Changes In Size Research Articles

Formulation of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Loaded with Rosiglitazone and Probiotic: Optimization and In-vitro Characterization.

In the present study, solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with Rosiglitazone and probiotics were prepared via solvent emulsification diffusion method which is patented. As a lipid and surfactant, Gleceryl monostearate and Pluronic -68 were used in the formulation process. During characterization, it was determined that ingredient quantity variations significantly impacted Rosiglitazone loading capacity, particle size, polydispersity index, etc. In an optimized formulation of RSG-PB loaded SLNs, spherical particles with a mean particle size of 147.66 ± 1.52 nm, PDI of 0.42 ± 0.02, and loading capacity of 45.36 ± 0.20 were identified. Moreover, the developed SLNs had the potential to discharge the drug for up to 24 hours, as predicted by Higuchi's pharmacokinetic model. The SLNs were stable at 25°C/60%RH for up to 60 days. There was little to no change in particle size, PDI, or loading capacity. In addition, the number of probiotic bacteria was determined using the standard plate count procedure. Further, the antioxidant effect of the prepared formulation is evaluated using the DPPH assay method. This study concludes that the method used to fabricate RSG-probiotic-loaded SLNs is straightforward and yields favorable results regarding various parameters, including sustained release property, particle size, PDI, and percent drug loading stability. Furthermore, DPPH radical scavenging activity shows the high antioxidant potential of RSG-PB SLNs when compared to RSG and probiotics alone.

Cm-p5, a molluscan-derived antifungal peptide exerts its activity by a membrane surface covering in a non-penetrating mode

Amidst the health crisis caused by the rise of multi-resistant pathogenic microorganisms, Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a potential alternative to traditional antibiotics. In this sense, Cm-p5 is an AMP with fungistatic activity against the yeast Candida albicans. Its antimicrobial activity and selectivity have been well characterized; however, the mechanism of action is still unknown. This study used biophysical approaches to gain insight into how this peptide exerts its activity. Stability and fluidity of lipid membrane were explored by liposome leakage and Laurdan generalized polarization (GP) respectively, suggesting that Cm-p5 does not perturb lipid membranes even at very high concentrations (≥100µm.L-1). Likewise, no depolarizing action was observed using 3,3'-propil-2,2'-thyodicarbocianine, a potential membrane fluorescent reporter, with C. albicans cells or the corresponding liposome models. Changes in liposome size were analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) data, indicating that Cm-p5 covers the vesicular surface slightly increasing liposome hydrodynamic size, without liposome rupture. These results were further corroborated with Langmuir monolayer isotherms, where no significant changes in lateral pressure or area per lipid were detected, indicating little or no insertion. Finally, data obtained from molecular dynamics simulations aligned with in vitro observations, whereby Cm-p5 slightly interacted with the fungal membrane model surface without causing significant perturbation. These results suggest Cm-p5 is not a pore-forming anti-fungal peptide and that other mechanisms of action on the membrane as some limitation of fungal nutrition or receptor-dependent transduction for depressing growth development should be explored.

Engineering sodium alginate microparticles with different crystallinities for niclosamide repositioning and solubilization to improve solubility and oral bioavailability in rats

Niclosamide is a commonly used anthelmintic; however, its poor aqueous solubility limits its oral bioavailability. Enhancing its solubility and oral bioavailability is crucial for its repositioning as an anticancer agent. Here, we aimed to develop new sodium alginate–poloxamer microparticles with different crystallinities to increase drug solubility and oral bioavailability. Sodium alginate and poloxamer were used as the polymer and surfactant, respectively, to prepare niclosamide-loaded microparticles via spray drying. The optimized amorphous and crystalline microparticles were prepared with niclosamide/sodium alginate/poloxamer weight ratios of 1:2.5:3 and 1:1.125:0.375, respectively. Their solubilities, dissolution rates, physicochemical properties, and oral bioavailabilities were compared with those of drug powder in rats. Physicochemical characterization of the developed particles revealed changed structure from crystalline to amorphous, with no irregular crystalline characteristics but decreased particle size. Compared to the pure drug powder, crystalline microparticles retained their crystalline nature with no significant changes in particle size. Both microparticles showed significantly higher aqueous solubilities, dissolution rates, and oral bioavailabilities than niclosamide powder in rats. Amorphous microparticles showed higher solubility (approximately 1775-fold) and oral bioavailability (approximately 5.6-fold) than niclosamide powder due to the crystalline-to-amorphous change and decreased particle size. The developed amorphous microparticles can be used to improve niclosamide solubility and oral bioavailability.

Why is binding of a divalent metal cation to a structural motif containing four carboxylate residues not accompanied by a conformational change?

We earlier showed that Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase (AChE) contains a cluster of four conserved aspartates that can strongly bind divalent cations, which we named the 4D motif. Binding of the divalent metal cations greatly increases its thermal stability. Here we systematically examined all available crystallographic structures of T. californica AChE. Two additional metal-binding sites were identified, both composed of acidic and histidine residues. Relative binding to the 4D and additional sites was studied using metadynamics simulations. It was observed that in crystal structures devoid of metal ions in the 4D site, the conformation of T. californica AChE is almost identical to that in structures in which it is occupied by a divalent metal ion. Closer examination of the 4D motif reveals that three of the four acidic residues form ion pairs with conserved basic residues surrounding them. We named this new motif the 4A/3B motif. Molecular dynamics with quantum potential simulations was used to quantify the 4D motif's binding strength compared with that of the metal-binding site in the protein fXIIIa, which consists of four aspartates, but is devoid of adjacent cationic residues. Whereas fXIIIa's 4D site, in the absence of a metal cation, expanded significantly in the simulation, that of Torpedo AChE displayed only minor periodic changes in size. Furthermore, the energy of metal ion unbinding from the two sites differs by ca. 10 kcal/mol. We identified several other proteins in the PDB that contain the 4A/3B motif, whose conformations are identical in the presence or absence of a metal ion. An animated Interactive 3D Complement (I3DC) is available in Proteopedia at https://proteopedia.org/w/Journal:Protein_Science:4.

The impact of varying sizes of silver nanoparticles on the induction of cellular damage in Klebsiella pneumoniae involving diverse mechanisms

Abstract Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are extensively studied as potent antibacterial agents targeting antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Cellular damage induced through various mechanisms that can affect multiple cell components like the outer membrane, enzymes, and proteins is closely linked to their chemical and morphological characteristics. We investigated the impact of AgNPs’ size on their antibacterial effectiveness using two differently sized nanoparticles: silver nanoparticle-Citrus limon (AgCL) with an average size of 21 nm and silver nanoparticle-Citrus sinensis (AgCS) with an average size of 13 nm, derived from C. limon and C. sinensis through environmentally friendly methods. The study evaluated their antibacterial effects by assessing morphology changes via scanning electron microscopy, metabolic alterations using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and oxidative stress responses through biochemical markers in Klebsiella pneumoniae cells exposed to AgNPs. The results showed that both AgCL and AgCS exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity, evidenced by inhibition zones of 14 ± 1.5 and 16 ± 1.0 mm, respectively. Morphological changes in K. pneumoniae cells treated with AgNPs were size dependent, with notable alterations noted. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed size and concentration-dependent biochemical changes, particularly in shifts in functional groups involved in the fluidity of cell wall lipid, and protein structure. Exposure to AgNPs led to increased oxidative stress markers like lipid peroxides and reduced levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, more prominently observed with smaller AgCS nanoparticles (13 nm). AgNPs induce oxidative stress and morphological changes in K. pneumoniae strains, with smaller nanoparticles demonstrating greater efficacy. These findings underscore the importance of nanoparticle size in optimizing the antibacterial properties against pathogens.

Optically Transparent Complex-Amplitude Metasurface for Full-Space Manipulation of Frequency-Multiplexed Holographic Imaging.

Restricted by the physical properties of materials, most traditional metasurfaces (MSs) cannot achieve transparent stealth in the visible spectrum. Although some metasurfaces for holography have been designed, there is no standard method for evaluating the advancement of wavefront manipulation under different design algorithms. Here, a complex-amplitude metasurface with optical transparency (OT) and full-space manipulation is presented in the millimeterwave band. Through frequency multiplexing, two holographic images "HOLO" and "GRAM" with high quality are designed, achieving the signal-to-noise ratios of 14.6 and 14.4 dB, respectively. The 64 × 64 bilayered metasurface consists of glass and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates and three metallic mesh layers. By change of the opening size and oriented angle of split rings, phase and amplitude modulations are independently realized. Besides, a new method is provided to assess the superiority of the metasurface holography system for near-field energy regulation. The prototype was fabricated using micro-nano-technology and tested. Two holographic images were experimentally demonstrated and show good agreement with theoretical calculations and simulated results. With the advantages of OT and full-space complex-amplitude customization, the proposed metasurface holograms for frequency-multiplexed may find prospective application aspects in target perception, multichannel data storage and encryption, and many other related fields.

Effect of temperature, nutrients and growth rate on picophytoplankton cell size across the Atlantic Ocean.

The cell size of picophytoplankton populations affects their ecology and biogeochemical role, but how different environmental drivers control its variability is still not well understood. To gain insight into the role of temperature and nutrient availability as determinants of picophytoplankton population mean cell size, we carried out five microcosm experiments across the Atlantic Ocean (45°N-27°S) in which surface plankton assemblages were incubated under all combinations of three temperatures (in situ, 3°C cooling and 3°C warming) and two nutrient levels (unamended and addition of nitrogen and phosphorus). The overall range of variability in cell volume was 5-fold for Prochlorococcus, 8-fold for Synechococcus and 6-fold for the picoeukaryotes. We observed, in all the treatments and in the control, a consistent trend toward larger mean cell sizes over time for both Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, which was likely the result of sample confinement. Changes in temperature and nutrient status alone did not cause clear changes in cell size, relative to the control, but the combination of warming and nutrient addition resulted in an increase in Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus cell size. The largest increases in cell volume were associated with slow or negative population net growth rates. Our results emphasize the importance of considering changes in biovolume to obtain accurate estimates of picophytoplankton biomass and suggest that the inverse relationship between growth rate and population mean cell size may be a general pattern in marine phytoplankton.

A call for objectivity: Radiologists' proposed wishlist for response evaluation in solid tumors (RECIST 1.1).

The Response Evaluation in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 provides key guidance for performing imaging response assessment and defines image-based outcome metrics in oncology clinical trials, including progression free survival. In this framework, tumors identified on imaging are designated as either target lesions, non-target disease or new lesions and a structured categorical response is assigned at each imaging time point. While RECIST provides definitions for these categories, it specifically and objectively defines only the target disease. Predefined thresholds of size change provide unbiased metrics for determining objective response and disease progression of the target lesions. However, worsening of non-target disease or emergence of new lesions is given the same importance in determining disease progression despite these being qualitatively assessed and less rigorously defined. The subjective assessment of non-target and new disease contributes to reader variability, which can impact the quality of image interpretation and even the determination of progression free survival. The RECIST Working Group has made significant efforts in developing RECIST 1.1 beyond its initial publication, particularly in its application to targeted agents and immunotherapy. A review of the literature highlights that the Working Group has occasionally employed or adopted objective measures for assessing non-target and new lesions in their evaluation of RECIST-based outcome measures. Perhaps a prospective evaluation of these more objective definitions for non-target and new lesions within the framework of RECIST 1.1 might improve reader interpretation. Ideally, these changes could also better align with clinically meaningful outcome measures of patient survival or quality of life.

Mesalamine loaded ethyl cellulose nanoparticles: optimization and in vivo evaluation of antioxidant potential in ulcerative colitis.

This study aimed to optimize MES-nanoparticles using Box Behnken Design (BBD) and investigate its in vivo antioxidant potential in colon drug targeting. The formulation was prepared using oil/water (O/W) emulsion solvent evaporation technique for time dependent colonic delivery. The optimal formulation with the following parameters composition was selected: polymer concentration (% w/w) (A) = 0.63, surfactant concentration (% w/w) (B) = 0.71, sonication duration (min) (C) = 6. The outcomes showed that ethyl cellulose nanoparticle containing mesalamine has particles size of 142 ± 2.8 nm, zeta potential of -24.8 ± 2.3 mV, % EE of 87.9 ± 1.6%, and PDI of 0.226 ± 0.15. Scanning electron microscopy revealed nanoparticles has a uniform and spherical shape. The in-vitro release data disclosed that the ethyl cellulose nanoparticles containing mesalamine showed bursts release of 52±1.6% in simulated stomach media within 2 hours, followed by a steady release of 93±2.9% in simulated intestinal fluid that lasted for 48 hours. The mesalamine release from nanoparticle best match with the Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R2 = 0.962) and it followed fickian diffusion case I release mechanism. The formulation stability over six-months at 25 ± 2 °C with 65 ± 5% relative humidity, and 40 ± 2 °C with 75 ± 5% relative humidity showed no significant changes changes in colour, entrapment efficiency, particle sizes and zeta potential. As per in vivo results, MES-NP effectively increased GSH, SOD level and reduces the LPO level as compared to other treatment groups. The findings hold promise that the developed formulation can suitably give in ulcerative colitis.

Synthesis of 3‐Acyl‐1‐Indenones by Oxidative Cyclization of Symmetrical and Unsymmetrical Aryldiynes Using Palladium Nanoparticles (Pd‐BNP) as Reusable Nano Catalyst

AbstractAn efficient, stable and reusable binaphthyl stabilized palladium nanoparticles (Pd‐BNP) catalyzed synthesis of 3‐acyl‐1‐indenone derivatives from oxidative cyclization of symmetrical and unsymmetrical aryldiynes using DMSO as a solvent as well as an oxidant has been established. The scope of the reaction has been studied with various aryldiynes having electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing groups that afforded good yields. Pd‐BNP catalyst can be recovered and reused for up to four cycles without major changes in particle size and reactivity.

The Mechanical Properties of Aged PA-12 FS3300PA Powder: Influence of Layer Thickness, Sintering Orientations, and Laser Power

Abstract This research investigates the influence of layer thickness, laser power, and sintering orientation on the mechanical properties of aged Polyamide-12 (PA-12) FS3300PA using the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing method. Specimens were sintered with three different layer thicknesses, laser powers, and sintering orientations using SLS. The study also aimed to examine the resulting powder morphology, mechanical properties, and tensile fracture behaviors of the aged (more than eight continuously sintering cycles) and virgin FS3300PA powders. The specimens divided into ten groups: nine groups of aged powder and one group of virgin powder as a benchmark. The nine groups of aged powder were sintered with three different layer thicknesses (0.07 mm, 0.12 mm, and 0.15 mm), laser powers (65W, 70W, and 75W), and orientations (YZY 0⁰, YZY 90⁰, and XYY 0⁰). The selections of these laser power and layer thickness values for the sintering setting are due to machine and material parameter limitation. The results from these parameters then compared with those of the virgin powder, which sintered using the parameters provided by the manufacturer, in terms of powder morphology, mechanical properties, and tensile fracture behaviours. Observation made using scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that there were not many changes in shape, size, and distribution between the virgin and aged powder, but slightly larger sizes and the presence of cracks found in the aged powder. The tensile strength, elongation at break value, and Young’s modulus all shared a similar trend, increasing with higher laser power but decreasing with increased layer thickness. Regarding the fracture morphologies, the number of pores and dimples decreased with increased laser power but increased with thicker layer thickness. There was also the occurrence of un-molten powder, especially in specimens sintered at the YZY 90⁰ orientation with lower laser power and thicker layer thickness.

Efficacy and safety of complement inhibitors in patients with geographic atrophy associated with age-related macular degeneration: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

ImportanceClinical trials in recent years have shown significant effectiveness of complement inhibitors for geographic atrophy (GA) treatment. Two complement inhibitor drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Objectiveto compare and rank the different complement inhibitors in the treatment of GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Data sourcesA systematic literature search was conducted in the Cochrane Central, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, LWW Medical Journals, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO ICTRP from inception to October 2023.Study selectionAll randomized clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of complement inhibitors in patients diagnosed with secondary GA in AMD were identified.Data extraction and synthesisThis study followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) network meta-analysis Checklist of Items and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for assessing the study quality. Multiple authors independently coded all titles and abstracts, reviewed full-text articles against the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and resolved all discrepancies by consensus. Random-effects network meta-analyses were applied. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed using the BUGSnet package in R (4.2.0).Main outcomes and measuresThe primary efficacy outcome was the change in GA lesion size (mm2) from baseline to month 12. The secondary efficacy outcome was the mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline to month 12. Safety outcome measures included the number of subjects with serious adverse events (SAEs) and macular neovascularization (MNV).ResultsTen randomized controlled trials including 4,405 participants and five complement inhibitors were identified. Comparison with sham and SUCRA analysis showed that avacincaptad pegol 2 mg (MD: −0.58, 95% CrI: −0.97 to −0.18, SUCRA: 93.55), pegcetacoplan monthly (MD: −0.38, 95% CrI: −0.57 to −0.20, SUCRA: 81.37), and pegcetacoplan every other month (MD: −0.30, 95% CrI: −0.49 to −0.11, SUCRA: 70.16) have significant changes in GA lesion reduction. No treatments showed significant changes in BCVA and SAE compared with sham. Pegcetacoplan monthly (OR: 4.30, 95% CrI: 1.48–16.72) increased the risk of MNV. Avacincaptad pegol 2 mg demonstrated favorable outcomes in terms of SAE and MNV.Conclusion and relevanceAvacincaptad pegol 2 mg is the most effective complement inhibitor with better safety for the treatment of GA secondary to AMD.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022351515, Identifier PROSPERO CRD42022351515.

Zein decorated rifaximin nanosuspension: approach for sustained release and anti-bacterial efficacy enhancement.

Aim: The goal of the present work was to formulate zein-decorated rifaximin (RFX) nanosuspension to attain sustained release as well as effectiveness against Escherichia coli (E. coli).Methods: The RFX nanosuspension was fabricated by using antisolvent addition method followed by coating using hydroalcoholic zein solution. The optimized RFX-NS and RFX-NS@zein was lyophilized for further spectroscopic evaluations. In vitro antibacterial potential was elucidated using well diffusion method whereas MIC value was determined by microbroth dilution method against E. coli for RFX-NS and pure RFX.Results: Box-Behnken Design was employed to assess the effects of independent variables on quality target product profile of RFX-NS. Optimized RFX-NS depicted particle size of 193.5±4.45nm with 76.49±1.71% drug content. The significant change in particle size and zeta potential confirmed the formation of zein coated RFX-NS (RFX-NS@zein). In vitro release study depicted, 96.91±1.21% release of RFX from RFX-NS in 6h whereas 97.47±1.99% RFX release was observed from RFX-NS@zein at the end of 12h. Antibacterial assay of RFX-NS and free RFX against E. coli displayed MIC value of 15.44±0.01μg/ml and 72.96±0.25μg/ml, respectively.Conclusion: The results highlighted a significance of nanosuspension for improving the solubility of RFX and its antibacterial potential against E. coli.

Abstract 4119210: Differential Proteomic Expression of IGFßP-1 and IGFßP-2 in Primary Angioplasty for Acute Myocardial Infarction

Introduction: Insulin growth factor (IGF) binding protein-1 and 2 (IGFBP-1 and 2) are implicated in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and have been suggested as predictors of mortality and development of heart failure. The IGF axis has been shown to play roles in cell proliferation and apoptosis. We analysed the serum IGFBP-1 and 2 levels in AMI before and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and correlated this with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to better establish their significance as biomarkers in AMI. Methods: Patients with AMI who presented to Royal Free Hospital, London, were recruited for proteomic analysis (O link Proximity Extension Immunoassay) at presentation, 24h and 72h following primary PCI. All underwent both admission and follow-up CMR at 6 months to assess for myocardial oedema, left ventricular volumes and function, and assessment of scar. Results: Proteomic evaluation in 20 AMI patients (male 95%; median age 59) revealed significant reduction in the average IGFBP-1 values at discharge compared with presentation, from 5.93 to 4.52 (24% reduction, p=0.003). Conversely, the average IGFBP-2 values at discharge significantly increased from 7.66 to 8.29 (8% increase, p=0.001). Higher discharge IGFBP-2 value was also correlated with increased indexed left ventricle end diastolic volume (LVEDV) at 6-month follow-up (R=0.54, p=0.032). Discussion: IGFBP-1 and 2 showed significant change following intervention for AMI. IGFBP-1 is a stress hormone, which is directly and indirectly activated by cytokines, dysglycaemia and vasopressin activation. Its subsequent reduction following PCI in AMI indicates relative resolution of inflammation, but this was not correlated with changes in infarct size or LV function at follow-up. IGFBP-2 showed significant upregulation, and higher values at discharge were significantly correlated with increased LDEDV at follow-up, suggesting adverse clinical outcomes within this setting. This data suggests differential roles of IGFBP-1 and 2 in the pathogenesis of AMI.

Evaluations of a Cutaneous Wound Healing Model Using Oxygen Enhanced - Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Photoacoustic Imaging (OE-DCE PAI).

Preclinical models of cutaneous wound healing can be useful for improving clinical wound care. Oxygen Enhanced Photoacoustic imaging (OE PAI) can measure oxygenation, and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced (DCE) PAI can measure vascular perfusion. We investigated how a combined OE-DCE PAI protocol can measure vascular oxygenation and perfusion to a cutaneous healing model. We developed a cutaneous "punch" wound model and photographed the wounds to track healing for 9 days. We performed OE-DCE PAI on Day 0, 3, 6, and 9. OE PAI was performed with 21% O2 and 100% O2 breathing gases to measure oxyhemoglobin (HbO2), deoxyhemoglobin (Hb), total hemoglobin (HbT), and oxygen saturation (%sO2), along with changes in these parameters caused by a change in breathing gas (ΔHb, ΔHbO2, ΔHbT, ΔsO2). To perform DCE PAI, indocyanine green (ICG) was administered intravenously while monitoring the PAI signal for 10min as the agent washed through the wound area, which was used to evaluate the wash-out rate. The average wound size was significantly smaller only by Day 6. For comparison, OE PAI measured a significant increase in HbO2, Hb, HbT, and %sO2 immediately after creating the wound, which significantly decreased by Day 3 and continued to decrease towards values for normal tissue by Day 9. The vascular wash-out rate significantly increased by Day 3, and continued to increase during the healing process. Notably, the wash-out rate can be assessed at a single PAI absorbance wavelength and by simply comparing signal amplitudes without advanced analysis, which may facilitate clinical translation. OE-DCE PAI can monitor significant changes in vascular perfusion and oxygenation prior to significant changes in cutaneous wound size. These results establish OE-DCE PAI as a tool for future pre-clinical wound healing studies and eventual clinical translation.

Magnetic resonance imaging techniques for monitoring glioma response to chemoradiotherapy.

Treatment response assessment for gliomas currently uses changes in tumour size as measured with T1- and T2-weighted MRI. However, changes in tumour size may occur many weeks after therapy completion and are confounded by radiation treatment effects. Advanced MRI techniques sensitive to tumour physiology may provide complementary information to evaluate tumour response at early timepoints during therapy. The objective of this review is to provide a summary of the history and current knowledge regarding advanced MRI techniques for early treatment response evaluation in glioma. The literature survey included perfusion MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging, quantitative magnetization transfer imaging, and chemical exchange transfer MRI. Select articles spanning the history of each technique as applied to treatment response evaluation in glioma were chosen. This report is a narrative review, not formally systematic. Chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging potentially offers the earliest method to detect tumour response due to changes in metabolism. Diffusion-weighted imaging is sensitive to changes in tumour cellularity later during radiotherapy and is prognostic for progression-free and overall survival. Substantial evidence suggests that perfusion MRI can differentiate between tumour recurrence and treatment effect, but consensus regarding acquisition, processing, and interpretation is still lacking. Magnetization transfer imaging shows promise for detecting subtle white matter damage which could indicate tumour invasion, but more research in this area is needed. Advanced MRI techniques show potential for early treatment response assessment, but each technique alone lacks specificity. Multiparametric imaging may be necessary to aid biological interpretation and enable treatment guidance.

Unveiling Ecosystem Shifts in the Southern Benguela Through Otolith Biochronologies of Sardine (Sardinops sagax)

ABSTRACTSardine (Sardinops sagax) in the southern Benguela has shown substantial changes in population size over the past 70 years. Heavy fishing pressure in the 1950s to early 1970s caused the collapse of sardine stocks in South Africa. A fishery collapse happens because of significant alterations in the marine community, hindering the recovery of valuable commercial species and leading to cascading effects across multiple trophic levels in marine food webs. In this study, a robust 58‐year biochronology (1962–2019) was developed using archived sardine otoliths from the West of Cape Agulhas in South Africa. Sequential t‐test analysis of regime shifts (STARS) performed on the biochronology of fish growth indicated four regimes with three alteration points in 1986, 2006 and 2015 that correspond with periods of low, high, average and low biomass, respectively; that is, high growth rates occurred during the high biomass period and vice versa. A series of mixed effects models was developed to determine increment width response to selected environmental, prey availability and sardine biomass factors based on the assumption that otolith increment growth is a proxy for somatic growth. Predicted sardine growth positively correlated with sardine biomass, sea surface temperature and copepod abundance estimates. This observation suggests that sardine population dynamics exhibit a depensation mechanism, potentially destabilizing populations after the fishery collapse. Sea surface temperature and copepod abundance have been primary factors influencing sardine growth, partly because of depensatory population dynamics. Furthermore, the study improves understanding of how different factors have affected sardine growth following the collapse of the sardine fishery.

Pupillary manifolds: uncovering the latent geometrical structures behind phasic changes in pupil size

The size of the pupils reflects directly the balance of different branches of the autonomic nervous system. This measure is inexpensive, non-invasive, and has provided invaluable insights on a wide range of mental processes, from attention to emotion and executive functions. Two outstanding limitations of current pupillometry research are the lack of consensus in the analytical approaches, which vary wildly across research groups and disciplines, and the fact that, unlike other neuroimaging techniques, pupillometry lacks the dimensionality to shed light on the different sources of the observed effects. In other words, pupillometry provides an integrated readout of several distinct networks, but it is unclear whether each has a specific fingerprint, stemming from its function or physiological substrate. Here we show that phasic changes in pupil size are inherently low-dimensional, with modes that are highly consistent across behavioral tasks of very different nature, suggesting that these changes occur along pupillary manifolds that are highly constrained by the underlying physiological structures rather than functions. These results provide not only a unified approach to analyze pupillary data, but also the opportunity for physiology and psychology to refer to the same processes by tracing the sources of the reported changes in pupil size in the underlying biology.

Nanocarbon Materials: Synthesis of Newly Discovered Carbon Nanoframes and Hollow Carbon Nanocubes

AbstractNanocarbons are emerging at the forefront of nanoscience, and a wide variety of nanocarbons with unique structures have appeared over the past two decades. Currently, many carbon nanostructures have not been synthesized in the field of nanocarbons. The focus of this work is to present a new ideology and report two carbon nanostructures that have never been reported before. Inspired by the phenomenon of crystal growth, a new concept of thought is proposed. In brief, the diversity of crystal structures is utilized to enable surfactants to replicate their framework structures to create carbon nanomaterials with novel structures. In this work, carbon nanoframes (CNFEs) and hollow carbon nanocubes (HCNBs) synthesized by the 3‐(N,N‐dimethyldodecylammonio) propanesulfonate (SB3‐12)@NaCl self‐assembly strategy are used as proof of the ideology concept. It is shown that the prepared CNFEs have tunable dimensions (320–565 nm) and specific optical properties (fluorescence). The obtained HCNBs are 575 ± 20 nm in size and have fluorescent properties. It is found that changes in the concentration of SB3‐12 are a key driver of size changes, especially morphological evolution. It is believed that the ideology of this work provides a new entry point for the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials.

Reliability of Ultrasonographically Acquired Muscle Morphology Based on a Cohort of Men and Women

Objective: The objective was to evaluate intrarater and inter-rater reliability of ultrasonography muscle morphology measurements in men and women, considering morphological differences between the genders. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two healthy subjects (16 male; 16 female; 26.6 ± 4.9 years) participated in two evaluation days. On day 1, subjects were evaluated by a single experienced rater, who repeated the evaluation on the next testing day along with two other raters. Muscle morphology of quadriceps femoris (QMT), rectus femoris (RFMT), vastus intermedius (VIMT), vastus medialis (VMMT), and vastus lateralis (VLMT) muscle thickness, rectus femoris muscle cross-sectional area (RFCSA), vastus lateralis muscle fascicle length (VLFL), and pennation angle (VLPA) were obtained. Reliability was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: All intrarater comparisons demonstrated good reliability (ICC >0.90), even after participants’ gender stratification (ICC >0.81). Inter-rater comparisons for RFCSA, and muscle thickness showed good reliability (ICC >0.76). Male’s VLFL and VLPA reliability was considered insufficient (ICC = 0.58 and 0.60, respectively), while female’s was slightly higher (ICC = 0.79 and 0.75, respectively). Conclusion: Ultrasonography has potential to be used to observe changes in muscle size, but pennation angle and fascicle length should be evaluated by the same rater.