine fouling organisms. Underwater photographs acquired after four months showed fairly clean slabs on the starboard side, but heavy fouling on the port side. This experiment revealed that ultrasound treatment is a promising method for inhibiting fouling accumulation, even for large-scale ship applications.     

Ultrasound diagnosis in endoprosthesis of lower extremity arterial aneurysms with "Hemobahn"- and "Viabahn"-eluted stents

The paper presents the results of color duplex scanning (CDS) in 7 patients treated at the Unit of Vascular Surgery, Clinical Hospital No. 83, from 2002 to 2006, in whom 5 Hemobahn grafting stents and 2 Viabahm ones were implanted into the lower limb arterial aneurysms and the proximal anastomoses of the iliofemoral alloshunts "Gore-tex". A grafting stent was individually selected for each specific case. All the examinees were males. The patients' age was 60 to 70 years. The results of endovascular interventions were assessed, by analyzing color duplex scanning (CDS) of a grafting stent implantation area in early postoperative periods (days 1-3), further by the scheme following 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and then twice a year. Endovascular intervention areas were studied by the standard procedure on Logic-500 and Vivid-700 ultrasound apparatuses (USA) with a 7.5-MHz linear transducer and a 3.5-MHz convection transducer. In the postoperative period, multiprojection scanning was used to detect stent configuration impairments. According to the data of examination using the CDS technique, a surgical success was noted in 100% of cases. In all cases, stage, adequate aneurysmal stenting along with the restoration of the geometry of proximal anastomoses of iliofemoral alloshunts, iliac and superficial femoral arteries with exclusion of aneurysms from blood flow was diagnosed at a hospital stage. Follow-up ultrasonography revealed no changes in the area of endovascular intervention. Thus, as a highly informative, noninvasive technique, CDS can assess the results of implantation of grafting stents into the arteries and shunts of the lower extremities in both early and late postoperative periods.     

"Seeing the baby": pleasures and dilemmas of ultrasound technologies for primiparous Australian women

The practice of obstetric ultrasound scans has undergone significant expansion in the last two decades and is now a standard part of many women's antenatal care in Australia as elsewhere. This article reviews recent evidence about the value of obstetric ultrasound, summarizing debates and contradictions in research literature and practitioner guidelines. Pregnant women's interpretations of the significance of ultrasound are examined through multiple interviews with 34 study participants. We find that ultrasound has become an integral part of women's embodied experience of pregnancy, with its own pleasures and dilemmas. The increasing use of the technology has augmented the role of scientific biomedicine in the government of pregnancy. This must be understood in the light of trends toward individualized risk management in which the pregnant woman increasingly takes responsibility for the successful outcome of the pregnancy, in a context where pregnancy is discursively constructed as a risky domain of gendered experience in contemporary Australian society.     

Magna-Site tissue expander: an innovation for injection site location

The Magna-Site tissue expander simplifies the use of tissue expanders by facilitating the location of the injection port, thereby reducing the risks associated with faulty injection placement in the past. The injection port is smooth except for the innocuous palpation bumps, drastically reducing the problems of erosion at the injection port site encountered in the past. No drawbacks were encountered with the use of this expander relative to the use of other currently marketed expanders. The new product is available at a cost similar to expanders currently available. It is felt by the authors that this expander represents the next logical step in the evolution of this technology. Just as Dr. Cohen thought, "It will be exciting to see what new devices are created to further enhance the concept of tissue expansion."     

Sirenomelia associated with a "vanishing twin"

A case is presented of twin gestation in which one gestational sac was completely resorbed and the remaining twin was subsequently found to be sirenomelic. First-trimester prenatal ultrasound examination demonstrated a second gestational sac that disappeared 2 weeks later. The sonographic features that led to the diagnosis of sirenomelia in the remaining fetus included severe renal dysgenesis, persistently apposed lower extremities, and absence of fibulae. Postmortem examination, including angiographic studies of the fetus, revealed caudal dysgenesis and a single umbilical artery that arose from the abdominal aorta. Sirenomelia occurs more frequently in twin gestations than in singletons. This case suggests that the association between twinning and sirenomelia may be greater than is currently recognized. Two hypotheses are given to explain this association.     

超声分子成像的研究进展

超声成像无创、无放射性、低成本、实时成像的优点,使其成为目前世界上应用最广的成像手段之一。特别是超声造影剂引入之后,超声成像的图像分辨率和灵敏度得到了大大提高,使超声成像在临床上得到了进一步应用。近年来,随着分子生物学和超声成像技术的不断发展,人们提出了＂超声分子成像＂的概念。它是一项结合了分子靶向造影剂和超声影像技术的能在分子水平下观察病理变化的新兴技术,目前这一技术还处于研究初期阶段。但大量临床前的研究成果已表明超声分子成像在诊断血管生成、炎症和血栓三种疾病具有很大应用前景。本文主要综述了目前常用超声造影剂的种类以及超声分子成像技术的研究现状,并对该技术进行了讨论和展望。     

超声分子成像的研究进展

超声成像无创、无放射性、低成本、实时成像的优点,使其成为目前世界上应用最广的成像手段之一。特别是超声造影剂引入之后,超声成像的图像分辨率和灵敏度得到了大大提高,使超声成像在临床上得到了进一步应用。近年来,随着分子生物学和超声成像技术的不断发展,人们提出了"超声分子成像"的概念。它是一项结合了分子靶向造影剂和超声影像技术的能在分子水平下观察病理变化的新兴技术,目前这一技术还处于研究初期阶段。但大量临床前的研究成果已表明超声分子成像在诊断血管生成、炎症和血栓三种疾病具有很大应用前景。本文主要综述了目前常用超声造影剂的种类以及超声分子成像技术的研究现状,并对该技术进行了讨论和展望。     

"Escherichia coli-milk" biofilm removal from stainless steel surfaces: synergism between ultrasonic waves and enzymes

Three different methods to standardize biofilm removal for in situ sanitary control of closed surfaces in the food industry have been developed and compared, i.e. sonication, enzymatic treatment and a combined treatment which involved the application of ultrasound to enzyme preparations. The biofilm studied was an Escherichia coli model biofilm, made with milk on stainless steel sheets. Plate counting and epifluorescence microscopy were used to assess the efficiency of each treatment. The results are expressed in percentages, 100% denoting total removal, obtained with a flat ultrasonic transducer (T1) developed and presented in a previous study. The application of ultrasound by a patented curved transducer, T2 (10 s, 40 kHz), specifically devised for closed surfaces, was not sufficient to completely remove the biofilm (30 +/- 7%). This biofilm was dislodged by two proteolytic enzyme preparations tested by immersion, viz. a 15-min application of protease (84 +/- 1%) and a 30-min trypsin application (95 +/- 8%). Using a combined treatment, the results showed a synergism between ultrasonic waves and proteolytic or glycolytic enzyme preparations, with removal of a significant amount of biofilm, i.e. 61-96% depending on the conditions tested, i.e. two to three times greater compared to sonication alone (30%). This application was in agreement with an industrial control, i.e. a good reproducible recovery of the biofilm in 10 s compared with 30 or 15 min with the enzyme alone.     

A comparison of portable ultrasound and fully-equipped clinical ultrasound unit in the thyroid size measurement of the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin

Measurement of thyroid size and volume is a useful clinical parameter in both human and veterinary medicine, particularly for diagnosing thyroid diseases and guiding corrective therapy. Procuring a fully-equipped clinical ultrasound unit (FCUS) may be difficult in most veterinary settings. The present study evaluated the inter-equipment variability in dolphin thyroid ultrasound measurements between a portable ultrasound unit (PUS) and a FCUS; for both units, repeatability was also assessed. Thyroid ultrasound examinations were performed on 15 apparently healthy bottlenose dolphins with both PUS and FCUS under identical scanning conditions. There was a high level of agreement between the two ultrasound units in dolphin thyroid measurements (ICC = 0.859–0.976). A high intra-operator repeatability in thyroid measurements was found (PUS: ICC = 0.854–0.984, FCUS: ICC = 0.709–0.954). As a conclusion, no substantial inter-equipment variability was found between PUS and FCUS in dolphin thyroid size measurements under identical scanning conditions, supporting further application of PUS for quantitative analyses of dolphin thyroid gland in both research and clinical practices at aquarium settings.     

Establishment of axon regeneration regulatory network and the role of low intensity pulsed ultrasound in the network

ObjectiveTo establish an axon regeneration regulatory network for optimal selection, and explore the role of low intensity pulsed ultrasound in the network.MethodsThe axon regeneration regulatory network involving axon regeneration-related proteins NGF, BDNF and PirB was constructed by using GO and KEGG. The maximum possible pathway acting on axon regeneration was screened by Bayesian network theory. The node of low - intensity pulsed ultrasound in NGF - involved axon regeneration network was complemented by combining literature methods.ResultsThe NGF, BDNF and PirB-involved axonal regeneration regulatory pathway was successfully constructed. The low intensity pulsed ultrasound played a role in axon regeneration by acting on ERK1/2-CREB pathway and GSK-3β. NGF-TrKA-Rap1-ERK1/2-CREB-Bcl-2 was optimized as optimal pathway by Bayesian theory.ConclusionThe regulatory pathway of axon regeneration involving nerve growth related factors and low intensity pulsed ultrasound was initially established, which provided a theoretical basis for further study of axon regeneration, and also new ideas for action of low intensity pulsed ultrasound on axon regeneration regulatory pathway.     

Solid phase peptide synthesis on hydrophilic supports. Part II--Studies using Perloza beaded cellulose.

Beaded cellulose (Perloza) was modified with acrylonitrile followed by reduction with diborane to give a functionalised support containing aminopropyl groups. This spacer arm was then further extended with a glycolamido or an Fmoc-amino acid-4-oxymethylphenoxyacetyl moiety. A number of peptides, including the Merrifield test peptide leucyl-alanyl-glycyl-valine, leucine-enkephalin, Acyl Carrier Protein (65-74), angiotensin I and II, ACTH(4-11) and LHRH were synthesised on the aminopropyl beaded cellulose support using modified t-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) or fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) synthesis protocols. The peptides were cleaved from the support and further purified.     

Ultrasound enhanced methanol penetration of zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) embryos measured by permittivity changes using impedance spectroscopy

Studies on permittivity changes in fish embryos measured by impedance spectroscopy after ultrasound treatment during exposure to cryoprotectant is reported here for the first time. The permittivity changes of zebrafish embryos in cryoprotectant solutions before and after ultrasound treatment were measured using impedance spectroscopy. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos at 50% epiboly stage were exposed to 2 M methanol for 25 min before ultrasound treatment for 5 min at 22 degrees C. Embryos were treated with ultrasound in different frequencies (24 and 48 kHz) and voltages (50, 100, 150 and 175 V) combinations. The results showed a clear increasing trend of permittivity from voltage 50 to 175 V over lower impedance frequency range of 10-10(3) Hz indicating increased methanol penetration into the embryos after ultrasound treatment. The embryo survival was not compromised after ultrasound treatment under conditions used in the present study. The use of impedance spectroscopy technique provides a useful none-invasive tool for detecting changes of cryoprotectant penetration in fish embryos after ultrasound treatment. The technique is especially useful for the selection of the suitable cryoprotectants in embryo cryopreservation and may also allow quantitative measurements in embryo membrane permeability studies.     

Preliminary investigation of the use of high frequency ultrasound imaging in the chick embryo

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using high frequency ultrasound to study the chick embryo in a noninvasive and longitudinal fashion. METHODS: A total of 10 SPF White Leghorn chick embryos (GDs 11-17; Hamburger and Hamilton stage 37-43) were consecutively examined with a GE Logiq 400 ProSeries ultrasound unit using an 11-MHz small parts ultrasound probe. Access for ultrasound visualization of the embryos was accomplished by opening a 2-3-cm window either in the air cell over the blunt end of the egg or laterally over the embryo-dependent side of the egg. Warmed ultrasound coupling gel was used for imaging, and thermal regulation was maintained with infant heel warmers. The ultrasound images were recorded directly on digital video using a Sony TRV 900 DV camcorder. The images were directly converted to jpeg and mjeg2 files for further analysis. RESULTS: Effective visualization of each embryo was possible on each day of the study period. The embryos were best visualized through the opening made in the air cell at the blunt end of the egg. The extent of the anatomic survey of the chick embryo was dependent upon the position of the embryo in the egg relative to the opening in the air cell. Doppler color flow mapping studies were obtained of the embryonic and extraembryonic circulation. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary investigation clearly shows the feasibility of high frequency ultrasound imaging to study chick embryo development in a longitudinal and noninvasive fashion. Further studies are presently ongoing regarding earlier embryo development, as well as to determine the stability and dynamics of the methodology.     

Computational fluid dynamics modeling of mass-transfer behavior in a bioreactor for hairy root culture. II. Analysis of ultrasound-intensified process

Recently, cichoric acid production from hairy roots of Echinacea purpurea was significantly improved by ultrasound stimulation in an airlift bioreactor. In this article, the possible mechanism on ultrasound-intensified hairy root culture of E. purpurea in the bioreactor was elucidated with the help of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, membrane permeability detection, dissolved oxygen concentration detection, confocal laser-scanning microscopy (LSM) observation, and phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL) activity analysis. The CFD model developed in Part I was used to simulate the hydrodynamics and oxygen mass transfer in hairy root bioreactor culture stimulated by ultrasound. A dynamic mesh model combined with a changing Schmidt number method was used for the simulation of the ultrasound field. Simulation results and experimental data illustrated that ultrasound intensified oxygen mass transfer in the hairy root clump, which subsequently stimulated root growth and cichoric acid biosynthesis. Ultrasound increased the hairy root membrane permeability, and a high root membrane permeability of 0.359 h(-1) was observed at the bottom region in the bioreactor. LSM observation showed that the change in the membrane permeability recovered to normal in the further culture after ultrasound stimulation. PAL activity in the hairy roots was stimulated by ultrasound increase and was correlated well to cichoric acid accumulation in the hairy roots of E. purpurea.     

Genome sequence of the bioplastic-producing "Knallgas" bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16

The H(2)-oxidizing lithoautotrophic bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16 is a metabolically versatile organism capable of subsisting, in the absence of organic growth substrates, on H(2) and CO(2) as its sole sources of energy and carbon. R. eutropha H16 first attracted biotechnological interest nearly 50 years ago with the realization that the organism's ability to produce and store large amounts of poly[R-(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate] and other polyesters could be harnessed to make biodegradable plastics. Here we report the complete genome sequence of the two chromosomes of R. eutropha H16. Together, chromosome 1 (4,052,032 base pairs (bp)) and chromosome 2 (2,912,490 bp) encode 6,116 putative genes. Analysis of the genome sequence offers the genetic basis for exploiting the biotechnological potential of this organism and provides insights into its remarkable metabolic versatility.     

Evaluation of Ultrasound-Induced Damage to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by Flow Cytometry and Transmission Electron Microscopy

As a nonthermal sterilization technique, ultrasound has attracted great interest in the field of food preservation. In this study, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy were employed to investigate ultrasound-induced damage to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. For flow cytometry studies, single staining with propidium iodide (PI) or carboxyfluorescein diacetate (cFDA) revealed that ultrasound treatment caused cell death by compromising membrane integrity, inactivating intracellular esterases, and inhibiting metabolic performance. The results showed that ultrasound damage was independent of initial bacterial concentrations, while the mechanism of cellular damage differed according to the bacterial species. For the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli, ultrasound worked first on the outer membrane rather than the cytoplasmic membrane. Based on the double-staining results, we inferred that ultrasound treatment might be an all-or-nothing process: cells ruptured and disintegrated by ultrasound cannot be revived, which can be considered an advantage of ultrasound over other nonthermal techniques. Transmission electron microscopy studies revealed that the mechanism of ultrasound-induced damage was multitarget inactivation, involving the cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane, and inner structure. Understanding of the irreversible antibacterial action of ultrasound has great significance for its further utilization in the food industry.     

A novel method for the intracellular delivery of siRNA using microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound

Short interfering RNA (siRNA) has attracted much attention for clinical use in various diseases. However, its delivery, especially through the cell membrane, continues to present a challenge. Advances in ultrasound- and ultrasound contrast-agent technologies have made it possible to change transiently the permeability of the cell membrane and, using a focused ultrasound transducer, to narrow and focus the ultrasound energy on a small target, thereby avoiding damage to surrounding tissue. In this in vitro study, we demonstrate that it is possible to deliver siRNA intracellularly via microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound. Although further optimization is necessary, our novel method for siRNA transduction represents a powerful tool for using siRNA in vivo and possibly in the clinical setting.     

有柄石韦中多糖提取工艺的优化

通过正交试验对有柄石韦中多糖提取工艺进行研究,为有柄石韦的深入开发利用提供基础材料。以多糖得率为指标,通过单因素和正交试验,对有柄石韦中多糖提取的工艺参数进行优化。超声时间、超声温度、料液比、水浴温度在多糖提取中影响因素的大小顺序为:提取时间温度料液比。有柄石韦中多糖提取最佳工艺参数组合为:超声温度40℃,提取时间60 min,料水比1∶8 g/mL,水浴时间130 min。以苯酚-硫酸法测定有柄石韦中多糖的提取率,方法可行,稳定。     

Effects of pulsed ultrasound and temperature on the development of rat embryos in culture

Rat embryos in culture were exposed to pulsed ultrasound at SPTA intensity of 1.2 W/cm2 for 5, 15, and 30 min on day 9.5 of development. The whole embryo culture system allowed precise temperature control for directly examining the effects of ultrasound on the developing neural plate. After exposure, embryos were maintained in culture for a further 48 hr. No major morphological abnormalities were observed but a reduction in somite number occurred in the group insonated for 30 min, which was equivalent to a 2 hr delay in embryonic development. Similar delay in growth and "blistering" in the prosencephalon region of some embryos were observed after insonation for 15 min at 40.0 degrees C, an elevation of 1.5 degrees C over the temperature used for controls. Exposure to ultrasound for 15 min at 40 degrees C caused significant reduction in the growth of the head compared with that of control embryos. Heat shock genes for hsps 71/73 and 88 kD were induced after insonation for 30 min at 38.5 degrees C. Insonation did not cause any temperature changes in the culture medium. However, when the temperature of the culture medium was increased during insonation, defective development occurred. The results of these in vitro experiments suggest that ultrasound if resulting in significant hyperthermia could affect the development during early organogenesis of the neural plate and in particular they suggest that the embryo is at greater risk of damage during hyperthermic conditions. These results should provoke discussion of the concept that ultrasound in the febrile patient may present an increased embryonic risk which should be considered when deliberating on the use of diagnostic ultrasound procedures in the pregnant patient.     

腰腹肌运动联合超声波对非特异性下腰痛的治疗效果及机制

为了解腰腹肌运动联合超声波治疗的效果,本研究对腰腹肌运动联合超声波治疗非特异性下腰痛进行了探讨。研究显示,治疗4周后,腰腹肌运动+超声波治疗组的疼痛评分(0.73)显著低于超声波治疗组(1.22)(p<0.05)。腰腹肌运动+超声波治疗组的立位体前屈活动幅度(2.35 cm)显著低于超声波治疗组(6.23 cm)(p<0.05)。腰腹肌运动+超声波治疗组的屈伸肌总功和屈伸肌峰值力矩比显著高于超声波治疗组(p<0.05)。腰腹肌运动+超声波治疗组的Oswestry功能障碍指数问卷表(ODI)评分显著低于超声波治疗组(p<0.05)。治疗4周后,腰腹肌运动+超声波治疗组的血清超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)水平显著高于超声波治疗组,而丙二醛(MDA)水平显著低于超声波治疗组(p<0.05)。为了进一步考察运动联合超声波疗法对下腰痛的治疗机制,本研究建立了完全弗氏佐剂诱导的腰椎间盘退变大鼠模型。采用阿利新蓝染色检测大鼠椎间盘纤维环区和髓核区蛋白多糖的水平,并采用免疫组化染色检测蛋白聚糖和Ⅱ型胶原的表达,发现运动联合超声波治疗可明显提高大鼠蛋白多糖、Ⅱ型胶原和蛋白聚糖水平。本研究表明,与超声波治疗相比,腰腹肌运动联合超声波治疗可更大程度地降低非特异性下腰痛患者的疼痛,提高肌肉功能和腰椎功能,增强血清抗氧化能力,并减少氧化应激损伤。此外,该联合疗法可明显提高腰椎间盘退变大鼠椎间盘中的蛋白多糖、Ⅱ型胶原和蛋白聚糖水平。