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PURPOSE The osseous spiral lamina (OSL) is an inner cochlear bony structure that projects from the modiolus from base to apex, separating the cochlear canal into the scala vestibuli and scala tympani. The porosity of the OSL has recently attracted the attention of scientists due to its potential impact on the overall sound transduction. The bony pillars between the vestibular and tympanic plates of the OSL are not always visible in conventional histopathological studies, so imaging of such structures is usually lacking or incomplete. With this pilot study, we aimed, for the first time, to anatomically demonstrate the OSL in great detail and in 3D. METHODS We measured width, thickness, and porosity of the human OSL by microCT using increasing nominal resolutions up to 2.5-µm voxel size. Additionally, 3D models of the individual plates at the basal and middle turns and the apex were created from the CT datasets. RESULTS We found a constant presence of porosity in both tympanic plate and vestibular plate from basal turn to the apex. The tympanic plate appears to be more porous than vestibular plate in the basal and middle turns, while it is less porous in the apex. Furthermore, the 3D reconstruction allowed the bony pillars that lie between the OSL plates to be observed in great detail. CONCLUSION By enhancing our comprehension of the OSL, we can advance our comprehension of hearing mechanisms and enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of cochlear models.

Following the advent of mechanical thrombectomy, occlusive clots in ischemic stroke have been amply characterized using conventional histopathology. Many studies have investigated the compositional variability of thrombi and the consequences of thrombus composition on treatment response. More recent evidence has emerged about the spatial heterogeneity of the clot or the preferential distribution of its components and compact nature. Here we review this emerging body of evidence, discuss its potential clinical implications, and propose the development of adequate characterization techniques. CA extern

Purpose: Otospongiotic plaques can be seen on conventional computed tomography (CT) as focal lesions around the cochlea. However, the resolution remains insufficient to enable evaluation of intracochlear damage. MicroCT technology provides resolution at the single micron level, offering an exceptional amplified view of the otosclerotic cochlea. In this study, a non-decalcified otosclerotic cochlea was analyzed and reconstructed in three dimensions for the first time, using microCT technology. The pre-clinical relevance of this study is the demonstration of extensive pro-inflammatory buildup inside the cochlea which cannot be seen with conventional cone-beam CT (CBCT) investigation. Materials and Methods: A radiological and a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical study of an otosclerotic cochlea using microCT technology is presented here for the first time. 3D-segmentation of the human cochlea was performed, providing an unprecedented view of the diseased area without the need for decalcification, sectioning, or staining. Results: Using microCT at single micron resolution and geometric reconstructions, it was possible to visualize the disease's effects. These included intensive tissue remodeling and highly vascularized areas with dilated capillaries around the spongiotic foci seen on the pericochlear bone. The cochlea's architecture as a morphological correlate of the otosclerosis was also seen. With a sagittal cut of the 3D mesh, it was possible to visualize intense ossification of the cochlear apex, as well as the internal auditory canal, the modiolus, the spiral ligament, and a large cochleolith over the osseous spiral lamina. In addition, the oval and round windows showed intense fibrotic tissue formation and spongiotic bone with increased vascularization. Given the recently described importance of the osseous spiral lamina in hearing mechanics and that, clinically, one of the signs of otosclerosis is the Carhart notch observed on the audiogram, a tonotopic map using the osseous spiral lamina as region of interest is presented. An additional quantitative study of the porosity and width of the osseous spiral lamina is reported. Conclusion: In this study, structural anatomical alterations of the otosclerotic cochlea were visualized in 3D for the first time. MicroCT suggested that even though the disease may not appear to be advanced in standard clinical CT scans, intense tissue remodeling is already ongoing inside the cochlea. That knowledge will have a great impact on further treatment of patients presenting with sensorineural hearing loss.

Ablation of materials in combination with element-specific analysis of the matter released is a widely used method to accurately determine a material's chemical composition. Among other methods, repetitive ablation using femto-second pulsed laser systems provides excellent spatial resolution through its incremental removal of nanometer thick layers. The method can be combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry, for example, laser ablation ionization mass spectrometry, to simultaneously analyze chemically the material released. With increasing depth of the volume ablated, however, secondary effects start to play an important role and the ablation geometry deviates substantially from the desired cylindrical shape. Consequently, primarily conical but sometimes even more complex, rather than cylindrical, craters are created. Their dimensions need to be analyzed to enable a direct correlation with the element-specific analytical signals. Here, a post-ablation analysis method is presented that combines generic polydimethylsiloxane-based molding of craters with the volumetric reconstruction of the crater's inverse using X-ray computed tomography. Automated analysis yields the full, sub-micron accurate anatomy of the craters, thereby a scalable and generic method to better understand the fundamentals underlying ablation processes applicable to a wide range of materials. Furthermore, it may serve toward a more accurate determination of heterogeneous material's composition for a variety of applications without requiring time- and labor-intensive analyses of individual craters., Advanced Science, 9 (20), ISSN:2198-3844

MgO is a promising solid oxide-based sorbent to capture anthropogenic CO2 emissions due to its high theoretical gravimetric CO2 uptake and its abundance. When MgO is coated with alkali metal salts such as LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3, or their mixtures, the kinetics of the CO2 uptake reaction is significantly faster resulting in a 15 times higher CO2 uptake compared to bare MgO. However, the underlying mechanism that leads to this dramatic increase in the carbonation rate is still unclear. This study aims to determine the most favourable location for the nucleation and growth of MgCO3 and more specifically, whether the carbonation occurs preferentially at the buried interface, the triple phase boundary (TPB), and/or inside the molten salt of the NaNO3-MgO system. For this purpose, a model system consisting of a MgO single crystal that is structured by ultra-short pulse laser ablation and coated with NaNO3 as the promoter is used. To identify the location of nucleation and growth of MgCO3, micro X-ray computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy, Raman microspectroscopy and optical profilometry were applied. We found that MgCO3 forms at the NaNO3/MgO interface and not inside the melt. Moreover, there was no preferential nucleation of MgCO3 at the TPB when compared to the buried interface. Furthermore, it is found that there is no observable CO2 diffusion limitation in the nucleation step. However, it was observed that CO2 diffusion limits MgCO3 crystal growth, i.e. the growth rate of MgCO3 is approximately an order of magnitude faster in shallow grooves compared to that in deep grooves., Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 10 (32), ISSN:2050-7488, ISSN:2050-7496

Methodological challenges have long been an obstacle for the understanding of damage in concrete due to the alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Time-lapse X-ray tomography could be key to advancements but has not been extensively exploited, mainly due to similar electron densities of the different material phases, which leads to poor contrast in the tomograms. To address this limitation, we propose the implementation of two complementary contrast agents, BaSO4 and CsNO3. After optimizing the contents of both agents synergistically for mortars, we realize for the first time a quantitative characterization of the spatial-temporal distributions of both ASR products and cracks, while differentiating their presence in aggregates and in cement paste. This new methodology allowed showing that similar amounts of ASR products were found inside the aggregates and inside the cement paste. The transport of products from inner aggregate regions into the cement paste along propagating cracks was followed in 4D., Cement and Concrete Research, 162, ISSN:0008-8846

We have demonstrated the capability of laboratory propagation-based microtomography (miroCT) in non-destructive 3D virtual histopathology of human blood clots without any contrast agent. The volumetric information are valuable to understand the mechanical properties of clots which are crucial in selecting the most efficient mechanical thrombectomy method for clot extraction. Different clot types retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy from patient victims of acute ischemic stroke were evaluated through propagation-based microCT. The results were correlated with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, confirming detected cellular and fibrillary structures. Calcifications appeared as glassy opacity areas with relatively intense signal on microCT images, also proved by energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Hyperintense regions on the microCT corresponded to individual or compact aggregates of red blood cells, whereas fibrin dominated volumes appeared at consistently moderate to low normalized microCT values. Red blood cell shapes and sizes are consistent with the SEM observations. Together with other potential parameters, 3D porosity distribution and volume fraction of structures can be easily measured by microCT data. Further development of automated post-processing techniques for X-ray propagation-based micro/nanoCT, also based on machine learning algorithms, can enable high throughput analysis of blood clot composition and their 3D histological features on large sample cohorts.

In recent years, insect husbandry has seen an increased interest in order to supply in the production of raw materials, food, or as biological/environmental control. Unfortunately, large insect rearings are susceptible to pathogens, pests and parasitoids which can spread rapidly due to the confined nature of a rearing system. Thus, it is of interest to monitor the spread of such manifestations and the overall population size quickly and efficiently. Medical imaging techniques could be used for this purpose, as large volumes can be scanned non-invasively. Due to its 3D acquisition nature, computed tomography seems to be the most suitable for this task. This study presents an automated, computed tomography-based, counting method for bee rearings that performs comparable to identifying all Osmia cornuta cocoons manually. The proposed methodology achieves this in an average of 10 seconds per sample, compared to 90 minutes per sample for the manual count over a total of 12 samples collected around lake Zurich in 2020. Such an automated bee population evaluation tool is efficient and valuable in combating environmental influences on bee, and potentially other insect, rearings.

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Das vorliegende Projekt wurde im Rahmen einer Kooperationsvereinbarung zwischen dem Forschungszentrum Rossendorf (FZR) und der wissenschaftlichen Gruppe von Prof. Melnikon von der Technischen Universität Nishny Novgorod (TUNN) der Russischen Föderation durchgeführt. Es ist Teil des Wissenschaftsunterstützungsprogramms / FSU der Bundesregierung im Rahmen der Beratungshilfe für den Aufbau von Demokratie und sozialer Marktwirtschaft (TRANSFORM). Neue Methoden der Instrumentierung für Zweiphasenströmungen wurden entwickelt: Ultraschall-Wellenleitersonden können zur lokalen Gas- bzw. Dampfgehaltsmessung eingesetzt werden. Der neue Ultraschall-Gittersensor erlaubt eine Visualisierung der Zweiphasenströmung mit ca. 250 Bildern/Sekunde. Sowohl die lokalen Sonden als auch der Ultraschall-Gittersensor können erfolgreich unter den Bedingungen von Wasser-Dampf-Gemisch bei hohem Druck und hoher Temperatur, sowie in anderen Fluiden, wie organischen Flüssigkeiten und Kältemitteln, eingesetzt werden. Darüber hinaus wurden berührungslos arbeitende Wellenleitersonden für die Durchschallung von Rohrleitungen und Dichtesensoren, die auf der Messung der Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeit von Ultraschall in Wellenleitern beruhen, die sich im Messmedium befinden, entwickelt und getestet. Bei dem gegenwärtigen Stand der Entwicklung können die berührungslosen Sensoren lediglich als qualitativer Nachweis von Gas in einer Flüssigkeitsströmung dienen. Die Funktion der Dichtesensoren wurde anhand von Messungen in verschiedenen einphasigen Flüssigkeiten unterschiedlicher Dichte demonstriert. Für einen praktischen Einsatz ist die weitere Verbesserung der elektronischen Signalerfassung erforderlich. Die hauptsächliche Innovation wird durch den Ultraschall-Gittersensor verkörpert, dessen Auflösung mit der von schnellen elektrischen Gittersensoren und ultraschnellen Röntgentomographen vergleichbar ist, während das Gerät selbst sehr robust und preiswert ist.