Analytical Modalities Research Articles

Automated gall bladder cancer detection using artificial gorilla troops optimizer with transfer learning on ultrasound images

The gallbladder (GB) is a small pouch and a deep tissue placed under the liver. GB Cancer (GBC) is a deadly illness that is complex to discover in an initial phase. Initial diagnosis can significantly enhance the existence rate. Non-ionizing energy, low cost, and convenience make the US a general non-invasive analytical modality for patients with GB diseases. Automatic recognition of GBC from US imagery is a significant issue that has gained much attention from researchers. Recently, machine learning (ML) techniques dependent on convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures have prepared transformational growth in radiology and medical analysis for illnesses like lung, pancreatic, breast, and melanoma. Deep learning (DL) is a region of artificial intelligence (AI), a functional medical tomography model that can help in the initial analysis of GBC. This manuscript presents an Automated Gall Bladder Cancer Detection using an Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer with Transfer Learning (GBCD-AGTOTL) technique on Ultrasound Images. The GBCD-AGTOTL technique examines the US images for the presence of gall bladder cancer using the DL model. In the initial stage, the GBCD-AGTOTL technique preprocesses the US images using a median filtering (MF) approach. The GBCD-AGTOTL technique applies the Inception module for feature extraction, which learns the complex and intrinsic patterns in the pre-processed image. Besides, the AGTO algorithm-based hyperparameter tuning procedure takes place, which optimally picks the hyperparameter values of the Inception technique. Lastly, the bidirectional gated recurrent unit (BiGRU) model helps classify gall bladder cancer. A series of simulation analyses were performed to ensure the performance of the GBCD-AGTOTL technique on the GBC dataset. The experimental outcomes inferred the enhanced abilities of the GBCD-AGTOTL in detecting gall bladder cancer.

Integration of 2D Nanoporous Membranes in Microfluidic Devices.

2D material-based membranes have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation separation technology due to their exceptional permeability and selectivity. Integration of these membranes into microfluidic devices has offered significant potential for improving the efficiency, throughput, and precision. However, designing compact and reliable microfluidic devices with membranes has many challenges, including complexities in membrane integration, analyte measurement, and contamination issues. Addressing these challenges is critical for unlocking the full potential of membrane-integrated devices. This paper proposes a systematic procedure for integrating membranes into a microfluidic device by creating a pore in the middle layer. Furthermore, an ion transport experiment is carried out across various stacked graphene and poly carbonate track etch membranes in an Ostemer-based device. The resulting device is capable of facilitating the concurrent measurement, a task that is cumbersome in standard macroscopic diffusion cells. The transparency and compactness of the microfluidic device allowed for the in situ and real-time optical characterization of analytes. The integration of microfluidic devices with 2D nanoporous membranes has enabled the incorporation of several analytical modalities, resulting in a highly versatile platform with numerous applications.

Rapid Deposition of the Biomimetic Hydroxyapatite-Polydopamine-Amino Acid Composite Layers onto the Natural Enamel.

In this work, we developed a technology that enables rapid deposition of biomimetic composite films onto natural enamel slices (known as biotemplates). These films are composed of polydopamine (PDA) and nanocrystalline carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite (nano-cHAp) that have been functionalized with amino acid l-Arginine. We utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) combined with infrared (IR) synchrotron to achieve nanoscale spatial resolution for both IR absorption and topography analyses. This combined analytical modality allowed us to understand how morphology connects to local changes in the chemical environment on the biotemplate surface during the deposition of the bioinspired coating. Our findings revealed that when using the proposed technology and after the deposition of the first PDA layer, the film formed on the enamel surface nearly covers the entire surface of the specimen whose thickness is larger on the surface of the emerging enamel prisms. Calculation of the crystallinity index for the biomimetic layer showed a multiple increase compared with natural enamel. This indicates regular and dense aggregation of nano-cHAp into larger crystals, imitating the morphology of natural enamel rods. The microhardness of the formed PDA-based biomimetic layer mineralized with nano-cHAp functionalized with amino acid l-Arginine deposited on natural enamel was practically the same as that of natural enamel. The characterization of nano-cHAp-amino acid-PDA layers using IR and Raman microspectroscopy showed that l-arginine acts as a conjunction agent in the formation of mineralized biomimetic composite coatings. The uniformity of the mechanisms of PDA layer formation under different deposition conditions and substrate types allows for the formation of coatings regardless of the macro- and micromorphology of the template. Therefore, the results obtained in this work have a high potential for future clinical applications in dental practice.

Unveiling Ecological Narratives: A Multimodal Analysis of Top Pakistani Pharmaceutical Companies' Web Pages

The study aimed to investigate six Pakistani pharmaceutical companies' web pages through multimodal analysis. It attempted to sensitize various semiotic modes in designing websites that represent ecological discourses. Language and media play a crucial role in forming the ideology of the masses about the importance of ecological sustainability for human existence. The current study followed three different theoretical frameworks suggested by Kress and van Leeuwen's (2008) Multimodality Theory, van Leeuwen's (2008) Social Actor and Social Action Approach to Language Analysis, and Stibbe's (2015) Ecological Ideology of Erasure and Salience in the shape of conceptualized analytical modal. The following conceptualized analytical model examined multiple semiotic modes from the perspective of ecolinguistics. For this purpose, a purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting websites, keeping the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan's 2019 ranking in view. A total of six photos were selected, one from each website. The research showed that Pakistani pharmaceutical companies have used a variety of semiotic modes, including image, color contrast, huge, bold text size, and diverse pictures, to design their websites. The study's findings suggest that agencies largely use language erasure and salience methods to create positive and ambivalent narratives while concealing themselves to shift responsibility for ecological destructions. The web page makes it simpler for consumers to consume the medicine without considering the environmental effects by removing the context and location of the medicine. To shed light on environmental pollution and sustainability in Pakistan, future research should delve into sophisticated models of statistical analysis, ecolinguistic ideas such as conviction, metaphor, and (re)framing, advanced methods of analysis, and amplifying the voices of marginalized populations often overlooked in previous studies.

Quantification of silicon concentration in sugarcane ash using the neutron activation technique with an isotopic source

In the realm of agronomic research, the neutron activation technique has gained traction, particularly in regions such as Paraguay, for its capability to deploy an isotopic source for the quantification and identification of agriculturally pertinent minerals. Within the ambit of sugarcane cultivation, both silicon (Si) and silica (SiO2) emerge as paramount, owing to their efficacy in fortifying the sugarcane plant's resistance to phytopathogens and pests, as well as their role in mitigating lodging phenomena. Notably, an uptick in silica accumulation has been correlated with amplified biomass and sucrose production metrics. This underscores the imperative for a meticulous quantification of Si and SiO2 within sugarcane derivatives, catering to both agronomic and industrial directives. Addressing the extant lacuna in regional datasets, this investigation endeavored to elucidate the inherent concentrations of Si and SiO2 within distinct anatomical segments of sugarcane, viz., leaves, entire stems, bark, and bagasse. A total of eight sugarcane cohorts, each encompassing 10 specimens, were subjected to the experimental paradigm. Adhering to a fully randomized design, each cohort was trialed in triplicate. Post desiccation at 105°C, the resultant specimens underwent calcination in a muffle furnace at an approximation of 500°C for a sextet of hours. The experimental variables under scrutiny encompassed mass (in grams), Si concentration (in percentage), and SiO2 content. Subsequent quantifications of Si and SiO2 within the ash specimens were operationalized using a nuclear analytical modality coupled with an isotopic neutron source. Post-acquisition, the data were subjected to a unidirectional analysis of variance, with an ensuing post-hoc DMS comparative analysis. Empirical findings highlighted that ash derived from integral sugarcane stems registered a preeminent mass juxtaposed against other segments. Intriguingly, leaf-derived ash manifested the zenith of Si and SiO2 concentrations, quantified at 24% for Si and 51.5% for SiO2. In summation, the neutron activation technique, undergirded by an isotopic source, has manifested its robustness in pinpointing Si concentrations within sugarcane ash, thereby accentuating the potential of leaf ash as a quintessential fount for silica extraction. Such insights bear salient implications for nations, such as Paraguay, where the evolution of agronomic modalities remains an ongoing endeavor.

Metabolite Profiling in a Diet-Induced Obesity Mouse Model and Individuals with Diabetes: A Combined Mass Spectrometry and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study.

Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques have been used extensively for metabolite profiling. Although combining these two analytical modalities has the potential of enhancing metabolite coverage, such studies are sparse. In this study we test the hypothesis that combining the metabolic information obtained using liquid chromatography (LC) MS and 1H NMR spectroscopy improves the discrimination of metabolic disease development. We induced metabolic syndrome in male mice using a high-fat diet (HFD) exposure and performed LC-MS and NMR spectroscopy on plasma samples collected after 1 and 8 weeks of dietary intervention. In an orthogonal projection to latent structures (OPLS) analysis, we observed that combining MS and NMR was stronger than each analytical method alone at determining effects of both HFD feeding and time-on-diet. We then tested our metabolomics approach on plasma from 56 individuals from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS) cohort. All metabolic pathways impacted by HFD feeding in mice were confirmed to be affected by diabetes in the MDCS cohort, and most prominent HFD-induced metabolite concentration changes in mice were also associated with metabolic syndrome parameters in humans. The main drivers of metabolic disease discrimination emanating from the present study included plasma levels of xanthine, hippurate, 2-hydroxyisovalerate, S-adenosylhomocysteine and dimethylguanidino valeric acid. In conclusion, our combined NMR-MS approach provided a snapshot of metabolic imbalances in humans and a mouse model, which was improved over employment of each analytical method alone.

Multimodal analysis and the oncology patient: Creating a hospital system for integrated diagnostics and discovery

We propose that an information technology and computational framework that would unify access to hospital digital information silos, and enable integration of this information using machine learning methods, would bring a new paradigm to patient management and research. This is the core principle of Integrated Diagnostics (ID): the amalgamation of multiple analytical modalities, with evolved information technology, applied to a defined patient cohort, and resulting in a synergistic effect in the clinical value of the individual diagnostic tools. This has the potential to transform the practice of personalized oncology at a time at which it is very much needed.In this article we present different models from the literature that contribute to the vision of ID and we provide published exemplars of ID tools. We briefly describe ongoing efforts within a universal healthcare system to create national clinical datasets. Following this, we argue the case to create “hospital units” to leverage this multi-modal analysis, data integration and holistic clinical decision-making. Finally, we describe the joint model created in our institutions.

Before reliable near infrared spectroscopic analysis - the critical sampling proviso. Part 2: Particular requirements for near infrared spectroscopy

Non-representative sampling of materials, lots and processes intended for NIR analysis is often fraught with hidden contributions to the full Measurement Uncertainty MUtotal = TSE + TAENIR. The Total Sampling Error (TSE) can dominate over the Total Analytical Error TAENIR by factors of 5 to 10 to even 25 times, depending on the degree of material heterogeneity and the specific sampling procedures employed to produce the minuscule aliquot, which is the only material actually analysed. Part 1 presented a brief of all sampling uncertainty elements in the “lot-to-aliquot” pathway, which must be identified and correctly managed (eliminated or reduced maximally), especially the sampling bias, as a prerequisite to achieve fully representative sampling. The key for this is the Theory of Sampling (TOS), which is presented in two parts in a novel compact fashion. Part 2 introduces (i) application of TOS to process sampling, specifically addressing and illustrating how this manifests itself in the realm of PAT, Process Analytical Technology, and (ii) an empirical safeguard facility, termed the Replication Experiment (RE), with which to estimate the effective sampling-plus-analysis uncertainty level (MUtotal) associated with NIR analysis. The RE is a defence against compromising the analytical responsibilities. Ignorance, either caused by lack of awareness or training, or by wilful neglect, of the demand for TSE minimisation, is a breach of due diligence concerning analysis QC/QA. Part 2 ends with a special focus on: “What does all this TOS mean specifically for NIR analysis?”. The answer to this question will perhaps surprise many. There is nothing special that need worrying NIR analysts relative to professionals from all other analytical modalities; all that is needed is embedded in the general TOS framework. Still, this review concludes by answering a set of typical concerns from NIR practitioners.

“Somos Más”: Towards a Feminist Critique of the Photographic Archive of the Women’s And Feminist Movement Against the Chilean Dictatorship

This article examines the photographic archive of the women’s and feminist movement against the civil-military dictatorship in Chile. This corpus is composed of photographic records disseminated by independent media and in alternative publications edited by organisations of women and feminists. Starting from these records, I interrogate the analytical modalities traditionally adopted by photography criticism in Chile when approaching the relationship between “women” and photography. This reflection is oriented around the theoretical and critical work of Andrea Noble: in particular, Noble’s reading of Tina Modotti, in which she interrogates and reconsiders the modes of doing photography criticism. The article proposes that the photographic archive expands in space and through time, through the reproduction and circulation of similar or repeated images in distinct media. This expansion enables other ways of seeing and enunciating “protest” in public space at the local level. The analysis emphasises the repetitive quality of the images, and highlights the occasional presence of other photographers in the frame, as aspects that allow the spectator to appreciate and considerate how the visual expansion of the women’s movement operates in public space.

From Trans-Atlantic Order to Afro-Eur-Asian Worlds? Reimagining International Relations as Interlocking Regional Worlds

AbstractThe apparent transition underway from a trans-Atlantic, liberal world order to one of multiple, overlapping orders has caused much policy, scholarly, and public anxiety. In tandem with this structural development, in the field of international relations (IR), heated contests are underway between alternative visions of how to read this transformation. In this introduction to the special forum, we outline an approach for grappling with these dynamics. Our overarching question is: How to make sense of emergent regional imaginaries, the ways that they interlock, and the implications for IR theory and practice? To begin answering, we first challenge the increasingly widespread view that the return of great power politics—or what we call the “great game” vision of multipolarity—is the only or best register with which to read emerging patterns. Instead, we propose the idea of “interlocking regional worlds,” a notion inspired by “Afro-Eur-Asia” as a site that evokes multiple meanings. A historically sensitive and sociologically nuanced analytical modality, we argue for theory as “itinerant translation” across regional worlds. This relational framework, we contend, can help to better understand and explain, observe and encounter one another, the problems that collectively embroil us, and the transformative processes to which we are bearing witness. The exercises in itinerant translation across the interlocking regional worlds of Afro-Eur-Asia on offer in this special forum likewise reveal the globe as a pluriversal space where multiple realities can and do coexist (and always have).

What Constitutes Evidence? Colorectal Cancer Screening and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force is perhaps America's best-known source of evidence-based medicine (EBM) recommendations. This paper reviews aspects of the history of one such recommendation-screening for colorectal cancer (CRC)-to explore how the Task Force evaluates the best available evidence to reach its conclusions.Although the Task Force initially believed there was inadequate evidence to recommend CRC screening in the 1980s, it later changed its mind. Indeed, by 2002, it was recommending screening colonoscopy for those aged 50 and older, "extrapolating" from the existing evidence as there were no randomized controlled trials of the procedure. By 2016, due in part to the use of an emerging analytic modality known as modeling, the Task Force supported four additional CRC screening tests that lacked randomized data. Among the reasons the Task Force gave for these decisions was the desire to improve adherence for a strategy-screening healthy, asymptomatic individuals-that it believed saved lives.During these same years, the Task Force diverged from other organizations by declining to advocate screening otherwise healthy Black patients earlier than age 50-despite the fact that such individuals had higher rates of CRC than the general population, higher mortality from the disease and earlier onset of the disease. In declining to extrapolate in this instance, the Task Force underscored the lack of reliable data that proved that the benefits of such testing would outweigh the harms.The history of CRC screening reminds us that scientific evaluation relies not only on methodological sophistication but also on a combination of intellectual, cognitive and social processes. General internists-and their patients-should realize that EBM recommendations are often not definitive but rather thoughtful data-based advice.

News Insights into the Host-Parasite Interactions of Amyloodiniosis in European Sea Bass: A Multi-Modal Approach.

Amyloodiniosis is a disease resulting from infestation by the ectoparasitic dinoflagellate Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) and is a threat for fish species such as European sea bass (ESB, Dicentrarchus labrax), which are farmed in lagoon and land-based rearing sites. During the summer, when temperatures are highest, mortality rates can reach 100%, with serious impacts for the aquaculture industry. As no effective licensed therapies currently exist, this study was undertaken to improve knowledge of the biology of AO and of the host-parasite relationship between the protozoan and ESB, in order to formulate better prophylactic/therapeutic treatments targeting AO. To achieve this, a multi-modal study was performed involving a broad range of analytical modalities, including conventional histology (HIS), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Gills and the oro-pharyngeal cavity were the primary sites of amyloodiniosis, with hyperplasia and cell degeneration more evident in severe infestations (HIS). Plasmacells and macrophages were localised by IHC and correlated with the parasite burden in a time-course experimental challenge. CLSM allowed reconstruction of the 3D morphology of infecting trophonts and suggested a protein composition for its anchoring and feeding structures. These findings provide a potential starting point for the development of new prophylactic/therapeutic controls.

Correlative analysis of structure and chemistry of LixFePO4 platelets using 4D-STEM and X-ray ptychography

Lithium iron phosphate (LixFePO4), a cathode material used in rechargeable Li-ion batteries, phase separates upon de/lithiation under equilibrium. The interfacial structure and chemistry within these cathode materials affects Li-ion transport, and therefore battery performance. Correlative imaging of LixFePO4 was performed using four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), and X-ray ptychography in order to analyze the local structure and chemistry of the same particle set. Over 50,000 diffraction patterns from 10 particles provided measurements of both structure and chemistry at a nanoscale spatial resolution (16.6–49.5 nm) over wide (several micron) fields-of-view with statistical robustness. LixFePO4 particles at varying stages of delithiation were measured to examine the evolution of structure and chemistry as a function of delithiation. In lithiated and delithiated particles, local variations were observed in the degree of lithiation even while local lattice structures remained comparatively constant, and calculation of linear coefficients of chemical expansion suggest pinning of the lattice structures in these populations. Partially delithiated particles displayed broadly core–shell-like structures, however, with highly variable behavior both locally and per individual particle that exhibited distinctive intermediate regions at the interface between phases, and pockets within the lithiated core that correspond to FePO4 in structure and chemistry. The results provide insight into the LixFePO4 system, subtleties in the scope and applicability of Vegard’s law (linear lattice parameter-composition behavior) under local versus global measurements, and demonstrate a powerful new combination of experimental and analytical modalities for bridging the crucial gap between local and statistical characterization.

Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry at Saturn’s moon Titan

NASA's Dragonfly mission will send a rotorcraft lander to the surface of Titan to investigate the prebiotic chemistry, habitability, and potential presence of chemical biosignatures on Saturn’s largest moon. One of the key analytical instruments onboard is the Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS) that will perform detailed chemical analyses of the Titan surface and atmosphere. The DraMS instrument is capable of multiple analytical modalities, including Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry (LDMS), in which DraMS primarily seeks to characterize the low volatility/refractory organic content in acquired Titan surface samples. Several key design adaptations will be needed for DraMS to meet its LDMS measurement objectives at Titan as compared to previous development efforts for similar analysis at Mars. These adaptations include an altered sample collection and delivery approach, modifications to the LDMS ion source, and performance optimization for operations with Titan atmospheric gas.

CyTOF-Enabled Analysis Identifies Class-Switched B Cells as the Main Lymphocyte Subset Associated With Disease Relapse in Children With Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome.

B cell depleting therapies permit immunosuppressive drug withdrawal and maintain remission in patients with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome (FRNS) or steroid–dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS), but lack of biomarkers for treatment failure. Post-depletion immune cell reconstitution may identify relapsing patients, but previous characterizations suffered from methodological limitations of flow cytometry. Time-of-flight mass cytometry (CyTOF) is a comprehensive analytic modality that simultaneously quantifies over 40 cellular markers. Herein, we report CyTOF-enabled immune cell comparisons over a 12-month period from 30 children with SDNS receiving B cell depleting therapy who either relapsed (n = 17) or remained stable (n = 13). Anti-CD20 treatment depleted all B cells subsets and CD20 depleting agent choice (rituximab vs ofatumumab) did not affect B cell subset recovery. Despite equal total numbers of B cells, 5 subsets of B cells were significantly higher in relapsing individuals; all identified subsets of B cells were class-switched. T cell subsets (including T follicular helper cells and regulatory T cells) and other major immune compartments were largely unaffected by B cell depletion, and similar between relapsing and stable children. In conclusion, CyTOF analysis of immune cells from anti-CD20 antibody treated patients identifies class-switched B cells as the main subset whose expansion associates with disease relapse. Our findings set the basis for future studies exploring how identified subsets can be used to monitor treatment response and improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease.

An Analytical Model of a Rotating Radial Cantilever Beam Considering the Coupling Between Bending, Stretching, and Torsion

Abstract In this paper, the mode coupling between bending, stretching, and torsional deformations is mainly studied by presenting an analytical model of a rotating cantilever beam with pre-twist angle and arbitrary cross section. Equations of motion of the beam are derived using Hamilton's principle. The Coriolis effect due to the coupling of the bending deformation and stretching deformation, the eccentricity caused by inconsistency between elastic center and centroid, spin softening effect, stress stiffening effect, shear deformation, and rotary inertia are included in the model. Equations of motion are solved by the Rayleigh-Ritz method. The natural frequencies obtained by the proposed analytical modal are in good agreement with those obtained by finite element method (FEM) which proved the accuracy of the analytical model. Finally, the coupling between different mode components is studied in detail based on a quantitative method. The transformation/conversion between different mode components is revealed, the influence of rotational speed, setting angle, and pre-twist angle on this conversion mode is studied. Results show that a specific mode shape is usually composed of multiple mode components. The essence of mode coupling is the coupling between different mode components. The influence of rotational speed, setting angle, and pre-twist angle on the mode coupling is that they cause the transformation/conversion between different mode components.

The Kantian Elements in Arthur Pap’s Philosophy

Abstract Arthur Pap worked in analytic philosophy while maintaining a strong Kantian or neo-Kantian element throughout his career, stemming from his studying with Ernst Cassirer. I present these elements in the different periods of Pap’s works, showing him to be a consistent critic of logical empiricism, which Pap shows to be incapable of superseding the Kantian framework. Nevertheless, Pap’s work is definitely analytic philosophy, both in terms of the content and the style. According to Pap, the central topics of analytic philosophy concern meaning, modality, and analysis. Pap was also influenced by pragmatism, especially in his dissertation, although he does not fully embrace it in either its classical or its Quinean form.

An overview of mixed-model inversion and its application to the study of traumatic brain injury

Previously, we introduced Mixed-Model Inversion which utilizes a fusion of Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), and a combination of isotropic and anisotropic inversion algorithms for the evaluation of the viscoelastic stiffness and anisotropy of the human brain. This approach was developed as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for the study of brain health or pathology. The aims of this work are (1) to evaluate the viscoelastic properties of the brains of both healthy controls and patients who present with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and (2) to demonstrate the alterations to the stiffness and anisotropy of healthy brain structures as a result of insult/injury. When compared to healthy controls, there were significant differences in the stiffness as well as the anisotropic models of the white matter in the TBI patients, with alterations in dependence upon the insult/injury experienced. Preliminary studies indicate that this fusion of measurement and analytical modalities can provide metrics, based on differences in material stiffness and anisotropy, for differentiation between healthy controls and TBI patients for diagnostic purposes. [Work supported by Dr. Timothy Bentley, ONR Code 34, Warfighter Protection.]

A clickable probe for versatile characterization of S-nitrosothiols

S-nitrosation of cysteine thiols (SNOs), commonly referred to as S-nitrosylation, is a cysteine oxoform that plays an important role in cellular signaling and impacts protein function and stability. Direct labeling of SNOs in cells with the flexibility to perform a wide range of cellular and biochemical assays remains a bottleneck as all SNO-targeted probes to date employ a single analytical modality such as biotin or a specific fluorophore. We therefore developed a clickable, alkyne-containing SNO probe ‘PBZyn’ based on the o-phosphino-benzoyl group warhead that enables multi-modal analysis via click conjugation. We demonstrate the utility of PBZyn to assay SNOs using in situ cellular imaging, protein blotting and affinity purification, as well as mass spectrometry. The flexible PBZyn probe will greatly facilitate investigation into the regulation of SNOs.

Multimodal Imaging Mass Spectrometry: Next Generation Molecular Mapping in Biology and Medicine.

Imaging mass spectrometry has become a mature molecular mapping technology that is used for molecular discovery in many medical and biological systems. While powerful by itself, imaging mass spectrometry can be complemented by the addition of other orthogonal, chemically informative imaging technologies to maximize the information gained from a single experiment and enable deeper understanding of biological processes. Within this review, we describe MALDI, SIMS, and DESI imaging mass spectrometric technologies and how these have been integrated with other analytical modalities such as microscopy, transcriptomics, spectroscopy, and electrochemistry in a field termed multimodal imaging. We explore the future of this field and discuss forthcoming developments that will bring new insights to help unravel the molecular complexities of biological systems, from single cells to functional tissue structures and organs.