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Biomedical subjects

K R Foster

Publications and source records attributed to K R Foster.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Heating of tissues by microwaves: a model analysis.

We consider the thermal response times for heating of tissue subject to nonionizing (microwave or infrared) radiation. The analysis is based on a dimensionless form of the bioheat equation. The thermal response is governed by two time constants: one (tau1) pertains to heat convection by blood flow, and is of the order of 20-30 min for physiologically normal perfusion rates; the second (tau2) characterizes heat conduction and varies as the square of a distance that characterizes the spatial extent of the heating. Two idealized cases are examined. The first is a tissue block with an insulated surface, subject to irradiation with an exponentially decreasing specific absorption rate, which models a large surface area of tissue exposed to microwaves. The second is a hemispherical region of tissue exposed at a spatially uniform specific absorption rate, which models localized exposure. In both cases, the steady-state temperature increase can be written as the product of the incident power density and an effective time constant tau(eff), which is defined for each geometry as an appropriate function of tau1 and tau2. In appropriate limits of the ratio of these time constants, the local temperature rise is dominated by conductive or convective heat transport. Predictions of the block model agree well with recent data for the thresholds for perception of warmth or pain from exposure to microwave energy. Using these concepts, we developed a thermal averaging time that might be used in standards for human exposure to microwave radiation, to limit the temperature rise in tissue from radiation by pulsed sources. We compare the ANSI exposure standards for microwaves and infrared laser radiation with respect to the maximal increase in tissue temperature that would be allowed at the maximal permissible exposures. A historical appendix presents the origin of the 6-min averaging time used in the microwave standard.

Heating↗
PubMed1997

A thermal model for human thresholds of microwave-evoked warmth sensations.

Human thresholds for skin sensations of warmth were measured at frequencies from 2.45 to 94 GHz. By solving the one-dimensional bioheat equation, we calculated the temperature increase at the skin surface or at a depth of 175 microm at incident power levels corresponding to the observed thresholds. The thermal analysis suggests that the thresholds correspond to a localized temperature increase of about 0.07 degrees C at and near the surface of the skin. We also found that, even at the highest frequency of irradiation, the depth at which the temperature receptors are located is not a relevant parameter, as long as it is within 0.3 mm of the surface. Over the time range of the simulation, the results of the thermal model are insensitive to blood flow, but sensitive to thermal conduction; and this sensitivity increases strongly with frequency. We conclude with an analysis of the effect of thermal conduction on surface temperature rise, which becomes a dominant factor at microwave frequencies over 10 GHz.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Whole-body impedance--what does it measure?

Although the bioelectrical impedance technique is widely used in human nutrition and clinical research, an integrated summary of the biophysical and bioelectrical bases of this approach is lacking. We summarize the pertinent electrical phenomena relevant to the application of the impedance technique in vivo and discuss the relations between electrical measurements and biological conductor volumes. Key terms in the derivation of bioelectrical impedance analysis are described and the relation between the electrical properties of tissues and tissue structure is discussed. The relation between the impedance of an object and its geometry, scale, and intrinsic electrical properties is also discussed. Correlations between whole-body impedance measurements and various bioconductor volumes, such as total body water and fat-free mass, are experimentally well established; however, the reason for the success of the impedence technique is much less clear. The bioengineering basis for the technique is critically presented and considerations are proposed that might help to clarify the method and potentially improve its sensitivity.

Body Composition↗
PubMed1996

Phytochrome B affects responsiveness to gibberellins in Arabidopsis.

Plant responses to red and far-red light are mediated by a family of photoreceptors called phytochromes. Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings lacking one of the phytochromes, phyB, have elongated hypocotyls and other tissues, suggesting that they may have an alteration in hormone physiology. We have studied the possibility that phyB mutations affect seedling gibberellin (GA) perception and metabolism by testing the responsiveness of wild-type and phyB seedlings to exogenous GAs. The phyB mutant elongates more than the wild type in response to the same exogenous concentrations of GA3 or GA4, showing that the mutation causes an increase in responsiveness to GAs. Among GAs that we were able to detect, we found no significant difference in endogenous levels between wild-type and phyB mutant seedlings. However, GA4 levels were below our limit of detectability, and the concentration of that active GA could have varied between wild-type and phyB mutant seedlings. These results suggest that, although GAs are required for hypocotyl cell elongation, phyB does not act primarily by changing total seedling GA levels but rather by decreasing seedling responsiveness to GAs.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed1995

Dielectrophoretic forces and potentials induced on pairs of cells in an electric field.

A combined numerical/experimental study is reported of the membrane potentials and dielectrophoretically induced forces between cells, membrane pressures, and velocity of attraction of cells under the influence of an electric field. This study was designed to explore electrical and mechanical effects produced by a field on cells in close proximity or undergoing electrically induced fusion. Laplace's equation for pairs of membrane-covered spheres in close proximity was solved numerically by the boundary element method, and the electrically induced forces on the cells and between cells were obtained by evaluating the Maxwell stress tensor. The velocity of approach of erythrocyte ghosts or fused ghosts in a 60-Hz field of 6 V/mm was measured experimentally, and the data were interpreted by using Batchelor's theory for hydrodynamic interaction of hard spheres. The numerical results show clearly the origin of the dielectrophoretic pressures and forces in fused and unfused cells and the effects of a nearby cell on the induced membrane potentials. The experimental results agree well with predictions based on the simple electrical model of the cell. The analysis shows the strong effect of hydrodynamic interactions between the cells in determining their velocity of approach.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Radiotherapy treatment planning with dynamic wedges--an algorithm for generating wedge factors and beam data.

If the jaws of a linear accelerator are moved under computer control during irradiation, dose distributions similar to those with wedge filters can be produced. Varian linear accelerators utilize this effect to give a 'dynamic wedge', using segmented treatment tables (STTs). An algorithm is described to generate the dose per monitor unit at any point in a beam, using the STT values. Dynamically wedged beams are modelled as the superposition of static asymmetric beams, using an algorithm based on beam data measured for symmetric beams. Predictions of wedge factors, depth doses and profiles generated using the algorithm are compared with measurements. Good agreement is found between predictions and measurements. The calculation time is typically 5 ms/dose point on a PC with a 486DX processor.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1995

Biological effects of power-frequency fields as they relate to carcinogenesis.

There is a widespread public perception that exposure to electricity is linked to cancer. The public concern stems largely from epidemiological studies which appear to show a relationship between cancer incidence and exposure to power-frequency electromagnetic fields. This review will discuss the biophysics of power-frequency electromagnetic fields as it relates to biological effects, summarize the current state of the cancer epidemiology, and then concentrate on the laboratory studies that are relevant to addressing the possibility that power-frequency fields are carcinogenic. Review of the epidemiological evidence shows that the association between exposure to power-frequency fields and cancer is weak and inconsistent, and generally fails to show a dose-response relationship. The laboratory studies of power-frequency fields show little evidence of the type of effects on cells or animals that point towards power-frequency fields causing or contributing to cancer. Finally, from what is known about the biophysics of power-frequency fields, there is no reason to even suspect that they would cause or contribute to cancer. Application of "Hill's criteria" to epidemiological and laboratory studies shows that the evidence for a causal association between exposure to power-frequency fields and the incidence of cancer is weak.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Myocardial electrical impedance mapping of ischemic sheep hearts and healing aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to examine the bulk electrical properties of myocardium and their variation with the evolution of infarction after coronary occlusion. These properties may be useful in distinguishing between normal, ischemic, and infarcted tissue on the basis of electrophysiological parameters. METHODS AND RESULTS: The electrical impedance of myocardial tissue was studied in a sheep model of infarction. The animal model involved a one-stage ligation of the left anterior descending and second diagonal arteries at a point 40% of the distance from the apex to the base. By use of a four-electrode probe, an epicardial mapping system was developed that allowed for cardiac cycle gated and signal-averaged measurements. Subthreshold current (15 microA) was injected through two of the electrodes at frequencies of 1, 5, and 15 kHz and the induced potential measured with the other two electrodes. Epicardial maps of the left ventricle were obtained during acute infarction and at 1-, 2-, and 6-week intervals after occlusion. Results showed the average specific impedance of the myocardium before infarction to be 158 +/- 26 omega-cm independent of location on the epicardium. By 60 minutes after coronary occlusion, the specific impedance had increased by 199% (p < 0.005, n = 9); it remained elevated for up to 4 hours. One week after infarction, the specific impedance decreased to 59% of the control value (p < 0.025, n = 8). Six weeks after occlusion, the specific impedance remained low at 57% of that of the noninfarcted tissue (p < 0.005, n = 9). The phase angle of the complex impedance was also measured and revealed similar changes. The hydroxyproline content of the tissue was assayed to assess infarct healing. CONCLUSIONS: In this animal model, impedance is a bulk electrical property of tissue that varies with the evolution of myocardial infarction. Impedance mapping revealed significantly different values for normal, ischemic, and infarcted tissue and may prove useful in better defining the electrophysiological characteristics of such tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Microwave radiometry in biomedicine: a reappraisal.

Nearly 20 years ago the first papers appeared on biomedical applications of microwave radiometry, and many other papers have since appeared. Yet, despite its unique capabilities, microwave radiometry has so far received only limited acceptance by the medical community, and little commercial success. The chief reasons, we suggest, are the shallow depth of sensing and the difficulty of extracting imaging information from radiometry signals emitted by electrically heterogeneous media. A secondary factor has been the difficulty of validating many proposed clinical applications for the method--in particular, cancer detection. We suggest that microwave radiometry is a viable method of thermal sensing, but its successful applications are likely to be quite different than those that were originally conceived for the technique.

Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materi↗
PubMed1992

Health effects of low-level electromagnetic fields: phantom or not-so-phantom risk?

The possibility of subtle hazards from weak nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs) has been controversial for many years, shifting over a range of issues without resolution. The confusion arises partly from the weak evidence for hazard and partly from the inconsistent and speculative nature of some of the bioeffects literature. More attention is needed to define ways to resolve the issues.

Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced↗
PubMed1992

Microwave radiometry in living tissue: what does it measure?

The sensitivity of microwave radiometry for detecting subcutaneous targets was studied both experimentally and theoretically. The radiometer used a dielectric loaded rectangular waveguide antenna in contact with a lossy dielectric medium. A cylindrical target with dielectric properties and/or temperature different from that of the surrounding medium was located beneath this surface. For most of the studies, the target and the surrounding medium were maintained at constant, but unequal, temperatures (i.e., heat conduction effects were insignificant). The received radiometric signal was calculated as the location and dielectric properties of the target were varied. Finally, the radiometer signal was calculated for the situation with the target maintained at constant temperature but with the surrounding medium modeled by the bioheat equation. Experimental studies were performed using a radiometer operating at 4.7 GHz. The target was a thin walled tube through which a temperature controlled liquid was circulated, located in a temperature controlled fluid tank. The results indicate that microwave radiometry (as used in this study) responds to the temperature averaged over the field pattern of the antenna with very strong weighting of regions near the surface. A simple quasi-static analysis provides a good indication of the sensitivity of the technique for detecting cylindrical targets whose dielectric properties are different from those of the surrounding medium. A simple estimate of thermal conduction around the target suggest that thermal effects greatly increase the apparent size of the target.

Electromagnetic Phenomena↗
PubMed1991

Transport and Metabolism of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic Acid in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Seedlings.

Transport and metabolism of [2,3-(14)C] 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) from roots to shoots in 4-day-old sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seedlings were studied. [(14)C]ACC was detected in, and (14)C(2)H(4) was evolved from, shoots 0.5 hours after [(14)C]ACC was supplied to roots. Ethylene emanation from the shoots returned to normal levels after 6 hours. The roots showed a similar pattern, although at 24 hours ethylene emanation was still slightly higher than in those plants that did not receive ACC. [(14)C]N-malonyl-ACC (MACC) was detected in both tissues at all times sampled. [(14)C]MACC levels surpassed [(14)C]ACC levels in the shoot at 2 hours, whereas [(14)C]MACC levels in the root remained below [(14)C]ACC levels until 6 hours, after which they were higher. Thin-layer chromatography analysis identified [(14)C] ACC in 1-hour shoot extracts, and [(14)C]MACC was identified in root tissues at 1 and 12 hours after treatment. [(14)C]ACC and [(14)C] MACC in the xylem sap of treated seedlings were identified by thin-layer chromatography. Xylem transport of [(14)C]ACC in treated seedlings, and transport of ACC in untreated seedlings, was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Some evidence for the presence of [(14)C]MACC in xylem sap in [(14)C]ACC-treated seedlings is presented. A substantial amount of radioactivity in both ACC and MACC fractions was detected leaking from the roots over 24 hours. A second radiolabeled volatile compound was trapped in a CO(2)-trapping solution but not in mercuric perchlorate. Levels of this compound were highest after the peak of ACC levels and before peak MACC levels in both tissues, suggesting that an alternate pathway of ACC metabolism was operating in this system.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1989

Dielectric properties of tissues and biological materials: a critical review.

We critically review bulk electrical properties of tissues and other biological materials, from DC to 20 GHz, with emphasis on the underlying mechanisms responsible for the properties. We summarize the classical principles behind dielectric relaxation and critically review recent developments in this field. Special topics include a summary of the significant recent advances in theories of counterion polarization effects, dielectric properties of cancer vs. normal tissues, properties of low-water-content tissues, and macroscopic field-coupling considerations. Finally, the dielectric properties of tissues are summarized as empirical correlations with tissue water content in other compositional variables; in addition, a comprehensive table is presented of dielectric properties. The bulk electrical properties of tissues are needed for many bioengineering applications of electric fields or currents, and they provide insight into the basic mechanisms that govern the interaction of electric fields with tissue.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1987

"Resonances" in the dielectric absorption of DNA?

An attempt was made to confirm previous reports of resonant-like dielectric absorption of plasmid DNA in aqueous solutions at 1-10 GHz. The dielectric properties of the sample were measured using an automatic network analyzer with two different techniques. One technique used an open-ended coaxial probe immersed in the sample; the other employed a coaxial transmission line. No resonances were observed that could be attributed to the sample; however, resonance-type artifacts were prominent in the probe measurements. The coaxial line technique appears to be less susceptible to such artifacts. We note two important sources of error in the calibration of the automatic network analyzer using the probe technique.

DNA, Bacterial↗