Density Measurements Research Articles

Thermophysical Characterization of Protic Ionic Liquids: Density Measurements, Group Contribution Method, and PC-SAFT Modeling Application

Thermophysical Characterization of Protic Ionic Liquids: Density Measurements, Group Contribution Method, and PC-SAFT Modeling Application

Reliable technique for acromion density assessment on CT.

Acromial stress fracture (ASF) is an uncommon but acknowledged complication of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). There is no standardised method to directly measure the bone mineral density of the acromion to allow a detailed analysis of the potential mechanism of ASF. The aim is to establish a reliable and reproducible technique for measurement of acromial density on computer tomography (CT). A retrospective review on CT scans obtained for three groups of patients: those planned for RTSA (n = 26); age and gender-matched non-operative (n = 26); and young non-operative patients (n = 28) were performed. Standardised axial images of 1 mm thickness at 1 mm increments were created following horizontal straightening on the coronal and sagittal views. To assess inter-rater reliability, two senior CT radiographers performed density measurements using standard region of interest (ROI) tool on the CTs with the ROI placed on the mid (ROI 1) and posterior (ROI 2) acromion. ROIs were selected as the most common locations for acromion fracture post RTSA. Measurements were repeated at least 6 weeks apart. Intra-class coefficients (ICC) were used to determine intra- and inter-rater reliability. ICCs demonstrated good to high intra-rater and inter-rater reliability for both ROI 1 and ROI 2 across all three groups. The lower margin of 95% confidence intervals was more than 0 for all intra-class coefficients. This study demonstrates a reliable method of measuring acromion density on CT. This method can be used to assess bone mineral density in the clinical setting and in future studies investigating ASF following RTSA.

Cross-Halbach magnetic levitation configuration for density-based measurement, separation and detection

Magnetic levitation (MagLev) is a well-documented and widely-applied technique in accurate, sensitive, and untethered testing of living and non-living materials in both macroscale and microscale. However, most magnetic levitation configurations face the dilemma between working range and sensitivity, since the distance between the two like-pole-facing magnets are in positive relationship with sensitivity, but negative with measuring range. And there exists a maximum distance for MagLev configurations where the misalignment happens when the distance is too large, which is a restriction on the working space and measurement range of the MagLev devices. In this paper, we propose a novel configuration based on the principle of Halbach array, namely the Cross-Halbach MagLev configuration. By doing parallel comparisons with the Standard MagLev consisting of magnets of the same size, we determined the superiority of the Cross-Halbach configuration in magnetic flux density (0.47 T) and B→∙∇B→z (6.25 T2/m), maximum distance (90 mm), sensitivity (525 mm/(g/cm3)) and wide linear zone on B→∙∇B→z (42 mm). To demonstrate and further explore the potential of the Cross-Halbach MagLev, we carried out a series of experiments, including density measurements of standard beads and different polymers, detection and separation of similar polymers with minute difference in density, and nondestructive detection of voids. The results indicate that the proposed magnetic levitation configuration is competent of density-based applications and can serve as a new solution to high-sensitivity measurement and detection.

Characterisation of 3D-printable thermoplastics to be used as tissue-equivalent materials in photon and proton beam radiotherapy end-to-end quality assurance devices

Objective. To investigate the potential of 3D-printable thermoplastics as tissue-equivalent materials to be used in multimodal radiotherapy end-to-end quality assurance (QA) devices. Approach. Six thermoplastics were investigated: Polylactic Acid (PLA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG), Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) and StoneFil. Measurements of mass density ( ρ ), Relative Electron Density (RED), in a nominal 6 MV photon beam, and Relative Stopping Power (RSP), in a 210 MeV proton pencil-beam, were performed. Average Hounsfield Units (HU) were derived from CTs acquired with two independent scanners. The calibration curves of both scanners were used to predict average ρ, RED and RSP values and compared against the experimental data. Finally, measured data of ρ, RED and RSP was compared against theoretical values estimated for the thermoplastic materials and biological tissues. Main results. Overall, good ρ and RSP CT predictions were made; only PMMA and PETG showed differences >5%. The differences between experimental and CT predicted RED values were also <5% for PLA, ABS, PETG and PMMA; for HIPS and StoneFil higher differences were found (6.94% and 9.42/15.34%, respectively). Small HU variations were obtained in the CTs for all materials indicating good uniform density distribution in the samples production. ABS, PLA, PETG and PMMA showed potential equivalency for a variety of soft tissues (adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, brain and lung tissues, differences within 0.19%–8.35% for all properties). StoneFil was the closest substitute to bone, but differences were >10%. Theoretical calculations of all properties agreed with experimental values within 5% difference for most thermoplastics. Significance. Several 3D-printed thermoplastics were promising tissue-equivalent materials to be used in devices for end-to-end multimodal radiotherapy QA and may not require corrections in treatment planning systems’ dose calculations. Theoretical calculations showed promise in identifying thermoplastics matching target biological tissues before experiments are performed.

Tobacco retail availability and smoking-A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Health policy makers worldwide have adopted evidence-based legislation, largely directed at consumers, to reduce tobacco-related harm. It is suggested that limiting supply by decreasing retail availability can also reduce cigarette smoking. To inform policy makers this systematic literature review assesses whether reducing availability is associated with smoking behaviours. Systematic literature searches of five databases were carried out up to January 2023. Included studies had at least one exposure (tobacco retail density, proximity or mixed measures thereof) and outcomes of smoking behaviour. Meta-analysis of effect estimates were undertaken if there were at least three studies with similar population, exposure and outcome measures. Sixty-two studies were included, and positive associations were found between tobacco outlet density and cigarette smoking in pregnancy, youth, adults and cessation. Meta-analyses were undertaken for retail density and ever smoking (odds ratio [OR] 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04, 1.37; I2 = 87.3%), and current youth smoking (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.08, 1.40; I2 = 0.0%), adult smoking (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.01, 1.22; I2 = 74.8%); and mixed measures of retail availability near schools and current youth smoking (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01, 1.05; I2 = 0.0%). There is evidence higher tobacco retail density is consistently associated with cigarette smoking in pregnant women, young people and adults when ecological studies are included in meta-analysis. Meanwhile, evidence synthesis reveals restrictive tobacco retail laws based on proximity or mixed measures near home or very near school may not reduce smoking except in men who smoke heavily. Mechanisms to reduce retailer density should be thus considered part of tobacco control strategies.

Technique for an improved and time-resolved carbon areal density measurement with a single channel diagnostic for inertial confinement fusion

Measurement of the areal density and velocity of the carbon ablator shell during peak burn in inertial confinement fusion give powerful information on the state of the ablator and where in the trajectory of implosion it reaches peak burn. Detailed comparison of the absolute densities and velocities of the carbon in implosions has been prevented by the limited ability to resolve shot-to-shot variation within a shot series or within a campaign. A new approach using a single, ultra fast (∼10 ps) gamma ray channel can massively reduce uncertainties and will provide insights on improvements to target and drive variables. Small improvements in these experimental design parameters may result in much greater yields.

Combined effects of pores and cracks on the effective thermal conductivity of materials: a numerical study

Porous solids are commonplace in engineering structures and in nature. Material properties are inevitably affected by the internal inhomogeneity. The effective thermal conductivity of porous materials has been and remains to be a subject of extensive research. Less attention has been devoted to thermal conductivity impacted by internal cracks. This study is devoted to theoretical analyses of the combined effects of pores and cracks on the effective thermal conductivity. Systematic numerical simulations using the finite element method are performed based on two-dimensional models, with periodic distributions of internal pores and cracks. The parametric investigations seek to address how individual geometric layout can influence the overall thermal conduction behavior. In addition to circular pores and isolated cracks, angular pores with cracks extending from their sharp corners are also considered. It is found that both isolated cracks and cracks connected to existing pores can significantly reduce the effective thermal conductivity in porous materials. Since it is much easier to microscopically detect internal pores than thin cracks, care should be taken in using the apparent porosity from microscopic images and density measurements to estimate the overall thermal conductivity. Quantitative analyses of the detailed geometric effects are reported in this paper.

Cattle Body Size Measurement Based on DUOS-PointNet+.

The common non-contact, automatic body size measurement methods based on the whole livestock point cloud are complex and prone to errors. Therefore, a cattle body measuring system is proposed. The system includes a new algorithm called dynamic unbalanced octree grouping (DUOS), based on PointNet++, and an efficient method of body size measurement based on segmentation results. This system is suitable for livestock body feature sampling. The network divides the cow into seven parts, including the body and legs. Moreover, the key points of body size are located in the different parts. It combines density measurement, point cloud slicing, contour extraction, point cloud repair, etc. A total of 137 items of cattle data are collected. Compared with some of the other models, the DUOS algorithm improves the accuracy of the segmentation task and mean intersection by 0.53% and 1.21%, respectively. Moreover, compared with the manual measurement results, the relative errors of the experimental measurement results are as follows: withers height, 1.18%; hip height, 1.34%; body length, 2.52%; thoracic circumference, 2.12%; abdominal circumference, 2.26%; and cannon circumference, 2.78%. In summary, the model is proven to have a good segmentation effect on cattle bodies and is suitable for cattle body size measurement.

Enhanced properties of hard metal WC-Ni processed from nanostructured powders

In this study, we investigated the effects of nanostructured composite powders (WC-Ni), nickel binder content, and sintering techniques on the morphology and mechanical properties of tungsten carbide. An alternative low-temperature gas-solid reaction route with a short reaction time was employed to produce nanostructured composite powders with 5 and 15 wt% Ni. The powders were consolidated using spark plasma sintering (SPS) and conventional vacuum furnace sintering at temperatures of 1350 °C and 1450 °C. The composite powders were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and particle size measurements. The expansion/contraction of the compacted nanocomposite powders was studied through dilatometric analysis. The composite powders exhibited a uniform distribution of Ni, in both compositions. For the WC-5 wt% Ni nanocomposite powders, the average crystallite sizes for WC and Ni were 41.6 nm and 46.2 nm, respectively. While, for the WC-15 wt% Ni nanocomposite, the crystallite sizes for WC and Ni were 45.6 and 38.4 nm. The sintered composites were evaluated through XRD, SEM, measurements of density and Vickers hardness. The enhanced sinterability of the nanostructured powders enabled their consolidation into (WC-Ni) hard metal with densities approaching the theoretical relative density of 96.07 %, even with low binder content (5 wt% Ni). This is attributed to the uniform distribution of Ni and an extensive Ni-WC interface present prior to sintering. The SPS process at 1350 °C produced sintered bodies (WC-5 wt% Ni and WC-15 wt% Ni) with higher Vickers hardness (2322 HV and 1512 HV, respectively) and superior microstructural quality compared to samples produced by conventional vacuum furnace techniques. These results demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the system WC-Ni processed by SPS are superior to those obtained by vacuum furnace. Therefore, WC-Ni hard metals processed by this approach is a promising alternative to conventional hard metals (WC-Co) for a wide range of applications.

Unveiling the Distant Universe: Characterizing z ≥ 9 Galaxies in the First Epoch of COSMOS-Web

We report the identification of 15 galaxy candidates at z ≥ 9 using the initial COSMOS-Web JWST observations over 77 arcmin2 through four Near Infrared Camera filters (F115W, F150W, F277W, and F444W) with an overlap with the Mid-Infrared Imager (F770W) of 8.7 arcmin2. We fit the sample using several publicly available spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting and photometric redshift codes and determine their redshifts between z = 9.3 and z = 10.9 (〈z〉 = 10.0), UV magnitudes between M UV = −21.2 and −19.5 (with 〈M UV〉 = −20.2), and rest-frame UV slopes (〈β〉 = −2.4). These galaxies are, on average, more luminous than most z ≥ 9 candidates discovered by JWST so far in the literature, while exhibiting similar blue colors in their rest-frame UV. The rest-frame UV slopes derived from SED fitting are blue (β ∼ [−2.0, −2.7]) without reaching extremely blue values as reported in other recent studies at these redshifts. The blue color is consistent with models that suggest the underlying stellar population is not yet fully enriched in metals like similarly luminous galaxies in the lower-redshift Universe. The derived stellar masses with 〈log10( M ⋆/M ⊙)〉 ≈ 8–9 are not in tension with the standard Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model, and our measurement of the volume density of such UV-luminous galaxies aligns well with previously measured values presented in the literature at z ∼ 9–10. Our sample of galaxies, although compact, is significantly resolved.

Numerical investigation of vacuum ultra-violet emission in Ar/O2 inductively coupled plasmas

Abstract Controlling fluxes of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation is important in a number of industrial and biomedical applications of low pressure plasma sources because, depending on the process, VUV radiation may be desired, required to a certain degree, or unwanted. In this work, the emission of VUV radiation from O atoms is investigated in low-pressure Ar/O2 inductively coupled plasmas via numerical simulations. For this purpose, a self-consistent Ar/O2 plasma-chemical reaction scheme has been implemented in a zero dimensional plasma chemical kinetics model and is used to investigate VUV emission from excited O atoms (3s 5S 2 0 and 3s 3S 1 0 ) at 130 and 135 nm. The model is extensively compared with experimental measurements of absolute VUV emission intensities, electron densities and Ar excited state densities. In addition, oxygen VUV emission intensities are investigated as a function of pressure, Ar/O2 mixture, and power deposition and the dominant reaction pathways leading to oxygen VUV emission are identified and described. In general terms, absolute oxygen VUV emission intensities increase with power and oxygen fraction over the ranges investigated and peak emission intensities are found for pressures between 5–50 Pa. The emission is dominated by the 130 nm resonance line from the decay of the O(3s 3S 1 0 ) state to the ground state. Besides, at low pressure (0.3–1 Pa), the flux of oxygen VUV photons to surfaces is much lower than that of positive ions, whereas oxygen VUV fluxes dominate at higher pressure, ≳ 5–50 Pa depending on O2 fraction. Finally, oxygen atom fluxes to surfaces are, in general, larger than those of VUV photons for the parameter space investigated.

Afforestation Promotes Soil Organic Carbon and Soil Microbial Residual Carbon Accrual in a Seasonally Flooded Marshland

This study aimed to delve deeper into the alterations in the microbial residual carbon (MRC) accumulation in the Yangtze River’s wetland ecosystems as a consequence of afforestation and to evaluate their impact on soil organic carbon (SOC). The hypothesis posited that afforestation could foster soil aggregation by augmenting arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) hyphae and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) in deep soil, thereby suppressing the proliferation of genes pivotal to microbial residue decomposition and enhancing MRC accumulation. We collected soil samples at 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80 and 80–100 cm respectively. Metagenomic sequencing, the quantification of soil amino sugars and MRC, soil aggregate distribution profiling and the measurement of AMF mycelium length density alongside GRSP levels were analyzed. Our findings showed that afforestation notably elevated the concentration of soil amino sugars and the levels of total and fungal MRC, with increases ranging from 53%–80% and 82%–135%, respectively, across the five soil depths examined, in stark contrast to the eroded, non-afforested control. The role of MRC in the SOC was observed to escalate with increasing soil depth, with afforestation markedly amplifying this contribution within the 40–60 cm, 60–80 cm and 80–100 cm soil layers. The study concludes that the SOC content in the deeper soil horizons post-afforestation witnessed a significant rise, paralleled by a substantial increase in both total and fungal MRC, which exhibited a robust positive correlation with the SOC levels. This underscores the pivotal role that amino sugar accumulation from microbial residues plays in the retention of SOC in the deeper soil layers of afforested regions, challenging the conventional wisdom that plant residues are recalcitrant to decomposition within forested SOC matrices.

Overcoming challenges in conducting early phase breast cancer prevention trials: Bazedoxifene and conjugated estrogens vs waitlist control

BackgroundThe combination of bazedoxifene 20 mg (BZA) and conjugated estrogens 0.45 mg (CE) marketed as Duavee® is approved for vasomotor symptom relief and osteoporosis prevention. Our pilot study suggested it had potential breast cancer risk reduction, and we proposed a multisite Phase IIB primary prevention trial assessing change in breast imaging and tissue risk biomarkers. By the time funding was acquired in February 2021, Duavee® was unavailable with an uncertain return date. A redesign was needed to salvage the study. MethodsThe basic trial design was minimally altered. Women age 45–64 at elevated risk for breast cancer with vasomotor symptoms and no menses for at least 2 months have mammography, phlebotomy, and benign breast tissue sampling before and after 6 months of intervention. However, instead of Duavee® (single pill) vs placebo, women are randomized to 6 months of BZA + CE vs Waitlist. Those initially randomized to Waitlist can receive BZA + CE after 6 months. The primary endpoint is between arm difference in change in a fully automated measure of mammographic density with blood and tissue-based secondary endpoints. OutcomesAccrual initiation was delayed due to contractual difficulties surrounding BZA importation during COVID-19 and deploying a fully automated method (Volpara®) to assess the primary endpoint. To accommodate this delay, a mid-grant no cost extension along with amended eligibility requirements were employed. 61/120 participants needed were entered in the initial 27 months of accrual and 37 months of funding. Despite a late start, accrual is likely to be completed within the funding period.NCT04821141

Role of CsBr in structure and properties of new cesium bromo-borate glasses

Glasses of enlarged chemical composition in the xCsBr-(100-x)B2O3 system, with x = 30–80 mol% have been prepared and studied for the first time. The hydrothermal preparation method is used to prepare fine powdered samples. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR) and 11B Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (11B NMR) are the tools used to study the structure of glasses. Even at the high CsBr concentration (30–60 mol%), XRD results revealed an amorphous structure characterized most of the examined compositions. But glasses enriched with CsBr (70 and 80 mol%) possess some ordered sub-structures impeded in the main amorphous network. 11B NMR and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of BO3 triangle as the major and dominant structural units. The four coordinated boron (BO4), on the other hand, can't be detected in the all analyzed compositions. An extremely low concentration from BBr4 tetrahedral groups (boron coupled with Br) is formed. The B-O bonds of planar BO3 triangles, which are the fundamental units, were involved in the production of amorphous clusters of the type Cs4B5O9]Br. Density (D) measurement and calculating molar volume (Vm), packing density and free volume(Vf) have been studied. The added CsBr can't play a role of modifier but it might be inserted interstitially between the borate structural units causing increasing of molar volume and free space in the glass network structure. The results based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM-EDP) and X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) are in good agreement, indicating that the amorphous-clustered species are developed in the studied glasses.

FEASTS Combined with Interferometry. II. Significantly Changed H i Surface Densities and Even More Inefficient Star Formation in Galaxy Outer Disks

We update the H i surface density measurements for a subset of 17 THINGS galaxies by dealing with the short-spacing problem of the original Very Large Array (VLA) H i images. It is the same sample that Bigiel et al. used to study the relation between H i surface densities and star formation (SF) rate surface densities in galaxy outer disks, which are beyond the optical radius r 25. For 10 galaxies, the update is based on combining original THINGS VLA H i images with H i images taken by the single-dish FAST in the FEASTS program. The median increment of H i surface densities in outer disks is 0.15–0.4 dex at a given new H i surface density. Several galaxies change significantly in the shape of radial profiles H i surface densities, and seven galaxies are now more than 1σ below the H i size–mass relation. We update the H i star formation laws in outer disks. The median relation between the H i surface densities and SF rate surface densities based on pixel-wise measurements shifts downward by around 0.15 dex because the H i surface density values shift rightward, and the scatter increases significantly. The scatter of the relation, indicating the star-forming efficiency, exhibits a much stronger positive correlation with the stellar mass surface density than before. Thus, detecting the previously missed, diffuse H i due to the short-spacing problem of the Very Large Array observations is important in revealing the true condition and variation in SF possibly regulated by stellar feedbacks in the localized environment of outer disks.

Assessment of Physical Properties of Black Gram and Green Gram Seeds in Relation to the Design of Seed Metering Mechanisms

In 2023, a comprehensive study was carried out at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, IARI, New Delhi, India, focusing on the investigation of vital physical properties encompassing size, sphericity, test weight, bulk density, true density, coefficient of static friction, and angle of repose for black gram and green gram seeds. Black gram seeds were characterized by mean dimensions of 4.90 mm (length), 3.74 mm (breadth), 3.57 mm (thickness), and a geometric mean diameter of 4.02 mm. In contrast, green gram seeds exhibited corresponding values of 5.08 mm, 4.06 mm, 3.99 mm, and 4.45 mm. Sphericity percentages were quantified as 82% for black gram and 86% for green gram. Mean bulk density measurements of 0.86 g/cc (black gram) and 0.87 g/cc (green gram) were accompanied by true density values of 1.36 g/cc and 1.38 g/cc, respectively. The mean angle of repose measurements were recorded as 24.06° (black gram) and 23.94° (green gram). The mean coefficient of static friction exhibited variability across different materials: 0.50 (aluminum), 0.45 (mild steel), 0.47 (galvanized iron), and 0.60 (plywood) for black gram seeds; while for green gram seeds, corresponding values were 0.48, 0.43, 0.45, and 0.57. Additionally, the mean thousand-grain weight was found to be 41.82 g for black gram and 46.18 g for green gram.

Development of a true density-based automated quality grading device for unboiled arecanut kernels

The automated sorting of arecanut kernels is a significant challenge that has not been effectively addressed thus far. Scientific grading techniques are necessary given the paradigm change toward investigating alternative uses for arecanuts in industry and the medical field. This research work emphasizes the relatively unexplored aspect of the post-harvest process; quality grading of kernels based on physical properties. It aimed to develop a novel approach for classifying unboiled (Chali) arecanut kernels cultivated in Goa, India based on their true density, using a combination of mechanical and visual techniques. The study explored the potential of true density as a quality indicator for real-time grading of the kernels. To achieve this, automated grading equipment was devised, utilizing a load cell to measure the kernel's mass and the ellipsoid approximation method to estimate its volume. A machine vision system captured the top and side images of the kernels to measure their volume. Python programs were created to enable image acquisition, processing, object detection, measurement and kernel segregation. Real-time kernel classification was accomplished by establishing serial data communication between the Python code and the Arduino board. The kernel segregation process was facilitated by servomechanism and a stepper motor. The kernels were classified into acceptable and non-acceptable categories based on a threshold value of true density. The research successfully established a method that utilizes the physical attributes of arecanut kernels as parameters for quality grading. However, the study encountered challenges with the density measurements, as the paired t-test results revealed significant differences between the kernel true density measured by the device and the true density estimated using the weighing scale-water displacement method, indicating a percentage error of 13.2%. Addressing these challenges would lead to more accurate density calculations, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the kernel classification process. Furthermore, the technique allowed for the offline estimation of the kernels' porosity, which was found to be 45.3%. In future research, the integration of density and porosity measurement systems could be explored for real-time quality evaluation based on porosity, offering potential opportunities for further enhancement and optimization of the grading process. The technology could be further applied to other types of nuts and agricultural products, thereby overcoming the limitations of color-based sorting using image processing. Key words: Quality grading, True density, Machine vision, Arecanut kernel, Python

Bone Mineral Density and Clinical Outcome after Ankle Fracture.

No gold standard exists for bone mineral density (BMD) measurement of the ankle. This study aimed to determine the correlation between bone density using Hounsfield units (HU) based on computed tomography (CT) and BMD using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as well as to evaluate the correlation between HU and clinical outcome of ankle fracture. Fifty-one patients aged ≥65 years who underwent surgical treatment for trimalleolus or bimalleolus ankle fractures were included. The HU were measured at the distal tibia metaphyseal region approximately 1 cm proximal to the plafond on the axial images of preoperative CT. BMD was measured using DXA within one year before the injury. The clinical outcome was evaluated according to the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Although the HU of an osteoporosis group was lower than that of a non-osteoporosis group, we observed no significant difference between the two groups. The mean HU significantly correlated with the lumbar and total lumbar spine BMD using DXA. Increased HU significantly correlated with improved clinical outcomes in three of five FAOS subscales: symptoms, pain, activity of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QOL). In a linear regression analysis adjusted for age and body mass index, increased HU significantly correlated with improved clinical outcomes in three of five FAOS subscales: symptoms, pain, ADL, and QOL. The correlations between bone density using HU and BMD and those between HU and the clinical outcome were confirmed in ankle fractures. The HU of preoperative CT might provide valuable information for predicting postoperative clinical outcomes.

Potential value and advances in research on bone mineral density (BMD) measurement in the auxiliary clinical assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide and its prognosis is highly heterogeneous, being related not only to underlying chronic liver disease but also to the severity of cancer cachexia. Nutritional factors play a crucial role in influencing the prognosis of HCC. Despite musculoskeletal imbalance being consistently reported as a predictor of perioperative mortality in patients with HCC, this condition is often overlooked in clinical management. Bone mineral density (BMD), which serves as a marker of nutritional status, can be assessed through CT by measuring the pixel density of the vertebral bone. Recent clinical studies have indicated that BMD serves not only as a significant risk factor for development of HCC in cirrhotic patients but also potentially functions as an independent prognostic indicator for post-treatment outcomes in patients with HCC. Preoperative abdominal CT scans provide a convenient and cost-effective method to measure BMD, offering significant assistance in prognostic evaluation of patients with HCC. A thorough grasp of the liver-bone connection, along with the conduct of higher-quality studies and the establishment of standardized methods and cutoff values for BMD measurement, could enhance approaches to manage HCC.

The polychromatism of postmortem cerebrospinal fluid.

Based on the assumption that postmortem cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is contaminated depending on the chosen sampling technique in the forensic setting resulting in bloody or at least hemolytic CSF samples, we systematically documented a total of 183 postmortem CSF samples. These samples were all assessed for their quality and color, regardless of the cause of death or the postmortem interval. The investigations were carried out through subjective assessment of color and turbidity, as well as objective measurements of the optical density (OD) of the CSF supernatants after centrifugation of each sample, with standardized photographic documentation. The observations revealed that in 28 cases the CSF was absolutely (crystal-) clear and transparent. Most of our samples showed color changes ranging from xanthrochromic to rose. Intensive staining of the supernatants was only found in a small proportion of the examined collective. We found that postmortem CSF has no uniform appearance but rather a diverse range of color spectra, and the color, as well as the OD of the CSF, correlates significantly with the postmortem interval (p < 0.001) when sampled using the proposed standard procedure.