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Simple Summary: Advances in systemic cancer management have improved survival for numerous types of solid cancer; therefore, the number of patients harboring BM is increasing. According to established guidelines, resection should be carried out in patients with single brain metastases and controlled primary disease or when histopathologic diagnosis is crucial for decision-making in cancer management. Post-surgery rates of local recurrence are high; hence, adjuvant local radiation therapy (RT) is indicated to improve outcomes. So far, there is no standard of care regarding dose and fractionation; furthermore, delineation of the cavity can be challenging. Lately, low-energy X-ray intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) applied to the resection bed has emerged in clinical practice, offering local ablative treatment with steep dose gradients towards the surrounding healthy brain. We here retrospectively describe 18 patients with resected brain metastases, which had undergone IORT, demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of this technique in accordance with previous studies. Background: Resection followed by local radiation therapy (RT) is the standard of care for symptomatic brain metastases. However, the optimal technique, fractionation scheme and dose are still being debated. Lately, low-energy X-ray intraoperative RT (lex-IORT) has been of increasing interest. Method: Eighteen consecutive patients undergoing BM resection followed by immediate lex-IORT with 16–30 Gy applied to the spherical applicator were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, RT-specific, radiographic and clinical data were reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of IORT for BM. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan–Meyer analysis were applied. Results: The mean follow-up time was 10.8 months (range, 0–39 months). The estimated local control (LC), distant brain control (DBC) and overall survival (OS) at 12 months post IORT were 92.9% (95%-CI 79.3–100%), 71.4% (95%-CI 50.2–92.6%) and 58.0% (95%-CI 34.1–81.9%), respectively. Two patients developed radiation necrosis (11.1%) and wound infection (CTCAE grade III); both had additional adjuvant treatment after IORT. For five patients (27.8%), the time to the start or continuation of systemic treatment was ≤15 days and hence shorter than wound healing and adjuvant RT would have required. Conclusion: In accordance with previous series, this study demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of IORT in the management of brain metastases despite the small cohort and the retrospective characteristic of this analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of our study was to determine whether tin filtration reduces the radiation exposure received by patients and whether it affects the quality of imaging in low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) of sacroiliac joints (SIJ). The evaluation was performed on a group of patients with suspected ankylosing spondylitis. For comparison, the effective dose of a conventional X-ray was calculated. Method: Patients examined by LDCT SIJ at our workplace in 2019-2020 were divided into two groups. The first group underwent a low-dose protocol without the use of tin filtration and the second group underwent the same low-dose protocol with tin filtration. When a patient had an X-ray available in the clinical system, its effective dose was calculated. The dose evaluation were performed by a medical physicist using ImpactDose 2.3, patient model - real patient data (CT Imaging GmbH, Germany) and PCXMC 2.0 (X-ray, STUK Finland) programs. The quality of the image documentation was evaluated independently by two radiologists. Results: In our cohort, the median effective dose for LDCT with tin filtration was 0.1 mSv (0.05-0.18 mSv), for LDCT without tin filtration was 0.5 mSv (0.3-0.9 mSv) and for X-ray was 0.25 mSv (0.06-1.16 mSv). In both LDCT groups 90% of image documentation was of an excellent quality. Conclusion: Our results showed that the tin filtration decreases the radiation dose in comparison with the low-dose protocol by 80%. Compared to X-rays, the dose in our LDCT group with tin filtration was 50% lower. It follows that LDCT with tin filtration can be used in the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis instead of X-rays or in case of unclear findings or inability to perform MRI examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Transcutaneous Osseointegrated Prosthetic Systems (TOPS) offer a good alternative for patients who cannot be satisfactorily rehabilitated by conventional suspension sockets. The Endo-Exo-Prothesis (EEP, ESKA Orthopaedic Handels GmbH®, Deutschland) is the most implanted TOPS in Germany. Previous studies have shown that cortical thickness increases after implantation of TOPS. The aim of this study is to determine changes of cortical thickness in relation to the time after implantation of the Endo-Fix-Stem. Patients and methods: All transfemoral amputees treated by EEP from 2007 to 2013 were operated by the last author of this study. X-ray images of 4 follow-up intervals (postoperative, 3 months, 12 months, 3 years) were analyzed retrospectively. The femoral residuum was divided into 3 sections (proximal, middle, distal) with 2 measuring points in each section: medial and lateral. Cortical thickness was measured at these 6 points and compared at regular intervals using the Friedman test for non-parametric dependent variables. Results: Thirty-seven patients with 40 implants were included. The average age was 52.2 years (30–79 years). 83.7% of the patients were male. No statistical significance could be shown for any of the measuring points of the femoral residual (proximal medial, proximal lateral, middle medial, middle lateral, distal medial, distal lateral) among the mean values of the cortical thickness at the different follow-up times (p > 0.05 for all measuring points). Cortical remodeling processes (> 1 millimeter (mm)) occurred in all implants despite a missing statistical significance. Hypertrophy could be confirmed for 42.5% and atrophy for 37.5%. Twenty percent of the cases showed a parallel occurrence of both entities. Cortical changes greater than 5 mm were only observed at the distal end of the femur. Conclusion: Even if our results did not show any significant difference, it can be deduced that the osseointegration process leads to a remodeling of the bone structure, both in terms of increased bone formation and bone resorption. However, it has not yet been conclusively clarified which processes lead to hyper- or atrophy. The force transmission between prosthesis and bone and the facultative bacterial colonization of the stoma are still the main factors which may be responsible for the bone remodeling processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Germany, people categorised as 'unaccompanied minor refugees' have special rights, entitlements and possibilities. It is, for example, legally complicated to deport them. Since age is such a crucial marker of difference, the age statement of individual migrants is often scrutinised in their registration process through administrative, pedagogic and forensic practices. This ethnographic analysis of forensic age estimations in Hamburg, Germany, shows that one cannot simply read age from a young migrant's bones. Rather, an individual's age is enacted in a practice whereby age is not only dependent on a body, but also on the specific bureaucratic and scientific traditions, technologies and standards involved in assessing it. Thus, citizenship practices based on age not only draw on 'the body', but also – and more crucially – on varied scientific and bureaucratic practices. I propose the concept of 'biorelational citizenship' to grasp these shifting relationalities of the body in citizenship practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present multitone harmonic-balance (MTHB) simulations of a Ti–Au x-ray transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter in a 5×5 pixel spectrometer array. The dynamic response of the TES microcalorimeter under simulation has been extremely well characterized at the BESSY II Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Berlin. We compare our simulated results directly with these measurements, and show that the MTHB algorithm is able to simulate to great accuracy the dynamic behavior of the TES, even when saturated by 6 keV photons. In this paper, we provide a detailed account of the MTHB simulations, and discuss the impact of this work on future missions such as the International X-ray Observatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB), the number needed to screen (NNS), and the diagnostic accuracy of chest X-ray (CXR) screening to detect active pulmonary TB during the 2015 European refugee crisis.Materials and Methods: We evaluated data of all refugees who underwent CXR screening in a single-centre of one German metropolitan area in 2015. We determined the prevalence of TB, NNS, and accuracy of CXR to detect active pulmonary TB. Reference method for active TB was the database of all definite TB cases registered at the Department of Public Health.Results: A total of 17,487 immigrants underwent single-centre CXR screening in 2015; prevalence of definite pulmonary TB was 0.103%. The NNS for detecting one case of active pulmonary TB was 1749. CXR had a sensitivity of 55.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 30.8-78.5%) and a specificity 98.3% (CI 98.1-98.5%) to reveal one case of active TB.Conclusion: Our single-centre study indicates that chest X-ray screening for TB during the 2015 European refugee crisis was of low yield due the low prevalence of TB and high number needed to screen, thus implicating the need for improved screening algorithms adapted to the overwhelming number of refugees.Key Points: • Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) among refugees in 2015 was low (0.103%). • The number needed to screen to detect one case of active pulmonary TB was 1749. • Tuberculosis X-ray screening resulted in a low sensitivity and high specificity. • Tuberculosis X-ray screening during the European refugee crisis is of low yield. • Improved screening algorithms are needed due to the overwhelming the number of refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the European Union tuberculosis prevalence-rates are among the lowest in the world. The prevalence of active tuberculosis in migrant populations has to be analyzed to get valid data on the risk of tuberculosis and for the decision of screening activities.Methods: Therefore, we prospectively quantified the risk of active tuberculosis among asylum seekers at time of arrival. Investigation was performed as regular part of the admission screenings for people arriving at Friedland, Germany, a primary major receiving center during one year.Results: In 11.773 newly arrived asylum seekers 16 X-ray investigations gave the suspicion of active tuberculosis, thereof 11 cases could be verified by culture, thereof 9 cases were classified as microscopically positive. These data translate into rates of 136 per 100.000 suspected cases, 93 per 100.000 verified cases, and finally 76 per 100.000 infectious cases, respectively. Prevalence was higher in asylum seekers coming from Eritrea and Russia compared to the main origins of current migration Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon. One case of MDR-tuberculosis could be detected in a migrant from Russia.Conclusions: Prevalence rates of tuberculosis in newly arrived asylum seekers are higher than in native European populations. Rates seem to reflect the prevalence in the home countries. X-ray investigation during first examination may help identifying people needing further tests for detecting infectious tuberculosis and therefore may prevent transmission. However due to the low prevalence rates screening procedures have to be reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A positive effect of intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection has been discussed for osteoarthritic joint conditions in the last years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate PRP injection into the trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint. We report about ten patients with TMC joint osteoarthritis (OA) that were treated with 2 intra-articular PRP injections 4 weeks apart. PRP was produced using the Double Syringe System (Arthrex Inc., Naples, Florida, USA). A total volume of 1.47±0.25 mL PRP was injected at the first injection and 1.5±0.41 mL at the second injection, depending on the volume capacity of the joint. Patients were evaluated using VAS, strength measures, and the Mayo Wrist score and DASH score after 3 and 6 months. VAS significantly decreased from 6.2±1.6 to 5.4±2.2 at six-month follow-up (P<0.05). The DASH score was unaffected; however, the Mayo Wrist score significantly improved from 46.5±18.6 to 67.5±19.0 at six-month follow-up (P=0.05). Grip was unaffected, whereas pinch declined from 6.02±2.99 to 3.96±1.77 at six-month follow-up (P<0.05). We did not observe adverse events after the injection of PRP, except one occurrence of a palmar wrist ganglion, which resolved without treatment. PRP injection for symptomatic TMC OA is a reasonable therapeutic option in early stages TMC OA and can be performed with little to no morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monastery of Attel, Upper Bavaria, which was founded in AD 1030, harbours a series of crypt burials from the time period between AD 1700 and 1750. Due to a restoration of the church, 16 crypts had to be removed and were subjected to an extensive anthropological-paleopathological and isotope analysis. The 16 crypts contained 19 burials in open wooden coffins. All bodies were covered by an extensive layer of calcium carbonate. Despite this “treatment,” bone and teeth were excellently preserved (mean degree of conservation > 75%, completeness > 85%). The anthropological investigation revealed a mean age of 38.5 years and a body height of 1.71 m. Paleopathologically, a surprisingly high rate of trauma was seen (13 injuries in 7 different individuals, i.e., 36.8% of individuals affected), 2 cases presented signs of extensive arthritis urica (gout), and several monks were affected by arthrosis of shoulder and knee joints. Extensive dental attrition, numerous foci of dental caries, and dentogenic abscesses coincided with considerable dental calculus indicating poor oral hygienic conditions. Stable isotope analysis showed adequate mixed carnivore-herbivore nutrition, comparable to that of contemporaneous upper class individuals. This extensive combined analysis provides considerable insight into the nutrition and disease pattern of a middle-class monastery of early 18th century South Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Growth restriction and retarded bone age are common findings in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We compared the automated BoneXpert™ method with the manual assessment of an X-ray of the non-dominant hand. Methods: In this retrospective multicenter study, 359 patients with CKD stages 2-5, aged 2-14.5 (girls) or 2.5-17 years (boys) were included. Bone age was determined manually by three experts (according to Greulich and Pyle). Automated determination of bone age was performed using the image analysis software BoneXpert™. Results: There was a strong correlation between the automatic and the manual method ( r = 0.983, p < 0.001). The automatic method tended to generate higher bone age values (0.64 ± 0.73 years) in the younger patients (4-5 years) and to underestimate retardation or acceleration of bone age. The so-called 'bone health index' (BHI) was reduced in comparison to the reference population. Bone health index standard deviation score (BHI-SDS) was not related to the stage of CKD, but weakly negatively correlated with plasma PTH concentrations ( r = 0.12, p = 0.019). Conclusions: BoneXpert™ allows an objective, time-saving, and in general valid bone age assessment in children with CKD. Possible underestimation of retarded or accelerated bone age should be taken into account. Validation of the BHI needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cooperation with the Crime Investigation Agency (Landeskriminalamt) of North Rhine-Westphalia, we carried out a study of 150 cases of (suspected) neonaticide dating from 1993 to 2007 from all over Germany. The autopsy reports and additional expert opinions (if performed) were evaluated for a minimum of 78 variables. Emphasis was placed on the application of special preparation techniques and other special questions arising during the examination of a deceased newborn child. Forty-five percent of the cases remained unsolved, which means that the mother could not be identified. Twenty-seven percent of the corpses were in a state of such severe putrefaction that forensic examination was limited. The main causes of death were all forms of suffocation. The signs of maturity (such as length, weight, and fingernails) were recorded in more than 95 % of the cases. Hydrostatic test of the lung was performed in 96 %, and that of the gastrointestinal tract in 84 %. Given the results of the study, standard protocols and checklists are recommended to facilitate comparability and to ensure the completeness of findings. Full-body X-rays or CT scans should be used to complete viability examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the atomic number of superheavy nuclei produced in 48Ca-induced fusion-evaporation reactions, an experiment aiming at measuring characteristic X-rays is being prepared at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany. The gas-filled separator TASCA will be employed, sending the residues towards the multi-coincidence detector setup TASISpec. Two ionoptical modes relying on differing magnetic polarities of the quadrupole magnets can be used at TASCA. New simulations and experimental tests of transmission and background suppression for these two focusing modes into TASISpec are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Activities on free-electron laser (FEL) X-ray sources, based on linear accelerators, to produce spatially coherent, ultra-short (∼100fs) pulses with very high peak brilliance (1028–1032 photons/s/mm2/mrad2/0.1% BW) are summarized, with special emphasis on the European XFEL project in Hamburg. The scientific case includes time-resolved studies of dynamics on sub-ps scales, structural studies by imaging of non-periodic systems, and investigation of high energy-density phenomena such as non-linear X-ray optics and the production of warm dense matter. Examples are presented, with reference to the experience gained on the presently operational facilities, FLASH at DESY, Hamburg and LCLS in Stanford, California. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a project funded by the German state of Lower Saxony, macro- and microscopic analyses, X-ray examinations, 3D computed tomography and metal analyses (trace element analyses and lead isotope analyses) were carried out on Early Bronze swords from Lower Saxony. The evaluation provides some new insights, including the discovery of an exceptional ornamental technique involving inserted bolts on the pommels of two Nordic full-hilted swords. Furthermore, the investigations confirm the theory that Nordic full-hilted swords and Southern Central European octagonal hilted swords were produced by craftsmen of different traditions. Remarkably, Nordic full-hilted swords bear evidence of a limited adaptation of casting and mounting techniques of Southern Central European origin. This sheds light on complex relations and a selective technology transfer between these two different craft traditions. In addition, it can be shown that some craft traditions of the Early Bronze metal-hilted daggers live on in some full-hilted swords of later times. The octagonal hilted swords were probably produced in several small workshops. The long-postulated workshop trading areas of Nordic full-hilted swords could unfortunately not be reassessed according to technological criteria because of the scarce data available. The distribution of octagonal hilted swords in the north may be explained by the import of swords with 'southern' ornamentation and other non-decorated swords which were finished in the north. This led to reciprocal contact and influences. Besides their primary function as a weapon, the swords would certainly also have carried social and symbolic meanings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The new DSSC (DEPFET sensor with signal compression) detector system is being developed in order to fulfil the requirements of the future XFEL in Hamburg. The instrument will be able to record X-ray images with a maximum frame rate of 5MHz and to achieve a high dynamic range. The system is based on a silicon pixel sensor with a new designed non-linear-DEPFET as a central amplifier structure. The detector chip is bump-bonded to mixed signal readout ASICs that provide full parallel readout and temporary data storage. The signals coming from the detector are processed by an analog filter, immediately digitized by 8-ENOB ADCs and locally stored in a custom designed memory. The ASICs are designed in 130nm CMOS technology. During the time gap of 99ms of the XFEL machine, the digital data are sent off the focal plane to a DAQ electronics that acts as an interface to the back-end of the whole instrument. The pixel sensor has been designed so as to combine high energy resolution at low signal charge with high dynamic range. This has been motivated by the desire to be able to be sensitive to single low energy photons and, at the same time, to measure at other positions of the detector signals corresponding to up to 104 photons of 1keV. In order to fit this dynamic range into a reasonable output signal swing, achieving at the same time single photon resolution, a strongly non-linear characteristic is required. The new proposed DEPFET provides the required dynamic range compression at the sensor level, considerably facilitating the task of the electronics. At the same time the DEPFET charge handling capacitance is enormously increased with respect to standard DEPFETs. The sensor matrix will comprise pixels of hexagonal shape with a side-length of . The simultaneous implementation of the 5MHz frame rate, of the single low-energy photon resolution and of the high dynamic range goes beyond all the existing instruments and requires the development of new concepts and technologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ivities on free-electron laser (FEL) x-ray sources, based on linear accelerators, to produce spatially coherent, ultra-short (∼100 fs) pulses with very high peak brilliance (10-10 photons/s/mm/mrad/0.1% BW) are summarized. The scientific case includes time-resolved studies of dynamics on sub- ps scales, structural studies by imaging of non-periodic systems, and investigation of high energy-density phenomena such as non-linear x-ray optics and the production of warm dense matter. Examples are presented, with emphasis on the operational facilities, FLASH at DESY, Hamburg and LCLS in Stanford, California, and on the European XFEL project in Hamburg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel flat-response x-ray detector has been developed for the measurement of radiation flux from a hohlraum. In order to obtain a flat response in the photon energy range of 0.1–4 keV, it is found that both the cathode and the filter of the detector can be made of gold. A further improvement on the compound filter can then largely relax the requirement of the calibration x-ray beam. The calibration of the detector, which is carried out on Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility at Institute of High Energy Physics, shows that the detector has a desired flat response in the photon energy range of 0.1–4 keV, with a response flatness smaller than 13%. The detector has been successfully applied in the hohlraum experiment on Shenguang-III prototype laser facility. The radiation temperatures inferred from the detector agree well with those from the diagnostic instrument Dante installed at the same azimuth angle from the hohlraum axis, demonstrating the feasibility of the detector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We describe the hard X-ray scanning microscope planned for the new synchrotron radiation source PETRA III at DESY in Hamburg, Germany. It is based on nanofocusing refractive X-ray lenses and is designed for two-dimensional mapping and scanning tomography. It supports X-ray fluorescence and (coherent) diffraction contrast, yielding elemental and structural information from inside the sample. Spatial resolutions down to well below 50nm are aimed for in direct space. A further increase in spatial resolution is expected by applying ptychographic scanning schemes. The optical scheme with a two-stage focusing optic is described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The generation and propagation of dislocations in Si at high temperature is observed in situ with white beam X-ray topography. For the heating experiments a double ellipsoidal mirror furnace was installed at the Topo–Tomo beamline of the ANKA synchrotron light source, Research Centre Karlsruhe, Germany. Details of the experimental set-up and the first results on the occurrence of dislocations are presented. Artificial damage was generated in commercial (100) Si wafers using a nanoindenter with various loads. The applied forces for each set of indents were varied from 100 to 500mN, respectively. After heating to approx. 790°C large area transmission topographs were taken every 30min which were then compared to room temperature topographs before and after heating. At the outset straight 60°-dislocations with b = a/2〈110〉 originate from the 500mN indents into the direction of the strongest temperature gradient. After 60min at constant temperature an increase in the length and number of the dislocations in other directions is also observed. As a result of the continual thermal stressing dislocations develop from the 100mN indents too. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Photoelectron spectroscopy at high kinetic energy is a research field that receives an increasing interest due to the possibility of studying bulk properties of materials and deeply buried interfaces. Recently the high kinetic energy electron (HIKE) spectroscopy facility at BESSY in Berlin has become operative at the bending magnet beamline KMC-1. The first results show very good performance. Electron spectra have been recorded using X-ray energies from 2keV up to 12keV. Using back-scattering conditions in the crystal monochromator, very high-resolution has been achieved for photon energies around 2, 6 and 8keV. In the latter case, spectra with a resolving power from the monochromator of ⩾80000 have been achieved and it has been possible to perform electron spectroscopy with resolving power of ⩾60000, yielding a total instrument resolution of about 150meV as determined directly from spectra. This paper describes the facility and reports some of the first results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This is a tutorial review of the basic principles and present status of free-electron lasers (FELs) with particular emphasis on high-gain FELs such as FLASH in Hamburg. With their unprecedented intensity and a pulse duration of a few 10 fs, these novel accelerator-based radiation sources in the ultraviolet and X-ray regime will open new fields in physics, chemistry, biology and material science. Assuming that the reader is unfamiliar with FELs or particle accelerators in general, this tutorial covers the basic concepts of particle accelerators and the generation of synchrotron radiation in some detail, and finally describes FELs in the low-gain and high-gain regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports that more than 90 participants from Europe, the U.S. and Japan gathered from April 27 to 29, 2005, in Berlin, Germany, to hold a lively international meeting on time-resolved soft X-ray science. The meeting continued the series of preceding workshops held in 2002 in Napa, California and in 2003 in Montreux, Switzerland. The aim of the workshop was to bring together the existing ultrafast laser community and the emerging ultrafast X-ray community in order lo discuss recent scientific highlights from both fields and to outline new directions for the application of ultrafast X-rays. In turn, it was hoped that this would help define the source characteristics of future ultrafast X-ray sources such as X-ray Free Electron Lasers.

Historians have found it difficult to give a general account of the early medical use of X-rays in medicine. While the rays were hailed by some as a miracle technology, their early medical application was patchy, often remaining subsidiary to traditional methods of diagnosis and treatment, and was of disputed value. In this essay, I argue that the selective appropriation of the new technology needs to be understood within the wider medical practice of the period. The argument is developed around the case of orthopedic surgery in Germany, probably the first example in which doctors quickly made X-rays indispensable as a medical tool. I show that value of X-rays in this case was contingent upon an ongoing dispute, the theory and practice of surgical intervention, and the sociology of new surgical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mobile neutron source based on the SbBe reaction for neutron radiography and tomography was designed and set up at the Institut für Radiochemie, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany. The layout is based on both the results of Monte Carlo simulation studies for optimization of the neutron output and the shielding calculations for minimization of the dose rate in the surrounding. The system has dimensions of 58 cm × 58 cm × 150 cm (w × 1 × h) and an overall mass of about 800 kg. It consists of two main components that are combined when operating the source: a lead container for storage and transport of the antimony source (maximum activity 3.7E + 11 Bq) and a shielded moderation and collimation unit containing the beryllium block target in which the antimony source is lifted for generating neutrons. Results of experimental investigations of the SbBe source system on the performance and on its applicability for neutron radiography are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of clinical information and chest film for the discrimination between invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and its differential diagnoses in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was studied. The diagnostic performance of clinical information and chest film alone and in combination was studied for eight internists and eight radiologists with regular exposure to IPA patients. The multicenter case sample consisted of 25 patients with proven IPA and 25 with other pulmonary diseases typical for HIV. The cases were presented on a CD-ROM. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) methodology was employed. With clinical information alone, internists achieved the highest diagnostic performance (area under curve/AUC=0.84). Viewing the chest films did not contribute to their performance (AUC=0.80, P=0.26). The radiologist's performance on the basis of viewing the chest film (AUC=0.75) increased significantly ( P=0.012) when clinical information (AUC=0.83) was supplied. IPA cases with characteristic radiological appearance were correctly identified in 90% with chest film. For radiologists with regular exposure to HIV patients, chest films hold relevant information and contribute to the determination in cases with characteristic radiological appearance. Overall and especially in cases with less characteristic radiological appearance, they have significant profit from full access to the clinical data. For internists with regular exposure to HIV patients, chest films do not provide information essential for the verification or differentiation of potential IPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbeam radiotherapy is a novel type of radiotherapy in which narrow beams of radiation (typically less than 500 μ m) are spatially fractionated, delivering a non-uniform distribution to the target tumour volume. Due to the very high dose gradients and very small beams involved, new dosimetric techniques are required for translation into clinical practise. Current real-time beam monitoring is typically performed using 1 dimensional silicon strip detectors or wire chambers, with 2D beam information measured offline using radiochromic film (requiring a minimum of 24 h to self-develop). Using an Xstrahl SARRP X-ray​ irradiation device with a bespoke microbeam collimator at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, the newly developed vM1212 detector was exposed to a variety of microbeams (220 kV, nominal slit widths 0– 100 μ m) for evaluation of in vivo real time verification. The performance of the detector was assessed by changing the collimator slit width (and thus microbeam FWHM) mid-irradiation. Microbeam FWHMs of 130– 190 μ m could be measured in this manner in addition to temporally monitoring other basic parameters such as the radiation intensity. More advanced parameters could be calculated as the tungsten slits within the microbeam collimator opened and closed such as the rate of change of FWHM; the peak–valley-dose-ratio (PVDR); and the sub-pixel movement of each microbeam peak. This work demonstrates the potential of radiation hard CMOS sensors in radiotherapy for in vivo real-time monitoring of X-ray microbeams FWHM, intensity and position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the feasibility of near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy on solids by means of femtosecond soft x-ray pulses from a free-electron laser (FEL). Our experiments, carried out at the FEL at Hamburg used a special sample geometry, spectrographic energy dispersion, single shot position-sensitive detection, and a data normalization procedure that eliminates the severe fluctuations of the incident intensity in space and photon energy. As an example, we recorded the 3D1 N4,5 edge absorption resonance of La3+ ions in LaMnO3. Our study opens the door for x-ray absorption measurements on future x-ray FEL facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the distinctive changes in the fiber-diffraction pattern of hair from women with breast cancer in Heidelberg, Germany. Features in diffraction patterns of hair; Frequency of mutation in the BRCA1 gene; Association between a change in the diffraction pattern of hair and the presence of breast cancer.

Russia, Sweden, and Germany are enhancing their scientific cooperation, particularly in the exploitation of modern X-ray and neutron facilities for the design of advanced materials. The three countries are striving to become an international powerhouse in the use of advanced X-ray and Neutron Facilities in materials science. With upcoming facilities including the European XFEL in Hamburg, the ESS and MAX-IV in Lund as well as the upgraded neutron reactor PIK in St. Petersburg, the Baltic region will significantly strengthen its analytical research capabilities over the next decade. Two strategic cooperation platforms have been launched with strong support by national funding agencies, the Röntgen-Angstrom Cluster (RAC) between Germany and Sweden and the Ioffe-Röntgen-Institute (IRI) between Germany and the Russian Federation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the unknown painting of a woman's head by Vincent van Gogh which was revealed through an X-ray technology. Using the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron found in Hamburg, Germany, Joris Dik and his colleagues extracted a much sharper image. The distributions of arsenic, lead, and other metals were mapped in the hidden paint layer. Furthermore, the painting is thought to have been made in 1884-1885, a period in which peasants were the subjects of van Gogh's paintings. A photograph of the painting is also presented.