Volume Of Inclusion Research Articles

Vitamin D effects on Chlamydia trachomatis infection: a case-control and experimental study.

Vitamin D deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. Chronic vitamin D deficiency causes immune system dysfunction, which increases susceptibility to pathogens such as bacteria, especially intracellular parasites, and viruses. Chlamydia trachomatis (C. t) is an obligate intracellular parasitic bacterium that causes a variety of sequelae. We speculated that vitamin D might be associated with C. t infection. This study aimed to address this gap in knowledge by investigating the relationship between vitamin D and C. t infection using both in vitro and in vivo models. The addition of calcitriol to McCoy cell culture in vitro delayed and reduced the quantity and volume of inclusions compared to the control group. Macrophages of peritoneally lavaged mice co-cultured with McCoy decreased the infection rate and delayed the appearance of inclusions. In mice models of vitamin D deficiency, mice in the VD-group exhibited more severe genital tract inflammation and a longer duration of infection after inoculation with C. t in the genital tract. Supplementing these mice with vitamin D3 during treatment enhanced the therapeutic effect of antibiotics. We also conducted a case-control study involving 174C. t-positive patients (95 males and 79 females) and 380 healthy volunteers (211 males and 169 females) aged 20-49 from January 2016 to March 15, 2017. Serum 25-(OH)D concentration was measured by assessing morning fasting blood samples of healthy volunteers and C. t-positive patients 1 day before antibiotic treatment and the next day after one course of treatment. The patients were followed up for 1 month and evaluated for recovery. The results showed that vitamin D deficiency was a risk factor for C. t infection and treatment failure. In summary, findings from experimental and clinical studies indicate a close association between vitamin D levels and C. t infection and treatment outcomes. Given the affordability and safety of vitamin D, both healthy individuals and patients should focus on vitamin D intake. Vitamin D supplementation could enhance treatment success and should be used as an adjunctive therapy alongside antibiotic therapy for C. t infections, pending confirmation in larger, prospective, randomized controlled trials.

Effect of liquid inclusions on the elasto-mechanical properties of solid-liquid composites

Solid-Liquid Composites (SLCs) are a class of soft materials with soft solid matrix encapsulating liquid inclusions. These novel composite materials have a wide range of potential applications, including thermal management, biomedicine, soft-robotics, and flexible electronics [1,2]. By manipulating the type and volume of the liquid inclusion, the properties of SLCs can be fine-tuned to suit specific requirements. In this work, a dilute SLC is developed using commercial grade silicone (Smoothon Ecoflex 00-30) as the solid phase and laboratory-grade Glycerin as the liquid inclusion. While Eco-flex 00-30 mimics the behavior of a certain class of human tissues [3], Glycerin was selected as it is nontoxic and immiscible with silicone. A novel fabrication technique was used for the precise distribution of the liquid inclusion in the uncured soft polymeric material. The elastic properties of the SLCs were then determined experimentally for various volume fractions of the inclusion phase. In the second part, experimental data were used to characterize and compare its properties with various linear-elastic and Hyper-elastic material models. The fabricated SLCs exhibit properties similar to biofidelic materials in literature.

Dynamics of Non-Magnetic Droplets and Bubbles in Magnetic Fluids in Microfluidic Channels under the Influence of a Magnetic Field

The microfluidics of magnetic fluids is gaining popularity due to the possibility of the non-contact control of liquid composite systems using a magnetic field. The dynamics of non-magnetic droplets and gas bubbles in magnetic fluids were investigated for various configurations of magnetic fields, coatings, and channel geometries, as well as the rate of component supply and their physical properties. Optimal regimes for forming droplet and bubble flows were determined. The mechanism for non-contact control of the size of droplets and bubbles using a magnetic field is proposed in this article. The dependences of the sizes of non-magnetic inclusions in magnetic liquids on the continuous phase flow rate and the displacement of magnets were obtained. The obtained dependences of the volume of non-magnetic inclusions on the flow rate of the continuous phase follow the classic dependences. Changing the size of air bubbles can be achieved by shifting the magnet from −5 mm to +2 mm. The ratio of the maximum and minimum breakaway inclusion varies from 5 to 2 depending on the flow rates of the continuous phase. The range of changing the size of oil droplets with the displacement of magnets is from 1.1 to 1.51. These studies show how, with the help of various mechanisms of influence on microfluidic flows, it is possible to control the size of bubbles and droplets forming in microchannels. The obtained data can be applied for controlled microfluidic dosing and counting devices.

The Role of the Distance between Fine Non-Metallic Oxide Inclusions on the Fatigue Strength of Low-Carbon Steel

The fatigue strength of steel is an important parameter determining the use of the alloy. Conducting material durability tests depending on the working conditions of the material requires a lot of work. Therefore, the industry knows methods to estimate the fatigue life of steel on the basis of other parameters or measurements of other mechanical properties. One of such parameters is the fatigue strength coefficient, which allows one to link the fatigue strength with the hardness results of a specific steel grade. Alloys produced in industrial conditions contain impurities that can affect the properties of steel, including fatigue strength. Impurities in steel depend mainly on the technology of its production. One of the technologies that allows one to obtain high-purity steel is by subjecting it to secondary metallurgy treatment consisting of desulfurization and refining with argon. The fatigue strength of steel depends, among other things, on the morphology of impurities. In the work, the influence of the distance between small non-metallic inclusions with a diameter of less than 2 µm on the fatigue strength of steel, expressed by the fatigue resistance factor, was assessed. The research was carried out in industrial conditions on seven independent melts of low-carbon steel capable of forming a martensite microstructure. Several dozen fatigue strength tests were carried out for each of the casts. The volume fraction, size, and distribution of pollutants were examined. It was found that the main impurity is Al2O3, with a diameter of about 1.8 µm occurring at a distance of about 12 µm. The distance between small non-metallic inclusions affects the fatigue resistance factor, and small non-metallic inclusions with a diameter of less than 2 µm hinder the destruction of high-ductility steel. The paper presents an example of the structure of non-metallic inclusions for heat, the relative volume of inclusions, the average impurity diameter and impurity spacing for impurity dimensional ranges, the impurity spacing λ for the total volume of impurities, and the bending fatigue strength coefficient tested in steel after hardening and tempering at different tempering temperatures.

Способ оценки и визуализации неоднородности микроструктуры материалов

Methods of stereometric metallography of microstructure of steels and alloys have been considered. In addition to the accepted analysis results the parameters of the sample span, the single continuous length of the second phase, the analysis of changing in the sequential volume of the second phase are proposed. A method for visualizing the results in the form of polar diagrams was developed and presented. As an example, the studies were carried out on carbon steel 40 micro-grinders without etching. Defect-free samples and samples with dot and line inclusions were considered. The application results of the considered methods make possible to increase the accuracy of determining the directions of deformation effects, to determine the presence, size and volume of inclusions in alloys on the basis of an analyzed image.

Friction mechanisms of brake pads made of cast iron and composite material on the surface of railway wheels

The friction mechanisms of brake pads made of cast iron and composite material (rubber-asbestos or rubber-free mixtures, including those with cast-iron inserts) on the surface of wheels of railway rolling stock were analysed. Values of the friction coefficient are given. The main role in the mechanism of friction of cast iron pads on the surface of railway wheels belongs to the microstructure of cast iron, namely, the amount, shape, distribution in volume of graphite inclusions, dispersion of pearlite and cementite inclusions, and the construction of phosphide eutectics. The friction mechanism of pads made of composite material on the wheel surface is determined by the content and properties of the components from which the composite rubber mixture is formed, their chemical and granulometric composition, as well as the degree of burnout of the composite rubber mixture during the operation of the brake pads. It is shown that due to the lack of regulation in the standards and technical conditions for composite blocks of the percentage content of ingredients and their chemical composition in the composite material, its properties and the value of the coefficient of friction are uncontrolled. Cyclic temperature changes on the contact surface of the brake pads with the wheels during train braking and high peak temperatures (up to 800 °C) in individual periods of braking lead to changes in the structure and properties of the surface layer of the metal of the wheels and the material of the brake pads. This is reflected in the frictional characteristics of the friction process of brake pads with wheels. The disadvantage of brake pads made of composite material is their low thermal conductivity compared to cast iron pads. As a result, the temperature in the contact zone of composite pads with wheels increases more than when using pads made of cast iron. The hydrodynamic effects of moisture (water) in the contact zone of brake pads with the surface of vehicle wheels are considered from the standpoint of classical tribology approaches. The microrelief of the working surface of the brake pads was studied. The influence of various factors on the coefficient of friction of the brake pads on the surface of the wheels is shown. Recommendations are provided for improving standards and technical conditions for brake pads made of cast iron and other materials. Keywords: brake pads, wheels of railway transport, friction, cast iron, composite materials, surface microrelief.

Composite Metamaterial: Ferrite Matrix with Ferroelectric Inclusions

A metamaterial based on periodic ferroelectric inhomogeneities in a magnetic ferrite matrix including a quantity of ferroelectric composite in a matrix, demonstrating relative low microwave losses and effective dielectric permittivity, was produced. Glass-ceramic composites, consisting of low-melting glass and barium-strontium titanate, were successfully synthesized and incorporated into the periodic holes of the ferrite matrix to build the meta-structure. Investigation of the structure showed dielectric permittivity, which increased with the volume of ferroelectric inclusions. The range of magnetically controlled interactions of the meta-structures with an electro-magnetic field was increased for the matrix with periodic holes filled by the ferroelectric composite in comparison with the basic ferrite matrix. The ferrite substrate completely determined the microwave losses of the sample and the ferroelectric inclusions increased the Q-factor of the meta-structure.

Gemstone Inclusion Study by 3D Raman-Mapping and High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography: The Case of Trapiche Emerald from Swat, Pakistan

Gemstones usually contain inclusions as the natural hallmark of their formation. Studies on inclusions may contribute to our understanding of the gem and better adapt to the gems and jewelry industry. In this study, we applied advanced 3D Raman mapping and high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRXCT) and conducted a thorough experiment on one emerald with a special trapiche pattern containing a colorless core, solid minerals, and fluids. Hematite and magnetite were identified as metallic minerals by the Raman spectrum. The hexagonal core is beryl, and the voids are primarily filled with CO2 and N2. HRXCT demonstrated a visualized distribution of these inclusions within the gem host by reconstructing a 3D illustration. Further calculation of the volume of inclusions regarding the host showed that the minerals take up 0.07%, void 0.03%, and the hexagonal core 8.25%. The combined application of Raman-Mapping and X-ray Micro Computed Tomography proved to be a very promising technique for tracing the gemstones by characterizing the unique inclusions (identification and morphology) within the gem host.

Effect of Non-Metallic Inclusions on the Fatigue Strength Coefficient of High-Purity Constructional Steel Heated in Industrial Conditions

Steel fatigue strength testing is a process that requires large amounts of time, resources and appropriate equipment. The industry seeks to replace cumbersome destructive testing with non-destructive testing. Coefficients were developed that allow the comparison of the parameters of material properties. One such factor is the fatigue strength coefficient, which allows the estimate of fatigue strength using the known hardness of a given material. The fatigue strength factor should be developed for conditions that are as close to the industrial conditions as possible. It should take into account not only the expected properties of the material and the technological process but also its imperfections, e.g., the share of non-metallic inclusions and the steel microstructure. This paper presents the results of research on the influence of non-metallic inclusions on the fatigue strength coefficient of structural steel subjected to rotary bending. The tests were carried out in seven heats obtained in a 140-ton electric furnace under industrial conditions. The steel was desulfurized and refined with argon. The paper presents the bending fatigue strength of hardened and tempered steel at temperatures from 200 °C to 600 °C as a function of the relative volume of inclusions. The non-metallic inclusions occurring in steel were determined qualitatively and quantitatively. The derived fatigue strength coefficient, k, for different tempering temperatures makes it possible to estimate the fatigue strength of the analyzed steel as a function of its hardness for various microstructures represented by the respective tempering temperatures.

Influence of Non-Metallic Inclusions on Bending Fatigue Strength of High-Quality Carbon Constructional Steel Heated in an Industrial Electric Arc Furnace.

Non-metallic inclusions are one of the many factors influencing the strength of materials operating under variable loads. Their influence on the strength of the material depends not only on the morphology of the impurities themselves, but it is also closely related to the microstructure of the material. This microstructure is the matrix for non-metallic inclusions. This article discusses the results of a study investigating the effect of non-metallic inclusions on the fatigue strength of structural steel during rotary bending. The study was performed at 12 heats produced in an industrial plant’s 140-ton electric furnaces. Six heats were desulphurised, and six were refined with argon. This paper presents the bending fatigue strength of steel hardened and tempered at different temperatures, subject to the relative volume of inclusions. This paper also presents the dimensional structure of non-metallic inclusions divided by different two technologies. The research shows that the main fraction of non-metallic inclusions is Al2O3; the most numerous were impurities with a diameter of less than 2 µm; argon refining does not affect the proportion of non-metallic inclusions of large dimensions (with a diameter of over 15 µm); the influence of non-metallic inclusions on the strength of the steel is also related to the microstructure of the steel constituting the matrix of inclusions.

Development and verification of mechanical characteristics of a composite material made of a thermoplastic matrix and short glass fibers

The paper presents the results of computer modeling and prediction of the mechanical properties of composite materials with a polycarbonate matrix filled with short glass inclusions. At the micro-level, the influence of the volume of inclusions on the mechanical properties of the designed composite based on polycarbonate matrix is studied in the DIGIMAT (France) program. It was found that with a ratio of the sizes of inclusions in the range of 468÷60, the particles have a needle shape, and the material with such inclusions has a higher stress limit and elastic modulus than with a shape coefficient less than 50. The components of the fiber orientation tensor were also determined, at which the values of computer modeling are in good agreement with experimental data. The influence of the size of the finite element grid on the characteristics of the composite at the macro level was studied, and recommendations were given for choosing the size of the face of the finite element. The adequacy of computer models was confirmed by the results of field tests. The paper presents the results of testing flat samples made by injection molding technology. Mechanical tests were carried out for three variants of samples made of composite material based on a polycarbonate matrix with 10 %, 20 % and 30 % inclusions. The discrepancy between the experimental and computer results for samples with 10 %, 20 % content of short chopped fibers is explained by the influence of technological factors on the properties of the material at the macro-level. The conducted research allowed us to develop a computer modeling technique used at the stage of development of polymer composites based on thermoplastic matrices with short glass inclusions

Comparison of the Gross Target Volumes Based on Diagnostic PET/CT for Primary Esophageal Cancer.

BackgroundClinically, many esophageal cancer patients who planned for radiation therapy have already undergone diagnostic Positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging, but it remains unclear whether these imaging results can be used to delineate the gross target volume (GTV) of the primary tumor for thoracic esophageal cancer (EC).MethodsSeventy-two patients diagnosed with thoracic EC had undergone prior PET/CT for diagnosis and three-dimensional CT (3DCT) for simulation. The GTV3D was contoured on the 3DCT image without referencing the PET/CT image. The GTVPET-ref was contoured on the 3DCT image referencing the PET/CT image. The GTVPET-reg was contoured on the deformed registration image derived from 3DCT and PET/CT. Differences in the position, volume, length, conformity index (CI), and degree of inclusion (DI) among the target volumes were determined.ResultsThe centroid distance in the three directions between two different GTVs showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). No significant difference was found among the groups in the tumor volume (P > 0.05). The median DI values of the GTVPET-reg and GTVPET-ref in the GTV3D were 0.82 and 0.86, respectively (P = 0.006). The median CI values of the GTV3D in the GTVPET-reg and GTVPET-ref were 0.68 and 0.72, respectively (P = 0.006).ConclusionsPET/CT can be used to optimize the definition of the target volume in EC. However, no significant difference was found between the GTVs delineated based on visual referencing or deformable registration whether using the volume or position. So, in the absence of planning PET–CT images, it is also feasible to delineate the GTV of primary thoracic EC with reference to the diagnostic PET–CT image.

Determination of total CO2 in melt inclusions with shrinkage bubbles

The compositions of volatiles in magmas can be estimated using melt inclusions encapsulated in phenocrysts. Shrinkage bubbles are occasionally observed in natural and rehomogenized melt inclusions. Because of the low solubility of CO2 in melts, CO2 is partitioned in both the melts and shrinkage bubbles in melt inclusions. We developed a method to determine total CO2 in melt inclusions by measuring (1) CO2 concentration in glass with secondary-ion mass spectrometry, (2) CO2 density in bubbles with micro-Raman spectrometry, and (3) bubble/glass volume ratio with micro X-ray computed tomography on rehomogenized melt inclusions. We applied this method to olivine-hosted melt inclusions in high-μ (HIMU)-type ocean island basalts from Raivavae in Austral Islands in French Polynesia.The shape of melt inclusions is predominantly related to their size; larger melt inclusions tend to be more angular than smaller ones. The volume of large melt inclusions may be overestimated by previous approaches in which the dimension of melt inclusions was measured by microscopy and the volume was calculated assuming ellipsoidal shape. CO2 dissolved in glass in rehomogenized melt inclusions ranges up to ~7000 ppm. The glass with a more alkalic composition shows greater CO2 concentration than that with a less alkalic composition in accordance with the composition-dependent CO2 solubility. By contrast, the correlation between the total CO2 content and the chemical composition of the glass is unclear because CO2 in shrinkage bubbles is generally greater than that in the glass. Some melt inclusions demonstrate an extremely high total CO2 content (up to 25,000 ppm). Because these melt inclusions show a large bubble volume proportion in melt inclusions (>12 vol%), they are likely formed by the simultaneous entrapment of melts and fluids during the host olivine growth. Excluding these melt inclusions, the total CO2 content and CO2/Nb ratio in melt inclusions were up to 7000 ppm and 200, respectively. This study offers an accurate determination of CO2 concentration and CO2/Nb of the HIMU basalts from Raivavae.

Extruded lupine as a part of energy-protein concentrate in the ration of lactating cows

In order to fi ll the existing protein defi ciency in the rations of farm animals in particular dairy cows it is necessary to input feed lupins as widely as possible in crop rotations. Lupin is a very versatile forage crop it can be used in feed as herbage, in the form of haylage, silage, in compound feed as a protein additive, as well as a green manure crop to increase soil fertility. Questions of protein nutrition should be to be quickly resolved, both in the production of protein and in its standardized rational use. Unbalanced protein rations increase feed consumption per unit of production, thereby increasing its prime cost. In the world soya is generally recognized as a protein feed, but in the Kaliningrad region as in most of regions in our country, it does not maturate being a heat-loving crop. Under these environments the inclusion of extruded lupine grain in the composition of energy-protein concentrates for the production of compound feed has become an alternative to replacing expensive soya. The researches have been carried out it the cattle farm of LLC “Temp” in the Guryevsky area in the Kaliningrad region (March-May 2019) on feeding lactating cows energy-protein concentrate from extruded grain of narrow-leaved lupine, fl ax, triticale, subjected to heat treatment on a press extruder. For this purpose two groups of lactating cows of Black-and-White breed (control and experimental) have been formed using the method of pairs of analogs per 11 heads in each. Cows of the control group have received the main ration of the farm, and cows of the experimental group in addition to the main ration have received compound feed with extruded energy-protein concentrate based on lupine. As a result of research, the positive infl uence of energy-protein concentrate based on lupine in compound feed on the dairy productivity of cows has been established. Recipes of concentrate and compound feed with concentrate for lactating cows, the volume of inclusion of components in the concentrate and in the compound feed have been calculated. During the experiment, the milk yield in the experimental group of cows has increased by 62,4 kg or 8,0 %, than in the control group. From the cows of the experimental group the conditional profi t has been received in the amount of 1684,8 rubles per head.

Towards an application of muon scattering tomography as a technique for detecting rebars in concrete

Inspection of the world’s ageing population of reinforced concrete infrastructure is a multi-billion dollar problem. Historically, it has not been uncommon for structures to deviate from their designs,or for design drawings to be lost. This leaves asset managers the challenging task of making structural health assessments and maintenance decisions with incomplete knowledge. While current techniques for detecting rebars in concrete are typically limited to penetration depths of less than 50 cm, muon scattering tomography (MST) is a non-destructive, non-invasive technique which shows great promise for high-depth 3D concrete imaging. This paper uses Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate that MST can be used to detect and locate 100 cm length rebars with a diameter of 33.7 ± 7.3 mm independently of the rebar’s location within a concrete structure. This corresponds to a volume of inclusion of 894 ± 386 cm3. The volume of the inclusion can be reconstructed with a resolution of 5.4 ± 0.3% for volumes above 2 500 cm3. It is furthermore demonstrated that 30 mm diameter rebars can be distinguished as two separate objects provided their separation is more than 40–60 mm, and that single and double layers of rebars are distinguishable using the technique. It is anticipated that MST could inform practical studies which support more informed maintenance and modeling, eventually allowing digital twins to be created for a larger subset of historical steel and concrete structures.

A discussion on the effective permittivity of multi-component medium derived by Maxwell–Garnett, strong fluctuation and quasicrystalline-CP modeling

To evaluate the average dielectric property, the effective permittivity (EP) of multi-component media in low frequency region is the first issue. The most classical formula is the Maxwell–Garnett (MG) model. However, it needs guidelines to restrict the applicability of MG model. Later on, the strong fluctuation theory (SF model) and QCA-CP model (quasi-crystalline approximation with coherent potential) have been studied. Similarities and difference between these models need to be clarified. In this paper, all these models are derived in a consistent way. Numerical examples show the difference between the EPs of these models. It is found that when the dielectric perturbation is not large (dielectric particle is not quite different from background) and especially, the fractional volume of inclusions is not large (e.g. less than 0.15), all these models are good enough to evaluate EP. But, if these pre-conditions are not well met, the MG model becomes unsuitable. Thus the SF and QCA-CP models are better than MG in either cases of strongly or weakly fluctuating cases. If the discrete spherical particles are well defined, e.g. size, complex dielectric constant, the QCA-CP would be a rigorous model for the calculation of EP and extinction coefficient.

Effect of Fibre (Polypropylene) Volume in Mortar Mixed With POFA

High strength fibre reinforced concrete is envisaged to exhibit high compressive and tensile strength under loadings. In this study, experimental studies are conducted to assess the mechanical behavior of fibre reinforced mortar and comparing them with normal concrete. For this experiment, the aspect ratio of fibre (polypropylene) volume inclusion is fixed to 33. Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) is also included as partial cement replacement. The compressive strength and split tensile strength tests are conducted. This paper presents the results of mechanical strength for fibre reinforced mortar mixed with POFA. It is indicated that the volume of fibre inclusion in concrete have significant impact in compressive and tensile strength. In this study, the optimum fibre dosage inclusion is 20 kg/m3 that exhibit 82.4MPa and 78.7 MPa stresses at 56 days of curing for both 100% OPC and 40%POFA inclusion samples, respectively. The findings of this study can be applied to construction in coastal areas.

Comparison of Target Volumes Delineated on 3DCT Referencing 18f-FDG PET/CT and the Deformed Image Derived from 3DCT with 18f-FDG PET/CT of Primary Thoracic Esophageal Cancer

To compare positional and volumetric differences between the gross target volumes (GTV) contoured on three-dimensional CT (3DCT) referencing 18F-FDG PET/CT and the GTV on the deformed image derived from 3DCT and 18F-FDG PET/CT for primary thoracic esophageal cancer (EC). Eighty-one patients with EC sequentially underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT scans used for diagnosis and 3DCT scans for simulation. Firstly, the GTV3D was contoured based on 3DCT without referencing 18F-FDG PET/CT. Secondly, the GTVPET-ref was contured on 3DCT referencing 18F-FDG PET/CT. Thirdly, the GTVPET-reg wes contured on the deformed image derived from 3DCT and 18F-FDG PET/CT by deformable registration software. The standardised uptake value (SUV) 2.0 and 20% of maximal SUV (SUVmax) were selected to delineate the GTV on PET-CT. Lastly, the GTVPET-reg-auto was obtained by the deformed image using the auto-contouring function of the software program. All the manual contours were completed by a experienced radiotherapist. The differences in position, volume, length, conformity index (CI), and degree of inclusion (DI) of target volumes were compered, respectively. The mean volume ratio of GTVPET-ref to GTV3D, GTVPET-reg, GTVPET-reg-auto were 1.073, 1.184, 3.974, and that of GTV3D to GTVPET-reg, GTVPET-reg-auto were 1.123, 3.431. The minimum target volume was GTVPET-reg, the middle was GTV3D, and the maximum was GTVPET-reg-auto. The mean length of GTV3D, GTVPET-ref, GTVPET-reg, GTVPET-reg-auto were 85.241, 94.031, 86.6941,86.6941, respectively. The length of GTVPET-ref was longer than GTV3D(p=0.008). The maximum diameter of GTV3D, GTVPET-ref , GTVPET-reg, GTVPET-reg-auto were 3.9447, 3.7399, 3.7960, 3.7960. The width of GTV3D was wider than GTVPET-ref(p=0.000). The mean DIs of GTVPET-ref in GTV3D, GTVPET-reg, GTVPET-reg-auto were 0.815, 0.813, 0.565, and that of GTV3D in GTVPET-ref, GTVPET-reg and GTVPET-reg-auto were 0.827, 0.774, 0.585. The best DI was GTV3D in GTVPET-re. The mean CIs of GTVPET-ref in GTV3D, GTVPET-reg, GTVPET-reg-auto were 0.696, 0.679, 0.450,and that of GTV3D in GTVPET-reg and GTVPET-reg-auto were 0.641,0.450. The best CI was GTVPET-ref in GTV3D. The minimum target volume was GTVPET-reg, the middle was GTV3D, and the maximum was GTVPET-reg-auto. Therefore, The deformed image derived from 3DCT and 18F-FDG PET/CT has an potential value to delineate the volume and length of the gross target volume. At the same time, GTVPET-reg-auto should be chosen carefully due to the possible error of it.

Package fluids. Part 5: The NaCl-H2O system in fluid inclusion research and applications of the software AqSo_NaCl (Bakker, 2018)

The software AqSo_NaCl (Bakker, 2018) can be used to characterize the properties of phases that may exist in the binary H2O-NaCl system up to 1000 °C and 500 MPa. The model replaces all available correlation equations and other equation of state that are restricted to narrow temperature, pressure, and composition intervals. Liquid-vapour, liquid-solid, and vapour-solid immiscibility fields emerge with increasing salinity at relative high temperatures, and already occur at mass fractions of a few μg per gram. The liquid-vapour immiscibility is split in two fractions in solutions between x(NaCl) = 2·10−5 and 0.00025, at salinities that cannot be detected by microthermometry. Properties such as density, molar volume, composition, and volume fraction of liquid, vapour, and solid phases in fluid inclusions can be calculated in heating and freezing experiments. Isochores can be calculated within the homogeneous fluid field, within immiscibility fields, and along the SLV (solid-liquid-vapour) curve. Iso-Th lines are obtained by modifying the total volume of fluid inclusion with the volumetric properties of quartz. Bulk properties of fluid inclusions can be directly calculated from microthermometric data.

Estimating the Volume of Unknown Inclusions in an Electrically Conducting Body with Voltage Measurements.

We propose a novel technique to estimate the total volume of unknown insulating inclusions in an electrically conducting body from voltage measurements. Unlike conventional Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) systems that usually exhibit low spatial resolution and accuracy, the proposed device is composed of a pair of driving electrodes which, supplied with a known sinusoidal voltage, create a current density field inside a region of interest. The electrodes are designed to generate a current density field in the region of interest that is uniform, to a good approximation, when the inclusions are not present. A set of electrodes with a polygonal geometry is used for four-wires resistance measurements. The proposed technique has been tested designing a low cost prototype, where all electrodes are on the bottom of the conducting body, showing good performances. Such a device may be used to monitor the volume of biological cells inside cell culture dishes or the volume of blood clots in micro-channels in lab-on-a-chip biosensors.