Search

Dual-frequency high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) thermal ablation is an exceptionally promising technique for treating tumors due to its precision and effectiveness. However, there are still a few studies on improving the accuracy and efficiency of HIFU in superficial ablation applications. This study proposes a method utilizing dual frequency switching ultrasound (DFSU) to enhance the efficiency and precision of superficial treatments. A dual-frequency HIFU transducer operating at 4.5 MHz and 13.7 MHz was designed, and a dual-frequency impedance matching network was designed to optimize electro-acoustic conversion efficiency. Phantom and ex vivo tests were conducted to measure and compare thermal lesion areas and temperature rises caused by single-frequency ultrasound (SFU) and DFSU. In both phantom and ex vivo tests, the utilization of DFSU resulted in larger lesion areas compared to SFU. Moreover, DFSU provided improved control and versatility, enabling precise and efficient ablation. DFSU exhibits the ability to generate larger ablation areas in superficial tissue compared to SFU, and DFSU allows flexible control over the ablation area and temperature rise rate. The acoustic power deposition of HIFU can be optimized to achieve precise ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-frequency ultrasounds have demonstrated significant potential in augmenting thermal ablation efficiency for tumor treatment. Ensuring proper impedance matching between the dual-frequency transducer and the power amplifier system is imperative for equipment safety. This paper introduces a novel dual-frequency impedance matching network utilizing L-shaped topology and employing a genetic algorithm to compute component values. Implementation involved an adjustable capacitor and inductor network to achieve dual-frequency matching. Subsequently, the acoustic parameters of the dual-frequency HIFU transducer were evaluated before and after matching, and the effects of ultrasound thermal ablation with and without matching were compared. The proposed dual-frequency impedance matching system effectively reduced the standing wave ratio at the two resonance points while enhancing transmission efficiency. Thermal ablation experiments with matching circuits showed improved temperature rise efficiencies at both frequencies, resulting in an expanded ablation zone. The dual-frequency impedance matching method significantly enhances the transmission efficiency of the dual-frequency ultrasound system at two operational frequencies, thereby ensuring equipment safety. It holds promising prospects for application in dual-frequency ultrasound treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetracycline has received a great deal of interest for the harmful effects of substance abuse on ecosystems and humanity. The effects of different processes on the degradation of tetracycline were compared, with dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) in combination with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) being the most effective for the tetracycline degradation. Free radical scavenging experiments showed that O2∙-, SO4∙- and •OH were the main reactive radicals in the degradation of tetracycline. According to the major intermediates of tetracycline degradation identified, three possible degradation pathways were proposed, which are of significance for translational studies of tetracycline degradation. Notably, these intermediates were found to be significantly less toxicity. The number of active bubbles in the degradation vessel was calculated using a semi-empirical formula, and a higher value of 1.44 × 108 L-1s−1 of bubbles was obtained when using dual-frequency ultrasound at 20 kHz (210 W/L) and 80 kHz (85.4 W/L). Therefore, compared to 20 kHz, although the yield of strong oxidizing substances from individual active bubbles decreased slightly, a significant increment of the number of active bubbles still resulted in a higher synergistic effect, and the combination of DFUS and PMS should be effective in promoting the generation of reactive free radicals and mass transfer processes within the degradation vessel, which provides a method for efficient removal of tetracycline from wastewater.

The utilization of peptide-chelated calcium is low due to the influence of factors such as solubility, heat and digestive environmental conditions; therefore, it is crucial to protect, prolong and stabilize this nutrient in order to enhance its efficacy. This study was conducted to prepare corn peptide-chelated calcium microcapsules using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as the wall material through an improved ultrasonic-assisted method. The structure, solubility, thermal stability, and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of these microcapsules were thoroughly investigated and analyzed. The microcapsules were prepared using the following recommended conditions: a chelate concentration of 5 mg/mL, a mass ratio of chelate to β-CD of 1:8 g/g, and a synchronous dual-frequency ultrasound (20/28 kHz) at a power of 75 W, a duty ratio of 20/5 s/s, and a time of 20 min. These specific parameters were carefully selected to ensure the optimal fabrication of the microcapsules. The results showed that the utilization of dual-frequency ultrasound resulted in a significant increase in both the encapsulation rate and yield, which were enhanced by 15.84 % and 15.68 %, respectively, reaching impressive values of 79.17 % and 90.60 %. Moreover, the results of the structure index analysis provided further confirmation that ultrasonic treatment had a significant impact on the structure of the microcapsules, leading to a noticeable reduction in particle size and transformation into nanoparticles. Furthermore, the microcapsules demonstrated excellent solubility within a wide pH range of 2 to 10, with solubility ranging from 93.54 % to 88.68 %. Additionally, these microcapsules exhibited remarkable thermal stability, retaining a minimum of 84.8 % of their stability when exposed to temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C. Moreover, during gastric and intestinal digestion, these microcapsules exhibited a high slow-release rate of 44.66 % and 51.6 %, indicating their ability to gradually release calcium contents. The inclusion of dual-frequency ultrasound in the preparation of high calcium microcapsules yielded promising outcomes. Overall, our work presents a novel method for synthesizing corn peptide-chelated calcium microcapsules with desirable properties such as good solubility, excellent thermal stability, and a significant slow-release effect. These microcapsules have the potential to serve as fortified high calcium supplements.

We have previously applied ultrasound (US) with microbubbles (MBs) to enhance inner ear drug delivery, with most experiments conducted using single‐frequency, high‐power density US, and multiple treatments. In the present study, the treatment efficacy was enhanced and safety concerns were addressed using a combination of low‐power‐density, single‐transducer, dual‐frequency US (ISPTA = 213 mW/cm2) and MBs of different sizes coated with insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1). This study is the first to investigate the drug‐coating capacity of human serum albumin (HSA) MBs of different particle sizes and their drug delivery efficiency. The concentration of HSA was adjusted to produce different MB sizes. The drug‐coating efficiency was significantly higher for large‐sized MBs than for smaller MBs. In vitro Franz diffusion experiments showed that the combination of dual‐frequency US and large MB size delivered the most IGF‐1 (24.3 ± 0.47 ng/cm2) to the receptor side at the second hour of treatment. In an in vivo guinea pig experiment, the efficiency of IGF‐1 delivery into the inner ear was 15.9 times greater in animals treated with the combination of dual‐frequency US and large MBs (D‐USMB) than in control animals treated with round window soaking (RWS). The IGF‐1 delivery efficiency was 10.15 times greater with the combination of single‐frequency US and large size MBs (S‐USMB) than with RWS. Confocal microscopy of the cochlea showed a stronger distribution of IGF‐1 in the basal turn in the D‐USMB and S‐USMB groups than in the RWS group. In the second and third turns, the D‐USMB group showed the greatest IGF‐1 distribution. Hearing assessments revealed no significant differences among the D‐USMB, S‐USMB, and RWS groups. In conclusion, the combination of single‐transducer dual‐frequency US and suitably sized MBs can significantly reduce US power density while enhancing the delivery of large molecular weight drugs, such as IGF‐1, to the inner ear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the effect of coupling parameters between two ultrasonic waves on acoustic cavitation, in this work, Keller-Miksis equation was introduced to built a bubble dynamics model that was used to describe the dynamic evolution of bubble and to discuss the effect of dual-frequency coupling parameters, such as frequency difference f (5 ∼ 280 kHz), phase difference φ (0 ∼ 7π/4 rad), and power allocation ratio β (0 ∼ 9), on acoustic cavitation in the presence of two ultrasonic waves irradiation. The enhancement and attenuation effect of cavitation have also been analyzed in detail by comparing the different dual-frequency combinations with single-frequency mode. It was found that all coupling parameters have a significant impact on acoustic cavitation, where the smaller values of f and φ were employed when β = 1, the stronger cavitation intensity was observed. Nevertheless, as the power allocation ratio is increased from 1 to 9 at φ = 0 for different frequency differences, the acoustic cavitation exhibits an attenuation trend. When the total acoustic power is evenly distributed, namely β = 1, the largest maximum expansion ratio (i.e. 12.96) was obtained at φ = 0 and f = 5 kHz, which represents a strongest cavitation effect. In addition, for different frequency combinations, the enhancement effect is found under the mixture of low and low frequency, whereas attenuation effect is generated easily by the combination of high and low frequency. Moreover, the effect become more pronounced as the proportion of high frequency component increases.

Bubbles are widely used in the medical field due to their strong acoustic scattering properties, and the interaction between bubbles affects the scattering acoustic field caused by the bubble cluster. In this study, the dynamic equations of bubbles oscillating in viscoelastic tissues are solved numerically. The effect of bubble interaction on the scattered acoustic pressure under dual-frequency ultrasound is analyzed. In addition, the frequency spectra of the scattered acoustic waves due to the bubbles with and without considering the interaction are compared. The results show that the suppression or enlargement of the scattered sound pressure caused by the interaction between bubbles is related to the bubble radius and the incident frequency. Moreover, when the incident frequency is equal to the resonant frequency of the bubble with equilibrium radius R0, the effect of resonant bubbles is stronger than that of non-resonant bubbles. Meanwhile, for the multi-bubble system with a small bubble number density, the total response of the bubble cluster can be approximated as an algebraic sum of the dynamical behavior of individual bubbles.

The effects of sonication power on the ultrasonic cavitation and sonochemistry as well as the degradation of paracetamol were studied and compared for single- and dual-frequency sonoreactors. For the single-frequency sonication, a 500 kHz plate transducer was employed, with three different calorimetric powers of 8.4, 16.7 and 27.9±3.9 W. For the dual-frequency sonication, the plate transducer was perpendicularly coupled with a low-frequency 20 kHz ultrasonic horn, and three calorimetric powers of 27.9, 33.4, 44.6±3.9 W were studied. At all the studied powers, dual-frequency sonication led to a synergistic effect in the degradation of paracetamol, though varying the power of the horn did not affect the degradation rate. A comparison of the degradation data versus the yield of oxidants as well as the overall intensities of sonoluminescence and sonochemiluminescence suggested the degradation is by the action of oxidants near the surface of the bubbles as the major reaction mechanism. Despite the enhancement observed for the degradation, dual-frequency sonication had no significant effect on the yield of either of the oxidants, regardless of the applied power to the horn. In contrast, dual-frequency sonication decreased the overall sonoluminescence and sonochemiluminescence intensities at all powers studied, suggesting that the application of dual-frequency sonication reduces the size of cavitation bubbles. Normal distribution function analysis confirmed dual-frequency sonication resulted in smaller sonoluminescing bubbles, hence the reduction in the sonoluminescence intensity. The increase in degradation rate under DFUS is attributed to the increase in the transfer of paracetamol from the bulk towards the bubbles. As a result, the availability of the pollutant molecules in the vicinity of the bubbles to react with HO• would increase and consequently, the degradation rate would enhance under DFUS.

Ultrasound has emerged as a promising technique for improving the mineral flotation performance. However, limited research exists regarding the influence of different ultrasound types on the flotation process. Specifically, the impact of combined ultrasound and the comparison of horn- and bath-type ultrasounds on flotation have not been fully investigated. To address this knowledge gap, a comprehensive study to explore the effects of different ultrasonic pretreatments on the flotation of flake graphite was conducted. A Box-Behnken design is employed to analyze the effects of combined ultrasound on graphite flotation. By characterizing the properties of graphite samples before and after the ultrasonic treatment, the aim is to elucidate the mechanism underlying the impact of ultrasound on graphite flotation. The experimental results indicated that the ultrasonic cavitation intensity exerted a significant influence on the graphite flotation recovery. Both horn- and bath- type ultrasounds contributed to flotation, but horn-type ultrasound demonstrated a more pronounced effect, leading to a 7% increase in flotation recovery, whereas bath-type ultrasound resulted in only a 2% increase. Furthermore, the cavitation intensity of combined ultrasound was found to be higher than that of single-frequency ultrasound in the same duration. However, the performance of graphite flotation was better with short duration combined ultrasound pretreatment, while the opposite trend was observed for a long duration ultrasound pretreatment. These findings may inform the development of more efficient and effective ultrasonic pretreatments for flotation separation processes.

Abstract We have previously applied ultrasound (US) with microbubbles (MBs) to enhance inner ear drug delivery, with most experiments conducted using single‐frequency, high‐power density US, and multiple treatments. In the present study, the treatment efficacy was enhanced and safety concerns were addressed using a combination of low‐power‐density, single‐transducer, dual‐frequency US (ISPTA = 213 mW/cm2) and MBs of different sizes coated with insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1). This study is the first to investigate the drug‐coating capacity of human serum albumin (HSA) MBs of different particle sizes and their drug delivery efficiency. The concentration of HSA was adjusted to produce different MB sizes. The drug‐coating efficiency was significantly higher for large‐sized MBs than for smaller MBs. In vitro Franz diffusion experiments showed that the combination of dual‐frequency US and large MB size delivered the most IGF‐1 (24.3 ± 0.47 ng/cm2) to the receptor side at the second hour of treatment. In an in vivo guinea pig experiment, the efficiency of IGF‐1 delivery into the inner ear was 15.9 times greater in animals treated with the combination of dual‐frequency US and large MBs (D‐USMB) than in control animals treated with round window soaking (RWS). The IGF‐1 delivery efficiency was 10.15 times greater with the combination of single‐frequency US and large size MBs (S‐USMB) than with RWS. Confocal microscopy of the cochlea showed a stronger distribution of IGF‐1 in the basal turn in the D‐USMB and S‐USMB groups than in the RWS group. In the second and third turns, the D‐USMB group showed the greatest IGF‐1 distribution. Hearing assessments revealed no significant differences among the D‐USMB, S‐USMB, and RWS groups. In conclusion, the combination of single‐transducer dual‐frequency US and suitably sized MBs can significantly reduce US power density while enhancing the delivery of large molecular weight drugs, such as IGF‐1, to the inner ear.

Dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) coupled with sonocatalysts has emerged to be an advanced tool for antimicrobial applications in medicine but remains scarcely studied for water disinfection. In the present work, we first integrated high-frequency DFUS (120 + 1700 kHz), persulfate (S2O82−) and ZnO nano- (50 nm) and microparticles (1 μm) for eradicating Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis in synthetic water. For E. coli, the efficiency of DFUS-based processes can be ranked as follows: DFUS < DFUS/ZnO < DFUS/S2O82− < DFUS/ZnO/S2O82−. A similar efficiency of the DFUS/S2O82− and DFUS/ZnO/S2O82− processes was found for more resistant E. faecalis. In the absence of persulfate, the performance of 1 μm ZnO was higher than that observed with 50 nm for inactivating E. coli via the DFUS/ZnO and 1700 kHz/ZnO processes. A synergy of DFUS in terms of 5-log (total) reduction was found in the S2O82−/ZnO-based systems, being higher for E. faecalis (synergistic coefficient = 1.8–3.0). The synergistic effect was proposed to be driven by the boosted generation of reactive oxygen species and sonoporation. This study opens prospects for the development of novel DFUS-based piezo-catalytic systems for efficient water disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the combined effects of dual-frequency ultrasound (DUS) and citric acid (CA) on the quality changes of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) during refrigerated storage, fresh fillet samples were treated with sterile distilled water (as a control), DUS at 20/28 kHz and 175 W, 8.0 g/L CA or DUS combined with CA (DUS + CA) for 10 min, packaged in sterile bags and stored at 4 ℃. Microbial parameters (total viable count (TVC), and psychrophilic bacterial count (PBC)), physicochemical properties (texture characteristics, color difference, pH, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) content, thiobarbituric acid reaction substance (TBARS) value), water migration (water-holding capacity (WHC), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) and sensory evaluation were measured every two days during storage. The results showed that CA treatment could inhibit lipid oxidation and microbial growth in large yellow croaker during refrigerated storage. On the 8th day of storage, the logarithm of TVC in the control group was (8.26 ± 0.02) (lg(CFU/g)), which exceeded the spoilage limit and was significantly higher than that of the CA group (6.60 ± 0.06) (lg(CFU/g)). The TBARS value of the CA group was (0.51 ± 0.05) mg/kg on the 8th day of storage, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). DUS treatment delayed the transformation of immobile water (T22) into free water (T23), indicating improved WHC. Overall, the quality of large yellow croaker treated with DUS + CA was better than that of all other groups during refrigerated storage. At the end of storage, the TVB-N content of the DUS + CA group was (13.79 ± 0.57) mg/100 g and its quality was the best. Collectively, we concluded that 20/28 kHz, 175 W dual-frequency ultrasound combined with 8.0 g/L citric acid treatment can significantly delay the quality deterioration of large yellow croaker, and prolong the shelf-life for at least six days during refrigerated storage compared with the control group.

In this paper, the effects of ultrasound with different frequency modes on the sprouting rate, sprouting vigor, metabolism-related enzyme activity and late nutrient accumulation in soybean were investigated, and the mechanism of dual-frequency ultrasound promoting bean sprout development was explored. The results showed that, compared with control, the sprouting time was shortened by 24 h after dual-frequency ultrasound treatment (20/60 kHz), and the longest shoot was 7.82 cm at 96 h. Meanwhile, ultrasonic treatment significantly enhanced the activities of protease, amylase, lipase and peroxidase (p

Dual-frequency ultrasounds have demonstrated significant potential in augmenting thermal ablation efficiency for tumor treatment. Ensuring proper impedance matching between the dual-frequency transducer and the power amplifier system is imperative for equipment safety. This paper introduces a novel dual-frequency impedance matching network utilizing L-shaped topology and employing a genetic algorithm to compute component values. Implementation involved an adjustable capacitor and inductor network to achieve dual-frequency matching. Subsequently, the acoustic parameters of the dual-frequency HIFU transducer were evaluated before and after matching, and the effects of ultrasound thermal ablation with and without matching were compared. The proposed dual-frequency impedance matching system effectively reduced the standing wave ratio at the two resonance points while enhancing transmission efficiency. Thermal ablation experiments with matching circuits showed improved temperature rise efficiencies at both frequencies, resulting in an expanded ablation zone. The dual-frequency impedance matching method significantly enhances the transmission efficiency of the dual-frequency ultrasound system at two operational frequencies, thereby ensuring equipment safety. It holds promising prospects for application in dual-frequency ultrasound treatment.

The degradation of paracetamol, a widely found emerging pharmaceutical contaminant, was investigated under a wide range of single-frequency and dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiations. For single-frequency ultrasonic irradiation, plate transducers of 22, 98, 200, 300, 400, 500, 760, 850, 1000, and 2000 kHz were employed and for dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiation, the plate transducers were coupled with a 20 kHz ultrasonic horn in opposing configuration. The sonochemical activity was quantified using two dosimetry methods to measure the yield of HO• and H2O2 separately, as well as sonochemiluminescence measurement. Moreover, the severity of the bubble collapses as well as the spatial and size distribution of the cavitation bubbles were evaluated via sonoluminescence measurement. The paracetamol degradation rate was maximised at 850 kHz, in both single and dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiation. A synergistic index higher than 1 was observed for all degrading frequencies (200 – 1000 kHz) under dual-frequency ultrasound irradiation, showing the capability of dual-frequency system for enhancing pollutant degradation. A comparison of the results of degradation, dosimetry, and sonoluminescence intensity measurement revealed the stronger dependency of the degradation on the yield of HO• for both single and dual-frequency systems, which confirms degradation by HO• as the main removal mechanism. However, an enhanced degradation for frequencies higher than 500 kHz was observed despite a lower HO• yield, which could be attributed to the improved mass transfer of hydrophilic compounds at higher frequencies. The sonoluminescence intensity measurements showed that applying dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiation for 200 and 400 kHz made the bubbles larger and less uniform in size, with a portion of which not contributing to the yield of reactive oxidant species, whereas for the rest of the frequencies, dual-frequency ultrasound irradiation made the cavitation bubbles smaller and more uniform, resulting in a linear correlation between the overall sonoluminescence intensity and the yield of reactive oxidant species.

Our previous study demonstrated that ultrasound is able to promote differentiation on neural stem cells (NSCs), and dual‐frequency ultrasound promotes this effect due to enhanced acoustic cavitation compared with single‐frequency ultrasound. However, the underlying biological reasons have not been well disclosed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the underlying bioeffects, mechanisms and signaling pathways of dual‐frequency ultrasound on NSC differentiation. The morphology, neurite outgrowth, and differentiation percentages were investigated under various dual‐frequency simulation parameters with exposure periods varying from 5 to 15 min. Morphological observations identified that dual‐frequency ultrasound stimulation promoted ultrasound dose‐dependent neurite outgrowth. In particular, cells exposed for 10 min/2 days showed optimal neurite outgrowth and neuron differentiation percentages. In addition, live cell calcium images showed that dual‐frequency ultrasound enhanced the internal calcium content of the cells, and calcium ions entering cells from the extracellular environment could be observed. Dual frequency ultrasound exposure enhanced extracellular calcium influx and upregulated extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) expression. Observations from immunostaining and protein expression examinations also identified that dual‐frequency ultrasound promoted brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) secretion from astrocytes derived from NSCs. In summary, evidence supports that dual‐frequency ultrasound effectively enhances functional neuron differentiation via calcium channel regulation via the downstream ERK1/2 pathway and promotes BDNF secretion to serve as feedback to cascade neuron differentiation. The results may provide an alternative for cell‐based therapy in brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the degradation of aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) in food by using dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) and the effects of sonochemical oxidation on the efficacy. It was found that the degradation of AFB 1 by bath ultrasound (BU), probe ultrasound (PU), and DFUS were all consistent with first-order kinetics. The use of DFUS significantly increased the AFB 1 degradation to 91.3%, and compared with BU and PU, it increased by about 177.0% and 61.5% after 30 min treatment. DFUS could generate a synergistic effect to accelerate the generation of free radicals, which promoted sonochemical oxidation to degrade AFB 1. It could be speculated that hydroxyl radical (·OH) probably acted a dominant part in the AFB 1 degradation by DFUS, and the hydrogen atoms (·H) might also are contributed. These results indicated that DFUS was an effective method of AFB 1 degradation. [Display omitted] • DFUS carried out by combining bath and probe ultrasound can degrade AFB 1 • DFUS can increase AFB 1 degradation compared with bath and probe ultrasound • DFUS can enhance the AFB 1 degradation by promoting the ·OH • Degradation pathways and mechanisms of AFB 1 are proposed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Piezo-catalytic persulfate activation with DFUS (0.12+1.7 MHz) was applied. • DFUS+ZnO+S 2 O 8 2−system was most effective for inactivating bacteria in natural water. • A synergy between DFUS+ZnO and DFUS+S 2 O 8 2−processes was found. • The hybrid process was energy-efficient (231.5 CFU/J E. coli , 91.3 CFU/J E. faecalis). Piezo-coupled catalysis, which is driven by dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) at high frequencies (>100 kHz), has emerged as a promising technique for intensifying the oxidation processes in aqueous media. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of high-frequency DFUS (0.12 + 1.7 MHz) coupled with ZnO microparticles (1 µm) and persulfate (S 2 O 8 2−) for disinfection of filtered natural surface water, spiked with E. coli and E. faecalis , as well as unfiltered natural water with indigenous microflora. Despite the longer treatment times required (as compared to deionized water), this hybrid system provided the fastest inactivation, exhibiting a synergy between DFUS+ZnO and DFUS+S 2 O 8 2− processes and a high energy-efficiency (231.5 and 91.3 CFU/J for E. coli and E. faecalis , respectively). The obtained results revealed the feasibility of DFUS-driven piezo-coupled catalysis using persulfate for advanced water disinfection. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) has received considerable attention for enhanced inactivation of microbial pathogens for medical treatment, but remains little investigated for water disinfection. This study is focused on inactivation of E. coli and E. faecalis in aqueous solution under dual-frequency ultrasonication at 120 + 1700 kHz using persulfate. Single-frequency ultrasonic inactivation showed the higher efficiency of 1700 kHz, compared to 120 kHz. Under the experimental conditions used, no measurable synergy between two frequencies was observed in the absence of persulfate. A high time-based synergistic effect in terms of total inactivation (5-log) of both bacterial species was achieved by DFUS-activated persulfate with synergistic indices of 1.8–5.0. We assume that this is attributed to increased generation of reactive oxygen species (primarily, sulfate anion (SO4•−) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals) as a result of enhanced acoustic cavitation. Radical probing and scavenging tests confirmed the generation of radicals and showed a nearly equal contribution of •OH and SO4•−. This method could be an attractive alternative to ultraviolet technology for fast and effective water disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The rise in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease prevalence, closely linked with metabolic syndromes and obesity, demands accurate, cost-effective diagnostic methods for early-stage fat quantification in the liver. Here we demonstrate a novel dual-frequency ultrasound method that enables the quantitative measurement of liver fat fraction ex vivo and its correlation with actual fat content., Methods: A total of 24 Wistar rats were divided into four different groups, where three groups were given a high-fat diet for 2, 4, and 6 wk, and the last group was given a control diet for 6 wk. Livers were imaged with ultrasound ex vivo in a water bath with a dual-frequency ultrasound transducer and experimental imaging protocol implemented on the Verasonics Vantage research ultrasound scanner. Ultrasound data were post-processed to estimate the non-linear bulk elasticity parameter and the liver samples were analyzed with respect to fat fraction and triglycerides., Results: Rats given a high-fat diet had increased mean levels of liver fat compared with the control group. More importantly, correlation between the ultrasound-based estimation of the non-linear bulk elasticity parameter and fat fraction and triglycerides on an individual level was found to be strong (R 2 = 0.81, p = 5.8 × 10 -9 and R 2 = 0.72, p = 3.6 × 10 -7 , respectively)., Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potential of the novel dual-frequency ultrasound method for the quantitative measurement of liver fat fraction in excised rat livers, showing great promise for this method to become clinically relevant in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with fatty liver disease., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest S.S. and N.A. hold positions at the company SURF Technology AS (Trondheim, Norway)., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sonothrombolysis is a technique that employs the ultrasound waves to break down the clot. Recent studies have demonstrated significant improvement in the treatment efficacy when combining two ultrasound waves of different frequencies. Nevertheless, the findings remain conflicted on the ideal frequency pairing that leads to an optimal treatment outcome. Existing experimental studies are constrained by the limited range of frequencies that can be investigated, while numerical studies are typically confined to spherical microbubble dynamics, thereby restricting the scope of the analysis. To overcome this, the present study investigated the microbubble dynamics caused by the different combinations of ultrasound frequencies. This was carried out using computational modelling as it enables the visualisation of the microbubble behaviour, which is difficult in experimental studies due to the opacity of blood. The results showed that the pairings of two ultrasound waves with low frequencies generally produced stronger cavitation and higher flow-induced shear stress on the clot surface. However, one should avoid the frequency pairings that are integer multipliers of each other, i.e., frequency ratio of 1/3, 1/2 and 2, as they led to resultant wave with low pressure amplitude that weakened the cavitation. At 0.5 + 0.85 MHz, the microbubble caused the highest shear stress of 60.5 kPa, due to its large translational distance towards the clot. Although the pressure threshold for inertial cavitation was reduced using dual-frequency ultrasound, the impact of the high-speed jet can only be realised when the microbubble travelled close to the clot. The results obtained from the present study provide groundwork for deeper understanding on the microbubble dynamics during dual-frequency sonothrombolysis, which is of paramount importance for its optimisations and the subsequent clinical translation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None declared., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) coupled with sonocatalysts has emerged to be an advanced tool for antimicrobial applications in medicine but remains scarcely studied for water disinfection. In the present work, we first integrated high-frequency DFUS (120 + 1700 kHz), persulfate (S2O82−) and ZnO nano- (50 nm) and microparticles (1 μm) for eradicating Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis in synthetic water. For E. coli, the efficiency of DFUS-based processes can be ranked as follows: DFUS < DFUS/ZnO < DFUS/S2O82− < DFUS/ZnO/S2O82−. A similar efficiency of the DFUS/S2O82− and DFUS/ZnO/S2O82− processes was found for more resistant E. faecalis. In the absence of persulfate, the performance of 1 μm ZnO was higher than that observed with 50 nm for inactivating E. coli via the DFUS/ZnO and 1700 kHz/ZnO processes. A synergy of DFUS in terms of 5-log (total) reduction was found in the S2O82−/ZnO-based systems, being higher for E. faecalis (synergistic coefficient = 1.8–3.0). The synergistic effect was proposed to be driven by the boosted generation of reactive oxygen species and sonoporation. This study opens prospects for the development of novel DFUS-based piezo-catalytic systems for efficient water disinfection.

• Dual-frequency ultrasound and HCl-KHF 2 is used to remove ash from aphanitic graphite. • Parametric optimization of ash removal efficiency of aphanitic graphite is conducted. • A final concentrate with 1.02% ash content and 94.17% ash removal rate is obtained. • The ash removal in the novel leaching process is controlled by chemical reactions. The hydrochloric acid-fluoride salt is useful for purifying graphite. Ultrasonic-assisted technique can significantly reduce the leaching time and improve the leaching efficiency. Compared with single-frequency, dual-frequency ultrasound has the advantages of high energy efficiency and wide cavitation area. In this study, the combination of a dual-frequency ultrasound-assisted technique and hydrochloric acid–potassium hydrogen fluoride leaching agent was proposed for the leaching of aphanitic graphite to remove impurity minerals. First, the effects of probe-type ultrasonic power, tank-type ultrasonic power, temperature, HCl concentration, ultrasonication time, and KHF 2 concentration on the purification efficiency of impurities from aphanitic graphite with the assistance of dual-frequency ultrasound were investigated. It was found that the combination of dual-frequency ultrasound and hydrochloric acid–potassium hydrogen fluoride can reduce the ash content of aphanitic graphite from 13.02 % to 1.02 % with an ash removal rate of 94.17 %. Second, volumetric reaction models and unreacted shrinkage nucleation models were used to fit the kinetics of impurities from aphanitic graphite with dual-frequency ultrasound-assisted HCl-KHF 2 leaching. Kinetic analysis shows that the volumetric reaction model with chemical control was better to fit the leaching process. This is consistent with the calculation results of the activation energy of the reaction (E a = 58.13 kJ/mol). Finally, laser particle size analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS) were used to analyze the fugacity of impurity minerals during the process of dual-frequency ultrasound-assisted HCl-KHF 2 leaching. It was revealed that combining ultrasonic cavitation fragmentation with chloric acid–potassium fluoride generated SiF4 with high solubility, thereby removing silica-bearing impurities more efficiently. The challenges in further reducing ash content from 1.02 % in the leached concentrate of aphanitic graphite could be attributed to the existence of titanium-bearing mineral impurities on the surface of graphite particles and the presence of silica-bearing minerals between graphite carbon layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dual-frequency ultrasound combined with PMS had a synergistic effect. • Three new degradation pathways for tetracycline degradation were proposed. • O 2 ∙ - , •OH and SO 4 ∙ - were the main contributors to the oxidation process. • Dual-frequency ultrasound provided a higher number of active bubbles. Tetracycline has received a great deal of interest for the harmful effects of substance abuse on ecosystems and humanity. The effects of different processes on the degradation of tetracycline were compared, with dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) in combination with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) being the most effective for the tetracycline degradation. Free radical scavenging experiments showed that O 2 ∙ - , SO 4 ∙ - and •OH were the main reactive radicals in the degradation of tetracycline. According to the major intermediates of tetracycline degradation identified, three possible degradation pathways were proposed, which are of significance for translational studies of tetracycline degradation. Notably, these intermediates were found to be significantly less toxicity. The number of active bubbles in the degradation vessel was calculated using a semi-empirical formula, and a higher value of 1.44 × 108 L-1s−1 of bubbles was obtained when using dual-frequency ultrasound at 20 kHz (210 W/L) and 80 kHz (85.4 W/L). Therefore, compared to 20 kHz, although the yield of strong oxidizing substances from individual active bubbles decreased slightly, a significant increment of the number of active bubbles still resulted in a higher synergistic effect, and the combination of DFUS and PMS should be effective in promoting the generation of reactive free radicals and mass transfer processes within the degradation vessel, which provides a method for efficient removal of tetracycline from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) has received considerable attention for enhanced inactivation of microbial pathogens for medical treatment, but remains little investigated for water disinfection. This study is focused on inactivation of E. coli and E. faecalis in aqueous solution under dual-frequency ultrasonication at 120 + 1700 kHz using persulfate. Single-frequency ultrasonic inactivation showed the higher efficiency of 1700 kHz, compared to 120 kHz. Under the experimental conditions used, no measurable synergy between two frequencies was observed in the absence of persulfate. A high time-based synergistic effect in terms of total inactivation (5-log) of both bacterial species was achieved by DFUS-activated persulfate with synergistic indices of 1.8–5.0. We assume that this is attributed to increased generation of reactive oxygen species (primarily, sulfate anion (SO4•−) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals) as a result of enhanced acoustic cavitation. Radical probing and scavenging tests confirmed the generation of radicals and showed a nearly equal contribution of •OH and SO4•−. This method could be an attractive alternative to ultraviolet technology for fast and effective water disinfection.

Purpose: We want to compare the synergistic effect of low-intensity, dual-frequency (dual) ultrasound (US), applied in a repetitive sonication mode, and acoustically active lipospheres (AALs) containing doxorubicin (DOX) in a murine model (Balb/C). Subjects and Methods: The tumor-bearing mice were divided into nine groups, namely two untreated groups (control and sham), and seven experimental groups, including treated with dual-frequency US (150 kHzcontinuous + 1MHzpulse), triple exposure (3×30min) dual-frequency US, DOX (2 mg/kg intravenous), DOX in combination with single exposure (30 min) to dual-frequency US (drug + dual), DOX in combination with triple (3 × 30 min) exposure to dual-frequency US (drug + dual [REP]), AALs containing the drug-loaded (AAL), and a group receiving AAL in combination with single exposure (30 min) dual-frequency US (AAL + dual), respectively. Results: The effectiveness of DOX on tumor growth was enhanced by a factor of three when combined with the triple exposures of dual US (drug + dual [REP]). This combination protocol further increased the times needed for each tumor to 2 and 7 times its initial volume, respectively by 94% and 36% compared to the drug group. During the 30 days, following the treatment of tumors, the relative volume of tumors in AAL group was 118% less than that of the drug group. The survival rate of the groups treated with drug and AAL + dual was increased by 78.7% and 167% compared with sham, respectively. Conclusion: Although as a short treatment, a major improvement in treatment was observed by (drug + dual [REP]) compared with other treatments, the AAL + dual treatment compared with (drug + dual [REP]) showed an increase in the survival rates, hence more preferable over long periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new corn peptide-chelated calcium microcapsule supplement was prepared. • A method of dual frequency ultrasound has been developed to improve encapsulation. • Ultrasound significantly improved the encapsulation rate and yield of microcapsules. • Ultrasound modified microcapsule structure and reduced particle size. • Microcapsule showed high solubility, stability and good sustained release effect. The utilization of peptide-chelated calcium is low due to the influence of factors such as solubility, heat and digestive environmental conditions; therefore, it is crucial to protect, prolong and stabilize this nutrient in order to enhance its efficacy. This study was conducted to prepare corn peptide-chelated calcium microcapsules using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as the wall material through an improved ultrasonic-assisted method. The structure, solubility, thermal stability, and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of these microcapsules were thoroughly investigated and analyzed. The microcapsules were prepared using the following recommended conditions: a chelate concentration of 5 mg/mL, a mass ratio of chelate to β-CD of 1:8 g/g, and a synchronous dual-frequency ultrasound (20/28 kHz) at a power of 75 W, a duty ratio of 20/5 s/s, and a time of 20 min. These specific parameters were carefully selected to ensure the optimal fabrication of the microcapsules. The results showed that the utilization of dual-frequency ultrasound resulted in a significant increase in both the encapsulation rate and yield, which were enhanced by 15.84 % and 15.68 %, respectively, reaching impressive values of 79.17 % and 90.60 %. Moreover, the results of the structure index analysis provided further confirmation that ultrasonic treatment had a significant impact on the structure of the microcapsules, leading to a noticeable reduction in particle size and transformation into nanoparticles. Furthermore, the microcapsules demonstrated excellent solubility within a wide pH range of 2 to 10, with solubility ranging from 93.54 % to 88.68 %. Additionally, these microcapsules exhibited remarkable thermal stability, retaining a minimum of 84.8 % of their stability when exposed to temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C. Moreover, during gastric and intestinal digestion, these microcapsules exhibited a high slow-release rate of 44.66 % and 51.6 %, indicating their ability to gradually release calcium contents. The inclusion of dual-frequency ultrasound in the preparation of high calcium microcapsules yielded promising outcomes. Overall, our work presents a novel method for synthesizing corn peptide-chelated calcium microcapsules with desirable properties such as good solubility, excellent thermal stability, and a significant slow-release effect. These microcapsules have the potential to serve as fortified high calcium supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drying of sweet potatoes not only helps to prolong its storage life but the dried form reportedly enriched with high bioactive compounds than regular sweet potatoes. The study aims to investigate the influence of dual-frequency ultrasound pretreatments (40 and 60 kHz) at two different hot air drying temperatures (70 °C and 80 °C) on quality of dried product. Ultrasound pretreatment at 40 kHz with 70 °C maintained the phytochemical compounds in the dried sweet potatoes. Ellagic acid and chlorogenic acid were found as predominant phenolic acids using HPLC analysis, while identification of two new bioactive compounds quercetin-3-rhamnoside and quercetin 3-β-D-glucoside were the novel finding of the current study. A short new band appeared in FTIR in all treatments from 2164 to 2041 cm−1 which refers to C = C alkenes functional group. The multivariate analysis showed a great influence of USH3 and USH1 with a positive relationship with most of bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A bubble dynamics model was established in the dual-frequency acoustic field. • The effect of coupling parameters (f , φ , β) on acoustic cavitation were discussed. • Enhancement and attenuation effects were analyzed by varying two ultrasonic frequencies. • The best cavitation effect was found when φ = 0, β = 1 and f = 5 kHz. • The attenuation effect is more likely to occur with an increase in f and/or φ. To understand the effect of coupling parameters between two ultrasonic waves on acoustic cavitation, in this work, Keller-Miksis equation was introduced to built a bubble dynamics model that was used to describe the dynamic evolution of bubble and to discuss the effect of dual-frequency coupling parameters, such as frequency difference f (5 ∼ 280 kHz), phase difference φ (0 ∼ 7π/4 rad), and power allocation ratio β (0 ∼ 9), on acoustic cavitation in the presence of two ultrasonic waves irradiation. The enhancement and attenuation effect of cavitation have also been analyzed in detail by comparing the different dual-frequency combinations with single-frequency mode. It was found that all coupling parameters have a significant impact on acoustic cavitation, where the smaller values of f and φ were employed when β = 1, the stronger cavitation intensity was observed. Nevertheless, as the power allocation ratio is increased from 1 to 9 at φ = 0 for different frequency differences, the acoustic cavitation exhibits an attenuation trend. When the total acoustic power is evenly distributed, namely β = 1, the largest maximum expansion ratio (i.e. 12.96) was obtained at φ = 0 and f = 5 kHz, which represents a strongest cavitation effect. In addition, for different frequency combinations, the enhancement effect is found under the mixture of low and low frequency, whereas attenuation effect is generated easily by the combination of high and low frequency. Moreover, the effect become more pronounced as the proportion of high frequency component increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigated the bubble dynamics in viscoelastic media under dual-frequency ultrasound and analyzed the frequency spectrum of scattered acoustic pressure of the bubbles. • We compared the multi-bubble acoustic scattering with and without considering bubble interactions. • Enhancement and suppression caused by bubble interactions are fully studied, in particular the effect on the amplitude of the resonance peaks in the scattered acoustic wave spectrum. • The influence of relevant parameters on bubble acoustic scattering is demonstrated. Bubbles are widely used in the medical field due to their strong acoustic scattering properties, and the interaction between bubbles affects the scattering acoustic field caused by the bubble cluster. In this study, the dynamic equations of bubbles oscillating in viscoelastic tissues are solved numerically. The effect of bubble interaction on the scattered acoustic pressure under dual-frequency ultrasound is analyzed. In addition, the frequency spectra of the scattered acoustic waves due to the bubbles with and without considering the interaction are compared. The results show that the suppression or enlargement of the scattered sound pressure caused by the interaction between bubbles is related to the bubble radius and the incident frequency. Moreover, when the incident frequency is equal to the resonant frequency of the bubble with equilibrium radius R 0 , the effect of resonant bubbles is stronger than that of non-resonant bubbles. Meanwhile, for the multi-bubble system with a small bubble number density, the total response of the bubble cluster can be approximated as an algebraic sum of the dynamical behavior of individual bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three powers for either of the frequencies were studied under SFUS (500 kHz) and DFUS (500+20 kHz). • Oxidation by sono-generated ROS was the degradation mechanism under SFUS and DFUS. • DFUS at all powers led to a synergistic effect while having no significant effect on ROS yield. • DFUS slightly reduced SL by reducing the bubble size distribution. • DFUS enhanced degradation by enhancing mass transfer via stabilising the cavitation bubbles. The effects of sonication power on the ultrasonic cavitation and sonochemistry as well as the degradation of paracetamol were studied and compared for single- and dual-frequency sonoreactors. For the single-frequency sonication, a 500 kHz plate transducer was employed, with three different calorimetric powers of 8.4, 16.7 and 27.9±3.9 W. For the dual-frequency sonication, the plate transducer was perpendicularly coupled with a low-frequency 20 kHz ultrasonic horn, and three calorimetric powers of 27.9, 33.4, 44.6±3.9 W were studied. At all the studied powers, dual-frequency sonication led to a synergistic effect in the degradation of paracetamol, though varying the power of the horn did not affect the degradation rate. A comparison of the degradation data versus the yield of oxidants as well as the overall intensities of sonoluminescence and sonochemiluminescence suggested the degradation is by the action of oxidants near the surface of the bubbles as the major reaction mechanism. Despite the enhancement observed for the degradation, dual-frequency sonication had no significant effect on the yield of either of the oxidants, regardless of the applied power to the horn. In contrast, dual-frequency sonication decreased the overall sonoluminescence and sonochemiluminescence intensities at all powers studied, suggesting that the application of dual-frequency sonication reduces the size of cavitation bubbles. Normal distribution function analysis confirmed dual-frequency sonication resulted in smaller sonoluminescing bubbles, hence the reduction in the sonoluminescence intensity. The increase in degradation rate under DFUS is attributed to the increase in the transfer of paracetamol from the bulk towards the bubbles. As a result, the availability of the pollutant molecules in the vicinity of the bubbles to react with HO• would increase and consequently, the degradation rate would enhance under DFUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasonic parameters of graphite flotation were optimized by Box–Behnken design. • Horn-type ultrasound produced a better flotation efficiency than that of bath-type. • Dual-frequency ultrasound was first employed for graphite flotation. • Related mechanisms are cavitation intensity and formed bubble-particle aggregates. Ultrasound has emerged as a promising technique for improving the mineral flotation performance. However, limited research exists regarding the influence of different ultrasound types on the flotation process. Specifically, the impact of combined ultrasound and the comparison of horn- and bath-type ultrasounds on flotation have not been fully investigated. To address this knowledge gap, a comprehensive study to explore the effects of different ultrasonic pretreatments on the flotation of flake graphite was conducted. A Box-Behnken design is employed to analyze the effects of combined ultrasound on graphite flotation. By characterizing the properties of graphite samples before and after the ultrasonic treatment, the aim is to elucidate the mechanism underlying the impact of ultrasound on graphite flotation. The experimental results indicated that the ultrasonic cavitation intensity exerted a significant influence on the graphite flotation recovery. Both horn- and bath- type ultrasounds contributed to flotation, but horn-type ultrasound demonstrated a more pronounced effect, leading to a 7% increase in flotation recovery, whereas bath-type ultrasound resulted in only a 2% increase. Furthermore, the cavitation intensity of combined ultrasound was found to be higher than that of single-frequency ultrasound in the same duration. However, the performance of graphite flotation was better with short duration combined ultrasound pretreatment, while the opposite trend was observed for a long duration ultrasound pretreatment. These findings may inform the development of more efficient and effective ultrasonic pretreatments for flotation separation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that dual-frequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) transducers allow detection of superharmonic bubble signatures, enabling acoustic angiography for microvascular and molecular imaging. In this paper, a dual-frequency IVUS cylindrical array transducer was developed for real-time superharmonic imaging. A reduced form-factor lateral mode transmitter (2.25 MHz) was used to excite microbubbles effectively at 782 kPa with single-cycle excitation while still maintaining the small size and low profile (5 Fr) (3 Fr = 1 mm) for intravascular imaging applications. Superharmonic microbubble responses generated in simulated microvessels were captured by the high frequency receiver (30 MHz). The axial and lateral full-width half-maximum of microbubbles in a 200-μm-diameter cellulose tube were measured to be 162 μm and 1039 μm, respectively, with a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of 16.6 dB. Compared to our previously reported single-element IVUS transducers, this IVUS array design achieves a higher CNR (16.6 dB vs 11 dB) and improved axial resolution (162 μm vs 616 μm). The results show that this dual-frequency IVUS array transducer with a lateral-mode transmitter can fulfill the native design requirement (∼3–5 Fr) for acoustic angiography by generating nonlinear microbubble responses as well as detecting their superharmonic responses in a 5 Fr form factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dual-frequency ultrasound (20/60 kHz) significantly promoted soybean germination. • Germination improved soybean protein, polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. • Cracks and holes in testa caused by ultrasound accelerated water absorption. • Both abaxial side and micropyle of soybean were main water adsorption sites. • Absorbed water improved seed viability by activating multi-metabolic enzymes. In this paper, the effects of ultrasound with different frequency modes on the sprouting rate, sprouting vigor, metabolism-related enzyme activity and late nutrient accumulation in soybean were investigated, and the mechanism of dual-frequency ultrasound promoting bean sprout development was explored. The results showed that, compared with control, the sprouting time was shortened by 24 h after dual-frequency ultrasound treatment (20/60 kHz), and the longest shoot was 7.82 cm at 96 h. Meanwhile, ultrasonic treatment significantly enhanced the activities of protease, amylase, lipase and peroxidase (p < 0.05), particularly the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase increased by 20.50%, which not only accelerated the seed metabolism, but also led to the accumulation of phenolics (p < 0.05), as well as more potent antioxidant activity at later stages of sprouting. In addition, the seed coat exhibited remarkable cracks and holes after ultrasonication, resulting in accelerated water absorption. Moreover, the immobilized water in seeds increased significantly, which was beneficial to seed metabolism and later sprouting. These findings confirmed that dual-frequency ultrasound pretreatment has a great potential to be used for seed sprouting and promoting the accumulation of nutrients in bean sprouts by accelerating water absorption and increasing enzyme activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High intensity focused ultrasound surgery still requires relatively a long surgical time due to small size of coagulative necrosis per each sonication. In order to increase a region of coagulative necrosis, dual-frequency ultrasound scheme has been proposed and showed notable results. In this paper, a novel dual-frequency ultrasound transducer based on the inversion layer technique is presented. Finite element analysis simulation was conducted, and the prototype transducer was fabricated to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method. The optimized thickness ratio between the inverted and non-inverted piezoelectric layers was chosen as 0.3:0.7. The proposed transducer with the chosen ratio generated the fundamental (at 1.2 MHz) frequency and the second harmonic frequency (at 2.4 MHz) ultrasound at the same time. The performance of the proposed transducer was numerically and experimentally verified through electrical impedance, pulse-echo response, and beam profile tests. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The ability of distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) fiber laser sensor in dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) measurement has been demonstrated. The influences of DFUS pressure on fiber grating laser sensor were theoretically analyzed, considering the effects of relative distance of the ultrasound field and the amplitude of the DFUS on the degrees of birefringence modulation. In experiment, the birefringence in sensing fiber was modulated by ultrasound signals at 3 MHz and 5 MHz, and the test distance and driving voltage were set respectively according to the ultrasound frequency. Agreement between theoretical and experimental results was obtained for ultrasound wave propagating from different distances (40 mm to 10 mm) and different DFUS driving voltage (5 V to 20 V). The results demonstrate that the DBR fiber grating laser acoustic sensor has a multi-frequency ultrasound recognizable ability, offering a potential for ultrasound medicine and biology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a self-designed novel continuous-flow water disinfection system coupling dual-frequency ultrasound (US) with chemical disinfectant sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) was tested in a pilot scale using a simulated effluent containing Bacillus subtilis ( B. subtilis ), one of the indicators of water treatment efficiency. A suspension having a B. subtilis concentration of approximately 10 4 CFU/mL was introduced into the system to (1) investigate disinfection efficiency of US pretreatment with NaClO (US + NaClO) and simultaneous US and NaClO (US/NaClO) disinfection under different single frequencies; (2) further examine the disinfection efficiency of these two processes with dual-frequency US; and (3) identify dosage reduction of chlorine in this disinfection system. The results demonstrated that lower dual-frequency (17 kHz + 33 kHz) US pretreatment with NaClO disinfection and simultaneous higher dual-frequency (70 kHz + 100 kHz) US and NaClO were beneficial to bacterial inactivation in terms of sterilizing efficiency. It has also been observed that US pretreatment with lower combination of 17 + 33 kHz frequencies showed better enhancement in which log reduction reached to 3.82 after 10 min chlorine reaction (chlorine alone was 0.22 log reduction), nearly 1 log reduction higher than single frequencies at the same constant power. Consequently, at equivalent power dissipation levels, US of lower frequencies combination pretreatment with NaClO disinfection performed such a promising process that one-thirds (from 12 mg/L NaClO reduced to 8 mg/L NaClO) of the required NaClO dosage was reduced for the ideal disinfection efficiency of 4 log reduction, namely 100% disinfection. And the utilization efficiency of NaClO was increased from 37.67% to 85.25% in 30 min of treatment time using an optimized combination of pretreatment and chlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of paracetamol, a widely found emerging pharmaceutical contaminant, was investigated under a wide range of single-frequency and dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiations. For single-frequency ultrasonic irradiation, plate transducers of 22, 98, 200, 300, 400, 500, 760, 850, 1000, and 2000 kHz were employed and for dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiation, the plate transducers were coupled with a 20 kHz ultrasonic horn in opposing configuration. The sonochemical activity was quantified using two dosimetry methods to measure the yield of HO• and H 2 O 2 separately, as well as sonochemiluminescence measurement. Moreover, the severity of the bubble collapses as well as the spatial and size distribution of the cavitation bubbles were evaluated via sonoluminescence measurement. The paracetamol degradation rate was maximised at 850 kHz, in both single and dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiation. A synergistic index higher than 1 was observed for all degrading frequencies (200 – 1000 kHz) under dual-frequency ultrasound irradiation, showing the capability of dual-frequency system for enhancing pollutant degradation. A comparison of the results of degradation, dosimetry, and sonoluminescence intensity measurement revealed the stronger dependency of the degradation on the yield of HO• for both single and dual-frequency systems, which confirms degradation by HO• as the main removal mechanism. However, an enhanced degradation for frequencies higher than 500 kHz was observed despite a lower HO• yield, which could be attributed to the improved mass transfer of hydrophilic compounds at higher frequencies. The sonoluminescence intensity measurements showed that applying dual-frequency ultrasonic irradiation for 200 and 400 kHz made the bubbles larger and less uniform in size, with a portion of which not contributing to the yield of reactive oxidant species, whereas for the rest of the frequencies, dual-frequency ultrasound irradiation made the cavitation bubbles smaller and more uniform, resulting in a linear correlation between the overall sonoluminescence intensity and the yield of reactive oxidant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study demonstrated that ultrasound is able to promote differentiation on neural stem cells (NSCs), and dual-frequency ultrasound promotes this effect due to enhanced acoustic cavitation compared with single-frequency ultrasound. However, the underlying biological reasons have not been well disclosed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the underlying bioeffects, mechanisms and signaling pathways of dual-frequency ultrasound on NSC differentiation. The morphology, neurite outgrowth, and differentiation percentages were investigated under various dual-frequency simulation parameters with exposure periods varying from 5 to 15 min. Morphological observations identified that dual-frequency ultrasound stimulation promoted ultrasound dose-dependent neurite outgrowth. In particular, cells exposed for 10 min/2 days showed optimal neurite outgrowth and neuron differentiation percentages. In addition, live cell calcium images showed that dual-frequency ultrasound enhanced the internal calcium content of the cells, and calcium ions entering cells from the extracellular environment could be observed. Dual frequency ultrasound exposure enhanced extracellular calcium influx and upregulated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) expression. Observations from immunostaining and protein expression examinations also identified that dual-frequency ultrasound promoted brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) secretion from astrocytes derived from NSCs. In summary, evidence supports that dual-frequency ultrasound effectively enhances functional neuron differentiation via calcium channel regulation via the downstream ERK1/2 pathway and promotes BDNF secretion to serve as feedback to cascade neuron differentiation. The results may provide an alternative for cell-based therapy in brain injury., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

With the same ultrasonic power, time and temperature, different ultrasonic frequency (20 kHz, 25 kHz and 20 kHz + 25 kHz) effects on the structure and properties of corn starch in water were studied, as well as its cavitation. Brabender viscometer and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used to determine the viscosity and microstructure of starch respectively. The experimental results indicated that the peak viscosity of starch without ultrasound was 1076.0BU, however it decreased by 18.87% and 17.66% with 25 kHz and 20 kHz, respectively. Ultrasound could significantly change the thermal stability, retrogradation, gel properties of starch, and caused depression on the surface of starch granules. Iodine release yield was used to present the cavitational yield at different frequencies of ultrasound. Compared to these with each single frequency ultrasound, the change of the above properties of corn starch granules microstructure with dual-frequency (20 kHz + 25 kHz) ultrasound were smaller, but had much more depression on their surfaces. Dual-frequency ultrasound produced more cavitation yields and caused faster collapse of bubbles than each single frequency. In conclusion, (20 kHz + 25 kHz) proved an more evident effect on corn starch structure and properties, and as a possible mechanism, it has more ultrasonic cavitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A.acidoterrestris (AAT) was inactivated by 5 logs via cell sonoporation. • Double-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) waves induced ROS and caused DNA damage. • Microstructure analysis showed that DFTS had a greater bactericidal effectiveness. • FTIR detected modifications in AAT proteins, nucleic acids and lipids, induced by ROS. Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris (AAT) was proposed as an index of pasteurization design for high-acid fruit products due to its spore resistance and repeated spoilage incidences in fruit juices. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of pulsed multifrequency ultrasound to minimize AAT spores and vegetative cells in aqueous suspension. For this research, an investigation of the reactive oxygen species and antioxidant activity was performed to examine the effect of temperature and frequency on AAT spore inoculation. Total decreases in AAT bacteria were 5.99, 5.74 Log CFU/mL in vegetative cells for dual-frequency thermosonication (DFTS) and dual-frequency ultrasonication (DFUS), respectively, while 5.90 and 5.38 Log CFU/mL in spores for both DFUS and DFTS, respectively. The loss of the percentage of cells in ultrasound (US) and thermosonication (TS) treatments was inversely associated with the rate of O 2 −and H 2 O 2 development. The fluorescence microscopy revealed a higher bactericidal efficacy of DFTS compared to the DFUS and control. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated ultra-structural modifications such as the interruption of cell walls by cavitation and pores in the membrane structure of the AAT bacteria induced by sonoporation. Several TS frequencies of 20/40/60, 20/40, and 20 kHz treated spores had a higher electrical conductivity than untreated ones, with an improvement of 7.94, 5.68, and 3.72 %, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed major changes in the spectral region of membrane fatty acids and proteins of AAT. Simultaneously, AAT inactivation specific energy rate was significantly reduced using dual-frequency ultrasound, compared to mono-frequency thermosonication. The significant results of this work recommended pulsed DFUS as an alternative application to mono-frequency US in beverage industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound is widely used to accelerate many reactions and unit operations, but few studies have reported its effects on starch properties and structure. RESULTS: Corn starch suspended in ethanol solution was treated by dual-frequency ultrasound (DFU) and single-frequency ultrasound (SFU). Results showed that the transparency of the starch treated under 20 + 25 kHz DFU improved by 26.94% and 31.70%, respectively, compared to 20kHz and 25kHz SFU. Hardness, brittleness, elasticity, adhesiveness, conglutinationdegree, chewiness and recoverability of starch was reduced after ultrasonic treatment, and with increasing ultrasonic frequency these properties decreased. Its enthalpy value also decreased with ultrasound. Compared with each SFU treatment, enthalpy value decreased by 1.41% and 0.82%, respectively, by DFU. The freeze-thaw stability of starch was also weakened by ultrasound, which was obviously changed by DFU. Under ultrasound, the crystal structure of starch was not damaged, characteristic diffraction peak intensity was significantly reduced and diffuse diffraction features increased, exhibiting a decline in crystal lattice ordering degree. In comparison to SFU, DFU caused a pronounced reduction in starch crystallinity. CONCLUSION:After ultrasonic treatment, the transparencyof corn starchpaste improved, but itshardness, brittleness, elasticity, adhesiveness, conglutinationdegree, chewiness andrecoverabilitydecreased, aswell as starch crystallinity andenthalpy values. DFU was found to be more effective than SFU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using dual-frequency ultrasound (DFU), microbubbles (< 10 µm diameter) have been detected in tissue following decompression. It is not known if these micro-bubbles are the precursors for B-mode ultrasound-detectable venous gas emboli (bmdVGE). The purpose of this study was to determine if microbubbles could be detected intravascularly postdecompression and to investigate the temporal relationship between microbubbles and larger bmdVGE. Anesthetized swine (n = 15) were exposed to 4.0-4.5 ATA for 2 h, followed by decompression to 0.98 ATA. Microbubble presence and VGE grade were measured using DFU and B-mode ultrasound, respectively, before and for 1 h postdecompression, approximately every 4-5 min. Microbubbles appeared in the bloodstream postdecompression, both in the presence and absence of bmdVGE. In swine without bmdVGE, microbubbles remained elevated for the entire 60-min postdecompression period. In swine with bmdVGE, microbubble signals were detected initially but then returned to baseline. Microbubbles were not detected with the sham dive. Mean bmdVGE grade increased over the length of the postdecompression data collection period. Comparison of the two response curves revealed significant differences at 5 and 10 min postdecompression, indicating that microbubbles preceded bmdVGE. These findings indicate that decompression-induced microbubbles can 1) be detected intravascularly at multiple sites, 2) appear in the presence and absence of bmdVGE, and 3) occur before bmdVGE. This supports the hypothesis that microbubbles precede larger VGE bubbles. Micro-bubble presence may be an early marker of decompression stress. Since DFU is a low-power ultrasonic method, it may be useful for operational diving applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigated the therapeutic effect of dual-frequency sonication (3 MHz and 28 kHz) at low intensity levels in combination with micellar doxorubicin in the treatment of a tumor model of spontaneous breast adenocarcinoma in Balb/c mice. Methods: We used sonication frequencies 28 kHz and 3 MHz and their dual combinations in the progressive wave mode to enhance acoustic cavitation. Then, the antitumor effect of the simultaneous dual-frequency ultrasound (28 kHz and 3 MHz) at low intensity levels in combination with doxorubicin and micellar doxorubicin injection was investigated in a spontaneous model of breast adenocarcinoma in Balb/c mice. Sixty-three tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into seven groups: control, sham, sonication with dual frequency, doxorubicin without sonication, doxorubicin with dual-frequency sonication, micellar doxorubicin without sonication, and micellar doxorubicin with dual-frequency sonication. The tumor volume change relative to the initial volume, tumor growth inhibition ratio, the required times for each tumor to reach two ( T) and five ( T) times its initial volume, and survival period were the tumor growth delay parameters which were calculated and recorded at various times after treatment. Results: The results of the combination of frequencies 28 kHz (0.04 W/cm) and 3 MHz (2.00 W/cm) showed remarkable enhancement of the cavitation activity compared with single-frequency sonication ( P < 0.05). The micellar doxorubicin injection with sonication group showed a significant difference in the relative volume percent parameter compared with the other groups ( P < 0.05). Additionally, the T and T times in the micellar doxorubicin with sonication group were significantly higher than in the other groups ( P < 0.05). Also, the survival period of the mice in the micellar doxorubicin with sonication group was significantly longer than in the other groups ( P < 0.05). These findings were verified histopathologically. Conclusion: This study shows that simultaneous combined dual-frequency ultrasound sonication in continuous mode is effective in producing cavitation activity at low intensity. We conclude that dual-frequency sonication with micellar doxorubicin injection extends survival in a murine breast adenocarcinoma model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] One-pot regioselective synthesis of isoxazoles, using ultrasound irradiation. [•] Combined use of ultrasonic bath and probe in the presence of copper turnings. [•] Synergistic effect of dual-frequency ultrasound. [•] Green reagents and solvents, no isolation/purification of intermediates. [•] Reduced reaction time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously applied ultrasound (US) with microbubbles (MBs) to enhance inner ear drug delivery, with most experiments conducted using single-frequency, high-power density US, and multiple treatments. In the present study, the treatment efficacy was enhanced and safety concerns were addressed using a combination of low-power-density, single-transducer, dual-frequency US ( I SPTA  = 213 mW/cm 2 ) and MBs of different sizes coated with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). This study is the first to investigate the drug-coating capacity of human serum albumin (HSA) MBs of different particle sizes and their drug delivery efficiency. The concentration of HSA was adjusted to produce different MB sizes. The drug-coating efficiency was significantly higher for large-sized MBs than for smaller MBs. In vitro Franz diffusion experiments showed that the combination of dual-frequency US and large MB size delivered the most IGF-1 (24.3 ± 0.47 ng/cm 2 ) to the receptor side at the second hour of treatment. In an in vivo guinea pig experiment, the efficiency of IGF-1 delivery into the inner ear was 15.9 times greater in animals treated with the combination of dual-frequency US and large MBs (D-USMB) than in control animals treated with round window soaking (RWS). The IGF-1 delivery efficiency was 10.15 times greater with the combination of single-frequency US and large size MBs (S-USMB) than with RWS. Confocal microscopy of the cochlea showed a stronger distribution of IGF-1 in the basal turn in the D-USMB and S-USMB groups than in the RWS group. In the second and third turns, the D-USMB group showed the greatest IGF-1 distribution. Hearing assessments revealed no significant differences among the D-USMB, S-USMB, and RWS groups. In conclusion, the combination of single-transducer dual-frequency US and suitably sized MBs can significantly reduce US power density while enhancing the delivery of large molecular weight drugs, such as IGF-1, to the inner ear., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists., (© 2022 The Authors. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers.)

Effects on the structure and properties of sweet potato starch under single frequency ultrasound of 25, 80 kHz and dual-frequency ultrasound of 25 and 80 kHz were investigated at the same treating conditions else. Dents and pores were found by SEM at the surface of starch with both ultrasounds. Starch-iodine complex analysis showed above ultrasounds destroyed amylopectin and starch chains. FT-IR indicated that with ultrasonic treatments, the functional groups of starch were not destroyed, but its crystal structure was damaged. As a result, its crystalline index decreased. Brabender curves showed that the peak viscosity of starch with dual-frequency ultrasound was 14.09% lower than that of the native starch. In addition, the solubility and transmittance of starch increased by ultrasound, and the solubility went up as ultrasonication time was increased. It reached the maximum when the starch was treated for 60 min by dual-frequency ultrasound, which increased by 2.69% compared to that of native starch. The starch being treated by dual-frequency ultrasound for 30 min showed maximum transmittance, increasing it by 5.1% compared to the native starch; however, continuously increasing ultrasonic treatment resulted in a decrease of transmittance. Therefore, compared to single frequency ultrasound, dual-frequency ultrasonic treatment caused more obvious changes to the structure and properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dual-frequency ultrasound has recently been shown to extensively enhance the acoustic cavitation yield in water. Methods: In this study, the in vivo antitumor effect of simultaneous, dual-frequency ultrasound at low-level intensity ( I = 2 W/cm for 1 MHz and I = 0.2 W/cm for 150 kHz) in combination with an intravenous injection of 5 mg/kg hematoporphyrin (Hp) was investigated in a model of breast adenocarcinoma in Balb/c mice. Seventy-one tumor-bearing mice were divided into nine treatment groups: control, sham, Hp injection, and single- and dual-frequency sonication in the presence and absence of Hp. The tumor growth delay was then calculated based on the tumor volume at various times after treatment using the following parameters: relative volume percent, $$ T_{5} $$ and $$ T_{2} $$ times (to reach five and two times the initial volume), percent of tumor growth inhibition ratio, and survival period. Results: Our results showed no significant difference between the 150 kHz and 1 MHz single-frequency groups when compared with the sham group after 9 days of treatment ( p > 0.05). However, treatment with dual-frequency ultrasound significantly delayed tumor growth when compared with the sham group ( p < 0.05) after 9 days of treatment. Furthermore, in vivo experiments showed that combined dual-frequency sonication controlled tumor growth more effectively than single-frequency sonication. Evaluation of the therapeutic effects of single- and dual-frequency ultrasound in sonodynamic therapy revealed that treatment with the combination of dual-frequency ultrasound and Hp resulted in a significant reduction in the relative volume percent of tumors after 3 days of treatment ( p < 0.05) compared with the controls. Additionally, the T time and the survival period in the group treated with the combination therapy was significantly longer than those in all the other groups ( p < 0.05). These findings were further verified histopathologically. Conclusion: In conclusion, our results reveal that sonodynamic therapy using dual-frequency ultrasound is able to extend the survival time of animals compared with single-frequency sonication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most bone ultrasound devices are designed for through-transmission measurements of the calcaneus. In principle, ultrasound backscattering measurements are possible at more typical fracture sites of the central skeleton. Unfortunately, soft tissue overlying the bones diminishes reliability of these measurements. Purpose: To apply the single-transducer dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) technique to eliminate the errors induced by soft tissue on the measurements of integrated reflection coefficient (IRC) in human distal femur in vivo. Material and Methods: Ultrasound and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examinations were conducted on a bodybuilder during a 21-week training and dieting period. Results: Significant changes in quantity and composition of soft tissue took place during the diet. However, DXA measurements showed no significant effects on bone density measurements. The single transducer DFUS technique enabled the determination of local soft-tissue composition, as verified by comparison with the DXA (r=0.91, n=8, p<0.01). Further, the technique eliminated the soft-tissue-induced error from IRC measured for the bone. The uncorrected IRC associated significantly with the change in local soft-tissue composition (r=-0.83, n=8, p<0.05), whereas the corrected IRC values showed no significant dependence (r=-0.30, n=8, p=0.46) on local soft-tissue composition. Conclusion: The DFUS technique may significantly enhance the accuracy of clinical ultrasound measurements of bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influences of the ultrasound frequency and pretreatment duration on the viscoelastic properties and microstructure of whey protein emulsion gels (WPEG) were investigated using dual-frequency ultrasound in sequential mode. And the effect of ultrasound modification of whey protein on the in vitro digestion of WPEG was assessed. The results showed that ultrasonic pretreatment could improve the viscoelastic properties and microstructure of WPEG. WPEG pretreated with an ultrasound sequence of 20 and 28 kHz for 10 min exhibited better storage modulus (G′) and microstructure compared to the control. The final G′ and final tanδ of WPEG increased by 184% and 8% respectively compared with the control. CLSM and SEM showed that ultrasound pretreatment could result in the formation of a compact and fine network. The ultrasound pretreatment improved the digestion of WPEG by enhancing the acid and base consumption during gastric and intestinal digestion, respectively. It was suggested that dual-frequency ultrasound in sequential mode could influence the fate of WPEG during gastrointestinal digestion by changing the microstructure of WPEG. Dual-frequency ultrasound could potentially be used to develop foods with new nutritional properties. [Display omitted] • Sequential dual frequency ultrasound (DFU) pretreatment enhanced G′ and tanδ of whey protein emulsion gels (WPEG). • Sequential DFU pretreatment improve the digestive rate of WPEG. • The microstructure of WPEG might influence their fate during digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]