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As a typical example of constrained sintering, the behavior of a complex ceramic powder system with multi-heterogeneities has been investigated. This powder system comprises inherent imperfections as well as rigid inclusions that act as constraints to densification. The sintering process of the system was monitored by in-situ X-ray nano-tomography at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). This technique enables three-dimensional (3D) imaging of the microstructure with a voxel size of 25 nm. The images obtained reveal the distribution of imperfections in the powder system, such as particle aggregation and pore segregation in and around them. The subsequent in-situ evaluations show the evolution of the microstructure in the presence of inclusions. The study addresses the questions pertaining to the effect of the added constraints, the consequent crack generation and their implication on the final densification of the material. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant proportion of revisions after reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is attributed to the humeral component. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the radiographic and clinical outcomes of the hybrid humerus technique for RSA using a Grammont-style humeral prosthesis in an onlay fashion with metaphyseal bone impaction grafting technique and undersized stem to avoid humeral stress shielding, notching, and loosening. This is a prospective case series of patients who underwent RSA using the hybrid humerus technique with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Key steps of this technique include the use of undersized Grammont-style stem, impaction bone grafting of the proximal 5 cm of the humerus, and adjusting the height and offset of the stem depending on the patient stature, desired lateralization and distalization, and joint and soft tissue tension. Radiographic assessments were performed immediately after surgery, and at 1 and 2 years after surgery. These included assessment of metaphyseal and diaphyseal filling ratio, cortical narrowing, radiolucent lines, cortical lucencies, spot welding, scapular notching, and stem alignment. Preoperative and 2-year postoperative clinical assessments included American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant-Murley Score, University of California Los Angeles score, visual analog scale for pain, and active range of motion. Correlation between the filling ratios and clinical outcomes were also evaluated. Sixty-one patients were included in the study. The average metaphyseal and diaphyseal filling ratio on the postoperative X-ray was 0.66 and 0.54, and 0.67 and 0.54 at 2 years, respectively. Stress shielding was graded as none in 24 (40.7%), mild in 33 (55.9%), and moderate in 2 (3.4%). No stem had a change in position of more than 5°. At 2 years of follow-up, no humeral implant loosening was noted, with only 2 (3.4%) of the stems at risk of loosening. Thirty-nine (66.1%) had no notching, 14 (23.7%) were graded as mild, and 6 (10.2%) had moderate signs of notching. All clinical assessments significantly improved at 2 years (P <.001), with a weak negative correlation between visual analog scale and metaphyseal filling ratio (r = −0.268, P =.036) but none between diaphyseal filling ratio and clinical outcomes. The hybrid humerus technique of metaphyseal bone grafting with a low filling ratio stem presents a promising solution for reducing humeral complications in RSA. This technique demonstrates a low incidence of stress shielding and loosening, with excellent clinical outcomes at 2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lu 2 O 2 S has high density, high melting temperature, and favorable thermal stability, making it an excellent matrix material for rare earth luminescence and X-ray sensitization screens. However, achieving high quality fluorescent powders with high crystal quality on a large scale is still challenging. By employing an optimized solid phase approach, Lu 2 O 2 S:Tb3+/Sm3+phosphors with a hexagonal shape and uniform particle size and showing high crystallization have been successfully synthesized. Spectral analysis reveals energy interaction between Sm3+ and Tb3+ in the Lu 2 O 2 S system (multistage interaction), indicated by spectral overlap, relative changes in luminescence intensity, and lifetime decay. By changing the excitation wavelength and dopant concentration, multicolor phosphors such as yellow-–green, orange–red, and orange–yellow could be created. Temperature-dependent emission spectroscopy shows that the system shows good luminescence performance even at high temperatures. X-ray excitation spectroscopy further confirm that the phosphors emit different colors (yellow, green and red) depending on the doping concentrations of Tb3+ and Sm3+ ion, indicating that the system has wide application potential in color displays and other relevant fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 detection is mainly based on molecular testing, especially polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses, to find the occurrence of the virus's genetic material in respiratory samples. Computed tomography (CT) scans and X-rays are the two chest imaging techniques, which may provide more details on lungs, aiding in the diagnosis. Radiological findings in COVID-19 cases typically involve special features such as bilateral involvement, ground-glass opacities, and consolidation of the lungs. Deep learning (DL) methods, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are used for analyzing COVID-19 infection. By training these techniques on large datasets of annotated chest X-rays (CXRs), researches have attained superior outcomes in precisely detecting the possible COVID-19 cases. Leveraging artificial intelligence together with radiological expertise holds great potential for facilitating prompt intervention in the ongoing global efforts and improving the efficiency of early detection. This article focuses on the design of mother optimization algorithm with DL-enabled detection and classification (MOA-DLEDC) technique for COVID-19 diagnosis using CXR images. In the MOA-DLEDC technique, the adaptive median filtering (AMF) approach is used to eliminate the existence of noise. In addition, the complex and intrinsic feature patterns are derived from the Efficient DenseNet model. Besides, the hyperparameter optimization of the Efficient DenseNet model takes place using MOA. For the COVID-19 detection process, the MOA-DLEDC technique applies sparse autoencoder (SAE) model. A detailed set of experiments was conducted on the CXR dataset to highlight the promising results of the MOA-DLEDC technique. The extensive results inferred that the used technique gains superior performance over other models with maximum accuracy of 99.59 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, cubic-phase Lu 2 O 3 :Bi3+ nanoparticles, with a range of sizes between 110 and 180 nm, were obtained by a combination of co-precipitation and thermal annealing techniques. For these nanoparticles upon UV or X-ray excitation, strong broadband emission peaks at 410 and 480 nm corresponding to Bi3+ occupying S 6 and C 2 (Lu3+(S 6) and Lu3+(C 2)) sites, respectively, can be observed. On the basis of the concentration-dependent luminescence intensity ratios (I 480 (C 2)/I 410 (S 6)) of Bi3+(C 2) to Bi3+(S 6), the energy transfer from Bi3+(S 6) to Bi3+(C 2) can be confirmed at high Bi3+ concentration. In particular, their X-ray absorption coefficient, emission wavelength, afterglow level (60 ppm) and response time (465 ns) are almost comparable to those of the commercial Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 crystals. By the means of dispersing Lu 1.98 Bi 0.02 O 3 nanoscintillators into organic polymer (PMMA)-acetone solution, the Lu 1.98 Bi 0.02 O 3 -PMMA flexible composite films exhibiting rapid response to X-ray photons, high X-ray sensitivity and radiation resistance, good mechanical performance and excellent environmental stability were prepared using a spin-coating technique. On the surface of X-ray imaging screen formed by the flexible dense composite films, the spatial resolution can reach to 6.0 lp/mm at a safe irradiation dose (4.6 μGy). Meanwhile, for the imaging screen using the flexible composite films after bended for thousands of times, we can observe clear image of each reed gap (300 μm) of the music box. For the Lu 2 O 3 :Bi3+-PMMA composite films, our results suggest that not only their scintillation properties are almost comparable to those of the commercial broadband Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 crystals, but also they might be applied in large-area and non-planar X-ray imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The potential of advanced imaging techniques and processing image methods to recover unreadable text in historic documents affected by chemical damage, as a consequence of the application of ink enhancement reagents in the 19th century ("galling"), was demonstrated. • High resolution multiband imaging (MBI) techniques, namely UV-induced visible fluorescence (UVL) and UV reflected (UVR) imaging, were efficient for the recovery of unreadable text in documents with faded ink, soiled parchment and moderate localised galling. • The contents of documents affected by severe chemical damage were recoverable by means of reflectance imaging spectroscopy (RIS) in the VNIR and micro X ray fluorescence imaging. • Image processing methods such as PCA or elemental map addition and subtraction were key for an increased readability of the text in the chemically damaged documents. • Combining these techniques, the legibility of 31 documents from the collection of the national archives of the UK could be significantly improved, providing new relevant information for the medieval history of Ireland. From fires to floods, from invisible inks to redactions, information has been accidentally or intentionally obscured on countless documents, maps and photographs, in collections from archives, libraries, and museums across the world. Removed from catalogues and reading rooms and therefore inaccessible to researchers and the general public, what new knowledge would these obscured documents reveal if we were able to read them? This paper demonstrates that current imaging technologies can be used to unlock this lost content. We used High Resolution Multiband Imaging (MBI), Reflectance Imaging Spectroscopy (RIS) and micro X Ray Fluorescence (µXRF) imaging to reveal illegible letter-forms and whole words written in iron gall ink on parchment from medieval documents relevant to the 'Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland' project, a digital reconstruction of archives destroyed in 1922 at the Public Record Office of Ireland at the outset of the Irish Civil War. The readability of text in historic documents with faded iron gall ink and/or parchment obscured by damp stains and ingrained dirt was successfully enhanced with MBI techniques, such as UV-induced visible luminescence (UVL) and UV reflected (UVR) imaging, which were able to recover the contrast of the ink. However, visualising text in documents showing chemical damage caused by the application of reagents for ink enhancement in the 19th century (a practice known as "galling") was more challenging because of the similar composition of the ink and the staining. RIS proved helpful to read documents with moderate to severe chemical damage, particularly after applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Text in documents that were severely damaged by galling was also recoverable with µXRF imaging of the distribution of iron from the ink. This also posed several challenges, such as minimising movement of the parchment during overnight scans and separating the data corresponding to iron on the front of the parchment which was combined with the signal from the back. Through subtraction of elemental maps during post-processing, we managed to tackle the latter issue. The combination of these different imaging techniques enabled palaeographers and medieval records specialists to identify individual characters and whole words, thereby recovering the meaning of texts that were previously indecipherable. Further research will adapt the methodology to the broad range of causes of information loss, including other reagents historically used for ink enhancement, as well as the variety of document media and temporalities, which require an extensive and multi-faceted approach of advanced imaging and post-processing techniques, in balance with the preservation needs of these fragile and invaluable historic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of medical imaging, the increasing demand for advanced computer-aided diagnosis systems is crucial in radiography. Accurate identification of various diseases, such as COVID-19, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and pulmonary lung nodules, holds vital significance. Despite substantial progress in the medical field, a persistent research gap necessitates the development of models that excel in precision and provide transparency in decision-making processes. In order to address this issue, this work introduces an approach that utilizes transfer learning through the EfficientNet-B4 architecture, leveraging a pre-trained model to enhance the classification performance on a comprehensive dataset of lung X-rays. The integration of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), specifically emphasizing Grad-CAM, contributes to model interpretability by providing insights into the neural network's decision-making process, elucidating the salient features and activation regions influencing multi-disease classifications. The result is a robust multi-disease classification system achieving an impressive 96% accuracy, accompanied by visualizations highlighting critical regions in X-ray images. This investigation not only advances the progression of computer-aided diagnosis systems but also sets a pioneering benchmark for the development of dependable and transparent diagnostic models for lung disease identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure of iodinated contrast media (ICM) to X-rays is not uncommon, as contrast media are often stored in close proximity to radiological equipment. However, the interaction between X-rays and ICM is not widely investigated in literature. The present study aims to investigate the chemical stability of iomeprol and iopamidol, two commercial iodinated ICM commonly used in diagnostic imaging, under X-rays exposure. Different formulations of iopamidol and iomeprol (iodine concentration 9 to 400 mgI/mL, volume 50–500 mL) were exposed to three different conditions of X-ray irradiation: i) 1 month storage in CT room (≈5–15 mGy); (ii) low-dose protocol (≈10 mGy); (ii) stressed protocol (≈100 mGy). Unexposed and exposed solutions were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography in terms of concentration of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), iodine species and by products. In addition, appearance and colour of the solutions were inspected and pH measured. API concentrations, appearance, colour and pH of the exposed formulations remained unaffected by X-rays. Measured concentrations of iodine species and by products were observed well within the acceptability criteria, i.e. values turned out to be lower than specifications limits established by the manufacturer, considering both release and shelf-life values. Up to 100 mGy X-ray exposure did not induce any alteration of iomeprol and iopamidol formulation, nor a detectable increase in the concentration of iodine species or by-products. Our study strengthens the hypothesis that ICM are stable under X-rays exposure up to 100 mGy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Capable of simulating X-ray signals received by a near-Earth spacecraft. • Capable of providing supporting data for near-Earth space applications of X-ray Pulsar-based Navigation. • It is possible to determine the capacity of the atmosphere at different altitudes to absorb X-ray photons. The near-Earth space holds significant strategic value, and X-ray pulsar-based navigation in this region can diversify navigation methods, enhancing the safety and autonomy of spacecraft. Due to the challenges and high costs associated with obtaining actual measurements of pulsars in near-Earth space, the simulation technology for X-ray pulsar signals in this region can provide input for demonstrating the feasibility of technical solutions and experiments related to the application of X-ray pulsar-based navigation in near-Earth space. Therefore, this paper proposes a method for simulating X-ray signals in near-Earth space. Firstly, a scale transforming method is employed to generate a photon arrival time sequence at the spacecraft that includes energy information. Subsequently, the atmospheric transmittance model is utilized for photon selection, obtaining a sequence of photons that have passed through the atmosphere after absorption. Finally, experimental validation of the proposed algorithm is conducted using Crab pulsar data measured by the Insight-HXMT. The similarity between the simulated data and the measured data is evaluated in terms of profiles, phases, and energy spectra. Simulation experiments demonstrate that the time delay estimation error caused by the simulation algorithm is less than 17.17 us. When the observation tangent point altitude is in the range of 160 km to 180 km, the Pearson correlation coefficient of the profiles between simulated and measured data is 73.74 %. The Pearson residuals of the energy spectra are evenly distributed between −0.2 and 0.2, indicating a good level of similarity between the two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is an increasingly common surgical intervention for patients with end-stage ankle arthritis, there is a need to better understand the dynamic performance of prosthetic implants during activities of daily living. Our purpose was to quantify and compare relative tibiotalar motion during gait in persons with a fixed-bearing (FB) and mobile-bearing (MB) total ankle arthroplasty. We hypothesized a FB prosthesis would have lower tibiotalar range of motion (ROM). Patients at least 12 months postoperative with either a FB (n=5) or MB (n=3) total ankle arthroplasty were tested. We used high-speed biplanar videoradiography to quantify tibiotalar kinematics during self-selected gait. Angular and linear ROM in three axes were compared between the groups. ROM for dorsiflexion-plantarflexion, internal-external rotation, and inversion-eversion angles in FB subjects averaged 7.47±4.05°, 7.39±3.63°, and 4.51±2.13°, respectively. ROM in MB subjects averaged 6.74±2.04°, 6.28±4.51°, and 5.68±2.81°, respectively. Linear ROM along anteroposterior, mediolateral, and superior-inferior axes in FB subjects averaged 1.47±2.07 mm, 1.13±1.49 mm, and 0.28±0.30 mm, respectively. Linear ROM in MB subjects averaged 0.68±1.44 mm, 0.60±1.41 mm, and 0.20±0.13 mm, respectively. We found no significant difference between the two groups for any of these ROM parameters (p>0.05). Total ankle arthroplasty using either FB or MB design appears to confer similar ankle motion during the gait cycle in this biplanar fluoroscopic model. Level IV, case series. • X-ray motion analysis is a useful tool to compare ankle arthroplasty systems. • No differences in angular motion between MB and FB arthroplasty systems. • No significant difference in linear translation along joint axes in both systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pelvic incidence (PI)–lumbar lordosis (LL) mismatch has a significant destabilizing effect on the center of gravity sway in the static standing position. However, the association between spinopelvic alignment and balance during gait in healthy volunteers is poorly understood. The degree of PI–LL mismatch and trunk anterior tilt in the static standing posture influences dynamic balance during gait. In this study, 131 healthy volunteers were divided into two groups: harmonious group (PI − LL ≤ 10°; n = 91) and unharmonious group (PI − LL > 10°; n = 40). A two-point accelerometer system was used for gait analysis; accelerometers were attached to the pelvis and upper trunk to measure acceleration in the forward–backward, right–left, and vertical directions so that sagittal (front–back) deviation width, coronal (right–left) width, and vertical width and their ratios were calculated. Measurements were compared between the two groups, and correlations between alignment and accelerometer data were examined. The harmonious group showed a negative correlation between pelvic sagittal width and PI – LL, pelvic tilt (PT), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) (correlation coefficient ρ = −0.42, −0.38, and −0.4, respectively), and a positive correlation between sagittal ratio and PI − LL (ρ = 0.35). The unharmonious group showed a positive correlation between pelvic sagittal width and PI and PT (ρ = 0.43 and 0.33, respectively) and between sagittal ratio and SVA (ρ = 0.32). The unharmonious group showed a positive correlation between upper trunk sagittal width and PI − LL and PT (ρ = 0.38 and 0.36, respectively). The association between spinal alignment and gait parameters differs depending on the presence or absence of PI–LL mismatch. The degree of pelvic compensation and trunk anterior tilt during static standing were associated with unstable gait balance. • Subjects without PI–LL mismatch reduces pelvic movement during gait with compensation. • Poor compensated subjects with PI–LL mismatch increased upper trunk sway during gait. • Static standing spinal alignment associated with trunk sway during gait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an Artificial Intelligence Large Language Model (AI-LLM) at improving the readability foot and ankle orthopedic radiology reports. The radiology reports from 100 foot or ankle X-Rays, 100 computed tomography (CT) scans and 100 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were randomly sampled from the institution's database. The following prompt command was inserted into the AI-LLM: "Explain this radiology report to a patient in layman's terms in the second person: [Report Text]". The mean report length, Flesch reading ease score (FRES) and Flesch-Kincaid reading level (FKRL) were evaluated for both the original radiology report and the AI-LLM generated report. The accuracy of the information contained within the AI-LLM report was assessed via a 5-point Likert scale. Additionally, any "hallucinations" generated by the AI-LLM report were recorded. There was a statistically significant improvement in mean FRES scores in the AI-LLM generated X-Ray report (33.8 ± 6.8 to 72.7 ± 5.4), CT report (27.8 ± 4.6 to 67.5 ± 4.9) and MRI report (20.3 ± 7.2 to 66.9 ± 3.9), all p < 0.001. There was also a statistically significant improvement in mean FKRL scores in the AI-LLM generated X-Ray report (12.2 ± 1.1 to 8.5 ± 0.4), CT report (15.4 ± 2.0 to 8.4 ± 0.6) and MRI report (14.1 ± 1.6 to 8.5 ± 0.5), all p < 0.001. Superior FRES scores were observed in the AI-LLM generated X-Ray report compared to the AI-LLM generated CT report and MRI report, p < 0.001. The mean Likert score for the AI-LLM generated X-Ray report, CT report and MRI report was 4.0 ± 0.3, 3.9 ± 0.4, and 3.9 ± 0.4, respectively. The rate of hallucinations in the AI-LLM generated X-Ray report, CT report and MRI report was 4%, 7% and 6%, respectively. AI-LLM was an efficacious tool for improving the readability of foot and ankle radiological reports across multiple imaging modalities. Superior FRES scores together with superior Likert scores were observed in the X-Ray AI-LLM reports compared to the CT and MRI AI-LLM reports. This study demonstrates the potential use of AI-LLMs as a new patient-centric approach for enhancing patient understanding of their foot and ankle radiology reports. Jel Classifications: IV [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secondary metabolite Monacolin K (MK), derived from Monascus , exhibits potential lipid-lowering and anti-tumor effects. In this study, a mutant strain M. purpureus M400–6 was generated through X-ray treatment, resulting in an average MK production of 181.97 mg/L (a 54.20% increase compared to the parent strain M. purpureus M1) over five successive generations. Furthermore, optimization of medium compositions using response surface methodology led to a further enhancement in MK production by the mutant strain to 266.63 mg/L. Moreover, based on the outcomes of single-factor experiments, the addition of L-citrulline demonstrated a significantly higher level of enhancement in MK production. Therefore, a comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted to unveil the impact of L-citrulline on MK biosynthesis in M. purpureus. The data revealed a significant upregulation of glycolysis pathways, while oxidative phosphorylation including the TCA cycle and the electron transport chain, exhibited significant downregulation. Furthermore, the metabolisms of serine, glycine, threonine, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamate were found to be significantly disturbed. Additionally, the expressions of MPs and MK biosynthetic gene cluster showed a significant downregulation and upregulation respectively. Overall, these findings provide insights into enhancing MK production in submerged fermentation and elucidate the impact of L-citrulline on secondary metabolism. [Display omitted] • M. purpureus M400–6 with high MK production was generated through X-ray treatment. • L-citrulline can significantly enhance the MK production. • Response surface methodology was performed to further increase the MK production. • Transcriptome analysis reveals the impact of L-citrulline on MK biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The SFE amplitude depends linearly on the perpendicular maximum flare X-ray flux. • The X-ray radiation affects the EEJ three times more strongly than the Sq current. • The weak linear relationship found for two SFE parameters might be a coincidence. Solar flares effects (SFE) are short geomagnetic disturbances (mainly in the horizontal component) observed during the development of solar flares. SFE are caused by current enhancements in multiple layers of the ionosphere induced by the flare ionizing radiation. Despite their origin, very few research studies have focused on the connection between the horizontal SFE amplitude and the maximum flare X-ray flux. By analyzing measurements from the magnetic station at Huancayo, Peru, located in the American sector of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) current, we computed the horizontal SFE amplitudes triggered by X-class solar flares of Solar Cycle 24 by using a novel method. The EEJ contribution to the horizontal SFE amplitude was calculated using data from the geomagnetic observatory at Pilar, Argentina, located outside the EEJ belt. We found that the EEJ contribution to the horizontal SFE amplitude is linearly dependent on the perpendicular component of the maximum flare X-ray flux for two states of the EEJ current. We also found that the flare X-ray ionizing effect is around three times stronger in the EEJ current than in the solar quiet current, being the EEJ current the most important contributor to the horizontal SFE amplitude. In addition, our results suggest that the weak linear relationship between the pre-flare horizontal geomagnetic variation and the EEJ component of the horizontal SFE amplitude found by a previous study might be only a coincidence, instead of a real connection between both parameters. Exceptional SFE were studied separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray luminescent nanoparticles have gained significant attention as promising tools for implementing multimodal imaging and radiation-based treatments in theragnostics. The intricate comprehension of their properties and the underlying mechanisms driving the conversion of X-rays into light is critical for their success in various applications. LaPO 4 nanoparticles doped with various individual luminescence centers, gadolinium (Gd3+), europium (Eu3+), dysprosium (Dy3+), and terbium (Tb3+), were produced via co-precipitation and investigated for their behavior upon X-ray excitation using energies of up to 225 kV. These materials evidenced a radioluminescent response dependent on the dopant concentrations, with emission lines from 300 to 700 nm, providing insights into the luminescence quenching effect in these structures. The luminescent characteristics of the nanoparticles were studied under continuous irradiation, evidencing the materials' ability to withstand high absorbed doses and preserve their properties. Furthermore, the influence of dopant concentrations on crystallite size and the dependence of luminescence on thermal treatments was investigated. The assessment of nanoparticle stability in aqueous suspension was evaluated over a broad pH range, revealing a tendency of the LaPO 4 surface to selectively interact with electropositive species. This insight enhances our comprehension of the colloidal stability of the material, positioning it for extended applications and in vitro evaluations, along with further surface functionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computerized disease detection systems (CDDs) have proven effective for automatic screening in recent years. Among the standard procedures in hospitals for faster and more accurate diagnosis is medical imaging-based disease screening. We aim to develop a CDD that detects COVID-19 using chest X-rays pre-trained vision transformers (PVTs). This scheme includes the following steps: (1) collecting images and resizing them, (2) implementing PVT for feature extraction, and (3) binary classifying the results and validating the proposed schemes. To prove the merit of the developed scheme, 4800 images (2400 normal and 2400 COVID-19) are analyzed. MLP classifiers verify the PVT performance using patch sizes of 6, 12, and 24. A patch size 24 results in 97.5% accuracy for the proposed CDD system. When patch sizes are increased to 12, accuracy increases to over 98%. For this specific task, smaller patch sizes are more effective. These high-accuracy results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed scheme for detecting COVID-19 in chest X-rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary screenings are essential to limit the community-propagating nature of COVID-19. COVID-19 patients' lung health status can be assessed by chest radiographic imaging, such as computed tomography scanning or X-ray images. Therefore, it is preferable to use machine learning approaches to help identify COVID-19 by using chest radiographs. This research presents an image-based diagnosis of COVID-19 disease using deep learning. The presented work uses chest X-ray images because the X-ray imaging facility is widely available in almost all healthcare facilities. It is less costly and has a more negligible radiation effect than computed tomography (CT) scan images. This study employed a custom convolutional neural network (CNN) model and pre- trained deep neural architectures such as resnet 50, DenseNet 121, VGG 16, and VGG 19 to classify COVID-19 chest X-ray images. The proposed model has been evaluated on real-life data, and an accuracy of 98% has been achieved. The proposed model can be recommended to health care professionals as a trustworthy diagnostic decision-making system for COVID-19 detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious respiratory disease characterized by its high transmissibility and exponential spread, presenting persistent difficulties. This investigation sought to incorporate machine learning (ML) and transfer learning (TL) and introduced Efficient-VGG16, a novel ensemble approach that integrated the EfficientNet-B0 and VGG16 architectures to classify chest X-ray images as either COVID-19 positive or non-COVID. The COVID-Xray-5k dataset used in the research was split into different training and testing sets (with ratios of 80:20, 75:25, and 70:30), preprocessed, and then used to evaluate the approach's effectiveness. Throughout the investigation, all procedures operated effectively at the same selected image size, 224*224. Preprocessing included Gaussian blur to remove noise and relics, while Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) adjusted contrast. Among the employed ML classifiers, XgBoost attained the highest accuracy, with F1 scores of 95.78% and 71.56%, respectively. In addition, the research investigated the effectiveness of TL using pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNNs) such as VGG16, MobileNetV3, ResNet101, Densenet201, and EfficientNet-B0. EfficientNet-B0 achieved the highest levels of accuracy and F1 score, 99.31% and 93.72%, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed Efficient-VGG16 achieved accuracy and an F1 score of 99.46% and 98.41%, respectively, and outperformed TL with EfficientNet-B0 and XgBoost. The investigation demonstrated the effectiveness of the Efficient-VGG16 for accurately classifying COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les pathologies mécaniques de l'avant-pied sont fréquentes. Elles peuvent intéresser l'hallux et les rayons latéraux. L'imagerie repose avant tout sur le couple radiographies en charge–échographie. Le scanner et l'IRM sont le plus souvent des examens de seconde intention. L'anatomie compartimentale de l'avant-pied doit être connue et facilite le diagnostic des différentes pathologies rencontrées : hallux valgus, hallux rigidus et pathologies sésamoïdiennes pour le premier rayon, maladie de Morton, instabilité douloureuse et bursites pour les rayons latéraux. La place de chaque technique d'imagerie et la sémiologie des différentes pathologies sont décrites et illustrées pas de nombreux cas cliniques. Mechanical pathologies of the forefoot are common. They may involve the hallux and lateral rays. Imaging is primarily based on the combination of weight-bearing X-rays and ultrasound. CT and MRI are most often second-line examinations. The compartmental anatomy of the forefoot must be known and facilitates the diagnosis of the various pathologies encountered: hallux valgus, hallux rigidus and sesamoid pathologies for the first ray, Morton's disease, painful instability and bursitis for the lateral rays. The place of each imaging technique and the semiology of the different pathologies are described and illustrated by numerous clinical cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthcare system in India faces an acute shortage of medical staff, significantly impacting the nation's ability to provide sufficient healthcare services. X-ray reports are paramount to orthopaedic surgeons for making critical patient care decisions. Implementing automated systems for detecting bone fractures offers a potentially efficient solution to supplement the limited workforce. However, these systems encounter substantial hurdles, such as inconsistent image quality and the risk of incorrect diagnosis due to the limitations of current technology. The research provides a specialised tool for identifying bone fractures with high precision (97% accuracy) and an excellent overall rating (F1 score of 0.98), showing it can reliably detect fractures. The assessment of this model is augmented by visual tools like heatmaps and performance graphs, providing an in-depth analysis of its operational effectiveness. Furthermore, creating a user-friendly interface is intended to streamline the adoption of this tool in clinical settings. Notwithstanding its demonstrated precision, the model must navigate data-related challenges, precisely data complexity and the representation of different categories, to prevent skewed outcomes. Clarifying the model's decision-making process and adaptability to various clinical situations are also critical. The study emphasises the need for thorough testing to ensure the model's dependability in diagnosing fractures before being deployed effectively in the medical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic hydride toluene/methylcyclohexane is an attractive hydrogen carrier. The direct electro-hydrogenation of toluene to methylcyclohexane has a higher energy efficiency compared to the conventional two-step method. Yet, there are factors inhibiting the toluene supply to the cathode reaction site and reducing the conversion rate to methylcyclohexane. Thus, hydrogen may be generated as a side reaction. Understanding how hydrogen bubbles are distributed is crucial regarding the design optimization of these electrochemical devices. This work presents, for the first time in a direct toluene electro-hydrogenation electrolyzer, the X-ray visualization of hydrogen bubbles inside the porous electrode. The concentration of bubbles was higher near the cathode catalyst and tended to increase with the electric current and operating time. Bubble distribution spreads across the active area when using flat field plates. As for rib-and-channel field plates, despite bubbles mostly concentrated beneath ribs, the total hydrogen accumulated inside the porous electrode could be reduced. [Display omitted] • Direct toluene electro-hydrogenation electrolyzer for efficient hydrogen transport. • Hydrogen bubbles generated from side reaction inhibit toluene mass transport. • First in situ X-ray visualization of hydrogen bubbles inside the porous electrode. • More hydrogen bubbles observed at higher current densities and after longer operation. • Ribbed flow field plates could reduce the hydrogen bubbles inside a porous electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a low dose X-ray induced long afterglow luminescent phosphor Sr 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Pr3+ has been reported. The structure analysis shows the as-prepared samples possess good crystallinity and the emitting center Pr3+ is more likely to occupy the lattice position of Sr2+ due to their similar ionic radius. And under 471.1 nm excitation, Sr 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Pr3+ shows bright visible lights peaked at 545.5, 617.1 and 648.6 nm, respectively, corresponding to the transitions of 3P 0 →3H 5 , 3P 0 →3H 6 and 3P 0 →3F 2 of Pr3+. After the X-ray irradiation, this phosphor shows strong ultraviolet C (291.7 nm), blue (493.2 nm) and red lights (617.1 nm). More important, only 5 s X-ray irradiation X-ray irradiation can easily charge Sr 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Pr3+ to produce 5400 s afterglow emission. Even after 5400 s, its afterglow emissions still remain strong, which is about 20 times of the background intensity. The thermoluminescent results indicate that Sr 3 MgSi 2 O 8 possesses a high absorption rate for X-rays and thus X-ray irradiation can excite the host to produce large number of electrons, Secondary electron, which would rapidly fill up the traps and thus produce excellent long afterglow luminescence. In addition, the existing suitable traps with 0.76 eV trap depth are also favorable for persistent luminescence at room temperature. Thus, Sr 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Pr3+ is confirmed to be a very efficient low dose X-ray induced long afterglow luminescent phosphor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the microstructure and damage evolution of plain weave ceramic matrix composites under in-plane shear using the in-situ X-ray computed tomography approach. The actual microstructure and damage evolution of material under several successive loading levels have been revealed precisely. A deep-learning-based image segmentation method has been employed to accurately identify material damages, including matrix cracks, delamination, fibre pull-outs and interface debonding. Besides, three-dimensional visual characterisation and quantitative analysis of damage have been carried out to gain a better understanding on the failure mechanisms. For longitudinal tows under shear, the cracks propagate along the loading direction and cause the splitting and sliding failure of tow; For transverse tows under shear, they undergo coupling effects of shear and tension, which results in kink band damage with fibre bridging mechanism. Finally, the connection of longitudinal tow splitting and transverse tow kinking leads to the catastrophic fracture of CMCs under in-plane shear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large acquisition times needed for high-quality XCT measurements remain a stumbling block for high-throughput inspection tasks. This paper therefore presents a deep learning reconstruction algorithm to improve the quality of fast, few-view XCT measurements. The proposed method is validated on both simulated and experimental XCT measurements of additively manufactured cranio-maxillofacial implants. The validation demonstrates a drastic reduction in noise and streaking artifacts associated with few-view acquisitions. Therefore, the potential to maintain high reconstruction quality while reducing acquisition times by more than one order of magnitude is confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A method based on X-ray radiography was proposed here to map out the 2D distribution of internal moisture content changes throughout the wetting and drying process. • This method realizes the calibration of water content without using developer, and demonstrates a significant tolerance for variations in w/cm ratio, cement type and samples sizes. • A monochromatic index was introduced to determine the XR syetem paramter. • Experimental results that high-quality imaging can be sustained, and beam hardening effect can be mitigated when employing a high tube voltage of 150 kV. • When compared to the gravimetric method, the relative error of quantitative water content obtained from this method was not more than 5.76 %. The infiltration of water is a crucial factor in the degradation of the durability of concrete structures. It is important to conduct wetting and drying experiments to validate the water transport performance of construction materials during their service life, with precise measurement of both the process and the outcomes being essential. This study proposes a 2D quantitative detection method based on X-ray Radiography to determine the distribution of moisture content. This technique enhances conventional X-ray Radiography methods by utilizing a higher tube voltage to mitigate the impact of beam-hardening effects, as explained by the monochromatic index introduced here, and employs a coefficient matrix for correcting field non-uniformity and a spatial positioning algorithm to rectify discrepancies among multiple measurements. This method offers several benefits due to its capacity to provide in-time, accurate, non-contact, and cost-efficient quantitative results without any contrast agent while maintaining appropriate spatial resolution. The feasibility of this method is verified through a wetting and drying experiment taking cement paste material as an example. When compared with the gravimetric method, experimental results show that the relative error of moisture content obtained from this method is less than 5.76 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New aldoxime and aldonitrones were synthesized and fully characterised. • The X-ray structure of single crystal approved the 3D structure of the studied compounds. • Their supramolecular structure aspects were studied using Hirshfeld surface analysis. • Aldoxime has the best anticancer activity against MCF-7 and T47D cell lines. • The molecular docking is more consistent with the anticancer studies. (E) -4-cyanobenzaldehyde oxime 1 and (Z)– N -methyl- C -4-substituted phenyl aldonitrones 2 and 3 were synthesised and fully characterised. With the help of Hirshfeld calculations, the molecular packing of 1 is found to be controlled by short N...H contacts (28.3%) in addition to the aromatic π-π stacking where the%C...C interactions is calculated to be 9.7%. In this case, the second most abundant interaction is H...H contact (28.1%). For 2 , the N...H (24.4%) and O...H (13.8%) contacts are the most important while the most abundant interaction is H...H contacts (36.0%). DFT calculations were utilised to explore the structural and electronic parameters of both compounds at their optimised geometries which were found in good agreement with the X-ray structures. The structure of 2 (6.9829 Debye) is more polar than 1 (4.5282 Debye). The compounds 1 – 3 reduced the growth of MCF-7 and T47D. Compound 1 which has the lowest IC 50 values against the MCF-7 and T47D cell lines, is thought to be the most promising applicant as an anticancer drug. The in-silico combination of compounds 1–3 with proliferative proteins PIK3 and CDK5, autophagic proteins mTOR and beclin, antiapoptotic proteins BCL2, and apoptotic proteins caspase 3 was examined. Compound 3 binds to PIK3, CDK5, mTOR, Beclin, BCL2 and caspase 3, and displays higher free energy bindings of −5.12, −5.45, −4.923, −5.72, −4.45 and −4.73 kcal/mol, which suggested that these proteins had the strongest inhibitory or enhanced effects. The findings show that compound 3 was the most well-docked chemical with the greatest IC 50. Compound 3 impacted the autophagy, apoptotic and mitotic proteins of cell growth. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realgar, a traditional mineral Chinese medicine, has been used in China for more than 2000 years. It has been recorded in many ancient and modern works that it has anti-cancer and anti-tumor effects. Of course, colon cancer is also within the scope of its treatment. Realgar needs to be processed into realgar decoction pieces by water grinding before being used for medicine. To ensure the consistency of efficacy and quality of realgar decoction pieces, modern methods need to be used for further quality control. The research of traditional mineral Chinese medicine is relatively difficult, and the related research is less. The purpose of this study is to control the quality of realgar decoction pieces by modern analytical technology and analyze its components. On this basis, its anti-colon cancer activity was discussed. Several batches of realgar decoction pieces were analyzed by XRD, and the components of realgar decoction pieces were obtained. The quality control fingerprints of realgar decoction pieces were established by processing XRD spectra and similarity evaluation. Then, the effects of realgar decoction pieces on apoptosis of CT26 and HTC-116 cells were observed in vitro by Hoechst 33258 staining, flow cytometry, measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential and Western blot; In vivo, the mouse model of tumor-in-situ transplantation of colon cancer was established, and the related indexes were observed. The explorations showed that the XRD Fourier fingerprints of realgar decoction pieces samples that had the same phase revealed 10 common peaks, respectively. The similarity evaluation of the established XRD Fourier fingerprint was greater than 0.900. We also demonstrated that realgar decoction pieces can promote apoptosis and inhibit tumor growth in colon cancer cells, its activating effect on p53 protein, and its safety when used within reasonable limits. The quality control of realgar decoction pieces by XRD is scientific and has the inhibitory effect on colon cancer, which has the development potential. [Display omitted] • Quality control of realgar decoction pieces using XRD fingerprinting. • Realgar decoction pieces can significantly inhibit colon cancer. • The Importance of Interdisciplinary Cooperation in Mineral TCM Research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the quality of the image, radiological protection of the patient must be considered to ensure an adequate diagnosis in dental radiology, especially in regard to those parts of the patient's body that are close to the radiation beam, such as the thyroid, salivary glands, and brain. In this work, the doses absorbed by the thyroid, salivary glands, eyes and brain of pediatric dental patients undergoing radiographic examinations are estimated using MCNP 6.2 coupled with virtual anthropomorphic phantoms, based on information from dental scenarios with a periapical X-ray unit. The absorbed doses were estimated for five- and 10-year-old male and female children. In the occlusal position, a higher absorbed dose to the thyroid was found for a five-year-old patient, whereas in the molar tube position, the brain was found to receive a higher absorbed dose for five- and 10-year-old patients. The results obtained here, expressed in terms of the absorbed dose, indicate that the beam direction and the use of different image acquisition techniques strongly influence the entrance dose values for the organs of interest in this study. • Doses absorbed by pediatric dental patients were estimated using MCNP 6.2. • The absorbed doses were estimated for 5 and 10-year-old male and female children. • Scenarios with a periapical X-ray unit and virtual anthropomorphic phantoms were used. • Higher absorbed doses to thyroid of 5-year-old patient in occlusal position were observed. • Beam direction strongly influences the entrance dose values in the organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Er3+-doped BNN material shows dual-coloration under UV light and X-ray irradiation. • The sample shows a fast coloring and bleaching time within about 1 s. • Photochromic mechanism with flexibility of Nb-O systems, forming F-centers. • The material achieves secure and convenient dynamic encryption optical storage. Inorganic photochromic (PC) materials are gaining increasing recognition as promising candidates for applications in optical storage and information display. However, conventional photochromic materials exhibit sluggish coding rates and a deficiency in intelligent response for writing and erasing under multiple excitation sources. This deficiency contributes to suboptimal readout/decoding efficiency and storage security. Here, we show a Ba 2 NaNb 5 O 15 :Er3+ photochromic material with photoluminescence reversible modulation that can fast respond to both ultraviolet light and 532 nm laser within about 1 s, which accompanied by thermal bleaching. The PC mechanism which is based on defect state exchanges between oxygen vacancy defects and color centers is attributed to the structural flexibility of Nb-O systems and oxygen vacancy increased under irradiation. More importantly, it shows differential PC decay behavior in response to X-ray and UV light due to the difference in the number of trapped carriers. Therefore, a simple strategy based on different self-recovery levels induced by double excitation is constructed to develop an encrypted optical memory model. This fast and differential excitation source response behavior hopefully stimulates the development of new encrypted optical memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• X-ray computed tomography used to characterise bubble cluster morphology. • X-ray particle image analysis can track bubbles in a bubble column. • Both technologies can offer insights on coarse particle flotation by clusters. Froth flotation is commonly used to upgrade minerals. Bubbles are used to carry valuable particles out of a slurry into the froth phase to a launder. The pursue of energy saving in grinding has led to the emergence of coarse flotation technologies. Evidence points to the crucial role of bubble clusters to lift coarse particles effectively. However, little is known about their formation and behaviour except from what can be gathered from the photographic method. This study demonstrates the capability of X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) to study the morphology of bubble clusters. The method is able to distinguish individual particles and how they are positioned on bubbles. In addition, X-ray particle image velocimetry (X-ray PIV) was initially employed on a 2-phase system (air and water) to determine its suitability for tracking bubbles and eventually bubble clusters. X-ray PIV could effectively be used to track the mean velocity of bubbles in all sections of a foam column. It was possible to estimate the composition (i.e., liquid holdup) within the column. It is believed that both methodologies will provide insights into the morphology of bubble clusters as well as their behaviour in the pulp, in the froth, and at the pulp/froth interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The model is stablished on X-Ray micro-computed tomography technology (μCT), combing SWT damage theory and Theory of Critical Distance (TCD) technique. • Inclusions can affect the crack initiation direction of fretting fatigue and reduce the initiation lifetime. The closer it is to the surface, the more dangerous it is. • The difference between the properties of inclusions and matrix materials leads to local mechanical response mismatch and concentration. • The aggregation distribution of inclusions results in the merging and connection of local regions with high stress, strain, and damage concentration. Fretting fatigue is a particularly destructive form of fatigue failure that has drawn significant attention from researchers. This paper proposes a numerical modelling method based on tomography scan to investigate the impact of inclusions on fretting fatigue crack initiation behaviour. The results reveal that inclusions can affect the crack initiation direction and reduce the initiation lifetime. The difference between the properties of inclusions and matrix leads to local mechanical response mismatch, resulting in local stress, strain, and damage concentration. The mismatch in strain and damage follows a gradient distribution along the thickness as the distribution in these mechanical responses. These could explain why particles closer to the surface are more likely to cause damage. Additionally, the aggregation distribution of inclusions results in merging and connecting local regions with high stress, strain, and damage concentration, ultimately promoting fracture behaviour. Finally, the numerical models are validated with experimental data from fretting fatigue tests. Compared to the homogeneous model, the numerical model that considers inclusions from topography data can more accurately analyse the material damage and provide a more comprehensive understanding of fretting fatigue behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, it was experimentally shown that VUV radiation generated in a periodic structure of a multilayer X-ray mirror by relativistic electrons exhibits a quasi-monochromatic spectrum depending on the angle of inclination of the target and the direction of emission of radiation inside the radiation cone. Here, we present new experimental results regarding the properties of angular density of radiation. A comparison between the measured radiation intensity over a wide range of target inclination angles and theoretical calculations is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Benzamide derived ligands half sandwich platinum group metal complexes synthesized. • Further treatment of the complexes with sodium azide resulted in the formation of diazido complexes. • The diazido complexes displayed efficient antibacterial activity. • All the representative complexes was characterized by single X ray studies. Benzamide derivative ligands L1 and L2 were synthesized and reactions of these ligands with metal dimers [Ru(p -cymene)Cl 2 ] 2 and [Cp*MCl 2 ] 2 (M = Rh/Ir) yielded a series of "piano-stool"-type neutral mononuclear metal-arene-benzamide complexes (1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 and 6) of the general formula [(arene)M(κ1 (N) L)Cl 2 ] (where arene = p -cymene and Cp*, M = Ru, Rh and Ir and L = L1 and L2). Further treatment of the neutral complexes 1 - 6 with sodium azide in methanol resulted in the formation of diazido complexes 7 , 8 , 9 and 10. Crystallographic studies of the complexes 2 , 5 , 7 and 8 revealed the ligands coordinated to the metal centers through the nitrogen atom of thiazole/thiadiazole ring in a monodentate fashion. The complexes were characterized by NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy and ESI-mass spectrometry. All the ligands and metal complexes were screened for their antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Interestingly, it was observed that only the diazido complexes were active towards the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains, with activities more than the standard. Antioxidant study revealed that the compounds possess insignificant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flax fibre represents one of the most promising natural components for the development of new innovative high-performance biobased composite materials. Their properties are closely related to the lumen, the central cavity of the fibre, which was only studied, to date, under unrealistic environments as in dry conditions. The objective of the current study is to characterise, at a micrometre-scale, the surface and volume modifications induced by exposure of fibres to humid atmospheres. Different dynamic characterization strategies have shown a significant opening of the hydrated lumen "channel". Values of this opening rate are discussed in the light of potential biases linked to the investigation technique (SEM versus X-ray tomography), and to the adopted acquisition approach (in situ versus ex situ). By eSEM, after a 5 min. exposure to the water-saturated environment for instance, the lumen opening value was measured at 36 ± 2% for ex-situ hydration of the bundles with a subsequent delamination of the fibre, while it was only 15 ± 2% when hydration was progressively conducted into the SEM chamber. By microtomography, the lumen swelling for the single fibre was estimated to be within the same order of magnitude, about 7%, after hydration and measurements performed under realistic atmospheric pressure. • An original complementary 2D/3D methodology is proposed to characterize the in situ flax hydration. • The hygromorphic behaviour of flax fibres is illustrated by an opening of the lumen. • The hydration procedure plays a critical role in the ability of the lumen to open. • The kinetics of lumen opening varies according to the hydration procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon photonics is emerging as a key technology for developing radiation-tolerant optical transceivers. In this work, we present the electro-optical characterization of two radiation-hardened shallow-etched Mach–Zehnder modulators with different doping configurations when exposed to 1.2 Grad(SiO 2) total ionizing dose. The trade-offs between radiation hardness and nominal performance metrics are highlighted to provide insights for optimizing SiPh devices for high-energy physics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the performance of a SONY CMOS sensor, IU233N5-Z with a very small pixel size of 1. 12 μ m and 1 million pixels, for imaging X-rays, α and β rays. The energy resolution of X-rays was 180 eV at 5.9 keV and 184 eV at 6.5 keV when irradiating the CMOS sensor with 55Fe, and 344 eV at 14.4 keV when irradiating the CMOS sensor with 57Co, which is similar to that of the CCD detector even at room temperature. Furthermore, We read out the optical light of a CsI(Tl) scintillator by this CMOS detector and obtained a detection efficiency of ∼ 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) devices were installed at two Australian abattoirs to predict computed tomography (CT) determined fat % and lean % of lamb carcasses. This study tested three algorithms developed for these devices, termed β1, β2 and β3, and assessed their accuracy and precision in predicting CT composition. Algorithm β3 included the use of a plastic phantom calibration block scanned by both DXA devices to adjust prediction equations, resulting in superior accuracy to the algorithms without phantom calibration (β1 and β2). When compared to the gold-standard CT composition, the bias of the DXA predictions was lowest when using algorithm β3 at the two sites (−1.17%, −0.49% for fat %, 0.11%, −0.37% for lean %). The difference of DXA composition predictions between sites was lowest when using algorithm β3, which demonstrated between site differences of 0.59 CT fat %, and 0.46 CT lean%. In contrast, algorithm β1 and β2 produced differences of 23.7% and 30.8% for CT fat, and 17.3% and 21.9% for CT lean between the two DXA devices. There was a small difference of 0.78% between the fat predictions of the first DXA image compared to the second DXA image for each carcass. The precision of predictions improved slightly using algorithm β3. This work demonstrates that the in-line DXA systems can produce comparable results across sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]