Histomorphometric Assessment of Cancellous and Cortical Bone Material Distribution in the Proximal Humerus of Normal and Osteoporotic Individuals Significantly Reduced Bone Stock in the Metaphyseal and Subcapital Regions of Osteoporotic Individuals

Osteoporosis is a systemic disorder predominantly affecting postmenopausal women but also men at an advanced age. Both genders may suffer from low-energy fractures of, for example, the proximal humerus when reduction of the bone stock or/and quality has occurred. The aim of the current study was to compare the amount of bone in typical fracture zones of the proximal humerus in osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic individuals. The amount of bone in the proximal humerus was determined histomorphometrically in frontal plane sections. The donor bones were allocated to normal and osteoporotic groups using the T-score from distal radius DXA measurements of the same extremities. The T-score evaluation was done according to WHO criteria. Regional thickness of the subchondral plate and the metaphyseal cortical bone were measured using interactive image analysis. At all measured locations the amount of cancellous bone was significantly lower in individuals from the osteoporotic group compared to the non-osteoporotic one. The osteoporotic group showed more significant differences between regions of the same bone than the non-osteoporotic group. In both groups the subchondral cancellous bone and the subchondral plate were least affected by bone loss. In contrast, the medial metaphyseal region in the osteoporotic group exhibited higher bone loss in comparison to the lateral side. This observation may explain prevailing fracture patterns, which frequently involve compression fractures and certainly has an influence on the stability of implants placed in this medial region. It should be considered when planning the anchoring of osteosynthesis materials in osteoporotic patients with fractures of the proximal humerus

Multi-contrast computed laminography at ANKA light source

X-ray computed laminography has been developed as a non-destructive imaging technique for inspecting laterally extended objects. Benefiting from a parallel-beam geometry, high photon flux of synchrotron sources and modern high-resolution detector systems, synchrotron radiation computed laminography (SRCL) results in a powerful three-dimensional microscopy technique. SRCL can be combined with different contrast modes, such as absorption, phase and dark-field contrasts, in order to provide complementary information for the same specimen. Here we show the development of SRCL at the TopoTomo beamline of the ANKA light source. A novel instrumentation design is reported and compared to the existing one. For this design, experimental results from different contrast modalities are shown

Electromigration Mechanism of Failure in Flip-Chip Solder Joints Based on Discrete Void Formation

In this investigation, SnAgCu and SN100C solders were electromigration (EM) tested, and the 3D laminography imaging technique was employed for in-situ observation of the microstructure evolution during testing. We found that discrete voids nucleate, grow and coalesce along the intermetallic compound/solder interface during EM testing. A systematic analysis yields quantitative information on the number, volume, and growth rate of voids, and the EM parameter of DZ*. We observe that fast intrinsic diffusion in SnAgCu solder causes void growth and coalescence, while in the SN100C solder this coalescence was not significant. To deduce the current density distribution, finite-element models were constructed on the basis of the laminography images. The discrete voids do not change the global current density distribution, but they induce the local current crowding around the voids: this local current crowding enhances the lateral void growth and coalescence. The correlation between the current density and the probability of void formation indicates that a threshold current density exists for the activation of void formation. There is a significant increase in the probability of void formation when the current density exceeds half of the maximum value

One-year follow-up-case report of secondary tension pneumothorax in a COVID-19 pneumonia patient

PURPOSE The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may result not only in acute symptoms such as severe pneumonia, but also in persisting symptoms after months. Here we present a 1~year follow-up of a patient with a secondary tension pneumothorax due to COVID-19 pneumonia. CASE PRESENTATION In May 2020, a 47-year-old male was admitted to the emergency department with fever, dry cough, and sore throat as well as acute chest pain and shortness of breath. Sputum testing (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) and computed tomography (CT) confirmed infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Eleven days after discharge, the patient returned to the emergency department with pronounced dyspnoea after coughing. CT showed a right-sided tension pneumothorax, which was relieved by a chest drain (Buelau) via mini open thoracotomy. For a period of 3~months following resolution of the pneumothorax the patient complained of fatigue with mild joint pain and dyspnoea. After 1~year, the patient did not suffer from any persisting symptoms. The pulmonary function and blood parameters were normal, with the exception of slightly increased levels of D-Dimer. The CT scan revealed only discrete ground glass opacities (GGO) and subpleural linear opacities. CONCLUSION Tension pneumothorax is a rare, severe complication of a SARS-CoV-2 infection but may resolve after treatment without negative long-term sequelae. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V

In vivo imaging of microenvironmental and anti-PD-L1-mediated dynamics in cancer using S100A8/S100A9 as an imaging biomarker

Purpose: As a promotor of tumor invasion and tumor microenvironment (TME) formation, the protein complex S100A8/S100A9 is associated with poor prognosis. Our aim was to further evaluate its origin and regulatory effects, and to establish an imaging biomarker for TME activity. Methods: S100A9−/−cells (ko) were created from syngeneic murine breast cancer 4T1 (high malignancy) and 67NR (low malignancy) wildtype (wt) cell lines and implanted into either female BALB/c wildtype or S100A9−/− mice (n = 10 each). Anti-S100A9-Cy5.5-targeted fluorescence reflectance imaging was performed at 0 h and 24 h after injection. Potential early changes of S100A9-presence under immune checkpoint inhibition (anti-PD-L1, n = 7 vs. rat IgG2b as isotype control, n = 3) were evaluated. Results: In S100A9−/−mice contrast-to-noise-ratios were significantly reduced for wt and S100A9−/−tumors. No significant differences were detected for 4T1 ko and 67NR ko cells as compared to wildtype cells. Under anti-PD-L1 treatment S100A9 presence significantly decreased compared with the control group. Conclusion: Our results confirm a secretion of S100A8/S100A9 by the TME, while tumor cells do not apparently release the protein. Under immune checkpoint inhibition S100A9-imaging reports an early decrease of TME activity. Therefore, S100A9-specific imaging may serve as an imaging biomarker for TME formation and activity

Heterogeneity of the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network architecture and material characteristics across different tissue types in healing bone

Various tissue types, including fibrous connective tissue, bone marrow, cartilage, woven and lamellar bone coexist in healing bone. Similar to all bone tissue type, healing bone contains a lacuno-canalicular network (LCN) housing osteocytes that are known to orchestrate bone remodeling in healthy bone by sensing mechanical strains and translating them into biochemical signals. The structure of the LCN is also hypothesized to influence mineralization processes. Hence, the aim of the present study was to visualize and correlate spatial variations in the LCN topology with mineral characteristics, within and at the interfaces of the different tissue types that comprise healing bone. We applied a correlative multi-method approach to visualize the LCN architecture and quantify mineral particle size and orientation within healing femoral bone in a mouse osteotomy model (26 weeks old C57BL/6 mice). This approach revealed structural differences across several length scales during endochondral ossification within the following regions: calcified cartilage, bony callus, cortical bone and the transition zone between the cortical region and callus that developed during 21 days after the osteotomy. In this transition zone, we observed a continuous convergence of mineral characteristics and osteocyte lacunae shape as well as discontinuities in the lacunae volume and LCN connectivity. The bony callus exhibits a 34% higher lacunae number density with 40% larger lacunar volume compared to cortical bone. The presented correlations between LCN architecture and mineral characteristics improves our understanding of how bone develops during healing and may indicate a contribution of osteocytes to bone (re)modeling

Heterogeneity of the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network architecture and material characteristics across different tissue types in healing bone

Various tissue types, including fibrous connective tissue, bone marrow, cartilage, woven and lamellar bone, coexist in healing bone. Similar to most bone tissue type, healing bone contains a lacuno-canalicular network (LCN) housing osteocytes. These cells are known to orchestrate bone remodeling in healthy bone by sensing mechanical strains and translating them into biochemical signals. The structure of the LCN is hypothesized to influence mineralization processes. Hence, the aim of the present study was to visualize and match spatial variations in the LCN topology with mineral characteristics, within and at the interfaces of the different tissue types that comprise healing bone. We applied a correlative multi-method approach to visualize the LCN architecture and quantify mineral particle size and orientation within healing femoral bone in a mouse osteotomy model (26 weeks old C57BL/6 mice). This approach revealed structural differences across several length scales during endochondral ossification within the following regions: calcified cartilage, bony callus, cortical bone and a transition zone between the cortical and callus region analyzed 21 days after the osteotomy. In this transition zone, we observed a continuous convergence of mineral characteristics and osteocyte lacunae shape as well as discontinuities in the lacunae volume and LCN connectivity. The bony callus exhibits a 34% higher lacunae number density and 40% larger lacunar volume compared to cortical bone. The presented correlations between LCN architecture and mineral characteristics improves our understanding of how bone develops during healing and may indicate a contribution of osteocytes to bone (re)modeling

Compact and versatile neutron imaging detector with sub 4 mu m spatial resolution based on a single crystal thin film scintillator

A large and increasing number of scientific domains pushes for high neutron imaging resolution achieved in reasonable times. Here we present the principle, design and performance of a detector based on infinity corrected optics combined with a crystalline Gd3Ga5O12 Eu scintillator, which provides an isotropic sub 4 amp; 8201; m true resolution. The exposure times are only of a few minutes per image. This is made possible also by the uniquely intense cold neutron flux available at the imaging beamline NeXT Grenoble. These comparatively rapid acquisitions are compatible with multiple high quality tomographic acquisitions, opening new venues for in operando testing, as briefly exemplified her

Gauging low-dose X-ray phase-contrast imaging at a single and large propagation distance

The interactions of a beam of hard and spatio-temporally coherent X-rays with a soft-matter sample primarily induce a transverse distribution of exit phase variations δϕ (retardations or advancements in pieces of the wave front exiting the object compared to the incoming wave front) whose free-space propagation over a distance z gives rise to intensity contrast gz. For single-distance image detection and |δϕ| ≪ 1 all-order-in-z phase-intensity contrast transfer is linear in δϕ. Here we show that ideal coherence implies a decay of the (shot-)noise-to-signal ratio in gz and of the associated phase noise as z−1/2 and z−1, respectively. Limits on X-ray dose thus favor large values of z. We discuss how a phase-scaling symmetry, exact in the limit δϕ → 0 and dynamically unbroken up to |δϕ| ∼ 1, suggests a filtering of gz in Fourier space, preserving non-iterative quasi-linear phase retrieval for phase variations up to order unity if induced by multi-scale objects inducing phase variations δϕ of a broad spatial frequency spectrum. Such an approach continues to be applicable under an assumed phase-attenuation duality. Using synchrotron radiation, ex and in vivo microtomography on frog embryos exemplifies improved resolution compared to a conventional single-distance phase-retrieval algorithm

Synthesis and characterization of new Ti–Bi2O3 anode and its use for reactive dye degradation

This paper reports the synthesis, characterization and application of a Ti–Bi2O3 anode for the electrochemical decolorization of the textile dye Reactive Red 2. The anode was synthesized by electrodeposition on a Ti substrate immersed in an acidic bismuth (III) solution at constant potential, followed by calcination in air at 600 °C. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the electrodeposited material was predominantly metallic bismuth, which was oxidized to pure α-Bi2O3 during the calcination in air. SEM micrographs revealed that the Bi2O3 coat at the anode surface was inhomogeneous and porous. Reactive Red 2 was completely electrochemically decolorized at the synthesized anode in the presence of H2O2. The applied current density, H2O2 and Na2SO4 concentration, medium pH and initial dye concentration affected the dye decolorization rate. The optimal process parameters were found to be as follows: an applied current density of 40 mA cm−2 using a mixture of 10 mmol dm−3 H2O2 and 10 mmol dm−3 Na2SO4 at pH 7. The dye decolorization rate was shown to decrease as its initial concentration increased. The decolorization reactions were found to follow pseudo-first order kinetics