Laser ultrasonic frequency-domain imaging and phase weighted optimization based on full matrix capture.

Far-field laser technology has greatly promoted the progress of nondestructive ultrasonic imaging of bulk structures. However, under thermoelastic excitation, the body waves exhibit a relatively low signal-to-noise ratio, resulting in images with low resolution and contrast. Based on the motivation, this paper developed a frequency-domain phase weighted imaging method to improve the quality of laser ultrasonic defect imaging. Firstly, laser ultrasonic scanning was performed on the sample with artificial transverse hole defects. The cylindrical lens focused line source was used to improve the intensity of the body wave signals, and ensure that there was no damage on the material surface under high laser energies. Then, the frequency-domain phase shift migration (PSM) algorithm was used to perform multimode imaging of defects, achieving frequency-domain synthetic aperture focusing technique (F-SAFT) and total focused method (F-TFM) imaging based on full matrix capture. Furthermore, the phase circular statistical vector (PCSV) was proposed for weighted optimization, which improved the image quality, suppressed the background noise and multimode artifacts. Finally, the imaging quality of several algorithms were discussed. The results indicate that frequency-domain images were superior to time-domain results. After phase weighting, the imaging quality can be further improved, and the detection blind zone was significantly reduced. This work will contribute to the rapid and high-quality defect imaging of laser ultrasonic.

A key parametric study of ultrasonic exfoliation of 2D TiB2 using DI water as a unique medium.

Liquid Phase Exfoliation (LPE) is a very effective technique for the synthesis of few layered two dimensional (2D) nanosheets. There is a surge to find environment friendly solvents for efficient exfoliation of layered materials to produce 2D nanosheets. TiB2 is an important layered material with very little reported work on its 2D nanosheets. The present work is about successful LPE of TiB2 using deionized (DI) water as a clean, green and low cost dispersion medium to make TiB2 nanosheets. The impact of ultrasonication conditions i.e. input power and treatment duration for efficient synthesis of few layered 2D nanosheets in DI water is studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It is found that by increasing input power, the layer thickness is reduced from bulk to 34 nm with lateral dimensions as huge as up to 5 µm. The increased treatment duration has further reduced the layer thickness to 21 nm associated with a decrease in lateral dimensions to about 1 µm. The mechanism of variation in the aspect ratio of the 2D nanosheets with ultrasonication power and treatment duration is explained. The optimum conditions for the fabrication of high aspect ratio 2D nanosheets of TiB2 owe to a greater acoustic cavitation intensity, an optimum treatment duration and a homogenous distribution of the cavitation events while using an appropriate size of the sonotrode in the sonicated volume during ultrasonication.

Antimicrobial efficacy of two commercially available herbal products with and without ultrasonic activation in primary endodontic infections: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Effective irrigation is crucial for successful endodontic treatment. Traditional irrigants like sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) have been widely used, but there is a growing interest in exploring natural alternatives for their potential antimicrobial properties. Objective: The study aims to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of Neem, Bitter Gourd, and NaOCl, with and without ultrasonic activation in managing primary endodontic infections. Materials and Methods: Ninety patients were randomly assigned six groups (n = 15) Group 1: NaOCl, Group 2: NaOCl with passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), Group 3: Neem juice, Group 4: Neem juice with PUI, Group 5: Bitter gourd juice, and Group 6: Bitter gourd juice with PUI. Bacteriological samples were collected before (S1) and after (S2) shaping, plated on brain heart infusion agar, and colony counting was done after 24 h. Statistical Analysis Used: Shapiro-Wilk test, one-way ANOVA, post hoc Tukey analysis, and paired t-test. Results: All the groups demonstrated a significant reduction in bacterial count. Groups with PUI (2, 4, 6) demonstrated higher mean bacterial reduction than their counterparts without PUI (1, 3, 5). Conclusion: Neem and Bitter gourd juices, particularly when used with PUI, demonstrated antimicrobial efficacy comparable to NaOCl with PUI.

Dentinal tubule penetration following ultrasonic, sonic, and single-cone technique of a biosealer: An ex vivo study.

Background: The endodontic space is complex, and using a single-cone obturation technique fails to ensure a complete filling. Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasonic activation, sonic activation, and single-cone technique of a biosealer on its dentinal tubular penetration. Materials and Methods: In the experiment, single-root mandibular premolars were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 20): group A, ultrasonic activation; Group B, sonic activation; and Group C, single-cone technique. Penetration of the fluorescently labeled biosealer was investigated using a confocal laser scanning microscope. Results: The data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests (P = 0.05). The highest penetration of biosealer was observed in Group A, followed by Group B (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Dentinal tubule penetration of biosealer was significantly improved by ultrasonic and sonic activation techniques.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastic imaging for predicting the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in cervical cancer: a feasibility study.

Objective: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and elastography are of great value in the diagnosis of cervical cancer (CC). However, there is limited research on the role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in predicting concurrent chemoradiotherapy and disease progression for cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography and tumor prognosis. Methods: MRI was performed on 98 patients with cervical cancer before and after treatment. Before, during, and 1 week after the treatment, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography were conducted, and the alterations of ultrasound-related parameters at each time point of the treatment were compared. The correlation between contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastic imaging and oncological outcome was assessed. Results: There was no notable difference in overall clinical data between the complete remission (CR) group and the partial remission (PR) group (P>0.05). Before treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in elasticity score, time to peak (TTP), and peak intensity (PI) between the CR group and the PR group. However, there were no statistical differences in elastic strain ratio (SR) and area under the curve (AUC) before and after treatment between the CR group and the PR group, and there were also no statistical differences in the elastic strain ratio (SR) and area under the curve (AUC) of contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters between the CR group and the PR group before and during treatment. There was a statistically significant difference after treatment (P<0.05).At present, the follow-up of patients is about 1 year, 7 patients were excluded due to loss to follow-up, and 91 patients were included in the follow-up study. Through the review of the cases and combined with MRI (version RECIST1.1) and serology and other related examinations, if the patient has a new lesion or the lesion is larger than before, the tumor marker Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) is significantly increased twice in a row, and the patient is divided into progressive disease (PD). Those who did not see significant changes were divided into stable disease (SD) group. The relationship between clinical characteristics, ultrasound parameters and disease progression in 91 patients was compared. There was no significant difference in age and clinical stage between the two groups (P>0.05), but there was a significant difference in the elevation of tumor marker squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) between the two groups (P<0.05).With the growth of tumors, TTP decreased, elasticity score and PI increased, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The AUC of SCC-Ag was 0.655, the sensitivity was 85.3%, and the specificity was 45.6%.The AUC, sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound parameters combined with SCC-Ag predicted disease progression was 0.959, 91.2% and 94.8%. Conclusions: Using contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography to predict the efficacy and disease progression of concurrent chemoradiotherapy is feasible. In addition, the combination of SCC-Ag with contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography can further enhance the efficiency of predicting disease progression.

Root surface roughness evaluation following application of different periodontal instruments and Er:YAG laser: A profilometry and SEM study.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of 30°-angled Er:YAG laser tip and different periodontal instruments on root surface roughness and morphology in vitro. METHODS: Eighteen bovine teeth root without carious lesion were decoronated from the cementoenamel junction and seperated longitidunally. A total of 36 obtained blocks were mounted in resin blocks and polished with silicon carbide papers under water irrigation. These blocks were randomly assigned into 3 treatment groups. In Group 1, 30°-angled Er:YAG laser (2.94 µm) tip was applied onto the blocks with a 20 Hz, 120 mJ energy output under water irrigation for 20 s. In Groups 2 and 3, the same treatment was applied to the blocks with new generation ultrasonic tip and conventional curette apico-coronally for 20 s with a sweeping motion. Surface roughness and morphology were evaluated before and after instrumentation with a profilometer and SEM, respectively. RESULTS: After instrumentation, profilometric analysis revealed significantly higher roughness values compared to baseline in all treatment groups(p < 0.05). Laser group revealed the roughest surface morphology followed by conventional curette and new generation ultrasonic tip treatment groups (p < 0.05). In SEM analysis, irregular surfaces and crater defects were seen more frequently in the laser group. CONCLUSION: Results of the study showed that the use of new generation ultrasonic tip was associated with smoother surface morphology compared to 30°-angled Er-YAG laser tip and conventional curette. Further in vitro and in vivo studies with an increased sample size are necessary to support the present study findings.

Characterization of early markers of disease in the mouse model of mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB.

BACKGROUND: Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IIIB, also known as Sanfilippo Syndrome B, is a devastating childhood disease. Unfortunately, there are currently no available treatments for MPS IIIB patients. Yet, animal models of lysosomal storage diseases have been valuable tools in identifying promising avenues of treatment. Enzyme replacement therapy, gene therapy, and bone marrow transplant have all shown efficacy in the MPS IIIB model systems. A ubiquitous finding across rodent models of lysosomal storage diseases is that the best treatment outcomes resulted from intervention prior to symptom onset. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to identify early markers of disease in the MPS IIIB mouse model as well as examine clinically-relevant behavioral domains not yet explored in this model. METHODS: Using the MPS IIIB mouse model, we explored early developmental trajectories of communication and gait, and later social behavior, fear-related startle and conditioning, and visual capabilities. In addition, we examined brain structure and function via magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. RESULTS: We observed reduced maternal isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations in MPS IIIB mice relative to controls, as well as disruption in a number of the spectrotemporal features. MPS IIIB also exhibited disrupted thermoregulation during the first two postnatal weeks without any differences in body weight. The developmental trajectories of gait were largely normal. In early adulthood, we observed intact visual acuity and sociability yet a more submissive phenotype, increased aggressive behavior, and decreased social sniffing relative to controls. MPS IIIB mice showed greater inhibition of startle in response to a pretone with a decrease in overall startle response and reduced cued fear memory. MPS IIIB also weighed significantly more than controls throughout adulthood and showed larger whole brain volumes and normalized regional volumes with intact tissue integrity as measured with magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor imaging, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these results indicate disease markers are present as early as the first two weeks postnatal in this model. Further, this model recapitulates social, sensory and fear-related clinical features. Our study using a mouse model of MPS IIIB provides essential baseline information that will be useful in future evaluations of potential treatments.

Prenatal exposure to valproic acid reduces synaptic δ-catenin levels and disrupts ultrasonic vocalization in neonates.

Valproic acid (VPA) is an effective and commonly prescribed drug for epilepsy and bipolar disorder. However, children born from mothers treated with VPA during pregnancy exhibit an increased incidence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although VPA may impair brain development at the cellular level, the mechanism of VPA-induced ASD has not been completely addressed. A previous study has found that VPA treatment strongly reduces δ-catenin mRNA levels in cultured human neurons. δ-catenin is important for the control of glutamatergic synapses and is strongly associated with ASD. VPA inhibits dendritic morphogenesis in developing neurons, an effect that is also found in neurons lacking δ-catenin expression. We thus hypothesize that prenatal exposure to VPA significantly reduces δ-catenin levels in the brain, which impairs glutamatergic synapses to cause ASD. Here, we found that prenatal exposure to VPA markedly reduced δ-catenin levels in the brain of mouse pups. VPA treatment also impaired dendritic branching in developing mouse cortical neurons, which was partially reversed by elevating δ-catenin expression. Prenatal VPA exposure significantly reduced synaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor levels and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95) in the brain of mouse pups, indicating dysfunctions in glutamatergic synaptic transmission. VPA exposure also significantly altered ultrasonic vocalization (USV) in newly born pups when they were isolated from their nest. Moreover, VPA-exposed pups show impaired hypothalamic response to isolation, which is required to produce animals' USVs following isolation from the nest. Therefore, these results suggest that VPA-induced ASD pathology can be mediated by the loss of δ-catenin functions.

Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of pectin from Actinidia arguta Sieb.et Zucc (A. arguta) extracted by ultrasonic.

Pectin was extracted from Actinidia arguta Sieb. et Zucc (A.arguta) using the ultrasound-assisted acid method and the single acid method. The physicochemical properties, structure, and antioxidant properties of two different pectins were investigated. The results showed that the extraction yield of the ultrasound-assisted acid method is higher than that of the single acid method. The molecular structure of A. arguta pectin extracted by the ultrasound-assisted acid method belongs to a mixed structure of RG-I and HG-type domains. Through structural feature analysis, the ultrasound-assisted extraction pectin (UAP) has a more branched structure than the single acid-extracted pectin (SAP). The SAP has a higher degree of esterification than the UAP. The physical property results show that the viscosity, solubility, and water-holding capacity of the UAP are better than those of the SAP. The antioxidant test results show that the hydroxyl radical scavenging and reducing powers of the UAP are superior to those of the SAP. This study shows the composition, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activity of A. arguta pectin extracted by the ultrasonic-assisted extraction method to provide a theoretical basis for its application as an antioxidant and other food additives in the food industry.

Neuronal, affective, and sensory correlates of targeted helping behavior in male and female Sprague Dawley rats.

Introduction: Empathic behaviors are driven by the ability to understand the emotional states of others along with the motivation to improve it. Evidence points towards forms of empathy, like targeted helping, in many species including rats. There are several variables that may modulate targeted helping, including sex, sensory modalities, and activity of multiple neural substrates. Methods: Using a model of social contact-independent targeted helping, we first tested whether sex differences exist in helping behavior. Next, we explored sex differences in sensory and affective signaling, including direct visualization and an analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations made between animal pairs. Finally, we examined the neural activity in males and females of multiple regions of interest across time. Here, we aim to examine any behavioral differences in our lab's social contact independent targeted helping task between males and females. Results and Discussion: These findings are the first to intimate that, like other prosocial behaviors, males and females may exhibit similar social-independent targeted helping behavior, but the underlying sensory communication in males and females may differ. In addition, this is the first set of experiments that explore the neural correlates of social-independent targeted helping in both males and females. These results lay the groundwork for future studies to explore the similarities and differences that drive targeted helping in both sexes.

Exploring theophylline-1,2,4-triazole tethered N-phenylacetamide derivatives as antimicrobial agents: unraveling mechanisms via structure-activity relationship, in vitro validation, and in silico insights.

Theophylline, a nitrogen-containing heterocycle, serves as a promising focal point for medicinal researchers aiming to create derivatives with diverse pharmacological applications. In this work, we present an improved synthetic method for a range of theophylline-1,2,4-triazole-S-linked N-phenyl acetamides (4a‒g) utilizing ultrasound-assisted synthetic approach. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of synthesized theophylline-1,2,4-triazoles (4a‒g) as inhibitors of HCV serine protease and as antibacterial agents against B. subtilis QB-928 and E. coli AB-274. Theophylline-1,2,4-triazoles were obtained in good to excellent yields (69%-95%) in a shorter time than conventional approach. 4-Chlorophenyl moiety containing theophylline-1,2,4-triazole 4c displayed significantly higher inhibitory activity against HCV serine protease enzyme (IC50 = 0.015 ± 0.25 mg) in comparison to ribavirin (IC50 = 0.165 ± 0.053 mg), but showed excellent binding affinity (-7.55 kcal/mol) with the active site of serine protease, better than compound 4c (-6.90 kcal/mol) as well as indole-based control compound 5 (-7.42 kcal/mol). In terms of percentage inhibition of serine protease, 2-chlorophenyl compound 4b showed the maximum percentage inhibition (86%), more than that of the 3,4-dichlorophenyl compound 4c (76%) and ribavirin (81%). 3,4-Dimethylphenyl-based theophylline-1,2,4-triazole 4g showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC = 0.28 ± 0.50 µg/mL) against the B. subtilis bacterial strain as compared to the standard drug penicillin (MIC = 1 ± 1.50 µg/mL). The other 4-methylphenyl theophylline-1,2,4-triazole 4e (MIC = 0.20 ± 0.08 µg/mL) displayed the most potent antibacterial potential against E. coli in comparison to the standard drug penicillin (MIC = 2.4 ± 1.00 µg/mL). Molecular docking studies further helped in an extensive understanding of all of the interactions between compounds and the enzyme active site, and DFT studies were also employed to gain insights into the molecular structure of the synthesized compounds. The results indicated that theophylline-linked triazole derivatives 4b and 4c showed promise as leading contenders in the fight against the HCV virus. Moreover, compounds 4e and 4g demonstrated potential as effective chemotherapeutic agents against E. coli and B. subtilis, respectively. To substantiate these findings, additional in vivo studies and clinical trials are imperative, laying the groundwork for their integration into future drug design and development.

Analysis of 78 trace liquid crystal monomers in air by gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) comprise a class of organic pollutants that have garnered considerable attention because of their dioxin-like toxicity (i.e., modulation of genes) and presence in various environments. However, limited information about the identities, occurrence, and distribution of LCMs has highlighted an urgent need for a high-throughput and sensitive analytical method. In this study, we developed and validated a rapid, simple, sensitive method that involves minimal solvent consumption. The method was applied for the simultaneous detection and identification of 78 LCMs in atmospheric total suspended particulate samples (dae < 100 µm) using gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The results showed high degrees of linearity with correlation coefficients >0.995 in the concentration range of 5.0-500 ng/mL. The instrumental detection limits ranged from 0.7 to 5.3 pg, and the method detection limits ranged from 0.1 to 0.9 pg/m3. The accuracy of the method was between 70 % and 130 % for most analytes, and the relative standard deviations of six replicates were <15 % at three levels of spiking (10, 50, and 200 ng/mL). The developed analytical method was applied to analyze real air particulate samples from Beijing, China. Overall, 45 LCMs ranged from 65.5 to 145.7 pg/m3, with a mean concentration of 92.5 pg/m3. Among them, (trans,trans)-4-propyl-4'-ethenyl-1,1'-bicyclohexane (PVB) was the most abundant, with an average concentration of 33.6 pg/m3. The total estimated daily intakes of LCMs for adults and children were 15.6 and 46.6 pg/kg bw/day, respectively. Accordingly, the method described herein is suitable for quantifying LCMs in atmospheric particulate samples. This study will be valuable for investigating LCM environmental occurrence, behaviors, and risk assessments.

Deep learning techniques to detect rail indications from ultrasonic data for automated rail monitoring and maintenance.

The increasing number of passengers and services using railways and the corresponding increase in rail use has caused the acceleration of rail wear and surface defects which makes rail defect identification an important issue for rail maintenance and monitoring to ensure safe and efficient operation. Traditional visual inspection methods for identifying rail defects are time-consuming, less accurate, and associated with human errors. Deep learning has been used to improve railway maintenance and monitoring tasks. This study aims to develop a structured model for detecting railway artifacts and defects by comparing different deep-learning models using ultrasonic image data. This research showed whether it is practical to identify rail indications using image classification and object detection techniques from ultrasonic data and which model performs better among the above-mentioned methods. The methodology includes data processing, labeling, and using different conventional neural networks to develop the model for both image classification and object detection. The results of CNNs for image classification, and YOLOv5 for object detection show 98%, and 99% accuracy respectively. These models can identify rail artifacts efficiently and accurately in real-life scenarios, which can improve automated railway infrastructure monitoring and maintenance.

Comparative evaluation of smear layer removal by using different irrigant activation techniques: An in vitro scanning electron microscopic study.

Aim: This in vitro study aims to assess and compare the effectiveness of different irrigation activation techniques in removing the smear layer from the root canal dentin using Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 extracted single-rooted premolar with straight canal and mature apex were used for this study. After the selection of teeth, all the samples were decoronated followed by biomechanical preparation. The sample after preparation was irrigated with sodium hypochlorite and randomly divided into three groups with 20 sample in each group (n = 20), (Group 1) control, (Group 2) ultrasonic, and (Group 3) laser. The irrigant activation was done in all the groups and then sample was prepared for the scanning electron microscope analysis. Statistical Analysis: The statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney-U-test. Results: The findings suggested that the diode laser irrigant activation technique was superior to the ultrasonic and conventional techniques to eradicate smear layers. Conclusion: With the limitation of this study, diode laser activation showed better cleaning of root dentinal walls compared to ultrasonic activator and traditional method.

Numerical simulation and study on heat and mass transfer in a hybrid ultrasound/convective dryer.

Susceptibility of airborne ultrasonic power to augment heat and mass transfer during hot air dehydration of peppermint leaves was investigated in the present study. To predict the moisture removal curves, a unique non-equilibrium mathematical model was developed. For the samples dried at temperatures of 40‒70 °C and the power intensities of 0‒104 kW m-3, the diffusion of moisture inside the leaves and coefficients for of mass and heat transfer varied from 0.601 × 10-4 to 5.937 × 10-4 s-1, 4.693 × 10-4 to 7.975 × 10-4 m s-1 and 49.2 to 78.1 W m-2 K-1, respectively. In general, at the process temperatures up to 60 °C, all the studied transfer parameters were augmented in the presence of ultrasonic power.

Protein hydrolysates prepared by Alcalase using ultrasound and microwave pretreated almond meal and their characterization.

The study aimed to optimize ultrasonic (US: 40 kHz/200 W for 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min), and microwave (MW: 160 W for 45, 90, 125, 180, and 225 s) pretreatment conditions on protein extraction yield and degree of protein hydrolysis (DH) from almond de-oiled meal, an industrial by-product. First order model was used to describe the kinetics of almond protein hydrolysates obtained with Alcalase. The highest DH, 10.95% was recorded for the US-50 min and 8.87% for MW-45 s; while it was 5.76% for the untreated/control sample. At these optimized pretreatment conditions, a 1.16- and 1.18-fold increment in protein recovery was observed for the US and MW pretreatments, respectively in comparison to the conventional alkaline extraction. The molecular weight distribution recorded for pretreated samples disclosed a significant reduction in the band thickness in comparison with control. Both the pretreatments resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the antioxidant activity, and TCA solubility index when compared with the control. Results evinced that US and/or MW pretreatments before enzymatic hydrolysis can be a promising approach for the valorization of almond meal for its subsequent use as an ingredient for functional foods/nutraceuticals which otherwise fetches low value as an animal feed.

Ultrasonic Evaluation of the Asian Nasal Soft Tissue Envelope.

OBJECTIVE: The thickness of the nasal soft tissue envelope (STE) plays a crucial role in the final rhinoplasty results. The Asian nasal contour is typically characterized by a thicker STE and broader nasal tip, but objective data are lacking. The purpose of this study was to objectively measure nasal dermal thickness and overall STE thickness and to determine any demographic differences. METHODS: From July to September 2023, 110 patients presenting for consultation underwent ultrasound evaluation of their nasal STE. STE thickness was measured at predetermined subsites and compared with published data on white patients. RESULTS: The thickness of the STE in Asian patients was greater than that in white patients. The STE was thickest at the supratip (mean [SD]), (4.88 [0.74] mm) rather than at the nasion and thinnest at the rhinion (2.25 [0.51] mm). The nasal tip (4.07 [0.72] mm) showed comparable STE thickness with the nasion (4.13 [0.72] mm) but had a significantly thicker dermis than the nasion (2.35 ± 0.49 mm vs. 1.35 ± 0.35 mm, P < 0.05). Male sex and higher BMI tended to be correlated with a thicker nasal STE, but age did not show any relationship. A thicker nasal tip STE showed significantly greater nasal tip width and nasal alar thickness. CONCLUSION: STE thickness at different nasal subsites varies and affects external nasal contour and rhinoplasty outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Subjective effects of broadband water sounds with inaudible high-frequency components.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of reproducing an ultrasonic sound above 20 kHz on the subjective impressions of water sounds using psychological and physiological information obtained by the semantic differential method and electroencephalography (EEG), respectively. The results indicated that the ultrasonic component affected the subjective impression of the water sounds. In addition, regarding the relationship between psychological and physiological aspects, a moderate correlation was confirmed between the EEG change rate and subjective impressions. However, no differences in characteristics were found between with and without the ultrasound component, suggesting that ultrasound does not directly affect the relationship between subjective impressions and EEG energy at the current stage. Furthermore, the correlations calculated for the left and right channels in the occipital region differed significantly, which suggests functional asymmetry for sound perception between the right and left hemispheres.

Clinical and ultrasound features of 46 children with suppurative osteoarthritis: experience from two centers.

OBJECTIVE: Diagnosing musculoskeletal infections in children is challenging. In recent years, with the advancement of ultrasound technology, high-resolution ultrasound has unique advantages for musculoskeletal children. The aim of this work is to summarize the ultrasonographic and clinical characteristics of children with pyogenic arthritis and osteomyelitis. This study provides a simpler and more effective diagnostic basis for clinical treatment. METHODS: Fifty children with osteomyelitis or arthritis were diagnosed via ultrasound, and the results of the ultrasound diagnosis were compared with those of magnetic resonance imaging and surgery. Clinical and ultrasound characteristics were also analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 50 patients, 46 were confirmed to have suppurative infection by surgical and microbiological examination. Among these 46 patients, 26 were diagnosed with osteomyelitis and 20 had arthritis. The manifestations of osteomyelitis were subperiosteal abscess (15 patients), bone destruction (17 patients), bone marrow abscess (9 patients), and adjacent joint abscess (13 patients). Osteomyelitis mostly affects the long bones of the limbs, femur and humerus (10 and 9 patients, respectively), followed by the ulna, radius, tibia and fibula (one patient each). The manifestations of arthritis were joint pus (20 patients) and joint capsule thickening (20 patients), and hip dislocation (8 patients). All the patients had arthritis involving the hip joint. CONCLUSION: Subperiosteal abscess, bone destruction, and joint abscess with dislocation are ultrasonographic features of pyogenic osteoarthritis. The findings of this work can improve the early diagnosis and differentiation of pyogenic osteoarthritis and provide a reliable basis for treatment.

Histotripsy: an innovative approach for minimally invasive tumour and disease treatment.

Histotripsy is a noninvasive medical technique that uses high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to treat liver tumours. The two main histotripsy methods are boiling histotripsy and cavitation cloud histotripsy. Boiling histotripsy uses prolonged ultrasound pulses to create small boiling bubbles in the tissue, which leads to the breakdown of the tissue into smaller subcellular fragments. Cavitation cloud histotripsy uses the ultrasonic cavitation effect to disintegrate target tissue into precisely defined liquefied lesions. Both methods show similar treatment effectiveness; however, boiling histotripsy ensures treatment stability by producing a stable boiling bubble with each pulse. The therapeutic effect is ascribed to mechanical damage at the subcellular level rather than thermal damage. This article discusses the mechanisms, treatment parameters, and potential of histotripsy as a minimally invasive procedure that provides precise and controlled subcellular damage.