Strain Ratio Measurements of Patellar and Achilles Tendons With Different Reference Regions in Healthy Volunteers

Strain ratio measurements of tendons vary because of the reference tissue selection. The main purpose of this study is to highlight, in detail, the numeric variability attributable to the use of various reference materials on strain ratio measurements of patellar and Achilles tendons. Measurements were performed at the proximal, middle and distal thirds of the patellar and Achilles tendons on the dominant site of healthy volunteers. A total of 3 references were used: the Hoffa's fat pad for the patellar tendon, the Kager's fat pad for the Achilles tendon, subcutaneous tissue and Aquaflex gel pads (Parker Laboratories, Fairfield, NJ, USA) for both tendons. Although the same methods were used by the same physician for each tendon site on repeated measurements, strain ratio values had numeric variability with various reference materials in each measurement. Therefore, comparison of numeric strain ratio results of various studies with various reference materials could confuse the clinical interpretations of these numeric data, and, using a reference material with standard stiffness like Aquaflex ultrasound gel pads, should be considered by verifying these results with further studies. © 2019 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biolog

Mobile TV

This article explores how mobile television is being constructed and understood, focusing on four concepts used in contemporary public debate to discuss the technology, namely 'TV in your pocket', 'TV anytime, anywhere', 'TV on the go', and 'Enhanced TV'. Drawing on an analysis of industry reports, conference proceedings, websites, academic studies, press coverage, results of trials, advertisements and expert interviews, we examine the ways in which experts involved in the production, marketing, delivery and analysis of mobile TV regard this emergent technology. It is argued that mobile TV is constructed by these experts as a novel technological and cultural experience and form, while at the same time the rhetoric of novelty is paralleled with a continuous emphasis on the new medium's relation to familiar technological worlds. The article concludes by offering an explanation for this new/old articulation of mobile TV

Multifunctional nanoparticles as a tissue adhesive and an injectable marker for image-guided procedures

Tissue adhesives have emerged as an alternative to sutures and staples for wound closure and reconnection of injured tissues after surgery or trauma. Owing to their convenience and effectiveness, these adhesives have received growing attention particularly in minimally invasive procedures. For safe and accurate applications, tissue adhesives should be detectable via clinical imaging modalities and be highly biocompatible for intracorporeal procedures. However, few adhesives meet all these requirements. Herein, we show that biocompatible tantalum oxide/silica core/shell nanoparticles (TSNs) exhibit not only high contrast effects for real-time imaging but also strong adhesive properties. Furthermore, the biocompatible TSNs cause much less cellular toxicity and less inflammation than a clinically used, imageable tissue adhesive (that is, a mixture of cyanoacrylate and Lipiodol). Because of their multifunctional imaging and adhesive property, the TSNs are successfully applied as a hemostatic adhesive for minimally invasive procedures and as an immobilized marker for image-guided procedures. © The Author(s) 20174