Biomedical subjects

D A Hutchins

Publications and source records attributed to D A Hutchins.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

The radiated fields of focussing air-coupled ultrasonic phased arrays.

This paper presents an investigation into the fields radiated into air by ultrasonic phased arrays under transient excitation. In particular, it includes a theoretical prediction of spatial variations in amplitude throughout the both the near-field and far-field of such arrays. The approach has been used to predict the result of phasing to produce a focus in air, which can be seen to be particularly effective in the near-field of the array. Interesting features are observed, which are then described in terms of the performance of both individual elements and the resulting array. It is shown how some elements of design can be used to improve performance in focussing. The predictions are compared to the results of experiments in air using electrostatic arrays, where good focussing could be achieved provided the appropriate design principles were followed. The approach has been developed specifically for use in air, but the results would also hold for modelling in certain medical arrays where a focussing requirement might be needed close to the array itself.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Humidity and aggregate content correction factors for air-coupled ultrasonic evaluation of concrete.

This paper describes the use of non-contact ultrasound for the evaluation of concrete. Micromachined capacitance transducers are used to transmit ultrasonic longitudinal chirp signals through concrete samples using air as the coupling medium, and a pulse compression technique is then employed for measurement of time of flight through the sample. The effect on the ultrasonic wave speed of storing concrete samples, made with the same water/cement ratio, at different humidity levels is investigated. It is shown that there is a correlation between humidity and speed of sound, allowing a correction factor for humidity to be derived. A strong positive linear correlation between aggregate content and speed of sound was then observed; there was no obvious correlation between compressive strength and speed of sound. The results from the non-contact system are compared with that from a contact system, and conclusions drawn concerning coupling of energy into the samples.

Air↗

PubMed2004

Modelling of the radiated field from multi-element capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers.

This paper presents results from a theoretical model of the ultrasonic fields radiated by a 3x3 assembly of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) sources on the same silicon substrate. These predictions have, for the first time, been compared directly to the fields measured experimentally using a scanned miniature detector. This work indicates that there is minimal cross-coupling between source elements, and demonstrates that it is possible to predict successfully the field characteristics of various geometries of such cMUT elements, with a view to the development of future imaging systems.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Imaging using air-coupled polymer-membrane capacitive ultrasonic arrays.

Polymer-membrane capacitive ultrasonic linear and 2-D arrays have been fabricated for use in air-coupled imaging. By using arrays as receivers, there is a possibility of much faster imaging as the need for physically moving the receiver to scan a sample can be replaced by electronic multiplexing. In order to utilise this, a through-thickness air-coupled image of a composite plate has been made using a 2-D array as a receiver and a comparatively large planar source in air. This was made possible by the use of a chirp drive signal and cross-correlation on the measured waveform. Larger 2-D arrays with an increased number of elements have been simulated using a small scanned single receiver, and excellent imaging potential demonstrated. In addition two array receivers have been used in conjunction with two methods of post-processing, SAFT and ellipse crossing, to locate objects accurately.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

A conical air-coupled capacitance transducer for surface imaging.

This paper describes the construction and operation of an air-coupled capacitance transducer with a conical backplate. This was designed to produce a focal region over an extended distance along the transducer axis. Measurements were performed to examine both the frequency response of the transducer in pulse-echo mode, and the lateral resolution for imaging purposes. The radiated field was measured and compared to theory, and the extent of the focal region determined. Images of surface topography are presented, to illustrate the range of application of the transducer.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Gas jets as ultrasonic waveguides.

The study of the propagation of ultrasound within a gas jet is extended to obtain waveguide effects, where the jet collimates the ultrasonic beam from a transducer within the flow. Two methods have been investigated to achieve this--cooling the gas within the air jet, and using a different gas whose acoustic velocity is lower than air. Cooling an air jet to a temperature less than that of the surrounding air produced a noticeable waveguide effect. In addition, studies have been carried out using other selected gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) with a lower acoustic velocity than air, and helium (He) with a higher value. The former gas enhanced confinement of the ultrasonic beam, whereas the latter caused divergence. An ideal solution was found to be a CO2/air mixture, which produced a well-collimated sound field along the axis, while limiting the excess attenuation of pure CO2 gas jets. The effectiveness of the waveguide using mixed gas jets in producing images in air-coupled testing of solids is demonstrated.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Gas jet as a waveguide for air-coupled ultrasound.

The directional characteristics of an ultrasonic signal have been studied during propagation within an axial gas jet. The effects of nozzle shape, nozzle diameter, and variations in jet velocity, temperature and gas composition have been investigated. At high flow velocities of an air jet, divergence of the ultrasonic beam was observed. This was attributed to the effects of refraction, caused by increased acoustic velocities in the direction of the flow. An effective waveguide was also demonstrated by cooling the air jet to below ambient temperatures, so that the acoustic velocity in the air jet was lower than that in the surrounding atmosphere. This could also be achieved by using carbon dioxide mixed with air, whereas the use of helium led to increased divergence. The result is likely to be of use in air-coupled ultrasonic materials inspection.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

The characterization of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers in air.

Surface micromachined, capacitive ultrasonic transducers have been fabricated using a low thermal budget, CMOS-compatible process. They exhibit interesting properties for transduction in air at frequencies in excess of 1 MHz, when driven from a standard ultrasonic voltage source. Experiments are described using 1 mm square devices in air, operating in both pitch-catch and pulse-echo modes. The dependence on d.c. bias voltage is examined, together with calibration measurements using 1/8 in. microphones. The radiated beam profile, and the farfield directivity pattern, have been measured for both broad bandwidth and one-burst excitation, using a scanned miniature receiver. A 16 element square array is also presented, which has been used to measure the beam cross-sections from a focussed source.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Phosphorus limitation of nitrogen fixation by Trichodesmium in the central Atlantic Ocean.

Marine fixation of atmospheric nitrogen is believed to be an important source of biologically useful nitrogen to ocean surface waters, stimulating productivity of phytoplankton and so influencing the global carbon cycle. The majority of nitrogen fixation in tropical waters is carried out by the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium, which supplies more than half of the new nitrogen used for primary production. Although the factors controlling marine nitrogen fixation remain poorly understood, it has been thought that nitrogen fixation is limited by iron availability in the ocean. This was inferred from the high iron requirement estimated for growth of nitrogen fixing organisms and the higher apparent densities of Trichodesmium where aeolian iron inputs are plentiful. Here we report that nitrogen fixation rates in the central Atlantic appear to be independent of both dissolved iron levels in sea water and iron content in Trichodesmium colonies. Nitrogen fixation was, instead, highly correlated to the phosphorus content of Trichodesmium and was enhanced at higher irradiance. Furthermore, our calculations suggest that the structural iron requirement for the growth of nitrogen-fixing organisms is much lower than previously calculated. Although iron deficiency could still potentially limit growth of nitrogen-fixing organisms in regions of low iron availability-for example, in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean-our observations suggest that marine nitrogen fixation is not solely regulated by iron supply.

Atlantic Ocean↗

PubMed2001

The use of broadband acoustic transducers and pulse-compression techniques for air-coupled ultrasonic imaging.

A pulse-compression technique has been applied to air-coupled testing of solid materials. Capacitance transducers were used to generate wide bandwidth swept-frequency (chirp) signals in air, which were then used to measure and image solid samples in through transmission. The results demonstrate that such signal processing techniques lead to an improvement in the signal to noise ratio and timing accuracy for air-coupled testing. Measurements of thickness and spectroscopic experiments are presented. Images of defects in a wide range of materials, including metals and carbon-fibre composites have also been obtained. This combination of capacitive transducers with pulse-compression techniques is shown to be a powerful tool for non-contact air-coupled ultrasonic measurements.

Image Processing, Computer-Assisted↗

PubMed2001

The use of air-coupled ultrasound to test paper.

Capacitance transducers containing a thin polymer membrane have been used to transmit ultrasonic signals with frequencies in excess of 1 MHz through various paper products such as paper and cardboard. At normal incidence, a resonance was visible in thicker samples, the frequency of which could be correlated to parameters such as the thickness of the paper sample and the moisture content. It has also been demonstrated that images can be obtained of changes in structure across paper and card samples.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Novel, wide bandwidth, micromachined ultrasonic transducers.

Surface micromachined, capacitive ultrasonic transducers have been fabricated using a low thermal budget, CMOS-compatible process. This process allows inherent control of parameters such as membrane size and thickness, cavity size and the intrinsic stress in the membrane to be achieved. Devices fabricated using this process exhibit interesting properties for transduction in air at frequencies in excess of 1 MHz when driven from a standard ultrasonic voltage source. Experiments have been performed with devices containing silicon nitride membranes of variable thicknesses over a 2 microm thick air cavity and with device dimensions of up to 5 mm square. This is much larger than has been reported for a device with a single membrane. Calibration measurements using 1/8 inch microphones in air, and miniature PVDF hyrdophones in water, have been performed. The dependence on d.c. bias voltage is examined, involving static membrane deflection measurements and received peak voltages. Pulse-echo and pitch-catch mode operation have been achieved. Interferometric measurements of membrane displacement have been performed in air to illustrate the membrane deflection characteristics. Operation in liquids is also discussed.

Equipment Design↗

PubMed2000

Limitation of bacterial growth by dissolved organic matter and iron in the Southern ocean.

The importance of resource limitation in controlling bacterial growth in the high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) region of the Southern Ocean was experimentally determined during February and March 1998. Organic- and inorganic-nutrient enrichment experiments were performed between 42 degrees S and 55 degrees S along 141 degrees E. Bacterial abundance, mean cell volume, and [(3)H]thymidine and [(3)H]leucine incorporation were measured during 4- to 5-day incubations. Bacterial biomass, production, and rates of growth all responded to organic enrichments in three of the four experiments. These results indicate that bacterial growth was constrained primarily by the availability of dissolved organic matter. Bacterial growth in the subtropical front, subantarctic zone, and subantarctic front responded most favorably to additions of dissolved free amino acids or glucose plus ammonium. Bacterial growth in these regions may be limited by input of both organic matter and reduced nitrogen. Unlike similar experimental results in other HNLC regions (subarctic and equatorial Pacific), growth stimulation of bacteria in the Southern Ocean resulted in significant biomass accumulation, apparently by stimulating bacterial growth in excess of removal processes. Bacterial growth was relatively unchanged by additions of iron alone; however, additions of glucose plus iron resulted in substantial increases in rates of bacterial growth and biomass accumulation. These results imply that bacterial growth efficiency and nitrogen utilization may be partly constrained by iron availability in the HNLC Southern Ocean.

Australia↗

PubMed1999

Neural network correction of ultrasonic C-scan images.

A neural network-based approach to the correction of C-scan images is presented. This allows the effects of a finite ultrasonic beam diameter in an immersion experiment to be considered, by training the network on a series of defects of known characteristics. The result is an image which is a better representation of the actual defect.

Humans↗

PubMed1991

Biliary surgery after cardiac transplantation.

Many patients have undergone successful cardiac transplantation. These patients are at risk of developing the same surgical diseases as the general population. The side effects of immunotherapy may mandate intervention at a different point in the natural history of these processes. From February 1984 through December 1989, 24 patients underwent an operative biliary tract procedure following cardiac transplantation. Seventeen patients underwent elective cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography. The mean hospital stay was 5.4 days, and there was no morbidity or mortality. Seven patients underwent urgent procedures; four of them developed severe complications and three died as a result of their biliary tract disease. Two patients in the urgent group had previously exhibited symptoms of biliary tract disease, and five were previously asymptomatic. There was no significant difference in time from transplantation to biliary procedure between the elective group (mean, 17 months; range, 3 weeks to 47 months) and the urgent group (mean, 18 months; range, 3 weeks to 44 months). Patients who undergo cardiac transplantation should be screened for cholelithiasis. The presence of symptoms should not be required before recommending operative intervention.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Formation of DNA and hemoglobin adducts of fluoranthene after single and multiple exposures.

The dose-dependence of hemoglobin binding as well as distribution of fluoranthene and fluoranthene-DNA adducts in various tissues was characterized in male rats 24 h after a single i.p. injection of [3H]fluoranthene. Formation and distribution of DNA adducts after chronic administration of fluoranthene in the diet was also studied. Fluoranthene-derived radioactivity was widely distributed throughout the animal after a single dose, and excreta contained the greatest amounts of radioactivity at all dose levels. Fluoranthene binding to globin was proportional to dose over the range of 2 nmol/kg to 177 mumol/kg, and the adducted protein was cleared at the same rate as unmodified hemoglobin, indicating that the adducts are stable in vivo. In contrast, fluoranthene-DNA adducts were not present at detectable levels in liver or kidney 24 h after one dose; low levels of adducts were found only in the lung at the highest dose level. Chronic administration of fluoranthene in the diet, however, resulted in DNA adduct formation in most tissues examined, including liver, kidney, lung, small intestine, heart, spleen and lymphocytes; adducts were not detectable in testes DNA. The major fluoranthene-DNA adduct found in rat tissues was identified by its chromatographic similarity to the major fluoranthene adduct formed in vitro using microsomally-activated fluoranthene and calf thymus DNA, previously identified as a reaction product of anti-2,3-dihydroxy-1,10b-epoxy-1,2,3-trihydro-fluoranthene with N2-deoxyguanosine. The unusual stability of this diol epoxide at physiological pH may allow transport of this ultimate DNA-binding metabolite to virtually all tissues. These results demonstrate the applicability of the HPLC-32P-postlabelling procedure to detect and quantify fluoranthene-DNA adducts formed in vivo, and suggest that analysis of these adducts in accessible tissues such as lymphocytes may be a means of assessing chronic, high level exposure to fluoranthene. Our results also indicate that hemoglobin adducts of fluoranthene could be useful dosimeters for detecting short-term or chronic exposure to this compound if a suitable method for their detection were developed.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1988

Isolation and characterization of the major fluoranthene-hemoglobin adducts formed in vivo in the rat.

The binding of fluoranthene (FA) to hemoglobin was studied both in vitro and in vivo in the rat. The in vitro binding of microsomally activated FA to rat hemoglobin appeared to involve the fluoranthene 2,3-dihydrodiol-1,10b-epoxides. Three classes of hemoglobin adducts were observed in rats chronically administered FA in the diet. Based on high pressure liquid chromatography retention times, UV and mass spectral evidence, and behavior upon cis-diol affinity chromatography, the major class of globin adducts formed in vivo was demonstrated to result from binding of syn and anti isomers of FA 2,3-dihydrodiol-1,10b-epoxides to beta-cysteine-125 of rat hemoglobin. These adducts represented at least 41% of the total binding to globin. A minor class of adducts (12% of the total binding) appeared to involve the binding of an unidentified FA metabolite to the same cysteine residue of the protein. A substantial portion of FA binding to rat hemoglobin in vivo (29%) involved metabolic pathways which were not duplicated by simple in vitro systems. That portion of the binding to globin has not been characterized.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1988

Diffraction effects of planar transducers using a numerical expression for edge waves.

It is well established that the field from uniformly vibrating piston transducers may be considered as being derived from two components: a plane wave and an edge wave. These have been both predicted and observed in practice, but it would seem that a mathematical expression for the edge-wave component has not yet been developed fully. In this article, expressions are developed for the pressure and particle velocity edge waves that can be used to calculate the field that results when a plane wave is diffracted by an edge. The expressions are used to study a particular example, namely, that of an arbitrarily shaped piston radiator. The results for certain situations are shown to agree with existing solutions for a disk source.

Acoustics↗