Cell Diameter Research Articles

Sucrose synthase gene family in common bean during pod filling subjected to moisture restriction

In common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), leaf photosynthesis is significantly reduced under drought conditions. Previous studies have shown that some drought-tolerant cultivars use the pod walls to compensate the decreased photosynthesis rate in leaves by acting as temporary reservoirs of carbohydrates to support seed filling. Here, we describe a comprehensive molecular characterization of sucrose synthase (SUS, EC 2.4.1.13) gene family through a genome-wide analysis and evaluated the effects of terminal drought on reproductive structures, specifically the pod walls. Seven PvSUS genes were located on six different chromosomes and had 8–16 intron–exon structures (8–16 exons). The PvSUS protein sequences revealed conserved catalytic domains, with molecular weights ranging from 90.5 kDa to 105.1 kDa and lengths from 799 to 929 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these sequences into three main clusters with seven subgroups, indicating divergence from SUS sequences in other plant species. Using a docking sequence, we predicted three-dimensional (3-D) structures and evaluated the active sites. Bioinformatics analysis of promoter regions suggested that PvSUS genes may respond to light, hormone signaling, and stress stimuli. Greenhouse experiments were conducted using the cv. OTI, identified as having intermediate drought tolerance. Plants at the R8 growth stage were maintained with regular irrigation at 100% field capacity (FC) or with water restriction to maintain 50% of field capacity. Pods were harvested 5 days, 10 days, 15 days, and 20 days after anthesis. An increase in PvSUS activity under water restriction was associated with higher levels of fructose, while sucrose concentration also increased. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that PvSUS1, PvSUS3, and PvSUS4 were strongly expressed during seed development under water restriction. The fluorescent sucrose analog esculin indicated that transport across the plasma membrane might contribute to the increase in the pith cell diameter of pedicels. The results provide a systematic overview of the PvSUS gene family in P. vulgaris, offering a framework for further research and the potential functional application of PvSUS genes.

CONVERGENCE OF THE METHOD OF PIECEWISE LINEAR APPROXIMATIONS AND COLLOCATIONS FOR A TWO-DIMENSIONAL HYPERSINGULAR INTEGRAL EQUATION ON A SET WITH BOUNDARY

A hypersingular integral equation on a convex bounded set on the plane with an integral understood in the sense of a finite part in the sense of Hadamard is considered. Equations of this type, in particular, arise when solving the Neumann boundary value problem for the Lapalse and Helmholtz equations on a flat screen in the case where the solution is sought in the form of a double layer potential. To numerically solve the equation, a numerical scheme is used based on piecewise linear approximation of the unknown function on a triangular conformal mesh and the collocation method. The uniform convergence of numerical solutions to an exact solution on a grid when the maximum cell diameter tends to zero has been proven.

Examination of the Corneal Endothelium in Patients With Congenital Aniridia With a PAX6 Mutation Using In Vivo Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy.

In PAX6 syndrome, it is still not clear, whether prenatally, parallel to the iris tissue developmental anomaly, there is neural ectodermal, neural crest, or mesodermal cell deposition at the corneal endothelium, affecting endothelial structure and function. In addition, because of the postnatal corneal inflammation and commonly appearing secondary glaucoma, progressive endothelial changes are expected. Our purpose was to study the corneal endothelium in subjects with PAX6 aniridia, using in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy. Twenty-seven eyes of 16 subjects with congenital aniridia (age 28.25 ± 16.32 [11-59] years, 8 [50%] female) and 40 eyes of 26 healthy subjects (age 33.8 ± 15.2 [14-67] years, 17 [58.6%] females) were examined. Aniridia-associated keratopathy and iris malformation were graded, and means of endothelial cell density, cell area, cell diameter, spatial pattern of cell centroids (Clark-Evans index), polygonality, neighbor count, percentage of hexagonal cells, and endothelial deposit number were determined by in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy. Mean cell diameter and mean Clark-Evans index were significantly lower (P = 0.049; P = 0.008) in congenital aniridia eyes than in controls. There were hyperreflective endothelial deposits in congenital aniridia eyes but not in controls (P < 0.001). Only aniridia-associated keratopathy grade correlated positively with mean endothelial deposit number (P = 0.017). In congenital aniridia, the corneal endothelium might possess a slightly better quality and greater reserves than in healthy subjects. Corneal endothelial deposition seems to be independent from developmental abnormalities but may be related to up to date undescribed endothelial inflammatory or metabolic changes.

3D electron microscopy for analyzing nanoparticles in the tumor endothelium

Delivering medical agents to diseased tissues has been challenging, leading researchers to study the in vivo transport process in the body for improving delivery. Many imaging techniques exist for mapping the distribution of medical agent-carrying nanoparticles in tissues, but they cannot capture the three-dimensional context of tissues with single nanoparticle resolution. Here, we developed 3DEM-NPD, a three-dimensional electron microscopy (3D EM) machine learning strategy to image and map single nanoparticle distributions (NPD) in tissues. 3DEM-NPD provides unbiased visualization and quantification of individual nanoparticles within organs. We applied this technique to quantify nanoparticle transport through tumor blood vessel endothelial cells. We measured the cell diameter, surface area, and volume and found that traditional 2D EM cannot accurately measure these features. We used machine learning to locate over 550,000 nanoparticles in less than 3 h with an accuracy of over 82%. The 3DEM-NPD method allowed us to establish a metric to quantify nanoparticle transport at the single nanoparticle level and to quantify the morphological features of ~2,800 vesicles. We find that on average there are only 2.4 nanoparticles per vesicle with a theoretical maximum of 158 nanoparticles per vesicle (~66x increase). These surprising results suggest the need to increase vesicle encapsulation efficiency for improved transport and they provide a benchmark for increasing nanoparticle transport and delivery. This technique may provide unique insights into the interactions between medical agents, drug carriers, emerging materials, and cells at the single-nanoparticle level throughout tissues.

Preparation of PBAT/PLA Blend Microporous Foam With Excellent Resilience and Cushioning Properties by scCO2 Technology Through Improving Compatibility

ABSTRACTThe lightweight microcellular foams of polybutylene adipate terephthalate/polylactic acid (PBAT/PLA) with high mechanical strength and excellent resilience and buffering properties were reported using supercritical CO2 foaming technology. The effects of an epoxy chain extender (ST‐CE37B) on the mechanical properties, rheological properties, and dispersion morphology of PBAT/PLA blends were studied. The results showed that ST‐CE37B can act as compatibilizers and the PBAT/PLA blend with 0.5 phr ST‐CE37B exhibited the highest tensile strength (22 MPa). The PBAT/PLA foam with 0.7 phr ST‐CE37B, expansion ratio of 8.0 displayed the minor cell diameter (19.3 μm) and highest cell density (5.44 × 107 cells/cm3), the compressive strength was greater than that of pure PBAT/PLA foam, and the permanent strain was less than 15%. Therefore, compared with other foams, it can withstand larger stress according to the cushioning performance. In addition, this work also discussed the compression rebound performance (resilience) test of foam with the same blending sample, the same cell density, and different cell structures. It was found that foam with a larger cell size (49.2 μ m) showed lower permanent deformation and energy loss coefficient. This study provides a feasible method for preparing high microporous PBAT/PLA foam, expands the application range of biodegradable foam, and has research significance.

Impact of mesenchymal stem cell size and adhesion modulation on in vivo distribution: insights from quantitative PET imaging

BackgroundSuccessful engraftment and localization of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within target tissues are critical factors influencing their therapeutic efficacy for tissue repair and regeneration. However, the relative contributions of biophysical factors like cell size and adhesion capacity in regulating MSC distribution in vivo remain incompletely understood.MethodsCell adhesion peptides and hanging drop method were used to modify the adhesive capacity and size of MSCs. To quantitatively track the real-time biodistribution of transplanted MSCs with defined size and adhesion profiles in living mice and rats, the non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) imaging was applied.ResultsSurface modification with integrin binding peptides like RGD, GFOGER, and HAVDI reduced MSC adhesion capacity in vitro by up to 43.5% without altering cell size, but did not significantly decrease lung entrapment in vivo. In contrast, culturing MSCs as 3D spheroids for 48 h reduced their cell diameter by 34.6% and markedly enhanced their ability to pass through the lungs and migrate to other organs like the liver after intravenous administration. This size-dependent effect on MSC distribution was more pronounced in rats compared to mice, likely due to differences in pulmonary microvessel diameters between species.ConclusionOur findings reveal that cell size is a predominant biophysical regulator of MSC localization in vivo compared to adhesion capacity, providing crucial insights to guide optimization of MSC delivery strategies for enhanced therapeutic efficacy.Graphical abstract

Toxicological Assessment of 2-Hydroxychalcone-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy: Comparative In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment modality that uses light to activate a photosensitizing agent, destroying target cells. The growing awareness of the necessity to reduce or eliminate the use of mammals in research has prompted the search for safer toxicity testing models aligned with the new global guidelines and compliant with the relevant regulations. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of PDT on alternative models to mammals, including in vitro three-dimensional (3D) cultures and in vivo, in invertebrate animals, utilizing a potent photosensitizer, 2-hydroxychalcone. Methods: Cytotoxicity was assessed in two cellular models: monolayer (2D) and 3D. For this purpose, spheroids of two cell lines, primary dermal fibroblasts (HDFa) and adult human epidermal cell keratinocytes (HaCat), were developed and characterized following criteria on cell viability, shape, diameter, and number of cells. The survival percentages of Caenorhabditis elegans and Galleria mellonella were evaluated at 1 and 7 days, respectively. Results: The findings indicated that all the assessed platforms are appropriate for investigating PDT toxicity. Furthermore, 2-hydroxychalcone demonstrated low toxicity in the absence of light and when mediated by PDT across a range of in vitro (2D and 3D cultures) and in vivo (invertebrate animal models, including G. mellonella and C. elegans) models. Conclusion: There was a strong correlation between the in vitro and in vivo tests, with similar toxicity results, particularly in the 3D models and C. elegans, where the concentration for 50% viability was approximately 100 µg/mL.

Terahertz Imaging Detects Oral Cariogenic Microbial Domains Characteristics.

Dental caries, associated with plaque biofilm, is highly prevalent and significantly burdens public health. Streptococcus mutans is the main cariogenic bacteria that adheres to the tooth surface and forms an abundant extracellular polysaccharide matrix (EPS) as a cariogenic biofilm scaffold. S. mutans RNase III-encoding gene (rnc) and a putative chromosome segregation protein-encoding gene (smc) are potentially associated with EPS production. In addition, complex interactions between S. mutans and other oral microorganisms synergistically or antagonistically affect the cariogenicity. Commensal streptococci suppress the growth of cariogenic pathogens, whereas Candida albicans mediates the formation of cariogenic biofilm through aggregation and dual-species biofilm formation with S. mutans. However, label-free detection of cariogenic microbial interactions with the EPS matrix is still challenging during laboratory investigations. Herein, we hypothesized that the S. mutans rnc-smc operon affects EPS production and aimed to observe streptococci, S. mutans, and S. mutans-C. albicans using terahertz scanning near-field optical microscopy (THz s-SNOM). The light in the 0.1- to 0.3-THz frequency range interacted with the sample through a nano-probe tip by a point-by-point scanning process. Additional noise reduction of the original image was achieved by a dual kernel Gaussian filter. The monospecies of streptococci, S. mutans smc/rnc mutants, and the dual-species of S. mutans-C. albicans were scanned by THz s-SNOM. This technique provided terahertz near-field scanning images of S. mutans smc/rnc mutants, streptococci, and dual-species of S. mutans-C. albicans. Additional analysis of the original images potentially revealed the structures of the strains, such as cell diameters and cell wall thickness. In conclusion, the results suggested that the S. mutans rnc-smc operon regulates EPS production. Furthermore, this novel label-free detection of a THz near-field scanning technique had the potential to observe the morphologies of bacterial cells and EPS matrix.

Hyperplasia of fat-containing cells with mature adipocyte marker is associated with pancreatic fat enlargement

Abstract Objectives: The purpose was to elucidate the specific characteristics of fat-containing cells in the pancreas and the mechanism of intra-pancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) in humans. Methods: 15 Japanese patients who had undergone pancreatic resection were enrolled and the normal region of pancreatic samples from each patient was examined. To evaluate the characteristics of fat-containing cells, immunostaining for adiponectin and perilipin 1 was performed and the relationships between the pancreatic fat-cell area or clinical parameters, and the density or the diameter of the fat cells was analyzed. Results: Expression of adiponectin in the cytoplasm and perilipin 1 along the plasma membrane were observed in fat-containing cells in the pancreas. The fat-containing cell area had a significant positive correlation with cell density (r = 0.58, p = 0.023). In addition, fat-containing cell density was significantly positively correlated with homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r = 0.61, p = 0.045). Fat-containing cell area was not significantly correlated with cell diameter (r = 0.45, p = 0.095). The diameter of fat-containing cells had significant positive correlations with BMI (r = 0.79, p &lt; 0.001), fasting immunoreactive insulin (r = 0.65, p = 0.029) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.80, p = 0.003). Of all fat-containing cells, 10.4% were intralobular cells, and the diameter of intralobular cells showed a tendency for positive correlation with age (r = 0.52, p = 0.057). Conclusions: The characteristics of fat-containing cells in the pancreas indicate that some of them may be mature adipocytes, and fat volume may be increased by hyperplasia of fat-containing cells associated with insulin resistance. Key terms: pancreatic fat, adipocytes markers, hyperplasia of fat-containing cells, insulin resistance.

Flexural analysis of 3D-printed sandwich beams with chiral cores using deep neural networks and response surface methodology

This study employed Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for flexural analysis of 3D-printed sandwich beams with chiral cores. The cores were configured with varying parameters: diameter, thickness, and angle of the chiral unit cell. The trained DNN demonstrated high predictive accuracy and the RSM polynomials were statistically significant with p-values below 0.05. Increased chiral unit cell thickness resulted in higher maximum flexural force and stiffness/mass. Smaller diameters enhanced maximum flexural forces and stiffness/mass due to better material density and structural integrity. Moreover, increasing angle values improved maximum flexural force and stiffness while minimizing mass.

Contact area and tissue growth dynamics shape synthetic juxtacrine signaling patterns

Cell-cell communication through direct contact, or juxtacrine signaling, is important in development, disease, and many areas of physiology. Synthetic forms of juxtacrine signaling can be precisely controlled and operate orthogonally to native processes, making them a powerful reductionist tool with which to address fundamental questions in cell-cell communication in vivo. Here, we investigate how cell-cell contact length and tissue growth dynamics affect juxtacrine signal responses through implementing a custom synthetic gene circuit in Drosophila wing imaginal discs alongside mathematical modeling to determine synthetic Notch (synNotch) activation patterns. We find that the area of contact between cells largely determines the extent of synNotch activation, leading to the prediction that the shape of the interface between signal-sending and signal-receiving cells will impact the magnitude of the synNotch response. Notably, synNotch outputs form a graded spatial profile that extends several cell diameters from the signal source, providing evidence that the response to juxtacrine signals can persist in cells as they proliferate away from source cells, or that cells remain able to communicate directly over several cell diameters. Our model suggests that the former mechanism may be sufficient, since it predicts graded outputs without diffusion or long-range cell-cell communication. Overall, we identify that cell-cell contact area together with output synthesis and decay rates likely govern the pattern of synNotch outputs in both space and time during tissue growth, insights that may have broader implications for juxtacrine signaling in general.

Mass-loaded suspended piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array towards flexible stretchable electronics evaluation

We introduce a novel piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) with a mass-loaded suspended (MLSP) design, fabricated using sacrificial technique to advance the non-destructive testing (NDT) of flexible electronics. The MLSP features four trenches uniformly distributed at the membrane’s edge and a mass load atop the membrane. These trenches transform the PMUT into a suspended membrane, significantly enhancing its sensitivity and effective vibrational area. The mass load is strategically added to tune the frequency and further boost sensitivity, while maintaining the same size and frequency as traditional clamped PMUTs (CP). In practice, we designed and fabricated 11 MHz PMUT arrays with a cell diameter of 40 μm. Experiments demonstrated that MLSP’s displacement is 2.2 times that of CP, and its pulse-echo sensitivity is 2.1 times higher. Mechanical scanning-based imaging of internal electrodes in stretchable electronic models revealed that MLSP provides better image contrast, clarity, and more accurate defect detection compared to CP. These findings underscore the potential of this innovative PMUT design for advancing compact, low-power handheld ultrasound systems in the flexible electronics sector. This approach offers a viable solution to meet the escalating demands for non-destructive testing (NDT).

Abstract A017: High-throughput microfluidic enrichment of circulating tumor cells from entire diagnostic leukapheresis for comprehensive liquid biopsy

Abstract Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in blood containing a complete set of single-cell analytes, including high-molecular-weight DNA, intact RNA, and both intracellular and cell-surface proteins serve as a promising tool in cancer diagnosis and prognosis through liquid biopsy. However, their clinical utility has been limited by their low blood concentration and inadequate enrichment technology. Diagnostic leukapheresis holds promise for isolating sufficient CTCs, but enriching ultra-rare cells from large, complex fluid volumes remains challenging. To address this, we developed the LPCTC-iChip, a high-throughput microfluidic device that uses high-flow channels and force-amplifying magnetic lenses to deplete hematopoietic cells, allowing tumor epitope-agnostic screening of massive blood volumes. Here, we present the first application of LPCTC-iChip to entire diagnostic leukapheresis products (leukopak) from seven patients with metastatic cancer, processing an average of 5.83 liters of blood per patient. Enumeration and morphology characterization of CTCs using multispectral immunofluorescence imaging identified high CTC yields - a mean of 10,057 CTCs per leukopak and showed notable intra- patient heterogeneity. Nuclear and cell diameter of CTC varies within individual patients, with 67% overlapping in size with patient-matched white blood cells. Paired single-cell DNA and RNA sequencing uncovered subclonal aneuploidy and distinct signaling pathways within CTCs with shared, clonal copy number variation (CNV) patterns. A subset of small aneuploid cells lacking epithelial markers was enriched for neuroendocrine characteristics in prostate cancer samples. The mutations found by FDA-approved genetic tests in either biopsied metastatic lesions or blood-based ctDNA sampling were reproduced by whole exome sequencing of a pool of CNV-confirmed CTCs. In addition, the sequencing revealed additional cancer-related high allele frequency variants that are not detectable with ctDNA or tissue needle biopsies. Overall, this high-throughput CTC enrichment from complete leukapheresis combined with multispectral imaging and single cell sequencing technology enables a comprehensive, cell-based liquid biopsy approach for early cancer detection and therapeutic responses monitoring. Citation Format: Avanish Mishra, Shih-Bo Huang, Taronish Dubash, Risa Burr, Jon F. Edd, Ben S. Wittner, Quinn E. Cunneely, Victor R. Putaturo, Akansha Deshpande, Ezgi Antmen, Kaustav A. Gopinathan, Keisuke Otani, Yoshiyuki Miyazawa, Ji Eun Kwak, Sara Y. Guay, Justin P. Kelly, John Walsh, Linda T. Nieman, Isabella Galler, PuiYee Chan, Michael S. Lawrence, Ryan J. Sullivan, Aditya Bardia, Douglas S. Micalizzi, Lecia V. Sequist, Richard J. Lee, Joseph W. Franses, David T. Ting, Patricia A. R. Brunker, Shyamala Maheswaran, David T. Miyamoto, Daniel A. Haber, Mehmet Toner. High-throughput microfluidic enrichment of circulating tumor cells from entire diagnostic leukapheresis for comprehensive liquid biopsy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Liquid Biopsy: From Discovery to Clinical Implementation; 2024 Nov 13-16; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2024;30(21_Suppl):Abstract nr A017.

High-Throughput Measurement of Single-Fission Yeast Cell Volume Using Fluorescence Exclusion.

Cell volume is a critical parameter for the biology of living species and has an impact on virtually all cellular functions. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the regulation of cell size has been the focus of intense investigation, and mechanisms that couple size control with cell cycle progression have been identified. In fission yeast, cell length at division is generally used as a proxy for determining cell size. However, it only allows for an inaccurate evaluation of this critical parameter and neglects potential changes in cell morphology and diameter, which can strongly impact cell volume. Until recently, one of the major obstacles for studying the complexity of cell size regulation in fission yeast has been the lack of a robust method for high-throughput, direct measurement of single-cell volume. Here, we provide a comprehensive protocol for S. pombe cell volume determination based on the Fluorescence eXclusion method and microfluidics technologies. This approach makes it possible to reliably describe cell volume and its distribution in populations of fission yeast cells.

Enhancing Li-ion battery efficiency: An experimental study on hybrid cooling approach with paraffin and forced air convection

This article experimentally investigates the application of commercial paraffin for the thermal management of Li-ion battery packs under various operational and design parameters. The performance of paraffin is compared to natural and forced air convection effects without paraffin. In the experiments, battery packs of 12 V, 24 V, and 48 V are utilized. The discharge rates are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5C. The distance variations between the battery cells for the PCM cooling method are examined at 0.25D, 0.5D, and 1D (D is the diameter of the battery cell). The results indicate that the battery packs with natural air convection exceed the thermal limitations recommended by the battery cell manufacturer. Besides that, forced air convection created undesirable conditions for the long-term use of batteries. The energy efficiency values for hybrid cooling that combines paraffin and forced air are higher than those for forced air convection. The battery packs have demonstrated the best performance in 48 V, 0.5D and 0 m/s case with 97 % efficiency for 4C discharge rate. The lowest efficiency has been seen in 12 V, 0.5D and 0 m/s with 50 % for 5C discharge rate. The lowest temperature difference is observed in 12 V, 0.25D and 0 m/s for 1C discharge rate which is 1.9 °C. The highest temperature difference is spotted in 12 V, 0D, and 0 m/s case for 5C discharge rate which is 32 °C. The highest temperature is 102 °C in 48 V, 0D, and 0 m/s case for 5C discharge rate. The lowest temperature is 24 °C in 24 V, 0.5, and 7.5 m/s case for 1C discharge rate.

Effect of Films on In‐Mold Decoration and Microcellular Foaming Injection Molding Parts: Cell Structure, Surface, Warpage, and Mechanical Properties

ABSTRACTThe in‐mold decoration and microcellular foaming injection molding (IMD‐MIM) process was proposed to solve the apparent quality problem of polypropylene in microcellular foaming injection molding. Based on physical experiments and finite element simulation, stainless steel (ST) and polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET) decorative films were selected for analysis, and the influence of the type and thickness of the decorative films on the cell structure, surface morphology, warpage deformation, and mechanical properties was revealed. The results show that the surface quality of the samples coated is significantly improved, and the asymmetric temperature field caused by the films changes the structure and distribution of the cells. The cell density on the coated side is higher than that on the non‐coated side, and the average cell diameter is smaller, and the foam core layer is shifted to the coated side. The warpage caused by ST film is larger, up to 2.836 mm. With the intervention of ST film and PET film, the impact properties of the samples have little change, but the tensile and flexural properties of the foamed samples have been effectively improved. The tensile strength increased by 28.6% and 25.9%, while the flexural strength increased by 28.6% and 28.1%, respectively. This study provides new insights into the comprehensive optimization of the structure and performance of polypropylene microcellular foaming materials and provides support for the development and application of lightweight materials in the future.

Intraprocedural and Delayed Plaque Protrusion in Carotid Artery Stenting Using a Dual-Layer Metallic Stent

BackgroundIntravascular ultrasound–determined plaque protrusion (PP) during carotid artery stenting (CAS) using conventional stents is reported in 7.6% to 12% of cases and is associated with periprocedural cerebral embolism. The Casper/Roadsaver stent (CRS) is a dual-layer micromesh stent designed to reduce the risk of PP, with a mesh cell diameter 4-fold smaller size than that of conventional stents. This study investigated the incidence of PP with CRS CAS. MethodsWe prospectively analyzed 89 consecutive arteriosclerotic carotid artery stenoses in 82 patients (64 men; mean age, 76.8 years; 43 symptomatic) who underwent CAS with CRS under intravascular ultrasound. The main end points were the technical success rate, incidences of intraprocedural PP and at 1 week after CAS (delayed PP), incidence of new ipsilateral diffusion-weighted imaging lesion within 48 hours post CAS, and major adverse events (myocardial infarction, stroke, death) within 30 days. Secondary end points were the rate of in-stent restenosis and ipsilateral stroke at 30 days and 12 months. ResultsThe technical success rate was 100%. Intraprocedural PP occurred in 2 patients (2.2%). Delayed PP occurred in 3 additional patients (3.4%). Diffusion-weighted imaging positivity was 24.7%. Major adverse events (minor stroke) occurred in 1 patient (1.1%). In-stent restenosis occurred in 5 patients (6.0%) by 12 months. No ipsilateral stroke occurred during the follow-up. ConclusionsThe incidence of intraprocedural PP with CRS CAS was 2.2%, indicating a significant reduction compared to conventional stents. However, at 7 days new PP had occurred in 3.4% of patients, indicating that patients with CRS should be followed up for delayed PP.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals the mechanism underlying salinity-induced morphological changes in Skeletonema subsalsum.

Diatom cell walls are diverse and unique, providing the basis for species identification and supporting the ecological and economic value of diatoms. However, these important structures sometimes change in response to environmental fluctuations, especially under salt adaptation. Although studies have shown that salinity induces morphological plasticity changes in diatom cell walls, most research has focused on physiological responses rather than molecular mechanisms. In this study, Skeletonema subsalsum was cultured under four salinity conditions (0, 3, 6, 12). Through morphological and physiological methods, we found that salinity increased the cell diameter, protrusion lengths, distance between adjacent cells (DBCs), and nanopore size, while reducing cell height and silicification degree. To further investigate the mechanism underlying morphological changes in S. subsalsum, complementary transcriptome analysis was performed. In total, 20,138 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified among the four treatments. Among them, 231 DEGs were screened and found to be closely associated with morphological changes, of which 107 were downregulated and 124 were upregulated. The findings demonstrated that elevated salinity inhibited silicon transport and deposition via downregulating the expression of DEGs involved in functions including chitin metabolism, putrescine metabolism, and vesicle transport, resulting in reduced silicon content and cell height. Increased salinity promoted the expression of DEGs related to microtubules (MTs), actin, and ubiquitin, which synchronously induced morphological changes. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the salt tolerance of algae and a foundation for future studies on cell wall morphogenesis.

High‐speed escape jumps in haptophytes: Mechanism and triggering fluid signal

AbstractSome planktonic organisms can remotely sense and evade predators by powerful escape jumps. Remote perception typically happens through the fluid disturbance generated by the approaching predator or its feeding current. In copepods and ciliates with mechanosensors, the perception and jump mechanisms are well understood. But how some flagellates perceive the fluid disturbance and achieve similar relative speeds with only two flagella is less explored. Here, we examined the ability of three haptophytes, Chrysochromulina simplex, Prymnesium polylepis, and Prymnesium parvum, to sense and evade the fluid disturbance generated by the feeding current of a copepod nauplius. Chrysochromulina simplex has a long haptonema (14 cell diameters), while the haptonema of the two other species are shorter (1 and 0.5 cell diameters). Only C. simplex responded to the fluid disturbance by fleeing at high speeds. The jump mechanism consists of two phases: the rapid coiling of the haptonema that pulls the cell about two cell diameters in the direction of the haptonema, followed by flagellar reversal and high‐speed swimming (70 cell lengths per second) in the opposite direction. We rationalize cell displacements and escape speeds from haptonema and flagellar kinematics and fluid dynamics. Using a microfluidic channel, we demonstrate that the component of the fluid signal that triggers the jumps is the maximum deformation rate rather than the magnitude of deformation. High‐speed escape jumps may be an avoidance mechanism evolved by haptophytes with long and coiling haptonema, while species with shorter haptonema may use other defense mechanisms, such as stealth and toxicity.

Tuning the geometry of porous alumina layers via anodization in mixtures of different acids

AbstractPorous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) layers have been obtained by two-step anodization of high-purity Al in two types of acid mixtures, i.e., in H2C2O4–H3PO4 and, for the first time, in H2SO4–H3PO4 systems. The kinetics of oxide formation was examined by monitoring the current vs. time curves while the morphology of the resulting layers was carefully verified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A special emphasis was put on establishing correlations between electrolyte composition, the kinetics and effectiveness of oxide growth, and the morphological features of AAO layers (pore and cell diameter, porosity), as well as pore arrangement. It was confirmed that the addition of H3PO4 to both H2C2O4 and H2SO4 electrolytes results in a significant decrease in oxide growth rate, and worsening of pore arrangement, while the values of pore diameter and interpore distance are much less affected. Moreover, the presence of a small amount of phosphoric acid in the reaction mixture allowed for a noticeable increase in pore ordering if anodization was carried out beyond the self-ordering regime, or performing controlled anodization even at voltages at which the burning phenomenon is typically observed. It is strongly believed that manipulating the electrolyte composition by adding another acid may provide another degree of freedom to control the morphology of the resulting nanostructured alumina layers.