| 1. |
- Allan, Eric, et al.
(författare)
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Interannual variation in land-use intensity enhances grassland multidiversity
- 2014
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 111:1, s. 308-313
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Although temporal heterogeneity is a well-accepted driver of biodiversity, effects of interannual variation in land-use intensity (LUI) have not been addressed yet. Additionally, responses to land use can differ greatly among different organisms; therefore, overall effects of land-use on total local biodiversity are hardly known. To test for effects of LUI (quantified as the combined intensity of fertilization, grazing, and mowing) and interannual variation in LUI (SD in LUI across time), we introduce a unique measure of whole-ecosystem biodiversity, multidiversity. This synthesizes individual diversity measures across up to 49 taxonomic groups of plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria from 150 grasslands. Multidiversity declined with increasing LUI among grasslands, particularly for rarer species and aboveground organisms, whereas common species and belowground groups were less sensitive. However, a high level of interannual variation in LUI increased overall multidiversity at low LUI and was even more beneficial for rarer species because it slowed the rate at which the multidiversity of rare species declined with increasing LUI. In more intensively managed grasslands, the diversity of rarer species was, on average, 18% of the maximum diversity across all grasslands when LUI was static over time but increased to 31% of the maximum when LUI changed maximally over time. In addition to decreasing overall LUI, we suggest varying LUI across years as a complementary strategy to promote biodiversity conservation.
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| 2. |
- Eggl, Elena, et al.
(författare)
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X-ray phase-contrast tomography with a compact laser-driven synchrotron source.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 112:18, s. 5567-5572
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Between X-ray tubes and large-scale synchrotron sources, a large gap in performance exists with respect to the monochromaticity and brilliance of the X-ray beam. However, due to their size and cost, large-scale synchrotrons are not available for more routine applications in small and medium-sized academic or industrial laboratories. This gap could be closed by laser-driven compact synchrotron light sources (CLS), which use an infrared (IR) laser cavity in combination with a small electron storage ring. Hard X-rays are produced through the process of inverse Compton scattering upon the intersection of the electron bunch with the focused laser beam. The produced X-ray beam is intrinsically monochromatic and highly collimated. This makes a CLS well-suited for applications of more advanced--and more challenging--X-ray imaging approaches, such as X-ray multimodal tomography. Here we present, to our knowledge, the first results of a first successful demonstration experiment in which a monochromatic X-ray beam from a CLS was used for multimodal, i.e., phase-, dark-field, and attenuation-contrast, X-ray tomography. We show results from a fluid phantom with different liquids and a biomedical application example in the form of a multimodal CT scan of a small animal (mouse, ex vivo). The results highlight particularly that quantitative multimodal CT has become feasible with laser-driven CLS, and that the results outperform more conventional approaches.
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| 3. |
- Fu, Jian, et al.
(författare)
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An algebraic iterative reconstruction technique for differential X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography
- 2013
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Ingår i: Zeitschrift für Medizinische Physik. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-4436 .- 0939-3889. ; 23:3, s. 186-193
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Iterative reconstruction has a wide spectrum of proven advantages in the field of conventional X-ray absorption-based computed tomography (CT). In this paper, we report on an algebraic iterative reconstruction technique for grating-based differential phase-contrast CT (DPC-CT). Due to the differential nature of DPC-CT projections, a differential operator and a smoothing operator are added to the iterative reconstruction, compared to the one commonly used for absorption-based CT data. This work comprises a numerical study of the algorithm and its experimental verification using a dataset measured at a two-grating interferometer setup. Since the algorithm is easy to implement and allows for the extension to various regularization possibilities, we expect a significant impact of the method for improving future medical and industrial DPC-CT applications.
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| 4. |
- Meinel, Felix G., et al.
(författare)
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Diagnosing and Mapping Pulmonary Emphysema on X-Ray Projection Images: Incremental Value of Grating-Based X-Ray Dark-Field Imaging
- 2013
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To assess whether grating-based X-ray dark-field imaging can increase the sensitivity of X-ray projection images in the diagnosis of pulmonary emphysema and allow for a more accurate assessment of emphysema distribution. Materials and Methods: Lungs from three mice with pulmonary emphysema and three healthy mice were imaged ex vivo using a laser-driven compact synchrotron X-ray source. Median signal intensities of transmission (T), dark-field (V) and a combined parameter (normalized scatter) were compared between emphysema and control group. To determine the diagnostic value of each parameter in differentiating between healthy and emphysematous lung tissue, a receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed both on a per-pixel and a per-individual basis. Parametric maps of emphysema distribution were generated using transmission, dark-field and normalized scatter signal and correlated with histopathology. Results: Transmission values relative to water were higher for emphysematous lungs than for control lungs (1.11 vs. 1.06, p<0.001). There was no difference in median dark-field signal intensities between both groups (0.66 vs. 0.66). Median normalized scatter was significantly lower in the emphysematous lungs compared to controls (4.9 vs. 10.8, p<0.001), and was the best parameter for differentiation of healthy vs. emphysematous lung tissue. In a per-pixel analysis, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the normalized scatter value was significantly higher than for transmission (0.86 vs. 0.78, p<0.001) and dark-field value (0.86 vs. 0.52, p<0.001) alone. Normalized scatter showed very high sensitivity for a wide range of specificity values (94% sensitivity at 75% specificity). Using the normalized scatter signal to display the regional distribution of emphysema provides color-coded parametric maps, which show the best correlation with histopathology. Conclusion: In a murine model, the complementary information provided by X-ray transmission and dark-field images adds incremental diagnostic value in detecting pulmonary emphysema and visualizing its regional distribution as compared to conventional X-ray projections.
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| 5. |
- Pfeiffer, Liliane, et al.
(författare)
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DNA methylation of lipid-related genes affects blood lipid levels.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Circulation. - 1942-325X .- 1942-3268. ; 8:2, s. 334-42
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Epigenetic mechanisms might be involved in the regulation of interindividual lipid level variability and thus may contribute to the cardiovascular risk profile. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between genome-wide DNA methylation and blood lipid levels high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Observed DNA methylation changes were also further analyzed to examine their relationship with previous hospitalized myocardial infarction.METHODS AND RESULTS: Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns were determined in whole blood samples of 1776 subjects of the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg F4 cohort using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina). Ten novel lipid-related CpG sites annotated to various genes including ABCG1, MIR33B/SREBF1, and TNIP1 were identified. CpG cg06500161, located in ABCG1, was associated in opposite directions with both high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (β coefficient=-0.049; P=8.26E-17) and triglyceride levels (β=0.070; P=1.21E-27). Eight associations were confirmed by replication in the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg F3 study (n=499) and in the Invecchiare in Chianti, Aging in the Chianti Area study (n=472). Associations between triglyceride levels and SREBF1 and ABCG1 were also found in adipose tissue of the Multiple Tissue Human Expression Resource cohort (n=634). Expression analysis revealed an association between ABCG1 methylation and lipid levels that might be partly mediated by ABCG1 expression. DNA methylation of ABCG1 might also play a role in previous hospitalized myocardial infarction (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval=1.06-1.25).CONCLUSIONS: Epigenetic modifications of the newly identified loci might regulate disturbed blood lipid levels and thus contribute to the development of complex lipid-related diseases.
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| 6. |
- Schleede, Simone, et al.
(författare)
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Emphysema diagnosis using X-ray dark-field imaging at a laser-driven compact synchrotron light source
- 2012
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 109:44, s. 17880-17885
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In early stages of various pulmonary diseases, such as emphysema and fibrosis, the change in X-ray attenuation is not detectable with absorption-based radiography. To monitor the morphological changes that the alveoli network undergoes in the progression of these diseases, we propose using the dark-field signal, which is related to small-angle scattering in the sample. Combined with the absorption-based image, the dark-field signal enables better discrimination between healthy and emphysematous lung tissue in a mouse model. All measurements have been performed at 36 keV using a monochromatic laser-driven miniature synchrotron X-ray source (Compact Light Source). In this paper we present grating-based dark-field images of emphysematous vs. healthy lung tissue, where the strong dependence of the dark-field signal on mean alveolar size leads to improved diagnosis of emphysema in lung radiographs.
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| 7. |
- Schleede, Simone, et al.
(författare)
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Multimodal hard X-ray imaging of a mammography phantom at a compact synchrotron light source
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. - 1600-5775. ; 19, s. 525-529
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Compact Light Source is a miniature synchrotron producing X-rays at the interaction point of a counter-propagating laser pulse and electron bunch through the process of inverse Compton scattering. The small transverse size of the luminous region yields a highly coherent beam with an angular divergence of a few milliradians. The intrinsic monochromaticity and coherence of the produced X-rays can be exploited in high-sensitivity differential phase-contrast imaging with a grating-based interferometer. Here, the first multimodal X-ray imaging experiments at the Compact Light Source at a clinically compatible X-ray energy of 21 keV are reported. Dose-compatible measurements of a mammography phantom clearly demonstrate an increase in contrast attainable through differential phase and dark-field imaging over conventional attenuation-based projections.
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| 8. |
- Schleede, Simone, et al.
(författare)
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X-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis for improved breast tissue discrimination.
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Journal of Radiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-7727 .- 0720-048X. ; 83:3, s. 531-536
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Attenuation-based tomosynthesis has proven to successfully resolve the glandular tissue overlap present in mammography. However, the ability of tomosynthesis to differentiate tumorous and glandular tissue remains limited, due to the small differences in X-ray attenuation in breast tissue. One possibility to overcome this limitation and to further increase the diagnostic value of tomosynthesis exams, is the application of recently developed grating-based phase-contrast methods, which provide complementary information on the phase shift and the local scattering power of the sample. In this study, we report on first phase-contrast breast tomosynthesis results of a mastectomy sample slice with an invasive ductal carcinoma.
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| 9. |
- Schwab, Felix, et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of contrast-to-noise ratios of transmission and dark-field signal in grating-based X-ray imaging for healthy murine lung tissue
- 2013
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Ingår i: Zeitschrift für Medizinische Physik. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-4436 .- 0939-3889. ; 23:3, s. 236-242
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: An experimental comparison of the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between transmission and dark-field signals in grating-based X-ray imaging for ex-vivo murine lung tissue. Materials and Methods: Lungs from three healthy mice were imaged ex vivo using a laser-driven compact synchrotron X-ray source. Background noise of transmission and dark-field signal was quantified by measuring the standard deviation in a region of interest (ROI) placed in a homogeneous area outside the specimen. Image contrast was quantified by measuring the signal range in rectangular ROIs placed in central and peripheral lung parenchyma. The relative contrast gain (RCG) of dark-field over transmission images was calculated as CNRDF /CNRT. Results: In all images, there was a trend for contrast-to-noise ratios of dark-field images (CNRDF) to be higher than for transmission images (CNRT) for all ROIs (median 61 vs. 38, p = 0.10), but the difference was statistically significant only for peripheral ROIs (61 vs. 32, p = 0.03). Median RCG was >1 for all Rats (1.84). RCG values were significantly smaller for central ROIs than for peripheral ROIs (1.34 vs. 2.43, p = 0.03). Conclusion: The contrast-to-noise ratio of dark-field images compares more favorably to the contrast-to-noise ratio of transmission images for peripheral lung regions as compared to central regions. For any specific specimen, a calculation of the RCG allows comparing which X-ray modality (dark-field or transmission imaging) produces better contrast-to-noise characteristics in a well-defined ROI.
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| 10. |
- Sousa, Ronaldo, et al.
(författare)
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The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation
- 2021
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 27, s. 2298-2314
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anthropogenic freshwater habitats may provide undervalued prospects for long-term conservation as part of species conservation planning. This fundamental, but overlooked, issue requires attention considering the pace that humans have been altering natural freshwater ecosystems and the accelerated levels of biodiversity decline in recent decades. We compiled 709 records of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) inhabiting a broad variety of anthropogenic habitat types (from small ponds to large reservoirs and canals) and reviewed their importance as refuges for this faunal group. Most records came from Europe and North America, with a clear dominance of canals and reservoirs. The dataset covered 228 species, including 34 threatened species on the IUCN Red List. We discuss the conservation importance and provide guidance on how these anthropogenic habitats could be managed to provide optimal conservation value to freshwater mussels. This review also shows that some of these habitats may function as ecological traps owing to conflicting management practices or because they act as a sink for some populations. Therefore, anthropogenic habitats should not be seen as a panacea to resolve conservation problems. More information is necessary to better understand the trade-offs between human use and the conservation of freshwater mussels (and other biota) within anthropogenic habitats, given the low number of quantitative studies and the strong biogeographic knowledge bias that persists.
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| 11. |
- Yaroshenko, Andre, et al.
(författare)
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Pulmonary Emphysema Diagnosis with a Preclinical Small-Animal X-ray Dark-Field Scatter-Contrast Scanner
- 2013
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Ingår i: Radiology. - : Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). - 1527-1315 .- 0033-8419. ; 269:2, s. 426-432
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To test the hypothesis that the joint distribution of x-ray transmission and dark-field signals obtained with a compact cone-beam preclinical scanner with a polychromatic source can be used to diagnose pulmonary emphysema in ex vivo murine lungs. Materials and Methods: The animal care committee approved this study. Three excised murine lungs with pulmonary emphysema and three excised murine control lungs were imaged ex vivo by using a grating-based micro-computed tomographic (CT) scanner. To evaluate the diagnostic value, the natural logarithm of relative transmission and the natural logarithm of dark-field scatter signal were plotted on a per-pixel basis on a scatterplot. Probability density function was fit to the joint distribution by using principle component analysis. An emphysema map was calculated based on the fitted probability density function. Results: The two-dimensional scatterplot showed a characteristic difference between control and emphysematous lungs. Control lungs had lower average median logarithmic transmission (-0.29 vs -0.18, P = .1) and lower average dark-field signal (-0.54 vs -0.37, P = .1) than emphysematous lungs. The angle to the vertical axis of the fitted regions also varied significantly (7.8 degrees for control lungs vs 15.9 degrees for emphysematous lungs). The calculated emphysema distribution map showed good agreement with histologic findings. Conclusion: X-ray dark-field scatter images of murine lungs obtained with a preclinical scanner can be used in the diagnosis of pulmonary emphysema. (C) RSNA, 2013
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