We have ever reported our attempt to control the direction of microcapsules in flow by acoustic radiation force. However, the diameter of capsules was too large to be applied in vivo. Furthermore, the acoustic radiation force affected only the focal area because focused ultrasound was used. Thus, we have improved our experiment by using microcapsules as small as blood cells and introducing a plane wave of ultrasound. We prepared an artificial blood vessel including a Y-form bifurcation established in two observation areas. Then, we newly defined the induction index to evaluate the difference in capsule density in two downstream paths. As a result, the optimum angle of ultrasound emission to induct to the desired path was derived. The induction index increased in proportion to the central frequency of ultrasound, which is affected by the aggregation of capsules to receive more acoustic radiation force.

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Micrometer-sized microcapsules collapse upon exposure to ultrasound. Use of this phenomenon for a drug delivery system (DDS), not only for local delivery of medication but also for gene therapy, should be possible. However, enhancing the efficiency of medication is limited because capsules in suspension diffuse in the human body after injection, since the motion of capsules in blood flow cannot be controlled. To control the behavior of microcapsules, acoustic radiation force was introduced. We detected local changes in microcapsule density by producing acoustic radiation force in an artificial blood vessel. Furthermore, we theoretically estimated the conditions required for active path selection of capsules at a bifurcation point in the artificial blood vessel. We observed the difference in capsule density at both in the bifurcation point and in alternative paths downstream of the bifurcation point for different acoustic radiation forces. Comparing the experimental results with those obtained theoretically, the conditions for active path selection were calculated from the acoustic radiation force and fluid resistance of the capsules. The possibility of controlling capsule flow towards a specific point in a blood vessel was demonstrated.

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A new method for the processing of textured YBa 2 Cu 3 O y (Y123) thick film stripes on metallic tapes is discussed. The process involves the texturing of Y123 grains by a localized directional solidification method by creating constitutional gradients along the width of the precursor Y 2 BaCuO 5 (Y211) stripe during an infiltration and growth process. The differences in the solidification temperatures of different rare earth 123 compounds were utilized to generate the constitutional gradients. The sample configuration involves printed lines of light (Nd) and heavy (Yb) rare earth compounds on either side of an airbrushed Y211 stripe underneath a liquid phase (barium cuprates) layer. The higher peritectic temperature (T p ) Nd regions serve as nucleating sites for Y123 grains nucleated in the adjacent Y211 stripes and the constitutional gradients produced due to the diffusion of respective rare earth ions between the Nd and Yb regions, typically of 200 K cm −1 in the region, induce a driving force for the directional growth of the nucleated grains. The solidification is analogous to that in a typical Bridgman furnace in applied high temperature gradients. The process, being independent of growth rate parameter and texture of the underlying substrate, is suitable for the fabrication of long length thick film conductors by a wind and react process in simple box type furnaces.

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There was no significant difference in breast cancer detectability in this population. The C scanner demonstrated ∼1.6-fold larger maximum SUV than WB PET/CT.