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Background: Dosimetry in pre‐clinical FLASH studies is essential for understanding the beam delivery conditions that trigger the FLASH effect. Resolving the spatial and temporal characteristics of proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) irradiations with ultra‐high dose rates (UHDR) requires a detector with high spatial and temporal resolution. Purpose: To implement a novel camera‐based system for time‐resolved two‐dimensional (2D) monitoring and apply it in vivo during pre‐clinical proton PBS mouse irradiations. Methods: Time‐resolved 2D beam monitoring was performed with a scintillation imaging system consisting of a 1 mm thick transparent scintillating sheet, imaged by a CMOS camera. The sheet was placed in a water bath perpendicular to a horizontal PBS proton beam axis. The scintillation light was reflected through a system of mirrors and captured by the camera with 500 frames per second (fps) for UHDR and 4 fps for conventional dose rates. The raw images were background subtracted, geometrically transformed, flat field corrected, and spatially filtered. The system was used for 2D spot and field profile measurements and compared to radiochromic films. Furthermore, spot positions were measured for UHDR irradiations. The measured spot positions were compared to the planned positions and the relative instantaneous dose rate to equivalent fiber‐coupled point scintillator measurements. For in vivo application, the scintillating sheet was placed 1 cm upstream the right hind leg of non‐anaesthetized mice submerged in the water bath. The mouse leg and sheet were both placed in a 5 cm wide spread‐out Bragg peak formed from the mono‐energetic proton beam by a 2D range modulator. The mouse leg position within the field was identified for both conventional and FLASH irradiations. For the conventional irradiations, the mouse foot position was tracked throughout the beam delivery, which took place through repainting. For FLASH irradiations, the delivered spot positions and relative instantaneous dose rate were measured. Results: The pixel size was 0.1 mm for all measurements. The spot and field profiles measured with the scintillating sheet agreed with radiochromic films within 0.4 mm. The standard deviation between measured and planned spot positions was 0.26 mm and 0.35 mm in the horizontal and vertical direction, respectively. The measured relative instantaneous dose rate showed a linear relation with the fiber‐coupled scintillator measurements. For in vivo use, the leg position within the field varied between mice, and leg movement up to 3 mm was detected during the prolonged conventional irradiations. Conclusions: The scintillation imaging system allowed for monitoring of UHDR proton PBS delivery in vivo with 0.1 mm pixel size and 2 ms temporal resolution. The feasibility of instantaneous dose rate measurements was demonstrated, and the system was used for validation of the mouse leg position within the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• • At 19 − 34 °C, D. maculatus can complete the entire immature stage of development. • • The lower and upper developmental thresholds were 15.28 and 34.03 °C, respectively. • • The survival rate was the highest at 22 °C and the lowest at 34 °C. • • Body length, the widths of head capsule and pronotum were modeled over time. Necrophagous beetles are sometimes used to estimate the minimum postmortem interval (PMI min) in the decay and remains stages of a corpse. Among these, the Dermestidae is one of the most common groups used and therefore has important research and application value. In this study, the developmental events of Dermestes maculatus de Geer, 1774, were recorded at six constant temperatures, and isomorphen diagrams were established. The thermobiological parameters were estimated using linear and non-linear models, and morphological indicators such as larval body length were measured. The results showed that the developmental duration of the whole immature stage decreased from 66.13 ± 8.58 days at 19 °C to 21.9 ± 2.01 days at 34 °C. The survival rate of the immature stages, especially the egg stage, varies greatly with temperature, with the lowest survival observed at 34 °C and the highest at 22 °C. The lower developmental threshold, the intrinsic optimum temperature, and the upper lethal developmental threshold obtained by the curvilinear Optim SSI models were 15.28 °C, 28.36 °C, and 34.03 °C, respectively. The body length, head capsule width, and pronotum width showed obvious growth patterns with larval developmental duration, which were characterized by equations and isomegalen diagrams. This study provides important basic data for the application of D. maculatus to estimate the PMI min in forensic entomology in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Modern field pea breeding faces a significant challenge in selecting lines with strong stems that resist lodging. Traditional methods of assessing stem strength involve destructive mechanical tests on mature stems after natural senescence, such as measuring stem flexion, stem buckling or the thickness of dry stems when compressed, but these measurements may not correspond to the strength of stems in the living plant. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used as a noncontact and nondestructive method to measure stem wall thickness in living plants by acquiring two- or three-dimensional images of living plant tissue. Results: In this proof-of-principle study, we demonstrated in vivo characterisation of stem wall thickness using OCT, with the measurement corrected for the refractive index of the stem tissue. This in vivo characterisation was achieved through real-time imaging of stems, with an acquisition rate of 13 milliseconds per two-dimensional, cross-sectional OCT image. We also acquired OCT images of excised stems and compared the accuracy of in vivo OCT measurements of stem wall thickness with ex vivo results for 10 plants each of two field pea cultivars, Dunwa and Kaspa. In vivo OCT measurements of stem wall thickness have an average percent error of − 3.1% when compared with ex vivo measurements. Additionally, we performed in vivo measurements of both stem wall thickness and stem width at various internode positions on the two cultivars. The results revealed that Dunwa had a uniform stem wall thickness across different internode positions, while Kaspa had a significantly negative slope of − 0.0198 mm/node. Both cultivars exhibited an increase in stem width along the internode positions; however, Dunwa had a rate of increase of 0.1844 mm/node, which is three times higher than that of Kaspa. Conclusions: Our study has demonstrated the efficacy of OCT for accurate measurement of the stem wall thickness of live field pea. Moreover, OCT shows that the trends of stem wall thickness and stem width along the internode positions are different for the two cultivars, Dunwa and Kaspa, potentially hinting at differences in their stem strength. This rapid, in vivo imaging method provides a useful tool for characterising physical traits critical in breeding cultivars that are resistant to lodging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of interest in wearable sensing of bioelectrical signals conducted via smart textile systems over the past decades has resulted in many investigations on how to develop and evaluate such systems. All measurements of bioelectrical signals are done by way of electrodes. The most critical parameter for an electrode is the skin-electrode impedance. A common method for measuring skin-electrode impedance is the two-lead method, but it has limitations because it relies on assumptions of symmetries of the body impedance in different parts of the body as well as of the skin-electrode impedances. To address this, in this paper we present an easy-to-use and reliable three-lead in vivo method as a more accurate alternative. We aim to show that the in vivo three-lead method overcomes all such limitations. We aim at raising the awareness regarding the possibility to characterize textile electrodes using a correct, accurate and robust method rather than limited and sometimes inadequate and uninformative methods. The three-lead in vivo method eliminates the effect of body impedance as well as all other contact impedances during measurements. The method is direct and measures only the skin-electrode impedance. This method is suitable for characterization of skin-electrode interface of textile electrodes intended for both bioelectrical signals as well as for electrostimulation of the human body. We foresee that the utilization of the three-lead in vivo method has the potential to impact the further development of wearable sensing by enabling more accurate and reliable measurement of bioelectrical signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Modern field pea breeding faces a significant challenge in selecting lines with strong stems that resist lodging. Traditional methods of assessing stem strength involve destructive mechanical tests on mature stems after natural senescence, such as measuring stem flexion, stem buckling or the thickness of dry stems when compressed, but these measurements may not correspond to the strength of stems in the living plant. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used as a noncontact and nondestructive method to measure stem wall thickness in living plants by acquiring two- or three-dimensional images of living plant tissue. Results In this proof-of-principle study, we demonstrated in vivo characterisation of stem wall thickness using OCT, with the measurement corrected for the refractive index of the stem tissue. This in vivo characterisation was achieved through real-time imaging of stems, with an acquisition rate of 13 milliseconds per two-dimensional, cross-sectional OCT image. We also acquired OCT images of excised stems and compared the accuracy of in vivo OCT measurements of stem wall thickness with ex vivo results for 10 plants each of two field pea cultivars, Dunwa and Kaspa. In vivo OCT measurements of stem wall thickness have an average percent error of − 3.1% when compared with ex vivo measurements. Additionally, we performed in vivo measurements of both stem wall thickness and stem width at various internode positions on the two cultivars. The results revealed that Dunwa had a uniform stem wall thickness across different internode positions, while Kaspa had a significantly negative slope of − 0.0198 mm/node. Both cultivars exhibited an increase in stem width along the internode positions; however, Dunwa had a rate of increase of 0.1844 mm/node, which is three times higher than that of Kaspa. Conclusions Our study has demonstrated the efficacy of OCT for accurate measurement of the stem wall thickness of live field pea. Moreover, OCT shows that the trends of stem wall thickness and stem width along the internode positions are different for the two cultivars, Dunwa and Kaspa, potentially hinting at differences in their stem strength. This rapid, in vivo imaging method provides a useful tool for characterising physical traits critical in breeding cultivars that are resistant to lodging.

Abstract Achilles’ tendon (AT) injuries such as ruptures and tendinopathies have experienced a dramatic rise in the mid- to older-aged population. Given that the AT plays a key role at all stages of locomotion, unsuccessful rehabilitation after injury often leads to long-term, deleterious health consequences. Understanding healthy in vivo strains as well as the complex muscle–tendon unit interactions will improve access to the underlying aetiology of injuries and how their functionality can be effectively restored post-injury. The goals of this survey of the literature with a systematic search were to provide a benchmark of healthy AT strains measured in vivo during functional activities and identify the sources of variability observed in the results. Two databases were searched, and all articles that provided measured in vivo peak strains or the change in strain with respect to time were included. In total, 107 articles that reported subjects over the age of 18 years with no prior AT injury and measured while performing functional activities such as voluntary contractions, walking, running, jumping, or jump landing were included in this review. In general, unclear anatomical definitions of the sub-tendon and aponeurosis structures have led to considerable confusion in the literature. MRI, ultrasound, and motion capture were the predominant approaches, sometimes coupled with modelling. The measured peak strains increased from 4% to over 10% from contractions, to walking, running, and jumping, in that order. Importantly, measured AT strains were heavily dependent on measurement location, measurement method, measurement protocol, individual AT geometry, and mechanical properties, as well as instantaneous kinematics and kinetics of the studied activity. Through a comprehensive review of approaches and results, this survey of the literature therefore converges to a united terminology of the structures and their common underlying characteristics and presents the state-of-knowledge on their functional strain patterns.

Achilles' tendon (AT) injuries such as ruptures and tendinopathies have experienced a dramatic rise in the mid- to older-aged population. Given that the AT plays a key role at all stages of locomotion, unsuccessful rehabilitation after injury often leads to long-term, deleterious health consequences. Understanding healthy in vivo strains as well as the complex muscle–tendon unit interactions will improve access to the underlying aetiology of injuries and how their functionality can be effectively restored post-injury. The goals of this survey of the literature with a systematic search were to provide a benchmark of healthy AT strains measured in vivo during functional activities and identify the sources of variability observed in the results. Two databases were searched, and all articles that provided measured in vivo peak strains or the change in strain with respect to time were included. In total, 107 articles that reported subjects over the age of 18 years with no prior AT injury and measured while performing functional activities such as voluntary contractions, walking, running, jumping, or jump landing were included in this review. In general, unclear anatomical definitions of the sub-tendon and aponeurosis structures have led to considerable confusion in the literature. MRI, ultrasound, and motion capture were the predominant approaches, sometimes coupled with modelling. The measured peak strains increased from 4% to over 10% from contractions, to walking, running, and jumping, in that order. Importantly, measured AT strains were heavily dependent on measurement location, measurement method, measurement protocol, individual AT geometry, and mechanical properties, as well as instantaneous kinematics and kinetics of the studied activity. Through a comprehensive review of approaches and results, this survey of the literature therefore converges to a united terminology of the structures and their common underlying characteristics and presents the state-of-knowledge on their functional strain patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The decay of human or animal carcasses usually attracts the colonization of large numbers of car-rion-related arthropods, especially Diptera and Coleoptera. Since insects are ectotherms, their colonization and development on carcasses are strongly temperature-dependent and predictable, rendering them a powerful tool for estimating the postmortem interval. Nitidulidae is a large family of common storage and agricultural pests of forensic significance. In this study, the development of the sap beetle Nitidula rufipes (Linnaeus, 1767) was observed under seven constant temperatures between 16 and 34 °C to describe the growth and morphology as well as survival rates of the different developmental stages using multiple scientific imaging and statistical techniques. We showed that N. rufipes can complete its development at temperatures between 16 and 34 °C, where the longest developmental time is 71.0 ± 4.4 days at 16 °C and the shortest is 20.8 ± 2.4 days at 34 °C. Body length measurements combined with morphological characteristics allowed for larval aging and instar discrimination, thus providing relatively complete developmental data for N. rufipes. This information serves to aid forensic investigators in determining the postmortem interval of carcasses using N. rufipes. Coleoptera, including the family Nitidulidae, are valuable for estimating long-term postmortem intervals in the late stage of body decomposition. This study showed that, under seven constant temperatures of 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34 °C, the developmental durations of Nitidula rufipes (Linnaeus, 1767) from oviposition to eclosion were 71.0 ± 4.4, 52.9 ± 4.1, 40.1 ± 3.4, 30.1 ± 2.1, 24.2 ± 2.0, 21.0 ±2.3, and 20.8 ± 2.4 days, respectively. The morphological indexes of body length, the widths of the head capsules, and the distance between the urogomphi of the larvae were measured in vivo. The regression model between larval body length and developmental durations was simulated for larval aging, and the head capsule width and the distance between the urogomphi at different instars were cluster-analyzed for instar discrimination. Based on the developmental durations, larval body length and thermal summation data were obtained, and the isomorphen diagram, isomegalen diagram, linear thermal summation models, and curvilinear Optim SSI models were established. The lower developmental threshold and thermal summation constant of N. rufipes evaluated by the linear thermal summation models were 9.65 ± 0.62 °C and 471.40 ± 25.46 degree days, respectively. The lower developmental thresholds, intrinsic optimum temperature, and upper lethal developmental threshold obtained by Optim SSI models were 10.12, 24.15, and 36.00 °C, respectively. The study of the immature stages of N. rufipes can provide preliminary basic developmental data for the estimation of minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). However, more extensive studies are needed on the effects of constant and fluctuating temperatures on the development of N. rufipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a highly effective treatment for severe knee osteoarthritis that is increasingly performed in younger, more active patients. As postoperative muscular impairments may negatively affect surgical outcomes and implant longevity, functional muscle recovery gains increasing importance in meeting future patient demands. This study aimed to assess the status of periarticular muscles in the long-term follow-up after TKA and to evaluate its impact on in vivo tibio-femoral joint loads.Methods: A case series was created, with eight patients with knee osteoarthritis. All subjects received an instrumented knee implant in unilateral TKA. Native computed tomography scans, acquired pre and postoperatively, were used to evaluate distal muscle volumes and fatty infiltration. In vivo tibio-femoral joint loads were measured telemetrically during standing, walking, stair climbing and chair rising and were correlated to muscle status.Results: Postoperatively a reduction in fatty infiltration across all periarticular muscles was pronounced. High average peak loads acted in the tibio-femoral joint ranging from 264% during stand-to-sit activities up to 341% body weight (BW) during stair descent. Fatty infiltration of the m. quadriceps femoris and hamstrings were associated with increased tibio-femoral joint contact forces during walking (r = 0.542; 0.412 and 0.766).Conclusion: The findings suggest that a fatty infiltration of periarticular muscles may lead to increased tibio-femoral joint contact forces. However, we only observed weak correlations between these parameters. Improvements in functional mobility and the restoration of a pain-free joint likely explain the observed postoperative reductions in fatty infiltration. Perioperative rehabilitation approaches targeting residual impairments in muscle quality could, contribute to reduced tibio-femoral joint loads and improved long-term outcomes of TKA. However, it has to be pointed out that the study included a small number of patients, which may limit its validity.

Background: Cerebral blood flow is known to decline with increasing age and is a potential biomarker to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy ageing, where healthy ageing is defined as an absence of comorbidities in senescence. This review aims to synthesize evidence of cerebral blood flow changes over multiple brain regions, for use as a clinical reference or for in silico modelling. Summary: The search identified 1,087 studies, of which 33 met the inclusion criteria to map the difference in cerebral blood flow reduction between healthy ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Analysis was also performed on the effect of imaging modality and brain region functionality as potential confounding factors. Key Messages: No significant difference was found between the specific functionality of a brain region and cerebral blood flow in healthy ageing (p = 0.65) or Alzheimer's disease (p = 0.42). Arterial spin labelling MRI imaging was shown to measure statistically larger decreases in flow in both healthy ageing (p = 0.0001) and Alzheimer's disease (p = 0.0465). Cerebral blood flow was shown to decrease 0.3–0.5% per year in healthy ageing, which increased to a decline of 2–5% per year in Alzheimer's disease. There was large variability both between and within individual brain regions, and this variability increased greatly in Alzheimer's disease. Future studies would add value by taking more cerebral blood flow measurements during Alzheimer's disease progression and by investigating ageing with comorbidities such as hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance: Imaging free radicals, including reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, can be useful for understanding the pathology of diseases in animal disease models, as they are related to various physiological functions or diseases. Among the methods used for imaging free radicals, Overhauser-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (OMRI) has a short image acquisition time and high spatial resolution. Therefore, OMRI is used to obtain various biological parameters. In this study, we review the methodology for improving the biological OMRI system and its applications. Recent Advances: The sensitivity of OMRI systems has been enhanced significantly to allow the visualization of various biological parameters, such as redox state, partial oxygen pressure, and pH, in different body parts of small animals, using spin probes. Furthermore, both endogenous free radicals and exogenous free radicals present in drugs can be visualized using OMRI. Critical Issues: To acquire accurate biological parameters at a high resolution, it is essential to increase the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) excitation efficiency and achieve a high enhancement factor. In addition, the size and magnetic field strength also need to be optimized for the measurement target. Future Directions: The advancement of in vivo OMRI techniques will be useful for understanding the pathology, diagnosis, and evaluation of therapeutic effects of drugs in various disease models. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 1094–1110. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the intrinsic thermal transport behavior of living blood-perfused tissue is essential in applications that require predicting the correct thermoregulation behavior of humans, discovering the location of abnormal tissues, and treating cancer through hyperthermia or thermal ablation. In this study, we employ an in vivo measurement technique that genuinely measures the intrinsic tissue thermal conductivity and blood perfusion rate as a function of tissue temperature. The emphasis is on "in vivo" measurement because physiological differences across individuals must be considered (e.g., water content within the tissue). Tissue temperatures from 30.5 °C to 35.5 °C yielded average intrinsic thermal conductivity values of 0.33 ± 0.04 W/m-K in three subjects. This value agrees well with that of excised human epidermis (0.21–0.41 W/m-K). The blood perfusion rate inevitably increased from 1.43 × 10−4 to 3.42 × 10−3 m3/s/m3 with increasing tissue temperature consequently from vasomotion. The findings suggest that the proposed approach can serve as a noninvasive, real-time, personalized, and in vivo method for determining the intrinsic thermal behavior of living blood-perfused tissue. Such a methodology also has the potential to revolutionize fields that deal with tumor modeling, treatment, and thermal comfort optimization, ultimately benefiting human health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine-131 is a highly toxic and volatile artificial radionuclide that is easily inhaled or ingested by the human body and selectively accumulates in thyroid tissue. With the development of nuclear medicine and nuclear power plants, the unintended release of 131I has been widely studied, and the in vivo measurement of 131I in the thyroid has become a research hotspot in the field of radiation protection. In recent decades, several methods and devices have been developed for in vivo measurements with respect to different measurement purposes and requirements. In this work, for more accurate determinations of individual 131I in the thyroid in the field, the uncertainties of measurements by using portable gamma spectrometers were reviewed and analyzed, and monitoring strategies for improving the accuracy were proposed and prospected.

After a nuclear accident, population monitoring is necessary to determine the radiation exposure levels of the affected population. One of the monitoring components is direct thyroid measurements to assess the internal thyroid dose (mainly from 131I with a relatively short physical half-life: 8.02 days). These measurements are particularly important for young children but were not adequately performed after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Herein we propose a feasible and robust method to obtain as much reliable human data as possible for the dose reconstructions following a nuclear accident. The method employs three types of measurements: simplified, additional, and detailed measurements. The simplified measurements are performed using conventional NaI(Tl) survey meters to quickly triage heavily exposed individuals. The additional measurements are conducted using mobile whole-body counters to detect cesium (Cs; with longer retention in the body) as a tracer of 131I. And the detailed measurements are taken using spectrometric devices; they provide the most reliable data and are used to confirm the other measurements. We also discussed the target subjects and the monitoring period based on the experiences gained following the FDNPP accident. The early post-nuclear-accident phase is the most important period for the dose reconstruction for the affected populations; however, it is also the most challenging period in terms of allocating the necessary monitoring resources. It is thus vital that all countries that operate nuclear power plants establish and maintain a system for nuclear emergency preparedness and response.

• Sensing skin temperature at SVI-SDS offers good transferability across subjects. • SVI-SDS signals minimize the influence of scattering and glucose variations. • Dual-wavelength measurement enables precise SVI-SDS determination for in vivo skin. This study presents a method for predicting skin temperature using near-infrared light at 1314 nm and 1409 nm wavelengths. Skin temperature is a critical factor in the precision of in vivo optical measurements, necessitating accurate determination. Our approach detects temperature-induced tissue absorption changes, utilizing absorbance variations at specific scattering independent source-detector separations (SVI-SDSs) to estimate temperature. The 1409 nm wavelength is the main indicator for temperature prediction, with the 1314 nm wavelength used to identify the SVI-SDS for the 1409 nm light. Experimental data from four subjects were collected using an optical sensor across five SDSs ranging from 0.9 mm to 2.3 mm. We identified the SVI-SDS for the 1409 nm light at approximately 2.3 mm, where absorbance exhibited the most sensitivity to temperature changes, resulting in the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) and highest temperature sensitivity. These findings offer a valuable reference for the real-time monitoring and calibration of in vivo skin temperature, enhancing the accuracy of optical measurement techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coleoptera, including the family Nitidulidae, are valuable for estimating long-term postmortem intervals in the late stage of body decomposition. This study showed that, under seven constant temperatures of 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34 °C, the developmental durations of Nitidula rufipes (Linnaeus, 1767) from oviposition to eclosion were 71.0 ± 4.4, 52.9 ± 4.1, 40.1 ± 3.4, 30.1 ± 2.1, 24.2 ± 2.0, 21.0 ±2.3, and 20.8 ± 2.4 days, respectively. The morphological indexes of body length, the widths of the head capsules, and the distance between the urogomphi of the larvae were measured in vivo. The regression model between larval body length and developmental durations was simulated for larval aging, and the head capsule width and the distance between the urogomphi at different instars were cluster-analyzed for instar discrimination. Based on the developmental durations, larval body length and thermal summation data were obtained, and the isomorphen diagram, isomegalen diagram, linear thermal summation models, and curvilinear Optim SSI models were established. The lower developmental threshold and thermal summation constant of N. rufipes evaluated by the linear thermal summation models were 9.65 ± 0.62 °C and 471.40 ± 25.46 degree days, respectively. The lower developmental thresholds, intrinsic optimum temperature, and upper lethal developmental threshold obtained by Optim SSI models were 10.12, 24.15, and 36.00 °C, respectively. The study of the immature stages of N. rufipes can provide preliminary basic developmental data for the estimation of minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). However, more extensive studies are needed on the effects of constant and fluctuating temperatures on the development of N. rufipes.

Simple Summary: Sarcosaprophagous beetles are significant pests, but they are also key indicator insects for postmortem interval estimation. In this paper, the development of Necrobia ruficollis (Fabricius, 1775) at five constant temperatures between 22 °C and 34 °C was investigated. The developmental threshold temperature and thermal summation constant were estimated, the relationship between the larval body length with development time, and the widths of the head capsules and the distance between the urogomphi at different instars were studied. The results provide important basic developmental data for using N. ruficollis to estimate the minimum postmortem interval. Necrobia ruficollis (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is an important cosmopolitan storage pest, and also frequently appears on highly decomposed and skeletonized corpses. It is a forensically important species expected to indicate a longer postmortem interval (PMI). Therefore, we investigated the development of N. ruficollis at five constant temperatures between 22 °C and 34 °C. Under temperatures of 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34 °C, the mean (±SD) developmental durations from eggs to adults were 93.00 ± 1.63, 70.67 ± 0.94, 65.33 ± 3.40, 47.33 ± 0.94, and 56.66 ± 8.73 days, respectively. According to the developmental time and accumulated degree hours results, an isomorphen diagram and thermal summation model were generated. The calculated values of developmental threshold temperature and accumulated temperature constant were estimated by a linear model to be 14.51 ± 0.52 °C and 684.12 ± 33.85 degree days, respectively. Lower developmental thresholds, intrinsic optimum temperature, and upper lethal developmental threshold temperature were estimated by a nonlinear model to be 14.61, 25.90, and 34.94 °C. Morphological indexes of larvae were obtained by in vivo measurements. A growth curve and an equation of the relationship between development time and body length were simulated. In addition, the widths of the head capsules and the distance between the urogomphi of larvae at different instars were determined by cluster analysis. Classifiers were created and validated by linear discriminant analysis. These results provide important basic developmental data for using N. ruficollis to estimate the minimum postmortem interval (minimum PMI). However, this study was only conducted under constant temperature, and the applicability of these data to variable temperature conditions needs to be further confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human body communication is non-radio frequency technique of wireless body area network, wherein the human body is used as a communication medium in two coupling methods namely: capacitive and galvanic coupling. HBC is relatively new method and in full development, given the large number of scientific publishing works depending on different setup and equipment. Even that it remains controversial with no consensus in terms of propagation characteristics and behavior mechanism. This paper deals with the common used test equipment and configuration attempting to provide a complementary information about HBC channel characterization issue. For that, in vivo measurements were carried out using several assembling of equipment in different scenarios, considering the conventional inspected parameters (channel length, transverse distance and balun insertion scenarios). The measurements were conducted in both frequency and time domain using primarily spectrum/vector network analyzer and digital oscilloscope respectively. Thus, in addition to transmission losses between transceivers across the channel (calculated path loss factor), phase angle information are considered over the operating frequency band to assert the non-dispersive HBC channel nature. Further harmonic distortion effect is shown, then high transmission power for the signal of interest is attributed to HBC methods according to the calculated total harmonic distortion THD metric, even harmonics resulting from the channel non-linearity characteristics or transceivers signal/apparatus imperfections. The experimental setups highlights the important to consider the precise criteria for measurement purpose, thus leading using the most appropriate test apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trees transport gases from below ground into the atmosphere through the process of transpiration. Tracing gases transported through this mechanism continuously and under field conditions remains an experimental challenge. Here we measured gases dissolved in tree sap in-situ and in real time, aiming to simultaneously analyse the transport of several gases (He, Ar, Kr, N2, O2, CO2) from the soil, through the trees, into the atmosphere. We constructed and inserted custom-made semi-permeable membrane probes in the xylem of a fir tree and measured gas abundances at different heights using a portable gas equilibrium membrane-inlet mass spectrometer ('miniRUEDI'). With this method we were able to continuously measure the abundances of He, Ar, Kr, N2, O2, CO2 in sap over several weeks. We observed diurnal variations of CO2 and O2 concentrations that reflected tree physiological activities. As a proof of concept that trees do uptake dissolved gases in soil water, we irrigated the tree with He-enriched water in a tracer experiment, and were able to determine upwards sap flow velocity. Measurements of inert gases together with reactive species as CO2 and O2 allows to separate physical transport and exchange of gases derived from the soil or the atmosphere from biological reactions. We discuss the opportunities that our technique provides for continuous in-situ measurements of gases in tree sap., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

To address the urgent need for the retrospective assessment of the health conditions of people with a history of appreciable radon exposure, a novel technique that directly measures the characteristic γ-rays emitted from Pb-210 in the living skull was developed. Since the first pioneering study in 1968, this technique has experienced continued advancement over more than half a century, where the limit of detection of Pb-210 is a common criterion to assess the performance of the measuring devices. However, researchers have defined the limit of detection in assorted ways, and the measurement conditions often greatly differ from study to study, both of which significantly challenge interstudy comparisons and obscure how various factors make their impacts. In this work, we reanalyze the reported results in the literature according to the minimum detectable activity (MDA) defined by Currie and investigate the effects of key elements therein. Firstly, we focus on the reported background count rates and analyze their dependence on detector’s energy resolution and active area. Secondly, we turn to the reported calibration factors and conduct analysis in the same manner. Thirdly, we calculate MDA for each study and monitor its dependence on the active area of detector and measurement duration. In the limit of the largest achievable active area (∼75000 mm2), it is found that the asymptotic MDA is approximately 6 (4) Bq and 15 (11) Bq under 30 (60) min measurement using NaI-CsI scintillator and HPGe semiconductor detectors, respectively. Finally, we discuss these asymptotic MDA in the context of estimated Pb-210 activity in the skull resulted from a hypothetical history of radon exposure.

Mechanical tissue properties contribute to tissue shape change during development. Emerging evidence suggests that gradients of viscoelasticity correspond to cell movement and gene expression patterns. To accurately define mechanisms of morphogenesis, a combination of precise empirical measurements and theoretical approaches are required. Here, we review elastography as a method to characterize viscoelastic properties of tissue in vivo. We discuss its current clinical applications in mature tissues and its potential for characterizing embryonic tissues.

The counting efficiency calibration for in vivo measurement is crucial to derive the activity of radionuclides residing inside a monitored subject. Recently, virtual calibration based on computational phantoms has become popular, yet some key questions remain unresolved. Here, we focus on the in vivo measurement of Pb-210 in the skull and systematically examine how virtual calibration compares to those using physical phantoms and how the variety of computational phantoms affects the derived counting efficiency. It is found that the virtually calibrated efficiency based on the MIDA phantom, which characterizes the highest anatomical fidelity, shows reasonable consistency with the experimental counterpart, with a relative bias of approximately 10%. However, in comparison to the case based on the MIDA phantom, those based on the BOMAB and MIRD phantoms show larger deviation, demonstrating underestimations on the counting efficiency by 51% and 42%, respectively. This finding underscores the critical role of computational phantoms in the virtual calibration. This study contributes to the development of techniques for assessing lung cancer risk resulting from chronic radon exposure through in vivo measurement of skeletal Pb-210 activity. • Head phantom with the highest anatomical fidelity is used for virtual calibration. • Virtual calibration using high fidelity phantom compares well with the experiments. • The variety of computational phantoms can strongly affect the virtual calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An ultrasensitive electrochemical MIP sensor for GB was developed. • Polydopamine was formed on the carboxylated MWCNT by spontaneous polymerization. • The sensor shows wide detection range of 1 fmol/L to 10 mmol/L. • The sensor shows a low detection limit of 0.707 fmol/L. • The sensor was used to in vivo detect of GB in the leaves of cucumber seedlings. Glycine betaine (GB) is a bioactive molecule protecting plants from abiotic stress. This study fabricated an ultrasensitive molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) electrochemical sensor to perform in vivo measurements of GB. Polydopamine (PDA) was formed on the carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (COOH-MWCNTs) by spontaneous polymerisation of dopamine (DA). Then MIP-coated MWCNTs were fabricated on a Au nanoparticles (NP) and thionine (Thi) modified screen-printed electrode (SPE). The MIP-COOH-MWCNTs/pThi/AuNPs/SPE exhibited an ultrasensitive GB detection response between 1 fmol/L and 10 mmol/L (R2 = 0.996) with a low detection limit (0.707 fmol/L, S/N = 3). In vivo measurement of GB in cucumber seedling leaves under different salinity stress conditions confirmed the practical applicability of the MIP sensor. Thus, this study proposed a novel and promising fabrication method for an electrochemical MIP sensor that has broad application prospects in precision agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current method for determining the sun protection factor (SPF) requires erythema formation. Noninvasive alternatives have recently been suggested by several groups. Our group previously developed a functional sensor based on diffuse reflectance measurements with one UVB LED, which was previously evaluated on pig ear skin. Here we present the results of a systematic in vivo study using 12 sunscreens on 10 volunteers (skin types [ST] I‐III). The relationship of the UVB‐LED reflectance of unprotected skin and melanin index was determined for each ST. The spatial variation of the reflectance signal of different positions was analyzed and seems to be mainly influenced by sample inhomogeneity except for high‐protection factors (PFs) where signal levels are close to detection noise. Despite the low‐signal levels, a correlation of the measured LED‐based UVB PF with SPF reference values from test institutes with R2 = 0.57 is obtained, suggesting a strong relationship of SPF and LED‐based UVB‐PF. Measured PFs tend to be lower for increasing skin pigmentation. The sensor design seems to be suitable for investigations where a fast measurement of relative changes of PFs, such as due to inhomogeneous application, bathing and sweating, is of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necrobia ruficollis (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is an important cosmopolitan storage pest, and also frequently appears on highly decomposed and skeletonized corpses. It is a forensically important species expected to indicate a longer postmortem interval (PMI). Therefore, we investigated the development of N. ruficollis at five constant temperatures between 22 °C and 34 °C. Under temperatures of 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34 °C, the mean (±SD) developmental durations from eggs to adults were 93.00 ± 1.63, 70.67 ± 0.94, 65.33 ± 3.40, 47.33 ± 0.94, and 56.66 ± 8.73 days, respectively. According to the developmental time and accumulated degree hours results, an isomorphen diagram and thermal summation model were generated. The calculated values of developmental threshold temperature and accumulated temperature constant were estimated by a linear model to be 14.51 ± 0.52 °C and 684.12 ± 33.85 degree days, respectively. Lower developmental thresholds, intrinsic optimum temperature, and upper lethal developmental threshold temperature were estimated by a nonlinear model to be 14.61, 25.90, and 34.94 °C. Morphological indexes of larvae were obtained by in vivo measurements. A growth curve and an equation of the relationship between development time and body length were simulated. In addition, the widths of the head capsules and the distance between the urogomphi of larvae at different instars were determined by cluster analysis. Classifiers were created and validated by linear discriminant analysis. These results provide important basic developmental data for using N. ruficollis to estimate the minimum postmortem interval (minimum PMI). However, this study was only conducted under constant temperature, and the applicability of these data to variable temperature conditions needs to be further confirmed.

The critical clinical and scientific insights achieved through knowledge of in vivo musculoskeletal soft tissue strains has motivated the development of relevant measurement techniques. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the key findings, limitations, and clinical impacts of these techniques to quantify musculoskeletal soft tissue strains during dynamic movements. Current technologies generally leverage three techniques to quantify in vivo strain patterns, including implantable strain sensors, virtual fibre elongation, and ultrasound. (1) Implantable strain sensors enable direct measurements of tissue strains with high accuracy and minimal artefact, but are highly invasive and current designs are not clinically viable. (2) The virtual fibre elongation method tracks the relative displacement of tissue attachments to measure strains in both deep and superficial tissues. However, the associated imaging techniques often require exposure to radiation, limit the activities that can be performed, and only quantify bone-to-bone tissue strains. (3) Ultrasound methods enable safe and non-invasive imaging of soft tissue deformation. However, ultrasound can only image superficial tissues, and measurements are confounded by out-of-plane tissue motion. Finally, all in vivo strain measurement methods are limited in their ability to establish the slack length of musculoskeletal soft tissue structures. Despite the many challenges and limitations of these measurement techniques, knowledge of in vivo soft tissue strain has led to improved clinical treatments for many musculoskeletal pathologies including anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, Achilles tendon repair, and total knee replacement. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of these measurement techniques and identifies the key features of in vivo strain measurement that can facilitate innovative personalized sports medicine treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical spectroscopy is studied to contribute to skin cancer diagnosis. Indeed, optical spectra are modified along cancer progression and provide complementary information (e.g., on metabolism and tissue structure) to clinical examination for surgical guidance [1,2]. The current original dataset is made of autofluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectra acquired in vivo on 131 patients' skin with the SpectroLive device [3,4]. Spatially-resolved spectroscopy measurements were performed using a multi-fiber optic probe featuring 4 distances (0.4-1 mm) between excitation and collection optical fibers: spatial resolution allows spectra acquired at different distances to carry information from different depths in skin tissues. Five types of autofluorescence spectra were acquired using five different wavelength excitations (on the 365-415 nm spectral range) in order to collect information on several skin endogenous fluorophores (e.g., flavins, collagen). A sixth light source (white broadband) was used to acquire diffuse reflectance spectra carrying information about skin scattering properties and skin endogenous absorbers such as melanin and hemoglobin. Patients were proposed to be included into the clinical trial if they were suspected of suffering from actinic keratoses (precancerous skin lesions) or from basal or squamous cell carcinomas: in all cases, complete diagnostics is provided in the dataset. To increase the interest of the dataset and evaluate the dependence of optical spectra (intensity, shape) not only on pathological states but also on healthy skin features (civil age, skin age, gender, phototype, anatomical site), spectra were acquired for all 131 patients on two so-called "reference" skin sites known to rarely suffer from skin cancer: palm of the hand (featuring a thick skin type) and inner wrist (featuring thin skin). Spectra are available in .tab files: first column displays the spectral range on which intensity spectra were recorded (317-788 nm) and each following column provides an intensity spectrum acquired by each spectrometer for a given combination of light source excitation and distance. Each of the 131 folders corresponding to each of the 131 patients contains a .json file providing patients clinical features: gender, civil age, skin age, phototype score and class. All .tab files names include anatomical site and anatomopathological diagnostics of the skin site on which spectra were acquired: codes were defined to match a letter or an acronym to each diagnostic and anatomical site. To ensure quality control, a spectrum was acquired on the same calibration standard before starting spectra acquisition on each patient. It is therefore possible to follow the impact of the acquisition optical chain ageing during the 4.5 years that the patients were included. This dataset can be used by epidemiologists for the characterization of populations affected by skin cancers (gender ratio, mean age, anatomical sites typically affected, etc.); it may also be used by researchers in artificial intelligence to develop innovative methods to process such data and contribute to non-invasive diagnostics of skin cancers whose incidence is steadily increasing., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Stimulating current distribution in the tissue is unknown due to the complex distribution. A preliminary in vivo measurement of the magneto-acoustic (MA) signal of the human finger is performed in this study. The approach for locating the magneto-acoustic source of the stimulating current is studied. We use a lock-in amplifier to measure the MA signal under continuous wave electrical stimulation. The phase of the MA signal is used to extract the location of the sonic source. The experimental system is designed to measure the MA signal under electrical stimulation. Preliminary experiments results show that the amplitude precision is improved to less than 1 μPa. The sonic source is located with millimetre precision. We propose a new MA source-locating method with high measurement and location precision. This method will be significant to the study of the imaging and monitoring of the current distribution of electrical stimulation with high precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vivo and in vitro studies of differential continuous wave photoacoustic spectroscopy (DCW-PAS) for non-invasive blood glucose monitoring were performed. The DCW-PAS technique utilizes amplitude modulation of dual wavelengths of light to determine changes in glucose concentration. The study compared DCW-PAS measurements with results from invasive blood glucose sensor measurements during oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) of healthy people. The trends in blood glucose levels (BGLs) obtained from invasive sensors and from the photoacoustic signal have good agreement, with the standard error and correlation coefficient against BGLs of 48 mg/dL or less and 0.80, respectively. Our proposed photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) method shows high potential for use in a non-invasive BGL sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digestive physiology of ruminants is sufficiently different (e.g., with respect to mean retention time of digesta, digestibility of the feed offered, digestion, and fermentation characteristics) that caution is needed before extrapolating results from one type of ruminant to another. The objectives of the present study were (1) to provide an overview of some essential differences in rumen physiology between dairy cattle, beef cattle, and sheep that are related to methane (CH 4) emission; and (2) to evaluate whether dietary strategies to mitigate CH 4 emission with various modes of action are equally effective in dairy cattle, beef cattle, and sheep. A literature search was performed using Web of Science and Scopus, and 94 studies were selected from the literature. Per study, the effect size of the dietary strategies was expressed as a proportion (%) of the control level of CH 4 emission, as this enabled a comparison across ruminant types. Evaluation of the literature indicated that the effectiveness of forage-related CH 4 mitigation strategies, including feeding more highly digestible grass (herbage or silage) or replacing different forage types with corn silage, differs across ruminant types. These strategies are most effective for dairy cattle, are effective for beef cattle to a certain extent, but seem to have minor or no effects in sheep. In general, the effectiveness of other dietary mitigation strategies, including increased concentrate feeding and feed additives (e.g., nitrate), appeared to be similar for dairy cattle, beef cattle, and sheep. We concluded that if the mode of action of a dietary CH 4 mitigation strategy is related to ruminant-specific factors, such as feed intake or rumen physiology, the effectiveness of the strategy differs across ruminant types, whereas if the mode of action is associated with methanogenesis-related fermentation pathways, the strategy is effective across ruminant types. Hence, caution is needed when translating effectiveness of dietary CH 4 mitigation strategies across different ruminant types or production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intakes of radionuclides by humans may occur in the fuel cycle, nuclear medicine, biological research and in TENORM industries and in case of accidents involving workers and the general public. In vivo monitoring is recognized as a useful tool for the evaluation of such exposures. The IRD whole-body counter consists of a shielded room equipped with four HPGe and two NaI(Tl) detectors. The system is able to identify and quantify photon emitters in the range from 10 to 3000 keV. The minimum detectable activities for most of the radionuclides of interest allow occupational monitoring as well as evaluation of accidental intakes.

This research aimed to investigate the relationship between in vivo measurement of swallowing and sensory evaluation using thickened liquids as model foods. Healthy subjects (8 male and average 29.6-year old) participated in both tests, in which the subjects were asked to swallow the whole amount of sample (10 ml) at one time. In vivo measurement monitored thyroid cartilage movement during swallowing using a bendable pressure sensor synchronously with suprahyoid electromyography, whereas sensory evaluation measured perceived cohesiveness and adhesiveness on a visual analogue scale. Two variables from the pressure sensor analysis; activity of the thyroid cartilage and the maximum displacement of the thyroid cartilage were correlated negatively ( p < .01) to perceived cohesiveness with high correlation coefficient (| r|> .9). Advantages of in vivo measurement over conventional shear rheology in assessing texture attributes perceived during swallowing were identified. Practical applications This research provides food manufactures with knowledge on a novel objective method for texture measurement of fluid foods and beverages based on human physiology during swallowing. Variable from this method can work as a measure for texture design of food products to meet consumers' preference, particularly foods for dysphagia patients whose demand is increasing in this aged society although subjects of study should be expanded to these people in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although neurons attract the most attention in neurobiology, our current knowledge of neural circuit can only partially explain the neurological and psychiatric conditions of the brain. Thus, it is also important to consider the influence of brain interstitial system (ISS), which refers to the space among neural cells and capillaries. The ISS is the major compartment of the brain microenvironment that provides the immediate accommodation space for neural cells, and it occupies 15% to 20% of the total brain volume. The brain ISS is a dynamic and complex space connecting the vascular system and neural networks and it plays crucial roles in substance transport and signal transmission among neurons. Investigation of the brain ISS can provide new perspectives for understanding brain architecture and function and for exploring new strategies to treat brain disorders. This review discussed the anatomy of the brain ISS under both physiological and pathological conditions, biophysical modeling of the brain ISS and in vivo measurement and imaging techniques, including recent findings on brain ISS divisions. Moreover, the implications of ISS knowledge for basic neuroscience and clinical applications are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Traditional Chinese cervical manipulation (TCCM) has been claimed as an effective treatment for diseases of the cervical spine, but its biomechanical effects on the vertebral body and intervertebral discs remain unclear. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a detailed finite element model of cervical spine, which was then used to investigate the biomechanical response of the cervical spine to TCCM.Methods: The model of a C2-T1 cervical spine was constructed based on CT images of a healthy male volunteer and validated against published in vitro studies under different loading conditions. The detailed force-time data of TCCM were measured on the same volunteer through dynamometric diaphragms. The data were applied on the validated finite element model to simulate TCCM.Results: The current model could offer potentials to effectively reflect the behavior of human cervical spine suitable for biomechanics studies of TCCM. Under simulated TCCM condition, the stress distributions in cervical spine and intervertebral discs could not be completely explained through the traditional theory.Conclusion: Spinal manipulation, or TCCM, might play no role in reducing intradiscal pressure for treating cervical spondylosis. It could cause less stress concentration in intervertebral discs while operating spinal manipulation or TCCM when the adjustment points was chosen near the root of spinous process than the top of spinous process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to the cervical and lumbar region, the normal kinematics of the thoracic spine have not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to characterize normal multi-segmental continuous motion of the whole thoracolumbar spine, during a flexion maneuver, in young and elderly subjects. Forty-two healthy volunteers were analyzed: 21 young (age=27.00±3.96) and 21 elderly (age=70.1±3.85). Spinal motion was recorded with a motion-capture system and analyzed using a 3rd order polynomial function to approximate spinal curvature throughout the motion sequence. The average motion profiles of the two age groups were characterized. Flexion timing of the thoracic region of the spine, as compared to the lumbar spine and hips, was found to be different in the two age groups (p=0.011): a delayed/sequential motion type was observed in most of the young, whereas mostly a simultaneous motion pattern was observed in the elderly subjects. A similar trend was observed in flexion of the lower thoracic segments (p=0.017). Differences between age groups were also found for regional and segmental displacements and velocities. The reported characterization of the thoracic spine kinematics may in the future support identification of abnormal movement or be used to improve biomechanical models of the spine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low invasive type glucose sensor, which has a sensing region at the tip of a fine pointed electrode, was developed for continuous glucose monitoring. Platinum-iridium alloy electrode with a surface area of 0.045 mm 2 was settled at the middle of pointed PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) tubing and was employed as sensing electrode. Electrodeposition of glucose oxidase in the presence of surfactant, Triton X-100, was performed for high-density enzyme immobilization followed by the electropolymerization of o -phenylenediamine for the formation of functional entrapping and permselective polymer membrane. Ag/AgCl film was coated on the surface of PEEK tubing as reference electrode. Amperometric responses of the prepared sensors to glucose were measured at a potential of 0.60 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The prepared electrode showed the sensitivity of 2.55 μA/cm 2 mM with high linearity of 0.9986, within the glucose concentration range up to 21 mM. The detection limit (S/N=3) was determined to be 0.11 mM. The glucose sensor properties were evaluated in phosphate buffer solution and in vivo monitoring by the implantation of the sensors in rabbit, while conventional needle type sensors as a reference were used. The results showed that change in output current of the proposed sensor fluctuated similar with one in output current of the conventional needle type sensors, which was also in similar accordance with actual blood sugar level measured by commercially glucose meter. One-point calibration method was used to calibrate the sensor output current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes significant mortality and remains the leading cause of death globally. Thus, to reduce mortality, early diagnosis by measurement of cardiac biomarkers and heartbeat signals presents fundamental importance. Traditional CVD examination requires bulky hospital instruments to conduct electrocardiography recording and immunoassay analysis, which are both time-consuming and inconvenient. Recently, development of biosensing technologies for rapid CVD marker screening attracted great attention. Thanks to the advancement in nanotechnology and bioelectronics, novel biosensor platforms are developed to achieve rapid detection, accurate quantification, and continuous monitoring throughout disease progression. A variety of sensing methodologies using chemical, electrochemical, optical, and electromechanical means are explored. This review first discusses the prevalence and common categories of CVD. Then, heartbeat signals and cardiac blood-based biomarkers that are widely employed in clinic, as well as their utilizations for disease prognosis, are summarized. Emerging CVD wearable and implantable biosensors and monitoring bioelectronics, allowing these cardiac markers to be continuously measured are introduced. Finally, comparisons of the pros and cons of these biosensing devices along with perspectives on future CVD biosensor research are presented.

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a highly effective treatment for severe knee osteoarthritis that is increasingly performed in younger, more active patients. As postoperative muscular impairments may negatively affect surgical outcomes and implant longevity, functional muscle recovery gains increasing importance in meeting future patient demands. This study aimed to assess the status of periarticular muscles in the long-term follow-up after TKA and to evaluate its impact on in vivo tibio-femoral joint loads. Methods: A case series was created, with eight patients with knee osteoarthritis. All subjects received an instrumented knee implant in unilateral TKA. Native computed tomography scans, acquired pre and postoperatively, were used to evaluate distal muscle volumes and fatty infiltration. In vivo tibio-femoral joint loads were measured telemetrically during standing, walking, stair climbing and chair rising and were correlated to muscle status. Results: Postoperatively a reduction in fatty infiltration across all periarticular muscles was pronounced. High average peak loads acted in the tibio-femoral joint ranging from 264% during stand-to-sit activities up to 341% body weight (BW) during stair descent. Fatty infiltration of the m. quadriceps femoris and hamstrings were associated with increased tibio-femoral joint contact forces during walking (r = 0.542; 0.412 and 0.766). Conclusion: The findings suggest that a fatty infiltration of periarticular muscles may lead to increased tibio-femoral joint contact forces. However, we only observed weak correlations between these parameters. Improvements in functional mobility and the restoration of a pain-free joint likely explain the observed postoperative reductions in fatty infiltration. Perioperative rehabilitation approaches targeting residual impairments in muscle quality could, contribute to reduced tibio-femoral joint loads and improved long-term outcomes of TKA. However, it has to be pointed out that the study included a small number of patients, which may limit its validity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Winkler, Bell, Bender, Trepczynski, Duda, Baur and Damm.)

Many kinds of knee simulators have been developed. There are several concerns about the current simulators. First, the simulators for wear testing are driven using knee kinematics and loading profile data obtained from a normal gait. However, knee kinematics and knee joint forces are "the outcome" caused by muscular forces and external loads applied to the knee joint. As for the simulators for the kinetics and kinematics measurement of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the knee is flexed in a "passive way" by applying constant muscular tension forces. This being so, simulators should be driven by muscular forces and external loads, i.e. in an "active way". Second, the effects of hip joint motion are not taken into account. Thirdly, the external load for example, upper body weight is not applied in a physiological way. Finally, few simulators are capable of knee flexion greater than about 100°. To this end, we have developed a novel knee simulator that has the following advantages and innovative features. First, it is driven directly by muscles' tension forces, thereby generating active flexion. Secondly, a hip joint is incorporated and the lower limb motion is achieved in a synergistic way between the hip and knee joints. Thirdly, it is capable to make a complete deep knee flexion.

Intakes of radionuclides can be estimated through in vivo measurements, and the uncertainties associated to the measured activities should be clearly stated in monitoring program reports. This study aims to evaluate the uncertainties of in vivo monitoring of iodine 131 in the thyroid. The reference values for high-energy photons are based on the IDEAS Guide. Measurements were performed at the In Vivo Monitoring Laboratory of the Institute of Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (IRD) and at the Internal Dosimetry Laboratory of the Regional Center of Nuclear Sciences (CRCN-NE). In both institutions, the experiment was performed using a NaI(Tl) 3′′3″ scintillation detector and a neck-thyroid phantom. Scattering factors were calculated and compared in different counting geometries. The results show that the technique produces reproducibility equivalent to the values suggested in the IDEAS Guide and measurement uncertainties is comparable to international quality standards for this type of in vivo monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, in vivo measurement of tissues in beta dispersion region (0-200 kHz) was acquired. The measurements were carried out on suine tissue and constitute data for an anatomy and physiology based priors to be used as an Electrical Impedance Tomography regularization. Plunge electrodes in four-terminal con&#64257;guration and a computer-automated measurement system were used to acquire admitivity data. Measurements were taken on myocardial muscle (three different positions on epicardial surface), pectoral and intercostal muscles, adipose tissue, cartilage and lung (cranial, medial and caudal lobe tissues). The admitivity measurements were carried in such way to allow anisotropy detection, at 125 kHz. Four animals were used for this experiment. Admitivity temporal variations synchronized with perfusion and ventilation rates were observed. Increased PEEP lead to increased time averaged admitivity in lung tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A whole-body counter in SÚRO (NRPI) Prague, Czech Republic has been upgraded recently with the goal to enhance its capability of a safe, smooth, accurate and reproducible positioning of detectors for whole- and partial-body counting. The counter is intended especially for counting of low energy gamma emitters in various organs and tissues of the human body. Counting efficiency calibration of a four-detector system installed in the shielded room has been performed by means of physical and voxel phantoms. The consistency of in vivo bioassay data of three internal contamination cases long-term monitored in the Institute is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]