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Abstract Objective There is growing evidence supporting the utilization of the radial artery as a secondary arterial graft in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. However, debates continue over the recovery period of the radial artery following angiography. This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes and experiences related to the use of the radial artery post-angiography in total arterial coronary revascularization. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on data from patients who underwent total arterial CABG surgery at the University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital from July 1, 2020, to September 30, 2022. Preoperative assessments included ultrasound evaluations of radial artery blood flow, diameter, intimal integrity, and the Allen test. Additionally, pathological examinations of the distal radial artery and coronary artery CT angiography were conducted, along with postoperative follow-up to assess the safety and efficacy of using the radial artery in patients undergoing total arterial CABG. Results A total of 117 patients, compromising 102 males and 15 females with an average age of 60.0 ± 10.0 years, underwent total arterial CABG. The internal mammary artery was used in situ in 108 cases, while in 4 cases, it was grafted to the ascending aorta due to length limitations. Bilateral radial arteries were utilized in 88 patients, and bilateral internal mammary arteries in 4 patients. Anastomoses of the proximal radial arteries to the proximal ascending aorta included 42 cases using distal T-anastomosis and 4 using sequential grafts. The interval between bypass surgery and coronary angiography ranged from 7 to 14 days. Pathological examination revealed intact intima and continuous elastic membranes with no significant inflammatory infiltration or hyperplastic lumen stenosis in the radial arteries. There were no hospital deaths, 3 cases of perioperative cerebral infarction, 1 secondary thoracotomy for hemorrhage control, 21 instances of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) assistance, and 2 cases of poor wound healing that improved following debridement. CT angiography performed 2 weeks post-surgery showed no internal mammary artery occlusions, but 4 radial artery occlusions were noted. Conclusion Ultrasound may be used within 2 weeks post-angiography to assess the recovery of the radial artery in some patients. Radial arteries with intact intima may be considered in conjunction with the internal mammary artery for total arterial coronary CABG. However, long-term outcomes of these grafts require further validation through larger prospective studies.

Objective: There is growing evidence supporting the utilization of the radial artery as a secondary arterial graft in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. However, debates continue over the recovery period of the radial artery following angiography. This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes and experiences related to the use of the radial artery post-angiography in total arterial coronary revascularization. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on data from patients who underwent total arterial CABG surgery at the University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital from July 1, 2020, to September 30, 2022. Preoperative assessments included ultrasound evaluations of radial artery blood flow, diameter, intimal integrity, and the Allen test. Additionally, pathological examinations of the distal radial artery and coronary artery CT angiography were conducted, along with postoperative follow-up to assess the safety and efficacy of using the radial artery in patients undergoing total arterial CABG. Results: A total of 117 patients, compromising 102 males and 15 females with an average age of 60.0 ± 10.0 years, underwent total arterial CABG. The internal mammary artery was used in situ in 108 cases, while in 4 cases, it was grafted to the ascending aorta due to length limitations. Bilateral radial arteries were utilized in 88 patients, and bilateral internal mammary arteries in 4 patients. Anastomoses of the proximal radial arteries to the proximal ascending aorta included 42 cases using distal T-anastomosis and 4 using sequential grafts. The interval between bypass surgery and coronary angiography ranged from 7 to 14 days. Pathological examination revealed intact intima and continuous elastic membranes with no significant inflammatory infiltration or hyperplastic lumen stenosis in the radial arteries. There were no hospital deaths, 3 cases of perioperative cerebral infarction, 1 secondary thoracotomy for hemorrhage control, 21 instances of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) assistance, and 2 cases of poor wound healing that improved following debridement. CT angiography performed 2 weeks post-surgery showed no internal mammary artery occlusions, but 4 radial artery occlusions were noted. Conclusion: Ultrasound may be used within 2 weeks post-angiography to assess the recovery of the radial artery in some patients. Radial arteries with intact intima may be considered in conjunction with the internal mammary artery for total arterial coronary CABG. However, long-term outcomes of these grafts require further validation through larger prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-destructive test methods are usually used for up to 2 months old bored concrete piles. It helps to determine the concrete properties of newly installed pile foundations. This research work represents a unique investigation of 80 bored concrete piles that are tested with different non-destructive methods 34 years from installation. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to provide an analysis of different non-destructive testing (pile integrity test (PIT); P-wave test; ultrasound test (UPV)) results for old concrete piles and to provide suggestions for the prediction of experimental results. Furthermore, the experimental results of different methods are compared with each other. Based on the results of this research and found in the literature, a theoretical method is proposed to predict the relationship between wave velocity and concrete strength for a wider range of concrete strength (5–115 MPa). Furthermore, coefficients are proposed for the prediction of the relationship between the dynamic modulus of elasticity and the strength of the concrete and give significantly higher precision compared to the ones proposed in the literature.

This study proposes a method to predict applied loads on bonded structures via non-destructive testing results. Various types of concrete, such as high-performance alkali-activated slag concrete (HPAASC) and regular Portland cement concrete (OPCC) are simultaneously tested via ultrasound testing and bi-surface shear for extracting features and target values, respectively. Variational Mode Decomposition is employed to extract useful features from ultrasound signals. In the first part, selected features using a PCA-based method are utilized to train a set of deep-learning models to estimate the imposed mechanical load on the tested specimens. The most effective models from the first step, i.e., a CNN-LSTM model and LSTM models, are then fine-tuned in the second step to estimate loading conditions in another set of specimens. Results indicate the superior performance of the CNN-LSTM model. The proposed algorithm highlights the effectiveness of ultrasound features in accurately evaluating structural loading conditions for efficient monitoring of various structures. • A novel technique for evaluating loading condition of bonded structures is proposed. • The method is demonstrated on laboratory HPAASC and OPCC specimens. • Specimens were simultaneously tested via bi-surface shear and ultrasound testing. • VMD is employed for feature extraction from Ultrasound signals. • A trained CNN-LSTM model is fine-tuned to generalize predictions on new specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The bond between the developed high-performance alkali-activated slag concrete and ordinary Portland cement concrete was investigated using an ultrasound test. • The wave velocity, attenuation, signal energy, second harmonic coefficient, and the maximum amplitude of the wave were the inputs of the multilayer perceptron and convolutional neural network. • Two different measurements for the energy loss were considered, 1- energy loss at the bond zone and 2- energy loss of the wave passed through the sample. • The results of all the ultrasound test parameters showed that the grooves increased the homogeneity and consistency of the concretes. • The developed structure of convolutional neural network predicted the bond condition very well, which helps the health monitoring during the structure service life. In accelerated bridge constructions, the 3D printing process, and structural retrofitting, the bond condition between concrete layers considerably affects their structural safety and functionality. Nondestructive tests can effectively and efficiently monitor these structures' bond conditions. This paper used the convolutional neural network (CNN) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) to estimate the bond strength of concrete layers based on vital ultrasound parameters. In this regard, ultrasound pulse velocity, attenuation, maximum amplitude, and energy loss of the ultrasound wave were assessed as the inputs of the machine learning models. The target was the bi-surface shear strength of the specimens. Two different approaches were considered to evaluate the energy loss of the wave 1) in the whole specimen and 2) at the bond zone, and the models based on each dataset's accuracy were compared. Parameters resulting from the second approach were more reliable and had better consistency with bond strength variation than the first one. Moreover, the ultrasonic parameters were investigated to determine the most sensitive ultrasound factor to the different bond treatments. Accordingly, attenuation was the most susceptible parameter toward the change of bond strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to evaluate the ultrasound test to estimate the depth of cracks in concrete, using a mathematical model published in the literature, and to verify this depth with more accurate results. Four concrete test specimens were molded for each proposed crack depth (5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm), simulated using zinc plates, placed during molding and removed before concrete hardening. The results show that the test is sensitive enough to detect the presence of the cracks in the concrete. The mathematical model used allowed for an estimation of the depths of most cracks, but the results are scattered and have a high margin of error for the depths of 5 cm and 15 cm. The cracks of 10-cm depth produced better results.

Background The rotator cuff tendons are key to the healthy function of the shoulder. Rotator cuff tear is a painful injury involving the supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis . Diagnosis is usually made through detailed history, physical examination, and often, imaging studies. Patients and method From February 2006 to November 2007.Thirty two patients with shoulder pain were subjected to a prospective comparative study in Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital and of these 33 patients , 8 patients were found to have full thickness tear(FTT)and 25 patients were found to have partial thickness tear(PTT) clinically and these patients underwent ultrasonograpic(U/S)examination. Result The result of the clinical examination were compared to the result of ultrasonography (U/S) examination.The clinical examination shows that P.T.T. more common, and occurs in younger age groups than F.T.T. Also rotator cuff tears more common in the dominant side and more common in male than female. Sensitivity of U/S in detection of F.T.T. was {87.5%}. Sensitivity of U/S in detection of P.T.T. was {56%} Conclusions F.T.T. is diagnosed mainly clinically and ultrasonography is useful in the diagnosis with sensitivity of {87.5%}.P.T.T. is diagnosed mainly clinically and ultrasonography is not so useful in the diagnosis with sensitivity of {56%}. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accelerated bridge construction (ABC), 3D-printed concrete and structural retrofitting using concrete jacketing are used to reduce the onsite construction time. Both techniques involve bonded concrete, where a concrete layer is cast on the old substrate. As a result, the interfacial transition zone between these concrete layers is the weakest part of the structure. In this paper, a machine learning-based model is proposed to predict the bond strength between concrete layers from extracted ultrasonic features. Ultrasound tests provide the input parameters, and bi-surface shear test results are the targets for the machine learning model. To validate the method, laboratory testing is performed on 54 concrete specimens with different design mixtures and bond zone conditions. Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) is applied to the ultrasonic signals, and three intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) are extracted from each signal leading to 21 independent features. Four machine learning algorithms are deployed, namely K-nearest-neighbors, support vector machine, random forest, and XGB regressors. XGB is found to be the most accurate model, and its hyperparameters are tuned to optimize the model performance. To improve the method, the features' importance values are derived, and the most compelling features for training are identified, which are the third quartile and center frequency of the first IMF's instantaneous frequency, and the center frequency and kurtosis of the second IMF's instantaneous frequency. The resulting final model was a tuned XGBoost regression model that obtained an R-squared value of 95.5 percent taking the four features as input. For the four selected features, apparent clustering was found at a bond strength of 3 MPa, ensuring a reliable prediction of quality bond conditions. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in predicting the bi-surface shear strength of concrete layers based on ultrasonic testing. • The bonding quality of concrete layers was investigated using ultrasonic testing. • VMD decomposition was used to extract statistical features from ultrasonic signals. • XGBoost estimated the bond strength based on the most essential features. • The selected statistical features were insensitive to human errors. • The method is useful for the health monitoring of bridges and 3D-printed materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to verify the applicability and preliminary results of an ultrasound methodology for the complete characterization of root wood. The tests utilized six species: Swietenia macrophylla, Gallesia integrifólia, Swietenia sp., Schinus molle, Handroanthus heptaphyllus, and Acrocarpus fraxinifolius. The results show expected elastic ratios between properties, indicating that although the properties can differ numerically from roots and other parts of the tree, the orthotropic wood behavior is maintained. The root densities were higher than those reported in the literature for trunk wood, but direct relationships among high density and stiffness or strength properties were not observed. The ultrasound tests allowed 12 elastic constants of root wood to be obtained and were feasible for root dimensions because only one specimen was required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare with praticability and accuracy ratio of Ultrasound and Progesterone tests, which are used for diagnosis of pregnancy at the artificial insemination programme used for ewes and was performed at the days of 18th, and Abdominal Ultrasound tests which is applied at the 90th at the ground circumstances. This study performed in 61, 2-5 years old, Red Karaman-Awasi-Tuj ewes. It was determined at the artificial insemination programme, being pregnant 21 (34.4) and not being pregnant 40 (65.6%) at the end of the study. Datas of three different diagnosis tests was carried out Chi-Square analysis and was established significantly (p<0.01) interval coherence thanks to real diagnostic. The best result with ROC analysis was obtained from Abdominal Ultrasound test, which was done in 90th days, taken into consideration area under curve with 1.00. At the end of the pregnancy, progesterone test which was done in 18th days, areas under curves were calculated 0.875 and 0.805 respectively. According to all analysis, the best result was Abdominal Ultrasound test, but ultrasound pregnancy test which was done in 18th days, was be able to applied for early diagnosis at the ground circumstances practically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to reduce the energy consumption and thus increase the availability of blast furnace compressors of a steelmaking company, located in Alto Paraopeba region in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, through the elimination of waste points in the compressed air distribution. In order to develop this work, an ultrasound test in the compressed air line was performed to identify and quantify leaks in the flow. Once the leaks were identified, they were eliminated through corrective maintenance and improvements, and then the energy consumption scenarios before and after the improvements were compared. As a result, the average monthly electricity consumption in the reporting period decreased by 57.2%. In addition, one compressor was set aside in stand-by condition, as in the original plant. Thus, one can prove the efficiency in eliminating of waste points in compressed air distribution, since the reduction of energy consumption is important for the company to remain competitive, as the cost of electric energy affects the final price of the final products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of sawdust addition in soil-cement bricks and evaluate their mechanical properties using ultrasonic techniques and concepts of structural anisotropy. The influence of sawdust inclusion on soil-cement (specimens, bricks, and prisms) was analyzed by measuring tensile strength, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and ultrasonic pulses. To determine the relation between mechanical characteristics of soil-cement-sawdust and ultrasonic pulses, the concepts of structural anisotropy and ANOVA were used. Results indicate that the influence of sawdust inclusion on mechanical characteristics of soil-cement depends not only on soil type, but also on the shape and configuration of bricks and prisms. The addition of sawdust to sandy soil increased its compressive strength, elasticity modulus, and ductility. When added to clayey soils, there was a decrease in compressive strength of the soils but an increase in elasticity modulus and ductility. A strong relation between ultrasonic-pulse velocities and soil-cement-sawdust mechanical characteristics was verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study demonstrated the feasibility of applying an ultrasound test to evaluate the ability of a powder to interact with a solvent and thus to predict the reconstitution behaviour of powders. The ultrasound attenuation was monitored and a corresponding relaxation time was calculated. Analysis of the ultrasound signal and images obtained by a granulomorphometer in the course of dispersion showed that the time required by the ultrasound attenuation parameter to relax is strongly associated with the time required by the solvent to penetrate primary particles. It was also shown that this step is of crucial importance in the dissolution mechanism as it precedes the fragmentation phase, identified as a limiting step. Classification of dairy powders according to their relaxation times (ultrasound test) and rehydration times (rehydration test, calculated with Static Light Scattering) was in good agreement for the range of milk powders investigated. Industrial relevance: Spray drying is commonly used to produce dairy powders in the food industry. Although the rehydration of these powders can be very slow, few analytic methods are available to evaluate the dissolvability of a dairy powder; consequently, there is a current lack of guidelines in order to tune spray dryer operating parameters for improving instant properties. The objective of this study is to present a new analytical method based on ultrasound test to evaluate powder ability to reconstitute. A probe was immerged in the liquid and the transmitted signal was analysed during the course of rehydration. The acoustic test was demonstrated to be effective in tracking solvent interactions, making it possible to assess the ability of a solvent to bind with the primary particle, and thus revealing it to be a powerful tool to evaluate the reconstitution ability of dairy powder quickly with low material costs. Of course the scope of this tool is broader than the sole food sector and encompasses all applications requiring a reconstitution step in a solvent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Grading tests were performed on 338 poplar wood samples ( Populus × euramericana I-214) with dimensions of 150×50 mm2, 150×80 mm2, and 200×100 mm2 prepared for structural utilization. The non-destructive testing methods included ultrasound (Sylvatest) and induced vibrations (Portable Lumber Grader) combined with visual grading criteria. Additionally, screw withdrawal resistance was tested by the instrument Fakopp. These results were compared with those obtained by a four-point bending test according to the EN 408 (2004) standard. Ultrasound and induced vibrations overestimated the quality of this type of wood. Correlation equations are proposed to determine the true characteristics for each testing method. It can be concluded that poplar timber from clone I-214 has acceptable flexural strength, but a comparatively low elastic modulus, whereby it is not graded within a high strength class according to the EN 338 (2009) standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasonic energy transferring is influenced by cracking. • Diffuse ultrasound parameters can be used to determine cracking bending moment. • Diffusivity and ATME showed to be highly correlated to the stiffness loss of beams. Flexural cracks are common in reinforced concrete (RC) beams. At service loads, the tensile stresses induced by the bending moments cause beam sections to crack, leading to loss of stiffness and a consequent increase in beam deflections. Serviceability limit states in RC beam design include maximum deflection and maximum crack widths. Cracks affect the propagation of ultrasound by disrupting its travel path, which leads to a strongly scattering of the ultrasonic waves. As a result, there is a delay in the arrival of the ultrasonic energy flux, which can be observed by the increasing formation of coda waves. This resultant incoherent wavefield can be approximated by the diffuse ultrasound method. The diffuse ultrasound method can better describe the cracking effects over a larger region of the RC element compared to the ultrasonic pulse velocity, the most used ultrasound parameter in concrete applications. Changes in the diffuse ultrasound parameters (diffusivity, dissipation and ATME) can be related to the extent of cracking in a RC element. The objective of this research was to apply the diffuse ultrasound method to evaluate the stiffness loss due to flexural cracking of RC beams. Beams with different longitudinal flexural reinforcement ratios were cast and submitted to a bending test. The deflection at mid-span, and thus beam stiffness, was monitored during the test. Ultrasound transducers were installed in the central region of the beams with ultrasound readings performed during the tests in order to acquire the waveforms at various loading stages. For each waveform, the diffuse ultrasound parameters were recovered using a time–frequency analysis. The behavior of the diffuse parameters with increasing progressive damage caused by flexural cracking was analyzed and correlated to the stiffness loss of the beams. As a result, it was observed that diffusivity and ATME were the most sensitive parameters to identify the onset of cracking and also were seen to be related to beam stiffness variation at early cracking stage. When correlated with stiffness loss values up to 70%, diffusivity and ATME presented high mean correlation coefficients, allowing to conclude that it is possible to estimate the stiffness loss through the diffuse ultrasound parameters in the interval following the beginning of the cracking process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The mobility of the first tarsometatarsal (TMT1) is said to be correlated to the severity of hallux valgus determined using both clinical and radiographic criteria. The sagittal mobility of the TMT1 joint can be evaluated objectively using a new ultrasound test, which quantifies it in the form of a unitless value (ratio of two measurements). The objective of this study was to describe the relationship between TMT1 mobility on an ultrasound test and hallux valgus severity. Hypothesis TMT1 joint mobility increases with hallux valgus severity.Patients and Methods: Forty-nine feet were included that were being treated for isolated hallux valgus and had no evidence of TMT1 hypermobility based on the dorsal drawer test. For each foot, the presence and intensity of load transfer (LT), the intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and the hallux valgus angle (HVA) were determined. Lastly, TMT1 mobility was evaluated with the ultrasound test.Results: Clinically, no LT was present in 20 feet; it was present only under M2 in 20 feet and reached at least M3 in the other nine feet. The mean IMA on radiographs was 14.6° and the mean HVA was 34.5°. The value of the ultrasound test was significantly different between the three groups of clinical hallux valgus severity: 1.17 with no LT, 1.31 with isolated M2 LT, and 1.72 when LT was at least at M3. Furthermore, this value was correlated with the IMA but not the HVA.Discussion: This study revealed a relationship between increased TMT1 mobility and hallux valgus severity based on clinical (LT) and radiographic (IMA) criteria. Thus, our working hypothesis is confirmed. However, there was no correlation between TMT1 mobility and HVA suggesting that this angle is less relevant for determining the severity of the condition. This is consistent with the classical pathophysiological concept of metatarsus primus varus where the hallux valgus originates in a metatarsus varus in the tarsometatarsal area.Conclusion: The severity of hallux valgus is correlated with increased mobility of the TMT1 joint, which appears to have a causal role in this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: First-ray hypermobility (FRHM) is a documented abnormality whose pathogenic role is controversial. FRHM has been suggested to participate in many common disorders such as paediatric hallux valgus and recurrence after hallux valgus surgery. The controversy is due to lack of functional data on the first tarso-metatarsal joint (TMT1) in real-life situations, to its major anatomical variability, and to the absence of simple investigation methods. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and the inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of a new dynamic ultrasound test that quantifies TMT1 mobility and is simple to use provided a good-quality ultrasound machine is available., Hypothesis: The new ultrasound TMT1 mobility test is reproducible., Material and Methods: The 32 feet of 16 consecutive patients whose first ray was considered normal were included. Ultrasonography was performed at rest and during a stress test consisting in causing TMT1 gaping by applying a distal dorsal drawer movement to the first metatarsal. The two plantar bony prominences on either side of the TMT1 were identified, and the distance between them was measured at rest and during the stress test. The stress/rest ratio was computed. Each foot was tested twice by two different examiners, for a total of 128 tests., Results: Mean TMT1 gaping distance was 1.38mm (range, 1.01-2.02mm) at rest and 1.67mm (range, 1.12-2.95mm). The mean stress/rest ratio was 1.21 (range, 1.02-1.62). Both inter- and intra-observer reliability was strong for all measured parameters., Discussion: A simple and reproducible ultrasound test for measuring TMT1 mobility is described for the first time. The good reproducibility confirms the working hypothesis. This preliminary study was designed to validate the new test. The measured values need to be assessed in various disorders including FRHM, for which the test was designed. Should the results prove conclusive, the TMT1 gaping test may become a pivotal diagnostic tool., Level of Evidence: IV, diagnostic study., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Abstract This work aims to reduce the energy consumption and thus increase the availability of blast furnace compressors of a steelmaking company, located in Alto Paraopeba region in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, through the elimination of waste points in the compressed air distribution. In order to develop this work, an ultrasound test in the compressed air line was performed to identify and quantify leaks in the flow. Once the leaks were identified, they were eliminated through corrective maintenance and improvements, and then the energy consumption scenarios before and after the improvements were compared. As a result, the average monthly electricity consumption in the reporting period decreased by 57.2%. In addition, one compressor was set aside in stand-by condition, as in the original plant. Thus, one can prove the efficiency in eliminating of waste points in compressed air distribution, since the reduction of energy consumption is important for the company to remain competitive, as the cost of electric energy affects the final price of the final products.