Chicken Wire Research Articles

The influence of rehydration on decomposition in the Highveld region of South Africa-Using a pig model.

Researchers have observed that rainfall may re-initiate decomposition in desiccated tissue; however, no conclusive research-based evidence exists on the specific effects of rehydration on decomposition. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of artificial rehydration on the progression of decomposition following the advanced stage of decomposition. Twelve adult pig cadavers (8 experimental; 4 controls) were placed in the central Highveld of South Africa during cooler (April-July 2021) and warmer (August-November 2021) months. Decomposition was scored approximately biweekly to obtain the total body score, and accumulated degree days (ADD) were calculated for each pig. All pig cadavers were covered by chicken wire cages with transparent tarps to control for natural rehydration and scavenging. Once the experimental pig cadavers reached a three-visit stasis in the advanced phase of decomposition, they were artificially rehydrated, and changes in the progression of decomposition between the control and experimental groups were plotted (ADD against TBS) for observation. The rehydrated experimental pig cadavers showed re-initiation of decay and insect re-colonization, while the control cadavers mainly remained in a state of stasis with insect activity ceased altogether. Greater cadaver decomposition islands and a color change post-rehydration were also noted in some experimental cadavers. This supports the need for future research on the impact of rehydration, including associated soil moisture on decomposition rates, progression, and invertebrate colonization, which will enhance our understanding of the effects these environmental factors have on the accuracy of post-mortem interval estimation.

Diagnostic Utility of Direct Immunofluorescence on Paraffin-Embedded Skin Biopsy Samples for the Diagnosis of Autoimmune Vesiculobullous Lesions.

Background Autoimmune vesiculobullous diseases (AIBDs) are a group of diseases characterized by blisters of the skin/mucosa due to the presence of circulating autoantibodies against antigens in the epidermis or the dermo-epidermal junction. Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) for immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgC3, and IgA on fresh-frozen tissue is the gold standard diagnostic test for AIBDs. However, DIF in the absence of frozen tissue is challenging for the diagnosis of AIBDs. This study aimed to analyze the practical utility of DIF using paraffin-embedded skin biopsy rather than fresh frozen tissue for the diagnosis of AIBDs. Methodology This cross-sectional comparative study included 30 cases of AIBDs. DIF for IgG and IgA was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue (PE-DIF) after proteinase digestion on histopathologically confirmed 15 pemphigus vulgaris (PV), three pemphigus foliaceous (PF), four bullous pemphigoid (BP), three dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), three subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SCPD), and one case each of linear IgA disease and pemphigoid gestationis (PG). PE-DIF staining pattern was compared with the DIF on fresh frozen tissue (FF-DIF). Results All cases of PV and PF showed an intercellular IgG chicken wire staining pattern similar to FF-DIF. However, background staining was more intense in PV cases while less intense in PF cases. Three BP cases showed linear IgG staining in PE-DIF. DH, SCPD, linear IgA disease, and PG cases did not show IgG positivity. Out of three DH cases, two cases showed granular IgA positivity while linear IgA positivity along the basement membrane was seen in a single case of linear IgA disease. Negative IgG staining was observed in SCPD. Immunofluorescence in PE-DIF was rapidly deteriorating than in FF-DIF. Conclusions DIF done on paraffin-embedded tissue can be used as a supplement and salvage technique with histopathology for the diagnosis of AIBDs,particularly when a cryostat facility for frozen tissue is not available and the patient is unable to undergo a second biopsy procedure.

Potential of a Charcoal Evaporative Cooling Chamber for Extending the Shelf Life of Vegetables


 
 
 There are wide varieties of vegetables in Sri Lanka. The ambient temperature and relative humidity have an impact on rate of vegetables deteriorate. Evaporative cooling is a well-known, cost- effective way to reduce postharvest lost in order to lower the temperature and increase the relative humidity. This research was done to create a charcoal cooling chamber for increase the shelf life of vegetables combining polythene packaging and active packaging additives. The study was carried out in wet zone, Sri Lanka with a sizable chamber made of coconut shell charcoal. A rectangular box made of chicken wire with a 1 m3 capacity serves as the evaporative cooling chamber. It made of chicken wire mesh with a hardwood frame. The walls filled with 50 mm thick coconut shell charcoal and a water outflow 8.33 ml/min for wetting the walls. Vegetable samples without any treatment were placed in the charcoal chamber along with vegetables wrapped in sealed polyethylene (gauge 300) with and without active packing components. With a control sample held in ambient settings, the treatments were put to the test four times over the course of nine days. Both unloading and loading situations were used to evaluate the performance of chamber. Temperature drops of 4° C on average and 2.07° C on average, respectively, were seen in dry and wet climate conditions. 92.49% on average was the cooling efficiency. Sealed polyethylene bags without active packaging components were found to be the best treatment when taking into account physiological weight loss and sensory tests. When compared to the control group on days 3, 6 and 9 physiological weight loss was considerably (P<0.05) less in the sealed polyethylene bags without active packing components. When compared to the control sample total soluble solid content less in sealed polythene bag. The sensory evaluation for the treatments inside the chamber was more acceptable than for the control. Vegetables can store fresh for up to three days in evaporative cooling chamber without packaging. These chambers can install vegetable stalls on the side of the roads in Sri Lanka for temporary purposes.
 Keywords: Charcoal, Evaporation, Shelf-life, Temperature, Vegetables
 
 

Robust Flight Tether for In-Orbit Demonstrations of Coulomb Drag Propulsion

A new method of producing robust multi-wire tethers for Coulomb drag applications was developed. The multi-wire structure required for redundancy against the micrometeoroid flux of the space environment is realised through the method of wire twist bonding traditionally used for chicken wire. In the case of the Coulomb drag tether, the diameter of the individual wires is 50 μm, which introduces the main technological challenge. To manufacture the tether, a manually driven tether machine was designed and built. Two multi-wire tethers for Coulomb drag applications were produced for two in-orbit demonstrations of the FORESAIL-1 and ESTCube-2 CubeSat missions. The flight tethers were both 60 m long as produced, clearly demonstrating beyond the level of proof of concept the applicability of both the method and the manually driven tether machine. Altogether, 6480 twist bonds were produced without a single wire cut. In this paper, the requirements for the tether are listed and justified. The production method is reviewed, and the 4-wire tether produced is evaluated against the requirements. Finally, the test procedures of the tether are described, and on the basis of the results, it is concluded that the tether can tolerate a tension of 14 g without the twist bonds slipping or the tether structure collectively collapsing. Furthermore, the tether can be reeled from the production reel to the flight reel, which simplifies the final integration of the tether reeling system with the Coulomb drag propulsion device.

Red crusty plaques in a young man.

Pemphigus foliaceus is a superficial blistering disorder characterized by erosions and scaling in a seborrheic distribution. The condition typically occurs in healthy individuals but issues arise from delayed diagnosis. Many cases remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to the lack of awareness of the condition. With use of common diagnostic tools, pemphigus foliaceus can be easily identified and monitored. Histological analysis exhibits "chicken wire" patterning along keratinocytes in the upper epidermis, whereas immunofluorescence study displays subcorneal acantholysis. Pemphigus foliaceus is confirmed via ELISA studies revealing the presence of autoantibodies against desmoglein 1. Once correctly diagnosed, typically the condition is responsive to corticosteroid therapy. However in recalcitrant cases such as in ours, adjunctive immunosuppressive therapy with dapsone or rituximab may be indicated.

A new organisational design in skeletal muscle fibres.

In vertebrate skeletal muscles, the architecture of myofibrils is particularly well conserved throughout the taxa. It is composed of suites of repeating functional units called sarcomeres which give the muscle its striated structure. Here, we show that the skeletal sound producing muscles of the cusk eel Parophidion vassali have a different organisation, distinct from the classical type found in textbooks. Within sarcomeres, filaments are not straight lines but have a Y-shaped structure. This looks like chicken wire, with one branch connecting to a branch from the myofibril above and the other connecting to a branch from the myofibril below. This organisation seems to be an adaptation to counteract a trade-off between the speed and force. The low ratio of myofibrils within cell muscles and the high volume of sarcoplasmic reticulum strongly suggest that these muscles are capable of fast contractions. In parallel, the Z-bands are quite wide about 30% of the sarcomere length. This extraordinary long Z-band could smooth out the tension variations found in high-speed muscle contraction, helping to produce sounds with low variabilities in the sound features. Simultaneously, the Y-shaped structure allows having more cross-bridges, increasing the force in this high-speed muscle.

Use of steel wire mesh for compressive strength enhancement of AAC masonry wall

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is an alternate building block but possess a low compressive strength in comparison to the traditional burnt clay bricks. Past earthquakes have shown that the seismic capability of the masonry walls, particularly using low-strength blocks are very weak, and thus strengthening of this masonry is necessitated. Wire mesh is one of the most common and cost-effective strengthening materials. Wrapping the entire surface of the wall with wire mesh is the most adopted technique. However, in large-scale construction, it is un-economical. Thus, the present study investigates the behaviour of AAC masonry wall by embedding the steel wire mesh at the bed joint and bed-head joint of the masonry course. Two types of wire mesh, i.e., (a) chicken wire mesh (CWM) and (b) welded wire mesh (WWM) were employed for the strengthening. Wire mesh was alternately installed at the bed joint of the course of the masonry and subsequently installed at the bed-head joint of the course with proper anchorage using a U nail. The results show that strengthened wall specimens improve the compressive load capacity, energy dissipating capacity, ductility, and stiffness, as well as significantly improving the abrupt failure of the wall specimens. Bed-head joint strengthened specimens outperform the bed joint strengthened specimens in terms of capacities.

Breaking bags and crunching clams: assessing whitespotted eagle ray interactions with hard clam aquaculture gear

Shallow coastal waters are commonly used in shellfish aquaculture for ‘grow-out’ of bivalves like the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria. These locations have substantially higher clam densities than the surrounding environment and attract molluscivores, requiring clammers to incorporate anti-predator materials into their grow-out gear to protect their product. However, the effectiveness of these materials against larger predators like rays remains untested. Inspired by clammer reports of predator-inflicted damage to grow-out gear, we assessed the capacity of the whitespotted eagle ray Aetobatus narinari to interact with clams housed within a suite of industry standard anti-predator materials. Mesocosm experiments were conducted where rays were exposed to unprotected clams (control), clams inside polyester mesh clam bags (dipped in a latex net coating and non-dipped), and under high density polyethylene (HDPE) or chicken wire cover netting. Gear interactions were quantified from video footage throughout the course of the experiment (5 h), and clam mortality was assessed after the completion of each trial. While rays were capable of consuming clams through bags, anti-predator treatments reduced clam mortality 4- to 10-fold compared to control plots. Double-layered (i.e. bags with cover netting) treatments had the lowest clam mortality (0.6 ± 0.1%; mean ± SE), highlighting the utility of this type of protection in limiting ray impacts. Though not significantly greater, we noted relatively high levels of interactions with HDPE netting over other materials, which was facilitated by the material ensnaring the lower dental plate of the rays. Clammers should consider adopting multi-layered anti-predator gear; however, resecuring materials periodically remains imperative at reducing ray interactions.

Sustainability Performance of Voided Concrete Slab Using Waste Plastic Bottles

The present study is aimed at investigating the cost assessment of incorporating waste plastic bottles in the manufacture of voided concrete slabs; assessing the depth ratio vis-à-vis the cost reduction of incorporating waste plastic bottles in the manufacture of voided concrete slabs; assessing the energy consumption and CO2 emission obtained by incorporating waste plastic bottles in the manufacture of voided concrete slabs; and evaluating the impact of the depth ratio on embodied energy consumption and CO2 emission. The study was conducted on five types of slab specimens made: (1) conventional solid slab specimens; (2) slab specimens incorporated with 5% air-filled plastic bottles; and (3) slab specimens incorporated with 10% air-filled plastic bottles. Slab specimens of size 1000×1000×150 mm thick incorporated with 0, 5, and 10% waste plastic bottles were considered for the analysis of sustainability with respect to cost, energy, and CO2 savings. As part of the findings, it was revealed that the incorporation of waste plastic bottles into concrete slabs results in a reduction in the cost and volume of concrete. Again, using recycled plastic bottles in the slabs saved money, but for each percentage of bottles used, additional materials (plastic bottles, chicken wire, etc.) and labour were needed, which added to the cost. It was also revealed that embodied energy and CO2 emissions decrease as the percentage of plastic bottles in the slab increases. The study has confirmed that the void slab made with plastic bottles is more sustainable than the traditional solid slab system when it comes to cost, energy use, and CO2emissions. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-11-09 Full Text: PDF

Study on Flexural Behaviour of Ferrocement Composites Reinforced with Polypropylene Warp Knitted Fabric.

Ferrocement is a cost-effective construction material used in the low-cost constructions. It is produced with the combination of cement mortar with closely spaced wire mesh known as chicken wire mesh. Ferrocement process eliminates coarse aggregates when compared to reinforced concrete thus makes the process simple. This paper deals with the influence of various characteristics of warp knitted fabric on the flexural properties of ferrocement composites. Ferrocement composites have a wide range of applications in the construction industry and it has some limitations due to the durability issues. Among the various durability issues, corrosion is one of the main issues to be addressed to enhance the long-term service life of the ferrocement composites. The idea of using non-metallic mesh to eliminate the corrosion problem is discussed in this paper. In this experiment, warp knitted fabric reinforced ferrocement composites were produced using polypropylene warp knitted fabrics. This paper deals with the flexural properties of ferrocement composites made of warp knitted fabric coated with expoxy. This paper deals with the flexural properties of ferrocement composites made of warp knitted fabric coated with expoxy. These composites were analyzed for their flexural strength, energy absorption and ductile property. The variables in the experiment are filament thickness, warp knitted structure and number of layers in the composites. Experimental results proved that the replacement of chicken mesh wire by warp knitted fabrics has an impact in the flexural properties of the composites and the effect of variables in the experiment set up has been analyzed. There is an imporvement of 200% is observed in the first crack load and 120% improvement in the ultimate load of the warp knit fabric reinforced composite compared to control sample. Experimental results proved that there is an increase in flexural strength of ferrocement composites made up with warp knitted fabrics. Microstructure studies like SEM and EDX on ferrocement laminates confirmed good bonding between the mortar mix and warp knitted fabrics.

Structure and Materials of Urban Construction for Earthquakes and Fire Disasters Prevention

As urbanization becomes a significant factor in modern society, the security of urban constructions are very essential. This study focuses on the safety performance when urban constructions face disasters, especially earthquakes and fires, and analyzed the different structure and material methods. The results show the “chicken wire mesh” system could effectively protect the infilled structure from collapsing during an earthquake in a structural way. Furthermore, changing the ingredient or adding the admixture of concrete can also provide better anti-seismic ability with construction. In the field of fire resistance, thick timber board and ceramic concrete can effectively improve the fire-resistance ability of buildings.

Experimental & analytical behaviour and performance of structural joints retrofitted with woven wire mesh concreting under reversed cyclic loading

Previous earthquakes have proven that failure of framed structure particularly at joints of beam and column caused disastrous collapse in structures that are built without seismic codal provisions. Most of the traditionally built Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) framed structures existing are lacking adequate reinforcement at structural joints and these joints are shear deficient. The main objective of the research studies was to enhance behaviour and performances of exterior structural joints by retrofitting and testing for displacement-controlled reversed cyclic loading. The joints retrofitted exhibits higher levels of ultimate displacements, higher levels of ultimate capacity previous to failure and the joints failed prior to failure of column. The variable novelty in research were size and shape of mesh, woven mesh, mesh orientation and wrapping in all direction around joints, cementitious matrix laminates with aggregate chips less than 5 mm, epoxy resin to increase bond between old and new concreting and chicken wire mesh near to cover and displacement controlled reversed cyclic loading was applied to column. The experimental research work indicated that, retrofitting with woven wire mesh strengthening technique will enhance the displacement ductility, stiffness, energy dissipation and strain. Thus the proposed retrofitted method anticipated in predicting the shear strength of joints.

Angiofibroma of Soft Tissue: A Clinicopathological Study of Eight Cases With Emphasis on the Diagnostic Utility of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Detection for NCOA2 Rearrangement.

BackgroundAngiofibroma of soft tissue (AFST) is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm of fibroblastic differentiation. Due to its diverse morphology and the lack of specific immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers, AFST could elicit a broad range of differential diagnosis. Several studies have disclosed in AFST recurrent gene fusions involving NCOA2, mainly AHRR–NCOA2 fusion, providing a useful approach to diagnosing this lesion. We report eight additional cases of this rare entity with emphasis on the diagnostic utility of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) detection for NCOA2 rearrangement.MethodsClinicopathological data for eight AFSTs were retrieved. IHC was performed, and FISH was used to detect rearrangements involving NCOA2, DDIT3, and FUS loci.ResultsThere were five female and three male patients, ranging in age from 29 to 69 years (median: 55 years). The patients presented mostly with a slow-growing mass in the extremities, with or without intermittent pain. All tumors were located in the lower extremities with three (27.5%) involving or adjacent to the knee joints. Tumor size ranged from 1.5 to 3.8 cm (median: 3.0 cm). Morphologically, the tumors consisted of a proliferation of uniform, bland spindle cells set in alternating myxoid and collagenous stroma with a prominent vascular network composed of countless small, branching, thin-walled blood vessels. Foci of “chicken wire”-like capillaries and medium- to large-sized blood vessels with prominent staghorn morphology were evident in two and four cases, respectively. In addition, sheets of small round cells and foci of cystic changes were observed in one each case. Degenerative nuclear atypia was identified in three cases, while mitosis and tumor necrosis were absent. By IHC, the stromal cells were variably positive for epithelial membrane antigen, desmin, and CD68. By FISH analysis, seven out of eight cases (87.5%) showed NCOA2 rearrangement, and the remaining one had increased gene copy numbers of intact NCOA2; rearrangements involving FUS (0/4) and DDIT3 (0/3) were not identified in the cases analyzed. All tumors were surgically removed, and none had recurrence at follow-up from 5 to 73 months.ConclusionsFISH analysis for NCOA2 rearrangement represents a practical method for confirming the diagnosis of AFST on the basis of appropriate histomorphological backgrounds.

Nesting Refuge Structures Are Ineffective at Protecting Bell's Turtle (Myuchelys bellii) Nests from Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Depredation

Invasive red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are a serious conservation issue for Australia's freshwater turtle species, including the endangered Bell's turtle (Myuchelys bellii). As many as 96% of Australian freshwater turtle nests may be depredated in a season by foxes. Current methods of turtle nest protection rely on early detection of nesting activity, followed by nest-specific structures to prevent predation. An alternative method to provide protection against fox raiding was tested: nesting refuge structures based on a design successfully used in the United States to protect diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) nests. Six wood and chicken wire structures were placed at different sites beside large riverine pools on the Macdonald and Gwydir rivers, northeastern New South Wales, Australia, in the summers of 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Sites were chosen for known previous nesting activity or presence of mature females, and each structure was placed in typical Bell's turtle nesting habitat at known nesting sites. Prior to placement, the soil was tilled with a rotary hoe to make the interior of the structure more enticing as nesting habitat, because Bell's turtles had been previously seen to nest in disturbed soils. Although females did approach the structures and in one case entered, no females were recorded nesting inside. Further, severe flooding in both years damaged and/or displaced 4 of the 6 structures. Rigid nest protection structures were therefore not shown to be an effective nest protection method for this species, despite their success in other regions for other species. Negative results such as these are important for conservation studies because they guide conservation efforts away from expending limited resources on ineffective methods and strategies.

Evaluation of Mechanical Characteristics of High-Strength Reinforced Concrete Columns with Hexagonal Chicken Wire Mesh Under Cyclic Loading

Recently, new materials and methods have been implemented to improve the performance of reinforced concrete columns. This paper studies experimentally the behavior of reinforced high-strength columns, with additional internal confinement using hexagonal chicken wire mesh (HCWM) to enhance ductility, energy absorption, and ultimate strength and reduce the brittleness of traditional columns. Eight double-ended one-third-scale columns with different volumetric ratios of transverse rebar have been constructed and loaded under the uniform axial compression and lateral cyclic loads. Different volumetric ratios of transverse rebar were provided based on special, intermediate, and ordinary moment frames specifications of ACI 318–14 (named SD, ID, and OD, respectively). The specimens were confined by transverse rebars and HCWM and the results were compared with reference specimens with traditional transverse ties. Experimental findings demonstrated that HCWM specimens exhibited better performance compared to their control specimens concerning crack control efficiency, load capacity, ductility, energy dissipation, and failure modes. Implementation of HCWM increased the ultimate deformation, ductility, and energy absorption of OD specimens up to 21%, 50%, and 175%, respectively, compared to their control specimen. Confinement of the concrete columns by HCWM increased the ultimate strength of OD and ID specimens up to 15% and 22% under the cyclic load, but has a negligible effect on SD columns due to enough ratio of transverse and longitudinal rebars in SD specimens. As a result, confinement of specimens by HCWM could be regarded as a simple and effective method to improve the seismic characteristics of RC columns, particularly those members constructed with a minimal number of transverse rebars.

Relative Effectiveness of Four Different Guards In Preventing Beaver Cutting of Urban Trees

Beavers are expanding into cities as they recolonize their historic range. While they increase the ecological functioning of urban green areas, human-beaver conflicts occur. Public support to deal with conflicts has shifted from population to forage control. Tree guards are becoming popular with management personnel in North America and Europe to reduce damage to valuable trees. The problem is that this management technique has not been studied. We inventoried the tree guard types in use in natural and manicured river parks in the City of Saskatoon, Canada, determined their adherence to an installation protocol by measuring guard dimensions, and assessed the relative effectiveness of guards in protecting trees from beaver cutting. The inventory revealed that four types of tree guards are in use, ranging from light gauge chicken wire to heavy gauge chain link fencing. Overall, 11% of the trees with guards that we inventoried were cut by beavers, but variation among guard types was observed. Less than 10% of trees with type i and ii guards were beaver cut whereas 17% of trees with types iii and iv guards were beaver cut. Fewer trees were cut when there was adherence to installation protocol, regardless of guard type. Cut trees with guard types i, iii and iv experienced both minor and major damage whereas cut trees with guard type ii experienced only minor damage. The study results have implications for developing effectiveness and implementation monitoring plans for tree guards as part of an overall beaver management plan.

Chondroblastoma of Calcaneum- A Rare Case Diagnosed on Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC)

Chondroblastoma is a rare, giant cell -rich benign neoplasm of bone. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is gaining acceptance as a convenient and reliable method in preoperative diagnosis of chondroblastoma. Differential diagnosis of chondroblastoma on FNAC include giant cell-rich tumors and tumor like lesions such as aneurysmal bone cyst, giant cell tumor, chondromyxoid fibroma. Preoperative diagnosis of chondroblastoma is mandatory for treatment protocol and prognosis. We describe a case of 18 year old female patient who presented with painful swelling over right heel of one year duration. FNAC smears of swelling stained with Leishman and Giemsa stain showed neoplastic mononuclear chondroblasts showing round to oval nuclei, nuclear indentation, grooving and intranuclear inclusions with abundant vacuolated glassy cytoplasm, chicken wire calcification, multinucleated osteoclast like giant cells and chondromyxoid matrix. Histopathological examination of excised specimen revealed focal areas of mature cartilage with proliferating chondroblasts showing nuclear grooves and numerous giant cells. Thus confirming the diagnosis of chondroblastoma.

3D Imaging of the Liver Extracellular Matrix in a Mouse Model of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the most common chronic liver disease in the United States, affecting more than 70 million Americans. NASH can progress to fibrosis and eventually to cirrhosis, a significant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support and maintains liver homeostasis via matricellular signals. Liver fibrosis results from an imbalance in the dynamic ECM remodeling process and is characterized by excessive accumulation of structural elements and associated changes in glycosaminoglycans. The typical fibrosis pattern of NASH is called "chicken wire," which usually consists of zone 3 perisinusoidal/pericellular fibrosis, based on features observed by Masson's trichrome stain and Picrosirius Red stains. However, these traditional thin two-dimensional (2D) tissue slide-based imaging techniques cannot demonstrate the detailed three-dimensional (3D) ECM structural changes, limiting the understanding of the dynamic ECM remodeling in liver fibrosis. The current work optimized a fast and efficient protocol to image the native ECM structure in the liver via decellularization to address the above challenges. Mice were fed either with chow or fast-food diet for 14 weeks. Decellularization was performed after in situ portal vein perfusion, and the two-photon microscopy techniques were applied to image and analyze changes in the native ECM. The 3D images of the normal and NASH livers were reconstituted and analyzed. Performing in situ perfusion decellularization and analyzing the scaffold by two-photon microscopy provided a practical and reliable platform to visualize the dynamic ECM remodeling in the liver.

3D Imaging of the Liver Extracellular Matrix in a Mouse Model of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the most common chronic liver disease in the United States, affecting more than 70 million Americans. NASH can progress to fibrosis and eventually to cirrhosis, a significant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support and maintains liver homeostasis via matricellular signals. Liver fibrosis results from an imbalance in the dynamic ECM remodeling process and is characterized by excessive accumulation of structural elements and associated changes in glycosaminoglycans. The typical fibrosis pattern of NASH is called "chicken wire," which usually consists of zone 3 perisinusoidal/pericellular fibrosis, based on features observed by Masson's trichrome stain and Picrosirius Red stains. However, these traditional thin two-dimensional (2D) tissue slide-based imaging techniques cannot demonstrate the detailed three-dimensional (3D) ECM structural changes, limiting the understanding of the dynamic ECM remodeling in liver fibrosis. The current work optimized a fast and efficient protocol to image the native ECM structure in the liver via decellularization to address the above challenges. Mice were fed either with chow or fast-food diet for 14 weeks. Decellularization was performed after in situ portal vein perfusion, and the two-photon microscopy techniques were applied to image and analyze changes in the native ECM. The 3D images of the normal and NASH livers were reconstituted and analyzed. Performing in situ perfusion decellularization and analyzing the scaffold by two-photon microscopy provided a practical and reliable platform to visualize the dynamic ECM remodeling in the liver.

Abstract

Abstract Justin Balog (bio) Gardeners zip tie the branchesof their saplings Magnetic northis the consciousness of birds Stiff weight despite the pain of low barometric pressureI’m on my knees praying for a part-time job If I could I wouldn’t say anything to Greenland its disappearing icerates which have never before been seen My hands sift through dirt that might never have been sifted throughI bought a plant for this responsibility Here we are moving as ifsome destiny tied us By morning the leaves will have already turnedto face the sun [End Page 207] Observation on Discovery I learn the Spaniards take their time, if not for health, maybe for the cascade of Pedrell down the narrow eaves of this near-dawn Catalonian boulevard where I am lost. I stop to stare at the map I stole from a boutique hotel, though the receptionist was so kind, on the street that opens like a harbor of boating flags, a canopy of clothes hanging from the balconies. If this is art, I think I finally understand. In the museum I visited earlier, the main installation was a floating bed frame, connected by steel strings, to the ceiling, above the main entrance, which, to me, seemed an apt description of faith. The bed, though, illustrated some current theory of the universe, the movement of gravity or the bending of light. How precious, then, are our moments of weightlessness? [End Page 208] My only friend in this country, drunk, without our keys, is two or four streets over, hopefully, where I left him. When he told me he had lost our keys, my heart felt as weightless as a toolbox. Where would we stay? We have a train in seven hours. What about our clothes? Or the hosts we’ve betrayed? Forgive me, I took the map because I am in a hurry. The unusual thing about the installation was that the sheets were rigid fishnets or a dark chicken wire. Light makes density ambiguous and gravity throws sheets like a chore. I am taking a minute to myself, in an alley, under a balcony, to breathe because I am sober and have to find us a place to sleep. I lean my head back against the gothic brick. The narrowness between buildings makes the perfect telescope. The shirts, the sheets, the delicateness of their gravity; night peeking through, exhibiting what I think the installation meant: a sculpture rotating with the Earth, everywhere, dangling like little experiments. How precious, these clothes we live in. [End Page 209] Justin Balog Justin Balog is a writer from Beach Park, Illinois. He holds a BS in biology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A graduate of the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program with his MFA in poetry, he has received fellowships from the Vermont Studio Center and the University of Michigan. He was an assistant editor at Michigan Quarterly Review, where he co-founded MQR’s online, multimodal imprint, Mixtape. He has work appearing in Ploughshares, Narrative, and the Iowa Review. Currently, he is a student at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Copyright © 2022 Middlebury College