Wave Velocity Values Research Articles

The incremetal predictive value of pulse wave velocity over score2 in the setting of primary cardiovascular prevention: a 6-year follow-up study

Abstract Background Arterial stiffness has been shown to be an independent additive predictor to several traditional risk factors regarding cardiovascular events. Purpose We studied in a prospective cohort whether arterial stiffness has an additive value to SCORE2 in predicting cardiovascular risk. Methods In 747 healthy subjects, we measured carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), a marker of aortic stiffness. We prospectively documented the incidence of cardiovascular events (major adverse cardiovascular events [MACE]-death, stroke and myocardial infarction) during a 6-year follow-up period. Results Sixty MACE were recorded. Increased values of PWV predicted greater risk for MACE in a model including diabetes, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, sex and age (hazard ratio (HR)=1.09; 95%CI=1.03 – 1.14; p<0.001, Chi-square change = 8.05; p=0.004; c-statistic increased from 0.74 (0.66 – 0.81) to 0.77 (0.71 – 0.83), p=0.025). PWV was an independent and additive predictor of events when added in a model encompassing the SCORE2 and diabetes (HR=1.07; 95%CI=1.04 – 1.11; p<0.001, Chi-square change = 43.12; p<0.001, c-statistic increased from 0.73 (0.66 - 0.80) to 0.76 (0.70 - 0.82); p=0.014). Also PWV predicted significantly the occurrence of events in all subgroups of each risk factor (for smokers and non-smokers: HR=1.31 and HR=1.11 respectively; for participants with hypertension and participants without hypertension: HR=1.23 and HR=1.12 respectively; for participants with hyperlipidemia vs participants without hyperlipidemia: HR=1.19 and HR=1.12 respectively; for participants with diabetes and participants without diabetes HR=1.19 and HR=1.12 respectively) (p<0.05 for all subgroups). Conclusion PWV confers an additive prognostic value to SCORE2 in primary prevention.

Undiagnosed impaired glucose tolerance/diabetes mellitus and relationship with aortic stiffness in patients with acute coronary syndromes

Abstract Background Patients admitted with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) often have unknown cardiovascular risk factors, such as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or diabetes mellitus (DM). Detecting these conditions is crucial to intensify appropriate therapies. Increased aortic stiffness, assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), is associated with higher mortality in patients at high cardiovascular risk. Purpose Estimating the prevalence of IGT and DM and their relationship with increased aortic stiffness in patients admitted with an ACS. Methods Seventy-five consecutive patients admitted for ACS (21% women, mean age 63.6±11.1 ys), with fasting plasma glucose (PG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) not diagnostic for diabetes mellitus, underwent a fully standardized oral glucose tolerance test. All patients were also evaluated with the Arteriograph device, which applies a brachial cuff-based oscillometric method for the estimation of aortic PWV and arterial pulse waveform features. The automated vascular studies and OGTTs were performed after patient stabilization, at least 96 hours after admission. Results Forty-one patients (55% of the total study population) showed an abnormal OGTT response: 14 patients had a 2-h PG-OGTT ≥ 200 mg/dL, uncovering a diagnosis of DM, and 27 patients had a 2-h PG-OGTT ≥ 140 mg/dL, uncovering a diagnosis of IGT. Patients with DM showed no differences in terms of age, cardiovascular risk factors, Framingham risk score, C-reactive protein values, whereas a significant difference was observed in the number of diseased coronary vessels (2.2±0.8 vs 1.6±0.9, p=0.016) and PWV values (10.0±1.3 vs 8.8±1.6 m/s, p=0.028). Similarly, when considering all patients with an abnormal OGTT, a significant difference was observed in PWV values compared to patients with a normal OGTT (9.5±1.5 vs 8.4±1.7 m/s, p=0.032), as well as in estimated glomerular filtration rate (78±18 vs 83±23 mL/min/1.73mq, p=0.05), and peak troponin values (3698±2905 vs 2124±2561 ng/ml, p=0.02). At follow-up (mean time 51.7 months), no patients had died, but 5 patients had a new major cardiovascular event. Aortic pulse wave velocity values were different between patients with and without events (10.6±2.3 vs 8.6±1.4 m/s, p=0.024), and PWV was a significant predictor of events at univariate regression analysis (hazard ratio 1.93; 95 confidence intervals 1.01-3.69, p=0.047). Conclusions An unknown diagnosis of DM and/or IGT is very frequent in patients with ACS. Undiagnosed dysglycemic conditions are linked to a higher prevalence of coronary multivessel disease and increased aortic stiffness, which is also predictive of future cardiovascular events. A systematic screening with OGTT may help identifying patients at even higher cardiovascular risk, and tailoring secondary prevention strategies through personalized aggressive therapeutic interventions.

Detection of natural pulse waves (PWs) in 3D using high frame rate imaging for anisotropy characterization

IntroductionNumerous studies have shown that natural mechanical waves have the potential to assess the elastic properties of the myocardium. When the Aortic and Mitral valves close, a shear wave is produced, which provides insights into tissue stiffness. In addition, the Atrial Kick (AK) generates a wave similar to Pulse Waves (PWs) in arteries, providing another way to assess tissue stiffness. However, tissue anisotropy can also impact PW propagation, which is currently underexplored. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the impact of anisotropy on PW propagation in a phantom.MethodsTube phantoms were created using Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA). Anisotropy was induced between two sets of two freeze-thaw cycles by stretching and twisting the material. The study first tests and validates the procedure of making helical anisotropic vessel phantoms using the shear wave imaging technique (by estimating the shear wave speed at different probe angles). Using plane wave ultrasound tomography synchronized with a peristaltic pump, 3D high frame rate imaging is performed and used to detect the 3D propagation pattern of PW for each manufactured vessel phantom. Finally, the study attempts to extract the anisotropic coefficient of the vessel using pulse wave propagation angle.ResultsThe Shear wave imaging results obtained for the isotropic vessel show very similar values for each probe angle. On the contrary, the results obtained for the axial anisotropy vessel show a region with a higher shear wave speed at about 0°, corresponding to the long axis of the vessel. Finally, the results obtained for the helical anisotropy depicted increasing shear wave velocity value from −20° to 20°. For the axial phantom, the wavefront of the pulse wave is perpendicular to the long axis of the vessel, while oriented for the helical anisotropic vessels phantom. The pulse wave propagation angle increased with the number of twists made during the vessel manufacturing.DiscussionThe results show that anisotropy can be induced in PVA vessel phantoms by stretching and twisting the material in freeze-thaw cycles. The findings also suggest that vessel anisotropy affects pulse wave propagation angles. Estimating the pulse wave propagation angle may be interesting in characterizing tissue anisotropy in organs where such waves are naturally present.

Comparison of US elastography and chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging in multifidus muscle fatty degeneration.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of the use of shear wave elastography (SWE) in comparison to chemical shift encoding (CSE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the evaluation of multifidus muscle fatty degeneration in patients with chronic low back pain. Multifidus muscles were evaluated with the CSE-MRI and SWE examinations in control and patient groups. With the in-phase and out-phase sequences in CSE-MRI, signal intensity index (SII), and signal intensity suppression ratio (SISR) values; with the SWE method, shear wave velocity values were determined. Differences in the mean values of these parameters per level and study group were analyzed by Student's t-test. SWE revealed significantly lower stiffness at the L2-3 level, consistent with the signal index values (SII-SISR) showing increased fatty infiltration on MRI in the patient group. No such relationship was found at the L4-5 level or in control group. SWE may be a promising method to show muscle fatty infiltration at L2-3 level in patients with chronic low back pain.

Arterial stiffness is associated with new-onset chronic kidney disease.

Background: A potential independent association between arterial stiffness (AS) and the development of new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been thoroughly examined. Patients and methods: A total of 6929 participants were collected from the Kailuan study. All participants were free of CKD at the baseline. The participants were divided into four groups based on their brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) values. Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between baPWV values and the risk of new-onset CKD. Results: Over the course of a 10.06-year follow-up period, a total of 962 cases of new-onset CKD were documented. Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that a higher baPWV quartile was linked to an increased risk of new-onset CKD. Conclusions: Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity has a strong correlation with the development of new-onset CKD. Therefore, baPWV can be considered an innovative indicator for predicting the occurrence of new-onset CKD.

Construction and experimental verification of wave velocity model for source location in goaf overlying rock strata

The geological structure of the goaf overlying rock is complex, a consequence of coal mining that has modified the original stratified structure of the sedimentary strata. To enhance the accuracy of microseismic source location in such intricate geological formations, a wave velocity model for the “three zones” goaf was constructed based on natural divisions within the strata using Snell's law and assuming a homogeneous medium. The model took into account the effects of rock deformation and fracture development, enabling the derivation of formulas for microseismic wave propagation path and travel time calculation. Additionally, the concept of equivalent wave velocity was defined. An indoor simulation test using similar materials was conducted to establish a geological model of the goaf. By comparing the errors between the theoretical and measured values of equivalent wave velocity, assessing the locating effects before and after implementing the wave velocity model of the goaf, and verifying the feasibility of the model, it was demonstrated that establishing a wave velocity model based on the characteristics of the strata structure was crucial for improving the accuracy of the microseismic source location. Notably, as the propagation path of microseismic waves in the goaf increased, the equivalent wave velocity decreased. The wave velocity structure in the goaf exhibited nonuniformity, with the relative error between the theoretical and measured values of equivalent wave velocity being limited to 10 %. The incorporation of this established wave velocity model into the location method resulted in a substantial 58.57 % increase in locating accuracy.

Shear-Wave Velocity Data Assists Modeling for Offshore Windfarm Development

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 35354, “Pseudo-3D Underwater Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves for Offshore Windfarm Development,” by Stephan Unterseh and Luis McArthur, TotalEnergies, and Edouard Mouton, SismOcean. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2024 Offshore Technology Conference. _ In the course of a research and development (R&D) project dedicated to quantitative ground modeling, underwater multichannel analysis surface-wave (UMASW) data were acquired within an offshore windfarm area currently in development in the North Sea. The goal of the project described in the complete paper was to test the added value of the shear wave velocity (Vs) interpreted from the UMASW, particularly as a propagation tool of geotechnical information. While UMASW, together with seismic refraction, is regularly used to characterize the ground for burial or trenching purposes, it appears also to bring valuable design parameters for offshore wind turbine foundations. Introduction To investigate the value of Vs in the performance of quantitative ground modeling studies, an internal R&D initiative was launched aimed at acquiring Vs data and the associated uncertainties of foundation depth of an offshore windfarm currently in development. These data will be tested at a later stage for the propagation of geotechnical parameters used in foundation design. The acquisition consisted of obtaining Vs data through UMASW methodologies around two distinct geotechnical boreholes and along a corridor tying the two areas. The UMASW commonly is used in combination with seismic refraction to perform burial assessment analysis of cable or pipeline or to characterize ground conditions before performance of horizontal deviated drilling. Thus, the data acquisition did not require extensive hardware development. A unique pseudo-3D processing technique nevertheless was implemented to allow for 3D data visualization and ground characterization. Site Conditions The selected site lies in the North Sea in water depths ranging from 20 to 30 m. The area was first investigated with standard geophysical techniques. Preliminary geotechnical investigation included 6-m-deep vibrocores and 60-m-deep drilled boreholes, with alternating cone penetration tests and push sampling and coring. P-S logging also was performed at key geotechnical locations to gather 1D primary wave velocities (Vp) and Vs. The seabed generally consists of a thin cover of Holocene dense sand, occasionally with boulders, overlying quaternary subglacial formation deposits, including moraine, gravelly sand, and clays of variable thicknesses. The bedrock is generally Jurassic and includes dense sand; hard clay; weak claystone; and, locally, strong limestone bands. The test locations were selected within the coverage of the geophysical data set in areas where variable lithologies occur and where the seabed was found free of boulders and outcrops because these are detrimental to UMASW acquisition. The lithology of the two boreholes performed within the test area is indicated in Table 1 of the complete paper.

Determining the geomechanical units using rock physics methods

The stability of the drilled wellbores in carbonate formations is of great importance. This paper is a new approach to determine the elastic properties of the wellbore based on rock physics methods using the Hashin-Shtrikman bounds to determine the wellbore stability. Initially, the static elastic parameters were determined by two different methods, namely the rock physics method and DSI log, followed by clustering through Multi-Resolutional Graph-Based clustering (MRGC) and calculating geomechanical-units (GMUs) of each method separately. The obtained results from DSI log and rock physic methods were then compared followed by determining the wellbore stability. The results showed that the correlation between shear and compressional wave velocity obtained from the petrophysical method with the measured values of shear and pressure wave velocity in the well was 0.94 and 0.90, respectively, which shows that the petrophysical method can estimate these two logs with high accuracy, and it can be a suitable alternative instead of using the Dipole Shear Sonic Imager (DSI). It was observed that the geomechanical units of elastic parameters calculated by proposed rock physics method are in good agreement with those obtained from DSI log. Rock-physic method can be a good alternative for when expensive DSI logs are missing.

Hear Wave Velocity Analysis Based on Two Rock Layers Modeling Using Microtremor Data of Gresik and Surrounding Areas

The lithology on the surface in the current condition is often found to be not a fresh rocks, but all materials, be it alluvial, soil, backfill soil, or rocks with a very high degree of weathering. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate the type of layer on the surface and its underlying layer based on the analysis of Vs (shear wave velocity) values in the surface lithological media and the underlying layer through the modeling of two rock layers. To complete this research, microtremor array data was collected by the Geological Survey Center in the Gresik area which was then processed using the SPAC (Spatial Autocorrelation) method. Based on the results of the study, the Gresik area has a surface Vs value that still shows soft soil values in the range of 65 - 170 m/s and its basement Vs already shows fresh rocks to older lithologies in the alluvial area in the range of 150 - 435 m/s, so it can be seen that some areas that should consist of a fairly hard lithology in the Gresik area have changed with a fairly high level of weathering.

Geomechanical Characterization of a Brazilian Experimental Site: Testing, Interpretation, and Material Properties

Clarity in monitoring existing foundation structures demands innovative safety analysis methodologies for deep foundations, necessitating advanced models calibrated with real-world field parameters. Understanding controlled conditions, including geotechnical profiles, seismic attributes, and soil mechanics, is crucial. A dedicated research group at the University of São Paulo spent three years refining these conditions, characterizing an experimental field along a canal in São Paulo. This study pioneers geotechnical and geomechanical characterization of the region’s tertiary sediments in São Paulo, offering valuable insights for current and future applications. Standard penetration tests with torque (SPT-Torque), piezocone tests (CPTu), and measurement of wave velocity (Vs) with piezocone tests (S-CPTu) were carried out. The exploration of the subsoil shows that in up to 2 m of excavation, there are clays and silts, and in up to 25 m, there is a significant layer of compact fine sand that has high values of tip resistance and wave velocities more significant than 100 m/s. In the electric cone tests, the abacus used displayed a reasonable classification. All propositions identified the transition from the surface soil to the sandy soil at between 3 and 25 m. The soil classification values were obtained with the data of the field parameters, and the geotechnical and mechanical parameters were estimated. No differences were detected among the values found in the SPT-T and CPTu tests for the values obtained via cone resistance. This demonstrates the reliability of both methods. In addition, using the CPTu test to identify the stratigraphic profile horizons employing the soil’s mechanical behavior when the cone is driven proved appropriate.

Arterial stiffness assessment by pulse wave velocity in postmenopausal women: comparison between noninvasive devices.

This study aimed to ascertain the accuracy of measure arterial stiffness using the HUAWEI GT 3 Pro smartwatch and pOpmètre device against the SphygmoCor (algorithms: intersect tangent and maximum of the second derivate). Twenty-three physically active postmenopausal women (age: 58.9 ± 3.2 years; body mass index: 26.3 ± 4.8 kg/m 2 ) were recruited. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, finger-toe pulse wave velocity, and wrist-finger pulse wave velocity were obtained using SphygmoCor, pOpmètre and HUAWEI GT 3 Pro devices in a randomized order. Additionally, the pulse mean carotid-femoral and finger-toe pulse transit time was registered for SphygmoCor and pOpmètre, respectively. Lower values of pulse wave velocity were recorded by HUAWEI in comparison with SphygmoCor with both algorithms, whereas no significant differences were detected between SphygmoCor and pOpmètre results. Pulse wave velocity values from SphygmoCor were positively correlated with pOpmètre results ( r = 0.464 and r = 0.451 using intersect tangent and second derivative algorithms), whereas this was not the case with those obtained from HUAWEI. Coefficients of bias of Lin's concordance coefficients close to 1 (0.832 and 0.831 for intersect tangent and second derivative algorithm, respectively) and mean bias close to 0 from Bland-Altman analysis suggested an acceptable agreement between pulse wave velocity obtained from SphygmoCor and pOpmètre. Our results suggest an acceptable concordance of pulse wave velocity values recoded by SphygmoCor and pOpmètre, whereas this was not the case for data obtained from HUAWEI GT 3 Pro smartwatch. Therefore, the pOpmètre may be a viable alternative for assessing arterial stiffness, but measurement via the smartwatch device cannot be recommended.

Salt Perception Threshold and Vascular Risk in Prehypertensive Women Compared to Normotensive and Hypertensive Women

Objectives: To evaluate and compare the Salt perception threshold and vascular stiffness in pre-hypertensive women with that of normotensive and hypertensive women. Materials and Methods: Study design – This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 440 adult females in the age group of 25–60 years from urban and rural areas were included in the study. After initial screening, the subjects were divided into three groups. Group I: Prehypertensive females; Group II: Hypertensive females; and Group III: Normotensive females. Salt perception threshold was determined by salt impregnated taste strips with sodium chloride at different concentrations. Vascular stiffness of the subjects was measured and compared using an oscillometric non-invasive arteriography. Results: The salt intake was higher by 2.1 g/day in Group I females and 5.6 g/day in Group II females when compared to Group III females. The salt detection threshold and SPT were higher significantly in pre-hypertensive females and much higher in hypertensive females compared to normotensive females. The mean values of brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) and carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) were found to be significantly higher in Group I females compared to normotensives. Conclusion: High SPT in prehypertensive females will lead to high consumption of salt to achieve taste satisfaction. A progressive reduction of salt in food is recommended in these females would significantly decrease the percent progression of pre-HTN to HTN decreasing the risk for cardiovascular morbidity.

The Efficiency of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Elastography in the Differentiation of Renal Cell Carcinoma and Oncocytoma.

This study is to investigate the effectiveness of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography in differentiating radiologically similar renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and oncocytoma in solid masses of the kidney. The patients with solid renal mass histopathological diagnosed after excision or tru-cat biopsy who underwent a preoperative ARFI elastography of the lesion during a 4-year period were included in this study. Preoperative shear wave velocity (SWV) values were measured in all the lesions. SWV results of RCCs and oncocytomas were compared by an independent t-test, and cut-off, sensitivity and specificity values were calculated. Forty-two of the 60 patients included in the study were men (70%) and, 18 were women (30%), and the mean age was 59.7 ± 14 (27-94) years. Among 46 RCCs (76.6%), 23 and 14 oncocytomas, 5 (23.4%) were located in the right kidney (p:0.34722). Mean SWV values were found to be significantly higher in RCCs (2.87± 0.74 (0.96-4.14) m/s) than oncocytomas (1.83 ± 0.78 (0.80-3.76) m/s) (p <0.001). In the ROC analysis, a cutoff value of 2.29 m/s was found to havean 80.4% sensitivity and a 78.6% specificity for the discrimination of RCCs from oncocytomas. ARFI elastography measurements may be useful in distinguishing RCC and oncocytomas that may have similar solid radiological imaging features.

Correlation between estimated pulse wave velocity values from two equations in healthy and under cardiovascular risk populations.

Equations can calculate pulse wave velocity (ePWV) from blood pressure values (BP) and age. The ePWV predicts cardiovascular events beyond carotid-femoral PWV. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between four different equations to calculate ePWV. The ePWV was estimated utilizing mean BP (MBP) from office BP (MBPOBP) or 24-hour ambulatory BP (MBP24-hBP). We separated the whole sample into two groups: individuals with risk factors and healthy individuals. The e-PWV was calculated as follows: [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] We calculated the concordance correlation coefficient (Pc) between e1-PWVOBP vs e2-PWVOBP, e1-PWV24-hBP vs e2-PWV24-hBP, and mean values of e1-PWVOBP, e2-PWVOBP, e1-PWV24-hBP and e2-PWV24-hBP. The multilevel regression model determined how much the ePWVs are influenced by age and MBP values. We analyzed data from 1541 individuals; 1374 ones with risk factors and 167 healthy ones. The values are presented for the entire sample, for risk-factor patients and for healthy individuals respectively. The correlation between e1-PWVOBP with e2-PWVOBP and e1-PWV24-hBP with e2-PWV24-hBP was almost perfect. The Pc for e1-PWVOBP vs e2-PWVOBP was 0.996 (0.995-0.996), 0.996 (0.995-0.996), and 0.994 (0.992-0.995); furthermore, it was 0.994 (0.993-0.995), 0.994 (0.994-0.995), 0.987 (0.983-0.990) to the e1-PWV24-hBP vs e2-PWV24-hBP. There were no significant differences between mean values (m/s) for e1-PWVOBP vs e2-PWVOBP 8.98±1.9 vs 8.97±1.8; p = 0.88, 9.14±1.8 vs 9.13±1.8; p = 0.88, and 7.57±1.3 vs 7.65±1.3; p = 0.5; mean values are also similar for e1-PWV24-hBP vs e2-PWV24-hBP, 8.36±1.7 vs 8.46±1.6; p = 0.09, 8.50±1.7 vs 8.58±1.7; p = 0.21 and 7.26±1.3 vs 7.39±1.2; p = 0.34. The multiple linear regression showed that age, MBP, and age2 predicted more than 99.5% of all four e-PWV. Our data presents a nearly perfect correlation between the values of two equations to calculate the estimated PWV, whether utilizing office or ambulatory blood pressure.

Investigation of physical and metallographic properties of nickel matrix composite by ultrasonic method

Ultrasonic testing (UT) is one of the most widely used non-destructive testing techniques for the characterization and evaluation of materials. In this study, the material properties of AstCrM-BN-Cr-Ti-Ni composites produced by mechanical mixing and electroless nickel plating technique were evaluated using UT. Changes in ultrasonic wave velocity, Young's modulus, density, porosity and hardness are observed in the heat-treated material at different temperatures. Samples analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) exhibited changes in grain structure at different sintering temperatures. It has been observed that the change in grain size also affects mechanical and physical properties according to ultrasonic properties. In conclusion, the experimental results showed a linear relationship between the mean grain size and the UT parameters (ultrasonic longitudinal and transverse velocity, Young's modulus), physical (sintering temperature and density) and mechanical properties (hardness and porosity) of the material. Grain growth occurs with increasing sintering temperature, porosity content decreases, hardness, Young's modulus and ultrasonic wave velocity values also increase.

Clinical application value of Ultrafast Pulse Wave Velocity in early cardiovascular injury of Immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

To investigate the application and the related influencing factors of ultrafast pulse wave velocity (ufPWV) in theevaluation of carotid artery elasticity in patients with Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). A totalof 156 IgAN patients and 50 healthy individuals were selected as the control group. The ufPWV technique was employed tomeasure carotid arterial elasticity parameters, including carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), pulse wave velocity at thebeginning of systole (BS-PWV) and pulse wave velocity at the end of systole (ES-PWV). Across the three groups(control group, IgAN patients with normal renal function, and IgAN patients with renal dysfunction) there was an increasingtrend observed in cIMT, BS-PWV, and ES-PWV. Additionally, ES-PWV exhibited higher sensitivity than BS-PWV. Correlationanalysis revealed that BS-PWV and ES-PWV were positively correlated with age, body mass index (BMI), systolic bloodpressure (SBP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA)and negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The ufPWV technique allows for therapid and direct measurement of arterial elasticity parameters in the neck and represents a novel approach for the early diagnosisand quantitative assessment of arterial stiffness risk in IgAN patients.

Predictive Value of Carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity for Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and All-cause Mortality in Different Age Groups of a Chinese Community

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) for assessing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality in different age groups of a Chinese community. Methods: This is an observational study which enrolled 1,325 individuals from a community in Beijing from September 2007 to October 2018. They were classified based on age into &lt;65-year-old (n = 572) and ≥65-year-old (n = 753) groups, and on cf-PWV into cf-PWV &lt;12 m/s (n = 501) and cf-PWV≥12 m/s (n = 824) group. The incidence rates of MACE and all-cause mortality were recorded for both the groups during the follow-up period of 9.5 years. The predictive value of cf-PWV for MACE and all-cause mortality in the 2 age groups was estimated using the Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: The baseline cf-PWV showed positive correlation with age (r = 0.462, P &lt; 0.001). During the follow-up period, 191 MACE and 84 all-cause mortality cases were recorded in the study population. The incidence rates of MACE (χ 2 = 27.196, P &lt; 0.001) and all-cause mortality (χ 2 = 9.473, P = 0.002) were significantly higher in subjects with cf-PWV ≥12 m/s than in subjects with cf-PWV &lt;12 m/s. Cox proportional hazards regression model analyses demonstrated that cf-PWV was an independent risk factor in the &lt;65-year-old group for MACE (hazard ratio: 1.310; 95% confidence interval: 1.007–1.560; P = 0.038) and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.412; 95% confidence interval: 1.133–1.936; P = 0.005) after adjusting for several risk factors. However, both univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that cf-PWV was not an independent risk factor for MACE or all-cause mortality in the ≥65-year-old group (P &gt; 0.05). Conclusion: cf-PWV, a measure of arterial stiffness, emerged as an independent risk factor for MACE and all-cause mortality in subjects below 65 years of age.

Comparative evaluation of shear wave elastography elasticity values in thyroid nodules with cytology results and TI-RADS scoring in differentiation of benign–malignant nodules

PurposeThe aim of this prospective study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of shear wave elastography (SWE) in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules and their correlation with the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS).MethodsThis prospective study included 370 thyroid nodules in 308 patients aged 18–70 years. All the patients underwent B-mode ultrasound (US), Doppler examination, and SWE and were given an ACR TI-RADS risk score before fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and/or surgery. The correlation between SWE parameters and ACR TI-RADS categories was investigated statistically and compared with histopathologic results. Additionally, the diagnostic performance of SWE was evaluated to distinguish malignant and benign thyroid nodules.ResultsOne hundred and thirty-five of the 370 thyroid nodules were malignant, and 235 nodules were benign. The mean shear wave velocity (SWV) value of the malignant nodules (3.70 ± 0.98 m/s) was statistically higher than that of the benign nodules (2.70 ± 0.37 m/s). The best cutoff value of the mean SWV for differentiating benign and malignant nodules was found to be 2.94 m/s (sensitivity 90.4%, specificity 89.9%, positive predictive value 81.3%, negative predictive value 94.1%, p < 0.001). The average score of the nodules according to the ACR TI-RADS was 3.57 ± 1.83 in benign nodules and 7.38 ± 2.69 in malignant nodules (p ≤ 0.001).ConclusionThis study showed that combining SWE and TI-RADS improves the specificity of TI-RADS alone in differentiating benign and malignant nodules.

Preperation and Performance Comparision of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete by Using Ceramic and Glass Wastes Instead of Silica

This study aimed to produce autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) by using glass and ceramic waste in 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% proportions as a substitute material for quartzite, and samples were produced under low pressure and heat (2.3 bar and 135 ºC). The microstructural properties were investigated by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Unit weight, porosity, water absorption, ultrasonic wave velocity, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity parameters were experimentally investigated and compared to a control sample produced without waste. Test results showed that waste addition leads to decreasing porosity, water absorption, and increasing unit weight. Additionally, uniaxial compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and ultrasonic wave velocity values were increased by adding waste. The test results showed that glass and ceramic waste can be used as a quartzite sand replacement in the production of AAC and the optimum replacement proportions for the waste materials was 10%.

Identification of Rock Characteristics Using the Microtremor Inversion Method at Air Putih Geothermal Field, Lebong Regency

Research has been carried out to identify rock characteristics based on Vs values using the microtremor method in the Air Putih geothermal field, Lebong Regency, which aims to determine the geothermal prospect area on rock characteristics using Vs values based on the microtremor method. The data obtained in this study were 20 measurement points obtained from data analysis by obtaining the H/V curve through Geopsy software and HVSR inversion to obtain the Vs value of the inverse. The results of this calculation indicate that at a depth of 0-4 meters the homogeneous Vs value 200 m/s, at a depth of 4 meters the Vs value 200-440 m/s, at a depth of 20 meters the value of Vs 440 -880 m/s and a depth of 20 meters homogeneous Vs value of 880 m/s and for the distribution of Vp values, at a depth of 0-5 meters the Vp values vary between 2000-2900 m/s, at depths of 6-20 meters in general the value of the Vp wave velocity is the same in the range of 3100-3800 m/s and at depth 21-100 meters the Vp value ranges from 3900-5100 m/s. This shows that the greater the depth, the denser the rock.