Hand-held Unit Research Articles

Use of a handheld real-time ultrasound unit in post-prostatectomy incontinence rehabilitation

Following surgery for prostate cancer, a 56-year- old man self-referred to a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist working in private practice. An assessment was performed, and a holistic treatment programme was implemented. The patient was an advanced clinical practitioner who concurrently employed real-time ultrasound as a biofeedback tool. This was part of a wider, physiotherapist-supervised programme of pelvic floor muscle training and overall rehabilitation. An early return to continence was achieved. While recognizing the limitations of the unique circumstances described, this case report discusses the possibilities that it raises with regard to: male pelvic health rehabilitation; the use of biofeedback tools; and access to information or adjuncts that might be usefully employed by physiotherapists working in this field.

The Electric Spatula: Killing Weeds with Pulsed Microshocks from a Flat-Plate Electrode

Seeking an easy-to-deploy, energy-efficient, non-herbicide weed control method, we tested a flat-plate electrode to apply pulsed electric microshocks (PMS) to a grass and four broadleaf weed species. The method can be deployed via a hand-held unit or as part of a fully automated system to control escape weeds in field crops. The effectiveness of the treatments and the relative energy discharges when applying similar electric doses to the plant leaves or to the plant when pressed to the soil with a flat-plate electrode were compared. The method killed only half of the treated Lolium multiflorum “Winter Star” plants, well below our target rate, but significantly reduced growth rates and indicated that effective treatment of <1.0 MJ ha−1 for treating five plants m−2 is possible. Polygonum aviculare L., Amaranthus powellii S. Wats., Amaranthus deflexus, and Solanum nitidibaccatum Bitter plants were successfully controlled, with the energy required to kill 100% of seedlings varying from 0.1 to 0.9 MJ ha−1, indicating that broadleaf weeds are more susceptible. This easily met our target effectiveness and efficiency goals. The discharged energy increased when the electrode pressed the plant to a dry soil surface rather than to the leaves only and increased further when the electrode pressed the plant to a wet soil surface.

CAN APPLE LIDAR CAMERAS BE RELIABLY USED FOR COASTAL MONITORING?

Smart phones are becoming ubiquitous devices that can be exploited for citizen science applications, including coastal monitoring (Harley et al., 2019). In 2020, Apple released new versions of their iPhone (12+) and iPad Pro (2020+) that included built-in LIDAR functionality. These were accompanied by a series of commercial applications (e.g., 3DScanner, Scaniverse, and many others) built to capture high resolution objects at close range using mesh or point-cloud formulations. The built-in GPS of the iPhone/iPads however is of low accuracy (~5m horizontal) compared to the demands for scientific surveys. Fortuitously, commercial hand-held RTK-GNSS units (e.g., EOS Arrow Gold, Pix4D viDoc, RedCatch) that can talk directly to the smart phones and provide surveygrade positioning have also been recently developed. The Pix4D viDoc and RedCatch devices are targeted at photogrammetry applications rather than the internal LIDAR scanner, while the EOS Arrow family is application independent. In the past year, several papers have been published examining the ability of smartphones equipped with LIDAR to be used in various geophysical applications ( Luetzenburg et al. 2021; Mokros et al. 2021; Spreafico et al. 2021). This then begs the question – can these smart phones equipped with LIDAR be reliably used for coastal monitoring with existing (free) commercial applications?

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Transmission for Remote Interpretation in Austere Environments

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is used in wilderness medicine and could potentially be the only imaging modality available. Cellular and data coverage is often lacking in remote areas, limiting image transmission. This study evaluates the viability of transmitting POCUS images from austere environments using slow-scan television (SSTV) image transmission methods over very-high-frequency (VHF) hand-held radio units for remote interpretation. Fifteen deidentified POCUS images were selected and encoded into an SSTV audio stream by a smartphone and transmitted over a VHF radio. A second radio and smartphone 1 to 5 mi away received and decoded the signals back into images. The original images and transmitted images were randomized into a survey graded by emergency medicine physicians using a standardized ultrasound quality assurance scoring scale (1-5 points). The difference in mean scores between the original image and transmitted image showed a 3.9% decrease in transmitted image scores, with P <0.05 on a paired t test; however, this is not likely a clinically significant decrease. Comparing transmitted images using different SSTV encodings and distances ranging up to 5 mi, 100% of survey respondents determined the images to be clinically usable. This dropped to 75% when significant artifacts were introduced. Slow-scan television image transmission is a viable option for transmitting ultrasound images in remote areas where more modern forms of communication are unavailable or not practical. Slow-scan television may have potential as another data transmission option in the wilderness, such as electrocardiogram tracings.

Using a Low-Cost Components e-Nose for Basic Detection of Different Foodstuffs

A low-cost handheld e-nose unit for assessing composition and quality of food in the field or for automatic discrimination of different foodstuffs would have significant commercial advantages and provide a positive impact on consumer safety and confidence. Whilst many studies have focused on the freshness of specific foodstuffs, the preliminary results presented in this report indicate that a low-cost (circa 30 euro) e-nose, based on MQ series gas sensors, using sinusoidally varying heater voltages, can successfully differentiate between samples of unspoiled lamb, hake, salmon, beef, pork and chicken, even using default, non-optimized control parameters, which could be applied in food adulteration and fraudulent labelling detection or in smart appliances to automatically select cooking parameters. Samples were exposed to the e-nose for five cycles of two minutes each and, by subjecting the response waveforms to Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) analysis, harmonic component amplitudes were extracted. These data items were then fed into two different Machine Learning supervised classification methods (discriminant analysis and random forest) to determine which foodstuff was present. The relevance of the different DFT harmonic components and MQ sensors in the foodstuffs classification was quantified. Classification accuracies in excess of 95% were demonstrated.

A surface‐enhanced Raman sensor for trace identification and analysis of high‐priority drugs of abuse with portable and handheld Raman devices

AbstractSurface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a rapidly emerging technology that offers a fast, extremely sensitive, and quantitative approach to trace chemical detection. Such a technique incorporated into a portable device is attractive to law enforcement and emergency room personnel for rapid accurate on‐site screening of illicit and abused drugs. Toward this, we are developing an analyzer in a hand‐held unit, based on SERS that is integrated with a capillary sensor embedded with activated gold nanoparticles in a porous glass matrix. In this preliminary study, we have used this gold sol–gel capillary to measure aqueous solutions of 14 high‐priority drugs to define sensitivity (lowest measured concentration [LMC] and estimated limit of detection [LOD]), determine concentration dependence and quantification capabilities by constructing calibration curves, examine effects of pH at 3, 7, and 11 on SERS measurements, and perform multicomponent analysis of fentanyl laced drug mixtures and spectral identification on our portable and handheld units. Of particular significance, fentanyl was detected with an LMC of 1 ng/ml and estimated LOD at 0.11 ng/ml, while other representative drugs such as cocaine and phenylcyclidine produced LMCs and LODs at 5.0 and 0.77 ng/ml, and 10.0 and 0.62 ng/ml, respectively. These sub‐nanogram per milliliter detection limits are comparable or lower than previously reported and confirm that this gold sol–gel has the potential to meet the sensitivity requirements for saliva analysis. Most importantly, these sensors can be manufactured easily and cheaply and when integrated with our portable Raman units produce high‐quality spectra and accurate identification within 1.2 s.

MO738: Simplified Portable Lung Ultrasound Assessment of Fluid Status among Dialysis Patients

Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIMS Fluid assessment is challenging, and fluid overload poses a significant problem among dialysis patients [1], with pulmonary oedema being the most serious consequence. Detection of B lines on lung ultrasound (LUS) is a reliable method of estimating lung water with higher sensitivity compared with clinical examination [2]. A simplified 8-point LUS has also shown a good correlation with the standard 28-point LUS in assessing lung water [3]. Using a simplified 8-point LUS by a portable hand-held ultrasound can help increase the uptake of LUS fluid assessment in dialysis units. Our study aims to determine the performance of simplified 8-point LUS using a portable hand-held LUS unit in assessing the fluid status of dialysis patients compared with bioimpedance alone or a combination of bioimpedance and clinical examination. METHOD Two independent nephrologists performed a simplified 8-point LUS unit using a portable hand-held US unit. Clinical assessment of fluid status and bioimpedance were used as comparators. Fluid overload was defined as a B-line count of &amp;gt; 5. Our primary outcomes were the performance of simplified 8-point LUS compared with overhydration (OH) presented as absolute value and by percentage (OH%), with or without the combination of clinical examination of fluid status. RESULTS LUS was performed on 50 hemodialysis and 11 peritoneal dialysis patients. A total of 10% of patients were euvolemic, 46% had mild, 42% moderate and 2% severe fluid overload on clinical examination. The OH and OH% of the area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve were 0.697 and 0.713, respectively, for the performance of LUS compared with bioimpedance alone (Fig. 1). The same assessments were 0.782 and 0.781, respectively for a combination or bioimpedance together with clinical examination (Fig. 1). CONCLUSION Simplified 8-point LUS using a portable hand-held LUS unit showed a good performance with the assessment of fluid status using a combination of clinical examination and bioimpedance. This simplified and portable method will help increase the use of LUS in dialysis units.

Monitoring the ripening attributes of Turkish white cheese using miniaturized vibrational spectrometers

Monitoring the ripening process by prevalent analytic methods is laborious, expensive, and time consuming. Our objective was to develop a rapid and simple method based on vibrational spectroscopic techniques to understand the biochemical changes occurring during the ripening process of Turkish white cheese and to generate predictive algorithms for the determination of the content of key cheese quality and ripening indicator compounds. Turkish white cheese samples were produced in a pilot plant scale and ripened for 100 d, and samples were analyzed at 20 d intervals during storage. The collected spectra (Fourier-transform infrared, Raman, and near-infrared) correlated with major composition characteristics (fat, protein, and moisture) and primary products of the ripening process and analyzed by pattern recognition to generate prediction (partial least squares regression) and classification (soft independent analysis of class analogy) models. The soft independent analysis of class analogy models classified cheese samples based on the unique biochemical changes taking place during the ripening process. partial least squares regression models showed good correlation (RPre = 0.87 to 0.98) between the predicted values by vibrational spectroscopy and the reference values, giving low standard errors of prediction (0.01 to 0.57). Portable and handheld vibrational spectroscopy units can be used as a rapid, simple, and in situ technique for monitoring the quality of cheese during aging and provide real-time tools for addressing deviations in manufacturing.

Aerosol Analysis Using Handheld Raman Spectrometer: On-site Quantification of Trace Crystalline Silica in Workplace Atmospheres.

A method for aerosol chemical analysis using handheld Raman spectrometer has been developed and its application to measurement of crystalline silica concentration in workplace atmosphere is described. The approach involves collecting aerosol as a spot sample using a wearable optical aerosol monitor, followed by direct-on-filter quantitative analysis of the spot sample for crystalline silica using handheld Raman spectrometer. The filter cassette of a commercially available optical aerosol monitor (designed to collect aerosol for post-shift analysis) was modified to collect 1.5-mm-diameter spot sample, which provided adequate detection limits for short-term measurements over a few tens of minutes or hours. The method was calibrated using aerosolized α-quartz standard reference material in the laboratory. Two Raman spectrometers were evaluated, one a handheld unit (weighing less than 410 g) and the other a larger probe-based field-portable unit (weighing about 5 kg). The lowest limit of quantification for α-quartz of 16.6 μg m-3 was obtained using the handheld Raman unit at a sample collection time of 1 h at 0.4 l min-1. Short-term measurement capability and sensitivity of the Raman method were demonstrated using a transient simulated workplace aerosol. Workplace air and personal breathing zone concentrations of crystalline silica of workers at a hydraulic fracturing worksite were measured using the Raman method. The measurements showed good agreement with the co-located samples analyzed using the standard X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) method, agreeing within 0.15-23.2% of each other. This magnitude of difference was comparable to the inter- and intra-laboratory analytical precision of established XRD and infrared methods. The pilot study shows that for silica-containing materials studied in this work it is possible to obtain quantitative measurements with good analytical figures of merit using handheld or portable Raman spectrometers. Further studies will be needed to assess matrix interferences and measurement uncertainty for several other types of particle matrices to assess the broader applicability of the method.

Design of a Hand-Held and Battery-Operated Digital Microfluidic Device Using EWOD for Lab-on-a-Chip Applications.

Microfluidics offer many advantages to Point of Care (POC) devices through lower reagent use and smaller size. Additionally, POC devices offer the unique potential to conduct tests outside of the laboratory. In particular, Electro-wetting on Dielectric (EWOD) microfluidics has been shown to be an effective way to move and mix liquids enabling many PoC devices. However, much of the research surrounding these microfluidic systems are focused on a single aspect of the system capability, such as droplet control or a specific new application at the device level using the EWOD technology. Often in these experiments the supporting systems required for operation are bench top equipment such as function generators, power supplies, and personal computers. Although various aspects of how an EWOD device is capable of moving and mixing droplets have been demonstrated at various levels, a complete self-contained and portable lab-on-a-chip system based on the EWOD technology has not been well demonstrated. For instance, EWOD systems tend to use high voltage alternating current (AC) signals to actuate electrodes, but little consideration is given to circuitry size or power consumption of such components to make the entire system portable. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of integrating all supporting hardware and software to correctly operate an EWOD device in a completely self-contained and battery-powered handheld unit. We present results that demonstrate a complete sample preparation flow for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction and isolation. The device was designed to be a field deployable, hand-held platform capable of performing many other sample preparation tasks automatically. Liquids are transported using EWOD and controlled via a programmable microprocessor. The programmable nature of the device allows it to be configured for a variety of tests for different applications. Many considerations were given towards power consumption, size, and system complexity which make it ideal for use in a mobile environment. The results presented in this paper show a promising step forward to the portable capability of microfluidic devices based on the EWOD technology.

Point-of-care hand-held ultrasound for peripheral intravenous cannulation: a scoping review protocol

Background Billions of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are used globally each year, with 44-58% of first attempts failing. Ultrasound use for PIVC insertion has demonstrated improved first pass success, reduced attempts, and improved satisfaction. With the expansion of point-of-care and hand-held ultrasound units, there is a need to identify and explore options for clinical use. Aim We aim to conduct a scoping review of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature to identify articles that explore the nature and distribution of research activity and current state of evidence in the adoption and use of point-of-care and hand-held ultrasound for PIVC insertion. Methods A search using keywords and Medical Subject Headings for published and unpublished literature in English between the years 2000 to 2021 will be undertaken in electronic databases and clinical trial registry sites. Two independent reviewers will screen all titles and abstracts for eligibility and extract data from relevant articles into a standardised electronic data collection form. Quantitative studies will be classified into groups investigating similar interventions, strategies and outcomes, and data presented as descriptive statistics, as appropriate. A thematic analysis will be conducted on the information extracted from qualitative studies and findings presented using narrative synthesis. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval is not required for this review. The findings will be published and presented to audiences invested in peripheral intravenous cannulation success.

Evaluation of radiation exposure to operators of portable hand-held dental X-ray units.

The use of hand-held dental X-ray units is increasing within Australia since their portability is advantageous in applications such as aged care. However, proximity of the operator to the X-ray unit raises radiation safety concerns. The aim of this study was to evaluate operator radiation exposure and methods of dose reduction for the Rextar X camera-style hand-held dental X-ray unit. Leakage and scattered radiation were measured using a solid state detector. Scatter was generated using a Perspex head phantom. Measurements of scattered radiation dose as a function of distance were made with and without a lead acrylic scatter shield (0.6mmPb equivalence at 100kVp) attached to the X-ray unit. Without the scatter shield, doses to the operator from a single adult maxillary molar X-ray exposure were 0.69, 0.78 and 0.47µGy at the left hand, right hand and eyes respectively. With the scatter shield attached, doses were reduced to 0.25, 0.12 and 0.15µGy respectively, corresponding to a dose reduction of 64, 85 and 68%. The contribution from leakage radiation was insignificant in comparison. It is highly unlikely that an operator would reach occupational dose limits when using the Rextar X hand-held dental X-ray unit, even without the scatter shield in place. Nevertheless, it is strongly recommended that the scatter shield is attached to keep operator doses as low as reasonably achievable. Use of the scatter shield additionally ensures compliance with the Australian legislative requirement for a protective barrier and is considered a preferable alternative to X-ray protective clothing.

Stereoscopic portable hybrid gamma imaging for source depth estimation

Advances in gamma imaging technology mean that is now technologically feasible to conduct stereoscopic gamma imaging in a hand-held unit. This paper derives an analytical model for stereoscopic pinhole imaging which can be used to predict performance for a wide range of camera configurations. Investigation of this concept through Monte Carlo and benchtop studies, for an example configuration, shows camera-source distance measurements with a mean deviation between calculated and actual distances of <5 mm for imaging distances of 50–250 mm. By combining this technique with stereoscopic optical imaging, we are then able to calculate the depth of a radioisotope source beneath a surface without any external positional tracking. This new hybrid technique has the potential to improve surgical localisation in procedures such as sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Photodynamic optimization by combination of xanthene dyes on different forms of Streptococcus mutans: An in vitro study.

The photokilling rate in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (a-PDT) is highly related to interaction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced, ability of photosensitizers (PS) in incorporating into microorgansims and light devices/microorganism type. Since xanthene dyes (Rose Bengal and Erythrosine) are present in the dental practice as PS, have high quantum yield of singlet oxygen and are efficiently incorporated into bacterial cells, the additive bactericidal ability of a combination of xanthene dyes was tested on planktonic cultures and biofilms of Streptococcus mutans when irradiated by a hand-held LED photopolymerizer unit. Planktonic cultures of S. mutans (UA 159 ATCC 700610) were grown in BHI broth with 1 % sucrose. This culture was exposed to a concentrations of Rose Bengal (RB) and Erythrosine (ER) at 1.5, 3.5 μM, in combination (RB + ER + L+) / alone (RB + L+/ ER + L+) and irradiated with a blue LED high light intensity (L). Accordingly, concentrations of dyes and time irradiation were increased in 10 times and applied on 120 h - biofilms of S. mutans and compared with a 0.12 % Chlorhexidine solution (0.12 % - CHX). For statistical analysis, parametrical procedures were applied (n = 6; ANOVA test and Tukey post hoc test; α = 0.05) and data transformed into log 10. Substantial antimicrobial reduction was verified in planktonic cultures (∼ 7 log reduction) and biofilm (∼ 1 log reduction) for combined a-PDT group (RB + ER + L+) presenting a significant statistical difference to control group (p < 0.05) with similar effect to CHX group (p > 0.05). Different forms of S. mutans can be effectively controlled by photodynamic therapy and optimized when in combination of xanthene dyes.

Nondestructive measurement of intramuscular fat content of fresh beef meat by a hand-held magnetic resonance sensor

ABSTRACT To realize nondestructive in-situ quantification of intramuscular fat in fresh beef meat, a lightweight (5.0-kg) hand-held sensor that consists of a planar radio-frequency coil and a unilateral (i.e., single-sided) magnetic circuit was constructed as a subunit of a time-domain proton magnetic resonance (MR) scanner system. The MR scanner based on proton relaxometry enables the nondestructive quantification of the fat content of meat by using the difference in the spin-spin relaxation times (T2) of water molecules in muscle and of fat molecules. The investigation depth of the sensor unit was 7 mm, which is sufficient to probe the meat beneath a subcutaneous fat layer less than a few millimeters thick. The scanner was successfully applied in a laboratory at a meat temperature of 30.5°C to quantify the fat content at 30 locations in fresh beef samples. The required measurement time was 22 s for each location. Reasonable agreement with a root-mean-square error as small as 5.4 wt% was obtained for fat quantification compared with the conventional destructive food analysis (Soxhlet extraction method). Thus, the portable MR scanner with a hand-held sensor unit is a promising nondestructive and noninvasive tool for the in-situ fat quantification of fresh beef (e.g., carcasses) with thin subcutaneous fat layers at meat processing factories.

Comparing the Use of Handheld and Benchtop NIR Spectrometers in Predicting Nutritional Value of Forage

HighlightsA transportable spectrometer performed similarly to benchtop spectrometers to predict forage quality.Absorption bands in the second and third overtone regions were used to predict forage quality with ample accuracy.A low-cost handheld spectrometer was useful for routine screening of forage for nitrogen content. Abstract. Assessing the nutritional composition of animal feed and forage materials is important to achieve high animal productivity and wellness. Precision nutrition programs that use NIR technology can determine the nutritional composition of feed and forage quickly and simply, generating actionable information such as total nitrogen (N), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) contents, as well as in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). Recent advances in optics and microelectronics have allowed for the development of handheld spectrometers that are portable, robust, and user-friendly. However, are the handheld units accurate enough to predict nutritional content of animal feed? In this study, the performance of two handheld NIR spectrometers to predict the nutritional content of forage based on N, ADF, NDF, ADL, and IVDMD was evaluated by comparing them to two benchtop NIR spectrometers often used in feed and forage analysis. The forage samples comprised switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). The first handheld spectrometer covers 780-2500 nm with a spectral interval (??) of 1 nm, while the second handheld spectrometer is a palm-sized smartphone spectrometer covering 900-1700 nm with ?? = 4 nm. The benchtop spectrometers both cover 400-2500 nm with ?? = 2 nm. Forage samples were scanned on each spectrometer and divided into calibration (n = 143) and validation (n = 35) sets. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to calibrate all spectrometers using mean-centered spectral data that had been preprocessed using Savitzky-Golay first derivative (SG1) or second derivative (SG2) algorithm with 9-63 smoothing points. Results showed that PLS models that best predicted N using the benchtop spectrometers had lower standard error of prediction (SEP = 1.24-1.28 g kg-1) and higher ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD = 3.66-3.78) compared to the models developed based on spectra collected from the handheld spectrometers (SEP = 1.46-1.78 g kg-1; RPD = 2.39-2.84). ADF, NDF, and ADL were variable and generally poorly predicted using spectra from the benchtop spectrometers (SEP = 10.02-33.19 g kg-1;RPD = 1.71-2.24), and even more so using the handheld spectrometers (SEP = 10.63-32.57 g kg-1;RPD = 1.64-2.47). Predicting IVDMD was similar for both sets of benchtop (SEP = 40.00-41.73 g kg-1; RPD = 2.24-2.34) and handheld (SEP = 34.46-40.84 g kg-1; RPD = 2.29-2.72) spectrometers. These results show that the handheld devices can be used for screening of forage samples based on N, which is a closely monitored component in animal feed and forage, as well as IVDMD, an important forage quality index. Keywords: Forage, Portable spectrometer, Spectroscopy, Screenin, Ruminant nutrition.

Combining GPS tracking and survey data to better understand travel behavior of out-of-bounds skiers

Our research seeks to expand existing knowledge of travel behavior and decision-making in avalanche terrain. We have done this by using GPS tracking to observe the travel behavior of out-of-bounds (OB) skiers and collecting survey data to investigate their terrain choices. We sampled participants in the field by distributing hand-held GPS units and surveys along the southern boundary of Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Southwest Montana, USA. In total, we used data from 136 participants that volunteered over the course of 19 field days, from February 2017 to February 2018. We analyzed the resulting GPS data using a GIS, and we derived terrain metrics from elevation and land cover data. We fit a multiple linear regression model using GPS track downhill starting distance from the ski area boundary as the response variable and survey responses, interaction with complex avalanche terrain (as defined using the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale), weather conditions, and avalanche hazard level as explanatory variables. This approach evaluates travel behavior as a function of human factors, terrain, weather, and snowpack, providing a holistic perspective on decision-making drivers. Our results show that gender (female), formal avalanche education, and perception of avalanche mitigation are statistically significant (p < 0.05) survey responses which indicate that participants travel further from the ski area boundary before descending Saddle Peak, which effects individuals avalanche terrain exposure. Downhill starting distance is also significantly correlated with time and distance in complex avalanche terrain (p < 0.05). Our results provide a case study of the terrain preferences and avalanche awareness of OB skiers and highlight specific “human factors” that are correlated with terrain selection. Two practical applications of this research are: 1) tailoring of targeted avalanche education outreach based on our results specific to the OB setting, and 2) designing new signage to illustrate the avalanche terrain near the ski area boundary for skiers who are inexperienced in the backcountry or unfamiliar with the specific area.

Predicting and Applying Wellhead Temperatures for Steamflood-Field Operation and Production-Performance Monitoring

SummaryProducer-flowline temperatures (FLTs) can be measured automatically with a thermistor on an emergency-shutdown system (ESD), or manually on a specified spot on flowline with a handheld unit. Measured FLTs can usually be mapped to represent the formation-temperature distribution for steamflood reservoir management purposes (Hong 1994; Nath et al. 2007). In addition to FLT, wellhead temperature (WHT) is another surface temperature. Predicting the long-term WHT trend in steamflood operation is necessary for designing surface facilities for both oil dehydration/separation and produced-water recycling. This predicted temperature will also be applicable for production-performance monitoring.To predict the wellhead temperature, Hasan et al. (2009) derived a steady-state analytical solution for calculating WHT from bottomhole temperature (BHT) under flowing conditions of a multisection slant wellbore for the isothermal primary-depletion process, with both WHT and BHT being time independent for a given gross rate (Igec et al. 2010). This steady-state analytical solution has been extended to calculate steamflood producer WHT from BHT (both are time dependent) by consecutively approximating the WHT and monthly average of FLT measurements to a steady-state solution. The monthly averaged FLTs are seasonally variable and higher in the summer months of July through September and lower in the winter months of December through February. Monthly averaged FLT measurements depend on an annual ambient-temperature cycle within the depth needed for reaching an undisturbed ground temperature (typically 30 to 50 ft) (Gwadera et al. 2017). WHT, if measured, should be comparable with FLT for their close typical distance of 5 to 10 ft. WHT prediction, however, is only process dependent and not seasonally variable because of the inability to describe seasonally undisturbed depth in the geothermal gradient. Therefore, WHT prediction can be validated with average summer-month FLT measurements when heat loss becomes minimal. BHTs in this analytical approach are predicted by the Lauwerier (1955) analytical model and improved by calibration with the available reservoir-simulation model or several years of FLT measurements for steamflood response time.The objective of this study is to develop an integrated production-monitoring approach using only the surface information, including WHT and FLT, oil/water-production rate, and injection-pressure/rate data, which can be applied to diagnose and optimize steamflood production performance. A field case study for the South Belridge Diatomite steamflood was investigated. WHT prediction is compared with FLT measurement for diagnosing and understanding the production performances, such as premature water or steam breakthrough, interference by the waterflood on the steamflood boundary producers, as well as the FLT variation related to the target rates for steam injection. This diagnostic analysis approach combined with the Buckley-Leverett theory-based displacement-efficiency analysis, and injection pressure and rate signal, will help to develop an improved understanding of the displacement detail and form a decision base to optimize the production performance.

Accuracy of NDVI-derived corn yield predictions is impacted by time of sensing

Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data derived from cameras mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or from tractor-mounted sensors have the potential to aid in quick and accurate decision making for fertility management of corn (Zea mays L.). However, timing of sensing can impact the accuracy of yield predictions and hence nutrient need assessment. In this study the accuracy of yield predictions derived from NDVI data for corn silage and grain was evaluated using (a) an active sensor (GreenSeeker; handheld unit), and (b) a passive sensor (UAV-mounted camera). Two types of replicated trials were conducted in central New York: (a) N rate studies with N applied at V6 at rates ranging from 0 kg N ha−1 to 336 kg N ha−1 (2016, 2017, and 2018); and (b) timing of N application studies, with N applied at V4, V6, V8 or V10 (2017 and 2018). For each of the trials conducted in 2017 and 2018, the crop was sensed and NDVI was determined weekly from V4 through V12. An additional flight was done with the UAV-mounted camera at R2. In addition, the 2016 N rate study and timing of sidedress study in 2018 were sensed at V10 (single day) from 7 am through 5 pm on 2-hour intervals. Results showed that crop growth stage and timing of N application affected the accuracy of yield predictions. Scans within 2 weeks of sidedressing did not result in accurate yield predictions, independent of sensor type. Best yield estimates were obtained with a UAV-mounted camera late in the season (R2 growth stage). For in-season N management, a low-rate (<30 kg N ha−1) starter N application is recommended. Sensing must be delayed until just after initial N deficiencies become visible. Sidedressing at V10 still resulted in a yield increase beyond yields with starter N only, but if such late applications are done, accurate estimates of yield based on NDVI can only be obtained with sensing a second time after V12. Due to the reaction of corn plants to water stress, timing of sensing within a day showed the best yield predictions between 9 and 11 am and at 5 pm, independent of sensor used. For most accurate yield predictions, we recommend scanning between V12 and R2, avoiding early morning (dew) and mid-day hours (1–3 pm) if water stress in the crop is evident.

Utilization of a Co-enrolled Course Structure for Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training in the Undergraduate Medical Education Setting.

With continuing advancements in software, electronics, and miniaturization, ultrasound (US) is quickly becoming an everyday tool of numerous medical specialties. With the advent of new handheld and other small-scale units, physicians have a tool to obtain on demand imaging without exposing the patient to ionizing radiation in the pocket of their white coat. As such, the need for competency in US is increasing. Currently, US training primarily occurs in residency, with only a handful of institutions incorporating US into the undergraduate medical education (UME) curriculum. To date, no ideal method has been presented (Amini et al., Intern Emerg Med. 10(5):613-8, 2015; Wilson et al., J Ultrasound Med. 36(2):321-5, 2017). Presented herein is a method for the addition of US training into the undergraduate medical curriculum. Utilizing a co-enrolled course format, 6 medical students were given basic training in the history and physics of US, echocardiography (ECHO), right upper quadrant (RUQ) ultrasound, focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST), and extended (eFAST) exams, vascular access techniques, and MSK ultrasound over 17 sessions. Students theoretical knowledge was assessed during team-based learning (TBL) sessions in an individual and group readiness assurance test (IRAT/GRAT) format. Students' practical skill was assessed in an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) format. Students demonstrated notable proficiency with the US unit and were able to conduct both US-guided peripheral and central vascular access techniques. Furthermore, students were able to identify 80% or more of the required structures for the RUQ, ECHO, and eFAST US exams.