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Sample records for ultrasound pressure wire

  1. Experimental and numerical investigation of wire waveguides for therapeutic ultrasound angioplasty

    OpenAIRE

    Noone, Declan J.

    2008-01-01

    Therapeutic ultrasound angioplasty is an emerging minimally invasive cardiovascular procedure for disrupting atherosclerotic lesions using small diameter wire waveguides. The lesions are damaged through a combination of direct ablation, pressure waves, cavitation and acoustic streaming caused by distal-tip displacements at ultrasonic frequencies. Numerical and experimental methods are used to investigate the outputs of the wire waveguides during ultrasonic activation. A commercially avail...

  2. Ultrasound-guided wire localization of lesions detected on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Wire localization for planned surgical treatment in the management of breast cancer is underutilized in our environment. The objective of this study is to assess the role of ultrasound-guided wire localization of breast masses detected on screening mammography and its impact on biopsy and breast ...

  3. Welding wire pressure sensor assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Timothy B. (Inventor); Milly, Peter F., Sr. (Inventor); White, J. Kevin (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    The present invention relates to a device which is used to monitor the position of a filler wire relative to a base material being welded as the filler wire is added to a welding pool. The device is applicable to automated welding systems wherein nonconsumable electrode arc welding processes are utilized in conjunction with a filler wire which is added to a weld pool created by the electrode arc. The invention senses pressure deviations from a predetermined pressure between the filler wire and the base material, and provides electrical signals responsive to the deviations for actuating control mechanisms in an automatic welding apparatus so as to minimize the pressure deviation and to prevent disengagement of the contact between the filler wire and the base material.

  4. Ultrasound-guided lumpectomy of nonpalpable breast cancer versus wire-guided resection: a randomized clinical trial.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rahusen, F.D.; Bremers, A.J.A.; Fabry, H.F.; Taets van Amerongen, A.H.; Boom, R.P.; Meijer, S.

    2002-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The wire-guided excision of nonpalpable breast cancer often results in tumor resections with inadequate margins. This prospective, randomized trial was undertaken to investigate whether intraoperative ultrasound (US) guidance enables a better margin clearance than the wire-guided

  5. Surface cleaning of metal wire by atmospheric pressure plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, T.; Buttapeng, C.; Furuya, S.; Harada, N.

    2009-01-01

    In this study, the possible application of atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma for the annealing of metallic wire is examined and presented. The main purpose of the current study is to examine the surface cleaning effect for a cylindrical object by atmospheric pressure plasma. The experimental setup consists of a gas tank, plasma reactor, and power supply with control panel. The gas assists in the generation of plasma. Copper wire was used as an experimental cylindrical object. This copper wire was irradiated with the plasma, and the cleaning effect was confirmed. The result showed that it is possible to remove the tarnish which exists on the copper wire surface. The experiment reveals that atmospheric pressure plasma is usable for the surface cleaning of metal wire. However, it is necessary to examine the method for preventing oxidization of the copper wire.

  6. Evaluation of a three-dimensional ultrasound localisation system incorporating probe pressure correction for use in partial breast irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, E J; Symonds-Taylor, R; Treece, G M; Gee, A H; Prager, R W; Brabants, P; Evans, P M

    2009-10-01

    This work evaluates a three-dimensional (3D) freehand ultrasound-based localisation system with new probe pressure correction for use in partial breast irradiation. Accuracy and precision of absolute position measurement was measured as a function of imaging depth (ID), object depth, scanning direction and time using a water phantom containing crossed wires. To quantify the improvement in accuracy due to pressure correction, 3D scans of a breast phantom containing ball bearings were obtained with and without pressure. Ball bearing displacements were then measured with and without pressure correction. Using a single scan direction (for all imaging depths), the mean error was <1.3 mm, with the exception of the wires at 68.5 mm imaged with an ID of 85 mm, which gave a mean error of -2.3 mm. Precision was greater than 1 mm for any single scan direction. For multiple scan directions, precision was within 1.7 mm. Probe pressure corrections of between 0 mm and 2.2 mm have been observed for pressure displacements of 1.1 mm to 4.2 mm. Overall, anteroposterior position measurement accuracy increased from 2.2 mm to 1.6 mm and to 1.4 mm for the two opposing scanning directions. Precision is comparable to that reported for other commercially available ultrasound localisation systems, provided that 3D image acquisition is performed in the same scan direction. The existing temporal calibration is imperfect and a "per installation" calibration would further improve the accuracy and precision. Probe pressure correction was shown to improve the accuracy and will be useful for the localisation of the excision cavity in partial breast radiotherapy.

  7. Does the insertion of a gel-based marker at stereotactic breast biopsy allow subsequent wire localizations to be carried out under ultrasound guidance?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McMahon, M.A.; James, J.J.; Cornford, E.J.; Hamilton, L.J.; Burrell, H.C.

    2011-01-01

    Aim: To investigate whether the insertion of a gel-based marker at the time of stereotactic breast biopsy allows subsequent preoperative localization to be performed under ultrasound guidance. Materials and methods: One hundred consecutive women who underwent either a 10 G stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy or 14 G stereotactic core biopsy with marker placement, followed by wire localization and surgical excision were identified. All had mammographic abnormalities not initially visible with ultrasound. The method of preoperative localization was recorded and its success judged with reference to the wire position on the post-procedure films relative to the mammographic abnormality and the marker. Histopathology data were reviewed to ensure the lesion had been adequately excised. Results: Eighty-three women (83%) had a successful ultrasound-guided wire localization. Successful ultrasound-guided localization was more likely after stereotactic vacuum biopsy (86%) compared to stereotactic core biopsy (68%), although this did not quite reach statistical significance (p = 0.06). Conclusion: The routine placement of a gel-based marker after stereotactic breast biopsy facilitates preoperative ultrasound-guided localization.

  8. Design Issues for Therapeutic Ultrasound Angioplasty Waveguides

    OpenAIRE

    Noone, Declan; Gavin, Graham; McGuinness, Garrett

    2008-01-01

    Therapeutic ultrasound angioplasty is a new minimally invasive cardiovascular procedure for disrupting atherosclerotic lesions. Mechanical energy is transmitted in the form of ultrasound waves via long, flexible wire waveguides navigated to the lesion site through the vascular system. The underpinning principle of this technology is that plaque may be disrupted through a combination of direct contact ablation, pressure waves, cavitation and acoustic streaming, which all depend on the amplitud...

  9. Anomalies of ultrasound attenuation in metals under hydrostatic pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galkin, A.A.; Datsko, O.I.; Varyukhin, V.N.; Pilipenko, N.P.

    1978-01-01

    Ultrasonic attenuation was measured in polycrystal specimens of molybdenum, chromium and zinc under hydrostatic pressure up to 6 kbar. On the plot of ultrasound attenuation dependence on the pressure in molybdenum the maxima are observed under the pressure of 2 kbar. The anomaly of ultrasound attenuation is shown to connect only with brittle-ductile transtion

  10. Perioperative ultrasound-guided wire marking of calcific deposits in calcifying tendinitis of the rotator cuff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigg, Andreas; Draws, Detlev; Stamm, Axel; Pfeiffer, Michael

    2011-03-01

    The identification of a calcific deposit in the rotator cuff can often cause difficulties. A new technique is described to identify the calcific deposit perioperatively with a ultrasound-guided wire. The technique allows a safe direct marking of calcific deposits making the procedure faster especially in difficult cases.

  11. Wire-mesh and ultrasound techniques applied for the characterization of gas-liquid slug flow

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ofuchi, Cesar Y.; Sieczkowski, Wytila Chagas; Neves Junior, Flavio; Arruda, Lucia V.R.; Morales, Rigoberto E.M.; Amaral, Carlos E.F.; Silva, Marco J. da [Federal University of Technology of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil)], e-mails: ofuchi@utfpr.edu.br, wytila@utfpr.edu.br, neves@utfpr.edu.br, lvrarruda@utfpr.edu.br, rmorales@utfpr.edu.br, camaral@utfpr.edu.br, mdasilva@utfpr.edu.br

    2010-07-01

    Gas-liquid two-phase flows are found in a broad range of industrial applications, such as chemical, petrochemical and nuclear industries and quite often determine the efficiency and safety of process and plants. Several experimental techniques have been proposed and applied to measure and quantify two-phase flows so far. In this experimental study the wire-mesh sensor and an ultrasound technique are used and comparatively evaluated to study two-phase slug flows in horizontal pipes. The wire-mesh is an imaging technique and thus appropriated for scientific studies while ultrasound-based technique is robust and non-intrusive and hence well suited for industrial applications. Based on the measured raw data it is possible to extract some specific slug flow parameters of interest such as mean void fraction and characteristic frequency. The experiments were performed in the Thermal Sciences Laboratory (LACIT) at UTFPR, Brazil, in which an experimental two-phase flow loop is available. The experimental flow loop comprises a horizontal acrylic pipe of 26 mm diameter and 9 m length. Water and air were used to produce the two phase flow under controlled conditions. The results show good agreement between the techniques. (author)

  12. Usefulness and limits of ultrasound guided hook-wire positioning for localisation of soft tissue lesions prior to surgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trenaghi, Alberto; Dal Bosco, Chiara; Talenti, Enrico; Rubaltelli, Enrico; Borsato, Simonetta; Rossi, Carlo Riccardo; Lumachi, Franco

    2005-01-01

    Purpose. The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of positioning metal wires under ultrasound guidance for localising soft tissue lesions in the preoperative phase. Materials and methods. We studied superficial soft-tissue lesions in 12 patients, using hooked mammographic wires of different lengths. One patient had a multifocal growth of disease which required a double localisation procedure. Correct positioning of the wire was confirmed by ultrasonography. All patients underwent surgery within five hours of hook-wire positioning. Results. Correct wire position was confirmed at surgery in 12 out of 13 procedures. In one case the hook-wire reached the margin of the lesion. In all cases, the preoperative localisation procedure facilitated identification and resection of the masses. Conclusions. In our experience, the main indications for hook-wire positioning before surgery are: marking of small lesions, localisation of lesions in anatomic areas structurally subverted by previous surgery and consequently difficult to detect, guidance for surgical sectioning in order to safeguard the noble structures dose to the lesions [it

  13. Develoment of pressure drop calculation modules for a wire-wrapped LMR subassembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Young Gyun; Lim, Hyun Jin; Kim, Won Seok; Kim, Young Il

    2000-06-01

    Pressure drop calculation modules for a wire-wrapped LMR subassembly was been developed. This report summarizes present information on pressure drop calculation modules for inlet hole, lower part and upper part of a wire-wrapped LMR subassembly which was developed using simple formulas of sudden expansion and sudden contraction. A case calculation study was done using design data of a KALIMER driver fuel subassembly. And the total pressure drop in the driver fuel subassembly, except for the bundle part, was calculated as 0.13 MPa, which is in the reasonable pressure drop range. The developed modules will be integrated in the total subassembly pressure drop calculation code with further improvements

  14. Heat transfer experiments in a wire-inserted tube at supercritical pressures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bae, Yoon Yeong; Kim, Hwan Yeol; Yoo, Tae Ho

    2009-07-15

    The hydraulic diameter of a subchannel in a core concept developed at KAERI is 6.5 mm. The sub-channel is much smaller than that of the conventional PWR, and naturally a helical wire was considered as one of the candidates for a spacer. For simplicity the subchannel is simulated by a commercially available Inconel 625 tube of 6.32 mm ID with a helically-coiled spring steel wire insert of 1.3 mm OD. The medium is CO{sub 2}. The test pressures are 7.75 and 8.12 MPa corresponding to 1.05 and 1.1 times the critical pressure of CO{sub 2}, respectively. The mass flux and heat flux, which were in the range of 400 {approx} 1200 kg/m{sup 2}s and 30 {approx} 90 kW/m{sup 2} respectively, were varied at a given system pressure. The corresponding Reynolds numbers at the inlet spans between 2.5 x 10{sup 4} and 7.5 x 10{sup 4}. It was observed that the heat transfer was enhanced by almost twice in most of the tested enthalpy range except for in the the region far from the pseudocritical point. The test results revealed that the wire effect was sustained in the downstream up to 40-60 times the wire diameter. The temperature decreased in the first half of the span between contact points and it increased in the second half of the span.

  15. Investigation of surface treatment of conductive wire in cylindrical atmospheric pressure plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ye Rubin; Kagohashi, Tsutomu; Zheng Wei

    2009-01-01

    Polyethylene insulated electric wire was treated in He and Ar dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric pressure plasmas generated in a quartz tube wound with tubular electrodes. The wire was put penetrating through the high voltage and the grounded electrodes, improving the discharge and facilitating uniform surface treatment. In this work, the influences of conductivity of the wire on the effects of surface treatment and discharge behavior were investigated. Surface properties of the wire samples were analyzed by means of surface energy measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In order to reveal the mechanism for treating the conductive wire, I-V discharge waveforms were measured and time-resolved plasma images were taken. It was demonstrated that the conductive wire was involved in the discharge process, reducing the breakdown voltage significantly and enhancing the discharge. It shows that the discharge mode was strongly dependent on the conductivity of a wire. Intensive surface discharges developed along the conductive wire were found to be mainly responsible for noticeable improvement in the treatment effect.

  16. Pressure drop measurements in LMFBR wire wrapped blanket assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiu, C.; Hawley, J.; Rohsenow, W.M.; Todreas, N.E.

    1977-07-01

    In this experiment, measurements of subchannel static pressure for an interior and edge subchannel were taken at two elevations in two wire-wrapped 61-pin bundles. One of the bundles has geometric characteristics of P/D = 1.067 and H/D = 8.0 (4 inch lead length and 0.501 inch rod diameter) and the other bundle has geometric characteristics of P/D = 1.067 and H/D = 4.0 (2 inch lead length and 0.501 inch rod diameter). The bundle average friction factors as well as the local subchannel friction factors for both interior and edge subchannels were determined from the experimental static pressure data. The average subchannel flow rates for both edge and interior subchannels were determined in a separate experiment. Results show that two correlations suggested by Rehme and Novendstern for the bundle average friction factor cannot predict the data within the range of experimental error. The bundle average friction factors for both bundles under test were underestimated by Rehme's correlation and overestimated by Novendstern's correlation. The results of the local subchannel friction factors indicate the effect of the wire lead length is more pronounced in the interior subchannel friction factor than in the edge subchannel friction factor. As the wire wrap lead length decreases, both interior and edge subchannel friction factors increase

  17. Pressure drop measurements in LMFBR wire wrapped blanket assemblies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chiu, C.; Hawley, J.; Rohsenow, W.M.; Todreas, N.E.

    1977-07-01

    In this experiment, measurements of subchannel static pressure for an interior and edge subchannel were taken at two elevations in two wire-wrapped 61-pin bundles. One of the bundles has geometric characteristics of P/D = 1.067 and H/D = 8.0 (4 inch lead length and 0.501 inch rod diameter) and the other bundle has geometric characteristics of P/D = 1.067 and H/D = 4.0 (2 inch lead length and 0.501 inch rod diameter). The bundle average friction factors as well as the local subchannel friction factors for both interior and edge subchannels were determined from the experimental static pressure data. The average subchannel flow rates for both edge and interior subchannels were determined in a separate experiment. Results show that two correlations suggested by Rehme and Novendstern for the bundle average friction factor cannot predict the data within the range of experimental error. The bundle average friction factors for both bundles under test were underestimated by Rehme's correlation and overestimated by Novendstern's correlation. The results of the local subchannel friction factors indicate the effect of the wire lead length is more pronounced in the interior subchannel friction factor than in the edge subchannel friction factor. As the wire wrap lead length decreases, both interior and edge subchannel friction factors increase.

  18. Pressure dependence of photoluminescence of InAs/InP self-assembled quantum wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruiz-Castillo, M.; Segura, A.; Sans, J.A.; Martinez-Pastor, J.; Fuster, D.; Gonzalez, Y.; Gonzalez, L.

    2007-01-01

    This paper investigates the electronic structure of self-assembled InAs quantum wires (QWrs), grown under different conditions by molecular beam epitaxy on InP, by means of photoluminescence measurements under pressure. In samples with regularly distributed QWrs, room pressure photoluminescence spectra consist of a broad band centred at about 0.85 eV, which can be easily de-convoluted in a few Gaussian peaks. In samples with isolated QWrs, photoluminescence spectra exhibit up to four clearly resolved bands. Applying hydrostatic pressure, the whole emission band monotonously shifts towards higher photon energies with pressure coefficients ranging from 72 to 98 meV/GPa. In contrast to InAs quantum dots on GaAs, quantum wires photoluminescence is observed up to 10 GPa, indicating that InAs QWrs are metastable well above pressure at which bulk InAs undergoes a phase transition to the rock-salt phase (7 GPa). (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  19. Measurements of peripherical static pressure and pressure drop in a rod bundle with helical wire wrap spacers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ballve, H.; Graca, M.C.; Fernandez y Fernandez, E.; Carajilescov, P.

    1981-07-01

    The fuel element of a LMFBR nuclear reactor consists of a wire wrapped rod bundle with triangular array with the coolant flowing parallel to the rods. Using this type of element with seven rods conected to an air open loop. The hydrodinamics behavior of the flow for p/d = 1.20 and l/d = 15.0, was simulated. Several measurements were performed in order to obtain the static pressure distribution at the walls of the hexagonal duct, for Reynolds number from 4.4x10 3 to 48.49x10 3 and for different axial and transverse positions, in a wire wrap lead. The axial pressure drop was obtained and determined the friction factor dependence with the Reynolds number. From the obtained results, it was observed the non-dependency of the non-dimensionalized axial and transverse local static pressure distribution at the wall of the hexagonal duct, with the Reynolds number. The obtained friction factor is compared to the results of previous works. (Author) [pt

  20. Hydrogenic donor impurity in parallel-triangular quantum wires: Hydrostatic pressure and applied electric field effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Restrepo, R.L.; Giraldo, E.; Miranda, G.L.; Ospina, W.; Duque, C.A.

    2009-01-01

    The combined effects of the hydrostatic pressure and in-growth direction applied electric field on the binding energy of hydrogenic shallow-donor impurity states in parallel-coupled-GaAs-Ga 1-x Al x As-quantum-well wires are calculated using a variational procedure within the effective-mass and parabolic-band approximations. Results are obtained for several dimensions of the structure, shallow-donor impurity positions, hydrostatic pressure, and applied electric field. Our results suggest that external inputs such us hydrostatic pressure and in-growth direction electric field are two useful tools in order to modify the binding energy of a donor impurity in parallel-coupled-quantum-well wires.

  1. Microwave Wire Interrogation Method Mapping Pressure under High Temperatures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyong Chen

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available It is widely accepted that wireless reading for in-situ mapping of pressure under high-temperature environments is the most feasible method, because it is not subject to frequent heterogeneous jointing failures and electrical conduction deteriorating, or even disappearing, under heat load. However, in this article, we successfully demonstrate an in-situ pressure sensor with wire interrogation for high-temperature applications. In this proof-of-concept study of the pressure sensor, we used a microwave resonator as a pressure-sensing component and a microwave transmission line as a pressure characteristic interrogation tunnel. In the sensor, the line and resonator are processed into a monolith, avoiding a heterogeneous jointing failure; further, microwave signal transmission does not depend on electrical conduction, and consequently, the sensor does not suffer from the heat load. We achieve pressure monitoring under 400 °C when employing the sensor simultaneously. Our sensor avoids restrictions that exist in wireless pressure interrogations, such as environmental noise and interference, signal leakage and security, low transfer efficiency, and so on.

  2. Feasibility of recanalization of human coronary arteries using high-intensity ultrasound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ernst, A; Schenk, E A; Woodlock, T J; Alliger, H; Gottlieb, S; Child, S Z; Meltzer, R S

    1994-01-15

    To investigate the feasibility of ultrasonic recanalization of obstructed human coronary arteries in vitro, high-intensity ultrasound was applied to 16 coronary arteries obtained at autopsy, using a prototype instrument enabling insonification through a catheter tip. It was a 119 cm long, 0.95 mm thick wire in an 8Fr catheter connected to an external ultrasonic transformer and power generator. A 5 MHz phased-array 2-dimensional echocardiography instrument was used to determine minimal luminal diameter and percent diameter narrowing before and after ultrasound application. The ultrasonic energy was delivered at 21.5 kHz and with a 52 +/- 19 micrometer average amplitude of tip displacement. The mean percent luminal diameter narrowing, flow rate and mean pressure gradient before ultrasound exposure were 74 +/- 11%, 97 +/- 61 ml/min, and 92 +/- 18 mm Hg, respectively. After recanalization, the mean percent luminal diameter narrowing decreased to 45 +/- 17% (p ultrasound application. Mechanical fracture of the wire occurred in 8 cases (50%). No signs of thermal injury were found on histology. Thus, ultrasonic recanalization of human coronary arteries in vitro is feasible. It may reduce obstruction and improve blood flow. Debris sizes are sufficiently small to minimize the hazard of peripheral embolization.

  3. Pressure-wire-guided percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty: a breakthrough in catheter-interventional therapy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inami, Takumi; Kataoka, Masaharu; Shimura, Nobuhiko; Ishiguro, Haruhisa; Yanagisawa, Ryoji; Fukuda, Keiichi; Yoshino, Hideaki; Satoh, Toru

    2014-11-01

    This study sought to prove the safety and effectiveness of pressure-wire-guided percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA). PTPA has been demonstrated to be effective for treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. However, a major and occasionally fatal complication after PTPA is reperfusion pulmonary edema. To avoid this, we developed the PEPSI (Pulmonary Edema Predictive Scoring Index). The pressure wire has been used to detect insufficiency of flow in a vessel. We included 350 consecutive PTPA sessions in 103 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2013. During these 5 years, 140 PTPA sessions were performed without guidance, 65 with guidance of PEPSI alone, and 145 with both PEPSI and pressure-wire guidance. Each PTPA session was finished after achieving PEPSI scores of PEPSI guidance and each target lesion achieving distal mean pulmonary arterial pressure PEPSI (0% and 6.9%, respectively). Furthermore, the group guided by pressure wire and PEPSI accomplished the same hemodynamic improvements with fewer numbers of target lesions treated and sessions performed. The combined approach using pressure wire and PEPSI produced more efficient clinical results and greatly reduced reperfusion pulmonary edema and vessel complications. This is further evidence that PTPA is an alternative strategy for treating chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Experimental measurements of static pressure and pressure drop in a duct enclosing a seven wire-wrapped rod bundle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graca, M.C.; Ballve, H.; Fernandez y Fernandez, E.; Carajilescov, P.

    1981-01-01

    The friction factor and the static pressure distributions, in the axial and transversal directions, in the wall of the hexagonal duct, enclosing a seven wire-wrapped rod bundle, were experimentally measured, using an air opened loop. The Reynolds numbers are the range 10 3 - 5x10 4 . The friction factors are compared to existing correlations. The static pressure distributions show that the static pressure is not hydrostatic in the cross section of the flow. (Author) [pt

  5. Viscoelastic behavior and durability of steel wire - reinforced polyethylene pipes under a high internal pressure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ivanov, S.; Anoshkin, A.N.; Zuyko, V.Yu

    2011-01-01

    The strength tests of steel-wire-reinforced polyethylene pipe specimens showed that, under a constant internal pressure exceeding 80% of their short-term ultimate pressure, the fracture of the specimens occurred in less than 24 hours. At pressures slightly lower than this level, some specimens did

  6. Non-invasive ambient pressure estimation using non-linear ultrasound contrast agents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Klaus Scheldrup

    Many attempts to find a non-invasive procedure to measure the blood pressure locally in the body have been made. This dissertation focuses on the approaches which utilize highly compressible ultrasound contrast agents as ambient pressure sensors. The literature within the topic has been reviewed...

  7. Simultaneous effects of hydrostatic pressure and electric field on impurity binding energy and polarizability in coupled InAs/GaAs quantum wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tangarife, E.; Duque, C.A.

    2011-01-01

    This work is concerned with the theoretical study of the combined effects of applied electric field and hydrostatic pressure on the binding energy and impurity polarizability of a donor impurity in laterally coupled double InAs/GaAs quantum-well wires. Calculations have been made in the effective mass and parabolic band approximations and using a variational method. The results are reported for different configurations of wire and barriers widths, impurity position, and electric field and hydrostatic pressure strengths. Our results show that for symmetrical structures the binding energy is an even function of the impurity position along the growth direction of the structure. Also, we found that for hydrostatic pressure strength up to 38 kbar, the binding energy increases linearly with hydrostatic pressure, while for larger values of hydrostatic pressure the binding energy has a non-linear behavior. Finally, we found that the hydrostatic pressure can increase the coupling between the two parallel quantum-well wires. -- Research highlights: → Binding energy for donor impurity in coupled wires strongly depends on the confinement potential. → Polarizability for donor impurity in coupled wires strongly depends on the confinement potential. → Binding energy strongly depends on the direction of the applied electric field. → Polarizability strongly depends on the direction of the applied electric field. → The coupling between the two parallel wires increases with the hydrostatic pressure.

  8. Carbon wire chamber at sub-atmospheric pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Charles, G., E-mail: charlesg@ipno.in2p3.fr; Audouin, L., E-mail: audouin@ipno.in2p3.fr; Bettane, J.; Dupre, R.; Genolini, B.; Hammoudi, N.; Imre, M.; Le Ven, V.; Maroni, A.; Mathon, B.; Nguyen Trung, T.; Rauly, E.

    2017-05-21

    Present in many experiments, wire and drift chambers have been used in a large variety of shapes and configurations during the last decades. Nevertheless, their readout elements has not evolved much: tungsten, sometimes gold-plated or aluminum, wires. By taking advantage of the developments in the manufacture of conducting carbon fiber, we could obtain interesting improvements for wire detectors. In this article, we present recent tests and simulations using carbon fibers to readout signal in place of traditional tungsten wires. Unlike metallic wires, their low weight guaranties a reduced quantity of material in the active area.

  9. A comparison of disturbance levels measured in hypersonic tunnels using a hot-wire anemometer and a pitot pressure probe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stainback, P. C.; Wagner, R. D.

    1972-01-01

    Disturbance levels were measured in the test section of a Mach 5 blowdown jet using a constant-current, hot-wire anemometer and a pressure transducer. The disturbance levels, measured by the two instruments and normalized by local mean values, agreed within about 30%, with the pitot data higher than the hot-wire data. The rms disturbance levels measured with the hot-wire anemometer and converted to pitot pressures using a quasi-steady flow analysis, were about two-thirds the levels measured with the pitot probe. The variation of the normalized rms disturbance levels with stagnation pressure indicated that transition occurred in the boundary layer on the nozzle wall and influenced the outputs of the instruments located at the exit of the nozzle when the total pressure was about 35 N/sq cm. Below this pressure the disturbance levels decreased markedly. At higher pressures the disturbances were predominantly aerodynamic noise generated by the turbulent boundary layer on the nozzle wall.

  10. On the potential of ultrasound elastography for pressure ulcer early detection.

    OpenAIRE

    Deprez , Jean-François; Brusseau , Elisabeth; Fromageau , Jérémie; Cloutier , Guy; Basset , Olivier

    2011-01-01

    International audience; PURPOSE: Pressure ulcers are areas of soft tissue breakdown induced by a sustained mechanical stress that damages the skin and underlying tissues. They represent a considerable burden to the society in terms of health care and cost. Yet, techniques for prevention and detection of pressure ulcers still remain very limited. In this article, the authors investigated the potential of ultrasound elastography for pressure ulcer early detection. Elastography is an imaging tec...

  11. Synergistic effects of non-thermal plasma-assisted catalyst and ultrasound on toluene removal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yongli; Zhou, Libo; Zhang, Luhong; Sui, Hong

    2012-01-01

    A wire-mesh catalyst coated by La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 was combined with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor for toluene removal at atmospheric pressure. It was found that toluene removal efficiency and carbon dioxide selectivity were enhanced in the catalytic packed-bed reactor. In addition, ozone and nitrogen monoxide from the gas effluent byproducts decreased. This is the first time that ultrasound combined with plasma has been used for toluene removal. A synergistic effect on toluene removal was observed in the plasma-assisted ultrasound system. At the same time, the system increased toluene conversion and reduced ozone emission.

  12. Actuator-Assisted Calibration of Freehand 3D Ultrasound System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koo, Terry K; Silvia, Nathaniel

    2018-01-01

    Freehand three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound has been used independently of other technologies to analyze complex geometries or registered with other imaging modalities to aid surgical and radiotherapy planning. A fundamental requirement for all freehand 3D ultrasound systems is probe calibration. The purpose of this study was to develop an actuator-assisted approach to facilitate freehand 3D ultrasound calibration using point-based phantoms. We modified the mathematical formulation of the calibration problem to eliminate the need of imaging the point targets at different viewing angles and developed an actuator-assisted approach/setup to facilitate quick and consistent collection of point targets spanning the entire image field of view. The actuator-assisted approach was applied to a commonly used cross wire phantom as well as two custom-made point-based phantoms (original and modified), each containing 7 collinear point targets, and compared the results with the traditional freehand cross wire phantom calibration in terms of calibration reproducibility, point reconstruction precision, point reconstruction accuracy, distance reconstruction accuracy, and data acquisition time. Results demonstrated that the actuator-assisted single cross wire phantom calibration significantly improved the calibration reproducibility and offered similar point reconstruction precision, point reconstruction accuracy, distance reconstruction accuracy, and data acquisition time with respect to the freehand cross wire phantom calibration. On the other hand, the actuator-assisted modified "collinear point target" phantom calibration offered similar precision and accuracy when compared to the freehand cross wire phantom calibration, but it reduced the data acquisition time by 57%. It appears that both actuator-assisted cross wire phantom and modified collinear point target phantom calibration approaches are viable options for freehand 3D ultrasound calibration.

  13. Subglottal pressure, tracheal airflow, and intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity during rat ultrasound vocalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Vocal production requires complex planning and coordination of respiratory, laryngeal, and vocal tract movements, which are incompletely understood in most mammals. Rats produce a variety of whistles in the ultrasonic range that are of communicative relevance and of importance as a model system, but the sources of acoustic variability were mostly unknown. The goal was to identify sources of fundamental frequency variability. Subglottal pressure, tracheal airflow, and electromyographic (EMG) data from two intrinsic laryngeal muscles were measured during 22-kHz and 50-kHz call production in awake, spontaneously behaving adult male rats. During ultrasound vocalization, subglottal pressure ranged between 0.8 and 1.9 kPa. Pressure differences between call types were not significant. The relation between fundamental frequency and subglottal pressure within call types was inconsistent. Experimental manipulations of subglottal pressure had only small effects on fundamental frequency. Tracheal airflow patterns were also inconsistently associated with frequency. Pressure and flow seem to play a small role in regulation of fundamental frequency. Muscle activity, however, is precisely regulated and very sensitive to alterations, presumably because of effects on resonance properties in the vocal tract. EMG activity of cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscle was tonic in calls with slow or no fundamental frequency modulations, like 22-kHz and flat 50-kHz calls. Both muscles showed brief high-amplitude, alternating bursts at rates up to 150 Hz during production of frequency-modulated 50-kHz calls. A differentiated and fine regulation of intrinsic laryngeal muscles is critical for normal ultrasound vocalization. Many features of the laryngeal muscle activation pattern during ultrasound vocalization in rats are shared with other mammals. PMID:21832032

  14. Validity of Estimation of Pelvic Floor Muscle Activity from Transperineal Ultrasound Imaging in Men.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan E Stafford

    Full Text Available To investigate the relationship between displacement of pelvic floor landmarks observed with transperineal ultrasound imaging and electromyography of the muscles hypothesised to cause the displacements.Three healthy men participated in this study, which included ultrasound imaging of the mid-urethra, urethra-vesical junction, ano-rectal junction and bulb of the penis. Fine-wire electromyography electrodes were inserted into the puborectalis and bulbocavernosus muscles and a transurethral catheter electrode recorded striated urethral sphincter electromyography. A nasogastric sensor recorded intra-abdominal pressure. Tasks included submaximal and maximal voluntary contractions, and Valsalva. The relationship between each of the parameters measured from ultrasound images and electromyography or intra-abdominal pressure amplitudes was described with nonlinear regression.Strong, non-linear relationships were calculated for each predicted landmark/muscle pair for submaximal contractions (R2-0.87-0.95. The relationships between mid-urethral displacement and striated urethral sphincter electromyography, and bulb of the penis displacement and bulbocavernosus electromyography were strong during maximal contractions (R2-0.74-0.88. Increased intra-abdominal pressure prevented shortening of puborectalis, which resulted in weak relationships between electromyography and anorectal and urethravesical junction displacement during all tasks.Displacement of landmarks in transperineal ultrasound imaging provides meaningful measures of activation of individual pelvic floor muscles in men during voluntary contractions. This method may aid assessment of muscle function or feedback for training.

  15. Polydimethylsiloxane pressure sensors for force analysis in tension band wiring of the olecranon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zens, Martin; Goldschmidtboeing, Frank; Wagner, Ferdinand; Reising, Kilian; Südkamp, Norbert P; Woias, Peter

    2016-11-14

    Several different surgical techniques are used in the treatment of olecranon fractures. Tension band wiring is one of the most preferred options by surgeons worldwide. The concept of this technique is to transform a tensile force into a compression force that adjoins two surfaces of a fractured bone. Currently, little is known about the resulting compression force within a fracture. Sensor devices are needed that directly transduce the compression force into a measurement quality. This allows the comparison of different surgical techniques. Ideally the sensor devices ought to be placed in the gap between the fractured segments. The design, development and characterization of miniaturized pressure sensors fabricated entirely from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for a placement within a fracture is presented. The pressure sensors presented in this work are tested, calibrated and used in an experimental in vitro study. The pressure sensors are highly sensitive with an accuracy of approximately 3 kPa. A flexible fabrication process for various possible applications is described. The first in vitro study shows that using a single-twist or double-twist technique in tension band wiring of the olecranon has no significant effect on the resulting compression forces. The in vitro study shows the feasibility of the proposed measurement technique and the results of a first exemplary study.

  16. Experimental study of static pressure distribution and axial pressure drop in a seven wire-wrapped rod bundle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez y Fernandez, E.; Carajilescov, P.

    1980-11-01

    The fuel element of a LMFBR type reactor consists of a rod bundle in a triangular array with helicoidal spacers among which the coolant flows. By utilizing a seven wire-wrapped rod bundle, coupled to an air loop, the hydrodynamic behaviour of the flow was simulated. A series of measurements was performed in order to obtain static pressure distributions in the surface of the rods and in the walls of the hexagonal duct, for different Reynolds numbers, the axial and the angular position being varied. The axial pressure drop was also measured and the friction coefficient for different Reynolds numbers was calculated. From the results obtained, the existence of zones of low pressure on the surface of the rods was observed, as well as the non-dependence of the nondimensional static pressure on the Reynolds number. Sudden variations in the distribution of the static pressure distribution were observed and they must be taken in to account in the thermal-hydraulic design, due to the possibility of occurence of cavitation bubbles in the coolant. (I.C.R.) [pt

  17. Noninvasive Ambient Pressure Estimation using Ultrasound Contrast Agents -- Invoking Subharmonics for Cardiac and Hepatic Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dave, Jaydev K.

    Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) are encapsulated microbubbles that provide a source for acoustic impedance mismatch with the blood, due to difference in compressibility between the gas contained within these microbubbles and the blood. When insonified by an ultrasound beam, these UCAs act as nonlinear scatterers and enhance the echoes of the incident pulse, resulting in scattering of the incident ultrasound beam and emission of fundamental (f0), subharmonic (f0/2), harmonic (n*f0; n ∈ N) and ultraharmonic (((2n-1)/2)*f0; n ∈ N & n > 1) components in the echo response. A promising approach to monitor in vivo pressures revolves around the fact that the ultrasound transmit and receive parameters can be selected to induce an ambient pressure amplitude dependent subharmonic signal. This subharmonic signal may be used to estimate ambient pressure amplitude; such technique of estimating ambient pressure amplitude is referred to as subharmonic aided pressure estimation or SHAPE. This project develops and evaluates the feasibility of SHAPE to noninvasively monitor cardiac and hepatic pressures (using commercially available ultrasound scanners and UCAs) because invasive catheter based pressure measurements are used currently for these applications. Invasive catheter based pressure measurements pose risk of introducing infection while the catheter is guided towards the region of interest in the body through a percutaneous incision, pose risk of death due to structural or mechanical failure of the catheter (which has also triggered product recalls by the USA Food and Drug Administration) and may potentially modulate the pressures that are being measured. Also, catheterization procedures require fluoroscopic guidance to advance the catheter to the site of pressure measurements and such catheterization procedures are not performed in all clinical centers. Thus, a noninvasive technique to obtain ambient pressure values without the catheterization process is clinically

  18. Vacuum mammotomy under ultrasound guidance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luczynska, E.; Kocurek, A.; Pawlik, T.; Aniol, J.; Herman, K.; Skotnicki, P.

    2007-01-01

    Breast ultrasound is a non-invasive method of breast examination. You can use it also for fine needle biopsy, core needle biopsy, vacuum mammotomy and for placing the '' wire '' before open surgical biopsy. 106 patients (105 women and 1 man) aged 20-71 years (mean age 46.9) were treated in Cancer Institute in Cracow by vacuum mammotomy under ultrasound guidance. The lesions found in ultrasonography were divided into three groups: benign lesions (BI RADS II), ambiguous lesions (BI RADS 0, III and IVa), and suspicious lesions (BI RADS IV B, IV C and V). Then lesions were qualified to vacuum mammotomy. According to USG, fibroadenoma or '' fibroadenoma-like '' lesions were found in 75 women, in 6 women complicated cysts, in 6 women cyst with dense fluid (to differentiate with FA), and in 19 patients undefined lesions. Fibroadenoma was confirmed in histopathology in 74% patients among patients with fibroadenoma or '' fibroadenoma-like '' lesions in ultrasound (in others also benign lesions were found). Among lesions undefined after ultrasound examination (total 27 patients) cancer was confirmed in 6 % (DCIS and IDC). In 6 patients with complicated cysts in ultrasound examination, histopathology confirmed fibroadenoma in 4 women, an intraductal lesion in 1 woman and inflamatory process in 1 woman. Also in 6 women with a dense cyst or fibroadenoma seen in ultrasound, histopathology confirmed fibroadenoma in 3 women and fibrosclerosis in 3 women. Any breast lesions undefined or suspicious after ultrasound examination should be verified. The method of verification or kind of operation of the whole lesion (vacuum mammotomy or '' wire '') depends on many factors, for example: lesion localization; lesion size; BI RADS category. (author)

  19. Non-Invasive Measurement of Intracranial Pressure Pulsation using Ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueno, Toshiaki; Ballard, R. E.; Yost, W. T.; Hargens, A. R.

    1997-01-01

    Exposure to microgravity causes a cephalad fluid shift which may elevate intracranial pressure (ICP). Elevation in ICP may affect cerebral hemodynamics in astronauts during space flight. ICP is, however, a difficult parameter to measure due to the invasiveness of currently available techniques. We already reported our development of a non-invasive ultrasound device for measurement of ICP. We recently modified the device so that we might reproducibly estimate ICP changes in association with cardiac cycles. In the first experiment, we measured changes in cranial distance with the ultrasound device in cadavera while changing ICP by infusing saline into the lateral ventricle. In the second experiment, we measured changes in cranial distance in five healthy volunteers while placing them in 60 deg, 30 deg head-up tilt, supine, and 10 deg head-down tilt position. In the cadaver study, fast Fourier transformation revealed that cranial pulsation is clearly associated with ICP pulsation. The ratio of cranial distance and ICP pulsation is 1.3microns/mmHg. In the tilting study, the magnitudes of cranial pulsation are linearly correlated to tilt angles (r=0.87). The ultrasound device has sufficient sensitivity to detect cranial pulsation in association with cardiac cycles. By analyzing the magnitude of cranial pulsation, estimates of ICP during space flight are possible.

  20. Low-pressure pulsed focused ultrasound with microbubbles promotes an anticancer immunological response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hao-Li; Hsieh, Han-Yi; Lu, Li-An; Kang, Chiao-Wen; Wu, Ming-Fang; Lin, Chun-Yen

    2012-11-11

    High-intensity focused-ultrasound (HIFU) has been successfully employed for thermal ablation of tumors in clinical settings. Continuous- or pulsed-mode HIFU may also induce a host antitumor immune response, mainly through expansion of antigen-presenting cells in response to increased cellular debris and through increased macrophage activation/infiltration. Here we demonstrated that another form of focused ultrasound delivery, using low-pressure, pulsed-mode exposure in the presence of microbubbles (MBs), may also trigger an antitumor immunological response and inhibit tumor growth. A total of 280 tumor-bearing animals were subjected to sonographically-guided FUS. Implanted tumors were exposed to low-pressure FUS (0.6 to 1.4 MPa) with MBs to increase the permeability of tumor microvasculature. Tumor progression was suppressed by both 0.6 and 1.4-MPa MB-enhanced FUS exposures. We observed a transient increase in infiltration of non-T regulatory (non-Treg) tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and continual infiltration of CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL). The ratio of CD8+/Treg increased significantly and tumor growth was inhibited. Our findings suggest that low-pressure FUS exposure with MBs may constitute a useful tool for triggering an anticancer immune response, for potential cancer immunotherapy.

  1. Experiments and correlations of pressure loss coefficients for hexagonal arranged rod bundles (P/D > 1.02) with helical wire spacers in laminar and turbulent flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marten, K.; Yonekawa, S.; Hoffmann, H.

    1987-05-01

    Advanced pressurized water reactors as well as sodium cooled fast reactors, in their breeding and absorber elements, use tightly packed rod bundles with hexagonally arranged rods. Helical wires or helical fins serve as spacers. The pressure loss coefficients of twelve bundles with helical wires were determined systematically in water experiments. High measuring accuracy was achieved by very precise fabrication of the bundles and the shroud as well as by investigations of the proper measuring techniques. The results show a dependency of the loss coefficients on the Reynolds number and on the P/D and H/D ratios of the bundles. These results together with available systematic experimental results of investigations at P/D > 1.1 were used to develop a correlation to determine the pressure loss coefficients of tightly and widely packed hexagonally arranged rod bundles with helical wire spacers. These correlations were used to recalculate and compare results of pressure loss investigations found in the literature; good agreement was demonstrated. Hence, calculation methods exist for a broad range of applications to determine the pressure loss coefficients of hexagonally arranged rod bundles with helical wires for spacers. (orig./HP) [de

  2. Assessing the blood pressure waveform of the carotid artery using an ultrasound image processing method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soleimani, Effat; Mokhtari-Dizaji, Manijhe [Dept. of Medical Physics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Fatouraee, Nasser [Dept. of Medical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Saben, Hazhir [Dept. Radiology, Imaging Center of Imam Khomaini Hospital, Tehran Medical Sciences University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2017-04-15

    The aim of this study was to introduce and implement a noninvasive method to derive the carotid artery pressure waveform directly by processing diagnostic sonograms of the carotid artery. Ultrasound image sequences of 20 healthy male subjects (age, 36±9 years) were recorded during three cardiac cycles. The internal diameter and blood velocity waveforms were extracted from consecutive sonograms over the cardiac cycles by using custom analysis programs written in MATLAB. Finally, the application of a mathematical equation resulted in time changes of the arterial pressure. The resulting pressures were calibrated using the mean and the diastolic pressure of the radial artery. A good correlation was found between the mean carotid blood pressure obtained from the ultrasound image processing and the mean radial blood pressure obtained using a standard digital sphygmomanometer (R=0.91). The mean absolute difference between the carotid calibrated pulse pressures and those measured clinically was -1.333±6.548 mm Hg. The results of this study suggest that consecutive sonograms of the carotid artery can be used for estimating a blood pressure waveform. We believe that our results promote a noninvasive technique for clinical applications that overcomes the reproducibility problems of common carotid artery tonometry with technical and anatomical causes.

  3. Assessing the blood pressure waveform of the carotid artery using an ultrasound image processing method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soleimani, Effat; Mokhtari-Dizaji, Manijhe; Fatouraee, Nasser; Saben, Hazhir

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to introduce and implement a noninvasive method to derive the carotid artery pressure waveform directly by processing diagnostic sonograms of the carotid artery. Ultrasound image sequences of 20 healthy male subjects (age, 36±9 years) were recorded during three cardiac cycles. The internal diameter and blood velocity waveforms were extracted from consecutive sonograms over the cardiac cycles by using custom analysis programs written in MATLAB. Finally, the application of a mathematical equation resulted in time changes of the arterial pressure. The resulting pressures were calibrated using the mean and the diastolic pressure of the radial artery. A good correlation was found between the mean carotid blood pressure obtained from the ultrasound image processing and the mean radial blood pressure obtained using a standard digital sphygmomanometer (R=0.91). The mean absolute difference between the carotid calibrated pulse pressures and those measured clinically was -1.333±6.548 mm Hg. The results of this study suggest that consecutive sonograms of the carotid artery can be used for estimating a blood pressure waveform. We believe that our results promote a noninvasive technique for clinical applications that overcomes the reproducibility problems of common carotid artery tonometry with technical and anatomical causes

  4. Experimental study on underwater electrical explosion of a copper wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Qing; Zhang Jun; Tan Xiangyu; Ren Baozhong; Zhang Qiaogen

    2010-01-01

    Through analyzing the physical process of underwater electrical wire explosion, electrical wire explosions with copper wires were investigated underwater using pulsed voltage in the time scale of a few microseconds. A self-integrating Rogowsky coil and a voltage divider were used for current and voltage at the wire load, respectively. The shock wave pressure is measured with a piezoelectric pressure probe at the same distance. The current rise rate was adjusted by changing the applied voltage, circuit inductance, length and diameter of copper wire. The change of the current rise rate had a great effect on the process of underwater electrical wire explosion with copper wires. At last, the effect of discharge voltage, circuit inductance, length and diameter of copper wire were obtained on the explosion voltage and current as well as shock wave pressure. (authors)

  5. Calculation of pressure fields from arbitrarily shaped, apodized, and excited ultrasound transducers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Arendt; Svendsen, Niels Bruun

    1992-01-01

    A method for simulation of pulsed pressure fields from arbitrarily shaped, apodized and excited ultrasound transducers is suggested. It relies on the Tupholme-Stepanishen method for calculating pulsed pressure fields, and can also handle the continuous wave and pulse-echo case. The field...... is calculated by dividing the surface into small rectangles and then Summing their response. A fast calculation is obtained by using the far-field approximation. Examples of the accuracy of the approach and actual calculation times are given...

  6. Intraoperative Ultrasound for Peripheral Nerve Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willsey, Matthew; Wilson, Thomas J; Henning, Phillip Troy; Yang, Lynda J-S

    2017-10-01

    Offering real-time, high-resolution images via intraoperative ultrasound is advantageous for a variety of peripheral nerve applications. To highlight the advantages of ultrasound, its extraoperative uses are reviewed. The current intraoperative uses, including nerve localization, real-time evaluation of peripheral nerve tumors, and implantation of leads for peripheral nerve stimulation, are reviewed. Although intraoperative peripheral nerve localization has been performed previously using guide wires and surgical dyes, the authors' approach using ultrasound-guided instrument clamps helps guide surgical dissection to the target nerve, which could lead to more timely operations and shorter incisions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Combined effects of hydrostatic pressure and electric field on the donor binding energy and polarizability in laterally coupled double InAs/GaAs quantum-well wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tangarife, E.; Duque, C.A.

    2010-01-01

    This work is concerned with the theoretical study of the combined effects of applied electric field and hydrostatic pressure on the binding energy and impurity polarizability of a donor impurity in laterally coupled double InAs/GaAs quantum-well wires. calculations have been made in the effective mass and parabolic band approximations and using a variational method. The results are reported for different configurations of wire and barriers widths, impurity position, and electric field and hydrostatic pressure strengths. Our results show that for symmetrical structures the binding energy is an even function of the impurity position along the growth direction of the structure. Also, we found that for hydrostatic pressure strength up to 38 kbar, the binding energy increases linearly with hydrostatic pressure, while for larger values of hydrostatic pressure the binding energy has a nonlinear behavior. Finally, we found that the hydrostatic pressure can increase the coupling between the two parallel quantum well wires.

  8. Measurement of compartment elasticity using pressure related ultrasound: a method to identify patients with potential compartment syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sellei, R M; Hingmann, S J; Kobbe, P; Weber, C; Grice, J E; Zimmerman, F; Jeromin, S; Gansslen, A; Hildebrand, F; Pape, H C

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Decision-making in treatment of an acute compartment syndrome is based on clinical assessment, supported by invasive monitoring. Thus, evolving compartment syndrome may require repeated pressure measurements. In suspected cases of potential compartment syndromes clinical assessment alone seems to be unreliable. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a non-invasive application estimating whole compartmental elasticity by ultrasound, which may improve accuracy of diagnostics. MATERIAL AND METHODS In an in-vitro model, using an artificial container simulating dimensions of the human anterior tibial compartment, intracompartmental pressures (p) were raised subsequently up to 80 mm Hg by infusion of saline solution. The compartmental depth (mm) in the cross-section view was measured before and after manual probe compression (100 mm Hg) upon the surface resulting in a linear compartmental displacement (Δd). This was repeated at rising compartmental pressures. The resulting displacements were related to the corresponding intra-compartmental pressures simulated in our model. A hypothesized relationship between pressures related compartmental displacement and the elasticity at elevated compartment pressures was investigated. RESULTS With rising compartmental pressures, a non-linear, reciprocal proportional relation between the displacement (mm) and the intra-compartmental pressure (mm Hg) occurred. The Pearson's coefficient showed a high correlation (r2 = -0.960). The intraobserver reliability value kappa resulted in a statistically high reliability (κ = 0.840). The inter-observer value indicated a fair reliability (κ = 0.640). CONCLUSIONS Our model reveals that a strong correlation between compartmental strain displacements assessed by ultrasound and the intra-compartmental pressure changes occurs. Further studies are required to prove whether this assessment is transferable to human muscle tissue. Determining the complete

  9. Impact of ultrasound probe pressure on uterine positional displacement in gynecologic cancer patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baker, Mariwan; Juhler-Nøttrup, Trine; Behrens, Claus F.

    2014-01-01

    Aim: The aim of this study was to quantify the uterine positional displacement induced by ultrasound probe pressure on a phantom and address the daily uterine motion in a healthy volunteer. Materials & methods: The phantom mimics the female pelvic region. The incorporated organs were subjected to...

  10. Evidence for length-dependent wire expansion, filament dedensification and consequent degradation of critical current density in Ag-alloy sheathed Bi-2212 wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malagoli, A; Lee, P J; Jiang, J; Trociewitz, U P; Hellstrom, E E; Larbalestier, D C; Ghosh, A K; Scheuerlein, C; Di Michiel, M

    2013-01-01

    It is well known that longer Bi-2212 conductors have significantly lower critical current density (J c ) than shorter ones, and recently it has become clear that a major cause of this reduction is internal gas pressure generated during heat treatment, which expands the wire diameter and dedensifies the Bi-2212 filaments. Here we report on the length-dependent expansion of 5–240 cm lengths of state-of-the-art, commercial Ag alloy sheathed Bi-2212 wire after full and some partial heat treatments. Detailed image analysis along the wire length shows that the wire diameter increases with distance from the ends, longer samples often showing evident damage and leaks provoked by the internal gas pressure. Comparison of heat treatments carried out just below the melting point and with the usual melt process makes it clear that melting is crucial to developing high internal pressure. The decay of J c away from the ends is directly correlated to the local wire diameter increase, which decreases the local Bi-2212 filament mass density and lowers J c , often by well over 50%. It is clear that control of the internal gas pressure is crucial to attaining the full J c of these very promising round wires and that the very variable properties of Bi-2212 wires are due to the fact that this internal gas pressure has so far not been well controlled. (paper)

  11. Pressure Wire Compared to Microcatheter Sensing for Coronary Fractional Flow Reserve: The PERFORM Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Ziad A; Parviz, Yasir; Brinkman, Matthew; Matsumura, Mitsuaki; Redfors, Björn; Brogno, David A; Corral, Maria D; Fall, Khady N; Mintz, Gary S; Stone, Gregg W; Maehara, Akiko; Jeremias, Allen; Kirtane, Ajay J

    2018-05-15

    Among technologies used to assess FFR, a monorail, sensor-tipped micro pressure catheter (PC) may be advantageous for delivery and re-assessment. We sought to determine whether the larger cross-sectional area of the PC influences FFR measurements compared to the pressure wire. PERFORM was a single-center, prospective study designed to determine the precision and accuracy of the PC compared with the pressure wire (PW) for measurement of FFR. Eligible patients had native coronary artery target lesions with visually estimated diameter stenosis of 40-90%. The independently adjudicated primary endpoint was the difference in hyperemic PW-determined minimal FFR with and without the PC distal to the stenosis. Seventy-four patients (95 lesions) were prospectively analyzed between December 2015 and December 2016. Median hyperemic FFR was 0.84 [IQR 0.78, 0.89] with the PW and 0.79 [IQR 0.73, 0.85] with the PC distal to the stenosis (p0.80 to ≤0.80 in 17 of 95 measurements (19%). Median resting Pd/Pa was lower following introduction of the PC compared with the PW alone (0.93 [IQR 0.90, 0.97] versus 0.90 [IQR 0.86, 0.95], p<0.001). Median pressure drift was not different between the PW and the PC (0.01 [IQR -0.01, 0.05] versus 0.01 [IQR 0.00, 0.02], p=0.38). Introduction of the PC reduced device success and both hyperemic FFR and resting Pd/Pa compared with the PW alone, leading to re-classifying physiological significance to below ischemic threshold in one out of five assessments.

  12. The Analysis of the High Speed Wire Drawing Process of High Carbon Steel Wires Under Hydrodynamic Lubrication Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suliga M.

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In this work the analysis of the wire drawing process in hydrodynamic dies has been done. The drawing process of φ5.5 mm wire rod to the final wire of φ1.7 mm was conducted in 12 passes, in drawing speed range of 5-25 m/s. For final wires of φ1.7 mm the investigation of topography of wire surface, the amount of lubricant on the wire surface and the pressure of lubricant in hydrodynamic dies were determined. Additionally, in the work selected mechanical properties of the wires have been estimated.

  13. Plasma chemistry in wire chambers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wise, J.

    1990-05-01

    The phenomenology of wire chamber aging is discussed and fundamentals of proportional counters are presented. Free-radical polymerization and plasma polymerization are discussed. The chemistry of wire aging is reviewed. Similarities between wire chamber plasma (>1 atm dc-discharge) and low-pressure rf-discharge plasmas, which have been more widely studied, are suggested. Construction and use of a system to allow study of the plasma reactions occurring in wire chambers is reported. A proportional tube irradiated by an 55 Fe source is used as a model wire chamber. Condensable species in the proportional tube effluent are concentrated in a cryotrap and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Several different wire chamber gases (methane, argon/methane, ethane, argon/ethane, propane, argon/isobutane) are tested and their reaction products qualitatively identified. For all gases tested except those containing methane, use of hygroscopic filters to remove trace water and oxygen contaminants from the gas resulted in an increase in the average molecular weight of the products, consistent with results from low-pressure rf-discharge plasmas. It is suggested that because water and oxygen inhibit polymer growth in the gas phase that they may also reduce polymer deposition in proportional tubes and therefore retard wire aging processes. Mechanistic implications of the plasma reactions of hydrocarbons with oxygen are suggested. Unresolved issues in this work and proposals for further study are discussed

  14. The partitioning of nanoparticles to endothelium or interstitium during ultrasound-microbubble-targeted delivery depends on peak-negative pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hsiang, Y.-H.; Song, J.; Price, R. J., E-mail: rprice@virginia.edu [University of Virginia, Department of Biomedical Engineering (United States)

    2015-08-15

    Patients diagnosed with advanced peripheral arterial disease often face poor prognoses and have limited treatment options. For some patient populations, the therapeutic growth of collateral arteries (i.e. arteriogenesis) that bypass regions affected by vascular disease may become a viable treatment option. Our group and others are developing therapeutic approaches centered on the ability of ultrasound-activated microbubbles to permeabilize skeletal muscle capillaries and facilitate the targeted delivery of pro-arteriogenic growth factor-bearing nanoparticles. The development of such approaches would benefit significantly from a better understanding of how nanoparticle diameter and ultrasound peak-negative pressure affect both total nanoparticle delivery and the partitioning of nanoparticles to endothelial or interstitial compartments. Toward this goal, using Balb/C mice that had undergone unilateral femoral artery ligation, we intra-arterially co-injected nanoparticles (50 and 100 nm) with microbubbles, applied 1 MHz ultrasound to the gracilis adductor muscle at peak-negative pressures of 0.7, 0.55, 0.4, and 0.2 MPa, and analyzed nanoparticle delivery and distribution. As expected, total nanoparticle (50 and 100 nm) delivery increased with increasing peak-negative pressure, with 50 nm nanoparticles exhibiting greater tissue coverage than 100 nm nanoparticles. Of particular interest, increasing peak-negative pressure resulted in increased delivery to the interstitium for both nanoparticle sizes, but had little influence on nanoparticle delivery to the endothelium. Thus, we conclude that alterations to peak-negative pressure may be used to adjust the fraction of nanoparticles delivered to the interstitial compartment. This information will be useful when designing ultrasound protocols for delivering pro-arteriogenic nanoparticles to skeletal muscle.

  15. The partitioning of nanoparticles to endothelium or interstitium during ultrasound-microbubble-targeted delivery depends on peak-negative pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsiang, Y.-H.; Song, J.; Price, R. J.

    2015-01-01

    Patients diagnosed with advanced peripheral arterial disease often face poor prognoses and have limited treatment options. For some patient populations, the therapeutic growth of collateral arteries (i.e. arteriogenesis) that bypass regions affected by vascular disease may become a viable treatment option. Our group and others are developing therapeutic approaches centered on the ability of ultrasound-activated microbubbles to permeabilize skeletal muscle capillaries and facilitate the targeted delivery of pro-arteriogenic growth factor-bearing nanoparticles. The development of such approaches would benefit significantly from a better understanding of how nanoparticle diameter and ultrasound peak-negative pressure affect both total nanoparticle delivery and the partitioning of nanoparticles to endothelial or interstitial compartments. Toward this goal, using Balb/C mice that had undergone unilateral femoral artery ligation, we intra-arterially co-injected nanoparticles (50 and 100 nm) with microbubbles, applied 1 MHz ultrasound to the gracilis adductor muscle at peak-negative pressures of 0.7, 0.55, 0.4, and 0.2 MPa, and analyzed nanoparticle delivery and distribution. As expected, total nanoparticle (50 and 100 nm) delivery increased with increasing peak-negative pressure, with 50 nm nanoparticles exhibiting greater tissue coverage than 100 nm nanoparticles. Of particular interest, increasing peak-negative pressure resulted in increased delivery to the interstitium for both nanoparticle sizes, but had little influence on nanoparticle delivery to the endothelium. Thus, we conclude that alterations to peak-negative pressure may be used to adjust the fraction of nanoparticles delivered to the interstitial compartment. This information will be useful when designing ultrasound protocols for delivering pro-arteriogenic nanoparticles to skeletal muscle

  16. Ultrasound imaging with a micromotor; Micromotor ni yoru choonpa imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oshiro, O.; Salimuzzaman, M.; Matani, A.; Chihara, K. [Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara (Japan); Asao, M. [Osaka National Hospital, Osaka (Japan)

    1998-03-01

    This paper describes a new ultrasound intravascular imaging system. In this system, an ultrasound probe consists of a micromotor, an ultrasound reflecting mirror attached with the micromotor and an ultrasound transducer. Ultrasound is scanned radially by a micromotor instead of a rotation transmitting wire and the rotation of the micromotor is performed and controlled by an external magnetic field. This ultrasound imaging system with a micromotor was applied to observe the inside of blood vessels through in vitro experiments. The preliminary results suggest that this system has the sufficient ability to define the blood vessel morphology and that the simple image processing enhances signal-to-noise ratio of the reconstructed image. 12 refs., 5 figs.

  17. Cavitation inception in nozzle-plate and wire mesh pressure droppers in water and sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Collinson, A.E.

    1976-01-01

    Cavitation tests on multi-hole nozzle plates and wire meshes approximately 100mm diameter in water at 20 deg C and sodium at 300 deg C are described. These pressure dropping elements were mounted in recirculating loops where cavitation was induced by gradually lowering the back-ground pressure at constant flow. Cavitation was detected acoustically using wall mounted piezoelectric microphones, the signal being displayed on a ratemeter recording individual cavitation events. For nozzle plates, cavitation started intermittently as the pressure was lowered, the noise level suddenly increasing at a critical cavitation number sigma. For meshes the intermittent region was absent. Values of sigma for nozzles and meshes were similar in water and sodium for the conditions prevailing during the tests. It was apparent that cavitation took place on the axes of vortices both in the free stream and close to nozzle curved surfaces

  18. Self-Catalyzed CdTe Wires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tom Baines

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available CdTe wires have been fabricated via a catalyst free method using the industrially scalable physical vapor deposition technique close space sublimation. Wire growth was shown to be highly dependent on surface roughness and deposition pressure, with only low roughness surfaces being capable of producing wires. Growth of wires is highly (111 oriented and is inferred to occur via a vapor-solid-solid growth mechanism, wherein a CdTe seed particle acts to template the growth. Such seed particles are visible as wire caps and have been characterized via energy dispersive X-ray analysis to establish they are single phase CdTe, hence validating the self-catalysation route. Cathodoluminescence analysis demonstrates that CdTe wires exhibited a much lower level of recombination when compared to a planar CdTe film, which is highly beneficial for semiconductor applications.

  19. Iatrogenic submucosal tunnel in the ureter: a rare complication during advancement of the guide wire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Darawany, Hamed; Barakat, Alaa; Madi, Maha Al; Aldamanhori, Reem; Al Otaibi, Khalid; Al-Zahrani, Ali A

    2016-01-01

    Inserting a guide wire is a common practice during endo-urological procedures. A rare complication in patients with ureteral stones where an iatrogenic submucosal tunnel (IST) is created during endoscopic guide wire placement. Summarize data on IST. Retrospective descriptive study of patients treated from from October 2009 until January 2015. King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Patients with ureteral stones were divided to 2 groups. In group I (335 patients), the ureteral stones were removed by ureteroscopy in one stage. Group II (97 patients) had a 2-staged procedure starting with a double J-stent placement for kidney drainage followed within 3 weeks with ureteroscopic stone removal. Endoscopic visualization of ureteric submucosal tunneling by guide wire. IST occurred in 9/432 patients with ureteral stones (2.1%). The diagnosis in group I was made during ureteroscopy by direct visualization of a vanishing guide wire at the level of the stone (6 patients). In group II, IST was suspected when renal pain was not relieved after placement of the double J-stent or if imaging by ultrasound or intravenous urography showed persistent back pressure to the obstructed kidney (3 patients). The condition was subsequently confirmed by ureteroscopy. Forceful advancement of the guide wire in an inflamed and edematous ureteral segment impacted by a stone is probably the triggering factor for development of IST. Definitive diagnosis is possible only by direct visualization during ureteroscopy. Awareness of this potential complication is important to guard against its occurrence. Relatively small numbers of subjects and the retrospective nature of the study.

  20. Localized etching of an insulator film coated on a copper wire using an atmospheric-pressure microplasma jet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshiki, Hiroyuki

    2007-04-01

    Atmospheric-pressure microplasma jets (APmicroPJs) of Ar and ArO(2) gases were generated from the tip of a stainless steel surgical needle having outer and inner diameters of 0.4 and 0.2 mm, respectively, with a rf excitation of 13.56 MHz. The steel needle functions both as a powered electrode and a gas nozzle. The operating power is 1.2-6 W and the corresponding peak-to-peak voltage Vp.p. is about 1.5 kV. The APmicroPJ was applied to the localized etching of a polyamide-imide insulator film (thickness of 10 microm) of a copper winding wire of 90 microm diameter. The insulator film around the copper wire was completely removed by the irradiated plasma from a certain direction without fusing the wire. The removal time under the Ar APmicroPJ irradiation was only 3 s at a rf power of 4 W. Fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscope images reveal that good selectivity of the insulator film to the copper wire was achieved. In the case of ArO(2) APmicroPJ irradiation with an O(2) concentration of 10% or more, the removed copper surface was converted to copper monoxide CuO.

  1. Localized etching of an insulator film coated on a copper wire using an atmospheric-pressure microplasma jet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshiki, Hiroyuki

    2007-01-01

    Atmospheric-pressure microplasma jets (APμPJs) of Ar and Ar/O 2 gases were generated from the tip of a stainless steel surgical needle having outer and inner diameters of 0.4 and 0.2 mm, respectively, with a rf excitation of 13.56 MHz. The steel needle functions both as a powered electrode and a gas nozzle. The operating power is 1.2-6 W and the corresponding peak-to-peak voltage Vp.p. is about 1.5 kV. The APμPJ was applied to the localized etching of a polyamide-imide insulator film (thickness of 10 μm) of a copper winding wire of 90 μm diameter. The insulator film around the copper wire was completely removed by the irradiated plasma from a certain direction without fusing the wire. The removal time under the Ar APμPJ irradiation was only 3 s at a rf power of 4 W. Fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscope images reveal that good selectivity of the insulator film to the copper wire was achieved. In the case of Ar/O 2 APμPJ irradiation with an O 2 concentration of 10% or more, the removed copper surface was converted to copper monoxide CuO

  2. Feasibility study of an active soft catheter actuated by SMA wires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konh, Bardia; Karimi, Saeed; Miller, Scott

    2018-03-01

    This study aims to assess the feasibility of using a combination of thin elastomer tubes and SMA wires to develop an active catheter. Cardiac catheters have been widely used in investigational and interventional procedures such as angiography, angioplasty, electro- physiology, and endocardial ablation. The commercial models manually steer inside the patient's body via internally installed pull wires. Active catheters, on the other hand, have the potential to revolutionize surgical procedures because of their computer-controlled and enhanced motion. Shape memory alloys have been used for almost a decade as a trustworthy actuator for biomedical applications. In this work, SMA wires were attached to a small pressurized elastomer tube to realize deflection. The tube was pressurized to maintain a constant stress on the SMA wires. The tip motion via actuation of SMA wires was then measured and reported. The results of this study showed that by adopting an appropriate training process for the SMA wires prior to performing the experiments and adopting an appropriate internal pressure for the elastomer tube, less external loads on SMA wires would be needed for a consistent actuation.

  3. 26 CFR 49.4252-7 - Wire and equipment service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... of illegal entry, fire, leakage, etc. (2) Wire lines or channels furnished between a point of origin... subscriber may obtain information as to a given condition at the remote point, such as water level, water pressure, gas pressure, etc. (4) Remote control wire lines or channels furnished between a remote point and...

  4. Line fiducial material and thickness considerations for ultrasound calibration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameri, Golafsoun; McLeod, A. J.; Baxter, John S. H.; Chen, Elvis C. S.; Peters, Terry M.

    2015-03-01

    Ultrasound calibration is a necessary procedure in many image-guided interventions, relating the position of tools and anatomical structures in the ultrasound image to a common coordinate system. This is a necessary component of augmented reality environments in image-guided interventions as it allows for a 3D visualization where other surgical tools outside the imaging plane can be found. Accuracy of ultrasound calibration fundamentally affects the total accuracy of this interventional guidance system. Many ultrasound calibration procedures have been proposed based on a variety of phantom materials and geometries. These differences lead to differences in representation of the phantom on the ultrasound image which subsequently affect the ability to accurately and automatically segment the phantom. For example, taut wires are commonly used as line fiducials in ultrasound calibration. However, at large depths or oblique angles, the fiducials appear blurred and smeared in ultrasound images making it hard to localize their cross-section with the ultrasound image plane. Intuitively, larger diameter phantoms with lower echogenicity are more accurately segmented in ultrasound images in comparison to highly reflective thin phantoms. In this work, an evaluation of a variety of calibration phantoms with different geometrical and material properties for the phantomless calibration procedure was performed. The phantoms used in this study include braided wire, plastic straws, and polyvinyl alcohol cryogel tubes with different diameters. Conventional B-mode and synthetic aperture images of the phantoms at different positions were obtained. The phantoms were automatically segmented from the ultrasound images using an ellipse fitting algorithm, the centroid of which is subsequently used as a fiducial for calibration. Calibration accuracy was evaluated for these procedures based on the leave-one-out target registration error. It was shown that larger diameter phantoms with lower

  5. Decomposition of poly(amide-imide) film enameled on solid copper wire using atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyama, Kazuo; Suzuki, Katsunori; Kuwasima, Shusuke; Aoki, Yosuke; Yajima, Tatsuhiko

    2009-01-01

    The decomposition of a poly(amide-imide) thin film coated on a solid copper wire was attempted using atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma. The plasma was produced by applying microwave power to an electrically conductive material in a gas mixture of argon, oxygen, and hydrogen. The poly(amide-imide) thin film was easily decomposed by argon-oxygen mixed gas plasma and an oxidized copper surface was obtained. The reduction of the oxidized surface with argon-hydrogen mixed gas plasma rapidly yielded a metallic copper surface. A continuous plasma heat-treatment process using a combination of both the argon-oxygen plasma and argon-hydrogen plasma was found to be suitable for the decomposition of the poly(amide-imide) thin film coated on the solid copper wire.

  6. Prospective, randomized, controlled trial of polymer cable ties versus standard wire closure of midline sternotomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marasco, Silvana F; Fuller, Louise; Zimmet, Adam; McGiffin, David; Seitz, Michael; Ch'ng, Stephanie; Gangahanumaiah, Shivanand; Bailey, Michael

    2018-04-16

    Midline sternotomy remains the most common access incision for cardiac operations. Traditionally, the sternum is closed with stainless steel wires. Wires are well known to stretch and break, however, leading to pain, nonunion, and potential deep sternal wound infection. We hypothesized that biocompatible plastic cable ties would achieve a more rigid sternal fixation, reducing postoperative pain and analgesia requirements. A prospective, randomized study compared the ZIPFIX (De Puy Synthes, West Chester, Pa) sternal closure system (n = 58) with standard stainless steel wires (n = 60). Primary outcomes were pain and analgesia requirements in the early postoperative period. Secondary outcome was sternal movement, as assessed by ultrasound at the postoperative follow-up visit. Groups were well matched in demographic and operative variables. There were no significant differences between groups in postoperative pain, analgesia, or early ventilatory requirements. Patients in the ZIPFIX group had significantly more movement in the sternum and manubrium on ultrasound at 4 weeks. ZIPFIX sternal cable ties provide reliable closure but no demonstrable benefit in this study in pain or analgesic requirements relative to standard wire closure after median sternotomy. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Comparative evaluation of ultrasound scanner accuracy in distance measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Branca, F. P.; Sciuto, S. A.; Scorza, A.

    2012-10-01

    The aim of the present study is to develop and compare two different automatic methods for accuracy evaluation in ultrasound phantom measurements on B-mode images: both of them give as a result the relative error e between measured distances, performed by 14 brand new ultrasound medical scanners, and nominal distances, among nylon wires embedded in a reference test object. The first method is based on a least squares estimation, while the second one applies the mean value of the same distance evaluated at different locations in ultrasound image (same distance method). Results for both of them are proposed and explained.

  8. Experimental performance assessment of the sub-band minimum variance beamformer for ultrasound imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Diamantis, Konstantinos; Greenaway, Alan H.; Anderson, Tom

    2017-01-01

    Recent progress in adaptive beamforming techniques for medical ultrasound has shown that current resolution limits can be surpassed. One method of obtaining improved lateral resolution is the Minimum Variance (MV) beamformer. The frequency domain implementation of this method effectively divides...... the broadband ultrasound signals into sub-bands (MVS) to conform with the narrow-band assumption of the original MV theory. This approach is investigated here using experimental Synthetic Aperture (SA) data from wire and cyst phantoms. A 7 MHz linear array transducer is used with the SARUS experimental...... ultrasound scanner for the data acquisition. The lateral resolution and the contrast obtained, are evaluated and compared with those from the conventional Delay-and-Sum (DAS) beamformer and the MV temporal implementation (MVT). From the wire phantom the Full-Width-at-Half-Maximum (FWHM) measured at a depth...

  9. Compartment elasticity measured by pressure-related ultrasound to determine patients "at risk" for compartment syndrome: an experimental in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sellei, Richard Martin; Hingmann, Simon Johannes; Kobbe, Philipp; Weber, Christian; Grice, John Edward; Zimmerman, Frauke; Jeromin, Sabine; Hildebrand, Frank; Pape, Hans-Christoph

    2015-01-01

    Decision-making in treatment of an acute compartment syndrome is based on clinical assessment, supported by invasive monitoring. Thus, evolving compartment syndrome may require repeated pressure measurements. In suspected cases of potential compartment syndromes clinical assessment alone seems to be unreliable. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a non-invasive application estimating whole compartmental elasticity by ultrasound, which may improve accuracy of diagnostics. In an in vitro model, using an artificial container simulating dimensions of the human anterior tibial compartment, intra-compartmental pressures (p) were raised subsequently up to 80 mmHg by infusion of saline solution. The compartmental depth (mm) in the cross-section view was measured before and after manual probe compression (100 mmHg) upon the surface resulting in a linear compartmental displacement (∆d). This was repeated at rising compartmental pressures. The resulting displacements were related to the corresponding intra-compartmental pressures simulated in our model. A hypothesized relationship between pressures related compartmental displacement and the elasticity at elevated compartment pressures was investigated. With rising compartmental pressures, a non-linear, reciprocal proportional relation between the displacement (mm) and the intra-compartmental pressure (mmHg) occurred. The Pearson coefficient showed a high correlation (r(2) = -0.960). The intra-observer reliability value kappa resulted in a statistically high reliability (κ = 0.840). The inter-observer value indicated a fair reliability (κ = 0.640). Our model reveals that a strong correlation between compartmental strain displacements assessed by ultrasound and the intra-compartmental pressure changes occurs. Further studies are required to prove whether this assessment is transferable to human muscle tissue. Determining the complete compartmental elasticity by ultrasound

  10. Stability of Anthocyanins from Red Grape Skins under Pressurized Liquid Extraction and Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Liazid

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The stability of anthocyanins from grape skins after applying different extraction techniques has been determined. The following compounds, previously extracted from real samples, were assessed: delphinidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, petunidin 3-glucoside, peonidin 3-glucoside, malvidin 3-glucoside, peonidin 3-acetylglucoside, malvidin 3-acetylglucoside, malvidin 3-caffeoylglucoside, petunidin 3-p-coumaroylglucoside and malvidin 3-p-coumaroylglucoside (trans. The techniques used were ultrasound-assisted extraction and pressurized liquid extraction. In ultrasound-assisted extraction, temperatures up to 75 °C can be applied without degradation of the aforementioned compounds. In pressurized liquid extraction the anthocyanins were found to be stable up to 100 °C. The relative stabilities of both the glycosidic and acylated forms were evaluated. Acylated derivatives were more stable than non-acylated forms. The differences between the two groups of compounds became more marked on working at higher temperatures and on using extraction techniques with higher levels of oxygen in the extraction media.

  11. Non-Invasive Measurement of Pulsatile Intracranial Pressures Using Ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueno, Toshiaki; Ballard, Richard E.; Shuer, Lawrence M.; Cantrell, John H.; Cantrell, John H.; Hargens, Alan R.

    1997-01-01

    Early detection of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) will aid clinical decision-making for head trauma, brain tumor and other cerebrovascular diseases. Conventional methods, however, require surgical procedures which take time and are accompanied by increased risk of infection. Accordingly we have developed and refined a new ultrasound device to measure skull movements which are known to occur in conjunction with altered ICP. The principle of this device is based upon pulse phase locked loop (PPLL), which enables us to detect changes in distance on the order of microns between an ultrasound transducer on one side of the skull and the opposite inner surface of the cranium. The present study was designed to verify this measurement technique in cadavera. Transcranial distance was increased in steps of 10 mmHg from zero to 50 mmHg by saline infusion into the lateral ventricle of two cadavera. In separate experiments, pulsations of ICP with the amplitudes of zero to 2 mmHg were generated by rhythmic injections of saline using a syringe. When the ICP was stepwise increased from zero to 50 mmHg, transcranial distance increased in proportion with the ICP increase (y=12 x - 76, r=0.938), where y is changes in transcranial distance in microns and x is ICP in mmHg. In the data recorded while ICP pulsations were generated, fast Fourier transform analysis demonstrated that cranial pulsations were clearly associated with ICP pulsations. The results indicate that changes in transcranial distance is linearly correlated with those in ICP, and also that the PPLL device has sufficient sensitivity to detect transcranial pulsations which occur in association with the cardiac cycle. By analyzing the magnitude of cranial pulsations, we may be able to estimate the pressure-volume index in the cranium. As a result, estimates of intracranial compliance may be possible by using the PPLL device. Further studies are necessary in normal subjects and patients.

  12. Wire-mesh sensor, ultrasound and high-speed videometry applied for the characterization of horizontal gas-liquid slug flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ofuchi, C. Y.; Morales, R. E. M.; Arruda, L. V. R.; Neves, F., Jr.; Dorini, L.; do Amaral, C. E. F.; da Silva, M. J.

    2012-03-01

    Gas-liquid flows occur in a broad range of industrial applications, for instance in chemical, petrochemical and nuclear industries. Correct understating of flow behavior is crucial for safe and optimized operation of equipments and processes. Thus, measurement of gas-liquid flow plays an important role. Many techniques have been proposed and applied to analyze two-phase flows so far. In this experimental research, data from a wire-mesh sensor, an ultrasound technique and high-speed camera are used to study two-phase slug flows in horizontal pipes. The experiments were performed in an experimental two-phase flow loop which comprises a horizontal acrylic pipe of 26 mm internal diameter and 9 m length. Water and air were used to produce the two-phase flow and their flow rates are separately controlled to produce different flow conditions. As a parameter of choice, translational velocity of air bubbles was determined by each of the techniques and comparatively evaluated along with a mechanistic flow model. Results obtained show good agreement among all techniques. The visualization of flow obtained by the different techniques is also presented.

  13. Variation of High-Intensity Therapeutic Ultrasound (HITU) Pressure Field Characterization: Effects of Hydrophone Choice, Nonlinearity, Spatial Averaging and Complex Deconvolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yunbo; Wear, Keith A; Harris, Gerald R

    2017-10-01

    Reliable acoustic characterization is fundamental for patient safety and clinical efficacy during high-intensity therapeutic ultrasound (HITU) treatment. Technical challenges, such as measurement variation and signal analysis, still exist for HITU exposimetry using ultrasound hydrophones. In this work, four hydrophones were compared for pressure measurement: a robust needle hydrophone, a small polyvinylidene fluoride capsule hydrophone and two fiberoptic hydrophones. The focal waveform and beam distribution of a single-element HITU transducer (1.05 MHz and 3.3 MHz) were evaluated. Complex deconvolution between the hydrophone voltage signal and frequency-dependent complex sensitivity was performed to obtain pressure waveforms. Compressional pressure (p + ), rarefactional pressure (p - ) and focal beam distribution were compared up to 10.6/-6.0 MPa (p + /p - ) (1.05 MHz) and 20.65/-7.20 MPa (3.3 MHz). The effects of spatial averaging, local non-linear distortion, complex deconvolution and hydrophone damage thresholds were investigated. This study showed a variation of no better than 10%-15% among hydrophones during HITU pressure characterization. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Diagnostics for exploding wires (abstract)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moosman, B.; Bystritskii, V.; Wessel, F.J.; Van Drie, A.

    1999-01-01

    Two diagnostics, capable of imaging fast, high temperature, plasmas were used on exploding wire experiments at UC Irvine. An atmospheric pressure nitrogen laser (λ=337.1 nm) was used to generate simultaneous shadow and shearing interferogram images with a temporal resolution of ∼1 ns and a spatial resolution of 10 μm. An x-ray backlighter imaged the exploding wire 90 degree with respect to the laser and at approximately the same instant in time. The backlighter spatial resolution as determined by geometry and film resolution was 25 μm. Copper wires of diameters (25, 50, and 100 μm) and steel wire d=25 μm were exploded in vacuum (10 -5 Torr) at a maximum current level of 12 kA, by a rectified marx bank at a voltage of 50 kV and a current rise time (quarter period) of 900 ns. Copper wires which were cleaned and then resistively heated under vacuum to incandescence for several hours prior to high current initiation, exhibited greater expansion velocities at peak current than wires which had not been heated prior to discharge. Axial variations on the surface of the wire observed with the laser were found to correlate with bulk axial mass differences from x-ray backlighting. High electron density, measured near the opaque surface of the exploding wire, suggests that much of the current is shunted outward away from the bulk of the wire. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

  15. A platform for exploding wires in different media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ruoyu; Wu, Jiawei; Qiu, Aici; Zhou, Haibin; Wang, Yanan; Yan, Jiaqi; Ding, Weidong

    2017-10-01

    A platform SWE-2 used for single wire explosion experiments has been designed, established, and commissioned. This paper describes the design and initial experiments of SWE-2. In summary, two pulsed current sources based on pulse capacitors and spark gaps are adopted to drive sub-microsecond and microsecond time scale wire explosions in a gaseous/liquid medium, respectively. In the initial experiments, a single copper wire was exploded in air, helium, and argon with a 0.1-0.3 MPa ambient pressure as well as tap water with a 283-323 K temperature, 184-11 000 μ S/cm conductivity, or 0.1-0.9 MPa hydrostatic pressure. In addition, the diagnostic system is introduced in detail. Energy deposition, optical emission, and shock wave characteristics are briefly discussed based on experimental results. The platform was demonstrated to operate successfully with a single wire load. These results provide the potential for further applications of this platform, such as plasma-matter interactions, shock wave effects, and reservoir simulations.

  16. Direct delamination of graphite ore into defect-free graphene using a biphasic solvent system under pressurized ultrasound

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Beneš, Hynek; Donato, R. K.; Ecorchard, P.; Popelková, Daniela; Pavlová, Eva; Schelonka, D.; Pop-Georgievski, Ognen; Schrekker, H. S.; Štengl, V.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 6, č. 8 (2016), s. 6008-6015 ISSN 2046-2069 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-05146S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : graphite ore * graphene * high-pressure ultrasound Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 3.108, year: 2016

  17. Direct delamination of graphite ore into defect-free graphene using a biphasic solvent system under pressurized ultrasound.

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Beneš, H.; Donato, R. K.; Ecorchard, Petra; Popelková, Daniela; Pavlová, E.; Schelonka, Darina; Pop-Georgievski, O.; Schrekker, H. S.; Štengl, Václav

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 6, č. 8 (2016), s. 6008-6015 ISSN 2046-2069 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-05146S Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : graphite ore * graphene * high-pressure ultrasound Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 3.108, year: 2016

  18. Surge-Resistant Nanocomposite Enameled Wire Using Silica Nanoparticles with Binary Chemical Compositions on the Surface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeseung Yoo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We developed polyesterimide (PEI nanocomposite enameled wires using surface-modified silica nanoparticles with binary chemical compositions on the surface. The modification was done using silanes assisted by ultrasound, which facilitated high density modification. Two different trimethoxysilanes were chosen for the modification on the basis of resemblance of chemical compositions on the silica surface to PEI varnish. The surface-modified silica was well dispersed in PEI varnish, which was confirmed by optical observation and viscosity measurement. The glass transition temperature of the silica-PEI nanocomposite increased with the silica content. The silica-dispersed PEI varnish was then used for enameled wire fabrication. The silica-PEI nanocomposite enameled wire exhibited a much longer lifetime compared to that of neat PEI enameled wire in partial discharge conditions.

  19. Swirl flow analysis in a helical wire inserted tube using CFD code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Yusun; Chang, Soon Heung

    2010-01-01

    An analysis on the two-phase flow in a helical wire inserted tube using commercial CFD code, CFX11.0, was performed in bubbly flow and annular flow regions. The analysis method was validated with the experimental results of Takeshima. Bubbly and annular flows in a 10 mm inner diameter tube with varying pitch lengths and inserted wire diameters were simulated using the same analysis methods after validation. The geometry range of p/D was 1-4 and e/D was 0.08-0.12. The results show that the inserted wire with a larger diameter increased swirl flow generation. An increasing swirl flow was seen as the pitch length increased. Regarding pressure loss, smaller pitch lengths and inserted wires with larger diameters resulted in larger pressure loss. The average liquid film thickness increased as the pitch length and the diameter of the inserted wire increased in the annular flow region. Both in the bubbly flow and annular flow regions, the effect of pitch length on swirl flow generation and pressure loss was more significant than that of the inserted wire diameters. Pitch length is a more dominant factor than inserted wire diameter for the design of the swirl flow generator in small diameter tubes.

  20. Nanopowder production by gas-embedded electrical explosion of wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zou Xiao-Bing; Wang Xin-Xin; Jiang Wei-Hua; Mao Zhi-Guo

    2013-01-01

    A small electrical explosion of wire (EEW) setup for nanopowder production is constructed. It consists of a low inductance capacitor bank of 2 μF–4 μF typically charged to 8 kV−30 kV, a triggered gas switch, and a production chamber housing the exploding wire load and ambient gas. With the EEW device, nanosize powders of titanium oxides, titanium nitrides, copper oxides, and zinc oxides are successfully synthesized. The average particle size of synthesized powders under different experimental conditions is in a range of 20 nm−80 nm. The pressure of ambient gas or wire vapor can strongly affect the average particle size. The lower the pressure, the smaller the particle size is. For wire material with relatively high resistivity, such as titanium, whose deposited energy W d is often less than sublimation energy W s due to the flashover breakdown along the wire prematurely ending the Joule heating process, the synthesized particle size of titanium oxides or titanium nitrides increases with overheat coefficient k (k = W d /W s ) increasing. (physics of gases, plasmas, and electric discharges)

  1. Nanopowder production by gas-embedded electrical explosion of wire

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zou Xiao-Bing; Mao Zhi-Guo; Wang Xin-Xin; Jiang Wei-Hua

    2013-01-01

    A small electrical explosion of wire (EEW) setup for nanopowder production is constructed.It consists of a low inductance capacitor bank of 2 μF--4 μF typically charged to 8 kV-30 kV,a triggered gas switch,and a production chamber housing the exploding wire load and ambient gas.With the EEW device,nanosize powders of titanium oxides,titanium nitrides,copper oxides,and zinc oxides are successfully synthesized.The average particle size of synthesized powders under different experimental conditions is in a range of 20 nm-80 nm.The pressure of ambient gas or wire vapor can strongly affect the average particle size.The lower the pressure,the smaller the particle size is.For wire material with relatively high resistivity,such as titanium,whose deposited energy Wd is often less than sublimation energy Ws due to the flashover breakdown along the wire prematurely ending the Joule heating process,the synthesized particle size of titanium oxides or titanium nitrides increases with overheat coefficient k (k =Wd/Ws) increasing.

  2. Onset temperatures in hot wire Ignition of AN-Based emulsions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chan, Sek Kwan [Orica Mining Services, Quebec (Canada); Turcotte, Richard [Canadian Explosive Research Laboratory, Ottawa (Canada)

    2009-02-15

    Hot wire ignition experiments were carried out recently at the Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory on a few emulsion formulations. The data indicate that there is a pressure-dependent onset temperature beyond which the wire temperature increases at an accelerated rate. In order to explain this observation and to detect this temperature more consistently, particularly at low pressures, the data are reanalysed by comparing the experimental wire temperature with that predicted from theory for the heating of an inert material. For this purpose, an analytical theory from the literature is reviewed and the numerical solution developed in this report is described. The latter can deal with more general solutions with variable thermal properties and chemical reactions in the condensed medium surrounding the wire. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  3. Children's (Pediatric) Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... placement and fluid drainage for diagnosis and/or relief of patient discomfort. Doppler ultrasound images can help ... tenderness, your child may feel pressure or minor pain from the procedure. If a Doppler ultrasound study ...

  4. Pool boiling of water on nano-structured micro wires at sub-atmospheric conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arya, Mahendra; Khandekar, Sameer; Pratap, Dheeraj; Ramakrishna, S. Anantha

    2016-09-01

    Past decades have seen active research in enhancement of boiling heat transfer by surface modifications. Favorable surface modifications are expected to enhance boiling efficiency. Several interrelated mechanisms such as capillarity, surface energy alteration, wettability, cavity geometry, wetting transitions, geometrical features of surface morphology, etc., are responsible for change in the boiling behavior of modified surfaces. Not much work is available on pool boiling at low pressures on microscale/nanoscale geometries; low pressure boiling is attractive in many applications wherein low operating temperatures are desired for a particular working fluid. In this background, an experimental setup was designed and developed to investigate the pool boiling performance of water on (a) plain aluminum micro wire (99.999 % pure) and, (b) nano-porous alumina structured aluminum micro wire, both having diameter of 250 µm, under sub-atmospheric pressure. Nano-structuring on the plain wire surface was achieved via anodization. Two samples, A and B of anodized wires, differing by the degree of anodization were tested. The heater length scale (wire diameter) was much smaller than the capillary length scale. Pool boiling characteristics of water were investigated at three different sub-atmospheric pressures of 73, 123 and 199 mbar (corresponding to T sat = 40, 50 and 60 °C). First, the boiling characteristics of plain wire were measured. It was noticed that at sub-atmospheric pressures, boiling heat transfer performance for plain wire was quite low due to the increased bubble sizes and low nucleation site density. Subsequently, boiling performance of nano-structured wires (both Sample A and Sample B) was compared with plain wire and it was noted that boiling heat transfer for the former was considerably enhanced as compared to the plain wire. This enhancement is attributed to increased nucleation site density, change in wettability and possibly due to enhanced pore scale

  5. Fast virtual functional assessment of intermediate coronary lesions using routine angiographic data and blood flow simulation in humans: comparison with pressure wire - fractional flow reserve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papafaklis, Michail I; Muramatsu, Takashi; Ishibashi, Yuki; Lakkas, Lampros S; Nakatani, Shimpei; Bourantas, Christos V; Ligthart, Jurgen; Onuma, Yoshinobu; Echavarria-Pinto, Mauro; Tsirka, Georgia; Kotsia, Anna; Nikas, Dimitrios N; Mogabgab, Owen; van Geuns, Robert-Jan; Naka, Katerina K; Fotiadis, Dimitrios I; Brilakis, Emmanouil S; Garcia-Garcia, Héctor M; Escaned, Javier; Zijlstra, Felix; Michalis, Lampros K; Serruys, Patrick W

    2014-09-01

    To develop a simplified approach of virtual functional assessment of coronary stenosis from routine angiographic data and test it against fractional flow reserve using a pressure wire (wire-FFR). Three-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography (3D-QCA) was performed in 139 vessels (120 patients) with intermediate lesions assessed by wire-FFR (reference standard: ≤0.80). The 3D-QCA models were processed with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to calculate the lesion-specific pressure gradient (ΔP) and construct the ΔP-flow curve, from which the virtual functional assessment index (vFAI) was derived. The discriminatory power of vFAI for ischaemia- producing lesions was high (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve [AUC]: 92% [95% CI: 86-96%]). Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity for the optimal vFAI cut-point (≤0.82) were 88%, 90% and 86%, respectively. Virtual-FAI demonstrated superior discrimination against 3D-QCA-derived % area stenosis (AUC: 78% [95% CI: 70- 84%]; p<0.0001 compared to vFAI). There was a close correlation (r=0.78, p<0.0001) and agreement of vFAI compared to wire-FFR (mean difference: -0.0039±0.085, p=0.59). We developed a fast and simple CFD-powered virtual haemodynamic assessment model using only routine angiography and without requiring any invasive physiology measurements/hyperaemia induction. Virtual-FAI showed a high diagnostic performance and incremental value to QCA for predicting wire-FFR; this "less invasive" approach could have important implications for patient management and cost.

  6. Different nerve ultrasound patterns in charcot-marie-tooth types and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padua, Luca; Coraci, Daniele; Lucchetta, Marta; Paolasso, Ilaria; Pazzaglia, Costanza; Granata, Giuseppe; Cacciavillani, Mario; Luigetti, Marco; Manganelli, Fiore; Pisciotta, Chiara; Piscosquito, Giuseppe; Pareyson, Davide; Briani, Chiara

    2018-01-01

    Nerve ultrasound in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease has focused mostly on the upper limbs. We performed an evaluation of a large cohort of CMT patients in which we sonographically characterized nerve abnormalities in different disease types, ages, and nerves. Seventy patients affected by different CMT types and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) were evaluated, assessing median, ulnar, fibular, tibial, and sural nerves bilaterally. Data were correlated with age. Nerve dimensions were correlated with CMT type, age, and nerve site. Nerves were larger in demyelinating than in axonal neuropathies. Nerve involvement was symmetric. CMT1 patients had larger nerves than did patients with other CMT types. Patients with HNPP showed enlargement at entrapment sites. Our study confirms the general symmetry of ultrasound nerve patterns in CMT. When compared with ultrasound studies of nerves of the upper limbs, evaluation of the lower limbs did not provide additional information. Muscle Nerve 57: E18-E23, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Passive cavitation imaging with ultrasound arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salgaonkar, Vasant A; Datta, Saurabh; Holland, Christy K; Mast, T Douglas

    2009-12-01

    A method is presented for passive imaging of cavitational acoustic emissions using an ultrasound array, with potential application in real-time monitoring of ultrasound ablation. To create such images, microbubble emissions were passively sensed by an imaging array and dynamically focused at multiple depths. In this paper, an analytic expression for a passive image is obtained by solving the Rayleigh-Sommerfield integral, under the Fresnel approximation, and passive images were simulated. A 192-element array was used to create passive images, in real time, from 520-kHz ultrasound scattered by a 1-mm steel wire. Azimuthal positions of this target were accurately estimated from the passive images. Next, stable and inertial cavitation was passively imaged in saline solution sonicated at 520 kHz. Bubble clusters formed in the saline samples were consistently located on both passive images and B-scans. Passive images were also created using broadband emissions from bovine liver sonicated at 2.2 MHz. Agreement was found between the images and source beam shape, indicating an ability to map therapeutic ultrasound beams in situ. The relation between these broadband emissions, sonication amplitude, and exposure conditions are discussed.

  8. ''Water bath'' effect during the electrical underwater wire explosion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oreshkin, V. I.; Chaikovsky, S. A.; Ratakhin, N. A.; Grinenko, A.; Krasik, Ya. E.

    2007-01-01

    The results of a simulation of underwater electrical wire explosion at a current density >10 9 A/cm 2 , total discharge current of ∼3 MA, and rise time of the current of ∼100 ns are presented. The electrical wire explosion was simulated using a one-dimensional radiation-magnetohydrodynamic model. It is shown that the radiation of the exploded wire produces a thin conducting plasma shell in the water in the vicinity of the exploding wire surface. It was found that this plasma shell catches up to 30% of the discharge current. Nevertheless, it was shown that the pressure and temperature of the wire material remain unchanged as compared with the idealized case of the electrical wire explosion in vacuum. This result is explained by a 'water bath' effect

  9. Safety of Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breyer, B.

    1998-01-01

    Large numbers of people (both sick and healthy) are routinely exposed to ultrasound waves. We shall discuss wave parameters and scanner properties that are relevant to the safety aspect. This includes central pulse frequency, pulse length, intensity (ISPTA and others), focusing, pulse repetition frequency, pulse pressure, etc. Since the transmitted ultrasound power has steadily been increasing during the last two decades, the problems are becoming more serious with time. Doppler methods have gained importance and 'popularity, which additionally increases ultrasound power requirements since the reflectivity of red blood cells is so small that the backscattered pressure is about 100 times less than that from soft tissue structures in the body. Main mechanisms that can potentially present hazard are heating and cavitation. The basic parameter used to assess thermal hazard is ISPTA and the optimal predictor of cavitation hazard is the peak rarefractional pressure. The hazard of heating-up can be summarized in saying that temperatures up to 38.5 o C are safe, while temperatures above 41 o C are definitely not. Care must be taken to stay within the safe zone. However, there does not exist a confirmed report of any type of hazardous effects on humans using intensities presently applied in diagnostic ultrasound scanners. Taking this into account, various international bodies have put limits to the application of ultrasound, which is best summarized in the FDA (USA) regulation that diagnostic apparatus may have an output of maximally 720 mW/cm 2 (derated) provided thermal and mechanical properties are indicated (onscreen) by properly defined Thermal Indices (TI) and Mechanical Index (MI). These aspects shall be discussed in some detail. We shall give the rules for the operator to apply ultrasound with minimal hazard. The general conclusion is that diagnostic ultrasound, as presently known, may be used whenever a qualified expert expects essential medical benefit for the

  10. Thermal hydraulic evaluation of advanced wire-wrapped assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, J.P.

    1975-01-01

    The thermal-hydraulic analyses presented in this report are based on application of the subchannel concept in association with the use of bulk parameters for coolant velocity and coolant temperature within a subchannel. The interactions between subchannels are due to turbulent interchange, pressure-induced diversion crossflow, directed sweeping crossflow induced by the helical wire wrap, and transverse thermal conduction. The FULMIX-II computer program was successfully developed to perform the steady-state temperature predictions for LMFBR fuel assemblies with the reference straight-start design and the advanced wire-wrap designs. Predicted steady-state temperature profiles are presented for a typical CRBRP 217-rod wire-wrapped assembly with the selected wire-wrap designs

  11. 2D array transducers for real-time 3D ultrasound guidance of interventional devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Light, Edward D.; Smith, Stephen W.

    2009-02-01

    We describe catheter ring arrays for real-time 3D ultrasound guidance of devices such as vascular grafts, heart valves and vena cava filters. We have constructed several prototypes operating at 5 MHz and consisting of 54 elements using the W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. micro-miniature ribbon cables. We have recently constructed a new transducer using a braided wiring technology from Precision Interconnect. This transducer consists of 54 elements at 4.8 MHz with pitch of 0.20 mm and typical -6 dB bandwidth of 22%. In all cases, the transducer and wiring assembly were integrated with an 11 French catheter of a Cook Medical deployment device for vena cava filters. Preliminary in vivo and in vitro testing is ongoing including simultaneous 3D ultrasound and x-ray fluoroscopy.

  12. Flat ended steel wires, backscattering targets for calibrating over a large dynamic range

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lubbers, Jaap; Graaff, Reindert

    2006-01-01

    A series of flat ended stainless steel wires was constructed and experimentally evaluated as point targets giving a calibrated backscattering over a large range (up to 72 dB) for ultrasound frequencies in the range 2 to 10 MHz. Over a range of 36 dB, theory was strictly followed (within 1 dB),

  13. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... The ultrasound exam room may have a television. Feel free to ask for your child's favorite channel. ... performed over an area of tenderness, you may feel pressure or minor pain from the transducer. Once ...

  14. Simulation of ultrasound backscatter images from fish

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pham, An Hoai

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this work is to investigate ultrasound (US) backscatter in the MHz range from fis to develop a realistic and reliable simulation model. The long term objective of the work is to develop the needed signal processing for fis species differentiation using US. In in-vitro experiments...... is 10 MHz and the Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) at the focus point is 0.54 mm in the lateral direction. The transducer model in Field II was calibrated using a wire phantom to validate the simulated point spread function. The inputs to the simulation were the CT image data of the fis converted......, a cod (Gadus morhua) was scanned with both a BK Medical ProFocus 2202 ultrasound scanner and a Toshiba Aquilion ONE computed tomography (CT) scanner. The US images of the fis were compared with US images created using the ultrasound simulation program Field II. The center frequency of the transducer...

  15. Effect of wire shape on wire array discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimomura, N.; Tanaka, Y.; Yushita, Y.; Nagata, M.; Teramoto, Y.; Katsuki, S.; Akiyama, H.

    2001-01-01

    Although considerable investigations have been reported on z-pinches to achieve nuclear fusion, little attention has been given from the point of view of how a wire array consisting of many parallel wires explodes. Instability existing in the wire array discharge has been shown. In this paper, the effect of wire shape in the wire array on unstable behavior of the wire array discharge is represented by numerical analysis. The claws on the wire formed in installation of wire may cause uniform current distribution on wire array. The effect of error of wire diameter in production is computed by Monte Carlo Method. (author)

  16. Effect of wire shape on wire array discharge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimomura, N.; Tanaka, Y.; Yushita, Y.; Nagata, M. [University of Tokushima, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokushima (Japan); Teramoto, Y.; Katsuki, S.; Akiyama, H. [Kumamoto University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kumamoto (Japan)

    2001-09-01

    Although considerable investigations have been reported on z-pinches to achieve nuclear fusion, little attention has been given from the point of view of how a wire array consisting of many parallel wires explodes. Instability existing in the wire array discharge has been shown. In this paper, the effect of wire shape in the wire array on unstable behavior of the wire array discharge is represented by numerical analysis. The claws on the wire formed in installation of wire may cause uniform current distribution on wire array. The effect of error of wire diameter in production is computed by Monte Carlo Method. (author)

  17. [Basics of emergency ultrasound].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schellhaas, S; Breitkreutz, R

    2012-09-05

    Focused ultrasound is a key methodology of critical care medicine. By referencing few ultrasound differential diagnosis, it is possible to identifying in real-time the reason of the critical state of a patient. Therefore typical focused ultrasound protocols were developed. The well known Focused Assessment with Sonography for trauma (FAST) was incorporated into the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) for shock room. Focused echocardiographic evaluation in life support (FEEL) has been designed to be conformed with the universal Advanced Life Support (ALS) algorithm and to identify treatable conditions such as acute right ventricular pressure overload in pulmonary embolism, hypovolemia, or pericardial effusion/tamponade. Using lung ultrasound one can differentiate pulmonary edema, pleural effusion or pneumothorax.

  18. Submerged-arc wire electrodes with nickel-plated surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagen, H. vom.

    1976-01-01

    The article reports on the development of SANWELD welding rods at GARHYTTAN's which is a wire free of impurities, copper, and hydrogen with a nickel surface. It is producted according to the SANBOND process. The wire has an optimum of mechanical quality grades depending on the powder used for welding, especially an improvement of notch impact strength. The elongation, especially the long-time values, are improved, hydrogen cracks are excluded depending on the correct powder or protective gas, and the low-temparature values are improved. An attendant phenomenon, which is not unimportant, is that the wires are practically corrosion-resistant in the non-welded state. The wire is suitable for submerged-arc welding in steam boilers and pressure vessels. (IHoe) [de

  19. Hot-wire ignition of AN-based emulsions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turcotte, Richard; Goldthorp, Sandra; Badeen, Christopher M. [Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G1 (Canada); Chan, Sek Kwan [Orica Canada Inc., Brownsburg-Chatham, Quebec (Canada)

    2008-12-15

    Emulsions based on ammonium nitrate (AN) and water locally ignited by a heat source do not undergo sustained combustion when the pressure is lower than some threshold value usually called the Minimum Burning Pressure (MBP). This concept is now being used by some manufacturers as a basis of safety. However, before a technique to reliably measure MBP values can be designed, one must have a better understanding of the ignition mechanism. Clearly, this is required to avoid under ignitions which could lead to the erroneous interpretation of failures to ignite as failures to propagate. In the present work, facilities to prepare and characterize emulsions were implemented at the Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory. A calibrated hot-wire ignition system operated in a high-pressure vessel was also built. The system was used to study the ignition characteristics of five emulsion formulations as a function of pressure and ignition source current. It was found that these mixtures exhibit complicated pre-ignition stages and that the appearance of endotherms when the pressure is lowered below some threshold value correlates with the MBP. Thermal conductivity measurements using this hot-wire system are also reported. (Abstract Copyright [2008], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  20. Investigation of residual stresses in thick-walled vessels with combination of autofrettage and wire-winding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sedighi, M.; Jabbari, A.H.

    2013-01-01

    Wire-winding and autofrettage processes can be used to introduce beneficial residual stress in the cylinder of thick-walled pressure vessels. In both techniques, internal residual compressive stress will increase internal pressure capacity, improve fatigue life and reduce fatigue crack initiation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of wire-winding on an autofrettaged thick-walled vessel. Direct method which is a modified Variable Material Properties (VMP) method has been used in order to calculate residual stresses in an autofrettaged vessel. Since wire-winding is done after autofrettage process, the tangent and/or Young's modulus could be changed. For this reason, a new wire-winding method based on Direct Method is introduced. The obtained results for wire-wound autofrettaged vessels are validated by finite element method. The results show that by using this approach, the residual hoop stresses in a wire-wound autofrettaged vessel have a more desirable distribution in the cylinder. -- Highlights: • Combination of autofrettage and wire-winding in pressure vessels has been presented. • A new method based on Direct method is presented for wire-winding process. • Residual hoop stresses are compared in vessels cylinders for different cases. • The residual hoop stress has a more desirable stress distribution. • The benefits of the combined vessel are highlighted in comparison with single cases

  1. Wearable Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Fabrics Produced by Knitting Flexible Wire Electrodes for the Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents

    OpenAIRE

    Heesoo Jung; Jin Ah Seo; Seungki Choi

    2017-01-01

    One of the key reasons for the limited use of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) is its inability to treat non-flat, three-dimensional (3D) surface structures, such as electronic devices and the human body, because of the rigid electrode structure required. In this study, a new APP system design?wearable APP (WAPP)?that utilizes a knitting technique to assemble flexible co-axial wire electrodes into a large-area plasma fabric is presented. The WAPP device operates in ambient air with a fully e...

  2. Radiation damage characterization in reactor pressure vessel steels with nonlinear ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matlack, K. H.; Kim, J.-Y.; Wall, J. J.; Qu, J.; Jacobs, L. J.

    2014-01-01

    Nuclear generation currently accounts for roughly 20% of the US baseload power generation. Yet, many US nuclear plants are entering their first period of life extension and older plants are currently undergoing assessment of technical basis to operate beyond 60 years. This means that critical components, such as the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), will be exposed to higher levels of radiation than they were originally intended to withstand. Radiation damage in reactor pressure vessel steels causes microstructural changes such as vacancy clusters, precipitates, dislocations, and interstitial loops that leave the material in an embrittled state. The development of a nondestructive evaluation technique to characterize the effect of radiation exposure on the properties of the RPV would allow estimation of the remaining integrity of the RPV with time. Recent research has shown that nonlinear ultrasound is sensitive to radiation damage. The physical effect monitored by nonlinear ultrasonic techniques is the generation of higher harmonic frequencies in an initially monochromatic ultrasonic wave, arising from the interaction of the ultrasonic wave with microstructural features such as dislocations, precipitates, and their combinations. Current findings relating the measured acoustic nonlinearity parameter to increasing levels of neutron fluence for different representative RPV materials are presented

  3. Radiation damage characterization in reactor pressure vessel steels with nonlinear ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matlack, K. H.; Kim, J.-Y.; Wall, J. J.; Qu, J.; Jacobs, L. J.

    2014-02-01

    Nuclear generation currently accounts for roughly 20% of the US baseload power generation. Yet, many US nuclear plants are entering their first period of life extension and older plants are currently undergoing assessment of technical basis to operate beyond 60 years. This means that critical components, such as the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), will be exposed to higher levels of radiation than they were originally intended to withstand. Radiation damage in reactor pressure vessel steels causes microstructural changes such as vacancy clusters, precipitates, dislocations, and interstitial loops that leave the material in an embrittled state. The development of a nondestructive evaluation technique to characterize the effect of radiation exposure on the properties of the RPV would allow estimation of the remaining integrity of the RPV with time. Recent research has shown that nonlinear ultrasound is sensitive to radiation damage. The physical effect monitored by nonlinear ultrasonic techniques is the generation of higher harmonic frequencies in an initially monochromatic ultrasonic wave, arising from the interaction of the ultrasonic wave with microstructural features such as dislocations, precipitates, and their combinations. Current findings relating the measured acoustic nonlinearity parameter to increasing levels of neutron fluence for different representative RPV materials are presented.

  4. Thermal-hydraulic analysis for wire-wrapped PWR cores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diller, P. [General Electric Company, 3901 Castle Hayne Rd., Wilmington, NC 28401 (United States)], E-mail: pdiller@gmail.com; Todreas, N. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)], E-mail: todreas@mit.edu; Hejzlar, P. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)

    2009-08-15

    This work focuses on the steady-state and transient thermal-hydraulic analyses for PWR cores using wire wraps in a hexagonal array with either U (45% w/o)-ZrH{sub 1.6} (referred to as U-ZrH{sub 1.6}) or UO{sub 2} fuels. Equivalences (thermal-hydraulic and neutronic) were created between grid spacer and wire wrap designs, and were used to apply results calculated for grid spacers to wire wrap designs. Design limits were placed on the pressure drop, critical heat flux (CHF), fuel and cladding temperature and vibrations. The vibrations limits were imposed for flow-induced vibrations (FIV) and thermal-hydraulic vibrations (THV). The transient analysis examined an overpower accident, loss of coolant accident (LOCA) and loss of flow accident (LOFA). The thermal-hydraulic performance of U-ZrH{sub 1.6} and UO{sub 2} were found very similar. Relative to grid spacer designs, wire wrap designs were found to have smaller fretting wear, substantially lower pressure drop and higher CHF. As a result, wire wrap cores were found to offer substantially higher maximum powers than grid spacer cores, allowing for a 25% power increase relative to the grid spacer uprate [Shuffler, C.A., Malen, J.A., Trant, J.M., Todreas, N.E., 2009a. Thermal-hydraulic analysis for grid supported and inverted fueled PWR cores. Nuclear Technology (this special issue devoted to hydride fuel in LWRs)] and a 58% power increase relative to the reference core.

  5. Nuclear reactor fuel structure containing uranium alloy wires embedded in a metallic matrix plate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Travelli, A.

    1988-01-01

    A nuclear fuel-containing plate structure for a nuclear reactor is described; such structure comprising a pair of malleable metallic non-fissionable matrix plates having confronting surfaces which are pressure bonded together and fully united to form a bonded surface, and elongated malleable wire-like fissionable fuel members separately confined and fully enclosed between the matrix plates along the interface to afford a high fuel density as well as structural integrity and effective retention of fission products. The plates have separate recesses formed in the confronting surfaces for closely receiving the wire-like fissionable fuel members. The wire-like fissionable fuel members are made of a maleable uranium alloy capable of being formed into elongated wire-like members and capable of withstanding pressure bonding. The wire-like fissionable fuel members are completely separated and isolated by fully united portions of the interface

  6. Tissue Harmonic Synthetic Aperture Ultrasound Imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hemmsen, Martin Christian; Rasmussen, Joachim; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    2014-01-01

    Synthetic aperture sequential beamforming (SASB) and tissue har- monic imaging (THI) are combined to improve the image quality of medical ultrasound imaging. The technique is evaluated in a compar- ative study against dynamic receive focusing (DRF). The objective is to investigate if SASB combined...... with THI improves the image qual- ity compared to DRF-THI. The major benet of SASB is a reduced bandwidth between the probe and processing unit. A BK Medical 2202 Ultraview ultrasound scanner was used to acquire beamformed RF data for oine evaluation. The acquisition was made interleaved between methods......, and data were recorded with and without pulse inversion for tissue harmonic imaging. Data were acquired using a Sound Technol- ogy 192 element convex array transducer from both a wire phantom and a tissue mimicking phantom to investigate spatial resolution and pen- etration. In-vivo scans were also...

  7. An ultrasound-based liquid pressure measurement method in small diameter pipelines considering the installation and temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xue; Song, Zhengxiang

    2015-04-09

    Liquid pressure is a key parameter for detecting and judging faults in hydraulic mechanisms, but traditional measurement methods have many deficiencies. An effective non-intrusive method using an ultrasound-based technique to measure liquid pressure in small diameter (less than 15 mm) pipelines is presented in this paper. The proposed method is based on the principle that the transmission speed of an ultrasonic wave in a Kneser liquid correlates with liquid pressure. Liquid pressure was calculated using the variation of ultrasonic propagation time in a liquid under different pressures: 0 Pa and X Pa. In this research the time difference was obtained by an electrical processing approach and was accurately measured to the nanosecond level through a high-resolution time measurement module. Because installation differences and liquid temperatures could influence the measurement accuracy, a special type of circuit called automatic gain control (AGC) circuit and a new back propagation network (BPN) model accounting for liquid temperature were employed to improve the measurement results. The corresponding pressure values were finally obtained by utilizing the relationship between time difference, transient temperature and liquid pressure. An experimental pressure measurement platform was built and the experimental results confirm that the proposed method has good measurement accuracy.

  8. Economic analysis of grid and wire wrap supported hydride and oxide fueled pressurized water reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shuffler, C.; Diller, P.; Malen, J.; Todreas, N.; Greenspan, E.; Petrovic, B.

    2009-01-01

    An economic analysis is performed to calculate the levelized unit cost of electricity (COE) for a pressurized water reactor (PWR) retrofitted with a range of potential U (45 wt.%)-ZrH 1.6 hydride and UO 2 oxide fueled geometries (i.e., combinations of rod diameter and pitch) supported by traditional grid spacers (square array) and wire wrap spacers (hexagonal array). The time frame considered in computing the COE is the remaining plant life, beginning at the time of retrofit. The goals of the analysis are twofold: (1) comparing the economic performance of UO 2 and U-ZrH 1.6 fuels for a range of retrofitted geometries supported by grid and wire wrap spacers; and (2) investigating the potential economic benefits for nuclear utilities considering retrofitting new fuels and/or geometries into existing PWR pressure vessels. Fuel cycle, operations and maintenance (O and M), and capital costs are considered. The economic performance of U-ZrH 1.6 and UO 2 fuels is found to be similar, with UO 2 fueled designs providing a slight advantage when supported by grid spacers, and U-ZrH 1.6 providing a slight advantage when supported by wire wrap spacers. These small differences in cost, however, are within the bounds of uncertainty of this study and are not believed to provide a strong economic argument for the use of one fuel type over the other. To demonstrate the potential economic benefits of retrofitted designs to nuclear utilities, two different comparisons are made. The first compares the COE for retrofitted designs with the COE for a reference PWR, assumed to have operated long enough to recuperate its initial capital investment. The costs for this reference PWR reflect the 'do-nothing' case for current plant owners whose primary expenditures are fuel cycle and O and M costs. The second comparison introduces a different reference PWR that includes the costs to operate an existing unit and the cost to purchase power from a newly constructed PWR, for comparison with

  9. Therapeutic Ultrasound Enhancement of Drug Delivery to Soft Tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, George; Wang, Peng; Lewis, George; Olbricht, William

    2009-04-01

    Effects of exposure to 1.58 MHz focused ultrasound on transport of Evans Blue Dye (EBD) in soft tissues are investigated when an external pressure gradient is applied to induce convective flow through the tissue. The magnitude of the external pressure gradient is chosen to simulate conditions in brain parenchyma during convection-enhanced drug delivery (CED) to the brain. EBD uptake and transport are measured in equine brain, avian muscle and agarose brain-mimicking phantoms. Results show that ultrasound enhances EBD uptake and transport, and the greatest enhancement occurs when the external pressure gradient is applied. The results suggest that exposure of the brain parenchyma to ultrasound could enhance penetration of material infused into the brain during CED therapy.

  10. Experimental performance assessment of the sub-band minimum variance beamformer for ultrasound imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Diamantis, Konstantinos; Greenaway, Alan H.; Anderson, Tom

    2017-01-01

    Recent progress in adaptive beamforming techniques for medical ultrasound has shown that current resolution limits can be surpassed. One method of obtaining improved lateral resolution is the Minimum Variance (MV) beamformer. The frequency domain implementation of this method effectively divides...... the broadband ultrasound signals into sub-bands (MVS) to conform with the narrow-band assumption of the original MV theory. This approach is investigated here using experimental Synthetic Aperture (SA) data from wire and cyst phantoms. A 7 MHz linear array transducer is used with the SARUS experimental...

  11. Ultrasound power measurements of HITU transducer with a more stable radiation force balance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karaboece, B; Sadiko'lu, E; Bilgic, E

    2011-01-01

    A new radiation force balance (RFB) system was established at Turkish National Metrology Institute (UME) Ultrasonics Laboratory for High intensity therapeutic ultrasound (HITU) power measurements. The new system is highly stable at high power levels up to 500 Watts. The measurement system consists of a Plexiglas cylindrical balance arm, target mounting scale disks, conical reflecting and absorbing targets, adjustment nuts, and a hanging wire. Both of the two sides of balance were mounted similar size and weight targets. The equilibrium of the balance arm can be adjusted with nuts on screws located at both sides of the balance arm. Transducer was mounted to bottom of water tank. Absorbers in the bottom and the near walls of the tank were used for reflecting target case. Ultrasound power was applied to one scale of the balance where the reflecting/absorbing target was mounted and corresponding force was measured on the other scale of balance where was connected to a balance with a thin wire while the thin rest standing on a support. Ultrasound power of two HITU transducers at frequencies 0.93 MHz, 1.1 MHz and 3.3 MHz were measured with conventional and new system, the values were compared and uncertainty components were assessed in this paper.

  12. Ultrasound power measurements of HITU transducer with a more stable radiation force balance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karaboece, B; Sadiko' lu, E; Bilgic, E, E-mail: baki.karaboce@ume.tubitak.gov.t [Tuebitak Ulusal Metroloji Enstituesue (UME), P.K. 54 41470 Gebze-Kocaeli (Turkey)

    2011-02-01

    A new radiation force balance (RFB) system was established at Turkish National Metrology Institute (UME) Ultrasonics Laboratory for High intensity therapeutic ultrasound (HITU) power measurements. The new system is highly stable at high power levels up to 500 Watts. The measurement system consists of a Plexiglas cylindrical balance arm, target mounting scale disks, conical reflecting and absorbing targets, adjustment nuts, and a hanging wire. Both of the two sides of balance were mounted similar size and weight targets. The equilibrium of the balance arm can be adjusted with nuts on screws located at both sides of the balance arm. Transducer was mounted to bottom of water tank. Absorbers in the bottom and the near walls of the tank were used for reflecting target case. Ultrasound power was applied to one scale of the balance where the reflecting/absorbing target was mounted and corresponding force was measured on the other scale of balance where was connected to a balance with a thin wire while the thin rest standing on a support. Ultrasound power of two HITU transducers at frequencies 0.93 MHz, 1.1 MHz and 3.3 MHz were measured with conventional and new system, the values were compared and uncertainty components were assessed in this paper.

  13. Joint reconstruction of the initial pressure and speed of sound distributions from combined photoacoustic and ultrasound tomography measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, Thomas P.; Anastasio, Mark A.

    2017-12-01

    The initial pressure and speed of sound (SOS) distributions cannot both be stably recovered from photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) measurements alone. Adjunct ultrasound computed tomography (USCT) measurements can be employed to estimate the SOS distribution. Under the conventional image reconstruction approach for combined PACT/USCT systems, the SOS is estimated from the USCT measurements alone and the initial pressure is estimated from the PACT measurements by use of the previously estimated SOS. This approach ignores the acoustic information in the PACT measurements and may require many USCT measurements to accurately reconstruct the SOS. In this work, a joint reconstruction method where the SOS and initial pressure distributions are simultaneously estimated from combined PACT/USCT measurements is proposed. This approach allows accurate estimation of both the initial pressure distribution and the SOS distribution while requiring few USCT measurements.

  14. Evaluation of frequency-dependent ultrasound attenuation in transparent medium using focused shadowgraph technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iijima, Yukina; Kudo, Nobuki

    2017-07-01

    Acoustic fields of a short-pulsed ultrasound propagating through a transparent medium with ultrasound attenuation were visualized by the focused shadowgraph technique. A brightness waveform and its spatial integrations were derived from a visualized field image and compared with a pressure waveform measured by a membrane hydrophone. The experimental results showed that first-order integration of the brightness wave has good agreement with the pressure waveforms. Frequency-dependent attenuation of the pulse propagating through castor oil was derived from brightness and pressure waveforms, and attenuation coefficients determined from focused shadowgraphy and hydrophone techniques showed good agreement. The results suggest the usefulness of the shadowgraph technique not only for the visualization of ultrasound fields but also for noncontact estimation of rough pressure waveforms and correct ultrasound attenuation.

  15. Characterization of the frictional losses and heat transfer of oscillatory viscous flow through wire-mesh regenerators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.A. Boroujerdi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, new relations for calculating heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of oscillatory flow through wire-mesh screen regenerator such as Darcy permeability, Forchheimer’s inertial coefficient, and heat transfer area per unit volume, as a function of the wire diameter are presented. According to the derived relations, thinner wires have higher pressure drop and higher heat transfer rate. The relations are applicable for all regenerative cryocoolers. Embedding the new relations into a numerical model, three Stirling-type orifice pulse tube cryocoolers with three regenerators different in length and diameter but same volume in a variety of wire diameters, have been modeled. The results achieved by the model reveal that the local heat transfer coefficient decreases with increase of the wire diameter and the length-to-diameter ratio. In addition, it was shown that the mean absolute gas–solid wire temperature difference is a linear function of wire diameter in the range investigated. The results show that for larger length-to-diameter ratios, Forchheimer’s effect will dominate frictional losses, and the variations of the frictional losses are proportional to the inverse of the wire diameter. Wire diameter has been optimized to maximize the coefficient of performance of the cryocooler. Shorter regenerators have thinner optimum wires.

  16. Non-linear Imaging using an Experimental Synthetic Aperture Real Time Ultrasound Scanner

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Joachim; Du, Yigang; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents the first non-linear B-mode image of a wire phantom using pulse inversion attained via an experimental synthetic aperture real-time ultrasound scanner (SARUS). The purpose of this study is to implement and validate non-linear imaging on SARUS for the further development of new...... non-linear techniques. This study presents non-linear and linear B-mode images attained via SARUS and an existing ultrasound system as well as a Field II simulation. The non-linear image shows an improved spatial resolution and lower full width half max and -20 dB resolution values compared to linear...

  17. Chemistry of radiation damage to wire chambers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wise, J.

    1992-08-01

    Proportional counters are used to study aspects of radiation damage to wire chambers (wire aging). Principles of low-pressure, rf plasma chemistry are used to predict the plasma chemistry in electron avalanches (1 atm, dc). (1) Aging is studied in CF 4 /iC 4 H 10 gas mixtures. Wire deposits are analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy. An apparent cathode aging process resulting in loss of gain rather than in a self-sustained current is observed in CF 4 -rich gases. A four-part model considering plasma polymerization of the hydrocarbon, etching of wire deposits by CF 4 , acceleration of deposition processes in strongly etching environments, and reactivity of the wire surface is developed to understand anode wire aging in CF 4 /iC 4 H 10 gases. Practical guidelines suggested by the model are discussed. (2) Data are presented to suggest that trace amounts of Freons do not affect aging rates in either dimethyl ether or Ar/C 2 H 6 . Apparent loss of gain is explained by attachment of primary electrons to a continuously increasing concentration of Freon 11 (CCl 3 F) in the counter gas. An increase in the concentration of Freon 11 in dimethyl ether is caused by a distillation process in the gas supply bottle and is a natural consequence of the unequal volatilities of the two compounds

  18. Brachial artery vasomotion and transducer pressure effect on measurements by active contour segmentation on ultrasound

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cary, Theodore W.; Sultan, Laith R.; Sehgal, Chandra M., E-mail: sehgalc@uphs.upenn.edu [Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States); Reamer, Courtney B.; Mohler, Emile R. [Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Vascular Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States)

    2014-02-15

    Purpose: To use feed-forward active contours (snakes) to track and measure brachial artery vasomotion on ultrasound images recorded in both transverse and longitudinal views; and to compare the algorithm's performance in each view. Methods: Longitudinal and transverse view ultrasound image sequences of 45 brachial arteries were segmented by feed-forward active contour (FFAC). The segmented regions were used to measure vasomotion artery diameter, cross-sectional area, and distention both as peak-to-peak diameter and as area. ECG waveforms were also simultaneously extracted frame-by-frame by thresholding a running finite-difference image between consecutive images. The arterial and ECG waveforms were compared as they traced each phase of the cardiac cycle. Results: FFAC successfully segmented arteries in longitudinal and transverse views in all 45 cases. The automated analysis took significantly less time than manual tracing, but produced superior, well-behaved arterial waveforms. Automated arterial measurements also had lower interobserver variability as measured by correlation, difference in mean values, and coefficient of variation. Although FFAC successfully segmented both the longitudinal and transverse images, transverse measurements were less variable. The cross-sectional area computed from the longitudinal images was 27% lower than the area measured from transverse images, possibly due to the compression of the artery along the image depth by transducer pressure. Conclusions: FFAC is a robust and sensitive vasomotion segmentation algorithm in both transverse and longitudinal views. Transverse imaging may offer advantages over longitudinal imaging: transverse measurements are more consistent, possibly because the method is less sensitive to variations in transducer pressure during imaging.

  19. Comparison of trans-perineal ultrasound-guided pressure augmented saline colostomy distension study and conventional contrast radiographic colostography in children with anorectal malformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekwunife, Okechukwu Hyginus; Umeh, Eric Okechukwu; Ugwu, Jideofor Okechukwu; Ebubedike, Uzoamaka Rufina; Okoli, Chinedu Christian; Modekwe, Victor Ifeanyichukwu; Elendu, Kelechi Collins

    2016-01-01

    In children with high and intermediate anorectal malformation, distal colostography is an important investigation done to determine the relationship between the position of the rectal pouch and the probable site of the neo-anus as well as the presence or absence of a fistula. Conventionally, this is done using contrast with fluoroscopy or still X-ray imaging. This, however, has the challenges of irradiation, availability and affordability, especially in developing countries. This study compared the accuracy of trans-perineal ultrasound-guided pressure augmented saline colostomy distension study (SCDS) with conventional contrast distal colostography (CCDC) in the determination of the precise location of the distal rectal pouch and in detecting the presence and site of fistulous communication between the rectum and the urogenital tract was studied. Trans-perineal ultrasound-guided pressure augmented SCDS, CCDC and intra-operative measurements were done sequentially for qualified infants with anorectal malformation and colostomy. Pouch skin distance and presence or absence of recto urinary or genital fistula was measured prospectively in each case. Statistical significance was inferred at P-value of 0.01. On its ability to detect presence or absence of a fistula: SCDS had a sensitivity of 50.0%, specificity of 100.0%, accuracy of 69.2%, negative predictive value of fistulas of 55.6% and a positive predictive value of fistulas of 100.0%. Ultrasound-guided pressure augmented SCDS can safely and reliably be used to assess the distal colonic anatomy and the presence of fistula in infants with Anorectal malformation who are on colostomy.

  20. Skin-friction measurements with hot-wire gages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houdeville, R.; Juillen, J. C.; Cousteix, J.

    1983-11-01

    The development of two hot-wire gauges for implantation in wind-tunnel models and their application to the measurement of skin-friction phenomena are reported. The measurement principle is explained; the design and calibration of a single-wire gage containing a thermocouple for temperature determination (Cousteix and Juillen, 1982-1983) are summarized; and sample results for 2D and 3D flows with positive pressure gradients are shown. An advanced design employing a thin hot film deposited on an 80-micron-diameter quartz fiber extending into a 1-mm-sq 0.8-mm-deep cavity is characterized and demonstrated on a pulsed flow on a flat plate, Tollmien-Schlichting waves, and a turbulent boundary layer. Two cold-wire temperature sensors are added to this gage to permit detection of the skin of the skin friction in the separated flow over a cylinder.

  1. wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    Proportional multi-wire chamber. Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle. Proportional wire chambers allow a much quicker reading than the optical or magnetoscriptive readout wire chambers.

  2. Laser generated ultrasound sources using polymer nanocomposites for high frequency metrology

    KAUST Repository

    Rajagopal, Srinath

    2017-11-22

    Accurate characterization of ultrasound fields generated by diagnostic and therapeutic transducers is critical for patient safety. This requires hydrophones calibrated to a traceable standard and currently the upper calibration frequency range available to the user community is limited to a frequency of 40 MHz. However, the increasing use of high frequencies for both imaging and therapy necessitates calibrations to frequencies well beyond this range. For this to be possible, a source of high amplitude, broadband, quasi-planar and stable ultrasound fields is required. This is difficult to achieve using conventional piezoelectric sources, but laser generated ultrasound is a promising technique in this regard. In this study, various polymer-carbon nanotube nanocomposites (PNC) were fabricated and tested for their suitability for such an application by varying the polymer type, carbon nanotubes weight content in the polymer, and PNC thickness. A broadband hydrophone was used to measure the peak pressure and bandwidth of the laser generated ultrasound pulse. Peak-positive pressures of up to 8 MPa and −6dB bandwidths of up to 40 MHz were recorded. There is a nonlinear dependence of the peak pressure on the laser fluence and the bandwidth scales inversely proportionally to the peak pressure. The high-pressure plane waves generated from this preliminary investigation has demonstrated that laser generated ultrasound sources are a promising technique for high frequency calibration of hydrophones.

  3. Numerical evaluation of the skull for human neuromodulation with transcranial focused ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Jerel K.; Ai, Leo; Bansal, Priya; Legon, Wynn

    2017-12-01

    Objective. Transcranial focused ultrasound is an emerging field for human non-invasive neuromodulation, but its dosing in humans is difficult to know due to the skull. The objective of the present study was to establish modeling methods based on medical images to assess skull differences between individuals on the wave propagation of ultrasound. Approach. Computational models of transcranial focused ultrasound were constructed using CT and MR scans to solve for intracranial pressure. We explored the effect of including the skull base in models, different transducer placements on the head, and differences between 250 kHz or 500 kHz acoustic frequency for both female and male models. We further tested these features using linear, nonlinear, and elastic simulations. To better understand inter-subject skull thickness and composition effects we evaluated the intracranial pressure maps between twelve individuals at two different skull sites. Main results. Nonlinear acoustic simulations resulted in virtually identical intracranial pressure maps with linear acoustic simulations. Elastic simulations showed a difference in max pressures and full width half maximum volumes of 15% at most. Ultrasound at an acoustic frequency of 250 kHz resulted in the creation of more prominent intracranial standing waves compared to 500 kHz. Finally, across twelve model human skulls, a significant linear relationship to characterize intracranial pressure maps was not found. Significance. Despite its appeal, an inherent problem with the use of a noninvasive transcranial ultrasound method is the difficulty of knowing intracranial effects because of the skull. Here we develop detailed computational models derived from medical images of individuals to simulate the propagation of neuromodulatory ultrasound across the skull and solve for intracranial pressure maps. These methods allow for a much better understanding of the intracranial effects of ultrasound for an individual in order to

  4. Wire breakage in SLC wire profile monitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Field, C.; McCormick, D.; Raimondi, P.; Ross, M.

    1998-05-01

    Wire scanning beam profile monitors are used at the Stanford Linear Collider (SLC) for emittance preservation control and beam optics optimization. Twenty such scanners have proven most useful for this purpose and have performed a total of 1.5 million scans in the 4 to 6 years since their installation. Most of the essential scanners are equipped with 20 to 40 microm tungsten wires. SLC bunch intensities and sizes often exceed 2 x 10 7 particles/microm 2 (3C/m 2 ). The authors believe that this has caused a number of tungsten wire failures that appear at the ends of the wire, near the wire support points, after a few hundred scans are accumulated. Carbon fibers, also widely used at SLAC, have been substituted in several scanners and have performed well. In this paper, the authors present theories for the wire failure mechanism and techniques learned in reducing the failures

  5. Ultrasound triggered drug delivery with liposomal nested microbubbles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, N; Wrenn, S P

    2015-12-01

    When ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles are nested within a liposome, damage to the liposome membrane caused by both stable and inertial cavitation of the microbubble allows for release of the aqueous core of the liposome. Triggered release was not accomplished unless microbubbles were present within the liposome. Leakage was tested using fluorescence assays developed specifically for this drug delivery vehicle and qualitative measurements using an optical microscope. These studies were done using a 1 MHz focused ultrasound transducer while varying parameters including peak negative ultrasound pressure, average liposome diameter, and microbubble concentration. Two regimes exist for membrane disruption caused by cavitating microbubbles. A faster release rate, as well as permanent membrane damage are seen for samples exposed to high pressure (2.1-3.7 MPa). A slower release rate and dilation/temporary poration are characteristic of stable cavitation for low pressure studies (0.54-1.7 MPa). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Hot wire TIG temper bead welding for nuclear repairs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lambert, J.A.; Gilston, P.F.

    1989-08-01

    A preliminary assessment has been carried out to determine the suitability of the hot wire tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process for the repair of thick section, ferritic steel nuclear pressure vessels. The objective has been to identify a hot wire TIG temper bead procedure, suitable for repairs without post weld heat treatment. This procedure involves depositing two weld layers with carefully selected welding parameters such that overlapping thermal cycles produce a refined and tempered heat affected zone, HAZ, microstructure. (author)

  7. Thermosonic wire bonding of IC devices using palladium wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shze, J.H.; Poh, M.T.; Tan, R.M.

    1996-01-01

    The feasibility of replacing gold wire by palladium wire in thermosonic wire bonding of CMOS and bipolar devices are studied in terms of the manufacturability, physical, electrical and assembly performance. The results that palladium wire is a viable option for bonding the bipolar devices but not the CMOS devices

  8. Recent development of drastically innovative BSCCO wire (DI-BISCCO)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kikuchi, M.; Kato, T.; Ohkura, K.; Ayai, N.; Fujikami, J.; Fujino, K.; Kobayashi, S.; Ueno, E.; Yamazaki, K.; Yamade, S.; Hayashi, K.; Sato, K.; Nagai, T.; Matsui, Y.

    2006-01-01

    Up to this day, Ag-sheathed Bi2223 superconducting wires have been widely investigated and the long wires about 1000 m have been produced by using powder-in-tube (PIT) method on a commercial basis in the various facilities or companies. Although the wires are used for some applications such as HTS cables, magnets, motor and so on, the Bi2223 wires not only require much more improvements of the superconducting properties such as critical current, mechanical properties, but also longer and more uniform wires. Recently, the performances of Bi2223 wires have been drastically improved by using Controlled Over Pressure (CT-OP) sintering process. CT-OP process increased critical current (I c ) by more than 60% at 77 K and self field and improved the mechanical strength by more than 70%. The maximum I c was increased up to 166 A. These drastic improvements were caused by the higher density of Bi2223 filament up to almost 100% and better connectivity of the Bi2223 grains. The dense structure of the Bi2223 filaments prevents the ballooning phenomenon which is caused by the gasification of the trapped liquid nitrogen during temperature rise. Additionally, higher uniformity and higher production yield of long length wire were also achieved by exterminating defects during sintering. These high performance levels in CT-OP wires have contributed commercial level applications. We call as Drastically Innovative BSCCO (DI-BSCCO)

  9. The Behavior of Micro Bubbles and Bubble Cluster in Ultrasound Field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshizawa, Shin; Matsumoto, Yoichiro

    2001-11-01

    Ultrasound is widely applied in the clinical field today, such as ultrasound imaging, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) and so on. It is essential to take a real understanding of the dynamics of micro bubbles and bubble cluster in these applications. Thus we numerically simulate them in ultrasound field in this paper. In the numerical simulation, we consider the thermal behavior inside the bubble and the pressure wave phenomena in the bubble cluster in detail, namely, the evaporation and condensation of liquid at the bubble wall, heat transfer through the bubble wall, diffusion of non-condensable gas inside the bubble and the compressibility of liquid. Initial cluster radius is to 0.5[mm], bubble radius is 1.7[mm], void fraction is 0.1[ambient pressure is 101.3[kPa], temperature is 293[K] and the amplitude of ultrasound is 50[kPa]. We simulate bubble cluster in ultrasound field at various frequencies and we obtain the following conclusions. 1) The maximum pressure inside bubble cluster reaches 5[MPa] and this is much higher than that of a bubble. 2) Bubble cluster behaves like a rigid body acoustically when the frequency of ultrasound is much higher than its natural frequency.

  10. Relationship between ultrasonically detected phasic antral contractions and antral pressure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hveem, K; Sun, W M; Hebbard, G; Horowitz, M; Doran, S; Dent, J

    2001-07-01

    The relationships between gastric wall motion and intraluminal pressure are believed to be major determinants of flows within and from the stomach. Gastric antral wall motion and intraluminal pressures were monitored in five healthy subjects by concurrent antropyloroduodenal manometry and transabdominal ultrasound for 60 min after subjects drank 500 ml of clear soup. We found that 99% of antral contractions detected by ultrasound were propagated aborally, and 68% of contractions became lumen occlusive at the site of the ultrasound marker. Of the 203 contractions detected by ultrasound, 53% were associated with pressure events in the manometric reference channel; 86% of contractions had corresponding pressure events detectable somewhere in the antrum. Contractions that occluded the lumen were more likely to be associated with a pressure event in the manometric reference channel (P < 0.01) and to be of greater amplitude (P < 0.01) than non-lumen-occlusive contractions. We conclude that heterogeneous pressure event patterns in the antrum occur despite a stereotyped pattern of contraction propagation seen on ultrasound. Lumen occlusion is more likely to be associated with higher peak antral pressure events.

  11. Prediction of multi performance characteristics of wire EDM process using grey ANFIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumanan, Somasundaram; Nair, Anish

    2017-09-01

    Super alloys are used to fabricate components in ultra-supercritical power plants. These hard to machine materials are processed using non-traditional machining methods like Wire cut electrical discharge machining and needs attention. This paper details about multi performance optimization of wire EDM process using Grey ANFIS. Experiments are designed to establish the performance characteristics of wire EDM such as surface roughness, material removal rate, wire wear rate and geometric tolerances. The control parameters are pulse on time, pulse off time, current, voltage, flushing pressure, wire tension, table feed and wire speed. Grey relational analysis is employed to optimise the multi objectives. Analysis of variance of the grey grades is used to identify the critical parameters. A regression model is developed and used to generate datasets for the training of proposed adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system. The developed prediction model is tested for its prediction ability.

  12. Influence of the oxygen partial pressure on the phase evolution during Bi-2212 wire melt processing

    CERN Document Server

    Scheuerlein, C.; Rikel, M.O.; Kadar, J.; Doerrer, C.; Di Michiel, M.; Ballarino, A.; Bottura, L.; Jiang, J.; Kametani, F.; Hellstrom, E.E.; Larbalestier, D.C.

    2016-01-01

    We have studied the influence of the oxygen partial pressure pO2 up to 5.5 bar on the phase changes that occur during melt processing of a state-of-the-art Bi-2212 multifilamentary wire. Phase changes have been monitored in situ by high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD). We found that the stability of Bi-2212 phase is reduced with increasing pO2. For pO2>1 bar a significant amount of Bi-2212 phase decomposes upon heating in the range 400 to 650 °C. The extent of decomposition strongly increases with increasing pO2, and at pO2=5.5 bar Bi-2212 decomposes completely in the solid state. Textured Bi-2212 can be formed during solidification when pO2 is reduced to 0.45 bar when the precursor is molten. Since the formation of current limiting second phases is very sensitive to pO2 when it exceeds 1 bar, we recommend to reduce the oxygen partial pressure below the commonly used pO2=1 bar, in order to increase the pO2 margins and to make the overpressure process more robust.

  13. Stone fragmentation by ultrasound

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    In the present work, enhancement of the kidney stone fragmentation by using ultrasound is studied. The cavi- ... ment system like radiation pressure balance, the power is given by ... Thus the bubble size has direct relationship with its life and.

  14. Impurity-related optical properties in rectangular-transverse section GaAs-Ga{sub 1-x}Al{sub x}As quantum well wires: Hydrostatic pressure and electric field effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalez, J.W.; Duque, C.A. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad de Antioquia, AA 1226, Medellin (Colombia); Lopez, S.Y. [Facultad de Educacion, Universidad de Antioquia, AA 1226, Medellin (Colombia); Rodriguez, A.H. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Apdo. Postal 20-364, San Angel 01000, Mexico DF (Mexico); Porras-Montenegro, N. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad del Valle, AA 25360, Cali (Colombia)

    2007-01-15

    Using a variational procedure within the effective mass approximation, we have calculated the influence of an applied electric field and hydrostatic pressure on the shallow-impurity-related optical properties in a rectangular-transverse section GaAs-Ga{sub 1-x}Al{sub x}As quantum well wire. The electric field is applied in the plane of the transverse section of the wire and different angular directions have been considered. The results presented are for the impurity binding energy, its corresponding density of impurity states, and impurity-related transition energy and polarizability. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  15. Curved anode wire chambers for x-ray diffraction applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez-Mendez, V.; Wiedenbeck, P.; Wagner, C.N.J.; Woelfel, E.

    1983-01-01

    Curved position sensitive proportional detectors are described. The first has a radius of curvature of 135 mm and a 60 0 angular range. The second has a radius of curvature of 360 mm and a 45 0 angular range. For high quantum efficiency for x-ray energies up to 60 keV, a relatively large x-ray path and high gas pressure are required. The anode wires are suspended in circular arcs by the interaction of a current flowing through them and a magnetic field provided by two permanent magnets placed above and below the wire running parallel to it over the full length of the curved chambers. Anode wire stability under the combined action of the magnetic and electrostatic forces is discussed

  16. Randomized trial of tourniquet vs blood pressure cuff for target vein dilation in ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Drew; Jeanmonod, Rebecca; Jeanmonod, Donald

    2014-07-01

    Ten percent of the time, peripheral intravenous access (PIV) is not obtained in 2 attempts in the emergency department. Typically, a tourniquet is used to dilate the target vein; but recent research showed that a blood pressure (BP) cuff improves dilation, which may translate to increased PIV success. We sought to determine if there is improved success in obtaining ultrasound-guided PIV using a BP cuff vs a tourniquet in "difficult stick" patients. This is a prospective, randomized, single-blinded trial. Adult patients requiring PIV with at least 2 prior failed attempts were enrolled. Patients were assigned to tourniquet or BP cuff for target vein dilation randomly. Nurses prepared the patient for PIV attempt by either placing a BP cuff inflated to 150 mm Hg or placing a tourniquet on the chosen extremity. The extremity was draped to blind the physician to assignment. Physicians then attempted ultrasound-guided PIV. Failures were defined as IVs requiring greater than 3 ultrasound-guided attempts or 30 minutes, or patient intolerance. If failure occurred, the physician was unblinded; and the patient could be crossed over and reattempted. Thirty-eight patients were enrolled. The success rate for the tourniquet group (n = 17) and BP cuff group (n = 21) was 82.4% and 47.6%, respectively (P = .04). There were no differences between groups for vessel depth, diameter, or procedure time. Six in the BP cuff group were crossed over and had successful PIV obtained with tourniquet. Tourniquet is superior to BP cuff for target vein dilation in ultrasound-guided PIV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Vibration of signal wires in wire detectors under irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bojko, I.R.; Shelkov, G.A.; Dodonov, V.I.; Ignatenko, M.A.; Nikolenko, M.Yu.

    1995-01-01

    Radiation-induced vibration of signal wires in wire detectors is found and explained. The phenomenon is based on repulsion of a signal wire with a positive potential and a cloud of positive ions that remains after neutralization of the electron part of the avalanche formed in the course of gas amplification. Vibration with a noticeable amplitude may arise from fluctuations of repulsive forces, which act on the wire and whose sources are numerous ion clusters. A formula is obtained which allows wire oscillations to be estimated for all types of wire detectors. Calculation shows that oscillations of signal wires can be substantial for the coordinate accuracy of a detector working in the limited streamer mode at fluxes over 10 5 particles per second per wire. In the proportional mode an average oscillation amplitude can be as large as 20-30 μm at some detector parameters and external radiation fluxes over 10 5 . The experimental investigations show that the proposed model well describes the main features of the phenomenon. 6 refs., 8 figs

  18. A Transflective Nano-Wire Grid Polarizer Based Fiber-Optic Sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan-Qing Lu

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available A transflective nano-wire grid polarizer is fabricated on a single mode fiber tip by focused ion beam machining. In contrast to conventional absorptive in-line polarizers, the wire grids reflect TE-mode, while transmitting TM-mode light so that no light power is discarded. A reflection contrast of 13.7 dB and a transmission contrast of 4.9 dB are achieved in the 1,550 nm telecom band using a 200-nm wire grid fiber polarizer. With the help of an optic circulator, the polarization states of both the transmissive and reflective lights in the fiber may be monitored simultaneously. A kind of robust fiber optic sensor is thus proposed that could withstand light power variations. To verify the idea, a fiber pressure sensor with the sensitivity of 0.24 rad/N is demonstrated. The corresponding stress-optic coefficient of the fiber is measured. In addition to pressure sensing, this technology could be applied in detecting any polarization state change induced by magnetic fields, electric currents and so on.

  19. Report on UQ Assessmentsto support SESAME wire-wrappedbundle experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Popov, Emilian L. [ORNL; Pointer, William David [ORNL

    2017-10-01

    This work assesses the influence of assumptions made when generating a mesh of a wire-wrappedgeometry. The contact region between a wire and its adjacent pin is commonly modeled by eitherembedding the wire to the adjacent pin or trimming the wire so that a gap separates the wire from itsadjacent pin. These models are referred to as close-gap and open-gap approaches herein and are applied totwo geometries. The first geometry consists of a single pin wire-wrapped subchannel. A polyhedral meshand a hexahedral mesh are generated. The second and third geometry are a 7-pin and a 19-pinwire-wrapped bundles meshed with polyhedral elements only. Pressure drops are obtained with theSTAR-CCM+computational fluid dynamic package. Sensitivity analyses of the mesh density, the meshtype, and the turbulent models are performed. Numerical results show that the best match to theexperimental data and to the Cheng-Todreas correlation is obtained with the combination of a hexahedralmesh, the shear stress transport (SST) turbulent model, and the open-gap approach. In the case of the 7-pingeometry, the best results are obtained with the open-gap approach and the SST turbulent model. The19-pin geometry yields contradictory results to the 7-pin geometry results, and thus will require furtherinvestigations.

  20. Migration of a Broken Kirschner Wire after Surgical Treatment of Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabri Batın

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Kirschner wire (K-wire is one of the commonly used implants in orthopaedics practice. Migration of the wire is one of the most frequently reported complications after fixation by the K-wire. In particular, it has been reported that a greater range of motion in the shoulder, negative intrathoracic pressure associated with respiration, gravitational force, and muscular activities may cause migration from the upper extremities. In general, thin and long foreign bodies with smooth surfaces that are localized within the tendon sheath and at an upper extremity can migrate more readily and can reach longer distances. Here, we present a patient with long-term migration of a broken K-wire who underwent fixation for acromioclavicular joint dislocation 5 years ago.

  1. Enhancing the x-ray output of a single-wire explosion with a gas-puff based plasma opening switch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelbrecht, Joseph T.; Ouart, Nicholas D.; Qi, Niansheng; de Grouchy, Philip W.; Shelkovenko, Tatiana A.; Pikuz, Sergey A.; Banasek, Jacob T.; Potter, William M.; Rocco, Sophia V.; Hammer, David A.; Kusse, Bruce R.; Giuliani, John L.

    2018-02-01

    We present experiments performed on the 1 MA COBRA generator using a low density, annular, gas-puff z-pinch implosion as an opening switch to rapidly transfer a current pulse into a single metal wire on axis. This gas-puff on axial wire configuration was studied for its promise as an opening switch and as a means of enhancing the x-ray output of the wire. We demonstrate that current can be switched from the gas-puff plasma into the wire, and that the timing of the switch can be controlled by the gas-puff plenum backing pressure. X-ray detector measurements indicate that for low plenum pressure Kr or Xe shots with a copper wire, this configuration can offer a significant enhancement in the peak intensity and temporal distribution of radiation in the 1-10 keV range.

  2. Pressure-dependent shallow donor binding energy in InGaN/GaN square QWWs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghazi, Haddou El; Jorio, Anouar; Zorkani, Izeddine

    2013-01-01

    Using a variational approach, we perform a theoretical study of hydrostatic pressure effect on the ground-state of axial hydrogenic shallow-donor impurity binding energy in InGaN/GaN square quantum well wire (SQWWs) as a function of the side length within the effective-mass scheme and finite potential barrier. The pressure dependence of wire length, effective mass, dielectric constant and potential barrier are taken into account. Numerical results show that: (i) the binding energy is strongly affected by the wire length and the external applied pressure and (ii) its maximum moves to the narrow wire in particular for height pressure.

  3. Wire Chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    Magnetoscriptive readout wire chamber. Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  4. Wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    1967-01-01

    Magnetoscriptive readout wire chamber.Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  5. Utility of intra-operative ultrasound in choosing the appropriate site for blood pressure monitoring in Takayasu′s arteritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prasad Krishnamurthy Narasimha

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Takayasu′s arteritis (TA is rare, chronic progressive, pan-endarteritis involving the aorta and its main branches, with a specific predilection for young Asian women. Anaesthesia for TA patients is complicated by their severe uncontrolled hypertension, extreme arterial blood pressure differentials, aortic regurgitation (AR, end-organ dysfunction, stenosis/aneurysms of major blood vessels and difficulties encountered in monitoring arterial blood pressure. We present the usefulness of ultrasound during anaesthetic management of a 35-year-old woman posted for emergency caesarean section due to intra-uterine growth retardation, foetal tachycardia in active labour, who was already diagnosed to have TA along with moderate AR and uncontrolled hypertension, using epidural technique. The use of intra-operative doppler helped resolve the initial dilemma about the diagnosis and treatment of the differential blood pressure between the affected and the normal upper limb in the absence of prior arteriogram.

  6. Influence of CO2 on ultrasound-induced polymerizations in high-pressure fluids

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuijpers, M.W.A.; Jacobs, L.J.M.; Kemmere, M.F.; Keurentjes, J.T.F.

    2005-01-01

    A strong viscosity increase upon polymerization hinders cavitation and subsequent radical formation during an ultrasound-induced bulk polymerization. Ultrasound-induced radical polymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA) have been performed in CO2-expanded MMA, as well as in bulk MMA. For this

  7. Monotonic and cyclic bond behavior of confined concrete using NiTiNb SMA wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Eunsoo; Chung, Young-Soo; Kim, Yeon-Wook; Kim, Joo-Woo

    2011-01-01

    This study conducts bond tests of reinforced concrete confined by shape memory alloy (SMA) wires which provide active and passive confinement of concrete. This study uses NiTiNb SMA which usually shows wide temperature hysteresis; this is a good advantage for the application of shape memory effects. The aims of this study are to investigate the behavior of SMA wire under residual stress and the performance of SMA wire jackets in improving bond behavior through monotonic-loading tests. This study also conducts cyclic bond tests and analyzes cyclic bond behavior. The use of SMA wire jackets transfers the bond failure from splitting to pull-out mode and satisfactorily increases bond strength and ductile behavior. The active confinement provided by the SMA plays a major role in providing external pressure on the concrete because the developed passive confinement is much smaller than the active confinement. For cyclic behavior, slip and circumferential strain are recovered more with larger bond stress. This recovery of slip and circumferential strain are mainly due to the external pressure of the SMA wires since cracked concrete cannot provide any elastic recovery

  8. [Doppler ultrasound evaluation of aortic insufficiency using half-pressure time. Absence of arterial rigidity influence].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalotka-Bratek, H; Drobinski, G; Klimczak, K; Busquet, P; Fraysse, J B; Bejean-Lebuisson, A; Grosgogeat, Y

    1989-02-01

    In 20 patients with pure aortic regurgitation we studied the relationship between the severity of regurgitation, as assessed haemodynamically by the percentage of leakage (%L), and the half-pressure (T 1/2 P) and half-velocity (T 1/2 V) times, as obtained from doppler aortic blood velocity curves, taking into account the rigidity of the systemic vascular circuit characterized by the pressure wave propagation velocity (PWPV). The systemic arterial circuit was supple in 14 patients (PWPV less than 7.5 m/sec) and rigid in 6 patients (PWPV greater than 7.5 m/sec). The regression slopes between %L and T 1/2 P and between %L and T 1/2 V were calculated with their confidence limits in the 14 patients with supple arteries. The 6 patients with rigid arteries fitted into this nomogram, thus demonstrating that systemic arterial rigidity makes no difference in the relationship between %L and doppler indices. The half-velocity and half-pressure times measured by doppler ultrasound were acquired from a velocity signal directly determined by the aortic regurgitation, without any detectable effect of vascular circuit rigidity. Being equivalent by nature to the signal decrease time constant, they are independent of the absolute protodiastolic value of diastolic pressure gradient or blood flow velocity. For this reason these two doppler parameters are reliable to evaluate the severity of aortic regurgitation.

  9. Calculation of energy transfer by fission fragments from plane uranium layer to thin wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pikulev, A.A.

    2006-01-01

    Energy transfer from a flat fissile uranium slab to a fine wire via fission fragments is calculated. The rate of energy transfer versus the thicknesses of the slab and protecting aluminum film, as well as the wire-slab gap, is found. An expression for the absorption coefficient of the wire is derived, and the effect the thickness of the wire has on the energy transfer process is studied. The amount of the edge effect for a finite-size uranium slab is demonstrated with calculations for vacuum conditions and for argon under a pressure of 0.25 atm [ru

  10. Non-linear Ultrasound Imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Du, Yigang

    .3% relative to the measurement from a 1 inch diameter transducer. A preliminary study for harmonic imaging using synthetic aperture sequential beamforming (SASB) has been demonstrated. A wire phantom underwater measurement is made by an experimental synthetic aperture real-time ultrasound scanner (SARUS......) with a linear array transducer. The second harmonic imaging is obtained by a pulse inversion technique. The received data is beamformed by the SASB using a Beamformation Toolbox. In the measurements the lateral resolution at -6 dB is improved by 66% compared to the conventional imaging algorithm. There is also...... a 35% improvement for the lateral resolution at -6 dB compared with the sole harmonic imaging and a 46% improvement compared with merely using the SASB....

  11. Toward a reduced-wire readout system for ultrasound imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Jaemyung; Arkan, Evren F; Degertekin, F Levent; Ghovanloo, Maysam

    2014-01-01

    We present a system-on-a-chip (SoC) for use in high-frequency capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) imaging systems. This SoC consists of trans-impedance amplifiers (TIA), delay locked loop (DLL) based clock multiplier, quadrature sampler, and pulse width modulator (PWM). The SoC down converts RF echo signal to baseband by quadrature sampling which facilitates modulation. To send data through a 1.6 m wire in the catheter which has limited bandwidth and is vulnerable to noise, the SoC creates a pseudo-digital PWM signal which can be used for back telemetry or wireless readout of the RF data. In this implementation, using a 0.35-μm std. CMOS process, the TIA and single-to-differential (STD) converter had 45 MHz bandwidth, the quadrature sampler had 10.1 dB conversion gain, and the PWM had 5-bit ENoB. Preliminary results verified front-end functionality, and the power consumption of a TIA, STD, quadrature sampler, PWM, and clock multiplier was 26 mW from a 3 V supply.

  12. Scanning the melting curve of tungsten by a submicrosecond wire-explosion experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kloss, A.; Hess, H.; Schneidenbach, H.; Grossjohann, R.

    1999-01-01

    Measurements of temperature and density during a wire-explosion experiment at atmospheric pressure are described. The measurements encompass a parameter range from the solid to near the critical point. The influence of a polytetra-fluoroethylene coating of the wire, necessary to prevent surface discharges, on the temperature and density measurements is investigated. The melting curve of tungsten up to 4,000 K is determined

  13. Non-contact ultrasound techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khazali Mohd Zin

    2001-01-01

    Non-contact ultrasound plays significant role in material characterisation and inspection. Unlike conventional ultrasonic techniques, non-contact ultrasonic is mostly applicable to areas where the former has its weaknesses and limitations. It is interesting to note that the non-contact ultrasonic technique has an important significant application in industry. The technique is signified by the fact that the object to be inspected is further away from the ultrasonic source, no couplant is needed and inconsistent pressure between the transducer and the specimen can be eliminated. The paper discusses some of the non-contact ultrasound technique and its applications. (Author)

  14. Tracked ultrasound calibration studies with a phantom made of LEGO bricks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soehl, Marie; Walsh, Ryan; Rankin, Adam; Lasso, Andras; Fichtinger, Gabor

    2014-03-01

    In this study, spatial calibration of tracked ultrasound was compared by using a calibration phantom made of LEGO® bricks and two 3-D printed N-wire phantoms. METHODS: The accuracy and variance of calibrations were compared under a variety of operating conditions. Twenty trials were performed using an electromagnetic tracking device with a linear probe and three trials were performed using varied probes, varied tracking devices and the three aforementioned phantoms. The accuracy and variance of spatial calibrations found through the standard deviation and error of the 3-D image reprojection were used to compare the calibrations produced from the phantoms. RESULTS: This study found no significant difference between the measured variables of the calibrations. The average standard deviation of multiple 3-D image reprojections with the highest performing printed phantom and those from the phantom made of LEGO® bricks differed by 0.05 mm and the error of the reprojections differed by 0.13 mm. CONCLUSION: Given that the phantom made of LEGO® bricks is significantly less expensive, more readily available, and more easily modified than precision-machined N-wire phantoms, it prompts to be a viable calibration tool especially for quick laboratory research and proof of concept implementations of tracked ultrasound navigation.

  15. Flow pattern assessment in tubes with wire coil inserts in laminar and transition regimes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia, A.; Solano, J.P.; Vicente, P.G.; Viedma, A.

    2007-01-01

    The paper presents an analysis of the flow mechanisms in tubes with wire coils using hydrogen bubble visualization and PIV techniques. Results have been contrasted with experimental data on pressure drop. The relation between the observed flow patterns and the friction factor has been analysed. The experimental analysis that has been carried out allows one to state that at low Reynolds numbers (Re < 400) the flow in tubes with wire coils is basically similar to the flow in smooth tubes. At Reynolds numbers between 500 and 700 and in short pitch wire coils a recirculating flow appears. The insertion of wires coils in a smooth tube accelerates significantly the transition to turbulence. This is produced at Reynolds numbers between 700 and 1000 depending on the wire pitch

  16. Variation in resistance of natural isolates of Staphylococcus aureus to heat, pulsed electric field and ultrasound under pressure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Calleja, J M; Cebrián, G; Condón, S; Mañas, P

    2006-05-01

    To study and compare the resistance of 15 Staphylococcus aureus isolates to heat, pulsed electric field (PEF) and ultrasound (UW) under pressure (manosonication, MS). Survival curves to heat (58 degrees C), to PEF (22 kV cm(-1), 2 micros square wave pulses) and to UW under pressure (117 microm, 20 kHz, 200 kPa) were obtained and inactivation parameters (decimal reduction times for heat and UW under pressure, and b-values for PEF) were calculated. A wide resistance variation to heat treatment, but not to PEF and MS, was observed amongst the 15 strains. There was no relationship between the resistances to the three physical agents studied. Staphylococcus aureus was relatively resistant to MS but sensitive to PEF. Heat resistance varied with strain and was positively correlated to carotenoid pigment content. Results would help in defining safe food preservation processes. Care should be taken to choose the most adequate strain of S. aureus to model food preservation processing.

  17. Flow split, pressure drop, and mixing experiments in a 61-pin shaved-wire blanket assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, S.F.; Rohsenow, W.M.; Todreas, N.E.

    1981-10-01

    The experimental results of a series of hydraulic tests on a shaved-wire 61-pin blanket assembly are presented and compared to previously published MIT results for full-wire tests. The reduction of the wall subchannel flow area by incorporating the shaved-wire reduced the flow in edge and corner subchannels by 4.5 to 16.5% and 1.5%, respectively. The swirl velocity in the wall subchannels was reduced by 50%. The bundle average friction factor, the turbulent subchannel friction factors, and the mixing parameter and laminar/transition friction factors in the interior subchannels remained unchanged. However, the laminar/transition friction factors in the edge subchannels were significantly increased. These effects generally cannot be predicted by the current flow split, friction factor, and mixing parameter correlations

  18. Ultrasound-guided Placement of a Foley Catheter Using a Hydrophilic Guide Wire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Huber

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Acute urinary retention is a common problem in the emergency department. Patients can present in significant distress, necessitating the placement of a urinary catheter. Foley catheter placement can be difficult to accomplish depending on the etiology of the retention and the degree of the obstruction. In the case presented here, we used ultrasound guidance, a guidewire, and a Foley catheter to successfully relieve a patient’s urinary retention after multiple failed attempts.

  19. Intima-media thickness evaluation by B-mode ultrasound: Correlation with blood pressure levels and cardiac structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.L. Plavnik

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to analyze the thickness of the intima-media complex (IMC using a noninvasive method. The carotid and femoral common arteries were evaluated by noninvasive B-mode ultrasound in 63 normotensive and in 52 hypertensive subjects and the thickness of the IMC was tested for correlation with blood pressure, cardiac structures and several clinical and biological parameters. The IMC was thicker in hypertensive than in normotensive subjects (0.67 ± 0.13 and 0.62 ± 0.16 vs 0.54 ± 0.09 and 0.52 ± 0.11 mm, respectively, P<0.0001. In normotensive patients, the simple linear regression showed significant correlations between IMC and age, body mass index and 24-h systolic blood pressure for both the carotid and femoral arteries. In hypertensives the carotid IMC was correlated with age and 24-h systolic blood pressure while femoral IMC was correlated only with 24-h diastolic blood pressure. Forward stepwise regression showed that age, body mass index and 24-h systolic blood pressure influenced the carotid IMC relationship (r2 = 0.39 in normotensives. On the other hand, the femoral IMC relationship was influenced by 24-h systolic blood pressure and age (r2 = 0.40. In hypertensives, age and 24-h systolic blood pressure were the most important determinants of carotid IMC (r2 = 0.37, while femoral IMC was influenced only by 24-h diastolic blood pressure (r2 = 0.10. There was an association between carotid IMC and echocardiographic findings in normotensives, while in hypertensives only the left posterior wall and interventricular septum were associated with femoral IMC. We conclude that age and blood pressure influence the intima-media thickness, while echocardiographic changes are associated with the IMC.

  20. Modeling of ultrasound transducers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bæk, David

    This Ph.D. dissertation addresses ultrasound transducer modeling for medical ultrasound imaging and combines the modeling with the ultrasound simulation program Field II. The project firstly presents two new models for spatial impulse responses (SIR)s to a rectangular elevation focused transducer...... (REFT) and to a convex rectangular elevation focused transducer (CREFT). These models are solvable on an analog time scale and give exact smooth solutions to the Rayleigh integral. The REFT model exhibits a root mean square (RMS) error relative to Field II predictions of 0.41 % at 3400 MHz, and 1.......37 % at 100MHz. The CREFT model exhibits a RMS deviation of 0.01 % relative to the exact numerical solution on a CREFT transducer. A convex non-elevation focused, a REFT, and a linear flat transducer are shown to be covered with the CREFT model as well. Pressure pulses calculated with a one...

  1. A low-power high-flow shape memory alloy wire gas microvalve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gradin, Henrik; Braun, Stefan; Stemme, Göran; Van der Wijngaart, Wouter; Clausi, Donato; Peirs, Jan; Reynaerts, Dominiek

    2012-01-01

    In this paper the use of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuators for high gas flow control is investigated. A theoretical model for effective gas flow control is presented and gate microvalve prototypes are fabricated. The SMA wire actuator demonstrates the robust flow control of more than 1600 sccm at a pressure drop of 200 kPa. The valve can be successfully switched at over 10 Hz and at an actuation power of 90 mW. Compared to the current state-of-the-art high-flow microvalves, the proposed solution benefits from a low-voltage actuator with low overall power consumption. This paper demonstrate that SMA wire actuators are well suited for high-pressurehigh-flow applications. (paper)

  2. Eliminating a Major Cause of Wire Drawing Breakage in A-15 High-Field Superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Austen, Alfred R.

    2003-01-01

    Eliminating a Major Cause of Wire Drawing Breakage in A-15 High-Field Superconductors Phase 1 Summary Purpose of the research: The Phase 1 goal was to make a significant improvement in the wire drawing technology used for difficult to draw superconductor precursor composites. Many ductile Nb-Al and Nb-Sn precursor wire composites have experienced the onset of wire drawing breakage at about 1.5 mm diameter. Phase 1 focused on evaluating the role that precision rigid guidance of the wire into the drawing die and the hydrostatic stress state at the die entrance played in preventing wire breakage. Research carried out: The research performed depended upon the construction of both a mechanical wire guide and a hydrostatic pressure stiffened wire guidance system. Innovare constructed the two wire guidance systems and tested them for their ability to reduce wire drawing breakage. One set of hardware provided rigid alignment of the wires to their wire drawing die axes within 0.35 degrees using ''hydrostatic pressure stiffening'' to enable the precision guidance strategy to be implemented for these highly flexible small diameter wires. This apparatus was compared to a guide arrangement that used short span mechanical guide alignment with a misalignment limit of about 0.75 degrees. Four A-15 composite wires with breakage histories were drawn to evaluate the use of these wire guiding systems to reduce and/or eliminate wire breakage. Research findings and results: In Phase 1, a breakthrough in wire drawing technology for A-15 superconductor composites was achieved by dramatically limiting or eliminating breakage in four different A-15 composite precursor wire designs during the drawing of these very desirable composites that previously could not be drawn to near final size. Research results showed that the proposed Phase 1 mechanical wire guides were sufficiently effective and successful in eliminating breakage when used along with other advanced wire drawing technology to

  3. Studies of nonlinear ultrasound propagation: safety considerations in the use of ultrasound for medical diagnosis - nonlinear propagation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Egerton, B.; Barnett, S.; Vella, G.

    1994-01-01

    Diagnostic ultrasound is an established imaging modality without any documented harmful effects. New developments such as pulsed Doppler and intracavity investigations may result in increases in ultrasound exposures which could cause harm. Thermal mechanisms and cavitation may become relevant sources of bioeffects. The preliminary study described here investigates the distribution and amplitude of harmonics generated through nonlinear propagation of ultrasound in water. Knowledge of harmonic attenuation will help predict sites of enhanced heating and enable accurate modelling of clinical situations. This presentation is concerned with thermal safety guidelines, their relationship to a typical ultrasound beam profile for a single, medium focussed, transducer operating in water and possible sites of enhanced heating due to nonlinear propagation effects. Measurements were made of the amplitudes of the harmonics generated by the nonlinear propagation of ultrasound in water. The amplitudes of the harmonics were detected up to frequencies of 35 MHz and displayed using Fast Fourier Transform facilities within the oscilloscope. The nonlinearity parameter of the ultrasonic waveforms has been identified as an important factor in thermal effects of ultrasound interactions. The appearance of nonlinear distortion is shown to be dependant on the peak compressional pressure and distance from the ultrasound source. 20 refs., 2 figs

  4. Design of a tracked ultrasound calibration phantom made of LEGO bricks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Ryan; Soehl, Marie; Rankin, Adam; Lasso, Andras; Fichtinger, Gabor

    2014-03-01

    PURPOSE: Spatial calibration of tracked ultrasound systems is commonly performed using precisely fabricated phantoms. Machining or 3D printing has relatively high cost and not easily available. Moreover, the possibilities for modifying the phantoms are very limited. Our goal was to find a method to construct a calibration phantom from affordable, widely available components, which can be built in short time, can be easily modified, and provides comparable accuracy to the existing solutions. METHODS: We designed an N-wire calibration phantom made of LEGO® bricks. To affirm the phantom's reproducibility and build time, ten builds were done by first-time users. The phantoms were used for a tracked ultrasound calibration by an experienced user. The success of each user's build was determined by the lowest root mean square (RMS) wire reprojection error of three calibrations. The accuracy and variance of calibrations were evaluated for the calibrations produced for various tracked ultrasound probes. The proposed model was compared to two of the currently available phantom models for both electromagnetic and optical tracking. RESULTS: The phantom was successfully built by all ten first-time users in an average time of 18.8 minutes. It cost approximately $10 CAD for the required LEGO® bricks and averaged a 0.69mm of error in the calibration reproducibility for ultrasound calibrations. It is one third the cost of similar 3D printed phantoms and takes much less time to build. The proposed phantom's image reprojections were 0.13mm more erroneous than those of the highest performing current phantom model The average standard deviation of multiple 3D image reprojections differed by 0.05mm between the phantoms CONCLUSION: It was found that the phantom could be built in less time, was one third the cost, compared to similar 3D printed models. The proposed phantom was found to be capable of producing equivalent calibrations to 3D printed phantoms.

  5. Sonochemiluminescence observation of lipid- and polymer-shelled ultrasound contrast agents in 1.2 MHz focused ultrasound field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Yangzi; Cao, Hua; Zhang, Shusheng; Yin, Hui; Wan, Mingxi

    2013-01-01

    Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) are frequently added into the focused ultrasound field as cavitation nuclei to enhance the therapeutic efficiency. Since their presence will distort the pressure field and make the process unpredictable, comprehension of their behaviors especially the active zone spatial distribution is an important part of better monitoring and using of UCAs. As shell materials can strongly alter the acoustic behavior of UCAs, two different shells coated UCAs, lipid-shelled and polymer-shelled UCAs, in a 1.2 MHz focused ultrasound field were studied by the Sonochemiluminescence (SCL) method and compared. The SCL spatial distribution of lipid-shelled group differed from that of polymer-shelled group. The shell material and the character of focused ultrasound field work together to the SCL distribution, causing the lipid-shelled group to have a maximum SCL intensity in pre-focal region at lower input power than that of polymer-shelled group, and a brighter SCL intensity in post-focal region at high input power. The SCL inactive area of these two groups both increased with the input power. The general behavior of the UCAs can be studied by both the average SCL intensity and the backscatter signals. As polymer-shelled UCAs are more resistant to acoustic pressure, they had a higher destruction power and showed less reactivation than lipid-shelled ones. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Detection of a buried wire with two resistively loaded wire antennas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vossen, S.H.J.A.; Tijhuis, A.G.; Lepelaars, E.S.A.M.; Zwamborn, A.P.M.

    2002-01-01

    The use of two identical straight thin-wire antennas for the detection of a buried wire is analyzed with the aid of numerical calculations. The buried wire is located below an interface between two homogeneous half-spaces. The detection setup, which is formed by a transmitting and a receiving wire,

  7. wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    1985-01-01

    Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  8. Wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  9. wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  10. Ultrasound active nanoscaled lipid formulations for thrombus lysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Andreas; Marxer, Elena; Brüssler, Jana; Hoormann, Anne Sophia; Kuhnt, Daniela; Bakowsky, Udo; Nimsky, Christopher

    2011-04-01

    In the present study, we investigated the sonothrombolytic effect of new nanoscaled lipid formulations in human blood clots, using diagnostic ultrasound. Human blood clots of 1 ml were incubated with 1 μl of the different lipid dispersions DPPC/CH, DPPC/PEG40S, DSPC/PEG40S and the commercially available ultrasound contrast agent SonoVue®. Clots were stored for 3 days at 5 °C to obtain maximal clot retraction and lytic resistance. Each clot weight was determined before and after continuous insonation for 1h of insonation at 1.4 MHz. The pressure in the insonation chamber was 80 mm Hg to mimic middle arterial blood pressure. There were no significant differences in thrombus weight before insonation. All nanoscaled formulations and SonoVue® were able to reduce thrombus weight compared to the weight loss of clots that were not insonated but kept under pressure for one hour (p ultrasound enhanced thrombolysis even without thrombolytic drugs. Stable cavitation is a crucial parameter in fragmentation of thrombus architecture. Further studies of physicochemical properties of DSPC/PEG40S are necessary to corroborate our hypothesis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Ultrasound in Enzyme Activation and Inactivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mawson, Raymond; Gamage, Mala; Terefe, Netsanet Shiferaw; Knoerzer, Kai

    As discussed in previous chapters, most effects due to ultrasound arise from cavitation events, in particular, collapsing cavitation bubbles. These collapsing bubbles generate very high localized temperatures and pressure shockwaves along with micro-streaming that is associated with high shear forces. These effects can be used to accelerate the transport of substrates and reaction products to and from enzymes, and to enhance mass transfer in enzyme reactor systems, and thus improve efficiency. However, the high velocity streaming, together with the formation of hydroxy radicals and heat generation during collapsing of bubbles, may also potentially affect the biocatalyst stability, and this can be a limiting factor in combined ultrasound/enzymatic applications. Typically, enzymes can be readily denatured by slight changes in environmental conditions, including temperature, pressure, shear stress, pH and ionic strength.

  12. Flow distribution and pressure loss in subchannels of a wire-wrapped 37-pin rod bundle for sodium-cooled fast reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Seok Kyu; Euh, Dong Jin; Choi, Hae Seob; Kim, Hyung Mo; Choi, Sun Rock; Lee, Hyeong Yeon [Thermal-Hydraulic Safety Research Department, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-04-15

    A hexagonally arrayed 37-pin wire-wrapped rod bundle has been chosen to provide the experimental data of the pressure loss and flow rate in subchannels for validating subchannel analysis codes for the sodium-cooled fast reactor core thermal/hydraulic design. The iso-kinetic sampling method has been adopted to measure the flow rate at subchannels, and newly designed sampling probes which preserve the flow area of subchannels have been devised. Experimental tests have been performed at 20-115% of the nominal flow rate and 60 degrees C (equivalent to Re ∼ 37,100) at the inlet of the test rig. The pressure loss data in three measured subchannels were almost identical regardless of the subchannel locations. The flow rate at each type of subchannel was identified and the flow split factors were evaluated from the measured data. The predicted correlations and the computational fluid dynamics results agreed reasonably with the experimental data.

  13. Wire Array Photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner-Evans, Dan

    Over the past five years, the cost of solar panels has dropped drastically and, in concert, the number of installed modules has risen exponentially. However, solar electricity is still more than twice as expensive as electricity from a natural gas plant. Fortunately, wire array solar cells have emerged as a promising technology for further lowering the cost of solar. Si wire array solar cells are formed with a unique, low cost growth method and use 100 times less material than conventional Si cells. The wires can be embedded in a transparent, flexible polymer to create a free-standing array that can be rolled up for easy installation in a variety of form factors. Furthermore, by incorporating multijunctions into the wire morphology, higher efficiencies can be achieved while taking advantage of the unique defect relaxation pathways afforded by the 3D wire geometry. The work in this thesis shepherded Si wires from undoped arrays to flexible, functional large area devices and laid the groundwork for multijunction wire array cells. Fabrication techniques were developed to turn intrinsic Si wires into full p-n junctions and the wires were passivated with a-Si:H and a-SiNx:H. Single wire devices yielded open circuit voltages of 600 mV and efficiencies of 9%. The arrays were then embedded in a polymer and contacted with a transparent, flexible, Ni nanoparticle and Ag nanowire top contact. The contact connected >99% of the wires in parallel and yielded flexible, substrate free solar cells featuring hundreds of thousands of wires. Building on the success of the Si wire arrays, GaP was epitaxially grown on the material to create heterostructures for photoelectrochemistry. These cells were limited by low absorption in the GaP due to its indirect bandgap, and poor current collection due to a diffusion length of only 80 nm. However, GaAsP on SiGe offers a superior combination of materials, and wire architectures based on these semiconductors were investigated for multijunction

  14. 49 CFR 236.74 - Protection of insulated wire; splice in underground wire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... underground wire. 236.74 Section 236.74 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RULES, STANDARDS, AND INSTRUCTIONS GOVERNING... wire; splice in underground wire. Insulated wire shall be protected from mechanical injury. The...

  15. 49 CFR 234.241 - Protection of insulated wire; splice in underground wire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... underground wire. 234.241 Section 234.241 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SIGNAL SYSTEM SAFETY... of insulated wire; splice in underground wire. Insulated wire shall be protected from mechanical...

  16. wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    Was used in ISR (Intersecting Storage Ring) split field magnet experiment. Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  17. Invasive and Ultrasound Based Monitoring of the Intracranial Pressure in an Experimental Model of Epidural Hematoma Progressing towards Brain Tamponade on Rabbits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konstantinos Kasapas

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. An experimental epidural hematoma model was used to study the relation of ultrasound indices, namely, transcranial color-coded-Doppler (TCCD derived pulsatility index (PI, optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD, and pupil constriction velocity (V which was derived from a consensual sonographic pupillary light reflex (PLR test with invasive intracranial pressure (ICP measurements. Material and Methods. Twenty rabbits participated in the study. An intraparenchymal ICP catheter and a 5F Swan-Ganz catheter (SG for the hematoma reproduction were used. We successively introduced 0.1 mL increments of autologous blood into the SG until the Cushing reaction occurred. Synchronous ICP and ultrasound measurements were performed accordingly. Results. A constant increase of PI and ONSD and a decrease of V values were observed with increased ICP values. The relationship between the ultrasound variables and ICP was exponential; thus curved prediction equations of ICP were used. PI, ONSD, and V were significantly correlated with ICP (r2=0.84±0.076, r2=0.62±0.119, and r2=0.78±0.09, resp. (all P<0.001. Conclusion. Although statistically significant prediction models of ICP were derived from ultrasound indices, the exponential relationship between the parameters underpins that results should be interpreted with caution and in the current experimental context.

  18. Plastohydrodynamic drawing and coating of stainless steel wire using a tapered bore die of no metal to metal contact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan, S.; Basmage, O.; Stokes, J. T.; Hashmi, M. S. J.

    2018-05-01

    A review of wire coating studies using plasto-hydrodynamic pressure shows that most of the works were carried out by conducting experiments simultaneously with simulation analysis based upon Bernoulli's principle and Euler and Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations. These characteristics relate to the domain of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) which is an interdisciplinary topic (Fluid Mechanics, Numerical Analysis of Fluid flow and Computer Science). This research investigates two aspects: (i) simulation work and (ii) experimentation. A mathematical model was developed to investigate the flow pattern of the molten polymer and pressure distribution within the wire-drawing dies, assessment of polymer coating thickness on the coated wires and speed of coating on the wires at the outlet of the drawing dies, without deploying any pressurizing pump. In addition to a physical model which was developed within ANSYS™ environment through the simulation design of ANSYS™ Workbench. The design was customized to simulate the process of wire-coating on the fine stainless-steel wires using drawing dies having different bore geometries such as: stepped parallel bore, tapered bore and combined parallel and tapered bore. The convergence of the designed CFD model and numerical and physical solution parameters for simulation were dynamically monitored for the viscous flow of the polypropylene (PP) polymer. Simulation results were validated against experimental results and used to predict the ideal bore shape to produce a thin coating on stainless wires with different diameter. Simulation studies confirmed that a specific speed should be attained by the stainless-steel wires while passing through the drawing dies. It has been observed that all the speed values within specific speed range did not produce a coating thickness having the desired coating characteristic features. Therefore, some optimization of the experimental set up through design of experiments (Stat-Ease) was applied to

  19. An ultrasound system for simultaneous ultrasound hyperthermia and photon beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Straube, William L.; Moros, Eduardo G.; Low, Daniel A.; Klein, Eric E.; Willcut, Virgil M.; Myerson, Robert J.

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: An existing ultrasound system has been adapted for simultaneous use with external photon beam irradiation. The system is being used to investigate the potential for increased biological benefit of simultaneously combined hyperthermia and external beam irradiation with currently achievable temperature distributions. Methods and Materials: An existing clinical ultrasound system has been modified for simultaneous operation with a 60 Co teletherapy machine. The generator, thermometry system, computer, and applicators are located inside the treatment room, while the monitor and system control are located at the control console. Two approaches have been used clinically to combine the two modalities. In the first approach, an en-face setup is used in which the ultrasound beam and the photon beam travel through the same window of entry to the tumor. This is achieved by a reflecting system designed to deflect the ultrasound to the tumor while positioning the ultrasound transducer outside the radiation beam. The reflecting system consists of water and water-equivalent materials except for a 1 mm sheet of polished brass that is used as the reflector. The relative pressure fields were measured in water at the same distance from the ultrasound source using a scanning hydrophone with and without the reflector at the two operating frequencies of the device (1.0 and 3.4 MHz) for two applicators. Radiation dosimetry measurements were performed to determine the relationship between 60 Co irradiation through the reflector and absorbed dose. In the second approach the ultrasound and the radiation beam travel into the tumor from different windows of entry such that the radiation beam passes through no portion of the water bolus prior to entering the patient. We have termed this approach the orthogonal approach. For both approaches, the radiation fraction is given in the middle of an uninterrupted 60-min hyperthermia treatment. Results: The system modifications did not impair

  20. PS wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    1970-01-01

    A wire chamber used at CERN's Proton Synchrotron accelerator in the 1970s. Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  1. External electric field and hydrostatic pressure effects on the binding energy and self-polarization of an off-center hydrogenic impurity confined in a GaAs/AlGaAs square quantum well wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rezaei, G.; Mousavi, S.; Sadeghi, E.

    2012-01-01

    Based on the effective-mass approximation within a variational scheme, binding energy and self-polarization of hydrogenic impurity confined in a finite confining potential square quantum well wire, under the action of external electric field and hydrostatic pressure, are investigated. The binding energy and self-polarization are computed as functions of the well width, impurity position, electric field, and hydrostatic pressure. Our results show that the external electric field and hydrostatic pressure as well as the well width and impurity position have a great influence on the binding energy and self-polarization.

  2. Ultrasound-guided antegrade access during laparoscopic pyeloplasty in infants less than one year of age: A point of technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arvind Ganpule

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Access to urethras and ureters of infants may be hazardous and injurious through an endoscopic route. Placement and removal of stents in infants requires anaesthesia and access through these small caliber urethras. We describe our technique of placing antegrade splint during a laparoscopic pyeloplasty in these infants. Materials and Methods: An ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal access is obtained. Telescopic metal two part needle is passed into the kidney over a guide wire. A second guide wire is passed through the telescopic metal two part needle. The tract is dilated with 14 Fr screw dilator. Over one guide wire, a 5 Fr ureteric catheter is passed and coiled in the renal pelvis. Over the other wire, a 14 Fr malecot catheter is placed as nephrostomy. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty is then done. During pyelotomy, the ureteric catheter is pulled and advanced through the ureter before the pyeloplasty is completed. The ureteric catheter thus acts as a splint across the anastomosis. Ureteric catheter is removed on the 3 rd post operative day and nephrostomy is clamped. Nephrostomy is removed on 4 th post operative day if child is asymptomatic. The modified technique was successfully done in five patients aged less than one year old. All patients tolerated the procedure well. Post operative period was uneventful in all. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided ante grade nephroureteral ureteral splint for infant laparoscopic pyeloplasty is safe. It avoids the need for urethral instrumentation for insertion and removal of stents in these small patients.

  3. Wire bonding in microelectronics

    CERN Document Server

    Harman, George G

    2010-01-01

    Wire Bonding in Microelectronics, Third Edition, has been thoroughly revised to help you meet the challenges of today's small-scale and fine-pitch microelectronics. This authoritative guide covers every aspect of designing, manufacturing, and evaluating wire bonds engineered with cutting-edge techniques. In addition to gaining a full grasp of bonding technology, you'll learn how to create reliable bonds at exceedingly high yields, test wire bonds, solve common bonding problems, implement molecular cleaning methods, and much more. Coverage includes: Ultrasonic bonding systems and technologies, including high-frequency systems Bonding wire metallurgy and characteristics, including copper wire Wire bond testing Gold-aluminum intermetallic compounds and other interface reactions Gold and nickel-based bond pad plating materials and problems Cleaning to improve bondability and reliability Mechanical problems in wire bonding High-yield, fine-pitch, specialized-looping, soft-substrate, and extreme-temperature wire bo...

  4. Flat Plate Boundary Layer Stimulation Using Trip Wires and Hama Strips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peguero, Charles; Henoch, Charles; Hrubes, James; Fredette, Albert; Roberts, Raymond; Huyer, Stephen

    2017-11-01

    Water tunnel experiments on a flat plate at zero angle of attack were performed to investigate the effect of single roughness elements, i.e., trip wires and Hama strips, on the transition to turbulence. Boundary layer trips are traditionally used in scale model testing to force a boundary layer to transition from laminar to turbulent flow at a single location to aid in scaling of flow characteristics. Several investigations of trip wire effects exist in the literature, but there is a dearth of information regarding the influence of Hama strips on the flat plate boundary layer. The intent of this investigation is to better understand the effects of boundary layer trips, particularly Hama strips, and to investigate the pressure-induced drag of both styles of boundary layer trips. Untripped and tripped boundary layers along a flat plate at a range of flow speeds were characterized with multiple diagnostic measurements in the NUWC/Newport 12-inch water tunnel. A wide range of Hama strip and wire trip thicknesses were used. Measurements included dye flow visualization, direct skin friction and parasitic drag force, boundary layer profiles using LDV, wall shear stress fluctuations using hot film anemometry, and streamwise pressure gradients. Test results will be compared to the CFD and boundary layer model results as well as the existing body of work. Conclusions, resulting in guidance for application of Hama strips in model scale experiments and non-dimensional predictions of pressure drag will be presented.

  5. Pressure-mediated reduction of ultrasonically induced cell lysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciaravino, V.E.; Miller, M.W.; Carstensen, E.L.

    1981-01-01

    Chinese hamster V-79 cells, exposed in polystyrene tubes for 5 min to 1-MHz continuous-wave ultrasound, were lysed more by a 10 than a 5 W/cm 2 intensity. Higher atmospheric pressure was needed to eliminate lysis with the former relative to the latter intensity, but lysis by 10 W/cm 2 was completely climinated with 2 atm of hydrostatic pressure. The reduction in lysis per unit increase in atmospheric pressure was comparable for both ultrasound intensities

  6. Children's (Pediatric) Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... an area of tenderness, your child may feel pressure or minor pain from the procedure. If a Doppler ultrasound study is performed, your child may actually hear pulse-like sounds that change in pitch as the blood flow is monitored and measured. Once the imaging ...

  7. Base Information Transport Infrastructure Wired (BITI Wired)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-03-01

    2016 Major Automated Information System Annual Report Base Information Transport Infrastructure Wired (BITI Wired) Defense Acquisition Management...Combat Information Transport System program was restructured into two pre-Major Automated Information System (pre-MAIS) components: Information...Major Automated Information System MAIS OE - MAIS Original Estimate MAR – MAIS Annual Report MDA - Milestone Decision Authority MDD - Materiel

  8. Load-Deflection and Friction Properties of PEEK Wires as Alternative Orthodontic Wires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tada, Yoshifumi; Hayakawa, Tohru; Nakamura, Yoshiki

    2017-08-09

    Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is now attracting attention as an alternative to metal alloys in the dental field. In the present study, we evaluated the load-deflection characteristics of PEEK wires in addition to their frictional properties. Three types of PEEK wires are used: two sizes of rectangular shape, 0.016 × 0.022 in² and 0.019 × 0.025 in² (19-25PEEK), and rounded shape, diameter 0.016 in (16PEEK). As a control, Ni-Ti orthodontic wire, diameter 0.016 in, was used. The three-point bending properties were evaluated in a modified three-point bending system for orthodontics. The static friction between the orthodontic wire and the bracket was also measured. The load-deflection curves were similar among Ni-Ti and PEEK wires, except for 16PEEK with slot-lid ligation. The bending force of 19-25PEEK wire was comparable with that of Ni-Ti wire. 19-25PEEK showed the highest load at the deflection of 1500 μm ( p 0.05). No significant difference was seen in static friction between all three PEEK wires and Ni-Ti wire ( p > 0.05). It is suggested that 19-25PEEK will be applicable for orthodontic treatment with the use of slot-lid ligation.

  9. Ultrasound-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate in liquid carbon dioxide : a clean and safe route to produce polymers with controlled molecular weight

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kemmere, M.F.; Kuijpers, M.W.A.; Jacobs, L.J.M.; Keurentjes, J.T.F.

    2004-01-01

    Ultrasound-induced cavitation is known to enhance chemical reactions as well as mass transfer at ambient pressures. Ultrasound is rarely studied at higher pressures, since a high static pressure hampers the growth of cavities. Recently, we have shown that pressurized carbon dioxide can be used as a

  10. Copper wire bonding

    CERN Document Server

    Chauhan, Preeti S; Zhong, ZhaoWei; Pecht, Michael G

    2014-01-01

    This critical volume provides an in-depth presentation of copper wire bonding technologies, processes and equipment, along with the economic benefits and risks.  Due to the increasing cost of materials used to make electronic components, the electronics industry has been rapidly moving from high cost gold to significantly lower cost copper as a wire bonding material.  However, copper wire bonding has several process and reliability concerns due to its material properties.  Copper Wire Bonding book lays out the challenges involved in replacing gold with copper as a wire bond material, and includes the bonding process changes—bond force, electric flame off, current and ultrasonic energy optimization, and bonding tools and equipment changes for first and second bond formation.  In addition, the bond–pad metallurgies and the use of bare and palladium-coated copper wires on aluminum are presented, and gold, nickel and palladium surface finishes are discussed.  The book also discusses best practices and re...

  11. Development of the clamp-on ultrasound flow meter for steam in pipe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawaguchi, Tatsuya; Tsukada, Keisuke; Kikura, Hiroshige; Tanaka, Katsuhiko; Umezawa, Shuichi

    2014-01-01

    Gas flow metering of a pipe flow such as chemical plant, reactors and power stations is one of the significant techniques that enable to diagnose and control the behavior of working fluid, and to govern the entire fluid system in the industrial facilities. In order to operate the aforementioned systems, the precise measurement of the flow rate is required. The conventional flow meter, however, needs the installation of the spool piece that disturbs the stable and continuous operation of the plants. i.e., the destructive set-up process of the measurement section is necessary. In this study, the novel ultrasound gas flow metering technique has been developed by means of the clamp-on ultrasound transmitter and receivers. By the numerical simulation, the ultrasound propagation through the gas and metal pipe was firstly investigated. The effects of the external damping material, applicable vapor pressure range as well as the appropriate shape of the acoustic lens were analyzed that was followed by the feasibility test of the actual measurement system. The pressurized vapor flow was used as a working fluid. Pressure and sensor dimension were varied to compare the efficiency of the ultrasound transmission between transducers. The temperature of the working fluid was beyond 373 K. The ultrasound pulsar-receiver was used that could control the frequency, amplitude and phase of the burst sinusoids. The signal processing algorithm was developed in order to discriminate the direct signal through the gaseous flow from the unwanted circumference noise through the solid stainless pipe. The linear relation between flow rate and ultrasound peak shift was confirmed. (author)

  12. Disruption of tumor neovasculature by microbubble enhanced ultrasound: a potential new physical therapy of anti-angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zheng; Gao, Shunji; Zhao, Yang; Li, Peijing; Liu, Jia; Li, Peng; Tan, Kaibin; Xie, Feng

    2012-02-01

    Tumor angiogenesis is of vital importance to the growth and metastasis of solid tumors. The angiogenesis is featured with a defective, leaky and fragile vascular construction. Microbubble enhanced ultrasound (MEUS) cavitation is capable of mechanical disruption of small blood vessels depending on effective acoustic pressure amplitude. We hypothesized that acoustic cavitation combining high-pressure amplitude pulsed ultrasound (US) and circulating microbubble could potentially disrupt tumor vasculature. A high-pressure amplitude, pulsed ultrasound device was developed to induce inertial cavitation of circulating microbubbles. The tumor vasculature of rat Walker 256 was insonated percutaneously with two acoustic pressures, 2.6 MPa and 4.8 MPa, both with intravenous injection of a lipid microbubble. The controls were treated by the ultrasound only or sham ultrasound exposure. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and histology were performed to assess tumor circulation and pathological changes. The CEUS results showed that the circulation of Walker 256 tumors could be completely blocked off for 24 hours in 4.8 MPa treated tumors. The CEUS gray scale value (GSV) indicated that there was significant GSV drop-off in both of the two experimental groups but none in the controls. Histology showed that the tumor microvasculature was disrupted into diffuse hematomas accompanied by thrombosis, intercellular edema and multiple cysts formation. The 24 hours of tumor circulation blockage resulted in massive necrosis of the tumor. MEUS provides a new, simple physical method for anti-angiogenic therapy and may have great potential for clinical applications. Copyright © 2012 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Minimisation of the wire position uncertainties of the new CERN vacuum wire scanner

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(CDS)2069346; Barjau Condomines, A

    In the next years the luminosity of the LHC will be significantly increased. This will require a much higher accuracy of beam profile measurement than actually achievable by the current wire scanner. The new fast wire scanner is foreseen to measure small emittance beams throughout the LHC injector chain, which demands a wire travelling speed up to 20 ms-1 and position measurement accuracy of the order of a few microns. The vibrations of the mechanical parts of the system, and particularly the vibrations of the thin carbon wire, were identified as the major error sources of wire position uncertainty. Therefore the understanding of the wire vibrations is a high priority for the design and operation of the new device. This document presents the work performed to understand the main causes of the wire vibrations observed in one of the existing wire scanner and the new proposed design.

  14. A novel "hitch-and-ride" deep biliary cannulation method during rendezvous endoscopic ultrasound-guided ERCP technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakai, Yousuke; Isayama, Hiroyuki; Matsubara, Saburo; Kogure, Hirofumi; Mizuno, Suguru; Hamada, Tsuyoshi; Takahara, Naminatsu; Nakamura, Tomoka; Sato, Tatsuya; Takeda, Tsuyoshi; Hakuta, Ryunosuke; Ishigaki, Kazunaga; Saito, Kei; Tada, Minoru; Koike, Kazuhiko

    2017-10-01

    Background and study aim Endoscopic ultrasound-guided rendezvous (EUS-RV) is increasingly reported as a treatment option after failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. We developed a novel "hitch-and-ride" catheter for biliary cannulation to reduce the risk of guidewire loss during EUS-RV. Patients and methods We retrospectively evaluated safety and technical success of EUS-RV between June 2011 and May 2016. Biliary cannulation during EUS-RV using three methods - over-the-wire, along-the-wire, and hitch-and-ride - were compared. Results A total of 30 EUS-RVs were attempted and the technical success rate was 93.3 %, with two failures (one bile duct puncture and one guidewire insertion). After 28 cases of successful guidewire passage, cannulation was attempted by the over-the-wire (n = 13), along-the-wire (n = 4) or hitch-and-ride (n = 11) method. Only the hitch-and-ride method achieved biliary cannulation without guidewire loss or conversion to the other methods. Time to cannulation was shorter with the hitch-and-ride method (4 minutes) than with over-the-wire and along-the-wire methods (9 and 13 minutes, respectively). The adverse event rate of EUS-RV was 23.3 %. Conclusion A novel hitch-and-ride catheter was feasible for biliary cannulation after EUS-RV. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  15. Delay and Standard Deviation Beamforming to Enhance Specular Reflections in Ultrasound Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandaru, Raja Sekhar; Sornes, Anders Rasmus; Hermans, Jeroen; Samset, Eigil; D'hooge, Jan

    2016-12-01

    Although interventional devices, such as needles, guide wires, and catheters, are best visualized by X-ray, real-time volumetric echography could offer an attractive alternative as it avoids ionizing radiation; it provides good soft tissue contrast, and it is mobile and relatively cheap. Unfortunately, as echography is traditionally used to image soft tissue and blood flow, the appearance of interventional devices in conventional ultrasound images remains relatively poor, which is a major obstacle toward ultrasound-guided interventions. The objective of this paper was therefore to enhance the appearance of interventional devices in ultrasound images. Thereto, a modified ultrasound beamforming process using conventional-focused transmit beams is proposed that exploits the properties of received signals containing specular reflections (as arising from these devices). This new beamforming approach referred to as delay and standard deviation beamforming (DASD) was quantitatively tested using simulated as well as experimental data using a linear array transducer. Furthermore, the influence of different imaging settings (i.e., transmit focus, imaging depth, and scan angle) on the obtained image contrast was evaluated. The study showed that the image contrast of specular regions improved by 5-30 dB using DASD beamforming compared with traditional delay and sum (DAS) beamforming. The highest gain in contrast was observed when the interventional device was tilted away from being orthogonal to the transmit beam, which is a major limitation in standard DAS imaging. As such, the proposed beamforming methodology can offer an improved visualization of interventional devices in the ultrasound image with potential implications for ultrasound-guided interventions.

  16. Helical wire stress analysis of unbonded flexible riser under irregular response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kunpeng; Ji, Chunyan

    2017-06-01

    A helical wire is a critical component of an unbonded flexible riser prone to fatigue failure. The helical wire has been the focus of much research work in recent years because of the complex multilayer construction of the flexible riser. The present study establishes an analytical model for the axisymmetric and bending analyses of an unbonded flexible riser. The interlayer contact under axisymmetric loads in this model is modeled by setting radial dummy springs between adjacent layers. The contact pressure is constant during the bending response and applied to determine the slipping friction force per unit helical wire. The model tracks the axial stress around the angular position at each time step to calculate the axial force gradient, then compares the axial force gradient with the slipping friction force to judge the helical wire slipping region, which would be applied to determine the bending stiffness for the next time step. The proposed model is verified against the experimental data in the literature. The bending moment-curvature relationship under irregular response is also qualitatively discussed. The stress at the critical point of the helical wire is investigated based on the model by considering the local flexure. The results indicate that the present model can well simulate the bending stiffness variation during irregular response, which has significant effect on the stress of helical wire.

  17. Reversible and irreversible vascular bioeffects induced by ultrasound and microbubbles in chorioallantoic membrane model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarapacki, Christine; Kuebler, Wolfgang M.; Tabuchi, Arata; Karshafian, Raffi

    2017-03-01

    Background: The application of ultrasound and microbubbles at therapeutic conditions has been shown to improve delivery of molecules, cause vasoconstriction, modulate blood flow and induce a vascular shut down in in vivo cancerous tissues. The underlying mechanism has been associated with the interaction of ultrasonically-induced microbubble oscillation and cavitation with the blood vessel wall. In this study, the effect of ultrasound and microbubbles on blood flow and vascular architecture was studied using a fertilized chicken egg CAM (chorioallantoic membrane) model. Methods: CAM at day 12 of incubation (Hamburger-Hamilton stage 38-40) were exposed to ultrasound at varying acoustic pressures (160, 240 and 320 kPa peak negative pressure) in the presence of Definity microbubbles and 70 kDa FITC dextran fluorescent molecules. A volume of 50 µL Definity microbubbles were injected into a large anterior vein of the CAM prior to ultrasound exposure. The ultrasound treatment sequence consisted of 5 s exposure at 500 kHz frequency, 8 cycles and 1 kHz pulse repetition frequency with 5 s off for a total exposure of 2 minutes. Fluorescent videos and images of the CAM vasculature were acquired using intravital microscopy prior, during and following the ultrasound exposure. Perfusion was quantified by measuring the length of capillaries in a region of interest using Adobe Illustrator. Results and Discussion: The vascular bioeffects induced by USMB increased with acoustic peak negative pressure. At 160 kPa, no visible differences were observed compared to the control. At 240 kPa, a transient decrease in perfusion with subsequent recovery within 15 minutes was observed, whereas at 320 kPa, the fluorescent images showed an irreversible vascular damage. The study indicates that a potential mechanism for the transient decrease in perfusion may be related to blood coagulation. The results suggest that ultrasound and microbubbles can induce reversible and irreversible vascular

  18. Theory of wire number scaling in wire-array Z pinches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desjarlais, M.P.; Marder, B.M.

    1999-01-01

    Pulsed-power-driven Z pinches, produced by imploding cylindrical arrays of many wires, have generated very high x-ray radiation powers (>200 TW) and energies (2 MJ). Experiments have revealed a steady improvement in Z-pinch performance with increasing wire number at fixed total mass and array radius. The dominant mechanism acting to limit the performance of these devices is believed to be the Rayleigh-Taylor instability which broadens the radially imploding plasma sheath and consequently reduces the peak radiation power. A model is presented which describes an amplification over the two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate brought about by kink-like forces on the individual wires. This amplification factor goes to zero as the number of wires approaches infinity. This model gives results which are in good agreement with the experimental data and provides a scaling for wire-array Z pinches. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

  19. Dual wire welding torch and method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diez, Fernando Martinez; Stump, Kevin S.; Ludewig, Howard W.; Kilty, Alan L.; Robinson, Matthew M.; Egland, Keith M.

    2009-04-28

    A welding torch includes a nozzle with a first welding wire guide configured to orient a first welding wire in a first welding wire orientation, and a second welding wire guide configured to orient a second welding wire in a second welding wire orientation that is non-coplanar and divergent with respect to the first welding wire orientation. A method of welding includes moving a welding torch with respect to a workpiece joint to be welded. During moving the welding torch, a first welding wire is fed through a first welding wire guide defining a first welding wire orientation and a second welding wire is fed through a second welding wire guide defining a second welding wire orientation that is divergent and non-coplanar with respect to the first welding wire orientation.

  20. Effects of Ultrasound on Extraction of Saponin from Ginseng

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hui; Ohdaira, Etsuzo; Ide, Masao

    1994-05-01

    We performed a study of the effects of ultrasound on the extraction of saponin from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. In this study, the extraction of saponin was examined as functions of irradiation time (0.5 to 6 h) and acoustic pressure (0 to 90 kPa). It has been observed that the yields of both total extract and saponin are larger with ultrasonic irradiation than those without ultrasonic irradiation; the increase in yield of total extract is approximately 15 wt%, and that of saponin is approximately 30 wt% at an acoustic pressure 67 kPa. In addition, the yield increases with the acoustic pressure. It is also demonstrated that saponin was not resolved in the acoustic intensity range of this experiment. The enhancement in liquid-solid extraction caused by ultrasound can be attributed to the phenomenon of cavitation.

  1. THERMO-MECHANICALLY PROCESSED ROLLED WIRE FOR HIGH-STRENGTH ON-BOARD WIRE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. A. Lutsenko

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available It is shown that at twisting of wire of diameter 1,83 mm, produced by direct wire drawing of thermomechanically processed rolled wire of diameter 5,5 mm of steel 90, metal stratification is completely eliminated at decrease of carbon, manganese and an additional alloying of chrome.

  2. One century of Kirschner wires and Kirschner wire insertion techniques : A historical review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Franssen, Bas B. G. M.; Schuurman, Arnold H.; Van der Molen, Aebele Mink; Kon, Moshe

    A century ago, in 1909, Martin Kirschner (1879-942) introduced a smooth pin, presently known as the Kirschner wire (K-wire). The K-wire was initiallly used for skeletal traction and is now currently used for many different goals. The development of the K-wire and its insertion devices were mainly

  3. Deconvolution of ultrasound images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    1992-01-01

    Based on physical models, it is indicated that the received pressure field in ultrasound B-mode images can be described by a convolution between a tissue reflection signal and the emitted pressure field. This result is used in a description of current image formation and in formulating a new...... processing scheme. The suggested estimator can take into account the dispersive attenuation, the temporal and spatial variation of the pulse, and the change in reflection strength and signal-to-noise ratio. Details of the algorithm and the estimation of parameters to be used are given. The performance...

  4. Ultrasound as a Screening Tool for Central Venous Catheter Positioning and Exclusion of Pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amir, Rabia; Knio, Ziyad O; Mahmood, Feroze; Oren-Grinberg, Achikam; Leibowitz, Akiva; Bose, Ruma; Shaefi, Shahzad; Mitchell, John D; Ahmed, Muneeb; Bardia, Amit; Talmor, Daniel; Matyal, Robina

    2017-07-01

    Although real-time ultrasound guidance during central venous catheter insertion has become a standard of care, postinsertion chest radiograph remains the gold standard to confirm central venous catheter tip position and rule out associated lung complications like pneumothorax. We hypothesize that a combination of transthoracic echocardiography and lung ultrasound is noninferior to chest radiograph when used to accurately assess central venous catheter positioning and screen for pneumothorax. All operating rooms and surgical and trauma ICUs at the institution. Single-center, prospective noninferiority study. Patients receiving ultrasound-guided subclavian or internal jugular central venous catheters. During ultrasound-guided central venous catheter placement, correct positioning of central venous catheter was accomplished by real-time visualization of the guide wire and positive right atrial swirl sign using the subcostal four-chamber view. After insertion, pneumothorax was ruled out by the presence of lung sliding and seashore sign on M-mode. Data analysis was done for 137 patients. Chest radiograph ruled out pneumothorax in 137 of 137 patients (100%). Lung ultrasound was performed in 123 of 137 patients and successfully screened for pneumothorax in 123 of 123 (100%). Chest radiograph approximated accurate catheter tip position in 136 of 137 patients (99.3%). Adequate subcostal four-chamber views could not be obtained in 13 patients. Accurate positioning of central venous catheter with ultrasound was then confirmed in 121 of 124 patients (97.6%) as described previously. Transthoracic echocardiography and lung ultrasound are noninferior to chest x-ray for screening of pneumothorax and accurate central venous catheter positioning. Thus, the point of care use of ultrasound can reduce central venous catheter insertion to use time, exposure to radiation, and improve patient safety.

  5. Augmentation of limb perfusion and reversal of tissue ischemia produced by ultrasound-mediated microbubble cavitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belcik, J Todd; Mott, Brian H; Xie, Aris; Zhao, Yan; Kim, Sajeevani; Lindner, Nathan J; Ammi, Azzdine; Linden, Joel M; Lindner, Jonathan R

    2015-04-01

    Ultrasound can increase tissue blood flow, in part, through the intravascular shear produced by oscillatory pressure fluctuations. We hypothesized that ultrasound-mediated increases in perfusion can be augmented by microbubble contrast agents that undergo ultrasound-mediated cavitation and sought to characterize the biological mediators. Contrast ultrasound perfusion imaging of hindlimb skeletal muscle and femoral artery diameter measurement were performed in nonischemic mice after unilateral 10-minute exposure to intermittent ultrasound alone (mechanical index, 0.6 or 1.3) or ultrasound with lipid microbubbles (2×10(8) IV). Studies were also performed after inhibiting shear- or pressure-dependent vasodilator pathways, and in mice with hindlimb ischemia. Ultrasound alone produced a 2-fold increase (Pultrasound power. Ultrasound-mediated augmentation in flow was greater with microbubbles (3- and 10-fold higher than control for mechanical index 0.6 and 1.3, respectively; Pultrasound and microbubbles by 70% (Pultrasound and ultrasound with microbubbles. In mice with unilateral hindlimb ischemia (40%-50% reduction in flow), ultrasound (mechanical index, 1.3) with microbubbles increased perfusion by 2-fold to a degree that was greater than the control nonischemic limb. Increases in muscle blood flow during high-power ultrasound are markedly amplified by the intravascular presence of microbubbles and can reverse tissue ischemia. These effects are most likely mediated by cavitation-related increases in shear and activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  6. Using a wire coil insert for biodiesel production enhancement in a microreactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aghel, Babak; Rahimi, Masoud; Sepahvand, Arash; Alitabar, Mohammad; Ghasempour, Hamid Reza

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Schematic view of microreactor system. - Highlights: • A wire coil insert was used to promote mixing in a biodiesel microreactor. • Advantages of using the wire coil in the microreactor over plain one are shown. • A yield of 99% was obtained in the modified microreactor after 180 s. • RSM and the Box–Behnken method were used to optimize the biodiesel production. • Advantages of using this system over other conventional reactors are illustrated. - Abstract: In the present work, the application of wire coil to promote mixing in a microreactor during continuous production of biodiesel was studied. For this aim, soybean oil as a feedstock and potassium hydroxide as a homogeneous catalyzed were used. The influences of the various parameters such as geometric and operational conditions on the performance of biodiesel production were experimentally examined. Response surface methodology (RSM) in conjunction with the Box–Behnken method was used to statistically analyze and optimize the biodiesel production process. The comparison between two types of reactors (with and without wire coil) shows a significant enhancement in mixing during transesterification. The impacts of different wire coil lengths and wire coil pitchs on methyl ester conversion were also investigated. A reaction yield of 99% at the residence time of 180 s was obtained in the modified microreactor. However, the measured pressure drop show that the microreactor equipped with wire coil consumed more energy. Therefore, performance ratio was defined to evaluate energy efficiency and the results show the advantage of using the wire coil insert in lower feed flow rates

  7. The decolouration of methyl orange using aluminum foam, ultrasound and direct electric current

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, C. M.; Huang, X. Y.; Zhang, H. Y.; Dai, J. D.; Ning, C. C.

    2018-01-01

    The decolouration of methyl orange (MO) using aluminum (Al) foam, ultrasound and direct electric current (DC) is investigated. The decolouration rate (DR) of MO using only Al foam is low because there is a passivation oxide layer on the Al foam surface. Due to the low utilization of ultrasound in MO water solution medium, the DR of MO using only ultrasonic irradiation is also poor. The DR of MO is greatly increased when Al foam, ultrasonic irradiation and DC are used together. There is good synergistic effect between Al foam, ultrasound and DC in decolouration of MO. This enhancement of DR may be related to the cavitation, cleaning of Al foam surface and water electrolysis. Due to the surface charge on wire carrying stationary current, Al foam with DC acts like a serious anodes and cathodes and makes water electrolysis giving hydrogen gas to cleavage azo bond. The DC applied on Al foam is beneficial for reductive decolouration of MO. Our results show that DC is a new way for the reductive decolouration MO in water.

  8. Non-invasive Estimation of Pressure Changes using 2-D Vector Velocity Ultrasound: An Experimental Study with In-Vivo Examples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Jacob Bjerring; Villagómez Hoyos, Carlos Armando; Møller, Niclas Dechau

    2018-01-01

    and at the aortic valve of two healthy volunteers. Ultrasound measurements were performed using the experimental scanner SARUS, in combination with an 8MHz linear array transducer for experimental scans and a carotid scan, whereas a 3.5MHz phased array probe was employed for a scan of an aortic valve. Measured 2-D......A non-invasive method for estimating intravascular pressure changes using 2-D vector velocity is presented. The method was first validated on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data, and with catheter measurements on phantoms. Hereafter, the method was tested in-vivo at the carotid bifurcation...

  9. A study of pipe flow rate measurement using air-coupled ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsukada, Keisuke; Tsuzuki, Nobuyoshi; Kikura, Hiroshige

    2013-01-01

    A non-contact flow meter employing air-coupled ultrasound is developed in this research. Ultrasonic flow meter is applied to the higher accuracy flow rate measurement, compared with pressure difference flow meter. However, ultrasonic flow meter has difficulty to measure in severe conditions such as in the condition of high temperature, high pressure condition, and radioactive materials in fluid. Especially, in high temperature condition, piezoelectric device in ultrasonic sensors lose the piezoelectricity, and it becomes difficult to transmit or detect ultrasound. Thus, in this research, ultrasonic sensors are fixed in the air. Ultrasonic sensors transmit and detect ultrasound through air, and measure the flow rate in the pipe. However, most of ultrasound is refracted and reflected at the boundaries between air and the pipe. And detected signals are weak. To increase the signal level, we developed focusing ultrasonic sensors that was optimized for the pipe flow measurement. And employing these focusing sensors the flow rate measurement has been done in order to evaluate the air-coupled ultrasonic flow meter by the ultrasonic beam focusing technique. (author)

  10. JAG Tearing Technique with Radiofrequency Guide Wire for Aortic Fenestration in Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ricci, Carmelo; Ceccherini, Claudio; Leonini, Sara; Cini, Marco; Vigni, Francesco; Neri, Eugenio; Tucci, Enrico; Benvenuti, Antonio; Tommasino, Giulio; Sassi, Carlo

    2012-01-01

    An innovative approach, the JAG tearing technique, was performed during thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair in a patient with previous surgical replacement of the ascending aorta with a residual uncomplicated type B aortic dissection who developed an aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta with its lumen divided in two parts by an intimal flap. The proximal landing zone was suitable to place a thoracic stent graft. The distal landing zone was created by cutting the intimal flap in the distal third of the descending thoracic aorta with a radiofrequency guide wire and intravascular ultrasound catheter.

  11. Wearable Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Fabrics Produced by Knitting Flexible Wire Electrodes for the Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Heesoo; Seo, Jin Ah; Choi, Seungki

    2017-01-01

    One of the key reasons for the limited use of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) is its inability to treat non-flat, three-dimensional (3D) surface structures, such as electronic devices and the human body, because of the rigid electrode structure required. In this study, a new APP system design—wearable APP (WAPP)—that utilizes a knitting technique to assemble flexible co-axial wire electrodes into a large-area plasma fabric is presented. The WAPP device operates in ambient air with a fully enclosed power electrode and grounded outer electrode. The plasma fabric is flexible and lightweight, and it can be scaled up for larger areas, making it attractive for wearable APP applications. Here, we report the various plasma properties of the WAPP device and successful test results showing the decontamination of toxic chemical warfare agents, namely, mustard (HD), soman (GD), and nerve (VX) agents.

  12. The Application of Ultrasound in 3D Bio-Printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Yufeng

    2016-05-05

    Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an emerging and promising technology in tissue engineering to construct tissues and organs for implantation. Alignment of self-assembly cell spheroids that are used as bioink could be very accurate after droplet ejection from bioprinter. Complex and heterogeneous tissue structures could be built using rapid additive manufacture technology and multiple cell lines. Effective vascularization in the engineered tissue samples is critical in any clinical application. In this review paper, the current technologies and processing steps (such as printing, preparation of bioink, cross-linking, tissue fusion and maturation) in 3D bio-printing are introduced, and their specifications are compared with each other. In addition, the application of ultrasound in this novel field is also introduced. Cells experience acoustic radiation force in ultrasound standing wave field (USWF) and then accumulate at the pressure node at low acoustic pressure. Formation of cell spheroids by this method is within minutes with uniform size and homogeneous cell distribution. Neovessel formation from USWF-induced endothelial cell spheroids is significant. Low-intensity ultrasound could enhance the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. Its use is at low cost and compatible with current bioreactor. In summary, ultrasound application in 3D bio-printing may solve some challenges and enhance the outcomes.

  13. The Application of Ultrasound in 3D Bio-Printing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yufeng Zhou

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Three-dimensional (3D bioprinting is an emerging and promising technology in tissue engineering to construct tissues and organs for implantation. Alignment of self-assembly cell spheroids that are used as bioink could be very accurate after droplet ejection from bioprinter. Complex and heterogeneous tissue structures could be built using rapid additive manufacture technology and multiple cell lines. Effective vascularization in the engineered tissue samples is critical in any clinical application. In this review paper, the current technologies and processing steps (such as printing, preparation of bioink, cross-linking, tissue fusion and maturation in 3D bio-printing are introduced, and their specifications are compared with each other. In addition, the application of ultrasound in this novel field is also introduced. Cells experience acoustic radiation force in ultrasound standing wave field (USWF and then accumulate at the pressure node at low acoustic pressure. Formation of cell spheroids by this method is within minutes with uniform size and homogeneous cell distribution. Neovessel formation from USWF-induced endothelial cell spheroids is significant. Low-intensity ultrasound could enhance the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. Its use is at low cost and compatible with current bioreactor. In summary, ultrasound application in 3D bio-printing may solve some challenges and enhance the outcomes.

  14. Imaging of In-Vivo Pressure using Ultrasound

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Jacob Bjerring

    for assessing pressure changes are by means of invasive devices such as pressure sensing catheters. Such devices suffer severe limitations as they are invasive and require the use of ionizing radiation for guidance and positioning. To overcome the concerns related to the use of invasive pressure catheters......The main purpose of this PhD project was to develop an ultrasonic method capable of determining intravascular pressure changes non-invasively. Measuring pressure variations is used clinically as a diagnostic marker for the physiological state of a cardiovascular region. Current clinical procedures...... this project introduces a method that derives pressure changes from 2-D vector velocity flow data acquired non-invasively. The method is based on the Navier-Stokes equations and is tested on fabricated flow models. Results from the flow models are compared with simulations from finite element modeling...

  15. An extended parametrization of gas amplification in proportional wire chambers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beingessner, S.P.; Carnegie, R.K.; Hargrove, C.K.

    1987-01-01

    It is normally assumed that the gas amplification in proportional chambers is a function of Townsend's first ionization coefficient, α, and that α is a function of the anode surface electric field only. Experimental measurements are presented demonstrating the breakdown of the latter assumption for electric fields, X, greater than about 150 V/cm/Torr on the anode wire surface for a gas mixture of 80/20 argon/methane. For larger values of X, the parametrization of the proportional gas gain data requires an additional term related to the gradient of the electric field near the wire. This extended gain parametrization remains valid until the onset of nonproportional contributions such as positive ion space charge saturation effects. Furthermore, deviations of the data from this parametrization are used to measure the onset of these space charge effects. A simple scaling dependence of the gain data on the product of pressure and wire radius over the whole proportional range is also demonstrated. (orig.)

  16. Reliability Criteria for Thick Bonding Wire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dagdelen, Turker; Abdel-Rahman, Eihab; Yavuz, Mustafa

    2018-04-17

    Bonding wire is one of the main interconnection techniques. Thick bonding wire is widely used in power modules and other high power applications. This study examined the case for extending the use of traditional thin wire reliability criteria, namely wire flexure and aspect ratio, to thick wires. Eleven aluminum (Al) and aluminum coated copper (CucorAl) wire samples with diameter 300 μm were tested experimentally. The wire response was measured using a novel non-contact method. High fidelity FEM models of the wire were developed and validated. We found that wire flexure is not correlated to its stress state or fatigue life. On the other hand, aspect ratio is a consistent criterion of thick wire fatigue life. Increasing the wire aspect ratio lowers its critical stress and increases its fatigue life. Moreover, we found that CucorAl wire has superior performance and longer fatigue life than Al wire.

  17. Reliability Criteria for Thick Bonding Wire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yavuz, Mustafa

    2018-01-01

    Bonding wire is one of the main interconnection techniques. Thick bonding wire is widely used in power modules and other high power applications. This study examined the case for extending the use of traditional thin wire reliability criteria, namely wire flexure and aspect ratio, to thick wires. Eleven aluminum (Al) and aluminum coated copper (CucorAl) wire samples with diameter 300 μm were tested experimentally. The wire response was measured using a novel non-contact method. High fidelity FEM models of the wire were developed and validated. We found that wire flexure is not correlated to its stress state or fatigue life. On the other hand, aspect ratio is a consistent criterion of thick wire fatigue life. Increasing the wire aspect ratio lowers its critical stress and increases its fatigue life. Moreover, we found that CucorAl wire has superior performance and longer fatigue life than Al wire. PMID:29673194

  18. The Precise Determination of Vascular Lumen and Stent Diameters: Correlation Among Calibrated Angiography, Intravascular Ultrasound, and Pressure-Fixed Specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Froelich, Jens J.; Hoppe, Martin; Nahrstedt, Christoph; Barth, Klemens H.; Wagner, H. Joachim; Klose, Klaus J.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: Luminal diameters measured in vivo by calibrated-catheter angiography and by intravascular ultrasound were correlated with those obtained from pressure-fixed histologic cross-sections to determine the accuracy of both methods. Methods: Angiographic and endosonographic diameter measurements were performed in the center of stents placed in the iliac arteries of 10 miniature pigs and were compared with luminal and stent diameters in postmortem, pressure-fixed, histologic cross-sections from identical locations. Results: Compared with histologic diameters, magnification-corrected angiographic measurements still magnified vascular luminal diameters by 0.7 ± 0.71 mm (r= 0.41, Pearson; p 0.5, Wilcoxon, matched pairs). Similarly, stent diameters correlated well between endosonographic and histologic measurements (r= 0.91; p= 0.002), and less well between angiographic and histologic diameters (r= 0.62; p= 0.002). Conclusion: Since calibrated angiography still overestimates vascular lumina, endosonography is the preferred technique for accurate in vivo measurements

  19. Real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound in detecting hemorrhage of blunt renal trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Rui-Xue; Li, Ye-Kuo; Li, Ting; Wang, Sha-Sha; Yuan, Gui-Zhong; Zhou, Qun-Fang; Zheng, Hai-Rong; Yan, Fei

    2013-10-01

    The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the hemorrhage of blunt renal trauma. Eighteen healthy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups. Blunt renal trauma was performed on each group by using minitype striker. Ultrasonography, color Doppler flow imaging, and contrast-enhanced 2-dimensional and real-time 3-dimensional ultrasound were applied before and after the strike. The time to shock and blood pressure were subjected to statistical analysis. Then, a comparative study of ultrasound and pathology was carried out. All the struck kidneys were traumatic. In the ultrasonography, free fluid was found under the renal capsule. In the color Doppler flow imaging, active hemorrhage was not identified. In 2-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound, active hemorrhage of the damaged kidney was characterized. Real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed a real-time and stereoscopic ongoing bleeding of the injured kidney. The wider the hemorrhage area in 4-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound was, the faster the blood pressure decreased. Real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a promising noninvasive tool for stereoscopically and vividly detecting ongoing hemorrhage of blunt renal trauma in real time. © 2013.

  20. Ultrasound Thrombolysis in Hemodialysis Access: In Vitro Investigation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wildberger, Joachim Ernst; Schmitz-Rode, Thomas; Haage, Patrick; Pfeffer, Joachim; Ruebben, Alexander; Guenther, Rolf W.

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound thrombolysis in occluded hemodialysis access shunts using an in vitro model.Methods: Thrombosed hemodialysis accesses were simulated by clotted bovine blood in a flow model (silicone tubing; inner diameters 4, 6, and 9 mm). After retrograde and antegrade sheath placement (7 Fr), mechanical thrombolysis was performed using an ultrasound probe (Acolysis, Angiosonics, Morrisville, NC, USA). The tip of the device measured 2.2 mm in diameter. During sonication, the catheter was moved slowly back and forth using an over-the-wire system. Thirty complete occlusions [tubing diameters 4 mm (n = 12), 6 mm (n = 12), 9 mm (n = 6)] were treated. Initial thrombus weights were 3.5 (± 0.76) g, 7.7 (± 1.74) g, and 19.4 (± 2.27) g for the three diameters. Maximum sonication time was 15 min for each probe.Results: With this device, we were able to restore a continuous lumen in all 12 occluded 4∼mm silicone tubes. No wall-adherent thrombi remained after sonication for 3.5-9.6 min. In hemodialysis access models with diameters of 6 mm, thrombus fragments persisted in 25% (3/12 accesses). These were located in the medial portion of the access loop and near to the puncture sites. However, flow was re-established after 5.0-13.0 min of treatment in all settings. Mechanical dissolution of thrombus material failed in five of six access models with diameters of 9 mm, even though ultrasound energy was applied for the maximum of 15 min.Conclusion: In a clotted hemodialysis shunt model, successful ultrasound thrombolysis was limited to small access diameters and small amounts of thrombus

  1. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound enhances angiogenesis and ameliorates contractile dysfunction of pressure-overloaded heart in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsuyoshi Ogata

    Full Text Available Chronic left ventricular (LV pressure overload causes relative ischemia with resultant LV dysfunction. We have recently demonstrated that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS improves myocardial ischemia in a pig model of chronic myocardial ischemia through enhanced myocardial angiogenesis. In the present study, we thus examined whether LIPUS also ameliorates contractile dysfunction in LV pressure-overloaded hearts.Chronic LV pressure overload was induced with transverse aortic constriction (TAC in mice. LIPUS was applied to the whole heart three times in the first week after TAC and was repeated once a week for 7 weeks thereafter (n = 22. Animals in the control groups received the sham treatment without LIPUS (n = 23. At 8 weeks after TAC, LV fractional shortening was depressed in the TAC-Control group, which was significantly ameliorated in the TAC-LIPUS group (30.4±0.5 vs. 36.2±3.8%, P<0.05. Capillary density was higher and perivascular fibrosis was less in the LV in the TAC-LIPUS group than in the TAC-Control group. Myocardial relative ischemia evaluated with hypoxyprobe was noted in the TAC-Control group, which was significantly attenuated in the TAC-LIPUS group. In the TAC-LIPUS group, as compared with the control group, mRNA expressions of BNP and collagen III were significantly lower (both P<0.05 and protein expressions of VEGF and eNOS were significantly up-regulated associated with Akt activation (all P<0.05. No adverse effect related to the LIPUS therapy was noted.These results indicate that the LIPUS therapy ameliorates contractile dysfunction in chronically pressure-overloaded hearts through enhanced myocardial angiogenesis and attenuated perivascular fibrosis. Thus, the LIPUS therapy may be a promising, non-invasive treatment for cardiac dysfunction due to chronic pressure overload.

  2. Hot wire radicals and reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng Wengang; Gallagher, Alan

    2006-01-01

    Threshold ionization mass spectroscopy is used to measure radical (and stable gas) densities at the substrate of a tungsten hot wire (HW) reactor. We report measurements of the silane reaction probability on the HW and the probability of Si and H release from the HW. We describe a model for the atomic H release, based on the H 2 dissociation model. We note major variations in silicon-release, with dependence on prior silane exposure. Measured radical densities versus silane pressure yield silicon-silane and H-silane reaction rate coefficients, and the dominant radical fluxes to the substrate

  3. Reliability Criteria for Thick Bonding Wire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Turker Dagdelen

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Bonding wire is one of the main interconnection techniques. Thick bonding wire is widely used in power modules and other high power applications. This study examined the case for extending the use of traditional thin wire reliability criteria, namely wire flexure and aspect ratio, to thick wires. Eleven aluminum (Al and aluminum coated copper (CucorAl wire samples with diameter 300 μm were tested experimentally. The wire response was measured using a novel non-contact method. High fidelity FEM models of the wire were developed and validated. We found that wire flexure is not correlated to its stress state or fatigue life. On the other hand, aspect ratio is a consistent criterion of thick wire fatigue life. Increasing the wire aspect ratio lowers its critical stress and increases its fatigue life. Moreover, we found that CucorAl wire has superior performance and longer fatigue life than Al wire.

  4. Renal duplex Doppler ultrasound findings in diabetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shim, Hyang Yee; Kim, Young Geun; Kook, Cheol Keu; Yoon, Chong Hyun; Lee, Shin Hyung; Lee, Chang Joon

    1993-01-01

    The correlation between clinical-laboratory findings and renal duplex Doppler ultrasound findings was studied in 45 patients with diabetes mellitus to see the role of duplex Doppler ultrasound in the detection of diabetic nephropathy. The resistive indices in patients with elevated serum creatinine, BUN, proteinuria, and systolic blood pressure levels were statistically significantly higher than those in patients with normal levels (p<0.05). Also resistive indics in patients with retinopathy were higher than that in patients without retinopathy (p<0.05). But the ultrasound morphologic changes of kidney such as renal length, cortical eye-catching, and corticomedullarycontrast were not well correlated with clinical-laboratory data and resistive index. The resistive index of the kidney in conjunction with clinical-laboratory data in diabetics may be helpful in the evaluation of diabetic nephropathy

  5. Renal duplex Doppler ultrasound findings in diabetics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shim, Hyang Yee; Kim, Young Geun; Kook, Cheol Keu; Yoon, Chong Hyun; Lee, Shin Hyung; Lee, Chang Joon [National Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1993-12-15

    The correlation between clinical-laboratory findings and renal duplex Doppler ultrasound findings was studied in 45 patients with diabetes mellitus to see the role of duplex Doppler ultrasound in the detection of diabetic nephropathy. The resistive indices in patients with elevated serum creatinine, BUN, proteinuria, and systolic blood pressure levels were statistically significantly higher than those in patients with normal levels (p<0.05). Also resistive indics in patients with retinopathy were higher than that in patients without retinopathy (p<0.05). But the ultrasound morphologic changes of kidney such as renal length, cortical eye-catching, and corticomedullarycontrast were not well correlated with clinical-laboratory data and resistive index. The resistive index of the kidney in conjunction with clinical-laboratory data in diabetics may be helpful in the evaluation of diabetic nephropathy

  6. 1998 wire development workshop proceedings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-04-01

    This report consists of vugraphs of the presentations at the conference. The conference was divided into the following sessions: (1) First Generation Wire Development: Status and Issues; (2) First Generation Wire in Pre-Commercial Prototypes; (3) Second Generation Wire Development: Private Sector Progress and Issues; (4) Second Generation Wire Development: Federal Laboratories; and (5) Fundamental Research Issues for HTS Wire Development.

  7. 1998 wire development workshop proceedings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1998-04-01

    This report consists of vugraphs of the presentations at the conference. The conference was divided into the following sessions: (1) First Generation Wire Development: Status and Issues; (2) First Generation Wire in Pre-Commercial Prototypes; (3) Second Generation Wire Development: Private Sector Progress and Issues; (4) Second Generation Wire Development: Federal Laboratories; and (5) Fundamental Research Issues for HTS Wire Development

  8. Ultrasound pregnancy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pregnancy sonogram; Obstetric ultrasonography; Obstetric sonogram; Ultrasound - pregnancy; IUGR - ultrasound; Intrauterine growth - ultrasound; Polyhydramnios - ultrasound; Oligohydramnios - ultrasound; ...

  9. Right wire in orthodontics: a review

    OpenAIRE

    Ali, Hashim

    2015-01-01

    Quality of orthodontic wire such as stiffness, hardness, resiliency, elasticity and working range are important determinants of the effectivenes of tooth movement. Commonly used types of orthodontic arch wire:1) stainless steel(ss) wire, 2) conventional nickel- titanium (NiTi)alloy wire,3) improved super elastic NiTi- alloy wire( also called low hysteresis(LH)wire), and titanium molybdenum alloy(TMA) wire.

  10. PRODUCTION OF WIRE RML OF SQUARE PROFILE IN CONDITIONS OF BELORUSSIAN METALLURGICAL WORKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. G. Sachava

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available It is shown that at using of profile (square wire RML in conditions of RUP «BMZ» for production of pipes of high pressure their production is cheapened, what attracts interest of consumer.

  11. Application of irradiated wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uda, I.; Kozima, K.; Suzuki, S.; Tada, S.; Torisu, S.; Veno, K.

    1984-01-01

    Rubber insulated wires are still useful for internal wiring in motor vehicles and electrical equipment because of flexibility and toughness. Irradiated cross-linked rubber materials have been successfully introduced for use with fusible link wire and helically coiled cord

  12. Skin temperature increase mediated by wearable, long duration, low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langer, Matthew D.; Huang, Wenyi; Ghanem, Angi; Guo, Yuan; Lewis, George K.

    2017-03-01

    One of the safety concerns with the delivery of therapeutic ultrasound is overheating of the transducer-skin interface due to poor or improper coupling. The objective of this research was to define a model that could be used to calculate the heating in the skin as a result of a novel, wearable long-duration ultrasound device. This model was used to determine that the maximum heating in the skin remained below the minimum threshold necessary to cause thermal injury over multiple hours of use. In addition to this model data, a human clinical study used wire thermocouples on the skin surface to measure heating characteristics during treatment with the sustained ultrasound system. Parametric analysis of the model determined that the maximum temperature increase is at the surface of the skin ranged from 40-41.8° C when perfusion was taken into account. The clinical data agreed well with the model predictions. The average steady state temperature observed across all 44 subjects was 40°C. The maximum temperature observed was less than 44° C, which is clinically safe for over 5 hours of human skin contact. The resultant clinical temperature data paired well with the model data suggesting the model can be used for future transducer and ultrasound system design simulation. As a result, the device was validated for thermal safety for typical users and use conditions.

  13. WE-G-BRF-09: Force- and Image-Adaptive Strategies for Robotised Placement of 4D Ultrasound Probes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuhlemann, I [Institute for Robotics and Cognitive Systems, University of Luebeck, Luebeck (Germany); Graduate School for Computing in Life Science, University of Luebeck, Luebeck (Germany); Bruder, R; Ernst, F; Schweikard, A [Institute for Robotics and Cognitive Systems, University of Luebeck, Luebeck (Germany)

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: To allow continuous acquisition of high quality 4D ultrasound images for non-invasive live tracking of tumours for IGRT, image- and force-adaptive strategies for robotised placement of 4D ultrasound probes are developed and evaluated. Methods: The developed robotised ultrasound system is based on a 6-axes industrial robot (adept Viper s850) carrying a 4D ultrasound transducer with a mounted force-torque sensor. The force-adaptive placement strategies include probe position control using artificial potential fields and contact pressure regulation by a PD controller strategy. The basis for live target tracking is a continuous minimum contact pressure to ensure good image quality and high patient comfort. This contact pressure can be significantly disturbed by respiratory movements and has to be compensated. All measurements were performed on human subjects under realistic conditions. When performing cardiac ultrasound, rib- and lung shadows are a common source of interference and can disrupt the tracking. To ensure continuous tracking, these artefacts had to be detected to automatically realign the probe. The detection is realised by multiple algorithms based on entropy calculations as well as a determination of the image quality. Results: Through active contact pressure regulation it was possible to reduce the variance of the contact pressure by 89.79% despite respiratory motion of the chest. The results regarding the image processing clearly demonstrate the feasibility to detect image artefacts like rib shadows in real-time. Conclusion: In all cases, it was possible to stabilise the image quality by active contact pressure control and automatically detected image artefacts. This fact enables the possibility to compensate for such interferences by realigning the probe and thus continuously optimising the ultrasound images. This is a huge step towards fully automated transducer positioning and opens the possibility for stable target tracking in

  14. WE-G-BRF-09: Force- and Image-Adaptive Strategies for Robotised Placement of 4D Ultrasound Probes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuhlemann, I; Bruder, R; Ernst, F; Schweikard, A

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To allow continuous acquisition of high quality 4D ultrasound images for non-invasive live tracking of tumours for IGRT, image- and force-adaptive strategies for robotised placement of 4D ultrasound probes are developed and evaluated. Methods: The developed robotised ultrasound system is based on a 6-axes industrial robot (adept Viper s850) carrying a 4D ultrasound transducer with a mounted force-torque sensor. The force-adaptive placement strategies include probe position control using artificial potential fields and contact pressure regulation by a PD controller strategy. The basis for live target tracking is a continuous minimum contact pressure to ensure good image quality and high patient comfort. This contact pressure can be significantly disturbed by respiratory movements and has to be compensated. All measurements were performed on human subjects under realistic conditions. When performing cardiac ultrasound, rib- and lung shadows are a common source of interference and can disrupt the tracking. To ensure continuous tracking, these artefacts had to be detected to automatically realign the probe. The detection is realised by multiple algorithms based on entropy calculations as well as a determination of the image quality. Results: Through active contact pressure regulation it was possible to reduce the variance of the contact pressure by 89.79% despite respiratory motion of the chest. The results regarding the image processing clearly demonstrate the feasibility to detect image artefacts like rib shadows in real-time. Conclusion: In all cases, it was possible to stabilise the image quality by active contact pressure control and automatically detected image artefacts. This fact enables the possibility to compensate for such interferences by realigning the probe and thus continuously optimising the ultrasound images. This is a huge step towards fully automated transducer positioning and opens the possibility for stable target tracking in

  15. Ceramic membrane ultrafiltration of natural surface water with ultrasound enhanced backwashing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boley, A; Narasimhan, K; Kieninger, M; Müller, W-R

    2010-01-01

    Ultrafiltration membrane cleaning with ultrasound enhanced backwashing was investigated with two ceramic membrane systems in parallel. One of them was subjected to ultrasound during backwashing, the other acted as a reference system. The feed water was directly taken from a creek with a sedimentation process as only pre-treatment. The cleaning performance was improved with ultrasound but after 3 weeks of operation damages occurred on the membranes. These effects were studied with online measurements of flux, trans-membrane-pressure and temperature, but also with integrity tests, turbidity measurements and visual examination.

  16. Effect of discrete wires on the implosion dynamics of wire array Z pinches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lebedev, S. V.; Beg, F. N.; Bland, S. N.; Chittenden, J. P.; Dangor, A. E.; Haines, M. G.; Kwek, K. H.; Pikuz, S. A.; Shelkovenko, T. A.

    2001-01-01

    A phenomenological model of wire array Z-pinch implosions, based on the analysis of experimental data obtained on the mega-ampere generator for plasma implosion experiments (MAGPIE) generator [I. H. Mitchell , Rev. Sci. Instrum. 67, 1533 (1996)], is described. The data show that during the first ∼80% of the implosion the wire cores remain stationary in their initial positions, while the coronal plasma is continuously jetting from the wire cores to the array axis. This phase ends by the formation of gaps in the wire cores, which occurs due to the nonuniformity of the ablation rate along the wires. The final phase of the implosion starting at this time occurs as a rapid snowplow-like implosion of the radially distributed precursor plasma, previously injected in the interior of the array. The density distribution of the precursor plasma, being peaked on the array axis, could be a key factor providing stability of the wire array implosions operating in the regime of discrete wires. The modified ''initial'' conditions for simulations of wire array Z-pinch implosions with one-dimension (1D) and two-dimensions (2D) in the r--z plane, radiation-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes, and a possible scaling to a larger drive current are discussed

  17. Wire core reactor for NTP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harty, R.B.

    1991-01-01

    The development of the wire core system for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) that took place from 1963 to 1965 is discussed. A wire core consists of a fuel wire with spacer wires. It's an annular flow core having a central control rod. There are actually four of these, with beryllium solid reflectors on both ends and all the way around. Much of the information on the concept is given in viewgraph form. Viewgraphs are presented on design details of the wire core, the engine design, engine weight vs. thrust, a technique used to fabricate the wire fuel element, and axial temperature distribution

  18. Application of wire sawing method to decommissioning of high level activated concrete

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hasegawa, Hideki; Nishimura, Youichi [Tokyo Electric Power Co., Tokyo (Japan); Watanabe, Morishige; Yamashita Yoshitaka

    1999-07-01

    Wire sawing method is proposed as an effective cutting method for the dismantling of high level activated concrete of a nuclear power plant. The cutting test with wire sawing method discussed in this paper was carried out to obtain the data such as the cutting rate, the volume of concrete dust and the time of cutting and related work. The cutting test consisted of two parts; 'Fundamental test' and 'mock-up test.' In the fundamental test, we carried out the cutting test with small concrete blocks simulating the high level activated concrete of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). Through the test, the following data were obtained: the cutting rate of wire sawing, the volume of generated concrete dust and the grading distribution of suspended particulate. We also studied the life of wire and the relations between the wire tension, the wire rotating speed, the steel ratio and the cutting rate. In the mock-up test, we carried out the test with large concrete blocks simulating the part of the reactor shield wall of BWR and the biological shield wall of PWR. Through the mock-up test, we made clear that it is possible that the large test blocks with high re-bar ratio and a steel plate (steel plates) were cut smoothly by the wire sawing method. In the test, the following data were obtained; the cutting rate, the time of the cutting and related work and the remote controllability of cutting machines. (author)

  19. Application of wire sawing method to decommissioning of high level activated concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hasegawa, Hideki; Nishimura, Youichi; Watanabe, Morishige; Yamashita Yoshitaka

    1999-01-01

    Wire sawing method is proposed as an effective cutting method for the dismantling of high level activated concrete of a nuclear power plant. The cutting test with wire sawing method discussed in this paper was carried out to obtain the data such as the cutting rate, the volume of concrete dust and the time of cutting and related work. The cutting test consisted of two parts; 'Fundamental test' and 'mock-up test.' In the fundamental test, we carried out the cutting test with small concrete blocks simulating the high level activated concrete of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). Through the test, the following data were obtained: the cutting rate of wire sawing, the volume of generated concrete dust and the grading distribution of suspended particulate. We also studied the life of wire and the relations between the wire tension, the wire rotating speed, the steel ratio and the cutting rate. In the mock-up test, we carried out the test with large concrete blocks simulating the part of the reactor shield wall of BWR and the biological shield wall of PWR. Through the mock-up test, we made clear that it is possible that the large test blocks with high re-bar ratio and a steel plate (steel plates) were cut smoothly by the wire sawing method. In the test, the following data were obtained; the cutting rate, the time of the cutting and related work and the remote controllability of cutting machines. (author)

  20. Nanosecond electrical explosion of thin aluminum wire in vacuum: experimental and computational investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cochrane, Kyle Robert; Struve, Kenneth William; Rosenthal, Stephen Edgar; McDaniel, Dillon Heirman; Sarkisov, Gennady Sergeevich; Deeney, Christopher

    2004-01-01

    The experimental and computational investigations of nanosecond electrical explosion of thin Al wire in vacuum are presented. We have demonstrated that increasing the current rate leads to increased energy deposited before voltage collapse. Laser shadowgrams of the overheated Al core exhibit axial stratification with a ∼100 (micro)m period. The experimental evidence for synchronization of the wire expansion and light emission with voltage collapse is presented. Two-wavelength interferometry shows an expanding Al core in a low-ionized gas condition with increasing ionization toward the periphery. Hydrocarbons are indicated in optical spectra and their influence on breakdown physics is discussed. The radial velocity of low-density plasma reaches a value of ∼100 km/s. The possibility of an overcritical phase transition due to high pressure is discussed. 1D MHD simulation shows good agreement with experimental data. MHD simulation demonstrates separation of the exploding wire into a high-density cold core and a low-density hot corona as well as fast rejection of the current from the wire core to the corona during voltage collapse. Important features of the dynamics for wire core and corona follow from the MHD simulation and are discussed.

  1. Effects of ultrasound frequency and tissue stiffness on the histotripsy intrinsic threshold for cavitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlaisavljevich, Eli; Lin, Kuang-Wei; Maxwell, Adam; Warnez, Matthew T; Mancia, Lauren; Singh, Rahul; Putnam, Andrew J; Fowlkes, Brian; Johnsen, Eric; Cain, Charles; Xu, Zhen

    2015-06-01

    Histotripsy is an ultrasound ablation method that depends on the initiation of a cavitation bubble cloud to fractionate soft tissue. Previous work has indicated that a cavitation cloud can be formed by a single pulse with one high-amplitude negative cycle, when the negative pressure amplitude directly exceeds a pressure threshold intrinsic to the medium. We hypothesize that the intrinsic threshold in water-based tissues is determined by the properties of the water inside the tissue, and changes in tissue stiffness or ultrasound frequency will have a minimal impact on the histotripsy intrinsic threshold. To test this hypothesis, the histotripsy intrinsic threshold was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The probability of cavitation was measured by subjecting tissue phantoms with adjustable mechanical properties and ex vivo tissues to a histotripsy pulse of 1-2 cycles produced by 345-kHz, 500-kHz, 1.5-MHz and 3-MHz histotripsy transducers. Cavitation was detected and characterized by passive cavitation detection and high-speed photography, from which the probability of cavitation was measured versus pressure amplitude. The results revealed that the intrinsic threshold (the negative pressure at which probability = 0.5) is independent of stiffness for Young's moduli (E) ultrasound frequency in the hundreds of kilohertz to megahertz range. Copyright © 2015 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Characteristics on Temperature Evolution in the Metallic Specimen by Ultrasound-Excited Thermography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, M. Y.; Park, J. H. [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kang, K. S. [Hyundai Steel Co., Dangjin (Korea, Republic of); Kim, W. T. [Kongju National University, Gongju (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-06-15

    In ultrasound-excited thermography, the injected ultrasound to an object is transformed to heat and the appearance of defects can be visualized by thermography camera. The advantage of this technology is selectively sensitive to thermally active defects. Despite the apparent simplicity of the scheme, there are a number of experimental considerations that can complicate the implementation of ultrasound excitation thermography inspection. Factors including acoustic horn location, horn-crack proximity, horn-sample coupling, and effective detection range all significantly affect the detect ability of this technology. As conclusions, the influence of coupling pressures between ultrasound exciter and specimen was analyzed, which was dominant factor in frictional heating model

  3. Water Desalination with Wires

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Porada, S.; Sales, B.B.; Hamelers, H.V.M.; Biesheuvel, P.M.

    2012-01-01

    We show the significant potential of water desalination using a novel capacitive wire-based technology in which anode/cathode wire pairs are constructed from coating a thin porous carbon electrode layer on top of electrically conducting rods (or wires). By alternately dipping an array of electrode

  4. In-service ultrasonic inspection of nuclear reactor pressure vessels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prepechal, J.; Sulc, J.

    1982-01-01

    Ultrasonic tests of pressure vessels for WWER 440 reactors, type 213 V, are carried out partly manually and partly by test equipment. The inner surface of the pressure vessel is tested using device REACTORTEST TRC which is fully mobile. The outer surface of the cylindrical parts and bottoms of the body is tested using handling equipment permanently in-built under the pressure vessel and dismountable testing heads. A set of these heads may be used for two reactor units. The testing equipment REACTORTEST TRC is equipped with a TRC 800 ultrasound device. The equipment for testing the outer surface of the vessel operates with the UDAR 16 ultrasound apparatus to which may be simultaneously connected 10 ultrasound probes and six probes for acoustic feedback. The whole system of ultrasonic tests makes possible a first-rate and reliable volume control of the whole pressure vessel and all points where cracks may originate and grow. (Z.M.)

  5. Towards plant wires

    OpenAIRE

    Adamatzky, Andrew

    2014-01-01

    In experimental laboratory studies we evaluate a possibility of making electrical wires from living plants. In scoping experiments we use lettuce seedlings as a prototype model of a plant wire. We approximate an electrical potential transfer function by applying direct current voltage to the lettuce seedlings and recording output voltage. We analyse oscillation frequencies of the output potential and assess noise immunity of the plant wires. Our findings will be used in future designs of self...

  6. Ultrasound-enhanced thrombolysis using Definity as a cavitation nucleation agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Datta, Saurabh; Coussios, Constantin-C; Ammi, Azzdine Y; Mast, T Douglas; de Courten-Myers, Gabrielle M; Holland, Christy K

    2008-09-01

    Ultrasound has been shown previously to act synergistically with a thrombolytic agent, such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) to accelerate thrombolysis. In this in vitro study, a commercial contrast agent, Definity, was used to promote and sustain the nucleation of cavitation during pulsed ultrasound exposure at 120 kHz. Ultraharmonic signals, broadband emissions and harmonics of the fundamental were measured acoustically by using a focused hydrophone as a passive cavitation detector and used to quantify the level of cavitation activity. Human whole blood clots suspended in human plasma were exposed to a combination of rt-PA, Definity and ultrasound at a range of ultrasound peak-to-peak pressure amplitudes, which were selected to expose clots to various degrees of cavitation activity. Thrombolytic efficacy was determined by measuring clot mass loss before and after the treatment and correlated with the degree of cavitation activity. The penetration depth of rt-PA and plasminogen was also evaluated in the presence of cavitating microbubbles using a dual-antibody fluorescence imaging technique. The largest mass loss (26.2%) was observed for clots treated with 120-kHz ultrasound (0.32-MPa peak-to-peak pressure amplitude), rt-PA and stable cavitation nucleated by Definity. A significant correlation was observed between mass loss and ultraharmonic signals (r = 0.85, p cavitation activity. Stable cavitation activity plays an important role in enhancement of thrombolysis and can be monitored to evaluate the efficacy of thrombolytic treatment.

  7. Evolution of cementite morphology in pearlitic steel wire during wet wire drawing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Xiaodan; Godfrey, Andrew; Hansen, Niels

    2010-01-01

    The evolution of the cementite phase during wet wire drawing of a pearlitic steel wire has been followed as a function of strain. Particular attention has been given to a quantitative characterization of changes in the alignment and in the dimensions of the cementite phase. Scanning electron...... microscope observations show that cementite plates become increasingly aligned with the wire axis as the drawing strain is increased. Measurements in the transmission electron microscope show that the cementite deforms plastically during wire drawing , with the average thickness of the cementite plates...... decreasing from 19 nm (ε = 0) to 2 nm (ε = 3.7) in correspondence with the reduction in wire diameter. The deformation of the cementite is strongly related to plastic deformation in the ferrite, with coarse slip steps, shear bands and cracks in the cementite plates/particles observed parallel to either {110...

  8. Cavitation thresholds of contrast agents in an in vitro human clot model exposed to 120-kHz ultrasound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Matthew J; Bader, Kenneth B; Holland, Christy K

    2014-02-01

    Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) can be employed to nucleate cavitation to achieve desired bioeffects, such as thrombolysis, in therapeutic ultrasound applications. Effective methods of enhancing thrombolysis with ultrasound have been examined at low frequencies (cavitation thresholds for two UCAs exposed to 120-kHz ultrasound. A commercial ultrasound contrast agent (Definity(®)) and echogenic liposomes were investigated to determine the acoustic pressure threshold for ultraharmonic (UH) and broadband (BB) generation using an in vitro flow model perfused with human plasma. Cavitation emissions were detected using two passive receivers over a narrow frequency bandwidth (540-900 kHz) and a broad frequency bandwidth (0.54-1.74 MHz). UH and BB cavitation thresholds occurred at the same acoustic pressure (0.3 ± 0.1 MPa, peak to peak) and were found to depend on the sensitivity of the cavitation detector but not on the nucleating contrast agent or ultrasound duty cycle.

  9. Applications of ultrasound in food and bioprocessing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

    2015-07-01

    Improving the quality and nutritional aspects of food is one of the key issues for healthy life of human beings. The stability during storage is an important parameter in quality assurance of food products. Various processing techniques such as high pressure, thermal, pulsed electric field and microwave have been used to prolong the shelf-life of food products. In recent years, ultrasound technology has been found to be a potential food processing technique. The passage of ultrasound in a liquid matrix generates mechanical agitation and other physical effects due to acoustic cavitation. Owing to its importance, a number of review articles and book chapters on the applications of ultrasound in food processing have been published in recent years. This article provides an overview of recent developments in ultrasonic processing of food and dairy systems with a particular focus on functionality of food and dairy ingredients. More specifically, the use of high frequency ultrasound in fat separation from milk and viscosity modification in starch systems and the use of low frequency ultrasound in generating nutritional food emulsions, viscosity modification and encapsulation of nutrients have been highlighted. The issues associated with the development of large scale ultrasonic food processing equipment have also been briefly discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound for quantitative assessment of portal pressure in canine liver fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhai, Lin; Qiu, Lan-Yan; Zu, Yuan; Yan, Yan; Ren, Xiao-Zhuan; Zhao, Jun-Feng; Liu, Yu-Jiang; Liu, Ji-Bin; Qian, Lin-Xue

    2015-04-21

    To explore the feasibility of non-invasive quantitative estimation of portal venous pressure by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in a canine model. Liver fibrosis was established in adult canines (Beagles; n = 14) by subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). CEUS parameters, including the area under the time-intensity curve and intensity at portal/arterial phases (Qp/Qa and Ip/Ia, respectively), were used to quantitatively assess the blood flow ratio of the portal vein/hepatic artery at multiple time points. The free portal venous pressures (FPP) were measured by a multi-channel baroreceptor using a percutaneous approach at baseline and 8, 16, and 24 wk after CCl4 injections in each canine. Liver biopsies were obtained at the end of 8, 16, and 24 wk from each animal, and the stage of the fibrosis was assessed according to the Metavir scoring system. A Pearson correlation test was performed to compare the FPP with Qp/Qa and Ip/Ia. Pathologic examination of 42 biopsies from the 14 canines at weeks 8, 16, and 24 revealed that liver fibrosis was induced by CCl4 and represented various stages of liver fibrosis, including F0 (n = 3), F1 (n = 12), F2 (n = 14), F3 (n = 11), and F4 (n = 2). There were significant differences in the measurements of Qp/Qa (19.85 ± 3.30 vs 10.43 ± 1.21, 9.63 ± 1.03, and 8.77 ± 0.96) and Ip/Ia (1.77 ± 0.37 vs 1.03 ± 0.12, 0.83 ± 0.10, and 0.69 ± 0.13) between control and canine fibrosis at 8, 16, and 24 wk, respectively (all P fibrosis model. Prediction of elevated FPP based on Qp/Qa and Ip/Ia was highly sensitive, as assessed by the area under the receiver operating curve (0.866 and 0.895, respectively). CEUS is a potential method to accurately, but non-invasively, estimate portal venous pressure through measurement of Qp/Qa and Ip/Ia parameters.

  11. Fabrication and properties of multifilamentary MgB 2 wires by in-situ powder-in-tube process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Q. Y.; Jiao, G. F.; Liu, G. Q.; Xiong, X. M.; Yan, S. C.; Zhang, P. X.; Sulpice, A.; Mossang, E.; Feng, Y.; Yan, G.

    2010-11-01

    We have fabricated the long TiC-doped MgB2 wires with 6 filaments by in-situ powder-in-tube method using Nb as the barrier and copper as the stabilizer. To improve the strength of wires, the Nb-core was used as the central filament. The transport engineering critical current density (Jce) of the samples sintered at different temperature were measured, which reaches 2.5 × 104 A/cm2 at 4.2 K, 5 T. 100 m MgB2 wires with different diameter were wound into coils and the transport critical current (Ic) of the coil were measured at 30 K in self-field. The Jce value 100 m coil achieves 1.1 × 104 A/cm2 in 1.2 mm wire. The reasons leading to the enhancement of high field Jce were discussed. The results show a good potential to fabricate high performance MgB2 wires and tapes at ambient pressure on an industrial scale.

  12. Prostate Ultrasound

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Ultrasound - Prostate Ultrasound of the prostate uses sound waves to ... Ultrasound Imaging? What is Ultrasound Imaging of the Prostate? Ultrasound is safe and painless, and produces pictures ...

  13. Using wire shaping techniques and holographic optics to optimize deposition characteristics in wire-based laser cladding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goffin, N J; Higginson, R L; Tyrer, J R

    2016-12-01

    In laser cladding, the potential benefits of wire feeding are considerable. Typical problems with the use of powder, such as gas entrapment, sub-100% material density and low deposition rate are all avoided with the use of wire. However, the use of a powder-based source material is the industry standard, with wire-based deposition generally regarded as an academic curiosity. This is because, although wire-based methods have been shown to be capable of superior quality results, the wire-based process is more difficult to control. In this work, the potential for wire shaping techniques, combined with existing holographic optical element knowledge, is investigated in order to further improve the processing characteristics. Experiments with pre-placed wire showed the ability of shaped wire to provide uniformity of wire melting compared with standard round wire, giving reduced power density requirements and superior control of clad track dilution. When feeding with flat wire, the resulting clad tracks showed a greater level of quality consistency and became less sensitive to alterations in processing conditions. In addition, a 22% increase in deposition rate was achieved. Stacking of multiple layers demonstrated the ability to create fully dense, three-dimensional structures, with directional metallurgical grain growth and uniform chemical structure.

  14. Probability of cavitation for single ultrasound pulses applied to tissues and tissue-mimicking materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxwell, Adam D; Cain, Charles A; Hall, Timothy L; Fowlkes, J Brian; Xu, Zhen

    2013-03-01

    In this study, the negative pressure values at which inertial cavitation consistently occurs in response to a single, two-cycle, focused ultrasound pulse were measured in several media relevant to cavitation-based ultrasound therapy. The pulse was focused into a chamber containing one of the media, which included liquids, tissue-mimicking materials, and ex vivo canine tissue. Focal waveforms were measured by two separate techniques using a fiber-optic hydrophone. Inertial cavitation was identified by high-speed photography in optically transparent media and an acoustic passive cavitation detector. The probability of cavitation (P(cav)) for a single pulse as a function of peak negative pressure (p(-)) followed a sigmoid curve, with the probability approaching one when the pressure amplitude was sufficient. The statistical threshold (defined as P(cav) = 0.5) was between p(-) = 26 and 30 MPa in all samples with high water content but varied between p(-) = 13.7 and >36 MPa in other media. A model for radial cavitation bubble dynamics was employed to evaluate the behavior of cavitation nuclei at these pressure levels. A single bubble nucleus with an inertial cavitation threshold of p(-) = 28.2 megapascals was estimated to have a 2.5 nm radius in distilled water. These data may be valuable for cavitation-based ultrasound therapy to predict the likelihood of cavitation at various pressure levels and dimensions of cavitation-induced lesions in tissue. Copyright © 2013 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Evolution of cementite morphology in pearlitic steel wire during wet wire drawing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Xiaodan; Godfrey, Andrew; Hansen, Niels; Huang Xiaoxu; Liu Wei; Liu Qing

    2010-01-01

    The evolution of the cementite phase during wet wire drawing of a pearlitic steel wire has been followed as a function of strain. Particular attention has been given to a quantitative characterization of changes in the alignment and in the dimensions of the cementite phase. Scanning electron microscope observations show that cementite plates become increasingly aligned with the wire axis as the drawing strain is increased. Measurements in the transmission electron microscope show that the cementite deforms plastically during wire drawing , with the average thickness of the cementite plates decreasing from 19 nm (ε = 0) to 2 nm (ε = 3.7) in correspondence with the reduction in wire diameter. The deformation of the cementite is strongly related to plastic deformation in the ferrite, with coarse slip steps, shear bands and cracks in the cementite plates/particles observed parallel to either {110} α or {112} α slip plane traces in the ferrite.

  16. 1 mil gold bond wire study.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huff, Johnathon; McLean, Michael B.; Jenkins, Mark W.; Rutherford, Brian Milne

    2013-05-01

    In microcircuit fabrication, the diameter and length of a bond wire have been shown to both affect the current versus fusing time ratio of a bond wire as well as the gap length of the fused wire. This study investigated the impact of current level on the time-to-open and gap length of 1 mil by 60 mil gold bond wires. During the experiments, constant current was provided for a control set of bond wires for 250ms, 410ms and until the wire fused; non-destructively pull-tested wires for 250ms; and notched wires. The key findings were that as the current increases, the gap length increases and 73% of the bond wires will fuse at 1.8A, and 100% of the wires fuse at 1.9A within 60ms. Due to the limited scope of experiments and limited data analyzed, further investigation is encouraged to confirm these observations.

  17. Corrosion of Wires on Wooden Wire-Bound Packaging Crates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuel L. Zelinka; Stan Lebow

    2015-01-01

    Wire-bound packaging crates are used by the US Army to transport materials. Because these crates may be exposed to harsh environments, they are dip-treated with a wood preservative (biocide treatment). For many years, zinc-naphthenate was the most commonly used preservative for these packaging crates and few corrosion problems with the wires were observed. Recently,...

  18. Endovascular ultrasound for renal sympathetic denervation in patients with therapy-resistant hypertension not responding to radiofrequency renal sympathetic denervation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stiermaier, Thomas; Okon, Thomas; Fengler, Karl; Mueller, Ulrike; Hoellriegel, Robert; Schuler, Gerhard; Desch, Steffen; Lurz, Philipp

    2016-06-12

    Recent studies have reported a considerable number of non-responders after renal sympathetic de-nervation (RSD) with radiofrequency technology. Here we report our results of repeat RSD using ultrasound in these patients. A cohort study was performed in patients who underwent ultrasound RSD after non-response to RSD with radiofrequency. Non-response was defined as mean daytime systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or a reduction of ≤10 mmHg in ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) ≥6 months after radiofrequency denervation. ABPM was recorded at baseline, post radiofrequency RSD as well as at three and six months post ultrasound RSD. A total of 24 non-responders underwent retreatment with the ultrasound device at a mean 15.3±8.2 months after radiofrequency RSD. Ultrasound RSD was performed successfully in all patients without severe adverse events. Mean daytime systolic blood pressure changed from 161.7±14.6 mmHg at baseline to 158.5±9.5 mmHg post radiofrequency RSD and to 150.5±10.4 mmHg and 151.6±11.0 mmHg at three and six months, respectively, post ultrasound RSD (pmeasures analysis of variance). The main results of post hoc testing were as follows: baseline versus post radiofrequency RSD, p=0.83; baseline versus three months post ultrasound RSD, p=0.01; and baseline versus six months post ultrasound RSD, p=0.04. Ultrasound RSD appears to be safe and an effective therapeutic approach in patients not responding to previous RSD with radiofrequency technology.

  19. Variation with Mach Number of Static and Total Pressures Through Various Screens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adler, Alfred A

    1946-01-01

    Tests were conducted in the Langley 24-inch highspeed tunnel to ascertain the static-pressure and total-pressure losses through screens ranging in mesh from 3 to 12 wires per inch and in wire diameter from 0.023 to 0.041 inch. Data were obtained from a Mach number of approximately 0.20 up to the maximum (choking) Mach number obtainable for each screen. The results of this investigation indicate that the pressure losses increase with increasing Mach number until the choking Mach number, which can be computed, is reached. Since choking imposes a restriction on the mass rate of flow and maximum losses are incurred at this condition, great care must be taken in selecting the screen mesh and wire dimmeter for an installation so that the choking Mach number is

  20. MgB2 superconducting wires basics and applications

    CERN Document Server

    2016-01-01

    The compendium gives a complete overview of the properties of MgB2 (Magnesium Diboride), a superconducting compound with a transition temperature of Tc = 39K, from the fundamental properties to the fabrication of multifilamentary wires and to the presentation of various applications. Written by eminent researchers in the field, this indispensable volume not only discusses superconducting properties of MgB2 compounds, but also describes known preparation methods of thin films and of bulk samples obtained under high pressure methods. A unique selling point of the book is the detailed coverage of various applications based on MgB2, starting with MRI magnets and high current cables, cooled by Helium (He) vapor. High current cables cooled by liquid hydrogen are also highlighted as an interesting alternative due to the shrinking He reserves on earth. Other pertinent subjects comprise permanent magnets, ultrafine wires for space applications and wind generator projects.

  1. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... specific content. Related Articles and Media Sonohysterography Ultrasound - Abdomen Children's (Pediatric) Ultrasound - Abdomen Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Kidney and ...

  2. Relationship between energy deposition and shock wave phenomenon in an underwater electrical wire explosion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ruoyu; Zhou, Haibin; Wu, Jiawei; Qiu, Aici; Ding, Weidong; Zhang, Yongmin

    2017-09-01

    An experimental study of pressure waves generated by an exploding copper wire in a water medium is performed. We examined the effects of energy deposited at different stages on the characteristics of the resulting shock waves. In the experiments, a microsecond time-scale pulsed current source was used to explode a 300-μm-diameter, 4-cm-long copper wire with initial stored energies ranging from 500 to 2700 J. Our experimental results indicated that the peak pressure (4.5-8.1 MPa) and energy (49-287 J) of the shock waves did not follow a simple relationship with any electrical parameters, such as peak voltage or deposited energy. Conversely, the impulse had a quasi-linear relationship with the parameter Π. We also found that the peak pressure was mainly influenced by the energy deposited before separation of the shock wave front and the discharge plasma channel (DPC). The decay time constant of the pressure waveform was affected by the energy injection after the separation. These phenomena clearly demonstrated that the deposited energy influenced the expansion of the DPC and affected the shock wave characteristics.

  3. Dynamic Behavior of Microbubbles during Long Ultrasound Tone-Burst Excitation: Mechanistic Insights into Ultrasound-Microbubble Mediated Therapeutics Using High-Speed Imaging and Cavitation Detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xucai; Wang, Jianjun; Pacella, John J; Villanueva, Flordeliza S

    2016-02-01

    Ultrasound (US)-microbubble (MB)-mediated therapies have been found to restore perfusion and enhance drug/gene delivery. On the presumption that MBs do not persist during long US exposure under high acoustic pressures, most schemes use short US pulses when a high US pressure is employed. However, we recently observed an enhanced thrombolytic effect using long US pulses at high acoustic pressures. Therefore, we explored the fate of MBs during long tone-burst exposures (5 ms) at various acoustic pressures and MB concentrations via direct high-speed optical observation and passive cavitation detection. MBs first underwent stable or inertial cavitation depending on the acoustic pressure and then formed gas-filled clusters that continued to oscillate, break up and form new clusters. Cavitation detection confirmed continued, albeit diminishing, acoustic activity throughout the 5-ms US excitation. These data suggest that persisting cavitation activity during long tone bursts may confer additional therapeutic effects. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Forming Refractory Insulation On Copper Wire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setlock, J.; Roberts, G.

    1995-01-01

    Alternative insulating process forms flexible coat of uncured refractory insulating material on copper wire. Coated wire formed into coil or other complex shape. Wire-coating apparatus forms "green" coat on copper wire. After wire coiled, heating converts "green" coat to refractory electrical insulator. When cured to final brittle form, insulating material withstands temperatures above melting temperature of wire. Process used to make coils for motors, solenoids, and other electrical devices to be operated at high temperatures.

  5. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Ultrasound - Abdomen Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Kidney and Bladder Stones Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding Ovarian Cancer Images related to Ultrasound - Pelvis Sponsored by Please ...

  6. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Children's (Pediatric) Ultrasound - Abdomen Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Kidney and Bladder Stones Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding Ovarian Cancer Images related to Ultrasound - Pelvis Sponsored by Please ...

  7. Localization of intraductal mass through the ostium of the duct using wire guided ductography technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aslam, M.

    2014-01-01

    To localize intraductal mass (Papilloma) before surgery Materials Guide wire 10-15 cm length of 2/3-0 Prolene/Surgipro Plastic 26G to 20G I/V cannulas Kopans breast lesion localization hook wire Disposable syringe heaving 2ml non-ionic contrast High intensity light and magnified glass. Methods: Prepare patient in sitting or lying position adjust high intensity light clean the nipple with antiseptic lotion. Elicit the discharge with gentle periareolar pressure or ask the patient to bring the discharge. If the opening with discharge is not clearly visualize use magnified glass or loop. Slowly inserted the wire into the duct orifice, it should pass freely into the duct. Introduce the 26G I/V plastic cannula coaxially over the guide wire and remove the guide wire. Gently inject 0.2-0.4 ml contrast, remove and the syringe and apply stopper. The cannula stopper assembly is secured to the breast with tape. Magnified craniocaudal view of the breast is taken, the 26G cannula removed and bigger length 22/20G cannula gradually passed over the guide wire according to distance of lesion from the ostium. Intraductal mass location is verified the hook wire is replaced with guide wire, the position of hook confirmed by mammographic film. The wire is cut 2cms from the nipple and pt. send to operation theater Results:Hook localization has been successfully carried out in six patients. Conclusion:This is a new method of localization of intraductal mass it enables the surgeon to do microductectomy with minimal cosmetic effects to the breast. (author)

  8. Wire chambers: Trends and alternatives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Regler, Meinhard

    1992-05-15

    The subtitle of this year's Vienna Wire Chamber Conference - 'Recent Trends and Alternative Techniques' - signalled that it covered a wide range of science and technology. While an opening Vienna talk by wire chamber pioneer Georges Charpak many years ago began 'Les funerailles des chambres a fils (the burial of wire chambers)', the contrary feeling this year was that wire chambers are very much alive!.

  9. Three-Dimensional Simulation of Ultrasound-Induced Microalgal Cell Disruption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, M; Yuan, W; Hale, Andy

    2016-03-01

    The three-dimensional distribution (x, y, and z) of ultrasound-induced microalgal cell disruption in a sonochemical reactor was predicted by solving the Helmholtz equation using a three-dimensional acoustic module in the COMSOL Multiphysics software. The simulated local ultrasound pressure at any given location (x, y, and z) was found to correlate with cell disruption of a freshwater alga, Scenedesmus dimorphus, represented by the change of algal cell particle/debris concentration, chlorophyll-a fluorescence density (CAFD), and Nile red stained lipid fluorescence density (LFD), which was also validated by the model reaction of potassium iodide oxidation (the Weissler reaction). Furthermore, the effect of ultrasound power intensity and processing duration on algal cell disruption was examined to address the limitation of the model.

  10. Quality properties of pre- and post-rigor beef muscle after interventions with high frequency ultrasound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikes, Anita L; Mawson, Raymond; Stark, Janet; Warner, Robyn

    2014-11-01

    The delivery of a consistent quality product to the consumer is vitally important for the food industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for using high frequency ultrasound applied to pre- and post-rigor beef muscle on the metabolism and subsequent quality. High frequency ultrasound (600kHz at 48kPa and 65kPa acoustic pressure) applied to post-rigor beef striploin steaks resulted in no significant effect on the texture (peak force value) of cooked steaks as measured by a Tenderometer. There was no added benefit of ultrasound treatment above that of the normal ageing process after ageing of the steaks for 7days at 4°C. Ultrasound treatment of post-rigor beef steaks resulted in a darkening of fresh steaks but after ageing for 7days at 4°C, the ultrasound-treated steaks were similar in colour to that of the aged, untreated steaks. High frequency ultrasound (2MHz at 48kPa acoustic pressure) applied to pre-rigor beef neck muscle had no effect on the pH, but the calculated exhaustion factor suggested that there was some effect on metabolism and actin-myosin interaction. However, the resultant texture of cooked, ultrasound-treated muscle was lower in tenderness compared to the control sample. After ageing for 3weeks at 0°C, the ultrasound-treated samples had the same peak force value as the control. High frequency ultrasound had no significant effect on the colour parameters of pre-rigor beef neck muscle. This proof-of-concept study showed no effect of ultrasound on quality but did indicate that the application of high frequency ultrasound to pre-rigor beef muscle shows potential for modifying ATP turnover and further investigation is warranted. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Review of wire chamber aging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Va'Vra, J.

    1986-02-01

    This paper makes an overview of the wire chamber aging problems as a function of various chamber design parameters. It emphasizes the chemistry point of view and many examples are drawn from the plasma chemistry field as a guidance for a possible effort in the wire chamber field. The paper emphasizes the necessity of variable tuning, the importance of purity of the wire chamber environment, as well as it provides a practical list of presently known recommendations. In addition, several models of the wire chamber aging are qualitatively discussed. The paper is based on a summary talk given at the Wire Chamber Aging Workshop held at LBL, Berkeley on January 16-17, 1986. Presented also at Wire Chamber Conference, Vienna, February 25-28, 1986. 74 refs., 18 figs., 11 tabs

  12. Numerical simulation of vapor flow and pressure drop across the demister of MSF desalination plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janajreh, I.; Hasania, A.; Fath, H.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Porous media was used to simulate the pressure drop across desalination demister. ► Simulation results plausibly compared with experimental results. ► FC inlet Velocity distribution has no effect on the demister pressure drop. ► Demister inertial resistance affects pressure drop more than viscous resistance. - Abstract: This paper presents a numerical simulation of the water vapor flow in an MSF flash chamber along with the pressure drop across the demister. The demister is a simple porous blanket of metal wires mesh (usually made of stainless steel wires) which retains liquid droplets entrained by the vapor momentum to enhance the quality of the product water. Two main areas of concern in wire mesh mist eliminators are; (i) the pressure drop and (ii) the mist removal efficiency. The present simulation focuses only on the pressure drop across the demister. The simulation is carried out considering a full scale flashing chamber of a typical operational MSF desalination plant and of a real industrial demister dimensions. The study simulates the demister as porous media flow. It takes into account the vapor velocity, the dimension of the demister, its porosity and wire thickness. The obtained pressure drop was found to be within a reasonable agreement with the published literature data and it follows a trend compatible with Ergun’s equation as well as the empirical correlation of Svendsen.

  13. Wire chambers: Trends and alternatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regler, Meinhard

    1992-01-01

    The subtitle of this year's Vienna Wire Chamber Conference - 'Recent Trends and Alternative Techniques' - signalled that it covered a wide range of science and technology. While an opening Vienna talk by wire chamber pioneer Georges Charpak many years ago began 'Les funerailles des chambres a fils (the burial of wire chambers)', the contrary feeling this year was that wire chambers are very much alive!

  14. Vibrating wire for beam profile scanning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. G. Arutunian

    1999-12-01

    Full Text Available A method that measures the transverse profile (emittance of the bunch by detecting radiation arising at the scattering of the bunch on scanning wire is widely used. In this work information about bunch scattering is obtained by measuring the oscillation frequency of the tightened scanning wire. In such a way, the system of radiation (or secondary particles extraction and measurement can be removed. The entire unit consists of a compact fork with tightened wire and a scanning system. Normal oscillation frequency of a wire depends on wire tension, its geometric parameters, and, in a second approximation, its elastic characteristics. Normal oscillations are generated by interaction of an alternating current through the wire with magnetic field of a permanent magnet. In this case, it is suggested that the magnetic field of the accelerator (field of dipole magnets or quadrupole magnets be used for excitation of oscillations. The dependence of oscillation frequency on beam scattering is determined by several factors, including changes of wire tension caused by transverse force of the beam and influence of beam self-field. Preliminary calculations show that the influence of wire heating will dominate. We have studied strain gauges on the basis of vibrating wire from various materials (tungsten, beryl bronze, and niobium zirconium alloys. A scheme of normal oscillation generation by alternating current in autogeneration circuit with automatic frequency adjustment was selected. A special method of wire fixation and elimination of transverse degrees of freedom allows us to achieve relative stability better than 10^{-5} during several days at a relative resolution of 10^{-6}. Experimental results and estimates of wire heating of existing scanners show that the wire heats up to a few hundred grades, which is enough for measurements. The usage of wire of micrometer thickness diminishes the problem of wire thermalization speed during the scanning of the bunch.

  15. Ultrasound-based guidance of intensity-modulated radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fung, Albert Y.C.; Ayyangar, Komanduri M.; Djajaputra, David; Nehru, Ramasamy M.; Enke, Charles A.

    2006-01-01

    In ultrasound-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) of prostate cancer, ultrasound imaging ascertains the anatomical position of patients during x-ray therapy delivery. The ultrasound transducers are made of piezoelectric ceramics. The same crystal is used for both ultrasound production and reception. Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound devices capture and correlate series of 2-dimensional (2D) B-mode images. The transducers are often arranged in a convex array for focusing. Lower frequency reaches greater depth, but results in low resolution. For clear image, some gel is usually applied between the probe and the skin contact surface. For prostate positioning, axial and sagittal scans are performed, and the volume contours from computed tomography (CT) planning are superimposed on the ultrasound images obtained before radiation delivery at the linear accelerator. The planning volumes are then overlaid on the ultrasound images and adjusted until they match. The computer automatically deduces the offset necessary to move the patient so that the treatment area is in the correct location. The couch is translated as needed. The currently available commercial equipment can attain a positional accuracy of 1-2 mm. Commercial manufacturer designs differ in the detection of probe coordinates relative to the isocenter. Some use a position-sensing robotic arm, while others have infrared light-emitting diodes or pattern-recognition software with charge-couple-device cameras. Commissioning includes testing of image quality and positional accuracy. Ultrasound is mainly used in prostate positioning. Data for 7825 daily fractions of 234 prostate patients indicated average 3D inter-fractional displacement of about 7.8 mm. There was no perceivable trend of shift over time. Scatter plots showed slight prevalence toward superior-posterior directions. Uncertainties of ultrasound guidance included tissue inhomogeneities, speckle noise, probe pressure, and inter

  16. Charpak hemispherical wire chamber

    CERN Multimedia

    1970-01-01

    pieces. Mesures are of the largest one. Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

  17. Prehospital Ultrasound

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jen-Tang Sun

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasound is a commonly used diagnostic tool in clinical conditions. With recent developments in technology, use of portable ultrasound devices has become feasible in prehospital settings. Many studies also proved the feasibility and accuracy of prehospital ultrasound. In this article, we focus on the use of prehospital ultrasound, with emphasis on trauma and chest ultrasound.

  18. Electrodeposition of nickel nano wire arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nur Ubaidah Saidin; Kok Kuan Ying; Ng Inn Khuan; Nurazila Mat Zali; Siti Salwa Zainal Abidin

    2010-01-01

    Synthesis, characterization and assembly of one-dimensional nickel nano wires prepared by template directed electrodeposition are discussed in this paper. Parallel arrays of high aspect ratio nickel nano wires were electrodeposited using electrolytes with different cations and pH. The nano wires were characterized using X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the orientations of the electro deposited Ni nano wires were governed by the deposition current and the electrolyte conditions. Free standing nickel nano wires can be obtained by dissolving the template. Due to the magnetic nature of the nano wires, magnetic alignment was employed to assemble and position the free standing nano wires in the device structure. (author)

  19. Wire-number effects on high-power annular z-pinches and some characteristics at high wire number

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    SANFORD,THOMAS W. L.

    2000-05-23

    Characteristics of annular wire-array z-pinches as a function of wire number and at high wire number are reviewed. The data, taken primarily using aluminum wires on Saturn are comprehensive. The experiments have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics critical for high x-ray power generation, and have initiated a renaissance in z-pinches when high numbers of wires are used. In this regime, for example, radiation environments characteristic of those encountered during the early pulses required for indirect-drive ICF ignition on the NIF have been produced in hohlraums driven by x-rays from a z-pinch, and are commented on here.

  20. Wire-number effects on high-power annular z-pinches and some characteristics at high wire number

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    SANFORD, THOMAS W. L.

    2000-01-01

    Characteristics of annular wire-array z-pinches as a function of wire number and at high wire number are reviewed. The data, taken primarily using aluminum wires on Saturn are comprehensive. The experiments have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics critical for high x-ray power generation, and have initiated a renaissance in z-pinches when high numbers of wires are used. In this regime, for example, radiation environments characteristic of those encountered during the early pulses required for indirect-drive ICF ignition on the NIF have been produced in hohlraums driven by x-rays from a z-pinch, and are commented on here

  1. Growth of VO2 Nano wires from Supercooled Liquid Nano droplets and E-beam Irradiation for Ultra-sensitive sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Byun, Ji Won; Baik, Jeong Min; Lee, Sang Hyun; Lee, Byung Cheol

    2011-01-01

    Vanadium dioxide is an interesting material on account of its easily accessible and sharp Mott metal-insulator transition at ∼ 68 .deg. C in the bulk, which is of great interest in sensing and catalytic applications. In this Paper, we describe the synthesis and properties of VO 2 nano wires as novel catalytic and gas sensor materials based on electron beam irradiation. High yields of single crystalline VO 2 nano wires are synthesized by atmospheric-pressure, physical vapor deposition using V 2 O 5 layer. Pd-decorated VO 2 nano wire sensors show extraordinary sensitivity towards hydrogen, an almost 3 order-of-magnitude increase in the current through the nano wire. By the Eb irradiation, the conductance of the nano wires significantly increased up to 5 times, reducing the response time by half and the operating temperature. The metal nanoparticles-VO 2 nano wire system will be very promising for high-sensitivity and high-selectivity under low temperature less than 100. deg. C

  2. PEEK (polyether-ether-ketone)-coated nitinol wire: Film stability for biocompatibility applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sheiko, Nataliia [Institut Charles Sadron, C.N.R.S. UPR 22, Université de Strasbourg, 23 rue du Loess, BP 84047, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France); Kékicheff, Patrick, E-mail: patrick.kekicheff@ics-cnrs.unistra.fr [Institut Charles Sadron, C.N.R.S. UPR 22, Université de Strasbourg, 23 rue du Loess, BP 84047, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France); Marie, Pascal; Schmutz, Marc; Jacomine, Leandro [Institut Charles Sadron, C.N.R.S. UPR 22, Université de Strasbourg, 23 rue du Loess, BP 84047, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France); Perrin-Schmitt, Fabienne [Faculté de Médecine, INSERM, UMR-S 1121, “Biomaterials and Bioengineering”, Université de Strasbourg, 11 rue Humann, 67085 Strasbourg Cedex (France)

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • A thin (12 μm) homogeneous PEEK film without any defects or voids is deposited on NiTi wires. • The coating remains stable in biological environment with negligible Ni ion release and no cytotoxicity. • Large pressure (>2 GPa) can only disrupt the coating film as shown by nanoscratch tests. • Coated spring wires sustain mechanical stress in continuous cycles of axial compression/stretching for >7 million cycles. - Abstract: High quality biocompatible poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) coatings were produced on NiTi shape memory alloy wires using dipping deposition from colloidal aqueous PEEK dispersions after substrate surface treatment. The surface morphology and microstructure were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy at every step of the process from the as-received Nitinol substrate to the ultimate PEEK-coated NiTi wire. Nanoscratch tests were carried out to access the adhesive behavior of the polymer coated film to the NiTi. The results indicate that the optimum process conditions in cleaning, chemical etching, and electropolishing the NiTi, were the most important and determining parameters to be achieved. Thus, high quality PEEK coatings were obtained on NiTi wires, straight or curved (even with a U-shape) with a homogeneous microstructure along the wire length and a uniform thickness of 12 μm without any development of cracks or the presence of large voids. The biocompatibility of the PEEK coating film was checked in fibrobast cultured cells. The coating remains stable in biological environment with negligible Ni ion release, no cytotoxicity, and no delamination observed with time.

  3. PEEK (polyether-ether-ketone)-coated nitinol wire: Film stability for biocompatibility applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheiko, Nataliia; Kékicheff, Patrick; Marie, Pascal; Schmutz, Marc; Jacomine, Leandro; Perrin-Schmitt, Fabienne

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A thin (12 μm) homogeneous PEEK film without any defects or voids is deposited on NiTi wires. • The coating remains stable in biological environment with negligible Ni ion release and no cytotoxicity. • Large pressure (>2 GPa) can only disrupt the coating film as shown by nanoscratch tests. • Coated spring wires sustain mechanical stress in continuous cycles of axial compression/stretching for >7 million cycles. - Abstract: High quality biocompatible poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) coatings were produced on NiTi shape memory alloy wires using dipping deposition from colloidal aqueous PEEK dispersions after substrate surface treatment. The surface morphology and microstructure were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy at every step of the process from the as-received Nitinol substrate to the ultimate PEEK-coated NiTi wire. Nanoscratch tests were carried out to access the adhesive behavior of the polymer coated film to the NiTi. The results indicate that the optimum process conditions in cleaning, chemical etching, and electropolishing the NiTi, were the most important and determining parameters to be achieved. Thus, high quality PEEK coatings were obtained on NiTi wires, straight or curved (even with a U-shape) with a homogeneous microstructure along the wire length and a uniform thickness of 12 μm without any development of cracks or the presence of large voids. The biocompatibility of the PEEK coating film was checked in fibrobast cultured cells. The coating remains stable in biological environment with negligible Ni ion release, no cytotoxicity, and no delamination observed with time.

  4. DETECTORS: Vienna - beyond the wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krammer, Manfred; Regler, Meinhard

    1995-01-01

    In 1986, at the fourth Vienna Wire Chamber Conference, Georges Charpak, the inventor of the multiwire proportional chamber, had confidently announced ''Les funérailles des chambres à fils''. Was this the writing on the wall for the conference series as well as this type of detector technology? The demand for detector innovation, coupled with imaginative thinking on the part of the organizers, have kept the Vienna venue at the forefront of the physics calendar. An additional boost to the success of the series was certainly the Nobel Prize awarded to Georges Charpak in 1992. While the major topic naturally is still wire chambers, alternative technologies are also covered. However in fields like calorimetry or ring imaging Cherenkovs, a sample of only a few prominent detectors were presented, giving some participants the impression of a biased selection. The fact that silicon detectors, electronics and track reconstruction strategies were, with the exception of the invited talks, restricted to poster presentations led to the same conclusion. As a result the organizing committee saw that it will have to revise its brief for the next conference. The conference opened with philosophical thoughts by Nobel Prizewinner Georges Charpak. The first day at Vienna is traditionally devoted to applications of gaseous detectors outside high energy physics. L. Shektman gave an overview of wire chambers for medical imaging. Further applications in medicine and in other fields like biology and space science were described by subsequent speakers. The exciting idea of flying a spectrometer on a balloon to study the fraction of electrons and positrons in cosmic rays attracted a lot of attention. The next day covered wire chambers in general. V. Polychronakos presented applications of cathode strip chambers in muon spectrometers for experiments at CERN's LHC proton-proton detector. Certainly the challenges of LHC for detector development dominated many

  5. Practical wiring in SI units

    CERN Document Server

    Miller, Henry A

    2013-01-01

    Practical Wiring, Volume 1 is a 13-chapter book that first describes some of the common hand tools used in connection with sheathed wiring. Subsequent chapters discuss the safety in wiring, cables, conductor terminations, insulating sheathed wiring, conductor sizes, and consumer's control equipments. Other chapters center on socket outlets, plugs, lighting subcircuits, lighting accessories, bells, and primary and secondary cells. This book will be very valuable to students involved in this field of interest.

  6. Wire EDM for Refractory Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zellars, G. R.; Harris, F. E.; Lowell, C. E.; Pollman, W. M.; Rys, V. J.; Wills, R. J.

    1982-01-01

    In an attempt to reduce fabrication time and costs, Wire Electrical Discharge Machine (Wire EDM) method was investigated as tool for fabricating matched blade roots and disk slots. Eight high-strength nickel-base superalloys were used. Computer-controlled Wire EDM technique provided high quality surfaces with excellent dimensional tolerances. Wire EDM method offers potential for substantial reductions in fabrication costs for "hard to machine" alloys and electrically conductive materials in specific high-precision applications.

  7. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Ultrasound - Pelvis Ultrasound imaging of the pelvis uses sound waves to produce pictures of the structures and ... pictures of the inside of the body using sound waves. Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning or ...

  8. Prostate Ultrasound

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... ultrasound or with a rectal examination, an ultrasound-guided biopsy can be performed. This procedure involves advancing ... of the Prostate) Prostate Cancer Ultrasound- and MRI-Guided Prostate Biopsy Images related to Ultrasound - Prostate Sponsored ...

  9. Audio wiring guide how to wire the most popular audio and video connectors

    CERN Document Server

    Hechtman, John

    2012-01-01

    Whether you're a pro or an amateur, a musician or into multimedia, you can't afford to guess about audio wiring. The Audio Wiring Guide is a comprehensive, easy-to-use guide that explains exactly what you need to know. No matter the size of your wiring project or installation, this handy tool provides you with the essential information you need and the techniques to use it. Using The Audio Wiring Guide is like having an expert at your side. By following the clear, step-by-step directions, you can do professional-level work at a fraction of the cost.

  10. Inactivation of pathogens on pork by steam-ultrasound treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Morild, Rikke K; Christiansen, Pia; Sørensen, Anders Morten Hay

    2011-01-01

    The objective of the study was to evaluate a new pathogen inactivation concept that combines application of pressurized steam simultaneously with high-power ultrasound through a series of nozzles. On skin and meat surfaces of pork jowl samples, counts of total viable bacteria were reduced by 1...... in reduction was observed between samples inoculated with 10(4) CFU/cm(2) and those inoculated with 10(7) CFU/cm(2), and cold storage of samples for 24 h at 5°C after steam-ultrasound treatment did not lead to changes in recovery of bacteria....

  11. Experimental analysis for heat transfer of nanofluid with wire coil turbulators in a concentric tube heat exchanger

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akyürek, Eda Feyza; Geliş, Kadir; Şahin, Bayram; Manay, Eyüphan

    2018-06-01

    Nanofluids are a novel class of heat transfer suspensions of metallic or nonmetallic nanopowders with a size of less than 100 nm in base fluids and they can increase heat transfer potential of the base fluids in various applications. In the last decade, nanofluids have become an intensive research topic because of their improved thermal properties and possible heat transfer applications. For comparison, an experiment using water as the working fluid in the heat exchanger without wire coils was also performed. Turbulent forced convection heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of Al2O3-water nanofluids in a concentric tube heat exchanger with and without wire coil turbulators were experimentally investigated in this research. Experiments effected particle volume concentrations of 0.4-0.8 to 1.2-1.6 vol% in the Reynolds number range from 4000 to 20,000. Two turbulators with the pitches of 25 mm and 39 mm were used. The average Nusselt number increased with increasing the Reynolds number and particle concentrations. Moreover, the pressure drop of the Al2O3-water nanofluid showed nearly equal to that of pure water at the same Reynolds number range. As a result, nanofluids with lower particle concentrations did not show an important influence on pressure drop change. Nonetheless, when the wire coils used in the heat exchanger, it increased pressure drop as well as the heat transfer coefficient.

  12. Prostate Ultrasound

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Z Ultrasound - Prostate Ultrasound of the prostate uses sound waves to produce pictures of a man’s prostate ... pictures of the inside of the body using sound waves. Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning or ...

  13. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... endometrial polyps fibroids cancer, especially in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding Some physicians also use 3-D ultrasound or ... Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Kidney and Bladder Stones Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding Ovarian Cancer Images related to Ultrasound - Pelvis Sponsored ...

  14. Point-of-care ultrasound in aerospace medicine: known and potential applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Michael S; Garcia, Kathleen; Martin, David S

    2014-07-01

    Since its initial introduction into the bedside assessment of the trauma patient via the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) exam, the use of point-of-care ultrasound has expanded rapidly. A growing body of literature demonstrates ultrasound can be used by nonradiologists as an extension of the physical exam to accurately diagnose or exclude a variety of conditions. These conditions include, but are not limited to, hemoperitoneum, pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, long-bone fracture, deep vein thrombosis, and elevated intracranial pressure. As ultrasound machines have become more compact and portable, their use has extended outside of hospitals to places where the physical exam and diagnostic capabilities may be limited, including the aviation environment. A number of studies using focused sonography have been performed to meet the diagnostic challenges of space medicine. The following article reviews the available literature on portable ultrasound use in aerospace medicine and highlights both known and potential applications of point-of-care ultrasound for the aeromedical clinician.

  15. Subharmonic Imaging and Pressure Estimation for Monitoring Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-11-01

    the acoustic output power for SHAPE has been developed on the scanner. Briefly, the optimization algorithm steps the ultrasound scanner from 0 to... ultrasound contrast agents to improve the monitoring of breast cancer treatment response to neoadjuvant therapies in women diagnosed with LABC by imaging...estimation (SHAPE). Software for analyzing RF data from a Logiq 9 ultrasound scanner (GE Healthcare, Milwauke, WI) to produce 3D SHAPE pressure

  16. K-wire and tension band wire fixation in treating sternoclavicular joint dislocation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHEN Qing-yu

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available 【Abstract】Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and therapeutic effect of treating sternoclavicular joint dislocation by K-wire and tension band wire fixation, and to improve the safety and stability of this technique. Methods: This study consisted of 9 cases, 6 males and 3 females with the mean age of 25 years (range, 9-62 years. The causes were traffic accident in 7 cases, falling in 1 case and fight in 1 case. The duration from injury to operation was 2 hours to 7 days. There were 5 left dislocations and 4 right dislocations; 8 anterior dislocations and 1 posterior dislocation, including one combined with left scapular fracture and one with left olecranon fracture. Open reduction and internal fixation using K-wires and tension band wires were performed to treat dislocations. Results: All patients were followed up for 6 to 24 months, 10 months on average. According to Rockwood’s rating scale on postoperative sternoclavicular joint, 8 cases achieved excellent outcomes with an average score of 13.88, and the rest case achieved a good outcome with the score of 12. Anatomical reduction was obtained in all cases. There were no such postoperative complications as severe infection, injury to blood vessel and nerve, failure of fixation, etc. Patients were all satisfied with the anatomical reduction and functional recovery. Conclusions: The technique of K-wire and tension band wire fixation is safe, simple, effective, less invasive and has been successfully used in orthopedic surgery. It is effective in treating sternoclavicular joint dislocation though it has some disadvantages. Key words: Sternoclavicular joint; Dislocations; Bone wires; Fracture fixation, internal

  17. Ultrasound to stimulate mandibular bone defect healing : A placebo-controlled single-blind study in rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schortinghuis, J; Ruben, JL; Raghoebar, GM; Stegenga, B

    Purpose: Because of the limitations of the body to heal large maxillofacial bone defects, an attempt was made to stimulate mandibular defect healing with low intensity pulsed ultrasound in rats. This ultrasound consists of a 1.5-MHz pressure wave administered in pulses of 200 musec, with an average

  18. Characterization of Pressure Fields of Focused Transducers at TÜBİTAK UME

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karaböce, B.; Şahin, A.; İnce, A. T.; Skarlatos, Y.

    Field radiated by HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) has been investigated by measuring its pressure field and mapping in 2-D and 3-D. A new ultrasound pressure measurement system has been designed and constructed at TÜBİTAK UME (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, the National Metrology Institute). System consists of a water tank, positioning system, measurement devices and a controlling program. The hydrophone was attached to a 3-axis, computer-controlled positioning system for alignment with the ultrasound source. The signal was captured and analyzed by the commercially available LabVIEW 8.1 software. The measurements of the ultrasound field were carried out with a needle hydrophone. For each waveform, p, p+ and p-pressures have been calculated. Wave behaviors produced by the KZK model and from experiments look like similar in general. In p, p+, p- the focal point, zero point after the primary peak (focus) and extremum points in the near field well match.

  19. Fixture For Mounting A Pressure Sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cagle, Christopher M.

    1995-01-01

    Fixture for mounting pressure sensor in aerodynamic model simplifies task of removal and replacement of sensor in event sensor becomes damaged. Makes it unnecessary to dismantle model. Also minimizes any change in aerodynamic characteristics of model in event of replacement. Removable pressure sensor installed in fixture in wall of model. Wires from sensor pass through channel under surface.

  20. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

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    Full Text Available ... endometrial polyps fibroids cancer, especially in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding Some physicians also use 3-D ultrasound or ... Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Kidney and Bladder Stones Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding Ovarian Cancer Images related to Ultrasound - Pelvis Sponsored ...

  1. A comparison of a 'J' wire and a straight wire in successful antegrade cannulation of the superficial femoral artery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gay, D.A.T.; Edwards, A.J.; Puckett, M.A.; Roobottom, C.A.

    2005-01-01

    AIMS: To evaluate the success of two different types of wire in common use in their ability to successfully cannulate the superficial femoral artery (SFA) using antegrade puncture. METHODS: 50 consecutive patients in whom antegrade infra-inguinal intervention was planned, underwent common femoral arterial puncture and then cannulation with either a standard 3 mm 'J' wire or a floppy tipped straight wire (William Cook--Europe). The frequency with which each type of wire entered the SFA or profunda femoris artery without image guidance was recorded. Further analysis was also made of the success of manipulation of the wire into the SFA following profunda cannulation and the use of alternative guide wires. RESULTS: In 19 out of 25 (76%) patients the 'J' wire correctly entered the SFA without image guidance. Only 5 out of 25 (25%) of straight wires entered the SFA with the initial pass (p<0.0001). Following further manipulation with the same wire all except 1 'J' wire was successfully negotiated into the SFA. The same was true for only 9 of the remaining straight wires with 11 patients requiring an alternative guide wire. CONCLUSIONS: When performing antegrade cannulation of the SFA a 'J' wire is more likely to be successful than a straight guide wire

  2. Technical characterization of an ultrasound source for noninvasive thermoablation by high-intensity focused ultrasound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köhrmann, K U; Michel, M S; Steidler, A; Marlinghaus, E; Kraut, O; Alken, P

    2002-08-01

    To develop a generator for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU, a method of delivering ultrasonic energy with resultant heat and tissue destruction to a tight focus at a selected depth within the body), designed for extracorporeal coupling to allow various parenchymal organs to be treated. The ultrasound generated by a cylindrical piezo-ceramic element is focused at a depth of 10 cm using a parabolic reflector with a diameter of 10 cm. A diagnostic B-mode ultrasonographic transducer is integrated into the source to allow the focus to be located in the target area. The field distribution of the sound pressure was measured in degassed water using a needle hydrophone. An ultrasound-force balance was used to determine the acoustic power. These measurements allowed the spatially averaged sound intensity to be calculated. The morphology and extent of tissue necrosis induced by HIFU was examined on an ex-vivo kidney model. The two-dimensional field distribution resulted in an approximately ellipsoidal focus of 32 x 4 mm (- 6 dB). The spatially maximum averaged sound intensity was 8591 W/cm2 at an electrical power of 400 W. The lesion caused to the ex-vivo kidney at this maximum generator power with a pulse duration of 2 s was a clearly delineated ellipsoidal coagulation necrosis up to 8.8 x 2.3 mm (length x width) and with central liquefied necrosis of 7.9 x 1.9 mm. This newly developed ultrasound generator with a focal length of 10 cm can induce clear necrosis in parenchymal tissue. Because of its specific configuration and the available power range of the ultrasound generator, there is potential for therapeutic noninvasive ablation of tissue deep within a patient's body.

  3. Cavitation-induced reactions in high-pressure carbon dioxide

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuijpers, M.W.A.; van Eck, D.; Kemmere, M.F.; Keurentjes, J.T.F.

    2002-01-01

    The feasibility of ultrasound-induced in situ radical formation in liquid carbon dioxide was demonstrated. The required threshold pressure for cavitation could be exceeded at a relatively low acoustic intensity, as the high vapor pressure of CO2 counteracts the hydrostatic pressure. With the use of

  4. Tension band wiring of the olecranon: is it really a dynamic principle of osteosynthesis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brink, P R G; Windolf, M; de Boer, P; Brianza, S; Braunstein, V; Schwieger, K

    2013-04-01

    The tension band principle as applied to transverse olecranon fractures fixed by tension band wiring is based on the premise that distraction forces on the outer cortex of the ulna during elbow flexion are converted to compression forces on the articular surface of the olecranon at the fracture site. In view of some clinical outcomes, where hardware failure and secondary dislocations occur, the question arises if the dynamic compression theory is correct. Compressive forces during active flexion and extension after tension band wiring of a transverse osteotomy of the olecranon were measured in 6 fresh frozen human cadaveric models using a pressure-sensor in the osteotomy gap. We could collect 30 measurements during active flexion and 30 during active extension. Active flexion did not cause any compressive forces in the osteotomy gap. Extension with the humerus in an upright position and the elbow actively extended causes some compression (0.37-0.51 MPa) at the articular surface comparing with active flexion (0.2 MPa) due to gravity forces. Posterior, there was no significant pressure difference observed (0.41-0.45 versus 0.36-0.32 MPa) between active flexion and extension. The tension band wiring principle only exists during active extension in a range of 30-120° of flexion of the elbow. Postoperative exercise programs should be modified in order to prevent loss of compression at the fracture site of transverse olecranon fractures, treated with tension band wiring when the elbow is mobilised. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Towards plant wires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamatzky, Andrew

    2014-08-01

    In experimental laboratory studies we evaluate a possibility of making electrical wires from living plants. In scoping experiments we use lettuce seedlings as a prototype model of a plant wire. We approximate an electrical potential transfer function by applying direct current voltage to the lettuce seedlings and recording output voltage. We analyse oscillation frequencies of the output potential and assess noise immunity of the plant wires. Our findings will be used in future designs of self-growing wetware circuits and devices, and integration of plant-based electronic components into future and emergent bio-hybrid systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Radiation Therapy for Gynecologic Cancers Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer top of page This page was reviewed on ... Abdomen Children's (Pediatric) Ultrasound - Abdomen Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Kidney and Bladder Stones Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding ... Images related to Ultrasound - Pelvis Sponsored by Please ...

  7. Ultrasound periodic inspections of reactor pressure vessels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haniger, L.

    1980-01-01

    Two versions are described of ultrasonic equipment for periodic inspections of reactor pressure vessels. One uses the principle of exchangeable programmators with solid-state logic while the other uses programmable logic with semiconductor memories. The equipment is to be used for inspections of welded joints on the upper part of the V-1 reactor pressure vessel. (L.O.)

  8. Bursting neurons and ultrasound avoidance in crickets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gary eMarsat

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Decision making in invertebrates often relies on simple neural circuits composed of only a few identified neurons. The relative simplicity of these circuits makes it possible to identify the key computation and neural properties underlying decisions. In this review, we summarize recent research on the neural basis of ultrasound avoidance in crickets, a response that allows escape from echolocating bats. The key neural property shaping behavioral output is high-frequency bursting of an identified interneuron, AN2, which carries information about ultrasound stimuli from receptor neurons to the brain. AN2's spike train consists of clusters of spikes –bursts– that may be interspersed with isolated, non-burst spikes. AN2 firing is necessary and sufficient to trigger avoidance steering but only high-rate firing, such as occurs in bursts, evokes this response. AN2 bursts are therefore at the core of the computation involved in deciding whether or not to steer away from ultrasound. Bursts in AN2 are triggered by synaptic input from nearly synchronous bursts in ultrasound receptors. Thus the population response at the very first stage of sensory processing –the auditory receptor- already differentiates the features of the stimulus that will trigger a behavioral response from those that will not. Adaptation, both intrinsic to AN2 and within ultrasound receptors, scales the burst-generating features according to the stimulus statistics, thus filtering out background noise and ensuring that bursts occur selectively in response to salient peaks in ultrasound intensity. Furthermore AN2’s sensitivity to ultrasound varies adaptively with predation pressure, through both developmental and evolutionary mechanisms. We discuss how this key relationship between bursting and the triggering of avoidance behavior is also observed in other invertebrate systems such as the avoidance of looming visual stimuli in locusts or heat avoidance in beetles.

  9. Ultrasound mediated nanoparticle drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullin, Lee B.

    Ultrasound is not only a powerful diagnostic tool, but also a promising therapeutic technology that can be used to improve localized drug delivery. Microbubble contrast agents are micron sized encapsulated gas filled bubbles that are administered intravenously. Originally developed to enhance ultrasound images, microbubbles are highly echogenic due to the gas core that provides a detectable impedance difference from the surrounding medium. The core also allows for controlled response of the microbubbles to ultrasound pulses. Microbubbles can be pushed using acoustic radiation force and ruptured using high pressures. Destruction of microbubbles can increase permeability at the cellular and vascular level, which can be advantageous for drug delivery. Advances in drug delivery methods have been seen with the introduction of nanoparticles, nanometer sized objects often carrying a drug payload. In chemotherapy, nanoparticles can deliver drugs to tumors while limiting systemic exposure due to abnormalities in tumor vasculature such large gaps between endothelial cells that allow nanoparticles to enter into the interstitial space; this is referred to as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. However, this effect may be overestimated in many tumors. Additionally, only a small percentage of the injected dose accumulates in the tumor, which most the nanoparticles accumulating in the liver and spleen. It is hypothesized that combining the acoustic activity of an ultrasound contrast agent with the high payload and extravasation ability of a nanoparticle, localized delivery to the tumor with reduced systemic toxicity can be achieved. This method can be accomplished by either loading nanoparticles onto the shell of the microbubble or through a coadministration method of both nanoparticles and microbubbles. The work presented in this dissertation utilizes novel and commercial nanoparticle formulations, combined with microbubbles and a variety of ultrasound systems

  10. Effect of Γ-X band mixing on the donor binding energy in a Quantum Wire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijaya Shanthi, R.; Jayakumar, K.; Nithiananthi, P.

    2015-02-01

    To invoke the technological applications of heterostructure semiconductors like Quantum Well (QW), Quantum Well Wire (QWW) and Quantum Dot (QD), it is important to understand the property of impurity energy which is responsible for the peculiar electronic & optical behavior of the Low Dimensional Semiconductor Systems (LDSS). Application of hydrostatic pressure P>35kbar drastically alters the band offsets leading to the crossover of Γ band of the well & X band of the barrier resulting in an indirect transition of the carrier and this effect has been studied experimentally and theoretically in a QW structure. In this paper, we have investigated the effect of Γ-X band mixing due to the application of hydrostatic pressure in a GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs QWW system. The results are presented and discussed for various widths of the wire.

  11. Strongly luminescent monolayered MoS2 prepared by effective ultrasound exfoliation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Štengl, Václav; Henych, Jiří

    2013-04-21

    Intense ultrasound in a pressurized batch reactor was used for preparation of monolayered MoS2 nanosheets from natural mineral molybdenite. Exfoliation of bulk MoS2 using ultrasound is an attractive route to large-scale preparation of monolayered crystals. To evaluate the quality of delamination, methods like X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and microscopic techniques (TEM and AFM) were employed. From single- or few-layered products obtained from intense sonication, MoS2 quantum dots (MoSQDs) were prepared by a one-pot reaction by refluxing exfoliated nanosheets of MoS2 in ethylene glycol under atmospheric pressure. The synthesised MoSQDs were characterised by photoluminescence spectroscopy and laser-scattering particle size analysis. Our easy preparation leads to very strongly green luminescing quantum dots.

  12. Perioperative optimal blood pressure as determined by ultrasound tagged near infrared spectroscopy and its association with postoperative acute kidney injury in cardiac surgery patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hori, Daijiro; Hogue, Charles; Adachi, Hideo; Max, Laura; Price, Joel; Sciortino, Christopher; Zehr, Kenton; Conte, John; Cameron, Duke; Mandal, Kaushik

    2016-04-01

    Perioperative blood pressure management by targeting individualized optimal blood pressure, determined by cerebral blood flow autoregulation monitoring, may ensure sufficient renal perfusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the optimal blood pressure for individual patients, determined during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and during early postoperative period in intensive care unit (ICU). A secondary aim was to examine if excursions below optimal blood pressure in the ICU are associated with risk of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI). One hundred and ten patients undergoing cardiac surgery had cerebral blood flow monitored with a novel technology using ultrasound tagged near infrared spectroscopy (UT-NIRS) during CPB and in the first 3 h after surgery in the ICU. The correlation flow index (CFx) was calculated as a moving, linear correlation coefficient between cerebral flow index measured using UT-NIRS and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Optimal blood pressure was defined as the MAP with the lowest CFx. Changes in optimal blood pressure in the perioperative period were observed and the association of blood pressure excursions (magnitude and duration) below the optimal blood pressure [area under the curve (AUC) blood pressure during early ICU stay and CPB was correlated (r = 0.46, P AUC blood pressure during CPB and in the ICU was correlated. Excursions below optimal blood pressure (AUC blood pressure management based on cerebral autoregulation monitoring during the perioperative period may help improve CSA-AKI-related outcomes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  13. Investigation of method for Stainless Steel Welding Wire as a Replacement for Arc Wire Comsumables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koiprasert, H.

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Arc spraying as a coating method is being employed in various industrial applications as a part of maintenance service, and also as a surface engineering technique for many machine parts and components. The major cost in producing the arc spray coating is, however, based on the cost of the arc wire comsumables. This project was carried out to investigate the use of the commercially-available gas metal arc welding wire (GMAW wire as a cheaper alternative to the special-purpose arc wire comsumables. The wire material chosen for this early study is the 316L stainless steel, due to its popularity in many applications as a built-up coating for worn parts. The physical properties of the coatings produced from the two sets of 316L stainless steel wire were determined to be different in the percentage of porosity and the oxide content. The mechanical properties, including the tensile bond strength and the wear rate of the coatings produced from the two types of sprayed wire, were also different. This will, in turn, result in a slight difference in the performance of thecoatings.

  14. An integrated circuit with transmit beamforming flip-chip bonded to a 2-D CMUT array for 3-D ultrasound imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wygant, Ira O; Jamal, Nafis S; Lee, Hyunjoo J; Nikoozadeh, Amin; Oralkan, Omer; Karaman, Mustafa; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T

    2009-10-01

    State-of-the-art 3-D medical ultrasound imaging requires transmitting and receiving ultrasound using a 2-D array of ultrasound transducers with hundreds or thousands of elements. A tight combination of the transducer array with integrated circuitry eliminates bulky cables connecting the elements of the transducer array to a separate system of electronics. Furthermore, preamplifiers located close to the array can lead to improved receive sensitivity. A combined IC and transducer array can lead to a portable, high-performance, and inexpensive 3-D ultrasound imaging system. This paper presents an IC flip-chip bonded to a 16 x 16-element capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array for 3-D ultrasound imaging. The IC includes a transmit beamformer that generates 25-V unipolar pulses with programmable focusing delays to 224 of the 256 transducer elements. One-shot circuits allow adjustment of the pulse widths for different ultrasound transducer center frequencies. For receiving reflected ultrasound signals, the IC uses the 32-elements along the array diagonals. The IC provides each receiving element with a low-noise 25-MHz-bandwidth transimpedance amplifier. Using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) clocked at 100 MHz to operate the IC, the IC generated properly timed transmit pulses with 5-ns accuracy. With the IC flip-chip bonded to a CMUT array, we show that the IC can produce steered and focused ultrasound beams. We present 2-D and 3-D images of a wire phantom and 2-D orthogonal cross-sectional images (Bscans) of a latex heart phantom.

  15. A semi-analytical study of positive corona discharge in wire-plane electrode configuration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanallah, K.; Pontiga, F.; Chen, J. H.

    2013-08-01

    Wire-to-plane positive corona discharge in air has been studied using an analytical model of two species (electrons and positive ions). The spatial distributions of electric field and charged species are obtained by integrating Gauss's law and the continuity equations of species along the Laplacian field lines. The experimental values of corona current intensity and applied voltage, together with Warburg's law, have been used to formulate the boundary condition for the electron density on the corona wire. To test the accuracy of the model, the approximate electric field distribution has been compared with the exact numerical solution obtained from a finite element analysis. A parametrical study of wire-to-plane corona discharge has then been undertaken using the approximate semi-analytical solutions. Thus, the spatial distributions of electric field and charged particles have been computed for different values of the gas pressure, wire radius and electrode separation. Also, the two dimensional distribution of ozone density has been obtained using a simplified plasma chemistry model. The approximate semi-analytical solutions can be evaluated in a negligible computational time, yet provide precise estimates of corona discharge variables.

  16. Cavitation inception by the backscattering of pressure waves from a bubble interface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takahira, Hiroyuki, E-mail: takahira@me.osakafu-u.ac.jp; Ogasawara, Toshiyuki, E-mail: oga@me.osakafu-u.ac.jp; Mori, Naoto, E-mail: su101064@edu.osakafu-u.ac.jp; Tanaka, Moe [Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan)

    2015-10-28

    The secondary cavitation that occurs by the backscattering of focused ultrasound from a primary cavitation bubble caused by the negative pressure part of the ultrasound (Maxwell, et al., 2011) might be useful for the energy exchange due to bubble oscillations in High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). The present study is concerned with the cavitation inception by the backscattering of ultrasound from a bubble. In the present experiment, a laser-induced bubble which is generated by a pulsed focused laser beam with high intensity is utilized as a primary cavitation bubble. After generating the bubble, focused ultrasound is emitted to the bubble. The acoustic field and the bubble motion are observed with a high-speed video camera. It is confirmed that the secondary cavitation bubble clouds are generated by the backscattering from the laser-induced bubble. The growth of cavitation bubble clouds is analyzed with the image processing method. The experimental results show that the height and width of the bubble clouds grow in stepwise during their evolution. The direct numerical simulations are also conducted for the backscattering of incident pressure waves from a bubble in order to evaluate a pressure field near the bubble. It is shown that the ratio of a bubble collapse time t{sub 0} to a characteristic time of wave propagation t{sub S}, η = t{sub 0}/t{sub s}, is an important determinant for generating negative pressure region by backscattering. The minimum pressure location by the backscattering in simulations is in good agreement with the experiment.

  17. Multifilament Cable Wire versus Conventional Wire for Sternal Closure in Patients Undergoing Major Cardiac Surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    You Na Oh

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Stainless steel wiring remains the most popular technique for primary sternal closure. Recently, a multifilament cable wiring system (Pioneer Surgical Technology Inc., Marquette, MI, USA was introduced for sternal closure and has gained wide acceptance due to its superior resistance to tension. We aimed to compare conventional steel wiring to multifilament cable fixation for sternal closure in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively on 1,354 patients who underwent sternal closure after major cardiac surgery, using either the multifilament cable wiring system or conventional steel wires between January 2009 and October 2010. The surgical outcomes of these two groups of patients were compared using propensity score matching based on 18 baseline patient characteristics. Results: Propensity score matching yielded 392 pairs of patients in the two groups whose baseline profiles showed no significant differences. No significant differences between the two groups were observed in the rates of early mortality (2.0% vs. 1.3%, p=0.578, major wound complications requiring reconstruction (1.3% vs. 1.3%, p>0.99, minor wound complications (3.6% vs. 2.0%, p=0.279, or mediastinitis (0.8% vs. 1.0%, p=1.00. Patients in the multifilament cable group had fewer sternal bleeding events than those in the conventional wire group, but this tendency was not statistically significant (4.3% vs. 7.4%, p=0.068. Conclusion: The surgical outcomes of sternal closure using multifilament cable wires were comparable to those observed when conventional steel wires were used. Therefore, the multifilament cable wiring system may be considered a viable option for sternal closure in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery.

  18. Multifilament Cable Wire versus Conventional Wire for Sternal Closure in Patients Undergoing Major Cardiac Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, You Na; Ha, Keong Jun; Kim, Joon Bum; Jung, Sung-Ho; Choo, Suk Jung; Chung, Cheol Hyun; Lee, Jae Won

    2015-08-01

    Stainless steel wiring remains the most popular technique for primary sternal closure. Recently, a multifilament cable wiring system (Pioneer Surgical Technology Inc., Marquette, MI, USA) was introduced for sternal closure and has gained wide acceptance due to its superior resistance to tension. We aimed to compare conventional steel wiring to multifilament cable fixation for sternal closure in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery. Data were collected retrospectively on 1,354 patients who underwent sternal closure after major cardiac surgery, using either the multifilament cable wiring system or conventional steel wires between January 2009 and October 2010. The surgical outcomes of these two groups of patients were compared using propensity score matching based on 18 baseline patient characteristics. Propensity score matching yielded 392 pairs of patients in the two groups whose baseline profiles showed no significant differences. No significant differences between the two groups were observed in the rates of early mortality (2.0% vs. 1.3%, p=0.578), major wound complications requiring reconstruction (1.3% vs. 1.3%, p>0.99), minor wound complications (3.6% vs. 2.0%, p=0.279), or mediastinitis (0.8% vs. 1.0%, p=1.00). Patients in the multifilament cable group had fewer sternal bleeding events than those in the conventional wire group, but this tendency was not statistically significant (4.3% vs. 7.4%, p=0.068). The surgical outcomes of sternal closure using multifilament cable wires were comparable to those observed when conventional steel wires were used. Therefore, the multifilament cable wiring system may be considered a viable option for sternal closure in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery.

  19. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... inserted into a man's rectum to view the prostate. Transvaginal ultrasound. The transducer is inserted into a ... Stenting Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Biopsies - Overview Images related to General Ultrasound Videos ...

  20. General Ultrasound Imaging

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    Full Text Available ... News Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z General Ultrasound Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to produce ... the limitations of General Ultrasound Imaging? What is General Ultrasound Imaging? Ultrasound is safe and painless, and ...

  1. Hepatic venous pressure gradients measured by duplex ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tasu, J.-P.; Rocher, L.; Peletier, G.; Kuoch, V.; Kulh, E.; Miquel, A.; Buffet, C.; Biery, M.

    2002-01-01

    AIMS: The hepatic venous pressure gradient is a major prognostic factor in portal hypertension but its measurement is complex and requires invasive angiography. This study investigated the relationship between the hepatic venous pressure gradient and a number of Doppler measurements, including the arterial acceleration index. METHOD: We measured the hepatic venous pressure gradient in 50 fasting patients at hepatic venography. Immediately afterwards, a duplex sonographic examination of the liver was performed at which multiple measurements and indices of the venous and arterial hepatic vasculature were made. RESULTS: Hepatic arterial acceleration was correlated directly with the hepatic venous pressure gradient (r = 0.83, P -2 provided a positive predictive value of 95%, a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 95% for detecting patients with severe portal hypertension (hepatic venous pressure gradient > 12 mmHg). A correlation between the hepatic venous pressure gradient and the congestion index of the portal vein velocity (r = 0.45,P = 0.01) and portal vein velocity (r = 0.40,P = 0.044), was also noted. CONCLUSION: Measuring the hepatic arterial acceleration index may help in the non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension. Tasu, J.-P. et al. (2002)

  2. Effects of drawing and high-pressure sintering on the superconducting properties of (Ba,K)Fe2As2 powder-in-tube wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pyon, Sunseng; Yamasaki, Yuji; Tamegai, Tsuyoshi; Kajitani, Hideki; Koizumi, Norikiyo; Tsuchiya, Yuji; Awaji, Satoshi; Watanabe, Kazuo

    2015-01-01

    The evolution of the superconducting properties of round wires of (Ba,K)Fe 2 As 2 fabricated by the powder-in-tube (PIT) method is systematically studied. After establishing the method to obtain the largest transport critical current density (J c ) in round wires using the hot isostatic press technique, we investigated how the transition temperature (T c ), J c , and microstructures change at each step of the wire fabrication. Unexpectedly, we find that superconducting properties of the wire core are significantly damaged by the drawing process. Systematic measurements of J c and T c of the core superconductor after each drawing and sintering process clarified the evolution of degradation by the drawing process and recovery by heat treatment. (paper)

  3. Clinical bending of nickel titanium wires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen Chain

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Since the evolution and the involvement of Nickel Titanium wires in the field of Orthodontics. The treatment plan has evolved with the use of low force Nickel Titanium wires. Because of their high springback, low stiffness, they are the key initial wires in leveling and alignment but have poor formability. Since poor formability limits its ability to create variable arch forms thus; limits the form of treatment. We have devised a method to bend the Nickel Titanium wires to help in our inventory but also customized the wire according to the treatment.

  4. Energy Deposition in a Septum Wire

    CERN Document Server

    Ferioli, G; Knaus, P; Koopman, J; CERN. Geneva. SPS and LHC Division

    2001-01-01

    The present note describes a machine development (MD) aimed to confirm experimentally the need for protection of the extraction wire septum ZS in SPS long straight section LSS6 during LHC operation. Single wires identical to the ones mounted on the extraction septum were fixed on a fast wire scanner and put into the beam path. The beam heated the wire until it broke after a measured number of turns. The maximum single shot intensity the septum wires could withstand was thus calculated and compared with simulation results.

  5. Feasibility studies on the direct wire readout on wire scanners in electron accelerators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Markert, Michael

    2010-10-01

    This bachelor thesis deals essentially with the signal processing of a so-called wire scanner, a special monitor, which comes to application in the beam diagnostics of particle accelerators. In this direct wire readout the voltage signal, which is induced by the particle beam in the measurement wire of the wire scanner, shall be directly read out. The aim of this thesis is to show fundamental considerations and perform studies, which study, whether and how in the future by means of a suited data transmission as well as readout electronics conclusion on the most important parameters of the beam, like position and profile, are possible. The measurement system presented here is divided in three main components: Signal measurement, signal preparation, and signal stretching. A suited test facility was developed and is presented in detail, in which then all components, like for instance the transmission cables, the wire-scanner fork, and the developed measurement circuit, are studied, which are of importance for a faultless signal transmission and presentation. Extensive measurements on the single components, as well as calculations for the signal transmission on and in the wire scanner were performed, whereby a good agreement could be found. Thereafter a comparison and a selection of the component used in this project were made. Furthermore improvement proposals, new constructions, and outlooks are presented, which could be of importance in further works.

  6. An interconnecting bus power optimization method combining interconnect wire spacing with wire ordering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Zhang-Ming; Hao Bao-Tian; En Yun-Fei; Yang Yin-Tang; Li Yue-Jin

    2011-01-01

    On-chip interconnect buses consume tens of percents of dynamic power in a nanometer scale integrated circuit and they will consume more power with the rapid scaling down of technology size and continuously rising clock frequency, therefore it is meaningful to lower the interconnecting bus power in design. In this paper, a simple yet accurate interconnect parasitic capacitance model is presented first and then, based on this model, a novel interconnecting bus optimization method is proposed. Wire spacing is a process for spacing wires for minimum dynamic power, while wire ordering is a process that searches for wire orders that maximally enhance it. The method, i.e., combining wire spacing with wire ordering, focuses on bus dynamic power optimization with a consideration of bus performance requirements. The optimization method is verified based on various nanometer technology parameters, showing that with 50% slack of routing space, 25.71% and 32.65% of power can be saved on average by the proposed optimization method for a global bus and an intermediate bus, respectively, under a 65-nm technology node, compared with 21.78% and 27.68% of power saved on average by uniform spacing technology. The proposed method is especially suitable for computer-aided design of nanometer scale on-chip buses. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

  7. Wire Scanner Motion Control Card

    CERN Document Server

    Forde, S E

    2006-01-01

    Scientists require a certain beam quality produced by the accelerator rings at CERN. The discovery potential of LHC is given by the reachable luminosity at its interaction points. The luminosity is maximized by minimizing the beam size. Therefore an accurate beam size measurement is required for optimizing the luminosity. The wire scanner performs very accurate profile measurements, but as it can not be used at full intensity in the LHC ring, it is used for calibrating other profile monitors. As the current wire scanner system, which is used in the present CERN accelerators, has not been made for the required specification of the LHC, a new design of a wire scanner motion control card is part of the LHC wire scanner project. The main functions of this card are to control the wire scanner motion and to acquire the position of the wire. In case of further upgrades at a later stage, it is required to allow an easy update of the firmware, hence the programmable features of FPGAs will be used for this purpose. The...

  8. K-wire and tension band wire fixation in treating sternoclavicular joint dislocation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Qing-yu; Cheng, Shao-wen; Wang, Wei; Lin, Zhong-qin; Zhang, Wei; Kou, Dong-quan; Shen, Yue; Ying, Xiao-zhou; Cheng, Xiao-jie; Lv, Chuan-zhu; Peng, Lei

    2011-02-01

    To evaluate the feasibility and therapeutic effect of treating sternoclavicular joint dislocation by K-wire and tension band wire fixation, and to improve the safety and stability of this technique. This study consisted of 9 cases, 6 males and 3 females with the mean age of 25 years (range, 9-62 years). The causes were traffic accident in 7 cases, falling in 1 case and fight in 1 case. The duration from injury to operation was 2 hours to 7 days. There were 5 left dislocations and 4 right dislocations; 8 anterior dislocations and 1 posterior dislocation, including one combined with left scapular fracture and one with left olecranon fracture. Open reduction and internal fixation using K-wires and tension band wires were performed to treat dislocations. All patients were followed up for 6 to 24 months, 10 months on average. According to Rockwood's rating scale on postoperative sternoclavicular joint, 8 cases achieved excellent outcomes with an average score of 13.88, and the rest case achieved a good outcome with the score of 12. Anatomical reduction was obtained in all cases. There were no such postoperative complications as severe infection, injury to blood vessel and nerve, failure of fixation, etc. Patients were all satisfied with the anatomical reduction and functional recovery. The technique of K-wire and tension band wire fixation is safe, simple, effective, less invasive and has been successfully used in orthopedic surgery. It is effective in treating sternoclavicular joint dislocation though it has some disadvantages.

  9. Prostate Ultrasound

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... through blood vessels. Ultrasound imaging is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Prostate ultrasound, also called transrectal ultrasound, provides ...

  10. Ultrasound of skeletal muscle injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koh, Eamon Su Chun; McNally, Eugene G

    2007-06-01

    The professional and recreational demands of modern society make the treatment of muscle injury an increasingly important clinical problem, particularly in the athletic population. In the elite athlete, significant financial and professional pressures may also exist that emphasize the need for accurate diagnosis and treatment. With new advances in ultrasound technology, images of exquisite detail allow diagnosis of muscle injury that matches the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Furthermore, the benefits of real-time and Doppler imaging, ability to perform interventional procedures, and relative cost benefits compared with MRI place ultrasound at the forefront for investigation for these injuries in many circumstances. Muscle injury may be divided into acute and chronic pathology, with muscle strain injury the most common clinical problem presenting to sports physicians. This article reviews the spectrum of acute and chronic muscle injuries, with particular attention to clinical features and some common or important muscle strain injuries.

  11. Evaluation of Environmentally Assisted Cracking of Armour Wires in Flexible Pipes, Power Cables and Umbilicals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhiying

    Environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) of armour wires in flexible pipes, power cables and umbilicals is a major concern with the development of oil and gas fields and wind farms in harsh environments. Hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) or hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of steel armour wires used in deep-water and ultra-deep-water has been evaluated. Simulated tests have been carried out in simulated sea water, under conditions where the susceptibility is the highest, i.e. at room temperature, at the maximum negative cathodic potential and at the maximum stress level expected in service for 150 hours. Examinations of the tested specimens have not revealed cracking or blistering, and measurement of hydrogen content has confirmed hydrogen charging. In addition, sulphide stress cracking (SSC) and chloride stress cracking (CSC) of nickel-based alloy armour wires used in harsh down-hole environments has been evaluated. Simulated tests have been carried out in simulated solution containing high concentration of chloride, with high hydrogen sulphide partial pressure, at high stress level and at 120 °C for 720 hours. Examinations of the tested specimens have not revealed cracking or blistering. Subsequent tensile tests of the tested specimens at ambient pressure and temperature have revealed properties similar to the as-received specimens.

  12. 75 FR 60480 - In the Matter of Certain Bulk Welding Wire Containers and Components Thereof and Welding Wire...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-30

    ... Welding Wire Containers and Components Thereof and Welding Wire; Notice of Commission Determination To... within the United States after importation of certain bulk welding wire containers, components thereof, and welding wire by reason of infringement of certain claims of United States Patent Nos. 6,260,781; 6...

  13. Ultrasound contrast agents: an overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosgrove, David

    2006-12-01

    With the introduction of microbubble contrast agents, diagnostic ultrasound has entered a new era that allows the dynamic detection of tissue flow of both the macro and microvasculature. Underpinning this development is the fact that gases are compressible, and thus the microbubbles expand and contract in the alternating pressure waves of the ultrasound beam, while tissue is almost incompressible. Special software using multiple pulse sequences separates these signals from those of tissue and displays them as an overlay or on a split screen. This can be done at low acoustic pressures (MIdeveloped for myocardial perfusion. In radiology, the most important application is the liver, especially for focal disease. The approach parallels that of dynamic CT or MRI but ultrasound has the advantages of high spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, small lesions that can be indeterminate on CT can often be studied with ultrasound, and situations where the flow is very rapid (e.g., focal nodular hyperplasia where the first few seconds of arterial perfusion may be critical to making the diagnosis) are readily studied. Microbubbles linger in the extensive sinusoidal space of normal liver for several minutes whereas they wash out rapidly from metastases, which have a low vascular volume and thus appear as filling defects. The method has been shown to be as sensitive as three-phase CT. Microbubbles have clinical uses in many other applications where knowledge of the microcirculation is important (the macrocirculation can usually be assessed adequately using conventional Doppler though there are a few important situations where the signal boost given by microbubbles is useful, e.g., transcranial Doppler for evaluating vasospasm after subarachnoid haemorrhage). An important situation where demonstrating tissue devitalisation is important is in interstitial ablation of focal liver lesions: using microbubble contrast agents at the end of a procedure allows immediate evaluation of the

  14. Simulations of nonlinear continuous wave pressure fields in FOCUS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiaofeng; Hamilton, Mark F.; McGough, Robert J.

    2017-03-01

    The Khokhlov - Zabolotskaya - Kuznetsov (KZK) equation is a parabolic approximation to the Westervelt equation that models the effects of diffraction, attenuation, and nonlinearity. Although the KZK equation is only valid in the far field of the paraxial region for mildly focused or unfocused transducers, the KZK equation is widely applied in medical ultrasound simulations. For a continuous wave input, the KZK equation is effectively modeled by the Bergen Code [J. Berntsen, Numerical Calculations of Finite Amplitude Sound Beams, in M. F. Hamilton and D. T. Blackstock, editors, Frontiers of Nonlinear Acoustics: Proceedings of 12th ISNA, Elsevier, 1990], which is a finite difference model that utilizes operator splitting. Similar C++ routines have been developed for FOCUS, the `Fast Object-Oriented C++ Ultrasound Simulator' (http://www.egr.msu.edu/˜fultras-web) to calculate nonlinear pressure fields generated by axisymmetric flat circular and spherically focused ultrasound transducers. This new routine complements an existing FOCUS program that models nonlinear ultrasound propagation with the angular spectrum approach [P. T. Christopher and K. J. Parker, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 90, 488-499 (1991)]. Results obtained from these two nonlinear ultrasound simulation approaches are evaluated and compared for continuous wave linear simulations. The simulation results match closely in the farfield of the paraxial region, but the results differ in the nearfield. The nonlinear pressure field generated by a spherically focused transducer with a peak surface pressure of 0.2MPa radiating in a lossy medium with β = 3.5 is simulated, and the computation times are also evaluated. The nonlinear simulation results demonstrate acceptable agreement in the focal zone. These two related nonlinear simulation approaches are now included with FOCUS to enable convenient simulations of nonlinear pressure fields on desktop and laptop computers.

  15. A remote valency control technique for actinides by external ultrasound irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toraishi, Takashi; Kimura, Takaumi; Arisaka, Makoto

    2006-01-01

    We here report the reduction of Np(V) to Np(IV) induced by external ultrasound irradiation to demonstrate the ability of ultrasound for the valency control of actinide elements. High power ultrasound irradiation to water produces cavitation bubbles. The violent collapse of the bubbles generates 'hot spot' with an instantaneous temperature of thousands degrees and a pressure of thousands atmosphere, and produces H radical and OH radical as a result. Therefore, with scavenging H radical or OH radical, ultrasound irradiation provides either oxidizability or reducibility. 2 ml Np(V) solution in 1 M HCl was irradiated by 600 kHz external ultrasound. 10 vol% of 2-propanol and a Pt black catalyst were added to the test solution. The test solution was kept at 293 K, and bubbled by Ar gas saturated by 2-propanol during irradiation. The reduction was confirmed from the growth of characteristic light absorption of Np(IV) at 725 nm and 960 nm, together with the disappearance of the absorption of Np(V) at 980 nm. Finally, the reduction of Np(V) was completed after 180 min irradiation. (author)

  16. Impact of acoustic pressure on ambient pressure estimation using ultrasound contrast agent

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Klaus Scheldrup; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    2010-01-01

    Local blood pressure measurements provide important information on the state of health of organs in the body and can be used to diagnose diseases in the heart, lungs, and kidneys. This paper presents an approach for investigating the ambient pressure sensitivity of a contrast agent using diagnostic...

  17. Modeling and simulation of the fluid flow in wire electrochemical machining with rotating tool (wire ECM)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klocke, F.; Herrig, T.; Zeis, M.; Klink, A.

    2017-10-01

    Combining the working principle of electrochemical machining (ECM) with a universal rotating tool, like a wire, could manage lots of challenges of the classical ECM sinking process. Such a wire-ECM process could be able to machine flexible and efficient 2.5-dimensional geometries like fir tree slots in turbine discs. Nowadays, established manufacturing technologies for slotting turbine discs are broaching and wire electrical discharge machining (wire EDM). Nevertheless, high requirements on surface integrity of turbine parts need cost intensive process development and - in case of wire-EDM - trim cuts to reduce the heat affected rim zone. Due to the process specific advantages, ECM is an attractive alternative manufacturing technology and is getting more and more relevant for sinking applications within the last few years. But ECM is also opposed with high costs for process development and complex electrolyte flow devices. In the past, few studies dealt with the development of a wire ECM process to meet these challenges. However, previous concepts of wire ECM were only suitable for micro machining applications. Due to insufficient flushing concepts the application of the process for machining macro geometries failed. Therefore, this paper presents the modeling and simulation of a new flushing approach for process assessment. The suitability of a rotating structured wire electrode in combination with an axial flushing for electrodes with high aspect ratios is investigated and discussed.

  18. Self-quenching streamer discharge in a wire chamber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alekseev, G.D.; Kruglov, V.V.; Khazins, D.M.

    1982-01-01

    A summary is given of the investigation of a new mode of operation of a wire chamber involving a self-quenching streamer discharge. The history of the question is briefly discussed. The main characteristics of the self-quenching mode and the influence of the composition and pressure of the gas mixture and the geometrical parameters of the chamber on the characteristics are described. The mechanism of a self-quenching streamer discharge is analyzed. Detectors working in this mode are described, and the prospects for its future use are discussed

  19. Ultrasound measurement of transcranial distance during head-down tilt

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torikoshi, S.; Wilson, M. H.; Ballard, R. E.; Watenpaugh, D. E.; Murthy, G.; Yost, W. T.; Cantrell, J. H.; Chang, D. S.; Hargens, A. R.

    1995-01-01

    Exposure to microgravity elevates blood pressure and flow in the head, which may increase intracranial volume (ICV) and intracranial pressure (ICP). Rhesus monkeys exposed to simulated microgravity in the form of 6 degree head-down tilt (HDT) experience elevated ICP. With humans, twenty-four hours of 6 degree HDT bed rest increases cerebral blood flow velocity relative to pre-HDT upright posture. Humans exposed to acute 6 degree HDT experiments increased ICP, measured with the tympanic membrane displacement (TMD) technique. Other studies suggest that increased ICP in humans and cats causes measurable cranial bone movement across the sagittal suture. Due to the slightly compliant nature of the cranium, elevation of the ICP will increase ICV and transcranial distance. Currently, several non-invasive approaches to monitor ICP are being investigated. Such techniques include TMD and modal analysis of the skull. TMD may not be reliable over a large range of ICP and neither method is capable of measuring the small changes in pressure. Ultrasound, however, may reliably measure small distance changes that accompany ICP fluctuations. The purpose of our study was to develop and evaluate an ultrasound technique to measure transcranial distance changes during HDT.

  20. Empolder and application of LiveWire program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Bo; Li Jing; Wang Xiaoming

    2007-01-01

    LiveWire is a specific module of Netscape Web server to actualize CGI function; through LiveWire application program one can create dynamic web page on web site. This article introduces how to write LiveWire application code, have to compile, debug and manage LiveWire application programs, and how to apply LiveWire application program on Netscape Web server to create a dynamic web page. (authors)

  1. Evaluation of ultrasound techniques for brain injury detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mobley, Joel; Kasili, Paul M.; Norton, Stephen J.; Vo-Dinh, Tuan

    1998-05-01

    In this work, we examine the physics underlying wave propagation in the head to evaluate various ultrasonic transducers for use in a brian injury detection device. The results of measurements of the attenuation coefficient and phase velocity for ultrasonic propagation in samples of brain tissue and skull bone from sheep are presented. The material properties are then used to investigate the propagation of ultrasonic pressure fields in the head. The ultrasound fields for three different transducers are calculated for propagation in a simulated brain/skull model. The model is constructed using speed-of-sound and mass density values of the two tissue types. The impact of the attenuation on the ultrasound fields is then examined. Finally, the relevant points drawn from these discussions are summarized. We hope to minimize the confounding effects of the skull by using sub-MHz ultrasound while maintaining the necessary temporal and spatial resolution to successfully detect injury in the brain.

  2. Control of flow past a circular cylinder via a spanwise surface wire: effect of the wire scale

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ekmekci, Alis [University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, Toronto, ON (Canada); Rockwell, Donald [Lehigh University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bethlehem, PA (United States)

    2011-09-15

    Flow phenomena induced by a single spanwise wire on the surface of a circular cylinder are investigated via a cinema technique of particle image velocimetry (PIV). The primary aim of this investigation is to assess the effect of the wire scale. To this end, consideration is given to wires with different diameters that are 0.5, 1.2, and 2.9% of the cylinder diameter. The Reynolds number has a subcritical value of 10,000. Compared to the thickness of the unperturbed boundary layer developing around the cylinder between 5 and 75 from the forward stagnation point, the former two wires have smaller scales and the latter has a larger scale. Two angular locations of the wire, defined with respect to the forward stagnation point of the cylinder, are found to be critical. When the wire is located at these critical angles, either the most significant extension or the contraction of the time-mean separation bubble occurs in the near wake. These critical angles depend on the wire scale: the smaller the wire, the larger the critical angle. The small-scale and large-scale wires that have diameters of 1.2 and 2.9% of the cylinder diameter induce bistable shear-layer oscillations between different separation modes when placed at their respective critical angles corresponding to maximum extension of the near-wake bubble. These oscillations have irregular time intervals that are much longer than the time scale associated with the classical Karman instability. Moreover, the large-scale wire can either significantly attenuate or intensify the Karman mode of vortex shedding at the critical states; in contrast, the small-scale wires do not notably alter the strength of the Karman instability. (orig.)

  3. Preliminary Single-Phase Mixing Test using Wire Mesh System in a wire-wrapped 37-rod Bundle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bae, Hwang; Kim, Hyungmo; Lee, Dong Won; Choi, Hae Seob; Choi, Sun Rock; Chang, Seokkyu; Kim, Seok; Euh, Dongjin; Lee, Hyeongyeon

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, preliminary tests of the wire-mesh sensor are introduced before measuring of mixing coefficient in the wire-wrapped 37-pin fuel assembly for a sodium-cooled fast reactor. Through this preliminary test, it was confirmed that city water can be used as a tracer for demineralized water as a base. A simple test was performed to evaluate the characteristics of a wire mesh with of a short pipe shape. The conductivity of de-mineralized water and city water is linearly increased for the limited temperature ranges as the temperature is increased. The reliability of the wire mesh sensor was estimated based on the averages and standard deviations of the plane image using the cross points. A wire mesh sensor is suitable to apply to a single-phase flow measurement for a mixture with de-mineralized water and city water. A wire mesh sensor and system have been traditionally used to measure the void fraction of a two-phase flow field with gas and liquid. Recently, Ylonen et al. successfully designed and commissioned a measurement system for a single-phase flow using a wire mesh sensor

  4. Hepatic venous pressure gradients measured by duplex ultrasound

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tasu, J.-P.; Rocher, L.; Peletier, G.; Kuoch, V.; Kulh, E.; Miquel, A.; Buffet, C.; Biery, M

    2002-08-01

    AIMS: The hepatic venous pressure gradient is a major prognostic factor in portal hypertension but its measurement is complex and requires invasive angiography. This study investigated the relationship between the hepatic venous pressure gradient and a number of Doppler measurements, including the arterial acceleration index. METHOD: We measured the hepatic venous pressure gradient in 50 fasting patients at hepatic venography. Immediately afterwards, a duplex sonographic examination of the liver was performed at which multiple measurements and indices of the venous and arterial hepatic vasculature were made. RESULTS: Hepatic arterial acceleration was correlated directly with the hepatic venous pressure gradient (r = 0.83, P < 0.0001) and with the Child-Pugh score (r = 0.63, P < 0.0001). An acceleration index cut-off value of 1 m.s{sup -2} provided a positive predictive value of 95%, a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 95% for detecting patients with severe portal hypertension (hepatic venous pressure gradient > 12 mmHg). A correlation between the hepatic venous pressure gradient and the congestion index of the portal vein velocity (r = 0.45,P = 0.01) and portal vein velocity (r = 0.40,P = 0.044), was also noted. CONCLUSION: Measuring the hepatic arterial acceleration index may help in the non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension. Tasu, J.-P. et al. (2002)

  5. MRI screening-detected breast lesions in high-risk young women: the value of targeted second-look ultrasound and imaging-guided biopsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peter, P; Dhillon, R; Bose, S; Bourke, A

    2016-10-01

    To analyse the value of targeted second-look ultrasound and imaging-guided biopsy in high-risk young women eligible for screening magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a tertiary referral centre in Perth, Western Australia. A retrospective analysis of eligible high-risk young women who underwent screening breast MRI and targeted second-look ultrasound between June 2012 and June 2014 was performed with review of data. Over a 2-year period, 139 women underwent high-risk screening MRI. Of these, 30 women (with a total of 45 lesions) were recalled for targeted second-look ultrasound. Thirty-four MRI-detected lesions were identified on targeted ultrasound with 19 of them proceeding to ultrasound-guided biopsy, while the remaining 15 lesions were considered benign on ultrasound, were not biopsied, and were stable on follow-up imaging 12 months later. One lesion proceeded to an MRI-guided biopsy to confirm a benign result. Of the 11 lesions not seen on ultrasound, nine underwent MRI biopsy, one proceeded directly to hook wire localisation and excision, and one did not return for biopsy and was lost to follow-up. The overall biopsy rate was 14.4%. The cancer detection rate was 1.4%. The results of this study indicate that targeted second-look ultrasound and ultrasound-guided biopsy is a cost-effective and time-efficient approach for MRI-detected lesions in young women at high risk of developing breast cancer. MRI-guided biopsy should be considered for ultrasonographically occult suspicious lesions as there is a low, but definite, risk of cancer. Copyright © 2016 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. 3D ultrasound imaging for prosthesis fabrication and diagnostic imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morimoto, A.K.; Bow, W.J.; Strong, D.S. [and others

    1995-06-01

    The fabrication of a prosthetic socket for a below-the-knee amputee requires knowledge of the underlying bone structure in order to provide pressure relief for sensitive areas and support for load bearing areas. The goal is to enable the residual limb to bear pressure with greater ease and utility. Conventional methods of prosthesis fabrication are based on limited knowledge about the patient`s underlying bone structure. A 3D ultrasound imaging system was developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The imaging system provides information about the location of the bones in the residual limb along with the shape of the skin surface. Computer assisted design (CAD) software can use this data to design prosthetic sockets for amputees. Ultrasound was selected as the imaging modality. A computer model was developed to analyze the effect of the various scanning parameters and to assist in the design of the overall system. The 3D ultrasound imaging system combines off-the-shelf technology for image capturing, custom hardware, and control and image processing software to generate two types of image data -- volumetric and planar. Both volumetric and planar images reveal definition of skin and bone geometry with planar images providing details on muscle fascial planes, muscle/fat interfaces, and blood vessel definition. The 3D ultrasound imaging system was tested on 9 unilateral below-the- knee amputees. Image data was acquired from both the sound limb and the residual limb. The imaging system was operated in both volumetric and planar formats. An x-ray CT (Computed Tomography) scan was performed on each amputee for comparison. Results of the test indicate beneficial use of ultrasound to generate databases for fabrication of prostheses at a lower cost and with better initial fit as compared to manually fabricated prostheses.

  7. submitter Dynamical Models of a Wire Scanner

    CERN Document Server

    Barjau, Ana; Dehning, Bernd

    2016-01-01

    The accuracy of the beam profile measurements achievable by the current wire scanners at CERN is limited by the vibrations of their mechanical parts. In particular, the vibrations of the carbon wire represent the major source of wire position uncertainty which limits the beam profile measurement accuracy. In the coming years, due to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) luminosity upgrade, a wire traveling speed up to 20 $m s^{−1}$ and a position measurement accuracy of the order of 1 μm will be required. A new wire scanner design based on the understanding of the wire vibration origin is therefore needed. We present the models developed to understand the main causes of the wire vibrations observed in an existing wire scanner. The development and tuning of those models are based on measurements and tests performed on that CERN proton synchrotron (PS) scanner. The final model for the (wire + fork) system has six degrees-of-freedom (DOF). The wire equations contain three different excitation terms: inertia...

  8. Characterization of an ion beam produced by extraction and acceleration of ions from a wire plasma source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gueroult, R.

    2011-09-01

    In this study we first model a DC low pressure wire plasma source and then characterize the properties of an ion gun derived from the plasma source. In order to study the properties of the derived ion gun, we develop a particle-in-cell code fitted to the modelling of the wire plasma source operation, and validate it by confrontation with the results of an experimental study. In light of the simulation results, an analysis of the wire discharge in terms of a collisional Child-Langmuir ion flow in cylindrical geometry is proposed. We interpret the mode transition as a natural reorganization of the discharge when the current is increased above a threshold value which is a function of the discharge voltage, the pressure and the inter-electrodes distance. In addition, the analysis of the energy distribution function of ions impacting the cathode demonstrates the ability to extract an ion beam of low energy spread around the discharge voltage assuming that the discharge is operated in its high pressure mode. An ion source prototype allowing the extraction and acceleration of ions from the wire source is then proposed. The experimental study of such a device confirms that, apart from a shift corresponding to the accelerating voltage, the acceleration scheme does not spread the ion velocity distribution function along the axis of the beam. It is therefore possible to produce tunable energy (0 - 5 keV) ion beams of various ionic species presenting limited energy dispersion (∼ 10 eV). The typical beam currents are about a few tens of micro-amperes, and the divergence of such a beam is on the order of one degree. A numerical modelling of the ion source is eventually conducted in order to identify potential optimizations of the concept. (author)

  9. 47 CFR 32.2321 - Customer premises wiring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Customer premises wiring. 32.2321 Section 32... Customer premises wiring. (a) This account shall include all amounts transferred from the former Account 232, Station Connections, inside wiring subclass. (b) Embedded Customer Premises Wiring is that...

  10. Accuracy of non-operative identification of the sentinel lymph node using combined gamma and ultrasound scanning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whelehan, P; Vinnicombe, S J; Brown, D C; McLean, D; Evans, A

    2014-08-01

    To assess how accurately the sentinel lymph node (SLN) can be identified percutaneously, using gamma probe and ultrasound technology. Women with breast cancer, scheduled for wide local excision or mastectomy with SLN biopsy (SLNB), were included. Peri-areolar intradermal injection of technetium-99 nanocolloid was performed on the morning of surgery and 1-2 ml of blue dye was injected in the peri-areolar region once the patient was anaesthetized. Prior to surgery, a gamma probe was used over the skin to identify any hot spot that could represent a SLN. Ultrasound, guided by the hot spot, was then used to visualize potential SLNs and guide the insertion of a localizing wire. The accuracy in localizing the SLN by preoperative gamma-probe guided ultrasonography was assessed by comparison to SLNB. A SLN was correctly identified and marked using gamma-probe guided ultrasonography in 44 of 59 cases (75%; 95% CI: 63-86%). This study supports the case for investigating percutaneous gamma probe and ultrasound guided interventions in the axilla in women with breast cancer, as a potential alternative to surgical SLNB. Copyright © 2014 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Magnetic domain propagation in Pt/Co/Pt micro wires with engineered coercivity gradients along and across the wire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jarosz, A., E-mail: arctgh@ifmpan.poznan.pl [Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań (Poland); Gaul, A. [Department of Physics and Center for Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology (CINSaT), University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, D-34132 Kassel (Germany); Urbaniak, M. [Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań (Poland); Ehresmann, A. [Department of Physics and Center for Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology (CINSaT), University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, D-34132 Kassel (Germany); Stobiecki, F. [Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań (Poland)

    2017-08-01

    Highlights: • Electron lithography and ion bombardment were used to modify the Co/Pt micro-wires. • Two-dimensional perpendicular magnetic anisotropy gradient was engineered. • Engineered anisotropy gradient allowed to control domain wall positions in the wires. • Simulations confirm the influence of defects on a remanent state of the wires. - Abstract: Pt(15 nm)/[Co(0.6 nm)/Pt(1.5 nm)]{sub 4} multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy were patterned into several-micrometer wide wires by electron-beam lithography. Bombarding the wires with He{sup +} ions with a fluence gradient along the wire results in a spatial gradient of switching fields that allows a controllable positioning of domain walls. The influence of the reduced anisotropy near the wire edges causes a remanent state in which the reversal close to the long edges precedes that in the middle of the wires. Experiments using Kerr microscopy prove this effect and micromagnetic simulations corroborate that a decrease of the anisotropy at the edges is responsible for the effect.

  12. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... three types of pelvic ultrasound: abdominal, vaginal (for women), and rectal (for men). These exams are frequently ... pelvic ultrasound: abdominal ( transabdominal ) vaginal ( transvaginal / endovaginal ) for women rectal ( transrectal ) for men A Doppler ultrasound exam ...

  13. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... a pelvic ultrasound examination. Doppler ultrasound , also called color Doppler ultrasonography, is a special ultrasound technique that ... and processes the sounds and creates graphs or color pictures that represent the flow of blood through ...

  14. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Ultrasound imaging is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. There are ... Ultrasound page for more information . Ultrasound examinations can help diagnose symptoms experienced by women such as: pelvic ...

  15. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's ... Obstetrical Ultrasound page for more information . Ultrasound examinations can help diagnose symptoms experienced by women such as: ...

  16. Sensitive and simple method for measuring wire tensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atac, M.; Mishina, M.

    1982-08-01

    Measuring tension of wires in drift chambers and multiwire proportional chambers after construction is an important process because sometimes wires get loose after soldering, crimping or glueing. One needs to sort out wires which have tensions below a required minimum value to prevent electrostatic instabilities. There have been several methods reported on this subject in which the wires were excited either with sinusoidal current under magnetic field or with sinusoidal voltage electrostatically coupled to the wire, searching for a resonating frequency with which the wires vibrate mechanically. Then the vibration is detected either visually, optically or with magnetic pick-up directly touching the wires. Any of these is only applicable to the usual multiwire chamber which has open access to the wire plane. They also need fairly large excitation currents to induce a detectable vibration to the wires. Here we report a very simple method that can be used for any type of wire chamber or proportional tube system for measuring wire tension. Only a very small current is required for the wire excitation to obtain a large enough signal because it detects the induced emf voltage across a wire. A sine-wave oscillator and a digital voltmeter are sufficient devices aside from a permanent magnet to provide the magnetic field around the wire. A useful application of this method to a large system is suggested

  17. Ultrasound contrast agents: An overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cosgrove, David

    2006-01-01

    With the introduction of microbubble contrast agents, diagnostic ultrasound has entered a new era that allows the dynamic detection of tissue flow of both the macro and microvasculature. Underpinning this development is the fact that gases are compressible, and thus the microbubbles expand and contract in the alternating pressure waves of the ultrasound beam, while tissue is almost incompressible. Special software using multiple pulse sequences separates these signals from those of tissue and displays them as an overlay or on a split screen. This can be done at low acoustic pressures (MI < 0.3) so that the microbubbles are not destroyed and scanning can continue in real time. The clinical roles of contrast enhanced ultrasound scanning are expanding rapidly. They are established in echocardiography to improve endocardial border detection and are being developed for myocardial perfusion. In radiology, the most important application is the liver, especially for focal disease. The approach parallels that of dynamic CT or MRI but ultrasound has the advantages of high spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, small lesions that can be indeterminate on CT can often be studied with ultrasound, and situations where the flow is very rapid (e.g., focal nodular hyperplasia where the first few seconds of arterial perfusion may be critical to making the diagnosis) are readily studied. Microbubbles linger in the extensive sinusoidal space of normal liver for several minutes whereas they wash out rapidly from metastases, which have a low vascular volume and thus appear as filling defects. The method has been shown to be as sensitive as three-phase CT. Microbubbles have clinical uses in many other applications where knowledge of the microcirculation is important (the macrocirculation can usually be assessed adequately using conventional Doppler though there are a few important situations where the signal boost given by microbubbles is useful, e.g., transcranial Doppler for evaluating

  18. Simulation of the ultrasound-induced growth and collapse of a near-wall bubble

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, Bradley; Becker, Sid

    2017-11-01

    In this study, we consider the acoustically driven growth and collapse of a cavitation bubble in a fluid medium exposed to an ultrasound field. The bubble dynamics are modelled using a compressible, inviscid, multiphase model. The numerical scheme consists of a conservative interface capturing scheme which uses the fifth-order WENO reconstruction with a maximum-principle-satisfying and positivity-preserving limiter, and the HLLC approximate Riemann flux. To model the ultrasound input, a moving boundary oscillates through a fixed grid of finite-volume cells. The growth phase of the simulation shows the rapid non-spherical growth of the near-wall bubble. Once the bubble reaches its maximum size and the collapse phase begins, the simulation shows the formation of a jet which penetrates the bubble towards the wall at the later stages of the collapse. For a bubble with an initial radius of 50 μ m and an ultrasound pressure amplitude of 200 kPa, the pressure experienced by the wall increased rapidly nearing the end of the collapse, reaching a peak pressure of 13 MPa. This model is an important development in the field as it represents the physics of acoustic cavitation in more detail than before. This work was supported by the Royal Society of New Zealand's Marsden Fund.

  19. Boiling on fins with wire screen of variable effective conductivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orzechowski Tadeusz

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The high scale of integration of modern equipment used for medical, military and other purposes puts heavy demands as regards the removal of great heat fluxes. This can be achieved only in exchangers that apply the phase change phenomena. Among many methods to improve boiling heat transfer, the wire mesh covering demonstrates some advantages due to the possibilities of designing the desired microstructure parameters, availability on the market, and low cost. The wire mesh microstucture with specified geometrical parameters produces anisotropy in conductivity. The different arrangement of the mesh layers relative to the direction of the heat flux is a cause of the change of temperature distribution within the layer. The consequence is a respective change in the discharge conditions of the gas phase and liquid feed. The experiments were conducted on fins covered with a single layer of copper mesh with lumen of 38 % and boiling FC-72 at ambient pressure. Compared with the smooth surface, the wire mesh structures yield an increase in the heat transfer rate at boiling. It is also shown that nucleate boiling is initiated at lower wall superheat. Formulas for longitudinal and perpendicular thermal conductivity are given for different mesh structure arrangements.

  20. Ultrasound enhanced plasma surface modification at atmospheric pressure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kusano, Yukihiro; Singh, Shailendra Vikram; Norrman, Kion

    2012-01-01

    Efficiency of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment can be highly enhanced by simultaneous high power ultrasonic irradiation onto the treating surface. It is because ultrasonic waves with a sound pressure level (SPL) above ∼140 dB can reduce the thickness of a boundary gas layer between the plasma...... arc at atmospheric pressure to study adhesion improvement. The effect of ultrasonic irradiation with the frequency diapason between 20 and 40 kHz at the SPL of ∼150 dB was investigated. After the plasma treatment without ultrasonic irradiation, the wettability was significantly improved...

  1. Optically pumped ultraviolet and infrared lasers driven by exploding metal films and wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, C.R.; Ware, K.D.

    1983-01-01

    The 342-nm molecular iodine and 1315-nm atomic iodine lasers have been optically pumped by intense light from exploding-metal-film and exploding-wire discharges. Brightness temperatures for the exploding-film discharges were approx. 25,000 K and for the wire discharges were approx. 30,000 K. For the I 2 laser the 3.5-cm-diameter by 40-cm-long pumped volume lies adjacent to the wire or film of the same length. Pressures of 1 to 6 torr I 2 and 1 to 3 atm SF, CF 4 , or Ar were used in the stainless-steel cell. Using 20-μF capacitance charged to 40 kV, a 0.25-mm tungsten wire, 3-torr I 2 , and a 2-atm SF 6 , an energy of 2 J was obtained from the laser in a pulse of 8-μs duration. The specific output energy was 7 J/l. Substitution of a cylindrical Al film for the wire, under otherwise similar conditions, led to a X10 output energies and efficiencies were obtained with similar input energy. An output pulse of 12 J and 12-μs duration was measured for a specific output energy of 18 J/l. A laser energy of 110 J in a 20-us-long pulse has been measured from atomic iodine using a wire discharge along the axis of a larger cell. The active volume available was 20 cm in diameter and 80 cm in length. Input energy was 32 kJ. In similar measurements using a cylindrical Al film for discharge initiation, the measured output energy was 40 J

  2. Mountain Plains Learning Experience Guide: Electrical Wiring. Course: Electrical Wiring Rough-In.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arneson, R.; And Others

    One of two individualized courses included in an electrical wiring curriculum, this course covers electrical installations that are generally hidden within the structure. The course is comprised of four units: (1) Outlet and Switch Boxes, (2) Wiring, (3) Service Entrance, and (4) Signal and Low Voltage Systems. Each unit begins with a Unit…

  3. Gaussian representation of high-intensity focused ultrasound beams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soneson, Joshua E; Myers, Matthew R

    2007-11-01

    A method for fast numerical simulation of high-intensity focused ultrasound beams is derived. The method is based on the frequency-domain representation of the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov (KZK) equation, and assumes for each harmonic a Gaussian transverse pressure distribution at all distances from the transducer face. The beamwidths of the harmonics are constrained to vary inversely with the square root of the harmonic number, and as such this method may be viewed as an extension of a quasilinear approximation. The technique is capable of determining pressure or intensity fields of moderately nonlinear high-intensity focused ultrasound beams in water or biological tissue, usually requiring less than a minute of computer time on a modern workstation. Moreover, this method is particularly well suited to high-gain simulations since, unlike traditional finite-difference methods, it is not subject to resolution limitations in the transverse direction. Results are shown to be in reasonable agreement with numerical solutions of the full KZK equation in both tissue and water for moderately nonlinear beams.

  4. 49 CFR 393.28 - Wiring systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wiring systems. 393.28 Section 393.28 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY... NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Electrical Wiring § 393.28 Wiring systems...

  5. Electromagnetic Behaviour of Metallic Wire Structures

    CERN Document Server

    Chui, S T

    2013-01-01

    Despite the recent development and interest in the photonics of metallic wire structures, the relatively simple concepts and physics often remain obscured or poorly explained to those who do not specialize in the field. Electromagnetic Behaviour of Metallic Wire Structures provides a clear and coherent guide to understanding these phenomena without excessive numerical calculations.   Including both background material and detailed derivations of the various different formulae applied, Electromagnetic Behaviour of Metallic Wire Structures describes how to extend basic circuit theory relating to voltages, currents, and resistances of metallic wire networks to include situations where the currents are no longer spatially uniform along the wire. This lays a foundation for a deeper understanding of the many new phenomena observed in meta-electromagnetic materials.   Examples of applications are included to support this new approach making Electromagnetic Behaviour of Metallic Wire Structures a comprehensive and ...

  6. A model for the propagation and scattering of ultrasound in tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    1991-01-01

    of the field from typical transducers used in clinical ultrasound to yield a model for the received pulse-echo pressure field. Analytic expressions are found in the literature for a number of transducers, and any transducer excitation can be incorporated into the model. An example is given for a concave......, nonapodized transducer in which the predicted pressure field is compared to a measured field....

  7. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... What are the limitations of General Ultrasound Imaging? What is General Ultrasound Imaging? Ultrasound is safe and ... be heard with every heartbeat. top of page What are some common uses of the procedure? Ultrasound ...

  8. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Index A-Z General Ultrasound Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of ... pictures of the inside of the body using sound waves. Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning or ...

  9. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... guide biopsy of breast cancer ( see the Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy page . diagnose a variety of heart ... Articles and Media Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy Obstetric Ultrasound Ultrasound - Prostate Biopsies - Overview ...

  10. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... of an ultrasound examination. Doppler ultrasound , also called color Doppler ultrasonography, is a special ultrasound technique that ... kidneys. There are three types of Doppler ultrasound: Color Doppler uses a computer to convert Doppler measurements ...

  11. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... those sound waves to create an image. Ultrasound examinations do not use ionizing radiation (as used in ... ultrasound study may be part of an ultrasound examination. Doppler ultrasound , also called color Doppler ultrasonography, is ...

  12. SPECIFIC FEATURES OF TECHNOLOGY OF MANUFACTURING A ZINC-COATED TUB WIRE FOR MUZZLE (BOTTLE’ HOOD WIRE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. B. Zuev

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the main technical specifications of galvanized low carbon wire for muzzles (bottle’hood wire, consistent with the exploitation requirements to the wire in the manufacture and use of muzzles. The main criteria when selecting the steel grade and upon selection of the technological processes are given. 

  13. Pacemaker wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fransson, S.G.

    1993-01-01

    Evaluation of pacemaker wires were performed by comparing Advanced Multiple Beam Equalization Radiography (AMBER) with conventional chest radiography. The scanning equalization technique of the AMBER unit makes it superior to conventional technique in the depiction of different structures in the mediastinum or in the pleural sinuses. So far motion artifacts have not been considered clinically important. The longer exposure time, however, may impair the assessment of pacemaker wires. The motion artifact described may not only make adequate evaluation impossible but may even give a false impression of a lead fracture. The difference between the two systems was significant. (orig.)

  14. Musculoskeletal ultrasound in rheumatology in Korea: targeted ultrasound initiative survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Taeyoung; Wakefield, Richard J; Emery, Paul

    2016-04-01

    In collaboration with the Targeted Ultrasound Initiative (TUI), to conduct the first study in Korea to investigate current practices in ultrasound use among Korean rheumatologists. We translated the TUI Global Survey into Korean and added questions to better understand the specific challenges facing rheumatologists in Korea. To target as many rheumatologists in Korea as possible, we created an on-line version of this survey, which was conducted from March to April 2013. Rheumatologists are in charge of ultrasound in many Korean hospitals. Rheumatologists in hospitals and private clinics use ultrasound to examine between one and five patients daily; they use ultrasound for diagnosis more than monitoring and receive compensation of about US$30-50 per patient. There are marked differences in the rates of ultrasound usage between rheumatologists who work in private practice compared with tertiary hospitals. Korean rheumatologists not currently using ultrasound in their practice appear eager to do so. This survey provides important insights into the current status of ultrasound in rheumatology in Korea and highlights several priorities; specifically, greater provision of formal training, standardization of reporting and accrual of greater experience among ultrasound users. If these needs are addressed, all rheumatology departments in Korea are likely to use ultrasound or have access to it in the future. © 2014 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  15. Inhomogeneous wire explosion in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwangbo, C.K.; Kong, H.J.; Lee, S.S.

    1980-01-01

    Inhomogeneous processes are observed in underwater copper wire explosion induced by a condensed capacitor discharge. The wire used is 0.1 mm in diameter and 10 mm long, and the capacitor of 2 μF is charged to 5 KV. A N 2 laser is used for the diagnostic of spatial extension of exploding copper vapour. The photographs obtained in this experiment show unambiguously the inhomogeneous explosion along the exploding wire. The quenching of plasma by the surrounding water inhibits the expansion of the vapour. It is believed the observed inhomogeneous explosion along the wire is located and localized around Goronkin's striae, which was first reported by Goronkin and discussed by Froengel as a pre-breakdown phenomenon. (author)

  16. In vitro characterization of perfluorocarbon droplets for focused ultrasound therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schad, Kelly C; Hynynen, Kullervo, E-mail: khynynen@sri.utoronto.c [Imaging Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto (Canada)

    2010-09-07

    Focused ultrasound therapy can be enhanced with microbubbles by thermal and cavitation effects. However, localization of treatment is difficult as bioeffects can occur outside of the target region. Spatial control of bubbles can be achieved by ultrasound-induced conversion of liquid perfluorocarbon droplets to gas bubbles. This study was undertaken to determine the acoustic parameters for bubble production by droplet conversion and how it depends on the acoustic conditions and droplet physical parameters. Lipid-encapsulated droplets containing dodecafluoropentane were manufactured with sizes ranging from 1.9 to 7.2 {mu}m in diameter and diluted to a concentration of 8 x 10{sup 6} droplets mL{sup -1}. The droplets were sonicated in vitro with a focused ultrasound transducer and varying frequency and exposure under flow conditions through an acoustically transparent vessel. The sonications were 10 ms in duration at frequencies of 0.578, 1.736 and 2.855 MHz. The pressure threshold for droplet conversion was measured with an active transducer operating in pulse-echo mode and simultaneous measurements of broadband acoustic emissions were performed with passive acoustic detection. The results show that droplets cannot be converted at low frequency without broadband emissions occurring. However, the pressure threshold for droplet conversion decreased with increasing frequency, exposure and droplet size. The pressure threshold for broadband emissions was independent of the droplet size and was 2.9, 4.4 and 5.3 MPa for 0.578, 1736 and 2.855 MHz, respectively. In summary, we have demonstrated that droplet conversion is feasible for clinically relevant sized droplets and acoustic exposures.

  17. In vitro characterization of perfluorocarbon droplets for focused ultrasound therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schad, Kelly C; Hynynen, Kullervo

    2010-01-01

    Focused ultrasound therapy can be enhanced with microbubbles by thermal and cavitation effects. However, localization of treatment is difficult as bioeffects can occur outside of the target region. Spatial control of bubbles can be achieved by ultrasound-induced conversion of liquid perfluorocarbon droplets to gas bubbles. This study was undertaken to determine the acoustic parameters for bubble production by droplet conversion and how it depends on the acoustic conditions and droplet physical parameters. Lipid-encapsulated droplets containing dodecafluoropentane were manufactured with sizes ranging from 1.9 to 7.2 μm in diameter and diluted to a concentration of 8 x 10 6 droplets mL -1 . The droplets were sonicated in vitro with a focused ultrasound transducer and varying frequency and exposure under flow conditions through an acoustically transparent vessel. The sonications were 10 ms in duration at frequencies of 0.578, 1.736 and 2.855 MHz. The pressure threshold for droplet conversion was measured with an active transducer operating in pulse-echo mode and simultaneous measurements of broadband acoustic emissions were performed with passive acoustic detection. The results show that droplets cannot be converted at low frequency without broadband emissions occurring. However, the pressure threshold for droplet conversion decreased with increasing frequency, exposure and droplet size. The pressure threshold for broadband emissions was independent of the droplet size and was 2.9, 4.4 and 5.3 MPa for 0.578, 1736 and 2.855 MHz, respectively. In summary, we have demonstrated that droplet conversion is feasible for clinically relevant sized droplets and acoustic exposures.

  18. In vitro characterization of perfluorocarbon droplets for focused ultrasound therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schad, Kelly C.; Hynynen, Kullervo

    2010-09-01

    Focused ultrasound therapy can be enhanced with microbubbles by thermal and cavitation effects. However, localization of treatment is difficult as bioeffects can occur outside of the target region. Spatial control of bubbles can be achieved by ultrasound-induced conversion of liquid perfluorocarbon droplets to gas bubbles. This study was undertaken to determine the acoustic parameters for bubble production by droplet conversion and how it depends on the acoustic conditions and droplet physical parameters. Lipid-encapsulated droplets containing dodecafluoropentane were manufactured with sizes ranging from 1.9 to 7.2 µm in diameter and diluted to a concentration of 8 × 106 droplets mL-1. The droplets were sonicated in vitro with a focused ultrasound transducer and varying frequency and exposure under flow conditions through an acoustically transparent vessel. The sonications were 10 ms in duration at frequencies of 0.578, 1.736 and 2.855 MHz. The pressure threshold for droplet conversion was measured with an active transducer operating in pulse-echo mode and simultaneous measurements of broadband acoustic emissions were performed with passive acoustic detection. The results show that droplets cannot be converted at low frequency without broadband emissions occurring. However, the pressure threshold for droplet conversion decreased with increasing frequency, exposure and droplet size. The pressure threshold for broadband emissions was independent of the droplet size and was 2.9, 4.4 and 5.3 MPa for 0.578, 1736 and 2.855 MHz, respectively. In summary, we have demonstrated that droplet conversion is feasible for clinically relevant sized droplets and acoustic exposures.

  19. HTS Wire Development Workshop: Proceedings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-07-01

    The 1994 High-Temperature Superconducting Wire Development Workshop was held on February 16--17 at the St. Petersburg Hilton and Towers in St. Petersburg, Florida. The meeting was hosted by Florida Power Corporation and sponsored by the US Department of Energy`s Superconductivity Program for Electric Power Systems. The meeting focused on recent high-temperature superconducting wire development activities in the Department of Energy`s Superconductivity Systems program. The meeting opened with a general discussion on the needs and benefits of superconductivity from a utility perspective, the US global competitiveness position, and an outlook on the overall prospects of wire development. The meeting then focused on four important technology areas: Wire characterization: issues and needs; technology for overcoming barriers: weak links and flux pinning; manufacturing issues for long wire lengths; and physical properties of HTS coils. Following in-depth presentations, working groups were formed in each technology area to discuss the most important current research and development issues. The working groups identified research areas that have the potential for greatly enhancing the wire development effort. These areas are discussed in the summary reports from each of the working groups. This document is a compilation of the workshop proceedings including all general session presentations and summary reports from the working groups.

  20. Si Wire-Array Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boettcher, Shannon

    2010-03-01

    Micron-scale Si wire arrays are three-dimensional photovoltaic absorbers that enable orthogonalization of light absorption and carrier collection and hence allow for the utilization of relatively impure Si in efficient solar cell designs. The wire arrays are grown by a vapor-liquid-solid-catalyzed process on a crystalline (111) Si wafer lithographically patterned with an array of metal catalyst particles. Following growth, such arrays can be embedded in polymethyldisiloxane (PDMS) and then peeled from the template growth substrate. The result is an unusual photovoltaic material: a flexible, bendable, wafer-thickness crystalline Si absorber. In this paper I will describe: 1. the growth of high-quality Si wires with controllable doping and the evaluation of their photovoltaic energy-conversion performance using a test electrolyte that forms a rectifying conformal semiconductor-liquid contact 2. the observation of enhanced absorption in wire arrays exceeding the conventional light trapping limits for planar Si cells of equivalent material thickness and 3. single-wire and large-area solid-state Si wire-array solar cell results obtained to date with directions for future cell designs based on optical and device physics. In collaboration with Michael Kelzenberg, Morgan Putnam, Joshua Spurgeon, Daniel Turner-Evans, Emily Warren, Nathan Lewis, and Harry Atwater, California Institute of Technology.

  1. Mechanical behavior of M-Wire and conventional NiTi wire used to manufacture rotary endodontic instruments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Erika S J; Gomes, Renata O; Leroy, Agnès M F; Singh, Rupinderpal; Peters, Ove A; Bahia, Maria G A; Buono, Vicente T L

    2013-12-01

    Comparison of physical and mechanical properties of one conventional and a new NiTi wire, which had received an additional thermomechanical treatment. Specimens of both conventional (NiTi) and the new type of wire, called M-Wire (MW), were subjected to tensile and three-point bending tests, Vickers microhardness measurements, and to rotating-bending fatigue tests at a strain-controlled level of 6%. Fracture surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy and the non-deformed microstructures by transmission electron microscopy. The thermomechanical treatment applied to produce the M-Wire apparently increased the tensile strength and Vickers microhardness of the material, but its apparent Young modulus was smaller than that of conventionally treated NiTi. The three-point bending tests showed a higher flexibility for MW which also exhibited a significantly higher number of cycles to failure. M-Wire presented mechanical properties that can render endodontic instruments more flexible and fatigue resistant than those made with conventionally processed NiTi wires. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Comparison of Analysis, Simulation, and Measurement of Wire-to-Wire Crosstalk. Part 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradley, Arthur T.; Yavoich, Brian James; Hodson, Shane M.; Godley, Franklin

    2010-01-01

    In this investigation, we compare crosstalk analysis, simulation, and measurement results for electrically short configurations. Methods include hand calculations, PSPICE simulations, Microstripes transient field solver, and empirical measurement. In total, four representative physical configurations are examined, including a single wire over a ground plane, a twisted pair over a ground plane, generator plus receptor wires inside a cylindrical conduit, and a single receptor wire inside a cylindrical conduit. Part 1 addresses the first two cases, and Part 2 addresses the final two. Agreement between the analysis methods and test data is shown to be very good.

  3. Comparison of Analysis, Simulation, and Measurement of Wire-to-Wire Crosstalk. Part 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradley, Arthur T.; Yavoich, Brian James; Hodson, Shame M.; Godley, Richard Franklin

    2010-01-01

    In this investigation, we compare crosstalk analysis, simulation, and measurement results for electrically short configurations. Methods include hand calculations, PSPICE simulations, Microstripes transient field solver, and empirical measurement. In total, four representative physical configurations are examined, including a single wire over a ground plane, a twisted pair over a ground plane, generator plus receptor wires inside a cylindrical conduit, and a single receptor wire inside a cylindrical conduit. Part 1 addresses the first two cases, and Part 2 addresses the final two. Agreement between the analysis, simulation, and test data is shown to be very good.

  4. Power doppler 'blanching' after the application of transducer pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joshua, F.; Edmonds, J.; Lassere, M.; De Carle, R.; Rayment, M.; Bryant, C.; Shnier, R.

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine if transducer pressure modifies power Doppler assessments of rheumatoid arthritis synovium at the metacarpophalangeal joints and metatarsophalangeal joints. Five rheumatoid arthritis patients of varying degrees of 'disease activity' and damage were assessed with power Doppler ultrasound scanning of the dominant hand second to fifth metacarpophalangeal joints. Two rheumatoid arthritis patients had their dominant foot first to fifth metatarsophalangeal joints assessed with power Doppler ultrasound. Ultrasonography was performed with a high frequency transducer (14 MHz) with a colour mode frequency of 10 Mhz, and a standard colour box and gain. In the joint that showed the highest power Doppler signal, an image was made. A further image was taken after transducer pressure was applied. In all patients, there was increased flow to at least one joint. After pressure was applied, power Doppler signal intensity markedly reduced in all images and in some there was no recordable power Doppler signal. Increased transducer pressure can result in a marked reduction or obliteration in power Doppler signal. This power Doppler 'blanching' shows the need for further studies to evaluate sources of error and standardization before power Doppler ultrasound becomes a routine measure of 'disease activity' in rheumatoid arthritis. Copyright (2005) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

  5. Getting "Wired" for McLuhan's Cyberculture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMurdo, George

    1995-01-01

    Examines the introduction of the computing magazine, "Wired", into the United Kingdom's (UK) market. Presents conversations with the founder and editorial staff of the UK edition, and discusses the accessibility of "Wired" via the World Wide Web. Describes 10 articles from United States "Wired" back-issues and…

  6. Ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ultrasound is a useful procedure for monitoring the baby's development in the uterus. Ultrasound uses inaudible sound waves to produce a two-dimensional image of the baby while inside the mother's ...

  7. Ignition and spread of electrical wire fires

    OpenAIRE

    Huang, Xinyan

    2012-01-01

    Ignition of electrical wires by external heating is investigated in order to gain a better understanding of the initiation of electrical-wire fires. An ignition-to- spread model is developed to systematically explain ignition and the following transition to spread. The model predicts that for a higher-conductance wire it is more difficult to achieve ignition and the weak flame may extinguish during the transition phase because of a large conductive heat loss along the wire core. Wires with tw...

  8. Prediction of material removal rate and surface roughness for wire electrical discharge machining of nickel using response surface methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thangam Chinnadurai

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses on investigating the effects of process parameters, namely, Peak current (Ip, Pulse on time (Ton, Pulse off time (Toff, Water pressure (Wp, Wire feed rate (Wf, Wire tension (Wt, Servo voltage (Sv and Servo feed setting (Sfs, on the Material Removal Rate (MRR and Surface Roughness (SR for Wire electrical discharge machining (Wire-EDM of nickel using Taguchi method. Response Surface Methodology (RSM is adopted to evolve mathematical relationships between the wire cutting process parameters and the output variables of the weld joint to determine the welding input parameters that lead to the desired optimal wire cutting quality. Besides, using response surface plots, the interaction effects of process parameters on the responses are analyzed and discussed. The statistical software Mini-tab is used to establish the design and to obtain the regression equations. The developed mathematical models are tested by analysis-of-variance (ANOVA method to check their appropriateness and suitability. Finally, a comparison is made between measured and calculated results, which are in good agreement. This indicates that the developed models can predict the responses accurately and precisely within the limits of cutting parameter being used.

  9. Prediction of material removal rate and surface roughness for wire electrical discharge machining of nickel using response surface methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chinnadurai, T.; Vendan, S.A.

    2016-01-01

    This study focuses on investigating the effects of process parameters, namely, Peak current (Ip), Pulse on time (Ton), Pulse off time (Toff), Water pressure (Wp), Wire feed rate (Wf), Wire tension (Wt), Servo voltage (Sv) and Servo feed setting (Sfs), on the Material Removal Rate (MRR) and Surface Roughness (SR) for Wire electrical discharge machining (Wire-EDM) of nickel using Taguchi method. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is adopted to evolve mathematical relationships between the wire cutting process parameters and the output variables of the weld joint to determine the welding input parameters that lead to the desired optimal wire cutting quality. Besides, using response surface plots, the interaction effects of process parameters on the responses are analyzed and discussed. The statistical software Mini-tab is used to establish the design and to obtain the regression equations. The developed mathematical models are tested by analysis-of-variance (ANOVA) method to check their appropriateness and suitability. Finally, a comparison is made between measured and calculated results, which are in good agreement. This indicates that the developed models can predict the responses accurately and precisely within the limits of cutting parameter being used. (Author)

  10. Prediction of material removal rate and surface roughness for wire electrical discharge machining of nickel using response surface methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chinnadurai, T.; Vendan, S.A.

    2016-07-01

    This study focuses on investigating the effects of process parameters, namely, Peak current (Ip), Pulse on time (Ton), Pulse off time (Toff), Water pressure (Wp), Wire feed rate (Wf), Wire tension (Wt), Servo voltage (Sv) and Servo feed setting (Sfs), on the Material Removal Rate (MRR) and Surface Roughness (SR) for Wire electrical discharge machining (Wire-EDM) of nickel using Taguchi method. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is adopted to evolve mathematical relationships between the wire cutting process parameters and the output variables of the weld joint to determine the welding input parameters that lead to the desired optimal wire cutting quality. Besides, using response surface plots, the interaction effects of process parameters on the responses are analyzed and discussed. The statistical software Mini-tab is used to establish the design and to obtain the regression equations. The developed mathematical models are tested by analysis-of-variance (ANOVA) method to check their appropriateness and suitability. Finally, a comparison is made between measured and calculated results, which are in good agreement. This indicates that the developed models can predict the responses accurately and precisely within the limits of cutting parameter being used. (Author)

  11. Phosphorus in antique iron music wire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodway, M

    1987-05-22

    Harpsichords and other wire-strung musical instruments were made with longer strings about the beginning of the 17th century. This change required stronger music wire. Although these changes coincided with the introduction of the first mass-produced steel (iron alloyed with carbon), carbon was not found in samples of antique iron harpsichord wire. The wire contained an amount of phosphorus sufficient to have impeded its conversion to steel, and may have been drawn from iron rejected for this purpose. The method used to select pig iron for wire drawing ensured the highest possible phosphorus content at a time when its presence in iron was unsuspected. Phosphorus as an alloying element has had the reputation for making steel brittle when worked cold. Nevertheless, in replicating the antique wire, it was found that lowcarbon iron that contained 0.16 percent phosphorus was easily drawn to appropriate gauges and strengths for restringing antique harpsichords.

  12. Electro-mechanics of drift tube wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milburn, R.H.

    1997-01-01

    The position and stability of the sense wires in very long drift tubes are affected by both gravitational and electrostatic forces, as well as by the wire tension. For a tube to be used as an element of a high-resolution detector all these forces and their effects must be understood in appropriately precise detail. In addition, the quality control procedures applied during manufacture and detector installation must be adequate to ensure that the internal wire positions remain within tolerances. It may be instructive to practitioners to review the simple theory of a taut wire in the presence of anisotropic gravitational and electrostatic fields to illustrate the conditions for stability, the equilibrium wire displacement from straightness, and the effect of the fields on the mechanical vibration frequencies. These last may be used to monitor the wire configuration externally. A number of practical formulae result and these are applied to illustrative examples. (orig.)

  13. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... transducer sends out high-frequency sound waves (that the human ear cannot hear) into the body and then ... ultrasound , there are no known harmful effects on humans. top of page What are the limitations of Pelvic Ultrasound Imaging? Ultrasound waves are ...

  14. Noninvasive microbubble-based pressure measurements: a simulation study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postema, Michiel; Postema, M.A.B.; Bouakaz, Ayache; de Jong, N.

    2004-01-01

    This paper describes a noninvasive method to measure local hydrostatic pressures in fluid filled cavities. The method is based on the disappearance time of a gas bubble, as the disappearance time is related to the hydrostatic pressure. When a bubble shrinks, its response to ultrasound changes. From

  15. Use of the Wire Cylindrical Device as Voltage Stabilizer and Regulator for Practical Purpose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd EI-Maksoud, T.M.

    2008-01-01

    The present work, is intended to investigate the use of the Wire Cylindrical Corona device (WCCD) at atmospheric pressure as voltage stabilizer and regulator. In particular, it is devoted to the investigation of the dependence of the stabilization and the regulation on both cathode cylinder radius R and the limiting resistance R

  16. Experimental Research of Dynamic Instabilities in the Presence of Coiled Wire Inserts on Two-Phase Flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omeroglu, Gokhan; Comakli, Omer; Karagoz, Sendogan; Sahin, Bayram

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study is to experimentally investigate the effect of the coiled wire insertions on dynamic instabilities and to compare the results with the smooth tube for forced convection boiling. The experiments were conducted in a circular tube, and water was used as the working fluid. Two different pitch ratios (H/D = 2.77 and 5.55) of coiled wire with circular cross-sections were utilised. The constant heat flux boundary condition was applied to the outer side of the test tube, and the constant exit restriction was used at the tube outlet. The mass flow rate changed from 110 to 20 g/s in order to obtain a detailed idea about the density wave and pressure drop oscillations, and the range of the inlet temperature was 15–35°C. The changes in pressure drop, inlet temperature, amplitude, and the period with mass flow rate are presented. For each configuration, it is seen that density wave and pressure drop oscillations occur at all inlet temperatures. Analyses show that the decrease in the mass flow rate and inlet temperature causes the amplitude and the period of the density wave and the pressure drop oscillations to decrease separately. PMID:23365547

  17. Lansce Wire Scanning Diagnostics Device Mechanical Design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez Esparza, Sergio; Batygin, Yuri K.; Gilpatrick, John D.; Gruchalla, Michael E.; Maestas, Alfred J.; Pillai, Chandra; Raybun, Joseph L.; Sattler, F.D.; Sedillo, James Daniel; Smith, Brian G.

    2011-01-01

    The Accelerator Operations and Technology Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory operates a linear particle accelerator which utilizes 110 wire scanning diagnostics devices to gain position and intensity information of the proton beam. In the upcoming LANSCE improvements, 51 of these wire scanners are to be replaced with a new design, up-to-date technology and off-the-shelf components. This document outlines the requirements for the mechanical design of the LANSCE wire scanner and presents the recently developed linac wire scanner prototype. Additionally, this document presents the design modifications that have been implemented into the fabrication and assembly of this first linac wire scanner prototype. Also, this document will present the design for the second, third, and fourth wire scanner prototypes being developed. Prototypes 2 and 3 belong to a different section of the particle accelerator and therefore have slightly different design specifications. Prototype 4 is a modification of a previously used wire scanner in our facility. Lastly, the paper concludes with a plan for future work on the wire scanner development.

  18. Lansce Wire Scanning Diagnostics Device Mechanical Design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez Esparza, Sergio [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Batygin, Yuri K. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Gilpatrick, John D. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Gruchalla, Michael E. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Maestas, Alfred J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Pillai, Chandra [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Raybun, Joseph L. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Sattler, F. D. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Sedillo, James Daniel [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Smith, Brian G. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2011-01-01

    The Accelerator Operations & Technology Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory operates a linear particle accelerator which utilizes 110 wire scanning diagnostics devices to gain position and intensity information of the proton beam. In the upcoming LANSCE improvements, 51 of these wire scanners are to be replaced with a new design, up-to-date technology and off-the-shelf components. This document outlines the requirements for the mechanical design of the LANSCE wire scanner and presents the recently developed linac wire scanner prototype. Additionally, this document presents the design modifications that have been implemented into the fabrication and assembly of this first linac wire scanner prototype. Also, this document will present the design for the second, third, and fourth wire scanner prototypes being developed. Prototypes 2 and 3 belong to a different section of the particle accelerator and therefore have slightly different design specifications. Prototype 4 is a modification of a previously used wire scanner in our facility. Lastly, the paper concludes with a plan for future work on the wire scanner development.

  19. BBB disruption with unfocused ultrasound alone-A paradigm shift

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyle, Al

    2012-10-01

    One paradigm for ultrasound-enabled blood brain barrier disruption uses image guided focused ultrasound and preformed microbubble agents to enable drug delivery to the brain. We propose an alternative approach: unguided, unfocused ultrasound with no adjunctive agent. Compared with the focused approach, the proposed method affects a larger region of the brain, and is aimed at treatment of regional neurological disease including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Avoidance of image guidance and focusing reduces cost for equipment and staff training. Avoidance of adjunctive agents also lowers cost and is enabled by a longer exposure time. Since 2004, our group has worked with two animal models, three investigators in four laboratories to safely deliver five compounds, increasing the concentration of large molecule markers in brain tissue two fold or more. Safety and effectiveness data for four studies have been presented at the Ultrasound Industry Association meetings in 2007 and 2010. This paper describes new safety and effectiveness results for a fifth study. We present evidence of delivery of large molecules - including Avastin-to the brains of a large animal model correlated with acoustic pressure, and summarize the advantages and disadvantages of this novel approach.

  20. Commercial and Industrial Wiring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaltwasser, Stan; Flowers, Gary

    This module is the third in a series of three wiring publications, includes additional technical knowledge and applications required for job entry in the commercial and industrial wiring trade. The module contains 15 instructional units that cover the following topics: blueprint reading and load calculations; tools and equipment; service;…

  1. Wire alignment system for ATF LINAC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayano, H.; Takeda, S.; Matsumoto, H.; Matsui, T.

    1994-01-01

    A wire based alignment system is adopted to make less than 40μm precision alignment for injector linac of Accelerator Test Facility (ATF). The system consists of two stretched SUS wires, pickup coils and active mover stages. The position of pickup coils in a mount which will be installed into LINAC stages is set to the calculated wire position prior to installation. All of LINAC stages are then moved to keep the calculated position by the active mover. The test results of wire position detection in a long term are described. (author)

  2. Nickel contaminated titanium weld wire study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coffin, G.R.; Sumstine, R.L.

    1979-01-01

    Attachment of thermocouples to fuel rod welding problems at Exxon Nuclear Company and INEL prompted an investigation study of the titanium filler wire material. It was found that the titanium filler wire was contaminated with nickel which was jacketed on the wire prior to the drawing process at the manufacturers. A method was developed to 100% inspect all filler wire for future welding application. This method not only indicates the presence of nickel contamination but indicates quantity of contamination. The process is capable of high speed inspection necessary for various high speed manufacturing processes

  3. Influence of water conductivity on shock waves generated by underwater electrical wire explosion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ben; Wang, Deguo; Guo, Yanbao

    2018-01-01

    The new application of electrical explosion of wire (EEW) used in petroleum industry is to enhance oil recovery (EOR). Because of the complex environment underground, the effect of underground water conductivity on EEW should be considered. This work describes the effect of water conductivities on discharge current, voltage and shock waves. It was found that the effect of water conductivity contains two parts. One is the shunt effect of saline water, which can be considered as a parallel load with the copper wire between the electrodes connected to the discharge circuit. The peak pressure of shock waves are gradually decrease with the increase of water conductivity. The other is the current loss through saline water directly to the ground ends without flowing through the electrodes. The shunt effect is the main factor affecting the wire discharge process. As the charging voltage increased, the energy loss caused by these two parts are all reduced. These indicate that increasing the charging voltage to a certain value will increase the energy efficiency to generate a more powerful shock waves in conductive water.

  4. Californium Recovery from Palladium Wire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burns, Jon D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2014-08-01

    The recovery of 252Cf from palladium-252Cf cermet wires was investigated to determine the feasibility of implementing it into the cermet wire production operation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Radiochemical Engineering Development Center. The dissolution of Pd wire in 8 M HNO3 and trace amounts of HCl was studied at both ambient and elevated temperatures. These studies showed that it took days to dissolve the wire at ambient temperature and only 2 hours at 60°C. Adjusting the ratio of the volume of solvent to the mass of the wire segment showed little change in the kinetics of dissolution, which ranged from 0.176 mL/mg down to 0.019 mL/mg. A successful chromatographic separation of 153Gd, a surrogate for 252Cf, from Pd was demonstrated using AG 50x8 cation exchange resin with a bed volume of 0.5 mL and an internal diameter of 0.8 cm.

  5. Nonlinear behavior of micro bubbles under ultrasound due to heat transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Chan Soo; Kwak, Ho Young; Kim, Jeong Eun; Lee, Jae Young

    2009-01-01

    We investigated the nonlinear behavior of a microbubble under ultrasound, taking into account the heat transfer inside the bubble and through the bubble wall. The polytropic relation, which has been used for the process of pressure change depending on the volume variation of ideal gases, cannot properly treat heat transfer involving the oscillating bubble under ultrasound. In this study, a set of solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations for the gas inside the bubble along with an analytical treatment of the Navier-Stokes equations for the liquid adjacent to the bubble wall was used to treat properly the heat transfer process for the oscillating bubble under ultrasound. Entropy generation due to finite heat transfer, which induces the lost work during bubble evolution, reduces the collapsing process and considerably affects the nonlinear behavior of the bubble

  6. Wire number dependence of the implosion dynamics, stagnation, and radiation output of tungsten wire arrays at Z driver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mazarakis, Michael G.; Stygar, William A.; Sinars, Daniel B.; Cuneo, Michael E.; Nash, Thomas J.; Chandler, Gordon A.; Keith Matzen, M.; Porter, John L.; Struve, Kenneth W.; McDaniel, Dillon H. [Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States); Deeney, Christopher E. [National Nuclear Security Administration, Washington, D.C. 20585 (United States); Douglas, Melissa R. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Chittenden, Jerry [Imperial College, London, SW and 2BW (United Kingdom)

    2011-11-15

    We report results of the experimental campaign, which studied the initiation, implosion dynamics, and radiation yield of tungsten wire arrays as a function of the wire number. The wire array dimensions and mass were those of interest for the Z-pinch driven Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program. An optimization study of the x-ray emitted peak power, rise time, and full width at half maximum was effectuated by varying the wire number while keeping the total array mass constant and equal to {approx}5.8 mg. The driver utilized was the {approx}20-MA Z accelerator before refurbishment in its usual short pulse mode of 100 ns. We studied single arrays of 20-mm diameter and 1-cm height. The smaller wire number studied was 30 and the largest 600. It appears that 600 is the highest achievable wire number with present day's technology. Radial and axial diagnostics were utilized including crystal monochromatic x-ray backlighter. An optimum wire number of {approx}375 was observed which was very close to the routinely utilized 300 for the ICF program in Sandia.

  7. Wire number dependence of the implosion dynamics, stagnation, and radiation output of tungsten wire arrays at Z driver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mazarakis, Michael G.; Stygar, William A.; Sinars, Daniel B.; Cuneo, Michael E.; Nash, Thomas J.; Chandler, Gordon A.; Keith Matzen, M.; Porter, John L.; Struve, Kenneth W.; McDaniel, Dillon H.; Deeney, Christopher E.; Douglas, Melissa R.; Chittenden, Jerry

    2011-01-01

    We report results of the experimental campaign, which studied the initiation, implosion dynamics, and radiation yield of tungsten wire arrays as a function of the wire number. The wire array dimensions and mass were those of interest for the Z-pinch driven Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program. An optimization study of the x-ray emitted peak power, rise time, and full width at half maximum was effectuated by varying the wire number while keeping the total array mass constant and equal to ∼5.8 mg. The driver utilized was the ∼20-MA Z accelerator before refurbishment in its usual short pulse mode of 100 ns. We studied single arrays of 20-mm diameter and 1-cm height. The smaller wire number studied was 30 and the largest 600. It appears that 600 is the highest achievable wire number with present day's technology. Radial and axial diagnostics were utilized including crystal monochromatic x-ray backlighter. An optimum wire number of ∼375 was observed which was very close to the routinely utilized 300 for the ICF program in Sandia.

  8. Electromechanical characterization of superconducting wires and tapes at 77 K

    CERN Document Server

    Bjoerstad, Roger

    The strain dependency of the critical current in state-of-the-art cuprate high-temperature superconductors (HTS) has been characterized. A universal test machine (UTM) combined with a critical current measurement system has been used to characterize the mechanical and the superconducting properties of conductors immersed in an open liquid nitrogen dewar. A set-up has been developed in order to perform simultaneous measurements of the superconductor lattice parameter changes, critical current, as well as the stress and strain at 77 K in self-field in a high energy synchrotron beamline. The HTS tapes and wires studied were based on YBCO, Bi-2223 and Bi-2212. The YBCO tapes were produced by SuperPower and American Superconductors (AMSC). Two types of Bi-2223 tapes, HT and G, were produced by Sumitomo Electric Industries (SEI). The Bi-2212 wires were produced by Oxford Superconducting Technology (OST) using Nexans granulate precursor, before undergoing a specialized over pressure (OP) processing and heat treatmen...

  9. Ultrasound-microbubble mediated cavitation of plant cells: effects on morphology and viability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Peng; Xu, Lin; Zhong, Wenjing; Yu, Alfred C H

    2012-06-01

    The interaction between ultrasound pulses and microbubbles is known to generate acoustic cavitation that may puncture biological cells. This work presents new experimental findings on the bioeffects of ultrasound-microbubble mediated cavitation in plant cells with emphasis on direct observations of morphological impact and analysis of viability trends in tobacco BY-2 cells that are widely studied in higher plant physiology. The tobacco cell suspensions were exposed to 1 MHz ultrasound pulses in the presence of 1% v/v microbubbles (10% duty cycle; 1 kHz pulse repetition frequency; 70 mm between probe and cells; 1-min exposure time). Few bioeffects were observed at low peak negative pressures (cavitation presumably occurred. In contrast, at 0.9 MPa peak negative pressure (with more inertial cavitation activities according to our passive cavitation detection results), random pores were found on tobacco cell wall (observed via scanning electron microscopy) and enhanced exogenous uptake into the cytoplasm was evident (noted in our fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran uptake analysis). Also, instant lysis was observed in 23.4% of cells (found using trypan blue staining) and programmed cell death was seen in 23.3% of population after 12 h (determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling [TUNEL]). These bioeffects generally correspond in trend with those for mammalian cells. This raises the possibility of developing ultrasound-microbubble mediated cavitation into a targeted gene transfection paradigm for plant cells and, conversely, adopting plant cells as experimental test-beds for sonoporation-based gene therapy in mammalian cells. Copyright © 2012 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. High-performance, stretchable, wire-shaped supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Tao; Hao, Rui; Peng, Huisheng; Dai, Liming

    2015-01-07

    A general approach toward extremely stretchable and highly conductive electrodes was developed. The method involves wrapping a continuous carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film around pre-stretched elastic wires, from which high-performance, stretchable wire-shaped supercapacitors were fabricated. The supercapacitors were made by twisting two such CNT-wrapped elastic wires, pre-coated with poly(vinyl alcohol)/H3PO4 hydrogel, as the electrolyte and separator. The resultant wire-shaped supercapacitors exhibited an extremely high elasticity of up to 350% strain with a high device capacitance up to 30.7 F g(-1), which is two times that of the state-of-the-art stretchable supercapacitor under only 100% strain. The wire-shaped structure facilitated the integration of multiple supercapacitors into a single wire device to meet specific energy and power needs for various potential applications. These supercapacitors can be repeatedly stretched from 0 to 200% strain for hundreds of cycles with no change in performance, thus outperforming all the reported state-of-the-art stretchable electronics. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Evaluation of eyes with relative pupillary block by indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy gonioscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsunaga, Koichi; Ito, Kunio; Esaki, Koji; Sugimoto, Kota; Sano, Toru; Miura, Katsuya; Sasoh, Mikio; Uji, Yukitaka

    2004-03-01

    To investigate changes in anterior chamber angle configuration with indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy gonioscopy of relative pupillary block (RPB). Cross-sectional study. This study included 26 eyes of 26 patients with RPB. We determined angle opening distance 500 and angle recess area using indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy gonioscopy and compared a small-sized standard eye cup with a new eye cup with an area for inducing pressure. Indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy images documented concavity of the iris in eyes with RPB. Both the new and the small standard eye cups widened the anterior chamber angle significantly (P gonioscopy is a useful technique for observation and diagnosis of RPB. Using a small standard or the newly designed eye cup, the procedure can be performed easily and without causing corneal damage.

  12. Mesoporous metal catalysts formed by ultrasound

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schaeferhans, Jana; Pazos Perez, Nicolas; Andreeva, Daria [Physikalische Chemie II, Universitaet Bayreuth (Germany)

    2010-07-01

    We study the ultrasound-driven formation of mesoporous metal sponges. The collapse of acoustic cavitations leads to very high temperatures and pressures on very short scales. Therefore, structures may be formed and quenched far from equilibrium. Mechanism of metal modification by ultrasound is complex and involves a variety of aspects. We propose that modification of metal particles and formation of mesoporous inner structures can be achieved due to thermal etching of metals by ultrasound stimulated high speed jets of liquid. Simultaneously, oxidation of metal surfaces by free radicals produced in water during cavitation stabilizes developed metal structures. Duration and intensity of the ultrasonication treatment is able to control the structure and morphology of metal sponges. We expect that this approach to the formation of nanoscale composite sponges is universal and opens perspective for a whole new class of catalytic materials that can be prepared in a one-step process. The developed method makes it possible to control the sponge morphology and can be used for formation of modern types of catalysts. For example, the sonication technique allows to combine the fabrication of mesoporous support and distribution of metal (Cu, Pd, Au, Pt etc.) nanoparticles in its pores into a single step.

  13. Dry diamond wire sawing techniques to be used in an active environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loftus, S.

    2003-01-01

    built into the cell; - An additional hydraulically power jockey pulley arm was added the purpose of this was maintain the tension on the wire as it passed over the drive pulleys ensuring the wire was fully engaged in the rubber insert on the drive pulley; - The hydraulic power pack was modified by fitting additional supply pipework and solenoid valves to control the pressure on the jockey wheel; - The operator can adjust the pressure on the feed motors and independently raise any of the powered guide sleds to ensure the cut path is not closing up or restricting the wire speed, either of these in turn will affect the cutting performance. With these modifications carried out it was found to be easy in adapting the set up to accommodate any changes required to the equipment configuration. Sources of information on cost and performance of diamond wire cutting techniques are given in ref 1 (Diamant Boart, (UK) Limited Unit 1 Millennium Way, Park 2000 Westland Road, Leeds LS11 5AL)

  14. [Mechanics analysis of fracture of orthodontic wires].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yeping; Sun, Xiaoye; Zhang, Longqi

    2003-03-01

    Fracture problem of orthodontic wires was discussed in this paper. The calculation formulae of bending stress and tensile stress were obtained. All main factors that affect bending stress and tensile stress of orthodontic wires were analyzed and discussed. It was concluded that the main causes of fracture of orthodontic wires were fatigue and static disruption. Some improving proposals for preventing fracture of orthodontic wires were put forward.

  15. Lunar Module Wiring Design Considerations and Failure Modes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Interbartolo, Michael

    2009-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews the considerations for the design of wiring for the Lunar Module. Included are a review of the choice of conductors and insulations, the wire splicing (i.e., crimping, and soldering), the wire connectors, and the fabrication of the wire harnesses. The problems in fabrication include the wires being the wrong length, the damage due to the sharp edges, the requried use of temproary protective covers and inadequate training. The problems in the wire harness installation include damge from sharp eges, work on adjacent harnesses, connector damage, and breaking wires. Engineering suggestions from the Apollo-era in reference to the conductors that are reviewed include: the use of plated conductors, and the use of alloys for stronger wiring. In refernce to insulation, the suggestions from Apollo era include the use of polymer tape-wrap wire insulation due to the light weight, however, other types of modern insulation might be more cost-effective. In reference to wire splices and terminal boards the suggestions from the Apollo Era include the use of crimp splices as superior to solder splices, joining multiple wire to a common point using modular plug-ins might be more reliable, but are heavier than crimp splicing. For connectors, the lessons from the Apollo era indicate that a rear environmental seal that does not require additional potting is preferred, and pins should be crimped or welded to the incoming wires and be removable from the rear of the connector.

  16. Effect of geometry on the pressure induced donor binding energy in semiconductor nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalpana, P.; Jayakumar, K.; Nithiananthi, P.

    2015-09-01

    The effect of geometry on an on-center hydrogenic donor impurity in a GaAs/(Ga,Al)As quantum wire (QWW) and quantum dot (QD) under the influence of Γ-X band mixing due to an applied hydrostatic pressure is theoretically studied. Numerical calculations are performed in an effective mass approximation. The ground state impurity energy is obtained by variational procedure. Both the effects of pressure and geometry are to exert an additional confinement on the impurity inside the wire as well as dot. We found that the donor binding energy is modified by the geometrical effects as well as by the confining potential when it is subjected to external pressure. The results are presented and discussed.

  17. Superconducting wire for the T-15 toroidal magnet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klimenko, E.Yu.; Kruglov, V.S.; Martovetskij, N.N.

    1987-01-01

    Main characteristics of a wire designed for the T-15 toroidal superconducting magnet production are given. The wire with circulation cooling is a twist of 11 niobium-tin wires 1.5 mm in diameter, joined electrolytically by two copper tubes with 3 mm inside diameter. The wire is capable to carry 10 kA current in the 8.5 T induction field. Wire features and structures promote to receive high structural current density in winding: diffuseness of superconducting-to-normal transition increases wire stability, screw symmetry od a current-carrying core provides wire resistance to pulse longitudinal field effect at plasma current disruption, low bronze thermal conductivity in a twist increases stability to outside pulse perturbations

  18. The importance of carbon nanotube wire density, structural uniformity, and purity for fabricating homogeneous carbon nanotube-copper wire composites by copper electrodeposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundaram, Rajyashree; Yamada, Takeo; Hata, Kenji; Sekiguchi, Atsuko

    2018-04-01

    We present the influence of density, structural regularity, and purity of carbon nanotube wires (CNTWs) used as Cu electrodeposition templates on fabricating homogeneous high-electrical performance CNT-Cu wires lighter than Cu. We show that low-density CNTWs (wires) with regular macro- and microstructures and high CNT content (>90 wt %) are essential for making homogeneous CNT-Cu wires. These homogeneous CNT-Cu wires show a continuous Cu matrix with evenly mixed nanotubes of high volume fractions (˜45 vol %) throughout the wire-length. Consequently, the composite wires show densities ˜5.1 g/cm3 (33% lower than Cu) and electrical conductivities ˜6.1 × 104 S/cm (>100 × CNTW conductivity). However, composite wires from templates with higher densities or structural inconsistencies are non-uniform with discontinuous Cu matrices and poor CNT/Cu mixing. These non-uniform CNT-Cu wires show conductivities 2-6 times lower than the homogeneous composite wires.

  19. Development of a Novel Ultrasound-guided Peritonsillar Abscess Model for Simulation Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Vivienne; Plitt, Jennifer; Biffar, David

    2018-01-01

    Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is the most common deep space infection of the head and neck presenting to emergency departments.1 No commercial PTA task trainer exists for simulation training. Thus, resident physicians often perform their first PTA needle aspiration in the clinical setting, knowing that carotid artery puncture and hemorrhage are serious and devastating complications. While several low-fidelity PTA task trainers have been previously described, none allow for ultrasound image acquisition.6-9 We sought to create a cost-effective and realistic task trainer that allows trainees to acquire both diagnostic ultrasound and needle aspiration skills while draining a peritonsillar abscess. We built the task trainer with low-cost, replaceable, and easily cleanable materials. A damaged airway headskin was repurposed to build the model. A mesh wire cylinder attached to a wooden base was fashioned to provide infrastructure. PTAs were simulated with a water and lotion solution inside a water balloon that was glued to the bottom of a paper cup. The balloon was fully submerged with ordnance gelatin to facilitate ultrasound image acquisition, and an asymmetric soft palate and deviated uvula were painted on top after setting. PTA cups were replaced after use. We spent eight hours constructing three task trainers and used 50 PTA cups for a total cost <$110. Forty-six emergency medicine (EM) residents performed PTA needle aspirations using the task trainers and were asked to rate ultrasound image realism, task trainer realism, and trainer ease of use on a five-point visual analog scale, with five being very realistic and easy. Sixteen of 46 (35%) residents completed the survey and reported that ultrasound images were representative of real PTAs (mean 3.41). They found the model realistic (mean 3.73) and easy to use (mean 4.08). Residents rated their comfort with the drainage procedure as 2.07 before and 3.64 after practicing on the trainer. This low-cost, easy

  20. Development of a Novel Ultrasound-guided Peritonsillar Abscess Model for Simulation Training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivienne Ng

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Peritonsillar abscess (PTA is the most common deep space infection of the head and neck presenting to emergency departments. 1 No commercial PTA task trainer exists for simulation training. Thus, resident physicians often perform their first PTA needle aspiration in the clinical setting, knowing that carotid artery puncture and hemorrhage are serious and devastating complications. While several low-fidelity PTA task trainers have been previously described, none allow for ultrasound image acquisition. 6– 9 We sought to create a cost-effective and realistic task trainer that allows trainees to acquire both diagnostic ultrasound and needle aspiration skills while draining a peritonsillar abscess. Methods We built the task trainer with low-cost, replaceable, and easily cleanable materials. A damaged airway headskin was repurposed to build the model. A mesh wire cylinder attached to a wooden base was fashioned to provide infrastructure. PTAs were simulated with a water and lotion solution inside a water balloon that was glued to the bottom of a paper cup. The balloon was fully submerged with ordnance gelatin to facilitate ultrasound image acquisition, and an asymmetric soft palate and deviated uvula were painted on top after setting. PTA cups were replaced after use. We spent eight hours constructing three task trainers and used 50 PTA cups for a total cost <$110. Results Forty-six emergency medicine (EM residents performed PTA needle aspirations using the task trainers and were asked to rate ultrasound image realism, task trainer realism, and trainer ease of use on a five-point visual analog scale, with five being very realistic and easy. Sixteen of 46 (35% residents completed the survey and reported that ultrasound images were representative of real PTAs (mean 3.41. They found the model realistic (mean 3.73 and easy to use (mean 4.08. Residents rated their comfort with the drainage procedure as 2.07 before and 3.64 after practicing

  1. Hot-Wire Calibration at Low Velocities: Revisiting the Vortex Shedding Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sohrab S. Sattarzadeh

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The necessity to calibrate hot-wire probes against a known velocity causes problems at low velocities, due to the inherent inaccuracy of pressure transducers at low differential pressures. The vortex shedding calibration method is in this respect a recommended technique to obtain calibration data at low velocities, due to its simplicity and accuracy. However, it has mainly been applied in a low and narrow Reynolds number range known as the laminar vortex shedding regime. Here, on the other hand, we propose to utilize the irregular vortex shedding regime and show where the probe needs to be placed with respect to the cylinder in order to obtain unambiguous calibration data.

  2. Pre-wired systems prove their worth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-01

    The 'new generation' of modular wiring systems from Apex Wiring Solutions have been specified for two of the world's foremost teaching hospitals - the Royal London and St Bartholomew's Hospital, as part of a pounds sterling 1 billion redevelopment project, to cut electrical installation times, reduce on-site waste, and provide a pre-wired, factory-tested, power and lighting system. HEJ reports.

  3. Use of Doppler ultrasound for non-invasive urodynamic diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hideo Ozawa

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: A totally non-invasive transperineal urodynamic technique using Doppler ultrasonography has been developed. Methods: Since normal urine does not have blood cells, urine was thought not to produce the Doppler effects. However, basic studies confirmed that the decrease of pressure at high velocity (Bernouilli effect caused dissolved gas to form microbubbles, which are detected by Doppler ultrasonography. Subjects sat and the probe was advanced via remote control to achieve gentle contact with the perineal skin. The digital uroflow data signals and the color Doppler ultrasound video images were processed on a personal computer. The flow-velocity curves from two sites; the distal prostatic urethra just above the external sphincter (V1 and the sphincteric urethra (V2 were plotted against time. The parameters of both the pressure-flow studies and the Doppler ultrasound urodynamic studies were compared in men who had various degrees of obstruction. Results: Functional cross-sectional area at prostatic urethra (A1, calculated by Q max /V1, was lower in the group of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO vs. control group. Velocity ratio (VR, which was calculated by V1/V2, was the parameter having the best correlation with BOO index, though A1 had a similar correlation. This method is viable to diagnose the degree of BOO. Conclusions: The development of non-invasive Doppler ultrasound videourodynamics (Doppler UDS will dramatically expand the information on voiding function.

  4. Flutter and Thermal Buckling Analysis for Composite Laminated Panel Embedded with Shape Memory Alloy Wires in Supersonic Flow

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chonghui Shao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The flutter and thermal buckling behavior of laminated composite panels embedded with shape memory alloy (SMA wires are studied in this research. The classical plate theory and nonlinear von-Karman strain-displacement relation are employed to investigate the aeroelastic behavior of the smart laminated panel. The thermodynamic behaviors of SMA wires are simulated based on one-dimensional Brinson SMA model. The aerodynamic pressure on the panel is described by the nonlinear piston theory. Nonlinear governing partial differential equations of motion are derived for the panel via the Hamilton principle. The effects of ply angle of the composite panel, SMA layer location and orientation, SMA wires temperature, volume fraction and prestrain on the buckling, flutter boundary, and amplitude of limit cycle oscillation of the panel are analyzed in detail.

  5. Modern wiring practice

    CERN Document Server

    Steward, W E

    2012-01-01

    Continuously in print since 1952, Modern Wiring Practice has now been fully revised to provide an up-to-date source of reference to building services design and installation in the 21st century. This compact and practical guide addresses wiring systems design and electrical installation together in one volume, creating a comprehensive overview of the whole process for contractors and architects, as well as electricians and other installation engineers. Best practice is incorporated throughout, combining theory and practice with clear and accessible explanation, all

  6. Domain observations of Fe and Co based amorphous wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takajo, M.; Yamasaki, J.

    1993-01-01

    Domain observations were made on Fe and Co based amorphous magnetic wires that exhibit a large Barkhausen discontinuity during flux reversal. Domain patterns observed on the wire surface were compared with those found on a polished section through the center of the wire. It was confirmed that the Fe based wire consists of a shell and core region as previously proposed, however, there is a third region between them. This fairly thick transition region made up of domains at an angle of about 45 degree to the wire axis clearly lacking the closure domains of the previous model. The Co based wire does not have a clear core and shell domain structure. The center of the wire had a classic domain structure expected of uniaxial anisotropy with the easy axis normal to the wire axis. When a model for the residual stress quenched-in during cooling of large Fe bars is applied to the wire, the expected anisotropy is consistent with the domain patterns in the Fe based wire, however, shape anisotropy still plays a dominant role in defining the wire core in the Co based wire

  7. Ultrasound enhanced plasma surface modification at atmospheric pressure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kusano, Yukihiro; Singh, Shailendra Vikram; Norrman, Kion

    and the material surface, and thus many reactive species generated in the plasma can reach the surface before inactivated, and be efficiently utilized for surface modification. In the present work polyester plates are treated using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and a gliding arc at atmospheric pressure......Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment can be highly enhanced by simultaneous high-power ultrasonic irradiation onto the treating surface. It is because ultrasonic waves with a sound pressure level (SPL) above approximately 140 dB can reduce the thickness of a boundary gas layer between the plasma...... irradiation, the water contact angle dropped markedly, and tended to decrease furthermore at higher power. The ultrasonic irradiation during the plasma treatment consistently improved the wettability. Oxygen containing polar functional groups were introduced at the surface by the plasma treatment...

  8. Automatic reel controls filler wire in welding machines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millett, A. V.

    1966-01-01

    Automatic reel on automatic welding equipment takes up slack in the reel-fed filler wire when welding operation is terminated. The reel maintains constant, adjustable tension on the wire during the welding operation and rewinds the wire from the wire feed unit when the welding is completed.

  9. Method of preparing composite superconducting wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verhoeven, J. D.; Finnemore, D. K.; Gibson, E. D.; Ostenson, J. E.; Schmidt, F. A.

    1985-01-01

    An improved method of preparing composite multifilament superconducting wire of Nb 3 Sn in a copper matrix which eliminates the necessity of coating the drawn wire with tin. A generalized cylindrical billet of an alloy of copper containing at least 15 weight percent niobium, present in the copper as discrete, randomly distributed and oriented dendritic-shaped particles, is provided with at least one longitudinal opening which is filled with tin to form a composite drawing rod. The drawing rod is then drawn to form a ductile composite multifilament wire containing a filament of tin. The ductile wire containing the tin can then be wound into magnet coils or other devices before heating to diffuse the tin through the wire to react with the niobium forming Nb 3 Sn. Also described is an improved method for making large billets of the copper-niobium alloy by consumable-arc casting

  10. Study on the fluid dynamics of nitrogen and hydrogen gases subjected to wires element in monolithic channel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rashidi Amirah

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Ammonia has a very significant value in the fertilizer industry where it was being synthesized via Haber-Bosch process in the early 19th century. As the process utilize high operating conditions, it imposes high capital cost and is an energy-consuming process. Due to this unsustainable process, researchers have initiated an alternative to overcome this drawback by performing a simulation in microfluidic environment using ambient temperature and pressure (25°C and 1 atm. Wires element configured in a 50 mm x 10 mm, (L x D dimension monolithic channel with different spacing and number of wires, arranged axially in 60o pitch have been introduced to investigate the dynamic mixing of nitrogen and hydrogen for ammonia synthesis. As the wires are configured in a different manner, the results show dissimilar volume fraction profile, contours and mixing index. Creating suitable obstruction with larger obstruction space enhanced the mixing. Reducing spacing from 2 mm to 1.5 mm illustrates fluctuating velocity at the centre of the channel causing the flow velocity become less than the set velocity 0.05ms-1. By substituting from 19 wires to 13 wires to the flow, chaotic advection occurs lead to the increased of mixing index up to 94%.

  11. Evaluation of four non-invasive methods for examination and characterization of pressure ulcers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, E.S.; Karlsmark, T.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Pressure ulcers are globally of major concern and there is need for research in the pathogenesis for early intervention. Early studies have suggested existence of a hypo-echogenic subepidermal layer at the location of pressure ulcers, visualized by ultrasound scans. As a continuation......, we here report on usability of four non-invasive techniques for evaluation of pressure ulcers. Methods: Fifteen pressure ulcers in stage 0-IV were examined using four different non-invasive techniques [redness index, skin temperature, skin elasticity (i.e. retraction time), and ultrasound scanning...... at all pressure ulcers, but none at the reference points. The skin retraction time was often higher at the location of a pressure ulcer than at the reference location. We found no correlation between the stage of the ulcers and temperature, redness index, subepidermal layer thickness, or retraction time...

  12. Hydrophilic polymer-coated microcatheter-guide wire system for superselective angiographic procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Hisashi; Hiraki, Yoshiyuki; Nishimoto, Hidetou; Miyazono, Nobuaki; Satake, Mitsuo; Shinohara, Shinji

    1988-01-01

    A hydrophilic polymer-coated microcatheter-guide wire device has been newly developed for superselective angiography and interventional procedures. The injection rate of this microcatheter was estimated at 2.0 ml/sec. on the maximum pressure of 300 psi when used a non-ionic low osmolar contrast medium, Iopamidol 300. In two of three cases this catheter could make easy insertion into the peripheral branches of the right hepatic artery which were approximately 1 mm in vascular diameter. (author)

  13. Effect of modulated ultrasound parameters on ultrasound-induced thrombolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soltani, Azita; Volz, Kim R; Hansmann, Doulas R

    2008-01-01

    The potential of ultrasound to enhance enzyme-mediated thrombolysis by application of constant operating parameters (COP) has been widely demonstrated. In this study, the effect of ultrasound with modulated operating parameters (MOP) on enzyme-mediated thrombolysis was investigated. The MOP protocol was applied to an in vitro model of thrombolysis. The results were compared to a COP with the equivalent soft tissue thermal index (TIS) over the duration of ultrasound exposure of 30 min (p -2 ± 0.01 μm and 1.99 x 10 -2 ± 0.004 μm, respectively (p < 0.74). No signatures of inertial or stable cavitation were observed for either acoustic protocol. In conclusion, due to mechanisms other than cavitation, application of ultrasound with modulated operating parameters has the potential to significantly enhance the relative lysis enhancement compared to application of ultrasound with constant operating parameters.

  14. Ultrasound-mediated vascular gene transfection by cavitation of endothelial-targeted cationic microbubbles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Aris; Belcik, Todd; Qi, Yue; Morgan, Terry K; Champaneri, Shivam A; Taylor, Sarah; Davidson, Brian P; Zhao, Yan; Klibanov, Alexander L; Kuliszewski, Michael A; Leong-Poi, Howard; Ammi, Azzdine; Lindner, Jonathan R

    2012-12-01

    Ultrasound-mediated gene delivery can be amplified by acoustic disruption of microbubble carriers that undergo cavitation. We hypothesized that endothelial targeting of microbubbles bearing cDNA is feasible and, through optimizing proximity to the vessel wall, increases the efficacy of gene transfection. Contrast ultrasound-mediated gene delivery is a promising approach for site-specific gene therapy, although there are concerns with the reproducibility of this technique and the safety when using high-power ultrasound. Cationic lipid-shelled decafluorobutane microbubbles bearing a targeting moiety were prepared and compared with nontargeted microbubbles. Microbubble targeting efficiency to endothelial adhesion molecules (P-selectin or intercellular adhesion molecule [ICAM]-1) was tested using in vitro flow chamber studies, intravital microscopy of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-stimulated murine cremaster muscle, and targeted contrast ultrasound imaging of P-selectin in a model of murine limb ischemia. Ultrasound-mediated transfection of luciferase reporter plasmid charge coupled to microbubbles in the post-ischemic hindlimb muscle was assessed by in vivo optical imaging. Charge coupling of cDNA to the microbubble surface was not influenced by the presence of targeting ligand, and did not alter the cavitation properties of cationic microbubbles. In flow chamber studies, surface conjugation of cDNA did not affect attachment of targeted microbubbles at microvascular shear stresses (0.6 and 1.5 dyne/cm(2)). Attachment in vivo was also not affected by cDNA according to intravital microscopy observations of venular adhesion of ICAM-1-targeted microbubbles and by ultrasound molecular imaging of P-selectin-targeted microbubbles in the post-ischemic hindlimb in mice. Transfection at the site of high acoustic pressures (1.0 and 1.8 MPa) was similar for control and P-selectin-targeted microbubbles but was associated with vascular rupture and hemorrhage. At 0.6 MPa

  15. FE modeling of Cu wire bond process and reliability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yuan, C.A.; Weltevreden, E.R.; Akker, P. van den; Kregting, R.; Vreugd, J. de; Zhang, G.Q.

    2011-01-01

    Copper based wire bonding technology is widely accepted by electronic packaging industry due to the world-wide cost reduction actions (compared to gold wire bond). However, the mechanical characterization of copper wire differs from the gold wire; hence the new wire bond process setting and new bond

  16. Monitoring and evaluation of wire mesh forming life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enemuoh, Emmanuel U.; Zhao, Ping; Kadlec, Alec

    2018-03-01

    Forming tables are used with stainless steel wire mesh conveyor belts to produce variety of products. The forming tables will typically run continuously for several days, with some hours of scheduled downtime for maintenance, cleaning and part replacement after several weeks of operation. The wire mesh conveyor belts show large variation in their remaining life due to associated variations in their nominal thicknesses. Currently the industry is dependent on seasoned operators to determine the replacement time for the wire mesh formers. The drawback of this approach is inconsistency in judgements made by different operators and lack of data knowledge that can be used to develop decision making system that will be more consistent with wire mesh life prediction and replacement time. In this study, diagnostic measurements about the health of wire mesh former is investigated and developed. The wire mesh quality characteristics considered are thermal measurement, tension property, gage thickness, and wire mesh wear. The results show that real time thermal sensor and wear measurements would provide suitable data for the estimation of wire mesh failure, therefore, can be used as a diagnostic parameter for developing structural health monitoring (SHM) system for stainless steel wire mesh formers.

  17. Gene expression analysis of mouse embryonic stem cells following levitation in an ultrasound standing wave trap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazou, Despina; Kearney, Roisin; Mansergh, Fiona; Bourdon, Celine; Farrar, Jane; Wride, Michael

    2011-02-01

    In the present paper, gene expression analysis of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells levitated in a novel ultrasound standing wave trap (USWT) (Bazou et al. 2005a) at variable acoustic pressures (0.08-0.85 MPa) and times (5-60 min) was performed. Our results showed that levitation of ES cells at the highest employed acoustic pressure for 60 min does not modify gene expression and cells maintain their pluripotency. Embryoid bodies (EBs) also expressed the early and late neural differentiation markers, which were also unaffected by the acoustic field. Our results suggest that the ultrasound trap microenvironment is minimally invasive as the biologic consequences of ES cell replication and EB differentiation proceed without significantly affecting gene expression. The technique holds great promise in safe cell manipulation techniques for a variety of applications including tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2011 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Electric wiring domestic

    CERN Document Server

    Coker, A J

    1992-01-01

    Electric Wiring: Domestic, Tenth Edition, is a clear and reliable guide to the practical aspects of domestic electric wiring. Intended for electrical contractors, installation engineers, wiremen and students, its aim is to provide essential up to date information on modern methods and materials in a simple, clear, and concise manner. The main changes in this edition are those necessary to bring the work into line with the 16th Edition of the Regulations for Electrical Installations issued by the Institution of Electrical Engineers. The book begins by introducing the basic features of domestic

  19. Micro Wire-Drawing: Experiments And Modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berti, G. A.; Monti, M.; Bietresato, M.; D'Angelo, L.

    2007-01-01

    In the paper, the authors propose to adopt the micro wire-drawing as a key for investigating models of micro forming processes. The reasons of this choice arose in the fact that this process can be considered a quasi-stationary process where tribological conditions at the interface between the material and the die can be assumed to be constant during the whole deformation. Two different materials have been investigated: i) a low-carbon steel and, ii) a nonferrous metal (copper). The micro hardness and tensile tests performed on each drawn wire show a thin hardened layer (more evident then in macro wires) on the external surface of the wire and hardening decreases rapidly from the surface layer to the center. For the copper wire this effect is reduced and traditional material constitutive model seems to be adequate to predict experimentation. For the low-carbon steel a modified constitutive material model has been proposed and implemented in a FE code giving a better agreement with the experiments

  20. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... ultrasound. top of page How does the procedure work? Ultrasound imaging is based on the same principles ... modality for the diagnosis and monitoring of pregnant women and their unborn babies. Ultrasound provides real-time ...

  1. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... of page How is the procedure performed? For most ultrasound exams, you will be positioned lying face- ... Ultrasound examinations are painless and easily tolerated by most patients. Ultrasound exams in which the transducer is ...

  2. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Conventional ultrasound displays the images in thin, flat sections of the body. Advancements in ultrasound technology include three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound that formats ...

  3. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... D images. A Doppler ultrasound study may be part of an ultrasound examination. Doppler ultrasound , also called ... terms of the distance traveled per unit of time, rather than as a color picture. It can ...

  4. Seeded perturbations in wire array Z-Pinches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, Allen Conrad; Fedin, Dmitry; Kantsyrev, Victor Leonidovich; Wunsch, Scott Edward; Oliver, Bryan Velten; Lebedev, Sergey V.; Coverdale, Christine Anne; Ouart, Nicholas D.; LePell, Paul David; Safronova, Alla S.; Shrestha, I.; McKenney, John Lee; Ampleford, David J.; Rapley, J.; Bott, S.C.; Palmer, J.B.A.; Sotnikov, Vladimir Isaakovich; Bland, Simon Nicholas; Ivanov, Vladimir V.; Chittenden, Jeremy Paul; Jones, B.; Garasi, Christopher Joseph; Hall, Gareth Neville; Yilmaz, M. Faith; Mehlhorn, Thomas Alan; Deeney, Christopher; Pokala, S.; Nalajala, V.

    2005-01-01

    Controlled seeding of perturbations is employed to study the evolution of wire array z-pinch implosion instabilities which strongly impact x-ray production when the 3D plasma stagnates on axis. Wires modulated in radius exhibit locally enhanced magnetic field and imploding bubble formation at discontinuities in wire radius due to the perturbed current path. Wires coated with localized spectroscopic dopants are used to track turbulent material flow. Experiments and MHD modeling offer insight into the behavior of z-pinch instabilities.

  5. An experimental system for the study of ultrasound exposure of isolated blood vessels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tokarczyk, Anna; Rivens, Ian; Symonds-Tayler, Richard; Ter Haar, Gail; Van Bavel, E

    2013-01-01

    An experimental system designed for the study of the effects of diagnostic or therapeutic ultrasound exposure on isolated blood vessels in the presence or absence of intraluminal contrast agent is described. The system comprised several components. A microscope was used to monitor vessel size (and thus vessel functionality), and potential leakage of intraluminal 70 kDa FITC-dextran fluorescence marker. A vessel chamber allowed the mounting of an isolated vessel whilst maintaining its viability, with pressure regulation for the control of intraluminal pressure and induction of flow for the infusion of contrast microbubbles. A fibre-optic hydrophone sensor mounted on the vessel chamber using a micromanipulator allowed pre-exposure targeting of the vessel to within 150 µm, and monitoring of acoustic cavitation emissions during exposures. Acoustic cavitation was also detected using changes in the ultrasound drive voltage and by detection of audible emissions using a submerged microphone. The suitability of this system for studying effects in the isolated vessel model has been demonstrated using a pilot study of 6 sham exposed and 18 high intensity focused ultrasound exposed vessels, with or without intraluminal contrast agent (SonoVue) within the vessels. (paper)

  6. Multi-stage low-pressure avalanche chamber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zanevskij, Yu.V.; Peshekhonov, V.D.; Smykov, L.P.

    1985-01-01

    A multi-stage avalanche-chamber filled with isobutane operating at the pressure of 6 torr is described. The chamber comprises an amplifying gap, drift gap and multiwire proportional chamber with interelectrode gaps equal to 4 mm. The anode plane of the proportional chamber is winded of wire 2 μm in diameter with 2 mm pitch. The cathode are winded orthogonally to anode wires of wire 50 μm in diameter with 1 mm pitch. Drift and preamplifier gaps are formed by grid electrodes made of wire 50 μm in diameter with dimension of the cell equal to 1x1 mm. Width of the drift gap is 5 mm, width of the preamplification gap is 3 or 9 mm. Coordinate data are removed from the cathodes of the proportional chamber by means of delay lines. Sensitive square of the chamber equals 240x180 mm. Gas gain coefficient is 3x10 6 at its square nonuniformity equal to approximately 3%. Spatial resolution by both coordinates equals 170 μm; spatial resolution for isotropic α-emitters located close to the preamplifier gap is equal to 500 μm

  7. 29 CFR 1926.404 - Wiring design and protection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    .... Receptacles on a two-wire, single-phase portable or vehicle-mounted generator rated not more than 5kW, where the circuit conductors of the generator are insulated from the generator frame and all other grounded... wiring shall be grounded: (i) Three-wire DC systems. All 3-wire DC systems shall have their neutral...

  8. Influence of thermodynamic properties of a thermo-acoustic emitter on the efficiency of thermal airborne ultrasound generation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daschewski, M; Kreutzbruck, M; Prager, J

    2015-12-01

    In this work we experimentally verify the theoretical prediction of the recently published Energy Density Fluctuation Model (EDF-model) of thermo-acoustic sound generation. Particularly, we investigate experimentally the influence of thermal inertia of an electrically conductive film on the efficiency of thermal airborne ultrasound generation predicted by the EDF-model. Unlike widely used theories, the EDF-model predicts that the thermal inertia of the electrically conductive film is a frequency-dependent parameter. Its influence grows non-linearly with the increase of excitation frequency and reduces the efficiency of the ultrasound generation. Thus, this parameter is the major limiting factor for the efficient thermal airborne ultrasound generation in the MHz-range. To verify this theoretical prediction experimentally, five thermo-acoustic emitter samples consisting of Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO) coatings of different thicknesses (from 65 nm to 1.44 μm) on quartz glass substrates were tested for airborne ultrasound generation in a frequency range from 10 kHz to 800 kHz. For the measurement of thermally generated sound pressures a laser Doppler vibrometer combined with a 12 μm thin polyethylene foil was used as the sound pressure detector. All tested thermo-acoustic emitter samples showed a resonance-free frequency response in the entire tested frequency range. The thermal inertia of the heat producing film acts as a low-pass filter and reduces the generated sound pressure with the increasing excitation frequency and the ITO film thickness. The difference of generated sound pressure levels for samples with 65 nm and 1.44 μm thickness is in the order of about 6 dB at 50 kHz and of about 12 dB at 500 kHz. A comparison of sound pressure levels measured experimentally and those predicted by the EDF-model shows for all tested emitter samples a relative error of less than ±6%. Thus, experimental results confirm the prediction of the EDF-model and show that the model can

  9. Acoustic Emission from Elevator Wire Ropes During Tensile Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Wenjie; Chai, Mengyu; Li, Lichan; Li, Yongquan; Duan, Quan

    The acoustic emission (AE) technique was used to monitor the tensile testing process for two kinds of elevator wire ropes in our work. The AE signals from wire breaks were obtained and analyzed by AE parameters and waveforms. The results showed that AE technique can be a useful tool to monitor wire break phenomenon of wire ropes and effectively capture information of wire break signal. The relationship between AE signal characteristics and wire breaks is investigated and it is found that the most effective acoustic signal discriminators are amplitude and absolute energy. Moreover, the wire break signal of two kinds of ropes is a type of burst signal and it is believed that the waveform and spectrum can be applied to analyze the AE wire break signals.

  10. SU-G-JeP3-08: Robotic System for Ultrasound Tracking in Radiation Therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuhlemann, I [University of Luebeck, Luebeck (Germany); Graduate School for Computing in Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Luebeck (Germany); Jauer, P; Schweikard, A; Ernst, F [University of Luebeck, Luebeck (Germany)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: For safe and accurate real-time tracking of tumors for IGRT using 4D ultrasound, it is necessary to make use of novel, high-end force-sensitive lightweight robots designed for human-machine interaction. Such a robot will be integrated into an existing robotized ultrasound system for non-invasive 4D live tracking, using a newly developed real-time control and communication framework. Methods: The new KUKA LWR iiwa robot is used for robotized ultrasound real-time tumor tracking. Besides more precise probe contact pressure detection, this robot provides an additional 7th link, enhancing the dexterity of the kinematic and the mounted transducer. Several integrated, certified safety features create a safe environment for the patients during treatment. However, to remotely control the robot for the ultrasound application, a real-time control and communication framework has to be developed. Based on a client/server concept, client-side control commands are received and processed by a central server unit and are implemented by a client module running directly on the robot’s controller. Several special functionalities for robotized ultrasound applications are integrated and the robot can now be used for real-time control of the image quality by adjusting the transducer position, and contact pressure. The framework was evaluated looking at overall real-time capability for communication and processing of three different standard commands. Results: Due to inherent, certified safety modules, the new robot ensures a safe environment for patients during tumor tracking. Furthermore, the developed framework shows overall real-time capability with a maximum average latency of 3.6 ms (Minimum 2.5 ms; 5000 trials). Conclusion: The novel KUKA LBR iiwa robot will advance the current robotized ultrasound tracking system with important features. With the developed framework, it is now possible to remotely control this robot and use it for robotized ultrasound tracking

  11. SU-G-JeP3-08: Robotic System for Ultrasound Tracking in Radiation Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuhlemann, I; Jauer, P; Schweikard, A; Ernst, F

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: For safe and accurate real-time tracking of tumors for IGRT using 4D ultrasound, it is necessary to make use of novel, high-end force-sensitive lightweight robots designed for human-machine interaction. Such a robot will be integrated into an existing robotized ultrasound system for non-invasive 4D live tracking, using a newly developed real-time control and communication framework. Methods: The new KUKA LWR iiwa robot is used for robotized ultrasound real-time tumor tracking. Besides more precise probe contact pressure detection, this robot provides an additional 7th link, enhancing the dexterity of the kinematic and the mounted transducer. Several integrated, certified safety features create a safe environment for the patients during treatment. However, to remotely control the robot for the ultrasound application, a real-time control and communication framework has to be developed. Based on a client/server concept, client-side control commands are received and processed by a central server unit and are implemented by a client module running directly on the robot’s controller. Several special functionalities for robotized ultrasound applications are integrated and the robot can now be used for real-time control of the image quality by adjusting the transducer position, and contact pressure. The framework was evaluated looking at overall real-time capability for communication and processing of three different standard commands. Results: Due to inherent, certified safety modules, the new robot ensures a safe environment for patients during tumor tracking. Furthermore, the developed framework shows overall real-time capability with a maximum average latency of 3.6 ms (Minimum 2.5 ms; 5000 trials). Conclusion: The novel KUKA LBR iiwa robot will advance the current robotized ultrasound tracking system with important features. With the developed framework, it is now possible to remotely control this robot and use it for robotized ultrasound tracking

  12. Superconducting wires and methods of making thereof

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Xingchen; Sumption, Michael D.; Peng, Xuan

    2018-03-13

    Disclosed herein are superconducting wires. The superconducting wires can comprise a metallic matrix and at least one continuous subelement embedded in the matrix. Each subelement can comprise a non-superconducting core, a superconducting layer coaxially disposed around the non-superconducting core, and a barrier layer coaxially disposed around the superconducting layer. The superconducting layer can comprise a plurality of Nb.sub.3Sn grains stabilized by metal oxide particulates disposed therein. The Nb.sub.3Sn grains can have an average grain size of from 5 nm to 90 nm (for example, from 15 nm to 30 nm). The superconducting wire can have a high-field critical current density (J.sub.c) of at least 5,000 A/mm.sup.2 at a temperature of 4.2 K in a magnetic field of 12 T. Also described are superconducting wire precursors that can be heat treated to prepare superconducting wires, as well as methods of making superconducting wires.

  13. Impedance Characterisation of the SPS Wire Scanner

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(CDS)2091911; Prof. Sillanpää, Mika

    As a beam diagnostic tool, the SPS wire scanner interacts with the proton bunches traversing the vacuum pipes of the Super Proton Synchrotron particle accelerator. Following the interaction, the bunches decelerate or experience momentum kicks off-axis and couple energy to the cavity walls, resonances and to the diagnostic tool, the scanning wire. The beam coupling impedance and, in particular, the beam induced heating of the wire motivate the characterisation and redesign of the SPS wire scanner. In this thesis, we characterise RF-wise the low frequency modes of the SPS wire scanner. These have the highest contribution to the impedance. We measure the cavity modes in terms of resonance frequency and quality factor by traditional measurement techniques and data analysis. We carry out a 4-port measurement to evaluate the beam coupling to the scanning wire, that yields the spectral heating power. If combined with the simulations, one is able to extract the beam coupling impedance and deduce the spectral dissipa...

  14. A review of various nozzle range of wire arc spray on FeCrBMnSi metal coating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purwaningsih, Hariyati; Rochiem, Rochman; Suchaimi, Muhammad; Jatimurti, Wikan; Wibisono, Alvian Toto; Kurniawan, Budi Agung

    2018-04-01

    Low Temperature Hot Corrosion (LTHC) is type of hot corrosion which occurred on 700-800°C and usually on turbine blades. So, as a result the material of turbine blades is crack and degredation of rotation efficiency. Hot corrosion protection with the use of barrier that separate substrate and environment is one of using metal surface coating, wire arc spray method. This study has a purpose to analyze the effect of nozzle distance and gas pressure on FeCrBMnSi coating process using wire arc spray method on thermal resistance. The parameter of nozzle distance and gas pressure are used, resulted the best parameter on distance 400 mm and gas pressure 3 bar which has the bond strength of 12,58 MPa with porosity percentage of 5,93% and roughness values of 16,36 µm. While the examination of thermal cycle which by heating and cooling continuously, on the coating surface is formed oxide compound (Fe3O4) which cause formed crack propagation and delamination. Beside that hardness of coating surface is increase which caused by precipitate boride (Fe9B)0,2

  15. Body of Knowledge (BOK) for Copper Wire Bonds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutkowski, E.; Sampson, M. J.

    2015-01-01

    Copper wire bonds have replaced gold wire bonds in the majority of commercial semiconductor devices for the latest technology nodes. Although economics has been the driving mechanism to lower semiconductor packaging costs for a savings of about 20% by replacing gold wire bonds with copper, copper also has materials property advantages over gold. When compared to gold, copper has approximately: 25% lower electrical resistivity, 30% higher thermal conductivity, 75% higher tensile strength and 45% higher modulus of elasticity. Copper wire bonds on aluminum bond pads are also more mechanically robust over time and elevated temperature due to the slower intermetallic formation rate - approximately 1/100th that of the gold to aluminum intermetallic formation rate. However, there are significant tradeoffs with copper wire bonding - copper has twice the hardness of gold which results in a narrower bonding manufacturing process window and requires that the semiconductor companies design more mechanically rigid bonding pads to prevent cratering to both the bond pad and underlying chip structure. Furthermore, copper is significantly more prone to corrosion issues. The semiconductor packaging industry has responded to this corrosion concern by creating a palladium coated copper bonding wire, which is more corrosion resistant than pure copper bonding wire. Also, the selection of the device molding compound is critical because use of environmentally friendly green compounds can result in internal CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion) mismatches with the copper wire bonds that can eventually lead to device failures during thermal cycling. Despite the difficult problems associated with the changeover to copper bonding wire, there are billions of copper wire bonded devices delivered annually to customers. It is noteworthy that Texas Instruments announced in October of 2014 that they are shipping microcircuits containing copper wire bonds for safety critical automotive applications

  16. Ablation of benign prostatic hyperplasia using microbubble-mediated ultrasound cavitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Tao; Liu, Zheng

    2010-04-01

    Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a world-wide common disease in elderly male patients. A number of invasive physiotherapies have been used to replace prostatectomy. In this article we report our hypothesis of using microbubbles-mediated ultrasound cavitation effects to ablate prostatic tissues. Microbubble ultrasound contrast agent is widely used contrast media in ultrasonography, yet it is also found to act as cavitation nuclei or enhancer. Once excited by a high peak pressure ultrasound pulse, the mechanical effects, like shock wave and microstream, released from cavitation could produce a series of bioeffects, contributing to sonoporation, microvascular rupture and hematoma. BPH is known to have hyperplastic neovasculature and this make it possible to be disrupted by the physical effects of cavitation under existing microbubbles in circulation. Mechanical ablation of prostatic capillary or small vessels could result in pathological alterations such as thrombosis, micro-circulation blockage, prostatic necrosis and atrophia. Thereupon it could effectively treat BPH by nontraumatic ways. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Mirizzi Syndrome with Endoscopic Ultrasound Image

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Rayapudi

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available We describe a 66-year-old Caucasian man with type 1 Mirizzi syndrome diagnosed on endoscopic ultrasound. He presented with acute onset of jaundice, malaise, dark urine over 3-4 days, and was found to have obstructive jaundice on lab testing. CT scan of the abdomen showed intrahepatic biliary ductal dilation, a 1.5 cm common bile duct (CBD above the pancreas, and possible stones in the CBD, but no masses. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP by a community gastroenterologist failed to cannulate the CBD. At the University Center, type 1 Mirizzi syndrome was noted on endoscopic ultrasound with narrowing of the CBD with extrinsic compression from cystic duct stone. During repeat ERCP, the CBD could be cannulated over the pancreatic duct wire. A mid CBD narrowing, distal CBD stones, proximal CBD and extrahepatic duct dilation were noted, and biliary sphincterotomy was performed. A small stone in the distal CBD was removed with an extraction balloon. The cystic duct stone was moved with the biliary balloon into the CBD, mechanical basket lithotripsy was performed and stone fragments were delivered out with an extraction balloon. The patient was seen 7 weeks later in the clinic. Skin and scleral icterus had cleared up and he is scheduled for an elective cholecystectomy. Mirizzi syndrome refers to biliary obstruction resulting from impacted stone in the cystic duct or neck of the gallbladder and commonly presents with obstructive jaundice. Type 1 does not have cholecystocholedochal fistulas, but they present in types 2, 3 and 4. Surgery is the mainstay of therapy. Endoscopic treatment is effective and can also be used as a temporizing measure or definitive treatment in poor surgical risk candidates.

  18. Ultrasound in Space Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulchavsky, Scott A.; Sargsyan, A.E.

    2009-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews the use of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in microgravity environments. The goals of research in ultrasound usage in space environments are: (1) Determine accuracy of ultrasound in novel clinical conditions. (2) Determine optimal training methodologies, (3) Determine microgravity associated changes and (4) Develop intuitive ultrasound catalog to enhance autonomous medical care. Also uses of Ultrasound technology in terrestrial applications are reviewed.

  19. Effects of different hydrostatic pressure on lesions in ex vivo bovine livers induced by high intensity focused ultrasound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Min; Zhong, Zhiqiang; Li, Xing; Gong, Xiaobo; Wang, Zhibiao; Li, Faqi

    2017-05-01

    It is well-known that acoustic cavitation associated with the high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment often would change the morphology and size of lesions in its treatment. In most studies reported in literature, high ambient hydrostatic pressure was used to suppress the cavitation completely. Investigation of the effects by varying the ambient hydrostatic pressure (P stat ) is still lacking. In this paper, the effects of HIFU on lesions in ex vivo bovine liver specimens under various P stat are systematically investigated. A 1MHz HIFU transducer, with an aperture diameter of 70mm and a focal length of 55mm, was used to generate two groups US exposure of different acoustic intensities and exposure time (6095W/cm 2 ×8s and 9752W/cm 2 ×5s), while keeping the same acoustic energies per unit area (48760J/cm 2 ). The peak acoustic negative pressures (p - ) of the two groups were p 1 - =9.58MPa and p 2 - =10.82MPa, respectively, with the difference p d - =p 2 - -p 1 - =1.24MPa. A passive cavitation detection (PCD) was used to monitor the ultrasonic cavitation signal during exposure of the two groups. The US exposures were done under the following ambient hydrostatic pressures, P stat : atmospheric pressure, 0.5MPa, 1.0MPa, 1.5MPa, 2.0MPa, 2.5MPa and3.0MPa, respectively. The result of PCD showed that there was a statistically significant increase above background noise level in broadband emissions at dose of 9752W/cm 2 ×5s, but not at dose of 6095W/cm 2 ×8s under atmospheric pressure; i.e., the acoustic cavitation took place for p 2 - but not for p 1 - when under atmospheric pressure. The results also showed that there was no statistically difference of the morphology and size of lesions for 6095W/cm 2 ×8s exposure under the aforementioned different ambient hydrostatic pressures. But the lesions generated at 9752W/cm 2 ×5s exposure under P stat =atmospheric pressure, 0.5MPa, 1.0MPa (all of them are less than p d - ), were larger than those under 1.5MPa

  20. Numerical modelling of ozone production in a wire-cylinder corona discharge and comparison with a wire-plate corona discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Pengxiang; Chen Junhong

    2009-01-01

    The effect of electrode configuration on ozone production in the direct-current corona discharge of dry and humid air is studied by a numerical model that combines the electron distribution in the corona plasma, plasma chemistry and transport phenomena. Two electrode configurations are considered: wire-cylinder discharge with air flowing along the wire axis and wire-plate discharge with air flowing transverse to the wire. The ozone distributions in both types of discharges are compared. For both electrode configurations, the ozone production rate is higher in the negative corona than in the positive corona and it decreases with an increase in relative humidity. More importantly, the detailed ozone distribution in the neighbourhood of the discharge wire, together with the ozone kinetics, reveals the possible difference in the ozone production from the two discharges. With the same operating conditions and sufficiently short flow residence time, the ozone production rate is nearly the same for both electrode configurations. When the flow residence time is longer than the characteristic time for homogeneous ozone destruction, the net ozone production is higher in the wire-cylinder discharge than in the wire-plate discharge due to relatively less ozone destruction.

  1. Numerical modelling of ozone production in a wire-cylinder corona discharge and comparison with a wire-plate corona discharge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Pengxiang; Chen, Junhong

    2009-02-01

    The effect of electrode configuration on ozone production in the direct-current corona discharge of dry and humid air is studied by a numerical model that combines the electron distribution in the corona plasma, plasma chemistry and transport phenomena. Two electrode configurations are considered: wire-cylinder discharge with air flowing along the wire axis and wire-plate discharge with air flowing transverse to the wire. The ozone distributions in both types of discharges are compared. For both electrode configurations, the ozone production rate is higher in the negative corona than in the positive corona and it decreases with an increase in relative humidity. More importantly, the detailed ozone distribution in the neighbourhood of the discharge wire, together with the ozone kinetics, reveals the possible difference in the ozone production from the two discharges. With the same operating conditions and sufficiently short flow residence time, the ozone production rate is nearly the same for both electrode configurations. When the flow residence time is longer than the characteristic time for homogeneous ozone destruction, the net ozone production is higher in the wire-cylinder discharge than in the wire-plate discharge due to relatively less ozone destruction.

  2. A high-pressure MWPC detector for crystallography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ortuno-Prados, F.; Bazzano, A.; Berry, A.

    1999-01-01

    The application of the Multi-Wire Proportional Counter (MWPC) as a potential detector for protein crystallography and other wide-angle diffraction experiments is presented. Electrostatic problems found with our large area MWPC when operated at high pressure are discussed. We suggest that a solution...

  3. Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Jugular Venous Pressure Assessment: Live and Online Learning Compared.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Socransky, Steve; Lang, Eddy; Bryce, Rhonda; Betz, Martin

    2017-06-08

    Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a novel technique for the assessment of jugular venous pressure. Distance education may allow for efficient dissemination of this technique. We compared online learning to a live course for teaching ultrasonography jugular venous pressure (u-JVP) to determine if these teaching methods yielded different levels of comfort with and use of u-JVP. This was an interventional trial of Canadian emergency physicians who had taken a basic POCUS course. The participants were in one of three Groups: online learning (Group OL), live teaching (Group LT), control (Group C). Group LT participants also took an advanced course prior to the study that included instruction in u-JVP. The participants who took the basic course were randomized to Group OL or Group C. Group OL was subject to the intervention, online learning. Group C only received an article citation regarding u-JVP. Questionnaires were completed before and after the intervention. The primary outcome was physician self-reported use and comfort with the technique of u-JVP after online learning compared to live teaching. Of the 287 advanced course participants, 42 completed the questionnaires (Group LT). Of the 3303 basic course participants, 47 who were assigned to Group OL completed the questionnaires and 47 from Group C completed the questionnaires. Use of u-JVP increased significantly in Group OL (from 15% to 55%) and Group C (from 21% to 47%) with the intervention. The comfort with use did not differ between Group LT and Group OL (p=0.14). The frequency of use remained higher in Group LT than Group OL (p=0.07). Online learning increases the use and comfort with performing u-JVP for emergency physicians with prior POCUS experience. Although the comfort with use of u-JVP was similar in Groups LT and OL, online learning appears to yield levels of use that are less than those of a live course.

  4. Fabrication of tungsten wire needles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roder, A.

    1983-02-01

    Fine point needles for field emissoin are conventionally produced by electrolytically or chemically etching tungsten wire. Points formed in this manner have a typical tip radius of about 0.5 microns and a cone angle of some 30 degrees. The construction of needle matrix detector chambers has created a need for tungsten needles whose specifications are: 20 mil tungsten wire, 1.5 inch total length, 3 mm-long taper (resulting in a cone angle of about 5 degrees), and 25 micron-radius point (similar to that found on sewing needles). In the process described here for producing such needles, tungsten wire, immersed in a NaOH solution and in the presence of an electrode, is connected first to an ac voltage and then to a dc supply, to form a taper and a point on the end of the wire immersed in the solution. The process parameters described here are for needles that will meet the above specifications. Possible variations will be discussed under each approprite heading

  5. Slug to churn transition analysis using wire-mesh sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    H. F. Velasco, P.; Ortiz-Vidal, L. E.; Rocha, D. M.; Rodriguez, O. M. H.

    2016-06-01

    A comparison between some theoretical slug to churn flow-pattern transition models and experimental data is performed. The flow-pattern database considers vertical upward air-water flow at standard temperature and pressure for 50 mm and 32 mm ID pipes. A briefly description of the models and its phenomenology is presented. In general, the performance of the transition models is poor. We found that new experimental studies describing objectively both stable and unstable slug flow-pattern are required. In this sense, the Wire Mesh Sensor (WMS) can assist to that aim. The potential of the WMS is outlined.

  6. Using the adaptive SMA composite cylinder concept to reduce radial dilation in composite pressure vessels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paine, Jeffrey S.; Rogers, Craig A.

    1995-05-01

    Composite materials are widely used in the design of pressurized gas and fluid vessels for applications ranging from underground gasoline storage tanks to rocket motors for the space shuttle. In the design of a high pressure composite vessel (Pi > 12 Ksi), thick-wall (R/h short term dilation and long term creep are not problematic for applications requiring only the containment of the pressurized fluid. In applications where metallic liners are required, however, substantial dilation and creep causes plastic yielding which leads to reduced fatigue life. To applications such as a hydraulic accumulator, where a piston is employed to fit and seal the fluid in the composite cylinder, the dilation and creep may allow leakage and pressure loss around the piston. A concept called the adaptive composite cylinder is experimentally presented. Shape memory alloy wire in epoxy resin is wrapped around or within polymer matrix composite cylinders to reduce radial dilation of the cylinder. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the ability of the SMA wire layers to reduce radial dilation. Results from experimental testing of the recovery stress fatigue response of nitinol shape memory alloy wires is also presented.

  7. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... through blood vessels. Ultrasound imaging is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. There are three types of pelvic ultrasound: ...

  8. External wire-frame fixation of digital skin grafts: a non-invasive alternative to the K-wire insertion method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Chenyu; Ogawa, Rei; Hyakusoku, Hiko

    2014-08-01

    The current skin graft fixation methods for digits, including the Kirschner wire insertion technique, can be limited by inadequate or excessive fixation and complications such as infection or secondary injuries. Therefore, the external wire-frame fixation method was invented and used for skin grafting of digits. This study aimed to investigate external wire-frame fixation of digital skin grafts as a non-invasive alternative to the K-wire insertion method. In 2005-2012, 15 patients with burn scar contractures on the hand digits received a skin graft that was then fixed with an external wire frame. The intra-operative time needed to make the wire frame, the postoperative time to frame and suture removal, the graft survival rate, the effect of contracture release and the complications were recorded. In all cases, the contracture release was 100%. The complete graft survival rate was 98.6%. Four patients had epithelial necrosis in wire-frame fixation is simple, minimally invasive and a custom-made technique for skin grafting of the fingers. It was designed for its potential benefits and the decreased risk it poses to patients with scar contractures on their fingers. It can be implemented in three phases of grafting, does not affect the epiphyseal line or subsequent finger growth and is suitable for children with multi-digit involvement. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  9. Ultrasound for critical care physicians: tiny bubbles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aslam K

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available No abstract available. Article truncated after first page. A 59 year old woman with a past medical history significant for stage IV MALT lymphoma (after chemotherapy and in remission presented from a long term care facility for respiratory distress and altered mental status. The patient was in hypercarbic respiratory failure with a severe lactic acidosis. Her blood pressure deteriorated, she was begun on vasopressors and intubated. Pertinent labs demonstrated a white blood cell count of 0.9 X106 /ml, a hemoglobin of 7.1 g/dl, and a platelet count 66 X106 /ml. The patient was started on Cefepime and Linezolid presumptively for septic shock. Ultrasounds of her thorax were performed (Videos 1 & 2. What is the best explanation for the ultrasound findings shown above?1. Large pleural effusion; 2. Pneumothorax; 3. Consolidation due to pneumonia; 4. Ruptured diaphragm; 5. Lung abscess

  10. Formation of plasma around wire fragments created by electrically exploded copper wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, Michael J.

    2002-01-01

    The physical processes occurring during the electrical explosion of metallic conductors has attracted interest for many years. Applications include circuit breakers, segmented lightning divertor strips for aircraft radomes, disruption of metallic shaped charge jets, plasma armatures for electromagnetic railguns and plasma generators for electrothermal-chemical guns. Recent work has cited the phenomenology of the fragmentation processes, particularly the development of a plasma around the lower resistance condensed fragments. An understanding of both the fragmentation process and the development of the accompanying formation of plasma is essential for the optimization of devices that utilize either of these phenomena. With the use of x-radiography and fast photography, this paper explores the wire explosion process, in particular the relationship between the fragmentation, plasma development and resistance rise that occurs during this period. A hypothesis is put forward to account for the development of plasma around the condensed wire fragments. Experimental parameters used in this study are defined. Wires studied were typically copper, with a diameter of 1 mm and length in excess of 150 mm. Circuit inductance used were from 26 to 800 μH. This relatively high circuit inductance gave circuit rise times less than 180 MA s -1 , slow with respect to many other exploding wire studies. Discharge duration ranged from 0.8 to 10 ms. (author)

  11. Ferromagnetic artificial pinning centers in multifilamentary superconducting wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, J.Q.; Rizzo, N.D.; Prober, D.E.

    1997-01-01

    The authors fabricated multifilamentary NbTi wires with ferromagnetic (FM) artificial pinning centers (APCs) to enhance the critical current density (J c ) in magnetic fields. They used a bundle and draw technique to process the APC wires with either Ni or Fe as the pinning centers. Both wires produced higher J c in the high field range (5-9 T) than previous non-magnetic APC wires similarly processed, even though the authors have not yet optimized pin percentage. Using a magnetometer they found that the pins remained ferromagnetic for the wires with maximum J c . However, they did observe a substantial loss of FM material for the wires where the pin diameter approached 3 nm. Thus, they expect further enhancement of J c with better pin quality

  12. Ultrahigh-strength submicron-sized metallic glass wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.B.; Lee, C.C.; Yi, J.; An, X.H.; Pan, M.X.; Xie, K.Y.; Liao, X.Z.; Cairney, J.M.; Ringer, S.P.; Wang, W.H.

    2014-01-01

    In situ deformation experiments were performed in a transmission electron microscope to investigate the mechanical properties of submicron-sized Pd 40 Cu 30 Ni 10 P 20 metallic glass (MG) wires. Results show that the submicron-sized MG wires exhibit intrinsic ultrahigh tensile strength of ∼2.8 GPa, which is nearly twice as high as that in their bulk counterpart, and ∼5% elastic strain approaching the elastic limits. The tensile strength, engineering strain at failure and deformation mode of the submicron-sized MG wires depend on the diameter of the wires

  13. Diamond wire cutting of heat exchangers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beckman, T.R.; Bjerler, J.

    1991-01-01

    With the change-out of equipment at nuclear power plants comes large quantities of low level contaminated metallic waste. Of particular concern are large heat exchangers, preheaters and steam generators. These bulky items consume huge volumes of burial space. The need for volume reduction and recycling of these metals has created new demands for 'how' to cut heat exchangers into useful sizes for decontamination, melting or compaction. This paper reviews the cutting solution provided by a diamond wire system, with particular regard for cutting of a Ringhals Preheater Bundle at Studsvik Nuclear in 1989. The background of diamond wire sawing is discussed and basic components of wire sawing are explained. Other examples of wire cutting decommissioned components are also given. (author)

  14. Prefraction displacement and intrafraction drift of the prostate due to perineal ultrasound probe pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Minglun; Hegemann, Nina-Sophie; Manapov, Farkhad; Kolberg, Anne; Thum, Patrick Dominik; Ganswindt, Ute; Belka, Claus [LMU Munich, Department of Radiation Oncology, Munich (Germany); Ballhausen, Hendrik [LMU Munich, Department of Radiation Oncology, Munich (Germany); University Hospital of LMU Munich, Munich (Germany)

    2017-06-15

    In image-guided EBRT of the prostate, transperineal ultrasound (US) probes exert pressure on the perineum both during planning and treatment. Through tissue deformation and relaxation, this causes target and risk organ displacement and drift. In this study, prefraction shift and intrafraction drift of the prostate are quantified during robotic transperineal 4DUS. The position of the prostate was recorded for different positions of the probe before treatment in 10 patients (16 series of measurements). During treatment (15 patients, 273 fractions), intrafraction motion of the prostate was tracked (total of 27 h and 24 min) with the transperineal probe in place. Per 1 mm shift of the US probe in the cranial direction, a displacement of the prostate by 0.42 ± 0.09 mm in the cranial direction was detected. The relationship was found to be linear (R{sup 2} = 0.97) and highly significant (p < 0.0001). After initial contact of the probe and the perineum (no pressure), a shift of the probe of about 5-10 mm was typically necessary to achieve good image quality, corresponding to a shift of the prostate of about 2-4 mm in the cranial direction. Tissue compression and prostate displacement were well visible. During treatment, the prostate drifted at an average rate of 0.075 mm/min in the cranial direction (p = 0.0014). The pressure applied by a perineal US probe has a quantitatively similar impact on prostate displacement as transabdominal pressure. Shifts are predominantly in the cranial direction (typically 2-4 mm) with some component in the anterior direction (typically <1 mm). Slight probe pressure can improve image quality, but excessive probe pressure can distort the surrounding anatomy and potentially move risk organs closer to the high-dose area. (orig.) [German] In der bildgefuehrten Strahlentherapie der Prostata ueben perineale Ultraschallkoepfe waehrend Planung und Behandlung Druck auf das Perineum aus. Durch Gewebedeformation verursacht dies Verschiebungen von

  15. Endoscopic Ultrasound Guided Rendezvous Drainage of Biliary Obstruction Using a New Flexible 19-Gauge Fine Needle Aspiration Needle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Zhouwen; Igbinomwanhia, Efehi; Elhanafi, Sherif; Othman, Mohamed O

    2016-01-01

    Background and Aim. A successful endoscopic ultrasound guided rendezvous (EUS-RV) biliary drainage is dependent on accurate puncture of the bile duct and precise guide wire manipulation across the ampulla of Vater. We aim to study the feasibility of using a flexible 19-gauge fine aspiration needle in the performance of EUS-RV biliary drainage. Method. This is a retrospective case series of EUS-RV biliary drainage procedures at a single center. Patients who failed ERCP during the same session for benign or malignant biliary obstruction underwent EUS-RV using a flexible, nitinol covered, 19-gauge needle for biliary access and guide wire manipulation. Result. 24 patients underwent EUS-RV biliary drainage via extrahepatic access while 1 attempt was via intrahepatic access. The technical success rate was 80%, including 83.3% of cases via extrahepatic access. There was no significant difference in success rate of inpatient and outpatient procedures, benign or malignant indications, or type of guide wire used. Adverse events included mild pancreatitis (3 patients) and cholangitis (1 patient). Conclusion. A flexible 19-gauge needle for biliary access can be safe and effective when used to perform EUS-RV biliary drainage. Direct comparison between the nitinol needle and conventional metal needles in the performance of EUS guided biliary drainage is needed.

  16. General Ultrasound Imaging

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... transducer sends out high-frequency sound waves (that the human ear cannot hear) into the body and then ... ultrasound , there are no known harmful effects on humans. top of page What are the limitations of General Ultrasound Imaging? Ultrasound waves are ...

  17. The status of commercial and developmental HTS wires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Masur, L.J.; Buczek, D.; Harley, E.; Kodenkandath, T.; Li, X.; Lynch, J.; Nguyen, N.; Rupich, M.; Schoop, U.; Scudiere, J.; Siegal, E.; Thieme, C.; Verebelyi, D.; Zhang, W.; Kellers, J

    2003-10-15

    This paper provides an update on the development, performance and application of first and second generation high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires fabricated at American Superconductor (AMSC). First generation, multifilamentary composite wire is available commercially today in different viable product forms. This conductor carries 140 x the current of copper of the same cross-section, and is robust enough to stand tough industrial requirements. Second generation HTS wires, having a coated conductor composite architecture, are under development today and achieved substantial progress recently. AMSC's first generation wire will continue as the workhorse of the industry for the next 3-4 years while AMSC's second generation coated conductor wire is on track to be reproducible, uniform, scalable, and low cost. This paper provides a product differentiation with a view on the application of HTS wire in the electric power sector. Basic engineering data is reviewed that shall aid the engineer in the selection of the HTS wire product.

  18. Wired to freedom

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jepsen, Kim Sune Karrasch; Bertilsson, Margareta

    2017-01-01

    dimension of life science through a notion of public politics adopted from the political theory of John Dewey. We show how cochlear implantation engages different social imaginaries on the collective and individual levels and we suggest that users share an imaginary of being “wired to freedom” that involves...... new access to social life, continuous communicative challenges, common practices, and experiences. In looking at their lives as “wired to freedom,” we hope to promote a wider spectrum of civic participation in the benefit of future life science developments within and beyond the field of Cochlear...

  19. Heat Transfer Analysis in Wire Bundles for Aerospace Vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickman, S. L.; Iamello, C. J.

    2016-01-01

    Design of wiring for aerospace vehicles relies on an understanding of "ampacity" which refers to the current carrying capacity of wires, either, individually or in wire bundles. Designers rely on standards to derate allowable current flow to prevent exceedance of wire temperature limits due to resistive heat dissipation within the wires or wire bundles. These standards often add considerable margin and are based on empirical data. Commercial providers are taking an aggressive approach to wire sizing which challenges the conventional wisdom of the established standards. Thermal modelling of wire bundles may offer significant mass reduction in a system if the technique can be generalized to produce reliable temperature predictions for arbitrary bundle configurations. Thermal analysis has been applied to the problem of wire bundles wherein any or all of the wires within the bundle may carry current. Wire bundles present analytical challenges because the heat transfer path from conductors internal to the bundle is tortuous, relying on internal radiation and thermal interface conductance to move the heat from within the bundle to the external jacket where it can be carried away by convective and radiative heat transfer. The problem is further complicated by the dependence of wire electrical resistivity on temperature. Reduced heat transfer out of the bundle leads to higher conductor temperatures and, hence, increased resistive heat dissipation. Development of a generalized wire bundle thermal model is presented and compared with test data. The steady state heat balance for a single wire is derived and extended to the bundle configuration. The generalized model includes the effects of temperature varying resistance, internal radiation and thermal interface conductance, external radiation and temperature varying convective relief from the free surface. The sensitivity of the response to uncertainties in key model parameters is explored using Monte Carlo analysis.

  20. Thermosonic wire bonding of gold wire onto copper pad using the saturated interfacial phenomena

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeng, Yeau-Ren; Aoh, Jong-Hing; Wang, Chang-Ming

    2001-12-01

    Copper has been used to replace conventional aluminium interconnection to improve the performance of deep submicron integrated circuits. This study used the saturated interfacial phenomena found in thermosonic ball bonding of gold wire onto aluminium pad to investigate thermosonic ball bonding of gold wire onto copper pad. The effects of preheat temperatures and ultrasonic powers on the bonding force were investigated by using a thermosonic bonding machine and a shear tester. This work shows that under proper preheat temperatures, the bonding force of thermosonic wire bonding can be explained based on interfacial microcontact phenomena such as energy intensity, interfacial temperature and real contact area. It is clearly shown that as the energy intensity is increased, the shear force increases, reaches a maximum, and then decreases. After saturation, i.e. the establishment of maximum atomic bonding, any type of additional energy input will damage the bonding, decreasing the shear force. If the preheat temperature is not within the proper range, the interfacial saturation phenomenon does not exist. For a preload of 0.5 N and a welding time of 15 ms in thermosonic wire bonding of gold wire onto copper pads, a maximum shear force of about 0.33 N is found where the interfacial energy intensity equals 1.8×106 J m-2 for preheat temperatures of 150°C and 170°C. Moreover, the corresponding optimal ultrasonic power is about 110 units.

  1. Development of wire wrapping technology for FBR fuel pin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nogami, Tetsuya; Seki, Nobuo; Sawayama, Takeo; Ishibashi, Takashi

    1991-01-01

    For the FBR fuel assembly, the spacer wire is adopted to maintain the space between fuel pins. The developments have been carried out to achieve automatically wire wrapping with high precision. Based on the fundamental technology developed through the mock-up test operation, Joyo 'MK-I', fuel pin fabrication was started using partially mechanized wire wrapping machine in 1973. In 1978, an automated wire wrapping machine for Joyo 'MK-II' was developed by the adoption of some improvements for the wire inserting system to end plug hole and the precision of wire pitch. On the bases of these experiences, fully automated wire wrapping machine for 'Monju' fuel pin was installed at Plutonium Fuel Production Facility (PFPF) in 1987. (author)

  2. Wire scanner software and firmware issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilpatrick, John Doug

    2008-01-01

    The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center facility presently has 110 slow wire scanning profile measurement instruments located along its various beam lines. These wire scanners were developed and have been operating for at least 30 years. While the wire scanners solved many problems to operate and have served the facility well they have increasingly suffered from several problems or limitations, such as maintenance and reliability problems, antiquated components, slow data acquisition, and etc. In order to refurbish these devices, these wire scanners will be replaced with newer versions. The replacement will consist of a completely new beam line actuator, new cables, new electronics and brand new software and firmware. This note describes the functions and modes of operation that LabVIEW VI software on the real time controller and FPGA LabVIEW firmware will be required. It will be especially interesting to understand the overall architecture of these LabVIEW VIs. While this note will endeavor to describe all of the requirements and issues for the wire scanners, undoubtedly, there will be missing details that will be added as time progresses.

  3. Nickel and cobalt filled multiwalled carbon nantubes : structural transformation under heavy ion irradiation and high pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Misra, D.S.; Misra, A.; Tyagi, Pawan K.; Karamakar, S.; Sharma, Surinder M.

    2006-01-01

    Full text: The nickel and cobalt nano wires of diameters ranging from 5-15 nm are formed inside the multiwalled carbon nantubes using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition in our laboratory. The nano wires inside the tubes are found to have a perfect crystalline structure and the crystalline planes of (111) orientations are aligned for FCC nickel and cobalt in a particular fashion. We find that the cobalt can exist either in FCC or HCP phase in confinement depending upon the diameter of the tubes. The irradiation of these nanowires with high energy Au + ions alter the orientation of the crystalline planes and generate various types of domains and defects in the nanowires. The complete amorphization of the walls of the nano tubes is observed at the fluence of 5x10 13 /cm 2 and results in amorphization of nickel nano wires as well. The cobalt nano wires have FCC structure in ambient conditions and transform to HCP cobalt irreversibly when subjected to high pressure of ∼9 GPa. Multi-walled carbon nano tubes that encapsulate the cobalt nano wires do not undergo any other structural transformation with pressure except partial reversible amorphization beyond 9 GPa

  4. Clinical diagnostic ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnett, E.; Morley, P.

    1986-01-01

    This textbook on diagnostic ultrasound covers the main systems, with emphasis being placed on the clinical application of diagnostic ultrasound in everyday practice. It provides not only a textbook for postgraduates (particularly FRCR candidates), but also a reference work for practitioners of clinical ultrasound and clinicians generally

  5. Investigation of fretting behaviour in pressure armour layers of flexible pipes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Don Rasika Perera, Solangarachchige

    The incidence of fretting damage in the pressure armour wires of flexible pipes used in offshore oil explorations has been investigated. A novel experimental facility which is capable of simulating nub and valley contact conditions of interlocking wire winding with dynamic slip, representative of actual pipe loading, has been developed. The test set-up is equipped with a state of the art data acquisition system and a controller with transducers to measure and control the normal load, slip amplitude and friction force at the contact, in addition to the hoop stress in the wire. Tests were performed with selected loading and the fretted regions were examined using optical microscopy techniques. Results show that the magnitude of contact loading and the slip amplitude have a distinct influence on surface damage. Surface cracks originated from a fretting scar were observed at high contact loads in mixed slip sliding while surface damage predominantly due to wear was observed under gross slip. The position of surface cracks and the wear profile have been related to the contact pressure distribution. The evolution of friction force and surface damage under different slip and normal pressure conditions has been analysed. A fracture mechanics based numerical procedure has been developed to analyse the fretting damage behaviour. A severity parameter is proposed in order to ascertain whether the crack growth is in mode I or mode II cracking. The analysis show the influence of mode II cracking in the early stages of crack growth following which the crack deviates in the mode I direction making mode I the dominant crack propagation mechanism. The crack path determined by the numerical procedure correlates well with the experimental results. A numerical analysis was carried out for the fretting fatigue condition where a cyclic bulk stress superimposes with the friction force. The analysis correlates well with short crack growth behaviour. The analysis confirms that fretting is a

  6. Influence of temperature and pressure on the lethality of ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raso, J.; Pagan, R.; Condon, S.; Sala, F.J.

    1998-01-01

    A specially designed resistometer was constructed, and the lethal effect on Yersinia enterocolitica of ultrasonic waves (UW) at different static pressures (manosonication [MS]) and of combined heat-UW under pressure treatments (manothermosonication [MTS]) was investigated. During MS treatments at 30 degrees C and 200 kPa, the increase in the amplitude of UW of 20 kHz from 21 to 150 micrometers exponentially decreased decimal reduction time values (D(MS)) from 4 to 0.37 min. When pressure was increased from 0 to 600 kPa at a constant amplitude (150 micrometers) and temperature (30 degrees C), D(MS) values decreased from 1.52 to 0.20 min. The magnitude of this decrease in D(MS) declined progressively as pressure was increased. The influence of pressure on D(MS) values was greater with increased amplitude of UW. Pressure alone of as much as 600 kPa did not influence the heat resistance of Y. enterocolitica (D60 = 0.094; zeta = 5.65). At temperatures of as much as 58 degrees C, the lethality of UW under pressure was greater than that of heat treatment alone at the same temperature. At higher temperatures, this difference disappeared. Heat and UW under pressure seemed to act independently. The lethality of MTS treatments appeared to result from the added effects of UW under pressure and the lethal effect of heat. The individual contributions of heat and of UW under pressure to the total lethal effect of MTS depended on temperature. The inactivating effect of UW was not due to titanium particles eroded from the sonication horn. The addition to the MS media of cysteamine did not increase the resistance of Y. enterocolitica to MS treatment. MS treatment caused cell disruption

  7. Technical innovation: Wire guided ductography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aslam, Muhammad Ovais; Ramadan, Salwa; Al-Adwani, Muneera

    2012-01-01

    To introduce an easy and improved technique for performing ductography using inexpensive easily available intravenous cannula. Guide wire: Prolene/Surgipro 3-0 (Polypropylene mono filament non-absorbable surgical suture). A plastic 26 G intravenous cannula. Disposable syringe 2 ml. Non-ionic contrast (low density like Omnipaque 240 mg I/I). The guide wire (Prolene 3-0) is introduced into the orifice of the duct heaving discharge and 26 G intravenous plastic cannula is then passed over the guide wire. The cannula is advanced in the duct over guide wire by spinning around it. When the cannula is in place the guide wire is removed. Any air bubbles present in the hub of the cannula can be displaced by filling the hub from bottom upwards with needle attached to contrast filled syringe. 0.2–0.4 ml non-ionic contrast is gently injected. Injection is stopped if the patient has pain or burning. Magnified cranio-caudal view is obtained with cannula tapped in place and gentle compression is applied with the patient sitting. If duct filling is satisfactory a 90* lateral view is obtained. A successful adaptation of the technique for performing ductography is presented. The materials required for the technique are easily available in most radiology departments and are inexpensive, thus making the procedure comfortable for the patient and radiologist with considerable cost effectiveness.

  8. Therapeutic ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crum, Lawrence A

    2004-01-01

    The use of ultrasound in medicine is now quite commonplace, especially with the recent introduction of small, portable and relatively inexpensive, hand-held diagnostic imaging devices. Moreover, ultrasound has expanded beyond the imaging realm, with methods and applications extending to novel therapeutic and surgical uses. These applications broadly include: tissue ablation, acoustocautery, lipoplasty, site-specific and ultrasound mediated drug activity, extracorporeal lithotripsy, and the enhancement of natural physiological functions such as wound healing and tissue regeneration. A particularly attractive aspect of this technology is that diagnostic and therapeutic systems can be combined to produce totally non-invasive, imageguided therapy. This general lecture will review a number of these exciting new applications of ultrasound and address some of the basic scientific questions and future challenges in developing these methods and technologies for general use in our society. We shall particularly emphasize the use of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors as well as the introduction of acoustic hemostasis, especially in organs which are difficult to treat using conventional medical and surgical techniques. (amum lecture)

  9. Standards of the Polish Ultrasound Society – update. Ultrasound examination of thyroid gland and ultrasound-guided thyroid biopsy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Trzebińska

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasonography is a primary imaging technique in patients with suspected thyroid disease. It allows to assess the location, size and echostructures of the thyroid gland as well as detect focal lesions, along with indication of their size, echogenicity, echostructure and vascularity. Based on these features, ultrasound examination allows to predict abnormal focal lesions for biopsy and monitor the biopsy needle track. This paper presents the standards of thyroid ultrasound examination regarding ultrasound apparatus technical requirements, scanning techniques, readings, measurements, and the description of the examination. It discusses the ultrasound features of increased malignancy risk in focal lesions (nodules found in the thyroid gland. It presents indications for fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland for the visibility of single nodules (focal lesions and numerous lesions as well as discusses contraindications for thyroid biopsy. It describes the biopsy technique, possible complications and rules for post-biopsy monitoring of benign lesions. The paper is an update of the Standards of the Polish Ultrasound Society issued in 2011. It has been prepared on the basis of current literature, taking into account the information contained in the following publications: Thyroid ultrasound examination and Recommendations of the Polish Ultrasound Society for the performance of the FNAB of the thyroid.

  10. Metallurgical investigation of wire breakage of tyre bead grade

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piyas Palit

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Tyre bead grade wire is used for tyre making application. The wire is used as reinforcement inside the polymer of tyre. The wire is available in different size/section such as 1.6–0.80 mm thin Cu coated wire. During tyre making operation at tyre manufacturer company, wire failed frequently. In this present study, different broken/defective wire samples were collected from wire mill for detailed investigation of the defect. The natures of the defects were localized and similar in nature. The fracture surface was of finger nail type. Crow feet like defects including button like surface abnormalities were also observed on the broken wire samples. The defect was studied at different directions under microscope. Different advanced metallographic techniques have been used for detail investigation. The analysis revealed that, white layer of surface martensite was formed and it caused the final breakage of wire. In this present study we have also discussed about the possible reason for the formation of such kind of surface martensite (hard-phase.

  11. Realistic deformable 3D numeric phantom for transcutaneous ultrasound

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cardoso, Fernando Mitsuyama; Moraes, Matheus Cardoso; Furuie, Sergio Shiguemi, E-mail: fernando.okara@gmail.com [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia

    2017-01-15

    Introduction: Numerical phantoms are important tools to design, calibrate and evaluate several methods in various image-processing applications, such as echocardiography and mammography. We present a framework for creating ultrasound numerical deformable phantoms based on Finite Element Method (FEM), Linear Isomorphism and Field II. The proposed method considers that the scatterers map is a property of the tissue; therefore, the scatterers should move according to the tissue strain. Methods: First, a volume representing the target tissue is loaded. Second, parameter values, such as Young's Modulus, scatterers density, attenuation and scattering amplitudes are inserted for each different regions of the phantom. Then, other parameters related to the ultrasound equipment, such as ultrasound frequency and number of transducer elements, are also defined in order to perform the ultrasound acquisition using Field II. Third, the size and position of the transducer and the pressures that are applied against the tissue are defined. Subsequently, FEM is executed and deformation is computed. Next, 3D linear isomorphism is performed to displace the scatterers according to the deformation. Finally, Field II is carried out to generate the non-deformed and deformed ultrasound data. Results: The framework is evaluated by comparing strain values obtained the numerical simulation and from the physical phantom from CIRS. The mean difference between both phantoms is lesser than 10%. Conclusion: The acoustic and deformation outcomes are similar to those obtained using a physical phantom. This framework led to a tool, which is available online and free of charges for educational and research purposes. (author)

  12. IEE wiring regulations explained and illustrated

    CERN Document Server

    Scaddan, Brian

    2013-01-01

    The IEE Wiring Regulations Explained and Illustrated, Second Edition discusses the recommendations of the IEE Regulations for the Electrical Equipment of Buildings for the safe selection or erection of wiring installations. The book emphasizes earthing, bonding, protection, and circuit design of electrical wirings. The text reviews the fundamental requirements for safety, earthing systems, the earth fault loop impedance, and supplementary bonding. The book also describes the different types of protection, such as protection against mechanical damage, overcurrent, under voltage (which prevents

  13. Spontaneous and Directional Bubble Transport on Porous Copper Wires with Complex Shapes in Aqueous Media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wenjing; Zhang, Jingjing; Xue, Zhongxin; Wang, Jingming; Jiang, Lei

    2018-01-24

    Manipulation of gas bubble behaviors is crucial for gas bubble-related applications. Generally, the manipulation of gas bubble behaviors generally takes advantage of their buoyancy force. It is very difficult to control the transportation of gas bubbles in a specific direction. Several approaches have been developed to collect and transport bubbles in aqueous media; however, most reliable and effective manipulation of gas bubbles in aqueous media occurs on the interfaces with simple shapes (i.e., cylinder and cone shapes). Reliable strategies for spontaneous and directional transport of gas bubbles on interfaces with complex shapes remain enormously challenging. Herein, a type of 3D gradient porous network was constructed on copper wire interfaces, with rectangle, wave, and helix shapes. The superhydrophobic copper wires were immersed in water, and continuous and stable gas films then formed on the interfaces. With the assistance of the Laplace pressure gradient between two bubbles, gas bubbles (including microscopic gas bubbles) in the aqueous media were subsequently transported, continuously and directionally, on the copper wires with complex shapes. The small gas bubbles always moved to the larger ones.

  14. A test to measure the minimum burning pressure of water-based commercial explosives and their precursors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turcotte, R.; Feng, H.; Badeen, C.M.; Goldthorp, S.; Johnson, C. [Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory; Chan, S.K. [Orica Canada Inc., Brownsburg-Chatham, PQ (Canada)

    2009-05-15

    This paper described a testing protocol developed to measure the minimum burning pressure (MBP) of ammonium nitrate water-based emulsions (AWEs). Oxidizer solutions were prepared in a stainless steel beaker. A modified commercial mixer was used to emulsify the oil-surfactant phase with the oxidizer solutions and blend dry ingredients. Five high water content AWEs were then prepared and placed in pressurized vessels. Samples were ignited using a straight length of nichrome wire. Emulsion samples were transferred into a cylindrical test cell painted with non-conductive paint. Copper conductor leg-wires were connected to electrodes passing through the body of the vessel. When samples were equilibrated to the desired initial pressure, a constant current was supplied to the hot wire. Solid state relays were used to switch the current power supply on and off. Hot wire voltage signals were used to obtain temperature profiles for onset and ignition temperatures. The procedure to perform the MBP measurements was based on 3 types of classifying events, namely (1) no reaction, (2) partial reaction, and (3) slow decomposition. Results of the tests demonstrated that the 5 emulsions exhibited large differences in respective MBP values. Data from the study will be used to develop standards for the authorization of high explosives in Canada. 15 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs.

  15. Ultrasound-enhanced delivery of targeted echogenic liposomes in a novel ex vivo mouse aorta model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hitchcock, Kathryn E; Caudell, Danielle N; Sutton, Jonathan T; Klegerman, Melvin E; Vela, Deborah; Pyne-Geithman, Gail J; Abruzzo, Todd; Cyr, Peppar E P; Geng, Yong-Jian; McPherson, David D; Holland, Christy K

    2010-06-15

    The goal of this study was to determine whether targeted, Rhodamine-labeled echogenic liposomes (Rh-ELIP) containing nanobubbles could be delivered to the arterial wall, and whether 1-MHz continuous wave ultrasound would enhance this delivery profile. Aortae excised from apolipoprotein-E-deficient (n=8) and wild-type (n=8) mice were mounted in a pulsatile flow system through which Rh-ELIP were delivered in a stream of bovine serum albumin. Half the aortae from each group were treated with 1-MHz continuous wave ultrasound at 0.49 MPa peak-to-peak pressure, and half underwent sham exposure. Ultrasound parameters were chosen to promote stable cavitation and avoid inertial cavitation. A broadband hydrophone was used to monitor cavitation activity. After treatment, aortic sections were prepared for histology and analyzed by an individual blinded to treatment conditions. Delivery of Rh-ELIP to the vascular endothelium was observed, and sub-endothelial penetration of Rh-ELIP was present in five of five ultrasound-treated aortae and was absent in those not exposed to ultrasound. However, the degree of penetration in the ultrasound-exposed aortae was variable. There was no evidence of ultrasound-mediated tissue damage in any specimen. Ultrasound-enhanced delivery within the arterial wall was demonstrated in this novel model, which allows quantitative evaluation of therapeutic delivery. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Registration of human skull computed tomography data to an ultrasound treatment space using a sparse high frequency ultrasound hemispherical array

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O’Reilly, Meaghan A., E-mail: moreilly@sri.utoronto.ca; Jones, Ryan M. [Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Birman, Gabriel [Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5 (Canada); Hynynen, Kullervo [Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9 (Canada)

    2016-09-15

    Purpose: Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) shows great promise for a range of therapeutic applications in the brain. Current clinical investigations rely on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor treatments and for the registration of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-data to the MR images at the time of treatment to correct the sound aberrations caused by the skull. For some applications, MRI is not an appropriate choice for therapy monitoring and its cost may limit the accessibility of these treatments. An alternative approach, using high frequency ultrasound measurements to localize the skull surface and register CT data to the ultrasound treatment space, for the purposes of skull-related phase aberration correction and treatment targeting, has been developed. Methods: A prototype high frequency, hemispherical sparse array was fabricated. Pulse-echo measurements of the surface of five ex vivo human skulls were made, and the CT datasets of each skull were obtained. The acoustic data were used to rigidly register the CT-derived skull surface to the treatment space. The ultrasound-based registrations of the CT datasets were compared to the gold-standard landmark-based registrations. Results: The results show on an average sub-millimeter (0.9 ± 0.2 mm) displacement and subdegree (0.8° ± 0.4°) rotation registration errors. Numerical simulations predict that registration errors on this scale will result in a mean targeting error of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm and reduction in focal pressure of 1.0% ± 0.6% when targeting a midbrain structure (e.g., hippocampus) using a commercially available low-frequency brain prototype device (InSightec, 230 kHz brain system). Conclusions: If combined with ultrasound-based treatment monitoring techniques, this registration method could allow for the development of a low-cost transcranial FUS treatment platform to make this technology more widely available.

  17. Registration of human skull computed tomography data to an ultrasound treatment space using a sparse high frequency ultrasound hemispherical array.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Reilly, Meaghan A; Jones, Ryan M; Birman, Gabriel; Hynynen, Kullervo

    2016-09-01

    Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) shows great promise for a range of therapeutic applications in the brain. Current clinical investigations rely on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor treatments and for the registration of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-data to the MR images at the time of treatment to correct the sound aberrations caused by the skull. For some applications, MRI is not an appropriate choice for therapy monitoring and its cost may limit the accessibility of these treatments. An alternative approach, using high frequency ultrasound measurements to localize the skull surface and register CT data to the ultrasound treatment space, for the purposes of skull-related phase aberration correction and treatment targeting, has been developed. A prototype high frequency, hemispherical sparse array was fabricated. Pulse-echo measurements of the surface of five ex vivo human skulls were made, and the CT datasets of each skull were obtained. The acoustic data were used to rigidly register the CT-derived skull surface to the treatment space. The ultrasound-based registrations of the CT datasets were compared to the gold-standard landmark-based registrations. The results show on an average sub-millimeter (0.9 ± 0.2 mm) displacement and subdegree (0.8° ± 0.4°) rotation registration errors. Numerical simulations predict that registration errors on this scale will result in a mean targeting error of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm and reduction in focal pressure of 1.0% ± 0.6% when targeting a midbrain structure (e.g., hippocampus) using a commercially available low-frequency brain prototype device (InSightec, 230 kHz brain system). If combined with ultrasound-based treatment monitoring techniques, this registration method could allow for the development of a low-cost transcranial FUS treatment platform to make this technology more widely available.

  18. Ultrasound -- Pelvis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... is used to evaluate the: bladder seminal vesicles prostate Transrectal ultrasound, a special study usually done to provide detailed evaluation of the prostate gland, involves inserting a specialized ultrasound transducer into ...

  19. Obstetrical Ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... heartbeat can be seen as an ongoing ultrasound movie. Ultrasound devices also use Doppler, a special application ... the possible charges you will incur. Web page review process: This Web page is reviewed regularly by ...

  20. Wiring Damage Analyses for STS OV-103

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Walter, III

    2006-01-01

    This study investigated the Shuttle Program s belief that Space Transportation System (STS) wiring damage occurrences are random, that is, a constant occurrence rate. Using Problem Reporting and Corrective Action (PRACA)-derived data for STS Space Shuttle OV-103, wiring damage was observed to increase over the vehicle s life. Causal factors could include wiring physical deterioration, maintenance and inspection induced damage, and inspection process changes resulting in more damage events being reported. Induced damage effects cannot be resolved with existent data. Growth analysis (using Crow-AMSAA, or CA) resolved maintenance/inspection effects (e.g., heightened awareness) on all wire damages and indicated an overall increase since Challenger Return-to-Flight (RTF). An increasing failure or occurrence rate per flight cycle was seen for each wire damage mode; these (individual) rates were not affected by inspection process effects, within statistical error.