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Despite the increased brilliance of the new generation synchrotron sources, there is still a challenge with high-resolution scanning of very thick and absorbing samples, such as a whole mouse brain stained with heavy elements, and, extending further, brains of primates. Samples are typically cut into smaller parts, to ensure a sufficient X-ray transmission, and scanned separately. Compared with the standard tomography setup where the sample would be cut into many pillars, the laminographic geometry operates with slab-shaped sections significantly reducing the number of sample parts to be prepared, the cutting damage and data stitching problems. In this work, a laminography pipeline for imaging large samples (>1 cm) at micrometre resolution is presented. The implementation includes a low-cost instrument setup installed at the 2-BM micro-CT beamline of the Advanced Photon Source. Additionally, sample mounting, scanning techniques, data stitching procedures, a fast reconstruction algorithm with low computational complexity, and accelerated reconstruction on multi-GPU systems for processing large-scale datasets are presented. The applicability of the whole laminography pipeline was demonstrated by imaging four sequential slabs throughout an entire mouse brain sample stained with osmium, in total generating approximately 12 TB of raw data for reconstruction.

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in the United States. Among the different available treatment options, radiation therapy is recommended for localized or even advanced disease. Erectile dysfunction (ED) often occurs after radiation therapy due to neurological, vascular, and endocrine mechanisms resulting in arterial tone alteration, pudendal-nerve neuropraxia, and lastly fibrosis. Considering the influence of quality of life on patients’ treatment choice, radiation-therapy-induced ED prevention and treatment are major issues. In this narrative review, we briefly summarize and discuss the current state of the art on radiation-therapy-induced ED in PCa patients in terms of pathophysiology and available treatment options.

Complex dynamic tomographic experiments at brilliant X-ray light sources require real-time feedback on the sample changes with respect to environmental conditions, selecting representative regions of interest for high-resolution scanning, and on-demand data saving mechanisms for storing only relevant projections acquired by fast area detectors and reducing data volumes. Here the implementation details of a 3D real-time imaging monitoring instrument, with zooming to a volume of interest with easy-to-use visualization via ImageJ, a tool familiar to most beamline users, is presented. The instrument relies on optimized data flow between the detector and processing machines and is implemented on commodity computers. The instrument has been developed at beamline 2-BM of the Advanced Photon Source, where the automatic lens changing mechanism for zooming is implemented with an Optique Peter microscope. Performance tests demonstrate the ability to process more than 3 GB of projection data per second and generate real-time 3D zooming with different magnification. These new capabilities are essential for new APS Upgrade instruments such as the projection microscope under development at beamline 32-ID. The efficacy of the proposed instrument was demonstrated during an in situ tomographic experiment on ice and gas hydrate formation in porous samples.

Human mentality develops with age and is altered in psychiatric disorders, though their underlying mechanism is unknown. In this study, we analyzed nanometer-scale three-dimensional structures of brain tissues of the anterior cingulate cortex from eight schizophrenia and eight control cases. The distribution profiles of neurite curvature of the control cases showed a trend depending on their age, resulting in an age-correlated decrease in the standard deviation of neurite curvature (Pearson's r = -0.80, p = 0.018). In contrast to the control cases, the schizophrenia cases deviate upward from this correlation, exhibiting a 60% higher neurite curvature compared with the controls (p = 7.8 × 10-4). The neurite curvature also showed a correlation with a hallucination score (Pearson's r = 0.80, p = 1.8 × 10-4), indicating that neurite structure is relevant to brain function. This report is based on our 3D analysis of human brain tissues over a decade and is unprecedented in terms of the number of cases. We suggest that neurite curvature plays a pivotal role in brain aging and can be used as a hallmark to exploit a novel treatment of schizophrenia.

To further enhance the performance of wood products, improved tools are needed to study in situ cellular scale phenomena like mechanical deformations and moisture swelling. Micro-X-ray computed tomography (μXCT) using brilliant synchrotron light sources now has the spatial and temporal resolution for real-time visualization of phenomena in three-dimensional cellular structures. However, the tradeoff for speed includes the loss of intensity contrast between different types of materials within the imaged structure, such as cell wall and air in wood. This loss of contrast prevents traditional histogram-based segmentation methods from being used effectively. A new convolutional neural network (CNN) approach was therefore developed to segment fast μXCT images of wood into cell wall and air volumes. The fast μXCT and segmentation were demonstrated in the study of moisture swelling in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) earlywood and latewood cellular structures conditioned at 0%, 33%, 75%, and 95% relative humidity (RH). The CNN segmentation results had a mean intersection over union (IoU) metric accuracy of 96%. Initial analysis of the swelling in the latewood revealed cell walls swelled about 25% when conditioned from 0% to 95% RH. Additionally, the widths of ray cell lumina in the transverse plane of latewood could be observed to increase at higher RH. The segmentation method presented here will facilitate future quantitative analyses in in situ μXCT studies of wood and other similar cellular materials.

Accurate 3D representations of lithium-ion battery electrodes can help in understanding and ultimately improving battery performance. Here, the authors report a methodology for using deep-learning tools to reliably distinguish the different electrode material phases where standard approaches fail.

In the Mediterranean, experiments and technical measures aimed at improving the selectivity of bottom trawl nets mostly concern modifications to the codend. Grids have been tested in various areas, but have not been adopted for management purposes so far. The present study aims to evaluate whether the adoption of diamond meshes turned by 90° (T90 configuration) and a selection grid with 2 cm bar spacing, both placed in the extension piece of a commercial bottom trawl net, can contribute in reducing the capture of specimens under the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) for the main commercial species. The results indicated that the T90 configuration has no effect compared to the commercial net commonly used by fishers. The grid showed a reduction of the catches of European hake individuals between 11 and 19 cm Total Length (TL). However, the use of this device reduced the catch of many species, such as red mullet, deep-water rose shrimp and broad tail short fin squid. This reduction was observed also for specimens above MCRS. In conclusion, the T90 applied to the extension piece does not provide any improvement in selectivity, contrary to what has been observed when the T90 is placed at the codend. In contrast, the grid could be a possible way to increase selectivity. However, the use of grid should be further investigated to identify settings that can avoid the loss of a substantial fraction of commercial catch.

Abstract The cerebral cortex is composed of multiple cortical areas that exert a wide variety of brain functions. Although human brain neurons are genetically and areally mosaic, the three-dimensional structural differences between neurons in different brain areas or between the neurons of different individuals have not been delineated. Here we report a nanometer-scale geometric analysis of brain tissues of the superior temporal gyrus of schizophrenia and control cases. The results of the analysis and a comparison with results for the anterior cingulate cortex indicated that (1) neuron structures are significantly dissimilar between brain areas and that (2) the dissimilarity varies from case to case. The structural diverseness was mainly observed in terms of the neurite curvature that inversely correlates with the diameters of the neurites and spines. The analysis also revealed the geometric differences between the neurons of the schizophrenia and control cases. The schizophrenia cases showed a thin and tortuous neuronal network compared with the controls, suggesting that the neuron structure is associated with the disorder. The area dependency of the neuron structure and its diverseness between individuals should represent the individuality of brain functions.

Transperineal laser ablation (TPLA) of the prostate is a new minimally invasive treatment option in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE). The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the efficacy and safety of TPLA in the management of BPE. The primary outcomes were the improvement in urodynamic parameters (maximum urinary flow (Qmax) and postvoiding residue (PVR)) and LUTS relief, assessed using the IPSS questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were the preservation of sexual and ejaculatory functions, assessed with the IEEF-5 and MSHQ-EjD questionnaires, respectively, and rates of postoperative complications. We reviewed the literature for prospective or retrospective studies evaluating the use of TPLA in the treatment of BPE. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov was performed for English language articles published between January 2000 and June 2022. Pooled analysis of the included studies with available follow-up data for the outcomes of interest was additionally performed. After screening 49 records, six full-text manuscripts were identified, including two retrospective and four prospective non-comparative studies. Overall, 297 patients were included. All the studies independently reported a statistically significant improvement, from baseline, in Qmax, PVR, and IPSS score at each timepoint. Three studies additionally demonstrated that TPLA did not affect sexual function, reporting no change in the IEEF-5 score, and a statistically significant improvement in MSHQ-EjD score at each timepoint. Low rates of complications were recorded in all the included studies. Pooled analysis showed a clinically meaningful improvement in both micturition and sexual outcomes mean values at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up, compared with baseline. Transperineal laser ablation of the prostate for the treatment of BPE showed interesting results in pilot studies. However, higher level and comparative studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in relieving obstructive symptoms and preserving sexual function.

Biominerals are nanocomposites that often incorporate nanoscopic defects such as organic inclusions within the mineral matrix. Here, the authors report on an experimental and computational study into the effects of intracrystalline defects on the intrinsic mechanical behaviour of biominerals.

Mean temperature (MTC) and mean trophic level (MTL) spatiotemporal patterns of MEDITS survey catches were examined in 13 geographic statistical areas (GSAs) of the Mediterranean between 1994 and 2016. The study aimed to detect changes in the demersal community structure related to anthropogenic impacts. A generalized additive modelling approach was used to examine the effects of year and GSA on the MTC and MTL indexes and on bottom temperature by haul. For the MTC index, the year was significant only in 4 GSAs, while for MTL it was significant in 5. Higher MTC values were observed in central and eastern areas. Bottom temperature increased after 2010, and also from west to east and from north to south. Our results indicate that the recently observed increase in bottom sea temperature has not resulted in an immediate response by demersal marine communities, but areas with higher warming rates or shallow depths were found to be more susceptible to sea warming. For MTL, decreasing trends were observed in only 2 GSAs, while the temporal trends observed in 5 GSAs may have reflected changes in fishing activity patterns. However, higher MTL values were observed in GSAs with generally higher exploitation rates, indicating that factors other than fishing play an important structuring role in marine communities. The present results indicate differences among Mediterranean subareas in regard to changes in the community structure attributed to environmental conditions and exploitation patterns and have implications for the ecology and dynamics of the stocks.

This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a “guarding net”, a device placed at the bottom of a trammel net, for reducing unwanted catches in the caramote prawn trammel net fishery of the Ligurian Sea. This specialized and profitable fishery is affected by unwanted catches that generate high discard rates and damage to the nets, with environmental impacts and costs for fishermen. The experimental study consisted in comparing the catches of a standard trammel net (STN) with those of two “experimental” trammel nets, e.g. STNs provided with a guarding net of 19 cm (TGN20) and 24 cm height (TGN25), respectively. The guarding net, a strip of gillnet placed at the bottom of the net, can be considered a by-catch reducer device (BRD). Some fishermen of the investigated fishery have been using this device for several years. The results of the 15 experimental fishing trials performed from June to July 2016 indicate that the guarding nets significantly reduce discards (e.g. crabs and other invertebrates); the biomass of the unwanted species caught was 75% lower than that produced by the STN. The catch rates of the target species obtained with TGN20 and TGN25 were also significantly lower than those of the STN, though of a lesser amount. Nonetheless, this economic loss can be compensated by the decrease in sorting time and material and labour costs that can be achieved using the guarding net.

Silicon is a promising electrode material for lithium-ion batteries; however, morphological changes shorten battery lifetimes. Here the authors use imaging techniques based on electrons and X-rays to quantify such processes at micro- and nanoscales and suggest routes to mitigate battery degradation.

Abstract Synchrotron-based X-ray tomography offers the potential for rapid large-scale reconstructions of the interiors of materials and biological tissue at fine resolution. However, for radiation sensitive samples, there remain fundamental trade-offs between damaging samples during longer acquisition times and reducing signals with shorter acquisition times. We present a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) method that increases the acquired X-ray tomographic signal by at least a factor of 10 during low-dose fast acquisition by improving the quality of recorded projections. Short-exposure-time projections enhanced with CNNs show signal-to-noise ratios similar to long-exposure-time projections. They also show lower noise and more structural information than low-dose short-exposure acquisitions post-processed by other techniques. We evaluated this approach using simulated samples and further validated it with experimental data from radiation sensitive mouse brains acquired in a tomographic setting with transmission X-ray microscopy. We demonstrate that automated algorithms can reliably trace brain structures in low-dose datasets enhanced with CNN. This method can be applied to other tomographic or scanning based X-ray imaging techniques and has great potential for studying faster dynamics in specimens

Abstract We employ the high-speed synchrotron hard X-ray imaging and diffraction techniques to monitor the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process of Ti-6Al-4V in situ and in real time. We demonstrate that many scientifically and technologically significant phenomena in LPBF, including melt pool dynamics, powder ejection, rapid solidification, and phase transformation, can be probed with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. In particular, the keyhole pore formation is experimentally revealed with high spatial and temporal resolutions. The solidification rate is quantitatively measured, and the slowly decrease in solidification rate during the relatively steady state could be a manifestation of the recalescence phenomenon. The high-speed diffraction enables a reasonable estimation of the cooling rate and phase transformation rate, and the diffusionless transformation from β to α ’ phase is evident. The data present here will facilitate the understanding of dynamics and kinetics in metal LPBF process, and the experiment platform established will undoubtedly become a new paradigm for future research and development of metal additive manufacturing.

Organismal phenotypes frequently involve multiple organ systems. Histology is a powerful way to detect cellular and tissue phenotypes, but is largely descriptive and subjective. To determine how synchrotron-based X-ray micro-tomography (micro-CT) can yield 3-dimensional whole-organism images suitable for quantitative histological phenotyping, we scanned whole zebrafish, a small vertebrate model with diverse tissues, at ~1 micron voxel resolutions. Micro-CT optimized for cellular characterization (histotomography) allows brain nuclei to be computationally segmented and assigned to brain regions, and cell shapes and volumes to be computed for motor neurons and red blood cells. Striking individual phenotypic variation was apparent from color maps of computed densities of brain nuclei. Unlike histology, the histotomography also allows the study of 3-dimensional structures of millimeter scale that cross multiple tissue planes. We expect the computational and visual insights into 3D cell and tissue architecture provided by histotomography to be useful for reference atlases, hypothesis generation, comprehensive organismal screens, and diagnostics.

It is well established that increasing mesh number in the circumference of a diamond-mesh trawl codend can reduce size selection for round fish, whereas selection for flat fish species is unaffected. This effect has also been documented in Mediterranean trawl fisheries. In contrast, no information is available with regard to the effect of increasing mesh number in the circumference of square-mesh codends on the size selection of round fish and flat fish species. A field study was devised to bridge this gap and formulate proposals aimed at improving trawl fishery management. Size selection data were collected for a round fish species, red mullet (Mullus barbatus), and two flat fish species, Mediterranean scaldfish (Arnoglossus laterna) and solenette (Buglossidium luteum). Fishing trials were conducted in the Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean) using three square-mesh codends that differed only in mesh number around the circumference. Results demonstrated that increasing the number of meshes from 107 to 213 reduced the 50% retention length (L50) for red mullet by 2.5 cm but did not affect size selection for the two flat fish species. In some fisheries, regulatory provisions regarding the number of meshes in the circumference should therefore be carefully considered both for diamond- and square-mesh codends.

Clinical trials have shown that hexaminolevulinate (HAL) fluorescence cystoscopy improves the detection of bladder tumors compared with standard white-light cystoscopy, resulting in more efficacious treatment. However, some recent meta-analyses report controversially on recurrence-free rates with this procedure. A systematic review of literature was performed from December 2014 to January 2015 using the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases for controlled trials on photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) with HAL. A total of 154 publications were found up to January 2015. Three of the authors separately reviewed the records to evaluate eligibility and methodological quality of clinical trials. A total of 16 publications were considered eligible for analysis. HAL–PDD-guided cystoscopy increased overall tumor detection rate (proportion difference 19%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.152–0.236) although the benefit was particularly significant in patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) lesion (proportion difference 15.7%, 95% CI 0.069–0.245) and was reduced in papillary lesions (Ta proportion difference 5.9%, 95% CI 0.014–0.103 and T1 proportion difference 1.2%, 95% CI 0.033–0.057). Moreover, there were 15% of patients (95% CI 0.098–0.211) with at least one additional tumor seen with PDD. With regard to recurrence rates, the data sample was insufficient for a statistical analysis, although the evaluation of raw data showed a trend in favor of HAL–PDD. This meta-analysis confirms the increased tumor detection rate by HAL–PDD with a most pronounced benefit for CIS lesion.

Acquired Hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare bleeding diathesis characterized by the development of autoantibodies against factor VIII (FVIII). About half of the cases are idiopathic and the other half are associated with autoimmune diseases, postpartum problems, infections, inflammatory bowel disease, drugs, lymphoproliferative disorders or solid tumors . AHA is associated with malignancies in 7-15% of cases. We report a case of AHA in a 65 year old patient with prostatic carcinoma, who underwent retropubic radical prostatectomy (RP).

Abstract Dental applications based on the unique characteristics of amorphous calcium phosphate stabilized by casein phosphopeptides (CPP-ACP) have been proposed, as well as the improvement of its properties. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the ability of topically applied CPP-ACP from a commercial product to remineralize subsurface lesions when applied for extended periods of time (3 h and 8 h). Material and Methods: Artificially induced carious lesions were produced in 50 bovine enamel blocks previously selected by surface hardness. After treatments with gel without F and CPP-ACP applied for 1 minute (Placebo); 2% NaF neutral gel applied for 1 minute (Fluoride 1 min); CPP-ACP applied for 3 min (ACP 3 min); and CPP-ACP applied for 3 h (ACP 3 h) and for 8 h (ACP 8 h), the enamel blocks were submitted to the remineralization pH-cycling. Surface hardness and synchrotron micro-tomography were used to determine the percentage of surface hardness recovery (%SHR) and to calculate mineral concentration (gHAp.cm−3), respectively. The data were submitted to ANOVA followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test (p