Preparation of fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics using a focused ultrasonic system and assessment of their cytotoxic effects on human cells.

With the growing prevalence of plastic use, the environmental release of plastic waste is escalating, and fragmented nanoscale plastic particles are emerging as significant environmental threats. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics (PE NPs) manufactured using a focused ultrasonic system. The ultrasonic irradiation process generated fragmented PE NPs with a geometric mean diameter of 85.

Scalable production of siRNA-encapsulated extracellular vesicles for the inhibition of KRAS-mutant cancer using acoustic shock waves.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential delivery vehicle for nucleic-acid-based therapeutics, but challenges related to their large-scale production and cargo-loading efficiency have limited their therapeutic potential. To address these issues, we developed a novel "shock wave extracellular vesicles engineering technology" (SWEET) as a non-genetic, scalable manufacturing strategy that uses shock waves (SWs) to encapsulate siRNAs in EVs. Here, we describe the use of the SWEET platform to load large quantities of KRAS-targeting siRNA into small bovine-milk-derived EVs (sBMEVs), with high efficiency.

A Novel Method for Angiographic Contrast-Based Diagnosis of Stenosis in Coronary Artery Disease: In Vivo and In Vitro Analyses.

Background: The existing diagnostic methods for coronary artery disease (CAD), such as coronary angiography and fractional flow reserve (FFR), have limitations regarding their invasiveness, cost, and discomfort. We explored a novel diagnostic approach, coronary contrast intensity analysis (CCIA), and conducted a comparative analysis between it and FFR.

Methods: We used an in vitro coronary-circulation-mimicking system with nine stenosis models representing various stenosis lengths (6, 18, and 30 mm) and degrees (30%, 50%, and 70%).

High-resolution photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging of the porcine stomach wall: an feasibility study.

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging has become invaluable in preclinical and clinical research. Endoscopic PA imaging in particular has been explored as a noninvasive imaging modality to view vasculature and diagnose cancers in the digestive system. However, these feasibility studies are still limited to rodents or rabbits.

The reasons why fractional flow reserve and instantaneous wave-free ratio are similar using wave separation analysis.

Background And Objectives: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) are the two most commonly used coronary indices of physiological stenosis severity based on pressure. To minimize the effect of wedge pressure (P), FFR is measured during hyperemia conditions, and iFR is calculated as the ratio of distal and aortic pressures (P/P) in the wave-free period. The goal of this study was to predict P using the backward wave (P) through wave separation analysis (WSA) and to reflect the effect of P on FFR and iFR to identify the relationship between the two indices.

Geometrical characterization of the cavitation bubble clouds produced by a clinical shock wave device.

This study was to optically visualize the cavitation bubbles produced by a clinical shock wave and to look into their geometric features of the resulting cavitation bubbles in relation to the driving shock wave field. A clinical shock wave therapeutic system was taken for shock wave production. The shock wave induced cavitation bubbles were captured by a professional camera under the illumination of a micro-pulse LED light.

The role of the acoustic radiation force in color Doppler twinkling artifacts.

Purpose: The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate whether the acoustic radiation force (ARF) is a potential source of twinkling artifacts in color Doppler images.

Methods: Color Doppler images were obtained using a clinical ultrasonic scanner (Voluson e, GE Healthcare) for a high contrast (+15 dB) circular scattering phantom at pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs) ranging from 0.1 to 13 kHz.

Characterization of the shock pulse-induced cavitation bubble activities recorded by an optical fiber hydrophone.

A shock pressure pulse used in an extracorporeal shock wave treatment has a large negative pressure (<-5 MPa) which can produce cavitation. Cavitation cannot be measured easily, but may have known therapeutic effects. This study considers the signal recorded for several hundred microseconds using an optical hydrophone submerged in water at the focus of shock pressure field.