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J Wójcik

Publications and source records attributed to J Wójcik.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Wave envelopes method for description of nonlinear acoustic wave propagation.

A novel, free from paraxial approximation and computationally efficient numerical algorithm capable of predicting 4D acoustic fields in lossy and nonlinear media from arbitrary shaped sources (relevant to probes used in medical ultrasonic imaging and therapeutic systems) is described. The new WE (wave envelopes) approach to nonlinear propagation modeling is based on the solution of the second order nonlinear differential wave equation reported in [J. Wójcik, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 104 (1998) 2654-2663; V.P. Kuznetsov, Akust. Zh. 16 (1970) 548-553]. An incremental stepping scheme allows for forward wave propagation. The operator-splitting method accounts independently for the effects of full diffraction, absorption and nonlinear interactions of harmonics. The WE method represents the propagating pulsed acoustic wave as a superposition of wavelet-like sinusoidal pulses with carrier frequencies being the harmonics of the boundary tone burst disturbance. The model is valid for lossy media, arbitrarily shaped plane and focused sources, accounts for the effects of diffraction and can be applied to continuous as well as to pulsed waves. Depending on the source geometry, level of nonlinearity and frequency bandwidth, in comparison with the conventional approach the Time-Averaged Wave Envelopes (TAWE) method shortens computational time of the full 4D nonlinear field calculation by at least an order of magnitude; thus, predictions of nonlinear beam propagation from complex sources (such as phased arrays) can be available within 30-60 min using only a standard PC. The approximate ratio between the computational time costs obtained by using the TAWE method and the conventional approach in calculations of the nonlinear interactions is proportional to 1/N2, and in memory consumption to 1/N where N is the average bandwidth of the individual wavelets. Numerical computations comparing the spatial field distributions obtained by using both the TAWE method and the conventional approach (based on a Fourier series representation of the propagating wave) are given for circular source geometry, which represents the most challenging case from the computational time point of view. For two cases, short (2 cycle) and long (8 cycle) 2 MHz bursts, the computational times were 10 min and 15 min versus 2 h and 8 h for the TAWE method versus the conventional method, respectively.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

The influence of finite aperture and frequency response of ultrasonic hydrophone probes on the determination of acoustic output.

The influence of finite aperture and frequency response of piezoelectric ultrasonic hydrophone probes on the Thermal and Mechanical Indices was investigated using a comprehensive acoustic wave propagation model. The experimental verification of the model was obtained using a commercially available, 8 MHz, dynamically focused linear array and a single element, 5 MHz, focused rectangular source. The pressure-time waveforms were recorded using piezoelectric polymer hydrophone probes of different active element diameters and bandwidths. The nominal diameters of the probes ranged from 50 to 500 microm and their usable bandwidths varied between 55 and 100 MHz. The Pulse Intensity Integral (PII), used to calculate the Thermal Index (TI), was found to increase with increasing bandwidth and decreasing effective aperture of the probes. The Mechanical Index (MI), another safety indicator, was also affected, but to a lesser extent. The corrections needed were predicted using the model and successfully reduced the discrepancy as large as 30% in the determination of PII. The results of this work indicate that by accounting for hydrophones' finite aperture and correcting the value of PII, all intensities derived from the PII can be corrected for spatial averaging error. The results also point out that a caution should be exercised when comparing acoustic output data. In particular, hydrophone's frequency characteristics of the effective diameter and sensitivity are needed to correctly determine the MI, TI, and the total acoustic output power produced by an imaging transducer.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2004

Possible temperature effects computed for acoustic microscopy used for living cells.

Imaging of living cells or tissues at a microscopic resolution, where GHz frequencies are used, provides a foundation for many new biological applications. The possible temperature increase causing a destructive influence on the living cells should be then avoided. However, there is no information on possible local temperature increases at these very high frequencies where, due to strongly focused ultrasonic beams, nonlinear propagation effects occur. Acoustic parameters of living cells were assumed to be close to those of water; therefore, the power density of heat sources in a water medium was determined as a basic quantity. Hence, the numerical solution of temperature distributions at the frequency of 1 GHz was computed for high and low powers generated by the transducer equal to 0.32 W and 0.002 W. In the first case, typical nonlinear propagation effects were demonstrated and, in the second one, propagation was almost linear. The focal temperature increase obtained in water equaled 14 degrees C for the highest possible theoretical repetition frequency of fr = 10 MHz and for the thermal insulation at the sapphire lens-water boundary. Simultaneously, the scanning velocity of the tested object was assumed to be incomparably low in respect to the acoustic beam velocity. The maximum temperature increase in water occurred exactly at this boundary, being equal there to 20 degrees C. It was shown that, first of all, the very high absorption of water was significant for the temperature distribution in the investigated region, suppressing the focal temperature peaks. Because the temperature increases are proportional to the repetition frequency, so for example, at its practical value of fr = 0.1 MHz, all temperature increases will be 100 times lower than listed above. For the low transducer power of 0.002 W, the corresponding temperature increases were about 140 times lower than those for the high power of 0.32 W. The presented solutions are devoted mainly to the reflection pulse mode; however, they can be also applied for the transmitting (continuous-wave) mode, as shown in an example. Pressure distributions were computed for the acoustic field of the microscope for the first and higher harmonics. Hence, at the frequency of 1 GHz, the effective focal radius in water measured as the -6-dB amplitude pressure drop was found to be 1,1 microm, and 0.7 microm for the second harmonic, independently of the assumed transducer power. So the width of the beam, scanning the living cells in the focal region, was equal to 2.2 microm at the fundamental frequency of 1 GHz.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2003

Calibration of ultrasonic hydrophone probes up to 100 MHz using time gating frequency analysis and finite amplitude waves.

A number of ultrasound imaging systems employs harmonic imaging to optimize the trade off between resolution and penetration depth and center frequencies as high as 15 MHz are now used in clinical practice. However, currently available measurement tools are not fully adequate to characterize the acoustic output of such nonlinear systems primarily due to the limited knowledge of the frequency responses beyond 20 MHz of the available piezoelectric hydrophone probes. In addition, ultrasound hydrophone probes need to be calibrated to eight times the center frequency of the imaging transducer. Time delay spectrometry (TDS) is capable of providing transduction factor of the probes beyond 20 MHz, however its use is in practice limited to 40 MHz. This paper describes a novel approach termed time gating frequency analysis (TGFA) that provides the transduction factor of the hydrophone probes in the frequency domain and significantly extends the quasi-continuous calibration of the probes up to 60 MHz. The verification of the TGFA data was performed using TDS calibration technique (up to 40 MHz) and a nonlinear calibration method (up to 100 MHz). The nonlinear technique was based on a novel wave propagation model capable of predicting the true pressure-time waveforms at virtually any point in the field. The spatial averaging effects introduced by the finite aperture hydrophones were also accounted for. TGFA calibration results were obtained for different PVDF probes, including needle and membrane designs with nominal diameters from 50 to 500 micro m. The results were compared with discrete calibration data obtained from an independent national laboratory and the overall uncertainty was determined to be +/-1.5 dB in the frequency range 40-60 MHz and less than +/-1 dB below 40 MHz.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2003

Nonlinear propagation model for ultrasound hydrophones calibration in the frequency range up to 100 MHz.

To facilitate the implementation and verification of the new ultrasound hydrophone calibration techniques described in the companion paper (somewhere in this issue) a nonlinear propagation model was developed. A brief outline of the theoretical considerations is presented and the model's advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The results of simulations yielding spatial and temporal acoustic pressure amplitude are also presented and compared with those obtained using KZK and Field II models. Excellent agreement between all models is evidenced. The applicability of the model in discrete wideband calibration of hydrophones is documented in the companion paper somewhere in this volume.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2001

Highly potent side-chain to side-chain cyclized enkephalin analogues containing a carbonyl bridge: synthesis, biology and conformation.

Six novel cyclic enkephalin analogues have been synthesized. Cyclization of the linear peptides containing basic amino acid residues in position 2 and 5 was achieved by treatment with bis(4-nitrophenyl)carbonate. It was found that some of the compounds exibit unusually high mu-opioid activity in the guinea pig ileum (GPI) assay. The 18-membered analogue cyclo(N(epsilon),N(beta)-carbonyl-D-Lys2,Dap5)-enkephalinamide turned out to be one of the most potent mu-agonists reported so far. NMR spectra of the peptides were recorded and structural parameters were determined. The conformational space was exhaustively examined for each of them using the electrostatically driven Monte Carlo method. Each peptide was finally described as an ensemble of conformations. A model of the bioactive conformation of this class of opioid peptides was proposed.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Nonlinear native propagation effects of diagnostic ultrasound computed and measured in blood.

Nonlinear propagation effects produced by focused pulses in blood were measured over a 20-cm range, being inspired by diagnostic applications in cardiology. The initial and maximum pressures applied during measurements in blood were equal to 0.40 MPa(pp) and 0.76 MPa(pp), while the pressure estimated at the patient body surface equalled 0.70 MPa(pp). Measurements of the frequency characteristic and the linearity of the ultrasonic probe used in experiments were performed in water. A numerical procedure developed previously was applied in blood to calculate the pressure distribution of its first and second harmonics along the beam axis. The comparison of numerical and measured distributions in blood at a temperature of 37 degrees C showed rather good agreement. Using numerical methods, a proportional growth of the second harmonic with the increased applied initial pressure was first observed, and finally the maximum limiting effect was found. In this way, much higher level of harmonics could be obtained. However, there arise the questions of the transmitting system construction and of the nonuniform resolution in the case of harmonic imaging when increasing the applied initial pressure.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2000

Estimation of the total range of 1J(CC) couplings in heterocyclic compounds: pyridines and their N-oxides, the experimental and DFT studies.

A very large set of one-bond spin-spin carbon carbon coupling constants, 1J(CC), has been measured for 32 variously mono- and disubstituted pyridine N-oxides and for 14 substituted pyridines. The N-oxides studied were 2-, 3- and 4-monosubstituted isomers, and a series of disubstituted compounds. A variety of substituents has been employed (CH3, COCH3, C5H4NO, CN, F, Br, Cl, OH, OCH3, NH2, N(CH3)2 and NO2), which allowed us to study substituent effects thoroughly. Good linear relationships between 1J(C3C4) in 3- and/or 4-substituted pyridine N-oxides and 1J(CipsoCortho) in benzenes and between 1J(C2C3) in 2- and/or 3-substituted pyridine N-oxides and 1J(CipsoCortho) in benzenes have been found. An analogous linear relationship has been observed between 1J(C3C4) in 3- and/or 4-substituted pyridines and 1J(CipsoCortho) in benzenes. It has been also concluded that, by analogy to 1J(CC) couplings in substituted benzenes, those in pyridines and their N-oxides are the substituent electronegativity dependent. The estimated total range covered by 1J(CC), couplings in substituted compounds varies, in the case of 1J(C2C3) couplings for example, from 25 Hz in 2-lithiopyridine N-oxide to ca. 100 Hz in 2,3-difluoropyridine N-oxide and from 18 Hz in 2-lithiopyridine to 92 Hz in 2,3-difluoropyridine. The DFT calculations have been carried out for the parent compounds and for a set of their 2-lithio, and variously substituted fluoro derivatives. The DFT data reproduced very well the experimental coupling values and revealed that the Fermi contact contribution is the dominating factor which governs the magnitude of the CC coupling across one bond.

Cyclic N-Oxides↗
PubMed2000

NMR studies on derivatives of heteroaromatic compounds: exceptionally small carbon-carbon couplings, 1J(CC), in 2-lithiothiophene, 2-lithio-N-methylpyrrole and 2-lithiofuran.

Spin-spin carbon-carbon coupling constants across one bond and carbon proton coupling constants across one, two and three bonds have been measured for a large series of derivatives of five-membered heterocyclic compounds. This included 2-methyl and 2-lithio derivatives of furan, N-methyl pyrrole and thiophene and a series of 2-R-substituted thiophenes where R = O-t-Bu, Cl, Br, I, Si(CH3)3, MgBr and MgTh. For the long-range C-H couplings their signs have been determined in several compounds by the use of modern 2D NMR techniques, and in all the cases they have been found to be positive. A good linear dependence upon electronegativity of the substituent has been observed for 1J(CC), 2J(C2H3), and 3J(C2H4). Very small 1J(CC) couplings of ca. 30 Hz only have been found in all three lithio compounds; they belong to the smallest couplings of this type reported up to now. They are accompanied by very large and positive two-bond couplings, 2J(C2H3) of ca. +20 Hz, which in turn are the largest couplings of this type reported so far. In both cases the changes observed are interpreted in terms of the changes in the Fermi contact contribution.

Furans↗
PubMed2000

Induction of a secondary structure in the N-terminal pentadecapeptide of human protamine HP2 through Ni(II) coordination. An NMR study.

A solution structure of the Ni(II) complex with the N-terminal pentadecapeptide of human protamine HP2 (HP2(1)(-)(15)) was elucidated with the use of a range of one- and two-dimensional (1)H NMR techniques and molecular modeling. A striking double-loop conformation was found, exhibiting the interactions of the aromatic ring of the Tyr(8) residue with the Ni(II) coordination site at Arg(1), Thr(2), and His(3) residues and the side chain of the Arg(15) residue. In such a conformation, a tendency was found for all five positively charged arginine side chains to locate on one side of the molecule, making possible efficient contacts with the DNA double helix. These structural features, induced indirectly by Ni(II) coordination, are discussed in terms of a possible physiological function of the N-terminus of HP2 as a metal-binding site.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Effects of comicronised fenofibrate on lipid and insulin sensitivity in patients with polymetabolic syndrome X.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effects of comicronised fenofibrate in patients with dyslipidemia and polymetabolic syndrome X. DESIGN: After a 6-week dietary run-in phase, 37 male patients eligible on lipid criteria entered a 12-week treatment phase consisting of diet plus one capsule daily containing 200 mg of comicronised fenofibrate (Lipanthyl(R)). RESULTS: A significant reduction in plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride was observed after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment with fenofibrate. The improvement in the atherogenic index LDL/HDL cholesterol from a pretreatment 3.8 to 3.0 after treatment was highly statistically significant and may be judged as satisfactory. Significant changes were also observed in haemostatic factors (fibrinogen reduced by 19%, factor VII activity reduced by 18%). Fasting serum insulin levels and insulin response (area under the curve) after oral glucose load were significantly reduced by 26.8% and 18.7%, respectively, indicating an improvement of insulin sensitivity. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly reduced. Uric acid was significantly reduced by 21.6%. CONCLUSION: These favourable effects of comicronised fenofibrate both on lipid and non lipid parameters, including insulin sensitivity, may confer to this product a particular interest in the treatment of patients with polymetabolic syndrome X.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Temperature elevations computed for three-layer and four-layer obstetrical tissue models in nonlinear and linear ultrasonic propagation cases.

The authors computed temperature elevations in a three-layer and a four-layer tissue model, assuming the crucial obstetrical case when the ultrasonic pulse propagating through the abdominal wall and the fluid-filled bladder penetrates into soft fetal tissues. To consider nonlinear propagation, the authors applied a new theory of nonlinear increase of absorption recently developed by the first author. Computations were carried out for pulses with a carrier frequency of 3 MHz, duration time of 1.33 micros, and pulse repetition frequency of 3.3 kHz. Similar computations were carried out for a four-layer tissue model corresponding to the third trimester of gestation. The ceramic piezoelectric transducer 2 cm in diameter radiated the ultrasonic beam focused at a distance of 6.5 cm. The intensities at the radiating transducer (at the source) were I(SAPA) = 10 and 5 W/cm2. Temperature elevations and distributions were determined numerically for various values of low-amplitude absorption coefficients assumed to be the same as attenuation coefficients. It was shown in the three-layer tissue model that the maximum temperature elevation can be about 50% higher for nonlinear than for linear propagation. The maximum fetal temperature elevation in this case was 2.36 degrees C for nonlinear and 1.84 degrees C for linear propagation. The temperature elevation in the abdominal wall was lower than those temperatures when the attenuation of the abdominal wall was assumed to be a low value of 0.05 Np/cm.MHz (0.45 dB/cm.MHz). However, when it was increased to 0.16 Np/cm.MHz (1.4 dB/cm.MHz), the temperature elevation of the abdominal wall reached 3.2 degrees C and the maximum fetal elevation was 1.65 degrees C. In such cases, the abdominal wall became the principal source of heat production. In this case, the difference between fetal temperature elevations for nonlinear and linear propagation was only about 10%. The results obtained in the four-layer tissue model, in which the uterus tissue also was represented, show that temperature elevations in this case are about 3.6 times lower than in the three-layer tissue model, with comparable attenuation of the abdominal wall. Differences between nonlinear and linear propagation in the four-layer tissue model are negligible. The temperature elevations obtained were proportional to the pulse repetition frequency, without changing temperature distributions in the ultrasonic beam. In this manner, fetal temperature elevations can be reduced by reducing the repetition frequency.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1999

Nonlinear and linear propagation of diagnostic ultrasound pulses.

The effect of nonlinear propagation in fluid followed by soft tissue was studied both theoretically and experimentally for a most crucial case in obstetrical ultrasonography. For this purpose, short pressure pulses, with the duration time of 1.3 micros and a carrier frequency of 3 MHz, radiated by a concave transducer into water, with maximum intensities up to the value of 18 W/cm2, were computed and measured. The ultrasonic beam had the physical focus at the distance of 6.5 cm, where the highest focal intensity of I(SPPA) = 242 W/cm2 was obtained. In front of the transducer, at a distance of 7 cm, artificial tissue samples prepared on the basis of ground porcine kidney, with a thickness of 0.5, 1.5 and 3 cm, were placed in water. Pressure pulses and their spectral components were produced numerically and measured by means of a PVDF hydrophone in water before and after penetrating the tissue samples. The theoretical analysis and measurements were carried out, in every case, for two signal levels: for a high level assuring nonlinear propagation and for a low one where conditions of linear propagation were fulfilled. In this way, it was possible to compare directly the effects of nonlinear and linear propagation, in every case showing a good conformity of theoretical values with measured ones. A method of determination of the effective frequency response of the hydrophone was elaborated to enable quantitative comparisons of numerical and experimental results. The theoretical part of our study was based on a paper of Wójcik (1998), enabling us to compute the characteristic function of nonlinear increase of absorption. An agreement of up to 10% was obtained when comparing theoretical and measured values of these functions in the investigated beam in water and behind tissue samples. The results obtained showed that the recently given theory of nonlinear absorption, based on the spectral analysis and the elaborated numerical procedures, may be useful in various practical ultrasonic medical problems and also in technological applications.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Mobility of the diaphragm and lung perfusion following decortication due to chronic pleural empyema].

Mobility of the diaphragm and lung perfusion after decortication, due to chronic pleural empyema in the group of 31 patients is analysed. In our group amplitude of 8 cm diaphragm mobility at PA radiological examination was confirmed and it is accepted as normal range. Scintigraphic assessment of the lung perfusion with human macroalbumin-Technet complex was made. In 10 patients after left side decortication perfusion was lower than normal range. There was no statistical correlation between worsering of the mobility of the diaphragm and reduction of the lung perfusion in the examined group.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Conformational analysis of a novel cyclic enkephalin analogue using NMR and EDMC calculations.

Conformational space of a novel cyclic enkephalin analogue, cyclo(N(epsilon),N(epsilon')-carbonyl-D-Lys2,Lys5)enkephalin amide, was exhaustively examined. A large number of conformations was selected and clustered into families on the basis of their structure and energy. For representative conformations ROESY spectra were generated and their linear combination was fitted to the spectra measured in water and Me2SO-d6. This procedure yielded an ensemble of most populated conformations of the peptide in the two solvents.

Amides↗
PubMed1999

NMR measurements of proton exchange between solvent and peptides and proteins.

Scope and limitations of the NMR based methods, equilibration and magnetization transfer, for measuring proton exchange rates of amide protons in peptides and proteins with water protons are discussed. Equilibration is applied to very slow processes detected by hydrogen-deuterium exchange after a solute is dissolved in D2O. Magnetization transfer allows to study moderately rapid processes in H2O. A number of precautions should be undertaken in order to avoid systemic errors inherent in the magnetization transfer method.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Estimation of acoustical streaming: theoretical model, Doppler measurements and optical visualisation.

An approximate solution for the streaming velocity generated by flat and weakly focused transducers was derived by directly solving the Dirichlet boundary conditions for the Poisson equation, the solution of the Navier-Stokes equation for the axial components of the streaming velocity. The theoretical model was verified experimentally using a 32 MHz pulsed Doppler unit. The experimental acoustical fields were produced by three different 4 mm diameter flat and focused transducers driven by the transmitter generating the average acoustic power within the range from 1 microW to 6 mW. The streaming velocity was measured along the ultrasonic beam from 0 to 2 cm. Streaming was induced in a solution of water and corn starch. The experimental results showed that for a given acoustic power the streaming velocity was independent of the starch density in water, changed from 0.3 to 40 grams of starch in 1 l of distilled water. For applied acoustic powers, the streaming velocity changed linearly from 0.2 to 40 mm/s. Both, the theoretical solutions for plane and focused waves and the experimental results were in good agreement. The streaming velocity field was also visualised using the particle image velocimetry (PIV) and two different evaluation methods. The first based on the FFT-based cross-correlation analysis between small sections for each pair of images and the second employing the algorithm of searching for local displacements between several images.

Acoustics↗