Backscattered Signal Intensity Research Articles

Reed microstructure detection by optical coherence tomography, an efficient andnon-invasive method.

Woodwind instrument reeds are commonly made from Arundo donax Linn (ADL) material. The mechanical properties of ADL significantly influence the acoustic behavior of the reed, thereby affecting the instrument's overall performance. Current investigations into the internal microstructure of reeds are primarily conducted through optical microscopy, a method that involves cutting open the sample and observing its morphological features, thereby causing irreversible damage to the specimen. To address this issue, we employed optical coherence tomography (OCT) to examine the interior microstructure of reeds in both two and three dimensions, thus providing a non-invasive and real-time technique for characterizing reeds. The optical data gathered through backscattering is used to reveal microstructural variations and determine the reed's lifespan. Our findings indicate that, with increasing degrees of vibratory load excitation, the microstructure of the vessel wall degrades while the width of the vessel lumen appears to expand. Over extended periods of usage, the backscattered signal intensity of the parenchymal tissue diminishes. Additionally, the 3D imaging capabilities of OCT can be employed to rapidly establish the spatial volume of defects within the reed. In light of these results, optical coherence tomography shows its promise as a powerful, real-time, and noninvasive technique for the identification of reeds.

A Shipborne Photon-Counting Lidar for Depth-Resolved Ocean Observation

Depth-resolved information is essential for ocean research. For this study, we developed a shipborne photon-counting lidar for depth-resolved oceanic plankton observation. A pulsed fiber laser with frequency doubling to 532 nm acts as a light source, generating a single pulse at the micro-joule level with a pulse width of less than 1 ns. The receiver is capable of simultaneously detecting the elastic signal at two orthogonal polarization states, the Raman scattering from seawater, and the fluorescence signal from chlorophyll A. The data acquisition system utilizes the photon-counting technique to record each photon event, after which the backscattering signal intensity can be recovered by counting photons from multiple pulses. Benefitting from the immunity of this statistical detection method to the ringing effect of the detector and amplifier circuit, high-sensitivity and high-linearity backscatter signal measurements are realized. In this paper, we analyze and correct the after-pulse phenomenon of high-linearity signals through experiments and theoretical simulations. Through the after-pulse correction, the lidar attenuation coefficient retrieved from the corrected signal are in good agreement with the diffuse attenuation coefficients calculated from the in situ instrument, indicating the potential of this shipborne photon-counting lidar for ocean observation applications.

A simulation comparison of calibration functions for different sets of spectral filter passbands in the traditional pure rotational Raman lidar technique

The accuracy of tropospheric temperature measurements with pure rotational Raman (PRR) lidars is affected by the collisional broadening of N2 and O2 PRR lines. In this paper, we intercompare nine calibration functions (CFs) in the traditional PRR lidar technique via simulation. Taking into account the PRR line broadening, the simulation is performed for five sets of spectral filters (SFs) with different passbands in a PRR lidar receiving system. For simplicity of calculations, the transmission function of each SF is approximated by a rectangular function on the wavenumber interval, within which a SF passes the bulk of the backscattered signal intensity in the corresponding PRR lidar channel. A narrow-linewidth laser operating at wavelengths of 354.67 and 532 nm is considered as a lidar transmitter. The CF best suited for tropospheric temperature retrievals from raw PRR lidar data for each set of SFs and laser wavelength is determined by comparative analysis of calibration errors ΔT produced using these CFs. The absolute error |ΔT| does not exceed the value of 3 × 10–3 K when using the best three-coefficient CF, while |ΔT| < 4 × 10–4 K for the best four-coefficient CF regardless of the laser wavelength and SF set used.

Micronekton distribution in the southwest Pacific (New Caledonia) inferred from shipboard-ADCP backscatter data

Acoustic data are invaluable information sources for characterizing the distribution and abundance of mid-trophic-level organisms (micronekton). These organisms play a pivotal role in the ecosystem as prey of top predators and as predators of low-trophic-level organisms. Although shipboard-ADCP (acoustic Doppler current profiler) acoustic backscatter signal intensity cannot provide an absolute biomass estimate, it may be a useful proxy to investigate variability in the distribution and relative density of micronekton. This study used acoustic recordings data spread across 19 years (1999–2017) from 54 ADCP cruises in New Caledonia's subtropical EEZ (exclusive economic zone) to assess seasonal and interannual variabilities and spatial distribution of micronekton. The dataset was composed of two different ADCPs: 150 kHz for the first period, followed by 75 kHz for more recent years. We examined the 20–120 m averaged scattering layer. Using the few cruises with concurrent EK60 measurements, we proposed that the backscatter from the ADCPs and 70 kHz EK60 were sufficiently closely linked to allow the use of the backscatter signal from the ADCPs in a combined dataset over the full time series. We then designed a GAMM (generalized additive mixed model) model that takes into account the two ADCP devices as well as temporal variability. After accounting for the effect of the devices, we showed that the acoustic signal was mainly driven by diel vertical migration, season, year, and ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation). In a second step, a consensus model between two statistical approaches (GAMM and SVM) (support vector machine) was constructed, linking the nighttime 20–120 m backscatter to the oceanographic and geographic environment. This model showed that sea surface temperature was the main factor driving backscatter variability in the EEZ, with intensified backscatter during the austral summer (December to May) in the northern part of the EEZ. We showed that acoustic density differed significantly, spatially and temporally from micronekton biomass predicted for the same period by the SEAPODYM-MTL (mid-trophic level) ecosystem model. The seasonal cycle given by ADCP data lagged behind the SEAPODYM-MTL seasonal cycle by around three months. Reasons to explain these differences and further needs in observation and modeling were explored in the discussion. In addition to providing new insights for micronekton dynamics in this EEZ (i.e., the science needed for ecosystem-based fisheries management), the data should help improve our ability to model this key trophic component.

Multi-modal deep learning for Fuji apple detection using RGB-D cameras and their radiometric capabilities

Fruit detection and localization will be essential for future agronomic management of fruit crops, with applications in yield prediction, yield mapping and automated harvesting. RGB-D cameras are promising sensors for fruit detection given that they provide geometrical information with color data. Some of these sensors work on the principle of time-of-flight (ToF) and, besides color and depth, provide the backscatter signal intensity. However, this radiometric capability has not been exploited for fruit detection applications. This work presents the KFuji RGB-DS database, composed of 967 multi-modal images containing a total of 12,839 Fuji apples. Compilation of the database allowed a study of the usefulness of fusing RGB-D and radiometric information obtained with Kinect v2 for fruit detection. To do so, the signal intensity was range corrected to overcome signal attenuation, obtaining an image that was proportional to the reflectance of the scene. A registration between RGB, depth and intensity images was then carried out. The Faster R-CNN model was adapted for use with five-channel input images: color (RGB), depth (D) and range-corrected intensity signal (S). Results show an improvement of 4.46% in F1-score when adding depth and range-corrected intensity channels, obtaining an F1-score of 0.898 and an AP of 94.8% when all channels are used. From our experimental results, it can be concluded that the radiometric capabilities of ToF sensors give valuable information for fruit detection.

Quantitative Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography of Early Enamel Erosion in vivo

Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) shows potential for the in vivo quantitative evaluation of micro-structural enamel surface phenomena occurring during early erosive demineralization. This randomized controlled single-blind cross-over clinical study aimed to evaluate the use of SS-OCT for detecting optical changes in the enamel of 30 healthy volunteers subjected to orange juice rinsing (erosive challenge) in comparison to mineral water rinsing (control), according to wiped and non-wiped enamel surface states. Participants were randomly allocated to 60 min of orange juice rinsing (pH 3.8) followed by 60 min of water rinsing (pH 6.7) and vice versa, with a 2-week wash-out period. In addition, the labial surfaces of the right or left maxillary incisors were wiped prior to SS-OCT imaging. An automated ImageJ algorithm was designed to analyse the back-scattered OCT signal intensity (D) after orange juice rinsing compared to after water rinsing. D was quantified as the OCT signal scattering from the 33 µm sub-surface enamel, normalised by the total OCT signal intensity entering the enamel. The back-scattered OCT signal intensity increased by 3.1% (95% CI 1.1-5.1%) in the wiped incisors and by 3.5% (95% CI 1.5-5.5%) in the unwiped incisors (p < 0.0001). Wiping reduced the back-scattered OCT signal intensity by 1.7% (95% CI -3.2 to -0.3%; p = 0.02) in comparison to the unwiped enamel surfaces for both rinsing solutions (p = 0.2). SS-OCT detected OCT signal changes in the superficial sub-surface enamel of maxillary central incisor teeth of healthy volunteers after orange juice rinsing.

Electromagnetic backscattering from one-dimensional drifting fractal sea surface II: Electromagnetic backscattering model**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41276187), the Global Change Research Program of China (Grant No. 2015CB953901), the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, China, the Program for the Innovation Research and Entrepreneurship Team in Jiangsu Province, China, the Canadian

Sea surface current has a significant influence on electromagnetic (EM) backscattering signals and may constitute a dominant synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging mechanism. An effective EM backscattering model for a one-dimensional drifting fractal sea surface is presented in this paper. This model is used to simulate EM backscattering signals from the drifting sea surface. Numerical results show that ocean currents have a significant influence on EM backscattering signals from the sea surface. The normalized radar cross section (NRCS) discrepancies between the model for a coupled wave-current fractal sea surface and the model for an uncoupled fractal sea surface increase with the increase of incidence angle, as well as with increasing ocean currents. Ocean currents that are parallel to the direction of the wave can weaken the EM backscattering signal intensity, while the EM backscattering signal is intensified by ocean currents propagating oppositely to the wave direction. The model presented in this paper can be used to study the SAR imaging mechanism for a drifting sea surface.

Constructing ultrasonic images of soft spherical scatterers

The paper considers specific features of ultrasonic visualization of gas bubbles in a liquid or a medium of like soft biological tissue type under conditions when the size of scatterers is comparable to the acoustic wavelength. It was proposed to use styrofoam specimens as the experimental model of stationary gas bubbles. Patterns of ultrasound scattering by a styrofoam sphere in water were obtained experimentally. It was shown that the measurement results agree well with the prediction of the classical theoretical model of scattering of a plane wave by a perfectly soft sphere. Several experiments were performed illustrating the specific features of visualizing millimeter-sized bubbles. A Terason commercial ultrasonic scanner was used; gelatin specimens with embedded styrofoam spheres served as the objects of study. The simulation and experimental results showed that when bubbles with diameters of <1 mm are visualized, it is impossible to measure the diameter of scatterers because bubbles of different diameters are imaged as bright spots of identical diameter, which is equal to the scanner resolution. To eliminate this difficulty, it is recommended to use the results of theoretical simulation performed in this study, which revealed a monotonic increase in the backscattered signal intensity with an increase in bubble radius. An ultrasonic visualization mode is proposed in which the brightness of scattered signals is used to differentiate between bubbles of different size.

Direct measurement of internal material flow in a bench scale wet low-intensity magnetic separator

In this work an ultrasound-based measurement method is used for monitoring suspension velocity and build-up of magnetic material inside a wet low-intensity magnetic separator, a process used e.g. in beneficiation of magnetite ores. Today the only available option is to monitor material transport between unit operations; i.e. flow rate, solids concentration, and particle size distribution of suspension flow in pipes are measured online using standard equipment.An acoustic backscatter system is fitted to the tank of a separator, and used to monitor the internal flow. A method called ultrasonic velocity profiling is used to capture internal velocity profiles. Simultaneously, the backscatter signal intensity is used to get indications about local solids concentration of the flow, and build-up of magnetic material. The methods are evaluated in realistic conditions, where the effect of varying factors relevant to machine performance is investigated. The included factors are; the slurry feed rate, the slurry solids concentration, the magnet assembly angle, and the drum rotational speed.The presented method gives useful information about the internal material flow inside the separator. The velocity measurements capture the, sometimes complex, internal flow patterns, for example the presence and velocity of a recirculating flow in the dewatering zone. Additionally, keeping a balanced material loading in the concentrate dewatering zone is important to separator performance. Using the signal backscatter intensity it is possible to qualitatively monitor this material loading. Generally these direct measurements can aid in improvements to machine design, process optimization, and process control.

Winter storm-induced hydrodynamics and morphological response of a shallow transgressive shoal complex: Northern Gulf of Mexico

Using extended deployments during seasons of low and high discharge from the Atchafalaya River, meteorological, hydrodynamic and bottom boundary layer parameters were monitored from Tiger and Trinity Shoal complex, off Louisiana coast, USA. During winter storms, the surface current speed measured at both shoals exceeded 0.5 m/s and the entire water column followed the prevailing wind direction. The current speed close to the bottom exceeded 0.3 m/s during high energy northerly winds. The mean water level in the shoal complex increased during southerly winds and decreased during northerly winds, such that the difference between wind set-up and set-down exceeded 0.7 m in Tiger Shoal and 0.6 m in Trinity Shoal during high energy frontal passages. The swell height was inversely correlated with mean water level, and increased during pre-frontal phase and decreased during post-frontal phase of winter storms. The sea (short waves) height responded quickly to wind direction and speed; and within a few hours after the wind shifted and blowing from the north, the sea height increased during both deployments. Bimodal wave frequency spectrum was observed during wind veering from southerly to northerly, when both sea and swell intensities were significant. The Tiger Shoal bed sediment texture transformed drastically, from mud to shell and shell hash assemblage, within a period of two weeks during the December 2008 deployment. Backscatter signal intensity from a Pulse Coherent Acoustic Doppler Profiler (PCADP) and its velocity estimates were used to determine the vertical extend and timing of mud resuspension and their eventual flushing out from the shoal environment, when exposed to high energy winter storm passages. The computed time frame for a total transformation of bottom sediment texture (from muddy bottom to shell and shell hash assemblage) was supported by the combined wave and bottom current induced shear stress at shoal bed. The bed samples collected from Tiger Shoal before and after the deployment in spring 2009 consisted of more than 80% shell and shell hash, which again confirmed a stable bottom as predicted from the PCADP data. However, the fine sand and mud dominated bed at Trinity Shoal was highly dynamic and experienced a few cm of ephemeral sediment deposition during the passage of each cold front, as revealed from the analysis of acoustic backscatter data from the PCADP. Suspended sediment concentration estimated from Optical Backscatterance Sensors (OBS) and PCADP were in good agreement during low river discharge events in December 2008; but significantly diverged during the spring 2009 deployment, when a high suspended sediment load was discharged into the shelf from the Atchafalaya River, and subsequently pushed farther offshore into the deployment sites by wind-induced strong currents during the passage of cold fronts.

Ultrasonic Assessment of Myocardial Microstructure

Echocardiography is a widely accessible imaging modality that is commonly used to noninvasively characterize and quantify changes in cardiac structure and function. Ultrasonic assessments of cardiac tissue can include analyses of backscatter signal intensity within a given region of interest. Previously established techniques have relied predominantly on the integrated or mean value of backscatter signal intensities, which may be susceptible to variability from aliased data from low frame rates and time delays for algorithms based on cyclic variation. Herein, we describe an ultrasound-based imaging algorithm that extends from previous methods, can be applied to a single image frame and accounts for the full distribution of signal intensity values derived from a given myocardial sample. When applied to representative mouse and human imaging data, the algorithm distinguishes between subjects with and without exposure to chronic afterload resistance. The algorithm offers an enhanced surrogate measure of myocardial microstructure and can be performed using open-access image analysis software.

Ultrasonic Assessment of Myocardial Microstructure

Echocardiography is a widely accessible imaging modality that is commonly used to noninvasively characterize and quantify changes in cardiac structure and function. Ultrasonic assessments of cardiac tissue can include analyses of backscatter signal intensity within a given region of interest. Previously established techniques have relied predominantly on the integrated or mean value of backscatter signal intensities, which may be susceptible to variability from aliased data from low frame rates and time delays for algorithms based on cyclic variation. Herein, we describe an ultrasound-based imaging algorithm that extends from previous methods, can be applied to a single image frame and accounts for the full distribution of signal intensity values derived from a given myocardial sample. When applied to representative mouse and human imaging data, the algorithm distinguishes between subjects with and without exposure to chronic afterload resistance. The algorithm offers an enhanced surrogate measure of myocardial microstructure and can be performed using open-access image analysis software.

Exploring a geophysical process‐based attribution technique for the determination of the atmospheric boundary layer depth using aerosol lidar and near‐surface meteorological measurements

A new objective method for the determination of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) depth using routine vertically pointing aerosol lidar measurements is presented. A geophysical process‐based analysis is introduced to improve the attribution of the lidar‐derived aerosol gradients, which is so far the most challenging part in any gradient‐based technique. Using micrometeorological measurements of Obukhov length scale, both early morning and evening transition periods are determined which help separate the turbulence regimes during well‐mixed convective ABL and nocturnal/stable ABL. The lidar‐derived aerosol backscatter signal intensity is used to determine the hourly‐averaged vertical profiles of variance of the fluctuations of particle backscatter signal providing the location of maximum turbulent mixing within the ABL; thus, obtained mean ABL depth guides the attribution by searching for the appropriate minimum of the gradients. An empirical classification of the ABL stratification patterns into three different types is proposed by determining the changes in the near‐surface stability scenarios. First results using the lidar observations obtained between March and July in 2011 at SIRTA atmospheric observatory near Palaiseau (Paris suburb) in France demonstrate that the new attribution technique makes the lidar estimations of ABL depth more physically reliable under a wide spectrum of meteorological conditions. While comparing lidar and nearby radiosonde measurements of ABL depths, an excellent concordance was found with a correlation coefficient of 0.968 and 0.927 for daytime and nighttime measurements, respectively. A brief climatology of the characteristics of the ABL depth, its diurnal cycle, a detailed discussion of the morning and evening transitions are presented.

Effects of strontium ranelate administration on bisphosphonate-altered hydroxyapatite: Matrix incorporation of strontium is accompanied by changes in mineralization and microstructure

Strontium ranelate (SR) is one therapeutic option for reducing risk of fracture in osteoporosis. The effects of SR treatment on hydroxyapatite (HA) previously altered by bisphosphonate (BP) administration remain to be established. Patients who have received long-term BP treatment and present with persistent high fracture risk are of particular interest. Paired iliac crest biopsies from 15 patients post-BP therapy were subjected to a baseline biopsy and a follow-up biopsy after treatment with 2g SR day⁻¹ after either 6 months (n=5) or 12 months (n=10). Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans, serum parameters and biochemical markers were obtained. Quantitative backscattered electron imaging and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses combined with micro-X-ray fluorescence determinations were performed to observe any mineralization changes. Static 2-D histomorphometry was carried out to evaluate cellular and structural indices. After 6 months of SR treatment, increases in osteoid surface and strontium content were observed, but no other indices showed significant change. After 12 months of SR treatment, there was a significant increase in bone volume and trabecular thickness, and further increases in strontium content and backscattered signal intensity. These structural changes were accompanied by increased numbers of osteoblasts and increased osteoid surface and volume. Additionally, low bone resorption, as measured by beta-cross-laps, and a low number of osteoclasts were observed. SR treatment led to increased strontium content within the BP-HA nanocomposites and to increased osteoid indices and bone volume, which is indicative of newly formed bone, while osteoclasts were still suppressed. These data points suggest that SR might be considered as a therapeutic option for patients following long-term BP treatment.

A lidar for water vapour measurements in daytime at Lampedusa, Italy

ENEA is planning to develop a lidar system for measurement of the vertical profi le of water vapour mixing ratio in daytime at a remote site, the Station for Climate Observations located in Lampedusa, Italy. The Raman lidar technique has been retained because of its experimental simplicity with respect to DIAL, and the UV spectral range has been chosen because Raman cross-sections and detector effi ciencies are larger. For a wavelength larger than ~ 300 nm the signal is limited in daytime by sky background, but extinction is acceptable, and the aims of the system can be reached with a strong laser source. The 355 nm wavelength of a frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser has been retained as this laser source permits to reach a large pulse energy while keeping the system simple to operate. Geometrical form factor calculations need to be performed to evaluate the near-range overlap between the laser beam and the fi eld-of-view of the receiver. Among several options, a dual-receiver system has been retained to account for the several orders of magnitude expected in the backscattered signal intensity: a smaller receiver, with a primary mirror of 200 mm diameter for the 0.2-1 km range, and a larger 500 mm receiver for the 1-3 km range.

Functional and Molecular Ultrasound Imaging: Concepts and Contrast Agents

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound has shown convincing results for monitoring vessel morphology, surrogate markers of vascularization and changes in molecular marker expression in oncological and cardiovascular diseases. Ultrasound contrast agents have the ability to increase the backscattering signal intensity of an ultrasound pulse. An interesting class of ultrasound contrast agents are gas filled microbubbles, which can be synthesized by external bubble encapsulation using sugar matrices or microspheres consisting of lipids or polymers with or without surfactant and by selecting gases with low blood solubility and diffusion coefficient such as perfluorocarbons or sulphur hexafluoride. Ultrasound contrast agents can be classified according to the rigidity of their shell. Soft-shell microbubbles are coated with a thin monolayer of surfactant molecules such as palmitic acid or phospholipids and are very sensitive to pressure changes. Hard-shell microbubbles have a rigid shell made of polymers such as polycyanoacrylate, which dramatically increases their stability. Depending on the acoustic properties of the microbubbles and on the purpose of the examination either destructive or non destructive methods are preferred for their detection. Microbubbles can be detected by destructive and non-destructive methods. Both soft- and hard-shell microbubbles coated with target-specific molecules can also be used for molecular imaging. Using target-specific approaches, the expression of several angiogenic markers such as VEGFR2, alphavbeta3 Integrins, ICAM, and E-selectin has been investigated in neoplastic and vascular diseases. This article summarizes the synthesis and properties of contrast agents as well as the indications, limitations and future potential of contrast-enhanced functional and molecular ultrasound.

Angle-resolved elastic peak electron spectroscopy: Role of surface excitations

We analyze the possibility of determining the surface excitation parameter (SEP) from the dependence of the elastic backscattering signal intensity on the emission angle. It has been found that the shape of this dependence is reasonably well described by the theoretical model implemented in a typical Monte Carlo simulation strategy. As shown recently, the mean percentage deviation between the experimental angular dependence and the theoretical dependence is equal to 8.82% at 200 eV, 6.28% at 500 eV and 4.69% at 1000 eV. In the theoretical model used, the surface energy losses were ignored. Close inspection of the deviations between theory and experiments indicates systematic trends that can be ascribed to the surface energy losses. We found here that taking into the account the surface energy losses further improves the agreement between theory and experiment. The total mean percentage deviation, equal to 6.65%, decreases to 5.59% if the mathematical form of the Chen formula for SEP is used, or to 5.16% if the Oswald expression is used. The material dependent coefficients in the expression of SEP derived from the emission angle dependence of the elastic peak intensity differ from these coefficients resulting from other methods. We conclude that the determination of SEP from shape of the angular dependence requires the experimental data of high quality, and the reliable theoretical model describing elastic electron backscattering.

Radar scattering on gravity-capillary waves: Laboratory investigation

The mechanism of the resonance (Bragg) scattering of microwaves by gravity-capillary waves (GCWs) is checked experimentally. Resonant regularities of backscattered signal intensity are obtained as functions of frequency and GCW propagation direction. It is shown that the width of the resonance curves is determined by the width of the directivity pattern of the scatterometer’s antenna. The excitation of the GCW second harmonic and the spatial structure of the wave field at the GCW doubled frequency are investigated. The ratio of the amplitudes of the free wave and forced harmonic that originated during excitation of the primary wave is determined. The resonance curve is obtained for the second-order scattering of radio waves (on forced harmonics and free GCWs). The correction to the backscattering cross section is investigated in the second order of smallness relative to the Bragg term.

Ultrasound imaging of apoptosis in vivo: effects of subcellular nuclear structure and cell membrane morphology

Objective: We have discovered that high-frequency ultrasound imaging may be used to detect apoptosis. Apoptotic cells have striking morphological characteristics including an altered nuclear chromatin structure and an altered cell membrane topology. In this study, we investigated the effects of chromatin structure and cell membrane morphology on ultrasound backscatter signal intensity and spectra. Methods: To investigate the importance of subcellular nuclear structure and chromatin structure on ultrasound backscatter signal formation, we used acute myeloid leukemia cells and their nuclei prepared in over 10 different ionic environments. Ionic environments ranged from 4 mM to over 2000 mM NaCl and were recognized to cause specific configurational changes in chromatin structure. Cells were also grown in the presence of sodium butyrate, which is a histone-deacetylase inhibitor that promotes the accumulation of chromatin in a unraveled structural state consistent with gene expression. Other disruptions of chromatin structure were carried out by enzymatic digestions of DNA. To study the effects of cell membrane morphology changes, red blood cells were used as this provided a cell system devoid of a nucleus. Erythrocytes were placed into different ionic and pH environments causing them to adopt different sizes and shapes ranging from echinocytic to stomatocytic. Light and electron microscopy were used to assess cell and chromatin morphology. Results: Results indicated an inverse correlation between nuclear size and ultrasound backscatter intensity. Results were also dependent on chromatin configuration. Red blood cell experiments indicated that the absence of a cell nucleus membrane morphology can also have an important influence on ultrasound backscatter signals. Conclusions: Results indicated an inverse correlation between nuclear size and ultrasound backscatter intensity. Backscatter signals were also dependent on chromatin configuration as assessed from ionic strength, butyrate, and DNA digestion experiments. Red blood cell experiments indicated cell nucleus membrane morphology and can also have an important influence on ultrasound backscatter signals.

Periodic Occurrence of Diurnal Signal of ADCP Backscatter Strength in Uchiumi Bay, Japan

An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) was deployed for 83 days at the bottom of Uchiumi Bay in the Bungo Channel, Japan. At the same station, the water temperature was measured at nine layers using a thermistor chain. From the temporal variations of the backscatter signal strength data of ADCP, we found that the backscatter signal intensity occasionally showed day-to-night fluctuations. We deduced that the day-to-night fluctuations suggested characterizations of migration patterns of zooplankton or krill, because the signal intensity became relatively high during the night. The migration pattern tended to occur after a cold-water intrusion from the shelf slope region south of the Bungo Channel, which is known as a ‘ bottom intrusion ’. The bottom intrusion occurred six times during the observation period, and the tendency for the diurnal signal in the back scatter signal strength to develop after the bottom intrusion was observed in four of six cases. Though specific biological effects caused by the bottom intrusion are still unclear, the occasional diurnal fluctuations in backscatter signal strength may indicate that the bottom intrusion affects the biological environment in Uchiumi Bay, because the diurnal signal tended to intensify only after the bottom intrusion.