SBIR Phase I: Ultrasonic Assessment of Bone Mineral Density of the Bottlenose Dolphin: A Proposed Method for Monitoring Dolphin and Ecosystem Health

SBIR 第一阶段：宽吻海豚骨矿物质密度的超声波评估：监测海豚和生态系统健康的拟议方法

• 批准号: 1315019
• 负责人: JONATHAN KAUFMAN
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: CyberLogic, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-07-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1315019&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Ultrasonic; Assessment; Bone

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project has as its long range objective development of a portable and non-invasive 'ocean-ready' ultrasound device for measuring dolphin bone mineral density (BMD), as a means for assessing and monitoring dolphin and ecosystem health. At present there is no way to assess bone health in dolphins in managed or in free-ranging populations. The specific objectives of this project are (i) to determine the BMD associated with an extensive set of archived skeletal samples from stranded bottlenose dolphins across a range of geographically distinct populations and obtain a set of normative BMD curves versus age, according to gender and other individual-specific morphometric features; (ii) to determine a functional relationship between age and BMD and other individual-specific features; and (iii) to develop an ultrasound method and laboratory system capable of accurately estimating dolphin BMD. X-ray densitometry will be used to determine the BMD of the dolphin radii, and computer simulated and in vitro ultrasound measurements will be used to determine a set of ultrasound parameters. An ultrasound based-estimate of BMD will be established, and the degree to which BMD and morphometric measurements can estimate dolphin age (a key aspect of understanding dolphin/marine ecosystem health) will be established.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is in its potential for managing and dealing with changes in the ecosystem such as through climate change and from exposure to contaminants. The proposed technology therefore has the potential for significantly expanding the ability of the scientific community to assess not only dolphin but overall marine ecosystem health. In addition, an ultrasonically determined value of BMD that could further be used to estimate dolphin age would have significant and additional commercial value worldwide. This value will be realized by marketing a commercial ultrasound product and by offering a commercial service to marine ecosystem health assessment groups. The degree to which the understanding of dolphin and ecosystem health may be positively impacted by the ultrasound technology to be developed in this project cannot be understated. As already noted, there is virtually little if anything presently known about bone properties of dolphins, how they may change over time, and how they may reflect changing climates and contaminants in the oceans. This research may also have analogous significant impacts on the health assessments of other aquatic mammals, such as sea lions and whales. In addition, the USB-based portable ultrasound technology developed in this project should also have large commercial value in the field of non-destructive testing.

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的长期目标是开发一种便携式、非侵入性的“海洋就绪”超声设备，用于测量海豚的骨矿物质密度（BMD），作为评估和监测海豚和生态系统健康的一种手段。目前还没有办法评估管理或自由放养海豚种群的骨骼健康状况。该项目的具体目标是：(i)确定与搁浅宽吻海豚的大量存档骨骼样本相关的骨密度，这些样本来自一系列地理上不同的种群，并根据性别和其他个体特定的形态特征获得一组与年龄相关的规范骨密度曲线；（ii）确定年龄与骨密度和其他个体特征之间的功能关系；（iii）发展一种能准确估计海豚骨密度的超声波方法和实验室系统。x射线密度测量将用于确定海豚半径的骨密度，计算机模拟和体外超声测量将用于确定一组超声参数。将建立基于超声的骨密度估计，并建立骨密度和形态测量在多大程度上可以估计海豚年龄（了解海豚/海洋生态系统健康的一个关键方面）。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于其管理和处理生态系统变化的潜力，例如气候变化和接触污染物。因此，拟议的技术有可能大大扩大科学界评估海豚和整个海洋生态系统健康的能力。此外，超声确定的骨密度值可以进一步用于估计海豚年龄，在世界范围内具有重要的附加商业价值。这一价值将通过销售商业超声产品和向海洋生态系统健康评估小组提供商业服务来实现。在这个项目中开发的超声波技术可能对海豚和生态系统健康的认识产生积极影响的程度不可低估。如前所述，目前人们对海豚的骨骼特性、它们如何随时间变化以及它们如何反映气候和海洋污染物的变化所知甚少。这项研究也可能对其他水生哺乳动物（如海狮和鲸鱼）的健康评估产生类似的重大影响。此外，本项目开发的基于usb的便携式超声技术在无损检测领域也应该具有较大的商业价值。