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OBJECTIVES B-lines are a lung ultrasound (LUS) artifact that often indicate pathology. Little is known about the optimal ultrasound machine settings to assess B-lines. We compared settings typically used to evaluate B-lines at our institution with adjusted settings based on recent studies. METHODS In order to determine typical settings for B-line assessment, we retrospectively reviewed LUS images obtained at our institution. We then prospectively performed LUS with both typical and adjusted settings, using curvilinear and phased array probes, in 20 patients presenting to the emergency department with shortness of breath. The prospectively obtained clips were rated for quality and quantity of B-lines by 14 clinicians with experience in LUS, with 1 assigned for typical settings "much greater," 2 for typical settings "slightly greater," 3 for both settings "similar," 4 for adjusted settings "slightly greater," and 5 for adjusted settings "much greater." RESULTS Mean ratings and 95% confidence intervals significantly exceeded the null value of 3 for both B line quality (curvilinear probe: 4.68, 4.50-4.85; phased array probe: 4.02, 3.70-4.35) and B line quantity (curvilinear probe: 4.16, 3.84-4.49; phased array probe: 3.68, 3.41-3.96). CONCLUSIONS B-line quality and quantity were rated higher using adjusted settings based on recently published evidence than when using settings that are typically employed in our institution. Our findings suggest that B-line assessment should be performed with focal zone at the level of the pleura, harmonics off, and gain increased in the far field.

We present a unique catalogue of full moment tensors (MTs) of microearthquakes that occurred in West Bohemia, Czech Republic, in the period from 2008 to 2018. The catalogue is exceptional in several aspects: (1) it represents an extraordinary extensive dataset of more than 5.000 MTs, (2) it covers a long period of seismicity in the studied area, during which several prominent earthquake swarms took place, (3) the locations and retrieved MTs of microearthquakes are of a high accuracy. Additionally, we provide three-component records at the West Bohemia (WEBNET) seismic stations, the velocity model in the region, and the technical specification of the stations. The dataset is ideal for being utilized by a large community of researchers for various seismological purposes, e.g., for studies of (1) the migration of foci and the spatiotemporal evolution of seismicity, (2) redistribution of stress during periods of intense seismicity, (3) the interaction of faults, (4) the Coulomb stress along the faults and local stress anomalies connected to fault irregularities, (5) diffusivity of fluids along the activated faults, or (6) the time-dependent seismic risk due to the migration of seismicity in the region. In addition, the dataset is optimum for developing and testing new inversions for MTs and for tectonic stress. Since most of the earthquakes are non-shear, the dataset can contribute to studies of non-double-couple components of MTs and their relation to shear-tensile fracturing and/or seismic anisotropy in the focal zone.

Ultrasound appears to be the most useful imaging tool in the diagnosis and guided treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. However, ultrasonography has been criticized for being user dependent. Therefore, medical professionals should be familiar with the basic principles of ultrasound imaging (e.g., physics and technical skills) to diminish artifacts and avoid misinterpretation. In this review, we focused on the physics of common artifacts, their clinical significance, and the ways to tackle them in daily practice during musculoskeletal imaging. In particular, artifacts pertaining to the focal zone, beam attenuation, path and side lobe of the beam, speed of the sound, and range ambiguity were described.

International audience; The proliferation of photovoltaic (PV) power generation in power distribution grids induces increasing safety and service quality concerns for grid operators. The inherent variability, essentially due to meteorological conditions, of PV power generation affects the power grid reliability. In order to develop efficient monitoring and control schemes for distribution grids, reliable forecasting of the solar resource at several time horizons that are related to regulation, scheduling, dispatching, and unit commitment, is necessary. PV power generation forecasting can result from forecasting global horizontal irradiance (GHI), which is the total amount of shortwave radiation received from above by a surface horizontal to the ground. A comparative study of machine learning methods is given in this paper, with a focus on the most widely used: Gaussian process regression (GPR), support vector regression (SVR), and artificial neural networks (ANN). Two years of GHI data with a time step of 10 min are used to train the models and forecast GHI at varying time horizons, ranging from 10 min to 4 h. Persistence on the clear-sky index, also known as scaled persistence model, is included in this paper as a reference model. Three criteria are used for in-depth performance estimation: normalized root mean square error (nRMSE), dynamic mean absolute error (DMAE) and coverage width-based criterion (CWC). Results confirm that machine learning-based methods outperform the scaled persistence model. The best-performing machine learning-based methods included in this comparative study are the long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network and the GPR model using a rational quadratic kernel with automatic relevance determination.

Based on the data on earthquake focal mechanisms, we estimated seismotectonic deformation related to the 2010 Мw 8.8 Maule earthquake and analyzed the deformation at different depths. In the main seismic dislocation of the Maule earthquake and the northern area, the deformation field to a depth of 70 km is typical of subduction zones as evidenced by shortening in the direction of the oceanic plate subduction. Below a depth of 70 km, the deformation pattern changes sharply to horizontal stretching. After the main seismic event, as well as before it, nearlatitudinal shortening was dominant in the focal zone, while the region of the main seismic dislocations was surrounded by separate areas of near-latitudinal stretching, which is an opposite type of deformation. We conducted a detailed analysis of the seismotectonic deformations in the oceanic uplift area to the west of the deep-water trough and identified local zones of near-latitudinal stretching near the southern and northern boundaries of the future Maule earthquake zone. Detecting such zones can provide important data for early forecasting of regions wherein strong subduction-related earthquakes are being prepared.

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has gained clinical interest as a non-invasive local tumour therapy in many organs. In addition, it has been shown that lung cancer can be targeted by HIFU using One-Lung Flooding (OLF). OLF generates a gas free saline-lung compound in one lung wing and therefore acoustic access to central lung tumours. It can be assumed that lung parenchyma is exposed to ultrasound intensities in the pre-focal path and in cases of misguiding. If so, cavitation might be induced in the saline fraction of flooded lung and cause tissue damage. Therefore this study was aimed to determine the thresholds of HIFU induced cavitation and tissue erosion in flooded lung. Resected human lung lobes were flooded ex-vivo. HIFU (1,1 MHz) was targeted under sonographic guidance into flooded lung parenchyma. Cavitation events were counted using subharmonic passive cavitation detection (PCD). B-Mode imaging was used to detect cavitation and erosion sonographically. Tissue samples out of the focal zone were analysed histologically. In flooded lung, a PCD and a sonographic cavitation detection threshold of 625 Wcm − 2(p r = 4, 3 MPa) and 3.600 Wcm − 2(p r = 8, 3 MPa) was found. Cavitation in flooded lung appears as blurred hyperechoic focal region, which enhances echogenity with insonation time. Lung parenchyma erosion was detected at intensities above 7.200 Wcm − 2(p r = 10, 9 MPa). Cavitation occurs in flooded lung parenchyma, which can be detected passively and by B-Mode imaging. Focal intensities required for lung tumour ablation are below levels where erosive events occur. Therefore focal cavitation events can be monitored and potential risk from tissue erosion in flooded lung avoided.

Histotripsy is a tissue ablation method that utilizes focused, high-amplitude ultrasound to generate a cavitation bubble cloud that mechanically fractionates tissue. Effective histotripsy depends on the initiation, control, and maintenance of cavitation bubble clouds in the targeted area. In this study, we hypothesized that a low-pressure acoustic pulse sequence applied before and/or during histotripsy therapy would increase the cavitation initiation pressure threshold and the growth of cavitation bubble clouds. This technique could shrink or “sharpen” the focal zone during histotripsy to produce more precise and well-defined lesions with minimal collateral damage. It may also be a way to actively protect the soft tissue from cavitation damage during lithotripsy by increasing the pressure threshold for bubble cloud initiation. We applied these low-amplitude acoustic pulse sequences before and during histotripsy treatments with the pulse repetition frequency of 1 and 100 Hz, in three different mediums: water, tissue phantom agarose gel, and bovine liver in vitro . Acoustic backscatter signals and optical imaging were used to detect and monitor the initiation, maintenance, and growth of the resulting cavitation bubble cloud. The results demonstrated that the use of low-amplitude acoustic pulse sequences could increase the cavitation pressure amplitude threshold by 20% in the targeted area.

Laser filamentation is responsible for the deposition of a significant part of the laser pulse energy in the propagation medium. We found that using terawatt laser pulses and relatively tight focusing conditions in air, resulting in a bundle of co-propagating multifilaments, more than 60 % of the pulses energy is transferred to the medium, eventually degrading into heat. This results in a strong hydrodynamic reaction of air with the generation of shock waves and associated underdense channels for each short-scale filament. In the focal zone, where filaments are close to each other, these discrete channels eventually merge to form a single cylindrical low-density tube over a $\sim 1 \mu\mathrm{s}$ timescale. We measured the maximum lineic deposited energy to be more than 1 J/m., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures

The article presents results of tectonophysical methods applied to reconstruct tectonic stress field of the north-western flank of the Pacific Ocean seismic focal zone in the region wherein the 2011 Tohoku earthquake was prepared. The reconstructions are based on earthquake foci data for the time period before the catastrophic seismic event. The field of stresses, wherein the Tohoku earthquake focus was formed, had a high gradient along the dip of the seismic focal zone. It is revealed that the focus developed in the junction area of the crust segments with high and low levels of effective pressure. A wide area of lower effective pressure was located at depths close to 30 km, and it was the most susceptible to brittle fracture. In our opinion, the area impacted by the Tohoku earthquake is large due to a large length of the crustal segments with the high gradient of stresses, which are located along the eastern part of the crust of the Honshu Island. The stress reconstruction also shows that the axis of the Japan oceanic trough divides the seismic focal zone into areas of horizontal compression (westward) and horizontal extension (eastwards). According to our calculations, lateral compression is the highest at the crustal depths up to 20 km westward of the trough’s axis, where maximum lateral compression axes are oriented orthogonally to the troug h’s strike. Eastward of the trough’s axis, minimum horizontal compression axes are oriented orthogonally to the trough’s strike. At the crossing point of the Japan trough, a sharp changing of stress is by a factor of 5 to 8 of internal cohesion of rocks, τf. This sharp changing of stress is lower for the Izu-Bonin trough and varies from 3 to 5 τf.

Treatment of angiomyolipoma (AML) of kidney with stone has been challenging for urologists. We present our experience of treating the renal stone in the presence of AML with shockwave lithotripsy (SWL). Position of the patient with respect to the direction of the shockwaves and accurate knowledge of the dimension of the focal zone are critical aspects of SWL. Keeping the AML safely away from the focal zone at all times during the procedure is only possible by usage of real-time ultrasonography in lieu of fluoroscopy.

Electromagnetic anomalies (EMA) covering a wide range of frequencies from ULF, VLF up to VHF have been observed before recent destructive earthquakes in continental Greece. We show that the features of these signals are possibly correlated with the fault model characteristics of the associated earthquake and with the degree of geotectonic heterogeneity within the focal zone. The time evolution of these electromagnetic sequences reveals striking similarities to that observed in laboratory acoustic and electromagnetic emissions during different stages of failure preparation process in rocks. If we consider that the same dynamics governs the large-scale earthquakes and the microscopic scale sample rheological structure, the results of this analysis suggest that the recorded EMA might reflect the nucleation phase of the associated impending earthquake. We focus on the rise of the statistical view of earthquakes. We find electro-magnetic fingerprints of an underlying critical mechanism. Finally, we conclude that it is useful to combine ULF and VLF-VHF field measurements in an attempt to enhance the understanding of the physics behind these observations and thus to improve the quality of earthquake prediction. Further, the identification of an EMA as a seismogenic one supports the characterization of a sequence of shocks as foreshocks at the time they occur, further helping the earthquake prediction effort.

The acoustic lens of the Modularis electromagnetic shock wave lithotripter (Siemens, Malvern, Pennsylvania) was modified to produce a pressure waveform and focal zone more closely resembling that of the original HM3 device (Dornier Medtech, Wessling, Germany). We assessed the newly designed acoustic lens in vivo in an animal model.Stone fragmentation and tissue injury produced by the original and modified lenses of the Modularis lithotripter were evaluated in a swine model under equivalent acoustic pulse energy (about 45 mJ) at 1 Hz pulse repetition frequency. Stone fragmentation was determined by the weight percent of stone fragments less than 2 mm. To assess tissue injury, shock wave treated kidneys were perfused, dehydrated, cast in paraffin wax and sectioned. Digital images were captured every 120 μm and processed to determine functional renal volume damage.After 500 shocks, the mean ± SD stone fragmentation efficiency produced by the original and modified lenses was 48% ± 12% and 52% ± 17%, respectively (p = 0.60). However, after 2,000 shocks, the modified lens showed significantly improved stone fragmentation compared to the original lens (mean 86% ± 10% vs 72% ± 12%, p = 0.02). Tissue injury caused by the original and modified lenses was minimal at a mean of 0.57% ± 0.44% and 0.25% ± 0.25%, respectively (p = 0.27).With lens modification the Modularis lithotripter demonstrates significantly improved stone fragmentation with minimal tissue injury at a clinically relevant acoustic pulse energy. This new lens design could potentially be retrofitted to existing lithotripters, improving the effectiveness of electromagnetic lithotripters.

Management of urinary calculi has changed from open pyelolithotomy and ureterolithotomy to predominantly non-invasive procedures such as extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) as well as endourological such as ureterorenoscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL). Technology has advanced rapidly allowing stone disease to be treated with minimally invasive techniques that have lower morbidity than the open operations of the past. Newer semi-rigid ureteroscopes of size 7 to 9 F allow visualisation of the ureter without traumatic dilatation. There is the flexible ureteroscope developed with smaller fibre optics, the addition of the working channel that allows the use of laser fibres for stone fragmentation and a greater deflection of the tip that enables all parts of the pelvicalyceal system to be inspected for stones. New generation lithotripters for ESWL deliver shockwave to a smaller focal zone so as to minimise damage to surrounding soft tissue but as a result, there are higher failure rates. PCNL, though more invasive than ESWL and URS, is the procedure of choice for large renal stones. It is highly efficient in such situations as newer equipment to disintegrate stone and newer techniques for percutaneous access has been developed. In addition to all these minimally invasive surgical techniques, there is medical therapy available to allow the expulsion of distal ureteric stones as well as alkalinising agents to dissolve uric acid stones. Metabolic evaluation is necessary for patients with recurrent stones. Dietary adjustments may help prevent recurrent stone formation in selected patients depending on the results. With all these techniques currently available, management of urinary calculi has to be tailored according to the size, location of stone as well as patient preference.

While the literature abounds with case histories related to geochemical precursory phenomena, only a few studies on definite seismogeochemical algorithms have been published so far. Currently, available theoretical algorithms are based on obsolete views of fluid migration processes that do not take into account the possibility of rapid and long-distance gas migration from the focal zone. Empirical algorithms are often based on a limited number of data and need validation for several geostructural environments. The algorithms of Sardarov (1981) and Rikitake (1987), for Rn and other geochemical elements, suggest that a definite relationship exists between geochemical parameters and seismic events. Their validation must be based on the verification of independence (maintained by the former author) or dependence (maintained by the latter) of the precursor time on the seismic data.

Emissions of electromagnetic waves before great earthquakes have been observed many times in the past; for example, the observation at a distance of 10000 km of a radio-emission on 18 MHZ, 6 days before the great Chilean earthquake of May, 1960. The main features of the van method for predicting earthquakes are described. Explanation are suggested for: 1. (1) the predictability of earthquakes and of their focal zone; 2. (2) the propagation of the telluric currents; 3. (3) the remarkable sensitivity of the Keratea station; and 4. (4) the “directivity effect” and the “shadow zone”.

Investigations on earthquake prediction in Kamchatka are mainly carried out along three lines: 1. (1) The detailed investigations of Kamchatka-Komandorskiye Islands seismicity laws and long-term prediction (“seismic weather prediction”). The location of the Japanese earthquake on May 16, 1968, M = 7.9 was predicted well. 2. (2) The investigation of the connection between earthquakes and irregularities of electrotelluric field. The observed electric anomalies are found to arise some hours before the earthquakes and at the moment of the shock. The periods of such irregularities change from some minutes to half an hour. The amplitudes reach 50 mV/km. 3. (3) Investigations of velocities, amplitudes and other features of P-wave in the Pacific seismic focal zone near Kamchatka and their variations in time. Places of shot points and receivers at coast and in the ocean were constant. Distances were 40–200 km. Standard deviations of traveltime determinations were there ± 0.03 sec. In 1966–1968, when there were no earthquakes with M ≥ 6 in the investigated region, travel-time variations were in error limits. That means P velocities were constant here with an accuracy of 0.3–0.5%.

The shallow medieval Jeroným Mine is located at a distance of about 25 km southeast of the Nový Kostel focal zone where the most intensive seismic activity in West Bohemia (Czech Republic) has been documented. Permanent seismological monitoring has been carried out since 2004 in this mine. During the 2011 and 2014 seismic swarms, more than 1000 triggered records comprising almost 1500 earthquakes were recorded at the permanent station in the mine. Three short-term seismological experiments were accomplished during these swarms. Several temporary seismic stations were simultaneously placed in different parts of underground spaces which enabled comparison of vibration effect caused by near earthquakes in different parts of the mine. Although the depth of the lowest parts of mine is only about 60 m, a vibration effect generated by earthquakes from the Nový Kostel focal zone is not the same for the whole underground complex.