Co-registration of CT and SPECT images was done using Amira software (Amira 3.1, Mercury Computer Systems GmbH, Berlin, Germany).
The tomograms were segmented using Amira (Amira 3.1, Mercury Computer Systems GmbH, Berlin, Germany); the cell membrane and the electron dense gold beads are highlighted in purple and as golden spheres, respectively, to generate the final images and/or movies (Supplementary Movie S3).
Mice were allowed to explore the chamber for five minutes and the number of explored holes (head dips) was registered by a computer software (TSE GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany).
We used the computer software MAXQDA (VERBI GmbH, Germany, version 10) to support data analysis.
The images were captured using a video camera (Leica® Microsystems, Heebrugg, Switzerland) coupled to a DMR microscope (Leica®, Microsystems GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany) and computer.
The hamsters were fixed in a Perspex tube placed on a motorised, computer-controlled stage (Spindler & Hoyer GmbH, Göttingen, Germany).
All plates were evaluated by a computer-assisted ELISPOT reader (Eli.Expert, A.EL.VIS GmbH, Hannover, Germany).
Spots were automatically counted with an electronic computer-assisted imaging system (Autoimmun Diagnostika GmbH, Strassberg, Germany), which has been shown to be valid and precise [ 16].
The CPA consists of a tourniquet cuff (VBM Medizintechnik GmbH, Sulz, Germany), a computer-controlled air compressor (DoloCuff, UE unique electronics, DK) and an electronic 10 cm VAS that enables continuous feedback.
Measurements were carried out in triplicate, and rheological parameters were evaluated using the manufacturer's supplied computer software (rSpace for Kinexus, Malvern Instruments GmbH, Herrenberg, Germany).
Sections were viewed on an Olympus BH2 light and fluorescence microscope and images acquired using 'analySIS' software (Soft Imaging Systems, GmbH, Germany), on a PC computer connected to a microscope-mounted Olympus BX50 digital camera.
