Special Probe Research Articles

Gastroduodenal effects of leflunomide under experimental adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis and comorbid arterial hypertension

Use of leflunomide (LEF), a synthetic immunosuppressor, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), has become an innovation in the management of the disease. Despite the widely and successfully use of the LEF for RA treatment, its pharmacological properties and side effects are not well understood. The aim of the study was to examine the gastroduodenal effects of prolonged enteral use of the LEF in adjuvant-induced RA and comorbid arterial hypertension (AH). The experiments were carried out on male and female mature nonlinear rats, which were divided into five groups. The animals of control group (n = 10) were treated with starch suspension, the animals of the second group (n = 15) were injected with complete Freund’s adjuvant – adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA), the third group (n = 15) AA and comorbid AH (salt-loading model), the fourth group (n = 15) consisted of animals with AA treated with LEF, the fifth group (n = 15) – animals with comorbid condition (AA + AH), which were treated by LEF. Administering of starch-LEF suspension into the stomach was carried out through a special metal probe to rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis and comorbid pathology once daily for the first 3 days at a dose of 15 mg/kg (shock dose) and then at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg (therapeutic dose) for the next 53 days. After finishing the experiments, gastroduodenal toxic effects of the drug were determined according to the frequency of rats with pathological lesions (hyperemia, petechiae, edema, ulcers) and intensity of the damages using a point scale. It has been established that prolonged use of the LEF leads to high levels of gastroduodenal toxicity in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis and combined pathological condition: an increase in the frequency of rats with gastroduodenal mucosal pathology and intensity of various types of damages (petechiae, edema, ulcers). LEF induced higher prevalence of duodenal than gastric toxicity in rats with both adjuvant-induced arthritis and arterial hypertension comorbidity. Thus, gastroduodenal mucosa pathology after prolonged use of LEF in adjuvant-induced arthritis and comorbid state increases a need for adjuvant therapy to prevent such adverse effects. Moreover, further pharmacological research in order to introduce appropriate drugs is recommended. Furthermore, conducting preclinical and clinical studies to understand the pharmacokinetics, mechanisms of action, and interaction of LEF, in particular, with antihypertensive and gastroprotective agents seem necessary. Implementation of the results of the study in healthcare practice will help to optimize the treatment regimen for rheumatoid arthritis and comorbidities.

Near-Infrared On-Site Evaluation (NOSE) Examination of EBUS/EUSb Samples-A New Method for Sample Adequacy Evaluation.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is crucial for modern diagnostics of endoscopic procedures and thus an efficient and reliable method for increasing biopsy yields is urgently needed. In our study, we address the limited availability and high price of the rapid onsite evaluation (ROSE) technique by introducing the technique of near-infrared on-site evaluation (NOSE) consisting of spectral measurement of near-infrared radiation (NIR) transmitted through the evaluated material. For this purpose, we designed a special optical probe consisting of two fibres, of which one is a source fibre and the second is a detector fibre. The distal ends of both fibres are brought together into one bundle which is, with the help of a special extension, applied to a cuvette with an analysed sample at a defined distance from the cuvette bottom and fixed in place. A portion of the NIR radiation received by the detector fibre after it propagates through the sample then depends on the optical and therefore morphological characteristics of the sample. Based on the measured spectral curve, we can calculate the attenuation coefficient curve and subsequently the parameter of the sample richness and the parameter characterising the autofluorescence peak as well. We found that the value of our introduced parameters is in significant relation to sample richness as well as to sample malignity. NOSE evaluation of EBUS/EUSb (endobronchial/oesophageal ultrasound bronchoscopy) specimens can be considered an easy new technique aiming to improve sampling diagnostic accuracy and to diminish costs related to the presence of a cytopathologist and related instrumentation in the endoscopy suite.

Novel mycophenolic acid precursor-based fluorescent probe for intracellular H2O2 detection in living cells and Daphnia magna and Zebrafish model systems.

Innovative for the scientific community and attracting attention in the extensive biomedical field are novel compact organic chemosensing systems built upon unique core molecular frameworks. These systems may demonstrate customized responses and may be adaptable to analytes, showing promise for potential in vivo applications. Our recent investigation focuses on a precursor of Mycophenolic acid, resulting in the development of LBM (LOD = 13 nM) - a specialized probe selective for H2O2. This paper details the synthesis, characterization, and thorough biological assessments of LBM. Notably, we conducted experiments involving living cells, daphnia, and zebrafish models, utilizing microscopy techniques to determine probe nontoxicity and discern distinct patterns of probe localization. Localization involved the distribution of the probe in the Zebrafish model within the gut, esophagus, and muscles of the antennae.

Experimental investigation of friction stir welding with special spherical ball shoulder different probe tools and parameters for enhanced material properties of AA2219 aluminium alloy

This research investigates the impact of unique spherical ball shoulder enhancement tool pin configurations on the friction stir welding (FSW) of AA2219 aluminum alloy under various parameters. FSW was performed using three different pin shapes: square, hexagonal, and octagonal. Testing samples were prepared using an L9 orthogonal array layout with varying welding parameters. The material behavior in the three distinct weld zones was evaluated for each pin configuration. Results indicated superior microhardness values in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) compared to the weld nugget zone. Elemental composition analysis of the TMAZ revealed significant differences, highlighting the influence of thermal stress and material behavior due to the tool pin and shoulder configuration. The square-headed tool demonstrated improved tensile strength and microhardness. Optimal welding performance was achieved with a spindle speed of 1000 RPM, a travel speed of 25 mm/min, and a tilt angle of 3°. Variations in Cu content in the TMAZ and HAZ underscored localized modifications within the material structure, driven by the spherical ball spinning effects on the shoulder. Tensile tests showed that welds made with the square pin consistently exhibited higher tensile strength compared to those made with hexagonal and octagonal pins.

Study of the effect of sodium 2-((4-amino-5-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)- 4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)thio)acetate toxic doses on rats heart tissue

Analysis of medicinal product safety is an important stage on the way to the entry of a synthetic compound into the pharmaceutical market. Along with the study of blood composition, scientists are actively analyzing the effect of toxic doses on the tissues of internal organs. Analyzing the toxic effect of compounds on heart tissue allows us to find out what damage substances can cause, which can have a direct impact on human health. Today, 1,2,4-triazole derivatives are very relevant and a huge number of publications is a confirmation of this. The aim of the work was to analyze the effect of toxic doses of sodium 2-((4-amino-5-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)thio)acetate on rats heart tissue. Materials and methods. Sodium 2-((4-amino-5-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)thio)acetate (ASP) was selected as the subject of investigation and administered intragastrically in the form of a suspension with purified water using a specialized metal probe. The toxic effect on tissues was analyzed using doses of 1000 mg/kg, which is 10 times higher than a single dose typically used in pharmacological activity studies, and 5000 mg/kg, which represents the limit for determining acute toxicity and the maximum dose within the fourth class of toxicity, considering the route of administration, provided that this dose does not result in the death of the animal. Analysis of the effect of toxic doses of ASP was performed on 12-month-old purebred male rats kept under standard conditions. Rat heart tissues were fixed for further histological examination in a 10 % formaldehyde solution, dehydrated in alcohols of increasing strength, and embedded in paraffin. Results. Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of rat heart tissue was carried out. The research shows the histological results of deviations from the norm for a group of rats that were injected with substances in the studied doses. Conclusions. The effect of toxic doses of ASP on rat heart tissue was analyzed. For a dose of 1000 mg/kg, local signs of protein dystrophy of cardiomyocytes and single loci of hemorrhages are observed. As for the dose of 5000 mg/kg, the effect of the substance on the heart tissue is more profound and is determined by the selective damage of cardiomyocytes with the loss of lumbar striation and the acquisition of a wave-like shape, full blood is observed in the ectasized capillaries.

Nanometer-scale electron beam shaping with thickness controlled and stacked nanostructured graphite

The generation of small electron probes is the basis for various techniques in which such a probe is scanned across a sample, and special probe shapes like vortices can be desirable, e.g., to gain insight into magnetic properties. Micron-scale phase plates or holographic masks, in combination with demagnifying optics, are usually used for creating such special probe wave functions. Here, we present the fabrication of nanometer-sized phase plates based on thickness-selected and stacked graphite layers as well as an analysis of their performance. First, a spiral phase plate is demonstrated that creates a vortex beam with an orbital angular momentum of 1 and an outer radius of 2.5 nm. Second, a three-level Fresnel lens built from two nanopatterned graphite membranes is presented, which achieves a focal spot with a full width at half maximum of 5.5 nm. Third, an array of electron sieves is demonstrated, each of which creates a focal spot with a radius of 2 nm, and the array is applied as a Shack–Hartmann wavefront detector. These elements allow the generation of few-nanometer sized focused probes or vortices without the need for additional optical elements.

A new simplified sequence-dependent loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) detection method.

Fluorescence dye-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a sensitive nucleic acid detectionmethod, but is limited to single-plex detection and may yield non-specific signals. In this study, we propose a bifunctional probe-based real-time LAMP amplification method for single-plexed or multiplexed detection. The bifunctional probe is derived by modifying the5' endof the fluorophore and an internal quencher on one of the LAMP primers; therefore, it can simultaneously be involved in the LAMP process and signal amplification. The fluorescence intensity undergoes a cumulative exponential increase during the incorporation of the bifunctional probe into double-stranded DNA amplicons. The bifunctional probe-based LAMP method is simplified and cost-effective, as the primer design and experimental operations align entirely with the ordinary LAMP. Different from other current probe-based methods, this method does not require additional enzymes, sequences, or special probe structures. Also, it is 10min faster than several otherprobe-based LAMP methods. The bifunctional probe-based LAMP method allows the simultaneous detection of the target Vibrio parahaemolyticus DNA and the internal amplification control in a one-pot reaction, demonstrating its potential for multiplexed detection.

Rapid detection of hypobromous acid by a tetraphenylethylene-based turn-on fluorescent AIE probe and its applications

BackgroundSimilar to hypochlorous acid (HClO), hypobromous acid (HBrO) is one of the most notable reactive oxygen species (ROS). Overexpression of HBrO is linked to various diseases causing organ and tissue loss. Due to HBrO's role in the oxidation of micropollutants, real-time monitoring of HBrO in water-based systems is essential. Tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-based organic aggregation-induced emission luminophores (AIEgens) are an emerging category of fluorescent probe materials that have attracted considerable attentions. However, AIE probes are rarely applied to detect HBrO. Developing faster, more precise, and more sensitive AIE probes is thus crucial for detecting biological and environmental HBrO. ResultsA small molecule fluorescent probe 4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)benzamidoxime (SWJT-21) was synthesized for the sensitive and selective detection of hypobromous acid (HBrO) based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The amidoxime unit of SWJT-21 would undergo an oxidation reaction with HBrO, leading to a structure differentiation between the probe and the product, and therefore the turn-on fluorescence by the AIE effect. The probe could recognize hypobromous acid rapidly (less than 3 s) in high aqueous phase (99 % water) with a turn-on fluorescence response. It was determined that the limit of detection for HBrO was 5.47 nM. Moreover, SWJT-21 demonstrates potential as a test strip for the detection of HBrO. SWJT-21 was also successfully used for the monitoring of HBrO in water samples and for the detection of endogenous/exogenous HBrO in living cells and zebrafish. SignificanceA special AIE fluorescence turn-on probe SWJT-21 based on tetraphenylethylene was designed for detecting HBrO in the environmental and biological systems. This probe has an extremely low detection limit of 5.47 nM and is able to detect HBrO in 99 % aqueous phase in less than 3 s.

In vivo assessment of bladder cancer with diffuse reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy: A comparative study.

The aim of this work is to assess the performance of multimodal spectroscopic approach combined with single core optical fiber for detection of bladder cancer during surgery in vivo. Multimodal approach combines diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), fluorescence spectroscopy in the visible (405 nm excitation) and near-infrared (NIR) (690 nm excitation) ranges, and high-wavenumber Raman spectroscopy. All four spectroscopic methods were combined in a single setup. For 21 patients with suspected bladder cancer or during control cystoscopy optical spectra of bladder cancer, healthy bladder wall tissue and/or scars were measured. Classification of cancerous and healthy bladder tissue was performed using machine learning methods. Statistically significant differences in relative total haemoglobin content, oxygenation, scattering, and visible fluorescence intensity were found between tumor and normal tissues. The combination of DRS and visible fluorescence spectroscopy allowed detecting cancerous tissue with sensitivity and specificity of 78% and 91%, respectively. The addition of features extracted from NIR fluorescence and Raman spectra did not improve the quality of classification. This study demonstrates that multimodal spectroscopic approach allows increasing sensitivity and specificity of bladder cancer detection in vivo. The developed approach does not require special probes and can be used with single-core optical fibers applied for laser surgery.

Polarized signatures of orbiting hot spots: Special relativity impact and probe of spacetime curvature

Context. The Galactic Center supermassive black hole is well known to exhibit transient peaks of flux density on a daily basis across the spectrum. Recent infrared and millimeter observations have strengthened the case for the association between these flares and circular orbital motion in the vicinity of the event horizon. The strongly polarized synchrotron radiation associated with these events leads to specific observables called QU loops, that is, looping motion in the Stokes QU plane of linear polarization. These patterns have been observed by the Submillimeter Array, VLTI/GRAVITY, and ALMA. Aims. We want to deepen the understanding of the QU loops associated with orbiting hot spots. To this end, we computed such loops in Minkowski and Schwarzschild spacetimes in order to determine which aspects of the observed patterns are due to special- or general-relativistic phenomena. Methods. We considered a parcel of energized plasma in circular motion in Minkowski spacetime and in Keplerian orbit in the Schwarzschild spacetime. We computed, using the GYOTO ray-tracing code, the polarized radiative transfer associated with this orbiting hot spot and derived the evolution of the flux density, astrometry, and Stokes Q and U parameters. Results. We show that QU loops in Minkowski spacetime at low or moderate inclination i ≲ 45° (where i = 0° is a face-on view) share all the qualitative features of Schwarzschild QU loops. There exist QU loops for all setups considered (including for the face-on view and vertical magnetic field), there may be one or two QU loops per orbital period for a vertical magnetic field configuration, and there are always two QU loops in case of a toroidal magnetic field. The simplicity of Minkowski spacetime is a key asset for allowing us to provide analytical formulas that explain the details of this behavior. Moreover, we analyzed the flux variation of the hot spot and show that it is dictated either by the angular dependence of the radiative transfer coefficients or by relativistic beaming. In the former case, this can lead to extreme flux ratios, even at a moderate inclination. Finally, we highlight the increasing mirror asymmetry of the Schwarzschild QU track with increasing inclination and show that this behavior is a specific Schwarzschild feature caused by light bending. Conclusions. Although special-relativistic effects have not been extensively discussed in this context, they are a crucial part in generating the observed QU loops. However, general-relativistic light bending leads to a specific observable feature encoded in the asymmetry of the observed loops, and this feature might allow the spacetime curvature to be quantified.

Novel approaches and therapeutic targets for diabetic nephropathy: Advances and promising strategies

Diabetic nephropathy is a progressive condition characterized by kidney damage and functional decline, primarily attributed to hyperglycemia. Special keywords and probes related to diabetic nephropathy were utilized by Google search engine to obtain relevant information from Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Alert, and Google Scholar databases. This review explores the interconnected mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis. Hyperglycemia initiates glomerular hypertrophy and increased glomerular filtration rate as compensatory responses, but persistent hyperglycemia leads to renal inflammation, oxidative stress, abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and increased albuminuria. These processes contribute to structural changes, declining glomerular filtration rate, and potential end-stage renal disease (ESRD) progression. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) play key roles in hyperglycemic-induced glomerular hypertrophy. Glomerular hyperfiltration, mediated by the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), impaired tubuloglomerular feedback, and increased capillary filtration coefficient, further contributes to increased glomerular filtration rate. Inflammation and oxidative stress, triggered by hyperglycemia and AGEs, promote kidney damage. Abnormal ECM accumulation, driven by hyperglycemia and the transforming growth factor-beta pathway, leads to structural changes. Hyperglycemia-induced microalbuminuria and proteinuria reflect early signs of kidney damage. Managing diabetic nephropathy poses challenges, but ongoing research offers potential solutions. Novel therapeutic targets, combination therapies, personalized medicine approaches, regenerative medicine, and gene therapy are being explored. Advancements in diagnostics, including targeted therapies and non-invasive tools, show promise in preventing or mitigating the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for early detection, glycemic control, blood pressure management, and targeted therapies to slow disease progression. Collaboration among healthcare stakeholders is essential in finding effective solutions for this complex condition. This review therefore highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to managing diabetic nephropathy and improving patient outcomes.

Research on AFM tip-related nanofabrication of two-dimensional materials

Abstract With the great success of graphene, two-dimensional (2D) materials, thanks to their fascinating electronic and optoelectronic properties, have aroused extensive attention among the scientific community. Broad research efforts have proven the enormous potential of 2D materials in optoelectronics, electrochemistry, spintronics, energy storage, catalysis, biomedicine, and many other fields. Driven by the promising applications of 2D materials, there has been an emerging trend toward nanofabricating 2D materials with customized parameters, which are essential for tailor-making controllable artificial nanostructures used in building sophisticated 2D material systems. As the most commonly used solid probe lithography technique, atomic force microscopy (AFM) integrates visualization and multi-mode fabrication within one system, demonstrating its superior capability in the nanofabrication of 2D materials. In view of this, in this review article, we offer a brief introduction to how AFM nanofabrication works and the classification of AFM nanofabrication techniques by the tip-sample surface interaction. Following that, we discuss the results of 2D material nanofabrication by mechanical, thermal, electrical, and other AFM techniques in which external stimulations are applied on special AFM probes.

Atomic Force Microscopy Characterization of Polyacrylamide Substrate for Traction Force Application

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) technology has ushered researchers to directly observe surface topology and the substrate mechanical properties using specialized probe. AFM is one of the microscopic techniques with the highest lateral resolution which can be employed in air or even in liquids. In this experiment, we characterized the local elastic properties of the polyacrylamide (PA) hydrogel using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). PA consists of huge units of an organic acrylamide monomers which can be saturated to form a highly water-swollen hydrogel. The hydrogel offers tunable density with a high degree of pliability which depends of its applications. Such applications of PA hydrogel can be in cell substrate studies and measurement of cell-generated forces. Our results with AFM measurement yielded force-distance curves were used to determine the elastic behaviour of the polyacrylamide (PA) hydrogel. Analysis has shown that 15% w/v PA hydrogel concentration has Young’s modulus, Yav=1608.9 ± 1.3 kPa (n=8) and transverse stiffness, Kav=88.7 ± 9.7 μN/nm (n=8) at Thus, elasticity measurements has provided useful insights for the future experiment on traction force microscopy with amoeboid organism.

Electromagnetic testing of multi‐strand stay cables: novel technique and instrumentation

AbstractSteel stay cables are widely applied in various civil constructions. In recent decades, the so‐called multi‐strand stay cables have become widely used, particularly in the construction of cable‐stayed bridges. Conventional method of stay‐cable diagnostics utilizes magnetic rope testing instruments. However, because of the large diameter of multi‐strand stay cables, the appropriate magnetic instrument should have an inappropriate high mass and create a significant force of attraction between the magnetic head and the stay cable, which likely would cause damage to the cable's outer protective shell. Alternatively, the eddy current method can be used for testing of stay cables. The special probe was developed that provides equal sensitivity to surface and subsurface breaks of the strands and reduces a disturbance of irregularity of magnetic properties along the cable. On the basis of this probe, a specific electromagnetic instrument was designed for nondestructive testing of multi‐strand stay cables. The instrument was tested on a multi‐strand mock‐up and applied for inspection of the stay cables of bridges. Results of this are discussed in the article.

Three-dimensional printed microcantilever with mechanical metamaterial for fiber-optic microforce sensing

Mechanical metamaterials can adjust mechanical properties of structures flexibly through a mechanical structural design based on the premise that the materials remain unchanged. Here, a cantilever probe microstructure is designed using mechanical metamaterials for an optical fiber microforce sensor tip that can be prepared by femtosecond laser-induced two-photon polymerization. The elastic constant k of the fabricated fiber-optic microforce sensor has been adjusted by two orders of magnitude from 0.165 to 46 N/m, and the geometric configuration of the cantilever beam can be tailored to match the mechanical properties of biological specimens. This fiber microforce sensor shows an ultra-high force sensitivity of 154 nm/µN and a force resolution of up to 130 pN. The optical fiber microforce sensor that shows the lowest force resolution in a direct-contact mode has high potential for biosensing applications, and the results reveal a potential design strategy for special scanning tunneling microscope probes with unique physical properties.

Focused Reservoir Fluid Sampling Uses Artificial Intelligence Technology

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 210091, “Optimizing Focused Reservoir Fluid Sampling Using a Deterministic Causation Artificial Intelligence Intuition Technology,” by Rabindra Chakraborty, Senslytics; Chengli Dong, Shell; and Hani Elshahawi, SPE, NoviDigiTech, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ Samples collected using wireline formation testing (WFT) provide vital information throughout the lifetime of a reservoir. Contaminated samples can lead to erroneous fluid analysis results with potentially huge economic consequences. A need exists for an application that can assist engineers in accurately inferring the state of fluid contamination. The complete paper describes the development of a WFT contamination-forewarning application based on a framework that advises real-time decisions regarding the state of fluid contamination and recommending changes that will help optimize the WFT operation. Focused Fluid Sampling During the past decade, focused fluid sampling has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional formation-fluid sampling. The method uses a special probing tool containing two distinct flow areas. The central (sample) inlet is connected to a sample line, often with an associated pump, while the peripheral (guard) ring is also associated with a dedicated pump. Focused sampling usually results in faster cleanup but comes with increased operational complexity. The flow rate of the sample and guard lines must be properly adjusted and synchronized for each case at hand, and the interpretation of downhole measurements on both sides is significantly more complex than for conventional sampling operations. The success of fluid-sampling operations is highly dependent on human interpretations of the real-time downhole sensor data. Focused sampling is carried out by manipulating the differential rates of sample and guard pumps to stimulate and accelerate sample cleanup. Various types of flow regimes observed during focused sampling operations may be classified as follows: - Idle: During such regimes, both sample and guard pumps are turned off. Thus, no cleanup takes place, and fluids in the tool’s sample lines that are detected by the downhole analyzers remain stagnant. - Commingled: During commingling, either the sample pump or the guard pump is running, but flow occurs through both the sample and guard areas combined. - Split flow: In such periods, both sample and guard pumps run simultaneously but at different flow rates, with fluids moving at different speeds through the sample (central) and guard (outer) areas. The physics of fluid flow in near-wellbore porous media are highly complex and challenging to compute analytically and difficult to numerically simulate at a relevant scale, especially in the context of real-time operations. The authors have developed what they term “intuition technology,” an artificial-intelligence paradigm that uses scientific learning as its fabric and mimics the human decision-making process by iterating hypotheses and weighing situational changes surrounding dynamics simultaneously while keeping an eye on possible asymptomatic behavior. The process involves harnessing experts’ subtle knowledge of fluid properties and change behavior as hypotheses and iterating them with the situational and time-series data to generate a scientific fabric that governs the cleanup. A contamination-forewarning application built on this intuition framework was able to interpret the fluid-cleanup state successfully in all examples examined as part of this pilot.

High-speed, multi-zone ultrasonic inspection of bar and wire stocks with an in-line phased array inspection system

Typical standards in aerospace applications require the ultrasonic testing (UT) of bar and wire stock with a highly reliable detection of small defects over a wide depth range in the material. Characteristic reference reflectors are flat bottom holes (FBH) with diameters smaller than 1 mm. Typically, such inspections are done with immersion tanks using a set of probes optimized for each depth. However, for industrial applications there are disadvantages such as slow scan speed, the time-consuming inlet and outlet process, complicated mechanics and significant costs of the specialized probes. This contribution demonstrates an in-line phased array inspection system with integrated multi-zone inspection, which is based on the Krautkrämer ROWA™ Ux machine. After a short description of the setup special focus is given on the implemented testing concept which is optimized with respect to a multi-zone inspection and includes a dedicated automated adjustment of the system. Furthermore, the powerful electronics allows a flexible setting of focus point, aperture size and filtering. This significantly reduces the need for special probes and by means of digital depth focusing (DDF) also the number of test shots. At the end, the flaw detectability in different depths is illustrated and achievable test speeds are presented. Moreover, external boundary conditions are discussed.

An Educational Overview of Ultrasound Probe Types and Their Fields of Application

The ultrasound (US) imaging market is fast-changing in terms of needs, trends and tendencies as it undergoes rapid innovations. Due to technological improvements, a variety of US probe types is available to cover a wide range of clinical applications. The aim of this paper is to provide information to healthcare professionals to select the appropriate probe for the intended use and the desired performance/price ratio. This work describes the majority of conventional, special and unique US probe types currently available on the market, together with technological insights that are responsible for image quality and a list of some of their clinical applications. The description of the inner transducer technologies allows to understand what contributes to different prices, features, quality level and breadth of applications. The comparison of current US probes and the analysis of advanced performances arising from the latest innovations, may help physicians, biomedical and clinical engineers, sonographers and other stakeholders with purchasing and maintenance commitments, enabling them to select the appropriate probe according to their clinical and economical needs.

Method to Measure Surface Tension of Microdroplets Using Standard AFM Cantilever Tips.

Surface tension is a physical property that is central to our understanding of wetting phenomena. One could easily measure liquid surface tension using commercially available tensiometers (e.g., Wilhelmy plate method) or by optical imaging (e.g., pendant drop method). However, such instruments are designed for bulk liquid volumes on the order of milliliters. In order to perform similar measurements on extremely small sample volumes in the range of femtoliters, atomic force microscope (AFM) is considered as a promising tool. It was previously reported that by fabricating a special "nanoneedle"-shaped cantilever probe, a Wilhelmy-like experiment can be performed with AFM. By measuring the capillary force between such special probes and a liquid surface, surface tension could be calculated. Here, we carried out measurements on microscopic droplets with AFM, but instead, using standard pyramidal cantilever tips. The cantilevers were coated with a hydrophilic polyethylene glycol-based polymer brush in a simple one-step process, which reduced its contact angle hysteresis for most liquids. Numerical simulations of a liquid drop interacting with a pyramidal or conical geometry were used to calculate surface tension from the experimentally measured force. The results on micrometer-sized drops agree well with bulk tensiometer measurement of three test liquids (mineral oil, ionic liquid, and glycerol), within a maximum error of 10%. Our method eliminates the need for specially fabricated "nanoneedle" tips, thus reducing the complexity and cost of measurement.

Identification of Ionization Region Profile and Potential Distribution in Welding Arc Plasma by Direct Probe Detection

A special probe detection system and analyzing method were designed for estimating the ionization region in welding arc. Results showed that ionization region in gas tungsten welding arc is in spindle shape. Arc plasma prefers to contract near anode workpiece. The arc volume increases with the increase of welding arc current accordingly. With the decrease of arc length, the arc expands in radius direction. Electrical equipotential lines nearly parallel the anode surface and tend to bend to the tungsten electrode in the region near cathode. Voltage drop near the cathode dominates the arc voltage when arc current changes.