Amelioration of Metabolic Syndrome-Associated Cognitive Impairments in Mice via a Reduction in Dietary Fat Content or Infusion of Non-Diabetic Plasma.

Obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with decreased cognitive function. While weight loss and T2D remission result in improvements in metabolism and vascular function, it is less clear if these benefits extend to cognitive performance. Here, we highlight the malleable nature of MetS-associated cognitive dysfunction using a mouse model of high fat diet (HFD)-induced MetS.

High-throughput phenotyping and genetic linkage of cortical bone microstructure in the mouse.

Background: Understanding cellular structure and organization, which plays an important role in biological systems ranging from mechanosensation to neural organization, is a complicated multifactorial problem depending on genetics, environmental factors, and stochastic processes. Isolating these factors necessitates the measurement and sensitive quantification of many samples in a reliable, high-throughput, unbiased manner. In this manuscript we present a pipelined approach using a fully automated framework based on Synchrotron-based X-ray Tomographic Microscopy (SRXTM) for performing a full 3D characterization of millions of substructures.

Osteocyte lacunar properties in rat cortical bone: Differences between lamellar and central bone.

Recently, the roles of osteocytes in bone maintenance have gained increasing attention. Osteocytes reside in lacunae that are interconnected by canaliculi resulting in a vast cellular network within the mineralized bone matrix. As the structure of the lacuno-canalicular network is highly connected to osteocyte function, osteocyte lacunar properties such as volume, shape, orientation, and density are now frequently reported in studies investigating osteocyte activity.

Coherent X-ray imaging: bridging the gap between atomic and micro-scale investigations.

We present a review of state-of-the art X-ray imaging techniques based on partially coherent synchrotron radiation. Full-field X-ray tomography, X-ray ptychography, scanning small-angle X-ray scattering, and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy are imaging techniques that gather structural information at spatial resolution ranging from several microns to a few tens of nanometers in both real- and reciprocal space. These methods exploit contrast mechanisms based on absorption, phase, and spectroscopic signals.

Coherent X-ray Imaging: Bridging the Gap between Atomic and Micro-scale Investigations.

We present a review of state-of-the art X-ray imaging techniques based on partially coherent synchrotron radiation. Full-field X-ray tomography, X-ray ptychography, scanning small-angle X-ray scattering, and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy are imaging techniques that gather structural information at spatial resolution ranging from several microns to a few tens of nanometers in both real- and reciprocal space. These methods exploit contrast mechanisms based on absorption, phase, and spectroscopic signals.

A quantitative framework for the 3D characterization of the osteocyte lacunar system.

Assessing the role of osteocyte lacunae and the ways in which they communicate with one another is important for determining the function and viability of bone tissue. Osteocytes are able to play a significant role in bone development and remodeling because they can receive nourishment from, interact with, and communicate with other cells. In this sense the immediate environment of an osteocyte is crucial for understanding its function.