Quantitative multi-parameter mapping of R1, PD(*), MT, and R2(*) at 3T: a multi-center validation.

Multi-center studies using magnetic resonance imaging facilitate studying small effect sizes, global population variance and rare diseases. The reliability and sensitivity of these multi-center studies crucially depend on the comparability of the data generated at different sites and time points. The level of inter-site comparability is still controversial for conventional anatomical T1-weighted MRI data. Quantitative multi-parameter mapping (MPM) was designed to provide MR parameter measures that are comparable across sites and time points, i.e., 1 mm high-resolution maps of the longitudinal relaxation rate (R1 = 1/T1), effective proton density (PD(*)), magnetization transfer saturation (MT) and effective transverse relaxation rate (R2(*) = 1/T2(*)). MPM was validated at 3T for use in multi-center studies by scanning five volunteers at three different sites. We determined the inter-site bias, inter-site and intra-site coefficient of variation (CoV) for typical morphometric measures [i.e., gray matter (GM) probability maps used in voxel-based morphometry] and the four quantitative parameters. The inter-site bias and CoV were smaller than 3.1 and 8%, respectively, except for the inter-site CoV of R2(*) (<20%). The GM probability maps based on the MT parameter maps had a 14% higher inter-site reproducibility than maps based on conventional T1-weighted images. The low inter-site bias and variance in the parameters and derived GM probability maps confirm the high comparability of the quantitative maps across sites and time points. The reliability, short acquisition time, high resolution and the detailed insights into the brain microstructure provided by MPM makes it an efficient tool for multi-center imaging studies.

Influencia del contenido de oxigeno sobre la ductilidad del hierro de granos ultra finos obtenido por compactación en caliente

Sabiendo que las propiedades mecánicas de un metal están gobernadas por sumicroestructura y más precisamente por su tamaño de grano, la industria busca desarrollarmateriales con un tamaño de grano nanométrico que tengan comportamientos mecánicosinteresantes: alto limite elástico y ductilidad aceptable.Este proyecto trata de la influencia del oxigeno sobre un material nanoestructurado obtenidopor compactación en caliente de polvo molido de hierro. Con este objetivo, se ha realizadodos polvo de hierro conteniendo cada uno una concentración en oxigeno diferente (0.238 y0.634% másico). Se los han compactado a diferentes temperaturas (575, 600, 625y 650°C).Se ha realizado diferentes pruebas sobre los consolidados: medición de la densidad,dureza, determinación del tamaño de grano, resistencia mecánica y ductilidad medianteensayo de tracción.Las piezas consolidadas con un porcentaje bajo de carbono muestran una buena resistenciacon porcentajes de alargamiento bajos pero suficientes. Para las piezas con altoscontenidos de oxígeno, se ha demostrado que el oxigeno fragiliza el material formandoóxidos que ralentizan el crecimiento de grano a alta temperatura y que dificultan suconsolidación. De esta manera, estas piezas tienen una resistencia teórica mucho mayorpero rompen por rotura frágil.

Influencia del contenido de oxigeno sobre la ductilidad del hierro de granos ultra finos obtenido por compactación en caliente

Sabiendo que las propiedades mecánicas de un metal están gobernadas por sumicroestructura y más precisamente por su tamaño de grano, la industria busca desarrollarmateriales con un tamaño de grano nanométrico que tengan comportamientos mecánicosinteresantes: alto limite elástico y ductilidad aceptable.Este proyecto trata de la influencia del oxigeno sobre un material nanoestructurado obtenidopor compactación en caliente de polvo molido de hierro. Con este objetivo, se ha realizadodos polvo de hierro conteniendo cada uno una concentración en oxigeno diferente (0.238 y0.634% másico). Se los han compactado a diferentes temperaturas (575, 600, 625y 650°C).Se ha realizado diferentes pruebas sobre los consolidados: medición de la densidad,dureza, determinación del tamaño de grano, resistencia mecánica y ductilidad medianteensayo de tracción.Las piezas consolidadas con un porcentaje bajo de carbono muestran una buena resistenciacon porcentajes de alargamiento bajos pero suficientes. Para las piezas con altoscontenidos de oxígeno, se ha demostrado que el oxigeno fragiliza el material formandoóxidos que ralentizan el crecimiento de grano a alta temperatura y que dificultan suconsolidación. De esta manera, estas piezas tienen una resistencia teórica mucho mayorpero rompen por rotura frágil.

Mechanisms underlying functional recovery after in vivo focal cerebral ischemia : from preconditioning to diffusion MRI

Version abregée L'ischémie cérébrale est la troisième cause de mort dans les pays développés, et la maladie responsable des plus sérieux handicaps neurologiques. La compréhension des bases moléculaires et anatomiques de la récupération fonctionnelle après l'ischémie cérébrale est donc extrêmement importante et représente un domaine d'intérêt crucial pour la recherche fondamentale et clinique. Durant les deux dernières décennies, les chercheurs ont tenté de combattre les effets nocifs de l'ischémie cérébrale à l'aide de substances exogènes qui, bien que testées avec succès dans le domaine expérimental, ont montré un effet contradictoire dans l'application clinique. Une approche différente mais complémentaire est de stimuler des mécanismes intrinsèques de neuroprotection en utilisant le «modèle de préconditionnement» : une brève insulte protège contre des épisodes d'ischémie plus sévères à travers la stimulation de voies de signalisation endogènes qui augmentent la résistance à l'ischémie. Cette approche peut offrir des éléments importants pour clarifier les mécanismes endogènes de neuroprotection et fournir de nouvelles stratégies pour rendre les neurones et la glie plus résistants à l'attaque ischémique cérébrale. Dans un premier temps, nous avons donc étudié les mécanismes de neuroprotection intrinsèques stimulés par la thrombine, un neuroprotecteur «préconditionnant» dont on a montré, à l'aide de modèles expérimentaux in vitro et in vivo, qu'il réduit la mort neuronale. En appliquant une technique de microchirurgie pour induire une ischémie cérébrale transitoire chez la souris, nous avons montré que la thrombine peut stimuler les voies de signalisation intracellulaire médiées par MAPK et JNK par une approche moléculaire et l'analyse in vivo d'un inhibiteur spécifique de JNK (L JNK) .Nous avons également étudié l'impact de la thrombine sur la récupération fonctionnelle après une attaque et avons pu démontrer que ces mécanismes moléculaires peuvent améliorer la récupération motrice. La deuxième partie de cette étude des mécanismes de récupération après ischémie cérébrale est basée sur l'investigation des bases anatomiques de la plasticité des connections cérébrales, soit dans le modèle animal d'ischémie transitoire, soit chez l'homme. Selon des résultats précédemment publiés par divers groupes ,nous savons que des mécanismes de plasticité aboutissant à des degrés divers de récupération fonctionnelle sont mis enjeu après une lésion ischémique. Le résultat de cette réorganisation est une nouvelle architecture fonctionnelle et structurelle, qui varie individuellement selon l'anatomie de la lésion, l'âge du sujet et la chronicité de la lésion. Le succès de toute intervention thérapeutique dépendra donc de son interaction avec la nouvelle architecture anatomique. Pour cette raison, nous avons appliqué deux techniques de diffusion en résonance magnétique qui permettent de détecter les changements de microstructure cérébrale et de connexions anatomiques suite à une attaque : IRM par tenseur de diffusion (DT-IR1V) et IRM par spectre de diffusion (DSIRM). Grâce à la DT-IRM hautement sophistiquée, nous avons pu effectuer une étude de follow-up à long terme chez des souris ayant subi une ischémie cérébrale transitoire, qui a mis en évidence que les changements microstructurels dans l'infarctus ainsi que la modification des voies anatomiques sont corrélés à la récupération fonctionnelle. De plus, nous avons observé une réorganisation axonale dans des aires où l'on détecte une augmentation d'expression d'une protéine de plasticité exprimée dans le cône de croissance des axones (GAP-43). En appliquant la même technique, nous avons également effectué deux études, rétrospective et prospective, qui ont montré comment des paramètres obtenus avec DT-IRM peuvent monitorer la rapidité de récupération et mettre en évidence un changement structurel dans les voies impliquées dans les manifestations cliniques. Dans la dernière partie de ce travail, nous avons décrit la manière dont la DS-IRM peut être appliquée dans le domaine expérimental et clinique pour étudier la plasticité cérébrale après ischémie. Abstract Ischemic stroke is the third leading cause of death in developed countries and the disease responsible for the most serious long-term neurological disability. Understanding molecular and anatomical basis of stroke recovery is, therefore, extremely important and represents a major field of interest for basic and clinical research. Over the past 2 decades, much attention has focused on counteracting noxious effect of the ischemic insult with exogenous substances (oxygen radical scavengers, AMPA and NMDA receptor antagonists, MMP inhibitors etc) which were successfully tested in the experimental field -but which turned out to have controversial effects in clinical trials. A different but complementary approach to address ischemia pathophysiology and treatment options is to stimulate and investigate intrinsic mechanisms of neuroprotection using the "preconditioning effect": applying a brief insult protects against subsequent prolonged and detrimental ischemic episodes, by up-regulating powerful endogenous pathways that increase resistance to injury. We believe that this approach might offer an important insight into the molecular mechanisms responsible for endogenous neuroprotection. In addition, results from preconditioning model experiment may provide new strategies for making brain cells "naturally" more resistant to ischemic injury and accelerate their rate of functional recovery. In the first part of this work, we investigated down-stream mechanisms of neuroprotection induced by thrombin, a well known neuroprotectant which has been demonstrated to reduce stroke-induced cell death in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Using microsurgery to induce transient brain ischemia in mice, we showed that thrombin can stimulate both MAPK and JNK intracellular pathways through a molecular biology approach and an in vivo analysis of a specific kinase inhibitor (L JNK1). We also studied thrombin's impact on functional recovery demonstrating that these molecular mechanisms could enhance post-stroke motor outcome. The second part of this study is based on investigating the anatomical basis underlying connectivity remodeling, leading to functional improvement after stroke. To do this, we used both a mouse model of experimental ischemia and human subjects with stroke. It is known from previous data published in literature, that the brain adapts to damage in a way that attempts to preserve motor function. The result of this reorganization is a new functional and structural architecture, which will vary from patient to patient depending on the anatomy of the damage, the biological age of the patient and the chronicity of the lesion. The success of any given therapeutic intervention will depend on how well it interacts with this new architecture. For this reason, we applied diffusion magnetic resonance techniques able to detect micro-structural and connectivity changes following an ischemic lesion: diffusion tensor MRI (DT-MRI) and diffusion spectrum MRI (DS-MRI). Using DT-MRI, we performed along-term follow up study of stroke mice which showed how diffusion changes in the stroke region and fiber tract remodeling is correlating with stroke recovery. In addition, axonal reorganization is shown in areas of increased plasticity related protein expression (GAP 43, growth axonal cone related protein). Applying the same technique, we then performed a retrospective and a prospective study in humans demonstrating how specific DTI parameters could help to monitor the speed of recovery and show longitudinal changes in damaged tracts involved in clinical symptoms. Finally, in the last part of this study we showed how DS-MRI could be applied both to experimental and human stroke and which perspectives it can open to further investigate post stroke plasticity.

Trabecular Bone Score (TBS)--A Novel Method to Evaluate Bone Microarchitectural Texture in Patients With Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

Context: In the milder form of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), cancellous bone, represented by areal bone mineral density at the lumbar spine by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), is preserved. This finding is in contrast to high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT) results of abnormal trabecular microstructure and epidemiological evidence for increased overall fracture risk in PHPT. Because DXA does not directly measure trabecular bone and HRpQCT is not widely available, we used trabecular bone score (TBS), a novel gray-level textural analysis applied to spine DXA images, to estimate indirectly trabecular microarchitecture. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess TBS from spine DXA images in relation to HRpQCT indices and bone stiffness in radius and tibia in PHPT. Design and Setting: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a referral center. Patients: Participants were 22 postmenopausal women with PHPT. Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes measured were areal bone mineral density by DXA, TBS indices derived from DXA images, HRpQCT standard measures, and bone stiffness assessed by finite element analysis at distal radius and tibia. Results: TBS in PHPT was low at 1.24, representing abnormal trabecular microstructure (normal ≥1.35). TBS was correlated with whole bone stiffness and all HRpQCT indices, except for trabecular thickness and trabecular stiffness at the radius. At the tibia, correlations were observed between TBS and volumetric densities, cortical thickness, trabecular bone volume, and whole bone stiffness. TBS correlated with all indices of trabecular microarchitecture, except trabecular thickness, after adjustment for body weight. Conclusion: TBS, a measurement technology readily available by DXA, shows promise in the clinical assessment of trabecular microstructure in PHPT.

Utility of the trabecular bone score (TBS) in secondary osteoporosis.

Altered bone micro-architecture is an important factor in accounting for fragility fractures. Until recently, it has not been possible to gain information about skeletal microstructure in a way that is clinically feasible. Bone biopsy is essentially a research tool. High-resolution peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography, while non-invasive, is available only sparsely throughout the world. The trabecular bone score (TBS) is an imaging technology adapted directly from the Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) image of the lumbar spine. Thus, it is potentially readily and widely available. In recent years, a large number of studies have demonstrated that TBS is significantly associated with direct measurements of bone micro-architecture, predicts current and future fragility fractures in primary osteoporosis, and may be a useful adjunct to BMD for fracture detection and prediction. In this review, we summarize its potential utility in secondary causes of osteoporosis. In some situations, like glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and in diabetes mellitus, the TBS appears to out-perform DXA. It also has apparent value in numerous other disorders associated with diminished bone health, including primary hyperparathyroidism, androgen-deficiency, hormone-receptor positive breast cancer treatment, chronic kidney disease, hemochromatosis, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. Further research is both needed and warranted to more clearly establish the role of TBS in these and other disorders that adversely affect bone.

Mangaaniseosteisen duplex-teräksen hitsattavuus

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli selvittää mangaaniseosteisen LDX2101 duplex-teräksen ja LDX2101 hitsauslisäaineiden hitsausparametrit puikkohitsaus-, MAG-täytelankahitsaus- ja plasmahitsausprosessilla. Toisena tavoitteena oli selvittää lämmöntuonnin vaikutuksia hit-sausliitosten mekaanisiin ominaisuuksiin, iskusitkeyteen (-40 °C) ja ferriitti- / austeniittipitoi-suuksien jakaantumiseen. Tutkittavat hitsit olivat päittäishitsejä ja koelevyjen aineenpaksuus oli 6 mm. Koetulosten perusteella tehtiin hitsausohjeet kyseisille hitsausprosesseille. Työn kirjallisessa osassa on selvitetty yleisesti duplex-terästen käyttökohteita, mekaanisia ja kemiallisia ominaisuuksia sekä duplex-terästen korroosio-ominaisuuksia. Lisäksi on käsitelty eri hitsausprosesseja ja duplex-terästen hitsattavuutta, jossa selvitetään mm. terästen jähmet-tymistä, erkaumia ja faaseja, lämmöntuonnin vaikutuksia ja hitsausliitosten korroosionkestä-vyyttä. Teoriaosassa on kerrottu myös hitsausliitosten tarkastuksesta ja hitsiluokista. Työn kokeellisessa osassa esitellään kokeiden suoritus sekä ainetta rikkova ja ainetta rikko-maton tarkastus. Liitoksille suoritettava koestusohjelma noudatti pääosin menetelmäkoestan-dardin SFS-EN 15614-1 ohjetta. Hitseille tehtiin ainetta rikkomaton tarkastus, joka käsittää silmämääräisen tarkastuksen, pintatarkastuksen ja röntgentarkastuksen. Rikkovaa aineen-koetusta tehtiin sisältäen kovuusmittaukset, vetokokeet, taivutuskokeet jaiskusitkeyskokeet. Lisäksi valmistettiin metallografiset hieet, joita tutkimalla selvitettiin hitsausliitoksen metal-lurgiaa ja määriteltiin ferriitti- ja austeniittipitoisuudet. Kokeiden perusteella on laadittu hit-sausohjeet kullekin hitsausprosessille. Lisäksi kokeellisessa osassa on esitelty tulokset syö-pymäkokeesta, jossa selvitettiin eri materiaalien syöpymiskestävyyttä valkolipeäliuoksessa. Tutkimustuloksien perusteella LDX2102 duplex-materiaali onhyvin hitsattavaa laajalla hit-sausparametrialueella. Mekaaniset ominaisuudet, kuten lujuus- ja iskusitkeysarvot täyttävät materiaalistandardin SFS-EN10028-7 niille asettamat vaatimukset. Taivutussitkeys ja murto-venymät jäivät kuitenkin osalla koekappaleista vaatimustasoa alhaisemmiksi. Austeniitti- ja ferriittipitoisuudet vastaavat materiaalistandardin vaatimuksia.

Progress in a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction emitters obtained by Hot-Wire CVD at 200°C

In this work, we investigate heterojunction emitters deposited by Hot-Wire CVD on p-type crystalline silicon. The emitter structure consists of an n-doped film (20 nm) combined with a thin intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon buffer layer (5 nm). The microstructure of these films has been studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the UV-visible range. These measurements reveal that the microstructure of the n-doped film is strongly influenced by the amorphous silicon buffer. The Quasy-Steady-State Photoconductance (QSS-PC) technique allows us to estimate implicit open-circuit voltages near 700 mV for heterojunction emitters on p-type (0.8 Ω·cm) FZ silicon wafers. Finally, 1 cm 2 heterojunction solar cells with 15.4% conversion efficiencies (total area) have been fabricated on flat p-type (14 Ω·cm) CZ silicon wafers with aluminum back-surface-field contact.

Kerrostumien muodostumisen määritys sondin lämmönsiirron perusteella

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli tutkia kerrostumien muodostumista voimalaitoskattiloiden lämpöpinnoille ja niiden vaikutusta lämmönsiirtoon. Kerrostumien vaikutusta lämpöpintojen lämpötiloihin tutkittiin kerrostumasondin avulla kierto- ja kerrosleijukattiloissa. Saadun mittausaineiston muodostettiin mittaustilannetta vastaava laskentamalli, jonka avulla pystytään selvittämään voimalaitoksen lämpöpintojen likaantumista käyttöperiodin aikana. Työn alussa tarkasteltiin kerrostumien muodostumismekanismeja lämmönsiirtopinnoille, kerrostumien ominaisuuksia ja virtausympäristön vaikutusta lämmönsiirtoon. Poltossa syntyvä tuhka kiinnittyy eri mekanismeilla kattilan seinille ja lämpöpinnoille riippuen polttoaineesta ja ympäröivistä olosuhteista. Likakerrosten muodostuminen lämmönsiirtimen pinnalle pienentää putkeen siirtyvää lämpövirtaa ja alentaa kattilan hyötysuhdetta. Kerrostumien lämmönjohtumisesta ja mikrorakenteesta on hyvin vähän kokeellisen tietoa, mikä vaikeuttaa reaalisten mallien muodostamista kattilan käyttäytymisestä sen likaantuessa.Työn kokeellisessa osassa tarkasteltiin kahdella eri kattilalla tehtyjä mittauksia. Mittaukset tehtiin kerrostumasondilla, jonka lämmönsiirrosta luotiin laskentamalli SIMULINK-simulointiohjelmalla. Mittaustuloksina saatiin kolmen eri pinnan lämpötilat, jotka muuttuivat kerrostuman ja jäähdytyksen vaikutuksesta. Laskentamallista muokattiin mittaustilanteita vastaava, jolloin lämpötilamuutoksista nähdään likakerroksen ominaisuuksien vaikutus lämmönsiirtoon. Sondista muodostettiin myös FLUENT-malli, jolla tarkasteltiin yksittäisen putken virtauskenttää sekä kahden lähekkäin olevan putken vaikutusta virtaukseen.

A multi-contrast MRI study of microstructural brain damage in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate pathological mechanisms underlying brain tissue alterations in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using multi-contrast 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Forty-two MCI patients and 77 healthy controls (HC) underwent T1/T2* relaxometry as well as Magnetization Transfer (MT) MRI. Between-groups comparisons in MRI metrics were performed using permutation-based tests. Using MRI data, a generalized linear model (GLM) was computed to predict clinical performance and a support-vector machine (SVM) classification was used to classify MCI and HC subjects. RESULTS: Multi-parametric MRI data showed microstructural brain alterations in MCI patients vs HC that might be interpreted as: (i) a broad loss of myelin/cellular proteins and tissue microstructure in the hippocampus (p ≤ 0.01) and global white matter (p < 0.05); and (ii) iron accumulation in the pallidus nucleus (p ≤ 0.05). MRI metrics accurately predicted memory and executive performances in patients (p ≤ 0.005). SVM classification reached an accuracy of 75% to separate MCI and HC, and performed best using both volumes and T1/T2*/MT metrics. CONCLUSION: Multi-contrast MRI appears to be a promising approach to infer pathophysiological mechanisms leading to brain tissue alterations in MCI. Likewise, parametric MRI data provide powerful correlates of cognitive deficits and improve automatic disease classification based on morphometric features.

The dynamics of coexistence: habitat sharing versus segregation patterns among three sympatric montane vipers

Contact zones of closely related and ecologically similar species constitute rare opportunities to study the evolutionary consequences of past speciation processes. They represent natural laboratories in which strong competition could lead to the exclusion of one species, or the various species may switch into distinct ecological niches. Alternatively, if reproductive isolation has not yet been achieved, they may hybridize. We elucidate the degree of taxon integrity by comparing genetics and habitat use of three similar-sized congeneric viper species, Vipera ammodytes, Viperaaspis, and Viperaberus, of Nadiza Valley in western Slovenia. No hybridization was detected for either mitochondrial or nuclear genomes. Similarly, external intermediacy by a single prestudy viper (probably V.ammodytesxV. aspis) indicates that hybridization occasionally occurs, but should be very rare. Populations of the three related viperids are partially allopatric in Nadiza Valley, but they also coexist in a narrow contact zone in the montane grassland along the south-exposed slope of Mount Stol (1673m a.s.l.). Here, the three species that occupy areas in or near patches of rocky microhabitats (e.g. stone piles, slides, and walls) live in syntopy. However, fine-scale measurements of structural components show partial habitat segregation, in which V.berus becomes more dominant at elevations above 1400m and occupies mostly the mountain ridge and north-exposed slopes of Mount Stol, V.aspis occurs below 1300m and is the only species to inhabit stoneless patches of grass and bushes around 1000m and lower, and V.ammodytes occurs at all elevations up to 1500m, but is restricted to a rocky microhabitat. We suggest that a high degree of microstructure divergence, slightly different environmental niches, and a generally favourable habitat for all three viper species, keep the pressure for mis-mating and hybridization low, although mechanisms such as reduced hybrid inferiority and temporal mating segregation cannot yet be excluded.

Advances in MRI-based computational neuroanatomy: from morphometry to in-vivo histology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Current computational neuroanatomy based on MRI focuses on morphological measures of the brain. We present recent methodological developments in quantitative MRI (qMRI) that provide standardized measures of the brain, which go beyond morphology. We show how biophysical modelling of qMRI data can provide quantitative histological measures of brain tissue, leading to the emerging field of in-vivo histology using MRI (hMRI). RECENT FINDINGS: qMRI has greatly improved the sensitivity and specificity of computational neuroanatomy studies. qMRI metrics can also be used as direct indicators of the mechanisms driving observed morphological findings. For hMRI, biophysical models of the MRI signal are being developed to directly access histological information such as cortical myelination, axonal diameters or axonal g-ratio in white matter. Emerging results indicate promising prospects for the combined study of brain microstructure and function. SUMMARY: Non-invasive brain tissue characterization using qMRI or hMRI has significant implications for both research and clinics. Both approaches improve comparability across sites and time points, facilitating multicentre/longitudinal studies and standardized diagnostics. hMRI is expected to shed new light on the relationship between brain microstructure, function and behaviour, both in health and disease, and become an indispensable addition to computational neuroanatomy.

TBS reflects trabecular microarchitecture in premenopausal women and men with idiopathic osteoporosis and low-traumatic fractures.

Transiliac bone biopsies, while widely considered to be the standard for the analysis of bone microstructure, are typically restricted to specialized centers. The benefit of Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) in addition to areal bone mineral density (aBMD) for fracture risk assessment has been documented in cross-sectional and prospective studies. The aim of this study was to test if TBS may be useful as a surrogate to histomorphometric trabecular parameters of transiliac bone biopsies. Transiliac bone biopsies from 80 female patients (median age 39.9years-interquartile range, IQR 34.7; 44.3) and 43 male patients (median age 42.7years-IQR 38.9; 49.0) with idiopathic osteoporosis and low traumatic fractures were included. Micro-computed tomography values of bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), structural model index (SMI) as well as serum bone turnover markers (BTMs) sclerostin, intact N-terminal type 1 procollagen propeptide (P1NP) and cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX) were investigated. TBS values were higher in females (1.282 vs 1.169, p< 0.0001) with no differences in spine aBMD, whereas sclerostin levels (45.5 vs 33.4pmol/L) and aBMD values at the total hip (0.989 vs 0.971g/cm(2), p<0.001 for all) were higher in males. Multiple regression models including: gender, aBMD and BTMs revealed TBS as an independent, discriminative variable with adjusted multiple R(2) values of 69.1% for SMI, 79.5% for Tb.N, 68.4% for Tb.Sp, and 83.3% for BV/TV. In univariate regression models, BTMs showed statistically significant results, whereas in the multiple models only P1NP and CTX were significant for Tb.N. TBS is a practical, non-invasive, surrogate technique for the assessment of cancellous bone microarchitecture and should be implemented as an additional tool for the determination of trabecular bone properties.

Multicontrast connectometry: A new tool to assess cerebellum alterations in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Cerebellar pathology occurs in late multiple sclerosis (MS) but little is known about cerebellar changes during early disease stages. In this study, we propose a new multicontrast "connectometry" approach to assess the structural and functional integrity of cerebellar networks and connectivity in early MS. METHODS: We used diffusion spectrum and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) to establish the structural and functional cerebellar connectomes in 28 early relapsing-remitting MS patients and 16 healthy controls (HC). We performed multicontrast "connectometry" by quantifying multiple MRI parameters along the structural tracts (generalized fractional anisotropy-GFA, T1/T2 relaxation times and magnetization transfer ratio) and functional connectivity measures. Subsequently, we assessed multivariate differences in local connections and network properties between MS and HC subjects; finally, we correlated detected alterations with lesion load, disease duration, and clinical scores. RESULTS: In MS patients, a subset of structural connections showed quantitative MRI changes suggesting loss of axonal microstructure and integrity (increased T1 and decreased GFA, P < 0.05). These alterations highly correlated with motor, memory and attention in patients, but were independent of cerebellar lesion load and disease duration. Neither network organization nor rs-fMRI abnormalities were observed at this early stage. CONCLUSION: Multicontrast cerebellar connectometry revealed subtle cerebellar alterations in MS patients, which were independent of conventional disease markers and highly correlated with patient function. Future work should assess the prognostic value of the observed damage. Hum Brain Mapp 36:1609-1619, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electronic transport in low temperature nanocrystalline silicon thin-film transistors obtained by Hot-Wire CVD

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) obtained by hot-wire chemical vapour deposition (HWCVD) at low substrate temperature (150 °C) has been incorporated as the active layer in bottom-gate thin-film transistors (TFTs). These devices were electrically characterised by measuring in vacuum the output and transfer characteristics for different temperatures. The field-effect mobility showed a thermally activated behaviour which could be attributed to carrier trapping at the band tails, as in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), and potential barriers for the electronic transport. Trapped charge at the interfaces of the columns, which are typical in nc-Si:H, would account for these barriers. By using the Levinson technique, the quality of the material at the column boundaries could be studied. Finally, these results were interpreted according to the particular microstructure of nc-Si:H.