Changes In Morphology Structure Research Articles

Buckling transitions and soft-phase invasion of two-component icosahedral shells.

What is the optimal distribution of two types of crystalline phases on the surface of icosahedral shells, such as of many viral capsids? We here investigate the distribution of a thin layer of soft material on a crystalline convex icosahedral shell. We demonstrate how the shapes of spherical viruses can be understood from the perspective of elasticity theory of thin two-component shells. We develop a theory of shape transformations of an icosahedral shell upon addition of a softer, but still crystalline, material onto its surface. We show how the soft component "invades" the regions with the highest elastic energy and stress imposed by the 12 topological defects on the surface. We explore the phase diagram as a function of the surface fraction of the soft material, the shell size, and the incommensurability of the elastic moduli of the rigid and soft phases. We find that, as expected, progressive filling of the rigid shell by the soft phase starts from the most deformed regions of the icosahedron. With a progressively increasing soft-phase coverage, the spherical segments of domes are filled first (12 vertices of the shell), then the cylindrical segmentsconnecting the domes (30 edges) are invaded, and, ultimately, the 20 flat faces of the icosahedral shell tend to be occupied by the soft material. We present a detailed theoretical investigation of the first two stages of this invasion process and develop a model of morphological changes of the cone structure that permits noncircular cross sections. In conclusion, we discuss the biological relevance of some structures predicted from our calculations, in particular for the shape of viral capsids.

Development of myodural bridge located within the atlanto-occipital interspace of rats.

The myodural bridge (MDB) is a dense connective tissue structure that connects the subocciptal musculature to the spinal dura mater. The purpose of this study was to clarify morphological evolution characteristics and compositional changes in the fibrous structures of MDB during its growth and development in the atlanto-occipital interspace. For this, histological sections from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (age, E17 to adulthood) were stained with Masson's Trichrome and Picrosirius Red. The results demonstrated that at age E18, the posterior arch of the atlas was completely closed and MDB fibers had already begun to form. In rat embryos (E18-E21), only few fibers and muscles were present in the suboccipital region, and these were lightly stained. In postnatal rats, an obvious increase in the amount of fibers and muscle tissues was noted. At age P1, MDB fibers originated from the rectus capitis posterior minor muscle and merged into the atlanto-occipital membrane, which was closely attached to the spinal dura mater. As rats matured, MDB fibers gradually became denser and more organized. This study also showed that in postnatal rats, MDB was mainly composed of type I collagen fibers. By observing the development of MDB in SD rats, the function of MDB can be further understood. This study provides a morphological basis for future functional studies involving the MDB.

Chemical and morphological changes in fibre structure due to material heating during ultrasonic-assisted embossing of cardboard

Embossing is a commonly used design element on printed products and packaging. It enhances the product impression with optical and haptic effects. The material deformation during the embossing of cardboard is normally done using high mechanical pressure between two dies. The use of ultrasound in the embossing process leads to a noticeable reduction of the embossing pressure and a greater embossing precision. However, there is a noticeable heating of the cardboard during the ultrasonic-assisted embossing process. This work aimed to characterise the effects of heating and to understand the reasons for the greater precision with decreased force when ultrasound is used. Therefore, the effects of the thermal ultrasonic energy on the chemical composition and the morphological properties of the fibres were investigated. The findings showed that no noticeable changes occurred in the chemical composition or fibre geometry as a result of the embossing process with ultrasound.

Quantitative analysis of collagen and capillaries of 3.8-μm laser-induced cutaneous thermal injury and wound healing.

The biological effects of cutaneous thermal injury and wound healing after 3.8-μm laser radiation were investigated by observing the effects of different radiation doses on in vivo cutaneous tissue. A 3.8-μm laser with a radiation dose that changes from small (5.07) to large (15.74J/cm2) was used to irradiate mouse skin with the 2 × 4 grid array method. The healing progress of laser-injured spots, pathological morphology (H&E staining), and collagen structure changes (Sirius Red staining) were dynamically observed from one hour to 21days after laser radiation, and the capillary count and collagen content were quantitatively and comparatively analyzed. When the radiation doses were 5.07, 6.77, 8.21, and 9.42J/cm2, a white coagulation spot predominantly occurred, and when the radiation doses were 11.09 12.23, 14.13, 15.74J/cm2, a small injured spot predominantly occurred. One hour after radiation, the collagen structure was obviously damaged. Three to fourteen days after radiation, the hyperplasia and morphology of the collagen in the 5.07J/cm2 group were significantly better than those in the other dose groups. The number of capillaries in the 5.07J/cm2 and 6.77J/cm2 groups was significantly higher than that in the normal group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Twenty-one days after radiation, only the collagen in the 5.07J/cm2 group was densely arranged, and it was basically close to the normal group level. The collagen content in the 5.07J/cm2 group was approximately 10.7%, but it was still lower than that in the normal group (with a collagen content of approximately 14.1%). The collagen in the other dose groups was diminished and had not returned to the normal group level. As the dose of the 3.8-μm laser increased, skin thermal injury gradually increased, the full-thickness skin increased, and the collagen content decreased, showing better dose-dependent and time-dependent effect relationships. The increase in capillaries in the early stage of laser radiation and the significant increase in collagen content in the middle and late stages of laser radiation were two important factors that promoted wound healing.

Can multitrophic interactions shape morphometry, allometry, and fluctuating asymmetry of seed-feeding insects?

Body size is commonly associated with biological features such as reproductive capacity, competition, and resource acquisition. Many studies have tried to understand how these isolated factors can affect the body pattern of individuals. However, little is known about how interactions among species in multitrophic communities determine the body shape of individuals exploiting the same resource. Here, we evaluate the effect of fruit infestation, parasitism rate, and seed biomass on size, allometric and asymmetric patterns of morphological structures of insects that exploit the same resource. To test it, we measured 750 individuals associated with the plant Senegalia tenuifolia (Fabaceae), previously collected over three consecutive years. Negative allometry was maintained for all species, suggesting that with increasing body size the body structure did not grow proportionally. Despite this, some variations in allometric slopes suggest that interactions in a multitrophic food web can shape the development of these species. Also, we observed a higher confidence interval at higher categories of infestation and parasitism rate, suggesting a great variability in the allometric scaling. We did not observe fluctuating asymmetry for any category or species, but we found some changes in morphological structures, depending on the variables tested. These findings show that both allometry and morphological trait measurements are the most indicated in studies focused on interactions and morphometry. Finally, we show that, except for the fluctuating asymmetry, each species and morphological structure respond differently to interactions, even if the individuals play the same functional role within the food web.

Effect of Oleamine on Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Nanocrystals.

Herein, we reported a simple microwave-assisted method for synthesizing uniform CsPbBr3 and Cs4PbBr6 perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs). The phase structure, photoluminescence (PL) emission, and quantum yield (QY) of CsPbBr3 PeNCs can be tuned by changing the radiation time and power of the microwave. The optimized CsPbBr3 PeNCs showed a high PLQY of up to 87%. The transformation from green-luminescent three-dimensional (3D) CsPbBr3 PeNCs to nonluminescent zero-dimensional (0D) Cs4PbBr6 PeNCs was easily realized by adjusting the amount of oleamine (OAm) and oleic acid (OA), and the changes in morphology and phase structure during the transformation process were studied by a microwave-assisted technique. Meanwhile, the optical properties of Cs4PbBr6 PeNCs were revealed by monitoring the changes in absorption and emission spectra. Furthermore, through first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), the luminescene origination of as-prepared PeNCs was further explained. In this work, we controlled the phase transition from CsPbBr3 to Cs4PbBr6 through a simple method, which provides a strategy for other types of perovskite phase transitions.

Medetomidine may cause heart murmur in Cougars and Jaguars: case report

We report heart murmur in Jaguars and Cougars found during reproductive procedures for semen and oocyte collection. Two male Cougars (n=2) and three female Jaguars (n=3) were examined. Anesthesia was performed with ketamine and medetomidine in males. Females also received propofol and were maintained with isoflurane. The animals were evaluated during anesthetic monitoring with multiparameter monitor alongside clinical examination, ambulatory electrocardiogram and echocardiogram. All animals presented mitral valve regurgitation under anesthesia, but without morphological changes in the cardiac structure or hemodynamic changes. Medetomidine may cause transitory heart murmur in healthy Jaguars and Cougars. &#x0D;

MORPHOLOGY AND COMPOSITION ANALYSIS OF ENAMEL SURFACE WITH DENTAL ADHESIVE FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF ND:YAG ABLATION

Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm has been used for various applications in dentistry, including for soft tissue and hard tissue applications. This study aimed to investigate the changes in morphological structures and elemental composition of enamel surface after composite removal using energy variations of Nd:YAG laser. 12 healthy human premolar teeth were cut into half, and Blūgloo adhesives were applied to the tooth surface. The samples were subjected to Nd:YAG laser irradiations with three different energy parameters, 510 mJ, 540 mJ, and 580 mJ. The changes in enamel surface morphology and composition of elements were analyzed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX). Surface morphology indicates that 540 mJ can potentially be used for composite adhesives removal. For the elemental composition, carbon, phosphorus, and calcium were statistically significant between samples without composite, after bracket debonding, and after laser irradiation. Several morphological changes may occur on the enamel surface after samples were irradiated with a laser. Energy parameter of the laser plays a vital role towards the desired surface. In this study, 540 mJ is seen to be potential for material removal process on the enamel surface.

Aureolic Acid Group of Agents as Potential Antituberculosis Drugs.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the most dangerous pathogens. Bacterial resistance to antituberculosis drugs grows each year, but searching for new drugs is a long process. Testing for available drugs to find active against mycobacteria may be a good alternative. In this work, antibiotics of the aureolic acid group were tested on a model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis. We presumed that antibiotics of this group may be potential G4 ligands. However, this was not confirmed in our analyses. We determined the antimicrobial activity of these drugs and revealed morphological changes in the cell structure upon treatment. Transcriptomic analysis documented increased expression of MSMEG_3743/soj and MSMEG_4228/ftsW, involved in cell division. Therefore, drugs may affect cell division, possibly disrupting the function of the Z-ring and the formation of a septum. Additionally, a decrease in the transcription level of several indispensable genes, such as nitrate reductase subunits (MSMEG_5137/narI and MSMEG_5139/narX) and MSMEG_3205/hisD was shown. We concluded that the mechanism of action of aureolic acid and its related compounds may be similar to that bedaquiline and disturb the NAD+/NADH balance in the cell. All of this allowed us to conclude that aureolic acid derivatives can be considered as potential antituberculosis drugs.

Assessment of pre- and post-operative nutritional status in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery

Introduction: The maxillofacial procedures for skeletal deformities are characterized by structural-morphological changes derived from unfavorable genetics with diagnosis performed during craniofacial growth. Orthognathic surgery requires a total restriction on chewing for 60 days, leading to loss of body weight in overweight and obese individuals, as well as in well-nourished patients. Objective: Evaluating the pre- and post-operative nutritional status of patients undergoing orthognathic surgery. Material and methods: This is an interventional study. The study group received supplementation with whey protein, L-arginine, L-glutamine, and fatty acid Omega-3, and both groups were assessed in terms of anthropometric and biochemical measurements. The evaluation of soft tissue healing was conducted after surgery. Results: It is possible to infer that the percentage of skeletal muscle mass tends to increase in the intervention group, however, the weight loss was greater (-4.88%). Uric acid increased post-operative in the control group (+37.64%). Conclusion: Oral nutritional supplementation used in the study seems promising for reducing the loss of skeletal muscle mass, but further studies involving a larger number of patients are needed to confirm the results.

Modeling of chronic generalized periodontitis in laboratory animals (literature review)

Modern experiments in the study of periodontal deseas are aimed at improving the effectiveness of innovative methods of early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this disease in patients. The conducted analysis of the literature showed that the disorder of microcirculation occupies one of the leading places in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Disruption of the microcirculatory bed, based on the dyscirculatory changes of the capillary blood flow is accompanied by a decrease in the intensity of blood filling of vessels, their spasm. These changes, in case of chronization, include tissue disorders of the ischemic nature, up to the development of a capillary stasis. This can lead to disorder in gas exchange, trophism and pathomorphological damage to periodontal tissues. This type of change is most typical for age-related, traumatic, vascular, and stress-induced models. Morphological lesions in the vessels, namely ischemic phenomena were most pronounced in them. Microscopically, this was manifested in the heterogeneity of the epithelial layer, the thickening of individual layers, the detachment of the epithelial lining of the mucosa. As for the basal layer, the most common was the vacuolization of cells, the appearance of a significant number of cells that lacked nuclei (pathology, indicating a decrease in functional activity, impaired regenerative properties of the cell), expansion of intercellular contacts, a sign of tissue edema. In the basal membrane (function - dissociation of the epithelium from the actual lining of the mucous membrane), collagen fibers were loose, hypertrophic, their hyperplasia was observed, neutrophil leukocytes, lymphocytes, histocytes were found between the fibers, this testified to changes in cells. Some models lack a clinical picture of chronic hyperplastic periodontitis. The disorders consisted of changes in normal metabolism in periodontal tissues, decreased immune function, changes in morphological structure without induction of the inflammatory process.

How do elevated atmosphere CO2 and temperature alter the physiochemical properties of starch granules and rice taste?

Elevated atmospheric CO2 (EC) and temperature (ET) strongly affect agricultural production, but the mechanism through which EC and/or ET influence starch granules and their relationship to cooked rice taste remain largely unknown. Therefore, a field experiment using a popular japonica cultivar grown in a temperature/free-air CO2 enrichment environment was conducted to investigate the responses of volume and fine structure of starch granules and their formation physiology to EC (+200 ppm) and/or ET (+1 °C) in 2015–2016. EC markedly enhanced the activity of soluble-starch synthase and granule-bound starch synthase by 28.0% and 27.9% respectively, thereby increasing the long chains and the volume of starch granules. However, EC decreased the activity of starch-branch enzyme by 7.5% possibly via the pathway of ethylene signalling (EC prominently decreased the ethylene evolution rate of rice grains by 28.8%), resulting in a remarkable decrease in α-1′6 glucosidic bonds and significant increase in the iodine-binding capacity and double helix in starch molecules. These EC-induced changes in morphology and fine structure of starch granules synergistically altered the thermal properties of rice flour and eventually improved the cohesiveness and taste of cooked rice, as suggested by the significant relationships between them. ET partially offset the beneficial EC effects in most cases. However, few remarkable CO2 × temperature or CO2 × year effects were detected, indicating that the effects of EC on starch granules and rice taste less varied with meteorological conditions. These findings have important implications on rice palatability and for the development of adaptive strategies in the starch industry in future environment.

Effect of soil burial on silane treated and untreated kenaf fiber filled linear low-density polyethylene/polyvinyl alcohol composites

In recent decades, natural fibers have become widely used with petroleum based polymers such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) because of their light weight, lower cost, and inherent biodegradability. In the present work, linear low-density polyethylene/polyvinyl alcohol (LLDPE/PVOH) composites with untreated kenaf and silane-treated kenaf at filler loadings of 0, 10, and 40 phr were prepared via the melt mixing process. The soil burial test was used to evaluate the degradability of the composites for different durations (90 and 180 d). The tensile properties, surface morphology, chemical composition, percentage of weight loss, and crystallinity of the composites before and after degradation were evaluated. With increased kenaf loading and soil burial duration, all the composites showed a decrease in tensile properties. This was further confirmed by the changes in surface morphology and chemical structure of the buried composites. The increase in weight loss percentage and crystallinity after soil burial indicated that the longer burial duration had increased the degradation of composites. Composites with silane-treated kenaf exhibited lower degradability than that of composites with untreated kenaf after being buried for 90 and 180 d. This may be attributed to the improved adhesion of kenaf to the LLDPE/PVOH matrix via silane treatment.

Rapid assessment of structural and compositional changes during early stages of zirconium alloy oxidation

A multimodal chemical imaging approach has been developed and applied to detail the dynamic, atomic-scale changes associated with oxidation of a zirconium alloy (Zircaloy-4). Scanning transmission electron microscopy, a gas-phase reactor chamber attached to an atom probe tomography instrument, and synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy were employed to reveal morphology, composition, crystal, and electronic structure changes that occur during initial stages of oxidation at 300 °C. Oxidation was carried out in 10 mbar O2 gas for short exposure times of 1 and 5 min. A multilayered oxide film with a cubic ZrO adjacent to the oxide/metal interface, a nanoscopic transition region with a graded composition of ZrO2−x (where 0 < x < 1), and tetragonal ZrO2 in the outermost oxide were formed. Partitioning of the major alloying element (tin) to the oxide/metal interface and heterogeneously within the oxide accompanied the development of the layered oxide. Our work provides a rapid, high-throughput approach for detailed characterisation of initial stages of zirconium alloy oxidation at an accelerated time scale, with implications for several other alloy systems.

Investigation of in vitro bioactivities of Zn-based hydroxyapatite samples doped with chitosan

In this study, the crystal structure, functional groups, morphological structure, elemental compositions, antimicrobial activity, and structural changes in the SBF of Zn-based HAp samples, synthesized by sol-gel method, doped with chitosan (CTS) at different amounts, were investigated. The crystal structure of the synthesized samples was determined by XRD technique, and the functional groups of the samples were determined by FTIR spectroscopy. The elemental compositions and morphologies of the HAp samples were investigated by SEM equipped with EDX spectroscopy. It was observed that the synthesized samples had antimicrobial activity. The effect of chitosan addition and immersing in SBF affected the crystallization percentages of the samples. No significant changes were observed in the morphology.

Mitochondrial and Metabolic Dynamics of Endometrial Stromal Cells During the Endometrial Cycle.

The endometrial cycle in response to hormonal stimulation is essential for implantation. The female has endometrium that repeats this cycle through about half of a lifetime. The cycle includes three phases, proliferative, secretory, and menstrual, and each phase has distinct characteristics. The endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs) in each phase also have specialized characteristics, including cell cycle, morphologies, and cellular metabolic state. So we hypothesized that the cells in each phase have unique mitochondrial morphologies because they are generally linked to cellular metabolic state. To investigate the metabolic characteristics in each phase, we investigated the mitochondrial morphologies by transmission electron microscopy, oxygen consumption rate (OCR), and intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. The decidualized EnSCs have shorter mitochondria than those in the proliferative phase. Besides, they also displayed distinct intracellular structural characteristics compared with the proliferative phase, such as ribosome-rich endoplasmic reticulum and increased formation of vesicles. OCR and luminescent ATP detection assay revealed that the basal respiration and ATP production in the decidualized EnSCs were lower than those in the proliferative phase. Thus, we concluded that morphological and intracellular structural changes were induced during the decidualization. Moreover, the decreased mitochondrial length was shown to correlate with decreased dependency on oxidative phosphorylation and ATP concentration in EnSCs.

Clinical and morphological parallels of lung and kidney damage in COVID-19

This article reviews the available literature on the SARS-Cov-2 virus and its similarities with its predecessors. The mechanisms of infection due to the structure and epidemiology of the virus are described. Based on these data, the pathogenesis of COVID- 19 infection is described. Based on this, the authors suggest probable extrapulmonary target cells and target organs for the virus depending on their expression ofthe vector protein, APF-2. The article describes a classic clinical picture of the disease, possible complications of its course, and the extrapulmonary (cardiac, immunological, renal) manifestations ofthe infection. The authors traced and described the chain of knowledge about the involvement of the kidneys in the pathological process at COVID-19. Based on numerous studies, we are looking at the site of acute renal injury, coagulopathy, systemic inflammatory response in the spectrum of manifestations of COVID-19 relative to kidneys in patients with COVID-19, including those with hemodialysis. The article builds clinical-morphological associations between lung and kidney damage at COVID-19. We present new data on the pathomorphological manifestations of COVID-19 in the lungs, including own autopsy data. Specificsigns of the effects of the virus on alveolocytes and its cytopathic effect are highlighted and described. The article focuses on kidney signs of infection. The authors give new results of their own observations obtained during an autopsy of patients with COVID-19. Detailed morphological changes in kidney structures have been described, proving that the human kidney is a specific target for SARS-Cov-2 infection, and can also serve as a viral reservoir for the pathogen, playing a role in its subsequent persistence.

Synthesis and Characterization of Dual Properties Coagulant from Natural Precursors for Raw Water Treatment

A novel coagulant with dual properties was produced by manipulating the chemical characteristics of natural precursors. In the present study, cassava peel starch (CPS) was isolated from agriculture waste and lemongrass extract was procured using soxhlet extraction using ethanol. A preliminary study consisting of chemical analysis and antimicrobial test was done onto the lemongrass extract to ensure the presence of the active group responsible for antimicrobial effect. The modified cassava peel starch (MCPS) was synthesized using novel acid-alkali grafting method to incorporate active compounds from lemongrass extract onto the starch backbone. The modified starch was subjected to Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Electron Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (SEM-EDX) for surface morphological and elementral distribution analysis. The molecular composition analysis was accomplished using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry (FTIR) while the efficacy of the modification process was further analyze using proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H NMR). The SEM-EDX and FTIR results revealed impressive changes in the physical surface morphology, elemental distribution and chemical structure of the starch post-modification. The results also indicated successful integration of lemongrass active groups onto the starch molecules which provides promising potential of the modified starch towards proposed application for water clarification and disinfection.

A radiomics platform for computing imaging features from µCT images of Thoroughbred racehorse proximal sesamoid bones: Benchmark performance and evaluation.

Proximal sesamoid bone (PSB) fractures are the most common fatal musculoskeletal injury in North American racehorses. Computed tomography has the potential to detect morphological changes in bone structure but can be challenging to analyse reliably and quantitatively. To develop a radiomics platform that allows the comparison of features from micro-CTs (µCT) of PSBs in horses that sustained catastrophic fractures with horses that did not. To compare features calculated with a radiomics approach with features calculated from a previously published study that used quantitative µCT in the same specimens. Retrospective study of cadaver specimens of µCT images of PSBs using prospectively applied radiomics. Radiomics features were computed on standardised CT datasets to benchmark the software. Features from µCT images of PSBs from eight horses that sustained PSB fracture and eight controls were computed using the contralateral, intact forelimb from horses sustaining PSB fracture (cases, n=19) and all available forelimbs for controls (n=30). Two-hundred and fifteen radiomic features were calculated, and similar or comparable features were compared with those reported in a previous study that used the same specimens. Morphologic features computed with the radiomics approach, such as volume, minor axis dimensions and anisotropy were highly correlated with previously published data. A high number of imperceptible radiomic features, such as entropy, coarseness and histogram features were also found to be significantly different (P<.01). The extent of the differences in image features for the cases and controls PSBs depends on radiomic calculation settings. Only datasets obtained from cadaver specimens were included in the study. A radiomics approach for analysing µCT images of PSBs was able to identify and reproduce differences in image features in cases and controls. Furthermore, radiomics revealed many more imperceptible image features between cases and control PSBs.

Temperature-regulated heterogeneous extracellular matrix gene expression defines biofilm morphology in Clostridium perfringens

Cells in biofilms dynamically adapt to surrounding environmental conditions, which alters biofilm architecture. The obligate anaerobic pathogen Clostridium perfringens shows different biofilm structures in different temperatures. Here we find that the temperature-regulated production of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) is necessary for morphological changes in biofilms. We identify BsaA proteins as an EPS matrix necessary for pellicle biofilm formation at lower temperature and find that extracellularly secreted BsaA protein forms filamentous polymers. We show that sipW-bsaA operon expression is bimodal, and the EPS-producing population size is increased at a lower temperature. This heterogeneous expression of the EPS gene requires a two-component system. We find that EPS-producing cells cover EPS-nonproducing cells attaching to the bottom surface. In the deletion mutant of pilA2, encoding a type IV pilin, the EPS gene expression is ON in the whole population. This heterogeneity is further regulated by the cleavage of the pilA2 mRNA by RNase Y, causing temperature-responsive EPS expression in biofilms. As temperature is an environmental cue, C. perfringens may modulate EPS expression to induce morphological changes in biofilm structure as a strategy for adapting to interhost and external environments.