Increased x-ray attenuation in malignant vs. benign mediastinal nodes in an orthotopic model of lung cancer

PURPOSEStaging of lung cancer is typically performed with fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT); however, false positive PET scans can occur due to inflammatory disease. The CT scan is used for anatomic registration and attenuation correction. Herein, we evaluated x-ray attenuation (XRA) within nodes on CT and correlated this with the presence of malignancy in an orthotopic lung cancer model in rats.METHODS1×106 NCI-H460 cells were injected transthoracically in six National Institutes of Health nude rats and six animals served as controls. After two weeks, animals were sacrificed; lymph nodes were extracted and scanned with a micro-CT to determine their XRA prior to histologic analysis.RESULTSMedian CT density in malignant lymph nodes (n=20) was significantly higher than benign lymph nodes (n=12; P = 0.018). Short-axis diameter of metastatic lymph nodes was significantly different than benign nodes (3.4 mm vs. 2.4 mm; P = 0.025). Area under the curve for malignancy was higher for density-based lymph node analysis compared with size measurements (0.87 vs. 0.7).CONCLUSIONXRA of metastatic mediastinal lymph nodes is significantly higher than benign nodes in this lung cancer model. This suggests that information on nodal density may be useful when used in combination with the results of FDG-PET in determining the likelihood of malignant adenopath

Komposit, Herstellungsverfahren für ein Komposit und aus dem Komposit gebildeter Formkörper

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zum Herstellen eines Komposits, wobei das Komposit (1) eine Matrix (2) beinhaltet, die ganz oder zumindest bereichsweise durch ein erstes Material (3) gebildet ist und in die Partikel eines zweiten Materials (5) eingelagert sind,wobei das Verfahren folgende Schritte umfasst:- Bereitstellen eines Zwischenkomposits, wobei das Zwischenkomposit eine Matrix beinhaltet, in die Partikel des zweiten Materials (5) eingelagert sind,- Bereitstellen eines von dem Zwischenkomposit verschiedenen weiteren Materials, welchesPartikel des zweiten Materials (5) beinhaltet oderzumindest bereichsweise durch das erste Material (3) gebildet ist,- Zusammenführen des Zwischenkomposits mit dem weiteren Material und- Vermischen des Zwischenkomposits mit dem weiteren Material.Die Erfindung betrifft außerdem ein Komposit (1) und ein Formteil

Customized Smartness: A survey on links between additive manufacturing and sensor integration

In many areas, Additive Manufacturing (AM) has made the decisive steps from prototyping to true manufacturing technology. AM processes excel based on aspects like outstanding geometrical flexibility and lack of tooling, which allows significant lead time reductions both in initial product design and in case of design adaptations. However, in production today, most of these advantages are realized based on homogeneous materials. Attempts at advancing the state of the art address the topic of material combinations and functionally graded materials. The challenges faced by such approaches differ in their level of severity, and are influenced in this respect by the actual AM process chosen. Beyond composites with spatially varying properties, the next level of complexity is the integration of geometrically defined 3D structures within the volume of a part, and specifically functional structures at that. Endeavours of the latter kind are currently receiving increased attention under headlines like “Structural Electronics” or “3D Electronics Printing”. Here, the surface or volume integrated structure typically is a sensor or electronic system. Beyond this system, the AM process then either provides a complex 3D substrate and thus addresses the packaging issue and/or replaces a conventional PCB, or it generates an engineering component directly and closely integrates it with electronic and sensor systems. So far, the backbone of most solutions realized have been hybrid production systems that integrate different manufacturing processes in a single piece of equipment. The present work provides a brief introduction to the various AM techniques and discusses a disambiguation based on their general capability of producing functional structures on a volume integration level. A classification of such structures is suggested that accounts for their level of complexity in relation to the typical, layer-wise manufacturing scheme adopted in AM. Examples stemming from a global research landscape are discussed in the context of this classification. In this, two special foci are selected reflecting related activities at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (Fraunhofer IFAM): One of these is a combination of manufacturing processes, with functional printing and other direct write techniques linked to AM processes in a dedicated manufacturing cell. The other addresses integration of pre-fabricated electronic components like RFID systems into metal components produced by means of selective laser melting (SLM).The study closes with an overview of future research trends towards producing components with integrated electronics. In doing so, special emphasis is given to AM techniques that allow for in-process switching of materials and thus have the potential of realizing complex systems not by combination of processes, but within the boundaries of a single process. Also addressed are potential application scenarios that profit specifically from the combination of AM and sensor integration

M84/4 raw data of EM710 multibeam echosounder (bathymetry & beam time series)

Bathymetry data was acquired during R/V METEOR cruise M84/4 at the Galician Shelf off Northwest Spain in the Northeast Atlantic between 01.05.2011 and 28.05.2011. The main objectives of the cruise were the investigation of sediment transport processes from shallow to deep waters, understanding sediment dynamics, analysis of material downslope processes and the reconstruction of modern and past environmental conditions. The cruise comprised seismic, sedimentological, magnetic, geochemical and palaeoceanographic methods. Extensive bathymetric mapping during M84/4 based on the multibeam echosounders (MBES) KONGSBERG EM710 and EM122 provided the basis for sediment coring and additional investigations. Hydroacoustic data revealed the diverse morphology in the study area, driven by both sedimentary and tectonic processes, including contouritic deposits, slope gullies, canyon/channel systems, ridges and seamounts. The sub-bottom profiler PARASOUND, multichannel seismics, ADCP, several coring devices and the electromagnetic profiler MARUM-NERIDIS III complemented the research programme of the cruise. CI Citation: Paul Wintersteller ([email protected]) as responsible party for bathymetry raw data ingest and approval. Description of the data source: During the M84/4 cruise, the hull-mounted KONGSBERG EM710 multibeam echosounder (MBES) was utilized to perform bathymetric mapping of high resolution in water depths of 3 m to – theoretically – 2000 m. Best quality data is, however, achieved in water depths of less than 600 m, and in rough weather conditions less than 400 m. The EM710 operates at sonar frequencies of 70 to 100 kHz. Three sectors divide the transmit fan, where distinct frequencies or waveforms are transmitted sequentially. The swath width can reach 5.5 times the water depth. 256 beams with an acoustical 1°(TX)/1°(RX) footprint are formed for each ping. The transmit fan is electronically stabilized for roll, pitch and yaw. Combining phase and amplitude bottom detection algorithms allows achieving best possible accuracy. For further information, consult: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/26726/1/Kon2007b.pdf. The position and depth of the water column is estimated for each beam by using the detected two-way-travel time and the beam angle known for each beam and taking ray bending due to refraction in the water column by sound speed into account. During the M84/4 cruise, the EM710 was running in a 24-hour watch mode, in addition to the EM122 and the PARASOUND sub-bottom profiling system. Acquisition of EM710 data was reliable during the whole cruise; however, problems occurred during rough weather conditions, since the EM710 lost the bottom signal in depths of more than 400 m. Responsible person during this cruise / PI: Tilmann Schwenk ([email protected]) Chief Scientist: Till J. J. Hanebuth ([email protected]) CR: https://www.tib.eu/de/suchen/id/awi%3Adoi~10.2312%252Fcr_m84_4/ CSR: https://www.ldf.uni-hamburg.de/meteor/wochenberichte/wochenberichte-meteor/m84/m84-4-scr.pd